Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Update.

Well, I made it through the 40 days. We lost internet connection for a few days around Easter and I never made it back. Sorry. Odd thing - I couldn't satisfy my sweet tooth. Nothing was doing it. I guess I finally just gave up and just went on.
Giving sweets up for 40 days apparently did nothing either. I went right back to eating them all the time.
Today I start trying to lose weight. DH did the hard task of giving up smoking, so now it's my turn. It's mainly going to be exercising with a bit of watching my intake. I'll need to be more committed to my gym ventures though, as I tend to walk a bit on the treadmill & call it a day. I'm going to give that ZunePass a try and load up my iPod.
For Dinner, I'm going to make PW's Springy Shells & add some grilled chicken.
I've also got laundry out my heiny & a cake to make for a client on Thursday.
Busy, busy...I'll have to tear myself away from the computer.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Shrimpy

Today for dinner I made "Shrimpy," a Sam the Cooking Guy recipe.

4 sticks of butter
2 lbs cleaned shrimp
6T pepper
1 t cayenne

Line a 9X13 pan with 2 sticks of the butter, sliced up. Spread over the shrimp. Cover with more butter & season.

Very not impressed. It didn't hold it's temperature well at all. The butter was just overpowering, and I love butter - real, unsalted butter. No flavor whatsoever, other than butter. In the end I threw a portion in a pan with some garlic, lemon, salt & parsley and called it "scampi." It needed some white wine.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

And lead me not into temptation...

I do that well enough on my own. I made 2 homemade pies, cheesecake, and it was my friend's birthday with a high-end bakery's cake. I missed it all. Yeay me! There were times I was ready to throw in the towel. My husband is convinced that as long as I don't actually EAT it (i.e. chow down), I can try sample my own creations. I prefer to not even go down the path.
The crust for both pies was from Ina Garten. It was so simple - all the ingredients went in the food processor. A spin later and it gets saran-wrapped and in the fridge. I didn't get around to it for two days, and I thought I'd put too much water, but it was perfect. I do need to blind-bake next time. She also has a more savory crust that is built the same way.
The filling for the apple was Emeril's Big Apple pie, sans nuts. Hee hee. That sounds funny. It got great reviews, but it came out really watery. Again, I probably need to blind bake, as my friend's came out not so watery and she used a frozen crust. It also made a LOT of filling. Scale back, use a really deep pan, or make two pies. DH has yet to try it either pie.
We also made a strawberry rhubarb pie. I plan on buying some more rhubarb while it's in season. I realize now that I followed a different recipe than I originally intended to, Smitten Kitchen's. Everyone liked it though, except Mija. It was also watery, gotta work on that when I can taste it. We used the struesel topping from this recipe on both pies, adding oats to the apple topping.
I forgot momentarily that I couldn't eat sweets. We were waiting for the cake slicing at my friend & her twin's celebration. (Some drama was going on, and a bday girl was lost.) This entire time, I was waiting for cake. It wasn't until everyone was found and in place for slicing and the song was sung that it dawned on me, "I can't eat cake." Darnit. That carrot cake looked so good. . .almost there!

Friday, March 20, 2009

Day 21

How am I doing? Well, this morning I stuck my head in a large zippy bag with the remnants of a Nutella-filled calzone and inhaled deeply. Other than that, great!
I've had little missteps here and there, licking my fingers after serving someone a sweet goodie or popping a chocolate chip in my mouth when they spilled in the cabinet. As I'm savoring the morsel, the thought comes in my head, "I probably shouldn't be doing this."
I had a dream I gave into my temptations with a large chocolate-y nutty something. It reminded me of those Ferrero Rochers, but this was much larger and hollow. I was very disappointed in the dessert and myself. I've resolved to try harder not to nibble.
Mija is Easy-Baking her little heart out at the moment - a scratch chocolate cake. The timer just went off.
I'm planning my first freedom bite as we speak, however.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Day ???

I've done good! Or "well", as my bro would now interject. I did have to cheat once, as I gave blood and they give you sugar to replace the bloodloss. So I shared a little package of peanut butter cookies with Mija. Not those cracker and a thin layer of PB ones, it was the peanut shape ones with the sweet thick layer inside. Other than that, I made Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies (adapted from the raisin ones on SmittenKitchen's blog) and didn't have a one. DH ate a lot of them, however.
Girl Scout Cookie time is soon, too! Oh me, oh my! Good thing they taste better frozen.
I've been cooking a lot better foods for the family as well. ("as GOOD," Bro fixes. No, it's not a grammar thing, it's an annoying brother thing.) I've learned to brine chicken breasts & served it with fresh asparagus. Not that it was difficult, but I will always brine my chicken breasts now.
The other night was "Oven Fried Chicken," a delicious Ellie Krieger recipe. The yogurt makes the chicken juicy as it bakes. I served it with a salad and homemade ranch dressing. Yum! I need to figure out how to do links, but the ranch dressing was from Pioneer Woman. (update: figured out the links!)

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Day 6

I started my sourdough starter today. I accidently used a metal fork to stir it without thinking so I'll have to keep an eye on it. After I made it I researched some more and apparently there are those "snobs" that dub it "not genuine" if you use yeast. Oh well, too late. Then I left it on the fridge top to start it's magic and thank goodness I put it's container into a larger one! A yeasty pool of goo splooged everywhere.
Doing good on the sweets stuff, still! Still can't wait for a big hot fudge sundae with a chocolate chip cookie the size of my head on the side!

Monday, March 2, 2009

Day 5 (6!)

Monday! At least today counts.
Mush-mixing the amish bread, and have decided to start a sourdough starter as well and make English Muffins.
Breakfast: 2 mini breakfast sandwiches from Burger King
Lunch: Didn't really eat until late...
Dinner: 2 Grilled cheese sandwiches

I became an official member with the San Diego Cake Club today! Got me (another) snazzy new apron!

Sunday, March 1, 2009

The first Sunday of Lent

Breakfast: Eggs with tomatoes & habaneros, "refried" black beans (more like mashed beans - bacon drippings tasted bad.)
Lunch: Don't remember
Dinner: Porkchops & Applesauce
Snack : English Muffin & Cream cheese, PB&J, Cereal & Yogurt

Don't worry too much about the "don't remembers." It may have been I didn't actually eat. I tend not to eat meals, just snack throughout the day or I don't eat at all. My biggest challenge when I was trying to lose weight was to eat, period. Most people have to eat less, I had to eat more. My trainer told me I was starving my body into hibernation mode and it was storing anything I put in. I did lose weight, so it must've worked! Day 2 of my friendship bread direction was to mash the bag. I like the yeasty smell.
Today I found my dad's Kit Kat stash. I eagerly ripped into one and was in the process of breaking the little bars apart only to realize I couldn't eat it. I went to my husband who quickly eyeballed my thievery and asked why I had it. I explained I had found my dad's Kit Kat stash. He grabbed it and said "You mean you found ME your Dad's Kit Kat stash" and crammed them in his mouth. Later that evening, my dad tossed the bag at me, "Here." He apparently didn't know I'd given up sweets. Again, my husband got the booty. At least he's supportive?

Realizations on Day 4

Apparently, Lent isn't actually 40 days. Sundays aren't counted. This doesn't mean, however, that you get Sundays "off." So tomorrow won't count at all. 46 days it is.

Breakfast: a peach & some iced tea but made DH & Mija French Toast and Eggs
Lunch: bean & cheese burritos - I think the beans are going bad, have to toss them
Snack: PB & J a little before dinner
Dinner: DH made spaghetti with turkey meatballs

This is also Day 1 of my new project - "Amish" Friendship Bread!

I found a starter recipe online -
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 packet yeast

I chose to do the plastic baggie method - load it into a giant bag and mush when needed. No need to worry about what bowls & spoons you can use. No mess. Well, until baking day. Yes, I realize this isn't a savory application of my baking skills as aforementioned. I'll just have to keep the starters going until the 40 (+6) days are up. Plus, you can freeze the starters. Good thing, cause I don't really plan on sending any chain letters.

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Day 3

Friday was a bit easier. I had my bro make some extra cupcakes to use the remaining icing, but I really wasn't eyeballing them. Have a good weekend!
Breakfast: Don't remember!
Lunch: Don't remember! (At least I know they weren't sweets!)
Dinner: Daddy's BBQ chicken

Friday, February 27, 2009

Day 2 & Cupcakes!

Breakfast: Multigrain Cheerios
Lunch: Turkey & Cheddar sandwich (with homemade bread!)
Dinner: Chile Verde (from elise.com)

It's definitely getting harder. About 1pm yesterday, I could have killed for a cupcake. Then I had to make some for Mija's school and not munch on them. I did lick the spoon on the way to the sink without thinking of it. Did I mention I don't think about what I eat? Then this morning, I had to make the icing for it, too. I looked for an easy, but decadent icing I could use immediately. I chose Pioneer Woman's Sticky Chocolate icing. No one was awake, so I did sample it to make sure it wasn't nasty. Ha. Sooo good. I'll have to make some when I'm done with my 40 days. Ok, no more obligatory desserts until near the end of the month. I'm channeling my baking/cooking craze into savory items, so I still get to indulge my kitchen love.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

40 Days - Day 1

Yesterday went okay! I'm beginning to see how unaware I am of what I eat, and how often I just grab something without thought. I goofed a little! My bro doesn't like the cherry Starbursts and offered them to me, along with a strawberry one he was reluctant to let go of. I popped one in my mouth and went back to cleaning the kitchen. While clearing the table, my mission came back to me, and I quickly spit it out. Darnit! Foiled already.
Breakfast - Egg & Cheese Burrito
Lunch - Cold chicken thighs & BBQ sauce
Dinner - Costco Pepperoni Pizza
Drinks - Iced Tea, Dr. Pepper, & shared a pink lemonade with Mija

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

40 days w/o Sweets: Mardi Gras (Day -1)

Wow, my blog is getting off to a great start. I just deleted some posts since they were going nowhere. I've decided to blog about my newest undertaking meanwhile. It'll keep me on track, hopefully, and maybe kickstart my blogging.
First off, I'm not a "practicing Catholic", as they like to say. I try to honor God in my everyday life, in the way I live and act, but I don't go to church on Sunday or abstain from meat on the assigned Fridays. However, I do like the Lenten sacrifice and try to genuinely think of something it would be hard for me to do without for 40 days. It's more like borrowing someone else's time constraint though - someone else dictates which 40 days. Otherwise, "I'll start tomorrow."
So this year it's sweets. I've got a giant sweet tooth (and the waistline to match.) I usually have SOMETHING sweet everyday. So can I live 40 days without a late-night run to the 7-11 to pick up some Ben & Jerry's or making cakes and munching on the scraps? Can I resist when one of the clan brings home donuts or cookies? (Which they do frequently.) We'll have yet to see. I have an order for 27 Double Chocolate cupcakes due Friday. A few friend's birthdays fall in the timeframe. What to do?
So last night was Fat Tuesday! My last day for eating fattening sweets...so appropriate. However, we were low on funds so my last big hurrah was a pint of Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter cup, which I didn't eat more than a few spoonfuls of. Today is now Day 1 and payday.