Frozen meatballs. Quick way to add some meat to a meal--spaghetti squash&pasta sauce, mixed veggies and potatoes, etc. Also something I've tried to avoid in the last couple years... Too high in carbs and fat. ;( I finally found an easy recipe for a low-carb, lower fat meatball recipe.
1 lb LEAN ground turkey or lean Italian sausage, such as Jennie-O
1 egg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp onion powder
Sauté the garlic and olive oil until it turns golden. Mix all ingredients and form into golf ball sized meatballs. Lay on a foil-lined baking sheet sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, turning once.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Politics
I despise politics and the news media. Really, I do. I don't pick sides and I'm of the mindset that any person who gets high up in politics more than likely reeks of corruption. But even I see that the mainstream media refuses to represent things fairly. Enjoy this pictorial!
Monday, June 25, 2012
A Few of My Favorite Things
Generally I'm not too picky. But when I find something I love, I'll jump through hoops to get it and I want everyone else to love it, too! I have two new loves, the first being Yankee Candle store's Pineapple Cilantro hand soap.
I love this soap!! So much do that I wash my hands with regular cheap soap, and then spend a full minute lathering my hands with the Pineapple Cilantro soap just so I can smell it. It's quite marvelous.
Also I love Dr. Jart's Silver Label BB cream. It's a delightful moisturizer, primer, and foundation rolled into one delicious facial product. It goes on so smooth and light. It's even safe to use after cosmetic procedures. It's very breathable and even has a pleasant smell. It's not very expensive, either. About $27 for a large-ish tube.
There you have it folks. Sweet perfection.
I love this soap!! So much do that I wash my hands with regular cheap soap, and then spend a full minute lathering my hands with the Pineapple Cilantro soap just so I can smell it. It's quite marvelous.
Also I love Dr. Jart's Silver Label BB cream. It's a delightful moisturizer, primer, and foundation rolled into one delicious facial product. It goes on so smooth and light. It's even safe to use after cosmetic procedures. It's very breathable and even has a pleasant smell. It's not very expensive, either. About $27 for a large-ish tube.
There you have it folks. Sweet perfection.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Wal-mart Circus
I try to avoid Wal-mart as much as possible. Unfortunately there are certain items that are cheapest there, so every once in a while I make a Wal-mart trip. Today was an especially fabulous day... I got to see every type of sideshow.
Now parking at Wal-mart was difficult enough in my Corolla, but in my Explorer it's a whole new ball game. I had to park in the farthest end of the parking lot. Compact parking is out. I drove around for a few minutes before accepting defeat. I'm sure the extra walk did me good.
As I walked into Wal-mart I got stuck behind my first group of predictable Wal-mart shoppers. These are three or four women that are together, making a collaborative effort to stop traffic. They usually manage to block the entire Wal-mart entrance and they walk as if they can barely muster up enough energy to put one foot in front of the other. Today I slipped in front of this herd, managing to enrage one of them enough that she called out, "take time to smell the roses, Honey!" I don't know what roses she is smelling, but I could likely sniff my way through an entire planet of roses, attend a meet and greet with the gardener, drive home, and make dinner for 12 before she even gets through the check-out line.
Then there is that shopper that I call the chronic toucher. She is the one who gets in front of you as you are walking from one end of the store to the other. Every time you gain a little speed, she stops to touch something on an end cap. A t-shirt. A sun dress. Flip flops. Bath rugs. Hand soap. And on and on she goes, inspecting random items but buying nothing.
My next shopper I have dubbed "mom by mistake." This woman can be of any age, and is usually the one with AT LEAST five kids under the age of 10. She seems convinced that the children were dropped off via space craft in the dead of night and acts like they are completely unpredictable aliens. You identify her by the string of loud commands that she screams futilely as she attempts to maneuver 2 loaded carts through the store. "Don't touch that! Stop hitting your sister! Put that down! Don't hit Mommy! No you cannot have that toy! You NEVER even pick up the toys you have!! STOP CRYING!!!" If this Mom ever realizes that there are other people in the store, she'll usually default to some comment to let you know that kids are about the worst thing on the planet.
Then of course I always end up in line behind someone whose purchase(s) make me laugh for a stupid reason. Today I'll call this shopper Lasagna Party Granny. Single servings of just about everything on the grocery aisles filled her cart. One yogurt. One apple. Then, at the bottom of her cart I see her pull out world's largest lasagna. "Party sized" is written on the box. I couldn't help but wonder how much partying Granny plans to do.
With Party Granny in front of me, Pizza Mom got in line behind me. I couldn't help but notice that her entire grocery selection was pizza-related. I'm not sure she realized that there are other food groups. Pizza bagels, frozen mini pizzas, pizza pockets, pizza combo pretzels, Totino's pizza, I mean all kinds of every pizza item that is made. Of course she was the skinniest person I've ever seen in my life. Go figure. Forget the gym--I'm going to lock myself in a house full of pizza products and slowly eat myself out. I should be a size 0 by then, judging on pizza mom's bod.
After all that I wasn't even able to get one of the items I had really wanted- a sun shade for my windshield- which means that I will be headed back in the near future!
Now parking at Wal-mart was difficult enough in my Corolla, but in my Explorer it's a whole new ball game. I had to park in the farthest end of the parking lot. Compact parking is out. I drove around for a few minutes before accepting defeat. I'm sure the extra walk did me good.
As I walked into Wal-mart I got stuck behind my first group of predictable Wal-mart shoppers. These are three or four women that are together, making a collaborative effort to stop traffic. They usually manage to block the entire Wal-mart entrance and they walk as if they can barely muster up enough energy to put one foot in front of the other. Today I slipped in front of this herd, managing to enrage one of them enough that she called out, "take time to smell the roses, Honey!" I don't know what roses she is smelling, but I could likely sniff my way through an entire planet of roses, attend a meet and greet with the gardener, drive home, and make dinner for 12 before she even gets through the check-out line.
Then there is that shopper that I call the chronic toucher. She is the one who gets in front of you as you are walking from one end of the store to the other. Every time you gain a little speed, she stops to touch something on an end cap. A t-shirt. A sun dress. Flip flops. Bath rugs. Hand soap. And on and on she goes, inspecting random items but buying nothing.
My next shopper I have dubbed "mom by mistake." This woman can be of any age, and is usually the one with AT LEAST five kids under the age of 10. She seems convinced that the children were dropped off via space craft in the dead of night and acts like they are completely unpredictable aliens. You identify her by the string of loud commands that she screams futilely as she attempts to maneuver 2 loaded carts through the store. "Don't touch that! Stop hitting your sister! Put that down! Don't hit Mommy! No you cannot have that toy! You NEVER even pick up the toys you have!! STOP CRYING!!!" If this Mom ever realizes that there are other people in the store, she'll usually default to some comment to let you know that kids are about the worst thing on the planet.
Then of course I always end up in line behind someone whose purchase(s) make me laugh for a stupid reason. Today I'll call this shopper Lasagna Party Granny. Single servings of just about everything on the grocery aisles filled her cart. One yogurt. One apple. Then, at the bottom of her cart I see her pull out world's largest lasagna. "Party sized" is written on the box. I couldn't help but wonder how much partying Granny plans to do.
With Party Granny in front of me, Pizza Mom got in line behind me. I couldn't help but notice that her entire grocery selection was pizza-related. I'm not sure she realized that there are other food groups. Pizza bagels, frozen mini pizzas, pizza pockets, pizza combo pretzels, Totino's pizza, I mean all kinds of every pizza item that is made. Of course she was the skinniest person I've ever seen in my life. Go figure. Forget the gym--I'm going to lock myself in a house full of pizza products and slowly eat myself out. I should be a size 0 by then, judging on pizza mom's bod.
After all that I wasn't even able to get one of the items I had really wanted- a sun shade for my windshield- which means that I will be headed back in the near future!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Brunchfast
Every once in a while there is a marvelous day where the earliest commitment I have is my 11:30 am sweat session with my trainer. It's on these days where I make a real breakfast. Today it was 2 eggs with grape tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers, an apple bran muffin, and blueberries & blackberries. Usually I have an English muffin but hey. You need a real muffin for a late Brunchfast. Cheers!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Stupid Alligators!!
I have lived in South Florida for 2 years and 3 months. In all that time, I have NEVER seen an alligator "in the wild." And believe me, I have looked. We have made 5 trips across alligator alley, and I have done outlandish things to try to catch a glimpse of a giant 14-footer. I even paid $30 for an airboat tour that guaranteed alligator viewing--but no such luck. I walked away with a free season pass and a sad face. This Memorial Day we made the trip across the alley yet again. This is about an hour drive that cuts right through prime swamp land.
All the way there I sang an alligator song that I was sure would work. I offered to sacrifice my chihuahua to the chief alligator god in return for a glimpse of just one of the mighty creatures. (I guess he knew I didn't mean it...) I looked and looked... Failure.
On the way back I told Rich, we are not going home until I see an alligator. I made him pull over at swamp stops along the way and I peered out the windows. Finally I decided that I must get out of the car and walk directly along the water's edge, making noise and hoping one hungry gator would be around.
I was out of the car for approximately 4 minutes. I even threw sticks in the water, hoping to trigger a gator to move his ugly head and try to eat me. I was emboldened by the tall metal fence at the water's edge. Suddenly I felt as if my skin was crawling. Though I knew it wasn't true I imagined that this was the feeling I would get from being in an alligator's angry state.
Alas, I was simply crawling with Mosquitos. I ran screaming for the car and had a near seizure slapping bugs off myself. I am allergic to mosquito bites and I had massive welts all over my neck, arms, and legs. It was horrible!! Rich drove me straight to CVS to get some antihistamines.
I think I've been cured of my need to see an alligator. I used to see them all the time as a kid in North Florida so I guess that will have to do. What a day.
All the way there I sang an alligator song that I was sure would work. I offered to sacrifice my chihuahua to the chief alligator god in return for a glimpse of just one of the mighty creatures. (I guess he knew I didn't mean it...) I looked and looked... Failure.
On the way back I told Rich, we are not going home until I see an alligator. I made him pull over at swamp stops along the way and I peered out the windows. Finally I decided that I must get out of the car and walk directly along the water's edge, making noise and hoping one hungry gator would be around.
I was out of the car for approximately 4 minutes. I even threw sticks in the water, hoping to trigger a gator to move his ugly head and try to eat me. I was emboldened by the tall metal fence at the water's edge. Suddenly I felt as if my skin was crawling. Though I knew it wasn't true I imagined that this was the feeling I would get from being in an alligator's angry state.
Alas, I was simply crawling with Mosquitos. I ran screaming for the car and had a near seizure slapping bugs off myself. I am allergic to mosquito bites and I had massive welts all over my neck, arms, and legs. It was horrible!! Rich drove me straight to CVS to get some antihistamines.
I think I've been cured of my need to see an alligator. I used to see them all the time as a kid in North Florida so I guess that will have to do. What a day.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Easy Shepherd's Pie
After a whole lot of irritation directed at the process of cooking ground meat, I finally decided to look for a better way. That's when I came across the mix 'n chop. It was hands down the best $8 I ever spent for a kitchen gadget. I made Shepherd's Pie tonight (which required the christening of my mix 'n chop), and I must say my ground beef was very finely and evenly crumbled. So, here's a picture of the gadget I used and a recipe for the world's easiest shep's pie!
The handy mix 'n chop. I love, love this tool!
Shepherd's Pie
1# ground meat (beef or turkey is fine)
4 cups frozen mixed vegetables (I used the corn/peas/carrots/lima bean/green bean mix)
8 oz gravy (I used a jar of turkey gravy)
2-1/2 cups mashed potatoes (I used instant potatoes today)
1/4 cup shredded cheese for topping, if desired (I didn't use any on mine today)
Brown the meat. Add the vegetables and cook about 2 minutes. Stir in the gravy and pour the mixture into a small baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes and garnish with parsley etc if you like. Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes, until the dish is bubbly and hot throughout. Top with shredded cheese if desired. (Rich added the cheese to his at the table. I didn't care for it--I don't think cheese and gravy "go" together.)
Don't be tempted to add any extra liquid to the dish. I thought an extra 4 oz wouldn't hurt anything and used a 12-oz jar of gravy. The liquid will bubble through the potatoes if there is too much--which mine did. It didn't ruin the taste just the appearance. I served this with homemade bread. As if it needed any extra carbs. Ha. I think the dish I used is a 9 x 7. It made 5 portion in all--2 for dinner tonight, Rich has lunch for tomorrow and we will have the leftovers in a day or two for another dinner.
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