The sun will come out tomorrow!

The sun is out!  THE SUN IS OUT!  YAYAYAYAYYAYAYAYAYYAYYAYAYAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!  That's all I wanted to say.  I know it might not seem super important to y'all, however, it is to me!

Let's get this week started off right!  Get outside.  Enjoy the sun, while it is here!

Going bald?

It's a fact... I am loosing my hair.  And not in small quantities, either!  By the handful, is more like it.  Every time I touch, brush or do anything near my head, hair falls out!

FEAR NOT!  It is a normal occurrence after this type of surgery.  Well, that is what I am told.  My medical posse isn't as worried about it as I am.  They suggested taking Biotin.  YES, I will be taking that along with all my other vitamins!!!!  Biotin promotes new hair growth and it help with hair loss!

In the meantime, I am thinking about cutting my hair quite short!  I'm even looking into getting some fun wigs.  No standard wigs for this gal!  Go big or go home, right?!?!?!  :) :)

Italian night

I grew up near my cousins.  Our families would get together and have big Italian feasts.  Pasketti, homemade meat balls, garlic bread, salad... the works!  My uncle would spend all day making the meatballs, as they were the highlight of the meal!  He would always tell us it was his secret recipe. 

For years, I have wanted that recipe.  So, for one of my birthdays, my aunt typed it all out for me and sent it my way!  I have never shrieked so loud.  Hubby came running and I was jumping up and down an waving a piece of paper around!  I HAD THE RECIPE!!!!!!  WOOOHOOOO!!!!

Tonight was the perfect night for meatballs.  Is there a non perfect night for meatballs?!  I would have loved to do the pasta and garlic bread, but I don't do that anymore (my choice)!  I made a couple of Kelli Ann twists on the recipe.  You know I had to put my own spin on it!!! 

Kelli Ann's meatball extravaganza

adapted form Uncle Mike's Famous meatballs

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork (I use one tube-y thing of Jimmy Dean)

1/4 c. good red wine 

less than 1/4 c. bread crumbs, I used garlic and herb

whole wedge of parmesan cheese, shredded

minced garlic, a whole lot of it!

My uncle uses fennel seeds, and parsley, as well as some eggs to bind.  I just forgot all that tonight!  The shredded cheese was enough of a binder that I didn't need the eggs!  I use both the pork and the beef as it keeps it super moist!  Dry meat = not a happy pouch!

So, mix all your ingredients together until well combined.  Form into whatever size meatballs you'd like.  I make mine fairly large because they are my meal!  Place them into the bottom of a deep-ish pan.  I used my roasting pan.  Pour enough water to cover the bottom of the pan and come partly up the meatballs.  Cover the pan TIGHTLY with foil.  Make sure you seal the edges well!  Pop the pan into an oven pre-heated to 350.  Cook them for 45-59 min, depending on the size.  In the last 10-15 min of cooking remove the foil so the tops can brown up.  They come out perfectly done while still being moist and SUPER tasty!!!!!

My uncle normally fries them and cooks them through in the sauce.  I wanted to try steaming them.  WOOHOOOO, they came out out great!  I simply topped mine with a bit of jarred sauce!  You can pair these with whatever kind of italian food you like!

Sorry for the half eaten, blurry pic!  I was simply soooooo hungry!  :)

Rainy days and comfort food

It is raining today.  Shocker, I know.  It is England.  However, it is ACTUALLY raining today, not spitting, which is what it normally does!

Whenever it pours like this, all I wanna do is snuggle on the couch and eat comfort foods.  My love for comfort-y foods hasn't changed but my definition of them has, for sure!  It used to be a HUGE portion of whatever fast food joint was closest.  THEN, a double portion of extra fries!  Now, I realize that I can have homemade comfort food at a FRACTION of the cost and other stuff!

Her ya go... my comfort food recipe of the day!

Zucchini Latkes

2-3 big zucchinis, grated
1/2 cup of multi-grain pancake mix
1/4 ish tsp. of Baking soda
1/4 tsp of KSP, or to taste
olive oil

First, drain your zucchini.  Grate them into a colander in the sink.  Sprinkle some salt, not the 1/4 tsp, on the top and leave them for about 10-15ish min.  After that, place all the drained veg in a clean kitchen towel.  WRING out your veg!  You'll be surprised at how much aqua will come out!  Give it an extra wring for good luck!  Dump your veg into a bowl and the add the salt and pepper.  Give it a stir and separate the clumps up.  Add the soda and MG pancake mix.  Mix it all together.  Put the olive oil in the pan and heat it up until it is shimmery. Plop spoonfuls into your pan.  Not too many, we don't wanna crowd the pan!  Flatten with the back of your spatula.  Cook about 3-4 min on each side on about medium heat until GOLDEN BROWN.  I popped mine into a 325ish oven for about 10 mins to further crisp them up an fully set them!

Bad day but good tamales!

Today has been a not great day.  I woke up this morning and felt sick!!  YUCK!  I hate being sick!


Tomorrow is a different day.  YAY for that!  I did end up making some good homemade tamales, though!  Hey, bad days aren't an excuse for eating poorly!!!


Poblano pepper tamales

     Masa Dough
          1 3/4 c. masa harina (instant corn masa mix)
          1 3/4 c water
          1 c. corn kernels
          2 TBS. veggie oil
          1/2 tsp. of salt
     Filling
          1 tsp. veggie oil
          1 medium onion, sliced
          2 poblano peppers, thinly sliced
          6 oz. queso fresco, or Monterey jack

Tamale wrappers or parchment paper

Saute your veggies in the oil until crisp but cooked.  Chop up your cheese into little pieces.  Make your dough by mixing all the dough ingredients together!  Now is the time to put it all together!  In your tamale wrapper, put a little bit of dough and spread it on about a third of the wrapper.  Next add your filling, not too much.  Finally put the cheese on.  Now comes the fun part.  WRAPPING THEM!!!!  Wrap it into a burrito type deal and fold up the bottom end.  Finish putting all the tamales together!  After they are all assembled, pop them into your steamer.  My steamer was a GIANT stock pot with an upside down bowl on the bottom with a plate on the top.  I put water in the bottom and the tamales on top of the plate.  Steam your tamales for an hour.  Take them out and let them cool a bit, they will firm up and become more tamale like!!!!!  THEN EAT!
Makes 12 ish!

Yes, it is blurry and hubby's thumb is in the pic, but here they are!!!  THEY ARE YUMMO!!

Yummy, Yummy pancakes...

People have been asking me what do I miss about not eating.  Well, It's not that I am not eating, it's that I am eating different things and smaller portions.

However, that got me thinking... I really do miss breakfast-y type things, ie: pancakes!

NO LONGER, MY FRIENDS!  I have a recipe for pancakes I can eat!

Here ya go!

Ricotta pancakes

1/2 cup ricotta cheese (drain the cheese in a coffee filter in a strainer to make it thicker, I did!)
3 TBS. Multigrain pancake mix
1 TBS.  sugar free instant vanilla pudding mix
1 egg
2 TBS. Sugar free vanilla syrup (I use Toranni)

Whiz up all the ingredients in your mini food processor/blender until WELL combined.  Spray your griddle/pan with non-stick spray.  Cook over low to medium heat until golden!  Enjoy with any sugar free toppings you like.  I personally don't like anything on mine, so I ate them plain!  This recipe makes 8 ish silver dollar sized pancakes.

*There are many variations... Add any flavor pudding and syrup!!  If you are feeling frisky, don't forget a scoop of protein powder!

They aren't the prettiest, but they taste good!!!

Gadgets that are a MUST HAVE in a post-op kitchen!

I am a gadget gal!  I LOVE me some gadgets, let me tell you!!!  Here are several gadgets that I couldn't live without in my post-op kitchen!  They make life after surgery easier and WAY tastier than I though could be possible!!!

First is my mini food processor....

This thing is amazing!  I, of course, got a hot pink one instead of green!  It is great for whipping things up.  If you are in the pureed food stage, it is a LIFE SAVER!!!!!

Next comes my slow cooker...

Slow cookers are great, especially when you use a slow cooker LINER!!!!!  As a post-op gal, I need my food to be moist and juicy.  It helps to keep everything moving in the right direction!!!

The next gadget is a MUST when cooking ground meat!  The Pampered Chef Mix n' Chop!!!!

This thing is called the "meat smoosher" in our house!  It make cooking ground up meat super easy... No scratching of the pans, no big forks!

The next item isn't a MUST have, but it does make things nice.  You could use any blender, but I like the Magic Bullet!

I have several other gadgets, but these are the most important to me!  What do you like to use?!?!

SUPER yummy ham and a slice.

Weird title, right?  Well, let me tell you a story, then it won't be so weird!

I am a klutzy person.  Ok, klutzy doesn't begin to cover it.  I am a walking disaster!  If I can hurt myself with something, I will.  NO MATTER WHAT IT IS!  This time I sliced my hand.  Not in a "normal" place either.  I didn't do it with a knife or slicer or any kitchen-y gadget.  I sliced my hand with a plastic box.  RIGHT BETWEEN MY FINGERS!  It isn't a huge cut or anything, but MAN, does it hurt.  Like I said... UBERKLUTZ!!!!

Ok, enough drama and on to the Yumminess that was din din last night!  Hubby and I were watching daytime tv the other day and this recipe came on for ham.  His ears perked up.  He was paying attention now!!!!  He declared that we should make this for dinner and soon!  I put in on the meal plan!

Here ya go!

Ham with YUMMO glaze


Ham that is already cooked, we used a small one.  We don't want leftovers for the next 8 years!
1 cup stout beer
1 cup honey
1 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup whole grain mustard

*note:  You can adjust the measurements based on the size of your ham!*

Heat oven to 375.  Add beer, honey, syrup, and mustard to a pot and bring to a boil.  POUR OVER HAM.  Pop it in the oven for about an hour.  Remember the ham is cooked already, you are just cooking to caramelize the ham!  You can baste the ham every 15ish minutes.  If the liquid in the pan looks a little sparse, add some aqua!!!

This is super easy and YUMMY!

Desserts!

I love ice cream.  Rocky road is my favorite.  It is just something about the chocolate, nuts and marshmallows that just does it for me.  As you all know, I don't do sweets much anymore.  And by much, I mean never!  There goes my Rocky Road!!!  

I got a great gift for Christmas this past year.  I got an ICE CREAM MAKER!  Now I can make my own frozen-y treats!!!  It might not be Rocky Road, but I can still have my desserts!

I tried this new recipe for some frozen yogurt!!!  It is different and I have to get used to it, but it is kinda tasty!  I made Blackberry Frozen yogurt, it is a really simple recipe.  You DO need an ice cream maker.  That is the only piece of special equipment you HAVE to have!

Blackberry Frozen Yogurt

3 cups fresh blackberries

1 can sweetened condensed milk

3 cups plain greek yogurt (next time I will use the blackberry flavored)

ice cream maker

Puree blackberries and sweetened condensed milk in either a blender or food processor.  Add the greek yogurt and mix well.  Plop it all in the ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions for making frozen-y goodness!!!!

SO not mine, but isn't it pretty!!! :)

Honestly....

I was skyping with my dad today.  Don't you just love technology?!?!?  I think it is FABULOUS!!!!!

Anyway, He was saying something that really rang true for me (He says lots of things that ring true with me, he's that kinda guy :) ).  He said that I was honest about my good and bad days here on this blog.  He's right!

That is one thing I will always be with you.  I will always be real and honest.  Ok, that is two things!  If I can't be honest here, where the heck can I be?!?!?

If my journey and I use that word because I can't think of another.  Personally, I think that word is cheezy and overused, but...  OH WELL!  Sorry, I get sidetracked very easily!  Ooh.. Look!  A squirrel!  :)

Back to my "journey"....  If my struggles or victories can help just one other person that would be cool, but if not, I am not worried!  I mainly write because it is an outlet for me.  It is a stress buster!  I feel so much better after writing about my day, good or bad.  For me, it is a diary, kinda, of my life.  I wanna keep that around.  I wanna remember, EXACTLY, how I was feeling that day or for that period of time.

Honesty and reality is what you will get from me!  I hope you keep reading!!!!

Choices and a recipe!

I have to make a choices all the time, especially regarding what I put in my body, food-wise.  I have to CHOOSE to put good-for-me things in my body.  Let me tell you, it isn't easy all the time.  Take today, for instance... I wanted french fries.  I know I am not suppose to eat them, yet I wanted them anyway.  I had them and they were good.  I didn't eat many, I don't eat much of ANYTHING.  

I am not going to feel guilty about eating them.  You know why?  Because I didn't OVEReat.  I chose to have some french fries, but I didn't have a bucket full of them! I had just enough to kill my craving.  That has to mean something, right?!?  

Through this process, and it is a process, I am learning to make better choices in everything.  I don't always make the right one, no one ever does.  That doesn't mean my day is ruined or that my "diet" is ruined.  It isn't.  I just move on.  

Ok.. Enough HDR (Heavy, deep, and real) and now for a recipe!!!!!

Kelli Ann's version of Beef stew

Diced, cubed beef

1 Guinness

1 can chicken broth

1 envelope Lipton onion soup... I used the onion mushroom version

sliced carrots

1 onion, sliced

1 bunch of celery, sliced... leaves and all!

KSP

some paprika

some flour

I had some veggies in my fridge that were about to go off, so I chopped them up and threw them in the bottom of my Crock-pot!  I had some diced beef thawed.  I threw some flour, some KSP and some paprika into a zipper bag.  Put your diced beef in the zipper bag with the spiced flour.  Moosh it all around until the beef is all coated.  Yes, I said moosh!  It's a technical term!  While you are mooshing, heat up some olive oil in a skillet on your stove.  When the beef is coated and oil is hot, Brown up that beef!!!  You don't have to do this, but it makes it super yummy!  When beef is brown, but not cooked through, dump the whole skillet in your slow cooker.  Make sure to scrape all the brown, lovely, crispy bits into the crockpot!  Dump in a Guinness and your chicken broth then add the envelope of soup mix.   Put it on low for several hours or high for a few less!    Spoon into a bowl an enjoy!!!!  

LOVE my crock-pot!  Make clean up easy by using a Crock-pot LIINER!!!!!!!!

Am I a crazy person?

I ran today.  As in RAN!  I started my "Couch to 5k" program today.  I have never ran before.  When I say never, I MEAN, NOT A SINGLE DAY, never!  I ran for 4 whole minutes! I had to keep asking my hubby to check behind me to see if my organs were falling out!

I am DETERMINED to run a 5k in July and this is the only way to do it, right?!

I am pretty pleased with myself.  Today it was 4 minutes, tomorrow it will be 5!

And I didn't look like this toooo much!!!!

Easy, peasy YUMMO din-din!!!

OK!!!!  I shouldn't even be posting this as a recipe because it is THAT easy!!!  Tonight I made foil packet Mahi-Mahi and a cucumber tomato salad!

Here are the recipes:  You'll laugh at how easy it is!!

Foil packet Fish:

Foil
Mahi-Mahi
Olive oil
KSP

Pre-heat your oven to 350.  See easy enough, already!  Take a square of foil big enough to wrap your fish in.  Drizzle olive oil on it.  Plop the fish down and drizzle some more olive oil on the top.  Add some KSP.  Now, just seal the top and sides and bake for 30ish minutes depending on the size of your fish!  SEE... EASY!  Best of all, no clean up!

Cucumber and tomato salad (I had this when I was in Israel a bajillion years ago and  FINALLY found a recipe for the authentic stuff):

Tomatoes, de-seeded and diced
Cucumber, de-seeded and diced
1 red pepper, diced (see a pattern here)
KSP
Olive oil
some lemon juice


Add all your diced veggies to a bowl.  OH, your veg should be at room temp.  It tastes better that way!  Next add your olive oil, lemon juice and KSP to the bowl, all to your taste!  Toss and enjoy!

See, even our "china" is easy peasy tonight!!!  Doesn't this look YUMMY!  Fresh and light and crisp!!!

Comfort food to the max!

When it is cold and rainy out I crave comfort foods.  Warm and saucy pasta to be exact!  One teeny tiny problem with this picture... I don't eat pasta any more.  What is a gal to do without pasta?!?!?!  Well, come up with something else entirely, DUH!

I came up with Veggie lasagna.  No noodles!  Yes, you heard me right!  NO NOODLES!  I used Eggplant, zucchini, and some mushrooms!  I cut them into ribbons, well... that isn't ENTIRELY true... I made my hubby do all the cutting.  Anything with a blade kinda scares me at the moment. I am still trying to re-grow my thumb tip!

Ok here is the recipe...

Tomato Sauce (yes, today I made my own)

1 can San Marzano crushed tomatoes. I like these, you can use whatever you have!
minced garlic (I LIKE TONS, but it is to taste)
one small hunk of butter
fennel seeds
oregano
KSP
parsley flakes
tomato paste
Tapatio

Saute the garlic in the butter (how bad can that be?!).  Add the can of crushed tomatoes and a couple squrits of the paste.  I use the tube-y kind, but you can use the kind in a can.  It adds a richness to the sauce!  Then start adding spices.  I added a couple of dashes of Tapatio because I didn't have red pepper flakes!  This is all about what tastes good to you, or me in this case!  Simmer for about 30 ish minutes while you prep the rest of the stuff!

Now for the rest of it.... Make sure you have a heavy, oven safe pot.  I am using this ADORABLE dutch oven I got.  It is a pink heart!  how cute is that!!?!?!? Then I layered the eggplant ribbons and zuchinni ribbons with some portabello mushrooms, then sauce, then fresh mozzarella cheese!  Make sure you end with cheese on the top.  Pop that baby in the oven!  Cook it on 375 for about an hour.  Take the top off the cook it for an aditional 20ish minutes to brown it all up!

Let it cool for a bit!  I know you are going to want to dive right in, but let it cool and firm up a bit!  No burning mouths, here!!!!

Not mine, but you get the idea.  I couldn't even find my phone to take a blurry pic with, so I googled!!!!

ENJOY!!!!!

8 weeks... Clean bill of Health!

It has been 8 weeks.  I now have clean bill of health.  I saw my surgeon yesterday.  It was quite a trek.  3 hours in one direction, just to spend 20 minutes with him.  However, in those 20 minutes, he told me I was doing well and needed to keep on keeping on.  He also weighed me.  I am officially down 46 pounds!  I have to tell you, I feel so much better already!  I don't know how I carried all that around with me!!!