Been a while since I updates

Time sure does fly by.

Since my last post back in January, I have lost a pant size. Woot Woot, no weight just a pants size.

I have been dealing with my girls doctor appointments and all kinds of life things, trying to keep afloat in school so that I can pass and finish this chapter of my life. Been trying to get this business off the ground and running, which is starting to pick up some pace. Thank you God.

So I haven't made it to the gym much, I really need to get back going since I am paying for it. This summer when the kids are at home we will be able to make more use out of this and once I get going with it this summer than I will be able to have a momentum and will be able to do it when they are back in school.

Just gotta get my scheduled to go figured out.

1/18/12: Lunch

For lunch I took some left over check broth put that and about 3 cups of water into a medium saucepan. I threw in a small boneless skinless chicken breast. I then boiled then brought the chicken breast to a boil (since it was frozen) and then I removed that pot from the burner, took out the breast and cut it into inch cubes and put it back into the broth. I brought it back to a boil and added about 2 cups of wide no egg dumplings (basically egg noodles) and I added some red pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and a tad bit of salt. I let it boil for 9 minutes.

The results was a very yummy quick homemade chicken noodle soup.

1/18/12: Today's Slimming Down Project.

Today's project is my kitchen, it is a disaster area, I would take a before picture, but it is completely not pretty. Basically I am going through and getting rid of any unused things and just doing some organization. I want to be able to find everything and have everything in a place. I also want it to look pretty. Since I have started selling Tupperware, I have acquired some pieces, which means it is really more in with the new out with the old.

Since really it looks as though we will be here a bit longer that we had originally planned, but things happen you know, such as having a 2nd kid, then taking in a nephew. So we want be able to sell and buy right now, so we really have to make do with what we have and we really need to make it home. So we will be doing some things to make our home, more organized, less cluttered, and just more homey.

So the kitchen is first up, because I spend a lot of time in there. I will be getting to my pantry later and I will be taking before and after pictures of that because I will be using those at my parties. Modular Mates are wonderful and they are endorsed by the US Military. They also keep bugs away and are airtight. Can't wait to get them and see what my pantry and spice cabinet look like afterwards.

So that is my project today, I will be posting things for sale and for free on Craigslist. And I will post some after pictures as well.

I am also getting prepared to do a remodel of my kitchen. I have a lot of things going through my head on what I want, so we will see if and when it will happen.

1/17/12: What's for Dinner?

So my kids and I loved this dish, my husband, not so much. So it will be stricken from our list of keepers. I do think I would have loved it with the mushrooms, as it is my husband does not like them, so I left them out, yet it was still very very good. To bad the hubby didn't like it. Oh and the cheese I could only find a Parmesan, Asiago, and Romano, but it was good.

Creamy Fettuccine with Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms

6 servings, about 1 1/3 cups each
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 12 ounces whole-wheat fettuccine
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups sliced mixed mushrooms, such as cremini, oyster and/or shiitake
• 4 cups thinly sliced Brussels sprouts
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup dry sherry (see Note), or 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 2 cups low-fat milk
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup finely shredded Asiago cheese, plus more for garnish

Preparation

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, return to the pot and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and Brussels sprouts and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms release their liquid, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add sherry (or vinegar), scraping up any brown bits; bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until almost evaporated, 10 seconds (if using vinegar) or about 1 minute (if using sherry).
3. Whisk milk and flour in a bowl; add to the skillet with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the sauce bubbles and thickens, about 2 minutes. Stir in Asiago until melted. Add the sauce to the pasta; gently toss. Serve with more cheese, if desired.

1/16/12

Crazy how I never realized how busy of a person I am. I am trying to exercise and yet I never have the time. It makes me wonder how to others do it, I mean I am not the only one that is always busy, so how do they make it to gym to exercise. We are looking into joining the YMCA next month and yet, if I don't have the time now to exercise then how will I then. I guess it is just a matter of slimming my business down and taking charge of my life and setting schedules and working it all in.

1/16/12: What's For Dinner?

Thai Chicken Pizza

6 servings
Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 20 ounces prepared whole-wheat pizza dough
• 1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2/3 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation

1. Place oven rack in the lowest position; preheat to 450°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Roll out or stretch dough on a lightly floured surface into a rough 16-inch oval. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake on the bottom rack until puffed and lightly crisped on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, whisk peanut butter, water, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger and garlic in a small bowl until well combined.
4. Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring, until cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add bell pepper, scallions and 1 tablespoon of the peanut sauce to the chicken; toss to combine.
5. Remove the crust from the oven; spread evenly with the remaining peanut sauce. Top with the chicken mixture, then sprinkle with cheese. Return the pizza to the oven and bake on the bottom rack until the crust is crispy and golden and the cheese is melted, 11 to 13 minutes.

So my kids whom were all like: "Pizza with peanut butter that is disgusting, that is just nasty!" absolutely LOVE this pizza. I had told them they needed to keep an open mind because it may be good. I on the other hand, thought it was horrible. I am disappointed. But I have a Tupperware team meeting tonight and they will have food for dinner there. So I will be OK. But I have to say that if this is how Thai food is then no wonder those that eat it are so skinny. I would be too because I would never eat. But I tried it but it will not be making my list of keepers. Oh well, on to the next one.

1/15/12: What's for Dinner? A Day late

Black Bean Soup

4 servings, about 1 1/4 cups each
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup prepared salsa
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 4 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream (optional)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Add beans, water, salsa and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in lime juice.
2. Transfer half the soup to a blender and puree (use caution when pureeing hot liquids). Stir the puree back into the saucepan. Serve garnished with sour cream and cilantro, if desired.

I crushed a couple of Tortillas on top of this and it was supper yummy!

1/14/12: What's up

So today I was at a vendor event all day. I was promoting my business and sometimes I feel like I am no good at it. Oh this completely sucks. It is already mid-month and nothing, not one freaking sale. Agh, I am trying to make manager and it seems like it is one thing or another that is holding me back. Something has to give and soon. I know I just started in August and it takes time to build a business. But really when is it time for one to say enough, I am no good at this? However, I am still determined to push on and try my best to get through and build my business. I need to get contacts and parties. That is what I need to do.

My exercise today was walking, lifting, and carrying all my Tupperware products (3 heavy bags).

I have started to notice a change in my energy level since I have been eating better, eating the correct portions, stop eating as soon as I feel full, and not allowing myself to get completely hungry. I will say that I am liking this. Also my belly has started to flatten, I got a long way to go before it gets where I want it, but it is a start.

1/14/12: Quote of the Day

There are two things to aim at in life; first to get what you want, and after that to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind has achieved the second.
Logan Pearsall Smith

1/14/12: What's for Dinner???

Loaded Twice-Baked Potatoes

4 servings
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 medium russet potatoes
• 8 ounces 90%-lean ground beef, (see Variation)
• 1 cup broccoli florets, finely chopped
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 3 scallions, sliced

Preparation

1. Pierce potatoes all over with a fork. Place in the microwave and cook on Medium, turning once or twice, until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. (Or use the “potato setting” on your microwave and cook according to the manufacturer’s directions.)
2. Meanwhile, brown meat in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Increase heat to high, add broccoli and water to the pan, cover, and cook until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain the broccoli; add to the meat.
3. Carefully cut off the top third of the cooked potatoes; reserve the tops for another use. Scoop out the insides into a medium bowl. Place the potato shells in a small baking dish. Add 1/2 cup Cheddar, sour cream, salt and pepper to the potato insides and mash with a fork or potato masher. Add scallions and the potato mixture to the broccoli and meat; stir to combine.
4. Evenly divide the potato mixture among the potato shells and top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Microwave on High until the filling is hot and the cheese is melted, 2 to 4 minutes.

Broccoli-Cheese Chowder

6 servings, 1 cup each
Active Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped  (used onion powder instead)
• 1 large carrot, diced (did not use)
• 2 stalks celery, diced (used celery seed instead)
• 1 large potato, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 14-ounce cans vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 8 ounces broccoli crowns, (see Ingredient Note), cut into 1-inch pieces, stems and florets separated
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook, stirring often, until the onion and celery soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add potato and garlic; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in flour, dry mustard and cayenne; cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
2. Add broth and broccoli stems; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in florets; simmer, covered, until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes more. Transfer 2 cups of the chowder to a bowl and mash; return to the pan.
3. Stir in Cheddar and sour cream; cook over medium heat, stirring, until the cheese is melted and the chowder is heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt.

I was full after just 1/4 of a potato and 1/2 cup of chowder. They were both supper yummy. I will be making these again. Jeff ate a whole potato and was full.

1/13/12: Late

So yesterday I didn't get to update because I was getting ready for a vendor event today. It didn't go as well as I had hoped, but you win some and you lose some, what can you do.

Last nights dinner was pretty good. I liked it, the kids liked it, but Jeff didn't like it because he is a white meat man and not dark. Next time we will be make this with Chicken Breast instead of Chicken Thighs.

Cassoulet-Style Chicken Thighs

6 servings
Active Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 15-ounce cans white beans, rinsed
• 3/4 cup fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs, (see Tip)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into thirds
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 pound low-fat turkey kielbasa, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Preparation

1. Put 1/2 cup beans in a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add the remaining beans and set aside.
2. Toss breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring often, until golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
3. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add chicken in a single layer and cook until browned, turning once, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
4. Add onion and garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add rosemary, thyme and pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine, increase heat to high and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits, until the wine has reduced by about half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add broth, water, kielbasa, the reserved beans and chicken; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Top with the toasted breadcrumbs and parsley.

1-12-12: What's for Dinner?

Chilaquiles Casserole

10 servings
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium zucchini, grated
• 1 19-ounce can black beans, rinsed
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 1/2 cups corn, frozen (thawed) or fresh
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 corn tortillas, quartered
• 1 19-ounce can mild red or green enchilada sauce
• 1 1/4 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in zucchini, beans, tomatoes, corn, cumin and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are heated through, about 3 minutes.
3. Scatter half the tortilla pieces in the pan. Top with half the vegetable mixture, half the enchilada sauce and half the cheese. Repeat with one more layer of tortillas, vegetables, sauce and cheese. Cover with foil.
4. Bake the casserole for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the casserole is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes more.

I didn't put the zucchini and onion in it. 

I am trying to teach my kids to eat only one helping of food, but when they like it they ask for seconds and I have to turn them away, they don't like that very much. But it will help them learn portion control and hopefully help them to be healthy and eat right and not over indulge. But we all loved this.

Something my husband and I have started doing is taking the One A Day Multi Vitamins, I am taking the Women's and he is taking the Men's.

1/12/12: Today I saved

$18.02 on our cell phone bill. Just by changing a couple of things. We also get a discount because of the company he works for.

Next I am going to go over our minutes and see if I can cut our shared 1400 minutes down to 700. I just have to look at who we call that is not on Verizon and see how many minutes we talk to them a month.

Next I will be taking a look to see if I can change to a different bundle package that is cheaper for my phone/internet/cable. They offer our bundle cheaper now so hopefully we can get it for the cheaper rate.

1/11/12 ~ a day late

So I completely forgot to Blog yesterday it was a busy day. I ran errands most of the day and then I had a girl scout leader meeting and 2 conference calls after that. Then I just sort of wanted to chill out. I also didn't get to exercise due to all of my running around all day and night.

I didn't really get anything done as far as slimming down anything else yesterday. But I do have a tip, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS go to the grocery store with a list. See what I do is, I plan my meals for 2 weeks at a time, this co insides with my husbands paychecks. I think look and see what ingredients I have on hand and then I make a list of what I need. Also add what you need for breakfast's and lunches. Look for coupons, you can get coupons loaded onto your savings cards. I also shop the sales flyer's and I make a list of where I can get everything the cheapest, since I have 5 grocery stores in a 5 mile radius of my home then it is not hard for me to bargain shop. I also shop at a place called Save A Lot, you can get some pretty good deals there, but watch because some things you are going to pay more for, like cheese why am I going to pay over $3 for a off brand when I can typically buy a name brand for $2.59. So just watch that. Then I get coupons that I print off line and coupons out of the paper. You can save a lot of money like that. There is also the option to grow your own fresh veggies to cut out some of that grocery bill cost, however I have a brown thumb so that would not work for me.

Last night for dinner we had Skillet Tuna Noodle Casserole. It was good and everyone liked it. I made a few changes to fit with my family's taste buds. I will put the recipe as written here and then tell you my changes after that.

Skillet Tuna Noodle Casserole

6 servings, about 1 1/3 cups each
Active Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces whole-wheat egg noodles
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups nonfat milk
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 12 ounces canned chunk light tuna drained (see Note)
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup coarse dry whole-wheat breadcrumbs

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse.
2. Position rack in upper third of oven and preheat broiler.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, mushrooms and salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add wine and cook until evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables; stir to coat. Add milk and pepper and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Stir in tuna, peas and 1/2 cup Parmesan until evenly incorporated. Then, stir in the noodles (the pan will be very full). Remove from the heat.
4. Sprinkle the casserole with breadcrumbs and the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Broil until bubbly and lightly browned on top, 3 to 4 minutes.

***First I could not find whole wheat noodles, so I used these egg free dumplings, they were made of veggies, they were good. They looked like a egg noodle. We do not eat onions, so I opted for onion powder instead and my hubby doesn't eat mushrooms so I left them out, he also does not eat peas so they did not go in. I served it with green beans and applesauce. The thing I will change for next time is I think I will only use 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese for the topping.

1-10-12

Today I just did some quick body testing on the Wii. I worked on my business, it would be great if I could get some parties going, even some book parties would be great and that was my main focus today was getting together some parties. Do you want to help me by doing a party or book party? I really need to get some stuff going on so that i can sale some Tupperware and make some money. I have a vendor event on Saturday so I can't wait for that. Hopefully I will do well there. I have some other things coming as well, but I am trying to get to manager by the end of the month so that a couple things can happen 1) I will be come manager and make more money and 2) my manager will become Director and we really need a Director in the Richmond area. If we don't make it this month then we have to try again and it takes 3 months to make it. So you can help me make it to manager this month. Even if you don't want to do any type of party then you can still order at my.tupperware.com/lesliemcguinn. 

So that was my day pretty much other than me and my 2 year old playing around.

1-10-12: What's for dinner?

This is what we had for dinner tonight. It was a hit with everyone. YUMMY!!! I served a salad on the side.

Egg & Sausage Casserole

12 servings
Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 6 1/4 hours (includes 5 hours chilling)

Ingredients

• 5 ounces turkey breakfast sausage, (4 small links), casings removed
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 4 large eggs
• 4 large egg whites
• 2 1/2 cups low-fat milk
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2/3 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
• 10 slices white bread, crusts removed

Preparation

1. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Cook sausage in a skillet over medium heat, crumbling with a fork, until browned. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Add oil, onion and bell pepper to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add sausage and cook, stirring, until vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Whisk eggs and egg whites in a large bowl until blended. Whisk in milk, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir in 1/3 cup Cheddar.
5. Arrange bread in a single layer in prepared baking dish. Pour egg mixture over bread and top with reserved vegetables and sausage. Sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup Cheddar. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F.
7. Bake casserole, uncovered, until set and puffed, 40 to 50 minutes. Serve hot.

1-9-12: What's for Dinner

Tonight we had Lime-Honey Glazed Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, and Salad with homemade French Dressing.

All of it tasted great.

This recipe calls for marinating for 2 hours. Well I didn't do that. I have a season all Tupperware container and shook it up real good (it tenderizes at the same time) and then I let it sit in the refrigerator for around 20 minute (while oven preheated) and then I shook it up real good again. Instead of grilling it I baked it on a broiler pan. So even with my adaptions it turned out great, but I can't wait to taste it grilled.

Lime-Honey Glazed Chicken

8 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 1/2 hours (including 2 hours marinating time)

Ingredients

• 6 Tablespoons honey
• 6 Tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons lime zest
• 6 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 4 6-oz chicken thighs (skinned and trimmed of fat)
• 2 12-oz boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut in half cross wise)

Preparation

1. Mix honey, soy sauce, lime zest, lime juice, and crushed red pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken pieces; stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. About 20 minutes before you are ready to grill, preheat a gas grill (with all burners lit) to 400 degree F or build a fire in a charcoal grill and let it burn down to medium heat (about 400 degree F).
3. If using a gas grill, turn off one burner (leaving 1 - 2 burners lit, depending on your grill). If using a charcoal grill, move the coals to one side. Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade (reserve marinade) and place bone-side down (with the thick part of the meat facing up) on the unheated side of the grill rack. Close the lid and roast undisturbed for 25 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, place the marinade in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and boil until reduced by about half and thickened to a glaze, 8-10 mins.
5. Rotate chicken to other spots on the unheated portion of the grill to ensure even cooking and lightly brush with some of the glaze. Cover and continue roasting, basting once more about halfway through cooking, until instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat without touching bone registers 165 degree F, 10 - 20 minutes more.

**I flipped the chicken after the initial 25 minutes, then flipped and glazed, then I cooked for 10 mins, flipped and glazed. Then I cooked another 10 minutes and it turned out PERFECT.

Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt, Pepper, and Thyme

Preparation

1.  Rinse and cut potatoes length wise about 1/2 in thick. Place onto an ungreased cookie sheet, drizzle with EVOO, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme. Mix to coat well.
2. Bake at 400 degree F for 30 - 45 minutes until brown.

**I baked them with the chicken.

French Dressing
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup oil (it called for veggie, but I used canola)
1 cup ketchup
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
1 small onion, diced (I used about 1 Tbsp onion powder)
1 teaspoon lemon juice (I didn't have any so I used lime juice)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preparation:

1. Whisk all ingredients together, until well mixed. (I made half the recipe and used my Tupperware quick shake with the blender wheel, it worked great)
2. Serve over your favorite salad.

1-9-12

Well today has been a rough day for me, I woke up really stiff and having a hard time moving. See I have a condition called EDS (Ehlers Danlos Syndrom) not many people have heard of it, yet millions of us have it. My daughter has also been confirmed as having it and I suspect that my son does too. It affects the collagen in your system, which in turn basically affects everything. So I had a hard time moving, which is not good for having kids.

So tonight I am going to try and do 15 mins of Yoga.

I have also been working on getting all of our bills together so that I can figure out what is what and how to start working on slimming down that debt.

I have also started working on our taxes and have a pretty good idea on what we will be getting back.

We are making a plan of what we need to do and need to get to get our house straight and organized and ready to sale. It will be a couple years before we can sale, the economy really needs to come up before we can get out from under this house.

We will be opening up 2 banking accounts when we get taxes, one will be for my Tupperware Business and the other will be for savings. I have one now that will be used for bills. We will be putting part of my husbands pay into the savings and the rest into Bills. I am working on how much we need for our bills. We are also going to pay our insurance for the full 6 months at a time, this way we have one less bill a month to worry about paying, but we will still count that much so that we have it and it want be touched.

There are some things that we have to get for the house, we don't want to but it is a necessity. We are also looking to get me a vehicle. I want an SUV but I keep hearing that the gas prices are going to sky rocket and I am not sure that I want to have an SUV, but I really need something bigger for the kids and my business. So we will see what happens. Hopefully we don't get a vehicle like we did last year, the engine blew in July and well we will finally be getting it fixed with taxes.

We want to grow our savings and be able to afford more than we can now. We just want to be in a good place.

My husbands goals are to cut out soda's and cut down on what he eats, cut down on fast foods.

My goals are to cut down on what I eat and cut out fast foods.

While that is something that want happen over night, we will achieve them.

1-8-12

Yesterday we didn't do any exercise and we didn't exactly eat healthy. See it was my nephews 13th birthday and we had pizza, meatballs, cocktail sausages, and buffalo chicken dip. Then we of course had cake. I myself did not over eat and I ate a small portion of everything. I am very proud of myself for that.

Tonight we will be exercising, the other night we didn't get in 30 mins we only ended up doing 15 mins each, but that is OK we will work it up. I did aerobics, balance, and yoga. Jeff did some of the same.

For dinner we had the Paprika Shrimp and Green Bean Saute. Harley and Michael liked it. Jeff and JJ did not like it. As for me it was OK, not something I would eat again. I did eat it even though I didn't exactly like it. However, just because it wasn't something for my families taste buds, doesn't mean it will not work for you.

Have a great evening :) Going to go have some family time now.

1-8-12: Dinner

Tonight we tried this recipe.

Paprika Shrimp & Green Bean Saute

6 servings
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups green beans, trimmed (about 12 ounces)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 pound raw shrimp, (21-25 per pound; see Note), peeled and divined
• 2 16-ounce cans large butter beans, rinsed
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar, or red-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Put green beans in a steamer basket, place in the pan, cover and steam until tender-crisp, 4 to 6 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and paprika and cook, stirring constantly, until just fragrant but not browned, about 20 seconds. Add shrimp and cook until pink and opaque, about 2 minutes per side. Stir in beans, vinegar and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup parsley.
3. Divide the green beans among 6 plates. Top with the shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with pepper and the remaining 1/4 cup parsley.