Weight Loss Journey: The Test Results Are In

I saw the Nutritionist last week and I did not get the results I had hoped for.  She said my logs looked good, I was doing everything right, and I just needed to work harder.  Lower my calories and burn more at the gym.  Let me tell you, I was really mad when I left.  I was depressed and pissed off.  I went to Taco Bell to drown my sorrows in Cheesy Frito Burritos.  After talking to my Mom and my husband, I calmed a bit but decided to make that day a cheat day and had pizza (Chicken and Spinach) for dinner.

I spent Friday thinking about what I needed to do.  I got a call from my doctor and she wanted me to come in to have some blood work done to check my vitamin levels.  I decided I was going to follow the nutritionist's advice for 4 weeks.  I would cut my calories to 2000 a day and change up my work outs to see what the results would be.  This requires planning and strategy.  I spent Friday evening writing up options for meals and making a shopping list.

Since Easter was Sunday, we did our weekly shopping on Saturday morning.  Do you have Cash & Carry where you are?  If so, check them out.  I find their produce selection to be top notch.  I can get my salad mix for $6 and it will last 2 weeks.  I also get mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, broccoli slaw, grape tomatoes, potatoes, diced ham and feta cheese.  It saves me money and helps with meal prep.  I spent a few hours Sunday night cutting veggies and weighing everything out.

Planning gives me the chance to try out a few new recipes too.  This week I made Zoodles with Shrimp and One Pot Chili Pasta (see recipes below).  I have to thank my husband for being so patient and open minded on weeks like this.  Let's just say I have been a little crazy about this and analyzing things even more than usual.  He was not a huge fan of the Pasta Chili.  He hates tomatoes, but he ate it anyway.  He did like the Zoodles and Shrimp.  I was surprised how much like pasta it actually felt.

I try to eat 4 times a day.  Breakfast, Pre-Workout Snack, Lunch Post-Workout and Dinner.  This week I have added in a few more supplements.  A ProBiotic, a calcium chew, a milder iron supplement, a chewy daily vitamin and a pre-workout energy mix.  This is in addition to my B12, D3 and Alpha Lipoic Acid.  They are working because some of my blood work has come back and my Vitamin D Levels went from 15 to 38 (normal is 20-80) and my B12 levels went from 230 to 588 (normal 200-914).  My Ferritin levels, which measure your bodies ability to hold onto iron, have went from 22 to 32 in a year.  Normal range for that is 11-307.  

Along with those good results have come some questionable ones.  My TSH or Thyroid Stimulating Hormone came back at 3.24 which is right in the middle of the 0.34 to 5.60 range.  However, my T3 which is part of the thyroid system came back at 82 which is lower than the 87-178 range.  Also my urine test showed more protein that normal.  My number was 147 and the range should be less than 29.  This is the test that worries me.  It shows kidney damage and possible kidney disease.

As of right now, I feel like I am fighting with my body.  According to the doctors and all my research, I am doing everything right.  I am eating very healthy, keeping active, keeping low carb, getting plenty of water and taking all my vitamins.  This week I have been keeping under 2000 calories a day and working out.  On Monday morning I was 397.6 but Friday morning I was 399.6.  Can you see why I am super frustrated?  I have been working hard, cutting and I gained weight.  Needless to say, I am waiting to hear from my doctor to see what to do.  I was in tears all Friday morning.  My Mom finally calmed me down and told me I should stop dieting for a week because me being so stressed and upset just isn't worth it.  I am so happy with my progress and how I feel but I am also so depressed.  

If you have made it this far down the blog, THANK YOU!  I sometimes just need to get this shit written out so I can process it.  I will keep you all updated on my progress and what is in store for my health.

March Goals, Week 4: Positivity

I was on a real high Sunday.  I was happy with my loss last week and I was really excited to see all the support and love I have behind me.  I got private messages, phone calls and texts.  You all know how to make a girl feel awesome.  My goal this week is to say 5 positive things that happened in my day.  I will share some with you.  Sunday's things included posting my blog, getting a call from both of my parents, getting a text from a really good friend and not having to leave the house all day.

I rewarded myself with Pizza on Monday and I was utterly disappointed.  I ordered a thin crust Chicken and Mushroom pizza.  I hated it.  I don't see the point in wasting the calories if it isn't going to be satisfying.  I can eat 2 slices for 500 calories.  There are much better tasting things I can have for those calories.  Maybe next time I will just get the wings.  I like those better anyway.  My positive things for Monday included another call from my Dad to ask me how much water he needed to make a recipe.  I love getting calls from my family to ask advice on cooking.  It must mean I'm doing something right.

Tuesday was a long day at work but I still made dinner when I got home.  I threw together Penne with Chicken and Turkey Meatballs.  I ate very little of the pasta but the meatballs were so good.  I just added some cumin, a couple eggs and a little panko and baked them for 20 minutes.  The recipe made 40 meatballs that were 26 calories each.  Tuesday's positive thoughts included that it was payday and I have a job.

I am becoming a really strong believer in a low carb lifestyle.  I have done hours of research on the subject and with my own personal experience, I don't think I will ever go back.  I sleep better, I have so much energy and I am losing without working very hard at it.  I know that I will have to start working out a lot more but for now, I am focused on food.  The month of March has been a real breakthrough month for me.

Friday I got off work an hour early, went to the grocery store and then headed home for a baking extravaganza.  My Aunt Nancy asked me to make the cake for my Uncle Rick's Surprise 50th Birthday.  I made a main Carrot Cake, which is his favorite, and then Orange Cremesicle, Chocolate Nutella and Caramel Apple Cupcakes.  Saturday I went to my sister's house to decorate them and hang out with her and my nephews.  Logan, who is 4 1/2 helped me make chocolate toppers but fell asleep before he could help me frost them.

Saturday night was the big party and we had a great time.  Then Sunday, I came back north to stay the night with at my sister's because I had to be in Olympia early on Monday.  I have such a good time with my nephews.  They are a big reason I am choosing to get healthy.  When one of them asks me to play tag or sit on the floor with them, I want to be able to do it.  Right now I just say I am too big.  Logan asked me to play freeze tag and I told him I couldn't run so he suggested we just walk really fast.  It's what I love most about him.  He is so considerate and genuine.

Monday I took my friend J to get a endoscopy.  My nephew Landon, who's 1 1/2, had woken us all up at 4:45 that morning.  Of course, he napped at 5:30.  I was pretty tired but stayed awake to get J home and back to his place.  I hung out with him for a bit to make sure he was ok and then started the 90 minute drive home.  I stopped in Grand Mound at McDonalds for food and ordered like my old self.  I ordered two 3-piece chicken selects and 2 McDoubles.  I ended up only eating one of each.  Old me would have slammed it all down before I hit Centralia.

All in all March was a great month.  I feel more focused and my mind feels clearer.  I got a lot of people encouraging me to keep it up and many comments on how I seemed happier.  I guess I just feel more alive.

Diabetic Journal Week 7

Wednesday February 25, 2015
I made this awesome mix last night and had it for breakfast this morning.  I am not sure exactly what to call it.  It's like a cold salad but if you heat it up, it's like a casserole.  Seems like all the best foods don't photograph very nicely.  I know it looks like a pile of stuff but I promise, it is so yummy.

Chicken, Quinoa and Avocado Salad
1 cup dry Quinoa
2 Avocados, cubed
Juice of 1 Lime
2 cups Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 cups low-fat Ricotta Cheese
1-1/2 cups boiled Chicken Breast, diced
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cook the Quinoa according to the package instructions and then spread on a plate and put in the refrigerator to cool.  After it is cooled completely, just mix all your ingredients together.  I let is sit over night and then heated up a serving for breakfast.  It was delicious and full of power foods.  It makes 4 heaping servings.  You could add it to some greens for even more nutritional value.
Each serving has 420 calories, 16 grams of fat, 42 carbs and 33 grams of protein.

While this journey is a very personal one and I am doing this strictly for myself and my health, all the support I have received from friends and family near and far has really kept me accountable.  Not only do I not want to disappoint myself, but I would hate to disappoint anyone else.  At times I may overshare but that is part of my charming personality.

Thursday February 26th, 2015:
I am a tad bit discouraged today.  I have hit a small plateau.  My weight hasn't changed at all in almost 2 weeks.  What this tells me is that it's time to put in some work.  The first 30 pounds came off fairly easily by just cutting out processed sugar and lowering my carb intake.  Now is the time to work on portion control and incorporating more exercise.  I had set a goal for myself to lose 50 lbs in 2015.  While that is a great goal, I think I need to set myself some smaller short-term goals that I can easily achieve.

So, for March, I am going to set one goal for myself each week.  Since the 1st is on Sunday, that will start my first week and my first goal.  I got the idea from the YouTube channel Mind Over Munch.  She has some great healthy recipes, workouts and home hacks.  She does an amazing trick with a Quest bar, making it into cereal.  I was sure it wouldn't work but it turned out so crunchy.  I bet you didn't realize that YouTube was more than cat videos.  There is actually a bevy of information on the site.  From recipes to workouts to tips and information on almost anything.

Friday February 27th, 2015:
My name is Kristy and I am an addict.  I am absolutely obsessed with food.  It is constantly on my mind.  I am always thinking about what my next meal will be or a new recipe to try or a way I can cut calories somewhere.  My biggest struggles are dinner.  Sometimes I get home and have no idea what I am going to make.  This leads to wanting to order in.  Pizza is one of my absolute favorite foods.  I haven't had it since January 1st.  Three days this week I came home without a plan for dinner.  All three days, I threw something together instead of ordering pizza.

This leads me to my first goal for the first week of March.  My goal for the week is to plan and make at least 5 of each meal.  Meaning 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinners.  Weekends are the hardest part but we have no plans for that weekend so it should be fairly easy.  Last night I made our first batch of Overnight Oats.  These will be great for breakfasts.  While the chocolate one was really nasty, the blueberry flavor was awesome.  I will share the recipe in my next blog so I can post a picture with it.

Sunday March 1st, 2015
After the small disappointment earlier in the week, the weekend was spent with friends at parties.  Friday night my sister and I went to a Passion party at a friend's house.  I brought a veggie tray because I wasn't sure what food would be there.  Our hostess, Hollie, had chocolate dipped fruit, fruit kabobs, large and small wienies and cheese dip. I ate mostly fruit and vegetables but had some of the wienies too.  I also didn't drink, which was weird for me but not really that difficult.

Saturday night I went to a birthday party for another friend where I also didn't drink.  I packed an apple and a tangerine with me and got a 10 piece McNugget on the drive up, around 3:30 pm. I wasn't hungry the rest of the night so I felt good about the decision.  They all had pizza in the lounge area and I didn't go with them because as I talked about earlier, it is my trigger food.  So much so that I am going to be trying cauliflower pizza crust this week.  I am crossing my fingers.

I look forward to sharing my week with you.

Turkey and Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

I wanted to quickly share this twist on a classic Stuffed Pepper with you all.  This one includes the super grain Quinoa, ground Turkey and some Mexican flavors.

Turkey and Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers
1 cup Quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
4-6 Large Bell Peppers (your choice of color)
1 can of Sweet Corn
1 small can of Diced Green Chiles
1 small can of Enchilada Sauce
1 lb of Ground Turkey
1 tbsp Cumin
1tsp Garlic Powder
1 tbsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Salt
Place the Quinoa and water in a small pot, bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.  Meanwhile, brown the Ground Turkey with Cumin, Garlic Powder, Chili Powder and Salt until fully cooked.  Combine all the ingredients except the Peppers and just heat for a few minutes.  Prep the Peppers by cutting off the tops and cleaning out all the membrane and seeds.  Make sure they can stand up on their own.  Place them in a greased cake pan.  (I cooked 4 but there was enough for 6) Fill each Pepper with the Turkey and Quinoa mixture.  Place any extra in the bottom of the pan.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.  You could add cheese to the top if you want.

When we ate these, we both realized we didn't like the taste of Bell Peppers so they didn't go over that well but I thought the filling was really good.  Try them for yourself and let me know what tweaks you would make.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Recently I was asked to make some cupcakes for my cousin Monica's Baby Shower.  I asked her what flavors she wanted and she told me to just choose.  Her only stipulation was that they had to have Teal and Purple frosting.  I racked my brain for a while, pinning multiple ideas.  Finally, the day before, I decided I didn't want to have to go to the store again so I looked in my cupboards and inspiration hit.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes
1 box Yellow Cake Mix
1 1/4 cups Unsweetened Apple Sauce
2 Apples, chopped
1 cup water
1 jar of Caramel Ice Cream Topping
1 batch of the frosting of your choice (or can, like I did)
Mix the Cake Mix, Applesauce, chopped Apples and water together until combined.  Portion out into cupcake liners and bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let them cool, remove them from the pan and continue to cool them overnight or just a few hours.  Next, drizzle or spoon about a tablespoon of Caramel Sauce on each cupcake.  These cupcakes don't rise very much so you can fill them a little fuller, however, you want to leave space at the top for the Caramel Sauce.  Finally, frost and decorate as you wish.

Everyone really liked these cupcakes.  I think they were best ate with a fork though.

My Diabetic Journal - Week 2

Saturday January 17th, 2015:
I was away from my house all day today so I knew it was a day where I would have to make smart choices on the go.  I started my morning at Starbucks where I used the rest of my gift card by buying the Spinach and Feta Wrap, a Bacon Breakfast Sandwich, a Tall Skinny Vanilla Latte and a Venti Black Iced Tea.  I can hear you saying "Girl, that is too much."  Calm down.  I was being smart.  I ate the wrap and drank the coffee on the drive north.  It was 8:30 in the morning and I wasn't sure when I would be having lunch so the second sandwich was an emergency food supply.

I went and dropped some things at my sister's house and spent some time with my nephew then headed farther North to hang out with a friend.  By 11:30 I was getting hungry and I could tell I needed to eat.  I ate about a quarter of the emergency sandwich while driving out to Yelm.  I was glad I did because we didn't have lunch until 1:15.  We stopped at a KFC/Taco Bell.  Not many healthy choices to make but I did find a Chicken Cantina Power Bowl.  I was actually quite disappointed in it.  There was more rice in it than lettuce.  It had 490 calories, 20 grams of fat and 49 carbs.  But, it was very filling and I wasn't hungry again until around 5 when I got home and ate the rest of the breakfast sandwich.

I was home for about 30 minutes in which time I did my nails, my makeup, my hair and got dressed for Roger's Company Party.  I had two drinks while at the party.  One Long Island Iced Tea and the second was an Apple AMF.  They had a nice buffet set up with a ton of food I can't eat.  They had pasta salad, mac and cheese, rolls and a ton of desserts.  I did find some good stuff.  I had salad, steamed vegetable medley, pork loin, roast beef and chicken breast.  I also had a very small scoop of mashed potatoes.  I needed some carbs ya know?  It was a nice party with 2 hilarious comedians.

It was a whirlwind day of being on the go but I thought I did really well.  I woke up in a good mood and it continued all day. I think today proved that I am on a good path.  I didn't have a hard time making a good choice.  In fact, nothing on that KFC/Taco Bell menu really looked good at all.

Sunday January 18th, 2015:
I was pleased that after a few drinks the night before, my blood sugar was 109.  It had to have been the amount I drank last time and the Red Bull.  Today is game day so we headed out to our regular Sunday breakfast.  Roger's parents joined us today but I made sure we were out of there by 10:30.  I really didn't want to miss the 12:00 kick off.  We did a quick grocery shopping trip which included a bunch of meat and vegetables.

Since the weather has been so rainy and I found some Pork for Posole on clearance, I decided to make a Pork Vegetable Stew.  I threw in a can of green beans, a can of corn, a can of black beans, carrots and some diced red potatoes.  I also made some barley to toss in and used some cumin and garlic powder to season.  It was delicious and the perfect accompaniment to some Sunday Football.  However, watching the Seahawks game was making me sick.  My stomach was in knots.  Until those last few minutes where my Hawks pulled that stuff off.  I never doubted them and knew a miracle was headed our way.

Monday January 19th, 2015:
I woke up in a terrific mood again today.  The Hawks are heading to the Super Bowl to play the Patriots and I am heading to a healthier year.  I finally ordered a scale online that weights up to 550 lbs.  It should be here next week.  I don't want to weigh myself every day but once a week or so should be fine.  I have never been one to obsess over a number on a scale.  I want to feel better, that's it.  And so far, so good.

Yesterday I was craving a Diet Coke so instead of getting a 2 liter (or 3) like I used to do.  I paid twice as much for a 20 oz.  It was gross. I hadn't had a soda since Christmas.  I've been drinking water, herbal tea and iced tea.  The soda coated my mouth with a film that I just hated.  Guess that proves that I have beat that bad habit because I don't want that anymore.

I roasted 2 chickens last night so I could have extra chicken for salads and later on in the week, I am using some in a recipe.  Either Chicken Enchilada Zucchini Boats or Creamy Chicken Quinoa Casserole.  To go with the chicken, I also made Roasted Broccoli.  It is my favorite way to eat broccoli and is so easy.  All you do is put your broccoli into bite sized pieces, put them in a bag, add a little olive oil, garlic powder and parmesan cheese, shake it up and bake it at 400 for like 20 minutes.

Tuesday January 20th, 2015:

My Suburban (aka The Party Bus) is in the shop so I am driving my husband's truck (Johnny Longbox).  Yes, we name our cars.  I've already shared my story of Juanita our Chrysler Imperial.  Anyway, this means I have to get up at 4:30 to take him to work.  Oh Joy!  This morning I decided I was going to take him to work, exercise, shower and then go to work.  I found a fitness show on TV and thought I would give it a try.  I lasted about 15 minutes.  Which is actually longer than I thought I would.  I then laid down and fell back asleep until 6:30.  I still had to shower and get my lunch together.  I was only 5 minutes late but ended up with a salad for breakfast.

I am being tested today.  The guys had Big Ass Sandwich today which is this amazing food truck in Portland.  They are so delicious.  They come with fries on them.  Anyway, the boss brought them in and they smelled so good but I had my lunch, I was fine.  Now I get a call about my Suburban and the guy says it is going to be $1900.  This is completely depressing because it will pretty much wipe out my savings.  This makes me want to drown my sorrows in a juicy cheeseburger and some fries or a pizza but I won't.  This is too important.

After we finally got home last night, I deboned the rest of the chicken from the night before but was too tired and depressed to make one of the recipes I was going to try.  I made Roger Chicken Quesadillas and I had Breakfast Hash.  It was quick and easy.  I went to bed early, dreaming of a miracle for my car.

Sunday January 25th, 2015:

I missed a few days of journaling.  I have been running around like crazy.  Let me quickly catch you up. Wednesday night I made Creamy Chicken Quinoa Casserole.  It was one of the best dinners I have made in a long time.  It had chunks of chicken, broccoli and quinoa without any of that canned cream of whatever soups.  Roger is being pretty good about at least trying everything and he has okay-ed quinoa to enter our staple items.  

I got my vehicle back on Thursday.  I got new calipers, u joints and brake pads.  In total, it was only $800 so I was pretty happy.  And I got it back just in time to head north on Friday to spend time with my sister and nephews.  We made cupcakes for a baby shower for our cousin and just had a great time.  I will share one of the cupcake recipes and the casserole recipe when I can.

One bad thing was how I ate on Friday.  I had breakfast at home at 7:30 but didn't eat again until almost 1 and I was on the road so I grabbed a burrito from Taco Bell.  It had 55 carbs in it.  Yikes!  Then, we went to Jack In The Box for dinner because Kari and I were heading to a party about 45 minutes away.  I had a large fry on the way there and then a Chicken Fajita Pita before bed.  My blood sugar in the morning was 137.  I was pretty disappointed in this because I had been doing so well.  I hadn't been above 120 in a week.

Tried my hand at Kale Chips today. They were actually really good.  I have been missing a crunch in my diet and this really satisfied that.  I took about 4 cups of cut and cleaned kale, drizzled a tablespoon of light olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.  I spread them on a baking sheet and cooked them at 300 for about 25 minutes.  Roger even tried one and said it was ok.  And he is opposed to anything green so that says a lot.

Heading to the kitchen to make Turkey Quinoa Stuffed Peppers.  I will fill you all in next week.

Comfort Food: Vegetable Soup

I love soup.  It is so comforting and with the weather we have been having, it warms you up from the inside.  A few years ago, I found a recipe for Vegetable Barley Soup and I just loved it.  It has such a unique flavor and I really think you will enjoy it.

Vegetable Barley Soup
adapted from Beaker's Vegetable Barley Soup

2 quarts vegetable broth
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
2 large carrots
2 stalks celery
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Pour all ingredients into a large pot.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 90 minutes.  It will be quite thick.

Baking Bonanza

Every year around Christmas, my Mom, sisters Kari and Brenda and I like to get together and have a Girl's Baking day.  This last Sunday we did just that and invited our friend Shamara over to help.  My Grandma even stopped by for a bit.  It was a such a fun day and we got through 10 recipes in just a few hours.  It took some planning but it all worked out.

We made two flavors of Fudge.  The first is a traditional chocolate and the second is a peppermint.  We followed this recipe from Nestle for both except in the peppermint one, we substituted mint chips and peppermint extract.

We also made Magic Bars using the recipe on the back of the Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk.

My favorites were these Holly Crackles.

These are my husband's favorite.  Peanut Butter Cup Cookies.

These Oreo Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies sound strange but they are so delicious.

We had to make another batch of these awesome Rolo Turtles.

These Haystack cookies were requested by my sister Brenda.  The recipe is super simple.  Just melt 3/4 cup peanut butter and one bag of chocolate or butterscotch chips in a saucepan.  When melted, add a 10 oz bag of chow mein noodles.  Stir until full coated and then drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper.  Let set up for at least an hour and then enjoy the crunchy goodness.

Finally, a family favorite, Cowboy Cookies.  I will share the recipe for these at a later time.  They come from a cookbook my Mom helped put together when I was in 3rd or 4th grade at my Elementary school.  Lots of great memorable recipes in there.

Rolo Turtles

One of my favorite things to buy after a holiday on clearance, is a box of Turtles.  I have been seeing these Rolo Turtles all over Pinterest lately so I decided I had to make them.  I went to the Safeway to buy some of my baking supplies with my groceries and my regular checker asked me what I was up to because there was a bunch of "weird stuff" in my order.  I guess I go there a lot. :)

Rolo Turtles

Pretzels (I used the square ones)
Rolos
Pecans
Place the pretzels on a baking sheet, with space in between.  Then place a Rolo on each pretzel.

Put the pan in the oven at 350 for 4-5 minutes.  The candy will look shiny but not be melted.  Press a pecan into each Rolo.  Be careful not to push too hard and work fast.

Homemade Cocoa Mix

A few years ago, I was an avid Food Network fan.  I was on that channel all the time.  Now, Cooking Channel peaks my interest more often but still, most things on there, let's be honest, I will never make.  You get more than 5 ingredients and my eyes glaze over.  Anyway, one show that I will watch over and over again is Good Eats.  The other day, there was a Chocolate episode on and he made his own Cocoa mix.  I thought it would make great Christmas gifts so I gave it a try.

Homemade Cocoa Mix
2 1/2 cups Powdered Milk
2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 cup Cocoa Powder
2 tsp Corn Starch
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Mix thoroughly and store in an air tight container.  Will keep for up to 2 years.
To Make Cocoa, put about 3 tbsp of mix in a cup and pour boiling water over to fill the cup about half way.  Mix well and then fill the cup the rest of the way and enjoy.

My first batch, I made according to the recipe above.  The cayenne added a kick but my husband hated it.  My next batch was made without it and we both preferred it.  (A little cayenne goes a LONG way so be careful.)  I have even added the cocoa mix to my coffee and it made a great mocha.  Give this a try, you won't be sorry. 

A Week Of New Recipes

It's always a struggle to figure out what to make for dinner and what to buy at the grocery store.  If I go to the store without a list, I just feel lost and to make a list without knowing what I am going to be cooking just seems reckless to me.  Those are the days you end up with cookies, chips and a random tub of guacamole when you don't even like guacamole.

In order to keep our grocery budget in check, I usually sit down every Saturday or Sunday and make a list of dinner for the week.  My list consists of five to nine different recipes that are either new or old standbys.  Then I take those recipes and write down everything in them that I don't already have in my cupboards.  This also helps me know when my staples are running low.  After I write own the needed ingredients, I will go through the sales ad for my grocery store.  For me, I only shop at Safeway, I have my favorite checker and I really like their new Just For U program which I can put coupons directly onto my club card.  After I check the ad, I assign the recipes each a day of the week, trying to alternate proteins and ease of preparation dependent upon what we have going on that day.

Last week, I had a pretty free schedule so I decided to make five new recipes, enjoy!

Monday:  Cheesy Chicken Casserole

We really liked this recipe.  I used rotisserie chicken leftovers and left out the peas.  My picky eater of a husband even liked this and said next time the peas would actually be ok.  This will probably be on our menu about once a month.  It was so simple.

Tuesday:  Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

This was pretty good.  We left out the onion.  I have adored Golden Mushroom soup since I discovered it about a year ago.  It is my favorite condensed soup to use.  I prefer my regular old Beef Stroganoff to this but I would make it again.

Wednesday:  Skinny Coconut Shrimp

I had a horrible day this day so I think my bad attitude tainted the recipe.  I bought the wrong shrimp, I waited too long to make it and we didn't eat until almost 8, which is really late for us.  I should have taken more time with this recipe and I think it would have been delicious.  I got irritated with breading each shrimp.  As it was we both liked it and I will make it again.

Thursday:  Swedish Meatballs

This recipe was a jumping off point for me, I kinda went out on my own.  I left out the allspice, celery and onion in the meatballs.  I did follow the meatball cooking instructions though and I thought it gave them a really great texture and flavor.  I enjoyed this recipe and was a little peeved we only had enough leftovers for one of us to take for lunch the next day, so next time I will make a slightly larger batch.

Friday:  Wing It!
We had some cat issues this week and we had to go to the vet on Friday.  We were supposed to try a baked Sweet and Sour Chicken but didn't have time for it so we picked up KFC.  That's what I love about having a plan, it can always change and its no big deal.  That recipe is now on for next week.

I am off to make my menu and see what I can make before payday/grocery day.  Have a great week and thanks for reading.

Ultimate Comfort Food: Tater Tot Casserole

My favorite dish as a kid was Tater Tot Casserole.  Someone always made it for family functions.  I hadn't had it in a very long time so I decided to throw it together and share it with you.

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 can Green Beans

1 can Corn

1 bag Tater Tots

1 lb Ground Beef

1 cup Shredded Cheese

Brown the beef, drain and cool.  In a bowl, mix everything but the tater tots and pour into a greased casserole dish.

Layer the tater tots on top

Top with the shredded cheese and cook for 45 minutes to an hour at 350.

Grandma Biscuits

I have fond memories from my childhood of traveling to Oregon to visit my Great Grandparents.  I remember every corner of that house.  Including the Moose or Elk head that was at the top of the stairs.  I remember my Uncle Cecil telling me it was a haunted head and always thinking it was watching me as I ran past it.

I always remember my Grandpa sitting in his chair with his spittoon next to him, watching Hee Haw.  The kitchen was the heart of the home and I'm not sure I ever saw my Grandma anywhere but in there.  The  giant table in the middle of the room always had food on it.  She was always asking if we were hungry or if she could fix us something.  They were amazing people and I miss them dearly.  I feel bad for my younger cousins that never got to meet or know them.

I called them my Biscuit Grandpa and Grandma because that is what I remember most.  Thin, crisp biscuits.  I've been wanting to try to make them but they will never live up to the memories.  Here is my attempt and the recipe I made up.  I don't think the recipe was ever written down, or did she ever measure anything.  She just knew how to make them.

Grandma Biscuits
2 cups All Purpose Flour  (I was told to use Self Rising Flour but I didn't have any.  If you use self rising, do not at the Baking Powder)
2 1/2 tsps Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 cup Buttermilk
Bacon Drippings

Bake some bacon on a sheet pan.  I baked mine at 400 for 25 or so minutes.  Mmmmm Bacon!

Sift the Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, and Baking Soda into a bowl.  Add the buttermilk and mix with wooden spoon until it comes together.  Dump the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for just a few minutes.

Roll the dough out as thin or as thick as you like.  I like mine thin and crispy so I rolled mine pretty thin, probably 1/4 of an inch.

I used a drinking glass to cut out my biscuits.

Remove the bacon from the pan and use the drippings to coat both sides of the biscuits.

For these thin ones, I baked them at 350 for 20 minutes.  I ate my first one straight out of the oven and as it burned my fingers I was in heaven.  So crispy and really tasted a lot like I remembered.

Slow Cooker Italian Chicken

I love slow cooker recipes.  I can throw them together before I leave for work and when I come home my house smells wonderful and dinner is ready.  I found this recipe here and adapted it for our taste.

6 Chicken Tenders
3 lbs Fingerling Potatoes
1 cup Italian Dressing
2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

Coat the slow cooker crock with non-stick cooking spray.  Place the chicken in the bottom of the crock.  Sprinkle with half of the seasoning, half the dressing and half the cheese.  Cut the potatoes into bite size pieces and layer on top of the chicken.  Sprinkle the remaining seasoning, dressing and cheese on top.  Cook on low for 7 hours.