30 Day Shred 2014: Day 2 & 100 Days of Happiness: Days 6-10

Well, day 2, level 1 is under my belt.  I can tell you that my muscles made sure I knew that they’d been used!  Woke up this morning with practically every muscle in my body sore, but, it’s a good kind of sore, not a painful one….though I often rethink that when I need to sit down, stand up or go up and down stairs…lol

Day 2 was definitely easier than day 1.  I was able to do all of the last cardio set (jumping jacks, butt kicks, punches and jump ropes).  I still have a bit of trouble with stamina and I can’t always do all of the bicycle crunches, but it will all come back to me and get easier.  I ate a serving of oatmeal with a little salt and sugar and a cup of Earl Grey tea a couple hours before working out and took a package to the Post Office for Sarandipity Handmade before I did day 2. I found that the oatmeal keeps me fuller longer and I don’t want to snack in between breakfast and lunch.  I’ve gotten into the habit of having something for breakfast, unlike 5 years ago when I’d often skip meals, so I’m thinking that had an impact on the amount of energy I’ve got and the fact that I’m not dizzy or nauseous this time around.  Not sure what I’m going to have for lunch, yet.  Maybe some leftover baked ziti or a turkey sandwich.  Plan to have pork chops with bacon grits for dinner.

Oh, and I did weigh myself again before showering.  I’m back up to 150lbs, but then again I don’t have one of those fancy scales that tells me lbs and oz, so I could have been on the very edge yesterday.  I also took some body measurements today so I can see if I lose or gain any inches.

Arms: 12″
Waist: 33″
Hips: 40″
Thighs: 24″

3/29 – Happiness is shopping with Darling Hubby to find the perfect dress to wear to a party.

3/30 – Happiness is finding yarn that matches my new dress perfectly so I can knit a shawl.

3/31 – Happiness is Craft Night and finding the perfect shawl pattern.

4/1 – Happiness is pranking Darling Hubby with the kitchen sink water sprayer and getting away with it.

4/2 – Happiness is delivering a package to the Post Office from Sarandipity Handmade.  I hope the Ultra Cuddle baby girl blanket brings happiness to the recipient in Colorado.  🙂

Apricot Pulled Pork on Homemade Kaiser Rolls

Tuesday’s are my crockpot days.  Darling Hubby has his weekly gaming session at the local game store and I take the boys to the local library for the “It’s Elementary” kids club program and to check out some new books.   Darling Hubby usually gets home before the kids and I do and wants to get in and out so he can get to the store and I’m not in the mood to cook a full meal when we get back, therefore, I like to have a meal already ready and waiting for us. Tonight will be Apricot Pulled Pork Sandwiches, served on freshly homemade toasted Kaiser rolls, french fries and baby carrots with dip.  It already smells amazing in here!

Apricot Pulled Pork on Homemade Kaiser Rolls
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 cup apricot preserves
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 Tbsps Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
4lb boneless pork roast, trimmed of fat

2 Tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup cold water
1 Tbsp ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
10-12 kaiser rolls, toasted

Combine first 7 ingredients. Place pork roast in crockpot. Pour apricot mixture over roast and cook on low 8-9 hours.

Transfer pork to cutting board, cool slightly and shred with forks. Skim fat from liquid in crockpot.

Blend water, cornstarch, ginger, salt, and pepper until smooth. Whisk into crockpot liquid. Cook 15-30 mins on high, uncovered, until thickened (sauce can also be done on the stovetop if you are in a hurry.) Return shredded pork to crockpot, mix well. Serve on toasted buns.

I use this receipe for my kaiser rolls.  I use the bread machine method for the dough.  So much better than store bought and I know exactly what is in them!

Enjoy!

Cheesy Chicken Shepherd’s Pie

When someone mentions Shepherd’s Pie I immediately think of something with beef, gravy and mashed potatoes.  I’d planned to use some chicken to make a pot pie, but Darling Hubby suggested I use up some more of the leftovers we had in the fridge, so I pulled out a pound of cooked chicken and parmesan mashed potatoes (leftover from Bug’s 9th birthday a few days ago), some green beans from dinner yesterday, some frozen corn and peas, and Velveeta cheese and made a yummy dinner.  Bug was already asking me to make it again before he’d even finished his first bowl (yes, he had seconds in addition to eating the leftover kale and kidney beans, also left over from his birthday dinner.)

Unfortunately, I didn’t think to take any pictures while I was cooking, so you’ll have to use your imagination.

Cheesy Chicken Shepherd’s Pie
1 lb cooked chicken, cut into chunks
10 oz of frozen or leftover veggies (I used cooked green beans and frozen corn and peas)
8oz of Velveeta cheese, cut into chunks
freshly ground pepper
2Tbsp unsalted butter
2Tbsp flour
1 cup hot water
Mashed potatoes (2 cups will probably be enough – I didn’t measure exactly)
Shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375*

Put the chicken, veggies and Velveeta in a large skillet and cook over medium heat until the cheese starts to melt.  Stir gently and frequently until all the cheese melts and everything is coated.

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and combine with the flour.  Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes.  Gently whisk in the water and heat til bubbly.  Continue to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the chicken mixture is coated with cheese, taste and season with pepper (you probably won’t need salt), pour into an 8×8 pyrex square baking dish.  When the gravy is done, pour that over the chicken mixture.  Do not stir.

If, like me, you are using leftover mashed potatoes, warm them in the microwave for a minute or 2 until spreadable.  Spread around on the top of the gravy.  Sprinkle on the cheddar cheese.

Bake in a preheated 375* oven for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is brown.

Enjoy!

Prep time was about 25-30 mins, cook time 20-25 mins.

Tips and additions:

If, unlike us, you like onions and want to add them, saute a few in a little butter before adding the chicken, veggies and cheese.
Hubby added some rosemary to his portion.
This would be yummy with leftover turkey…maybe try this after Thanksgiving.

Food for Friday! 4/20 – 5/3

I started making a menu and a grocery list while looking at what I thought was the current flyer…only to discover when I’d gone through it twice that the sales don’t start until Sunday…So I had to go online and start again.  Boo.  At least I know what stuff I want/need to get on Sunday…And, I’ve started to make my menus running from Saturday to Friday rather than Monday to Sunday.  It just makes it easier to get something fresh for dinner on Saturday if I want…Maybe now we can occasionally have fresh fish!

Saturday – Bacon & eggs
Sunday – Baked fried chicken, mashed potatoes and veggies
Monday  – Macaroni & cheese
Tuesday – Chili & cornbread
Wednesday – pizza & wings
Thursday – Homemade Chicken Parm over pasta
Friday – Tacos

Saturday – Steak-um sandwiches
Sunday – Rotisserie Chicken with Kale & beans, mashed potatoes and homemade cranberry sauce
Monday  – Sausages on buns with homemade fries and veggies
Tuesday – Shepherd’s Pie (modified from this recipe)
Wednesday – Chicken Pot Pie
Thursday – Spaghetti with homemade sauce
Friday – Pancakes

Food for Friday! 1/14 – 1/27

So once again I got out of the habit of making a grocery list/menu every 2 weeks.  For the past couple months I’ve been scrambling the morning I head to the store to find/print my coupons and put the finishing touches on an only partially functional menu.  I’m going to try to get back on task and start doing a better job of menu planning and house keeping.  Now I just have to keep myself following my menu and each week will go by smoother without me standing in the kitchen trying to decide what I can make with the frozen lump of meat I forgot to thaw…

In the housekeeping department I’m planning to keep up on my kitchen a bit better and put the laundry away rather than let it sit, often times already folded, in the laundry baskets for days.  I’ve already started making the beds each day and trying to get most of my daily chores like laundry done in the morning so I can have more time to knit and spin later.

Here’s the menu for the next couple weeks.  Trying out some new recipes as well as some new family favorites.  I’m also trying to use the meat that I’ve got stored in the freezer rather than buying a ton more.  My grocery list this time around is filled with lots of necessities that I don’t normally buy on a regular basis (things that usually last for a bit like salt, peanut butter, honey and maple syrup…I’m trying to keep the bill down under $250.

Monday – Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet
Tuesday – Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Wednesday – Homemade Pepperoni Pizza
Thursday – Pork tenderloin
Friday –  Tacos
Saturday –  Steak-ums
Sunday – Leftovers/fend for yourself

Monday – Homemade Chicken Parmesan served over angel hair pasta.
Tuesday – Spaghetti and homemade sauce
Wednesday –  Cajun Pot Roast
Thursday – London Broil
Friday –  Bacon and Eggs
Saturday – Roast pork chops with cheddar and bacon grits (Paula Deen)
Sunday – leftovers/fend for yourself

Food for Friday! 11/4 – 11/18

I’ve been kinda slacking with keeping up with my menu…half the time I forget to thaw meats and I just haven’t been sticking to what I’ve planned.  Here’s another attempt to keep myself on track.

Monday – Rotisserie Turkey Breast with mashed potatoes, veggies and homemade cranberry sauce.
Tuesday – Mac n cheese with ground beef and mixed veggies
Wednesday – Turkey pot pie topped with biscuits
Thursday – Parmesan crusted london broil, pineapple glazed carrots and rice
Friday – Bacon and eggs
Saturday – Sausages, homemade fries and veggies
Sunday – Pot Roast with carrots and potatoes

Monday – Pork chops, rice and veggies
Tuesday – Spaghetti with homemade sauce
Wednesday – Cheeseburgers on homemade buns, fries and veggies
Thursday – (Game Night) – Rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes and veggies
Friday – Chicken Salad sandwiches, chips, and pickles
Saturday – leftovers
Sunday – Homemade Chicken Cordon Bleu

Food for Friday! 7/16 – 7/29

This Saturday is super busy.  I’ve either got to go to the grocery store tonight or very early tomorrow morning.  Bug has 2 birthday parties (11 and 2)…I’ve got my knitting group at 2 and then at 4:30/5 we have a BBQ to go to with friends and then a park fest with fireworks after that.   And, it’s going to be 90* with possible thunderstorms tomorrow.  I’m kinda dreading the whole day.

At least the menu is done…

Monday – Chicken Curry (Korma) with basamati rice and broccoli
Tuesday – Quiche (probably with bacon and sausage)
Wednesday – Subs, pickles & chips
Thursday – Buffalo wings and fries
Friday – Tacos with homemade seasoning
Saturday – Philly Cheese Steaks
Sunday – Crockpot pork roast with potatoes and baby carrots

Monday – Cheesy Chicken, Rice and Broccoli Skillet
Tuesday – Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and veggies
Wednesday – Breakfast for Dinner – Pancakes
Thursday – (Game Night) – BBQ Ribs with oven roasted potatoes and veggies
Friday – Spaghetti with homemade sauce
Saturday –  Fish
Sunday – Homemade chicken nuggets (using cornflakes & egg) with homemade fries and veggies

Food for Friday! 6/4 – 6/17

Took me all day to come up with a menu, but I finally did it.  Some items are things we had last week, like the enchiladas and the homemade hamburger buns.  The enchiladas were a hit with my youngest and husband.  Oldest didn’t like them because of the suspiciously green “seasoning” that he found (he won’t eat peppers and try as we might just couldn’t fool him.”  I didn’t get to try them because at the last minute, as I’d finished dumping in the can of enchilada sauce, I saw that there was soy in it!  I ended up with leftovers that night and I had been looking forward to them all day!  This time I’ll be making my own enchilada sauce and will be leaving out the chilis this time, too.  The burger buns, on the other hand, I did get to eat and they were fantastic!  So much better than the store made/bought ones!  I highly recommend them!

Monday – Cottage Cheese Chicken Enchiladas with refried beans
Tuesday – Cheeseburgers on homemade buns (these are delicious!  So much better than store bought!), oven roasted potatoes and veggies
Wednesday – Sawmill Gravy, Sausage and Buttermilk biscuits
Thursday – Macaroni and cheese & hot dogs
Friday – Tacos with homemade seasoning
Saturday – Monte Cristos on homemade bread
Sunday – Baked Fried Chicken

Monday – BBQ Spare Ribs
Tuesday – Spaghetti with homemade sauce
Wednesday – Bacon and eggs
Thursday – (Game Night) – buffalo wings, carrots and chips
Friday – Mustard crusted pork chops, broccoli and rice.
Saturday – Fish Fry
Sunday – Father’s Day Dinner – Chicken cordon bleu, couscous and veggies

Food for Friday! 5/21-6/3

Once again Price Chopper is offering triple coupons…I just wish that the stuff they had on sale were things that I normally purchase…It’s mostly prepackaged crap.  At least they do have a couple produce and meat coupons this week and I’m thankful I’ve been finding 75 cent off any milk coupons that PC has been accepting.  That helps with the fact that we go through about 3 gallons of milk in a little over a week!  I’ve been drinking more 1% milk thanks to the fact that I found a European formula Ovaltine that is soy free.  Tastes a little different from the chocolate milk I had been drinking, but adding a little sugar makes it good.

Here’s this editions menu.  I’ve had a hard time  this time around.  Nothing that we need or normally buy is on sale this week and it made it hard to plan for meals.  The thing that bugs me is that my grocery list is huge.  It’s mostly fresh fruits, veggies and meats, which means lots of $$.

Monday – Turkey burgers on homemade buns, oven roasted potatoes and veggies
Tuesday – BLT’s on homemade bread, chips and pickles
Wednesday – Homemade pepperoni pizza
Thursday – Cottage Cheese Chicken Enchiladas with spanish rice
Friday – Tacos with homemade seasoning
Saturday – BBQ Spare Ribs
Sunday – Baked Fried Chicken

Monday – Baked ziti
Tuesday – Homemade Buffalo Wings
Wednesday – Leftovers
Thursday – (Game Night) Skinny Chicken Parm
Friday – Steak, potatoes and veggies
Saturday – Fish
Sunday – Leftovers/FFY

White Bread – Bread Machine and Oven

I love having a bread machine since it does all the kneading and rises for you, but I just hate that once it bakes it has a giant hole in the bottom from the kneading paddle.   I looked through a cookbook I have and found a method that I could combine with my bread machine to make my dough and bake it in loaf pans to prevent that hole in the middle.  As my 2 year old would say, “Score!”

This recipe makes 2 1lb loves (or if you just want to use your machine, one 2lb loaf).

• 1 1/4 cups water (80*F)
• 3 Tbsp oil (you can olive oil or even apple sauce to make this soy free!)
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 cups bread flour (you can use AP, but bread flour works best)
• 2 tsp yeast, warmed to room temp.   I use Fleishman’s bread machine yeast that’s in the refrigerated section.

Warm you yeast to room temperature.  Place all the ingredients into the machine in the order suggested by your bread machine’s manufacturer.  Use the dough setting.  When the machine is finished, punch down the dough and divide it into equal portions.  I use my kitchen scale to weigh them out.

Grease your loaf pans.  I use olive oil rubbed around with a paper towel to keep this soy free, but you can use spray oil.  Using a rolling pin and a floured surface, roll each ball into a rectangle no wider than your loaf pan.  Rolling out the dough squeezes out all the air bubbles that can create holes in your loaf.   Roll the dough up jelly roll style starting with the short side and place seam side down in your greased pan.  Repeat for 2nd loaf.

You want to let your bread rise in a warm place until it’s the size you want it to be (I usually go to just above the edge of the pan.)  Since we keep our house cooler in the winter and spring I end up warming my oven slightly (to about 80*) and putting my towel covered loaf pans in to warm.  It takes about 1 1/2 – 2 hours to rise completely.  I check my ovens temp every half hour or so just to make sure it’s still warm.

When the rise is complete, remove loaves from oven, if using it, and preheat to 375*F.  Bake for 30 mins and let cool in pans on wire racks.  Remove from the pans by sliding a knife around the edges and cool completely before storing.

Loaves freeze well.  I end up making 2 loaves and freezing 1.  I just use a gallon size freezer bag.  It comes out just as fresh as when it was made.  I store all bread in the refrigerator in a gallon freezer bag and cut slices as needed.

Enjoy!