Whipped Cream, Whipped Cream, Morning, Noon and Night!!!

Okay, maybe not THAT extreme.  But have you heard about Trim Healthy Mama?

Around here I kept hearing about it right and left.  First it was this friend,  then it was that friend.  Of course I had to check it out.  In true "me" fashion, I bought the book, bought the extra ingredients and was certain that this was going to be the key to change my life.

And in true "me" fashion, I only lasted about three days before I moped over to my husband and said "I just don't think this is for me.".  Sure I believed the process.  Sure I tried out some recipes that were really quite amazing.  But after trying a few things that failed (Oopsie Bread and I are not destined to be friends) and after those sugar, white carb cravings that I "couldn't" overcome, I caved.  "Maybe someday!" was my parting remark.  It seemed that Trim Healthy Mama and I had parted ways forever.

Time passed.  And then those friends kept popping up again.  "I've lost thirty pounds!" they'd cry.  "I feel better than I've ever felt!".  Over and over I saw their results.  And it lured me back in to give it another try.

Now granted, I'm still me.  But me has made it to Day 5 so far and I'm LOVING it!!!  While the first few days of course those old habits wanted to have control again, by today I don't even have the desire to snack on something I shouldn't.  The method is more about how you eat (as in what you eat together) that what you eat.  Of course it cuts out the really bad guys ( sugar, flour etc.) but there are so many delicious recipes that before you know it you don't even miss the old.

There really is nothing special you have to start with either.  No expensive ingredients are needed.

I wish I could explain it all but I'll just say, try and get your hands on the book!  There is a ton of great info in there!  And great recipes.  Look what I had for breakfast!  I would be drooling except I'm still STUFFED from my delicious lunch!

I'm not promising to be eating the THM way for the rest of my life, or for a year, or for a month (in fact I'm planning on cheats, I just don't FEEL like taking them!!), but I do know that I'm excited about this, I'm feeling really good and the scale is already budging after just five days!  Can't wait to see where this journey takes me!

Have you tried Trim Healthy Mama?  Are you like me, someone who gets SUPER excited then fades out, or someone who plans carefully and carries things through?

Pinterest Update

So I wrote awhile back about how I had joined Pinterest.  Well, I have actually tried some of the never ending wonderful ideas I found on there and I thought I would share a few of my favorites.

For Ella's two year old birthday I made the Rainbow cake.  My girls and I loved making this one and the surprise when it was cut into.

Then of course we tried the tie-dye cake which was even better because I had gotten some of the gel food coloring which is out of this world bright!

For the party for my sister, my dad and I, I tried some different cupcake ideas.  Blueberry,  German Chocolate, and Red Velvet Cheesecake.  (The Red Velvet were the BEST!!!)

I haven't taken any of my own picture (probably because we eat them so fast!!!) but another favorite have been these pretzels.  We've made them over and over and over.  Sooooooo good!

We've also tried different craft projects, like these homemade water color paints.

and these photo boards.  I love having these pictures hanging in our hallway.  Makes me so happy!

And Pinterest actually got me sewing on my own for the first time in seven years!  I've made little projects for each of the girls like this jumper and her head band.

And now that I got my ears pierced, I was in need of a place to keep my slow growing stash of earrings.  With an empty frame, a bit of lace and some super glue,  I'm loving my new earring holder!

I wouldn't say I'm addicted.  Not by a long stretch.  But I have enjoyed the inspiration and can't wait for the next great ideas to come my way!

Raspberry Stuffed French Toast

So this morning was one of those mornings were we all got to sleep in and have a good old lazy morning.  These are few and far between these days so it felt very good!  By the time I had rolled around to the kitchen, I really had no idea what to make for breakfast (or more accurately, brunch).  Of course Valentine's Day is heavily on my mind so when I saw my loaf of french bread sitting on the counter I remembered last Valentine's Day's breakfast.
Last Valentine's Day Jonathan and Laura were staying with us (Sniff. Sniff.  I MISS YOU!!!!) so that made it extra special.  I decided to try out a new recipe and I loved it!  Here is my make shift version!

Raspberry Stuffed French Toast

For the French Toast "Dip" I mixed 6 eggs with 1 1/2 milk then added 1/2 sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon and 2 tsp. vanilla.  Whisk together with a fork.  (This ended up being way too much so cut it down if your serving as many people as I was!).  

 

I always mix my mixture in a pie pan.  That's how my daddy always did it, so that's how I ALWAYS do it!

Next I pureed 1/4 cup of frozen raspberries and mixed it into 4 oz. of cream cheese.

Make sure you slice your French Bread thinner than usual as you will be using two pieces for each final serving.

Take one piece of French Bread and spread it thinly with raspberry mixture.

Place a second piece on top and repeat with remaining bread.  ( I was serving my family plus my sister who had spent the night so..... Three adults, four children...... Ten servings... Twenty slices of bread.)

When they are all assembled let them soak in the "dip" for a good minute or so (flipping mid way).

Next fry on a hot, buttered griddle until cooked.  (Don't cook on TOO high of heat so that the eggy bread has a chance to cook.)

We served ours with powdered sugar and whipping cream.  They are pretty sweet themselves so syrup felt a little overkill, but I'm sure whatever sounds good to you would be just fine!

I'm not sure yet what I'll be serving for this year's Valentine's Day breakfast, but if you're stumped, give this a try!

Heart For Home Thursday~ FINALLY Soup #7~ Baked Potato Soup

It may have taken a LONG time, but Mmmmmmmm, this ones a FAVORITE!!!

8 baked potatoes
1/4 cup butter
1 large onion
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. chicken bouillon
2 cups hot water
Milk
Cooked, crumbled bacon
Grated cheese

It's best if the potatoes can be baked ahead of time and then cooled, peeled and cubed.  The bacon too should be cooked ahead of time.  Now I've made this soup MANY times at the last minute, throwing the potatoes in the microwave and then burning my fingers as I try to peel them. It works.  It's just not preferable.

Melt butter in a pot.  Add chopped onions and saute until tender.  Mix together flour, basil, salt and pepper then dump into butter and onions.  Whisk together and then slowly pour in hot water with the bouillon mixed in.  Bring to a boil while whisking. Reduce heat and stir in the cooked potatoes.  Add milk until you reach the desires consistency (pretty thick !).

Top with Bacon, cheese and sour cream.  I usually mix the bacon into the entire pot, that way if there are leftovers, it is all mixed together!

Everyone loves this soup.  At least everyone says they do.  I've given this recipe out more than any other recipe ever!

I hope you all have had a wonderful week.  It's been a little up and down for me, but it's always good for me to get back here and be reminded that I truly am blessed.  And you all are a great blessing to me!

Soup #6~ Cheesy Ham

A friend brought me this soup after I had just had Bethany.  I fell in love with it instantly.  A few months later I stumbled across the recipe and I've been enjoying it ever since!

Start with 2 cups sliced carrots, 2 cups chopped potatoes, 1 cup chopped celery and 1 chopped onion.  Cover them with water and boil until tender.  (If I have chicken bouillon on hand I usually add a tsp. while boiling, but it's not required.). 

Ladle 1/3 of the cooked vegetables and broth into the blender ( cooling beforehand would be ideal, but I never take the time to do that!  If using hot liquid, BE CAREFUL!!!).

Cover and puree until smooth.

Add pureed mixture to the rest of the soup (I know it looks strange, but it's going to taste great!).

After mixing these vegetable components together, add 1 cup grated cheddar cheese and 1 cup diced ham.  Season to taste with salt and pepper (wait until AFTER the cheese has melted though as it adds it's own saltiness!).

Mmmmm!  This is my idea of the perfect chilly afternoon bowl!

Soup #5~ Corn Chowder

(This is for you Charlene M.!) I grew up eating this soup.  Often.  Probably because it it soooooo easy to make, the ingredient list is super short and because none of us ever got tired of it.  It always sounds good!

First, dice up some peeled potatoes (I do about 1potato per person that will be eating).  Boil them until they are tender and then drain off the water.  Add 1 qt. frozen corn (last time I added 2 qt. which made it EXTRA "corny" but I liked it that way!).  Add 5-8 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled or cut into tiny pieces.  Now simply add milk to the desired consistency, warm and season with salt and pepper.

(I have started adding a couple tablespoons of butter or a dash of whipping cream to give it an extra richness, but it is not crucial!) 

My stomach is growling!!!  All my girls love this soup too (and apparently friends who come and visit!).

Soup #4~ Taco Soup

I love this soup.  It's simple.  It's quick.  It can be made way ahead.  Leftovers are as good as the first time around.

2 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes (I prefer "petite diced")
1 14 oz. can tomato sauce
1 qt. bag frozen corn
1 lb. browned ground beef
1 chopped onion
2 cups water
1 envelope taco seasoning
salt to taste
(If you are a normal person, you would probably add kidney beans too.)

Put everything in a pot and cook until onions are tender (or keep in the crock pot all day, or simmer on the stove for HOURS!  You can't really hurt this one!).

Top with tortilla chips, cheese and sour cream.

Okay. I confess.  I took the picture and then added more sour cream.  I like it best when it's good and creamy! 

This soup is AMAZING with fresh baked bread!!!

Soup #3~ Campfire Stew

I was introduced to this way of making stew when I started going camping with my in-laws.  After a full day of camping this ALWAYS hits the spot.  I came home from our last camping trip so in love with this stew that I decided to make it at home too.

Now, I'm almost embarrassed to tell what I did in the making of this soup.  Something completely unheard of in the Willamette Valley.  I BOUGHT zucchini!

For me it is the part of the soup and I just couldn't do without it!

In a pot add 1lb. cooked ground beef, diced potatoes, sliced carrots, chopped onions, chopped zucchini, 14 oz can of tomato sauce and as much water as needed to cover everything.  Now, when cooked over a campfire it takes on a delicious smokey flavor so when I make this at home I give the pot a few splashes of liquid smoke.  Bring to a boil and simmer until everything is tender.  Season with salt and pepper.

Mmmmmm!  Lip smackin' good!

Soup #2~ Beef Stew

This is one of those " It can't get any easier" soups that just always hit the spot.  My mom would make this when I was growing up, and I love it as much today as I did then.

I start with a thawed package of stew meat (about 1 pound).  I trim off the large pieces of fat and cut the meat into bite size pieces.  I put it in a pot of water and simmer for H O U R S!!!  The longer the better!  Watch your water level periodically and add more as needed.  After the meat is falling apart and tender, add chopped carrots, potatoes and onions. After the veggies ahve cooked, mix about 1/4 cup flour with some water until you have a thick mixture, then slowly add it to the boiling stew, stiring as you pour.  If it's not thick enough, mix some more flour and water and add more slowly.  If it's too thick, just add a little water.  Once it's the right thickness, season liberally with salt and pepper.

That's it!  YUM!!!!!!!

(Yes, I eat soup while my husband cleans his gun!)

Hope you enjoy!

Heart For Home Thursday~ A Week of Soups!

I know you've heard it probably a hundred times from me, but I LOVE SOUP!!!!  Now that it's cold and chilly outside, we're eating soup here TONS!!!

I thought it would be fun to share just a few of my favorites over the next week.  Now, I'm no gourmet here.  I'm not even a Pioneer Woman.  But these are some of my easy favorites that are practical for a big family and ones that all my children enjoy too!

I'll start out with one of my VERY favorites!

Hamburger Chowder

This recipe came from my mother-in-law.  I didn't try it until last year, but now it is a favorite of all of us.  Even my sisters get excited when there are leftovers in my fridge!  I'm a known "tweaker" of recipes, but I've only changed this one slightly.

1 lb. ground beef

4 medium carrots~ sliced

1 large cup onions~chopped

2 cups celery~ chopped

1 small cabbage~ chopped

1 can diced tomatoes

5 cups water

3 beef bouillon cubes

1/2 cup uncooked rice

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 bay leaf

Brown the ground beef.  Put all of the ingredients in a pot.  Bring it to a boil.  Lower heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.  Make sure veggies and rice are cooked, remove bay leaf and ENJOY!!!  I recommend starting with a small bowl.  cause you'll want seconds.  And maybe thirds.

Mmmmm!  Makes me hungry!!!!!!  This is one of those soups you just want to EAT!!!



Heart For Home Thursday~ Something Cold!

(Whew!  I barely made this one!  Here I go and say "I will post every Thursday" and I almost miss the first one!  I really have an excuse this time though.  Yesterday, our computer took a shocking turn for the worse and has fallen into some sort of coma.  Praying that it is resolved soon and doesn't need to be replaced!  Thankfully, my parents live just down the road so I'm posting from there!)

Summer is finally here in Oregon (I think) and with summer comes the ever constant issue of wanting something cold to drink. 

David comes in from a long, hot day of work and I say, "Can I make you some iced tea?  It will be ready in four hours."  Somehow it's just not quite right.  So my goal this summer was to always have something cold and ready to offer my hard working man.  It also is so fun to have something ready to offer anyone who enters my home.

Here are a few of this summer's favorites!

Iced Coffee~  Got the idea from Pioneer Woman and simplified!  All I do is put one cup coffee grounds in a pitcher, fill with cold water and let sit for at least eight hours.  Then I strain it through my tea strainer (or you could use cheesecloth.  I don't own cheesecloth.  Please feel sorry for me.  Or just think I'm strange.), and keep it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.  At least that's what Pioneer Woman said.  Ours has never lasted that long!  When we're ready for a drink I just pour it over ice, add a little (or a lot) creamer and we're ready to roll.  This is SUPER yummy!  Just as good as anything I've ever spent four dollars on at a coffee shop!

Raspberry Lemonade~  Put one cup sugar, one cup lemon juice (or maybe a little less) in a pitcher.  Blend 1/2 cup raspberries (or strawberries, but then you would have to change the title to Strawberry Lemonade) with enough water to cover them.  I use my Bullet Blender that my husband got me for Christmas (big smile!), but a blender would work just as good.  Add the raspberry puree to the pitcher, fill with water and stir.  This will make a pretty strong batch, but I like it that way!  If isn't strong enough, add more lemon juice.  If it's too strong, add more water!  (I love recipes like this!).

Iced Tea~  Very basic I know, but this hits the spot like nothing else on a hot day!  I know there are a million different ways to make iced tea, but this is how I like it.  Fill a heat safe pitcher with boiling water.  (What is a heat safe pitcher?  One that doesn't crack or melt when you pour in the boiling water.)  Add three tea bags, 2/3 cup sugar and just a tiny pinch of baking soda.  Let cool for about an hour, then cool completely in the refrigerator. Serve over ice.  This is pretty sweet, but guess what!  I like it that way!

I love trying out different kinds of iced tea.  Some of my new favorites are Mint Harmonies and Lavender Lemongrass from our gracenotes teas.  I even like these without sugar, if you can believe it!

Planning ahead and keeping something ready and cold in the refrigerator has made me feel so much more equipped to practice unexpected hospitality as well as prepared for any sweaty husband or rosy cheeked little munchkins.  We usually have two pitchers ready for different options because as Havilah says'  "Caffeine makes you WILD!".

Enjoy these last few summer days!

Olive and Artichoke Bread

The story goes like this~  One day in my abundant free time,  I was watching some Australian Master Chef on YouTube.  ( I love Australian shows!  Not only are there the accents, but the people seem so much sweeter and kinder to each other!).  During one the challenges they had to bake loads and loads of bread.  One of which was called an "olive loaf".  "Hmmm," I thought, "That sounds pretty fabulous.  What sounds even more fabulous though, would be an olive and artichoke heart bread!".  So I set out to make this masterpiece.  I was successful.  At least I think I was considering the first loaf was consumed solely by me in a 24 hour period.

The best part about this life changing bread is that all you need is a bowl, a baking sheet, two hands and six ingredients.

Start with mixing 1 and 1/2 cups warm water, 3/4 Tbl. yeast, 2 tsp. salt and 3 and 1/4 cups flour in a big mixing bowl.  Don't bother with a spoon.  Just get your hands in there and goosh away!  (You may recognize this recipe from my pizza post.  I use it for every thing because it is completely wonderful!)

Now all you need is one jar of marinated artichoke hearts and one can of olives.  Chop up the entire jar of artichokes and most of the can of olives.  You could slice of the whole can, but there are always empty little fingers around here who need a small sampling!

Dump them in the dough and mix all together.

Cover and let rise for two hours.

It will look all gorgeous and bubbly like this.

Carefully dump it (with much flour) onto a greased pan and shape however you like.  Be careful not to squish out all the bubbly goodness!

Bake for about 25 min. at 400 degrees.

Mmmmm!  I really, really love this bread!  Hope you enjoy!

Where I've Been and "The Wonder Roast'!

Where have I been?  Quite honestly, I've just been living life!  The girls and I have been rolling with school and we are all reaping the benefits of an even more modified schedule (more on that to come later!).  Life these days has just been fun.  It feels great getting things done regularly, touching areas of the house that seemed untouchable and watching my girls learning at an alarming rate.

On top of just "good old life", we had a wonderful visit from Jonathan, Laura and our sweet niece Talia last weekend.  It was spectacular.  Laura is one of my dearest friends (not to mention a fabulous sister),  David would rather spend time with Jonathan than almost anyone and of course we eat up every moment we have with Talia. 

The babies had so much fun together.  Talia is only 2 1/2 months older than Ella and they adored each other!

David and Jonathan made good use of their time and built me a fence on our front yard.

I'm so excited!!!  I have visions of flowers all over my front yard this summer.  Of course I also have visions of our resident deer moving to another state.  I'm afraid that one is as likely as the other.  I can still hope though!

Our days have felt full, mostly productive and sometimes just a little crazy.  It was on one of the crazy feeling ones that I remembered one of my favorite "so yummy I can't believe it's this easy" meals.  I call it "THE WONDER ROAST".

I learned about this roast from a Home and Garden Party rep who fully convinced me that my life would never be the same without the marvelous bean pot and the recipe for this roast.  I have to admit.  My life is pretty much the same.  That being said, I do enjoy my bean pot and I LOVE this recipe!

Now get out your pad of paper and take careful notes as I give you the ingredients for this secret recipe.

One roast.  Any kind.  Mine is usually 2-4 pounds (I think).

One can of Cream of Chicken Soup.  Actually it calls for Cream of Mushroom, but I'm a mushroom hater so I substitute all recipes with chicken.

8 oz. Coca-Cola.  The real stuff. Not diet.

And that's it.  Coke, can of soup, roast.  Mix the soup and Coke together.  It looks very yucky and doesn't smell very appetizing, but just give it  a chance!  Pour over your roast which is sitting comfortably in your bean pot or if by some random chance you haven't acquired one yet, a regular crock pot.

If you have a bean pot (or equivalent) place in the oven on 350 for 4-5 hours.  If you're using the crock pot, turn it on low all day or high for the afternoon.  Either method works the same. 

Let me tell you, this stuff is good.  I'm drooling now.  It is the tenderest roast I have ever eaten.  Cut it with a fork, chew it with ease and best of all, have it take five minutes to prepare!  Mmmmm!