Dolly's Tostada Bowls

A girl's best friend- Adobo by Goya.  I never knew of this clever little spice til I started learning cooking from Dolly and Sarena (my best friend and her sister- another dear friend).  Sarena introduced me to Adobo in her Beef Stew recipe (which is fantastic).  But this little spice I now use in my mexican cooking and never use the taco seasoning packets that fill my pantry.  It's better for us too, as I can control how much spice I add and how much sodium is in the dish.

To make these delish bowls....here are the ingredients:

Tostada Bowls:

4-5 chicken breasts- boneless, skinless

Adobo seasoning

shredded taco cheese

low fat sour cream

tostada shells

avocado

taco sauce

shredded lettuce- I take lettuce and use my chopper on it

beans- both black and pinto- MUST rinse with water

tomato and onion- chopped

This recipe is easy peasy.  I've modified it from Dolly's making it a bit more healthy.  This is a major request here in our house and my kids' friends come over to eat it too!  Take the chicken breasts and brown in a frying pan..with NO other butter or oil.  You don't need it.  When they are almost done..remove from pan and let cool.  Then shred.  Either with a fork or I use my Food Chopper from Pampered Chef (and no I do not sell it  ).  I return the chicken to the pan to cook through and then add in adobo to taste.  I season it about three times around the pan usually.

I take the beans and rinse them.  Depending on my mood I sometimes throw them in the frying pan to heat through with the meat.  You have to rinse them otherwise it makes the meat gray and gross.

I layer in a bowl:  Tostada shell..Dolly taught me to crush it...so it's easier to eat..we love it that way!

then meat, beans, and top with shredded lettuce, avocado, cheese, taco sauce and sour cream.  That's it.  Very delish.  All of these recipes freeze great too!

Goush Goush

This is the easiest recipe on the planet.  I learned of this when living with a friend as a college student.  It's hearty and filling and was good for poor college students to live off of.  I hate vegetables but I ate this with relish.  I'm no longer in touch with the friend but the recipe sure stuck. In ALL of my recipes when I mention pasta I use only wheat or whole grain pasta.  The trick to using this is to not tell the kids.  The taste truly is not that different.  The other trick is to boil it longer than you would for regular al dente pasta!










Goush Goush
3 cans vegetarian vegetable soup
2 cans tomato soup
1 can diced, new potatoes
1 can lima beans
1/2 can corn (or 1 can succotash and you can eliminate corn/lima beans)
1/2 box wheat or whole grain elbow noodles
1 lb ground beef (or turkey)
Take a large pot and put in the ground beef.  Brown it and then drain (I even rinse sometimes) to get rid of the grease.  I tend to use 80/20 ground chuck or beef.  Put the beef back in the pot and heat through.  At the time time, boil the noodles and drain.  Throw in all the cans of items and then put in the noodles.  Heat through and serve with a nice hearty bread. 

Be sure and tell me how you like this!

February Menu

EA Active

I do not work for any of the people, places you are hearing about.  I just believe in them fully.  EA Active was a gift from my kids for xmas.  I wanted a workout game that would cause me to sweat and actually work muscles.  Wii Fit is great for my kids..but it was too choppy for me.  So my children researched and found this little game from EA Active.  I love it.  I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to work out.  I will tell you that when I first lost my 60 lbs I did very *little* working out.  We maintained for a year but then when I went back to wanting to lose more weight- nothing happened.  I'm finding I need to workout about 4 days a week and my body still hasn't caught up with the "I'm trying to lose" mode yet.  We are doing it the right way- slowly.  I have also heard good things about the Biggest Loser DVDs.  Post your fave workout routines in the comments.  But no matter what- GET MOVING.  :)  I'm happy to say I made it almost through the 30 day challenge and will be moving to the More EA Active workouts to throw in abs.  I will be doing their six week challenge.  Who wants to do it with me? 
Losing weight was so nice.  And I went down 5 sizes from a size 30/32 and outgrowing those to an 18/20 and hoping to keep going downward.  I do eat.  I eat MORE now than I ever did..remember that...I am not just blowing smoke...I eat well and good meals.  I eat 3 meals and 3 snacks.  I average about 1500 calories a day.  And I am not hungry.  Nor do I miss the crap I ate before.  So it can be done.  If *I* could get up and get moving- you all can too.

Buy EA Active Today!

Facts:
-You can set up your workout on the days that are convenient to you- 4 days working out and 3 days of rest.
-You can set up the insensity.  I did low and it beat my behind!
-You can use it withOUT the balance board.  So you don't have to invest a ton of money.  You *will* need the resistance band and the leg strap.
-You can workout with a friend.

Cathy's Mashed Potatoes

I got this from my cousin..she is a wizard in the kitchen....I beg her constantly to do a magazine.  Since she won't I'll share the recipe here with all of you!  Maybe I can sneak a picture of her next time too  :)

Cathy's Mashed Potatoes

5 lbs of yukon gold potoates, peeled and cut
8 oz of low fat cream cheese
8 oz of low fat sour cream.

Boil the potatoes til tender.  Then mix in the cream cheese and sour cream...as much needed to taste and then mash.  I do about 15 lbs at a time.  This mixture keeps for 4-6 weeks in the fridge.  I just put some in a dish and heat in the oven or microwave as our menu calls for it. 

I love them because there is no butter in them and they are delicious. 

I will be posting a month view of my menu.  And then will start posting the recipes on Feb 1st.  Still trying to figure out how to do a calendar for it  :)

Tried an Ellie Kreiger recipe-Pork Piccata

I'm a huge fan of EK.  Her cookbooks saved my life when we started our healthy lifestyle two years ago.  I was complaining that there was no good food that was low fat and trying to tune into my episode of Paula Deen or someone and it taped Ellie Krieger instead.  :)  Great for us since we now get to sample her wonderful food.  I highly recommend either of her two cookbooks.  I have not really found one recipe we didn't like yet.

She recommends a spinach recipe and also mashed potatoes.  I'll share my mashed potatoes in a separate post and also spinach.  You can buy Ellie Krieger's cookbooks at Amazon.  I will share the general idea of the recipe but you need the cookbooks as I extensively use them in my menu. 

Pork Piccata   (paraphrased here by me :)
1/4 c flour
s& fresh pepper
1 1/4 lb pork tenderloin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c dry white wine
1 c chicken broth (low fat, low sodium)
juice of one lemon
3 tbsp drained capers
spinach
mashed potatoes

Take:
1/4 c flour
salt and fresh pepper

Mix the above in a ziploc

Cut 1 1/4 lbs of pork tenderloin crosswise into round medallions
throw into bag and toss to coat.

Meanwhile get about 2 tbsp of olive oil heating in a skillet (not non-stick).  Brown the meat in two batches about 1-2 min each side.  Do not worry about cooking it all the way through. 

Remove from pan and immediately add in 3 cloved of minced garlic and the dry white wine.  Cook til the wine reduces by about 1/2.  Stir up the bits from the bottom of the frying pan.  Add in the broth and the lemon along with the capers and boil til it reduces slightly.  Add in the tenderloin again and cook til the tenderloin is cooked through.  I served it over mashed potatoes and with spinach I steamed in the microwave.  To season the spinach I only add in salt and pepper.  I use a microsteamer from Pampered Chef.

Pasta Pizil

I got this recipe from a friend's grandmother years and years ago.  It's become a staple around here.  I don't eat this anymore though.  Not too healthy for those trying to change their lives.  And that friend- we don't keep in touch anymore..but that's ok because I got the recipe out of it.

A few things you will learn about me.  I am sicilian so I don't measure...I just season to taste.  So bear with me.  I just shake some in.  Don't dump in a ton.  So a bit at a time.  Also I don't skimp.  If I say romano cheese- I mean the good stuff..the imported.  I do NOT use the green bottle of parmesan or the red bottle of romano- EVER.  I also do not have a lot of photos..nor do I have time to TAKE a lot.  I will try.  One of my big projects (as a "great Mom") was to compile our family recipes in three separate scrapbooks that I SCRAPPED for them.  (What was I thinking?) So I am slowly taking photos of the completed items and will share when I can find them.  But I don't want to keep you from the good stuff either    I am also no Ree from Pioneer Woman..she's truly amazing....ranch life, 4 kids and has time to take step by step photos of her recipes.  Ain't gonna happen here folks.  :)


Pasta Pizil
1- 15 oz can of tomato sauce
1 onion or 2 - chopped
1 lb of bacon- chopped or use scissors and cut
3 cans of peas - 15 oz is fine, do NOT drain
1/2 lb of elbow noodles cooked and drained.  I use wheat
basil, oregano and garlic
romano cheese
crusty bread

Take a large pot and put the chopped bacon and onion in it..start to brown it.  Do not use oil or butter..you do not need it.  Once it's cooked down- i drain the grease and rinse the bacon off in water.  I cook it until the bacon has cooked most of the fat off but before it's all brown and dried out.  It truly doesn't matter though.  Put the bacon back in pot and cook until hot again.  Then throw in the tomato sauce..heat that through and throw in the spices.  I also then put in the peas with the water.  I throw in a few handfuls of the romano cheese and heat through.  Serve with crusty italian bread.

Enjoy!  And make sure to post back here so I can see if you liked it.

Fee

More from Me

So today I am going to share a super simple recipe.  I will have to dig up the picture I have of it.  It's *not* healthy per se...although my philosophy is that everything in moderation.  (With exercise).  My kids love this.  Ok to be honest...2 out of three of my kids love it.  But my son hates *everything*.  Add to it a dye allergy and he is one tough cookie to feed. 

I will always try and give you a heads up if something isn't healthy but truly people..with BACON in it..do you doubt it's not healthy?    Starting in February I will try and figure out how to post a link to my calendar with my recipes for the month.  I have to give that some more thought.  But I write out a menu for two months at a time.  And then I follow it...we use up leftovers and don't thaw and waste foods.  In my house I cook for an army.  We have 7 people in our home.  3 kids, 4 adults and a dog.  I also make extra for my grandmother who is 95 and as feisty as ever.  I think I get that aspect of my personality from her.  So I make up a bit extra and then freeze and label it for her so she doesn't have to cook.

I will try and ask her opinions of things to post here..she's a scream!

Recipe to be posted above.

Make sure to get up and moving!

A new venture

It seems it's time....I get asked more often than not for recipes. And now that I am eating healthy and doing menus I thought that maybe, just maybe I can be of help to others. :) I was asking for names for this new blog and my favorite one was Fee'd Me from Kevin but of course it wouldn't work and was taken.

Notice the photo?  It's a bit like my life..it's cookies that I want..but won't eat...my xmas cookies to be honest.  I make them for the kids every year!  And notice the artwork haphazardly behind it?  And the camera bag?  So totally my life.  I'm a closet photographer trying to be a semi-pro...I love taking pictures.  So you'd think I'd have more of step by step stuff in my recipes..we may get there yet. 

In the last two years I lost 40 lbs, gained back only 10 of those and then this year decided it was time to get exercising.  I try and limit my calories to 1500-1800 a day and do pretty good with that.  But the most important thing is 6 small meals and exercise.  I did not have any surgery to lose that weight and only did it with good old fashioned healthy eating and hard work.  I have to stress I am NOT on a diet.  I will never diet.  That implies a yo-yo and I don't intend to beat myself up over my food choices.  I am doing a healthy lifestyle and that truly was an eye opener for me as an adult.  I don't have to diet.  I do however have to give my body good, healthy food and to do that I don't have to eat unhealthy things.

I'm a bit of a rebel.  I never use fat free anything.  I use low fat and I use it in moderation.  You may not agree with me..and that's fine.  I ask that you try my recipes and stick around.  I do not claim to be an expert...this is my journey.  And during this journey I will share my family recipes with you. 

So welcome to my little 'ol blog. I will be back to fix it up purdy and such. Thanks for reading!


Fee

Flash much?

Love this laugh!

I apparently don't. Imagine my surprise when I tried to shoot in manual out in the dark and then went d'oh. This photo was after taking one of AG with the flash..she laughed so hard b/c she's NEVER seen the flash ROFL.

Thanksgiving was good...I had a great time with my brothers and my SIL and my kids and husband and Mom and Gram. My inlaws were also here. My tree is up and everything is all decorated (minus the mini trees and lights in the bedrooms). We had turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, jello, green beans, yams and pies. YUM. I love the holidays.

Downtown Lights

K was in a concert downtown for the lighting of the creche at a local church..and it was simply lovely- the lights and the singing...really put me in the mood and makes me grateful for everything going on in my life. Life is good :)

School is over in two weeks...it's crunch time and i am trying, trying to stay stress-free. Next term isn't until Jan 11th! My birthday is this week and I *think* I get to play driver for my teenager that day She has a concert (thinks she might have a speech tournament- but can't do both) and also has a dance that night for school-semi-formal. Aye ai ai...I've got no life anymore.
Shopping here is done and presents are wrapped...the newsletter is all typed out..I have to apply changes to it and figure out what to print it on but otherwise I am *set* for the holidays. I can't wait. We leave the day after xmas (hopefully) to Florida for a week. Should be a wonderful break.

Paper Flower Bouquet I made for my Gram's 95th Bday

From Our Family to Yours- have a great holiday season!

New Park, New Shoot

Here are some nuggets from today..all straight out of the camera....except for one of her at an angle!

Tons more on my FB page....will try and upload more later!!! It's EMMY time!

Another year- Another Shoot

It's that time of year again. Well a bit early but with the way my semester is set up..probably not :) I had to get the kids pics done before xmas and decide on a photo. I was going to go with more enforcements..namely their father since he can get them to laugh (although a lot of times he gets them laughing TOO much- ask Jess )...so maybe it was divine that he did not go. We got haircuts for two of the three and I realized that RAIN was moving in. I don't mind rain but the actual sky when it's overcast is FANtastic for photo taking!

The kids did well! I was amazed....we hadn't eaten lunch yet so maybe starving your kids is the way to go :) Seriously we ventured to a new park..I was a bit tired of the barn at our local one....and didn't want to brave my fave one that has a lot of unsavory ppl in it. I bribed the brood with pizza from their fave place if they cooperated and it worked! The park is fantastic and we only ventured in a few feet...they were having a blast exploring and I *think* this shoot worked better than most since I channeled my inner Tara Whitney and just did it. Let them do their thing and snapped a TON of pics. 195 is a huge amt for me. But it was a success. I have a lot of good ones..some bad ones and my faves as usual are the candid ones of us - with ME in them.

I promised the kids we'd go back and hike....there are caves and dungeon like areas inside and it was so cool...railroad tracks (active though) and other things to see....but like I said the rain was coming fast. Outtakes are all shown here. I'll put some of my faves up on my photo blog. If you want to see ALL 195..drop me an email....I'm uploading to shutterfly now.

I love their deal w/Archivers...for the last two years now we've earned our xmas photos FREE...so stinking cool...and another reason to get them done early. Now to work on the newsletter....and get them all stuffed and ready for shipping at xmas time.

If you've asked me to take your family pics this holiday- just email me...now's a good time to head out - when it's cooler but not super cold....and it's not super hot anymore either.

Painting - or gifts cheap

Yep..we are having the kids do ornaments for the family and for our tree..they did a great job with them too. I think they'll make great teacher gifts, etc. Here's some pics of them working on them. AG had more paint on HER than on the actual ornament.

I threw an extra of the dog..just because we haven't had pics of him lately...he's still cute like a puppy and full grown now. He'll be TWO in Jan :) I wonder if I have to have a dog party then? Oy.

Fee

I finally am uploading layouts

I took my whomping big pile that has kind of backed up over the last 6 mos and took pics and found homes for them in albums. :) After AG sprayed my WHOLE dining room and scrap area w/water in early August I decided that I had a death wish concerning my work. :)

I'll upload my faves here!
Fee

Owl Pellets

Yes I said Owl pellets - or more appropriately puke. I dissected some last year in Bio..and brought the skeleton home for the kids. They promptly thought it was the *coolest* thing evah and asked to bring it to school. I emailed the teachers first lest they thought my kids were killing animals :)

So when we were at the Museum (where we have that membership- so 10% off in gift shop too...score) I picked up three Owl pellets. Little did I know that K would have no desire to look at them But of course. But M's friend was over so they all worked together on them. They even provided a little chart to determine what bones they are....it occupied (as AG would say) them for a good long while.

Then we took the kids to the Milwaukee Public Museum....it had *the* best butterfly exhibit ever....a butterfly area where thousands are in there and bred. They fly free around you. Otherwise it was a quarter of the size of the MSI in Chicago and not as nice at all. But we also got Kopp's custard and their YUMMY burgers- so hey- not a bad trade off right????!

Everyone is sort of settling into their routine. AG is having a hard time with the fact that school is 7 days a week and goes for hours at a time. She started by crying her eyes out the first days..and has bad days still. She thought that since she was off on Monday (Labor day) that meant she went NO more mondays..poor dear.

Other than that..*I* am settling in to my 3 classes...2 have started...I go out in the field to do an experiment this thursday...and we get in boats at some point..I hope it's before November :)

Off to help the young one try her bike without training wheels :)

Peace out folks...

Fee

Par-Tay

I think I say that same title every year LOL..it's true though..it's party time in the house..I'm so excited....the kids are all in school and while it was true that all three were in school for the first time *last* year...this year all three are in school ALL day long. WHEEE...I don't start til next week and have already sat and just marveled at the *silence*
I had all the kids up and ready on time. No buses this year....well the only school that would bus would be middle for M but I don't like the time it picks them up and Nana is here to drive them so what the heck..why not?!
Anyway...M lost his shoes this am..so we are rushing out the door and then we had to rush around..turns out they were in the entryway where they were on the mat.....he says: I never thought to look for them there...we all had a great laugh over that one. K and M start at the same time practically -5 min apart so it will be fun getting from one school to the other. He also told me when I let him out...yeah yeah Mom- I've heard it all before when I told him have a good day. Stinker. :) K looked so grown up...took my breath away..I'm hoping she's having an awesome first day. She's in all honors and is freaked b/c a lot of her classes are in the junior/senior wing of school.
AG was freaked out..so Kev and I both walked her to school..I had the kids put up their fingers for the # of year they were in school (I saw this in a magazine once but also Jill's pics reminded me- thanks Jill!!!) and I told AG to put up her finger for 1st grade and I hear Kev say: But not THAT finger A. She laughed *so* hard and was giggling the whole time. Cute. I asked what finger Daddy meant and she giggled: My middle finger. Oy. Anyway....I can't believe another year has gone by. And I hope that they are having the BEST DAY EVER...sang in my best Spongebob Squarepants VOICE! Hugs all, Fee

More Random Photos

Lots of pics lately

a random fire escape...reminder..go without kids..since I was getting scolded for stopping in the middle of the road

I've been using the camera more and it's been nice. And just to take pics of things that interest me as you will soon see :)

the "bean" downtown chicago- loved how you could see the city in it!

a different perspective from the stroller :)

<----first day of high school....notice the happy face..actually this was only orientation day.

First day- Orientation

I can't believe it..but K started High School today....funny that a week or so ago I got the invite to my 20th HS reunion (not attending but still). I dropped her off with her friends for orientation and as we speak she is outside hanging out with the "gang" to see who has what - when :)

Such an exciting time. Tonight is the first Freshman Mixer...maybe they are breaking the parents in gently to Homecoming when she attends with ALL grades? So tonight a dance...she's going with her group of friends....not sure what I'll do when she's invited to a dance by 1 person..aka a BOY - we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. She's becoming an adult so fast it seems. I managed to snap some pics. Next week I *will* get more on the first day of school LOL

I have three kids in three different schools this year- AG is in 1st grade and freaking out.....M will be in middle school and K is in high school. Fun times. I go back on the 1st of September..nice that I have a week to settle them and my Mom into a routine!