To My Husband

 To my husband,
                                  you may not even read this but writing this makes me feel good.
You have always been there for me, whether I was happy, miserable, or ill.

You have been my source of inspiration and the reason I wanted to be a better wife.  And to pursue all my passions and hobbies in my life.

Sometimes we can be completely different in our way of thinking but,  most times we are on the same page.

You have taught me so much and opened many windows of interest.
Twenty Five years later I still get butterflies in my stomach when you kiss me or simply hold my hand.

So if it's OK with you,  I would still like to grow old with you and hold your hand till the day I die ~~ 

I love you,  Lori

Breads

Who doesn't like bread?  let alone warm from the oven!  Baking breads is one of my favorite things to do.  Some people think it's so much work but, I find it relaxing and rewarding.  So many friends ask me why I don't use a bread machine but, I love the feel of the dough in my hands.

One of my husbands and family favorite bread is Panettone!!  The real Panettone with the sweet dried fruit and buttery flavor.  Panetone is a very expensive bread to purchase,  especially if your buying the kind made with all the best and freshest ingredients.  One large loaf can cost you an excess 0f 14.00 or more depending where you buy it.  I found if you purchase the ingredients yourself,  you save a bundle, have more than one loaf, and have fun making it.  Panettone also makes the best toast and french toast you'll ever have.

Here's what you'll need:

3 tablespoons SAF yeast
1/3 cup luke warm water
1/4 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon good Vanilla
1teaspoon buttery extract
1 cup European dried fruit
3 large eggs beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 1/2- 3 cups sifted flour

In large bowl put yeast, salt, sugar, water,  and mix.  Add beaten eggs, vanilla, buttery extract, and lemon zest and mix well.
Add 1 cup of flour at a time  till you have a nice soft dough,  you can always add or use less flour where needed. If you are using a mixer you can add your dried fruit,  or put dough on floured board and knead in fruit.  Place in well greased bowl and let double in size, punch down , shape in a ball and put in well greased 2 qt baking dish, cover and let double.
Bake in a pre- heated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.  After 15 minutes if bread seems to brown too quickly, cover with foil.

Once you make this once, you'll find it's so easy to make.  It makes your kitchen smell like heaven!  Enjoy!                           


                                   

My trip to RI

 So, I' ve been home a week and I think I finally feel better after my trip.  It was sad going to Steve's  Boss's wake but nice to see some of his old friends.  I was able to visit some friends graves and of course my parents as well.


The highlight of the trip was spending time with my Sis,  she surprised me by renting a a little place by the ocean!  Every afternoon we stopped and got a Dunkin Donuts coffee and donut and sat at the ocean watching the seagulls and waves as the sun kept us all toasty warm.

I got to see some old haunts and all the beach's and bridges that my Sis insisted I revisit.  I forgot just how much I missed the salt air, sand, light house's and water birds.  And then let's not forget the food!!  The first night in RI we went to Georges Seafood Restaurant right on the ocean and ate fried clams!  as long as I live I will never get sick of eating those wonderful morsels of yummyness..lol  Such a small thing brought me so much pleasure.

Needless to say I had a ball catching up with my sister and tasting all the things New England has to offer that the South doesn't.  Luckily I was able to bring a few things home for Steve to enjoy.  Not having them as often makes it all the more special!

So when will I go back there? not so sure.  I was surprised and sad to see how much my sister changed as far as her health, and her just the way she acts now.  I am nearly eight years older than her,  yet she seems far older than me.  She is such a creature of habit and there were moments I felt as if I was with a grand parent not the once punk rocker who once thought nothing of shaving her long golden locks to nearly a crew cut!  Though all in all she was still the same funny sister who could always always make me laugh until I cried.

So my trip was successful and fun but,  I was so happy to be pulling down our driveway!  and seeing all Steve's hard work to make the yard look so nice for my home coming. I was so glad to be back on home ground even if it doesn't have all my favorite things I grew to love in RI.  Now I have new loves,  like our deer, chicken, quail, and not to mention the fact we have a lot of privacy being surrounded my trees, and the dogs!  I missed them way more than I though possible,  almost as much as I missed  Steve,  I was so happy to get home and kiss his face!

My sister Kim

 A very tired me!..lol

 You just can't beat the ocean!

Leaving the husband in charge.

I have to admit I was a bit nervous leaving Steve behind to hold down the fort while I was away for a few days back in RI for a wake and to visit my Sis.  You know he is a Hobo and the fact Dixie just had 8 puppies,  well I wasn't sure what I would come home to.

Well I came home to a clean shaving husband and the house looking pretty darn good.  All the pets looked well taken care of and well fed. He really worked hard while I was gone and he  the yard was looking fantastic to boot!

I think he really enjoyed the time to himself and maybe missed me just a bit.

Our  Sweet Dixie and her babies,  you can see she chewed a couple of pillows while in labor!

English Muffins

I love English muffins!  and until  recently I never knew how easy they were to make.  You can make this batter the night before as long as you take it out an hour or so to get to room temp.

Here is all you need:

2 cups of sifted flour
1/2 cup powdered milk
1 tablespoon of sugar or splenda
1 cup of room temperature water
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast.. " I use SAF professional yeast"  it's  no fault and will never fail you  and it is so economical.
1/2 teaspoon salt
 Pam or non stick spray
1/2 cup cornmeal  "optional"  but I use it because it makes it so authentic.

Put all the dry ingredients into a bowl with the exception of the cornmeal, add the water and mix well,  cover, let rise 30 minutes or so.
Pre-heat your griddle or cast iron pan to 300 degrees
spray English muffin rings with your non stick spray
sprinkle the cornmeal on the griddle where you'll put your four rings
scoop equal amounts of the batter in each ring
cook between 4-5 minutes,  flip with spatula,  cook the other side the same
remove them to a plate and slip off the rings carefully because they will be hot to the touch.


You can serve them as is or split them and toast them on the griddle and add butter and honey , or your favorite jam or jelly.  This makes 4 nice size muffins.

Reasons married couples argue.

You fight.  You don't want to,  but, you do.  You fight because of things she does that you don't like and things you do she doesn't like.  Most case's they aren't even important.  What's important after a lot of years you both still always do them.   Habits overall are inextinguishable.  Your fighting because your married,  and fighting is as intrinsic to marriage as sex.

If you want to stay married,  you don't have to stop fighting,  you have to keep the fighting less personal. Most fights they are volatile,  often imaginative, and always terribly personal.  They are in other words what sex should be.

I think in the back of our minds when we argue,  were thinking who's going to win?  The question is not who can win,  because anyone can win if they're wiling to win at the cost of love and hurt.  The big question is who can abstain from winning,  who can resist the temptation of winning,  which like all marital temptation, is always there.

So how do you do that?  Well you don't go to bed angry or in different rooms. And you try like hell not to say things that can't be unsaid or hard to take back.  And NEVER  end a fight by having sex with someone else other than each other,  and that includes going on line and chatting or seeking out someone else because someone else don't know the real you like your spouse. Infidelity is the final measure of defeat and victory in the worst possible form.  And most times you may never be able to recover from it.

Fighting is just another way of voicing your objections to the person you both chose to live out your life with.  All things matter to marriage.  Sex matters to marriage,  fidelity matters to marriage, equal ground matters, and even fighting matters to marriage,.

What matters most to marriage?  forgiveness,  and forgiveness doesn't come free.  You have to fight for it!  So go kiss your spouse and think of whats most important to you as a couple.

Make Over Monday

  Fish and Chips!  Good Lord if there is ever a reason I miss New England it's for an order of Horton's Fish & Chips.  Unfortunately seeing it's battered and deep fried,  the calories  in this is crazy!  when you think it starts off with a nice fresh piece of cod and a Idaho potato. I hope your sitting because it will cost you a whopping....1,133 calories that's not including Cole slaw but does include tarter sauce.








My version still taste great but much better on the arteries!  Here is what you'll need.

6-8 oz of fresh cod or haddock
1/4 cup egg beaters
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
Pam
1 Idaho potato
sea salt & pepper
2 tablespoons Hellman's lite mayonnaise
1 dill pickle chopped
 Preheat Oven to 400 degrees
Spay Pam on cookie sheet
Dip fish into egg beaters then panko, salt & pepper, place on cookie sheet..
wash, slice potato, dry in paper towel, spread out on cookie sheet, spay with Pam
Bake Fish 10-12 minutes, take out and cover, while fries finish up another 5 minutes or so.
Meanwhile mix your mayonnaise, pickle, salt& pepper for your tarter sauce and a wedge of lemon if you like...  This about 490 calories and hardly any fat!


 

So Far so good.....

So its been eleven days since Mandy and Fallon has been in NY visiting Tim and it's been pretty quiet.   Steve and I have only hit a bump or two so far, NO major arguments.  He's even swept the floor a couple of times and picked up Belles poop when she's had an accident " she's still learning".  We did miss our shooting and breakfast date once again because he had a sugar headache but hopefully will have one Monday right after we drop Miss Belle to get fixed!  No puppies for her.  I just want her to be happy and carefree with her parents!

I have a few project I want to start and now that it's becoming less humid out maybe I can get started on those before for my trip to RI.  I also want to can a few more things before all those wonderful apples, pears, squash, and pumpkins come into harvest!

 I'm sitting here waiting for Steve to take me out on errands and a trip through the forest!  That should be nice!  I love doing things with him.

Our Hero is Home

 It's been so quiet and cool here the last few days from all the rain so when the phone rang it seemed louder than normal.  I was going to ignore it and let them leave a message but I answered it only to hear our son in laws voice on the other end.   I can't say enough how nice it was to talk to him.  We've talked a few times over the last year while he was on deployment but this morning was different,  it was different because I knew he was back on home ground.
 
Though you could hear how tired he was,  you could hear how happy he was to be back with Mandy and Fallon.  He said it was so wonderful to sleep in a real bed and to have a ice cold drink at hand and going to a late supper where they could sit and catch up was so nice. 

So many of these little things we take for granted.  So many of us don't realize how tough it is over there.  Of course in the earlier wars like the Revolution, Civil and so on,  those men and women really knew what sacrifice was and what it was to go without food, drink, sleep.  Their families had to wait weeks to months just to receive word from their loved ones.  Even when someone they loved got killed sometimes they didn't know for so long.
Wives and small children had to work their farms to keep the family going.  There was so much sacrifice all the way around.

Today it's much better for our men and women as far as having food and drinks.  They have more communication with their families via the phone, Internet and so on.  Our country helps provide for the families while the men and women are gone but,  they still are away from us, they still live on small means,  and they still never know if they are going to die today.... and for that I am so grateful for ALL the men and women that serve our Country proud.

Welcome home Tim!  We love you Dearly!

What a sight!!

Rain Rain Rain

 I woke up this morning and it was so dark I thought it was the middle of the night but it was 6 am and pouring out!  We haven't got rain in months!  My first thought was the husband is going to be so happy that it's raining because everything around us is dying despite Steve's efforts.

The second thing to mind was this is the perfect kind of morning to just snuggle and make love all day long!  Something about the suttle darkness and the sound of the rain just makes it the perfect setting for a romantic morning.  I don't think your ever too old to love the romance of it all.

That vision popped out of my mind when I heard Steve sit up and I sat next to him and held his hand a few minutes and said " good morning " then he laid back down and started to snore..lol  The three dogs started jumping on me to let them out and to be fed. I let them out one by one and just stared out the window a few minutes.  Of course they came in soaking wet and full of demands.  And so my day begins....

A little Trivia

Since today is Labor Day,  I thought for fun I gave a little trivia'
 September5, 1882 In New York was the first Labor Day.

Originally it was a workers holiday.

 Soon enough many states followed and it 1894
 congress passed an act making the first Monday of September
 a legal holiday..

Oregon was the first state to declare Labor Day as law.

In the late 1800"s  the average American worker worked 12 hour days, seven days a week.

Children as young as 5-6 years old toiled in mills and earned a fraction of the adult workers and the adult workers made next to nothing!

Canada  also celebrates Labor day

Some fun facts:

Unofficially Labor Day marks the end of Summer
Wearing white clothes was unacceptable.
Most families wouldn't grill or BBQ after labor day
Children went back to school the next day.
In 1912 Mass.  was the only state to set a minimum wage for woman and children
In 1938 act was to general employees and they made .25 cents an hour.
You always got paid in cash in a envelope


   Here's a blast from the past ~~

I never tire....

 I was just getting ready to do my housework when Steve cane in to tell me we had baby fawn eating in our front yard with the Mama on the side lines watching.  It's been two years here and I never ever get tired or bored looking out my window and see such a sight!

I think to myself...maybe this was what it was all for,  because now I have all this beauty and nature surrounding us on a daily basis.  I never take it for granted.  The birds, deer, bunnies, lizards, and even snakes  live here on our land.  They nibble at the seed we put out and drink from our creek when it isn't dry.  If I never left here I could be content as long as I have Steve to enjoy it with.


She is young mom,  I was able to go outside just close enough to grab a couple of pictures.  They aren't the best because I didn't want to scare them.

Another Labor Day Weekend

 I think it's true when they say the older you get the faster the days seem to fly by.  I can not believe  this is the beginning of our third Labor Day here in Good Ole Tennessee!   Seems like yesterday Me and my oldest daughter Holly was painting and cleaning to get ready for my daughter Mandy and Fallon to come stay with us when Tim was on deployment.  Now before we know it she'll be moving on around the first of the year.  Time is just flying flying by.

For me it really has taken me back a bit to think about this life and how much more of it is left?  There was so much more I wanted to see and do.  Now we are older, slower, and a little stiffer..lol  Sometimes I sit and think how I am going to approach my next move for the day.  Yesterday I worked around the house like a dog and it seems lately when I have a day like that,  it takes about two days to recover from it!  though I try to keep plugging along.

Right now all I can think of is me and Steve having a nice long weekend together,  who knows if both of us will be here next year.  When I was a med tech I had a lot of elderly patients and they all said the same thing.... make each day count!  because you just never ever know.  When your young you think we are invincible and have all the time in the world.  Unfortunately that isn't always true.

Last night was a good night.  Steve did forget we had a date to watch a few shows together but I rolled it off my shoulder and thought I just don't want to fight about it.  So we ended up watching a good movie and snuggled and chatted.  To me that was golden!  I even scored a kiss... " that's even better "  I love the simple things,  that's what means the most to me.  When someone you care about gives you time.  And time is free.  My Mom always said...the best thing in life are for free and I still believe that today.  Thanks Mom..

Puppies are here!

 The puppies have arrived early this morning.  Poor Dixie was so so stressed out!  Steve stayed with her all night long on his study floor to keep her company and calm.  I gave her the royal treatment this morning with breakfast served right to her with a nice dose of her favorite nog full of extra protein and she loved it!  They are so cute.  She only had eight this time around and that's just fine with me.

 The next several weeks will be so so busy taking care of her and the puppies but we don't mind,  they are our family and we spoil them rotton.  Here is one of the first pics..  Dixie chewed up a couple of pillows when she was in labor.

Puppies !!

So we you all know we have Yankee, Dixie, and now Belle from their first litter.  Ummm we just realized our Miss Dixie is soon to have another bunch of puppies!! We didn't want her to have anymore pups,  we are still recovering from the last batch!  Who ever said there is money to be made from having AKC registered pups are crazy!  Our dogs have a beautiful kennel that Steve worked his ever living ass off  building for them.  The place is HUGE!  the house is insulated and looks like a real house for heavens sake.  It's shaded, has a pool, and all the sticks Yankee could possible chew or chase.  Though by the end of the day they are house dogs,  they think they own place and everything in it.  They are spoiled, they have a plastic bucket that was for recycling bottles that Yankee has now claimed as his " toy box "  Dixie knows where the treat jar is in our bedroom,  and when she wants some she pokes it with her nose and stares at it.  Then there is my Belle  "one of the best gifts Steve ever gave me "  she is a little bit of both her parents.  Not only is she loved to death by us but her parents still clean her and she is 6 months old!

 My dilemma?   the work!!  I can't even begin to tell you how much work there was.  The food to feed them and keep them clean was unbelievable.  Poor Dixie had 9 fat ass pups who ate  like there was no tomorrow. Part of me and Steve are dreading it but, it was one of the nicest experiences I ever had and wouldn't have missed sharing that with him for the world.  So I am bracing myself to  do it all over again.  Her last batch was born on Valentines day,  I would love her to have them labor day but,  I don't think she will hold out that long.

Here's some pics of their sweet Puppy family.

 See Yankee loving his Dixie.

 OK, he is always loving his girl.

 Look at the proud Mama and tiny puppy is Belle, we know that because she always laid with her mama and still does till this day.

All I am going to say is...OUCH!

  Yeah,  Dixie did all the work and the the proud Dad just keeps a watch over his pups sleeping.

 My Lil Belle.

Yankee just loves Steve.

Steve with his two best buds & his family...

Canning

One of the reasons I've been gone was I've dipped back into the pool of canning!  I blogged earlier that I was going to try and can again if I could do it not going to the poor house.  As I  wrote a few post back Mandy found a farmer with pretty good prices so canning became possible.  I forgot so much that it took a bit of time to get familiar with the whole thing again as well as the pressure cooker which terrified me!  but once I started seeing all those shiny jars filled with my finished product I was hooked all over again like when I was young.


Canning has come a long long way over the years.  There is almost nothing you can't put in a jar safely. I have so enjoyed finding and trying new recipes.  Last week I made maple infused onion jam with sherry and thyme, sounded gross at first but I made it and loved it!  This winter when it's freezing out and we have a fire going how nice it will be to pop open some blueberry jam or tomatoes sauce.  To pop open a jar and have the smells and taste of the spring and summer will be so nice, especially if I make some home made bread or scones..

Here is just a peek what I have done so far.  I am sure there are many women who can put me to shame as far as quanity goes..lol   I am not done yet.  I still have some to do and wait for pear and apple season..

The Big Project

 OK so some of you know my husband Steve and I am sure you've heard me call him a hobo a few times over the years.  Hobo just doesn't describe how messy he is!!  Steve has a study and he has as you know many hobbies and interest but, since we bought this house,  I've come to realize he is a pack rat!  A year ago me and my daughter Holly went in and cleaned it really nice, hung new curtains,  you name it.  He had went to New York to get our son in laws car before he left on deployment so I took advantage of him being gone.  the room looked pretty good in such a little time.

Well it's been a year and lets say Steve has never cleaned since!  maybe he swept once in a while just so he could get to his chair at his computer...lol  We have three big Golden Retrievers and red clay for dirt that gets everywhere.  So I thought for his birthday I would do something big like clean and paint it.  I think I was in his room just a few hours when I realized I can't do it all alone or in 1 day.  So my other daughter Mandy offered to help.  We never thought it would take 4 days and one no sleep night to get it done but we did it!   I couldn't wait to show him.  He has such nice things to be covered with dirt and filth. We put so much though in to it. As hard as it was,  it was well worth it to see his face smiling!  Steve doesn't get happy very often and even when he does it never last very long. It makes us so sad and we know it will always be temporary but we do things to make him smile even if only for a minute because we think he is worth it.

Here is a pic of his Study..

Hers is a pic of Steve in his study...

I'm back...

Well I've been off here a few weeks and I am sorry.  I've had a lot of things going on here at home keeping me busy and very little time to just sit and write.  I have to say I have really missed it.  I use to blog a journal a few years back and wrote every single day, my good friend had access to it and said I should write a book.  I was very honest with my writing and blunt  maybe because originally it was only meant for me to see so I wrote exactly how I felt.   I found it so relaxing and therapeutic!  I started this blog thinking I could give some great insight to young moms or other women but as each day passe's I realize more and more that I'm nothing special,  just some woman who has survived life and and all that comes with it.  I think for my own sake and sanity I am going to change my ways and blog the way I want,  not to please anyone or make people think my life is just grand, If you read it and get something out of it that will be great!  I still plan to post recipes, pictures, and ALL that is or isn't going in my life.  Life is too short so honesty, frankness, and modesty,  here it comes...

You can.. can!

Last year I wanted to can some veggies and make some jam.  Steve went right out and bought me some Ball canning jars and I few days later my stove died,  and also it was a bit too late in the season to get much in the way of produce. I was so disappointed but determined the following year I would can my ass off!  Well it's next year  and a few months ago I scored some strawberries and black berries and made a dozen jars of jam.  I was so proud of myself until I realized how much money my daughter and I spent on making those jams.

My biggest reason for wanting to can is I used to do it when I was a young mother and I enjoyed it, plus I also want to have the freshest ingredients possible for me and my family to enjoy.  I remember how nice it was in the middle of the winter and you would open up a jar of tomato's or a jam and the smell was incredible!  You felt like you stepped back into summer when everything was there for the taking.

So I made my jams that day and thought this is just too expensive and I need to wait till I can find a deal on fresh fruits and vegetables as they come into season.  It's now August and all I have made since is 6 pints of white peaches.  " I got them at a good price ".  My daughter and myself keep looking for some good deals but even the farmers who sell on the street are just way too expensive!  you need a good 6-7 pears to make one quart and more than that for a quart of tomatoes.  Steve loves pickles and I promised I make him some,  well you need 36 cucumbers for to make about six pints.  If you go to your local store or farmer on the street corner it's going to cost you!  never mind if you have to invest in jars and supplies.

Finally my daughter came home and said she found a cute farmers market and I said I have one too but it's still too much money.  She said lets check it out anyways,  so reluctantly I did yesterday and I was happy as a clam!  It's run by an elderly couple and the produce is amazing and reasonable!  I was so excited that I bought a big basket of tomatoes and I plan on canning them tomorrow and if I can score some Kirby cucumbers over the weekend I will make Steve his pickles.

I am finally all charged up again about canning! I dragged out my cookbooks and started scoping out ideas!  We live on a small farm where our chickens give us fresh eggs so I am a happy camper!

tomato pie " pizza! "

 Pizza,  who doesn't love it ? 
My friend Lisa makes great pizza but, when I asked her how many calories she thought her home made pizza was she laughed and said I never thought about it I make so many kinds of pizza.  So I asked her to figure out how much calories was in her sausage & veggie pizza "mushrooms, onions, and peppers.



OK she got back to me and said Holly Crap!  I say about 355 calories per slice!  I said and how much of that is fat?  if you knew Lisa,  you would know she said shut up! lol

Lets face it,  there's no good news about low fat pizza,  I've tried ALL the so called great tasting low fat recipes and lets say they stunk!  So I decided that I would try my best to make it taste good and not kill us with the fat and carbs.  I also figured we only have it on our treat days.

Here is what you'll need to make 2 8- 10" pizzas

1.  1/2 lb dough for either one large or 2 smaller
2. 2 cloves of garlic minced
3. 2 pints of grape or cherry tomatoes roasted
4. Fresh asiago cheese  " the kind you can grate "
5. Fresh basil if you like  " I used dried myself "

 Now take the sausage out of the casing and saute in a non stick pan until all nice and crumbly along with the garlic,  add a bit of water if it starts to stick
.
.

Now I always make my own pizza dough but you can buy a lb at a bakery or in the freezer dept.

Just make sure you divide it into 4 portions, put 1/2 a side for another day

Let the dough rest a good hour at least, this way you can roll it out as thin as possible with ease.

 Preheat your oven to 425 degrees

Sprinkle a little cornmeal on your cookie sheet or pizza pan,  this makes it crisp and taste authentic"
Place dough on pan, load up your tomatoes, sausage  and grate fresh asiago cheese all over it and baked it 10 - 12 minutes.   Take it out grate some more cheese and put on some fresh basil or dried and let it rest 5 minutes so when you cut it, it will stay nicely on the crust.   Enjoy!.

    Calories in my pizza is about 468 calories which isn't bad when you get your own whole pizza to yourself,  it's not totally guilt free if your watching your carbs but,  it's a smart choice you can enjoy with out all the guilt,  if you have the extra calories to spare you could have a small chopped salad with this to round out your meal as long as you don't go crazy with the salad dressing.  I thought I couldn't eat pizza and lose weight but,  I do and I've lost over 50 lbs so far and still losing.  I make little changes that make a huge difference.

Make Over Monday

 Make over Monday.   Once again this week flew bye.  I had such a busy weekend!  Just trying to catch up with house work took me most of the day.  So I went to my always go to easy meal.   A salad with grilled marinated boneless chicken breast.  You know I always give the bad news of what the calories will be if we eat this similar salad  at our favorite restaurant or even made at home because most of us don't have a clue how much we over do.

 Looks good and innocent but this salad is 970 calories and if you add extra salad dressing well you don't  want to know, and this is with grilled chicken,  not fried.

 So here's what you'll need for my version.
1)  2 Cups of chopped salad greens of your choice.
2)  1/3 of a med size cucumber, sliced, chopped,  how ever you like it.
3)  1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
3) 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
4) 1/2 shredded carrot!/4 cup sliced or chopped onion
5)  salad dressing of your choice but go with a low fat version or a simple lemon and olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
6) Top with 4 0z grilled chicken  breast

In the summer I also like to add a grilled peach, slice pineapple, plum,  any seasonal fruit.  Grilling fruit is yummy and only adds  60 - 90 extra calories.

So my salad even with a grilled peach and lite salad dressing is : 410 calories and  it's a large dinner serving!

Make Over Monday

    So it's Monday already,  this week really flew by.  I thought since the kids are still home for the summer that I would make over a reciepe that the you could build a menu on so the whole family could sit down and enjoy.

Chicken fingers.  Who doesn't like them.  I made them over the week and my husband loved them as well as my picky 20 month old granddaughter. 

If you went to one of our favorite chains a typical chicken finger basket will cost you 1,230 calories and if you went with salad with fried chicken fingers thats going to cost you 1,450 whopping calories!  My oldest daughter loves this for breakfast and orders this almost everytime we go out for breakfast.  It's more calories then I consume in a day!

 Here's what you'll need:

1) 3-4 oz chicken tenders
2)1 oz panko  bread crumb2
3) 1/4 egg beaters

Dip tenders in egg beaters,  dip in panko.
Put on a non stick cookie sheeet sprayed lightly with pam and bake at 375 degrees in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes  or until crispy on the outside

This is a portion for 1 and it's 201 calories



 I love to dip things when I am just sitting on the computer.  I use this dip with the chicken above,  and I use it for so many other things like, spring rolls,  raw veggies,  baked potato,  low fat chips and the list keeps going.

One serving:

2 tablespoons of low fat " not fat free "  yuck!
1 teaspoon of splendor
zest of a 1/2 of lime or lemon if you want.
Mix it and eat.  This dip is so refreshing and light and only 70 calories

Freedom

With Independence day having come and gone and Labor Day just around the corner I think of all the men and women of present and past and all they sacrificed for our freedom.   It saddens me to watch our Country and everything our fore fathers bled and died for is just crumbling right before our very eyes.  Even with the changing times as so many of our present politicians like to use as an excuse for trying to work around or change our Constitution, or change the meaning of the amendments to fit their needs at the moment.

Being on face book and twitter I have many many friends from around the world and  I have to say I don't think most of us have a clue how wonderful or the meaning of freedom really is.

Our younger generation takes much for granted or they  are just plain ignorant to whats going on around us and whats going on in the world and even sadder just plain don't care.

I like to think I am an independent American woman who can't begin to imagine having a government telling me what to do or threaten me with jail if I don't it,  or who to worship, or even take care of me! 

I want the old America back,  it was wonderful.   We weren't afraid of hard work,  didn't expect entitlements, we took care of our own and fought to the death to keep it that way.  It seems in just a blink of a second we have changed so much that  the old America is hardly recognizable anymore.   We need to stop making new laws go back 100 years or so and follow those.  Make people be held responsible for their actions and be self sufficient,  It's simple to think if we applied those past laws, reason, common sense,  we wouldn't be in debt up to our eyeballs  and men and women wouldn't join the armed forces just for what they can get out of it from the government but because they believe what they are fighting for.   I know not all of our men and women feel that way and I appreciate each and everyone of them but,  we as Americans should try and remind these people they work for us.

As I leave you  it's sad that we actually had get a law passed a few years back that our soldiers  can salute when a flag is being raised or lowered,  in a parade,  or any where they may be in the presence of our great flag,  and they can do that whether they are in uniform or not !  and we the people can put our hand over are hearts to honor our America if we so please.


Lets take a moment to ourselves and remember all these men, women, and families that have gave and give so much ~

 

Always so busy!

 It's only 10 am and I have already run errands for the holiday weekend,  cooked food,  fed all the pets,  did some laundry,  moped floors  and the list continues.   I just sat down to try and catch my breath for a few minutes before I roll up my sleeves and get cracking again while still try to listen to the Casey Anthony trial.

I have so many project and things that need to be done and there is never enough time.  I have the great need to have everything in order but I just can't seem to have enough hands .  So I have to always decide what can wait and what can't.

I want to do something different for desert this year and make some kind of different cupcakes.  I'm thinking about root beer float  and lemonade cupcakes,  not everything has to be red, white, and blue, lol

Now I am  a Yankee who has moved South so we always have to have something from the ocean like clams,  lobster, or shrimp.  Luckily I have peeps where I can get them on line shipped right from the ocean to my front door.. Thanks to our American fisherman!!!
I can't always buy made in America because it's not always easy to find.  I try hard to and support our local farmers and crafters as well.

I hope when we are all having fun over this holiday we all take a minute to remember all the troops of men and women from the past as well as the ones who are away from their families and the families who have sacrifice the absence of the loved ones from either them giving their lives or still serving our country,  I know Steve and myself will think of them often,  hang our flag proudly and always be grateful for our freedom!

Rising Prices

 With filling up your gas tank and grocery cart each week,  the cost of just these two things keeps rising like the temperature outside.  I know most of us whether you have children or not our wallets are really feeling the pinch more and more.

 Growing up in the 50's and 60's as a kid we could have fun all day long with little or no cost at all!. We were more active,  we rode our bikes everywhere, we ran and hiked,  built forts, tents, or just went exploring all day long until the street lights came on and all kids would scramble home exhausted from playing all day long. Children back then were in far better shape, healthier and I believe happier. We used our imaginations as far as it would let us.  Steve and I live on a few acers here and are surrounded by woods and our ten year old grandson would rather be in inside sleeping or playing Wii.  We as kids would have killed to be living here.

But in these modern times most kids need to be entertained or they want costly games to play sitting at their computers or couch.  That works great for a lot of parents today because it doubles as a baby sitter.

As moms a lot of time we have the sole burden of trying to stretch the dollar as far as we can.  So here are a few tips and ideas from an old fashion Mom.

1) 4 th of July and labor day both are great for bargains and opportunities to stock up the pantry and take even more advantage of our coupons.

2) Skip the ice cream.  Make simple pops for way less.  They are healthier and you can control the amount of sugar.  You can use frozen fruit juice or puree over ripe fruit in season and add a little water and honey and pour them into molds or ice cube tray with a toothpick inside..  My kids loved these!.

3)  Having a BBQ?  Use locally grown fruits and veggies,  brush them light with oil and grill  for a few minutes,  it looks prettu and taste great.

4) Avoid pre- made burgers,  by making your own you'll save a bundle and the burgers will have a nice rustic look.

4) Make your own side dish's like pasta, potato salads and such.  What it cost for just a pound at a deli is insane!  and will hardly feed 2 adults.

5) Don't make a big deal about everything and ask friends and family to bring something to lessen the burden of you paying for everything and doing all the work.  After all its really about spending quality time with friends and family.

Monday Menu Make Over

 Time sure seems to be flying by and its Monday again.  Steve loves pancakes,  blueberry is his all time favorite and Cinnamon Stack from our favorite chain runs a close second.  In the old days as I like to call it,  I would have thought plain buttermilk pancakes would be the way to go to save calories and fat but, whether you make them at home our get it at your local chain  an average stack of five will cost you 770 calories not to mention a Carb overload! 
  Anybody can make buttermilk pancakes but I like to change things up especially at breakfast.  You don't have to eat the same old boring breakfast day after day. That's why so many of us get bored and quit.  Today I am making one of my favorites  Blueberry cornmeal lemon scented pancakes it's a mouthful but worth trying especially that blueberry season is here.  Take out the kids or grand kids and pick some.  There are so many wonderful things you can do with them.  Enjoy ~

 Here's what you'll need:

1/2 cup complete pancake mix
1/2 cup cornflour
1/4 low fat cottage cheese
1/4c - 1/2c almond breeze
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
zest of a 1/2 lemon

Mix all the ingredients but, hold a few of the blueberries aside and let the batter rest for five minutes.
Heat up your griddle and lightly spray with Pam.
Portion out the batter to make three pancakes , they look small at first but they get light and fluffy!
Flip and finish till golden, plate add remaining blueberries and sugar free syrup and enjoy!

 These are light and fluffy,  you would never know cottage cheese was in these.

These will only cost you about 290 calories.

Make Over Menu Monday

 Well it's Make Over Menu Monday and today's topic is omelets. I love omelets during my quest to lose pounds they were my best friend and still are.  Now I am sure of all of you who are counting calories or just trying to maintain a healthy weight we automatically think veggie omelets  is the safe way to go and they could be if you know what your actually getting at a restaurant or if your really paying attention when your making them at home. 

If there is one thing I learned the hard way is that you need portion control but that doesn't mean your going to starve. Most of us aren't even aware how much fat or calories we even consume.  Another mistake so many of us think is you have to do without to lose.  Umm, you have to eat!  Once I started eating, especially breakfast " up until the last year or so I hated breakfast"  the weight starting falling off and now for the most part breakfast is my favorite meal, I look forward to it, it's my quiet time in the morning or my time with my husband which I so enjoy. I try to make it special even if it's something as simple as oatmeal.

So here is a garden veggie omelet at a well known chain.  Yummy but it's going to cost you 840 calories and 66 grams of fat.  that's insane for one meal!

For my omelet you will need:
 3/4 cup of egg beaters

3/4 cup steamed peppers, onions, mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes '  Steam veggies in microwave

1 slice of low fat cheddar cheese or the flavor of choice

Pam

1/2 cup of fresh fruit of your choice

And the total calorie count for my version 240 calories and very very low fat

Fathers Day gift.

  So I said I would post what I got the husband for fathers day .  We have a pretty nice piece of land here in Tn and Steve is usually working on it .  So I mentioned in an earlier post I am retired due to having my leg amputated  and for other health reasons I can't always walk a great distance.  Well I am doing much better and would like to go hang with Steve once in awhile so I decieded to make him a bench.  We love bird and deer watching so we both said we like to have a few different benches around our land so we always have a place to sit. Not to mention unlike R.I. we have venomous snakes here.  So I thought I start our bench collection so to speak so I made him one along with the help of our two oldest daughters.

Ok I never said I was a carpenter but, I think it's a good start.  He seemed to like it  and I think it will look good way in the front of the house which is one of his favorite spots.

Happy Fathers Day Dear ~~

  It's  1 am right now and the husband finally fell asleep.  What can we say about our husbands?  If we are honest there are many times we like to  put them in the dog house.

Don't get me wrong it isn't because he did something wrong,  it's usually because I am so picky about my house.  Steve insist I am a clean freak but I'm really not.  I just like a neat and orderly house which can be tough with three big dogs!  and he  could be completely content if I only cleaned once a week but,  being a woman we want things how we want them.  He probably doesn't realize that I know I can be high strung at times and I don't mean to be so crabby as I will put it.  He puts up with all my imperfections and loves me anyways in spite of them.

With all of that aside we get along pretty well.  We have many things in common yet we like different things as well.  We are both comfortable enough that we don't need to know what each other is doing every single minute like my brother in law who had to touch base with his wife even when Steve and him would go shooting once a week for a couple of hours.

Do I have a marriage made in heaven?  no,  we have battles just like the rest of you who will admit it.  Would I change some things about him? maybe but I am sure he like to change a few things about me as well.

So at the end of the day he is still the man I want to spoon me, kiss, and always make me feel safe. I wouldn't trade our long conversations and time together for anything.  I have the up most respect for him as a father, papa, friend, and  an all around decent guy. So I am going to do something Corny and post a small little poem for him.


 Steve,
              Your wisdom and knowledge  have shown me the way.
             
             So I am thankful for you each and every day.

            I may not tell you enough how important you are.

           For you in my life,  your my bright shining star.

I love you Dear always ~~ Lori

Patty Melt Makeover

I know I said I'll do a make over recipe every Monday and I will this coming week now that I'm getting my blog running a little more smoothly..

Now back when Lisa and myself first started our journey to get healthier we thought we have some fun by giving one another a recipe we wanted to be made over.  Now let me tell you about Lisa,  she is a southern girl through and through,  she use to eat nearly everything fried in bacon fat !!  and dam she was proud of her bacon grease she collected in a jar and displayed on her kitchen counter.  Well Lisa had a few heart attacks and double bypass surgery so that had to stop.

So one of her request a few months into our diet which was my turn to makeover something for her  was a good old fashion patty melt.  I wasn't sure I could pull that off without it tasting like cardboard.  For those of you who don't know what a patty melt is,  here it is.
   Looks simple enough but, this is from a well know restaurant chain and the sandwich alone will cost you a whopping 1,013 calories and 87 grams of fat !! yummy but ouch!!

Now for mine you will need:
2 slices healthy life bread

1- 4oz buffalo burger " don't knock it! it's delicious with only 143 calories and almost NO fat "

2 slices of low fat cheddar cheese or any flavor you prefer
1/2 onion sliced and steamed in the microwave till soft " about 2 min " saves lots of fat!
1/2 tablespoon of real butter
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard & 1tablespoon of Hellman's low fat mayonnaise " no need for fat free we want it to taste good " mix together
Pam

steam your onions and saute them in a non stick pan with the butter and cook on low till all caramelized
cook your burger the the way you enjoy it.  rare, med, etc
while your burger is cooking, spray another pan with Pam , place your bread with with a slice of cheese on each one till golden brown
then you spread your bread with the mayo mixture add your burger and onions and enjoy!

 This is still nice and gooey just like Lisa likes it! and it will only cost you about 423 calories and not much fat at all!  now to me that's still should be for one of your treat days but at least it's guilt free.  Enjoy!

Fathers Day

My husband and Dad have always had so many hobbies that it was easy to buy for them. This year my Dad is no longer with us so I'll will just have to look back and remember him over this weekend.
    This is my Dad Manny,  he was a tire man who loved his job  and people so much that he won Tire man of the year a few times.  He also loved reading history books,  fishing, birds, and gardening more than anything.  I miss him so much and when I am out on our deck and see all the birds and flowers I think of him and smile.

My husband Steve loves so many things and much of his hobbies are very expensive..lol he never does anything small,  he is a perfectionist when it comes to anything he does with the one exception, and that is he is my Hobo ! my guy could live in total disarray! so after 26 years I've stopped trying to change him and seeing that's pretty much my only gripe with him I've decided to let it be.

Getting back to father's day this year is a little tough for me,  after all these years together he pretty much has everything aside from a Patton boat he would like to have so we can go fishing on one of these huge lakes we have here. So I have been scouting around like a nut this past month or so trying to find something nice for him with not much luck until this morning,  I finally came up with something!  I think he is going to get a kick out of it and love it. I can't say what it is but I will post it after he gets it.  I should mention though everything he does like is expensive, photography, shooting, coin collecting, ect he is the kind of man that is so appreciative with anything he gets no matter what it is. For heavens sakes he still to this very day thanks me for every cup of coffee or meal I ever give him!

This is my Steve and his two best buds Yankee and Dixie.

One of my hobbies..

I love unsolved crimes,  I know to some that may sound grim.  It all started when I was around  14- 16 years old and my Mom and Dad was just sitting down to watch a movie and I heard the opening music,  it was old music to my ears when all of a sudden I heard the squeak of an opening door and someone said... please come in,  someone has killed father!  I rushed in the living room and asked what the heck are you watching?  and they said " Lizzie Borden "  you know the rhyme..Lizzie Borden took a axe and gave her father forty whacks and when she saw what she had done she gave her mother forty one.  Umm I watched the movie and when my Mom told me it was a real story and the crime happened right in the next state,  well I was hooked!  I have been to Lizzie's houses and the museum that has some of her things and a old woman who shared milk and cookies with Miss Lizzie as she called her and yes I even went to her grave and took pics!  if I could have spent the night there in her room I would have.  So that's where it all began and how I got so interested in crimes and mysteries. I've dragged my husband into it also. We watch all the unsolved mysteries, crimes shows, court TV,  and of course Nancy Grace and all of her pose as I call it.

The reason I am talking about this today is because we've been wrapped up in the Caylee Anthony case everyday.  Over the years with all the technology and forensics it just so interesting.  Our hearts go out to all the missing kids and their families. Its so hard to ingest that a Mom could possibly be involved or the actual perpetrator in this crime.  How could any good come from this horrific deed? How this crime affects so many people. Do any offenders ever stop and think what they have done?  It just doesn't stop at that child losing his or her life. They robbed them and the ones who loved them of any future,  We will never know if this child could have grown up to be a doctor who would cure all cancers or have that infectious voice say like Barbra Streisand's or Elvis with his shaking hips who will be remembered and enjoyed for years to come,  a President who could have changed history. We will never understand why no one was there to protect them.

It all brings me to think that we should never be so busy that we can't take  an extra  bit of energy, a few seconds with our hugs, kiss, and say I love you a little more often.  Sometimes when your with someone a long time they automatically assume you know how they feel but, no matter how old you are or secure in your relationship it is always nice to feel those hugs and hear those words.  So NEVER take for granted that you'll see that person forever because whether your as young as little Caylee or a Great grand parent the last time may very well be the last time you see them alive.