My sister Susan, requested this recipe. I intended to copy paste and send it to her, but discovered it wasn't in my documents! Yikes! 

So, here it is!

Enjoy!

Mags

Mom’s Potato Casserole

 

12 medium russet potatoes (4 lbs.), peeled and cubed

½ cup butter (1 stick), room temperature

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature, cut into pieces

8 oz. sour cream, room temperature

2 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

¼ tsp. paprika

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Boil potatoes, drain, then mash.

Melt butter in same pan that boiled potatoes over low heat. Add cream cheese. Remove pan from heat. Beat with wooden spoon until mixture is smooth. Add mashed potatoes to butter mixture. Add sour cream, salt and pepper. Beat until smooth. Taste for flavor.

Spread evenly in greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish (I use a glass Pyrex pan) or any other shallow 2.5-quart casserole pan. Sprinkle with paprika.

Bake at 350 for 35 min.

Tips & Tricks:

·         Cube potatoes to the same size. If the potatoes are smaller, they will cook more evenly and quicker.

·         Instead of just mashing, use a potato ricer (like a sieve with small holes the potato is squished through).

·         Have the cream cheese and sour cream at room temperature. It will incorporate with the hot potatoes better and smoother.

·         Sometimes I use white pepper instead of black pepper as it seems to be a bit more ‘peppery bite’ and you don’t have the black specks dotting the potatoes.

·         Can be made ahead and refrigerated. Take potatoes out of refrigerator 2+ hours prior to baking.

·         When they have been refrigerated, place pan in cold oven so the glass pan will slowly heat up along with the potatoes.

Losing Weight . . . Again

The never ending cycle of gaining and losing weight. 

Gah! I'm so tired of it. And last week, I hit the wall. I'm done. This is total BS. I can't continue like this any longer!

I'm pretty much at the weight I was at when I first started my Weighty Wednesday blog about 14 years ago. 

Just a couple of weeks before I hit my 60th birthday, and I'm feeling older than I should. My waist has barreled out and no matter how little I eat, I gain weight. Even walking 5 miles a day for 5 days in a week didn't help me lose even an ounce. The last four months exacerbated my issue. 

May of 2021, I stepped on a rock (my cuboid bone, if you're interested). I kept walking until it became impossible to walk and I was torqueing my foot to keep off the sore area. I stopped walking 5 miles, but continued my normal life. I did use the stretchy medical tape to give it support. I was pretty sure I had a 'greenstick' fracture as it felt like my finger when I broke it. It hurt for 6 weeks then it stopped hurting and had a lump at the offending location. 

Early June, went to my primary doc. Had an x-ray. Nothing visible. Recommended seeing podiatrist--didn't get an appointment with podiatrist for four weeks. My mom passed away on the 12th of June. Funeral on the 19th (Yes, I wore my new stilettoes with black support tape on my foot). One week later, my local siblings and I started cleaning out the house. 

July 7, finally see podiatrist. Again the evasive non-answer. Recommended a boot and an MRI. I agreed with the MRI, but refused the boot until it could be proved that I actually broke my foot. Remember, by this time, I had injured my foot TWO MONTHS AGO. 

Ten days later, I get the MRI. 

Hey! I broke my foot! This is a screen grab from my MRI. Remember MRI's take individual slices. Focus on the middle metatarsal. Black line= bad.  No, I'm not missing toes...

I suspected in May that I broke my foot, but it wasn't until August 4 that I had the 'official' diagnosis. 

So I'm wearing a stupid boot until mid-September.

Segue to August 10 and the topic of this blog:

I'm sick and tired of gaining weight. I know I have to do something drastic to make a change. 

I decide to try Keto. No, I don't buy in to all the Keto crap, but I do need a focus. I joined a couple of Facebook groups (I've since deleted them, because they are all about, "Hey, follow me. Buy my shit, blah, blah, blah.") The best part of the quick venture into the Keto world is the person who recommended the Carb Manager app. 

The key, in my mind, is to document everything you put in your piehole. Yes, this means the stupid stuff like gummy Calcium supplements...HOLY CRAP! THAT'S 4 GRAMS OF CARBOHYDRATES! and yes, I stopped my gummy supplements replacing them with regular pills. 

While I LOVE documenting my food intake, I have to admit that I have yet to hit my net proteins, fats or daily calories. Yes, my friends, I haven't managed to hit my 1500 calorie a day mark. Also, I've managed to go over the recommended 20 grams of carbohydrates every single day, but never over 30 grams. 

So where does that leave me?

Down 5.1 pounds in a week. 

No, I'm not hungry. No, I haven't been boredom eating. And for the most part, I haven't had any cravings, nor suffer any intestinal discomfort.  

Yes, I'm at the beginning of this process. And there will  be ups and downs. One down was the day I added just a touch of Crystal light squirt sweetener in my water. The next day, the cravings started. It was a tough day, but I learned again that ONE'S BODY REACTS TO ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS THE SAME WAY AS REGULAR SUGAR. I have to go cold turkey with the sweet stuff. 

I've also started walking again--in my boot--about 3 miles for two days and one day off, repeat. 

I'm not really doing hard-core Keto, I think of myself doing a Keto/paleo/old Weight Watcher points (pre Oprah) type of eating. The biggest change I made was to stop eating all sorts of grain-based products (no pasta, bread or pizza), no sugar (not even honey) or artificial sweeteners, and I try to stay away from any premade anything. I made quiche for the family last week and simply scraped the crust away. We went to the Brook, a local eating joint, and ordered a Reuben with steamed veg on the side, I ate the insides of the Reuben. 

Along with the weight loss, I also noticed my thumb joint arthritis wasn't as bad as normal. A side-effect? Fluke? Who knows. Maybe the refined carbs were causing some sort of inflammatory response in my system. 

I'll keep you updated, but probably not on a regular basis.

Later!

Foodie Friday: Boston Cream Pie--it's not really a pie!

 

A few days before Thanksgiving my daughter had her 20^th birthday. She requested a Boston Cream Pie for her cake. I don’t like Boston Cream Pie. I’ve never made one. So, lazy ass that I am, I picked one up from a local bakery.

Wow, what a disappointment! We’ve had cakes from them in the past that have been wonderful, but it was a serious disappointment.

Boston Cream Pie is supposed to have a thick custard filling. The bought cake barely had a layer of filling. It had toasted coconut around the edge, but I’m guessing that was to disguise the fact there was virtually no cream filling.

So I decided to make it up to my kidlet and make her a Boston Cream Pie. I quickly downloaded a Martha Stewart recipe, fully expecting the recipe to follow Martha’s exacting standards.

Again, what a disappointment!

The recipe ingredients were out of order, didn’t make sense, and I had to reread the instructions numerous times to figure out what was to be done.

So to that end, this is MY interpretation of the recipe, along with my numerous Tips and Tricks at the end of the recipe.

Enjoy!

Boston Cream Pie

 

Pastry Cream

2 cups whole milk

1 cup sugar, divided into ½ cups

2 tsp. vanilla bean paste

Pinch of kosher salt

3 egg yolks

1 egg

2 ½ Tbls cornstarch

3 Tbls butter, cubed

 

Cake

 

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1 ½ cups flour

1 ½ tsp baking power

½ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup milk

6 Tbls butter

 

Ganache

 

3 oz milk

4 oz. sweet chocolate, chopped

 

Pastry cream:

Dampen small cookie sheet, line with plastic wrap.

 In medium saucepan, combine milk, ½ cup sugar, vanilla paste and salt. Slowly bring to boil over medium heat.

 While milk mixture is heating, whisk together ½ cup sugar and cornstarch in medium bowl. Stabilize bowl on kitchen towel. Add yolks and egg. Whisk until mixture is homogenous and no lumps. Set aside.

 When milk mixture comes to a low boil, remove from heat. Add vanilla bean paste. Temper egg mixture in three additions, whisking briskly.

 *Tempering eggs: Add a small amount of hot liquid (small ladle) to the egg mixture, whisking after each addition. Once the egg mixture feels as warm as the rest of the milk mixture add it back to the original saucepan, whisking to combine.

 Whisk egg mixture over medium heat until it starts to thicken, about a minute. Whisk until thick, about two minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in butter.

 Pour custard through mesh sieve onto prepared cookie sheet. Spread to level. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill at least 2 hours.

 

Cake:

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 9-inch round cake pan.

 Combine milk and butter in saucepan over low heat.

 Beat eggs and sugar until thick, and lightened in color, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla. Add dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Add milk and butter mixture, mix until smooth.

 Pour into prepared pan.

 Bake until cake is golden, about 35-40 minutes. Cool cake 10 minutes in pan. Remove from pan, transfer to rack to cool.

 Assembling cake:

 Place cake on plate or stand. Using serrated knife, split cooled cake horizontally. Set top of cake aside. Spread bottom cake layer with Pastry Cream, spread to within ½ inch of outer edge. Place top half of cake onto custard layer.

 Ganache:

 Microwave cream for 30-45 seconds. Add chocolate, allowing about a minute to soften chocolate. Stir until smooth.

 Pour over assembled cake, smoothing to edge of cake and allowing a little to drip over edge.

 Serve.

 Refrigerate leftovers.

 Tips & Tricks

 

·         When I made the pastry cream, I didn’t have whole milk. I used ¾ cup of half and half and 1 ¼ cup of 2% milk.

·         Pastry cream can be prepared 1-3 days ahead of time. Instead of using cookie sheet, store in a covered container. Remember to cover the cream with plastic wrap prior to covering with an airtight lid. This will keep it from developing a ‘skin’. A thickened layer like you would have on pudding.

·         I used a small ladle to temper the eggs. If you don’t have a ladle, then you can pour a small amount of the milk mixture into the eggs while whisking. This might be a bit of a messy process.

·         While I used a mesh sieve to strain the custard onto the cookie sheet, it is a step that I added. I didn’t need it this time because I did a good job tempering. But if you add too much hot milk or don’t whisk quick enough, then you might have bits of cooked egg in your custard. This makes it grainy and less silky of a mouth feel.

·         I also used a piece of cut parchment in the cakepan. Butter under the parchment to adhere it to the pan, then butter on top of the parchment.

·         If you want to heat the cream for the ganache in a pan, feel free. I just decided to microwave it since it was already in a measuring cup and I was tired of washing dishes.

 

Enjoy!

Margaret

 

 

Foodie Friday: Pasta ala Todd

Good Morning!

It has a very long time since I posted anything. I don’t know if I’ll become a regular blogger again, but if I have something new to say, I’ll post.

Here is a new Foodie Friday recipe we just enjoyed two nights ago.

There are two restaurants in Tulsa where my hubby enjoys a spicy pasta dish. One place calls it Pasta Yaya, and the other place calls it Pasta Taylaird (with Cajun seasoning). We took a basic vodka sauce recipe and upped the spices, the heat, and added tons of goodies. It’s a thick and hearty meal that’s perfect for those cold nights. We enjoyed the meal with bought Italian bread (I was busy running errands and didn’t plan enough time to make fresh bread).

Don't forget to scroll through Tips and Tricks!

So here is Todd’s version:

 

Pasta ala Todd

AKA Hearty Rigatoni with Vodka-Tomato Sauce

 

2 T olive oil

1 C. finely chopped onions

1 8 oz. pkg mushrooms, sliced

½ t. dried crushed red pepper flakes

½ C. Vodka

1 C. whipping cream

1 C. tomato sauce

1 T. basil

1 T. parsley

½ t. black pepper

Salt to taste

 

½ C. grated Parmesan cheese

 

1 lb. rigatoni pasta

 

1lb. Hot Italian sausage, cooked, drained and crumbled

1 C. pepperoni

1 C. diced cooked chicken

 

 

Turn salted water for pasta on high. While it’s heating up, work on the next few steps.

Heat oil in heavy wok over medium high heat. Add onions, crushed red pepper and mushrooms. Sauté until onions are translucent and water from mushrooms is cooked down, about 5 minutes. Add basil, parsley, and black pepper (I added a touch of salt, but be careful, you don’t want to make it too salty after you add everything else). Stir to incorporate.

Add vodka and ignite. Simmer until flames subside, shaking pan occasionally, about 2 minutes.

Add cream and boil until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.

Add tomato sauce, boil until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add Sausage, chicken, pepperoni, and Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.

Turn heat to low while cooking pasta.

Meanwhile, cook rigatoni in salted water until firm to bite (a minute or two below the lower time on package).

Drain pasta. Reserve about ½ cup of pasta water in case you need to thin the sauce. Add rigatoni to sauce mixture.

It will be thick and hearty. If it is too thick add some pasta water.

Sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese and a touch of parsley for color.

Enjoy!

 

 Tips and Tricks:

 

·         We were shooting for SPICY. If you do not like SPICY then use mild Italian sausage, and skip or reduce the red pepper flakes.

·         I had bought a rotisserie chicken from Sam’s Club (I prefer them to Costco and Target) and had broken it down. Two pounds were vacuum sealed and frozen. And I cubed one cup for this recipe.

·         I purchase my Italian sausage from a local sausage maker (Seigi’s). Package contains 4 6-7-inch links. I remove the casing and cooked the links. When they are half cooked, I used my tongs to break off small chunks from the links.

·         Vodka flames…AGAIN Vodka FLAMES. When you light it to cook off the alcohol it will flame 1-2 feet. We took care not to light anything on fire. Be sure to keep a lid to your pan nearby to smother the flames if they freak you out.

·         Since this recipe has tons of extra goodies, I had increased the cream and tomato sauce. If it is too thick, then add pasta water to thin it.

·         Have everything ready to go. This recipe cooks and comes together quickly.

·         Turn on your salted water when you start cooking.

·         This recipe makes 6-8 hearty servings.

Chicken with Creamy Parmesan Sauce

What does one do if you have chicken tenders, spinach, mushrooms and a lot of rice?
You improvise!
From start to finish, including the rice cooker rice time, it took about an hour. A large part of that time was the prep work, especially cleaning the chicken yuckies.
As always, prep everything ahead of time. If you don't care about the tendon running down the chicken tender, then you saved time. You can also save time by buying pre-sliced mushrooms, a little jar of minced garlic, and grated Parmesan cheese.
The only reason I made rice, it because I have a lot of rice, and the only pasta I had was lasagna noodles, though this would be nummy on fettucine!
Enjoy!

Chicken in Creamy Parmesan Sauce

 

1.5 lb. chicken tenderloins

2 Tbls. olive oil

10 oz. mushrooms, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tbls. butter

1 Tbls. flour

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup cream

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2-3 cups baby spinach, rough chop

2-3 Tbls. sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, julienne cut

Salt

Pepper

Garlic powder, optional

Heat oil in large skillet or wok over high heat. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken. Add chicken to hot oil. Cook until brown and turn, about 3-4 minutes. Cook another 4 minutes and remove from pan. Add mushrooms to pan and cook until liquid evaporates and edges are caramelized, about 3-4 minutes. Remove mushrooms from pan.

Turn down heat to medium. Melt butter in pan. Add garlic, and sauté for a few minutes until light brown. Stir in flour, and cook for about a minute. Add chicken broth, cream and Parmesan cheese. Stir to blend for 3-4 minutes. Taste seasonings. Adjust with salt, pepper, or garlic powder, if needed.

Add spinach to sauce, allow to wilt. Add chicken, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir to blend. Heat for a few minutes to bring the chicken and mushrooms up to temperature. Serve immediately.

Serve over rice or pasta, or if you want to be healthier…a bed of spinach. Yes, more spinach.

Tips & Tricks:

·         My family is particular about their chicken. I tend to clean it up by removing excess membrane and the tendon running down the center of the tenderloins.

·         Chicken broth—I used 1 cup of water and @ 2 tsp. of Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base.

·         I like the baby portobello mushrooms because they are meatier, but use white button mushrooms if you like.

·         “Rough chop” is exactly what it says. Grab a handful or two of spinach, chop it a few times one direction, then again, the other way. Makes it less stringy.

Dad's Favorite Chili v. 2.0

There are so many chili recipes out there. If you had 20 people make chili, you would have 20 very different types of chili, from bland to uber spicy, from vegan to a meatsa-meatsa fest, from beans to no beans.
Everyone has their own take on chili. This version is the current favorite in the Golla household.
Enjoy!

 

Dad’s Favorite Chili

 2.5 lbs. ground beef, 85% lean

1.5 lbs. Hot Italian sausage

¼ c. bacon crumbles

1 large onion, chopped

2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 bottle Corona, 12 oz.

1 Tbls. Beef Better than Bouillon

4 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes

2 15-oz cans spicy chili beans

1 6-oz can tomato paste

¼ cup chili powder

1Tbls. oregano

1Tbls. cumin

1Tbls. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. hot pepper sauce, (e.g. Tabasco)

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. sugar

 

Heat large stock pot over medium heat. Add beef and sausage, breaking apart while it cooks until brown. Drain excess grease.

Add rest of ingredients. Stir to blend.

Cover and simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Taste and adjust flavor. Add salt, pepper, chili powder, or nothing at all.

Do whatever floats your boat.

This is YOUR chili. Own it.

Tips & Tricks:

·         Use this recipe as a template. Adjust it to suit your family’s tastes.

·         This recipe makes A LOT OF CHILI. Half it, or freeze half after it cooks.

·         It’s good in a bowl with bacon sprinkled on top, then cheese. Or on Fritos.

Over the years since I was given the original recipe for Sour Cream Enchiladas from a co-worker, I’ve made a few changes. I’ve tried some different ingredients. Some worked. Some didn’t work. And depending on your personal, or families, preferences, you might make a few other changes.

My daughter isn’t a fan of chicken enchiladas, but likes the sour cream sauce. I had a cream cheese mixture* in the fridge that I formed into cylinders for the insides of her enchiladas. And yes, I did add more shredded cheese when I rolled them up. I didn’t put jalapenos on her two enchiladas to remind me which ones were hers.  

This is the recipe that I made last night.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas v. 2.0

2 cups sour cream

½ cup Herdez Salsa Verde

2-3 cups chicken, shredded or diced

1 Tbls. butter

½ onion, chopped, @ ½ cup

1 4-oz can Hatch chopped green chilies, drained

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

8-10 tortillas

Shredded Mexican cheese

Jalapeno peppers, sliced

 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Mix sour cream and Salsa Verde in bowl.

Spray 9 x 13 glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spread ½ cup sour cream mixture on bottom of pan.

Melt butter in large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in chilies and spices. Add chicken. Mix well until chicken is hot. Stir in ½ cup sour cream mixture. Turn off heat while building the enchiladas.

Lay tortilla on flat surface, spoon about 1/3 cup of chicken mixture down one edge of tortilla. Add handful of shredded cheese. Roll tightly. Lay seam side down in baking dish. Continue filling pan or until you run out of chicken mixture.

Spread remaining sour cream mixture over enchiladas. Sprinkle with cheese and jalapeno slices.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until bubbly and slightly toasted.

Enjoy!

 

*Cream Cheese Enchilada Filling

8 oz package Philly cream cheese, softened

Garlic powder

Mayo, small amount

Shredded Mexican cheese

Shredded Parmesan cheese

Fresh chives, snipped 

Mix all together. Taste. Add more of whatever, depending on preferences. Also makes a good dip for whole grain tortilla chips, or spread on a bread and broiled until bubbly.

 

Tips & Tricks

·         Use regular sour cream, otherwise it might ‘break’ on you. “Breaking” happens when the product becomes too warm and separates into liquid and solid. The resulting chunks are edible, though unappetizing both visually, and in texture.

·         Feel free to use more or less salsa, depending on your preferences. I use enough to make the sour cream sauce a little more fluid, plus add flavor.

·         This time, I poached 3 large chicken breasts in water with peppercorns, oregano, cumin, garlic, and a bay leaf. When cooked, dice or shred when cool to the touch. I’ve also used rotisserie chicken, but the result varies depending what seasoning the provider uses.

·         When I sauté, I tend to use my flat-bottomed wok. The higher sides keep the potential messes to a minimum.

·         I used Hatch hot chilies. They weren’t as hot as I’d hoped. I’ve also used a fresh chopped poblano chili instead of the canned chilies.

·         Alter the spices to your preference, though I tend to make recipes as written prior to tweaking. The good part about this recipe is that everything is cooked prior to building the enchiladas, so you can adjust the seasoning accordingly.

·         Since my family isn’t a fan of corn tortillas (I am. I like white corn tortillas.), I use flour tortillas fajita-sized.

·         Pour the shredded cheese into a bowl. Digging in and out of the bag is a PIA, plus you’ll be contaminating the remaining cheese with your chicken filling fingers.

 

No New Year's Resolution

Over my lifetime, I've made thousands of New Year's resolutions.

And have subsequently failed to meet them over the next 365 days.

This year will be different.

I won't make any resolutions. Instead, I'll borrow this wonderful idea from the talented author Holly Jacobs. Last year, her word was GLEE. This year, her word is RESTART.

Find one word that will be your mantra for the year.

For me, that word will be FOCUS.

It will be useful in many aspects of my life:

• losing weight
• becoming more active
• work
• and last, but not least, writing 

One word is easy to remember. Do you have one word that will allow you to make a New Year's resolution without making a resolution?

I found one word. I bet you can, too!

MAG's

Foodie Friday--Strata or Breakfast Casserole

This recipe is called Strata—no, I have no idea where the name came from—or breakfast casserole, or simply baked eggy-bready-cheesy-goodness-made-from-refrigerator-leftovers.

Whatever it’s called, it’s yummy.

The beauty of this breakfast casserole is that you can make it any way you want. If you want to go a little Italian, then brown Italian sausage (mild or spicy) and add a teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Or make it using diced ham or bacon, instead of sausage. Add browned onions, or grape tomatoes, diced poblano or jalapeno peppers, or sauté spinach, drain and chop it. If you want more smoky spice then add chipotle powder. Or if you want a herbier type of casserole, add dried sage. Use whatever you happen to have on hand, it doesn’t matter. All you need is the basic eggs, milk, bread and cheese, leave the rest to your imagination.

This recipe calls for white bread slices, but I don’t like white bread, so I used a ½ loaf of French Country bread (weighed—about 8-10 ounces), or use Italian bread, or French bread, it doesn’t really matter. The staler the better since the eggy mixture is absorbed into the bread, like soaking French Toast.

The cheese can be whatever cheese you like. If you don’t have any idea what to use, use a sharp cheddar as the flavor will be a little stronger. And no, the cheese quantity is optional. Personally, I use far more cheese in my strata recipe than recommended . . . like two or three times the amount. This recipe is the perfect way of getting rid of those little chunks of random cheese left over from other recipes. I used a white cheddar cheese and a Mexican cheese blend, but I plan to use my leftover Gruyere and Fontina cheese the next time I make this recipe, which will be Christmas day . . . er, actually, I’ll make it Christmas Eve, but it will soak overnight before I bake it on Christmas day.  

Enjoy!

 

Strata or Breakfast Casserole

8 eggs

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dry mustard

½ tsp. white pepper

2 cups milk

1 lb. bulk sausage, browned and degreased

6 slices of bread, cubed, about 8 cups

2 cup cheese, grated 

Fry sausage, breaking apart until cooked. Drain fat, blot excess fat with paper towels. Set aside. Cube bread. Set aside.

In large bowl, whisk eggs, salt, mustard, and pepper. Whisk in milk. Fold in grated cheese and bread.

Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake Strata for 35 minutes until browned and set.

Serve immediately.

 

Tips & Tricks

·         Use LARGE eggs

·         I don’t drink regular milk; 2% milk works fine. I added a little cream to the milk to give it a slightly higher fat content.

·         Use spray oil for the pan. It’s easier

·         When I baked this for my work gang, I put the casserole in a cold oven and turned it on to 350 degrees while I showered and dressed. I wasn’t about to putter around while waiting for the oven to preheat.  I added 15-20 minutes to the stated baking time and kept an eye on it toward the end.

·         The dry mustard and white pepper give the casserole a little zing. Put your own spin on the basic recipe. Add whatever seasonings you feel like.  

 

Foodie Friday--Dad's Favorite Chili

I have been on the lookout for a chili recipe for over thirty years. I've tried many types of recipes, some cooked by the letter of the recipe and some made with my own twist.

 

None of them compare to this recipe.

 

Seven days later we are still eating this chili and enjoying it like we had on the first day.

Plus, this recipe makes A LOT OF CHILI.

 

I had used my regular 5 quart Calphalon pot that I use for everything . . . and it was too small.

 

Fast forward to the chili bubbling and dripping down the sides of the pot and burning on the stove to me hastily scooping the chili into my big ass crock pot--lined with a slow cooker liner because those wonderful heat resistant bags of nylon are the BEST!

 

Two hours later, and a supreme amount of elbow grease to clean the stove and pot, I had a fantastic scoop of chili poured over Fritos, a sprinkling of shredded cheese and a large pinch of bacon crumbles. I was in heaven.

 

My hubby thinks I might give his boss a run for the money when the chili cookoff rolls around.

 

Feel free to take this recipe and put your own spin on it.

Dad's Favorite Chili

2 lbs ground chuck

1 lb bulk Italian sausage

3 1-lb can Ranch-style chili beans

1 1-lb can chili beans with spicy sauce

2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes

1 6-oz can tomato paste

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

2 Poblano chili peppers, chopped

1 Tbls minced garlic

1 Tbls. bacon crumbles

1 Tbls. beef Better Than Bouillon

1 12-ounce Corona beer

1/4 cup chili powder

1 Tbls Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbls oregano

2 tsp. cumin

2 tsp hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)

1 tsp basil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp white sugar

 

In large stock pot (6 quart or larger), brown beef and sausage. Drain grease. Add all ingredients.

Stir to blend. Cover and simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Adjust salt, pepper, and chili powder.

 

Tips & Tricks

 

• I didn't have Italian sausage, so I used bulk sausage. Next time, I'll try spicy bulk breakfast sausage for a different zing.
• I picked up the Ranch-style (black label) beans thinking they were just beans. They aren't. They are in a sauce. I didn't drain them and just tossed them in the pot.
• I think I used 4 14-ounce cans of diced tomatoes, but honestly, I think I might have only put in 2 cans. Oops. Do what floats your boat. 2 cans or 4 cans. It really doesn't matter, just make sure you have enough room in your stock pot!
• Recently I bought fresh paprika. It was smoked paprika, because that was all they had. I like the nuance of the flavor.
• Yes, I did have to add more salt. It will all depend on your beans, bouillon, and the sausage you use. Wait until everything cooks down a bit so you don't over season it.

Fritos and shredded Mexican cheese is handy, gooey and makes a great Frito chili pie!

 

Enjoy!

MAGolla  

 

 



Weight Loss is HARD

Losing weight is hard.

I won't lie.

And as we age it is harder to get the weight off due to a more sedentary lifestyle, menopause (men and women) and loss of calorie-burning muscle mass.

Add to the fact that humans ache for instant gratification of instant weight loss.

It's so easy to put it on, why shouldn't it come off as quickly?

This has always been the case, and as much as we want to blame it on the Internet we really can't. You can go back in time to the bizarre exercise equipment of the past, or the amphetamine craze of the 70's, or even the Romans with their vomitoriums.

Why do you think women wore corsets?

To enhance their attributes (tiny waist, pushing boobs up and out, and enhancing hips for child-bearing), along with the side effect of improved posture (I dare you to try to slouch while wearing a corset!) and a teeny-tiny appetite, "She eats like a bird, barely taking a bite."

No wonder women fainted so much. It wasn't due to their 'delicate' constitutions, but a too tight corset!

Back on topic.

Weight loss is hard.

Weight loss as an older (read: middle aged) is harder.

But I know I'll feel better when I lose the weight. I know I'll be more active. I'll be more flexible. And I'll have more energy over all.

While I will have some not so good eating days, my goal is to have more good eating days in the long run.

Until later. Have a great Weighty Wednesday!

MAG's

Losing Weight . . . again

How many of us manage to lose a huge amount of weight, but then end up regaining the aforementioned weight?

*raises hand*

I have to admit that I'm really good at losing weight. Heck, I've managed to lose a lot of weight over my 50+ years.

First it was that pesky ten pounds, which, in turn, morphed into a twenty pound gain and loss, that has now become an off-and-on thirty pound issue.

In the past, I've done well on Weight Watchers. I'm a fan of their weight-loss program. I can lose the weight, but one problem that seems to rear it's ugly head is the fact that I can't seem to MAINTAIN my weight loss.

Weight maintenance is a different mindset than weight loss and I can't seem to wrap my head around the difference. I add back the calories to maintain, but over time I become lazy with my tracking, sloppy with my quantities, and lackadaisical with my weight-ins.

Enter Real Appeal.

There are a few perks to this particular program.

• It's paid for by my insurance--BONUS #1
• Meetings are online/phone--BONUS #2
• It is a comprehensive program that includes nutrition, exercise and motivational encouragement
• Plus the huge package of goodies is a bonus: exercise DVD's, food scale, weighing scale, and assorted booklets
• The program is calorie oriented, but it breaks it down into usable information, such as fiber, protein, sugars, carbohydrates, etc.
• Oh, and did I mention, IT'S FREE?!

Before I attended my first session, I downloaded the app to my phone.

Personally, I do much better with my weight loss when I'm accountable for everything that goes into my mouth by TRACKING everything I eat. I just feel stupid documenting "large spoonful of peanut butter", so I don't eat it.

Like most tracking apps they tend to be cluttered with other people's info, but the more you use certain products, the sooner the app learns to put your foods at the top of the list.

There are a few things I need to remember when I track:

• Be honest with yourself--yes, you shoved that cookie in your mouth, it counts.
• Be truthful with your quantities. Count, weigh and measure everything. Over time, we lose the ability to "eyeball" the correct amounts.
• Be forgiving. We all have bad days. Just don't let the bad day turn into a bad week.
• Be realistic. As an older, post-menopausal woman, it is harder to lose weight than it was when I was in my twenties.

That's a start for now!

MAGs

Foodie Friday--Magic Christmas Cookies

Sometimes the best surprises happen when one is forced to substitute.
Enjoy!

Magic Christmas Cookies

Soft and sandy texture

Different combinations added to the base cookie makes it magic.

 

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

1 cup salad oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups quick oats

3 ½ cups flour

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg, mix well, then add salad oil and vanilla, mixing well. Add oats, flour, soda, and salt.  Stir to combine. Cut dough in half.

Mix into ½ batch of dough, either:

Zest from one orange

½ cup craisins

½ cup white chocolate chips

½ cup chopped walnuts 

OR:

1 tsp. ground chipotle pepper

1/2 cup bacon crumbles, (Kirkland bacon crumbles-1 cup fried until toasty) drain on paper towels.

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted 

OR: 

¾ cup toasted coconut, (1 cup unsweetened coconut, toasted in pan)

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

1/3 cup toasted almond slices 

OR:

Zest from one orange

½ cup white chocolate chips

½ cup craisins

½ cup NaturSource salad topper mix (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, craisins)

OR: 

¾ cup Heath toffee bits with milk chocolate

½ cup chopped pecans

1 Tbls. ground cinnamon 

OR: 

½ cup fried bacon crumbles

Large pinch Hickory finishing salt

2/3 cup of mixed chocolate chips (Milk, mini, semi-sweet, butterscotch, white, sea salt caramel, etc) 

Using a cookie scoop (@ 2 Tbls), place balls on parchment lined cookie sheet, lightly flatten. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 2-4 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. 

Makes about 60 2-inch cookies.

 

Tips and Tricks:

·         Parchment paper is God’s gift to baking—no muss, no fuss, just toss it in the trash.

·         Some of the combinations were invented simply because I happened to have the ingredients on hand (bacon crumbles, salad topper seeds/craisin combination, oranges to zest).

·         To toast the bacon, coconut, almond slices, or pine nuts, just heat in skillet on the stovetop, tossing until they are as toasted as you want. Do not leave the room. It will seem like the ingredients are taking forever to toast, but as soon as you walk away they will burn. Don’t ask me how I know this…

·         When mixing in strong spice flavors (chipotle, hickory salt, and cinnamon) start with the amount suggested. Bake and taste a small sample cookie. The chipotle has a late burn, but it shouldn’t be an overpowering flavor, just unexpected. Same with the hickory salt. Don’t over do it.

·         I baked all the cookie combinations and took them to work. ALL cookies were demolished within 4 hours. Not a true taste testing, but many people liked the chipotle-bacon, hickory salt bacon and the coconut macaroon combinations the best. I’m a fan of the orange zest with seeds.

·         If you want to make smaller cookies, then go for it, but bake a few practice ones first to adjust your timing.

 

Enjoy!

Foodie Friday--Savory Meatloaf

I meant to publish this recipe a few weeks ago, but never sat down at the computer to get it accomplished. Oops...

Savory Meatloaf

 

2 lbs. ground beef

1 c. Kirkland bacon crumbles

1 onion, diced

1 Tbls. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. sage

1 tsp. savory

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground mustard

½ tsp. pepper

1 clove garlic, minced, or ¼ tsp. garlic powder

1 cup milk

1 egg

1 cup Ciabatta bread, crumbed in Cuisinart

Preheat oven to 350◦F.

Prepare pan with parchment fitted to 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

Fry bacon crumbles to render grease. Add onion, and sauté until onions are translucent and lightly browned. Mix spices into onion mixture, and then add milk. Stir to combine.

In large bowl, mix ground beef with egg and onion mixture. Add breadcrumbs to combine. Spread meat mixture in loaf pan.

Bake uncovered for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until meat thermometer reaches 160◦F.

 

Tips & Tricks:

·         My family hates raw onions, which is the reason I sautéed them.

·         Kirkland bacon crumbles were put into the recipe because I needed to use them up. BTW: they are found in the salad topper/condiment aisle.

·         Ciabatta bread because we had some mini ciabatta sandwich rolls that were getting old. Bread crumbs of any type work. If I didn’t have enough ciabatta, I had Panko bread crumbs on standby.

·         Parchment paper is AWESOME! I use it all the time for baking cookies to making fudge to reheating pizza. Just throw it away when you’re finished!

·         Fold a piece of parchment paper to fit into pan, then make a nice sharp edges and corners and staple them to keep the correct form. Keep paper long to use as “handles” when you take the meatloaf out of the pan to cut. This makes cleanup short and sweet. Take care. There is a lot of fat in this meatloaf so remove from pan near the sink in case of spillage.