Thursday, June 16, 2011
Why are there no pictures??
It's next on my list, I promise! I need to figure out the best way to go about it. :-)
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Jalapeno Chicken Sandwiches
What does summer mean? LOTS of grilling! I like these sandwiches. To switch it up a bit I'll omit the chipolte mayo, grill some onions and add some cheddar cheese and bbq sauce to each. Also, I don't always include the jalapenos on the sandwiches. It depends on how crazy hot the marinade is. Our jalapenos from the garden are wicked hot. The store ones not so much.
Don't forget to grill the roll--spread some butter/butter spray and a dash of garlic powder on each...mmmm!
Jalapeno Chicken Sandwiches
adapted from Sherry's Jalapeno Steak Sandwiches (from the Cooking Light board)
serves 6
Ingredients:
6 cloves Garlic, minced
3 Jalapeno Peppers, cut into rings (seed if desired)
1/3 c. Olive Oil
1/3 c. Lime Juice
3 tbsp. Dijon Mustard
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
4-5 medium Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into strips or cubed
6 Whole Wheat Sub Rolls, cut in half lengthwise
1/3 c. Low Fat Mayo or Sour Cream
1 tbsp. Ground Chipotle Powder*
*or 1/2 tsp. of cumin & chili powder, 1/4 tsp. cayenne
Sliced Red Onion
6 slices Cheese, optional (I use whatever cheese I have in the fridge - provolone, cheddar, colby, swiss, etc)
In a large ziplock bag combine garlic, jalapeno, oil, lime juce, mustard & salt. Add chicken, seal bag, turn to coat. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
Stovetop: Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat (I add a bit of olive oil). Remove chicken & jalapenos from marinade, discard marinade and cook chicken/jalapenos over medium-high heat until chicken is done, stir occasionally. When chicken is done, remove it from the pan to a serving bowl. (I just scoop the chicken & jalapenos out of the bag, you get some sauce/marinade and that's ok. Sometimes I pour a bit of marinade in the pan to give it some extra sauce).
To Grill: Heat your grill over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken breasts until done. If you choose, place the jalapenos (and onions if you wish) in a grill pan and cook those on the grill too. Or you can cook the peppers on the stove.
While meat is cooking, combine mayo or sour cream with seasonings. Toast the sandwich rolls (either in the oven, the stove top or on the grill).
To assemble the sandwiches - spread mayo/sour cream thinly on both sides of the cut rolls. On the bottom half, place cheese then divide onion among rolls. Top with chicken & jalapeno, replace tops & serve.
Country Ribs
Sunday’s dinner was Country Ribs and Mac N Cheese. I love to cook my Country Ribs the following way:
4 lbs Country Ribs (bone in or boneless)
1 bottle Dr. Pepper
Small onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, smashed with skins removed
Liquid Smoke, 2 tsp (I just shake it really good into the pot)
BBQ Sauce (We’re digging KC Masterpiece Kansas City Style right now)
Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Sear ribs on all sides. Dump the soda, onion, garlic and smoke in the pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer until fork tender (about an hour). Heat oven to 400, put ribs in baking dish, baste on all sides with BBQ sauce. Bake 20-30 until bits of brown appear/sauce gets sticky. The other thing to do is to finish them on the grill.
I also will do this with frozen ribs, I’ll cook them in the pot for 1.5 hours or more.
Yum!
4 lbs Country Ribs (bone in or boneless)
1 bottle Dr. Pepper
Small onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, smashed with skins removed
Liquid Smoke, 2 tsp (I just shake it really good into the pot)
BBQ Sauce (We’re digging KC Masterpiece Kansas City Style right now)
Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Sear ribs on all sides. Dump the soda, onion, garlic and smoke in the pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer until fork tender (about an hour). Heat oven to 400, put ribs in baking dish, baste on all sides with BBQ sauce. Bake 20-30 until bits of brown appear/sauce gets sticky. The other thing to do is to finish them on the grill.
I also will do this with frozen ribs, I’ll cook them in the pot for 1.5 hours or more.
Yum!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
My Weekly To Do List--Part 1
Here is My Weekly To Do List.
I have started trying to be more organized! :-) One thing I did was go to Money Saving Mom and download some of her awesome forms. One in particular caught my eye--her Weekly Cleaning List. I changed it up a bit and added everything I do on a daily basis plus chores of the day and what's for dinner. I print it out every week and hang it on the fridge. It's a nice reminder of what needs to be done and what I am going to make for dinner.
You can click the link above and look at my list. It's just an example--I add/rearrange as I need to!
My daily chores include:
Before Breakfast:
-Make the Bed.
-Walk the Dogs.
After Breakfast:
-Shower & Dress
-Thaw Dinner
-Unload & Load Dishwasher
-Start Laundry if on Daily List
After Lunch:
-Take Dogs Out
-Pick up Living/Dining Room
Before Dinner:
-Walk dogs/Exercise 30 minutes if not done
-While Dinner is Cooking: Daily Chore
After Dinner:
-Clean Up Dishes/Load Dishwasher/Run
-Finish Daily Chore
-Laundry: Fold & Put Away
Next is what I do for "chores of the day".
I have started trying to be more organized! :-) One thing I did was go to Money Saving Mom and download some of her awesome forms. One in particular caught my eye--her Weekly Cleaning List. I changed it up a bit and added everything I do on a daily basis plus chores of the day and what's for dinner. I print it out every week and hang it on the fridge. It's a nice reminder of what needs to be done and what I am going to make for dinner.
You can click the link above and look at my list. It's just an example--I add/rearrange as I need to!
My daily chores include:
Before Breakfast:
-Make the Bed.
-Walk the Dogs.
After Breakfast:
-Shower & Dress
-Thaw Dinner
-Unload & Load Dishwasher
-Start Laundry if on Daily List
After Lunch:
-Take Dogs Out
-Pick up Living/Dining Room
Before Dinner:
-Walk dogs/Exercise 30 minutes if not done
-While Dinner is Cooking: Daily Chore
After Dinner:
-Clean Up Dishes/Load Dishwasher/Run
-Finish Daily Chore
-Laundry: Fold & Put Away
Next is what I do for "chores of the day".
TMTT--Banana Cinnamon Chip Cake
I love looking at the recipes from TMTT, there's a great group of bloggers there that share some yummy recipes! Check out Lisa's Strawberry Cupcakes, I'm drooling.
The second recipe I tried this weekend was Banana Cinnamon Chip Cake (from Two Peas and Their Pod). We always have bananas around (Small Fish loves them) and this is delicious! Keep an eye out for cinnamon chips (usually located right by the chocolate chips) at your local store.
Banana Cinnamon Chip Cake
from Two Peas and Their Pod
3 very ripe bananas
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup cinnamon chips
For topping:
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.
In a medium mixing bowl, mash the bananas well with a fork or potato masher. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Stir in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and sugar.
Add ¾ cup of the cinnamon chips, and stir briefly. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together the topping ingredients. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter in the pan, and top with the remaining ¼ cup chips.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Chicken Parm Subs
Happy Monday! Nah, who am I kidding—when is Monday ever good? The Fish had a job interview today though, so at least that was a good thing on this Monday!
Recipe Roundup from the weekend:
Friday, I made Rachael Ray’s Chicken Parm Subs. Mmmmm, good! She gets on my nerves sometimes, but there are a few of her recipes I really enjoy (like Steakhouse Shepherd’s Pie.) My kind of recipe, quick and easy. I made the meatballs, stuck them in the convection/toaster oven to bake (so as to not heat up the house—I have a Cuisinart large convection toaster oven that I adore—I comes in handy when cooking for the two or three of us) and put the sauce on the simmer. We walked the dogs, and I finished off the subs with cheese under the broiler. Definitely hanging on to this one!
Here’s the recipe!
Chicken Parm Meatball Subs
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken (I had a lb, I made 16 meatballs)
1 tablespoon grill seasoning blend
1 large egg
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (I used half this and half shredded mozz)
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
Handful of chopped parsley leaves (omitted)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for liberal drizzling plus, plus 3 tablespoons, 3 turns of the pan
2 large cloves garlic, cracked from skin and split
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, a healthy couple of pinches
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
Salt
Pepper
8 to 10 leaves fresh basil, torn or shredded (I used dried Italian Seasoning)
4 (6 to 8-inch) crusty sub rolls
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone (I used mozz)
* I also added additional seasonings into the meatballs, garlic powder, onion powder and Italian Seasonings. To the sauce I added more red pepper (we like spicy) and additional seasonings (such as a pinch of parm and sugar) to taste.
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Place chicken in a bowl and season with grill seasoning. Add egg, half of the grated cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, and a serious drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil to the bowl. Mix the meat and form 12 large meatballs. Squish the balls to flatten them a bit like mini oval meatloaves. Be careful not to form the balls wider than your bread. The flattened balls will stay put on your sub, no roll-aways! Bake the meatballs 15 minutes until golden and firm. Switch the broiler on.
While the meatballs bake, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and garlic and cook 5 minutes then remove the cloves. Add crushed red pepper flakes then tomatoes and stir in the chicken stock. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and simmer 10 minutes, adjust seasonings and stir in the basil. Reserve a extra sauce for dipping on dinner table.
Remove the meat from oven and loosen with a thin spatula. Turn meat balls in sauce.
Cut sub rolls making the bottom a little deeper than the top. Hollow out a little bread and lightly toast the sub rolls under broiler. Fill the bottoms of the breads with flattened balls and sauce. Combine the provolone and remaining Parmigiano. Cover the subs with cheese and return to broiler to melt the cheese until golden.
Recipe Roundup from the weekend:
Friday, I made Rachael Ray’s Chicken Parm Subs. Mmmmm, good! She gets on my nerves sometimes, but there are a few of her recipes I really enjoy (like Steakhouse Shepherd’s Pie.) My kind of recipe, quick and easy. I made the meatballs, stuck them in the convection/toaster oven to bake (so as to not heat up the house—I have a Cuisinart large convection toaster oven that I adore—I comes in handy when cooking for the two or three of us) and put the sauce on the simmer. We walked the dogs, and I finished off the subs with cheese under the broiler. Definitely hanging on to this one!
Here’s the recipe!
Chicken Parm Meatball Subs
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken (I had a lb, I made 16 meatballs)
1 tablespoon grill seasoning blend
1 large egg
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (I used half this and half shredded mozz)
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
Handful of chopped parsley leaves (omitted)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for liberal drizzling plus, plus 3 tablespoons, 3 turns of the pan
2 large cloves garlic, cracked from skin and split
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, a healthy couple of pinches
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
Salt
Pepper
8 to 10 leaves fresh basil, torn or shredded (I used dried Italian Seasoning)
4 (6 to 8-inch) crusty sub rolls
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone (I used mozz)
* I also added additional seasonings into the meatballs, garlic powder, onion powder and Italian Seasonings. To the sauce I added more red pepper (we like spicy) and additional seasonings (such as a pinch of parm and sugar) to taste.
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Place chicken in a bowl and season with grill seasoning. Add egg, half of the grated cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, and a serious drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil to the bowl. Mix the meat and form 12 large meatballs. Squish the balls to flatten them a bit like mini oval meatloaves. Be careful not to form the balls wider than your bread. The flattened balls will stay put on your sub, no roll-aways! Bake the meatballs 15 minutes until golden and firm. Switch the broiler on.
While the meatballs bake, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and garlic and cook 5 minutes then remove the cloves. Add crushed red pepper flakes then tomatoes and stir in the chicken stock. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and simmer 10 minutes, adjust seasonings and stir in the basil. Reserve a extra sauce for dipping on dinner table.
Remove the meat from oven and loosen with a thin spatula. Turn meat balls in sauce.
Cut sub rolls making the bottom a little deeper than the top. Hollow out a little bread and lightly toast the sub rolls under broiler. Fill the bottoms of the breads with flattened balls and sauce. Combine the provolone and remaining Parmigiano. Cover the subs with cheese and return to broiler to melt the cheese until golden.
Menu Plan Monday!
Happy Menu Plan Monday! * are recipes I will post as I make them!
For LOTS of great ideas, visit Laura and the rest of the gang!
For June 13, 2011 thru June 19, 2011
Monday, June 13
Jalapeno Chicken Sandwiches*
Coleslaw
Tuesday, June 14
Sliders
Fries
Wednesday, June 15
Easy Oven Baked Pork & Beans (made in crockpot instead)
Thursday, June 16
Orange Chicken*
Rice
Salad
Friday, June 17
Baked Potatoes with Chili & Cheese
Broccoli w/Garlic
Saturday, June 18
Crockpot Italian Chicken Pasta*
Rolls
Sunday, June 19
Steaks
Potatoes
Sautéed Mushrooms
Breakfast/Snacks/Etc.
Mile High Peanut Butter Pie (Cannot wait for this one--for DH for Father's Day)
Friday, June 10, 2011
Seafood Boil!
When my parents come up to visit, we love having this--it's our way of saying "thanks", because they always do so much for us when they come up (like this time when they helped install new floors.)
Seafood Boil
Ingredients:
1/2-3/4 c Old Bay
4 qts water
Beer
2-4 lbs crab, broken into pieces
2-4 lbs large shrimp, in shells
1 bag clams
2 lbs sausage, cut into 1” pieces
2 lbs new/small red potatoes or mediums qtrd
2 sweet onions, cut into wedges
4-6 cloves of garlic, smashed
2 lemons, sliced into rounds
4 ears corn, broken into several pieces each
Directions:
Heat water over med-high. Add beer, sausage and potatoes and Old Bay, bring to a boil. Cover and cook 10 min. Add clams, crab, corn, lemon, garlic and onion. Cover and cook 15 min. Add shrimp, cook another 10 min, until clams open.
Seafood Boil
Ingredients:
1/2-3/4 c Old Bay
4 qts water
Beer
2-4 lbs crab, broken into pieces
2-4 lbs large shrimp, in shells
1 bag clams
2 lbs sausage, cut into 1” pieces
2 lbs new/small red potatoes or mediums qtrd
2 sweet onions, cut into wedges
4-6 cloves of garlic, smashed
2 lemons, sliced into rounds
4 ears corn, broken into several pieces each
Directions:
Heat water over med-high. Add beer, sausage and potatoes and Old Bay, bring to a boil. Cover and cook 10 min. Add clams, crab, corn, lemon, garlic and onion. Cover and cook 15 min. Add shrimp, cook another 10 min, until clams open.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Happy Hump Day!
Or is it?
I could NOT get to sleep last night. At all. Finally, around 2:00 am, I awoke, ran to the bathroom and puked my brains out. Ugh. Then proceeded to be in the bathroom (ok, TMI--with one end or the other in the toilet) for the next four hours. Finally fell asleep around 6:00, woke up at 8:00 and am at work. I work from home, so it is all good. My tummy still feels cartwheely, but I'm thinking (and hoping) the worst is over. There go my big plans to go to Walmart tonight. I don't think it was food poisoning as there was no pain, plus I've heard there's one of those 12 hour stomach bugs going around.
To top it off, my boss' mom had a stroke they think. She rushed out of the office right after our day started. So please, any prayers, good thoughts, mojo, you can spare. My boss and her family are some of the nicest, most genuine people you will ever meet.
My highlight today is the fact DH is going to the family cabin this weekend with his cousin and uncles. I'll miss him, but am looking forward to a weekend of reading, snacking and just all around "do whatever the heck I want" ness.
On another positive note, I lost 2.2 lbs over the past two weeks. I'm really trying to eat better. I have about 50 lbs to lose. Wish me luck!
I could NOT get to sleep last night. At all. Finally, around 2:00 am, I awoke, ran to the bathroom and puked my brains out. Ugh. Then proceeded to be in the bathroom (ok, TMI--with one end or the other in the toilet) for the next four hours. Finally fell asleep around 6:00, woke up at 8:00 and am at work. I work from home, so it is all good. My tummy still feels cartwheely, but I'm thinking (and hoping) the worst is over. There go my big plans to go to Walmart tonight. I don't think it was food poisoning as there was no pain, plus I've heard there's one of those 12 hour stomach bugs going around.
To top it off, my boss' mom had a stroke they think. She rushed out of the office right after our day started. So please, any prayers, good thoughts, mojo, you can spare. My boss and her family are some of the nicest, most genuine people you will ever meet.
My highlight today is the fact DH is going to the family cabin this weekend with his cousin and uncles. I'll miss him, but am looking forward to a weekend of reading, snacking and just all around "do whatever the heck I want" ness.
On another positive note, I lost 2.2 lbs over the past two weeks. I'm really trying to eat better. I have about 50 lbs to lose. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
TMTT-Stuffed Border Burgers
I missed TMTT, I love blogs for recipes! Go visit everyone and see all the yummies they came up with! Lisa's post is about her friend's lasagna. We had lasagna too this weekend. MMM!
Ok, a disclaimer here. I did not follow this recipe exactly.
I did make the TexMex sauce, but didn't like it...I'm a plain ole ketchup and mustard gal or flavored mayo gal when it comes to my burger...oh, I do like pizza sauce if I'm making Italian Burgers. So I didn't use that. I don't know if it was the combo of sour cream and ketchup or what.
I also did not use the olives, as we don't like olives.
I also did not stuff the burgers, but mixed everything together and topped it with the cheese. For some reason I found it difficult to make 12 burgers from 1.5 lbs of ground beef (one for the bottom, one for the top).
Stuffed Border Burgers
Southern Living magazine, May 2004
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 (4.25-ounce) can chopped ripe olives, drained (omitted)
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon fajita seasoning
6 (1-ounce) slices Monterey Jack cheese with peppers (sold as Pepperjack round here)
6 onion rolls, split and toasted
Tex Mex Secret Sauce (recipe follows)
Toppings: shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, guacamole
Combine first 6 ingredients.
Shape mixture into 12 (4-inch) patties.
Fold cheese slices into quarters; place cheese on each of 6 patties.
Top with remaining 6 patties, pressing to seal edges.
Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until done.
Serve on rolls with Tex-Mex Secret Sauce and desired toppings.
Makes 6 servings
Tex Mex Secret Sauce
Southern Living, May 2004
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup ketchup
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
Stir together all ingredients. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Makes 1 cup
Long time no see!
Hi All!
I've been MIA, I know. It's because life got in the way. Work has been super busy, which is great with this economy. I had my breast lump surgery in January, which turned out to be benign (not cancer). DH was laid off, but they are hoping it is temporary. So things have been hectic!
I've been MIA, I know. It's because life got in the way. Work has been super busy, which is great with this economy. I had my breast lump surgery in January, which turned out to be benign (not cancer). DH was laid off, but they are hoping it is temporary. So things have been hectic!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Menu Plan Monday!
A little later than normal, work is crazy busy! I have two employees out, so in addition to all my stuff, I am covering some of the major things they do. * are recipes I will post as I make them!
For LOTS of great ideas, visit Laura and the rest of the gang!
For November 17, 2008 thru November 23, 2008
Monday, November 17
Tortellini ai Formaggi
Breadsticks
Tuesday, November 18
Cheeseburger Soup*
Dinner rolls
Wednesday, November 19
Enchiladas
Mexican Rice
Thursday, November 20
Orange Chicken*
Rice
Peas
Friday, November 21
Beef Patties in Onion Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Corn
Saturday, November 22
Homemade Lasagna
Macaroni Grill Bread (made with Italian Seasonings and Garlic, topped with Garlic Butter)
Sunday, November 23
Roasted Chicken or Leftover Lasagna*
Roasted Veggies
Dinner rolls
Breakfast/Snacks/Etc.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pina Colada Cake*
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Good news!
So I went yesterday, Got there at 2:05, did not leave until 4:55. They were all so nice, especially the mammogram tech. She told me the plan of action was for me to get an ultrasound, see if the doc could tell if it was a cyst or not from that. Then if he could, I was all done. If he couldn't, then off to mammogram I go. He wanted to do the ultrasound first due to my age, he said I was young, so I really didn't need a mammogram.
So I had the ultrasound, waited, then they came in and told me I needed to go for the mammogram. Thank goodness the mammo tech was so nice, she told me that he thought it was a cyst, but since he couldn't tell for sure, he wanted to do the mammo to cover all the bases. So off to mammo I went. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, uncomfortable, but not bad. The worst part is they put this marker (kinda like the male part of a snap) on the spot where the lump was...so when it squished me down, that pushed into my boob. Ouchie!
I had the mammo, went back and waited some more. Then the mammo tech comes back in and says he wants to do two more views. She reassures me that it's fine, he just sees some areas he wants squished some more to get a better look. She was very reassuring, but part of me was doubting it a bit at that point...I mean, would they just tell me if something was wrong? I didn't know and let me tell you my stomach was doing flip flops all day and this didn't help!
I went and had two more views done, then back to wait some more. I swear, I felt I was on the verge of tears the whole time. Then they came and got me and I met the doc finally. He told me he was pretty certain that it was a cyst, a benign fibroadenoma. He couldn't say 100%, but he is positive it is. He wants me to go for a biopsy, to make it 100%. He said the only reason was he saw no reason to remove it and due to my age, he would like to be 100%. So I have to do that.
I'm relieved! Of course it's not 100% yet, but he seemed sure. Let me tell you, that was one of the most nerve-racking experiences in my life! My stomach was in knots. I went home and essentially laid on the couch the rest of the night. I was so done!
Thank you all for the well wishes, prayers...it means so much to me, thank you!
So I have to schedule the next part of it, the biopsy. The sooner the better!
So I had the ultrasound, waited, then they came in and told me I needed to go for the mammogram. Thank goodness the mammo tech was so nice, she told me that he thought it was a cyst, but since he couldn't tell for sure, he wanted to do the mammo to cover all the bases. So off to mammo I went. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, uncomfortable, but not bad. The worst part is they put this marker (kinda like the male part of a snap) on the spot where the lump was...so when it squished me down, that pushed into my boob. Ouchie!
I had the mammo, went back and waited some more. Then the mammo tech comes back in and says he wants to do two more views. She reassures me that it's fine, he just sees some areas he wants squished some more to get a better look. She was very reassuring, but part of me was doubting it a bit at that point...I mean, would they just tell me if something was wrong? I didn't know and let me tell you my stomach was doing flip flops all day and this didn't help!
I went and had two more views done, then back to wait some more. I swear, I felt I was on the verge of tears the whole time. Then they came and got me and I met the doc finally. He told me he was pretty certain that it was a cyst, a benign fibroadenoma. He couldn't say 100%, but he is positive it is. He wants me to go for a biopsy, to make it 100%. He said the only reason was he saw no reason to remove it and due to my age, he would like to be 100%. So I have to do that.
I'm relieved! Of course it's not 100% yet, but he seemed sure. Let me tell you, that was one of the most nerve-racking experiences in my life! My stomach was in knots. I went home and essentially laid on the couch the rest of the night. I was so done!
Thank you all for the well wishes, prayers...it means so much to me, thank you!
So I have to schedule the next part of it, the biopsy. The sooner the better!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Split Pea Soup
I ended up not following the one I linked too, I tried one via memory! It turned out thick, so I might use maybe another half cup to a cup more liquid. I also cooked it forever, as DH wasn't home til late because of school. I think the smoked ham hock is soooo good!
Split Pea Soup
1 smoked ham hock
1 lb split peas
2 carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
sprinkling of dried onion (or chop up some onion and throw it in)
6 cups liquid (I used 4 cups chicken broth and 2 cups water--next time I think I will up it a half cup, see how it does, then maybe a cup)
Dump ingredients in crockpot. Cook on low 8 hours or longer. Take ham hock out, remove any meat left on the bone and place back in the crockpot. Shred any meat that is in large pieces and place back in the crockpot.
Split Pea Soup
1 smoked ham hock
1 lb split peas
2 carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
sprinkling of dried onion (or chop up some onion and throw it in)
6 cups liquid (I used 4 cups chicken broth and 2 cups water--next time I think I will up it a half cup, see how it does, then maybe a cup)
Dump ingredients in crockpot. Cook on low 8 hours or longer. Take ham hock out, remove any meat left on the bone and place back in the crockpot. Shred any meat that is in large pieces and place back in the crockpot.
Happy Hump Day!
Ok, I'm nervous about the mammo today. I'm just hoping and praying it will all be ok. All things considered I haven't gotten too emotional about it all, until today. I just keep thinking...what if?
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Tomorrow is the day!
Good morning ya'all! Tomorrow I have an appt to get my mammogram/ultrasound done for the lump. Keep your fingers crossed for me ok?
Kitchen Tip Tuesday!/Tips on Tuesday!
TIP: If you ever don't have enough batter to fill your muffin tins, just fill the empty holes with water. This helps prevent the others from overbrowning and helps everything cook evenly!
For more tips, stop by Tammy's site for kitchen tips and for all-around tips, Sandra's is where it's at! Both these ladies have some awesome recipes!
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!
Next month everyone will start sharing their favorite cookies and other goodies! Whoo-hoo! Can't wait for that!
One of my favorite fall recipes is my Chili recipe. It's easy and makes a bunch! Usually I can feed DH dinner twice, make chili dogs twice and some nachos out of one batch.
Meg's Chili
1.5-2 lbs ground beef
2 (29oz each) cans tomato sauce
2 (10-15oz each) can tomatoes and chilis/jalepenos (I say 10-15 oz, because I find them in all different sizes)
1 can (15oz) dark red kidney beans, undrained
1 can (15oz) chili beans, undrained
2 packets chili seasoning (I like to use one hot, one mild--depends on your family)
1 tsp sugar
a sprinkle of Old Bay if you have it
I just dump everything in my crockpot (bean juice and all)! Cook on low all day, 8-12 hours, leave the lid off the last few hours to thicken. I don't bother browning the meat, if you like to, feel free! It's versatile, if you want to add more beans, do so! Enjoy!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Happy Monday!
Well, the doc appt went as well as could be expected. It turns out I have PCOS. I kind of knew I did, I had all the symptoms and even had a cyst removed from my ovary when I was 16. Back then, there wasn’t a heck of a lot of info out there about PCOS. I came home and cried for a bit. It was kind of nice to know that some issues I’ve had are due to something and I’m not a freak of nature!
I have to read more about it…I need to make the time! My biggest concern, besides the weight battle is my ability to conceive. They say it can be an issue, but I guess we won’t know until we try. And that’s not happening for a few more years! She is going to refer me to a gyno, so that way I can develop a relationship now, rather than later.
Boob issue…good news is she thinks it is a cyst! She referred me to a radiologist, so I can get a mammo done. So I have to keep my fingers crossed for that.
Have to go back for blood work, so she said we will go from there!
Didn’t get guppy this weekend, he is sick, poor thing! Spent the weekend getting rid of wedding stuff, which I sniffled over. My house is less cluttered though!
I’m reading the Complete Tightwad Gazette. It’s about 10 years old (I think) so it’s a bit out-dated (I wish they would do an updated one!) but it has some helpful things in it. I think once we buy a house with a yard, I might buy it, as it has some house stuff in it that I think is helpful.
Ok, I’m all about saving money, but one reader wrote in to the Gazette and said she saves money by…get this…she lives in an apartment building, so when she does laundry, she just re-uses other people’s dryer sheets. She says she finds them lying around all the time. Ew. I’m not acting all hoity-toity, that just grosses me out a bit. I’ve heard of putting some fabric softener on a washcloth and throwing it in there (I’m actually going to try that once I’m out of sheets), but using someone else’s USED dryer sheet? One thing comes to mind…I know, TMI, but pubic hair! I can’t imagine what the heck could be on those things. Probably the dryer heat would kill the germs, blah, blah, but I have to draw the line!
I have to read more about it…I need to make the time! My biggest concern, besides the weight battle is my ability to conceive. They say it can be an issue, but I guess we won’t know until we try. And that’s not happening for a few more years! She is going to refer me to a gyno, so that way I can develop a relationship now, rather than later.
Boob issue…good news is she thinks it is a cyst! She referred me to a radiologist, so I can get a mammo done. So I have to keep my fingers crossed for that.
Have to go back for blood work, so she said we will go from there!
Didn’t get guppy this weekend, he is sick, poor thing! Spent the weekend getting rid of wedding stuff, which I sniffled over. My house is less cluttered though!
I’m reading the Complete Tightwad Gazette. It’s about 10 years old (I think) so it’s a bit out-dated (I wish they would do an updated one!) but it has some helpful things in it. I think once we buy a house with a yard, I might buy it, as it has some house stuff in it that I think is helpful.
Ok, I’m all about saving money, but one reader wrote in to the Gazette and said she saves money by…get this…she lives in an apartment building, so when she does laundry, she just re-uses other people’s dryer sheets. She says she finds them lying around all the time. Ew. I’m not acting all hoity-toity, that just grosses me out a bit. I’ve heard of putting some fabric softener on a washcloth and throwing it in there (I’m actually going to try that once I’m out of sheets), but using someone else’s USED dryer sheet? One thing comes to mind…I know, TMI, but pubic hair! I can’t imagine what the heck could be on those things. Probably the dryer heat would kill the germs, blah, blah, but I have to draw the line!
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