Tex Mex Treats

I have to share this recipe for one of her daily snacks/treats.  She loves this one and last night I but a bit of a spin on it.  We have a tough times getting her to eat meat especially fish.  She is a typical kid and very back and forth.  One day she likes something the next the "that's nasty look" pops on her face.   We are lucky most of her snacks she likes and gobbles down readily, same with her breakfast oatmeals.  So here it is, give it a try.

Oh and since Bobby did not post an update yet, it was a whole week of either climbing out or I'd her her on the monitor just as she'd start climbing and run in and get her.  FUN FUN.

Tex-Mex Rice Cakes (Makes 14-16 Cakes) *see add in at 7 and 8 for salmon
1 Cup Cooked Brown Rice
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs
1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese, grated
3/4 Cup Frozen Corn, defrosted
2 Tbsp Cilantro, chopped
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Eggs, whisked About
2 Tbsp Vegetable or Canola Oil for cooking
1. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs.
3. Add eggs to the rice mixture and mix to combine.
4. Using about a 1/4 cup of the mixture, shape mixture into patties.
5. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and add patties, cooking 2 minutes on each side until golden brown.
6. Serve alone or with salsa.
For adding the salmon
7. divide recipe in half
8. put 1 3oz can of  salmon into mixture

A Different Kind Of Dinner (well for Us)

I thought I'd try something different.  Everyone is constantly talking about chicken & waffles, and I can't eat chicken so I kept thinking of compromises.  I didn't really want to do turkey and waffles (but I did).   So, I made Bobby the chicken & waffles and mine with turkey breast.  I used a recipe for the waffles that is cheddar cheese waffles, for some reason my head said I'd like that more than just plain old waffles or buttermilk waffles.  My head knows it's business.  Also I wanted to batter the meat in a buttermilk batter, I found several recipes that just floured the meat but that for me was not going to make the skinless breast have enough flavor. Sabrina and I had already gone to the store that day and I was out of buttermilk, yes I keep buttermilk in the fridge, I use it a lot in recipes.  So I used an amber ale to make my batter, deep fried the meat, made the waffles in my Belgian waffle maker and the maple infused syrup (maple syrup in a sauce pan, throw in a few fresh thyme leaves and a bay leaf then let it get to a boil).  OH MY GOODNESS!  this was SO good.  It was beyond filling.  WE WERE STUFFED.  Of course the turkey breast were much larger than the chicken breast so I could not even finish that.  But now I can say I've had chicken and waffles, (sort of).  I'd make it again that is for sure, but next time i'd go get the buttermilk.  The ale worked out in a pinch, but the buttermilk batter would have been much fuller and fluffier.  

I made Coq Au Vin the other night and darnit if I did not forget to take a pic of it along with... yes yes  My yes MY lemon cheesecake.  I made a recipe for a lemon cheesecake I have been working on for a while and this was my first run with it.  We had a wine tasting party Saturday night so I made the Coq Au Vin, my Mango Mojo pork chops My mac and cheese (yes that recipe is mine also)  I made a 6 cheese Mac and a 10 cheese mac.  The TEN went fast.  Most people had 2 or more servings.  I also made for dessert berrimisu. Also you can see from the pic I made Sabrina some mini frittata's for her dinner and snacks.  I love those things.

Singletons....? WHAT!

I was talking to a friend today and she asked me how Sabrina was doing.  I told her fine and asked how her daughter was and if she was still planning on having a second soon.  She told me no and that it was a long story and how about us.  Were we going to have a second.  I had to think about this as it's a constant battle in this house.  So I said I'm not sure, the cost is high and the economy is what it is which makes things worse.  She then told me DON'T have another one, there is a new movement of people called Singletons that have only one child and will not have another as it impacts their financial situation  and as she put it to me, It's hard on Mothers like her who are in their 30's and working.

Ok, I'm in my mid 40's and working.  No, I will not be giving birth to a child but, more and more women are having children after 40 and unfortunately in their 60's ( I just threw up a bit in my mouth.  SIXTY! come on science, STOP IT!) Oldest Mother.  I know times are tough, but I think about Sabrina being an only child and it just does not make me happy.  I put her in her room to play while I folded her clothes,  She sat on the futon in her room and started to fall asleep.  She has, books, toys, stuffed animals and the list goes on.  She gets bored with us I think.  Bobby says, oh she has us to play with, but I do not think in our 40's we PLAY like kids play.  So a little different.  Lavishing the attention is not an issue, I think it is more get down on my level, lets play my way until we're done.  For us done is 20 - 30 minutes later when our OLD bones start to rattle and shake.   I would like to have another, it isn't anything do or die.  Two just seems perfect.  We will see what the future holds for us I guess.   Singleton Moms.

Trying new phone app

I wanted to see if i could use this phone app for posting. We will see if this ramps up my post to some degree. Doubtful, im still air headed.

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Ok Michelle, here is the Vegetarian Chili Recipe

I did not use the garbonzo beans.  I did not think we would like the taste so I changed those to pinto beans.

I have to say, this taste GREAT!  This is an awesome chili.  I also did not use the vegetarian burger crumble, but instead boca makes a soy ground meat substitute so I used that.  The chili powder I used was pretty hot, which I LOVE.  I also added ground cayenne pepper.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 green bell peppers, chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chile peppers, drained
• 2 (12 ounce) packages vegetarian burger crumbles
• 3 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and season with bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook and stir until onion is tender, then mix in the celery, green bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, garlic, and green chile peppers. When vegetables are heated through, mix in the vegetarian burger crumbles. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 5 minutes.
2. Mix the tomatoes into the pot. Season chili with chili powder and pepper. Stir in the kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and black beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in the corn, and continue cooking 5 minutes before serving.

Wow I didn't notice I had been away so LONG

Been busy lately.

We started a Cleanse on 8/02 and it last till 08/22.  The first week of this has been so rough.  It starts with you can only--- ONLY east fruits and vegetables for the first 10 days, no caffeine or juices.  So herbal tea is good, and water, they give you recipes for a few other drinks to make and for a few meals also.   Did you know it is DIFFICULT to make recipes out of JUST vegetables.  I tried going to vegetarian sites and most have noodles or rice in them (which no, we cannot have) so I can't use these.  A few of the Vegan sites I looked at also were difficult to do.  I have had to use my brain (OUCH THIS HURTS) to come with some recipes so we are not JUST eating simple things like broccoli, cauliflower or corn, But dishes.  I thought I was being so clever when I purchased a spaghetti squash and kept thinking what to do with it.  I remember oh they peel apart like stands of noodles if you bake them so i'll make a spaghetti out of it.  Then someone at work told me her Vegan sister has been doing that.  CRAP!  I thought I was so clever.  But it was good, the sauce came out pretty good considering I just winged it.  I could not find a sauce that looked right.  We can use canned veggies with no sugar plus a few other no's so I got around all that and came up with a sauce. 

Yesterday we had a take on Moussaka I found and had to tweak a bit also.  It was very good I think (should have taken a photo).  Tonight I am making a Zucchini style lasagna.   We will see how that comes out.  I have been thinking about how I want to do it for the past 4 days and I am starting to get it down good in my head.  I also found online a vegetarian chili recipe, nothing but veggies so I'm going to make that tomorrow. 

On day 11 we can have fish (some fish) and we can have organic turkey, chicken or red meat ever other day. So I think i'm going to stick with just some fish, salmon and tilapia and the chicken for Bobby and Turkey for me.  I think the first 10 days are so hard because you are supposed to be ingesting protein shakes also, but I HATE protein shakes, but if -- IF I am going to work out I will drink them.  So I worked out 4 days last week, and we will see how this week goes.  I has left me pretty drained and tired.  I still have not got my strength back and last workout was Thursday.  It's pretty cool cause I dropped 9.5 pounds this week and I Think Bobby did 8 or 9.  I expect to put half of it back on if I go back to just eating willy nilly. But I didn't eat too bad before, my LACK of meals kills me.  I have to learn to eat more a day, especially on weekends.  Most weekends I forget to eat and just have dinner, NOT GOOD people.  Very bad, body stores the fat and you retain it.  I just get busy and forget.  I still am not eating enough through the week or drinking enough water, but I'm trying harder now.   I plan on if we have a bad day like say we have pizza one night, for the next 2 days after we will eat like this cleanse dictates, fruits and veggies workout workout.  I am hoping it keeps weight off till the wedding in NY come October.  I need to fit into my suit.  or sew 2 of them together and make one big suit.

2012

We are sitting here watching 2012. HORRIBLE, Our opinion of course.  Every sequence with John Cusack is him barely escaping some death and disaster. Now even in the end... he escapes death.  Why, why. KILL HIM,  what is going on with this movie and people. It stole so many  pieces from other movies that were supposed to be the AHHH they lived moment.  I was glad about one thing (SPOILER ALERT if you haven't seen it stop reading now).  I was glad when they were going to "The Ship" it turned out not to be a spaceship but those arc things.   Not that it made any more sense.  right after ALL of that, everything stopped.  No more destruction, or disaster, just calm waters

UFH! and people wonder why I don't go to the movies anymore.