I don't even know what to call it because it was THAT good. Maybe it should henceforth be called The Pasta Which Cannot Be Named or TPWCBN. This dish is the result of, " I wanna make something super delicious with only items I have in my fridge and pantry". Here is the recipe as I recall it, go forth and make pasta!
TPWCBN
1/2 lb (dry) Rotini
1/2 lb (dry) Mini Farfalle
1/4 c Stick Butter
1 large can diced tomato
1 medium onion, diced
1-3 cloves garlic, minced
Artichoke hearts, chopped (you can add as many or as few as you like)
4 Sausages (I used Artichoke, mozarella stuffed)
1/2 c Mozarella, shredded
1/4 c Parmesan, shredded
1/4 c Jack Cheese, shredded
Fresh Basil (Chiffonade the basil for better appearance and flavor)
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 350.
Put a pot of water on to boil. Chop the sausages, onion and Garlic and saute them in 2 tbsp of butter until sausage is cooked and onions are transluscent. Set aside. When water is boiling add the pasta. Throw in a little olive oil so it doesn't stick.
Chop the artichokes.
Once the pasta is finished, the rest is super simple. Just mix in all the rest of the ingredients, stir it up until it's mixed. Pop it in the oven for about 5-10 minutes so the cheese gets nice and melty. If you want to go all fancy-fancy you can garnish with fresh leaves of Basil. Or you can just eat it out of the pot like I did. *wink*
OK, first things first. I am going to admit that I have always been one of those non-dieters. One of those annoying people who can eat anything they want and not worry about it. Until...I hit 30. They (whomever 'they' is) don't lie when they tell you that as you get older and closer to...*gulp*...middle age your metabolism slows way the heck down. I can now attest to the truth in that assertion as much as I wanted it to be a big old lie.
After Jillian was born I hung on to a lot of weight. In truth, almost 2 and a half years later and I was only down 3 lbs from what I weighed the say she was born. 'Course she weighed 6 lbs 6 oz so make what you want to out of that. Most people brag that the weight just melts off when they are breastfeeding, so not the case for me! So long story short, I have been hanging onto a lot of weight and it's all around my middle.
It's true what they (there 'they' are again) say about belly fat. Gaining belly fat is dangerous to your health and the precursor to a myriad of health problems. Not to mention I was feeling icky every time I tried to button my pants. Muffin tops are only good when they are the kind you bake in the oven.
I came across a book called The Belly Fat Cure and although I don't ever read diet books, the name made me giggle in it's literalness. It was only $6 to download it on the nook so I thought I'd give it a shot. I was excited when I started reading it and realized it was all based on the balancing the body's insulin. Now this is something I know about! Everything I read made total sense. This was not a fad diet. This was science and biology at it's best. I decided to dive right in and try the challenge. First of because I knew I needed to change my diet. I eat well, but my soda habit has been my sore spot. Second, it promised results in one week. I am a product of the instant gratification era, if I can't see a little improvement quickly I tend to give up.
So 8 days ago I jumped in with everything I could give it.
The Plan:
15/6
In other words 15g of sugar a day and 6 servings of Carbs.
(I thought this would be so hard. I thought I'd have a VERY hard time, but let me go on...)
The carbs needed to be as unrefined as possible, whole grains. This is easy for me, I ate english muffins, bagels and bread made from sprouted grains. I love them anyway.
Read all labels for hidden sugar
Artificial Sweetener is ok. (For me Stevia and Xylitol only. I don't do chemical sweetener.)
Balance the carb intake throughout the day, no saving it up for one carb binge.
Do NOT skip meals.
And that is basically it. It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle. I do think my sugar intake eeked up closer to 20g but I still saw great results. As in, I would wake up and look smaller.
So here is the part where I give my warning. PICS are coming. If you don't want to see my icky belly fat...maybe close your eyes, or give up reading now.
Day 1
Waist :34"- Weight:135
That was embarrassing! But it illustrates my point.
Day 8
Waist: 29"- Weight: 130
So one week in and I am jazzed enough to keep going. I can't wait to be back at my healthy goal weight again. I feel so much better too.
Things I have noticed since I went almost all sugar and HFCS-free:
I am less tired, have tons of energy.
I have more patience (a lot more patience!)
I am happier, when I would drink a large soda I would have little flashes where I felt suddenly sad for no explicable reason. It was fleeting but bizarre. Sugar causes depression.
I am hardly ever hungry! I experience enough hunger to eat what I need but i am not ravenous.
I have little desire to snack.
My clothes fit!!!
Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) inhibit the brains ability to tell you you are full. This is one of the ways people gain weight when they eat a lot of sugar. Eating a large amount of sugar (or refined carbs which turn right into sugar) tells your pancreas to dump a large amount of insulin into your body. It's never good to flood the body with insulin. The idea is to space it out evenly so that the insulin level in the body remains balanced.
Throughout the week I had moments where I craved something sweet. Interestingly I did not crave full sugar soda. The thought of it kind of made me nauseated. I created a delicious smoothie that I could eat that was almost sugar free. This is what I treat myself with at night.
Berry Smoothie
1/2c frozen berries (6g sugar)
1/2 c plain yogurt
1/2 c Almond milk (6g sugar)
Dash of vanilla
1 tsp Xylitol
Ice
These are so good that the whole family begs me to make them now. For 12g of sugar they cannot be beat. I also decided that I would cheat a little on the last day of each week and get a light frappuchino from Starbucks. Oddly, I seem to have cut back on coffee too. I did not do that intentionally but I am down to a cup or two every 4 days.
That's it for now. I'll report back next week with more progress. Wish me luck!
This recipe is so very easy and honestly one of those things that you can't eat just one piece.
Roasted Garlic is one of the tastiest things and not only that, it has wonderful antibacterial properties. Sometimes I will roast garlic when I am sick just to give my body a boost. You can just eat the cloves whole and they taste so good.
Just don't breathe on anyone.
Please!
Ok so here it goes, quick, simple and YUM.
Roasted Garlic-Butter Spread
Whole bulbs of garlic (I used 2 for one whole french loaf)
6 tbsp of Butter
Sea Salt
Olive Oil
That's all you need!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Next slice the tops of the bulbs right off with a knife. Save the little bits of garlic on the end you cut off. You can use that later for whatever side dish you are making. :)
Place the bulbs cut-side up in a small dish and drizzle olive oil over them. Sprinkle liberally with sea salt.
Roast in the oven until the bulbs feel squishy and the tops are looking golden. (how is that for technical recipe writing? haha!)
Cool for a few minutes and then squeeze the cloves from the skins. this should happen very easily, some may be mushed and others will pop out whole. You can pop one in your mouth right now! Trust me, they taste so good and the vampires will leave you alone. If you are obsessed with Twilight and hope to meet a vampire, do not even try this recipe. However let me tell you that those are just books and honestly, this vampire thing is just going too far!
Now, soften the stick of butter.
To blend the butter with the roasted garlic I use my Magic Bullet blender (the smallest cup). It works perfectly to get a good consistency. But you can use an immersion blender or a regular blender too. It is entirely up to personal preference how long you blend it. Do you like chunky garlic spread with actualy pieces of garlic? Or a smooth pureed type of spread? It's all in your hands.
Lastly, spread the ..er...spread on the two halves of french bread and then broil or grill the bread however you normally do it.
I thought I'd make a post with a few of my favorite recipes. Some are recipes I found and tweaked and some are my own recipes. Enjoy!
Insalata Caprese
This is a super easy recipe and is perfect for a yummy snack or before a great Italian meal.
Ingredients:
Roma Tomatoes
Fresh Mozzarella cheese in water
Whole Fresh Basil
2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1/4c Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Pinch Kosher Salt
Pinch Sugar
Squeeze the water from the mozzarella and slice about 1/2" thick. Lay the slices on a plate. Slice the Roma tomatoes and lay them on top of the Mozzarella, place basil leaves on top of the tomato, you can use as much or as little basil as you like. I like a LOT.
Combine Vinegar, Olive Oil, sugar and salt in a small bowl and whisk until blended.
Drizzle the dressing mixture over the plate.
That't it! So simple and SO delicioso.
L'Mu's Perfect Buttermilk Biscuits
3 c Unbleached Flour (freshly ground is better!)
1 tbsp Baking Powder
1tbsp Sugar (I use a packet of Stevia)
1 tsp Salt
3/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
3/4 c Unsalted Butter
1/2 c Milk
1/2 c Buttermilk
Preheat oven to 450. Combine flour, baking powder,sugar,salt and cream of tartar. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two knives until the butter pieces are small crumbs.
Pour in all the milk and buttermilk. Mix just enough to moisten everything.
On a floured surface knead the dough gently. Fold it over a few times kneading gently and not overdoing it. Roll the dough until it's about 3/4" thick. You can vary the thickness however much you like, just alter the baking time so as not to overbake or underbake them.
Use a biscuit cutter to cut out the biscuits. If you don't have a biscuit cutter you can use a glass (that is my moms tip. ;))
Place biscuits about an inch apart on a baking sheet. OR if you are whimical like me, place them in a cast iron pan and let them all bake into one another.
Bake for 10-14 minutes depending on the thickness of your biscuits.
Albondigas
Albondigas is a Mexican meatball
soup and it is the best strength builder for sick people that I have
tried. Better even than chicken noodle especially when you have sinus
congestion. Lately I have been ladling Albondigas down the throats of
any unsuspecting person with a sniffle or a fever. Even Jillian loves
the broth, constantly demanding "more!".
I thought I would share my recipe in case anyone reading might need a Snake Oil remedy for their loved ones.
Ingredients
Stock
1 small onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2-3 Red potatoes, diced 2-3 stalks celery, chopped 2 cups diced carrots 1 Lg Can of Diced tomatoes Small handful of rice 8 cups water 1 tbsp Olive Oil Beef "Better Than Boullion" (follow directions for how much to add to water) Chopped Fresh Cilantro Salt to taste (Kosher is best) Pepper to taste
Saute
Onion and Garlic in the Olive oil in large stock pot until
transluscent. Add water and Boullion. Add the remaining ingredients
except the cilantro. Bring to a simmer.
Make the Meatballs
Combine
all the ingredients in a large bowl. Form the meatballs about the size
of a brussels sprout. Drop them into the soup one by one.
Simmer the soup for an hour or more to combine the flavors
Sausage- Potato Supper.
Ingredients One kielbasa sliced or diced (I use the lite one)
4 large potatoes sliced
1 med onion sliced
10 dill pickle chips or 2 dill pickles
Dill Pickle Juice
2-3 tbsp Sugar
Butter
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large skillet or wok saute the kielbasa and onion in 1 tbsp
butter. Remove kielbasa mixture from the skillet and set aside. Add
another tbsp butter to the skillet and saute the potatoes until soft.
Add in the kielbasa/onion mixture. Next pour in a small amount of
pickle juice, I use about 1/4 cup and also the diced pickle and
seasonings. Let simmer until potatoes are soft and yummy.
I love this recipe (which my mom invented. ;)) because it has a
delicious sweet and sour taste to it. We have started adding in
shredded cabbage when we do the potatoes and it's even more yummy.
Lentil-Kielbasa Soup
1/2 Lite Polska Kielbasa, chopped
2 cups Lentils
2 cups Fresh Spinach, Chopped
1 large can Diced Tomatoes
1 cup Carrots, chopped
1 cup Celery, Chopped
1/2 large Onion, Chopped
3 cloves Garlic minced
3 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
Fresh Basil chopped, to taste
Kosher Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
2 cans Beef Broth
4 Cups Water
First boil Lentils for 10 minutes. Set aside
Saute Onion, Kielbasa and Garlic until onions are translucent.
Add all remaining ingredients and Lentils to Kielbasa mixture.
Simmer for one hour.
You can vary the water/ beef broth amount as much as you like.
My suggestions are approximate because I did not write anything down
while making it. It's so hard for me to take my recipes out of my head
and put them on paper.
Applesauce
Several pounds of apples (Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith and Pink Lady's are the best)
Water
A big pot
Food Processor or Food Mill.
If you are going to use a food processor I recommend peeling all your apples and then coring them as well before simmering. I usually peel them and then cut them with an apple cutter.
Fill a pot with water and place the apples to simmer. Enjoy the smell of warm apples on the stove. Better than any candle on the market. ;)
When the apples are soft, remove them from the water and process with the food processor adding in a little of the water until you reach the desired consistency. If using a food mill, do not peel the apples instead grind the apples through the food meal and reap the benefits of the skin without the harshness on the digestion.
Done!
Variations
Cinnamom-Apple Sauce- Throw in several cinnamon sticks while simmering.
Cranberry Apple Sauce- Instead of all water, simmer in 1/2 water and 1/2 cranberry juice.
Apple-Plum Sauce- Throw in two whole plums with the apples. Squeeze and remove plums before processing apples.
Here are the pies all finished (pumpkin by Gabby and Apple by Maddy, cutouts on the Apple pie by Caleb). Also in the pic, cranberry sauce getting going.
And after it's been cooking away.
Tomorrow I make the Mashed Potaotes and the green beans and Ginny and Caleb will make the cornbread. Here is a link to last years cooking and what the finished cranberry sauce looks like.
In the 19th century traveling salesman went around the country hawking bottles of 'Snake Oil' promising to cure all that ails you. In our house I have my own personal snake oil.
Albondigas
Albondigas is a Mexican meatball soup and it is the best strength builder for sick people that I have tried. Better even than chicken noodle especially when you have sinus congestion. Lately I have been ladling Albondigas down the throats of any unsuspecting person with a sniffle or a fever. Even Jillian loves the broth, constantly demanding "more!".
I thought I would share my recipe in case anyone reading might need a Snake Oil remedy for their loved ones.
Ingredients
Stock
1 small onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2-3 Red potatoes, diced 2-3 stalks celery, chopped 2 cups diced carrots 1 Lg Can of Diced tomatoes Small handful of rice 8 cups water 1 tbsp Olive Oil Beef "Better Than Boullion" (follow directions for how much to add to water) Chopped Fresh Cilantro Salt to taste (Kosher is best) Pepper to taste
Saute Onion and Garlic in the Olive oil in large stock pot until transluscent. Add water and Boullion. Add the remaining ingredients except the cilantro. Bring to a simmer.
Make the Meatballs
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Form the meatballs about the size of a brussels sprout. Drop them into the soup one by one.
Simmer the soup for an hour or more to combine the flavors.
I serve mine with Artisan bread or breadsticks.
I will try and find a picture to put up with this post later, I know I took one at some point.
Remember the Fiestaware plates I received from Amazon?
Yeah, those. The 10 plates they sent me instead of the ONE I ordered. Well, I sent the extras back. I don't need 9 plates and I didn't pay for them. I was only debited for one. I am an honest person and I like to do the right thing.
I printed the label. I boxed the plates. I sent them back.
I just received an email from Amazon. They are refunding my money and thank you for the return they say.
So now I have a lovely Chocolate Fiestaware plate.
We love this bread and I make big batches of dough and freeze it in loaf size portions so we can easily defrost it for the days bread.
Recipe (for 4 1lb. loaves) 3 cups lukewarm water 1 1⁄2 tbsp granulated yeast (1 1⁄2 packets) 1 1⁄2 tbsp coarse kosher or sea salt 6 1⁄2 cups unsifted, unbleached, all-purpose white flour Cornmeal for pizza peel
Directions
1. Heat the water to just a little warmer than body temperature (about 100 degrees Fahrenheit).
2.
Add yeast and salt to the water in a 5-quart bowl or, preferably, in a
resealable, lidded container (not airtight — use container with gasket
or lift a corner). Don’t worry about getting it all to dissolve.
3.
Mix in the flour by gently scooping it up, then leveling the top of the
measuring cup with a knife; don’t pat down. Mix with a wooden spoon, a
high-capacity food processor with dough attachment, or a heavy-duty
stand mixer with dough hook, until uniformly moist. If hand-mixing
becomes too difficult, use very wet hands to press it together. Don’t
knead! This step is done in a matter of minutes, and yields a wet dough
loose enough to conform to the container.
4. Cover loosely. Do
not use screw-topped jars, which could explode from trapped gases.
Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to
collapse (or at least flatten on top), approximately two hours,
depending on temperature. Longer rising times, up to about five hours,
will not harm the result. You can use a portion of the dough any time
after this period. Refrigerated wet dough is less sticky and easier to
work with than room-temperature dough. We recommend refrigerating the
dough at least three hours before shaping a loaf. And relax! You don’t
need to monitor doubling or tripling of volume as in traditional
recipes.
5. Prepare a pizza peel by sprinkling it liberally with
cornmeal to prevent the loaf from sticking to it when you slide it into
the oven.
Sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour, then cut
off a 1-pound (grapefruit-sized) piece with a serrated knife. Hold the
mass of dough in your hands and add a little more flour as needed so it
won’t stick to your hands. Gently stretch the surface of the dough
around to the bottom on four “sides,” rotating the ball a quarter-turn
as you go, until the bottom is a collection of four bunched ends. Most
of the dusting flour will fall off; it doesn’t need to be incorporated.
The bottom of the loaf will flatten out during resting and baking.
6.
Place the ball on the pizza peel. Let it rest uncovered for about 40
minutes. Depending on the dough’s age, you may see little rise during
this period; more rising will occur during baking.
7. Twenty
minutes before baking, preheat oven to 450 degrees with a baking stone
on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray for holding water on
another shelf.
8. Dust the top of the loaf liberally with flour,
which will allow the slashing, serrated knife to pass without sticking.
Slash a 1⁄4-inch-deep cross, scallop or tick-tack-toe pattern into the
top. (This helps the bread expand during baking.)
*I don't have a pizza peel, and it's been fine.
9.
With a forward jerking motion of the wrist, slide the loaf off the
pizza peel and onto the baking stone. Quickly but carefully pour about
a cup of hot water into the broiler tray and close the oven door to
trap the steam. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is
browned and firm to the touch. With wet dough, there’s little risk of
drying out the interior, despite the dark crust. When you remove the
loaf from the oven, it will audibly crackle, or “sing,” when initially
exposed to room temperature air. Allow to cool completely, preferably
on a wire rack, for best flavor, texture and slicing. The perfect crust
may initially soften, but will firm up again when cooled.
10.
Refrigerate the remaining dough in your lidded (not airtight) container
and use it over the next two weeks: You’ll find that even one day’s
storage improves the flavor and texture of your bread. This maturation
continues over the two-week period. Cut off and shape loaves as you
need them. The dough can also be frozen in 1-pound portions in an
airtight container and defrosted overnight in the refrigerator prior to
baking day.
Lisa- The Blogger
This is me. I like to think I am complex and multi-faceted but I think much of the time I am a silly, zany, free-spirited person who really enjoys life. I like to make people happy, I like to be happy. I am a sanguine through and through. I love crafting, Pinterest, gathering ideas, computer stuff, watching movies, sleepovers and hugging on my offspring. I don't like internet haters who assume to 'know' me just by what they read here. There is a reason this is called 'Pieces' Of Us. It's just a small peek in the window. You may think you know, but you have no idea.
Mike- The Sportsman
Mike is more than just a sportsman but he does like to shoot a deer now and then. In his other spare moments which are few and far between he is taking college courses to finish his degree or tending to his pack as Cubmaster. He loves to spend time with the kids and they think he is pretty great even if he is a goofball who loves to embarrass them.
Madeline- The Free Spirited Bohemian One
This kid could be happy with just some books, a drawing pad and a pencil. She has an aptitude for art and has really excelled at drawing over the past year. She is patient and kind but has a mischievous twinkle in her eye. Maddy is dependable, if you want something done, she's your girl and she does it with a cheerful spirit.
Gabriella- The Creative Ray of Light
Gabby has sparkle, she has pizzazz, she has talent. She is the kid you never have to tell to practice the piano instead you tell her to take a break. She loves to chat with her friends on the computer (what teen doesn't?) and write stories with her twin sister. She's a practical joker and has a terrific sense of humor. Did I mention she is also a talented actress as well?
AJ- The Deep Thinker
This boy is going places! AJ is always thinking. He is a true philosopher pondering the whys of everything but he is also an inventor/engineer also determining the hows. He spends hours building and taking things apart. We worry that he will one day blow up the house but for now he is pretty darn useful at optimizing our computers and rewiring things that break around here.
Genevieve Audrey- The Spunky One
Spunky doesn't even begin to describe it. She is a social butterfly and she loves to sit and chat as long as her victim will listen. Ginny is a tiny little thing but her spirit is huge and she's smart to boot. She is proving to be an excellent big sister and is teaching Jilly the ropes.
Caleb Allen- The Littlest Man
He doesn't like it when you run your fingers through his hair so we do it all the more. Caleb is just so cute and snuggly. He is always full of enthusiasm whether it be positive or negative. He either really loves something or he doesn't like it at all. We love him regardless.
Jillian Clementine- The Boss
She may be small but she makes up for it big time. Jillian likes to let people know who is in charge and we often have to take her down a peg... or five. She says funny things so often that she has her own blog Jillyish. She loves to use huge words like intrusive and incredible or any other adjective that shouldn't come out of a three year old. She will also tell you that she is too shy to say Hi but don't believe it because she is pure drama.
Jess..ica- She hiccups
She may not be blood but we claim her as one of us. Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without her around. She makes us laugh and she can sing like a hamster. Everyone needs a friend with a hamster voice. Now she'll probably ask me to take this down but I'm not gonna. Because we love her.
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