Canning Green Beans

My ex husband gave me some green beans from his garden, so I did a little canning today. 8 pints canned up pretty and about a quart stored in the freezer.

I will get more beans this weekend and can up some more.

I canned him some pickled corn in exchange for some of his garden harvest last weekend.

I have a bushel of peaches sitting on my kitchen table. Those are next on my list for the canning pots.

I know I've neglected this blog again. Sorry all who have been complaining to me. It's not intentional. My life is just a lot more hectic these days. My 5 yr old grandson will be living with me for at least a year. It gets a little rough to get things done sometimes. I've been busy keeping him occupied.

What the heck is Perfect?

So many changes in my life this past year.

I had my 10 month gastric bypass check up on Friday. Dr Price says I am an excellent patient and that everything looks perfect. I can't help but wonder, What the heck is perfect?

I know I am somewhat of a worrywart. I want things to be normal but I know they never will be. But then what is normal?

See how my mind works? LOL

I know I am not the brightest bulb in the lamp sometimes. I would just like to feel secure once in awhile.

I make lots of stupid choices and make lots of dumb mistakes. But I am me and that's all I know how to be.

I am just amazed that I have any sanity left after the last year and a half. Or do I?

Neglect

Bradley, Chase, Richard and Jordan after the movie.

Wow, May 15Th since I last blogged. Sorry all, life got in the way. I finally got some of my back pay and got a car. It seems my life has been behind the wheel ever since.

I went to Alabama to visit my daughter and grandsons, Chase and Austin. I brought Chase home with me for a few months, perhaps longer. So life with a 5 year old is definitely different than living alone. Especially at the ripe old age of 51!

I have been trying to make it a fun trip for him and boy am I exhausted!

The picture above is from one of our outings, picnic at the park and then a trip to the movies to watch Marmaduke.

We took Brenda and her grandson along and of course my oldest monkey butt Jordan too!

Aaron James is now 1 yr old!

My little monkey boy turned 1 yr old on the 13th, but we had his party today.

This is the Spiderman cake that Aunty Jammie made just for him.

Aaron wouldn't make the big mess that we were hoping for! Granny had to dig his hand in the cake for him.

Before and After Photo's

So, my son took the new picture of me today. As of Monday I am down 147 pounds.
He now says that I have chicken legs. LOL
I still have a few more to lose, but, until I look at these pics side by side, I don't really see it. I guess I still have the fat brain.

Almost Sugar Free Chocolate "Dream" Dessert

I had to make those boys dessert to go with dinner last night, so this is what I conjured up. It is not totally sugar free as I did not have anything but dream whip on hand. But, it is not high in sugar.
It is basically a Dream Pie, I used a dream whip recipe as a basis.

It isn't the prettiest dessert that I have ever made, but it is the taste that counts, right? I got no complaints from my taste testers.

How to make your sugar free cookie crust: (recipe courtesy of bariatriceating.com)

One package chocolate sugar free cookies (example: Murrays)
2 tablespoons melted butter

Crush cookies in a sealed bag using a rolling pin, wine bottle, or heavy saucepan. Pour into a bowl, and add two tablespoons of melted butter. Use real butter as margarine spreads contain water and make a mushy crust while we want firm and crunchy. Mix crumbs until evenly moistened and firmly press into a glass or metal pie plate. Use the bottom of a small measuring cup to press the crumbs firmly and evenly on the bottom and up the sides. (I save aluminum pie pans to reuse. Hey, its my frugal side!)
Makes 1 pie crust.

Dessert Filling:
2 boxes sugar free chocolate fudge pudding mix (Jello)
2 envelopes whipped topping mix (Dream Whip)
2-3/4 cups cold skim milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 scoop of chocolate protein powder (can be omitted, but I felt better about having a piece with it in there. I also skipped the crust on my portion and just had the filling. My life as a bariatric patient,,,,LOL)

I just put it all in the blender, mixed it up and poured into the shell.
Refrigerated for about 4 hours and topped with sugar free dessert topping. (Sugar Free Cool Whip)

Chicken & Black Beans

I got this recipe from bariatriceating.com. I just added a few of my own touches for a healthy throw together meal for myself and two of my son's tonight.

It got a thumbs up from them.

Chicken & Black Beans

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 chicken breasts, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup Salsa
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Splenda
One 14-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
Shredded cheese, sour cream, olives

In a large saucepan, sauté the chicken, onion, and garlic in the olive oil until chicken is cooked through. Add remaining ingredients and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened. Serve with cheese and sour cream, and sliced olives. (For your family, roll up in flour tortillas and top with cheese. Place under the broiler until cheese is bubbly. Add a spoonful of sour cream and sprinkle with diced tomatoes or avocados.)

Makes 6 servings. (bariatric patient servings not men with healthy appetite servings! I doubled the recipe for them)
Per Serving: Calories 164; Protein 13 g; Fat 6 g; Carbs 11 g; Sugar 1 g; Sodium 265 mg

I added 2 cups of instant brown rice to the mix and did not drain the tomatoes. I just let the rice cook in the juices. I also used a hot salsa to give it more flavor.

The rice is not included in the stats above. I was just trying to make it more filling for my boys!

Spicy Brown Mustard Chicken Tenders

I once saw a recipe for spicy brown mustard coated chicken breasts.
Of course when I went to find it again, I couldn't. So tonight I came up with my own version. If I step on any ones toes here, it is totally unintended. I just don't know who to give the credit to for the original.

With my surgery eating plan, chicken is one of my main protein sources. But, it is so hard cooking for one. I buy and freeze my meats into individual portions. When I decide what I want that night I just thaw and prepare. Of course, it is also a lot cheaper to buy family packs too. So, my freezer is usually stocked.

I have also found that these new Steamfresh fresh frozen veggies are a good choice for me. I don't have to worry about fresh vegetables going to waste before I can use them. Tonight I used the lightly sauced broccoli with cheese sauce. A one cup serving has 2 grams of fat of which only 1 is saturated fat, 60 calories plus 2 grams of protein. So, I don't even feel bad because of the cheese sauce.
There is about 3 servings per bag. So, I have my veggies ready to just heat and eat for a snack or lunch tomorrow too.

Here is how I made the chicken tenders.

I took a non stick baking pan sprayed it with cooking spray.
I used 2 tenders, which equaled approx. 4 ounces. I coated them in about a tablespoon of the spicy brown mustard, and then dredged them in seasoned bread crumbs. I melted about a half tablespoon of butter and the juice from half a lemon and drizzled it onto both sides of the chicken and then re dredged them in the breadcrumbs. I baked at 350* for 30 minutes turning them over at the halfway mark.

I can't promise that my numbers are correct, but this is what I got from a calorie calculator.

1 Serving
Calories 254.4
Total Fat 6.7 g
Saturated Fat 3.2
Total Carbohydrate 19.9 g
Dietary Fiber 1.4 g
Sugars 1.8 g
Protein 23.7 g

That makes my dinner at about 315 calories, 8.7 g of fat,(yeah, a little higher than my usual 6 g.) and 25.7 g of protein.

It may not be right but I can live with it. It tastes good too, and that's a plus for me these days.

A BIG Reminder

I ran across this picture last night.

This was taken 2 yrs ago this month at a gathering that I put together with my husband for his 1962 high school graduating class. It was the first time they had gotten together in all those years.

I remember I was exhausted when this was taken. Now that I am looking back, I can certainly see why. This was my highest weight, a whopping 350 something pounds!

Every once in a while I feel like I am not making any progress. I still feel huge sometimes. Like I had the surgery for nothing.

Finding this picture kinda puts me in a different frame of mind. I look at it and compare it to some of the newer ones. Now I can see how big I really was.

Perhaps I should have a wall size poster made of this. That's what they do on The Biggest Loser. Hang it on my wall to remind me daily of just how far I have come after all.

Jovie and Granny Hanging Out

Today I got to babysit Jovie Lynn for a few hours. It is also her 4 month birthday. I just love her little squeals!

AHS Class of 1977 Get Together

Thats me in the blue, a little smaller since our last shindig,,,LOL

Last week a few of my classmates and I got together for a little get together at a little restaurant in town. We had a fun time.

I am still so amazed by the fact that while in school, I felt that I had nothing in common and no connection to most of my class.

Today, things are so different.

they are all amazing people, and I truly enjoy their company.

Thanks again to them all for including me in these special times together!

Eco-Mow

My son, Trevor, "Toad", has started a new business in our area.

Eco friendly lawn care services.

This is the son who took me into his home after the death of my husband.

So, if any of you locals can get the word out, I would truly appreciate it.

Storage Ideas

Since moving from a large home to a small mobile home, storage is a real issue for me. Luckily I did rent a 3 bedroom though. Since it is just Sushi (my brat cat) and me. I am using the extra bedrooms as storage.

I have one very small bedroom right off the kitchen. Since my kitchen is very small,

there isn't much room for my kitchen gadgets and appliances, so I have been turning it into a pantry room.

I had a couple of stackable shelving units already, that I had bought previous to Wayne having shelves built in my pantry at the house. I had the boys bring them over and it is working out quite well.

I still have another to bring over to complete the room. I still have things that need to be organized, but I thought that I would at least share my main idea for now.

More pics of New great grandson James Cooper Hodge

I recieved some more pictures of the new great grandson, and I just had to share. Great grandpa Wayne would have been so so proud!

I love this little man, and I havent even gotten to hold him yet!

James Cooper Hodge has Arrived

JAMES COOPER HODGE

6 LBS 6 OZ. 20 INCHES LONG

BORN APRIL 11, 2010 AT 9:37 pm

Meet Wayne's new great grandson and mine to, if I may be so bold as to say so. Wayne loved mine as if they we his and they loved him very much too.

He was their POP POP

I feel the same about his. I just wish that I could see them more.

I need to get the blankie set that I made for him down to him. Since I have no car yet, I guess I will have to rely on the snail mail.

Congrats to the happy parents. Granny Liz hopes to see you soon!

And yes, hopefully we will have more pictures to follow soon.

Homemade Fortune Cookies

I decided to share a recipe with you that my friend Tracy shared with me.
I have not made it yet, but it looks good.
This is her picture.

And this is what she had to share.

I found two different basic recipes- one with corn starch, one without. Other than that they are pretty similar. I used the cornstarch one this time and it was a tad thick so I thinned it with a few drops of orange juice, as a citrus taste works well in fortune cookies.

I could only bake these 2 at a time, because they have to be hot (and bendable) to get the fortunes in, and they cool fast. So it takes a while to make a batch.
Trial and error. they're more cakey than the ones in restaurants, but taste quite good. As I said, the paper comes out greasy, but NBD. (I think this means, no big deal?) LOL

Combine 2/3 c flour, 1/2 c extra-fine sugar (I used regular) and 1 Tbsp corn starch in a bowl. Whisk in 3 egg whites, 6 Tbsp melted butter and 1 tsp almond extract.
Grease a cookie sheet well and place 2 or 3 *scant* Tbsp of batter several inches apart. Spread it out a little (when the sheet it warm it will spread itself pretty well) or it will be thick and doughy in the middle.
Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes (I have a "speed bake" on my oven, and once I got the cookies thin enough, they took about 5+) Edges should be browning but the middle still pretty beige when you take them out.
Remove immediately from pan, fold in half with paper strip in between (oh- the "up" side should be the out side. I did the first few wrong) Then bend in half again and place in a muffin tin to keep the bend while it cools.
Repeat... and repeat. This recipe made almost 30 for me- it probably depends on how big you make them. Bigger is ok, just keep them thin.

Thank you Tracy for this recipe.

Princess Lily is now a 1 yr old!

Princess Lily Bell turned a year old on April 1st. Her mommy made her a pretty castle cake. After all, what is a princess without a castle?

Here is the birthday girl in her tutu that her mommy also made.

Lily was born just about a week after my husband died last year. I have always called her my Easter Lily. This year her birthday party was held on Easter Sunday.

Granny loves you bunches baby girl!

Corn Casserole

I know I know!!! Probably not the healthiest casserole around, but my daughter in law Jammie loves it. Therefore, I am making it for her.

I have stated many times that I love cooking for others. If I was cooking solely for me all the time, I would probably not cook at all. It is so hard cooking for one.

INGREDIENTS:

1 15 oz can of whole kernel corn

1 14 3/4 can of cream style corn

1 8 oz pkg corn muffin mix

1 cup sour cream

1 stick melted butter

1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Drain whole kernel corn, mix all ingredients except cheese in a large bowl

Pour into a greased 9 X 13 inch casserole dish

Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown

Remove from oven and top with cheddar

Return to oven for 5 or 10 minutes or until cheese is melted

Let stand for 5 minutes and serve warm

I got this recipe several years ago from a Paula Deen cookbook.

Homemade Chicken Noodles

Noodles are finished, finally.

My dad dropped in and then Bub dropped in with little monkey boy, Aaron, who is my 10 month old whirlwind grandson. So, I took a break to chat and play.

These are my ingredients and tools. Well, except my rolling pin, I forgot it in the picture, imagine that?

Farm fresh eggs from my friend Brenda's hens. All purpose flour, salt and pepper. Yep, thats all I use.

I don't measure, so I can't give you the exact amounts that I used. I was making a huge batch, so I just put my flour in a big bowl, made a hole in the center and put my eggs in, then salt and pepper.

I have found that God gave us the best mixing spoons in the world. Yes, I use my hands to mix it all together. I washed them well before hand of course! If your dough is too dry add another egg or two, if its too wet, throw in some more flour. Hey, I never said that I was a master chef ya know!

Then I flour my cutting board, break off a piece of dough and roll it out. (Hey, look! I got the rolling pin in there this time!) Then I use a pizza cutter to cut my noodle strips. It makes my work so much easier!

I just continue until all the dough is cut. I flour the noodles to keep them from sticking together as I go. It helps keep them from sticking together and all the extra flour thickens the broth the make it more gravy like.

I then drop my noodles slowly and individually into my broiling broth, making sure to shake the flour from each into it and stirring as I go. Its my way of insuring that they don't clump up and making the gravy at the same time.

Let them cook on a slow boil for about half an hour. Stirring occassionally to prevent sticking.

Next job? Clean up the mess so I can get the other foods finished. If you're lucky I may just share those recipes too. Or should I say, if I am lucky enough to get it all finished??

Chicken Stock

Tomorrow is Easter. Today I am cooking some things for two family dinners.
So, I have my chicken stock started for a big ol' double batch of homemade noodles.
I got my stockpot going and now I am sitting here sipping on my protein shake for the morning.

Don't forget that I don't cook just weight loss surgery friendly stuff. I have a big family and they love Mom's home cooking. If I let a family dinner go by without making my noodles, I believe there would be a mutiny!

My noodles are something else that I need to thank my former mother in law Ellen for, along with my crochet.
You see my first marriage was at the ripe old age of 17! Well, 1 month before I turned 18, but still a dumb kid.
I knew nothing about nothing, but thought I knew it all. My mother in law gave me some good instruction and I will be forever grateful to her for that.


Chicken Stock

Big pot of water,
chicken, in this instance I used chicken leg quarters
carrots, onions and celery (of which I forgot to include pics)
salt and pepper

Let boil until chicken is tender and falling off the bones.
remove chicken from the pot, strain, making sure you get all the veggies and pieces of bone out of your stock, but reserve all your liquid.
Allow chicken to cool, then pick the meat from the bones, tossing bones, fat and skin.

Chicken can be used in other recipes so I usually bag and freeze the extra.
Sometimes I pressure can my stock for later use in other recipes or I put it into freezer containers and freeze. I think there is a post of that here under the "Canning" label.

When making noodles, I put some of the chicken back into the stock and bring it back up to a boil before adding the noodle dough.

I will add another post after bit as I get the noodles made and the finished product going.