RECIPE WEDNESDAY - Banana Bread

Traditionally, when we hear banana bread, we think of this fabulousness baked in a loaf pan.

I like mine cold, smeared with real butter... or served as the base for a chicken salad sandwich. I know that sounds like a really weird combination, but trust me on this. It is delicious! I first had the chicken salad on banana bread at the Twin Towers in Detroit MI years ago. One of those food combinations you remember in a good way. 

Bob and I've been wanting to try the Red Copper 5- Minute cooker like the one shown below:

Our thought was this would be something good for me to cook single meals when he's out on the boat. Less microwave more home cooked or if we want to do something like individual pizzas where I can pile in the vegies while he is strictly meat/ cheese.

We've done the customary omelet and it was good. That said, an omelet is just as easily done in the skillet. 

So I thought I'd try banana bread for Bob. One of his favorites. I've started making banana bread with a Spice Cake as a base but I found a Banana Cake mix by Duncan Hines to give it that extra punch. 

First:

Mix the dry cake mix with:

1 tsp of ground nutmeg (I use fresh)

1/2 tsp of ground cloves

1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

You can adjust these measurements to your taste or substitute 1 tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice for the first to then adjust the cinnamon.

In a separate bowl slice up 2 ripe bananas then mash them up with a potato masher or mixer.

Add:

1/2 C Applesauce (I've taken to buying the individual servings - 1/2 cup - until I can replenish my                                                    homemade)

1 C. warm water

Mix these to combine then add the dry cake mix mixture and stir just til combined. My favorite tool for this is a 3-pronged salad serving fork I got with our flatware set. While I have great tools in my kitchen, this has become my favorite 'mixing' tool. 

Preheat the 5- minute cooker until the green light comes on. Then open up the cooker and place to 2 ice cream scoops - roughly 3/4 of a cup - of the cake mix into the well, close the lid and snap closed. Cook for 5 minutes. 

HOT!! Carefully transfer to a plate. I sprinkled the top with cinnamon - sugar while still warm. Powdered sugar would also be a good option.

Banana Bread for breakfast. This only took about 10 minutes total from start to finish. We got 6 of these from one bowl of batter. I barely made it through one while Bob ate two. He wrapped the remaining three in waxed paper, slid them into a zippy bag and put them in the freezer in our 'breakfast' bin. 

WEIGH IN - 2-26-18

179/166/135

I'm finally down a pound this week. I know the culprit has been soda. Even switching to the 100 calorie cans doesn't help much if you drink two a day. I try to limit myself to one but there are days when I just need the carbonation. I hear you thinking seltzer water. Ewww!

I have a couple of those acrylic mugs that when you turn them upside down in the freezer, the stuff between the walls freezes and will keep your drink cold longer. Using one of these, I can make my own frozen coke. So for the past two days I've been sipping on one of these. I pour a large coke into the glass and let it set up in the freezer to slush point then after a couple of drink, I top it off with a mini coke. I put this in the refrigerator and just pulled it out when I needed a bit of carbonation. I'd take a couple of sips through the straw then put it back and switch back to drinking water, which sits in my Ozark Trail glass on my work-table or desk. 

I keep saying everything in moderation and this is how I plan to moderate my soda in-take from now on. I also seldom order soda when we go out to eat (which we have done a lot less of in recent weeks). Most always water or unsweet tea. I know.. I moved to the south and I don't drink 'Sweet Tea' LOL.

Speaking of moderation, I've been hearing a lot of comments about the 'FreeStyle' program from Weight Watchers. Some people don't feel it's working for them. If you are freestyling, I'd love to hear your take. You can share with me here or on my Instagram account - kellyscountry. Just look for the cowboy boot/ hat logo.

Enjoy the Journey!

RECIPE WEDNESDAY - Mushroom and Swiss Burger

Good morning!

My plan is to start sharing more recipes. The Menu Planner is working great. I know what's up for the week and I'm spending a lot less money, allowing me to focus on a hard savings account. 

While losing weight is a journey, you can't eliminate your favorite foods. Find alternative recipes or indulge once in awhile. This recipe is an indulgence. That said, this is a healthier version of the one you'll get in a fast food place. For one... JUST HAVE THE BURGER. Don't add a large order of fries - those are the 'die' on the plate. Serve with slices of tomato or simple side salad and enjoy the luxuriousness of this Mushroom and Swiss Burger! I'm a firm believer in that moderation is the KEY to successful weight loss.

I'm really enjoying the recipes in Ree Drummond's cookbook, 'Come and Get it!'

One recipe in particular called to us. Hamburger Steak with Mushroom Gravy from her 'Under 40' chapter... meals in under 40 minutes. I did give the recipe a bit of a twist but here's the result:

These were DELICIOUS!

I started with two 1/2 pound burgers so they would be rather thick so as to be medium -rare in the center and I wanted to allow for shrinkage. I wanted them to cover the bun edge to edge. Seasoning Salt, Garlic Powder and a bit of pepper (on mine only) is all I used for seasoning. I used a cast iron skillet for the best heat radiation/ browning capabilities. You can not beat a cast iron skillet when it comes to meat or grilled cheese.

After removing the burgers from the skillet, I added a Tablespoon of butter to saute sliced baby bella mushrooms in. I followed this up with another Tablespoon of butter and 2 Tablespoons of flour. I used about 1-1/2 cup of beef broth and a 1/2 cup of red wine. Still seemed a little thin so I made a thickening of milk/ flour and added it, stirring til smooth. Then I turned the flame down to low and let everything reduce til I had a nice, thick gravy.

Ree served hers on a plate but when I saw the recipe I knew this would be the best Mushroom and Swiss burger I'd ever made. I was right.

I used Baby Swiss for Bob and I chose Provolone. After brushing the buns with butter and grilling them on another iron skillet, I placed one slice of cheese on the bottom bun, smeared about a Tablespoon of gravy, then the burger, another slice of cheese then a generous serving of the mushroom gravy.

If you are a fan of Mushroom and Swiss burgers, I recommend you give this one a try. I'm adding this recipe to our Recipe Favorites.

WEIGH IN 2-19-18

179/167/135

And the roller coaster has returned. I apologize for not posting last week. Bob and I were dealing with tummy issues. I didn't feel up to much of anything but curling up in the recliner. That said, the weight was 167 last week as well so I've lost a pound and held it since posting two weeks ago.

I was surprised to step on the scales this morning and not see a gain. I've been getting hungry at night. Not just the munchies but really wanting to eat. The fact that my teeth are still in pretty solid may have play a part.

This week is all over the place. Today is a prime rib roast with mashed taters and port gravy. My sister found the recipe and tried it. Said it was OMG. So I want to give it a shot. Bob loves prime rib and this was supposed to have been our New Years dinner had he been home. Their recipe is not for stout but I'm going to substitute part of the beef stock for a red wine. We love the flavor red wine adds to a rich beef gravy.

Tomorrow will be something quick, Wednesday dinner out and Thursday dinner out. By Friday I might have an idea of what to fix. Maybe Ree's chicken legs in the crock pot but I'm thinking of saving that for Sunday.

Speaking of Ree's recipes. We tried her hamburger steaks in gravy last week. I have pictures on my phone I'll be setting up later today. Come back on Wednesday to see my twist. I promise you, it was OMG delicious.

How was your week? I'd love to hear your story. How are you walking this path?

Whatever your chosen path...

Enjoy the Journey!

A WELL STOCKED FREEZER

This week, we are delving into our freezer. You know, that place where we shove leftovers or meat sales from the grocer then forget what's in there.

Ree Drummond aka Pioneer Woman has her 12 Favorite Freezer Staples. Let's see how they compare to yours and mine:

Frozen Peas - Yes, I keep these. But since I'm the only one to eat these, when I get the bags of vegies on sale I bring them home, open them up and freeze them in portions for me.

Frozen Green Beans - No... the only time I use frozein green beans is in the mixed vegetables.

Freeze Your Own - Absolutlely! I take advantage of produce sales as well as my own garden 

Frozen Corn Kernels - Again, this is one I buy in bulk then break down into smaller packages.

          Bob loves corn. However, corn is one of those items that does NOT breakdown in the colon 

          -potentially causing tears/ scar tissue within the colon. As we get older, this is one item to eat

          in moderation.

Frozen Fruit - Yes! Produce sales as well as pre-packaged. Because these will crystallize FAST in

         your freezer due to temperature changes in transport - either to the store or to your home, unless

         you're going to use this right away, frozen fruits and vegies will keep better if you put them in

         seal-a-meal type bags.

Raw Meats - When bringing raw meats home from the store, your  best bet is to get them out of the 

       store packaging as soon as you get home. Well-packaged meats will last longer and store

       packaging does not always meet this standard. Remember to LABEL!

       A) This gives you the opportunity to check the meat and make sure it's good. I've had issues 

            several times with bad meat... particularly chicken. Hang on to your receipt, check the meat

            and return to the store right away if there are issues. You don't want to begin dinner on 

            Thursday night, open your package to find the meat is spoiled. 

      B) Repackage into the Food Saver bags for longer/ safer freezer storage

Cooked Meat 'Components' - Anything you pre-cook. When I bring home hamburger from

           the store, I often brown up the meat and package out for quick dinners. 

           For chicken, if you know you want to do shredded BBQ chicken or Chicken and noodles, go

           ahead and cook it up as soon as you bring it home then package up the prepared meat for

           future meals. Take advantage of sales!

   

Sauces, Stews and soups - This is a great way to package leftovers. Ree packages hers in ziplock bags

          freezing them flat for space-saving storage. Since I use FoodSaver, I will freeze leftovers in 

           round or square pans that will fit my FoodSaver bags. After they've frozen, I dip them in hot

           water to 'unmold' then slide into the FoodSaver bags. This sucks all the air out I might not be 

           able to do with the standard ziplock - preventing freezer burn in under six months. 

          ANYTHING with a moisture content is going to create freezer burn or at the very least crystals

          in under six months - shortening your freezer life.

Casseroles - I do these the same way I do the sauces, stews and soups. 

          If I'm going to reheat in a casserole dish, I will 'freeze mold' in that dish, pop out and put in 

          FoodSaver. When it comes time to cook, I remove from the bag and pop back in it's original 

          pan. 

Bread Dough - I don't buy store bread doughs primarily. I have been known to buy Pillsbury Southern

        style biscuits for quick Biscuits and Gravy. But when it comes to bread dough, making my own 

        as needed isn't that time consuming. If I were as busy as Ree or worked outside the home, then I 

        would definitely take advantage of this option.

Dinner Rolls - See Bread Dough

Puff Pastry - I usually only use this or Filo dough during the holidays. So I buy as needed. But if                you're one to entertain periodically, this is a good staple for your freezer. Elegant desserts   

       without the time expenditure.

Pie Crusts - Again, this takes 5 minutes to make. She says she makes her own and freezes for when 

       she needs that quick pot pie crust or dessert for the church potluck... but seriously, pie crust 

       doesn't take that long. If you know you'll need something that afternoon... mix it up first thing, 

       wrap in plastic and toss in the freezer until you're ready for it later. The key is to PLAN - even

       when that 'plan' needs to be within the next 6 hours.

Aw Nuts! - yep... nuts will get stale pretty quick in the cabinet. I take mine out of the plastic, put into 

        mason jars and seal with the food saver... then in the freezer they go. Will keep seemingly 

       forever!

Next week, we'll talk about MY pantry then the last Wednesday, MY freezer. We'll also talk about why having certain things on hand can help on our weightloss journey!

Enjoy the Journey!

WEIGH IN - 2-5-18

179/168/135

I'm up 7 pounds from last week but I totally get why so I'm not kicking myself and getting all bummed. Friday, I could not seem to get enough to drink. Didn't matter whether I drank water, cran-grape juice, mini coke.. nothing seemed to do it. I've also had a couple of comfort food meals this week - like the chicken fried steak, mashed taters and milk gravy - all made from scratch - on Saturday. 

Sometimes we just need those comfort foods... and they're OKAY ... as long as we remember they are to be enjoyed GUILT - FREE then move on. Guilt will pack on the pounds faster than anything. 

Go forth into the week and live your food life guilt free... 

Enjoy the journey!