WEIGH IN 7-2-18

175/167/135

My weight post is beginning to sound like a broken record but at least I'm not gaining. Now that Bob is gone, I'm determined to get an exercise routine in. I HAVE to if the numbers are going to budge.

This first week, I'm going to focus on two days on the Gazelle. I have enough housework/ yard stuff to give me plenty of movement. 

For food, I'm starting on leftovers in the freezer. Wednesday, for the 4th of July, I won't be going anywhere. I have leftover BBQ ribs in the freezer. I'll make a single potato into potato salad, maybe a couple of deviled eggs and a single serve of Cherry Cheesecake. That last one is important.

Growing up, Mom and I always made a 9x13 cake pan of Mother's Dream Cake. 

Graham Cracker Crust, a mix of Dream Whip and Cream Cheese and topped with Cherry pie filling.

We only made this on 4th of July. 

Since it's just me, I can't justify making even an 8" pie pan of the Dream Cake - which I would do if Bob were home. So I bought a tub of Philidelphia Cheesecake Filling. That stuff keeps a long time so I can portion it out. Thinking of trying some of it frozen for a cool treat. I'll let you know how that works out.

I have a ton to do today so this post is short. Tomorrow is Flylady. I have an idea for a different type of post but still related so I hope you'll come back to see what I come up with.

In the mean time, what are your plans for the 4th? Family stuff? Food?  Let me know.

Enjoy the Journey!

RECIPE WEDNESDAY - Surf n Turf

For me, the only thing better than all-you-can-eat lobster or crab legs is to combine seafood with a good steak. 

When it comes to portion sizes at a restaurant, they are way more than you need to eat at one sitting. Bob and I like to go out for a good steak and I'm slowly training him that because it's on his plate, doesn't mean he has to eat it all in one sitting. I have always cut my steak in half and packaged one portion up right away then enjoying the other half with my meal. With Bob gone, I can bring mine home to the freezer and enjoy a good steak while he's gone without having to leave home - or eat alone in a restaurant. That doesn't really bother me, I just like to have a conversation if I'm out in public. At home, I can enjoy a movie. 

That's what I did with this meal:

I started with the salad... greens cut from my own little garden. Well, to be clear, this salad bowl came pre-planted from Menards garden center with five different lettuce, a parsley and chives - for under $6! All I had to add was a diced tomato and a drizzle of blue cheese dressing.

Next, I thawed out a package of medium shrimp. I buy the $6 bag from Walmart then package them in portions using my Foodsaver. This allows me to thaw out a small amount for me when Bob is gone without disturbing the temperature of the rest of a large bag.

I put the steak in the toaster oven to reheat while I put the shrimp into a skillet with a bit of butter, then added some of the Teriyaki glaze, tossing to get all of that sweet/ tangy flavor on every bit of the shrimp quickly without overheating them. 

A quick, easy dinner for one that could have easily been a leftover for both of us by adding Bob's steak portion and another package of the shrimp. Bob would have passed on the salad, having cottage cheese instead.

How do you handle the large portions from restaurants? Do you have a favorite way of stretching that doggy bag at home?

Whatever you do, Enjoy the Journey!

WEIGH IN 6-25-18

175/167/135

No Change. 

While I'm thrilled to not be gaining, I'd really like to see the numbers going down again. I've hit that plateau and I'm the only one who can make the number move. 

Bob is only home for a few more days then I'll be back to  my own thing. I have a freezer full of leftovers to feed on plus I can add more vegies back in. 

And the Gazelle is still calling my name.. .but this time the cry is getting louder. 

What's on your agenda for this week?

Whatever you choose, Enjoy the Journey!!!

FRIDAY RECAP

This has been a really good week. We didn't get the rain the meteorologists kept predicting so the garden will need watered but the front that went over us has left us with a decent breeze and cooler temperatures. The thermometer reading this morning was only 66*F! I have all the doors and windows open, airing out the house. Hopefully, we can keep this around a couple of days.

I need to work in the garden while it's cooler but this morning, we are taking Bear to the groomer for the first time, ever. Go figure that about the time we're going to take a good portion of his hair off and thin him out, the temps would cool off. LOL Just can't win!

I kept track of my steps this week. I get most of them doing laundry. Tuesday was the big laundry day this week, helping me rack up over 9,000 steps. Almost made that 10k!  Then another day was all computer work and I barely managed 700.

I'm not doing much this weekend. Bob will be going back to work soon so this weekend is all about him and our time together.

What are your plans for the weekend? Whatever you choose....
Enjoy the journey!

RECIPE WEDNESDAY - Breakfast Anyone?

I've always heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. For me, that is protein of some sort around 10 a.m. I can't eat much when I first get up. A couple of fig newtons with my coffee and I'm good. Just something light to kick in the metabolism.

A couple of weeks ago I had two hamburger patties left over from supper. I sliced them in half horizontally, turning them into a true hamburger 'bun'.

Next I fried an egg over easy and added a slice of american cheese.

Bottom slice of hamburger, topped with fried egg

Slice of American cheese and other 1/2 of burger patty.

YUM!

You are still eating this with a fork but was so very good. Another great addition would have been to top it with a bit of country gravy. Will try that next time.

What's your go to Breakfast of choice?

Whatever you choose, Enjoy the Journey...

WEIGH IN 6-18-18

175/167/135

No change from last week, which surprises me considering Bob and I ate out Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday during our get away then again on Friday for Date Night.  

One thing that did help, and I might be getting through to Bob is the portion control thing. He'll be the first to admit that is his biggest stumbling block. At dinner on Friday night, he followed my example by bringing half of the 18 oz Prime Rib home. We'll be having steak and eggs for breakfast this morning. Of course, last night we had surf and turf here at home. We're still working on the 4 oz lobster tails I bought a couple of years ago during a Valentine's sale at the grocery store. The neat thing is that with the Foodsaver bags they keep really well, allowing me to buy them in bulk when they're on the annual sale and enjoying them for several months out.

So this week may be Bob's last week home before he heads back out on the boat. We've planned out the menu. 

Monday - Goulash Casserole

      I made this from leftover goulash I made for his lodge meeting on Saturday night. I put half the goulash in a 8x10 pyrex casserole dish, spread 8 oz of homemade pasta sauce, then a layer of Mozzarella slices. I topped that with the remaining goulash, the other 1/2 of the jar of pasta sauce then Velveeta slices. I might make a couple slices of garlic bread to go with using sourdough bread

Tuesday - Tacos!

Wednesday - Cheeseburgers on grilled sourdough bread (think Hardees), tator tots and Vanilla Milk Shakes (National Milk shake day!)

Thursday - Homemade Chinese Buffet with Beef/ Broccoli, Beef/ Mushrooms, Teriyaki chicken, fried rice, egg roll and possibly baked crab rangoon.

Friday - Baked Cajun Tilapia, noodle side dish and peas

Saturday - Chicken Breasts - I'm thinkin' Cord en blu, scalloped potatoes

Sunday - Pork Steaks in mushroom gravy, Rice and cheesy green beans

Bob's going to call the office on Thursday so we'll see how the schedule actually holds from there. If he leaves, I have plenty of leftovers in the freezer to work on before I have to worry about cooking full meals. 

That's my week - what's on your plate?

Enjoy the Journey!

FRIDAY RECAP - Really!

Okay.. so this week was crazy. I really thought I'd get a Recipe Wednesday post up before Bob and I left for a couple days of R & R. When he's home, I am not on my own time schedule. I'm scrambling now to get things done before we go to dinner... and pretty sure I'm not going to get the things done I wanted to before we leave.

We got home Wednesday afternoon and I was just done for. It's bad enough that once I've been out and about, I'm pretty much done for on the return home. The heat indexes are NOT helping. I just want to go sit in Alley Spring and not move til fall.

Yesterday, I took too much heat working in the garden - later than I would have liked yesterday morning but since Bob was working on a task for me, I couldn't leave him out there alone even though 'early' is not his thing.

I've never been able to handle heat. Even as a little girl, too much sun would give me nose bleeds. That's why I became a 50's housewife. My mom taught me everything about keeping house. I got to stay in to do household tasks while my younger sister had to do time in the garden.  Sadly, I enjoy both sides. I just know I have to be out there early in the morning or wait until the sun has gone down before I do much outdoors.

All of my progress photos are on my phone so I'll have those for you next week. Not enough hours today to pull them off, resize and upload here.

I've been getting steps in, just not remembering to mark them down at the end of the day. But I think I've hit upon a system that will help me remember.

I'll see you Monday! Have a great weekend, Happy Father's Day to the men in your life and...

Enjoy the Journey!