Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Baked Ziti

Wednesday, February 17, 2010
So I was flipping through my William Sonoma catalog and they always have some of the most mouthwatering food in there.  There was a recipe for baked ziti that sounded pretty good.  Also sounded like it was loaded with fat and calories.  Plugged it into Weight Watchers ( I don't have my dietary software up and running on this computer yet) and it's like 15 points a serving!  Seriously....so I decided to alter it.  The original recipe in on William Sonoma's webiste.  But here I have altered it to make it more diet friendly:
 
mmmmm.....ziti.....
Baked Ziti

4 tsp olive oil plus cooking spray
1/4 lb spicy italian sausage (it calls for sweet but I prefer spicy)
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves (I admit I LOVE garlic so I use like 5 but you totally don't have to)
1/2 cups dry red wine (Merlot is pretty good in this)
1 can (28 oz) crushed plum tomatoes with juice
6 oz whole grain ziti pasta (like Barilla) cooked till al dente
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup rinsed chopped kalmata olives
2 1/2 cups shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 400.  In 10" nonstick skillet warm 1 tsp olive oil over med-high heat.  Add sausage and cook till brown.  Drain off on paper towels (blot some of the grease off if you like).  Leave sausage grease in pan.  Add 1 tsp olive oil.  Add eggplant.  Spray with a little cooking spray if needed.  Saute about 6 minutes till tender.  Place in large bowl.  Warm 2 tsp olive oil.  Saute onion 5-6 minutes till tender.  Add garlic and saute another minute.  Add red wine and bring to boil scraping off any brown bits from the pan (yummy).  Cook 3 minutes (about enough for alcohol to cook off and liquid reduces).  Add tomatoes with juices and simmer 10 minutes.
Add sausage, tomato mixture, pasta, basil, salt and pepper, 2 cups of mozzarella, olives, and basil to bowl with eggplant.  Mix well and then return to skillet.  Top with 1/2 cup of Mozzarella and 1/4 cup of Parmesan.  Cover and bake 25 minutes.  Then uncover and set to broil.  Broil an additional 5 minutes or till cheese browns.  Serves 6.
7 POINTS

Once I get my software up and running I'll post nutritional information (of course it will be nutritional information lended by the best of my knowledge.  I studied Nutrition Science in college but I am in no way or form a Registered Dietitian)

It was pretty dang good to tell you the truth.  I am not a heavy meat eater so I dont miss the 1/2 pound of sausage that the recipe originally called for.  In fact the only reason I included it was to leave in some of that savory flavor (that and my husband is sort of a carnivore...whaddaya gunna do)

Anyway, it's made its way into my recipe box.  Enjoy

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Sophie's Party

Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Ok so I know I said I would post details from Sophie's birthday party WAY earlier...but you know...if you can't tell by now I'm a bit of a scatterbrain procrastinator.  So I scoured through my camera and these seem to be the only details from her party that I can find:  Sad.  It was a cute party:
 
I made these meringue cookies.  Adapted a recipe from  Joy the Baker (who by the way is the reason I even knew blogs existed...I'll do a post about my fanatical obsession with her later) and added the stripes via inspiration from Martha (you know who)


Cupcake toppers
Yes I know they look a bit well...homemade.  But they were cute on the cupcakes when it was all said and done.  Used a little icing on some Necco wafers (which are harder to find than I thought).  Edible and easy


Small bit of the birthday banner I made her with the cricut.  Love that thing.


Party Pops.  Got this idea from Hostess with the Mostess.  Yeah directly, pretty much just copied it.  Why alter perfection?  Put them in some flower vases the I got from Southern Living I think (they were a gift)


See...I told you they looked cute on top.  Strawberry cupcakes.  Cream cheese icing.  Can't go wrong with that combination
And there she is in her party dress.  Cutie patootie.  (She LOVES balloons)
 
She got lots of loot.  I think she had a pretty good time
This is the first party I have EVER thrown.  I didn't even really do parties when I was a kid.  So this was new for me.  And trust me I had help from LOTS of blogs (and my mom - luv you!)  So I think I did ok for a small party of maybe 15 people in a 1200 square foot apartment.  yay!  
Thanks bloggers (who have 10x more talent than me).  You know who you are:  *ahem* HWTM, Tom Kat Studio, Joy the Baker, and probably a whole lot more that gave me inspiration.  
Happy Birthday Sophie

Accessories Galore on Etsy

Ok...So roaming Etsy last night trying to fall asleep. I like interesting jewelry as much as the next girl.. So I found some pretty cool things I think...
 
  
  
  
And this one in particular that reminded me of my friend Kim :


Cute!!
I found all these from Luli Designs over on Etsy.  Handmade jewelry.  Looks AWESOME

Then I also ran across these:...



Reclaimed Hairpins from Hairfood.  These are cute:



And then these....


OMG OMG OMG...
From Verabel have to be my favorites!!
"Verabel loves hunting, gathering, and combining the old with the new. The result is an eclectic collection of authentic vintage findings, unique charms and natural stones."
I love antique jewelry and I think these are just super neat-o.
 
Screen Printed lockets!  I'm in LUV...
And look at these with all this detail:
 
And this one might just be Kim's birthday present coming up in March:

Monday, February 8, 2010

Diet Slip...oops!

Monday, February 8, 2010
Ok here we are week 6 of the diet.  Weight 166.0.  Not much of a loss in the last 2 weeks...
Hubby went out of town for a couple of nights on business and I sort of fell apart diet wise.  It was weird.  I never realized how lost and empty I feel when he isn't around.  I ended up at Central Market to pick up some fish for dinner and walked out with a couple loafs of artisan bread and some gourmet cheeses and wine...not good.  I think I ate half a loaf ...no.. MORE than half a loaf of olive bread in 2 days and half a round of cheese.  Ugh...That was some serious damage.  Spent the rest of the week just trying to come out even...that's including Superbowl weekend at my parents.  Dad made gumbo and smothered dove...  So in essence I didn't lose a thing last week.  Bad Ali...shame....
So now to get back on track again....
Today I have to make a weekly menu and go to the store.  Purge my fridge of bread and cheese.  Get rid of the leftover chocolate birthday cake that's sitting on my kitchen table.  Try and find a way to get my husband to move the elliptical machine from storage into our bedroom.  HAVE TO WORK OUT TONIGHT!  It's raining here so Sophie, Dave and I can't take our usual afternoon walk.  So we will just have to power walk through the grocery store I guess.  My sister has this Ap on her iPhone called from couch to 5K.  It looks interesting.  I am by no means a runner.  Never have been.  I have short thick squatty legs....not meant for long strides you know.  But I have always envied those women I see jogging down the street with their Labradors and Golden Retrievers.  Just jogging away.... So I might give it a try.  Anyone try it?  Anyone want to try it with me?  My schedule is pretty open....
Anyway...I need to update on the latest recipes I have tried and love...
I think I'll do that later today.

Weight: 166.0lbs
Total weight lost to date: 8.5lbs

**Oh yeah did I mention that my husband has lost like 15lbs??!  UGH!!  GAH!! SO NOT FAIR!!  And he doesn't even work out.  He just takes afternoon walks with me and eats my cooking.  =/  Oh well. **

Little Things

Thought I would share with you some cool things Ive found on the interweb

 
  
  
Saw this on Eat Drink Chic earlier this morning.  I am in luv with the Horo collection from Brevity Designs.  WANT!
Etsy....did I mention I luv Etsy?

I do!

My sister Amy and I are big time Etsy shoppers...My recent purchase:


New Camera Strap for my new DSLR from August Blossoms.  It even has a pocket for you to put your lens cap!
And for a random bit of bling check this out:


  
Yeah I know right?

Antique Old European cut diamond.  Over 2 carats...Beautiful.  They only want $59,000 for it...psh...

And did I tell you I have a new adoration for Karen Millen?

 
I think its great for your late 20's early 30's.  Yeah
More to come later !!  Gotta get the baby from her nap!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Perspective

Tuesday, January 26, 2010
I want to write a blog.  I really do.  But I have a problem.

As I sit here and pour over my favorite blogs (which I neglected over the holidays...I have a kid and it was Christmas...I feel justified) I start to realize :  They have so much more talent than I do.  I'm not brilliant, not perfectly skinny and blonde, I dont have a gift for witty writing, my photography skills are sub-par at best.  I don't know how they schedule their days to find and create everything, and then on top of that photograph it perfectly and then open Etsy shops and go on book tours....  I cant seem to keep the house clean and the laundry done.  So, although I have such amazing visions and aspirations of creative grandeur, I have not the capabilities... le sigh. 
So what should I do?  Well, I suppose the only thing I have left to blog about is the stuff I do everyday.  Sounds boring.  But I have been on a mission lately.  You see I gained over 60 pounds before I had my beautiful little girl.  And I have been trying (the wrong ways) to lose it for a year. 
Let's backtrack.  Before I was blessed with the gift of carrying my first beloved child I worked at a gym.  I was your local personal trainer.  Yes, me, I know.  At about 137...I'm 5' tall...I was pretty muscular.  Trim and fit.  I had abs, I had definition in my thighs, ah yes...that was 2 years ago this March.  And even at that...I was never conventioanlly skinny.  I was curvacious and a little on the (as an old friend used to call it) "thick"  side.  But I was happy with the way I looked.  I looked pretty good.




that's me on the far left.

breakin it down on my wedding day

Now lets come back to date.  

this ain't pretty folks


really really not pretty...

Over the last year I managed to lose 10 pounds of what was left of my post-partum weight through mainly yo-yo dieting.  Only to gain 8 pounds of it back over the Holidays.  Obviously not working. 
And you know what this year is don't you?  Oh you don't have a copy of my yearly schedule in front of you?  I'll help you out.  It's 2010.  It's the year of my high school reunion.  Ouch. Not only one reunion to attend.  I'm going as my best friend's date to her high school reunion....which happens to be my hometown reunion. (I switched HS half way through so I have the HS I graduated from and the HS that I know everyone from growing up).  Did I mention that my husband graduated the same year I did?  Yep, one more high school reunion....where I get to run into all of his HS ex girlfriends and meet some of his friends for the very first time.  David fell in love with a pretty hot tamale.  I don't want to embarass him.  And if that isn't enough, it's also the year one of my girlfriends from college gets married.  In Mexico.  I've never been to Mexico.  I've barely been anywhere.  I have to get a passport for the first time in my life.  And I refuse to go to Mexico for the first time and sit in sweats at the bar while everyone else bakes in the sun getting all leathery and brown.  I want to have fun too and I don't want my self esteem to get in the way of my vacation. 
So you see I have no lack of serious motivation.  I gotta get crakin'. 
So when we got back early January from Missouri I put David and I on a diet.  And the right way this time.  I know what to do.  I studied Nutrition at Baylor!  I was a personal trainer!  I have the tools....why don't I use them?  I mean if I can't do it then I'm just not trying am I?
So here's the goal.  I want to lose 20-25 pounds by April.  That's about 1-2 pounds a week.  Which is healthy and slow.  That will put me at 11-6 pounds heavier than when I got pregnant.  I can live with that on the beach.  I just want to wear real clothes again.  I want my energy back.  I want to feel like me.
Now, I am not trying to make this a weight loss blog.  I'll probably mention the weight loss week to week.  But the new thing that I've been getting excited about also involves my passion.  Food.  I love food (obviously, it's a borderline problem).  But I realized that about every night this week I have made a new dish for dinner.  Always light and low fat and healthy.  But all have been surprisingly tastey and good.  So if I review a new low fat recipe here and there don't be surprised.  Sometimes I feel like I just have to share.  Doesn't mean I still wont revel in Bakerella and Sweet Paul.  I <3 U.  But my resolve is strong.  I know I can do this. 
So to sum up I will be blogging about what I know, and what I have time to do...which is change.
I started January 5th.  So far I have gone from 174.5 to 167.8 in the last 3 weeks.  That almost 7 pounds.  I can be proud of that.  Now I just need to keep it up

Nothing tastes as good as success.

Monday, January 25, 2010

I've been neglecting you....

Monday, January 25, 2010
opps.  so I havent been on in a while.  Things happening...holidays, traveling, babies walkin'.... you get it.  Speaking of babies (my favorite subject.  I wanted to share a quick blurb or my Sophie's one year photos with you.  Taken by Bishop in Pittsburg, KS





Adorable, no?  =]
Ok and I swear I'm going to update this more tomorrow.  Lots to add actually.  I'm a bad blogger. 
 
 

Blog Design by Eedee Design Studios