Thats What I Say

    Last night I had dinner over at a friends house. She made the most awesome Mexican meatloaf.  I was skeptical of her invitation at first since well, it is meatloaf and I am pretty much a spice wimp so Mexican food can be kind of iffy for me.   It was tasty and not too spicy but most surprisingly she made it in the crock pot. Let me assure you, I am not a crock-pot virgin. I have made countless pot roasts using one and have also made lasagna in it too but those were the only two dishes I have ever tried using the slow cooker.  

I am going to have to dust off my crock-pot and try some new recipes. It is nice to have the meal cooking hours before dinner since it gives me time to pick up the house, do dishes and make other side dishes.  This would especially be helpful on the nights that company is coming over. 

Invented in 1970 the slow cooker has come a long way. Every home I have ever been to has a crockpot it seems.  There are styles and sizes to fit almost any budget or lifestyle. You can get a Nascar or football themed crock-pot. I just bought a new 1.5 quart little crock pot that will be perfect for the holidays.  I plan to use it for BBQ meatballs, cocktail wienies or some such appetizer.  Variety is the spice of life so I am going to challenge myself to try new recipes in my crock-pot and I think you should do the same.   I am posting my crock-pot lasagna recipe. It is good. It is easy and trust me, if I can make this without messing it up anyone can!

Bon Appetit~

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 12 ounces ricotta cheese 
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese or asiago cheese
• 12 ounces lasagna noodles, uncooked
• 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in frypan.
2. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and oregano.
3. Cook long enough to get it warm.
4. Spoon a layer of meat sauce onto the bottom of the slow cooker.
5. Add a double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit) and top with cheeses.
6. Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheeses until all are used up.
7. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.

It seems to be Christmas countdown crazy around here these days.  My neighbor even has a digitalcountdown clock lawn decoration.  Only 28 more days to Christmas if you hadn’t already picked up on that from the bevy of advertisers trying to get you to spend NOW.   What would Christmas be without a surplus of mostly soon to be broken,lost or forgotten prettily wrapped items under the tree? (I could go off on a tangent here about the true meaning of Christmas but I will blog about that some other day.)   So the crunch is on to buy your gifts.  Commercials are aimed at our kids so they pressure us to get the latest and greatest whatever toy is the in toy this year and we all know that every kiss begins with Kay so your loved one doesn’t love you unless they buy you jewelry they seem to  imply.

Whether you are cutting back or celebrating as usual most people do look for Christmas sales.  The advertised deals and bargains rife with fine print are often not as great as they seem.  While quantities last might not sound bad but when there are only ten of those items and you are the one hundredth person at the store looking for it then do you go home empty handed? Most likely not and that is what the retailers are hoping for.   Profit forecasts are not looking all that great for many retail companies so they are going to do what it takes to get you in there to spend your money.   Black Friday is the biggest, hypped up shopping day of the year.  How do we know that?  The commercials tell us that. The news shows us the massive crowds who line up at unreasonable hours to kick off the Christmas shopping season.   I don’t like shopping in a store with people pushing and grabbing.  Did I want that clock radio or was I just putting it in my cart because it was the last one on the shelf and some other lady was eying it?   I want to take my time and think about what I am buying.  I don’t want to be hurried through when holiday shopping can be so fun with the music, lights and decorations surrounding me.   I can’t recall ever seeing a Black Friday sale where that price is guaranteed to be the lowest price before Christmas or your money back.  Something like that might actually get me to contemplate going out shopping that day but then again maybe not.   The economy isn’t so hot right now and if Black Friday doesn’t produce the profits that the big stores were shooting for then you can bet there will be more sales and prices will get lower before Christmas.  I’ll watch the news and see if I am wrong about that but even if my shopping a week after Black Friday ends up costing me a little more I think it is worth it to stay home that day with the kids and decorate for Christmas steering clear of the wild eyed bargain hunters that have been up since four in the morning drinking lots of coffee. Yeah, you can just count me out.

OK, I admit I love Taco Bell.  I was thrilled when a new restaurant opened up less than a mile from my house. Yo Quiro~!   The employees are coherent and friendly. The restaurant is clean and the drive through is accurate. All things I appreciate yet are a rare find in today’s fast food world.    My love of the Bell does not bode well for my ongoing battle of the bulge.   Truly, fast food does not peacefully coexist in my dietary world. Sigh. Why does it have to taste so good?  Yum Brands which owns Taco Bell has posted their nutritional information.  Holy Chalupa Batman!  Some of the menu items are real diet killers.  Not everything is out to get me though. If I muster any amount of willpower I could order a crunchy taco fresco style and a diet Pepsi for only 150 paltry calories.   My usual order of a burrito (370 calories) and a taco supreme (220 calories ) comes to a whopping 590 calories. Ouch!  That is equivalent to 50 minutes on the rowing machine.  I don’t know about you but I cannot do 50 minutes on the rowing machine, my arms would fall off!   I don’t even want to contemplate eating the Fiesta Taco Salad for 870 calories.  I would have to walk to the English Channel and swim across it to burn that off. Rather ironic that they call that a salad.

If I won a contest and I could pick one celebrity to meet I know absolutely who I would pick. Without a doubt or hesitation it would be Kirk Cameron.  Sure I watched ”Growing Pains” when I was younger but it is who Kirk is now that I would love to get to know better.   Kirk also starred in the ”Left Behind” movies.He is a good actor but of all the actors we might read about in the tabloids and celeb web sites his name is never paired with self destructive behavior, rehab stints or run ins with the law.  That seems to be a rare accomplishment in Hollywood and even more-so for a former child actor.   So what is the difference?   I would guess that it is the company he keeps.  He has been married to Chelsea Noble for seventeen years (yep, 17, not a typo!) and they have six children.  It must also be who he talks to everyday and keeps close to his heart. Jesus!  OK, don’t quit reading because you think it is all preachy and cheesy.   Keep an open mind. Maybe this guy has something going on. Along side his show business career Kirk also has a ministry ”The Way of the Master”. He is successful in his personal and business life, has a new movie coming out and seems happy. Genuinely happy.   That is something everyone wants.  Since I have never met him personally and am just judging by what I do and don’t find about him on the internet I would say he has his priorities in order and it is working for him.    Sure I feel a bit guilty have a crush so to speak on a Christian, happily married man but it isn’t the creepy stalker kind so I think it is OK!    I am anxious to see his new movie ”Fireproof” that is now out in theaters.  An interesting tidbit about that movie is Chelsea had to be a body double for the actress who plays his wife because Kirk refuses to kiss anyone other than his wife. No exceptions.  I am so impressed by not only his commitment to his wife and his marriage vows but can you imagine how respected Chelsea must feel?   I think that is awesome.

I wonder how things would have played out if Brad Pitt would have felt the same way…

http://www.wayofthemaster.com

Last night we wanted to celebrate our son’s sixteenth birthday in a special way.  We made reservations at Vivace in Omaha. We had never been there before but chose it based on its website.  We all know you aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover but in this case you can judge a restaurant by it’s homepage.  

Located in the Old Market District of Omaha on brick paved streets Vivace was easy to find. Parking proved to be a bit more difficult but we found a lot about a block away.  Normally that would have been no big deal but last night it was rather cold and my six year old insisted on wearing her Cinderella dress up shoes so we had to shiver slowly along as she hobbled her way along.   Inside Vivace we were greeted with worn wood floors, exposed brick walls, beautiful dimly lit chandeliers and candles on each table.   I truly appreciate a restaurant that provides excellent atmosphere.  The wait staff was friendly, efficient and very knowledgeable of their modern Italian menu.  Our waiter made great recommendations to us.  I wanted us to all order a dish that we had never had before.   This certainly added to the enjoyment of the evening.  With the exception of my six year old who of course ordered pizza we all were adventurous with our ordering and were not disappointed.   My husband thought the Chicken Roulade was very tasty, my son loved the Salmon with Moroccan spices but I think it was I who hit the culinary jackpot.  My dinner was Steak and Chianti soup followed by Lamb Sirloin on a bed of artichokes and couscous.  It was fabulous.  I had never had a lamb entrée before.  I guess I couldn’t get past how cute and woolly they are.  I am definitely over that now.

We had a wonderful evening enjoying my son’s birthday and trying new things.   Over the flickering candlelight we discussed his day from getting his driver’s license that morning to lunch at his Grandmother’s house and all his presents. Best of all we let him drive us to and from the restaurant.   All of it culminated in ringing in his sixteenth year with love , adventure and excitement.

When I am at home or in the car I prefer my contemporary Christian music. That is what feeds me, inspires me, relaxes me and sometimes the right song comes on when I am stressed or having a bad day and it really helps.  I am sure this doesn’t surprise anyone, especially the people I see at church twice a week. What would surprise them though is what shapes my playlist on my Ipod shuffle.

I push past the guilt and rock out at the gym.  AC/DC, Joan Jett, Twisted Sister, Tom Petty.   Some of the songs have some truly questionable lyrics which brings back memories from my truly questionable teen years.  There are some newer selections that I love. They are faster and it really helps me stay on the treadmill/stepper/elliptical.   There is a little science in this which helps me rationalize my choices. The BPM (beats per minute)  can help runners pace themselves and keep novices like myself motivated.  BPM is even a searchable function on ITunes.

When I heard Brittany Spears latest song ”Womanizer” I knew that was going to be downloaded into my shuffle.  Kanye West is also a new addition.   Sometimes just having a little song that is a distraction from my regular daily life helps keep me moving.   This YOU TUBE link to Eskimo Disco is my newest favorite song.  Listen to it and see if you think it is as catchy as I do.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7RcqRmBlIQ

It seems that we don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving dinner to have the turkey swallowed up. Retailers and radio stations have broken the unwritten rule of waiting until after Turkey Day to put out the decorations and start the Christmas music. Whoa! Wait a minute people! It isn’t time for that yet.  Starting to fa la la before the gobble gobble is just plain wrong.  It would be like decorating for Halloween during the dog days of August.  It is just too soon.

Don’t misunderstand me, I love Christmas. I think it is great. I love everything about it but not before the fourth Thursday of November.   Let’s have our brown and orange decorations, cornucopias, Indian corn and pumpkins.  Don’t cheat me out of my prettily set table with the turkey, cranberries out of a can, black olives, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls and pie. No one ever forgets the pie!  Pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top is one of the best concoctions ever created. My son favors the pecan pie and for the sake of a peaceful family feast I make sure to have both on hand. 

Post meal plans can be relaxing with football on the television or fighting the crowds for the Black Friday shopping. That is when I am willing to begin thinking about Christmas.  

I have much to be thankful for and having one holiday dedicated to just that is awesome. Lets take our time and enjoy it. Truly reflect on what all that we have, I certainly don’t want to reflect on all the calories I ate!

It seems to me there is a vast chasm between wanting to be a writer and being a writer.  The only way to traverse the expanse between is to get something, anything published.   To be published and paid would be a lovely pair of adjectives to own but to be honest I will just be glad to get my name in print.  I know that starting at the bottom is how it goes.  I am ok with that. There is much to be learned from the process of writing itself.  I am also learning more about myself. It is hard to lay my work out there to be skewered and scrutinized.   It was quite an ordeal for me to take the plunge and actually submit an article for consideration to a magazine.  I actually got a bit of an adrenaline rush once I hit the send button.

There! I did it. My ex-virginal interlude was shortlived though when much to the dismay of my inbox the submission bounced back. The recipient’s  manifold was at capacity or some such e-disaster. What on Earth does that mean?  What now? Do I save it and try again?  Print it out and send it snail mail?  I felt a sense of urgency in a week from the prom and still no date kind of way.  I am not expecting an acceptance letter so much as I have this  ”want this first kiss over with even if I don’t particularly like the boy ” kind of mindset.

After much deliberation (in hindsight, too much) I decided to submit the article to another magazine with similar guidelines and content.

I feel much better now.

Calendar pages seem to fly off the wall and it is November already.  October was Breast CancerAwarenessMonth. I hope everyone with ‘wubbins’ as my 6 year old calls them had their annual mammogram.   There are approximately two million women who have been treated for breast cancer.  My older sister is in those statistics.  Thank God she is one of the survivors. 

There are many ways to support the cause. Breast Cancer Awareness events occur in every state.  I recently ran a Susan G. Komen For The Cure 5k in Omaha, NE.   It was an incredible experience to see the race bibs of survivors, others ran in a loved one’s honor.  The bibs that choked me up were the ones that were In Memory.  There were far too many of those. 

Lets all do everything we can to not have our name or another loved ones name on a memorial racing bib!   Educate your self on nutrition and exercise.  Speak to your health care practitioner in regards to how much you should exercise in regards to your current health status and age.   Eat healthier.  Many grocery stores offer nutritional consultations, often times those stores and even health clubs offer a nutritional Q & A night at no cost.

Get regular health screenings including mammograms.  Knowing your family history is important too.  Genetics are a factor but not having any prior incidences of breast cancer in your family does not guarantee immunity to the disease.

Prevention is very important but so is breast cancer research.   There is so much we can all do to have a part in saving lives.  Benefits, soup suppers, races are abundant but there are also other ways to contribute.   One such way is ”Pass The Plate”.  KitchenAid’s Cook For The Cure plates are available online for approximately $20.00 each.   I received my order in just four days.   The plate is designed in the shape of a smaller serving platter with the pink ribbon insignia.  On the back of each plate is a registration number.  I registered my plate, baked cookies and now I will pass it along to my friend who I hope will  in turn pass it along to another friend.  Each time the plate is passed and registered online KitchenAid will donate $5.00  to the Susan G. Komen For the Cure.    Awesome isn’t it?   I love this idea.  With my cookie laden plate I will pass along a note that I downloaded from the KitchenAid site that explains the plate. I can help promote breast cancer awareness, add to the donations for research and track the progression of this plate online each time it is registered. 

It is wonderful to feel like I am a part of something bigger. Something like this that can help others. I hope if you receive one you don’t hesitate to Pass The Plate.   I am glad I did.

Needing yet another pair of grey pants to exercise in I trudged into my local discount store and grabbed a pair of pants that seemed like they would be comfortable enough to hit the gym in. They were grey,stretchy and lightweight. Perfect. I really didn’t think a whole lot about it until I washed them and was ready to wear them for the first time.
They were a size large. A big “L” on the label. Some women might see that and gasp or perhaps even go into a frenzy. Frankly I was pleased to see that ”L”. It has been a long time coming. It wasn’t a sedentary wait either. Many hours spent in the gym and walking in the neighborhood .My first K, trainers and endless pages of food journals has thus far netted an approximate 40 pound weight loss.
There used to be an ”x” or two keeping the ”L” company. I am happy to be here now but am not taking it for granted. I am going to keep working at it. I made it this far.
Who knows, maybe there is a ”M” in my future.