Welcome to Life Through Bifocals

Life is not always clear and easy to figure out. So grab a cup of coffee and your bifocals and let's see what we can see.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Recipe of the Week: Oven Bake Burger Sausage Scramble

We had the pleasure of having some company the other week and I made them a Low Carb Breakfast while they were here.  Easy, filling, and low carb was just want we all needed for a gray rainy day that was going to be busy!  The original recipe comes from Mr. Breakfast but of course I changed it up and made it mine own.

Oven Bake Burger Sausage Scramble 
(Serves 2)
1/2 pound ground beef
1/4 pound of sausage (I used sausage links but ground would work as well) 
1/2 onion chopped fine
3 ounces cream cheese
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon water
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground beef and sausage with the onion, drain off fat. 




 Spray the sides and bottom of a casserole dish and set aside.  Put the meat mixture back into the pan and add the cream cheese.  Cook on low until the cheese is mixed in well and melted.  Place into the casserole dish.  In a separate bowl, beat eggs with water and pour over the meat mixture.



 Bake all in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes.  enjoy!  I made enough for 8 so we have some for this week or next (it freezes well). Total count comes to 3 per serving!  And it will really stick to your ribs. Company really liked it!!


What dish do you like to make for company?

Monday, May 30, 2011

Weekend Review: 400/800/1200 Mile Challenge

It is wonderful to have 3 days off! I really look forward to these long weekends to relax, visit with friends, get stuff done around the house and of course to enjoy the Spring weather that has finally decided to show up. Not that I'm complaining mind you, it has just been a rain filled Spring so having temps in the 80's has been just wonderful!  What did you do over this long weekend or if you are still having the weekend, what are you doing today?  I worked on the deck and by the look of the before pictures, the deck really needed some help.

Just look at my poor Becke sleeping on the deck that is all peeling and lacking care!  With her safe the deck got cleaned, scrubbed and re-stained.  The banister did as well and the so it is all fresh and clean again.
Now there is a deck that Becke can rest on, as well as Hubby as me!  That took more time than I thought because I would work a bit, take Becke for a walk, work some more. Stop to get in out of the direct sun. Work on it again - you get the picture.  I love doing this stuff and I could do it all day, however, now that I am getting older, what I love to do all day, now takes me all day to do!  In between, I worked out so that my challenge was not forgotten.



Shanae Button
Stationary Bike and Step Aerobics were my friend again this week and in all managed to get in a total of 76.16 miles. Here is the break down:
Walking total 11.76 miles
5 - 15 min of Stationary Bike total of 20.4 miles
2 1/2 hours of weight training for a total of 10 miles
Zumba 15 Minutes total 1 mile
3 hours of Painting and weeding total 13 miles 
Stepping total of 5 hours for a total of 20 hours

My year to date total is 1107.55!  Getting closer to my new goal, what should I do when I hit 1200 miles? I'm thinking a day off at the beach eating something really wonderful - Lobster! What do you think?
P.S. Do you know that Summer officially starts in 3 weeks - yup, 21 days?!?  Can't wait. :) :) :)
 


Friday, May 27, 2011

Memorial Day Weekend



And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
~Lee Greenwood

Have a great Weekend everyone and thank a Veteran for the freedoms we all have.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Reaching Towards Heaven in 2011: Gardening


I love to garden and finally the other day we got a day with sun so once I got home from work and fed Becke, we headed outside to weed.  While I was enjoying being outside it  occurred to me that God is the true Gardener and we are the plants.

As the Gardener looks over his garden, some plants only need to a little cleaning up-a few twigs that are around need to be removed. These twigs could be temptations that have not attached themselves to us just yet so they are easy to push away.
At other times, the weeds are close to the plant and will need time and patience to pull these out and not damage the plant. Perhaps this is the person who is just starting to live in way that does not please God. 

Still, other plants are engulfed by weeds and overgrowth. There is no easy way to pull all that out without hurting some of the plant.  So this is the person who's life choices are not in line with God's plan for us and when He gets out attention, and starts to work on us, it hurts. It will be hard, and it will take time to get it all done. 
Some of the plants have not bloomed yet and are waiting for the right time to show off there beauty. My job is to water them, care for them and wait for the right time for them to blossom.  God does that for us. He sends us the care and the friends for us and at the right time we too will bloom (with God's help)

Sometimes the weeds come easy, other times, not so much. Some of the weeds came out with using just one had. Others took not only two hands, but my back and a lot of pulling as well. How much like our sins that is. Sometimes we confess them and really work on not repeating those sins. Other times we don't even acknowledge that we have those sins.
I have my trusty Becke Boo Boo watching over me and I love having her around.   She gets me up and moving every morning. She goes with me to work, she is with me all day. God has given his children the Holy Spirit to watch over us, to go with us to work, to be with us all day, and to talk to the Father when we can not find the words.  What a gift! What a Gardener!  Do you know Him?


Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Wednesday Hodgepodge: Red White & Blue


Joyce came up with the questions, we come up with the answers. Come join us.

1. What is something about living in this country that you value? 'This country' is whatever country you call home.
I live both in the country and in the USA! I love both. The freedoms we have here are so much more than any other country. I know because we see and hear every day about people who come here to get what we already have.  I also love living in the country on 3+ acres. Out where I can turn up the radio and sing along and not disturb the neighbors because frankly they are running their chain saws, or riding their tractors and they can't hear me anyway.


2. What is a favorite something you own that is red, white, and/or blue?
I have a red shirt with fireworks on it! I really do like that shirt.

3. Do you fly a flag at your house on patriotic holidays?
No we do not.  We cannot decide where to put it. I wanted it in our front yard but the septic tank takes up most of it so we cannot put a pole deep into the ground. So we have been toying with the idea of putting it up on the far left corner of the house.  So for now, no flag is up.  But I'm working on it.

4. What ingredients do you think should be included in a great picnic basket?
Cole Slaw, Grilled Chicken, Lemonade, and Watermelon!

5. What is one interesting piece of trivia you know? Interesting is of course a relative term.
Identical twins do not have identical finger prints. Also if Identical twins marry identical twins, their children are genetically siblings. 

6. Wednesday, May 24th is National Escargot day...have you ever tried them? Eww or ooh?
No and Eww!

7. What is one thing you know for sure?
I am a Sinner - God is a Savior - I am grateful.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
After 10 days of rain we finally got a day of sunshine. Of course I was at work all day and by the time I got home, did 3 loads of wash,  it rained. Not only did it rain, we had thunder and lighting!  Oh well the laundry got done.  And it's a whole lot better than those people in the south and mid west who have lost so much! My prayers are with them.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The Weirdest Pancakes I Ever Had!!

I really like pancakes and have several recipes that I make over and over but this recipe I have had for months and months. I've not made it because - frankly - it sounded really strange and fit in the category of "You have to be joking."  I mean who really thinks these up?  But after looking for it months, I decided that I had to try it. I could afford to throw it out if it turned out terrible.  I found the recipe over at MrBreakfast.com/lowcarb. The name is are you ready??


Low-Carb Pancakes (Pork Rinds) No kidding, Pork Rinds!
2 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 of a 3-oz bag of unflavored pork rinds
3 packets of Splenda (or other sugar alternative) - I used Caramel Sugar Free Syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 dash of nutmeg

Crumble pork rinds until they resemble bread crumbs. This is very important!!
In a separate bowl, beat eggs until frothy then add remaining ingredients (except the pork rinds) and continue to beat until well mixed. Add pork rinds and let it set for a good 5 minutes to allow batter to thicken.

Cook on a greased skillet as you would any pancake. Drop batter on surface with a large spoon.


 Cook until each side is lightly browned.

Serve with butter and low carb syrup or mix 1 Tablespoon of sugar-free jam with 1 1/2 tablespoons water and microwave for 45 seconds.
I got 6 pancakes out of this recipe and I now must tell you that they were wonderfully and strangely delicious!
The only carbs you have are the eggs (2) and the heavy cream will add 1 carb. So for 3 carbs, I had both a breakfast and lunch.  Believe it or Not!  

Monday, May 23, 2011

Weekend Review: We seem to all be here! 400/800/1200 Mile Challenge


Well, it looks like we are all here! Guess the world didn't end and we all have to continue with our lives just as we left them - for now.  So did you have a "End of the World Party?" We didn't but we did go a wedding reception for a wonderful young lady.  It was great seeing her and talking to the young man who stole her heart.  Congrats to both Josh and Serena!  May you laugh every day, look to the good in each of you every day and always, every day, tell each other that you love each other.


The sun finally came out (while we were at the reception) and then as soon as I got home disappeared and it rained - again - for short time at least! I did manage to get my flower box flowers in before it rained and fed a few hundred bugs in the process!  Glad they got a good meal!



Shanae Button

So how was your personal challenge? What is your personal challenge? Maybe it's to make better food choices, maybe it's to read your Bible every day, maybe it's to read for fun more. What ever it is, how are you doing at it?  I'm doing the 400 mile challenge and you can click on the above button to see how every one else is doing on the challenge.  I had a good week and ended up putting in 73.76 miles this week.  I'm up the step aerobics to 60 minutes a day and weights also got bumped up to  60 minutes so on any given day, I can do 60 minutes aerobics, 60 minutes weights and 15 minutes on the bike for a total of 12 miles each day. Add to that walking and some yard work (weeding a lot!) and it really added up.  My year to date total was 1031!  The challenge question was "Was there something going on this week that made fitness hard for you?  No not this week but I did have one day when I did nothing but walk around the office and since I was wearing my pedometer I counted the distance. After 6 days of rain, my arthritis acted up and I couldn't type, and sitting or walking hurt so I took a day off from exercises and just waited it passed. It took a while but I did begin to feel better and so I continued on and work  at exercise again.  I want to get out and walk with Becke the wonder dog because she really needs it but I need a sunny day to do that.  Hopefully God will bless me with that.

So have a good day. Be glad, Be grateful.  We still have time to change our hearts and come to know God. Then, when he does come, whenever that is - we will be ready.

Friday, May 20, 2011

So Long-Farewell-Auf Wiedersehen-Good Bye





Just in case you missed the news the world ends tomorrow so this may be my last blog.


Apparently, a splinter group of Christians who follow Harold Camping have used a complex set of mathematics and came up with a new "End of the world" date of tomorrow, May 21 - at 6pm.  Now these are the same people who said the world would end in 1994. Apparently they re-did the math and came up with tomorrow.  So what does this group base there finding on?
According to Harold Camping the great flood took place on May 21, 4990 BC. Add 7,000 years to that and you get tomorrow.  But that is not the only thing he based his work on. He also believes that creation began 11,013 BC. It's 13,000th anniversary was in 1988 and so during that year the end of "Church Age" happened. Then the 23 year of Tribulation began. Add 1988 and 23 together you get 2011. But there is one more: Camping also figured out that Jesus was killed on April 1, 33 AD. Using that date it comes to 722,500 days before May 21, 2011. Apparently the number 722,500 has some significance because 5 means "atonement", ten means "completeness" and 17 means "heaven" Now where do those numbers come from? 722,500 is the same as (5x10x17)^2.  
His full story is here 
I can't help but wonder if they had daylight saving time back then and did Camping take that into his calculations? 
What about the whole thing happening in December of 2012? More seriously, how does Camping explain Matthew 24:36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
Or how about the Tribulation only being 7 years, not 23?
I for one am going to stick with author of our world and trust in Him and know that I am safe in His loving care. I guess that is the BIG question - no matter when the world ends - ARE YOU READY? 
So, Lord willing,  I plan to see you all Monday - have a great weekend!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Memories: A Night To Remember


This is prom season around here and all the young ladies are looking forwarded to the evening and have their dresses and shoes bought already. They have plans to get their tans, hair and make-up done and look forwarded to that special evening just like I did - 39 years ago.  This is the very faded and not very good photo of me and my soon to be hubby back in 1972.  It was the evening that I got my engagement ring and we made such large plans for our lives.  Most of our plans didn't pan out but many did. We did travel a bit. We did have our children and we did stay together through thick and through thin and now through bifocals!  
The prom was held at hotel in Bedford and there was no after party but still the dancing was great, the location was beautiful and the handsome boy next to me turned into a super handsome, loving husband, father, and grandfather.  It was a magic night and I hope that the prom will be magic for those attending it this month. One piece of advice I would like to offer all those going to the prom. Take lots of photos of yourself enjoying the prom because after 39 years, I do not remember the names of the others in the photos that I took.  I wish I had more of me and Hubby.  

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Wednesday Hodgepodge: A few of my favorite things.



Joyce has come up with these questions again and I don't know where she finds the time!  After all she is moving kids and doing some house remodeling!  Click her button to join in on the fun.

1. What reveals more about a woman-her refrigerator or her purse?
A long time ago I learned the secret of the purse -  never carry a large one because you will fill it!! So I have a smaller one that really does carry just what I need.  Now our refrigerator is the same thing, if it were bigger, I would keep filling it until it explodes- but is it clean? No way, I do have a science experiment growing in there so I guess my fridge tells you a lot about me. I have no time to clean! So where is my "House Elf"?

2. When was the last time you went to the zoo? Where? What's your favorite zoo animal?
WOW that question had me really thinking!  I think it was years ago when Hubby and I went to San Diego to see our newest grandson a few years ago.  I like the Turtles.



3. What social issue fires you up?
There are several right now. Homelessness, the school system in our state, battered women, take your pick. They all get me going. So many problems, so little solutions.

4. Are you a coupon clipper? If so, are you extreme?
No I am not. I look at them and if something is a really good deal I will cut it out and use it. But for the most part, I do not bother. Most coupons are for items I do not buy and do not want to try so I stick to the same things.  I don't have the time to run all over the city doing shopping for a few cents savings.  My time is worth something as well. 

5. What is one of your favorite souvenirs brought back from your travels?
I guess the photos that we take. I don't need more stuff, and I don't want more stuff.  Having said that, if I find a really great piece of jewelry I will get that. 

6. Lemon meringue or key lime?
Neither, I like Chocolate Silk. I don't get very often. :-(


7. What is the most beautiful word you know in any language?
I have three and since it's my blog I will tell you them all of them.
1. Love - when my hubby calls me that or just when he calls me anything. I love the tone in his voice when he says it. 
2. Mama - yup - as old as my kids gets, they still call me that sometimes and I melt each and every time.
3. Grannie (Or as the oldest grand daughter says "G") - So love being a grand mother - and I'm not the kind that sits in a rocking chair eating cookies.  I love to play and run and climb and do stuff with them.  Love when they call my name. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.


I am so tired of rain! Looks like we will have it however until Sunday! That is my random thought - Rain Go Away!



Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Recipe of the Week: Stuffed French Toast


The IHop near our home serves these wonderful stuffed french toast and the photo on the menu makes my mouth water but I never order them because they are not low carb. Instead I order the 2x2x2. 2 eggs fried hard, 2 strips of bacon and 2 sausages, no toast, no potatoes.  I like that and it will fill me up with out filling me out.  Well Jamie over at Your Lighter Side has come up with the low Carb French Toast recipe.  Of course I changed the recipe to fit my needs but the recipe is hers. Thank you Jamie!

Here is what I used.
2 slices of Zero Carb Cinnamon bread from Health Wise
1 Egg
A bit of heavy cream
2 oz of soften cream cheese
1 teaspoon of sugar free orange marmalade

Mix the egg and the cream together and dip the bread into it.  Heat oil in a pan and then add the bread to it.  While it's cooking mix up the cream cheese and the marmalade.  Turn the bread over and cook it on the other side as well.  When both sides have been cook top one slice with the cream cheese and marmalade mixture and the top with the other slice of bread.  Cook a bit longer on both sides.  Top with sugar free syrup.  I promise you will enjoy this filling meal.  I had it for dinner one day after work but you can be sure, I will have for breakfast real soon.  I mean just look at that french toast!!

So why would anyone want the high carb, high fat version when this can be your breakfast and you can feel full and you can loose weight?  I love my low carb life style.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Weekend Review: 400/800/1200 Mile Challenge

Shanae Button

I think I must be the last on on the challenge to log in over at Shanae's.  She is the host of the 400 mile challenge and by the looks over there, a lot of ladies were really moving! Swimming, spinning class? WOW these people are really getting tone.  I on the other hand have not gone swimming or spinning but I still got in a lot of miles. A whole lot of weed pulling, house painting (a real work out for the arms), stationary bike riding and step aerobics is what I did this past week.  My total for the week was a whopping 77.75 for a Y.T.D. total of 957.25!  I am well on the way to1200 and still looking for a reward after I reach it - any ideas?   

Shanae asked a good question for this week: "How did exercise feel for you this week?"
When I first started exercising, I had to push myself to get on the bike and could only do about 1 1/2 mile! I also had a hard time motavating myself to do the step aerobics.  With the day light shining earlier each day and the promise of nicer weather, I find that I really want to get moving and so exercise is feeling better ever day.  I find that I can eat more (who wouldn't love that) and that I can fit into smaller clothes but the best part is my arthritis feeling better, my back is feeling better and I am sleeping better.


Other than that, my weekend was normal, Saturday work on painting and weeding - Sunday it rained all day so it was a great time to clean the family room and believe me it needed cleaning!  I have the stationary bike there and sewing machine so you would think it would be cleaner but alas, it is not. I go down, get on the bike, turn on the TV, and peddle then jump off and come up stares and continue my day. With company on the way, it was time to get the room in shape so that is what I did. Now it's nice and clean and ready for the company.  How was your weekend?

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Allergies: Plan of Attack- or is it Attack the Plan!

I have "Seasonal Allergies". That is what my doctor calls them. I have no idea what I'm allergic to because I have never had the "needles-on-the-back/arm-or-any-other-place" test.  I show up at the doctor with my eyes watering and itchy, scratchy throat, and sometimes a hoarse voice and complain that I can't sleep because I can't stop sneezing in multiples you know - (just can't sneeze once and be done with it- Not Me). He gives me a prescription for Nasonex and tells me to also get Claritin. So I take both -- every day. Now I suffer all year mind you, so this is not just a Spring thing. Then this happened:




It's just on my thumb and it itches, oozes, burns, and is spreading so back to the doctor I went, only to be told it's an allergic reaction to something. You've got to be kidding!  On just the thumb? What gets on just a thumb?  His 1st thought was I was pulling weeds and something bit me back. Sounds plausible but I wear gloves to weed. His 2nd thought was there may be something inside the gloves, wash them. Again sounds plausible but since hubby got bit last year by a recluse spider and his leg blew up 3 times the size it should have been, I did wash the garden gloves before I wore them, --all 4 pairs because you never know where a spider is hiding all winter. Just saying. OK so his 3rd thought is to toss out all the garden gloves, go buy new ones, wash them and then try again.  Oh, and get a third allergy medicine that is a lot stronger (and will make me sleepy so don't take it and drive) and a steroid cream to dry out my thumb.  OK then Hubby, I am under doctors orders to go shopping!  I will get my allergy meds, my cream, wash the new gloves, and fall asleep as soon as the meds hit the blood steam. Sounds like a plan except I don't think a lot of weeding will get done if I'm asleep. Still, it's better than anything related to Winter because Winter up here last a very L---O----N----G time.  Any one have allergy issues?

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Wednesday Hodgepodge: Join in on the fun



1. How many times in your life have you moved house?
Hubby was in the air force so counting all the time we moved to off base housing then to on base housing the total comes to 11 times!  I really don't mind moving too much, I think of it as the ultimate Spring/Fall cleaning where I toss out all sorts of things. Out with old, tired, worn out, and in with the new, fresh, clean.

2. What subject would you study if you had a year to devote to it?
Gardening. I would love to become a Master Gardner. I really enjoy my time outdoors. 

3. What in this world breaks your heart?
When I see someone on the side of the road holding a sign saying they are homeless and a Vet.  I don't know if that is true or not or if my helping them with change really is helping or not. It just breaks my heart.

4. What is one item that symbolizes the times in which we live? Why?

Everywhere I go I see someone either on an iPad, iPhone, some kind of modern technology that we never had growing up.  I often think we are living in the age of Star Trek!  Makes me smile because I am a Trekkie!  

5. Share a favorite bumper sticker or t-shirt slogan.


With the high price of gas these day this bumper sticker really speaks the truth! It's not on my car, I don't like bumper stickers on my car but I like to read them.


6. How do you like your spaghetti?
Either with meat sauce or Mariana sauce if I'm in the mood for sauce at all but mostly with butter.

7. What is one piece of advice you would give a recent, or soon to be recent, graduate?
Thank your parents for all they put up with while you were in school complaining about not having enough "Fun Money." Your parents gave up a lot of fun money so that you could go to school. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.



I love my dog-Integrity StarBeck, AKA Becke the wonder dog. I wish I could fall asleep as fast as she does. She is very special to us. 

Monday, May 9, 2011

Weekend Review: Mothers Day Weekend and the 400 Mile Challenge

This is the card our Grandsons made for me.  They turned there hand prints into butterflies!  So cute.
How was your Mother's Day? Did you get breakfast in bed? Flowers? Plant? Were you taken out to eat, or did your family do all the cooking for the day?  Whatever you did to enjoy the day, I hope you felt special and loved.  For those woman who maybe didn't have a great relationship with there own mothers, I hope you were able to think of one good day, one good trait, one good thing about her. I know that this day can be hard on some people and for that I am sorry. 

Hubby brought home donuts to go along with his coffee for me.  Yes, it's not low carb but I asked for a few plane donuts to go with the coffee that he set up at night for me. So he did bring home a few and I gobbled them down as if I was afraid that someone would see me eating high carb, call me names, and snatch them from me screaming  "NO YOU CAN'T EAT THEM".  But I was too fast for them - they were eaten with great enjoyment because it's Mother's Day after all!!

I got to talk to both kids and I am so proud of them both. Daughter was cleaning out baby vomit from her hair and was still so happy to be a mom!  She is just a joy.  Our Son called from the beach on the west coast and told me that his oldest is eating them out of house and home and he is only 7!  Oh the memories talking to them brought back. He is a great son and a great dad - I love them and very proud of them both.

Later in the day Hubby did the cooking and made for dinner, baked sausage stuffed mushroom, grilled  beef tips and grilled veggies.  For dessert, we had strawberry short cake.  He is a great cook and I love when he does it.  When we were first married, I told him I couldn't cook and quickly set out to prove it. He cooked for may years (or he would have starved) while I learned the fine art of turning what I bought at the store into something resembling eatable food!



Shanae Button


Shanae over at Triumph and Tears took over the 400 mile challenge that Ellie started.  So click the button above to join the fun. When I started with the challenge just wanted to force my self to work off the loose skin that was created after I lost 33 pounds.  We all know how attractive  loose skin is on a woman in her late 50's who is fighting gravity anyways. Once I got started, I found that I really enjoyed moving and under this plan a lot of things count towards the 400 miles. I was able to keep moving without getting board and so I completed the challenge twice now. I'm on my 3rd go-around and put in a total of 71 miles so I am up to 879 for the year so far.  The stationary bike and step aerobics are my best friends right now.  How did you all do?

Friday, May 6, 2011

Mother's Day


Happy Mother's Day to all you Moms who have given up-
Sleeping in, sleeping late and sleeping at all.
Who have eaten after everyone else, eaten cold food, eaten over the sink, eaten only the leftovers of others while you did the dishes.
Who washed clothes, bed sheets, the vomit off the floor but is still wearing the same clothes from 3 days ago.
Who stays up worrying that the baby isn't sleeping, then is sleeping too long, baby moves into their first bed,  is out for their first overnight, is on their first date, is learning to drive, is going away to collage, is getting married and moves out.
Who tears up when her child cuddles, coos, laughs, talks, cries, is scared, plays make believe and dresses themselves for the first time.
 Whose heart melts when they hear "I Love You Mommy" and breaks when they hear "I Hate You Mom". 
Who everyday the one goal is to take this precious gift they were given and to help them learn to fly on their own then cries when they do. 
You are a Super Mom and Sunday is your  Special Day so enjoy it, relish in it. I hope you get spoiled and treated like a queen - Because you are one!
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY'S!



Thursday, May 5, 2011

Recipe of the week: Cauliflower Soup

Wednesday it was cold today - only in the 60's - windy - wet - gray - rain. The perfect day for soup. Here is a great one - and its easy.

Cauliflower Soup


Start by browning either a head of cauliflower or use a full bag of frozen cauliflower with some onions, and peppers - your choice of colors of course. I like the red and green peppers for added color. When done, toss into a crock pot.


Then in the same pan, fry 3 think slices of bacon (or ham).


Slice up the bacon (or ham) and add it with some of the bacon drippings into the crock pot with the cauliflower that is already there. If you are counting calories, do not put the bacon drippings but instead drain the bacon on a paper towel first.


Add 3 cups of either chicken broth or vegetable broth and let it cook on low 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours. I usually have home made chicken broth in the freezer so I used that.  I am cooking for just 2 of us so if you have a lager family, allow more time for it all to season and cook.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  
Enjoy!  We sure did!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Wednesday Hodgepodge: May Edition


Click the button and join us for some May fun!

1. Have you ever been served breakfast in bed? Do you enjoy that? If someone were serving you breakfast in bed this coming weekend what would you hope to see on the tray?
Boy I had to think about this one...the last time I had breakfast in bed must have been when the kids were little and they made me toast or something like that. I do not wake up hungry so I would not enjoy it but if they made me toast, I would eat it with a big smile. I wake up thirsty and really want coffee but I never wake up hungry. That was the hardest thing about the new low carb lifestyle - getting use to eating in the morning. Luckily I have up to 3 hours before I have to eat something. So if someone were to serve me breakfast in bed, it would be a giant cup of coffee.

2. What is one piece of advice you would give a new mother?
Hang in there, you will make it, just listen to your inner voice and smile!  OK so that may be more than one piece of advice but it all goes together.  Many times new moms feel overwhelmed and I want them to just relax.

3. When was the last time you wanted to scream? Explain.
A few days ago but I kept my mouth shut and didn't. I did do a lot of praying however.  I can't explain.. Sorry.

4. Can you hula hoop?
Yes but not very well and it's not pretty but I can keep the thing up on my hips! 
5. What is something people do in traffic that really bothers you?
They do not use their directionals!! I am not a mind reader and yet some people will cut in front of me. If I could only see their directionals I would make room for them, really I would. I'm a nice person. It's even worse if I am following someone - I mean really, if I knew where I was going I wouldn't need you up front!!


6. What do you do when people don't admit they're wrong?
Depends on the person. If I know them, then I will tease them about it, if I don't then I blow it off.  It's not worth loosing sleep over after all.

7. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word 'fun'?
Playing with our grand daughters, playing in the garden, relaxing in the heat of the sun and of course hanging around with Hubby - I know that is more than one but hay they just popped in my mind at the same time and I couldn't decide which one was first. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.
I went to give blood today. After 20 minutes of paperwork and digging into past records because I did donate blood in the 90's. The man taking all the information printed this and gave it to me.

I called the number and they don't know why I am not eligible so they have to dig into the old records to find out. This could take months!!! Really!! Oh and to top it off, they have me down as MAN!  You can't make this stuff up people!  I am on a mission to straighten this up.... Wish me luck.