Good morning blog friends. Why are Mondays so tough? I hate getting up Monday morning and getting ready for work…it’s always such a struggle. So I’m tired. Let’s recap the weekend in bullet point form, shall we?
- I have a bunch of new followers today! Welcome!
- We finally took down our Christmas tree and decorations over the weekend. Now there is an empty whole in my living room where the tree used to be. Why is taking down Christmas stuff so depressing?
- I also spent 45 minutes vacuuming up pine needles. Not fun.
- I love Disney movies, don’t you? Over the weekend I got to watch Disney’s The Princess and the Frog. It was adorable. It was on TV and I made sure to record it so I can watch it again. Seriously loved everything about it…especially the music!
- I’ve been meaning to write about how fabulous The Help by Kathryn Stockett is. I loved every minute of this book and found myself slowing down because I didn’t want it to end. I’m so glad I finally read it after hearing such wonderful things. If you haven’t read it yet add it to your list right now! You won’t be disappointed.
- I’m embarrassed to announce that Pancake weighs 17 pounds. He needs to go on a diet. Any cat diet recommendations???
- Lately the husband and I have been obsessed with hot chocolate. With marshmallows. We ran out of our supply over the weekend and I was beyond sad.
- I need some new recipes to add into my weekly routine. I feel like we eat the same things all the time. Does anyone have any favorite recipes to share? Especially ones that are quick and easy to make during the week?
- I promise I’ll be back tomorrow with something more exciting…and not in bullet form!
Oh goddness…diets for kitties are just as tough as diets for people! Scout is not too happy about his new diet and he woke me up at 0215 this morning to discuss it. After a much smaller snack than he wanted, we discussed the diet over and over until about 0415! When I got up at 0530, he appeared to be sleeping but he woke up instantly and demanded his breakfast…..this is going to be a challenge and we haven't even touched on the issue of exercise! Good luck with the Cake!
I know what you mean about different recipes for variety. We made the Tortellini soup you had on Christmas Eve. Yours was better but it was soooo good on a snowy, cold MI afternoon. Hava a good week. I guess you didn't get the 2 feet of snow we got this week-end.
I have recently posted about all of the things you mentioned today! Watched the Princess and the Frog last night, finished the help last week and my cat Lucy sat under my Christmas Tree in protest as I took down her favorite hiding spot! Love your blog, and especially your header!
Favorite recipe of mine that is SO easy and SO healthy is spaghetti squash made with ground turkey and spaghetti sauce. Make your usual spaghetti meat sauce but instead of using noodles, use spaghetti squash. (Directions on cooking spaghetti squash should be on a sticker on the squash itself). Anyways, the fiance loves it and I don't feel bad about eating all the carbs of spaghetti noodles since it's not noodles, it's squash!
Have a good week! HaPpY mOnDaY!!
new recipe? hot chocolate, peppermint schnaps, and marshmellows. you wont be sorry 🙂 also-holy pancake!
I like Erin's recipe. 🙂 In all reality, here's one I like ALOT… It's easy, tasty, and is great for entertaining because it appears harder than it is.. 😉
Chicken Piccata:
Cutlets
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and tenderloins removed and sliced into cutlets
Table salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Piccata Sauce
1 medium shallot, minced
Table salt
1 & 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 lemon, ends trimmed, sliced thin
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and patted dry
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
Ground black pepper
Directions
For the cutlets: spread flour in shallow dish. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge cutlets in flour and shake off excess; set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Lay half of cutlets in skillet and cook until light golden, about 3 minutes. Flip cutlets over and continue to cook until meat is no longer pink in center and feels firm when pressed with finger, about 2 minutes. Transfer cutlets to plate and cover with foil; set aside. Repeat with remaining oil and cutlets.
For the sauce: Add shallot and 1/4 teaspoon salt to oil left in skillet, return to medium-low heat, and cook until softened about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth and lemon slices, scraping up browned bits. Bring to simmer and cook until mixture measures 1 cup, about 5 minutes.
Pour any accumulated chicken juices into simmering sauce. Whisk milk and cornstarch together in small bowl, then whisk into simmering sauce. Continue to simmer until sauce has thickened, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in lemon juice, capers and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over chicken before serving.
I always tell people that the government should look into making Monday part of the weekend as well. I think we all would be happier if that were the case:)
Here's a recipe my family LOVES. It's NOT healthy but it's super easy and has turned into our favorite comfort food. We eat it for breakfast and/or dinner.
Ingredients:
2 tubes crescent roll dough
1 tube Jimmy Dean Regular Pork Sausage
1 package Philly Cream Cheese
2 cups grates cheddar
Instructions:
open one tube crescent roll dough and roll out into the bottom or a rectangle cake pan.
Cook pork sausage crumbling like hamburger. Once fully cooked put full package of cream cheese (Cubed) into pan and cook until fully melted.
Spread Pork/Cream Cheese mixture on top of crescent roll dough in cake pan, evenly.
Sprinkle two cups cheddar cheese evenly on pork mixture.
Open second crescent roll dough and roll out on top of cheese, stretching so it's fully covered.
Bake at 375 for 12-18 minutes until golden brown.
Enjoy!
I was thinking the same thing about my Christmas decorations! Our tree is still up (without lights or ornaments… we just haven't shoved it back in the box yet…) but I was looking at my mantle and couldn't figure out what was missing and why it was so empty!! LOL
Happy Monday Julie! I LOVED the help, and am so excited that they are making a movie from it!!
Pancake does not look 17 pounds, ours look much fatter but they are only 13 I think. We feed them Iams weight control, not sure it helps in anyway but we try!
I have some great easy weekday recipes.
1. Turkey meatloaf muffins
1 lb ground turkey
2 egg whites
1 c water
box of stovetop stuffing
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix everything together.
Spray muffin tin with pam.
Put meat mixture in muffin pan (makes 12 muffins)
Bake for 30-40 min. 35 is perfect in CO.
These are really good and healthy. We had them last night with a baked potato, plus there are leftovers.
Recipe 2- Chicken stroganoff
Chicken breasts ( I use 2 ginormous ones)
1 16 oz container of light sour cream
1 can 98% FF Cream of Mushroom soup
1 package of Lipton French Onion soup mix
Mix soup, soup mix and sour cream in a bowl. Put chicken (you can use frozen) in the crockpot, add mixture over it. Cook on low for 5-7 hours. Serve over pasta! This is my absolute favorite! It tastes like it is so unhealthy.
I'm trying to get out of my recipe rut as we speak – I'll keep you posted.
As for The Help – I agree. One of my favorite books of 2010 for SURE!