I've had a productive morning...

 

 

I made not one, not two, but three really good salad dressings this morning.  The Italian Vinaigrette is a new recipe, but the other two, Western and Ramona’s Poppyseed, are favorites.  I’ve made Ramona’s recipe for years, there isn’t a better poppyseed dressing than hers, it’s just wonderful.  And the quart jar, it’s green and it’s a goodie, but that’s for another post.

If you happen to be in the mood, these are easy peasy and so much better than bottled.  Yep, they’re low-carb, but don’t let that stop you, these are excellent dressings.

The Western Dressing calls for a bit of xanthan gum to thicken it, but you can leave that out.  

Here are the links, maybe you’re thinking spring and salad this sunny February day, too.

Ramona’s Famous Poppyseed Dressing

Peace, Low & Low Carbs Italian Vinaigrette Dressing

Western Dressing

A Woman Goes Back to Work After Thirty Years

 

Just had to share this quick video with you this morning.  I laughed so hard, this could be me….

Abby made Valentine's Cookies

 

Granddaughters are wonderful little people...

Sisters

I never had a sister, but those of you who do can identify with this.

I sent this to my daughter-in-law Lindsay, asking if this reminded me of her and her sister, and she answered YES!

This was on Facebook yesterday and it was just too cute not to share.  I bet a lot of you are smiling right now.  ~ Jan

The Paderno World Cuisine Tri-Blade Spiral Vegetable Slicer

Jan, the Gadget Queen, strikes again!  This time it’s a Paderno World Cuisine Tri-Blade Spiral Vegetable Slicer.  Several months ago, when I discovered Zoodles (thin shreds of summer squash or zucchini) I blogged about my newest gadget, an Oxo veggie shredder.  Here’s the post.

It worked really well, I was making great faux pasta with it several times a week, then I took it to John and Deanna’s and forgot it, and decided to replace it with a  Spirelli Spiral Slicer.

It “seemed” to be really popular on the low carb forums, but hubby was the only one who could use it because I didn’t have the strength to turn the veggies thru it and he hated it.  It was difficult to turn, the zucchini caught in the blades, oh let’s face it, it was a disaster.  But I paid $29 for the darn thing so we were making the best of it.

Then I started reading more and quickly found out the the one people really like is the Paderno World Cuisine Tri-Blade slicer.  I had a little windfall in the form of a Blogger check, so I just bit the bullet, ignored the fact that I had already bought two other slicers and bought it.

Well, let me tell you, it’s worth every penny of the $35.98 Amazon Prime we paid for it (mine was on sale, it’s slightly higher now.)  It works flawlessly, easy to use, easy to clean.  It’s large, so you do have to store it, but it’s a winner.  Even LC said he would buy it again, it’s that good!

We made Zoodles tonight, here is the Palerno in action.   And just in case you aren’t familiar with Zoodles, it’s faux pasta made from summer squash or zucchini.  If you put sauce on it, or butter and garlic, it’s a great substitute.  I actually prefer summer squash, it has s smoother taste, but zucchini is good, too.  

Here’s what they look like when they come out of the machine.  They are one continuous spiral, I cut them into a manageable size. 

And here’s dinner after I sautéed them for about five minutes in butter with garlic and thyme. You want them slightly el dente, not limp, and you can almost fool yourself into thinking you’re eating pasta..  But then we are seriously pasta deprived.

Another good thing.  Seriously *grin*

Jokari Soda Can Straws and Lids

Need a cheap thrill this Monday morning?  These nifty little straws with a cap helps seal the fizz in your soda.  Hubby found them for a couple of bucks at Wally World yesterday, but they also sell them on Amazon for $4.  They’re BPA free, so you don’t have to worry about sucking down toxins when you sip, and yours truly does enjoy drinking thru a straw.   Now if I can just find a koozie that keeps my drink really cold…  Ya, I know, never satisfied...

It’s a good thing, actually...

Here’s the Amazon click, you know you want it ;o)

Update:  Okay, it looks like I may have found just the thing, that didn’t take long.  It’s now on my Amazon wish list, I’m not a fan of the price, but it just might be the ticket for this summer.  

It keeps drinks cold for 2-3 hours and has great reviews.  I have to buy this!!!

Yes, I know, you want this click, too.  Here you go….

This old(er) girl just loves this stuff. I am the Gadget Queen, just ask my family. *grin*

Happy Days are Here Again....

 

 

Happy . Days . Are. Here . Again . . .

Well, at least for this week, next week it’s back in the deep freeze.

Carpe Diem!!!!!

I got a little blue box for Valentine's Day

 

 

I seldom talk about the gifts hubby gives me, except in a joking manner.  Today I’m going to take exception, because back in 2007 I blogged about my worst Valentine’s Day gift ever, a red exercise suit, and I want you all to know that he is finally, after all these years, totally forgiven.

Back in 2007 I said it wasn’t “exactly romantic” but this year was.  We had such a nice day, a quick breakfast out, shopping a bit, even going for a walk around the neighborhood before the snow moved in.  And when he gave me “The Little Blue Box”  the one that makes every girl’s heart go pitter-patter, I was so touched.

And what’s in the box?  Well, we’ve been married for 43 years this summer, so the man knows me really well.  He gave me a gift card  to Tiffany’s so I can pick out what I want.  We’re heading to Nashville in a few weeks to visit the kids, guess you all know what store I’ll be hitting up.

Thanks hubby for the nice surprise and for making my Valentine’s Day so special.  XXo ~ me

Happy Valentines Day

Wishing you Hershey kisses and bouquets of spring tulips on this snowy Valentine’s Day in Heavensville….

Saying goodbye to processed food...

 

Something is happening at our house that is life changing.  Hubby, not me, who had already decided several months ago that this was a game changer, but LC, has decided that he wants to continue eating low carb, to the point that he no longer wants our pantry filled with food we no longer eat.  We took everything white and processed out of the pantry, and we’re getting rid of it.

We’re saying goodbye to his favorite Kraft Mac’ and Cheese, pastas, prepackackaged mixes, it’s all going.  He’s not even tempted by this food, which is really shocking.

This is totally lifechanging at our age, to not eat the way we have our entire lives.  But I’m discovering a new way to cook, really good recipes, they’re not the same as we’re used to, some are not as good, but some, actually are better.

LC feels good, his weight is lower than it’s been in years, we don’t have to worry about the possibility of diabetes, his doctor approves, and he’s totally onboard with this, not temporarily, but long term.  And yours truly, it’s so easy for me to eat this way, I did miss beans, but now that  I’ve discovered black soybeans, and have that 25 lb. sack in my garage, I’m able to substitute them for my favorite pinto and limas. I no longer have heartburn, I have more energy, I don’t struggle to zip my pants, my muffin top is deflating, it’s such a good thing.

We do have a few meals a month with carbs, for me it’s usually pizza, for him, pasta, chinese or his favorite Deerhead breaded tenderloin, and then we go right back to it.  It’s harder when we visit the kids, but we indulge a bit and then come home and immediately start eating low carb again.

So this is what we’re up to this pretty, but cold winter day.  Purging our pantry of the bad, stocking it with the good, lots of nuts, coconut oil, items like wheat protein isolate, resistant wheat starch, xanthan gum, carbolose flour, and psyllium husk powder, strange  things I had never heard of before, but are actually pretty darn good.

It will be a year in May for me eating this way,  July for him, I’ll update you on my anniversary as to how it’s going and what’s in our pantry.  

And what’s on the menu tonight?  George Stella’s Marinara and Mozzarella Meatloaf, garlic and thyme sautéed zoodles (yellow squash cut into spaghetti strips), green salad with that great Western dressing I made yesterday and strawberries with low carb ice cream for dessert.  Not bad, huh…  Nope, not bad at all...

~ Bon Appetit Low Carb Style ~ Jan

Marinara + Mozzarella Meatloaf
Recipe courtesy George Stella

Prep Time 15 min/ Cook Time 75 min/ Serves 8

Shopping List
2 pounds lean ground beef
11⁄2 cups marinara sauce, no sugar added
1⁄4 cup diced red onion
3 large eggs
1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1⁄2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
3⁄4 cup mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and ready a nonstick 9x5 loaf pan for baking. (Or spray a regular loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.)

2. In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, 1 cup of the marinara sauce, diced red onion, eggs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. (This is easiest done with your hands.)

3. Evenly fill loaf pan with the meatloaf mixture, patting with your hands to form an even top. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

4. Remove loaf from oven; drain any excess fat or liquid, and then top with the remaining 1⁄2 cup of marinara sauce, and all of the mozzarella cheese. Return to oven and bake an additional 30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees. Drain fat from pan once more and let rest 10 minutes before cutting into 8 equal slices.

George’s Tips | When buying marinara sauce, it is very important to read the labels! Look for the sauce that is the lowest in sugar. While tomatoes contain some natural sugars, check the ingredients list for any sugar or corn syrup that may have been added. With so many jars to choose from, there’s no need to buy the one with added corn syrup! 

Variation | If you do not have a loaf pan, simply form a rounded loaf by hand in a large baking dish. Also, you can make an Italian Vegetable Stuffed Meatloaf by adding 1⁄4 cup of diced roasted red peppers and 1⁄2 cup of diced fresh zucchini.

calories:425| fat: 28g |protein: 29g |fiber: 1g |net carbs: 6.5g

Things that go bump in the night...

A couple of weeks ago we were sound asleep, it was 2am and all of a sudden hubby lets out this bloodcurdling scream, a horrific  guttural sound I had never heard him utter before.  He jumps out of bed and throws something, I bolt upright in a panic, Maggie is barking her little Yorkie head off, and I’m trying to clear my head enough to find out what’s going on.

He turns on the light, and he had thrown a fern across the room.  Our cleaning lady had been there that morning, apparently dusted the shelf above the bed and the fern had been teetering precariously on the edge, and the fan from the furnace was just enough to give it flight, right on the top of LC’s face when he was soundly sleeping.  It’s a wonder the man didn’t have a heart attack!

The fern is just thrown back upon the shelf, I think poor hubby wants nothing to do with it, and I haven’t suggested he tuck it behind the clock, poor man, I was so unnerved, I can’t imagine having something scratchy fall on your face in the middle of the night.  He must have thought he had a squirrel or worse attacking him.  I know it scared the beejus out of me when I heard him yelling.

Oh, we really need to do something about that shelf, take it down, put something else in it’s place.  He has glued Liquid Nail to the brackets on the wall, because I worry about the whole thing tumbling down on us, so it’s a major redo when we take it down, but we really need to figure something else out..  We’re just too old for all this excitement in bed!

Rest in Peace, Shirley Temple

 

She was just the most amazing little girl.  So many good memories from a gentler time...

 

iTunes

 

 

I’m so bored I’ve spent a good part of the day organizing music in iTunes.  Not a bad thing actually, because I really do have some great elevator music.  :O)  Well I do!  And now it’s all together, ready to play on my mini player.

If you are a fan of gentle, soothing, lyrical tunes, there is nobody better than Dean Evenson.  I have several of his albums, but my favorite is Back to the Garden.

 

 

I bought it years ago at a little tourist shop when we were traveling.  I love little out of the way places, they always seem to have great cd’s that aren’t mainstream.

 You can get Back to the Garden from Amazon here, and listen to samples.  

I just found several of his recordings online from my local library, that’s even better than Amazon.  They’re free!  Guess where I’m going next week?

 

Try it, it’s a good thing.  ~ Jan

Kathie Lee and more, Podcasts for a Sunday afternoon...

 

If you’re looking for something to do on this dreary Sunday in February, some of these podcasts might appeal to you.  Oh c’mon, quit rolling your eyes and just check out the link.  Kathie Lee interviewed Dolly, how much better can it get than that!  And Tim Conway, and a blast from the past, Debbie Boone.

You know you’re bored, it’s just audio people, you can listen and go about whatever you’re doing.  Who would give up a chance for a Dolly interview, her voice is enough to give any of us the giggles.

Here’s the link, go for it!

And while you’re at it, probably my most favorite podcasts of all are the Splendid Table ones.  I love to have them in my iPod, great for when you’re out walking, right, like we can walk in the ice today.  But anyhoo, lots and lots of goodies to choose from.

Check them out here!

I used to be a big fan of Podcasts, and they kind of fell by the wayside, so I’m reviving them.  Yep, that’s what I’m doing today, exciting isn’t it...

We had such a fun week...

We went to Lexington and kept Ben while Ryan, Lindsay and Abby were at Disney and oh, what a sweet little boy this little guy is.  LC and I were a great team, taking care of him, but Ben led the way.  He’s a great communicator, and told us what he wanted.   Second children don’t get to be the center of attention for extended periods of time, and he loved it.

He brought back so many memories of our boys at this age.  If it doesn’t have wheels or bounce, he has no use for it.  He played with his balls and his trucks, and his favorite bulldozer constantly.   Abby has been such a revelation to us, because never having had a little girl, she was the complete opposite of what we were used to.  Ben, however,  just brings the boy’s childhood back.  At this age Abby was very  focused, putting puzzles together, playing with toys that required skill beyond her years, and he’s just all Action Jackson, on the run all the time, squealing and clapping his little hands, loving anything that makes a motor noise.

 The weather was not good while we were there, an ice storm, a power outage, so we were housebound, but it was a great experience for us, because Ben was our focus.  I think he enjoyed it as much as we did, and when we left yesterday, I kissed his little head, and he leaned into me and said “more” wanting me to kiss him again.

The weather forecast yesterday was for snow, and then they changed it to flurries, but we decided to come home last night just in case.  It was a lovely drive home, a bright, moonlit night, and the snow and ice on the trees just glistened.  We played The Fresh Marked cd that I talked about in an earlier post, if you ever find one on ebay, I suggest you snap it up if you’re a fan of classical music.  It’s one of those cd’s that you can listen to over and over, barely recognizing that it’s playing, but it’s uplifting music that’s good for the soul, and our time on the road (3 hours+) went quickly.

We’re glad that we made the drive, because we got an inch or so of snow last night, and it’s snowing this morning, it would have been a slick drive had we waited until today.

So life goes back to normal for us, but with such good memories of time spent with a precious little boy at such a special age.  Life is good, I’m so blessed...

Abby is at Disney

Princess Abby is having a blast!!!!

 

 

Meanwhile,  back at the ranch, we had an ice storm last night and a power outage for a few hours.  Ben is being an absolute joy, though, he’s such a good little boy, we’re having a really good time taking care of him.  

Grammie is tired of hearing herself complain about the weather, though, as is everybody else.  But darn, this is absolutely awful!  Even my friend, Jean, who loves snow and loves cold weather is over it.  C’mon spring!!!!!!

 

 

California Dreamin'

 

I’ve been humming this all morning as we face yet another significant snowfall.  It’s an oldie but goodie.  Always one of my favorite songs...

Here’s the lyrics, if you want to sing along...

All the leaves are brown
(All the leaves are brown)
And the sky is gray
(And the sky is gray)
I've been for a walk
(I've been for a walk)
On a winter's day
(On a winter's day)

I'd be safe and warm
(I'd be safe and warm)
If I was in L.A
(If I was in L.A.)
California dreamin'
(California dreamin') on such a winter's day

Stopped in to a church I passed along the way
Well I got down on my knees
(got down on my knees)
And I pretend to pray
(I pretend to pray)
You know the preacher likes the cold
(preacher likes the cold)
He knows I'm gonna stay
(knows I'm gonna stay)
California dreamin'
(California dreamin') on such a winter's day

{Bridge}

All the leaves are brown
(All the leaves are brown)
And the sky is gray
(And the sky is gray)
I've been for a walk
(I've been for a walk)
On a winter's day
(On a winter's day)

If I didn't tell her
(If I didn't tell her)
I could leave today
(I could leave today)
California dreamin' (California dreamin') on such a winter's day
California dreamin' on such a winter's day
California dreamin' on such a winter's day

The Purina Dog Food Diet

My friend, Barb, sent me this, it’s so funny, just had to share...

Yesterday I was at Sam's Club, buying a large bag of Purina dog chow for my loyal pet, Owen , the Wonder Dog and was in the check-out line when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog. What did she think I had an elephant?

So because I'm retired and have little to do, on impulse, I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, I was starting the Purina Diet again. I added that I probably shouldn't, because I ended up in the hospital last time, but that I'd lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms.

I told her that it was essentially a Perfect Diet and that the way that it works is, to load your pants pockets with Purina Nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete, (certified), so it works well and I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in line was now enthralled with my story.)

Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care, because the dog food poisoned me. I told her no, I had stopped to pee on a fire hydrant and a car hit me.

I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard. Sam's Club won't let me shop there anymore.

Better watch what you ask retired people. They have all the time in the world to think of crazy things to say.

I love The Fresh Market...

Oh, I really enjoy shopping in this store, it really is special.  Lindsay and Ryan have been shopping at The Fresh Market for years, and while I always enjoyed the ambiance, I was appalled at the prices.  

Then The Fresh Market came to Heavensville, and still I didn’t shop there until a few months ago.  Sometimes it takes me awhile, I should have just listened to the kids in the first place.  They kept telling me about their weekly specials, so I signed up for the newsletter and finally got onboard.  I’ve found the meat to be so much better than other grocery stores, and I really do stock up when things are on their Tuesday and weekend sales.  We were shopping Tuesday, hubby was at the meat counter, some lady was buying 30 lbs. of ground chuck in 1 lb.  individual packages.  Obviously there must be no limit.  My favorite food of choice is the Applewood Smoked Bacon.  It’s so good and so expensive, $10 a pound, but every couple of months they have a buy one get one free.  So I buy in quantity, not 30 lbs.:o) but I do buy several packages and freeze it.  I’ve found this to be an acquired taste, this really smoky bacon,  Ryan fixed it for me in the past and I didn’t care for it, but now it’s one of my favorite foods.  I’m such a baconaholic, and living the low carb lifestyle allows me to eat it almost daily.  Yep, I eat it almost every day, I love it that much.  I doubt if I ever quit eating low carb, seriously, just because I wouldn’t be able to have my daily bacon infusement.  Carbs + bacon = major weight gain, unfortunately.

But back to The Fresh Market, I find things there I can’t find elsewhere, and this week it finally dawned on me why I like it so much.  When John lived in Dayton he was just a couple of blocks away from Dorothy Lane Market, which is the most fascinating grocery store I’ve ever been in.  It’s an old store, with brick walls and scarred wood floors, and like Fresh Market they have wonderful treasures not found in conventional markets.  That was always one of the highlights of visiting Dayton, going to Dorothy Lane Market.  

Well, The Fresh Market is very similar.  It’s new, but made to look quaint, and the very best part is the soft upbeat classical music they play while you shop, just like they do at Dorothy Lane.

See what I mean, Fresh Market is very similar to this photo of Dorothy Lane, it’s the quintessential foodie market.

And being the investigative junkie that I am, liking nothing better than scouting out things on the internet. I came home this week from shopping at TFM and searched the net until I found The Fresh Market CD.  I’m thinking that this was not something that was available to the general public, but a CD that they sent to stores because I searched thoroughly and only found one copy of this anywhere online.  It has their logo on it, says established in 1982 and has a listing of classical  music.  And yep, it’s winging it’s way to Heavensville as we speak.  I’m absolutely estatic.  I know, I’m a goober, but I’m so thrilled.  Let’s hope it’s a goodie.  The price was a goodie, too, I got it for $8!

Whoohoooooo!!!!!!

Budweiser Super Bowl Commercial, Puppy Love

 

Oh my, another one that tugs at the heart strings.  Has to be women who write these commercials, has to be…