Boxes, blizzards and bacon oh my!

I'm going to start with a profound though...bacon smells good! :-)  Sadly, my dear Sheena finally got another job and she's leaving us. To say good-bye we're having a farewell potluck for her on Thursday. I decided to make two casseroles and they are completely different in just about every imaginable way with the exception of the fact that they are both very tasty. First, I'm making a ridiculously healthy spaghetti squash casserole. It's full of veggie goodness and I really hope people like it.  I guess I will if nothing else.  The other casserole I'm making is about as bad for you as it can get and was inspired by a recent trip to the cafeteria. Last week they had a baked potato bar and I thought it would be really cool to try and make a baked potato casserole.  I'm not even going to waste my time calculating the calorie content.  I honestly think I'd rather just eat in happy ignorance.  I mean, come on, how good can it be when the main ingredients are a butt load of potatoes, 1 pound of bacon and lots of cheddar cheese.  That's not even taking into consideration the sour cream and mayo.  It will be bad, but so good! I also made my first batch of caramel corn and will be taking the majority of that in.  I decided that my caramel corn is just too good and I can't keep it in the house! p.s. seems how this blog is a day old I thought I'd let you know that I finished the baked potato casserole and it is SO damn good.  I can't wait to share it tomorrow!

Winter is here...boo.  Michigan had it's first blizzard last night and into this morning.  Thankfully we only got about an inch of snow in Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti but there were areas not too far from here that got 10 inches.  I wouldn't mind the inch of snow but we also got 2 inches of rain yesterday and had some serious flooding. Unfortunately the temp dropped before the flood water did and all of our flooding froze.  There was some serious ice out there this morning.  Fortunately I have a garage so my car wasn't iced over and I just bought new winter boots over the weekend which meant that I didn't kill myself going to work out this morning. A lot of kids had their first snow day today...seems a bit early to be dealing with that.

Technically I have nothing to say about boxes because all of our packing for the new hospital  is being done in crates but I really wanted the effect of the alliteration.  We are in full swing to move this weekend.  I can't believe that we're finally moving into the new space. The next two days could prove to be very stressful at work. I really don't want to work on Saturday so I might have to put in some long hours on tomorrow and Friday.  Things seem to be going well so far.  Sure, there are problems but that's to be expected when you're moving an entire hospital.  Hopefully we'll be able to work out all of the kinks over the next few days. I can't wait to finally be in 1 location.  All of this running back in forth is making people cranky.

I guess before I close I have one more B for you.  I just found out yesterday that we get bonuses this year...yay!  I wasn't going to buy myself a Christmas present but now that I have an unexpected bit of cash I think I'm finally going to break down and buy myself one of the Keurig coffee makers.  The little one is just under $100 and will be perfect for me.  It's a bit extravagant but I never buy anything fun for myself.  I can't wait!

Alright, that's it.  I need to go snooze on the couch now!

Black Friday Success!

Happy day after Thanksgiving! I hope that you all had a wonderful turkey day and are ready to embark upon the Christmas season.  Let's face it, ready or not here it comes! I had a quiet Thanksgiving at home, my dinner was great but sadly I had to watch the Lions lose.  I was really hoping for a better game but I guess there's always next year!  I was up way too early yesterday and got in a really good workout, factor in the carb overload from lunch (apparently the latest research says it's not the turkey) and I was almost passed out on my couch at 8:00. I did manage to stay up and watch the new Charlie Brown cartoon.  It was all about Linus breaking his blanket habit. I don't think I realized just how neurotic most of the Peanuts character are until I watched last nights' show, especially poor Linus.

Just as I was heading to bed my grandpa Warnke called me.  He was at my aunt's when I called earlier in the day.  Ladies, I have to say that I'm always sad when I get off the phone with my grandpa. He's an awful lot like me when it comes to phone talking.  With rare exception he'd rather not do it.  However, in order to keep in touch we must. We never talk for more than a few minutes.  I could tell yesterday that he was ready to get off the phone but I think he's so lonely that he kept hanging on.  He'd go to end the conversation and after I said good-bye he'd start a new topic. I don't know that he'll ever be able to adjust to my grandma not being there. I can't imagine having someone in your life for so long and then have them be gone.  The loneliness must be terrible.  I'm alone a lot of the time, but I'm very rarely lonely.  When I am, it's miserable. It just breaks my heart. I should really change the topic or I'm going to be crying again.  I'm really hoping that this emotional thing that I got after my mom passed away will get in check some day!

After my workout this morning I decided to brave the crowds and do a bit of shopping.  I had a plan in mind and tried to stick to it as much as possible. I went to Jo-Ann's first.  I'm currently working on a baby blanket for PJ and the yarn I'm using was on sale.  I also needed some heavy duty fabric to fix my new winter coat.  Apparently when I never raised my arms or reached out in front of me when I first got it.  When I wore it last week, about 3.5 inches of wrist was exposed while I was driving.  Damn my broad, man-like shoulders.  Anyway, the woman who altered my dress is going to make cuffs to help keep my wrists warm this winter.  I picked up a pretty purple corduroy and a black plead.  I'm not sure which fabric will work best so I'll show both to Arta and return whatever I don't use.  I couldn't believe the lines at Jo-Ann's.  If I wasn't saving over $10 on the fabric for the coat I honestly don't know if I would have waited. 

After Jo-Ann's I was almost scared to head to other stores but I just couldn't pass up the deals.  Old Navy had killer prices on kid's clothes.  There were a ton of people but I have to admit, the staff sure was snappy about moving people through the check out lines.  I don't think I waited for 5 minutes.  I'm sure it would have been much worse if I had gone early but by 11:00 it wasn't bad at all. After a quick peppermint mocha break (yummy!!) I made my way across town to Fashion Bug and Payless. I'm not going to lie that all of my purchases there were personal but I needed new winter tops and boots. Fashion Bug had all tops buy one get one free and Payless had all boots 50% off.  I mean really, could I beat getting 50% off when the items are a necessity. I needed new winter boots, mine from last year were leaking and breaking down, after three years that really isn't a surprise.   And I literally have 2 long, sleeve shirts that actually fit me that aren't track jackets. My final stop of the afternoon was Wal-Mart.  Oddly I spent more there than anywhere else and didn't buy a single thing on sale.  Although, to be fair I just wanted to finish a bit more of my shopping today and the things I wanted were there. All in all, I'm feeling pretty good about my day of spending.  I'm just really glad I get paid three times in December!

I think the rest of my Christmas shopping should be straight forward. I'm planning on buying the rest of the kid's presents on Monday.  I'm hoping because it's 'cyber Monday' that I'll be able to find what I want on sites that have free shipping.  I figure seems how I'm not going home for Christmas this year I'll just have all of the kids gifts sent to Karla's house and then she can wrap them for me.  It's cheaper to pay for store shipping most of the time than to send it through the post office.  She's a good sport and doesn't mind doing my wrapping.  She's such a good little elf!  My only tricky person left is my brother Brad.  I got him for the big kid exchange.  I honestly don't know what to get him.  I told him if he doesn't send me a list he's getting a household item and smelly lotion.  I hope he doesn't think I'm joking :-)

Alright, I think I'm going to go tidy my bedroom.  I got a bedside table from a friend who is moving so now I need to rearrange some things. Have a great weekend!

p.s. Jenny, the cranberry pork loin (well, I used chops) was fantastic. I just wish I hadn't used the cranberry sauce I had in the cupboard...it was a little old and tasted a bit like tin can.  Oh well, live and learn!

Recipe: zesty wheat berry and black bean chili

First, let me just say that I drastically underestimated the sheer quantity of soup that my first batches of soup would produce.  As such, I didn't actually make my third and most anticipated soup until the weekend. I really wasn't sure how this soup and I would get along.  To be honest I have a hard time with the texture of grains sometimes. With the exception of preferring my pasta al dente I tend to eat the majority of my grains on the over-cooked side and when grains have a firmer final texture it tends to be a turn off for me.  When I cooked the wheat berries early in the day Sunday I was a bit nervous because they were a bit too hard for my liking.  However, I figured once I cooked them in the soup they'd soften up a bit; which, of course, they did.  At the end of the process I had an amazingly hearty chili that is so damn healthy you won't believe it!

You will need:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 large yellow bell pepper,chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
• 2 14-ounce cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1-2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced (see Tip)
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
• 2 cups Cooked Wheat Berries (follow the direction on the package.  About 2/3 c. dry wheat berries make 2 cups cooked)
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, chipotle to taste, broth and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.
2. Stir in cooked wheat berries and heat through, about 5 minutes more. (If using frozen wheat berries, cook until thoroughly heated.) Remove from the heat. Stir in lime juice. Garnish each bowl with avocado and cilantro.

Naturally, it wouldn't be a recipe on my blog unless I made a few changes.  First, I used a red pepper, mostly because I couldn't find a decent yellow pepper.  I pretty much assume that sweet peppers are interchangeable so I don't think color matters, just don't use green. Next, I added the wheat berries at the same time I added the beans and tomatoes.  Again, this was for personal texture issues.  As I'm typing I realize that I didn't add the lime juice last night.  I'll stick some in tonight...I think it will be a great addition.  Finally, I didn't garnish with cilantro or avocado.  I don't care for cilantro and I couldn't come up with a good way to chop up an avocado without it getting disgusting after a few minutes.  Seems how I'll be eating this soup for 5 days I figure I'll just skip that part.  However, I might grab some of the 'Biggest Loser' individual guacamole packets and see how those go with it.

This recipe is easy and so much fun to make.  If you're skeptical about the wheat berries it would still be really good without them. 

Recipe: ravioli and vegetable soup

I have officially completed two of my three new soup recipes for the week.  While the ravioli vegetable soup is amazing, the chicken and white bean soup was a bust so I won't be sharing that recipe.  I'm really hoping that the chili recipe is good, I'd hate to be 1 for 3 at the end of the week!

When I made the ravioli soup I couldn't believe how quick, easy and delicious it was.  The only change I made was to use tortellini instead of ravioli. It's not that I have a preference for one little stuffed pasta over the other, but the only ravioli they had was 'meat' and I'm always a bit skeptical of the quality of meat that they use in the pasta. At the end of the day use whatever you like best.

You will need:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste (optional)
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
• 1 15-ounce can vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups hot water
• 1 teaspoon dried basil or marjoram
• 1 6- to 9-ounce package fresh or frozen cheese (or meat) ravioli, preferably whole-wheat
• 2 cups diced zucchini, (about 2 medium)
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add pepper-onion mix, garlic and crushed red pepper (if using) and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, broth, water and basil (or marjoram); bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add ravioli and cook for 3 minutes less than the package directions. Add zucchini; return to a boil. Cook until the zucchini is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Season with pepper.

Normally but the 5th time I'm eating something I just want it to be gone because I'm sick of it.  I was really sad to finish this soup at lunch today, it was just that good. I can't wait to make this again.

Soup's on, part deux

Jenny, you are my inspiration!  Your blog title spoke to me and as I was reading about your tomato soup (which I love Campbell's Tomato Soup) all I could think about was having a soup's on-week.  So, I'm doing it and the menu this week consists of tortelini and vegetable soup; chicken and canellini bean soup and zesty wheat berry and black bean chili. I'm really excited, not just because I get to eat boatloads of soup but also because I get two opportunities to work with ingredients I've never tried before. The chicken soup calls for leeks and I've never cooked with wheat berries before. I can't wait!!

Anyway...soup's on!

Recipe: sweet potato and black bean chili

I don't know about you, but I love this time of year because it means soup!  I honestly can't think of a better meal on a cold night than a hot bowl of delicious soup. I've started my winter goal of making a pot of soup every week and the sweet potato and black bean chili I made last week was wonderful. I'm still on the fence about the spicy onion and apple soup I made this week. The more I eat it the better it gets but I don't know if I'd ever make it again. If I finally decide that I like it, I'll post the recipe. For now, you'll have to settle for just the chili.

You will need:

• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium-large sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 4 teaspoons lime juice
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle and salt and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add water and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the sweet potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Add beans, tomatoes and lime juice; increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

I did tweak a few things while making this recipe. First, I didn't add the ground chipotle chili, not because I didn't think it would be good but because I forgot to pick it up both times that I went to the store. I also left out the fresh cilantro because I don't personally care for cilantro. I'm pretty sure that I also added a bit of Frank's hot sauce because I was a bit shy on the called for amount of chili powder. You can play with the seasonings to make it as mild or hot as you like...there is no right or wrong. I got this recipe from eatingwell.com and one of the serving suggestions was to eat the soup with tortilla chips. I was pretty short on calories the days that I was eating this chili so I picked up some multigrain scoops and gave it a shot, boy was that good! Whether you eat it with a spoon or chip this is a must have chili for anybody who likes sweet potatoes or black beans.

No-scale November!

Ladies, I have hit another plateau in my weight loss attempt. I am so stinking close to losing 100 pounds but it's just not happening. I have been losing and regaining the same 3 pounds for a month...a MONTH! Now, had I not gone home and had 2 week of naughtiness followed by another week of trying to get back on track I might be at that beautiful milestone but if's aren't cutting it right now. I'm not worried, I hit a plateau right before I hit the 50 pound mark as well and eventually busted through, it's just frustrating to lose a pound, gain a pound, lose 1.5 pounds, gain 2 pounds, lose 2.5 pounds etc. So, in an attempt to salvage my sanity and the well being of my scale I have decided to embark upon a no-scale November.

I have been weighing myself everyday for the last 6 months. Now, many people might not like this fact. There are, in fact, many people who recommend that you only weigh yourself once a year. I think that's great if you're of normal weight and you're just trying to maintain. However, I find that when I'm actively trying to lose weight that the scale is just another tool in my arsenal. Because of my daily weigh-ins I know how my body responds to all sorts of things: hormones, salt, really hard workouts, GI issues, over/under hydration, lack of sleep etc. The daily fluctuations don't bother me at all because that's part of a daily weigh-in. It also keeps me from freaking when I gain over 5 pounds that special time of the month because I know in about 5 days it will all be gone. I calculate my actual weight loss not by daily numbers but by my monthly weight trend. Most days of most months I can look back to the previous month and find that I have lost about 5-9 pounds between the two. As long as my monthly weight trends down I'm happy. However, that did not happen from September to October. So, I figure for the next few weeks I'll fly blind. I plan to change up my workout plans, not because of the plateau but because I've been needing to do it, and really focus on a strong, healthy diet and by the time I get back on the scale in December I should be at, or over, 100 pounds.

Anyway, on to other things. Work is going well but it's been crazy since I've been back and it's going to be getting crazier. The move to the new hospital was pushed back. We were supposed to be moving this coming week and weekend but it's now been moved to the first weekend of December. I'm really excited about this because I can't imagine being ready to move by Thursday. Also, I think I'm going to be in the market for a new employee soon. Sheena got a job offer as a night-shift patient care tech on 5E which is the pediatric cardiology inpatient floor. Apparently the letter of recommendation I wrote her really stuck out because the hiring manager and the woman who did the interview both sought me out to tell me how good it was. I'm glad they liked it but I was really hoping to not have to replace Sheena until after the new year. She is such a strong employee and we're still training Jill so it would be nice to have her in place until Jill is fully functional but I guess I don't get to make that decision. I'm going to miss Sheena but this job will be really good for her and her family. Fortunately I had another applicant when I hired Jill that was a really strong candidate and as far as I know he's still interested in our department so I know that there will be at least one good applicant this time.

That's pretty much it for now. I still have some blog ideas, I just need to find some time to get them down on paper. I think I might make it a goal this week to get a few most posts. If nothing else I have a soup recipe I would like to share, maybe two. My sweet potato and black bean chili that I made last week was amazing and today I'm going to whip up a pot of spicy onion and apple soup. If it's any good I'll share that recipe too!