Update Post, Grilled Cheese Dunkers with Tomato Soup, Cardio, Banana Bites.

*Quick Updates*

1. I'm falling behind in blogging I know. 
2. My Biology class and lab is stressful, but I know I'll get through it.  
3. My Aunt (Mom's Sister) just found out she has cancer, possible stage 4. We'll know all the details tomorrow after their appointment with the oncologist. I'm guessing we'll get a good idea of what is going to happen and possibly how long she has to live. Its really hurting my whole family, we could use a little prayer or two.
4.  I've been at my mom's house, upstate, for a week. I just got back yesterday. 
5.  Weight loss has been going good, except when I was at my mom's house. I probably gained a little bit. Travis and I had an agreement that when I get back home we are going to change the boy's bedtime to 8 at night instead of 9, so that we can work out together. (We have work out gear in our shed outside.) 
6. I've decided not to weigh myself religiously anymore. It isn't about weight to me anymore but about being healthy. And getting to a point to where I feel good (and look good). In other word as long as I feel as if I look good then I'll be okay. 

So I'll leave you with a few fun things. 

A little something, something to get your blood pumping!

These are so amazingly awesome, freeze banana slices then add peanut butter.

Liam helping mommy make grilled cheese dunkers.

 Grilled Cheese Dunkers and Tomato Soup 

Tomato Soup Recipe (click here). 
Grilled Cheese Dunkers:
Slices of bread
Slices of Cheese 
1 tbsp Butter 

All you need to do is flatten the bread with a rolling pin, add a slice of cheese, then roll it up. Repeat! Add to a pan with melted butter and cook on each side until brown, and cheese has melted.

Note:
The number of slices depends on how many you want to make. You could also take the crusts off and they would most likely look prettier. But I love the crust on a grilled cheese.
 

Rise and Shine with Apple-Strawberry Mini Muffins

I've been up since 7am. I'm not sure why Blake isn't sleeping lately. I just hope he isn't a grumpy butt. Thank goodness I made some muffins yesterday because I was NOT up for cooking this morning. Even if I knew I had to wake up early regardless. Today I have to head to a town near-by-ish where my Dad lives, take the boys to him, and then take pictures of a 6 month old for some old friends of mine. I have to leave my house by 11, it is about 8 now.  Luckily I made a set list for my family and a to-do list of things I need to do, mostly before I leave me house.

To Do List 

• Recipe Blog Post 
• Feed Chickens
• Feed Rabbit 
• Feed Dog 
• Feed Kids (lol) 
• Start Chicken Gumbo in the Crock Pot 
• Find Crochet Tomato Hat and Box 
• Find Picture Frame Clean basket and Owl 
• Charge Camera Battery 
• Get Dressed 
• Get Makeup on 
• Load up the Truck with the Above 
• Load up the Truck with Donations to Goodwill
• Pack a Bag for the Boys
• Pack Camera Bag

 Yeah, I need some motivation to get started. I have some really cute ideas and I believe the mommy and daddy of the 6 month old does too. Should be super CUUUUUTE! And I'll try to share a sneak peek on here later. For now though, I will leave you with a muffin recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour (or 1 cup all purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour)
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup milk (low fat or whole cow’s milk, almond, rice or soy milk will work)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce or canola oil
• 1/2 cup honey or agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 cup strawberries, diced
• ½ of a gala apple, peeled and deseeded then shredded with a cheese grater

Directions

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk egg and add milk, applesauce, honey, vanilla, and lemon zest and stir.  I used my standing mixer but you can use your hand and spoon as well to slowly combine the dry ingredients with the wet until incorporated. Stir until just mixed, try not to over mix. Add the strawberries and shredded apples to the batter.  Line or grease muffins tins and fill 2/3 of the way with batter. Bake for 16 minutes or until toothpick tester comes out clean.

 I swear, muffins never last between my boys and my hubs. These are practically all gone now. I just made them last night!

Breaded Pork Chops. Dinner to Lunch

Breaded pork chops with stuffing, corn, and green beans.

First, let me explain... a little thing about Travis, that I've probably explained before. Travis is super picky, I'm pretty sure that might be where Liam gets it from. The WHOLE time we lived in Montana we NEVER ate pork chops because he said he didn't like them, because he didn't like the way his mom use to make them. WHAT??? Yeah. So, fast forward a few years Travis and I are both back in SC in the middle of remodeling our house so staying between parents. I'm at my dad's house making dinner for everyone and I make BBQ pork chops. Then, I remember Travis doesn't like pork chops. Then, I think to myself..oh well if he doesn't eat them he will starve. Travis eyeballs them and I can tell he's like ewww but he won't say anything in front of my parents. We sit down and eat, and what do you know? Travis loves them. We've moved up since then to breaded pork chops. I try not to fry much these does so when I bread them, I bake them.

Another husband funny, he doesn't eat veggies. The past week and a half I've been cooking for just us..so I make our food and then I make a veggie on the side for myself. The other night I made some mini meatball subs for us with french fries for Travis and carrot fries for myself. He eyeballed my carrots and asked if he could try one and guess what...he LIKES them. The same thing happened the other night when I sauteed some summer squash, he asked if he could try them, liked them, and wouldn't get off my plate. Haha. SOO, yes! Wife win!

Breaded Pork Chops
6 pork chops
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
2 eggs, beaten
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs
4 Tablespoons olive oil

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse pork chops, pat dry, and season with garlic powder and seasoning salt to taste. Place the beaten eggs in a small bowl. Dredge the pork chops lightly in flour, dip in the egg, and coat liberally with bread crumbs. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the pork chops 5 minutes per side, or until the breading appears well browned. Transfer the chops to a 9x13 inch baking dish, and cover with foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour.

And in good two-fer fashion this is how I turned leftovers in to a delicious salad for lunch. :) 

I tried to change the title on this after I realized that it is *sorta* fried...I'm going to let it go since its with olive oil. LOL

For the salad I did:
1 Cup Spinach
1 Cup Romaine
1/4 Cup Corn
1 Red Onion Slice
2 Slices Chopped Tomatoes 
1/4 Cup Reduced Fat or 2% Shredded Cheese

Any Dressing of your choice works, a light ranch is nice here though.

Pizza Stuffed Squash Gourd

They look a little beat up from my fridge but you get the point. Set them out in this position.

Cut a Hole in the Bottom. Then Nuke in microwave for 5 minutes.

Cut up pepperonis with kitchen scissors

Add a spoon full of tomato sauce.

Then some pepperonis.

Then some cheese, but use a spoon to stuff everything inside further down.

Nuke in Microwave 1-2 more minutes.

Eat up!!

Serve with a cucumber salad, just a little bit of olive oil, a little bit of red wine vinegar, and pepper.

Squash Nuggets!

I attempted making squash in chicken nugget form the other day, it actually worked well but it didn’t fool Blake in to thinking it was chicken nuggets. Haha! But he still liked it. We’re already getting squash and potatoes out of Travis’s grandpa’s garden which is exciting because I LOVE summer squash. You’ll be seeing a lot of recipes with squash in them this summer.   These are made with simple ingredients you have in your fridge, it is quick and easy for lunch time!

 

Squash Nuggets

2 yellow summer squash, chopped in to thick diced pieces

1 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

½ tsp paprika

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Spray cooking spray on baking sheet. Chop your squash.  Beat an egg in to a small bowl and mix together bread crumbs and seasoning on a plate.  Dip your squash in to the beaten egg and then coat in the bread crumb mixture.  Arrange on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, flip then bake another 10 minutes. Serve with ketchup or honey mustard! 

Also thanks Ma for the random vegetable shaped dishes. :) They shall be very cute with my future posts.

Happy Wednesday!