Dear Weight Watchers...

Things I love...cupcakes, cake, wine, steak, mashed potatoes, cheeseburgers and french fries, queso and chips, fajitas, cheese and crackers....Shouldd I keep going?

Sadly, it's because of my love for all things fatty that I have become, well, a fatty myself. Why are all the good things so bad for you?

So, I joined Weight Watchers last week. I am excited about it and am really motivated and can't wait to be thin (thinner) again. It's put a little bit of a damper on my baking and cooking, but I'm learning how to adapt things to fit into WW.

Weight Watchers has a plethora of recipes and, for some strange reason, of all of those recipes, I chose fish and chips. I don't know what made me think that WW fish and chips would be as delicious as the orginial, because it was worse than words can describe. It looked like (and I would assume tasted like) cat vomit. It led me to somewhat of an emotional breakdown. I though eating right and exercising was supposed to make you feel better? After some encouraging words from my sweet husband, I was motivated again and really hopeful in the WW program. I am going to really try to take things we normally eat and modify them to fit into my allowed points. I am a little skeptical to try more WW recipes, but there was one I just had to try after searching for potato dishes.

We had our normal weekend night steak dinner and instead of mashed potatoes or cheesy polenta, I made the WW Potatoes Au Gratin. It was pretty delicious! Aside from taking an hour and a half to cook, it was really easy and only 3 points per serving.

*unfortunately, my picture didn't turn out, but it was very pretty!
Au Gratin Potatoes, adapted from Weight Watchers
1 spray(s) cooking spray
1 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion(s), thinly sliced
1 Tbsp minced garlic (I added this to the original recipe)
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
2 pound(s) Yukon Gold potato(es), thinly sliced
1 cup(s) fat free shredded cheddar cheese (I find that this cheese is pretty good. It's really stringy)
1 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
 
Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 2-quart covered baking dish with cooking spray.
 
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion  and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour; add milk slowly, stirring. Add potatoes and stir to mix. Bring to a boil. Stir in 3/4 cup of cheese, salt and pepper.

Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and level out surface. Bake for 1 hour, uncovered. Cover and bake until potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes more.

Change oven temperature to broil. Sprinkle remaining cheese over potatoes. Broil 6 inches from the heating element until the cheese is golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing into 8 pieces.

Purple Power

In my quest to further my obsession  knowledge of cupcakes, I came across The Great Purple Cupcake Project. Normally, I would just think that it was a great cause (it benefits epilepsy awareness) and move on. However, I recently have become very aware of epilepsy.

I am fortunate to work at a school with a staff of some of the most incredible people. It's amazing the amount of love and compassion that can develop between a group of strangers and I am so thankful to be a part of that staff. One of those incredible people is Christine. Not only is she an amazing teacher (special ed, none the less) but she is an incredible mom. Her son, Jake, was diagnosed with epilepsy almost two years ago and her everyday life involves watching her son seize. Christine also has a blog and she posted a video of Jake seizing and it broke. my. heart. I cry when my dog throws up or is acting weird...I can't even imagine watching your child go through something like this.

So, on Friday, epilepsy awareness day, our entire staff wore purple and we sold purple cupcakes as a fundraiser. Again, I was overwhelmed by the generosity and character of our staff. We sold cupcakes at $2.50 each and raised over $170! It was so fun to come together and support Christine and her family's battle against epilepsy.

In order to make 6 dozen cupcakes and icing on a weeknight, I used box mixes. I know. I know. But honestly, I somtimes find that box mixes are just as good, if not better, than some homemade recipes. Plus, it was easier and faster. I did, however, make the frosting from scratch. I made strawberry with vanilla buttercream, chocolate with coconut buttercream and champagne (just substitute champagne for water in the instructions) with vanilla buttercream.

Easy Vanilla Buttercream from Cooks Illustrated
The buttercream frosting can be made ahead and refrigerated; if refrigerated, however, it must stand at room temperature to soften before use. If using a hand-held mixer, increase mixing times significantly (at least 50 percent). This recipe can be doubled to make enough for a two-layer cake. It's really easy to work with and quite delicious. Makes 3 cups.

20 tablespoons (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2½ cups Confectioners’ sugar (10 ounces)
1/8 tablespoons table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or coconut extract)
2 tablespoons heavy cream

In standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

Snickerdoodles + Cupcakes= Sweet, Sweetness

Snickerdoodles are my favorite cookies. And cupcakes...well, we all know how I feel about those little bits of heaven. So, when I came across a recipe for snickerdoodle cupcakes, I just had to try them. The cupcakes were delicious and moist. You could leave the icing off of them (reminder: muffins are just ugly cupcakes) and have them for breakfast with coffee, but why would anyone do that?

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes adapted from Martha Stewart, via The Tiny Tyrant's Kichen
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla (I used Mexican Vanilla from my mother in law)
3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and cinnamon and set aside. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, one at a time until well incorporated. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and half the milk. Beat until combined. Repeat with remaining flour mixture and milk, ending with the flour mixture. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake for 16 - 20 minutes. Cool in the pans for a few minutes and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Frost with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing (recipe below).

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing
1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
1 pkg (8 oz) Cream cheese, room temp
Pinch of salt
2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 tsp. Vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

Beat butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Add salt, cinnamon and vanilla and beat until combined. With your mixer on low, add the powdered sugar one cup at a time until well mixed. Pipe or spread on cupcakes and dust with cinnamon.

365 days to celebrate!

Lane and I just celebrated our first anniversary on Sunday. I can't believe how fast the past 365 days have FLOWN BY! We really don't know where the time went! I do know, however, that I am so incredibly thankful that God chose us for each other. Lane is an amazing husband and truly my best friend. I am so excited to spend the rest of my life with him...I just hope time slows down a little!

 To celebrate our anniversary, we took a little trip to the Texas Hill Country and stayed at The Inn Above Onion Creek (thanks to the Buford family for the suggestion). We considered going somewhere like New York City or California's Central Coast, but really just wanted to spend our 4 days relaxed. Let me tell you that the second you walk up to the Inn, you automatically feel relaxed. Things just start to move at a slower pace. We met Amy, the innkeeper, and were showed around the property and to our room. We were a little overwhelmed at first, but very quickly settled in. Here's a few pictures of our home away from home, the Hays room:

 Our first night was our actual anniversary, so we were thrilled to know that dinner that night was going to be short ribs, which is what we served at our wedding! We had a little table to ourselves (normally you sit family style, but because it was our anniversary, they gave us a little private table) and enjoyed a delicious meal and a fabulous bottle of wine. Then afterwards, we ate our top layer (re-created, not the original) of our cake. It was a perfect night! (PS if you live in Dallas, you MUST get your next cake or cupcakes from Jackie Spratt Cakes. She makes the most delicious cake I've ever tasted!!)

That evening, we went on a walk around the property and discovered a couple perched against a post just watching the sunset. This couple struck me in so many ways, but the first was that you immediately could tell how in love they were. They were wrapped in the other's arms and looked so peaceful. What also struck me is that the wife had no hair. I really was trying to convince myself that she had alopecia (a dermatological condition in which you lose your hair) but we soon found out that alopecia was not her diagnosis.

The next morning at breakfast, we were able to eat with Noelle and Perry. We learned that Noelle was diagnosed in November with breast cancer and is undergoing chemo treatments. (Darn you breast cancer! Why couldn't it just be alopecia?) We learned that they were about to celebrate 19 years of marriage and that they were amazing followers of Christ. After that breakfast, I was so encouraged by them. I was encouraged in Noelle's desire to fight and her will to beat this horrible disease. I was encouraged by her incredibly positive attitude. Perry was humorous and positive as well and it really showed how much he loved her. You could tell that they had allowed God to infiltrate their lives and that they had peace that can only come from above. They encouraged us as a married couple by giving us a few points of wisdom that comes after 19 years of marriage. We were blessed to have met this couple and pray for them daily...especially today, as Noelle is undergoing her monthly chemo treamtment.

The next day, we explored the area around the Inn. We ate lunch at the famous Salt Lick BBQ. The weather was perfect, so we sat outside at a picnic table and waited to go in.

Afterward, we went to Driftwood Estates Vineyard. It was a windy drive on a small road, but once we got there, we saw what is arguably one of the best views in the area. The wine was, well, it was ok, but the view was amazing. We had a glass and sat outside and just admired the scene.. (this picture doesn't do it justice..I really needed a panoramic camera!)

After lunch and wine tasting, we went back to our room and read, played board games (cause we're awesome like that) and just really enjoyed being able to relax. That night, we had dinner in our room because we wanted to eat a little bit later than their 6 p.m. serving time since we had a massive lunch!

On our final full day at the Inn, we woke up to a rain soaked view, had breakfast and came right back to bed! It was wonderful! Around noon, we set out to the Mandola Estate Winery. We ate lunch in their restaurant (which was delicious) and then headed over to their tasting room. Unlike Driftwood, Mandola doesn't have the pour stoppers that limit the amount of wine they pour.......We settled into a little place at the bar and let William (college student studying to be a sommelier, who I'm completely jealous of) serve us wine. Yes, 10 tastings (glasses, really) were only $8! Tasting next to us was a record producer from LA in town for SXSW and he was very knowlegable about wine. It was awesome to get in on his conversations with William and really learn about what we were tasting and how each wine is made and barreled. Lane and I tend to stick to California grapes because we're so familiar with them, but a lot of the Texas wineries use Italian grapes so we tasted wines we had never heard of before..and actually liked them!

We made it back to the Inn for our final evening there. We grabbed a bottle of wine and sat on the front porch of the main house and read our books before dinner. It was peaceful and perfect. This is where I met my soulmate...Leigh, the resident yellow lab. Leigh (awesomely spelled) was wearing a cupcake bandana! I mean, come on...are we not perfect for each other? Leigh was just the most precious little girl. She was 9 years old and missing a leg due to an unfortunate rattlesnake incident, but it didn't slow her down. She loved to show everyone the hiking trails and especially loved to be rubbed on. I think she knew we were suckers for dogs and stuck to us like glue!

Without taking up anymore time or web space, I'll conclude by saying we had a wonderful anniversary and are so blessed to have been able to go somewhere like The Inn Above Onion Creek. For those of you Lost watchers, I am going to compare it to the Island (minus the bad parts of the island) and say that at first you aren't sure about it. You have get your bearings and get adjusted, and eventually you leave. Then, as time passes, you realize that you are supposed to go back. You are supposed to be there. I hope we have the chance to go back soon!

Eggplant Parmesean and Mediterranean Salad

I once again had the opportunity to make and take dinner to Karen and Tully as they are adjusting to life with a newborn. Because it was a Friday during Lent, I had to think outside of the box and create a meatless entree that was still really yummy. I have recently found a new love for eggplant so it was a natural decision to make eggplant parmesean. I served it with a mediterranean salad and Bakerella's Peach Crunch Cake. This recipe was a bit of a time consuming one, but luckily had Friday off so I just took my time.  Sadly, I never tasted the final product, so I can't tell you if it was good or not, but Karen said it was the best meal she'd ever tasted so hopefully it was ok! I am going to make it for Lane this Friday and will report back. 

Eggplant Parmesean from Annie's Eats

For the eggplant:
1 lb. globe eggplant, cut crosswise into ¼-inch thick rounds
1½ tsp. kosher salt
6 oz. high-quality white bread, torn into chunks
1½ oz. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, about ¾ cup
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. pepper, divided
¾ cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
For the tomato sauce:
1½ (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes (I used 2 cans of Muir Gardens Organic)
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped (I used dried basil)
Salt and ground black pepper

4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)
½ oz. freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about ¼ cup)
Fresh basil leaves, torn, for garnish

To prepare the eggplant, toss the eggplant slices with the kosher salt in a large bowl until combined. Transfer the salted eggplant to a colander and set the colander over the now empty bowl. Let stand until the eggplant releases at least 1 tablespoon liquid, 30-45 minutes. Spread the eggplant slices on a triple thickness of paper towels (or layers of clean kitchen towels); cover with another triple thickness of paper towels. Press firmly on each slice to remove as much liquid as possible. Wipe off any excess salt.

While the eggplant is draining, place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 425˚ F. Pulse the bread in a food processor to fine crumbs (about 30 1-second pulses). You should have about 3 cups. Transfer the crumbs to a pie plate and mix in the cheese, salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; set aside. Wipe out the bowl of the food processor.

Combine the flour and ¾ teaspoon pepper in a large zipper lock plastic bag; shake to combine. Beat the eggs in a second pie plate. Place about half of the eggplant slices in the bag with the flour; seal and shake to coat. Remove the slices, shaking off the excess flour. Dip in the eggs, letting the excess run off. Coat evenly with the bread crumb mixture. Set the breaded slices on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining eggplant until all the slices are breaded.

Remove the preheated baking sheet from the oven. Add the vegetable oil to the sheet and tilt to coat evenly. Place the breaded eggplant slices on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake until the eggplant is well browned and crisp, about 30 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes and flipping the slices after 20 minutes. Do not turn off the oven after the slices are baked.

While the eggplant is baking, prepare the tomato sauce. Process about half of the diced tomatoes in the food processor until almost smooth, about 5 seconds. Heat the olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and the garlic is light golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in the processed tomatoes and the remaining diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened at reduced, about 15 minutes. Stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble the dish, spread ½ cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish. Layer in half of the eggplant slices, overlapping the slices to fit. Spread with another ½ cup of the sauce. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Layer in the remaining eggplant and dot with the remaining sauce, leaving the majority of the eggplant exposed so it will remain crisp. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and the remaining mozzarella. Bake until bubbling and the cheese is browned, 13-15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, scatter the basil over the top, and serve.

Mediterranean Salad, from Kraft Recipes4 cups mixed salad greens
1 cup chopped plum tomatoes
1 cup coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olives
1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped
1 pkg. Crumbled Feta Cheese
3/4 cup canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed
1/2 cup thin red onion slices
1/2 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing Make It!
TOSS all ingredients except vinaigrette in large bowl; cover.
REFRIGERATE until ready to serve.
ADD vinaigrette; toss to coat.

1 Samuel 1:27

"For this child, we have prayed." 1 Samuel 1:27

Let me first say that pregnancy and child birth truly amaze me. I don't understand how someone can't believe in God after seeing the miracle of procreation and birth.

It seems like daily that I hear of a friend becoming pregnant or having a baby...it must be in the water (which I am not drinking, by the way)! One of those babies was that of my very best friend, Mary C. After a very hard pregnancy, she and her husband, Bill, just welcomed their second daughter, Maidie Margaret, into the world.

She definitely didn't come out without a fight, but I am happy to say that mama and baby are doing great! Maidie looks just like her big sister, Caroline (except with darker hair) and you would never know that Mary C. just had a baby. She looks amazing! I can't wait to watch Maidie grow and see the relationship between the two girls grow and strengthen. We will continue to pray for Maidie and the Corrigans!

Me with Miss Maidie

Banner and Me with Maidie and Mary C.

Spaghetti and Meatballs (Turkey style)

For his birthday one year, all Lane wanted was really good spaghetti and meatballs. (He's easy to please!) So I researched and found Rachel Ray's recipe. This was before I really knew my way around the kitchen and even then it turned out really delicious. I can now say that I have made enough spaghetti and meatballs to feed an army! It's one of those recipes that I have memorized and don't even measure anymore. I don't serve anything else with it beacause it's all we need! We do, however, use ground turkey instead of ground sirloin. It's healthier and we like the way it tastes! We now use turkey any time a recipe calls for ground beef. Who knew that the most basic of culinary feats would become one of our favorite weekly meals!

Spaghetti and (Turkey) Meatballs, adapted from Rachel Ray
1 lb spaghetti (we use whole wheat)
Salt and olive oil for pasta water

Meatballs:
1 pound ground turkey
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper
 
Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I omit because they tend to get pretty spicy) 
4 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup beef stock (I used chicken broth this time because it's all we had)
1/2 cup red wine
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with basil (I use Muir Gardens Organic because they really have great flavor. It's more expensive, but I think totally worth it.)
A handful chopped flat-leaf parsley (I use a few Tbs of dried parsley)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place a large pot of water on to boil for spaghetti. When it boils, add salt and pasta and cook to al dente.

Mix beef and Worcestershire, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Roll meat into 1 1/2 inch medium-sized meatballs and place on nonstick cookie sheet or a cookie sheet greased with extra-virgin olive oil. Bake balls 10 to 12 minutes, until no longer pink.

Heat a deep skillet or medium pot over moderate heat. Add oil, garlic and finely chopped onion. Saute 5 to 7 minutes, until onion bits are soft. Add stock and wine, crushed tomatoes, and herbs. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.