It's Apple Time Again

Here is the first batch of caramel apples of the year. This first order included toasted coconut, mint chip, m&m, pecan and toffee.

Papa Murphy's

OMG - I found something new and exciting. Papa Murphy's! It seems I am the last to discover this place. For those of you like me who haven't yet tried this genius concept, Papa Murphy's lets you design your own pizza and makes it fresh with raw dough, fresh vegetables, cheese and meat. Then they put it on an oven safe pan, wrap it up with instructions and send it home to be baked fresh before eating. It was so fresh and delicious and didn't have any chemical or preservative taste. The dough baked up perfectly crisp on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. You would think that the cost of this gourmet delight would have been high but in fact it was much less than the local chain producing common, uninspiring, tired pies. Just look at the image below and tell me it doesn't look like a work of art. Thank you Papa Murphy for a great pie.

More Cakes

I did a couple of cakes over the last couple of months. Some were good and some.....not so much.

Yesterday we celebrated Riley's 9th Birthday. She had a bowling party and was very specific about how she wanted the cake. So here it is....A bowling ball and pin. The ball is half strawberry cake and half chocolate cake and the pin is vanilla cake. All covered in butter cream icing. Luckily the bowling ball didn't roll off on the way to the bowling alley.


One was a Sweet 16 cake.


Another was a first Birthday for a friend's Grandson. This cake makes me laugh every time I look at it. The cake was made to match the invitations which were trimmed in red bandanna with blue interior and brown text and trim. We got so tickled after this cake was finished because the brown letters of his named looked just like they were made of pieces of poop. But hey, one year old kids love poop right? (btw - I hate writing on cakes)

no carb Chinese

So I am still working the "no carb" menu. I have come up with a way to get my Chinese fix without the guilt. This is so simple. I seriously should host a 15 minute working Mother's meal show!!

Simply brown lean ground pork in sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add frozen spinach, edemame beans, snap peas, yellow or red bell pepper and onions. Add soy sauce and heat until all veggies are heated but still brightly colored.

For the rest of the family, I serve this over udon noodles with an egg roll on the side. For me, it is a quick and satisfying way to tame my Chinese craving.

Tomatoe Basil Soup

1 large can crushed plain stewed tomatoes
1 large can crushed stewed tomatoes (italian seasoned)
1 cup chicken broth
2 cloves chopped garlic
salt
pepper
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 stick butter

Mix together tomatoes, chicken broth, salt, pepper and garlic. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Blend with wand mixer right in the pot or blend in a blender then return to the pot. Simmer over low heat until you have to serve it. The longer the better, but I make it quick after work during the week and it tastes great in less than 20min. Before serving, stir in the butter and cream until melted and well combined. Serve warm with garlic cheese bread or sprinkled with croutons and fresh basil. However you prefer, this is a great beginning to the winter season.

Weekend Roast Chicken

During the week, my meals take less than 30 minutes to make. Therefore, I save all my roasting for the weekends. In sticking with the no carb rules, I made onion roasted chicken with homegrown yellow squash and a fresh cold roasted leek salad.

Use your favorite bone in, skin on chicken pieces. My family prefers leg quarters. Make sure they are cleaned well. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken and place in baking dish skin side up. Top with lots of sliced onions and a few pats of cold butter. Bake for 2 hours at 350 degrees uncovered. Baste with pan juices just before serving. Skin will be brown and crispy.

Using the same bake time. Put a baking dish filled with thin sliced squash (yellow or zucchini) seasoned with salt, pepper and a little butter on bottom and top. This will bake for the same two hours next to the chicken.

Watch a movie and relax. (It's the weekend after all)

Once dinner is almost done, prepare your leek salad. Start by cleaning and slicing one large leek. Place in a hot skillet with a teaspoon of olive oil until nice and brown. Place on paper towel to cool. Mix together peeled and chopped cucumber, thinly sliced red bell pepper, fresh cilantro, salt, pepper, browned leeks and carb free miso dressing.

This meal is amazing and again carb free!

New Venture

As my friends and family already know, I am on a mission to lose 100 pounds and change my eating habits. Don't worry, I still believe in cooking delicious, decadent, and satisfying meals. I am above all a "foodie" and by no stretch of the imagination a "health nut".

I started this goal 6 weeks ago and have already lost 27 pounds. In the first week, I realized I would face an obstacle in staying on task. I was provided a very simple representation of a menu by my doctor. Knowing that my goal would take about 6 months to reach, I knew I had to get creative. There was no way I was going to eat the same thing everyday or sacrifice taste and experience for any prolonged amount of time. Any "foodie" will understand that all meals must be an event even when losing weight.

So I started comparing the nutritional value of foods which gave me options for equivalent substitutes in my menu. Once I had created a list of acceptable foods, I started developing simple and delicious meals.

NO CARB Fried Okra

As you read this description, keep in mind that I work a full time job and have an 8 year old daughter. The meals you read about on this blog take less than 30 minutes.



I apologize for the low quality photo of this plate. Take my word, it looks much more delicious than this picture shows.

Anyone from the south knows how much we like our fried okra. I just had to figure out how to get my fried okra fix without ANY CARBS. I took sliced okra (fresh or frozen) and added them to a very hot skillet with only a tablespoon of canola oil. Let them cook stirring frequently. I added thin sliced onions to enhance the flavor and cooked until everything is evenly browned. (I like them nearly black) Then remove to a paper towel to drain off any excess oil. Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy. You will be amazed how much it tastes like real southern fried okra.

On this plate you will also notice a skillet browned catfish fillet. Simply, season fillets with garlic salt and pepper. Place in a hot skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil and tablespoon of butter and cook until golden.

As an additional side dish for our fish, I made a cauliflower favorite. This dish takes less than 10 minutes. Take a bag of frozen cauliflower florets and put in a small baking dish. Microwave for 2 minutes. While that is heating, prepare the sauce. Mix together a Tb real mayo, Tb of brown mustard, 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Mix into cauliflower then top with grated cheddar cheese. Put back in the microwave for 4 minutes or until all cheese is melted.

This plate of food tastes like a guilty pleasure but is totally carb free.