Portion Control

This is something I really struggle with.  I love food and I love to eat.  But...I have been packing on the pounds in record time since I have gone off my ADHD medicine.  It's really getting out of my control and I'm starting to freak out.   So, I'm going to try it the old fashioned way--diet and exercise.     

I decided that portion control might help since I really eat pretty healthy already.  

It turns out that the serving size for Grape Nuts, which I eat just about everyday, is 1/2 a cup.

I probably had triple that in my bowl.  Oops.

Below is what the actual serving of Grape Nuts should look like.

It looks a little sad but honestly I was just as satisfied in the end from the smaller bowl of cereal.

Lesson Learned :)

Side-by-side comparison:

3 Ingredient Brownies

• 1 cup Nutella
• 10 tablespoons flour
• 2 eggs

Bake in 350 degree oven.  I used a mini muffin tin so the time was only about 10-12 minutes.  It might take a little bit longer if you make the brownies the more traditional way.

Shredded Chicken Tacos

Update on my Turkey Taco Meat recipe.  I updated the recipe by using chicken.  It turned out amazing!

• 6 chicken breasts
• 3 small packs of Lawry's taco seasoning
• 1 cup of water
• 1 can of beer

Put all ingredients into the crock pot on low and leave in all day.  I had mine in for 8 hours and it was so easy to shred the chicken.  Pull the chicken breasts out and shred with a fork.  Put back into liquid in crock pot and cook uncovered until liquid cooks into the meat.  

I always make a big batch and portion it out into small ziplock bags for super easy taco nights.

Crock Pot Chicken Chili

I got this recipe from Pinterest which lead me here.  It turned out really good!

• 1 can black beans ( rinsed)
• 1 can corn, undrained
• 1 can Rotel, undrained
• 1 package ranch dressing mix
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 8 oz package light cream cheese
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
• 1 cup of diced onion
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves minced

In a large skillet – heat oil and cook onions for 8 minutes than add garlic and cook for one minute.

Set your crock pot to low and add chicken, “cooked” onions and garlic, black beans, corn, rotel, all the seasonings, ranch mix.

Stir

Add cream cheese on top and cover and cook for 6 – 8 hours.

Before serving shred chicken using two forks.

Crock Pot Ribs

• Rub some seasoning on the ribs.   I used Emeril's rib rub and added some pepper and garlic powder
• Cut the rack up so it fits into your crock pot
• Add one can of beer
• Cook on low for 4ish hours
• Baste with your favorite BBQ sauce.  Ours is Sweet Baby Rays.
• Throw onto BBQ and brown.  Takes about 10 minutes.

Voila! 

Good to Know

Baked Pears

This is so easy and so yummy.  All you need is...

• 2 pears
• 2 tbs butter, melted
• 1 tbs brown sugar
• pinch of cinnamon
• juice from half a lemon
• lemon zest from half a lemon

Preheat oven to 350.  Cut pears in half and core them with a melon baller.  Put them cut side up in a baking pan.  I used a loaf pan because it was the perfect size for just 2 pears.  Melt butter and combine with sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice and pour over pears.  Sprinkle lemon zest on top.

Bake in oven uncovered for 25-30 minutes and then serve with vanilla bean ice cream :)

Bon Bons Update

If you don't know what I'm updating, here's a link to the first trial of making homemade Bon Bons from a few days ago.



Some tips I have picked up in this process:

1.  Wait until it's not so hot out!!!  It turns out that trying to make these when your house is 87 degrees is just stupid.

2.  Put the cookie sheet in the freezer before you start to keep everything nice and cold.

3.  Stick toothpicks into the ice cream balls for the process and then remove later.

4.  Don't dip!  Pour the chocolate over the ice cream.  I still have not mastered the perfect dipping chocolate but it's getting closer :)

Nailed It, haha

Trying to make homemade Bon Bons sounded like a great idea in this weather but it turns out dipping ice cream in chocolate is pretty much impossible in the biggest heat wave we've had in years, in a house with no AC.  I saw Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere do it and it just looked so easy.  Haha ya right.

That being said they were the best tasting thing EVER!  I will be trying again until I can get them to look as good as they taste :)


I used mint chocolate chip ice cream but any flavor would be good.  Scoop them out with a melon baller and put on a cookie sheet covered in waxed paper and back into the freezer.

1 1/2 cups of mini chocolate chips to 2 tablespoons of vegetable shortening melted in a double boiler.  This was one of my major problems.  Melting chocolate is always a pain but if anyone out there has any advice, I need it bad.  I went slow and didn't over cook it and it worked for dipping about the first 2 ice cream balls and then it completely changed texture and hardened up in like 10 seconds.  What did I do?  Do I need more shortening to make it smoother?

To put this in perspective, here is a picture of the Cupcakes and Cashmere version next to mine :)

Hehe no contest, but at least they tasted good and I will keep trying :)

Lemon Garlic Aioli

Super easy aioli dip for artichokes.  I just mixed together mayo, crushed garlic, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper.  That was all I had on hand but some shallots or scallions would probably be good too :)

Caprese!

It's so good, isn't it?  Such an easy and fresh tasting salad.

All you need for this bite-size version is:

• cherry tomatoes, I cut in half so you don't have to chase them around your plate :)
• ciliegine "cherry-size" fresh mozzarella
• fresh basil
• salt & peper
• olive oil & balsamic vinegar

Bacon-Beer Brussels Sprouts

I got this recipe from here and I made it last night.  They were sooo good.  

The recipe called for 2lbs of brussels sprouts which is way too much for just us so I cut it in half.  

• 1lb of brussels sprouts, cut the large ones in half
• 6oz of bacon, chopped
• 1/2 of a Shallot, sliced
• 1/2 of a 12oz bottle of beer, now that I'm thinking about it I poured the whole bottle in and it turned out just fine.
• salt
• pepper
• a pinch of crushed red pepper

Cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy and then add the shallots and cook until soft.  Then add the brussels sprouts and brown the outside for a few minutes.  Then add the beer, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper and let it cook down into a glaze, stirring occasionally.

Taco Night

This recipe is courtesy of Mrs. Judy Bee (aka the step momma).

We have always called them "turkos" because they are made from turkey.  Judy usually uses turkey thighs (which are really good) but I had to use breast meat because it was all I could find.  It still turned out really good.

Ingredients:
4 lbs. of turkey thighs (or breast)
3 packets of Lawry's taco seasoning
1 can or bottle of beer
Water (enough for half of what the packet says to use) 

Put all ingredients in Crock Pot on low and cook all day.

When meat is falling off the bone, take out, let cool,  pull bones out and shred with a fork.  Leave the liquid in the crock pot cooking (skim off any fat).  Put the meat back in and let cook, uncovered, until liquid is absorbed.

Chop up your favorite taco toppings and enjoy :)

Save the left overs by packaging up in individual portions in ziplock bags and freezing.  Just pull them out and microwave for a quick and easy taco night!!

Our favorite App

This is the quickest, easiest appetizer (and it will disappear in seconds). The recipe comes from my future mother-in-law and Kyle always called it his mom's "bean-dip."  Once I got the recipe from her, I realized it's more like chili-dip but either way the boys love it.  It is becoming my go-to for any Laker game night or casual event.  It's not gourmet (or healthy), but it's de-licious :)

1 can of Dennison's Chili with Beans

1 block of Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Heat and mix together and Voila! :)

I serve it with Fritos.

You could use any brand of any of the ingredients, these are just the ones that we like.