Where to start??

There is so much going on in my life and I thought if I don't start writing it down, all of it will soon be a long forgotten memory. So here I am again. I never meant to disappear for months on end, and hopefully, with the changes going on in my life, I will be a bit more in attendance.

First up, the big news...I have been approved for weight loss surgery (WLS)! After years of getting my hopes up and then dashed by finicky insurance guidelines, the stars aligned and the mojo was working and I was blessed with an approval letter in the mail last week.

I am scheduled for Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG) on...drum roll, please...Thursday, March 4, 2010. This is not the office I am having my surgery through, but it is a great description of the surgery itself - VSG Description

I am not nervous or scared, at all, about the surgery or the post-surgery diet. I am, however, worried about the pre-op diet. For the two weeks prior to surgery I am to eat a no-fat/low-fat, MEATLESS diet. Coming into this with a lifetime of overindulgence, and being a meat and potatoes kind of girl, this is a daunting task. Two weeks can seem like such a long time. But I keep reminding myself that it really is only a moment in time when you look at the big picture.

Post-surgery, I will have a itty-bitty stomach pouch that will, round-the-clock, help remind me that I am not hungry. That is going to be the secret to my success. Well, that and meal planning. I know that once I get my hunger (real or imagined) under control, I will have a much easier go at controlling portion sizes, which has been my downfall my entire life.

I have fought my weight since childhood. I had a father with a giant appetite and a mother with a penchant for non-nutrative food (candy, popcorn, and tea/coffee were diet staples for her), I developed bad habits that have lasted a lifetime. It is now time to change that and start a new relationship with food.

WLS is not the answer...it is merely a tool to help as I begin to make healthier choices not only with food, but with exercise.

I am lucky to have the support of many wonderful people. These people are going to play a big role in my success, as well.

First, my husband. JJ and I have been together for 5 years now. I have gained quite a bit of weight during that time and he tells me each and every day how beautiful and sexy I am. How can you not love a guy that really sees you as that while the world around you thinks otherwise?? I am tearing up a bit just thinking of how much he loves me! He also has the knowledge and background of once being married to another woman who had WLS. So he knows what to expect in some ways. He is also terrified that what I end up on the other side of this journey will be a different person - exactly what happened with his first marriage. Heck, I am worried about it too! But we both love each other and have much in common, and we are both willing to work toward the same goals. We also understand that people do change and that we need to support that change and grow with it. I see great things in our future together!

My family has always been there for me, too. My sisters, Lisa and Linda, especially. I couldn't have gotten this far without them and I plan to go even farther with them by my side and hopefully show them the same support and love they have given me throughout my lifetime.

I also have great mentors.

Chef Sharon Van Meter, who has taught me through her own actions how strong and successful a woman can be.

My nutrition instructor, Jessie Yearwood, who doesn't really approve of weight loss through surgery, but who has promised me nutritional guidance and support as I do what I feel I need to do to be successful with weight loss.

Oh, and my friends! Those near and dear to me and those who merely pass through my life on an occasional basis - even those who I know only by words on a computer screen. These people each bring something so special into my life. Each one showing me something new and something to strive toward.

For each of these people, I am thankful and feel loved and cared by.

I am honored to have all of you on this journey with me. And what a journey it will be as I know it will have successes and failures. Stick with me through this and help celebrate the new me that is developing.

The Best Pumpkin Bread...ever!

It's been a while since I have been around. About 4 months actually. Things have changed a bit and my schedule is more friendly toward me, allowing me some time in the kitchen. Plus the weather has been so pleasant lately that it would be shameful not to put the oven to use. Summers in Texas make baking rather unpleasant. Who wants to heat up the kitchen when it's 100 degrees outside? Not me!

My schedule is easier because I have moved on from the position I took at the beginning of the summer. I left on good terms and still stay in touch with everyone there. When the Fall semester started, I cut my hours back to part-time. Well, it really is a job that needs someone devoting full-time hours to it. Luckily, I knew someone who was in need of employment and she was hired to take my spot.

I have since returned to my old job at The Dinner Station where I always enjoyed working and absolutely adore the girls I work with there. It is a physical job, but it is low stress.

Right now I am mulling over the idea of a work from home career that will give me some spending money as well as allowing me to work the hours I want to work. I am thinking about Homemade Gourmet or Dove Chocolate Discoveries...or perhaps both. I am not familiar with the Dove opportunity, but it seems like a fun product and it is somewhat unique. Homemade Gourmet I have used in the past and think it's a great product. I will be making a decision on this in the next week or so. I will let you know more when I decide.

I guess I have teased you enough after sharing a title like The Best Pumpkin Bread...ever! Let me go ahead and share with you this phenomenal little recipe I made today. It makes a big batch of batter, so this is a great recipe to make during the holiday and share as homemade gifts! Plus it really doesn't get any easier than a quick bread. Measure, mix, and bake!

Pumpkin Bread



Yield: 3 - 7" x 3" loaf pans

(Note: I made mine in a variety of shapes and sizes including mini loaves, muffins and mini muffins rather than in the loaf pans. I can't really give you times frames to tell you they are done. As my baking instructors drilled into me during all my baking classes, they are done when they are done. The best way to tell is the edges get a deep golden brown, the top is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.)

15 ounces pumpkin puree
4 each large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 to 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (depends on freshness)
1 to 1 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (depends on freshness)
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves (depends on freshness)
3/4 to 1 teaspoon ground ginger (depends on freshness)
2/3 cup golden raisins
2/3 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour pans (I just use regular pan spray).

In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.

Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

*********************

In the photo is part of a tea set that was given to us by a good friend. She hand-painted, wrote the thoughtful verse, and glazed them herself. She treated us to a lovely tea party using these wares then gifted the set to us.

The verse is "Never shall I forget the days I spent with you. Continue to be my friend, as you will always find me yours." Ludwig van Beethoven

Enjoy, my friends!

Greetings from your long, lost friend and pal...

I have been terribly lax in my publication duties over the last...oh my goodness, has it really been that long??? Well, to make a long story short, I was offered a job too good to pass up. So here I am working full-time this summer instead of the planned 12 to 20 hour work week.

I am happily employed at the Milestone Culinary Arts Center. I am working as assistant to the Director of MCAC, Sharon Van Meter (here is a stub of an article about Sharon in today's Dallas Business Journal). I am managing some of the day to day business that runs across her desk as well as focusing a lot of attention on really getting the Texas Chefs Association-Dallas Chapter geared up as both Sharon and I step in together as Director (Sharon) and Junior/Student Director (lil ole' me) for the next however long it is.

Because of all these goings-on, I rarely have time to cook at home, much less bake anything, but I thought perhaps I could share some of the cool happenings in the world of food. Most of this information will be from the local Dallas scene, but who knows, I work with some pretty cool movers and shakers

First up on the news front is this Sunday's dual-action events happening right here at Milestone!

For the second month this summer we are hosting the Milestone Farmer's Market, which will be held indoors in our beautiful facilities at 4531 McKinney Avenue in Dallas just south of Knox. Held every third Sunday of the month from 11:00am to 3:00pm (or sell-out) through October. More information about the event including what the vendors will be offering can be found at EatGreenDFW.com. I will be there picking up some farm fresh eggs, produce, and fruit! In addition to the wonderful food products, MCAC will be hosting a "garage sale" selling off stuff that has seemed to pile up around this place over the last few years. Lots of neat stuff. Everything from oriental tea sets to plate chargers to pastry tip sets. Something for everyone, as they say!

Going on concurrently on Sunday at MCAC, Chef Andre Bedouret, W.M.C.S., will be teaching his third class in a series of Continuing Education classes sponsored by El Centro College. This weeks class is on Kitchen Desserts. From the website: "No Pastry Chef? No problem! Whether your budget or the size of your operation is holding you back, you still can produce terrific desserts in your kitchen. From chocolate mousse to souffles, French tarts and Genoise, to old time favorites you will be able to re-write your dessert menu after this course and boost your sales. The full list of classes can be found on El Centro College's website. I attended the Butchering Series - All About Meats class on June 7th and it was awesome! Hands on experience mixed with classroom based lectures. Classes are $275 each and are held every Sunday from 11am to 7pm throughout the summer. Also, participation in each class earns you 0.07 continuing education units through El Centro. These classes are geared toward professional and student chefs, but the home cook is welcome and would fit in well in the comfortable atmosphere that Chef Bedouret provides.

Well, that is the rundown for this weekend's events. Come out and visit us this Sunday and pick up some delicious kitchen staples for this week's meals and consider registering for a class or two.

Howdy from Austin, Texas!

Austin is such a unique and wonderful city. It is someplace I wouldn't mind living, and it's always a treat to visit. Filled with ladder-climbing yuppies, geeky IT types, long-haired hippies, forward-thinking musicians, extremely wealthy, homeless indigent, whites, blacks, hispanics, and every other color, plus lots of politicians (it is the capital city of Texas, after all), it is truly a melting pot of cultures.

I am spending the afternoon alone in Austin while JJ is going through the paces of a forever-long job interview. Keep your fingers crossed, it is an promotion within the company he works for and merits a healthy raise. He would still be located in Dallas, but the main core of his co-workers would be here in Austin. Sounds like a wonderful reason to plan a ROADTRIP on a regular basis!

Anyway, I am sitting in a Barnes and Noble, enjoying free wi-fi, in an upscale area of Austin. Quite a change from my lunchtime digs. Which is why I am writing this blog entry.

A few months ago, JJ and I watched a clip on the television show Texas Country Reporter about this woman, Lola Stephens, who has lived a hard scrabble life (please take a moment to read her incredible story here). However she got to where she is today, we have to be thankful. Filled with joy, determination, faith in her Lord, and a giving nature, this woman can also cook up one heckuva meal!

I was bound and determined to drive out to Taylor, Texas today and hit up our favorite BBQ pit stop, Louie Mueller's, but I remembered this morning that Nubian Queen Lola's was in Austin. And guess what? I had time to fill and a hearty appetite! So there was a change in plans.

I plugged the address into my iPhone and easily made my way there. It is in a lower income part of town, but I felt comfortable there. The tiny apartments were neatly kept, the roads were wide and well marked, I saw mother's pushing strollers, men waiting on buses, and there was a well used park just a block away. How can you not like a restaurant that is painted so colorfully as this?



Please excuse the quality of the photos, they were taken with my iPhone.

I walked in and was immediately greeted by someone back in the recesses of the kitchen yelling out that she would be up to help me in just a moment. There were two other customers there, both young men dressed in business casual. I also noticed a couple young men at the back door when I was walking up to the building. When I was seated and looking around, I realized that these men were probably homeless and she was providing them with food. She runs the restaurant by herself six days a week and closes on Sunday to the public in order to feed the homeless. Plus she doesn't turn them away during the week when they come to her for a meal. Lola is a wonderwoman!

Her menu is jam packed with soul food and Cajun delights. And according to the reviews, her hamburgers are pretty darn tasty too. She told me her special today was crawfish etoufee. How could I say no? I also opted for two truly southern, soul food sides - yams and collard greens. Oh my goodness! Was I in for a treat!



Served on a disposable plate with simply a fork and couple disposable napkins, the food was heavenly. The etoufee was creamy and spicy and filled with tasty, tender-chewy morsels of crawfish. The collard greens (which I have had a few times before and never liked) where tangy, a bit vinegar-y, and delicious! It's true that there is a secret to making those edible and she knows the secret! And the yams, oh-so-sweet and tender. It also came with a moist square of cornbread and I opted for the "Cajun" Iced tea which was a sugary-sweet beverage with what tasted to me like orange kool-aid mixed in. Surprisingly good and refreshing!

The surroundings are kitschy and certainly suit the proprietor. Filled with painted canvases of President Obama, some statuary, lots of bits and pieces or paper taped and tacked to the walls, even handwritten messages marked directly on the walls, with mardi gras beads hanging from the ceiling, it felt like you were looking through Lola's eyes at how colorful and bright the world really is.





And you certainly couldn't find a more welcoming and warm hostess. She gleefully posed for a picture and chatted with me while busily running back and forth filling a to-go order.



When I was leaving, I asked her what she needed most right now to help her serve the homeless and continue her calling. She said she couldn't say what the plan was, but she really needed a karaoke machine. Sadly, one had already been donated, but it was stolen. I am going to see if I can find a karaoke machine for her through the Freecycle lists I follow. If you happen to have one you don't need, please consider sending it to Lola so that she can follow her path and keep doing the great things she is doing.

I can't wait to go again. If you are ever in Austin, you should stop by and feel the love in the air and in the food.

Nubian Queen Lola's Cajun Soul Food Restaurant
1815 Rosewood Avenue
Austin, Texas 78702
512-474-5652

Menu Plan Monday - 5.25.09

Here is my better late than never version of Menu Plan Monday!

If you would like to find some delicious recipes and try your hand at menu planning, join in with the rest of us over at OrgJunkie.com.



Recipes and photos will be shared as I make the meals! So check back often!

Monday
Open-Faced Roast Beef Sandwiches
Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

Tuesday
We will be driving down to Austin (JJ has a job interview, so please keep your fingers crossed!) and hope to return with some brisket from Louie Mueller's BBQ! It's the best barbecue this side of heaven!

Wednesday
Cheeseburger Pasta
Steamed Broccoli

Thursday
Balsamic-Glazed New York Strip Steaks
Steak Fries
Asparagus

Friday
Skillet Macaroni and Cheese
Hot Dogs

Saturday
Crockpot Rotisserie-Style Chicken
Baked Potatoes
Corn on the Cob

Sunday
Brown Sugar Chicken
Rice
Sautéed Spinach

The week in review...

With it being a holiday weekend, I have purposefully stayed away from the computer and spent time with family and friends. So I was not really prepared with a blog post for today. But that is easily enough rectified with a recap from the previous week and sharing a tasty recipe.

One of the highlights from the last week was a phone chat with my blog mentor, Donalyn, from dlyn. We were introduced by Kristen over at Dine and Dish, who as mentioned previously, provided a unique opportunity through her Adopt A Blogger project. We chatted for a good while and got to know each other a bit better and she shared some more suggestions on how I can keep building a successful blog.

Another highlight of my week was my DH, JJ, worked from home for a few days while our car was in the shop (we were rear-ended last Saturday and had to get the bumper cover replaced). With him home I had wonderful company and it provided me with a willing taste tester for several recipes. I am so fortunate to have someone in my life who is my best friend and feels the same way about me.

I also suffered through my annual "well woman" exam. I haven't received the results from my testing yet, but I haven't heard anything from my doctor, and he is really good at following up if there are any issues I need to be aware of.

I can only hope that all the women who stumble across this blog take the time to get a complete check-up yearly, including a mammogram. After my Mother's breast cancer diagnosis, it really hit home for me and my family. I believe early detection is our best means of defense! So please take care of yourself and don't put off such important measures as self-breast exams and yearly check-ups by your doctor.

Hard to believe I have taken a whole week off since making any cheese! I was on a roll, making a batch of fromage blanc every few days. Plus I hosted two groups of friends where we made ricotta and stretched mozzarella curd. I am now starting to jones for more cheesemaking. Perhaps I will call up Chef Tom at El Centro and see if he is ready for an advanced hands-on cheesemaking day with me. It doesn't hurt to ask!

Last night we met up with my sister, Lisa, and her husband, Kenneth, for dinner and a movie. We went to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Fadi's, where I got my fix of hummus, couscous, and pita bread. As always, it was delish! Following dinner we headed to a showing of Star Trek. Oh my! That is now in my top 5 movies of all time. It was spectacular! The effects were great, the story was tight, the characters and the actors who played them were spot on...just overall a great movie. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a great movie to see.

And finally, before sharing a simple one dish meal with you, today is Memorial Day. Please take a moment to remember the men and women who serve in the armed forces to ensure your freedom and personal liberties. We certainly are fortunate because of these brave people who have put put their lives on the line for our protection. God bless America!

Simple Risotto with Ham and Spring Peas (from Smithfield.com)
Serves 4



1 cup ham, fully cooked and cut into 1/4" dice
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 stick unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine, (optional)
1 cup frozen baby peas, thawed
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1 1/3 cups finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to barely a simmer. In a large saute pan melt butter and olive oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened. Add rice and cook for 1 minute stirring occasionally (do not skip this step). If adding wine, add it to the pan now and let simmer, stirring occasionally until well absorbed into the rice. Ladle in 1 cup of the simmering stock to the pan and stir constantly until the broth is absorbed. Continue simmering risotto and adding stock 1/2 cup at a time. It is important to stir constantly and let each addition of stock become fully absorbed before adding the next. This makes for a creamy rice. Keep adding stock until rice is just tender and creamy. You may not need to use all of the stock. This process takes about 20 minutes of constant attention and stirring. Finally stir in the peas, ham and one cup of the Parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. If necessary, use some of the remaining broth to thin the risotto. Serve immediately. Garnish with chopped parsley and the remaining 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese.

Peanut Butter Cookie Monster, that's me...

It's a peanut buttery kinda day! I have a delicious recipe to share with you today, and in one of those small world moments I found out my blog mentor, Donalyn at dlynz.com, also whipped up a unique batch of peanut butter cookies that she is sharing on her blog today. So when you are done here, bop on over to her blog and see her take on this classic cookie favorite!

*************************

I have a few favorite cookie recipes. A couple recipes handed down from my grandmother, then one or two that I have found along the way myself. One of my favorite cookies of all time is a simple peanut butter cookie. It is a quick and simple cookie, and you usually have all the ingredients you need on hand to make these on the fly. Which is what I did earlier this week.

I normally would make a tried and true recipe, but I thought I would have a looksee at America's Test Kitchen to see if they have a recipe. I am a believer in their recipes. I subscribe to several of their magazines and appreciate the research and taste testing they put into their recipes.

Luck would have it, I found a recipe from Cook's Country magazine (one of their publications). It is a simple recipe, but this one had a extra ingredient that just made sense...roasted peanuts ground up fine to boost the peanutty flavor. And guess what? I just happened to have roasted peanuts in my pantry.

Big, Super-Nutty Peanut Butter Cookies
Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies



2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound salted butter -- softened, but still firm
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup extra-crunchy peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup roasted salted peanuts -- ground in food processor to resemble bread crumbs, about 14 pulses

Adjust oven rack to low-center position. Heat oven to 350°. Line large cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in medium bowl, set aside.

Either by hand or with electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes with electric mixer, stopping to scrape down bowl as necessary. Beat in peanut butter until fully incorporated, then eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Gently stir dry ingredients into peanut butter mixture. Add ground peanuts, stir gently until just incorporated.

Working with generous 2 tablespoons each time, roll dough into 2 inch balls (I used a #40 disher scoop instead of rolling each piece by hand. Because of this, I ended up with 4 dozen cookies from this recipe). Place balls on parchment-lined cookie sheet, leaving 2 1/2 inches between each ball. Press each dough ball twice with dinner fork dipped in cold water to make crisscross design.



Bake until cookies are puffed and slightly brown along the edges (but not on top--they will look slightly underbaked) about 10-12 minutes.



Eat when warm, when cooled, with a sandwich at lunch, after dinner as dessert, and of course, as a bedtime snack with a glass of milk.