We had beef stir fry tonight, along with chicken breasts in cranberry sauce. YUMMY!

Beef Stir Fry:

1 lb beef, cut into strips and simmered for an hour
1 package (we use family size) frozen veggies (any type can be used, but stir fry is yummy good!)
1/2 bottle teriyaki sauce.
2 cups raw rice
seseame oil

Preperation:
*cook two cups of raw rice in 4 cups hot water (I use 1/2 cup white and 1 1/2 cup brown) for 20-30 minutes
* heat 1-2 tablespoon oil in large frying pan
*add frozen veggies and reduce heat to low med.
* then drizzle anywhere from 1/4 bottle to 1/2 bottle of teriyaki stir fry sauce
* add beef and lower burner to low and simmer till heated through, but veggies still crisp (10-20 minutes)
*serve over rice. Enjoy! Can add soy sauce as needed!

Cranberry glazed Chicken:

1 family pack chicken (any kind, I like chicken breast, but recipe says leg quarters work best)
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 packet lipton onion soup mix
1 bottle french dressing
2 tbsp dijon mustard

Preperation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients except chicken in medium baking dish.
Add chicken and spoon mixture over top of chicken, and cover completely.

Bake uncovered for 35-60 minutes (depending on choice of chicken (60 minutes for leg quarters).
Occasionally spoon mixture over chicken.

Place chicken on rice and spoon sauce over rice and enjoy!

Result:
I LOVE the cranberry chicken. My husband does not. So I just dumped veggies and beef in a pan and made a quick stir fry half and hour before he got home while my chicken was baking and the rice was nearly done.

My oldest son and I LOVED the chicken and everyone liked the stir fry (I had a little taste just to see how it turned out.)
I put some stock photos of the dishes to show how they turned out. hehe

Going to buy batteries for my camera tonight!! hehe WOOT! lol
Luvs!


Beef Stir Fry




Cranberry Chicken

Last night was an impromptu night.
We had gourmet hamburgers.

I used preshaped patties that you just take from the freezer and cook.

Then I sauteed half and onion and julienned bell peppers.

I also used the last avocado and made a small bit of guacamole (just added a bit of garlic salt and creamed the avocado)

I topped the burgers with different cheese (depending on each person's taste)

Had fresh tomatoes, pickles, onions, and the regular condiments depending on a person's taste

I also made steak fries:

Step 1
Preheat the oven to high, or 450 degrees. Toaster ovens work well for this recipe and save energy.

Step 2
Start with 4 or 5 medium-sized russet potatoes and cut into thin, about 1/2 to 1 inch, wedges.

Step 3
Spread the potato wedges out on a cookie sheet. Coat the potatoes with extra-virgin olive oil using a basting brush. Sprinkle with dried herbs and steak seasoning or salt and pepper. If you don't have any dried herbs, Mrs. Dash will work.

Step 4
Cook potatoes in the oven for 25 minutes. Turn potatoes once with a spatula, about half way into the cooking time. Steak fries are done when they turn slightly brown on the cut sides. Serve fries hot from the oven with lots of ketchup and napkins.

Result:
We loved them!! hehe
There was nothing left! I made some steamed veggies if people were still feeling hungry.

I have decided that I am curbing my families over eating! hehe Cause my hubby and 18 year old will eat till the pan is empty! They can put away some food! So, I make enough for everyone to have one serving and if people are still hungry then they can fill up on veggies.

Update on surgery:
Well I had been scheduled for surgery on Nov 17th and had it pushed back to the 23rd and then found out I had the stomach parasites, the things that cause ulcers. So I was on meds for 2 weeks and have to wait an additional 2 weeks before another scope will be done to see if they are gone.

It's depressing. I won't lie. Already the next group of patients are nearly to my step and those I was with have already had their surgeries. It feels like it's something I'm not suppose to do at this point. I feel very frustrated. I had been prepared and all ready and now, I've just slipped back into a slump and given up. I mean why bother? It'll never happen, so why change?

My heart feels odd at times. I feel it hammering in my chest and it fills me with dread! I get obsessed with thinking I'm on my way to having a heart attack and then worry what will happen to my kids if I do while they are here and my husband isn't home.

I then start thinking about what my doctor said about me being on the verge of debites and my elevated blood pressure. Though last time I was in at the doctors my blood pressure was normal. So, not sure if I still have high blood pressure. I have gone back to eating tons of white processed flour and sugar. It's so much cheaper then buying expensive non-wheat flour and non-wheat products. I only buy the spelt bread for my youngest for him to eat and the soy milk for him to drink.

I really do hate dreary days. It makes me depressed. If you can't tell! hehe Just have to refocus my mind is all. I stopped taking my vitamins while I was taking my minds since I didn't know if taking them would be beneficial or not. But, I'm back on the wagon! hehe I NEED my evening primrose. It really does help stabilize my moods.

Need to get back with my daily affirmations. Need to change my thinking and refocus. Just gotta get out of this mood.


Taj Mahl
First say to yourself what you would be;
and then do what you have to do.
~~Epictetus





Happiness does not consist in pastimes and amusements but in virtuous activities.
~~Aristotle




Happiness resides not in posessions and not in gold; the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul.
~~Democritus




Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances.
~~Benjamin Franklin

I have been cooking for the last five days. Unfortunately my camera poohed out on me!! 
MONDAY
I made a wonderful philly beef-n-swiss from the kids cookboko and it was truly a surprise!
It's called Italian beef dippers
I doubled the recipe for our family
ingredients:
2 cans ready-to-serve French onion soup
(I used condensed soup and half can water, worked great)
2 tsp dried italian seasoning
2 packages deli sliced roast beef (I used oscar myer, I think)
6 crusty french rolls (3-4 inches long)
12 slices provolone

Directions:
Pour soup (and water if using condensed) into saucepan add italian seasoning. Heat over medium heat till hot.
Add roastbeef slices and simmer for 4-5 minutes until hot. Stir occasionally to keep soup from sticking.
Cut rolls in half length wise.
Place slices of roast beef on bottom of roll and top with two slices of  provolone cheese.
Scoop 1/3 cup of soup into small bowls or custard cups for all six sandwiches. Enjoy!
**I also sauted onions and bell peppers and topped the sandwiches with those.

TUESDAY
Potato-peanut curry
1 pound potatoes
1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 teaspoon ground chipotle or cayenne pepper
4 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves

1. Scrub potatoes. If they are not organic, peel them. If they are, just cut out any bad spots. Dice the potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes.
2. In a medium pot, add the potatoes, tomatoes with the juice, water, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn heat down to medium low so the mixture just barely boils.
3. In a small microwave-proof bowl, combine the vegetable oil, tahini, peanut butter, and chipotle or cayenne pepper. Put garlic through a garlic press or mince it very fine. Stir the garlic into tahini mixture. Cover bowl and microwave on medium-high for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is fragrant. Stir in the turmeric, then add the tahini mixture to the potato mixture.
4. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Garnish with chopped parsley.


WEDNESDAY
Artichoke Frittata
2 jars (6 oz. each) marinated artichoke hearts
1 onion (8 oz.), peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 large eggs
1/4 cup fine dried bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1. Drain artichoke hearts, reserving 2 tablespoons marinade; discard remaining marinade. Coarsely chop artichoke hearts. In a 10- to 12-inch nonstick, ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat, frequently stir onion and garlic in reserved marinade until onion is limp, about 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together eggs, bread crumbs, hot sauce, salt, pepper, oregano, and cheddar cheese. Stir in artichokes. Pour evenly into pan with onion mixture. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top.

3. Transfer pan to a 350° regular or convection oven and bake until center of frittata is set and top is lightly browned, about 30 minutes.

4. Serve warm or at room temperature; cut into 12 wedge

**I served this with baked chicken.

THURSDAY
Was Thanksgiving of course and we had a wonderful one!!
Turkey
ham
green bean cassarole
cranberry sauce
mashed potatoes w/gravy
rolls
pecan pie
home made cake (from scratch) with home made choclate icing

FRIDAY
Thai Glass Noodles
3.5oz glass noodles, soaked until soft
? lb ground chicken
1 egg
? c shredded purple cabbage
? c shredded carrot
salt & pepper
1 T soy sauce (more taste, if necessary)
1 T garlic
1/2 T fresh grated ginger, or to taste

Topping extras:
handful thinly sliced spinach leaves
thinly sliced basil leaves

Brown ground chicken in Dutch oven, breaking up with the back of a spoon. Drain fat, if neceesary. Add ingredients, minus noodles, saute until soften but still maintain crunch. Add noodles. Divide among bowls and sprinkle top with finely sliced spinach and basil. Serve and enjoy!

Additional touches: sprinkle with a handful of chopped cashews or peanuts and drizzle with sweet garlic chili sauce.

Result:
This had NO flavor. It was a total let down.
I also coupled this with beef stir fry and fried rice. We loved the stir fry and fried rice, but the Thai noodles was not a hit unless you drowned it in soy sauce.

Had peach cobbler for dessert that my 18 year old made. My family ate all the cake and pie in TWO days!! hehe
Next time we are having Thanksgiving dinner at night!! lol Not lunch! hehe

Well I had a recipe that I was going to make tonight and unfortunately it simply did not meet the quantity needs of our family and I had to modify it and add to it until it was a completely different recipe.

Suzi's Mexican Dish with Lime Rice

1 large tomato diced
1 can ranch beans
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 lb. hamburger meat
1 Tbls diced dried onion (McCormick's brand)
1 Tbls diced diced garlic (McCormick's brand)
2 cups dry brown rice
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
1/8 black pepper
1/2 cup sliced olives
2 cups shredded cheese
sour cream, to taste
2 Tbls chili powder
2 Tbls cumin powder

Method:
*Cook brown rice in 4 cups water with lime juice added in. About 40 minutes
*brown hamburger with bell pepper, drain, return to pan.
*add drained diced tomatoes, garlic, onion, chili powder, and cumin powder to hamburger meat. Mix well.
*Add ranch beans to hamburger mixture and boil for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
*spoon 1 to 1 1/2 cups rice on plate and top with hamburger mixture.
*top with serving portion of cheese and tomato with sour cream if desired and enjoy!


Yummy yummy!


And a larger view of this delicious dish!

One of my fave dishes is steak/beef kabobs. They are simple to put together and low in fat and salt, so totally healthy as well!

We of course eat them with rice, but for those that grains are an issue, then a couple of kabobs on your plate is a filling and tasty meal!

Ingrediants:
skewers (metal or wooden)
marinate sauce
1-2 lbs beef (stew or loin), depending on how many you are feeding.
2 bell peppers cut into large chunks
1 can pinapple chunks
2 lbs boiler onions (the small white onions)
2 packages fresh mushrooms (I would suggest buying the mushrooms on the DAY you are going to make kabobs, they don't keep!)
2-4 cups cooked rice (that's 1-2 cups dry rice)
low sodium soy sauce, to taste
Method:
*cut meat (if not using stew meat) and marinate in perfered sauce over night.
*start the charcole in the grill about an hour before hand to get the coals burning and burn off any starter fluid.
*skewer meat and alternate veggies and pinapple. I put a pineapple on with each veggie and meat to use them up! hehe
*place kabobs on grill and marinate with sauce if you like (we don't) and watch carefully! Turn often to keep from burning (my husband is not a big fan of the turn often method, so he gets the burned kabobs! hehe)
*place kabobs on bed of rice and enjoy!
We like to add a bit of soy sauce to our rice for a bit of flavor


Yummy Kabobs!



Let's eat!