My Nemisis - Cherry Jello

One of our family's traditional foods at Thanksgiving is Cherry Jello....well, Black Cherry Jello with black cherries mixed in. For years my Mom has made it, but I have had my hand at it once or twice. However, it hasn't always been a cherry walk in the park....and I'm not alone in my struggle with the jello.

The way we make the jello is we take two cans of dark, pitted cherries and two packets of dark, cherry jello. You make the jello the normal way, but substitute the cold water with the juice from the cans of cherries. You put the jello in the fridge for a couple of hours to set, but you don't want to let it set all the way because you want to pour the fruit into the jello while it is still in a semi-liquid state. If all goes well, it turns out beautiful and smooth with even amounts of cherries and the family loves it.

However, here are the things that have gone wrong: 

• My mom misread the cans one year and put cherries with pits into the jello. She then had to dig them all out after it set and pit the cherries then mix them back into the jello....That would not have been a pretty jello year. (Of course, I ask you, who cans cherries WITH the pits?)
• I made jello one year for Thanksgiving, but ended up with vertigo and unable to drive on the morning of Thanksgiving, so I ended up with a big bowl of jello and no turkey and the rest of the family had no jello.
• Multiple times has the jello been forgotten in the fridge and fully set before the cherries were mixed in. Not pretty jello years, but still good flavored.

And then there was this year....

For some reason, I blanked out on the kind of cherries that I was supposed to get and when I looked back through my messages from my Mom she had a picture of a can of tart cherries, which she uses for cherry pies.

Well, I got confused and ended up buying tart cherries. Turns out she was showing me the manufacturing label rather than the type of cherries. So, I made the jello with the tart cherries. As I was pouring the cherries into the setting jello, I realized thought that the cherries didn't look quite right and realized my error.  I struggled with whether I should just let it be and go with the tart cherry jello.

However, after much internal wrangling, I decided that I would head back to Walmart on the eve of Thanksgiving and get the right kind of cherries and jello and start over. As much as I wanted to bring the wrong jello, and hopefully get out of ever having to provide a dish for Thanksgiving again in the future, I decided that it would be better for me to suck it up and make the jello. It is one of my dad's favorite dishes at the meal and I didn't want to disappoint him.

If Challenge (8/22)

Question: If you could master one type of cuisine, which one would you choose?

Answer: There are sooooo many wonderful cuisines out there and I'm probably taking a bit of a cop out by selecting this cuisine, but I have to say it is one of my favorite and there are so many different styles and regions and tastes and so much so much....and the best is having all fresh ingredients and they aren't necessarily expensive ingredients. My mouth is watering just thinking about the different flavors. There are salads and main dishes and desserts and so many different options. What am I talking about? Italian, of course!!

 

Picture Challenge - January 30

So, as I mentioned previously, I went to Sprouts the other day to purchase some produce and where I got the yummy candy crack. 

While there, I purchased some squashes (acorn and butternut) as well some sweet potatoes. I got the sweet potatoes to make some YUMMY  sweet potato, corn, ham chowder, which I have been eating on all week. This is NOT a picture of MY chowder, but is very similar. 

As I stated, I also bought acorn and butternut squash, which I have no idea what to do with, and some pearl onions and zucchini squash. What I am thinking about doing is figure out how to clean the squash, cut it up in chucks, and throw it into a dish with the pearl onions, olive oil, salt and pepper and roast them... Thoughts?

Losing Loser

Well, I've officially hit the point where I've gained back all the weight that I lost last year...hopefully, though, I'll be able to stop the progression. Wait, not hopefully....I WILL stop the progression. I lost that weight by taking a physician prescribed pill, which was basically legal speed with the added bonus of having an appetite suppressant...I didn't learn anything from being on that program and as soon as the medicine stopped.....well here we are.

I'm addicted to weightloss programs and I go into them with great expectations...only to sabotage myself within 24 hours. I recently attempted a new program that focuses on your metabolism and hormones and getting everything in balance. It requires a lot of supplements and protein drinks and a very strict menu. I've been trying it for about two months now and have yet to make through an entire day without cheating. It is killing me....

I came to the realization yesterday that it really wasn't worth me continuing to spend the money for the supplements and all KNOWING that I'm not going to follow the program. I walk out of there KNOWING that I'm going to cheat. When I came to this realization I mentally smacked myself in the head and admitted that I have a big problem. I then went home and started looking at Overeaters Anonymous (it is the Alcoholics Anonymous program but for food). I really know that I have a problem as I sat there and looked through their website while eating a can of frosting....yes, spoon in hand eating frosting reading about how I have no power over food....and I started to cry...again.

Today I'm at a point where I don't really want to participate with my family at Christmas...and it isn't because I don't love them and don't want to see them...it is because I know there will be pictures taken and conversations had and I will feel like a failure and a fraud. I know that my family will read this and I know that they love me no matter what and that they just want me to be healthy and happy. And I know that most people don't understand my problem with food....hell, I don't understand my problem with food. I really do not understand why I can't stop eating....I just know that I can't seem to have "just one" of anything. I know that I don't need or want anybody saying to me "do you really need that? haven't you had enough? should you be putting that in your mouth?" Those phrases just push me over the edge and cause me to feel horrible guilt and will drive me to binge when I'm alone. If I'm out with you, let me monitor myself; let me beat up on me without added pressure.

Therefore, I'm taking the first step in the Anonymous playbook and admitting that I have a problem and there is no quick fix or miracle pill that is going to help me. I know that I need to stay focused and continue to admit that I have a problem and find a healthy way to address it. I've also rejoined Weight Watchers....again. Maybe this time I'll stick to it....maybe. I'll keep you updated.

Busy Week

This has been a bit of a crazy week. My team lead has been in town this week so I've had a lot going on with her and my team....well, what is left of our team. About a year ago, we had 8 people on our team, we lost a couple as they moved to other teams and we came down to five folks on the team. We were able to keep things moving, however, last week one of our team members left to go to work at another company. We were all very happy for him and excited because it is a great opportunity. Last Thursday was his last day. On Friday, one of our other team members took a leave of absence. That left our team down to three....our team lead and then the two of us remaining to hold everything together. So far we are doing a pretty good job of keeping on top of things, the hardest part is that before we were only on call once a month...now it is every other week....

So, enough of the negative. With our team lead in town, we made the effort to get together in the evenings to keep her "entertained" and build our tiny team morale. We didn't do anything Monday night because she didn't get into town and into her hotel until around midnight on Sunday, so she was pretty worn out. 

Tuesday night I couldn't do anything because I had my ceramics class (which was great, yet challenging, because we started with working with the wheel and I suck at it...but I'll get better as I practice). 

Wednesday night we went bowling, which was a lot of fun. We went to a place called Splitsville, which is somewhere that if I ever have a date I'm definitely going there. The place is over 21 after 9 PM, which is a great idea to me. While, I didn't bowl particularly well, I did have a great time. 

Thursday night everybody came over to my house and had dinner. I put a pork loin in the crock pot with a bottle of Dr. Pepper and a bottle of bar-b-que sauce, turned it on low and left it for 10 hours. By the time I got home, there was a ton of YUMMY, tender pork that we put on Hawaiian sweet rolls with coleslaw and had scrumptious BBQ sliders.

I also made some cookies and my team member brought some different potato salads and we sat around and ate and visited. They all finally had the chance to meet Leo, since they have heard lots about his as he is my baby. 

So, what I learned this week:

• Splitsville is definitely a place that I will go back to on a date or just with friends because it is really a lot of fun and they have tasty eats. 
• I love my crock pot (thanks sister for giving it to me as a house warming present). I may even offer to make BBQ sliders for the family, if they ever want to come visit me again....Actually, that may become the standard food that ABBA serves to anybody that visits. 
• Hawaiian sweet rolls....that is the way to go. I'd never had them before and have learned that they are bueno.  

YUMMMY!

I have no idea where they came from, but I just came across a small bag of Sahale Snacks Tuscan Almonds in my bowl of snacks that I keep around for when I get the munchies.

For some reason this afternoon I've been craving salty and knew that I didn't want to pop a big ol' bag of popcorn, nor did I trust myself to go to the grocery store to pick up a bag of chips because, let's be honest....I would not have gotten a single bag of chips and I really don't NEED to go get any chips.  Therefore, I went rummaging in my pantry stores to see what I could find and lo and behold I found some nuts. I may have picked them up on a flight to or from somewhere, because they are about the size of airplane nuts, but I can't think what airlines would have gone with something so fancy...

This particular bag o' nuts has the following description:

Enjoy the harmony of classic Italian tastes with an all-natural twist. Grated Parmesan cheese and sun dried tomato are partnered with a blend of Tuscan herbs, then oven roasted with whole almonds to create a bold, savory snack.

Now, the nuts are a little chewy, but I can easily get beyond that and focus on the mmm goodness of the flavor combination. I may have to do some research on where I can acquire this snacks in the future. 

Smarty Pants

I've recently had an obsession with Smart Water (only because it is usually cheaper than other waters when I go and buy it).

And I have found that I have a love for White Cheddar popcorn, specifically Smartfood brand....

Do you think I'll actually gain any "smarts" from eating these?

Is There Something I Should Know....

This morning on my drive into the office with The Queen we caught up on what happened during our Sundays (we would have normally covered Saturday as well, but since we were together Saturday evening, I didn't feel like we REALLY needed to go over that again). The highlight of my Sunday was a conversation with my mom where we discussed when I would be going over there for Christmas and what our menu was going to be. Here is a re-enactment script of the conversation:

ABBA: So, I talked to my mom yesterday and we talked Christmas menus.
QB: Mmmhmmm
ABBA: Mom told me we were having pork roast for dinner and then said that I get to choose dessert.
QB: Yay
ABBA: Yeah, she said that when she asked Dad what he wanted for dessert, he said to ask me...I wonder if I'm dying and my mom knows but isn't telling me.
QB: WHAT?!?
ABBA: Well, isn't that logical? If I get to pick out dessert and it is all about what I want, then I must be dying....
QB: Yeah, that's possible...So, what did you go with?
ABBA: Cheesecake and Chocolate Pie..... She had already assumed that I would say Cheesecake and she would see if my sister would make a Chocolate Pie....Then we decided on what sides to have {I won't go into the whole conversation on what sides we are having with the port roast}. THEN, Mom asked me what I wanted for dinner on Christmas Eve....anything that I wanted and that she knows how to make...anything at all....
QB: Yeah, your dying....and you just made your last meal request....

Very Sad...

This article makes me very sad...not surprised....but sad....I LOVE bacon!!





Study Suggests Processed Meat a Real Health Risk.

Portion Control

I met with my dietitian last Thursday and it seems that I have a small issue with portion control. (This didn't actually come as a shock to me since I've known that I'm a binge eater for many, many years.) In an effort to get a handle on this, the dietitian set a goal for me to plan and manage my intake.

Well, it took me a couple of days to get around to doing this. I mean, come on, I had to first have a Happy Hour, and well you don't want to put limits on that. Then I went to stay with friends and she had been working really hard to make cupcakes for me, and well, I couldn't turn that down. Then on Sunday, I went out to Scarborough Faire, and, well.....actually, I did pretty good out at the Faire, it was really too hot to eat much of anything, although I did have a grilled chicken sandwich to stave off the light-headedness.

So, yesterday, I made it a point to go to the grocery store and plan all my meals and snacks for the week. I came home and took my purchased snack foods (Teddy Grahams and Goldfish), snack sized Ziploc baggies, and a scale in front of the television and started weighing out individual serving size portions so that I would have to pay attention to how much I was actually eating rather than just plow through the whole 6 - 12 servings in a box.

At one point, I'm sitting there weighing and packaging and started feeling ever so slightly like a drug lord doling out my precious product.

I wonder what the street value is on Teddy Grahams.....

Ash Wednesday

Well, I tried my best to have my own little version of Mardi Gras last night, but it really only consisted of me feeding the puppies a second supper and killing 1/2 a half-gallon container of peppermint ice cream. The Queen and I had planned on spending the evening indulging in a gluttonous evening of American Idol and Creme Brulee, but due to the King's injury, she was a unavailable (which is also why the puppies got fed twice as we weren't certain if the King had fed them before he left).

This morning I woke up all ready to do the Lent thing and declare what I'm going to abstain from for the coming weeks until Easter:

• Ice cream (hence the need to kill the peppermint)
• Carbonated drinks (therefore, no Dr Pepper and no Sprite....oh and no beer or champagne...)
• Chocolate (which kicks my morning Chocolate Milk out the window)

Let's hope I can do this...I feel pretty strongly that I can....

Valentine's Dinner = Wild, Wacky Dreams

As you all know, I have very vivid dreams depending on what I have for dinner. Last night was no surprise that I had some interesting dreams occurring because I had an amazingly wonderful meal. If you'd like to see a play by play, you can check out The Queen's blog V-Day Dinner. She has pictures there...and yes, your mouth will water.

On to my dreams, though. As usual, I can't remember the whole dream but only snippets. (I wonder if I am actually remembering the whole dream because do we know if dreams run their course like a movie on a screen from start to finish or are they only brief vignettes?) So, here are the snippets that I remember:

• It takes place in Casa ABBA as if we are going through the final walk through before signing my life away.
• There is another couple walking through the house with me, as if they are looking to purchase it.
• It is complete furnished, as if it is being staged to sell.
• The man in the couple is Thomas Gibson, who played Greg Montgomery on Dharma and Greg and is now one of the main characters on Criminal Minds. (And just as a side note, I wanted to BE Dharma on that show and that was part of the draw for me to move to San Francisco. Of course once I lived there I realized that I didn't have the personality or the mentality to be Dharma-esque, but that is a whole other issue.)
• The room that is going to be the guest room was decorated like a baby's room with the strangest decor in that the wall had 100s of bunny rabbit light switches attached to it...very strange.
• "Scott" who is the builder that I've been talking with at the office was there showing me around, but he was being played by Billy Dee Williams (I have NO idea where that one came from.)
• And, lastly, the carpet was really, really cushy, which I guess was caused by the fact that when I woke up I realized that I had completely reoriented myself in my bed and my feet were on my pillow...

Since I'd been watching The Godfather prior to dinner, you would have thought that I would have at least had somebody like Al Pacino or Marlon Brando or at the least Robert Duvall in my dream....but nope, I had Billy Dee Williams and bunny rabbit light switches....

But, the meal was great!

Freaky Dreams and Good Food

The past two nights I have had some freaky dreams and each morning I wake up and think "ooo, I need to write this down so I can post it" but of course I don't and then I forget the gist of the dreams. I do think, however, that the reason I've been having these very vivid dreams is because I've had a couple of really great meals over the past two days.

Tuesday night we (The Queen and King, Erika the super realtor, and Missy the side kick) went to this great restaurant, Cafe Izmir. They were having 1/2 price tapas night and $15 pitchers of Sangria. We ate so many scrumptious items. My favorite, I think was the Piroshki, although the Lamb Rolls were also very tasty. Of course, their hummus and pita bread was m-m-m good. The King's favorite dish was the Pomegranate Shrimp and Erika, the super realtor, favorite was the Turkish salad (and I have to agree that they were both pretty darn tasty). I didn't hear what the Queen's favorite dish was as she was on the other end of the table, but I'm certain she'll let us know. Needless to say, this is DEFINITELY a place that I'll be going back to.

Then, last night we had the King's cooking, which is always exceptional, last night was downright scrumptious. We were treated to grilled steaks, mashed potatoes (which always make me do a happy dance), sauteed green beans, crescent rolls, and to top it all off creme brulle. Initially, I was only going to eat half of my steak and bring the other half in to for lunch along with left over taters and beans, but there was just no stopping once I cut into it. I can only imagine what will be on the menu for tonight (not that it matters, because even if it is leftovers, I'm never disappointed when I eat at the King's table).

Now, I only wish I could remember what some of the dreams were about. I know my sister was in one, and lots of driving around, and a puppy....

Happy Foods

As you may know, I have the privilege of currently living with a professional chef and am eating pretty well...both tasty and healthy. There have been numerous times when I've literally danced in my seat as I'm eating because the food is so yummy...and yes, I never thought I dance in my seat over healthy foods, it is normally over chocolate cake and ice cream or cheesecake...

As I was discussing what foods were making me happy I realized that a number of them started with "P":

• Potatoes, mashed, scalloped, soup
• Pudding (not necessarily made by The King, but still tasty and eaten often)
• Pork (as in bacon)
• Pasta (as in yummy spaghetti with turkey bolognaise sauce)
• Popcorn
• Peanut-butter cookies
• Pad Thai (though this last batch was a little too spicy for me...and not cooked with love by the King)
• Pomegranate Martini
• Prosseco (and yeah, we're getting a little off mark)

Some other non-P foods that have made me do the food dance:

• Chef Salad (made with love by The King along with homemade Parsley Ranch dressing)
• Taco Salad
• Brown rice with thyme
• Risotto

Okay, so in general, I pretty much dance whenever I'm served yummy (healthy) food that has been made with care. Look out Thanksgiving, there's no telling what sort of dancing may occur...

The Pounds SHOULD Be Dropping Off

Well, it has been a whole week of very healthy eating. While at the castle there has only been one meal that has been eaten out and that was because the Queen and I were strolling down college memory lane prior to going to Midnight Yell Practice on Friday night. Some of the items that the King has prepared are:

Grilled Chicken with brown rice and grilled vegetables and a salad with Granny Smith apples, craisins, and a champagne vinaigrette dressing
Steak with potatoes and grilled vegetables and a salad (with more champagne vinaigrette dressing)
Roasted Chicken with rice and vegetables (lots of broccoli and asparagus)
Chicken stir-fry with all sorts of scrumptious veggies that I didn't think I would eat but because I didn't want to hurt the King's feelings I tried and turned out I actually like them.
Sauteed chicken and veggies in a wine reduction sauce with garlic and thyme in the rice

All the yummy foods are sorta running together as there is always enough for leftovers the next day. The times that the King hasn't cooked for me, the Queen has actually shown some talent in the kitchen and makes a really tasty Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

Every night as we wander off to bed the King sets out my cereal bowl and glass for the next morning, so I'm having breakfast each morning before I leave the house. I also take an apple with me for my mid afternoon snack.

On top of this, I started using the Castle's on site work out facilities and have to climb up stairs to get to my room. PLUS, I've been doing a lot of wandering around the campus for work.

We're keeping our fingers crossed that with the good food and the exercise that I'll be able to get my body on track towards a healthy second half.

I Love Cherries.....

One of my all time favorite foods has always been cherries and pretty much anything cherry flavored. As a small child, my grandparents had a cherry tree growing in their yard and I distinctly remember sitting under the tree and eating cherries straight off the tree (or ground) until I was sick.

(Mind you, I may "remember" this but that doesn't necessarily mean that it happened as it seems that a lot of my memories are just made up or blown WAY out of proportion!)

Anyway, we are currently in the midst of cherry season here in California so I've been buying lots and lots of cherries at the grocery store. Today, I feel like I'm that small child again. I brought a BIG container of cherries to the office with me today and am slowly making my way through it (using a coffee cup as my pit spittoon). The only problem is that I think I have definitely reached my quota on cherries....

Does anybody know how many cherries make up a serving?

Random Food Thoughts

Strange things that have been on my mind lately....

• Has any body else seen the new M&M commercials for the "fancy" M&Ms? Of course this would require you all to actually watch the commercials. Anyway, they are creepy where the Green Girl M&M in the white Go-Go boots is all rolling around in the satin sheets and at the end the Red and Yellow Boy M&Ms are all melty holding the film equipment. I just don't want to think of my candy as "sexy". 
  
• Why do so many smoothies taste like bananas....or rather, why do they have to us bananas in most smoothies? 
  
• Whoever thought that buttered popcorn Jelly Bellies was a good idea had to be smokin' something that is only legal if you have a prescription and live in San Francisco or Amsterdam. 
  
• Mr. Pibb is not an adequate replacement for Dr. Pepper. 
  
• My Mom used to make the BEST popcorn before microwave popcorn was created. Luckily Pop Secret makes one now called "Homestyle" and it is very similar, but not the same. 
  
• I used to binge eat ice cream.... for some reason my tastes have changed and I have had the same 1/2 gallon of Thin Mint Chocolate ice cream in my fridge for a month.... What is happening to me? 
  

Some other random thoughts that have nothing to do with food....

• The television show Time Warp is going to have Metallica on this coming Wednesday. 
  
• I'm torn between watching that and Dangerous Warriors on Spike TV. 
  
• I think I like these shows because they are showing science and history in a new way. So you folks out there with kids should look into watching these shows (or TiVo'ing them or whatever you do)!!
  

So, my there are my thoughts on food and television, both of which I indulge too much, but oh well. 

Country Mouse in the Big City

As promised, here is my follow-up regarding dinner Monday Night.

You will recall that I had a terrible day dealing with PG&E and my crying fit. Well, after they were all gone, I was feeling MUCH better and was bound and determined to enjoy my dinner at Sam's friend's, and now mine, Fabrice and Sophia's house in celebration of Fabrice's birthday. Sam and I decided that we would go in together and bring a nice bottle of wine, so she told me what kind to get and I went trekking through the 'hood to locate BevMo. It turns out BevMo is less than 2 miles from me, which I haven't decided if that is a good thing or a bad thing. I wander around BevMo with my note of the kind of French wine I am supposed to get, looking like a big dork, but not quite as crazy as the homeless guy getting the MadDog 20/20 who was the other customer at the time. I locate what I need, get a gift bag, pay, and head out for home.

After running home and changing into jeans and opting against the 4" killer boots for shoes that are slightly less dangerous, I played with my hair and all the various products that go in said hair (wax, paste, gunk, and clay). I then walked the short 5 blocks to Sam's house.

She and I determine that it is a lovely evening and that since Fabrice and Sophia are about 1.5 miles away, we'll just walk to there place. I mean, that is one of the benefits of living in the city, right? Neither of us considered the fact that we are living in a city of hills, and not your wimpy hillocks, HILLS. And, of course, our destination is at the top of one of these hills. About half-way through the walk Sam and I are kicking ourselves for not bringing along a cork screw because we were pretty certain that Fabrice really would understand if we cracked the bottle of wine before we actually go to their place....

Eventually we arrive at the summit. The other guests are arriving at about the same time, thank God they were all pretty much European and work on a different clock than my Midwestern upbringing which would have considered arriving for dinner at 8:30 as being very late and actually eating at 9:00 or later just crazy. There was wonderful jazz playing in the background and great wines being poured. Lot's of laughter and kisses and greetings, and all these people made me feel so very welcome in their world.

We sit down to dinner, which started with mussels and sausage, then moved to roasted lamb stuffed with goat cheese and basil (I think), and topped off with what I call a banana split birthday cake (banana cake, whipped cream, fresh strawberry all layered together). The wine continued to flow freely as did the conversation.

Most of the folks at the table are quite the world travelers, so they were all regaling one another with their experiences and mostly the funny trials and tribulations that happen with traveling abroad. It was a great evening, relaxed and friendly.

As things were wrapping up, around 11:30 on a school night, Sam and I determined that we were not looking forward to the walk home, even though it was going to be all downhill. Luckily, Sam had the brilliant thought of asking for a ride from one of the folks with a car. And even better, these nice gentlemen didn't give it a second thought to schlep us home.

All in all, it turned out to be a wonderful experience and this country mouse is truly enjoying all the aspects of San Francisco life!!