Eggs

I love eggs, I have them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But this has been my favorite so far - my egg omelet!

So easy and so fast -especially for dinners.

This is an 2 egg omelet with veggies:

2 eggs - beat in bowl or cup

salt and pepper

Pour in heated pan covered with Pam spray on stove top. Swirl around pan to cover the whole bottom. As it is cooking, keep swirling so you don't have to flip. So no mess of an omelet. When done, about 2-3 minutes, remove to plate and add:

Cheddar cheese

sprouts

spinach

tomatoes

bacon pieces

Or anything you like (this was just so easy and what I had in the fridge) you can use: onions, mushrooms, peppers (these might need to be cooked first though).

Be creative!

Summer Pictures

Here are some random pictures from my camera/phone. Sometimes that is all we get is random! Enjoy!

The kids playing at the water park -That is Matthew in the orange top.

My Izzie girl

We went to the movies and we were waiting for the movie to start (it was dark and the flash was bright!)

Mallory Anderson - my BFF Susan's baby. Love those cheeks!

Grocery shopping with mama. My beautiful girl!

I can't believe it isn't a MILKSHAKE

I am about to let you on a HUGE - AWESOME secret.

I love dessert, okay that isn't the secret, but I love, love them. Especially when it is hot outside, I want ice cream, frozen yogurt all the time. Of course I don't because.... well you know why. But lately I have been buying smoothies from the my gym. They are so good but they cost a ton - $6 for one! I buy them for special days and the kids love them. I let them share one and they think they are the luckiest kids on the earth, well because the smoothies my gym make are sooooo AMAZING. Creamy, rich and very tasty. Sorry to all those who love Tropical Smoothie, but I can't stand theirs. They don't have much flavor and they all end up tasting the same (and I have tried and tried many flavors).

Our favorite flavor at the gym is banana creme pie. It has 350 calories and no idea on fat. So I don't feel so bad when I share it with the kids. 2 smoothies going 3 ways, not bad to cut down on calories. So trying to be the thrifty mom I am on the hunt for the recipe. I tried many, tofu, milk, mixes and none tasted good. So I was blogging and I found this recipe for many shakes/smoothies and I had to stop and read. As I read the ingredients I said, whoa, that is so gross. Then I watched her make it and I said, well if she can swear by it, why not.

I got all the ingredients and ran home.

I made the banana cream pie and I danced a jig. Matthew and Izzie danced a jig. We jumped up and down and drank our smoothie. I could of kissed the blogger. Click and check out her site: She gets all the credit! (Dashing Dish)

http://www.dashingdish.com/2010/03/i-cant-believe-its-not-a-milkshake/

What makes me even happier is the recipe here is cheaper, less calories than my gym smoothies and they taste like a milk shake. I have only tried the banana cream pie, but I promise I will try more!!!

So here we go with the recipe:

PROTEIN SHAKE BASE- Start each shake with this base and blend in the extra ingredients to make the flavored shake of your choice!

• 1/2 Cup Cottage Cheese (or 1 Cup Reduced Fat Greek Yogurt). Cottage cheese may sound strange, but TRUST me… this is what makes the ‘MILKSHAKE’ consistency! Also, if you are sensitive to dairy, you can use tofu to get the same consistency!

• 1 Scoop Protein Powder (Something that has around 100 calories per scoop~I love Designer Whey Protein Powder)

• 1-3 Packets of Splenda/ Stevia/Low Calorie Sweetener (Play around with how much depending on how sweet you like it!)

• 5-10 Ice Cubes (Depending on how thick you like it, use less for a thinner consistency)

• 1/2 Cup-1 Cup Water (Alter this according to desired consistency)

• *Optional- 1/2 tsp Xanthax gum (you can get this from most grocery stores in the gluten free section! Just a pinch of it makes your shake sooo thick and creamy!)

CHOOSE ADD-INS TO MAKE THE FLAVOR YOU WOULD LIKE:

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Shake (These ingredients added to base)
• 2 Tbs Sugar Free Butterscotch Pudding Mix (Jello Brand)
• 2 Tbs Peanut Flour OR 1 Tbs Regular Peanut Butter
• Optional: A few drops Maple Extract
Servings: 1
Calories: 310 ( add 40 if using regular peanut butter)
Weight Watchers PointsPlus: 9

Mint Chocolate Shake (These ingredients added to base)
• 2 Tbs Cocoa Powder
• 2-3 Drops of Mint Extract (Be Careful to Only Add A Few Drops… This Stuff Is Strong!!!)
• Optional: 1 Tbs Lite Hershey’s Syrup
Servings:1
Calories: 250
Weight Watcher PointsPlus Value: 5

Superman-Ice Cream Shake (These ingredients added to base)
• 2-3 Tbs Sugar free/Fat free Pistachio Pudding Mix (Jello Brand)
• Optional: 2 Tbs Cool Whip Lite
Servings:1
Calories: 250
Weight Watcher PointsPlus Value: 5

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake (These ingredients added to base)
• 2 Tbs Cocoa Powder
• 2 Tbs Peanut Flour Or 1 Tbs Regular Peanut Butter
Servings: 1
Calories: 260 (add 40 calories if using regular peanut butter)
Weight Watcher PointsPlus Value: 6

Strawberry Banana Shake (These ingredients added to base)
• 1/2 Cup Frozen Strawberries
• 1/2 Banana
• Optional: 2 Tbs Cool Whip Lite
Servings: 1
Calories: 280
Weight Watcher PointsPlus Value: 6

Lemon Cream Pie (These ingredients added to base)
• 2-3 Tbs Sugar Free Lemon Pudding Mix
• Optional: 1 Graham Cracker (or Honey Teddy Grahams) on Top of Shake (You could add this straight to the blender~ it blends up tasting like a ‘pie crust!’)
Servings: 1
Calories: 290
Weight Watcher PointsPlus Value: 5

Strawberry Shake (These ingredients added to base)
• 1/2 Cup Strawberries (Fresh or Frozen~ If you are using frozen use less ice!)
Servings: 1
Calories: 220
Weight Watcher PointsPlus Value: 4

Banana Cream Pie Shake (These ingredients added to base)
• 1/2 Frozen Banana
• 2 Tbs Sugar Free Banana Pudding
• Optional: 1 Graham Cracker (or Honey Teddy Grahams) on Top of Shake!
Servings: 1
Calories: 250
Weight Watcher PointsPlus Value: 6

Oatmeal Cookie Shake (These ingredients added to base)
• 2 Tbs Oats
• 2 Tsp Chocolate Chips
• Dash of Cinnamon (Or To Taste)
• Optional: 2 Tbs Vanilla or Chocolate Sugar Free Pudding Mix
Servings: 1
Calories: 250
Weight Watcher PointsPlus Value: 6

Cookies and Cream Shake (These ingredients added to base)
• 1/2 (100 Calorie) Oreo Pack (Throw the Cookies Right Into the Blender!)
• Optional: 2 Tbs Light Cool Whip OR 2 Tbs Sugar Free Vanilla Pudding Mix
Servings: 1
Calories: 230
Weight Watcher PointsPlus Value: 6

Pina Colada Shake (These ingredients added to base)
• 1 Tbs Coconut Extract (Found In The Baking Isle by the Spices)
• 1/2 Cup Pineapple (Fresh or Frozen)
Servings: 1
Calories: 220
Weight Watcher PointsPlus Value: 4

Strawberry Cheesecake Protein Shake (These ingredients added to base)
• 1/2 Cup Strawberries (Fresh or Frozen)
• 2 Tbs Light Cream Cheese (Or 2 Tbs Sugar Free Cheesecake Pudding Mix)
Servings: 1
Calories: 260
Weight Watcher PointsPlus Value: 5

Lemon Raspberry Shake (These ingredients added to base)
• 1/3 Cup Raspberries (Fresh or Frozen) OR 2 Tbs Low Sugar Raspberry Jam (If You Don’t Like The Seeds!)
• 1 Tsp Lemon Juice OR 2 Tbs Sugar Free Lemon Pudding Mix
• Optional: 1 Tsp Sugar Free Dry Raspberry Jello Mix
Servings: 1
Calories: 210
Weight Watcher PointsPlus Value: 5

Cocoa Rice Pudding

Cocoa Rice Pudding

¼ cup cocoa powder
½ cup brown sugar
1/8 t salt
1 ¼ cups milk
½ t vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 cups cooked rice
½ cup craisins or dried cherries, or cranberries (optional).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cocoa, sugar, salt in a mixing bowl. Add a splash of milk about ¼ cup and whisk until smooth. Crack eggs into mixing bowl, add vanilla and rest of milk. Whisk to combine. Then stir in rice and craisins or dried fruit. Transfer to baking dish or ramekins.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Smaller dishes bake faster.
Remove when the middle is jiggly when shaking the dish. Cool for 5 minutes.

If you use this as a dessert you can add vanilla ice cream or whipping cream! YUM!

Typo

My blog wont let me correct any post that has already been published. Then of course I see a typo. In the hot fudge it is 14 oz can of condensed milk.

I hope that helps!

Some new recipes

I have some new recipes to post - super easy and yummy - so of course they are both chocolate. I will post one today and the other later (I have to type it out).

I had a lot of visitors this past month and we discovered Poppy's - a frozen yogurt place that is awesome. One part of it is the hot fudge they serve. I have a weakness for that stuff. Hot and gooey and aah so, so, yummy. My sister had a easy recipe so I tried to copy it and this is what I made.

Hot Fudge

14 oz can if condensed milk (the thick one)

2 cups semi-chocolate chips

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Melt chips in a medium size pan. When melted add the milk and the vanilla stir for 4-5 minutes.

Enjoy it on ice cream, cheesecake, or just eating it out of the pan (that is what my kids did and okay me too) So easy and oh so good. Refrigerate the left overs - if there are any!

Cookies - New York Time's chocolate chip

I have been baking way to much lately - I go to the gym so I can eat my cookies! It is hard when I have so many visitors and they demand cookies- well okay I demand that they eat my cookies! But this recipe for chocolate chip cookies is so good and you have to have patience (that is hard when I have cookie dough in my fridge calling my name) but it will be worth it!

They do make big cookies so one will be enough (if you have the will power!)


New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour (I did use all-purpose)
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter (I didn't have unsalted and used salted)
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks, at least 60 percent cacao content (I used dark, semi and mint chocolate chips)
Sea salt

Directions:
1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.