Get out of that same ol’ recipe rut and try one of these delicious and easy recipes this week! This week I highly recommend making the Ultimate Chicken and Gnocchi Cream Soup, the Cheesy Ham Peas Baked Penne Casserole, and the Butterscotch Sweet Potato Muffins!
Happy Sunday TKW Family from a not so snow-covered Pittsburgh. So we were fortunate/unfortunate (depending on how you look at it) to not get blasted with Snomageddon 2019. Almost all of last week up to and including yesterday they were calling for 11-15″ in my area. Needless to say mass pandemonium hit the city and the stores were jammed packed for days prior to this fateful storm. I kid you not but when I went to Walmart there was literally no toilet paper on the shelves. No, for real, there was none. I mean not even the cheap stuff that is like sandpaper. Nada.
I picked up our necessities in case we lost power or couldn’t get out for a week. We went to bed Friday night fully expecting to wake up to this magical winter wonderland and instead we had rain. Lots and LOTS of rain! So I put away my snow suit and started to build an arc.
On social media many of you in the mid-west were getting pummeled so please be safe. And please bring your pets inside. If you can’t stand outside with no shoes on or clothes, neither can your pets.
Bagels and breads
Today’s a baking kind-of-day for me. I’ve been tweaking my New York bagel recipe as, while it’s really good, it’s just not quite there. Some say the water has everything to do with while others say it’s the slow, cold rise and fermentation. What do you think? Yesterday I spent a good portion of the day working on a white whole wheat focaccia recipe. I FINALLY got that perfected. I need to send it off to my client for approval and then I can share it. But this recipe…. this is the bees knees!
Do you guys bake breads? For me, while I love bread, I think I love the act of making it more. I find it so cathartic kneading the dough, stretching it out and shaping it. Plus when it bakes I find the smell so comforting. It’s such a familiar smell for me and one I immediately equate to my Mom.
If you don’t make bread, why not? I often get asked what’s the best/easiest way to get started with making homemade bread using yeast. My answer will always, always be start with my No Knead Bread. You don’t need any special equipment or utensils. Actually I don’t want you using a mixer at all. Just a few ingredients in a large bowl (this is key), a wooden spoon (or you can use a dough whisk from Amazon) and ideally a dutch oven to bake it in. BUT if you don’t have one, no worries. I give you a bunch of different ways to bake it in the notes of the recipe – including using a cake pan and a bowl of water! They all work.
This is the dough whisk I use and LOVE!
80’s Hair Metal and doing what makes you happy!
As you guys know, I grew up in the 80’s and have a huge love of metal, hard rock and hair metal. Don’t get me wrong, I listen to almost anything but that’s my preference. It just so happens that Mr. Fantabulous is absolutely phenomenal on the guitar (while I’m lucky I can play the air guitar) and in an 80’s metal band. Needless to say there is always music being played. My favorite is when he’s in the studio working on tracks or jamming with the guys. To see someone pick up an instrument and play it so effortlessly; with such precision is just incredible. I tell him almost daily that, that, is his true calling. While he is a genius (literally) he was meant to be on stage, touring the world and sharing his gift. He truly is one of the greats. I mention this for three reasons:
- To boast about him as he is not one to do it himself. I’m his cheerleader.
- Second, find that one thing that is your passion and work at it. You may not be perfect at it but if that one thing makes you smile, brings you joy then do it. Do it for you and no one else.
- Last, to shamelessly plug their upcoming show at the Hard Rock Cafe in Pittsburgh on 2/16. If you’re local to the ‘Burgh and love this type of music, check them out. You can order tickets online. I’ll be there and would love to rock out with you! If you go to their facebook page you can see a bunch of older video clips.
Resolutions
So how’s it going for you? For me, I’m not one to make resolutions as I feel that puts a time frame on thing. For me/us, we prefer to go with “changes”. To me, these are permanent and conscious choices to do X. As mentioned before we were major gym rats. Like we lived at the gym and I often worked out twice a day. But when the house construction took up every second of our free time we had to stop. Oh sure we kept, as best, as we could with eating healthy but for me, it wasn’t enough. So the chubb came back and my fat pants became my now pants. No bueno. So Mr. Fantabulous asked if we could go back to our normal ways, eating-wise. He can’t, unfortunately, work out right now as he had trigger finger surgery one 2 fingers (of which he has to have the one finger re-done) and also major shoulder surgery (again). I haven’t gone back to the gym as, again, finding time. Excuses I know but I’m working on my schedule to make time. Even if I have to give up an hour of sleep I’ll do it. So for now we’re just eating better but without sacrifices. For me, for us it was everything in moderation.
That being said I’m down 15 pounds however I never pay attention to the numbers but rather how I feel and how my clothes fit.
You got this!
I’ve put together some of my FAVORITE items and products to help you stick to your resolutions of living a healthy lifestyle. Yes you can still have that cookie, cake or cheesecake. For me, I follow the “everything in moderation” mantra. If I want it, that’s fine but I have to be prepared to hit the gym and STICK WITH IT!
And with that, have one fantabulously amazing week!
♥ Monday – Ultimate Chicken and Gnocchi Cream Soup
♥ Tuesday – Spinach & Feta Stuffed Chicken Sliders
♥ Wednesday – Guinness Crock Pot Corned Beef & Cabbage with a Guinness Reduction Sauce
♥ Thursday – Cheesy Ham Peas Baked Penne Casserole
♥ Friday – Guinness Corned Beef Reuben Pizza
♥ Saturday – Roasted Cornish Hens
♥ Sunday – Fantabulous Pressure Cooker Pork Ragout
♥ Dessert of the week – Butterscotch Sweet Potato Muffins
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