Photo of the Day - Soup for You!

2.8.12 - Photo of the Day

Nothing like a steaming hot pot of homemade soup on this dreary, cold day.

*1 can 98% fat free Creamy Chicken Noodle

*1 can 98% fat free Cream of Chicken

*4oz  boiled egg noddles

*2 biscuits, pulled apart and rolled into small dumplings

*1 empty soup can skim milk

*1/2 empty soup can water

*4 pulled, grilled chicken tenders left over from last nights dinner

*Cook on stove top uncovered for 15 minutes on medium/high, then cover pot for 20 more minutes of cooking. Stir occasionally. 

Super rich, but super yummy! (PS- I never claimed it would be healthy...)

2012 Resolution Follow Up

It has only been 31 days, and I can't remember what I pledged for the new year, other than (obviously) to get in some sort of shape.  So, I've decided to look back at my blogpost from New Years Eve, and give a little status update as to where I stand with each one.  In fact, I'd like to check back in at the end of each month and report on how I'm doing. Here we go:


1. Photo of the Day challenge - I'm shockingly doing pretty well with this one. Ok, so my pictures haven't been quite as visually stimulating as I'd hope they'd be, but I'm going to work on that.  Once the temperatures start warming up, that might help as well.  At least I've managed to get 31 Photos of the Day posted in the month of January, right?

2. Reacquire my physical fitness - Am I back in tip-top shape? No, BUT the hubs and I have both agreed on a healthier lifestyle for the new year, and I can certainly see a difference.  I've exchanged sweet tea and soda for water, white breads and pasta's for whole wheat (as often as I can), and limiting the amount of sweets I have throughout the week. Though I haven't gotten on the scale, I do know for a fact that I have decreased my amount of bloat.  All of my pants that I tried my hardest to avoid because they were uncomfortably snug, are now back in my weekly line up.  Are they loose? No, but they are so much more comfortable than they were before. Another successful change we've made is eating out. Lunches are now packed (the majority of the time) and we only go out for dinner on the weekends.

3. Rediscover my passion for fashion - I love a good dress, but I HATE pantyhose.  Just saying the word makes me cringe.  So any ideal improvements to my wardrobe are waiting for warmer weather.  However, for the time being I have made a concentrated effort to improve my look. I've been doing my hair more often and even taking the time in the mornings to pick out something different that I feel happy in. (*This is an ongoing effort and even though I'm trying, I am well aware that there are some days when I just haven't put the effort in.)

4. Don't Worry, Be Happy - This is probably the hardest of all my resolutions. I'm a born "people pleaser" and the word "No" doesn't always find its way into my vocabulary.  Thus leading to some stressful and frustrating situations, which means an unhappy Mindle.  But I have come up with a few remedies for this; I've been making more time for my own hobbies like reading, blogging, photography and home decor projects. Now if only I could squeeze some traveling in there...

Pinterest Taste Test - Chocolate Chip Cookies

Over the weekend I was craving something sweet, and since we are trying really hard to eat healthier in 2012 there was nothing sweet in sight. And I mean nothing. And then it hit me, I had bought a bunch of baking supplies over Christmas and still had some left.  So what did I do? I rushed over to Pinterest and found the simplest looking recipe I could find for Chocolate Chip cookies. (Yes, I'm that pathetic of a cook/baker that I don't even know how to make cookies from scratch.) Anyway, I found a pin for "Big Chocolate Chip Cookies" from MyBakingAddiction.com and got to work.

When you have to work really hard for your sweets, that cuts out 50% of the calories, right? Right....

The Verdict? Pretty good.  Never in my life did I imagine the words I'm about to type coming out of my own mouth, but they were almost too sweet.  Never-the-less, still yummy and certainly cured my craving for something sweet.  *Also, note to those thinking about trying the recipe - make sure you know the difference between parchment paper and wax paper.  I didn't figure it out until I noticed the cookies smoking a little bit after just a few minutes...Don't worry, we salvaged them and they turned out fine, just a little distorted.

Pinterest, you haven't let me down yet...keep 'em coming!

A Pinterest Taste Test

As I've mentioned before, I've become slightly obsessed with Pinterest. As a child, I was always cutting and pasting (the old fashioned way, with scissors and glue...) pretty dresses, clever sayings, and places I wanted to go from magazines to my own collages.  So, naturally, when I found out what Pinterest entailed, I jumped on the bandwagon. Quickly.

Not only do I love browsing through the gorgeous photography, crafty creations, and crude humor, but the recipes seem to have me hooked as well. It's no secret that my cooking skills leave a little something to be desired; however my culinary curiosity has been sparked lately. It may be my age and my hungry husband, but I also think it has something to do with the delicious ideas I've been finding on Pinterest

One of the first things I ever pinned was what I like to call the apple sandwich. It was probably created with children in mind, but again, if you know me, you know that my palate isn't exactly refined. Anyway, I saw this "recipe" if you will, and knew I wanted to try it. And today was the day...

The verdict? Just as delicious as I had hoped!