Blue Ice

This was absolutely, positively the most beautiful day at Mackinac Bridge. We heard about the blue ice and before coming home from our overnight trip to Traverse City we decided to go to the bridge.

In an article in USA Today I found this explanation, "When lake ice is clear with no bubbles, in this case where lakes Michigan and Huron meet, it allows for short wavelength light to penetrate and scatter in the water below and reflect back through the ice."  George Leshkevich, a field scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Mich. 

It was 38° but actually felt much warmer. There were lots of people climbing on the ice. The mountain of ice is inches away from the house we were near.

The huge shards created steps to climb. I had on tennis shoes and it was too slippery for me.

Mudhustler Brownies

Here are Mudhustler brownie recipe and my version. Only differences are I use real brown sugar, add zucchini and make in silicone cupcake pans.

Mix together:

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 scoops Quest vanilla

1 TBS Baking Powder

1/4 cup Hershey's special dark cocoa 

3 TBS brown sugar

1 TBS Espresso Powder

Add:

2 eggs

1 TBS vanilla

15 oz pumpkin

1-2 cups shredded zucchini, 

(Water squeezed out)

Scoop into Pam sprayed cupcake pans -recipe makes 12.

Bake 350° for 25 minutes. Turn off oven and leave in oven with door closed. Store in refrigerator. 

Serve with FF Reddi Whip and raspberries.

1 for 1 pts or 2 for 3 pts 

This is Mudhustlers original recipe:

Enchilada Casserole

Oh yum! Big hit last night with company.

Enchilada Casserole

6 xtreme ole tortillas 

1 1/4 cup Trader Joe's Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Mozzarella blend light shredded

3/4 cup FF mozzarella 

1 can Enchilada sauce

1 lb lean ground turkey

1/2 cup green pepper

1/2 cup yellow pepper

1/2 cup onion

1 can pinto beans

Add vegetables to pan and saute. Add pinto beans and mash all together. Add 1/4 cup cheddar cheese.

In a seperate pan cook turkey with salt, pepper, cumin, garlic, ancho chili, paprika, Mrs. Dash, fennel. Mash as cook.

Put a few TBS sauce in a Pam sprayed casserole dish. Layer:

2 tortillas

Sauce

Bean mixture

Turkey

1/4 cup cheddar blend cheese

1/4 cup mozzarella

Repeat.

End with 2 tortillas pour remainder of sauce and last of the cheese. Cover with foil.

Refrigerate 

Bake 350° for 1 hour. Take out of oven and uncover. Let rest for 10 minutes. Serves 4 generous servings 6 Freestyle SP each.

Lent 2018

St. Dominic's Parish
SS Peter and Paul Church
Saginaw, Michigan
Lent 2018

I love it when art and environment is inspiration driven. Nancy had this Lenten vision and it is beautiful. She chose words from the readings for the day and made signs to be added each week to the Gathering area cross.  I made two PowerPoint slides to be shown before Mass each week with those words.

In Church

In Gathering Area

Each week a new word will be added to this cross

 Ash Wednesday - Slides 1 and 2

 1st Week of Lent - Slides 1 and 2

 2nd Week of Lent - Slides 1 and 2

 3rd Week of Lent - Slides 1 and 2

 4th Week of Lent - Slide 1 and 2

 5th Week of Lent - Slide 1 and 2

 Palm Sunday - Slide 1 and 2

 Easter Sunday - Slide 1 and 2

This Ahi Tuna recipe was so easy and so delicious.

I found this on Pinterest and followed it to the website "Sisters Do Food and Fitness"  (Click the picture to go to the website.) Right after I publish this post I am going back to the website to find more recipes to try.

This was my first time cooking Tuna that wasn't in a can or a pouch. I switched the black sesame seeds to Everything But The Bagel Seasoning. I served it over rice and vegetable stirfry and drizzled the tuna with the dipping sauce. IT WAS SO GOOD!

Ahi Tuna

2 (5 ounce) ahi tuna steaks

1/4 c. panko breadcrumbs

1/4 c. black sesame seeds

1 tbsp. sesame oil

Soy Dipping Sauce -

1/2 c. soy sauce

2 tbsp. lime juice

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tbsp. honey

2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped

1 tbsp. sesame oil

1 tbsp. Sriracha (or red chili sauce)

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the soy dipping sauce. Place in refrigerator to chill.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp. sesame oil over medium-high heat. 

Combine panko and black sesame seeds in a large bowl. Roll the ahi tuna steaks in the panko mixture to coat.

Gently place the crusted tuna in the skillet and cook to desired doneness, 1 minute per side for rare.

Use filing sauce sparingly - very salty.

I'll Stand by You

I love this!

Carba Nada Pasta and Zoodle Bake

This was delicious.

2 packages Lean Ground Turkey

Fennel seed 

Oregano

Garlic

Cumin

Paprika

Mrs. Dash

Salt

Pepper

Mix together refrigerate overnight

Cook turkey sausage and crumble while cooking. 

Add 1 box tomato sauce 

1 can chopped tomatoes
2 wedges Laughing Cow Cheese

Half a package Carba Nada noodles boiled 1 minute 

5 zucchinis zoodled baked

1 TBS parmesan mixed together

Mix together

1/2 cup ricotta 

1 cup cottage cheese

1/4 cup FF mozzarella 

1 egg

Cinnamon

Parsley

Layer 

Sauce on bottom (leave out turkey)

Pasta/Zoodle

Cheese mixture

Turkey sauce

1/4 cup mozzarella 

Cheese

Pasta/Zoodle

Turkey sauce

3/4 cup FF mozzarella 

2 TBS Parmesan

Refrigerate overnight

350° 1 hour covered 10 minutes uncovered then take out and let sit 10 minutes

This serves 8 generous servings 4 Freestyle points each

Love this

Lately visitors have been looking for Lenten ideas. Love being a source for them.

First Sewing Lesson

Ayva learned how to thread the machine and pull the thread from the bobbin. Then she practiced a basic straight stitch.

We washed the material for her skirt, and measured her little waist. Next lesson will review today's lesson and start the skirt.

She is a very good student.

Hometown Hero

From Simone Niles Instagram a powerful quote from the statements of survivors.

From Glamour magazine:

After hearing the testimony of Amanda Cormier, a music lover who said she couldn’t write or perform after Nassar’s abuse, Aquilina said: “It seems to me, after this, you can finish writing. You found your voice. It's a strong, effective, brave voice, and you have a child coming. Maybe what you need to do is start and finish a lullaby."

Responding to Taylor Cole, a woman who testified she suffers from anxiety and lack of sleep because of Nassar, Aquilina said:“Push away those nightmares. He’s gone. Your words replace what he’s done to you.”

Aquilina told gymnast Bailey Lorencen:“The military has not yet come up with fiber as strong as you…. Mattel ought to make toys so that little girls can look at you and say, ‘I want to be her.’ Thank you so much for being here, and for your strength.”

To read the article click here 

Visit with Great Grandkids

I love when they come to visit. Last night Caroline brought my makeup that I ordered from her. As soon as they walked in the door they put the tablets down and found things to do. Ayva got the bag of felt and started making clothes for her stuffed dog toys, Mr. Pug Johnson and Weenie. Then Javier started helping her.

The boys got the blocks out and started building. Then the tow trucks to knock this down.

Before they left they had ice cream and pop. Hope they went to bed okay, Grandma Caroline!

Patrick

This man.... I'm so in love with him. He's reading a Michigan magazine.

I looked at my hands and noticed how wrinkled they are since losing weight. Half kidding I asked, "Will you still love me when I'm totally saggy baggy?"

He answered, "You'll be cute saggy baggy. Of course I'll love you. "

Chicken Stroganoff

Always looking for ways to used cooked chicken. Came up with a Chicken Stroganoff recipe for 6 Freestyle points per serving.

This recipe serves 2.

3/4 cup Fat Free Gravy
1 cup Fat Free Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup White Wine
3/4 cup Fat Free Cheddar Cheese
Mrs. Dash, Salt, Pepper, Minced Garlic, Minced Italian Herbs
Heat on low

Cook 3 cups Carba Nada Noodles in salted water, drain

Add to sauce
8 oz cooked chicken cubed or shredded
Cooked noodles

Serve over
Zucchini sauted with Chili Lime Seasoning

Cream Cheese Parfait

A Small Delicious Cheesecake Parfait - 3 pts

This recipe makes 12 small parfaits. They are delicious and our non Weight Watcher company loved them too. Just the right size to satisfy the craving for something sweet.

8 oz Fat Free Cream Cheese
1 cup Fat Free Whipped Topping
1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
1 single serving container FF Greek Yogurt

Blueberries, Raspberries, and Blackberries

36 Trader Joe's Crispy Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies (These are tiny.)

With hand mixer blend cream cheese, yogurt, powdered sugar and whipped topping.

Crush 3 cookies into the bottom of each parfait glass. Put a dollop of cream mixture on top. Add a layer of fruit. Top with another small dollop of cream mixture.

Peanut Butter, Chocolate & Banana Oh My

Trying a new dessert.

3 Bananas
1/4 cup PB2
1/4 cup Cocoa
1/2 cup Fiber One

Combine bananas, PB2, and cocoa until smooth with hand mixer. Fold in Fiber One.

Fill into 12 mini cupcakes. Freeze.
1 = 0 pts
2 = 1 pt

Freeze but take out of freezer for 10 minutes before eating.

Bagel Oh Yum

1 cup Self Rising Flour
1 cup FF Greek Yogurt

Mix
Knead in bowl (sticky)
Cut in 4
Roll into ball, push hole through middle

Put on parchment covered cookie sheet

Brush with egg

Sprinkle sesame or poppy or Trader Joe's Everything But The Bagel seasoning

Cover with towel and let rise while oven gets preheated.

Bake 350° 20 minutes
Broil 500°  2 minutes

Makes 4 bagels 3 pt each

End of Year

Since beginning Weight Watchers on May 21st I have done pretty well.

My cholesterol medicine dose was cut in half. Hoping adding exercise this last month will get it taken away completely. We go to the Freeland Sportszone every morning for 35-45 minutes of biking, walking and some of the machines.

I've had a bit of a glitch since the program changed in the beginning of December, but I think I've got it figured out now.

So I'm ending this year with a 56.4 loss. Still a long way to go but it has been amazingly much easier than I thought it would be and I feel so much better.

Christmas at St. Dominic