My "homemade" FB cover photos

Thin for Thankgiving

I'm still in my journey to a thinner healthier me! It's tough sometimes but I am thankful for the amazing friends and family who encourage me along the way! 112 sticks of butter down...28 more until I hit my first goal!!!

Got this from a coworker today!! Cracked me up! 

Chilly Fall Sunday, perfect for New England Corn Chowda a.k.a. Chowder

I woke up with a craving got my mom's corn chowder. I asked her for the recipe, here is what she sent. 

"I use salt pork or bacon, cut up small and sauté with chopped onion and of course garlic. When that is soft add diced potatoes ,cover with water and cook until done. (not mushy) I then add corn, I mix cream corn and regular can or frozen corn.   At the very end add evaporated milk, then season to taste...salt, white pepper...whatever."

I took it from there and this is what I did...all in one pan and it really hit the spot!

Chopped 6 slices of bacon and put them in the pan and fried them up crispy then added one small onion thinly sliced and two small cloves of fresh garlic, minced. Once the onions were transparent I added two cups of water and prepped 5 large potatoes (peeled and chunked). I added those and more water to cover the potatoes. Once the potatoes were soft-ish I added two cans of whole corn and I can of creamed corn. Then I brought it to a boil and added the evaporated milk, salt and pepper. 

I served it like mom always did with saltines and butter. 

We had it again for dinner and I added a side of crackers, cheese, and sliced apples....delish!

Ingredients that I used...but you can add more or less depending on how much you want to make. You really can't go wrong! 

6 slices of bacon

2 small garlic cloves

1 small onion

5 large potatoes

2 cans or frozen packs of whole corn

1 can of creamed corn

Salt and pepper to taste

Fun with Fall Fotos...and alliteration apparently!

I am no phatographer...but I do own a camera and have a love for capturing moments in time, beauty, and God's creation, some even turn out okay! Just for fun...here are a few.

Come sit a spell, enjoy God's creation!

Sunflower 

Crisp & Delicious!

Pumpkin time!

My fall bouquet!

The Girls!

Bird sitting! 

Pretty girl!

My boys

Adirondack creek

Have I stumbled into Narnia?

Peaceful

Road trip!

Downtown 

The corner

What came first?

Puppy love!

Finally, it blooms!

Can I wine?!

Market

You say tomato...

Goals.

One mans junk is another man's treasure!

A few fun before and after projects we have done lately! 

Wall sconce .50 cents: Before (Forgot to grab a true before shot until I had already started painting) 

Wall sconce: After

 

Lamp $3.00: Before

Lamp: After

Wall lamps $5.00: Before

Wall lamps: After (I still need to finish the shades)

Healthy Homemade Apple Crisp for Two (less than 200 calories per serving)!!

Tonight I wanted a yummy snack but did not want a lot of calories and fat. So, I made up an Apple Crisp recipe that I felt was healthy...and it was really delish!!

2 tbsp Organic Maple Syrup (90 calories and a lot better for you than sugar and more good minerals than both sugar and honey!) 

1 packet Stevia (0 calories in this natural sweetener that does not register in the glycemic index!!)

2 tbsp ground flax seed (74 calories heart healthy due to omega-3's, and it helps keep you regular due to the fiber content!)

2 small apples (100 calories, I had honey crisp but I'm sure you can use any apple)

2 tsp Brummell and Brown spread (30 calories like butter but better for you than other butters and margarines cuz it's made with yogurt...and you don't use much anyway and prolly could omit if you want to)

1/3 cups rolled oats (102 calories: these were fresh from the farmers market and we watched then being rolled! A great whole food that includes amino acids, protein, folate, vitamin k, and more!) 

Total: 396 calories or 198 per serving

Peel and cut apple into bite size pieces

Toss them in a bowl with flax seed and stevia

Drizzle apple chunks with 1 tbsp syrup (optional)

Divide apples into two individual stoneware cups 

Mix oats, 1 tbsp syrup, and the margarine

Top each with half of the oat mixture (press down it down firmly into the cup. 

Bake at 450 for 5-7 minutes and turn the oven down to 250 finish baking for 10-12 minutes (you can cook it longer if you like the apples mushy)

The reason for the temperature change is because I was trying to walk on the treadmill at the same time and did not want to keep stopping to check it, so I thought if I turned it down that would give me at least 10 more uninterrupted minutes! :) 

ENJOY!!!