The Photo Says It All

Let me just start out with...I just can not take it anymore.

What you ask?
Just certain things.

Like people who do not know the difference between isle/aisle.

Let me explain to you...an aisle is something you walk up or down or sit in.
Example "Aisle 4 is where you will find bread".

An isle is a small land mass surrounded by water.

I.E.:

Notice the difference yet?
This is simple spelling & definition, peeps.  
We are talking third grade English.

Please, please, please remember the difference.

Next up...the term "My bad".
This is slang & it is horrendously bad slang.

When you say "My bad". This is not a complete sentence.  It is an open ended phrase.
Your bad what?
Your bad odor?
Your bad dog?

If you made a mistake, you can say "My mistake" or perhaps "My error".
Not "My bad".
Please erase this phrase from your vocabulary.

Next up.
"Bae"
"Bae!"

Seriously, do the muscles of your mouth hurt that you can not continue the rest of the word.
Say it with me..."Babe".
Nice.
I am not one for this term of endearment but it's a hell of a lot better than "Bae".
Sounds like a cry from a goat or a sheep.

Here are two definitions for what the word means in other languages:

In Danish it means "poop". It means "bye" in Icelandic.

Let's take a moment to think about calling our sweetheart this so called term of endearment.
Why?
Well, you sound like a moron.

Seriously.
A moron.

There so much more I could go on about but I will digress.

Tell me, do you have a word/phrase that you simply can not stand?

Weight Watchers: Baked Macaroni & Cheese w/ Broccoli - 8 PP

I made this eons ago.

I'm talking months peeps.

Just now getting to uploading & posting.

Talk about procrastination.

Behold the product:

Let's get to the details:

Ingredients:

2 sprays of cooking spray

12 oz uncooked pasta (approx 2.5 cups)

1/8 tsp salt for the pasta water

10oz uncooked broccoli (about 2. cups)

1 tsp butter

1/3 cup breadcrumbs

3 tbs parm cheese (divided)

2.5 cups FF skim milk

1/3 cup flour (all purpose)

1/2 cup uncooked diced onion

1 cu low fat shredded cheddar cheese

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Coat 2 quart baking dish w/ spray.

Cook pasta according to directions, adding broccoli approx 3 minutes before done.  Drain pasta & broccoli & return to the pot.

Meanwhile in a large saucepan, melt butter over med. heat, add bread crumbs & cook, stirring often until light golden.  You may skip this step if you are using store bought crumbs vs. fresh.  Remove from heat & add 1 tbs parm cheese; set aside.

In same saucepan (wipe clean if necessary) whisk together milk & flour until blended; add onions. Bring to a boil over med-high heat, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to low & simmer until thickened, approx 2 mins.

Remove from heat & whisk in cheddar cheese, mustard, s&p & remaining 2 tbs of parm cheese. Pour over cooked past & broccoli. Toss to mix & coat.

Transfer to baking dish & sprinkle top evenly w/ bread crumbs.  

Bake until edges are bubble, about 20-25 mins.

Divide into 8 pieces & Viola! Done!

1 piece per serving.  8pp a serving.

My family's reaction: They liked it.  My reaction: It was good but to me, too much work when I can just add some broccoli to boxed mac & cheese. Yes call me lazy but it's my blog & my opinion.

Tell me, have you made it before?

It's the 4th of July!!!!

Happy Birthday America.

How are you spending the birth of our country?

If you aren't an American, tell me how you are enjoying this Saturday.

Is this thing on??? Hello?

Does anyone read this little old blog of mine?
The corner of the internet that I claim?

Well, if you do, you may wonder where I disappeared to.

This might give you a clue:

All I will say is it's been rough the last 6/7 weeks.

I will get through it.
I am having my up days, my down days.

I'm not sick, either is anyone in the family.

The family is, how shall I say broken.

Vague? Perhaps.  I do not want to air semi-dirty laundry on the world wide web. Know what I mean, Vern?

I am still doing Weight Watchers.  I will post a great recipe soon.
Cheeks is doing great in school.
Summer is really here & we are looking forward to going to Disney at the end of it.

As much as I want the vaca to come, that will mean the end of summer & I will have a 4th grader.
Where did my 11 pounder go? The big blue eyes & the fat cheeks!

He's grown into the class clown.
That's where.
He got voted that today.
So proud. Ha!

I hope you will stick around & see what is to come.

Leave me a comment if you still read MMM.
I'd love to know you are out there.

With that, I'm out!

Weight Watchers Lasagna...YUM!

I am sure as most of you have guessed by now, I am doing WW.
My sister called me up the beginning of February & asked if I would join with her.
On a whim, I said sure.
So glad I did.
I found out that before I had even started I lost 30lbs.  Since I have been a member, I've lost 16.6.
Grand total...46.6 lbs.

Holla!

Well, I love to use recipes to help with the new lifestyle and this recipe is to die for!
Plus, make it in the crockpot.

Holla, again!

Not to mention, Tuttorossa sent me a nice sample pack of some great canned tomatoes.  It included:
28 oz Tuttorosso Crushed with Basil, Tuttorosso NSA Peeled Plum and Tuttorosso Diced Tomatoes. 

I was excited to get them, as I grew up with Tuttorossa products.
They have actually teamed with Inspiralized.com for some fun.

Check out their Facebook promo: Tuttorossa Tomatoes.
You can win so many different things.  Check out what the grand prize is:
Spiralizer, Inspiralized Book, Apron, Picnic Basket and Kitchen Gadgets.

Nice.
Here's the catch, it ends tomorrow.
So, quick, check it out.

Now, onto my 7pt serving Lasagna.

I got the recipe from Weight Watchers.

First gather your ingredients:

•  1 pound(s) uncooked 93% lean ground beef   (I used ground turkey & no one in my fam knew the difference).
•  1 small uncooked onion(s), chopped  
• 1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced   
•  28 oz canned crushed tomatoes   
•  15 oz canned tomato sauce   
•  1 tsp table salt   
• 1 tsp dried oregano   
• 1/2 tsp dried basil   
•  1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste   
• 1 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese   
•  1 1/2 cup(s) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided   
• 6 item(s) uncooked lasagna noodles   (I used Healthy Harvest)
•  1/2 cup(s) shredded parmesan cheese, strong-flavored like Parmigiano Reggiano   

After you have gathered your ingredients & your slow cooker, start your engines & get ready to make a great lasagna.

• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 5 to 7 minutes. 

• 
  
• Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes; simmer 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together ricotta cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. 

• 
  
• Spoon 1/3 of beef mixture into a 5-quart slow cooker. Break 3 lasagna sheets in half and arrange over beef mixture; top with half of ricotta mixture. Repeat with another layer and finish with remaining 1/3 of beef mixture.

• 
  
• Cover slow cooker and cook on low setting for 4 to 6 hours. Remove cover; turn off heat and season to taste, if desired.
• In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over beef mixture. Cover and set aside until cheese melts and lasagna firms up, about 10 minutes. Yields 1/6th of dish per serving.

This is the finished product.

It is good.

Now for the point value...if you cut it into 1/8"  slices, it's 7 points.  If you give yourself a larger portion, count it as 10.

I'm telling you this is worth it!!!!

Tell me, how do you cook your lasagna?

The Maze Runner Series by James Dashner

I know it's April.

Believe it or not, I have been reading.

Avidly.

I just finished this series:

These are YA.  Young Adult.  What great books.  Loved each one except for The Kill Order.  It's the prequel, which was written after the first three.  While a good story, the ending was meh.

I first gained interest in these novels after watching "The Maze Runner" on demand.  The movie was ok but I thought the book has to be better.

It was.  Tons of details, delves into the characters and much more plot.  I find this to usually be the way, books are better than movies.

Each book kept me on the edge of the my seat.  When Death Cure ended, I thought to myself "I am so glad I read these".  A coworker had seen what I was reading and told me he thought they were great.  

The story is based in  post apocolyptic Earth.  Sun flares have caused much of the human race to die off and the ones left behind are fighting "The Flare".  Of course, there is a coalition that is trying to find a cure.  They are doing test by dropping unsuspecting teen boys (with their memories erased) into a Maze.  They will use their finding to see how the brain works which will help with the antidote for "The Flare".  

The author shows how young men, put in a precarious position, work, live and sleep together.  How they form their own society, their own rules, their own punishments.  

All four books are an easy read.  I would say two thumbs up on all but the prequel.  I give that one, one and a half thumbs up. I really detested the wrap up!

Tell me, what are you reading?

Weight Watchers Skinny Italian Chicken Stew

I have found a mecca & it is called Skinny Italian Chicken Stew.

Guess what else?
Made in the slow cooker.

Oh yea!!!!

Really?
Skinny?
Slow Cooker?

I'm in.

First gather your ingredients & your slow cooker like so:

Here is what you will need:

Chicken Sausage - 3 links 

Spaghetti Sauce - 2 cups

Yukon Gold Potatoes - 1 pound

Peppers - 2

Garlic - Minced - 1tbs

First up, the prep.

Slice chicken sausage into slices & then dices if you wish.

Dice peppers.

Cut potatoes into equal bite sized pieces.

Second:

Dump all in the slow cooker, do not forget your garlic.

Third:

Add 2 cups spaghetti sauce (any flavor)

Stir together & it shall look like so:

Turn your slow cooker on for 6 hours & forget about it.

I have made this twice and I take it for my lunch.

It is yummy!

This is what you will get when all done:

It's 7 pp for one cup.

I usually have a cheese stick with it (1 pp) & some fruit.

You can even have a side salad.

I am telling you this is the bomb diggity (yes, yes, I just went old school).

Tell me, what is one of your fave recipes?