So I've gotten fat (yea the one with the F)

I'm hoping that by going public about my weight loss struggle it will help me through this. Yes I've gotten fat, I've struggled with my weight my whole adult life. I did really well a few months ago about loosing weight, I lost about 25 pounds in 3 months, I was great about exercising and I was eating the right things, not denying myself anything I really really wanted.

Fast forward to two weeks ago, my best friend calls me and says she (finally) got engaged and wants me to be her matron of honor, of course I say yes but the first thought in my head is shit I need to go on a diet, because I REFUSE to be a fat in a bridesmaids dress. Last week I "tried" to go on a diet and I did well until Friday when I had an awful day at work, so I drank a 6 pack, went to the movies and had popcorn and candy, and was just bad all weekend.

Monday I hop on the scale and I had gained 2 damn pounds, enough is enough, no more excuses. I've been better about what I have eaten this week and I have taken a walk during my lunch break two days in a row. Tomorrow I am going to the gym with my friend, who better to be your gym than a bride to be, no excuses. So I need to loose 74 pounds to get my goal weight of 140, yea you do the math.

Penne with two tomatoes and fresh mozzarella

Words cannot express how delicious this meal is, I've always wanted to try sun dried tomatoes to see what the hype was all about. I was really afraid to make this meal because I thought JT would think it was too weird and hate it, he actually really enjoys it; especially now that I added some grilled chicken to it.

Penne with two tomatoes and fresh mozzarella (Martha Stewart)

6 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Salt and pepper

12 ounces of penne

1 T olive oil

1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup snipped chives

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1. Place cheese in freezer. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water; drain pasta and set aside. I cooked my grilled chicken during this time, adding a little olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder for flavor.

2. In pasta pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and pasta water. Cook until cherry tomatoes soften, two to 4 minutes.

3. Add pasta, chicken, cheese (I left the cheese in the freezer until right before I needed and then cut it, it was much easier to cut that way), season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.

I omitted the chives that last time I made this, I just forgot and I served with a yummy salad of "weeds" as JT likes to call them.

Salsa

I love Chili's salsa, often times I want to go there just to get chips and salsa. When I saw a recipe for it on What's Cooking I knew I had to try it, I literally went to the store on my lunch break to get the ingredients. I have made it four times now and have adapted it finally to my liking.

I work with my father-in-law and I brought him a little sample about a week ago, when I went to his office he said "Oh you didn't have to bring me chips too, I'm going to bring this home to share with Gina." My phone was ringing when I got back into my cube, we work in different building, it was him raving about how great that salsa was and how I needed to give him the recipe and he was going to go share some with his neighbor who I work with fairly closely. The phone rings again shortly, it was Brie raving about how great the recipe was and how she needed the recipe too, I love hearing that people enjoy the things I make. Tomorrow is John's birthday so I made him a batch of salsa to bring to his birthday get together, he was very excited to hear I was bringing this.

"Chili's" Salsa by Jenn T. (Source: Recipezaar.com)

1 small can of green chilies

1 can of Jalapenos (not pickled)

1 large can of whole tomatoes (28 oz. size)

1/2 cup of chopped onion

1 14.5 oz. can of stewed tomatoes

Salt (to taste)

Cumin (to taste, I put a lot in)

Garlic Powder (to taste, I've made this salsa with raw garlic and I've since found that I can't stand the taste of it)

Splash of lime juice

I begin by processing the jalapenos, chilies and onions in the food processor. I have to process things in small batches and mix in a bowl since my food processor is so small. Next I process the stewed tomatoes and whole tomatoes. I mix all the veggies in a mixing bowl and add spices to taste. Refrigerate for several hours to combine flavors. Serve with your favorite chips.

Peanut Butter Bars

In an effort to get back into trying new things and blogging I was perusing foodgawker or tastespotting and I saw a recipe for peanut butter bars and it reminded me of home. You cannot go to a function on Vinalhaven without peanut butter bars being there and this recipe held up those yummy ones of the ladies of Vinalhaven. It was surprisingly easy to make and I only dirtied two dishes.

Peanut Butter Bars (http://stylishcuisine.com)

1/2 cup butter

1 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1 cup peanut butter

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4 c. butter

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Line a 8 x 8 pan with foil.

Melt 1/2 cup butter on low hat. Remove from heat and stir in confectioner's sugar. Add peanut butter and graham cracker crumbs, stir until creamy. Spread mixture into pan and even out.

In same pot, melt butter again on low heat. Add chocolate chips and stir until chips are almost melted. Remove from heat and continue stirring until chocolate is smooth and shiny. Spread over the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, remove the bars by the foil and cut into squares. Store the bars in the refrigerator.

So I've been a bad blogger...

I've been extremely busy the last 3 months, my grandfather passed away a week before Thanksgiving, and we just started to clean out my grandparents' house in March. They were pack rats so say the least so its been a long uphill battle to just get things out of the house. My brother and I inherited the house and have just put it on the market and will be dividing the money equally. My brother plans to go to grad school with his money. JT and I are going to buy 2 new to us cars and invest the rest for a down payment on a house in about 2 years. I really wanted to buy a house sooner but some things at work have made me rethink that plan, part of me really wants to start having children soon, but I refuse to do so until we have a house and I'd really like to get our student loans paid down a bit more. So between work, this house, birthdays, holidays and trying to keep up with everyday life, I haven't felt like blogging.

I have still been cooking and baking new things but just not photographing anything for my blog, I promise to add a few of the hits in the upcoming weeks, my brother and I have decided to take a short break from the house now that its on the market and for the most part cleaned up, we still have to do a bit of painting and cleaning.

This is the house, it needs a lot of updating inside, but other its a great house, my grandparents did a lot of work to it, the added a second level and put in a wonderful basement. Its not much but its the house my mom was raised in and the money will definitely make my brother and my life's a lot better and I appreciate they're thoughtful gift, now I hope and pray it sells quickly!

YAY! For new things

I did a weight lose group at work and won 463 big ones, we had decided to buy a nice flat screen TV with our tax return, which of course involved buying a new TV stand so my plan was spend some of my winning on that when I went to the furniture the piece I liked best for our needs came in dark wood and it would not match what we had at all so a new coffee table and end tables we in order I spent a little more than I planned on but I wanted to get something I loved.  Here are a few pictures.  I'll post the whole living room later, when JT finally decides its time to get the entertainment center switched over.

New TV console and Juno checking it out.

New coffee table, love it, please excuse the mess I haven't cleaned yet, and you can see Cayden's checking out the new stuff too. 
One of the end tables with our old lamps. 

Juno likes the new stuff too.

Fajita Steak

This is one of the very few steaks I will eat and it just happens to be JT's favorite meal.  I rarely ever pull out the recipe for this steak anymore but when I pulled it out to type up for this blog entry, the page is covered in stains and has a big star next to it, a sure sign of a good recipe.

Source: Better Homes and Garden Cook Book Edition 12

4 boneless beef top sirloin steaks (pounds)

Salt and black pepper

Marinade

1/3 cup lime juice

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper.  Place in a plastic bag set in a shallow dish.  For marinade, in a small bowl stir together lime juice, oil, garlic and cinnamon.  Pour over meat; close bag.  Marinate in refrigerator up to 6 hours.  

Glaze

1/2 of a 7-ounce jar roasted red sweet peppers, minced

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup Dijon-style mustard

2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced

1. For glaze, in a small saucepan stir together sweet peppers, honey, mustard and the garlic.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 7 minutes or until slightly thickened and reduced to 3/4 cup.  Remove from heat; set aside.

2.  Drain meat. Discard marinade.  Preheat frying pan, grill or broiler, this recipe works well cooked any way you choose.  Cook turning the meat once you see blood on the top of the steak, brush the cooked side with the glaze.  When the other side of the steak is done, place glaze on that side and cook for another minute.  I serve with more glaze on top.

We ate these steaks with homemade french fries baked in the oven with a little olive oil and Lawry's season salt and a salad.  

Crock Pot Buffalo Wings

I think I finally have JT on board with the crock pot when he asked me to try and make chicken wings in it.  

5 pounds of chicken wings

2 packages of French's Hot Buffalo cook in bag spices, I saved the cooking bags for another use

2 bottles of Frank's buffalo wing sauce

I was naughty and did unthaw the chicken wings before I cooked them, I did run them under cold water to remove the ice glazing on them. 

I coated the wings in bag spice seasoning, then poured 2 bottles of hot sauce in the crock pot to coat them.  Make sure you stir the wings around every so often so they get coated in sauce.  We cooked them on low for 5 hours.  This is also the first time I used a crock pot liner and they worked well until JT punched a hole in the bottom, but there wasn't any baked on curd to scrub out.  As you can see they were a big hit!

Sugar Cookie Bars

I like most people love sugar cookies, but honestly I don't have/care to take the time to make them.  I usually only make traditional rolled out cookies once a year for Christmas and usually JT will help me by making Santa's into penises, its a great family time.   When I saw this recipe I knew I had to try these.

Source: My Baking Addiction

Recipe: 

1 cup butter; room temperature

2 cups sugar

2 t. vanilla

4 eggs

5 cups flour

1 t. salt

1/2 t. baking soda

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg.  Add vanilla and mix well.  In a separate bowl combine flour, salt and baking soda and stir with a whisk to combine.  Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined.  Spread on a greased baking sheet (use a 13 X 18 pan).

Bake at 375 degrees to 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely and cut into squares or triangles if you like or you can just leave in the pan and frost. 

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter; room temperature

1/2 cup shortening

1 t. vanilla

pinch of salt

4 cups powdered sugar

5 T milk

food coloring if you like

Combine butter and shortening until smooth and creamy.  Add vanilla and salt.  Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until combined, then add milk and mix until smooth and spreading consistency.  Spread over cooled cookies.

Menu

Sunday:  Cranberry chicken, herb rolls and rice

Monday: Pulled pork sandwiches in the crock pot

Tuesday:  Chicken Fajitas

Wednesday: Pizza Casserole

Thursday: Fried shrimp with homemade french fries

The Chewy

So I finally made this cookie, I've always been a fan of Alton Brown, I'm a math and science dork so its interesting for me to see the science behind the foods I love.  I've always made the Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe and was moderately satisfied with it but I love a chewy cookie.  I started to make this cookie and husband was a little nervous about not using the Toll House recipe and I told him it was chewy and his comment was "I like chewy."

Source: Alton Brown Good Eats

Ingredients:

2 stick unsalted butter

2 1/4 cups bread flour

1 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 T. milk

1 1/1 t. vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Melt butter in saucepan.  Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside. 

Pour melted butter in stand mixer's bowl.  Add sugar and brown sugar.  Cream the butter and sugars together on medium.  Add egg, yolk, milk and vanilla and mix until well combined.  Slowly add the flour and mix thoroughly.  Stir in chips. 

Chill the dough, then scoop onto baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet.  Bake 14 minutes or until golden brown.  

These cookies were a complete hit, for once hubby didn't have a comment on how to improve something.  Also I've figured out/given permission to use the new camera, so yea for better pictures!

Menu

Sun: Waffles, fruit and turkey bacon

Mon:  Whole chicken in the crock pot with potatoes and carrots

Tues:  Pizza Casserole

Wed:  Chicken, pasta and chickpeas

Thur:  Bacon, shrimp and spaghetti

Fri:  Stromboli

French Dip Roast Sandwiches with Homemade Baguette

I've been busy in the kitchen today, as you know I have not taken up baking all of our bread.  It really made a difference in the grocery bill, especially today, I had one of those long once a month lists and it was no worse than normal.  So I started this afternoon by making a baguette for tonight's dinner.  Next time I will bake the bread a little less and I will divide the dough in 2 and make 2 loaves instead one, the sandwiches were a bit too big. 

I took the recipe from recipezaar.com.

1 t. dry active yeast

1 t. sugar

4-4 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 cup warm water

2 1/2 t. salt

In large bowl, sprinkle yeast and sugar over warm water and let stand until foamy.  With wooden spoon, stir in 2 cups of flour until combined.  

Stir in salt and 2 cups of the remaining flour until mixture forms a stiff dough.

On lightly floured surface, knead dough w/lightly floured hands (8 minutes or until smooth and elastic.)  I used my kitchen aid mixer.  Kneading in enough of the remaining 1/2 cup flour to keep dough from sticking.

Transfer dough to a lightly oiled deep bowl and cover with plastic wrap until doubled.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

Punch down dough and form into a long slender loaf.  Put load diagonally on a lightly greased large baking sheet and let rise uncovered for about 30 minutes.  

Make 3 to 4 diagonal slashes on the loaf with a sharp

 knife and light lightly brush top with cool water.  Bake loaf for 30 minutes.  

I let the bread cool with I made Au Jus from on of those mixes you get in the baking aisle.  

I let the bread cool enough so I could cut it, I cut the bread into sandwich size pieces and then cut those in half.  I spread some onion mayo, its mayo mixed with a little onion dip mix, pile on some roast beef and top that with provolone cheese.  I broil these in the oven until the cheese is melted and browned a bit.  I serve with the sauce for dipping.  

Biscuit Pizza

This recipe is what got my husband to eat spinach, I love spinach and he hates most vegetables and I've told him he at least needs to try new things.  I left broccoli off that list because he's emotionally scarred from eating a broccoli worm when he was a kid.  I would never get over that either so I'm not even going to try.  I got this recipe from Christina's blog, I have adapted a bit to our tastes. 

2 1/4 cups baking mix

2/3 cup of milk

1 c. shredded monterey jack cheese

3 handfuls of baby spinach

1 cup of pasta sauce

1 pound of lean ground beef

1 onion

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Mix baking mix and milk together to form a biscuit dough (follow the box instructions).  Spray a 9X6 glass baking dish with Pam.  Place biscuit dough in the bottom and flatten along the bottom.  Spread the pasta sauce over the top.

In medium frying pan add some olive oil and heat onions w/salt and pepper, cover and cook fro 6 to 8 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.  Add spinach and cook down.  Add this mixture to the top of the biscuit and pasta sauce.  

Cook up your ground beef in the same pan and add to the top of the dough mixture.  Top w/cheese and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.  

Menu

Sat: French Dip Sandwiches

Sun: Homemade Meatballs with Spaghetti Sauce

Mon:  Baked Beans with brown bread

Tues:  Nachos

Wed: BLT's

Thurs: Pasta w/chick peas and chicken

Fri: Out

Cornflake Chicken

Last night I made myself a nice turkey breast in the crock-pot and I knew it was a risk because JT is not a fan of turkey, I don't know how you can't like turkey but he seriously might be the pickiest eater I know.  So I had a back up meal on hand to make him just in case he hated the turkey.  This is one of his favorite meals so I think he just wanted to eat this instead.

Ingredients

3-4 boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips

12 oz. box of cornflakes 

2 cups of ranch dressing

Recipe

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, line a baking dish with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.  Pour the entire box of cornflakes into a ziplock bag, close bag and crush the flakes with a rolling pin.  Coat the chicken strips with a generous amount of ranch dressing and then coat in the cornflakes.  Bake for 20 minutes or so until the chicken is done and crispy.  

*I've made this meal so much that I am sick of it and won't eat it anymore.  

Crock-pot Turkey Breast

I like to try to cook a few things in the crock-pot during the work week, its nice to come home to hot and ready meal and it makes going to the gym after I eat a lot easier.  I was searching around the crock-pot lady's blog and found a recipe for a turkey breast in the crock-pot.  

Recipe

Turkey Breast

1 sliced onion

1 stick of butter, I used half a stick since it was all I had and I'm on a diet

Salt & Pepper

2 cups of cheap wine

I cooked it on low for 7 hours and it came out okay, it was a little dry but turkey usually is.  

Beer Chicken

In honor of the snow melting and St. Patty's Day I made beer chicken.  I had been wanting to use the grille ever since I could see when the snow started to melt, while we still have a fair amount on the ground our deck is free of snow so I wanted to fire the baby up, and this chicken is really the best on the grille.  So I was outside in my lounge outfit freezing my butt off cooking dinner, it was worth it.  
This is really easy but you have to marinate the chicken overnight, you can use any chicken you want, I find that bone-in chicken is the best, the flavor is off if you use boneless chicken.  This is adapted from my Mom's recipe.

1/2 cup of vinegar

4 T of sugar

8 oz. of beer

3-4 crushed garlic cloves

Hot Sauce to your taste, I used a generous pour because we love things spicy.

Salt & Pepper to Taste.

Mix everything together in a Ziploc bag and insert the drumsticks, remove as much air as you can and seal the bag and let it sit in the fridge.  

 

Crock-pot Beef Stew

I had planned to make this before I left for work this morning but I woke up with the puking my guts out flu, it almost didn't get made this morning because I could barely stand up.  I really really hate using my PTO days for being sick but this was one of those times that I had no choice.  

Into my crock pot went

1 carton of beef broth

3 cups of water

4 diced potatoes

5 diced carrots

1 chopped onion 

A beef stew starter mix

1 pound of stew meat, coated in flour and browned in a frying pan.

I cooked this on high for 5 hours and then turned it to keep warm a bit before we were going to eat.  I probably would have turned it to low sooner but I fell asleep.

Garlic Knots

So I was stalking around what's cooking yesterday afternoon, and I saw a post about these rolls and they looked fantastic and I had all the ingredients on hand so I made them.  JT enjoyed them too, last night he said they were good, he's not much for words, but when I woke up from a nap this afternoon, I was home sick all day, he had eaten another one so I knew they were really good. 

Dough Glaze

3 cups of flour 2-3 cloves garlic

1 T. sugar 2 T. melted butter

2 t. yeast 1/2 t. Italian seasoning

1 1/4 t. salt

2 T olive oil

1/4 c. milk

1 c & 2 T lukewarm water

Combine dry ingredients in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook.  Add all the wet ingredients.  Stir until combined.  Begin kneading dough with dough hook for 8 to 9 minutes or until dough is smooth yet elastic.  Transfer to a bowl that's been coated with olive oil and turn dough ball until lightly covered in oil.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour. 

Divide dough into 10 equal portions.  Roll each into a rope and tie into a knot, tucking the ends in on the center of each roll.  I did one roll at a time instead of rolling all the dough at once. 

Place on metal baking sheet and place each roll on the sheet.  Let rolls rise for about 45 minutes before glazing with the garlic butter.  Cook rolls for about 15 minutes at 375 or until golden brown. 

Wheat Bread

I attempted to make bread yesterday afternoon and for the first time in my life the dough just wouldn't rise, I've made bread alot and I just don't know what happened to it.  I tried again this afternoon and as you can see it came out much better.  I've been trying to make all of the things we eat myself, as well as trying to avoid a few things that I'm finding are in alot of foods.  On my no-no list is enriched floor, high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oil.  In order to avid that in our bread it had to buy a pretty pricy loaf of bread and I'm trying hard to have save money on groceries, we were spending way too much money on them, but I'm happy to say that I've saved about 25 to 50 dollars off the bill each week.   I have decided to make all of our bread and rolls from now on, JT said if I kept up with it for a month I could buy a bread machine.  I am going to go pick up another loaf pan, because as you can see I have one very large loaf pan and one very small one.  I'm going to hit Bed, Bath and Beyond this week and pick up a few new pans. 

I just used a wheat bread recipe that I found in my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.  

Menu

I try to only going shopping once a week, well twice if you count going to Sam's Club to pick up salad mix, cukes and tomatoes,  so I plan out the menu for the week.   I just don't have time to shop any day but on the weekends, along with all the other crazies.  I just pick enough meals to make it through the week, they won't necessarily be made on the day I mentioned.

Sat:  Peanut crusted chicken, veggie and rolls

Sun:  Chili Mix, we got for valentine's day

Mon:  Beef Stew in the crock pot with homemade biscuits 

Tues:  Turkey breast in the crock pot, with stuffing and a veggie

Wed:  Biscuit Pizza with a salad

Thur:  Pork Chops, with roasted red potatoes and a veggie

Fri:  Beer chicken on the grill, because I can find it again on my deck!, veggie and something else

Mexican Chicken Stir-fry

Dinner tonight was a quick and easy one pan old school Weight Watchers recipe I have adapted to our tastes, that JT and I both really enjoy.  I don't have the point value for you guys, but its just a good hearty meal, that fills you up and it reheats well for lunch the next day. 

2 T. Olive Oil

1 chopped onion

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 diced green bell pepper

1 diced red bell pepper

1 small can of canned diced green chili peppers

1 can of tomato sauce

2 packets of instant chicken broth, you should find this with the stock, I use the Herb-Ox Sodium free kind.

2 T. chili powder, we like things spicier, I was trying to actually measure tonight for this post and I would have personally added more.

1 t. cumin

2 cans of kidney beans, the recipe calls for one but we love beans so I put in 2. 

1 lb. of boneless chicken breasts, diced

White or Brown Rice to serve the chicken and beans on

Cheddar Cheese for topping.

*Make sure you start cooking your rice first since this is a fairly quick recipe.

In wok or very large skillet heat oil, add onion and garlic, saute for 3 minutes.  Add bell and chili peppers and saute until vegetables are tender-crisp, about 2 minutes.  Stir in tomato sauce, broth, chili powder, cumin and bring to boil.  Reduce heat to low and cook for about 5 minutes to blend flavors, add beans and chicken cook until the chicken is done.  Serve over rice and sprinkle with cheese.  

Parmesan Chicken

This recipe is a staple in our home, its easy and good for you, its actually a Weight Watchers recipe my mom had in one of her old cook books.  I have adapted it a little bit to my taste, this is also one of those recipes I just have in my head so the measurements might be a bit off. 

Also I tried to break down this recipe's ingredients by the steps involved.

Chicken cutlets or chicken breasts butterflied and pounded thin.

1/4 cup flour

1 T. garlic powder 

1 t. onion salt

salt and pepper to taste

Mix these ingredients together and I put this on plastic wrap or wax paper, to make coating the chicken and clean up easier.

Dredge slightly moistened chicken cutlets or very thin chicken breasts into this flour mixture.

1 cup buttermilk, I use the mix powdered stuff that you find in the baking aisle, this way I can keep it on hand and I would never use enough if bought real buttermilk in the diary case.

1/2 cup parmesan cheese.

Mix the buttermilk and cheese together and then coat the floured chicken with this. 

Next you will coat the chicken cutlets in breadcrumbs, I use just regular ones but you could you panko if you want it to be crispier.  I use about 2 cups of breadcrumbs.

Finally cook the chicken cutlets in 2 T. of olive oil until done.  

I paired our chicken with some herb focaccia bread and some mixed veggies, I would like to add that JT totally picked out the carrots and peas and didn't any of the rest.  

Nuts & Bolts

Today I made chex mix for JT, its better than eating chips, and its so tasty, please excuse the photo I took it with my phone because I can't figure out his new camera and apparently I got my old one returned to me without my memory card. 

10 oz. Cheerios

10 oz. Rice Chex

10 oz. Corn Chex

1 16 oz. Package of Pretzel Sticks

1 16 oz. Jar of Dry Roasted Peanuts

2 Cups canola oil

2 T. Worcestershire Sauce

1 T. celery seeds

1 T. onion salt

1 T. garlic salt

Combine the first five ingredients in a large roasting pan.  Combine the remaining ingredients.  Pour over the first five ingredients.  Mix well.   Place in a 200 degree oven for at least 2 hours, never have the oven above 200 because the mix will burn easily.  Stir every half hour.  

Welcome

Welcome to my blog.  I've wanted to start a blog for some time now and I've finally gotten with it and made one.  I love to cook and try new recipes.  I am trying very hard to make all of our meals, JT and I are trying to eat healthier and I've been hitting the gym pretty regularly.  I like to craft when I have the time but with my job and just living my life that has taken a back seat lately.  I hope you all enjoy my blog.