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!