Smoked Sausage Bake

This was really good and relatively low in calories since I use fat free smoked sausage.  It made an easy weeknight meal.


Ingredients:
1 lb. smoked sausage
1 red pepper
1/2 onion
2 medium yellow squash
salt
pepper
olive oil

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375. Cut the sausage and veggies into chunks and toss them in the olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Turkey Chow Mein Casserole

Photo and recipe from Mennonite Girls Can Cook Blog.

This is in the oven as we speak.


Ingredients:

•  2 cups chow mein noodles
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups cooked turkey, cubed
• 1/4 cup chopped onion (red onion adds a little colour)
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1 small can sliced water chestnuts, drained

 Topping:  Crushed potato chips, sliced almonds or chopped cashews.

Method:

1. Put chow mein noodles in the bottom of a greased 2-quart casserole.
2. Combine all remaining ingredients and spread over the noodles.
3. Bake uncovered at 350° F for 30 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and add desired topping.  Bake for 10 minutes longer.

Reindeer Land

My son has always admired the animated reindeer at Christmas time.  I surprised him by bringing home two for our front yard.  They are not exactly like these, but you get the idea.  He LOVED them!!

Bottle Tree

A friend of mine has this really cool bottle tree next to her screened porch that is so pretty.  I admired it and she offered to let me come on her property and cut a tree and take it home to make my very own.  Although I loved this idea, I knew that since I can't get my new mailbox planted I wasn't likely to get a dead tree planted :)  Anyway I found an iron version at the holiday craft show yesterday and I instantly stepped into the very long line to get one.  I came home and immediately planted it.  I may move it because it isn't as tall at home as it was in the car ride home, but it is easy to do.  I now have to find some blue bottles on ebay because I don't drink wine to get bottles the way most folks do.  Of course my husband thought I was crazy for getting it and he said it looked like something from a yard sale.  I told him he has no style and it is just jewelry for the yard.  Men!

Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

• 3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• .
• Topping:
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Preparation:

Combine first 6 ingredients. Pour into a buttered 1 1/2 to 2-quart casserole dish. Mix remaining ingredients together and sprinkle over top. Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes, until hot and browned.
Serves 6 to 8.

I have made many varieties of this casserole, but found that I did not have one on my blog.  This is the one I made yesterday for Thanksgiving and it was wonderful. 

Breakfast Casserole

You can make this with bacon, ham, or sausage but I always use sausage because it is easier for me.  You assemble this the night before and just pop in the oven in the morning.  This is great for holiday mornings because it can bake while you are doing other things.

Brown 1 pound sausage and drain.
Beat 6 eggs and add 1 t. mustard, 2 cups milk and salt/pepper.
Cube 4-6 slices of bread.   (I use regular sliced white bread but you could use what you have.)
Line sprayed 13X9 baking dish with cubed bread.
Top with cooked sausage.
Sprinkle with 1 package shredded cheddar cheese.
Pour egg mixture over top. 
Cover and refrigerate until morning when ready to bake.

Bake 350 for 30-45 minutes until set.

I SURVIVED MY FIRST 5K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't die and I wasn't last so all in all I consider it a success.  I don't have my time yet, but it will need improvement, but that is okay with me.  First one done!!!!!!!!!!!!

Running Update Week 11

Week 11...Just to keep me honest I am checking in. After reaching the milestone of 30 minutes continuous running I have now started the program over at a faster pace since all my body systems have now adapted. If you know me I look do not just DO something, I like to do it WELL so I will keep chugging along for now. My body is no longer in shock every time I lace up my shoes and I actually need new ones now. I also look forward to my runs again to see what I can make myself do. YAY ME!

Pumpkin Bread with Mini Chocolate Chips....YUMMY

3 1/2 c. all purpose flour
3 c. sugar
2 t. baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
4 eggs
1 can pumpkin ( not filling)
1 c oil
1 c water
1 pack mini chocolate chips

bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes. 

yields 2  9 inch loaf pans...plus some mini muffins :)

It's a Southern Thing

When the crisp fall air begins we all know in the south that it is time for beans.  Pinto beans with corn bread specifically.  We like to crumble the corn bread in the "juice" pintos and eat it like that.  This is one of those things you don't really like as a child but then you grow up and want it because it reminds you of all those childhood memories with grandma making pintos and then you wonder why you didn't like it as much as a child.  A meal in itself!

P. S.  That meat in the beans is ham in all it's goodness.  Now I just need to make some good old sweet tea to make it complete.

Running Update

 UPDATE:  I have now lost count of my weeks. ...I am 9 or 10, but it really does not matter anymore because I want to continue, I will continue and I look forward to my runs even though they are still very challenging and I had a rough week of CNS fatique recently that made me think I was going to die.  

I have altered my running plan to try to increase my speed and distance.  Once I made it to run 30 minutes continuously I felt I really needed to back up and start working on intervals to get me into better shape.  I am thinking I probably won't run the 5K this weekend and that is okay because I have been running consistently for over 9 weeks and that in itself makes me happy.  I want to run the 5K when I feel most ready and I don't want it to end up being a discouraging thing instead of a positive thing because I am hard on myself.   I will keep you posted.  I am drinking water now - woohoo and eating more fruits each day so I am trying very hard to change my lifestyle.  I am really not dropping weight yet, but I am proud and happy with my progress and that is what I want.

  I am a runner now...not a fast one, but a runner!