What's Cooking ('s Sunday Ramble)

[Guest guest]

I hope everyone is having a good weekend of football playoffs if you are "into" that or doing whatever else you enjoy to R & R before a new work week.

Right now, we're entering another arctic blast and the temps are supposed to be in the single digits. I don't think we're going sub-zero temps this time, thankfully... and we're also the calm before the next storm. We're supposed to have a storm system sit over us Wed/Thurs and dump another 8-10-12 inches of snow over the area.

One of our local colleges went to their divisional play-offs and won their game Friday night, so the area is in celebratory mood from that and then with the wild card games, etc this weekend it's pretty fun to watch some of them.

Me, I multi-task while the games are on (I have 2 televisions side-by-side) so I watch a game or movie on the main one and then put in an exercise DVD in the other one.

I had a good week, if you consider that I liked the number on the scale today LOL! Last weekend, I did some figuring and decided what I wanted this week's WI to be and I wrote that number on the top of all of the tracker pages "Goal xx lbs" so I had to look at it all week and it worked, I beat it by .3 lb LOL!!

I will not have an "official" WI this next weekend. I decided to go to CA to see Jay. We're in the negotiations phase of working things out. He thinks we can work things out, but I need to go there LOL!

Part of my "argument" is that we've known each other 11 years, been "dating" almost 7 of those and I cannot see "wasting" another (up to) 3 years and still coming out with nothing, single and alone. I can also see his point, really. He cannot see having a 3 year engagement so says when I can tell him I can move there and we can plan a wedding, he has no problem getting engaged/married to me. So, I told him it doesn't have to be an engagement ring right now and sent him a picture of a "promise ring".... it shall be interesting to see how the visit goes this next weekend.

Anyway. Oh. At work, I was nominated for a Pillar Award (similar to employee of the year, but there will be 12 "winners" in the 4 categories). I got a V-E-R-Y nice email from the CEO. I printed it, and will probably frame it LOL!! Hey, even if I don't win, to be one of 80-ish nominees in a company of 800 or so employees, it's nice to be one of that 10%...

I also had "perfect attendance" for 2010 and I told my manager that they (work) should do something for all of the employees that have that distinction. You know, a day (or a half day) off paid would be nice. Gift card somewhere. Something. It's not like I am dragging myself in there sick and infecting everyone around me.

This is what's for dinner and dessert today. The dinner I am doing on the stove top because I was too "lazy" to go get the 2nd crockpot out of the basement LOL!

Chili Mac Pot (4 Points)

16 ounces extra lean ground turkey or beef

1 cup chopped onion

2 cups (one 16 ounce can) tomatoes,

coarsely chopped and undrained

1 (10 3/4 ounce) can Healthy Request

Tomato Soup

1 cup reduced-sodium tomato juice

2 teaspoons chili seasoning

6 ounces (one 8 ounce can) red kidney

beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup elbow macaroni

In a large skillet sprayed with olive oil flavored cooking spray, brown meat. Meanwhile, in a slow cooker container sprayed with cooking spray, combine onion, undrained tomatoes, tomato soup, tomato juice, and chili seasoning. Stir in kidney beans and uncooked macaroni. Add browned meat. Mix well to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Mix well before serving.

Serves 6 (1 full cup) 4 points

*****

Cherry Cobbler (6 Points)

Makes 6 servings

1 can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1/4 tsp. salt

Spray inside of 2 -3 1/2 qt. Slow cooker with cooking spray. Pour pie filling into cooker. Beat remaining ingredients with spoon until smooth. Spread batter over pie filling. Cover and cook on HIGH 1 1/2 to 2 hrs. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Per serving: cal 270, fat 8g, sat fat 2g, chol 0mg, sod 330mg, carb 49g,fiber 2g, prot 3g

Points: 6

OK. Have a great Sunday and new week.