Shrinkvivor – Week 4

Don’t know how I did it, but — drum roll please…. My weight as of this morning is 268.2!!!

That is a loss of 11.8 pounds since the start of this challenge!!!

Eating right has been hard, for me it is mainly portion control. I have an emotional eating problem, so when I feel the need I grab some fruit instead, or… I go for a walk!

Shrinkvivor Update

Wow. I really have to get better about blogging… World’s worst blogger!!!

I would like love to have those that read my blog give me some suggestions!

So – Shrinkvivor -

This is our 3rd weigh in; however, I must step back and inform you how the 2nd one went…

I exercised 460 minutes and lost a total of 4.5 pounds, this put me at 275.5. Our team did not win immunity, simply because we all have lives and don’t have the time to excercise 1300 minutes each week — By the way that comes out to roughly 21.66 hours…

This morning when I weighed in I had lost an additional 3.5 (ish) pounds and am now down to 272 (ish) – I have my actual at home. I only exercised about 320 minutes, down 110 from last week. I must get back on the saddle and get the work outs done… This will help TREMENDOUSLY!

Work out schedule for this week? Yes! The new challenge for Shrinkvivor is the number of miles… My goal for the number of miles is: 50 Miles – This will occur in a variety of exercises: elliptical, Walking and Biking – Maybe swimming as well.

I am setting up some goals for myself!

• 30 Pounds (250lbs) – New Shoes for working out!
• 60 Pounds (220lbs) – New pair of jeans!
• 90 Pounds (190lbs) -  Weekend trip to Chicago with my husband!
• 120 Pounds (160lbs) – New wardrobe!

Cheer me on as I go through this endeavor! I am excited, now is the time for transformation and… I am excited!!!

Menu Planning

Each week during this challenge I will be posting my menu plan for the week! Feel free to steal ideas! I am working on making each meal low calorie and healthy – so here we go!!!! I will post the recipes after I cook each night.

Monday Night: Cajun Chicken Pasta  with a salad of Romaine, Carrots, Onions and Olives.

Tuesday Night: Grilled Chicken, Peas and Baked Potatoes

Wednesday Night: Spaghetti with a salad of Romaine, Carrots, Onions and Olives

Thursday Night: CrockPot Chicken with Brown Rice

Friday Night: Left Overs

I would encourage each of you to develop a menu plan of your own, not only will this help your nights flow but also, it will help you stay on track for your continued weight loss.

Shrinkvivor

Good Morning!

I wanted to let you all know that starting on Wednesday of next week, I will be checking in weekly to “weigh-in”. I have started a challenge with www.shrinkingjeans.net that is very similar to survivor. I am excited about the accountability and am looking forward to sharing my updates with you – Please join me in wishing my team good luck!

Carrot Pineapple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This cake is a winner! Whether for Spring time holidays or a late fall treat it melts in your mouth. While the grating of carrots might scare you away — it releases an in credible flavor, but be careful… they stain (counter tops too!).

Ingredients:

Cake

• 2 Cups Sugar
• 1 1/3 Cups Veg. Oil
• 3xl Eggs – Room Temp.
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
• 2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
• 1 Cup Raisins (These are optional)
• 1 Pound Grated Carrots
• 1/2 Cup Crushed Pineapple (I use canned)

Frosting

• 3/4 Pounds Cream Cheese – Room Temp
• 1/2 Pound Unsalted Butter – Room Temp
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 Pound Confectioners Sugar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350. Butter to 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then – butter and flour the pans.
• beat Sugar, oil and eggs together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light yellow. Add the vanilla.
• In another bowl, sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Toss in raisins, fold in carrots and pineapple. Mix well.
• Divide batter equally between the two pans and bake 55 – 60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Frosting Directions:

• Mix cream cheese, butter and vanilla in an electric mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment until just combined.
• Add powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

Chicken Carbonara

While I do not have any pictures. This is a great recipe that isn’t to hard. Enjoy!

Chicken Carbonara

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 4 Chicken Breasts
• 1 Small Onion Chopped
• 1 Chopped Slice of Bacon
• 1 Cup Frozen Peas
• 1/3 cup Chicken Broth
• 1 Jar Alfredo Sauce

Directions:

1. Brown Chicken in olive oil. Remove chicken.
2. Cook onions, back and peas (approx. 6 minutes) add broth and cook 1 minute.
3. Stir in Alfredo sauce, bring to a boil over medium heat.
4. Reduce heat and add chicken.
5. Simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with black pepper.

I’m back…

It is my hope to begin blogging on a regular basis again. Once you stop, it is so hard  to start again. Be on the look out for some new recipes!

The ABC’s of Me

I saw this on a few blogs so I thought I’d participate. Feel free to copy and paste on your blog too. Just remember to change my answers to yours (duh!). 

“ABC’s of Me”

A. Age: 26 – Soon to be 27

B. Bed size: Queen

C. Chore you dislike: Laundry.
D. Dogs: Rusty (Miniature Schnauzer) and Brew (Jack Russell Mix)

E. Essential start to your day: Nice hot shower.
F. Favorite color: Green and Brown

G. Gold or silver: Silver or White Gold

H. Height: 5’10″
I: Instruments you played: Clarinet, Piano

J. Job title: Office Manager

K. Kids: None yet.

L. Live: Madison, WI

M. Favorite Movie: The Hangover

N. Natural hair color: Brown

O. Overnight hospital stays: Several

P. Pet peeves: The constant clicking of a pen

Q. Quote from a movie:

“You guys might not know this, but I consider myself a bit of a loner. I tend to think of myself as a one-man wolf pack. But when my sister brought Doug home, I knew he was one of my own. And my wolf pack… it grew by one. So there… there were two of us in the wolf pack… I was alone first in the pack, and then Doug joined in later. And six months ago, when Doug introduced me to you guys, I thought, “Wait a second, could it be?” And now I know for sure, I just added two more guys to my wolf pack. Four of us wolves, running around the desert together. So tonight, I make a toast!” -Alan Garner (Zach Galifianakis)

R. Righty or lefty: righty
S. Siblings: Younger Brother Ryan

T. Time you wake up in the morning and go to bed at night: Wake up at 6:30-ish and go to bed anytime between 9 and 12:00.

U. Underwear: ummm…yes.
V. Vegetables you don’t like: Brussell sprouts — ew.

W. What do you drive: White 2010 Chevy Malibu

X. X-rays you’ve had: Feet, Ankles, Legs, Hip, Chest, Wrist… oh yeah, collar bone.

Y. Yummy food you make: Love to make lots of things

Z. Zoo animal favorites: Polar Bears

Jewelry Give Away

For a long time I have been contemplating the best way to bring traffic to The Hess Kitchen Table…

What better way then to help promote a friend’s jewelry business!

Kathryn Finn, a military wife, makes beautiful custom jewelry. This week she has graciously offered to giveaway two custom rings to the contest winner!!!

For more information on Katheryn’s small business check out her blog at http://endorfinn.com, and visit her Etsy Shop at http://endorfinn.etsy.com.

Giveaway details:

Endorfinn is giving away the following:

Your choice of any two (2) wire wrapped rings. Each ring is carefully wrapped with silver-toned wire. These rings normally sell for $10-$12 each on my site. Save some money and get some extra style today! Fore more information on colors and stones please visit: http://www.etsy.com/listing/69869980/you-pick-two-free-shipping

Colors as follows:

1 – Pale Pink Riverstone
2 – Pastel Green Riverstone
3 – Aqua Riverstone
4 – Purple Riverstone
5 – Faceted Tortoise Gold
6 – Faceted Ruby
7 – Faceted Sunshine
8 – Faceted Cobalt Blue
9 – Oblong Fire Red
10 – Faceted Opaque Yellow
11 – Faceted Pistachio
12 – Crazy Lace Agate (Pink)
13 – Ivory Pearl
14 – Champagne Pearl
15 – Chocolate Pearl
16 – Gunmetal Pearl

Made to order in your size and it still ships within 48 hours!

Rules:

1 – This contest will run through Sunday at 5:00 p.m.

2 – You can enter by doing 1 of three things:

• “Like” the Endorfinn Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/endorfinndesigns or by searching “Endorfinn” on Facebook.
• Share this blog post in your status to help promote Endorfinn (Please leave a comment here letting us know that is what you did for your entry.)
• Leave a comment here at The Hess Kitchen Table letting us know your favorite daily accessories!

Cast Iron Cookware

For a wedding gift, Lee and I received an iron skillet…

I had no idea how handy this would be and to be honest I wasn’t even sure what to do with it, until… I cooked in it!!!

This pan has become an everyday staple in our kitchen, I use it for browning meat, frying chicken, cooking eggs, bacon… the list could go on for pages.

Currently, we have a Lodge 12″ Skillet as seen here: http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Original-Finish-12-Inch-Skillet/dp/B00004S9H9 . You will note that this particular model isn’t outrageously priced and even comes already seasoned!

Remember these key things when using a cast iron pan:

• Although everything from Dutch ovens to cactus-shaped cornbread pans comes in cast iron, nothing is more versatile than a basic skillet. Either a 10- or 12-inch will do. 
• There’s only one thing you shouldn’t attempt in cast-iron cookware: boiling water, which will cause the pan to rust. 
• Cast iron takes longer to warm than other surfaces but retains heat remarkably well and diffuses it evenly.
•  Cast iron remains hot long after you remove it from the stove. As a reminder to be careful, drape a thick towel or a mitt over the handle. 
• To avoid getting smudges on all your kitchen towels, designate one to use exclusively for drying your cast-iron skillet.
• Cooking in cast iron increases the iron content in food. The longer the food is in contact with the skillet, the more it absorbs.
• A cast-iron skillet isn’t ideal for a set-aside-to-soak sort of person. For best results, rinse the pan with hot water immediately after cooking. If you need to remove burned-on food, scrub with a mild abrasive, like coarse salt, and a nonmetal brush to preserve the nonstick surface; you can also use a few drops of a mild dishwashing soap every once in a while. If the pan gets a sticky coating or develops rust over time, scrub it with steel wool and reseason it. To prevent rust, dry the skillet thoroughly and lightly coat the cooking surface with cooking oil. Cover with a paper towel to protect it from dust.