Happy Halowe'en

The Simple pumpkin

The Diet Pumpkin....no bread

Okay a real carver pumpkin

My Oh My Chicken Pot Pie and Iyanla Vanzant

This looks like a Picasso painting

And then "Voila"

A Chicken Pot Pie

It's a shame to flute and concern yourself with the crust because once you cut into it it looks like it does before you put it into the crust.

But a good and hearty meal.

Definitely freezing this in containers for lazy days.

Way too much food for a dieter.

Served with Cranberry dressing

And then a lazy day with a good read.

My Autumn Pumpkins

The Greatest Joys

I'm the Man

Once upon a time there was a pumpkin patch.....

Easy Cabbage, Barley Soup with Ham

Cabbage, Barley and Ham Soup

A good autumn dish is soup.

3 medium potatoes diced
1 small onion diced
2-3 carrots diced
3 cloves garlic
1/3 c pot barley
4 cups chopped cabbage
1 can whole mushrooms
1 1/2 c diced ham
2 T oil or bacon fat....2 bacon slices diced
1 litre Campbell’s chicken stock

2 cups water
1/2 ground sage
2 tsp frozen chopped Italian parsley( I always have frozen on hand)
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions, carrots and garlic and in oil a few minutes till onions are translucent.

Add diced bacon and remaining ingredients and simmer for about 40 minutes, until cabbage and barley are tender. I add two cups water to the litre of broth because I find it to salty by itself.  I freeze this as well, for nights when I want quick soup.o

This is also a good diet soup

on the heels of a five kilometre walk

 bringing me up to almost 

 100 kilometers in 40 days.....

and 11 pounds lighter.

Delicious Diet treat for Being Good

I'm not a great fan of chocolate.  I'm not a fan, mainly because the sweetness of chocolate hurts my teeth.  Since I  have started food control, I have new appreciations for anything that tastes good.  Anybody who thought sphaghetti squash was a treat should be able to indulge in a chocolate treat once in a while.  I just found these in Costco and thougth I would buy them as a gift. They are Crispy Belgian Chocolate Thins, and a product of Belgium.   Instead of leaving the box alone, I decided to try one. 

 Hmmmm....not bad. 

Not bad because they are thin and the sweetness doesn't kill my teeth.  Actually they are delicious.  But if you want them more delicious and considered a very special treat.....spray them with real whipped cream.  Who doesn't like chocolate anything with a glass of  milk?  Like a chocolate cookie with milk. 

Well I wanted a really special treat and this is it. 

My New Drinkin' Boots

I may not have the original Ugg, but I have new drinkin' boots.

All furlined

Wallymart..10 bucks...Michal's $4.00...

I actually wanted a black sequined heart but couldn't find one.

Chicken Fingers in Cornflake Crumbs

What a yummy coating on Chicken fingers.
A little crunchy if you like Crunch.

3 chicken breasts sliced into thin pieces
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup milk
1 cup cornflake crumbs
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. poultry seasoning  (or more to taste)

Put milk in a wide bowl and put all chicken pieces into it. Fill a plastic bag with the flour and crumbs, salt and seasoning.  Put a few pieces of chicken into the bag and coat evenly with the crumb mixture. Lay the chicken pieces on a lightly oiled cookie sheet covered in foil.  When all pieces are on the pan, drizzle the melted butter over them all slowly.  Put in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Serve with VH plum sauce.

 Delicious! 

You'll never eat store bought breaded chicken fingers again.
Keep the flour and crumb mixture made in advance and ready to go.
No fuss in preparation or cleaning and fingers are very moist on the inside.

Leather and sparkles is my new thing this month.

Love, love  sparkle and sequins.My new black leather pants and sequins to match my couch.

The sparkles from the top make my mirror look dirty.

I woulda bought the fake Uggs in black sequins but a little too unrealistic for our winters. I mean who would see the sequins in 2 feet of snow. 

Teaching our Children

And....five lessons to live by:

1. Money cannot buy happiness but it's more comfortable to cry in a Mercedes than on a bicycle.

 

2. Forgive your enemy but remember the bastard's name.

3. Help someone when they are in trouble and they will remember you when they're in trouble again.

4. Many people are alive only because it's illegal to shoot them.

 

5. Alcohol does not solve any problems, but then again, neither does milk.

Diamonds are Rocks, so put them together with Stones

Love all that  Glitters

Now if I  could afford a nice white ceramic floor this would look great.

My Favorite Chicken Salad

This has got to be my yummiest chicken salad.  I just can't add enough red grapes to this.  The dry chow mein noodles give just that little extra crunch to your meal. A glass of wine and you need nothing else.

Yummiest Chicken Salad 

 4 cooked, diced, chicken breast 

 1/2 cup dry chow mein noodles

3/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayo

1/4 tsp. curry powder

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1 can sliced waterchesnuts - drained

  1 package slivered almonds

handful of diced red grapes

juice of 1 lemon( or squirt of bottled lemon)

Mix all together, except chow mein noodles.

 Chill. Add noodles just before serving

My New Craft Inspiration

Spaghetti Squash

Oh my God!  I was at the garden centre today and a lady was buying spaghetti squash.  I had no idea what this was. So we chatted and I asked how she cooked this squash. A few women exchanged different ideas from olive oil to sprinkling butter and brown sugar on it.  Hmmmm..... so I went and bought  a couple to try. Next guy in lineup is a guy and he says " I just love spaghetty squash".  So I ask him how he cooks it. He says " Just cut it in half lenghtwise, scoop out the seeds, and bake it for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.  Then shred it with a fork and it will look like spaghetti.  I say " Oh yeah?'.  He says: Yup , then you drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper and parmesan cheese all over it".  So,  as I am having breaded Basa tonight, I thought this would be a nice sidedish.  Wow it does shred like spaghetti and I just left it in the shell and put some diced tomatoes on it with parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and my breaded fish pieces. 

Delicious!