Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Ingredient of the Week - Determination!!!

Hello everyone!

Krissy's Mixing Bowl's "Ingredient of the Week" is DETERMINATION!!! Today I met a HUGE goal in my life, I became a Lifetime Member of Weight Watchers after losing 65 pounds :-) WooHoo & YAY for me!!! I started this journey in January 2009 and it took me until July 2010 to accomplish it. There were many ups, downs, and bumps along the way, but ultimately I never gave up. I don't know...I call it determination, others who know me might just chalk it up to my extreme stubborness and pigheadedness (OK, that word looks weird all typed out - LOL!!!); but whatever you want to call it, I worked hard through it and gave it my all. I'm extremely proud of myself for doing that. I've done Weight Watchers in the past, but never made it to Lifetime. I always got lazy and what I accomplished at those times in my life, usually 5 - 10 pounds from my goal weight, was "good enough." Not this time. Too much was at stake for me. Before it was all about vanity & how I looked. This time it was about my health and my son and being as good of a mom as I can be for him. There are many things I cannot do with him due to the limitations of my Multiple Sclerosis. I didn't want to limit myself even more because of my weight issues and how that impacted my overall health. He is definitely the biggest motivator I could ever have. Momma loves you so much, EJ :-) Granted, yes, there was a tiny bit of "vanity" involved in this journey. In March I turned 40 and was determined to be "Fab & 40" not "Flab & 40!" I think I succeeded in that regards as well. Any way you look at it, I set out to accomplish a major goal, and I did it :-) There's no sweeter taste than that!!!

I hope life is treating everyone well out there. Until next time...

Wishing you peace, love, and happiness from Krissy's Mixing Bowl :-)

Monday, July 19, 2010

Recipe for Peanut Butter Banana Muffins!!!







Finally, here it is, the recipe & photos for the Peanut Butter Banana Muffins I made on Sunday. My son, EJ, loved them!!! I like these muffins as they really aren't overly sweet and are very subtle in flavor. Spread with some jelly if you're feeling like a trip down the PB&J sandwich nostalgia lane of our youth :-)
Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (I use the light brown version)
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt (just good 'ol regular table salt)
1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs (I use large)
3/4 cup milk (I use whole but you can use a lower fat version - just no non-fat please!)
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Grease or paper-line a standard muffin tin

In a large bowl combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. (Although the recipe doesn't call for it, I always sift my ingredients together into the bowl after measuring them.)

In another bowl combine peanut butter, oil, eggs, milk, and mashed bananas. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened and blended.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until done (toothpick in center comes out clean).

This recipe makes 12 muffins

***For my Weight Watchers friends - when making this with whole milk & full fat peanut butter, each muffin is 5 points!!! Definitely worth it in my book!!!***

I hope you enjoy :-)

Wishing you peace, love, and happiness from Krissy's Mixing Bowl!!!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Peanut Butter Banana Muffin Sunday!!!

Hello everyone!
Today I made a super yummy batch of Peanut Butter Banana Muffins and had absolutely every intention of posting the recipe & pics tonight. Of course, like most Sundays, I got off track and now it's too late. I'll definitely get it up tomorrow, though. Probably mid morning while my little guy is having his quiet time. He definitely enjoyed one of the muffins at snack time, that's for sure! He'd rub his belly and say "Good." Too cute!!! I love making my main critic so happy!!!

Well, time for me to finish up what I need to get done. I hope everyone had a great weekend :-)

Wishing you peace, love, and happiness from Krissy's Mixing Bowl

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

M.I.A.

Well, as you can tell, I've been MIA lately. Started two new meds when I was diagnosed with the bronchitis over a week ago, and they are seriously kicking my backside. I don't ever remember fatigue this bad. I've been taking a nap every single day for like the past 10 days, more so than when I was in the full throes of the bronchitis. Hopefully this fatigue will pass soon, as it's making me crazy and nothing's getting done around here. My aunt's coming over tomorrow and this place looks like a dusty tornado whirled through it!!! Better yet, I feel like Pigpen from the Peanuts comic has taken up residence in my house!!! LOL!!!

Yesterday marked my 9-year anniversary of "officially" getting my Multiple Sclerosis (MS) diagnosis. Normally I'm OK with it and have been known in the past to send myself flowers to mark the occasion. However, for some reason, this year it put me in a super reflective mood and somewhat of a funk. Still feeling like that today/this evening. Not sure what's up with it, but as my grandmother always says "this too shall pass."

I'm hoping to be back up & running (or rather cooking & baking!!!) soon. Not much going on here in that regards, unfortunately. I've got some smoked mozzarella in my fridge from the local farm stand that is screaming to be used!!! I see either a pasta or orzo salad or maybe a pizza in the near future :-)

Wishing everyone peace, love, and happiness from Krissy's Mixing Bowl

Friday, July 9, 2010

Almost Done!



Well, it's Friday night. All day it's felt like Saturday to me. Guess that's because the husband has been on vacation for two, very busy and crazy weeks now. At least it's almost done, and we (in particular, me), can go back to our normal schedules and get things in order once again. I'm so looking forward to straightening up and seeing my dining room table again..LOL!!! Between both me and EJ being sick, the heatwave keeping us cooped up in the house during the day, and the husband being on vacation, I'm going stir crazy and looking forward to getting everything back on a normal keel. I know, not a very exciting blog post tonight and there wasn't one last night, either. Plus, tomorrow is super crazy as I've got an Obedience Training class with Fielding, rushing home to change, and then heading out to Jersey for a christening. So, I'm predicting it now, no blog post tomorrow night, either :-( But, like I said, come Monday my schedule should be back to normal (whatever that means!!!), and I can get into a groove with the blog and get it looking like I want it to!!!

BTW, I posted a few pics I took yesterday while at a local greenhouse/nursery where they have a butterfly exhibit. It was so amazing and beautiful walking amongst all the butterflies. I think I took something like 50 photos!!! Although I've never taken a photography class in my life and have about what I'd consider a medium-grade camera, I do enjoy taking photos, mainly of objects/nature. Signing up for a class is definitely on my "To Do" list. Maybe once my son starts school in a few years. We'll see!

Time for me to say goodnight. Wishing you peace, love, and happiness from Krissy's Mixing Bowl

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

The Hump Day Quote :-)

Well, I figure by Wednesday, good 'ol hump day, we could all use a little inspiration to continue on for the remainder of the week. Each Wednesday I plan on sharing one of my favorite quotes and what it means to me. This week is easy, as I'm going to share probably my all-time favorite quote, which is extremely personal for me and I take to heart each day I live. The quote is by Mahatma Gandhi:

"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will."

As ya'll know by now, I have Multiple Sclerosis and was diagnosed 9 years ago this month at the age of 31. Needless to say, if I did not have an indomitable will (in other words INCREDIBLY STUBBORN - LOL!!!), I honestly don't think I'd be doing as well as I am right now. Yes, I have absolutely lost physical strength, especially on the whole left side of my body, not to mention a myriad of other problems and set backs over the years. Heck, one of my former neurologists (note, I say FORMER!!!), back in my mid 30s told me I could very well be in a wheelchair "sooner rather than later." So not the thing to say to me! But it's my very strong will that keeps me going and keeps me fighting my MS, be it physically, emotionally, and/or especially mentally. Not a day goes by that I don't have to talk myself through everyday tasks most people take for granted and make myself keep going when I want to give up. Plus, I have to say, having my son made me even stronger on all fronts. It's for him that I give that extra oomph each and every day. He is definitely my inspiration to be a better person and a better mom.

Enjoy your day everyone and thanks for stopping by!

Wishing you peace, love, and happiness from Krissy's Mixing Bowl

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

One Proud Momma!!!


OK, it's late so I don't have much time to blog tonight. However, I did have to share my proud momma moment! When I went to pick up my son from daycare today, the one teacher said how polite and well-mannered he is! Plus, I'm always told how much of a great helper he is in cleaning up. Way to go little guy!!! Whenever he wants something, I always make sure he says "please" and "thank you." Plus, whenever someone sneezes, I make sure he says "Bless you." He may need prompting at times, but overall he's doing great; and he's not even 2 years old yet. It really made me feel good to see he's learning manners and using them, even when mommy's not around. The next ones will be the yes/no ma'am and yes/no sir. However, I think he may need to be just a tad bit older to get those. Also, I make sure he helps me put away his toys and arts/crafts stuff when we're done playing both in the morning and after naptime/in the evening. Heck, he even picks up clothes and puts them in the hamper and puts the lid back on. Kudos to you, my son!!! Momma loves you very much, little guy!!! xoxoxo!!!

Good Night and wishing everyone peace, love, and happiness from Krissy's Mixing Bowl :-)

Monday, July 5, 2010

Recipe Time!!!








Hello everyone!!!

Well, it's finally here, the first food recipe from the Mixing Bowl! Yay!!! This was the one I wanted to make and post on Sunday, but I just wasn't up for cooking. It's called a German Pancake and is one of my absolute favorites for Sunday breakfast...although we had it tonight for dinner - LOL!!! I actually enjoy doing breakfast for dinner some nights, just as I enjoy eating cold leftovers from dinner some mornings for breakfast ;-) I know, I know, some people may think that's disgusting, but I say to each their own! I've been known a time or two to reheat a leftover hotdog (a Quaker Creek made one, please!), throw it on a bun, squirt on some French's spicy mustard, and have that for breakfast, along with some baked beans. My philosophy is to just go with what you want and to heck with what anyone else thinks!!! Plus, 5 mornings a week it's just me and my son, so it's not like anyone but us sees what I'm eating anyway, so it's just our little secret (until now - LOL!!!), and he's too young to tell anyone anyway ;-)

OK, now back to my recipe. It's a German Pancake which I first had while visiting my husband's cousin a number of years back. She was so kind as to share the recipe with me. Tonight's meal also consisted of breakfast sausage made by the Quaker Creek Store in Goshen, NY. This is an amazing place where they make their own sausages, various hot dogs (I'm addicted to their jalapeno/cheddar one!), different cold cuts, pierogies, kielbasa, plus many other yummy delicasies. I can't say enough great things about them, that's for sure!!! The meal was then rounded out by some gorgeous, sweet blueberries bought at a local farm stand. Plus, I'm happy to say the majority of the meal was from the tri-state area: NY, NJ, and PA. I love buying foods that are grown/produced as locally as possible. Organic eggs from PA; sausage, organic milk & REAL maple syrup from NY; and the blueberries from NJ. And for those who don't know where I live, I'm in an area of NY where I can make it into NJ in about 10 minutes and to PA in about 30 minutes, so they really are pretty local to me, that's for sure! OK, enough of my chatter, now onto the recipe!!!

German Pancake - 4 servings

4 eggs (large or extra large - I definitely go with extra large if I have them on hand)
2/3 c flour
1 tsp salt (just regular table salt - not kosher or sea salt)
2/3 c milk (I prefer whole milk - but you can user a lesser fat one)
3 Tbsp butter (divided into 9 teaspoon-sized pieces)

Powdered sugar and REAL maple syrup for serving (Sorry, but you won't see that maple-flavored sugary stuff in my house if I can help it!!! Only the real stuff for me, please!!!)

Butter a heavy 10" oven-proof skillet. Preheat over to 450 degrees F. Beat the eggs with a whisk to blend. Slowly add flour and beat well. Stir in salt and milk. Pour batter into the prepared skillet and drop the butter by teaspoonfuls into the batter, spreading evenly. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and bake another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and sift powdered sugar over the top. Serve with heated maple syrup.

If you take the time to try this recipe, I certainly hope you enjoy it. Please leave me your feedback if you do make it, I'd love to hear what you think! I also took some pictures of tonight's meal. I definitely need to learn how to "dress" my food for photos better! Live & learn!!!

That's it from the Mixing Bowl today. I'll see you again soon and will post my Dessert Recipe of the Week in the coming days. Peace, love, and happiness to each and every one of you!

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Independence Day!

Happy 4th of July! I know, the day's almost over, but I just had to post that. Plus I wanted to say thank you to all those who have fought for our great country to help us maintain our freedom and independence. You and your families have given of yourselves, and for some the ultimate price of his/her life, in a way many of us can't even imagine. Thank you.

I had so wanted to start blogging regularly. Even had a subject matter for yesterday's post, a recipe to start the week with today; however, illness prevailed. BooHoo :-( Heading to the doctor tomorrow to see WTH is up with this cold I've had now for over a week. Can barely take a decent breath without it setting off a coughing fit. Heck, I wake up in the middle of the night & the fits begin. Hopefully doc can give me something so I can get back on with my life. Stupid cold interfered with my entire 4th of July weekend and missed out on some gorgeous weather this past week....Grrrrrrr!!! At least I didn't miss out on fireworks, as my son HATES loud noises; so he probably would have totally freaked if we went somewhere to watch them. Plus, after he went to bed this evening, I got to hang out by the fire pit and watch 4 different mini fireworks displays set off by various neighbors in the area. One party even had a pretty good DJ/mix of songs going on! However, I will say, the "fireworks" display by the lightening bugs and the gorgeous stars out tonight were 1,000% better than what the neighbors had going on!!!

Oh well, tomorrow's another day. Let's see what it brings. Hopefully some good news from the doc! Goodnight & sweet dreams everyone! Wishing you peace, love, and happiness from Krissy's Mixing Bowl

Friday, July 2, 2010

Today's Ingredient of the Day!

Hello everyone!

Today's ingredient of the day is patience! This whole blogging thing is completely foreign to me, so I definitely need some time to figure it out! My goal is to have a "theme" for each day, so you'll kind of know what to expect when you log in. Something like Sunday will be my "Recipe Day" where I'll share one of my favorite cooking recipes - as opposed to a baking recipe. That'll be a whole other day of the week, as I LOVE my sweets!!! Mondays may end up being my "Favorite Food" suggestion of the week. Fridays could be my "Lively Libation" for the week. Oh, and in case you're wondering what a libation might be...it's a drink/beverage. Nothing like ending the week with a refreshing/relaxing drink in hand!!! I think you get the drift as to my vision for this blog. Plus, add in my own personal insights for the day, some tips/suggestions, etc. Who knows what will get poured out of this "Mixing Bowl" that is my complex, crazy life! So, it's back to the drawing board for me. Plus, maybe a nap, as I've been sick as a dog the past few days. Damn summer colds...Grrrrrr!!!

Happy 4th of July Weekend, everyone!!! Hope it's a safe & happy one for you!!!