Pirate Booty - yummy snack

I saw this at Kroger and figured we'd try it. There are 6 in a bag and they were on sale for 2 for $6. I'm thinking regular price is about $3.99. The bags are pretty big for 1 oz. It is puffed corn and rice with aged white cheddar. Very tasty. The kids really liked them! My oldest said they were absolutely delicious! He is the picky one, so when he says something is yummy and it isn't that bad for him, I run with it. I gave a couple to one of our dog's Cristal and she loved it. She's the picky one too. haha I saw it as a win win situation all around!

Best Rice Blend Ever

I forgot to mention this delicious rice blend we had the other night. (I made it the same night as the butternut fiasco) My oldest son, who is a rice fiend, said it was the best rice I ever made! I was so happy considering it was one of the healthiest wholesome rice I've probably ever made too.

Its Lundberg Wild Blend. I found it at HEB. It was a good blend of wild and brown rice. Very colorful. I was scorned for only making the necessary servings to feed our family. haha

Eggplant lassagna

Last night I made eggplant lassagna. I just kinda took the idea from someone that said they used zucchini instead of lassagna noodles. This was fairly easy with the exception that I made my own sauce so it took a little longer.


Here is the lassagna when it first came out:




Then, once I added the cheese:




This is the final product with some fresh steamed corn:

This was fairly simple to make. I only used about 12 slices of eggplant, but you could always overlap your slices to cover the casserole dish completely and use the whole eggplant. I used about half. Here's the recipe:

Eggplant (12 slices or more to cover casserole)

Pasta sauce ( 1 jar or 1 homeade pasta sauce recipe)

1/2 lb lean ground beef (I don't use a lot of meat these day just enough for the fiance to be happy)

2 cups of mozzarella (Fat free, reduced, part skim or whole milk; I used 1/2 fat free & 1/2 part skim)

15 oz. ricotta cheese

1/4 cup reduced-fat parmesan

1 egg ( I used 1/4 cup breadcrumbs bc I forgot I didn't have an egg)

Cook your groud beef and add the pasta sauce and simmer for a few minutes. Cut your eggplant slices. I had a fat eggplant so I used 6 slices per layer. I did have some open areas, so if you want to cover completely, I would overlap slices until covered. Pour a little sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish; about 1/4 to 1/2 cup to lightly cover the bottom. Arrange eggplant slices next. Mix the ricotta cheese with the parmesan cheese and egg (I used bread crumbs this one time for lack of an egg). I then spread the ricotta next, but I would suggest switching the ricotta cheese layer and the mozzarella layer. So, sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella over eggplant, then half of the meat sauce, then ricotta. Layer eggplant over that and the the remaining meat sauce. Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Then, take it out, uncover the foil and sprinkle remaining cheese on top and return to the over for 5-10 more minutes until cheese has melted to your desire. I got 6 servings out of my casserole.

I would definitely layer first:

the sauce, eggplant, mozzarella, meat sauce, ricotta, eggplant, meat sauce, mozzarella

vs.

the sauce, eggplant, ricotta, meat sauce, mozzarella, eggplant, meat sauce, mozzarella

It was still good, but the mozzarella layers were to close together. Also, because I used bread crumbs unstead of egg to keep the ricotta together, it changed the taste of the ricotta a little. Not bad, just different.

The nutrition for the way I prepared it is:

346 calories

14g fat

859g sodium

26g carbs

5g fiber

30g protein

It was a little more fat than I would have liked, but that can be fixed with turkey instead of beef and using all fat free mozzarella next time and fat free ricotta.

Butternut Squash fiasco!

I bought a butternut squash and looked up recipes to try. I found this one I thought would be fun and interesting with the different flavors:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Butternut-Squash-Apple-Onion-Au-Gratin/Detail.aspx

Boy, was I wrong. I wish I would have taken a picture. It looked good, it smelled somewhat good, but the melding flavors just was not my family's style. I particularly did not like the onion and apple flavor. The onion specifically I think. What possessed me to think apple and onion would taste good I dont' know. I was trying to be adventurous I guess. It was just a big ole BACKFIRE! However, I do think the butternut squash tasted good. After I prepared it and tasted it, I realized that was what we had at Shogun the previous Friday in the vegetables tempura. I had liked that, but the fiance didn't.

This is what I had waiting for me when I got home...

Aren't they beautiful? The fiance decided he wanted to make me dinner and picked these up as well. He made us french toast which was all anti-health really. It hink he planned it that way a) to get me back for the horrible squash gratin I made him try (refer to butternut squash fiasco) or b) he was rebelling and just felt like eating unhealthy for a change. White bread, full eggs (not just whites or 1 full, 1 white), but he did have to use the skim milk. hehe It was delicious nonetheless and he made some sausage and eggs to go with it. I wish I would have taken a picture but the batteries were low in the camera so it wouldn't work long enough to take it. I ended up having 3 pieces of french toast, 1 egg and about a 1.5 servings of sausage, plus a glass of orange juice. Breakfast for dinner! Yum!

One year ago today!

It was a year ago today that my love proposed marriage to me and became my fiance! It was a rainy day, Labor Day, and he was so determined to make it happen: THAT DAY and with our friends THERE. It was cute. Too bad I didn't have much warning though so I could have looked better and straightened my hair after the rain! haha

HAPPY ENGAGEMENT ANNIVERSARY MY LOVE!

I am a total dork, but who cares!

I am so excited about my grocery shopping. The fiance was even laughing at me. He said I was all happy and dancing around. hehe I can't help it. It feels good to know that you have armed yourself with very good things to make some healthy breakfasts, lunches and dinners. I also bought a few extra items that I normally wouldn't buy and none of them (uh, well except one) is junk food. I want to try somethign new each time I shop until I've tried all I can.

This time I got:

Roasted Chickpeas - I tried a few...its a little different. It's not knock down delicious but probably something I will eventually crave when I haven't had it in a while LOL
Butternut squash - I really am excited about this! I have no idea how I am going to cook, but we WILL be having butternut squash this week darnit!
A small jicama - I debated between the jicama and the yuca root. I finally decided to try the jicama. I think I can put it salad?
Envirokids Peanut Butter Panda Puffs - finally something organic the kids are excited about!
Soy nuts! - this should be interesting
Vita muffins - I have been looking and looking for these! Apparently I was looking in the wrong place!
Tru North (I think) peanut clusters - this is mainly for the kids for snack
Organic tri-colored pasta from the bulk section
Amy's spinach and feta roll thingy
BLUE corn tortilla chips - very excited to try these too

I think that is all my "new" products. On my list so far for next time is:
Yucca root
Swiss Chard - I debated for a long time whether I should get this or not today LOL
Sunny bears (I think) - organic fruit candy sort of thing. I am thinking of making a trail mix with it for the kids to take to school. I think it would be fun!

The disappointing thing about my trip is that my HEB is supposed to be the 2nd biggest anywhere right? Why can I find more of the products I want at the HEB by my work than the one by the house that is supposedly bigger?! I am so disappointed that I could not get Oikos greek yogurt. I had to settle for Greek God, which the first time I tried was not that great. These are flavored (1 honey and 1 vanilla) so hopefully it will be better! Also, I could not find sliced almonds in the bulk section! ARGH!I NEED my almonds for my breakfasts. Wah! I am kind of putting together a list of things in my head I need to get from Kroger. HEB also did not have Annie's graham bunnies which I need for the kids lunches. So I settled for Famous Amos cookies. Oops! That was another new junk food. A couple of mini chocolate chip cookies a day won't hurt right? Although, I forgot to check for high fructose corn syrup. Darn! I'll bet they have it too!