Caramel Popcorn

With Christmas less than a week away, we're tapping into more of our traditional holiday recipes.  Since yesterday I've made two batches of heavenly-buttery-creamy-melt in your mouth caramel corn -- for Haley's holiday party last night and for today's afternoon movie marathon.  I thought I would share this wonderful recipe with you! 

Ingredients:
3 T. oil
1/2 cup popping corn (prefer Orville Redenbacher white or yellow kernels)
popcorn salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (one stick) butter
7 large marshmallows

Yields:  approx 16 cups Caramel Popcorn

Instructions:
Pop corn  in oil.  Salt the popcorn kernels in the oil with popcorn salt.  Once popped, move to a large bowl.  Meanwhile, melt butter, brown sugar and marshmallows in pan over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Bring to a bubbling boil.  Remove from heat.  Drizzle over popcorn, gently turning popcorn until it's completely coated with caramel.

Tip:  Ensure your popcorn is salted to taste before you drizzle the caramel.  The salt and the sweetness compliment each other.  If you don't, the caramel corn is too sweet.

Kelly

stopitoff.blogspot.com

My Weight Loss Journey - Month 2

Month two of my weight loss journey went well, considering it included Thanksgiving and the start of the holiday season.  For the most part my resolve has remained strong (my continued results don't hurt either).  The week of Thanksgiving I saved all my weekly points and used them on that day.  I even had a very small slice of pecan pie, my favorite!

Daughter #1 discovered a blog dedicated to Weight Watcher recipes, Gina's WW Recipes, and it's very helpful as the points are already figured out.  Additionally, I use E-tools on line to track my food and points and they have a recipe builder function where you can input all the ingredients of your recipe, determine the number of servings and it will calculate the point value for you.  This has been exceptionally helpful in calculating points for our regular family recipes.  It's really helped me realize just how many points (fat and calories) are in certain foods-- and sometimes it's just not worth it!  I guess that means I'm actually changing my thoughts and habits regarding food, which is key to long term success.  For the first time in many attempts, I actually know that I can succeed.  And, while I wish I could drop 10+ pounds a week like the Biggest Loser's do, that's not realistic nor will it help me build long term habits to stay healthy.  :)

Foods that got me through-- Fiber One Bars (again) 2 points per bar and new this month are sugar free Jello pudding cups which are 1 point per cup. I especially like the mousse chocolate flavors.

What's working for me-- Tracking and measuring my food every meal, every day.  H20 Aerobics 4 times a week.  I don't use my weekly points usually and I don't add additional points for working out.

Time for this month's results...

Month 1      -8.4 lbs 

Month 2  
                   Weekly     Total
Week 5       -1.8 lbs    -10.2 lbs
Week 6       -0.0 lbs    -10.2 lbs      Thanksgiving week
Week 7       -3.6 lbs    -13.8 lbs  **earned 5% award!
Week 8       -1.2 lbs    -15.0 lbs

Goals for Month 3:  1) Increase my activity on days I don't have H20 aerobics  2) Ensure I get my 5 veg/fruits per day.  Wish me luck!

Kelly

stopitoff.blogspot.com

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies

I found this recipe on Bakerella's blog.  She has GREAT recipes and I encourage you to check out her food blog (and her pictures are much better than mine).  Bakerella originally made them for Valentine's Day, but I thought they'd be great for Christmas too!  After all, they are red!

And no, they are not very weight watcher friendly (12 points per cookie sandwich), but I have to treat my family sometimes.  Daughter #2 recently recounted a conversation she had with her best friend as they talked about their mothers being on Weight Watchers.  It seems they shared that when their mom is on a diet, the whole house is on a diet.  Ah, well, it's all about being healthy with a few treats thrown in.  So, this is just for them.

Cookie Ingredients:
1 Box red velvet cake mix (dry mix)
1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 Eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix ingredients until combined.  Drop spoonfuls (I use a 1 1/2 inch ice cream scoop) of cookie batter onto baking sheet about two inches apart.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Cool.

Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 - 8 oz. Package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 - 1lb. box confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp Vanilla

In a mixer, cream butter, cream cheese and vanilla.  Gradually add sugar and mix until smooth.

Makes about 24 cookies or 12 cookie sandwiches. 

Hubby said they were very very good, but very very rich!  Next time I make these, I'll attempt to make them smaller, more bite size than cookie size.  Enjoy!

Kelly

stopitoff.blogspot.com

Chicken & Zucchini Pasta in Light Tomato Sauce

Makes 8 Servings (1 1/2 cup each)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 box 14.5 oz. bowtie pasta ( used Barilla Plus Farfalle)
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin/chopped
2 green onions, chopped
4 small zucchini, shredded
1 can petite diced tomatoes
2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups fat free chicken broth
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package instructions.

While pasta cooks, in a large skillet saute cut up chicken in 1 tsp olive oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Saute until cooked, remove from heat. Set chicken aside.

Add 1 tsp olive oil to the pan, lower heat to medium, add green onions and garlic and saute until golden, about 1 minute.

Add tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.  Cook about 1 minute.

Add zucchini, saute another minute. Add chicken broth, red pepper flakes and mix well.  Chop chicken into smaller pieces.  Return chicken to the pan and simmer 30 seconds.

When pasta is cooked to al dente, drain in a colander and add pasta to sauce. Mix well with the sauce and adjust salt and pepper. Add chopped parsley and serve.

Top with some really good grated cheese!

Kelly~

stopitoff.blogspot.com