Steffi's Wedding Marinara

1 20 oz can pureed tomatoes
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic
1 yellow onion
1-1 1/2 c. Chianti
1 c. thinly sliced porcini mushrooms
2 Tbsp freshly chopped basil
2 Tbsp freshly chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

In large sauce pan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add finely chopped yellow onion and cook until translucent (3-5 min). Crush garlic cloves with the back of your chefs knife. Chop crushed garlic until finely chopped. Add to onions and cook for another min. Add butter, when butter is melted add mushrooms and cook until soft. Add wine and turn heat to high. Simmer on high until all the liquid is evaporated. Add pureed tomatoes, herbs, red pepper and salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 15 minutes.

Sour Cream Garlic Mashed Potatoes

2 lb Baby Red Creamers
1/4 c. Whole Milk
2 Tbsp Sour Cream
2 Tbsp Butter
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
2 Tsp Chives
salt and pepper to taste



Leaving skin on, boil potatoes until easily pierced with a fork. Use hand-held blender to "mash". Add butter and milk and continue to blend using hand-held blender. Once milk and butter are fully incorporated add sour cream, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Blend. If potatoes are not creamy enough add milk.

Garnish with chives. The best way to chop chives is to use kitchen shears and cut them into small pieces (see photo).

Heirloom Tomato and Basil Pasta

1 lb good pasta (spaghetti)
1/2 c. Olive Oil
3-6 Garlic Cloves
1 Tbsp Red Pepper
1/4 c. Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley
1 Tbsp Fresh Chopped Basil
1 Tbsp Fresh Chopped Mint
1 Pint Mixed Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes




Cook pasta according to instructions. Typically, you will want a minimum of 4 quarts of water per pound of pasta. Boil pasta on high for 7-10 min until it is al dente. You do not need oil in the water, but you should add salt to the pasta while it cooks. Do not rinse the pasta once it is done, you need the starch on the pasta to help it stick to the sauce.

While pasta cooks, heat oil over medium flame. Add sliced or crushed garlic to hot oil. Cook garlic until it golden brown. Do not over cook or burn the garlic, else it will turn bitter and ruin your sauce. Once garlic is golden, remove from oil and set aside. I use a "dusting spoon" (see photo) to retrieve the garlic.

Add red-pepper flakes to oil and good for 1-2 minutes. replace garlic, add tomatoes and pasta to oil. Toss until full incorporated. Add herbs and parsley and toss.

Place in large serving bowl and serve!

Body For Life -12 weeks

So...I've reached a point of frustration. I started this "journey" in November to loose weight. I lost some - but coming up on the 11 month mark and I have not made the progress I wanted to. I have approx 15-20lbs to be at what doctors would call a healthy weight. At 5'10" I should be between 150-170. I've been 150 before, with no muscle and that was very thin for me. Don't get me wrong - I'd love to get down to 150. However, in the interest of being realistic and realizing that I am not 25, I am 30 (going on 31) and I will never again look like I am 25, I am aiming for 170. :)

Currently, I'm in a size 10/12. When I was this size before, I weighed 170ish. That tells me the last 11 months have succeeded in helping me build lots of muscle. And I can tell! My muscles are toned, I am very strong. I'm still doing weight training three days a week with my trainer and cardio another 2-3 days a week.


So, what's the problem. The only remaining thing I can identify is my diet. Given the blog (and its yummy recipes) and the fact that I simply love good rich food, we must settle on my diet. :) At my lowest weight, I was very particular about food (calories, carbs, and fat) and very disciplined. What is it that takes place in marriage that makes us eat? There is no way I could serve my former meals to my husband for dinner and expect him to like it. Tomato stuffed with dry tuna seasoned with lemon juice and salt and pepper. Mmmmmm... while it wasn't awful, it doesn't quite compare with chorizo stuffed pork tenderloin - does it?


In honor of my trip back to Austria, I am going to push myself a little harder. I'd like to fit in my skinny jeans for the trip! So that is the goal. :) I've done Body for Life or similar diets before and they work. It is clean simple food that is designed to get the sugars and fats out of your system. Here is what it looks like:

Breakfast:
1 boiled egg, 1 slice of flax seed GF toast (dry)

Snacks (2/day):
Non-fat unsweetened plain Greek yogurt and 1/2c. blueberries
Non-fat cottage cheese and 1c. celery/carrots
1 sliced apple and 2 tbsp peanut butter
Hummus and carrots/cucumber
1 serv. laughing cow cheese and celery
Lunch:
4 oz tuna (seasoned with lemon juice, dill and red onion), 1 whole tomato
4 oz low-fat deli meat, 1/2 avocado, sliced green pepper wrapped in lettuce
4 oz chicken breast, 2 corn tortillas, salsa

Dinner:
4 oz meat (no red)
1/2 c. veggies (cooked) 1 c. raw
1/2 c. starch (rice, potato, GF pasta, GF bread)
salad seasoned with oil and vinegar

So, if I can actually stick to this, I should be back in my Citizens of Humanity jeans by my 31st birthday! :)

Weekly Menu

Since Rhett and I were married the one area of our budget that we've fought tooth and nail to control is food - be it eating out or the grocery bill. Because we both work from home, we often eat out just to have a reason to get out of the house. However, we are bound and determined to practice more discipline in this area and thus I am attempting to "plan" meals. I am a planner in all things except for meals. The "Culinary Artist" within me despises being controlled by a "planned" meal. However, I am willing to give meal planning a try and am a actually excited about this week's dinners. So, here goes. I did my best to provide a rough grocery list for you if you are looking to replicate the meal plan.

Recipes will follow! :) Since I don't use recipes and experiment, I will post once I've recorded what I actually use. :)

Monday:  Chicken Fajitas
Grocery List
Red, Yellow and Orange Bell Pepper
Jalapeno
Mushrooms
Yellow Onion
Chicken Tenders
Sour Cream
Avocado
Tomato
1 can Black Beans
Corn Tortillas
Fajita Seasoning (I use the organic blend from Whole Foods)

Tuesday: GF Spaghetti and Tomato Basil Ragu
Grocery List
1 box Quinoa Spaghetti Noodles
14 oz can diced/peeled stewed tomatoes
1 lb ground meat (I'll be using elk)
Fresh Basil (from the garden)
mushrooms (desire amt)
2 slices thick bacon
1 yellow onion
1 tsp dried marjoram
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 Tbsp Corn Starch (for thickening - you can use flour)

Wednesday: Chili
Grocery List
14 oz Stewed Tomato
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
1 lbs ground meat (optional)
1 medium yellow onion
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 jalapeno

Thursday: Chicken with Lemon and Capers and wild rice
Grocery List
Chicken Breast (how ever many you need to serve)
2 Lemons
1 small jar capers
2-3 cloves garlic
2-3 slices prosciutto
1/4 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. white cooking wine
1/4 c. grated cheese (mozzarella) *optional
Wild Rice (enough to serve)

Friday: Chinese Stir Fry and Mai Fun Noodles
Grocery List:
Asparagus
Mushrooms
Bean Sprouts
Onion
Green Peppers
Snow Peas
Chicken Tenders
Stir Fry Seasoning
1 pkg Mai Fun Noodles

Old Fashioned Chocolate Layer Cake

According to Rhett, this is the best chocolate cake he has ever had. Bake at your own risk!

1 c. cocoa powder
2 c. boiling water
1 c. butter (room temp)
2 1/2 c. sugar
4 eggs (room temp)
2 3/4 c. AP flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour three 9" round cake pans. (Note: Instead of flour, I use cocoa powder on the greased pans to increase the chocolate flavor) :)

In a medium bowl, stir boiling water into cocoa powder until smooth and set aside to cool. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and set aside.

At medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar, scraping sides of the bowl as necessary. Let the mixer run for 4-5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition - and scraping sides of the bowl.

With the mixer running at low speed, add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternatively with the cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Stir in the vanilla - DO NOT OVER BEAT!

Pour equal amounts of batter into each pan. Bang pans on counter to release any air bubbles. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Invert pans on cooling racks and allow to cool. Remove pans and ensure cakes are completely cool before frosting.

Chocolate Whipped Cream Filling
1 pint heavy whipping cream
2/3 c. cocoa powder
1/2 c. granulated sugar

In a medium sized bowl sift cocoa powder into whipped cream, gently whisking to dissolved powder. This can be tricky. You want to dissolve the powder without whipping the cream! :) Add sugar and beat on high until stiff peaks form.
This should serve and the filling between your layers

Rich Chocolate Frosting
6 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. half and half
3/4 c. butter
2 1/2 c. sifted confectioners sugar

Combine chocolate, half-and-half, and butter in heavy bottomed sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is completely melted. Remove from heat. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar using a whisk and stirring well. This is tricky and it is important to work somewhat quickly. You do not want your chocolate to cool before all the sugar is combine.

Set the saucepan in a large bowl filled with ice and beat at a low speed with an electric mixer until frosting begins to lose its gloss and holds its shape. This takes about 4-6 min. If necessary, add a half-teaspoon of half-and-half or so to achieve perfect spreading consistency.

Fill your layers with chocolate whipped cream and frost cake. Serve! :)

Salsa Fresca

2 avacados chopped
1 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro
1 small red onion - chopped
2 large tomatoes seeded and chopped
Juice of 2 limes
salt and pepper to taste

Toss together in bowl, salt and pepper to taste. Use as a garnish to Chorizo stuffed tenderloin or other meat. This is really good on fish tacos or halibut steaks. :)