Challenge Ended......Ara Failed

Well..... I did not do so good! For those of you reading I want you to know that I just found out that I am pregnant so this whole challenge went out the window for me - lol.

Lately I have been feeling sick looking at certain foods, I've been tired, had cramps and the only thing in the world I want to eat right now is ribs. No sides.... just ribs and a cold glass of water.

So needless to say I did not feel like cooking or even eating what I cooked if I did. Kevin has been wonderful and has taken me out for ribs and even gone for a few small cravings throughout the week.

Conveniently he and I are on the same craving wave-length! When I crave something... it suddenly sounds good to him too!

Anyway, I do want to complete this challenge. I am starting to feel better than I was so I hope that when most of my nausea has gone away I can complete it. I actually think we got through the first week fine.... it was the second week that went down the toilet!

How did you guys do??

Stuffed Green Bell Peppers

I don't really have a recipe for this one (just kinda threw it together)

So tonight I made stuffed green peppers with shrimp, rice and onions... And will put up a picture soon... I made two, but want to add something to it before I put a picture up. It is really good the way it is, but I feel it is kinda missing something... Not sure what to add... any suggestions?

New Recipe to Share

Spinach & Chicken Quiche
(Bob's Title: Spinach, Cheese & Chicken Pie because "real" men don't eat quiche)

1/2 cup chopped Red Onions*, saute
1/2 tsp. minced garlic, saute
4 tsp. butter
10 oz. Pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
3/4 tsp. Tobasco sauce
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh basil leaves (from the jar is good)
5 whole mushrooms, sliced
1 cup Lowfat Bisquick
1 cup Lowfat Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
4 eggs ( I threw out 2 of the yokes), beat well
1 1/2 cup lowfat milk
4 cooked boneless/skinless chicken breasts*, cut up

Saute onion and garlic in melted butter. Add mushroom slices and cook until tender. Remove from heat and add all the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Grease a 10" deep pie plate and pour the mixture in carefully. Bake 45 to 50 minutes on 350 degrees. Should be firm in the middle.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving. While waiting add 1/4 cup more shredded cheese over the top if desired. Fix a salad and your meal is ready. Make 6 large pie slices of quiche or 8 smaller slices.

This was a big hit with Bob, even though he doesn't like the official name. He still ate it up.
For those that don't eat meat - I would add more mushrooms or portabellas in place of the chicken. For those that don't like onions, you can leave them out, but you will be missing out on some wonderful flavor!!

:)) Tonight, I made a homemade Fruit Smoothie for my dinner. It is really good, but Emmalee still makes the best!!

:{{ One mistake I have made in cooking this week - - I added fresh broccoli to a whole pan of King Ranch Chicken. The broccoli flavor took over. No matter how much sour cream and Picante we added, it still tasted like a broccoli casserole. So, don't add broccoli to your King Ranch - serve it on the side with cheese and it will be a great meal!!

Be sure to share your new creations and lets us know about your cooking mistakes!!!

Love ya, Mom

New Challenge Starts Tomorrow - 2 Weeks of Homemade Food!

Hi Guys - our new challenge starts tomorrow and here are the rules!!!

It starts at breakfast tomorrow (Sept 8th) and goes through to midnight on September 21st. This is a challenge to keep us from eating restaurant, frozen or pre-packaged meals. Keep that in mind if you have a not so clear decision to make...

1. Do not eat out at restaurants or fast food places unless you are asked by friends or there is a planned event you will be attending. BUT DO NOT try and trick your friend into asking you out to eat... that is cheating!! If you do go to a restaurant with a friend.... make healthy decisions and DO NOT bring home a doggie bag (I know this seems wasteful but maybe try to order something smaller or share so that you will not have any leftovers).

2. Do not eat frozen meals. I say 'frozen meals' because I still think you should be able to use frozen veggies or fruit and make it into something homemade... I don't expect you to home grow all your veggies..... We are trying to stay away from things like frozen pizza, lean cuisines and hot pockets!

3. No prepackaged meals ...... such as Lunchables, Cans of Soup or Ramen (unless used inside another recipe). We are also trying to break the lazy habit of just having a can of soup because we don't want to do anything else.... they are usually stuffed with sodium. Instead look up an easy, healthy recipe to make your own soup! This will also mean YOU know what the ingredients in it are.... and can pronounce them!

4. Things like bread or lunch meat are fine.... as long as you are making YOUR OWN sandwich.... not picking one up at Subway! You can make this pretty easily but I would encourage you to find some new sandwich recipes and see if you can make things as yummy at home as they seem in a sub shop!

5. Cereal and Milk are fine for breakfast at home. Remember we are just trying to keep ourselves from running through McD's on the way to work. Also if you want coffee or something at work/school you can have it if its made there or bring your own but NO STARBUCKS!!

6. Try a new recipe each week (it will be 2 total in the end). Its bad to get stuck in the same recipes over and over because we get bored and we go out to eat. Try new things and see what you like. You may never know that you were able to make Chicken Cordon Bleu at home so easily! REMEMBER to share the recipe that you tried here on the site. Tell us if you liked it.... if you changed anything... and how easy it was.

*** I don't want to make a rule for every kind of food but I think you can see from here what we are focusing on. I will let you guys be the judge for your own decisions. If you feel that what you are about to eat was made by you and was not the easy way out - then good, you can eat it!

Best of luck to everyone!!! Leave comments if you have any questions! -Ara

New Challenge to BEGIN Wed. 9-8-10

NEED to hear from Carlyn and Emmalee about the last contest.

NEW competition begins tomorrow - Wed. Sept. 8!!

Ara DiAnn - lay out some of the guidelines like,

1) Must home cook every meal - breakfast - lunch - dinner?? or carry something that was made from home - sandwich, etc.

2) Do not buy fast food or drive thru for 2 weeks.

3) If invited out by friends or already invited to an event - exceptions are made.

4) Try a new recipe each week.

5) etc. - confirm these guidelines and any others

Looking forward to the challenge!! Love ya, Mom