Home Sweet Home! by The Pioneer Woman
6 years ago
Monday, July 2, 2012
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The best day ever!
Ok, that may be overstating it, but it was an amazing day.
First, I am officially at 17 lbs lost, in 17 days. That was awesome.
Second, H won tickets to an EXCLUSIVE concert by the Barenaked Ladies. Now, anyone who knows me knows I LOVE BNL. There were "supposed" to be only about 50 people in attendance, for this special 1 hour acoustic concerts. Well, there were more, but I hardly cared.
I had heard about the concert on the radio. To win tickets you were to text the radio station. H did it about 100 times. I did it twice. She won. Go figure. But when they called to get her name and confirm, her phone died. I died a little, too. I thought we weren't going to get in. We headed to Salt Lake City early, just in case I had to beg our case, but it wasn't an issue. They had us on the list. We were early so we hung out in the lobby. Just a little later, a big bus pulled up and out came Ed and Jim. Oh yeah! They hung out and chatted with us and took pictures with us (I'll post them later. They're still on H's camera.) They stood there and chatted with us as the grips unloaded their gear. Oh yeah!
When we were finally let into the room, it was clear more than 50 people were there. Apparently they always invite more than the room will hold because some people always don't show. Not this time. Everyone invited showed up. Well, yeah! It's BNL!
Anyway, since there weren't enough seats, H and I gave up our second row seats to go sit on the floor in front of the front row. It was awesome. I'm a fan again.
They were being interviewed for the radio show and they played some songs. They were so good--we didn't even miss Steve, the jerk who got arrested for doing drugs with his play thing girlfriend. Good riddance. Anyway, it was AWESOME. What a good day!
First, I am officially at 17 lbs lost, in 17 days. That was awesome.
Second, H won tickets to an EXCLUSIVE concert by the Barenaked Ladies. Now, anyone who knows me knows I LOVE BNL. There were "supposed" to be only about 50 people in attendance, for this special 1 hour acoustic concerts. Well, there were more, but I hardly cared.
I had heard about the concert on the radio. To win tickets you were to text the radio station. H did it about 100 times. I did it twice. She won. Go figure. But when they called to get her name and confirm, her phone died. I died a little, too. I thought we weren't going to get in. We headed to Salt Lake City early, just in case I had to beg our case, but it wasn't an issue. They had us on the list. We were early so we hung out in the lobby. Just a little later, a big bus pulled up and out came Ed and Jim. Oh yeah! They hung out and chatted with us and took pictures with us (I'll post them later. They're still on H's camera.) They stood there and chatted with us as the grips unloaded their gear. Oh yeah!
When we were finally let into the room, it was clear more than 50 people were there. Apparently they always invite more than the room will hold because some people always don't show. Not this time. Everyone invited showed up. Well, yeah! It's BNL!
Anyway, since there weren't enough seats, H and I gave up our second row seats to go sit on the floor in front of the front row. It was awesome. I'm a fan again.
They were being interviewed for the radio show and they played some songs. They were so good--we didn't even miss Steve, the jerk who got arrested for doing drugs with his play thing girlfriend. Good riddance. Anyway, it was AWESOME. What a good day!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Update and a night out cheating
So it's been a while since I've written. I've been subbing and it is hard to post when I sub. Anyway, I needed to post, mostly for me to keep track of where I am on this fun ride.
Today is the two week mark on the phase 2 of the diet. I have officially lost 14.5 lbs in 14 days on the phase 2 of the diet. Not too shabby. I was able to put on a skirt I hadn't been able to wear in a few months so that was good, too. I am beginning to be able to see the results which helps with the resolve.
The biggest problems I have faced in the last few days have been somewhat comical. When I sub at the junior high, lunch is only 30 minutes, not enough time to go home and get lunch. So I figured I had to take my lunch with me. But I don't know where the teacher' lounge is so I was going to have to eat it cold. So I sat my tupperware of Hgc chilli on the heater in the room. Lame, I know, but it warmed it enough that I didn't choke. I was afraid I was going to melt the plastic and have chilli all over the heater. Ewwww.
The next issue I had was water. As I don't know where the teacher work room is, I also don't know where the teacher's restrooms are. So yeah, I got a bit dehydrated. But it was worth it to not have to use the student's restroom. A girl has to think of these things!
Next, since I can't use conventional moisturizer, I went and bought an oil free moisturizer (Neutrogenia). After using it for two days, I broke out in a rash all over my forehead and under my eyes. I am VERY allergic to it (and most other moisturizers). I hurried my sad face to Richard and had him start the allergy treatment for it, but it is going to take some time before it is gone. In the meantime, I am back to being Bran Flakes Face again--with an icky red rash to boot. Fortunately I can wear my glasses which covers it up a lot.
Lastly, I had a major hurdle to overcome. It was my Father-in-law's birthday this Friday. All the kids took him out to dinner. I was so torn as to whether I should stick with the diet or not go or just throw caution to the wind and eat like nobody's business. I read online about cheating and everything said it would set me back at least 3 days and I would gain a few pounds. I really didn't want to do that but I also didn't want to miss the party. Also, I am pretty dang tired of the same old food and I wanted a break. So I decided to throw caution to the wind.
We went to a Chinese restaurant so I figured I should be able to find something that was full of veggies and that would be okay. As I looked at the menu, I started feeling guilty. I thought I should stay as close to the diet as I could so I ended up ordering a vegetable egg foo young. I figured an egg was allowed occasionally. It was so good! So full of flavor (gosh, how I've missed the flavor!). I picked out the broccoli and zucchini and ate that, too. And I drank a lot of tea since that is allowed on the diet, as well. I ate as slowly as I could and only had one of the two egg pancakes. Heaven!
So the next morning I got up and got on the scale. I was so excited to see I had still lost .5 lbs! Woo hoo! Happy day! So now I am back on it 100% but a little invigorated that I could control myself enough to choose wisely, enjoy every bite and not overdo it.
Today is the two week mark on the phase 2 of the diet. I have officially lost 14.5 lbs in 14 days on the phase 2 of the diet. Not too shabby. I was able to put on a skirt I hadn't been able to wear in a few months so that was good, too. I am beginning to be able to see the results which helps with the resolve.
The biggest problems I have faced in the last few days have been somewhat comical. When I sub at the junior high, lunch is only 30 minutes, not enough time to go home and get lunch. So I figured I had to take my lunch with me. But I don't know where the teacher' lounge is so I was going to have to eat it cold. So I sat my tupperware of Hgc chilli on the heater in the room. Lame, I know, but it warmed it enough that I didn't choke. I was afraid I was going to melt the plastic and have chilli all over the heater. Ewwww.
The next issue I had was water. As I don't know where the teacher work room is, I also don't know where the teacher's restrooms are. So yeah, I got a bit dehydrated. But it was worth it to not have to use the student's restroom. A girl has to think of these things!
Next, since I can't use conventional moisturizer, I went and bought an oil free moisturizer (Neutrogenia). After using it for two days, I broke out in a rash all over my forehead and under my eyes. I am VERY allergic to it (and most other moisturizers). I hurried my sad face to Richard and had him start the allergy treatment for it, but it is going to take some time before it is gone. In the meantime, I am back to being Bran Flakes Face again--with an icky red rash to boot. Fortunately I can wear my glasses which covers it up a lot.
Lastly, I had a major hurdle to overcome. It was my Father-in-law's birthday this Friday. All the kids took him out to dinner. I was so torn as to whether I should stick with the diet or not go or just throw caution to the wind and eat like nobody's business. I read online about cheating and everything said it would set me back at least 3 days and I would gain a few pounds. I really didn't want to do that but I also didn't want to miss the party. Also, I am pretty dang tired of the same old food and I wanted a break. So I decided to throw caution to the wind.
We went to a Chinese restaurant so I figured I should be able to find something that was full of veggies and that would be okay. As I looked at the menu, I started feeling guilty. I thought I should stay as close to the diet as I could so I ended up ordering a vegetable egg foo young. I figured an egg was allowed occasionally. It was so good! So full of flavor (gosh, how I've missed the flavor!). I picked out the broccoli and zucchini and ate that, too. And I drank a lot of tea since that is allowed on the diet, as well. I ate as slowly as I could and only had one of the two egg pancakes. Heaven!
So the next morning I got up and got on the scale. I was so excited to see I had still lost .5 lbs! Woo hoo! Happy day! So now I am back on it 100% but a little invigorated that I could control myself enough to choose wisely, enjoy every bite and not overdo it.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Apple Day
Lost .5 lbs
Apple Day sounds wildly fun. If you reach a plateau, you may choose to do an apple day. On the apple day you may eat 6 large apples whenever you feel like it, but nothing else. You only drink water to slack a strong thirst. This will break your plateau.
According to the information I read, this is really just a psychological treatment for the plateau. Plateaus may be caused because your body is breaking down fat cell walls or it may be because you are retaining water. If you are retaining water, the apple day will break your plateau as you are not eating anything with salt in it and it encourages your body to let go of the retained fluid. At least that is what the information I read said. I may try it, if I get desperate. But as for now, I am not. I do feel like I've been retaining water but it may also be hormonal. Who knows?
Apple Day sounds wildly fun. If you reach a plateau, you may choose to do an apple day. On the apple day you may eat 6 large apples whenever you feel like it, but nothing else. You only drink water to slack a strong thirst. This will break your plateau.
According to the information I read, this is really just a psychological treatment for the plateau. Plateaus may be caused because your body is breaking down fat cell walls or it may be because you are retaining water. If you are retaining water, the apple day will break your plateau as you are not eating anything with salt in it and it encourages your body to let go of the retained fluid. At least that is what the information I read said. I may try it, if I get desperate. But as for now, I am not. I do feel like I've been retaining water but it may also be hormonal. Who knows?
TMI
Lost nothing today. But I feel kind of "irregular," if you get my drift, so that could be why. I get that occasionally, especially when I am eating "large" quantities of meat without much fiber. I have an herbal tea I drink to remedy the situation but since I am subbing today, I didn't want to do that to myself. I also cheated just a tiny bit. I mean tiny. I ate about a quarter of a teaspoon of taco meat. Oh yes, I am weak!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Day thirteen
lost 1 lb.
Despite having made banana cake with cream cheese frosting, I was strong. I left it all at my brother's house :)
Despite having made banana cake with cream cheese frosting, I was strong. I left it all at my brother's house :)
Monday, January 11, 2010
Days Seven through eleven
Day seven: lost 1 lb.
Day eight: lost 1 lb.
Day nine: lost nothing! What? That can't be! I have not deviated the slightest from the diet. Why!!! Why the torture if there's not going to be success! Maybe it was because I was weak for one moment and I put some moisturizer on my face. Yes, that can make a difference. When you are on the hGC diet, you must eliminate all fats, even those applied topically. That means makeups, lotions and other potions. I have been using mineral foundation for quite a while, but I have extremely dry skin so I use a lot of moisturizer. Today I feel like a box of bran flakes... dry and wrinkly. Eww.
Day ten: lost nothing again. Why, oh sweet Google search, why? I got online and read about it. Apparently there are plateaus. This diet doesn't just shrink the fat cells, it destroys them, cell wall and all. That is one of the reasons why this diet is so effective. You actually loose fat cells!!! Anyway, after shrinking the cells, it takes a day or two to dissolve the cells. I don't know if that's true or not, but it sure makes it feel better. So watch me dissolve away!
It was a hard day because I had a wedding reception to attend. I knew there would be lots of food there--yummy food that wouldn't normally tempt me, but because I can't have it, it becomes irresistible. As a result, we didn't stay as long as I normally would have. I needed to remove myself from the temptation. I just kept reminding myself that I was not hungry--at all. Ahh... it is another of those triggers I didn't realize I had. Social situations = eat. Not any more!
Day eleven: lost 1 lb. That makes 10 in the 7 days on the restricted diet. Not too shabby. Also, I can take off my fat pants without undoing them. So yeah, I have definitely lost inches, too. It's a good thing, because I had to make my delicious cinnamon rolls for a family get-together. Actually, I didn't make them. I had![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
saginaw_annie make them because I shouldn't touch the oil that I use to roll them out (instead of flour). They looked so good, smothered in the cream cheese frosting. But I was strong. Because I wasn't hungry. At all.
That brings us to today. Day 12: lost 1 lb. Good energy, no hunger, just lazy. But since I am subbing this week, I have a lot to do. Tonight will bring more temptations. We are meeting at my SIL's to work on a quilt for my sweet niece who lost her baby this past week. My heart is breaking for the whole family. I know all too well, the feeling whey are going through.
Day eight: lost 1 lb.
Day nine: lost nothing! What? That can't be! I have not deviated the slightest from the diet. Why!!! Why the torture if there's not going to be success! Maybe it was because I was weak for one moment and I put some moisturizer on my face. Yes, that can make a difference. When you are on the hGC diet, you must eliminate all fats, even those applied topically. That means makeups, lotions and other potions. I have been using mineral foundation for quite a while, but I have extremely dry skin so I use a lot of moisturizer. Today I feel like a box of bran flakes... dry and wrinkly. Eww.
Day ten: lost nothing again. Why, oh sweet Google search, why? I got online and read about it. Apparently there are plateaus. This diet doesn't just shrink the fat cells, it destroys them, cell wall and all. That is one of the reasons why this diet is so effective. You actually loose fat cells!!! Anyway, after shrinking the cells, it takes a day or two to dissolve the cells. I don't know if that's true or not, but it sure makes it feel better. So watch me dissolve away!
It was a hard day because I had a wedding reception to attend. I knew there would be lots of food there--yummy food that wouldn't normally tempt me, but because I can't have it, it becomes irresistible. As a result, we didn't stay as long as I normally would have. I needed to remove myself from the temptation. I just kept reminding myself that I was not hungry--at all. Ahh... it is another of those triggers I didn't realize I had. Social situations = eat. Not any more!
Day eleven: lost 1 lb. That makes 10 in the 7 days on the restricted diet. Not too shabby. Also, I can take off my fat pants without undoing them. So yeah, I have definitely lost inches, too. It's a good thing, because I had to make my delicious cinnamon rolls for a family get-together. Actually, I didn't make them. I had
saginaw_annie make them because I shouldn't touch the oil that I use to roll them out (instead of flour). They looked so good, smothered in the cream cheese frosting. But I was strong. Because I wasn't hungry. At all.That brings us to today. Day 12: lost 1 lb. Good energy, no hunger, just lazy. But since I am subbing this week, I have a lot to do. Tonight will bring more temptations. We are meeting at my SIL's to work on a quilt for my sweet niece who lost her baby this past week. My heart is breaking for the whole family. I know all too well, the feeling whey are going through.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Days four, five and six
I got up on Day 4, very excited to see the results. I figured it had better work or I'd be VERY MAD because if I'm eating NOTHING, I had better loose weight. Well, I did. I lost 3.5 lbs the first day. Huzzah! I felt good, had good energy and didn't miss breakfast because I had play practice to direct first thing in the morning followed by a trip to Walmart for a new ironing board. (I asked Dilbert for one for Christmas but he said no way was he getting me that. He said I'd play with it once and then put it in the corner and never take it out again. He is probably right.) Anyway, I had all sorts of enthusiasm for the project because I'd lost FREAKING 3.5 LBS!
Day 5: down 2 lbs. Feel great, not hungry, good energy
Day 6: down 1.5 lbs.Feel great, not hungry, good energy
Not too shabby. I can do this if this kind of weight loss can be maintained. Well, it can't.
Day 5: down 2 lbs. Feel great, not hungry, good energy
Day 6: down 1.5 lbs.Feel great, not hungry, good energy
Not too shabby. I can do this if this kind of weight loss can be maintained. Well, it can't.
Friday, January 8, 2010
The First days...
The hGC diet is great to start. Day one is just normal. Eat as you normally would. Take the drops 3 times a day. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. I felt fine and had a completely normal day. There was just one thing... I was terrified of what the actual diet was going to be like. I read my binder of "what to expect" and all the scientific stuff but I was still scared that eating 200 g of meat and 2 cups of veggies and 2 apples was going to kill me.
Day two is even more fun. It is the first of two "gorging days". You are supposed to eat as much high fat food as you can. It is supposed to make the transition from food burning to fat burning easier. On that day I went to lunch at this fabulous Indian restaurant in Layton. Oh man... anyway, I was feeling ok but low on energy and had periodic headaches. I still hadn't weighed myself. I was so terrified about how much I had really gained this year. Fortunately day two was New Year's Eve so I stuffed myself with potato chips and shrimp dip. Mmmmm.
Day three is also a gorging day. I got a bad headache early in the day. It was so bad, I could hardly force myself to eat. Dilbert took pity on me and let me lounge on the couch and complain. He took the kids out to dinner and brought me back a hamburger, fries and a pumpkin shake. I ate it all, even though it about made me retch. I don't like ice cream, by the way. Anyway, it made the headache go away for a few minutes but it came back with a vengeance. Apparently it is a common occurrence. When I called Richard to chew him out, he said to eat more fat so I made popcorn and saturated it with butter. Again, I felt better for about an hour but then was miserable again. Also, I had no energy. I was so glad I didn't have anything I had to do because it wouldn't have been done. One curious problem was I had no appetite. I wasn't hungry at all so it was hard to force myself to eat, especially eat fat stuff. My kids pledged to be super supportive so they planned menus for the next few weeks so I wouldn't have to cook and they put all the Christmas decorations away while I reclined on the couch like a slug, eating everything fat I could find. Heaven is something like that, sans the headache.
Sunday was day one of the phase 2 part of the diet. On the diet, you can have tea of coffee for breakfast. Since I don't drink tea or coffee, I don't eat breakfast. Fortunately It was fast Sunday so I didn't have a problem with having nothing for breakfast. One very good benefit was I wasn't hungry at all. And my headaches were almost entirely gone. And I had significantly more energy than the two gorging days. By the way, this is not usual. Usually the headaches and low energy begin on this day, lasting for a day or two. For dinner I had my spinach and my 100 g of beef. Yumm (not). Since you can have no fat, you have to be creative as you cook your meat. Herbs and salt and pepper are allowed, so I season it up a LOT. I figured the more flavor, the less I will feel I am missing. I also eat VERY slowly so I can enjoy the time at the dinner table with my family. It is the time we do the most of our sharing with each other so that was really important to me. Oh yeah, I weighed myself and it was worse than I thought. I weighed more than I had ever weighed before. It was very disheartening.
But that soon changed.
Day two is even more fun. It is the first of two "gorging days". You are supposed to eat as much high fat food as you can. It is supposed to make the transition from food burning to fat burning easier. On that day I went to lunch at this fabulous Indian restaurant in Layton. Oh man... anyway, I was feeling ok but low on energy and had periodic headaches. I still hadn't weighed myself. I was so terrified about how much I had really gained this year. Fortunately day two was New Year's Eve so I stuffed myself with potato chips and shrimp dip. Mmmmm.
Day three is also a gorging day. I got a bad headache early in the day. It was so bad, I could hardly force myself to eat. Dilbert took pity on me and let me lounge on the couch and complain. He took the kids out to dinner and brought me back a hamburger, fries and a pumpkin shake. I ate it all, even though it about made me retch. I don't like ice cream, by the way. Anyway, it made the headache go away for a few minutes but it came back with a vengeance. Apparently it is a common occurrence. When I called Richard to chew him out, he said to eat more fat so I made popcorn and saturated it with butter. Again, I felt better for about an hour but then was miserable again. Also, I had no energy. I was so glad I didn't have anything I had to do because it wouldn't have been done. One curious problem was I had no appetite. I wasn't hungry at all so it was hard to force myself to eat, especially eat fat stuff. My kids pledged to be super supportive so they planned menus for the next few weeks so I wouldn't have to cook and they put all the Christmas decorations away while I reclined on the couch like a slug, eating everything fat I could find. Heaven is something like that, sans the headache.
Sunday was day one of the phase 2 part of the diet. On the diet, you can have tea of coffee for breakfast. Since I don't drink tea or coffee, I don't eat breakfast. Fortunately It was fast Sunday so I didn't have a problem with having nothing for breakfast. One very good benefit was I wasn't hungry at all. And my headaches were almost entirely gone. And I had significantly more energy than the two gorging days. By the way, this is not usual. Usually the headaches and low energy begin on this day, lasting for a day or two. For dinner I had my spinach and my 100 g of beef. Yumm (not). Since you can have no fat, you have to be creative as you cook your meat. Herbs and salt and pepper are allowed, so I season it up a LOT. I figured the more flavor, the less I will feel I am missing. I also eat VERY slowly so I can enjoy the time at the dinner table with my family. It is the time we do the most of our sharing with each other so that was really important to me. Oh yeah, I weighed myself and it was worse than I thought. I weighed more than I had ever weighed before. It was very disheartening.
But that soon changed.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
I'm coming clean
I have agonized over whether or not to start posting again... I have been pretty busy since October so I haven't posted. But now I have a bit more time (at the moment) so I thought I'd start again. I hope someone out there still checks on me occasionally.
What made me decide to write waselle_cosette . I told her about the diet I started and she encouraged me to document my journey. I have felt like I needed to talk about what was happening with the diet because it I have made some pretty amazing discoveries as I have started the process. It is very personal and kind of difficult to write, but I think I need to get it out or I will fall back into my same habits again as soon as I am off it. I will talk about the diet eventually, but first I have to give some background...
I have been suffering for almost a year with a severe foot problem. At one point I was almost entirely confined to my bed because it hurt so much to stand. I went to every doctor and podiatrist to see if they could find the root of the problem and nothing they gave me helped. I'm sure you've had foot pain first thing in the morning before... That is what it was like. Only it never went away. It just got worse as the day progressed. I tried everything from pain killers to anti-inflammatories to cortisone to ultrasounds. I bought orthotics, new shoes, and inserts. I even went to a holistic chiropractor for voodoo drops. Nothing came close to knocking the pain. So I sat in bed all day, watching TV, trying to parent in absentia.
I ran into my cousin Richard, a chiropractor, while we were getting our parent's house ready for their visit after Katie passed away. He mentioned (as he fixed my kinked neck) that he had started doing his own voodoo. He was doing allergy testing and treatment. He invited me to come to his office and get tested. I figured it couldn't hurt... I had tried everything else. I went in and he tested me and found I was allergic to wheat. He treated me for a few weeks and the pain became more manageable. The allergy was gone, but the pain was not completely gone. He tested me for a few other things and treated them. Then he tested me to see if there was an emotional component to my pain. There was... He did his voodoo and asked me if there was something emotional that happened to me when I was 21. I told him yes. He did some more testing and said it wasn't something with my parents or husband or siblings... What was it? Well... I lost my baby when I was 21. He tested me again and sure enough, that was it. So after he treated me for that, my pain all but disappeared. I can finally wear cute shoes again! I can hike and shop and visit Temple Square to see the lights! I can't tell you what a difference it has made! Yeah, Richard!!!
So anyway, I have put on a LOT of weight in the past year, since I have been practically an invalid. I was disgusted with myself and nothing seemed to make a difference. I considered having bariatric surgery but was hesitant to do anything so drastic. Besides, the young sister of a friend just passed away from complications of the surgery, so I was very reluctant to take that chance. So I decided to try the HCG diet. Richard had a lot of success with it and all my aunts and uncles were doing it. But I was EXTREMELY scared because it is such a restrictive diet. Basically what you do is eat 500 calories a day while you take drops (or injections) of the hormones produced in the placenta during pregnancy. It tells your body to burn the fat in your body for fuel, rather than the calories you ingest. It also completely takes away the hunger. The way I saw it, there was no way to fail. If I am eating 500 calories a day, I WILL loose weight. There's no way to not loose weight because I burn more than that every day, just by sitting at the computer.
So I started it on December 30th.
What made me decide to write was
elle_cosette . I told her about the diet I started and she encouraged me to document my journey. I have felt like I needed to talk about what was happening with the diet because it I have made some pretty amazing discoveries as I have started the process. It is very personal and kind of difficult to write, but I think I need to get it out or I will fall back into my same habits again as soon as I am off it. I will talk about the diet eventually, but first I have to give some background...I have been suffering for almost a year with a severe foot problem. At one point I was almost entirely confined to my bed because it hurt so much to stand. I went to every doctor and podiatrist to see if they could find the root of the problem and nothing they gave me helped. I'm sure you've had foot pain first thing in the morning before... That is what it was like. Only it never went away. It just got worse as the day progressed. I tried everything from pain killers to anti-inflammatories to cortisone to ultrasounds. I bought orthotics, new shoes, and inserts. I even went to a holistic chiropractor for voodoo drops. Nothing came close to knocking the pain. So I sat in bed all day, watching TV, trying to parent in absentia.
I ran into my cousin Richard, a chiropractor, while we were getting our parent's house ready for their visit after Katie passed away. He mentioned (as he fixed my kinked neck) that he had started doing his own voodoo. He was doing allergy testing and treatment. He invited me to come to his office and get tested. I figured it couldn't hurt... I had tried everything else. I went in and he tested me and found I was allergic to wheat. He treated me for a few weeks and the pain became more manageable. The allergy was gone, but the pain was not completely gone. He tested me for a few other things and treated them. Then he tested me to see if there was an emotional component to my pain. There was... He did his voodoo and asked me if there was something emotional that happened to me when I was 21. I told him yes. He did some more testing and said it wasn't something with my parents or husband or siblings... What was it? Well... I lost my baby when I was 21. He tested me again and sure enough, that was it. So after he treated me for that, my pain all but disappeared. I can finally wear cute shoes again! I can hike and shop and visit Temple Square to see the lights! I can't tell you what a difference it has made! Yeah, Richard!!!
So anyway, I have put on a LOT of weight in the past year, since I have been practically an invalid. I was disgusted with myself and nothing seemed to make a difference. I considered having bariatric surgery but was hesitant to do anything so drastic. Besides, the young sister of a friend just passed away from complications of the surgery, so I was very reluctant to take that chance. So I decided to try the HCG diet. Richard had a lot of success with it and all my aunts and uncles were doing it. But I was EXTREMELY scared because it is such a restrictive diet. Basically what you do is eat 500 calories a day while you take drops (or injections) of the hormones produced in the placenta during pregnancy. It tells your body to burn the fat in your body for fuel, rather than the calories you ingest. It also completely takes away the hunger. The way I saw it, there was no way to fail. If I am eating 500 calories a day, I WILL loose weight. There's no way to not loose weight because I burn more than that every day, just by sitting at the computer.
So I started it on December 30th.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
What been going on...
I've had a long couple of weeks that have gone by way too fast, if that's possible.
Part of it has been crap at the elementary school and high school. Part of it has been Primary. Most of it has been because I've been working and I've been sick. But I'm tired.
I subbed two days last week, teaching 9th grade English. It was fun. The kids are good and do what they're supposed to. I really enjoy doing it. Junior high is easy because it is a 45 minute class and then they're gone. I can manage a classroom for 45 minutes, no problem whatsoever. And N seemed to be okay with it (it wasn't her class). She would stop by between class and say hi. That makes me happy.
The downside is I got sick. I'm not sure what it was, but it wasn't fun. I was so tired and achy for a week. But I wasn't nauseous and didn't have a cough or sore throat. But I had a lot of junk in my lungs. After a few days, though, even that went away so I dodged a big one. I'd like to think it was my really good vitamins (Advocare!!!) and my voodoo doctor.
So the crap at the high school is the next easiest thing... We've had some pretty serious scandals lately. First there was the choir teacher who married an 18 year-old and was put on leave while the district investigates it. Then the principal was put on administrative leave while an audit was conducted. Both are still on leave. But it has been pretty disruptive to the school. I've said for years there was something hinky going on with the principal. And the choir teachers has been a thorn in many a student's side, although he's pretty loved by his students. Still, it is weird.
Then I got an e-mail with a link to a parent at my elementary school who wrote an article about homework in the local newspaper. The article itself wasn't that defamitory but it hurt the teacher's feeling pretty deeply, especially because she didn't talk to them about her concerns before taking it public. Then she posted some more about it on her blog which caused another firestorm of harsh criticism. She was feeling attacked and so were the teachers. And I felt caught in the middle, as a PTO president and as a parent. To make matters worse, it was the topic of conversation at the refreshment table at the stake Leadership meeting. She wasn't there (didn't feel like she could attend with all the controversy), but she had friends who were there. They reported that I was there in the gaggle of gossipers. I did hear the gossip but I walked away. I didn't stop it, I just walked away. But I still feel so guilty that I was a party to it and didn't stop it. What a lesson in standing for truth and righteousness. I failed.
The most stressful thing was Primary. We just had our RS and YW reorganized. This has left the rest of the ward (read Primary), in shambles. I was, at one point, functioning at 30% staff. They were holding off on callings while they made the changes in the other auxiliaries. When they finally made the changes, they took my two choristers. One they made my councilor (which was totally ok but left me without a chorister). They released my old councilor without telling her or me or the new councilor it had happened. So when the new councilor went to get the councilor's handbook, she was surprised. Talk about awkward. They released a teacher and didn't tell her, either. I feel responsible, but it wasn't my fault. Releasing people isn't my job. But I'm the one who feels guilty.
Anyway, coming up with names for callings is the most difficult, time-consuming part of my calling. I actually hate it. Passionately. And it is constant in Primary. I've never been 100% staffed. So they asked me for names for a chorister and I gave them two names. One had to say no for family reasons, the other had been requested by another organization. They asked me for more names. I told them there were no other names. The job is a hard one with a certain skill set, and not just "anyone" could do it. I told them I needed the one that had already been requested. After a bit of haggling back and forth they agreed to take it back to Bishopric meeting and council over it again. I heard on Sunday they are going to extend the chorister calling to this very "popular" sister. Now I can breath a sigh of relief because that is such a HUGE part of primary. If the chorister isn't a good one--and I don't even mean one who can sing, but rather one who loves the children and teaches the gospel and sings with them--then Primary doesn't work. I long for the days when my biggest concern was teacher appreciation gifts, not staffing.
So now I sit, listening to the rain today, watching the leaves fall from our Cottonwoods in the backyard. I feel like I can go on, at least one more day. I need to clean and do laundry today. And I probably should go to the grocery store (what's for dinner tonight?). I teach again this week (Thursday and Friday) so I have to get all my stuff done this first half of the week. Hmm... more to come.
Part of it has been crap at the elementary school and high school. Part of it has been Primary. Most of it has been because I've been working and I've been sick. But I'm tired.
I subbed two days last week, teaching 9th grade English. It was fun. The kids are good and do what they're supposed to. I really enjoy doing it. Junior high is easy because it is a 45 minute class and then they're gone. I can manage a classroom for 45 minutes, no problem whatsoever. And N seemed to be okay with it (it wasn't her class). She would stop by between class and say hi. That makes me happy.
The downside is I got sick. I'm not sure what it was, but it wasn't fun. I was so tired and achy for a week. But I wasn't nauseous and didn't have a cough or sore throat. But I had a lot of junk in my lungs. After a few days, though, even that went away so I dodged a big one. I'd like to think it was my really good vitamins (Advocare!!!) and my voodoo doctor.
So the crap at the high school is the next easiest thing... We've had some pretty serious scandals lately. First there was the choir teacher who married an 18 year-old and was put on leave while the district investigates it. Then the principal was put on administrative leave while an audit was conducted. Both are still on leave. But it has been pretty disruptive to the school. I've said for years there was something hinky going on with the principal. And the choir teachers has been a thorn in many a student's side, although he's pretty loved by his students. Still, it is weird.
Then I got an e-mail with a link to a parent at my elementary school who wrote an article about homework in the local newspaper. The article itself wasn't that defamitory but it hurt the teacher's feeling pretty deeply, especially because she didn't talk to them about her concerns before taking it public. Then she posted some more about it on her blog which caused another firestorm of harsh criticism. She was feeling attacked and so were the teachers. And I felt caught in the middle, as a PTO president and as a parent. To make matters worse, it was the topic of conversation at the refreshment table at the stake Leadership meeting. She wasn't there (didn't feel like she could attend with all the controversy), but she had friends who were there. They reported that I was there in the gaggle of gossipers. I did hear the gossip but I walked away. I didn't stop it, I just walked away. But I still feel so guilty that I was a party to it and didn't stop it. What a lesson in standing for truth and righteousness. I failed.
The most stressful thing was Primary. We just had our RS and YW reorganized. This has left the rest of the ward (read Primary), in shambles. I was, at one point, functioning at 30% staff. They were holding off on callings while they made the changes in the other auxiliaries. When they finally made the changes, they took my two choristers. One they made my councilor (which was totally ok but left me without a chorister). They released my old councilor without telling her or me or the new councilor it had happened. So when the new councilor went to get the councilor's handbook, she was surprised. Talk about awkward. They released a teacher and didn't tell her, either. I feel responsible, but it wasn't my fault. Releasing people isn't my job. But I'm the one who feels guilty.
Anyway, coming up with names for callings is the most difficult, time-consuming part of my calling. I actually hate it. Passionately. And it is constant in Primary. I've never been 100% staffed. So they asked me for names for a chorister and I gave them two names. One had to say no for family reasons, the other had been requested by another organization. They asked me for more names. I told them there were no other names. The job is a hard one with a certain skill set, and not just "anyone" could do it. I told them I needed the one that had already been requested. After a bit of haggling back and forth they agreed to take it back to Bishopric meeting and council over it again. I heard on Sunday they are going to extend the chorister calling to this very "popular" sister. Now I can breath a sigh of relief because that is such a HUGE part of primary. If the chorister isn't a good one--and I don't even mean one who can sing, but rather one who loves the children and teaches the gospel and sings with them--then Primary doesn't work. I long for the days when my biggest concern was teacher appreciation gifts, not staffing.
So now I sit, listening to the rain today, watching the leaves fall from our Cottonwoods in the backyard. I feel like I can go on, at least one more day. I need to clean and do laundry today. And I probably should go to the grocery store (what's for dinner tonight?). I teach again this week (Thursday and Friday) so I have to get all my stuff done this first half of the week. Hmm... more to come.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Frank's Letter October 5, 2009
Dear Marissa,
Thanks for writing me! where did your teacher go? Did you like it up in Logan?
Love,
Elder Robby
Dear Holly,
You have ballroom dance up at your school? That's way cool! I wish I had taken better care of my teeth, I'm going to have to have one of my teeth fixed out here it looks like. There's a dentist who gives missionaries a special deal though, so it shouldn't be too bad. Have fun at school!
Love,
Elder Robby
Dear Mom,
I don't know if I can keep up with writing so many people each week. It's a lot of time to take care of it all, and we're pretty strapped for time.
This week has been great. We don't have many investigators right now, but the 2 families we have are pretty good. We went with Carlos to 2 of the sessions of conference and a baptism for a little girl in the branch this weekend, and it just got me more excited for him. When it was all over he asked us, "so, in two more weeks that'll be me, right?" Yeah. So the 17th is his new date for it. He's really excited too.
We found another family who Nefi taught, the Moras. I didn't know he had worked with him. She is from near where tanner is going on his mission and I sent an explanation of their funny accent to dad, if he wants to hear a bit about it. We were over at the Mora home last Tuesday and they pulled out a photo album with a picture of him in it at her baptism. The Gomez family is good, but still struggling a bit.
As far as clothing goes I'm good. I've been through it all now and I'm pretty much set I think. If I need anything I'll tell you though.
Thanks for all the pictures by the way.
Just another 1-2 weeks on the package.
We got our call outs last night, I'll be staying here with Elder Fishback for another 6 weeks. I'm also staying District leader, but they've realigned the districts again so that I've now been district leader for every area in the mission except the zone leader area and had no duplicates besides the other spanish area. That's been interesting.
So, conference was awesome! It was pretty different from last time but it was of course amazing. There were so many things I learned from it all. And there are some events that inspire you to want to do all you can to be your best, that was definitely one of them. It was great for our branch too. Carlos got to hear the prophet, and told us afterward, "there's no way he can't be a prophet". That's one of those south american miracle stories that don't come around all too often up here, which makes them all the more worth working and praying for. He's just awesome.
It sounds like you had a pretty great excursion up to Logan. I had one up there to look at USU, it was 7 degrees and windy and they took us on a walking tour of campus. If not for the scholarships I would've stopped right there I think. I like the cold, but it was too much for every day for me then.
My leg is good. We played soccer earlier today, and it's a little sore now but it'll be alright. It's recovering well.
I'm about out of time, but I love you all.
Love,
Elder Rob Christensen
Subject: Dear Elder
Dear Rob,
Another crazy week...
Here's Marissa:
I miss you. School is great! how are you? I am good.My teacher is back. I was so happy!
Here's Holly:
Hey Robby! I have been so busy! I am taking Ballroom Dance classes in school and I am also doing Choir again. I have 5 minutes until I have yo go to school, and I have to brush my teeth. (Look at me, my dental hi gene!) I love you! I miss you! Goodbye!
Back to me... As you probably already read, Hillary spent Thursday up at USU, having a blast. She felt so grown up :) I'm hoping for an equally fun, liberating experience at BYU the end of the month, although I personally think USU is a good match for her. But Dad doesn't like the idea of you guys at different schools. I know she'll make it a matter of prayer and it will be all right, no matter what happens. We met Hillary and Teah up in Logan and spent a day driving around. We went to the cheese factory and got squeaky cheese and the Peperidge Farm store to get cheap goldfish. We swam at the hotel and checked out the Tabernacle and the temple and drove up Logan Canyon to see the fall leaves. It was a nice visit.
Wasn't conference great? I was trying to decide what was my favorite talk, but I didn't have one. I always love the way Elder Holland phrases his sentences so his stands out, besides it was such a moving message. And I loved the choir's O Divine Redeemer. Did you remember it was what Hillary and I played at your farewell? It will always be a moving piece for me.
How is it going with Carlos? Did you have to move his baptismal date? Do you have anyone else you are teaching? I did send Nefi an e-mail chewing him out for not writing and I told him to write the Gomez (was that it?) family. I hope he does it. I know he is busy with school and working multiple jobs, poor guy.
Anyway, I hear the weather is turning. Do you need sweaters or anything? I would love to hook you up that way.
I am going to send this while I get some pictures from our trip together. And I'll try to write more, but I don't want to miss you this morning! Last week was so fun, writing back and forth. But I don't want to chance missing you altogether!!!
Xoxo
Mom
Thanks for writing me! where did your teacher go? Did you like it up in Logan?
Love,
Elder Robby
Dear Holly,
You have ballroom dance up at your school? That's way cool! I wish I had taken better care of my teeth, I'm going to have to have one of my teeth fixed out here it looks like. There's a dentist who gives missionaries a special deal though, so it shouldn't be too bad. Have fun at school!
Love,
Elder Robby
Dear Mom,
I don't know if I can keep up with writing so many people each week. It's a lot of time to take care of it all, and we're pretty strapped for time.
This week has been great. We don't have many investigators right now, but the 2 families we have are pretty good. We went with Carlos to 2 of the sessions of conference and a baptism for a little girl in the branch this weekend, and it just got me more excited for him. When it was all over he asked us, "so, in two more weeks that'll be me, right?" Yeah. So the 17th is his new date for it. He's really excited too.
We found another family who Nefi taught, the Moras. I didn't know he had worked with him. She is from near where tanner is going on his mission and I sent an explanation of their funny accent to dad, if he wants to hear a bit about it. We were over at the Mora home last Tuesday and they pulled out a photo album with a picture of him in it at her baptism. The Gomez family is good, but still struggling a bit.
As far as clothing goes I'm good. I've been through it all now and I'm pretty much set I think. If I need anything I'll tell you though.
Thanks for all the pictures by the way.
Just another 1-2 weeks on the package.
We got our call outs last night, I'll be staying here with Elder Fishback for another 6 weeks. I'm also staying District leader, but they've realigned the districts again so that I've now been district leader for every area in the mission except the zone leader area and had no duplicates besides the other spanish area. That's been interesting.
So, conference was awesome! It was pretty different from last time but it was of course amazing. There were so many things I learned from it all. And there are some events that inspire you to want to do all you can to be your best, that was definitely one of them. It was great for our branch too. Carlos got to hear the prophet, and told us afterward, "there's no way he can't be a prophet". That's one of those south american miracle stories that don't come around all too often up here, which makes them all the more worth working and praying for. He's just awesome.
It sounds like you had a pretty great excursion up to Logan. I had one up there to look at USU, it was 7 degrees and windy and they took us on a walking tour of campus. If not for the scholarships I would've stopped right there I think. I like the cold, but it was too much for every day for me then.
My leg is good. We played soccer earlier today, and it's a little sore now but it'll be alright. It's recovering well.
I'm about out of time, but I love you all.
Love,
Elder Rob Christensen
Subject: Dear Elder
Dear Rob,
Another crazy week...
Here's Marissa:
I miss you. School is great! how are you? I am good.My teacher is back. I was so happy!
Here's Holly:
Hey Robby! I have been so busy! I am taking Ballroom Dance classes in school and I am also doing Choir again. I have 5 minutes until I have yo go to school, and I have to brush my teeth. (Look at me, my dental hi gene!) I love you! I miss you! Goodbye!
Back to me... As you probably already read, Hillary spent Thursday up at USU, having a blast. She felt so grown up :) I'm hoping for an equally fun, liberating experience at BYU the end of the month, although I personally think USU is a good match for her. But Dad doesn't like the idea of you guys at different schools. I know she'll make it a matter of prayer and it will be all right, no matter what happens. We met Hillary and Teah up in Logan and spent a day driving around. We went to the cheese factory and got squeaky cheese and the Peperidge Farm store to get cheap goldfish. We swam at the hotel and checked out the Tabernacle and the temple and drove up Logan Canyon to see the fall leaves. It was a nice visit.
Wasn't conference great? I was trying to decide what was my favorite talk, but I didn't have one. I always love the way Elder Holland phrases his sentences so his stands out, besides it was such a moving message. And I loved the choir's O Divine Redeemer. Did you remember it was what Hillary and I played at your farewell? It will always be a moving piece for me.
How is it going with Carlos? Did you have to move his baptismal date? Do you have anyone else you are teaching? I did send Nefi an e-mail chewing him out for not writing and I told him to write the Gomez (was that it?) family. I hope he does it. I know he is busy with school and working multiple jobs, poor guy.
Anyway, I hear the weather is turning. Do you need sweaters or anything? I would love to hook you up that way.
I am going to send this while I get some pictures from our trip together. And I'll try to write more, but I don't want to miss you this morning! Last week was so fun, writing back and forth. But I don't want to chance missing you altogether!!!
Xoxo
Mom
What the Hail?
We had some wicked weather the last week. It finally got "cold" and we even had a bit of snow. Not enough to photograph, but still... It got the trees changing color. But this morning, just as the kids were going to leave for the bus stop, we got hit by a good hail storm. This was the beginning of it and it already covered the road. It is hard to tell, but off in the distance, just over the red fence of the neighbor's yard, you can see the one poor boy waiting for the bus...
Here is a close up of the hail on our front stoop. I should have taken something to reference the size, but they are pea to marble sized, which, for Utah is pretty good. We usually don't get blessed with hale that size. Now we are getting a bit of sun, finally.
Here is a close up of the hail on our front stoop. I should have taken something to reference the size, but they are pea to marble sized, which, for Utah is pretty good. We usually don't get blessed with hale that size. Now we are getting a bit of sun, finally.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Frank's Letter September 28, 2009
Dear Mom,
Well, I figure something came up yesterday and you didn't have time to write. That's ok, I know how busy things can get.
We had a pretty good week. It's been raining here a lot. Elder Fishback has been sick so we didn't get to work for a couple of days, but he's about over it enough to go out again at least. Carlos had an emergency come up so he had to go to North Carolina and it looks like we'll have to move his baptism back a week, but he's still doing great. We went with him and another member to listen to a fireside from Elder Robbins of the 70. He talked about the church's standards and how our goal is the temple and missions, and far from backpedaling like a lot of people his age would be expected to do, he just ate it up! He's a real awesome guy. Sometimes you find somebody and you just know they're ready, while there are others you worry about the whole way (a lot more at least) We found a few other people this week that were good. We got to give a guy the new Spanish Bible and teach him a little about the Restoration and he invited us to come back this Wednesday to talk to all his family and friends. That was a pretty neat experience. It's not every day they just come to you like that; usually we have to hunt them out from the rocks and the trees etc.
Missionary work has it's ups and downs; last week we had so many people at church and this week it dropped from 95 to 69. But the work goes forward.
The highlight of the week was definitely zone conference on Thursday. Elder Robbins taught us about how we should study and about the power of service in finding investigators. It was a huge blessing to have this spiritual giant come and teach us. Plus, Carlos got to meet a GA, that's a pretty neat experience!
Basically everything's going well. There's not a whole lot to report. The package is almost ready to be shipped off so I'll get it in the mail soon.
Love,
Elder Rob Christensen
Well, I figure something came up yesterday and you didn't have time to write. That's ok, I know how busy things can get.
We had a pretty good week. It's been raining here a lot. Elder Fishback has been sick so we didn't get to work for a couple of days, but he's about over it enough to go out again at least. Carlos had an emergency come up so he had to go to North Carolina and it looks like we'll have to move his baptism back a week, but he's still doing great. We went with him and another member to listen to a fireside from Elder Robbins of the 70. He talked about the church's standards and how our goal is the temple and missions, and far from backpedaling like a lot of people his age would be expected to do, he just ate it up! He's a real awesome guy. Sometimes you find somebody and you just know they're ready, while there are others you worry about the whole way (a lot more at least) We found a few other people this week that were good. We got to give a guy the new Spanish Bible and teach him a little about the Restoration and he invited us to come back this Wednesday to talk to all his family and friends. That was a pretty neat experience. It's not every day they just come to you like that; usually we have to hunt them out from the rocks and the trees etc.
Missionary work has it's ups and downs; last week we had so many people at church and this week it dropped from 95 to 69. But the work goes forward.
The highlight of the week was definitely zone conference on Thursday. Elder Robbins taught us about how we should study and about the power of service in finding investigators. It was a huge blessing to have this spiritual giant come and teach us. Plus, Carlos got to meet a GA, that's a pretty neat experience!
Basically everything's going well. There's not a whole lot to report. The package is almost ready to be shipped off so I'll get it in the mail soon.
Love,
Elder Rob Christensen
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Oven Roasted Tomatoes
This is the second piece I've written for my sister's amazing blog. Check it out if you haven't already...
I've been a busy kitchen maven the last few days. Not only was I gifted with two boxes of pears, I also got a bushel of corn on the cob (which we are giving away and eating--not canning!) AND three buckets of tomatoes.
Now, since I ran out of bottles to can a long time ago, and I steadfastly refuse to BUY canning bottles, I have resorted to other means of preserving this bounty. I ran across a recipe for oven roasted freezer tomato sauce in the Relish Magazine the other day that looked yummy so I tried it. And I loved it. But most importantly, my brood loved it. And since I have a large brood of 6 peeps (one who is now a rooster who has temporarily flown the coop and 5 chicks), I am all about making my brood happy. This recipe sends them in to convulsions of delirious joy. And since it is so easy, I am a happy hen, too.
So here it is... an alternative to bottling tomatoes!
First I wash the tomatoes. I was given an assortment of romas and other various varieties of tomatoes. Romas are good because they are meaty and less juicy so they make a good, thick sauce. But any variety of tomatoes will do. I often do it with the cup of grape tomatoes from the grocery store, too, and it works fabulously.
After the tomatoes are washed, I prepare the pan. I use olive oil, but any light oil will work. In the effort to keep things real and honest, I've used my ACTUAL cookie sheet. It is stained and dark in the corners. Now you know my secret. I don't have spotless cookie sheets. I hope it wont ruin our relationship forever!
Cut the stem end off the tomatoes (and any blemishes you wouldn't want to eat.) This is one of my brood who, thanks to her camera work today, has decided she wants to be a hand model.
Add a few cloves of garlic. I like a lot of garlic. I put in 5 cloves. Yumm. And it keeps the vampires away which is a good thing since Vampires are so last year. And I see a tomato that got through with a stem end still intact. I'll have to talk to my brood about quality control.
Put on the cookie sheet and drizzle then with a bit more olive oil.
Now is your chance to get creative. You can add basil, rosemary... whatever herbs you like. Or don't add any at all. It is up to you! And they don't have to be fresh. You can add dried herbs if that's what you've got. To make it even more easy, you can leave them out all together. Add them whole or chopped up, whichever you want. I put in whole basil and rosemary.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper. I use coarse kosher salt because it's trendy and makes me feel clever, something I'm not naturally.
Pop the pan in the oven, set to a blazing 450 degrees. Bake until the tomatoes are blackend (30 minutes or so, depending on the size and water content of the tomatoes you use). There will be a lot of clear tomato juice. I sometimes drain it off, and I sometimes keep it. It depends on my mood. If you keep it, your sauce will be runnier. And, conversely, if you drain it, your sauce will be meatier. Well, not really meatier, but thicker because you can't get meat from tomato plants. Yet.
Smash the roasted tomatoes with a potato masher. Or whatever else you have. I have sometimes let it cool and put it in a freezer baggie and squished it with my fingers, even. Do whatever makes you happy.
Now you can put it in the freezer or on pasta. I wish this were posted on blogsmell.com because it smells so good. It is sweet and hearty smelling. Oh man. My brood keeps hovering at this point. That's how I know when it is done.
Here it is on spaghetti noodles. Sometimes I add roasted veggies, like zucchinni or summer squash or peppers or eggplant or carrots or onions or all of them. That's just a bit of heaven, I have to say. All you need is a piece of crusty bread and a green salad...
I've been a busy kitchen maven the last few days. Not only was I gifted with two boxes of pears, I also got a bushel of corn on the cob (which we are giving away and eating--not canning!) AND three buckets of tomatoes.
Now, since I ran out of bottles to can a long time ago, and I steadfastly refuse to BUY canning bottles, I have resorted to other means of preserving this bounty. I ran across a recipe for oven roasted freezer tomato sauce in the Relish Magazine the other day that looked yummy so I tried it. And I loved it. But most importantly, my brood loved it. And since I have a large brood of 6 peeps (one who is now a rooster who has temporarily flown the coop and 5 chicks), I am all about making my brood happy. This recipe sends them in to convulsions of delirious joy. And since it is so easy, I am a happy hen, too.
So here it is... an alternative to bottling tomatoes!
First I wash the tomatoes. I was given an assortment of romas and other various varieties of tomatoes. Romas are good because they are meaty and less juicy so they make a good, thick sauce. But any variety of tomatoes will do. I often do it with the cup of grape tomatoes from the grocery store, too, and it works fabulously.
After the tomatoes are washed, I prepare the pan. I use olive oil, but any light oil will work. In the effort to keep things real and honest, I've used my ACTUAL cookie sheet. It is stained and dark in the corners. Now you know my secret. I don't have spotless cookie sheets. I hope it wont ruin our relationship forever!
Cut the stem end off the tomatoes (and any blemishes you wouldn't want to eat.) This is one of my brood who, thanks to her camera work today, has decided she wants to be a hand model.
Add a few cloves of garlic. I like a lot of garlic. I put in 5 cloves. Yumm. And it keeps the vampires away which is a good thing since Vampires are so last year. And I see a tomato that got through with a stem end still intact. I'll have to talk to my brood about quality control.
Put on the cookie sheet and drizzle then with a bit more olive oil.
Now is your chance to get creative. You can add basil, rosemary... whatever herbs you like. Or don't add any at all. It is up to you! And they don't have to be fresh. You can add dried herbs if that's what you've got. To make it even more easy, you can leave them out all together. Add them whole or chopped up, whichever you want. I put in whole basil and rosemary.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper. I use coarse kosher salt because it's trendy and makes me feel clever, something I'm not naturally.
Pop the pan in the oven, set to a blazing 450 degrees. Bake until the tomatoes are blackend (30 minutes or so, depending on the size and water content of the tomatoes you use). There will be a lot of clear tomato juice. I sometimes drain it off, and I sometimes keep it. It depends on my mood. If you keep it, your sauce will be runnier. And, conversely, if you drain it, your sauce will be meatier. Well, not really meatier, but thicker because you can't get meat from tomato plants. Yet.
Smash the roasted tomatoes with a potato masher. Or whatever else you have. I have sometimes let it cool and put it in a freezer baggie and squished it with my fingers, even. Do whatever makes you happy.
Now you can put it in the freezer or on pasta. I wish this were posted on blogsmell.com because it smells so good. It is sweet and hearty smelling. Oh man. My brood keeps hovering at this point. That's how I know when it is done.
Here it is on spaghetti noodles. Sometimes I add roasted veggies, like zucchinni or summer squash or peppers or eggplant or carrots or onions or all of them. That's just a bit of heaven, I have to say. All you need is a piece of crusty bread and a green salad...
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