Weekend Recap

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I've been cooking up a storm for the last few weeks.  I normally cook several times per week but lately it's been everyday, and I like that.  I'm sure that has also been a huge contributing factor in my weight loss success.  Only allowing 1 meal to be eaten out per week plus no Starbucks Mon-Fri has been working to my advantage!<br /><br />Having said all of that, I have lots of deliciousness coming your way :).<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><ul></ul><ul><li><b>Oreo Truffles (2 Points+ for one ball)</b> - these are SO GOOD and incredibly easy to make. I first had these at my aunt's annual Christmas party years ago, and this year I made them as part of the cookie tins I gave to our family as gifts. They were a HUGE hit! Freezing them makes it harder to go overboard {if you think you might}. </li></ul><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.kraftrecipes.com/assets/recipe_images/Easy-OREO-Truffles-52162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://www.kraftrecipes.com/assets/recipe_images/Easy-OREO-Truffles-52162.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/easy-oreo-truffles-95085.aspx" target="_blank">KraftRecipes.com</a> - totally forgot to take one!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><ul><li><b>Fast Fix Lasagna (8 PointsPlus for 1/12 of recipe)</b> - this is a tried and true lasagna recipe. The only difference is the noodle you use. No, it's not those pesky <a href="http://www.house-foods.com/tofu/tofu_shirataki.aspx">Tofu Shirataki's</a> {sorry <a href="http://www.hungry-girl.com/">Hungry Girl</a> - I love you but I don't love those as a viable pasta sub!}. It's this flowery little ditty called Campanelle. Real pasta. Real lasagna flavor. </li></ul><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmEALiB9v_MbtOcuUsbF4E-dBgkMSdsaHT0HTcDF-juqLo5xb7AczfeQKZsDIAiFHjpe2G_P6oD5N_W4gAFxf7Mdh7s96dSmXTeUoAHdnF_ewribrLOm1I352S0REL-YJwx1EXxvv6Wk/s1600/lasagna+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmEALiB9v_MbtOcuUsbF4E-dBgkMSdsaHT0HTcDF-juqLo5xb7AczfeQKZsDIAiFHjpe2G_P6oD5N_W4gAFxf7Mdh7s96dSmXTeUoAHdnF_ewribrLOm1I352S0REL-YJwx1EXxvv6Wk/s400/lasagna+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><ul><li><b>Kickin' Chicken Pot Pie (7 PointsPlus for 1/4 of recipe)</b> - <i style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="color: #999999;">Made Hungry Girl's way - your total would be 6 PointsPlus.</span> </i>The only difference between how HG makes it and how I did is I used canned chunk chicken {in water - 99% fat free} instead of 8 oz of raw chicken breast. Do what's easiest for you. BUT, again, a wholesome meal. No fake ingredients. Veggies, protein and carbs abound! AND the serving size is HUGE. You'll be making this in a 9" pie plate and you get 1/4 of that as a serving! I sure do wish I could get 1/4 of a pumpkin pie for 7 PointsPlus.</li></ul><br /><div style="color: #674ea7; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BhsCMau1q_VC1jDv0RIWBW0dlV60TFNE8HSEqaN4Yv2rixHUMq_inprjDr0EkkeTVtYP3w59JaudpdQE-s-pYuSmHOJjQFSV4096OaosVOGfFd83ckx0jumu2HeiQxBymxQwoHerhY0/s1600/chicken+pot+pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BhsCMau1q_VC1jDv0RIWBW0dlV60TFNE8HSEqaN4Yv2rixHUMq_inprjDr0EkkeTVtYP3w59JaudpdQE-s-pYuSmHOJjQFSV4096OaosVOGfFd83ckx0jumu2HeiQxBymxQwoHerhY0/s400/chicken+pot+pie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><b>***********************</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>We did meet with the caterer on Saturday.  It went well and the dinner options for the wedding sound great.  Of course, it made my palms sweat facing the reality of the cost.  Don't get me wrong, I knew what to expect, but we are actually committed now, and this is <i>really </i>happening!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_a28JvV_U3vd9WGPTxoqAHCy3P03cBWWTJL2L0nEHbivYfHnNk0sf3bX_Rj9MeVCefzO2EQCxwr1ECWP12tKXxeMLxPAN4EaKqj7tXOtHmbBtnt4EDKmLbtzJvbjwBO0-r8ZsQaZnBA/s1600/charles+dreaming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_a28JvV_U3vd9WGPTxoqAHCy3P03cBWWTJL2L0nEHbivYfHnNk0sf3bX_Rj9MeVCefzO2EQCxwr1ECWP12tKXxeMLxPAN4EaKqj7tXOtHmbBtnt4EDKmLbtzJvbjwBO0-r8ZsQaZnBA/s400/charles+dreaming.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Meal-schmeal.  I have something they can eat that won't cost a lot!"</td></tr></tbody></table>Things like cars breaking down on the drive back from the caterer meeting are expenses that we really don't want to see happening right now.  We were in Joel's Corolla coming upon an intersection when this loud noise began, accompanied by a funky smell.  He quickly maneuvered us off of the highway where we proceeded to push the car into a 7 Eleven parking lot {with the help of a passerby who seemed to come out of nowhere!}.  This is just not something we need right now at all.<br /><br />We definitely have some bad luck on our side lately.  In just the past three months alone, we've now had two cars break down {well, mine was a broken heater but mine was also covered under a warranty}, a furnace that blew only cold air, a microwave that wouldn't heat the food {do you see a trend here??}, and my engagement ring is currently in the repair shop because a prong bent back causing the diamond to shift.  Fortunately the heater and microwave are things our landlord is fixing, but we've definitely incurred some indirect costs as a result of those 2 things being broken {like higher than normal utility bills}.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44M5-3qFgDF8OtVEsnNMJh3BYREzWUbpyxm6-fRpI8OrS8gndik8f2LXnpcdEFA7Lre1ehqUPkOBxe-ZCL7P5_ZjLN2fHiicHV7JzALGZQ__SlmlDdcpvSaxZW8W87qA6o5iNcpXokag/s1600/merlin+relaxing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44M5-3qFgDF8OtVEsnNMJh3BYREzWUbpyxm6-fRpI8OrS8gndik8f2LXnpcdEFA7Lre1ehqUPkOBxe-ZCL7P5_ZjLN2fHiicHV7JzALGZQ__SlmlDdcpvSaxZW8W87qA6o5iNcpXokag/s400/merlin+relaxing.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Bad luck?! I've been living the life!"</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Are we alive and well? Yes, and that's frankly all that matters.  It could always, ALWAYS be worse.  <br /><br />At least I survived my first week of classes unscathed! <br /><br />I hope <i>you </i>had a great "on plan" weekend!

wedding Weekend Recap Weekend Recap

I've been cooking up a storm for the last few weeks.  I normally cook several times per week but lately it's been everyday, and I li...

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