Happy 63rd Anniversary!

Yesterday was my in-laws 63rd wedding anniversary! They went out to dinner to celebrate....to Applebys! I made a big pot of spaghetti and whole wheat noodles for Jim and myself. They will have it tonight with white noodles. I am alternating between surfing food sites and checking in with the drama that is the GODDESS WEDDING! I have a new or renewed respect for one of my Goddesses and am in total awe of her..wish I had half her guts! Good news is that I got the zipper all the way up on the dress today! By next week I should be able to take a breath or two.   I walked 3 miles today and continued to clean and renew boat parts. Jim discovered that the entire floor is rotted and will have to be cut out and replaced...whats a few pieces of plywood in the scheme of things.

Cleaned up hatches!

Restored chair bases!

My next chore will be the chairs themselves. The seat over the battery hatch is rotten, so some sewing will be involved. The others are not too bad, rusty hinges and mildew.

Today's healthy meal of the day was Mexican Chicken soup and salad. It was quick and easy!

1 can of Black Beans, drained

1 can petite diced tomatoes

1 cup of chicken stock

1 cup of leftover chicken, shredded or diced

1/2 cup frozen corn (or fresh if you have it)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped red and/or green bell pepper

1 sm chopped jalapeno (optional)

chopped cilantro to taste

1/2 tsp cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in medium saucepan and cook over medium heat til corn and onions are cooked through.

I used to make this as tortilla soup.. then I would heat up the broth first and put several handfuls of crunchy corn tortillas in the broth and then use a hand blender to make smooth before adding the rest of the ingredients. Then would serve with cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream. The new version is much healthier

The new project!

Here it is! This is what we have been working on for the past week...A golfing friend of my husband's said that his brother had this boat and that the wife said she would blow it up if he didn't get it out of the yard..it has only been sitting there uncovered for 10 years or so! No problem, the hull seems to be in good shape. We bought a used tow hitch for the Jackwagon (93 Ford Taurus station wagon) and drove down to Palm Beach Gardens to pick it up.. had to get tow lights also.  This thing was NASTY!    

But no challenge too big for us! We brought the thing home and parked it behind the RV in the storage yard at the community where we live. Then we proceeded to tear out the rotted maroon indoor outdoor carpeting from 1988 and remove all of the corroded hardware and seats. We found just a small amount of dry rot so far around the bait wells, so will have to cut that out and re-glass. Also the fiberglass coating over part of the deck is loose and bubbled so we will cut that out as well and re-glass. My project was cleaning up the hardware we took off to see if it 

could be salvaged. I have spent the last 3 days scrubbing and bleaching mildew off of the bait well and anchor hatches and wet sanding the chair hardware. I think all can be saved! Jim/Mike (my husband, those of you who know us well, know his name story) has had to work almost everyday since we brought it home, but he has been cleaning and waxing when he's had time. His problem is with the outboard that won't start. He thinks it's a bad kill switch. But we shall see.  I think the name is appropriate. Don't you?! What else would we pull behind the Jackwagon but the 

BONEHEAD!

Experiments gone wrong!

   I was planning to blog about our new project today, and post pictures. But alas, I could not get in to the storage area to take pictures today, so I will talk about that tomorrow.
   So, I will now be discussing my challenges with trying to eat healthy in a household where I have to prepare meals for people who eat mostly meat and potatoes. For instance, my father-in-law went to the grocery store yesterday and when he returned, proudly announced to me that he got me some vegetables! I looked in the shopping bag and pulled out 2 cans of lima beans, 1 can of green beans, 2 cans of creamed corn....REALLY!  They are in their 90's and will not be changing their eating habits, so I will be making 2 menus from now on. I must not succumb to the white stuff of their diet! Today was waffles and bacon for them and Almond Milk Strawberry Smoothie for me, Pastrami on rye for them, spinach salad for me. Tonight, BBQ pork steak, potato salad and baked beans for them, 4 oz pork steak and salad for me!  I CAN do this!  I am also cutting out artificial sweeteners: (http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/nutrition/artificial-sweeteners).  I have been using raw sugar in small amounts and agave nectar so far. Sweet potatoes and brown rice instead of white.
  Last week while dogsitting for my S-I-L in Ft. Lauderdale, I started experimenting with recipes that would normally call for the white stuff. I made sweet potato Gnocchi with mixed success. Used whole wheat flour first, and added some low fat ricotta. Too bitter. Next tried almond flour, tasted great but did not hold together well. I read that guar gum or xanthium gum could be added to replace the gluten that would have been in the white flour. Went to whole foods and only saw guar gum, $12.99 for a tiny bag! Will wait til next payday to try that...Also tried a recipe in Rocco Dispirito cookbook for Chocolate Chip cookies using cannelini beans and splenda instead of flour and sugar, supposed to cut the calories from 210 to 45! Tasted like shit! Maybe will try again using raw or brown rice sugar instead of splenda, as I don't want to use artificial sweeteners anymore. That would up the calories to about 75...but still not too bad.  On second thought, if I must have a chocolate chip cookie, it should be a rare treat, BUT REAL!

A Goddess Wedding (part 1)

I grew up in a little town in So. Florida called Lake Worth. Although I moved away right after graduation, I have been to every one of Lake Worth High School class of  '77 reunions.  Thanks to a little thing called FACEBOOK, I have reconnected with hundreds of people, some of whom I actually know! A small group of us girls from Lake Worth have become very close over the last few years, starting when I arrived from Vegas 2 years ago, and a couple of us got together at a local bar (Dave's Last Resort). From there we formed a group that we lovingly (or jokingly) refer to as "The Goddesses".
Although we are 5 women, we have let in a few man friends who are honorary members. They have saved our asses on more than one occasion and if need be, I'm sure would be able to come up with bail money!
  Anyway, after many years of being in a not so healthy relationship, one of my goddesses has met and become engaged to the perfect man for her! So now the wedding preparations begin... and the stress.. because, the other 4 goddesses must be bridesmaids!
   Don't get me wrong. I love this group! We have chosen our dresses and have decided on the theme. Cinco de Mayo..Yes the date of the wedding is May 5.  That's only 2 weeks away. My dress arrived yesterday and it almost fits!  Just a few more pounds and I'll be able to breathe while wearing it!
   I'm making some of the food. Since one of my specialties is Mexican Cuisine, it is only right that I should be doing this. I'm setting up a salsa bar: Roasted corn and black bean, smoky jalapeno, pico de gallo, guacamole and queso (in a fountain!) I'm also making carnitas, and shrimp ceviche.  Yes, I know some of this is not very healthy, but it is a celebration! I'll try to stay clear of the food table after I set it up...

Here is my recipe for Carnitas: (Little Meats)

1 pork shoulder or butt roast
1 2 liter bottle of Cola (not diet)
water to cover
1 head of garlic
4 or 5 Jalapenos
1 lg onion
2 limes
1 bunch of cilantro
1 tbls salt
1 tsp cumin
Flour or Corn Tortillas

Place roast in a large stock pot. Pour Cola and water over to cover.  Peel onion and garlic and cut in large chunks and throw in pot. Slice up limes and cut jalapenos in half. Throw those in the pot as well. Rinse the cilantro and toss the whole bunch in the pot. Add salt and cumin.
Simmer for several hours until meat is tender and almost falling off the bone. Remove meat from pot and pull apart into large shreds.  Strain liquid and discard solids. Return liquid to the pot and cook until reduced to about half.  Heat up your grill to high. If you have a grill basket, you can put the largely shredded meat in the basket. If not, line the grates with foil so that the meat does not fall through.  Lightly char meat til crispy while basting with the reduced stock. Serve the sweet, crispy, chunks of meat in Tortillas with your favorite salsas. Enjoy!