Today I’ve learned something amazing. You can make your own graham crackers. There are so many times that I have needed graham crackers but don’t have them on hand. A recipe like this would be extremely handy especially for graham cracker crusts on pies or cheesecakes.
I love graham crackers and think it would be very interesting to make your own. This might be something to try sometime soon. The recipe is from AllRecipes.com.
Are you getting ready for the big game? If you are having people over, then you have probably been planning what kind of food you want to serve. Since there is a pre-game, right before game, halftime, and after game show, guests will be staying for a few hours. You’ll want to have plenty of snacks on hand.
Since everyone is always looking to lose weight and get healthy, the big party shouldn’t derail us from this goal. There are plenty of healthy snacks that you can add to your Super Bowl spread that will keep your guest happy and satisfied.
One healthy snack is nuts. They get a bad rap because of the oil content. But in moderation, nuts are very good for you. Pistachios are a good choice because they are packed with fiber and antioxidants. Since you have to crack them open, they take a little longer to eat. And that’s what snacking during the game is all about anyway - occupying your time in between the big plays or commercials.
Another good choice is popcorn. Popcorn comes in several flavors, so you can please pretty much everyone. There are even the 100 calorie packs to make sure those watching very closely what they eat won’t blow their diet.
A fruit or vegetable tray is the ultimate in healthy snacking. Add a dip and it will be a true crowd pleaser. Make your own instead of buying one. It will be cheaper and you can fill it with your friends’ favorite veggies and fruits. Shop at your local fruit stand for the freshest produce.
Some times the big game is a big letdown. All the more reason to make sure the food scores a touchdown.
Ace of Cakes is one of my favorite shows. It’s on the Food Network and is a reality show featuring the owner and staff of Charm City Cakes in Baltimore, Maryland. Duff Goldman, the owner of Charm City Cakes, went to pastry school and then afterwards decided to open his own bakery where he does fantastically awesome cakes.
Each cake is custom-ordered. They do wedding cakes, birthday cakes, special occasion cakes, etc. Each show seems to center around a week in the life of the shop and features a few of their more challenging cakes. What is really great is you get to see a little of the planning, a lot of the decorating, and the reaction of the clients to the cake.
It really makes me want to bake more and try cake decorating. I doubt if my cakes ever come close to what they make but still it would be fun to try. I actually decorated the three-year-old’s last birthday cake and found it to be a rather pleasant experience. Maybe I won’t wait until her next birthday to give cake decorating another try.
As I have mentioned before, I am on a diet and have been eating a lot of frozen meals. Some are definitely better than others and I’m really picky when it comes to TV dinners as so many of them seem to smell and taste like garlic. Garlic isn’t a bad taste but when it’s overpowering, it’s a problem.
Since I’m doing Weight Watchers, I have been giving their Smart Ones brand a try. We love the Smart Ones desserts but wasn’t sure how I would like their entrees.
I chose the Smart Ones Salisbury Steak since it came with meat and macaroni and cheese.
What struck me when I took the meal out of the box was the steak. It was a nice size and very thick. After I read the microwave instructions, I waited patiently for the meal to be ready.
The steak was very tasty. No garlic whatsoever. There was some gravy and onions on top of it. The meat was thick, so when you took a bit it would take a few minutes to chew.
The mac and cheese was a little runny but still editable. It wasn’t the best mac and cheese I’ve ever tasted but was OK especially considering it was from a diet frozen meal.
The hardest part about dieting is getting used to smaller portions. Tasty meals like this one make you feel like you’ve actually eaten a meal. Overall, I would say that Smart Ones Salisbury steak was satisfying and filling. This will be one frozen meal I will buy again especially considering it was less than $2. It makes me also want to try even more Smart Ones meals.
Starting a diet is not easy. The hardest part is getting used to a new way of eating. We started Weight Watchers the first full week of January. Here is how I get used to eating on a diet.
I buy frozen meals. It teaches you about portions as well as having the exact calories to your dish. What I do is start out with 4 frozen meals a week and cook one day a week. The weekends is every man for himself and is usually very ‘potpourri’ when it comes to mealtime. As the weeks progress, I take one more day off the frozen meal plan.
This gives me time to find recipes and work into the budget any extra ingredients we need. Seriously, have you seen the price of extra virgin olive oil? I hate trying a new recipe when it’s going to cost $20 to buy everything I need. I prefer to space that cost over a few trips.
Next week I will be down to 2 frozen meals and three cooked meals. It’s time to do some menu planning.
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