FINALLY

We're almost at our destination at The Villages and for the first time the temperature was in the 80s,


-- Posted from my iPhone

Location:Florida 44,Wildwood,United States

Sarasota

We had a great time in Sarasota with the Steinebachs. We got there Tuesday afternoon and sat out on their lanai and caught up with all the news. Then we had dinner and sat around and talked until bedtime.

Chris doing dishes

The next day Chris was committed for a golf game so Penny, Larry and I went to Venice and to Sharky's for a snack.

Barb and Penny

Larry and Penny

Larry and Barb

There were a lot of people catching stingrays on the pier

later in the afternoon I called linksys to find out why their wireless wasn't working and the answer was "get a new one". While I was on the phone I was also on my google account and I got an IM from Emily so we chatted for awhile too.

That night we went out to dinner at an Italian restaurant and went back to the house and watched The Departed, but I fell asleep and went to bed. Larry fell asleep too but got a second wind and stayed up for the whole thing.

The next morning we had breakfast and sat around and talked some more. There was never a moment where we didn't have something to say. Eventually, we left for The Villages.

-- Posted from my iPhone

Location:Central Sarasota Pkwy,Sarasota,United States

Jacksonville

We arrived in Jacksonville and stayed at the Courtyard Marriott right on the ocean.
We took a nice walk on the beach. The tide was out and the beach was really wide.

Then I treated Larry to dinner after we had to cross a street under construction.




I treated him to a dinner at Subway!! Only 6 points for a 6" sub.  And since I had so many points left I could eat a big one.
We took the sandwiches back to our room and ate them while we watched a few episodes of 24 on DVD.
-- Posted from my iPhone

Location: Jacksonville Beach

Myrtle Beach National and Alabama Theater

We played golf on Saturday at MBN West where we played last October. It was a little windy but not too bad. This was supposed to be the best day.

Creatures on the Myrtle Beach national Golf Course

I played all 18 !!

After golf we grabbed something to eat at Johnny Rockets and then went to the Alabama Theater for a very enjoyable show.

Off to Myrtle Beach

We left at 7:27 after getting gas. We were going to leave at 9:00 but we both got up around 4:30 and had a hard time falling back to sleep so we got up at 6:00 and were at breakfast by 6:40.
They had a really good selection of healthy choices, especially for a free hotel breakfast. We stayed at the Fairfield Inn, where we stayed before and will again. Next time we probably will want to leave earlier to avoid that rush hour traffic.
As we passed around Richmond on 295 it was pouring and visibility was very poor. But in a short while the weather started to clear up. Good thing, because it would have been awful driving under those conditions.

Our room wan't that great but the view was.

-- Posted from my iPhone

Location:Woodford,United States

On the road

We once again planned on leaving at 9:00 but we actually pulled out of the driveway at 9:26. We did a great job of packing the car and actually have a few empty holes right behind the front seat on the floor in the center. Perfect for little things we accumulate on the way or just stuffing anything. The only downside so far is that once I got the GPS set and was ready for my coffee I realized I left it home so now I'm dying for it.




There was a definite plus side to leaving the coffee at home. I didn't need a bathroom break for about 4 1/2 hours.

We need to remember that there isn't an Exxon gas station along the route before Harrisburg.
The first one is at Exit 24 on Rt 82, Shippensburg.

Well, we were making great time until we were 5 miles from our hotel. Then we got stuck in Rush Hour traffic in Fredericksburg, VA. It took us 45 minutes to go the 5 miles. We decided to avoid getting onto 95 which was bumper to bumper so we stayed on the side roads but they were just as bad.

It was so nice to see the Magnolias in bloom when we arrived.

We went to Ruby Tuesdays for dinner after I downloaded the nutritional value of their meals from their website. We both had the Santa Fe chicken salad which calculated out to 16 points but I'm assuming that had to include the salad dressing which I didn't eat. Nothing else had many points in it.

Location:Rush,United States

Hit my Goal

Today I hit my weight loss goal at Weight Watchers. Now I have to maintain it for 6 weeks which will be interesting since we're going to be away the entire time. I took my official card with me and plan to go while at The Villages.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

I used to make this recipe every time Greta came home from college. For some reason I always thought this was her favorite meal. It wasn't until many years later that she told me it wasn't. I guess she was just too nice to tell me back then when I thought I was doing something special for her.

This is a microwave recipe.
Serves 4 to 6

Tuna Noodle Casserole
1 pkg (3-oz) cream cheese
1 can (10¾-oz) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
3 cups (6-oz) cooked noodles
1 can (6½ to 7-oz) tuna, drained
¼ cup chopped onions (green or yellow)
1 Tbls parsley
⅛ tsp pepper
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Paprika

Soften cream cheese in a 2-qt. casserole 20 to 25 seconds at High.
Blend in soup.
Stir in noodles, tuna, onions, parsley and pepper.
Microwave at High 5 minutes. Stir well.
Sprinkle with cheese and paprika.
Microwave 4 to 6 minutes, until heated through.
or
Put in oven @ 350°F for 30 minutes for a nicely browned top

First Golf Day

What a beautiful day. The back 9 was opened yesterday and today the front. This is my fist day out with brand new clubs.


My first hole drive was really good. Unfortunately it was just a teaser. Still waiting for another one.

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Location:Jackson Rd,Penfield,United States

Quick Salad

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray, 2007 and Ann Spargo who brought it to Oscar Night 2010
Quick Salad

Prep Time:10 min

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 yellow squash, diced
• 1/2 pint yellow cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 pint red cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 small red onion, grated
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium bowl, toss together the zucchini, squash and tomatoes.
In a small bowl, combine the Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar and the onion.
Whisk in the olive oil until combined. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the vegetables.

New glasses

I picked up my new glasses today. I think they are very cool. They come with magnetic sunglasses too.





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Orange, Cumin and Cilantro Roasted Pork Loin Recipe

This is the recipe I'm going to make for company dinner on Sunday.

Orange, Cumin and Cilantro Roasted Pork Loin

(Ida Mae Astute/ABC)

From the kitchen of Emeril Lagasse

|

5 Comments

Servings: 6-8

Difficulty: Easy

Cook Time: 30-60 min

The combination of orange and cumin give this pork a tasty flavor. Enjoy it with the grilled sweet potato salad.

Ingredients

One 3 1/2-pound boneless pork loin

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons orange marmalade

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Cooking Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Rub the pork loin well on all sides with the olive oil, and season it with the kosher salt, cumin, and black pepper. Place the pork loin, fat side down, in the skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until well-browned on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the pork from the skillet and place it in a small roasting pan or baking dish that holds it snugly.

In a medium bowl, combine the orange juice, lime juice, vinegar, and marmalade, and whisk well to combine. Drizzle the citrus mixture over the pork.

Place the roasting pan in the oven, and cook until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 140°F, basting the pork with the pan juices occasionally. (Take care not to overcook the pork.) Should the pan juices evaporate and begin to scorch before the pork is done, add a bit of water to keep it from burning.

Remove the pork from the oven, add the cilantro to the roasting pan, and swirl it in the pan juices. Allow the pork to rest for 7 to 10 minutes before slicing. Serve the pork thinly sliced, drizzled with pan juices.

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, courtesy MSLO, Inc.

Rain Rain Go Away

After being sick for most of the weekend while visiting Laura, we finally ventured out together on Monday. It was the third day of straight rain. All together they got about 9" in Newton.
We drove over to drop her car off for an oil change and then went to Legacy Place in Dedham.
We spent most of our time in lululemon athletica and then after going to a couple of other stores we went to Whole Foods where the rest room had a new type (at least new for me) of hand dryer called a dyson airblade that you put your hands into from the top.

-- Posted from my iPhone

Up in the Air

The Stop and Shop experience:
I reserved Up in the Air at the Watertown St. Stop and Shop in Watertown. Laura said she knew where it was so we went there. The Redbox machine didn't recognize my credit card so I called Redbox and was on hold for 33 minutes. While I was on hold I double checked my account on my iPhone while I put my call on speaker just like in the commercials. The card was OK. Then I asked Laura if she was sure this was the Watertown St store. She asked a clerk and was told that we were at the Pleasant St store. Then Laura said she knew exactly where the store was but she thought that store was in Newton. We got there 15 minutes before our deadline and my credit card worked just fine. I'm glad I never had may call answered by anyone because I would have looked so-o-o stupid.


We didn't think Laura's DVD player worked so we watched the movie on her laptop.



Sydney kept us company.




-- Posted from my iPhone

Hunter and Myles

Hunter and Myles hamming it up for my iPhone camera so I could show them how I could instantly get their picture on the internet.


-- Posted from my iPhone

Lunch with Tucker

Tucker and I went to lunch at Route 22 and he was really engrossed in watching the movie Cars.


Myles and Hunter were at school and Greta went to a birthday luncheon for a friend.
After lunch we went upstairs where he played a video game where he sat in a car and could drive. He played this 3 times and then we went home and played MarioKart. He beat me every time and he's only 3. I definitely need to practice some more.

-- Posted from my iPhone

Location:Commerce Rd,Stamford,United States

Oklahoma

We went to visit the Livingstones and saw Mark playing soccer



And Kaitlyn in Oklahoma.


There was also an intense game of Mario on the Wii in the afternoon.






-- Posted from my iPhone

Location:Mercer Rd,Harmony,United States

Laura Did a Makeover

Laura did a makeover at http://www.peoplestylewatch.com/people/stylewatch/makeover/0,,,00.html too.
It came out really good. When I go visit her next weekend we'll see if we can recreate it, otherwise she may have to go to her hair stylist and get a makeup artist.
.

Basic Marinara Sauce

This looks like just the way I want to make a marinara sauce for the Eggplant Parmesan I'm going to serve at our Oscar Night get together. I was going to make the one I use for Mussels Marinara but then decided to look for something a little different and this one is just what I want. Only a little olive oil, I can substitute 2 (28 oz) cans of tomatoes, although I will used the diced with basil etc seasonings that I have and onions and garlic. Easier to find one already tested than to play around when I don't have any time.

This is from FormerChef.com http://formerchef.com/2009/09/01/how-to-make-basic-marinara-sauce/

Basic Marinara Sauce
2 large yellow onions, peeled and diced
2 Tbsp olive oil
5-6 cloves of garlic, minced (about 2 Tbsp)
2 Tbsp dried herbs (basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, etc)* 1/2 cup red wine
12 cups peeled and seeded fresh ripe tomatoes** salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, heat up the olive oil. Add the onions and cook slowly, on medium heat until they start to caramelize. They should be evenly brown and soft. Cooking them this way brings out the natural sweetness in the onions. Add the garlic and dried herbs and cook for 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the 1/2 cup of red wine and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and their juice and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook on low, stirring occasionally for about 2 hours. Add salt and pepper to taste.
*Dried herbs hold their flavor much longer than fresh herbs so when slow cooking. If you want to use fresh herbs, add them at then end of the cooking process, just before serving.
**If you don't have fresh tomatoes, you can use 2 (28 oz) cans of crushed tomatoes, 1 (28 oz) can of whole tomatoes and 1 (6 oz) can of tomato paste. When I use canned tomatoes, I always add a couple tablespoons of sugar to counteract the acidity of the canned tomatoes. I find I don't have to add any sugar with the ripe tomatoes from my garden.
This is really a base pasta sauce recipe, meant to adapt to whatever you want it to be. Like meat in your sauce? Add a tough cut and let it cook down to make a Bolognese. Want to keep it vegetarian? Enjoy the recipe as it is or add some diced up vegetables. Like Pasta alla Norma? Add red chili flakes and diced eggplant to the sauce. Mushrooms or meatballs, it's all up to you.

Copyright formerchef.com 2009

Rocco's Low-Cal Brownies Recipe - ABC News

Saw this on GMA this morning and definitely going to try it

Rocco's Low-Cal Brownies Recipe - ABC News

From the kitchen of Rocco DiSpirito

Servings: Over 8

Difficulty: Easy

Cook Time: 1-30 min

"Yes, you are reading the ingredients list correctly: there are black beans in these brownies. You really have to taste the brownies to believe them. The beans add moisture and texture—not to mention fiber and protein. These brownies have such a great fudgy texture because the cocoa powder, and just a little espresso powder, are the only dry ingredients (besides a bit of Truvia). For an extra jolt of chocolate flavor and about 15 more calories, stir ¼ cup dark chocolate–covered cacao nibs (such as Kopali Organics) into the batter just before pouring it into the pan. These brownies are even better the next day."

-Rocco DiSpirito, "Now Eat This!"

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

1½ cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon espresso powder

¾ cup egg substitute

2 tablespoons low-calorie sugar-free chocolate syrup, such as Walden Farms

2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream, such as Breakstone's

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

24 packets (84 g) Truvia or 8 tablespoons granulated Splenda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8×8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine the beans, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and egg substitute in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through.

Add the chocolate syrup, sour cream, butter, Truvia, and vanilla. Process until all of the ingredients are combined, about 1 minute.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, turning the dish halfway through the baking time. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out with soft batter clinging to it.

Let the brownies cool completely in the baking dish on a wire rack. Then cut into 12 squares and serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.

NOW YOU CAN EAT THIS!

Before After

Fat 70g 1.6g

Calories 1500 53

Protein: 4g | Carbohydrates: 8g | Cholesterol: 4mg

Fiber: 3g| Sodium: 94mg

Macaroni and Cheese surprise

Michael was coming for the weekend and we were supposed to go out to dinner tonight but his flight was late and so was John's so we needed a quick and easy meal.
It was tricolor mac & cheese with tuna. Super easy. Cook the macaroni and mix with milk and lots of grated cheese, I used a couple of different kinds of cheddar and some Parmesan. Bake at 350 for 1/2 hour.

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Cauliflower Soup

Cook cauliflower

Saute onions and garlic

Blend all

1 head cauliflower
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
2 Tblsp butter or canola oil
Milk
Grated cheddar cheese
Seasoned salt
Black and Cayenne pepper
Chili powder
Cumin

Cover broken apart cauliflower with water and cook until very tender.
Saute onion and garlic in butter (oil).
Combine all and puree till smooth.
Add seasonings to taste.
Using blender or stick blender, blend cauliflower and onion and garlic

Oatmeal Cookies

When Larry vacuumed today the motor decided to burn up a little and it made the whole house smell. We're burning a scented candle but what better to cover-up the smell of something bad than with something as good as homemade cookies baking.
Since it's a perfect day for baking, snowy and a day you don't want to go out, that's what I am going to do.
Michael is supposed to fly in tonight from Boston at 6:20 but at 2:45 his flight has already been delayed. We'll have to see what happens. If he makes it, he'll have homemade cookies.

Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins and Walnuts (WW points)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter (48)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar (16.5)
½ cup granulated sugar (8)
2 eggs (4)
1 tsp vanilla (0)
1½ cups all purpose flour (13)
1 tsp baking soda (0)
1 tsp cinnamon (0)
½ tsp salt (0)
3 cups Oatmeal, uncooked (12)
1 cup raisins - (8)
1 cup walnuts - (21.5)

1. Heat oven to 350℉
2. Beat together margarine and sugars until creamy
3. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.
4. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well
5. Stir in oats, raisins and walnuts; mix well
6. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet
7. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown
8. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack

Makes 4 doz cookies
2.73 points per cookie

We joined the snowy areas

We woke up this morning and found all the promised snow. We've escaped all the snowstorms that have plagued everywhere else. But at least we're used to it and can handle it.









-- Posted from my iPhone

Location:Midship Cir,Webster,United States

Map to Columbus Zoo

We want to stop at the Columbus Zoo on our way home from Florida, going through Atlanta.

View Larger Map

24 - the TV show

I returned the Day 1, 24 DVDs to the library today and admit that I did look to see if they had the 2nd season. Fortunately they only had the last 3 DVDs of the set. I don't know if I would have taken them out since they are so addicting and we've watched 2 whole seasons in less than 2 weeks.

I'm making good progress at scanning in the second batch of letters from my father to my mother that I'll make into another book. This one will be big because I already have over 200 pages, he wrote really long letters.

I went to visit Mary tonight who's recuperating from knee replacement surgery.

We're on our 2nd 24 marathon. We started with Day 3 but now we're doing them in order starting with 1. We really need to buy these since we can only keep them for a week.


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