January...is it over?

Does anyone else feel this way? I feel like this has been a very boring month. Its probably a combination between the snow and freezing temperatures and being sick that have made us home-bodies. I want to see people and do things but at the same time I have a tough time contriving a good enough reason to get myself showered and out the door.

This is what Miss B does to keep herself busy

Through my attempts this week for healthy recipes I haven't found a delicious comforting dinner yet but I found two tasty desserts.

Chocolate Cheesecakes

This one is from the Taste of Home Healthy Cooking. This one if made as directed would only have 5 grams of carbs-Perfect for Diabetics. Of course I didn't use the sugar substitute and it only made 18 cakes instead of 24. So it came out to more like 18 grams of carbs which is still pretty good for a dessert. And they were pretty tasty.

-24 miniature vanilla wafers or gingersnap cookies (I used regular sized vanilla wafers)
-1 pkg 8oz reduced fat cream cheese
-Sugar substitute equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar ( I loved that they didn't just say 1/2 sugar substitute that way I could just use sugar)
-1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
-1 tsp Vanilla extract
-1 egg lightly beaten
-1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
-4 tsp confectioner's sugar ( I used more than that and added some vanilla to my cream)
Chocolate curls, optional (I didn't do this, it never works out for me anyway)

1. Place wafers flat side down in paper lined miniature muffin cups; set aside.
2. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar substitute until smooth.
Add chocolate chips and vanilla; mix well. Add egg; beat on low speed just until combined. Spoon about 1 Tbsp. into each cup. Bake  at 350 for 10-12 minutes or just until set. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioner's sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Top cheesecakes with whipped cream mixture ; garnish with chocolate curls if desired.

1 cheesecake: 65 calories, 5 grams fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 50 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein

Whole Wheat & Oatmeal Chocolate Chip-Walnut Cookies

This recipe is from a friend. She gave the recipe to me over a year ago and I just barely made it last night. The one thing that was standing between me and this yummy pretty healthy cookie recipe was the wheat flour. I had never bought wheat flour before. I think there's a reason for that. It's expensive! These didn't turn out as good as hers but I'll figure it out, I hope.

1/2 c Applesauce

1/2 C Butter

3/4 C sugar

3/4 C Brown Sugar
2 eggs
2tsp Vanilla

2 C Whole Wheat Flour

2 1/2 C oatmeal

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 c walnuts (optional)

1- 1 1/2 C chocolate chips or raisins

Mix wet and dry ingredients separately and then together. (next time I make them I would probably cream the sugars and butter first, then add wet ingredients and then the dry ingredients). Add nuts and chocolate chips or raisins. Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Do not over bake. Let cool on pan for a couple of minutes.

Being healthy is blghh

Yes, that is the title of my blog post, being healthy, so far, is BLGHH. I am trying new recipes that are healthy and so far not so good.

 I made a Teriyaki Burger which used both ground turkey and hamburger. It looks good but it was only alright. It doesn't help that I kinda burnt them. :) If I'm going to make hamburgers with a yummy sauce I'm  going to make these. They may not necessarily be labeled healthy but they are gooood!

 I also made a beans and rice dish. Blgh.  (Sorry it's apparently a "members only" recipe so the picture isn't great and I can' t link you to the recipe.)Victory didn't mind it too much. 

But I'm not deterred yet. I have plans for a couple more recipes this next week.  I figure I'll try at least one new healthy dish a week in hopes that I'll find some that I like that I can incorporate into our regular menu. I guess I just love the unhealthy stuff.

Here's another thought for you, who deems something healthy? In my healthy Taste of Home magazine it has a recipe for Candy Bar Cupcakes that sound scumptious. And as I look at the ingredients I wonder how the heck did this get into the Healthy Taste of Home. Seriously, is it just because it uses fat cream cheese?? It still has 9 grams of fat and 40 grams of carbs in ONE little cupcake. I guess I really don't want to know how many grams of fat are in normal yummy cupcakes...especially since I can't usually stop myself at just one.

Anyway, that's all I've got for today.

Take care!

A few of my favorite things

Over the last few weeks I've had a few friends complain about their eye make-up remover.  I have one that you can fix your make-up mistakes or repair the damage from crying or runny eyes without having to wash your face and then re-apply your make-up.

It's called RIMMEL you can purchase it for sure from Target. You used to be able to buy it from Walmart. But its only about $5. And it feels just like water. It doesn't separate and it isn't oily. AWESOME!! Totally recommend it.

The other thing that I love is my mascara. Granted, I've been tempted to just try some of the other brands like Cover Girl or Maybelline but I love LOVE Clinique's mascara. Especially the High Impact and High Lengths. I like to use both when I want my eyelashes to be more dramatic.

My last love also has to do with the eyes. Cover Girls Perfect Point Plus eyeliner. You don't have to ever sharpen it because you twist the pencil up. It glides on so you don't have to apply any pressure and it so easy.  My only complaint is that sometimes I get it on too thick...not sure if its the pencil or the user. :)

Just thought I'd share it case you're looking for something different. If you have any eye shadow, foundation, bronzer suggestions I'd love to hear them because I'm open to new possibilities.

Have a good one!

Goodbye

This is my last post for December and my last post for 2010! How crazy is it that another year is over?

Are you guys goal setters? I became one during college. I would set goals for things that I would want to have happen during each semester and things I wanted to accomplish. It was fun to look back and see what I was able to accomplish. It also helped recognize how the Lord helped me grow and change. 

Last year I had three goals, that I remember anyway.  I'm not as dedicated as I was during college but I still try.
1) read the Book of Mormon by the year's end based off the challenge given to me in Relief Society- COMPLETED...today :)
2) Write in my journal everyday- FAILED
3) Write 4 posts a month-AVERAGED out to four posts a month.


Here are my  2011 Goals:
1) Start a new blog that doesn't contain our personal info....I just keep getting stuck deciding on a title for the blog. Any suggestions??
 -Keep up with four posts a month

2) Instead of just reading the scriptures,  I want to focus studying one topic a month.

3) Healthy cooking.  Are you shocked?? My sister would be since I always tend to make desserts laden with cream cheese and I've recently learned that everything is better with butter.  But  my dad was just diagnosed with diabetes.  I decided I need to be better for both Victory and myself.  We both have parents who have diabetes.  Even though I love my yummy fattening foods I need to learn to cook some more healthy meals and desserts... without cream cheese. I'll share any good recipes I find!  And if you have any good suggestions for where to find good recipes let me know!

4) I know this is whimpy, but since I've gotten out of the habit these last few months, I'm going to only set my goal at exercising at least once a week.  Hopefully that will get me started and I'll get back into the desire to exercise more often. :)

Good luck setting and achieving your new year's resolution!! Goodbye 2010!

HALLELUJAH!

I think this video is so awesome not to mention that I LOVE this song. But there's something about it being in a place so ordinary with ordinary people singing that makes it that more touching. I was practically weeping when I first watched it.

Crafting fool

Here are a few things that I've been working on over the past few weeks...except for the gift I made for Victory which I won't be posting about today...but I'm quite proud of it, I just hope he likes it.

So here are the things that I've been busy with.

Christmas ornaments for the sibling ornament exchange. Really, it's probably cheaper to just buy an ornament than to make them not to mention the time and burnt fingers that come along with making them. Hope they know they were MADE WITH LOVE!!!

Christmas wreath out of Lima beans. My friends used acorns, which might have been the better route. A friend made a comment about these type of wreaths in general about how they look like scaley. I didn't think that first but I'm definitely seeing it now. I might have to spray paint it to help it out...maybe. At any rate, lots of hot glue and burned fingers. You'd think I'd learn.

Christmas count down blocks from the ward craft day, that I ended up missing so I had to do all the crafts on my own. This comes with a base as well but it didn't seem to work with this shelf. And can I note, that my favorite Christmas decoration that I own is that snow globe? I love it. It makes me happy every time I see it.

 Christmas plate made with fabric. The idea came from the ward craft day. I don't think this plate will be very useful for everyday use but they did use them to serve cookies at the Relief Society dinner tonight.

 Christmas card clothespins. Love this. I am anxiously awaiting your cards in the mail so that I can hang them with all of these cute clothespins. *wink*wink* jk. I'm not very good at sending them out but I sure love them when I get them.

 Foam beaded Christmas trees. I think I might suggest not doing this one. It seemed to take forever, however when I got to the last one it seemed to go faster. BURNT FINGERS. Not only would glue get stuck to your fingers but the beads would too. HOT TAMALE!  I do like them. Victory says they look like moldy corn on the cobs. :)

Well anyway, that's all folks. I'm taking a break from crafting for awhile. I'm pooped. My glue gun needs a rest. And I need sit back and enjoy the Christmas season.  (But when I do get crafting again THIS is will be one of the things that I do)

Until next time. :)

Family

I know its been awhile since I've blogged. I'm going to have to pick it up if I'm going to get reach my goal of 4 posts a month.  I have been busy crafting. Crafting like a crazy fool. I think I'll have to take a break for a few weeks. I think I've gone through at least 50 glue sticks and tuckered out my poor hot glue gun.  I think I have enough Christmas decorations for our little apartment. I'll post pictures sometime this week.

Before Thanksgiving we had our family pictures taken by a guy in our ward. He did a great job, especially with the added challenge of trying to shoot fairly awkward people and then having to deal with the wind and cold. Sorry, there are a lot of pictures but I didn't feel like deciding which ones to put up.