Fall TV line-up

J and I can't decide if we're happy with this fall's TV line-up or not. Usually we love fall television: season premieres, pilots, returning favorites, highly anticipated new shows.

This year only one show is a real draw for us and we make sure we're around for it: ABC's Emmy-winning Modern Family on Wednesday nights. The script is hilarious, the actors' timing is flawless, and the actors themselves make up quite the cast. Love it!

Monday we enjoyed Fox's Lone Star but it sounds like the pilot didn't do well so we'll see if it gets yanked.
Tuesdays we like NBC's Biggest Loser
Wednesday is Modern Family! Woohoo!
Thursday ABC's My Generation could be good, but so far reviews aren't great.

What will you be watching this season?

Menu Planning

This week we are finally home--all week! Wahoo!
Grandma's surgery went fabulously. The whole experience went well and she doesn't feel as nervous if she has to have another one. I took her sutures out on Saturday and the incision is healing quite nicely.


Sunday: spaghetti, green salad, breadsticks
Monday: meatloaf and potato wedges
Tuesday: fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, salad
Wednesday: baked ginger-sesame pork with zucchini
Thursday: beef stew and crescent rolls
Friday: no clue yet, maybe out to dinner on a gift certificate?

I'll try to get my meatloaf recipe up soon--like my chicken salad recipe, it often morphs based upon what's in the fridge, this week it's carrots, onion, celery, oatmeal, zucchini. Yum!

Happy Eats!

Curry Chicken Salad Fit for a Queen

Curry Chicken Salad is my very favorite lunch food. I have no idea where this recipe originated from, I think maybe one of my Mom's church cookbooks, but she has a zillion of them, so it's anyone's guess.

You will need:
2-3 Cups cooked and cooled chicken
2/3 Cups mayonnaise (this is already cut down from 3/4 Cup, you can take a bit more out, but not too much or else your salad will be dry)
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp curry powder (more if you like it spicier)
2 tsp soy sauce
2 Cups total of chopped Grapes, Celery, Carrots, Onion, Zucchini--basically whatever you have in your fridge that you like, some people like pineapple chunks, water chestnuts, etc.
Cashews (if you like, but only add right before you eat, otherwise they'll become soggy)

Mix up the dressing

Chop up your chicken and veggies

Stir it all together, then chill

Serve any way that you like. I made a wrap this time, but I often like it on lightly toasted whole wheat bread, or on a bed of lettuce.

Menu Planning

Menu planning is currently on a 2-week hiatus.

Last week, I spent $4 at the grocery store to buy milk and pita chips. We just weren't home much, so we ate some leftovers, lots of grab-n-go fruit, ate with our parents, bought lunch at work, etc.

This week, I'm out of town with my Grandma for her surgery. Hubs will be joining me on Tuesday night at their place for a few days, then over the weekend we have wedding festivities for a cousin of mine. I'll probably still do all the cooking this week, but I'm sure Grandma will be telling me what to cook. She hates cooking now, but still loves to eat her recipes...when someone else cooks them!

Have a great week, everyone!

Randoms

I learned how to knit on Saturday morning. There's a lady at church who is starting a group called "With Loving Hands." It is a place to learn how to knit and crochet, fellowship, and create projects for people in need. So far I'm loving it. My yarn is a very pretty peach color.

I broke down and bought some skinny jeans. I am a believer! (sort-of!) I found my old horseback riding boots and thought that they looked a lot like the boots currently out for the season, so I cleaned 'em up with some saddle soap and black shoe polish and they practically glow! Because they actually are riding boots, they are fairly tight and I need boot pulls to get them on (they have sewn in pull tabs), and a boot jack to get them off. Luckily I found those stored with the boots. Oh yes, because of the boot's tightness I needed tight pants to wear them with. I found some really cute Miley Cyrus ones on clearance for $10 at Walmart. I can't find the actual pants online, sorry. They are actually really well constructed and comfortable, which surprised me. 

Moses has been working out lately. Ya know, besides chasing the bugs that are starting to find their way inside, and attacking my houseplant, he's decided that some good old fashioned weight lifting is going to get the ladies...

My Grandma is having (another) skin cancer surgically removed from her face tomorrow. I'm heading out soon to be with her for the procedure. It's done in the office, and isn't too invasive, but it's scary none-the-less, so I'll be right beside her the whole time. Nurse Erica's Warning: wear your daily sunscreen of at least SPF 15 (most daily moisturizers contain it) on your face. The skin cancer is so not worth it. My Grandma's nose is actually now totally comprised of skin that was originally grown behind her ears...I think she's had 7 skin grafts to her nose now. Skin cancer isn't pretty, which renders your tan ugly, in my humble opinion...

Book Report: Moose

Moose by Stephanie Klein is a memoir of a formerly fat girl's summers away at fat camp. 

The book is born when Klein's doctor tells her that she needs to gain 50 pounds while pregnant with twins. This scares her and sends her mind back to junior high when she was fat and her parents were not supportive of her weight loss journey. Her father laughed when she confessed that the kids at school called her "Moose." Her mother stocked the house with her favorite fat goodies because it would be unfair to deprive the rest of the family. And then her parents send both Klein and her skinny sister to fat camp.

I liked Klein's style because she is honest and witty. Being candid is important to me when reading a memoir. There were times I laughed out loud. However, I could not relate to the content or to Klein's plight, so I found myself breezing through chapters, skimming the paragraphs. A. I'm not concerned with my weight, B. I'm not unhappy, and C. I have an extremely supportive family.

For those of you who have struggled with your weight and/or self-esteem, this book will appeal to you and I'm sure you'll get more from it than I did. I do feel that I learned a lot about the emotional journey associated with weight loss.

Happy Reading!