Cookbook Club Review ~The Pioneer Woman Cooks- A Year of Holidays

I have joined a group of great bloggers that review cookbooks each month.  This month we are reviewing Pioneer Woman Cooks- A Year of Holidays.  I am sure I am the only person that has never even looked at one of her recipes. Of course I know who she is but I have never really looked at any of her recipes.

Whole 30 ~ Second Week

Whole 30 Program ~ Second Week

Tomorrow I will have done two weeks of the Whole 30 program.  I am not going to lie to you and tell you that I didn't slip, because I did.  But I didn't fall face first into a plate of doughnuts.  So for that I am proud.  The first couple of days for me were the hardest... Everything that I craved were on the no-no list and that list is large or at least it seemed to me.  So what have I ate? Lots of fruits and vegetables and nuts.. Nuts are my life-saver.  

During the day when I am at work, I don't have as much cravings.  I pack my food, usually something with meat for lunch and then an egg to eat as snack and fruit and vegetables to eat when I feeling a little hungry and I always have some nuts.  Nuts are easy to carry around and eat.  

EGGS... I should let my husband become a chicken farmer as I eat eggs every day now.  AND I don't even like eggs.  I have eaten poached eggs between avocado halves, pretending that I have a sandwich.  Eggs with sauteed vegetables, eggs with salsa... EGGS, EGGS, EGGs.   I am even eating them boiled.

Poached egg and salmon in an avocado "bun"

So, the big question is do I feel better?  I do think I have lost some weight.. but this program says not to step on the scale during the 30 days.  My jeans are fitting better and I think my face has thinned down a bit.  So that is good...   But do I have more energy?  I don't think so.  This I am wondering if it could be because I am working days instead of nights.  My routine isn't the same.  I am also working more hours then normal too, but I SHOULD NOT BE THIS TIRED.   Have my aches and pains decreases or are they completely gone?  NO, NO, NO.  Even as I type this my hands are so sore that it is painful to type.  I think my pain is worse now then when I started this program. 

The million dollar question is... Am I going to stay on this.  Yes, I will give it a full 30 days.  Although there are a few things that I won't give up like  french vanilla creamer in my chai.  At home I do use coconut milk and sugar free french vanilla syrup but at work I still use the creamer.  I am sure that if a true "whole 30" person reads this they will tell me that I am not feeling better because of the few thing I slip up on.  I ate 1 cookie in 2 weeks... I think I am doing good, before it would be a half a dozen per day.

I do still crave bread and pizza and cheese and I am not sure that I will ever give those things up. The only grain I have eaten in 2 weeks is 1 cookie and I have had no cheese.. I lived on cheese before.  But I think I am eating healthier and that is the only thing I wanted to do with this program... And oh yeah! Lose WEIGHT.

Fried Egg with sauteed veggies and tomatoes

Cucumber, pepper and red onion salad.

To a healthier me...

✻ღϠ₡ღ✻   Marlys

(¯`✻´¯)
`*.¸.*✻✿*.¸.*✻ Enjoy your day....`*.¸.*✻✿*.¸.*✻

 

Related articles

• Hungry All Day? Snacking A Lot? Let's Fix That.
• Spaghetti Squash Casserole and Whole 30 program
• Random Thoughts (Also....DID I SLIP ON THE WHOLE 30?)

Madame Croque with a twist

I am a sucker for grilled cheese and ham sandwiches and put an egg and Bechamel Sauce,

You have a Madame Croque.

This recipe I originally found on Isabelle at home  site.

Isabelle is a French Canadian so of course she would know what a Madame Croque was.

I had no idea until I read her post... So head over and check it out.

I have made this couple of times and made it just as Isabelle's recipe told me too.

 

Madame Croque done per  Isabelle at Home's recipe

But the last time I decided to change it a little and make it my own......

So here it is...

Madame Croquet with a Twist

adapted from Isabelle at Home

Makes 2 Sandwiches

1/2 cup bechamel sauce

4 slices of bread  (I used French bread cut thick)

1 tbsp butter

2 tsp Dijon Mustard

4- 6 slices of ham (I used honey ham)

1/8 lb cheese ( I used Tillamook Cheddar Cheese)

onions to taste 

1 avocado sliced

2 eggs - either fried or poached.

fresh parsley to garnish ( I used dried)

To make Bechamel Sauce:

1 tsp butter

1 tbsp flour

1 tsp dry mustard 

1/2 cup milk

salt and pepper to taste.

Place butter in saucepan and melt, add flour and dry mustard, stir until all mixed.  Turn heat down to medium-low and add milk.  Stirring constantly until comes to a boil and thickens.  Add salt and pepper.  Keep warm until ready to use.  (I did turn mine off and just warmed it when I needed it )

Preparation of sandwich:

Fry or Poach eggs. ~ I don't like runny eggs so mine are well done, make them the way you would like.

While the eggs are cooking.  Butter one side of the 4 slices of bread, this will be the outside of the sandwiches.  To two slices of bread apply dijon mustard and set aside.  Place the other two slices of bread, buttered side down on a panini maker.  Apply one tablespoon of the Bechamel Sauce, then apply 1/2 avocado, onion slices, 2-3 slices of ham and 1/2 of the cheese, cover with the bread that has dijon mustard, butter sided up.  Repeat for second sandwich.  Close cover of panini maker ~ (I didn't close mine completely).  Cook until a nice brown colour.  Remove from panini maker and place on plate. Spread another tablespoon of bechamel sauce on top of sandwich, add egg and garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy.

✻ღϠ₡ღ✻   Marlys

(¯`✻´¯)

`*.¸.*✻✿*.¸.*✻ Enjoy your day....`*.¸.*✻✿*.¸.*✻

Links: Freedom Fridays, Tasty Thursdays, Foodie Friends Friday, Favorite things Friday , In and Out of the Kitchen

Breakfast Casserole

Last evening as we were getting ready for bed, my husband requested this for breakfast.... And as a good wife, I got up an hour and half before he needed to leave so that I could make it for him.  He doesn't request things that often and he also said that the last time I made it, it was AWESOME ~~ yes, he said it in capital letters ~~ he said it was done to perfection, crispy and the eggs were done perfectly.  He also said you know the one that you make with Maggi liquid.  Well, I have never put Maggi liquid in this breakfast, although I will put it in when I make omelets and as I don't really use a cookbook for my recipes, I wondered if this breakfast would turn out as good as the last one or not........HHHMMMM. Let us see.

breakfast casserole

                                    Breakfast Casserole

This recipe I found in a cooking magazine and I don't even recall which one. I have made it many times, changing a few things each time I make it..... So please feel free to change it and add as you make it...... Remember recipes should be used as a guide and you should make them your own. 

Here is how I made it this morning:

Seasoning croutons (enough to cover the bottom of the pan)

peppers - I used red and yellow

onions - I use red onions

mushrooms

bacon or sausage or even both --- I do about 3 sausages when I use them or about 

        4-5 pieces of bacon and crumble into small pieces

cheese --- I use whatever I have on hand... and about a handful or so depending on 

      you taste... My husband thinks I use to much cheese, so I don't put alot in, so that

       he can't see it :)

5 eggs

1/4 cup milk or water

1 tsp garlic minced

1tbsp greek seasoning

splash of maggi liquid seasoning {I decided to try some this time}

salt and pepper to taste

1 roma tomato.

     Preheat oven to 350.  I use a 6 cup glass anchor dish (it measure 6.5 inches X 8 inches).  I sometimes spray it with PAM but today I didn't and it came out great.

    Place croutons in bottom of dish.  Cut up peppers, onions and mushrooms (or you can use whatever veggies you have on hand).  I don't measure but just cut until there is a layer over the croutons.  Spread bacon or sausage on veggie layer.  Sprinkle cheese over this layer.

     In separate bowl, mix eggs, milk, garlic, greek seasoning, maggi liquid seasoning, salt and pepper.  If I use maggi liquid seasoning I don't put in as much salt and sometimes none as the maggi is salty.  Spread this mixture over the croutons, veggie and cheese layer.  I do press down on the layers so that there is egg throughout everything.

      Cut up tomato and place over the egg mixture.  Place in oven and bake @ 350 for 45-55 minutes until golden brown and eggs are done.  The edges do get crispy but we like it that way... If you don't want it as crispy, don't cook as long, just cook until eggs are set.  

ready to go into the oven... Sorry the picture didn't turn out very good.

Did it turn out??? Yes, It was delicious and I think even better then the last time I made it.  Now I just need to make some homemade croutons instead of store bought for the next time...

served it with a side of fresh fruit and orange juice.

*** When I make this in a 6 cup baking dish, I cut it into 4 pieces... My husband usually eats two and I eat one... So I would say the serving is for 4.

*** If you want to add more eggs... to make it a bigger casserole that will work good too... Also you could replace some of the eggs with just egg whites to make it even healthier and add more veggies and no meat.

   This is an easy breakfast to make, takes a short time to prepare the veggies and cooking time is longer so you need to think ahead.  You can also make it the night before and put it in the refrigerator over night and pop it in the oven in the morning, as I remember that is how the recipe says to do it... I find the croutons get too soggy when it sits over night, so I just make it in the morning... Gives you time to check out some blogs, do some facebook time or even pintrest time while your loved ones are snoozing.

                        Till next time.  <3 <3 <3   Marlys