Weigh-In

No poundage lost or gained this or last week to be able to report in on.

Good: no poundage gained and no over eating.

Bad: no exercise last week while the hubs was here unless you count a quickie under the sheets. HA! Didn't think I'd go there, did you?! Well, it was either that or showing you a before picture I decided to take in a bikini from back when to keep myself motivated. Trust me, you got the nicer end of the deal.


Started again this week, visiting with my new nemisis Jillian Michaels.  Bitch was right, even after a couple short weeks, my cardio shape is noticeably different to me. 

How are you others doing?  Come on, fess up...

Ramiken Chicken Pot Pies

I've never made pot pie before and this wasn't as creamy (gravy-like in the pie itself) as I generally like but that's because I wasn't paying attention and had a little wine (or 3)! However, it was yummy and so I'm posting it.
First, I decided to use my ramikens. I have these, I use them mostly for my individual fruit crisps, but decided that if I used them for pot pies, I could freeze the extras and make the left over roast chicken I had last even longer.  So that's what I did.

INGREDIENTS:
spray butter                                                   1 1/2 tsp chicken buillion (or one cube)
1 Tbsp. paprika                                            1 Tbsp. savory seasoning blend
salt & pepper                                        1 Tbsp. flour
2 - 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken                      2 large carrots, chopped
1/3 large onion, diced                                    3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup peas                                              3 small to medium potatos, cut into small cubes
1 box (32 oz) chicken broth (or stock)          1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese                   1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 box pre-made pie crust (cotains 2 crusts), unrolled and each cut into quarters

DIRECTIONS:
1. Sautee onions and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes on high heat.   Add carrots and reduce heat to medium high. Cook about 3 more minutes.
2. Add potatoes, chicken broth, savory seasoning, paprika, chicken buillion, salt and pepper. Stir, cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Add peas and chicken, cover and cook 5 more minutes or until potatoes are done. (You may reduce heat if necessary but stop cooking before potatoes lose all firmness. You are baking them so you want a little firm left.) 

Houston? We have a problem.

Thank you, Govenor. Problem solved.

3. Using a slotted spoon, pull all the veggies and chicken out of the pot and put aside in a larger bowl. Save broth in the pot, leave on medium heat. Add parmesan cheese and stir to let it melt in add more salt and pepper. (You can see both pot and bowl in this photo.)

4.  Ladle out about 1 cup of liquid into a small bowl or a cup.  Whisk flour into cup of broth until it has dissolved, set aside.
5. Add milk to the broth in the pot.  Add flour/broth mixture back to the broth in pot.  Stir to combine. Reduce heat and cook uncovered for 5 minutes.  Broth will thicken slightly. You can do whatever you need/want at this point to make this more gravy like or you can leave this as is. I'm sure using less than 32 oz of broth would help it thicken, also.

6. Remove from heat, pour over chicken and veggies. 

Stir and then ladle mixture into each ramiken.
7. Once the ramikens are full, take a piece of pie crust and put it over the top.  Seal the crust around the edge of the ramiken. I just cut off excess crust if I had it but if you don't want to do that, you don't have to. Spray tops of crusts lightly with spray butter and poke some holes in the tops to let steam escape.

8. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes.  When crust is done, pie is done.

(Note, this method works wtih just about any meat and veggie pairing and because it's a ramiken, you can make one at a time if you wanted in your toaster oven, even, using deli meat and canned or frozen veggies.)

Enjoy! Beck

How do you plead?

"I plead, guilty, your honor."

That's all I can say. The hubs was home last week for the week. I was off work for the week. It was going to be nice. No work, just emptying some more moving boxes (I'm on the 6 months to unpack plan) and work on quilting projects. Monday or Tuesday I was to send out the giveaway prizes.

Here's what I accomplished for your viewing pleasure.







Yeah, no pictures, there's nothig wrong with your computer. I didn't get anything done. Well, one thing. I've designed a new quilt at The Hubs request.

The purpose of this quilt, is as a thank you gift to Ronnie Smith and Suzanna Love of Ronnie Smith Kennels for their expertise and training of our dog Jo-Jo. The training was an invaluable gift of their time to enable Mike and I to get Jo-Jo hunt ready for the wounded warrior hunts we got him to participate in.   I started with this:


I decided to see what it would look like with embroidery.  What do you think? The second one with the embroidery is better, isn't it? I like the idea of 4 huntsmen, surrounded by various dog breeds they work with and upland game birds surrounding those.  The photo is just stock embroidery pictures on EQ6 but I would find specific ones for this project.

I wonder, is there anyone out there who does embroidery that I can pay you to do this portion for me? I'd send the fabric to embroider upon and pay you for thread, design and time. Anyone? Email me if possible. My embroidery skills are not up to task - not enough practice with my machine and I am fearful... maybe I just need to get lessons but we want to get this out before Christmas and I'm just too realistic enough to think I can get it to the level I'd like before then.

Of course, there is a third alternative, find fabric "scenes" for those tan blocks instead of embroidery.

What do you think? Inquiring minds want to know.

For the two giveaway winners, please forgive me. I promise you, your prizes are hitting the mail tomorrow (thank goodness they weren't Halloween or fall decor!)

I hope everyone is having a great day!

Cheers, Beck

Fall Into Fall Giveaway Winners

The giveaway started simple enough. I was celebrating 200 posts, and wanted to have a giveaway. The Fall Into Fall event was being hosted by Quilting with Debi simultaneously so I decided to give away two prizes. I opted for some holiday fun because, well, everyone is so busy planning the holiday and working on gifts for each other, we often forget ourselves or our own homes for decorating.

The choices an original post are linked here.

Many thanks to Quilting with Debi for her UNBELIEVABLE organization in this event. I kid you not, if I need to coordinate anything in the future, I'm calling that woman up and paying her chunk of change (or maybe in yardage) for her expertise.  I'm amazed.

Also, thank you so much to everyone who came by and to those of you who chose to become followers.  I thought I'd get a couple, maybe 5 new followers but am flattered more  of you thought I was interesting enough to stay.  Thank you.  What?  oh, you didn't think I was interesting? Oh.  Hmm? Okay, I can live with you thinking I was crazy, goofy and just plan spastic enough to stick around for a bit.  Just wait until tomorrow's post... you'll regret it then. HA! -wink-

Alright, alright, enough with the lovey-dovey stuff (there's a new one for you Ms. P.)  on to the winners!

The first winner chosen by random.org for a number one through one hundred and forty-five is:
82 LethargicLass said...
The dish dryer is quite ingenius :) So that is my first choice, and the table runner second... thanks!
Katy
Katy you win the drying mat.

The second winner, chosen by random.org is (and proof the bonus entries can pay off!):
21 - Irina said... I'm your follower too!
I'll remind you of my choices: 1st, reversible mat, 2nd candle mat
Irina, you win the candle mat.


CONGRATULATIONS Katy and Irina, I hope you really like your prizes!
Please send your address to me in an email (I'll email you seperately as well) and I'll get the prizes out first thing next week.

Thanks again, everyone, for so much fun! I've counting my new blessings.

Cheers! Beck

What do you want to do?

First, administrative requirements:
1) If you are here for the giveaway, please follow this link. If you haven't entered, you still have time, it runs until the 15th.)
2) It's weigh-in wednesday.  I link over here to report along with my reporting here.  I've only lost 2 lbs. but I'm not discouraged. It's a certain time where a loss (even a small one) is well received. I suspect next week will be better but we'll see.  Oh, and I'm not really sore anymore but do tire easily. Clearly, I need to rework my diet to get the right mix of proteins, carbs and sugars for energy with these workouts. Again, given the timing, it may just be this week but we'll see and if I don't fix it on my own, well, I have a dietician as a sister in law! I'm sure she'll have some recommendations.
3) Ms. P.  I cannot email you, they all bounce back. I cannot Skype until the 20th when my new minutes start for my internet usage.  Drop me a line and check in, would ya? I miss my friend and that's all I say here on this post. -wink-

Now, onto my question in the title. Ms. P and I started chatting about quilt alongs and I think I'd like to host one. Don't stress, it will not be until next year, after the holidays. It will give us all a chance to wind down from the year and gear up for fun next year.  That said, I designed 3 quilt tops yesterday with EQ6 and I am thinking I will do a trial run of the top prior to hosting the quilt-along so I can provide assistance. 

So, your votes are needed. In your comments please answer the following:
1) Are you interested and willing to try some paper-piecing (I promise to give instructions and guidance)?
2) Should we have this begin in Jan., Feb. or March?  (I am personally leaning toward Feb or March but don't let that sway you! lol)
3) Choose one option below for the style. (Maybe if this works out we can do the other ones later on.) All measure to 50" x 50" w/out the borders, 54x54 w/borders.

OPTION 1 (traditional piecing with only 4 paper-pieced blocks.)

OPTION 2 (Lonestar & 4 paper-pieced blocks. I think the star will be more difficult to handle than the paperpiecing for most.)

OPTION 3 (All paper-piecing but the same block repeated and a simple block at that. Color schemes are endless for this one.)

So, what do you think?  I won't be insulted if you aren't interested, I promise. I will just go cry in the corner.

Adios!
Beck