MEXICAN CASSEROLE
Makes 8 Servings @ 5 points per serving
Ingredients
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
28 oz Can of Enchilada Sauce (such as Las Palmas)
4 oz Can of Diced Mild Green Chiles
2.25 Oz Can of sliced Olives
1 White onion chopped
14.5 oz can of stewed Mexican Style Tomatoes
12 Corn 6 inch Tortillas
1 cup 2% Mexican Mix of Cheese (or other reduced fat version)
Directions
1. Bake Chicken in a foil wrap at 375 degrees with the stewed tomatoes for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
2. Remove tomatoes from the chicken bake and chop. Place chicken in a large bowl and shred using two forks.
3. Add tomatoes back to the chicken. Add in remaining ingredients and mix well.
4. Layer bottom of 13 X 9 inch casserole baking dish with six Corn Tortillas (making sure the bottom is completely covered)
5. Spread about half the chicken mixture over the tortillas. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese cheese.
6. Repeat process of corn tortillas then mixture with 1/2 cup cheese on top.
7.Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Slice, serve and scarf.
Taco soup
serves approx 12 - 4pts per serving.
definetly tastes better the 2nd day!!
1 lb hamburger browned
1/2 onion chopped and cooked with meat
1 28 oz can diced tomatos
1 14 oz can corn
1 14 oz can red kidney beans
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can tomato soup
6 c water (less or more depending on how thick you like soup)
salt & pepper
after the meat/onions are cooked add everything else in and simmer for 20 mins on med. heat. Serve with grated cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.. add the extra points for cheese and chips though...
1/8 cup cheddar cheese = 1.5 points, and 8 baked corn tortilla chips =2 points
-- This is another of our family FAV'S!!!!
SPICY CHICKEN SALAD
4 serving...... 3pts per
Ingredients
4, 4 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg. Taco seasoning or Fajita seasoning
salad ingredients (whatever you like)
Directions
1. Place chicken breasts into a skillet, lightly sprayed with No-stick spray.
2. Mix seasoning packet with double the water on package directions and pour over chicken.
3. Bring to boil and let simmer for about 15 minutes, turning chicken once. Sauce will thicken as it cools.
4. 1 breast per salad, spooning 1/4 of the sauce... top with your fav's.
** this is one of my favorites, i eat it all the time! play with it too by adding diced tomato´s, green onion, salsa, and use lowfat yogurt in place of sour cream. another quick easy thats delish!
Sassy! Those sound wonderful, I shall try at least one of them this week! I really need some new taste sensations.
What a lovely day it was here in New Hampshire. I went out in our paddle boat and peddled for 20 minutes and went all around our lake. I could lean over the side and see a few large bass swimming amongst the rocks. It was peaceful and I felt good to be getting exercise and taking in the lake, mountains, sky and clouds. I drove home from the lake and on the way home, I drove by a backpacker who was walking along the side of the road. But, he had a huge sign that stuck up over his head while he was walking along that said "LOVE LIFE". I smiled and thought that was a great message for us all to think about.
We're here day after day and trying to accomplish something that we consider is quite important. But, we need to enjoy this journey!
So, for today, I love life and am glad to be here with you all. I am glad to have some new recipes (thanks Sassy) and be in a position to do something about my problem.
So, with that, LOVE LIFE!
I haven't had time to read over the past week's posts but will later on. I promise. My previous WI (Friday 8th) went amazing -- 4lbs lost!
Needless to say I was estatic. Then all **** broke loose. We left that afternoon to go visit MIL for the weekend and did pretty well during our stay. We left Monday (11th) to come home and on our way back (approx. half way) got a call from my MIL's best friend -- she was taken into hospice and given only a few days to live. My MIL has been battling breast cancer (which spread like wild fire to her lungs, bones and brain) since Jan '06. We basically turned around and headed back... spent all of Tuesday (12th) with her and she passed away early last Wednesday morning.
Since then I have been way(!!!) off plan... and imagine I've gained back at least those 4lbs I lost at my previous WI. I'm heading in to a meeting tomorrow, and will get my rear back in gear. I know she would want me to do this for myself. She battled with her weight most of her life and we had discussed her doing a modified WW from home just days before she died. She certainly wouldn't want her passing to give me an excuse to gain back the weight I've already lost.
Anyways, I'll post tomorrow with the results from my WI... I hope you are all having a better week than I am. Take care, best wishes.
Mac, I am so sorry about your MIL. I hate cancer, it seems such an evil thing. My dad died from bone cancer and that was when I put all my weight back on again, It was my way of self medicating.
Interestingly enough. the topic of yesterday's WW meeting touched upon this a bit. It was talking about how you need to face what is bothering you head on vs. eating. I have had two times in my life where I put back on all my weight, once after 9/11 and the other time during my dad's illness and then when my mom passed away very suddenly, 4 months after dad passed on.
It was like a green light switched on in my head, telling me to eat. I hit the doughnut shops and was really out of control.
To this day, I cannot eat doughnuts without losing control... it's my "thing" and we all have those trigger foods that we must stay away from.
So, I sympathize. This is a time to grieve and to deal with this important issue in your life. All the rest will fall into place later on. Give yourself the gift of time and forgiveness.
As for me, I had a loss of 1.6 at my meeting yesterday. It was such a relief as I have gone for three weeks without a loss of any kind. I worked very hard for that loss. I hope to keep up the losses and break this plateau I've been on. This loss put me where I was in late April again. I had a gain a week or so after that and then plateaued for awhile. So, let's see if I can finally get moving in the right direction again!
One other thing, Sassy, I printed your recipes and have been so busy this week that I haven't had time to try them. But, I want to!!! Can't wait!
This is about my busiest week of the year, as I am co-chair of a festival at my church this weekend. We are very short handed and I am quite unhappy (forgive me, God!) with my fellow church people who are not stepping up to the plate as far as volunteering to help.
I think people have a "someone else will do it" attitude nowadays. I am really amazed at how complacent and lazy our society can be at times. By the way, wouldn't you all think that laziness = being FAT???? So, they should get themselves motivated and moving!!!!
Well, off I go again.
Macdeez I am so sorry about your MIL. Must be a very tough time on the family. I lost my dad a number of years ago, but it doesn't seem that long ago.
You are being incredibly strong for going through this and PLUS watching what you are eating. You have to be an emotional rock for everyone and believe me stuffing the pie hole is the EASY part...watching what goes in is the HARD part! One day at a time. If you can't watch what you are eating -- promise yourself that you will drink ALL your water every day! Makes a big difference.
To the rest of you....carry on... ha ha.. Kidding! Miss chatting to you all! It's been busy at work and wait for this girls.... ELAN IS DATING! Yes, yes, you heard me right! I am getting OUT THERE! ok so it's been 25 pounds since last May, but BOY does that make a difference! I'm hovering around the 189-186 mark (which is totally my fault). I am having a hard time drinking my water, so I have to kick myself in the butt and get drinking!
Let me know how you are all doing! You all inspire me so much and I really learn so much from you all! Keep those recipes coming!!!!!!!!!! I have made out my grocery list to try some more!
Macdeez, take care of yourself, too! These stressful times often cause us to take care of everyone else first. I'd give you a nice, big salad and hug if I were there! Sorry you have to do it for me!
Linda, sometimes Church folks are the world's worst volunteers. It amazes me how much kissing and cajoling it takes to get a little bit of almost nothing out of them and then you have to thank them and acknowledge them to God and everyone forever and ever if you ever want their help again. Fun, isn't it? I feel for you, kid! Thank YOU for taking this festival on!
I did it!!! After a stressed-out day, which was preceded by a stressed-out couple of weeks, I joined Curves last night and did my first workout at 5:30 this morning! I broke a sweat and realized that all this fat is not covering a physically fit body (funny, the images I try to fool myself with). Somehow, I got the notion in my head that losing weight would magically return my body to its formerly fit self with no more exercise than chopping up a few veggie and a few semi-leisurely strolls around the block... I feel great after that workout, though. It reminds me why I used to be a gym regular and makes me wonder why I ever stopped?!?
And, yes, I had a uniboob...
I have to look dynamite in a strapless wedding dress (no uniboob for this one)! For better or worse, I have to start looking for said dress in October if I plan to follow the six-months-before-the-wedding schedule or Martha Stewart and I will both be very upset!
Elan! Dating?!!!
Great news, you will show your X that you were a true LOSS, won't you? Great news. I hope this is a nice guy who will be good to you.
Lafayette, you are SO right about people not volunteering. We have some church members who "tigh" (is that how it's spelled, I forget, but it means give 10% of their income, something I can't afford to do and I respect) but by doing this, I think they feel it totally justifies them to not help out when the church has an event or something like that. BUT, I get lots more from helping during times like this than the church gets from me. I find friends and fellowship. Those who do come forward endear themselves to me and I to them. We become "sisters and brothers" and learn to love each other, there is no dollar sign in the world you can place upon that kind of value.
Lafayette, no matter what you will look just fabulous for that wedding! When you fit your dress, I would tell you to buy it to fit your size at the moment and then you can have it altered if it doesn't fit. Go with October and be proud of what you have lost. Don't go with so tight you cannot breath, either, have the best possible fit you can get for the size you are. Then, God forbid, if you have a plateau, you will not be in trouble. I have known people to buy a dress a size too small in hopes of losing weight and I think that is a very scary practice. Personally, with what weight I have lost so far, I have not lost a clothing size. My clothes fit better and look better on my and my pants and jeans are longer on me as less weight is making them shorter, but the size is still the same size. I may never change sizes???? I don't know, but I am glad for what I have lost.
So glad you joined Curves and good luck!
I totally enjoyed my visit to the gym yesterday. I left there feeling happy and energized. Though, I am sad to say that today I feel like I am coming down with the same cold/virus that my son has had for the last week. I am determined to not let it get in the way of my weight loss. Chicken soup is a core food after all!
Good luck with the chicken soup! And the volunteers- you're so right about the return you get from volunteering! I'm addicted to it and I'm always running off to the next project, even though I work fulltime (plus some!) at a nonprofit.
I had forgotten about the first day rush and resulting hunger. Holy cow, I ate breakfast like someone would try to take it from me, walked several blocks and got a personal thin crust pizza- then wolfed the rusty iceberg lettuce side salad that came with it. At least I'm finally full- for now!
Hi!
I took two naps today (morning and afternoon) and I am still not 100%, but about 80%. I hope tomorrow and the next day I am well as this festival is going to really need my energy. But, that is no excuse to overeat for sure.
Lafayette, I get the magazine Sew News as I do lots of sewing and it just happens that I was browsing through the June/July issue while having lunch and it is all about weddings this time. Thinking of you, I read it with more interest than I would usually have (I have no one in my life planning a wedding). I then wondered if you might decide to have a dress made? It would be special and it could be made to fit you and the side seams left for later? Just a thought. My daughter (16) thinks I should make her wedding dress if/when she marries one day. I don't know as I worry about deadlines and what if I blew it? It's too important with my meager skills, I think, but there are "professionals" out there who are used to doing this and do it well.
Just a thought.
As for me, I am still feeling lousy and didn't get nearly as much done as I would have liked today. Oh well.
Thank you for thinking of me! How neat! I am looking into having a wedding dress made. Because I haven't tried anything on yet, I will wait until I have a better idea of what I want. I have a good friend whose mother is a magician with fabric. Plus, she is a sweetheart and will make the entire experience enjoyable as opposed to a big bridal chain.
Great story- I stopped in a smaller bridal store with my mom who, as a Catholic school survivor, has spent her entire life wearing navy, black and tan- not all at once, mind you. That would be far too loud.
Anyway, my darling mom decided she wanted her mother of the bride dress to be an actual color- pink, no less!- but the lady at the bridal store kept steering her toward beige. Finally, she spoke up (rare event in public) and told the sales lady, "Look, I don't want beige. I want pink." The saleslady haughtily replied, "It's not beige. It's champagne."
We left (politely, of course) and my mom is having her pink dress custom-tailored and handmade. I told her it should cost more than mine, especially if the nuns would not approve!
If you've ever read the poem, "When I am an old lady, I shall wear purple," you can appreciate that I gave her a handmade card for mother's day that said "When I am an old lady, I shall DRINK- not wear- champagne!"
What a cute card you made! Great idea.
By the way, Sew News can be found at places like Jo-Ann Fabric stores (might be near you?) or even at Barnes and Noble if you want to look over that issue. There was a two page spread just on petticoats. They had lots of ideas for favors and gifts as well as hand made veils and head pieces for attendants and flower girls.
One woman who does sew that got married said she ordered extra fabric from the bridesmaid's dresses and made matching ties for the ushers and purses for her bridesmaids, sounds cute. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all the tips, even if I am not doing anything at present.
Also, you can browse through patterns on all the major pattern companies on line like Simplicity, Burda, Vogue, Butterick. If you get on Jo Ann's mailing list you get 40% off coupons each month in the mail and then you could take advantage of some really great prices on the fabric and saver yourself a goodly amount of money.
Have fun and goodnight!
You guys make me sick..... (kidding!) ha ha...thought that would get you! Wedding dresses, curves, all that good stuff!
I skipped my blind date tonight (and yes.....another one!).....he wanted me to go out tomorrow but I am getting the cat shaved (and yes, I have a cat that needs to be shaved). So while I am leaving a message on his cell phone my co-worker whispers....tell him you are getting your (insert another *cat* word here) shaved. DURING this message that I am attempting to leave I burst out into the giggles so badly that the tears are rolling down my face.....(as co-worker again leans over and says.... "You're not lying"). I don't know about this dating thing...I am so scared and so exhilarated at the same time.
Ahhhh.....friends. She has been most supportive in my weight loss efforts (she herself has lost over 100 pounds....incredible I tell you!).
Pat yourselves on the back for doing all this... (oh and someone asked about spelling TITHE)... Sewing, I'm into quilting but the outside has taken my attention away from my machine! I'll write more later...meantime I'm off to get groceries (all those GOOD things that I can reach quickly and are good "snacking" items).
Elan, so will you be going out with this guy another time?
I would totally love to see a photo of a cat that needs shaving, sounds odd!
I'm still sick and have to be working at the church almost all day. I think it will cover me as far as my activity points for the day, I guess? I wish I could be home and napping, but I made a commitment and that is that.
I hope to bring a lunch along or pick up a salad someplace, so I am not tempted to lose control.
I'm very good at staying on program when I eat at home, but when I am out is when I lose control.
