what i found this week

dawn

actually, my daughter found this and we have spent the last several days drinking it like it's our jobs. it has a wonderful, spicy vanilla flavor and smell. bigelow's brand.

the last of the summer roses on my neighbor's bush.  sssshhhhhh....don't tell her i picked them.

i always use smart balance spread and now they have these new butter blends.  wonderful to bake with also.  highly recommend.

What I'm Cooking This Week- Ranger Cookies!

Tracy

Dosage: Take two, and unplug the phone.
John Deere plate optional.

Yesterday after school my youngest flopped down on a barstool at the kitchen table, propped up his elbows after an exhaustive sigh, and asked me, "Mama, you got any cookies? The from-the-oven kind? With chocolate chips and stuff?" I had to suppress a giggle because his request was sort of the five-year-old's version of "Gimme a scotch and soda on the rocks with a twist. Easy on the soda." Sometimes kindergarten can be a real butt-kicker.

Well, I heard ya, partner. Last night I didn't have all the ingredients for these magical morsels, but today after work I had to stop by the store for some almost-the-end-of-the-week staples anyway, so I was prepared for some cookie madness when we got home.

These treasures are from an old version of the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, my old reliable, checkered friend. The "Ranger Cookies" page is dog-eared and stained with vanilla. It's an oldie but a goodie. Kinda like me. The coconut adds the moist and chewy factor, and the Rice Krispies lighten the whole thing up. The M&M's are my own addition---they add a splash of color and an even bigger after-school appeal. But this ingredient can be toyed with---dark chocolate chunks can be substituted, or butterscotch chips or whatever else makes your skirt fly up!

Ranger Cookies

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 egg

1 and 1/4 cup Rice Krispies

1 cup chocolate chips (or 1/2 cup plain M&M's)

1 cup Bakers flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, beat butter for 30 seconds with electric mixer. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda and baking powder and cream together with butter for about one minute, then beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in one cup flour.

Turn off mixer and stir in remaining 1/4 cup flour by hand, then fold in cereal, coconut and M&M's (or choc chips). Drop by rounded tablespoons on a cookie sheet, about two inches apart and bake for around 8-9 minutes or until you notice the coconut browning a bit on top and around the edges.

dang tracy, these look evil...but in a good way :)   yummy-ola.

what i did this week

dawn

when it's fall, the house gets dressed for the season.  i made this wreath out of fresh eucalyptus that i bought at the farmer's market and last year's dried bittersweet.

this cute little guy also gets to come out again

i got these branches in the woods behind the house and placed them in a terra cotta pot.  heavy rocks helped to anchor and place them and the leftover dried bittersweet dresses it up.

What Keeps Me Sane and Satisfied on Weight Watchers-What I'm Munching This Week (and right this minute)

-Tracy

I first discovered WW's point system about 11 years ago. I was newly married, and my hubby and I had discovered that our cohabitation + tight work schedules + eating out nearly every night = a need for a wider, sturdier couch.

When we weren't eating out or grabbing food on the run, we were gleefully snacking before bed. Nighttime munching had always been my downfall, and now having a husband, in addition to staying up waaay past my usual bedtime to greet him each night after his bar and grill closed made me feel just so grown-up. We'd watch old reruns of Cheers or NYPD Blue while nuking some nachos made with that Cheez-Whiz stuff from a jar, or scoop up some coffee-flavored Haagen Daaz. Sure, we could've had some air-popped popcorn or carrot sticks instead, but they just didn't have the late-night, ass-building appeal of things covered in neon-orange cheese and/or butterfat.

My wake-up call came when I glanced through some photos we'd taken on our first trip to New York together right before Thanksgiving. It had been unseasonably cold, even for New York, and H, my sister-in-law, her husband and I all huddled together and walked bent against the bitter winds each day we were there. But I had worn this new, long leather jacket that I'd purchased just for the trip. It was sleek and double-breasted and I'd accessorized it with a red scarf and matching hat. If I was going to have to bundle up, by God, I was gonna do it with real NYC flair.

As I flicked through the pictures, I smiled remembering all the highlights of the trip, but I winced when I saw image after image of me in what I'd thought was my "slimming" jacket. I looked like a lifesize, overdressed version of the stuffed sausages we'd enjoyed in Little Italy. The buttons were clearly straining and the shots from behind that H took while we were looking up at the Empire State Building? You don't wanna know about those. As my gal Chrissy from the Pretenders would say , don't get me wrong. I certainly don't think being super-skinny is the only way to go, and I don't advocate one body shape or style over another. But I was bordering on unhealthy at the time and the sting of disappointment that I felt when I looked at those pictures was just the kick in the nacho-enhanced butt that I needed.

Trend-setter that she is, Dawn had already achieved success with Weight Watchers back then, so I just followed her lead and the weight came off, a bit too slowly at first. When I hit a wall, I whined to her that I didn't get it since I was staying within my daily point values. "Are you getting your water in?" she reminded me. That was it---the rest of the weight came off almost magically within a few months.

Over the years some of those pounds have crept back, so recently I turned to two old friends--
Weight Watchers and Dawn--for inspiration. Oh, and there've been some new developments in the snack world since I first joined WW; for one thing, instead of having to measure out individual servings and figuring the point value, many treats now come in individual 100-calorie packs, making it a lot easier to toss one in my purse in preparation for the 3 o'clock munchies.

Right now I'm currently loving these snacks, sweets and low-cal drinks that are helping me ensure that I'll never go out in public as a leather-bound sausage again:

100-cal packs of Sunchips

Laughing Cow Light cheese wedges (the garlic and herb are awesome)

A cup of 1% milk with a tablespoon of Hershey's light syrup

A handful of Snyders pretzels with a tablespoon of Skippy Natural peanut-butter

Gala apple slices dipped in Stoneyfield vanilla yogurt

A big mug of tea with a couple of Snackwells Lemon Creme cookies

Cherry Coke Zero

Baby carrots with hummus

South Beach Diet snack bars

Weight Watchers 1-point snack cakes---I love the lemon ones and the devil's food

Okay, Dawn--what are the little noshes that keep you going? Oh, and also, what are some foods that you simply won't give up, no matter how decadent? For me, it's really good cheese, even in salad dressing. I must have real blue cheese dressing with big chunks of the stuff mixed in, no lo-fat chalky stuff on my romaine, thank you. Oh, and I will not be restrained at all this weekend when we go out with y'all to celebrate MY BIRTHDAY! I plan to inhale all the fried oysters rockefeller at CT! You didn't want one anyway, right? Hmmm?

in looking at your snack list Trace, i have to say that nuts have been my main staple that have really kept me on track. they satisfy my hunger and keep me from hitting the cheez doodles. i have also discovered the spreadable brie that allouette puts out and it is super good with apple slices. peanut butter and apple or banana is also a favorite of mine. when i snack, i tend to stay away from any kind of sweet things or processed foods in any way just because i do better without them. i eat things that i want, i just try to eat very small portions of them. so far, it's worked and i pray that it continues to! you've done so well at keeping your weight off, Trace and you continue to inspire me to do the same. and btw, you better let me have at least one of those oyster rockefellers....i don't care if it IS your birthday!

what i saw this week:

dawn

dogs, dogs, everywhere dogs.

What I'm Cooking This Week: Saturday Sandwiches. Patchwork Squares of Childhood Memories

Tracy

This summer my kids discovered the glories of tuna salad, and I was overjoyed. (um, I don't get out much, OK?) Anyway. Considering that it's slightly more nutritious than PBJ, contains a lean protein and is something other than goldfish crackers, I was delighted to add something different to their usual Saturday lunchtime rotation.

Olivia first tasted it a couple of years ago, when she was about 4. I'd tried to get her to sample it many times, but no go. She's much more adventurous when it comes to trying new foods, so I was surprised by this. Heck, the other day at Trader Joe's, she visited the sample station for Moroccan-spiced chicken and couscous so many times I had to slink over and buy two packages just to call it even. She liked her first taste of the tuna, but even still, when given the choice of tuna or any other sandwich fixing, she inevitably chose the alternative.

But one muggy day in June, something clicked and as I was mixing up a bowl of the stuff for me and H., the kids kept dipping in spoons to taste just a little until it was nearly gone. My standard mixture for years had been just tuna packed in water, with light mayo and a little sweet pickle relish. If I was feeling extra fancy, I'd add a squeeze of lemon. The bread absolutely must not be any uppity sourdough-organic-brick-oven-baked nonsense. Only the simplest, softest white or whole wheat bread will do. And it must be toasted, just lightly.

The old standby was fine, but lately I've been recalling the tuna sandwiches of my childhood, often made on Saturday afternoons or summer weekdays after my mom and I rushed to get household chores done so we could watch our "stories" at 12:30. Those sandwiches were different- - richer and somehow more satisfying. Or maybe it was just that they were served with Ruffles potato chips and a glass of REAL Pepsi. During the first commercial break we'd often trot back to the pantry to fetch a Little Debbie's oatmeal creme pie. Hmmm. . .it's becoming more clear why I was in the Husky pants by fifth grade.

Recently I saw an article that touted the return of tuna packed in higher-quality oil and how it was more flavorful and even a tad healthier than water-packed. Eureka! That had to be it. I bought a couple of cans of an Italian variety called Genova, packed in olive oil. The resulting tuna salad was immediately better, but there was still something missing. I asked my dad--what made that tuna salad so special? Was it just because Mama made it, or did she have some secret? He said, "Try a hard-boiled egg. She put them in every other kinda salad, so I bet she used 'em in tuna too. "

That was it- - the egg, combined with the other ingredients including the oil-enhanced tuna, gave my old mixture a silky, lucscious new life. Once again I was transported to my parent's breakfast nook, sitting on a swivel barstool next to my mom, with one eye on the huge console TV in the next room, watching to see if Victor was going to come back after his faked death and marry Nikky, who was by now pregnant with her ex-stepson's child. Good times.

At my house we all have our favorite ways of chipping away at the big tub of tuna salad after it's made. H enjoys it spread on Triscuits. The kids, like me, stick with the tried-and-true and devour it on toasted bread. I like to think that they're building their own new memories of kitchen comforts.

Real Simple magazine has recently given me some new sandwich ideas: grilled cheese with bacon and sliced apple, peanut butter on toast with thin apple slices and a drizzle of honey, toast with melted brie and sliced pear. I can't wait to try them all. But can they tangle with the tuna? It's a fall experiment I'm willing to tackle. H

Hey Dawn! What's your favorite sandwich memory?

we used to stick potato sticks straight up into our tuna fish sandwiches so they looked like porcupines. a challenge to eat, but once you got a bite, it was worth it.

what i'm seeing this week

dawn

the firsts of fall:  

these lovely muscadine grapes were the sweetest i've ever had.  not only do they taste great, but their scent is heavenly too.  

What I'm Cooking This Week-Menu Musings for a Short Week

Tracy

Monday- -already long gone! I ended up making a double batch of meat sauce for spaghetti as our final dinner with my dad before he headed back home this morning. I froze 1/2 of the sauce for a future lasagna. We also had a tossed salad and garlic bread with Trader Joe's cherry pie for dessert.

Hey Dawn! Next time you're at Trader Joe's, check out their "Half Caff" coffee- - it's a whole-bean blend of decaf and French roast and it's a great compromise if you need a little lift in the evening but you don't want to rock your socks so late in the day. Perfect for after dinner. You know, when you're eating PIE! Or even when you're not.

i will probably jinx this, but i am one of those rarities that drink straight leaded rocket fuel up until 11:30pm and sleep like a baby.  don't hate....but i do always get my coffee from tj's.  it's the best.

Tuesday- -Tonight it's pinto beans with diced onions from the crockpot, salad and Garden of Eatin' organic tortilla chips with guacamole. I like to spike my pintos with a dash of Cholula hot sauce and sour cream.

Wednesday - meeting my MIL for dinner, probably at a soup n' salad place or Chinese.

Thursday - chicken pot pie, sugar snap peas

Friday - burritos made with taco-seasoned ground turkey and the leftover pintos. Wow--another reason I wish it was Friday! We love Mexican at Casa Koo-Koo.

my old-fashioned finds i got while on vacation :
dawn


vintage tablecloths for extremely cheap prices



hand painted russian thimbles. every household has them....a sign of good luck




vintage candlestick holders from denmark...a true find

What I'll Most Likely Be Cooking WITH This Week

Tracy

You know that cool segment in the beginning of the movie Fight Club when the main character shows the contents of his fridge and it's like all condiments and virtually no staples? That's almost the sitchiation midweek here at Chez Crazy. Oh, and don't you hate it when you suddenly wake up and Brad Pitt is making soap in your kitchen, but then later you realize that Brad is really YOU? Just kidding- - -or AM I?

Although we're doing OK on milk, OJ and other items of basic nutritional value, I did a quick inventory of the various little bottles and jars of add-ons and that are weighing down the fridge door, making the hinges work harder every day. Here we go:

Econo-size squeeze bottle of Heinz ketchup, one of a two-pack from Costco
Grainy brown mustard
Yellow mustard
Honey mustard
Dijon mustard (OMG with the mustard!)
Low-fat ranch dressing
Newman's balsamic dressing
Naturally Fresh raspberry dressing
Hellman's light mayo
Thai peanut sauce
Thai sweet chili sauce
Thai hot chili oil
Land O Lakes light butter
Jar of minced garlic
Raspberry jam
Peach preserves
Squeezable grape jam
Apricot-jalapeno chutney (great on turkey sandwiches)
Low-fat sour cream
Cholula hot sauce
Green Tobasco
Green Mountain Gringo salsa

Whew! Now, for some of the other main characters that are kickin' around the fridge/freezer and also the warmer climate of the cabinets. These are a few things that I've realized I absolutely must have on hand at all times in order to fulfill everyone's daily dreams around here.
Triscuits -Himself the Husband eats them with practically everything
Pepper-jack cheese- A must for grown-up wraps and sandwiches
Little individual packs of Snyder's cheese pretzel sandwiches- there are days when my youngest practically survives on them
Goldfish crackers - See above. But I like 'em too- - they're awesome with an ice-cold glass of milk, I kid you not!
Red seedless grapes
Cups of cinnamon applesauce

Cups of Stonyfield Farm vanilla yogurt
Gala apples
Bananas
100-cal packs of Sunchips
Laughing Cow cheese wedges (great with the Triscuits and red grapes)
Skippy Natural peanut butter
Dunkin' Donuts coffee
Breyer's Light vanilla ice cream

What about you, Dawn? What are the must-haves that keep y'all alive? I bet I can guess one of 'em! I'm sure PBK is quite healthy, but how much peanut butter is TOO much??

for us, it's really all about the coffee, half and half and of course the peanut butter. the trick is trying to keep the peanut butter in stock. i've been getting our coffee at trader joe's lately and not only is it great coffee, but it's at a great price as well. also, we're big on every kind of cheese including laughing cow, lo carb tortillas, almonds, plain yogurt (stonyfield is so great), eggs, a rotisserie chicken, romaine and whatever fruit is in season at that particular time.

i will not say anything to you about the hellman's light mayo you have in your fridge except ew and how could you forsake duke's mayo? and you call yourself a southern girl? the nerve.....!


Tracy -
In my defense, I was a longtime Duke's girl, even though I grew up on (gasp) KRAFT mayo! Lately I just grab whatever's on special, so I guess Hellman's must've been a 1/2 cent lower at our local bright, shiny overpriced store. You know, the one that rhymes with "Paris Greeter" (I'd use YOUR term for it, but I'm trying to keep our little blog family-friendly. Ahem.)