Da 'bug's blog

Turkey prep 101

2010-01-05T00:08:00.000-08:00

Thawing Instructions:
Leave turkey in original bag and use one of the following methods:

No Hurry:
Thaw 2 to 4 days in the refrigerator (approx. 4 hours per pound.
Faster:
Cover turkey with cold water. Thaw 4-12 hours changing water frequently (approx. 1/2 hour per pound)

Roasting Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove the neck and giblets from the body and neck cavities. Rinse turkey with cold water then pat dry with paper towels. If desired, loosely fill body and neck cavities with stuffing, then reset legs in oven able clamp. Place turkey in roasting pan with tender timer gauge unobstructed (where applicable).
Cover with lid or aluminum foil. Remove cover during last half hour for final browning and to allow frequent checking on timer. When the turkey is done, the center of the timer pops out. Let stand 15 minutes before carving.
Remove clamp and timer and serve as you wish...enjoy!

Russian Tea Cakes

2010-01-04T20:12:00.000-08:00

Yield:
Approx. 2 dozen cookies

1/2 lbs. soft butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined.
Scoop or spoon one tablespoon of dough into a ball. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the cookies until the bottoms are light golden and the cookie is set.
Immediately out of the oven, roll the cookies in powdered sugar and set on a cooling rack. When cool, roll the cookies in powdered sugar again.

One addiction for another.

2010-01-04T19:08:00.000-08:00

I have discovered sadly, that I have traded one addiction, food for a different addiction, overspending.
If I go for more than a few days without spending money I don't have, I feel very strange. When I want WANT not NEED, WANT something I go out and get it no matter how far in debt I am already. I have no credit on any of my cards, I have a house full of stuff that I don't even use on a regular basis, I buy things I ALREADY HAVE!!! It is getting really ridiculous but telling someone I have an overspending or a shopping addiction is to me, like telling someone I have a sex addiction. It seems dumb! Shoppers Anonymous, please!! Give me a break.
So, now that I have come to terms, I need to give myself an intervention. I think I am going to cut up most of my cards so they are more difficult to use. I realize that cutting up the cards does not keep me from charging on them, but maybe the time it takes to work around the missing card, may be just what it takes to assist me in fixing my problem.
On a lighter note, and a better one, I WENT SHOPPING today and found out I now wear a size 9 pants. I have went from being a 'woman' to a 'junior'! I hate the way large women are referred to!!! 'Junior' sounds so cute and attractive, 'woman' or 'women's sizes' sounds like you have been around the block a few times and you need your tires rotated.
There is no reason why the neckline of an obese woman has to be so low and suggestive!! Just because larger women have big titties doesn't mean every one of us wants to show them to everyone!! It's like the fashion designers want you to say "I'm fat, so I am less smart than small women so here, look at my big tits to take your mind off my triple chins!" It infuriates me!!!

Make every moment count!

Da 'Bug

Stranger on a T

2009-11-24T00:09:00.000-08:00

Tonight I saw someone on the T whose beauty was so breathtaking I missed my stop! Tall, model thin, buzz haircut close to the scalp (not bald, just very short all around such as the main character in Prison Break) he carried a hiker's backpak. Perfectly manicured fingers that had perhaps turned pages of books, but never a wrench. Clear skin, distinctive eyes...oh the eyes! My memory of him is already fading and I hate it!! He very easily could have been a Ralph Lauren model.

I thought later about how perhaps he was coming home to Boston for a visit, just landing in Boston from New York City.

The moment had to be shared as I have never missed a stop on the subway due to the beauty of another human being, what lives we lead!

Make every moment count!

Sugarbug

Six degrees of Facebook

2009-11-23T23:48:00.000-08:00

Since Facebook does have an app named 'Six Degrees' I am not going to try and act as if I am the first person who has thought of this, but....
I thought it was an interesting topic nonetheless. It could be that the theory of "6 degrees of separation" could end up being proven by this networking website group that my son, my mother and I (though we run in completely different circles) are members of.
The theory also known as the "human web" refers to the idea that if a person is 1 step away from each person they know and 2 steps away from each person who is known by one of the people they know, then everyone is at most, 6 steps away from any other person on earth! This is amazing to me.

With Facebook I have found friends from my elementary school and high school days, I have kept relationships going with co-worker/friends who have went on to different jobs in different cities and states.

In a time where there is so much stress it is quite a relief to have what could be considered "Gen X tea time". When I go to Facebook and play the games they offer with my REAL friends as co-gamers and leave short messages checking in with everyone, it keeps me abreast of what is going on in their life. It teaches me to be more caring in some ways, to remember that it isn't all about ME all the time. By making contact with certain friends they have been able to update me and get me in contact with other friends that I had when I was growing up, same with my friends at work. I am very happy to be a member and am truly amazed at the "six degrees of Facebook".

Make every moment count,

Sugarbug

Love....love will keep us together!!

2009-11-23T23:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I caught my turtles Yoda and Yogurt in a tender moment and HAD to shoot it! They looked so cute.

Make every moment count!

Sugarbug

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2009-11-23T22:54:00.000-08:00

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday!

BERRY PEACH COBBLER

3 (6 ounce) packages fresh blueberries
3 (5 ounce) packages fresh blackberries
3 Med. peaches peeled and sliced
Cooking spray
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 and 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
______________________________

Topping:

4.5 ounces all purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
6 tbsp chilled butter cut into small pieces
1/2 cup half and half (cream)
1/3 cup sliced almonds
3 tbsp 'sugar in the raw' also known as turbinado sugar
1 tbsp egg white
____________________________________

4 cups fat free ice cream

_____________________________________

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. To prepare filling, combine berries and peaches in a 13X9 baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle 2/3 cup sugar, 2 and 1/2 tbsp cornstarch, lemon juice, and 1/8 tsp salt over fruit, toss gently to combine.

3. To prepare topping, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, level with knife. Combine flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tbsp cornstarch, baking powder, and1/8 tsp salt stirring well. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles course meal.
Add half and half, gently knead dough just until moistened. Drop dough by spoonfuls evenly over top of filling.

4.Combine almonds, turbinado sugar, and egg white; sprinkle over top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until topping is brown. Let stand 10 minutes or until you just can't wait anymore (haha) and serve with ice cream.

This recipe is a whole lot more drawn out than my mom's cobbler recipe which was fantastic, but maybe it is worth the trouble... give it a try!

Make every moment count!

Sugarbug

In The Zone!

2009-10-21T06:58:00.000-07:00

Since I have been doing an hour on the "dread"mill at the gym lately, I have noticed an hour goes by much faster with a good imagination!
When I was in high school I was in a marching band. We went from a little tiny town in Arizona to Magic Mountain in California!
Our drum major was the best of the best. He took the pride we all felt and made sure everyone that saw us coming knew all about us!
At 4 MPH on an incline with my headphones in, I imagine I am that drum major. I watch my steps, I keep the beat, I move my arm with great fervor. While I can't be quite as animated as my high school counterpart was, I am in my mind.
On other days I am on a hike in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. I imagine the clear air, the bald eagles, the other wildlife and all those boats of different sizes.
Granted, some days it is harder than others to get into this frame of mind, where you are not looking at the clock on the machine and thinking how it must be broken, there's NO WAY a minute can take that long! But, a great imagination helps me through!

Make every moment count~!

Sugarbug

The Memory Walk 2009

2009-09-29T06:02:00.000-07:00

The Memory Walk was a complete success! I made it the entire 3.5 miles. I know it may sound minuscule to many of you, but to someone who at her highest weight was 280 pounds, a 3.5 mile walk completion is pretty great.
Included here are some photos of that gloomy, rainy, wonderful glorious day! The Governor Deval Patrick was there with his wife and their daughter. The Governor's wife's mother died of Alzheimer's disease which caused their daughter to independently look for a way in which they could support the Alzheimer's Association and she became a team captain for the walk.
I did the walk in loving memory of a close family friend's mother, her name was Marie who died of the disease.
There were lots of sponsors and media partners there including Legal Seafoods who promised the walkers a cup of chowder when we returned, it really...really hit the spot when I finished!
With the help of friends and family I raised $150.00 this year, which was great! I plan on doing the walk again next year and to beat this year's donations by 1 million dollars!!!!

Make EVERY moment count!

Sugarbug

No Bake Cheesecake!!

2009-09-22T05:50:00.000-07:00

I am sharing this well known recipe because it is my all time favorite and I will be making it today for a friend as a 'thank you' for inviting me to dinner about a week ago.
This was first found on the Philadelphia Cream Cheese packages, at least that is where my family found it first, but here's a tip... it tastes just as good with the store brand cream cheese!! (Sorry Philly!!)
The great thing about this recipe is it is one of those where you use one bowl to do all the mixing (glass bowls seem to work best for me) which makes this a GREAT recipe to do with kids!

No Bake Cheesecake

8 ounces cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup lemon juice (although I like a little extra lemon juice. More tartness tastes better to me than the original recipe)
1 tsp. vanilla

1 graham cracker crust
1 can cherry pie filling.
The pie filling can also be any of your favorites or you can also use sliced fresh strawberries, kiwis or other fruit.

Cream the cheese with a hand held electric mixer (beater) until creamy.
Slowly add condensed milk.
Beat until smooth.
Add lemon juice slowly.
Add vanilla.

Pour into crust and top with the cherry pie filling.
Cover and place in the frig for a few hours or overnight.
This cheesecake can be frozen if you are taking it to a picnic or a function, as long as it has time to thaw before being served.

MMMM-MMMMM Good!

Now to try it with reduced calorie ingredients to see if it holds together!!! Stay tuned!

Make every moment count!

Sugarbug

Charlize Theron could never have play-date at my house.

2009-09-15T21:08:00.000-07:00

Last night on The Tonight Show Conan asked actress Charlize Theron (of movies such as Monster, Cider House Rules and her newest release The Burning Plain) since she is so beautiful and lovely, was there any flaws she has that would suprise us.
She humbly said she had many flaws but the one that might suprise us is she has a form of O.C.D. where anything stuffed in a drawer or cabinet and then that drawer or cabinet door is shut drives her crazy.
She said she would not be able to sleep in a room if she knew the drawer was stuffed with items that weren't tidy and uniform and in order.
I began to think of the cabinets and drawers in my house. None of them have any uniformity. I even have a "junk" drawer which is a tradition that has been passed down for 3 generations so far in my family, that would really drive her nuts!
It's not that I am a "dirty" person, I do my dishes and laundry on a regular basis and my floor looks pretty clean, but after hearing how much it bothered her, I'm beginning to wonder if it shouldn't be bothering me more. I have storage bins at the end of my couch with things like magazines, headphones, old photos etc., etc., etc. all things I keep promising myself I will get to...next...week....end. I promise!
Just in case Charlize calls for that play-date.

Make every moment count!

Sugarbug

Black Bean Salad

2009-09-09T07:42:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe I was given by one of the chefs where I work. I had tried it for dinner one night and loved it so much I had to ask for the recipe. The amount of each ingredient is not given but I can tell you the kidney beans are the base while the green beans are the secondary bean. It's probably best to let the salad marinate overnight for best flovor results.
The recipe is called 'Black Bean Salad' but when I had it, kidney beans were used and were the BEST! This is a great post Weight Loss Surgery recipe due to the protien richness of the beans and the veggies that make up the whole thing. I couldn't sit upon this recipe without sharing it with you! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! And thank you to the Executive Chef's office of my work for passing it on to me!

Kidney and Green Bean Salad:

Green Beans- frozen seem to work best in this because they have a fresher taste to them. I would guess about 2 or 3 cups.
Kidney beans- drained about 1 or 2 cans
Golden Italian Dressing about 1 cup
Sirachi (Japanese Sweet Chili Sauce) this can be found at Shaw's or Stop and Shop or whatever it us a red bottle with a green top. I am not sure how much of this to put in, enough to have it's flavor represented nicely.
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Red Onions about 1 or 2 sliced where the parts are about one half inch long.
Peppers- these were diced and there were not many of them in the salad I enjoyed so much.
Toss together and cover for refrigerator marinating.

This is to be put together as many salads do, a little of this, a little of that and try it to see what can be reduced and what can be increased. I am sure I could probably get the exact recipe, but I felt myself lucky to even have gotten all the basic ingredients.

After all of it has been put together I would bet the longer it sits so the Sirachi, olive oil and Italian dressing can 'do thier work' the better it will taste.

Trust me, this is a fresh tasting, good for you, cool (temp.) salad, at least that is what I thought!

Before any of you get the chance, I realize I am no where near a cooking expert but when I find something, I like to pass it on. Please don't look for my mistakes here because you will be here all day with your hands full! HAHA

Make Every Moment Count!

Sugarbug!

The 80/20 Rule

2009-09-08T14:23:00.000-07:00

Throughout the years the 80/20 rule has been applied to many different situations with slight variations in what the user defines as its meaning. An example of this is the Pareto Principle, which states 80% of the effect, comes from 20% of the cause. This was named after the Italian economist who observed 80% of Italy was owned by 20% of the population. Other areas the 80/20 rule has been applied are, time management, outcome versus input, relationships and sales performance.
Where it has come to mean the most in my life is in diet and exercise. For those of you wondering how the 80/20 rule is defined here, it states the 80% of the food options you choose to consume each day should be healthy, while the other 20%…well, don’t have to be so great. This gives you what Jell-O might call “wiggle room” in your daily food choices and routine.
My biggest problem was/is I start a sensible eating regimen and do really well for the first couple of weeks then the old me creeps back into making all the decisions.
With the 80/20 rule I can stick to a mostly sensible diet and also have some sweet or savory items that might not be so sensible thus not having to destroy my smart diet choices completely.
I learned this great tip at my MGH Weight Center group meetings. The things I have learned there have been priceless!
I’m not holier than though or even holier than some! I just want to pass along some info that has worked in my life!

Make every moment count!

Sugarbug

Running Tours...yeah right!!

2009-09-07T14:13:00.000-07:00

On this morning's Today show on NBC Amy Robach did a report on a new way to see the city you are visiting on vacation or a business trip with a few days to yourself.
They are called 'Running Tours' for regular runners. The tours are 8 miles long and cost $72.00, they are available in several cities and they are intending to branch out even further.
The tours are given in New York City, Austin TX,Charleston SC,Chicago IL, and Washington D.C. currently. The company was created by a chiropractor named Michael Gazaleh 4 years ago who was asked to take an out of town guestof a friend out for a run.
This idea was so creative I was suprised it had not been brought to Boston as of yet. But, while suprised, it also gave me the perfect idea!
Running Tours of Boston....for the rest of us! By that I mean, much like the rides at Six Flags there would be a weight requirement to participate. My brochure, much like the signs to the entries of the lines would say something such as 'You must weigh this much to take part in this tour!' Here's a scene of how it would probably go...
After some minor stretching, mostly to work the kink out of my neck gotten from the previous night's heavy partying, but the runners won't know that. And...away we go!
I start at a moderate pace from the North end of the Boston Common:
"Here on our left is the Boston Common (first strong exhale) first established in 1634 when the area was designated a common pasture."
Breaths become noticeably more labored..."This is...the...Park Street Church...." no further info given.
"And this....on...our....right....is (heavy breathing with a slight presence of a wheeze) Government....Cen...." unable to finish the name.
"This is Faniuel....Ha... Hall" Uh...(cough cough!!!) Someone from the back tries to ask me a question..."When was Fan..." but I scream "Save your questions 'till the end of the TOUR!!!"

And that is how my tours would go, ask any hotel concierge about them, they are sure to become all the rage in Boston very quickly!

'Da Bug!

Welcome to my new blog!

2009-09-07T14:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome!
Call it Julie Powell envy, or just plain need for attention, but I have started this new blog as a way of working on my creative skills and using it as an outlet. If nothing else, my readers (hi mom!) can use it for non-medicated sleep assistance!

Hope it is a long, full, blog life! We shall see!

Sugarbug