***The Senior WW Challenge*** - FRIDAY 8/17

Dinner was nice last night but weight is really up this morning! I think Sam enjoyed himself and the two little ones Maija has been babysitting insisted they had to be near her so were very entertaining and very good. It was a very relaxed atmosphere and one grand nephew with his wife and 18 month old son were there. He had just returned from deployment on July 4th so it was good to see him and know he's home safe. Fred's oldest sister wasn't able to make it but is coming to town Sunday to see the youngest sister before she heads back to Portland. The oldest sister's birthday was the 15th and it had been hoped to celebrate her birthday as well but we will do that Sunday and this time it's just the youngest sister, oldest sister, Fred and me so a much smaller group. So I guess tomorrow I'll WI and take my lumps at the scale and do the dinner Sunday night and then really buckle down and get back to really watching points and since it'll be cooler get out walking again like Fred and I were doing before the heat and humidity started. So at least I'm putting a plan in place and will stick to it, no more excuses as the number I saw on the scale this morning was one I haven't seen in a while and was not good!

Good morning friends. Sandy your family evening sounds lovely. I’m not sure what will happen today other than a trip to the WC.
Before I forget, here is my recipe for Gail: everything is chopped or cubed, I don’t always get specific when saving my own recipes.

My Own Beef Stew

Ingredients:
16 oz Beef chuck, cubed
3 cup, cubes Butternut Squash
2 cup, cubes Rutabagas
6 carrot (7-1/2") Carrots, raw
1 large Onions, raw
1 stalk, large (11"-12" long) Celery, raw
3 cup, chopped Cabbage, fresh
0.5 can (6 oz) Tomato Paste
3 cup Beef Broth - Swanson Low Sodium
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper, black

Nutritional Info
Fat: 4.0g
Carbohydrates: 22.3g
Calories: 176.1
Protein: 14.9g

add all to crock pot and cook on low 8-9 hours

Serving Size: 8

Good Morning!

Nothing on the agenda today but yoga and to get my car washed. Every time I have tried it has been raining. It is not supposed to rain today.

Sandy, Fred's birthday celebration sounded wonderful. I like your plan for getting back on track.

Karen, We sleep with the temp at 76 both in winter and in summer. That is the temperature we both sleep best at.

Here is my contribution to Beef Stew recipes. This is the most flavorful beef stew I have ever had. It is from Rachel Ray.

CLASSIC BEEF STEW
Ingredients

11 pounds well marbled chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes

6 tablespoons olive oil

9 cups chicken stock

4 cups full-bodied dry red wine, such as petite sirah (I use Merlot)
2 cups chopped celery with leaves

2 cups finely chopped shallots

1/2 cup tomato paste

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

4 bay leaves

2 tablespoons herbes de Provence

3 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

1/2 cup flour


Preparation

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper. In a large ovenproof pot with a lid, heat 2 tbsp. oil over high. Working in batches, cook the beef until browned all over, 5 to 10 minutes per batch, adding remaining oil by the tablespoon between batches.

Return the beef to the pot. Add 8 cups stock and the next 7 ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook until the beef is tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Add the carrots; cover partially and cook just until tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer the pot to the stovetop. In a bowl, whisk the remaining 1 cup stock and the flour until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the pot. Bring to a boil, stirring often; cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Let the stew cool, uncovered, 3 hours.

Freeze in 2-cup portions.

Note: Because there are only two of us, I usually half this recipe and freeze what is left. It is nice to pull out of the freezer when we need some comfort food and don't feel like cooking.

Vicki, I liked your comment back on Monday about being ready to start the new week.  My answer would have been a resounding NO!  I needed a buffer day.  I wasn't recovered from our trip and I was getting the DGBs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon-Wed.  I was absolutely exhausted at the end of each day.  When they are here, I play with them and we do other things.  It's Grandma Day Camp.  

Sharon, I think I missed something about the pillows, but we bought the Panda pillows at Costco's road show a year or so ago and they are really great.  We don't take them along when we travel, though.  We have gotten used to sleeping on whatever is on the bed.    When I moved into my town house after the divorce I wound up sleeping on a futon.  it did take a bit to get used to and I was happy to let it go but I slept on it for years.  

The beef stew recipes make me think of fall!  

Ruth, spend your Bunco winnings on something fun.

Karen, I could identify with your questions about clothes.  Facebook periodically rounds up pictures and events.  DGS-5 was just 5.  Facebook had the pictures in the hospital.  I was wearing a knit top that I am still wearing and that I'd bought in Wyoming -- which makes it older than 2000 because that's when i moved.   I have a lot of clothes that are really old.  Last year I thought I'd retire those tops and put them in the traveling pile then they'd be "new" to me and I wouldn't have to look at them!  I liked shopping at a Draper and Damon outlet in Tucson, but it closed before we moved.  I haven't found anything I really like here, but I haven't been shopping, either.  There is Ross around us and i am fond of Macy's.  I seldom buy full price.  

Geri and Vicki, we've got a plant in the backyard that is huge!  I'm trying to decide if it's a week or one of the bush-type things they put in.  It's in a kind of odd spot for a bush, which make me think it's a weed, but I'm not sure!

Sam probably got a lot of his gentlemanly skills from Scouts.  I think they have units/badges on things like that.  Not many are in Scouts here.  Summer camps, a week at a time here and there, fill in those kind of gaps. There is one on manners and etiquette.  I want the DGSs to go, but DS says I should make that part of Grandma camp.  I suppose next year I could -- or even during the school year when i get them for odd days.  He sounds like a real keeper.

Jane, you are becoming an Apple expert!

Joanne, a clean closet!  Woow!!  I really need to add that to the list, though the whole house is on the list!  We need to finish up the moving-in.  

It is humid here this morning.

Sharon, as for your locker room -- I'd say it's a cultural norm for that area.  Makes it kind of interesting to figure out how it started.  Most women aren't quite so open, but they clearly are comfortable with their bodies and each other.  I've been reticent since grade school.  We had communal showers after PE but I refused.  I think I had to shower once or twice or I'd have flunked the class, but I was a big little girl and horribly embarrassed.  In my 20's i took my measurements once a week.  I found the notebook when we moved and just tossed it out.  I haven't done that since.  But maybe it would be interesting to do -- just not once a week!  WW encouraged it, but I never took it back up.  

Well, didn't sleep again last night.  Have a good day all.

DDIL is in CA with the DGSs.  the boy who had the tumor removed is still not fully recovered and still suffering from double vision.  He had to spend an hour in the MRI yesterday with contrast die to be sure there weren't any other tumors in his body.  They are ruling out the disease in which your body just grows tumors.  I'd not heard of that.  It sounds really awful, but I guess if you know it happens, then you have an annual MRI just like all the other annual tests.

Sharon - blood from what?

Busy day, machine repair, bake bread, yoga, meet with rescue to deliver bread and sewing. No news - no work. Lots of time at home for chores and sewing, crochet and finally clean the kitchen floor. Still have the neighbor's two dogs and it is raining, so maybe put off the floor until they leave as large footprints every time they go in and out. Maybe I'll just Swiffer the prints!

Ancho-Beef Stew
1 lb. boneless beef chuck pot roast cut into 1 inch pieces
1 T ground ancho chile pepper
1 T vegetable oil
1 16 oz. package frozen stew vegetables (I usually use fresh of my choice - potatoes, carrots, onion, celery and anything else I have on hand.
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 16 oz. jar salsa
1/2 cup water.

trim fat from meat, sprinkle with ancho chile pepper and toss to coat all sides. Heat oil , brown meat, drain off fat.

In a slow cooker combine stew vegetables and frozen corn, top with meat. Pour salsa and water over meat.

Cover and cook on low for 8 - 9 hours or high or 4 hours.

4 servings
302 calories
9 fat
50 cholesterol
842 sodium
28 carbs
5 fiber
30 protein

Good morning everyone!

Karen, I do lower the temp for sleeping, though only down to 72 or 3, and it helps. However, I have still not been sleeping well at all. I woke up at 5 this morning and looked at my Fitbit. With all my restlessness I had only slept 4 hours last night. I went back to bed and put a piece of opaque clothing over my eyes. Voila! Another 2 hours worth. I had not been using an eye mask because I can't find mine. I will buy another today. It really makes a difference for me.

The new avatar is of my DGD and DGS, 13.5 and 15.5 respectively. DD and fam are in Savannah. They are enjoying the food and having a fun time. I must say, though, that neither a grilled cheese bacon and apple pie sandwich nor fried Oreos appeal to me. But DGD LOVED them both.

Thank you so much for the delicious-looking stew recipes!!! Anyone else have a favorite? But Ruth, is it really 11 pounds of beef in the recipe? How many servings?

Yay Vicki--4 weeks' worth of good WIs! 

I will be picked up at noon to food shop. I think I will try to see MAMA MIA 2 this afternoon. Love the recliner and I have a free movie ticket. 

Sharon, hope the blood does not indicate something serious.

Just curious, if you use cleaning people how much do you pay per hour? I MUST get someone in.

I'll try to BBL. Have a good one.

Gail

Gail, I love most of Rachel Ray's recipe but you are right, 11 lbs of beef would make enough for an army. I cut the recipe in half and usually get a 4 lb roast. It still makes a lot with a 4 lb roast, but remember, there is some waste with a well marbled chuck roast.

Geri, Is your stew recipe hot? I think I would probably like it but Mike will not eat anything hot.

Sharon, Your stew sounds interesting. I am ashamed to say I have never had rutabagas. What do they taste like?