I AM IN THE ZONE! >> What I'm Cooking (Recipes Galore) + Week 4 P90X Results

For now, I'm taking my blog in slightly a different direction, not that I think anyone really cares AND not like my blog has ever really had FOCUS.  It's my blog and I'll write what I want to (I kinda just sang that in my head).  I'm going to continue to write about the usual stuff (my adventures dining out in Indy, my family/friends, home improvements, etc) but I'm also going to chronicle my journey into living healthy and the trials and tribulations associated with getting into shape.  I, by no means, specialize in nutrition or exercise so consult with an expert and take whatever you want from my little blog - the little nook I've carved out in the wonderful world of the internet.

I've had such positive energy lately which has translated into creativity and motivation.  There is renewed life in our beautiful kitchen (no cob-webs up in here).  I haven't bought a cute outfit in ages but our fridge and pantry has been stocked with fresh produce and health-conscious staples.  I see that as an investment with better pay off.  I'd hate to waste a paycheck on an outfit when my muffin top is raging or my saddle bags are rearing their ugly face.  Eating right and exercising doesn't really provide the instant gratification that retail therapy has in the past but I never feel the buyer's remorse either.  Although I moan and whine before and during a hard workout, I've never looked back and thought "Geez, that was a mistake."   I've also cut back on the alcohol, significantly.  I really don't have the room in my diet nutrition plan for the empty calories and it's been wonderful not having the bloat from all the carbonation.  That doesn't mean I don't enjoy a beer or glass of wine when out socially but otherwise, I don't see any need for it.  A solid workout has become my de-stresser after a long day of work.

My workouts over the past 4 weeks consisted of following the Classic P90X schedule which goes as follows:

• Day 1: Chest & Back + Ab Ripper X
• Day 2: Plyometrics
• Day 3: Shoulder & Arms + Ab Ripper X
• Day 4: Yoga X
• Day 5: Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X
• Day 6: Kenpo X
• Day 7: Rest or X Stretch

I didn't follow this schedule down to a T but I tried my best.  Week 4 was supposed to be a rest week but I didn't want to!  A couple days I added a 30 minute jog or did a Tone It Up workout instead.  D refuses to do Yoga X with me so I do it by myself on a day off, like today.  We are missing a couple of the DVDs which I hope to get soon because Week 5 mixes it up and add some new workouts.


I definitely can't give all the credit to working out.  A HUGE portion of it has been my adjustments to my eating habits.  I mentioned this in my previous post but I'm going to say it again: MyFitnessPal for iPhone (and I'm assuming Android) can be your best friend.  I know it sounds tedious and completely anal to record everything you eat but I think it is essential.  It is downright scary, to me, to think of how many weekend benders I've had in the past where I ate/drank probably 3000+ calories a day.  Quite frankly, I should be obese.  By carefully monitoring what you eat, you have the ultimate control.  I try and keep my calorie consumption under 1500.  Because I've incorporated physical activity, I've added 300 more calories from the usual 1200 I would aim for prior to starting up P90X.  I can safely say that there hasn't been a single night that I've gone to bed hungry.  I eat nutritionally dense foods, mostly fresh fruits and vegetables.  I tend to stick with poultry for my meats (occasionally I will eat red meat).  I also find a great source of protein from beans, tofu, eggs, etc.; not to mention, the delicious protein shakes post workout.

Below are some recipes of the meals I've made over the past couple weeks as well as some of my go-to items.

On days that I work, I typically go for a smoothie that I can quickly blend up and take with me as I rush out the door.  My 20 minute drive is perfect for me to easily and conveniently drink a smoothie down while listening to my favorite sports-radio channels.

SKINNY GREEN MONSTER (makes 1 serving)

• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 3/4 cup skim milk
• 1 TBSP creamy peanut butter

Combine all ingredients in a blender.

PEACH BANANA SMOOTHIE (makes 2 servings)

• 2 cups frozen peaches
• 1 banana
• 2 TBSP creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 cup skim milk

Combine all ingredients in a blender.

STRAWBERRY PEACH SMOOTHIE (makes 2 servings)

• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 cup frozen peaches
• 2 TBSP creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 cup skim milk

Combine all ingredients in a blender.

Not too much difficulty with the smoothies.  Blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are a great option too.  Beware of seeds!

I also want to recommend Nature's Path Organic Flax Plus Cereals.  I've tried the Red Berry Crunch and the Pumpkin Flax Plus Granola.  They are so delicious, a great source of Omega-3 and not loaded with sugar.

Nature's Path Organic (Flax Plus) Red Berry Crunch in a empty jar of peanut butter.
Giving it one last hoorah  before heading to the trash.

Here's what I had this morning:

Whole wheat English muffin with 1 TBSP Olivio Coconut Spread, 1/2
fresh grapefruit, low fat cottage cheese with a handful of fresh raspberries

Nothing super special but at right around 320 calories, it did the trick!  I have to take a minute to thank my friend *Fefe for accidentally leaving my a container of Olivio Coconut Spread because I'm obsessed.  I use it with everything! 

For lunch and dinner ideas, I've scoured the internet looking for great, easy recipes, especially soups that make a large enough batch for dinner and then again the following day, work lunches for both D and I.  

Curried Carrot Soup (makes 6 servings) Adapted from Eating Well

•  3 TBSP canola oil
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 8 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 medium stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 5 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1TBSP lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• fresh ground pepper

1.  Cook oil and curry powder in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until fragrant (1-2 minutes).  Stir in carrots, celery and onions; toss to coat in oil.  Cook, stirring frequently for 10 minutes.  Stir in broth.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. 

2.  Using an emulsion blender (or regular blender in batches), blend until it's a smooth, pureed consistency.  Pour into bowls.  Season with fresh squeezed lemon juice and salt and pepper.  

Chicken Enchilada Soup (makes 6 servings) Adapted from Skinny Taste

• 2 tsp EVOO
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups low sodium fat-free chicken broth
• 8-oz can tomato sauce
• 2 tsp chipotle chili in adobo sauce
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 14.5-oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 8-oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• Optional: scallions, shredded cheese, fat-free sour cream, avocado, lime wedges, tortilla chips

1.  Heat oil in dutch oven (or crock pot) over medium-low heat.  Add onion and garlic and saute until soft (3-4 minutes).  Slowly add chicken broth, tomato sauce and chipotle adobo sauce and bring to a boil.

2.  Add drained beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, chipotle powder, and oregano, and stir.  Add the chicken breasts; cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.

3.  Remove chicken and shred with 2 forks.  Add chicken back into the soup, adjust salt and cumin to taste.  Serve in bowls and top with sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt), scallions, cilantro, avocado and lime.

Turkey Chili Blanc (makes 4 servings) Adapted from Better Homes and Garden

•  12 oz uncooked ground turkey (extra lean)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 12-oz can/bottle beer
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
• 2 tsp instant beef bouillon cubes
• 1-1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sauce from chipotle chiles in adobo
• 2 15.5-oz cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1TBSP lime juice
• Optional: sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt), cilantro, lime wedges, ground chipotle chili powder

1.  In a large saucepan, cook turkey and onion over medium-high heat until turkey is no longer pink and onions are tender; drain.

2.  Return to saucepan and stir in beer, water, broth, jalapenos, bouillon cubes, chili powder, cumin and adobo sauce.   Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 20 mins, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the drained beans and lime juice; heat through.

3.  Mash half of the beans to thicken chili; stir and ladle into bowl.  If desired, garnish with sour cream, cilantro, lime wedges and chipotle chili powder.

Chicken and Avocado Soup (makes 4 servings)  Adapted from Skinny Taste

 

• 5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups shredded chicken breast (I used leftover rotisserie chicken)
• 1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-1/2 cups scallions, chopped fine
• 2 ripe avocados, diced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped fine
• 4 lime wedges
• 2 tsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• pinch cumin
• pinch chipotle chile powder

1.  In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add 1 cup of scallions and garlic.  Saute about 2 minutes then add tomatoes and saute another minute, until soft.  

2.  Add chicken stock, cumin and chile powder and bring to a boil.  Simmer, covered on low for about 15-20 minutes.

3.  In each bowl, fill with 1/2 cup chicken, 1/2 avocado, scallions and cilantro. Ladle 1 cup chicken broth over the chicken and serve with a lime wedge.

Lately, I've also been on a major salad kick!

Mixed Green Salad with Grapefruit and Cranberries (makes 6 servings) Adapted from Eating Well

• 2 red grapefruit
• 1/4 cup EVOO
• 2 TBSP minced scallions
• 1 TBSP white-wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 8 cups torn red leaf lettuce
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 6 cups baby spinach
• 1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, drained and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

1.  Remove the skin and white pith from grapefruit with a sharp knife.  Working over a bowl, cut the segments from their surrounding membranes.  Cut the segments in half on a cutting board and transfer to a large salad bowl.  Squeeze the grapefruit peel and membranes over the original bowl to extract 1/4 cup grapefruit juice.

2.  Whisk oil scallions, vinegar, salt and pepper into the bowl with the grapefruit juice.

3.  Add lettuce, spinach and artichoke hearts  to the salad bowl with the grapefruit segments.  Just before serving, toss the salad with the dressing until well coated.  Sprinkle cranberries and pine nuts on top.

Tuna and Avocado Spinach Salad (serves 1)

I tossed this delicious salad together the other night so ingredient measurements may not be precise.

• 1-1/2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup red leaf lettuce
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup red onion
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/4 cup craisins
• 1 can chunk light tuna in water
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• juice of 1 lemon wedge
• dash of lemon pepper seasoning
• 2 TBSP Garlic Expressions Classic Vinaigrette

1.  In a small bowl, mix tuna, dijon mustard, lemon juice, and lemon pepper seasoning.

2.  In a medium salad bowl, combine spinach, red leaf lettuce, red bell pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, avocado and craisins, and toss.  

3.  Top with the tuna and drizzle the Garlic Expressions Classic Vinaigrette dressing.

For the past 2 days, I've made the same exact thing for lunch.  I am on a sweet potato kick.  It is an entree and a dessert all in one (especially topped with coconut spread and a dash of cinnamon).  I also improvised this simple, yet totally scrumptious salad.

Citrus Salad (makes 1 serving) 

• 1 cup fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup red leaf lettuce
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup scallions
• 1 TBSP craisins
• 1/2 medium orange, diced
• 1/4 orange, juiced
• 1 TBSP Garlic Expressions Classic Vinaigrette

1.  Start building the salad with the spinach and lettuce, cherry tomatoes, scallions, craisins, and diced orange segments.

2.  In a small ramekin, add garlic vinaigrette and orange juice.  Give quick whisk and pour over salad.

So what are the results?...drum roll....

I've dropped 3 pounds on the scale.  Not really the numbers I wanted to see but the actual physical ones are the best!  See for yourself:

It may not seem like a lot but to me, it's fantastic.  By far, my stomach and hips have always been my trouble spots and they are shrinking every week.  My clothes are fitting looser.  My hips aren't flaring out as much as they used to.  The thought of pools opening up in about a month in a half doesn't seem as daunting; in fact, I'm excited.

Getting in Shape in 2012: Eating Right + P90X

D and I are going to Sandals Grande Riviera in Ocho Rios, Jamaica in t-minus 120 days (but who's really counting).  This will be our first major vacation together so we are beyond stoked.

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I've already bought my first bathing suit for our trip:

 Via

Can they also throw in her body please?!

D and I have made the commitment to get (in his case, back) into shape!  Up until about a year ago, he was still active.  He played soccer in high school and then for years after that, he played with friends in a few recreational leagues.  He was always in the best of shape until a knee injury about 2 1/2 years ago and our move to the south side of Indianapolis put a damper on that.

Me, on the other hand, I gave up active sports when I got into high school and instead played varsity golf.  I did minimal activity and managed not to balloon up until about the age of 26 when I started my notice my flailing metabolism.  So over the past couple years, I've done my best watching what I ate and for the most part, when I was really dedicated, I was able to keep my weight down.  At my heaviest, I weighed about 136lbs.   I put myself on a strict eating regiment and over about a year and a half, lost almost 20 lbs, which was just in time for my best friend's wedding last Fall.  But after that, when the cold weather started coming in, I resorted to the comfort food and the convenience of fast food (what idiot decided to put a McDonald's in my place of employment?).  I was lucky and only managed to put on about 8lbs, considering the junk that I was consuming.  It was in January that I really started to notice how "squishy" I appeared.  Most people would say to me, "you're pretty tiny, why do you need to lose weight?" and while yes, I'll agree that I'm petite, I'm also lacking tone or definition.

In February, I started to get back into my strict diet.  I call it a strict diet because I am absolutely anal about recording my food.  I still eat delicious food, I just focus on healthy choices and portion control.  I used to use Spark People but the MyFitnessPal app for iPhone is just so awesome and easy to use.

For a couple months, I was in a bit of a cooking lull but I've bounced back.  I really enjoy cooking because it's fun and relaxing but also because I love knowing exactly what I'm eating.

Here's a preview of what I've been whipping up lately.  My plan is to post all the recipes on Friday (the 13th dun dun dunnnn!)

Green Monster Smoothie

Baked Orange Salmon with Citrus Salad 

Tofu Stir Fry

Curried Carrot and Ginger Soup

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Turkey Chili Blanc

Mixed Greens Salad with Grapefruit, Artichoke Hearts, Cranberries and Toasted Pine Nuts

A couple years ago, I got sucked into the continuous replay of the P90X infomercials and on an impulse, I went ahead and purchased the program.  You can't help but be amazed at the testimonials from the people who have done it.  But when I got it, I did it 2 times, decided it was too hard, and packed it away.  What a ween-wad!

Flash forward to now, with the support and combined participation, D and I have decided to give it another try.  We're in a much more conducive place in our lives.  We have the desire, the time, and the space to do it.  We're starting our 4th week today!!  I really enjoy the Plyometrics and the Yoga X.  I've never really been able to do pull ups, ever, so instead I do a modified version using a chair.  Hopefully, by the end of the first round of P90X, I'm able to do a few without.

ME WEEK 1 (not fun to post):

NOT ME (but what I'd ultimately like to get to):

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I am already seeing results (I'll post a new body picture once we complete Week 4) which really are the best motivation.  I'm not so focused on the scale because the number isn't going down as fast as I'd like but I'm seeing definition in my arms, legs and stomach.  Not only that, I am over that initial 2 weeks where every muscle in your body aches and it seems nearly impossible to do simple things like pull a shirt over your head or walk up a flight of stairs, I'm excited to workout and constantly looking for new inspirations.  I even squeeze in exercises while D is at work or at my work by taking the stairs (all 9 stories up to my unit).  I have begun doing them 2-3 times a shift.  I've also begun easing myself into running which I despise with every morsel of my being.  It doesn't help that I haven't quit smoking yet which is a MAJOR goal of 2012 (I know, feel free to smack me).

Here are some websites and tools that have been insanely helpful:
Pinterest.com - A great way to find endless amounts of health and fitness blogs
Tone It Up - I love the girls of Tone It Up but not really able to invest $ into their program, yet.  They send out emails with very helpful tips and tricks.  They also are working with Self.com which is just as useful.
Self.com - Great articles and reads on fitness and health.  Also, great healthy recipes.
SkinnyTaste.com - Delicious recipes with nutritional info
EatingWell.com  - Another site chock full of healthy options
MyFitnessPal - I had the app on my iPhone for forever but never used it until a couple weeks ago.  Now, it's my go-to app to log and track everything that I eat which is key (I think) to the weight loss aspect of my body transformation.  I love that you can scan the bar code of the foods you eat and it will automatically pull up the nutritional information.

What do you use to keep motivation or what have you tried that has delivered results?

I feel like I'm getting into the best shape of my adult life and couldn't be happier.  Jamaica here we come!

Death to my Corolla

On August 13th, I was on my way to Taste of the Trucks.  I had planned my whole Saturday around this fabulous event, dragging D along for the ride.  D decided he wanted to use the restroom before we got there so I headed north on College Ave to stop at the CVS.  Unfortunately we never made it.  More importantly, we never made it to Taste of the Trucks....

Boom! A guy flew through his stop sign at 62nd street and I slammed into him, totalling my Corolla (and his). Yes, my completely paid off Corolla.  Luckily everyone was okay minus some bruising, sore/stiff muscles and a possible minor concussion.  I had never experienced an airbag explode in my face and hope to never have it happen again.  It was one of the scariest situations that left me shaking; so much so that a beer and a shot didn't help much.  Yes, once my car was towed away, D and I met up with some friends and immediately bellied up to the bar.

So in the middle of planning for my best friend's wedding, working and taking care of our new home, I had to add "Look for a new car" to my list.  Just got the settlement check today so hopefully I will have something soon.

I'm hoping @IntelMediaGroup will be organizing a fall Taste of the Trucks.  I haven't been to a food truck in weeks and I miss them :( 

My Best Friend's Wedding

I cannot believe today is September 1st.  Where did the summer go?  Where did August go?  It was all a blur.  I was so consumed in wedding mania that I haven't had time to blog.  I've missed it.  But I'm back, so here's a recap from last weekend's wonderful soiree...

The Bride's beautiful wedding was perfect, held outdoors at The Historic Ambassador House and Gardens in Fishers, IN. 

All of the bridal party got airbrushed make up done by Kathy Moberly of Faces by KLM.  She did a marvelous job.  We all (and most importantly The Bride) looked like movie stars.

I found the perfect photographer for The Bride: Jeff Dillow Photography.  He was the epitome of professional: creative, playful and insightful.  I can't wait to see the results.

The ceremony was beautiful but the reception is where all the fun was had.... 

The food was provided by Edwards Catering (Edwards Drive In).  It was served buffet-style including fried chicken, potato wedges, broccoli salad and these out-of-this-world dinner rolls.  No pictures but just imagine the perfect home-cooked meal and voila, there you have it. 

The cake was made by Fefe's sister.  Beautiful!

As the Maid of Honor, I had to make a speech and toast the newlyweds.  I was so nervous but nothing a little bit of champagne and whiskey couldn't smooth over. 

I am so happy for the two of them.  I wish them many years and years of happiness.  I might've lost my partner in crime but I've gained a friend (The Groom) and a special niece (their beautiful 1-year old daughter).  I love you, sister!

Some of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of my new house

Eventually I will get around to posting pictures of the new house and all it's glory but it's still such a work in progress right now.  Instead, I'm going to preview some lovely discoveries I made over the weekend.

THE GOOD: Beautiful sunrises  

My Blackberry's camera does not do enough justice in capturing this amazing pink and purple sky

This spectacle was seen from my back deck this morning before heading out to work.

THE BAD: Little Miss B went on a giant rampage
My lovely mutt, B, was a bit of a terror all week.  Earlier in the week, upon returning home from work, I would be greeted by Swamp Thing 2 aka my dog drenched and caked in mud.  She has discovered it's fun to hide out under the decks and run a-muck back and forth in our unkempt yard.  After some stern disciplinary actions (immediate baths or cold hose downs) she made some progress and on Wednesday and Thursday, I came home to a clean and excited doggy! I was so excited, I gave her a couple slices of lunch meat.  Then Friday, I decide to meet up with some friends in Broad Ripple and didn't arrive back home until pretty late.  As had been the past 2 days, I went to excitedly greet B for steering clear of the mud while I was away when suddenly I noticed something far more sinister....

This was actually one of the lesser damaged screens

She clawed and completely ripped through all, but 2, of the 7 screens on the windows along the back porch!   I was extremely upset and dreading telling D about it but I promised that I would pay to have them all rescreened.  I suspect that all of the neighborhood fireworks probably startled her and sent her anxiety levels through the roof.  I just wish my dog had a bit more self control.

THE UGLY: ARACHNOPHOBIA 2

Last night before heading upstairs to hit the hay, I noticed a giant black spot on my carpet that from afar looked like dirt.  To my utter surprise and complete fear, this is what I came across:

AHHHHHHHHHHHH!

I realized it was a gigantic Wood Spider (of which the previous owner had forewarned me about).  This was the first time I had seen one live in our new place.  I quickly took a pic to send to D and ran to grab a cup and do the nice thing by letting it go outside.  But after trying to wrangle it up, it some how eluded capture and scurried somewhere out of sight (I think under the couch).  Now I am completely paranoid to sit on it and the rest of the night I felt like creepy-crawlies were all over the place.  I won't rest easy until I know he's caught next time I won't be so generous in sparing spiders' feelings or lives.

What I'm Making: My first official furniture redo!

So I officially can't stand it.  I haven't blogged in over 3 weeks while settling into our new, beautiful home.  Uverse is supposed to be coming out next week to install after originally telling D it wouldn't be until JULY 21st!! So in the meantime, I've surmounted a pile of unfortunate circumstances: (1) Again, no cable or Internet; (2) No working AC [another lovely discovery right when the previous owner was moving out & we were moving in but should be taken care of in the next week or so]; (3) D is out of town on a family vacation until Sunday :(  ; and (D) the absolute cherry on the top of the Crappy Week Cake...my blackberry's track ball is stuck which is preventing me from using most of my apps including Twitter and Facebook [now I have my eye on the new EVO 3D phone].  I feel so lonely and disconnected from the virtual world, unable to blog and tag and IM at my leisure so I've resorted to doing ancient activities, almost unheard of nowadays, like... reading a book!!! One with actual paper pages, and all.  Over the weekend, I read The Reader by Bernhard Schlink which makes me want to rent the movie starring Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes.   Now I'm on to Night by Elie Wiesel.  Don't ask me why I'm on a WWII/Holocaust era kick but I find the time period fascinatingly bizarre, heart wrenching and dark yet the eyewitnesses and storytellers still retain their humanity.  Night is a short, not necessarily easy, read.  I should be done with it tonight. 

On Sunday, I decided to finally put my money where my mouth is and redo the vanity desk I bought nearly a year ago and was determined to transform.   I was driving down College and at around 30th St. I saw a woman having a yard sale.  And this little gem is what I ended up with:

I have to admit, I walked into this project and, more specifically, Menards rather sheepishly.  I had done a bit of research online and read through the many furniture transformation and home decor blogs.  I felt like I had a grasp of what I needed to do and what tools I needed to buy but once the sliding doors opened up, my anxiety hit the roof.  I eventually made my way over to the back corner of the store and into the sand paper aisle.  I bought a variation of sand paper and sponge-like sanders.  Then I looked at stain stripper.  I decided to choose a brand I was familiar with, Zinsser.  I went back and forth between the rub on and the spray on.  I think next time I'm going to go with the spray.  Stain stripper is a nasty, nasty thing.  I wasn't using my head when I thought I could use cheap, kitchen gloves.  That stuff ate through to my skin immediately.  Luckily, my neighbor had some chemical resistant gloves.

I also grabbed a small tub of vinyl wood filler which serves as a putty to patch the holes.

I had to have a sales associate help me select an slightly off white paint and primer, of which I went with a Rustoleum brand.  Upon a second trip to Menards, I grabbed rollers which made paint application so much easier.  I eventually settled on some hardware that I was okay with because, apparently, 2.5" is not a popular size for drawer-pull hardware.  I didn't feel like spackling up the original holes and remeasuring out new ones so I just went with one of few options that were cheap, black, and 2.5".

Once the table was completely stripped of the original cherry stain (a long, tedious process), it was ready to be patched, sanded and primed. 

Now, I have to be honest, I got lazy about the whole sanding process since I would have to do it by hand.  I eventually want to buy an electric sander.  Once the wood putty dried I tried to sand it down to be flush with the top surface of the table but as you can see, it didn't work out too well.  It doesn't really bother me.  Next, I applied a layer of primer to all surfaces and the insides of the drawers.  I used brushes for the primer layer which took forever and hurt my wrists (total weenie). 

The following day, I tackled the painting.  I used a combo of rollers and small brushes to apply to layers of paint.  I used a large fan to help things move along.  They dried very quickly and smoothly creating a final product I was very happy with.

I stood marveling it for several minutes and, of course, sent a copy of it to D.  I was originally planning to put it in the entry hallway by the front door but it was a little bigger than I thought so I put it near the half-wall that separates the living and dining/sunroom.  Now I just need to find the right stuff to accessorize!

It's amazing what people can do when they tune out, turn off and disconnect from their normal, everyday lives.  I can't wait to tackle the end tables I just bought from my new neighbor who is moving to AZ in the next few weeks.  She even threw in a can of dark stain that she just never got around to doing.

I am experiencing blogging withdrawal...

Uverse is coming by our new house sometime between morning and night  tomorrow to set up cable/internet at our new house!! Trust me, I have lots and lots to catch up on including the latest What I'm Eating, Chow Down Midtown, What I'm Cooking and of course, pictures of the new house.  Once I have access to the WWW, you bet your butt, I'm getting my blog on! 

Oh, and along with Uverse, I have to wait for an HVAC company to come take a look at our broken AC! Starting off rocky but I'm confident we're going to shine through in the end!!

So much to do, so little time!

Summer feels like it might officially be here to stay judging by today.  It's 11:15am and I'm sunbathing on my "private" deck while blogging and listening to Boyz 2 Men (oh, the memories) on Pandora.  It's supposed to be private but it's elevated 10 2 stories up in the air so the neighboring properties and the gigantic church parking lot can see me in my brand new, bright orange Vitamin C bikini.  I bought it this season from Hautelook.com and couldn't wait to put it to good use.  It's a bit on rated PG13 (minimal coverage bottoms) side and pushed me a little bit out of my comfort zone but I've done a good job slimming down about 10 pounds over the winter so anxious to show off my progress; not really by working out but by eating well, keeping myself busy, and cutting out sodas and really anything besides water -- and beer.  I still have about 5-7 pounds to go so fingers crossed the amazing food I try and all the summer time fun doesn't get the best of me.

Little Miss B woke me up at 10am.  I usually don't sleep this late but I couldn't fall asleep last night after watching the season finale of The Office and Parks and Recreation.  Once I saw how bright and sunny it was from the window, I knew I didn't want to waste the day away or the good sun.  I have a pretty busy weekend ahead of me. 

Today (Friday):

• Clean the disaster pit that is my room/dressing room.  It has a hodge podge of clean and dirty clothes strewn about.  The bathroom is a sad sight, as well.
• Long walk/job downtown with Miss B
• Going to try and make it to a friend's college graduation open house up in Fishers but a bit on the fence since I want to get up and out early tomorrow.

Saturday:

• Broad Ripple Arts Fair (running Sat. and Sun.) For more info:( click here.  I'm going with some girls and it should be a great time!  Hoping to find some pieces for the new house.
• I wanted to surprise D with a trip to Conner Prairie for the Civil War reenactments taking place Sat. and Sun. but I forgot a friend is having a huge Hog Roast (Broad Ripple) in the afternoon so we probably won't make it up to Noblesville.

Sunday:

• Going shoe shopping with The Bride and her mom. Very exciting!!  I wish my dress was in so I could try on both.
• Making fish tacos for dinner (recipe to follow)

If I could squeeze in a pool or a boat ride, that'd be the cherry on top of an Awesome Weekend Sundae!!

What are some fun things you are getting into this weekend?

What I'm Cooking: Cake Balls...A Love Affair

Several months ago Fefe's introduced me to some cake balls her sister had made and it truly was --- love at first bite!!!  They are cake and icing encapsulated in a chocolate-y coating.  The hardened coat of chocolate locks in the moisture and it is just heavenly.  Since then, we have been engaging in this secret romance.  Our paths cross occasionally and I can't get enough.  They are one of few guilty pleasures I indulge in while on my fairly restrictive eating regiment.  I had been contemplating taking a stab at making my own ooey, gooey, oh-so delectable cake balls after gaining some tips on the web.  Sounded simple enough.  I had all the ingredients already so when a girls' "catch up" luncheon was on the agenda, I thought that this would be great opportunity to flex my housewife-in-training muscles. 

Here's what I came up with:

Not the prettiest things but I'll tell you why when you read on....

Let me start at the very beginning....

1) Take a box of store bought cake mix and cook it as directed.

2) Once cake is fully baked, crumble completely in a mixing bowl and let it cool to room temperature.

3) Mix the crumbled cake with 3/4 can of store-bought icing (I chose Cream Cheese flavored).  I used the whole can which I think was just too much.  I used an electric beater on low to stir and mix evenly. 

4) Set the icing-cake mixture in the freezer for at least 1 hour to let firm up.

5) Take the mix out of the freezer and roll into balls, placing them on wax paper over a cookie tray .  I made them about the size of a medium meatball.  I then stuck the tray and cake balls back in the freezer  and left them there overnight.

6) When I came back to them, they were firm but not rock hard which was perfect for sticking a toothpick in to dip in the dark chocolate.

7) I brought water to a boil in a pot.  Then, I put the dark chocolate in a glass bowl and reduced the temp.  The chocolate needed constant stirring and attention but started to melt fairly quickly.  I made the mistake of adding splashes of soy milk to soften the chocolate up.  This led to the chocolate not re-hardening to it's original state, therefore, they turned out more like goo balls than the bon-bon like cake balls i've tried.  Lesson learned!  I also ended up using a large pot of water than pictured below but you get the point.

8) I topped half the cake balls with a generous sprinkling of Trader Joe's English Toffee (a gift from my Mama) that I used a hammer to crush up and left the other half plain.  Once they were all coated in chocolate, I set them back in the freezer until they were ready to go. 

 

They didn't transfer to the glass dish well

So it wasn't a total disaster but I made some amateur mistakes.  I kept referring to them as poo balls which luckily didn't detour people from eating them.  They were even more squishy after sitting out on a counter for a few hours.  Definitely, don't add milk to the chocolate. 

The next time around, I am going to use less icing and of course, no milk.  I'm also going to be more adventurous with the cake, icing and coating flavors.  These are wonderful for luncheons, bridal showers, gifts, etc.  Stay tuned for Cake Balls...A Love Affair 2!!!

If you've tried these before, what flavors did you use?