Valentine's Card for Cricut Cardz Challenge

I am really having fun making all of these cards. It's helping me to keep my mind busy, therefore I am eating much better. I wish I had a lot to report about all of these wonderful dishes I have been making, but honestly, I have been eating a lot of simple foods that don't require too much thought. Lean cuisines and making cardsare my friends right now. The more cards I make the less I eat! I've lost 4 lbs so far.

I sent out a package today that had 10 Valentine's Day cards for a card drive for Texas Children's Hospital. This is such a great project. I loved getting mail and still do when I was little. Hopefully this reach out will bless those in need and brightening their day.

Speaking of brightening their day, I have volunteered to teach a class on card making at our local senior citizen assisted living facility. I am so excited about this project. Every other Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. I will teaching and helping the residents make cards. Plus I will be building some relationships with some very special. I pray that God will make me a light and His love will shine through me.

This card is for the challenge for the Cricut Cardz Challenge. The challenge this week is to use black, white, lavender and green It's an S fold card with hearts cutout from Plantin Schoolbook and stamping with embossing. Hope you like it.

I've been pondering on this scripture today: The Lord has promised that there will be more than enough. 2 Kings 4:43

Valentine's Cards for St. Jude

These are pictures of some of the cards I am sending for the St. Jude's Valentine Day cards drive.

Thinking of You Card

Here is another one of my creations. A S fold card with embossing. I wish I had a better camera so you could get the true effect of the colors, but that will have to come later.

Recipe for Mulligatawny Stew

Mulligatawny is the word for pepper broth. This "stew" has peppers, curry powder, red pepper flakes and hot chutney in the ingredients and is wonderful on a cold winter day. Because my daughter and husband can't handle spicy, I will have to tone it down a bit. But will add sirachi at the table. Serve with a small salad and on top of rice and it's a complete meal.

Mulligatawny Stew

1 teaspoon
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
4 cups chicken stock
1 can garbanzo beans
salt and pepper to taste
2 T flour

1 Tablespoon curry powder
1 t ginger

1/4 cup tomato paste
1/3 cup chutney

1-2 cups cooked rice (preferably basmati)
1/2-1 cup shredded cubed chicken (you can cook raw chicken in the stock at the start if you don't have leftover chicken lying around)

1/2 cup tart raw apple, chopped fine

Saute the celery, carrots, onion, and pepper in the oil at a low heat until the onion is translucent. Stir in the curry powder, flour and ginger to blend and cook for a minute. Pour in the stock, chutney, tomato paste and chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until thick.

Serve over cooked rice.

Calories: 236 per 1 1/4 cup serving

4.5 grams of fat

My Renewed Hobby

My newest hobby is making cards. I am finding that if I keep my mind off food, I don't eat as much. I did this card for the Cricut Cards Challenge and I need to post it on my website to enter it. I will be posting a few random posts here and there. Hope you enjoy my creations.

Cheese, Glorious Cheese

Over the holidays I found a wonderful list highlighting different cheese tray combinations. Hopefully this will be as helpful to you as it was to me.

French Cheese Platter
Gruyere de Comte, Boucheron, Roquefort, Fromage d'affinois. Camembert, Comte, Brie, and Brillat Saverin to name a few. Serve with sun-dried cranberries or cherries, pears, saucisson (naturally dried pork sausage), pâté de foie gras or country pate, cornichon, and french baguette.
English Cheese Platter
Cotswald, Farm House Cheddar, Morangie Brie, Blue Shropshire, Lincolnshire Poacher, Winterdale Shaw, and English Blue Stilton. Serve with pears, dried cranberries, warm hazelnuts, English butter crackers, cornichons, and lavender honey.

Spanish Cheese Platter
Manchego, Drunken Goat, Valdeon, Campo de Montalban, Mahon, Nevat, Roncal and Mirableu. Nevat:Serve with quince paste (pairs perfectly with the manchego), figs, royal Medjool dates, Marcona Almonds, Jamon Serrano, and Catalan Olives.

American Cheese Platter
Smoked Gouda, Monterey Jack, Carmody, Buttermilk Blue, and Cheddar. Pair your platter with grapes, sliced apples or pears, walnuts, and sliced sausage, smoked ham, or Proscuitto.

Italian Cheese Platter
Taleggio, Fresh Mozzarella di Buffala, Grana Pardano, Sharp Provolone, Asagio, fresh Parmigianno-Regianno, Gorgonzola. Pair well with olives, Proscuitto de Parma, caramelized pecans, roasted red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes and pignoli notes.

Recipe for Tortilla Soup

The days of candy canes dancing in my head are over. All those wondeful gooey, cheesy appetizers must be put to rest. The cookies, cakes, pies and other sweets can no longer be allowed. It's time for the kick off of the total revamp of our food choices in the Ross household. Time for healthier meals and trying new foods that will strengthen us rather than bring us down.

On tonight's menu we are having roasted chicken from Sam's Club. It's so juicy and without the skin it's very healthy. We are also having my low fat tortilla soup. Everyone loves this soup and it is so simple to make. It is a perfect day for it too, cause baby, it's cold outside!!

Tortilla Soup

Serves 4

1 container red bell pepper soup

1 cup crushed doritos

1 T chili powder

1 can corn

1 can black beans

Blend together red bell pepper soup, chili powder and doritos in a blender. Pour into a 4 quart pot. Turn on medium heat. Add drained corn and drained black beans. Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with low fat cheese and sour cream.