More progress

So I've been on this "new eating lifestyle" for 16 weeks. I'm thrilled that I've lost a solid ten pounds. Some times it's more like 12 or 13, but that part is still wavering on the scales so we'll see. So something like a half-pound to a pound a week.

I am doing better on the other things that going along with changing the way you eat. I don't feel so hungry all the time. I only give into the late night cravings for sweet and buttery half as often as I used to. I have more willpower to resist cheating or only eating small amounts of what I crave. That's improvement. And, I can be happy with eating just one of something I really love like chocolate baked goods. Biggest of all, I'm drinking mostly water. I am off of the daily diet soda and the sweetened iced tea. That's less unneeded calories, more water, and less chemicals and carbonation that's supposed to be not good of you.

So my next weight-loss goal is down another seven pounds by October 31.

Empty Nest

Well, it's done. Yesterday The Boy moved into his dorm. We loaded up the car in the morning and drove it to his new home base. We got him all settled in after a quick trip to Target to buy the last of the things he needed. It seems like there is always something: auxiliary cable, power strips, toilet paper, dorm room snacks, and so on. After all that we spent a little mother-and-son time together, lunch and a movie. If you're a Batman fan, I do recommend Dark Knight Rises. Then I dropped him off at his dorm room for his first night in his new digs.

Then this morning, I took him out to breakfast at the local IHOP and headed home. That was it. Kind of anti-climactic for such a big, new stage in life. You'd think it should come with a big ceremony, or major fanfare, but it is so utilitarian and functional.

I know it is big and life-altering for The Boy. He's nervous and worried and excited about that. But it is big and life-altering for me too. I've always been "a single mom". All of my big life decisions were based around what was best for my son: stability, and new life experiences, and security, and broad horizons. Now, I wonder who I am now. I know "once a mom, always a mom". He's always my one-and-only baby. I'm always going to be there for him, and always going to do my best for him. But can I still define my life around him? And if not, who am I now?

3.... 2.... 1....

Tomorrow is the big day! The Boy is all packed. We dug out the old microwave and cleaned it up to take with him. We've been doing laundry all day so he can start out with clean bedding, towels, and clothes. We've made a pretty long list of odds and ends to buy at Target when we get there. We've gotten all of the details settled for his daily college life. Tomorrow we load the car and drive to the dorms. Oh scary!

All of this brings back the memories of when I was young and was packing up my parents' car to drive to my new college life. I don't exactly remember packing. I remember the drive up, feeling so odd. I remember moving into my new room and meeting my roommate. I remember the first few days of feeling awkward and out of place, not really knowing how to act, what to do, trying to be so grown up but feeling like I'm just pretending. I wonder if it will be the same for The Boy.

I wonder to how life will change over the next few years for The Boy... and me too. When I was first starting college, I had such plans. I was an international business major. I wanted to spend a year studying abroad. I was going to be an international attache, a human resource specialist on a global scale. I think I would have been good at it, too. But, all my plans were not what came about.

Winter break of my sophomore year I got pregnant by my boyfriend of one year. Two months later I found out I got accepted to the University of Salzburg, Austria, but I turned it down to have the baby. Living in a big city to work for a company who would need an international business major didn't seem the best for having a young family. For that matter, international business was not conducive to being a mother. I changed my major to education and decided teaching was the best thing for raising a child. I tried to do the "right thing" I was taught in my Christian upbringing. So, I married The Boy's father. That was a BIG mistake (and a long story for another time).

I'm not complaining. I've done very well for myself. I have my Master's degree. I have a very good career I enjoy; I work with an excellent staff. I have a home and I am comfortable. I can take care of myself and my son without any trouble. My son has turned out to be a great young man. Even though it's not the life I imagined, it's a very good life.

For The Boy, however, he has big dreams and plans. He has his whole college career and life thereafter mapped out. I hope he doesn't get waylaid like I did. I hope he gets what he wants and dreams of.

The Real Count Down

I know I did a count down back in June for The Boy's graduation from high school. At the time, that was definitely a big deal. As my only child, I get to experience all of these things as a parent only once: one senior prom, one high school graduation, and one moving away to the college dorm... which happens.... this weekend. Oh boy.

So all summer we've been busy getting ready for this big event. We finally got The Boy his driver's license. I'm not sure what it is, but I've read several articles lately saying this current generation is not real big on driving. Weird. He inherited my old car which I am getting tuned up as I type. So, transportation for college done.

We've spent a lot of energy getting all the little details for college in line. Tracked down and finished up a final for an online class he was taking. Got all of his course books ordered and ready to pick up. Toured the campus and tracked down his classrooms for his first semester. Checked out the area around his dorm to see what restaurants and stores are available. I think he's a set as he can be to start day one.

Now we're in the final phase, wrapping things up here at home. Don't tell any kid with several siblings, especially those who have to share a room, but for the past three years, The Boy has had two bedrooms in my house. He needed more space when hanging out with his friends, so half his stuff ended up in his original bedroom and the other half migrated across the hall into what was my office. Now, since he will be living away the majority of the time, he certainly doesn't need two bedrooms. The past couple of days, he's been moving furniture around, getting everything consolidated into one room. The next step will be packing. Sorting out what stays, what goes, and what we need to buy when we get there.

And so the count down goes... 10.... 9.... 8.... 7.... 6.... 5.... 4....

Happy birthday to me (part 3), Coca Cola Cake

For my sixteenth birthday, one of my high school best friends threw me a surprise birthday party. Her mother baked me a homemade chocolate and raspberry birthday cake. It was delicate, buttery, rich, very chocolaty. It must have been made with lots of real cream and butter. That afternoon it one of my favorite high school memories.

When I started planning my birthday treat that was the cake I remember. And initially, that's the cake I started searching for on food blogs was that one. What I ended up with was so much more pedestrian but perfectly yummy: Coca Cola Cake!

There are recipes all over the web for Coca Cola Cake. Most of them are very similar; my recipe here is a compilation of all the standard recipes. I'd never heard of it before. I'd never tried it before. But it turned out moist, lightly chocolaty, brownie-like, with extra goodies in it like marshmallows and chocolate chips. (I would have sprinkled it with pecans too, but The Boy doesn't like nuts. Always a mom.) It's like a cross of a Texas sheet cake and a frosted brownie. 

Coca Cola Cake

INGREDIENTS

2 c all-purpose flour
2 c sugar
1/2 c canola oil
1/2 c butter
1 c Coca Cola
1/4 c cocoa powder
1/2 c buttermilk
1 t vanilla
1 t baking soda
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup marshmallows

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

(Other possible mix-ins: toffee chips, peanut butter chips, nuts)

1/2 c butter
3 T cocoa powder
6 T Coca Cola
1 t vanilla
4 c powdered sugar
1/2 cup pecans, optional

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

2) Melt the first 1/2 cup of butter in a sauce pan. Add canola oil and Coca Cola. Be careful when adding the soda. It can boil up rapidly. Whisk in 1/4 cup of cocoa powder. 

3) Pour the chocolate liquid slowly into the dry ingredients. Stir together until thoroughly incorporated.

4) Stir in buttermilk and vanilla just until mixed.

5) Stir in chocolate chips and marshmallows. I didn't have small marshmallows, so I cut large marshmallows into quarters.

6) Spray 10x15 baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Pour batter into pan and spread evenly. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

7) While the cake is baking, make the frosting. Melt the remaining 1/2 cup of butter in a sauce pan. 

8) Stir 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder. Stir in 6 tablespoon Coca Cola, again taking care.

9) Remove from heat and mix in powders sugar and vanilla.

10) When the cake out of the oven, pour the frosting over immediately and spread evenly. If you wish, sprinkle pecan (or other nuts or sprinkles) on top while the frosting is warm.

An excellent birthday cake

Happy birthday to me (part 2), Mac n Cheese and Orange & Avocado Salad

The recipe that started my rich and down-home birthday dinner was macaroni and cheese. I LOVE macaroni and cheese. Baked custard-based mac 'n cheese, boxed mix mac 'n cheese, stove-top cheese sauce mac 'n cheese,  doesn't matter, I love it all. Since creamy, gooey comforting mac 'n cheese isn't really on my 1500 calories-a-day health plan, it's perfect for my birthday indulgence.

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
INGREDIENTS

3 cups of shredded cheese, any variety you like
(I used Gruyere, Fontina, and Cheddar)
3 T butter
3 T Flour
2 1/2 cups of whole milk
1 t Dijon mustard
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t nutmeg
Dash of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
6 oz whole wheat pasta

1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Set aside one cup of the shredded cheese. In one pot, heat the milk over medium low heat. In another pot, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the flour, whisking constantly for one minute.
2) Add the milk all at once, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil stirring continuously until the milk thickens.
3) Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. 
4) Once the milk is thick, turn off the heat and add the remaining ingredients and the 2 cups of cheese. Stir well until completely mixed.
5) When the pasta is cooked and drained, add it to the cheese sauce.
6) Spray an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour he pasta and cheese sauce into the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese on top.
7) Bake in the 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or until bubbly and light brown.

Macaroni and Cheese, the food of the gods!

Orange and Avocado Salad

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups of your favorite kind of salad lettuce/greens

(I used leafy green lettuce and arugula)

1 orange, peeled and sliced (one orange will make 3-4 salads)

1/2 avocado, sliced

Thin slices of red onion, maybe 2-3 tablespoons worth, or to taste

1 T olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Assemble into a fresh, summery salad. Really good and fresh.

Happy birthday to me (part 1), Braised pork ribs

I'm not much on traditional holidays (Christmas, Easter, 4th of July). But I am big on personal "holidays": anniversaries, birthdays, Mother's Day. I fully believe in celebrating birthdays, even my own. I buy myself a birthday present, fix myself a special birthday meal, pamper myself on my birthday. I drag out the events for as long as I can, a good week at least; lunches with friends, movie with The Boy, pedicure, maybe a massage if I can work it in. Celebrate life!
This year I started planning my birthday dinner weeks in advance. I spent hours perusing food blogs for recipes. I thought I would want a beautiful, fancy dish. Something exotic and unique. I thought I would want a decadent, chocolaty birthday cake, a mile high and rich. After looking at all kinds of fabulous recipes, I settled on bbq pork ribs, macaroni and cheese, a light salad, and a coca cola cake. So not the meal I originally envisioned. I guess after weeks of dieting (or switching to a healthy eating life style) I wanted something really sinful.

My favorite ribs recipe comes from Alton Brown's Good Eats on the Food Network ("Who Loves Ya, Baby-Back?" http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/who-loves-ya-baby-back-recipe/index.html). I've tried it several times before. Here's my make of, adapted very little (mostly cut in half and a few ingredients switched for convenience sake).

Braised Pork Ribs

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 tablespoons salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon rubbed thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• Dash of cayenne
• 1 slab pork spare ribs
• • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tablespoon honey
  • 1 heaping teaspoon crushed garlic

1) Mix together the first seven ingredients to create a dry rub for the pork ribs.
2) Rinse, dry, and remove some of the fat from one slab of pork ribs. 

3) Lay the ribs in the center of a long piece of foil. Tear a second strip of foil the same size.

4) Sprinkle half the dry rub on one side of the ribs and rub it in. Repeat with the other half of the dry rub on the other side. 




5) Lay the other piece of foil over the top. Roll the edges on both long sides and one short side to create a large pouch for the ribs. Leave one side open to add the braising liquid later. Put the ribs in the refrigerator and let marinate for a minimum of one hour.

6) Preheat the oven to 225 degrees. Mix the last five ingredients together to make a braising liquid. Microwave the liquid for one minute. Pour the mixture into the open end of the foil packet. Roll up the open end. Swish the liquid around to distribute.

7) Place the ribs on a baking sheet. Bake in the 225 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours.

8) When the ribs are done. Let them rest on the counter for about 15 minutes. Be very careful opening the foil. The packet will be full of hot steam.

9) Separate the ribs and serve! If you like, you can return the ribs to the braising liquid to add more moisture. Siphoning off the fat from the braising liquid will reduce some of the oiliness.

Very yummy! Definitely worthy of a birthday meal