"That is NOT a dessert"

This phrase has come into play in our home recently.....since we've been giving up dessert for the next 37 more days.....
Of course, cakes, brownies, cookies, candy/chocolate, ect are all desserts....but there are many items that must come into discussion......
For example.....
Our consenus: not a dessert, b/c we eat them for breakfast.

Not a dessert, again a meal item. However, we don't eat cereal w/ a lot of added sugar, so I would probably count Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Lucky Charms as dessert!

A hard call, but i'm pulling for "not a dessert". My argument is that hot chocolate is a beverage, and has as much calcium as milk.

We're allowing granola bars of all kinds b/c they're a snack item. Made w/ milk, and sugar free...but no....this pudding is a dessert! Goodbye pudding!!!!!! (for a little while)

DUH!!! Just kidding......

Not a dessert......

Now that I've found all these pictures, I'm getting hungry! Time for a "not a dessert" snack!!!!!! Wish us luck!

Good times w/ chocolate cookies.....

So it is now the season of Lent...and Patrick and I are giving up desserts for the occasion. I had these pictures on my camera from before Valentine's Day when we made "the best triple chocolate cookies in the world" .....I've included the recipe for all you who aren't giving up desserts so that I can enjoy them vicariously ..... Here's why they're soooo delicious. Yes, two bags of morsels! We use the recipe on the back of the bag, and they come out perfect every time!
Thanks, Nestle' Toll House!

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Baking Cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups (11.5-oz. pkg.) White Chocolate Morsels
1 3/4 cups (11.5-oz. pkg) Milk or Semisweet Chocolate Morsels

PREHEAT oven to 325° F.

COMBINE flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. THIS IS THE DIFFICULT PART- they're so chocolatey, that it can be hard to mix them in!!!!!

Drop by well-rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Press down slightly. BAKE for 11 to 13 minutes or until cookies are puffed and centers are set. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Patrick's favorite part of cleaning up!!!

The perfect way to drop onto the cookie sheet.....

Ta-da! They're so good.

Goat cheese and roasted red pepper chicken!!!!

We made this for dinner the other night...super easy and delicious! I was inspired by a recipe in a magazine, but we made it even easier and healthier. Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 350.

Sprinkle chicken breasts w/ salt, pepper and herbs de'provence.

Saute the chicken breasts in a skillet w/ olive oil spray until done, then set aside and cover w/ aluminum foil.

Respray the pan, then saute 8-12 ounces of sliced mushrooms of your choice ( we really love mushrooms and we buy the presliced ones to make life easier!)

While the mushrooms are cooking, sprinkle more herbs de'provence/salt/pepper as desired.

In a baking dish, place the chicken breasts, then top w/ roasted red peppers. (we buy them in the jar whenever they're on sale...but you can also make them yourself...)

Sprinkle on some goat cheese,and more seasoning as desired. Bake for approx 10 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt a little....Serve w/ your side item of choice.

Enjoy!!!!!!

Long time...no post....

so there hasn't been much exciting to post about, but I thought I would add something anyway!

I'm currently in the Newborn Nursery for the month... this isn't really one of my patients, but he's cute anyway!

In other news...Patrick and I are dessert-free for lent....It is going to be a rough 40 days!!!!!!!

SNOW DAY (for real this time..)

We didn't actually believe that we would have winter weather, but when I woke up this morning...we had a nice dusting of snow!!!!!! Not our Hummer...obviously.......
Patrick in his "turtleskin" (the hat)...
This is Scarlett, the dog we take care of when her mom is on call......We think today was the first time in her 13 years that she's actually seen snow!!!!!

She looks like we caught her doing something bad!!!!!

Scarlett and I enjoying the snowday

Notice that I had already washed, dried and straightened my hair before I found out that our clinic was closed and that I didn't have to work today.....however I don't care b/c I'm off!!!!!!! Of course all the government offices were closed today, so we got to have our first vacation day together since Patrick has started working at his new job!
A snow day calls for French toast!