RECIPE:TURKEY {MINI} MEATLOAF AND AVOCADO

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I am checking in on this hot, humid summery night down south! I hope and pray that everyone is enjoying their summer.

BOY...it's flipping hot over here...and it's ONLY JUNE! Yikes!

OH SWEET, BELOVED BEACH...how I long to see you!?!

Do you know what I am saying?!?

Speaking of the beach, the downside of actually GOING TO the beach is the whole bathing suit thing.

Ugh!

Yes, I said it! BATHING SUIT!

It's like I just said the "F" word or something, huh?

Well, in view of preparing for the dreadful bathing suit, I have been visiting the scale lately and these visits have been a total nightmare...so these visits lead to an altered grocery list and menu...which leads to this post! Time to put away the Oreos (Double-Stuff, of course) and embrace some lean eating!

This recipe is one of those "Did I just make that" moments! I loved the outcome! I really like ground turkey, but not usually in a meatloaf...but this really is awesome and only 200 calories per serving!

I hope you try it!!

2.5 lbs ground turkey

1 onion (minced fine)

1 cup bread crumbs (I actually used one whole wheat English muffin ground in food processor)

2 eggs

Seasonings: garlic powder,salt, red pepper, cracked black pepper, Cajun Power Garlic Sauce, Italian seasonings-(season to taste---I like spice!!)

I can tomato soup separated:

-1/4 can(mixed in meat mixture)

-1 tsp on top of each loaf

-The remainder to be put on top of loaves halfway through cooking

Sliced avocado

1.

Mix everything together (except Italian seasonings and the portioned tomato soup) and form 10 mini meat loaves (I like the mini meatloaves because they cook faster)

2.

On top of each loaf, put a tsp of tomato soup and sprinkle Italian seasonings on top.

3.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes

4.

Add the remainder of the tomato soup on top of each loaf. This really keeps it moist and flavorful. Bake another 20-25 minutes. ...Check out all the yummy juices! No oils were used at all!

5.

Pair with avocado slices on the side if you like...and I LIKE!!

And...it's DONE! Took about an hour from start to finish.

So YUMMY! And low cal!!

Let me know how YOU like it!!!

Talk to you soon!

Linking up:

MARVEL-US MONDAY:SPINACH BANANA SMOOTHIE+AN UPDATE+FINAL HOURS FOR A GIVEAWAY!

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IS IT MONDAY ALREADY!?

Is it acceptable in "Blog World" to not be so "chipper" on this Monday Morning?

Will I be judged for such unacceptable behavior or is there ANYONE out there that can agree that a few more days added to the weekend would certainly benefit this overwhelmed wife and mom?!

I'm thinking...the answer is is probably "YES!"

Don't get me wrong, I am happy that the sun has risen!

Today WILL BE a blessed day!!

You might also be wondering where I have been lately...well...let's just say the storm is brewing and the tornado called "LIFE" is picking up things and throwing them down as it trails it's course!

I'm OK...just doing a lot of thinking...

If you are a praying person...I'll take a little prayer if you are willing.

:))

OK, so on a different note, I have a confession...

This weekend I bought a scale!

YES, I DID!

I have not owned a scale for probably ten years now and since nothing has been working to motivate a change in eating habits or exercise...I had to bring in the "big guns"...

THE SCALE!

PHEW, it wasn't a pretty sight...kind of a shocker...reminded me of why I hate scales! I have never (and still am not) worried about my "weight" BUT I had to do something!?

Something had to slap me back into reality! 

People, I am not getting younger OR smaller...

So this morning, I made my favorite morning motivator. This AWESOME recipe is from  my hairdresser, the fabulous PAIGE! She has shared this with me and so many of my friends.

You will like this even if you don't like spinach!

As long as you like banana, you will love it!

It's easy breezy and a great way to start your day!

My kids LOVE IT!!

SPINACH BANANA SMOOTHIE:

1-Fill cup with ice and pour into the blender

2-Break up a whole banana and put it in the blender.

3-Grab a hand full of fresh spinach and then...YEP...put it in the blender, too.

4-Pour 1/3 cup of water into the...you guessed it...THE BLENDER!

5-NOW, BLEND AND ENJOY!

:)

***I ADD A LITTLE SWEETENER OR YOGURT BUT THIS IS OPTIONAL. IT TASTES GREAT WITHOUT IT AS WELL***

I really hope you try it! It took some guts for me but I am SO GLAD I did!

ALSO, there is about 12 HOURS LEFT of MY FIRST GIVEAWAY EVER (CHECK IT OUT HERE)!

Tootles,

FAMILY FOCUS FRIDAY(ALMOST!): YUMMY FAMILY FAVE RECIPE (TACO SALAD)

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IT'S FRIDAY! WOOHOO! Well, it was Friday...Oh well, better late than never, right!?

I just LOVE Fridays and I have decided to give Fridays and very special focus and that being on the family!

Yes! Family Focus Friday!!

I had a very productive day "off"(yeah, right!) Does a Mom or Wife EVER have a day off??  Nevertheless, this was a productive day and I need more days like today on my JOURNEY TO BECOMING MORE ORGANIZED!

I am sharing a recipe that is SOOO easy and one of my family's faves!  It even makes my 5 (almost 6) year old actually EAT LETTUCE! 

Yeah..it's THAT good!

It is a wonderful Taco Salad Recipe blend of my friend, Kenisha, and my own concoction.

Looks Yummy HUH!

Ingredients:

*Blue Corn Tortilla Chips

(According to Kenisha, Target has the brand that will give you the largest serving for the least carb content for you carb counters, like myself)

*Lettuce

*Cooked ground beef, turkey or chicken breast (diced) 

*Pack of Taco seasoning (add this to meat while cooking with water)

*Can of Black beans (drained and rinsed)

*Black Olives

*Sour Cream

*Chopped green onion

*Cheese Queso Dip

*Pace Picante Sauce

Basically, we just pile it on in the order listed above starting with the Blue Corn Tortillas! 

This is such a yummy meal that the whole family will love!

If it'll make my daughter eat lettuce, then its a winner!

Enjoy!! I have eaten this 5 times in the past two weeks and am still not sick of it! I have a very special place in my heart for mexican food!!

Have a blessed weekend and remember to take the time to enjoy your family,

RECIPE: PRETTY DARN GOOD CRAWFISH ETOUFFEE'

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By NO means am I am chef, but I've been told I can throw some pretty good stuff together!

If you read about my amazingly Good Friday post, you will see that we were blessed with the yummy goodness of CRAWFISH! If you're grossed out at the thought, you can't knock it until you try it! REALLY!

We had tons left over and so we peeled the extra and of course the plan for the remainder is usually a fettuccine alfredo or an etouffee'.

So the kids were hungry and really I was SUPPOSED to start my "diet" today, but Lord knows, it would be a sin to let all the yummy crawfish go to waste!

Can I get an AMEN!?

So I figured today I would share my recipe for Crawfish Etouffee'. 

Down South, most people don't even use recipes, especially for something like an etouffee', but not everyone is from the South! 

Go figure! 

So here is a glimpse into my VERY ORDINARY kitchen at the making of a pretty extraordinary crawfish etouffee' (at least I think so)

:)

(By the way, if crawfish isn't your thing, try this recipe with shrimp!)

So the ingredients are:

1-yellow onion

1/2-purple onion

6-cloves of fresh garlic-I LOVE Garlic

2-cans of cream of shrimp soup

1-can of cream of mushroom soup

1-can of diced tomatoes and green chilis (Rotel)

4-heaping tablespoons of smart balance butter

2-lbs crawfish (peeled and deveined)

2-cups of water

Brown gravy mix or we call it "Roux" (They aren't exactly the same but either will work)

Seasoning

Rice or baked potato

Sweet peas for the side (our favorite)

*Chop up the onions and sauté them with 3 heaping tablespoons of butter

*Chop up the garlic and set aside

*Once the onions are sautéed well, add the tomatoes and chilies (Rotel), a 1/2 cup of water and the last tablespoon of butter

*Once everything is heated well and blended, add the cream of shrimp and cream of mushroom as well as the garlic.

*After about 10 minutes or so, add the crawfish and remainder of the water.

*Add the brown gravy mix to your liking (I usually sprinkle a little at a time so that I don't over do it) or if using roux, just put about a teaspoon in and let it melt. The color should be something like this:

*Add seasoning to taste. I use cayenne pepper, fresh ground black pepper, a dash of garlic powder and salt-We LOVE spice! Sometimes I sneak in a jalapeno...shhh!

* Let everything cook and simmer on low for a while.  Honestly, the longer it cooks, the better it tastes and it aways tastes better the next day

*Serve over rice or over a baked potato is good too...and with a veggie (we love sweet peas)

*Serves-ALOT

:)

I am thinking they liked it!!

Feeling stuffed and thinking I will start my diet tomorrow,

CHECK OUT WHERE I LINK UP HERE!