Billy's First Ever Cooking Segment!

Enjoy Blog Budddies....FYI-I have totally stolen that line from Ross-the intern who is a fab blogger. It just makes sense. I will have to come up with another catch phrase!

Butternut Squash Soup

Billy’s Yummy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Whole Pot Yields 6 WW Points1
(1 1/2 pound) butternut squash, peeled seeded and rough chopped (0-points)
6 Sprays of Olive Oil Pam (0 points)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup Italian Turkey sausage, removed from the casing (2-Points)
1 cup small dice onion (1-Point)
1/2 cup small dice carrot (.5-Point)
1/2 cup small dice celery (0-Pints)
1/2 cup small dice leeks (.5-Points)
2 tablespoons minced shallots (0-Points)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (0-Points)
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (0-Points)
1 & 1/2 quarts Low Sodium & Fat Free chicken stock (0-Points)
2 teaspoons Light maple syrup (.5-Point)
1 teaspoon fresh chopped sage leaves (0-Points)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the chopped squash in a medium-size mixing bowl. Drizzle the squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place the squash on top of the sheet pan. Set the sheet pan into the oven and roast for 30 minutes, or until the squash is lightly caramelized and tender.

Remove the squash from the oven and set aside. Place a 1-gallon saucepan over medium high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and render the Italian sausage. Cook, stirring often until the meat is caramelized and has released most of its fat, about 3 minutes. Add the onions, carrots, celery and leeks in the pan and sweat, stirring often for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and sweat for 1 minute stirring continuously. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and add the chicken stock to the pan. Place the squash in the pan with the maple syrup and sage.

Bring the pan to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook the soup for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are all tender. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup to a smooth consistency and velvety texture. Alternately, you can puree the soup in batches using a blender. Taste the soup and re-season if necessary with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Keep warm until serving.

videos

Hi all, Tonight I'm going to make a video recipe blog.  So look for it!

Losses...

I had my first W2 meeting after the holidays and I lost a (insert drum roll here) 1/2 pound. I think I'm plateauing. Next week I'm starting a new work-out at the gym. Hopefully that will help. Speaking of losses I have recently lost a dear old friend. A friend that comforted me when life got to hard, when life was a celebration, and when the road became to long. I have ended my long friendship with the Marlboro Man. I started the Chantix on New Years Eve and quit smoking on Monday 1/7 at 5:30 p.m. On Tuesday at around 9 am I had a mini break down and smoked a 1/2 cigarette and then the other half at around 11. Since then I've been smoke free. I'm doing OK. I feel anxious, a little lost. For me, smoking was a lot like over eating. I used as a personal rewards system. What can I turn to know. I think it will have to be ....oh the horror...WORK. I like what I do, where I'm at, and who I work with. I'm just not one of those people that feels compelled to work 80 hour weeks. I believe that life is for living it. Hence the reason why I smoked, I ate good food. The trick with the food is to still eat good food, eat less of the high fat high calorie items and it less often. I make dinner almost every night and I have to say that it's always good. I know I know I'm in desperate need of posting some recipes. I'm going to try to do a little cooking segment this weekend. What do you think? It could be fun.

OK-This was my cigarette break. I have to jet. :)

Stay strong, Stay Focused, and work at your resolutions. One day at a time!!!!!!

Long Time...

Hi Y'all,

It's been a long time since my last post! As its the new year I thought I would take a few minutes and blog about resolutions. I'm one of those people that make them and never follow through. This year I'm committed to at least two!

Over the holiday break I went to the doctors and got me some of that chantix! The nicotine blocking medicine to help me quit smoking. I'm ready. I started smoking at 18 and lets just say I'm a few years older now, and its been a long time. Ironically I never really liked it or the smell, the taste, and the discoloration of your teeth and skin. So it was time. I have tried other things and failed. I know a lot of people who have tried this drug and it worked. So if you see me after Monday, 1/7 smoking kick me in the arse!

My second goal is to continue to lose weight. I did really well over the holidays. I stayed the same, I didn't gain and I didn't lose. I ate though! Not exceptionally bad but bad enough. The only time I was really bad was new years eve. Not a lot of booze but some of my favorite foods. Now that I'm back to work, I have stepped right back into my routine of the gym in the morning, a light breakfast, a 2 point lunch (two pieces of light bread and two thin slices of turkey with deli spicy mustard) and a very healthy dinner! I worked out every day over break except for Christmas Day and New Years day because the gym was closed.

I'm also more committed to blogging about my W2 journey. For any of you out there that are trying to lose weight I would seriously recommend Weight Watchers. It's easy and smart. I don't recommend the online version. For me it helps to go to the meeting. Listen I don't often stay. I have to get home to the dog. Just that five minutes of standing in line, paying my $12, and hopping on the scale helps to keep me motivated.

The rewards are great. Over the holiday when I was in the valley to see my family I stopped at my mom's house and went through some of my old clothes that are at her house. Expensive pants from Brooks Brothers, Banana Republic and the like that haven't fit in a couple years are now fitting and in some cases a little big. Which is great. I even went shopping after Christmas and got several pairs of pants from Banana that were in my goal size! Sweet Jesus!!!!!

Since labor day I have lost more than 36 pounds. My goal is to lose a couple more pounds until I look good in a bathing suit. I'm going to Florida in March and want to look GREAT!

So for all of you who have made resolutions, take it one day at a time, and work towards them. You made them for a reason. Good luck!

OH-I'm so going to try and be better about blogging. I just go the iPhone and I can do it from anywhere!!!!!! We shall see! I have some more recipes to share and will post.

I have this rocking Pork Loin that I stuff with stuffing that is really low in points because I don't use butter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Look for that.

B :)