Whats for Dinner?

I tested this recipe last night and my husband cancelled dinner reservations we had for this weekend at a very nice steakhouse- becuase he said he would rather stay home and have my steaks again! How is that for a success story? It was so simple, and turned out looking very impressive. I wanted to share the recipe which I found online--it said that it was courtesy of Executive Chef Bob Martin of Wildfire Restaurant in Chicago.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

For the Horseradish Crust:
6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
3 to 4 tablespoons grated fresh horseradish or prepared white horseradish
1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

For the Horseradish Sour Cream:
3 to 4 tablespoons prepared white horseradish
1 cup sour cream

For the Filet:
Four 1/2 pound center cut filet mignons, 2 pounds total
4 slices good-quality bacon, optional
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
RECIPE METHOD
TO MAKE THE HORSERADISH CRUST: In a medium-sized bowl with a wooden spoon cream the butter. Once the butter is light and fluffy, add the horseradish and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the breadcrumbs and mix until they have been incorporated. Use your hands to shape the butter and breadcrumb mixture into 4 flat disks the diameter of your filets. Place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
TO MAKE THE HORSERADISH SOUR CREAM: In a non-reactive medium bowl, mix together the horseradish and sour cream until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
TO PREPARE THE FILETS: Wrap each filet with one strip of bacon and secure the ends with a wooden toothpick. Repeat this with the three other filets.
Preheat the broiler or the oven to the highest temperature. Place the oven rack on the top third of the oven. Over medium-high, heat a large heavy, ovenproof frying pan. Season the filets with the salt and pepper. Sear the bacon by standing the wrapped filets on their sides until the bacon just begins to brown and become crispy, about 30 seconds per side. Then sear the filets until dark golden, 2 to 3 minutes on the first side. Turn the filets over and sear the other side. Cook another 3 to 4 minutes for medium rare. Place the horseradish breadcrumb topping over each filet and place in the broiler until the crust becomes golden.

Meme

I found the Meme a few weeks ago and can't remember where- but I think anyone who has the desire should go ahead and do it.

What accessories do you wear everyday? Engagement ring, wedding ring and wedding day surprise ring.

What is your beauty routine? I don't have a real routine...
AM: Shower and If I am being good wash face with Philosophy face wash. Put in leave in conditioner (potion No. 9 or Infusium) Then dry hair with diffuser, brush teeth and moisturize. Appy makeup after dressing and then pop out the door, grab a soy latte and hop on the bus.
If I am being bad: wake up after snoozing for an hour. Watch the today show until the last minute possible. Throw on something random and then drive top work and pay 16-23$ for parking.
PM: Wash my face and brush my teeth…on my good days.

What was the Last item of clothing you bought: wide leg cuff pants and Blue shirt from gap

Do you use a dresser, closet, or both? Two closets, dresser and countless baskets and piles- it is a disaster! When will we find a house!!!!???

What type of earrings are in your ears right now? I have never pierced a thing- Thank you!
What type of figure do you have? Slightly curvy, slightly athletic, short, small chested.
Do you wear glasses? When I drive or watch a movie.
What type of handbag do you carry? Lately I have been carrying my new Burberry tote- but I switch it up between my D&B tassel tote, my kate spade and my Diane Von Furstenburg navy and green carry-on tote.
What is your ideal style? Classic. Preppy. (obviously)
What jewelry are you wearing right now? My engagement ring, wedding ring, my surprise wedding day ring and pearls.
Do you wear knee-hi stockings?No….gosh no-if you mean those walgreens see-through type trouser socks. Now knee high argyle socks-That is another story- those are a Yes yes-with wellies and boots whenever I can!
Do you *have* to wear matching lingerie? No- nothing matches any more…
Do you wear makeup? Yes, but sometimes I am too lazy even though I look like hell.
Do you wear nightgowns? I have a couple that I wear when I am feeling saucy, but otherwise I am kind of a tank top and pj pants type of girl.
What outerwear do you put on when going out on a typical winter's day? Well this is Chicago, so lately I have been wearing my puffy vest underneath my Beneton dress coat with my cream colored scarf because I have self imposed the ONE Burberry at a time rule so I can’t wear my classic scarf at the same time as my new tote. ( I need to buy a proper winter coat!)
What is your favorite perfume? Lately I have been wearing Pure Grace, by Philosophy but want to expand my scents to include something notable and classic.
Is your motto "quality over quantity"? I would much rather have a closet full of quality pieces and accent them with cheapie trendy accents each year as they come and go. I prefer the quality- you feel it when you wear it!
Do you wear rain boots? I wear my Utilitarian English Wellies and I love them.
Do you wear socks or slippers when your feet get cold? I have the restoration Hardware foot duvet slippers as well as leather bottom cable knit Ralph Lauren slippers- love them both but am tempted to check out ugg slippers.
Do you have a set of travel luggage? Yes it is Diane Von Furstenberg Navy blue with white piping and accented with white cane/lattice print. With a splash of green on the carry on tote bag. My dad was carrying it into the lake house last summer and stopped and said, “you have such pretty things!” I was almost crying I was laughing so hard…gee I wonder where I get my preppiness from? (Dad thinks the only colors I should wear are navy and white.)
What is your daily uniform? Polo or other collared shirt and skirt in the summer, skinny jeans, boots and preppy sweater in the fall and a mess of terrible yet warm and comfy outfits in the winter.
If you are married, did you wear a veil with your wedding dress? Yes, my best friend made me one, but then I saw my husbands mother’s veil that I thought was the most beautiful thing ever- so I wore that- and it matched the dress and theme perfectly.
Do you wear a watch? No- I have one that my mother gave me. She got it when she was younger and living in Switzerland- but it needs to be fixed and will be expensive so I have been lazy. I have had my eye on a discreet Burberry ladies watch that I think would suit me.
What item of clothing always makes you feel extremely beautiful? Well made coats- I was built for coats- for some reason I always look fantastic in coats! Maybe it is my darn swimmers shoulders! And skirts in the summer... I live in skirts!
What is your favorite type of yarn? I love the feel of that baby yarn, but Cashmere sure is lovely!
Do you prefer zippers or buttons? Probably Buttons- they lay better and keep the shape of clothing without bunching and bending.

Weigh in Wednesday

Ok, so in order to promote healthy progress towards my 10 lb weight loss goal. I am going to have a weigh in Wednesday. I would love for anyone who is on the same journey to lose some weight to join me. Every Wednesday, I will check in with my progress, my exercise and my weight- and since we're women and I don't want to get caught up in the whole apples and oranges aspect of what people weigh, I thought we could use +1 or -1 etc...
So this Wednesday I am starting from scratch. I am way back to my starting point even though a few weeks ago I was doing well and had been-4. I know that I have been eating out a lot and indulging on the weekends so I can't act too surprised.

Wednesday Check in:

Monday:
Breakfast: Kashi cereal
Snack: Kashi cheddar crackers: 100 cal
Lunch: Amy's Lentil Soup- 250 cal
Snack: kashi granola bar
Dinner: Cheese fondue appetizer and 3 glasses of wine...ooops!

Tuesday:
Breakfast: Kashi cereal
Snack: Kashi Crakers
Lunch: Chicken noodle soup 240 cal
Snack: organic noodle cup: 100 cal
Dinner: Dinner at West Town Tavern, Lamb, potatoes, truffled potato chips flat bread, countless glasses of wine....

I think I am starting to realize that Dinners are my problem!!!!

Anyway, feel free to share if you want to participate. When I lost 20 lbs for my wedding I did a combination of 10 min arm exercises, recording my food and being concious of eating every few hours instead of three meals a day, and walking. This time around has been more challenging but I really hope to reach my goal. The cruise is in May- so I have 2 and a half months!
Good Luck to everyone who wants to lose weight with me!

Crabby Mood Fix

I woke up really crabby and in an overall bad mood. Nothing fit or looked right and the weather is terrible. I Googled ways to lift your mood and this is what came up so I decided to give it a go…can’t hurt –right?

1. List why the bad cause of your mood is good for your life - “Bad” events happen. But they don’t have to always be negative. See if you can figure out the good in the situation. Example: A job hunter is turned down for a job. He thinks about how much he learned from the interview. I feel like a fat cow- not sure how to make that positive. The weather sucks- ummm….at least we didn’t get 12 inches of snow- just slush and rain and ice showers. I can’t find a house to but and my apartment is a disaster- this is a good thing because if we had already bought a house it might have been in the wrong area- because we were originally looking at another suburb.
2. List your thanks - List 10 things your are thankful for. Do you have food to eat? Do you have a roof over your head? You can’t be genuinely thankful and grumpy at the same time. Try it and see!
-wonderful husband- even though I am slightly mad at him
-great family
-I have a job
-I am only 10 lbs overweight, not 50.
-I was skinny for my wedding
-at least I am in a position to buy a house and not in debt like many people my age
-I like my hair color
-I have two best friends and even if they don’t live here- that is pretty good
-I have a cute puppy that always wants to cuddle with me
-I like my shoes
3. Affirm your goals - Pick your top 3 goals and rephrase them as if they are already accomplished. This is as simple as rephrasing “Quit smoking” to “I have quit smoking.” Now close your eyes and repeat the new affirmations. Looking at a positive future sends a bad mood packing.
I have lost 10 lbs
I have de-stressed my life
I am nicer to people
I have a clean and organized life
---I don’t really understand what this part is supposed to do…
4. Rewrite your top 3 - A Brian Tracy tip. Pick your top 3 affirmations and write them 3 times each morning. This boosts your optimism and gets your mind set to working on them. Lose 10 lbs lose 10 lbs Lose 10 Lbs. De-stress! De-stress! De-stress! Orannize organize organize!....this is getting lame….
5. Smile practice - Feeling blue? It’s ok to feel down now and again. But if there’s no reason, then, a smile might just cheer you up. Put a smile on your face. Positive feelings follow positive actions. If someone walks by my cube right now, they are going to think I am insane!
6. Do a random kindness - It might feel strange to do something nice for someone else if you are fuming. But if you bring a coworker a surprise gourmet coffee or give a compliment on someone’s new shoes, their reaction will melt that crusty attitude - I promise. I will do a good deed- I will compliment a co-worker on her outfit…
7. Set Optimism reminders - If you have a system like Outlook, Google calendar, or a stopwatch timer, set some reminders for optimism time. Just a beep will do. You can use this time for rewriting your goals or honing your thank you list. If a reminder pops up on my computer telling me to be optimistic, I think I will smash the monitor…this thing is going downhill fast
8. Take a positive action on your top goal today - Moving your body and mind in a positive direction moves your emotions in a positive direction too. If you are physically and mentally feeling exhilarated but emotionally, you are sad, You are trying too hard. I plan to work out at lunch and maybe a quick walk on the treadmill after work too…this might help me feel like I am taking steps towards my goal, but I worked out yesterday and I am still fat. Yuck.
9. Forgive others - Other people can get under the skin. But to control your emotions and the situation, practice forgiving others. Someone makes you mad, think “I forgive you. I forgive you. I forgive you.” Others are in their own little worlds they often make mistakes, so do you, so try to give em a break. Does this mean I have to forgive my husband for acting like a 5 year old?
10. Abolish blame - Your feelings are your own. It’s understandable that anger happens. But the difference between a pessimist and an optimist is the pessimist is content to blame and look on the negative side. An optimist knows he or she plays a role in every situation therefore looks for a solution. Blame stands in the way of solutions because it is the path of least resistance. I am crabby because I feel fat…I feel fat because I gained weight….I gained weight because I ate and drank….I need to not be fat and I won’t be crabby. Well, that’s not true, but it is really the only part I can kind of control right now…
This was dumb, but I guess I don’t feel as intensely crabby anymore—just regular crabby, which for a crummy Tuesday morning isn’t too bad. Hope you all have nice mornings, and if not… try the list. It might help.