Happy Boss' Day

Happy Boss' Day! To those of you who are bosses, don't be a "horrible boss"; to those who may one day become the boss, remember what it was like when you weren't the boss and be kind and considerate; to those of you who never want to be a boss, remember your boss is usually juggling a lot of responsibilities at once, be patient.

At our office we made breakfast for our bosses this morning. My contribution was a delicious French Toast Souffle. Also a family favorite for Christmas morning at my house. You do all the prep work the night before and refrigerate, then pop it in the oven in the A.M. I hope you will try it and let me know what you think if you do!!



French Toast Suoffle'

Yield: Approx 12 servings

Ingredients:
10 cup cubed sturdy white bread, about 16 slices (I use Pepperidge Farm Hearty White)
8 oz block cream cheese, room temperature
8 large eggs
1 1/2 c milk
2/3 c half and half
1/2 c maple syrup
1/2 t vanilla extract
2 T powdered sugar for garnish (optional)
Extra maple syrup for serving

Directions: Place bread cubes in a 13x9 cooking dish coated with cooking spray. Beat cream cheese with mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add milk, half and half, 1/2 maple syrup and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture over top of bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat over to 375 degrees.

Remove bread mixture from fridge; let stand on counter for 30 minutes. Bake at 375 for 50 minutes until set. Sprinkle souffle' with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup.

Test Recipe Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

This week's test recipe was an effort to recreate one of Little Chief's favorite Chinese Food Noshes, Orange Chicken. He LOVES some orange chicken. However, Mama don't love the calories and fat that accompany that citrus goodness. I liked this recipe. It was so easy to throw together in the A.M. and when I got home from work, I just threw some rice in the rice cooker and we were ready to eat in 20 minutes. Next time, I would make a few changes to the recipe, mostly add some heat with crushed red pepper and would probably throw in some veggies, broccoli and water chestnuts and onion maybe. But we did veggies on the side this time. Little Chief did not like it so much. He said it was OK, but it didn't taste nothing like the orange chicken he liked. I told him it was a healthier version so it would not taste the same, but the essence should be the same. He went on to tell me "Mom, I am a connoisseur of orange chicken, I know what it should taste like". And he gave me that "Duh" look as if to say "I know everything and you know nothing". He's becoming a pro at giving me that look and he is only 10 years old. Me thinks the boy needs his booty smacked, but spanking your kids went out with feathered bangs...I miss spanking....but as they say what goes around comes around and I'm just dreaming of the day that spanking becomes trendy again. But I do digress, me and Chief liked the recipe and Little Chief ate it between protests. He also added so sweetly (not) that we should keep the Jade Garden Restaurant on speed dial. He will be eating PB&J for the rest of the week, thank you very much!!!



Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

8 small boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 Tbsp flour
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/3 barbecue sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp grated ginger root

Toss chicken with flour in slow cooker. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cover, cook on low for 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. Serve with hot cooked rice.

What a Difference a Year CAN Make

Wow, the pics below are from 2011 Khaki ball. The last pic is from the 2010 ball. I am almost unrecognizable even to myself in that pic. I have lost 105 lbs in the lats year! Went from my embarrassing all time high of 216 in the pic below to this morning's Monday weigh-in of 111. YAY ME!!