Thank you all for following me on this site for the past four years. I have switched domains and will now be blogging on a different platform.
Please jump over and check out my new site for the latest posts:
Hope to catch you there!
Thursday, August 4, 2016
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Workout Wednesday
So far this has been a pretty normal workout week around here. Gym on Monday, light exercise Tuesday, gym again Wednesday, walking tomorrow, and should hit the gym once more on Friday! My workout partner will be gone on Friday so not sure what time we will make it to the gym, but it is in the plans!
Today we hit the stair master for some booty work. I hate that machine.. If you want to make it harder, kick your leg back each step (like a donkey kick) to really work your booty, but don't accidentally kick anyone who might be walking behind you. I speak from experience here, that it is quiet awkward to say sorry for kicking you as you were walking in the gym!
After that we did some cable work and legs before butt bridges. I'm really into those right now.
10 minutes stair master
Cable flys low super set with tricep pull downs (3 sets of 12)
Lat pull downs super set with rowing machine (3 sets of 10 heavy weights)
Seated leg curls super set with leg extension machine (3 sets of 12)- on these two exercises, I pause at the top (for the leg extension) and the bottom (for the leg curls) to really feel the burn!
Finish with butt bridges and stretching out
Today we hit the stair master for some booty work. I hate that machine.. If you want to make it harder, kick your leg back each step (like a donkey kick) to really work your booty, but don't accidentally kick anyone who might be walking behind you. I speak from experience here, that it is quiet awkward to say sorry for kicking you as you were walking in the gym!
After that we did some cable work and legs before butt bridges. I'm really into those right now.
10 minutes stair master
Cable flys low super set with tricep pull downs (3 sets of 12)
Lat pull downs super set with rowing machine (3 sets of 10 heavy weights)
Seated leg curls super set with leg extension machine (3 sets of 12)- on these two exercises, I pause at the top (for the leg extension) and the bottom (for the leg curls) to really feel the burn!
Finish with butt bridges and stretching out
 |
| Pausing at the top to make these harder |
Happy Wednesday folks! I hope you are getting your workout in for the day as well.
Monday, August 1, 2016
Meal Planning Monday #2
You may have noticed I skipped last week's meal planning. It wasn't that I didn't do it, but I wanted to actually snap some pictures of the meals before I posted them to my blog. Then real life happened, and I forgot to snap pictures #blogfail.
This recipe is one of my mother in law's and is a simple, delicious weeknight meal
Directions
Place sirloin steak in crock pot and pour Italian dressing on it (just to moisten the meat).
Sprinkle half of the ranch dressing seasoning packet on it and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours until meat falls apart.
Pull the meat apart after cooking and sprinkle au jus seasoning packet on it.
You can add the pepperoncini peppers (and some juice) to the meat if your family likes a bit of spice or allow people to put them on their individual sandwiches.
Assemble meat, cheese, and peppers on your hoagie buns. I usually toast my sandwich in the oven for just a bit to melt the cheese at this point.
This is also one of my mother in law's recipes. Shout out to Sharon this week as I'm using all her recipes :)
Directions
Cook noodles al dente for about 7-9 minutes.
Brown hamburger meat and season with salt and pepper. Drain grease and set aside.
In a large bowl combine 6 oz mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup milk, 24 oz cottage cheese, 1 egg, and 3 slices of moist bread torn into tiny bits. (ok I know this sounds weird but wet your bread and then tear it apart into baby sized pieces. It helps keep the mixture together)
Season the cheese mixture with some Italian seasoning and salt & pepper and add hamburger meat to the mixture.
Drain noodles and let them cool
Next, spray a 9 x 13 Pyrex with cooking spray and lightly layer some sauce on the bottom of the pan.
Fully stuff each noodle with the mixture and lay in single layer in the pan. I always have noodles leftover which works out because some of the noodles will split and be "un-stuffable"
Pour the rest of the Prego sauce over the stuffed manicotti noodles and sprinkle with the leftover cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
I served this meal with some fresh green beans and then forgot to take a picture.. Boo on me!
Who is BJ you might ask? Well BJ works with my dad and consequently, I used to work with him too in the summers during high school. He is the shipping manager up there, and he loves his pups, his country music, and republicans. And he makes a pretty manly stew that the fellows in my family all love.
Directions
Cook hamburger meat and chopped onion and drain off grease.
Combine all other ingredients in a slow cooker and mix well.
Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 hours
I serve this with corn bread on the side or in your stew if you prefer.
Monday
Crockpot Beef Sandwiches
This recipe is one of my mother in law's and is a simple, delicious weeknight meal
Ingredients
2 - 3lbs top sirloin steak
Italian dressing
dry ranch dressing packet
au jus seasoning packet
jar of pepperoncini peppers
soft hoagie buns
provolone cheese slices
Place sirloin steak in crock pot and pour Italian dressing on it (just to moisten the meat).
Sprinkle half of the ranch dressing seasoning packet on it and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours until meat falls apart.
Pull the meat apart after cooking and sprinkle au jus seasoning packet on it.
You can add the pepperoncini peppers (and some juice) to the meat if your family likes a bit of spice or allow people to put them on their individual sandwiches.
Assemble meat, cheese, and peppers on your hoagie buns. I usually toast my sandwich in the oven for just a bit to melt the cheese at this point.
Tuesday
Manicotti
This is also one of my mother in law's recipes. Shout out to Sharon this week as I'm using all her recipes :)
Ingredients
1 lb hamburger meat
1 package manicotti noodles
8 oz mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
3 moist slices of bread
24 oz cottage cheese
Prego meat sauce
Italian seasoning, salt & pepper
Cook noodles al dente for about 7-9 minutes.
Brown hamburger meat and season with salt and pepper. Drain grease and set aside.
In a large bowl combine 6 oz mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup milk, 24 oz cottage cheese, 1 egg, and 3 slices of moist bread torn into tiny bits. (ok I know this sounds weird but wet your bread and then tear it apart into baby sized pieces. It helps keep the mixture together)
Season the cheese mixture with some Italian seasoning and salt & pepper and add hamburger meat to the mixture.
Drain noodles and let them cool
Next, spray a 9 x 13 Pyrex with cooking spray and lightly layer some sauce on the bottom of the pan.
Fully stuff each noodle with the mixture and lay in single layer in the pan. I always have noodles leftover which works out because some of the noodles will split and be "un-stuffable"
Pour the rest of the Prego sauce over the stuffed manicotti noodles and sprinkle with the leftover cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
I served this meal with some fresh green beans and then forgot to take a picture.. Boo on me!
Wednesday
Leftovers
Thursday
BJ's Stew
Who is BJ you might ask? Well BJ works with my dad and consequently, I used to work with him too in the summers during high school. He is the shipping manager up there, and he loves his pups, his country music, and republicans. And he makes a pretty manly stew that the fellows in my family all love.
Ingredients
1- 1.5 lb hamburger meat
1 cup onion chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 cup celery (I omitted this)
2 tsp garlic
4 cans black eyed peas (drained)
1 can black beans (drained)
1 can corn (drained)
1 can rotel (don't drain)
1 bag frozen okra
salt & pepper to taste
Cook hamburger meat and chopped onion and drain off grease.
Combine all other ingredients in a slow cooker and mix well.
Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 hours
I serve this with corn bread on the side or in your stew if you prefer.
