Bloat.

Yesterday for lunch I got a Taco Bell Fiesta Platter. I was hungry at the time and the commercials had me sold. I was shocked at just how huge this thing was! It included a "Grilled Stuft Steak Burrito", refried beans, seasoned rice, chips and a side of chunky salsa. I loved every single thing on the platter. Unfortunately, I was "stuft" after the burrito, but was able to squeeze in most of the beans and rice. There was no room for the chips and salsa.

I looked up the nutritional value after I ate my lunch and was surprised that the calorie and fat count wasn't as high as I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong, it was still quite high! The total calorie intake was 1,160. And the fat content was 46 grams. Now since I didn't eat the chips and salsa, I'm thinking maybe it was a teeny bit less... but probably not much.

The good news about this lunch was that it filled me so much I didn't eat dinner. Or breakfast this morning. Not that I usually eat breakfast. But the point is, I was still full.

Happy Heart Day!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Hope you get to spend a little time with loved ones today. I made fun heart shaped pancakes for Alex and cut heart shaped apple pieces too. He loved it. He even volunteered to clear the snow and ice off my car off this morning! Happy Valentine's Day to me!!

Yum-O!

I found a fun recipe for what I'm now calling "Spinach Cups". I made a few variations and made it my own.

Here's the recipe:

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/8 cup sour cream

1/8 cup cream cheese

1/8 cup parmesan cheese

Handful of shredded Mozarella cheese

1/2 package of frozen spinach, thawed & drained

1 package of Crescent Rolls

Pre-heat oven to 375.
Mix together all the ingredients except the Crescent Rolls. Set aside. Take the package of Crescent Rolls and separate into 6 squares. (Just press together the perforations.) Use a 6-cup ungreased muffin pan. Press one square into each muffin cup. Fill each crescent with spinach filling. Bake in oven for 9-11 minutes or until edges are nicely browned. Makes 6 Spinach Cups.

These were SOO good and so easy to make. Even my son loved them. Although he likes most everything, but still, he loved them too. Next time I'm going to use a mini-muffin pan and make them bite-sized for appetizers. And perhaps double the recipe for a larger group. This was a perfect amount for just the 2 of us.

So I got a call from the Vet today. Apparently Jenny needs to be on a new diet. Her food is giving her kidney stones. Or something like that. I didn't really understand it. She's got crystals forming in her pee. And he suggested a "Urinary Diet". I don't have the details yet (he left a message), but tomorrow I'll call back and find out what she's allowed to eat. I'm guessing caramel corn and peanut butter crunch won't be on the list...

We're in the midst of another winter storm. I imagine I'll be up early to snow-blow the driveway. I wonder if there will be school...

Monday Madness

Today was a crazy day. Work seemed unusually busy and it didn't help matters that I had to leave in the middle of the day to take Jenny to the Vet and then race back to work to finish things up.

This photo is the giant "order" of gift baskets I got first thing this morning. They're for a sales conference tomorrow. Included is a nice Grey's Anatomy travel mug, NC9 t-shirt, the '08 Weather Calendar and a local restaurant gift certificate. I had to buy supplies for the basket assembly, then had about an hour to complete the task. I've become quite the gift basket maker as of late. It started out as a one-time thing a few years back. Just making one basket for a silent auction. Then it became a couple of baskets here and there. Now I do about 3-4 a month it seems. For some event or other. This was definitely the biggest request yet. Maybe I should start a side business...

The vet visit was fun today. (Not really.) I wore my black wool coat. That was a huge mistake. I still haven't gotten all the dog hair off of it. Jenny indeed has a UTI and was given some anti-biotics. I was shocked at the bill. I'm still shocked at the bill. I'm now in search of pet insurance. If a simple UTI cost me over $200, I hate to think what it will cost if something serious were to happen to her! If anyone knows of any good pet insurance, please let me know!!

It's a Good Day for Baking

Brrrr! It's 8 degrees outside. And lake effect is on its way. It's been a perfect afternoon to bake. I made a Pear-Apple Crisp, Oatmeal Cookies and then a nice Chicken Stroganoff for dinner.

The Pear Apple Crisp came from my Taste of Home magazine. (I love this magazine!) Here is the recipe. I have never thought to use a can of apple pie filling for a crisp. I usually slave over peeling and cutting apples. We were all in agreement that the homemade crisp is better, but this was a nice, easy alternative.

The Oatmeal Cookies came from my Betty Crocker cookbook. I added a nice twist to the traditional recipe. Instead of 1 1/2 cup of oats, I used 3 packets of apple-cinnamon oatmeal and a cup of plain oats. It added just a perfect amount of apple-cinnamon flavor. Very nice! I would definitely make these again.

For the Chicken Stroganoff, I used another Taste of Home recipe. The only difference was that I added a can of Cream of Chicken soup instead of the chicken broth & flour. It was just easier and we love the taste of the Cream of Chicken soup. (I also left out the bacon.) This is a great comfort food for a cold evening. And I can't wait for the leftovers tomorrow!

3rd Time is a Charm

It took 3 tries to successfully get a pee sample from the dog. I was truly expecting to have no success at all. But perhaps I didn't give her enough credit.

The first attempt took place early this morning. Still dressed in my orange and red flannel jammie bottoms, slippers and a bright orange fleece, I had Jenny by the leash in one hand and a little tin pie pan in the other. It was cold and flurries were in the air. She was not happy that I was following her so closely. She took a very long time to get down to business and kept looking at me with a "What do you want??" look in her eyes as I continued to follow her around. She finally went, but I was far too slow on the draw and only got a couple of drops in the pan.

The second time we had better success. I decided to wait until she had to go REALLY bad so we wouldn't be out so long. (It's cold out there!) It was a good plan as she went fairly quickly, I was much smoother on the pan-slide under the rear-end trick and managed a teaspoon or so.

We still needed a little more, so I tried a 3rd time. I was right there with the pie pan as she began her squat. I got several tablespoons worth of specimen and we were officially done.

Hopefully all she has is a UTI, we will get some anti-biotics and be on our way. I'm sure my neighbors will appreciate not having to see me traipsing around the backyard in my orange plaid jammies chasing the dog.

In other news, Alex emerged this morning wearing his Laurence Maroney jersey. I do believe the official mourning period is over. He simply stated "It's time." That it is.

How to Collect a Urine Sample from a Dog

I never thought in a million years this would ever be a concern for me. But the day has arrived. I need to somehow retrieve a clean urine sample from my dog. I noticed yesterday that she had some blood in her pee. (Thankfully there is snow on the ground, otherwise this would have gone undetected!) I called the vet today to make an appointment and they requested that I bring in a sample of her urine.

Now that certainly is easier than it sounds! Especially if you have a dog like mine. She's very skiddish. The moment I so much as bend down for the collection process, she will jump away. I have been looking online for help.

Here's what ehow.com suggests:

"Wait for the right moment and spring into action. If you have a female dog, consider standing behind her, out of view, and sliding a saucer under her as she squats."

Ha ha ha! Yeah. That's gonna happen.

Here's what another website suggests, complete with illustration:


"Try using an aluminum pie pan attached to a broomstick handle. Simply place the pan in the urine flow..."

Simple. Right! Well, wish me luck everyone! And if you have any advice, please feel free to share. I sure hope the vet has other ideas when I show up on Monday empty-handed...