Weight Loss Blues!

We now have a family and friends biggest loser contest going. Anyone who wants can join us for the entry fee of $25.00. So Jim and I are going to be participants. We both started back on our diets on Monday. I am losing at my snails pace, but Jim is going like crazy. He is dropping so much weight it is amazing. His stomach is already flatter. How can that be? My butt is the same size. I do not think this is fair. There must be a product on the market that lets girls lose as easily as boys, but I don't want to get a hairy chest in the process.

The good news is he bought a George Foreman grill which makes really good chicken and even fish. It also doesn't mess up the stove. Send me any great recipes for dieting. But I only want them if they are great! Nothing mediocre. I get no carbs, no sugar and no dairy. I'm not sure anything good tasting exists without butter. But I am staying with it. At least until we go to Hawaii, then we'll see.

Welcome California January!

Oh, it is so gorgeous today. It is just amazing, blue skies, temperature around 76, just feels good. This is a picture my friend and old neighbor sent from Wyoming. Beautiful as it is I think I'm staying in Escondido!

Classic French Chicken in White Grape Sauce

2 TBS butter
3 or 4 bone in chicken breasts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1/2 rib celery, finely chopped
2 oz prosciutto or country ham finely chopped
3/4 cup white grape juice
3/4 cup low salt chicken stock
3 TBSP heavy cream (at room temperature)
Chopped fresh parsley

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook it in the skillet on the skin side to brown it and render the fat from the skin about 15 min. Turn chicken over and cook on the bone side for about 5 min. Remove and save the chicken. Pour off all but 2 TBSP of the fat from the pan. Add the onion, carrot, celery, prosciutto or ham and saute until the onion is browned and the vegetables are softened, 8-10 min. Add the juice and chicken stock to the pan and stir to combine with vegetables. Put the chicken back into the pan. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover the skillet with a lid and simmer the chicken in the sauce until cooked through 20 to 25 min. Remove the chicken from the pan, turn the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the volume of liquid by half, about 5 min. (6-7 min. for a thicker sauce). Add the cream, stir to combin and remove the pan from the heat. Pour sauce over chicken and sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Great served with mashed potatoes.

Going Back to the Place We Love!!

Jim and I are beginning to get excited! At the end of February, we are going to Hawaii for couple of weeks. We are going to stay at Turtle Bay on Oahu, one of our favorite places. I plan to spend most of my time laying by the beach and reading, drinking virgin pina coladas, and sleeping. However we are going to try something a little different this time. Check out this video to see what we are going to be doing. We're super excited!