Spring Time

AHHHH I think is almost here! I have been loving this weather. My favorite! 60-80 degrees couldnt get any better!

So, I went to the Latin Dance Class and It is an absolute Blast! Kudos to my friend Angie for going with me. She is my accountability partner. We have been up and at the gym every morning at 0430 except for Latin Dance Class nites. I am so proud of her, she has lost 60 pounds already and is working on the rest of it!

While I am giving kudos out, My honey has lost 13 pounds and my oldest daughter has lost about 15 pounds. Myself, I am at 22 pounds lost. I updated my ticker to put me at the ideal chart weight, even though I don't agree with them. The reason why is not that I am fat, but that when I came out of boot camp I was 15 pounds heavier than the charts and I was lean, no fat to really mention. But I am setting the chart for my goal and we will see what happens when I get close.

My middle daughter is getting up some mornings and hitting the gym with me at 0 dark thirty in the morning. GO MEG!!

So, that is the scoop on the fitness arena of my life! Catch ya later, gotta go to the gym!

Exercise

Okay, so I have been working at losing this weight and now the whole family is on the 'band wagon' with me. I am so proud of them for working at getting healthier and in better shape. We are following the "South Beach Diet" and working out pretty regularly. I feel a lot better than I did 2 months ago.

Yesterday I was at the gym and heard some loud Latin music and went over to investigate. They were having a Latin Dance Aerobics class. How fun is that! I watch for a bit and tried to participate a bit but the class was extremely full, not much room to squeeze in. I think I will get there early and check it out. It looked like a blast, and I love the music!

You can check out our weight loss progress on the bottom of my page, I have tickers for the three of us. The 2 younger family members don't really need to lose weight. So wish me luck with my Latin Dance Class! I am sure I will need it!

Friday the 13th

Okay, so, it is Friday the 13th. Which brings up the line of thinking about superstitions. I am not a very superstitious person. I don't really get the whole "don't walk under a ladder", "don't open an umbrella instead the house", all those kinds of things. Either they are unfounded, or I just have bad luck all the time! Hmmm, don't know can't really think of one that I believe in right now, How about you?

Dinner Last nite

Sauteed frozen green beans has become our favorite dish. Frozen green beans you might ask, can they be any good? Well the truth is frozen vegetables are often just as flavorful, if not more, than “fresh” vegetables. Frozen vegetables are a quick, cheap and tasty way to get vegetables on your table. And they are just totally AWESOME! We also had filet with them last nite. Yum Yum! The Southbeach diet isnt so bad. :o)

This is what I am doing this morning! In case anyone else needs to know how I got this info from the kitchen emporium. Happy Seasoning!


Seasoning Cast Iron
Seasoned Cast Iron can be considered the "grandfather" to today's "non-stick" cookware.
Cast Iron Cookware must be seasoned properly and it will last a life-time. ( I still use my Grandmother's cast iron skillets on a regular basis and they must be at least 60-70+ years old.)
New Pans
Heat the oven to 250o - 300o
Coat the pan with lard or bacon grease. Don't use a liquid vegetable oil because it will leave a sticky surface and the pan will not be properly seasoned.
Put the pan in the oven. In 15 minutes, remove the pan & pour out any excess grease. Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 2 hours.
Repeating this process several times is recommended as it will help create a stronger "seasoning" bond.
Also, when you put the pan into service, it is recommended to use it initially for foods high in fat, such as bacon or foods cooked with fat, because the grease from these foods will help strengthen the seasoning.
Pans needing Re-Seasoning
If the pan was not seasoned properly or a portion of the seasoning wore off and food sticks to the surface or there is rust, then it should be properly cleaned and re-seasoned.
Remove any food residue by cleaning the pan thoroughly with hot water and a scouring pad. I understand that heating the pan first to a temperature that is still safe to touch helps open the pores of the metal and makes it easier to clean.
Dry the pan immediately with dish towel or paper towel.
Season the pan as outlined above.
Caring for Cast Iron Cookware
Seasoning a cast iron pan is a natural way of creating non-stick cookware. And, like you cook and clean the modern non-stick cookware with special care to avoid scratching the surface, your cast iron cookware wants some special attention too.
Clean the cookware while it is still hot by rinsing with hot water and scraping when necessary. Do not use a scouring pad or soap (detergent) as they will break down the pan's seasoning.
Never store food in the cast iron pan as the acid in the food will breakdown the seasoning and the food will take on a metallic flavor.
Store your cast iron cookware with the lids off, especially in humid weather, because if covered, moisture can build up and cause rust. Should rust appear, the pan should be re-seasoned.
When you purchase cast iron cookware, they are medium gray in color, but after usage, they start turning darker. (My pans are very black in color.) This is normal and should be expected.
Cookware Guide

The smaller family members!

Hello Everyone, this is Diva the spazz! Can you tell? I mean just look at her! She is the bane of my husbands existence. All he has to do is look at her and she wants to pee on everything! Tuffie( on the right side) otherwise known as my nighttime foot warmer. He has two sisters that terrorize him daily. Below is Ria, that would be Ria pequeno to the general public. She is tiny, but her attitude is not. Just ask her!

Favorite Shoes

What Can I say??? I think the picture says it all. These are my favorite shoes! Isn't it obvious?