Food, music and birthdays

SO, I realized that it has been a few months since I posted some food item on my blog.  Maybe that has to do with the new diet that Bud and I are on.  It is a rather boring diet but it is slowly working.  This diet is a high protein diet that involves drinking or eating specially prepared and doctor sponsored protein drinks or foods for breakfast, lunch and snack.  The 'meal' of the day is also high in protein and this diet requires you to eat at least 4 cups of certain vegetables every day.  It is a challenge to find vegetables to eat and interesting ways to prepare meals.  We have always eaten simple meals here but they often included some vegetables that are 'forbidden' on this diet.  I have been eating a LOT of cucumbers and celery.  Bud has been preparing vegetables for breakfast since it is sometimes difficult for him to get in all his vegetables.  We both have lost about 12 pounds in 6 weeks, not a fast weight loss but it is 'chugging along'.  Bud has dropped a size in the waist of his pants and I no longer have to struggle to get into my jeans.  I miss carbohydrates a LOT.  Sweets and carbs are my downfall.  I was hoping that this diet would rid me of those cravings but so far that part has not 'kicked in'. I also miss salty cracker type foods.  Basically, I LOVE all kinds of foods that aren't good for me and find the foods that are good for me BORING!!!

 Bell peppers have been on sale in the grocery stores lately and I bought quite a few, hoping to use them in stir-fry.  I had about 6 of them in the refrigerator and decided to experiment with roasting them.  I went online and checked out some recipes and away I went.  I cut the peppers in half, tossed them with olive oil, placed them on a cookie sheet with just sea salt on them.  I roasted them at a high temperature then took them out of the oven and put them in a bowl and covered them for a while to kind of steam them in the final stage.  They were then a bit cooler and I was able to remove the skins quite easily. I then cut them into strips.  There was still quite a bit of olive oil on them and I added sea salt and some spices that I had in a mixture in the pantry that was to be used as seasoning in olive oil for dipping bread.  I decided to make this into a salad so I chilled them a bit, not too much though. Along with a nice chicken breast from the grill, it made a very pleasant meal.  I had some leftover the next evening and I just reheated the whole thing so they were good hot too.  Anyway, if you happen to find an excess of peppers on sale in your store or your vegetable drawer, try roasting them.  They are good hot or cold.

 Saturday afternoon we went to hear Charlotte sing in a presentation for young children called Disney and Desserts.  She dressed up as Aerial in the Disney movie and sang a beautiful song.  Unfortunately the sound system was not working well, cutting in and out so the performance wasn't heard at its best. She was a real 'pro' and kept on singing, her voice was strong and we could still hear her very well.  Her voice is growing stronger and stronger as she gets older and she really has a beautiful voice.

 Then we were invited over for dinner.  Jack and David were home on spring break.  That was a pleasant surprise for me.  I haven't seen them since Christmas.  Danielle, David's girlfriend, came along too.  Tomorrow they are leaving and going to Utah skiing with Sue. Charlotte has to stay home since she is still in school, Walt has to work and they have invited Brittany's fiance John, to come with them although Brittany has to stay in Ann Arbor for medical school.  It sounds like a fun trip.  Sue will have a great time with the kids.

 OH, I guess this is out of order but here is Charlotte in her costume along with Bud.  LOVE that hair.  Quite a wig.

It was also Charlotte's birthday this past week.  She turned 17.  Since she is the last one, the whole fuss about having the correct number of candles isn't that important.  One candle in the middle of the cake is sufficient.

It was a lively dinner with many different conversations.  I love the fun of family around the table, laughing, talking and just enjoying the company.