Cute Video of Howard

Howard and Mona. He likes her, she is not fond of him.


In the photo above it looks as if I interrupted his time with his cat friend.

Low-fat Chocolate Brownies

I have been playing in the kitchen again and I have come up with the absolute best low fat brownie I have ever tried and believe me, I've tried tons of them! I'm so excited about this because it is fudgy and delicious.

Low-fat Chewy Chocolate Brownies
1 cup flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 oz semi-sweet chocolate, broken up
3 tbsp margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla
2 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt chocolate and margarine. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, water, vanilla, egg whites. Combine flour, powdered sugar, cocoa & baking powder. Mix with chocolate mixture.

Bake at 350 in an 8 x 8 pan that has is lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray for appx 30 minutes.

16 servings
135 calories/3 grams fat

Enough is Enough!

I didn't plan on having a "diet blog" but it looks like somewhere between my digital scrapbooking, recipes, and crafts I will be including my daily struggle with my weight.

About 6 or 7 years ago I lost over 125 pounds but somehow about 50 of them found their way back to me and I'm not liking it. I am feeling the old fat self returning.

I have set a goal for myself. I plan to have that 50 pounds off by my birthday next year. That's 11 months away. That's about 6 pounds a month and I think that is completely doable. This will be a major struggle but since I'm back in the creative mode, I think I see another focus and for me, that's a good thing!

Wishful Thinking

Perhaps if I post this picture the "powers that be" will get the hint and start warming things up a bit?

Ultra Easy Pizza

It doesn't get any easier than this! Normally I make up a big batch of pizza crusts and freeze the dough (after its first rising) in individual servings in little baggies. But I didn't really feel like making up a batch of dough because I'm in my creative busy streak. So I discovered the already made dough at the grocery store. You get three in a package (individual size) and they freeze very well. You can top them with anything you like but I made mine nice and healthy! I used low fat Ranch dressing as the sauce, topped it with fresh diced Roma tomatoes, broccoli (cooked), and topped it off with low-fat mozzarella cheese. Absolutely Yummy!!!!

Sher Hastings Designs

Sher Hastings Designs is now open for business!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SherHastingsDesigns

Greeting Cards

I like to make my own greeting cards, thank yous, and invitations, and my favorite way to do them is in the 4 x 6 photo format. Everyone really likes them because they always put them on their fridge (my daughter's is full of them) or they can slip them in their photo albums. I then upload them to WalMart and they print them out for pennies.

Above is an example of one I made for my mom a couple years back. I chose a few very old photos and printed them out in grey scale. I even enclosed a photo of her own mother taken in the 20's. It's one of her favorites.

M & M Trifle

We will be giving my niece a baby shower in a couple months and this is one of the many things I will be taking because it's her very most favorite dessert I make. It's so yummy, pretty, and quite easy!

Brownie M&M Trifle

*Ingredients
1 large container Cool Whip, thawed
1 box fudge brownie mix
2 cups "M&M's" Chocolate Mini Baking Bits
3 (regular size) Snickers bars, chopped into 10 or 15 pieces
Chocolate syrup
1 small box chocolate flavor instant pudding

*Preparation
Bake brownies according to package instructions. Let cool and cut in to squares. Make instant pudding according to package instructions.

NOTE: For extra rich brownies, stir 1 cup (240 mL) of "M&M's"® Chocolate Mini Baking Bits into batter.

Assembly: Layer trifle accordingly in a deep glass bowl or trifle bowl. Drizzle brownies with chocolate syrup. Layer pudding. Layer whipped cream. Sprinkle with chopped Snickers bars and M&M's Chocolate Mini Baking Bits. Repeat, making at least three layers. Finish with a final sprinkling of M&M's Chocolate Mini Baking Bits and Snickers.

Meet Howard & Me

Meet Howard! He's an owl that we have raised at the clinic where I work. We've all become quite fond of Howard. He's a great horned owl who fell from his nest. When we raise owls we release them as soon as we are sure they are going to be able to survive on their own. This is Howard. We all fell in love with Howard. How sad it will be when we release him. He'll be missed!

As for me, I'm just a wife and mother who is living day by day and enjoying every minute of it! I created this blog for the purpose of exposing you all to my digital scrapbooking, crafts, and day to day life, but I also want to express my creativity in many other ways so I hope you will follow along and see what I can come up with next!