Meet our newest addition: Tonka!

Hey guys, this is a couple of months late, but just wanted to take a moment out to introduce you to the newest addition to our little family! This is our little Tonka man! He just turned 4 months on the 20th of this month & is a complete HOT MESS! He is a dapple dachshund & obviously cute as a button! We decided our little Kizzie needed a "her size" friend & had been looking around for a while. FINALLY, we found Tonka. At first we were interested in his sister, she was chocolate, but then Cassie said she would bring both.  We've never really been into the whole "boy dog" thing because my sister's dog liked to mark his territory everywhere...but for some reason we just fell in love with this little man & I am so glad we did! He & Kizzie are two nasty little peas in a pod & soul mates already! Kizzie is a long haired ChiWeenie (Chihuahua & Dachshund) & a total princess DIVA. She runs this household, & she likes to be the "hall monitor"...if Yoki (our demonic cat) or Tonka are doing something they aren't supposed to be doing, she isn't afraid to let them know it or tell us all about it from atop the highest point on our couch! Haha. Anyways, just wanted to show our little "stud-muffin" off & introduce him to everyone!

-XO's & wet little nose kisses.

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding

Oh, FALL! Sweet FALL, is just right around the corner! Mmm, sweet.....SWEET STUFF...Well, I don't think I have to tell some of you that that is my weakness! With Fall obviously right around the corner (OH MAN, I CANNOT WAIT!)...come on, tell me you haven't noticed the way the breeze is cooling down a notch from melt your face off, to, lets wear a light thin jacket or cardigan?!... I feel like I'm going to have to really step it up to get on top of my "health" game & find healthier alternatives for some of my favorite colder weather comfort foods!

Dear Comfort Foods, 

Oh how you do comfort me! Just, this time, can you NOT comfort me by making me gain an extra 10lbs of that comforty gain weight goodness you do so possess?! 

Please & Thank You,

Me.

Tis the season for apples, pumpkins, soups/stews (I have an amazing Italian Beef Stew that I will share with you guys later, I cannot lie, it is pretttttttyyyyy AMAZING!), & comfort casseroles! Now I don't know about you guys, but my favorite cold weather feel good food  that warms me up is bread pudding & boy do I have the perfect recipe! Bread Puddings are warm, ooey-gooey, & so simple to make. I'm not 100% sure where this recipe came from because I wrote it down a few years ago, but it is by far my favorite bread pudding recipe EVER! Like any other bread pudding, this one is even more delicious the next day, after all of the flavors have gotten to know one another & have come together as the yummy caramely bread puddingy goodness it is! 

-Caramel X's & O's...

Caramel Apple Bread Pudding

1c. unsweetened applesauce

1c. fat-free milk

1/2c. egg substitute

1/2c. packed brown sugar

1/2c. fat-free whipped topping

1/2c. fat-free caramel ice-cream topping

 (I use the Sea Salt Caramel indulgence by Smuckers, it is DELISH!)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

5c. day old bread, cubed

1/2c. peeled, chopped, granny smith apples.

• In large bowl, combine the applesauce, milk, brown sugar, egg substitute, vanilla, & cinnamon.
• Fold in bread crumbs & apples.
• Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish that has been coated with non-stick spray.
• Bake uncovered at 325' for 35-40minutes or until knife comes out clean. 
• Serve warm with whipped topping & caramel. Refrigerate leftovers.

Healthy Salmon Cakes

Amongst all the other crazy things in my life.....trying to get healthy, my distressing/crafting disorder, trying to make-over our living room & kitchen, AND work....Cooking has been one of the trial/error periods for healthy cooking! I am originally from a small speck on the map back home in Alabama & everything is "Sweet Tea, Ya'll, & fried"... My Momma is the Biscuit Queennnnnnn *In My HoneyBooBoo voice* BAHAHA!!! Her biscuits are amazingly soft & puts any others I've had to shame. Seriously, she makes them homemade & they're always perfect. My sister used to stay in the kitchen with her & eat the dough, lol, she should honestly be a pro at making Momma's biscuits.. sadly she isn't lol, as a kid I guess dough was her main priority, not how to make them! I have tried, several times, I have yet to master it, but maybe with a little more practice! It is times like this with memories like that, that sure do make me miss my family back home! Anyways, my point to the biscuit story is that one of my favorite things to eat with them is my Momma's salmon patties. However, they're made with flour (something I rarely have in my pantry) & fried (something I do not do....I bake instead, it's healthier). So, thanks to running across a recipe for Baked Salmon Cakes, I'm happy to at least have one of those things in my life, since my Ma' won't drive up here just to make me some of ither! Haha. This recipe is something Mr.Hooah & I both like & it isn't your traditional salmon patty, it has a little extra OOMPPPPH! with the onion & since it is baked & has flax, its sooo much better & healthier! Le Sigh....now if only I had some of Momma's homemade biscuits! MMM!
-XO for now...

 

Healthy Salmon Cakes

2 cans of pink salmon

About 1c. bread crumbs (Progresso italian is great!)

1/4c. ground or milled flax seed

2 egg whites

3TBSP. finely diced onion

pepper to taste

• Debone & remove skin from salmon in a med-large bowl.
• Mix all ingredients together & form into patties. Place on a non-stick sprayed pan.
• Bake at 350' for 10 minutes or until crispy & brown on both sides. (You could also cook on stove top, I bake to avoid all the oil though..Cook in pan on medium heat for 5-8 minutes or until crispy & brown!)