Pineapple Carrot Bread

I defrosted my freezer this weekend bit not really by choice. I found that door didn't get all the way shut. It is times like this I wish I had a freezer alarm. Lucky for me that it didn't contain much meat. The freezer mainly had bread, butter, freezer jam, and berries. I also had this delicious frozen Pineapple Carrot Bread. So this weekend, we have been snacking on this. When I make quick bread that makes two loaves, we freeze 1 loaf. It great way to spread out the goodness and stock up your freezer.

This recipe is from Backyard Living Magazine. I love that the caption says, "it's nutritious and economical." This tastes a lot like carrot cake.

Pineapple Carrot Bread

3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

2 cups shredded carrots

1 cup vegetable oil

1 can ( 8oz) unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained

1 cupped chopped pecans or walnuts

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, optional

1/ to 1 1/2 teaspoons milk, optional

In a large bow, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, beat eggs; add carrots, oil, pineapple, nuts and vanilla. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Spoon into two greased and floured 8 in x 4 in x 2 loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 65-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before moving to wire racks to cool completely. If desired combine confectioners' sugar and milk; drizzle over loaves. Yield: 2 loaves

*** I have been leaving out the nuts and I have never used done the glaze, either.

LEGO loot

Oh my word, Chuckles made out like a bandit on Lego Loot. We could open a Lego Store, seriously. Santa brought him Lego Creationary.

That was an enormous hit and enjoyed by the adults too. Along with the mandatory Lego Kits. He also got the Lego Contraption Book. Some of these creations were a touch on the hard side but he really enjoyed putting together the various things. I was able to get free with Swagbucks.

He also got a Lego Clock/CD/Radio from his Nonna and Pappy.

His Aunt, Polyester Princess, gave him a Lego wrist watch. This is the Darth Vader One. Chuckles was one lucky guy.

40 by 40

This post is about my journey to lose 40 lbs by my 40th Birthday. Well, I started. That counts. I have been wearing my pedometer, faithfully. I haven't even dropped it in to the toilet. I guess that happens but it hasn't happened to me. So here is the skinny or fat as they say.

THE GOOD

number of steps taken since Jan 1 = 99,705

average number of steps per day =16,617

THE BAD
(Yes, I am going to post the real weights. It is whatit is. If this kind of truth makes you uncomfortable don't read these posts)

starting weight as of 1 Jan=238

weight today=239

It was cold but not wet at the beginning of the week. Mrs Epi has been walking me to death. Now it is cold and wet so Wednesday and Thursday were a challenge. When wearing a pedometer the challenge is to walk at least 10,000 steps a day. I have been meeting that goal. Now, I need to work on the eating part of this challenge. It is disappointing to walk so much and really not have a darn thing to show for it. It just goes to prove that it is both DIET and EXERCISE.

The Biggest Loser started this week. As much as it hurts to admit this, I could be a candidate for this show. Another show that starts Jan 17 on A&E called Heavy. I guess this is similar to the Biggest Loser without the competition aspect but more of a documentary.

Back to Regular Scheduled Programing

FIRST OFF I did not win the MEGA MILLIONS. Yes, the Giant Man Child bought tickets. Hey, the first step to winning is to buy a ticket. I just had to get that off my chest.

Back to school and back to work. There is some bloggy business to take care of. I plan on taking part in both tracks of Book it 2011 at Life as Mom. Details are here. The first book is The Happiness Project. I have already read that book so for this month I will be on the choose your own book track. Look for my post on February 10th.

Anyone else doing the one little word (OLW) with Ali Edwards? My little word is ACT. Here is the list of words people are using for their OLW. Here is the reading of the words.

Also part of my New Year Resolution and my new weight loss goals, I am going to be posting weekly how that is going. These posts be labeled 40 by 40 posts. Hopefully this will keep me accountable and motivated. We shall see. I will be detailing how my little goals are going. I will doing this on hopefully every Friday.

Of course, I will be detailing all my thrift adventures or should I say my misadventures with Mrs Epi. We went thrifting yesterday in our favorite city and got nothing. There wasn't even anything worth getting. It was very disappointing.

Things that make you go hmmm...

This house has been under some kind of construction FOREVER. This past spring the total house got raised.This picture just doesn't do it justice. The front actually has a clock in the tower. All locals have to say is ,"Do you know the house on Main Street." It reminds me of a cover of one of my son's books.

It makes me want to ask, "What the heck is going on here." To top it off the City is widening and fixing the sewer in front of the house. Traffic ended up stopped right in front of this house sometimes. People just can't help but gawk. I have to get a better front picture.

40 by 40

One of my goals for the New Year is to lose 40 pound by age 40. This coming year I turn 40. Yikes! Last year at the beginning of the year, I was pretty successful at losing some weight. I joined Curves and did the Flat Belly Diet. Then my Curves closed and I got off track. Since my 39th Birthday, I have been talking about this so now it is time to execute the plan. This is all about taking care of Mama as another blogger explained.

While at my parent's house, I was reading their AARP magazine. There was a great article about making some little changes. So this month is all about the little changes. One of the little changes I am doing is walking more. I have strapped on the old pedometer and I am making a concentrated effort to walk more. Yes, I've got on my old lady walking shoes. Diet tricks from AARP. I know from past experience that making little changes is better for me.

I hope to update every Friday.

One Little Word

A lot more ACTION and a lot less talk

In what has become a New Year Tradition, I have chosen a new one little word(OLW) for 2011. For more information about one little word visit Ali Edwards Blog. My word for 2011 is ACT. I like to research and research but there is a point where action or one needs to act. There is several areas in my life I need to act on such as my weight. More to follow on that later. I love the simplicity of one little word over a resolution.