Slow-Cooker Potato and Canadian Bacon Soup - another WW gem

Recipe

One of my strategies for staying on weight watchers this holiday weekend is making sure I have plenty of healthy options on hand at the house. I decided to make up a double batch of this soup after seeing the recipe at my weight watchers meeting earlier today. This smelled so good as it cooked, and it's perfect for keeping me on track and warming up during this chilly holiday weekend.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Recipe

Mom and Laura are coming into town tomorrow, and I wanted to make something sweet to take with us to Lee and Marilyn's. So I make chocolate chip cheesecake, and it is very hard to have this in the house and not cut into it. I still have to take pictures of it once the chocolate topping sets, which I'll do tomorrow.

Cake class - my final masterpiece

I am so excited about this cake that I'm actually giddy. I've been working on these flowers for the last three weeks, and I'm so excited to see it all come together. Everything on here is edible, although I wouldn't suggest biting into a snowflake or snowman. The color flow icing doesn't taste that great. Also, yay for a cake that has no orange or stars!

I've been blogged!

I wrote previously about Operation Baking Gals, which is an online baking group that sends sweet treats to men and women overseas who are serving our country. Regardless of your political stance on the war, I think it's important to remember the people who are away from home and their loved ones to protect us. I was so happy to take part in this and look forward to doing it again. Here's the link to the group I joined.

Operation Baking Gals - Cat's Pajamas

Weight Watchers Penne with Vodka Cream Sauce

Recipe
This recipe gets a one-word review - YUMMMM! It was so easy, and the flavor was amazing. I added a small piece of grilled chicken that I cut up into small slices and a teensy bit of shredded parmesan (less than 1 Tablespoon). Brian said this is one of his new favorites, and I agree.

Lee's Birthday Cake

I was really excited when Marilyn asked me to make a birthday cake for Lee. It was my first cake outside of class, and I was very pleased with how it turned out. I am definitely learning with each one I make. I made a French Vanilla cake with chocolate buttercream filling and white buttercream icing.

Cake Class Update

I have been bad about posting my cake class pics, but it's for a reason - each week we're making pieces of a final cake that I'll be putting together next week. We have been learning how to make flowers out of royal icing, which turns hard and the flowers will keep for months. I'm guessing that's how my wedding cake lady made the starfish on our cake.

So stay tuned next week to see what my final masterpiece looks like.

Rosemary Merlot Flank Steak - Thanks Cooking Light

Recipe (link to come)
I found this recipe on another cooking blog - Erin's Eats - and I was eager to try it. I loved it. Brian said it wasn't one of his favorites. The flavor was so rich, and it made the kitchen smell so good! I added some mushrooms as a topping, and I thought it made a very yummy meal, and it was pretty good points-wise too (for all you Weight Watchers people).

Cookies for the Troops

I shipped off my care package of sugar on Monday. I have to say that while standing in line, I had this overwhelming sense of joy and excitement about it. There was a woman in front of me sending about 15 packages to her son, and I chatted with her because I needed help on the customs form. She told me that packages from families mean a lot, but her son that packages from strangers almost mean more in a way because it lets him know just how many people are thinking of them and appreciate the sacrifices they are making.

I forgot to take a pic with my digital camera, so excuse the self portrait with the camera phone. But here's my stuff just before I taped it closed. That paper has some pics of Albuquerque and a note of thanks from me, plus I listed my blog site just in case they wanted to learn more about me (which I've heard they usually do).

Amazingly good chocolate chip cookies

Recipe
I'd had this recipe set aside for a while. And after seeing several cooking blog friends make them, I decided they'd be perfect for my new baking venture - Operation Baking Gals. Basically, you join a team and each team has adopted a unit overseas. I joined the team "cat's pajamas" and am excited to send my first batch of baked goodness out this week.



As you'll see, the cookies are gigantic. I followed the instructions on the recipe, but with each batch I tried to make them a little smaller because I wanted to fit more in the container. I also loaded them up in the box with some left-over sweets from Halloween.