Well good Sunday morning. Yes our March is going out like a lion. I am really ready for spring. I just got the laundry folded and Brian just turned on Cook's Country on the local PBS station. They are going to fry chicken they are doing weeks and weeks of testing to get they're breading just right. I think that I spend alot on groceries they must really spend a great amount on them. They do have a great test kitchen. I wonder if it is really in that country house that they show on the beginning of the show. They are boiling their chicken in the oil. They are going to clean up some cast iron cookware. I do love cooking in my cast iron. They also have about 5 people in the kitchen doing the testing. Linda has them beat we only need one cook in the Healthy Exchanges kitchen. She does a great job. They are taste testing potato chips. Remember for every 3 ounces three times a week adds 27,000 calories to your diet per year. Well I should get moving the laundry room is calling my name and loudly. What in your day?

Beautiful March Day

It is beautiful here in Iowa this afternoon. Mid 50's and it is nice to see the sun shining for a couple of days in a row. But I am trying to get the laundry done and some cleaning caught up today. Will be going for a walk after dinner now that the sun is up longer in the evening. But I still don't like it being dark in the morning. Before we had to change the clocks I liked that the sun was coming up when I was getting up, not coming up a 1/2 hour to 45 minutes after I am already up. Well I should be getting back to that laundry. With tomorrow I will be working on the April newsletter getting the recipes set in there places and I love the color of the April newsletter. I hope you do to. Gina

End of February

There is only one more day in this month to go and then we can really start to look forward to spring coming. Hopefully March won't be to hard on us here in the Midwest. I hope everyone is getting through tax season ok and that maybe there will be a little something to look forward to from Uncle Sam.

I know May seems like a long ways off but we just tested today in the kitchen a wonderful pie using the Russell Stovers Pecan Delights made with Spenda in a pie recipe that you will think that you are having a Village Inn fully loaded pie. Brian first bit was WOW!! So I know that is a keeper at our house and it is only counting as 2 Carb Choices or 30gm of Carbs. So it will fit into a plan day very easily.

Well I need to get working on the "From the Church Kitchen" newsletter, so I will say so long for now and be checking back with you later.

Gina

We have a birthday today

Today is my son's 29th birthday. I hope that he has a great day. Those after a couple of days of very nice weather it is going to get cold again. From the message board it sounds like a few of you have already planned some great cooking for it. There is someone going with a Chicken and Broccoli Casserole, another is making a Tangy Tomato Bacon Dressing and one is treating her husband to a Peanut Butter Pie. We won't be having birthday cake at our house. Son is working 1 1/2 from home and working 10 hour days/seven days a week. So he told me no birthday party this year. I always enjoy doing them. It is nicer to also have them at home. Instead of this going out to eat. Well I have printing to do and Brian is putting together the newsletter so I better get going. Talk to you later, Gina

Wednesday and catching up

Do you every have those days when all you feel like all your getting done is getting caught up on the things that you thought were already done. Well that is what my day was like. I did get out and shared a program with some very nice ladies at the Rock Island Arsenal. It was well attended but it was such a nice day in our area that it was great for everyone to get out and enjoy the sunshine. Tomorrow morning I am going to put a test recipe in the crockpot. It is called Surprise Scalloped Potatoes. It will be in your March newsletter. I won't give away the surprise part of the recipe I think your in for a real treat. I have some mileage book updating to do so I better get that done yet tonight. I'd like to hear what is being made in your kitchens.

Gina

Tuesday and it's warming up

I was glad to share the Lemon Pie recipe with Peggy. Peggy you'll be glad to know that it is warming up here in Iowa. It will be almost 40 degrees Thursday. I have 1/2 of the February newsletter printed and we'll be finishing it up tomorrow. Now I have to put the Premier Members email and get back on track with that group of Healthy Exchange readers. Hope to hear from more of you tomorrow. Gina

We are warming up

Good morning, it feels better out at 19 degrees on the plus side. We are going to be putting up a new YouTube we taped it yesterday. I am sharing 3 recipes that Linda tested in the kitchen and you get to have a look see at the test kitchen. Dierick our webmaster did the taping and I think he did a good job for it being our first one in the kitchen. I have some up coming groups that I will be doing programs for and one of them is going to be done by satilite from our school and they will be in Des Moines, IA. So always something new. Well I am going to help Brian with something new on the computer so I will talk to you later. Gina

Thursday, December 15 and cold

Good morning to all of you that are checking the blog. It is -24 here in Iowa this morning but we are moving and getting a few things done. I changed the decor in the gift shop and finally removed some of the things that were from Christmas and getting a little red for Valentine's Day out but I did leave my snowmen and birds. Winter isn't gone so they can stay. Frosty isn't melting today any ways. We are starting the pushing the Get Fit DeWitt program now and yesterday was the offical start day. I am really going to push for extra time on the treadmill and next week it said we would be 35+ out so a good brisk walk outdoors will do us all some good. Well I have to get back to working on the February newsletter. It is really coming together. I think you are going to really enjoy it. Check back I will be sharing more later, Gina.

Tuesday morning blog

Well it is -2 here in Iowa and Brian is moving snow again. It looks like we will get it again tonight. I had a great conversation with Grace from Waverly, IA yesterday afternoon and I will be sharing her story in an upcoming newsletter. I have quite a few great stories to share in upcoming newsletters. They are all great words of encouragement. I wish we had room for all of them at once but then we won't have anything to look forward to. We were suppose to start our community 100 day challenge last night but we called it off due to the weather. It is called Get Fit DeWitt and we have 100 days to improve what ever we want. Eating habits, weight, exercise. It is a great event. Last year we had almost 400 people from the community involved and at the end of the 100 days we managed to lose a grand total of 2,487 pounds. And we logged 13,693 hours of physical activity. I hope that each of you are starting your year the way you planned.

Well it's a Saturday in Iowa and we are having another snowstrom. Not to bad at least the wind isn't blowing 40mph. But they say we have more come during the week and then sub temps. Always something to not look forward to with our winter weather. My sister is on ship somewhere that is about 80 degrees. I hope she brings some of it home with her. Well I am in the office so I am going to try and get some work done. I'll check in later. Gina

Friday and thinking ahead

It is Friday and we are just as busy today as we are on a Monday. I am hoping that more of you would start using the blog here. We are putting some pictures up today and it got us thinking about the State Fair. Brian had taken some nice ones when we were out there I hope that you enjoy seeing them. We are planning now what we are going to be doing at fair time in August already. Let me know what you think of the pictures and also the new YouTube. I know I need a hair cut. We are going to do a cooking one next week. I hope that you will be checking back to see them also. We are going to be doing test recipes for ones coming in the March newsletter.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Live well, eat well!

View the fairs slideshow pictures HERE