He’s Home!

After a very long week in the hospital, Tony finally came home yesterday afternoon.  This is the best thing the hospital can give you – discharge papers!

Okay, so the dog didn’t have as big as a reaction as I thought he would, he’s just back to his normal self.  He smelled Tony once he came in, got a toy and started chewing it and hasn’t hid in the bedroom since he got home – so crazy!

While I was waiting for the salt trucks to ice the streets, I made some egg and ham breakfast “tacos.”

• 3 mini corn tortillas
• 1 small zucchini, shredded and squeezed dry in a paper towel
• 1. 5 ounces chopped deli ham
• 1 hard boiled egg, chopped
• 2 tablespoons baja fresh salsa
• 1/2 ounce shredded cheddar cheese

Heat non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add zucchini and sautee for about 5 minutes, or until it starts to brown.  Add in remaining ingredients except cheese, cook another 3 minutes or so, the last minute tossing the cheese on top so it melts in the mixture.  Heat corn tortillas in microwave for 30 seconds.  Split the zucchini mixture among the tortillas.  Splash with Tabasco 😀

This was really good!  Breakfast comes in at 287 caloires, 12 fat, 25 carbs, 4.3 fiber and 18 protein or 7 WW points.

Not knowing when or if Tony was coming home, I made us some sandwiches and sliced fruit – peeled pear for him and a turkey breast sandwich, and a honey crisp apple for me with a ham and turkey sandwich, which we ended up eating at home! 😀  My plate:  400 caloires, 10 fat, 53 carbs, 4.8 fiber, 21 protein, or 10 WW points.

As Tony was getting settled I saw our mail lady pull up.  I went to go get the mail from our back door and she was coming down my front steps and said “you have packages!”  Um, pretty sure I like packages. 😀

The first package was from my parents in law – check out all this citrus goodness from Florida!!

My MIL also makes the best pumpkin bread I’ve ever had.  It is not too sweet, perfectly cooked – and I love that she puts nuts in her bread.  Turns out I like nuts too. 😀

Um, see what I mean at how perfect this bread is?

And did I mention that she makes the best cookies too?

These are my all-time favorites she makes – the turtle – a short bread cookie with chocolate on the top, caramel and pecans on the bottom – buttery, salty and oh so good!

And we got a box from my Aunt Martha, who hands down makes the best and most flavorful Chex Crack Mix.

And last but not least, I won a giveaway from Debbi’s blog Debbi Does Dinner Healthy – can’t wait to check this one out – thanks Debbi!

Tony napped for a few hours – I imagine it was heaven to sleep when it was actually quiet.

I wasn’t sure what type of appetite he’d have but I had a rotisserie chicken that I needed to use up – I had hacked off some of the chicken breast for a lunch earlier in the week.

I picked off all the white and dark meat.  In a stock pot I put 8 cups of water and 8 chicken bouillon cubes and put my stove on medium low.  Now all the skin, bones that’s left throw into the pot.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove the skin and bones leaving the broth and add carrots and celery, simmer until tender, another 20 minutes or so.

I always cook my noodles on the side and add them in – whenever I try to cook them in the broth they get overcooked.  I cooked 2 cups of egg noodles on the side, drained and then added to the chicken broth – lastly adding the chicken that I diced.  You don’t want to add the chicken any earier because its fully cooked and will be over done if you add it too soon.

The broth is so flavorful, it only needs a touch more salt and pepper.  So delicious!

Last week when I made beef stew I also made artisan bread.  The dough had been sitting on my counter all week and I thought it was shot because it was really lose and almost watery.  I just put the messy dough on my counter and kept adding enough flour until it got to the right consistency – probably about another 3/4 of a cup.  Then I scored the top with my serrated knife, and topped it with dried rosemary and sea salt.

Then baked for 25 minutes – this was delicious bread – I think I almost like this one more because the dough sat so long and the yeast kept working its magic.

Tony ended up just having some of the bread, his appetite will take a while to come back.  He’s going to basically eat bland stuff to start out with, bananas, applesauce, rice and toast.

Here is your awkward Christmas photo of the day – enjoy your Sunday!