Project Dean--Days 4 & 5

So this weekend I went to the gym both days and it felt good. Well, Sunday it didn't feel as good, but I did what Planet Fitness calls their 30 minute Express Workout--which is a minute of steps, followed by 12 reps on a machine, then back to the steps. 20 stations in all. One of the leg machines wasn't working, so I did one of them twice. The steps always are a struggle for me after I haven't been working out for awhile. The very first time I tried the express workout I think I only got through 4 of the steps, this time I did all 10. Since Planet Fitness is partnered with The Biggest Loser they had some new workouts to do with the steps so I tried a few of those. My thighs were definitely talking to me about it when I got home, but I'm glad I did it. Saturday I did the treadmill for a mile and then did 5 miles on the bike. That felt good too. I had to push a bit on the bike to get through that last mile but I kept picturing me standing next to Dean and that helped push me. This week should be more normal at work and I'm going to try to get to the gym a couple of days after work. I took the steps today at Union Station and can almost get my breath back by the time I'm ready to cross the street now, rather than huffing and puffing all the way to my desk.

This weekend was also very good for my new recipe a week plan. I actually cooked 3 new recipes and tried a couple new things to old favorites! Friday I was off of work because it was Eric's birthday, and I wanted to spend it with him. I also had time to watch The Chew on ABC. I really like that show. Fabio Viviani, one of my favorite chef's from "Top Chef" was on and he made a recipe called "Lazy Meatballs." I thought that it looked good and easy so we picked up the ingredients for that from the store. Also on Friday, we saw an ad for a grilled cheese and jalapeno sandwich which was right up Eric's alley. Originally, we were going to go out to dinner for Eric's birthday, but he woke up on Friday morning and asked if I would cook him a steak instead. He said that would be better than any meal he could get at a restaurant. I thought that was very sweet of him to say. So I went to the grocery store and got the ingredients for the grilled cheese and jalapeno sandwiches, ingredients for the Pillsbury "Unsloppy Joe's" that we also saw a commercial for, and the ingredients for the Lazy Meatballs.

I decided to make the grilled cheese with cheddar and put it on sourdough bread. I made Eric's with thick slices of bread and had sliced the jalapeno so that each bite he took had a bite of pepper in it. He LOVED it.  I know that grilled cheese really isn't a new recipe, but it was a new way to do it for me, so I'm thinking that counts.

Friday night, I made Eric his steak, and I sauteed some shallots and mushrooms in worcestershire sauce to put on top of the steak. We also had baked potatoes with sour cream and cheese. It was quite tasty.

Then Saturday morning, after my workout, I came home and made scrambled eggs, bacon and home fries. I cut up some red pepper and some onions and diced the potatoes for the home fries and seasoned it all with Lawry's seasoned salt. It was the first time I had made my own home fries and Eric said it may have been the best breakfast I had ever served him. I loved how easy it was and will definitely do it again.

Saturday night we made the Unsloppy Joe's. Now, you're supposed to brown some ground beef, add some sloppy joe sauce to it and then put that mixture, along with some shredded cheese onto biscuits that you've stretched out a bit. They were messy, but not too bad. I never really liked sloppy joes when I was younger, and still don't really care for them (I think the meat tastes too sweet in the sauce), but it was an acceptable, easy dinner, and yet another new recipe.

Finally, on Sunday night I made the Lazy Meatballs.  Here's a picture of them. The base of sauce is really easy, just onions, garlic and fennel seed, then you add some chicken stock, some pureed tomatoes and some Italian sausage that has been cut into meatball size pieces. You let that all cook together until the sauce thickens, then you add some fresh basil and some parmesan cheese and serve it with some warm crusty bread and you're good to go. I thought that the sauce would develop more flavors overnight and I was right. I took some to work today for lunch and the sauce was flavorful, but also way too salty. I think the salt from the sausages and the salt I added just sat there too long. I don't know, but next time I think I'll add just a little less salt.  The sauce is a good basic sauce that I think I could use on pasta, or even chicken. I'll experiment some more with it.

I considered it a very good weekend.