From the Kitchen of Couch Potato Man - Chocolate Cherry Heart Healthy Cookies

I can cook, but I don't protend to be a baker.  Can I make cakes?  Can I make cookies?  Can I make pies?  Of course!  They fit nicely in my grocery cart from the bakery section in your local grocery store.  Seriously, it doesn't take rocket science to read directions off the back of cake box.  You don't need a degree in engineering to buy a tube of cookie dough and make cookies.  Do you really need to be a mathetician to understand what temperture to defrost your pumpkin pie from the frozen food section?  Well obviously you do!  I screw up all these things all the time.  Pretty damn sad that there is good chance I will mess up cookies from a tube! 

Let me introduce you to Chocolate Cherry Heart Healthy Oatmeal Cookies!!!!  So easy, even my dumb, non baking ass can make them!  2 of my kids like them a lot!  My wife loved them.  These are damn good!  I HEART OATMEAL COOKIES!!!  Not only are these cookies damn good, but they are, really, really good for you!  Shhhhhhh, don't tell my kids!  Tons of heart healthy, cancer fighting, antioxidants ingredients in these cookies. 

I will tell you.  I didn't follow this recipe word for word.  I did a couple of swap outs. I swapped out the dried cherries for dried cranberries.  I just couldn't justify paying $7.00 a pound for dried cherries.   $7!  Are you crazy!  I'm not spending that much on dried cherries.  I also swapped out the bitter sweet chocolate for dark chocolate.  Bitter sweet chocolate is gross.  Shockingly to me, dark chocolate has a lot of health benefits.  Antioxidants and helps lower blood pressure, sounds good to me!

Get your Cliff Claven on!  I don't normally do this, but I've gone link crazy!  So much info out there!  Here is some of the many things I pulled out of outer space.

Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Health Benefits of Cranberries

Health Benefits of Oats

Did I already tell you!  I HEART OATMEAL COOKIES!!!

Eating cookies makes me......

.....have a big watermelon grin.

The Love Hate Relationship with Running

Running!  Oh the world of runners.  You see them out there.  Two different breeds.

The Ultra Fit Ones
You know them.  You see them.  They are usually decked out in the latest and greatest running apparel.  Super fit.  No body fat.  Lean muscles popping all over the place.  Oh I'm jealous, I have seen the 18 packs run by me at the marina.  (Man crushing right now!)  Running in there own little world.  Sometimes they run in packs.  They seem so easy.  So free.  It comes naturally to them.  Pisses me off!

The Out of Shape/Losing Fat/ Trying To Be Fit Ones
Now these are my people.  You know them.  The workout shorts or sweats.  Any old raggedy ass T-shirt.  T-shirt must be big enough to hide all the flaws.  Curves, bumps, fluff.....all in the wrong places.  Running with purpose.  Running to not pass out.  Its painful.  It hurts.  Its not fun.  This is NOT on the must do hobby list.

I've picked up running again.  I've been running the last couple of weeks.  Its getting easier.  I don't like to use this word that much.....BUT I HATE IT!  Hate hate hate!!!!  I know its the way to faster fat burning.  I know its one of the best things you can do on your way to better, healthier lifestyle.  But damn it!  Running sucks ass!  One big, huge thing I have learned through this journey.  You don't like doing something, no matter how good it is for you, don't do it anymore.  If I keep going, I know I will get burned out on it.  I doubt it, but I may stop on this journey.  The fear of quitting because I hate running scares me.  I'm not running anymore.  I will continue to walk.  I may be the only man out the path power walking, but it will be something I don't hate. 

These will be the only reasons I run:
1.  Angry knife wielding wife.
2.  Natural disasters
3.  Spiders

Other than that, I'm not running anymore!  This ends my running career.....well maybe.  (The Brett Farve coming out of of me).

The walks have gotten easier for me.  I'll need to step them up.  Going to add some weights for my walks.  Walk longer, walk faster.  Don't let the little old ladies pass me.  Walking has been one of the best things for me.  I crave variety, I will keep trying to new things.  Scratch running off the list.  I will give rollerblading a shot.  Those guys look like they are having lots of fun.

Play hard and have fun!

One Year Later.....

When I first started to make a lifestyle change I never ever thought I was this overweight.   No way I was this BIG, it was impossible.  Several pics later opened up my eyes.  Not only had I just let myself go, but I've fallen off the cliff twice.  You would think small signs would have jump start my change.  The constant aching knees and back.  Trouble tying my shoes.  Looking down and not seeing my man junk.   Waking up in the middle of the night because I stopped breathing.  Ssshhhh.......don't tell my wife.   Very scary stuff.   All these things and photos is what freaked me out!  Photos.  Seeing these photos was depressing and angered filled.  How did I let myself go?  Why did I let myself go?  What is wrong with me?

Believe me when I say this.  This was a hard, tough thing for me to do.  To undo years and years of living a certain way.  To come to grips with what I needed changed.  I had my ups, but my downs out numbered my ups twice over.   Its damn hard changing 20 years of bad habits.  I got use to eating what I want when ever I wanted and it didn't matter.   Well it does matter.  

Last summer I was 277.  But I'm not sure if that is right.  It took me several weeks to build up the balls to get on the scale.  I didn't want to get on there.  I knew it was bad news.  Who wants to see bad news.   The pictures were bad enough, now the scale.   I had to do it!  I needed to know my starting point.  The beginning that I did not want to see ever, ever again. 

As of this morning, I'm 49lbs lighter.  I feel great!  My knees and back don't hurt constantly!  I don't have to reach around my gut to tie my shoes.  My man junk is no longer on a milk carton.  And the best part, no more waking up in the middle of the night because I can't breathe.  The only bad thing out of this whole thing is I need to buy new clothes.  I don't have extra money to be spending on new clothes.  So in the mean time, I just make new holes in my belts.  Wear my oversized shirts.  Let my shorts hang around my ass showing my underwear (that is the style).  Thems the breaks for changing my life.

Hopefully the next 28lbs falls off fast.  200lbs coming soon to a neighborhood near you.  I hope to be visiting soon.

Last August 8/2009

8/20/10

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8/2010

The Lost Art of the Doodle

I doodle, you doodle, we all doodle.   I am  a creative person.   I feed my creative side as much as I can.  Its a nice release.  There is a time and place to be creative.....to doodle.  Instructions from your wife, girlfriend, or main squeeze......probably not the good time.   Meetings, instructions, training.....these all probably not good times to doodle.  Exams, quizzes, filling out divorce papers......yep, probably a bad time to let the creative side loose.  These are activities that need your undivided attention and your focus.  These activities also have one thing in common....BORING!!!!

You see, I go to the meetings with the best intentions.  My focus, my energy, my undivided attention.  Quickly that fades in to Fantasy Land.  My mind wanders, my left side brain takes over.  I day dream, I fantasize, I need a release.  I doodle........

I love these meetings and these trainings.  They allow me to feed my creative side.  Day dreams of cookies and thigh high stockings.  My mind starts to race and explore.  I start scribble on my note pad.  No, these aren't notes.  Come on, that would make more sense.  No, these are little creations of artwork.  After these meetings, just be prepared to repeat everything.  Or better yet, send me a follow up meeting notes in email.  Are you training me?  Be prepared to train me 42 times.

Are meetings and trainings bad?  No, they are a necessary evil of the office environment.  Go to your meetings and trainings with focus and an open mind.  But be prepared to let your creative side loose.  Learn to master both.  The art of meeting note taking and creative doodles.  When you do, show me how.   Just be prepared to show me 42 times.

From the Kitchen of Couch Potato Man - Easy Beer Can Chicken

Do you like rotisserie chicken?  The fall off the bone rotisserie chicken?  I give you the perfect alternative!  Introducing the beer can chicken!!!!!  I've read a gazillion sites but never tried one.  It seemed kinda stupid.  I have become a HUGE fan!  Fall off the bone, crispy skin, juicy, full flavor chicken!  Better than rotisserie chicken!  Hard to make?  Hardly!!


Ingredients:
1 Chicken (4-5lbs)
1 Favorite Marinade or Rub
1 Can of Favorite Beer

Directions:

So EASY!  Remove all the nasty junk inside the cavity or your chicken.  If you haven't gagged, pat dry your chicken.   Either rub the chicken with your favorite rub or place the chicken in a gallon Ziploc baggy and marinate.  Don't cross contaminate!  Place your chicken in a bowl or dish away from the other food in your fridge.  Be patient!  Let it sit and soak up the flavors!  The longer the better.

I don't have a lot of beer cans lying around.  Bottles yes, beer cans, no.  I just used an old soda can.  Rinse it out before you use it.   Fill the beer can about 3/4 full.  I added more crushed garlic to the can.  Take your chicken and slide it over the can.  Yes, basically up the butt.  Stop laughing now!  I know its funny and sounds ridiculous.   Use the legs of the chicken and the beer can to balance.  Like a tri-pod.  Fold the chicken wings over behind the chicken.  Let the chicken sit to warm up a little before you start to cook it.

The chicken is cooked over indirect heat.  What is indirect heat?  Its simple, the food is not cooked directly over heat.  I cooked my over charcoal on my Weber, Mrs RS.  You will need a pie tin or some kind of drip pan.   The pie tin goes in the middle of your grill.  Once your coals are all heated and starting to turn white, you want to place the coals around your pie tin.  Balance the chicken directly over the pie tin. 

Cook the chicken for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.   You will want to add more coals about an hour after you started.  I light my coals in my chimney starter, but you can place the coals directly onto  the older coals.  Leave the lid off until those coals ignite.  How do you know its done?  Stick a meat thermometer in the thigh it should read 180 degrees.  Don't have a meat thermometer?  The juices from the chicken should run clear. 

What you have is succulent, juicy, fall off the bone chicken.  Damn tasty too! 

Enjoy!

The Love Affair with Miss RS.

I've been gifted with one of man's greatest creations, the Weber charcoal grill.   She is beautiful, as my wife rolls her eyes, shakes her head, speaking under her breath, "what a nerd, I just don't get it."  Don't get me wrong.  I do love the convenience, the ease of Mr. Propane.  The smell of propane just before the fire lights.  Hot grill in 10 minutes.  Breakfast, lunch or dinner done soon after.  You can't go wrong with Mr. Propane.  He's a rock, he's steady, he's always there.  But there is something special, something magical, something exotic about Miss RS (Rainbows and Sunshine, her permanent name now).  Mr Propane and I have a great relationship.  We have created fantastic and tasty dishes together.  Our bond has been long.  I will always remember these times together.  But Miss RS has swept me off my feet in a few short weekends. 

Beer can chicken......BAM....Rainbows!
BBQ pizzas.......SHAZAAM....Sunshine!
Green chili burgers.........BOOM......Sunshine!
Rib-eye steaks.......KABOOM......Rainbows and Sunshine!
Steak fries..........WHAM.....Rainbows!
Grilled corn.....BLAM.....Sunshine!

Old reliable Mr Propane has helped me with these in the past.  But from Miss RS, it was different.  I can't explain it.  Its just different.  The taste, the flavor, dare I say, exotic.  Rainbows and sunshine bursting in flavors in our mouths.  Mr Propane will always be there.  He's convenient and he's easy.  Who doesn't like that.  Miss RS has a piece of my soul now, sorry Mr Propane.  You will have just have to take the weekends off.

Hugging Miss RS.  Kissing Miss RS.  I love Miss RS. 

Shhhhhh.........just don't tell my wife.

The Trials of Letting Go

Holy lazy slacker man, Batman!  Its been a long time since my last update.  Life keeps getting in the way!  That damn life!  Here comes the excuses.  3 kids playing baseball, 3 different teams.  Coach on two of them.  I have baseball 6 days a week.  I have no time to update. My wife is high maintence, she's taking up all my free time (she's far from it).  I have no time to update.  I work full time (feel bad for all the unemployed, yet the economy is turning around?).   Work is getting in the way.  I have no time to update.  My daily email and internet porn is taking all my time.  I have no time to update.  I'm done with the excuses.

This baseball year, I'm not managing any teams this year.  I wanted to take a step back.  I became a rundown wreck by the end of the season.  This year, I'm just one of those lowly, get no respect, assistant coaches on my teams.  I was having a hard time dealing with that.  Not the big man (litterally) in charge.  It was rough on me the first few weeks dealing with it.  I had my set ways.  This is how you coach my kids. My ways are better yours.  This is how you run these drills.  My way is the best way.  These are some serious issues in my head.  But I've embraced it.  I give my feedback, my tips, my suggestions.  The shocking thing to me, my feedback has been well recieved.  Well to my knowledge its been well recieved.  This has, here comes the voice from the corn fields "ease his pain".  I'm not as distracted as before and I'm actually enjoying the little league season.  Its become fun and not work for me again.  Hooray for me!

This year, I've actually had the plessure of being one of those annoying parents in the stands.  You know those parents.  The ones that cheer everything the team does.  Nice hit!  Nice throw!  Nice catch! Way to trip over that chalk line!  Questioning the coaches every move.  Wondering if the umpire needs my glasses.  Wondering if that girl on the other team is REALLY 10.  I LOVED IT!  I can't wait to do it again!

Stepping back has been hard.  But I have embraced it.  I love it.  I want more.

Pledge to myself.  Make time, find time, to update more.

Stay positive, be positive