Jessiebear

Gingersnap pumpkin Pie 1 3/4 cups gingersnap crumbs (43 Cookies, finely crushed) 2 1/2 tablespoons reduced-calorie stick margarine, melted 2 tablespoons granulated sugar Cooking spray 1 1/2 cups fresh or canned pumpkin puree 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 large egg whites 1 large egg 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated skim milk Preheat oven to 325°. Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl; toss with a fork until moist. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325° for 5 minutes; cool on a wire rack. Combine pumpkin and remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour into prepared crust. Bake at 325° for 1 hour or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 wedge) CALORIES 295(25% from fat); FAT 8.2g (sat 2g,mono 3.4g,poly 2.1g); Protein 6.6g; CHOLESTEROL 36mg; CALCIUM 189mg; SODIUM 195mg; FIBER 0.6g; Iron 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 50g

Broccoli and cheese Soup Cooking spray 1 cup chopped onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 1 (16-ounce) package broccoli florets 2 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 8 ounces light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light) Heat a large nonstick saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add broth and broccoli. Bring broccoli mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes. Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to broccoli mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in pepper. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Place one-third of the soup in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Return pureed soup mixture to pan. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups) CALORIES 203(28% from fat); FAT 6.3g (sat 4g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.4g); Protein 15.6g; CHOLESTEROL 24mg; CALCIUM 385mg; SODIUM 897mg; FIBER 2.9g; Iron 1.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 21.7g

Yellow Squash Casserole 8 cups sliced yellow squash (about 2 pounds) 1 tablespoon Water 6 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage (about 2 links) 1/2 cup chopped onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 (1-ounce) slices day-old white bread 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) diced provolone cheese 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup, undiluted Cooking spray Preheat oven to 350°. Combine squash and water in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; vent. Microwave at HIGH 6 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Remove casing from sausage. Cook sausage, onion, and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain. Place the bread in a food processor, and pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form to measure 1 cup. Combine the squash, sausage mixture, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, sour cream, cheese, salt, pepper, and soup. Spoon squash mixture in a 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining 1/2 cup breadcrumbs. Spray breadcrumbs with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup) CALORIES 85(31% from fat); FAT 2.9g (sat 1.2g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.6g); Protein 4.8g; CHOLESTEROL 12mg; CALCIUM 91mg; SODIUM 279mg; FIBER 1.8g; Iron 0.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.3g

Sweet Potato Casserole 3 cups mashed cooked sweet potato (about 2 1/4 pounds) 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/3 cup skim milk 2 tablespoons reduced-calorie stick margarine, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 egg whites, lightly beaten Vegetable cooking spray 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons chilled reduced-calorie stick margarine 1/3 cup chopped pecans Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl, and stir well. Spoon sweet potato mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar and flour in a bowl, and cut in 2 tablespoons chilled margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the chopped pecans, and sprinkle over sweet potato mixture. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup) CALORIES 273(24% from fat); FAT 7.4g (sat 0.9g,mono 3.5g,poly 2.5g); Protein 3.5g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 56mg; SODIUM 242mg; FIBER 3.3g; Iron 1.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 49.8g

Streuseled Sweet Potato Casserole Assemble the potato mixture and sprinkle with the streusel, then freeze the casserole up to 2 weeks ahead of Thanksgiving. Thaw in refrigerator and bake as directed. Or cook just the potatoes a day ahead, mash and refrigerate and proceed with the recipe as directed (starting with the addition of half-and-half) the day you're serving the dish. Add 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper if you want to add a bit of heat to this sweet dish. 14 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato (about 5 pounds) 1/2 cup half-and-half 1/2 cup maple syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 large egg, lightly beaten Cooking spray 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces 1/2 cup chopped pecans Preheat oven to 375°. Place potato in a Dutch oven, and cover with Water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 12 minutes or until tender. Drain. Combine the half-and-half and next 4 ingredients (half-and-half through egg) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add potato to egg mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Spoon potato mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine flour and sugar in a food processor; pulse to combine. Add chilled butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in pecans; sprinkle over potato mixture. Cover and bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 25 minutes or until the topping is browned and the potatoes are thoroughly heated. Yield: 18 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup) CALORIES 250(23% from fat); FAT 6.3g (sat 2.4g,mono 2.5g,poly 1g); Protein 3.3g; CHOLESTEROL 22mg; CALCIUM 49mg; SODIUM 149mg; FIBER 2.7g; Iron 1.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 46.1g

Spiced Sweet Potato Casserole 3 pounds sweet potatoes 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 large eggs 1/4 cup chopped pecans Preheat oven to 350°. Pierce potatoes with a fork; arrange in a circle on paper towels in microwave oven. Microwave at HIGH 16 minutes or until tender, rearranging potatoes after 8 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp into a large bowl. Discard skins. Add sugar and next 5 ingredients (sugar through nutmeg), and beat with a mixer at low speed until combined. Add eggs; beat until smooth. Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish; sprinkle with pecans. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup) CALORIES 220(29% from fat); FAT 7g (sat 2.5g,mono 2.9g,poly 1.1g); Protein 3.8g; CHOLESTEROL 61mg; CALCIUM 53mg; SODIUM 206mg; FIBER 3.8g; Iron 1.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 36.8g

Corn Fritter Casserole 3 tablespoons butter, softened 3 large egg whites 1 (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper 1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole-kernel corn, drained 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn 1 (8 1/2-ounce) package corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy) 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Cooking spray Preheat oven to 375°. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Stir in onion, bell pepper, whole-kernel corn, and cream-style corn; mix well. Add muffin mix and black pepper, stirring until well combined. Pour into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Yield: 9 servings (serving size: about 2/3 cup) CALORIES 247(31% from fat); FAT 8.4g (sat 3.7g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.7g); Protein 8.6g; CHOLESTEROL 31mg; CALCIUM 72mg; SODIUM 629mg; FIBER 1.9g; Iron 1.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 36.7g

chicken and Wild Rice Soup 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking wild rice Cooking spray 1 cup chopped onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 1 1/2 cups cubed peeled baking potato 3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 10 ounce light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light) 2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts) 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional) Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Add broth and potato; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until potato is tender. Combine milk and flour, stirring well with a whisk. Add the milk mixture to potato mixture; cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in rice, chicken, pepper, and salt. Garnish with parsley, if desired. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups) CALORIES 280(23% from fat); FAT 7g (sat 4g,mono 1g,poly 0.5g); Protein 24.9g; CHOLESTEROL 52mg; CALCIUM 329mg; SODIUM 879mg; FIBER 1.6g; Iron 1.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 28.7g

Cheddar chicken Chowder 2 bacon slices Cooking spray 1 pound skinned, boned chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup diced red bell pepper 2 garlic cloves, minced 4 1/2 cups fat-free chicken broth 1 3/4 cups diced peeled red potatoes 2 1/4 cups frozen whole-kernel corn 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups 2% low-fat milk 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper Cook bacon in a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan. Crumble; set aside. Add chicken, onion, bell pepper, and garlic to bacon fat in pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add broth and potatoes; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add corn; stir well. Place flour in a bowl. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended; add to Soup. Cook over medium heat 15 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Stir in cheese, salt, and pepper. Top with crumbled bacon. Yield: 7 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups) CALORIES 306(22% from fat); FAT 7.5g (sat 4g,mono 2.2g,poly 0.6g); Protein 25g; CHOLESTEROL 58mg; Calcium 193mg; SODIUM 376mg; Fiber 2.9g; Iron 1.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 33.7g

Welcome! Nice to meet you!

Congrats! I hope your surgery went well & I hope you have a speedy recovery!

I hope you feel better soon! You're our cheerleader! ((HUGS))

I have suffered from depression since I was born! I went through a really rough time a few years back & thank God I had my Aunt Debbie to help me through it! She gave me the following "Rules" & I don't know why, but they helped me a lot! I got through it! You will too! I hope this helps you as much as it helped me! Rules For Being Human " You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it's yours to keep for the entire period. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time, informal school called life. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial, error and experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiments that ultimately "work". Lessons are repeated until they are learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson. Learning lessons does not end. There is no part of life that doesn't contain it's lessons. If you're alive, there are still lessons to be learned. "There" is no better than "here". When your "there" has become "here", you will simply obtain another "there" that will again look better than "here". Other people are merely mirrors of you. You can not love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours. What you do with them is up to you. Rules For Being Human Author - Anonymous

Welcome to Band Land! I hope you have a easy & speedy recovery!

Hope you had a easy surgery! And I hope you have a speedy recovery!

My little Bandito!

Happy :banana:banana Birthday! :banana:banana :banana :banana :banana

Welcome back! I hope you have a speedy recovery! I was green after anesthesia too! First thing I said was "nausea"! ......That's all I remember. Medicine is amazing. Keep us updated on your recovery!

I second the glycerine suppositories! They are the only things that made me feel human again (as far as the bloating went)!

Okay! So I gained 7 lbs last week eating this delicious home-made muscadine jelly that I made from muscadines that my Dad picked! Oh, the horror! I can't eat bread so i decided to try it on club crackers, & yes, it was delicious! So, I vow to not eat any more of this %*#$*#^$ jelly! OMG! I hope I can do this! I've never had record breaking weight loss, but I have never gained either! I... GAINED... 7... LBS... IN... 1... WEEK.....!!! 10-16-05 update Since I cheated the first night, I am 5 days with no sugar at all! & I've lost 9 lbs! 10-17-05 6 days no sugar

Welcome! Nice to meet you!Your weight loss is truely fabulous!!

You came to the right place! Welcome! Nice to meet you!

1. What is your name? Jessica 2. What color shirt are you wearing? white t-shirt 3. What are you listening to right now? Dave Matthews 4. What was the last thing you ate? Carnation instant Breakfast 5. Do you wish on stars? Yes 6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? red 7. How is the weather right now? cool & beautiful 8. Last person you spoke to on the phone? DH, talked about a new job for me 9. Favorite Sport? Baseball 10. Favorite drink? ice tea with splenda! 11. hair color? dark blonde with gray peaking through 12. Eye color? blue/gray 13. Siblings? 1 step-sister, 1 half-sister, 1 step-brother, 1 half-brother; otherwise, I'm an only child 14. Favorite month? December 15. Favorite food? Mexican 16. What was the last movie you saw? Robots 17. Favorite day of the year! Christmas 18. What do you do to vent anger? listen to loud, hard music 19. What was your favorite toy as a child? Barbie 20. Summer or winter? Winter 21. Hugs or Kisses? both 22. Favorite ice cream flavor? Peanut Butter & chocolate from Baskin & Robbins 23. Restaurants or home cooking? either 24. Will everyone care enough to respond? Sure 25. When was the last time you cried? Yesterday 26. What is under your bed? some of my DH guns (big redneck) 27. How long have you been a member of Lapband Talk? close t a year 28. What did you do last night? Had a family get together for my half-sister & half-brother's birthdays 29. What are you afraid of? snakes 30. Favorite car? my Nissan Maxima 31. Favorite flower? Roses 32. How many keys on your ring? 9 33. How long have you been at your current job? Since I haven't worked in a year, I guess a year. LOL! Currently looking. Thought I had a job & it fizzled! 34. Favorite day of the week? every other Tuesday (DH payday) 35. What did you do on your birthday? absolutely nothing! It was Heaven! 36. How many states have you lived in? 1 37.How many cities/towns have you lived in? 3 38. What is your favorite form of exercise? aerobics with Richard Simmons 39.Your favorite store for bargains? Amazon.com & Big Lots 40. Wasn't this fun? Yes

Carrie, I am not much of an italian cook, but I found this on the food network site & it sounds good & pretty easy. Best Basic Red Sauce: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions (1 medium yellow onion) 1 teaspoon minced garlic (2 cloves garlic) 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce 3 tablespoons tomato paste 2 cups Water 1 teaspoon sugar Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, salt, basil, oregano and black pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Place the tomatoes in a large bowl and squeeze to break into small pieces. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, and sugar to the pot with the onions, and stir well. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally with a long-handled wooden spoon. Remove from the heat, and use as needed. You can store this sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.

Welcome! Nice to meet you!