Have you broken your New Years Resolutions, yet? Me, too! lol! #NewYears #NewYearsResolutions

                  

 Dis me, eatin' a cake - hahaha! Whatevs! Me dooz what I likes, and I likes da cake! hahaha!

Have you broken your New Years Resolutions, yet? Me, too! lol!  Whatever... I'm not a big fan of New Years Resolutions... just occurred to me, this New Years Day, I happened to mention to my son, who is 15, now, "Oh, hey, did you write out your New Years Resolutions?"  Then, instantly, in a revolution, it dawned on me that we had to write out our New Years Resolutions, painfully, at the dining room table, for what seemed like hours, because my parents probably needed us to just be super quiet for a while on New Years Day - maybe that's where all the New Years Revolutions started, from parents who just needed a quiet house to recover from the New Years Eve festivities, the night before - hahaha!  Who knew?  And to think how much we used to agonize over what to write down, since we had to write down TEN New Years Resolutions, and show them to my Dad.  Pretty funny, now that I think of it, as an adult.  

So, of course, I said to mah' boy, don't worry about it, you're all good, no need to change... is an interesting concept, this incredible need we have to make ourselves change, when, clearly, we're already doing what we really want to do, or there wouldn't be all this need for change, right?  Hmmm... (Did you catch that little 'Chandler Bing' be, in there.. that's a Canadian thing, me thinks - lol!) 

So, that said, me no haz gone to the gym for ages, now - one, I didn't go for the entire 'Christmas Break' - I easily used the school holiday as also my gym holiday - haha!  Whatevs.  Annoying, since I've already paid for their stooopid extra fee in December, the $60 extra payment they didn't bother to mention when I started the hour and a half long signing up process (clearly designed so the new gym member will feel like they don't want to have just wasted an entire hour and a half with idiotic paperwork, so they just go ahead and agree to the the 'surprise' extra $60... annoying - I hate anyone who is not upfront with the costs of anything.... but that's a whole other story... )

Now it's Day 2 of potential 'good days' to go to the stooopid gym - and, technically, I did go to the gym, one day, during the holidays (I had coined our name, 'Holiday Hermits', because it's soo much fun to stay home and read, play games, watch our fave TV shows, schnooooze... you know, fun stuff, relaxing stuff), whenever we were lucky enough for a rainy day - yahoo for Rainy Days! We call them Reading Days - our fave days! lol!

So, the reason me no went to the gym, yesterday, Day One, is that when I went for a quick visit into the 'new gym' - they just moved to a very nice location, a huuge new space, and guess what these morons did?  They squished ALL the machines that actually work to change your body, and they squished everything useful into one tiny corner, and the rest of the space is open, and only for people who are using a trainer, and I am not happy with the trainers at the gym, because they keep showing everyone the exact same useless exercises, is very annoying for me to watch (I'm a Personal Trainer, too, in that I have that qualification, and only for myself, and anyone who happens to ever ask me a question, or ask for help, then I'm more than thrilled to help them out, but I don't offer help unless it's asked for, since I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings (except for that aassssss at the gym, the one I hate, but that's another story, too... lol!  Me gots lots o' da stories! lol!)

But I digress (first time... lol!)... so I am super annoyed with this 'decision' at the new gym, to not only squish all the useful machines into one tiny space, and leave the rest open only for those people using the personal trainers, but I had asked waaay in advance of this new gym opening, will there be good equipment for women, meaning, there needs to be good equipment for inner thighs, waist, back and arms... and legs - is that everything?? haha!  No, but for real, all gyms have to have a good balance of machines, to target every body part, every major area people like to sculpt, right?  And the manager was such a dismissive jerk to me, when I asked anything at all about the new gym, and what would be in it, when would it be open, the basics... booo, I cannot stand people who are not straight-up, answer your legitimate questions clearly and truthfully.  

Now I don't even want to go to the gym, and that makes me so mad, since I love the gym, and I am super pisssed that these people have made me hate the gym - I'll still go, maybe tomorrow, since I've already paid for the stooopid gym - but if ONE person asks me if I have met my weight loss goals, yet, this year, or how much weight do I want to lose, or what are my gym goals.... me no wants to be mean to these people, but I do need them to not speak to me, or anyone else, like that - it's offensive to most women - don't ask us how much weight we want to lose - stop making assumptions about why we're at the gym.  We're there for our own selves.  Let the gym members lead the discussion, if there is one, and don't make the gym only for men.  That's gross and stoooopid.  

So, you can see I'm in a great place with my 'New Years Resolutions', right?? hahaha!  and I just heard, sometime in the last couple of days, maybe on Jimmy Kimmel (love the new beard, by the way - lol!), that most people give up their New Years Resolutions by January 8th - hahahaha!  I got that beat, by 3 days! lol!  

Well, I hope you do whatever it is you would really love to do, in 2015, and forever more, so-to-speak, and that if finding a good gym is in your near future, you might like to read this wee article I wrote a while back, before this new, current, 'new gym' situation...

http://buildyourownhousebodylife.blogspot.ca/2013/01/how-to-choose-good-gym-and-some-other.html

Oh, and you know what I think will make the most positive change in your life?  I started reading all the books by Louise L. Hay, back in mid-October, and, no joke, I feel like my whole life has changed, and I feel like Louise's ideas are far more useful in any kind of a weight loss plan, even more than going to the gym, and cutting back on everything you happen to love... you will find yourself loving yourself, completely, ever bit of yourself, not just the 'perfect bits', since all of you is perfect, right?  Right!  You are already perfect, is just a matter of seeing that for yourself, and really knowing that...and you will naturally gravitate to taking good care of your body, because you love it so much, not to hurt yourself, or not nurture yourself nicely... be your own best friend, be your own Personal Trainer (not the mean kind, the nice kind - lol!) - now, that's what's gonna make a big change in how you feel, and how you look, since you'll love how you look, and isn't that the key to happiness?

Oh, and I started with Louise L. Hay's You Can Heal Your Life, loved it, then I just started reading everything I could get mah' hands on, from Louise Hay - she's brilliant, so endlessly kind - wow, what a human being!  Love Louise Hay!

Here's a wee page I've written about Louise Hay, my favourite new-to-me, change your life person on the planet - http://buildyourownhousebodylife.blogspot.ca/2014/11/you-can-heal-your-life-by-louise-l-hay.html

Scottish New Years Meal -- Steak Pie-- Yumm!! #HappyHogmanay!! #GroceryDelivery! #Chocolates! #Yum! #PuffPastry

Scottish Steak Pie (It's Meat, it's a Pie, it's Delicious!)

This is my own version of the Traditional Scottish Steak Pie, the meal Scottish people have at Hogmanay, the Scottish New Year, but you can enjoy this delicious and healthy meat pie any time of year : ) In the Traditional Steak Pie (Steak and Kidney Pie), it's full of Steak and Kidneys, which I do not like -- not at all! But I love, love, love Steak Pie, so I adapted it to a more 'North American' taste.

Ingredients:

1 Pound Beef Cubes or Steak (Any nice piece of meat that a good price - it'll all be delicious - a roast, large steaks, Round Steak ... anything)

1 Pound Sausage (I like large English Sausage or Mild Italian Sausage)(I buy the Big Pack - surprise!)

Onion Soup Mix (1 to 2 Packages or 6 Tablespoons of the Onion Soup Mix from the Bulk Package -- from Costco!).... Go easy on the Onion Soup Mix - it can be pretty salty... maybe start with One package, you might add in half of the second package, if you have a lot of meat to cook : )

1 Package of Sliced Mushrooms (If Whole, just Quarter the Mushrooms)

1 Tablespoon Montreal Steak Spice (or Whatever Steak Spice you use -- 1 tsp if it's too salty)

4 Cups of Water

Bisto, Flour or Corn Starch for the Gravy.

Puff Pastry (Just buy the Package at your Local Grocers in the Frozen Pastry Section -- usually over by the Frozen Fruit.)

1 Egg (optional)(Brush it on the Pastry, make it all nice and Golden : )

Salt

Directions:

I use a Large Electric Wok to make the Meat, since it's huge and holds a nice steady heat. I've made it in a Crock Pot, before (pop the meat in before you go out to work...). You can use a Big Skillet, too.

Brown the Sausages. Remove from the Pan and slice. (If you have a George Foreman Grill, or the like, that's even better to remove the ft from the sausages... then brown the steak right after the sausages are done. Mnnn, lovely!)

In the same pan, brown the Meat.

Toss the Mushrooms in on top of the Meat. Cover and simmer a wee bit. (about 5-10 minutes)

Add the Sliced Sausages

Add the Water. Stir in the Onion Soup mix and the Spices.

Turn the Heat down to Simmer.

Cover and leave it for hours and hours. Literally. The longer this cooks, the tastier it is, so if you put it on in the mornign, the steak will be sooo tender by the evening. Yum. (Do I sound hungry??)

When the Steak is cooked nicely (it'll shred easily), remove all fat from the meat and pull apart with a fork. It's easy if you just remove it onto a separate plate. Return Shredded Steak If you have a wee dog, they will love you even more if you share a wee bit with them!

Using a Slotted Spoon, remove all the Meat and Mushrooms from the Pan and place in a Deep Pie Dish. I usually double the batch so I can make enough for Two Big Steak Pies, since that'll make it much easier the next time we have it -- I just put the extra Meat in another Pie Dish and freeze it -- no Pastry on the Frozen Pie.

Make the Gravy. The easiest way to make a nice smooth Gravy is to put a Couple of Tablespoons of Corn Stach and a pinch of Salt into a Tea Cup. Stir the Corn Starch and Salt to make it smooth. Then add 1 to 2 Tablespoons of the Liquid (see in the picture?) to the Tea Cup. Stir into the Corn Starch until completely smooth. Add in a bit more at a time until you have about a half-cup of the 'Pre-Gravy' mix. Turn the heat up on the Liquid, then quickly stir in the 'Pre-Gravy' mix. The Gravy will thicken up and be delicious in no time. (Seconds, really...)

Pour the Gravy over the Meat in the Pie Dish.

Puff Pastry: Oh, I love Puff Pastry! Follow the Package Instructions and take it out of the Freezer well in advance. Remove one 'Square' of the Pastry and roll it out on some Parchment Paper (if you have it) with lots of Flour on the Rolling Surface so it won't stick. Put plenty of flour on the rolling pin, too. Roll it to fit the Pie Plate -- about 1/8th of an inch thick.

Place the Pastry on top of the Meat, and trim around the edges. Make little 'slot marks' in the center of the Steak Pie with a sharp knife. If you're feeling creative, shape the extra pieces of Pastry into Leaves and 'glue them' onto the Pie Crust with a wee bit of Egg.

Beat One Egg. Using a Pastry Brush, very lightly 'paint' the egg on the Pastry. (If you are allergic to Eggs, just skip this part and use milk.) Sprinkle a wee bit of Salt on the Pastry with a normal Salt Shaker.

Pop in the Oven for about 45 minutes, to cook the Puff Pastry. Check back at 20 minutes to see how it's doing, and to turn the Pie if you need to. The Finished Steak Pie should be a lovely Golden Brown.

Serve with Mashed Potatoes and Peas. (That's the Traditional Meal -- usually served at Hogmanay, the Scottish New Year.) I make it year-round, because it's delicious and everybody loves it. And now that I've just written all about it, I'm desperate for a wee bit of it, now, so I think I'll make it this week!

I must have some photos of the finished Product, so I'll go through my old Photos to see where it is!

Happy Eating! Ailsa!

The Scottish Diet * The Apple Crumble Diet * More Weight Loss Tips - Fitness at Home - Ailsa's Favorite Recipes

Look who's tried this Recipe:

Hi, Ailsa. I found your web site when looking for a recipe for Steak Pie. My husband loves to get it when we go to a little pub in Napanee. There it is Steak and Kidney, but like yourself, I am not a fan of Kidney. I tried your recipe today-I was afraid of the Puff pastry, as I had never used it before, but it all turned out very well, and my husband loved it.
Where were you born in Scotland? I am origionally from Dundee, but have been in Canada for 40 years.
I don't know where you get the time for all the STUFF for your web site. It is fun reading it.
Best Wishes ...........Helen

Hello, Helen! That's one of my favorite names! Oh, I love Napanee -- so pretty. I think I know the Pub... is it on the Main Street? I'm glad you liked the Steak Pie -- delicious, isn't it? Did you happen to make Apple or Cherry Turnovers with the extra Puff Pastry? I always do that, and everyone loves them. Good for your Figure, too, as far as I'm willing to understand how Puff Pastry fits into a Diet! ha,ha!

I was born in Glasgow, Scotland (Cumbernauld), and we all moved to Canada when I was 2 and a half, so I've been here for 40 years, too. Except for a few lucky years in my Twenties when I got to live in California... We have many friends from Dundee, so I have to assume that you have a great sense of humour, since I think that's a given if you're from Dundee or the surrounding area, am I right??

I love that you found my little website -- well, not so wee, anymore! I started it with a baby on my lap, and now he's in Grade One (and Cara was in Grade 8, and I had to wait for her to come home from school so she could turn the computer on for me, because I couldn't seem to remember how to do that, so it was quite a feat for me to become a successful website owner... and now Cara has finished High School and is heading to Scotland to visit my Mum & Dad this Spring -- lucky girl!), so it's a long, slow process... and a whole lot of fun. I don't know anyone who is only interested in one thing, so that's my theory behind adding in whatever happens to appeal to me on the site. Plus, who's gonna stop me? ha,ha,ha!

Thanks for Writing! I love to hear from my Readers! Ailsa : )

Hello, again!  Here's a wee update from me, Ailsa... now I have an even EASIER way to make the Steak Pie - we do love it, year round - why save something delicious for just one night a year - dat crazy!  You don't have to do that - do anything you want, right?  Right! lol!  

Soo, this is how I do the Puff Pastry, now - you don't have to make it look like a very pretty pie, although that's a lovely way to make your Steak Pie, but this is waaay easier, much faster, and I just serve the Puff Pastry along with the meat - then you can get as much as you'd like, in each serving...

The Tenderflake Puff Pastry is the best one in North America - and Target has the best prices, usually $3 a box, and you get 2 'pieces' of Puff Pastry per box.  You'll just need to thaw it out, use a cutting board and some flour, roll it out 'til it'' pretty thin... don't worry about measuring it, or anything - it'll be delicious, one way or another, and once you've used it once, you'll be your own expert at how you like it - lol!

See the Puff Pastry dough all rolled out?  That's just the one piece - that's usually enough for one meal, but if you and your company looove Puff Pastry, go ahead and make both pieces of the dough.  

Oh, and here's a wee trick, in case you've forgotten to thaw out the Puff Pastry Dough - you can simply slice it down from the side - you'll see ridges on the side of the dough, just slice it thinly, like you would slice cheese, then put those in the oven - with the egg and lightly salt them - yum!  You can also pop the Puff Pastry in the microwave to thaw it - I'd say, maybe 30 seconds... do a wee bit at a time, so the dough is easily manageable : )

I always use Parchment Paper - I love it!  Is fantastic, and I didn't discover Parchment Paper until I was in my 30's - but it is fantastic for cookies - I always use it for my Shortbread, to - ooh, reminds me, I still have some rounds of Shortbread in my fridge from Christmas... will pop some in the oven for New Years, too - yum!  That's a lot of delicious food!  And all Scottish - well, my version of Scottish! lol! 

So, Do you see the wee bowl of 1 egg, mixed?  I do not like the 'beaten with a fork' - seems so mean, right? lol!  Anyway, give the egg a good mix with your fork (hopefully, you have more than one fork : ) then brush each piece of the pastry with a wee bit of egg (skip this, obviously, if you either don't like eggs, or are allergic to them, but, well, that seems like it goes without saying, right? haha!  But, you know, just for clarity sake - lol!).  Then I lightly salt each one - gives the puff pastry a savoury taste - soo good, you'll go crazy for it... we all love it, soo much!  I always make extra, since it's great to have with the leftover meat, that everyone loves to have the following day... 

Well, here it is with no veggies, on a regular night - none of us even wanted the veggies, so then I declared the potatoes to be the veggies - and now, I just do the whole thing in the oven - you put the steak or roast down on the bottom of a very big pan, then add the sausages (I use the Medium Spiced Italian Sausage from the butcher's section), the sliced mushrooms, then sprinkle on the Onion Soup Mix, then pour about 4 cups of boiling water over all of that, cover well with tin foil, pop in the oven for about 6 - 8 hours - is a great meal on a cold day, or a day you know you'll be staying in - we call these, lovingly, 'reading days', which we love : )  I still use my crock pot, but not as much - seems like a lot of work getting it out, and waiting for it to heat up, when I can just pop the whole thing in the oven... and then I 'pull the meat apart' - as in all 'pulled meat', which was also love (admittedly, we love a lot of things - lol!), and cut the sausages - no need to do any of that at the beginning - oh, and I just remembered my new thing - I place potatoes all around the outside edge of the pan, before the water goes on... these will be THE BEST smashed potatoes, ever - and if you have extra, you can turn them into these....

Just Olive Oil in the cookie tray, cut the potatoes - they don't already have to be cooked, but this is a great way to 'use up' your potatoes from the Steak Pie Dinner, the night before... and a wee bit of Seasoning Salt  -  move the potato slices about in the olive oil, so they're all coated lightly, bake for about 45 minutes, I think.. maybe a bit longer - we love them all crispy - yum! 

And here they are, all done!  Yum! Oven Roasted (and Toasted??) Potato Slices : ) 

Recipe Menu * Valentine's Recipes *Apple Crumble Diet Recipe - Ailsa's Scottish Diet - NEW Scottish Steak Pie! - Crab Legs - Fruit Puffs, Cinnamon Buns, Cherry Cheesecake , EasySchmeasy Pie Crust , Creamy Delicious Peach Pie , Blueberry Tart , Cookies 'n Cream Cake , Great BBQ Marinade , Salsa Chicken , Macaroni Salad , Taco Spaghetti, 'Pass da' Pasta , Rosemary Steak, Onion Barley (an Aphrodisiac!), Crab Legs , Apple Crumble for One , Barbequed Meatballs , Barbequed Veggies, Stuffed Peppers , Chicken Noodle Soup, Soft Tacos, Marshmallow Bunnies -Easy Recipes - Tips 

Here's my guess... if you love your Bacon (with a Capital 'B' - haha!), you might also like to give yourself a really super-extra-special treat, say, once a month....! Ha! Is my Dream Gift!! lol!

Omg, can you imagine getting a fancy gift, every month?? Best Gift, Evah'!! 
Get $10 off any 12 month prepaid order for any of our six gourmet clubs! Code: GMC$10

AND.... in case you're Canadian, too - do all Canadians love Bacon?  and Beer? hahahaha!

We Ship to Canada: Summer Sale: Get $15 off at The Premier Cigar of the Month Club

Grocery Delivery!! 

This is so cool - let's say you've now been binge watching your fave shows, and you STILL have 4 more seasons left of your brand new-to-you show, soo you don't want to get up off the couch, but, also, you know you should probably get you' some groceries?

Problem - Solution! lol! 

Check and see if your area is covered by either VONS or Safeway... they cover some of the same areas, and some different areas - does that make sense? lol!

I loove this Delivery Service for Groceries and whatever you might need, right to your door, just in general, but what a great idea in bad weather, no more stooopid traffic, or if you're not feeling up to going out to the store, or you just don't feeeel like going out to the store...or if you're like me, and get so caught up in whatever you're working on, and don't want to stop just 'for food' - haha! And no need for Taxis, if you need to take a cab to the grocery store...that's a huge savings, right there, right?

Wow, Grocery Delivery Service - that's fantastico!! Yippee!!  Hello, Future - you look great! : )

I think this is such an amazing new service for your groceries - and anything you ever need from the grocery store - if you've ever had a time when you had a tiny baby, or you're super-busy (same thing - hahaha! All the New Moms will be laughing, now - lol!)..but if you're busy at work, or busy at home, or traffic, or you're busy binge-watching your favorite shows - hahahahaha! This might be the new wave of the future, right? Ordering your groceries online?

And I would imagine you would save a lot of money, since you would just buy what you actually need... might really work for dieting, too, since, well, if we're in the store, and be 'we', I mean 'me'...anyway, let's say I've got my grocery list, then I'm at the store, and I think, you know what, I'll just nick down the Candy Aisle, see if Chocolate is on sale (see how much I like Sale Chocolate - hahaha! Is it tastier, or just less expensive?? We'll never know! It's all gone, now - hahaha!)

Not that you couldn't just 'browse' for that, anyway... right? Me thinkin', now, o' course, where is the Sale Chocolate, online?? hahaha! But let's say you're you, and not me, and you have a LOT more self control than maybe ME do... so you order all the things you really wanted, and not just a whole cart full o' Wunderbars, on sale... hahahaha! Wouldn't THAT be fun - just a cartful of Sale Chocolate?? haha! Okay, clearly, me needs a treat! lol! : ) #SaleChocolate! Ha!

Shop Gifts Under $10 from See's Candies!Create your own Custom Chocolate Mix at See's Candies!  Okay, this is MY kind o' Luxury Reward - me always 'reward' mah'self wit' da delicious chocolates! hahaha!  I loove Sees Candies - soo deeelish! The Walnut Squares (#43 - is it bad for me to know the number?? hahahahaha!) (I've got your number..oooh, is it #43??  I hope so! lol!) Ooh, and I see that Sees has a sale, right now, Take $4 off of $20? Yahoo! Sale Chocolate - yes, please! haha! Yum! Don't mind if ah' do...lol! : )