Feel Your Boobies!

Me, Grams and Mom celebrating Grams' 80th!

Today my beloved and very brave Grandma Susie is having a double mastectomy. She's 80 years young, already a breast cancer survivor, and today she'll begin her path as a second time survivor to the disease.  Let her story, and the story of too many others, be your inspiration to stay ahead of the game! Feel your boobies!!

My Grams had a lumpectomy about 15 years ago. I still remember the day she came home after learning the doctor had found a tumor in her breast. It was a conversation of hushed tones around the kitchen table between her and my grandfather, my parents and my uncles, while my brother and I tried to understand what was happening. Why was Grandma crying? What was a lumpectomy? What did this mean for us as a family?  Thankfully, she had the tumor removed, and after several rounds of radiation was eventually pronounced in remission.  But that fear that something bad could potentially take my Grandma away has stayed with me since.

It's recommended that women begin getting regular mammograms at the age of 40.  In fact, it's rare that insurance policies will cover them beforehand.  But breast cancer can hit you at any age.  Look at Giuliana Rancic, Christina Applegate, Kylie Minogue...all diagnosed with the disease at least 3 years before the big 4-0.  And those are just the famous survivors. I'm pretty sure if you ask friends and family, someone knows someone younger than 40 who has battled the disease.  So it's up to YOU ladies to be proactive and feel yourself up!

Courtesy: CityofChicago.org

Take matters into your owns and give yourself a self breast exam. I do mine in the shower because hey, I'm already naked, and to me, the slippery smoothness of my shower gel makes it even easier to prod around and see what's happening with my rack.  But, if the shower's not for you, then here's a few other options from EHow.com that give you great step by step instructions on looking for lumps.  Now, my slightly hypochondriac side seems to always think I feel something, and maybe my doctor thinks I'm crazy for the number of times I've asked her to check out my knockers even though my appointment is just for a prescription refill, but I firmly believe in being safe than sorry.  None of my "scares" have panned out to anything, but I'd rather have that relief that I'm fine than the scare of the unknown.  And, while I haven't yet had a mammogram (still more than a few years from the big 4-0!), I do plan on telling my doctor of my maternal grandmother's second diagnosis to see if one is recommended sooner than 40 with my family history.  I have too much to do in this lifetime to not beat this before it even happens!!

Symptoms to look for! Courtesy:  CareCanCure.com

Since that lumpectomy several years ago, my Grams has been regular with her annual mammograms, and because of that, this second diagnosis of breast cancer was caught early.  Thank goodness.  Because of that, it hadn't yet spread, which means the odds of her beating cancer this time around with a double mastectomy are incredibly high. In fact, we're not believing there can be any other outcome. Tomorrow's surgery is scary, and she's losing a part of her (well, TWO parts of her) that make women FEEL like and DEFINE themselves as women.  But, she's a fighter and will be a stronger woman on the other side  I respect her for fighting this disease, I'm grateful to her for fighting this disease, and I love her more (which I didn't think was possible) for not giving up.

So ladies, feel up those luscious cans of yours on a regular basis, and if you even THINK you feel something out of the ordinary, call your doctor! And, once the mammograms start, BE CONSISTENT! Whenever you think of putting it off, think next of all those who you love and all those who love you, and let that be your incentive. You're too important to be taken down by this disease that can often be cured if caught earlier enough. Be like Grandma Susie and show breast cancer who is boss.

Just a bunch of smart, boobie-feeling blondes!

How To Be The Hit Of The Party

I'm about to let you in on one of biggest secrets. And, it's super easy. You just show up at a party with this dip:

Seriously.  We've been making this taco dip for years, and it lives up to its name every time: "Gone In A Flash Taco Dip." It's from a cookbook called "For Goodness Taste," released by the Junior League of Rochester...that's Rochester, NY, my hometown!  I think the book came out in the late 90's but, this recipe from it is as fresh as ever.  Needless to say, I've brought it to several gatherings over the years, often to a group of new friends after having moved to a new city, and let's just say, I'm pretty popular before the night is over. :)  So here's what you need:

The stuff...and the first 2 layers. Oh, and wine for sustenance.

• Iceberg Lettuce (less than a head)
• Green Peppers (one should work, 2 if you're a green pepper fan!)
• White/Yellow Onion
• Tomatoes (I prefer Roma, about 4)
• Black Olives (I cheat and buy a can of the already chopped olives)
• 8oz. package shredded cheddar cheese (or Mexican, taco, fiesta, etc...)
• 8oz. cream cheese, softened
• 8oz. sour cream
• Jar of taco sauce
• One package taco seasoning

1. In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning. Spread as the base on a large platter, or sometimes I use a 13x9 pan or Tupperware container if I'm transporting. On top of this goes the taco sauce, just spread it out with a spatula.

2. So this next part takes a little time.  Chop up all the veggies and layer! (See below for another secret on speeding up this process a bit...)  I generally layer in the following order: onions, green peppers, lettuces, tomatoes, black olives and the topper, lots of cheese! 

3. Grab some tortilla chips, dig in, and get ready to be praised!

Okay, so here's a few tricks of the trade I've learned over the years...  To speed up the chopping, and to avoid slicing a finger off, get your hands on this chopping genie, the Vidalia Chop Wizard.

Honestly, when I think back to the time my poor mother used to spend chopping all the veggies by hand...or when we got older, the time my brother and I spent after it was added to our list of chores...it makes this chopper invaluable.  No electronics involved, just place the veggies on the square cutting part and press down. I've used a food chopper in the past, but the veggies can get a little too chopped and there's a lot of juice to deal with.  This guy chops in two sizes, neat little bites, that collect in the container on the bottom.  Okay, you get it, I love this chopper, so I'll stop going on about it (also makes taco nights a breeze!)... But this is also why I don't measure anything.  I just chop as I go along, enough to cover each layer, so I make only as much as I want.  I usually use the small blade for all the veggies, except the lettuce, for which I use the larger blade...but that's my control freak side coming out. Use whatever size you please. :)

Oh, and it's not hard to make a low-cal/low-fat/not totally terrible for you version! After all, it's mainly vegetables. Just swap low-fat or fat-free sour cream and cream cheese to make the base, and use low-fat shredded cheddar.  While the FULL fat version tastes the best (like, duh), I've made the healthier version and honestly, there's enough flavor between the taco seasoning and the plethora of veggies, that it's still delicious. You can also serve with pita chips, or wheat thins.

How cool do the layers look?!

So that's it! Check out the sweet final product. I brought it to a get together with my boyfriend's family over the weekend, and not to toot my own horn, it was its usual hit, which always gives me a warm fuzzy. I just love bringing a little food happy to others!  Let me know if you make it, and share all that praise you receive!

Sweet Success!

Yum, yum, yum.

So, that's what was left. That is, after dishing it out at Easter dinner, and after the piece the BF and I had later that night as a snack... I think that makes this baking from scratch story a success! And this last piece? It's currently traveling back and forth to my lips in between writing this post.  I have to say, it was pretty delicious, and I'm quite pleased with myself! :) 

It's safe to say, I'm a big fan of dessert (a fact plain as day if you could see my hips...), but I tend to more of the decadent sweets. Your chocolate cakes, chocolate truffles, chocolate anything.  But, this was light and airy and sweet and simple and perfect for springtime!  The substitutions were unnoticeable, the cake was light but buttery, the whipped cream not too sweet, and it was a perfect balance with the strawberries.  For baking from scratch, it wasn't too much of a process, and the pay off was definitely worth it!  I declare it delicious, and sure to make an appearance at my dinner table again in the near future! Let me know if you try it and what you think!