Cabbage and Collards in a Creamy Mustard Sauce

All is well in Vanessaland. Just got back from our vacation in Daytona Beach. Lots of fun in the sun and seafood! Gained 6 pounds but since being back I'm back on the wagon and working my plan. I'm 30 pounds down now. Slow and steady wins the race. looking forward to a skinnier me for my Hawaiian vacation next summer.

I made an awesome side dish last night that I just have to share! My inspiration was this soup recipe: Creamy Cabbage and Double Smoked Bacon Soup from Closet Cooking. 

Cabbage and Collards in a Creamy Mustard Sauce 
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter

1/4 pound double smoked bacon (about 2 inches of a package I just sliced off the end)
1 cup onion (diced)
¾  cup carrot (diced)
¾  cup celery (diced)
4 cloves garlic (sliced)

1 small bunch collard greens (stems removed and chopped)
1 32 oz box chicken stock
1/2 small head cabbage (chopped)
½  teaspoon oregano
2  bay leaves
½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons grainy mustard

Directions: 

1. Render the fat from the bacon and cook until crisp. 
2. Add the butter, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and saute until soft. 
3. Add the collard greens, half of the stock, oregano, bay leaves, and pepper. 
4. Simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. 
5. Add the cabbage, the rest of the stock, and the salt, and simmer till the stock is almost gone and the cabbage is tender (about 30 minutes). 
6. Add mustard and cream and serve.

Time flies when you're having fun!

Much has happened since I last posted. Lets see if I can catch myself up.

Rachel graduated from college. She found a great job as an engineer and is now back in college at night getting her masters degree. She bought a house in Baltimore and she and her boyfriend seem very happy. She is really enjoying making her little house a home.

Bailey is getting ready to start her 3 year of college. She plans to be a high school biology teacher once she finishes. She is really looking froward to receiving her car. She is working 2 jobs this summer to make sure she can afford the gas for it once she gets it.

Marty is working his butt off as always. He is also very busy at church. When he has tome he is working on the house and yard, playing chess, and golfing with his buddies.

Now me! I'm still directing the choir, singing in the praise team with Marty, cooking new recipes, decluttering and decorating our home, traveling and geocaching when we can, and losing weight! The losing weight part is taking a lot of my energy these days. I'm 13 weeks in and have lost (as of today) 22 pounds. I have much more to go but it is a great start!

So...In the future I would like to blog about anything and everything that is going on in my life. My diet, my kids, house cleaning and decorating, cooking, trips and geocaching, my friends and family. Anything I have on my mind.