TGIF!

Ah Friday, I am up early for a 7am conference call, followed by one at 8, during which I need to somehow get my boy to daycare. I feel like Fridays breeze by, though. I need to work, hit the grocery store (you'll notice I do this more than the average "normal" person - unfortunately they don't make a 12 step class for grocery store addicts), run & lift at the gym, more work, and then tonight it's cleaning up for my parents' visit tomorrow.

In addition I need to find something to wear to my husband's work party tomorrow. I've got no direction so far (dress? skirt? R&R jeans and a snazzy top?) ... so this also might require a stop at American Apparel, which is dangerous on payday.

On Fridays I like to make something "fun" for dinner. I also never know if my husband will work late or have an outing so I try to make it flexible (which would mean I can scrap it until another day and call out for sushi).

Tonight I'm going to make patty melts. I found a recipe from Cooking Light that is amazing (found at myrecipes.com) and I usually serve it with some reduced fat chips.

Patty Melts with Grilled Onions

8 (1/8-inch-thick) slices Vidalia or other sweet onion
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Cooking spray
1 pound extralean ground beef
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons creamy mustard blend (such as Dijonnaise)
8 (1-ounce) slices rye bread
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Jarlsberg cheese

1. Arrange onion slices on a plate. Drizzle vinegar over onion slices. Heat a large grill pan over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; cover and cook 3 minutes on each side. Remove from pan; cover and keep warm.

2. Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Divide beef into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Sprinkle patties evenly with salt and pepper. Add patties to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done.

3. Spread about 1 teaspoon mustard blend over 4 bread slices; layer each slice with 2 tablespoons cheese, 1 patty, 2 onion slices, and 2 tablespoons cheese. Spread about 1 teaspoon mustard blend over remaining bread slices; place, mustard side down, on top of sandwiches.

4. Heat pan over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sandwiches to pan. Place a cast-iron or other heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; press gently to flatten. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until bread is toasted (leave cast-iron skillet on sandwiches while they cook).

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

WW Points: 7 per sandwich

CALORIES 341 (25% from fat); FAT 9.6g (sat 4.4g,mono 3.2g,poly 1g); IRON 3mg; CHOLESTEROL 60mg; CALCIUM 350mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31.1g; SODIUM 754mg; PROTEIN 31.5g; FIBER 3.6g

Cooking Light, MAY 2008

I'll try to take a picture of it tonight and upload. It's one of those meals where you feel like you're cheating, but you're not.

Ok, I've got 10 minutes to make myself look presentable, then off to a conference call and to start the rest of my day!