Friday, November 03, 2006

Clay Aiken Charms Mullally Show


HOT ROCK GOD -- Clay Aiken and his "mates" were a hit on Thursday's Megan Mullally Show. Graphic by Amazing_CA.

His 'Mates' Rule, Too!

Clay Aiken Charms Mullally Show

BLOGGER FORUM: This week we started a FORUM FOR BLOGGERS on the Clay Aiken Official Fan Club Message Board, and the response has been amazing. Links and information are being shared, questions asked and answered. Hopefully, as the thread grows, it will prove an excellent source for new and veteran bloggers alike. Thnx to all who are spreading the word and lending their expertise to the forum! -- Caro

Anyone reading Clay Aiken message boards knows that fans bounced off the walls all day long following Thursday's appearance by Clay & Co. on the Megan Mullally Show.

Most Internet fans already had the scoop prior to the show due to in-depth recaps by those who attended Wednesday's taping. It was no surprise that Clay would demonstrate his absolute control over Claymate rowdiness (er enthusiasm) with conducting cut-offs, a gesture that amazed Megan during a commercial and one she asked him to exhibit again with the cameras rolling.

After the singer's performance of A Thousand Days from his new CD, A Thousand Different Ways, Clay and Megan discussed a variety of topics, one being his new look, which she first labeled "nerd chic" and then changed to "hot rock god."

On cue, the Claymate audience went bonkers. A congenial Clay jokingly quipped, "Now after that, they might be YOUR followers."

Apparently, Clay fans were as much a hit with the production crew as the host, and many were told they were by far the best -- most exciting -- audience the MMS has ever had. I think the staff would dial up a Claymate audience for every show if possible.

Some of Clay's interview can be seen on the Megan Mullally website. For best results, hold down the CTRL key, double click on the clip, and select full screen version.

Fan Experiences 'Clay Fog'

In her recap at Clayversity, SmartyPantsSuz shared the following report about a guest who experienced the singer in a live setting for the first time:

One of the people that attended with me was the receptionist from my office. She likes Clay, I've given her DVDs and CDs before, but she has never seen him in person. She left the show in that "Clay Fog" most of us experience the first time we see him up close. It's very cool to watch someone go through that for the first time -- to see that initial, personal comprehension of, and appreciation for, his charisma, talent, and the magic he weaves. In fact, as I was writing my recap, I received this email from her:

Just a quick note of thanks for the life-changing day. I truly understand why you have such strong feelings for Clay. I really don't know how to put into words how lucky I feel to have seen Clay in such a small venue the first time. I don't know if I'm making much sense right now, but I know you understand completely how I'm feeling.

I wonder how many more fogs Clay created in Los Angeles on Wednesday and Thursday. It's for sure Megan's "HAWT ROCK GOD" phrase will be making the rounds on CA message boards for some time to come.

PHOTO INTERMISSION: Special thanks to all Clay fans who cap television appearances and share them online. These clickables from the Megan Mullally Show were provided by Mguffey5 and Gerwhisp:











CALENDAR UPDATES

11/17: Regis&Kelly Show: Co-host and Performer
11/21: American Music Awards: Presenter
11/22: Tyra Banks Show -- See Promo Here
11/28: Release of "All Is Well - Songs for Christmas" EP
12/1 - 12/23: Christmas Symphony Tour
12/22: Days of Our Lives (Performance: EIH and OHN)



Clickable Graphic by Cindilu2

ATDW Goes Gold!

Congratulations to Clay, whose new album, ATDW, has officially been certified "gold" (500,000 shipped in the US), as signified by the RIAA dot appearing next to the CD's current Billboard 200 listing in the clickable below.


From Billboard 200 (Clickable)

Fanbase Spans Decades

Among today's pop artists, Clay Aiken's legions of fans are a phenomenon, spanning multiple decades from young children and teens to seniors. My mother was a huge fan until her death at age 93; and my mother-in-law, a youngster in her 80s, enjoys watching Clay's performances on TV, as well as listening to his CDs.

The morning after the re-airing of Jimmy Kimmel Live my friend Sally received a phone call from her beloved Aunt Bosie (Florence) in Louisiana. Aunt Bosie, 84, is legally blind and often sits very close to her television set in order to watch a program.

"Honey, I saw your Clay Aiken fellow last night," she informed her niece. "I put my nose right up against the TV, and ... he's so CUTE!"

Sally agreed and began telling her aunt a little about Clay's Christian background and benevolent endeavors -- the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, UNICEF, presidential appointment, etc.

All met with Aunt Bosie's approval, but every time she returned to her original assessment, "And he's so CUTE!!!"

Pretty Singing Boy

Sunnydays recently shared the following story about her three-year-old niece at the Clackhouse and Clayversity:

My niece and nephew were visiting again this weekend. While taking her bath, my niece asked for some music. Clay was the only mellow, quiet, before-bed CD I had in the bathroom player, so I pushed "play." I was washing her hair as "Lonely No More" came on; she couldn't sit still and began moving to the music. So much for mellow. After putting on her pajamas and watching some TV, she came to me with her poodle blanket and said, "Put me to bed, and bring that pretty singing boy, too."

"Hot Rock God" and "Pretty Singing Boy" -- no arguments here. Have a great weekend, Clay Nation!

Caro

RELATED TAGS: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Goblins Invade Clay Cyberspace




Bats and music accompany "Count Clay" in this handsome Halloween graphic by ABeautifulMind.

Thanks to Fandom's Artists

Goblins Invade Clay Cyberspace

BLOGGER FORUM: Monday we opened a FORUM FOR BLOGGERS in the Fan Club area of the Official Fan Club Message Board. I started the ball rolling with an overview from three entries previously posted to help others with what I have learned about HTML codes, picture posting, and various other suggestions. Links are being shared, questions asked and answered. Hopefully, as the thread grows, it will be an excellent source for new and veteran bloggers alike. Thank you for helping to spread the word and for adding your ideas to the forum! -- Caro

It's Halloween in Clay Cyberspace, and talented fan artists have outdone themselves -- from graphic and animated designs to message board banners, avatars, and greetings for the day!

Kudos to the artists, many of whom are members of Clayveristy's Paint Shop Pro Forum, who treat us to beautiful graphics of Clay Aiken year round! Hope you enjoy this visual tour of the Clay Nation on this Halloween Day 2006!

Three talented Clay fans -- Claysmelody (1,2), Amazing_CA (3), and Ambassador of Love (4) -- created these clickable designs of the Aiken in the midst of spooky locations and a lovely, but mysterious, lighthouse setting.








Claystruck, who created many of the Halloween dividers used in this blog, featured our favorite singer in four clickable "skeery" animated graphics for the season.










Clay Aiken message boards are famous for creative banners. Below are three designed for Halloween by Clayversity/Clayboard members Amazing_CA (1, 3) and Claystruck (2). The third banner currently heads CV's board. All are clickable.






Also adorning Clay Aiken boards are avatars reflective of the season. These examples accompany posts by Claystruck, Lindylo, and Katt45.



Colorful fall settings were applied by ClayQuebec1 (1), Amazing_CA (2), and ABeautifulMind (3) to these beautiful designs featuring the very popular publicity photo for Clay's December Christmas Tour.






From the Clay Nation, best wishes for a safe, fun, and very ....


Caro

RELATED TAGS: , , , , , , , ,

Saturday, October 28, 2006

Holiday Commemorations Merge


SEASONAL BLEND -- Amazing_CA's graphic of Clay Aiken's appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live seems the perfect way to begin a Halloween blog.

Merry Thanksgivoween!

Holiday Commemorations Merge

Due to their proximity on the calendar and the influence of commercial activity, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas celebrations have so effectively merged that the appropriate greeting for the season could very well be "Merry Thanksgivoween," as depicted in this clickable classic cartoon by Mike Thompson of the Detroit Free Press.


Clickable Cartoon

Halloween receives due respect in this blog's second act, while the opening curtain mirrors Clay cyber news from the merry convergence of fourth quarter holiday happenings.

With ghosts and goblins possessing Internet and real life terrains, Clay Aiken fans are already envisioning key events of the Christmas season -- an 18-city tour of CA performances with symphony orchestras [schedule at clayaiken.com], a limited edition EP -- All Is Well - Songs for Christmas -- to be released exclusively through WalMart, and a lineup of appearances running the gamut from talk shows to a soap opera promoting Clay's new mainstream CD, A Thousand Different Ways.


'All Is Well - Songs of Christmas' Cover

The minute the Official Fan Club posted info about the limited edition EP, All Is Well - Songs for Christmas, the CA community began some serious Christmas shopping with pre-orders via WalMart.

As every card-carrying Claymate knows, the track listing for this perfect holiday gift or stocking stuffer includes All Is Well, Christmas Waltz, O Come O Come Emmanuel, and My Grown Up Christmas List.

Music students and family are at the top of my pre-order list for this exclusive gem.

DOOL Promo Proves Phenomenal

The publicity garnered by the announcement of Clay's upcoming 12/22 appearance on "Days of Our Lives" in media outlets online, in print, and via the airwaves has been nothing short of phenomenal. A Google search Saturday afternoon yielded a total of 307k outlets with the news.

This AP article made the rounds in the press, as well as DOOL chat rooms:

NEW YORK (AP) - Clay Aiken is about to enter a world of back-stabbing, scandal and diva fits - and no, it's not backstage at "American Idol." He's taping an appearance on NBC's "Days of our Lives."

The 27-year-old Aiken will perform two songs, one from his new album "A Thousand Different Ways," and "O Holy Night" from his 2004 CD "Merry Christmas with Love," the soap opera's spokeswoman, Kellie Kulikowsky, told The Associated Press.

He'll take the stage for a private concert for Steve (Stephen Nichols) and Kayla (Mary Beth Evans) at the club Dune in the town of Salem. The episode is scheduled to air Dec. 22.


Clickable 'November on Tyra!'

The greatly-anticipated airing of Clay's appearance on the Tyra Banks Show is being touted on the host's website, as well as in promos on current segments. To watch the preview, click on "Don't Miss November" at the above link.

New Applause for ATDW

Common Sense Media has posted an excellent review of ATDW, giving Clay's CD a 9+/10 rating.

On A THOUSAND DIFFERENT WAYS, Clay Aiken delivers covers of 14 romantic, sentimental, and mostly well-known love ballads. A CD like this requires a certain mood, as well as an absolute suspension of coolness. But Aiken does a beautiful job reinventing the love-ballad wheel ...

For those who aren't afraid of sentiment, these are smooth, lovely offerings, sung with passion and integrity and produced with loving care. Leave your hip-hop attitude at the door, and enjoy the sentimental stylings of a talented musical interpreter ...

Thursday a 24-year-old male banker from Jakarta, East Jakarta, Indonesia, penned his take on ATDW in an online journal, The Story Goes. Non-Blogspot members can leave comments as "Anonymous."

If you look at this title, you probably know it from Clay Aiken's new album. Yup, I just bought it and fell in love with it, forgive me if this album makes me nostalgic about those years when the songs were good and the voices of the singers were amazing ...

Texas Wind Wipes Out JKL

My mother-in-law, my newest Clayvert, and I watched our singer's TV Guide Channel Close-Up interview together, even though a Mapquest search shows we live exactly 1467.16 miles from each other. Her assessment: "Clay Rules!"

We tried sharing the re-airing of Jimmy Kimmel Live Friday night, but wouldn't you know -- West Texas experienced high winds, and the Midland-Odessa ABC station was literally blown off the air! I will be making MIL a DVD of that show because JK and Clay are just too good to let a Texas dust storm run interference.

We are both looking forward to a very interesting fall lineup of CA appearances and happenings:

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

10/28: TV Guide Channel Close-Up
11/2: The Megan Mullally Show (Taping 11/1)
11/17: Regis&Kelly Show
11/21: American Music Awards: Presenter
11/28: Release of All Is Well - Songs for Christmas
TBA: Tyra Banks Show
TBA: Dr. Phil Show
12/22: Days of Our Lives (Performance: EIH and OHN)
12/1 - 12/23: Christmas Symphony Tour

PHOTO INTERMISSION: Graphic artists have wasted no time creating variations of the beautiful photos released in conjunction with Clay's Christmas tour. This clickable interlude features the talents of four fans, including Cindilu2 (1); Clayquebec1 (2); ABeautifulMind (3); and Ambassador of Love (4, 5).









Halloween Happily Haunts Blogs

A brief tour of OFC blogs and Clay Aiken message boards quickly reveals that fan fetes of all things Halloween are out in full force.

So is our annual revelry and affection for spooky pumpkins, goblins, and haunted houses grounded in ancient pagan ritual, demonic worship, or -- of all places -- the church?

The word Halloween actually originated in the Catholic Church. It comes from a contracted corruption of All Hollows Eve (or "All Saints Day"), is a Catholic day of observance in honor of saints. In 5th century BC Celtic Ireland, the holiday marking the official end of summer, October 31, was called Samhain (sow-en), heralding the Celtic new year.

The Romans adopted Celtic practices as their own. In the first century AD, Samhain was assimilated into celebrations of other Roman traditions, among them their day honoring Pomona, Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple, which may be the precursor for the modern day Halloween tradition, bobbing for apples.

Trick-Or-Treating From Souling

The custom of trick-or-treating is thought to have originated with a ninth-century European custom called souling. On Nov. 2, All Souls Day, early Christians walked from village to village begging for soul cakes. The more soul cakes the beggars received, the more prayers they would promise to say on behalf of the donors' dead relatives.

From Irish folklore comes our Jack-o-lantern custom. Jack, an evil, fun-loving man, made a deal with Satan that backfired; and when he died, he was denied access to both Heaven and Hell. To light his way through the frigid darkness, Jack was given a single ember, which was placed inside a hollowed-out turnip.

In the 1840s Irish immigrants brought their turnip Jack's lanterns to America, but found pumpkins far more plentiful.

Though some cults have adopted Halloween as their favorite holiday, it is important to remember the tradition did not come from evil practices. Today many churches sponsor Halloween parties, traditional pumpkin patches, as well as pumpkin-carving events and "haunted houses."

Halloween is as evil or as festive as we choose to make it.


Clickable

Tar Heel Ghost Stories

As a North Carolinian, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the plethora of famous Tar Heel ghost stories. Just the titles are scary: Blackbeard's Queen Anne Revenge, A Colonial Apparition; Buried Alive; The Scull Hangs High; Bells, Books, and Rafters; The Headless Haunt; The Peg-Legged Ghost; The Greensboro Hitchhiker, The Devil's Tramping Ground.

For a Wilmingtonian, The Maco Light easily tops the list of popular ghost tales. Visiting the Maco Light was the theme of many an autumn hayride of my youth. Maco is located in Brunswick County, 12 miles northwest of Wilmington and in the past was a stop along the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad.

Briefly, in 1867 conductor Joe Baldwin was riding the last car of his train when it somehow became uncoupled from the engine. As he watched another train fast approaching his slowing car, Joe wildly waved his lantern back and forth in warning; but his efforts were in vain. The oncoming train barreled into the car, and Joe was decapitated in the accident.

Just seconds before the crash, Joe's lantern was hurled away by a mighty, unseen force, landing in an upright position. Shortly after the horrible accident, the Maco Light began appearing along the tracks. To this day, Joe's ghost appears swinging his lantern and searching for his head.

For some spooky reading, check out Tar Heel Ghosts or The Devil's Tramping Ground and Other North Carolina Mystery Stories, both by John Harden.



Caro

RELATED TAGS: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Season's Soup Favorites Shared


DELECTABLE -- Cindilu2's beautiful graphic of Clay Aiken has little to do with cooking, but her design is certainly tantalizing.

With Clay Aiken Interlude

Season's Soup Favorites Shared

I have always told my friend Terri -- a staunch non-computer user and proud of it -- that Clay Aiken message boards cover the latest news as well or better than most networks. Natural disasters, weather, sports, who sang what when at the World Series, you name it -- the linear thread I read is often interspersed with the latest major happenings around the globe, local weather forecasts, and sports cheers and results.

With trees sporting autumnal, multi-colored splendor and message boards announcing that temps are dipping lower by the day (30 degrees in St. Louis and North Dakota, a brisk 27 in Chicago, 37 but rising in Florida, 42 in New York City, 37 in North Carolina), dinner menus are starting to reflect such cool weather favorites as soups, stews, and chili recipes.

Supper Over Key Signatures

A few years ago when my week included 55 private students and a growing family, my slow cooker was probably the most used appliance in the kitchen, making it possible for me to fulfill dinner preparation and an afternoon of music lessons at the same time. Enticing aromas from the trusty crock pot wending their way into the studio almost always had the later students thinking more about supper than key signatures.

No doubt this blog topic was inspired last week when I shared my Mexican Cornbread recipe with the mother of two young piano and violin students. I look forward to hearing their reaction to the dish printed below.

Kicking off this fall menu overview is Cabbage Bean Soup, family favorite from the beginning. The "framework" for this recipe can be found in the Harpeth Valley Elementary School Cookbook, purchased during a PTA fund-raiser years ago. Typically, I experimented with the original from the get-go. Since our family enjoyed hot, spicy flavors, I doubt I have ever prepared this soup the same way twice.

There are several variations available for Cabbage Bean Soup on the Internet. For example, the recipe can be prepared in a slow cooker (4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low). An array of substitutions can be applied, and some of my alterations are are provided within the ingredient list.

CABBAGE BEAN SOUP

1 T. vegetable oil
1/2 to 1 pound low-fat ground turkey, beef, or meatless ground burger.
[My favorite combo is part grouund turkey and part turkey sausage, chopped. Just a little sausage adds a lot of flavor.]
1 large onion, chopped
1 small head cabbage, chopped
1 can (16 oz) can stewed tomatoes (Mexican, Italian, Cajun)
[Optional addition: 1 can tomatoes with green chiles]
2 (16 oz) cans red kidney beans [mix or substitute pinto, navy, black beans]
2 cups (or cans) water
1 can (16 oz) can tomato sauce (chunky, garlic, plain)
1-2 beef/chicken-flavored bouillon cubes or Better Than Bouillon equivalent
[Option: the original recipe called for 2 cans beef or chicken broth; if I use bouillon, I make up for the liquid with water.]
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
Spices to taste: garlic, Italian seasonings, red pepper flakes, cilantro, etc.

Brown ground turkey or beef with onion in a skillet, using 1 T. vegetable oil. Cook until meat is well browned and crumbled. Drain fat; transfer meat and onion to a large pot along with all other ingredients except the cabbage. Cook for an hour and a half. Add the cabbage at the halfway point. Serve with cornbread or crackers.

Makes 10 servings, which -- for me -- means lots of leftovers that can be frozen and reheated in the microwave for lunches and/or dinners.

MEXICAN CORNBREAD WITH GROUND MEAT

I was given this recipe by a dear friend in Odessa, TX, years ago. The 3x5 recipe card is now splotched from time and spilled ingredients, as I prepared this dinner often after being transplanted to Texas. The main dish consists of cornbread with a center of ground meat, onions, green chiles, and shredded cheese. A side salad with the cornbread dish has been a popular combo in our home.

At first, I prepared Mexican Cornbread as printed below. However, with time constraints as a teacher and mother, in later years I substituted with instant cornbread mixes. Prepare according to the mix recipe, adding the cream corn of the scratch version.

CORNBREAD

1 C. yellow corn meal
2 eggs, beaten
1 C. sweet milk
1/4 C. yellow cream corn
1/2 tsp. soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/3 C. vegetable oil

Mix all of the above well, and set aside; or do the same with the cornbread mix and cream corn.

FILLING

2 T. vegetable oil
1/2 to 1 lb. ground meat (turkey, beef, meatless burger)
1 large onion, chopped
1 small can chopped green chile peppers
Grated 2% cheese

Saute 1/2 to 1 lb. ground meat and one large chopped onion with one T. vegetable oil. Drain on paper towel. Mix with one small can copped green chile peppers.

Grease the bottom and sides of a large iron skillet with remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil. Sprinkle with corn meal, and brown briefly to help form a crust. Pour half the batter into the pan. Sprinkle grated cheese evenly over the batter. Add a layer of the meat, onion, and peppers. Pour remaining batter on top.

Bake 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees.

What does all this have to do with Clay Aiken? Nothing -- unless he wants to try an alternative to his favored tacos sometime!

PHOTO INTERMISSION -- This clickable interlude features the talents of photographer KarenEh (2) and graphic artists Amazing_CA (1, 2); Ambassador of Love (3); ABeautifulMind (4); and Claystruck (5).










November Appearances On Tap

Clay's TV appearances are entertaining and help introduce his music to others. Fans are looking forward to a variety of November promo dates, as well as a packed schedule of Christmas concerts with symphony orchestras throughout the eastern US.

Slated for this weekend are the Friday (10/27) replay of our singer's September appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live and Saturday's TV Guide Channel Close Up feature, "Clay Aiken -- A look at the life and career of this popular singer." Check local TV listings for these shows.

My mother-in-law, who missed the original airing of JKL -- but has heard all about it! -- is counting down the days until Friday. I really believe she is ready for her authentic Claymate card.

Excellent Promo for ATDW

One of the best promos around for Clay's latest CD, A Thousand Different Ways, can be viewed on The Hollywood Beat at Rock.com. While Clay sings "Without You," the announcer provides biographical info, including his CD discography, best-selling biography, and his work with UNICEF.I am planning to share this link with friends and relatives. All CA fans will enjoy this well-done piece on the "skinny guy with the great pipes from North Carolina ... a young man who clearly loves what he does."

'Clay Aiken: Music of the Heart'

One of the most thoughtful reviews I have read on ATDW is located at Beavers on Idol -- "Clay Aiken: Music of the Heart" by Cindy Wagner.

The OFC's own Hosaa incorporates her interpretations of the album's playlist, as well as her theories about the remarkable making and revolutionary marketing of this CD.

EID on Hong Kong Radio

According to Mediaguide, which monitors the panels of stations that report to Yes.com, two Hong Kong radio stations are playing "Everything I Do."

This is an on site clip from Hong Kong's Radio Channel 88.1.

Set List for Christmas in Connecticut

Multi-platinum recording artist Clay Aiken kicks off the Hartford Symphony Orchestra's new "Symphony at the Center" series with Music Director Edward Cumming and the Hartford Symphony.

Tuesday a news release and set list for "Clay Aiken: Christmas with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra" was released for the 12/12 concert in Connecticut. For a sneak preview, see the Hartford website.


Clickable WHUD Poster

Cooking for Just One

Though less time-consuming, preparing meals for just one can sometimes be a challenge. Always seeking ways to simplify, I created a winter soup recipe with that in mind. This oft-used "soup for one" plan was shared in an earlier blog at the OFC.

My by-words in cooking now are "simple" and "substitution," so feel free to create your own variations. Just be sure to share your findings, LOL! These ingredients can be multiplied to yield servings for any number of people. Preparation time for just me is under 10 minutes. SIMPLE SOUP for ONECook the following -- approximately 1/4 cup for the vegetables -- in a microwave-proof bowl for 2-3 minutes:

SIMPLE SOUP for ONE

Cook the following -- approximately 1/4 cup for the vegetables -- in a microwave-proof bowl for 2-3 minutes:

Onion
Bell pepper
Frozen corn
Frozen lima beans
Three-inch link of turkey sausage, chopped*

* Variations here can be one inch of the turkey sausage and a portion of shredded chicken, just chicken, ground turkey/beef/meatless burger, etc.

Add these ingredients, and microwave all for another two minutes:


3 T. canned black beans (or another variety)
Half a can of Mexican-flavored stewed tomatoes (alternates include stewed tomatoes, Italian-flavored stewed tomatoes, etc.)
Water or small amount of tomato juice
Spices to taste -- I use cumin, red pepper flakes, and Mrs. Dash Italian seasonings
2-3 T. shredded 2% cheese on top

Result: Delicious one-dish meal fast!

BAKED POTATO PLATE

One large baking potato
Onion
Bell pepper
Frozen or fresh broccoli
One serving of turkey sausage, crabmeat substitute, or meatless burger crumbles
Canned black beans
Heart-healthy margarine
Seasonings to taste: Mrs. Dash (Italian Medley, Southwest, Lemon Pepper), cayenne, etc.
Shredded 2% cheese (Mine is Mexican-flavored)

Wash, punch holes in the skin, and microwave the potato on a plate until done, about 6-7 minutes. Cut in half, and refrigerate one portion for another meal. In a bowl, microwave onion, bell pepper, frozen broccoli, and meat.

Drizzle 2 T. black beans (with juice) over the potato half. Dot with margarine. Spread the vegetables and meat over this, and top with shredded cheese.

Run the "loaded" potato back through the microwave for 1-2 minutes. If desired, add a dollop of fat-free sour cream.

Result: Another delicious, healthy meal-in-one-dish for one! Now that you know what's for dinner at my house, how about sharing your favorite cool weather recipe?

Have a great week, Clay Nation!

Caro

RELATED TAGS: , , , , , , , , , , , ,