tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39058454418265557062024-02-21T10:29:25.623-08:00Eat Your Heart OutAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905845441826555706.post-74588313388852799002016-01-04T22:27:00.001-08:002016-01-04T22:27:29.737-08:00What inspires you?<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPNjh49iv4RbxLjgBqfz9SrlGAvc0zEctt-bDY6KDbT7Xzlsa6bMc05vDdTonGeq_3w8DKSRMqKdUBGOFgtf2OeZp6fQLC7xIWmfxNv5EBtA3UIo31YPaEtW2wzbCrGK3Q2Xqs0L2qpSXT/s640/blogger-image--832466512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPNjh49iv4RbxLjgBqfz9SrlGAvc0zEctt-bDY6KDbT7Xzlsa6bMc05vDdTonGeq_3w8DKSRMqKdUBGOFgtf2OeZp6fQLC7xIWmfxNv5EBtA3UIo31YPaEtW2wzbCrGK3Q2Xqs0L2qpSXT/s640/blogger-image--832466512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDy5bErnFDZo3TPsJjipkFchraLBcJgRWvcYW5IOJpaCuNZak0ZbR1kVjqQHW-OJr-LjfUu-GMkc4UigOAQJdUsNCzaiQABwLhs6THauZJNmbhafJFXaVM1THeeJ2iMYQwYSfLy1ynsZk2/s640/blogger-image-614985153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDy5bErnFDZo3TPsJjipkFchraLBcJgRWvcYW5IOJpaCuNZak0ZbR1kVjqQHW-OJr-LjfUu-GMkc4UigOAQJdUsNCzaiQABwLhs6THauZJNmbhafJFXaVM1THeeJ2iMYQwYSfLy1ynsZk2/s640/blogger-image-614985153.jpg"></a></div><br></div>It's been a year full of changes, my friends and family have other means of following along with my life. That's a majority I'm sure of who will actually read this, but regardless this has been the last year in a nutshell. <div><br></div><div>I fell in love big time. No big surprise there but I mean <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MF9mnPgIG5uTvGWcbFgKs_K7-k6iTKkE7YNT7eGfXKzd5s2ngrorjHJc8h1ik6IxdWNvulAcMIZTFgyM9ErVVcmN06LhP8bioaXF29nZAX0vzJuX3v2ETPmAMzzcm7znA4WeO0YM5NeW/s640/blogger-image--815182438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MF9mnPgIG5uTvGWcbFgKs_K7-k6iTKkE7YNT7eGfXKzd5s2ngrorjHJc8h1ik6IxdWNvulAcMIZTFgyM9ErVVcmN06LhP8bioaXF29nZAX0vzJuX3v2ETPmAMzzcm7znA4WeO0YM5NeW/s640/blogger-image--815182438.jpg"></a>Obviously. 😍</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Anyways what else oh yea, followed a life long dream to move to wherever it took to go to an amazing culinary school and well, I'm there. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdOqqJHQNJBATGczNrpfgMGwoBYnWo-RRn5XxASPhit9pyKjOB4fJpVZZJdq3THg2t9MOBqMGp2Nk5aX9vR14OCqnir8IiprASQ7RxRgJ6Re-D9Msa5PHltIN0kdnoL5DWEsgguLJlL-2/s640/blogger-image-1308693391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWdOqqJHQNJBATGczNrpfgMGwoBYnWo-RRn5XxASPhit9pyKjOB4fJpVZZJdq3THg2t9MOBqMGp2Nk5aX9vR14OCqnir8IiprASQ7RxRgJ6Re-D9Msa5PHltIN0kdnoL5DWEsgguLJlL-2/s640/blogger-image-1308693391.jpg"></a>Oh yea and I'm doing pretty well. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Can't say it's been all rainbows and sunshine. The bills still come in a brutally fast fashion it seems and there just never seem to be enough hours in the day to satisfy every need, every desire, fulfill every request. But that's where inspiration strikes. What holds us together? Us twenty-something's who think we have it all figured out, well with a lot of help from our family and friends and a lot, and let me emphasize a lot, of hard work. You must wake up every single day and eat, sleep,breathe your motivation. You must find constant inspiration and add that to a lot of coffee and you must never quit. Never lose your faith. That may be the most important thing that has helped inspire me this year. Every curveball in life has always had a solution. There has been nothing up to this point that I haven't been able to overcome. Charles, well he helped me find my faith, him and a loving sneedville community. All of those people helped me to understand that faith is a very personal thing and it is your responsibility to build and maintain your faith in the way that makes sense to you. Have and know that peace. It's an amazing thing to live by. It has helped us countlessly throughout this past year and I'm sure it will continue to do so. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Okay at this point you are probably like, whoa heavy for a food blog we haven't seen you write on in a year, where is my step by step recipe ?? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Well friends I can't say that I have one. I can most certainly entertain your culinary motivations for being on this blog with some delicious food that I've made but as for my own recipes, it must take time to fully get back to it all. All I have to say for now is that I will try and visit more often, to share, to remember and to hopefully and most importantly to inspire! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Xo my dear friends <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgJr2ccCRvkCm6k6j-IZHgC6jhZ_CX8a7YsIkkckVBaBGmvubzUccweOhpGz5jIlm1zueyWRlkr6tGUMYjN5Hr95ktfWmvIhpUtbD-Nh5YtVKRaCbZWXMXEw2vYAdg3-MZY_tviia0M1C/s640/blogger-image-257583410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgJr2ccCRvkCm6k6j-IZHgC6jhZ_CX8a7YsIkkckVBaBGmvubzUccweOhpGz5jIlm1zueyWRlkr6tGUMYjN5Hr95ktfWmvIhpUtbD-Nh5YtVKRaCbZWXMXEw2vYAdg3-MZY_tviia0M1C/s640/blogger-image-257583410.jpg"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgJr2ccCRvkCm6k6j-IZHgC6jhZ_CX8a7YsIkkckVBaBGmvubzUccweOhpGz5jIlm1zueyWRlkr6tGUMYjN5Hr95ktfWmvIhpUtbD-Nh5YtVKRaCbZWXMXEw2vYAdg3-MZY_tviia0M1C/s640/blogger-image-257583410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkxi09ImL5oMTqVLtKqFVPZtSkRJFwHc7CiWkcaR_UD7-7guHAfBnjs5sgRwQGYAC2if2uO98WrkbBwVuBqUA3XjqipvydQOkJcM3HbsgNT1Nidy8_mXpZ4fFGstZYtY9qsjTPPRQtGGV/s640/blogger-image-1060457435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkxi09ImL5oMTqVLtKqFVPZtSkRJFwHc7CiWkcaR_UD7-7guHAfBnjs5sgRwQGYAC2if2uO98WrkbBwVuBqUA3XjqipvydQOkJcM3HbsgNT1Nidy8_mXpZ4fFGstZYtY9qsjTPPRQtGGV/s640/blogger-image-1060457435.jpg"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkxi09ImL5oMTqVLtKqFVPZtSkRJFwHc7CiWkcaR_UD7-7guHAfBnjs5sgRwQGYAC2if2uO98WrkbBwVuBqUA3XjqipvydQOkJcM3HbsgNT1Nidy8_mXpZ4fFGstZYtY9qsjTPPRQtGGV/s640/blogger-image-1060457435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ySi1ima6mnV2yRaQZbXfMNd-Hd1xluNfR3FoWQwceWL2fnidqjlEUDIWN6inQRK40Gh_-X3AJ5C1FJf6PhDPjFQ3lJNT44_GkktZr6Ceewos8XJ7xn2HLwFYVen_2dHvaelRhyxWteab/s640/blogger-image-1726869363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ySi1ima6mnV2yRaQZbXfMNd-Hd1xluNfR3FoWQwceWL2fnidqjlEUDIWN6inQRK40Gh_-X3AJ5C1FJf6PhDPjFQ3lJNT44_GkktZr6Ceewos8XJ7xn2HLwFYVen_2dHvaelRhyxWteab/s640/blogger-image-1726869363.jpg"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ySi1ima6mnV2yRaQZbXfMNd-Hd1xluNfR3FoWQwceWL2fnidqjlEUDIWN6inQRK40Gh_-X3AJ5C1FJf6PhDPjFQ3lJNT44_GkktZr6Ceewos8XJ7xn2HLwFYVen_2dHvaelRhyxWteab/s640/blogger-image-1726869363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqYSKiZQI67gkimOc8X-_kU_mBD2CABl_aj_DNugVkyNy0q5_YsMoAOZFkXlBbsuB9YFu-eHez4IXBIFZrVW3ZsE4yyB1SsVi8J6NW0YexpBBNk8UvYJRRNFOMBUmIbOg1LO7aRDTh2aM/s640/blogger-image-675733323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqYSKiZQI67gkimOc8X-_kU_mBD2CABl_aj_DNugVkyNy0q5_YsMoAOZFkXlBbsuB9YFu-eHez4IXBIFZrVW3ZsE4yyB1SsVi8J6NW0YexpBBNk8UvYJRRNFOMBUmIbOg1LO7aRDTh2aM/s640/blogger-image-675733323.jpg"></a></div></div></div></div></div></div><br></div><br></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905845441826555706.post-49107998705616465532014-02-25T20:42:00.001-08:002014-02-25T20:42:18.287-08:00Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Pancakes Okay okay okay, so there have been many a revelations since my last post. I am ashamed and thrilled at the same time to share them with you. When you cook as much as I do you tend to have a very firm grasp on grocery stores and their layouts and the way they price things and when they go on sale and which ones offer which produce and goodies, etc. etc. Well there are a few places I won't even let myself go into because I know I will want to spend all of my bill money in one fell swoop (Dean and Deluca, Whole Foods, and what I thought was off limits Trader Joes.)<br />
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Don't get me wrong I want to go into all of these stores and I know that they have things to offer that I would adore but I am under the impression that they are all going to be pricy because of the quality or what not.<br />
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If you are like me and you have believed Trader Joe's to be a bougie overpriced hipster paradise, let me help shatter that illusion and provide proof at that.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fx09L8e9k9pOp6HNt1Ep1sj__6Mz8_xrfImorltxV8oxmOvKpmnca-WYgiVYj35Fs3CubOK7ZcMYSLK_7T7x8ZVNYCTB-vt6IAXPJSBfoYVqPD9Tx0z_ExMlP8xUCWkA2Gc21dLZ07QG/s1600/IMG_2088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fx09L8e9k9pOp6HNt1Ep1sj__6Mz8_xrfImorltxV8oxmOvKpmnca-WYgiVYj35Fs3CubOK7ZcMYSLK_7T7x8ZVNYCTB-vt6IAXPJSBfoYVqPD9Tx0z_ExMlP8xUCWkA2Gc21dLZ07QG/s1600/IMG_2088.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
I went in there searching for an ingredient I thought that they would carry for a recipe from some hippie blog I had found that I wanted to try(turns out they didn't have nutritional yeast after all, shucks!)<br />
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Anyways I just needed that one ingredient and had planned on doing my real grocery shopping later at the stores near me. TJ's is about fifteen minutes away from me so when I walked in the door and started noticing prices I quickly turned my butt around and grabbed a cart and went to town! I bought whatever I wanted. Things that I have such a hard time finding in my go to grocery stores, arugula for example was not only sold there in a big bag but it was also half the price and double the quality of what is offered elsewhere AND it was organic. I'm not one to really care too much about organic versus not, I know that it is better for you and what not but when you are as much on a budget as me eating produce is eating produce.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXy9DCLeDzdudmXS48lBfWlQDKy_XGRY-uqE7k8CzPoNa6gxY0Pwf6TBrouR3x-zq8LvW2-9k12md38PzItv1U3HtPe7Z87HE0ZwbkaaZAO-LXsNQUZ0Jgdp5egRIXIE1qta7w4DV3nuh/s1600/IMG_2089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXy9DCLeDzdudmXS48lBfWlQDKy_XGRY-uqE7k8CzPoNa6gxY0Pwf6TBrouR3x-zq8LvW2-9k12md38PzItv1U3HtPe7Z87HE0ZwbkaaZAO-LXsNQUZ0Jgdp5egRIXIE1qta7w4DV3nuh/s1600/IMG_2089.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcn955Z70tDrh-gNmByFg1idg8rXt3zlV0i5DqDOSJ0WO4H5qFuINPAhoL3avriUGbSfbHAypsCEbwrkGWU_yjQmwhzxFO0-x1r9HAzjp4kxhxBYFEYYWQrgOkZ9aFkPeVoDZaLQUrs9A/s1600/IMG_2090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcn955Z70tDrh-gNmByFg1idg8rXt3zlV0i5DqDOSJ0WO4H5qFuINPAhoL3avriUGbSfbHAypsCEbwrkGWU_yjQmwhzxFO0-x1r9HAzjp4kxhxBYFEYYWQrgOkZ9aFkPeVoDZaLQUrs9A/s1600/IMG_2090.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>I will say that I loved that about the store though it offers nearly all organic produce and farm raised free range protein options. They don't offer a lot of junk food which is great, not really any room for temptation. Basically imagine all the healthy parts of your standard super center and that is TJ's with cute handwritten labels and pricing on everything and a much more condensed version of the store so you can be in and out.<br />
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Anyways if you would like some visual proof of how great it is, here is my first every Trader Joe's haul.<br />
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Just look at those prices!</div>
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Simply amazing. I highly encourage you all to head into your nearest Trader Joe's at your earliest convenience and fall into a deep grocery store love like I myself did.</div>
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Now onto the good stuff.</div>
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I've been as dedicated as ever to my healthy eating lifestyle and working out on a routine as much as the restaurant life will allow me. I have started prepping meals for work and waking up early to work out, a big thanks goes out to my friend Megan for that one, without her early morning phone calls getting my sorry butt out of bed everyday I doubt I would be as successful as I have been.</div>
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So with your days starting at 7 (okay sometimes 8) and not ending till usually 11-1 am breakfast has to be solid especially when at that early wake up you are running at least 3 miles and ending with weights. That'll surely leave a girl hungry. So today I offer you something I have been dreaming of. I couldn't get the thought of banana blueberry pancakes out of my head. I HAD to make them.</div>
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So off to Trader Joe's I went and with a few essential ingredients gathered later I went to work.</div>
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Here's what you will need.</div>
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<b>Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Pancakes </b></div>
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Serves : 2</div>
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Cook/Prep Time: 5 minutes</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCn-upWQm56IegpERk-OOIpv3-Q564et6jxRyG-ad8Z_khEo1XEQyqZs2VwBFB5dZSR5yhmp30OBy_hIlk3sNMP7NBLrPkappUCpDNpnWSreX8Mt2Pb5kHBYT7Sf-msBHkDGEnQsENfLp/s1600/IMG_2154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCn-upWQm56IegpERk-OOIpv3-Q564et6jxRyG-ad8Z_khEo1XEQyqZs2VwBFB5dZSR5yhmp30OBy_hIlk3sNMP7NBLrPkappUCpDNpnWSreX8Mt2Pb5kHBYT7Sf-msBHkDGEnQsENfLp/s1600/IMG_2154.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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3 egg whites</div>
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1/4 c. milk</div>
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1 banana, mashed ( I might bump this up to 1 and a half to 2 next time to make it taste extra bananay, yes I just made that a word)</div>
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3/4 c. blueberries</div>
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1/3 c. whole wheat flour</div>
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1/3 c. steel cut oats</div>
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1-2 dashes of vanilla extract</div>
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All you have to do is mix all of your ingredients together, the blueberries last because you just want to fold them in. </div>
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Like so...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6XODyNSy4RggIOTqlHlFUFJe4JqOLSliK2K6Z1dSiU2pYmY27rB3Sl6zZdx9ZJbTk8gN9ESj0NUOJvSw4gGjTUH0fZMQOwu9PxrnKcwJyXC8DrBdeycFzPpROhXr14zA14Bp2icICsIe/s1600/IMG_2144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6XODyNSy4RggIOTqlHlFUFJe4JqOLSliK2K6Z1dSiU2pYmY27rB3Sl6zZdx9ZJbTk8gN9ESj0NUOJvSw4gGjTUH0fZMQOwu9PxrnKcwJyXC8DrBdeycFzPpROhXr14zA14Bp2icICsIe/s1600/IMG_2144.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then you want to take about 1/4 c. of the mixture at a time into your greased skillet and cook until done, be careful to cook on low and be patient that way you don't burn your pancakes and you can cook the batter all the way through.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZ36KNTCQpT4T2je_2d-KKXyE57ITScY8wLY-qeqeuGctzWZx85Q_hlMrj_uhZY_xtu6ZpZFsNx5JkIpiH3mXEJx88wmjNmOYWlsSt8hg1wKSkFJ-JXeH62ooSoG-ZK7FYTxWZAIDdx8v/s1600/IMG_2157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZ36KNTCQpT4T2je_2d-KKXyE57ITScY8wLY-qeqeuGctzWZx85Q_hlMrj_uhZY_xtu6ZpZFsNx5JkIpiH3mXEJx88wmjNmOYWlsSt8hg1wKSkFJ-JXeH62ooSoG-ZK7FYTxWZAIDdx8v/s1600/IMG_2157.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then voila you have these ready to eat babies!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1iN_c7NPB_BbhOFJTig8o626lMU8g-s7U7bS__n7twgBVeifYIAHoUsBJbo9xXMNweJTPaT6K7JicsFd25To67aBogqcf-D7YmvsFQ53NsOoH3lHjFhBKCNtKkmZiYuW8gLuD6eWT_Yv/s1600/IMG_2159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1iN_c7NPB_BbhOFJTig8o626lMU8g-s7U7bS__n7twgBVeifYIAHoUsBJbo9xXMNweJTPaT6K7JicsFd25To67aBogqcf-D7YmvsFQ53NsOoH3lHjFhBKCNtKkmZiYuW8gLuD6eWT_Yv/s1600/IMG_2159.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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I topped mine off with some extra fresh blueberries and they were FANTASTIC!</div>
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This is a super healthy recipe, VERY easy to whip up and high in protein and fiber thanks to the egg whites, oats, and whole wheat flour. </div>
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The oats are totally optional but they are hardly noticeable and pack in an extra punch of fiber so why not right!</div>
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YUM!</div>
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Some other fun happenings in my life include the AMC Best Picture Showcase that I am currently in the middle of with my best friend. She turned me onto this a few years ago and ever since I have been hooked!</div>
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So what is it you ask? Well every year before the Oscars AMC does a Best Picture Showcase in which they show the Best Picture nominees either in a 24 hour showcase ( For the true crazies) or split between the two Saturdays prior to the Sunday Oscars. Its a great way to see all of the movies that are up for a lot of nominations and be able to justify your opinions on who should win what. Or if you don't really care its just a great way to see a bunch of good movies for cheap. Its like 60 bucks for all 9. Not a bad deal at all but you have to have the lazy stamina for it. The ability to sit in a theater for four and then five straight movies in one day.</div>
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Its not for everyone but Britt and I we are pros in this field and we can marathon watch with the best of them!</div>
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Its fun, they do trivia in between the movies for prizes and its overall just a blast to be surrounded by movie lovers like yourself.</div>
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Also I went to trivia with some other great friends this past week. I love playing games and I love being around people that want to play games, while trivia mostly taught me that I don't actually know as many useless facts as I thought I did, it was a fun free way to get out of the house for the night. (Also thanks to the happy hour appetizers I tried one of the best apps I've ever had that I deduced the recipe for in my head and will be recreating likely for the Oscar party this Sunday and then I will be sharing it with you!)</div>
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This is Angela she is one of the world's true beauties and we got this picture together after trivia.</div>
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Behind us is an ice skating rink that I will be revisiting soon for another fun outing!</div>
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Well that is what is new with me. As always happy eating and I hope you are inspired to go out and do some fun things with your friends, because it is just plain good for the soul!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905845441826555706.post-90461032764290948482014-02-01T12:06:00.000-08:002014-02-01T12:06:27.931-08:00Cheddar Pepper Jack Mac and Cheese with Spicy Sausage and Oreo Peanut Butter Brownies<br />
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Okay so again it has been forever since I have posted. But it has also been a while since I have felt I have created something worthy of sharing. Given the feedback from my last couple of food posts to my various social media (<a href="http://instagram.com/blatchinator" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and Facebook) faith was restored that you all really wanted some of those recipes. So for myself and for you I redid one of them in order to preserve all its smoky cheesy greatness.<br />
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This recipe unlike the (Buffalo and Blue Cheese Tuna Cabbage Wraps - which is also to come one of these days) is not diet friendly. It falls into that category I have talked about before of the just gotta have it comfort food.<br />
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I created this with someone special in mind using a lot of the flavors we had in the house at the time. No intense planning went into it like some of my recipes simply convenience. It is a definite upgrade to a childhood classic of kraft mac and hot dogs. (Which I would like to mention is still enjoyed in this household by my lovely roomie :-P) Anyways after the feedback of people wanting the recipe I had a chance to decide what really worked with it and what could have used some tweaking, it is still just as easy but oh ya know just a bit cheesier, and creamier and more to die for. ( Didn't figure anyone would mind those changes. :)<br />
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So without further ado here we go.<br />
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What you will need</div>
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<b>1 box of whatever kind of pasta you want to use.</b> </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I used whole grain rotini because it was the best pasta I had in the house for mac and cheese. You can feel free to use your preference or whatever short noodles or shells you have on hand. This pasta was also preferred because the ridges will capture all that cheesy goodness. (Just something to keep in mind when deciding on your noodle.)</span></div>
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<b>1 8oz package of pepperjack cheese</b> ( I could only find a block at my store but if you can find shredded that will save you some time, either way it needs to be shredded)</div>
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<b>12oz of sharp cheddar cheese</b> (8oz for the cheese sauce, 4oz for topping)</div>
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<b>1/2 stick of butter</b></div>
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<b>1 shallot, diced</b> ( or whatever onion you have on hand, white or yellow preferably. If you use white or yellow use only a quarter of the onion.)</div>
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<b>1/2 c. heavy whipping cream</b></div>
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<b>1 c. chicken stock/ broth</b> ( this gives the dish a lot of great flavor I wouldn't change this)</div>
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<b>1 tsp. garlic salt</b></div>
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<b>1 tsp. garlic powder</b></div>
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pepper to taste (optional)</div>
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<b>4 links of sausage of your choice</b> ( I prefer beef sausage and to stick with the theme I used a spicy one from Hillshire farms, but whatever you like will do just fine!)</div>
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(Not pictured) <b>Flour for thickening</b> ( I used 2 Tablespoons, you may need more or less depending on how thick you want your cheese sauce)</div>
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The first thing you want to do is get your pasta boiling. This is a fast dish and that is the part that will take the longest.</div>
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Then shred your pepperjack cheese if not already shredded. </div>
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Next you want to heat the pot you are going to make the cheese sauce in. Put it over a med-high heat and add in your half stick of butter while you dice your onion.</div>
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Add your onion to your melted butter along with your garlic salt and powder, and cook until tender and starts to brown and bubble.</div>
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Next add in your chicken stock. Bring to a boil and then add in your cheeses. Pepper jack and cheddar. Whisk until nice and smooth. This is where you need to use your judgement about how thick you want your cheese sauce to be. I added two tablespoons of flour and it was perfect for my preference. </div>
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Whisk away till you have a smooth yellowish orange color.</div>
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Remove from heat and whisk in your heavy cream.</div>
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Next chop up your sausage links. ( Make sure you are using precooked links if you are following this recipe or cook them before chopping them if they need cooking.)</div>
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Add your sausage to your cheese sauce.</div>
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By now your pasta should be cooked ( don't overcook your noodles, you want them to be al dente (slightly firm) to be able to hold up the cheese sauce.) </div>
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Drain your noodles and then transfer into a bowl big enough to mix the noodles and the sauce. </div>
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Stir all together and then transfer into an oven safe baking dish. </div>
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(Note you could eat it from this stage if you want, I took a few bites myself and it was perfectly yummy, but being me I can't resist the option of adding a nice cheesy crusty layer to the top and allowing the flavors to deepen together in the baking process. So if you wish to bake continue to read if not Bon Appetite)</div>
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Once you have it in a baking dish cover with the other 4 ounces ( or however much it takes to cover your pasta) of cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 until the cheese is melted. About ten minutes or so.</div>
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This is pre baking. I was saving this to be baked later but I topped with the cheese and covered it with an airtight lid and it was ready to go when I was ready to cook it. </div>
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Got to love make ahead dinners!</div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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Oh and as a bonus I will share with you this little baby of a recipe I put together the other day on my brownie making quest. It was something I saw a picture of that I needed to try out. Its a 25 minute dessert that you can't beat!</div>
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<b>Oreo Peanut Butter Brownies</b></div>
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Okay so what you will need </div>
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1 box of brownie mix (and whatever it calls for usually water eggs and oil)</div>
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1 package of oreos ( I didn't count when making this recipe so just have a package)</div>
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Peanut butter (have a jar handy I don't know the exact amount here either)</div>
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Cupcake liners ( yes these are essential if you don't want a huge mess or ruined brownies)</div>
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DISCLAIMER:YOU WILL WANT TO HAVE MILK HANDY FOR THE CONSUMPTION OF THESE!</div>
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Okay you ready?</div>
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Preheat your oven to 350.</div>
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This is all you do, mix your brownie batter together.</div>
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Take two oreos and layer with peanut butter. Oreo, peanut butter, oreo, peanut butter. Got it?</div>
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Okay like this</div>
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Place each of those babies into your cupcake line pan and then cover with brownie batter. Don't overfill because the brownies will puff up some just make sure your top layer of peanut butter is completely covered.</div>
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Next bake for twenty minutes and VIOLA!</div>
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Yea you can thank me later. ;-)</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905845441826555706.post-86541125351443178582013-12-16T13:17:00.004-08:002013-12-16T22:39:19.748-08:00Holiday Party Tips So this post is admittedly going to be different than some of my last ones. I was asked to do a collaboration with an old friend and her fabulous fashion blog. Which you can check out here <a href="http://allsizefits1one.blogspot.com/2013/12/holiday-dinner-party-what-to-wear-what.html">http://allsizefits1one.blogspot.com/2013/12/holiday-dinner-party-what-to-wear-what.html</a> .<br />
Together we have decided to help you tackle those holiday stresses by offering some advice on what to eat ( from yours truly) and what to wear (from Viktoria.)<br />
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Anyways I hope you find this helpful and as always enjoyable.<br />
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So into the holidays you may encounter various situations, whether you are going to a cocktail party at work, you are having a holiday party with your friends or you getting together with your family we have you covered on all aspects!<br />
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Being the foodie that I am I don't believe in going to any social gathering empty handed so in the event you are just headed to work and you want to to bring something yummy and fast along with you I bring you a recipe that has been passed down to me through friends and then in my family for years. We don't have a single gathering in which these little gems aren't included during the holidays. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve. They are present at every single one.<br />
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<b>Bacon and Swiss Stuffed Mushrooms</b><br />
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Prep/Cook Time: 30 minutes and 40 minutes<br />
Serves: 12-15 people<br />
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2 packages of whole mushrooms ( I like either white or baby bella mushrooms)<br />
1to 1 &1/2 sticks of butter<br />
1/2 a white onion, chopped<br />
1 package of Oscar Meyer Turkey Bacon (regular bacon can be used I just prefer this)<br />
1 pint of heavy whipping cream<br />
1 package of sliced swiss cheese (any kind will do)<br />
Garlic salt and pepper to taste<br />
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Your first step should be to cook the bacon till crispy. You can do this on the stove and drain the fat or you can bake it in the oven according to package directions. I prefer the oven method because then I can work on cleaning the mushrooms and chopping the onions during.<br />
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Once the bacon is cooked until crispy then chop it up. </div>
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While the bacon is cooking clean the mushrooms and save the stems to chop up into the stuffing mixture.</div>
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Chop your onion.</div>
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Add a quarter of a stick of butter into a sauté pan on medium to high heat with the onions.</div>
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Cook until the onions are tender and add in the chopped stems.</div>
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Season with garlic salt and pepper and then slowly mix in the heavy cream.</div>
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Then add in your chopped bacon.</div>
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Let it cook down until it looks combined and thickens. About 5 minutes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7EXoVloKi82k9dVrppntv82fseaUBQVLxh4hI5nTRrPaAXjx0_EFp19x2vDtzMrfhRFfqyl_tVOPRgQXXSL2WZZvWJ8tmEwYV2vW5cjagG_8BEgU-4aemOZ93nQEs8mDlbibZVeYRdAIf/s1600/IMG_1542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7EXoVloKi82k9dVrppntv82fseaUBQVLxh4hI5nTRrPaAXjx0_EFp19x2vDtzMrfhRFfqyl_tVOPRgQXXSL2WZZvWJ8tmEwYV2vW5cjagG_8BEgU-4aemOZ93nQEs8mDlbibZVeYRdAIf/s320/IMG_1542.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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While your mixture is cooking down. Melt half a stick to one stick of butter in the microwave and pour into the bottom of the pans you are using to cook the mushrooms with. Any deep dish or casserole dish will work. Then place the mushroom caps on top of the butter mixture.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dcbfRDTe7okt-obTHEPK_oSKDj0C6-p_y1tOZEhLVKhCIOqCiX5B3DeMwp9Kaz8Pjl8yfn4YLTIRVSuPA-K5OnEqkYEWGk-rchDghR4zCzsR8ph8uIMoFMrPvenFcfAI5gZvtyAwDSbv/s1600/IMG_1543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dcbfRDTe7okt-obTHEPK_oSKDj0C6-p_y1tOZEhLVKhCIOqCiX5B3DeMwp9Kaz8Pjl8yfn4YLTIRVSuPA-K5OnEqkYEWGk-rchDghR4zCzsR8ph8uIMoFMrPvenFcfAI5gZvtyAwDSbv/s320/IMG_1543.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Fill each cap with the stuffing mixture. I like to spoon the stuffing into each mixture nicely but my mother has always poured it on top. She thinks it looks and tastes just as good. I am a tad more of a perfectionist in this field though. :-P</div>
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To each his own. Both taste great!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ueHAvHvuM9BEs3tSDID-4PYWtjb_WrhqasAi27FfR1DKJCIw8Qx477wGLnycS3Le3dGhT0h0fpLB35DG0y_fUGtC_5VeR7BQuGyGp24W7ZbqGJaF61wvEVHB7Q5fAfXM6TXAn2MF8AlG/s1600/IMG_1544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ueHAvHvuM9BEs3tSDID-4PYWtjb_WrhqasAi27FfR1DKJCIw8Qx477wGLnycS3Le3dGhT0h0fpLB35DG0y_fUGtC_5VeR7BQuGyGp24W7ZbqGJaF61wvEVHB7Q5fAfXM6TXAn2MF8AlG/s320/IMG_1544.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then top with the swiss cheese.</div>
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I like to double up on the cheese.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjciolcMLP9nE_Vkt9r3ayIgEXSvguZV1DMqor-2ZbCUH0L_qGuBtQKCxAwsUQ6ToCYbJNWdHvklfVErVy2UmY-sFYnPGRBP5LbHlzMOFj2netq7kl696tiG8m-GAvC0PYqiupPVESdqK_o/s1600/IMG_1546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjciolcMLP9nE_Vkt9r3ayIgEXSvguZV1DMqor-2ZbCUH0L_qGuBtQKCxAwsUQ6ToCYbJNWdHvklfVErVy2UmY-sFYnPGRBP5LbHlzMOFj2netq7kl696tiG8m-GAvC0PYqiupPVESdqK_o/s320/IMG_1546.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Also being the perfectionist that I am I cut the cheese into squares before placing but as long as all the mushrooms are covered in cheese tearing or laying out all over works just as well too. You don't have to be meticulous with this recipe I just am when I am hosting.</div>
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Bake the mushrooms at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and serve right away.</div>
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Friends and coworkers alike will be begging you for this recipe and you won't have any leftovers I promise. So do like I do and make sure you eat a couple before you bring them wherever you are going to ensure not only quality ( like I pretend to do, ) but also to be able to enjoy some yourself.</div>
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Now if you are going to a family get together and you are not the one hosting it is always appropriate to bring a dessert or side dish depending on the host's request. Make sure to talk to them about what is needed as to not step on any toes. If you find yourself in the need of a side dish try out this one for a quick and easy, beautifully colored and out of the ordinary dish for your table!</div>
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<b>Cranberry, Apple, Squash Bake</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjja4-GKTxSVOr5b_EpIZoyC83RF_v39tpMIsVLCkVLMFqbzs-n1YbCgbImmcytneGNP0UflI8psVLyjKxfHMBMOmpyqj3_e3iV-4JTVO-09HHR4NVcIgMz1dgWDLoF8nvK-QSwjIAHksL4/s1600/IMG_1547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjja4-GKTxSVOr5b_EpIZoyC83RF_v39tpMIsVLCkVLMFqbzs-n1YbCgbImmcytneGNP0UflI8psVLyjKxfHMBMOmpyqj3_e3iV-4JTVO-09HHR4NVcIgMz1dgWDLoF8nvK-QSwjIAHksL4/s400/IMG_1547.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Cook Time: 30 minutes</div>
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Serves: 6-8 people</div>
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1 medium sized butternut squash, chopped</div>
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2 granny smith apples, chopped</div>
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1 bag of fresh cranberries</div>
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1/2 stick of butter</div>
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1/2 c. brown sugar</div>
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1 1/2 T. cinnamon</div>
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1/2 T. nutmeg</div>
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1/2 T. ground cloves</div>
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All you need to be able to know how to do in the kitchen for this one is chop, layer, and how to work an oven.</div>
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So chop your apples. and add to your baking dish.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCQFUUkyTCHCIbN5-aEYVJkOD6LUvf_U737SR3i0DxNJ5WPhwzSgk0QEUSUQYdXgWJrJ25kDIiMLrkrVwU9KD6t3R9xLeHIcxyu2oOsgSstf0HujFDw0cBwtXyUL37JfMB3LSbOzAAJuO/s1600/IMG_1548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCQFUUkyTCHCIbN5-aEYVJkOD6LUvf_U737SR3i0DxNJ5WPhwzSgk0QEUSUQYdXgWJrJ25kDIiMLrkrVwU9KD6t3R9xLeHIcxyu2oOsgSstf0HujFDw0cBwtXyUL37JfMB3LSbOzAAJuO/s320/IMG_1548.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then your squash.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQrbbCP2qnldBWNpMJ2vioFSJd62QN7LP4v2TJoqgkALOSvoRUGtRS31d2E34kMvincaxQ9SgNvrSZo4Q4tyAcHwRCudbL2tMkzN-Faynr9pHfhSejTRv5xZg6GgB4W92h5i4KDU1PWQud/s1600/IMG_1550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQrbbCP2qnldBWNpMJ2vioFSJd62QN7LP4v2TJoqgkALOSvoRUGtRS31d2E34kMvincaxQ9SgNvrSZo4Q4tyAcHwRCudbL2tMkzN-Faynr9pHfhSejTRv5xZg6GgB4W92h5i4KDU1PWQud/s320/IMG_1550.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then add in your bag of cranberries.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLcr69in2Wq6L3xA7s53j3DfP5sRHbv7OSGEqzSmlWhit9-DBZGsj72lDc-O2NANc3Tq6DqhGlwOXs3UkaI6XUbmM-3XqmJYpSPN7vGMccV11pCJfBgpdNOvFn06hOm1VwEdpwvSSf1w3i/s1600/IMG_1551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLcr69in2Wq6L3xA7s53j3DfP5sRHbv7OSGEqzSmlWhit9-DBZGsj72lDc-O2NANc3Tq6DqhGlwOXs3UkaI6XUbmM-3XqmJYpSPN7vGMccV11pCJfBgpdNOvFn06hOm1VwEdpwvSSf1w3i/s320/IMG_1551.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Gosh doesn't that look so gorgeous already? </div>
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Then simply cut up your butter and spread evenly throughout the dish just placing on top and sprinkle in your spices and brown sugar.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXpnmzYwZ4MsaSgNCHDyUpSWvjtrDJJzAYHtho9yh2QFT83cgpnipZRC4KmSqNHhi5QldUXn9X29zjYrACmLiJEFsgy-igEJpB8xKzDYOKeJ35Pa5qotKsSEmJkblNYoW1Zy1cqUtLU2Z/s1600/IMG_1552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXpnmzYwZ4MsaSgNCHDyUpSWvjtrDJJzAYHtho9yh2QFT83cgpnipZRC4KmSqNHhi5QldUXn9X29zjYrACmLiJEFsgy-igEJpB8xKzDYOKeJ35Pa5qotKsSEmJkblNYoW1Zy1cqUtLU2Z/s640/IMG_1552.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Bake it in the oven for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees until slightly fork tender you want your fruit and squash to still have a bite of firmness to them.</div>
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Now if you are a little more ambitious then I will direct you to this recipe that I found on one of my favorite food bloggers websites. <a href="http://bakedbree.com/">BakedBree.com</a> </div>
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<b>Cranberry Lime Tart with White Chocolate</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1AfstZdMJoYHYEOAPRSgHeS_oZORvhG207GqL-2rtnb9XatiKKJSUcBUh6PMZJbYL38P-n2F1TWRETMCy51iZRDgF1dCRQVllKTZctjU-Wh6YSR81pB67lVHqx-eY8b2cmiEBGrtRA39/s1600/IMG_1473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1AfstZdMJoYHYEOAPRSgHeS_oZORvhG207GqL-2rtnb9XatiKKJSUcBUh6PMZJbYL38P-n2F1TWRETMCy51iZRDgF1dCRQVllKTZctjU-Wh6YSR81pB67lVHqx-eY8b2cmiEBGrtRA39/s320/IMG_1473.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://bakedbree.com/cranberry-lime-tart">http://bakedbree.com/cranberry-lime-tart</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Since I can't write the recipe any better myself I am simply copying and pasting her instructions and I will show you my pictures of the process and what I changed. I would also like to note that while this turned out gorgeous I might even change some of the changes that I made in order to make this even better and easier to serve!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Crust:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Premade Sugar cookie roll the big one. (Yes I cheated on making a crust, so shoot me)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Lime Curd:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 cup fresh lime juice</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 teaspoon cornstarch<br />3/4 cup sugar<br />6 large egg yolks<br />1/2 cup butter<br />2 1/2 teaspoons lime zest<br />1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch<br />2/3 cup sugar<br />3 Tablespoons honey<br />1/2 teaspoon cinnamon<br />1/8 teaspoon ground cloves<br />1/4 teaspoon allspice<br />1 (12-ounce) bag fresh or frozen cranberries<br />1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sour cream<br />1 teaspoon vanilla<br />lime zest</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Cranberry Topping:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1/4 cup water</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">White Chocolate Layer:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">5 ounces white chocolate chopped</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">white chocolate shavings</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Start with the lime curd. In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the lime juice and cornstarch until it dissolves. Whisk in the sugar and the egg yolks. Add the butter and whisk constantly. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">The curd will thicken once it comes to a boil, about 5 minutes. Put through a strainer and stir in lime zest. Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap, so that it touches the curd. Chill this overnight, or for two days.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">In a saucepan, whisk together the water, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Add the sugar and honey. Whisk until the mixture comes to a boil. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Add the cranberries and cook until it comes back to a boil and the berries begin to pop, about 5 minutes. You want them to keep some of their shape. </span></div>
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Cool completely and refrigerate until you are going to put the tart together.<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Melt the white chocolate in the microwave for </span></span><span style="line-height: 21px;">about 30-45 seconds</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"> until melted and smooth. (If you </span></span>over melt<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"> it don't stress! Add a drop or two of vegetable oil and it will mix right up!) Whisk in the sour cream and vanilla.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"> Refrigerate until you are ready to assemble.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Bake the Sugar cookie that has been spread into a well greased pan until cooked through and slightly brown. Let cool. (FOR THE FUTURE: I will use mini pie pans or simple roll into a large cookie format and top with remaining ingredients because while this was beautiful it was hard to get out of the pan.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">To assemble the tart, spread the white chocolate layer into the bottom of the crust. Freeze for 15 minutes.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Cover the white chocolate layer with the lime curd.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Cover the lime curd with the cranberries. Garnish with white chocolate shavings and lime zest. Chill overnight. The whole thing can be made two days ahead of time.</span></div>
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I love baking with cranberries around this time of the year they are beautiful and unexpected and refreshing tastes!</div>
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Now if you are going to a holiday party an ugly sweater christmas party for example, as I have said previously I never aim to go empty handed so for this I suggest grabbing a bottle of wine, some ribbon and either some homemade goodies or store bought ones and I say you throw it all together for a nice hostess gift. For this basket I used one of my favorite delectabel <a href="http://eatyho.blogspot.com/2013/09/is-it-fall-yet-stuffed-squash-and.html" target="_blank">Oreo ball</a> recipes along with some other holiday goodies I was baking at the time and threw them all together for this beauty.</div>
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Gingerbread Men</div>
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(I used the recipe in the latest food network magazine. I don't have a go to one yet, but this one turned out pretty well. I can post it later if anyone would like. ) </div>
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<a href="http://eatyho.blogspot.com/2013/09/is-it-fall-yet-stuffed-squash-and.html" target="_blank">Sparkly Holiday Oreo Balls</a></div>
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(Click on the link above to access the recipe)</div>
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These balls go through a lot of sprinkles, so make sure when you dip them in chocolate let as much of it drip off that is extra then roll in sprinkles to help preserve your stocks of sprinkles. Also this is really fun to use all the sparkly colors you can find, these ones looked seasonal to me but you can interchange the colors for whatever seems festive for you!</div>
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<a href="http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2013/11/chocolate-peanut-butter-fudge.html" target="_blank">Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge</a> </div>
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(Click on the link above to access the recipe I used, not my own this time but yummy & easy!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_I3o3FCtiKKKHZ_ECnyhU7jROz1aGbMYnqpH_s7iSbuu4YzjIEZI_oEiRtiJngq7sW0DIhnZ8vj92v7NJLLbdrHgDNwhMh5DuoN9FX9Mi98_0u_wCjDKkC_VGA_qg-mkzk0JI_Kc5iw01/s1600/IMG_1637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_I3o3FCtiKKKHZ_ECnyhU7jROz1aGbMYnqpH_s7iSbuu4YzjIEZI_oEiRtiJngq7sW0DIhnZ8vj92v7NJLLbdrHgDNwhMh5DuoN9FX9Mi98_0u_wCjDKkC_VGA_qg-mkzk0JI_Kc5iw01/s320/IMG_1637.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/sugar-cookies-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">Sugar Cookies</a></div>
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(You can buy a pre made tube and roll them out or you can pick your favorite recipe, but I happened to try this one out. Click on the link above for the one I used.) </div>
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Another fun thing to do would be to pop in some icing so that your recipients can have some fun decorating your cookies that you baked for them later. </div>
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I just went to the local Michael's and picked up this basket, these little plastic bags and some ribbons to tie around them to make them festive. All for about 5 bucks! Local craft stores often have great finds and prices. I usually pick up a pack of holiday cards every year and this year was no different. I like to add a hand written note as another personal touch to the basket, you can see that peaking out the back. I also added a little tissue paper in the bottom so that the bags of goodies weren't just sitting in the basket with nothing to rest on getting squished by their own weight. </div>
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No matter what you do, do it with love and it will be well received. </div>
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Remember to be always be thankful for what you are blessed with. For me the holidays are about cherishing time with family and friends, eating good food, and looking good doing it. Don't forget to check out Viktoria's blog and she will give you all the fabulous fashion advice to help you make it through those days. </div>
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<a href="http://allsizefits1one.blogspot.com/2013/12/holiday-dinner-party-what-to-wear-what.html" style="text-align: start;">http://allsizefits1one.blogspot.com/2013/12/holiday-dinner-party-what-to-wear-what.html</a><span style="text-align: start;"> </span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905845441826555706.post-40910832476174553772013-11-22T15:27:00.000-08:002013-11-22T15:27:29.585-08:00Buffalo Chicken DipOkay so if you are obsessed with all things buffalo flavored as I am or you simply crave buffalo wings all the time or you even just have a simple taste for something buffalo flavored from time to time you should have this recipe on hand.<br />
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I have made buffalo chicken dip several times in my life and thus far this has been my favorite 'hassle free' version.<br />
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You might even have most of these items on hand without even realizing it.<br />
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This dip takes about 2 minutes to put together and about 20-30 to bake depending on how crispy you like your cheese on top.<br />
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Okay so what you will need.<br />
A heavy skillet that you can put in your oven. (A small pan will work just fine, just make sure you spray will pam or lay down foil so your cleanup isn't a nightmare.)<br />
A mixing bowl (Not pictured)<br />
A rubber spatula (this is the best tool for mixing and maneuvering your dip from the mixing bowl to your baking dish.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWTWymRpJ9vq4tqJNAdr7lD-l1Vxu8SI8H7TcoHUVv0eQicqEogWXQssen0q9KmN29pcUKGc2ZlMcYi1vW9x80TLddgxkNYBThiecsF9bi9xRhm6lQ0bGpemURJ9I10bc1px0UAmM_vjy/s1600/IMG_1386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWTWymRpJ9vq4tqJNAdr7lD-l1Vxu8SI8H7TcoHUVv0eQicqEogWXQssen0q9KmN29pcUKGc2ZlMcYi1vW9x80TLddgxkNYBThiecsF9bi9xRhm6lQ0bGpemURJ9I10bc1px0UAmM_vjy/s400/IMG_1386.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<b>Buffalo Chicken Dip </b><br />
Serves: 1 Ha just kidding.<br />
Good for a small crowd as an appetizer 5-6<br />
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Cook time: 35 minutes<br />
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Half of a bottle of Franks Red Sauce 6oz. (You are welcome to use whatever flavor of buffalo sauce you like, this is just one of my personal favorites. Or Louisiana hot sauce)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilq_0sIpKCopR1ZhuU3Y_VuTiwCIEQF0SQslU8MemxJCAtzmXGGfiPaIex0MXL7F-h0kTwiiWKKZHRoMZTkeah3DhaIK8n1U_pKg3qfjyepNrE3eqOW7OwH2z5xTcNLAjEJ_q9-t4D2DB7/s1600/IMG_1471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilq_0sIpKCopR1ZhuU3Y_VuTiwCIEQF0SQslU8MemxJCAtzmXGGfiPaIex0MXL7F-h0kTwiiWKKZHRoMZTkeah3DhaIK8n1U_pKg3qfjyepNrE3eqOW7OwH2z5xTcNLAjEJ_q9-t4D2DB7/s320/IMG_1471.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1t3Ng9UmRpxJbTT2b0rtOfh_cX4tkMbrQ4YDkomY4oZaOlxM4oKjo0mt011hGzE_KpZHE5Vsd-xxmQy5uMYzP7cuO7z3-jearby5WzhAyZGn1mYQCCI4FDBg34UrXVBR6lc9kVnSwoCW/s1600/IMG_1387.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1t3Ng9UmRpxJbTT2b0rtOfh_cX4tkMbrQ4YDkomY4oZaOlxM4oKjo0mt011hGzE_KpZHE5Vsd-xxmQy5uMYzP7cuO7z3-jearby5WzhAyZGn1mYQCCI4FDBg34UrXVBR6lc9kVnSwoCW/s320/IMG_1387.jpg" width="240" /></a>Drizzle of blue cheese dressing (I like Everyday Essentials I think I got this at Shoppers)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNE4mG1kAONN4VRzwNRO9zLDtQI40Cg3Gl6BRrelB577BtHIBMbO1w8L4Pzx-UXPnnpVe4ijAcWN6Vah384x-HsRafjT5v5Q7BH9RhOdVphnZf6ybLG5KWuJRHIiZ4rg8Q7o07cpubeeZr/s1600/IMG_1389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNE4mG1kAONN4VRzwNRO9zLDtQI40Cg3Gl6BRrelB577BtHIBMbO1w8L4Pzx-UXPnnpVe4ijAcWN6Vah384x-HsRafjT5v5Q7BH9RhOdVphnZf6ybLG5KWuJRHIiZ4rg8Q7o07cpubeeZr/s320/IMG_1389.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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1 8oz bag of sharp cheddar shredded cheese</div>
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8oz of cream cheese (softened)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSx49cEg4DBwWtj5Udyu7HT-Uk69KPsk_ajeToUA6rkFRaFSPfdmbHOPgFFKtZa0C874FTpv0OEA6tbhVuDMquecKAsQdH5Nf-K3m1BOXSS6HK3Tl7Opd1piX4uZUrGxpuAz8ULXoRC98/s1600/IMG_1390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSx49cEg4DBwWtj5Udyu7HT-Uk69KPsk_ajeToUA6rkFRaFSPfdmbHOPgFFKtZa0C874FTpv0OEA6tbhVuDMquecKAsQdH5Nf-K3m1BOXSS6HK3Tl7Opd1piX4uZUrGxpuAz8ULXoRC98/s320/IMG_1390.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSLoKNFtlCzC9OznoCXIYcJW2vAgRRG2fUHnEUsBvhyXJ4JanjTSh-YHyVJPTKZJJFg_OCv_X_zAVz45_74u3f9tNVWrXDYBsnznh9mmoAzFAK_frcNH2Qu8GsGaLKAO5UYheCbXvDvzR/s1600/IMG_1391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSLoKNFtlCzC9OznoCXIYcJW2vAgRRG2fUHnEUsBvhyXJ4JanjTSh-YHyVJPTKZJJFg_OCv_X_zAVz45_74u3f9tNVWrXDYBsnznh9mmoAzFAK_frcNH2Qu8GsGaLKAO5UYheCbXvDvzR/s320/IMG_1391.jpg" width="240" /></a>1 12.5 oz can of chunk chicken in water ( you can substitute shredded or chunks of chicken that you have on hand the canned version is just easy peasy. If substituting you will need roughly a cup of chicken.)</div>
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Soften the cream cheese in your mixing bowl in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Mix in your chicken.<br />
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Add in hot sauce.</div>
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Then your shredded cheese. About 2/3's and keep the other half for the top of the mixture. </div>
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All mixed together it should look something like this.</div>
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Top with the remaining cheese.</div>
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Drizzle on your blue cheese.</div>
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Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes. You want all of the cheese to be melted and bubbling. </div>
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Serve with tortilla chips, or fritos scoops, or if you want to make this a little healthier you could serve it with carrots and celery.</div>
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Me. I choose chips. </div>
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But hey they support our troops and that is always a good thing right? Who needs a beating heart when you are supporting the troops. :-P</div>
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MMMMMM!</div>
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This also made a great breakfast sandwich in the morning.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxIsTz9-1PuQ0VU8v-8U6sATEanVmm5lD_U_k7rlQaYR6ldHEN16zqK5sEhymhalhAeiPUjDC81-aWaEzX1-juvzwfq5Y2VpUcStlVD_63A0a1JtffkSHspq9fQaQl31LDqHQ4kqXiI8C5/s1600/IMG_1408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxIsTz9-1PuQ0VU8v-8U6sATEanVmm5lD_U_k7rlQaYR6ldHEN16zqK5sEhymhalhAeiPUjDC81-aWaEzX1-juvzwfq5Y2VpUcStlVD_63A0a1JtffkSHspq9fQaQl31LDqHQ4kqXiI8C5/s320/IMG_1408.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now for some other fun Fall things.</div>
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How gorgeous are the trees at this time of the year?</div>
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And the sunsets?</div>
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Oh and my most favorite new find. </div>
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<a href="https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3252649">https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3252649</a></div>
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Stitch Fix. </div>
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This is an online personal stylist. You fill out some questions about yourself, your likes, dislikes, sizing and price ranges that you would spend on clothes and accessories and then someone will style five items for you and send them to your house. You try on and keep what you like and send back what you don't in a prepaid bag that they send you. There is a 20 dollar styling fee but if you keep anything that they send you it just goes towards your purchase.</div>
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I loved it! </div>
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I have only had one 'fix' but their styling was spot on! I almost kept everything in my box. (And if you do that then you get 25% off your entire purchase.) A pretty neat little service. </div>
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They even do gift certificates if you want to spoil someone you know but don't know what size clothing they wear or what styles they might like! Just give them some money towards this unique site and Stitchfix will do the rest. </div>
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Very cool stuff.</div>
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Until next time. Happy Eating :D</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905845441826555706.post-49465332412236871162013-11-06T19:39:00.001-08:002013-11-06T19:39:17.198-08:00Sorry for my Hiatus!!! Pineapple Cilantro SaladOkay so I do realize it has been over a month since I have written anything new. SHAME ON ME! Not to say that I have not cooked in the past month, but my roommate can attest that it has been a lot of slim pickins in that department. Not much felt inspired enough to post about or if I did cook something great I forgot to photograph it or I would start to photograph it and then missed key steps. I only wish to post things that are incredible in my book or pretty damn good, so when I was working as much as I have been and making 'fast versions' of classics that I do, I didn't feel it was good enough.<br />
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So so sorry for my absence.<br />
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Anyways to make up for it I have decided to treat you all with one of my absolutely favorite self inspired recipes that shows up on my menu year round more than anything else I would say, since its birth almost exactly a year ago now that I think about it.<br />
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But first let me tell you a little bit that has been going on with me to explain where I have been.<br />
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While a majority of my life does consist of working these days I have actually done some pretty fun stuff this past month. ( Disclaimer if you are only here for the food keep on scrolling I am about to overload you all with pictures of my personal life.) :D<br />
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I had one of my last catering events until the next wedding season begins :( that was sad but every experience is a learning experience and I couldn't be happier to have worked with the company again and I can't wait to return.<br />
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I mean seriously look how cute and fun that food is!</div>
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Next was the sister sleepover. This was probably the first notable thing I did since my last post. The month of October is one that I look forward to all year! I freaking love Halloween! Again ask my roommate I had the apartment decked out all month from almost day one of the month. Another great thing about this month is that it is really the only month I watch horror movies. It is the only time a year that the genre feels right. So I get really really excited when it is approaching.<br />
So to kick things off and spend some quality time with my sisters I invited them up for a sleepover. This was very exciting for me and them to have them all up for a night of movies, junk food, (attempting to craft) and girl time hanging out. They helped me decorate my house for the party I would be having later that month and I turned them onto one of my favorite movies of all time, Stephen King's IT.<br />
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SO much fun. <br />
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My youngest sister got carried away in the Halloween store and this is the mask she choose to put on. </div>
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Got a good laugh out of me when she turned the corner and exclaimed she wanted to be the pres for Halloween.</div>
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Look at these cutie pies. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6dAW-TL5g9MlbnZH5wpmY9LAgw24x7Fx16mBbI-fiCB74jefzVxFRhnxRnWT5PPJG5DByOZ13NXsTSA5uE6ugdspwC1cadsXJyAOvUbf27ApIk3RizUDaXWL0p9J3xXfJU9VWlOMg4H4-/s1600/IMG_1016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6dAW-TL5g9MlbnZH5wpmY9LAgw24x7Fx16mBbI-fiCB74jefzVxFRhnxRnWT5PPJG5DByOZ13NXsTSA5uE6ugdspwC1cadsXJyAOvUbf27ApIk3RizUDaXWL0p9J3xXfJU9VWlOMg4H4-/s320/IMG_1016.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYApi8WU2S4XXONp_DyewSeNO5r9Zfg1E03AntqoRT-42ajyPI8miNmZJAWuKBiGdCYS1Md_GvuYoD_EFr0HjbiDOIcOPYWfyYPObJs7SYxgXFwqBWuN6r46NURfqXwkY_6a3CBeFDyX29/s1600/IMG_1018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYApi8WU2S4XXONp_DyewSeNO5r9Zfg1E03AntqoRT-42ajyPI8miNmZJAWuKBiGdCYS1Md_GvuYoD_EFr0HjbiDOIcOPYWfyYPObJs7SYxgXFwqBWuN6r46NURfqXwkY_6a3CBeFDyX29/s320/IMG_1018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhNilSvZFpO2GFT_aYsztlp25lc9NkeDmXcd5oxBgSfIVKTIMGqxHuuYMbmWZ3CCwJRfiFqDnVaeaO9cVegytbKObhlnnH5-MeAZxmhKjbE8td4-OvJKbvcfOmHilkpqxUNRDti2Qi5xN/s1600/IMG_0875.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbIvK26IgJMZ3JwbVwlszXDjmDfvKHqyAA6h_-NQO88cl5ec2yalvbu6_NxhFiL6ZJ3TEn1uIMCfOstZutkopZhCTAEBPwhucwb8KiIuRP69CZbilmSZhHuDBypmMeu0ILHstd9s-NF_V/s1600/IMG_0876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbIvK26IgJMZ3JwbVwlszXDjmDfvKHqyAA6h_-NQO88cl5ec2yalvbu6_NxhFiL6ZJ3TEn1uIMCfOstZutkopZhCTAEBPwhucwb8KiIuRP69CZbilmSZhHuDBypmMeu0ILHstd9s-NF_V/s320/IMG_0876.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I made them help me with some crafting. The spider web was all me though. That sucker took hourssss to make!</div>
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I will skip to the Halloween party next to stay on track with the theme but that doesn't follow the precise order of the month. That is okay though.</div>
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So I love to host a good party, anyone who knows me knows this is what I live for. So of course I had to have a Halloween party!</div>
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The decor was partially done, so then we just needed the people, the booze and the crazy costumes and let me tell you there were some wild ones.</div>
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Here are a few family friendly shots of the event. (Okay well mostly family friendly)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQiQr2ShZgQ6botHbeBd3_mAKWfRKY7xLMedf1HDtuMjGpFdPtiSNb7E1VA6_K1pzp3ve1NzDenyH1VgFGGH99449AzhgeeN-obATdCEJ2J_7qdYV7URwPCNU6H2USuv8t3nJMuvj7sKp/s1600/IMG_1007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAQiQr2ShZgQ6botHbeBd3_mAKWfRKY7xLMedf1HDtuMjGpFdPtiSNb7E1VA6_K1pzp3ve1NzDenyH1VgFGGH99449AzhgeeN-obATdCEJ2J_7qdYV7URwPCNU6H2USuv8t3nJMuvj7sKp/s320/IMG_1007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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My first ever popcorn balls. I was pretty impressed. (Even though once they were stacked on a plate they all stuck together and you couldn't grab one without lifting the whole plate. Ahh sighhh.)</div>
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Britt's infamous Owl Funfetti and Oreo cupcakes ( these things are like crack). Spencer helped her put these together.)</div>
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The start of the bar. Some icy cold essentials here.</div>
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I loved these lanterns.</div>
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We kept it realllll classy at our shindig.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrWkYkbVPocAgyl7mLK7LLcaqGf2pp6bhJCmyxBtjW83wKRsU9wOAWQ3WejyocrsKB2twLCaO3rACbPy3TeP-5bCvyAXoZRLoYYIDGAYARnhLC_0UPDBDrKnegsKL3edtPQcPvCspLLge/s1600/IMG_1021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrWkYkbVPocAgyl7mLK7LLcaqGf2pp6bhJCmyxBtjW83wKRsU9wOAWQ3WejyocrsKB2twLCaO3rACbPy3TeP-5bCvyAXoZRLoYYIDGAYARnhLC_0UPDBDrKnegsKL3edtPQcPvCspLLge/s400/IMG_1021.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Case in point can you guess who I am? </div>
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(Hint it isn't hair gel)</div>
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(Okay well it is in my hair!!! But not in the movie)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7WhW29TwlePcZBw5_JEQReMW6t-HT6SpldMJ8MSon9EfHwcfsHFFyrCzTi_lnxOUSP91UTXZLRt5kbpMCUJPTw1lkJs4N1h6bGD067l8Bt9P_jDZRj78Jj93_etY1KQSTg7pJI4UqW1U/s1600/IMG_1022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7WhW29TwlePcZBw5_JEQReMW6t-HT6SpldMJ8MSon9EfHwcfsHFFyrCzTi_lnxOUSP91UTXZLRt5kbpMCUJPTw1lkJs4N1h6bGD067l8Bt9P_jDZRj78Jj93_etY1KQSTg7pJI4UqW1U/s640/IMG_1022.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Have you heard about this game? Cards Against Humanity this is a highly adult and very offensive version of apples to apples. It is freaking hysterical but choose wisely who you play with. (It can be ordered online.)</div>
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One of my favorite couples and couple costumes of the night Joan and Don from Mad Men!</div>
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Okay well this was just funny.</div>
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Yes I made my 20 something friends play pin the tail on the cat and when you are hammered its just as fun as it is when you are five!</div>
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The party was such a blast! I can't wait for ugly sweater party in either December or January. </div>
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My only regret is not capturing a picture of the 100+ sausage rolls I made for the party. I spent a good couple of hours making them and I am not kidding those things got annihilated! I woke up and there were two and a half left! I will also post that recipe. It is a great and easy app to make ( well when you aren't making a hundred of them.)</div>
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Okay so what else. I spent a great weekend with a fabulous friend I have known since high school. We got away and went to the Zac Brown Band in Charlottesville. If you ever get the chance to see them I highly recommend it. One of the best concerts I have ever been to!</div>
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This crazy girl talked me into doing facemasks the night before the concert. I am the one putting it on here but they were fun so whatever.</div>
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I love this girl!</div>
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Here is a snippet of their cover of The Devil Went Down to Georgia. I almost peed myself with excitement it was so freaking good!</div>
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The next day we went to THE COOLEST amusement park style place. </div>
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<a href="http://usnwc.org/" target="_blank"> http://usnwc.org</a></div>
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The U.S. National Whitewater Center</div>
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This park promotes an active lifestyle and all the 'rides and attractions' are powered by you. We went on a hike and did a high ropes course zipline combo. It was sooooo much fun.</div>
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This little girl below us is about five and she proved to the whole crowd that she could do a pull up to go on the more complicated ropes course. She showed up grown men and it was great! ( I mean she showed me up to but that's okay ;) ) </div>
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She wasn't tall enough to do the harder one though, which was good because fear got the best of her and Samantha had to help her along the course. </div>
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These were our before shots. </div>
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We lost some great guys at work on our management team this month. One goofball that we really miss is Jared.</div>
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We had a great going away party for him at Dogfish head Alehouse. Ohhh and Brittany went all CeCe and Jessica hybrid from New Girl on us and got bangs. </div>
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Isn't she the cutest?</div>
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After the party came the apple picking. I have done some of this with my family in past years but it had been years since I had gone and a good friend of mine wanted to go so we decided to make a day of it.</div>
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We headed up to Winchester, Va and hit Marker-Miller Orchards.</div>
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They have a lot to offer past just apple picking! A cute little store where you can buy all types of goodies, butters, ciders, baked goods. You have the option of skipping the actual apple picking too but what fun is that? They even had a play ground and picnic areas. </div>
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Very fun stuff!</div>
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My friend Chris is a nut job and that is how he picked apples! </div>
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Those were most of my fun things I did in the past month. I was a busy gal.</div>
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Oooh also discovered one of my favorite red wines I have ever drank.</div>
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Totally by chance, sometimes picking based on the label really is the best way to go. Try it out if you get the chance. </div>
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Lastly don't let me forget we got to dress up for Halloween at work! Here are a few pics from the day.</div>
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I was Suzie Homemaker for the day ( I know really stepping out of my comfort zone for this one!)</div>
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My friend Chris was a Newsie!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5n6e56Frm58ldO0gb9VZAGDM6VE9BCR4-FJwym-ZMeT9vFRIAacE43VZaK6ThpIAJt3kow7ZWoyyw9ybGHtjwwiLlT8BGfLzUiZlSaf-5VEVeGd_NLtm4k6z9ky9Fce7XxaxBwvrFrMAv/s1600/IMG_1208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5n6e56Frm58ldO0gb9VZAGDM6VE9BCR4-FJwym-ZMeT9vFRIAacE43VZaK6ThpIAJt3kow7ZWoyyw9ybGHtjwwiLlT8BGfLzUiZlSaf-5VEVeGd_NLtm4k6z9ky9Fce7XxaxBwvrFrMAv/s400/IMG_1208.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Two of my lady loves. Britt was Charlie Chaplin ( NOT HITLER!) Angela was a flying squirrel. Hahaha. I love my friends! </div>
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OKAY ARE YOU READY FOR IT? </div>
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Finally, you must be thinking, she does get to the food!</div>
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<b>Pineapple Cilantro Salad</b></div>
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Serves: 4 1 cup portions (roughly)</div>
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Cook time: 15 mins. ( or however long it takes you to chop everything up)</div>
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This is a very loose recipe. It is easy to add things and take things out. These are my favorite flavor combinations and the amount are roughly what I used to make this batch. It is easy to adjust based on how many people you want to feed.</div>
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For the dressing:</div>
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6 cloves of garlic finely chopped</div>
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3 T. brown sugar ( I used dark but light will work just as well)</div>
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1/3 c. soy sauce ( I used low sodium, it is a very salty even with low sodium so I recommend this over regular, but if you only have regular on hand I would add more brown sugar to balance it out.)</div>
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For the salad</div>
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1/4 red onion, chopped</div>
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1 handful of fresh cilantro, chopped</div>
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2 whole carrots, chopped</div>
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1/4 pineapple, chopped</div>
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1/2 cucumber, chopped</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS9-aiPAYLpEg6ZG8Ws0UymFw8cZUy3fKAYbdatQKyFlZ4YGNiw-CDPkrxQbZxPBdIznPdPuLlSPzaYyDAMNS1bfto9BVU823iQ0EH1YjDnMv8x6u7nr6aVKZOuOfi02vzHFkw75z83Eve/s1600/IMG_1330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS9-aiPAYLpEg6ZG8Ws0UymFw8cZUy3fKAYbdatQKyFlZ4YGNiw-CDPkrxQbZxPBdIznPdPuLlSPzaYyDAMNS1bfto9BVU823iQ0EH1YjDnMv8x6u7nr6aVKZOuOfi02vzHFkw75z83Eve/s320/IMG_1330.JPG" width="320" /></a>This is very simple. All you do is chop everything up and combine it in a bowl. In another bowl mix your dressing together and then pour on top of the salad mixture. The longer it sits together the more the flavors will merry. I often make a big batch and feed on the leftovers over the course of the next week. </div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">The soy sauce will break down the pineapple and there will seem like more sauce than you originally put in there. This is natural and fine, it is great served over salads and rice.</span></div>
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Tonight I served mine with grilled chicken over some kale. It was perfect! </div>
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This is a very colorful fresh and healthy dish that can be enjoyed year round. There are a bunch of wonderful flavors in it. You can whip it out to impress guest with next to no hassle at all. The pineapple cilantro flavor combination is one of my absolute favorites, I highly encourage you to try this out! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905845441826555706.post-75698308096577278012013-09-26T10:13:00.001-07:002013-09-26T10:13:39.581-07:00Maple Sweet Potato Hash Most days I wake up and my first thought is food. Especially on days off. I like to sit back and think about all the wonderful things I can create in the kitchen. Some days that results in cooking everything in the house some days it is hours of recipe searching to find the perfect recipe to master.<br />
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More often than not though I am not focused on breakfast. I have never been one that has been too hip on the meal. I guess because most breakfast foods didn't appeal to me for a very long time. I never liked sugary breakfast cereals, or cereals at all for that matter they got soggy. You wouldn't see me request oatmeal or cream of wheat or grits if my life depended on it. ( Even though my years in the South that could be considered sacrilege.) I absolutely LOATHED pancakes and waffles and anything deemed syrup worthy. I guess it all comes down to my taste palate. I have and always will be a savory over sweet type of gal. </div>
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But as I have grown up I have come to enjoy the things that I once opted out of, I have learned how to incorporate some of these dishes into my dietary arsenal. Why you may ask. Well for one thing, one of the best parts about cooking for me is sharing it with those I love. The people I love, love pancakes and cinnamon rolls and other breakfast treats. Another thing, I couldn't stand not cooking something or having a recipe for something as simple as a pancake. So even though I will still choose a bagel and cream cheese over a stack o' cakes I have still learned some things breakfast wise that I keep on hand. </div>
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(Also I guess it's not completely awful to not love all these really bad for you breakfast items, but it sure does make mornings awkward when someone has taken the time to prepare for you a breakfast made with love and you deny it.) </div>
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Anyways this dish would be perfect for any meal, I opted to make it a breakfast because when I woke up the other day I had all the ingredients on hand and decided to start my day with it. It is the perfect combination of savory and sweet so a win win in my book. I found it the other day on Iowagirleats.com under her favorite Fall recipes and had to try it. Especially given that my roommate is the biggest sweet potato eater I have ever met I knew it would be good for both of us. </div>
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<b>Maple Sweet Potato Hash</b></div>
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Serves: 2</div>
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Cook Time: 20 minutes</div>
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1 sweet potato (cubed into bite sized pieces)</div>
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1/4 onion (chopped)<br />
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1/4 lb breakfast sausage ( I used maple flavored Jimmy Dean's, any flavor will work)</div>
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1/2 T. butter</div>
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salt and pepper to season</div>
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1 -2 tsp. maple syrup</div>
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2 eggs (optional)</div>
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The first thing you want to do is wash and slice you sweet potato. ( I had at first planned on using two but decided I only needed one.)</div>
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Next you want to cube the sweet potato into bite sized pieces. </div>
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You then want to boil your potatoes for about four minutes just to make them a bit tender. Strain them and set them aside. </div>
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Cook your sausage in a pan and break into small chunks. I always buy a chub of sausage but you can use links. You only need about a 1/4 of a lb. for a two serving recipe so a quarter of a chub. </div>
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After you cook the sausage make sure you set it aside on a paper towel to drain off the excess fat. </div>
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In the same pan that you cooked the sausage in add your 1/2 T. of butter. (In the Iowa girl eats version she also used 1/2 T. of oil but I wanted to lighten this just a little and noticed that I had plenty of leftover grease from the sausage to use as cooking fats for the potatoes and onions but do what you would like here. I just hate using extra dishes in the kitchen!) Add in your potatoes and chopped onion and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook about 5-7 minutes.</div>
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Next add in your sausage and if you want to ( like I did) scoop out a hole in the center and crack a couple of eggs in there. Cover and cook until the eggs are done to your liking. Drizzle on a little bit of maple syrup on the potato, sausage and onion mixture and let it cook in for about another 2 minutes and serve hot! </div>
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This is a quick and easy indulgent and hearty anytime meal. It is packed with protein and carbs so a great post workout meal with just enough sweetness to make ya smile. While I wouldn't recommend eating it often because it is high in fats and sugars it is a simple wow your guests or family meal. </div>
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As always enjoy!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905845441826555706.post-21489232306942020042013-09-22T18:45:00.001-07:002013-09-22T18:45:49.269-07:00Sunday Night DinnerSundays are a day of rest right? During the Fall and Winter months they consist of a lot of football watching for some, for others a day to praise the Lord and for some a day in which you get together with your family and your friends (who have also become your family) for dinner. For me, I remember years and years of Sundays which consisted of all of the above.<br />
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When you spend 6+ years living in North Dakota you have to have these traditions in order to survive. Because let's be honest there isn't much to do in that cold state. On these occasions a different family would host at their homes each week and everyone pitched in. There was always a great meal, lots of kids running around and more laughter than you could even think possible. I can pinpoint my love of cooking to many distinct moments in my life that have a lot to do with my mother, but I will forever hold dear those Sunday nights in my heart.<br />
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( I mean who can resist this really?)</div>
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Still today I use recipes that I learned from these families. Kerry's top secret Lemon Poppyseed bread, Christina's Chicken Tortilla Soup, Beth's Homemade Oreo's and Jenn's Italian specialties. These are just a few of my many, many favorites (and some of my top requested dishes from friends,) but along with each of these is a special woman who has taught me a lot in life, along with offering constant support of my dreams as long as I can remember.<br />
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So after a very long two weeks at work in which I have gone back to back in overtime, I was left wishing to fill my Sunday evening off with a touch of home.<br />
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I turned to an old favorite and again tweeked the recipe. Anyone who has ever had this at my house can attest that it is never the same twice and tonight was no exception. Tonight's spin on spaghetti and meatballs was exactly what I needed.<br />
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I believe this originally comes from Christina and then to my mother and then to me. We all do it differently and we all do it superbly.<br />
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Tonights version was a fast version with fresh ingredients.<br />
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<b>Spaghetti and Meatballs (Quick) </b><br />
1 T. olive oil<br />
3/4 of a large onion (chopped)<br />
10 cloves of garlic (chopped) ( I LOVE GARLIC)<br />
2 bunches of parsley<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
2 T. sugar<br />
1 1/2 c. of shredded parmesan cheese<br />
2 15oz cans tomato sauce<br />
5 tomatoes<br />
1 lb ground beef (80/20)<br />
1/2 c. italian breadcrumbs<br />
1 egg<br />
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For the sauce:<br />
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Start with your base of onion and garlic.<br />
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Peel and chop finely.</div>
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(For the sauce use half to the onion and 8 cloves of garlic and reserve the other quarter of the onion and 2 cloves of garlic for the meatballs.)</div>
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Saute over medium heat in your olive oil. </div>
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Add in your salt, pepper and sugar, stir and let simmer until they turn golden brown.</div>
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(Remove 1/4 c. for meatballs and set aside.)</div>
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Wash your tomatoes.</div>
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Chop to your desired chunkiness.</div>
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Add tomatoes and sauce to your garlic and onions.</div>
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Chop up one bunch of parsley.</div>
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Stir into sauce.</div>
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Add half cup of parmesan cheese and cover pan. </div>
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For this fast version I cooked the sauce on medium high heat for about 2 hours stirring constantly. Normally I will let the sauce sit all day and simmer in my crock pot. ( That version is much better, but for the sake of a quick version I sped up the process. If you have time though do the crock pot version. I will share that recipe at a late date, it involves more spices but both are just as tasty.)</div>
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For the meatballs:</div>
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Mix together your ground beef, reserved sauteed onion and garlic mixture, your breadcrumbs, 1 cup of cheese, 1 bunch of chopped parsley, your 1/4 of an onion and 2 leftover cloves of chopped garlic. I mix with my hands to really combine the ingredients. </div>
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For into the your desired size meatball.</div>
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Cook at 350 degrees until cooked through. (Small meatballs about 10-15 minutes larger sized meatballs (like shown here) 20-25 minutes.)</div>
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Add to sauce to simmer until you serve ( I let them sit in the sauce for about half an hour before I ate them.) </div>
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Serve atop your favorite cooked pasta or use for meatball subs. Sprinkle with extra parmesan cheese and enjoy! </div>
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From my family to yours I hope you enjoy.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905845441826555706.post-35390226259898598792013-09-20T23:01:00.001-07:002013-09-20T23:01:25.646-07:00Comfort Food / Easy Southern Banana Pudding For me one of the greatest elements of cooking is the story behind the dish. Everyone in the world can name one thing that they absolutely love. For me there have easily got to be thousands. But regardless of how many dishes someone loves there is always a reasoning behind it; 'My mom made this for me growing up', 'This is the first thing I ate in a new country', 'This is the first thing I learned to cook myself', 'This is a combination of a bunch of my favorite ingredients.' Etc. Etc. No matter the reason there is always going to be a go to food and there will always be memories associated with that food.<br />
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Now I will admit that sometimes I neglect some of these amazing dishes and it takes a request of a friend to stir up all those nostalgic feelings associated with it but when they do come back I am consumed by them. A buddy of mine at work brought up his desire for me to make him banana pudding.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnw2chvFaWBPOXA0ezNJmC50Q_OLtxChl4rriedKNs2E7qbMwMRzrV_6-csVBPgfY8ZvZnQC58SzF-dK9dGlZJM7pZ2sy7YM6PCgWl67htPeu3XKxvXeNXUhYBTEpeBfUxWQBCNloaa7bR/s1600/IMG_0733.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnw2chvFaWBPOXA0ezNJmC50Q_OLtxChl4rriedKNs2E7qbMwMRzrV_6-csVBPgfY8ZvZnQC58SzF-dK9dGlZJM7pZ2sy7YM6PCgWl67htPeu3XKxvXeNXUhYBTEpeBfUxWQBCNloaa7bR/s400/IMG_0733.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Now this is 1) something I have never made before (very odd considering how much I love it) 2) something that intimidated me a bit (refer to number 1) 3) something I haven't had in years! So after a month or so of obsessing and much research I decided simplest was best. But before we get to that lets talk about why this is high on my comfort foods list.<br />
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Where are you from? An easy enough question to be asked right? Well when you are a military brat and you have parents who are divorced and remarried you spend a good amount of your life moving around. I do not at all mean that in a negative way. I wouldn't trade the way I was raised or the 20+ places I lived in my life for anything. But it does make that question a little more complicated. As a person of this background though you find a way to make some place home. You adapt ( and you learn to do it quickly at that.) You learn that a home is where your family is (and when you grow up and live on your own, you learn that you carry them with you in your heart and they are never more than a phone call away and that that can make any place seem like home.) Hey it's not for everyone but you do learn to cope and you make the best of it.<br />
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Now what does this have to do with comfort food. Well a good amount of my younger years I grew up in Georgia and if want to spoil a kid on cafeteria food for the rest of their life let them eat at Rincoln Elementary School for a couple of years and they will be shot. That was some of the best cafeteria cooking I had ever experienced. But my love for banana pudding doesn't come from there. It does however come from years of living in the south. If you want to talk about some easy southern decadence that is it. This shows up at so many parties and is a regular staple dessert item on most menus. Not only is it absolutely delicious there are many many ways of doing it. But I found the way I like best is with Nilla wafers. ( Besides who doesn't love a dessert you can put together in a little over five minutes?)<br />
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Anyways banana pudding is and will always be a reminder of my home in Georgia. I am sure that I will experiment around with other ways to make this in the future but in all actuality why mess with a good thing? This quick and simple dish is definitely one to keep on hand for a party or for a little reminder of home.<br />
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<b>Southern Style Banana Pudding</b><br />
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( See I stole this recipe to share with you right off this here box)</div>
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3 cups cold milk (I used skim and it tasted great)<br />
2 packages of vanilla instant pudding ( I used French Vanilla)<br />
30 Nilla wafers ( I didn't count, but roughly this seems right)<br />
3 bananas<br />
1 tub Cool Whip ( I used fat free here too, also delicious)<br />
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First whisk your pudding mixes into your cold mix. When thoroughly mixed let sit for five minutes to set. Line the bottom of your bowl with sliced bananas and nilla wafers. Pour some of the pudding mix on top and relayer again with bananas and wafers. Do this until you are out of pudding and top with Cool Whip.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905845441826555706.post-41545315222285393962013-09-16T12:46:00.001-07:002013-09-16T12:46:00.774-07:00Jessica does JuicingSo as this year develops I become more and more dedicated to the health and well being of my body. Since it is what I have decided I would like to do with the rest of my life is focus on the health and well being of others through the medium of food, I have been doing some soul searching with my own if you will.<br />
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Heck I even ran my first 5k this weekend! Me the girl who once loathed running so much she said she would never be caught dead doing that as a form of exercise let alone for FUN?!<br />
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Check this out though, it was a color in motion run in D.C. it supported the fight against childhood obesity and during the run they throw powdered paint at you and at the end you get to look like a rainbow! It was a freaking blast! (Even though admittedly it was not my best run to date, it was my first and I still did it so there!)<br />
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Here are some pictures of the fun!<br />
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7 A.M. on the metro don't I look pumped!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1m0kGHzdCwMUA2lGAnZQ9N09GEgjrPaxcpwr8mAqAM4vA4_-oje3RkbnAJL4ue0zQUj22mCbszKsjwhGT_meZny7GMGgd68GSbHsvxYYYoRKTIj5w3adjSAoHAH8DapSjiFaenxIOnmF/s1600/IMG_0636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1m0kGHzdCwMUA2lGAnZQ9N09GEgjrPaxcpwr8mAqAM4vA4_-oje3RkbnAJL4ue0zQUj22mCbszKsjwhGT_meZny7GMGgd68GSbHsvxYYYoRKTIj5w3adjSAoHAH8DapSjiFaenxIOnmF/s320/IMG_0636.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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The gals I did the race with and some of the randoms (there were soooo many people there!)</div>
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My name twin Jess who has been trying to get me to race with her forever. She is an avid runner and just did a half marathon (talk about intimidating) but alas I couldn't have asked for a better support system for my first race!</div>
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So that was pre race fun, oooh also check out this fun video we did as a warm up.</div>
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<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzjAF7S8lEI8jy738kVPP0x3orsoC803V8Vc-e4uBEC7jhKkuTibGgnyJAc-DHvyJ803dECfpgLH9KrMw_rbw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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And now for the post race pics where we are absolutely covered!</div>
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Now don't you wanna go sign up for one yourself?</div>
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Okay if not that's cool too but I highly suggest it! </div>
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Anyways where were we? Oh yea...</div>
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So when I was bored the other day I opted to watch a documentary that a friend had recommended called Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead (it is available on Netflix instant for those interested in checking it out.) It is a documentary about juicing. Now I would not say I am anywhere near the condition of the participants in the video, but I will say it had me curious. This is definitely an extreme fad diet that has caught the attention of a lot of people. Even after initial viewing of it I decided I wanted to try out a 7-10 day fast. Heck they do it all over the world, why shouldn't I give it a try?<br />
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But I did have some concerns. The first being a fruits and veggies fast does sound like a great idea but what about dairy, protein and essential carbs and fibers to keep you going throughout your day?? I then decided that I would juice for breakfast and dinner and keep a solid meal in the middle of my day. That was also aided in the thought process of yes it would be cool to shed a few lbs while doing this but how much is that going to suck to simply gain them all back when you go back to solid foods. I don't want this little experience to be negative and I feel like it could yield some negative thoughts if/when that were to happen. So a meal in the middle sounded solid. Okay so onto the next issue.<br />
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This deals with the first juice I made. So I will segue into that for a few minutes.<br />
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First of all I must admit that going to the grocery store with the sole intent of only buying produce for juicing was a freaking blast! I have read up a lot of the subject and of course explored oodles of recipes out there before doing this. So I wanted to pick up a good amount of what I was used to produce wise and a few odds and ends pieces that I wouldn't normally incorporate into my diet. Heck that is the whole point of juicing anyways to introduce your body to nutrients it isn't used to and to be consuming them in the first place!<br />
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So here is what I came away with!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9SbwWKen20pwD0fyCMwj9vxrDyy0L2E9BLeHpZdQSpcPoY_mjiyY339y_g529Up6qqHHV0a-6zWnoo2B-QETmn_kr2Wkuu3TZfs3e7RraqGOORcapGBmY05cpArXdLMGTmSz10zHHZWA/s1600/IMG_0677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9SbwWKen20pwD0fyCMwj9vxrDyy0L2E9BLeHpZdQSpcPoY_mjiyY339y_g529Up6qqHHV0a-6zWnoo2B-QETmn_kr2Wkuu3TZfs3e7RraqGOORcapGBmY05cpArXdLMGTmSz10zHHZWA/s400/IMG_0677.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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1 bunch of kale</div>
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1 bunch of celery</div>
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1 pack of carrots</div>
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3 lemons</div>
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3 beets</div>
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1 bunch of parsley</div>
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6 kiwis</div>
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3 tomatoes</div>
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3 cucumbers</div>
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3 red pears </div>
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1 pineapple</div>
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Also pictured are a bunch of clementines that I had in the fridge. </div>
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Let the juicing fun begin right!?!</div>
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Okay so for my first juice I wanted to do something healthy. A lot of what I read said to not start with a green juice because it just isn't the best one to start with but I kind of ignored that. I love vegetables I always have. So I can definitely do a green juice to start why not?</div>
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Oh yeah, because it was going to taste like drinking vegetables. Part of the appeal of veggies is that satisfying crunch that they offer or the freshness to a meal that they provide. So I guess for me that was a little bit lost.</div>
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This is what I put in my first ever homemade juice.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBVqnJYN1C344ISZ_drwqXFETnikSldT7Tv33BoxVUnODgrAZoawnf9NsgFiiAVicvbxu8HuSpa58zIGUuDoadrB-HrWDSWLlgjaBN6IwiMUmmVY1sl56PpGemem7Ib2hZJxnnWuoXE5R/s1600/IMG_0688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBVqnJYN1C344ISZ_drwqXFETnikSldT7Tv33BoxVUnODgrAZoawnf9NsgFiiAVicvbxu8HuSpa58zIGUuDoadrB-HrWDSWLlgjaBN6IwiMUmmVY1sl56PpGemem7Ib2hZJxnnWuoXE5R/s320/IMG_0688.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Green Juice</b></div>
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1 piece of kale</div>
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1 red pear</div>
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1 stalk of celery</div>
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1 kiwi (peeled)</div>
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1 carrot</div>
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1 whole cucumber</div>
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1 tomato</div>
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Wash produce thoroughly and press through juicer. Push the kale through in the middle of the other ingredients. Stir at the end and serve immediately. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkloDS-JZKrfzJy85NMmvAN06xX5Mt3IIt9P6kbR9aLCiYKGa78E7JdqwgdsSX9RKPb5R2ZBl67AAO_1JD5Z6CmlzctkL2c3Zj7FZo6oqEIZx-dRE_52v2JwXkFdvkzh3YHz8gPEvBufx/s1600/IMG_0690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkloDS-JZKrfzJy85NMmvAN06xX5Mt3IIt9P6kbR9aLCiYKGa78E7JdqwgdsSX9RKPb5R2ZBl67AAO_1JD5Z6CmlzctkL2c3Zj7FZo6oqEIZx-dRE_52v2JwXkFdvkzh3YHz8gPEvBufx/s320/IMG_0690.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Okay so this juice really wasn't bad. Perhaps a little harsh for a first juice but really fresh. In retrospect I know I was too excited about juicing to not press out some of my loot after buying it all and washing it and packaging it for the week ahead. I mean come on check out this process.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvBCPinS4SwEoqHgOwd9aShNii9fUd5-l2VFW0tM0BZf5G0hSkCCz7mH78rUU4cCO2AmTLM2MOtBOO5K50MTSAWO97QK3arNKq0ctqyeK5WVy5DMOjVff71fPYRi-k36rEIHG8yAdWlmr/s1600/IMG_0687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvBCPinS4SwEoqHgOwd9aShNii9fUd5-l2VFW0tM0BZf5G0hSkCCz7mH78rUU4cCO2AmTLM2MOtBOO5K50MTSAWO97QK3arNKq0ctqyeK5WVy5DMOjVff71fPYRi-k36rEIHG8yAdWlmr/s320/IMG_0687.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Carefully washing and chopping veggies in half so they fit in bags is not a quick process. Easy and great in the long run but it does take some time. </div>
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So while it didn't have that wow this tastes amazing factor like the next recipe I will share I didn't exactly set it up for success not being real hungry and starting out with an intense healthy juice to begin with. </div>
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Okay so let's go back to the issues I personally have with juicing. If this one wasn't staring me in the face dooming this whole endeavor I don't know what was. </div>
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I AM A FOODIE THROUGH AND THROUGH!!!</div>
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So when I woke up this morning and all I could think about was preparing a nice meal and remembering that I was determined to try out the juicing thing I was disappointed. One of my favorite things about food is the process of preparing it. Trying new things and getting that recipe just right is something I live for. So I had talked myself into the juice for this morning but ultimately looking forward to lunch and prepping a meal was lingering in the back of my head. Don't get me wrong with juicing there is preparation but it just isn't the same I suppose. </div>
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I did make a pretty fantastic breakfast juice though.</div>
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<b>Tropical Fruit Juice</b></div>
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3 clementines (peeled) </div>
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2 kiwis (peeled)</div>
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1 lemon (peeled) </div>
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2 carrots</div>
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1 stalk of celery</div>
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2 slices of pineapple</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZuYtfElmhqhNci42ThSFNe0CYugQN1fpmO14zRtIZHrfxrHN2tYTV5qBkWgKbJYLgNcjGA9slXgQBxoU2_6CsRDh-MetGQrt50wbB9aRhzYjuCAcRQ8ouBPqjbk3No7cIzt0qFOAlSMo/s1600/IMG_0696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZuYtfElmhqhNci42ThSFNe0CYugQN1fpmO14zRtIZHrfxrHN2tYTV5qBkWgKbJYLgNcjGA9slXgQBxoU2_6CsRDh-MetGQrt50wbB9aRhzYjuCAcRQ8ouBPqjbk3No7cIzt0qFOAlSMo/s320/IMG_0696.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAQsmA5pWGyLfbzBQFLNWBeZeK1o4fwPBKKWM_dC-8PVX4HZKxOm6RutAdR9MORkuCw_uJfygXZ25km7JHMaCsLIId73mkqlrHXshNmrF3A3VmYZXUQT6f-uWHaJCTeX4AI-yCnkNJV-Y/s1600/IMG_0697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAQsmA5pWGyLfbzBQFLNWBeZeK1o4fwPBKKWM_dC-8PVX4HZKxOm6RutAdR9MORkuCw_uJfygXZ25km7JHMaCsLIId73mkqlrHXshNmrF3A3VmYZXUQT6f-uWHaJCTeX4AI-yCnkNJV-Y/s320/IMG_0697.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Make sure your produce is washed thoroughly and non edible skins are peeled off. Push through your juicer and serve immediately. This juice would taste even better served over ice!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGci64YIHF8eZBCTF2J7MFP5F8u8zNXZTM9eWMteGV7uHpj0I5rikPJxwFDuWNYhxhb09lxsPtCkwH2YByccNJ4GewjYCmZA6FBhjVnR_Xo8NCAwENePfrAuMH25exwydpBoJUMkonpbL/s1600/IMG_0698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGci64YIHF8eZBCTF2J7MFP5F8u8zNXZTM9eWMteGV7uHpj0I5rikPJxwFDuWNYhxhb09lxsPtCkwH2YByccNJ4GewjYCmZA6FBhjVnR_Xo8NCAwENePfrAuMH25exwydpBoJUMkonpbL/s320/IMG_0698.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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As you can tell this one was a hit! I didn't even have time to snap a picture before I started drinking it. I was just thankful that the juice left remnants on the cup so that I had something to show for the color of it. </div>
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So two juices down and many more to go and my philosophy on juicing is already shaped towards the more informed and still quite intrigued. </div>
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I have decided that I am not going to jump on the fad band wagon, well completely that is. I am going to try and incorporate juicing into my life more regularly. I like the idea of it for breakfast and even as a healthy snack. But I don't think that it should be a meal replacement (especially for foodies like me! )</div>
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It is a great way to incorporate more nutrients into your diet and to consume fruits or veggies that you might not normally consume. Because as you can see with one juice you can really put so much in there that you may not normally eat in one sitting!</div>
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Another pro that I saw in this whole juicing experiment was the ability to be full but also cut out processed foods. That being one of the main drives behind this experiment to eat cleaner really gave me some momentum so I will be keeping that in mind as I go along. </div>
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All in all one of the most important things to me with my health is to not restrict myself and I think that that is exactly what I was setting myself up for. Failure to stick with a crazy fad diet. I believe in a healthy balance of moderation and indulgence. But I do think that when you take anything new on in your life that you should do it gradually and it should be a lifestyle change not a temporary shift in order to see quick results.</div>
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So yes I will keep the juicing around, because it does offer a lot of pros. But no I will not being doing it in a dramatic way. Heck I did just buy the juicer I don't want to only use it this week!</div>
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Oh and if you are curious about that or interested in juicing (even if it is to just have some fresh OJ or Lemonade on hand!) yourself I would highly recommend this baby. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDYnJOy7YoFa1X1m3ipmFPDGwUNhoNkKOlqGYp3HbplAWLfLVAIkGNeTh7efX4e9HtsNUHs7cXelh8jlcbWyOQfCRZXLniZEwktvvvR8mihTK5s7wCFFaiQX9cZB4R9DeiF6jDevIZOQhv/s1600/IMG_0676.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDYnJOy7YoFa1X1m3ipmFPDGwUNhoNkKOlqGYp3HbplAWLfLVAIkGNeTh7efX4e9HtsNUHs7cXelh8jlcbWyOQfCRZXLniZEwktvvvR8mihTK5s7wCFFaiQX9cZB4R9DeiF6jDevIZOQhv/s400/IMG_0676.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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This is the <a href="http://www.brevilleusa.com/the-juice-fountain-compact.html" target="_blank">Breville Compact Juicer </a></div>
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It was really well priced at $99.00 (in comparison to others that can run you upwards of $200)</div>
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I have only used it for myself so far. If you want to use this for a family or have a juicer on hand that you can use for entertaining purposes I would get a bigger model. (Unless you don't mind cleaning out the pulp a few times in the process to make a larger batch, which isn't hard to do but could get tedious.) It has a powerful engine and easily handles juicing whole fruits and veggies super fast! It is very easy to clean and to maintain the integrity of the juicer I have only hand washed it so far. But it does say that it is dishwasher safe. ( I would only keep that to your upper rack though.) </div>
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<b>Happy Juicing!</b></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905845441826555706.post-90430445234767324392013-09-08T11:28:00.001-07:002013-09-08T11:28:31.687-07:00Cilantro chicken and jalapeño omelets So we all have one, one spice or herb that we love above all the rest. Mine is cilantro. It is likely that if you follow this blog regularly you will see it pop up in a lot of unexpected places. That is mostly because I try to keep it in the house and also because I like to see what it works best with. Thus far I enjoy it the most paired with pineapple. But that is not this post that post is to come. It is one of my most enjoyed dishes who's inspiration came from a yankee candle. Who woulda thought?!?<br />
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Anywho after my roommate and her boyfriend came home with California Tortilla yesterday ( one of my favorite fast food Mexican places that you should definitely check out if you have one near you.) I was in the mood for mexican. But having just come back from a particularly long gym sesh I wasn't too keen on obliterating all of that hard work so I needed to figure out how I could satisfy that craving in a slightly healthier way. Easiest way I know of is to skip the tortillas and cheese. Blasphemy I know! But dinner still turned out pretty awesome. Again though not this post.<br />
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This post is the morning aftermath. Leftovers! I had marinated two chicken breasts yesterday in a zesty lime seasoning (well because it seemed just silly to only do one and I knew it could throw the extra one in something the next day) perfect to put in an omelet I have been craving. Of course I had just bought some fresh cilantro so that was there. I had a bit of poblano salsa I've been needing to use up along with some jalapeños. Voila let the omelet fun begin! Now even though I was able to muster some self control last night an omelet is simply not an omelet to me without some cheese so to combine the mixture I used a little bit of reduced fat cream cheese. MMMM.<br />
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<b>Cilantro chicken and jalapeño omelets</b><br />
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Serves: 2<br />
Cook time: 10-15 minutes<br />
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1 chicken breast (5-6 oz) (I had mine marinated but simply grilled or cooked and chopped will be fine!)<br />
4 eggs (2 per omelet)<br />
-If you want to make this a little healthier and only use egg whites then use 3-4 egg whites per omelet<br />
milk for egg mixture. About 3 T. per omelet<br />
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped<br />
1/4. cup cilantro, chopped<br />
2 T. reduced fat cream cheese<br />
2 T. salsa, any kind will work, pick your favorite<br />
1/4 cup rice (optional)<br />
- I also had some leftover mexican chicken flavored rice that I added in to make this even heartier. This is totally optional but recommended because it was also totally delicious. But hey I get not wanting to cook a batch of rice for a simple morning omelet.<br />
butter or something to grease your pan<br />
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Okay so omelets are really not that hard but they can be intimidating. My tips are to prep all of your filling before you even touch your eggs. Have everything chopped and portioned out so it is ready to go. Another big tip is to make sure you are working with a very hot pan and it is well greased. You want the eggs to cook fast and you want to be able to use a spatula to push the sides towards the center so that the uncooked egg on top can move to the open space and cook easily. This is a very fast process.<br />
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But if this is intimidating or you don't want to deal with the pressure of breaking the omelet and its presentation to be ruined. Have no fear that is exactly the point of frittata! You can simply mix in your fillers with your whipped eggs and either bake in the oven until the eggs are done or stovetop covered on a low heat. Then cut and serve it like a pie.<br />
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So either way you want to start off with cutting up your chicken, jalapeño and cilantro. When you have it all diced up mix the cilantro, jalapeño, cream cheese, rice and salsa together. (You can also mix in the chicken but since mine was marinated I wanted to leave that flavor separate.)<br />
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Set all of that aside. Heat up your pan. Meanwhile whip together your eggs and milk. I use a fork to do this and add in some pepper while I am at it.<br />
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Once your eggs are whipped grease your pan with butter or you can even use a spray like pam for a lighter alternative. <br />
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Just make sure that it is well coated. Add in your egg mixture and cook as instructed before. Don't cook too long because you will burn your eggs. It is a good sign when your eggs bubble up like this. it means they are close to done.<br />
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Add in your mixture to one half of the omelet and flip the other side of the eggs over to cover the mixture. <br />
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Cook for about one more minute to heat the inside and then slide your omelet onto a plate. Feel free to top with additional salsa or cilantro!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905845441826555706.post-26824622955971177292013-09-06T12:09:00.000-07:002013-09-06T12:09:44.678-07:00Easy cheesy sundried tomato stuffed chicken Like I said when I started this blog, I draw inspiration in my cooking from a variety of places. Today's recipe is from one of my favorite food blogs <a href="http://iowagirleats.com/">Iowagirleats.com</a> . She recently posted a sundried tomato and basil stuffed chicken that looked out of this world. So when standing in front of my fridge trying to decide what to whip up for lunch before a long shift at work knowing I wasn't going to eat again for several hours. I was carefully contemplating what I could do with what little I had on hand, and her recipe came to mind. Sure I didn't have flavored feta, but I did have feta! Also no I didn't have laughing cow cheese but I did have cream cheese and those are similar in consistency and lastly no I did not have sundried tomatoes. (Which I was kicking myself over because I always mean to pick them up at the store and I always decide I don't have a recipe on hand I need to use them in immediately and always walk away. But like I often think when I get home that needs to become a staple in my fridge.) But I did recently purchase one of my favorite dressings which is a sundried tomato basil and garlic dressing (remember from the <a href="http://eatyho.blogspot.com/2013/08/quick-kale-salad.html" target="_blank">quick kale salad</a>) that I decided would work just as well. Anyways this is my spin on her awesome dish, which yes I will try her way one of these days and see if it beats out mine. Hehe. Because let's be honest mine turned out pretty darn fantastic especially for a throw it together meal!<br />
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<b>Easy Cheesy Sundried Tomato Stuffed Chicken </b><br />
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Serves: 1<br />
Cook Time: 25 minutes ( this can be shortened if you cook at a higher temp.)<br />
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1 chicken breast (thick enough to cut a pocket into)<br />
1 small piece of kale (torn into bite sized pieces)<br />
handful of chopped almonds (about 11)<br />
2 T. feta cheese<br />
1 T. reduced fat cream cheese<br />
1 T. and 1 tsp. sundried tomato basil and garlic salad dressing<br />
Oil for the pan about 1/2 a T.<br />
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Mix together the softened feta and cream cheese with the chopped almonds, kale and 1 T. of dressing. </div>
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Slice your piece of chicken creating a pocket but not all the way through.</div>
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Stuff the chicken with your mixture. </div>
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Season with salt and pepper. Then cook over a low to medium heat with a little bit of oil in the pan until cooked all the way through. I didn't have toothpicks to hold this together ( another thing I need to add to my kitchen staples list) But I just made sure I packed the mixture in really tight into the chicken and it worked out just fine. I also cooked the chicken covered so I wouldn't have to do a lot of maneuvering because I knew that would cause the filling to fall out. Once it is cooked all the way through top with the last tsp. of dressing let it sit for a minute and enjoy! </div>
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Seriously there are not many dishes that I immediately want to make again right away but this is going back on the list so I can share it with my roommate. It was so simple and amazing. Not time consuming at all and relatively healthy. Some sort of magic happened in that pan today, the chicken was perfectly tender ( mostly because I know I didn't rush it to cook) the cheese was the perfect amount of creaminess, and the crunch of the almonds was enough to make my mouth water. But the real magic came with the flavor of the sundried tomato dressing yum yum YUMMMM! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905845441826555706.post-90506173086771245202013-09-05T20:06:00.004-07:002013-09-05T20:06:54.488-07:00Sometimes it's hard for grown ups to eat their veggies too. / Bacon Pesto Pasta Alright I will be honest and admit that sometimes more than anything else I want to neglect my veggies and eat something covered in cheese, or chocolate or deep fried. Who doesn't? But thankfully sanity is usually on my side. Or at the very least I can't convince myself to go to the store to indulge that little devil on my shoulder and usually I keep the house pretty well stocked with healthier eating options.<br />
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That being said I can usually convince myself that eating vegetables is the right way to go. Heck that usually isn't a problem because there is hardly a vegetable in this world that I don't like. But some days it is just plain difficult. (Especially when you have Oreo balls taunting you in the fridge.)<br />
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But when push does come to shove I have a few tricks I use on myself. Today let me tell you about one of them. Let us never underestimate the power of condiments. How do we get kids to eat veggies? We let them use ranch. Makes em taste better right? Well that is precisely the mentality I used today. Except for instead of ranch I used pesto.<br />
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I in all of my craziness signed up for a 5k run in a little over a week and coming home starving from training for that I needed to carb up a little. Especially since I slept in and skipped breakfast (I have got to stop doing that.) Anyways so pasta it was. Like I said I usually try to keep the house stocked with healthy options and this is the pasta I had on hand.<br />
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Voila let the trickery begin. Now I had never had vegetable pasta before until this Summer when I went to visit my aunt and uncle and they introduced us to it. I had already transitioned to the whole grain pasta craze a while ago and I still eat that, but right now I am mixing in the vegetable pastas into my diet. If you haven't tried it. Do. I like when foods have more than just the ability to fill you up but they also provide another health benefit. Food twofers! Awesome. </div>
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Anyways I will not fool you into believing this recipe is at all complicated. In fact the title is fancier than the process. I had all of this stuff in my house so feel free to use what you have on hand. I would say the base of your dish should be pasta, pesto, and bacon. Or if you are a vegetarian no bacon. </div>
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<b>Bacon Pesto Pasta</b></div>
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Servings: 1 ( I just made this for myself but it could easily be made for more)</div>
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Cook time: 10-15 minutes</div>
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1 c. uncooked pasta</div>
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3 strips of bacon</div>
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2 T. pesto ( I love the buitoni version with basil, preferably the reduced fat one. You can even make your own version. I will add a recipe for that later on.)</div>
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1/3 c. brussel sprouts </div>
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1/3 c. corn</div>
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1/3 c. green beans</div>
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2 leaves of kale</div>
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2 cloves of garlic</div>
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Chop up the bacon and combine all of the ingredients together in one bowl and add in the 2 tablespoons of pesto. Mix up and enjoy. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905845441826555706.post-55087997180738116462013-09-04T11:37:00.002-07:002013-09-08T19:39:20.394-07:00Is it Fall yet? Stuffed Squash and Sparkly Oreo ballsI want Fall weather so bad it isn't even funny. So I have decided I am going to cook my way into Fall, you know similar to rain dancing. If I cook for it, it shall come right? Let's sure as heck hope so because I am a little burnt out on Summer favorites. Not that I don't love cooking on the grill or an overabundance of fresh salads all the time, but let's face it I have my trusty George Foreman and I eat salads year round. I think my last straw into it needing to be Fall already was when I went to throw together a lobster salad for some delicious lobster rolls and it was an epic failure. Yes even I have times where I make something so bad even I won't choke it down. All I can say in those situations is thank the lord we had leftovers in the house or good ole pb&j to fall back on.<br />
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But anyways I mostly can't wait for the weather changes. This is the first Fall in my life that I haven't gone back to school. So while yes it is fantastic to be done and graduated and all educated and what not, I miss those traditions so now all I have to look forward to are the fun Fall foods, activities, and weather changes and darn it I need it now! I just want to start making pumpkin flavored everything and that to be acceptable again. Is that too much to ask?<br />
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Anyways enough of that tangent here is how I tried to delve into the season.<br />
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<b>Stuffed Squash </b> <br />
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Serves: 2<br />
Cook Time: 1 hour<br />
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1 butternut squash ( or you can even use acorn squash if you prefer it)<br />
1/2 stalk celery<br />
1/2 apple<br />
1/3 chub of sausage (about 5 oz) I used maple flavored Jimmy Dean<br />
1 c. whole wheat chicken flavored stovetop stuffing<br />
1/4 c. dried cranberries (reduced sugar or unsweetened)<br />
1 T. per half of squash of brown sugar (optional)<br />
drizzle of honey (optional)<br />
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Set your oven to 450 degrees. Cut your squash in half and remove the guts and the seeds. Place in a pan and bake for 45 minutes. Then add in brown sugar to the bowls of the squash and drizzle with honey (if desired) and bake for an additional 15 minutes. If not just roast for an hour. (This worked for the size squash I had but you want to be able to stab your fork in and the squash to be fork tender, adjust cooking time for your size squash. Roughly an hour should do ya though. </div>
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I added brown sugar and honey to the bowl and the top of the squash but it just sort of pooled around and wasn't really needed on top. Butternut squash already has such good flavor you can save the calories and skip the brown sugar and honey all together and be fine, heck you might not even notice. I was just going for a little extra comfort with this dish.</div>
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While the squash is roasting cook your sausage in a small pan. Oh and if you don't know what a chub is I took a picture. (But of course not until after I used it so its not as pretty but you get the idea.) </div>
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I like my sausage a little crispier to add texture to the dish. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4c34JmTSV9O6-XfrXiKJYrsaySuAKeE9TkJqvSB7ujM3xhEHFeqr7NNynYnEgRBESH6Z3DqaeEZG3IQHs0ZZLRxK-9U8KuunOD6zauKzc71CSqq2IK0G93BzcKpdIIBPCFypieHqUJw0P/s1600/IMG_0536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4c34JmTSV9O6-XfrXiKJYrsaySuAKeE9TkJqvSB7ujM3xhEHFeqr7NNynYnEgRBESH6Z3DqaeEZG3IQHs0ZZLRxK-9U8KuunOD6zauKzc71CSqq2IK0G93BzcKpdIIBPCFypieHqUJw0P/s1600/IMG_0536.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRP5A0vf8pbS2C7gNK2bSmyM4zXHR6ziILt7p7g0-7NaBbmlMRBoiylovk5Gd9IzA-EYbZ__9pHp0J9ZEYg5ZKEIUT5IZ0jZxOSuu5cc3ZQhRWk-KE8alkUL5xsOuCBI-TEqL71YwiBHg/s1600/IMG_0537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRP5A0vf8pbS2C7gNK2bSmyM4zXHR6ziILt7p7g0-7NaBbmlMRBoiylovk5Gd9IzA-EYbZ__9pHp0J9ZEYg5ZKEIUT5IZ0jZxOSuu5cc3ZQhRWk-KE8alkUL5xsOuCBI-TEqL71YwiBHg/s1600/IMG_0537.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Next you want to cook your stove top according to the package directions. This is the flavor I like and used but feel free to substitute your own preference or even a different type of stuffing. </div>
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After you have done that then cut up your apple and celery. I then sautéed them in the pan I just cooked the sausage in with a little salt and pepper for about 2-3 minutes to cook them down a little but also keep most of their crunch.</div>
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Then you want to mix together the sausage, stuffing, apples, celery and dried cranberries. </div>
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Then just add your mixture to the roasted squash and eat! As you can probably tell this dish is super filling. So if you are a very light eater make sure that you keep that in mind when picking the size of squash you are going to stuff. Half a squash stuffed me to the brim but if you have a heavy eater on your hands make extra stuffing mixture and serve it stuffed and along the side or even have a side salad with your meal.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrb2D9QugSZUSSVhNWGxdMwZ_FnjsErxFacNdhpTKSOvOOE-9uS5OrAukdSOaVnlTEbur-H41hhyphenhyphenlPg_wbi25C1MOfZQ1PNv1O1ZkQFYiZLS4V3U7rbxSgbpY6PDgQnxV0Ziq3PMinZCwS/s1600/IMG_0548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrb2D9QugSZUSSVhNWGxdMwZ_FnjsErxFacNdhpTKSOvOOE-9uS5OrAukdSOaVnlTEbur-H41hhyphenhyphenlPg_wbi25C1MOfZQ1PNv1O1ZkQFYiZLS4V3U7rbxSgbpY6PDgQnxV0Ziq3PMinZCwS/s640/IMG_0548.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Now that I think about it though I could have been stuffed because of this little appetizer I set up while my roommate, her boyfriend and I were cooking!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg62QrG6avQhiSlRa3Oe_nn0LZN16YLxM43LWw8gNwl8aTn8Lfv7rySUypQ9LtbTzDEuvm09cwL7RWY1AY3PXIZfh85Da08CxN9eLG4_k2Uj_OMMvFRqNfaczn3TlVUH7HoJGmn-9zsytrm/s1600/IMG_0534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg62QrG6avQhiSlRa3Oe_nn0LZN16YLxM43LWw8gNwl8aTn8Lfv7rySUypQ9LtbTzDEuvm09cwL7RWY1AY3PXIZfh85Da08CxN9eLG4_k2Uj_OMMvFRqNfaczn3TlVUH7HoJGmn-9zsytrm/s1600/IMG_0534.JPG" width="400" /></a>I found plumcots and these little cactus pears in the produce section of the store that I was more than curious about trying. So when I brought them home I decided to set them up with some cheese and almonds so we could all sample them. My roommate and I were huge fans of the plumcots ( a plum apricot hybrid.) That is what is pictured in the center. On top are the cactus pears, they sort of tasted like a mix between a watermelon and pomegranate. Not my favorite but her boyfriend enjoyed them and they were pretty! <img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrw9a0sVYaX60gxQQHVfYjjulyNx0oWM4pjCsfbv1gKlf6Y8O8xF5F1yzE7dOylAVS3vSzQOKfNziPXd4XsGLhy8miyOXRRqTVT5teRh304uArNBSMifXEPff64ovEAHFdOCuEYByiJPAB/s1600/IMG_0523.jpg" width="240" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOdBjLpo_vaovAndxkxfNCR8bl54ILQ0ypSMeTh_8hwnvNJLgGLHQnIPIHKQmfvjeQ4htOPfPNIm37R0Osk4qgjrXcBlENOqi8J13q54ObuaXiXL7-0EF36QBTlg7Gdad_OaiVWTYg4NL/s1600/IMG_0529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOdBjLpo_vaovAndxkxfNCR8bl54ILQ0ypSMeTh_8hwnvNJLgGLHQnIPIHKQmfvjeQ4htOPfPNIm37R0Osk4qgjrXcBlENOqi8J13q54ObuaXiXL7-0EF36QBTlg7Gdad_OaiVWTYg4NL/s1600/IMG_0529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Okay now onto some real fun cooking and by fun I mean partly pain in the butt because I skipped certain crucial steps that I will make sure to include in the directions here so you don't do the same. But let me tell you my little spiel about baking first. I love the end result and I am actually pretty good at it. I have a feel go to recipes in my arsenal that never fail me and even sometimes I will get the I have to bake everything in the house bug. But by no means would I consider baking to be my forte. I am all about easy and convenient when it comes to baking. Plus I really hate the aspect of how with baking you spend a lot of tedious time making things look perfect. Sometimes I can do this, but I really have to be in the mood, or it has to be a special occasion, and likely I can't have focused my attention on anything else. That is why this simple 4 ingredient recipe is near and dear to my heart. It is easy, it is quick and perfection is not a requirement.</div>
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<b>Sparkly Oreo Balls</b></div>
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1 row of Oreo double stuffed cookies</div>
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1/2 a block of cream cheese (room temp.)</div>
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1 c. of chocolate chips of your choice ( white chocolate tastes best in my opinion)</div>
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sprinkles</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUSmdOXNr41T_mfs7mFkm-RIKZgChluhk7U4Dik1h8YB_XvkW68G2MjrAb4vvQxPhk7V9fyH_6LHsyD_tOWz9v4qQCxdvHWRvgOkUT0pIkruTXlPlrVrf6HGOIKfD2EOOb_XI_Tgbhx9CQ/s1600/535930_10200603268190000_1291729808_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUSmdOXNr41T_mfs7mFkm-RIKZgChluhk7U4Dik1h8YB_XvkW68G2MjrAb4vvQxPhk7V9fyH_6LHsyD_tOWz9v4qQCxdvHWRvgOkUT0pIkruTXlPlrVrf6HGOIKfD2EOOb_XI_Tgbhx9CQ/s1600/535930_10200603268190000_1291729808_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This photo is actually from a batch I made last Valentines day. I hit a couple of snags when making the recipe this time, they still turned out delicious but for the sake of what I like them to look like this is the model. (See baking = a pain in the rear!) </div>
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Okay first you are going to want to crush your Oreos, the finer the better. I am blessed enough to have a food processor that does this little task in about oh I don't know a minute. A blender will work just as well but if you don't have either of those items, no worries, simply put them in a ziploc bag ( I recommend using two just in case it pops open) and crushing them either with a rolling pin or a heavy pan. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELU6a84w6W8WK_eYIqR15K4e1mg26Se0cKa2lSZMtyTnyJrWp55TA0vQWRxCY5cXyFIUbPXSinnmEUkcHEaiDq8oZTp0fg6VF413mzC816VB9oMK8-mtwYQcSHSbWZVL4udhKvOsZ2zhj/s1600/IMG_0544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELU6a84w6W8WK_eYIqR15K4e1mg26Se0cKa2lSZMtyTnyJrWp55TA0vQWRxCY5cXyFIUbPXSinnmEUkcHEaiDq8oZTp0fg6VF413mzC816VB9oMK8-mtwYQcSHSbWZVL4udhKvOsZ2zhj/s1600/IMG_0544.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Next you will want to mix the cream cheese and your Oreos together until they are combined, like so.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpdYlJYYgClZx5U4PNsmHKdrwormGEm048ot3i9W3y16iQ8XIJeMIGZ8cWdK2GjlTbyx50OgsTU_vLUjmR3U6CDlvvfPa8lHoCY7RwV4uK8uXXUTXgspi2zqyLF2LHsL-r1hPdunU1I6f/s1600/IMG_0546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpdYlJYYgClZx5U4PNsmHKdrwormGEm048ot3i9W3y16iQ8XIJeMIGZ8cWdK2GjlTbyx50OgsTU_vLUjmR3U6CDlvvfPa8lHoCY7RwV4uK8uXXUTXgspi2zqyLF2LHsL-r1hPdunU1I6f/s1600/IMG_0546.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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Okay so that is not the best picture ever taken, but again you get the point. You want the two to be combined with no loose crumbs. I did this with a rubber spatula and took my time with it but you can get your hands in there and probably do it a lot faster.<br />
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Then you want to form them into balls. Now we had a little debate at my house, when I made the pink ones pictured above they were huge like ice cream scoop big. You can only just eat one of those. Or even half of one. This time I opted to make them smaller just little bite size niblets. We never really reached a conclusion as to what was better. Having them big like that where you will for sure only eat one but know that eating one is awful for you or the cute little baby ones I made last night where self control might not actually be on your side. So I will let that decision be left up to you. </div>
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After you have formed them into whatever size ball your heart desires and I must stress how crucial this step is because I forgot it last night and it was a mess! But place them on a lined cookie sheet or whatever is available to you and freeze them until firm! About 10 minutes. If you skip this step then when you dip them in chocolate the chocolate will be too heavy and tear your soft little Oreo babies apart. Trust me, not fun.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceoAJRh6_Q5wgslpbmK1TDPrJmDfTwohGjGVjnGEsl8e5pEMt3XisShzx9c5OfOQheAx05kxjK9PDSw_PxZSobfZEFUpEgD2CoJ4oIc0I_T6-O15xwUcqFozJ2-1GetChggOTQkyeKPQK/s1600/IMG_0551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceoAJRh6_Q5wgslpbmK1TDPrJmDfTwohGjGVjnGEsl8e5pEMt3XisShzx9c5OfOQheAx05kxjK9PDSw_PxZSobfZEFUpEgD2CoJ4oIc0I_T6-O15xwUcqFozJ2-1GetChggOTQkyeKPQK/s1600/IMG_0551.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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After they are firm melt your chocolate chips. Save yourself the trouble and do this in the microwave. I first attempted to do it stovetop and without a double boiler, it is hard to not burn your chocolate on the stove. Which resulted in snag number two I burnt all the white chocolate in the house, and had to use dark and while I much prefer dark over white, this recipe is an exception. White just balances the flavors better. So take your cup of chocolate chips and melt them for about 45 seconds in the microwave. They will not be completely melted and you will have to stir them down so they are creamy enough to coat your Oreo balls with but too much time will burn the chocolate. So just mix. If they are being stubborn you can pop them back in the microwave for about 10 more seconds tops. </div>
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Next just coat the Oreo balls in chocolate and sprinkles of your choosing and place them back on the cookie sheet and in the fridge to harden. Another 10-15 minutes or however long you would like until you serve them. I usually do this and leave them overnight. </div>
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The sprinkles are optional but they make them pretty and add a nice little crunch, and not even being a huge fan of sprinkles myself that is saying something for their existence in this recipe. But you are more than welcome to skip that part if you so desire. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78Wnv464Ts1n6viGhu-4U61LoemHypNjWk_BzXF_vy9IrlQ0cTW9zWG_cGtystVyi02hkePFBXN51YFZ161yHklVtNt1PMWdBPbm8QCW71sKdQOWbwDgfL0DjwLAaqej127lUxkOrOrD-/s1600/IMG_0556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78Wnv464Ts1n6viGhu-4U61LoemHypNjWk_BzXF_vy9IrlQ0cTW9zWG_cGtystVyi02hkePFBXN51YFZ161yHklVtNt1PMWdBPbm8QCW71sKdQOWbwDgfL0DjwLAaqej127lUxkOrOrD-/s1600/IMG_0556.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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This is what they looked like last night with the dark chocolate and how they looked in the center after you bit into them. YUMMMM! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905845441826555706.post-17942288667982407042013-09-01T19:44:00.000-07:002013-09-01T19:44:13.508-07:00Heart Healthy / Oaty oaty oatmeal So let's talk about running. One of my most loathed forms of exercise since as long as I can remember. Let's face it, when starting from scratch it is just plain boring. It takes no time at all for your breathing to become heavy to the point that your head screams STOP IMMEDIATELY! I will admit that up until this past year I have hated it with every fiber of my being. Sure up until then I could enjoy a good endorphin high but only when it came from some other form of activity. But let me tell ya something, when you are broke and live too far away from your school gym and you have a pretty decent set of trails hidden behind your house and you just need to do something it isn't half bad. It also is pretty cool when the trail that originally took every ounce of your will power to get through suddenly wasn't so bad and then even cooler when you did that trail to and from your house in record time questioning if you should do it again. ( But let's not get carried away with ourselves.) Anyways for me that is how I tricked myself into actually enjoying running. I have since moved from my little forest oasis and was faced again with the oh crap what do I do now mindset. Luckily I am now living in a community with a 24 hour gym. Let's talk about no excuses. I am too tired right now, I don't have time, it's too late; all of these are no longer acceptable. I can now go any time of day any day of the week and it is no more than a five minute walk from my house. Perfect. Now on to the next battle. Da Da Dooooon the treadmill. I have heard some pretty awful stuff about the treadmill but as someone who has fought with running and wanting to do it for the sake of fighting off the string of heart disease that resides in my family it is PERFECT! Since running is 85% mental 15% ability if you can set a goal and stick to it you are GOLDEN! Whether it is running one mile or two or three or whatever. Or running 20 or 30 or 40 minutes straight. The treadmill doesn't allow you to stop like being outdoors does. Especially when in a crowded gym, with people around the stop and go is not a good look to the hard bodies doing weights behind you. Anyways that is a little tid bit of how I am training myself to be a runner. Every soaking wet endeavor behind me the better I feel about myself and my heart's ability to beat a little stronger.<br />
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Why do I give you this long story about running on a food blog? Well because it ties in well with my ticker friendly breakfast that I whipped up the other morning before a good ole sweaty sesh at the gym.<br />
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We all have em in our houses but how often do these babies go forgotten in your cabinet?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1DLA5xwCKV17zZ-rlu3ElrMhBmN6TaRIShyphenhyphenPCq_QARDHdiVpKYqSTGAlZvpXi4h-XG8W6njaavPdqEpPOttnd89w3gO-jjRP4rZkirtRh1Zu4cOsPL36kPVgo2AkQ8Fp8gEvD8SmMZC5/s1600/IMG_0516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1DLA5xwCKV17zZ-rlu3ElrMhBmN6TaRIShyphenhyphenPCq_QARDHdiVpKYqSTGAlZvpXi4h-XG8W6njaavPdqEpPOttnd89w3gO-jjRP4rZkirtRh1Zu4cOsPL36kPVgo2AkQ8Fp8gEvD8SmMZC5/s1600/IMG_0516.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Feel free to call me old fashioned, but I care about what I put into my body ( well most days, not today today included indulging in the newest Cheesecake Factory Toasted Marshmellow S'mores Galore Cheesecake, but we aren't talking about today we are talking about yesterday when sanity was with me. )</div>
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Anyways no longer let busy mornings stand between you and a delicious breakfast or perhaps a guilt free dessert. I made this in under five minutes with inspiration from one of my favorite food blogs Iowagirleats.com </div>
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<b>Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal</b></div>
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<b> </b>1/3 c. oats</div>
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1/3 c. lowfat milk </div>
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1/2 banana ( okay don't waste half a banana eat it while you are cooking, or that is what I did anyhow)</div>
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1 tsp. vanilla extract</div>
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dash pumpkin pie spice</div>
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1 T. chunk low sodium natural peanut butter.</div>
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Okay combine the oats and the milk in a small sauce pan and cook uncovered for about 2 minutes. Stirring constantly. Add in chunks of banana, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8LBl9DDWTWKD-JsaFqhce26bcK5vkADTGXpYzzGqCxEkcTIZYOtz5HKlIg3URWUL0cucD-15mNDx0zFuUxjgxAzienrwHFMfDjvLvkZmuaA2Opqkz_QzLcdqFuEBWYYT1EK0Jguek7ZmF/s1600/IMG_0517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8LBl9DDWTWKD-JsaFqhce26bcK5vkADTGXpYzzGqCxEkcTIZYOtz5HKlIg3URWUL0cucD-15mNDx0zFuUxjgxAzienrwHFMfDjvLvkZmuaA2Opqkz_QzLcdqFuEBWYYT1EK0Jguek7ZmF/s1600/IMG_0517.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNM51HAZTpgaaIUkAvSI1MEvbadhMZDyhyphenhyphenXzBRzO3ThZVj9UPcvewNi7TCPnjlqr08avxA4S9CGA1dggSkJndW68wBd_t7qJQeH_NWg1aLiXoShZdLdeMKJQz9B8xxFy23O3_Tipphwqhd/s1600/IMG_0518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNM51HAZTpgaaIUkAvSI1MEvbadhMZDyhyphenhyphenXzBRzO3ThZVj9UPcvewNi7TCPnjlqr08avxA4S9CGA1dggSkJndW68wBd_t7qJQeH_NWg1aLiXoShZdLdeMKJQz9B8xxFy23O3_Tipphwqhd/s1600/IMG_0518.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
Let it cook for about 2 more minutes, still stirring ( the milk likes to let the oats stick to the pan.) Remove from pan and scoop peanut butter on top. Then eat!<br />
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I like my oats a little chunky, feel free to add more milk or cook them longer for a softer creamier texture, you could even stir in the peanut butter while you cook but I prefer mine to be on top so I can choose which bites have that decadent peanut butter taste!</div>
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So even if you aren't as enthusiastic about running as I hype myself up to being these days perhaps you will do your heart a little favor and indulge in this once in a while. Seriously it is so good you won't even feel like you are eating a 'healthy' breakfast! As always ENJOY! :) </div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905845441826555706.post-22527766872740257322013-08-31T10:16:00.001-07:002013-08-31T10:16:02.060-07:00Quick Kale SaladSo we all have days where we are just go go go running errands all over the place. I know the last thing that sounds desirable on those days is cooking when you pass several drive thrus that offer such convenience and momentary satisfaction. Well even though a kale salad doesn't sound like it would beat out your favorite fast food chain meal for tastieness I promise you will feel loads better about eating the meal after and likely it will be cheaper too!<br />
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This is just one version of many I have for my favorite kind of lettuce. If you aren't familiar with kale it is a dark green lettuce and in its rawest form it tastes similar to broccoli. Hey that may not be for you so feel free to substitute your own lettuce fav, but personally I love it and it really is sooooo good for you. It is loaded with nutrients and fiber which I have noticed allows me to stay fuller longer after eating it in comparison to other types of lettuce. Anyways enough with my ode to kale, if you have never tried it please try it out!<br />
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But a disclaimer if you are like my family members then likely you will look at this post and think I am trying to get you to eat your own arm or something so maybe you should try it cooked in something first. (Don't you worry those recipes will appear here soon!)<br />
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Regardless I hope you give it a chance. If not, you at least have a backbone to what can appear to be a fancy restaurant salad made from your own home.<br />
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Like I said this is one of many many versions I have of this salad. I typically use whatever I have in the house, it is sort of an everything but the kitchen sink salad. My staples though are kale, frozen corn (or fresh if I have it), and almonds. I have a little bit of a health trifecta going on there between the antioxidant ridden leafy green kale, the starchy yet sweet corn and the protein packed almonds, it really is a filling salad!<br />
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<b>Quick Kale Salad</b><br />
2 leaves of kale<br />
1/4 c. almonds<br />
1/4 c. frozen corn cooked ( I just pop it in the microwave for 45 seconds to a minute to cook it and set it in the fridge to chill while I assemble the rest of the salad)<br />
1/4 c. dried cranberries ( I hate dried fruits that are overly sweetened so I try to buy unsweetened or reduced sugar versions)<br />
4 strawberries chopped<br />
2 clementines peeled and separated<br />
2 T. dressing of your choice<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1_jfVrpeb_nW6Yt6EALg8BKpLuKW-AwWDmKiMBCZGWZE0hdk5TQGzqMT9tUr1SKRRYIGtURnn1GhWXrdXE0528NIFsJoZwIXBWqFt5WyN_BaBD18D96F0q1QFlPG5zh9jKAafaXDMyx4p/s1600/IMG_0503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1_jfVrpeb_nW6Yt6EALg8BKpLuKW-AwWDmKiMBCZGWZE0hdk5TQGzqMT9tUr1SKRRYIGtURnn1GhWXrdXE0528NIFsJoZwIXBWqFt5WyN_BaBD18D96F0q1QFlPG5zh9jKAafaXDMyx4p/s1600/IMG_0503.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a> Yes I am a little hoity toity about dressings because I knowI can make excellent fresh ones at home so when I do buy them I buy them for quality. This little gem has great flavor and can be picked up at Giant or even Target. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic77qOdhQMgCwOkQ2IeN4V6k3Su-I1Hj6nuUQASSWoRJc9l8rtjRH2GSO7EsZT6sdj_kzbAl6po5ijM1SV_JqJnZzFXl9VcE-6rnf3JNsgKmm6QvEMShp0y9JQ_JLEi-k-GLo1bnVE-oYf/s1600/IMG_0502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic77qOdhQMgCwOkQ2IeN4V6k3Su-I1Hj6nuUQASSWoRJc9l8rtjRH2GSO7EsZT6sdj_kzbAl6po5ijM1SV_JqJnZzFXl9VcE-6rnf3JNsgKmm6QvEMShp0y9JQ_JLEi-k-GLo1bnVE-oYf/s1600/IMG_0502.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2JLud-53spMx7vrj3ntb-PdaRaYCAyhZIeDDulbIMkY-6sUQTVll_2ivVKdTHwUFJgU1iI1v8BzuYtxwDYV51IFUopj4JYo5Y2AMV-YDaqq1-ocpFIVfJucm4szDFuQzoi-dlu2HKndFX/s1600/IMG_0501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2JLud-53spMx7vrj3ntb-PdaRaYCAyhZIeDDulbIMkY-6sUQTVll_2ivVKdTHwUFJgU1iI1v8BzuYtxwDYV51IFUopj4JYo5Y2AMV-YDaqq1-ocpFIVfJucm4szDFuQzoi-dlu2HKndFX/s1600/IMG_0501.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbD_jYbQTuyvjuZ7xm1ioRTblYjCSHcWZ-XyxbM-iAlO5GZUGcHEcwoSy8TCGKNUlkQW1DTz3Dv57lQfMhxAMex53d4HDIJ4tkH8SMWwOWIVLPLlnaz20Ioa1cV97ybkWoTTCbLjMuAcxv/s1600/IMG_0500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbD_jYbQTuyvjuZ7xm1ioRTblYjCSHcWZ-XyxbM-iAlO5GZUGcHEcwoSy8TCGKNUlkQW1DTz3Dv57lQfMhxAMex53d4HDIJ4tkH8SMWwOWIVLPLlnaz20Ioa1cV97ybkWoTTCbLjMuAcxv/s1600/IMG_0500.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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Simply rip the lettuce up into bite sized pieces and combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Yes I measure everything out including the dressing. The fastest way to making a salad unhealthy is to overload it with dressing. Besides when you are packing in so many great flavors already you don't want to overwhelm them with too much dressing anyways. Sometimes if I use a lot of dry ingredients and I have less fruit or something I will add another tablespoon but usually I like to keep it light. I like to combine all of my ingredients in a bowl and mix it, then place a plate on top and flip the two over together so everything gets evenly mixed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1XoEB7Q4Z5vaTuGAwZY2j8dn2lWftn2b8rMgDDQ63oFktF5m2rdwpaiTQQ6S0z0RBUdL70Nd2PBG5TezcD2S_Q-kv4xJV7SGb0y4b37RX1_10OAww5-g3y-Jo0V02PGqnWMo54ECBXSw/s1600/IMG_0505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1XoEB7Q4Z5vaTuGAwZY2j8dn2lWftn2b8rMgDDQ63oFktF5m2rdwpaiTQQ6S0z0RBUdL70Nd2PBG5TezcD2S_Q-kv4xJV7SGb0y4b37RX1_10OAww5-g3y-Jo0V02PGqnWMo54ECBXSw/s1600/IMG_0505.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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Voila enjoy! This is large enough to eat if you were like me yesterday and missed breakfast so were starving but still needed to fit in the gym before work, it will fill you up and get you through your workout without feeling like you are going to vomit. Or it can even be shared if you just want it as a side to something else.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizDtlPnBpzbFz4YjPpQebUXa7nFpvz-vbfGMGPiJiofkZRal9_K139I2GT3K3u8bVYV2iPKLhV5jHGivBRLD7xk8VMLbd5sP3B9smyBke2LZmxRpjXTdk5dTGJGwpC3tA6fVFFwdEvg8G/s1600/IMG_0506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizDtlPnBpzbFz4YjPpQebUXa7nFpvz-vbfGMGPiJiofkZRal9_K139I2GT3K3u8bVYV2iPKLhV5jHGivBRLD7xk8VMLbd5sP3B9smyBke2LZmxRpjXTdk5dTGJGwpC3tA6fVFFwdEvg8G/s1600/IMG_0506.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905845441826555706.post-17650654785755211512013-08-29T14:34:00.001-07:002013-08-29T14:34:41.340-07:00MOM IS COMING TO DINNER!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So mom is coming to dinner! She misses me and wants to hang out, cue the awwws. What can I say I was a pretty great kid. :-P Anyways what to make the woman who brought you into this world, who suffered through your rebellious teenage years of being a complete brat without killing you, and has simply been there to talk you through your most stressful times when she herself had dealt with so much worse but never letting onto the fact that your problems were any less devastating??</div>
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A fantastic meal made with love and kindness that is. This had me thinking comfort food, I couldn't get creamy whipped potatoes out of my head. Sometimes for me when I fixate on a certain item I simply have to make it. Or it won't go away. So we knew this meal would be mashed potatoes. Then what? Well what goes better with mashed potatoes than steak? Nothing I could think of at the time. Also we are transitioning into my FAVORITE season of the year. Fall. Nothing is better than Fall. That being said I thought of roasted squash and then the mashed potatoes turned into mashed SWEET potatoes a concoction that would surely have my roommate drooling at just the thought and wham bam we had a meal on our hands.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR0CdJR_U1XFOXZQH_lS775jFjJ764fr34syFOHHcoRwKiNcdY2bKabinHfbQDvb_9AAv4TY3ukhXD4CtaDkXYagu_H6A-QjFWgLjUSAVPPdewj6NVyUlqFA51fN74cC4IKnebzAAdAw7o/s1600/IMG_0495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR0CdJR_U1XFOXZQH_lS775jFjJ764fr34syFOHHcoRwKiNcdY2bKabinHfbQDvb_9AAv4TY3ukhXD4CtaDkXYagu_H6A-QjFWgLjUSAVPPdewj6NVyUlqFA51fN74cC4IKnebzAAdAw7o/s1600/IMG_0495.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
(Disclaimer Here: I just moved and am getting used to the grocery stores in the area, the selection of steaks at the local store was not up to par and I will be searching around more next time, but time being a factor I went with what was available.)<br />
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Anyways on to how I did it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ68b2P3QrzBBJFtg0I2DFRcK1Yol63EDC5-wlvuz3bP52MnqCT-wT1H4_Vdezsyy4qpvSI9rAA7LgRqsmZIoykZVCIQioEMFrSVwdSGAmJ_q_2FSml_sGcGIeybUksIdYieJCo4_rQmKk/s1600/IMG_0477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ68b2P3QrzBBJFtg0I2DFRcK1Yol63EDC5-wlvuz3bP52MnqCT-wT1H4_Vdezsyy4qpvSI9rAA7LgRqsmZIoykZVCIQioEMFrSVwdSGAmJ_q_2FSml_sGcGIeybUksIdYieJCo4_rQmKk/s1600/IMG_0477.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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The first thing I wanted to do was get the steaks in a marinade, the longer they sit the better the flavor, but a good fifteen to twenty minutes will do ya just fine!<br />
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<b>Steaks:</b><br />
2 steaks of your choosing ( I used the NY Strip steaks here)<br />
3 cloves of garlic minced<br />
1/4 c. worcestershire sauce<br />
1/4 c. canola and olive oil blend ( you can simply use olive oil or canola oil, whatever you have on hand)<br />
salt and pepper to season<br />
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First I seasoned the steaks with salt and pepper on each side. Then in a gallon sized bag I added the rest of the ingredients and threw the steaks in with it. Mixing it all together by giving the bag a good shake. Then I put it in a bowl and in the fridge to break down the flavors.<br />
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After they have marinated and your grill is nice and hot pull them out of the fridge and cook to your desired doneness. If you are making this meal like me in your kitchen, because after many years of dorm life and now apartment living you don't actually own an outside grill/ are kind of scared to use one by yourself but you are craving a steak or grilled item, don't you worry let me introduce you to my friend George.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-QVYcHnfHB1vj55-brlRNJEv9QUD8n6mgowvsqvco-45AOWRRM6MUKt46lubxm0o1BRTRblU5ZCt0x5SdwoWvZ7l0NVlQP5ju0tccE0HK9XQwd1YOUoHol63Q9xvcXfMXqblj0AKzU1h/s1600/IMG_0483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-QVYcHnfHB1vj55-brlRNJEv9QUD8n6mgowvsqvco-45AOWRRM6MUKt46lubxm0o1BRTRblU5ZCt0x5SdwoWvZ7l0NVlQP5ju0tccE0HK9XQwd1YOUoHol63Q9xvcXfMXqblj0AKzU1h/s1600/IMG_0483.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj881IobI8le4UcpybLrCnLrKgKI8VV2gA6RQWQirw2oIWvSFYIJzjDlTEXjxU0xHrYnowoPnEbUyA_PDZPV3rF_EekgNh9tzyODh7OlNudadrlFVpbwDdukFe6tQbzq4ZgJu95NJd6vpso/s1600/IMG_0484.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj881IobI8le4UcpybLrCnLrKgKI8VV2gA6RQWQirw2oIWvSFYIJzjDlTEXjxU0xHrYnowoPnEbUyA_PDZPV3rF_EekgNh9tzyODh7OlNudadrlFVpbwDdukFe6tQbzq4ZgJu95NJd6vpso/s1600/IMG_0484.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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George Foreman that is. This little counter friendly device is probably my second highest used piece of equipment. I use it for everything. It even comes with a little booklet on cooking temps that I visit often. It is fast to heat up and easy to clean. The teflon coating doesn't require you to use any extra oils or fats to keep from sticking and all the excess fats drain off into the drip pan at the bottom! Okay enough with the advertising. Simply put if you don't have one of these it is the best 50 or so bucks you will spend!</div>
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<b>Mashed Sweet Potatoes (I.E. Heaven):</b><br />
3 raw sweet potatoes<br />
1/2 stick of butter ( I used unsalted but salted will work as well)<br />
2 T. of honey<br />
1/2 T. pumpkin pie spice ( or 1/2 tsp. each of cinnamon and nutmeg)<br />
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream ( I just happened to have this in my fridge but I usually use whatever kind of milk I have on hand, you can substitute for convenience or even for nutrition purposes)<br />
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First you want to wash the potatoes thoroughly. I like to leave the skin on for the nutrients and also because I like my mashed potatoes to have a little chunk in them. (Also secretly I LOATHE peeling potatoes.) Next you want to chop them into bite sized chunks like so: <span id="goog_9316334"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzUO8VGZFOHAG0Dz1eF4zg518FrYJbf-MI24_AUUc_fKMHCJ3zQEjrMYMDYaIUD52lt2oI2pkQIhldTtYR5-y4DgHHP4sHDFiwg55BqZxd7znm-KE0NlHdZur8pYyjJpz6PTKHqlk3f99/s1600/IMG_0480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzUO8VGZFOHAG0Dz1eF4zg518FrYJbf-MI24_AUUc_fKMHCJ3zQEjrMYMDYaIUD52lt2oI2pkQIhldTtYR5-y4DgHHP4sHDFiwg55BqZxd7znm-KE0NlHdZur8pYyjJpz6PTKHqlk3f99/s1600/IMG_0480.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you have never dealt with sweet potatoes in their raw form note that they are much denser and harder to cut than regular potatoes. Just use a sharp heavy knife and caution when working with them. Remember slow and steady wins the race. </div>
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After you have them chopped up transfer them into a pot big enough so that you can cover them with water leaving a good third or fourth of the pot unfilled. If you don't have a pot big enough that is fine you will just have to stay close during the cooking process so that they don't boil over and when they get close simple stir them to calm them down or reduce the temperature.</div>
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I covered the potatoes and had them at a medium high heat until they boiled. Then I removed the lid and let them cook for about 15 minutes until they were fork tender. (Total cooking process 25 minutes) Depending on how many you use this could take longer. Just remember fork tender and you are golden.</div>
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Next I strained them in the sink like so:</div>
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(If you aren't familiar with what I mean by fork tender, I mean that you can easily poke your fork into any potato and it would be soft enough to eat. I usually check a couple just to make sure)</div>
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Next I transfer them into my kitchen aid ( probably the best kitchen gift I have ever received (THANKS MOM)) and I add in the rest of the ingredients. The butter first I usually forget to pull it out and it is cold and solid so I let it melt a little over the hot potatoes before I begin mixing. Then I add in the honey and the spices and start the mixer at a low speed as I pour in the cream slowly as it is blending. Whip to your desired chunkiness or smoothness consistency and dip a spoon in to taste test! </div>
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(That last step is the most crucial to me!)</div>
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YUM!</div>
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<b>Roasted Squash:</b></div>
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2 yellow squash washed</div>
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1/4 tsp. salt</div>
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1/4 tsp. pepper</div>
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1/8 c. italian style breadcrumbs</div>
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1 1/2 T.- 2 T. oil</div>
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Okay this part couldn't be easier. You wash the squash (because again you are leaving on the skin.) Cut into bite sized chunks. Put into a baking dish season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the oil evenly on top. (You can use your desired oil amount here, you could even roast them without if you are using a nicely teflon coated pan, to make them healthier, but to avoid sticking I add a little oil.) Top with the breadcrumbs. Progresso makes a good italian blend. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmRVhrOxhkxI_sl1_SGu6Q__mRfLbGk-_r5XT9U3WWpO_29DSc9DRaivGbrbaxXIze6DHbn0wgT6c8ffQLMZUuFxxHCGqU6XVPoduEt3-WPoXyrsfqmizeVp0rKlFEJMHG0X8BHQ38oYH6/s1600/IMG_0481.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmRVhrOxhkxI_sl1_SGu6Q__mRfLbGk-_r5XT9U3WWpO_29DSc9DRaivGbrbaxXIze6DHbn0wgT6c8ffQLMZUuFxxHCGqU6XVPoduEt3-WPoXyrsfqmizeVp0rKlFEJMHG0X8BHQ38oYH6/s1600/IMG_0481.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Bake at 450 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. Again fork tender but with a little crunch left in them.</div>
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Now all you have to do is sit back and ENJOY your meal with your mom, dad, friend, sibling, whoever! </div>
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<span id="goog_9316333"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905845441826555706.post-37504515779670601842013-08-27T17:23:00.002-07:002013-08-27T17:23:29.386-07:00Hello World/ Cherry Almond Chicken SaladWith the strokes of these keys my next big adventure begins. They say when one door closes another opens, well as my undergraduate career has come to an end and the in between period before my adventures into culinary school start I find myself with a bunch of free time on my hands. With a life long passion for food and a developing need to share that love with the rest of the world grows the only thing that makes sense is to start a blog. Now it must be noted that while I have thought about this a time or two on my own it is the power of suggestion that has really pushed me over the edge. Because while my love for food is strong it is really other's interest in what I create in the kitchen that has me on a path of sharing. <div>
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When it comes to food I am still as much of a student as I feel like I can be a teacher. I know a lot but I have a lot more to learn. Here I will share recipes that I have made up on my own, have been passed through family or dear friends, or have been found amongst my cookbooks or other food blogs that I follow. Inspiration is only one ingredient away and in the kitchen anything is possible. </div>
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I hope to inspire others like I myself have been inspired in the past and continue to be in the present and future. I hope to show people how easy and fun cooking can be and I hope from here people will be able to find answers to culinary questions they might have or bring some to the table that I can help solve. </div>
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With that being said let the fun begin!</div>
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Cherry Almond Chicken Salad</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYac19Y_Lp6ZIKmJkIwtRSHbfolt0ZobvKGJ0As7E31ic9LXQzdT6CYfUTkxLC6NEuPRtGVil_AoqiWh7nUi8ItVFVrKcV89cMAAnxeCnQkOlo-Y_PbLBbUU648nvJQQVnj7tuF7DQQCTZ/s1600/IMG_0457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYac19Y_Lp6ZIKmJkIwtRSHbfolt0ZobvKGJ0As7E31ic9LXQzdT6CYfUTkxLC6NEuPRtGVil_AoqiWh7nUi8ItVFVrKcV89cMAAnxeCnQkOlo-Y_PbLBbUU648nvJQQVnj7tuF7DQQCTZ/s320/IMG_0457.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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In my opinion there are many ways one can mess up a simple chicken salad sandwich, one of which includes shredding the chicken. There are not many things I despise in the world of food but for some reason the texture of shredded meat really turns me off. Another way you can mess up a good chicken salad is being careless when it comes to the selection of meat you choose, nothing is worse than enjoying a good chicken salad sandwich and biting into a tendon or a piece of fat YUCK! </div>
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These are easy enough things to avoid, take the time to cut up your chicken ( usually faster than shredding it anyways!) and simply pay attention to what you are doing.</div>
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This version was a combination of convenience of what was in the fridge and a craving for an old favorite!</div>
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What you will need:</div>
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A rotisserie chicken ( you can likely pick up one of these for about 5 bucks at your local grocery store)</div>
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- I used about 2 cups of meat from the bird for this recipe</div>
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White Onion diced ( red or yellow onions would work just as well, whatever you have on hand!)</div>
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-1/4 cup</div>
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Salt </div>
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- 1tsp</div>
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Pepper</div>
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-1 tsp.</div>
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Roasted almonds chopped in half</div>
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-1/4 cup</div>
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Mayonaise ( I like the kind Hellmann's makes with olive oil)</div>
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- I used about 3-4 Tbsp. </div>
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Fresh Cherries </div>
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-1 cup pitted</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVloUFdAAhyphenhyphenACha60hRXs3roDWaPybXecQJAznhVl0ELK51zT47rUuHoukxpBZzPXZIm8BQHH3JgVDLYfdC940-Jw1pumli_Xq17b5g_9ayCJGzj173xbI6tgSpaeikAq9EuMetqZRy8T/s1600/IMG_0461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFVloUFdAAhyphenhyphenACha60hRXs3roDWaPybXecQJAznhVl0ELK51zT47rUuHoukxpBZzPXZIm8BQHH3JgVDLYfdC940-Jw1pumli_Xq17b5g_9ayCJGzj173xbI6tgSpaeikAq9EuMetqZRy8T/s320/IMG_0461.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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First you want to remove the chicken from the bone, I also remove the skin, while the flavor is good and tempting to keep, it is terrible when mixed into the chicken salad. Trust me I have tried it both ways.</div>
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Once you have removed all of the chicken from the bone next you want to start chopping it up. Paying special attention to any fat or unsavory parts. </div>
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After you have chopped up all of your chicken set it aside in a bowl. </div>
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Now chop your almonds in half. You can leave them whole if you prefer but I wanted to spread them out in the mix so I cut mine in half. </div>
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Mix in your salt and pepper.</div>
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Now add in your mayo. I only used about four tablespoons for my recipe and it was enough to cover the chicken and the almonds lightly. If you prefer creamier chicken salad you are welcome to add more. I just caution you to do this slowly, I tablespoon or even a teaspoon at a time. You only have so much chicken and if you ruin it with too much mayo well, there isn't a whole lot I can suggest to bring it back to life! I just prefer to be able to keep the taste of the chicken and other ingredients pure and find that less mayo is not only healthier but also does a good job of not overpowering the other ingredients. </div>
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The last thing I do is add in the pitted cherries. I only want to mix them in lightly as to not let their juice bleed all over the chicken salad and also to not coat them in the mayo. </div>
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If you have never pitted a cherry before this is a very easy thing to do. Simply take a knife. I use a small butchers knife. Remove the stem place your knife in the center where the stem comes from and circle it around the cherry's pit creating a slit all the way around. Next twist one side of the cherry gently off the pit and then pop out the pit. Voila pitted cherries not that hard, just a little tedious. But so worth it!</div>
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After you have mixed in the cherries you are ready to eat!</div>
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I served mine over a piece of toast with a little extra mayo spread on the bread( I didn't eat it right away and being in the fridge overnight it needed a little extra love) with a piece of kale. </div>
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Modifications:</div>
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I don't always use cherries, often I actually use purple grapes but cherries were what I had on hand. Also I often add some celery in for a little extra crunch but didn't have anything on hand and the onions and almonds did plenty in that department. </div>
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It can also be enjoyed without bread. Sometimes I will eat this by itself ( like the few forkfuls I ate over the kitchen counter straight out of the bowl, you know for the sake of ummm taste testing.) Or I will put it on top of a salad as well. </div>
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I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06539065338336432642noreply@blogger.com0