tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16813936561075084362024-03-14T03:49:36.507-04:00Our Snapshot Life<i><b>Take a peek into the daily goings on and traditions in our family.</b></i>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.comBlogger179125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-81269337143601488412015-11-12T12:06:00.004-05:002015-11-12T15:00:24.425-05:00Making it Through a Bare Bones Week ~Part Two <i>I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine, <a href="http://cindymillersblog.blogspot.com/">Cindy Miller</a>, from <a href="http://cindymillersblog.blogspot.com/">Every Little Bit</a>, as she presents this blog post to you letting you in on the secrets that allowed her to feed her family of nine on a budget of $250 per month! Without further ado:</i><br />
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447347549867_2836" lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">One of the biggest pleasures and challenges of the 90’s for me had nothing to do with the Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins, The Cranberries, or the Clinton Whitehouse but with feeding a family of six, then seven, followed by eight, and you guessed it, nine people on a budget of about $250 a month, and keeping them in the dark where nutrition and flavor were concerned as to the strict limits of that budget.</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447347549867_2839" lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">I followed common advice such as: </span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">DO . . .</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447347549867_2832" lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">. . . buy in bulk when it’s cheaper (50 to 100 lbs. of potatoes when the new crop comes in, 50 lb. oats instead of 42 oz., 50 lbs of flour or wheat berries instead of 5 lbs., 2 lbs of baking powder instead of ten oz., 1 lb of yeast instead of those little bitty packages, 1 lb. of pectin instead of those L.B.P., etc.)</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447347549867_2829" lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">. . . compare prices by the unit; ounce, lb, etc.; sometimes smaller is actually cheaper by the unit</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447347549867_2826" lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">. . . buy in quantity on sale — I had set a price of $1.09 lb. for meat as the most I would pay (Remember it was the 90’s. Now my budget is higher and my meat price limit is $2.00 lb.), and I wouldn’t buy hot dogs or cheap lunch meat. When it — chicken usually — was on sale for my price, I would buy up to 20 lbs. If cheese was on sale, I would buy ten lbs or more. If eggs were cheap (even when I had chickens) I would buy dozens and freeze them in quantities for baking favorite recipes or in quantities for scrambling. </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447347549867_2806" lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">Stocking up creates some good family memories. Earlier this year Wal-mart had a sale on butter, 2 lb. for $4. I bought 80 lbs during the month of the sale. Yes, that is a lot of butter. Each time we went my kids would groan and say, “More butter, Mother?” (That’s what they call me when I am in trouble.) But it was groaned with a grin, because that butter signified good things to come!</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447347549867_2823" lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">. . . store what you buy appropriately — I had plenty of storage including an unheated back bathroom with large crank-out windows with no storm inserts in our uninsulated concrete block house. SHIVER ME TIMBERS! Pretty freaking cold for showering in the late fall through early spring, but, it was great for storing bushels of apples and huge bags of potatoes! I learned to pressure can and water bath foods as needed, and/or to dehydrate and properly freeze WHATEVER we had in excess. </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447347549867_2820" lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">. . . use coupons if they will actually save you money — coupons didn’t work well for me because of our low budget and alternative methods of filling the pantry but sometimes they helped.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">. . . buy what you can’t store well — if it goes bad, that just stinks, maybe literally</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">. . . buy what you will not use — I have done this on a bad impulse. It’s really dumb.</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447347549867_2843" lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">. . . use coupons if the store brand is still cheaper or if you don’t really have a reason other than the coupon for the purchase (see above!)</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447347549867_2845" lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">In the 90’s our small town of 2,000 had two small grocery stores, each offering double coupons one day a week. I took advantage of their sales and double-coupon offers, but I had to come up with some options custom-tailored to the growing Miller family. </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447347549867_2848" lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">Because I have long believed I should have been born about 40 years earlier than 1958 (Just so you don’t bother with the math, I’m 57) when “times were simpler” — and, because times are never really "simple", by that I mean I should have been born on a small farm with a mama who homemade everything and a daddy who plowed fields with oxen or draft horses and education took place in a one-room schoolhouse and we sat on the porch of an evening drinking lemonade and playing checkers and we always had sheets waving about on a clothes line and we gathered eggs and apples from our hens and orchards — these “old-fashioned” methods came easily to me as I would . . .</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">. . . Grow the biggest garden possible in our very small yard; green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and onions, lettuce, spinach always, as well as basils, dill, sage and thyme.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">. . . Find the wild sources of food, which for us include venison, blackberries, raspberries, elderberries, persimmons, grapes, and morels</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">. . . Chase down the owners of those unpicked pear and apple trees and ask if I could pick and pay for fruit. This included advertising for them on a local free radio program. </span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">. . . Get chickens for eggs</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">. . . Get dairy goats for milk — which ended up being too restrictive for us as we had reasons to travel (Daddy dying of cancer two hours away and all that those many months entailed) but Oh. My. Goodness! The milk, cheese, soap and BARTER possibilities! </span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">. . . Let it be known that I will happily use whatever gardeners over-produced. The world over, there are gardeners who plant too much just for the joy of gardening, and are blessed by sharing their produce with others. And when you have a lot of children, people tend to want to share with you anyway. We were gifted with bushels of apples, green beans, pears, cucumbers, peppers, grapes, even gooseberries over the years. I always offered to pay or to give back some jam or sauce or pickle made with what I was given, and sometimes that was accepted, but often nothing was wanted other than the joy of knowing their produce was going to be put to good use.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">. . . Make everything possible or practical from scratch — breads are a big deal. Tortillas, biscuits, rolls, pancakes, loaf bread, cookies, muffins, cakes, etc. can all be homemade for pennies. Get in the habit of making them, and they become routine and take less and less time the better you get at them. The purchased ones are so expensive and so full of weirdness. And if you buy the ones that aren’t full of weirdness you have to spend enough that you could make 3 times as much or more from scratch. Also pasta. Homemade pasta costs pennies and makes a regular meal into something family gets excited about!</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">. . . Find a whole lot of good ways to make inexpensive foods taste good — Yes. Potatoes and beans, rice and corn meal, cabbage and carrots and apples and bananas, etc. (How many times did I and do I buy dark, mushy bananas at $.19 lb to freeze for smoothies, quick breads, etc. )</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">. . . Shop Ike and Cora Godsey’s store. Remember the Walton’s? I love the Godsey’s store and find the local (50 mile radius) Mennonite and Amish stores have that same simple food and family feel. They are a great source for cheaper bulk dry goods (grains, beans, spices, cereals, baking supplies) and things like lye, good cookware, healing herbs and oils, molasses and honey by the quart, fresh produce by the bushel, nuts, dried fruits, etc. Believe it or not, back in the 90’s 50 lbs. of oatmeal could be had in the fall for $8 to $12. Now it’s around $20.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">One of the oddest and most fun ways of stretching our food budget was (and is) salvage store shopping. People buy truckloads of salvage grocery items, often sight-unseen, and sell them in small, usually over-stuffed stores. We frequented one in a town 35 miles away that also boasted an Aldi, and were able to find special sauces, vinegars, cooking wines, oils, and normal stuff like canned fruits and veggies extremely cheaply. You have to check for expiration dates and good seals on canned goods. You even have to check for moths in the pasta! It’s quite the adventure, but when you find a jar of honey for $1 or special wines, vinegars and sauces for $.79 a bottle, you GO! We could often buy a case (24 cans) of pineapple or 29 oz tomatoes for around $.50 a can, so while we were very low budget, we could still afford some treats!</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">To this day I can’t pass up a salvage store, and though our budget is looser and there are only five at home now, Smoked Gouda at $2.50 lb or Provelone at $2.00 lb still makes my little heart sing. </span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">Last year we discovered one 45 miles away that one special weekend sells new crop fresh apples; fuji, gala, jonathans, etc. for $.28 lb. This year wee bought about 70 lbs, canned a lot of sauce and apple butter, and ate fresh apples for weeks. Sweet and ripe! The apples, I mean.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">The Thrill Of The Hunt kept me searching for inexpensive sources (Still does, and I find that toilet paper is very cheap purchased online if you have the right account and free shipping, but I have not purchased it that way yet. All in good time . . .) and I discovered ethnic grocery stores can provide cool stuff at great prices. Sesame seeds, sesame oil, dried shitakes, Kikkoman soy sauce, jasmine rice are all cheaper in the Asian grocers 80 miles away, so when we visited Springfield, Mo., we picked up that stuff. Kikkoman by the gallon is now $15. I frankly don’t remember what it was in the 90’s, but $8 seems right.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">If there is a take away or three from this, one might be that although there are some basic dos and don’ts that generally work for everyone, you need to customize your plan for your location and family. Obviously, if you live in the city, and especially in an apartment, “farm” animals won’t work for you. And you may not have even a south facing window for ornamental peppers much less a tomato plant or two. You may need to come up with a barter system or something entirely different than anything I’ve mentioned! If there are only two to provide for, you are unlikely to want to buy 50 lbs of oats, but maybe you could co-op such things with friends. </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447347549867_2857" lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">Also, obviously you have to put effort into saving money — searching out sources, putting your own two hands to work, putting the word out that you are willing to work for produce, keeping your eyes open for dented can specials or sales on things nearing or just past the sell by date, being prepared with storage ideas and containers for the unexpected find.</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1447347549867_2854" lang="en-US" style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt;">Keep your eyes peeled and think outside the box! “The Box” is too small to meet the challenge of the seriously restricted grocery budget anyway.</span></div>
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Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-52400276937609316742015-11-11T07:46:00.000-05:002015-11-11T07:50:49.070-05:00Making it Through a Barebones Week<div id="yiv8512629338yui_3_16_0_1_1443637098400_2463">
When things were extremely tight for our family of 8, no matter how things looked, we always found a way to make it through.</div>
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Some things which helped were making pancakes for breakfast. Who doesn't love a good pancake breakfast, and it costs pennies per meal. Nowadays there are discount stores like Aldi and such that really can help things along all the more. When my kids were real small we didn't have those. Another idea was breakfast for dinner once every week. No one complained about that one, which helps. ;)</div>
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Homemade breads, biscuits, bread sticks or rolls are always a hit and help fill up with a portion controlled meal (AKA 3 oz of meat and any available veggies)</div>
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From scratch soups with a fresh bread nourish, warm & comfort, and allow a family to fill up pretty inexpensively (compared to more traditional meals) One night was always soup/bean chili night, and definitely for lunches, too.</div>
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Here is the link to the bread I first learned to make: <span id="yiv8512629338yui_3_16_0_1_1443637098400_2552" style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/breadmaking101.htm" id="yiv8512629338yui_3_16_0_1_1443637098400_2549" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #196ad4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">Bread Making 101</a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent;">Also tortillas are a nice change, and can be filled with lots of rice, some beans and whatever else you like and have on hand. Rolled up and topped with some tomato soup or homemade enchilada sauce can really beat the suppertime boredom. </span></div>
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When I was able to make a ham, or any other larger cut of meat, I definitely had to use some "up-front" portion control or the whole thing would have been gobbled right up and cost a fortune. Instead I sliced enough for dinner, and set the rest aside to be diced and frozen in baggies as a base to other meals to come. You can fry some up alongside eggs for breakfast, or use some for soup. You can even make a sandwich spread by processing along with some mayo and a bit of relish, onion and celery. </div>
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Potatoes can usually be had for a cheap price at this time of year and everyone loves potatoes. Mashed, diced, baked and fried can be a friend to breakfast, lunch or dinner. </div>
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Other cheap staples right now would be cabbage, carrots, apples that are just in season now, rice, (beans of course). </div>
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Also, at times frozen veggies will be a better deal, dollar wise, than fresh. They are picked at the peak of freshness and then snap frozen, so nutritionally they are a great deal. </div>
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Diced apples fried in butter with some brown sugar make a sweet topping for pancakes as well. It can make eating inexpensively seem like a treat. Don't have brown sugar? Molasses mixed in with some regular granulated sugar will do the trick (got that trick from Connie). </div>
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A whole chicken can be stretched into 3 meals. Here is a link that can explain that idea in more detail: </div>
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<a href="http://www.5dollardinners.com/denises-3-meals-from-one-roast-chicken/" id="yiv8512629338yui_3_16_0_1_1443637098400_2896" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #196ad4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">Denise’s 3 Meals From One Roast Chicken</a></div>
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<span class="yiv8512629338link-enhancr-element yiv8512629338icon yiv8512629338icon-shrink yiv8512629338link-enhancr-toggle"></span><span class="yiv8512629338link-enhancr-element yiv8512629338icon yiv8512629338icon-close yiv8512629338link-enhancr-delete" id="yiv8512629338yui_3_16_0_1_1443637098400_3065"></span><a class="yiv8512629338link-enhancr-card-urlWrapper yiv8512629338link-enhancr-element" href="http://www.5dollardinners.com/denises-3-meals-from-one-roast-chicken/" id="yiv8512629338yui_3_16_0_1_1443637098400_3288" rel="nofollow" style="background: transparent; color: black; cursor: pointer !important; display: block; font-size: 18px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span class="yiv8512629338link-enhancr-element yiv8512629338link-enhancr-card-title" id="yiv8512629338yui_3_16_0_1_1443637098400_3287" style="display: inline-block; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 3px; max-height: 43px; overflow: hidden;">Denise’s 3 Meals From One Roast Chicken</span></a><br />
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Whenever you may have a couple extra dollars, even if you think you should hold onto it, think about purchasing a few staple grocery/pantry items more than you need right now (depending on what you already have currently). Doing this helped me lower my grocery bill other weeks, and build up a pantry stock so that when there was no money, we still had food to work with. I did this with canned items, and baking items especially. </div>
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Back in the day there was a program where if you did a couple hours of community service a month, you could purchase a food box for like half price of what it would cost normally. There were a variety of items in the box that you could plan your meals and other shopping around. I cannot remember the name of the program anymore, but a little research could uncover whether there is a similar program in existence today. </div>
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Also, at Farmers Markets you can buy "seconds" where I live for cheaper than the perfectly picked apples and tomatoes. These are fruits that had fallen to the ground, but still very good, just not perfect anymore. This is definitely what you want to buy for any canning you may want to do as well. </div>
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Eventually I learned to make my own laundry detergent so that I could put that money into our mouths instead. Here is a link to learn to do it the new fangled (and not dangerous) way: </div>
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<a href="http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-laundry-detergent-soap/" id="yiv8512629338yui_3_16_0_1_1443637098400_3275" rel="nofollow" style="background: transparent; color: #196ad4; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-laundry-detergent-soap/</a></div>
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I devoured books from the library like The Tightwad Gazette for example that really uncovered some unusual and fun ideas for saving money and for making use of items you already have, and extending the life of items you already have as well. It made for both entertainment as well as practical help to make it week to week.</div>
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I almost forgot! Depression era searches online and books at the library can teach you to make desserts and such for a fraction of the price because they used alternatives to expensive butter and eggs. Please check that out! My kids thought we were doing alright during what were some pretty trying times when I could turn out a dessert like this.<br />
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One more thing before I close, price matching is a great tool for getting the most out of your dollar without having to cut coupons or drive around all day. I will direct you to Jordan's blog to read a success story from a reader that lays it all out very well in an easy to understand way with helpful tips, just <a href="http://funcheaporfree.com/2015/10/first-time-price-matching-success-freebs-success-rebecca/">click here for price matching info!</a></div>
Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-90932167240531285542015-11-06T10:43:00.000-05:002015-12-21T13:38:28.558-05:00Where is this all going?I've been doing some thinking about this blog, and whether I should begin a new one, and let this one just end, or if I should continue and let it evolve as life goes on the way that it does. I've been thinking about the theme of this blog, it seems it's been kind of all over the place...which is how my life has been. Life has a way of doing that. <br />
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My true love and heart is with homemaking and frugality. Yes, I am a woman, with many complicated facets, and I want to share myself with my readers. I want to celebrate homemaking on a budget and memory making, so that is where my focus will remain. <br />
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Our life is easier in some ways these days, as is the natural progression of how life goes often times. I still remember the early struggle just trying to keep food on our table for eight, really getting into the homemaking spirit to inspire myself in the day-to-day. I really want to support and encourage others along the way, as others had done for me. <br />
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To celebrate the re-opening of my dusty little blog, I will be posting my tips on how to make a home on a bare bones budget. I will be welcoming a guest post as well on the subject by my friend, <a href="http://cindymillersblog.blogspot.com/">Cindy Miller</a>. Stay tuned!<br />
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<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-61491546886017697432015-11-06T10:00:00.000-05:002015-11-10T14:30:08.658-05:00Thanksgiving Draws Near<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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How do you like this meat, cheese and cracker platter for a festive Thanksgiving?</div>
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I think it adds such a fun and memorable touch to have a couple stand-out centerpieces among the rest of the more typical spreads. I like to dress our table simply . I have a long vine garland with fall berries and a few fake pumpkins and gourds I lay through the middle of the table over the tablecloth. It's so simple and almost no effort, yet looks elegant. You could also just cut bittersweet if you have a source for that available to you and do the same type thing with some pine cones, acorns and whatever else speaks celebrating the Autumn season to you. Maybe some preserved brilliant leaves. Once you start, your creativity will kick in. </div>
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I think preserved leaves would also be a colorful touch to your table! Try to preserve some brilliant Fall leaves using the wax paper method:</div>
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You will need some of your prettiest collected leaves, wax paper, piece of paper or a thin tea towel, along with your iron and ironing board.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Place a leaf between two pieces of wax paper and a towel or a piece of thick paper over the wax paper.</span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Press on the towel or paper with a warm iron to seal the wax sheets together. This takes about 2-5 minutes on each side, depending on how moist the leaf is. Once you have finished one side, flip the leaf over and do the other side.</span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Once the leaves have cooled with the wax paper on them, try to peel the wax paper off the leaves, leaving a coat of wax behind to protect the leaves. </span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">What are your Thanksgiving plans this year?</span></span></div>
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Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-14109907493768600222015-10-29T12:23:00.000-04:002015-10-29T12:29:17.543-04:00Bloom where you are plantedGoing through some of these posts, it's seems unreal in a way. I'm not even the same person who wrote this blog, for the most part. There are bits of me I recognize, yet our life is so different today from when I started blogging. My children are all grown up! One is 23, an RN and married with a little boy on the way. One is a sophomore in college for Illustration here in WNY. The 4 babies are ages 11, 12, 14 and 17. It's just unreal to think about how my life used to be when I was writing these posts. <br />
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Some things are similar, I am still at home. Every time I think about perhaps going to college and starting a career I realize how much I am actually needed. I mean I am kept busy! I am constantly driving my daughter to college now that she is commuting this year. That alone is ridiculous, especially when her classes are hours apart from each other. <br />
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Sometimes a boy will miss the bus and I am able to solve it easily, or someone is sick and needs to be picked up. Imagine having to be late to, or miss work over it. ugh...I don't have to imagine that hard. I was a single mom to two tiny girls, and everyday just to make it on time to work within the lousy 30 minute allowance and back to the daycare after work was so difficult. I didn't work in town after all but a good ways away in North Hatfield (day care in Holyoke). <br />
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All I ever wanted in those days was to be able to take care of my babies and not leave them with strangers, or anyone else for that matter. To take care of my home. To have a God-loving man to share my life with. I have been blessed with all of these hearts desires. In some ways I grieve, knowing my failings and wishing I had done better with all I've been given. I wonder why I still struggle with self-worth and loneliness, why I feel so stuck, instead of just being able to settle into my role and this life I've been given. <br />
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I very carelessly and hurriedly took this photo this past August right in our driveway. A flower doesn't strive or struggle it just does what it was meant to do, even in the unlikeliest of places and sometimes hostile environments. It doesn't over-analyze, question and doubt itself to death. It simply blooms. It was an inspiring message to me and I'm glad I didn't miss it. <br />
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Sometimes looking forward requires a look behind, to remember from whence we've come. I'm extremely grateful to my mom for lending me her car in order to work back in 1997. She's always been a sacrificial giver. I don't know anyone else like her. Her generosity to me, helped me to help myself and my girls. It was also what allowed me to meet Mike in the first place, at work. <br />
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I am forever grateful to Mike as well, for everything he's done for me. For loving me so well, and believing in me. For believing in my value enough to want me for himself and his children at home. It makes me want to do and be better. Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-39398829215715291532015-10-07T14:08:00.000-04:002015-10-12T15:36:25.732-04:00Time to get real. I am kind of devestated. It's a kind of feeling that may just wake one up from their status quo slumber. Today I began looking at my posts here at my long neglected blog. It was fun to see some of our old memories, some of which I would not have even remembered had they not been documented here, which totally reminds me that I need to get back to doing this as the memory maker I aspire to be for our family. I digress....<br />
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I came upon a post from 2012 where I had finally fit into this dress I adored for my 14th wedding anniversary. I was elated, glowing, healthy and alive! Yes I still had a way to go, but I was doing it!!! I was meeting goals!!! I was newly pain-free! My world was widening as I was able to finally go horse back riding. It gave me a focus and much needed community at a time when I was in a new place, with no family or friends around me, attempting to make a home. <br />
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It brought me deep sadness to see how I have backslid since that time. I had been a fitness coach. I know, I was one of those positive thinking coaches that just knew it best to begin my coaching at the beginning of my journey so others could watch my transformation in real time and be inspired regarding their own. <br />
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These pics from just 3 years ago seem like a lifetime away as I look at them right now. <br />
This past Summer we had my daughter's wedding. Not only did I gain 50 pounds since my celebratory dress picture in 2012, but I had to have the dress I was measured for actually taken out 7 months after I had purchased it. I was not my best at this monumental moment in my family's life, and in fact, even though I am normally a photoholic, I haven't even asked, begged or cajoled for a portrait of my daughter and I, or of the family shot the photographer snapped. I am highly embarrassed over these remembrances that can never be changed. <br />
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How did I let depression, lonliness and who-knows-what-else do this to me?! I am the one who suffers. I am the one whose world gets smaller once again. I am the one who pays the price. Why did I let this happen?<span id="goog_1237867053"></span><br />
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I will tell one thing in my own observation. I need social support in my life, be it in person or online. I need to be around other healthy people on a regular basis. I need something to focus on that will bring good. Another really cool concept is that when you are helping others, you are reinforcing your own journey. I found myself in a really good place and felt really accountable when I had others counting on me. When I was a fitness coach I had all of that. Then I quit. I quit because I had an issue that the company wasn't able to solve for me. You see my coach became inactive, and so I was coachless myself. There was a broken link and it bothered me. I wanted to switch to another high profile coach that was very successful, active, positive, and actually running her coaching as a business. I was not allowed to do so as it would screw up the people over and under me. So I quit. Figured I'd join back in 6 months when I could re-join under the super awesome coach I had began following. Only I never did. It was easy to just keep on keeping on, and not start paying the small monthly business dues again. Then it became easy to just stop paying for and drinking my nutritionals which had benefited my husband and I so much.<br />
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Was the savings worth the cost? Definitely not! Look where it has gotten me. I went from an unhealthy sedentary lifestyle, weight and diagnosis of MS to where I was just 3 years ago. And now I am right back where I started. The work to do it again from scratch seems so daunting. And yet.....<br />
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How many more monumental weddings do I want to attend and cringe at the pictures of? How many more activities do I want to turn down? Do I want to be the grandma (first time grandma this coming February!) that sits on the sidelines or that can actually be physically active with her grandbaby? This is just reality. This is not me beating or shaming myself. I am mentally healthier than that. I have become very good at finally being loving toward myself and appreciative of my life. Because of that reason I have decided to get back to it. It's the obvious choice for me. The alternative is not good for me in any way, shape or form. <br />
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I will get back within a framework that supports me with my goals, motivation and socially. I will get back to pushing play on our living room TV and to heck with anything that may make me think twice. I don't care about those silly things any more, I care about me. I care about my husband. I want him to be around a great many years to come. I don't want his body to cave while under pressure or stress because he's not healthy. Although many things are not in our direct control, being good steward with what we've been given sure is. Someone once said to me that it can be done without being a coach, or using a coach and proven framework. Sure, and for those people maybe their social needs are met because they are deep into a fulfilling career, or are surrounded by family and friends. Maybe they are naturally driven physically. For those who are not in those shoes, like myself, I am grateful for the online and local support of this organization, and I'm eager to get back to it. I will do it the right way, the healthy and loving way. I will feed myself nourishing food to help my body heal. How would I treat a small child in my life that I want to nourish and help gain to fitness? I will treat myself accordingly.<br />
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Please join me at my newest blog which I am building from scratch at the moment:<br />
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<a href="http://www.remakingme.net/">Remaking Me</a><br />
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Don't forget to bookmark it!<br />
xoxo<br />
Jenn<br />
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<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-2895187435821684722012-09-04T08:36:00.001-04:002012-09-04T08:37:47.412-04:00Celebrating 14 yearsHello friends! It's been awhile!! We changed our wedding anniversary plans. Each year we go out to a dinner or a movie and dinner......boring! This year since we have been working on our fitness I had the idea to schedule a photo shoot, to give us a tangible memory as well as celebrate our weight loss.<br />
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Something I've always wanted to do was ride horses, so we opted to change our plans from the photo session, which would have also cost a lot more also in the end, to an adventure date consisting of a night at a bed and breakfast of a working horse ranch, followed by a breakfast, a 20 minute lesson, and 90 minutes of trail riding.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our cabin for the night</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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We arrived in the dark, after Mike's full day at work, so we couldn't appreciate the beauty of the drive or the ranch until the next morning. We did arrive armed with some organic dark chocolate and wine to see us through the evening. ;0) <br />
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The next morning at 9am we showed up for breakfast which was set up outdoors on the porch of the main house. A nice long table with pitchers of water was set up and then another area where the food was lined up, covered. There was cereal and milk, yogurt, coffee, a ham, cheese and egg casserole as well as pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful boy</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the horses</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A couple more beauties</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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We then walked down to watch the horses be prepared. We had our short lesson, practiced in the arena and the lined up in formation to take to the trails! Mike was third in line and I was behind him.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I rode Blade</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike rode Casey</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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What a wonderful memory we made that day. I much prefer activity like this to the same 'ol same 'ol. This is something I have *always* wanted to do but could never afford as a child or young adult. Then, I simply was too heavy. It is a wonderful freeing feeling to be able to have choices and not be held back from doing what I really want to do! I still have a way to go with my weight loss, but I would not have DREAMED of doing this last year. Correction: I could have ONLY DREAMED of doing this last year. This year after gaining some fitness I was able to DO IT!<br />
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<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-59515479036443047752012-06-26T19:32:00.003-04:002015-11-06T13:01:04.025-05:00Progressing Right Along...<br />
Where to start? Where to start?? I guess at the beginning. Ok, I bought this dress in April of 2011 for my cousin's May wedding. I ordered it online and when it came from David's Bridal, I quickly found and later confirmed that their sizes run small, so I couldn't squeeze into the size 16. NOT. EVEN. CLOSE. <br />
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No problem, I'd wear it for my 13th anniversary in August, surely by then it would fit. Ummm.....NO. Not only didn't it fit but I actually gained 30 lbs between then and Feb of 2012. How did I do this? By eating any crap I wanted, when I wanted it and by not working out. Plain and Simple. <br />
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I started my fitness journey Feb 26th of 2012. In the first 8 weeks I ate perfectly clean without a hitch, and did the Turbo Jam program as well as half of the P90X program. Then in the last 6 weeks or so (losing count here) I have done well but with a few hiccups along the way of missing workouts for a week at a time or eating off here and there. I've lost 36 lbs total and 17" despite all the hiccups. Even though I've felt like I've stagnated, my dress proves otherwise. <br />
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I tried it on weeks ago, and I actually got it on. I was elated! I couldn't zip it up AT ALL in the back, but it was on and I could actually believe that it would fit me soon. :) <br />
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Today for ha-ha's, out of feeling kind of blah about my progress and effort as of late, I tried it on. I had to take steroids last week and gained a few lbs, and ate some junk to make it a complete pity party...so I am feeling off kilter and behind as I get back on track. SOOOOO the news is that IT FIT!!! Not only did it FIT, but I could ZIP IT ALL THE WAY UP!!!!!! Now, it was very tight, not wearable out yet. If i had bent down, I could have split the seam. BUT IT actually FIT! Wow what a gift of motivation to wind myself right back up and stop messing around. WOO Stinking HOO. <br />
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Oh I've got a way to go but I am getting there. Beachbody fitness programs work. They don't concentrate on one aspect, but the whole person. Fitness, yes, but also nutrition and mind/spirit. 4 more sizes to go to be at my ideal BMI. <br />
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8 more weeks until my 14th Anniversary, and no doubt that I will wear the dress this year. I just wonder if I will need it tailored by then....EEK! Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-59045025578770733492012-05-08T14:51:00.000-04:002012-09-04T08:39:15.945-04:00Sourdough trialsI have tried making sourdough bread a couple of times. It did work, but it took so long to actually rise during the bread making stage that it became too sour to actually eat. I am resistant to using yeast during authentic sourdough making!! I just don't won't have it. SOOOOO I found an old time sourdough recipe using unbleached white flour rather than the whole wheat I've been using. I want to get the hang of this skill and if it means starting with an easier flour, I'm all for it. Still, it will be better than store bought! <br />
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update: Well I had to get off my high horse and use a little store bought yeast as my first attempt rose a little bit, but nowhere near enough to produce a pleasant loaf. Now, that said, it did taste fine, but was rather flat and wide. The boys came home and all had a slice or two of it, and the rest of it I simly cut into strips and made breadsticks to go with that evening's dinner. A big hit! I combined softened butter and a lot of granulate garlic, simply brushed it on with a pastry brush and popped the pan in the oven at 350* until done. <br />
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Today I did turn out a lovely sourdough loaf, using two different old time sourdough recipes as a guide, so here is how I did it, using unbleached bread flour this time along with a small amount of store bought yeast. (That said I have plans to try again with no yeast, using potato water to attract wild yeast) This recipe could also be made up quite quicker which was nice!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHgL5_7df3VETGDeI81jRICPKH1TgM0w_0t22rp5vUJ6pQG2Pvs93joOH5_gZ2TXQS378dmY4rFTrewXXru_sTuq1XIqUh1rvOon2PKKst3Yw7fSHi5YZG-IT2IRe8TnLlRg9NtUdF8TS/s1600/bread1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHgL5_7df3VETGDeI81jRICPKH1TgM0w_0t22rp5vUJ6pQG2Pvs93joOH5_gZ2TXQS378dmY4rFTrewXXru_sTuq1XIqUh1rvOon2PKKst3Yw7fSHi5YZG-IT2IRe8TnLlRg9NtUdF8TS/s320/bread1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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*note: Use glass and wooden utensils, not aluminum, steel or plastic</div>
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<u>In a large glass mixing bowl or crock add:</u><br />
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4 Cups unbleached bread flour<br />
4 Cups warm water (not too hot! just warm)<br />
3 TBSP sugar<br />
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Mix very well with your wooden spoon of choice. I let it sit out for about an hour to attract some wild yeast, and beat it again real good before covering and setting to a quiet space in my kitchen for 48 hours.<br />
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After the 48 hours this is what it looks like:<br />
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You can see the separation of the fermentation process. Just mix the liquid back in gently until it is well incorporated again.<br />
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Now we make the sponge. <br />
Add to a large glass mixing bowl:<br />
1 Cup starter<br />
1 Cup warm water (not too warm) (add to it 1 tsp yeast, allow to sit 5 min, then incorporate into bowl)<br />
1 TBSP sugar<br />
2 Cups unbleached bread flour<br />
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Stir batter until no lumps remain with your wooden spoon. Let this sit overnight. This is what it looked like in the morning.<br />
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Now it's time to store the remaining starter in the fridge until it is next needed for more bread baking. I put mine in a glass Pyrex measure/pour bowl and covered with Saran Wrap. </div>
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Now to make your bread you add to the sponge:</div>
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1 Cup warm water (not too warm!) </div>
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Add to the water, 1 tsp yeast --allow to set for 5 minutes and then add the remaining ingredients</div>
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3 tsp salt</div>
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enough flour to make a soft dough. I personally used 4-1/2 Cups unbleached white bread flour.</div>
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Knead 10 minutes, until it's nice and pliable. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGatMEh_ejEdPZZARZcsotQRUAn61TOhoKWxc664WVnnNhs6fiRnKsIvFXz2sjHiQr6dxHZGGFsxGsI7DI1qlyO3zB1aTZYbYh1hcytAc4oEqlTFMI95_NlBCjhNVftXi0EOZ_53w9Tgg/s1600/breaddoughkneaded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGatMEh_ejEdPZZARZcsotQRUAn61TOhoKWxc664WVnnNhs6fiRnKsIvFXz2sjHiQr6dxHZGGFsxGsI7DI1qlyO3zB1aTZYbYh1hcytAc4oEqlTFMI95_NlBCjhNVftXi0EOZ_53w9Tgg/s1600/breaddoughkneaded.jpg" /></a></div>
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Allow the dough set in bowl, covered with a kitchen towel, at room temperature until doubled in bulk again.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_aGSXCRJpmHs0SPB8Fd2u5A128irxCcxSaoKlmLxJa9kOThv4MmYpjFHRUM-nrFszbC_7k8yDYrDk_FIU4N9JgVLAOKIlINOHi2y5R85s_A_Ep9YH4SEYsDo6Noe5Tk7YdrHueYrfR6y/s1600/breadbowlrisen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_aGSXCRJpmHs0SPB8Fd2u5A128irxCcxSaoKlmLxJa9kOThv4MmYpjFHRUM-nrFszbC_7k8yDYrDk_FIU4N9JgVLAOKIlINOHi2y5R85s_A_Ep9YH4SEYsDo6Noe5Tk7YdrHueYrfR6y/s1600/breadbowlrisen.jpg" /></a></div>
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1-1/2 hours later I cut the dough in half with a sharp knife, shaped into two loaves and placed on a baking sheet sprinkled lightly with corn meal. Dust tops with a fine sprinkling of flour, and cover with kitchen towel. Then I left undisturbed, covered with a light kitchen towel, to allow to rise once more undisturbed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQs-b4wBOd6rFHeE54cI40tyb4CzTJDl1V92tx4eoqreEpQo_UjL6Ammk-z4ooUnslb9fSKXFBQo_8-NeCOe_yrGklleXxp2TV_j4f7yykzIvQ0SXL_VJxuQFfd7ClKtiH1MGwSq6ZcG-I/s1600/loavesshaped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQs-b4wBOd6rFHeE54cI40tyb4CzTJDl1V92tx4eoqreEpQo_UjL6Ammk-z4ooUnslb9fSKXFBQo_8-NeCOe_yrGklleXxp2TV_j4f7yykzIvQ0SXL_VJxuQFfd7ClKtiH1MGwSq6ZcG-I/s1600/loavesshaped.jpg" /></a></div>
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Preheat oven to 375*. </div>
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Slash the top of the loaves gently with a serrated knife, and pop the loaves in the oven immediately. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW0naQVXCiqZZfU7zU1xiv_x1dn0K3hvhvY96Mt4aWcxRbcd0NrTnURL5iAofRPR8m19PqwdeELN3CkdcM3nq9hL2Ztb2ZmxC7kXTQmCpempIHUDeLF1QJtp8wOUuDPz49P143LvyRzfT5/s1600/loavesbaking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW0naQVXCiqZZfU7zU1xiv_x1dn0K3hvhvY96Mt4aWcxRbcd0NrTnURL5iAofRPR8m19PqwdeELN3CkdcM3nq9hL2Ztb2ZmxC7kXTQmCpempIHUDeLF1QJtp8wOUuDPz49P143LvyRzfT5/s1600/loavesbaking.jpg" /></a></div>
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After 35 minutes, check on the loaves and remove to cool. Do not slice bread until it is completely cooled or it will be gummy inside. </div>
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So that you could see the size of the loaf, I placed one on a dinner plate!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDfvWGohU-PiHxDlxZ7ZRARxZG7lSn4AZ-q6Xes2RRZ6ttsaFmUV2JYUmcu5FxmL9_reLQWpq4t3f4LDqxFFK3uymHaLwClEJKNRJZ5v0Hgw2Cw4aT9msfcEsVkBA7h_pUOKrdG-yGtB6/s1600/loafplated.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDfvWGohU-PiHxDlxZ7ZRARxZG7lSn4AZ-q6Xes2RRZ6ttsaFmUV2JYUmcu5FxmL9_reLQWpq4t3f4LDqxFFK3uymHaLwClEJKNRJZ5v0Hgw2Cw4aT9msfcEsVkBA7h_pUOKrdG-yGtB6/s1600/loafplated.jpg" /></a></div>
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Here is a look at it sliced up. :)</div>
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yummmm.....</div>
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Now just simply feed your starter </div>
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Add to the starter:</div>
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1 Cup mildly warm water</div>
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1 Cup unbleached bread flour</div>
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1 TBSP sugar</div>
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Stir well, cover and store in fridge for the next usage. </div>
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<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-59497892137511272382012-04-30T21:41:00.002-04:002015-11-10T14:36:45.550-05:00Remaking Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have finally gotten my weight and food issues under control. For the past few years I would gain weight and then lose it again using the Atkins diet or a variation thereof. I really didn't get much in the way of exercise. I would get halfway to my ultimate goal, only to get completely derailed in October or November each time.... pumpkin lattes, wanting to make pumpkin bread with the children, Thanksgiving, my birthday, Christmas. You name it! When all was said and done I was lost, far down a lost path. I've done this numerous times, sad to say. <br />
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Finally in 2010 when we moved, I began again, losing 50 lbs by my friend's April 2011 wedding, for which I was a bridesmaid. Between then and January of this year I had gained 30 lbs of the 50 back. WHAT?! I had told myself last time that this WAS IT. I could not keep doing this to myself. All the hard work and sweat and sacrifice I made to get where I was, only to throw it away was too much to bear. It was more unhealthy than just staying overweight yet steady I reasoned. And yet.....and YET! I stopped myself at the 30 this time, rather than gaining all 50+ some for good measure back.<br />
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In the past 14 months before this February I had just been walking my dog for exercise. We take a .8 mile loop and I made it very brisk, thinking at least I could get some sort of cardio for me while having to do right by my dog. In February, at my Dr visit I found from my yearly lab work that my HDL (good cholesterol) had gone up from 47 to 54. My Dr was ecstatic and I was pretty surprised! After all I wasn't actively working toward this goal, I was just simply walking my dog and making it brisk, and doing it daily. She told me that the only way to move that number in that way was to MOVE, and not only that but it would have had to taken at least a year. This gave me a bit of motivation, it was a great visit!<br />
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Two weeks before this visit, I began an exercise program called Turbo Jam. It's a cardio program combining kick boxing, copeira, martial art and dance. I had also begun eating good quality foods. Not a "diet" per se, just what I know to be good quality foods. Things like greek yogurt, almonds, walnuts, loads of raw veggies, some lightly steamed or stir-fried; fruit, lean meats, omega 3 rich salmon, tuna, eggs, olive oil, etc,.. Basically clean eating, and within my calorie range (need to find your resting metabolic rate for this)! No refined sugar, very little processed food, not much bread or pasta. I had learned a lot about nutrition in the past few years, regardless of my inability to make it all come together in times past. It was working and my weight began it's decent. I became so gung-ho in all of this, and on such a good roll that I decided to also do P90X while I was at it, quite a lofty attempt for someone of sedentary status! <br />
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I've been at this now for 8 weeks and I've lost 26 lbs and 16-1/2" overall. I just began Turbo Fire today. I have got Turbo Jam down pat, and feel like it's time to up the intensity! Turbo Fire will do just that. It's such an intense and complete program. I've seen people's transformations with this program and Insanity and they are amazing! That is what I am after. My 14th wedding anniversary is 4 months from now. To motivate myself I scheduled a shoot with a local photographer for the two of us. I want to look as fit as possible so this helps me to "push play" when I may rather say, "ohhhhh well one more day off won't hurt". AS IF! <br />
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Don't kid yourself. It WILL make a difference. Why do some people make it and some continue to fail? It's easy really. The things that it take are really quite simple. They are not earth shattering, if they were this whole thing would be a lot easier. For instance, if not eating right or being sedentary would kill you in a day or in a week, or even a month I bet you'd be off that couch!!! And away from that drive-thru. NO? It's the fact that it is a very subtle adding up that makes it so easy to not do. It is as easy to not do as it is to do, and because we are so reward driven, we are likely to quit. So how to be in the 5% that succeed? Do the next thing, and do it again and again and in time it will be compounding interest and really add up! Trust the process and perservere and you will realize your goals with eating well and fitness. Before long you will be enjoying decreased clothing sizes, and increased energy and that will help you keep up with your efforts. <br />
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I have also managed to quit the coffee habit. Now, I do not judge you or your coffee relationship, but for me and my particular nervous system it was not good and I knew it. After two weeks of beginning Turbo Jam I just knew I had to try this meal replacement shake called Shakeology that my coach was raving about. I used it at first as breakfast, then I still had a lunch and dinner along with two snacks. It's only 150 calories and oh so chocolatey and yummy! This shake is superior to any I have seen. It's loaded with 70 healthy ingredients including protein, vitamins, minerals, superfoods; prebiotics, probiotics and digestive enzymes which are so important for gut health. There are no fillers and sub par ingredients as other shakes out there. I've done my research. What's more is that I used to try to make my own superfood smoothies with some of the raw food movement's recipes. And man let me tell ya, locating those ingredients was a feat in itself. Sure, some I could get at Whole Foods, but some I had to get online, and boy did the price add up buying it!!! Not only that, but they tasted gross no matter how much blue agave I put in...LOLOL This Shakeology stuff really truly helped me. I feel truly nourished for the first time, and content. It also gave me energy to really be able to bring my all to each workout to get the most out of it. It eliminated my cravings. Oh sure, something may look good to me now or I may want for something but it is just a thought I can turn off. It's no longer a nagging, irresistable urge like it used to be. I stick with the chocolate and never tire of it. There are many different ways you can make it each day, it comes with a calendar of 30 different recipes but I make it the same way most times. Now I use it as a post-workout snack many times, sometimes still as a breakfast, it all depends on the day and what time of the day I am working out. <br />
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I became a coach with Team Beachbody so that I could get a discount for my own products. You know what I discovered? This motivated me! It wasn't long before people were drawn to me after having seen my posts, or heard my encouragement day after day in the workout groups and joined my team. Sometimes people have an inactive coach and they are on their own trying to do this thing, and they are drawn to an active motivating person who's working really hard. Having this happen, really truly motivated me because not only am I saving my own life, but I have people depending on me also now. I take that very seriously. I am active every single day, and answer messages within the day. It's a whole system that works together to bring results. I am very proud and honored to be involved with such a great company and to help "End the trend" of obesity. It starts with me, and it starts with you. What say you? Are you ready to take the plunge? Have you taken it but feel alone and could use some support? I am going to give you the link to sign up for a FREE account which will give you instant access to message boards, workout groups, nutrition info and me as your coach.<br />
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<a href="http://www.beachbodycoach.com/remakingme">Sign up for your free account here</a>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-83882388592143696062012-04-30T19:01:00.002-04:002012-04-30T19:03:22.528-04:00~Spring Shape Up~Hello Friends! I've missed you while I was away, yet grateful to be able to peek into your happenings at your addresses when I had the chance! It was hard not having a computer at home, but now I have one yet again. It is (ahem!) used and has its own issues, but for now it is mine. :)) I plan to blog more regularly again. I had been debating whether I should close down this blog and begin anew or just keep letting it change as I do, and I have settled on the latter, though I really like the name I had chosen for my new blog!<br />
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Our tiny homestead is starting to take shape as Spring makes its way ever so slowly our way in Western New York. My prince of a husband built me some raised beds, and after not having a garden for 2 years now, I am super happy and excited to get in the dirt once again and be able to produce some produce (hehe). Talk about clean eating!! I am dreaming of sun warmed tomatoes straight off the vine to my mouth.....I have begun some 72 seeds indoors, and plan to start at least another 72 this weekend. I have many varieties of tomatoes, cukes, zucchini, summer squash, green beans, peas, eggplant, jalapenos, bell peppers, carrots and all manners of herbs. I am DONE spending tons of money on these fresh herbs I'll tell ya. <br />
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Some of these seeds look very delicate, hope they make it ok! How's your Spring shaping up?</div>
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<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-58176072349162465292012-04-30T18:12:00.000-04:002012-04-30T18:18:11.280-04:00Little House recipes I've found and collectedGinger Water<br />
<i>idea from Little House book, a treat for when pa was out threshing hay in the extreme heat</i><br />
3/4 cup brown sugar<br />
1 teaspoon ginger (powdered)<br />
1/2 cup cider vinegar<br />
1 quart water<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Maple Candy:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">2 cups pure maple syrup </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">1 tsp vanilla extract </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">saucepan (non-stick works best)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">candy thermometer recommended </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Instructions:</span><br />
<ol>
<li>Cook syrup over very low heat until it begins to boil, stirring frequently.</li>
<li>Continue boil until it reaches 233°F on the candy thermometer.</li>
<li>Remove from heat and cool for aproximately 60-70 minutes, or until the temperature on the candy thermometer reads about 110°F</li>
<li> Add the vanilla extract and heat until smooth and fluffy. </li>
<li>Shape this mixture into small patties, or while still warm you can pour onto pans of clean snow as Laura did. If you have no snow, you can blend ice cubes until they are crushed, then place crushed cubes into a pan before pouring the maple candy. You can also use candy molds.</li>
<li>Maple candy must be stored in airtight containers to prevent the candy from drying out </li>
</ol>
Vinegar Pie: <br />
<ul>
<li>1 c. sugar</li>
<li>3 heaping tbsp. all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1 c. cold water</li>
<li>3 egg yolks</li>
<li>1 whole egg</li>
<li>2 tbsp. butter</li>
<li>6 tbsp. vinegar</li>
<li>1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Instructions:</span><br />
<ol>
<li>Mix sugar and flour in saucepan. </li>
<li>Add water, egg yolks (reserve egg whites), whole egg, butter and vinegar. </li>
<li>Cook until thick. </li>
<li>Pour into baked 9 inch pie shell. </li>
</ol>
For Meringue: <br />
<ol>
<li>Beat reserved egg whites until stiff. </li>
<li>Add 4 tablespoons sugar, spread over pie. </li>
<li>Brown meringue lightly. </li>
</ol>
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<b>Heart-Shaped Christmas Cakes</b> <br />
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"Mary and Laura pulled out two small packages. They unwrapped them, and each found a little heart-shaped cake. Over their delicate brown tops was sprinkled white sugar." <br />
- <i>Little House on the Prairie</i> <br />
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<b><i>Always ask permission from an adult before you begin cooking. Never cook by yourself. </i></b> <br />
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You will need: <br />
½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened<br />
2 tablespoons granulated sugar<br />
¼ teaspoon vanilla<br />
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour<br />
Flour for sprinkling<br />
Granulated sugar for sprinkling <br />
<br />
Measuring cup and spoons<br />
Large mixing bowl<br />
Mixing spoon<br />
Floured board<br />
Heart-shaped cookie cutter, about 2 or 3" across<br />
Cookie sheet<br />
Pot holder<br />
Wide spatula<br />
Wire rack <br />
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Heat the oven to 325%. <br />
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Beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla together until they are light and fluffy. Stir in the flour. <br />
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On a floured board, pat the dough out in a circle about 1/3" thick. Cut out shapes with the cookie cutter. Sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar. Put the heart shapes on the cookie sheet and bake them for about 15-20 minutes, until they are lightly browned. Take them out of the oven and sprinkle more granulated sugar on the tops. Carefully remove the cakes from the cookie sheet with the spatula and put them on the wire rack to cool. <br />
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Makes about 12 cakes. <br />
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<i>Recipe taken from</i> <u>The Little House Treasury</u> <i>by Carolyn Strom Collins and Christina Wyss Erikson. </i><br />
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<blockquote>
<strong>Doughnuts, from <a class="external" href="http://www.amazon.com/Little-House-Cookbook-Frontier-Ingalls/dp/0064460908" target="_blank" title="The Little House Cookbook"><em>The Little House Cookbook</em></a></strong> by Barbara M. Walker (Harper Collins, 1989)</blockquote>
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<blockquote>
For 2 dozen doughnuts you will need:<br />
2 pounds lard (I will probably substitute peanut oil, my choice for frying)<br />
1 egg<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
½ teaspoon salt<br />
1 cup sour cream<br />
2¼ cups of unbleached all-purpose flour<br />
a shaker full of powdered sugar<br />
quart kettle<br />
quart bowl<br />
rolling pin<br />
candy thermometer</blockquote>
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Melt the lard in kettle over low heat. Beat egg, baking soda, and salt into the sour cream in the bowl. Beat in 1 cup of flour until well mixed. Continue to work in flour, ¼ cup at a time, until you have a dough that can be rolled. Roll the dough in a strip about 4 by 16 by ¼ inches. With a floured knife cut into inch strips about five eighth inch wide.<br />
Heat the lard to 375 degrees F. Twist a strip like a corkscrew (it will stretch as you do); bring ends together and pinch them. Drop twisted dough in hot fat. In 2 minutes the dough should be brown on both sides, crisp and cooked through. If browning takes more than 3 minutes<a class="cssButton ubtn-disabled" href="javascript:void(0)" id="draftButton" target=""></a><br />
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</a>, the fat is not hot enough; if browning takes less time, the fat is too hot.<br />
Remove cooked doughnut to brown paper to drain and coat it with powdered sugar. Continue twisting and cooking the remaining dough strips. Roll some of these in cinnamon sugar and serve the doughnuts immediately.</blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.easyfunschool.com/article1496.html"> fun activities to go with the Little House book series</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.laurasprairiehouse.com/"> Laura's Prairie House treasury of links</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.easyfunschool.com/article1496.html">Little House Lesson Activities</a>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-67663020822115252022012-01-02T17:54:00.008-05:002012-01-02T18:10:06.180-05:00The Gentleness Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_ZE3Vs645EA/TwIyg5AdPGI/AAAAAAAADGo/J1aFNXqn8hc/s1600/The-Gentlenss-challenge2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_ZE3Vs645EA/TwIyg5AdPGI/AAAAAAAADGo/J1aFNXqn8hc/s1600/The-Gentlenss-challenge2.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Join <http: "womenlivingwell.org"=""><a href="http://womenlivingwell.org/">Courtney</a> and the rest of us over at </http:></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><http: "womenlivingwell.org"="">Women Living Well for <a href="http://womenlivingwell.org/"><b>The Gentleness Challenge</b></a> for mom's. I know this challenge is for me as I am not naturally a gentle person. Yet....I want to be! Isn't that half the battle? Let me just say if you know you should, yet don't have the desire, pray for God to give you the desire. Can you tell I've been there? I have often snapped at my children or yelled in exhaustion or frustration only to feel bad about it moments later. Can you relate? Come on over and join us all as we strive together and sharpen one another toward godliness.</http:></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><http: "womenlivingwell.org"="">In relation to all of this, I have realized *again* that </http:></span></span> I didn't see a lot of my reactions, trying to figure the ends out, changing course of plans etc,...for what it really was. Yesterday I heard a sound bite on the radio that made me again realize that I allow fear to torment me, yet I don't see it that way at the time. Logic and clever sounding excuses allow me to get around that which I am afraid of and I don't even realize that is root of these issues at the time. That's a scary thought. It's also something that could very well, and in fact does lead to lack of patience or anxiety which makes being a gentle mother a hard thing to grasp practically. <br />
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Faith and perfect love cannot co-exist with fear. I know this logically when I take the time to reflect on the issues. *(note to self: take the time to reflect!!!) I am so done with living in fear. It is a torment, and doesn't change a thing for the better. Maybe for the worse, yes!!! God did not intend that for me, he gave me His son! His SON!!!!! Why would he withhold a lesser <i>need</i> from us when He has given us the most precious already? If He wants our kids for example to have something (such as musical training or other extra curricular things------one of the issues that had been nagging my mind BTW) then He will provide it. We can't lean on our own understanding. Perhaps it's not as important as it seems to me. Perhaps there is a more important issue that needs to be worked on first before adding an activity that would allow less reflection time. We have to trust in Him, anything less is a big slap to the face with all He has done for us already. Scary thought! I am going to be more of an intentional<br />
mother this year, it's so important. I am going to try and look at the day at hand and stop worrying over the next.Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-51769367856658766392012-01-01T16:25:00.001-05:002012-01-01T16:26:01.783-05:00Beatitudes For Homemakers<span id="role_document" style="color: #5048a8; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><span id="role_document" style="color: #5048a8; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div class="style6"><span id="role_document" style="color: #5048a8; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> <span class="style1"> *Blessed is she whose daily tasks are a work of love; for her willing hands <br />
and happy heart transform duty into joyous service to all her family and God.<br />
*Blessed is she who opens the door to welcome both stranger and well-loved friends; <br />
for gracious hospitality is a test of brotherly love.<br />
*Blessed is she who mends both stockings and broken toys and broken hearts; <br />
for her understanding is a balm to her husband and children.<br />
*Blessed is she who scours and scrubs; for well she knows that cleanliness is one expression of godliness.<br />
*Blessed is she whom children love; for the love of a child is of greater value than fortune or fame.<br />
*Blessed is she who sings in her work; for music lightens the heaviest load and brightens the dullest chore.<br />
*Blessed is she who dusts away doubt and fear and sweeps all the cobwebs of confusion; <br />
for her faith will triumph over all adversity.<br />
*Blessed is she who serves laughter and smiles with every meal; <br />
for her cheerfulness is an aid to mental and physical digestion.<br />
*Blessed is she who introduces Jesus Christ to her children; <br />
for Godly sons and daughters shall be her reward.<br />
*Blessed is she who preserves the sacredness of the Christian home; <br />
for hers is a divine trust that crowns her with dignity.</span></span></div><div class="style6"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="style6"><span id="role_document" style="color: #5048a8; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span class="style1">By Ella May Miller </span></span></div><span id="role_document" style="color: #5048a8; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-68574849779200559972011-09-14T12:17:00.006-04:002015-10-29T11:30:11.321-04:00Summer Re-capHello out there. Just pushing away the cobwebs up here to take a peek into blogland. I am thinking this blog may be ready to be laid to rest. Periodically I end a blog, publish it in book form and begin anew. We shall see. <br />
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This summer we had a lovely 3 day visit from my brother, who now lives in Florida, and whom we haven't seen in 3 years, along with my nephew Bryce. I am somewhat mellow of a person, but with a quick tongue..LOL You get my brother in the mix and you have a full side show going. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The confusion as our visitors get attacked by bright flashes...LOL<br />
(mom, daughter and her boyfriend)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My brother and I</td></tr>
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It was fun, we were crazy and loud and played games. My mom and eldest daughter were also up so it was the whole gang at our place! Boy was I hopping in the kitchen with the 12 of us. My little nephew is such a sweetie pie, it was great to see him after so long. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My brother and nephew :)</td></tr>
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After 4 days my mom and daughter went home (a day after my brother and nephew), <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y275/1jammy/Summer-2011/?action=view&current=IMG_9630.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y275/1jammy/Summer-2011/IMG_9630.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">bye-bye ALREADY?!</td></tr>
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and came a couple weeks later, to stay for 2 weeks. We didn't do a ton as my mom has a hard time getting around. She has a wheel chair at home in MA but no way to get it in and out of the car yet....heavy stuff! So we stayed home and just hung out for that time. Monopoly Deal was the game of the hour!! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom and my brother</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cookout as much as possible....LOL</td></tr>
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The boys and Felicia enjoyed swimming lessons 4 days per week for our short swimming season, and learned some new skills. We have a BEAUTIFUL town pool, complete with twirly water slide which they all love. I was turned off to the "public" pool idea until I actually saw it, and very happy to learn that a family season pass included lessons for all of our children, such a good deal. Yes, our taxes are high in Western NY, but at least we are benefitting by it with these facilities and others like it available at low cost! I will feel so much better when they are all strong swimmers as we are SURROUNDED by bodies of water and there is so much that can be done recreationally in them. From canoeing down the HUGE creek, or kayaking in the lake, wind surfing, sailing, fishing...you name it, we've got it! It will be nice for those doors to open for my children when they are older. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEoKCjWW2KgEFU12HDYxUmCEH5wgFHrhaXk_53AIECJCO2-0Yhk55hKIC84EEgqRrIiV7PHqFgb2LsAjzj1pCr7zM5RhaUohgwlAm1gi82a-WQwsQHnCih_eqzfcqg6C7lIf1DJfn7fjbT/s1600/263701_2072734572630_1072861226_32306342_2863071_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEoKCjWW2KgEFU12HDYxUmCEH5wgFHrhaXk_53AIECJCO2-0Yhk55hKIC84EEgqRrIiV7PHqFgb2LsAjzj1pCr7zM5RhaUohgwlAm1gi82a-WQwsQHnCih_eqzfcqg6C7lIf1DJfn7fjbT/s320/263701_2072734572630_1072861226_32306342_2863071_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">our town's public pool</td></tr>
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We have also had the priviledge of visiting the Buffalo Zoo a couple of times this Summer. It was so fun to see a different zoo for a change, and especially the polar bears, rainforest area and gorilla family which our prior zoo never had. Here are a few memories of those visits:</div>
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While my mom and daughter was here, Mike and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary. We decided to go sailing on The Spirit of Buffalo and really beautiful schooner with RED SAILS!!! It was so luxurious, and our first time sailing. I made sure to load up on dramamine and away we went. It was a nice experience, and also sweet for the two of us to be able to take a few hours away and just relax. We never get to do that, but since their visit coincided with our special day, it worked out just right. Thanks mom!!!<br />
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Mike's brother Dave also came over from California to pay us a vist before heading down through MA and off for a tour of Europe, where he still is currently. We went to show him Niagara Falls for a couple of hours after our cookout lunch before his leaving. We hadn't seen him in several years. <br />
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We also have begun visiting a new church. We left the one we were visiting since moving here for several good reasons. This new church is huge, and normally I shy away from huge churches. However, after visiting for 2 months now, the messages are actually good, so it may be a good thing afterall. Soon the women's and other groups will be starting up so I hope to meet some new friends! </div>
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Not a whole lot is new other than that, and looking forward to fall, and pumpkin spice coffees (recreating them at home, thank you Dunkin Donuts for the inspiration). Apple picking and acorns, pinecones and apple picking. Time to update the mantle with berries and vines and all that fun stuff. I will think on what to do with this blog. I don't have a computer at home anymore, just my phone, or computer access from the library. <br />
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Until we meet again,<br />
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Jenn <br />
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Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-75307674399074248422011-04-24T19:26:00.000-04:002012-05-01T09:19:20.818-04:00~Happy Easter--He is Risen!!!~This morning we attended the 9am service at church rather than our usual 11am time. We were quite surprised that it wasn't crowded at all like we expected. The choir did a lovely job. I think I will join them for the next event. I couldn't for Easter because I couldn't make two of the three rehearsals due to being out of town. <br />
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We gave the children their gift baskets when we came home from church. Then I began making our large dinner. Ham, au gratin potatoes, corn, flaky biscuits, salad, coconut cake, cupcakes, soda, coffee. YUM...what a feast for the 7 of us. <em> </em>I think my body is in shock from the sugar we consumed, especially after being on a low carb diet for 2 months!!! <br />
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Here are some pictures from our day:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easter "eve"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">at home right after church</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">getting shoes on for church</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the boys before church</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mama's tall coconut cake</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHx85HHxyI7aiayI5c1UwMo2o3lqdZrObp4WrAlUlZRJ3ae_0WMwZ8XEBrwQiWR-QV2EZK8Iu1_OYIeCZ9qNYxdtIot5r-Mt0QYrK-zlRiSPILA44h-k7389nZKvP6v-uVnELKiQ_SPs4D/s1600/IMG_8807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHx85HHxyI7aiayI5c1UwMo2o3lqdZrObp4WrAlUlZRJ3ae_0WMwZ8XEBrwQiWR-QV2EZK8Iu1_OYIeCZ9qNYxdtIot5r-Mt0QYrK-zlRiSPILA44h-k7389nZKvP6v-uVnELKiQ_SPs4D/s320/IMG_8807.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">it barely fits the cake stand!<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrMWamrRgugQaZzI5ojIsZy4LeyyI6y9Q9_UdkLzv-w7MOVn7HSGcqAxRzN8YxMfuV8Fg3H2c-Bd_Xy3eBvkAIODsBDSnVhRD0iK0nyjbwcUoH1XKLI8bxHS0o-sr2JsKC7SccPS-xcW8/s1600/IMG_8808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrMWamrRgugQaZzI5ojIsZy4LeyyI6y9Q9_UdkLzv-w7MOVn7HSGcqAxRzN8YxMfuV8Fg3H2c-Bd_Xy3eBvkAIODsBDSnVhRD0iK0nyjbwcUoH1XKLI8bxHS0o-sr2JsKC7SccPS-xcW8/s320/IMG_8808.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">bountiful feast for 7</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqWxXt7ggR4G_o-gwkCiOdQ4ztnKRdb9IAFllu9kzFrD598dBGu-GW3DZ_IkQ3Sxz363ClthEj8O5qekRIbwdJV2oMTlXPK7L12EEJjCfNdLJYT0cijk8fJ1HbWK5Ogh03JeHYfHfijKJ5/s1600/224796_1879476181291_1072861226_32083881_3461039_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqWxXt7ggR4G_o-gwkCiOdQ4ztnKRdb9IAFllu9kzFrD598dBGu-GW3DZ_IkQ3Sxz363ClthEj8O5qekRIbwdJV2oMTlXPK7L12EEJjCfNdLJYT0cijk8fJ1HbWK5Ogh03JeHYfHfijKJ5/s320/224796_1879476181291_1072861226_32083881_3461039_n.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mom and son before church</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhJEjTsFsToIVAqJ-10yCk8C1ZaKIcenCT0-XkR65ab0lwtAA6W83Rkg44i2_g0j0tCdW4n9MC6wjaaP28x2lsW0bhOsqmtecPe1fHBIpx94JOPG1f5ZZN4U9mcet3oAdmJRUEyHvece1/s1600/untitled.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhJEjTsFsToIVAqJ-10yCk8C1ZaKIcenCT0-XkR65ab0lwtAA6W83Rkg44i2_g0j0tCdW4n9MC6wjaaP28x2lsW0bhOsqmtecPe1fHBIpx94JOPG1f5ZZN4U9mcet3oAdmJRUEyHvece1/s320/untitled.bmp" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizyUMNRYqhXwijspS7wFHFr26PFykeIm0T66n_ERKrpSEa-EIOMjHYPb7sArb1xDtz2QJ0bB0vjhmTRshhsyyhX4GqHk-yq77SOilul6s8COLRWnNRhXirI2C9KGCzuLs3y-wcnsM9GKt/s1600/215496_1879649385621_1072861226_32084469_5703315_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizyUMNRYqhXwijspS7wFHFr26PFykeIm0T66n_ERKrpSEa-EIOMjHYPb7sArb1xDtz2QJ0bB0vjhmTRshhsyyhX4GqHk-yq77SOilul6s8COLRWnNRhXirI2C9KGCzuLs3y-wcnsM9GKt/s320/215496_1879649385621_1072861226_32084469_5703315_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-88983370401240949882011-03-26T14:15:00.001-04:002012-05-01T09:20:01.540-04:00Hello Cupcake!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today I decided to whip up a batch of chocolate cupcakes for the kiddos, they gathered the ingredients and put them away while I mixed it all up into a bowl of chocolately goodness....and boy does it look rich! I am not eating any though, my friend's wedding is in 2 weeks from today and I am wearing a sleeveless dress!!! I am not where I would like to be but I have come far, and am not screwing it up!! My cousin's wedding is a month following my friends and I am wearing a dress a size down, finally, and it's shorter than I am used to so I am going to be very careful! ;0)<br />
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<u>Simple Chocolate Cupcakes</u><br />
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3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa<br />
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1 1/2 cups all purpose flour<br />
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1 1/2 cups white sugar<br />
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1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda<br />
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1/2 teaspoon baking powder<br />
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1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
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2 large eggs<br />
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3/4 cup water<br />
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3/4 cup buttermilk<br />
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1/3 cup vegetable oil or melted butter<br />
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1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
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1/2 Cup of dark chocolate, chopped (or you can use chocolate chips!)<br />
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<u>Directions:</u><br />
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Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 24 cup muffin tins with Pam.<br />
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In a large bowl, whisk together cocoa, flour, white sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt until thoroughly mixed.<br />
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In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, water, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Whisk into flour mixture until all of the ingredients are mixed in and no streaks of flour remain. Add in optional mini chocolate chips, if using.<br />
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Fill muffin cups evenly with the prepared batter.<br />
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Bake at 350F for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, or with only a few crumbs.<br />
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Remove cupcakes from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGG9ArDJ43TXZXkvX4ZjSZjVU9K39mAspqQA4dbBuXui7RG26sJFx2kZFqsUMI60YgjqHQh62FjrE6P-RIsKGXbUpt_9awpPVCdG0-GdzIDJI4SEp1Eh4hSwUDVd_PZM7ocxXYliYXfCY6/s1600/cupcakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGG9ArDJ43TXZXkvX4ZjSZjVU9K39mAspqQA4dbBuXui7RG26sJFx2kZFqsUMI60YgjqHQh62FjrE6P-RIsKGXbUpt_9awpPVCdG0-GdzIDJI4SEp1Eh4hSwUDVd_PZM7ocxXYliYXfCY6/s320/cupcakes.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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And oh yes, if I am going to bother making cupcakes for the kidlets, I am going to pile the frosting high and swirly...and no, I am not a perfectionist! ;0) I used Wilton's Buttercream icing. It was super and thick and stayed where put!Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-35986007897983925652011-03-18T07:32:00.001-04:002015-10-07T14:43:38.380-04:00My Review of Cast Iron 12" Skillet<div class="hreview">
<div class="item">
<a href="http://www.csnstores.com/Emerilware-by-All-Clad-EC81121-EAC1034.html">Originally submitted at CSN Stores</a><br />
<div>
<img align="left" class="photo" src="http://images.powerreviews.com/images_products/10/22/4377191_100.jpg" style="margin: 0 0.5em 0 0;" /><br />
<div style="margin-top: 0;">
<shorttext>This 12" cast iron skillet can last a lifetime and become a family heirloom to be passed down through generations! It can hold up to high heat cooking or long, slow simmering, perfect for preparing meals.</shorttext> The skillet can avoid chipping and warping while developing a non-... </div>
</div>
<a class="url fn" href="http://www.csnstores.com/Emerilware-by-All-Clad-EC81121-EAC1034.html" style="display: none;"><span class="fn">Cast Iron 12" Skillet</span></a></div>
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<strong class="summary">Perfect size for a family!</strong><br />
<div>
By <strong>Jenn the Photographer</strong> from <strong>Buffalo, NY</strong> on <strong><abbr class="dtreviewed" style="border: none; text-decoration: none;" title="2011318T1200-0800">3/18/2011</abbr></strong></div>
<div class="prStars prStarsSmall" style="background-image: url(http://images.powerreviews.com/images/stars_small.gif); background-position: 0px -180px; height: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0; width: 83px;">
</div>
<div style="display: none;">
<span class="rating">5</span>out of 5</div>
<div class="description" style="margin-top: 1em;">
This pan is very heavy, which is what you want in a cast iron skillet. It stays where you put it!! No sliding around on your burners.<br />
<br />
This skillet heat up pretty quickly. By the time I was done trimming and cutting the meat, the heat was ready to go. The food cooked evenly, which was much appreciated by me. <br />
<br />
When the stove top part of my recipe was done, it easily transferred to the oven for browning the top under my broiler. Another plus was that the chicken left the pan effortlessly, including the melted cheese.<br />
<br />
I cleaned the pan immediately after use, and it was easy, I just used a nylon spatula to loosen the couple of bits left on the skillet. I enjoy my new kitchen toy, and can't wait to use it again.</div>
<div style="margin-top: 0.5em;">
(<a href="http://www.powerreviews.com/legal/terms_of_use.html" rel="license">legalese</a>)</div>
</div>
Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-47980882349378168282011-02-23T15:46:00.004-05:002011-03-01T17:23:05.122-05:00My Emerilware 12" Cast Iron Skillet Review for CSN stores!!!<div style="text-align: center;">Look what Fed-Ex stopped by with yesterday!!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdxwZ2ANL2JtRRp5Y4D9ejCXlkIqEVZT67mLFG7WrXJ3SQS_okbM6o_dtIqO0us1_bDVJzNPkdf8Yqmn2xyiogMih-GMb98fmaHkFnGwbWSUPZA84rLgOjcnsh1zMNj1euOYAgjnZqBHv/s1600/img_8099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdxwZ2ANL2JtRRp5Y4D9ejCXlkIqEVZT67mLFG7WrXJ3SQS_okbM6o_dtIqO0us1_bDVJzNPkdf8Yqmn2xyiogMih-GMb98fmaHkFnGwbWSUPZA84rLgOjcnsh1zMNj1euOYAgjnZqBHv/s320/img_8099.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I thought I would make low-carb friendly chicken parmesan today in my new pan. This pan is very heavy, which is what you want in a cast iron skillet. It stays where you put it!! No sliding around on your burners.<br />
<br />
Before using I simply hand washed in warm mildly soapy water. Then I dried it on the stove top and put a couple TB of vegetable oil on the inside, and rubbed it around evenly with a paper towel. In a few minutes it was ready to use. Very easy!<br />
<br />
This skillet heat up pretty quickly. By the time I was done trimming and cutting the chicken breasts, the heat was ready to receive them. The five chicken breasts cooked evenly, which was much appreciated by me. <br />
<br />
When the stove top part of my recipe was done, it easily transferred to the oven for browning the top under my broiler. Another plus was that the chicken left the pan effortlessly, including the melted cheese. <br />
<br />
I cleaned the pan immediately after use, and it was easy, I just used a nylon spatula to loosen the couple of bits left on the skillet. I enjoy my new kitchen toy, and can't wait to use it again. <br />
<br />
I had fun doing this review for CSN stores, and hope I am asked to do another in the future. I've got my eyes on a few of their products! <br />
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<center><b><u>Now for the Low-Carb Chicken Parmesan recipe:</u></b></center><center><b><u> </u></b></center><br />
Add a couple TB of oil into your cast iron skillet, over medium heat. <br />
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Pre-heat your oven to broil.<br />
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Take your desired amount of chicken breasts, and filet each half, so that there are 2 thin pieces per half.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBg5KvAUcde6oD8Wm8AoQaMZUdTOeAp7LEsdFNaiZzerPaS7Mb0lKRqwjcLf7g7bJW1uNvaictP8S7UcCXzbYPr7XnWFoe0FUNprLDEzpu7p4VqhL9ExFXzayuIEmCn6_0v4tYFcC3IMP/s1600/img_8192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBg5KvAUcde6oD8Wm8AoQaMZUdTOeAp7LEsdFNaiZzerPaS7Mb0lKRqwjcLf7g7bJW1uNvaictP8S7UcCXzbYPr7XnWFoe0FUNprLDEzpu7p4VqhL9ExFXzayuIEmCn6_0v4tYFcC3IMP/s320/img_8192.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRm3xeERuSnzRbazs4tH7lLY15jQZAR-OxTkuzzLTQGR57yipGOLT4VljGJJA1rHRIBb6YhHe1AfXmUSGDPJOmuKv_R0dLoVv50ZWspyNwTTuo0IfUZFzLkDcDUPHYo4_Tx-VEw7Dm8fq/s1600/img_8199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRm3xeERuSnzRbazs4tH7lLY15jQZAR-OxTkuzzLTQGR57yipGOLT4VljGJJA1rHRIBb6YhHe1AfXmUSGDPJOmuKv_R0dLoVv50ZWspyNwTTuo0IfUZFzLkDcDUPHYo4_Tx-VEw7Dm8fq/s320/img_8199.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a cute outfit doesn't hurt!! Thanks to son for his interesting photo angle..hehe</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
When skillet gets hot, add chicken breast pieces, allow to brown, slightly crisp, turning to cook second side. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRGIzzGnalnTGprVclbMo6opCLfSQX2DPxGhab6nCp8qwptu6ZHNsBfbWj5VqZ3b5bjfndcySBomnZARHbLG3dUv5tBOCdMTjahcCRi0-rQ3e64Bnh_uHrdduLaV99SDRTmAY46BMDvvAM/s1600/img_8203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRGIzzGnalnTGprVclbMo6opCLfSQX2DPxGhab6nCp8qwptu6ZHNsBfbWj5VqZ3b5bjfndcySBomnZARHbLG3dUv5tBOCdMTjahcCRi0-rQ3e64Bnh_uHrdduLaV99SDRTmAY46BMDvvAM/s320/img_8203.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
In the meantime, gather the simple ingredients. Granulated onion, Granulated garlic (I find the granulated to be much more pure and flavorful than "powder" varieties); you favorite sauce, pecorino romano grated cheese, deli-sliced mozzarella, and pepper if desired.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjArqUcVVA-bRVXgETEVc2wagYcR1pDGa1hFqytf472uPmn5yYfpphS-ARwX5C6kflUX_MHTMoFY_HoSf-lNS3YIs7vrD4JgyU69pNU_JeAyUxLSL6DmhdITUD248fvCMlzUxiXbtBdBFye/s1600/img_8205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjArqUcVVA-bRVXgETEVc2wagYcR1pDGa1hFqytf472uPmn5yYfpphS-ARwX5C6kflUX_MHTMoFY_HoSf-lNS3YIs7vrD4JgyU69pNU_JeAyUxLSL6DmhdITUD248fvCMlzUxiXbtBdBFye/s320/img_8205.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
When almost done, top each breast with a good sprinkle of granulated onion and granulated garlic and 1 TB of spaghetti sauce of your choice. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigF_P0NV6XwlSN785_qKPW7z3phA6n-4RgdrI3zOQwdFRtGDT5gBNhLCzYu1Ho4gRXVCQDH76ddoCE0SpHgKN9tN5MQvRG7N-FevtAGyO_a01L0tEM3BKNCZwf3bZs9As_aKR3IYtGrGl_/s1600/img_8207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigF_P0NV6XwlSN785_qKPW7z3phA6n-4RgdrI3zOQwdFRtGDT5gBNhLCzYu1Ho4gRXVCQDH76ddoCE0SpHgKN9tN5MQvRG7N-FevtAGyO_a01L0tEM3BKNCZwf3bZs9As_aKR3IYtGrGl_/s320/img_8207.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Next add 1 TB of Pecorino Romano (found in a case near the deli...can be in block form and grated at home, or bought pre-grated in bags). I never use Parmesan, that is my secret, the Romano has a wonderful tang I have come to crave! <br />
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Top each piece with a slice of mozzarella, folded in half.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEiU46yTAClisoPj_uMdo4WY3PV9i6Qa9Taoa0sAcpUKP1uOyHOZzVIaeyqEoCZ_YQx3o2TCT2_NxJD3Lx-eOlblvUvggpbWdGZgVZBVpJAg9lkCgJELW62bycTeQr-ulNR5hFTDcO_pvW/s1600/img_8210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEiU46yTAClisoPj_uMdo4WY3PV9i6Qa9Taoa0sAcpUKP1uOyHOZzVIaeyqEoCZ_YQx3o2TCT2_NxJD3Lx-eOlblvUvggpbWdGZgVZBVpJAg9lkCgJELW62bycTeQr-ulNR5hFTDcO_pvW/s320/img_8210.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Get your potholders ready, and place this right into you pre-heated broiler for 1-3 minutes, watch closely for when the cheese is specked with brown. It looks GREAT!! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRydGdML3hudVepwhMoRNPbxj2pRQrI6nbHnGE5y7XWobxTImQIFoaeLeqUNEr-22mVUzGsq3YDQwwP9q2Qw2u6P2nKoRydrxax5zYGElWcJaLDLyEpvGazAHIFXHKegojOtbaao7BfQ9j/s1600/img_8217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRydGdML3hudVepwhMoRNPbxj2pRQrI6nbHnGE5y7XWobxTImQIFoaeLeqUNEr-22mVUzGsq3YDQwwP9q2Qw2u6P2nKoRydrxax5zYGElWcJaLDLyEpvGazAHIFXHKegojOtbaao7BfQ9j/s320/img_8217.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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This is one of my favorite comfort foods I just whip up without busting my diet plans! This goes wonderfully with zucchini sauteed in butter, onion optional, and topped with grated romano. Load those veggies up!<br />
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And hey if you don't like this recipe, don't let that stop you from the experience of working with cast iron. Everything tastes better in this, so use your own favorite recipe. Or <a href="http://www.google.com/search?client=ubuntu&channel=fs&q=wonderful+cast+iron+pan+recipe&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8">do a search for some</a>! Next I think I will try <a href="http://www.grouprecipes.com/29431/cast-iron-skillet-deep-dish-pizza.html">Deep Dish Pizza</a>for the kids!Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-8412648939907129172011-02-03T14:16:00.002-05:002015-11-06T16:08:33.276-05:00Low Carb Chicken and Beef Meals I am going to try this coming week<div class="summary" id="intro">
<i>I am tucking these away in my blog, as full recipes, with source, so that I will NOT lose them. It will also be easier making my shopping list with it all laid out here. They look like such winners, sure to help my family reach our goals!! Tell me if you try any.</i></div>
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<center>
<b><u>Creamy Southwestern Chicken</u></b><u></u></center>
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<div class="summary" id="intro">
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/maindishes/r/greenchilechick.htm<br />
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<div class="n3" id="rI">
Ingredients:</div>
<ul>
<li class="ingredient">1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/4 C minced onion</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 cloves minced garlic</li>
<li class="ingredient">6-8 oz canned chopped green chiles (depending on can size)</li>
<li class="ingredient">Optional: small amt of chicken stock or Better than Boullion</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/4 C cream</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/3 C shredded cheddar or jack cheese</li>
<li class="ingredient">Olive oil</li>
<li class="ingredient">Salt, pepper</li>
</ul>
<div class="n3" id="rP">
Preparation:</div>
<div class="instructions">
1) Heat large skillet with oil.<br />
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2) Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Saute' till brown on both sides, adding onions about half way through.<br />
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3) Add garlic and cook for another minute.<br />
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4) If needed, deglaze the pan with a little water or chicken stock. Add 1 teaspoon <a href="http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/products/gr/btbreview.htm">Better Than Bouillon</a> if desired.<br />
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5) Add green chiles and cream, and simmer until chicken is done and sauce is thickened.<br />
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6) Top with cheese, and serve when cheese melts.<br />
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Optional garnish: avocado slices; cilantro<br />
<br />
Makes 3-4 servings<br />
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<b>Nutritional Analysis for each of 3 servings:</b> 4.5 grams of effective carbohydrate plus 1.5 grams fiber, 38 grams protein, 18 grams of fat, 347 calories. </div>
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<div class="summary" id="intro">
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<center>
<b><u>Skillet Chicken Divan</u></b><u> </u></center>
</div>
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/maindishes/r/chickendivan.htm<br />
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<div class="n3" id="rI">
Ingredients:</div>
<ul>
<li class="ingredient">2.5 cups (or so) of chopped cooked chicken</li>
<li class="ingredient">3 cups cooked chopped broccoli</li>
<li class="ingredient">8 oz mushrooms, sliced, 1/4 cup chopped onion</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/2 cup dry white wine</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 Tablespoon Better than Boullion and 3/4 cup water, or 3/4 cup chicken broth and salt to taste</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/4 cup heavy cream</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk (see note above)</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 teaspoons low carb thickener such as NOTStarch or 2 T whole wheat flour</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 teaspoon dried thyme</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce</li>
<li class="ingredient">3/4 cup walnuts, chopped (it's nice if you toast them, but not vital)</li>
<li class="ingredient"> 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese</li>
</ul>
<div class="n3" id="rP">
Preparation:</div>
<div class="instructions">
1) Saute onion and mushrooms in oil for 4-5 minutes.<br />
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2) Add wine and boil most of it away.<br />
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3) Add thickener. If you are using flour, cook for a minute or so before adding the rest of the ingredients.<br />
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4) Add liquids and seasonings. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients except the cheese - you can mix that in or sprinkle it over the top and put the whole thing under the broiler to brown.<br />
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<b>Nutritional Analysis:</b> (with NOTStarch): 6 grams effective carb plus 6 grams fiber, 31 grams protein, and 400 calories. </div>
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<center>
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<div class="summary" id="intro">
<center>
<b><u>Korean beef</u></b></center>
<b><u></u></b><u></u></div>
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/maindishes/r/koreanbeef.htm<br />
<div class="summary" id="intro">
</div>
<div class="summary" id="intro">
It can be marinated anywhere from an hour to overnight, and the strips of beef cook really quickly on the grill. Suggested Side Dish: <a href="http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbsidedishes/r/asianbroccoli.htm"> Asian Broccoli Stir-Fry</a> </div>
<div class="n3" id="rI">
Ingredients:</div>
<ul>
<li class="ingredient">Beef -- flank steak, sirloin, or your favorite -- cut in ½ inch strips or whole</li>
<li class="ingredient">For Each Pound of Beef, make the following marinade:</li>
<li class="ingredient">¼ cup soy sauce</li>
<li class="ingredient">¼ cup chicken broth (or water, the difference is subtle)</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 Tablespoons artificial sweetener (or brown sugar -- not much of it probably actually gets into the meat)</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 Tablespoon sesame oil</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 teaspoon black pepper</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 teaspoon fresh garlic or ½ teaspoon garlic powder</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 green onions (scallions) chopped</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 Tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)</li>
</ul>
<div class="n3" id="rP">
Preparation:</div>
<div class="instructions">
Cut the beef into half-inch strips if the butcher didn't do it for you. Mix the marinade ingredients up, and put the meat in. Marinate anywhere from an hour to overnight. If you use artificial sweetener, consider adding just a teaspoon of dark molasses for flavor.<br />
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Grill quickly on a hot grill.<br />
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There is no carbohydrate to speak of in this recipe if you use the artificial sweetener. It's hard to tell with sugar in a marinade how much gets in.</div>
<div class="instructions">
</div>
<div class="instructions">
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<center>
<b><u>Chicken or Beef fajitas</u></b></center>
<b><u></u></b><u></u></div>
<div class="instructions">
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/maindishes/r/beeffajitas.htm</div>
<div class="n3" id="rI">
</div>
<div class="n3" id="rI">
Ingredients:</div>
<ul>
<li class="ingredient">1.5-2 lbs skirt steak or other beef or chicken easily cut into strips</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 medium onion, sliced, or 15 medium scallions (green onions) - same amount of carb!</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 large Bell peppers, sliced - two different colors is nice</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/4 cup soy sauce</li>
<li class="ingredient">1/4 cup lime juice</li>
<li class="ingredient">1 teaspoon chili powder</li>
<li class="ingredient">2 Tablespoons oil</li>
</ul>
<div class="n3" id="rP">
Preparation:</div>
<div class="instructions">
1. Combine soy sauce, lime juice, chili powder, and oil. If grilling, save a couple of Tablespoons aside to toss with the vegetables.<br />
<br />
2. Slice the meat into about 1/2 inch slices. If using skirt steak, flank steak, or other meat with an obvious grain (lines through the meat), be sure to cut perpendicular to the grain, or you will be chewing a very long time. (Think about it - you want to create a lot of short fibers, not a few long ones.) <a href="http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/tips/qt/acrossthegrain.htm">How to Cut Meat Against the Grain</a><br />
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3. If cooking in a skillet, marinate everything together in a bowl or plastic bag (a zip-type works well). If grilling, marinate the meat and veggies separately. Even a few minutes helps, up to 2 hours is great.<br />
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4. If grilling, remove from marinade and grill.<br />
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5. For cooking in a skillet (preferably regular, not nonstick), cook the meat first (it will probably take two batches, depending upon your pan). Add a little oil to the skillet and get it very hot (the oil will shimmer). If you don't get it hot enough (or crowd too much meat in), the meat will steam instead of browning. When the meat is browned, remove and add veggies. When they begin to soften, return meat to skillet to heat through.<br />
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6. Serve with salsa, sour cream, cilantro (if desired) and <a href="http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/snacks/r/guacamole.htm">guacamole</a>. If low-carb tortillas are available, that is a nice addition, but a fork works fine.<br />
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Serves 5<br />
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<b>Nutritional Information:</b>Meat and vegetables, with 1.5 pound skirt steak and green onions, have 4.5 grams of <a href="http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/glossary/g/glosstermecc.htm"> effective carbohydrate</a> and 2 grams of fiber, 28 grams of protein, and 307 calories per serving. The marinade could add as much as 1 gram of carb (the whole recipe has 5 grams), but obviously not all of it makes it to the table.</div>
<div class="instructions">
</div>
<div class="instructions">
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<center>
<b><u>Meatloaf</u> </b></center>
<center>
<b>---</b>your favorite recipe minus the bread crumbs....can use crushed up pork rinds if desired</center>
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<div class="instructions">
<br /></div>
<div class="instructions">
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<center>
<b><u>Lunch Ideas</u></b><u></u></center>
</div>
<div class="instructions">
Deviled eggs or egg salad</div>
<div class="instructions">
Chicken salad with bed of greens (baby spinach or romaine) and walnuts</div>
<div class="instructions">
Tuna salad occasionally (be careful for mercury exposure)</div>
<div class="instructions">
Stuffed bell peppers (use riced cauliflower in place of white rice)</div>
<div class="instructions">
Huge chef salad with full fat ranch (yeah!!)</div>
<div class="instructions">
Buffalo chicken salad (the chicken will NOT be breaded so it won't be quite the same, but I'll make do and the ranch will make up for it..hehe)</div>
<div class="instructions">
meatballs with sauce and cheese and a green salad</div>
<div class="instructions">
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<div class="instructions">
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<center>
<b><u>Breakfasts</u></b><u></u></center>
</div>
<div class="instructions">
Coffee with: </div>
<div class="instructions">
Fried eggs with cheese and sausage</div>
<div class="instructions">
veggie and cheese Omelettes</div>
<div class="instructions">
Pizza Omelette (mozzarella, green pepper, onion, pepperoni or hamburger)<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="instructions">
farmer scramble (minus potatoes) with salsa</div>
<div class="instructions">
any dinner or lunch leftovers =)<br />
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<i>Tomorrow I go shopping and will have a very happy kitchen!!</i><br />
<br />
I have a wedding I am a bridesmaid for coming in April. I've got about 7 weeks until my dress comes in and I am measured for alterations. I hope to be down 20 lbs. by then.<i> </i> </div>
Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-53302019055978913852011-02-01T12:05:00.003-05:002011-04-06T11:32:21.251-04:00~Black Forest Cake~<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSBUoppwCMHHeBNuizHp9yJbW3SGYpJjCqlk5Ck85_K3gw1kVzpMWiTlPI9JdjFQOrVe4AMi29VNBnoJlAnGLARlP9EwLqAQ5v_6GjwWl8u7LR3DQNrvH6zymDa2Eujh6Amy71TSKgLjv/s1600/img_7774.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSBUoppwCMHHeBNuizHp9yJbW3SGYpJjCqlk5Ck85_K3gw1kVzpMWiTlPI9JdjFQOrVe4AMi29VNBnoJlAnGLARlP9EwLqAQ5v_6GjwWl8u7LR3DQNrvH6zymDa2Eujh6Amy71TSKgLjv/s320/img_7774.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Oh I am so glad you stopped by! Come on in out of the cold, let's set your things by the fire to dry and warm up. Here's a cup of coffee and an apron, I was just setting up to make a very easy lovely cake for our family's dessert this evening. This recipe idea was given to me by my internet neighbor and friend, Connie. Could you hold this camera for me and take a couple shots as we go along so I can share this with some dear friends online? Thank you so much. It's great having an extra pair of hands, and some girl talk besides!! <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Mj90d3WDnn_jZZX4AwiXTg7ZPAirzdaYPKY1pGPmqrzBtavhA3dKqlGwCk72yf4V6ZT99bRp22xHjMudO1UgEXAaExD1H_bJw2qV6JaA47fef8-CHdydhtMgRvmBIduBW-P_SIPqSPwM/s1600/img_7773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Mj90d3WDnn_jZZX4AwiXTg7ZPAirzdaYPKY1pGPmqrzBtavhA3dKqlGwCk72yf4V6ZT99bRp22xHjMudO1UgEXAaExD1H_bJw2qV6JaA47fef8-CHdydhtMgRvmBIduBW-P_SIPqSPwM/s320/img_7773.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
See this lovely bowl, isn't it old fashioned looking and simple? I am drawn to that type of style. I love everything retro, vintage or farmhouse.<br />
<br />
Preparing for the evening's meal early on in the day while I have some quiet time when the home is still has become a helpful habit. This way when the day's activities are at its peak, I am not running around trying to do too many things at once. Attention, care and prayers can be put into the meal. The salad's been made, and is covered in the ice box. The dry ingredients for our baking powder biscuits have been mixed, in that covered bowl on the counter. All that needs doing come supper time is to add the milk, flatten out, cut and pop them in the oven.<br />
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Speaking of oven, I will set my oven to 350 degrees now, so that by the time the cake is ready to go in, it will be ready at the proper temperature. That is an important step to any baking.<br />
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I suppose that is enough gabbing, now onto the recipe. This really couldn't be any simpler. It's simply a devil's food cake mix, 2 eggs, and a can of cherry pie filling. Let's pour these each into the bowl, and I will mix it up with my old fashioned wooden spoon. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>You know, this would be a good recipe for when company is coming, or you are pressed for time, but want to have something simple yet lovely to take to your dinner party.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YkHn6DexAKwpBhPJDPai5gP-aoHkT2fq3ZfjeLuC-cGAIz1C9JRAHPtwm5d3AEfRNParIXTIRBXEFl4QZWpjuy9LU96pnLgyaccAfE_O_pyWhOw0dXqQo-1wqKdDtJLREDdIqwZp1Lf0/s1600/img_7782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YkHn6DexAKwpBhPJDPai5gP-aoHkT2fq3ZfjeLuC-cGAIz1C9JRAHPtwm5d3AEfRNParIXTIRBXEFl4QZWpjuy9LU96pnLgyaccAfE_O_pyWhOw0dXqQo-1wqKdDtJLREDdIqwZp1Lf0/s320/img_7782.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Would you hand me that orange Spoonula over there? Thank you. I love using this to scrape every last bit of batter from the batter bowl.<br />
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You could also just make this in a retangular pan. This cake will not come out perfectly flat and smooth, it has a more rustic look to it, which is part of it's charm. <br />
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That's all there is to it! Now in half hour or so I will test it with a toothpick or knife to be sure it is fully finished, and let them cool. I think this will be great as is, or with my favorite, a huge dollop of sweetened home whipped-cream. It's really your preference. Get creative in your kitchen. <br />
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<center><b><u>Recipe</u></b><u></u><i><b> </b></i></center><center><i><b> </b></i></center><center><i><b>Ingredients:</b></i><b></b><br />
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devil's food cake mix<br />
1 can of cherry pie filling<br />
2 eggs<br />
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<i><b>Directions:</b></i><b></b><br />
Into your favorite bowl pour the cake mix, cherry pie filling and 2 eggs. Mix up good with fork or your best stirring spoon. Scrape with your silicone spatula into well greased cake pan/s, and bake at 350 degrees for about half an hour. Toothpick test to be sure it's done. Cool. Flip into best plate or serving dish, or if using large rectangular pan, just serve from there. Be sure to have plenty of fresh whipped cream to dollop on top. Enjoy!</center>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-81830730660570934702011-01-26T07:28:00.003-05:002011-02-01T10:40:38.214-05:00You Are What You EatWell I have been on Weight Watchers since mid-october and managed to get past my plateau after having lost 20 lbs over the summer. I lost another 15 lbs. which adds up to about 1 lb loss per week. Not what I hoped for, but still 15 lbs. gone forever which makes me smile.<br />
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Well after having lost these 35 lbs, I had some blood work done to satisfy requirements for our health insurance this year, in order to get a deductible credit. Our family deductible is $5,000.00 but if Mike and I fulfilled these requirements, it lowers to $3,500.00. Definitely worth the trouble in my eyes!<br />
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So my fasting blood glucose was 99! Under 100 is normal, and 100-125 is considered pre-diabetes. Mike already is in the pre-diabetes stage, and though I am normal, I am at the very top edge of normal, and that is nuts. I really thought my numbers would be better considering the weight I've lost, and the .8 mile walks I take with the dog!!<br />
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So we have decided we will be cutting refined foods out of our diet. I believe the ideal diet consists of lean meats, veggies--many raw, fruits, nuts/seeds. The hunter-gatherer diet basically. I believe it's best to limit foods produced in a lab or highly processed or with a zillion year shelf life in a box, with the exception of salad dressing and Frank's red hot perhaps. I am just being realistic here!!<br />
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I know it won't always be easy, but at the same time, if we can see that the standard American diet is not healthy for us, then something must be done! I am not going to go all gung-ho and commando mom on my poor family. In fact we have a lot of wheat products, and some cake mixes I've stocked up over the winter. I am simply trying to limit them. I will not buy more mixes, and I am choosing to make home made breads and biscuits over store bought. Baby steps upon baby steps. Cooking from scratch is not new to me, yet I had been relying more on convenience this past year since moving. <br />
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I figure that as Spring arrives I can include even more fresh fruits and veggies and rely a bit less on the "white starch stuff". Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-23009997764511497572011-01-22T08:43:00.000-05:002012-05-01T09:25:15.095-04:00Triple Birthday with photos<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXDAYbQG2AZHmkzCUTKUR6rVnY9Y5tdDUqtdUvH_7sVmIsPIkcQO67OC5T1mfHcf6NLFG_a1EtXowlEZ1m6UUtRZ715M8hiebI2A1vyyLFPNGJsx0U6o_9xuUJcKhx7ehuoFNbNHX-Zvb/s1600/img_7636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXDAYbQG2AZHmkzCUTKUR6rVnY9Y5tdDUqtdUvH_7sVmIsPIkcQO67OC5T1mfHcf6NLFG_a1EtXowlEZ1m6UUtRZ715M8hiebI2A1vyyLFPNGJsx0U6o_9xuUJcKhx7ehuoFNbNHX-Zvb/s320/img_7636.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's *someone's* birthday!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgccZBlKCF91lD7bSMoOfZuHjrD3Rm1WicvGn1ucbj6DVKUx7BPVaNW-nyk6YtRjk9m8psPaK44GuXgXp_jELHBT7Q1WfWIpZTq6epfP1SdF4BMGSFav4L2yW9fGG6wAf8fv4KQEizh3zj0/s1600/img_7637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgccZBlKCF91lD7bSMoOfZuHjrD3Rm1WicvGn1ucbj6DVKUx7BPVaNW-nyk6YtRjk9m8psPaK44GuXgXp_jELHBT7Q1WfWIpZTq6epfP1SdF4BMGSFav4L2yW9fGG6wAf8fv4KQEizh3zj0/s320/img_7637.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">one of many pizzas!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1wKJ8b0Kpa1dSgMgssRrbuz7UyOPY8OrruxYEZnm33xUR2jZcrdxsbyJtM4FF7kH9nI6DCxOaT0bEm8U1DHeyftkz0gn3DCVYpCnr4PEPBbLPfXja__0DASXWDzlypPLuEhePYMstXKy/s1600/img_7646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1wKJ8b0Kpa1dSgMgssRrbuz7UyOPY8OrruxYEZnm33xUR2jZcrdxsbyJtM4FF7kH9nI6DCxOaT0bEm8U1DHeyftkz0gn3DCVYpCnr4PEPBbLPfXja__0DASXWDzlypPLuEhePYMstXKy/s320/img_7646.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The banner is up!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCqA0FV0FdNJt9llUF54ebr2cIsZsdop2qZWDT7GFh6TBcmxR3VhsZc9eL_pf0HifZvxGqMrSMmrx-2RTkBrQmSxwyiFEv56pAuDPUU0Hdw3BK-EswXovEvZ6ssHFVcZIqaSVeb7n3JSLz/s1600/img_7651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCqA0FV0FdNJt9llUF54ebr2cIsZsdop2qZWDT7GFh6TBcmxR3VhsZc9eL_pf0HifZvxGqMrSMmrx-2RTkBrQmSxwyiFEv56pAuDPUU0Hdw3BK-EswXovEvZ6ssHFVcZIqaSVeb7n3JSLz/s320/img_7651.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">~The birthday kids~</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpNm5vCfqRiFrgjU9h24PsvDb0ZKop1G1hJ704z0V2NGZ4KV445z6rLvOp_DMSXC5jZimBofDjV02pgoR6O-CQqob-NkdpOVlNQX8hLnzYbHEw7vS2Xp0gzeHuclksJPf3ZAhhehiVLjd/s1600/img_7667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpNm5vCfqRiFrgjU9h24PsvDb0ZKop1G1hJ704z0V2NGZ4KV445z6rLvOp_DMSXC5jZimBofDjV02pgoR6O-CQqob-NkdpOVlNQX8hLnzYbHEw7vS2Xp0gzeHuclksJPf3ZAhhehiVLjd/s320/img_7667.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Had fun trashing the entire kitchen making pizzas for 9</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQS714l5pcfxNjpMPjOO3MzsXFVULQbpecUjgscsQpNiSvkBfYkN7REapB5nQgIKUiJ4cFz051FVqy7XDm2kyFgku8bHvNdBaoaWDHnOCnPON4PJCu_soTq-8Evr0IBuYTSADMXUHVVBj/s1600/img_7678.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQS714l5pcfxNjpMPjOO3MzsXFVULQbpecUjgscsQpNiSvkBfYkN7REapB5nQgIKUiJ4cFz051FVqy7XDm2kyFgku8bHvNdBaoaWDHnOCnPON4PJCu_soTq-8Evr0IBuYTSADMXUHVVBj/s320/img_7678.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">watching funny Youtube videos</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckA5ktIjHb_YNo3UwBRsoJ2nXuLoRsquTswuLGDqu-vfj-KguRXkAWXeSIdW_LQP6wEFQeomf6jyVNWPqtTOkv9OYaIvqLFLGlN8R5iB5BY15Cp4lpRCnjXWKQ6mr_bGU0lOkEmABB3Zj/s1600/img_7680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckA5ktIjHb_YNo3UwBRsoJ2nXuLoRsquTswuLGDqu-vfj-KguRXkAWXeSIdW_LQP6wEFQeomf6jyVNWPqtTOkv9OYaIvqLFLGlN8R5iB5BY15Cp4lpRCnjXWKQ6mr_bGU0lOkEmABB3Zj/s320/img_7680.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The birthday girls favorite, Carvel ice cream cake</td></tr>
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On January 11th, my eldest daughter drove up for an 12 day visit. We have had SUCH fun!! It's been so wonderful having here home to be with during the days, watching movies at night, making homemade pizzas way too many times. How could I say no?<br />
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On the 16th we celebrated her and Danny's dual birthday, like usual. She didn't want to have hers alone, and since she was on winter break, we made sure our tradition carried on, and we added her boyfriend, Tyler to the mix also. His birthday is on the 26th, and he goes to school in Rochester, so he will not have his family or long time friends around. He expressed being sad about that we turned our double birthday into a triple. Nothing fancy, just some homemade pizza for 9, followed by a Carvel ice cream cake and funny Youtube videos like Brian Reagan, comedian, and Marcel the seashell with shoes on, oh and Baby Monkey riding backward on a pig (that was strange).<br />
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I don't know what I'll do when Sunday comes and she'll have to leave in order to begin the new semester.Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-5039569970154725562011-01-05T08:15:00.001-05:002015-11-06T10:48:32.433-05:00A glimpse of our Christmas....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The day after Christmas, that was a great day. My daughter from MA arrived with my mom for a five day visit! They also met puppy Cooper for the first time. It's really something the difference that two people can make in an atmosphere.<br />
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For dinner on the first night we had spiral ham, and some side dishes. We cheated and had a store bought Turtle Pie (maybe Mrs. Smiths?) that was very very good! Of course, it wouldn't be the Christmas season without some peppermint chocolate fudge or cinnamon rolls for breakfast!<br />
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Here are some pics of our time together:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHto6qCW_JkZfwIl-rH4Hvcn3CB7iy9gSFZvF88hzdk3cWVOGscwoI_9sTcUlMNrzYxhYfqP9fnuR62VgBegFDN0z0HzQ2QVf7mlXv9hKbs2U7djmD1Fr7WDqUTTgZDeRKg70LalWqPhi4/s1600/livingroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHto6qCW_JkZfwIl-rH4Hvcn3CB7iy9gSFZvF88hzdk3cWVOGscwoI_9sTcUlMNrzYxhYfqP9fnuR62VgBegFDN0z0HzQ2QVf7mlXv9hKbs2U7djmD1Fr7WDqUTTgZDeRKg70LalWqPhi4/s320/livingroom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">had to keep it simple due to chewing puppy! Some year we shall have tree skirts and garland..haha</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3eJAhr5CivCs7I5JFxgD3TUlBf3YHChdooe4IGXsnDll72V1qK1Y-RYv1-_f-2xfMiq87_RcdXz_iN7oa4wHMkd3Bxa87sHkhGIrco64y6BnnxoqbKXwrVy20-vABJun1AwugL85Usw8S/s1600/img_0084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3eJAhr5CivCs7I5JFxgD3TUlBf3YHChdooe4IGXsnDll72V1qK1Y-RYv1-_f-2xfMiq87_RcdXz_iN7oa4wHMkd3Bxa87sHkhGIrco64y6BnnxoqbKXwrVy20-vABJun1AwugL85Usw8S/s200/img_0084.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Autumn opening her gifts</td></tr>
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My baby girl from MA</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">yay! Some help in the kitchen...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my girls with grandma 12/26</td></tr>
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Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681393656107508436.post-17840504559714304162011-01-05T08:00:00.002-05:002012-05-01T09:30:10.381-04:00More menu ideas for this upcoming week from the Today show!<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Recipe: Broccoli stir-fry with chicken and mushrooms </h3>
<span class="chefname"> Mark Bittman </span> <span class="cheflink"> </span> <br />
<h5>
Ingredients</h5>
<ul>
<li>2 tablespoons vegetable oil</li>
<li>2 tablespoons minced garlic</li>
<li>1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger</li>
<li>4 scallions, chopped</li>
<li>1 pound broccoli, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces with the stems no more than 1/4-inch thick</li>
<li>8 ounces button mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced</li>
<li>Salt</li>
<li>8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch chunks or thin slices and blotted dry</li>
<li>2 tablespoons soy sauce</li>
<li>Freshly ground black pepper</li>
</ul>
<h5>
Preparation</h5>
Put a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add half the oil, swirl it around, and immediately add half the garlic and ginger. Cook for 15 seconds, stirring, then add all but a sprinkling of the scallion, and the broccoli and mushrooms. Raise the heat to high, and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms release their water and the broccoli is bright green and beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.<br />
Sprinkle with salt and add 1 cup water. Stir and continue to cook until almost all the liquid evaporates and the broccoli is almost tender, another minute or 2 more, then transfer everything to a plate.<br />
Turn the heat down to medium, add the remaining oil, then the remaining garlic and ginger. Stir, then add the chicken and turn the heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken has lost its pink color, 3 to 5 minutes.<br />
Turn the heat down to medium, return the broccoli, mushrooms, and juices to the pan, and stir. Add the soy sauce, sprinkle with more salt and some pepper; add a little more water if the mixture is dry. Raise the heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced slightly and you've scraped up all the bits of chicken. Taste and adjust the seasoning, garnish with the remaining scallion, and serve.<br />
<h5>
Serving Size</h5>
Serves 4<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9oP-JG8U7cXh0D8a8dCCmkRDST44Y_Na70MWkof7mJRoZnAKkuhdVXb7juxV_98NUdLEvg12TxPu9-zBqvdUWqmnS11AMB_fvveewRMhz5XVVFhkK3RscZ6hagZuIeyGYdLPOVsYdxLm/s1600/choppedsalad.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9oP-JG8U7cXh0D8a8dCCmkRDST44Y_Na70MWkof7mJRoZnAKkuhdVXb7juxV_98NUdLEvg12TxPu9-zBqvdUWqmnS11AMB_fvveewRMhz5XVVFhkK3RscZ6hagZuIeyGYdLPOVsYdxLm/s1600/choppedsalad.jpeg" /></a><br />
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Recipe: Chopped salad<br />
<div class="recipes" id="recipe-40914427">
<span class="chefname"> Mark Bittman </span> <span class="cheflink"> </span> <br />
<h5>
Ingredients</h5>
<ul>
<li>2 tablespoons or more white or red wine vinegar</li>
<li>1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon minced garlic, or more to taste</li>
<li>A large pinch of salt and a smaller one of black pepper</li>
<li>2 celery stalks (preferably from the heart), chopped</li>
<li>2 carrots, chopped</li>
<li>1 small red onion, minced</li>
<li>3 or 4 radishes, chopped</li>
<li>1 red or yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped</li>
<li>1 small cabbage, cored and shredded</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9oP-JG8U7cXh0D8a8dCCmkRDST44Y_Na70MWkof7mJRoZnAKkuhdVXb7juxV_98NUdLEvg12TxPu9-zBqvdUWqmnS11AMB_fvveewRMhz5XVVFhkK3RscZ6hagZuIeyGYdLPOVsYdxLm/s1600/choppedsalad.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div>
<h5>
Preparation</h5>
Combine the vinegar, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a salad bowl beat with a fork. <br />
Add the vegetables, sprinkle lightly with more salt and pepper, and toss. Taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve immediately.<br />
<h5>
Serving Size</h5>
Serves 6</div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963404890327992253noreply@blogger.com0