tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89654667474637248222024-03-13T20:13:02.847-07:00Jammin' in the KitchenI like to cook. In my jammies.Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-12949099416180247122012-10-17T08:14:00.000-07:002012-10-17T08:14:28.249-07:00Happy National Pasta Day! Classico Creations GiveawayHappy fall, friends! I don't know about where you are, but here in San Diego it feels like summer. We're talking highs in the upper 80s this week. It is HOT. Fall, are you out there? Haha.<br />
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Regardless of the temperatures outside, seeing all of the Halloween and Thanksgiving (and, sadly, Christmas already) decor up and about in the stores makes me excited for fall. My heart fills with glee when the canned pumpkin comes back on the shelves, the leaves start to change color, and all of the cute fall clothes hit the display windows. It's time to snuggle up in a blanket, have a pumpkin spice latte, and enjoy that crispness in the air that is so typical of fall.<br />
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I was thrilled to receive a pasta kit in the mail from <a href="http://www.classico.com/">Classico Creations</a> in exchange for blogging about their products and, of course, hosting a giveaway for you fine folks!<br />
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Check out all the goodies I received:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WAeGJDeLp2g/UH3Szdg1hfI/AAAAAAAALMw/wC56cBN8EQY/s1600/882C41B4-025D-463F-A65C-79B7F5839DB9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WAeGJDeLp2g/UH3Szdg1hfI/AAAAAAAALMw/wC56cBN8EQY/s1600/882C41B4-025D-463F-A65C-79B7F5839DB9.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I am definitely going to buy a jar of pesto because, well, I could eat it by the spoonful. No need to cook pasta to go with it :)</div>
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Yum! I heart spinach and parmesan (but seriously, who doesn't love pasta with tons of cheese in it? :)) Can you spot the maple leaves and snowflake on the label? So cute for fall!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ve3Q5C_j-CM/UH3SzWTLpjI/AAAAAAAALMw/epu2NCYtRoE/s1600/986C4F06-2AB5-4F11-BBE4-F47CB684E983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ve3Q5C_j-CM/UH3SzWTLpjI/AAAAAAAALMw/epu2NCYtRoE/s1600/986C4F06-2AB5-4F11-BBE4-F47CB684E983.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Hubs went into shock mode when he saw all of these goodies. "You got all those for free?!?"</div>
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"Yes dear, that is one of the perks of being a blogger."</div>
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Anywho, the <a href="http://www.bialetti.com/">Bialetti </a>pasta pot is pretty spiffy. The lid hooks on to the top so you can drain the water out through those little holes after cooking the pasta, without taking it out of the pot! So cool. </div>
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I also heart <a href="http://www.oxo.com/default.aspx">Oxo </a>products and was psyched to receive a new cheese grater. I have one, but it isn't half as cool as this one. Also some lovely pasta tongs from <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/?cm_type=gnav">Williams-Sonoma</a> (I want to live in that store!).</div>
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For recipe inspiration from Classico, click <a href="http://bit.ly/P73xdA">here </a>or check out this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTTQDX9fKFw">YouTube video</a>. Super fun!</div>
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Now, on to the giveaway! Five of you will win coupons for a FREE jar of Classico sauce.<br />
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Just leave a comment below with your <a href="http://www.classico.com/products.aspx">favorite type of Classico pasta sauce</a>, or one you want to try, and how you would serve it. The first five responses will win! Good luck.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="background-color: white;">The nitty gritty: <span style="color: #222222;">In the spirit of full-disclosure, I’ve partnered with Classico and received product, coupons, premium items and reader giveaway coupons as part of my participation. However, no payment was given or expected for posting about the program, and as always, all opinions given here are fully my own.</span></i></span>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-70663486454507421952012-06-16T20:36:00.002-07:002012-06-16T20:36:44.463-07:00OXO Giveaway Winner!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Thanks to everyone who entered the <a href="http://jammininthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/06/oxo-locktop-containers-giveaway.html">OXO giveaway</a>!</div>
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<br />Congrats to our winner Manda! I will contact you directly to get your mailing address.<br />
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Have a great week, everyone :)Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-47590586708213977522012-06-09T12:15:00.000-07:002012-06-09T12:16:53.053-07:00OXO LockTop Containers Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A giveaway as promised! Better late than never, right? :)</div>
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Thanks to the <a href="http://www.oxo.com/default.aspx">OXO</a> Blogger Outreach Program, I received some of these goodies to review and some to share with you! I was so excited - I've loved OXO products since I was a kid, believe it or not. When I was little and helping my mom out in the kitchen, I remember the super-duper OXO salad spinner and its cushy black rubber handle. It was one of the coolest gadgets I'd ever seen. When it was time to register for wedding gifts, I made sure to include several OXO products on our list since I knew they would last a long time and perform well.</div>
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Here we have some OXO Good Grips LockTop Containers for you: 4 mini and one regular size.</div>
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Let me tell you: as a regular lunch-packer, I was psyched to try these out. I usually have a salad every day and one way or another my salad dressing spills out of the little container I pack it in to keep the greens from getting soggy. These mini containers worked perfectly and the sealproof lid kept my lettuce nice and crisp before lunch. They are also a perfect size for hummus, peanut butter, or any other dip you want to bring along for your veggies. </div>
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The regular size container is fantastic too - it holds about 6 cups and is the perfect size for a lunch salad. Another cool feature is that the lid completely separates from the seal for easy cleaning, and it's easy to put back together. Score!<br />
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Close up of the minis. Aren't they cute? :)<br />
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Now, you lucky ducks can win some of your own! I'll randomly pick a winner on Tuesday morning, June 12th, so please get your entries in by midnight PST, Monday, June 11th. This giveaway is open only to U.S. residents.<br />
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To enter (please leave a separate comment for each entry):<br />
1. Leave a comment on this post, telling me what you would use the OXO containers for.<br />
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For additional entries:<br />
2. Follow me on <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/goofyfrito">Twitter</a><br />
3. Tweet about the giveaway (please copy and paste this: Enter to win @OXO LockTop Containers from @goofyfrito! <a href="http://alturl.com/gjx5a">http://alturl.com/gjx5a</a>) and leave a link to your tweet on this post.<br />
4. Follow OXO on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/OXO">Twitter</a><br />
5. Follow me on <a href="http://pinterest.com/laurenprust/">Pinterest</a><br />
6. Follow OXO on <a href="http://pinterest.com/oxo/">Pinterest</a><br />
7. Like OXO on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OXO">Facebook</a><br />
8. Link to this post on your blog.<br />
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Good luck!<br />
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*Disclaimer: I received free products (one set for myself and one set to giveaway) as part of OXO's Blogger Outreach Program. They didn't pay me anything to say good things about their stuff! :)Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-70360975438663917922012-05-10T11:25:00.000-07:002012-05-10T11:25:09.914-07:00Awesome Giveaway Coming Soon!No, I didn't forget you all... :)<br />
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Stay tuned for a fantastic upcoming giveaway!Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-11766944434521501892011-12-17T08:20:00.000-08:002011-12-17T08:21:12.334-08:00Banana Pecan Pie ShakeIt's been another one of those crazy weeks when life is busy and all you want to do when you get home is blow off some steam by exercising, then put on your jammies and read trashy magazines in bed. Yep, that's been my week!<br />
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I am super excited for Christmas coming up. I have 4 days off in a row and can't wait to relax! I took a half day off yesterday, spent some quality time with my hubby, and enjoyed some much needed down time. Today it's back to the races: optometrist appointment, grocery shopping, rounding up the last few Christmas presents, and happy hour with some friends. Ready, go! :)<br />
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I actually made this shake right after Thanksgiving. My mom likes to send us home with leftovers anytime we visit, and we had pecan pie as one of our two Thanksgiving desserts. It was reeeeeally sweet (thanks Costco!) - almost cloyingly sweet, so I was trying to think of ways to eat it than all by itself. I thought a milkshake sounded good, but was too lazy to go to the grocery store to buy ice cream. We had a banana, so it became a banana-shake instead!<br />
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The shake is super creamy and sorta healthy if you forget about all the pie in there :) It's perfect for sharing, too, or just sipping on your own sitting in bed reading trashy magazines.<br />
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<b>Banana Pecan Pie Shake</b><br />
<i>Makes 1 large shake or 2 small (8 oz.) shakes</i><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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<li>1 small slice pecan pie (about 1 1/2 inches wide at the crust)</li>
<li>1 cup almond milk (or whatever kind you prefer)</li>
<li>1 banana, sliced</li>
<li>1/2 cup ice cubes</li>
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Directions:</div>
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<li>In a blender, crush ice.</li>
<li>Add all other ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy.</li>
<li>Serve in a cold glass with a straw. Enjoy!</li>
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</div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-25162739332795858362011-12-11T18:00:00.001-08:002011-12-14T08:42:36.160-08:00Chewy Ginger Cookies for The Great Food Blogger Cookie SwapWow, y'all. It's been a long week (and you know that's true for me when I break out the Southern slang!).<br />
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Two of my coworkers lost family members in the past week, and one of them has been out for two weeks. I spent many days by myself in the office = I needed serious Christmas music blasting from Pandora on my office computer to keep me going! I also had a night meeting after work on Wednesday (=14 hour day) and another work event yesterday. So...blogging...not on the top of my to-do list after all that!<br />
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Nevertheless, I had a lot of fun participating in The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap,<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #e06666; font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">hosted by Lindsay of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #e06666; font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 19px; outline-style: none; text-align: left;">Love & Olive Oil</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"> and Julie of </span><a href="http://thelittlekitchen.net/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 19px; outline-style: none; text-align: left;">The Little Kitchen</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #e06666; font-family: inherit;">.</span> Lindsay and Julie matched me up with three groovy ladies, and we each received 3 dozen cookies (1 dozen from each person). I absolutely love receiving packages in the mail, so these cookies made my day each time a new package arrived.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">First off...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Christina </b>from <b><a href="http://www.2hourparty.com/">2 Hour Party</a> </b>sent me these tasty treats!</span></span></div>
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Mmm...shortbread sandwiches with a chocolate and plum filling. They melt in your mouth!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">My second batch arrived from </span><b style="line-height: 19px;">Crystal </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">at </span><a href="http://eatdrinkcleveland.blogspot.com/" style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Eat*Drink*Cleveland</b></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">.</span></div>
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Too cute!</div>
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Chocolate Ohio...love it :) Fun fact: it's one of a few states I have never visited!</div>
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What did Santa bring?<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Yummy cookies! I tasted almond, coconut (maybe?), and of course the cherry on top :)</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MNcjuSRS_Gg/TuVeINCvNKI/AAAAAAAAG48/LCkkY7oTq7M/s1600/DSCN2506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MNcjuSRS_Gg/TuVeINCvNKI/AAAAAAAAG48/LCkkY7oTq7M/s400/DSCN2506.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">And finally, <b>Jamie </b>at <a href="http://www.kangaandroux.com/blog"><b>Kanga and Roux</b></a> sent me these. Jamie lives in San Diego too so I was excited to 'meet' a fellow SD blogger.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Delicious mixed chip cookies!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bSe7Qb-VgGg/TuV7vpm6Y2I/AAAAAAAAG58/xaL4SyEo5TY/s1600/DSCN2514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bSe7Qb-VgGg/TuV7vpm6Y2I/AAAAAAAAG58/xaL4SyEo5TY/s400/DSCN2514.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">For my own recipe I was to send out, I had a hankering for gingerbread cookies. There was also a container of <a href="http://www.gingerpeople.com/crystallized-ginger/baker-s-cut-crystallized-ginger-chips.html">crystallized ginger chips</a> hanging out in my cupboard begging to be used. Believe it or not, my recipe came from the side of the container, and it was delicious! The cookies are chewy and not super sweet, and the ginger flavor is very pronounced (which I love). A great alternative to your traditional gingerbread cutout!</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Blogger fail: I totally remember taking pictures of my cookies, but when I uploaded them onto my computer, they were nowhere to be found :( Oh well. Use your imagination and you'll probably get it just right :)</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><i>Update: Crystal let me borrow the picture she took below of my cookies :) Thanks Crystal!</i></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BIJm7ooQGEA/TujR54pvvJI/AAAAAAAAG6o/u_c0Cb7CLbU/s1600/2011-12-11_21-02-32_247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BIJm7ooQGEA/TujR54pvvJI/AAAAAAAAG6o/u_c0Cb7CLbU/s640/2011-12-11_21-02-32_247.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Chewy Ginger Cookies</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><i>makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">recipe adapted from <a href="http://www.gingerpeople.com/">The Ginger People</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Ingredients:</span></span></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1 tsp. ground ginger</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1 tsp. ground cinnamon</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">2 tsp. baking soda</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1/2 tsp. salt</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">3/4 cup butter (I used Earth Balance), softened (= 1 1/2 sticks)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1 cup sugar</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1/4 cup dark molasses</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">1 large egg</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">3 1/2 oz. (1/2 can) <a href="http://www.gingerpeople.com/crystallized-ginger/baker-s-cut-crystallized-ginger-chips.html">Ginger Chips</a></span></li>
</ul>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Directions:</span></span></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Preheat oven to 375 degrees.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Sift dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir in molasses and egg.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Add dry ingredients to wet mixture, and mix well.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Stir in ginger chips.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Chill dough for 1 hour.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Form dough into 1-inch balls.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Roll in granulated sugar.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Place on greased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Remove while still soft. Transfer cookies to cooling rack to cool.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">I had so much fun participating in this and look forward to the 2012 swap! If you'd like to take part, sign up <a href="http://loveandoliveoil.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=66bf80afd570fcb3c6194e49e&id=7bb6c122dc&e=3872110eb2">here </a>to receive notifications for next year's event.</span></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-63949884079491181172011-12-02T07:52:00.000-08:002011-12-02T07:52:47.586-08:00Two-Tomato Pasta with Broccoli and Creamy Mozzarella Sauce<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I love meals that combine items already in my pantry, but are still healthy. It's worth taking 10 extra minutes to whip up something fresh than buying something loaded with sodium and fat from the frozen section of the grocery store (don't get me wrong, I love my Costco frozen cheese pizzas - but I buy 'em cause they're plain and I can add lots of veggies at home).</div>
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Back in the day, I had a love affair with pasta. I ate it every chance I had, and couldn't get enough of the wads of carbs drenched in sauce. Fettucine alfredo was probably my favorite childhood dish (see my healthy take on it <a href="http://jammininthekitchen.blogspot.com/2011/11/spaghetti-squash-alfredo-with-chicken.html">here</a>), especially smothered in Parmesan cheese. This is a similar dish, but I amped up the veggies, thanks to <a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/">Foodbuzz </a>and the chance to try Green Giants' new <a href="http://www.greengiant.com/pages/Products.aspx">Valley Fresh Steamers</a>. </div>
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This is a great product: you just place the bag in the microwave (it stands up on its own), start cooking it, and the broccoli steams on its own right in the bag. It's low fat and the sauces are all-natural, another plus. I tried the Broccoli and Cheese Sauce version (another childhood fave, especially on baked potatoes!) and although the veggies steamed up nicely, the cheese sauce kind of stuck to the bottom of the bag in little clumps. Kinda gross. I'm glad I added extra cheese to my version to give this dish the ooey-gooey-ness I was craving.</div>
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You could throw any leftover veggies into this dish - that's the beauty of it. Work with what you have and enjoy what comes together!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M1-MXpo1uPg/Ttb8pfeErBI/AAAAAAAAG0U/6xf4eEjtqnU/s1600/DSCN2437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M1-MXpo1uPg/Ttb8pfeErBI/AAAAAAAAG0U/6xf4eEjtqnU/s400/DSCN2437.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Two-Tomato Pasta with Broccoli and Creamy Mozzarella Sauce</b></div>
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Serves 4-6</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li>14 oz. pasta (I used half whole-wheat spaghetti and half regular orzo - use what you have in your pantry! This is a great way to finish off those almost-empty pasta boxes.)</li>
<li>1 bag Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers, Broccoli and Cheese Sauce</li>
<li>1 cup Alfredo sauce</li>
<li>2 tbsp. Italian seasoning with garlic (I used Garlic Gold)</li>
<li>1 can diced tomatoes (the Italian-seasoned variety would be fantastic here)</li>
<li>1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped</li>
<li>1/2-3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (depending on how cheesy you want it!)</li>
<li>LOTS of grated Parmesan cheese</li>
<li>salt and pepper to taste</li>
<li>1/4 cup breadcrumbs</li>
<li>Optional: 1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced and sauteed in olive oil and seasonings</li>
</ul>
<div>
Directions:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Boil a big pot of water and cook pasta according to package directions. This is a great time to prep all your ingredients if you haven't already done so (don't you hate those recipes that make you do everything ahead of time and double the time you spend in the kitchen?).</li>
<li>Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.</li>
<li>Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.</li>
<li>While the pasta is cooking, cook the broccoli in the microwave.</li>
<li>If you're adding chicken, cook it until nice and brown :)</li>
<li>Mix Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs in a small bowl.</li>
<li>When pasta is finished cooking, drain and return it to the large pot.</li>
<li>Add broccoli, Alfredo sauce, Italian seasoning, diced tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, salt and pepper, and mozzarella cheese. Stir everything until combined.</li>
<li>Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs over the top of the pasta mixture.</li>
<li>Bake for 20-25 minutes or until top is golden brown. Enjoy!</li>
</ul>
</div>
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Mmm...cheesy pasta! Yum :)</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n-sjHGycmow/Ttb8qfSgFJI/AAAAAAAAG1s/qTSb8PFXC4U/s1600/DSCN2440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n-sjHGycmow/Ttb8qfSgFJI/AAAAAAAAG1s/qTSb8PFXC4U/s400/DSCN2440.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>BTW: Foodbuzz sent me a free coupon for Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers (thank you!). My opinions expressed here are my own.</i>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-59675555605253611852011-12-01T08:57:00.000-08:002011-12-18T11:44:30.843-08:00Guest Post: Healthy Eating for Your Health<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Good morning friends! Today I bring you a great guest post from Leroy Templeton. He writes about the importance of healthy eating as just one way of staying healthy and, for those battling cancer, easing many symptoms that make one feel worse. As I'm sure many of you have experienced, I lost a family member to cancer and just found out the other day one of my grad school classmates passed away after a short battle with cancer. When it hits home like that, I'm even more motivated to fuel my body with healthy food and do whatever I can to keep cancer at bay in the future. If you or anyone you know is fighting cancer, or even if you're just looking to establish or keep healthy eating habits, I hope Leroy's tips will be useful for feeling better and improving one's health.</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Check out what Leroy has to say, and don't forget to try his delicious juice recipe below. Thanks again, Leroy!</span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Good nutrition is a very important thing for all people. And
while it is important, for cancer patients, it is essential. With cancer
patients; making sure you have a working knowledge of the proper diet and food
choices can ease cancer treatments and increase a patients overall wellbeing.
Keeping an eye on the foods you eat can help enhance strength, recovery-time,
vigor and even disposition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Many
forms of cancer often lessen hunger. Persons suffering of the sickness find it not
easy to eat due in part to stress, unease, queasiness, exhaustion and many,
various side-effects of their treatments. Thus, with reduction in appetite, it
is important to make sure that when they are ready to eat, cancer patients
consume healthy foods that are high in protein and calories. Choosing foods
such as olives, dried fruits and nuts are good choices. Make an attempt to stay
away from unhealthy synthetic sugars that can be found in candies, sodas and
other sweets as these sugars can help to disrupt the cell division process;
which, when left unbalanced, can lead to the development of a number of cancers
from <a href="http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/278744-overview">gastric
cancer</a> to <a href="http://www.mesotheliomasymptoms.com/peritoneal-mesothelioma">peritoneal
mesothelioma</a>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">While
it seems nobody can drink enough water, for cancer patients, this goes doubly.
Those experiencing fatigue, nausea and other symptoms of cancer and cancer treatments
can help fight some of the bodily harm that comes with that by replenishing
their lost fluid regularly. High intake of water also helps regulate the body
temperature. This can reduce much of the discomfort that comes with sickness.
Another important thing to be concerned with is tolerance for certain foods.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Certain
issues with food tolerance may arise in cancer patients as well. Treatments can
hurt the ability of the patient’s small intestine to produce <a href="http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/327315/lactase">lactase</a>.
Therefore, patients going through chemotherapy or radiation treatment may want
to avoid excessive consumption of dairy products. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">From
fresh vegetables, one can get many vitamins which are known to help with the
immune system. This is especially important when it is going through stressful
illnesses. Raw vegetables cause some issues as they are difficult to digest
though. This can be circumvented by blending veggies into a smoothie and
drinking them; essentially jump-starting the digestion process and allowing for
the body to still obtain the valuable vitamins and nutrients found in this
food.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Just as
with vegetables, fruits are another valuable nutrition option. Fructose can be
upsetting to the stomachs of many patients however, so it may be important to
choose fruits that have lower levels of fructose such as berries and citrus
fruits. This way one can get the help that comes from the nutritional value of
these fruits without overloading the small intestine.</span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">While engaged in a battle with
cancer, it is important to distance yourself from foods that promote bacteria.
This includes raw foods and meats as well as eggs and seafood. The effects of
healthy eating can be one of the most critical elements of health. In the face
of cancer the importance of those effects are compounded.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Hawaiian Getaway Juice</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This juice has actually been studied, and used in cancer hospitals to give patients a healthy boost and delicious treat. It is rich in antioxidants and great for digestion, and it’s a little taste of paradise.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients:<u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">
</div>
<ul>
<li>¼ pineapple</li>
<li>1 cup blueberries</li>
<li>1 piece fresh ginger (roughly ½ inch)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Directions:<u></u><u></u></span></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Wash ingredients</li>
<li>Core and peel pineapple</li>
<li>Juice</li>
<li>Pour over or blend in ice</li>
<li>Sprinkle coconut on top for an added island feel.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; text-indent: 48px;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; text-indent: 48px;">Leroy</span> is a recent college graduate from the University of Central Florida. He majored in English, and was involved with several health and fitness clubs including the sports medicine team. As of 2011 he is a freelance writer with a focus on the benefits of healthy eating and daily exercise. He can be reached at </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; white-space: nowrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><a href="mailto:lifeasleroy@gmail.com">lifeasleroy@gmail.com.</a></i></span></span></div>
<br />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-7754846723757653632011-11-30T07:37:00.000-08:002011-11-30T07:37:00.488-08:00Thanksgiving Frittata<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
How was everyone's Thanksgiving? I was incredibly thankful to have several days off to relax and sleep too much. It was glorious :)</div>
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Hubby and I spent Thanksgiving at my parents' house. My mom cooked up a storm: brined turkey, sweet potato casserole, two kinds of stuffing, roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, roasted beets, roasted carrots, two kinds of cranberry sauce, Hawaiian rolls, homemade gravy, and two pies from Costco (pumpkin and pecan). It was wonderful!</div>
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Here's my plate of deliciousness:</div>
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My mom decorated the dining room table with gourds, flowers, and cabbage! Isn't it pretty?<br />
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Like any other mom, she sent us home with more leftovers than we knew what to do with. Since I hate wasting food and like being creative when it comes to leftovers, I decided to put my noggin to work. Since <a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/">Foodbuzz </a>sent me a coupon to try <a href="http://www.landolakes.com/">Land O'Lakes</a> eggs, and I wanted something filling for lunch, frittata it was!</div>
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This frittata is really easy to make, and it cooks quickly. Hooray for a fast and yummy meal!</div>
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<b>Thanksgiving Frittata</b></div>
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adapted from <i>Better Homes and Gardens'</i> Mediterranean Frittata recipe</div>
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Makes 8 small or 4 large servings</div>
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Ingredients:<br />
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<ul>
<li>1 cup chopped onion</li>
<li>2 cloves garlic, minced</li>
<li>1 tbsp. olive oil</li>
<li>8 <a href="http://www.landolakes.com/">Land O' Lakes</a> eggs, beaten</li>
<li>1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled</li>
<li>1 tomato, diced</li>
<li>1 red bell pepper, diced</li>
<li>1 cup leftover cooked turkey, shredded</li>
<li>1/4-1/2 cup leftover stuffing</li>
<li>2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese</li>
<li>salt and pepper to taste</li>
</ul>
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Directions:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Preheat your broiler. In a large ovenproof skillet, cook onion and garlic in the olive oil, until onion is soft.</li>
<li>Add your beaten eggs to a large bowl. Stir in goat cheese, tomato, red bell pepper, and turkey.</li>
<li>Pour egg mixture over onion mixture in skillet.</li>
<li>Cook over medium heat. As the mixture cooks, run a rubber spatula around the edges so the uncooked mixture flows underneath. Continue until the mixture is almost set.</li>
<li>Sprinkle leftover stuffing over the frittata, then sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top of that.</li>
<li>Broil for 1-2 minutes, or until top is set and crumbs are golden.</li>
<li>Cut into eighths or quarters to serve. Add salt and pepper to taste (hot sauce is good too!)</li>
</ul>
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It doesn't look pretty, but it tastes good!<br />
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Mmm...frittata :)<br />
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<i>FYI: Foodbuzz sent me a coupon to try Land O'Lakes eggs for free. They were tasty. Foodbuzz didn't pay me to say that. Thanks again, Foodbuzz!</i></div>
<br />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-61405406994996258232011-11-29T19:00:00.000-08:002011-11-29T20:56:01.120-08:00Guest Post: Healthy Dinner Meals<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you to <b>Melissa </b>from <b>Blog Content Guild</b> for a fabulous guest post today! Find out more at <a href="http://blogcontentguild.com/">http://blogcontentguild.com</a>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">So,
you want to be healthy, but you don’t have a lot of time. It seems like a
balancing act between nutrition and a demanding schedule, but you don’t need to
make that choice. You can have the best of both worlds if you put a little
thought into it. Using <a href="http://www.foodonthetable.com/easy-dinner-tips">easy
dinner recipes</a> that are good for you will be a breeze if you put these tips
in action.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Change
up your core<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">It’s
easy to get stuck on the same meals all the time. You already know how to make
the recipes so it takes little, if any, effort on your part. Just because it’s
familiar doesn’t mean it’s the best way to do things. Take this as inspiration
to change around your culinary habits to cheaper and healthier options.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'American Typewriter';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'American Typewriter';"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://images.media-allrecipes.com/site/allrecipes/area/community/userphoto/big/94033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images.media-allrecipes.com/site/allrecipes/area/community/userphoto/big/94033.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> <a href="http://images.media-allrecipes.com/site/allrecipes/area/community/userphoto/big/94033.jpg">Source</a></span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Believe
it or not, some of the healthiest foods you can buy are also the cheapest.
Options like beans, legumes, and fresh fruits and veggies are packed with
nutrition, and they won’t break the bank. Think about making one day a week “vegetarian
day,” and try to use ingredients like these. You can make <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/homemade-black-bean-veggie-burgers/detail.aspx">black
bean burgers</a> and fries on your first night, or search for a different
recipe that’s more to your liking. Whatever you choose, if you stick to these
kinds of foods you’ll be getting a bigger bang for your buck. You don’t need to
become a vegetarian, but it pays to think like one sometimes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Use
gadgets to your advantage</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Just
because it’s healthy doesn’t mean you need to have slave over a stove for hours
on end. In fact, some of the best meals for you can be cooked in a crock pot.
You might have been hesitant to try this method because it seems like
everything would come out mushy and bland. That certainly doesn’t need to
happen if you pick the right recipe, like this flavorful yet good-for-you <a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/chicken_sweet_potato_stew.html">chicken
and sweet potato stew</a>. Where else are you going to find a recipe that takes
20 minutes to prepare and can be left unattended for hours while you do
whatever you want? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'American Typewriter';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'American Typewriter';"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/standard/recipes/MP5098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://www.eatingwell.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/standard/recipes/MP5098.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> <a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/standard/recipes/MP5098.JPG">Source</a></span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">You
should also consider buying a bread machine if you don’t already have one. It
can be hard to find nutritious bread, but when you’re in control of the
ingredients, you get to decide how healthy it’s going to be. Using whole grains
and adding tasty and healthful ingredients like flax seed will help make this
staple food better for you. Bread machines are similar to crock pots in their
cooking method. You throw the ingredients in and let the machine do the work.
Finding ways to automate your cooking with gadgets saves time and money. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Say goodbye
to worrying about making dinner healthy and on time. If you start thinking like
a vegetarian (on occasion) and use kitchen gadgets to economize your cooking,
you’ll be surprised at the results. Cooking healthy doesn’t need to be
difficult, especially if you do it the smart way.</span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-7771820013577931782011-11-24T07:25:00.001-08:002011-11-24T07:30:50.809-08:00Happy Thanksgiving!Wishing you and yours a beautiful, blessed Thanksgiving! I'm hanging out with my parents, my grandma, her friend, and my hubby. My mom is cooking up a storm (including plenty of roasted veggies, hooray!) and there is Costco pumpkin pie to be had.<br />
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I am thankful for so many things:<br />
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<ul>
<li>everyone who reads this blog</li>
<li>a full-time job with health insurance</li>
<li>my dear family and good friends</li>
<li>a loving husband who I respect, admire, and adore</li>
<li>a warm, safe place to live</li>
<li>running water and electricity</li>
<li>freedom to write, argue, and disagree</li>
<li>so much more...but I'd be writing forever!</li>
</ul>
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What are you thankful for? Happy Thanksgiving!Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-58678451318480932342011-11-10T12:11:00.001-08:002011-11-10T12:44:43.030-08:00Spaghetti Squash Alfredo with Chicken and TomatoesI love pasta, but my waistline doesn't. If I overdo it on carbs, my waistline is not happy with me. My husband loves to cook pasta, and I am a mean wife and get mad at him when he makes it for dinner too often because I don't want to overdo it on the carbs (not cool, I know, right?). So, any chance I get to have a healthier pasta dish, I jump at it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/">Foodbuzz</a>'s <a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/pages/tastemaker-program">Tastemakers </a>program offered me the opportunity to try Classico's new <a href="http://www.classico.com/light-alfredo-sauces/light-creamy-alfredo-pasta-sauce.aspx">Light Creamy Alfredo Sauce</a>. I am a big fan of Classico's other pasta sauces, but usually steer away from the heavier stuff since it's not very healthy. I was pleased to find out about this new Alfredo sauce and couldn't wait to come up with something to use it in. As a child, fettucine Alfredo was probably the dish I ordered most frequently when my parents and I went out to dinner. I <i>loved </i>it: that creamy, smooth sauce with the delicious noodles was music to my five-year-old ears. There was even one dinner I remember going to a fancy restaurant (so fancy they didn't have a kids' menu) and I gave my parents the sad puppy dog face when my beloved fettucine Alfredo was nowhere to be found. My mom asked the waiter to have them make me some fettucine Alfredo, and here I am today writing about it.<br />
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For this dish, I decided to make a spin on the traditional noodles and sauce recipe. Since it's fall and squash is in season, spaghetti squash made the perfect substitute for pasta. (Okay, I'll admit it: it's not pasta, and it doesn't taste like those magical semolina flour noodles, but it's still pretty good!). Spaghetti squash is easy to cook: slice it in half, scoop out the seeds and pulp, and roast at 350 degrees cut side down on a baking sheet for about 45 minutes. Let it cool, then use a fork to scrape out the cooked flesh - it looks like angel hair pasta! It's also affordable: I bought it on sale at my local Sprouts for 88 cents a pound, so the entire squash was somewhere around $3. Pretty good for a home-cooked dinner!<br />
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Hubby loved this dish and I'm a big fan of it too. The sauce is thick and creamy, but without that heavy feeling you get with full-fat Alfredo sauces. The tapenade, chicken, and tomatoes add great flavor and texture. If you cook your squash the night before, this can be ready to eat in 20 minutes. It's fast enough for a weeknight dinner, but fancy enough to serve for a special occasion. Enjoy!<br />
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Get all your goodies together:<br />
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Heat the olive oil, garlic, red pepper, and herbes de Provence over low-medium heat.<br />
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Add tomatoes:<br />
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Your cooked spaghetti squash should look something like this:<br />
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Add chicken:<br />
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Add squash:</div>
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Give it a good stir.<br />
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Mmm...adding the Alfredo sauce!<br />
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Almost ready...<br />
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Sprinkle fresh basil over the top...<br />
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...and of course some Parmesan cheese. Yum!</div>
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<b>Spaghetti Squash Alfredo with Chicken and Tomatoes</b><br />
<i>Serves 4-6 main size portions (depending on how hungry you are!)</i><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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<ul>
<li>1 spaghetti squash, roasted and cooled, with the flesh scraped out (for your 'noodles')</li>
<li>1 tbsp. olive oil</li>
<li>1 tsp. crushed garlic</li>
<li>1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes</li>
<li>1 tsp. herbes de Provence</li>
<li>1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded (or substitute cooked shredded chicken of your choice)</li>
<li>1 jar red pepper and artichoke tapenade (I used Trader Joe's)</li>
<li>1/2 jar Classico Light Creamy Alfredo Sauce</li>
<li>1 bunch fresh basil</li>
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Directions:<br />
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<li>In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over low-medium heat.</li>
<li>Add garlic, red pepper, and herbes de Provence; cook until fragrant.</li>
<li>Add tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until soft.</li>
<li>Add chicken and cook until heated.</li>
<li>Add spaghetti squash and cook for a few minutes until heated through.</li>
<li>Add Alfredo sauce and jar of tapenade, cook until heated through.</li>
<li>Add salt and pepper to taste.</li>
<li>Serve topped with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese, if you wish. Enjoy!</li>
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<i>Disclaimer: I received a free jar of Classico Light Creamy Alfredo Sauce from the Foodbuzz Tastemakers program. They didn't pay me to say I liked it!</i></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-19463087758107250702011-11-09T20:54:00.000-08:002011-11-09T20:54:03.491-08:00Cake Decorating: The Final Frontier<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Alrighty! My cake decorating classes are finally over, so I have to share my last cake from my <a href="http://www.wilton.com/">Wilton </a>Flowers and Cake Design class.</div>
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For the final cake, we had to show our mad design skillz and not just plop random flowers on the cake. I decided to use a bunch of flowers I had made from another class session (the large ones are primroses and the small ones are apple blossoms), and try to make them look pretty on the top. I think I succeeded! :) </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oC-Y9d-1gGg/TrfsbwK2uqI/AAAAAAAAGr4/jv1bPn1DLok/s1600/DSCN2374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oC-Y9d-1gGg/TrfsbwK2uqI/AAAAAAAAGr4/jv1bPn1DLok/s400/DSCN2374.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The green piping is royal icing, and the reverse shells (in white) are done in buttercream.<br />
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Here's a close up of the side of the cake. Those brown spots are chocolate cakecrumbs. I have to say this was the best tasting cake yet...and I used cake mix! Thank you <a href="http://duncanhines.com/products/cakes/moist-deluxe-devils-food-cake-mix">Duncan Hines</a>. There's a reason cake mixes exist :)<br />
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Here are some pictures of the stargazer lilies I made out of royal icing. The other few I made didn't look so hot, so pretend these are all different flowers :)<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sJbToAEvAdI/TrfsfUznL8I/AAAAAAAAGsM/MtCdcct_4Fw/s1600/DSCN2381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sJbToAEvAdI/TrfsfUznL8I/AAAAAAAAGsM/MtCdcct_4Fw/s400/DSCN2381.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sadly, the stamens (white and gray parts sticking out) are not edible. I wish they made them out of modeling chocolate.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_gqV7SxK8HM/Trfsf9iSxDI/AAAAAAAAGsQ/JLG_EBMovrU/s1600/DSCN2382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_gqV7SxK8HM/Trfsf9iSxDI/AAAAAAAAGsQ/JLG_EBMovrU/s400/DSCN2382.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here is my sad looking daffodil. My royal icing was way too stiff, so several of them just turned to mush. Oh well.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tJ1o096fqc8/TrfshMRDOPI/AAAAAAAAGsY/8yG5jAH5a3Q/s1600/DSCN2389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tJ1o096fqc8/TrfshMRDOPI/AAAAAAAAGsY/8yG5jAH5a3Q/s400/DSCN2389.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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And here are lots of royal icing roses. I think I got the hang of them! Here's a secret my class instructor shared with us: use a Hershey kiss as the base of the rose instead of frosting. Much easier, and no need to switch your decorating tips back and forth on the piping bag!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qfa-b71MeOg/TrfshvOGzDI/AAAAAAAAGsc/gS6HpWTEpmo/s1600/DSCN2390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qfa-b71MeOg/TrfshvOGzDI/AAAAAAAAGsc/gS6HpWTEpmo/s400/DSCN2390.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The green edges came from the tiny bit of green frosting left in my piping bag before I added the purple frosting. Yes, I'm lazy and don't like to waste piping bags. I like the way it looks!<br />
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Same thing with the pink. I'm a fan!<br />
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All together now...<br />
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And there you have it! Anyone need a cake decorated now? I'm happy to help! :)Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-85659119812215099602011-11-02T19:12:00.000-07:002011-11-02T19:12:32.352-07:00The Great Food Blogger Cookie SwapI am very excited to be participating in this:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #747370; font-family: monospace; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/cookieswap" target="_blank"><img alt="The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2011" border="0" height="150" src="http://i52.tinypic.com/2mfdhmu.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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I just found out about it today and am already wondering what cookies I should make for the people I get. Here are some ideas I've found recently on <a href="http://pinterest.com/laurenprust/">Pinterest </a>(anyone else obsessed?!):</div>
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<a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/08/24/peanut-butter-cookie-dough-cookies/">Peanut butter cookie dough cookies</a></div>
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<img alt="Pinned Image" height="398" src="http://d30opm7hsgivgh.cloudfront.net/upload/430562736_3zCJP1Yw_c.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<a href="http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2011/10/samoas-bars.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LoveVeggiesAndYoga+%28Love+Veggies+and+Yoga%29">Samoas bars</a></div>
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<a href="http://morganmoore.typepad.com/one_more_moore/2009/04/when-its-too-hot-to-bake-we-nobake.html">Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies</a></div>
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<a href="http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2011/02/oreo-nutter-butter-chocolate-chip-stuffed-cookies-recipes.html?ref=carousel">Oreo-stuffed chocolate chip cookies</a>. Umm...these look ridiculous.</div>
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<a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipe/desserts/espresso-shots/">Espresso shots</a></div>
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<img alt="Espresso Shots" height="400" src="http://images.meredith.com/bhg/images/recipe/l_R147285.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<a href="http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2011/06/smores-cookies.html">S'mores cookies</a></div>
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Oh, how I love all these beautiful photos with their beautiful editing. One day I will take pictures just like that when I grow a money tree and can buy a fancy camera and a kitchen with lots of natural light :)</div>
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I love Pinterest because I've always made picture collages of things I like, and held onto them for years. I journaled a LOT growing up and used more scotch tape than Martha Stewart to make collages in my journals. It's fun when I look back at them and see the creativity of my younger years.</div>
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Sign up to participate <a href="http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2011/10/the-great-food-blogger-cookie-swap.html">here</a>. The more the merrier!</div>
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<i>What are your favorite holiday cookie recipes? Any suggestions?</i></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-83099620162815385122011-10-30T08:47:00.000-07:002011-10-30T08:47:00.711-07:00Gum Paste and Fondant Decor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Just wanted to share a few of my other gum paste/fondant creations from my class. I liked this particular class because we didn't have to bring something to decorate every week - we just practiced making the decorations, so I wasn't stuffing my face with cake afterwards! :)</div>
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Fondant bow</div>
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Fondant bow close up</div>
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White carnation</div>
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Side view of the carnation</div>
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Carnation close up</div>
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Rose</div>
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Side view of the rose</div>
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Rosebud and leaves</div>
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Calla lilies</div>
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Oooh sparkly!</div>
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Calla lilies</div>
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Rosebud and leaves up close</div>
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Fun stuff! These really aren't all that difficult to make, just time consuming...which is why I'll probably be sticking with the quick buttercream decorating for now :)</div>
<br />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-91393528119864536822011-10-29T08:30:00.000-07:002011-10-29T08:31:02.823-07:00Baked Pumpkin Pie French Toast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I never realized how much I like fall: the leaves changing color (not so much here in San Diego, but still!), the crisp air, pulling out the warm scarves and sweaters. It's so much fun! After living in New England for two years, I miss that <i>real </i>feeling of fall with the temperature dropping, the wind picking up, and cranking up the thermostat. (The snow...not so much.) Of course, I couldn't forget about all the fall foods I love: pumpkin, squash, cranberries...but especially pumpkin. I could eat pumpkin all year long and be perfectly happy.</div>
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With that crispness in the air, I'm more inclined (like I'm sure many of you are) to eat "cozy" foods that warm and fill you up. Breakfast is a great time for this. Since Hubby and I don't have a lot of free weekend mornings (he works at a church and we're both up early on Sunday morning to go to church at 8:30), I jump at any chance we get to have a lazy breakfast. Last Saturday was our chance! :) We both love French toast (and Hubby makes a mean version of it), and since my recent trip to Costco left my pantry running over with canned pumpkin, I decided to go for it.</div>
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This French toast is prepared the night before and sits in the fridge overnight. In the morning, just preheat your oven, pop in the dish to bake, and by the time you rub the sleep out of your eyes and have the coffee made, it's ready.</div>
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Even better, I love that this recipe is healthy. It tastes totally decadent (it tastes like pumpkin pie filling if you close your eyes), but there isn't any weird stuff in it. Plus, leftovers! Hello, microwave French toast for the next 2 days :)</div>
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So, enjoy this recipe on a lazy weekend morning with your loved ones, some fresh coffee, and the newspaper. Oh, and please, stay in your jammies :)</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GHJ2eVhGT_E/TqLiAAlDakI/AAAAAAAAGkQ/sIzRqhMcBTY/s1600/DSCN2347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GHJ2eVhGT_E/TqLiAAlDakI/AAAAAAAAGkQ/sIzRqhMcBTY/s400/DSCN2347.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Warm out of the oven...mmm!</div>
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<b>Baked Pumpkin Pie French Toast</b></div>
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<i>adapted from Stolen Moments Cooking - original recipe <a href="http://stolenmomentscooking.com/pumpkin-pie-baked-french-toast/">here</a></i></div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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<li>6 small slices from a loaf of whole wheat bread (I used Nature's Own)</li>
<li>1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)</li>
<li>6 egg whites</li>
<li>2 cups almond milk (or your choice of non-/low-fat milk)</li>
<li>1/2 cup brown sugar (NOT packed)</li>
<li>2 tsp. vanilla</li>
<li>2 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice</li>
<li>Optional garnishes: a few tbsp. of brown sugar and/or chopped nuts, sprinkled over the top after baking</li>
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Directions:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange bread slices in a single layer (6 small slices should fit just right if you squish them a little bit)</li>
<li>In a bowl, combine pumpkin puree, egg whites, almond milk, brown sugar, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk until smooth and fully combined. Pour evenly over the bread slices.</li>
<li>Refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours.</li>
<li>In the morning, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Take the baking dish out of the fridge while the oven is preheating, so it can warm up a bit.</li>
<li>Bake for 25-30 minutes, until set and lightly browned. Sprinkle garnishes over the top after taking out of the oven, if you wish.</li>
<li>This is also delicious with a drizzle of real maple syrup on top. I bet whipped cream would be good, too :)</li>
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Ready for breakfast!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s3hof9Xgs0k/TqLiCdkKMLI/AAAAAAAAGkg/AEUrhEtHplI/s1600/DSCN2351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s3hof9Xgs0k/TqLiCdkKMLI/AAAAAAAAGkg/AEUrhEtHplI/s400/DSCN2351.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Who gets the last bite?</div>
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Happy Halloween!Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-32390023421574155262011-10-26T09:29:00.000-07:002011-10-26T09:30:07.136-07:00Good LivingGood living encompasses so many things for me. It's about finding balance, living in the moment, and enjoying each opportunity that comes my way.<br />
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<a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/">Foodbuzz</a>'s <a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/pages/tastemaker-program">Tastemaker Program</a> and <a href="http://www.fageusa.com/?utm_source=Bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=what%20is%20fage&utm_content=689841015&utm_campaign=5894614709">FAGE Total Greek Yogurt</a> offered the opportunity to Featured Publishers to write about how they "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">combin[e] good food and fine taste for a positive, healthy life." This was not just an opportunity to win a trip to Greece (hello, dream trip!), but also a chance to reflect on my blessings and be grateful for everything good in my life.</span></span><br />
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With that, here are just a few things that keep me grounded and feeling good! I'm taking a cue from <i>F</i>oodbuzz and <i>F</i>AGE and making everything begin with the letter "F". :)<br />
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<b>Failure</b><br />
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<a href="http://cdn.rocketfinance.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/failure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://cdn.rocketfinance.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/failure.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://cdn.rocketfinance.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/failure.jpg">Source</a></b></div>
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Not true! Had to throw that funny picture in for a few laughs :)<br />
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That's right, failure. As a child my perfectionist tendencies got the better of me ALL the time. I'm an only child and I thought I had to be the best at everything since, well, who else was there to do it? Growing up in a competitive school environment was challenging too (seriously - there was a kid in my grade whose parents made him take the SATs over again because he didn't get a 1600 [I think he scored 1580 or something ridiculous like that ]). It took a long time for me to realize that hey, I'll never be perfect, and that's okay, and I need to cut myself some slack. It's okay to ask other people for help, and people really do not care that much about what I'm doing despite that societal idea that makes us think they do. Failure is an opportunity to learn, grow, and try again next time!<br />
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<b>Family</b><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RptRjvYOHEM/TUObWY6l4-I/AAAAAAAABk4/V-wfuKFurHI/s1600/37263_141309302548222_100000074597424_403688_7531728_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RptRjvYOHEM/TUObWY6l4-I/AAAAAAAABk4/V-wfuKFurHI/s400/37263_141309302548222_100000074597424_403688_7531728_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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My mom's side of the family.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GsNnEV6HQvs/TjQnZbBmoyI/AAAAAAAAGQw/IPEIFr3KiSM/s1600/P1030290.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GsNnEV6HQvs/TjQnZbBmoyI/AAAAAAAAGQw/IPEIFr3KiSM/s400/P1030290.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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My sweet hubby. He's the best :)</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EZI-BCMcqy8/TjQueylkbGI/AAAAAAAAGSE/11chK55OV7w/s1600/Wisconsin+July+2011+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EZI-BCMcqy8/TjQueylkbGI/AAAAAAAAGSE/11chK55OV7w/s400/Wisconsin+July+2011+006.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Hubby's extended family at my sister-in-law's wedding</div>
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I feel extremely fortunate to have a wonderful family. They mean everything to me! They are scattered all around the country (and other countries!), but anytime I get to see them, I'm happy :) </div>
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<b>Faith</b><br />
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<a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2177/2495430181_3072fdb45a_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2177/2495430181_3072fdb45a_z.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2177/2495430181_3072fdb45a_z.jpg">Source</a></div>
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My Christian faith is the foundation of my life. I don't talk about it a lot because I don't like to get preachy, but my faith has kept me grounded through everything. I don't know where I would be without God in my life. I am thankful for opportunities to be stretched, get out of my comfort zone, and explore ways to grow. It's a blessing to me to talk to others about their faith journeys, regardless of what religion they practice. My last year of graduate school (where I studied theology), I helped lead an interfaith group at my university as part of my field education internship. I learned so much and had a wonderful experience visiting other worship services, learning about different religions, and finding common ground with others. I truly appreciate the beauty and depth that the practice of religion brings to a person's life.<br />
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<a href="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/27523_118439366027_1761_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/27523_118439366027_1761_n.jpg" width="183" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/27523_118439366027_1761_n.jpg">Source</a></div>
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<b>Fitness</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.nike.com/nikewomen/content/features/modules/ntc/ntc_athlete.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="http://www.nike.com/nikewomen/content/features/modules/ntc/ntc_athlete.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.nike.com/nikewomen/content/features/modules/ntc/ntc_athlete.png">Source</a></div>
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I love exercising, not just for the health benefits, but because it makes me feel good. There's nothing better than a rush of endorphins after finishing a hard workout. Over the past year I've incorporated more interval and strength training into my routine, especially using my own body as resistance (planks, yoga, squats, you name it!). I feel strong - my body is a powerful tool and that does wonders for my mental health, too. I am also proud that I've accomplished this without going to the gym. I don't have a gym membership and have done all of this working out in my living room. So, no excuses, all you out there who sit on your butts and don't work out! You CAN do it without a gym. Get some hand weights, a mat, and stock up on your exercise DVDs (I give much credit to Jillian Michaels and Jackie Warner) or Netflix/ExerciseTV videos. Push yourself and see what you're capable of!<br />
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<b>Food</b><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fzgrg8x7buY/TUOZP0pqIoI/AAAAAAAABLc/PCU5KBLCNhQ/s1600/DSCN1594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fzgrg8x7buY/TUOZP0pqIoI/AAAAAAAABLc/PCU5KBLCNhQ/s400/DSCN1594.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Of course, good food :) You already know that. Food is fuel to keep my body healthy, and food is also fun! I enjoy balancing healthy eating with an everyday treat. That keeps my mind and body happy.<br />
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<b>Friends</b><br />
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A toast at my bachelorette party</div>
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I heart my girlfriends. They keep me sane, laugh with me, and deal with me through the thick and thin. Thank you ladies!<br />
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<b>Fresh Air</b><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cCcVFMR8QMg/Tnqw7FZOorI/AAAAAAAAGZw/RoCkJt95oAM/s1600/DSCN2222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cCcVFMR8QMg/Tnqw7FZOorI/AAAAAAAAGZw/RoCkJt95oAM/s400/DSCN2222.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Okay, so I couldn't think of a better word starting with the letter F and relating to the outdoors. Being outside helps me breathe easier and stay centered. I love the smell of fresh air, the colors of nature, and the beauty of creation. Another reason I love living in San Diego - being able to visit the beach any day of the year, and enjoying its beauty.<br />
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<b>Frosting</b><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_RsdG2HFZrA/TnqxLCCW24I/AAAAAAAAGbU/TP7gYTC4360/s1600/DSCN2256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_RsdG2HFZrA/TnqxLCCW24I/AAAAAAAAGbU/TP7gYTC4360/s400/DSCN2256.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Every day must involve dessert. That's just me. I like my sweets, and I enjoy them in moderation. For me that means a cookie after lunch and a few Hershey kisses after dinner. If there's cake at home, well, then, it's cake for dinner. That's why I take baked goods to the office - so I don't eat them all!<br />
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<b>Fun</b><br />
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Life is meant to be enjoyed. That means going against the grain sometimes, taking a risk, and remembering to laugh along the way. Why, you ask? "'Cause I'm keepin' it real!" Any other <i>Clueless</i> fans out there?<br />
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<a href="http://i52.tinypic.com/352k5y9.jpg">Source</a></div>
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"It's da BOMB!" :)</div>
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Thanks, Foodbuzz and FAGE Total, for giving me the chance to reflect and remember what good living is all about!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">As part of the Foodbuzz Featured Publisher program, I have been entered for the chance to win a trip to Greece courtesy of FAGE. You too can enter to win one of three trips to Greece by entering the FAGE Plain Extraordinary Greek Getaway here: <a avglsprocessed="1" href="http://www.icebase.com/go2.shtml?O7O3Q0VZywySGS9I/757d2a352ae96b1b/4f32c45602fcfb42/lauren.prust@gmail.com" saprocessedanchor="true" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.fageusa.com/<wbr></wbr>community/fage-greek-getaway</a></span></b></span>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-28209127609911514272011-10-25T16:05:00.000-07:002011-10-25T16:05:59.933-07:00Fun Fondant<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">
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I completed the <a href="http://www.wilton.com/">Wilton</a> <a href="http://www.wilton.com/classes/gum-paste-and-fondant.cfm">Gum Paste and Fondant</a> class last night. It was a lot of fun! I have never been a huge fan of the taste of fondant, even though it looks beautiful. Now that I've experienced how much work goes into rolling, cutting, and shaping fondant, I have incredible respect for the chefs that work with it regularly and make intricately detailed sugar creations. It's very time consuming, but when you get it right, it looks fabulous!</div>
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Below are pictures of my fondant-decorated cake. I rolled out white fondant and covered the cake with it, then added a rope of fondant pressed with the shell design as my border. The stars are cut out of colored fondant and attached with gum paste glue. I came up with the design since I wanted something fun and (admittedly) easy. The bright colors make me smile and I think this would be a fun cake for a birthday!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1j2WT3NACU/TqcP5G1BKeI/AAAAAAAAGmw/mr_UM7cDLHI/s1600/DSCN2358.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1j2WT3NACU/TqcP5G1BKeI/AAAAAAAAGmw/mr_UM7cDLHI/s400/DSCN2358.JPG" width="400" /></a> </div>
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For the cake itself, I baked <a href="http://www.thegrit.com/">The Grit</a>'s caramel cake from scratch. It's super moist (thank you, shortening!) and quite tasty. The filling and outside frosting is vanilla buttercream, and there is a layer of raspberry jam on the outside to help the fondant stick. Mmm, yummy! My hubby and coworkers approved :)<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BKe8ga_QQow/TqcP5oDB8yI/AAAAAAAAGm4/dlNxDHBMvmI/s1600/DSCN2359.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BKe8ga_QQow/TqcP5oDB8yI/AAAAAAAAGm4/dlNxDHBMvmI/s400/DSCN2359.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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Does anyone know of an alternative to shortening that works similarly? I've noticed my body's averse reaction to it the last few times I've eaten food made with it. Or am I dreaming for something that doesn't exist? :)</div>
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Coming soon: royal icing flowers!</div>
</div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-33170518981084913862011-10-24T13:39:00.000-07:002011-10-25T16:11:52.212-07:00Mayo-Free Tuna SaladI was in a dinner pinch last night on my way home from work. Hubby was working late so this girl was fending for herself. I did a mental inventory of our pantry and decided tuna it would be.<br />
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I've loved tuna salad since I was a kid, but I have a hate-hate relationship with mayonnaise. Seriously - the thought of eating tablespoon after tablespoon of pureed egg yolks and hydrogenated soybean oil makes me want to barf.<br />
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So, I decided to improvise and use honey mustard instead. It's just sweet enough and its creamy consistency fills in the mayo void for a lot less calories and no fat. Add some relish, salt and pepper, and you're done! Score.<br />
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No picture this time, but tuna salad isn't the prettiest thing to photograph. You know what to expect! :)<br />
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<b>Mayo-Free Tuna Salad</b><br />
<i>Makes 2 small portions or 1 large portion</i><br />
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Ingredients<br />
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<ul>
<li>1 regular-sized can chunk tuna in water (you could also substitute canned chicken if you want a different flavor)</li>
<li>3 tbsp. honey mustard</li>
<li>2 tbsp. relish</li>
<li>salt and pepper</li>
</ul>
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Directions</div>
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<ul>
<li>Open can of tuna and drain water out. Dump into a large bowl.</li>
<li>Flake tuna with a fork.</li>
<li>Add honey mustard and relish - you can use more or less depending on how creamy you want it to be.</li>
<li>Add salt and pepper to taste.</li>
<li>Eat right away, or chill and serve later.</li>
</ul>
</div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-77202848207989513442011-10-19T12:03:00.000-07:002011-10-25T13:38:05.925-07:00Cake Decorating Is Where It's At<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I recently completed Wilton's <a href="http://www.wilton.com/classes/decorating-basics.cfm">Decorating Basics</a> cake decorating class, and wanted to display my final cake project! I went with a fall theme and had a lot of fun decorating this cake. We had to come up with the design on our own, so I wanted something easy and The cake itself was too dry, but I was really pleased with how the frosting turned out :)</div>
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Happy Fall!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5dK0RcmrVQ0/TphbM4KMIsI/AAAAAAAAGhs/HZYuHXC3oMg/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5dK0RcmrVQ0/TphbM4KMIsI/AAAAAAAAGhs/HZYuHXC3oMg/s400/022.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Some close up shots of the frosting. I used a small star tip for the stars and border piping.<br />
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After graduating (it sounds so silly to say I 'graduated' from a cake decorating class) I decided to sign up for the next two classes: <a href="http://www.wilton.com/classes/gum-paste-and-fondant.cfm">Gum Paste and Fondant</a>, and <a href="http://www.wilton.com/classes/flowers-cake-design.cfm">Flowers and Cake Design</a>. These classes teach more complicated cake decorating techniques, and show you how to work with gum paste and fondant. I've always been in awe of those fancy-schmancy fondant and sugar creations, so I was excited to learn it for myself.<br />
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Below are my button flowers from the Flowers and Cake Design class. These are made out of a 50/50 mixture of gum paste and fondant. Gum paste dries very quickly, so mixing it with the fondant helps the shape dry faster.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dtta9-27_JU/TphbTBbaIoI/AAAAAAAAGiY/27E2Uk2OUV8/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dtta9-27_JU/TphbTBbaIoI/AAAAAAAAGiY/27E2Uk2OUV8/s400/032.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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There are some crinkles, but I think they look okay for my first try :)<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EKeqdMHGXSg/TphbTmh4ySI/AAAAAAAAGic/E02er8-OKaw/s1600/033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EKeqdMHGXSg/TphbTmh4ySI/AAAAAAAAGic/E02er8-OKaw/s400/033.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here are my pansies made out of gum paste. We learned that gum paste can be rolled out much thinner than fondant, so it's used to create more delicate flowers and other detailed items.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rkJ2cX-lSOA/TphbUIIbJ3I/AAAAAAAAGig/LqsEex4sC0Q/s1600/034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rkJ2cX-lSOA/TphbUIIbJ3I/AAAAAAAAGig/LqsEex4sC0Q/s400/034.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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For some reason this reminds me of the talking pansies from Alice in Wonderland. Completely random, I know.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nPh7yjVs5ek/TphbVJN-IRI/AAAAAAAAGio/ZDoVY9MJUAs/s1600/036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nPh7yjVs5ek/TphbVJN-IRI/AAAAAAAAGio/ZDoVY9MJUAs/s400/036.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Was anyone else slightly freaked out by these pansies as a child, or am I just weird? :) I'm okay with the latter.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PDIU6McCNM/TAekMI2vrvI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/Dy0EPfo-ah0/s1600/205-1%5B1%5D.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PDIU6McCNM/TAekMI2vrvI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/Dy0EPfo-ah0/s400/205-1%5B1%5D.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8PDIU6McCNM/TAekMI2vrvI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/Dy0EPfo-ah0/s1600/205-1%5B1%5D.png">Source</a></div>
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More pictures to come!Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-52356777039711312622011-10-18T08:23:00.000-07:002011-10-25T13:38:18.703-07:00Umpqua Oats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Oatmeal is one of my deepest loves. It's easy to prepare, healthy, and oh-so-versatile. Throw delicious in there too :) I love eating it but don't have a lot of time in the morning to cook and eat a large bowl, so anytime I can find it in a convenient form, I'm a happy camper.</div>
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Thank you to Tara over at <a href="http://tarasabo.com/">A Daily Dose of Fit</a> for hosting a fantastic <a href="http://umpquaoats.com/">Umpqua Oats</a> giveaway recently! I was a lucky winner and was shocked to receive this many containers of tasty oatmeal on my doorstep. The story behind Umpqua Oats is great: two moms needed a fast, portable, and healthy breakfast for their kids, but didn't want to serve something processed and full of junk. They were inspired by sugary instant oatmeal packets and created their own healthy, natural instant oatmeal products as a result. I love it! </div>
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So many flavors to try! Oh hi there, kitchen in my apartment.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rP6gK_0uWBE/TphbYc2N-nI/AAAAAAAAGjA/6k25L_D0gF4/s1600/042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rP6gK_0uWBE/TphbYc2N-nI/AAAAAAAAGjA/6k25L_D0gF4/s400/042.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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I opted for the Not Guilty version: dried apple, dried blueberries, flaxseed, and chia seeds. This version did not have sugar added (all the others are sweetened with sucanat sugar).<br />
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Here are the uncooked oats:<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4lF947G3aQE/TphbZnyrsjI/AAAAAAAAGjI/DDB_qqH5vJY/s1600/044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4lF947G3aQE/TphbZnyrsjI/AAAAAAAAGjI/DDB_qqH5vJY/s400/044.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Add boiling water, and two minutes later, voila!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tOtL2orBq0c/TphbaKl6nUI/AAAAAAAAGjM/2irZi6r_OUY/s1600/045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tOtL2orBq0c/TphbaKl6nUI/AAAAAAAAGjM/2irZi6r_OUY/s400/045.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The oatmeal was thick, chewy, and definitely tasted healthy. It was a little bland on its own, so I added half a scoop of vanilla protein powder to sweeten the deal. That helped. Hubby tried Take a Hike: oatmeal with hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, and dried apricots. I tasted it and WOW...it was fabulous! I can't wait to try the other flavors. Hooray for a fast and healthy breakfast :)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks again, Tara and Umpqua! </span>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-19400458051420149932011-10-17T09:21:00.000-07:002011-10-25T13:38:39.154-07:00Vegan Applesauce Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I absolutely love Jenna's blog <a href="http://www.eatliverun.com/">Eat Live Run</a>. Her quirky sense of humor and down-to-earth personality are so warm and inviting. She's a fantastic cook, too! It seems like every day I bookmark a new recipe of Jenna's to try.</div>
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Last week, Jenna posted this <a href="http://www.eatliverun.com/apple-spice-bread-with-apple-cider-glaze/">beauty</a>. I wanted to eat some right away. Seriously...my mind would drift at work and all I could think about was apple spice bread. </div>
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Since Hubby and I do our best to eat healthy, I decided to tweak Jenna's recipe a bit to bump up the nutrition factor. I cut down on the sugar a bit, substituted all applesauce for the apple/applesauce combo, and used whole wheat flour. My inner pseudo-vegan decided to use flax eggs and canola oil to make it vegan, too. (Yes, vegan baked goods can be delicious!) Sadly, I left off the apple cider glaze, but I bet it would be awesome on anything :) This bread turned out delicious: moist, fragrant, and full of that cozy fall flavor we all love. Store it wrapped in foil and inside a plastic bag on your counter so it doesn't dry out.</div>
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<b>Vegan Applesauce Bread</b></div>
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<i>adapted from and inspired by Jenna's <a href="http://www.eatliverun.com/apple-spice-bread-with-apple-cider-glaze/">Apple Spice Bread with Apple Cider Glaze</a></i></div>
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Makes 1 loaf</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 22px;">2 1/4 cup whole wheat flour</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 22px;">1/2 tsp baking powder</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 22px;">1 tsp baking soda</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 22px;">3/4 tsp salt</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 22px;">1 tsp cinnamon</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 22px;">1/2 tsp ground ginger</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 22px;">1/4 tsp nutmeg</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 22px;">1/3 cup canola oil</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 22px;">2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed, mixed with 6 tablespoons water. Allow to sit for 5 minutes until a "gel" forms)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 22px;">3/4 cup brown sugar (doesn't have to be packed, I eyeballed it)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 22px;">2 tbsp molasses</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 22px;">1 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce</span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Directions:</strong></span></div>
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<li>Preheat oven to 350 degrees.</li>
<li>In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Set aside.</li>
<li>In another large bowl, whisk together the flax eggs, brown sugar, molasses, canola oil, and applesauce. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until just combined.</li>
<li>Scrape batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for 25-30, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.</li>
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Fresh out of the oven...yum!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YXALh8RvC4A/TphbWuuP1xI/AAAAAAAAGi0/RDyfSaOGCQc/s1600/039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YXALh8RvC4A/TphbWuuP1xI/AAAAAAAAGi0/RDyfSaOGCQc/s400/039.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Next time I'll cut a bigger slice :)<br />
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<br />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-29216492895060974082011-10-16T09:37:00.000-07:002011-10-25T13:38:52.240-07:00French Press Coffee in My Tervis Tumbler<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I love coffee anytime, day or night. Just make it decaf after noon, please :)</div>
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When <a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/">Foodbuzz </a>announced their <a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/pages/tastemaker-program">Tastemaker </a>offering from <a href="http://www.tervis.com/Main.aspx?source=google_branded&bestdeal&9gtype=search&9gkw=tervis&9gad=8163221202.1&9gpla=&9gag=2053632042&gclid=CJmw8KHn6KsCFQyAgwodc3LKPg">Tervis</a>, I hoped and prayed I'd be chosen! I was intrigued by Tervis' claim that their plastic tumblers could be used for both hot and cold drinks, so when mine arrived in the mail, I decided to put it to the test.</div>
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Here it is! I like the fun colors from the Foodbuzz logo.</div>
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This is the perfect size for beverages, smoothies, ice cream floats (ooooh, sounds good), you name it!</div>
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One particular evening I was craving French press coffee, so I brewed a pot of decaf and decided to go for it. I heart French press coffee, and after working at a coffee shop and learning how to brew it properly, I really enjoy doing it when I have the time. That's another story :)</div>
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And into the Tervis it went...<br />
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I braced myself for raging heat to hit my hands...<br />
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...and this thing was perfectly cool! How about that? The outside of the tumbler did not get hot AT ALL. Wow. I was impressed. I could sip away to my heart's content and not worry about burning my hands. Having done that too many times before with coffee mugs and metal containers, this made me happy :)<br />
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Thanks, Foodbuzz and Tervis!<br />
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<i>Disclaimer: I received a free Tervis Tumbler as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemakers program. The review is my own and they didn't pay me to say nice things about them.</i>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-11872232771332684832011-10-14T17:13:00.000-07:002011-10-25T13:39:30.154-07:00Mexican Black Bean and Veggie Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Our weather in San Diego has been unseasonally warm this week. 100 degrees in October? For real. It's been hot.</div>
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Keeping those hot temperatures in mind threw me for a loop when dinnertime rolled around the other night. I was planning to cook something easy in the oven, but realized a piping hot dish out of the oven didn't sound so hot (pun intended, ha!) on a warm evening.</div>
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Inspiration struck me and I ran with it. This salad is easy, delicious, and filling. It's even better the next day once the flavors have time to mix and mingle. Enjoy!</div>
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<b>Mexican Black Bean and Veggie Salad</b></div>
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Makes 2 large portions</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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<ul>
<li>1 can black beans, drained and rinsed</li>
<li>1 large carrot, diced</li>
<li>1 stalk celery, diced</li>
<li>1/4 large cucumber, diced</li>
<li>1 tomato, diced</li>
<li>1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese</li>
<li>2 stalks green onions, sliced</li>
<li>1 cup salsa of your choice</li>
<li>1 tsp. cumin</li>
<li>1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder</li>
<li>3/4 tsp. garlic powder</li>
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Directions:</div>
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<li>Dice all your veggies. In a large bowl, mix the veggies together with the can of beans, and stir in the cheese.</li>
<li>In a separate small bowl, combine the cumin, chipotle chili powder, and garlic powder. Stir in the salsa so everything is combined evenly.</li>
<li>Add the salsa mixture to the salad, and stir to coat everything evenly.</li>
<li>Eat at room temperature, or chill and serve. Don't forget the tortilla chips!</li>
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<br />Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8965466747463724822.post-20542032028637609882011-10-14T09:53:00.000-07:002011-11-10T13:10:43.402-08:00Who Doesn't Like Brunch? Bauducco Panettone and Burlap Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Apparently UPS doesn't like delivering to my apartment complex, because my <a href="http://www.bauducco.com/">Bauducco Panettone</a> from the <a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/pages/tastemaker-program">Foodbuzz Tastemakers </a>program arrived late!</div>
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Hubby and I were psyched to try this tasty-looking treat. Pictured below is the candied fruits and Sun-Maid Raisins variety. It was light, moist, and just sweet enough - perfect for a pre-dinner snack (or dessert!). We were both drinking white wine that evening, and Hubby discovered how tasty the sweet bread went with the dry, crisp finish of the wine. Unexpected but delicious pairing!</div>
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Yum! We devoured it in a few days :) We still have the chocolate chip panettone waiting for us to pounce on it, so I'm scheming up some tasty dessert or brunch idea for it. Thanks, Bauducco and Foodbuzz!</div>
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<i>(Disclaimer: Foodbuzz sent me two loaves of Bauducco Panettone for free in exchange for my review. My opinion is my own. Thanks again for the treats!)</i><br />
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In other brunch news, <a href="http://www.signonsandiego.com/">Sign on San Diego</a> had a recent coupon deal for <a href="http://www.brianmalarkey.com/">Brian Malarkey'</a>s new restaurant, <a href="http://www.burlapeats.com/">Burlap</a>. Chef Malarkey was a Top Chef contestant and launched a very successful restaurant, <a href="http://www.searsucker.com/">Searsucker</a>, in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. I visited Searsucker earlier this year and LOVED it, so I had high expectations for Burlap.<br />
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The restaurant's theme is "West East Meat" and has an Asian cowboy decor - wild and hard to explain, but super fun. You just have to see it for yourself! I forgot to take pictures of the inside, so check out their website <a href="http://www.burlapeats.com/about/">here </a>for more.<br />
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We started off with brunch cocktails (of course!). I chose a spicy Bloody Mary cocktail, and spicy it was! It was delicious, but I could only drink half of it since it was so salty. See those olives? They were stuffed with wasabi and ginger. FANTASTIC. I can't describe the taste but wow, they were good.<br />
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Hubby chose a cocktail with oatmeal stout, mint and vodka. It was surprisingly refreshing and tasted like a minty coffee cocktail. Sounds weird, but it was really good!<br />
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For my entree, I picked (description courtesy Burlap's website):<br />
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benny's sadic<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">miso hollandaise and red potato hash</em></span></h4>
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avocado, tomato & arugula</div>
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cream cheese glaze</div>
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Oh. My. Word. This was the best eggs benedict I've had in my life. The cream cheese glaze was smooth and rich. The eggs were perfectly poached. The avocado and tomato made a great combination with the toasted bread. And let me tell you about that red potato hash...wow. There were roasted peppers (I think) mixed in with the sweet miso hollandaise sauce - it was amazing. The arugula salad had a refreshing, light dressing and was a much-needed balance to the rich food on the rest of the plate.</div>
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Hubby had the Char Su Banh Witch Mi - Burlap's take on a Vietnamese banh mi sandwich. It was incredible. The pulled pork was sweet and spicy, and was perfectly complemented by the cilantro and pickles in the sandwich. He said it was the best he's ever had.</div>
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We also shared some sweet potato fries. They were epic.</div>
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In other words: next time you're in San Diego, don't miss Burlap for brunch! I would love to go back and try dinner or happy hour, so I'm happy to tag along :)</div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/27/1612477/restaurant/Carmel-Valley/Burlap-San-Diego"><img alt="Burlap on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1612477/biglink.gif" style="border:none;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02265676810951599396noreply@blogger.com1