tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81461640660654221922024-03-14T01:56:11.312-05:00Andrea Howard BlogAndreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comBlogger249125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-75110169344007870692020-11-26T21:19:00.003-06:002020-11-27T07:42:56.919-06:00Gobble, Gobble<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Continuing on my road to low-calorie living (admit it, you're surprised I've stuck with it this long aren't you? It's okay, you can think it - I am pretty darn surprised myself....) I've discovered just how many things can be made with turkey instead of beef. Slider burgers are a go to favorite as a delicious snack or an entire meal. Football food on game day or busy weeknights. The Music Man didn't really notice the switch and the little people had no complaints - that's a win at our house! I've had a few folks ask me what the difference is between a slider burger and a regular burger. The key difference is merely size. I like to "doctor up" the meat by adding flavorful fun into the mix, like garlic or, as in this burger, cheese and scallions. Sometimes we caramelize onions and pile on top or sprinkle a little worcestershire into the raw meat mixture. The sky is the limit really. I think a little smoky chipotle cheese and some cumin would make a yummy mexican burger. Be creative or stick to a recipe, but whatever you do - take time to really taste it and enjoy it!</div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><strong>Turkey Slider Burgers</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">1 1/2 lb. ground turkey <span style="font-size: x-small;">(to use fully cooked, leftover Thanksgiving turkey, lightly pulse in food processor, place in large bowl, fold in one egg with a fork, and then gently stir in remaining ingredients, do not overmix or overwork the mixture)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">2 Tbs. ketchup</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">2 scallions, finely sliced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">2 garlic cloves, minced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">1 tsp. salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">1/2 tsp. pepper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">2/3 c. shredded monterey jack cheese</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Dinner rolls</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Tomato</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Leaf lettuce</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Gently stir together turkey, ketchup, scallions, garlic, salt and pepper until blended, but do not overmix (turkey is a bit more fragile than beef and can become tough if overmixed). Gently stir in cheese. Shape meat mixture into desired size patties. You may need to dampen your hands slightly to prevent the meat from sticking to your palms. Lightly oil a large skillet and cook patties approximately 4 minutes on each side over medium high heat. Not sure how to tell if they are done? An instant read thermometer should read 160 degrees. Place on dinner rolls or buns and top with a tomato slice, lettuce or any other favorite ingredients. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">xox,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">A</span></div>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-26492826147784001542018-12-31T07:00:00.000-06:002018-12-31T20:57:02.604-06:00Happy New Year! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The new year is a great time for fresh starts and new goals. Our family is particularly anxious to put 2018 behind us and we're fervently praying for 2019 to be filled with family adventures, health, and nothing exciting at all. I've had my fill of surprises in 2018 and appreciate the growth that all of the unexpected activity has brought into my life. 2018 has been a year of tremendous emotional, spiritual, and marital growth. We have been blessed. </div>
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Keeping with tradition, we will be scarfing down our black eyed peas tomorrow in the form of a yummy pork based soup. In an attempt to combine the northern tradition of pork and sauerkraut (cabbage) with the southern tradition of black eyed peas and cornbread, this soup was born.</div>
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<b>Black Eyed Pea Soup</b></div>
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2 lbs ground pork</div>
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1 large onion chopped </div>
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2 cloves garlic, minced</div>
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6 cups beef broth</div>
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1 28oz. can diced tomatoes</div>
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1/2 cup roughly chopped cabbage</div>
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3 cans black eyed peas, drained and rinsed</div>
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1 4oz can chopped green chilies</div>
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1/2 tsp. pepper</div>
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1/2 tsp. salt</div>
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1/4 tsp. cumin</div>
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In a large pot, stir together pork and onion and cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain excess fat and return meat/onion mixture to pot. Stir in garlic and heat for just a couple of minutes then add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer for about 15-20 minutes allowing flavors to combine. Serve with cornbread and top with sour cream, if desired. </div>
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May your 2019 be merry and bright! </div>
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Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comOklahoma City, OK, USA35.4675602 -97.51642759999998635.053806200000004 -98.16187459999999 35.8813142 -96.870980599999982tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-38032112691432320132018-12-17T09:00:00.000-06:002018-12-17T20:58:55.941-06:00Devilish Chipotle <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: start;">Looking for something new and delicious for your holiday table? We made these chipotle deviled eggs at Thanksgiving and loved them. A little spicy, but the heat can be tempered by lessening the the amount of chipotle peppers used and/or adobo sauce. I have found the simplest way to get a consistency conducive for piping is to place the hard-boiled yokes and remaining ingredients into a food processor, pulsing until smooth. A pastry bag fitted with a #22 tip (open star) is perfect for deviled eggs, in my opinion. Spooning the filling the old fashioned way is just as </span>yummy. </div>
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<b>Chipotle Deviled Eggs</b></div>
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12 large eggs, hardboiled</div>
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1/2 cup mayonnaise</div>
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1 TBS canned chipotle chilis in adobo sauce (reduce to 2 tsp or even 1 tsp if heat sensitive)</div>
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1 tsp dry mustard</div>
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1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar</div>
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Cilantro and scallions for garnish</div>
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Cut eggs in half, separating yolks from whites. Place egg whites on a platter; place yolks in the bowl of a food processor with mayo, chipotle peppers, and mustard. Pulse yolk mixture until smooth. Spoon into pastry bag fitted with #22 decorating tip and pipe into egg whites. Garnish with cilantro and scallions. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an air tight container. </div>
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Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-21397424144078720242018-11-20T16:40:00.001-06:002018-11-25T19:03:33.737-06:00Chocolate Mousse Tart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is not a recipe for the gluten-free, dairy-free friends in my life. I have successfully replicated this crust with vegan cream cheese and gluten free flour; however, there is no replicating the filling without the heavy cream. It just doesn't work. This dessert is perfect for the holidays because of its rich, decadent texture making it the perfect once-in-a-while indulgence. You can also make it well ahead of time.<br />
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<b><u>Crust</u></b><br />
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1/2 cup butter, softened<br />
4 oz. cream cheese, softened (1/2 of the standard size 8oz package)<br />
1/4 cup powdered sugar<br />
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1/4 tsp. table salt<br />
1/2 cup finely chopped, toasted pecans<br />
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<b><u>Mousse</u></b><br />
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1 (12oz) package semisweet morsels<br />
2 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided 2 cups and 1/2 cup<br />
1 Tbsp. bourbon *optional*<br />
1 tsp. vanilla<br />
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans<br />
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To prepare the crust, beat together on medium speed the butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the flour and salt, beating at low speed until just blended. Shape into a disk, wrap with plastic warp, and chill for 1 hour. After chilling is complete, preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease aa 12"x8" tart pan. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface into a rough 13x9 rectangle. Gently press dough into pan and press up side, trimming excess dough. Bake dough for 15-17 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.<br />
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For the mousse, microwave the 1/2 cup cream and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in bourbon and vanilla; let stand 5 minutes. Beat remaining 2 cups of cream at med-high speed until medium peaks form; fold cream into chocolate mixture and combine well. Spread in cooled tart shell. Topped with coarsely chopped pecans. Chill for at least 4 hours, but at least overnight is preferred.<br />
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<br />Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-79937844365091321942018-11-04T07:00:00.000-06:002018-11-06T00:53:42.094-06:00Bacon Sweet Potatoes <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It may have taken me an entire year of chaos to realize how much I miss blogging, but I am back at it and so happy to rekindle this old flame of mine just before the holiday season comes tumbling through my door. After a recent stint with the Whole30 diet, I have grown to love sweet potatoes and am enjoying the process of making them in a variety of ways. Note that the following recipe is far from Whole30 approved and we can all agree that "ironic" is my adjective for 2018. Ha. Nevertheless, top anything with bacon and it's a crowd pleaser at my house. Bonus points for this slow-cooker version of goodness.<br />
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<b>Orange Sweet Potatoes with Bacon</b><br />
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4 lb slender sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch slices<br />
1/2 cup orange juice<br />
4 Tbs. butter, melted<br />
3 Tbs. brown sugar (light or dark, no matter)<br />
2 tsp. kosher salt<br />
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary<br />
2 tsp. cornstarch<br />
1 Tbs. cold water<br />
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
3 slices cooked bacon, crumbled<br />
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Place sweet potatoes in 5 quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, stir together orange juice, butter, brown sugar, kosher salt, and rosemary. Pour over sweet potatoes, tossing to coat. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or until potatoes are tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a serving dish. Transfer liquid from slow cooker to a saucepan and heat over medium-high. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1 TBS cold water until smooth. Whisk cornstarch liquid into saucepan and whisk constantly until sauce thickens, 3-5 minutes. Spoon sauce over potatoes. Stir together parsley, garlic and bacon. Sprinkle potatoes with parsley/bacon mixture. Enjoy! <br />
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<br />Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-54144461212433229532017-06-15T09:00:00.000-05:002017-06-22T19:43:30.071-05:00Sheet Pan Supper #2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I tried to like the Instant Pot. I really did. I tried many times over to get the hang of it and make it do all of the things so many promised me that it could do. My Instant Pot failure is another notch on my belt that proves to me....</div>
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Things that are popular just never work out for me.</div>
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I think my expectations are a little too high. If it's popular and receiving rave reviews, then it must be some sort of magical. If the Instant Pot is supposed to be faster than the crockpot, maybe I expected it to be George Jetson fast. Like super-futuristic-nearly-magical fast. Perhaps I wasn't patient enough. At any rate, I feel the IP is never gonna work for me and I can't keep small appliances around that don't carry their weight in productivity. The only food I successfully cooked from the Instant Pot were super yummy, buttery, golden potatoes. However, for an appliance to hold a spot on my pantry shelf....you gotta be able to make more than potatoes. I guess I'm old school when it comes to kitchen cooking tools and I couldn't get on board with the IP fascination that so many of my friends have come to enjoy. I felt the same way about Botox. I tried to like it, I really did. Everyone told me it was wonderful...everyone was wrong. The headache, the inability to move my muscles - My GOD-given muscles! Yes, I know that is supposed to be the point, but I guess I didn't close the loop on what Botox actually is/does until it was too late. <u>WHAT</u> are we doing to ourselves?! Does it really improve my life to inject toxin into myself? Not one bit. I think it actually made my life worse. I may be the only person to spiral into a full on panic attack....from Botox. Won't be doing that again any time soon. Just let it be already. YOU ARE FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE. (Psalm 139:14) We get to Jesus at the finish line no matter what sefl-inflicted, fountain-of-youth tactics we do to ourselves beforehand. However, true to my gender, I reserve my right <i>to change my mind</i> at any point that I feel like trying something irrational again in the future. I digress... </div>
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When the Instant Pot did not work out for me, I went back to my tried and true oven and my ever faithful sheet pans. </div>
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Preheat said oven to 350 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.</div>
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Toss 6 plums (halved) with 1 Tbs. of olive oil, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp. nutmeg. Spread them onto parchment lined sheet pan. Thinly slice 1 red onion and coat with 1 Tbs. olive oil. Add onion to the sheet pan. Season entire pan generously with salt and pepper. </div>
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I realize from looking at the picture that I used more than six plums or else I most likely quartered them. You get the point though. Throw some plums on the sheet pan. Add some thinly sliced onion. Heat 3 Tbs. of butter in a cast iron skillet and lightly sear two pork tenderloin roasts...</div>
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Place seared pork tenderloin on your bed of plums and red onion....</div>
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Roast uncovered in 350 degree oven for about 45-50 minutes or until pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Let meat rest for about 15 minutes before serving. </div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f_wH3oTiSWw/WUAOD9mjBQI/AAAAAAAAFj8/rUlAGqwHrps-BGXDvleRxBkOgtTs32FmwCLcB/s1600/IMG_0107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f_wH3oTiSWw/WUAOD9mjBQI/AAAAAAAAFj8/rUlAGqwHrps-BGXDvleRxBkOgtTs32FmwCLcB/s640/IMG_0107.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Slice pork and serve with roasted plums/onions and a complementary vegetable - steamed asparagus works for our family, but caesar salad would be nice as well or a buttery green bean. Do what works for you! Enjoy! </div>
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<span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 42px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 2532px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span><span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 42px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 2532px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span><span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 42px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 2532px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span><span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 42px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 2532px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span>Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-56111976504530865592017-01-05T09:00:00.000-06:002017-01-05T11:48:45.898-06:00Sheet Pan Supper #1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hONKVjbo38A/WG5-VvXZEoI/AAAAAAAAEks/QhpHdDG1bLAh-jGsPYYCKuiuNaO5HIRGgCLcB/s1600/IMG_3592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="484" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hONKVjbo38A/WG5-VvXZEoI/AAAAAAAAEks/QhpHdDG1bLAh-jGsPYYCKuiuNaO5HIRGgCLcB/s640/IMG_3592.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I adore cooking and find it very relaxing especially after a long day of baking. I know it may seem contradictory to enjoy being in one kitchen after having spent your entire day in another, but as any foodie will tell you....cooking and baking are two entirely separate beasts just as owning a bakery and managing a home kitchen are two boats in completely different ponds. That said, I've been dying for more simplicity when it comes to dinner time with 6 people. We are not fast-foodies or even convenience-foodies which only serves to complicate dinner when there are limited shortcuts between beginning the meal prep and all of the ingredients actually reaching edible. I am venturing into sheet-pan-suppers and trying to find ways to get our evening meal executed with minimal cookware, resulting (with any luck) in minimal dishes. This sheet-pan-supper was my first attempt and turned out incredibly savory. So simple and a very flexible recipe that will allow for a myriad of seasonings and vegetables for numerous variations. Change it up! </div>
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Start by placing your veggies of choice on a sheet pan. I opted for baby carrots and onion, but potatoes would be oh so yummy as well. I will definitely try with fresh brussel sprouts next time. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dried oregano. Dice and cook 8 oz of bacon and cook in a skillet. Remove bacon and sprinkle on top of your sheet pan veggies. Cut up a whole chicken (or buy it already cut up if you prefer), season chicken well with salt/pepper, and brown chicken portions in the bacon fat of your skillet. You may have to do this in batches to get all of the chicken browned. Layer your seared chicken portions on top of your veggies and pour any remaining bacon fat and juices from your skillet over the sheet pan of chicken/veggies. Place your sheet pan in a 400 degree oven and carefully pour in 1/2 cup chicken broth and 1/2 cup dry white wine (sauvignon blanc is my favorite to cook with) OR you can use 1 cup of chicken broth and skip the wine if you prefer. Set your timer for 1 hour and roast it all together until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees. You will have ample yummy broth in your sheet pan to pour over your plated chicken. Or use the fluid to make a flavor filled gravy to drown your day in as many calories as possible. Why not? Sometimes life calls for exactly such salve. Enjoy!</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8Md4jHL9ZEk/WG5-UbUzFtI/AAAAAAAAEkk/qz5nJ9h0wRgVeLTRW-CKH9HPKXRn13ywwCLcB/s1600/IMG_3594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8Md4jHL9ZEk/WG5-UbUzFtI/AAAAAAAAEkk/qz5nJ9h0wRgVeLTRW-CKH9HPKXRn13ywwCLcB/s640/IMG_3594.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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My apologies for the photo quality - I didn't set out to blog this recipe, but when I witnessed how delectable it was shaping up to be, I couldn't help whipping out the iPhone an snapping what I could before my people devoured the goodness.<br />
<br />Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-71879390690919286632016-12-16T09:00:00.000-06:002016-12-16T21:26:23.472-06:00Photo Friday #51 - These Are My People<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2TzPFYzPNpI/WFSwCnWAZCI/AAAAAAAAEVU/-ZwrIcfR3jM6Tgx-5U7wE-g6R4LixUIAQCLcB/s1600/20161205-IMG_9969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2TzPFYzPNpI/WFSwCnWAZCI/AAAAAAAAEVU/-ZwrIcfR3jM6Tgx-5U7wE-g6R4LixUIAQCLcB/s640/20161205-IMG_9969.jpg" width="602" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some years we have pro photos- some years we throw up the tri-pod and hope for the best.</td></tr>
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<br />Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-67712480897814651952016-11-09T09:00:00.000-06:002016-11-11T07:24:51.407-06:00Eat More CHIKIN'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oVn129pEyF4/WCIlumb5jaI/AAAAAAAAESY/edDLEUUl8pATHe4U8ChE_SfiyHyBiWf2ACLcB/s1600/IMG_2831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oVn129pEyF4/WCIlumb5jaI/AAAAAAAAESY/edDLEUUl8pATHe4U8ChE_SfiyHyBiWf2ACLcB/s640/IMG_2831.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was 1989 in rural Shawnee, OK and I was not quite a teenager. My older brother had become enamored with the idea of having several chickens to raise - a task which proved far more difficult than we could have imagined as many wild things like to devour chicken as a midnight snack while the rest of us are sleeping. We eventually learned how to protect our babies and their eggs, avoiding danger from the big, bad wolf. There is no place where the circle of life is more poignantly displayed than on a farm. Animals give birth, animals die, we eat the animals. Knowing this, I’m not quite sure why I was surprised when it came time to butcher a few of the chickens - naturally, we had named each of them. I was a little slow on the uptake back then as I still am now. I’ve never had an exceptionally strong stomach and one would think farm-life would have sent me straight to devout vegetarianism. One afternoon, with little warning as to what would ensue, I found my outdoor activity abruptly disturbed as chickens were taken out to the butcher block. No classroom-taught, nervous system science lesson can compare to the automatic response of a freshly slain chicken. As it hopped to its feet and raced about in a headless frenzy of chaos, I mirrored its activity in equal frantic behavior. In that moment, I believed in all things angel and demon, life after death, and the need for exorcism - much to the humor of all those around me. Several chickens were de-feathered, cleaned, and preserved that day while I stood by - mostly watching and hardly helping. As time marched on I learned many different ways to prepare chicken and this lean and versatile bird has a place on our family’s table at least twice every week. As a light, cold salad on a crostini or a hearty, comforting main course, chicken is sure to leave tummies full and hearts happy. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GY_UY8IsB5w/WCImMd2bXpI/AAAAAAAAESc/l1BH-EFg2cg8TH_gDMraSQsgRFN8mEWKgCLcB/s1600/Spatchcock%2BChicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GY_UY8IsB5w/WCImMd2bXpI/AAAAAAAAESc/l1BH-EFg2cg8TH_gDMraSQsgRFN8mEWKgCLcB/s640/Spatchcock%2BChicken.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Spatchcock Chicken</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 whole organic chicken</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 stick of salted butter cut into 8 Tbs.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">6 slice bacon</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4 cloves garlic</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Tbs. olive oil</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kosher salt</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pepper</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dried Oregano</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rinse chicken thoroughly and pat dry. Place chicken breast side down and beginning at thigh end of chicken cut along ones side of the backbone with a pair of very sharp kitchen shears; repeat on the other side of the backbone and discard. Flip chicken over and open it like a book; press firmly on breastbone to flatten. </span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Take 4 cloves of peeled garlic and smash with flat side of a knife. Put the garlic in a cluster on your roasting pan and place chicken over the garlic. The smashed garlic will steam during roasting and flavor the chicken from the inside out. Using a finger gently separate the chicken skin from the meat and stuff 3 tablespoons of butter between the skin and flesh of each breast and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter between the skin and flesh of each thigh. Gently rub the outside of the bird with 1 tablespoon olive oil and generously sprinkle with kosher salt, pepper and dried oregano. Sprinkle on the rosemary. Lay strips of bacon vertically across the body of the bird and continue on the thighs. Roast in a 400 degree oven, basting often, for approximately 1 hour or until meat thermometer reaches 190 degrees. </span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eXCorRB0Luc/WCIk3HnJP7I/AAAAAAAAESU/UStWMGamFTEimmAQwNQDFPhyl3Q1JP8tACLcB/s1600/Chicken%2BCucumber%2BSalad-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eXCorRB0Luc/WCIk3HnJP7I/AAAAAAAAESU/UStWMGamFTEimmAQwNQDFPhyl3Q1JP8tACLcB/s640/Chicken%2BCucumber%2BSalad-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chicken Cucumber Salad</span></b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3-4 breasts)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3/4 cup fresh corn</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/3 cup finely diced red onion</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 cup cucumber vinaigrette </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fresh chives for garnish</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Poach chicken breasts, cool, and dice. Combine chicken, corn, onion, avocado, cucumber, and cucumber vinaigrette in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve on a toasted crostini. Garnish with chopped, fresh chives.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cucumber Vinaigrette</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 cucumber, peeled and seeded</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 TBS white wine vinegar</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 TBS dijon mustard</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 TBS fresh chives</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 cup olive oil</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Place cucumber, vinegar, mustard, and chives in a food processor and process until smooth. With the machine running, drizzle in olive oil and process until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.</span></span></div>
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Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comOklahoma City, OK, USA35.4675602 -97.51642759999998635.053806200000004 -98.16187459999999 35.8813142 -96.870980599999982tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-33551646614868889052016-10-26T10:00:00.000-05:002016-10-26T14:17:47.646-05:00A New Day Is Dawning<div style="text-align: justify;">
I seriously considered waiting until exactly two years since my last post to revive this blog, but the slightly cooler weather has my enthusiasm for fluffing and refreshing at an all-time high. There is something about fall that makes my heart so very happy. I know this is true for many of you. Cooler temperatures bring to mind thoughts of warm fireplaces, cinnamon candles, turkey and dressing, and all of the wonderful aesthetic condolences that come with family and the holiday season. I am more excited than ever to enter into winter 2016. Joy fills my heart. I wish I could say this was always so, but as with so much of life.....the burdens have been many. The past year in particular has been o<span style="text-align: center;">ne of the hardest of my life. I'll explain more in coming months. For now, let's take a peek at these two boys who have taught me more than I could ever imagine.</span></div>
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They are both now in school. I am officially alone during my days and have never been on my own before. Never Ever. So Bittersweet. Oh the good times we've had! Amazing, memorable times. That littlest guy wasn't even born when I began my business and was still in diapers when I opened my first big-girl, brick and mortar shop -- he went to work with me every single day. Oh the eggs he's seen cracked, the fondant rolled, the sugar he's drooled over and the countless times he climbed up beside me and whispered..."I love you mom". </div>
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I'm saddened to know these days are leaving me. They both still kiss me square on the lips with no shame. Time marches on and while the baby would still be nursing if I'd let him, the fact is...He is five. Breastfeeding is not an option. I briefly imagined adopting a baby or even trying IVF (did you know that at my age carrying a baby would be considered a "geriatric pregnancy"?! So serious!). Something about the baby of the family -- the bond is inconceivably real and oh-so-strong. Suddenly my youngest brother living just a few doors down from my mother makes perfect sense. </div>
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As I sent my two youngest sons off to school right alongside the two oldest, I realized that I had been driving life with my foot on the brake. So many ambitions, projects, and ideas that stay warming on the back burner as I make sure the offspring have just what they need. They are my highest calling after all. I truly believe that we are who we are by the choices we've made or have allowed others to make for us. Despite the numerous trials that sometimes seem unending, I like who God is shaping me to be and wouldn't change anything even if I could. I treasure the days I've had with my babies. That said.....having all four children in school allows me an amazing amount of flexibility to:</div>
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GET. STUFF. DONE.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Every season of life brings with it just exactly what God has in store for us in order that we may continue to learn and grow. "To <span style="background-color: white;">every thing </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: , "helveticaneue" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">there is a season, and a time</span><span style="background-color: white;"> to every purpose under the heaven". </span><span style="background-color: white;">In truth, a huge part of my heart is mourning. They are gone...my little men. This season is over and we are moving into the next season filled with football schedules, after school activities, and birthday parties organized around how many friends are in each class. I am full and empty at the same time. The night before his first day of school I asked my little one if he was excited...he replied, "I'm scared and happy all mixed up". </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Me too, baby. Me too. </span></span></div>
Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-86967682870428424932014-12-10T10:00:00.000-06:002014-12-10T10:00:02.137-06:00Old Man Winter {Red Bean & Bacon Soup}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Baby, it's cold outside. Maybe not so much for my northern friends and Ohio family, but for Oklahoma and for this thin-blooded girl in particular, I'm a freezin'. I can't seem to get enough soup. This version of red bean and bacon soup is particularly yummy as it's gently pureed - making all the ingredients that my sometimes picky offspring might turn their nose up to (celery, etc) unidentifiable. With bacon sprinkled on top, who can resist? Sneak the good stuff in under the bacon, ha. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! </div>
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<b><u>Red Bean & Bacon Soup</u></b></div>
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1 lb. dried red beans, soaked according to package directions</div>
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1/2 lb bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces</div>
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1 1/2 cup chopped onions (about 2 onions)</div>
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4 garlic cloves, chopped</div>
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2 bay leaves</div>
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1 1/2 tsp. cumin</div>
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1 Tbs. chili powder</div>
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1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper</div>
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1 1/2 cups chopped celery (about three stalks)</div>
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1 1/2 cups chopped carrots</div>
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6 cups chicken broth </div>
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1 28 oz can whole tomatoes</div>
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Cook chopped bacon in the bottom of a heavy post over medium heat until crisp. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add to your pot the onions, garlic, bay leaves, chili powder, cumin and cayenne. Cook and stir about five minutes until onions are soft. Add the celery, carrots, beans, and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about an hour or until beans are tender. Add the canned tomatoes and their juice, roughly breaking up the tomatoes - if you choose not to puree the soup, go ahead and chop the tomatoes. Since I pulse it in the food processor, it is unnecessary to chop the tomatoes. Stir to combine the tomatoes and their juice into the soup. Discard the bay leaves. In small batches, pulse the soup in a food processor until coarsely pureed. Just a few pulses to keep it with some rough texture, not completely pureed. Return to pot and heat through. Serve topped with sour cream and chopped bacon. Sprinkle a little parsley fro good measure. Enjoy!</div>
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xox, </div>
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A</div>
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<br />Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-34736688864916395432014-12-05T09:00:00.000-06:002014-12-05T16:52:53.724-06:00Photo Friday #50 - Wanderess<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-22P80DnHPaM/VII2q2ponmI/AAAAAAAAEHo/23lhIqyhm1U/s1600/IMG_0878.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-22P80DnHPaM/VII2q2ponmI/AAAAAAAAEHo/23lhIqyhm1U/s1600/IMG_0878.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-50717357791571345792014-12-02T09:00:00.000-06:002014-12-02T09:19:56.794-06:00Gimme Goulash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We recently had the opportunity to travel to Austria for a week-long adventure in performing arts and while there partaking of authentic cuisine topped my to-do list. We managed to find dining experiences off of the beaten path and especially enjoyed restaurants where no one spoke a word of English. Since our German linguistic skills were limited to mostly enunciation ability with little knowledge of actual meaning, we were able to clearly state what we wanted from the menu without actually knowing what we were going to get. Thank you, UCO, for German diction class. A few times the "surprise" meal was a little questionable, but after assuring myself the restaurant would not be in business if people were dying, I ate what arrived at my table with only slight hesitation. I'm still not sure what all I consumed in Austria, but I didn't die. So there's that. </div>
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One thing we particularly enjoyed was authentic goulash. Typically made with an egg noodle accompaniment, my american-ized version sports potatoes - you could easily substitute 8-10 oz of radiatore pasta or if you're feeling really adventurous, whip up some egg noodles from scratch. </div>
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As most good things begin, cook half a pound of diced bacon in the bottom of a heavy pot. Nice and crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.</div>
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Keep the meat coming, and add 2.5 pounds of cubed chuck roast to the piping hot bacon grease and brown. You do not need to cook the meat through at this point, just brown it and remove, again with a slotted spoon. Add it to your bowl of bacon and set aside.</div>
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Next, add 4 onions (chopped) and four cloves of minced garlic. Every since reading Anthony Bourdain's <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0060899220/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0060899220&linkCode=am2&tag=godofeat-20&linkId=6XSAXAWO7STGRFCL%22%3EKitchen%20Confidential%20Updated%20Edition:%20Adventures%20in%20the%20Culinary%20Underbelly%20(P.S.)%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=godofeat-20&l=am2&o=1&a=0060899220%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E" target="_blank">Kitchen Confidential</a>, I hesitate to mince garlic in a garlic press as this is a big no-no in the Bourdain world. Nonetheless, I press, mince, and ask forgiveness from the fowl-mouthed celebrity chef. Cook and stir onion/garlic mixture in meat drippings until nearly translucent. </div>
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Stir into the onion mixture 1/3 cup flour and 3 Tbs paprika. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes. The longer you cook flour, the more starchiness cooks out.</div>
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Add to the pot a 6 oz can of tomato past that has been mixed with 1/4 cup red wine vinegar...</div>
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Cook and stir together for about 2 minutes. This mixture will be very thick an goo-like. Stick with me, it gets better. </div>
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Now add two red bell peppers (chopped) along with 5 cups of beef broth and 4 cups of water. You could use straight beef broth for the entire liquid portion, but as beef broth is a bit stronger than other broth (and since there are so many other strong flavors in this dish) mix the beef broth with water to tame it a bit.<br />
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Also add about 2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed. At this point, you could substitute 8-10 oz. uncooked small pasta in place of the potatoes. </div>
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Return the bacon and beef to the pot. Stir together well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer partially covered for about 45 minutes.</div>
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Serve it up with your favorite vino on a cold winters night.</div>
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<br />
<b>Hearty Goulash</b><br />
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1/2 pound bacon, chopped<br />
2.5 lbs boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes<br />
4 onions, chopped<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
3 TBS paprika<br />
1/3 cup flour<br />
1/4 cup red wine vinegar<br />
6 oz. can tomato paste<br />
5 cups beef broth<br />
4 cups water<br />
2 red bell peppers, chopped<br />
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed<br />
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Cook bacon in the bottom of a heavy pot until crispy; remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Add meat to pot and cook until browned. Remove with slotted spoon and add bacon. Set aside. Add onions and garlic to pot and cook until tender. Stir in flour and paprika; cook for about 2 minutes. Add tomato mixed with the red wine vinegar and stir/cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Whisk in broth and water; add red pepper and potatoes, return meat to the pot as well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 45 minutes. Enjoy!<br />
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xox,<br />
AAndreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-13671995419391866472014-11-19T08:00:00.000-06:002014-11-19T08:00:03.405-06:00A Day in the Life of....<br />
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<li>5:30a - is that really the alarm? did I set the coffee maker to brew last night? oh, I smell it - <i style="font-weight: bold;">yes</i>.</li>
<li>7:30a - out the door to ENT for a pre-tonsillectomy consult with 3 & 4 year old in tow. Schedule tonsillectomy - sure to be a joy at 37 years old. </li>
<li>9:30a - stop to reward good child (and mommy) behavior with donuts. </li>
<li>10:00a - return home to find oldest teenager having skipped school, stating illness, in order to complete forgotten assignment. </li>
<li>10:30a - load said teenager up and take his sorry *@#$ to school.</li>
<li>11:00a - drive thru car wash to remove salt sludge from weekend snow fall.</li>
<li>11:30a - arrive at work.</li>
<li>11:45a - husband arrives with lunch - yay! </li>
<li>12:00p - husband leaves-this is his long day teaching, he won't be home till 10pm; I start cranking out batter - ovens get filled with cake.</li>
<li>12:45p - two boys down for nap at bakery.</li>
<li>1:00p - cake consult with bride. *she books - yay*</li>
<li>2:00p - boys might actually fall asleep; keep ovens going with more cake.</li>
<li>2:50p - teenagers text they are home from school; chore lists are handed out via text.</li>
<li>3:30p - newest employee arrives.</li>
<li>4:00p - one last oven full of cake goes in.</li>
<li>4:30p - employee hand paints on cake like a freaking boss; cooled cakes are getting filled and crumb coated.</li>
<li>5:00p - 13 year old texts her head and throat hurt, she wants to skip ballet....*score* I don't have leave early to get her there on time. Text back with fever instructions. </li>
<li>5:10p - boys wake up from long nap.</li>
<li>6:00p - clean up - let's go home.</li>
<li>6:30p - out the door.</li>
<li>6:40p - pick up prescription.</li>
<li>6:50p - pick up dry cleaning.</li>
<li>7:00p - pick up wine.</li>
<li>7:15p - pick up gallon of milk.</li>
<li>7:30p - throw together dinner for three hungry boys.</li>
<li>7:40p - girl offspring appears with flaming fever.</li>
<li>7:45p - girl into the car heading to dr.; leave 14yo with two pre-schoolers eating dinner.</li>
<li>8:15p - strep diagnosis; head to pharmacy.</li>
<li>8:45p - arrive back home, load girl child full of antibiotics, send her to bed; find three boys well-fed and messy kitchen.</li>
<li>9:00p - everyone into the bath/clean the kitchen.</li>
<li>9:30p - everyone into the bed.</li>
<li>9:45p - grab wine and head to hot bath; reflux be damned.</li>
<li>10:00p - start latest episode of "<i>The Good Wife</i>"; sink into tub</li>
<li>10:15p - husband arrives home to bubble bath/wine scene and states "<i>looks like you've had a good day</i>".</li>
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<br /><b>You will never find his body.</b><br /><br />Rock on, motherhood, <i>ROCK ON</i>.<br /><br /><br />
<br />Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-30220864301688200502014-11-06T08:00:00.000-06:002014-11-07T09:47:02.412-06:00Carrie Be Mine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bM3kMhhxqkA/VFrxNN6LOZI/AAAAAAAAED8/yWwyvg3qAto/s1600/IMG_0038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bM3kMhhxqkA/VFrxNN6LOZI/AAAAAAAAED8/yWwyvg3qAto/s1600/IMG_0038.jpg" height="496" width="640" /></a></div>
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As busy moms, I think so many of us are grasping for anything we can do to make our lives more streamlined and harmonious. I completely went paperless a couple years ago, taking full advantage of Macbook, iPhone, and iPad products and their ability to seamlessly sync - allowing calendar access no matter which device I have on hand. This has been so very useful when needing to check appointments at-a-glance. I absolutely love that my calendar and my husbands calendar are synced and color coded so that we each know when the other is out-of-pocket or when to book mutually necessary appointments. However, for detailed day-to-day to-do lists, I've found I was still searching for the perfect fix. I caught myself making hand written, hour-by-hour, daily strategies on post-it notes....cause no one has ever lost a post-it note, right?!? Of course not. *insert sarcasm here* I tried sticking it to my iPhone case - I have no idea why that didn't work. Ha. I downloaded a variety of to-do list apps, but there is something therapeutic about scratching off accomplished items at the end of the day on actual paper. If your business is a potentially messy one, as mine has proven time and again to be, there is the added benefit of a list just lying there, open and easily visible, without turning on a device with possibly sticky fingers to see what is up next. </div>
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A fellow Oklahoman and Mompreneur, <a href="http://whitneyenglish.com/" target="_blank">Whitney English</a>, developed the <a href="http://daydesigner.com/" target="_blank">Day Designer</a> specifically with busy, working, creative mom's in mind. For years I was a faithful Franklin Covey day planner devotee and have been hesitant to return to paper after my streamlining brigade...but I mentioned the post-it notes, yes? Besides, I have saved every single planner that I have owned and the notes therein serve as a sort-of journal - I enjoy thumbing through them and walking down memory lane. Obstetric appointments, buying our first house, life goals - they are all fun to look back over and remember the life and times of our younger selves.</div>
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After a couple of months of perusing various day planner options, I settled on the <a href="http://daydesigner.com/" target="_blank">Day Designer</a> though I will admit it was a close call between Day Designer and <a href="http://www.emilyley.com/collections/simplified-planners" target="_blank">Simplified Planner</a>. They both have great qualities, a slight variance in size, and several differences in content, but ultimately...I'm a huge believer in supporting our Oklahoma home-front first and foremost and while I probably would have been happy with either planner, the Day Designer won. I'm all about an Oklahoma girl and her biz. Not to mention Day Designer has colors more fitting to my personal aesthetic. I know...deep, intelligent, profoundly wise decision maker here...the Day Designer choices are darn purdy. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carrie Floral 2015 Day Designer</td></tr>
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Roughly the same size as an iPad, there is a single page per day format (with Saturday/Sunday sharing a page). I'm super excited to scratch the post-it to-do lists and keep everything where I can find it. </div>
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In the front of the Day Designer are a series of worksheets. I think these will be fantastic tools for a young entrepreneur, or someone not-young but new to business ownership, or someone just seeking to clear the extra fluff in their life and streamline focus to the important things. I am neither young, nor new to entrepreneurship, so while I personally don't feel that I will utilize the sheets, I do think they will be very helpful to someone working their way through their purpose and goals. I created and sold my first product nearly 28 years ago - and I was hooked. I knew at a young age that I loved to create and I loved business - my two Jewish genes got together with my one Native American gene and the idea of art and business collided into something that simply ran away with my heart. The point is, I cleared the fluff a long time ago using a similar method of worksheets. I know many accomplished business women who have found this hugely beneficial and I totally recommend working through skill sheets such as these.</div>
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While I won't be parting with my digital appointment calendar, I am happy to have found a tool to combine to-do list with meal plans and notes. If you found this review helpful, please do give a shout out and let me know. Happy Planning!<br />
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xox,<br />
A<br />
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Note: my review was in no way prompted by the folks at Day Designer, nor am I receiving any compensation for my comments or photos.<br />
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Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-14503172174563582952014-10-22T09:00:00.000-05:002014-10-22T12:17:00.696-05:00Can't Take My Eyes Off of You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Every now and then a cake is simply so gorgeous I must take tons of photo's and share them. I fell in love with this little black and gold number somewhere during the 8 hours I invested in the ruffles alone. We shared a bond that day. Ha. While the ever-popular pink and gold combo has certainly held steady over the past couple of wedding seasons, black and gold is emerging strong and is sure to <b><i>bring sexy back</i></b> to the cake table. <u>IT'S JUST SO GLAMOROUS</u>. I cannot get enough. Obviously. I delivered this cake with time to spare and couldn't help moving it around a bit, gathering shots along the way. I love twinkly lights and the amaze-balls bokeh they provide. Here are a few of my favourites! </div>
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<br />Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-71639920230760569572014-10-09T09:00:00.000-05:002014-10-09T10:19:10.743-05:00Manic Mani How-To's <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Essie Turquoise and Caicos</td></tr>
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I set out to write this post after sharing a pic on social media of my mani-Monday's. I love nail polish and love to have a fresh coat almost weekly. A few friends asked that I share the steps I take to keep the polish in place for at least a week. It's no secret I work with my hands, and that takes it's toll on my cuticles, big time. I think one of my favorite parts of the manicure is cleaning up the dry skin around my nail bed. If your hands are in water often, wearing rubber gloves will definitely help, but often I fail to take the time to put them on before scrubbing down cake pans. And yes, 90% of the cake pans are scrubbed by these two hands...have I mentioned that I'm hiring? </div>
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When it comes to manis, the #1 reason I take matters into my own hands (pun intended) is <b><i>time</i></b>. I really despise wasting daylight working hours sitting in a nail salon waiting my turn for a manicure. Even if you have an appointment, chances are you'll wait. With a full to-do list, I prefer to take advantage of hours between 9p-11p or 6a-8a. That said, I hope my steps work as well for you as they do for me. Shooting the photo's has definitely made me self conscious of my crooked, chubby fingers - blame my German genes for big hands...at the end of the day, they are clearly the set up God wanted me to have and hey...all the better for kneading fondant. </div>
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<li>Start with clean, dry nails - shaped however you prefer. </li>
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<li style="text-align: left;">I apply a cuticle cream to the nail bed that helps to exfoliate the dry skin. Follow the directions on the cream of your choice. I usually leave it on a little longer than the directions because my skin is very dry.</li>
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<ul>
<li>With a cuticle stick, push back cuticles around the entire nail bed. </li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F1Qa1yT_lSY/VDaeoKppegI/AAAAAAAAEAU/VuwYLyuSXwY/s1600/IMG_9431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F1Qa1yT_lSY/VDaeoKppegI/AAAAAAAAEAU/VuwYLyuSXwY/s1600/IMG_9431.jpg" height="404" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>After washing the cuticle cream off and drying nails thoroughly, <b>the next step is one of the two most important</b> - <b>buff the nail surface with a fine grain buffing block</b>. You can see mine is quite worn and has been around a while. I find these at Sally's Beauty Supply.</li>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6AmoI7v2c0o/VDX4vRksLPI/AAAAAAAAD94/lYchz2HpqJM/s1600/IMG_9432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6AmoI7v2c0o/VDX4vRksLPI/AAAAAAAAD94/lYchz2HpqJM/s1600/IMG_9432.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>You are not only buffing out any fine ridges on the nail surface you are also helping to dehydrate the nail. <b><u>Dehydrating (aka removing oil from the nail bed) is critical to keeping nail polish on. </u></b></li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>Rinse the nail "dust" from buffing and then wipe the nail down with nail polish remover.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p53pKKWE9SM/VDX40NOg1LI/AAAAAAAAD-Q/h60C8aIsnmQ/s1600/IMG_9441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p53pKKWE9SM/VDX40NOg1LI/AAAAAAAAD-Q/h60C8aIsnmQ/s1600/IMG_9441.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>This step is the very most important. You are removing all oil from the nail bed and completely dehydrating the nail. Oils prevent the nail polish from adhering</b>. Even though I use a base coat before the color coat, the nail bed still needs to be completely dry. After you have wiped down each nail, it is important that you do not touch anything else - don't run your fingers through your hair, put on hand lotion, fix a cup of coffee - nothing. <i><u>The first thing to come into contact with your nail will be what sticks.</u></i></li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HutwOnyIyrk/VDafpzGvmSI/AAAAAAAAEAs/kqB_ATsx8Cs/s1600/IMG_9442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HutwOnyIyrk/VDafpzGvmSI/AAAAAAAAEAs/kqB_ATsx8Cs/s1600/IMG_9442.jpg" height="390" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<ul>
<li>I always apply a base coat of some sort - usually a nail strengthener. I have used several different brands and so far like this one the best. It will go on smoothly and adhere quickly because your nail bed is dry.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ObS02aXz0sk/VDafx681jiI/AAAAAAAAEA0/aBF6kNdliP8/s1600/IMG_9449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ObS02aXz0sk/VDafx681jiI/AAAAAAAAEA0/aBF6kNdliP8/s1600/IMG_9449.jpg" height="412" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<ul>
<li>By the time I get through all ten digits with base coat, the first hand is dry and I'm ready for the color. I don't really notice a big difference in brand of color, though the three brands I use the most are Essie, OPI, and Sally Hansen. Most Essie polishes seem thinner and require two thin coats - I don't notice a huge difference between two thin coats or one coat of a thicker polish, but sometimes I think the two thin coats stay better somehow. In this post I'm using OPI <i>Color so Hot it Berns - </i>yes, it is actually spelled "berns" - and I only applied one coat.</li>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aExxwDnoFP0/VDagJBF_vlI/AAAAAAAAEBE/-CBUplRo_Fs/s1600/IMG_9460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aExxwDnoFP0/VDagJBF_vlI/AAAAAAAAEBE/-CBUplRo_Fs/s1600/IMG_9460.jpg" height="376" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<ul>
<li>Again, by the time I get through all ten digits, I'm almost ready to go back to first one and apply the top coat. You could wait a couple of minutes to allow the polish to slightly set and then go ahead and apply a single coat of Rapid Dry top coat. I'm currently using one by OPI, but I have also used one by Sally Hansen and don't really see a difference in the formula's.</li>
</ul>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qUM31tfqMBM/VDagJopkjhI/AAAAAAAAEBI/CKYg368TIjk/s1600/IMG_9466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qUM31tfqMBM/VDagJopkjhI/AAAAAAAAEBI/CKYg368TIjk/s1600/IMG_9466.jpg" height="394" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li> Now, after the rapid dry top coat is applied don't run right into the kitchen and start cleaning or anything. I try to take it easy for a good 20 minutes to let everything set up nice. One thing that can speed drying is to place some ice cubes and cold water into a small bowl and dip your fingertips into the icy water. The cold can help to harden everything up. Another thing that buys you time, so to speak, is to be dressed for a work out before beginning - running shoes and all. Then head out the door for a brisk 30-minute walk - the lack of hand contact with any objects will give time for things set up. Last, but not least, be ready for bed before the manicure process and then sit down with a good book. I typically never take it easy for more than 30 minutes and they set up just fine and last a good week. A week may not seem long enough to you, but for me, after a week I'm ready for a color change and my cuticles are definitely ready for more help. </li>
</ul>
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That is my entire bag of mani tips and I do hope they work for you as well as they do for me! I think doing a regular buff and dehydrate over time has helped. Dehydrating the nail may worry you that you are stripping too many natural oils from the skin around your nail - but rest assured, once the nail is dry, I rub lots of lotion and cream - sometimes even straight up almond oil - into my hands and cuticles. I really like the lotion with alpha-hydroxy that St. Ives makes. It's my favorite right now and absorbs quickly. </div>
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Happy polishing!!</div>
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xox,</div>
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A</div>
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Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-80297610877777632472014-09-23T08:00:00.000-05:002014-09-23T08:00:05.839-05:00“Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #131313;">Our
family loves adventure. And we love to travel. We have kind of unofficially
adopted Emerson’s quote as our family motto. We are blessed to have had
opportunities to travel. And when we travel, we love to get outdoors as much as
possible. We are a camping, hiking, exploring kind of family.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vyyRC-TxVZU/VB930Y0UROI/AAAAAAAAD7E/D_iD2pOnMtA/s1600/IMG_1633-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vyyRC-TxVZU/VB930Y0UROI/AAAAAAAAD7E/D_iD2pOnMtA/s1600/IMG_1633-1.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #131313;">When
we camp, hike, and explore, we find ourselves in national parks. Just this past
summer, we visited three national parks, two national monuments, and one
national military park. So, it was really no surprise when our son announced
that he wanted the theme of his upcoming birthday party to be about national parks.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kuf5W61Avgk/VB946p0qD6I/AAAAAAAAD7M/NzysbpA_Dpc/s1600/IMG_1327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kuf5W61Avgk/VB946p0qD6I/AAAAAAAAD7M/NzysbpA_Dpc/s1600/IMG_1327.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #131313;">Theme
parties are fun, but my philosophy is that they shouldn’t be stressful. I want
to have as much fun as my son at his party (as opposed to being stressed out about getting the party together). My style of party planning is
fairly laid back. I gather items we already own, make easy and thematic snacks,
and plan a couple of fun activities. This party was no different.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #131313; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">For
the National Park Service cake, I made a <a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/2008/08/mm-chocolate-chip-cookie-cake/">chocolate chip cookie cake</a>. After it
was baked, I cut it into the shape of the NPS emblem, then iced and decorated it to
mimic that emblem. This was fairly easy and became the focal point of the
table.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MoTnLqI-_yY/VB9-gm5f69I/AAAAAAAAD7Y/W9YZ6ihMGLM/s1600/IMG_2634-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MoTnLqI-_yY/VB9-gm5f69I/AAAAAAAAD7Y/W9YZ6ihMGLM/s1600/IMG_2634-1.jpg" height="640" width="472" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 15.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #131313;">Other
snacks included Buffalo Chips (<a href="http://www.makelifelovely.com/2013/04/chocolate-no-bake-cookies.html">no-bake chocolate cookies</a>) and popcorn.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #131313; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Since
water is a must when hiking in national parks, cold bottles of water were the
beverage of the day (it doesn’t get much easier than that).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UAFDCKqmCzM/VB-BnA1luwI/AAAAAAAAD8g/EnDzce8MnW8/s1600/IMG_2624-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UAFDCKqmCzM/VB-BnA1luwI/AAAAAAAAD8g/EnDzce8MnW8/s1600/IMG_2624-1.jpg" height="640" width="444" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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The table was decorated with items we already owned, most of which were souvenirs from recent trips to national parks. We used stuffed animals, Junior Ranger badges, maps, wildlife signs, postcards and books.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HCxzlWC_5jg/VB-BozxN44I/AAAAAAAAD8w/-i3g5dvKVXc/s1600/IMG_2632-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HCxzlWC_5jg/VB-BozxN44I/AAAAAAAAD8w/-i3g5dvKVXc/s1600/IMG_2632-1.jpg" height="520" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #131313;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #131313;">The
activities at the party centered around what you might do if you were at a
national park. Since most of what you do at national parks is done outside, we set up the party on our back porch. We also set up a tent. Before the party, we asked each participant to bring a backpack and a pair of
binoculars.</span><br />
<span style="color: #131313;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ug7MWudn8jQ/VB-Cpv0c1lI/AAAAAAAAD-A/WT5b-5zWYdU/s1600/IMG_2611-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ug7MWudn8jQ/VB-Cpv0c1lI/AAAAAAAAD-A/WT5b-5zWYdU/s1600/IMG_2611-1.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #131313;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #131313;">My husband talked to the boys about reading maps and using a
compass while hiking. </span><br />
<span style="color: #131313;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ppvz3A0twiI/VB-BlobLEnI/AAAAAAAAD8c/tiHsqtRc6Lg/s1600/IMG_2618-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ppvz3A0twiI/VB-BlobLEnI/AAAAAAAAD8c/tiHsqtRc6Lg/s1600/IMG_2618-1.jpg" height="640" width="626" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #131313;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #131313;">Then, he led them on a short hike in a nearby group of
trees. They watched for wildlife (saw a snake), observed plant life, and looked
for interesting items along the trail. Many of the boys picked up items and brought
them back in their backpacks.</span><br />
<span style="color: #131313;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tVYmTkN3kwY/VB-Bw7E-BXI/AAAAAAAAD90/xhRu1h8rTHA/s1600/IMG_2647-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tVYmTkN3kwY/VB-Bw7E-BXI/AAAAAAAAD90/xhRu1h8rTHA/s1600/IMG_2647-1.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After eating goodies and opening gifts, the boys (as all boys in Alabama do any time they gather) played some two-hand-touch football.</div>
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<br />
Need more activities for your NPS party?<br />
Try making a geyser (like Old Faithful) using <a href="http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/experiments/dietcokementos.html">Mentos and Diet Coke</a>.<br />
Play <a href="http://www.familyfunhouston.com/fun_games_rattlesnake_tag.html">Rattlesnake Tag</a>.<br />
Printables and coloring pages for NPS can be found <a href="http://www.wilderness.net/NWPS/logos">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kzq-nkLfVVk/VCA--WmB_bI/AAAAAAAAD-M/8l7QYtuUDWg/s1600/IMG_2612-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kzq-nkLfVVk/VCA--WmB_bI/AAAAAAAAD-M/8l7QYtuUDWg/s1600/IMG_2612-1.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
One blogger posts about a similar themed party: <a href="http://smallhandsbigworld.com/junior-ranger-birthday-party/">Junior Ranger Party</a>.</div>
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Leah Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03420217459486312117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-57895491057223760572014-09-02T05:05:00.001-05:002014-09-02T16:57:48.218-05:00Bad Weather, Good Times<div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">What a doozey of a trip across the pond we have had. From an 8-hour flight</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> with no a/c to accidentally falling asleep in the Muslim airline terminal during our 4-hour layover, I can honestly say I have more than once wished I had stayed home. It has been a number of years since I have been the passenger on a flight long enough to include a meal (one could safely question if it really was a meal) and, true-to-form, I found myself wondering just how many hands had touched my salad, how far in advanced was it prepared, and where exactly was it kept anyway? Is it really possibly to keep things sanitary 37,000 feet above the ground? I mean, sanitation (or lack thereof) was the motivating factor behind my successful determination to avoid the in-flight lavatory. Disgusting. Traveling as a party-of-90 is not without struggle - patience topping the list of mountains to overcome. Largely the reason I'm laying low this morning and enjoying my room at the Haydn Hotel. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We arrived Sunday evening, a little worse for wear, to pouring rain (curse you, weatherchannel.com, for telling us we would be the lucky participants of a 75-degree, sunny climate) and no umbrella. Only one closed-toe pair of shoes in my bag - even these were thrown in last minute - and thankfully a sweatshirt and jacket made it's way into my carry on as the 57 degrees I spent all of yesterday with became the most ill-loved companion thus far. Fashion be gone - a girl has got to stay warm. It's noon on Tuesday as I type, though it feels like I should be sleeping as most of you probably are. The ballet rehearsal yesterday was beautiful and after snapping quite a few shots in the the a.m, I snuck away in the afternoon for an amazing wine tasting at a local vineyard. The enchanting history behind the family-owned vineyard left me wanting to spend an entire summer here learning the process and working among the vines with the fifth generation owner, Eva Wagner, who appears to be about the same age as myself. All things handmade and artisan by nature have appealed to me for as long as I can remember so it shouldn't be surprising that I would want to learn wine-making. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I don't have have the ability at this time to pull any photos from my camera so I am forced to share only iPad/iPhone pics for now. Thanks for following along!</span></div>
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Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-1619141712743422082014-08-30T00:00:00.001-05:002014-08-30T00:06:35.549-05:00Aaand We're Off!Tomorrow's the big day y'all! The Music Man and I are off to Austria. I've made the difficult decision to leave my laptop behind and am going to cross my fingers that my trusty iPad will get me thru. I am already missing my babies and had a brief, but so-serious, thought to just stay here. However, there are quite a few folks at our destination who will be oh-so-seriously annoyed if I not only waste my ticket, but fail to produce my digital end of the bargain. So I've tucked my bambinos in bed with some extra long snuggles and, after locating my almost-lost passport, I am ready. Camera gear in tow. Antibiotics, check (did I mention I have strep?). Nasal decongestant, yep. Too many chargers, adapters, lenses, converters, batteries, tripods, and straps to even count - I and my back may be wishing I had bailed last minute by the time I arrive in Austria after 16 hrs of flight.<br />
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I'll be blogging from my iPad (as I'm doing now) throughout our trip - feel free to follow along on our journey. For those of you that don't already know, I'm traveling along with the University of Oklahoma College of Fine Arts and photographing both ballet and choral performances in Eisenstadt, Austria this coming week. About five hours ago, I was handed a video camera and asked to gather footage as well...which is not my forte - I hope they aren't expecting too much. </div>
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Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-60956581637246146582014-08-25T20:00:00.000-05:002014-08-25T22:25:04.461-05:00Baby Girl - 13 Going on 30<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
My baby girl is turning 13 next week. She's not the baby, but she is my only girl and her petite stature has forever warranted her the nickname "baby girl". She will always be my baby girl. I could not be more proud of the young lady she is becoming - thoughtful, organized, straight A student. Tender heart. Born again lover of Jesus. Petite frame, but oh-so-strong. </div>
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She's a ballerina, basketball player, seamstress, artist, daredevil, baker, organizer extraordinaire, amazing sister. <b>BEST BABYSITTER ON THE PLANET</b>. Daddy's little girl...<i>for always</i>. I don't know what I would do without her and I can't believe I get to call her "daughter". </div>
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Below <strike>are a few</strike> is an on slot of shots from her 13 year photo shoot. Thank you, Jesus, for blessing me far more than I deserve. </div>
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<br />Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-19401828286847918962014-07-01T09:00:00.000-05:002014-07-01T14:31:56.878-05:00Blueberry Lovin' <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I just ate three of these. No joke. In, like, less than a minute...okay, maybe it took me three minutes, but still - inhaled these puppies as if it were my last day on earth with only an hour left to live and I have to run for my life while being chased by Nazi's with machine guns. Get that mental image out of your head.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XwEjc9F8IPY/U7MJP0reoII/AAAAAAAAD04/IUEMxvnXHM8/s1600/what-i-think-i-look-like-when-run.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XwEjc9F8IPY/U7MJP0reoII/AAAAAAAAD04/IUEMxvnXHM8/s1600/what-i-think-i-look-like-when-run.jpg" height="207" width="400" /></a></div>
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Seriously, though, I love summer. I even like the heat, but mostly I like the fresh produce. Does a body good. Super happy to find fresh blueberries in abundance and really looking forward to making peach jam later this summer with my gal pal <a href="http://mandystansberry.com/about_me.html" target="_blank">Mandy</a> over at <a href="http://mandystansberry.com/home.html" target="_blank">Stansberry Jam</a>. Her parents have a peach farm in eastern Oklahoma - it's good to have friends such as these. *love*<br />
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For now, I'm cranking out these puppies and scarfing them down almost as quickly as they come out of the oven. Perhaps this is why my jeans don't fit. Oops!<br />
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<b>Blueberry Scones</b><br />
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2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 Tbs. baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
6 Tbs. butter, diced<br />
1 cup fresh blueberries<br />
3/4 cup milk<br />
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For Glaze:<br />
2 cups powdered sugar<br />
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice<br />
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Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in cold diced butter until mixture has a coarse crumbly feel to it. Gently fold blueberries in to flour mixture being careful not to burst the blueberries if possible. Stir in milk, again being gentle to keep the blueberries in tact. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and with floured hands pat into a rectangle. Cut the rectangle into squares and then cut the squares diagonally to give your scones the traditional triangle shape. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for about 15 minutes before drizzling with the glaze. Enjoy!!<br />
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<br />Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-6133047096976617402014-05-29T10:00:00.000-05:002014-05-29T11:57:41.959-05:00I'm a Thief...You Probably Are Too...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I am an artist.</div>
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My husband is an artist.<br />
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Our daughter is already an artist at 12 years old.<br />
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It's mentally draining living inside the four walls of our home with all this creativity and thought processing and....mess.<br />
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Our oldest son, thank goodness, is an excellent mathematician and we receive a small break from the artist mentality by his presence....he will probably be an architect....well drat, I guess that's another artist too. There's no reprieve - we're drowning over here, someone bring some algebra.<br />
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Unless you are an artist, or live with one, it may be a struggle to wrap your mind around a day in the life of...a Howard. As a creative soul, I experience waves of new ideas followed by moments of drought that I am certain must be similar to writer's block. Sometimes executing said ideas is so utterly exhausting the only thing left to do is mentally shut down and watch hours of Mad Men or Grey's Anatomy until my cerebrum feels rested. <br />
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Because I never want to forget a good idea, I carry little notebooks everywhere and <strike>sometimes</strike> often I lose them and then find them months (years) later. Back in January I did a little house cleaning - not literally, who am I kidding? - but figuratively, going through my idea books and goals and coming up with a plan for my 2014. I plastered my personal agenda on all of my media outlets as a reminder to think outside the box:<br />
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Then one day, while scrolling through my Instagram, I saw where a friend-of-a-friend posted a snapshot of a book she was reading. I'll admit, it rubbed me the wrong way....</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D36rkEgGN-4/U1SH1uoZWbI/AAAAAAAADyc/_2hLtYIBNfg/s1600/3d-Steal-Like-an-Artist-NYT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D36rkEgGN-4/U1SH1uoZWbI/AAAAAAAADyc/_2hLtYIBNfg/s1600/3d-Steal-Like-an-Artist-NYT.jpg" height="640" width="588" /></a></div>
Artists are thieves?? What? Naturally, I had to grab this book as soon as possible and downloaded it to my kindle app the very next day. We read in Ecclesiastes that there is "nothing new under the sun" and I shouldn't be at all surprised to find enlightening answers right there in the truly inspired Word - after all, isn't the ultimate artist our Creator as He alone created all the many things around us from which we draw our inspiration? Austin Kleon expounds on this reality with many helpful insights on being an artist, loving your work, and fully accepting the notion that without each other (!) our inspiration well would run a little dry.<br />
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It's true, whether cognitively or subconsciously, we mentally note the pretty things we've seen and tuck them away in the recesses of our mind, drawing on our mental supply of beauty to create our own works of art. If I'm being completely honest, the below feather cake that I felt was oh-so-original when I created it was most likely inspired from a <a href="http://www.thecakeparlour.com/" target="_blank">Zoe Clark cake</a>. The girl can rock some feather work. The list could go on and on of artists who have inspired me.<br />
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With my nightstand remaining endlessly loaded down with books (mostly biographies or educational gems) I recently laid hands on this jewel and it quickly made it's way to the top of my pile. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vGiH8763NOo/U4c-Ze3JTJI/AAAAAAAADzQ/FUsoXAHcki8/s1600/Unknown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vGiH8763NOo/U4c-Ze3JTJI/AAAAAAAADzQ/FUsoXAHcki8/s1600/Unknown.jpg" height="640" width="418" /></a></div>
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In my opinion, the biggest mental struggle of an artist is staying focused on my own work, keeping the blinders on, and taking my own personal goals head-on. Throughout the years, I've heard much skepticism regarding my business - "there are so many people making cake", "there aren't enough people ordering custom cakes", "won't it get old working weekends" - the list could go on. A more sensitive person, may hear such comments and shrink back assuming others to be right. Thankfully, my feelings don't hurt easily and the only situation that really ever gets me riled up is a perceived injustice - I will fight like a pit bull against injustice. Regardless, I have found it more helpful to remember that just as no two snowflakes are alike and no two finger prints are alike, the same rings true of artists. There is only one me. That may sound arrogant, but that is not at all how it is intended. My chubby fingers could be given the task of making the exact same cake as an artist standing right next to me and the cakes are <i>going to be different</i>. It's just the way it is. I don't foresee giving it up any time soon - I couldn't stop creating cakes even if I tried. My soul craves art. For now, I think I'll stay right here by my oven and continue throwing around my eggs and butter...after all, cake chose me years before I accepted her proposal...</div>
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Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-62540521319810582542014-04-04T10:27:00.000-05:002014-04-04T10:31:14.020-05:00Photo Friday #49 - West Side Story<br />
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Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8146164066065422192.post-22082660194637375642014-03-26T10:00:00.000-05:002014-03-26T11:23:11.745-05:00Meatball Veggie Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The end of winter is finally near and I've never been happier. While I've spent my fair share of years north of the Mason Dixon (including my birth if we're being honest), my heart sings happy tunes in warmer weather. That's not so say you won't hear me complain when we consistently top over 100 degrees this summer. Let's just say I don't like extremes - clearly, I need to live in Hawaii. At any rate, a couple of weekends ago our temps dropped rather low again and I couldn't resist another go-round with a steaming pot of soup. We actually eat soup year round, but with exceptional frequency in the colder months. You can find additional soup recipes <a href="http://www.andreahowardblog.blogspot.com/2013/03/goddess-of-gumbo.html" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://www.andreahowardblog.blogspot.com/2013/02/zuppa-toscana.html" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://www.andreahowardblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/not-at-all-famous-chicken-soup.html" target="_blank">here</a>, and <a href="http://www.andreahowardblog.blogspot.com/2011/11/minestrone-madness.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </div>
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For this meatball-veggie-pot-o'-crazy, I started with lots of good things....In the bottom of a heavy pot place:</div>
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4 TBS butter</div>
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1 large onion, chopped</div>
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5 cloves garlic, chopped</div>
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2 carrots, chopped</div>
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1 stalk celery, chopped</div>
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2 jalapeno's seeded and chopped</div>
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4 medium sized potatoes, cubed</div>
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Saute and stir often until onions are transparent and veggies begin to wilt.</div>
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In the meantime, assemble your mini meatballs. In a mixing bowl combine:<br />
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1 lb. lean ground beef<br />
3 cloves minced garlic<br />
1/4 cup italian bread crumbs<br />
1 tsp. kosher salt<br />
1/2 tsp. peper<br />
Dash of Worcestershire<br />
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Mix well with your hands and roll into quarter-size meatballs.<br />
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Place meatballs on sheet pan and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until no loner pink in the center.</div>
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The meatballs will appear to be too dry - you want this. They are going into your soup and need to be slightly dry so they can absorb the liquid in the soup without falling apart.<div>
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As soon as your root veggies begin to soften add to your pot:</div>
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2 cartons of beef broth (approximately 28-32 oz. each)</div>
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1 can of tomato sauce</div>
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1 cup frozen corn</div>
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1 cup frozen green beans</div>
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1 tsp pepper</div>
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1 tsp dried oregano</div>
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Bring to a simmer and gently stir in your meatballs.</div>
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Top with fresh grated parmesan and parsley. Enjoy and stay warm - summer is almost here!!<br />
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xox,<br />
A</div>
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Andreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05911837776467448452noreply@blogger.com