tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87105930987637390582024-03-13T10:48:42.553-07:00scratch-made wifereal food. real life. real love.meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.comBlogger273125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-54055809085530554572013-05-08T11:55:00.000-07:002013-05-08T11:55:01.358-07:00WIAW #15: A Two-for-One Deal<div>
<span style="color: #444444;">I hate to admit it, but I've had a serious consumption issue with baked goods lately. Actually, the truth is, I've had a problem with cookies, cake, chocolate chips, peanut butter on a spoon, frosting on a spoon, the list goes on. Last night the husband noted that all of our silverware was in the dishwasher, yet the entire top rack was empty.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><a href="javascript:void((function(){var%20e=document.createElement('script');e.setAttribute('type','text/javascript');e.setAttribute('charset','UTF-8');e.setAttribute('src','http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinmarklet.js?r='+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)})());">Basically, if you can put it on a spoon, I've been putting it in my mouth. Not. Good.</a></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #444444;">It's unhealthy to beat myself up over this, I know, but the fact is I'm not eating well, and my poor habits don't just affect me anymore. I've got to get this under control, for the sake of my Banana Republic jeans I'd like to wear again in November, as well as for my little people I feed every day. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;">Thank you, <a href="http://www.peasandcrayons.com/" target="_blank">Jenn, of Peas and Crayons</a>, for hosting WIAW. This fun get-together is holding me accountable and making me a bit more mindful of my mindless eating. And hopefully this will help me eat a few more celery sticks and not so many slices of cake! (Oh, I can dream, can't I?)</span><br />
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<b>What I Ate Tuesday</b></h3>
<b>Breakfast: </b>oatmeal + tropical-flavored low-carb yogurt; banana; a few bites of last weekend's lactation cookie disaster; decaf; water<br />
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<b>Snack:</b> 1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt + 1 single-serving snack cup Mandarin oranges; Clif bar blueberry granola bar<br />
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<b>Lunch: </b>Leftovers: peppery polenta, tomatoes, balsamic reduction + a small baked potato with salt; water<br />
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<b>Snack: </b>1 oz. sharp cheddar + 1 green apple; about 1 cup honey-nut o's cereal; water<br />
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<b>Dinner: </b>blueberry waffles; skim milk (I was so excited about waffles I completely forgot to take a picture - and I was busy feeding the little peeps squash, so I kind of had my hands full.)<br />
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<b>Impulse snack</b>, after failing to get either girl into bed and after being puked ALL OVER by our firstborn: CARROT CAKE and more skim milk<br />
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What I Ate - and Plan to Eat - Wednesday </h3>
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<b>Breakfast: </b>1 easy-over egg, 2 slices whole-wheat toast with spray butter; 1 slice American cheese (out of Swiss - eek!); 1 banana; about 1/2 cup skim milk; 1/2 cup half-caff coffee; lactation cookie crumbs while no one was looking</div>
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<b>Snack:</b>1/2 cup old-fashioned oats mixed with 1 tsp brewer's yeast and some cinnamon; 1 container low-carb yogurt; 3/4 up Mom's Best honey oat cereal</div>
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<b>Lunch:</b> more polenta (I can't get enough!); an apple, 10 pretzels, hummus</div>
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<b>Snack:</b> peanut butter (on a spoon); more trail mix than I'd like to admit</div>
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<b>Planned for Dinner: </b><span style="color: black;">goulash; a giant salad with chickpeas and light Italian dressing; probably a glass of red wine and a glass of milk</span></div>
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<b>After-Dinner Eats:</b> NONE</div>
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a></span>meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-9192586565134961752013-05-06T12:07:00.000-07:002013-05-06T12:33:13.120-07:00Meatless Monday: Pepper Polenta and Red Sauce<div>
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<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="color: #444444;">I'm realizing, more and more, that the iPhone photos aren't cutting it. I'll fire up the Canon again soon.</span></td></tr>
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Sundays are for waking after the sun has risen, listening to in-the-spirit morning radio programs, dressing for church, playing ball in the backyard, eating brunch, pushing a stroller in the park and taking an afternoon drive with your sunglasses on. <br />
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Then again, maybe that's what Sundays are all about. Maybe not.<br />
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Maybe Sundays are about watching it rain, putting away groceries, folding laundry and ripping open the cardboard on a mixed case of Saranac. Maybe they're about watching babies roll around on a homemade quilt from their great-grandmother, stopping them only long enough to pull their tiny hands away from the dogs' tails. <br />
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Two things I know for sure, though: Sundays are for family. And Sundays are for red sauce.<br />
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Peppery Polenta and Red Sauce</h3>
<i>(Serves 4)</i><br />
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<b>For the polenta:</b><br />
3 cups water<br />
salt, about a teaspoon<br />
1 cup Bob's Red Mill corn grits (also known as polenta)<br />
Crazy Jane's Mixed-Up Pepper<br />
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<b>For the red sauce:</b><br />
extra virgin olive oil, about 1-2 teaspoons<br />
1 garlic clove, minced<br />
1 can diced tomatoes<br />
Italian seasoning<br />
Crazy Jane's Mixed-Up Pepper<br />
salt<br />
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<b>For serving:</b><br />
Parmesan<br />
balsamic reduction<br />
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Bring the water and salt to a boil over high heat. Carefully stir in the polenta. (It can pop and splatter, so be careful!) Turn the heat to low; stir in 1-2 teaspoons pepper, and simmer the polenta, stirring frequently until it is nice and thick. Taste as you go and add more salt, if necessary. (It will take about 30 minutes for the polenta to thicken.)<br />
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While the polenta is getting thick, heat the olive oil and minced garlic on low until it starts to get fragrant. Then add in the tomatoes, some Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper, to taste. Turn the heat up, and bring the tomatoes to a boil, stirring regularly. Turn the tomatoes back down and allow to simmer until the polenta is done cooking.<br />
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Once the polenta is thick, spray a serving dish with nonstick cooking spray. (I used an 8x8 casserole dish, and I quickly realized this was too big. I'd aim for a 5x7 dish, if you have one.)<br />
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Spoon the polenta into the dish and flatten. Allow to rest about 10 minutes.<br />
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Cut the polenta into squares and plate. Top with tomatoes, Parmesan and a drizzle of balsamic reduction.<br />
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Enjoy!</div>
<img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-46204106952740709942013-05-03T10:35:00.001-07:002013-05-03T10:35:12.201-07:0010 Things You Should Never Say to a Mom of Multiples<div>
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During undergrad I earned myself the nickname "The Clam." It wasn't exactly one of my favorite monikers, but I couldn't really argue with my girlfriends who found it fitting: If I found myself in a situation in which I didn't feel like talking, I wouldn't. I'd clam up. But I didn't really consider myself being "clammy." In my mind, if I had something valuable to contribute, I would. If not, I simply wouldn't.<br />
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I don't like telling people when I think they're wrong. I don't like confrontation. I generally don't like strangers. Maybe I'm awkward.<br />
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It's this demeanor that has forced me to let a lot of things go, for example, when someone says I look tired. <i>Gee, thanks for telling me you think I look like crap today. I have three infants at home.</i> Or when a total stranger comments on how I "look great for having triplets." <i>So had I birthed only one baby I'd have no excuse not to be back in my size 4 jeans already? 'Cause I'm wearing a size 6 at the moment. I think that's pretty dang good.</i><br />
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<a name='more'></a>But I recently read a Dear Abby column, thanks to my momma, that I just couldn't get off my mind. A reader, another mother of triplets, was tired of everyone asking her how her identical daughters were conceived. Dear Abby's response was everyone is naturally curious and to answer queries by saying the babies were conceived out of love, or some crap like that.<br />
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Well, I had to disagree.<br />
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And I let her know I didn't find her answer sufficient with my very own letter. But I'm probably one of about a billion who write Dear Abby every day. My words will probably never be published in your local newspaper.<br />
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But in case you were wondering, I've got a list of advice for anyone who has ever seen an expectant couple wedging three crib mattresses into their soon-to-be-traded-in two-door Civic or a mom carrying two infant car seats at once or a dad buying three booster seats or a grandparent pushing a triple stroller in the park. <br />
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This momma bear is done being a clam.<br />
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<b>10 Things You Should Never Say to a Mom of Multiples</b></h3>
<b>10. You look tired. </b>I know, I covered this one earlier. But I think it's important enough to mention again. Instead of telling a mom of multiples - or any mom, for that matter - that she looks tired, you might as well tell her you think she looks like hell. Guess what? Not only is she tired, but now she feels self-conscious about her hair, her outfit, the bags under her eyes and, quite possibly, her lack of makeup. Nice job. Or, perhaps she didn't feel tired at all today and actually did her hair and makeup, and you still told her she looked tired. Now she feels worthless. Either way, "You look tired" is one phrase best kept unsaid. <br />
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<b>9. Were you surprised when you found out you were having triplets? </b>I always want to answer this one with my own question: Can you see the future? Of course we were surprised we were having triplets. We were surprised to find out we were even pregnant. God's the only one who shouldn't have been surprised.<br />
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<b>8. You have your hands full. </b>Obviously. Don't all parents?<br />
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<b>7. Are they natural?</b> I think when people ask this they're trying to ask No. 6 in a roundabout, possibly more-polite way, but it doesn't work. My kids are not robots. My kids are just as "natural" as your kids.<br />
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<b>6. Did you do infertility?</b> There's just something about multiples that makes people ask this question. I've never heard a mom of a singleton being asked this, yet plenty of women go through fertility treatments and are blessed with one - yes, one! - baby. Unless you're struggling with infertility and are looking for advice, this is none of your business. I'm not about to ask you how you conceived your children. I don't care if you're curious. Curiosity killed the cat. (With that being said, if you are dealing with infertility, perhaps you should preface your query with this information. Then, let's chat.) <br />
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<b>5. You're done having kids. </b>I am? Sure, I may have gone about the process more efficiently than people who have three kids via three pregnancies, but who said I was done having children? This is a hurtful assumption. I'm not sure what gives anyone the right to make this decision for me and my husband. Maybe we want to give our little boy a shot at having another boy in the house. Maybe we don't. Maybe we don't know yet. <br />
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<b>4. You look really great for having triplets.</b> Yes, it sounds like a compliment, but see my comments above. You might as well say, "You look <i>pretty </i>good, but you don't look <i>quite </i>good enough."<br />
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<b>3. How much weight did you gain?</b> Strangely enough, I've had some utter statement No. 4 and follow it up with this question.Unless you're pregnant with twins or triplets, I do not want to discuss this with you. <i>How much do you weigh? Oh, you don't want to tell me? Surprise, surprise.</i> Feel free to ask me how much my babies weighed. I'll gladly tell you that information.<i> </i><br />
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<b>2. Better you than me.</b> This one is similar to the No. 1 I think I don't think you should ever say to a mom of multiples, but not quite as awful. It's hurtful, hearing people insinuate my life is awful, but there's an upside to this one: At least people dumb enough to say "Better you than me" know they weren't cut out to be parents of multiples and are willing to admit it to the world I'm a stronger person than they. <br />
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<b>1. I'm sorry.</b> I had no idea how to respond the first time I heard this one, so I, unfortunately, responded with silence and a very stupid look on my face. Insert one of those what-I-should-have-said moments here: <i>Exactly why are you sorry? I've got everything I ever wanted and could not ask for more.</i><br />
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You'd think that by now I'd be sick of oatmeal for breakfast every single morning. Surprisingly enough, though, I haven't tired of it yet. I guess maybe that's because I rarely eat just old-fashioned oats and water. There's usually a serving of fruit-flavored yogurt, applesauce, apple slices or milk mixed in with my usual dish.<br />
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But last weekend I went a new route, thanks to <a href="http://pinterest.com/missmeghancole/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, and mixed eggs - yes, eggs! - into my oatmeal. (Confession: I spend way too much time on Pinterest in the middle of the night. It helps keep me awake during 3 am-pumping sessions.) <br />
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But I didn't just eat oatmeal Sunday. I also ate some leftovers for lunch (bean curry, which I hope to tell you about soon) and then this happened at dinner:<br />
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The husband grilled some burgers from Omaha Steaks. Two of them didn't hold together on the grill, though, so the four burgers he grilled ended up being two double cheeseburgers. I'm not complaining. They were delish. I balanced out the giant, most-likely fat-filled burger (and fries) with a huge salad, green beans and broccoli.<br />
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But, what's that? You want to hear more about that oatmeal? Of course you do. It's easy: Bring <b>1 cup water</b> to boil. Stir in <b>1/3 cup old-fashioned oats </b>and cook on low about 5 minutes. Whisk <b>1 egg and 1 egg white</b> in a separate bowl. Stir the eggs into the oats and continue to cook on low, stirring occasionally, until everything has thickened. (This will probably take about 2 to 3 minutes.)<br />
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Enjoy super-creamy and protein-packed oatmeal that'll help keep you full all morning (and support your milk supply)!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lO4TKtz-Ko4/UVwNCPWwDiI/AAAAAAAABno/Jx1eDOCOaqA/s1600/photo(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lO4TKtz-Ko4/UVwNCPWwDiI/AAAAAAAABno/Jx1eDOCOaqA/s400/photo(4).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">The truth is, I started writing this post about three weeks ago. Such is life. Thanks for the cake, Aunt KiKi!</span></td></tr>
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My issue with birthday cake is that when it's in
the house, I eat it. I'm not sure what the husband's issue with cake is,
but he's good for a slice right after the candles go out and that's it.
He doesn't care a bit for leftover cake. And that leaves you know who to finish off
the Pyrex.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<s>Last weekend was</s> A couple of weekends ago, our lives were filled with a lot of birthday
cake, in addition to candy-coated and peanut butter-filled eggs. It's an
understatement to say this girl needs a break from the sweets.
(No, lactation cookies do not count, thank you very much.) So I got myself all excited for April's WIAW challenge, thinking it might be to eat more veggies, as it has been previously in April.
Let's be honest: Who doesn't need to eat more vegetables? I know the
husband and I definitely do.<br />
<br />
But, April isn't eat-more-veggies-month this time around. That's cool. I've taken this opportunity to look at my diet overall and try to incorporate more fruits and vegetables throughout the entire day - not just at dinner. (C'mon, who else is guilty of waiting until dinner to eat their vegetables for the day? This girl, usually.)</div>
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<br /></div>
So here's a look at the <i>healthier</i> things I've been eating lately.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.peasandcrayons.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f210/klutzycutie16/WIAWbutton.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>I've seen apples and Greek yogurt, chicken salad, </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>peanuts and craisins, and more apples and cheese.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1_jIUSJ8xEU/UWk-Qj_WQZI/AAAAAAAABn8/QkicHUfaf4g/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1_jIUSJ8xEU/UWk-Qj_WQZI/AAAAAAAABn8/QkicHUfaf4g/s400/photo+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>And then I ate stuffed shells for about five days straight. True story. </b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>At least I ate them </b><b>with a salad on the side.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gm9L_iXWpMU/UWk-RJzp-pI/AAAAAAAABoE/9DcMh9J0yHk/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gm9L_iXWpMU/UWk-RJzp-pI/AAAAAAAABoE/9DcMh9J0yHk/s400/photo+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-66820246085326330142013-03-21T05:03:00.003-07:002013-03-21T05:03:35.151-07:00Strawberry Crisps Topped With Oats<div>
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My desire to eat oatmeal is becoming a bit scary. A bowl for
breakfast every day? Check. Lactation oatmeal cookies? Almost always eaten in
twos. Oatmeal smoothies? Don't tempt me.</div>
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All I had to do was read that <a href="http://kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/supply-worries/oatmeal/" target="_blank">oatmeal is good for your milk supply</a> and I was hooked. Now, I have no idea whether it's my
morning oatmeal or the brewer's yeast in the cookies that's helping me maintain
my milk supply enough to feed triplets, but I don't plan to mess with the system anytime soon to find
out. </div>
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If there's anything I've learned since becoming pregnant
with triplets it's this: If the method works, don't mess with it. </div>
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If eating an organic apple every day while you're pregnant
makes you happy, keep at it. If taking a nap on your lunch hour helps you get
through first-trimester – and then third-trimester – drowsiness, rest. If your
babies fall asleep in your arms every night before being placed in their cribs,
let them. If consuming copious amounts of oatmeal helps you feed your sweet
babies, eat up, my friend.</div>
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So when Momma left strawberries in my fridge and I came
across <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/strawberry-crisp-for-two-122412" target="_blank">a recipe for individual strawberry crisps</a> that called for oatmeal, I was
sold. Put those strawberries to good use and sneak in some oats? Yes, please.</div>
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This dessert was so easy to make and it tasted delicious. I'd definitely recommend it for a simple weeknight treat - perfect for those nights when you want a little something sweet after dinner but you don't want to spend time in the kitchen when you could be having tummy time with your trio in the living room.<br />
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The husband said he wasn't even that hungry for dessert when I had these baking in the toaster oven, but after just one bite, the man said they were quite yummy. And he even asked the following night if we had more strawberries to make these again. I think he's hooked.<br />
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<b>My tips for next time:</b><br />
- Just like the first time, melt the butter in the microwave for a few seconds, then add in the rest of the "topping" ingredients. This made cleanup super easy.<br />
- Use less sugar. I don't think we needed the whole 1/4 cup brown sugar. These were a little too sweet.<br />
- Add more strawberries. Even the husband said these could use more fruit. (Score!)<br />
- Make sure we have enough strawberries to have these again. </div>
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<img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-58100682029541055152013-03-18T06:21:00.002-07:002013-03-18T06:21:40.723-07:00Guinness-Sauced Sundaes & Happy Feet<div>
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<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">St. Patrick's Day Feet From left: Baby Baby, Firstborn, Little Man</td></tr>
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Guinness cupcakes, corned beef and cabbage, Irish coffee, Bailey's brownies: Are you tired of hearing about St. Patrick's Day yet? Me neither, which is exactly why I have no shame posting about the holiday a whole day late.</div>
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I was dying to serve a Guinness dessert to the fam last week. (We were lucky enough to spend spring break with my momma, stepdaddy, Big Little Brother and his fab gf.) Naturally that meant I pored over <a href="http://pinterest.com/missmeghancole/" target="_blank">Pinterest </a>during my wee-hour pumping sessions until I found something that A) sounded delicious and B) used Guinness.</div>
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<a name='more'></a>What I decided to go with was a recipe for Guinness sundaes, essentially <a href="http://noblepig.com/2009/12/guinness-sundae/" target="_blank">Guinness sauce</a> that looked to-die-for over ice cream.<br />
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It was thick and syrupy, after, oh, an hour or so.</div>
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And it tasted great over chocolate ice cream.<br />
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Actually, it probably tasted better over chocolate ice cream than vanilla.<br />
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But if you ask the husband, he'd tell you to save the time and just pour molasses over your dessert. The sauce was delicious, and I thought it made for a nice end to our St. Patrick's Day dinner, which we ate two days early, but it was a bit time-consuming. And I'd probably have enjoyed the Guinness more by itself or with ice cream as a float.<br />
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Good thing there's always next year.<br />
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</div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-23253226404900497152013-03-15T06:24:00.002-07:002013-03-15T06:24:42.043-07:00Trying to Embrace Sleepless Nights<div>
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The last week has been rough in the sleep department for our house. Well, actually, I should rephrase that: Our firstborn has been sleeping like an angel for the last week and has enjoyed multiple nights of uninterrupted rest. Everyone else in the house is about to lose it. Thank you, sleep deprivation. I missed you - not.<br />
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After we brought the babies home in November, nights became long. (Yes, <b>I carried those triplets</b> <b>36 weeks</b>, and we welcomed our sweet babies in November, though I'd planned all along to meet them in October.) The husband and I were so blessed that we didn't spend even an hour in the NICU. The downside to that? (Can there be a downside to that? Yes, there can.) We returned home with three tiny infants and a recovering momma - and not one of those babies wanted to sleep when it was dark outside.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I guess no sleep at night would have been bearable had anyone wanted to sleep during the day. But that, unfortunately, wasn't the case. One was almost always awake and needing something. Rest was so hard to come by. So the five of us resorted to "sleeping" in the living room. The babies won't stay in their cribs? OK, we'll camp out in the living room as a family and get whatever rest we can, rotating babies from the recliner with Momma to the couch with Daddy to the Pack 'N' Play. (Anyone who is tempted to comment about the dangers of letting an infant sleep with you can stop reading right now.)<br />
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We did whatever we could, and I prayed and prayed for the day those nights would pass. The husband suggested letting them cry much sooner than I was ready to let them. "They're only a week old once," I told him. Then I said, "They're never going to be a month old again."<br />
<br />
I so badly wanted those babies to get in their cribs, and then I'd look at them and realize how much they needed us and see how much they just wanted love and snuggling. And then I'd melt and happily sleep with a baby tucked - face up - in my elbow to rest for an hour. <br />
<br />
But those days passed. We got <b>our firstborn</b> into her crib, <b>her little brother</b>, too, and finally <b>our baby baby</b> started sleeping in her crib, as well, despite a few tears here and there.We actually had nights where I had to get up to pump, but I didn't have to feed anyone. They slept and slept - sometimes for four hours at a time!<br />
<br />
How is it that we've now returned to No-Sleep November, four months later? The babies are growing and changing with every day that passes. They smile and laugh and roll over; they'll all be mobile before I know it. And when it comes to sleep, our firstborn can now have nights where she sleeps 11 hours. It's like a gift from God. I wake up in the morning telling her I missed her all night because I hadn't had any interaction with her in hours.<br />
<br />
But our little man is on a 30-minute-sleep-in-his-crib steak. He's trying to roll over, but he has yet to master the technique. And then he wakes up. And then he gets mad. And then he cries. And when he won't stop crying, sometimes Momma cries, too.<br />
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Our baby baby's issues are a little different: She's always liked the warmth of Momma or Daddy nearby, and she's recently decided that as soon as we put her in her crib, she's going to wake up and cry.<br />
<br />
So, nights are tiring yet again, and I know this will probably go in waves for years to come. It's just rough when you're right in the middle of it, trying to survive the night so you can drive to work the next day and not fall asleep at your desk. All I can do is look at those little babies and thank God for everything he's given us. There will come a day when we won't be needed quite so much, so I better enjoy this while it lasts.<br />
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<img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-23301711450172171282013-03-13T08:19:00.001-07:002013-03-13T08:19:20.328-07:00WIAW #12: Oven-Roasted Broccoli<div>
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<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">I'm going to start answering to "Cookie Monster."</td></tr>
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It has been a super long time since I've photographed everything I've eaten in a single day. I think that's probably because when I was carrying our trio, what I ate in a single day was super scary. </div>
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I ate a lot. And I got really big (50.5 inches in diameter, to be exact). But I made really big babies (for triplets, at least). So it was totally worth it.</div>
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Now that I'm feeding all three of them, I still eat quite a bit. I don't count calories. I don't always think before I put food in my mouth, unless it has to do with how much I can eat in a given timespan: <i>How much longer will the babies be happy? What time are they going to wake up? When do we need to feed them again?</i><br />
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And, no, I have no idea when this is all going to catch up with me. All I know is that I have 10 more pounds of baby weight to lose before I'm back to where I was when I started. I guess if I think I'm going to get there sooner rather than later I should probably be eating more veggies.</div>
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And as you'll see, I probably should have eaten more vegetables yesterday.<br />
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<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Almost every day of the week begins with oatmeal.</td></tr>
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<b>Breakfast:</b> old-fashoined oatmeal (good for makin' milk!); yogurt; a hard-boiled egg; about half a cup of half caff mixed with milk</div>
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<b>Snack:</b> a cheese stick; a pb granola bar; water</div>
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<b>Lunch:</b> leftover Mexican pasta casserole (possibly making an appearance on the blog soon); unsweetened applesauce; honey-nut toasted Os cereal; water</div>
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<b>Snack:</b> baby carrots; water; lactation cookies; lactation cookies; lactation cookies; <br />
a leftover piece of meatloaf (thanks, Momma!)</div>
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<b>Dinner:</b> salad; polenta cakes with tomato sauce, pesto, mascarpone, reduced balsamic; milk</div>
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When the husband and I are on our own - sans company to cook us dinner every night - I've been eating a lot of broccoli to meet my vegetable quota. The husband absolutely hates broccoli, so this dish is all me. I love it, and it is a super quick and easy way to get vegetables on the table.<br />
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Happy eating green, y'all!<br />
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<h3>
Oven-Roasted Broccoli</h3>
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Wash and cut <b>broccoli </b>into bite-size pieces. Throw broccoli in a bag, drizzle in some good <b>olive oil</b>. Sprinkle some <b>Italian breadcrumbs</b> into the bag. Hold the end of the bag so you trap air in the bag with the broccoli. Shake the broccoli to disperse the olive oil and breadcrumbs, or just rub the bag so you get the broccoli pieces coated. Then spray a baking sheet with <b>nonstick cooking spray</b>. Spread the broccoli out and top with some <b>mixed-up salt</b> or <b>any spices you like</b>. Roast the broccoli for 10 minutes, stir, then bake another 2 to 5 minutes or until broccoli is to your desired tenderness.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-80527758492251404342013-03-11T05:17:00.004-07:002013-03-11T05:17:51.086-07:00Meatless Monday: [When You Need] Pasta & White Beans<div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I spent $2 on orange juice one morning last week. In fact, I spent $2
on 12 oz. of orange juice. That’s absurd. But I woke up with a little scratch in my throat, and if the momma bear gets sick, this whole ship
is goin’ down. So I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">needed</i> the orange
juice. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Needed. It.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was a need like the need I had to get a Snickers bar out
of the vending machine while working last weekend’s consignment sale — a need
like the need I had to eat this simple and delicious pasta dinner.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<a name='more'></a>You may argue that these are wants and not needs, but I will
tell you that you’re wrong. Two nights ago I tried out a new slow-cooker recipe on
the husband. It called for meat (we went with venison), broth, vegetables,
beer. I thought we were grand. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was awful. That’s all I’m going to tell you about that.
We <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">needed</i> a good dinner after that mess.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3 class="MsoNormal">
Pasta and White Beans</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1/2 tablespoon olive oil</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1/2 cup chopped onion<br />
1 garlic clove, minced<br />
red pepper flakes, about 1/2-1 teaspoon<br />
black pepper, about 1/2 teaspoon<br />
salt <br />
3/4 cup sliced white mushrooms<br />
1 can white beans (or whatever kind of beans you prefer)<br />
1 1/2 cups red sauce (we used basil & garlic stuff in a jar!)<br />
4 servings whole-wheat pasta (we used penne)<br />
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Heat olive oil, onion and garlic in a large skillet over low-medium heat until garlic makes your kitchen smell amazing and onion softens. (I think I let mine cook for about 10 minutes.) Add in the red pepper flakes, black pepper and salt, to taste.<br />
<br />
Stir in the (cleaned!) mushrooms and let them soften.<br />
<br />
Put a pot of water on to boil.<br />
<br />
Stir in the beans and sauce, and let the entire mixture warm. (You'll probably want to turn the heat down to low at this point.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tPBYIkmNyyY/UT3LMjbNYkI/AAAAAAAABlQ/Yay4x8dlXGw/s1600/photo(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tPBYIkmNyyY/UT3LMjbNYkI/AAAAAAAABlQ/Yay4x8dlXGw/s400/photo(1).JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Cook, then drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the large skillet filled with the sauce and bean mixture. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<br /></div>
<img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" />meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-23985275601650993982013-03-02T14:56:00.000-08:002013-03-02T14:56:45.923-08:00Well, Hello!<div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="javascript:void((function(){var%20e=document.createElement('script');e.setAttribute('type','text/javascript');e.setAttribute('charset','UTF-8');e.setAttribute('src','http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinmarklet.js?r='+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)})());" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pin It" class="aligncenter" src="http://www.clickinmoms.com/cmprodaily/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/pinit.jpg" /></a> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sxCKM69-0iw/UTKCgeKPgTI/AAAAAAAABkY/y3PajG0mJ_0/s1600/photo%281%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sxCKM69-0iw/UTKCgeKPgTI/AAAAAAAABkY/y3PajG0mJ_0/s400/photo%281%29.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">One of our absolute favorites</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Slainte!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Cheers to ending what was fast approaching a six-month blog hiatus. If
you ask the husband, he’ll tell you he doesn’t have any recollection of
what happened in December. Apparently the second month of parenthood is a complete blur for him. I remember most of December, but I’m not sure
why I barely wrote in August and never sat
down to write during the months of September or October. Come to think
of it, I was sitting a lot! I wasn’t cooking much, though, and maybe
that’s what fueled the lack of posts. The husband was cooking and I was
just growing – and growing and growing. </div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now that I’m quite a bit smaller, I don’t mind
telling you that I was a nice 50-plus inches around once November hit.
And I swear if I’d given birth at 33 weeks I could have avoided any
stretch marks. But I earned my stripes – and what
we’ll have to call “twin skin,” since nothing rhymes with “triplet.”
It’s true my bikini days are probably now be tankini days, but I can
easily say that’s OK. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VV5GnlPS8AQ/UTKDDhmwt1I/AAAAAAAABkg/aKyOvZ582Q4/s1600/babies_week+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VV5GnlPS8AQ/UTKDDhmwt1I/AAAAAAAABkg/aKyOvZ582Q4/s400/babies_week+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Here's a shot of our first week home.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s nothing in the world I’d trade for the three healthy babies the husband and I met after 36 weeks. </div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Because of that, in addition to rambling on about what I'm feeding the husband on a weekly basis - and putting in my mouth on Wednesdays, because I would like to get WIAW train again - I'd also like to start telling y'all about what it's like to live with triplets. We have no idea what we're doing here. It might make for interesting reading. We shall see.</div>
<div>
<br />
So here's to our family of five, good wine and rejoining the blogging world.<br />
</div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-87245812298338771712012-08-19T07:07:00.001-07:002012-08-19T07:07:38.768-07:00Mini Vans and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bars<div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3lxEaKy0Jq4/UDDxohtMYeI/AAAAAAAABi0/8_QKfwJqLt4/s1600/IMG_5590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="chocolate-peanut butter oat bars" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3lxEaKy0Jq4/UDDxohtMYeI/AAAAAAAABi0/8_QKfwJqLt4/s640/IMG_5590.JPG" title="Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bars" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hello, my name is Meghan and I drive a mini van.<br />
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Wow. Getting that off my chest feels a lot better. Are we still friends? I hope. Because driving a mini van and spending a lot of my recent time washing baby clothes has made me feel like I need to do other Mom stuff, like, you know, bake.<br />
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Momma left me a couple of magazines she bought for her flight down here, and when I was going through my overwhelming stack of periodicals I found a what I thought looked like a pretty tasty recipe in a <i>Health</i> magazine she left.<br />
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I made these bars as a treat for the husband - and the babies, ha. We all really liked them. The husband thought they could have used less oatmeal, but I told him the oats help keep them healthy. I think he also could have gone for more chocolate chips, but I used the last of what we had in the house.<br />
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Hey, I didn't want a mini van, either. I wanted an SUV, but there's no way we'd ever fit three kids and a triple stroller and groceries into an SUV.<br />
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You can't always get what you want, right? But you get what you need.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mBr8Z7sueCA/UDDxrm8ySMI/AAAAAAAABi8/UaE4uWPXJmg/s1600/IMG_5592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="chocolate-peanut butter oat bars" border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mBr8Z7sueCA/UDDxrm8ySMI/AAAAAAAABi8/UaE4uWPXJmg/s640/IMG_5592.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bars</b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Inspired by Health Magazine, July/August 2012</i></span><br />
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nonstick cooking spray<br />
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
1 cup packed brown sugar<br />
1/2 cup butterscotch peanut butter (or regular p.b., your call)<br />
2 large eggs<br />
2 tablespoons oil<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1 1/2 cups oats<br />
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips<br />
1/4 cup macadamia nuts<br />
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.<br />
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Stir together the flour, baking soda and cinnamon. In a mixer, beat the brown sugar and peanut butter until combined. Beat in the eggs, oil and vanilla. Stir the flour mixture into the sugar-p.b. mixture.<br />
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Add in the oats, chocolate chips and nuts.<br />
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Use a spatula to spread the batter into your prepared pan. Bake for 18-25 minutes or until the bars are lightly brown and firm in the middle. (Our bars took 18 minutes, but if your oven isn't like ours, you may need to bake your bars up to 25 minutes.)<br />
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Cool and enjoy!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-71374204204048361592012-08-13T16:18:00.001-07:002012-08-13T16:18:25.209-07:00DIY Baby Mobiles<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2VyiNGL_B1A/UCaP2W6gmgI/AAAAAAAABiY/WZPH5zFO4jw/s1600/baby+mobiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="DIY Baby Mobiles" border="0" height="384" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2VyiNGL_B1A/UCaP2W6gmgI/AAAAAAAABiY/WZPH5zFO4jw/s640/baby+mobiles.jpg" title="Homemade Baby Mobiles" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">All three baby mobiles are finally finished!</span></span></td></tr>
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When the husband said he wanted the babies to have mobiles I thought it was a pretty sweet idea he was getting into the whole registry thing. And then I saw how much mobiles cost.<br />
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Maybe you have kids and you'll say a $60 musical mobile is worth it, but I just can't buy into that philosophy at the moment. I can't imagine spending that amount of money on a mobile let alone registering for three of them and expecting someone else to buy them for our babies.<br />
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So I turned to Google.<br />
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<a href="http://scratch-made-wife.blogspot.com/2011/12/freestyle-friday-how-to-make-fleece.html" target="_blank">I'm sort of crafty</a>. I may not be able to sew like my momma - yet - but I did have a "craft room" until we had to make room for the tiny humans I'm growing. So I was super excited when I found <a href="http://sewshesews.wordpress.com/2010/03/22/for-the-love-of-polka-dots-a-crib-mobile-tutorial/" target="_blank">these mobiles on Sew She Sews</a>. They were easy to make and I'd highly recommend them to anyone wanting to add a personal touch to a nursery without spending a crap ton of money.<br />
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The worst thing about making the mobiles is that I was introduced to Heat 'n' Bond, and now I can't wait to iron all sorts of things onto baby clothes!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-29017859755708119012012-08-05T07:07:00.001-07:002012-08-05T07:07:55.308-07:00Stuffed French Toast<div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tEbqctLJSgc/UB53iRrpPyI/AAAAAAAABiA/Q0mGkGrdNdQ/s1600/IMG_5562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="444" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tEbqctLJSgc/UB53iRrpPyI/AAAAAAAABiA/Q0mGkGrdNdQ/s640/IMG_5562.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lazy weekend mornings when the husband's golfing are for sleeping in with brown dogs. They're for watching bad television the husband would never watch with you and downloading photos you've been letting sit on your camera for far too long.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mornings like these are for making yourself a good breakfast and topping it with your uncle's homemade maple syrup so when you sit very still in your recliner with you feet up, you can feel the tiny humans in your belly go crazy.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><b>Stuffed French Toast for One</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">1 egg</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">2 egg whites</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">cinnamon</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">2 slices whole-wheat bread</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">1 tablespoon low-fat cream cheese</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">1/2 tablespoon jelly</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">1/2-1 tablespoon maple syrup</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Whisk the egg, egg whites and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Coat the bread in the egg mixture and cook on a heated griddle until all of the egg mixture has cooked.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Remove the bread to your plate, then spread cream cheese and jelly on one slice of bread. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sandwich the other slice of bread on top and grab the syrup.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Enjoy!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-44199578403423079042012-07-18T12:12:00.000-07:002012-07-18T12:12:32.235-07:00Babies' Room Sneak Peek<div>
<a href="javascript:void((function(){var%20e=document.createElement('script');e.setAttribute('type','text/javascript');e.setAttribute('charset','UTF-8');e.setAttribute('src','http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinmarklet.js?r='+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)})());"><img alt="Pin It" class="aligncenter" src="http://www.clickinmoms.com/cmprodaily/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/pinit.jpg" /></a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mWv-G1Lxt7A/UASAiyo4hWI/AAAAAAAABg8/IhVzy4kkU7c/s1600/IMG_5542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img alt="DIY baby mobile" border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mWv-G1Lxt7A/UASAiyo4hWI/AAAAAAAABg8/IhVzy4kkU7c/s640/IMG_5542.JPG" title="Make Your Own Baby Mobile" width="456" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One mobile down, two to go</span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I never understood those people who find out the sex of their baby before the baby is actually here. My dad always told me there's no other surprise as huge as waiting until that moment when your tiny baby is born and hearing, "It's a girl!" (Or, in my parents' case, when their rather-large baby was born; I weighed in at more than 9 lbs.)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aside from gender, though, I really never understood parents-to-be needing to name said baby before its arrival. My mom and stepdaddy spent days after my brother's birth - yes, days - discussing his name before they finally made a decision.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Those people made no sense to me. And then the husband and I became <i>those people</i>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I mean, how in the world are you supposed to buy stuff for triplets without knowing if they're boys or girls - or if you've got a mix of each? How do you decorate a room for three and stick with gender-neutral tones when you aren't a fan of yellow? Sorry. I just can't do yellow.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />We had to find out.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So when the ultrasound tech said, "Do you want to know what you're having?" We couldn't help but say yes. And now that we've been told for the last three ultrasounds that <b>we're having a boy and two girls</b>, I believe it!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The husband worked very hard painting and putting up molding - it's up for debate whether he did it all by himself or if he had help from two brown dogs.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5cBXtp5X94s/UASbNPCQeMI/AAAAAAAABhQ/0Hk4r44J_ro/s1600/IMG_5476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5cBXtp5X94s/UASbNPCQeMI/AAAAAAAABhQ/0Hk4r44J_ro/s400/IMG_5476.JPG" width="266" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tlCkZzigd7s/UASbHaDTD7I/AAAAAAAABhI/-kAiuIkm5JU/s1600/IMG_5507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="gender-neutral turquoise nursery" border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tlCkZzigd7s/UASbHaDTD7I/AAAAAAAABhI/-kAiuIkm5JU/s400/IMG_5507.JPG" title="gender-neutral blue" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are you admiring those great curtains? They're shower curtains I bought at Target! I cut 'em in half, hemmed them, and we now have perfect curtains for the fraction of the cost of actual curtains. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5cBXtp5X94s/UASbNPCQeMI/AAAAAAAABhQ/0Hk4r44J_ro/s1600/IMG_5476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yg1GWzLAkw0/UASbUKH_pJI/AAAAAAAABhY/lH_3EDMFzbE/s1600/IMG_5510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="DIY gender-neutral curtains" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yg1GWzLAkw0/UASbUKH_pJI/AAAAAAAABhY/lH_3EDMFzbE/s640/IMG_5510.JPG" title="babies' curtains" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And last but surely not least, are you wondering how the babies look these days? My momma thinks we look pretty big. My new friends at the multiples club think I look tiny.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hr8X-FEKS1Y/UASgI2YaBSI/AAAAAAAABhk/J7cZkCPKqC8/s1600/20weeks1daycloseup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="20 weeks pregnant with triplets" border="0" height="230" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hr8X-FEKS1Y/UASgI2YaBSI/AAAAAAAABhk/J7cZkCPKqC8/s320/20weeks1daycloseup.JPG" title="20 weeks down!" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a>meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-35520732471327335032012-07-16T16:46:00.002-07:002012-07-16T16:46:37.738-07:00Meatless Monday: Eggplant "Sandwiches"<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ng7ODfqM5qs/UASkG2IU41I/AAAAAAAABhw/PETKt0qBHCU/s1600/IMG_5534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt-="eggplant appetizers" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ng7ODfqM5qs/UASkG2IU41I/AAAAAAAABhw/PETKt0qBHCU/s640/IMG_5534.JPG" title="Eggplant Sandwiches" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">I like to think Eggplant "Sandwiches" are good for growing babies.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I almost ate an entire eggplant one day last week. You see, I let the husband eat four slices. So I can say I didn't eat the <i>whole</i> thing myself.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But let's be honest here: I could have.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I sliced 1<b> medium eggplant</b> into quarter-inch slices, dipped them in a mixture of <b>1 beaten egg and 1 beaten egg white</b>, then coated them in equal parts <b>wheat germ and Italian breadcrumbs</b>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the slices were nice and covered, I sprayed a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray, laid out the slices and baked 'em in a 375-degree-oven. I baked them for about 10-15 minutes, flipped them and continued to bake them a little more. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the eggplant slices were softened and light brown, they were ready to come out of the oven. They were great to eat at this point sprinkled with just a dash of salt, but if you want to make "sandwiches," there's a tiny bit more work to do.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Top one slice with about <b>2 tablespoons red sauce</b> and <b>2 tablespoons mozzarella</b> and stick another slice on top. Put the "sandwiches" back in the oven until the cheese is melted.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Share and enjoy!</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-88753153418628045422012-07-02T16:25:00.000-07:002012-07-02T16:25:16.328-07:00Super Easy Blackberry Cobbler<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Blackberry Crumble</span></span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">We just survived the hottest weekend on record for East Tennessee. I know plenty of people see 100+ temperatures on a regular basis. But we aren't those people. And I'm willing to best most of those people aren't carrying triplets.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Then again, maybe some of them are. (That's one of the things I like most about carrying multiples. Everywhere we go, the husband and I are walking around with our very own secret. Seeing the look on someone's face when they say "baby" and I correct them with "babies" never gets old.)</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">We had one night early last week where it was only 85 degrees, so I made the husband a little treat. He'd bought blackberries at the grocery store and told me he wanted a cobbler. I'd never made one before, but how hard could it be?</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Not hard at all. This dessert was super easy to throw together. I got two dishes dirty: the bowl I mixed the berries and sugar in and the baking dish. I'd suggest the next time your house isn't hot as hades and you want a fresh berry dessert you make this. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B8IxBSI36zk/T_IsRExaUsI/AAAAAAAABgg/1ZFKt-jDIE0/s1600/blueberry_crumble1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B8IxBSI36zk/T_IsRExaUsI/AAAAAAAABgg/1ZFKt-jDIE0/s640/blueberry_crumble1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><b>Blackberry Cobbler</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Adapted From </span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/blackberry-cobbler-26111#ixzz1zUsSfTxi" target="_blank">Food.com</a></span></i></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Serves 8</span></i></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">2 cups fresh blackberries</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">1/2 cup unbleached flour</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup whole-wheat flour</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 teaspoons baking powder</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 teaspoon salt</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 cup 1% milk</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup light butter, melted</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 1/2 cups fresh blackberries</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup sugar (subjective ingredient - may add up to 1 cup)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stir together the blackberries and sugar; let rest for 20 minutes or until you've lost track of time but noticed a fruit syrup has formed.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y2ImKqgCsoY/T_IsWxOHs8I/AAAAAAAABgo/5v2itGvTVw0/s1600/blackberries.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y2ImKqgCsoY/T_IsWxOHs8I/AAAAAAAABgo/5v2itGvTVw0/s400/blackberries.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mix together the flours, baking powder, salt and milk in ungreased 8-inch baking dish. Stir in the butter until blended, then spread the batter evenly in the pan. Plop the blackberries over the batter.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aq9-NcuumiY/T_IschmcOgI/AAAAAAAABgw/R4vgNwPFcV4/s1600/blueberry_crumble2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aq9-NcuumiY/T_IschmcOgI/AAAAAAAABgw/R4vgNwPFcV4/s400/blueberry_crumble2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bake for 40-55 minutes or until dough rises and has turned a nice golden brown.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Enjoy warm!</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-82062508455662756692012-06-20T17:41:00.001-07:002012-06-20T17:41:16.565-07:00WIAW #11 [Cake and a Big Reveal!]<div>
<a href="javascript:void((function(){var%20e=document.createElement('script');e.setAttribute('type','text/javascript');e.setAttribute('charset','UTF-8');e.setAttribute('src','http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinmarklet.js?r='+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)})());"><img alt="Pin It" class="aligncenter" src="http://www.clickinmoms.com/cmprodaily/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/pinit.jpg" title="Alanna's Bridal Shower Cake" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9zIwgsxUhf8/T-Jp_QRK-sI/AAAAAAAABfo/LukGEYtdbBQ/s1600/IMG_5461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9zIwgsxUhf8/T-Jp_QRK-sI/AAAAAAAABfo/LukGEYtdbBQ/s640/IMG_5461.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Congratulations, Sissa & A.J.!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who eats four pieces of cake at a time? This girl. Now I know cake doesn't necessarily fall into the "sensible snacking" category, but there's something I've been keeping from all of you for the last couple of months. And I think once I tell you, you'll let me off the hook for eating more cake than vegetables last Saturday.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline;"><a href="http://www.peasandcrayons.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-39LMXPYG_zc/T8z9I2V4YoI/AAAAAAAAGPg/_xBkUvmzAIA/s1600/wiaw+sensible+snacking+button.jpg" /></a></span></div>
</center><center><br /></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The truth is, I've been snacking a lot lately. I've eaten mini pizzas, affectionately known as Tomato Cheese Dreams at my old high school. Sometimes I cut up carrots like fries and heat 'em up in the oven until they're nice and hot and crispy. I sprinkle them with Mixed-Up Salt and snack away. And I've been drinking a lot of milk.</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Think you've figured me out yet?</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></center><br />
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<a alt="16 weeks pregnant with triplets" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jgyfQci9txI/T-Jsg0406ZI/AAAAAAAABfw/5tYmakI5AQQ/s1600/IMG_5477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Momma of triplets in the house!"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jgyfQci9txI/T-Jsg0406ZI/AAAAAAAABfw/5tYmakI5AQQ/s640/IMG_5477.JPG" width="425" /></a></div>
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<center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you guessed triplets, you win! </span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So that explains the cheese sandwiches, apples and popcorn snacks, juice consumptions and mayo cravings. The bebes are also the reason behind my lack of blogging. I told the husband no one wants to read about me going to work, growing and sleeping. But I sure hope the blogging will pick up soon. Lord knows I eat enough. I should have plenty to fill y'all in on for at least the next 16 weeks!</span></center><center style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></center>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-63260912380990462662012-04-16T16:42:00.000-07:002012-04-16T16:42:02.637-07:00Catching Up ... Almost 3 Weeks Later<div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Hi, guys. Sorry I haven't been around in forever. I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, I promise. I haven't gotten rid of the husband or decided to give up on cooking, either. Things have just been hectic around these parts lately. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">We had birthdays.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">And I made the husband a lemon pie for his big day.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">We celebrated Easter, and the husband spent three hours one Sunday afternoon putting together a new grill (on which he will not be cooking bacon).</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">We've also been gardening, landscaping, recycling and taking evening walks in the park.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">I even baked peanut butter cookies for two fabulous houseguests that were gone before I ever had a chance to photograph them.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But don't worry: I'm still cooking, Stella still doesn't know how to walk on a leash properly, the husband is still irresolute when it I ask him to eat a vegetable that isn't a potato and Chance still likes to "help" me in the kitchen.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">And I sure hope when I get my life back in order y'all are still hanging around ready to read about more than me serving leftovers like pasta, pulled pork and barbecue sauce for dinner.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-47396621334399496782012-03-28T16:56:00.001-07:002012-03-28T16:56:54.300-07:00What I Ate Wednesday #10<div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last night we were supposed to have BLTs with chicken for dinner. (The husband didn't think a BLT would provide me with enough protein, so I agreed we could have chicken on our sandwiches, too.)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I start cleaning and seasoning the chicken breasts, and the husband gets out the grill tray and tells me he's going to cook the bacon on the grill.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't think anything of this; I don't stop him. In fact, I watch him clear a space on the counter, delicately separate the bacon slices and perfectly arrange them on the tray.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Can you tell where this is going?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have no idea how much time passed, but the next thing I know I hear four-letter words inappropriate for sharing on a blog I know my grandma reads, and the husband is running out the door to the grill, which is now spewing black smoke everywhere for our neighbors to smell.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The husband flips open the grill lid and flames shoot high into the air. There goes the new roof I hated and then grew to love, I think. The bacon is a total loss, I can tell, but that is the least of my worries. He sprints down the porch stairs and reaches for the outdoor spigot.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I'm pretty sure you shouldn't spray water on that," I tell him, sticking my head out the door while trying to contain the dogs in the kitchen. "It's a grease fire. I wouldn't use water." The husband hesitates but luckily listens and turns the water off.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The flames die down a bit once he turns off the gas and he closes the lid. Crises averted.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then I hear two dog feet hit the floor like they've just been propped up on the kitchen counter.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I turn and spot Chance with a huge raw chicken breast in his mouth. I scold him and fork the chicken breast into the trash as the husband comes back into the house.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"So, where do you want to go?" The husband asks.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We went to a Chinese buffet. It was horrible, and we're never going there again. The moral of this story: You shouldn't cook bacon on a grill and what we ate Sunday was so much better than Tuesday.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What I Ate ... Sunday</span></span></h3>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-44826618111110722642012-03-26T17:20:00.002-07:002012-03-26T17:20:56.371-07:00Flaxseed Crackers<div>
<a href="javascript:void((function(){var%20e=document.createElement('script');e.setAttribute('type','text/javascript');e.setAttribute('charset','UTF-8');e.setAttribute('src','http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinmarklet.js?r='+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)})());"><img alt="Pin It" class="aligncenter" src="http://www.clickinmoms.com/cmprodaily/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/pinit.jpg" /></a><br />
<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="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DMks1tP56oI/T3EDvV4NUJI/AAAAAAAABbI/TYNyH1Xc9O0/s1600/032512143054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DMks1tP56oI/T3EDvV4NUJI/AAAAAAAABbI/TYNyH1Xc9O0/s640/032512143054.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">The husband took me plant shopping!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Weekends are for watching basketball, sleeping for 10 hours straight, buying hanging baskets, getting dirt under your fingernails while you plant lettuce seeds and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">eating dinner out because you're too lazy to cook</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mondays are for wearing dress clothes, listening to the radio while you drive to work, hoping the dogs were good while they were in the garage all day and for sticking to a menu plan.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mondays are also for looking for after-work snacks and wishing the husband hadn't eaten all of the flaxseed crackers you had Saturday and Sunday.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TMBXPABaCKM/T3EEXqLH_fI/AAAAAAAABbQ/Lvoee6jLv6c/s1600/IMG_5117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Flaxseed-crackers" border="0" height="456" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TMBXPABaCKM/T3EEXqLH_fI/AAAAAAAABbQ/Lvoee6jLv6c/s640/IMG_5117.JPG" title="Flaxseed Cracker Recipe" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><b>Flaxseed Crackers</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Slightly Adapted From </i></span></span></span><a href="http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/snacks/r/flaxcrackers.htm" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This Recipe</i></span></span></span></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">1 cup ground flaxseeds (or 1 cup flaxseed meal)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">1/3 cup Parmesan cheese</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">2 tablespoons wheat germ</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">1/2 teaspoon salt</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">1 teaspoon garlic powder</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">1/2 teaspoon onion powder</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">1/2 cup water</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ground the flaxseeds, if you're working with flaxseeds and not flaxseed meal. It took me 10 tablespoons to make 1 cup ground flaxseeds.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L3pTQyWYJZA/T3EFzKLxfaI/AAAAAAAABbY/yONGNMN9HOM/s400/IMG_5107.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">My new coffee grinder: another present the hubs got me this weekend.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Mix the flaxseeds through onion powder in a large bowl. Then stir in the water until everything is mixed well.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mYDW_UgGP6E/T3EF5sqwMCI/AAAAAAAABbg/QpMrHaXdwmI/s1600/IMG_5111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mYDW_UgGP6E/T3EF5sqwMCI/AAAAAAAABbg/QpMrHaXdwmI/s400/IMG_5111.JPG" width="400" /></span></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Spray a pan with a little nonstick cooking spray, then dump the cracker mixture onto the pan and spread it out evenly. I placed a sheet of waxed paper on top and spread the mixture by pressing down firmly with my hands. Once it was all about 1/8 inch thick, I removed the wax paper and popped the pan into the oven.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aG-OzqTan9M/T3EGBXAKTAI/AAAAAAAABbo/jgL7GhIz9nE/s1600/IMG_5113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aG-OzqTan9M/T3EGBXAKTAI/AAAAAAAABbo/jgL7GhIz9nE/s400/IMG_5113.JPG" width="400" /></span></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Bake for 15-18 minutes or until firm. Cut or break the crackers while they're still slightly warm.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Enjoy!</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-84765502575266874002012-03-23T03:00:00.000-07:002012-03-23T03:00:13.819-07:00Guest Post: 7 Great Recipes for Regional Foods<div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Today's guest post is brought to you by Katie, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1441354/" target="_blank">a produced screenwriter</a> who has just recently joined the blogging world. She's here to introduce us to great foods found around the U.S., so give her a big welcome! </span></span><br />
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<a href="javascript:void((function(){var%20e=document.createElement('script');e.setAttribute('type','text/javascript');e.setAttribute('charset','UTF-8');e.setAttribute('src','http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinmarklet.js?r='+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)})());" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pin It" class="aligncenter" src="http://www.clickinmoms.com/cmprodaily/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/pinit.jpg" /></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">iStockPhoto</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">By Katie Fetting-Schlerf</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the great joys of travelling the United States is the
variety of food one finds. From
the seafood of the coasts to the “comfort food” of the inland areas, America is
a melting pot – not just of people, but of taste buds. Our collective palate is at times mild
and conservative, while at others hot and spicy. Regardless of the state, however, the local cuisine is
always interesting.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><br /></span>Below are seven of the best recipes for regional foods from
a variety of my favorite culinary websites. Cook away!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ALASKA – Alaskan Halibut Lasagna<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">iStockPhoto</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span class="itemreviewed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While a lot of </span></span><a href="http://www.alaskatourjobs.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alaska jobs</span></a><span class="itemreviewed"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
relate to CATCHING fish, a few select gigs go to those who cook it. This dish, a spin on the traditional
Italian staple, feels both gourmet and simple at the same time.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ingredients<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6 tbs butter or margarine, divided</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 1/2 lbs halibut steaks, bones removed and cut into 1 inch
cubes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 garlic cloves, minced</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3/4 tsp dried thyme</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/3 cup all-purpose flour</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp salt</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 1/2 cups chicken broth</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 cup heavy whipping cream</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8 oz lasagna noodles, cooked and drained</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 cups shredded Swiss cheese</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Minced fresh parsley</span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Directions<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span class="plaincharacterwrap"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1.</span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span></span><span class="plaincharacterwrap"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a large skillet over
medium heat, melt 2 tbs butter.
Add halibut, garlic and thyme.
Cook until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="plaincharacterwrap"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2.</span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></span></span><span class="plaincharacterwrap"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Add the remaining butter
to the skillet. Stir in flour and
salt until smooth; cook and stir until golden brown. Gradually add broth and cream. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until
thickened. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3.</span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="plaincharacterwrap"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a greased 13x9x2 baking dish, layer half of the
noodles, halibut, white sauce and cheese.
Repeat layers. Cover and
bake at 350</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">°</span><span class="plaincharacterwrap"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 20 minutes longer or
until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley if
desired. </span></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Source:
AllRecipes.com<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">HAWAII – Oven Kalua Pork<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hawaiians are perfect at fall-of-the-bone brilliance. Their roasting is about the best in the
country – sometimes even cooking the meat subterranean-style in deep pits
underground. </span><a href="http://www.hawaii.edu/recipes/pork/kaluapork.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hawaii.edu</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> has a
great version of this on their website.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">THE EAST – Maine Lobster<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maine Lobsters are famous throughout the world for their
hard shells and soft meat. Dip
these guys in some lemon butter and you can experience heaven on Earth. Check out </span><a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/boiled-maine-lobster-25035" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">food.com</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> for a
great boiled lobster recipe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">THE SOUTH – Po Boys<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nothing says The South like breading and frying. Southern Living’s Po Boy seafood </span><a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/shrimp-poboys-10000000332017/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">recipe</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
combines the succulence of shrimp with the crunchy goodness of a perfect
batter. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">THE SOUTHWEST – Texas Chili<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s easy to imagine a bunch of cowboys huddled around a
fire shoveling in mouthfuls of this thick, Southwestern delicacy. Don’t mess with Texas (chili). You can thank epicurious.com for this
mouth-watering </span><a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/True-Texas-Chili-355049" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dish</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">THE MIDWEST – Chicago Pizza<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Between the ‘dems and ‘deres (I’m from there, so I can say
that!), there are a lot of YUMS when </span><a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicago-style-deep-dish-pizza-10000001120351/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">deep dish pizza</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> hits the table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">THE WEST COAST – Salmon with Creamy Lime Sauce<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While possibly not as healthy as a lot of California fare,
this Salmon with Creamy Lime Sauce (courtesy of </span><a href="http://www.readyseteat.com/recipes-Salmon-with-Creamy-Lime-Sauce-5287.html" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">readyseteat.com</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
is just perfect for indulging a little sanctity (the salmon) with some sin (the
sauce).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Katie is a big fan of cooking and an even </span></span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">bigger</span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> fan of eating. She loves experimenting in the kitchen,
frequently setting off her fire alarm in the pursuit of culinary
magnificence. If she weren’t busy
cooking, she would probably be reading, leaping tall buildings in a single
bound or lecturing tourists as an </span></span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.alaskatourjobs.com/tour-division-jobs/"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Alaska tour guide</span></span></i></a></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">.<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-19104675792116311632012-03-22T02:00:00.000-07:002012-03-22T05:33:27.987-07:00Chocolatey Blondies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Chocolate Chunk Blondies</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My first mistake was asking the husband if there was something I could make him as a special treat. I was in the mood to bake, but I didn't have much in mind. The next thing I know the husband's walking back to the grocery cart with a package of semisweet chocolate chunks.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My second mistake was agreeing to make him blondies, even though<a href="http://scratch-made-wife.blogspot.com/2011/09/i-can-make-peanut-buttcookies-i-can.html" target="_blank"> I was convinced I couldn't do it</a>. (I pretty much knew that if I made blondies I'd have to test the blondies. Yes, I'd <i>have </i>to test them.)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And that leads me to my third mistake: sprinkling just a few of those blondies with unsweetened shredded coconut.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Oh. Em. Gee. They were so good. </span></span><br />
<br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The recipe looked a little like this one for <a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipe/desserts/chocolate-chunk-blondies/" target="_blank">chocolate chunk blondies</a>, and the process looked a little like this:</span><br />
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<br />meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-27388454603836134522012-03-21T01:00:00.000-07:002012-03-21T01:00:03.425-07:00What I Ate Wednesday: #9 [and Green Egg Salad]<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Technically What I Ate Monday</span></span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Breakfast:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> high-protein pancakes made with cottage cheese, two egg whites and chocolate protein powder, topped with blackberries and sugar-free syrup; half caff and unsweetened almond milk on the side </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">morning snack:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> greek yogurt, 1/4 cup blackberries, hazelnuts </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">lunch:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"> avocado-egg salad, lettuce, low-fat string cheese, chocolate protein powder + water, coconut la croix snack: 1/2 tablespoon natural peanut butter; cottage cheese; apple (not pictured: rye-pumpernickel swirl bread toasted + topped with 1/2 tablespoon natural peanut butter) </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">dinner: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">leftover corned beef; carrots; cabbage</span></span></div>
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<br /><a href="http://www.peasandcrayons.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HLw5sljUPTM/T05caqJRdeI/AAAAAAAAFl0/1oTxREu3fiM/s1600/WIAW+GOES+GREEN.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And since we're here to talk about going green - because it's March is the month for St. Patrick, because eating veggies never gets old, <a href="http://www.peasandcrayons.com/p/wiaw.html" target="_blank">because Jenn said so</a> and because I've recently discovered I can eat avocado without my mouth itching - I wanted to share with you my "recipe" for avocado-egg salad.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For years, avocado made my mouth and tongue itch whenever I ate it. I avoided guacamole and worried whenever I ate Mexican food that there'd be an avocado hiding somewhere and make me break out in hives. Something made me give it a try in the last couple of months, though, and I'm quite happy to report avocado is no longer a problem. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now the only problem I have with it is that I'd like to eat a whole lot of it and, although it's filled with good fats, I probably shouldn't eat a whole ton of it in one sitting. This avocado-egg salad I've been packing in my lunch is the perfect solution: just a small amount of avocado adds a nice healthy creaminess to my egg salad, no mayo required.</span></div>
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<center></center><center><br /></center><center><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jw0pJjZxh6o/T2kUoWuSFiI/AAAAAAAABZo/KdDTuSG0_BM/s1600/avocado-egg-salad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jw0pJjZxh6o/T2kUoWuSFiI/AAAAAAAABZo/KdDTuSG0_BM/s400/avocado-egg-salad.jpg" width="285" /></a></center><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><b>Avocado-Egg Salad for One</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><b></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 hard-boiled egg</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">3 hard-boiled egg whites</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">2 tablespoons mashed avocado</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, to taste (or add your favorite spices!)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chop the egg and egg whites into bite-size pieces. Stir together with the avocado and spices. Refrigerate until lunchtime and serve with a cup of lettuce.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><br /></span>Enjoy!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710593098763739058.post-33269760726303113182012-03-16T17:53:00.002-07:002012-03-16T17:59:07.457-07:00Mrs. Paul's Fish Dinner<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jL47j7RvwxQ/T2PYiepY31I/AAAAAAAABY4/ay-qmfLdpQw/s1600/parchment-baked-fish.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jL47j7RvwxQ/T2PYiepY31I/AAAAAAAABY4/ay-qmfLdpQw/s640/parchment-baked-fish.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Mrs. Paul's Roasted Garlic Tilapia</span></span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Husband</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">, hesitantly, trying not to start any trouble even though he knows what he's about to say easily could: I like having fish for dinner, but I just don't want to get burned-out.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Wife</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">, perplexed: When we have it cooked differently every time, how are you going to get tired of it?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Husband</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">, treading lightly: I don't know, but you're feeding it to me every Friday. I just don't want to eat so much of it that I don't want to eat fish anymore.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Wife</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">, knowing exactly what he's getting at: Do you want to have fish sticks while I have baked fish?</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Husband</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">, suddenly enthusiastic: Yes! That sounds good. Let's have fish for dinner.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><a name='more'></a></span>And that's exactly how I got the man of my dreams to go along with fish this Friday evening - again. He knew I'd recently received coupons to try ParchmentBake products from <a href="http://www.mrspauls.com/" target="_blank">Mrs. Paul's and Van de Kamp's</a> free of charge and was dying to give them a try, so I'm not exactly sure why he had to give me a hard time. I think he did it just so I'd let him eat fish sticks. The man knows me too well.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XxAsmtNjAg0/T2PZZ1lZ2bI/AAAAAAAABZA/FJNhadrOPmY/s1600/fish-sticks2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XxAsmtNjAg0/T2PZZ1lZ2bI/AAAAAAAABZA/FJNhadrOPmY/s640/fish-sticks2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Mrs. Paul's Crunch Fish Sticks</span></span> </td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I knew his <a href="http://www.mrspauls.com/crunchy-fish-sticks" target="_blank">fish sticks</a> would be good because I had a few last weekend. They're filled with actual pieces of fish as opposed to minced fish, and the husband and I considered that a huge plus. The coating browned so nicely in the oven, too, resulting in a delicious crunch before hitting that beautiful white fish on the outside.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, I remember now why I loved fish sticks so much as a kid!</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tBxnOL6oHWU/T2Pak9zKoOI/AAAAAAAABZQ/hwy_McxUyBk/s1600/fish-sticks3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tBxnOL6oHWU/T2Pak9zKoOI/AAAAAAAABZQ/hwy_McxUyBk/s640/fish-sticks3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's also easy to tell when the fish sticks are done. After about 25 minutes in a 425-degree oven they're perfectly brown and crisp, and you're ready for dinner (or lunch or whatever). </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.mrspauls.com/parchmentbake-classic-grilled-tilapis" target="_blank">The parchment-baked fish</a>, on the other hand, I wasn't so sure about. The directions said to cook the fish in the package for about 22 minutes at 400 degrees. Well, I gave them probably 22-24 minutes and thought to myself: "OK. It's now or never."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hesitantly opened the package. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tBxnOL6oHWU/T2Pak9zKoOI/AAAAAAAABZQ/hwy_McxUyBk/s1600/fish-sticks3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EXRJNWO_cEE/T2PZel8oKrI/AAAAAAAABZI/wukO2INXxZE/s1600/parchment-baked-fish2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EXRJNWO_cEE/T2PZel8oKrI/AAAAAAAABZI/wukO2INXxZE/s640/parchment-baked-fish2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"What if it isn't done?" The husband asked. I told him I had no idea. If there were directions as to what I was supposed to do if that fish didn't flake easily with a fork once I opened the package, I missed 'em. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A gentle garlic scent escaped the parchment bag as I pried it open. Luckily, my dinner had cooked perfectly. I threw the fish on my plate, scooping up all of the sauce from the packet. (Hey, if I'm going to consume 6 g carbs on a small piece of fish, I'm not leaving anything behind!)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm happy to report that the roasted garlic sauce was really good. It didn't have an overwhelmingly fake garlic taste as I'd feared it would. The husband knew exactly what I was talking about; he said it's like, you know, garlic powder. This sauce is nothing like that. It's tasty.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, I wasn't that thrilled with the fish. I actually thought it had a little bit of a fishy flavor to it. I know, I know I was eating fish, but I thought it tasted more like <i>fish</i> than it should have. And maybe it's just me an my mass consumption of protein these days, but I really wanted to find more fish in that package than I did. The portions are a little small, in my opinion.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But we had fish for dinner, and that's what I wanted. The husband loved his fish sticks. I know he'll be buying more of them again in the near future. I have a feeling, though, that I'm not going to try the parchment-baked fish again for a while. It cooked great, yes, but it just didn't leave me with the best taste in my mouth.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6a6a6a; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Please note this post is part of a Foodbuzz Tastemaker program with Mrs.Paul's. I was sent coupons so I could buy these goods and share my honest opinion with you. For coupons, visit <a href="http://coupons2.smartsource.com/smartsource/index.jsp?Link=HZ44S3IYE65EG">smartsource.com</a>.</span></i></span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/41/A7A456CA2A7873E7B1377D23D0CCE15B.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>meghan @ scratch-made wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16597653098939529868noreply@blogger.com2