tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22203194837947107572024-03-12T17:04:09.789-07:00MiscMaryBridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620106054348753867noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2220319483794710757.post-53050433201675394532012-01-21T20:05:00.000-08:002012-01-21T20:05:44.686-08:00A Two-fer!Tonight's plans were <a href="http://www.thepie.com/locations/65-the-pie-south-jordan" target="_blank">dinner </a>and a <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1615918/" target="_blank">movie</a> with the kids, but we've been snowed in. Not that there's so much snow (maybe 2 inches), but the streets haven't been plowed. Normally, a few inches of snow wouldn't bother me, but I'm not comfortable with the driving habits of the locals and it seems wiser to stay in this evening than tempt a slushy accident.<br />
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So what, you ask? Here's what -<br />
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Two recipes in one day!<br />
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And this second is yummy and easy, much like most of what I make around here. I found the recipe for No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies at <a href="http://morganmoore.typepad.com/one_more_moore/2009/04/when-its-too-hot-to-bake-we-nobake.html" target="_blank">Morgan Moore's fun blog</a>. I made them while making <a href="https://annies.alice.com/products/1275939" target="_blank">organic mac n cheese</a> for the boys, and husband was doctoring a frozen cheese pizza with red bell pepper, pepperoni, and mushrooms.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmm. Fudgy. Get the recipe from Morgan's blog!</td></tr>
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Cook's notes:<br />
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<ul>
<li>I think I'll use less sugar next time. 2 cups seems like a lot, and 1/2 cup less shouldn't be too noticeable.</li>
<li>It took two tries to get 'noticeable' spelled right.</li>
<li>These cookies are a little 'loose'. Maybe it's because they are cooled and not chilled. I think I'll try subbing corn syrup for sugar next time. It made the <a href="http://gobizgo.blogspot.com/2012/01/hey-everyone-milk-is-done.html" target="_blank">cheerio snacks</a> nice and firm, but I need to research equivalent ratios of white sugar to corn syrup. Oh no, math....</li>
<li>Once I get the recipe where I like it, I'll post it.</li>
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Oh - I'd better hurry before I miss Thelma unveiling the bad guy!<br />
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Scooby Dooby Doo!<br />
Mary<br />
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<br />MaryBridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620106054348753867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2220319483794710757.post-48724488110065412722012-01-21T08:15:00.000-08:002012-01-21T08:15:21.281-08:00Nostalgic foodsI have a favorite memory from my childhood I'd like to share. I was walking to Roosevelt Elementary on a not-too-cold fall day (I must have been in second or third grade) and my Grandpa Tony drove up in his green station wagon to give me a fresh-made, still warm waffle sandwich. Grandma Dorothy had made waffles fresh that morning, and the raspberry jam that summer. I remember my delight and the delicious warmth of that waffle sandwich to this day, decades later.<div>
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I share that tradition with my boys today, but with a few updates. I use frozen waffles instead of fresh. We've made homemade waffles, but the boys prefer frozen, and it makes cleanup easier. And I use whatever jelly we have on hand. Today it's organic <a href="http://www.wisebread.com/9-things-that-are-worth-buying-at-costco" target="_blank">strawberry spread</a> from <a href="http://www.costco.com/" target="_blank">CostCo</a>.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still warm! Mmm!</td></tr>
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There isn't really a recipe, more like assembly instructions.</div>
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Take 2 warm, fully cooked waffles.</div>
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On one, spread cream cheese.</div>
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On the other, spread jelly.</div>
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Put jelly and cheese sides together. Eat. Say "Mmmm".</div>
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The boys have eaten all of them and are begging for more. Time to assemble!</div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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Mary</div>
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<br /></div>MaryBridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620106054348753867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2220319483794710757.post-59233084521723382482012-01-18T22:04:00.000-08:002012-01-18T22:04:11.391-08:00Beans! Beans! The Musical Fruit!Tonight was taco night, the kind of night when no one is complaining about dinner. Ah, if only every night were this agreeable. And while no one complained, husband and I agreed that the homemade taco seasoning we normally use has so much more flavor than the Ortega packets we used tonight. Alas, I just bought 8 packets for less than $1, so we're going to use Ortega til it's gone. Our normal taco seasoning:<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure where this recipe came from, but it rocks</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you want the whole recipe, you have to scroll down</td></tr>
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Ingredients:</div>
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1 Tablespoon Chili powder</div>
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1/4 teaspoon garlic powder</div>
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1/4 teaspoon onion powder</div>
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1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes</div>
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1/4 teaspoon dried oregano</div>
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1/2 teaspoon paprika</div>
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1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin</div>
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1 teaspoon sea salt</div>
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1 teaspoon ground black pepper</div>
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1/2 tablespoon flour</div>
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Combine all ingredients well in a bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Attach said lid and store for up to a few months. To use, brown 1 pound of ground meat, drain fat. Add three tablespoons of taco seasoning and 1/4 cup water to the hot meat in the pan over medium heat. Stir everything together really well and bring to a boil. Let it boil for about 1 minute to thicken everything up, and you're done. </div>
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Notes:</div>
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<ul>
<li>We use it up pretty quickly, so I have no idea how long it will store for, but it's lasted for at least a month in our pantry without any flavor loss. </li>
<li>The recipe multiplies well. Last time I made it, I think I multiplied everything by 8 and it was great. </li>
<li>We use beef, but I bet chicken or pork or turkey or tofu could be subbed.</li>
<li>Put it on tacos, or burritos, or a green salad, or <a href="http://gobizgo.blogspot.com/2012/01/drunk-milk-days-3-and-4.html" target="_blank">quesadillas</a>. </li>
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And we love <a href="http://www.penzeys.com/" target="_blank">Penzey's spices</a>, so that's where we get the raw ingredients from. Well, we did until we moved to Utah. I may have to become an online-only customer, which makes me a little sad because their shop in Brookfield, Wisconsin is so much fun to visit. The first time I took oldest son there, we spent over an hour because he had to smell every spice, and every blend, and every thing. I'll have to make a point to stop there when we head back to the midwest in July.</div>
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One more quick Mexican-inspired recipe that we love in this house - black bean salad. I think it's more of a salsa and is great to eat with your favorite tortilla chips, but I have certainly put a healthy serving in a bowl and eaten it that way, too. This is another recipe with unknown origins.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nominomicon. Food stains on the page mean the recipe is much loved.</td></tr>
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Just in case the photo is blurry, the ingredients are</div>
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<ul>
<li>1 large can of black beans</li>
<li>1 pound plus 2.5 ounces of chopped tomato</li>
<li>1 3/4 ounce chopped green onion</li>
<li>Cilantro to taste (from a dash to 1 cup)</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon chopped garlic</li>
<li>1/4 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar</li>
<li>2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon olive oil</li>
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Wow! Where did I get this recipe from!? To clarify a few ingredients...</div>
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<ul>
<li>Tomatoes - make that 18.5 ounces of drained, canned chopped tomatoes, or three large fresh tomotoes, chopped.</li>
<li>Green onions - I usually finely chop the top half of a small bunch of green onions, around 5.</li>
<li>Cilantro - we like cilantro around here, so we usually medium-finely chop the leafy parts of one bunch.</li>
<li>Balsamic - how much flavor does that 1/2 teaspoon really add...? I think it adds a lot, so make it a heaping 1/2 cup total.</li>
<li>Olive oil - again with the extra half teaspoon... Just make it 2 heaping tablespoons total and we're good.</li>
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Ok, salsa assembly is super easy. Ready?</div>
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Drain the black beans. Do not rinse. Put drained beans in a large serving bowl.</div>
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Add everything else to bowl and stir well. </div>
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Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, so the flavors can meet, become acquainted, make plans for a second date. The longer it marinates, the better it gets, much like the perfect relationship (does this exist? really?).</div>
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And now for a recipe I don't even have written down - GUACAMOLE! Seriously easy. You'll need:</div>
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<ul>
<li>2 large, or 3 medium, ripe avocados</li>
<li>1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped</li>
<li>3/4C of Your Favorite Salsa</li>
<li>Salt and pepper</li>
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Remove the skin and pit from the avocado. </div>
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Mash the avocado in a large serving bowl - I do this by hand with a fork.</div>
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Add the cilantro and salsa to the serving bowl. Mix well.</div>
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Salt and pepper to taste.</div>
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Serve with tortilla chips or raw vegetables. Or spread it on your <a href="http://gobizgo.blogspot.com/2012/01/drunk-milk-days-3-and-4.html" target="_blank">quesadilla</a>.</div>
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Ah, and now it is bedtime for this bonzo. G'Night all!</div>
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Mary</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYsLRxnL7RhPCWJERSk9dVIjhpq06mMwYcB-alCjO_UalKZt0YQDt2xmHnLZeJL7ARKb7TC81HIOARqZLtzmdyiEPmWpRE75gtedAqh3OqEh01l9YmBQtIFH7x5474H2vqh3oOOpVpGU9v/s1600/bonzo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYsLRxnL7RhPCWJERSk9dVIjhpq06mMwYcB-alCjO_UalKZt0YQDt2xmHnLZeJL7ARKb7TC81HIOARqZLtzmdyiEPmWpRE75gtedAqh3OqEh01l9YmBQtIFH7x5474H2vqh3oOOpVpGU9v/s320/bonzo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <a href="http://www.lewiswaynegallery.com/bedtime-for-bonzo-1951-lobby-card-8-ronald-reagan-diana-lynn-p-11748.html" target="_blank">Lewis Wayne Gallery</a></td></tr>
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</div>MaryBridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620106054348753867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2220319483794710757.post-30550088571632140692012-01-17T15:42:00.000-08:002012-01-17T15:42:10.405-08:00Hey everyone! The Milk is Done!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Feast your eyes on this! The final product of the <a href="http://gobizgo.blogspot.com/2012/01/craft-and-recipe-two-bits.html" target="_blank">Drunk Milk experiment</a>!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBioXsCDfqLv1TrSkMqtLzq5dPaiUPfcaMxptZxLgi59wRcQRyNK1p0ErlH5IcOqIrFtNwgsta5x0IjGOL81PnBrmF7IpIHtJrjGdPgIsCg7DIbmnXMXmCjZciMuuPiYeCRImYReV75Gtd/s1600/Drunk+milk+12+done.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBioXsCDfqLv1TrSkMqtLzq5dPaiUPfcaMxptZxLgi59wRcQRyNK1p0ErlH5IcOqIrFtNwgsta5x0IjGOL81PnBrmF7IpIHtJrjGdPgIsCg7DIbmnXMXmCjZciMuuPiYeCRImYReV75Gtd/s320/Drunk+milk+12+done.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden nectar!</td></tr>
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Maybe I should have posted the progress photos first and shown the finished product last, but I can't help tooting my own horn on this one. It's sweet, creamy and very citrusy, sort of a grown up<a href="http://www.popsicle.com/Products/Creamsicle.aspx" target="_blank"> creamsicle </a>taste. It took hours to strain, and instead of waiting for it to be completely strained, I went ahead and poured myself a shot of the creamy goodness. Here're the progress photos.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NgIAYJhDdfTMw4jMQpvtxBDsejixlk9XeTVJag1cPANyIBo6GL6Ic-SV2zOXAy0TC2jAg6_dZnTvQcHkEK_qyvUJW3Kfn4JkuQNvad0ammKaUaEYS1iG0I1Ag9lOQMwyPJFh-GQqlL_s/s1600/Drunk+milk+12+seal+cracked.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NgIAYJhDdfTMw4jMQpvtxBDsejixlk9XeTVJag1cPANyIBo6GL6Ic-SV2zOXAy0TC2jAg6_dZnTvQcHkEK_qyvUJW3Kfn4JkuQNvad0ammKaUaEYS1iG0I1Ag9lOQMwyPJFh-GQqlL_s/s320/Drunk+milk+12+seal+cracked.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Open! Strong alcohol smell.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmo2T31jx0vKEXpmL8krQIgdOY2C5YSYCMxpso7LVnvRJw-zL5T-aIUPKhlJYGF6CRaEKRaDFWUQ-g2HtSQlUsHns2oNvPG_aHAiWgc6JwmaHFB5CjRQHO1tPzcTqh2UjFP0ZM3WbTr00/s1600/Drunk+milk+12+chunk+removal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmo2T31jx0vKEXpmL8krQIgdOY2C5YSYCMxpso7LVnvRJw-zL5T-aIUPKhlJYGF6CRaEKRaDFWUQ-g2HtSQlUsHns2oNvPG_aHAiWgc6JwmaHFB5CjRQHO1tPzcTqh2UjFP0ZM3WbTr00/s320/Drunk+milk+12+chunk+removal.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Straining with a verrry old linen kitchen towel. I squeezed as much of the liquid out as I could, then threw the towel and mess away.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzgdeeYG1DFsVUc4xkRFfDh0W2w0BeiuOxMoYSuzz0fQxpWCSekY9R1HM9L0m3NzGihBLT1pNHa39muqzN7Zebu8AhlJu2AdmoDmaJ-dSME7SLQ7SuCVR6_pqVoBl6rZn8eDK87nLBM28N/s1600/drunk+milk+12+first+strain.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzgdeeYG1DFsVUc4xkRFfDh0W2w0BeiuOxMoYSuzz0fQxpWCSekY9R1HM9L0m3NzGihBLT1pNHa39muqzN7Zebu8AhlJu2AdmoDmaJ-dSME7SLQ7SuCVR6_pqVoBl6rZn8eDK87nLBM28N/s320/drunk+milk+12+first+strain.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was left with a thick milky liquor. I strained it through coffee filters to get rid of the milk solids. This is the first pass.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoM4AUiSU2awIjRAzU2_Zx98n8RBL226tSb3PNYMHRzcMDXagNwfzkWWPJGjPav-DP61KgWCOX1o1oRx5bqIi41oZB1FcPfCR0BT3dz060kPY3UsC3Dgp7CnWRtHvej_Dz_Ic9SWLwlUo5/s1600/Drunk+Milk+12+second+strain.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoM4AUiSU2awIjRAzU2_Zx98n8RBL226tSb3PNYMHRzcMDXagNwfzkWWPJGjPav-DP61KgWCOX1o1oRx5bqIi41oZB1FcPfCR0BT3dz060kPY3UsC3Dgp7CnWRtHvej_Dz_Ic9SWLwlUo5/s320/Drunk+Milk+12+second+strain.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I went through at least 10 coffee filters straining it the first time. This is the second strain - only used three this time.</td></tr>
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It took several hours to get the stuff strained, and it would benefit from a third straining. I can still see some milk solids in the final product, but I don't have the patience to strain again and it tastes pretty good. So I'm happily, contentedly done.<br />
<br />
Would I do this again? Probably not. There are plenty of <a href="http://www.disaronno.com/" target="_blank">liquors</a> <a href="http://www.frangelico.com/" target="_blank">out</a> <a href="http://www.baileys.com/Gateway/" target="_blank">there</a> that don't require almost two weeks of time and a half day's effort to get to a drinkable state. Though this could be a good project for <a href="http://hartoandco.com/my-drunk-kitchen/" target="_blank">my drunk kitchen</a>. I'd love to see what she would do with this, she's so cute :-)<br />
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I've been a little busy playing with the boys on their day off yesterday, and helping judge the school spelling bee, but I was still able to whip up these tasty peanut butter cheerio snacks. I found them at the <a href="http://kathiecooks.blogspot.com/2010/01/cheerio-treats.html" target="_blank">Kathie cooks blog</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFJSCA7teOBs2b9TVblGzaOdD9X4E9mouknQByM3a5xvnUFOtokGJb6IyIjm8M4BIaw2_0ZUZIlqoKNc8Vo83GLPELMCI_wKM8KBF5clQeTT_Wb0RQ9pXeTScIwxK7ptL9eQGIOj5NPBJ/s1600/Cheerio+treats.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZFJSCA7teOBs2b9TVblGzaOdD9X4E9mouknQByM3a5xvnUFOtokGJb6IyIjm8M4BIaw2_0ZUZIlqoKNc8Vo83GLPELMCI_wKM8KBF5clQeTT_Wb0RQ9pXeTScIwxK7ptL9eQGIOj5NPBJ/s320/Cheerio+treats.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kathie's pictures are way nicer than this, but I'm keeping it real.</td></tr>
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<br />My only real project lately was cleaning the house and scrubbing toilets, and no one wants to read about that. But I'd love to hear about your fun and exciting crafty projects. Drop me a line!<div>
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Homework time (what IS a rhombus?),</div>
<div>
Mary<br /><br />
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<br /></div>MaryBridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620106054348753867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2220319483794710757.post-39923924939526132642012-01-13T15:27:00.000-08:002012-01-13T15:27:48.261-08:00Day 11, whaaa?!A day overdue and the drunk milk looks the same, mostly:<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcD4QfiRKKMhJMipNMKxNw9vC0zXYDWBPoR0pNF0F76sceMhIGNNK7EOR0PVAuk2Th3kWgxnhU5hPWhFTB635OZzvSTNrnAaUb75BCIyqaUbNwveZGuCW_aYGxAxjLxO6-TkQXvsiA6TIn/s1600/drunk+milk+11+top.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcD4QfiRKKMhJMipNMKxNw9vC0zXYDWBPoR0pNF0F76sceMhIGNNK7EOR0PVAuk2Th3kWgxnhU5hPWhFTB635OZzvSTNrnAaUb75BCIyqaUbNwveZGuCW_aYGxAxjLxO6-TkQXvsiA6TIn/s320/drunk+milk+11+top.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Madame Charnushka say "You will get tipsy tomorrow". Prophetic!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXDpfFRVhjPYii2ed2bJJ2EgbKlFSV_g6dnVKEc00oxYtgyCb4wVLvTVv2J03scJ1oIMpcG_CBA8ZzApGhtQfs6yWjpGgFmvCrZ9E9qpLjvFyliXIYklys9fDMhe_qUEjzIyA_zaegf6z/s1600/drunk+milk+11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXDpfFRVhjPYii2ed2bJJ2EgbKlFSV_g6dnVKEc00oxYtgyCb4wVLvTVv2J03scJ1oIMpcG_CBA8ZzApGhtQfs6yWjpGgFmvCrZ9E9qpLjvFyliXIYklys9fDMhe_qUEjzIyA_zaegf6z/s320/drunk+milk+11.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple and yellow water marbles. They do not freeze well. Go figure.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I plan on straining the supposed amber nectar from the jar tomorrow. Pictures will be eagerly shared as soon as possible.<br />
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I worked out today, after which I usually have a craving for something sweet. The only sweet things we have to snack on are a big bowl of halloween candy (yes, I realize it's January), so there is really nothing for me to snack on. What to make, what to make...? How bout THIS!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LAgeCidv_ikVDAjnPfn_pUHMDHxW2_BnI8-6Y8sVhI4XmhCvoEFxOEIcifkeqFdACki2H3mQ2i7aLKYoNPGaF-KsZHkfcpxRmiYp5TR23Gk5zXW7IHJ8KRqQY0JnKeHVWkadG6TD5Msb/s1600/frozen+banana+bites.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_LAgeCidv_ikVDAjnPfn_pUHMDHxW2_BnI8-6Y8sVhI4XmhCvoEFxOEIcifkeqFdACki2H3mQ2i7aLKYoNPGaF-KsZHkfcpxRmiYp5TR23Gk5zXW7IHJ8KRqQY0JnKeHVWkadG6TD5Msb/s320/frozen+banana+bites.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The upper right ones were made with the thinner chocolate and almond butter, bottom left with thicker chocolate and peanut butter.</td></tr>
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Frozen chocolate-covered nut-butter banana bites! I used nomnomnomblog's recipe <a href="http://nomnomnomblog.com/2011/05/11/a-taste-of-summer-and-a-new-video/" target="_blank">here</a>, but even following the recipe as closely as I can (I heart tweaking), it was still really messy. Here are some of my findings:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>First, I needed to add waaay less liquid to the chocolate dip than the recipe called for. I discovered this *after* following the recipe, so I had some extra chocolate left over. Happy accident.</li>
<li>I used <a href="http://silkpurealmond.com/" target="_blank">almond milk</a> to thin the chocolate, so I thought it would be a good idea to use almond butter. Not such a good idea. Even after pouring off extra oil and stirring the heck out of it, the almond butter was still oily, which made the chocolate slide off.</li>
<li>Be sure to 'butter' all the banana slices before dipping in the chocolate. It might even be a good idea to freeze the peanut buttered bananas before dipping, so you're dipping something hard instead of something mushy. Personal preference on the freezing, serious suggestion on the pre-buttering.</li>
</ul>
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<br />
Concoction #2:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpCtIJfIzaZpIpqvSljdcZt12xL5RHJJm58-BtYJg-0n91SLfHcWc_wETwVd3Y9dY2flLXklaglJ1dS0krn2MDHz5EZcsacih3gAZ3Q1K70IvcxPXC4RZ6XGILBGkUvPfuTLnCzPzJjfm/s1600/Paula+Deen+Saltine+Candy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpCtIJfIzaZpIpqvSljdcZt12xL5RHJJm58-BtYJg-0n91SLfHcWc_wETwVd3Y9dY2flLXklaglJ1dS0krn2MDHz5EZcsacih3gAZ3Q1K70IvcxPXC4RZ6XGILBGkUvPfuTLnCzPzJjfm/s320/Paula+Deen+Saltine+Candy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still contemplating a color for the table. Maybe we should just sand and bleach it. The options still boggle my mind.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglrG3inG0mAv85HWIeRN0z1Wmmbe4B1_gWDC89Ka3FmN6PMKKBgXK8A7tR0CUsxtRZEsG-iOGmDZVyCbDSOCODUZ2ppnEqGo7sSB0q20pNfcAkhhNj61U2cOBT6qi8R_uoDlLO8WMqw6D/s1600/Paula+Deen+Saltine+candy+broken.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglrG3inG0mAv85HWIeRN0z1Wmmbe4B1_gWDC89Ka3FmN6PMKKBgXK8A7tR0CUsxtRZEsG-iOGmDZVyCbDSOCODUZ2ppnEqGo7sSB0q20pNfcAkhhNj61U2cOBT6qi8R_uoDlLO8WMqw6D/s320/Paula+Deen+Saltine+candy+broken.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not quite solid so the breaks weren't perfect. It tastes perfect, though.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pine-bark-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">Paula Deen's Pine Bark</a>. Wow! I followed her recipe almost exactly, using milk chocolate chips instead of bars, and adding 2 drops of <a href="http://www.doterra.com/us/" target="_blank">doTERRA's Wild Orange essential oil</a> instead of almond extract. Tweaky tweaky delicious! The orange flavor was subtle, I would even use three or 4 drops next time for a stronger taste, reminiscent of homemade chocolate covered orange peel. I should add that to my list of things to make, haven't made it since, well, pre-marriage. And we're celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary this June - go us!<br />
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<ul>
<li>Side note: I tried to find a recipe to post here as a possible chocolate covered orange peel candidate, but all the initial results included the white pith from the peel. And a lot of boiling in plain water. Blech. The white pith needs to be removed as much as possible. This makes the end product much, much tastier. And the recipe I used in the past had you boil the de-pithed peel in increasingly sugarier pots of sugar water, not plain water. I'll find the recipe and post the results when I'm done. Honest.</li>
</ul>
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Well, I have little boys that need refereeing. Maybe I can bribe some good behavior with these treats then send them home hopped up on sugary goodness and covered in chocolate. There are worse ways to end a Friday the 13th.<br />
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Not feeling superstitious at all,<br />
Mary<br />
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<br />MaryBridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620106054348753867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2220319483794710757.post-4834598437794879872012-01-10T16:35:00.000-08:002012-01-10T16:35:37.327-08:00Day 8 and I haven't lost track yetOn the eighth day of fermenting my drunk milk said to me...<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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EXex0pODnauPyRVnRGm65QsD4LJfMdrSJtIJWvwE1FpoIinDanU_jCRYfs9mRN2YwuAdkxdVBF25tu7yEfJiOUui_2emZVwWUX9bJKCChRiP3unoW44YCYmMkYfNbxFGLn-HJ1vavSvb/s1600/drunk+milk+08+top.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EXex0pODnauPyRVnRGm65QsD4LJfMdrSJtIJWvwE1FpoIinDanU_jCRYfs9mRN2YwuAdkxdVBF25tu7yEfJiOUui_2emZVwWUX9bJKCChRiP3unoW44YCYmMkYfNbxFGLn-HJ1vavSvb/s320/drunk+milk+08+top.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The future loo-ooks clou-ou-ou-ou-dy"</td></tr>
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Just in case we haven't mind melded lately, hum that sentence and caption to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas. It goes together perfectly. Really. And yes, I do reference Christmas the whole year long.<br />
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The milk seems to be fermenting normally, no discoloration, and the jar hasn't exploded, thankfully. Yet.<br />
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The other, decidedly more yummy looking product of my cooking efforts is sitting on my counter top right now - <a href="http://www.quakeroats.com/cooking-and-recipes/content/recipes/recipe-detail.aspx?recipeId=474" target="_blank">vanishing oatmeal bars</a>! The recipe calls for raisins, but my children run screaming from raisins (force fed too many as toddlers, perhaps), so I subbed in chopped walnuts and chocolate chips. And if you couldn't tell, I do the bar version, not the cookie version, because the bars seem to stay moister (aka yummier) longer. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3bPvYDzIVqOJVpVhvvDM_Zywo12THkASw6dxHaeGtRN-Ei6NcWdC94U2q5AwPvAcosvNgHrHJwkt0e1evAhxNj11fSVDOXm2fPhTwLUxRG5j_fVvkU2PhyphenhyphenO6b_Hl6mKjFTPynjPO6Q8p/s1600/oatmeal+bars.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3bPvYDzIVqOJVpVhvvDM_Zywo12THkASw6dxHaeGtRN-Ei6NcWdC94U2q5AwPvAcosvNgHrHJwkt0e1evAhxNj11fSVDOXm2fPhTwLUxRG5j_fVvkU2PhyphenhyphenO6b_Hl6mKjFTPynjPO6Q8p/s320/oatmeal+bars.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh look! The Ghost of Drunk Milk Past!</td></tr>
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<br />
The craft front is quiet, which means a storm is brewing... I have this old table, that we got for a steal about ten or eleven years ago.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKg5a-TyHNo0ld9Ax_z7bVUWJ4yZMt8eHRIIgaN0edGW5QSAcQoulqNRQ7a04-9GGjcRBp4keJ3ZAfOuU7AqUfN-HCOy96sE-VEBAn_8Y2rpO_vvmSLX4THQy0Z_H7-7_xMY3Fvv8oeFY/s1600/kitch+table.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKg5a-TyHNo0ld9Ax_z7bVUWJ4yZMt8eHRIIgaN0edGW5QSAcQoulqNRQ7a04-9GGjcRBp4keJ3ZAfOuU7AqUfN-HCOy96sE-VEBAn_8Y2rpO_vvmSLX4THQy0Z_H7-7_xMY3Fvv8oeFY/s320/kitch+table.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look away from the cookie crumbs</td></tr>
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It's a solidly built table, but the plaid seats? Yech. I'm loving slip covers lately (Miss Mustard Seed has a great how-to <a href="http://missmustardseed.com/2010/06/tips-on-making-slipcovers-with-drop/" target="_blank">here</a>, and Screaming Meme has some adorable examples <a href="http://thescreamingmeme.blogspot.com/search/label/Slipcovers" target="_blank">here</a>, and Kristi at <a href="http://www.pinkandpolkadot.net/" target="_blank">Pink and Polka Dot</a> has really cute stuff, too), and have you heard about using drop cloths to reupholster/slipcover tired furniture? Fabulous and inexpensive! Love it! <br />
<br />
Now that the seat covers are planned (drop cloth slipcovers, of course!), what to do with the yellow wood? We *could* sand it and restain in a dark wood color, but I'm afraid that the dark wood trend is coming to a close. I'm seeing the most interesting (in a good way) painted wood furniture all over the internets and DIY blogs. And our neighbor painted an old thrift store table and chairs a nice cream color and they are just adorable! Cream table and cream slip covers...? Too creamy. Our counter is a dark green, so maybe a dark green, with a semi-gloss coat of poly-urethane to protect it? Or dear husband might like a dark navy blue. Or I'm really, really liking orange lately, so maybe a slightly burnt orange with the cream slipcovers...? A quick search on google images didn't give me any inspiration photos to go from (or persuasion material for dear hubby), so I'll have to use the pictures in my head for inspiration. Oh, the possibilities!<br />
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What do the pictures in your head look like? Do share :-)<br />
<br />
Hugs,<br />
Mary<br />
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<br />MaryBridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620106054348753867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2220319483794710757.post-76980857626326378722012-01-09T09:23:00.000-08:002012-01-09T09:23:06.500-08:00What day is it again?It is day 7 of the drunk milk experiment. I guess it isn't really an experiment since I'm following a<a href="http://gizmodo.com/5869688/how-to-make-milk-thatll-get-you-hammered/gallery/1" target="_blank"> recipe</a>, but it sure looks like a chemistry experiment. Check it out for yourself:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYk7-GsDLBGxNf6nu3nfs1vzJbH4haWFhfZjAD0PxWfNmeycmLVeoL04ns_nh0yHG_3LhMwyqK93h1TzRK4N6ce-86jemWKslsNSIByH0JkiPwlCaqZNTHtHcioPDKaJ2OJdO_hw1g5fTF/s1600/drunk+milk+07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYk7-GsDLBGxNf6nu3nfs1vzJbH4haWFhfZjAD0PxWfNmeycmLVeoL04ns_nh0yHG_3LhMwyqK93h1TzRK4N6ce-86jemWKslsNSIByH0JkiPwlCaqZNTHtHcioPDKaJ2OJdO_hw1g5fTF/s320/drunk+milk+07.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXkEwrp6obU4SPJbB588mcMK486zqfNi-vtuU3S21R9kU9fHEGsb7uxeuhnQpfDOjgA6eKs8YOmmlQdPWWna6xV2wyGemlH5gS852fFnb9TD5BRr9XogoQ_7iIFNfaXGRHPNd_T1wncVTN/s1600/drunk+milk+07+top.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXkEwrp6obU4SPJbB588mcMK486zqfNi-vtuU3S21R9kU9fHEGsb7uxeuhnQpfDOjgA6eKs8YOmmlQdPWWna6xV2wyGemlH5gS852fFnb9TD5BRr9XogoQ_7iIFNfaXGRHPNd_T1wncVTN/s320/drunk+milk+07+top.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Madame Charnushka says "Take no long walks off short piers."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The alcohol isn't separating from the rest of the stuff anymore, and bits of citrus pulp are now floating freely in the jug. This has been the status quo for the last two days, and we've been busy, so there haven't been any updates over the weekend. 'Busy with what?' you ask..? <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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSziJTDxsKAXm-9_MJuwWQL6Yc3eI64LuptPYgKH4U283zjTjIJp1U4RFKxAjWCujYQucTy8idRoGPy_avmP_IA0R9IiUmuhIhmxp8aeLiI9L66yA1879i4-aIPCYQv1IGG_Tllg-3RVEp/s1600/sledding+010812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSziJTDxsKAXm-9_MJuwWQL6Yc3eI64LuptPYgKH4U283zjTjIJp1U4RFKxAjWCujYQucTy8idRoGPy_avmP_IA0R9IiUmuhIhmxp8aeLiI9L66yA1879i4-aIPCYQv1IGG_Tllg-3RVEp/s320/sledding+010812.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cowabunga!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Busy-ness #1: It snowed! And we were the first ones at the sledding hill! Notice how dark the photo is? It was just after 8am. The boys were raring to go at 7, but I made them wait. Mommy needs a few moments to get going, especially on cold snowy mornings. <br />
<br />
Busy-ness #2: Friday nights are movie and pizza nights at our household. This past Friday was a <a href="http://digimon.wikia.com/wiki/Digimon_Wiki" target="_blank">Digimon</a> marathon, and to keep my sanity I tackled one of the projects that has been on my mind - a plastic bag organizer.<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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVysKek9Qx4MF9jmyyWKGkXhEqSYEezRtyv8fMMzUWUyaKtqMI5UI7lUBu8PS2i7nderX0yEj-uWc8nksxQ3r5ZInRu-XYu12rVFZfAjDA6i3Y1PK872vGlKZ5byQJMoXcZBrcSyjh_Na/s1600/bag+bag.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVysKek9Qx4MF9jmyyWKGkXhEqSYEezRtyv8fMMzUWUyaKtqMI5UI7lUBu8PS2i7nderX0yEj-uWc8nksxQ3r5ZInRu-XYu12rVFZfAjDA6i3Y1PK872vGlKZ5byQJMoXcZBrcSyjh_Na/s320/bag+bag.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bag bag!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I originally saw this on <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/272738/pretty-plastic-bag-organizer" target="_blank">Martha Stewart</a> ages ago, read the how to, then promptly did something else. I recalled the basic instructions and winged it Friday as digimon were battling each other. Here's what I did:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Grab a clean dish towel.</li>
<li>Using scissors, cut the two long seamed edges off. I did not cut the corners off, thinking that the piece would be sturdier if I left the short seamed edges completely intact. Save the seam pieces.</li>
<li>Fold in half, right side in, cut sides aligned.</li>
<li>At this point I hand stiched the cut sides together with about a 1/4" seam allowance. I bet this would go much quicker with a sewing maching.</li>
<li>Make one slit on the inside of the bottom seam, at both ends, big enough for a small button to pass through. </li>
<li>Using 1/4" satin ribbon left over from the Christmas stockings, I tied one end of a 2' length to a small button. My helper Nathan threaded the button in one hole, through the seam and out the hole at the other end. We untied the button, cinched the seam so it was gathered up and had a smaller diameter than the rest of the bag, and tied the ribbon in a bow to hold the cinch.</li>
<li>Take the reserved seam pieces that were cut off and tie them into a bow, leaving long tails at one end. Sew the tails to the top/uncinched part of the bag.</li>
<li>Turn bag right side out. Fill with plastic bags. Hang someplace conveniently useful yet out of sight.</li>
</ul>
<br />
I didn't do any of Martha's ironing or pinning, I used ribbon instead of elastic, and I didn't use cotton tape for the hanger. Oops. I still love it. This will hang in the pantry as soon as husband puts up a hook. I was going to do it, but he wants to help, so I wait.<br />
<br />
Busy-ness #3: A neighbor across the street had a baby last week, and I helped make dinner for her and her family. Someone else brought meatballs, and I brought a salad and biscuits. Not being able to make small portions of anything, there was enough for their family and ours. I used Erin's <a href="http://www.mythirtyspot.com/2011/08/red-lobster-cheddar-bay-biscuit-recipe.html" target="_blank">Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit recipe</a> at <a href="http://mythirtyspot.com/">mythirtyspot.com</a>, and they were delicious! The salad had spinach, diced prunes, chopped toasted walnuts and asian dressing. I meant to put mandarin oranges in too, but I don't have any cans of them, so they got the salad as-was. After I brought the salad over, I realized I could just peel some <a href="http://www.cutiescitrus.com/what_is_a_cutie" target="_blank">cuties</a> and throw them on top - it really made the salad.<br />
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Busy-ness #4: I saw this on Pinterest, a post at Alphamom about <a href="http://alphamom.com/family-fun/how-to-make-a-kids-bento-box/" target="_blank">making bento box lunches for kids</a>. Then I <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=bento+box+kids+lunch&hl=en&safe=off&rlz=1C1CHKZ_enUS435US435&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=qB4LT4OfC6KmiQLP27imCQ&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CEMQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=442" target="_blank">googled it</a> and found so many images and links and whatnot, I was a little overwhelmed. So this is what I accomplished this morning:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Hvr_1zTARS0xBjANPHOMNT1U83bbxd7TDkxQ6iKbRyyEJ_mDjwDrBJCakWLWpJbVjQiXsuU4UlEA6VGUCZI2ruHfEwKwL8DAL7Txwg_Lk6oJqXcxj7b4mRCKTFOM27OCJDYctvZJxo3D/s1600/bento.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Hvr_1zTARS0xBjANPHOMNT1U83bbxd7TDkxQ6iKbRyyEJ_mDjwDrBJCakWLWpJbVjQiXsuU4UlEA6VGUCZI2ruHfEwKwL8DAL7Txwg_Lk6oJqXcxj7b4mRCKTFOM27OCJDYctvZJxo3D/s320/bento.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Nowhere near the cute perfection of Alphamom, but still tasty looking.<br />
Now I have to get cute basic cookie cutter shapes to prettify my bento lunches. <br />
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Hasta la chow chow!<br />
Mary<br />
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<br />MaryBridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620106054348753867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2220319483794710757.post-88895043255160975422012-01-06T13:28:00.000-08:002012-01-06T13:28:13.247-08:00Drunk milk, days 3 and 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So drunk milk progress day 3 looked like this:<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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFiP8i_VZB20aAXUAfTOJXNzEnxq5QqtIBKX7ki_znSEF1cv_cGXIeRi2BPFaZa-uR8hnXarQJIntRBLv7UrAC1TnzKJtmu4xTdxnbgMVmyGobd7K_8WxNqBA2luv5zBICCSLjeQi_thgN/s1600/photo+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFiP8i_VZB20aAXUAfTOJXNzEnxq5QqtIBKX7ki_znSEF1cv_cGXIeRi2BPFaZa-uR8hnXarQJIntRBLv7UrAC1TnzKJtmu4xTdxnbgMVmyGobd7K_8WxNqBA2luv5zBICCSLjeQi_thgN/s320/photo+%25281%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ewww. Coagulation.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFCmPPy0DXXQRREj4kMLTuGlgIK2MlwfAnKAtjDdiHC4O79XBV-HJS4zRTeQkBYfzgFncqU0zw3Jvcw8SsU7EF_oHE2C1UMfkrCfHR7ow0bDOti2vVfZUhz_HfRmrxnSh6eu1nr_RYmaG/s1600/drunk+milk+03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFCmPPy0DXXQRREj4kMLTuGlgIK2MlwfAnKAtjDdiHC4O79XBV-HJS4zRTeQkBYfzgFncqU0zw3Jvcw8SsU7EF_oHE2C1UMfkrCfHR7ow0bDOti2vVfZUhz_HfRmrxnSh6eu1nr_RYmaG/s320/drunk+milk+03.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That white wall really needs a backsplash.</td></tr>
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And I captured this this morning:<br /><div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDb4h291W12v4PD_J73bk6_RBV-vbEh3muSGEt7nJGYLUoNs8hAqUgM_TqGwf4rlUNDHo2JXopqoMXZECCrZ-I_ycMRuvado3vKM_wzbGmG2M-kwNQz50TmUQS0G0KVwt6ANgJLg3F8Fm8/s1600/drunk+milk+04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDb4h291W12v4PD_J73bk6_RBV-vbEh3muSGEt7nJGYLUoNs8hAqUgM_TqGwf4rlUNDHo2JXopqoMXZECCrZ-I_ycMRuvado3vKM_wzbGmG2M-kwNQz50TmUQS0G0KVwt6ANgJLg3F8Fm8/s320/drunk+milk+04.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 4, bright and early</td></tr>
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<div>
The concoction is slowly mushing down and getting nastier. The citrus pieces used to be almost to the top of the jar, but they're slowly giving up. The clear liquid at the bottom is becoming a little more amber colored each day. The really interesting/gross feature is the chunky mess that clings to the top of the jar. I wouldn't be surprised if there's an old gypsy out there somewhere that could read my future in that nastiness. I haven't opened it - ugh! Image what it smells like right now...</div>
<div>
<br /><div>
I will trust in the process and see this through to January 14. Assuming the world doesn't end by then. What is the last day of the Mayan calendar again? I have a lot of crafting/cooking to do by then. Have you see Miss Amy's <a href="http://amybites.com/?p=623" target="_blank">butterbeer cupcakes</a>? They look absolutely Delicious! Delectable! Delightful! I MUST get to these before the world ends!</div>
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<div>
The world isn't ending today, unless I don't get snack made for the boys before they get home. Today, it's apple slices and white-girl quesadillas. Simplest thing going, these tortillas.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You'll need </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Flour tortillas</li>
<li>Shredded Cheese (mozzarella, co-jack, cheddar, mexican blend - your call!)</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
Put tortilla on a microwave safe plate. Spread cheese on the tortilla. Cover cheese with another tortilla. Microwave for about thirty seconds. The cheese should be stringy and sticky, holding the tortillas together. Cut into quarters and serve. Done.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Just about anything could be added. Husband likes to use a mexican cheese blend and add some ground <a href="http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysancho.html" target="_blank">Penzey's ancho pepper</a> before microwaving. I like it with mozzarella, garlic pepper and slices of avocado. The kids like just co-jack. What would you eat on it?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
No craftiness today, but I did pick up instruction packets on how to lead <a href="http://www.meetthemasters.com/" target="_blank">Meet the Masters</a> at my children's school in two weeks. We'll be imitating <a href="http://www.faithringgold.com/ringgold/d07.htm" target="_blank">Faith Ringgold</a> by creating multimedia masterpieces. Now to buy some oil pastels so I have samples to display during class.</div>
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<a href="http://drjeffbooks.com/fly.html" target="_blank">Onward!</a></div>
<div>
Mary</div>
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</div>MaryBridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620106054348753867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2220319483794710757.post-60467342575680153392012-01-04T18:02:00.000-08:002012-01-04T18:02:35.021-08:00Drunk milk, day 2This is day 2 of the Great Drunk Milk experiment. How's it going, you ask...?<div>
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The milk wants to separate from the vodka, like church and state.<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/-vurH-16iqH0/TwT7uyuNeAI/AAAAAAAAACs/adVnwvF8hSk/s1600/drunk+milk+02+preshake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vurH-16iqH0/TwT7uyuNeAI/AAAAAAAAACs/adVnwvF8hSk/s320/drunk+milk+02+preshake.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guessing milk would be 'church' and vodka would be 'state'.</td></tr>
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<div>
A quick shake mixed everything back up. I seem to be shaking the jug (which I got from <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40065867/#/60065866" target="_blank">Ikea</a>, by the way) about once every 12 hours.</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://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8j37_o1ZbO8/TwT9PGOvG1I/AAAAAAAAADA/jM7d3H0mDOo/s1600/drunk+milk+02+post+shake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8j37_o1ZbO8/TwT9PGOvG1I/AAAAAAAAADA/jM7d3H0mDOo/s320/drunk+milk+02+post+shake.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post shake. Can you see the Mexican coke bottle on the sill? A perfect place for it.</td></tr>
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<div>
Now I'm off to peel potatoes for mashed potatoes. Easiest thing, but in case you don't know how to make mashed potatoes, here's quick instructions. It's really flexible too - use more milk for creamier spuds, less for thicker. Use white pepper if a co-diner is averse to black pepper - it has a milder taste and isn't as visible. </div>
</div>
<div>
Ingredients</div>
<div>
6 medium idaho potatoes</div>
<div>
4-6 tablespoons butter</div>
<div>
2 teaspoons of salt</div>
<div>
1 teaspoon black pepper</div>
<div>
1/4 cup milk (we use 2%)</div>
<div>
Water for boiling</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
First peel and slice potatoes into 1/2 inch chunks. As soon as a potato is sliced, place in a pot filled with about 1 inch of cool water. Once all potatoes have been peeled and sliced, swish them in the cold water to remove the starchy potato juice, Drain the starchy water and refill with clean water to cover the potatoes by about an inch. Place the pot o potatoes over medium high heat and bring to boiling. Boil over medium heat about 20 minutes, checking the potatoes for doneness after 15. The potatoes are done when they can be easily mushed against the side of the pot. Once mushable, but not falling apart, drain the cooking water and leave the potatoes in the pot. Add the butter, salt and pepper and mash. I usually use an old fashioned potato masher, but my family loves when I use the hand mixer to make the potatoes extra smooth and creamy. When the potatoes are about halfway to your consistency preference, add the milk and finish mashing/mixing. Et voila - potatoes acompli (I do not speak french. Never had one lesson!). Dish them up in a fancy bowl, or put the pot on a trivet on your dining table.</div>
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<div>
Bon appetit!</div>
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<br /></div>MaryBridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620106054348753867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2220319483794710757.post-73593475263237895652012-01-03T16:05:00.000-08:002012-01-03T16:05:26.096-08:00Craft and a recipe, two bitsHappy new year! TOOT!<br />
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Any good resolutions out there? I never make em because I never keep em, though I'd like to try skiing. That can be my tentative 2012 resolution - to try skiing. Cross country is more my speed, I think, and a neighbor mentioned the beginner slopes at <a href="http://www.snowbird.com/" target="_blank">Snowbird </a>are free! I thought equipment rental was super expensive, but he set me straight, should be less than $20/person/day. The boys have a half day this Friday - I should make an effort to get us there right after school ;-)<br />
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To recap Christmas, I recorded myself reading to the far away niece and nephews, one book each (you can see one bedtime story <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zR3kmE-eA4&feature=related" target="_blank">here</a>). On the crafting front, the stockings got to niece and nephews *just* in time for Christmas morning - hoorah! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m6cDcaS52T4/TwOGo-VLEiI/AAAAAAAAABw/HdzsaQP16P8/s1600/Jake+and+a+stocking.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m6cDcaS52T4/TwOGo-VLEiI/AAAAAAAAABw/HdzsaQP16P8/s320/Jake+and+a+stocking.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Noah's stocking got extra love</td></tr>
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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/-SjeBULuRW6M/TwOG1eUnMNI/AAAAAAAAAB8/3pH6zLCrep8/s1600/finished+stockings.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SjeBULuRW6M/TwOG1eUnMNI/AAAAAAAAAB8/3pH6zLCrep8/s320/finished+stockings.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They got stuffed with candy, toys and a bundle of yarn for my sister.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Shipping was over $100 to get them there in time, however, so now I plan on crafting with time to spare. Which leads me to my current project... VALENTINES!<br />
<br />
I'm working a <a href="http://pinterest.com/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> obsession right now, and I found these <a href="http://grinandbakeit.com/valentines-crayon-hearts-craft" target="_blank">cutie patootie crayon hearts</a> to make for valentine's day gifts. They're pretty simple, but a little messy.<br />
<br />
You will need:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>one heart shaped mold (I got mine at <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60146194/" target="_blank">Ikea</a>, but I saw some at Target, too. Can't find them on target.com tho.)</li>
<li>a tray for under the mold, to catch drips</li>
<li>crayons (according to several reviewers, crayola works best. And metallics work really well.). I'd guess I used about two crayons per mold, but that would depend on the mold used</li>
<li>oven</li>
<li>cooling rack</li>
</ul>
<br />
Instructions:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>To make peeling the paper off of the crayons easier, soak them in water overnight</li>
<li>Cut out and decorate paper on which to mount the finished hearts.</li>
<li>Once the crayons are peeled, break them into thirds or quarters. No need to mess up a cutting board or a knife ;-)</li>
<li>Preheat oven to 250 degrees fahrenheit</li>
<li>Place 1-2 crayons (3-8 pieces) into each heart shaped mold. It's OK if they are little mountains of crayons right now - they will melt down and fill in their own nooks and crannies.</li>
<li>Place filled molds on a jell roll pan (or some such), </li>
<li>Bake 10-15 minutes, or until liquid</li>
<li>Remove from oven and let cool in the molds for, oh, 5 minutes or so.</li>
<li>Put in freezer for 10 minutes (I can be impatient...)</li>
<li>Remove molds from freezer. Remove crayons from molds. Repeat until you have all the hearts you want.</li>
<li>Hot glue hearts onto prepped paper </li>
<li>Give to happy recipient!</li>
</ul>
<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://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nHxsmhsZhEQ/TwOO-yAroLI/AAAAAAAAACI/Ie7LqajxrUc/s1600/making+the+hearts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nHxsmhsZhEQ/TwOO-yAroLI/AAAAAAAAACI/Ie7LqajxrUc/s320/making+the+hearts.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do NOT chop with a knife and board. Unnecessary mess, and the finished product is prettier with larger crayon pieces.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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/-aDmEGO0iDxM/TwOPU0HVsCI/AAAAAAAAACU/LVh5QGNVjrI/s1600/making+the+valentines.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aDmEGO0iDxM/TwOPU0HVsCI/AAAAAAAAACU/LVh5QGNVjrI/s320/making+the+valentines.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nathan and the unglued valentines (the glitter glue wasn't dry yet). I used small squares of white cardstock and smaller squares of red glitter construction paper.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
While the valentines dry, I thought it would be fun to make <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5869688/how-to-make-milk-thatll-get-you-hammered/gallery/1" target="_blank">this hooch recipe</a>. Today is day one and it looks like this:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TK89zCtENsY/TwOSyx3KfdI/AAAAAAAAACg/_hOSR8v3wJU/s1600/drunk+milk+01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TK89zCtENsY/TwOSyx3KfdI/AAAAAAAAACg/_hOSR8v3wJU/s320/drunk+milk+01.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Surrounding the jug are all the ingredients I used: 2 oranges, 1 lemon, 2 cups of milk, 2 cups of vodka and 2 cups of sugar. Seal. Shake once per day for ten days. Strain and enjoy. I'll try to post one picture per day to document the progress. January 14 will be the final test. Hmm... what to serve it with...? I'm leaning toward dark chocolate croissants.<br />
<br />
TOOT!<br />
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<br />MaryBridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620106054348753867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2220319483794710757.post-55606672271278217422011-12-14T15:03:00.000-08:002011-12-14T15:46:03.999-08:00Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy<br />
<ul>
<li>2:00 am today, dog is sick. Tries to puke on cream colored carpet so I toss him (with love) into our hard floored bathroom. I take care of the mess, let him out, give him bread to settle his tummy and we go back to bed.</li>
<li>3:00 am today, older son is sick. Pukes in bathroom sink til full. That hole at the top of your sink that prevents it from overflowing? It's called a porcelator, and mine is now disgusting inside. Nathan was also disgusting so he took a quick bath and came out smelling like my little boy. Drank some water, ate a saltine and two chewable kids pepto tabs. Sound asleep until...</li>
<li>3:40 am today, older son sick again. Made it to the toilet this time - yay! Oh look, pink saltines. He no longer smells as fresh.</li>
<li>4:30 am today, older son sick... Repeat every 30 minutes until 9:30 am or so.</li>
</ul>
<br />
In celebration of this morning's lack of wellness, here's a list, in no particular order, of wellness products on my mind.<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.doterra.com/" target="_blank">DoTerra Oils</a>! Neighbor Kathy across the street has become an independent consultant for them and I really like the idea of wellness via herbal cures and aromatherapy. I gave her a call and she hooked me up with a few drops of <a href="http://digestzen.com/" target="_blank">DigestZen</a> heavily diluted with water for Nathan. He kept it down for about 15 minutes, but that was the last episode he had today! Kathy also gave me a few drops of OnGuard and peppermint oil that I rubbed on his feet and now he spells amazing! Seriously, I could hang his socks on my tree and guests would ask what smells so wonderful.</li>
<li>Lemon Water! Yay vitamin C! Yes, it's acidic, but it has an alkalizing effect when digested, making your body less hospitable to viruses and bacteria and creepy crawlers. <a href="http://lajollamom.com/2011/01/drink-warm-lemon-water-in-the-morning/" target="_blank">Here</a>'s a list of 10 reasons why you should drink lemon water, but seriously, just google 'lemon water' and you'll get all sorts of responses. And I can get a bag of ten, admittedly small, lemons from Walmart for less than $2.</li>
<li><a href="http://drbenkim.com/articles-probiotics.html" target="_blank">Probiotics</a>! Intestines are easy to forget about, but whoa nelly if you neglect them. If you've neglected your gut, taking probiotic supplements can help alleviate skin problems, boost the immune system, improve digestion, alleviate hay fever and asthma. Supplement your diet, or just eat some yogurt.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.godiva.com/" target="_blank">Chocolate</a>! It makes me happy! It has antioxidants to keep me healthy! It's yummy! (I'm ignoring the fat and sugar demons)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.barefootwine.com/our-wines/red-wines/sweet-red" target="_blank">Red wine</a>! See chocolate, minus the fat and sugar demons, plus alcohol demons.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.larabar.com/" target="_blank">Larabars</a>! Grain free, and some varieties contain chocolate - whoopee! I found out in 2009 that eliminating grains from my diet (I tested wheat, corn, rice, oats) made me feel worlds better. So what to snack on... Larabars! I brought along about 20 varieties on a cross Iowa bike ride that year, so I was able to taste test a bunch. Peanut butter cookie is my favorite. I'm also averse to soy, and these are soy-free as well. Good stuff! </li>
<li><a href="http://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/" target="_blank">Red meat</a>! B vitamins, niacin, iron, zinc and loads of protein in a delicious mouth-watering package.</li>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun" target="_blank">Sunshine</a>! Thank you <a href="http://www.lyricsfreak.com/j/john+denver/sunshine+on+my+shoulders_20073893.html" target="_blank">Mr. John Denver</a>. Sunshine on my shoulders DOES make me happy, and it does look so lovely on the water. And that vitamin D boost does wonders for me, too.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.clorox.com/products/clorox-disinfecting-wipes/" target="_blank">Bleach wipes</a>! Just in case Nathan's illness is a bug and not food poisoning, I wiped most of my hard surfaces down with these. Am I helping to create superbugs? No, I'm trying to keep my family healthy and any bugs that get past the wipes have to deal with our lemony-scented bodies. Good luck jerk-bugs.</li>
</ul>
<br />
I'm wondering what wellness tricks are out there that I haven't heard of yet... If you've got a good one, please leave it in the comments. <br />
<br />
We finished a few projects and started a few more in the past weeks. The tables Scott and I refurbished:<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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizFzB3w73u5LKjuzkOX4sWz77FfK7Ktm55Hv04n_RdQ4VFx45vAJN2GrDTNGu9016_P17t0QPTr5DIG7NM-npwNf60RX5uXsw02X_UniO1cN-lES2XzulfbejI12oXJt0uB9-Erw6psQa/s1600/IMG_4071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizFzB3w73u5LKjuzkOX4sWz77FfK7Ktm55Hv04n_RdQ4VFx45vAJN2GrDTNGu9016_P17t0QPTr5DIG7NM-npwNf60RX5uXsw02X_UniO1cN-lES2XzulfbejI12oXJt0uB9-Erw6psQa/s320/IMG_4071.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The black coffee table, the motley sofa table</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We got both of these from the local Deseret Industries (just like Goodwill), for I think $10 each. The black table was covered in gunk, and the sofa table had a really bad paint job, bad color and bad technique. A little sanding, stain, paint, polyurethane and they are beautiful!<br />
<br />
I saw a post in another blog about a homemade garland made of paper circles and thought it would be wonderful made with the Sunday Comics. A lot of cutting, and a lot of glue dots, later I have this pretty garland. Nathan did almost all of the assembly, I was the worker bee cutting dozens of little 2" circles.<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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGC-7Ps17tCHeK60MLZiYteOlBq37pJDnp0TrWlwGUXfn6UN_ijl2jJ-wxz2bkC2eKnPj7FX1OiHoKkhm2MHYYe4dO4bCTNVU_8ADaBjaEDaBiqLPxtvstthZi8TcVlrRmhz9r9wC0BFed/s1600/IMG_4118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGC-7Ps17tCHeK60MLZiYteOlBq37pJDnp0TrWlwGUXfn6UN_ijl2jJ-wxz2bkC2eKnPj7FX1OiHoKkhm2MHYYe4dO4bCTNVU_8ADaBjaEDaBiqLPxtvstthZi8TcVlrRmhz9r9wC0BFed/s320/IMG_4118.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The comics garland</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYD1qBrDfiRtI6H6ReJKepVvhDa_lHDcCnVZD-7b3K6dnGHb25NcGf0K7opRdrEvpyfFBAHo9BjY2QYC7Rz4stwrBBhO7NfB9i7MRLadsTvYXbz4J2ezmngXC92Y_y-qRzIYSfvQRAlmJ/s1600/mantle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYD1qBrDfiRtI6H6ReJKepVvhDa_lHDcCnVZD-7b3K6dnGHb25NcGf0K7opRdrEvpyfFBAHo9BjY2QYC7Rz4stwrBBhO7NfB9i7MRLadsTvYXbz4J2ezmngXC92Y_y-qRzIYSfvQRAlmJ/s320/mantle.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fireplace mantle. Dog butt.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And I loved this, my lima bean wreath! I got the idea at <a href="http://www.allthingsthrifty.com/2010/01/tutorial-lima-bean-wreath.html" target="_blank">All Things Thrifty</a>. I accidentally used large limas instead of baby limas. I think it still looks so pretty.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGyHhFg87wE9SI9OqShHcsQcYehhuUBrFYnOVvYMem1eqJsHs_Vma8JdmJ65c__j0PUapseUjYLS6AUZ_xB1oaO0H6tSu4wyvsXqBjcWk31YhYFRDZIe-6REXaBQcXG6ewv7gI501oQA8/s1600/wreath.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGyHhFg87wE9SI9OqShHcsQcYehhuUBrFYnOVvYMem1eqJsHs_Vma8JdmJ65c__j0PUapseUjYLS6AUZ_xB1oaO0H6tSu4wyvsXqBjcWk31YhYFRDZIe-6REXaBQcXG6ewv7gI501oQA8/s320/wreath.PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
The house with outside Christmas decor. Love it! Can't see it here, but the baby trees out front are covered with colorful ornaments.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Q-hnWd50GFQJqPLQ9NsB91v0rZaTUfPWXb94f02nrPv6broLu8g8W5monEPnC34xxodEhaToobRrqdE_7WyC9i8w6eabXdXOiRbwT7h9Uai0IXQYpIAFl7laYwAIqAFtuPUn6WE7ILTx/s1600/outside+decor.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Q-hnWd50GFQJqPLQ9NsB91v0rZaTUfPWXb94f02nrPv6broLu8g8W5monEPnC34xxodEhaToobRrqdE_7WyC9i8w6eabXdXOiRbwT7h9Uai0IXQYpIAFl7laYwAIqAFtuPUn6WE7ILTx/s320/outside+decor.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The big projects in progress:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Stockings for family. How to embroider their darling faces onto the stockings...?</li>
<li>Paint first floor bath.</li>
<li>How to get the puke smell out of my nose.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Thanks and God bless!<br />
Mary<br />
<br />MaryBridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620106054348753867noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2220319483794710757.post-22270211971640502672011-06-29T05:06:00.000-07:002011-12-14T15:10:33.649-08:00Packing, day 2 and the morning after (Not really)November 24, 2011 <br />
<div>
I had started typing this on the drive from Wisconsin to Utah, I think we were somewhere in Missouri, and my thumb kept hitting the mousepad on the netbook, making the mouse jump around from one random place on the page to another, making my train of thought look more scattered than it already is, so I gave up and haven't really thought about this blog since then, except in passing when doing something either extremely fun or extremely annoying, but in either case I was too engrossed in the moment to actually type anything. So, here I am now. Getting out of doing Post-Thanksgiving-Feast dish clean up. And me having made sooo many of those dirty dishes to begin with. These are a few of the recipes I abused my family with this year:<br />
<div>
<ul>
<li>Asparagus with homemade hollandaise sauce (3 eggs, 7T butter, 5t lemon juice, 3T water, salt and pepper to taste. So simple. So delicious.)</li>
<li>Candied sweet potatoes (recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens pink plaid cookbook. Just like Grandma Dorothy used to make.)</li>
<li>Classic <a href="http://www.campbellkitchen.com/recipedetail.aspx?recipeid=24099" target="_blank">green bean casserole</a>.</li>
<li>Nutella pumpkin pie (many thanks to ZEPHYRcakes for the idea! Check out her beautiful cookies on etsy <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/ZEPHYRcakes" target="_blank">here</a>. I haven't eaten any of her cookies, but if I were lucky enough to get one, I would sit and stare at it so entranced by it's beauty that I would forget to eat it. For a little while at least. Seriously, beautiful noms.)</li>
<li>Dog birthday cake</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
Yes, dog birthday cake. Jake asks a lot of questions, one of the more recent being "When is Chunk Chunk's birthday?" Now, I could look this up, but I know it is at the end of November, so I told him it is on Thanksgiving, to which Jake excitedly asks if we can make Chunky a birthday cake. Pleeeeasssse? Dear husband would tell you that I spoil my children rotten, so of course I made a cake (the peanut butter carrot cake <a href="http://www.dogbirthdaysandparties.com/dogbirthdaycakerecipe.htm" target="_blank">here</a>). It was made with peanut butter, honey, shredded carrots and other standard cake ingredients (flour, baking soda, etc.), and was perfectly palatable, but the recipe called for pureed cottage cheese as frosting. Um... Blech! So I left off the frosting, made a frozen peanut butter bone for decoration, and served it up with other desserts tonight, alongside a big bowl of homemade whipped cream. We sang 'Happy Birthday' to Chunk, the boys blew out Chunk's candle and then he got to open his present, a plastic chew toy with a puppy treat baked in the middle of it. <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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyhZeH-axqs300HYYbidfZpZwowogSLTWxeu8rJhpIowzXDl8LfneDHD9ZCA7JGWM6SjFyR1ym1dwzmz3ydCk7vdviRwT70zWVYnVqk6S2fQWS-CDVpMxNXq6ZgHHJ3FjckCn8vBJjf3p/s1600/IMG_4132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyhZeH-axqs300HYYbidfZpZwowogSLTWxeu8rJhpIowzXDl8LfneDHD9ZCA7JGWM6SjFyR1ym1dwzmz3ydCk7vdviRwT70zWVYnVqk6S2fQWS-CDVpMxNXq6ZgHHJ3FjckCn8vBJjf3p/s320/IMG_4132.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chunk's cake on Jake's plate</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Oh, yeah, he got a piece of cake, without whipped cream, despite his crazy behavior this week. At one point he stole Jake's toothbrush and chewed it to bits. I scolded him and shooed him away, but instead of skulking off as I picked up plastic Spongebob toothbrush pieces, he grabbed Jake's toothpaste and took off with it. So I chased him down, got him to drop the toothpaste, but as I was cleaning up toothpaste he ran by with MY toothpaste. If he really wanted to chew it up, he could have done that in my bathroom, so you KNOW he only wanted to tease me. Honestly, I love a sense of humor, but whatever happened to the concept of dog as loyal companion? Maybe if I read some Lassie bedtime stories to the boys, Chunk will get the hint.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This was our nuclear family's first Thanksgiving away from extended family, aunts and uncles and cousins and grandmothers and such. Kind of a bummer (BIG), but the boys played football with the neighbors, and of course we had our feast and Chunk's birthday celebration, so it wasn't an awful day, but I couldn't stop mentally comparing it to Thanksgivings of my childhood, or even of the past year or two with extended family members gathered around telling stories and all the little cousins playing and bonding and making memories that will be with them forever. I have to remember that my boys' memories will just be different, but no less wonderful. Nate almost scored a touchdown during the neighborhood game, and spent a lot of time at the skate park working on his ollie. Jake hung out with the neighbors a bunch, and helped with the cooking (a little). </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Speaking of cooking, I've been going crazy with the baking lately, but I've also been making a point of sending home baked goods to school with the boys for snack every day. This week, it was three kinds of muffins: banana, oatmeal and anise (recipes from the pink plaid cookbook again). The anise were supposed to be poppy seed, but when I got to the point of adding seeds, I couldn't find em, so I added anise seeds and a splash of anise extract. Really yummy. Last week was chocolate cookies with white chocolate chips. Easiest recipe ever:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>1 box cake mix</li>
<li>1 small can pumpkin</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
That's it. Mix together and bake as cookies, or muffins, or mini muffins in a 350 degree oven til firm. It was actually a double batch last week, two boxes of devil's food cake, large can of pumpkin, stirred in white chocolate chips, made a bundt cake with half the batter and cookies with the other half. The cake is in the freezer right now and I'll probably pull it out some December day when the boys are driving me crazy. About a month ago I used yellow cake mix, pumpkin pie spices and butterscotch chips to make pumpkin spice cookies and Nathan, my pickier eater, gobbled them up. The person I got the recipe from said they are a happy weight watcher's cookie, too, though she's a skinny minnie mother of three who doesn't need to lose any weight, though maybe this is one of her tricks to staying so thin. That is definitely one of the differences between where we used to live and where we live now - the people are all really thin and healthy out here. Maybe it's the west coast influence, or maybe it's a mormon thing. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'll sign off with ZEPHYRcakes Nutella pie recipe. I doubled the pie recipe, poured half the batter into a plain graham crust, then added Nutella to the remaining pie batter and poured it into a chocolate crust (used <a href="http://www.wrenscottage.com/kitchen/recipes/pie/chocgrahamcrust.php" target="_blank">this recipe</a>) that I had topped with a thin layer of Nutella.</div>
<div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Nutella Pumpkin Pie</span></u></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">1 can pumpkin puree (small one)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">2 eggs</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">2t pumpkin pie spice</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">1t salt</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">1 can SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK - not evap</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">1/3c nutella</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">4oz cream cheese</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">1 - 9" pie shell, or 2 6" deep dish pie shells (what I did)</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">-beat the crap out of the cream cheese, like softy softy softy - in a mixer or with a hand mixer- scrape it like 45 times to make sure lumps are out</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">-add 1/2 pumpkin puree to mixer - med speed to fully incorporate</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">-in separate bowl combine everything else BUT the eggs</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">-add the cream cheese/pumpkin mix to the other mix - fully incorporate</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">-beat eggs in a separate bowl - beat like hell - then add egg to big mix</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Bake @ 425 for5 minutes to start, then drop to 350 for another 40 minutes or so. Check it by either tapping the side of the pie pan, there can be a little jiggle in the direct center, but if there is anything more keep it in the oven.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSii8pAoQsyWQ0oWwPJVOqrzpfgjbTTzPUGvqUPW3-miPqTOj-ZrxywK6fUYWzLYByFSyAdZnFgSstxYTgIKmoiVTjYg8OZtHYPpWSjeJEiMl8YMtBKxenZJSjNXUfAXocK9hW_juVZUH/s1600/IMG_4122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSii8pAoQsyWQ0oWwPJVOqrzpfgjbTTzPUGvqUPW3-miPqTOj-ZrxywK6fUYWzLYByFSyAdZnFgSstxYTgIKmoiVTjYg8OZtHYPpWSjeJEiMl8YMtBKxenZJSjNXUfAXocK9hW_juVZUH/s320/IMG_4122.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Regular crust, chocolate crust with a nutella layer. Drool.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCrRtxF1Y7jtygSKBLF2GWqS2Nrhh4i-z3LDeCGrXsFJGdNvF-DdtU5pxyIQs3U_zswUy3L3tSs7gjZCejGv8UA8k3H2nA0IbgkACBTUVPseTkj516WntZFC4VaLNV_HCjNmauIce1xCi/s1600/IMG_4128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCrRtxF1Y7jtygSKBLF2GWqS2Nrhh4i-z3LDeCGrXsFJGdNvF-DdtU5pxyIQs3U_zswUy3L3tSs7gjZCejGv8UA8k3H2nA0IbgkACBTUVPseTkj516WntZFC4VaLNV_HCjNmauIce1xCi/s320/IMG_4128.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We didn't even cut into the regular pie until pumpkintella was gone.</td></tr>
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Next time, I'll try to post pictures of the fun things we've been up to (refinishing tables, making garland)<strike> and a picture of the dog cake </strike>(uploaded 12/14/11). It was a first for me so I'm pretty proud of it. Oh, I almost forgot about the grape drank cupcakes, aka "purple whatevers"! Check them out <a href="http://bakeanddestroy.net/2010/09/purple-whatevers-adventure-time-grape-drink-cupcakes/" target="_blank">here</a> at bake and destroy, but I used one whole packet of grape kool-aid for the cupcakes and one for the frosting. Double kool-aid = double mind blowing awesomeness. I've been baking a lot these past several months...</div>
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And one last thought. For real this time. I saw this somewhere and copied it and now I don't remember where it came from, but it speaks to me. Enjoy, Happy Thanksgiving, and God bless!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In this home, we do second chances. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We do grace. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We do real. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We do mistakes. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We do I'm sorrys. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>We do loud really well. </b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We do hugs. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We do family. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We do love.</span></div>MaryBridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620106054348753867noreply@blogger.com0South Jordan, Utah40.557634657376461 -111.9966888427734440.509382657376463 -112.07565284277344 40.605886657376459 -111.91772484277344tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2220319483794710757.post-84585560020714640282011-06-27T19:35:00.001-07:002011-06-27T20:32:36.369-07:00Packing, Day 1The reality of the move to Utah hit home hard today. The movers, correction *packers*, showed up at 8am and I still hadn't finished cleaning up from the party from the night before. Many thanks to cousle Matt for sweeping the broken water balloons and errant cupcake sprinkles up off the patio Sunday night. A cupcake topping bar sounded like such a good idea... <div><br /></div><div>So while I cleaned up gift wrap and did dishes and laundry, a team of two packed our basement in about two hours. They moved onto the first floor, packing framed family photos and artwork and a cool clock, while I had lunch with a friend and ran the last of the game contraband back to the library. Then shredding... I wonder how many people still have income taxes they paper-filed 20 years ago. Scott and I both do, well did, until I shredded 3 large garbage bags full of paperwork we kept for no good reason. Taxes from 1990, results from college final exams (also from the 90's), paperwork from my first house purchased in the late 90s, paperwork from old pets (a vet bill from 2001)... Some things I re-filed - questionnaires Scott and I filled out in the pre-wedding class required by the church, love notes from my children, car titles (the boat title is still missing, however). </div><div><br /></div><div>I've heard the same story multiple times now of movers who packed garbage cans full of garbage, so I think we'll avoid that problem, but I think we discovered a new one. In their zeal, the movers packed the remotes for the TV, DVD player, sound system and cable box, and all our Wii games and controllers. Friend Brenda thought this was hilarious, saying that we might even have to talk to each other, har har, but we need to return the cable remote and box. This is real money, folks! And I wanted to have the Wii at our Utah apartment for those times when we really don't want to talk to each other. Oh well, lesson learned and funny life story gained.</div><div><br /></div><div>The boys' last baseball game with their Wisconsin team was tonight. The coach called out to everyone that this was the Deischel boys' last game, thanked them for their efforts, then had everyone shake Nathan's and Jake's hands. Jake thought it was a perfect opportunity to say "Pledge of allegience" to each boy that shook his hand, much better than his declaration yesterday that the water balloon he put in his pants smelled like his balls. I have no idea what it would be like to have a daughter, but I can't imagine it would be better than this.</div><div><br /></div><div>And today was my first day of unemployment! Well, first day without tax paying, income producing employment. Not sure how I feel about this yet. As a member of the salaried workforce, there's security in knowing that the work you do contributes to a larger goal and that you're part of a larger movement to GET THINGS DONE. Laundry, dishes, packing, shredding, cleaning... I don't see how that fits into a larger movement, yet. Does it?</div><div><br /></div><div>Tomorrow, the rest of the first floor and the entire second floor gets packed, we sign closing papers on the house we're selling, and the dog gets to go to the vet. 'Gets to go' because any trip in the car is a not-to-be-missed treat in his book. He rode in the van this morning to drop the boys off at summer school and I swear I heard him say 'Whee!' at least three times. And we need to set aside the items we'll need over the next 6 weeks. Really. A. Drag. I've called a few things out, but my follow through lately has been lacking. Pretty sure it's my subconscious screaming out "Change is bad! Don't leave the midwest!" but I'll try to get some things set aside... For those times we don't want to talk to each other, but still want to snuggle through.</div>MaryBridgethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10620106054348753867noreply@blogger.com2