tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37028049930768677522024-03-13T10:55:31.681-07:00Kitchen Stories Etc.Blatherings of crafts, food, art, reading, and life of a Midwest woman who migrated to the Pacific NWElisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-58469444733687867712017-03-26T21:35:00.000-07:002017-03-26T21:35:19.705-07:00Instant Pot Spicy Beef Stew<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I don't know about you but as a mom of two busy littles I find I am always scrambling to get dinner on the table before the children get hangry or their bedtime arrives. Enter the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Pot-IP-DUO60-Multi-Functional-Pressure/dp/B00FLYWNYQ">Instant Pot</a>. It is an electric pressure cooker and probably by far the best machine I have ever bought for my kitchen since the KitchenAid mixer came out.</div>
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<br />I was able to make this wonderful Beef Stew in about 45 minutes tops including prep, cook, and dishing up time. The meat falls apart, the carrots are cooked through, the potatoes tender, and the flavor is like you slow cooked it.<br /><br />I will probably continue to share my favorite things to make in my lovely Instant Pot in the future here but feel free to comment with questions about this nifty device. Keep an eye on online retailers as I have seen it go on sale multiple times in the last year. <br />
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Bonus points as this is a Whole30 compliant meal. If you are unfamiliar with Whole30 you basically remove all processed foods and sugar. Meats, veggies (aside from legumes like peas), fruit, nuts (except peanuts) and oils, eggs are on the menu for Whole30 meals. That excludes grains, legumes, sugar, alcohol, carrageenan, msg, or sulfites,and dairy. Also off the list are baked goods/treats make with approved items like banana pancakes or ice cream. paleo pizzas. I have completed two 30 day whole30 challenges and am gearing up for another. For more information click <a href="http://www.whole30.com/">here</a>.<br />
<br /><u>Instant Pot Spicy Beef Stew</u><br />
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3 lbs beef stew meat<br />
2 -3 tablespoons of coconut oil<br />
4-6 garlic cloves, minced (I use a garlic press)<br />
1/2 large onion, chopped<br />
5 good size carrots, chopped to 1 1/2 inch pieces<br />
5-6 medium Yukon potatoes, chopped to 1 1/2 inch pieces<br />
3 tablespoons tomato paste<br />
2-2 1/2 cups broth/beef broth<br />
2-3 bay leaves<br />
2 tablespoons of chipotle paste (go easy )<br />
2 teaspoon oregano<br />
salt<br />
pepper<br />
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Turn Saute button on and add coconut oil. While it heats salt and pepper the meat. Once melted add beef stew meat and brown on all sides (as best as you can with that much meat. Roughly 4-5 minutes.) Add garlic, onions, carrots, potatoes, tomato paste, chipotle paste, broth, and then spices. Stir up to combined and put the lid on. Make sure steam valve is set to seal. Turn on to meat/stew button for 35 minutes. When 35 minutes is up, turn off Instantpot and quick release the valve. Be careful of the steam. You are also welcome to just let it naturally release if you have the time. I did not tonight.<br />
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Serve. Delicious. This was slightly spicy. Some may find it too spicy. If you are that person then just leave off the chipotle paste.<br /><br />I hope if you try my recipe you come back and tell me how you liked it, or how you modified it for your family!<br /><br />Cheers!Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-27656059024042017992016-12-09T16:44:00.001-08:002016-12-09T16:44:42.576-08:0025 Days of Cookies - Soft Gingersnap Cookies dipped in White Chocolate (Snow on the Mountain) I know it's been a while since I had a new post on my blog. It's my favorite time of year and I am participating in my dear friend <a href="http://housefulofnicholes.com/">Natasha</a>'s #HousefulOfCookies 25 days of cookies blog hop. Today I have one of my all-time favorite cookie recipes for you.<br />
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Snow on the Mountain Cookies</div>
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There are certain smells that we all associate with happy memories<span style="background-color: white;"> of ch</span>ildhood. Fresh cut grass, Christmas trees, chocolate chips cookies, and popcorn all evoke a warm, fuzzy feelings. Well, the one thing evokes those feelings for me is Soft Ginger Snap cookies. My grandmother used to have a Tupperware container of them sitting on top of the refrigerator for when we would visit.<br />
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When I went gluten free 5 years ago learning how to make my favorite baked goods was at the forefront of my mind. I rationalised that these cookies not only had to taste like their originals but they had to hold up so that no one would suspect there is anything different about them. This gingersnap recipe was originally based off Faithfully Gluten Free's <a href="http://www.faithfullyglutenfree.com/2011/12/big-soft-gluten-free-ginger-cookies.html">Soft Gingersnap</a> cookie recipe. I started with hers. Then from there I shifted the recipe to make it a true replica of the ones my Grandma Ellen always had waiting.<br />
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You can use other gluten free pre-made flour mixes. I have made this recipe with several different mixes. The most important part of this recipe is that you need cold butter. Just as if you were making a pie crust. If you use warmer butter, your dough will spread out and the cookie will be crispy (So if that's your thing, then room temperature it is.) There is good news too. If you aren't gluten free and would like to make this recipe just add that much all purpose flour.<br />
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A note on the subject of gluten-free flour blends. There are so many out there. I am particularly fond of making my own as noted below. It works very well, and though it takes extra time to weigh and measure all the components out, I have found that this mix works and tastes pretty close to AP flour.<br />
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<br /><br /><u><b>Ingredients:</b></u><br />
3/4 cup butter (cut into small cubes for easier mixing)<br />
1 cup granulated sugar<br />
1 egg<br />
1/4 cup molasses<br />
2 1/2 cups Gluten free flour (You can use your favorite mix. I use a mix from <a href="http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/using-all-purpose-gluten-free-flour-blends/">Gluten Free on a Shoestring</a>'s blog/books)<br />
1 tsp xanthan gum (omit if your flour mix includes xanthan gum)<br />
1tsp baking soda<br />
2 tsp ground ginger<br />
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
1/2 tsp ground cloves<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
Additional sugar for rolling the cooking in<br />
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White chocolate chips<br />
1 tbsp shortening or canola oil<br />
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<b><u>Directions:</u></b><br />
In a medium bowl add flour, xanthan gum (if not included), baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Mix together and set aside.<br />
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In another mixing bowl start with the butter and sugar, cream together. Add the egg and molasses, mix. Slowly add in the flour and spice mixture 1/3 at a time waiting until each part is incorporated before adding another section. Once all combined if the dough is too soft place in a covered container in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liner. When ready to bake take 1 1/2 inch cookie scoop and roll the ball in your hands, then roll in extra sugar. Placing 2 inches apart then press down slightly. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes on the sheet and then move the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Keep in an air-tight container after fully cool. Try not to eat them all in one go.<br />
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The cookies are great just by themselves but at Christmas time I love to add a bit of a flourish. This final step would be to dip them in white chocolate.<br /><br />
Place white chocolate chips and shortening or veggie oil in a microwave safe bowl and heat at 50% power for 30-second increments until the chips are almost melted, Stir until smooth. Alternately you can place 3/4 of the chips in the bowl a once that is mostly melted add the last 1/4 of the chips in. Stir until smooth. If needed heat for an additional 15 seconds then stir.<br /><br />Dip cooled cookies halfway in the chocolate chips making sure to dip on both the top and bottom of cookie (or dip the cookie in face side down in the chocolate) cool on a sheet of wax paper until they harden then move the cookies to an airtight storage. Finally, if you want to drizzle the white chocolate you can use a fork or spoon to give the cookie a more rustic look.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">Don't forget the most important step in any cookie recipe: Taste test! </span></div>
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Merry Christmas friends and new followers. I'm off to finish up making some other Christmas goodies and if you are lucky I might even share a blog post or two about them! Be sure to keep checking back with Mrs. Houseful for more cookies to try this year!<br />
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<br />Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-20299200886744254962015-04-06T14:57:00.001-07:002015-04-06T14:57:45.562-07:00First Review LivePlease go over to <a href="http://www.girl-who-reads.com/">Girl Who Reads</a> and read my first book review on Eviction Notice by Robyn Wyrick by following this link:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.girl-who-reads.com/2015/04/review-eviction-notice-by-robyn-wyrick.html">Eviction Notice Review</a><br /><div>
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Girl Who Reads is a great website with reviews, meet the author posts, and other topics for anyone interested in books, reading books, reviewing books, etc.</div>
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Hope you enjoy my review and if Eviction Notice sparks your interest go buy it please! I think you'll love it!</div>
Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-58266165776102425582015-03-18T17:14:00.002-07:002015-03-18T17:14:25.760-07:00New Hobby for a book lover!Have you been to <a href="http://www.girl-who-reads.com/">Girl Who Reads</a>? I love finding new books that others have found interesting which is why I started to follow her blog and her Facebook page.<br />
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This last week I saw a posting on her Facebook page asking for new book reviewers. I am a avid reader and love leaving opinions for other people curious about books so I replied that I was interested.<br />
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She asked that I submit a review from a book I've read this year so I selected The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon. <br />
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Here is my review for that book:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1097923408?book_show_action=false">The Bone Season </a><br />
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I have read it twice now. Once last year and once again this year to prepare for the release of the second book The Mime Order.<br />
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Anyway, Girl Who Reads, Donna liked my review and I am now set to read and review books a couple times a month! <br />
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Check it out: <a href="http://www.girl-who-reads.com/p/about-me.html">Girl Who Reads - About</a><br />
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When they become available I send out a small post with a link to the website.<br />
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What are you reading? What are your suggestions of things for me to read?<br />
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Happy Wednesday folks!Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-5037335827375882282014-06-20T23:42:00.003-07:002014-06-20T23:42:50.562-07:00A BANG and a fizzleSo my intention when I woke up this morning was to make my quiches, strain off my chicken stock, make banana bread and mini muffins, and probably make more Gluten free flour mix.<br />
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I did get bacon cooked and ready for the quiches, and the chicken stock from the bones of my Cost-co chickens was done over night in the slow cooker and one in my big chili pot that needed to be simmered this morning for 15-20 minutes.<br />
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But that BANG of energy fizzled quick today. Fickle third trimester energy bursts. Oh well. I spent quality time with the little man while I rested (while my brain was telling me I should be working).<br />
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I got a small burst of energy around 10:30 and decided since our replacement part for the crib arrived, that I would finish making it and get some things organized in the kids' room. Only to find out one bolt is missing...sigh moving. So I piled little man into the car and went to the hardware store (made more enticing because it is located next to a Dairy Queen and that made me daydream of Dilly bars).<br />
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Much to the searching of the two employees they couldn't find the right length bolt for me to use. DOUBLE SIGH.<br />
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So naturally I did stop at the DQ and thought it would be a good time to stock the freezer with those amazing bars because I think this summer is going to be a HOT one here in the Pac-NW. We've already reached what is our normal mid-summer High this last week so best be prepared. <br />
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After blogging last night I gave myself a mantra, "What have I done today to prepare for little miss?" I tell myself if I do a little each day then this next 6 weeks will fly by and I'll be more ready that if I attempt to wait for a big burst of energy one day.<br />
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One thing I did today to prepare was clean out my fridge and see what I could make for dinner that was low in dairy, gluten free (of course), and easy because my energy was just sapped. I took some rotisserie dark meat chicken I needed to use up, a bag of frozen peas & carrots, diced up some onions left over from my GF onion rings I made this week, 3 cloves of garlic minced, a can of green beans, a small can of creamed corn, and 3 red potatoes from my produce co-op dice small and some chicken stock from the last time I made it. I created a Chicken pot pie filling/soup mixture using water, chicken stock, cornstarch, and 1/4 cup milk and salt and pepper.<br />
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I served it in a bowl like soup with some left over GF hamburger buns I made the same night I made the onion rings. It was pretty darn delicious. The bonus was that there was enough left over that I dumped it into a Gallon size freezer bag, labeled what it was, and stashed it in my freezer for more of the same meal, or maybe for a almost as quick chicken pot pie.<br /><br />After supper I was sidelined by this on again off again ear ache, toothache, and general pain and discomfort of having a wiggling baby inside my belly. I feared I wouldn't get anything cleaned up or put away in the kitchen.<br /><br />After doing some venting to a friend on Facebook, I felt well enough to get up and try to get the things I was working on in the fridge, freezer, and dishes done so I can cook tomorrow. My chicken stock is back in the rinsed out stock pot after being strained twice. Tomorrow I will skim the fat off and put it in some Ziploc gallon sized bags to go in the freezer. Dishes are done and as soon as I'm done writing, I'm going to quick chop up the broccoli so I can blanch it tomorrow for my quiches maybe while I make some banana bread or muffins in the morning. <br /><br />I hope this helps inspire any of you who are trying to get a bunch of things prepared for your little one's arrival that every small bit helps. Until tomorrow where I will hope for more BANG and less fizzle!Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-63928959692067477572014-06-19T23:13:00.003-07:002014-06-19T23:13:46.092-07:0016 months later...Well it certainly has been a long time since I posted last.<br />
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I will do a separate blog later next week explaining where I am at with the Gluten problems.<br />
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SPOILERS - I am still gluten free and have been as best as I can since May 6th, 2013.<br />
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What am I doing these days...<br />
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Well in the last month my hubby, son, and I have all downsized, weeded, thrown away, given away many things we were "hoarding" (including our massive book collection) and moved into a small 2 bedroom condo 2 miles from our old place. We no longer have roommates, my son turned 3, my hubby turned 30, and I turned 33. Hubby left his job of 6 1/2 years to a new contractor position with a neat family company. Oh and did I mention I'm pregnant with baby number two (due August 2nd) and we moved our selves except the furniture?<br />
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So what else are you doing Lis? Heh, well making a major dent in my crafting to do pile. I completed 7 burp clothes for the baby, a minky/flannel blanket, a bobby pillow cover, cradle bed fitted sheet for the antique cradle we use the first few months (while baby is small enough), and now my nesting instincts have switched from unpacking, organizing the new place, and still weeding through things (man that is the best thing about being pregnant when moving I tell you), to preparing for the little one. Saturday will mark 6 weeks until my due date. <br />
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I have been diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes again this time around (5 weeks earlier in fact) and the standard procedure is that they won't let me get to my due date because of not wanting the baby to get too big. So I literally have 6 weeks or less to finish everything my brain is asking me to get done before SHE arrives. That's right - we're having a girl! <br />
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This week's project has been figuring out ways to stock my small chest freezer with food for us to grab, thaw, reheat for when I don't want to THINK about what to make for dinner. This time around Hubby won't have any paternity leave, and while my mother is coming for 2 weeks, and possibly we may have help for the whole month of August with guests coming to help, I don't want to rely on her vacation time to do all the cooking.<br />
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So what am I doing today to help me prepare. I made a trip to Cost-co to purchase a few things I know we will want to have stocked before baby gets here (dishwasher detergent, AA batteries for the toys big brother has and electronics that require them to function, fruit for the 3 year old fruit monster who lives with us.) While I was thinking of things I needed to get (making a list for the 3rd trimester baby brain that is ugly) I thought - hey I love those rotisserie chickens. Why not get 2-3 each time I go, clean off the meat, chop it, and freeze it so we can use the meat in a jiffy later on. <br />
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I also notice the local grocery store had a wonderful sale on Large AA eggs this week and decided it would be a great and easy thing to prepare a few quiches to pull out and reheat while the eggs were cheap! <br />
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So I came home with 3 chickens, some bell peppers, carrots, celery, garlic, strawberries and raspberries, a bit block of medium cheddar cheese, dishwasher soap, freezer quart and gallon bags, batteries, freeze dried fruit snacks, and a large case of my favorite diet soda. <br />
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Part of this nesting for me was that I felt - what if baby girl got impatient and came earlier than 6 weeks - sure I have her clothes washed, cradle ready, crib partially together (a story for another blog), and bottles in the cupboard - but I didn't have diapers or formula (in case Breastfeeding works as well as it did with big brother). So I came home with a small package of Newborn diapers, and a medium package for size 1 in case she's bigger than we anticipate, and a container of formula.<br />
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This trip alone makes me feel much more in control and less panicky about being so close to the end. The chickens yielded 4 lbs 9 oz of chicken meat which i chopped and divided and placed in the freezer. The bones, carrots, celery, garlic, spices, and onion (from my pantry) all got placed in either a stock pot on the stove or the slow cooker with water to make home made chicken stock. Tomorrow I'll strain it (probably twice), then portion it out into 2 cup portions in freezer bags, lay them flat in the freezer to harden, then have them ready for when we want to use it to make mashed potatoes (would highly recommend boiling your potatoes in chicken stock versus water) or soup.<br />
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Anywho, that about puts me where I'm at today. Tomorrow I'm hoping to get the quiches made - bacon with cheese, and broccoli with cheese for sure, bake some banana bread and banana chocolate chip mini muffins, and maybe get some apple slices on the dehydrator since it won't be so hot out tomorrow. Until then loyal readers (if you are out there...)Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-41294270614706027882013-02-16T11:38:00.000-08:002013-02-16T11:38:16.375-08:00Major life changesSo you may be asking where did I go? Did I drop off the planet? Probably for you 2 followers and family/friends that read my posts it's not a big deal. I have many photos ready to blog about in the past couple weeks but life has thrown me a curve ball.<br />
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The diagnosis isn't official yet but I am waiting on the results of a skin biopsy that will tell me what myself and my dermatologist suspect...that I have a skin disorder called Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH) which is an EXTREMELY, oh my goodness you can't even imagine, itchy rash with blisters. Now on top of that about 80-90% of the people with DH also have Celiac's disease which means Gluten is now my worst enemy.<br />
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I am in the process of de-contaminating my house. 95% of my kitchen utensils/bakeware/cookware will need to be replaced due to possibly contamination.<br />
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Last night I spent my "family craft night" purging out my pantry...it's quite empty compared to what it used to be. I have a tub of cooking things that are currently gluten free all sealed so that I can eat without problems.<br />
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That's just the kitchen...Gluten can be found in shampoo, conditioner, lotions, soaps, lipstick, lip gloss, chapstick, envelopes, stamps, playdoh, toothpastes, diaper cream, wipes....<br />
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It's going to be a long process...<br />
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<br />Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-23551552603925639522013-02-06T23:11:00.000-08:002013-02-06T23:12:34.554-08:00WIP WednesdaySo it's time to link up with Lee at <a href="http://www.freshlypieced.com/p/wip-wednesday.html">Freshly Pieced</a> again.<br />
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<a href="http://freshlypieced.blogspot.com/"><img alt="WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced" height="150" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8357/8253389546_fdb631e427_o.jpg" width="150" /> </a><br />
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I have been diligently working on things that are needing to be finished by this Saturday, however I can't really show you any of them.<br />
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I can tell you I have finished 4 projects in the last week since starting the WIP wednesday blog. I have one sitting next to my laptop right now just needing ends to be weaved in.<br />
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I have 2-3 more projects to finish in the next two days and Saturday Night I will post about what all I made. (I don't want to ruin any surprises).<br />
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As far as other crafts go: I got the Little man's special Valentine's Day project finished (another no pictures allowed until the recipients receive them.<br />
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I will say it is sooooo much fun to introduce little man to painting, play-doh, and crayons. I can't wait until he wants to do more projects with me!<br />
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I have been sketching lately as part of Sketchuary, a group on Facebook. The goal is to sketch every day for the month of February and post the one sketch on the group page. It's pretty amazing to see such creativity at work.<br />
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WIP in the kitchen: I've been busy. I've made 2 or 3 new recipes I want to share. Maybe I will have a moment tomorrow to type the blogs up. I will say the most exciting thing is back when I made my new favorite<a href="http://kitchenstoriesetc.blogspot.com/2013/02/my-new-go-to-chili-recipe.html"> chili</a>, I had a friend go out and get the ingredients for my Go To Chili recipe and made it. She too has been looking for a good chili recipe and I am happy to report that she and her husband both loved the chili! <br />
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The biggest work in progress that I'm working on is fitness related: This couple I know are trying to do 100 pushups a day for 100 days. That's right fellow math geeks, crunch those numbers. For those of you who don't like math that's 10,000 pushups in 100 days. Well I got started a few days late and calculated how many I needed to do to stay on track with these friends. For the last three days I have done 104 pushups. I remember back in high school how hard 25 straight leg pushups were. I am starting out with bent knee pushups. I started out doing 3 sets of 25 and one set of 29. I can already tell that my body is adjusting to the routine because tonight I did one set of 25, one set of 34, and the last set of 45!!!!! I think that's amazing. <br />
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Oh and I'm still working on the Love and Freindship book by Jane Austen. Somehow I didn't think reading stories from a teenage from the regency period would be so difficult, but I am trudging along. <br />
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So that's where I am at! Where are you all in your list of TO Accomplish? Have you started on them? What are you waiting for?Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-56313487370141533972013-02-01T21:57:00.001-08:002013-02-01T21:57:35.091-08:00My New Go To Chili RecipeHoly Cannoli Batman! I've been itching to make chili now for more than 2 weeks. It just sounds good. Maybe I am feeling sympathy for all my friends and family in the Midwest where the temperatures are negative. (Did I mention how happy I am to be out in the Pacific Northwest!)<br />
<br />
Anywho, So tonight I decided to actually get off my butt and make it for dinner. I had previously looked at recipes the last two days for one that I liked but I came up with things that just looked ok, but not "Oh my heavens, I HAVE to make that."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/sites/files/marthastewart.com/imagecache/img_l/ecl/images/content/pub/ms_living/2006Q1/0106_msl_cakes03_vert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.marthastewart.com/sites/files/marthastewart.com/imagecache/img_l/ecl/images/content/pub/ms_living/2006Q1/0106_msl_cakes03_vert.jpg" /></a></div>
sort of like this little beauty...that is currently on my list of things to drool over everyday until I make it. If I just made your mouth water...here is the link for the recipe:<br />
<a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/317890/triple-chocolate-mousse-cake?czone=food%252Fchocolate-center%252Fchocolate-recipes&center=874882&gallery=874542&slide=317890&crlt.pid=camp.tkktNCMsEVzA"><center>
Triple-Chocolate Mousse Cake </center>
</a><br />
<br />
Seriously...when I have a stressful day I'd like a couple of these puppies to make things so much better, wouldn't you?<br />
<br />
So anyway...my Husband and I ate this chili for dinner, The seasonings were all eyeballed so the following recipe was the best guess. The Rotel tomatoes and green chiles do have a heat to them (in case you need to cut out all spice). The review from the husband was: "zomg that's good." He gobbled the entire bowl up. He also attempted to downplay how good it was so he could have more (to save others from having to have a bowl). <br />
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<b> <u>My </u><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Chili</u></span></b></div>
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2 packages of sirloin tip steaks, chopped into bite size
pieces</div>
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1.25 lbs ground beef</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2 green peppers</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
10 mini sweet peppers (or 1-2 red, yellow, or orange
peppers), diced</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 medium onion, diced</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
4-5 cloves garlic, minced</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2 cans Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 can tomato sauce</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 can butter beans (could use two) drained & rinsed</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 can tri-blend beans (kidney, black, and pinto) drained
& rinsed</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 can sweet corn, drained </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 can of water</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chili powder</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Tr9j-XsPVQo/UQynbK7GLEI/AAAAAAAACGk/8tjy9CX3QD0/s1600/IMAG0155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Tr9j-XsPVQo/UQynbK7GLEI/AAAAAAAACGk/8tjy9CX3QD0/s400/IMAG0155.jpg" width="400" /></a>Cumin</div>
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Oregano</div>
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Salt and pepper</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Garlic powder</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Onion powder</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 can of Guinness beer</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil</div>
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Cornstarch</div>
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1 scallion, chopped (greens only)</div>
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In a large stock pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add
steak pieces (do two batches if you need to) Brown pieces, season with salt and
pepper and set aside. Meanwhile in a second pan, brown beef, season lightly
with chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once steak pieces are cooked, sauté onions in stock pot with
a splash of oil. Add green peppers and sweet peppers and garlic, deglaze with
the beer. Add tomato sauce, 1 can of water, add both beans, add corn, and both
meats. Stir to combine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add 1 ½ palmfuls
of chili powder, 2-3 tsp of cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder and onion powder, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1-2 Tbsp oregano. Sprinkle with a dash of salt
and pepper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stir to combine spices. To
thicken. Take ¼ to ½ cup of just the liquid part of the chili into a bowl or
cup. Add generous sprinkle of cornstarch (maybe 3-4 Tbsp) and whisk until
combine. Add back to chili. (I did this twice).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Cook for 15 minutes on stove top to meld flavors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Serve with shredded Pepper Jack Cheese,
garnish with chopped scallions and tortilla chips on the side.<br />
<br />
<br />
And in case you don't like my recipe and are still searching for your favorite chili recipe Check out this one: <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006U11OEY/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B006U11OEY&linkCode=as2&tag=kitcstoretc-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B006U11OEY&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=kitcstoretc-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=kitcstoretc-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B006U11OEY" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /> </div>
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Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-55966908419746470102013-01-30T10:44:00.001-08:002013-01-30T10:44:09.932-08:00WIP Wednesday - Too many projects, not enough time.Linking up with Lee at <a href="http://www.freshlypieced.com/p/wip-wednesday.html">Freshly Pieced </a>for WIP Wednesday:<br />
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<a href="http://freshlypieced.blogspot.com/"><img alt="WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced" height="150" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8357/8253389546_fdb631e427_o.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<br />
I have way to many hobbies and with each of these hobbies I have projects I have started and/or would like to do. So I decided to post a list that maybe I can refer back to...if I don't get distracted by new projects on places like pinterest or craftgawker.<br />
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1. EPIC PROJECT OF 2013<br />
People I know you are going to think me crazy but I'm going to make a quilt like the one under this link: <a href="http://www.therecipebunny.blogspot.com/2012/07/its-done-its-done-its-done.html">Click here for epic quilt!</a><br />
I am doing this in 1 1/4 inch squares. Suffice to say I will have lots of cutting and sewing ahead of me. I've done the drawing, math and color selection part already...I just need to actually purchase the fabric and delve in before I figure out I'm insane for wanting to do this.<br />
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<u>Where am I in this project</u>: I have all the patterns gridded out and all the fabric measurements added up. I need to pull the trigger on buying the fabric. <br />
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2. Sewing kits from <a href="http://straightstitchsociety.com/patterns/apples-to-oranges-sewing-kit/">Straight Stitch Society</a><br />
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<a href="http://straightstitchsociety.com/images/patterns/SS003AO1/AO1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://straightstitchsociety.com/images/patterns/SS003AO1/AO1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Are they cute? I have enough fabric and notions for a Red apple, a Green apple, and an Orange. I have the Green apple partly cut out and hope to continue working on it this week.<br />
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<u>Where am I in this project</u>: I made the Green apple one, see previous blog post <a href="http://kitchenstoriesetc.blogspot.com/2013/01/virtual-craft-night.html">here.</a> I still have two more I want to make.<br />
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3. Quiet book for the Little Man. During my many days of browsing Pinterest for felt quiet book pattern Ideas I stumbled upon Stephanie and her amazing blog <a href="http://www.imagineourlife.com/">Imagine Our Life</a>. I am hoping to make several of her pages.<br />
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<u>Where am I with this project:</u><br />
1. solar system - half sewn, all cut out. I could finish this one pretty quick if I sat down to it.<br />
2. sand castle - pieces are cut, just need to sew it<br />
3. monkeys jumping on the bed - pattern printed<br />
4. snowman - pattern printed<br />
others...not printed or cut.<br />
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I guess that is the big works in progress for now. I know I have many more I'd like to do...<br />
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<br />
WIP: too many to count<br />
WIP finished: 1 (green apple sew kit)<br />
Epic Quilt 2013 - BUY FABRIC ALREADY! <br />
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<br />Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-49603029961504496462013-01-29T21:27:00.000-08:002013-01-29T21:27:50.165-08:00Egg Drop Soup & Hoisin Pork over Rice NoodlesSo I follow this lady on Facebook who has the website <a href="http://pinchofyum.com/">Pinch of Yum</a>. A day or so ago she posted this recipe for <a href="http://pinchofyum.com/hoisin-pork-with-rice-noodles">Hoisin Pork of Rice Noodles</a>.<br />
<br />
The more I oogled the pictures the more I wanted to make it. I sent the picture to my brother and husband and both thought it looks really good. I thought...why not try to make it this week.<br />
<br />
So I also found a recipe for <a href="http://www.heythattastesgood.com/2011/01/egg-drop-soup.html">Egg Drop Soup</a> as well while searching on Pinterest (see my previous blog about <a href="http://kitchenstoriesetc.blogspot.com/2013/01/pinterest-anonymous.html">my problem with Pinterest</a>. Two weeks ago, while I was on mommy vacation, I had lunch at P.F. Chang's and had the egg drop soup and really wanted to try to make it to see if it would be as good as in the restaurant.<br />
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Both recipes don't take an incredible amount of time (unless you marinate your pork for more tan 10 minutes like I did).<br />
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The egg flower soup turned out like this:<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-C1WGSM1bI1Q/UQirRcDMnrI/AAAAAAAACGU/NLA2Iyiu8a8/s1600/IMAG0145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-C1WGSM1bI1Q/UQirRcDMnrI/AAAAAAAACGU/NLA2Iyiu8a8/s640/IMAG0145.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
and the Hoisin Pork over rice noodles turned out like this:<br />
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-INhK8M2MhMs/UQirOCGZtLI/AAAAAAAACGM/kjMTEQuIqiQ/s1600/IMAG0146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-INhK8M2MhMs/UQirOCGZtLI/AAAAAAAACGM/kjMTEQuIqiQ/s640/IMAG0146.jpg" /></a><br />
(p.s aren't those chopsticks cute?! I got them in my stocking from Santa.)<br />
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Timing wise I wasn't as good as serving it all at the same time. I ended up having a first "course" of the soup and a second sit down course of the main dish. What's nice about the second "course" was that I could get reactions right away. NO waiting for reviews for these recipes, no siree!<br />
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The egg flower soup could have been better if I didn't stir it so fast while adding in the egg, or maybe I over beat my egg (where is the line to cross for lightly beaten eggs). You could certain taste the fresh ginger and the red pepper flakes that I had in the soup.<br />
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The Pork and noodles were very good. The sauce that the pork was cooked in was sweet but had quite a few ingredients. I've never even made rice noodles before and had to look up how to cook them since the package had no directions. It was fairly easy actually and they tasted better than I thought they would.<br />
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and now...for the results: <br />
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Survey from the Peanut Gallery says: (cue Family Feud sound) DING!<br />
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The husband grunted (a very positive sign I have come to realize over the years) and said he could eat both dishes every day. When I asked him what he liked best about them he said "It was delicious." Sigh...guess I need a bigger taste test audience.<br />
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The brother said he liked both dishes as well (less animated as the husband). I don't know if it will be as feeling for him as it might for us but he ate his soup and plate clean. I will say that's a good sign.<br />
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So...I'm very pleased with these. I, myself, ate my plate and ran out of room for all my soup. I have made a Bowl for the husbands lunch tomorrow and the last of the soup is going with him as well. <br />
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Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-66481103982876861542013-01-29T20:59:00.003-08:002013-01-29T20:59:41.012-08:00Review of Orzo and Roasted Veggie Salad w/Black BeansOkay so here I am a day or so later to tell you how my husband liked my<br />
<br />
<a href="http://kitchenstoriesetc.blogspot.com/2013/01/meatless-monday-meal-orzo-roasted.html">Orzo & Roasted Veggie Salad with Black Beans</a>...<br />
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And the verdict is...he didn't. I don't know if I can blame it on his mood that day or his ability to not taste anything, or if this was just not a main course meal for him. He did find it edible, or felt like he had to eat it in front of me, but did so by pouring soy sauce over it.<br />
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My brother, however, did take a small sample the morning I made it and took the leftover serving to work with him the next day. <br />
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He felt that the pasta salad was good, he could taste the lemon "dressing" that my husband couldn't. He thought it was a nice, light meal that would probably work better as an appetizer or a side.<br />
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I think both of these guys are big into having meat in the food so it was a bit of a let down from the first recipe I made from the book.<br />
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I wonder if it would be better with fresher grilled or roasted veggies, and with maybe some cut up rotisserie chicken in it? Ah well, I guess they can't all be winners...back to the kitchen.Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-51668979976640702682013-01-28T12:38:00.000-08:002013-01-28T12:38:25.598-08:00Meatless Monday Meal: Orzo & Roasted Veggie Salad w/ Beans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1616281227/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1616281227&linkCode=as2&tag=kitcstoretc-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1616281227&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=kitcstoretc-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=kitcstoretc-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1616281227" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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I made a second recipe from this cook book for my husband's work lunch today. </div>
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It was a very easy recipe to make because I had left over roasted vegetables in the fridge that needed eating but nothing to put with them. </div>
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Confession: This meal is vegetarian...my husband is pretty carnivorous...I am not sure how it will fair for a meal but I did end up adding some beans to the recipe because I was worried it wouldn't be enough for him. (stay tuned for the review). Here is a picture of the salad all put together with his snack of an apple. I also included a smoothie (I prepared last week and froze for the lunches) for him to drink to give him a bit more "filling"</div>
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VbQfxIzFETU/UQa3iNE698I/AAAAAAAACF8/IKmmbKO5pjg/s1600/IMAG0134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VbQfxIzFETU/UQa3iNE698I/AAAAAAAACF8/IKmmbKO5pjg/s640/IMAG0134.jpg" width="640" /></a>So this salad is super easy. Get your water on for the Orzo pasta. While waiting for the water to boil, in a bowl whisk 2 Tbsp Olive Oil with 1 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice. I grated the zest from the lemon into the olive oil first. I also sprinkled with salt and a few cranks of my pepper grinder. I also decided to add beans to the recipe for some extra oompf (technical word). So while the pasta cooked I opened, drained, and rinsed a can of beans too.</div>
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Once the pasta is cooked, and drained. I tossed it with the olive oil/lemon juice mixture. Then I took a clear container and put a layer (maybe half) of the pasta on the bottom, then a layer of beans, then the left over roasted veggies, then more beans, then the last of the pasta and grated some Parmesan cheese to go on top (the recipe called for Feta or Parmesan). </div>
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I will post again today about the smoothie, they are pretty darn good and I have a nice tip for you on how to make them on the weekend so they are ready for the weekday. Stay tuned for the review and the recipe.<br />
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Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-48981938698121464252013-01-25T20:20:00.004-08:002013-01-25T20:22:34.619-08:00Book Review #4 of 2013<span style="color: red;">Corbin's Fancy</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">By: Linda Lael Miller </span><br />
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So yes I was just starting another Jane Austen book and set it aside one night to pick up this book that's been sitting on my nightstand. It was a quick read and quite different from turn of the century England.<br />
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So I just have to state that I like to read Romance Novels. I know that at times they are very unrealistic, but it's nice to escape into that world just like many people like to watch Romantic comedies (chick flicks if you will). There...I said it.</div>
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<u>Synopsis</u>: (shortened from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/">Goodreads</a>:)<br />
<span id="freeText8723523228493766454">When a traveling
carnival left Fancy Jordan stranded in the rugged Washington Territory,
she thought her luck had run out. Alone, penniless, she welcomed a most
intriguing offer -- to live in the home of Jeff Corbin's brother, and
coax the wounded, withdrawn Jeff back to health and happiness. </span></div>
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<u>Readability: </u>It's not hard to read, easy to get sucked in and feel the emotions of the characters</div>
<u>Predictability</u> : Well...there are a couple events that happen in the book that are foreshadowed a few pages before they happen. There is a sense of "uh oh - something bad is going to happen" But it wasn't blatant. <br />
<u>Couldn't Put
it Down Factor</u>: I read this in less than 24 hours. I may have stayed up late because I didn't want to put it down!<br />
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<u>Overall Rating</u>: 5 out of 5. Ms. Miller's books (I've read quite a few last year) are wonderful stories, often period pieces of times that I like to think about. There are intimate scenes in this book, so if you are someone who doesn't like to read about that kind of thing, check out the Love Inspired Romance books; this book is probably not for you. </div>
Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-21835467063534275242013-01-25T19:06:00.000-08:002013-01-25T19:06:10.900-08:00Review of Chicken and Rice Wrap w/ Peanut SauceFor the record here is my husband's review of the wrap I blogged about last night:<br />
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"You aren't suppose to be a chef. You are suppose to be a wife. I'm suppose to choke down your food, not crave more of it. (um ok...) It's delicious and awesome. The peanut sauce was very unique but the most I could say was it was fresh with the spinach and the burst of sweetness from the clementine."<br />
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So there you have...It's a winner.<br />
<br />
and...He liked it so much that he had one for dinner too. I guess I'll be keeping it in mind for future lunches.Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-25754087530018362792013-01-24T21:44:00.001-08:002013-01-24T21:44:08.388-08:00Chicken & Rice Wrap with Peanut Dip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tonight I tried a new recipe to "get me out of lunch time rut" from a book I picked up last weekend called:<br />
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The Lunch Box: Packed with fun, healthy meals that keep them smiling.<br />
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<~~~~~~~~ Here is the cover of the book<br />The book itself covers sandwiches, wraps, salads, snacks, smoothies, dips, and soups/warm meals. It's very clever and has ideas for using leftover food from dinner in a new and exciting way.<br />
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Tonight I used things I had in my fridge/or shelf to make 4 wraps for my husbands future lunches. I used Rice, tortillas, 2 cutie clementines (the original recipe calls for canned mandarin oranges), 3 mini red peppers, 1 left over rotisserie chicken breast, and chopped baby spinach. I also used staples from my pantry to create a peanut dipping sauce. If you don't like oranges you could just use the peppers, if you don't want meat you could canned, drained chickpeas or cooked tofu, and if you can't do nuts (like at my toddler school) you could do hummus or Asian sesame dressing.<br />
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The peanut sauce itself is peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and water. Interestingly enough if you asked my parents if these things would be in my cabinet as an adult they would probably not hesitate to say an emphatic NO (except the peanut butter and water). But I have grown and learned to really enjoy cooking with the other items in Asian cooking. <br />
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Here it is all prepped: Chicken, red pepper, spinach chopped, Rice - cooked and cooled, oranges peels, and way in the back peanut sauce mixed and ready.<br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8BgxoyC-GQk/UQIUkI0-0_I/AAAAAAAACFs/ME0CWJBzYc4/s1600/IMAG0111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8BgxoyC-GQk/UQIUkI0-0_I/AAAAAAAACFs/ME0CWJBzYc4/s400/IMAG0111.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I laid a piece of foil down, then put the tortilla in the center (could probably work 2/3rd down from the top too.) I added a dollop of peanut sauce across the middle horizontally. Then piled on the rice, peppers, chicken, spinach, and oranges. Then I folded the wrap in thirds from the top and bottom. While holding them in place I folded over the left and right sides of the foil. Then rolled the bottom over the wrap and the top over that. In retrospect my tortilla was way too small, but I made do because it's what we had on hand.<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Tpe0AvYmWE8/UQIUi-GiE-I/AAAAAAAACFk/HQsIghP92Cs/s1600/IMAG0114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Tpe0AvYmWE8/UQIUi-GiE-I/AAAAAAAACFk/HQsIghP92Cs/s640/IMAG0114.jpg" /></a><br />
This is where I have to end my post as I was preparing these for tomorrow. I will attempt to heat these tomorrow morning at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes (enough to heat it through). The book talks about putting it in a insulated container to keep it warm. I might just leave it un-heated, depends on what time I wake up and how long it takes my oven to heat up to 400.<br />
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I will post what my hubby thought of the wrap as soon as I know...He did have a small taste of the peanut dip...he said it tastes good at first bite but after the initial taste it's very peanut butter-y then the aftertaste is as good as the first bite. I hope he likes it...crosses my fingers!<br />
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Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-52267070213078450232013-01-21T21:34:00.003-08:002013-01-21T21:34:50.101-08:00Book Review #3 of 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.coraharrison.com/images/furniture/JAUSAcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.coraharrison.com/images/furniture/JAUSAcover.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
<br /><span style="color: red;">I was Jane Austen's Best Friend</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">By: Cora Harrison </span><br />
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<u>Synopsis</u>: Amason's blurb:</div>
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When shy Jenny Cooper goes to stay with her cousin Jane Austen, she
knows nothing of the world of beautiful dresses, dances, secrets,
gossip, and romance that Jane inhabits. At fifteen, Jane is already a
sharp observer of the customs of courtship. So when Jenny falls utterly
in love with Captain Thomas Williams, who better than Jane to help her
win the heart of this dashing man?<br /><br />But is that even possible?
After all, Jenny’s been harboring a most desperate secret. Should it
become known, it would bring scandal not only to her, but also to the
wonderful Austen family. What’s a poor orphan girl to do?<br /><br />In
this delicious dance between truth and fiction, Cora Harrison has
crafted Jenny’s secret diary by reading everything Jane Austen wrote as a
child and an adult, and by researching biographies, critical studies,
and family letters. Jenny’s diary makes the past spring vividly to life
and provides insight into the entire Austen family—especially the
beloved Jane.</div>
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<u>Readability: </u>It is very easy to read as it's told from a teenage girls journal. It was quick and flowed well.</div>
<u>Predictability</u> : I don't think I had the upper hand on this book. I was very excited to find a couple points in the book that caught me off guard.<br />
<u>Couldn't Put
it Down Factor</u>: This was such a unique way to hear more about Jane Austen's world. The author did much to make you feel as if you were right there in the late eighteenth century with Jane.<br />
<u>Recommend it?</u>: I would definitely recommend it. <br />
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<u>Overall Rating</u>: 5 out of 5. Just be warn that it is written from the view point of a teenager...so it might not be everyone's cup of tea. </div>
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side note - Apparently in Feb 2012 Ms. Harrison wrote a second book called "Jane Austen Stole My Boyfriend" Hmmm...would like to read it to see more of the history she pulls in but we'll see.</div>
Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-14311502140324700062013-01-20T22:08:00.000-08:002013-01-20T22:08:42.393-08:00Book Review #2 of 2013<div>
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<span style="color: red;"><br /> </span><br />
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<span style="color: red;">Old Friends & New Fancies: An Imaginary Sequel to the Novels of Jane Austen</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;">By: Sybil G. Brinton</span></div>
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<u>Synopsis</u>: This book pulls in characters from all of Jane Austen's famous novels and weaves a tail of friendship and love. It's a continuation of the beloved characters that many of Austen's fans would devour.</div>
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<u>Readability: </u>It is easy to read and seamlessly picks up the stories of all those wonderful characters as if you just turned the page in the original novels.</div>
<u>Predictability</u> : I was able to predict one of the two love matches, but I didn't see the second one until it was right there in print. <br />
<u>Couldn't Put
it Down Factor</u>: I love the idea that all the characters from Austen's novels would have interacted. Many of them mention the same parts of the country and it would make sense that the circles of people would be small in society. <br />
<u>Recommend it?</u>: I would recommend it. It was a nice revisit to "old friends"<br />
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<u>Overall Rating</u>: 4 out of 5. Great book, But not one I was bursting to tell people about as I read it (hence the minus one star).</div>
Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-20581140650480257182013-01-20T00:36:00.001-08:002013-01-28T15:32:12.252-08:00Virtual craft nightFirst Craft project of 2013 completed:<br />
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I have a blog post in draft status talking about my to-do list for crafts this year...luckily I as able to have a weekend away from home to relax and craft and this was one of the projects I worked on:<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0083I0IH6/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0083I0IH6&linkCode=as2&tag=kitcstoretc-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0083I0IH6&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=kitcstoretc-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=kitcstoretc-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0083I0IH6" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<br />It's such a cute design and I'm excited to try making the orange version. But first:<br />
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Here is the completed Green Apple Sewing Kit - one side is a pin cushion, the other is a pocket to hold your thimble, measuring tape, thread, and other notions. In the middle is a pad to hold your sewing needles:<br />
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Here is what it looks like from the inside with the pocket unzipped:<br />
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and here is the side view showing the needle pad:<br />
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Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-83213066627407257122013-01-15T20:20:00.001-08:002013-01-15T23:23:57.665-08:00Quinoa and Beef Stuffed PeppersTonight's dinner was suppose to happen last night but in a moment of weakness I caved and we went for burgers and chicken nuggets. So I made Stuffed peppers tonight. I had 5 peppers in my fridge from my produced co-op basket from before new years (shame..shame shame). I also had a yellow squash (my personal preference is for zucchini) and some carrots and onions. I pulled some meat out of my freezer to thaw and picked up a zucchini from the store because once I started thinking about it, I had to have it in this meal. Aside from the zucchini everything in the meal was from my produce basket or from my shelves/freezer. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at the yummy veggies sauteing! Smelled so great!</td></tr>
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Once the veggies were done sauteing, the meat was browned, and the quinoa cooked. It was time to assemble the stuffed peppers. I baked them for 15-20 minutes in an oven set to 350 and let them rest for about 5 minutes while I finished the dishes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After I pulled them out of the oven.</td></tr>
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Don't they look wonderful? I added cheese to only three since my husband is lactose intolerant. <br />
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And I dressed one up pretty with the melted and browned delicious cheese:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you see a butterfly?</td></tr>
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EDIT: did the family like them? My little man had a small two bites from the spoon before he didn't want any more (that's actually really good). My husband had one half pepper serving, my brother had two half pepper servings, and I also had one. The best was my brother saying that the extra left over filling would go well with the leftover refried beans and tortillas in the fridge. Guess we'll have to make this again.<br />
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So here's what you scrolled through my post to find. The recipe:<br />
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<u><b>Stuffed Peppers</b></u><br />
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Ingredients for 2-4 servings with enough for left overs:<br />
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5 bell peppers of your choice, one chopped the others halved and seeded<br />
1 zucchini, diced<br />
1 med yellow squash (I used 1/2 a large one)<br />
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced<br />
1/2 a medium onion, diced<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles, drained(this brand gives the mixture a nice heat)<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
1 lb. ground beef<br />
1 cup quinoa rinsed<br />
2 cups water<br />
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Directions:<br />
Pre-heat oven to 350. Heat a medium pan on med-high with a tablespoon or two of your favorite cooking oil. Added onions and carrots. Saute for 2-3 minutes then add garlic. Cook another 2-3 minutes then add the zucchini and squash. Cook until all veggies are tender and browned a bit. Meanwhile brown your meat in a separate pan (adding salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you want while it cooks. I added a dash of onion powder, garlic powder, and Lawry's seasoning salt) and add the water and quinoa to a medium pot. Bring the water/quinoa mix to a boil, cover, reduce to medium low and cook for 15 minutes. Once veggies are cooked, add can of tomatoes to them and combine, add the meat and quinoa when they are finished. Stir until combined.<br />
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Take the mixture and spoon it into the cavities of the bell peppers and place them on a foil wrapped cookie sheet. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese if you prefer. Bake for 15-20 minutes for semi-crunchy peppers, or bake until the peppers are as soft as you want them. Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving.<br />
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Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-50965249215098434232013-01-13T22:29:00.000-08:002013-01-13T22:29:30.256-08:00Pinterest AnonymousI have a serious problem. If you could see my firefox window right now you'd understand. You see I have so many tabs open for things I have found while surfing through the DIY and Crafts catagory of Pinterest that I am sure it will crash my computer any time...<br />
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Does anyone else have this problem. It's especially bad at night when I should have time to look through the tabs to see if there are things I want to pin or mark to make later in life (when does that later happen anyway?) I end up wanting to continue to scroll down the page and look at all the clever, useful, pretty things people create...<br />
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Tonight I was actually in the middle of writing a post about my crafting projects I have lined up, started, dream about and here I am abandoning the post to stare at more projects I don't have time to do. So Now I am sure I will go back to my surfing and eventually leave the tabs open to one day finally just "close all tabs" and lose the future projects until I find them while surfing again.<br />
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Night folks! More posts coming this week.Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-54591512781772301072013-01-10T14:51:00.001-08:002013-01-10T14:56:11.504-08:00Making progress...<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-frbVfUrFwKc/UO9GA6MBZ4I/AAAAAAAACDw/qMKrlYdRiXU/s1600/IMAG0045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-frbVfUrFwKc/UO9GA6MBZ4I/AAAAAAAACDw/qMKrlYdRiXU/s400/IMAG0045.jpg" width="400" /></a>So...This is the progress I'm making on organizing and de-cluttering my kitchen. I have managed to clear off the front counter and the left hand side by the coffee pot. I'm also pretty happy with the status of the dirty dishes - ZERO! I've been working on getting the dishwasher unloaded and reloaded while the kiddos are napping and making sure I do all the dinner dishes during the food prep of dinner or with an hour or two of dinner.Still have a bit to go and you can see I haven't taken my christmas cards down yet...<br />
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Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-62958669425110293462013-01-09T23:44:00.000-08:002013-01-28T15:30:16.269-08:00Book Review #1 of 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last year I read 68 books in a year. This year I'd like to keep a bit more information about the books I'm reading for others that might or might not care.<br />
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Okay so I have to point out that the cover of this book does not make me "swoon". I really contemplated posting it(okay I will...below - but be warned...This guy is better to look at!)<br />
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<~~~This is Rupert Penry Jones when he played Captain Wentworth on Masterpiece Classic's last version of Persuasion (Isn't he dreamy?) I believe this was in 2008. It's the version I have watch over and over and over...<br />
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I took this book review format from my friend <a href="http://haikulady.blogspot.com/">Erin</a>. She is Hilarious. But don't take my word for it. <br />
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Captain-Wentworths-Persuasion-Austens-ebook/dp/B003ODHORM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357802359&sr=8-1&keywords=Captain+Wentworth%27s+Persuasion%3A+Jane+Austen%27s+Classic+Retold+Through+His+Eyes">Captain Wentworth's Persuasion: Jane Austen's Classic as Retold through His Eyes by Regina Jeffers</a></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1569757763/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1569757763&linkCode=as2&tag=kitcstoretc-20"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1569757763&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=kitcstoretc-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=kitcstoretc-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1569757763" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<u>Synopsis</u>: Witty, romantic and insightful, this novel retells the love affair at
the heart of Jane Austen's Persuasion from the perspective of the
suitor--Captain Wentworth. Written in the language of the era, Captain
Wentworth's Persuasion re-creates the original style, themes and
sardonic humor of Jane Austen's novel while turning the entire tale on
its head in a most engaging fashion. Readers hear Captain Wentworth's
side of this tangled story while gazing into his thoughts and emotions.<br />
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Wentworth
initially suffers rejection and frustration because the titled Elliots
do not consider him good enough for their daughter Anne. Despite her
feelings for Wentworth, Anne allows others to persuade her to break off
their engagement. Eight years later, when Wentworth returns from
fighting against Napoleon's army, the difficult years of war have
reversed fortunes. Now it is he who is rich, having won many prizes in
battle, while the Elliots are deeply in debt and in danger of losing
their good name.<br />
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Will Wentworth seek revenge by choosing another
woman over his former love? Can he walk away from Anne, or will the
memory of her lips and her touch capture his love once again?</div>
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(this is the blurb from Amazon...It's very dramatic when you read it...but if you know the story it's sort of like 'really, "will he seek revenge..."come on...' Only a Jane Austen fan would pick this book up really so they already know the story, Amazon.) </div>
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<u>Readability:</u> It is set in a period where there was a bit more formal language but I did not have trouble reading it. I have however read the original Persuasion (and seen the movie enough to know the story very, very well) so I might be bias.</div>
<u>Predictability</u>: Well as I said above...I knew the story. But Ms. Jeffers does continue on a bit where Persuasion left off...I found that really intriguing and could read more if she wrote more.<br />
<u>Couldn't Put
it Down Factor</u>: I read this on my cell phone through our library check out. I was about 50% of the way through last night and started at seven p.m. after the Munchkin was down for the night. The next thing I knew it was midnight...and I was finished with the book and staring at the pile of dishes that were waiting to be washed.<br />
<u>Recommend it?</u>: YES!<br />
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<u>Overall Rating</u>: 5 stars from this Janeite! If you like reading the spin offs from Jane Austen, this one will be a nice touch of re-visiting the story. You may also like Mr. Darcy's Story.</div>
Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-64403871508603519402013-01-07T20:59:00.001-08:002013-01-07T21:14:26.883-08:00Resolving messiness 2013Here is a snapshot of my kitchen...scary right?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kitchen usually have stuff all over the counters, dishes stacked in the drainer and in the sink...</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Now you have to take one or two things under consideration before you shake your head at me...First, I am the sole female in the house of 4 adults and one toddler. Secondly, I have been the only one who hasn't been sick this past week, and to further compound things my husband has been sick for nearly 5 weeks with various ailments. So there...I have some <strike>excuses</strike> reasons for this craziness...<br />
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I've always wanted my kitchen to be more organized and ready to bake a moments notice. AND I always find I am shuffling things around to make room to cook or to move things from in front of my microwave to let someone cook something. It is inevitable that the last scenario occurs right when I've moved something from the counter not in this picture to the front of the microwave for room to work when one of the members of my household decides it is the opportune time to heat something in the microwave. Does that happen to anyone else? <br />
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So one of my resolutions this year (aside from blogging more) was to de-clutter and organize in anticipation of moving from this home we've lived in for 3 years.<br />
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ENTER: <a href="http://www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/">Home Storage Solutions 101</a> and their de-clutter and organize your house in 52 weeks challenge.<br />
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Each day has a 15 minute minimum challenge to work on some cleaning in your house. Each week is an article on the area we currently focusing. Each Month seems to be a different room or area.<br />
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For the month of January the room is the Kitchen/pantry. I love this because it hits on the major command center of our home. The Kitchen is home base. I cook, we adults congregate when the limited seating in the nearby living room runs out, my toddler and my babysitting charge eat and play nearby, and did I mention I bake and cook, and cook and bake? So I decided that yes I could blog about this and show some incredibly embarrassing photos of the mess of our house and hopefully after picture of the de-clutter 2013! I'm hoping that blogging will also help keep me accountable for continuing on this overhaul of our house hold. Maybe it will even start you thinking about cleaning around your home!<br />
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Here is the link for this weeks challenge article: <a href="http://www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/kitchen-organization.html">Kitchens!</a><br />
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Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702804993076867752.post-26061871651739847872013-01-02T22:40:00.002-08:002013-01-02T22:40:45.823-08:002013 - The year of accomplishmentHi ghosts of my former blog followers...I hope you are doing well reading my non-existent blog posts for the 4 months or so...<br />
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I am here to tell you that I am hoping to ACCOMPLISH quite a bit during 2013. I have many unfinished projects and ideas of things I want to do between my overwhelmingly growing list of crafty things.<br />
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so I've decided to work on some of those things while simultaneously attempting to declutter and downsize the amount of junk hanging out in the house. We have lived in our rental house for 3 years and have had a baby and so things are piling up all around. There is a potential threat to leave this place at the end of our current lease so I'd like to purge and finish things that have been hanging around for some time.<br />
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Now I know you are asking me WHERE ARE THE RECIPES? because in the past this blog is mainly focused on my food adventures in the kitchen. I still am cooking, in fact my brain is churning out ideas for posts on my favorite Christmas baking recipes (that I have started hoarding), adventures in candy making and probably some gluten-free and healthy alternatives to hotdish, fried foods, and potatoes.<br />
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That being said I am about to overhaul the look of this site and hope you will leave feedback if any of these changes affect how you read (or not read) my blog.<br />
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Cheers and Happy New Year! Elisabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12939096644582535643noreply@blogger.com0