tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8872793551914217032024-03-18T21:01:18.985-07:00Story of a SmileAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-47229279322973470602018-02-08T22:41:00.002-08:002018-02-08T22:41:11.373-08:00YikesWell, well, well - it's been a long time! I will blame life. Since the last post, we have bought a HOUSE & added a member to our family in the form of a little girl. :) Days do fly by & I am loving every minute of it. <br />
I still try to be crafty in my limited spare time & we have started a few bigger projects around the house. I stay pretty active with the help of a lot of caffeine. As I am writing this, I am sitting here watching the Olympics. Isn't it funny how everyone becomes an expert judge from their couch? Just saying - you know it's true! :)<br />
Anywho, I am going to try to be more dedicated to this here blog. #challengeaccepted Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-6529113842641464902015-07-19T00:05:00.000-07:002015-07-19T00:05:36.760-07:00Staying Busy <div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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All righty, again, it has been awhile since posting. My excuse is the same as always - busy, busy, busy. These last few months I have been swamped with work, traveling, working out, crafting and theatering (I know it not a REAL word, but maybe it should be!). We recently returned from a fantastic trip to Ireland (swoon - did I have to come home?) and a few months ago the husband and I traveled to the east coast for my sister's graduation. My BFF came to visit last month for my thirty, flirty & thriving birthday (who can tell me what movie that is from?! :)) and we had a blast together.</div>
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I have a new obsession with working out - mostly doing a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Chalene-Johnsons-PiYo-Base-Kit/dp/B00LOXURO6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437288605&sr=8-1&keywords=piyo" target="_blank">PIYO </a>routine, which is a mix between PIlaties and YOgo; get it: PI-YO. I think my favorite part of PIYO is the fantastic stretch and limberness I feel afterwards. As a bonus, my muscles are totally getting stronger from doing it daily!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I couldn't help but to wear my own ruby red shoes to see WICKED!</td></tr>
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I have also joined a quilting block of the month club at a local fabric store. It has kept me busy at my sewing machine and I am learning a ton of new techniques. Next May, I will have a completed Washington State themed quilt to show off and hopefully a bunch of new skills sets in my sewing repertoire! :)</div>
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Most recently, I have been able to score tickets to two shows in Seattle's playhouses. The Mister ordered WICKED tickets for my birthday last month and this past week, we saw it. I have loved the music for ages, but didn't know the complete storyline. I've wanted to see it for years. It lived up to it's great reputation! Just a few days ago, someone gave me a ticket to the show GREASE which is playing downtown because she was unable to use it. I will be soon heading there to see some Grease Lightning! I will try not to sing a long too loudly, but with the catchy music, I am sure many folks will be singing along. :) </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-70375619174213634632015-03-22T22:20:00.000-07:002015-03-22T22:20:46.357-07:00Cast Iron Obsession<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yikes! It has been awhile - as always, life keeps us busy! :) So I find myself watching Sherlock on Netflix tonight and typing away. Since I last updated, the Hubby and I have traveled a bit - to North Carolina and Pennsylvania. We've enjoyed the surprisingly warm weather by spending some time enjoying the outdoors and I have even started my garden (planted brussel sprouts, herbs and kale). I have recently discovered that I actually like brussel sprouts. Growing up, I could not stand the vegetable, but now I cannot get enough of them! I read somewhere that tastebuds expand every seven years, so maybe that explains my new brussel sprout obsession. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A few weeks ago the Mister and I took a "cast iron cooking" class and Williams Sonoma. They have weekly tutorials on an array of cooking topics, but I found the cast iron class to be beneficial. I inherited 2 skillets (a 3 and 8 inch) a few years ago, but have never used them. I don't know why I haven't use them. Maybe I thought they were too much work or too tricky to use, I don't know. But after the class, I had the confidence to give them a try. Being that my skillets were unloved for so many years, the first thing that we had to do was season the skillets. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My husband actually was the one who really did the hard work to season the skillets - he started by taking a metal scrubber, soap and water to remove the thick residue left on the skillets. When he was done, the skillets were worn down to the bare metal. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We then used a rag to spread a thin coating of oil (we used flaxseed oil because it has a higher smoking point) on the inside and outside of the skillet. Since we used flaxseed oil, we could season the skillets at a higher temperature - we used 500 degrees for about 1 hour. Other oils, should probably be seasoned at 350 degrees. When in the oven, the skillet should be upside down so that the oil doesn't pool at the bottom of the pan. We put a piece of aluminum foil at the bottom of the oven for the oil to drip, which made for easy clean up! When the hour is up, we turned off the oven and let the skillets cool down in the oven. Once cooled, we started the oil/coating/heating/cooling process again, again & again (we did four coats of oil). When it was all said and done, our very old cast iron skillets look beautiful and new! In fact, they are now my favorite thing to cook by beloved brussel sprouts in! :) :P</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The truth is, since I now have usable cast iron skillets, I haven't touched my once cherished non-stick skillets and have been using the cast iron for everything. We even splurged and bought a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L8DOL3-Pre-Seasoned-Cast-Iron-Handles/dp/B00063RWYI/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1427087486&sr=1-1&keywords=cast+iron+dutch+oven" target="_blank">cast iron dutch oven</a> to be able to cook more variety in cast iron. We have become cast iron people. :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until the next time... </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-87660967267167967582014-11-23T07:00:00.000-08:002014-11-23T07:00:04.674-08:00I love me some Thanksgiving Leftovers<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will admit - I LOVE Thanksgiving. The food and the relaxed family time all make the holiday quite appealing to me. Growing up, all of the holidays were very busy and spent traveling to family member's homes, except Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was spent at my parent's home. It was relaxed, it was fun and down-right cozy! Being that we are now farther away from both sides of our family, we do not get to celebrate with them, but that doesn't mean that I have stopped loving this holiday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This will be my second year hosting the holiday on the west coast and this year we have a 14 pound turkey waiting for us. One of the extra bonus' of hosting Thanksgiving is having the leftovers at your home, just waiting for you. And I am pretty excited about having these leftovers!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Turkey Pot Pie is one of my favorite "leftover" meals. Last year, I froze a few of these pies, so we could eat them several months down the road. Leftover turkey is the gift that keeps giving! :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What you need:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 package of pie crust (2 shells)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 cups shredded turkey</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 can of cream of chicken soup</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 cup of cheddar cheese</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 package of frozen mixed vegetables (thawed and drained)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Directions:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Line a pie pan with one of the pie crust shells</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. In a separate bowl, combine the turkey, cream of chicken soup, cheese, veggies, salt and pepper.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Pour the mixture into the pie shell and cover with the second shell. Pinch the edges shut and cut slits into the top so that it can vent.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_BqSpAjZWzcURRQJWW_PCghTIlSqTkfc3E8fgpuc0Ueku6-6s__I-2BTqHfkYmWsLHrU_7mtR3iwMs9EMed8wP7nnztJC-HUGm2Ur3sgLYPeDkN5UvAgytm-bMPDLB5Lj9fmcA7_ySe0N/s640/blogger-image-1666563424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_BqSpAjZWzcURRQJWW_PCghTIlSqTkfc3E8fgpuc0Ueku6-6s__I-2BTqHfkYmWsLHrU_7mtR3iwMs9EMed8wP7nnztJC-HUGm2Ur3sgLYPeDkN5UvAgytm-bMPDLB5Lj9fmcA7_ySe0N/s400/blogger-image-1666563424.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When you are ready to bake the Chicken Pot Pie, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and pop it in the oven for about 40 minutes. By that time the crust should be a golden brown color. It is a hardy, tasty meal - love those leftovers! :)</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-17513980165171453132014-11-16T21:59:00.001-08:002014-11-16T23:00:21.190-08:00Soup in the Making<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, well - the weather has turned cold on me quite quickly! Here in the Pacific Northwest, this last week the temperature has dropped quickly (hopefully it will warm up a bit). On top of that, my husband had a minor surgery on his eyes (which he has quickly recovered). What food is the best comfort food in cold weather? SOUP, of course!! :) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For these cold weather, recovery days, I adapted the recipe from <a href="http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/easy-zuppa-toscana-recipe/" target="_blank">Gimme Some Oven </a>for some Zuppa Toscana soup. Who doesn't love the comfort that a good, hot bowl of soup brings. I made a lot of soup, so we were able to eat it for several days. I do not consider myself a "fancy" chef, but I think that I did well with this one. My husband at least thought so! He couldn't stop eating it! :) A wife win! :P</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht65w0aXE7C5C2fzRGFsXHYnaqXxdWnRjvl5BibvbVcuYMnm6m84b2qVZcUnBKE9-f2OXbaoHnkFycEMALzj-tJWSoAKEdzFsuvBageB58qI5HcgRUfjCwAqn7DPWZ4ywqahT6_ThVu162/s640/blogger-image-21885361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht65w0aXE7C5C2fzRGFsXHYnaqXxdWnRjvl5BibvbVcuYMnm6m84b2qVZcUnBKE9-f2OXbaoHnkFycEMALzj-tJWSoAKEdzFsuvBageB58qI5HcgRUfjCwAqn7DPWZ4ywqahT6_ThVu162/s400/blogger-image-21885361.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What you need:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 lb. of ground Italian sausage (I used the hot kind)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 small onion, diced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 red pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 cups of chicken stock</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 bunch of kale (I only used half of the bunch, but you can't buy a half bunch! :P)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 lb. cheese tortellini</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/4 cup cream cheese</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. In a large stock pan, Add the sausage and onion. Over medium-high heat, begin to brown the sausage. When it is about half way browned, add the red pepper too. While the sausage is cooking, break up the meat chunks. Once done, try to drain the extra grease, if you are able.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a light boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low add the kale and tortellini. Mix it all together. Let the mixture cook, covered, for about 5 minutes (make sure that the tortellini is cooked). Add the cream cheese and mix it in. Season with salt and pepper.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Although it was a rather simple recipe, it had great results and tasted like it was a lot harder to make than it actually was! I have already bought the ingredients to make this again! Husband will be happy. :)</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-2910844115670978362014-10-01T09:00:00.000-07:002014-10-01T09:00:00.871-07:00A Readers ChallengeRecently, on Facebook, I was challenged to do a readers challenge of sorts. Normally I do not participate in these little challenges/callouts, but being the book nerd that I am, I found this one a little too tempting. I have always found solace in books - and when I find a good one, I have trouble putting it down. So here it goes - My Top 10 Fictional Books (in no particular order).<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kill-Mockingbird-Harper-Lee-ebook/dp/B00K0OI42W/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411924867&sr=1-1&keywords=to+kill+a+mockingbird" target="_blank">To Kill A Mockingbird</a> (Harper Lee) - I first read this book in high school. Told through the eyes of a young girl, it touches on subjects of inequality of race and integrity. Once it is read, it cannot help but to leave an impact.<br />
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2. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Redeeming-Love-Novel-Francine-Rivers-ebook/dp/B000WJSD2Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411925488&sr=1-1&keywords=redeeming+love+by+francine+rivers" target="_blank">Redeeming Love</a> (Francine Rivers) - In this retelling of the Biblical story of Hosea, this book deals details the restoring love of God. It is a beautiful description of endless love and compassion.<br />
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3. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gone-Wind-Margaret-Mitchell-ebook/dp/B000XGMTWS/ref=la_B000APWCGU_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411925749&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Gone With The Wind </a>(Margaret Mitchell) - I will admit, I first read this book because of how long it was. In my high school English class, we only had to write 1 book report a semester if the book we read was a certain length. Gone with the Wind was in that category of only 1 book report. However, I loved this book and have since read it several times! A tale of the South during and after the Civil War, it is a story of survival.<br />
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4. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Travelers-Gift-Decisions-Determine-Personal-ebook/dp/B00ETK822K/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411926208&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Travelers+Gift" target="_blank">The Traveler's Gift</a> (Andy Andrews) - Told in a story format, this book gives strategies for personal success. However, the story is so good that you don't realize that it is a self-help book but you do remember the principles. Good stuff. <br />
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5. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tale-Two-Cities-Charles-Dickens/dp/1500713651/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411963044&sr=1-4&keywords=a+tale+of+two+cities+by+charles+dickens" target="_blank">A Tale of Two Cities </a>(Charles Dickens) - How can you not like a book that starts with, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"? Set during the French Revolution, this is a story of sacrifice and social justice. Plus there is a doppelganger - coolness! Given the age of this book, it can be downloaded digitally for free.<br />
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6. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mark-Lion-Collection-Gift-ebook/dp/B008PX0GGW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411962406&sr=1-1&keywords=mark+of+the+lion+series+by+francine+rivers" target="_blank">Mark of the Lion</a> series (Francine Rivers) - I will admit, book 1 (A Voice in the Wind) & book 2 (An Echo in the Darkness) are my favorite. However, book 3 (As Sure as the Dawn) is still decent, but kinda breaks off of the story line that the first two books follow. If you do read the first book, make sure that you have the second handy because you will want to jump right into it!<br />
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7. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Harry-Potter-Collection-ebook/dp/B005CRQ41A/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411963736&sr=1-1&keywords=harry+potter+series" target="_blank">Harry Potter</a> series (J.K. Rowlings) - This 7 book series is the classic story of good verses evil. I was actually a little late to jump on the Harry Potter train, reading them about 10 years after everyone else, but I am so glad that I did pick them up!<br />
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8. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Emma-Jane-Austen/dp/149366364X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411963805&sr=1-1&keywords=emma" target="_blank">Emma</a> (Jane Austin) - I enjoy pretty much any Jane Austin novel. However, Emma has a special place in my heart - who doesn't love a mistaken matchmaker? Emma is also available for a free digital download from Amazon.<br />
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9. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Julie-Catherine-Marshall/dp/0380698919/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411963841&sr=1-1&keywords=julie+by+catherine+marshall" target="_blank">Julie</a> (Catherine Marshall) - This is much lesser know than Catherine Marshall's "Christy", but it is the coming of age story of a girl in a small town. Since I have also grew up in a small town, I felt such a connection to Julie and loved this story.<br />
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10 <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Giver-Essential-Modern-Classics-ebook/dp/B003MC5N28/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411963951&sr=1-1&keywords=the+giver" target="_blank">The Giver</a> (Lois Lowry) - A story about a unique boy who holds all the memories & feelings of a futuristic society. This is a book that will make one think and question.<br />
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Well, that is it - my top ten favorite books of all time. Of course, there are a few honorable mentions: Anne of Green Gables series, Nancy Drew books, Chronicle of Narnia, etc. that are up there on my list. I am a true bookworm & thank you for indulging me; this little list was quite nostalgic for me! :P</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-1075822268326509382014-09-27T22:15:00.003-07:002014-09-27T22:43:40.180-07:00Just Crazy About CanningI have a new hobby! And a few weekends ago I spent a lot of time on my newest hobby - CANNING! In truth, I have been very spoiled growing up, as my mother and grandmothers all canned and were willing to share their harvest with me, but I have never really participated in the act of canning, nor did I really want to. This year, all that changed. Since all my family is across the country, I am left to fend for myself in the canning arena. I am excited about the outcome of my canning adventures, but I do have a new appreciation for all the hard work that my family did to share their canning with me.<br />
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I knew that I wanted to can this year, but our yard does not have the space nor the sun light to produce much of a garden. In the little bit of yard that the sun actually hits, we have 2 zucchini plants and 1 cherry tomato plant, all which have taken over. :) Growing up in a rural area, I am used to eating things "fresh from the farm", so not having access to a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables as soon as I step outside the door has been an adjustment to me. To compensate, this year I had 20 lb. of green beans delivered from a local farm. When I told people that I was doing this, they looked at me like I was crazy. 20 lb. of anything is a lot for only 2 people! But I knew that I wanted to can them. On top of that, my kind co-worker brought me back red pears and tomatoes from her recent trip to California. With all these fresh fruits and veggies, I planned for a busy weekend. Below is the end result of all that was canned: peaches, tomato sauce, salsa, applesauce, green beans and cinnamon-pear jam. <br />
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As I said, my co-worker brought me some beautiful red pears from California. Yum! I scoured the internet to find what I wanted to make with this beautiful gift and found a recipe for Cinnamon Pear Jam at <a href="http://foodinjars.com/2011/11/pear-cinnamon-jam/" target="_blank">Food in Jars</a>. I will admit that I choose this one because you don't have to peal the pears - I am terribly slow at pealing fruit!<br />
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What you Need:<br />
16 cups of pears (cubed)<br />
8 cups of sugar<br />
Juice from a medium sized lemon<br />
2 Tbsp of Cinnamon<br />
2 Tbsp of Pectin<br />
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Cook down the pears & sugar, on medium heat, in a stainless steel pot. When the pears are soft, mash the fruit with a potato masher until the mixture is fairly smooth. Add the lemon juice, cinnamon and pectin into the mixture. Continue to cook until the jam starts to thicken. For me it was about 15-20 minutes.<br />
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Once the concoction has thickened, fill the jars and place the lids, which were heated in boiling water while the pears were cooking, and screw on the rim of the jar. Put the jars in a boiling water bath for about 10 minutes, start the timer once the water returns to a boil. After the 10 minutes, remove the jars from the pot and let them cool on the counter for about 3 hours. Hopefully the lids will seal during this time - all of mine did thankfully!</div>
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I will tell you, it is mighty tasty jam! :) I am actually thinking about trying it as a marinade for a ham in the future, but I guess we will just have to wait and see. :)</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-77215170311256195812014-08-24T23:27:00.002-07:002014-08-24T23:27:34.651-07:00Fall is Around the Corner!Fall is my favorite season and it is just around the corner. I LOVE it: the brisk air, the color of the leaves, the yummy foods. I am getting giddy just thinking about it! :) As Summer is drawing to an end and our visitors have come and gone (it really was a good Summer!), we are preparing to go back to Pennsylvania for a quick trip for my family reunion/party. It will good to see everyone again, as I haven't seen several of these folks since our wedding, last Fall (another reason why Fall is my favorite season).<br />
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As an ode to everything Fall, I made some Pumpkin Bread to assist me to get into the mood of the upcoming season. Yum, Yum, Yum. I thoroughly enjoyed eating this treat during breakfast with my morning coffee.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT8fZDcMZ-9gRANUU24YnpadGEfimnDOPBqEIDiNoeaLTmDjmBn6vEmFcDG8LECQOAJKlWNaFxBpMNjmm7zoYEzF6e8G1BcHj0IetEZtYPxviILEzKjAxqaA4q0jT7w0hmSsPkWT60rvlh/s640/blogger-image--4340075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT8fZDcMZ-9gRANUU24YnpadGEfimnDOPBqEIDiNoeaLTmDjmBn6vEmFcDG8LECQOAJKlWNaFxBpMNjmm7zoYEzF6e8G1BcHj0IetEZtYPxviILEzKjAxqaA4q0jT7w0hmSsPkWT60rvlh/s320/blogger-image--4340075.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
I found the original recipe at <a href="http://asubtlerevelry.com/5-bread-recipes-for-fall-how-to-write-on-a-loaf" target="_blank">A Subtle Revelry</a>. She also shares a really cool way to write on bread, so check it out.<br />
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1-2/3 cup flour<br />
3/4 tsp. salt<br />
1 tsp. baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp. baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp of each: nutmeg, ground cloves, pumpkin pie spice & cinnamon<br />
2 beaten eggs<br />
1 can of pumpkin<br />
3/4 cup of vegetable oil<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1/4 cup water<br />
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a bread pan.<br />
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In one bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking soda and powder and all of the spices.<br />
In another bowl, mix the eggs, pumpkin, vegetable oil, sugar and water.<br />
Once each set is mixed separately, combine and mix to blend together. Pour your batter into your baking pan. Pop it in the oven for about 1 hour. Do the toothpick test and if comes out clean, you are set. Let it cool for about a half hour before transferring to a cooling rack.<br />
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It is mighty tasty when it is slightly warm. We finished this loaf in about 3 days (don't judge, it was just too good not to eat! :P) and it was just as moist on the third day - a sign of a good bread, I believe. Enjoy & Welcome FALL! :)<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-40887474304261642792014-08-03T23:08:00.001-07:002014-08-24T23:39:47.346-07:00Getting excited!T-3 days until my Mom and Sister arrive on the west coast!! Needless to say, I am VERY excited! I have a lot planned for when they come, including a trip to Mount Rainier & tours around Seattle. It has been about 5 months since I have seen my family, so it will be a great reunion! These next 3 days need to go by really quickly. <br />
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In other news, my garden is starting produce some goodies. I was worried that we might not get much from our garden this year. It's been a learning experience learning to garden in the west coast. The weather is very different from what I am used to on the east coast. My cherry tomato plant has lots of little tomatoes on it and my zucchini plant is producing nicely. I have gathered 3 zucchinis thus far! Therefore, I am looking for zucchini recipes to use them on.<br />
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I tried a new recipe with some zucchini, which turned out tasty - Zucchini Brownies. I found this recipe at <a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/chocolate-chip-zucchini-brownies/" target="_blank">Two Peas and Their Pod</a>. With some slight modifications, we had our end result. My husband could not stop snacking on them. They must be a little healthy, right, since they have zucchini in them!?!? :P <br />
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What you need:<br />
3/4 cup sugar<br />
1/4 cup vegetable oil<br />
1 cup flour<br />
2 tbsp cup cocco powder<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
3/4 tsp baking soda<br />
1 cup shredded zucchini<br />
1/2 cup chocolate chips - or more to taste<br />
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Grease an 8x8 baking dish & preheat the oven to 350 degrees.<br />
Combine sugar, vegetable oil & flour. With a mixer, mix until well combined. Continue using the mixer on low and add the remaining ingredients (except the chocolate chips). Once everything is well combined, add the chocolate chips.<br />
Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake for about 35-40 minutes (check to see if it is done by inserting a toothpick and it should come out clean).<br />
The brownies are ready to serve once they cool a bit.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-17161712453414272392014-07-10T23:52:00.001-07:002014-08-24T23:39:36.889-07:00Celebrating the 4th of July!I hope that you and yours had a lovely 4th of July! Here is Washington, July 4th is celebrate here with a bang. Literally! Fireworks galore! They were going on from about 12 noon until 3 AM, with the majority going off between 9 - 10 PM. Thankfully our neighbors were the ones setting them off, so we were able to celebrate from our own home and we were able to watch the show from our own front porch! Other than the fireworks, our holiday was fairly low-key; I LOVED it! :) Although I fully recognize that I am about 10 years behind the times, over the weekend I actually finished reading the Harry Potter book series. I will admit, I really enjoyed all of them!<br />
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To celebrate, it just seemed appropriate to have picnic-y foods. so that is exactly what we did - hot dogs and Cowboy Salsa. Yum! With my love for salsa, dips and chips - I was excited to try this chunky salsa for the first time. I found the original recipe on <a href="http://braisedanatomy.com/2013/06/10/cowboy-caviar/" target="_blank">Braised Anatomy </a>and tweaked it a bit. I think that I will be making it often! I found it to be delightful! :) <br />
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Just mix all these items together. EASY!<br />
1 - can of corn<br />
1 - can of black beans<br />
1/2 cup of diced cilantro<br />
4-ish stalks of green onion, sliced<br />
4 medium size tomatoes<br />
2 avocados, diced<br />
Salt & Pepper, to taste<br />
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In other news, check out what I bought the other day! The fabric store was running a super sale and I just could not resist. Being a beginner sewer, I am hoping that some of these patterns may expand my expertise. :)<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-28205631801672461312014-07-02T22:57:00.000-07:002014-07-06T14:19:25.396-07:00Chicken and Green Beans<div style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: 'Old Standard TT', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
Happy July! I am starting to look forward to the 4th of July. On the east coast we usually celebrated the nations independence by having a cookout and a few fireworks, but I have come to learn that the west coast celebrates big time! Last year fire works started around 12 noon and went until midnight. It is quite a display & I really like fireworks! The last few nights we have heard fireworks (well, at least I hope they were fireworks...) going off, in what I am guessing is preparation for the big day.<br />
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Continuing on the journey of freezer cooking, I prepared this casserole from <a href="http://www.littlehouseliving.com/make-ahead-chicken-casserole.html" target="_blank">Little House Living </a>last month and froze it for a future, busy day. Today was that day!<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
2 lbs. chicken breast<br />
2 cans of green beans<br />
4 cups cubed potatoes<br />
1/2 stick of butter (sliced)<br />
2 tbs. of your favorite spices (I used McCormick's Monterey Chicken spice)</div>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Directions:</strong><br />
Mix green beans and potatoes together<br />
Place mixture and chicken in a 9x13 casserole dish<br />
Top with butter and seasoning.<br />
Cover and freeze. </div>
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I placed this frozen dish into the refrigerator the night before cooking to thaw. <br />
Cook, covered with tinfoil, at 375 degrees until chicken is entirely cooked - approximately 1 hour.</div>
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Mighty tasty if you ask me and the chicken was oh, so tender! Do not be alarmed should the potatoes darken, they may do that when frozen, they still taste fine. I also think that this meal may be a simple one to prepare on the fly, if you didn't want to freeze it and just wanted dinner that night. This one is a "keeper" for our recipe book.<br />
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If you have never frozen anything in a casserole dish, it is pretty simple. Just cover the dish with plastic wrap and do a second wrap with tinfoil; I find that the double wrap prevents freezer burn.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-73075314220569847292014-06-28T00:07:00.001-07:002014-07-06T14:19:13.038-07:00Beef Stroganoff<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">As I am writing this, I am lounging on the couch re-watching Veronica Mars (season 3) in preparation of watching the Veronica Mars Movie. I just wanted to jog the good 'ole memory, as it has been years since I have watched it, but I am pretty pumped to watch the movie! Good show if you are looking for something to watch. I also went to a sewing seminar a few evenings ago where we talked about cool projects for kids of all ages. Granted, I do not have kiddos yet, but I certainly have a lot of friends who are beginning families so I figured this class may be handy for baby showers - I am planning a few upcoming projects! :)</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">Back on the Freezer Cooking/Crockpot Cooking train. Beef Stroganoff is one of my favorite non-crockpot meals, so when I found this crockpot version of the classic at <a href="http://bakedinthesouth.com/2012/08/crockpot-freezer-meals-part-2/" target="_blank">Baked in the South</a>, I was pretty pumped! It is one of my husband's favorite too, so it was a win-win for us both! I froze this meal a few weeks ago and prepared it a few nights ago. Yum, Yum!</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">What you need:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup finely chopped onions</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 cup butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 lb. stew beef</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/8 tsp paprika</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 cups chopped mushrooms</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3/4 cup sour cream</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 can of cream of mushroom soup</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup cream cheese</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">salt and pepper</span><br />
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1. Mix cream cheese, cream of mushroom soup and sour cream together.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Throw all the ingredients into a gallon size freezer bag and mix well so that all the meat is coated.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. When you are ready to prepare it, cook in the crockpot for 8 hours.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Serve over egg noodles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although this Beef Stroganoff tastes different than than the traditional version, it was still pretty tasty. It was not as creamy or thick as the traditional versions that I've had, but I think that the next time that I make it I will add a little cornstarch to thicken it up about a half hour before serving. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Geez, it got late on me - bedtime! :)</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-25697224996507990022014-06-23T08:00:00.000-07:002014-07-06T14:18:51.685-07:00The Do's (& a few Don'ts) of Planning A WeddingWell, maybe you have noticed that I have written strikingly little about our wedding which happened last October. The reason that I did not write is not because I didn't love our wedding day or that anything happened that was too crazy to describe, but I have spent the last 8 months doing a lot of processing. Now that our big day is said and done, I look back with fond memories of our wedding and a few regrets. Maybe some of my processing can help someone else through the mania of planning a wedding.<br />
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Do's:<br />
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1. Stick to your budget. Now I could get into a lot of subtext here, but weddings are a big business and it is EASY to spend a <strike>little</strike> lot more than you anticipated originally. Sit down and think about what is ultimately the important things to <b>YOU</b> & your <b>FIANCE</b>. That is what you spend the money in your budget on. Try to do everything else as simply as possible. For example, what was important to us was the food, cake & drinks; therefore that is was we used the largest part of our budget on. We did the bare minimum for the invitations and programs. Although I wanted them to look nice, ultimately a majority of the invitations and programs are thrown in the garbage after the wedding, so why spend an exuberant amount of money on them? Of course, if a budget isn't an issue, just toss this "do" out and go have a ball! :P<br />
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2. Hire a reputable photographer. Your wedding pictures are something that will be looked at for years and years down the road. Make sure that you hire someone who knows what they are doing. Furthermore, have a contract with the photographer that outlines what you should expect and what you should receive. It was important to us that we had a disk with all the pictures and a letter saying that we had the printing rights. Also, make sure that a time frame is listed in the contract - that you will receive the entirety of your pictures within 90 days, or something to that effect. Unfortunately this "do" is something that I had to learn the hard way. We did not have a time frame listed in our contract, so it took over 6 months and a threat to hire a lawyer before we received our pictures. Then when we finally did receive our pictures, several pictures were missing - like the ones of the whole bridal party together. Apparently she forgot to take those and my mind was on other thing on my wedding day, so those are pictures that we will never have. Maybe you won't have such a dreadful experience, but why chance it for your wedding day; hire a reputable photographer.<br />
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3. Have a "Groomsman Understudy". My husband has a friend who, although was not technically part of our bridal party, proved to be invaluable for the smooth running of our wedding day. For instance, when the pianist's music and the marriage certificate were inadvertently switched on our wedding day, he was able to run around to find the music and make sure that we had the marriage certificate. Don't worry, our marriage is legal. :) He took care of a lot of things that I didn't know about until after the wedding was over, eliminating a lot of potential stress (see #6). So whether you call the person a Groomsman Understudy or not, try to have someone available who is not busy being caught up with all the bridal party obligations, that can trouble-shoot any issues that may arise. This could also be a part of a wedding planner's job also.<br />
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4. Send Thank You Notes. I believe that traditionally you have up to a year to send a thank you note, but I think the important thing is that they are sent. Sure, they take a while to write and you feel like you might never get through them all or that your hand will fall off while you are writing, but this is just a practical way to express appreciation and gratitude for the kindness of others.<br />
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5. Don't Let Other's Expectations Trump Yours. Everyone has an opinion on what should be done or how to do it and they will be willing to share that opinion with you (kinda like I am doing now, I suppose...). It is wise to listen to that advice, as some of it will provide great ideas, but ultimately the decisions are up to you. For instance, we had a wedding website for people to RSVP and you would not believe how many people told me that they had never heard of such a thing (remember, I am from a small town, as I know a lot of people have used websites for RSVPs). I was told, "Well, I have never heard of it done that way..." or "That is different..." but but we didn't allow other's expectations to change what we wanted for our day. The website ran smoothly and calculated the meal choices for us, ultimately eliminating work for us, so I am very glad that I didn't cave to other's expectations in regards to this aspect of our wedding.<br />
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6. Don't Stress on Your Day. When your wedding day arrives, don't stress. What hasn't been done may not get done, but don't let that dampen your spirits. Just relax, delegate and get your hair done. I'd like to say to not stress throughout the whole planning process, but undoubtedly there will be moments of stress, but make sure that you are has relaxed as you can be on your wedding day so that you can enjoy the start of your marriage. <br />
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Regrets:<br />
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1. Obviously the picture ordeal - Not to dwell, but it was a super traumatizing situation...<br />
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2. Not recording the ceremony and the speeches - When planning our wedding, we decided to not have a videographer. We thought that it was too pricy; plus, in reality, how often would we really watch it? Or so I thought at the time. Especially the ordeal with not having our wedding pictures for awhile, I would have loved to have a video of the event to jog my memory, as our wedding day was a whirlwind. I regret not having a video of our best man and maid of honor speeches, as well as, the impromptu speech that my husband gave. Unfortunately, we do not have that recorded and that is not a moment that we can recreate. If I could do it over, I would suck it up and hire a videographer. <br />
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3. Not having a receiving line - This sounds simple and relatively unimportant, BUT I totally regret not having a receiving line after the ceremony. During the planning, we figured we would skip the receiving line in order to save time between the ceremony and reception. I wanted to skip the receiving so that we could get right into pictures and head to the reception. I figured that we would greet most of the people at the reception anyway, so what's the big deal? WRONG! We spent the majority of the time greeting people at the reception and not actually participating in the dancing, etc. I danced the first dance with my husband, a dance with my dad and the last dance of the night; that was it. In hindsight, I think that if we would have had a receiving line, I wouldn't have felt the need to attempt to visit with everybody that was there (I say attempt because there were some people we didn't get a chance to see) and I could have danced the night away.<br />
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Anywho, without a doubt, our wedding day was the happiest day of my life. This isn't because of the actual day or how excellent it was (I am bias, I know), but it is because it was the day that I started the next chapter in my life with my best friend. All in all, your wedding day is just a day, so as much as you prepare for it, prepare more for your actual marriage and everything else will fall into place. :)<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-34662075507517740242014-06-22T22:25:00.000-07:002014-06-23T21:58:02.218-07:00A BIG, long weekend!Phew! I am tired! I spend this last weekend having a mass cooking spree and end up preparing 16 future meals that are now safely frozen until their future use. :) We now have crockpot meals and casseroles, healthy foods and some comfort foods, and ALL sorts of types of food - mexican, thai, italian, etc. Some are new recipes and other are new "experiences". I am pretty excited to try the new ones & I am sure that I will be documenting the good ones right here! Check out one of the shelves in our freezer!<br />
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Full, huh? I do not think I can fit another thing in our freezer; it is FULL and I love it! :) </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-33155064038432854702014-06-19T23:58:00.001-07:002014-06-23T00:13:07.858-07:00Crockpot Chicken Fajitas<div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Summer is in full swing here on the west coast and I am loving our long summer days. With that being said, with all my new-found success with freezer cooking, I am preparing for another BIG cooking day this weekend! I am going to take one of the long summer days and cook - ALL day long, or at least as long as I can tolerate it! :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have to admit, I think that this has been my FAVORITE freezer to crockpot recipe yet! And that is saying something if you have noticed the shear amount of of freezer cooking that I have been doing lately! There is just something quite tasty about a Chicken Fajita and cooking it in the crockpot did not disappoint. I found this recipe at <a href="http://fun-with-sharps.blogspot.com/2012/10/well-you-cant-say-i-never-cook.html" target="_blank">Fun With Sharps</a>. Along with our dinner, it also served us leftovers for several lunches. UmUmGood! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What you need:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1-2 lbs. Chicken Breasts</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Bell Peppers cut into slices</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Onion sliced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 Cup Chicken broth</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Packet of Taco Seasoning (or make your own)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp. Chili Powder</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp. paprika</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp. salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Label the Freezer Bag with the Instructions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Put all the ingredients in a Large Freezer Bag & Freeze</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. When you are ready, throw it all into the crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours. (The original recipe said to cook on low for 6 hours, but it was fine with 8 hours.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Before eating, shred the chicken meat and add it back to the sauce. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Serve on tortillas with all the great things that go on Fajitas (salsa, guacamole, lettuce, etc.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I cannot wait to try this one again! My hubs tends to like foods a little spicier that I can handle, but this meal had enough kick to make him happy and was mild enough that I could eat it (I also had avocados on mine, so that may have toned down the spice too). :) I will admit, thinking about this meal is making me hungry again! </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-9154176181844059742014-06-15T14:00:00.000-07:002014-06-20T00:19:51.867-07:00Creamy Ranch Pork Chops (Crockpot)<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Open Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 7px 0px 0px; text-align: center;">
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This freezer cooking thing is very addicting! I am afraid that I am hooked on it! I have fallen into the trap and I do not want to get out of it! I found the original recipe on <a href="http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/02/10-slow-cooker-freezer-meals-in-less.html" target="_blank">Six Sister</a>'s website. After preparing this meal in April, we tried it a few weeks ago and it was surely scrumptious! I was a little worried that the ranch might have been too overpowering, but it tasted just fine. :)<br />
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<b>Instructions:</b></div>
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4 boneless pork chops, (the thickly sliced ones)</div>
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6 medium potatoes, chopped into large chunks</div>
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2 cans cream of chicken soup</div>
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2 packages dry Ranch dressing mix</div>
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1 cup milk</div>
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Dried parsley to taste</div>
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In a bowl, mix together the soups, ranch dressing mixes & milk. Pour into a gallon-sized freezer bag. Combine everything else & seal the bag shut.</div>
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The night before cooking, remove from the freezer to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.<br />
Cook on Low for 8 hours.<br />
Easy, huh? I prepared a side of lima beans for the veggie to go with our meal.</div>
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Again, as these freezer meals are, it was another easy dinner, not to mention easy to clean up! :) This one will definitely be made again. I may use fresh parsley from my little herb garden the next time too. I am looking forward to eating some ranch pork chops again!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-85341897585122981882014-06-13T23:35:00.000-07:002014-06-15T23:47:34.790-07:00The Kitchen Desk Completed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Shame on me! I just realized that I have neglected posting any pictures of what I did to the <a href="http://blog.storyofasmile.me/2014/01/after-christmas-planning.html" target="_blank">little nook</a> in our kitchen that I am turning into my desk/office area. It formally was the collector of "stuff" that I didn't know what else to do with in the kitchen. After cleaning up my clutter, I set down to complete a few projects that would make this area look a little more friendly.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2aVN3izIsqDEQLkHl7PgcNAjBfXPQeVDdRcqnaW-GW0kzXTY6lOeOrJjPszQ_hydhDONcWKtLW5C3hnVZs3IQoYEh_VLV74bFdY6496zA7w47RjSkim-No_0sfNNxZGdmocYjrXdnvyl6/s640/blogger-image--1782550153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2aVN3izIsqDEQLkHl7PgcNAjBfXPQeVDdRcqnaW-GW0kzXTY6lOeOrJjPszQ_hydhDONcWKtLW5C3hnVZs3IQoYEh_VLV74bFdY6496zA7w47RjSkim-No_0sfNNxZGdmocYjrXdnvyl6/s400/blogger-image--1782550153.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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After completing my <a href="http://blog.storyofasmile.me/2014/02/diy-weekly-calendar.html" target="_blank">weekly calendar</a>, I wrapped some fabric around cork board squares to make little bulletin boards. I like having a place that I can pin pictures, special items or just something that I do not want to forget. Plus, being that our refrigerator is not magnetic, I wanted a place for all those cutsie baby announcements and save the date cards. I think it looks cozy, especially when the sun is shining through the window! There is still a few more things that I want to complete in this nook, but I think that this will do just fine, for now. :)<br />
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I think that one of my most favorite parts is actually having my cookbooks in one place. I think that I am starting a collection with the ones on the desk and in the crate below! Now I just need to crack one open and start cooking!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-72810737433442205042014-06-11T18:44:00.000-07:002014-06-14T00:02:15.260-07:00Crockpot BBQ Chicken<div style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: 'Old Standard TT', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
Continuing on my journey with freezer cooking, this crockpot meal was next in my experiment. BBQ chicken is one of my favorite foods, so I was excited to try this one. The original recipe was found at <a href="http://www.littlehouseliving.com/freezer-cooking-in-an-hour-gluten-free-real-food.html" target="_blank">Little House Living</a>. Plus it is gluten free, so that is a bonus!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2z8F6NuAqq2XwrLtD5BWn_2GFYJfTBpmy6lBbnKnpIv4FaooZTonbt28lG8_cN-1D6X8L7QZCm8c8vqHJ3al94A1aAOtcLtwUR96y1xitz66TMSDc9TlGOL06auu_tHFmpopiyc_YVdW0/s1600/photo11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2z8F6NuAqq2XwrLtD5BWn_2GFYJfTBpmy6lBbnKnpIv4FaooZTonbt28lG8_cN-1D6X8L7QZCm8c8vqHJ3al94A1aAOtcLtwUR96y1xitz66TMSDc9TlGOL06auu_tHFmpopiyc_YVdW0/s1600/photo11.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Ingredients:<br />
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2 chicken breasts<br />
2 cups chopped green peppers<br />
1 cup chopped onion<br />
3 potatoes, chopped<br />
1 cup ketchup<br />
1 Tbsp brown sugar<br />
1/4 tsp. garlic powder<br />
1/4 tsp. salt</div>
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Throw everything together in a freezer bag and freeze. The night before cooking, place the bag in the refrigerator to thaw. When you are ready to cook, place the contents of the bag in the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Don't be worried if the potatoes turn a darker shade, it is normal when potatoes are frozen - they taste just fine. :)</div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Old Standard TT, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">The recipe was pretty good. I do find myself often trying to make improvements after trying a recipe and I think that the next time that I make this one, I will be adding a little more spices. The chicken was without a lot of flavor despite marinating in the BBQ sauce all day long. The peppers and potatoes were quite savory, so I just need to get the chicken as flavorful! </span></span><br />
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I am enjoying this freezer cooking thing - I love that I do not have the stress of preparing dinner after a long day of work. AND I love how the house smells when I walk into the house! Yum, Yum! :)</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-12353499954575046532014-06-09T19:41:00.000-07:002014-06-14T00:01:57.020-07:00Crockpot Sausage & Peppers<div style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: 'Old Standard TT', 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
Here is another freezer meal from my adventures with freezer cooking! This Sausage and Peppers recipe originally came from <a href="http://www.littlehouseliving.com/freezer-cooking-in-an-hour-gluten-free-real-food.html" target="_blank">Little House Living</a> and turned out pretty great! I modified it slightly from the original, but I can't wait to try it again. I believe that it is gluten free, so it makes me feel healthy! :) As before, I placed all the ingredients in a gallon sized ziplock bag, froze it and then thawed it in the fridge the night before I wanted to cook it. </div>
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Ingredients to put in the freezer bag:</div>
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<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">8 sausages (I used turkey sausages)</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">2 c. chopped green peppers</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1/2 c. chopped onion</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1 can of diced tomatoes </li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">dash of olive oil</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1/4 t. garlic powder</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1/4 t. salt</li>
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Cook in a slow cooker for 8 hours on low. The original recipe said that it should be in the crockpot for 5 hours, but I left it in for 8 hours while I was working. That evening, we ate the sausage and peppers on potato rolls - mmm so good! This recipe is definitely a keeper and WILL be tried again!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-22163234310727356402014-06-01T21:23:00.003-07:002014-06-21T22:31:11.450-07:00Washington State: "Must Sees"This upcoming Summer and Fall, we are so happy to be welcoming several friends and family coming to visit! A majority of the folks making the trip out west, have never travelled to Washington before. Their visit has prompted me to start thinking of sites that are the "must sees" locally in Washington so that when our visitors come, they can get a full taste of Washington. I will admit, I haven't done these all myself yet, but with all of our visitors, I am hoping to cross a few more off of my list!<br />
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1. The <a href="http://www.spaceneedle.com/home/" target="_blank">Space Needle</a>, of course! Seattle's most recognizable landmark and the site of the 1962 World Fair. <a href="http://skyviewobservatory.com/" target="_blank">Columbus Center</a> also affords a great view of the city, standing as the tallest building in Seattle & from here you can actually see the Space Needle in the skyline.<br />
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2. <a href="http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/visiting-hurricane-ridge.htm" target="_blank">Hurricane Ridge</a> - A beautiful overlook of the Olympic Mountains. One can either go to admire the views or hit the trails, but here is a fair warning, if you do decide to hike, the air is super thin due to the altitude. <br />
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3. <a href="http://www.nps.gov/mora/index.htm" target="_blank">Mount Rainier</a> - One of the tallest mountains in the continental USA. If you're feeling extra adventurous, attempt the Wonderland Trail, which is 94 miles of hiking around the mountain.<br />
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4. Visit the first-ever Starbucks located in Pikes Place Market. In fact, visit the whole market and watch the fish fly!<br />
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5. Hike <a href="http://www.parks.wa.gov/497/Deception-Pass" target="_blank">Deception Pass</a> - Some FANTASTIC views and great hiking.<br />
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6. <a href="http://www.tulipfestival.org/" target="_blank">Skagit Valley Tulip Festival</a> - If you happen to be around in April, head to Mount Vernon. There you will see acres upon acres of tulip and some lovely gardens. In fact, I was convinced that my husband was going to propose to me (he didn't) in one of the tulip gardens, but that is a story for another time.<br />
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7. Check out some of the museums. Seattle is home to some very unique tributes. There is the <a href="http://www.empmuseum.org/" target="_blank">EMP</a>, <a href="http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/" target="_blank">Seattle Art Museum</a> & <a href="http://www.museumofflight.org/" target="_blank">Seattle Museum of Flight</a>, just to name a few.<br />
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8. Visit <a href="http://www.snoqualmiefalls.com/" target="_blank">Snoqualmie Falls</a>. Enough said.<br />
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9. Plan a trip to <a href="http://www.leavenworth.org/" target="_blank">Leavenworth</a>. A quaint Bavarian village located in the mountains of Washington.<br />
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10. The <a href="http://www.seattleaquarium.org/" target="_blank">Seattle Aquarium</a> - home to an octopus!<br />
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11. Along with the museums, Seattle has a diverse selection of tours that one can take to dive a little deeper into Seattle's history and/or culture. I happen to enjoy <a href="https://www.undergroundtour.com/" target="_blank">Seattle's Underground Tour,</a> as well as, <a href="http://www.ridetheducksofseattle.com/" target="_blank">Seattle Duck Tours</a> myself. For the underground tour, make sure to bring a comfy pair of shoes because this tour has a little bit of walking while you are learning the early history of the city in a comedic way. For the duck tour, they use humor to give a general overview of the entire city. There are several companies that offer tours, but these are the ones that I have done and enjoyed.<br />
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12. Do something on Lake Union - from kaiaking to canoeing to boating, Lake Union is a hip place to do something on or near the water.<br />
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13. <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/okawen/recarea/?recid=58133" target="_blank">Boulder Cave Trail</a> - a hiking trail on the eastern side of the state that leads you right through a cave. Just remember to bring your flashlight! :P<br />
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14. <a href="http://grand%20coulee%20dam/" target="_blank">Grand Coulee Dam</a> - They call themselves the 8th Wonder of the World.<br />
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15. Park, Park, Parks - Within Seattle, there are several different parks. <a href="http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/visit/olympic-sculpture-park" target="_blank">Sculpture Park,</a> <a href="http://www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?ID=293" target="_blank">Gasworks Park</a>, <a href="http://www.seattle.gov/parks/parkspaces/japanesegarden.htm" target="_blank">Japanese Gardens</a>, etc. Each offer a different atmosphere, a different experience and a different beauty.<br />
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16. <a href="http://www.seafair.com/" target="_blank">Seafair</a> - Throughout the summer months, Seafair provides a variety of boating inspired events.<br />
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17. <a href="http://www.fremontfair.com/" target="_blank">Fremont Fair</a> - For the first days of Summer, the free-spirited district of Fremont has a huge fair with concerts, various events and craft vendors. <br />
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Clearly this is just a short list of all that Washington has to offer, but I think it is a good start for my visitors. Now I have to think about the different places that I want to take them to eat... Being that I am a foodie, that list is quite diverse too! :)<br />
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Let me know if you can think of any more "must sees" in Washington so that my guests can have an awesome time! :)<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-12137952162317688552014-05-28T07:30:00.000-07:002014-06-09T21:40:50.962-07:00Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17.25px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have made it my personal mission to taste test as many of these freezer meals/crock pot meals as earthly possible! A few weeks ago, when my husband was away for the weekend, I took the time to get started on this goal by preparing and freezing several meals so that all I had to do was thaw the night before and throw in the crockpot in the morning. I love coming home from work and NOT having to create a meal, but instead have it ready for me to dig in! I am planning to post the recipe AFTER we have tried them in efforts to give my honest opinion and to help me categorizes the ones that I want to try again and the ones that aren't "keepers" in my book. I prepared 15 freezer meals during that weekend, so prepare yourselves for an onslaught of food posts! :)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17.25px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here is one of the recipes that I tried. The original recipe is from <a href="http://melissafallistestkitchen.blogspot.com/2011/09/freezer-cooking-slow-cooker-meals.html" target="_blank">melissafallistestkitchen.blogspot.com</a> but I did slightly modify it so that I didn't have to run to the grocery store! </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 lbs. chicken</span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-20a01dec-398a-881d-ce3e-7bce65448fa3"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Place everything in a gallon freezer bag, mix it up, seal, label and put in the freezer. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I let this thaw in the refrigerator during the night before I used this one. Before leaving for work, I added an extra 1/4 cup of teriyaki sauce to the crockpot with the mixture. (I labeled this instruction on the bag so that I remembered.) Cook on low 8 hours, shred chicken and place back into mixture and serve over hot rice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was really looking forward to this meal, but I will admit I was slightly disappointed with how it turned out. I doubt that we will try this one again. It didn't have a strong taste of any flavor. But I've tried it and now I know! One freezer crockpot meal down, several more to go!</span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-90157156985974228452014-05-14T22:51:00.001-07:002014-05-28T23:58:03.553-07:00Spring CheerWell, a few weeks ago I finally got around to taking down the <a href="http://blog.storyofasmile.me/2012/11/diy-christmas-wreath.html" target="_blank">Winter wreath</a> from our door. I know, I know, it was well past the time to do so! :) When I did remove the wreath, I felt like our door looked so empty and sad. I guess it is kind of strange to call a door sad, but it was very clear that something was missing and I just had to do something about that! I scrolled through a few ideas on Pinterest until I had a general idea of what I wanted and headed to the local craft shop to gather the materials. Here is the end result; what do you think?<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I was so excited to finish this project that I neglected to take any pictures of the whole process, but it was very simple (whoohoo!) and I think it turned out nice, bright and cheery. The door will no longer be lonely and sad! :)<br />
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All it took was a styrofoam circle/wreath (found in the floral department at the craft shop), 2 rolls of grosgrain ribbon (the kind with lines in it - not the satin finish) and a bouquet of fake flowers. With the combination of sales and coupons, I bought the supplies for about $9 and have extra ribbon and flowers for a future venture.</div>
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Taking my handy, dandy glue gun, I started to wrap the ribbon around the wreath, hot gluing on the back side for every few loops. Once that was completed, I popped the head of the flower of each of the stem and hot glued the flower onto the wreath. To hang it, I took a piece of the ribbon and placed it horizontally on the back to that the hook could just slide through. Told you it was easy! :)</div>
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I love how something so simple can really change the appearance of our whole house! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-75971934315705976432014-03-09T22:03:00.000-07:002014-04-05T23:54:14.639-07:00Visit to Can-EH-da!I just had a fantastic weekend! Earlier this week, my husband told me he had a surprise. Now, when he says this, it could be anything. My mind went wild thinking that he would say, "Surprise! Here is a candy bar!" or "Surprise! Let's go to dinner!" - what could this surprise be?! I was just excited that he planned something, but what he planned was beyond my expectations! Thursday evening, I was told to pack a bag with my bathing suit/warm weather clothes, hiking gear, warm clothes for cold and rain and dress clothes. With clues as vague as that, my mind was left to wander, but I did as he said. Friday after work, we hopped in the car and headed north. That ruled out my thoughts of Portland, but still left several destinations that I had pondered. When we crossed over the Canadian boarder, I was sure that we were going to Vancouver for the weekend. My husband kept driving past the Vancouver city limits and my mind was racing. Eventually we came to the Winter Resort in Whistler, Canada. Now here is something that you may not know: I love the Olympics! My time is occupied by watching every event that I can every 2 years when the Summer and Winter games are on. Whistler was the home of several events at the 2010 Vancouver games.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am striking my best Olympic pose.</td></tr>
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My husband had a wonderful weekend planned. We stayed in a lodge in Whistler Village, close to all of the events. A few weeks ago, my husband and I had a conversation about Snowshoeing. I had not realized that they still make the snow shoes and my husband ensured me that they do still exist. My husband had planned a snowshoeing tour/hike around the Whistler area. When he told me that we were going on this excursion, I was worried because I didn't have much waterproof gear. My husband surprised me again - he had gone shopping and bought me hiking boots, waterproof pants and gloves! I didn't know that he even knew my shoe size; he never seizes to amaze me! I was then ready to to snowshoeing. </div>
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Snowshoeing allows a person's weight to be spread over a larger area of the snow; therefore, allowing a person to essentially walk on deep snow without sinking in. We walked several miles over snowy trails. In the afternoon, we toured the Olympic village. </div>
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We ended our day with a nice, relaxing dinner. There were several restaurants that looked delicious around the village, but we decided to eat at the restaurant that was the closest to our hotel because it had started to snow again. It ended up being a good choice because our meal was quite tasty! Being a foodie, I will probably dream about the food! :) </div>
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We spent Sunday driving back home. It was such a lovely weekend trip! It was fun and relaxing and much needed because we have been so busy and have several busy weeks coming up. Plus it fulfilled by dream of visiting an Olympic venue! Score!! :)</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-42128078032120566842014-02-25T23:06:00.000-08:002014-03-09T22:03:33.859-07:00DIY Weekly CalendarWell, like I had mentioned before, there is a little <a href="http://blog.storyofasmile.me/2014/01/after-christmas-planning.html" target="_blank">nook</a> in our kitchen that I really wanted to make more cozy. The other week, I did my first project for it. What office area is complete without a calendar? I wanted to make a weekly calendar to help us keep our busy schedule straight. It all started after browsing through various Pinterest posts, coupled by a trip to the local thrift store - consider me inspired! While rummaging through the goodies at the store, I found my treasure - a 7 picture wooden picture frame! Hooray!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6zeWdJpVNtfHOtkdtkB3DrnixIcHtzQpLyPzgbd6xpgRON0wuNR-Qix5LPreaEDVGopRBR46gDAWA3hqyvWKCk0nS71dPLcbJo_blOPEPF70Jaew9H9T_oyGdqKmNrdQxMzntOrF6OHG/s1600/IMG_1666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6zeWdJpVNtfHOtkdtkB3DrnixIcHtzQpLyPzgbd6xpgRON0wuNR-Qix5LPreaEDVGopRBR46gDAWA3hqyvWKCk0nS71dPLcbJo_blOPEPF70Jaew9H9T_oyGdqKmNrdQxMzntOrF6OHG/s1600/IMG_1666.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6JFKpWxpLWLrY6Qr9qgB05vFVNs9ctVy3EUst6lfvEPF2g6UEYG7XnOlNy3I1NdOVLmwR1bT1pPo0BF-M9UOR3bKWFV6UTakxIx0pqZNcuq1nmXQvvgbxlm0E7xiS1ff54Ey4dyvUWfM/s1600/IMG_1665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6JFKpWxpLWLrY6Qr9qgB05vFVNs9ctVy3EUst6lfvEPF2g6UEYG7XnOlNy3I1NdOVLmwR1bT1pPo0BF-M9UOR3bKWFV6UTakxIx0pqZNcuq1nmXQvvgbxlm0E7xiS1ff54Ey4dyvUWfM/s1600/IMG_1665.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before the touch ups...</td></tr>
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As you can see, the picture frame suffered from a lot of "loving", as it was pretty scratched up. But that is just a minor problem in the scheme of things. I found a brown, fine tip paint pen (or a fine tip marker would probably have worked too) and touched up the rough spots. Although it is not perfect and you can see the difference if you look closely, don't think it turned out too badly. PLUS I doubt anyone will be getting that close to inspect the wood! :) Luckily several local stores sell these frames should I ever need/want to perfect the look - or I could buy one <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Malden-2012-70-Berkeley-Beveled-Opening/dp/B001FBF2OC/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1393397833&sr=8-5&keywords=7+picture+frame" target="_blank">online</a>. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0FsOoNwull9jen-5ffQXOm_hApOz-rrsR7Dc4gsKTMETBMw-AjEiNlh9_3Mg6HhMgOp0bhlQHdqzYxI-ABVaUuz3_i2i3ysrBg24v8-JJPw5YzSv44G5f79JKEx-BY5inAhQbtsS-tiRH/s1600/IMG_1667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0FsOoNwull9jen-5ffQXOm_hApOz-rrsR7Dc4gsKTMETBMw-AjEiNlh9_3Mg6HhMgOp0bhlQHdqzYxI-ABVaUuz3_i2i3ysrBg24v8-JJPw5YzSv44G5f79JKEx-BY5inAhQbtsS-tiRH/s1600/IMG_1667.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the paint pen worked it's magic!</td></tr>
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I think that I got a little wrapped up in the project at this point, because I forgot to take pictures... Sorry! But the remainder was pretty simple. I measured each frame opening and cut out scrapbook paper to fit; writing a day of the week on each. In hindsight, I might not have used as much patterned paper, as some of the days are hard to see unless you are close.<br />
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The finished product.</div>
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Now I just need to hang it over the desk and begin writing (with dry erase markers) our weekly schedule. First project down, several more to go! :PAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-887279355191421703.post-64302571327586146682014-02-09T22:00:00.003-08:002014-02-25T23:08:39.072-08:00Making of the Card BookSo here I am again! The last few days I've spent at home sick - which is never any fun. However, it is giving me some time to catch up on the blog. So here I sit in my couch, with tissues, Oreos andTV remote close to hand, while writing this entry. <br />
The last few weeks I have been busy finishing up several half-completed project. I even found time to take a quilting class, which will be written about later. One of the projects that I completed is a book of all of our bridal shower cards and wedding cards. After all of our wedding festivities, we had so many cards full of well-wishes. With such kind words written in each card, I knew they were something that I wanted to treasure forever. I decided to make a book out of all the cards so that we would not miss a card by having them scattered everywhere.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEq2Gmkgh91n0Hy60n2UsA9IC08OKuxaX_Uk5l0exY2lYNCv6j4X9WRhj-YDv9BhcjqUcEWSTKF8_xvYPQUUi23v9j0eBkkycnpX_j3EX9nWFdY7thSaVz4kFQedRENn3Kh444wxGz8Poz/s1600/photo+%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEq2Gmkgh91n0Hy60n2UsA9IC08OKuxaX_Uk5l0exY2lYNCv6j4X9WRhj-YDv9BhcjqUcEWSTKF8_xvYPQUUi23v9j0eBkkycnpX_j3EX9nWFdY7thSaVz4kFQedRENn3Kh444wxGz8Poz/s1600/photo+%252812%2529.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a few of the many cards...</td></tr>
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It was fairly simple to make. I took a 3-hole punch and made the holes in the card (I only needed 2 holes, but that was the easiest). I initially tried to use the single hole punch, but it was quickly hurting my hand. The 3-hole punch was MUCH easier. To create the cover and back, I used cardboard pieces. I used binding rings to put the little books together. And, obviously, I had to jazz up the covers a bit. :) </div>
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I love the end product! I love that they are bound together and that I won't have any missing cards. Right now, the card books are on the book shelf with our picture albums. I also enjoyed using lace on the covers - I mean, what's more appropriate for a wedding?! :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09661226187206279400noreply@blogger.com1