tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9662539537538735232024-03-05T09:51:18.115-08:00Kind of a HippieJust me, sharing life as I live it. Someone once called me "kind of a hippie." I thought it was a compliment, but I'm not sure that's how they intended it.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-22263398009906588982018-04-07T15:15:00.000-07:002018-04-07T15:15:02.576-07:00Family Fun Saturday- Garfield Park ConservatoryTechnically, I didn't see the place I'm about to tell you about with my family. Or on Saturday. I feel like I need to tell you that in the interest of full disclosure. Trust is important.<br />
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However, this place was so amazing I knew I wanted to share it on my blog. I have the privilege of facilitating a garden group at my agency. It is one of my favorite things about my job. We grow flowers and vegetables, learn about gardening, eat yummy food, and take field trips. Our most recent field trip was to Garfield Park Conservatory in Indianapolis, IN. If you've never been, it's well worth the trip.<br />
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One of several waterfalls in the Conservatory.<br />
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If I remember correctly, this is a golden flame or golden candle plant. The flowers look just like candles. <br />
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The Conservatory is currently hosting a gnome exhibit. Visitors get to complete a scavenger hunt as they tour the gardens. It was really cute and a lot of fun.<br />
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Isn't this jade vine stunning? It was so pretty I took three or four pictures of it. I can't believe the beautiful turquoise flowers are real! <br />
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This plant smelled like a vanilla cupcake. I wish I'd written down the name of it. The purple flowers were so pretty, but the fragrance was really unique.<br />
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Admission to the Conservatory was only $4 per person! This would be a great place to take younger children or for a date. hAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-8107795390067875452018-04-03T16:31:00.000-07:002018-04-03T16:31:13.911-07:00Glimpses of SpringWe're going to pretend that it hasn't snowed the last two weekends. We're going to pretend that I've planted peas and radishes. Everyone pretending? Good.<br />
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In the meantime, some glimpses of spring, compliments of my yard.<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-59952179533327750432018-04-02T14:20:00.000-07:002018-04-02T14:20:03.120-07:00Meal Plan MondayMeal planning is an important way for my family to save money on groceries. I must confess, I've not done a good job at all with this recently. Hold me accountable, ok? I need to meal plan or else we eat frozen pizza twice a week. What kind of memories are those for my kids? And what kind of nutrition is that?<br />
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Monday:<br />
Mega Meatball Pizza (See below)<br />
This is the first time we're trying this recipe. I'll let you know how it turns out!<br />
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Tuesday:<br />
Chicken Wraps with Bacon (Pre cook the chicken and bacon on Monday)<br />
Fresh Fruit<br />
French Fries<br />
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Wednesday:<br />
Spaghetti<br />
Garlic Bread<br />
Salad<br />
Fruit<br />
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Thursday:<br />
Chicken Enchiladas (Burritos for kids)<br />
Salad<br />
Green beans<br />
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Friday:<br />
Breakfast for dinner<br />
eggs, bacon, toast, fruit, orange juice<br />
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Saturday:<br />
Please let's go out and do something fun<br />
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Sunday:<br />
Burgers on the grill<br />
Fries or Tots<br />
Corn<br />
Fruit<br />
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You might notice the abundance of fruit. This is because my children will not eat vegetables other than green beans or corn. This is my life, people.<br />
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And now for the recipe:<br />
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<b>Mega Meatball Pizza</b> <br />
Rachael Ray (<i>365 No Repeats </i>pg 6)<br />
Instruction edited by me for brevity and clarity.<br />
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Extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 pizza dough (storebought or from your favorite pizza shop)<br />
a palmful of cornmeal<br />
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary (I will omit this as my kids don't like rosemary)<br />
coarse salt<br />
1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin (I will replace with 85/15 ground beef)<br />
1 medium onion, finely chopped<br />
4-6 garlic cloves, finely chopped<br />
Pepper to taste<br />
1 (3 oz) can tomato paste<br />
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano <br />
a handful fresh parsley, chopped<br />
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano<br />
3/4 lb fresh mozzarella or brick mozzarella, sliced or grated<br />
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Directions:<br />
Preheat oven to 425 F.<br />
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Drizzle baking sheet with olive oil. Dust baking sheet with cornmeal, then spread out pizza dough. Poke holes in the dough with a fork. Drizzle the dough with olive oil and season with rosemary and a little salt. Bake for 10 minutes.<br />
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Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then add meat. Brown and crumble meat for a couple of minutes, then add onions and garlic. Season meat with salt and pepper. Then work in the tomato paste into the meat. Stir in Parmesan cheese, parsley, and oregano.<br />
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Remove pizza crust from oven and top with beef mixture. Arrange mozzarella over the top, working from center to outside edge. Bake pizza in oven for another 10 minutes or so, until the cheese is golden.<br />
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We're going to do this meal planning thing and like it, right? :) Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-69038671329756631772018-04-01T15:03:00.001-07:002018-04-01T15:03:32.298-07:00Embroidery is fun!I love to learn how to do new crafts. I've taught myself how to crochet, quilt, make simple cards, and most recently, embroider. Pinterest is a wonderful resource for learning new skills.<br />
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I've embroidered a few pieces, but this is the first one I've given to anyone. My sister in law, Liz, is a wonderful person. Her testimony is incredible, and she is one of the nicest people I know. Last weekend, we drove together through 10 inches of snow. When I say together, I mean I drove and she kept me from crying. It was a terrible drive, but I'm really glad she was with me!<br />
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Liz just moved into a new apartment, so I wanted to give her a thank you gift that she could also display if she wanted. She loves purple and butterflies, so I thought this was perfect for her!<br />
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I found the pattern on Pinterest. It was an image of a vintage embroidery pattern. I held the image and the fabric up to my sunniest window and traced it. The wings are made up of lazy daisy stitches.<br />
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The body is satin stitch, and the lines going out are chain stitch.<br />
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It's certainly not perfect, but it comes from the heart! I hope Liz loves it!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-70736026449655095742018-03-11T09:17:00.000-07:002018-03-11T09:17:33.225-07:00Garden plansNow that we have a home of our own, the garden game has gotten serious. Last year, we had a pretty productive garden. It got a bit out of control because I was completing my internship for my degree. We didn't manage to keep as much produce as I had hoped.<br />
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I've already started seeds for this year. I'm pretty sure that I started planning this year's garden while last year's was still growing. One thing we've learned is that I need a much bigger garden so that I can grow everything I want to grow. So we plan to add at least one-half more space to the garden this year.<br />
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Choosing what to grow is one of my favorite parts of planning the garden. I usually buy seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (<a href="http://www.rareseeds.com/" target="_blank">www.rareseeds.com</a>). They have such a huge variety! I have always had great success with their seeds. They always send me some freebies too, which I appreciate.<br />
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This year, in addition to increasing the size of my vegetable garden, we are also replanting the front ornamental gardens. That's an expensive project! To save some on the costs, and because I really love starting seeds, I am growing a lot of flowers from seed as well. Baker Creek has a good variety of flower seeds that fit with my cottage style design.<br />
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Starting seeds indoors is easy as long as you have a space with lots of natural light. My family room gets a pretty good amount of light, but I need to supplement with a grow light. Once the temperature is above freezing, I'll take my greenhouse outside permanently.<br />
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Last year, we had a greenhouse catastrophe when the old greenhouse tipped over in the wind. All of my seedlings were dumped over. I had a lot that survived, but they were mystery peppers and tomatoes. While that sort of adventure is fun, it did put a damper on possibly selling some of my extra seedlings. This year, I will stake my greenhouse down. In the meantime, it lives in my family room. I take the seed trays out for some sun when it's warm enough, but everyone comes inside at night.<br />
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Currently, I have growing:<br />
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<li>Tomatoes: Golden Sunray, Granny Cantrell's Pink Tomato, Amana Orange, Royal Chico, Black Vernissaige, and Chadwick Cherry </li>
<li>Peppers: Gambo, Craig's Grande Jalapeno, Ozark Giant, Banana, Poblano</li>
<li>Flowers: Crepis, canterbury bells, Bowle's Black Violet pansies, Apple Blossom Snapdragons,</li>
<li>Herbs: Basil (Emily), and oregano</li>
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I can't wait for the weather to warm up enough to plant peas and radishes. I learned last year that I really love fresh, raw peas. There is nothing better than shelling peas while in the garden and having a quick snack.<br />
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What do you have going in your garden? Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-18112960932189658272018-03-08T16:34:00.001-08:002018-03-08T16:34:11.922-08:00Musings on Spring- While Watching the Snow Fall in MarchIndiana spring is a beautiful thing. I can hear it coming by the birds. The crows and hawks start circling around, looking for love. Then the sparrows and cardinals start to chatter and squawk. <br />
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Then, I can see it coming in the greening of the grass, the blooming of the crocus and daffodil, and the buds on the trees. Willow branches turn from gray to green. Brown earth gets a richer brown. Neighborhood kids come out to play. Squirrels dart from tree to tree.<br />
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The true test of spring is in the smell. How can I describe the smell? It smells like soil and grass and rain and hope. There is a moment every year, when I can smell that it's finally spring.<br />
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Just call me Samwise. Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-40868747689836730892018-03-06T16:55:00.002-08:002018-03-08T16:39:11.711-08:00I'm backWhat do you say to someone after you've been gone for three years? <br />
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Do you even try to give an explanation? <br />
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Do you say, "Hey, sorry, friend. Life attacked."<br />
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Are you even vain enough to suppose someone is out there still waiting for you to publish new content? (Apparently, I'm pretty vain.)<br />
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In the past three years (in no particular order), I've:<br />
<ul>
<li>Worked at two different jobs (one of which is pretty much the best job ever)</li>
<li>Obtained my BSW </li>
<li>Bought a house</li>
<li>Kept two kids alive</li>
<li>Stayed married</li>
<li>Grown a garden that wasn't on a patio</li>
<li>Grown a couple of gardens that were on a patio</li>
<li>Made some friends</li>
<li>Found a great church</li>
<li>Decided what I wanted to be when I grow up</li>
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That's not bad for three years, right? </div>
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Here's hoping I can keep up blogging. I miss writing, and I especially miss writing about gardening. Those friends I mentioned can only listen to so much garden talk before I have to change it to "Scared some friends with compulsive gardening talk"<br />
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AmandaAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-91498597763906378822015-04-29T14:47:00.000-07:002015-04-29T14:47:00.343-07:00What's for Dinner WednesdayI've already shared my very technical approach to meal planning. Last week, eggplant was on sale. I'm trying to introduce different foods to the kids so that maybe we can eat something besides spaghetti. It's a work in progress.<br />
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Both kids like fried zucchini, so I thought maybe I could get away with breaded eggplant. Then I had the brilliant (and modest) idea to try Eggplant Parmesan--after all, it's spaghetti. The Mister is a carnivore, so I knew I needed to make some chicken too.<br />
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First, I made homemade breadcrumbs. If you haven't done this, it's easy as can be. I just took six slices of wheat bread and tore them in half. Then I put three pieces in my blender and pulsed until my fluffy little breadcrumbs were born. I also added in about 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and two teaspoons each of dried basil and garlic powder. The breadcrumbs were split into two batches to prevent cross-contamination.<br />
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Then I took two chicken breasts and cut them in half so they were thinner, then each half in half so they were shorter. So basically, I butterflied them, but all the way through, then cut those pieces in half.<br />
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I mixed two eggs with a pinch of dried basil and garlic powder.<br />
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Then I dipped the chicken pieces into the egg, then into the breadcrumbs. I popped them on a cookie sheet that I covered with cooking spray. Then I sprayed the tops of the pieces and put them in the oven at 400 degrees.<br />
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Next, I cut my eggplant into slices. This was where I went wrong with the kids and the Mister both. I cut my pieces too thick. Next time I'll cut them much thinner.<br />
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I mixed up another egg with basil and garlic. The process is the same for the eggplant as the chicken.<br />
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I put a pot of water on to boil, and added a box of angel hair pasta when the water was at a rolling boil.<br />
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After draining the pasta, I dumped in a jar of marinara sauce.<br />
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Dinner was served!<br />
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-77375173264744524102015-04-22T14:33:00.000-07:002015-04-22T14:33:00.170-07:00What's for Dinner WednesdayI get so tired of deciding what to make for dinner each night. I do a meal plan for the week, based on what's in the freezer and what's on sale and what sounds good. It's a very technical process that involves me looking at my 231 pins on my Recipes Board, the weekly ads, asking the kids what sounds good, and thinking of the foods I used to eat back when it was ok to have tomatoes in stuff. <div>
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One of those 231 pins that I recently tried was <a href="http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/chubby-chicken-and-cream-cheese-taquitos/#tEQ8kTDAI5vqidtT.32" target="_blank">Chubby Chicken and Cream Cheese Taquitos</a>. I made some modifications based on the above criteria. The Mister pronounced them delicious---the kids were kind of icked out. You win some, you lose some. </div>
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My major modifications were to use shredded pork loin from my freezer and omitting the spinach. I also skipped the sour cream because I didn't have any. Honestly, I didn't miss it. The next time I make these, and I definitely am making them again, I might add half the spinach. </div>
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The recipe directions say to use spoons to put two tablespoons of filling in each tortilla and spread it out with the spoons. (She writes it much more elegantly.) I just rolled it like a log in my hands, but made sure to not make it go all the way out to the edges of the roll. I didn't want the filling to ooze out while frying. </div>
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I would love to tell you I served this with a salad and some fruit...but I try really hard not to be a liar. </div>
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-36067676504917058402015-04-19T10:02:00.003-07:002015-04-19T10:02:58.918-07:00Family Fun Saturday--Planting the PeasThis Saturday we didn't do anything crazy or extravagant. My parents, who have always had a garden, very generously let us use their plot this year. I am beyond excited! I love to garden, but I haven't been able to have much of one since we moved into our apartment.<br />
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We started the day off by shoveling out the plot. We do this to make it easier for the tiller to go through the earth. Mom and Dad have had a garden for the last fifteen years, so the the area is pretty used to tilling. But grass and other plants (weeds) grow in during the late fall and early spring. While this is a great way to introduce organic matter back into the soil, the tiller isn't overly fond of the extra work!<br />
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The Mister worked for a few hours to to adjust the tension and a belt (very manly) on the tiller so we could use it. Unfortunately, the tiller seems to be beyond our abilities to repair. So this next weekend we will likely rent a tiller so we can get the rest of the garden ready to go. <br />
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The kids and I planted our peas Saturday since they have to go in so early. Only Mom and I like peas, so I'm looking forward to having all I can handle. We have a chest freezer, so I'll make sure none of them go to waste!<br />
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Dad made ribs for us and Mom made baked beans and corn on the cob. It was so good. <br />
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Can you believe I didn't take a single picture all day? <br />
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We have a nice, rainy day today for our garden. So far, the rain hasn't been so driving that I worry the seeds will be washed away. It's kind of perfect weather, actually.<br />
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The kids turned off the TV and are playing Monopoly. I didn't even tell them they had to, so I'm pretty excited. The Mister is unclogging our kitchen drain. Turns out that drain is connected to EVERYTHING in our house. I'm very impressed that he's been able to fix it. It's taken several hours, but he's persevered and so far, the water is all finally draining. <br />
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I think we'll call this a family fun Weekend, instead of just Family Fun Saturday. Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-13980253702006701532015-04-18T05:34:00.001-07:002015-04-18T05:34:24.908-07:00SeedsMy seeds have arrived!<br />
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Plus, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds sent me a gift of Sunflower-Lemon Queen seeds. We can't wait to plant these in our back patio.<br />
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We also found three pumpkin plants that have come up on our patio. Guess we're growing pumpkins again.<br />
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Gardening season has begun!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-43537041459436231442015-04-17T10:00:00.000-07:002015-04-17T14:20:12.770-07:00Spaghetti Sauce--Fill My Freezer Friday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last summer, I canned a ton of tomatoes.<br />
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Ok, not a ton. But a lot. It took roughly ten years. Or maybe five or six hours. It was hard to tell.<br />
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And I found myself hoarding them. Does anyone else do that? Canning tomatoes is a lot of work, and I'm not wasting that work on some mundane meal, ok?<br />
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Summer is heading this way again, which means I'll have another couple dozen quarts of tomatoes to can. Canning leads to hoarding. It's a sickness.<br />
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I decided to be proactive this year (for a change) and use up my old tomatoes before I can new ones. My family loves spaghetti. We eat it at least twice a month. So it's logical for me to use my precious, precious tomatoes on spaghetti sauce.<br />
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I just dumped 6 quarts of whole tomatoes into the crockpot and smushed them up. "Smush" is a technical cooking term that involves a slotted spoon or potato masher and random up and down motions. I learned it on Food Network.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs51yLFkoCR6p4PeO8gdEcZJhtHueqVABTXqxrWRvW5U75sCEdVXHrczANCkNt9O9Mmzyt5H8g8bX8fVe_mPSliChvaYhM0rJApmd-rJpyZMQNS_ku4Egq5DbaSgtHXEvq2z1Tv2wYH-g/s1600/20150413_162053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs51yLFkoCR6p4PeO8gdEcZJhtHueqVABTXqxrWRvW5U75sCEdVXHrczANCkNt9O9Mmzyt5H8g8bX8fVe_mPSliChvaYhM0rJApmd-rJpyZMQNS_ku4Egq5DbaSgtHXEvq2z1Tv2wYH-g/s1600/20150413_162053.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>I added about four tablespoons of minced garlic, and three tablespoons each of dried oregano and basil. I also added two diced onions. I set the crockpot to low and walked away for 6 hours or so. (This is a very fussy recipe.)<br />
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Then, I got tired and went to bed. So I asked the Mister to please cool the tomatoes and stick them in the fridge. He's awesome that way.<br />
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The next day, I tasted the tomatoes. They were a bit acidic for me, so I added some sugar. This amount is to taste. I processed them in the blender until most of the chunks were gone.<br />
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Then I put the sauce into zipper bags. Conveniently, the amount that fits in my blender is the amount that fits in my zipper bags. I labeled them, and then stacked them on a tray and stuck them in the freezer. You'll do a better job and label the bags before you put sauce in them. It's much easier that way, but I always forget. All together, I got three zipper bags of sauce.<br />
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The color is definitely different than sauce from a jar. I think part of the difference is that I didn't add any tomato paste. But spaghetti sauce from the store almost always has red food color added, and I think that's part of the reason too.<br />
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Now we have spaghetti sauce ready and waiting. I can add the sauce while it's still frozen to hot, fully cooked ground beef or turkey. By the time the sauce is ready, the pasta will be too. I love when that happens.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Freezer Spaghetti Sauce</span></u></b></h2>
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6 quarts canned tomatoes<br />
2 medium onions, diced<br />
4 tablespoons minced garlic<br />
3 tablespoons dried oregano<br />
3 tablespoons dried basil<br />
Sugar, to taste, after tomatoes have been cooked<br />
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Place all ingredients, except sugar, into crockpot. Stir together, and press down on tomatoes to begin breaking them up.<br />
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Cook on low at least 6 hours.<br />
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Cool overnight, if desired.<br />
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Taste mixture and add sugar as desired. Process tomatoes in blender or food processor until desired texture. <br />
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Cool to at least room temperature, then add to labeled freezer bags.<br />
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Lay bags flat on a tray and place into freezer. Freeze, then store.<br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-70888103928193841362015-04-13T12:14:00.000-07:002015-04-13T12:14:13.279-07:00Spring at Clifty Falls-- Family Fun SaturdayFamily Fun Saturdays are a thing now, at least at our house. Now that the Mister is working a Monday through Friday job, Saturday has become our designated Family Fun Day.<br />
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Sometimes, Family Fun Saturday simply involves slaying the Dirty Laundry Monster. Sometimes, though, we go all out like we did last Saturday when we went to Clifty Falls.<br />
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Clifty Falls is a state park located near Madison, Indiana. If you've never been, it's a great day trip. The Falls are at their best in spring and fall.<br />
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Gorgeous, right? The kids and I had a lot of fun looking for fossils in the rocks. There is even some old stonework from a railroad company. They attempted to put in a trestle but had to give up due to the terrain. I didn't get pictures, unfortunately. I think I was hyperventilating. </div>
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The spring flowers were beautiful too. I love spring flowers. They're so hopeful. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5YG7lXzeMvduPKCJEJrm62OekhhwRVF7Ea4EsUtnLwztm179IrwI3uZHf_j-wzqLzbF3vbzT6zN0Wzknh4lNtragOEufQyWxKNFQx9uxDqBo59rsm987rM1_MDaUHgqq8isG3TMKMMQ/s1600/20150411_145551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5YG7lXzeMvduPKCJEJrm62OekhhwRVF7Ea4EsUtnLwztm179IrwI3uZHf_j-wzqLzbF3vbzT6zN0Wzknh4lNtragOEufQyWxKNFQx9uxDqBo59rsm987rM1_MDaUHgqq8isG3TMKMMQ/s1600/20150411_145551.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyDenLL-qYzLsZyVSZ3en7D-uUU80_X3F7HRxz7CA90prFjUh0JcGFq8wGAz-pQJ9vNaPtiT0h-lHs_r6gPgqaCycgP3VNnfeCc38A04HVx1fHeLqfxkAyJ4Xbm1dFwmY3iWNQt6UW94/s1600/20150411_142433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyDenLL-qYzLsZyVSZ3en7D-uUU80_X3F7HRxz7CA90prFjUh0JcGFq8wGAz-pQJ9vNaPtiT0h-lHs_r6gPgqaCycgP3VNnfeCc38A04HVx1fHeLqfxkAyJ4Xbm1dFwmY3iWNQt6UW94/s1600/20150411_142433.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>If you go to Clifty Falls, be prepared to hike. Not a peaceful, meandering, gentle hike. No, hiking at Clifty Falls is serious work. Uphill, downhill, mudslides, stairs...you name it, Clifty's got it. There is an ADA friendly trail, but for the most part, these trails are rugged. Don't let this picture fool you. We took the road back to our car as a shortcut. </div>
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Admission is $5 a car, unless you're out-of-state, and then it's only $7. There is a Nature Center, an observation tower (I was too chicken to climb it), and picnic facilities. There is also a pool onsite, but it wasn't open, and it was way too cold anyway. A campground is available, but if you aren't too keen on sleeping outside, the Clifty Inn is an option. </div>
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Our next Family Fun Saturday will be spent at my mom and dad's house. Dad is generously letting us have his entire garden plot. We'll be prepping for that and planting peas. Oh, and slaying the Dirty Laundry Monster. </div>
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-15328699309814180312014-02-02T06:54:00.000-08:002014-02-02T06:54:10.928-08:0030 Day No Dining-Out Challenge--Wrap Up and a BirthdayWhew! We made it.<br />
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Well, almost.<br />
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I did go out to get lunch at Taco Bell on January 31. I had brought a lunch, but forgot a fork. Our company doesn't have plastic forks available. And I brought noodles and sauce. Not finger friendly at all. So I did have to go out for lunch.<br />
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As I'm writing this, it occurs to me I should have called it a 31 day challenge, or a month long challenge. Oops.<br />
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But we made it. Almost.<br />
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So now that it's February, we need a new challenge. Of course, I'm a day or two late.<br />
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The hubs and I were thinking about an exercise challenge, which is a good (and much needed) idea. But we apparently live in the Arctic tundra now, so getting outside to play is difficult. I'm thinking maybe a housekeeping/home organization challenge.<br />
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On an unrelated note, today is Anthony's birthday. We are celebrating by going to Incredible Pizza, which should be lots of fun.<br />
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<br />
There are a million reasons to love the Anthony boy, but here are a couple.<br />
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He's got a tender heart for animals.<br />
He's protective of his family.<br />
He's smart.<br />
He's goofy.<br />
He loves to laugh.<br />
He's not afraid to show emotions.<br />
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Happy Birthday, my guy!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-80385837232513189292014-01-25T17:37:00.000-08:002014-01-25T17:37:20.915-08:0030 Day No Dining-Out Challenge-- Anniversary Dinner at HomeTonight we are celebrating twelve years of marriage. Twelve years of living this life, step by step, day by day, month by month.<br />
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I am so grateful for the wonderful husband I have. He started out great, and he just gets better with age. My husband is really my hero. He gets up and goes to work, everyday. Doesn't matter if he likes his job, his coworkers, his circumstances. He gets up, he goes to work, and he takes care of his family. He's always there for me, through every ridiculous idea I've had (I'll sell homemade dog clothes!), through my crippling depression (I have to hide. I can't be outside), through whiny kids, barking dogs, 15 moves, and hours of Nickelodeon.<br />
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Now, he's not perfect. But neither am I. And we are perfect together.<br />
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Tonight, dinner is all about him. His favorite dinner is salmon patties, macaroni and cheese, and fried potatoes. I know there's no veggie. But it's his favorite. And his favorite dessert is yellow cake with chocolate frosting. So that's what's on the menu tonight. <br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-32636496790669605872014-01-19T10:46:00.003-08:002014-01-19T10:46:51.330-08:0030 Day No-Dining Out Challenge--Battling the BlahsWe are still persevering through our 30 day challenge. There are a lot of great things about this. For one, I've lost a little bit of weight. Nothing major, but enough that I didn't have to fight my jeans on Friday. For two, we have a lot more time at home together as a family, and I feel a lot less stressed. Another great thing is that my kids are eating some new foods, and we are rediscovering some old family favorites. <br />
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But it ain't all sunshine, people.<br />
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Do you know how many dishes you have to do when you cook all day? We don't use paper plates or or disposable bakeware, so it's a lot. Also, this takes a lot of planning. I spend about two hours a week figuring out what we are going to eat, when, and when I'm going to cook it.<br />
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Also, I keep getting the question. "Mom, when are we going to go out to eat again?" The question is then followed by, "But why do we have to wait until the end of January?"<br />
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I'm kind of surprised that we aren't saving money. I'm still working out the best way to grocery shop. I've spent a lot more for groceries than I thought I would. But I have a very well stocked pantry now, so I expect that I'll save more money next month. Even though we are lifting the ban on dining out next month, we know that we can't go back to the craziness.<br />
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Baby steps.<br />
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Last night, we had a completely cooked that day dinner of Tequila Lime Chicken with homemade Pico de Gallo. So yummy.<br />
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Tonight, we're having pork chops, mashed potatoes, corn, and homemade dinner rolls. I'm giving <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/country-white-bread-or-dinner-rolls-bread-machine-71373" target="_blank">this recipe</a><span id="goog_1951907805"> a try. </span><br />
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<span id="goog_1951907805">I also bought some pears to can. The kids love canned pears, but only home-canned ones. </span><br />
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<span id="goog_1951907805">On the menu for the next week:</span><br />
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<b><span id="goog_1951907805">Monday:</span></b><br />
<span id="goog_1951907805">Spaghetti and Garlic Bread (using Big Batch Spaghetti Sauce)</span><br />
<br />
<b><span id="goog_1951907805">Tuesday:</span></b><br />
<span id="goog_1951907805">Frozen Breaded Chicken Breast</span><br />
Noodley-stuff (Knorr noodle side)<br />
<span id="goog_1951907805">Green Beans</span><br />
<span id="goog_1951907805"><br /></span>
<b><span id="goog_1951907805">Wednesday:</span></b><br />
<span id="goog_1951907805">Quesadillas (made from leftover tequila lime chicken)</span><br />
<span id="goog_1951907805">Fruit</span><br />
<span id="goog_1951907805"><br /></span>
<b><span id="goog_1951907805">Thursday:</span></b><br />
<span id="goog_1951907805">Burgers</span><br />
<span id="goog_1951907805">Oven baked fries</span><br />
<span id="goog_1951907805">Fruit</span><br />
<span id="goog_1951907805"><br /></span>
<b><span id="goog_1951907805">Friday:</span></b><br />
<span id="goog_1951907805">Brunch</span><br />
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<span id="goog_1951907805"> Time to get cooking! Getting ready to start the rolls and start getting the pears ready to can. Oh, and kill the laundry beast. Again. </span>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-29570570463604644932014-01-12T11:29:00.004-08:002014-01-12T14:39:17.121-08:0030 Day No Dining-Out Challenge---Batch of BurritosWe're still going strong!! After Snowpocalypse, I finally went back to work on Thursday. It was kind of nice to get back to a routine, but I sure did miss my guys. They missed an entire week of school. Don't tell anyone, but I think they might even be ready to go back to school.<br />
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We had a great service at church today. Our pastor talked about James, Jesus' little brother. The Gospels are full of references to how even Jesus' own siblings didn't believe in Him, initially. They did come to believe though, and it's such an encouragement to think of when I pray for those I love who aren't believers.<br />
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Yesterday, we ran to Aldi's to pick up the items they were out of before the snow came in. I bought seven packages of tortillas. Yes, I said seven. Don't judge. I used four of them yesterday, and I will never run out of tortillas again. (Cue the Gone With the Wind moment)<br />
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I made two batches of burritos yesterday. One batch, sad to say, will only be enjoyed by the Mister and me. Sigh. Your kids probably eat all kinds of interesting things, but my kids do not. We're working on it. The other batch will be gratefully eaten by the whole household.<br />
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<u><b>Beef and Bean Burritos</b></u><br />
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1.5-2 pounds ground beef (I used 90% lean)<br />
1 medium onion, chopped<br />
2 tablespoons minced garlic<br />
1/2 tablespoon chili powder<br />
1 tablespoon cumin<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1 teaspoon black pepper<br />
1 teaspoon oregano<br />
1 can black beans, rinsed<br />
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese<br />
18-20 burrito-size flour tortillas<br />
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1. Brown ground beef and onion until beef is cooked thoroughly.<br />
2. Add all spices and cook until beef and onions are coated.<br />
3. Mix in beans.<br />
4, Mix in cheese.<br />
5. Put approximately 1/4 cup filling into each tortilla. Fold sides in and roll.<br />
6. Place completed burritos onto a baking sheet, seam side down, in a single layer. Place in freezer and freeze for about 2 hours, or until completely frozen.<br />
7 Reheat in the oven or in the microwave. I cover the burrito with a paper towel and reheat for one minute. Then I continue heating in 30 second intervals until heated through.<br />
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There are about a million ways to use these burritos. My favorite is to make enchiladas with them. It's so fast when the burrito is already made. Just put in the oven in a baking dish. Once fully heated, add a can of enchilada sauce and some cheese and back until bubbly. So good.<br />
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These also make great lunches to bring to work or for a fast lunch on the weekend. <br />
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<b><u>Breakfast Burritos </u></b><br />
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18 eggs (I use one carton of egg beaters and 11 eggs), beaten<br />
1 pound breakfast sausage<br />
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese<br />
20-24 tortillas<br />
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1. Brown sausage until fully cooked and drain. Set aside.<br />
2. In the same pan, cook eggs until fully done. You're making scrambled eggs. :)<br />
3. Mix in sausage and cheese.<br />
4. Place about 1/3 cup of egg and sausage mixture in each tortilla. Roll, burrito-style.<br />
5. Place completed burritos onto a baking sheet, seam side down, in a single layer. Place in freezer and freeze for about 2 hours, or until completely frozen.<br />
7. Reheat in the microwave. I cover the burrito with a paper towel and reheat for one minute.
Then I continue heating in 30 second intervals until heated through.<br />
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There really isn't anyway to take a pretty picture of scrambled eggs.<br />
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My kids love these. They will choose these over breakfast at school almost any time!<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-57267543874542964912014-01-08T08:04:00.001-08:002014-01-08T08:04:29.330-08:00Snowed InI'm about over this Snowpocalypse.<br />
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I've done the laundry. I've cooked the meals. I've vacuumed. I've written, and I've studied the Word. I've listened to the stupid Gummi Bears song my youngest is obsessed with approximately seven bazillion times. Or twice. It feels the same. <br />
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I haven't gone to work. I am blessed to be able to stay home with no attendance occurrences at my job. Honestly, with me being such a new driver, I'm really not comfortable taking my boys out on the icy streets. I am really grateful I haven't had to risk it.<br />
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<br />
So we're cooped up. The kids got tablets for Christmas, so they've enjoyed that. But I'm about to put a limit on the screen time. Guess it's time to break out the homeschooling supplies. :) <br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-12491491948976758542014-01-06T09:19:00.001-08:002014-01-08T07:57:25.881-08:0030 Day No-Dining Out Challenge--Freezer Pizza Kits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white;">This was my view this morning. Yes, that's frost and ice on the <i>inside</i> of my window. </span></div>
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Fortunately for me, that means a day off work. So I took advantage of the extra time to make some freezer pizza kits.</div>
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I used my trusty bread machine (a gift from Mom and Dad) to make the dough. I use <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/my-best-ever-breadmaker-pizza-dough-50101" target="_blank">this recipe</a> from Food.com. I also made use of some extra sauce from my Big Batch Spaghetti Sauce. </div>
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I separated the dough into three crusts, because we prefer thin crust pizza. I just wrapped it in plastic wrap. Then I put the sauce into a sandwich bag. I added in a baggie of mozzarella cheese, a sandwich bag of pepperoni, and some leftover cooked sausage. Each item went into the freezer bag and into the freezer. Now, the night before pizza night, I just put everything in the fridge to thaw. :Pizza night has never been easier. :)</div>
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Please excuse the poor pictures. I tried to use my tablet to take the pictures. Clearly, (or not so clearly, as the case might be) I need some practice! </div>
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-85463708360814155152014-01-05T09:50:00.001-08:002014-01-06T09:23:25.814-08:0030 Day No Dining-Out Challenge--Repackaging Warehouse DealsIt's here. Snowpocalypse has arrived, and honestly, it really is pretty bad. The husband is at work until 3 pm. To keep from stewing and fretting, I'm getting my Susie Homemaker on.<br />
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Yesterday we went to Sam's, and I got a great deal on shredded cheese for an absurdly low price. I bought five pounds of cheese for about $10. Typically, on a sale, I buy cheese for about $2 a bag. Each bag is typically 8 oz, which comes to $4 a pound.<br />
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However, a five pound bag of cheese is HUGE! And it's really not practical for day-to-day use. I typically use about two cups at a time, if I'm making a big family meal, so I measured out two cups and put them into date-labeled sandwich bags. Then I just put the bags into a gallon freezer bag that I also labeled, and now I'm all set!<br />
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I got 8 bags of mozzarella and about 14 bags of cheddar, The cheddar is much more finely shredded. I have a couple bags of each in the cheese drawer in the fridge, and the rest is in the freezer.<br />
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I guess now I should tackle the laundry. It's pretty much the bane of my existence.<br />
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Happy Snowpocalypse!<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-79884710964527385842014-01-04T15:18:00.000-08:002014-01-06T09:24:54.830-08:0030 Day No Dining-Out Challenge--Big Batch Spaghetti SauceSnowpocalypse is coming. <br />
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It's true. Here in Indiana, we are about to get hit with the worst storm since the Blizzard of '77. I wasn't alive then, so this may be the worst storm of my life. Or it might just snow a lot and then be really cold. Either way....it's been dubbed the Snowpocalypse. And it arrives tomorrow.<br />
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I had to go to the grocery store. Today. The day before Snowpocalypse. You can imagine. For the most part, people were pretty cheerful. Only the line at Meijer was ridiculous, and that was because everyone in Indiana went to my store. They ran out of carts. I've never seen that happen.<br />
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But we are now fully stocked for the next two weeks, and maybe even into weeks three and four. We are going strong in our No-Dining Out Challenge.The kids hit me hard today after standing in line for over an hour at Meijer because they were STARVING. TO. DEATH.<br />
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But we made it.<br />
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Tonight we're having yummy shredded pork sandwiches. It's a family favorite. This week, I'm using the picnic pork roast that was on sale, but I've used pork tenderloin too. The pork tenderloin is lower in fat, but since I refrigerate the leftovers before freezing them, I'm able to skim off most of the fat anyway.<br />
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I'm also making up a big batch of spaghetti sauce. I'd planned to freeze it, but apparently, my freezer doesn't work like Mary Poppins carpetbag. There is a limit to what it will hold.<br />
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After some Internet research and consultation with Jen at <a href="http://messhalltobistro.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">From Mess Hall to Bistro</a>, I decided to can the sauce. If you've never canned before, there are some excellent sites with instructions and guidelines on keeping food safe. PLEASE read them before you start canning! Canning is fun, but it needs to be done safely.<br />
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<b><u>BIG Batch Spaghetti Sauce</u></b><br />
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4 tablespoons butter<br />
4 onions, chopped<br />
1/2 cup minced garlic <br />
2 (105 oz) cans tomato sauce<br />
4 tbsp dried basil<br />
2 tbsp dried oregano<br />
1 tbsp kosher salt<br />
black pepper to taste- I used about 1 tsp<br />
4 tbsp sugar<br />
2 (6 oz cans) tomato paste<br />
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1. Saute onions and garlic in butter over medium heat. (I used two pans) Let them cook down until they start to brown, about 5-10 minutes.<br />
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2. Add your giant cans of sauce. I bought mine at Sam's Club for $2.32 each.<br />
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3. Bring to a low boil. Add in all the spices and the sugar. Then add the tomato paste.<br />
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4. Simmer at least 20 minutes. This is kind of a terrible picture. Steam is hard to photograph on a cell phone.<br />
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Then, you can choose to store however works best for you. If you are canning the sauce, add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice to the quart jar before adding the sauce.All the tomato products I used had citric acid in them already, but I prefer to err on the side of caution when it comes to acidity and canning. Then process in a boiling water bath canner for 50 minutes.<br />
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I got 7 quart jars of sauce, with enough left over to make calzones--about a cup or so. Because I had jars, rings, and lids already, all that sauce cost about $5.64. For me, it's not really about it being cheaper, it's about it tasting better. :)<br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-81007865711873841742014-01-01T07:13:00.000-08:002014-01-01T07:13:47.290-08:00New Year's ResolutionsHappy New Year!<br />
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We all make New Year's resolutions. It's true. We resolve to lose weight, to save more money, to get a new job....lots of resolutions...lots of letting them go by.<br />
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This year, I'm doing a one-month resolution. This was inspired partially by searching through our bank records to find all of our medical expenses. (There were a lot this year.) As I was looking, I noticed lots of charges like $6.04, $21.17, $10.15...This money was just flying out of our account, and what did we have to show for it?<br />
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Nothing.<br />
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It was all going to dining out. And while I might have totaled our payments for medical expenses, I didn't have the heart to total up how much we've wasted on going out to eat.<br />
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Let me add, my husband is a restaurant manager. I fully, 1000% support the food industry. It pays our bills. I love going out to eat. But when it reaches the levels we achieved, it's a bit out of control.<br />
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So we've resolved to not go out to eat for one whole month.<br />
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One. Whole. Month.<br />
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The first step to making this resolution successful is realizing when we are weakest. For me, it's lunch. I work full time. I really like to get out of the office. Taco Bell is about a block away. I think you can guess where this story is going.<br />
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My husband's weakness is after work, before I'm home. Those nights, he's responsible for dinner. Let's just say Papa John's gave us a free pizza the other night. Yep, we're that frequent of customers.<br />
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So now that we know when we're at our weakest, we can make a plan to be successful.<br />
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Our first strategy is to make a meal plan. Making a meal plan is easy. It's following the meal plan that is hard. Our meal plan strategy is to plan out meals and to follow that up with precooking as much as possible.<br />
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This week's meal plan:<br />
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Monday<br />
Spaghetti<br />
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Tuesday<br />
Sausage gravy and biscuits<br />
Fruit<br />
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Wednesday (New Year's)<br />
Ham <br />
Mac and cheese<br />
Green beans<br />
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Thursday<br />
Burgers<br />
Oven baked Fries<br />
Applesauce<br />
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Friday<br />
Homemade Pizza<br />
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To set us up to be successful, Sunday night I precooked the ground turkey for the spaghetti sauce, the sausage for the gravy, and got the ham out to thaw. Since I'm off work today, I'll thaw the hamburger for the hamburgers and make patties to put in the fridge. I'll also make the pizza dough in the bread machine for Friday night.<br />
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To avoid going out to eat for lunch, I have to set a meal plan for lunches too. The trick is to create meals that I'll enjoy eating cold. I really prefer not to eat in the breakroom, but that is because I like to go to my car to read and pray. So I have a set meal plan for lunches too. Right now it's heavy on pasta salad, sandwiches, and salad. There are worse things.<br />
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I've also begun using some make ahead cooking, especially for breakfast. The boys have been eating breakfast at school a lot, which is not a very healthy option. Have you seen the stuff they serve for breakfast? To try to encourage fruit consumption, I made several packs of individual smoothies. According to myfitnesspal, these smoothies have about 151 calories each with 8 grams of protein. I serve with a breakfast burrito (homemade, of course!)<br />
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Grocery list:<br />
Makes about 20 smoothie packs<br />
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2 bunches of bananas<br />
2 bags (about 1 lb each) of frozen strawberries (or blueberries or mixed berries)<br />
1.5 cups or so of fat free vanilla greek yogurt <br />
Sandwich sized ziploc type bags<br />
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To assemble:<br />
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1. Cut bananas into slices.<br />
2. Open frozen fruit.<br />
3. Open bags.<br />
4. In each bag, put 1/2 of a banana, about 1/2 cup of frozen fruit, 1 tblspn of yogurt.<br />
5. Squish the yogurt around the fruit. Squeeze the air out of the ziploc bag and seal.<br />
6. Repeat about 19 times. :)<br />
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To make the smoothie, put the contents of the smoothie pack into your blender. Add 1/2-3/4 cup of milk to the blender and blend, baby!<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-33216665579237214942013-07-28T07:08:00.000-07:002013-07-28T07:08:17.874-07:00The Dreaded Zucchini BugsCan I just tell you a story real quick? I promise, it's a quick one. Be prepared, this isn't one for children. Nightmares will result.<br />
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This is the story of Amanda and the Zucchini Bugs:<br />
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One summer day, after a long day of work, Amanda went out to her beloved patio garden to examine her healthy, thriving, if slightly weed-y, plants. She exclaimed with joy over her baby cucumbers...sighed with delight at her reddening tomatoes, and beamed over her ever-larger herbs. As she was exuding such happiness over, if you'll pardon the pun, fruits of her labor, she turned with anticipation to her zucchini plants. Amanda loved her zucchini plants, for they produced the only vegetable in the garden everyone would eat without complaint.<br />
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Peering expectantly among the leaves, searching for signs of a tasty zucchini....she found<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkTzYjuzMHxN-Oz1pCTM5p1ZlD20VHwmB7UTotXY6H9J9O1JN4HBQr9fR-hPNAg_4sCYyNJ0KL_m6EWS3KwLooDKMUBz7GFJlZwvUf7_23gvwJV-0oUFQVTu6yP67-XAoJ02RDhN806o/s1600/evil+bugs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkTzYjuzMHxN-Oz1pCTM5p1ZlD20VHwmB7UTotXY6H9J9O1JN4HBQr9fR-hPNAg_4sCYyNJ0KL_m6EWS3KwLooDKMUBz7GFJlZwvUf7_23gvwJV-0oUFQVTu6yP67-XAoJ02RDhN806o/s640/evil+bugs.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
THIS!!<br />
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Now Amanda is a pretty brave girl, but when she saw these terrifying creatures, a scream of shock escaped her. And can you really blame her?<br />
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Amanda's husband ran to her, worried that aliens were invading or she had broken a leg or something truly dreadful had happened. Amanda, shaking with fear, choked out the word, "Bugs!" She pointed to the afflicted plant. Amanda's husband, scoffing at the reaction she had to some bugs, went to the plants, determined to see what caused his beloved wife to react so violently. "Agghh!" he shouted, when he too, witnessed the frightening sight.<br />
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Once the shock wore off, Amanda and her husband went to the trusty Internet to determine what these monstrous creatures were. The conclusion? Stink bugs or squash bugs.<br />
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Stink bugs are not native to the United States. They were first collected in 1998 in PA and have since marched their pesty little selves across the continent. They are frequently found in IN. Squash bugs are related to stink bugs, and are also pesty little creatures.<br />
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Treatment for the devil bugs includes spraying with soapy water (tried it), removing the bugs themselves (NOPE!), removing infected leaves (tried it), and spraying with neem oil (on the list for today).<br />
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In the meantime, Amanda's zucchini plant is in sorry shape. Death is quite likely. Fortunately, Amanda has gardening family and friends who will hopefully share their non-infested zucchini with her.<br />
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I told you this wasn't a story for kids!<br />
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If you'd like to know more:<br />
<a href="http://thedailysouth.southernliving.com/2011/05/31/kill-those-stinking-squash-bugs/" target="_blank">Kill those stinking squash bugs</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.pestworld.org/news-and-views/guest-columnists/posts/the-truth-about-stink-bugs/" target="_blank">The truth about stink bugs</a><br />
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<a href="http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/brown-marmorated-stink-bug" target="_blank">PSU's fact sheet brown marmorated stink bug</a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-90412167883170085232013-07-16T05:32:00.001-07:002013-07-16T05:32:34.968-07:00Garden update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz93kDm0S0PxS5P0ygKdGFzC9v6B2-QWYHCsBlFqrzJfEF7_Bfcn0t8NCkEDWQIspmFMqje1EH-Zr5Iw935wk_xLous396BAcufPOdc2Cc4j8dwQC2wsMP7il6Q-SIVcYy0_HSIZgmKgc/s1600/2013-07-13+10.36.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz93kDm0S0PxS5P0ygKdGFzC9v6B2-QWYHCsBlFqrzJfEF7_Bfcn0t8NCkEDWQIspmFMqje1EH-Zr5Iw935wk_xLous396BAcufPOdc2Cc4j8dwQC2wsMP7il6Q-SIVcYy0_HSIZgmKgc/s200/2013-07-13+10.36.41.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJ7Rm_RSlUNW6YLyhtVGtNO8DmTd5USRDwpybWDpH7Ngrp5RFX9-NQld6-j_OcSpUCZ8rGl6XUEGl8HFxtmMf82CXkk0oOCbWPOcSACMcADsYa87uUBcgw97TnYoJQUjMEfUIMbUEXJA/s1600/2013-07-13+10.36.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJ7Rm_RSlUNW6YLyhtVGtNO8DmTd5USRDwpybWDpH7Ngrp5RFX9-NQld6-j_OcSpUCZ8rGl6XUEGl8HFxtmMf82CXkk0oOCbWPOcSACMcADsYa87uUBcgw97TnYoJQUjMEfUIMbUEXJA/s200/2013-07-13+10.36.18.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGuzJx0NjKQRJqm3gtw8WVb5oElajXFwVQTgApe8QtQz7V4c2oNDXg5wZ1xgjObh_zPtLe8CD_uUcqqAJf3NXuNYe8T0hvOK4q3XS3kUT9ixubPVfPatF8iSLpHodyn2NZm6kPJr_6_WM/s1600/2013-07-13+10.36.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGuzJx0NjKQRJqm3gtw8WVb5oElajXFwVQTgApe8QtQz7V4c2oNDXg5wZ1xgjObh_zPtLe8CD_uUcqqAJf3NXuNYe8T0hvOK4q3XS3kUT9ixubPVfPatF8iSLpHodyn2NZm6kPJr_6_WM/s200/2013-07-13+10.36.04.jpg" width="150" /></a> </div>
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Baby cucumbers! Lots of tomatoes. Herbs that are starting to thrive. Massive pumpkin plants and sunflowers to my knees.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUw6joxmRimVP1M-MnhkXfTfhP2gPfBl_CfZ8x47PZQZklETV0qhvYMAxrbeZjqEaUJYg_rcK_wkfGGWcmViF00m_8NhVszvxwf_CbettjW3wM6IGh7c84OLwZtvgUcqM9txB8GJtkEzk/s1600/2013-07-13+10.36.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUw6joxmRimVP1M-MnhkXfTfhP2gPfBl_CfZ8x47PZQZklETV0qhvYMAxrbeZjqEaUJYg_rcK_wkfGGWcmViF00m_8NhVszvxwf_CbettjW3wM6IGh7c84OLwZtvgUcqM9txB8GJtkEzk/s200/2013-07-13+10.36.54.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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The garden is good.<br />
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Life is good.<br />
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God is great.</div>
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-966253953753873523.post-81569429723712793862013-07-07T08:43:00.002-07:002013-07-07T08:43:51.064-07:00Shake it up!Summer in Indiana usually means hot, sticky, muggy weather. Which means a lemon shake-up at the State Fair is pretty much a requirement to be a Hoosier.<br />
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It's not State Fair time, and it's not been hot. Muggy and sticky, yes, but not really hot. But it was the 4th of July, so I decided that meant a lemon shake-up was the perfect way to celebrate. <br />
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Was it possible to make a really good lemon shake-up at home?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVioe6Jb1go6I703-wwec6OXH8uetWxs6qh95pQEhbHlS4F5ziDiMCktLRcg87eKvGqNhaEGQuFP8pstarDHidyrfEGCNrLSksV_3jLbzoKG9XF_1522_Y3YCgNPzFhbY83xSoG3N1po/s1600/2013-07-04+13.18.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVioe6Jb1go6I703-wwec6OXH8uetWxs6qh95pQEhbHlS4F5ziDiMCktLRcg87eKvGqNhaEGQuFP8pstarDHidyrfEGCNrLSksV_3jLbzoKG9XF_1522_Y3YCgNPzFhbY83xSoG3N1po/s320/2013-07-04+13.18.59.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Why, yes, it was.<br />
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Lemon Shake-up<br />
(1 serving)<br />
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12 oz cold water<br />
1/4 cup (or to taste) granulated sugar<br />
1/2 lemon<br />
ice<br />
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Materials needed<br />
a container with a lid (I used a food storage container, and then a clean, empty olive jar)<br />
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Pour 12 oz of cold water into your container. Add in sugar, and then squeeze the lemon. Really squeeze it. You want bits of pulp in there too. I cut my lemon into quarters so I can get all the pulpy bits in there more easily. Put the lemon in the container too. Add ice. <br />
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Shake, shake, shake.....shake, shake, shake....shake your shake-up! Shake your shake-up!<br />
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Then pour it into a glass and enjoy! I figure the cost of one of these at less than 50 cents. Compare that to the whopping $5.50 they charge at the fair! I found the recipe at Food.com compliments of Sue Lau. <br />
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I think these would be a great fundraiser idea too. Super inexpensive to make, relatively fast, and perfect for baseball season or soccer games! <br />
<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568791999423822471noreply@blogger.com0