tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72332197747977436452024-02-07T18:26:57.980-08:00The Non-Domestic HousewifeRants, Recipes, and Relatable ExperiencesHRLMercygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260229529929671545noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233219774797743645.post-78771333907055120702011-05-26T05:23:00.000-07:002011-05-26T05:53:02.704-07:00Mandee's Cheesecake Fiasco...Sometimes, it's just good to be reminded you're not alone. I know that many of you have read some of my kitchen disasters, but sometimes it's just good to know that even people who are good, experienced cooks, can make mistakes... even really messy mistakes!<br />
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Enter my friend Mandee. When we lived in Chicago, she and her husband Kyle lived downstairs from us and would invite us over to play games or to watch "The Office"... Mandee is a good cook... dare I even say, incredibly domestic and talented? :) The other day I was on Mandee's facebook page and ran across a picture she posted of a cheesecake disaster. I asked her to share her story with me and she did. Cheesecake is a food that has long intimidated me, and in recent days I have been wanting to try a recipe that I had at a girlfriends house a few weeks ago (chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake - recipe hopefully to come soon!!)<br />
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I present to you, Mandee's Cheesecake Fiasco... :)<br />
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<i><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Lucida Grande';">F</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Lucida Grande';">or a while now, I’ve prided myself on being a good cook with some talent in the baking arena as well. Which is quite an accomplishment since the only thing I made for my first 6 months of marriage was spaghetti. Now, I’m no Martha Stewart, I know my place, but I thought I had “down-home-cooking” nailed. Even though my husband hates it when I answer, “yes, I followed a recipe … mostly!” I have to say 9 times out of 10 my substitutes and adjustments are pretty good. I even made a quite delicious tiramisu for my mother’s birthday, which is far out of my country-kitchen norm! So when my sister asked for a cheesecake for her birthday I quite pride fully announced that it would be no problem! </span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Lucida Grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Lucida Grande';"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Lucida Grande';">I received a stand mixer for Christmas which as been my favorite toy in the kitchen for the past 5 months, but apparently I should be more cautious with new toys. Ask any close friends of mine and they will tell you with confidence that common sense has eluded me quite often, and the cheesecake batter all over my walls, counter and floor from pouring liquid in the bowl while the mixer was on medium-high will attest to the same. This should have been my first warning that I was headed down disasters trail.</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Lucida Grande';"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3b5998; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3b5998; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1uGEIUic4Jc33Ja_rj0nDcjjZfEjcuraQTzAgAw0mEo9oKef00GcT1NHsNjqe33_PFAVgntf5CYUeBwwat_EafPav1OHfUo5DDHUnIASQGriEHka94tninv4MSF8vIFyPcYGsMsRsUsoA/s1600/227179_10150603248700026_776675025_18549261_6384202_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1uGEIUic4Jc33Ja_rj0nDcjjZfEjcuraQTzAgAw0mEo9oKef00GcT1NHsNjqe33_PFAVgntf5CYUeBwwat_EafPav1OHfUo5DDHUnIASQGriEHka94tninv4MSF8vIFyPcYGsMsRsUsoA/s320/227179_10150603248700026_776675025_18549261_6384202_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; line-height: 115%;"><br />
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; line-height: 115%;">Of course, if I had used common sense from that point on I probably would have ended up with a picturesque cheesecake to present to my sister on her special day but I found myself deficient once again! I finished mixing the batter and poured it into a spring form pan. It filled the pan right up to the top, but I figured cheesecake wasn’t like cake or cookies and wouldn’t expand. Well it does, and it also explodes ….</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2Qfc01DMWtZb_4lVIbq8C3QWlSc-gHo9uy06WVDwrlnnh3BbmNmcnVqYzausp0KoiZQESIMuAvGJFKwFLudmKA10_5s79qDoa1ZhvA1ZFbm4UCEWwQIiDH7ViShNKCd9qU9IRbJsEmOI/s1600/225519_10150603248730026_776675025_18549262_1831042_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2Qfc01DMWtZb_4lVIbq8C3QWlSc-gHo9uy06WVDwrlnnh3BbmNmcnVqYzausp0KoiZQESIMuAvGJFKwFLudmKA10_5s79qDoa1ZhvA1ZFbm4UCEWwQIiDH7ViShNKCd9qU9IRbJsEmOI/s320/225519_10150603248730026_776675025_18549262_1831042_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; line-height: 115%;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Mandee, your pictures bring a smile to my face... thanks for sharing your disaster! I love hearing other people's stories! And I also intend on learning from your story. When I do finally try my chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake, I will make sure my springform pan is big enough... and that I've read the recipe carefully!! :)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">What about you, friend? Do you have any disasters or successes you'd like to share? I would love to hear your stories, see your pictures, and include them on this blog! Maybe that'd help me post a bit more often!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br />
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</span></div></i>HRLMercygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260229529929671545noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233219774797743645.post-23370143279929529652011-05-16T16:17:00.001-07:002011-05-16T16:19:47.121-07:00A Tribute to my Crazy, Caring, CoworkersMy coworkers keep asking me, "When are you gonna write a blog about us?" But as you can see by my severe lack of writing in the past several weeks, I really can't just sit down and write unless I am inspired. Well, yesterday, my coworkers really inspired me. (And yes, there will be a recipe attached to this post, as well).<br />
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Most of you who read this blog know me, and you know that I am a person who values authenticity. With me it stands that what you see is what you get. Part of it, I know, is a generational thing (among us twenty somethings, "authenticity" is a total buzzword), and part of it is that I grew up in the midwest. Something that I have been very judgmental about since moving here to the south is that I have had this conception that southerners are... well, fake. <br />
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When we moved here to northern Georgia, I struggled to find a job. I was finally offered a pretty prestigious position at a local touristy restaurant/resort, and it offered great pay and the opportunity for advancement and was, in my mind, an "exciting job." However, the work environment proved my stereotypes to be true. I had a hard time finding any authenticity among my coworkers, and in that environment, it was clear that "each man was out for himself." It was a very stressful, agonizing place to work. Most days I came home emotionally exhausted, feeling like I had to keep my guard up all day long just to survive the day. And while I was at work with my guard up I felt... well, fake.<br />
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Not long after I started working there, another opportunity came my way to work as a nurse at a pediatrician's office. I was hesitant at first, because I was still hoping to find something in my "field" and I wasn't sure how that job could fit. But seriously, ever since I started working there, I've known that this is exactly where God wants me to be.<br />
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Now, obviously, when you're in a work environment with a lot of women, you are still bound to have cattiness and conflict. Women are all very different in their approaches to things - we are territorial, easily offended, and very emotional. My workplace is not by any means exempt from this kind of tension and conflict. But never in my life have I worked alongside a more authentic, genuine group of women who at their core have the same core values and calling: to care deeply for our patients and to be a comfort and a light to them from the moment they walk through the door until they leave. We all have our different strengths and gifts to work toward this goal, but in reflecting on each one of us as I was working yesterday, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are EACH there for a reason, and that together we work as one finely oiled machine. Dysfunctional at times, yes, but when we are each focused on that one central goal, we are really, really good at what we do!<br />
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And, to be honest, my coworkers have shattered my stereotype of southerners... well, not ALL of the stereotypes (I love learning more and more about southern "lingo" and traditions), but the negative ones for sure! :)<br />
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In no particular order... I want to encourage each of you with what I see as ONE of your many strengths, but the strength that stands out to me as your biggest contribution to our office, and specifically, to my life!<br />
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<b>Nicki</b> - You bring laughter and lightheartedness to our office even on the most stressful of days. Not only that, but your personal nature makes each patient (and each of us!) feel like the most important person in the world. THAT is a gift!<br />
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<b>Sue</b> - You are a comforter. Whether it's on the phone or when you have direct contact with the patients, you have such a soothing and gentle way of dealing with patients and their concerns. It's an attribute I do not possess, but I admire greatly.<br />
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<b>Tina</b> - You are full of wisdom. You take time to THINK before you speak, and the things that you say very often penetrate the heart. You have so much to offer so many of us, and you DO it! I have learned so much about how I want to live my life by watching you!<br />
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<b>Stephanie</b> - You are a lifelong learner - and I don't just mean in school! I love the way you are always willing to grow and seeking to improve yourself. You have a very humble nature, and that is always one of my favorite attributes in people. If you are willing to grow, you will go far!<br />
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<b>Patty</b> - You possess the gift of encouragement. You are extremely selfless in the way you consistently affirm and encourage others. You are always looking for ways you can serve and bless others. Your selfless nature is something I strive to be like!<br />
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<b>Kirsten</b> - You are a great listener. When someone is telling you what is going on in their lives, you can tell that you are listening not only with your ears, but with your heart. It is very easy to talk to you because you make it clear that you care.<br />
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<b>Elizabeth</b> - You are very giving. Even when you are having a hard time yourself, you seem to be entirely focused on how you can help someone else. You are a blessing to everyone around you - even if what you're giving is a smile, it's always noticed and appreciated!<br />
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<b>Anita</b> - You are refreshing. I admire your gentle spirit and calm disposition. You have a way of making everyone feel comfortable and at ease, just by being around you. You are full of gentleness, purity, and true beauty. I know I could learn so much from being around you!<br />
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<b>Trayce</b> - You are so determined. I see this both in the way you care for others and in the way you strive after your own goals and dreams. It seems to me you will stop at nothing to find answers for people who need them, and you are constantly looking for ways to help. God has given you the gift of steadfastness and perseverance. I gain energy and faith watching you!<br />
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<b>Marlene</b> - You are full of joy and a great friend. You genuinely want everyone to be happy and cared for, and it shows in your actions and your words. Because of your attention-to-detail mind you are ABLE to care for many people this way. I am blessed to call you friend!<br />
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So this is my tribute to my coworkers. I love y'all so much - each of you with your little quirky ways (not that I'm one to talk - I may have more "quirks" than all of y'all put together)! And even though we are all so different, I can honestly say that I love you ALL for your strengths and who you are!! I am blessed to work with each of you - on the good days and the hard days.<br />
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And because y'all over there at work wanted it, I'm posting my scone recipe. Just like the ingredients in these DELICIOUS scones, I love how when you put all us crazies together, you get one good tasting snack... now THAT's cheesey.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Scones A'La Heather :)</b></div><br />
<ul style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><li style="margin-left: 15px;">1 cup sour cream</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">1 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">4 cups all-purpose flour</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">1 cup white sugar</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">2 teaspoons baking powder</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">1 teaspoon salt</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">1 cup butter (softened)</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">1 egg</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">lots of yumminess, like craisins and white chocolate chips (although my new favorite combo is dried cherries, white chocolate chips, and chopped up pistachios...)</li>
</ul><ol style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><li style="margin-left: 15px;">In a small bowl, mix together the baking soda and sour cream... it does some funky reaction - set it aside while you mix the rest</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees F</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Cut in the butter (MUCH easier if the butter is a bit softened, but NOT melted). Stir the sour cream mixture and egg into the flour mixture until just moistened... I use my Kitchenaid Mixer...</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead. Roll or pat dough into a 3/4 inch thick circle. Cut into wedges (you can make your "rounds" and your wedges as large or small as you'd like), and place them 2 inches apart on the greased baking sheet.</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Bake 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm and starting to get a LITTLE brown around the edges.</li>
</ol>HRLMercygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260229529929671545noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233219774797743645.post-83804041006094219862011-03-22T06:36:00.000-07:002011-03-22T06:52:44.128-07:00Pizza - the Windy City Way!!I am a fairly nastolgic person; I can be very sentimental, mushy, and a hopeless romantic. At the same time, I am extremely practical; I don't like to do things or hold onto things if they don't have purpose. While these characteristics may seem to be contradictory, I think I have found ways to combine these preferences. If you come to my house, you won't see artwork or knick knacks picked up at a flea market or yard sale, but rather my walls and shelves are covered with photographs of times gone by, precious people, and places that are dear to my heart.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://oregonbachfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Chicago-Skyline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="http://oregonbachfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Chicago-Skyline.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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Something I am looking for but have yet to find is a large, black and white print or wall canvas of the city I hold dear to my heart, Chicago. I spent my college years living in downtown Chicago, just blocks from Michigan Avenue, the Hancock Building, and the Lake Michigan waterfront. These four years of my life were full of so many amazing memories and crazy adventures, and I would love to have a big black and white creative print of this crazy cool city to remember it by, and to make it part of my home forever. You know what I'm talking about, you can find them at Target in the home decor section - they have a big canvas print of Wrigley Field and a long canvas print of the New York skyline, but that's as close as I can come. I've found some online, but I just can't justify paying $200+ for a picture of a city that's image is so firmly burned on my heart. (That would be impractical!) Of course, I could always make my own. During my four years living in the windy city, I had many intentions of taking my camera and hopping around the city, taking photographs of the landscape and architecture. But quite honestly, I was too busy studying, playing, and savoring those memories and precious friends that I took very little time to take pictures. So you know, if y'all ever see one of those big canvas or framed prints of the Chicago skyline (a view from the lakefront would be preferable) for a decent price, I am in the market!!<br />
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Although I haven't any memorabilia to commemorate my life in Chicago, I do have something that I can carry with me no matter where this world might take me: a fondness for Chicago-Style pizza. If you've never savored the cheesy Italian gooeyness made famous by such pizzaria's as LouMalnati's, Gino's, or Girodano's, you're really missing out! And if you're like me and have spent enough time in the city to become a pizzaholic, you're probably missing that delicious pie about as much as you miss the windy city itself!!<br />
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Thus, in the two years since I've left Chicago, I've been on the hunt for the perfect Chicago-style pizza recipe. While the recipe I've created is not by any means a perfect LouMalnati's classic (I haven't attempted "butter crust" - I don't even want to know what's in it so that I'll still eat it in ignorant bliss when I return for visits to the city!!) I LOVE what I've come up with as a somewhat nutritious, delicious version of a Chicago Style Pizza - Heather Style! :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZrRd9rSAQYLsN8Wg6qSBJU-6etRQgSALJST8YdH5NSQzYYBIPeJHz3X7HmHwUXe0e_NQPr4B0ZJJLgEUZZu8mHNaHHjkiqvn1RJCGJZ-WSLG2V57IwLRJbcO85C-mYly3cn4IIlyh213/s1600/pizza+picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZrRd9rSAQYLsN8Wg6qSBJU-6etRQgSALJST8YdH5NSQzYYBIPeJHz3X7HmHwUXe0e_NQPr4B0ZJJLgEUZZu8mHNaHHjkiqvn1RJCGJZ-WSLG2V57IwLRJbcO85C-mYly3cn4IIlyh213/s320/pizza+picture.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br />
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There are two main features that give a Chicago Style Pizza it's distinctive name. The first is crust - determined not so much by the ingredients themselves, the by depth of the pan you bake it in. A deep dish Chicago Style Pizza is much more like a pie than the traditional, round and flat pizzas eaten in other parts of the country. They do make and sell actual Chicago style deep dish pizza pans, but I have found you can also use a cast iron skillet or even a springform pan for the same effect. You can also use a pie plate or a cake pan if you don't have the other options. Once you make and roll out the crust, you just have to make sure you pull it up around the sides of the pan to create the "pie" effect. So you really don't need any special tools to make the pizza. <br />
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Here's my Chicago Style Whole Wheat Crust recipe:<br />
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1 teaspoon White Sugar<br />
1 1/2 cups warm water<br />
1 tablespoon bread machine yeast<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
3 cups whole wheat flour<br />
1/2 cup all purpose flour<br />
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Just because I love to make anything easier, I always use my bread machine to make pizza crust. It's SO easy. You just put the liquid ingredients in first (in this case the water and the olive oil), then add the dry ingredients, saving the yeast for last. Dig a little hole in the middle of the dry ingredients (without exposing the liquid underneath) and pour the yeast in the hole. Choose the "dough" cycle on the bread machine and let it do it's thing! It takes (on average) about an hour and a half this way, so you can dump your ingredients in and go! It's amazing. :)<br />
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The second feature that gives a Chicago Style pizza it's distinctive quality is the order and importance of ingredients. The main and arguably most important ingredient in a Chicago Style Pizza is the CHEESE. I use mozzarella or italian blend cheeses, and have recently fallen in love with the Sargento cheese that has a touch of cream cheese in it, because it melts better. Chicago Style Pizza is also kind of upside down in respect to how you place the ingredients in your pie. I usually put in the meat first, then the cheese, then the veggies, and THEN the tomato sauce.<br />
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This is my personal favorite Chicago-style pizza recipe:<br />
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1 package pepperoni<br />
1/2 green pepper, diced<br />
1/2 yellow onion, diced<br />
1/2 cup fresh broccoli, cut into small florets<br />
1 bag fresh baby spinach<br />
1 8oz bag mozzarella cheese<br />
2 cans diced tomatoes, drained well (sometimes you can find italian seasoned tomatoes - saves some time!!)<br />
Basil<br />
Pizza Seasoning<br />
Oregano<br />
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I start, of course, by preheating the oven to 350 degrees, then greasing the pan really really well. Then roll out the pizza crust into the right size for the pan. It's kind of a guessing game, and I usually end up rolling it out about the size of the bottom of the pan (a little bit bigger if I'm feeling confident) and then stretching and pulling it up to cover the sides of the pan as well, like a pie crust. I then rub some olive oil on the crust and baking it for about 8-10 minutes. Take the partially baked crust out of the oven and layer the bottom of the crust with pepperoni. Next, I sautee all of the vegetables. I start with the spinach - I put a little bit of olive oil in my frying pan and cook it down. It's amazing how small a whole bag of fresh spinach will get. I set the spinach aside and then cook the other veggies I've chosen in the olive oil as well. Use just enough olive oil to cook the vegetables, but not to make them soggy - just soft. Once the spinach has cooled a little bit, I mix it together with the cheese, then dump the cheese and spinach mixture in the pizza pan as well, spreading it to cover all of the pepperoni. then I add my cooked veggies. As a final step, I cook my diced tomatoes (not too long - you don't want it to get too liquidy!) in the same pan I cooked the veggies in, adding any seasonings I think may add to the flavor. I drain any remaining liquids from the pan and lay the tomatoes over the top of everything else. I turn the oven up to about 400-425 degrees and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is browned and the cheese is bubbly. OH YUMMY. <br />
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Once you have the basic idea of the entire process, it's REALLY easy to swap in your favorite ingredients. My husband loves hawaiian pizza, so I've made this with pineapple and canadian bacon. I've also substituted chicken or sausage for the pepperoni, and used lots of other veggies. You can also make it without the spinach mixed in with the cheese (though I'm not sure why you'd want to) or use white crust instead of whole wheat! Whatever you do, it's a treat for sure, and extremely filling!!! :D<br />
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I think I may have to make a point to learn a signature recipe from every area I move to from here on out. It could make a really interesting cookbook one day. Or maybe I could collect local signature recipes from my friends around the world. Do you have any recipes you'd like to share?<br />
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So go ahead - try a Chicago-style pizza! And while you're biting into that deliciously cheesey slice of heaven, picture yourself on Michigan Avenue, sitting outside your favorite pizzaria, enjoying the sites and sounds of your favorite city. You might just forget you ever left. :)HRLMercygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260229529929671545noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233219774797743645.post-50385275131424872532011-02-24T06:05:00.000-08:002011-02-24T06:48:40.157-08:00Coupon Queen!! (Well, maybe I'm entering the court!)Two blog posts in one day??? Could it BE?!?! There is an urgency to this blog that made it mandatory to post TODAY!!<br />
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I have recently taken on a new endeavor - coupon-clipping!!<br />
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While visiting home in Wisconsin for Christmas, I had the JOY of spending an entire day with my best friend Becky. I've referred to her before in this blog as Becky-Homecky!! :D Becky is amazing at all things domestic, and she is a GREAT teacher. While I spent time just "doing life" with Becky, she was excited to open her pantry and show me "all this great stuff I got for basically nothing or FREE!" Becky had recently begun coupon clipping and was thrilled with the results.<br />
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Now, I remember Sunday afternoons growing up - I would frequently enjoy sitting with the Sunday paper and clipping coupons with my mom. But as I got older and ventured out on my own, I tried to do the same and found myself frequently discouraged. Many of the coupons I clipped were for items I would never need, and really, how far can "25 cents off" go anyway? I was disenchanted, believing that coupons were just a marketing ploy to get you to buy things you don't want or need, so I decided it was a waste of time.<br />
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Well, as Becky opened my eyes to - that 25 cents off coupon can go REALLY far if it's used wisely and with the right timing. She opened my eyes to a few "secrets" of coupon clipping...<br />
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1. Coupons don't expire as soon as you think. Manufacturers coupons in the Sunday paper (the typical inserts are RedPlum, SmartSource, and P&G) often last several months, so if you organize your coupons well, you can WAIT and PLAN to use your coupons - you don't have to just run out and use them that week. She actually suggested organizing them by the month of expiration, not just the type of coupon, to help keep track of expiration dates.<br />
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2. Many stores will also accept internet coupons. If you get to know your favorite stores coupon policy, you may be able to combine a manufacturers coupon found in a Sunday flyer AND an internet coupon for a better deal.<br />
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3. MOST stores have days or weeks that are "double coupon" days - again, look into your grocery stores coupon policy to find out when the double coupon days are and to see if there are any restrictions on double coupons (for example: Ingles has double coupons every day, but will only double a certain number of coupons per amount of money spent, ect).<br />
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4. The BEST way to use coupons is to use a coupon when an item is already on sale. This is where the weekly store ads come in handy! Comparing the store ads to the coupons you already have clipped can help you save the MOST!<br />
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Phew! Sounds like lot of work, huh? Well, thankfully for the internet, there are HUNDREDS of people around the country who are already doing all of the work for you - you just need to find the best sites for your particular stores!! Many of these people are basically "professional coupon clippers" and know ALL the secrets to getting the best bang for your buck! You simply go to their blog each week, click on your store of choice, and they will list the best deals that week, combining coupons and store sales, FOR you! Many also list the stores coupon policy right on those pages as well.<br />
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My current personal favorite coupon blog is <a href="http://swappinspoons.blogspot.com/">Swappin' Spoons</a>.... I like it because it features all of the grocery stores (in addition to WalMart AND Pharmacies - which also have some FANTASTIC deals) and she really lays out the information in an easy-to-use format. <br />
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Depending on your area and what stores are available to you, you may need to do a bit of hunting at first to find your ideal blog to follow for great coupon deals, but <a href="http://moneysavingmom.com/store_deals/store-deals-full-list">Money Saving Mom</a> has a great list of stores and blogs to follow for those stores. It's a great place to start.<br />
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OH - and did I forget to mention - the reason why I HAD to post this blog this week is that...<br />
<br />
THIS WEEK IS <b>TRIPLE</b> COUPON WEEK at INGLES!!!<br />
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That means that the great deals you can get with your coupons are even BETTER this week! So it's a GREAT week to try it out!!<br />
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To get you started, if you shop at Ingles, here are this week's deals from Rebecca at "Swappin Spoons!"<br />
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HAPPY COUPONING!!! :D<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chi Chi's Tortillas, 16-17oz., $1.98--On sale buy one get one free ($0.99)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use $0.50/1 coupon from the 1/16 Smart Source insert</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Free after coupon</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">French's Mustard, $1.33</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use $0.50/ coupon from the 1/23 Smart Source insert</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Free after coupon triples!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tabasco Sauce. $1.29</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://www.tabasco.com/specialoffers/" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">$0.50/1 printable</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Free after coupon triples!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hambuger Helper, $1.39</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use $0.50 printable (print limit leach)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Free after coupon triples!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blue Diamond Nuts, 1.5oz., $1.25</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://coupons2.smartsource.com/smartsource/index.jsp?Link=DOIAX3P4J4HYQ" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">$0.50/1 printable</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Free after coupon triples</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Franks Redhot Sauce 4.5 oz., $1.25</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use $0.50/1 coupon from the 1/23 Smart Source insert</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Free after coupon coupon triples!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carefree Liners,22count, $1.49</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use $0.50/1 coupon from the 1/09 Smart source insert</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Free after coupon triples</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Halls Cough drops, $1</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use $0.50/ coupon from the February or March All You Magazine</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Free after coupon</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Scotties Facial Tissue, 60-132 ct., B1G1 at $1.28 (64¢)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://scottiespromotions.com/default.aspx" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">$0.50/1 printable</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Free after coupon</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lever 2000 Bar Soap, 2 count, $2 --on sale buy one get one free ($1)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use $0.25/1 Lever coupon from the 1/30 Red Plum insert</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">$0.25 after coupon</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Buy 6 Dannon Single Serve Yogurts, 6 oz., at $0.50 each</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use $0.40/6 coupon from the 1/30 Smart source insert</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">$0.30 each after coupon triples</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cake Mate Candle $1.99</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://coupons2.smartsource.com/smartsource/index.jsp?Link=N6DZ64KPFO36A" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">$0.50/1 Cake Mate printable</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">$0.49 after coupon</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Breakstone's Sour Cream 16 oz., $1.99</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?bt=wi&tqnm=ya5rdrg37943087&o=81471&c=KR&p=0SsFHAEg" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">$0.50 printable</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">$0.49 after coupon triples</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Minut Rice, $2.10</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use $0.50/1 coupon from the 1/23 Red plum insert</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">$0.60 after coupon</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Heluva Good Dip $2.39</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?bt=wi&tqnm=zlbjero52999198&o=61149&c=HG&p=MSkZpxeI" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">$0.50/1 printable</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">$0.89 after coupon</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, 14 oz., $3.78--On sale buy one get one free ($1.89)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Buy 2 and use</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://www2.kelloggs.com/Coupon.aspx" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">$1/2 Frosted Flakes cereal printable </span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">$1.39 each after coupon</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">WORTH MENTIONING:</span></strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nissin Bowl Noodles, 3.27-3.36 oz., $0.80--on sale buy one get one free($0.40)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Laura Lynn Gravies, .75-1.25 oz., $0.66--on sale buy one get one free ($0.33)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sweet Onions, $0.98</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peppers, $0.98</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tyson Thighs or Drumsticks Family Pack 98¢</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Braeburn or Fuji Apples, 3 lb bag, $1.98</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Florida Strawberries, 1 lb, $2</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tyson Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Family Pack $1.98 lb</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carolina Pride Select Slices Lunchmeats, 9 oz., $2.98--on sale buy one get one free ($1.49)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carolina Pride Smoked or Polska Rope Sausage, 16 oz., $3.58--on sale buy one get one free ($1.79)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span>HRLMercygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260229529929671545noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233219774797743645.post-55693144635743774892011-02-24T05:30:00.000-08:002011-02-24T05:38:22.705-08:00Sometimes, Frozen Pizza is Perfect.So I've been bad about posting once again (has it really been over a MONTH?!?), mainly because I am <i>never </i>home these days... the theater company I'm involved with has been busy busy once again getting ready for shows (one of which we've already rehearsed and performed since my last post!), my husband is back in school, and all other time is spent at work or cleaning up the mess I leave behind in our house. This has not left much time for blogging, or even for really cooking for that matter!<br />
<br />
In all honesty, during weeks like these, I sometimes feel like a bad wife. I'm never around, always busy, and struggle to find time to grocery shop, much less cook! (That being said, the busy routine of our life works for us right now - It just looks different than other peoples lives!)<br />
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Last week Friday, I got home from work and had a free night. Although I was tired, I just had an itch to cook something fabulous for my favorite guy. I found a recipe for his favorite - Sweet & Sour Chicken - and decided to give it a shot. I made a list, hopped in the car, and went to WalMart to go grocery shopping. I got to the checkout about an hour later... exhausted and hungry, and as I handed my credit card to the cashier, my attention was suddenly diverted to the elderly couple in line behind me.<br />
<br />
The sweet old lady was hanging on her beau's left arm and they were smiling lovingly at each other. You know those kinds of couples - those people who have obviously been together for years, but still are madly in love? He was talking softly and sweetly to her, and seemed quite contented by her presence. In his right hand, he held a WalMart ready-to-bake pizza, a bottle of Dr. Pepper, and a movie. Suddenly, I had a craving - to just spend time with my hubby.<br />
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So, I took my groceries out to the car and walked back into WalMart, grabbed a pizza and a bottle of Diet Pepsi and got back in line. Sweet & Sour Chicken can wait. Time with my sweet husband, however, could not. :)<br />
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Sometimes, Frozen Pizza is perfect.HRLMercygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260229529929671545noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233219774797743645.post-30817121980694806972011-01-11T05:39:00.000-08:002011-01-11T05:39:59.636-08:00Snow Day!! (complete with comfort food!)My husband and I recently moved to Georgia from Wisconsin. This move meant a lot of change; the change I was most excited about was warmer weather and potentially a lack of winter altogether. <div><br />
</div><div>Well, little did I realize how much I loved the winter and took it for granted until I experienced the boring "brownness" that accompanies winter in the south. The seasons still change, the leaves fall, and the grass turns brown-ish... the biggest difference in the weather is that temperatures tend to hover above 40 degrees, a welcome change from the -20 degree winter temperatures I'd become accustomed to in wintery Wisconsin. At the same time, however, I found myself getting jealous of the snow that was falling so consistently on my home state early in the winter. Don't get me wrong, the snow gets old, too... but I was aching for one good snowfall here in the Georgia mountains. Imagine my glee when I opened the shades yesterday to see over 7 inches of the white stuff, and the snow kept falling all day!</div><div><br />
</div><div>(if you look closely, you can see the mountains in the background of al of these pics - SO PRETTY - I'm sad my camera is not really a high enough quality to get a good picture of any of this stuff!!)</div><div><br />
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</div><div>Now, because we live in the mountains and many people live up on top of mountain roads in this area, when it snows like this, EVERYTHING shuts down. Today is my second day home from work, which is a huge blessing, although we could surely use the money. But I think that yesterday may have seriously been my first snow day EVER. I was so excited. We went for a walk in the snow, I went for a drive in the snow (probably not the smartest thing - I get why they cancel school - they don't plow the roads!) and today, I intend on building a snowman!!</div><div><br />
</div><div>So what's the perfect food for a snowy day? Chili of course! When it's cold and wintry outside, you want comfort food - something that will warm you up and stay with you. That's why yesterday I made a big pot of one of our new favorite meals - White chicken chili. This is another one of those recipes that sounded so intimidating to me at first, but after making it once, I realized how simple a food like chili could be!! I got the recipe from a coworker and have made a few of my own modifications. I really recommend it!! Easy and SOOOOOO yummy!!</div><div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>White Chicken Chili</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts</div><div style="text-align: left;">chili powder </div><div style="text-align: left;">cumin</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 lg onion, diced (you can use more or less depending on how much you like onion)</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 stick butter (unsalted is best)</div><div style="text-align: left;">salt & pepper</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 or 2 cans green chilies (depending on how spicy you like it!)</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 cups half & half (I use fat free)</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 cup flour</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 cup chicken broth </div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup monteray jack or mexican style cheese</div><div style="text-align: left;">2 cans white chili beans</div><div style="text-align: left;">tortilla chips, sour cream, and cheese for toppings</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Coat the chicken in chili powder. Grease a medium sized skillet & cook chicken, making sure to get a good crust on both sides.</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Remove chicken from skillet and shred (I use a fork and knife and pull it apart into small pieces. It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it).</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Cook onion in the same skillet you cooked chicken in, until soft.</div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Melt 6 tsp of butter in a large pot. add flour and whisk for about 3 minutes. Add cooked onions. Whisk in chicken broth and half & half. Cook about 5 minutes or until thickened. </div><div style="text-align: left;">5. Add 1 1/2 tsp of chili powder, 1 tsp of cumin, and salt and pepper (I use more of these spices, but I do it slowly and taste in between until I get just the right flavor. Don't overdo it right away! That's harder to fix!!)</div><div style="text-align: left;">6. Add chilies, shredded chicken, and cheese. Simmer about 20 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, and cheese.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Oh, yum... I can hardly wait to eat it again at lunch!!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">My one problem yesterday was that when I went to pull out all of the ingredients... I was all out of chili powder!! How can you make chili without chili powder!?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Well, one of my favorite things about the internet and cooking is that you can search for substitutions!! Any time I'm missing an ingredient, I'll just type in "______ substitute", and all of the cooking geniouses in the world return with ideas of what to substitute. In this particular instance, I was advised to use a mixture of cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, and garlic powder. It worked GREAT! Who knew, huh? :)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So the next time you have a snow day (sorry all you up-north folks!) pull out a new recipe and go at it!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Next time, I'll be writing about my newest housewife adventure - coupon clipping!! :D</div>HRLMercygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260229529929671545noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233219774797743645.post-51619456120716468242010-12-20T09:53:00.000-08:002010-12-20T09:53:19.793-08:00Holiday Hosting #2As you read below, my Thanksgiving meal was truly a blessing and a success. However, true to form, I did experience my own little Thanksgiving day cooking disaster. <br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Awhile back, I found a fabulous recipe for an apple pie. It is fabulous because it is simple, but everyone who tries it insists it is the most delicious apple pie they've ever eaten. :) So, I decided to make this pie as one of my Thanksgiving desserts. My husband LOVES his pie warm, so I waited to bake it until everything else was done. I placed the pie on the rack in the oven and baked it as directed, not realizing that sugar drippings were oozing from the pie to the oven floor below. I also did not realize that my dear husband, trying to be resourceful, had placed tin foil on the bottom of the oven to catch any renegade food particles that would potentially fall to the bottom of the oven. Well, the tin foil was successful in catching the pie drippings, but...</div><div><br />
</div><div>...after we had consumed our delicious pie and everyone was in the living room watching "Elf", I decided I was going to bake the rest of my homemade rolls so that we would have them ready for turkey sandwich leftovers. I turned the oven to 350 degrees and put the rolls in the oven while my hubby set to work on the dishes. Five minutes later I heard him yelling from the kitchen - "HEATHER! COME QUICK!" I rushed into the kitchen to see the oven-bottom tin foil, engulfed in flames. Oh dear. Instantly in my head, I saw images I'd seen on the news of holiday house fires caused by improper use of ovens and stovetops. Fortunately, it only took a moment for the fire to completely consume the tin foil, and the fire was out in a matter of minutes. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I did learn from this experience, however, that maybe leaving dirty tin foil on the bottom of an oven isn't a great idea. And also, I figured out why my mom always put a small cookie sheet on the rack underneath her apple pies when she cooked them. Then, when the pie is done, you can take the cookie sheet and wash away any flammable sugar drippings. :)</div><div><br />
</div><div>Ah yes, and the fabulous apple pie recipe? Here ya go! Just please don't burn down your house! I would feel horrible!</div><div><br />
</div><div>1 store-bought pie crust (top and bottom crust)</div><div>1/2 cup unsalted butter</div><div>1 teaspoon corn starch</div><div>3 tablespoons all-purpose flour</div><div>1/4 cup water</div><div>1/2 cup white sugar</div><div>1/2 cup brown sugar</div><div>1 bag Granny Smith Apples - peeled, cored, and sliced (a good husband job!)</div><div><br />
</div><div>1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour to form a paste.</div><div>2. Add water & sugars, bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer.</div><div>3. Place bottom crust in pan. Fill with the apples, allowing them to mound in the pie crust. </div><div>4. Cover with a lattice work crust (great directions <a href="http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_a_lattice_top_for_a_pie_crust/">here</a>!) </div><div>5. Slowly pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust, making sure much falls into the lattice holes.</div><div>6. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 45 minutes, or until apples are soft and pie crust is browned.</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAg3Al7O1_Fuc9wQLoco471Vy8g4dK7DJbhH7DhW5aTiWbcJZSvDnkWwbIxvnm1sJ4YOP20x-1Qyqzez62JiyNlca_SOQBHY03_sA7dULMLucWTzy3rP8MDUYyA2L6vbDGiuoX0XamLVW/s1600/IMG_2856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAg3Al7O1_Fuc9wQLoco471Vy8g4dK7DJbhH7DhW5aTiWbcJZSvDnkWwbIxvnm1sJ4YOP20x-1Qyqzez62JiyNlca_SOQBHY03_sA7dULMLucWTzy3rP8MDUYyA2L6vbDGiuoX0XamLVW/s320/IMG_2856.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My pie, before it was baked and caused the fire. :)</div><div><br />
</div><div>Again, this recipe is GREAT because it is soooooooo simple! And a lattice work crust makes your pie look professional and BEAUTIFUL, but it's really quite simple!!</div><div><br />
</div><div>So please learn from my mistakes and your pie will be a huge success!!</div><div><br />
</div><div>Till next time,</div><div>Heather</div>HRLMercygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260229529929671545noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233219774797743645.post-952533962765652882010-12-17T18:04:00.000-08:002010-12-17T18:04:20.336-08:00Holiday Hosting #1...Sorry it's been so long since I've written... it's actually been so long since I've written that I have so much I could write about. But, staying with the spirit of the season, I'm going to devote my next two week's entries to holiday happenings!<br />
<br />
First, I should tell you about my Thanksgiving hosting experience - the triumphs and disasters. :) This will set the stage for the rest of my holiday entries. <br />
<br />
We hosted Thanksgiving at our house this year - I volunteered to make <i>everything</i> except the Turkey. Ambitious? Yes. But surprisingly, everything turned out pretty well and came out at the SAME TIME. <br />
<br />
How did this incredibly inexperienced non-domestic first-time Thanksgiving hostess do it? With some careful planning and creative utilization of my space, I would probably call my first Thanksgiving cooking experience a success!<br />
<br />
First things first, hosting a successful holiday meal requires careful planning. As much as I am a person who usually walks into situations blind, I forced myself to take some time a couple of days <i>before</i> Thanksgiving to get myself organized. I printed up all the recipes I was planning on making and laid them all out on the table in front of me. I made a shopping list from my recipes, physically checking the items off of the ingredients lists as I went through the recipes (otherwise I KNOW I would've missed something!). I looked at cooking temperatures and times, and I wrote out a timeline for myself of what would need to get done when. I also determined which recipes could be made the day before or early on Thanksgiving morning, and once I had numbered my recipes in order of when they would be started, I three-hole punched them and placed them in a binder. I sent my husband to the grocery store to take that stress off of my plate (bless him!) and pulled out my pans and pots and made sure I had enough cooking & serving dishes to cover each recipe. All in all, I spent about an hour planning - in the end, it was WELL worth it.<br />
<br />
I also purposely looked for recipes that could be cooked a variety of ways, rather than everything having to be in the oven at one time (a virtual impossibility, even with my fabulous double-oven). In addition to the oven, I used my stovetop, vegetable steamer (I really need to write an "ode to my vegetable steamer" one of these days), and crockpot (both the big one and the little dipper). This made "sharing space" incredibly easy, and everything could easily cook at once. :)<br />
<br />
One of my favorite discoveries this season (and a true hit at our holiday table) was a stuffing recipe that could be made in the crockpot!! Stuffing is a MUST HAVE at our Thanksgiving AND Christmas meal, and although I was skeptical about this recipe (it was risky to try something like this on such an important holiday) I don't think I will ever go back to oven or bird-cooked stuffing! I highly recommend using your crockpot friend to save time and space with this incredible recipe!! <br />
<br />
<b>Slow Cooker Stuffing</b><br />
(as adapted from allrecipes.com)<br />
<br />
1 cup butter<br />
2 cups chopped onion<br />
2 cups chopped celery<br />
2 cups carrots, chopped<br />
1/4 cup chopped fresh parskey<br />
12 cups dry bread cubes (I bought the pre-bagged bread cubes in the grocery store - go cheap!)<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage<br />
1 teaspoon dried thyme<br />
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon black pepper<br />
3 cups chicken broth<br />
2 eggs, beaten<br />
<br />
1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, carrots, and parsley in butter, stirring frequently.<br />
2. Spoon cooked vegetables over bread cubes in crock pot. Season with sage, thyme, marjoram, salt, and pepper. (And savor that SMELL!!) Pour enough broth to moisten, and mix in eggs.<br />
3. Cook on high for 45 minutes, then reduce to low and cook for 4 to 8 hours (mine was beautiful in 6 1/2 hours!)<br />
<br />
No matter how domestic or non-domestic you may be, I really believe that with careful planning and creativity, you can host a successful holiday meal!!<br />
<br />
Look out next time for my Thanksgiving disaster - on the same day as the fabulous meal!!! :) Don't worry, it has a happy ending, and you will learn from my mistakes!!HRLMercygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260229529929671545noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233219774797743645.post-70421843814667210562010-11-16T18:06:00.000-08:002010-11-16T18:13:34.809-08:00Remembering a Classic Kitchen Disaster...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Every new cook has stories which will stick with them forever. They aren't exactly things they're "proud" of, but they are stories that were either so noteworthy or so traumatic that they live on in their memories and teach them valuable lessons that carry on FAR into their cooking experiences.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For example, the first time I attempted to cook stir-fry for my husband, I tried to go exactly by the book. I heated the oil until it was nice and hot, then added the chicken. One mistake. I heated the oil a little TOO nice and hot, and I dropped the chicken from too far up while my husband stood a little too close, eagerly awaiting his dinner. The result? Nearly 3rd degree burns on my overly-trusting husband's arm. He bragged for weeks to his buddies about how his wife "scalded" him in the kitchen. Oops.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Beyond all of my kitchen disasters, however, one distinct memory takes first place in my mind. I even wrote a blog about it, back in the day. That blog entry was the first inspiration for this entire blog. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, just because I'm in a funny mood, I am going to copy and paste that blog entry below, purely for education purposes.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Without further ado, I bring you:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Why You Should Never Put Pyrex on a Hot Stovetop: The Case of the Exploding Brownies"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Once upon a time, my roomate Kati, friend Kristen, and I decided we really had a hankerin' for some brownies. So I decided to bake some. I whipped up some batter, put it into my pyrax baking pan, threw them in the oven, and sat down to read my systematic theology. While the brownies were baking, Kati (who hadn't eaten yet) made herself some dinner on the stove top. She ate her dinner and sat down in the living room. After awhile, we could smell that the brownies were probably near done, so I went into the kitchen and took them out of the oven, setting them on the stove top to let them cool. However, I was unaware that my dear, sweet roomie had forgotten to turn off the stove when she was done making her broccoli, and after a few minutes, Kati remarked, "Hon, did you take the brownies out of the oven yet? It smells like something's burning." </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
"Yes," I replied, "I put them on the stove top to cool."</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
Suddenly, Kati jumped up. "Oh NO! The Brownies!!" She ran into the kitchen and suddenly there was a scream and a crash. I ran in to see this sight:</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><a href="http://photo.xanga.com/hrlmercygirl/9ae47145175123/photo.html" style="outline-color: initial !important; outline-style: none !important; outline-width: initial !important; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img alt="IMG_0730" height="400" src="http://x9a.xanga.com/e47d910233631145175123/z107526870.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" /></span></i></span></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
Oh no!!!</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><a href="http://photo.xanga.com/hrlmercygirl/2e028145175206/photo.html" style="outline-color: initial !important; outline-style: none !important; outline-width: initial !important; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img alt="IMG_0732" src="http://x2e.xanga.com/028d843a30333145175206/z107526948.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="400" /></span></i></span></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
The stove...</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><a href="http://photo.xanga.com/hrlmercygirl/cf5ea145175285/photo.html" style="outline-color: initial !important; outline-style: none !important; outline-width: initial !important; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img alt="IMG_0733" src="http://xcf.xanga.com/5ead830735130145175285/z107527011.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="400" /></span></i></span></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
And the floor!!! Poor brownies!! :(<br />
<br />
Kati had picked up the glass pan of brownies off of the burning stove top just in time for the cool air to cause some sort of reaction that made the the glass pan (and the brownies) explode and fly all over the kitchen. The brownies were literally sizzling on the floor, countertop, and stovetop. We found glass everywhere! We could not stop laughing as we cleaned up the mess, and needless to say, not much studying got done last night... after all, there was a second batch of brownies to make! Oh well... that's what happens when you live in Jenkins 2T.<br />
<br />
The moral of the story: Well, I think you can figure it out. :)</span> </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> <br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">TRUE STORY!!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, recently, someone told me that my story could not possibly be true, after all, pyrex was indestructable. So I set out on a mission and found this website:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/p/pyrex-explodes.htm</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">May my cooking mayhem serve as a lesson to all non-domestic housewives everywhere. Beware of exploding pyrex!! :D</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(The best part of the story is perhaps that my roommates later would gift me with a set of pyrex bakeware and a box of brownie mix as a bridal shower gift!)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Keeping the Kitchen Safe,</span></div><div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Heather :)</span></div></span>HRLMercygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260229529929671545noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233219774797743645.post-44041041789672712602010-11-13T14:41:00.000-08:002010-11-13T14:41:06.804-08:00Be Our Guest!!Exciting news.... We have houseguests this weekend!!! <br />
<br />
Many of you know that my husband and I recently moved across the country, leaving our beloved hometown, family, and friends behind. Although this has been a really difficult transition for us, we are so blessed that many of our family and friends have promised to visit!! (And, we have an open invitation - family and friends, VISIT US!!!)<br />
<br />
Luckily, our new home has a GUEST ROOM!! :D<br />
<br />
I was really excited about the prospect of a guest room initially, and as a people-person, was thrilled at the prospect of having friends come to visit. But then one day I realized that having guests meant...<br />
<br />
I have to play HOSTESS!! :/<br />
<br />
Now, let me tell you about my best friend Becky. Becky was born to parents who own a bed and breakfast. Becky can cook and clean and do woodworking and sewing AND play the guitar - Becky is AMAZING. Growing up, her friends called her Becky-home-eckie, and it's not hard to see why.<br />
<br />
Becky has the gift of hospitality.<br />
<br />
I do not.<br />
<br />
You see, it doesn't come easily for me to have people in my home. I love to cook and have a clean house, and I love inviting people into my life, but I don't think of the things like offering them a cup of tea or making sure they have matching towels and a huge breakfast waiting when they wake up in the morning. I am NOT one of those people whom, after leaving my home, you feel like you've been treated like a queen. I'm more of the "Make yourself at home - here's the fridge, here's the bathroom, and let's go have fun" type. So, while I LOVE having people visit me, the idea of having HOUSE-GUESTS kind of stressed me out a little bit. <br />
<br />
On the other hand, I love the <i>idea</i> of making people feel really important and welcome and comfortable in my home. I guess what I'm trying to say (with way too many words) is, it doesn't come <i>easily</i> to me. I'm a work in progress. <br />
<br />
However, about a year or so ago, I was visiting a friend of mine and discovered a very small thing that made me feel EXTREMELY welcome in her home without the full bed and breakfast treatment. It was a small basket sitting on the nightstand with a few toiletries in it and a note that said, "if you need it, take it. be our guest." And guess what? I had forgotten toothpaste. But I didn't have to have grungy teeth or ask my friend to borrow hers. I could simply and quietly take the toothpaste in the guest basket. BRILLIANT!<br />
<br />
So, the first thing I did when we started putting together our little guest room was... you got it! Buy a little basket!! Then I raided the toiletries section at Walmart and... TAH-DAH!!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA04Yrbivby2tHWTrYJncoYfRyihwOAWobIlbhuflDko_K50UytkNiLUJd7b-eO5_i7s0cYXy-_akEomSVxnmAmQ094DzIAD2ky07spjEF3GiwoRnpks0nHOE-pFa_dtVfR2ANVL7c1fSs/s1600/IMG_2854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA04Yrbivby2tHWTrYJncoYfRyihwOAWobIlbhuflDko_K50UytkNiLUJd7b-eO5_i7s0cYXy-_akEomSVxnmAmQ094DzIAD2ky07spjEF3GiwoRnpks0nHOE-pFa_dtVfR2ANVL7c1fSs/s320/IMG_2854.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Isn't it SO CUTE!?!? And it was such a SIMPLE thing to throw together, but it's definitely a practical way to welcome people into our home!! (I LIVE for practicality!!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7e2nVUSc4rFfD9zx3WRFu1im5URsTEH-ypp7tG1pn5MUolY7dzodGeiKOuAZYj8Yo2JkiR2bCYaPbpfNkQJBSfe5ceeO8LRNbGQAnNHc-364wFfF95AP5aWUtzKmHW6C3UMEsdGedbMAg/s1600/IMG_2853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7e2nVUSc4rFfD9zx3WRFu1im5URsTEH-ypp7tG1pn5MUolY7dzodGeiKOuAZYj8Yo2JkiR2bCYaPbpfNkQJBSfe5ceeO8LRNbGQAnNHc-364wFfF95AP5aWUtzKmHW6C3UMEsdGedbMAg/s320/IMG_2853.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All you need to do this yourself is a small basket, and then a bunch of travel-sized toiletries. I used toothbrushes, toothpaste, body wash, hairspray, feminine products, shampoo, conditioner, downy wrinkle release, razors, and deodorant! Finish it off with a guest book and some wash cloths and you have a guest basket for your own guest room!! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All that to say, I may not have the "gift" of hospitality like my best friend Becky, but I have a comfy, welcoming guest room and a kitchen with enough cereal and milk to go around. You're welcome to be our guest!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have a great weekend,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Heather</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>HRLMercygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260229529929671545noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233219774797743645.post-50367026085454818072010-11-12T08:57:00.000-08:002010-11-12T08:57:23.784-08:00The Shannon CookieNo matter how domestic (or NON-domestic) the wife may be, I think just about every wife has found that one cookie recipe that will make her husband smile... something to whip up for him after a long day at work or to pack in his lunch just to say "I was thinking about you."<br />
<br />
My husband, Shannon, grew up LOVING his mom's chocolate chip cookies, and so I honestly thought I was out of luck in finding a cookie that my husband would love quite as much as he loves mom's. But, it wasn't long before I discovered that a bit of personalization goes a long way. <br />
<br />
I made up this recipe by combining a chocolate chip cookie, oatmeal cookie, and throwing in my husband's favorite candy - peanut butter mnm's! They are gooey and chewy and chocolatey and good... enjoy!<br />
<br />
<u>The Shannon Cookie</u><br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<br />
1 cup butter, softened (<i>NOT melted!! If you keep your butter in the fridge, soften it by microwaving for 15-20 seconds, watching carefully to make sure it doesn't melt!! Melted butter = flat, yucky cookies!!</i>)<br />
1 cup packed light brown sugar<br />
1/2 cup white sugar<br />
2 eggs<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
3 cups quick cooking oats<br />
1 large bag peanut butter mnm's (you know, as many as you wanna throw in there). :)<br />
1 cup chocolate chips<br />
<br />
Instructions:<br />
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees<br />
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth (use your hand mixer or KitchenAid!). Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed sugar mixture until just blended.<br />
3. Mix in the oatmeal using a large spoon or spatula. Then add the chocolate chips and peanut butter mnm's! <br />
4. Refrigerate cookie dough (covered) until cool and firm; about 15 minutes.***<br />
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool ON baking sheet.<br />
6. Serve warm with a glass of milk for best reaction. :)<br />
<br />
***Step #4 is an especially important tip!! I struggled for awhile with my cookies coming out flat and hard.... making sure the dough is firm and cool really helps with this - and it works with any cookie recipe!!<br />
<br />
Do you have any killer husband cookie recipes??? :) I'd love to try them out!! :D<br />
<br />
I'm making these cookies today and taking them to the cast of "Jekyll & Hyde" to say thanks for welcoming me to our little theater family!! :) Good luck tonight, guys!!<br />
<br />
Till next time,<br />
HeatherHRLMercygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260229529929671545noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233219774797743645.post-73024823012738132632010-11-04T06:45:00.000-07:002010-11-04T06:45:54.296-07:00Cornbread... the way it SHOULD be!Since moving to the south, I have discovered something that I find to be quite disturbing...<br />
<br />
Southerners like their cornbread... savory?<br />
<br />
I have had several conversations with my new southern friends and have discovered that most in this area prefer cornbread to be salty rather than sweet... they prefer things like cheese or jalepenos to season their bread. My response... <i>What???</i><br />
<br />
I'm sorry for all you southerners out there, but midwesterners know how to do cornbread right. I grew up in a home where a staple food (for my father, at least) was a dish of cornbread, beans, and maple syrup. While I've never quite been able to stomach the beans aspect of that, I would much prefer to add a bit of sugar to my cornbread or top it with a slab of butter and a touch of honey... oh yum.<br />
<br />
My one issue with cornbread overall, though, is that it is often so <i>dry</i>. That's why I LOVE this next recipe I discovered on allrecipes.com. It is a slightly sweet cornbread, but is also delightfully moist and spongey - almost cake-like! All in all, whether you're from Wisconsin or you're from Mississippi, you're bound to love this cornbread recipe... :)<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 (8 ounce) package corn bread muffin mix (just get the cheap stuff! it doesn't matter!)<br />
1/3 cup milk<br />
1 egg, lightly beaten<br />
1 (8 ounce) can cream corn<br />
1/2 cup white sugar<br />
<br />
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch pan (I often use my cast iron skillet, though!)<br />
2. Mix all of the ingredients and pour into pan.<br />
3. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.<br />
<br />
This recipe is SOOOOOOOO easy, but a real crowd-pleaser! Eat your heart out, salty cornbread!! <br />
<br />
Y'all come back now!<br />
HeatherHRLMercygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260229529929671545noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233219774797743645.post-68454200377670588682010-11-01T05:57:00.000-07:002010-11-01T07:21:14.439-07:00Gone Bananas!! :DI love baking with bananas!<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>No really, I love it - things made with bananas are often more moist, naturally sweet, and offer texture to baked goods. BUT - baking with bananas requires patience - you have to WAIT for your bananas to ripen before you bake with them. They need a nice little brown color in order to mash and bake JUST right. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Well, unfortunately for me, my husband likes EATING bananas as much if not more than I like baking with bananas! Bananas don't last more than three or four days in my house (no matter how many I buy!) without being rapidly consumed. Thus, I rarely get to bake with my bananas!</div><div><br />
</div><div>However, yesterday while at Ingles, I discovered the "Ripe Banana Bag"... I'm sure it's always been there, but it was a paper sack with over 10 bananas in it - already ripened to baking perfection - and for $1.49!!! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53y1r-OPWYOB_X7PVeHDZnKmGFjo0adS2NVlPz1wmv21B-_lCdOifFzkJJ8mn_AXTaRzISSmz9yEY2Ymq01F51gF6bqWghn0bu0EiK6l1L_QsggEBqLt0EVMtLjDZ1ljipvR94sLrBsAZ/s1600/IMG_2808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi53y1r-OPWYOB_X7PVeHDZnKmGFjo0adS2NVlPz1wmv21B-_lCdOifFzkJJ8mn_AXTaRzISSmz9yEY2Ymq01F51gF6bqWghn0bu0EiK6l1L_QsggEBqLt0EVMtLjDZ1ljipvR94sLrBsAZ/s320/IMG_2808.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Luckily, I had a party to go to for inspiration, so I decided to make one of my favorite "back pocket" recipes - chocolate chip banana bread! <br />
<br />
I use a banana bread recipe from allrecipes.com, but changed a few things based on past experience (increased the cooking temperature and length of baking, replaced butter with applesauce, and added chocolate chips for my own variation (because what's better than chocolate chip banana bread?). What I love about this recipe is the secret ingredient - SOUR CREAM. It really adds moisture and makes this the BEST banana bread ever!! ENJOY!! :D</div><div><br />
</div><div>(As you're looking at the ingredient list and thinking, "HOLY COW THAT'S A LOT OF SUGAR!" realize that it makes 4 loaves of bread...)</div><div><br />
</div><div>1/4 cup white sugar</div><div>1 teaspoon ground cinnamon</div><div><br />
</div><div>3/4 cup butter (although last night, I used applesauce instead, and it worked well!!)</div><div>3 cups sugar</div><div>3 eggs</div><div>6 ripe bananas, smashed (fun job!)</div><div>1 (16 ounce) container sour cream (I used light sour cream to cut back on fat)</div><div>2 teaspoons vanilla</div><div>2 teaspoons cinnamon</div><div>1/2 teaspoon salt</div><div>3 teaspoons baking soda</div><div>4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used half white/half wheat flour)</div><div>1 bag mini chocolate chips (semi sweet or milk chocolate - whatever you prefer)</div><div><br />
</div><div>1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease four loaf pans (I only own 1 loaf pan, so I made 1 loaf of bread and LOTS of muffins, and a heart-shaped cake pan for my hubby).</div><div>2. In a small bowl, stir 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon - dust pans lightly with cinnamon sugar mixture.</div><div>3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking soda, and flour. Stir in chocolate chips. Divide into prepared pans.</div><div>4. If baking in a loaf pan, bake for 1 hour 10 minutes (approximately) or until a toothpick comes out clean. If using muffin tins or other small baking pans, you will have to adjust the baking time accordingly (I think my muffins took about 35 minutes or so.)</div><div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVM7m7XyeDkB18owgeYBgounfhNhvV9TbmJT78AzcfxE6Edj8gNQQ-tNBU7g_MQ80mwyKM_-WebmMrBqqAlODz-X-FT29F3tUN9oMXwADD-MTYdnoUPa6wgvA3qS5A7WVXd2NWo4JA5Q1/s1600/IMG_2804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVM7m7XyeDkB18owgeYBgounfhNhvV9TbmJT78AzcfxE6Edj8gNQQ-tNBU7g_MQ80mwyKM_-WebmMrBqqAlODz-X-FT29F3tUN9oMXwADD-MTYdnoUPa6wgvA3qS5A7WVXd2NWo4JA5Q1/s320/IMG_2804.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<br />
</div><div>Now, an important tip - use MINI chocolate chips - regular sized chocolate chips are too heavy and will sink to the bottom of the batter, creating a chocolate candy crust rather than delicious chocolately goodness throughout. :)</div><div><br />
</div><div>Happy Baking - GO BANANAS!! :D</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div>HRLMercygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260229529929671545noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233219774797743645.post-74039710975757502232010-10-21T18:03:00.000-07:002010-10-21T18:03:58.748-07:00Blueberry Mania Continues!!Okay, now I haven't actually made these for a few weeks, but I thought I should continue with my blueberry theme...<br />
<br />
By popular demand (by several facebook friends...)<br />
<br />
HEATHER'S (Moody Bible Institute-Famous) BLUEBERRY MUFFINS!<br />
<br />
This is yet another adaptation from an allrecipes.com recipe... but I have heard nothing but "OHMYGOSH THESE ARE SOOOOOO GOOD" from those who have tried them...<br />
<br />
For The Muffins:<br />
<br />
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour<br />
3/4 cut white sugar<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1/3 cup applesauce<br />
1 egg<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; line-height: normal;">1/3 cup milk</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; line-height: normal;">1 teaspoon vanilla</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; line-height: normal;">1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen is fine)</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin tin or line with muffin wrappers.<br />
2. Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt, and baking powder. Place applesauce in a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. <br />
3. Mix these liquids with the flour mixture. Add vanilla. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin tin right to the top. Top with crumb mixture (see below).<br />
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.<br />
<br />
To make crumb mixture, combine 2 tablespoons flour, 5 tablespoons sugar (I prefer to use brown sugar, but either work fine), and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut 2 tablespoons butter with a fork or pastry blender until mixture looks like coarse crumbs.<br />
<br />
Now, the KEY to the crumb mixture for the top of muffins (and coffee cakes, ect) is the BUTTER. Ugh. I have had more fights with butter than I know what to do with. Recipes like this one call for butter that is soft enough to easily chop into little pieces, but hard enough that your topping won't just glop all over the place. The problem is, when I cook, it's usually not very well planned out. What I mean by that is, I'm spontaneous enough that when I decide I want to make muffins or cookies or whatever, my butter is usually still sitting in the fridge, hard as a rock. So, I attempt to soften it by microwaving it. BAD IDEA. I usually end up with a pool of liquid butter which simply will not work for the reasons stated above. And putting the melted butter in the freezer to fix THAT problem doesn't work, either. There's something about the chemistry of the butter that's been tampered with that makes a bad situation even worse. <br />
<br />
So what's the solution? Well, I have invested in a butter keeper.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/public/wxB-FcGnIFoEbnhcxA0Pbua5LibBSyvX3DEeHvhCszmD8ZYJbk9AzzpeeRHYO4BJrUfkz4GWt7jiQVjNoM1rfK7aQcbT5lkALUSG_DHQhdeCQHf5NuJPq_Ku8bem9TefUv-6Qz9HHaGjbj4iU4k" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/public/wxB-FcGnIFoEbnhcxA0Pbua5LibBSyvX3DEeHvhCszmD8ZYJbk9AzzpeeRHYO4BJrUfkz4GWt7jiQVjNoM1rfK7aQcbT5lkALUSG_DHQhdeCQHf5NuJPq_Ku8bem9TefUv-6Qz9HHaGjbj4iU4k" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What, you may ask, is a butter crock? Well, according to the product website (and my dear friend, Amy Gatschenberger), a butter crock is a bell shaped lid into which softened butter is firmly packed. Cold water is poured into the base of the crock, and then the lid is placed upside down back into the base of the crock. This apparently keeps the butter soft, fresh, and perfect for recipes like the one above. Apparently, the water seals out the air keeping butter much fresher than it would be simply in a butter dish. I haven't gotten my crock, yet, but I hope it will save my muffins!!! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy Crumb-Mixture Making!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Heather</div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span><br />
<div class="ingredients" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><ul style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li></li>
</ul></div>HRLMercygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260229529929671545noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233219774797743645.post-58810756815592984892010-10-07T04:55:00.000-07:002010-10-07T05:21:30.114-07:00Woman vs. Waffle Iron: Another Kitchen VictoryWhile munching on my whole wheat banana blueberry pancakes on Tuesday morning, my loving husband asked me, "Why don't you ever make waffles?" I smiled and responded, "I don't know - I guess I just don't really think about it."<br />
<br />
The truth is, however, I have a love-hate relationship with my waffle iron. Why? Well, when Shannon and I got married, we received a waffle iron as a gift. Naturally, I was excited about this. After all, who doesn't LOVE waffles, and when done well, they look very impressive on the breakfast table. <br />
<br />
However, I soon discovered that the waffle iron was not just another kitchen tool to use and enjoy - the waffle iron had to be mastered. My first experiences with my waffle iron left me cleaning up gobs of goo where the batter had seeped out and goobered onto the kitchen counter, not to mention in every crevice and crack the waffle iron had. Apparently, I was using too much batter. So the next time, I was extra careful, but my waffles turned out puny and burnt. This time, I wasn't using <i>enough </i>batter. Then, there was the sticking factor. The instructions that came with my waffle iron said that I didn't have to grease the iron between waffles. BIG mistake. There is nothing worse than opening your waffle iron and finding half of the waffle on the top of the iron and the other top on the bottom, and it's stuck, <i>everywhere</i>. Finally, there is the ADD factor. I'm an easily distracted individual. Thus, I have found myself getting carried away washing dishes, mopping the floor, or even taking a shower - completely forgetting that the waffle iron doesn't turn itself off when the waffle is done. Yeah, there's not much that's tasty about burnt waffles.<br />
<br />
In recent days, however, I have slowly, step by step, conquered my waffle iron. I've discovered that 1 heaping cup of batter is generally perfect to make the perfect waffle. I used a measuring cup for awhile, but then got frustrated that more of the batter was ending up on me than in the waffle iron. Finally, I discovered my medium-sized soup ladle - PERFECT for measuring and pouring waffle batter. :) Next, regardless of what the directions say, SPRAY that waffle iron GOOD every time you are about to pour batter into it. Don't be stingy - just SPRAY. There's nothing quite like a waffle sliding gently out of your waffle iron onto your plate. Your food was made to be eaten, not chiseled from the cooking utensil. Finally, and there's no easy way to do this, but stand close by your waffle iron and keep an eye on that little light. If you're in the market for a waffle iron, I highly recommend spending a few extra dollars and buying the waffle iron with the built in beeper. But, in my case, I discovered that it was about a minute and a half for my waffles to be done, so I set the kitchen timer for one minute and fifteen seconds. When the timer goes off, I stand guard over my little waffle iron and am armed and ready with my spatula for the waffle do be done. A little extreme? Maybe, but hey - it works for me. :)<br />
<br />
If you can conquer your waffle iron, it will do all of the work for you. You'll have delicious waffles with little mess, and you'll make it look so easy. :)<br />
<br />
And so, this morning, I took my husband's little "hint" in stride and searched my favorite website, allrecipes.com, for the perfect waffle recipe. I found their recipe, "Blueberry Oat Waffles" and decided to make a few modifications of my own.<br />
<br />
Today was my first day making these waffles. They tasted great - crunchy on the outside and really warm and soft on the inside. The oatmeal adds a nice texture and health-factor - plus oatmeal helps you feel full all day. The blueberries add the perfect hint of sweetness. It was really easy - the ingredients are basic and it only took a few minutes to throw them together and pour them in the waffle iron.<br />
<br />
Enough babbling - here's the recipe! Enjoy! :)<br />
<br />
1-1/3 cups Whole Wheat Flour<br />
1 cup quick oats (you can use traditional oatmeal, too, but I would recommend putting it in your magic bullet or food processor to chop it up a bit, just like the pancakes!)<br />
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar<br />
2 teaspoons Baking Powder<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1-1/3 cups Milk<br />
2 eggs, lightly beaten<br />
1/2 cup applesauce<br />
1 teaspoon lemon juice<br />
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract (Imitation is fine)<br />
1 cup frozen (or fresh) blueberries - (but don't thaw the berries if they're frozen - that will make them gooey!)<br />
<br />
1. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.<br />
2. Combine the liquid ingredients in a small bowl, then add to the dry ingredients.<br />
3. Fold in the blueberries.<br />
4. Pour into that pesky waffle iron (show it who's boss) and wait for them to be done!!<br />
<br />
Til next time, folks. :)<br />
<br />
HeatherHRLMercygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260229529929671545noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233219774797743645.post-22393465637575989562010-10-05T12:37:00.000-07:002010-10-05T12:37:02.967-07:00Banana - Blueberry - Whole Wheat - Oatmeal Pancakes!!!Sounds like a mouthful, right? Well, it <i>is, </i>but in a very good way.<br />
<br />
I've made these pancakes a number of times now, but I think I may have finally perfected them today. So, I wanted to share the recipe with you. :) They are healthy, wholesome, easy filling, and <i>incredibly</i> tasty. AND they are both husband and guest approved and acclaimed. Enjoy!!<br />
<br />
1 cup uncooked oatmeal (I use the quick-oats 'cause it's what's in my house!)<br />
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour<br />
1/4 cup brown sugar<br />
2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1 egg<br />
2 cups milk<br />
2 tablespoons applesauce<br />
1 teaspoon imitation (or real) vanilla extract<br />
1-2 ripe bananas, mashed<br />
2 cups blueberries (frozen and thawed or fresh)<br />
<br />
1. Place the uncooked oatmeal in a food processor (I use my Magic Bullet!) and chop 'em up a bit. I like to have a little bit of texture, so I don't make it into powder, but I do grind it finely.<br />
2. Combine the oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.<br />
3. In another bowl, beat together the egg, milk, applesauce, and vanilla. I use my Magic Bullet again to mash the banana - it works perfectly and is SO much better than using your fingers, which yes, I have done. Add the banana to the liquid mix and blend well. Then add to the powdered mix. <br />
4. Cook pancakes over medium heat, dropping blueberries into the batter as the first side cooks. Serve with Maple, Strawberry, or Blueberry syrup!! <br />
<br />
These pancakes are great - and you can make them, no problem!! If you try them, leave me a note and let me know what you think!!<br />
<br />
Cheers!<br />
Heather :)HRLMercygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260229529929671545noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7233219774797743645.post-32537617895346562442009-11-10T04:17:00.000-08:002009-11-10T04:18:35.738-08:00Why This Blog?Okay, so I realize if you are stumbling upon this blog, you might be thinking, "here we go - another spin-off of <em>Julie and Julia</em>!" And yes, it is true that this blog is about yet another girl who wants to learn how to cook. But beyond that, I want to create a place that is relatable for all of you ladies out there who are newly married, have been married for years, or who have yet to be married, and live under the misconception that you can't cook, can't clean, can't decorate your home - basically that you are a "non-domestic" housewife (or may someday be), just like me. <br />
<br />
You see, I lived out most of my teens and early twenties sincerely believing that I didn't need a man in my life, that I was perfectly fine on my own, and that marriage was for those girls I had known growing up who loved to play house and whose sole ambition was to be a wife and mother. I was VERY busy - working 40-60 hours per week, extremely involved in my church, and working toward completion of my college education. I was content to live on take-out, ramen noodles, Easy Mac, and frozen pizza. About two years ago, however, I stepped on a rake, smacked myself in the head, and fell in love with my best friend. I am still not sure how that happened, but on April 5, 2008, I found myself at the altar pledging "for better or worse" to my new husband. And something happened to me about the time we sat around opening wedding gifts - most of which were supplies for the kitchen. Around the time I opened up my third box of pyrex dishes, I found myself wondering "what do I do with all of this stuff?" And I got a funny little feeling in my gut - a feeling that I was scared to admit was there - a desire to <em>learn</em> how to cook.<br />
<br />
I freaked out a little bit. After all, I'm a person who avoids failure at all cost. Usually this means I won't try something new in the first place. However, a few weeks into my new marriage, we had some friends over and ordered a pizza. One of my friends asked my husband if I was a good cook, and he replied, "You know, I am not expecting much. And that's okay. I'm content to live on frozen pizzas and macaroni and cheese for the rest of my life." That sealed the deal. The pressure was off. There were no expectations to be met. So I took a deep breath and decided I wasn't going to let my fear of failure rule me. I was going to teach myself to cook.<br />
<br />
Through this blog, I want to challenge that misconception and help you prove to yourself that you CAN cook... you may even be able to clean and decorate your house if you want to... you may just not be that good at it! The fact is, we all have the <em>ability</em> to do these things (I mean, come on, you're not starving, are you? Even Easy Mac is cooking!) and if the DESIRE is there, you may actually find through experimentation and trial and error that you actually are a decent cook, cleaner, and interior decorator. Nevermind you accidentally used furniture polish on the windows last week, or that the first time you tried making brownies for company in your new oven, they caught on fire because the temperature gague in the oven was off by 200 degrees (yes, these are both things that have happened to me). Basically, I want this to be a safe place where you can curl up with a cup of coffee and relate to my tales of victory and defeat as I learn the skills my mother never taught me, the skills that my independent "I don't-need-a-man-in-my-life-and-you-better-not-ever-expect-me-to-cook-for-him-or-clean-for-him-either" would never stoop to pay attention to as I grew up in feminist America.<br />
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That being said, I want to also preface this blog by stating that I by <em>NO MEANS</em> believe that women are made to cook, clean, and keep house. I do <em>NOT</em> believe that this is their sole purpose or that they are defined by these tasks. Actually, I don't even think that knowing how to do all of these things well is all that important. BUT, for those who ever feel that twinge of desire to make a good casserole or a dessert that everyone ooohs and aaahs over at a party, I want to impart hope and inspire experimentation. To help you consider your epic failures to be an opportunity for a good story. To show you that you're not alone, and to inspire you to laugh at me and with me.<br />
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I am a non-domestic housewife. And I want to invite you into my life. Failures and all.HRLMercygirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16260229529929671545noreply@blogger.com0