tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257762371117718722024-02-07T11:28:42.414-07:00The Essary KitchenI love to eat; therefore, I love to cook. A stay-at-home mom share's her recipes, thoughts, and food adventures.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-58201038150836458852012-06-05T15:36:00.000-06:002012-06-05T15:36:00.346-06:00Springfield Missouri Cashew Chicken Recipe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My husband is the Springfield Missouri native who introduced me to their version of cashew chicken. While it is excellent, I have never had cashew chicken like theirs anywhere else. It's a very simple dish. Rice, either white or fried, is topped with crispy bite sized pieces of white meat chicken, cashews, scallions, and a hearty brown sauce with a hint of Asian flavor. When I first tried the dish it tasted like the eastern cuisine was perfectly fused with good ol' southern comfort food. Some may say I'm crazy but the sauce tasted like it had a hint of beef gravy in it. <br />
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Those who have lived in Springfield Missouri often crave this local dish. For those people I know who have moved away their cashew chicken craving has only been met whenever they return to Springfield. There have been numerous occasions when my husband has said, "I'm craving cashew chicken". So I finally decided to search the internet for a recipe. I came across a few recipe variations and after a few attempts in the kitchen my husband says it's near perfect. I asked what was missing and he couldn't come up with anything other than a request that I make the fried rice that goes with it. When I asked him what is in the fried rice he didn't know. So that will be my next Springfield culinary adventure.<br />
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<b><u>Recipe</u></b></h3>
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<b>Chicken Preparation</b></div>
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3-4 Chicken Breasts<br />
2 cups of All-Purpose Flour<br />
1/2 teaspoon of Pepper<br />
1 teaspoon of Salt<br />
1 Tablespoon of Corn Starch<br />
3 eggs mixed with a Tablespoon of cold water<br />
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Combine the dry ingredients. Cut the chicken into 1 inch pieces and dredge them in the flour mixture. Then coat them with egg and dredge them with flour again. I like using 2 slotted spoons, 1 in the flour and 1 in the egg, to shake off the excess and help keep my hands clean.<br />
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Use peanut, safflower, or any neutral flavored oil suitable for deep frying. Insert a candy thermometer into the oil if you don't have a deep fryer. Using my gas stove with settings from 1-10 a setting of 5 allows me to keep the oil between 325-350 F. Don't leave hot oil unattended and also make sure there is room in the pan for the oil to expand without boiling over. Fry the chicken in batches until the crust is golden brown. When the chicken is lightly browned remove it from the oil with a slotted spoon and put it on paper towels to absorb excess oil.<br /><br />While the oil is heating up to fry the chicken prepare the sauce.<br /><br />
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<b>Sauce Preparation</b></div>
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<br />4 cups of Chicken Broth<br />
3 Tablespoons of Oyster Sauce*<br />
4 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce**<br />
4 Tablespoons of Corn Starch dissolved in 1/3 cup of cold water<br />
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Bring the broth, oyster and soy sauces to a boil and then add the corn starch mixture. Stir the mixture well and then turn the heat down and let the sauce simmer. I didn't have chicken broth so I used water and organic chicken bouillon.<br /><br />*The first time I made the dish I bought Cantonese oyster sauce because it was the only oyster sauce on this particular grocery store's shelf. I'd never bought oyster sauce before so I didn't know there was a difference. The Cantonese sauce is slightly sweeter than regular oyster sauce. If you only have Cantonese sauce it will still taste good but the dish tastes more authentic if regular oyster sauce is used. I was easily able to find regular oyster sauce at another supermarket.<br />
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**Last year I learned that soy sauce is primarily made of wheat. So out of curiosity I purchased Tamari which is soy sauce that is actually made from soy. The two sauces taste similar but I'd say the Tamari doesn't taste as strong as the soy sauce does. I haven't made this dish with the soy sauce which is made from wheat so that may be the flavor my husband suspects may be missing. I also used low-sodium Tamari. Since I've only had Springfield Cashew Chicken a few times the sauce tasted great to me but my husband thought it needed some salt. I would imagine if either sauce is used with full sodium content salt wouldn't have to be added.<br />
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When half of the chicken is cooked add 1/2 of a 9oz can of cashews to the sauce and they'll soften a bit by the time all of the chicken is cooked.<br /><br />To assemble: On top of rice add chicken, top with cashew sauce, and then finish with fresh chopped scallions.<br />
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-35503891040748046202012-06-03T14:26:00.000-06:002012-06-03T14:27:45.190-06:00Garden Update: Dogs, Grubs, and Beer, Oh My!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Although I've never planted a garden larger than a few vegetables I don't consider myself to be completely clueless when it comes to growing plants. After college I worked as a soil toxicologist and my job was to germinate seeds in Superfund soils. If I can get seeds to sprout in various forms of toxic dirt, the store bought organic dirt should be a breeze. Right?<br />
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When I transplanted the seeds I sprouted indoors the weather was pretty warm for a few days. I watered the plants each night and they were looking good. After a few days I noticed some of the leaves were missing and others had a few yellow spots. Within a week I noticed that the beans which gave me trouble indoors quickly took off. Whereas the cucumbers were beginning to look like they were struggling. The cucumbers eventually wilted and died. I lost one of the tomato plants and the basil. The zucchini and carrots sprouted and everything else was looking good.<br />
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My husband put up a temporary fence to divide our back yard in half. On one side we have 2 Labradors and the other side is for our toddler to play along with the garden. Since we hope to move sometime in the next 5 years we didn't want to invest in a legitimate fence. This is how well the fence worked:<br />
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So, naturally I didn't realize my Labrador could get into the garden until it was too late. I took my morning stroll out to the garden to find it filled with foot prints and several missing plants. He either ate the plants, broke them off, and I'm pretty sure he marked a little territory in the garden as well. The plants he did not eat were yellow and wilted which lead me to believe they succumbed to dog urine. Talk about frustration. All of my hard work vanished in one night, except for the carrots.<br />
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Determined to grow a garden this year I went back to the hardware store and purchased a 4' galvanized wire fence. I attached it to the existing fence stakes with zip ties so now there is a double fence border between the dogs and the rest of the yard.<br />
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While I was at the hardware store I also purchased 2 heirloom tomato plants, a cayenne pepper plant, 4 bell pepper plants, and 4 basil plants. Some of the other veggies weren't much bigger than what I knew I could grow in a week so I simply decided to plant the seeds directly into the garden.<br />
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A few mornings later I went out to water the garden and I found a white grub on top of the soil and some disheveled looking leaves, especially on the basil. I took an empty plastic applesauce container and pushed it into the soil and filled it with beer to catch some grubs. I'm now up to 2 containers and this is what I find after a few days of letting the beer sit:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFFxD1re8tavV1MELUXoTedVBM-550tWE9ThguNZq6c-1AVz3Ap13HJdwgyuWNH6RvicifVeXnDBIy4kxpIXI06xmGqQPQt0CkqgoQi0VfHPZtinVDInDgLHaCWEFOhj4HCWTHNazjM4SI/s1600/grubs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFFxD1re8tavV1MELUXoTedVBM-550tWE9ThguNZq6c-1AVz3Ap13HJdwgyuWNH6RvicifVeXnDBIy4kxpIXI06xmGqQPQt0CkqgoQi0VfHPZtinVDInDgLHaCWEFOhj4HCWTHNazjM4SI/s640/grubs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The grubs crawl into the beer and drown. Sadly I think I'm going to have to create a beer garden to keep up with them. They've taken out 1 basil plant and significantly impacted the other 3 just like the one shown below.
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The grubs are also feasting on the lettuce which is planted on the opposite diagonal of the raised garden bed.
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<span style="text-align: left;">I did a little research yesterday and also asked the </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/UrbanOrganicGardener" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Urban Organic Gardener</a><span style="text-align: left;"> that I follow on Facebook for some advice. Since grubs typically stay in one location beer will work but since they seem to be all over my garden it was recommended that I apply </span><a href="http://www.arbico-organics.com/product/beneficial-nematodes-info/beneficial-nematodes2" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Beneficial Nematodes</a><span style="text-align: left;">. They're essentially worms that prey on destructive garden pests but they don't have any affect on the good bugs. A pesticide would kill both the good and bad bugs and I don't want to eat pesticides either. Since I purchased all of my garden soil I'm wondering if there may not have been many nematodes. They are naturally found in soils all around the world so one would think they would be present. I'm happy that they work by disintegrating the pests from the inside out so I won't have to continually dispose of dead bugs like I do now. Yuck! </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">So, how do you know if you have grubs if you aren't lucky enough to find one on top of the soil like I did. They leave a slime trail on the surface of the soil and plants that glistens when the sun shines on it. I've always noticed these trails first thing in the morning since they dry out during the day. </span></div>
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Although this garden has been frustrating at times there are some plants that are doing well which have made it well worth the trouble this far.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivo1EqKP0vDcza0uNBdOvLUPIopkcj2d5vlAoiMbAuqeij8KgjZ48Co4n-wVQcux2MwUFDRDFzW29dR-DfRspDrkRIiCHYbU9mgufOv77nVLnDVcMRxF1qsywAcaegKH7QSenS1YPnc2A8/s1600/tomatoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivo1EqKP0vDcza0uNBdOvLUPIopkcj2d5vlAoiMbAuqeij8KgjZ48Co4n-wVQcux2MwUFDRDFzW29dR-DfRspDrkRIiCHYbU9mgufOv77nVLnDVcMRxF1qsywAcaegKH7QSenS1YPnc2A8/s640/tomatoes.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomatoes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kRUWuYnncvcYFFWu2ykQeEa0aGsA0c5Xcb5wOwHrYNEGA9GiEeeNRvgU7oyw3SQ4qHoLlHjlARtMN_95ltcQXLLEaUIGEgjN7lCU41FJDe6l8t3l5uKdRnCSGCCiyReiKO7rURfx0neV/s1600/chives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kRUWuYnncvcYFFWu2ykQeEa0aGsA0c5Xcb5wOwHrYNEGA9GiEeeNRvgU7oyw3SQ4qHoLlHjlARtMN_95ltcQXLLEaUIGEgjN7lCU41FJDe6l8t3l5uKdRnCSGCCiyReiKO7rURfx0neV/s640/chives.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Organic green onions I bought at the supermarket and planted; one of the best ideas I found online. The cayenne pepper plant is in the center just behind the 2nd and 3rd green onion. On the left are a few of the bell pepper plants and in the top right corner is a small tomato plant from a seed I planted. </td></tr>
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So, I'm off to find some beneficial nematodes for the garden. Although I planted some lettuce and basil seeds in flower pots I'm considering moving the basil from the garden to a pot as well. The grubs will not get the best of me and my garden : )<br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-33645020894324444242012-04-26T23:59:00.001-06:002014-07-21T08:36:51.235-06:00Which Foods are Considered to be "Natural"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I may be a little behind in the news but I just learned the Kashi brand uses genetically modified ingredints, otherwise known as GMO's. While watching one of their commercials this afternoon a very bubbly girl with a hippie vibe similar to my own was bragging about the whole grains found in the cereal. The term whole grain seems to be stamped on everything lately in an order to urge consumers to buy these products. Even highly sugared cereals have a whole grain banner across the top of the box. Do they really think whole grains are still healthy when they're coated with sugar? Or are Americans so naive and blind that they will buy anything with a whole grain stamp?<br />
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Even if a product is made with whole grains what is the likelihood it isn't genetically modified? In the figure below you will see:<br />
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<li>94% of planted acres of soybeans are GMO's</li>
<li>65-72% of planted acres of corn are GMO's</li>
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So unless the package says a product isn't genetically modified or organic it has most likely been modified.</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I consider myself to be a fairly reasonable person. If companies want to grow GMO's to make batteries, diapers, and biofuel I can stand behind that. However, to feed something to children who are developing the organs they will have for the rest of their life, I have a pretty large issue with. GMO's have only been around since the mid 1990's so no one is certain about the long term health effects that my result from their daily consumption. According to the Code of Federal Regulations, CFR, <a href="http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&rgn=div8&view=text&node=21:3.0.1.1.1.1.1.1&idno=21" target="_blank">21 CFR 170.3 i</a>, safety in reference to food is defined as the following:</span></div>
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(i) <i>Safe </i>or <i>safety </i>means that there is a reasonable certainty in the minds of competent scientists that the substance is not harmful under the intended conditions of use. It is impossible in the present state of scientific knowledge to establish with complete certainty the absolute harmlessness of the use of any substance. Safety may be determined by scientific procedures or by general recognition of safety. In determining safety, the following factors shall be considered:<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
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(1) The probable consumption of the substance and of any substance formed in or on food because of its use.<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
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(2) The cumulative effect of the substance in the diet, taking into account any chemically or pharmacologically related substance or substances in such diet.<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
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(3) Safety factors which, in the opinion of experts qualified by scientific training and experience to evaluate the safety of food and food ingredients, are generally recognized as appropriate.</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">So, we can say with reasonable certainty that substance "X" is safe. I'm sure that can be said about many food additives. If it is eaten randomly the majority of the people won't suffer from any adverse reactions. What about the people who aren't in the majority? Safe should mean 100% safe otherwise it should be called relatively safe or reasonably safe. People have a right to know what is in their food and how it is affecting their body. I'm old enough to remember America before there was an obesity epidemic. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Did you know there are nearly <a href="http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/fcn/fcnNavigation.cfm?rpt=eafusListing" target="_blank">4,000</a> food additives approved by the FDA for use in the US? Even if each of those additives are reasonably safe what about substance "X's" interaction with the other 3,999? It begins to turn into a complex equation that cannot be solved. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Another term which is often found on food packaging is "natural". What does natural mean? According to the <a href="http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/Transparency/Basics/ucm214868.htm" target="_blank">FDA's website</a>:</span></div>
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What is the meaning of 'natural' on the label of food?</h1>
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From a food science perspective, it is difficult to define a food product that is 'natural' because the food has probably been processed and is no longer the product of the earth. That said, FDA has not developed a definition for use of the term natural or its derivatives. However, the agency has not objected to the use of the term if the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances.</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Reading the above statement I began to wonder what is considered to be a synthetic substance. The term sounds vague so I kept digging. From the FDA website I uncovered the definitions of synthetic and nonsynthetic. I stumbled upon these terms in a docket where The Sugar Association Citizen Petition wanted the FDA to distinguish between regular sugar and high fructose corn syrup. According to the code of federal regulations and FDA's interpretation of the codes high fructose corn syrup is considered to be "all-natural". Follow one of the links below to get the full story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dockets/06p0094/06p-0094-c000004-vol1.pdf" target="_blank">Synthetic</a>. A substance that is formulated or manufactured by a </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">chemical process or by a process that chemically changes a </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">substance extracted from naturally occurring plant, animal or </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">mineral sources, except that such term shall not apply to </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">substances created by naturally occurring biological processes</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dockets/06p0094/06p-0094-c000004-vol1.pdf" target="_blank">Nonsynthetic</a> (natural) . A substance that is derived from mineral, </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">plant, or animal matter and does not undergo a synthetic process as </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">defined in section 6502(21) of the Act (7 U.S.C. 6502(21)). For </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">purposes of this part, nonsynthetic is used as a synonym for natural </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">as the term is used in the Act. </span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-4274375749933780912012-04-24T15:21:00.000-06:002012-04-26T15:12:48.224-06:00Growing an Herb Garden<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If you've never grown an herb I urge you to pick your favorite one to grow and use it in your cooking. Once you've become accustomed to cooking with herbs growing right outside your door you won't be able to cook without them. Cooking with fresh herbs gives food flavor without adding a lot of salt or sugar. Plus, herbs are actually good for you.<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Perennial Herbs</h2>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Thyme </h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHLIQu2IWszjzw1ARkp47jwTKqguf6Az5zgVpoYUwLtIfePrq_wpJYm5BZUTokgL7zpXNwackvK3VgOdvVztMblsOO_v4xkGBDfOi2pz5nQMF3_U-7x3EpyDbEsKWzkPe_yux9QDkCz93V/s1600/thyme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHLIQu2IWszjzw1ARkp47jwTKqguf6Az5zgVpoYUwLtIfePrq_wpJYm5BZUTokgL7zpXNwackvK3VgOdvVztMblsOO_v4xkGBDfOi2pz5nQMF3_U-7x3EpyDbEsKWzkPe_yux9QDkCz93V/s200/thyme.jpg" width="130" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thyme (<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHLIQu2IWszjzw1ARkp47jwTKqguf6Az5zgVpoYUwLtIfePrq_wpJYm5BZUTokgL7zpXNwackvK3VgOdvVztMblsOO_v4xkGBDfOi2pz5nQMF3_U-7x3EpyDbEsKWzkPe_yux9QDkCz93V/s1600/thyme.jpg" target="_blank">source</a>)</td></tr>
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Used in many savory dishes it grows well in a sunny environment and doesn't need any special attention. Although I live in southern Idaho it doesn't get horribly cold here in the winter. When I'm preparing meals for <a href="http://jenniferessary.hubpages.com/_3qdrgcgzt7blog/hub/Cooking-the-Perfect-Thanksgiving-Turkey" target="_blank">Thanksgiving</a> or Christmas I'm still able to use the Thyme growing outside.</div>
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Sage</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://foodfreedom.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/sage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://foodfreedom.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/sage.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sage (<a href="http://foodfreedom.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/sage.jpg" target="_blank">source</a>)</td></tr>
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Similar to Thyme it grows very well in a hot and dry environment. The annual rainfall where I live is a mere 12 inches a year and we average 201 sunny days a year. On the outskirts of town sage is one of the few plants that survives. I think sage is also pretty so I've planted some in front of my house. The green leaves have a hint of silvery gray and the plant develops royal purple flowers in late summer.<br />
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
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Oregano</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ9exjs58CiKRNPvypyZtJdIHvuG03AvGDQXanERYMWKdlhWj4l" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ9exjs58CiKRNPvypyZtJdIHvuG03AvGDQXanERYMWKdlhWj4l" width="135" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oregano (<a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ9exjs58CiKRNPvypyZtJdIHvuG03AvGDQXanERYMWKdlhWj4l" target="_blank">source</a>)</td></tr>
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My oregano is planted by the edge of the covered patio. It receives the hot afternoon sun and an occasional watering from the sprinklers. Over the years the patch has grown at a rate typical of most plants but I'm definitely not worried about it taking over the garden.<br />
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Mint</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR7of45_keKspVRr74A0eFKTBPAO8JoyuAZtq6BjTNK3mObahZe" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR7of45_keKspVRr74A0eFKTBPAO8JoyuAZtq6BjTNK3mObahZe" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mint (<a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR7of45_keKspVRr74A0eFKTBPAO8JoyuAZtq6BjTNK3mObahZe" target="_blank">source</a>)</td></tr>
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On the other hand, be careful where you plant mint because it is likely to take over a garden bed. The north side of the house receives a few early morning hours of sunshine but is shaded the rest of the day. Since I have difficulty growing most things in this location I planted mint hoping it would take over. It has done well but it hasn't filled in the bed as quickly as I would have liked. Granted, I only put in a few small plants and expected them to fill a bed nearly the length of the house. Once a year the dried limbs should be broken off. The dry limbs have seeds for new plants so if you want more mint plant accordingly otherwise throw it away. If you put it in the compost you'll have mint growing wherever you spread your compost.<br />
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Lemon Balm</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.humberherbs.co.uk/resources/lemon-balm.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://www.humberherbs.co.uk/resources/lemon-balm.gif" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lemon Balm (<a href="http://www.humberherbs.co.uk/resources/lemon-balm.gif" target="_blank">source</a>)</td></tr>
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A friend dug up a little of this plant from her garden and it has spread pretty quickly through mine. Although it is only planted in the back yard I have found small plants of lemon balm in the front yard. If you pick a leaf off of the plant it smells like lemons. I'm guessing the lemon balm traveled via the blade of the lawnmower or the sole of a shoe. It's very easy to grow and the dried limbs need to be broken off once a year. The dried limbs contain seeds for new plants so keep that in mind if you do or don't want more plants. Much like mint be careful where you plant lemon balm. I've never used lemon balm for cooking but I hear it makes an excellent tea.<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Bi-annual Herbs</h2>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Rosemary</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://thesimplepioneer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Rosemary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://thesimplepioneer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Rosemary.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosemary (<a href="http://thesimplepioneer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Rosemary.jpg" target="_blank">source</a>)</td></tr>
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Rosemary does well with a fair amount of water and sunshine but a plant only lasts 2 years. In order to keep rosemary around a cutting must be made from the plant and used for growing a new plant. I have had a plant dry out due to too much sun and not enough water. (Do they really dry out for any other reason?) I've never generated a new plant from a cutting but I noticed some store bought rosemary developed roots when I stuck the ends in a glass of water. Perhaps this year I'll give it a try because I love rosemary and it is very versatile.<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
Annual Herbs</h2>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Basil</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQB6HboTo91AGEHYT0GuUGG2NDKplxN9WggRDqNUEFWZSuKqx38EA" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQB6HboTo91AGEHYT0GuUGG2NDKplxN9WggRDqNUEFWZSuKqx38EA" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basil (<a href="https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQB6HboTo91AGEHYT0GuUGG2NDKplxN9WggRDqNUEFWZSuKqx38EA" target="_blank">source</a>)</td></tr>
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I've planted basil in a few locations but it seems to do well with a lot of sunshine and and water. Much like sage, and thyme it can really take some intense heat. One of the things I love about basil is the more you break off leaves for cooking the more the plant grows. </div>
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Parsley</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.edgeoftheearthfarm.com/Picpage_Curley_Parsley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://www.edgeoftheearthfarm.com/Picpage_Curley_Parsley.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parsley (<a href="http://www.edgeoftheearthfarm.com/Picpage_Curley_Parsley.jpg" target="_blank">source</a>)</td></tr>
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Planted in a relatively shady spot parsley did very well. I'd say it grew to a bush nearly 2 feet wide. I use fresh parsley from time to time but definitely not often enough to use a bush 2 feet wide. Even with a dusting of snow the parsley remained green well into December. It was definitely tougher than I thought it would be. I planted it on the north side of the house about 1 foot from the foundation so it was fairly well protected.<br />
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Cilantro</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/media//cilantro_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/media//cilantro_01.jpg" width="162" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cilantro (<a href="http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/media//cilantro_01.jpg" target="_blank">source</a>)</td></tr>
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I love cilantro and it is a crucial ingredient for some of my favorite dishes, however, it's a bit of a high maintenance diva in the garden. When blooms appear they have to be broken off right away if you want to keep the plant growing. Otherwise the blooms turn to seed, the plant dries out, and you're left with coriander. It's great that two herbs come from one plant but you definitely have to know what you're doing to maximize the herb you want.<br />
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Dill</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQM60aejvS0GEEUxqV6NitMahAP3d7mANDO2_e-S21UUaFc7z3W" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQM60aejvS0GEEUxqV6NitMahAP3d7mANDO2_e-S21UUaFc7z3W" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dill (<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQM60aejvS0GEEUxqV6NitMahAP3d7mANDO2_e-S21UUaFc7z3W" target="_blank">source</a>)</td></tr>
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When I planted some cucumbers a few years ago I planted dill with hopes of canning some pickles. The cucumbers didn't produce very well in my poor Idaho soil so the pickles were never canned. I used the fresh dill a few times when I was cooking but it isn't an ingredient I use very often. Since fresh dill looks very delicate I planted it in the shade on the north side of the house. It grew to be about 2 feet tall but didn't last very long. The plant produced flowers and similar to cilantro it was done shortly after. If the flowers are removed before they dry the plant will continue to produce new leaves.</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-35187778613914118622012-04-21T17:33:00.001-06:002012-04-21T17:34:12.688-06:00Layout for My Raised Garden Bed<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today's high temperature is in the low 80's and I've been anxious to plant my garden. According to my climate zone I'm supposed to wait until the end of May. However, over the next 10 days we're expecting temperatures mostly in the 70's and 80's and no evening temperatures are forecasted to be lower than 40. I'm sure I'm jumping the gun and some of you may or may not agree with me. Based on today's weather I'm figuring I'll have the month of May to keep a close eye out for potential frost. My plan is to watch the weather closely and cover the garden bed if necessary. In the scaled figure below you'll see how I arranged my 8' x 4' raised garden bed.<br />
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During the course of the day the sun travels from the bottom right corner in the figure above towards the upper left corner. When I was deciding on the layout I put the taller plants in the back of the bed so the shorter plants in the front hopefully won't be shaded over time.<br />
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Here are the varieties I chose:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9kG-4-RytQyM1WjXJgOZAVB3bGORjKYSosugp58MtI4US4giTyJTjs7iOp1sDADKNN4HJ8AzboXA7Augu8_q4sFgMC0xN3ubE06bNHlO84kMgpj1brXaMLhDAoxoIlUzrI0Vy5k2A2sIp/s1600/IMG_2675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9kG-4-RytQyM1WjXJgOZAVB3bGORjKYSosugp58MtI4US4giTyJTjs7iOp1sDADKNN4HJ8AzboXA7Augu8_q4sFgMC0xN3ubE06bNHlO84kMgpj1brXaMLhDAoxoIlUzrI0Vy5k2A2sIp/s400/IMG_2675.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The tomatoes, jalapenos, bell peppers, redina lettuce, basil, cucumbers, and a few beans were germinated indoors. I had trouble indoors with the watermelon and beans. They both sprouted and then died. I think the self watering seed starter kept the seeds too wet. I took the cover off of the seed starter kit last week and planted a few more beans and those haven't had any problems. Today I planted seeds for watermelon, carrots, nevada lettuce, and zucchini directly into the soil. Here is a photo of the garden before anything was planted today.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84aXfTbOv-xvfwbnPLO86aSP7bkqY-uoalOtV4xHO07qIwdUWASpBbYMNIyt73Mi0adsJtT3kqJ9ulufXGWO04mxN7UeJC9SJUubIkaFNPdu64a8J5tQJPT-kJQnBkOVRn4smuh7r7I51/s1600/IMG_2665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84aXfTbOv-xvfwbnPLO86aSP7bkqY-uoalOtV4xHO07qIwdUWASpBbYMNIyt73Mi0adsJtT3kqJ9ulufXGWO04mxN7UeJC9SJUubIkaFNPdu64a8J5tQJPT-kJQnBkOVRn4smuh7r7I51/s400/IMG_2665.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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The cedar bed came in a kit I purchased at a local home improvement store for $80. Between the cost of<br />
lumber and buying a saw and hardware to build my own I figured it was nearly the same amount of money. I also spend most days, sun up to sun down, with a toddler who wants to "help" no matter what I'm doing. (My husband is a flight paramedic who works long shifts) The kit above was perfect because the pieces easily slid together with dove tail joints and no tools were required. Here is a photo of one corner joint.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnYLau2_cW9BuSWMBJKzS4fd3cwdzzldCh4KTeZlzc1-EBDaBrMjelOkwBEO4SkDVgTw9twCuiyy_c-f5HF4zT8oskTFW2ixEVReL4fBuxE8zhan9qpFnBDIxiGhyqSCz2fIvkD1QKPfm/s1600/IMG_2667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnYLau2_cW9BuSWMBJKzS4fd3cwdzzldCh4KTeZlzc1-EBDaBrMjelOkwBEO4SkDVgTw9twCuiyy_c-f5HF4zT8oskTFW2ixEVReL4fBuxE8zhan9qpFnBDIxiGhyqSCz2fIvkD1QKPfm/s400/IMG_2667.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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More updates on the way : )</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-3054991074378618372012-04-15T15:27:00.002-06:002012-04-26T15:22:10.114-06:00Food: Medicine or Poison?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image:<br />
<a href="http://stephaniezahlmann.blogspot.com/2012/03/are-you-ready-to-go-organic.html">http://stephaniezahlmann.blogspot.com/2012/03/are-you-ready-to-go-organic.html</a>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One of my favorite hobbies is finding quotes on Pinterest. I've heard quotes in the past that were similar to the one shown on the left and I believe it is absolutely true. We tend to think once we've passed adolescence or body is "full grown". While you may not grow any taller your organs continuously rebuild themselves. Every 10 years your body makes a new skeleton. The surface of your <a href="http://jenniferessary.hubpages.com/_3qdrgcgzt7blog/hub/Understanding-Your-Skin-The-Best-Anti-Aging-Beauty-Secret" target="_blank">skin</a> is replaced every 3-4 weeks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">An article in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/02/science/02cell.html?pagewanted=all" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>, based on the research of Dr. <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Jonas Frisen, estimates we're really only 7-10 years old. </span><span style="line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">If we're only 10 years old why do people age? Why doesn't your 90 year old grandmother look like she did when she was 10?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">In order to understand the aging process we must first look at cell division. When the body's cells undergo cell division, a process called mitosis, the DNA of the cell must first be copied.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Image: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/images/add_ocr_bimitosisa.gif" target="_blank">Mitosis</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">Human DNA contains 46 chromosomes. If the DNA isn't duplicated before the cell divides the daughter cells will only have 23 chromosomes. DNA is a critical component to cells because it contains information the cell needs to operate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">While the body is amazing, it isn't 100% perfect. Each time the DNA is copied there is a little which is lost in translation. For example, the bone structure of your grandmother's 90 year old face is slightly different than it was when she was 20 or 30. If you've ever made a photocopy of a picture and then a copy of the photocopy the image begins to lose its clarity. Now, imagine only copying the copy 100 times in a row. By the 100th copy you most likely won't be able to detect the original image. Welcome to the aging process! </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">The foods and beverages we consume play a larger role than filling us up when we're hungry. They determine the health of our future cells and organs. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">Most people have heard of the antioxidant properties of vitamin's A, C, and E. Oxidation is the name for what happens when atoms lose electrons. One electron is all that separates Hydrogen and Helium. Which would you rather hold a match to?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">Electrons matter to the chemistry of our body. When an atom or molecule is missing electrons, negatively charged particles, it will try to balance the positively charged protons, found in the nucleus, by "stealing or borrowing" electrons from other atoms. <a href="http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/how-antioxidants-work1" target="_blank">Oxidation</a> is an ongoing process in the body because the body uses oxygen to function. </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">In order to take care of the organism we have to take care of our atoms. </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">There is a </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">hierarchy within the body where each level builds the next: Atoms, Molecules, Cells, Tissues, Organs, Organ Systems, Organism.</span><span style="line-height: 21px;"> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.ict4us.com/r.kuijt/images/en_oxidation_reduction.jpg" imageanchor="3" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" margin-right="10px" src="http://www.ict4us.com/r.kuijt/images/en_oxidation_reduction.jpg" width="310" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Image: <a href="http://www.ict4us.com/r.kuijt/images/en_oxidation_reduction.jpg" target="_blank">Oxidation and Reduction</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">A study conducted by the<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1333754024"> </a></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12px;"><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19754376" target="_blank">Department of Physiology (Animal Physiology II), Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain</a> is one of many that shows oxidation creates inflammation within the </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">body. Eating a diet that combats inflammation is important because heart disease, diabetes, alzheimers, </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">arthritis, and cancer are now believed to be primarily caused by inflammation. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Anti-Inflammatory Foods</span></span></h3>
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<span style="line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you've ever watched Willard Scott announce the Smuckers 100+ birthdays he'll often point out that the people who love to garden seem to live the longest. A diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and fish cause the pH of the human body to increase. Loren Cordain's Book,<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1333754061"> </a><i><a href="http://thepaleodiet.com/" target="_blank">The Paleo Diet</a>, </i>in my opinion offers the best guidance in navigating the food world. Imagine the things you would eat if modern technology didn't exist. Your diet would be full of plants, nuts, and lean meats. Cordain makes an excellent point by showing what cavemen and hunter-gatherers ate. Eating like a caveman is how we are genetically designed to eat. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When the pH decreases the body is full of inflammation. Here is a list of inflammatory ingredients and some of the reasons I avoid them:</span></span></div>
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<li><span style="line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sugar</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Is found in some unexpected grocery items. I've found high fructose corn syrup in marinara sauces, wheat bread and crackers, and yogurt. For a person who is trying to eat healthy these items certainly sound healthy but upon closer inspection there are healthier options available. Instead of buying marinara sauce I buy canned tomatoes and create my own. I've found that Greek yogurt contains less sugar than traditional yogurt. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I never buy or use ANY artificial sweeteners. The way I see it, my body knows how to metabolize sugar without any difficulty. In my morning coffee or tea I use raw sugar or honey. Although I haven't tried it yet I'm looking forward to getting my hands on some coconut palm sugar I learned about while watching Dr. Oz. It doesn't cause spikes in blood sugar like traditional sugar does. (<a href="http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/coconut-palm-sugar-best-new-sugar-alternative" target="_blank">click here</a> to view palm sugar video at doctoroz.com)</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Refined Grains</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When grains are refined they lose their nutritional value. I believe if a food doesn't offer the body some sort of value, why eat it? Many food manufacturers stamp their packages with the phrase "whole grain". It is ironic to me that highly sugared cereals also contain this message. Do people really believe whole grain coated in sugar is healthy? When purchasing wheat bread look for "stone ground" wheat flour as the first ingredient or simply make your own. Here is a link to my <a href="http://jenniferessary.hubpages.com/_3qdrgcgzt7blog/hub/Lazy-Wheat-Bread-Recipe" target="_blank">Lazy Wheat Bread</a> recipe. </span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 12px;">Vegetable Oil </span><span style="line-height: 12px;">Instead of vegetable oil usually made of (corn, soy, or canola) I buy safflower or unrefined coconut oil. The first reason is because corn, soy, and canola are crops that are most likely to be genetically modified. The second reason is that they contain high levels of Omega-6. Omega-3's reduce inflammation and have many health benefits but Omega-6 oils negate the positive benefits of Omega-3's.</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Trans-fats</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The term "trans" in chemistry refers to atoms orienting themselves on opposite sides of a molecule. In the figure below you will see hydrogen atoms surrounding a molecule of saturated fat.</span></span></li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">http://accessibility.psu.edu/files/webstandards/saturatedfat-label2.gif</span></td></tr>
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<ul><span style="font-family: inherit;">Notice in the figure below some of the blue hydrogen atoms have been removed. Atoms are like people in that they don't like to do a lot of work and they like to be stable. So when a few of the hydrogen atoms are removed notice that the hydrogen atoms in the middle are on opposite sides of the molecule. </span></ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://healthfuleatingtips.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/transfat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://healthfuleatingtips.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/transfat.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">http://healthfuleatingtips.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/transfat.jpg</span></td></tr>
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<ul style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Trans fats are commonly associated with partially hydrogenated oils. Hence, if you remove some of the hydrogen atoms they will orient themselves on opposite sides of the fat molecule which creates a trans fat.</span>
<li><span style="line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dairy</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've always wondered who was the first person that thought drinking a white excretion from the nether region of another species looked good. We are the only species that drinks milk past infancy and we're encouraged to do so. Asians who eat their traditional diet full of fruits, vegetables, and fish have fewer incidences of osteoporosis than those who consume dairy. When was the last time you had dairy in your favorite Chinese restaurant? In eastern medicine dairy is not the great substance western medicine claims it is. Your stomach contains acids to help digest food. What happens when you mix lemon juice or vinegar in a glass of milk? It curdles. The eastern point of view is that dairy clogs the system. If you want to have strong bones eat green leafy vegetables and exercise. Remember your bones are continuously rebuilding themselves and they make new bone where bones are stressed. Weight bearing exercise is great for building bone strength.</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Processed and Feedlot Meats</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are many reasons I try to avoid processed and feedlot meats. Thankfully my husband is a hunter so I am able to enjoy lean deer or elk throughout the year. Some people theorize that animals kept on these feedlots aren't happy. They never get to roam through a green pasture and stand in fecal matter all day. It matters if you believe in the transfer of energy. An animal that isn't happy and is probably stressed passes those stress chemicals and energy right to your dinner plate. Looking at the number of Americans who are continuously stressed and/or taking anti-depressants, I think there may be something to this theory. If you've never seen the documentary <a href="http://www.takepart.com/foodinc" target="_blank">Food Inc</a> I believe everyone should see it. Cows raised on feedlots are fed corn to make them gain weight. In the documentary you will see that corn is found in 90% of the items sold in supermarkets. The cows gain weight eating corn and components of corn are found in nearly everything. I'm really not surprised America has an obesity epidemic. They're feeding us the same stuff they're fattening the cows with. A sad moment in the documentary involves a little boy named Kevin. His family stopped for hamburgers on their way home from vacation. Kevin's burger contained E. Coli and within 2 weeks he passed away. The FDA didn't issue a recall on the meat that he ate until well after he had passed.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Grass fed beef is a much better choice it is leaner and contains beneficial fats. Also, if a grain fed cow is exclusively fed grass for 1 week 80% of the E. Coli in its system disappears. (Food Inc)</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Artificial Ingredients</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm old enough to remember America before there was an obesity epidemic. Over the years people have become more sedentary and supermarkets are full of overly processed food. The next time you are in the market read the ingredients of the items you're purchasing. I worked as an analytical chemist for 5 years and I've encountered my fair share of chemicals. There are many that I avoid one I definitely watch out for is BHT. It's found as a preservative in most cereals and crackers. BHT stands for Butylated Hydroxy Tolulene. It is a fine white powder that smells very similar to moth balls. That odor has stuck in my mind for years; it's definitely not natural.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The nutrition label may say there are "0g" of trans-fats per serving, but if the ingredient list contains any oils that are "partially hydrogenated" there are trans-fats in that product. If you're not sure what a food ingredient is look it up on Google. This may seem like a daunting task at first but over time we can change our food system. Every purchase you make is a vote and money often has a louder voice than the people do. </span></span></li>
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<span style="line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To your health : )</span></span><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-81852330543322184822012-04-13T08:40:00.003-06:002012-04-30T15:20:12.462-06:00My Healthier Version of Coffee Cake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have a tendency of looking over a recipe and then changing it to make it my own. Some mornings I crave something sweet with my coffee but I find so many coffee cakes, pastries, and doughnuts are too sweet for my taste. The reason I feel this is a healthier version is because I swapped out a few ingredients and cut the amount of sugar nearly in half. Instead of sour cream I used unsweetened applesauce, I replaced butter with coconut oil, doubled the amount of cinnamon, and used less than half of the sugar the original recipe called for. The original recipe called for 7oz of white sugar and 7oz of packed brown sugar. Instead I measured 7oz of brown sugar without packing it down. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Health Benefits of Coconut Oil</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Athletes have been using coconut oil because the fat is readily available for energy use. I recently purchased my first jar and despite its name it doesn't have a coconut flavor. I've used it in place of vegetable oil in many dishes. It is one of the ways I introduce something healthy to my skeptical husband. For more information on how coconut oil helps: stress relief, maintaining cholesterol levels, weight loss, increased immunity, proper digestion and metabolism, relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, </span><a class="sitelinkx" href="http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/home-remedies/home-remedies-for-diabetes.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 21px; 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; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_self" title="">diabetes</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, HIV and </span><a class="sitelinkx" href="http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/home-remedies/home-remedies-for-cancer.html" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 21px; 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; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_self" title="">cancer</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, dental care, and bone strength visit <a href="http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/organic-coconut-oil/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil.html" target="_blank">Organifacts.net</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Health Benefits of Cinnamon from <a href="http://www.organicauthority.com/health/11-health-benefits-of-cinnamon.html" target="_blank">Organicauthority.com</a></span></div>
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<ol style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower your bad cholesterol (or LDL).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cinnamon may help treat Type 2 Diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels and increasing the amount of insulin production in the body.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cinnamon has antifungal properties, and it's been said that candida cannot live in a cinnamon environment. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cinnamon can reduce the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cinnamon has an anti-clotting effect on the blood.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Honey and Cinnamon combined has been found to relieve arthritis pain.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">When added to food, cinnamon inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cinnamon fights the E. coli bacteria in unpasteurized juices.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cinnamon has been found to be an effective natural remedy for eliminating<a href="http://www.organicauthority.com/health/natural-headache-remedies.html" style="text-decoration: none;"> headaches and migraine relief.</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cinnamon can also help stabilize blood sugar (which is great for weight loss). A couple of dashes in your morning tea or cereal is all it takes!</span></li>
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Since it is just me and my husband I also cut the original recipe in half. This cake can be baked in a 9 x 9 pyrex or a round cake pan. If you double the recipe use two 9" pans instead of one large pan. The original recipe stated the cake wouldn't cook correctly if all of the batter was added to a large pan.<br />
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The Cake (Serves 6 people)<br />
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1 1/2 C All Purpose Flour<br />
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda<br />
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon<br />
1 C Unsweetened Applesauce<br />
7 oz Unpacked Brown Sugar<br />
3 Eggs<br />
3 Tablespoon Melted Coconut Oil<br />
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Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, excluding the flour, and mix by hand. Add the flour last and mix just until it is incorporated. Gluten begins to develop when the flour is added and if it is over mixed the cake will become tough.<br />
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Streusel Topping<br />
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3/4 C Unpacked Brown Sugar<br />
1/8 C All purpose Flour<br />
2 Tablespoon Melted Coconut Oil<br />
1/2 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon<br />
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Mix the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a bowl with a fork. Drizzle the melted coconut oil into the mixture and continue to stir with the fork until it is the consistency of moist sand. The original recipe called for chopped walnuts in the topping which will give it an Omega-3 boost. I omitted the nuts because I worried my toddler might choke on them.<br />
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Pour the cake into a greased 9" pan and top with the streusel. Bake in the center of a 350 F oven for 30-40 minutes.* A toothpick or a knife inserted should come out with a few crumbs on it but not have wet batter.<br />
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*When I popped it in my oven I put it on the top rack which seemed too high after 15 minutes because the cake was still very wet. I moved the cake to the bottom rack and it was done by the 40 minute mark.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB8o_Gfu_5SKM874MdB7HXY1U8E5ILm6WDCt7YVXPX1tHGKKFz24Az5-7G3Z9gs5zx-n-bSsz2Tt9s0aIPcGT6VRTIPnD21qSE2GGXbkBW9Z_uklJjMCIb85OFMHoohLpX7lLYGNK5MsXt/s1600/coffee+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB8o_Gfu_5SKM874MdB7HXY1U8E5ILm6WDCt7YVXPX1tHGKKFz24Az5-7G3Z9gs5zx-n-bSsz2Tt9s0aIPcGT6VRTIPnD21qSE2GGXbkBW9Z_uklJjMCIb85OFMHoohLpX7lLYGNK5MsXt/s400/coffee+cake.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/recipes/quick-coffee-cake/" target="_blank">The Original Recipe</a> on Americastestkitchenfeed.com<br />
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UPDATE 4/30/12<br />
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It never occurred to me when I wrote this to see if there was a website that calculated ingredients into nutrition facts. Ta-Da! <a href="http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp">http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp</a><br />
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The "official" nutrition facts from the website are given further down the page. I apologize for my HTML abilities. Initially the facts were organized one above the other instead of side by side. Since I didn't think that would be very useful I created an image document with the relevant information just below. The facts on the left are for my recipe and the facts on the right are for the original recipe.<br />
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Although I didn't add as much sugar and used unsweetened applesauce in place of sour cream my recipe has a higher sugar content. In my opinion all sugars are not created equally. I would much rather receive my sugar from fruits than from granulated sugar. Other than that my recipe has fewer calories, less fat, and more potassium than sodium. Potassium is important because it opposes the effects of sodium in the body.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgybsxiskKgWdR-6Fd_bVikVfZ55y639wCTv2BE6Ry1vQ4QDhvgKHHQyEFiqjKXcy1RwYQN2egLdCO6eYrNwc8FXH9Bl3MjDRNZG1_aozXgcVKbsVDAvKHR-CqMYkGVWIX7tSQ5IqaATJGf/s1600/coffee+cake+nutrition+comparison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgybsxiskKgWdR-6Fd_bVikVfZ55y639wCTv2BE6Ry1vQ4QDhvgKHHQyEFiqjKXcy1RwYQN2egLdCO6eYrNwc8FXH9Bl3MjDRNZG1_aozXgcVKbsVDAvKHR-CqMYkGVWIX7tSQ5IqaATJGf/s1600/coffee+cake+nutrition+comparison.jpg" /></a><br />
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The Results for My Recipe:<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, Swiss, SunSans-Regular; font-size: small;">Nutrition Facts</span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, Swiss, SunSans-Regular; font-size: small;"></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, Swiss, SunSans-Regular; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #5a5ab5; font-size: x-small;">User Entered Recipe</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, Swiss, SunSans-Regular; font-size: small;"></span></b></div>
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<tr><td colspan="3"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> 6 Servings</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>Amount Per Serving</b></span></div>
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<tr bgcolor="#faffdc" height="3"><td bgcolor="black" colspan="3" height="3" nowrap="nowrap"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Calories</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">401.4</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Total Fat</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">13.9</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Saturated Fat</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">10.6</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Polyunsaturated Fat</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">0.7</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Monounsaturated Fat</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1.7</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Cholesterol</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">92.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> mg</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Sodium</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">197.3</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> mg</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Potassium</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">246.7</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> mg</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Total Carbohydrate</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">80.0</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Dietary Fiber</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2.0</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Sugars</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">56.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Protein</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">6.2</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; width: 273px;"><tbody>
<tr height="3"><td bgcolor="black" colspan="2" height="3" nowrap="nowrap"></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin A</span></td><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="33" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">3.3</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin B-12</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">4.0</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin B-6</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2.7</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin C</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1.3</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin D</span></td><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">5.0</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin E</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">0.2</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Calcium</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">8.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Copper</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">5.9</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Folate</span></td><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">3.2</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Iron</span></td><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">14.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Magnesium</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">3.1</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Manganese</span></td><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16.0</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Niacin</span></td><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">8.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Pantothenic Acid </span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">0.4</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Phosphorus </span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">7.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Riboflavin</span></td><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">11.7</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Selenium</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Thiamin</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">10.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Zinc</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2.2</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
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<br /><br /><br /><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; width: 255px;"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="3"><div align="center">
The Results for the Original Recipe<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, Swiss, SunSans-Regular; font-size: small;">Nutrition Facts</span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, Swiss, SunSans-Regular; font-size: small;"></span></b><br />
<div align="left">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, Swiss, SunSans-Regular; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #5a5ab5; font-size: x-small;">User Entered Recipe</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, Swiss, SunSans-Regular; font-size: small;"></span></b></div>
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<tr><td colspan="3"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> 12 Servings</span></td></tr>
<tr height="5"><td bgcolor="black" colspan="3" height="5" nowrap="nowrap"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="30"><td colspan="3" height="30" nowrap="nowrap"><div align="center">
<span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b>Amount Per Serving</b></span></div>
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<tr bgcolor="#faffdc" height="3"><td bgcolor="black" colspan="3" height="3" nowrap="nowrap"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Calories</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">521.7</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Total Fat</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">25.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Saturated Fat</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">11.9</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Polyunsaturated Fat</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">5.6</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Monounsaturated Fat</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">6.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Cholesterol</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">89.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> mg</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Sodium</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">466.3</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> mg</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Potassium</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">236.8</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> mg</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Total Carbohydrate</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">77.0</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Dietary Fiber</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2.2</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" width="16"> </td><td colspan="1" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Sugars</span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">49.1</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td colspan="2" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"><b> Protein</b></span></td><td height="35" width="56"><span style="font-size: x-small;">7.6</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> g</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#D7D7F9" colspan="3"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; width: 273px;"><tbody>
<tr height="3"><td bgcolor="black" colspan="2" height="3" nowrap="nowrap"></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin A</span></td><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="33" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">14.9</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin B-12</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">4.0</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin B-6</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">4.1</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin C</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1.1</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin D</span></td><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Vitamin E</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">3.4</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Calcium</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">15.6</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Copper</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">11.3</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Folate</span></td><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">5.0</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Iron</span></td><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">14.0</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Magnesium</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">6.6</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Manganese</span></td><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">27.1</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Niacin</span></td><td bgcolor="#EBEBFF" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">10.1</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Pantothenic Acid </span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1.9</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Phosphorus </span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">12.4</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Riboflavin</span></td><td bgcolor="white" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">13.5</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Selenium</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2.8</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Thiamin</span></td><td height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">14.2</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr height="1"><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2" height="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
<tr height="35"><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap" width="196"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Zinc</span></td><td bgcolor="#ebebff" height="35" nowrap="nowrap"><span style="font-size: x-small;">3.8</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> %</span></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
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<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; width: 257px;"><tbody>
<tr height="3"><td align="center" bgcolor="black" height="3" width="257"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.</span></td></tr>
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; width: 255px;"><tbody>
<tr><td bgcolor="#d7d7f9" colspan="2"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; width: 257px;"><tbody>
<tr height="3"><td align="center" bgcolor="black" height="3" width="257"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://assets3.sparkrecipes.com/spacer.gif" width="1" /></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: xx-small;">*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.</span></td></tr>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-81504300356963443662012-04-12T13:52:00.001-06:002012-04-12T13:52:33.011-06:00The Seeds Have Sprouted Without Pesticides<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you asked people whether or not they trusted the government most of them would tell you "NO". Yet for some the government's control over food or lack thereof, goes unnoticed. For those of us who know not to trust the government's oversight of our food safety many choose organic over conventional produce in order to avoid pesticides. While the toxicity of each pesticide varies, birth defects, nerve damage, cancer, and "other" health effects are listed on the <a href="http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/food/risks.htm" target="_blank">EPA's website</a> as potential outcomes of pesticide exposure. The sensitivity to these chemicals will vary among individuals and I think people should avoid them if possible. My husband likes to tease me by asking if I want a radioactive rock because it's "all natural". The thing is, we know radiation is dangerous so we protect ourselves from it. So, why do we allow our food to be sprayed with things which can cause adverse health effects? As a former analytical chemist what concerns me is that the toxicity of each pesticide is tested individually. While it would be a lengthy and complex study I'd like to see someone attempt to understand how all of the pesticides combined affect our health. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the meantime, I trust myself and I really want to know what happens to my produce. So, I've started some seeds indoors for a vegetable garden this year. At the local store I picked up a Burpee Self Watering Seed Starter kit with 16 cells. (see video below) The set came with soil optimal for sprouting seeds and a design that allows it to water itself for 10 days. In the photo below you will also notice the tray is stamped with the letters A, B, C, and D. The kit also contained a map of the tray layout with the letters so you can keep track of where things are planted. Some say to buy a light specifically for growing plants but I used a small desk lamp during the day to generate some heat. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I chose seeds in the store from <a href="http://www.seedsofchange.com/default.aspx" target="_blank">Seeds of Change</a> not only because they are organic but also because I support their overall mission.</span><br />
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<div style="background-color: #f5f4e9; color: #333300; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<a href="http://www.seedsofchange.com/about/default.aspx" target="_blank">OUR HISTORY Seeds of Change was founded in 1989 by passionate gardeners with a vision to make organically grown seeds available to gardeners and farmers, while preserving countless heirloom seed varieties in danger of being lost to the "advances" of modern industrial agriculture.</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some seeds perform better when they are started indoors and others must be started outside. Starting seeds indoors generates a productive garden earlier, it is also less expensive to buy seeds than individual plants. An additional bonus, since I purchased heirloom seeds I can save seeds from my garden for use next year. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In each cell I planted a few extra seeds just in case a few didn't sprout. Although I didn't keep track I'm pretty sure I'm near a 100% germination rate. I have more lettuce sprouts than my 8' by 4' raised garden bed is going to allow for if I wish to have any variety. (See the second row from the top in the photo below) Lettuce seedlings have to be planted 12" apart so I'm going to plant 10 or 12 and try growing a few indoors. It is very hot and dry here in southwestern Idaho so I'm curious to see how lettuce will do in this environment. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQMemjvfrPjzMiIoQEXi8qaSENTcMwtKL722a5y22JOOAkT2yanoOMhLQ8EvwM9rZxdomsjhRcGTdTXWZo1t0PtqDjEVc-9iaJ33dbeXpVY4aofgTkNnTJthux0OsuDfxHTRcV0JnvRGpo/s1600/sprouted+seeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="523" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQMemjvfrPjzMiIoQEXi8qaSENTcMwtKL722a5y22JOOAkT2yanoOMhLQ8EvwM9rZxdomsjhRcGTdTXWZo1t0PtqDjEVc-9iaJ33dbeXpVY4aofgTkNnTJthux0OsuDfxHTRcV0JnvRGpo/s640/sprouted+seeds.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sprouted Seeds in a Burpee Self Watering Seed Germination Kit (cover removed)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes were the first to sprout. Beans, watermelon, basil, and cantaloupe followed behind. Bell peppers and jalapenos took the longest to sprout. They nearly took 2 weeks so be patient and don't forget to check the water level in the sprouting kit . When the seedlings were tall enough to reach the plastic cover of the seed kit I transplanted them into planters shaped like window boxes. I chose this shape because they fit in the windowsill but any container will certainly do. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi088_mBN9yHO3d65Ktv50ds_ZWKx_IeuxJVZD596n1ihCaO-TdixvqDnnAOHmU3SZdQC1mc2BI3EkZ16j8luke_Ymh_UmnAeLeCsvRoknZX41AmQo7sIcSTATjW6JeSttmca0tnmsFvcvK/s1600/window+box+cucumber.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi088_mBN9yHO3d65Ktv50ds_ZWKx_IeuxJVZD596n1ihCaO-TdixvqDnnAOHmU3SZdQC1mc2BI3EkZ16j8luke_Ymh_UmnAeLeCsvRoknZX41AmQo7sIcSTATjW6JeSttmca0tnmsFvcvK/s640/window+box+cucumber.jpg" width="345" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are fancy garden markers you can purchase but I opted for a simple homemade variety. I folded a piece of masking tape over the end of a toothpick and wrote the name of the plant on the tape. Since I spend my days keeping up with a toddler I needed something that was quick and didn't require a lot of fuss.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9iriA7q6pnnpF5l3knPYg4fydDYkGgQzy753BoGVPGK1ph32fGDKiMgNSB1UAc6zNU0pPli4Ov66HweHiFI5pwftb1w0LOoLDSYZhdc2o01DM40XN9G6Wbi1XHX7avI-WhnP-G2-urx94/s1600/plant+tag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9iriA7q6pnnpF5l3knPYg4fydDYkGgQzy753BoGVPGK1ph32fGDKiMgNSB1UAc6zNU0pPli4Ov66HweHiFI5pwftb1w0LOoLDSYZhdc2o01DM40XN9G6Wbi1XHX7avI-WhnP-G2-urx94/s640/plant+tag.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Stay tuned for more news from the garden.</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-90402447088318452062012-02-26T08:51:00.001-07:002012-02-26T09:07:35.302-07:00PGPR - Leave My Chocolate Alone<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A friend gave me a piece of sugar free chocolate and it tasted surprisingly normal. When I Googled the ingredients I noticed it contained PGPR. I'd never heard of such a thing before so I had to do a little research. Read my full story <a href="http://jenniferessary.hubpages.com/_3qdrgcgzt7blog/hub/PGPR-Leave-my-Chocolate-Alone" target="_blank">here</a> to see what natural chocolate ingredient manufacturers are removing to replace with PGPR. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OHvPgLvRft9xWpiJsfgzJC-Pd6ROmEHukPzOelM8WnURU8Bf3FJz_HNsFGGkIx2o5WyIizUOBYgL2Grqrd1jQGgbPO7QiBbQgyaSmwOouDH-Bx_ukSK8Rb6lwitdW6e9iJ1D2Mrt7XrV/s1600/John+Kasawa+FreeDigitalPhotos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OHvPgLvRft9xWpiJsfgzJC-Pd6ROmEHukPzOelM8WnURU8Bf3FJz_HNsFGGkIx2o5WyIizUOBYgL2Grqrd1jQGgbPO7QiBbQgyaSmwOouDH-Bx_ukSK8Rb6lwitdW6e9iJ1D2Mrt7XrV/s640/John+Kasawa+FreeDigitalPhotos.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Kasawa @ FreeDigitalPhotos.net<br />
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=2436</td></tr>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-56234801002143208482012-01-25T13:50:00.003-07:002012-04-26T15:15:56.361-06:00Bifteck Hache A La Lyonnaise - Ground Beef with Onions and Herbs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Considering myself to be a pretty good cook I didn't fully understand how much work Julie from the movie <i>Julie and Julia</i> must have gone through. Since I didn't have a Julia Child cookbook in my collection I found a used version of <i>Mastering the Art of French Cooking</i> on Amazon.com. My first attempt a few months ago was a chicken dish with an herb sauce. The chicken was fried in a stick of butter and I thought the butter would burn since chicken takes a while to cook so I added a little vegetable oil. Well, when I added the eggs to make the sauce it broke apart. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Looking through the cook book the other night I was surprised to find recipes for hamburgers. I thought for sure this would be easy and I wouldn't mess it up. Following the recipe I began by sauteing some onions in a pan until they were tender but not brown.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0ebo2HDm4havUNAklr_mUNgMBwKG4l5SSKV38f-gCqXIKIeAUa0HXrNcms-sqCJ7TgbkMESxdwRo0phweyUUsvdxfT6hEceFzVaZhSBRC-VfQnmmqB1a-osGQfO2IDLPSqeVuBk2qmZd/s1600/IMG_2422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0ebo2HDm4havUNAklr_mUNgMBwKG4l5SSKV38f-gCqXIKIeAUa0HXrNcms-sqCJ7TgbkMESxdwRo0phweyUUsvdxfT6hEceFzVaZhSBRC-VfQnmmqB1a-osGQfO2IDLPSqeVuBk2qmZd/s640/IMG_2422.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Sauteed Onions</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To the ground sirloin I added salt, pepper, 1 egg, and the onions. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkAOp9JpAuzhxYTPzY7bmTcBMetYJXgFquMT-dN9FfL2LB8bNDu7xwa83gBxfSbWfX1UxG6WFXp8fr-KtuIJZP3g03p9LS4ETd3XTHq4LgL5h9AYamCkB22fWr4Ofwws4DnXetoPKICOO/s1600/IMG_2425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkAOp9JpAuzhxYTPzY7bmTcBMetYJXgFquMT-dN9FfL2LB8bNDu7xwa83gBxfSbWfX1UxG6WFXp8fr-KtuIJZP3g03p9LS4ETd3XTHq4LgL5h9AYamCkB22fWr4Ofwws4DnXetoPKICOO/s640/IMG_2425.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After combining the ingredients I dipped them in flour and began to saute them in equal parts butter and oil just as the recipe called for. The book said to use 1 or 2 skillets to hold the patties in one layer. Since I was working with 3/4 lb of beef and was making 1 toddler sized burger I decided to cook 2 patties and then finish the 3rd in the same pan. I've learned my lesson from now on to do exactly what Julia says. The flour from the first 2 patties burnt in the bottom of the pan. I definitely wasn't thinking but I was also trying to pacify a hungry toddler, Skype with grandparents, and take photos while doing this. When the burgers were completed the pan drippings were to be used as a sauce. I knew the burnt flour would ruin the sauce so I removed the partially cooked 3rd burger from the pan so I could clean it. With fresh oil and butter I finished cooking the 3rd patty and poured the oil out of the pan. The recipe offers 5 different liquid choices to make a sauce and I chose pinot noir. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Before I tried this recipe I had no idea that sauteed onions and thyme made such a delicious hamburger. They were so good I think putting it on a bun with the traditional toppings would ruin it. It was excellent by itself and the sauce managed to make it seem gourmet. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipH_zKU3iLYUPkAyUJ2AlrwoAITNgBQSXm-2KjgsC0Cg835DQ2RdgPc9IdPvX35rAMbHCsZ9fuz24JF7vEJ9A9lj-3qwDypj0V7b8wmGJD4vK7QWbNg_y-q7oaEBcqD9tvMPnzpR8snzUV/s1600/IMG_2430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipH_zKU3iLYUPkAyUJ2AlrwoAITNgBQSXm-2KjgsC0Cg835DQ2RdgPc9IdPvX35rAMbHCsZ9fuz24JF7vEJ9A9lj-3qwDypj0V7b8wmGJD4vK7QWbNg_y-q7oaEBcqD9tvMPnzpR8snzUV/s640/IMG_2430.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When my husband came home from work late that night I told him that I tried another Julia recipe but managed to mess it up too. He pulled his from the fridge, warmed it in the microwave, and devoured it standing over the sink. He looked at me and sarcastically said "yeah, that was horrible".</span></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/biftek-hache-a-la-lyonnaise-138029" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For the full Recipe click here</span></a></b></div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-60302600984650024712012-01-25T13:15:00.001-07:002012-04-12T15:08:47.093-06:00Fantastic Meatloaf<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Traditional meatloaf is slathered in ketchup which I am not a huge fan. So I scoured the web for a meatloaf recipe that didn't involve ketchup. Emeril is one of the chefs whose recipes never let me down. It's a great feeling as a home cook when a recipe turns out absolutely delicious. This meatloaf is basted with broth. The recipe calls for veal stock but I use beef broth because it is much easier to come by. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It is a very simple recipe that contains onions, green peppers, garlic, salt and pepper for the seasoning. In addition to the traditional eggs and breadcrumbs the recipe also calls for heavy cream. I've never put milk or cream into a meatloaf before but it is fantastic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The recipe calls for both ground beef and ground pork. I've made it using only beef and it's good, but the ground pork does take it to another level. When the meatloaf is finished the pan drippings are used to make a gravy. I'm tempted to call this meatloaf the poor man's roast. It doesn't take all day like a roast but is just as satisfying. You must give it a try!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/moms-meatloaf-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">Mom's Meatloaf Recipe - Emeril Lagasse</a> on FoodNetwork.com<br />
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Ingredients</h2>
<ul class="kv-ingred-list1" style="background-color: white; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; 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: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2 teaspoons butter</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; 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: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3/4 pound <a class="crosslink" debug="33 43" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/beef/index.html" style="color: #1e7bac; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">ground beef</a></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; 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: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1/4 pound ground pork</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; 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: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1 cup minced <a class="crosslink" debug="88 93" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/onion/index.html" style="color: #1e7bac; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">onions</a></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; 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: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1/2 cup minced <a class="crosslink" debug="114 126" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/green-pepper/index.html" style="color: #1e7bac; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">green peppers</a></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; 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: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1 tablespoon chopped garlic</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; 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: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2 eggs</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; 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: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1/2 cup <a class="crosslink" debug="183 193" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/cream/index.html" style="color: #1e7bac; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">heavy cream</a></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; 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: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">3/4 to 1 cup bread crumbs</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; 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: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Salt and fresh ground black pepper</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; 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: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2 cups veal stock</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; 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: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2 tablespoons flour</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="line-height: 23px; 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: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">2 tablespoons water</li>
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Directions</h2>
<div class="instructions" style="background-color: white; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div class="instruction" style="line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 9px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. <a class="crosslink" debug="35 40" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/grease/index.html" style="color: #1e7bac; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">Grease</a> a roasting pan with the butter. In a mixing bowl, add beef, pork, onions, peppers, garlic, eggs, cream, and <a class="crosslink" debug="150 161" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/breadcrumbs/index.html" style="color: #1e7bac; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">bread crumbs</a>. Blend thoroughly. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into a loaf and place on the prepared pan. Pour the stock over the top and place in the oven. Place in the oven and bake for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, basting occasionally. Remove the pan from the oven. Using a long <a class="crosslink" debug="455 461" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/spatula/index.html" style="color: #1e7bac; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">spatula</a>, remove the meat loaf from the pan. Place the roasting pan on the stove, over high heat. In a small bowl, whisk the flour with 2 tablespoons water. Whisk the <a class="crosslink" debug="623 628" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/slurry/index.html" style="color: #1e7bac; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">slurry</a> into the gravy. Bring the liquid to a boil and cook for few minutes, stirring constantly. Season the gravy with salt and pepper. Slice the <a class="crosslink" debug="769 776" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/meatloaf/index.html" style="color: #1e7bac; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">meatloaf</a> in to 8 pieces. Serve two slices of<a class="crosslink" debug="814 822" href="http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/meatloaf/index.html" style="color: #1e7bac; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;">meat loaf</a> per person with a spoonful of gravy.</div>
</div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-78984441963123926882012-01-19T14:09:00.000-07:002012-01-28T22:57:46.213-07:00Vegetarian Reuben<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not only was it a hectic Saturday the weather was cold and crummy. My dinner thoughts included a grilled cheese and hot bowl of tomato soup. After I made a grilled cheese for my toddler I lost my excitement for the sandwich. I decided to slice some onion which sounded good, but it still didn't sound like it would hit the spot. Several years ago I saw a talk show featuring one of the reality stars from the Bachelor who made the grilled cheese I was now craving. His version included tomato slices and dill pickles. Unfortunately I didn't have either. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Standing in front of the open refrigerator I began to scan the items on the shelf looking for inspiration. On the back of the top shelf I saw the jar of sauerkraut and immediately grabbed it. When I previously assessed the pickle situation I knew I had sweet relish. My husband who was watching this process began asking if I was pregnant. He doesn't like sauerkraut and hence has never had a Reuben. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I put the buttered side of a piece of wheat bread face down in a hot skillet and topped it with cheddar cheese slices, red onion, sauerkraut, and more cheese. To the other slice of bread I buttered one side and spread mayonnaise on the other. With a spoon I added a layer of sweet relish on top of the mayo and put the relish side down on top of the cheese. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After I toasted the other side in the pan I cut the sandwich in half and took my first bite. It was delicious! My husband asked what it tasted like and I said "a Reuben". "So you made a Vegetarian Reuben?" he said. "Yes, and I'll give you credit for naming it". </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQR-khna4kXbRSuflYDXG4anfjBxMgpndngQkwIZcd1qCcWVXDjd8GhCdCFXggxJsRFOgD09fEjkor8PPoNFLd6dSY1AC_mk1yNFfPqBXPyQh4JwltIVkRQ_3USezveYs5K41X2UuRdChf/s1600/IMG_2400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQR-khna4kXbRSuflYDXG4anfjBxMgpndngQkwIZcd1qCcWVXDjd8GhCdCFXggxJsRFOgD09fEjkor8PPoNFLd6dSY1AC_mk1yNFfPqBXPyQh4JwltIVkRQ_3USezveYs5K41X2UuRdChf/s640/IMG_2400.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Ingredient List</b></span></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 slices of bread (I used wheat but rye would have been better)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Slices of cheddar cheese</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Slices of onion</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sauerkraut</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sweet pickle relish</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mayo</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Butter</span></li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-50704635470400820722012-01-15T16:21:00.000-07:002012-01-28T22:58:34.966-07:00Cowboy Roasted Chicken<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yesterday I didn't have much gumption to make dinner so I decided to make a roasted chicken. Although I put the bird in the refrigerator to thaw the day before it was still partially frozen. I was going to rub the bird with a butter and herb mixture but I knew I wouldn't be able to put butter between the skin and breast. Instead I grabbed my husband's favorite spice blend and rubbed a generous amount on the chicken. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Image: <span style="background-color: white; color: #228822; line-height: 15px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">sweetbaysupermarket.com</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 15px;">After applying the rub to the chicken I put it in a 350 F oven. When 20 minutes had passed I added a little safflower oil to the bottom of the pan. Vegetable oil will also work. Using a basting brush I combined some of the drippings with the oil and used them to gently baste the chicken. Every 15-20 minutes I continued to baste the chicken until it became golden brown. I inserted a meat thermometer in a few areas to test the temperature. Since I knew the bird was originally frozen I inserted the thermometer deep into the chicken without touching the bone. Bones can be hotter than the meat and give a false reading so make sure your thermometer doesn't touch them. Taking the recommendation of celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse I cooked the chicken until it was 160 F. Many sources suggest cooking poultry to 175-180 but chef Emeril has said on several cooking shows that temperature will dry out the meat. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 15px;">When the chicken was removed from the pan I covered it with foil to let it rest for 30 minutes. During the resting period the temperature of the meat will continue to climb. If the chicken will not be given time to rest I recommend the 175-180 F range. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 15px;">My husband carved the chicken and began nibbling on it while doing so. He ate most of his dinner over the roasting pan because he couldn't quit eating it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 15px;">Later I added the chicken bones and pan drippings to an 8qt stockpot with water, a few bay leaves, sage leaves, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. I covered the pot and let it simmer for an hour to make home made chicken stock. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 15px;">It was a delicious dinner and a bargain at $0.89/lb.</span></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-28946939586347784602012-01-11T15:58:00.002-07:002012-01-15T15:44:42.601-07:00Food Quotes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: Gungsuh, serif; font-size: 12pt;">I feel a recipe is only a theme, which an
intelligent cook can play each time with a variation. —–Madam Benoit<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Baskerville Old Face', serif; font-size: 20pt;">One cannot think well, love well,
sleep well, if one has not dined well. —-Virginia Woolf<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Food is our common ground, a universal
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt;">James Beard</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Bradley Hand ITC'; font-size: 18pt;">Cooking is like love. It should be entered into
with abandon or not at all. - Harriet Van Horne<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Broadway; font-size: 18pt;">The only time to
eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook. —Julia Child<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Algerian; font-size: 18pt;">There is no
sincerer love than the love of food. –George Bernard Shaw<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-23982175560632356732012-01-10T14:54:00.001-07:002012-04-26T15:17:07.183-06:00Leftover Dinner Ideas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm not a huge fan of leftovers but I it is such a horrible waste to throw away food. Every time I visit the market I am shocked how expensive things are becoming. Have you ever left the store with only a few items feeling there's not much in your cart to eat but the bill comes to $50? Here are some shocking facts from an article I found in the New York Times.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/weekinreview/18martin.html?pagewanted=all" target="_blank">One Country’s Table Scraps, Another Country’s Meal</a></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">As it turns out, Americans waste an astounding amount of food — an estimated 27 percent of the food available for consumption, according to a government study — and it happens at the supermarket, in restaurants and cafeterias and in your very own kitchen.</span> </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/weekinreview/18martin.html?pagewanted=all" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">1</a></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to Enlarge:<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/weekinreview/18martin.html?pagewanted=all" target="_blank">Source: "One Country's Table Scraps Another Country's Meal" by Andrew Martin, The New York Times May 18, 2008</a></td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 1.467em; text-align: center;">The problem isn’t unique to the United States.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In England, a recent study revealed that Britons toss away a third of the food they purchase, including more than four million whole apples, 1.2 million sausages and 2.8 million tomatoes. In Sweden, families with small children threw out about a quarter of the food they bought, a recent study there found. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/weekinreview/18martin.html?pagewanted=all" target="_blank">1</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">And most distressing, perhaps, is that in some parts of Africa a quarter or more of the crops go bad before they can be eaten.</span> </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/weekinreview/18martin.html?pagewanted=all" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">1</a></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To help keep your grocery bill low and stop wasting food here are a few ideas to help turn your leftovers into a new meal. Personally I can only eat a dish a few times and then I need a change. So, I've learned to get creative in the kitchen. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://jenniferessary.blogspot.com/2012/01/fantastic-meatloaf.html" target="_blank">Meatloaf</a></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Meatloaf is a very versatile dish that can be used in several ways</span><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Turn it into chili</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add it to marinara sauce for a spaghetti topping</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mix it with elbow macaroni and a cheddar cheese sauce</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Use it to stuff green peppers</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Make it into meatloaf sandwiches</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chicken</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When shopping for chicken it is best to buy the whole chicken or chicken still on the bone. Not only is it cheaper, the bones can be used to make your own chicken stock. A box of stock usually ranges from $2.50-$4.00. It is easy to make 8 quarts of stock with the remaining parts of a chicken. It's equivalent to getting the stock for free and also being paid to do so. Yesterday I bought a package with 2 chickens for $0.89/lb. The were also free-range without any antibiotics. Here is a short list of ideas. Maybe have roasted chicken the first night and then use the leftovers to create the rest. </span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://jenniferessary.blogspot.com/2012/01/roasted-chicken.html" target="_blank">Roasted chicken</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chicken salad or on a green salad</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chicken and dumplings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chicken soup</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chicken pot pie</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chicken chili</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chicken tacos</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://jenniferessary.blogspot.com/2011/12/chicken-florentine.html">Chicken florentine</a></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Beef Roast</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If the roast is braised there is a likelihood you can save some beef stock.</span></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Soups and stews</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">French dip sandwiches </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Beef stroganoff</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Produce</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'd have to say the majority of what I've had to toss in the past has fallen under this category. </span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Use it in omletttes or frittatas</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Vegetable soup</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add fruit to a green salad</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Juice it</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Make fruit smoothies</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Roast the vegetables for a side dish or sauce</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Dairy</b></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Milk: </b>I used to be guilty of pouring out sour milk until I realized the expiration date on organic milk is usually a month away from the day you purchase it. Yes, it is a little more expensive, but how much are you spending when you buy milk every week? Plus it doesn't have any pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics, or steroids in it.</span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cheese: </span></b></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sauces</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Toppings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Soup</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Omlettes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With crackers or a baguette, raw fruits and veggies, and a glass of your favorite wine.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Eggs: </span></b></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sandwiches</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Burritos</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pasta Carbonara</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Butter: </b>I think Paula Deen would be beside herself if she heard of anyone throwing butter way. In the past it has gotten a bad rap because it was believed to elevate cholesterol levels. As it turns out sugar is much worse for your cholesterol level than butter is. </span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://jenniferessary.blogspot.com/2011/12/biscuit-recipe.html">Biscuits</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pie Crust</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cookies</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hollandaise</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bernaise</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I hope I've given you some leftover ideas you can put to good use. Here's an article I wrote for more ideas to <a href="http://jenniferessary.wordpress.com/2011/11/23/saving-money-on-groceries/" target="_blank">save on groceries</a>.</span></div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-18143485506691953472012-01-02T13:02:00.000-07:002012-01-28T22:59:57.922-07:00Easy Buffalo Chuck Roast Recipe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Buffalo not only has less fat and fewer calories it also contains more iron and vitamin B-12 than beef, pork, or chicken. When it comes to taste some say the buffalo is slightly sweeter. In comparison to beef I'd say it's less gamey than beef. It's a shame that during the 1800's bison were hunted to near extinction for essentially everything but their meat.</span><sup style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.bisonbasics.com/history/past_future.html" style="color: #5d7d9d; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;">1</a> </sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">The roast I made was tender and absolutely delicious. I can't imagine letting good buffalo go to waste.</span>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Full Text Article with Step-by-Step photos: <a href="http://jenniferessary.hubpages.com/_3qdrgcgzt7blog/hub/Easy-Buffalo-Chuck-Roast-Recipe" target="_blank">Easy Buffalo Chuck Roast Recipe</a></span>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-66761045202952072772011-12-28T13:42:00.000-07:002012-01-28T23:01:35.985-07:00Biscuit Recipe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Homemade biscuits taste much better than those out of a can. They also have the ability to fill you up. No wonder they are still found in many homes and restaurants. For years, I struggled with making biscuits. It seemed like I could cook anything but a biscuit. Then my great aunt Gladys in Kentucky, a regular biscuit maker, told me I was rolling them too thin. Growing up I always remembered watching my grandmother roll out the biscuit dough. As it turns out, once the liquid has been incorporated you don't want to handle the dough any more than necessary. Too much rolling and kneading will cause the biscuits to be tough.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 cups of self-rising flour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 stick of butter</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">salt and pepper to taste</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">milk to incorporate</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cut the cold stick of butter into small pieces and add to the flour. Using your hands break down the pieces of butter until the flour begins to slightly resemble wet sand.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="text-align: left;">Add salt and pepper to taste and just enough milk to bring the dough together. </span><span style="text-align: left;">On a floured surface use your hand to pat out the dough to a 3/4" to 1" thickness.</span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="text-align: left;"> If you don't have a biscuit cutter use an inverted drinking glass. </span><span style="text-align: left;">Put the biscuits on a baking surface and combine the scraps of dough to cut out more biscuits.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="text-align: left;"> When all of the dough has been used brush the tops with melted butter.</span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="text-align: left;"> Bake in a 425 F oven 10-15 minutes, or until the desired color has been reached. </span>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-74830359153181100282011-12-28T13:25:00.000-07:002012-01-07T15:36:44.455-07:00Cornbread Recipe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have a great aunt who makes phenomenal cornbread. She was visiting from out of state and I insisted she give me the recipe. Well, it wasn't that simple. Turns out she makes her cornbread based on how the dry ingredients feel. With a pen and paper in hand I began to take notes as she proceeded to make cornbread.<br />
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<li>1 cup of cornmeal</li>
<li>1 cup of self-rising flour</li>
<li>1/2 cup of sugar</li>
<li>2 eggs</li>
<li>pinch of salt</li>
<li>1/4 cup of vegetable oil</li>
<li>buttermilk or milk</li>
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Over the years I have played with the amount of sugar in the recipe. Adding 1/4 the total amount of flour and cornmeal gives it a sweet taste that's not overly sweet. Buttermilk reduces the amount of sweetness slightly and gives the cornbread a hint of a tang. I have used regular milk when I'm out of buttermilk and the cornbread is slightly sweeter. Whichever you are using add enough milk/buttermilk until the mixture reaches a cake batter consistency. You don't want it to be too thin, but you want to be able to stir the mixture by hand with a little resistance. The amount of oil added will determine how much moisture the cornbread has. Bake in a 400F oven until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. I often double or triple this recipe, it's about 25 minutes for the recipe above.</div>
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I like to also add black pepper to the recipe to round out the flavors. For a twist try adding corn kernels, jalapenos, or shredded cheese to the mixture. </div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-82135910210529301212011-12-27T10:05:00.000-07:002012-04-12T15:13:48.606-06:00Handmade Wheat Bread<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Homemade Wheat Bread Update:</h4>
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<br />I've been using bread machine yeast added directly to the dry ingredients instead of proofing the yeast. To free up my mommy hands the mixer has taken the role of dough kneader. Still using the same recipe found below I've found <a href="http://jenniferessary.hubpages.com/_3qdrgcgzt7blog/hub/Lazy-Wheat-Bread-Recipe" target="_blank">Lazy Wheat Bread</a>. I wrote the article on HubPages so follow the link for step by step instructions with photos.</h4>
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I've always been picky when it comes to grocery shopping. In the five years I worked as an analytical chemist I encountered my fair share of chemicals and their safety sheets. So, I always read ingredient labels with a high level of scrutiny. Loren Cordain, the author of the Paleo Diet also made a very good point in his book. "If you have to add vitamins and minerals to make something nutritious, why are you eating it?" It's amazing to me how many ingredients are listed on a loaf of bread, even the bread in the bakery section of the supermarket has a similar list.</div>
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I've made bread in the past, but I've always used the bread machine to make the dough. When the machine beeped I would shape it and bake it myself because I don't like the texture of the crust when baked in the machine. Pizza dough has always been one of the top reasons to pull out the bread machine. I'd add the ingredients before going to work and set it to finish right before I came home. Voila, homemade pizza!</div>
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I've never been a fan of the wheat bread purchased in the store but wanted to make some of my own. In the past I tried making wheat bread but always made bread bricks instead. I love food and cooking, so when I haven't mastered something I MUST try again. So, the other day I pulled out the wheat flour and followed the directions on the bag. In my previous attempts, it turns out that I didn't let it rise 3 times. All of the white breads I've ever made only required 2 risings.</div>
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My next hurdle was proofing the yeast. I have never activated yeast separately in a bowl of warm water. I had no idea what it should look like. The recipe said to dissolve the yeast in water and let it sit for 5 minutes until it starts to foam. On the first attempt, I stirred the water and yeast together. It wasn't sure if I had foam or not so I Googled some images. The pictures I saw reminded me of scum growing on top of a pond. Since I stirred mine together it looked more like watered down baby food. I dumped it out and tried again. This time I sprinkled the yeast on the surface of the water. It looked better, but after 10 minutes I still had dry yeast on the surface. I felt the water temperature and it already felt cold. I was afraid I'd make more bricks if the majority of the yeast wasn't activated.</div>
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On my third attempt I used a thermometer to measure the temperature of the water. I remembered seeing something online about 110 degrees. Then, I very carefully sprinkled the yeast over the surface as evenly as I could. This time it looked more like the images I saw online. So I added it to my dry ingredients and began to knead. The recipe said 8 to 10 minutes, but I went for 10. I covered it in a bowl I oiled with olive oil. After letting it rise for 1 hour I kneaded it again for 5 minutes or so. The dough went back into the same bowl, covered with plastic wrap, and I let it rise another 45 minutes.</div>
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When the dough doubled in size for the second time I became hopeful that I was on the right track. After kneading the dough for the 3rd time I was happy to put it into my parchment lined bread pans. (If you've never used parchment paper before, I HIGHLY recommend trying a roll. When you see how easily things can be removed from a pan you'll be hooked too.) For the next 45 minutes I let the dough rise for the last time. I popped it into the oven until it was golden brown on top.</div>
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The bread was supposed to sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. It made a noise, but I wasn't sure if it was because I had made another brick or if I finally got it right. When I cut into the loaf it was perfect! I slathered a piece with butter and it was delicious. To me, store-bought wheat bread has a flavor that I'm not crazy about. This bread had the homemade texture, the nutritional benefits of wheat, and it didn't have that store-bought flavor.</div>
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Besides having delicious bread I found a great sense of pride and satisfaction that I made bread, from scratch, with my bare hands. Sure the overall time span was close to 4 hours, but I'd say it was well worth it. This weekend I plan on doubling the recipe and freezing a few loaves. Here is the recipe I used on the back of a bag of Stone-Buhr whole wheat flour:</div>
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1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) of active dry yeast<br />
1 1/8 cup of warm water<br />
1 Tbsp of brown sugar<br />
1 Tbsp of olive oil<br />
1 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour<br />
1 1/2 cup of unbleached white bread flour*<br />
1 tsp of salt</div>
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This is how I put it together: Sprinkle the yeast on top of the warm water. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients and add the olive oil. When the yeast mixture is ready add it to the dry ingredients and mix together. On a floured surface knead the bread, adding more flour as needed, for 10 minutes. Oil the bowl where the dough will rise to prevent it from sticking and cover with plastic wrap. After an hour, knead the dough for 5 minutes and let it rise for 45 minutes in the same bowl. When the dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes, knead it again and put it into the bread pan(s). Cover the dough with the plastic wrap and let it rise for another 30-45 minutes. In a 400 F oven bake for 30 to 40 minutes.</div>
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*Since I was essentially out of white bread flour I made up the difference with all-purpose flour.</div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125776237111771872.post-31239818889479829412011-12-26T15:56:00.000-07:002012-04-26T15:11:35.422-06:00Chicken Florentine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">After the chicken I pulled from the freezer had thawed I discovered it was one large split chicken breast and not the two I thought it was. Since I knew there wasn't enough chicken to serve it as the main dish I knew I had to incorporate it into something. Initially I thought of stir-fry's and pasta dishes, but decided to look for a casserole recipe instead. There's something warm and comforting about a casserole in the winter. I typed the word casserole into the search box on Allrecipes.com and Chicken Florentine was at the top of the list. I've never eaten this dish but it sounded interesting. Below, you will find the original recipe I found on the site:</span></h3>
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Chicken Florentine by <span class="author" id="ctl00_CenterColumnPlaceHolder_recipe_lblSubmitter" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: #fceedf; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 11px; 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;"><span id="ctl00_CenterColumnPlaceHolder_recipe_lblSubmitter_lblUser869770" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: 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: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">BRYAN0320</span></span><span style="background-color: #fceedf; font-size: 11px;"> </span></span></h3>
<h3 style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 10px; 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;">
<a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-florentine-casserole/detail.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Ingredients</span></a></h3>
<ul style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; 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 class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: black;">4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves</span></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: black;">1/4 cup butter</span></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: black;">3 teaspoons minced garlic</span></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: black;">1 tablespoon lemon juice</span></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: black;">1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup</span></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: black;">1 tablespoon Italian seasoning</span></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: black;">1/2 cup half-and-half</span></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: black;">1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese</span></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: black;">2 (13.5 ounce) cans spinach, drained</span></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: black;">4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced</span></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: black;">2/3 cup bacon bits</span></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: black;">2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<h3 style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 10px; 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;">
<span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">Looking over the ingredient list I had most of the ingredients but decided to create my own version instead. I didn't have mushrooms, mozzarella, or the canned soup. Since sauces are very easy to make I rarely buy condensed soups or sauce mixes. Although I had lemon it didn't sound good to me so I omitted it.</span></h3>
<h3 style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 10px; 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;">
<span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">I began by browning 4 strips of bacon in a pan over medium heat. When they were crisp I put them on a paper towel to drain. The bite size pieces of raw chicken I had cut were added to the bacon drippings to cook. When they were cooked completely I removed them from the pan onto a paper towel to drain. In the very same pan I added a bag of frozen spinach. Typically I'm not a fan of cooked spinach, especially when it reminds me of the green goo with a metallic taste that was served with school lunches. GAG! If spinach is cooked correctly it is delicious. Spinach and Artichoke Dip, Spinach Quiche, and Spinach Dip are a few of my favorites. </span></h3>
<h3 style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 10px; 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;">
<span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">While the spinach was thawing/cooking in the pan I began to create my sauce. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, I added 3 tablespoons of butter. When the butter melted I added 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and whisked the two together to create a roux. After cooking about 5 minutes, to remove the flour taste, the mixture turned yellow. Ideally it is best to add hot liquid so that the butter in the roux doesn't clump. I added approximately 3 cups of cold milk to the roux to make a bechamel, or white sauce. Continually whisking until the milk warms allows the clumps will break apart. Just be sure to use 100% butter otherwise the sauce may separate. </span></h3>
<h3 style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 10px; 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;">
<span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">When the spinach had thawed I added salt, pepper, and 4 minced cloves of garlic while continuing to cook over medium heat. Stirring occasionally, my goal was to evaporate excess moisture from the pan. The spinach wasn't 100% dry, but the water created by the melting process was no longer in the bottom of the pan. When it was completed I covered the bottom of a 13"x9" pan with the spinach and topped it with the chicken. </span></h3>
<h3 style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; 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;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">The white sauce began to steam and I added 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning and 3/4 of a cup of freshly grated parmesan. Since the original recipe called for Italian seasoning I thought I'd take it a step further and create a semi-alfredo sauce as well. I say "semi" because typically alfredo sauce consists of butter, cream, parmesan, and parsley. When the cheese melts and the sauce nears it's boiling point the true thickness of the sauce will be created. Sauces and gravies created with four will thicken when the boiling point is reached. I recommend adding milk if the sauce is somewhat thick. It will go into the oven and condense some more. The sauce will go over pasta so create the thickness you desire.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">Pour the sauce over the chicken and spinach. Sprinkle the top with a light layer of grated parmesan and finally crumbled pieces of bacon. Put the casserole into a 350 F oven for 20-30 minutes to give the flavors a chance to marry. While in the oven, cook your favorite pasta to accompany the dish.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">Top the pasta with the Chicken Florentine and enjoy. My husband, who usually turns his nose up at green vegetables, couldn't eat it fast enough. AND he finished the rest the following day.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">Jennifer's Recipe</span></span></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">1 large butterflied chicken breast</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">1 bag of frozen spinach</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">4 cloves of garlic</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">3 tablespoons of butter</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">3 cups of milk</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">1 cup of parmesan</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">4 strips of bacon </span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Additional Recipes by Jennifer</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://jenniferessary.hubpages.com/_3qdrgcgzt6wpb/hub/Easy-Buffalo-Chuck-Roast-Recipe" target="_blank">Easy Buffalo Chuck Roast Recipe</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;">5 Hour braise with only 3 ingredients.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://jenniferessary.hubpages.com/_3qdrgcgzt6wpb/hub/Cooking-the-Perfect-Thanksgiving-Turkey" target="_blank">Cooking the Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;">Brining a turkey and rubbing it with a compound butter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;">Winner of a HubNugget Award</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://jenniferessary.hubpages.com/_3qdrgcgzt6wpb/hub/Recipes-for-Holiday-Side-Dishes-and-Appetizers" target="_blank">Holiday Side Dishes and Quick Appetizers</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;">Recipes for hummus, rye bread stuffing, and mom's cranberry sauce.</span></div>
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