tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70800868453688308292024-03-17T23:03:15.289-04:00Clever SoireeA little bit of this & that but always with heart.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.comBlogger1681125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-323886343257330122017-10-08T16:00:00.000-04:002017-10-08T16:00:21.941-04:00T-Mobile FRAUD<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We came home from brunch with my parents, celebrating several Birthdays, to my cell phone suddenly not being able to place outgoing calls. I tried to troubleshoot but it appeared that the phone was Locked, attempting to Unlock it produced an error that I was not in a network. I tried to reboot the phone, unlock permanently and temporarily all with the same failed results.<br />
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Having tried everything that was at my disposal, I contacted the Customer service online to be told that my phone is locked until I pay it off. That didn't sound right but I asked a few more questions and the customer service rep offered to unlock my SIM card. The email confirmation was received but I also noticed a similar text from less than 2 hours earlier (12:30 pm while we were at Mill On the River in South Windsor CT for brunch). Something clicked for me to check my account activity and what do I see there? A new phone line added with a 203 area code which is on the shore of CT while I live closer to the MA border in 860 area code.<br />
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I did a little more digging and although the customer service rep online was unable/unwilling to provide details on where the new line was added a call to 611 from my phone did that specifically.<br />
A woman with a CT drivers license with my name appeared at a Maplewood NJ T-Mobile store and not only opened a new line but bought 2 new iPhone 8 with a 24 month payoff and had my SIM card reprogrammed for one of the new phones.<br />
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Here is a copy of the contract and check out the signature....<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7speSEmmo1g/WdqCAlv4-dI/AAAAAAAAOo8/GaThDGX7LnMhX2yd4uBiiuiq03dsC2a7gCLcBGAs/s1600/T-Mobile%2BContract%2BSignature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="756" height="402" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7speSEmmo1g/WdqCAlv4-dI/AAAAAAAAOo8/GaThDGX7LnMhX2yd4uBiiuiq03dsC2a7gCLcBGAs/s640/T-Mobile%2BContract%2BSignature.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Another part of the documentation has the name of the store and the person who processed this account change. You know it was a no brainer, I called the store immediately and spoke with what happened to be the store manager. I asked what form of ID was provided, that's when I was told it was a CT DL and the woman impersonating me is African American in her 50s. That is not who I am and I did fund it rather funny that I'm so distinctly different looking. A copy of the license is on had at the store and will be provided to their Fraud Department.<br />
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My initial concern was not being able to make a call, now I find out that someone has my name on a drivers license with their photo. I'll be contacting the CT Motor Vehicle Department to see if the license was issued by them (the T-Mobile manager said it passed his fraud test). I will also be locking up my credit with all the credit bureaus since it appears the fraud might be more widespread than just the cell phone account issue.<br />
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Interestingly, I did check both my and my husband's information after the Equifax data breach was announced and both of us were supposedly in the clear. Maybe not!<br />
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Stay tuned for updates on this, keep an eye on your accounts and if your phone suddenly doesn't work it might be more nefarious than a simple reboot.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-1069958042790526082017-09-04T22:37:00.002-04:002017-09-04T22:37:27.205-04:00The Unknown<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's 10:30 pm on a Labor Day, 2017 and I am getting anxious for tomorrow morning's appointment with the Gynecologic Oncologist. Not something I ever anticipated having to do, but who does right? Life throws all sorts of obstacles in our way just to see how we tackle them. Well this one is still a bit surreal for me.<br />
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I have my outfit, I have my list of questions and I have my husband Paulie joining me (unavoidably the appointment fell on his birthday but he's a trooper but I did bake him a red velvet bunt cake today). Friends and family have wished me well, sent healing thoughts and told me that I've got this. Do I?<br />
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I asked my OBGYN who took out my offending uterus that turned out to be have cancer in it, what do I call this diagnosis? She reassured me that I am in good hands and that since the organ has already been removed and the pathology results forwarded to the specialist, he would be the best one to tell me the next steps.<br />
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Initially I didn't even know how to address the situation, do I have cancer or is it just some cancer cells or did I have cancer. I was confused even by which tense to use when talking about it. So complicated how to accurately convey the news. I was up front with my family and friends, even online community that I have been a part of since the late 1990s have been given the 'news'.<br />
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I have always approached life with reverence and a hearty dose of humor and no doubt will tackle this situation in a similar manner but I have to be honest, I don't know what tomorrow will bring and that has me perplexed.<br />
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My Facebook feed displayed a reminder that my 30th High School reunion is next month, the day before my 49th birthday, and I don't know if I can or want to go but it put some things into perspective. I don't feel 48 11/12 and somehow the last three decades of travel, laughter, love and life scrolled by without much fanfare.<br />
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I wish I had my bestie by my side tomorrow in tandem with hubby. He was always there for me but his sudden exit in 2009 left my heart pot marked where all the fun and goofy antics we had together resided. Now all my reminiscing is one sided like the time we were at a London Youth Hostel and there was a group of seven German teens we renamed the Guntar and the Magnificent Seven. Or the time we spent 15 hours on a bus from Galway Ireland to London including a ferry ride that had him holed up under a table due to his fear of water. When a person leaves this world, they take so much with them, I want just a few more minutes to tell him how much we loved him but alas, it was not to be.<br />
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Much of this was brought on by google searches of treatment options so I decided that until I know what I am dealing with there is no sense in scaring the crap out of myself. Life is short and long all at the same time. We don't relish in the time we spend doing the mundane like laundry or grocery shopping but we do hold on to the little nuggets of perfection that arise out of the depth of the minutia that is life. The all nighter with your love just to see the sunrise, the smell of ocean on a foreign land, the perfect morsel of food in a tiny cafe half way around the world. Priceless memories that can make you smile days, months, years and even decades later.<br />
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So here I am, hours away from learning another truth that will send me in a different direction. I feel like the last three weeks have been in a strange pause mode. Today is also a month since my hysterectomy but until I typed these words, I had forgotten that I even had surgery. My procedure was done robotically and I was in and out of the hospital in under 10 hours which even according to my doctor who performed the operation is practically unheard of. A part of me must have seen this as a dare, how quickly can you be discharged and I am typically up for a challenge. Maybe I can channel my competitiveness into the next chapter of my life. Time will tell.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-4685731380690881982017-04-17T17:26:00.001-04:002017-04-17T17:26:37.931-04:00Vegan Bean Sprouts & Kimchi Pancakes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I love scallion pancakes from takeout/takeaway but I never know if they add eggs or not so I figured I can reproduce the taste and texture at home. This it my interpretation of crispy edge bean sprout & kimchi pancakes loaded with Korean chives and lots of flavor. Keep in mind, the following recipe is fluid, adjustment to the flour/water ration is needed to account for humidity and elevation to where and when you are cooking.<br />
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First make a loose pancake batter - 2 cups flour, 1 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. Mix till it's combined but don't overmix (that would produce dense cakes instead of fluffy and crispy). Add 1/4 cup shopped kimchi and 1/4 cup kimchi juice, 1 cup rinsed bean sprouts and 1/4 cup chopped Korean chives (can be substituted with scallions or your onions), salt & black pepper to taste. If you are oil free, scoop 1/4 portions into a heated heavy bottom pan, lower heat and allow to cook through on each side, approximately 3-4 minutes per side depending on desired crispness. I used a coconut oil spray on a non stick pan to cook mine. Reserve done pancakes on a sheet pan and stash away in a low heat oven to keep warm till all are done. This batch makes 3 hearty portions or several appetizers depending on hunger level.<br />
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Serve with Ponzu dipping sauce with toasted sesame and chopped scallions, kimchi and pickled Korean rash for a refreshing combination. These are even great as leftovers, warmed up in the oven to crisp and heat up in case they don't disappear in one sitting.<br />
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NOT: If you make them thinned, they can be stuffed with sauted veggies and rolled up for a great lunch or dinner option. You can add lots of different veggies in place of what I used so let your imagination be your guide.<br />
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Enjoy!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-20287685489897908752016-12-17T22:06:00.003-05:002017-03-01T17:19:03.540-05:00Vegan Kimchi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Kimchi is a Korean staple of fermented and spicy cabbage that is as varied in recipe as potato salad in the US. Regional differences and individual taste preferences from special oyster variety to vegan which doesn't use any animal products. I happen to enjoy the vegan version the most, particularly more fermented kind. With a couple of grocery store versions available but at nearly $6 a 16 oz jar I decided to start making my own. The following recipe is a hybrid of several I've tried in the last year and inspired by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/Maangchi" target="_blank">Maangchi</a> on YouTube.<br />
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Recipe:<br />
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<li>4 lb of Napa Cabbage</li>
<li>1/2 cup course sea salt (I used Korean Sea Salt)</li>
<li>2 tablespoons Sweet Rice Flour (can be substituted with AP flour)</li>
<li>2 tablespoons sugar</li>
<li>1/2 cup Tamari (vegan soy sauce)</li>
<li>6 garlic cloves</li>
<li>1/2 cup onion</li>
<li>1 inch piece of fresh ginger</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups julienned carrots</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups julienned Korean radish or daikon</li>
<li>1/2 cup garlic chives</li>
<li>1/2 cup scallions</li>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-7790431612779711472016-12-06T19:52:00.001-05:002016-12-06T19:52:06.767-05:00Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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First I have to say, this is a Chameleon type of dish in that it can be custom tailored to your particular tastes and dietary requirements. Vegan - check, just follow the recipe below, Vegetarian and eat dairy, swap soy with milk and nutritional yeast with cheese, Carnivore - add beef or chicken. I would recommend making it at least once as instructed and then experiment with swap outs (included in parenthesis below).</div>
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Recipe: Mushroom Stroganoff </div>
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1 1/2 cups wide noodle (egg or eggless as your preference)</div>
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1 1/2 cups of water</div>
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1/2 cup plant milk (I use soy, swap with bovine milk if not vegan)</div>
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3 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast (1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt)</div>
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1 tablespoon mushroom powder</div>
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1/2 cup mushrooms (in the photo above I used leftovers of roasted porcini)</div>
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1 teaspoon crushed garlic</div>
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1/4 cup chopped parsley</div>
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Salt & Black pepper to taste</div>
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In a sauce pan combine all ingredients above (reserve a bit of parsley for plating), bring to a boil, lower heat to simmer and stir occasionally for 6-8 minutes. Turn off and let sit for 2-3 minutes to thicken the sauce. This recipe is a no drain easy lunch or side dish for dinner.</div>
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Mushroom powder is available online but can be rather costly, I make my own when I either get a good deal on fresh mushrooms and dehydrate them overnight and then process into powder or purchase dry mushrooms and create the powder from them. Ideally, the broken and less attractive mushrooms are perfect for this pantry item. </div>
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I'd love to hear if you make this what you think, tag me on social media so I can see your tasty meal!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-74461969949074818492016-10-29T15:43:00.001-04:002016-10-29T15:43:44.330-04:00Wild Orchid Crafts Haul<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/URZwAb8cDHw" width="480"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-48569540113688857782016-06-26T17:37:00.001-04:002016-06-29T18:01:21.078-04:00Planner Meetup - Western MA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I spent a wonderful afternoon yesterday with new planner friends in Massachusetts where we shared our favorite planners and supplies. I brought along my adorable Supaclip (40, the smaller size) with a sneak peek at the Emoji refills (shown in the image below).<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CZmznUioNhg/V3BF3YvXHJI/AAAAAAAANzE/DcK1FP_TFGEALF2Q-IHX0NzVDrlan4WGwCLcB/s1600/IMG_20160615_122552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CZmznUioNhg/V3BF3YvXHJI/AAAAAAAANzE/DcK1FP_TFGEALF2Q-IHX0NzVDrlan4WGwCLcB/s640/IMG_20160615_122552.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Those little froning faces are perfect to clip together your bills...that is the pile my husband is allergic to so he'll be forewarned not to touch it,<br />
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I promised to share links to some of the products we talked about so what you'll find below are direct Amazon PRIME links for Supaclip starter set, Refills, Adjustable Diary Punch and Desktop Pencil Sharpener, for all those Adult Coloring enthusiasts out there.<br />
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<a href="http://www.empireimports.com/a5sizedpaper.html?&gclid=Cj0KEQjw4827BRDJvpbVuKvx-rIBEiQA2_CzsC4P6lyeDCvTTylgwg1flOxzBAKeVMuMgVQEBwq4ph8aAnn08P8HAQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img alt=" Empire Imports A5 Paper Ream" border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y75rRuqrkXs/V3RE3ksAL3I/AAAAAAAANzw/RysYSkY-iokAvQvEYx77eLZF8hK3tXXngCLcB/s1600/empireimports_2267_19280765.jpe" /></a></div>
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In case you are looking for a 6-hole punch for A5 size planner, I have a video on how to make that work with minimal effort (I did all the math for you, lol).</div>
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The following are some snapshots from the Planner Meetup</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ehK0nfQUHZY/V3BIEe-WnmI/AAAAAAAANzY/1ta23Aip8NAiGan7G-n2HuWUX0ajS7shQCLcB/s1600/IMG_20160625_120539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="680" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ehK0nfQUHZY/V3BIEe-WnmI/AAAAAAAANzY/1ta23Aip8NAiGan7G-n2HuWUX0ajS7shQCLcB/s640/IMG_20160625_120539.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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A very talented lady, <span style="background-color: #f6f7f9; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.08px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jesseniascreations/" target="_blank">@jesseniascreations</a></span> made that black & white planner band that was in our swag bag, matching my Erin Condren Life Planner perfectly</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VJWeMDsmlno/V3BIETxEyfI/AAAAAAAANzQ/4lz6M9LfQYgh0J8J2fHdOyqSLhpIgSYCQCLcB/s1600/IMG_20160625_140221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="572" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VJWeMDsmlno/V3BIETxEyfI/AAAAAAAANzQ/4lz6M9LfQYgh0J8J2fHdOyqSLhpIgSYCQCLcB/s640/IMG_20160625_140221.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Planner Pile Up - well represented by assorted companies - Erin Condren, Happy Planner, Webster's Pages, Michael's Planner, Filofax and several others that I can't recall.</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DK0ZnLWSf50/V3BIEnR5Z8I/AAAAAAAANzU/WjVHZHCxmpAbYtw_YwRIG7CeoGn45qNOgCLcB/s1600/IMG_20160625_193047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="514" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DK0ZnLWSf50/V3BIEnR5Z8I/AAAAAAAANzU/WjVHZHCxmpAbYtw_YwRIG7CeoGn45qNOgCLcB/s640/IMG_20160625_193047.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The swag bag was brimming with stickers, clips, washi, planner band and even an adorable mini bottle of essential oil in lavender,</div>
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I am so happy to have been able to attend the event, meet so many like minded planner enthusiasts and look forward to the next one.</div>
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Where to find me online:</div>
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Facebook - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nhensel">https://www.facebook.com/nhensel</a></div>
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Blog - <a href="http://cleversoiree.com/">http://cleversoiree.com/</a></div>
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Pinterest - <a href="http://pinterest.com/natashazhensel/boards/">http://pinterest.com/natashazhensel/boards/</a></div>
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Instagram - <a href="http://instagram.com/natashazhensel">http://instagram.com/natashazhensel</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-63054746767806188402016-06-06T21:55:00.000-04:002016-06-06T22:30:12.187-04:00Easy Homegrown Sprouts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MT5pPk_7_0k/V1Yj6oa2pKI/AAAAAAAANx0/2pz9Xiu6EgQI81wMoSWMlIBhp2OiJL2SwCLcB/s1600/IMG_20160605_220015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MT5pPk_7_0k/V1Yj6oa2pKI/AAAAAAAANx0/2pz9Xiu6EgQI81wMoSWMlIBhp2OiJL2SwCLcB/s400/IMG_20160605_220015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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These lovely, crispy and peppery sprouts are a favorite in this house on sandwiches and in salads. After a quick search they can be made at home in 3-5 days. I purchased all the supplies on Amazon (except Ball Mason jars that I already had on hand) and wanted to share the easy and cool process with you.</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gfy42i8Hnog/V1YjQCzrMTI/AAAAAAAANxI/h1JMKgQCAY0NB-zwLFvmXP34AhbGUqkcACLcB/s1600/IMG_20160601_145148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gfy42i8Hnog/V1YjQCzrMTI/AAAAAAAANxI/h1JMKgQCAY0NB-zwLFvmXP34AhbGUqkcACLcB/s400/IMG_20160601_145148.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Lids: <span style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://amzn.to/1PCd7o0">http://amzn.to/1PCd7o0</a><br />Sprouting Seeds: </span><span style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://amzn.to/24uJzdw">http://amzn.to/24uJzdw</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3DNjWu7pCZE/V1YjXrgpI1I/AAAAAAAANxQ/B-uvRVRd2ZkmdMAU3Zd5f3JKWZXnyuc4gCLcB/s1600/IMG_20160601_230156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3DNjWu7pCZE/V1YjXrgpI1I/AAAAAAAANxQ/B-uvRVRd2ZkmdMAU3Zd5f3JKWZXnyuc4gCLcB/s400/IMG_20160601_230156.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Soak overnight in a wide mouth mason jar<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5KbSOlxm0kA/V1YjhHBPeTI/AAAAAAAANxY/92_8KWmJPgAgSj2NA4VW2paEd4OaxwwXACLcB/s1600/IMG_20160603_121135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5KbSOlxm0kA/V1YjhHBPeTI/AAAAAAAANxY/92_8KWmJPgAgSj2NA4VW2paEd4OaxwwXACLcB/s400/IMG_20160603_121135.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Rinse and drain at least twice daily (morning and evening) or three times like I did to expedite the growth process</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wJJPKvirnP0/V1YjoymEgdI/AAAAAAAANxg/wG9jE6wQOzguAYrWtpn1uBzZBI6PoSP_QCLcB/s1600/IMG_20160605_181311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wJJPKvirnP0/V1YjoymEgdI/AAAAAAAANxg/wG9jE6wQOzguAYrWtpn1uBzZBI6PoSP_QCLcB/s400/IMG_20160605_181311.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Love seeing something grow and so quickly. It certainly satisfies the nearly instant gratification.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z5WhZ6G9mOE/V1YjxCDF-2I/AAAAAAAANxo/pzMckO9eKnYL7kcAzOHw4h5PA6CYqKePQCLcB/s1600/IMG_20160606_124059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z5WhZ6G9mOE/V1YjxCDF-2I/AAAAAAAANxo/pzMckO9eKnYL7kcAzOHw4h5PA6CYqKePQCLcB/s400/IMG_20160606_124059.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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These are wonderful, so refreshing with a little bite and will last for the week of salads and sandwiches. Make sure to store them after rinsing off the hulls and storing them in a air tight container. To get the most water removed, I used a salad spinner and lined the bottom of the container with paper towel to wick away any excess moisture. </div>
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VIDEO: <a href="https://youtu.be/enuUiSuE-Ow">https://youtu.be/enuUiSuE-Ow</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-21021629182658687112016-04-26T22:15:00.001-04:002016-04-26T22:21:26.220-04:00Veggie Curry for Meatless Monday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vEfUJK92Jpg/VyAYjRn7N_I/AAAAAAAANrk/rnkjYKygbVgst-i54LYe52G_QFl3vJUWQCLcB/s1600/VERRIE%2BCURRY.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vEfUJK92Jpg/VyAYjRn7N_I/AAAAAAAANrk/rnkjYKygbVgst-i54LYe52G_QFl3vJUWQCLcB/s640/VERRIE%2BCURRY.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Another option for Meatless Monday - Veggie Curry, we are serving it with Black Bean Spaghetti but it's also delicious over rice</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uiPza5p6ahE/VyAYLaTG4-I/AAAAAAAANrc/8OmUFK7IQX8jXGrJT9EmMkE4jYaR-tCKgCLcB/s1600/20160425_180010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="586" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uiPza5p6ahE/VyAYLaTG4-I/AAAAAAAANrc/8OmUFK7IQX8jXGrJT9EmMkE4jYaR-tCKgCLcB/s640/20160425_180010.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Ingredients<br />
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 cup chopped onions</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 cup chopped yellow squash</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 cup chopped zucchini</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 1/2 cup cauliflour </li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup chopped carrots</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 tablespoon coconut oil</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 tablespoon curry powder</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">2 teaspons Sambal</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 can diced tomatoes, use with juice</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 can coconut milk</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1/4 cup chopped parsley</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">1 lemon</li>
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The video below shows the simple steps for this one pot meal.</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MsNiCtvg4Vc/VyAYZF2b8GI/AAAAAAAANrg/t69xtwv4kJA6VDegkg2os30p6hAKQu5fgCLcB/s1600/20160425_193532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MsNiCtvg4Vc/VyAYZF2b8GI/AAAAAAAANrg/t69xtwv4kJA6VDegkg2os30p6hAKQu5fgCLcB/s640/20160425_193532.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SVmhw6jYfCQ/VyAYrqnIiYI/AAAAAAAANro/Ck8g-dW1a1AA4ncXKj-ix0SGWAcMaZGVQCLcB/s1600/IMG_20160425_195213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SVmhw6jYfCQ/VyAYrqnIiYI/AAAAAAAANro/Ck8g-dW1a1AA4ncXKj-ix0SGWAcMaZGVQCLcB/s640/IMG_20160425_195213.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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VIDEO:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/s_vi/L_vznYRxrjU/default.jpg?sqp=CPi-gLkF&rs=AOn4CLAs71rMjj06pOyXEl-0tskm-BNi0g" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L_vznYRxrjU?feature=player_embedded" width="580"></iframe></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-92225921685330252502016-03-06T11:30:00.000-05:002016-03-06T19:58:11.623-05:00Multi-Seed Bread Maker Load Recipe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z2gQ2e8n6tA/VttzSNag0mI/AAAAAAAANoI/PVMiPhDQHOw/s1600/20160210_175319-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z2gQ2e8n6tA/VttzSNag0mI/AAAAAAAANoI/PVMiPhDQHOw/s640/20160210_175319-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I have been in search of a loaf of bread I can make at home for hubby's sandwiches that's just a little better for you than but still tasted amazing. After some trial and errors, the following recipe has been celebrated by everyone in the house. As a bonus this recipe is vegan, no dairy or eggs. Flour, water, salt, yeast and SEEDS! Simple and delicious! </div>
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Before I start, this is the bread maker I am currently using - Cuisinart CBK-100, available on Amazon Prime under $90. It's easy to use and has proven to be a workhorse with some weeks producing several loafs a week (both for us and to share with family).</div>
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<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=clevsoir-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001C2KY7Y" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001C2KY7Y/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001C2KY7Y&linkCode=as2&tag=clevsoir-20&linkId=FFTZYYGGV5ZQE254" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B001C2KY7Y&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=clevsoir-20" height="380" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Recipe - 2 lb Loaf Size</b></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 1/2 cup room temp water, not hot</li>
<li>1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt</li>
<li>2 tablespoons sugar</li>
<li>4 cups of unbleached bread flour (King Arthur Flour is my fave)</li>
<li>2 tablespoons sesame seeds</li>
<li>2 tablespoons black sesame seeds</li>
<li>2 tablespoons flax seeds</li>
<li>2 tablespoons roasted golden flax seeds</li>
<li>2 tablespoons chia seeds</li>
<li>1/4 cup toasted unsalted sunflower seeds</li>
<li>2 teaspoons active dry yeast</li>
</ul>
<div>
Place all ingredients in order above into your bread maker mixing/backing bowl. If your bread maker has an 'add to' setting where you can drop in additional ingredients you can add all the seeds at that step. I've tried both and find it easier to add everything at once. Bake on White Bread setting typically between 3.5 to 4 hours for mix, knead, proof/rise and bake. Our preference for crust (3 choices available on my bread maker) at Dark which makes the thickest crust available. My machine has an audio notice (6 beeps) when the mixing is done so the blade can be removed. I simply pull up the kneaded bread, pull off the blade and reshape the bread to replace into the bread maker. An end of bake signal prompts immediate removal of the bread pan, once able to be handled with protection, take the bread out and place on cooling rack. The longer you leave the bread in the pan, the less crispiness to the crust due to condensation.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZkBBC1lTVu0/VtxYcDGAi2I/AAAAAAAANo0/MGY6cIhRCCI/s1600/20160229_160323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZkBBC1lTVu0/VtxYcDGAi2I/AAAAAAAANo0/MGY6cIhRCCI/s400/20160229_160323.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I use organic seeds and store them in glass upcycled jars (from Marzetti salad dressing) in a handy basket that can be pulled out from the pantry with one grab. Simplifying tasks in the kitchen will lead to greater and easier use.</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uHfbvMBXQR4/VtxYbDfgfpI/AAAAAAAANow/1gVcL0IOShE/s1600/20160210_175416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uHfbvMBXQR4/VtxYbDfgfpI/AAAAAAAANow/1gVcL0IOShE/s400/20160210_175416.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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A closer look at all the seedy goodness inside the loaf, don't slice open till completely cooled to ensure even slices that don't rip or crumble. You can use a long serrated knife or an electric knife. To avoid a tirade of profanities when hubby makes his sandwiches, I slice a few at a time off the load for him and store the entire thing in a zip lock bag, pushing out as much air as possible. Since there are no preservatives in this bread, it's really only at it's optimum flavor and freshness for several days.</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AcNk3ybadYs/VtxYa6IlopI/AAAAAAAANoo/Ub7Y4zz7JEk/s1600/20160211_112848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AcNk3ybadYs/VtxYa6IlopI/AAAAAAAANoo/Ub7Y4zz7JEk/s400/20160211_112848.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
My favorite application for the bread is Avocado toast with cherry tomatoes, a must try if you have not already.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U04NB4Sq2Bs/VtxYbOXInnI/AAAAAAAANos/LHIOsrcY5Lc/s1600/20160225_182343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U04NB4Sq2Bs/VtxYbOXInnI/AAAAAAAANos/LHIOsrcY5Lc/s400/20160225_182343.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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As mentioned earlier, the bread is preservatives free so after several days if there are any leftovers, I dice them up, pop them in a bag and freeze them. Great to pull out as needed to make croutons, savory bread pudding or homemade stuffing. No waste so every bit is utilized. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-5053422424479646852015-12-22T18:23:00.001-05:002015-12-22T18:23:40.122-05:00Health Challenge, Yes in December<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BNm6s-4ey0s/VnnbWu78cMI/AAAAAAAANks/bxxaVEd_SVk/s1600/54f5fda70a7db_-_01-fruits-vegetables-heart-lgn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BNm6s-4ey0s/VnnbWu78cMI/AAAAAAAANks/bxxaVEd_SVk/s640/54f5fda70a7db_-_01-fruits-vegetables-heart-lgn.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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I was thinking that so many people start up New Year's resolutions in January that I would get a jump on it and start in December instead so that by January it will feel like a part of my routine rather than something new.<br />
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It all started with my new phone, Samsung Galaxy Note 5, which was a gift from Paulie and my in-laws. One day after poking around the available apps I noticed there was a health tracker called S Health (all Samsung smart phones have it pre-installed).<br />
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The first few days after this discovery were no different, I saw the number of steps I took but made no additional effort in upping my activity. Then I realized that the expecting a different outcome when I've done nothing differently would be insane. That day I publicly announced, via my YouTube daily vlog, that I was starting a Health Challenge - Walk 5 Miles a Day by the End of December! Let me tell you, no one was more shocked then me. But now that I've said it out loud I had to take steps, literally, to change my activity level and even more so, my mind set.<br />
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As a work from home full time employee by daily commute is mere moments and would not yield anything in way of exercise so I had to think bigger. I own a treadmill but like millions of others, it has only served as a room divider for a long time and a place for our big dog Chester to create a sleeping space behind. (sad but very true). I asked Paulie to give me the gift of a fully functioning treadmill as my present for the Holidays.... time went by and nothing was happening so I took things into my own hands.<br />
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Being blessed with extremely mild weather, I decided to use what I had at my disposal - my driveway and more specifically my Toyota Sienna as the base around which I would walk. It has since become known as Hensel Track. I started with a few laps at a time to see just how much I could do but quickly realized that my Birkenstocks were not going to cut it, sore spots and blisters at the end of my second toes were glaring signs that it's the wrong footwear.<br /><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FneKq8rcV1c/VnnWwba4UxI/AAAAAAAANkU/TYPfl-APsEA/s1600/20151204_231145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FneKq8rcV1c/VnnWwba4UxI/AAAAAAAANkU/TYPfl-APsEA/s640/20151204_231145.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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A simple Amazon search later and 2 day shipping and I was a proud owner of my first pair of walking shoes (my high school pair of pink Reeboks were laughing at me when I attempted to put them on, they were 'retired' shortly there after).<br /><br />Now with the correct shoes, a desire to change my activity level and the beautiful weather worked in my favor. Starting on December 3rd, I set my goal at 3,000 steps a day. Not going to kid you, initially I was not even sure how many steps an average person takes but sitting on my butt for 10+ hours a day in front of the computer for both work and fun was not adding any for me.<br />
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To keep myself honest and accountable I decided to share my progress on Social Media and in my vlogs on YouTube. On the first day I only reached a little over 1,000 steps but in a matter of a few days worked my way up to near goal of 3K. December 6th was 2,983 steps, that annoyed me more than anything so I promised myself to never let the day get away from me.Since the 7th, I've met or exceeded my daily step goal and starting on December 13th I upped my goal by a 1K each week. Finally on December 15th I started reaching my 60 minutes of activity a day goal. It's exciting to be able to accomplish my daily goals and I've noticed some interesting side effects - cleaning up after dinner sooner than later, doing laundry without getting grumpy, offering to let the dogs in/out without a stare down with hubby.<br />
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Since starting this Health Challenge, I've reorganized the walk in pantry, went to the store multiple times just to window shop and have had friends join me in making even small changes like adding more water intake or making better food choices. You just never know where inspiration comes from, mine was from a phone app and that's pretty incredible.<br />
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Here is last night's goal and targets:<br />
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<br />How are you planning on being better to yourself?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-4599605880525970132015-11-27T13:33:00.001-05:002015-11-27T13:33:27.824-05:00Thanksgiving Food<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-glIKaJjms6Q/VlicBMIJaWI/AAAAAAAANg0/oWFb5QQ3CLQ/s1600/20151126_153504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-glIKaJjms6Q/VlicBMIJaWI/AAAAAAAANg0/oWFb5QQ3CLQ/s640/20151126_153504.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Gorgeous spread at my sister's house who hosted Thanksgiving this year</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jlUDGu6TnNo/Vligm4son3I/AAAAAAAANhA/eLdMPbX58pM/s1600/20151126_141659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jlUDGu6TnNo/Vligm4son3I/AAAAAAAANhA/eLdMPbX58pM/s640/20151126_141659.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Shrimp Appetizer with homemade cocktail sauce (our contribution)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kLuVeC_kebk/VligyC3Pq5I/AAAAAAAANhI/BHxDdqEcaz4/s1600/20151126_153509_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kLuVeC_kebk/VligyC3Pq5I/AAAAAAAANhI/BHxDdqEcaz4/s640/20151126_153509_001.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />Moist and delicious turkey, expertly carved<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nENgAcWuKTo/VligyXBh-gI/AAAAAAAANhQ/4zMnsPRIXMs/s1600/20151126_153514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nENgAcWuKTo/VligyXBh-gI/AAAAAAAANhQ/4zMnsPRIXMs/s640/20151126_153514.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The BEST green beans ever and no gloppy 'soup' out of a can in sight<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I8_U1bDVqcE/VligyZZZNwI/AAAAAAAANhM/nAV66Lsojyk/s1600/20151126_153523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I8_U1bDVqcE/VligyZZZNwI/AAAAAAAANhM/nAV66Lsojyk/s640/20151126_153523.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Roasted butternut squash<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bUK7Ux2vEOQ/VligzjI_wJI/AAAAAAAANhk/MLEivvgEx_A/s1600/20151126_153526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bUK7Ux2vEOQ/VligzjI_wJI/AAAAAAAANhk/MLEivvgEx_A/s640/20151126_153526.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Stuffing Muffins (our contribution)<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2ieKy2Ya8XI/Vligz_Ou2hI/AAAAAAAANhg/aaqPqii7nGY/s1600/20151126_153532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2ieKy2Ya8XI/Vligz_Ou2hI/AAAAAAAANhg/aaqPqii7nGY/s640/20151126_153532.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Mashed Potatoes</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hh7cubBX8GU/VlihB1NhktI/AAAAAAAANh0/Is_zzNasJHk/s1600/20151126_154134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hh7cubBX8GU/VlihB1NhktI/AAAAAAAANh0/Is_zzNasJHk/s640/20151126_154134.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />My Plate - a bit of everything<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s_8H1RLpsz0/VlihB5uAjqI/AAAAAAAANhw/n6KzRr6c-Ok/s1600/20151126_172947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s_8H1RLpsz0/VlihB5uAjqI/AAAAAAAANhw/n6KzRr6c-Ok/s640/20151126_172947.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />Spectacular desserts - pumpkin muffins with no crust and Dutch Apple Pie with homemade salted caramel</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-53523713673452700912015-11-01T21:45:00.000-05:002015-11-01T21:45:03.664-05:00What We Ate<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-25902277052558079732015-10-22T21:49:00.000-04:002015-10-22T21:49:51.492-04:00Longan Fruit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_MkO_z3i7C8/VimOei0k5SI/AAAAAAAANbk/Mk6d4wLMLeI/s1600/20151022_121353-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_MkO_z3i7C8/VimOei0k5SI/AAAAAAAANbk/Mk6d4wLMLeI/s640/20151022_121353-1.jpg" width="638" /></a></div>
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The 'cousin' of Lychee, Longan fruit is milder, less messy with delicate white semi-translucent flesh and when you bite into it the nickname of 'Dragon Eye' is completely understood</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MjXt25aNMao/VimP_ZTWhoI/AAAAAAAANbw/CWinylWVfNE/s1600/DSC_0602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MjXt25aNMao/VimP_ZTWhoI/AAAAAAAANbw/CWinylWVfNE/s640/DSC_0602.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Outer skins peal easily with nails or a small pairing knife, discarded in a pile like this they look like small egg shells</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3Lmznh3MqY8/VimQIVpYttI/AAAAAAAANb4/d9rQtERVS4U/s1600/DSC_0596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3Lmznh3MqY8/VimQIVpYttI/AAAAAAAANb4/d9rQtERVS4U/s640/DSC_0596.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I might be officially in love with the cute pits, looking like jewels with a shiny skin and exotic tiny chestnut similarity.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-77422645629017555382015-10-13T13:46:00.000-04:002015-10-13T17:22:13.031-04:00Cannoli Cream Cookie Sandwishes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IaAfYdTFMjw/Vh1BHWGQLvI/AAAAAAAANa4/39OiSnGduyA/s1600/DSC_0535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IaAfYdTFMjw/Vh1BHWGQLvI/AAAAAAAANa4/39OiSnGduyA/s640/DSC_0535.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I craved a cannoli but did't feel like going to all the effort of getting in my car and driving to the wonderful Italian bakery or even more involved of making them from scratch at home so these are a great alternative.</div>
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Cannoli Cream Cookies:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 cup whole or part skim milk Ricotta</li>
<li>3-5 tablespoons of powdered sugar, depending on your sweet tooth</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon of Vanilla extract</li>
<li>1/2 cup mini chocolate chips</li>
<li>Vanilla wafers or Tea cookies</li>
</ul>
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Drain a cup of Ricotta is water logged in a paper towel lines strainer for several hours or overnight. Place the strained Ricotta in a mixing bowl, add vanilla, powdered sugar and almost all of the mini chocolate chips (reserve enough in a plate to roll the edges). Mix well with a fork and spoon cannoli cream on a cookie evenly, cover with a second cookie and roll in the reserved mini chips. If ships are not your 'thing', chopped pistachios are a great alternative.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F_IArArlPDo/Vh1BHUHm3xI/AAAAAAAANa8/F7GA9nSOhvQ/s1600/DSC_0538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F_IArArlPDo/Vh1BHUHm3xI/AAAAAAAANa8/F7GA9nSOhvQ/s640/DSC_0538.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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These can store in the fridge for a few hours so if you are making just enough for a snack or a treat at tea time, keep the cannoli cream in an airtight container in the fridge till needed (image below)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VL-I0twvwBs/Vh114V0xYBI/AAAAAAAANbQ/3M1XG67DSfo/s1600/DSC_0542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VL-I0twvwBs/Vh114V0xYBI/AAAAAAAANbQ/3M1XG67DSfo/s640/DSC_0542.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Lucky for everyone, they accompany tea as well as coffee equally deliciously! What would you like to enjoy these with?</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-32122917240077971842015-10-08T21:41:00.000-04:002015-10-08T21:43:52.832-04:00Saving Seeds for Next Growing Season - Green Beans<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FCIYU2hWhZA/VhbuemQ5o_I/AAAAAAAANZc/NXdyFtPLshE/s1600/DSC_0486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FCIYU2hWhZA/VhbuemQ5o_I/AAAAAAAANZc/NXdyFtPLshE/s640/DSC_0486.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Allow the been pods to dry on the vine, once they turn brown and outer shell brittle, they are ready to pick, pluck and store for the next growing season<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GBzBWiwiz54/VhbuejoVPvI/AAAAAAAANZk/BMIPBfRZD7s/s1600/DSC_0487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GBzBWiwiz54/VhbuejoVPvI/AAAAAAAANZk/BMIPBfRZD7s/s640/DSC_0487.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Shell the pods, extract the beans that should be dry and light to the touch without any visible moisture</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WFx-HsgIgeA/Vhbuew9QgdI/AAAAAAAANZg/ciIaVqhMFJQ/s1600/DSC_0488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WFx-HsgIgeA/Vhbuew9QgdI/AAAAAAAANZg/ciIaVqhMFJQ/s640/DSC_0488.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
These are all perfectly dry for storage, in a cool dry place but not cold (like fridge or freezer)<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FOr0wEds-l8/VhbuidLl9PI/AAAAAAAANZ0/K8kY0cs4G7M/s1600/DSC_0489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FOr0wEds-l8/VhbuidLl9PI/AAAAAAAANZ0/K8kY0cs4G7M/s640/DSC_0489.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
On the left are beans in the exact dry state, on the right the beans are too moist to survive till next growing season<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-whZ_GL0dBlI/VhbuiuL8_sI/AAAAAAAANZ8/bzVjD57qY0I/s1600/DSC_0491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-whZ_GL0dBlI/VhbuiuL8_sI/AAAAAAAANZ8/bzVjD57qY0I/s640/DSC_0491.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
In this photo you can see the difference between the dry and moist beans<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7YkwYOvE2qg/VhbuigWlP-I/AAAAAAAANZ4/bYjG03kLir4/s1600/DSC_0492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7YkwYOvE2qg/VhbuigWlP-I/AAAAAAAANZ4/bYjG03kLir4/s640/DSC_0492.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Pretty but not perfect for seeding<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zante1JUBPw/VhbukQwaiDI/AAAAAAAANaM/50XRfd-42Nw/s1600/DSC_0495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zante1JUBPw/VhbukQwaiDI/AAAAAAAANaM/50XRfd-42Nw/s640/DSC_0495.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
These are just the right color, size and moisture level. I'll be storing them in wax paper bags in a desk drawer of my studio that does not experience temperature fluctuations from season to season. Next spring the will be sprouted in toilet paper containers filled with starter mix to be transplanted into the raised bed garden after they produce sufficient growth. What would you like to save for next year's garden?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-65869854356137586772015-10-03T14:36:00.000-04:002015-10-04T13:12:11.149-04:00Red Wine Potatoes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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These potatoes are delicious, filled with savory flavor and the undercurrent of wine essence, here is how I make these very popular and often requested side dish in our household.</div>
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Melt butter or coconut oil in a heavy bottom pan. Place peeled, rinsed and cut into large chunks russet potatoes in the pan. Set burner to medium. You can also use Yukon Gold or Red Bliss. Young potatoes don't even need to be peeled but can just be scrubbed clean and quarter the smaller ones. Make sure to use a heavy bottom pan with high sides with enough surface area for all the potatoes is ideal. This recipe is for 1 lb but as you can see I used a little more in this version with a minor adjustment of liquid. </div>
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<b>Recipe:</b></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>1 lb of potatoes (Russet, Yukon Gold or Red Bliss)</li>
<li>1 cup red wine</li>
<li>1 cup chicken, beef or vegetable broth</li>
<li>1/2 a large onion sliced</li>
<li>10 oz mushrooms, fresh or in can (drained)</li>
<li>5-8 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole</li>
<li>2 tablespoons chopped parsley</li>
<li>4 tablespoons butter, can be substituted with coconut oil</li>
<li>salt & black pepper to taste</li>
</ul>
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This is about 4 minutes in on medium heat, Keep moving the potatoes around to get even browning.<br />
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Six minutes in and they are starting to look closer to the desired 'complexion' before adding the liquids. At this point add salt & black pepper to taste.</div>
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Eight minutes and mushrooms added. I didn't have fresh mushrooms on hand so I gave the canned/jarred version a good draining and an opportunity to sweat off some of the moisture for a few minutes before adding the stock and wine. If using fresh mushrooms, cut them in large chunks or slices to give them a nice surface area for browning. </div>
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Add the liquids - wine, stock and any water (as needed) along with parsley, whole garlic cloves </div>
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and thickly cut onion slices, stir to combine </div>
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Simmer on medium/low till potatoes are fork tender but not falling apart. This is what mine look like after 10 minutes </div>
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Fifteen minutes in, still lots of liquid </div>
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Finished - 35 minutes simmering till the liquid was nearly gone, creating a lovely sauce. The potatoes have absorbed the flavors of the wine, stock and seasonings. Great side dish to a seated steak, roast or as a vegetarian option if you use veggie stock instead of chicken of beef.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-78722868170932316762015-09-26T21:44:00.003-04:002015-09-26T23:52:23.670-04:00What We Ate 9/16-9/26<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Toasted sesame bagel with a shmear of whipped cream cheese, lox, red onion slices and caviar<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Weekday afternoon treat of decaf coffee with a scoop of coffee ice cream and honey sesame snacks<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Pulled Pork, Acorn Squash, Israeli couscous and kimchi<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Roasted acorn squash with agave, pepper and butter<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Israeli couscous cooked in chicken broth then topped with micro veggies<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Pulled pork in tasty BBQ sause<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Kimchi that helps to cut through all the rich elements of the dish<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Portabella mushroom ravioli with ricotta, parsley and garlic<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Toasted sesame bagel, cream cheese and strawberry jam<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Last Sunday of Summer pasta salad with kalamata olives, roasted and marinated red bell peppers, vidalia onions, tuna and micro veggies in a greek vinaigrette dressing (amended with 2 tablespoons of mayo)<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Deconstructed stuffed peppers - Royal Rice Mix smothered by 5 pepper saute with sliced and seared ring bologna and chorizo crumbles<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Key Lime Cheesecake scoops with vanilla wafer and lime zest<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Meatless Monday meal of Sweet Potato soft tacos loaded with roasted peppers, mushrooms, garlic, fresh salsa, cheddar cheese, sour cream, dill and lime<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Country ribs slow cooked and glazed with BBQ sauce, cold sauerkraut, roasted red bliss potatoes and blistered cherry tomatoes<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Weekday lunch of leftovers in form of a tostada napoleon with peppers & mushrooms from earlier in the week<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Blade steak with au poivre sauce<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Red Wine potatoes with mushrooms and young garlic cloves</div>
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Naked Pasta with toasted panko bread crumbs, parsley, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-87210282350976507582015-09-15T22:24:00.002-04:002015-09-15T22:24:47.327-04:00What We Ate 9/2-9/15<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Steak and Eggs brunch with heirloom black cherry tomotoes<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Oven baked Red Snapper over Royal Rice mix with blistered tomatoes and micro veggie salad of assorted cress<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Heirloom tomatoes - black and plum along with cucamelon (little green things cut in half) with micro veggies in a simple vinaigrette <span style="text-align: left;"> (Paulie's plate)</span></div>
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Tomato salad with Queso Fresco, Cucamelons and micro veggies (my plate)<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Paulie's Birthday Dinner by request - Buttermilk Fried chicken, Ricotta Garlic Mashed potatoes and Cucumber salad<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Leftover fried chicken Tacos with Bib lettuce, tomatoes, pickled jalapenos and micro veggies on corn tortillas<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Birthday Brownie for Paulie with Butterscotch chips</div>
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Steak, tomato salad and red wine potatoes with onion and young garlic<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Cherry tomato salad with micro veggies, queso fresco and pesto made from assorted micro cress<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Cheese quesadillas with pickled jalapenos, homemade salsa and sour cream<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Veggie stuffed baked potato - peppers and onions, topped with sour cream and scallions<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Honey Cake for Rosh Hashanah<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Grass fed beef burger cooked in coconut oil, maple baked beans, pickled jalapenos and spaghetti squash with ricotta, basil and garlic</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-13117007284815207252015-09-13T00:03:00.001-04:002015-09-27T18:40:19.821-04:00UPS Frustration<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Oh, UPS, how I love/hate you! I love that you have employed my husband for the last 25 years. That being said, the experience we had with your service this week leaves a lot to be desired. Here is our story, you be the judge:</div>
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<b>September 8th, 2015</b></div>
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Purchased and sent an overnight Next Day Air Letter from CT to Brooklyn NY (time sensitive stock transfer Notarized document that can't be emailed or faxed). Dropped off at a letterbox in Vernon CT at 4:30 pm with the last pickup time of 5:30 pm with plenty of time to spare. Next Day Air Overnight deliver is supposed to be completed by 10:30 am the following morning.</div>
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<b><br />September 9th, 2015</b></div>
Checked tracking online to see the following:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zNk_E-89vlA/VfHDEYqe3mI/AAAAAAAANOA/bN3xCRIBlts/s1600/UPS%2B1Z34T6U30197416029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="502" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zNk_E-89vlA/VfHDEYqe3mI/AAAAAAAANOA/bN3xCRIBlts/s640/UPS%2B1Z34T6U30197416029.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Even with 'inside' information I had no clear idea what the message meant - The receiver has requested that we hold this package for a future delivery date / Delivery will be rescheduled. My husband immediately got irritated because the message is completely misleading. I even contacted the receiver on the off chance they requested a 'future delivery', which they did not. So what does it mean? I could be one of a couple of situations - the driver was late delivering and 'dinged' the package to keep up the numbers/productivity, the package was not on the delivery truck to make it to the destination or the package was 'misplaced'. </div>
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I placed a call to UPS customer service shortly after 1 pm on 9/9/15, spoke with someone who checked the tracking number and confirmed that they will attempt to re-deliver the same day and promised a call back 'within the hour' to verify that it's being re-delivered.</div>
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By 6:10 pm I was getting irate that there were no calls, email or updates on the tracking information and called again. This time I was told that a re-delivery will be attempted but I pointed out that the destination is an office building that would now be closed. I asked why it was not re-delivered 5 hours earlier after I called the first time as promised and why there was not call back. No helpful answer was provided but another promise made to re-deliver. I pointed out that the business is now closed so it would be attempted in the morning.</div>
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Frustration had built up at that point to such a level that I posted a message on UPS Facebook page and received a reply within 6 minutes with an email address where to direct the details for further assistance. Email sent to the provided address outlining the timeline and the repeated fails at delivering my Next Day Overnight Letter.</div>
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At 7:20 pm a reply was received from customer service that they have escalated this issue to the local facility's Management team.</div>
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At 7:24 pm we receive a call from a member of the Brooklyn NY hub management team, sadly I can't recall the woman's name, she initially spoke with my husband and when he said he had an idea what happened to the package she proceeded to insult him by saying 'you don't know what you are talking about' even after he told her that he's been a UPS driver for 25 years. I took over the call at that point because I saw the steam gizers exiting his ears. I explained the situation but she was not only short with me, when I asked the question 'do you know where the physical package is right now' she yelled at me that I cut her off and repeated to me the same thing we heard earlier in the day. That the package was attempted to be delivered, I was suspicious that it was a fact and called her on it. If the package was in the truck and was delivered, even after the 10:30 am deadline, then there would be tracking update and it would be in the mailroom of the recipient but none of that was true. So that leaves the fact that it was never on the truck, I said that exactly at which point she reluctantly conceded. I pointed out that it would be best to provide that in the tracking information rather than some bogus message making is sound like the delivery was declined. It was an unpleasant interaction during which I had to bite my tongue not to swear up a storm. </div>
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<b>September 10, 2015</b></div>
At 10:49 am I checked the tracking information to see the following:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3WJ-QpInzAY/VfHJrH1oNlI/AAAAAAAANOQ/JKQ-j74b7hY/s1600/UPS%2B1Z34T6U30197416029%2B9-10-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="454" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3WJ-QpInzAY/VfHJrH1oNlI/AAAAAAAANOQ/JKQ-j74b7hY/s640/UPS%2B1Z34T6U30197416029%2B9-10-15.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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So the package has at least has been physically located and scanned at 2:56 am, great, one step closer to being delivered.</div>
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Around 1 pm I see this:</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--w5n_x337XM/VfHKIj9eEKI/AAAAAAAANOY/Uc1m-WjPTLw/s1600/UPS%2B1Z34T6U30197416029%2B9-10-15%2BDelivered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="438" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--w5n_x337XM/VfHKIj9eEKI/AAAAAAAANOY/Uc1m-WjPTLw/s640/UPS%2B1Z34T6U30197416029%2B9-10-15%2BDelivered.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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DELIVERED! Albeit late at 11:11 am instead of by 10:30 am, 24 hours + late. Now I have to wait for the call from Customer service after 3 pm to discuss a refund since we paid $28 for the overnight delivery which was not done. The manager I spoke with the night before said that they would have to research the situation to see if there is any potential refund coming to us. Way to stand behind your own deadlines and service.</div>
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No call back on 9/10/15 so I called Customer Service to start the refund process, got a bit of a run around that the refund would not be full amount paid and could take 1-2 credit cycles. Not sure why payments can be made practically instantaneously but credits could be up to 2 months. Now I'll be checking my account to see just how long it takes to have the refund hit my PayPal.<br />
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Overall this was a disappointing experience that I don't wish to relive anytime soon. Ironically we could have driven the package to Brooklyn in 2 hours instead of 25 hours it took via UPS.<br />
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We never expected or wanted any preferential treatment being a UPS employed family but I was genuinely surprised that progressed the way it did. I felt insulted and dismissed by customer service when placated by promises of call backs and timeframes that were not met. Business needs to learn that if you have any doubt about being able to keep a promise, don't keep repeating it. If you find that a human error was made, admit it instead of covering up with none sense messages and certainly don't tell a customer that they don't know what they are talking about.<br />
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Now I have a daily task of keeping track of when the refund will hit my PayPal and will update it in this post.<br />
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Have you ever had a poor customer service experience where you felt ignored or overlooked? How did you address it? I'd love to hear your stories.<br />
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*****UPDATE*****<br />
On September 19th, UPS credited my PayPal account $27.40 (original cost was $28.43) without an email or promised follow up. Pretty sure they just wanted to get me off their back and done with. So 10 days for the refund is definitely better than the potential 2 billing cycles I was notified of before.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-81880662311277672172015-09-09T13:53:00.000-04:002015-09-09T14:17:03.281-04:00Pilot Frixion Erasabe Pens<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-26712785427832396052015-09-08T22:17:00.001-04:002015-09-08T22:17:56.686-04:00Chester's Favorite Things<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In honor of Chester's Clean Bill of Health from the vet today after a scary mass we discovered on his belly a couple of weeks ago, I thought I would post some of his favorite things (tested and adored) in case you want to spoil/treat your favorite doggie.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-11753337822793164102015-09-01T18:49:00.001-04:002015-09-01T18:49:33.819-04:00What We Ate<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Crab & Beef Salad<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Inside Out Grilled Cheese<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Juicy Meatloaf over garlic mashed potatoes with fresh spinach<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Pork loin, roasted cauliflower and sultry corn<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Mint usted watermelon<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Corn Chowder with Spinach and Bacon<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Cavatappi with Shrimp and Summer Veggies<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Garden Lunch - Italian Bread, Fresh Mozzarella & Heirloom Tomato open sandwish<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Quarto Formaggi Pizza with Garlic and Broccoli</div>
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Coffee Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate sauce and dried goji berries<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Popeye Bread Panzanella Salad</div>
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Grass Fed Beef Burger with Sunny Side Up Egg<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Brats, Sour Purple Braised Cabbage and Fingerling Potatoes<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Fried Cheese!<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Steak & Potato & Corn<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Peaches & Cream Oatmeal with fresh ripe peach slices and Chia Seeds<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Challah Back French Toast with Fresh Strawberry Jam</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-36056588175068029902015-08-28T23:36:00.000-04:002017-01-05T12:37:46.833-05:00How to Create A Meme<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jyKzoUh-COk/VeEaR8PzBiI/AAAAAAAANFc/vfUszUniZC8/s1600/Letting%2Bgo%2Bdoes%2Bnot%2Ballow%2Bothers%2Bto%2Bescape.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jyKzoUh-COk/VeEaR8PzBiI/AAAAAAAANFc/vfUszUniZC8/s640/Letting%2Bgo%2Bdoes%2Bnot%2Ballow%2Bothers%2Bto%2Bescape.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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You have all seen them but if you've ever wanted to create one yourself, like this one I made the other, the following easy step by step instructions for <a href="http://canva.com/">Canva.com</a> It's free to use, provided you don't purchase their 'at cost' desings and use it for something simple like a MEME. I also use this online site to create my daily YouTube thumbnails (let me know if you'd like to see how that's done).<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fFVUtXxJ_ig/VeEaYLML0cI/AAAAAAAANFk/-9lbyYd1KXY/s1600/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fFVUtXxJ_ig/VeEaYLML0cI/AAAAAAAANFk/-9lbyYd1KXY/s640/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The best size to use for MEME that will be shared on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter is 800x800 which is the Social Media selection on Canva (closeup shown below)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m6tCxRikBm4/VeEadswTRRI/AAAAAAAANGE/POJ66BTRd20/s1600/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m6tCxRikBm4/VeEadswTRRI/AAAAAAAANGE/POJ66BTRd20/s320/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B2.jpg" width="269" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KbiRrE-oSMw/VeEad1dU2OI/AAAAAAAANGI/g3T9flZoDH8/s1600/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KbiRrE-oSMw/VeEad1dU2OI/AAAAAAAANGI/g3T9flZoDH8/s640/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B3.jpg" width="624" /></a></div>
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Click on the Social Media image and on the next screen select Uploads to select your photo file from your computer (hard drive, flash drive or SD card) </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yr_Rxz3XwPA/VeEaePswAcI/AAAAAAAANGQ/XJy9G5AXry8/s1600/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yr_Rxz3XwPA/VeEaePswAcI/AAAAAAAANGQ/XJy9G5AXry8/s640/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Pick the desired image, click open and the file will be uploaded. You will see it turn from grey scale to color (if your image is in color) from left to right till completed </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uDl1G_xMccw/VeEaebw4k_I/AAAAAAAANGY/oF42DxnoCTE/s1600/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uDl1G_xMccw/VeEaebw4k_I/AAAAAAAANGY/oF42DxnoCTE/s640/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Completed image will appear in your Uploads section on the same screen, to use an image in your MEME, simply double click it and it will be pulled into the edit panel on the right of the screen </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G_7Q0VTxMWw/VeEaekkaujI/AAAAAAAANGc/0fQVeZ1Yxe8/s1600/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G_7Q0VTxMWw/VeEaekkaujI/AAAAAAAANGc/0fQVeZ1Yxe8/s640/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B6.jpg" width="638" /></a></div>
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You can then scale/resize and edit the image </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-12D_VARwK1U/VeEafKOD-AI/AAAAAAAANGg/5N2w1SgQX28/s1600/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-12D_VARwK1U/VeEafKOD-AI/AAAAAAAANGg/5N2w1SgQX28/s640/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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One recommendation, the edit bar for the image will move with the resizing so if you want to edit the transparency, link or rate the image, you will want to do that while the image is smaller so the options display and don't drop off the screen, out of reach for selection</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-09Md0ApdacQ/VeEafiwxg4I/AAAAAAAANGk/mHylbcnSHrM/s1600/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-09Md0ApdacQ/VeEafiwxg4I/AAAAAAAANGk/mHylbcnSHrM/s640/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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As you can see above, I made the image smaller so the Edit options would be visible on the screen </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DC4lzLX91ck/VeEaf2Re_ZI/AAAAAAAANGo/13UT6FjmWDc/s1600/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DC4lzLX91ck/VeEaf2Re_ZI/AAAAAAAANGo/13UT6FjmWDc/s640/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Because I was adding text over the image but didn't want it to compete or get too busy, the best way to combine the two is to make the background image partially transparent - my favorite is at 50%. Simply slide the button along the Transparency bar till you reach the desired saturation. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BEB-PFLZIhE/VeEac5Ix2gI/AAAAAAAANF0/DSMw1o9l_ZU/s1600/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BEB-PFLZIhE/VeEac5Ix2gI/AAAAAAAANF0/DSMw1o9l_ZU/s640/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B10.jpg" width="464" /></a></div>
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One the background is to your likeness, it's time to add text. Click on the Text link on the left hand navigator to open the available options. Some of the designs are FREE while the rest are available at a per item cost. I've never felt compelled to purchase any of the options because the FREE selection is robust enough for a variety of uses. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zOHUYs7b1xM/VeEac7AjY1I/AAAAAAAANFs/ImZU9nv4Juo/s1600/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="548" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zOHUYs7b1xM/VeEac7AjY1I/AAAAAAAANFs/ImZU9nv4Juo/s640/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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For my example I chose Subheading - you can change the font, size and color </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UsoFDgpfKf4/VeEacxlAp7I/AAAAAAAANFw/hLWmmdl4tJs/s1600/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="524" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UsoFDgpfKf4/VeEacxlAp7I/AAAAAAAANFw/hLWmmdl4tJs/s640/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The color code # is a very nice option especially if you are trying to keep uniform color </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ej2v0z9Qduw/VeEadJOw4wI/AAAAAAAANF4/8wa-1VNh1yY/s1600/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ej2v0z9Qduw/VeEadJOw4wI/AAAAAAAANF4/8wa-1VNh1yY/s640/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B13.jpg" width="586" /></a></div>
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Font options are available to the right of the trash can </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BseSC0s3GAA/VeEadYANvJI/AAAAAAAANHM/HT5-OKeohYU/s1600/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="470" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BseSC0s3GAA/VeEadYANvJI/AAAAAAAANHM/HT5-OKeohYU/s640/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B14.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once all your editing is completed (yes there is auto spell check which has saved a lot of embarrassment) you can save your file as an image or a .PDF as appropriate for your use. Most recently a High Quality .PNG was added which makes the final results that much crisper. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3n6BL9rZ1bU/VeEadoayWrI/AAAAAAAANF8/Ayjgm4yKYTk/s1600/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3n6BL9rZ1bU/VeEadoayWrI/AAAAAAAANF8/Ayjgm4yKYTk/s640/Canva%2B-%2BHow%2Bto%2BCreate%2Ba%2BMeme%2B15.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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When you file is finished downloading, you can share it on Facebook, Tweet it or email. A copy of the saved file will be in your Downloads folder (Windows machines).</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-158KO5LLCyU/VeEbq2L1O7I/AAAAAAAANHg/O6QjzyHRNQ0/s1600/Letting%2Bgo%2Bdoes%2Bnot%2Ballow%2Bothers%2Bto%2Bescape%2B%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-158KO5LLCyU/VeEbq2L1O7I/AAAAAAAANHg/O6QjzyHRNQ0/s640/Letting%2Bgo%2Bdoes%2Bnot%2Ballow%2Bothers%2Bto%2Bescape%2B%25281%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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The final results are clean and presentable. It takes me only a few minutes to create one and once you have done a few it's it will only get even quicker. Be honest, you want try one, right? If you do, please share it with me. I'd love to see what you create! Cheers!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080086845368830829.post-41642092519464630252015-08-23T16:55:00.004-04:002015-08-23T19:48:55.029-04:00Sunday Lunch with a Twist<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Gathered my ingredients (almost all pictured here) - Popeye bread from <a href="http://ghbreadct.com/" target="_blank">Great Harvest Bread Co in Vernon</a>, cucumbers (2 already peeled and shredded in the bowl with salt), radishes, lemon, garlic, sour cream, salt & pepper, strainer, two microplanes - one for shred, other for garlic and lemon zest. Not pictured - dill<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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First, wash, peel and shred two medium cucumbers. In hindsight I should have shredded them directly into the strainer and placed that over the bowl, so don't make the same misstep I did. A little salt will draw out a lot more liquid, set aside for a few minutes. In the meantime I cut the bread and popped it in the oven, my preferred way of toasting multiple pieces of bread that are not typical shape/size.<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Once the shredded cucumber has been drained of extra liquid, microplate 1 or 2 garlic cloves<span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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Then the zest of a small lemon but don't toss the microplane in the sink quite yet, there is another use</div>
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Turn it upside down and use it to catch the seeds from the lemon while juicing it, one less tool to pull out of the drawer and wash </div>
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Mix well, I find using a fork is just the right tool so when I add the sour cream it's two fork fulls (about 2 tablespoons) </div>
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By the time the sauce is done, the bread will be perfectly toasted. Just look at those nooks and crispy edges </div>
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Toasting this wheat/white mixture bread loaded with spinach, garlic and parmesan cheese provided the added stability to build our open face sandwiches </div>
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Heaping tablespoon of sauce on each toast or as much or as little as you'd like </div>
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Today's veggie bounty - heirloom tomato, cucumbers and radishes. These are Paulie's so they have fresh cracked black pepper on top of each </div>
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While my cucumber one had caviar, tomato black lava salt and radish fresh cracked black pepper.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17568148210873936634noreply@blogger.com0