tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22172077686862665132024-03-12T21:34:22.627-07:00Manny's Backyard GourmetAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04372833948414619911noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217207768686266513.post-25524760000449909372013-06-05T07:39:00.003-07:002013-06-05T14:33:02.569-07:00Lemon Laced, Radish Top Pesto<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I am <em>obsessed, captivated, completely infatuated, almost posessed </em>by our garden.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"Eeeeeek...excited, excited....ha, yeah....pummpeddd!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Call me batty, but 'round here I take on any number of names: "one proud mama of our garden babies" or "the grateful deadheader." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I dirty myself head to toe, so sometimes I go for the "all-thumbs-hands-arms-elbows-in-kinda-gardener." The "dirty fingernailer" works too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It's this time of year when I get so caught up with our little seedlings who graduate from sprouting young-buds to hardy fruits.</span> </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SVtk8QQAl-I/UatJrQHkRoI/AAAAAAAAAuc/s_vLvR_prLo/s1600/IMG_1221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SVtk8QQAl-I/UatJrQHkRoI/AAAAAAAAAuc/s_vLvR_prLo/s400/IMG_1221.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: small;">One of our strawberry blossoms</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JuOH4OT6lsw/Ua50BcYkyvI/AAAAAAAAAwg/kAgcmn6FHjQ/s1600/IMG_1259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JuOH4OT6lsw/Ua50BcYkyvI/AAAAAAAAAwg/kAgcmn6FHjQ/s400/IMG_1259.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">Our first berry born from the blossom above!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Enter my world of purples, yellows, oranges, reds!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IQWZCKO8HkA/UatKh2GBIqI/AAAAAAAAAvU/XlEoaJ8s4wM/s1600/IMG_1232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IQWZCKO8HkA/UatKh2GBIqI/AAAAAAAAAvU/XlEoaJ8s4wM/s400/IMG_1232.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: small;">Chive flowers</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Wrlh-uqL0ig/UatKEI-7nPI/AAAAAAAAAu8/yoozZxfbqgQ/s1600/IMG_1228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Wrlh-uqL0ig/UatKEI-7nPI/AAAAAAAAAu8/yoozZxfbqgQ/s400/IMG_1228.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: small;">Nasturtiums</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4xH_-Y9s8qw/UatKCIlLa2I/AAAAAAAAAus/DI56oVmzLXk/s1600/IMG_1225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4xH_-Y9s8qw/UatKCIlLa2I/AAAAAAAAAus/DI56oVmzLXk/s400/IMG_1225.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: small;">Leaf lettuce</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">These colors don't just bedazzle the garden, they're all edible too! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">These plants almost mute Manerva's (our garden scarecrow's) dimming wardrobe. Her mellow colors continue to fade fast.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Understandably so. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Her work shift runs day and night, rain or snow, wind, hail. Invariably, she sets camp watching over our garden boxes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Housed within her boxes are radishes!</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MbAFVyGjvLw/UatO4hs_oxI/AAAAAAAAAwM/XCByglafkmw/s1600/IMG_1251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MbAFVyGjvLw/UatO4hs_oxI/AAAAAAAAAwM/XCByglafkmw/s400/IMG_1251.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Make Your Radish Grow!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">You know these guys are ready by moving their perky leaves aside to see their rounded ruby-red cheeks push up just above the soil (about a quarter to a half inch high) like so....</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z6rL0xDLhNs/UatKC2to8bI/AAAAAAAAAu0/W6M_LGp0TGs/s1600/IMG_1222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z6rL0xDLhNs/UatKC2to8bI/AAAAAAAAAu0/W6M_LGp0TGs/s400/IMG_1222.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: small;">Radish tops</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wlgd76uSE0o/UatJ2NDHc6I/AAAAAAAAAuk/yJMvflDp3HY/s1600/IMG_1223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wlgd76uSE0o/UatJ2NDHc6I/AAAAAAAAAuk/yJMvflDp3HY/s400/IMG_1223.jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: small;">Radish</span> </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I found that most people think younger radishes, about 1 inch in diameter, taste better. Any bigger, and you risk them cracking and drying out. They also leave a bitter aftertaste, giving off a tickle-your-nose pepper flavor (which I lean towards because I savor a good, kick-in-the-pants kind of spice). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Eat all your radishes, and figure your favorite size!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">These characteristics do, however, vary depending on your radish variety (</span><a href="http://www.seedsavers.org/onlinestore/radish/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Just look at all of them</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">!). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Any more radish growing questions can be answered <a href="http://urbanext.illinois.edu/veggies/radish.cfm"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>. This site</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> contains radish varieties, where and when they grow best, and the relative length of time to keep radishes in the ground (the back of your seed packet shares this information too).</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gPNV-3uBJ-A/UatOuqpWeMI/AAAAAAAAAv8/-Ffd57tVu6E/s1600/IMG_1248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gPNV-3uBJ-A/UatOuqpWeMI/AAAAAAAAAv8/-Ffd57tVu6E/s400/IMG_1248.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Grow Your Radish & Eat (all of) It Too!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">These bulby-radishes package healthy-for-you nutrients, a delightfully peppery bite, and crisp flavor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> I'm drooling!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I do that occasionally, partially because I want to make these pink gems shine in luminous recipes. Find 15 pages worth of them at this </span><a href="http://foodgawker.com/?s=radish"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">site</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> which beckons the adventurous food-lover, like me. In this social media savvy age, I have to pull up the </span><a href="http://pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=radish%20recipe"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">radish recipe Pinterest page</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. And don't forget to gawk at good ol', Martha Stewart </span><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/274898/radish-recipes/@center/276955/seasonal-produce-recipe-guide#158933"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">30+ recipe</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> repertoire. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But, I won't stop at the root.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Let your eyes venture northward, above the radish...wayy past its pink, white hue....</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o0L6BpjvnL8/UatOuP8QwUI/AAAAAAAAAv0/rz8UbuZZKis/s1600/IMG_1250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o0L6BpjvnL8/UatOuP8QwUI/AAAAAAAAAv0/rz8UbuZZKis/s400/IMG_1250.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">...yes..tilt your head...up...a little higher..a-hah!</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-duzQUfpmBOQ/UatOwzik30I/AAAAAAAAAwE/MiFbGEV4wS8/s1600/IMG_1249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-duzQUfpmBOQ/UatOwzik30I/AAAAAAAAAwE/MiFbGEV4wS8/s400/IMG_1249.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">You're staring at those lucious greens. <span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">They contain a similar but milder, radish pepperiness.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you know me, you know my "no good thing goes to waste" mentality.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So let's have at these leaves in a</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">lemon laced, radish top pesto</span>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This spread enlivens homemade lasagna, soups, pastas or rice, and salad dressings. You can slab it onto meat, eggs, or grilled veggies; mix pesto into your pizza sauce. Even coat it thick on your cornbread or within your sandwiches.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ivVuvjMI4-c/UatJegYUa3I/AAAAAAAAAuU/UT4uufoIqgk/s1600/IMG_1203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ivVuvjMI4-c/UatJegYUa3I/AAAAAAAAAuU/UT4uufoIqgk/s320/IMG_1203.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I like to snack on my smothered toast with low-fat cottage cheese, pesto, and radish root slices.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Recipe: Lemon Laced, Radish Top Pesto:</strong></span> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Serving:</strong> 8 ounce Jar of Pesto</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Preparation time:</strong> 45 minutes</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Equipment:</span></strong><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Small sauté pan</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Tongs or a spatula to toss the sautéed food</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Cookie Sheet</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Food processor</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Spatula</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A jar or any storage container</span></li>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients:</span></strong><br />
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<li><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pDb893bwp7w/Ua6eGs3GGJI/AAAAAAAAAww/E2PB518tYkc/s1600/IMG_1270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pDb893bwp7w/Ua6eGs3GGJI/AAAAAAAAAww/E2PB518tYkc/s200/IMG_1270.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2-3 garlic cloves taken away from the whole garlic bulb. Discard any loose leaves but keep the smooth, inedible outer skin surrounding each individual clove (For an example, look to the picture on the right). This covering (at the base of the picture) will protect your garlic from burning during the sauté.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 tablespoon of olive oil for sautéing the garlic</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1/4 cup of your favorite nut (I tried 1/8 cup of sunflower seeds and 1/8 cup of pine nuts)</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2-3 big bunches of radish leaves (probably close to 5-6 cups of the coarsely chopped leaves)</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Zest from one lemon (about 1-2 tablespoon)</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Juice from one lemon (about 2-3 tablespoons)</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A mounding 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1/4 cup of sun dried tomatoes</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1/2 cup of olive oil (any oil will do)</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">salt and pepper to taste</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">While that warms, place the garlic (in its thin skin) and the tablespoon of olive oil into a small, shallow pan over the stove. On medium heat, sauté it for about 8-10 minutes or until the garlic is browned and soft to the touch. As it cooks, move it around a good bit, so it doesn't burn. The finished garlic's insides should be squishy and mashable. </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Once the oven has preheated, scoop the nuts onto a cookie sheet. Place them in the oven for 10 minutes or until golden. I kept a close eye on them, repetitively flipping and mixing.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Squeeze the soft innards of the garlic from its outer cover into the food processor.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The nuts will probably be done by now, so take them out of the oven for cooling.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Pour the rest of the ingredients into the food processor, and let the blitzing begin. From time to time, you may need to stop and scrape the sides with your spatula.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(Optional) Customize your pesto: you can also hold the 1/2 cup oil until you puree the rest of the ingredients. Add it in slowly, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach the texture that you like.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(Optional) If you can't use all that pesto imediately, spoon it into icecube trays for the freezer. Once frozen, pop one out as you need it; or, to save room, pull all of the cubes from the tray into a freezer bag. Using a single icecube of pesto is much easier than chipping away at a bulky, frozen block of it.</span></li>
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<strong><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you don't share my hankering for pesto, move onto these simple radish top ideas:</span></strong></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Try them as a salad garnish, but beware of their rougher mouthfeel.</span></li>
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<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sauté them with a little butter or your favorite spices. I mix mine with kale or chard, and I don't notice the prickly leaves' texture. </span></li>
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<li style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2008/06/radish-leaf-potato-soup.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Radish </span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://seasonalontariofood.blogspot.com/2008/06/radish-leaf-potato-soup.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">green and potato soup seems like a fantastic idea</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. The recipe in this thread uses radish greens sautéed in a little butter, cubed potatoes, salt, pepper, chicken stalk, and a bit of light cream.</span></span></span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Some people even pickle them. </span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Cut them into narrow strips to use as a filler in soups.</span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Cook them as you would spinach. You can even freeze them for later in an air-tight, freezer-ready container. </span></li>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><br />Radishes. There's a certain charm to them?!</strong></span></div>
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04372833948414619911noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217207768686266513.post-44762667502917681292013-05-07T07:17:00.001-07:002013-05-07T09:09:27.035-07:00Quack like a duck. <div style="margin: 0px;">
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<span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Can you quack like a duck?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"> Booorrrinnggg...D<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">on't just speak it, "Quack."</span></span><span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> Give me a throaty, whaspy, Donald Duck, "Quaaaack!"</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: black;"><i>Eheemmmm</i>...now can you? For me?</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VfOabx-DhhY/UXsFwqV7goI/AAAAAAAAAn8/uQ7-72s2t5M/s1600/DSC_0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VfOabx-DhhY/UXsFwqV7goI/AAAAAAAAAn8/uQ7-72s2t5M/s400/DSC_0080.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>Oh prettyyy pleassseee.....</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">Okay. Dear, crazy, quacking reader, you've made not only my day, but you also gave life to my perfect blog introduction. Thanks!</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">To all the silent rest of you, bah-humbug! :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">To reassure all my quacking readers,</span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> hands down (dare I say, feathery wings down), our ducks would eagerly quack back,</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Quaccccck. Quack. Quahhhk!"</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9wEWk8j2lUw/UXsIcjJeQQI/AAAAAAAAAoc/AZpOKbqD_2Q/s1600/IMG_0752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9wEWk8j2lUw/UXsIcjJeQQI/AAAAAAAAAoc/AZpOKbqD_2Q/s400/IMG_0752.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">These birds are quite happy and self-assured with no hesitation, except when they duck-away from speeding cars that slice down our raod.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bix7UnXzgMM/UXsIJUcuW4I/AAAAAAAAAoM/jHem3i5zCz4/s1600/IMG_0754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bix7UnXzgMM/UXsIJUcuW4I/AAAAAAAAAoM/jHem3i5zCz4/s640/IMG_0754.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="color: black;">"Quack-quacking" is their way of life, really. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: black;">Ducks do what they value - what matters is keeping up the chatter as they splash in for a swim, doddle towards the pasture to visit their multi-specie family (the horses, chickens, and guinea hens) across the pond and back home for the evening.</span><span style="color: #444444;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qq2AO4hErss/UXsMPk7n0CI/AAAAAAAAAos/h1yzlzngjOw/s1600/chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qq2AO4hErss/UXsMPk7n0CI/AAAAAAAAAos/h1yzlzngjOw/s400/chair.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">I like to sit and watch them carry on. </span><span style="line-height: 24px;"> They often quack a low, conversational tone.</span><span style="line-height: 24px;"> But, what I really cherish is </span><span style="line-height: 24px;">relaxing, listening to the hum of the pond water rush over their quacky clamor</span><span style="line-height: 24px;">. It brings type of quiet that puts me under the misimpression that my world is at peace. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: black;">But no, I'm wrong.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pHS_27rXmtA/UXsFnWclgNI/AAAAAAAAAns/8sM42HTQOBc/s1600/DSC_0084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pHS_27rXmtA/UXsFnWclgNI/AAAAAAAAAns/8sM42HTQOBc/s400/DSC_0084.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large; line-height: 24px;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 24px;"><b><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Our</span> </b><span style="color: black;">world is at peace.</span></span><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_W9uZMPstw0/UXsA16-2a3I/AAAAAAAAAnc/M02CDOLuAdY/s1600/oaky+and+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_W9uZMPstw0/UXsA16-2a3I/AAAAAAAAAnc/M02CDOLuAdY/s400/oaky+and+me.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For now, we sit. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just a girl. With her dog. Watching her ducks. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sharing what life has to offer.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Spring came, and these ducks are quackin' happy and laying! Hmmm, what to do with those delicious eggs?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Bake chive parmesan popovers! Well, I'll get to that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Let's start by highlighting the prolific chives!</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cimVaaLfiuI/UX2D84W0wcI/AAAAAAAAAqU/R_UNj8sUpY8/s1600/IMG_0778.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cimVaaLfiuI/UX2D84W0wcI/AAAAAAAAAqU/R_UNj8sUpY8/s400/IMG_0778.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><u>Chives!</u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Taste: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">a gentle onion flavor</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Look for: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Chives resemble a hollow blade of grass. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Match Chives With...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">bacon, lemon, lime, garlic, oregano, parsley, soy sauce, tarragon, tomatoes, thyme, vinegar (in vinaigrettes or gazpacho), sharp cheeses (parmesan or blue cheese), really any dish that invites onions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Simple Chive Dishes:</span> </span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Feature a finely chopped topping of chives on soft, scrambled eggs. Or, fold them into eggs before cooking omelets. Even keep them cold in an egg salad.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You can salt and pepper baked, mashed or </span><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aida-mollenkamp/smashed-potatoes-with-chives-recipe/index.html" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">smashed potatoes</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> with chives. Why not try them in your picnic potato salad?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Add punch to salads or coleslaws.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Garlic bread makes chive greens pop! </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Swirl them into soup right before serving.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Chopped chives, mixed with a stick of butter, slathers perfectly on morning toast. For the long term, you can roll chive butter back in parchment paper to freeze! Thaw and butter your biscuits when the time's right.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Have at make-ahead </span><a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chive-oil-custer" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">chive oil</span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">. Try it out with fresh- squeeze lemon atop fish, chicken, even steamed rice (or other grains quinoa, barley, or faro).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Fried in butter and generously salted chives deepen the flavor of fresh tomato slices. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Storing Them Fresh:</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Handle the fragile chive grass delicately. Dampen a paper towel, place onto it a single layer of chives. Roll the towel, and slip it in your fridge. Chives short-lived, about one-two days fresh, three at most. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Growing:</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It is a perennial herb (growing back two or more years). Often, it dies back in the cold months but rallies back to life with the cool, spring weather's return. Pesky bugs steer clear of its pungent odor. Chives like full sun, about 6-8 hours is best. Light shade is okay too, making them perfect to grow on your windowsill. We harvest our chives by cutting them at their base, about 1 inch from the ground; they'll grow back from a bulb underneath the soil. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fresh or Dried Chives?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 tsp. of dried chives = 1 tablespoon of chopped chives. The dried versions don't give the same tang as fresh. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qLvw4LLT5yc/UX2Ptm3rlwI/AAAAAAAAAqk/wkqqUYu7pjg/s1600/Chive-Chart_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qLvw4LLT5yc/UX2Ptm3rlwI/AAAAAAAAAqk/wkqqUYu7pjg/s640/Chive-Chart_thumb.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The chart comes from </span><a href="http://www.thekitchenhacker.com/?p=1198"><span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small;">this site</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Recipe: Chive Parmesan Popovers</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I combined chives mild flavors with flour, salt, pepper, parmesan, soaking it all with a little bit of butter. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tVRe7kxdYr4/UXsSnku4ZEI/AAAAAAAAAo8/9RaxpSHXBKg/s1600/IMG_0723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tVRe7kxdYr4/UXsSnku4ZEI/AAAAAAAAAo8/9RaxpSHXBKg/s400/IMG_0723.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And, thanks to our ducky friends....</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xovHDmn7K_I/UXsIV18LHII/AAAAAAAAAoU/QebGWJvRTME/s1600/IMG_0753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xovHDmn7K_I/UXsIV18LHII/AAAAAAAAAoU/QebGWJvRTME/s400/IMG_0753.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We mixed duck eggs into this recipe! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It sounds strange, I know. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Most people twist their face when I tell them about these spring treats.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But, before you reign judgement, gage these delicious eggs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They're quite similar to the chicken eggs you're used to... </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWqEDwFkUHc/UX2Ds-zlVNI/AAAAAAAAAqE/ystKhUxerR4/s1600/IMG_1037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWqEDwFkUHc/UX2Ds-zlVNI/AAAAAAAAAqE/ystKhUxerR4/s400/IMG_1037.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">...except for their larger size and volume, richer flavor, lighter shell-coloring. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vfhAvVp7VPM/UX2DzjpF7aI/AAAAAAAAAqM/DAhQeelpu14/s1600/IMG_1038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vfhAvVp7VPM/UX2DzjpF7aI/AAAAAAAAAqM/DAhQeelpu14/s400/IMG_1038.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; text-align: center;">The duck eggs' bigger, more supple yolks lend to a fluffier texture for cakes and other baked goods. I think they imbue a more decadent flavor.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IdLXrC1Fo1M/UXsTHge_rhI/AAAAAAAAAps/uD14hoglO90/s1600/IMG_0732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IdLXrC1Fo1M/UXsTHge_rhI/AAAAAAAAAps/uD14hoglO90/s400/IMG_0732.jpg" width="382" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They also gave way for the airy texture of my chive-parmesan popovers topped with a caramelized onion, mushroom, thyme, balsamic sauté.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Puffed underneath, you can tell the popover lived up to its name.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1aDbK6Y3Mn8/UXsTJTZ0DuI/AAAAAAAAAp0/_szE73ZL2MA/s1600/IMG_0734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1aDbK6Y3Mn8/UXsTJTZ0DuI/AAAAAAAAAp0/_szE73ZL2MA/s320/IMG_0734.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><strong>Makes:</strong> 12-24 popovers. It's really dependent on the size of your muffin tins</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Equipment:</span></b><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WQF0oKBA5Mk/UXsSzE3QEeI/AAAAAAAAApM/7bKk_uO1UQ4/s1600/IMG_0727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="147" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WQF0oKBA5Mk/UXsSzE3QEeI/AAAAAAAAApM/7bKk_uO1UQ4/s200/IMG_0727.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Microwavable container for butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">A brush or towel to grease pans with butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2 medium mixing bowls</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fork or whisk to mix ingredients<br />Scissors or knife to chop chives</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Two, twelve well muffin tins</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ingredients:</span></b><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2 tablespoons melted butter</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 cup flour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1/2 teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1/2 teaspoon pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2 tablespoons finely snipped or chopped chives</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 and 1/4 cup milk, at room temperature (I used low-fat or 1%.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2 eggs, at room temperature (Duck or chicken will do!)</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Directions:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Grease your muffin pans with about 1 tablespoon of melted butter. I coated a little bit of the surface of the pan above the wells, just in case the popovers POPPED over the rim.</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>NOTE:</strong> I used buttered muffin tins for mine. I had no problems freeing the popovers from the pan. Oil for greasing or non-stick muffin/popover tins would do the same. </span> </li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, pepper, parmesan, and chives.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. In a second bowl, break the yolks of the eggs, and whisk them for about a minute. Add milk and the rest of the melted butter. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry. Mix until just combined. Don't worry if some lumps remain. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6. Fill the muffin tins half full. Or, leave at least a quarter of an inch below the rim of the pan. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes without opening the door.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">8. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">9. Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the popovers are completely puffed, golden, crusty.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">10. Use a knife around the edges of the popover to release them, thats if they're sticking to the sides of the tin. They should slide right out!</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x8hsLTugzO8/UYafNmEJXoI/AAAAAAAAAq4/HkWBIzUHM5E/s1600/IMG_0724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x8hsLTugzO8/UYafNmEJXoI/AAAAAAAAAq4/HkWBIzUHM5E/s320/IMG_0724.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The popovers taste perfect without anything, maybe a dab of butter. But, if you're feeling adventurous, try this <span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">caramelized onions, mushroom, thyme, balsamic topping</span>! Yummo...It's a goodie! </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Equipment:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Large saute pan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Knife for chopping veggies</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cutting board</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Spatula</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ingredients: </span></b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 white onion, chopped</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2-3 tablespoons of olive or canola oil</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 cup chopped mushrooms</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2 tablespoons thyme</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 teaspoon of garlic powder</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">a pinch of salt and pepper to taste</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Directions:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. Timing is key when making two recipes at once! Before mixing any of the popover ingredients, slice the onions to a desired thickness. Drop them in a sauté pan. Keep the heat wayyyy low. And, as you prepare the popover ingredients, regularly toss the onions. You don't want them to stick, so add oil as needed. Low, slow, low and slow, baby!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. After prepping <em>steps 3.</em> and <em>4.</em> in the previous popover recipe; <a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/cooking-basics/how-to-clean-mushrooms/"><span style="color: blue;">clean</span></a> and cut the mushrooms, and add them to the onions. Mushrooms soak in liquid; sprinkle more oil to stop them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">3. Return to your popovers!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. Continue turning the veggies as the popovers cook.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. About 5-10 minutes before the popovers are done, <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/quick-tip-how-to-strip-the-lea-96076"><span style="color: blue;">pinch the thyme leaves off their woody stem</span></a> (or try 2 teaspoons dried thyme, instead) and into the vegetables. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. Sprinkle in the vinegar, garlic powder, salt and pepper. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6. Turn up the heat <i>slightly</i>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7. Let the vinegar simmer as you stir the ingredients. Do this for two-three more minutes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">8. Then turn off the heat. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">9. The onions should show off their caramel brown hue and the mushrooms will be fleshy and pillowy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I LOVED bedazzling my sliced popovers with this oniony goodness!</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b4iaZfM0Sbk/UXsTGM8kgHI/AAAAAAAAApk/_v7d9aNRzco/s1600/IMG_0730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="346" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b4iaZfM0Sbk/UXsTGM8kgHI/AAAAAAAAApk/_v7d9aNRzco/s400/IMG_0730.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I also paired my breakfast with fruit and yogurt. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Don't you wish you were in sniffing distance? </span></div>
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04372833948414619911noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217207768686266513.post-52665112129537959112013-04-16T18:33:00.002-07:002013-04-22T15:45:02.039-07:00My Interpretation of the Paleo Diet<div align="center" style="margin: 0px;">
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<span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: black;">I really don't flex my dietitian muscles much, but I keep getting the same foodie question, "What do you think about the Paleo Diet?"</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><br />Do you think it healthy to take on the Paleo Diet? It looks like this...</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4ORW0mjgHvI/UWRVZAwourI/AAAAAAAAAk0/PbdXD-zb0Qg/s1600/paleo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4ORW0mjgHvI/UWRVZAwourI/AAAAAAAAAk0/PbdXD-zb0Qg/s400/paleo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Picture from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/cspinet?fref=ts"><span style="color: blue;">CSPI's Facebook page</span></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Or,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #38761d;">would you have at the nutrition guidelines below?</span> </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/---ZVAgl_3ok/UWRYoLAF__I/AAAAAAAAAk8/QphJBRKjT-o/s1600/foodpyramidusda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/---ZVAgl_3ok/UWRYoLAF__I/AAAAAAAAAk8/QphJBRKjT-o/s400/foodpyramidusda.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, read on to hear my take on the matter...</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">What is the Paleo Diet?</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Page through <a href="http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/paleo-diet"><span style="color: blue;">these tabs</span></a> for the detailed answer. See recipes, a sample meal plan, reviews from health professionals, along with Paleo diet "dos" and "don'ts". Basically, you can eat foods that are similar to what the cavemen hunted (lean, gamey, </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">grass-fed meat) and gathered<strong> </strong>(eggs, vegetables, fruit, roots and nuts). Forget the dairy, grains, beans, alcohol, salt, refined sugar and oils.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: large; line-height: 24px;">Nutrition science</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; line-height: 24px;"> gets a bad wrap for seemingly "healthy" claims, good for one day and then blasphemy. Promoting this diet with little supporting evidence would discredit me as a dietitian. I am going to wait on the sidelines for more robust, larger studies and from ones of longer duration.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; line-height: 24px;">Before leaping into my ballad, I'll point you to this article about <a href="http://blog.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/2013/03/12/7-signs-youre-getting-bad-nutrition-advice/"><span style="color: blue;">7 signs of bad nutrition advice</span></a>. Hopefully, it gives you some direction for deciphering all the nutrition </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">fallacies swirling around you.<br /><br />Basic nutrition - eating the types of food that keep you healthy - breaks down simply. Stick to the right amounts of whole grains (quinoa, whole-wheat bread or tortillas, pasta, rice...) and beans (lentils, canned or dried beans, edamame...), <a href="http://www.livestrong.com/article/119544-calcium-glance/"><span style="color: blue;">dairy</span></a> or other <a href="http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1061"><span style="color: blue;">calcium sources</span></a>, lots of fruits and veggies (canned, frozen, or fresh, sometimes dried), and some protein (meat, eggs, beans, <a href="http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/downloads/VegetarianNutritionResourceList.pdf"><span style="color: blue;">vegetarian options</span></a>, you name it!). Learn how to size up healthy portions by watching <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/healthyliving/articles/20130412hand-healthy-portion-sizs-food.html"><span style="color: blue;">this video</span></a>!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large; line-height: 24px;"><br />Now, onto the science of the Paleo Diet</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Paleo proponents do their part by grasping onto a couple nutrition studies which I'll jump into now. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><br />Three of them do not have a randomly assigned Paleo diet group and a pack of people assigned to a different comparison diet. This causes a big question mark to hang over their results: did participants shed pounds because they they were on a weight loss regimen or truly because of the Paleo diet <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(</span></span><a href="http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/33/6/596.full.pdf" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small;">1</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small; line-height: 24px;">, </span><a href="http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v62/n5/pdf/1602790a.pdf" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small;">2</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small; line-height: 24px;">, </span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19209185" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small;">3</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small; line-height: 24px;">)</span><span style="line-height: 24px;">? It's hard to say without the typical experimental model, what's called a "randomized controlled trial." This format is first-rate at testing the real effect of a treatment or diet through the use a two groups: (1) people on the test diet (the Paleo diet) and (2) a group shoveling in the "standard" diet for comparison. Hoisting the research up one more notch would mean conducting a "blind randomized controlled trial." The experimenter does not know which diet is being administered to either group. This intentional cluelessness eliminates biases that may skew the results.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><br />Sure enough, the experimental setup was limited by of the small sample size of many these studies. A sample that's representative of all Paleo dieters would be hard to capture in studies of 9-29 participants <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(</span><a href="http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/33/6/596.full.pdf"><span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small;">1</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v62/n5/pdf/1602790a.pdf"><span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small;">2</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19209185"><span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small;">3</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2724493/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small;">4</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2724493/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small;">5</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;">)</span>. I greeted one, 13-person study with a couple chuckles and a head shake as it was stopped early because of a lack of participation <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(</span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2724493/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small;">4</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;">).</span> And, many of the participants had pre-existing conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, or obesity; they weren't healthy active individuals. More studies are needed with dieters </span><span style="line-height: 24px;">typifying the majority of Paleo followers.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">I feel a pang of frustration, you know that kind sends your eyes rolling, when I hear about a 3-month study which orders a Paleo diet that chops 300 calories out of participants diet </span><span style="font-size: xx-small; line-height: 24px;">(</span><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2724493/" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small;">4</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small; line-height: 24px;">).</span><span style="line-height: 24px;"> If you cut two cans of soda, two glasses of juice or even that extra large muffin from whatever you eat (Paleo or not), you would lose weight too! I'm inclined to believe that the eating less is the prominent cause of weight loss, not necessarily foods within the Paleo diet. This <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/is-a-calorie-a-calorie.html"><span style="color: blue;">great read</span></a> supplements my argument by reviewing current research on the "calorie" matter.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; line-height: 24px;">I also don't like the timing of these studies. They were held over a couple of days or as long as six months. But, dieters might agree, that these intervals do not portray the exhausting reality of sticking with extreme dietary restrictions. Life is quick and busy. Chaining yourself with strict food rules will only put you in more of a bind. Three studies spanned 1-2 years comparing three diets: Atkins (most comparable to the Paleo menu with meat, whole foods, dairy, and leaving the grains behind), Ornish (very low fat, high amounts of grain and whole foods, but skimping on the protein), and Weight Watchers (a well rounded, healthy diet including all the food groups in smaller portions). No one diet outcompeted the others causing more weight loss than the rest, but it seemed that more people dropped out of the study when following the extremes (Ornish and Atkins) <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(</span><a href="http://www.iub.edu/~k536/articles/diet/popular%20diet%20JAMA.pdf"><span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small;">6</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0804748#t=articleTop"><span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small;">7</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;">, </span><a href="http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=745937"><span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small;">8</span></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;">)</span><span style="font-size: small;">.</span><br /><br />If you are looking to shed pounds or gain muscle, eat enough. Mix in well rounded meals with whole grains, veggies, fruit, protein, and some dairy or calcium containing foods. Edge in healthy snacks in too!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large; line-height: 24px;">Who is behind this mad-arms race to create the "right" diet for you? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The food industry cycles through
these unsupported, fad diets not to answer your dietary needs but to feed off
the potential gargantuan profit. What's this year's popularized food trend? </span><a href="http://www.foodpolitics.com/2013/04/whats-new-in-food-marketing-protein/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Protein</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">! In stores near you, products with healthy-for-you protein claims will abound.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">Now, take the last craze, the
gluten-free diet (no wheat, barley, rye, and sometimes oats). The food industry ran with it, and these products alone, grew
at a compound annual growth rate of 28% in ten years with 2012 sales reaching
approximately $2.6 billion. Google "gluten-free diet," and you'll get more than
4.2 million results (</span><a href="http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1741-7015-10-13.pdf" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">9</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">). Lucrative and a good sell, eh? </span><br />
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</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
number one reason for people purchasing these products is that they're healthier than their gluten-containing counterpart. This far-out assumption
makes gluten or wheat the bad guy. When, for a person without sensitivity or
allergies, it's fine! You could actually miss out on fiber for regularity and better cholesterol levels, with the potential to lower colon cancer risk (</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://download.journals.elsevierhealth.com/pdfs/journals/2212-2672/PIIS2212267212007435.pdf"><span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">10</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">).<br />
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">To add to it, there's too little to no proof of benefits behind eliminating gluten-containing foods for those who don't need to. </span><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As a matter of fact, adherence to this regime may result in a diet that is high
in fat and low in carbohydrates and fiber, as well as low in iron, folate,
niacin, vitamin B-12, calcium, phosphorus and zinc. A small number of studies with adults show a trend toward weight gain after diagnosis; further research is
needed in this area (Gluten-Free Evidence Analysis Library from the </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.eatright.org/"><span style="color: blue; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">).<br />
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Currently, 1 in 133 people (about 1% of the population) have </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/"><span style="color: blue; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">celiac disease</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> which mandates a gluten-free diet.
Beyond celiacs, more people also have some sort of gluten sensitivity or coinciding (</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/050112p24.shtml"><span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">11</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">). Slowly but surely, the number of diagnoses are
rising with more patients becoming aware of the symptoms, more long-term
working relationships between allergists and their patients, and improvements in clinical
testing (</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22850429"><span style="color: blue; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">12</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/news2012-rst/7008.html"><span style="color: blue; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">13</span></a></span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">).
However, much of this progress has yet to come into fruition. The Paleo diet
seems to take advantage of this diagnostic uncertainty by prodding followers to
self-diagnose in order to sell them on their extreme, grain-free marketing
scheme</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">I can't stress enough that we are free to eat a well-rounded diet. Click the <a href="http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/dairy-why.html"><span style="color: blue;">dairy</span></a>, <a href="http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/grains-why.html"><span style="color: blue;">whole grains</span></a>, <a href="http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/protein-foods-why.html"><span style="color: blue;">protein</span></a>, <a href="http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/fruits-why.html"><span style="color: blue;">fruits</span></a> and <a href="http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/vegetables-why.html"><span style="color: blue;">veggies</span></a> links to read about some of the healthy things to follow when doing so. And, remember that <em>a little</em> soda or dessert along the side won't hurt! </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Beyond nutrition, that's some shaky evolutionary science.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"> In regards to the evolutionary justification behind the Paleo diet, I'll take a similar view as anthropologist, </span><span style="color: #38761d; line-height: 24px;">Marlene Zuk</span><span style="line-height: 24px;">, professor of ecology, evolution and behavior at the University of Minnesota and author of </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393081370/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0393081370&linkCode=as2&tag=slatmaga-20" style="line-height: 24px;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Paleofantasy: What Evolution Really Tells Us About Sex, Diet, and How We Live</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: blue;"><em>.</em></span></span><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">1. The Paleo diet wants you to eat like a caveman. Who were the "paleolithic" people?</span><br />
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; line-height: 150%;">Which Paleolithic peeps are we talking about? Are we speaking <i>Homo
erectus</i>? <i>Homo sapians</i>? How about this one...<i>Homo heidelbergensis</i>?
Are we speaking of people living in Africa or those who moved to Asia. Could we
mean the coastal fishermen, or should we move inland to the forest hunter and gatherers who relied on
gamey, lean meat and rooted for plants (grains too!). Our human development has
been far from homogenous. Obviously, each diet varied in time and placed, based
on region and locality. How, then, can Paleo followers pin down the one,
standard Paleolithic diet? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #38761d;">2. Our bodies are made to eat meat, little to no grains, dairy, beans, or any refined, packaged treats?</span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; text-align: -webkit-auto;">This tenant voiced by the Paleo followers, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; text-align: -webkit-auto;">assumes that well-supported successes of other diets are faulty and invalidated</span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; text-align: -webkit-auto;">. Supposedly, many of today's foods contribute to the chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc. Countering this point, however, is the documented health benefits of being <a href="http://vegetariannutrition.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/PositionPaperVegetarianDiets-909.pdf"><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;">vegetarian</span></a></span><span style="color: #343434; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; text-align: -webkit-auto;">(Find more consumer-friendly material about the research,</span><span style="color: #343434; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> <a href="http://vegetariannutrition.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/PositionPaperVegetarianDiets-909.pdf"><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;">here</span></a></span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; text-align: -webkit-auto;">.) or even the widely publicized</span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> <a href="http://oldwayspt.org/resources/heritage-pyramids/mediterranean-diet-pyramid"><span style="color: blue;">Mediterranean</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://oldwayspt.org/resources/heritage-pyramids/mediterranean-diet-pyramid"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://oldwayspt.org/resources/heritage-pyramids/mediterranean-diet-pyramid"><span style="color: blue;">diet</span></a><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"> </span>(Here is the<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"> </span><a href="http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1200303"><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;">Mediterranean diet study</span></a></span><span style="color: #343434; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; text-align: -webkit-auto;">and commentary about it from credible health professionals</span><span style="color: #343434; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> <a href="http://www.foodpolitics.com/2013/04/mediterranean-diet-what-it-is-benefits/"><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;">1</span></a> </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; text-align: -webkit-auto;">and</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> <a href="http://blog.fooducate.com/2013/02/28/3-things-to-know-about-the-new-mediterranean-diet-study/"><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none;">2</span></a></span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; text-align: -webkit-auto;">). Unlike Paleo eating, these diets prove healthful and include the missing grains, dairy, and beans.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large; line-height: 18px;">3. If we're genetically inclined to eat a diet from Paleolithic times, that must mean we've stopped evolving too! Are we cave men??</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; line-height: 150%;">The
appeal of this diet is that evolutionary changes could not occur in response to
the today's major dietary shifts and novel food practices. Proponents believe that modern humans' genetics are very similar to our
Paleolithic ancestors making our bodies much more fit for the Paleo diet, not
to the current so-called civilized diet.
</span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; line-height: 150%;">Hmmm...If our genetics haven't changed for 100,000 years, then explain this one: Let's
talk to the fact that we can drink milk, though it's a no-no in the Paleo diet.
Humans were one of the first mammals to continue on cow’s milk after birth.
And, now the vast majority of humans have evolved with the ability to digest it. This change happened much later than the Paleolithic time, but
5-7,000 years ago. It's evidence that a genetic shift took place much later than the Paleolithic
times. That doesn't go without saying that some
people now have trouble digesting milk. But, that's different than saying that
ALL people should avoid milk because of our Paleolithic ancestry! </span></div>
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Now to
amylase - Um..amy-what? It's an enzyme that breaks down starches and grains
for better absorption in our mouth and small intestine. More amylase makes
eating and digesting grains easier. In populations with a grain-based diet
- maybe vegetarians or those people with rice as a staple food source - more than the average amounts of amylase were maintained. This
change occurred wayyyy after Paleolithic times. Unlike the
grain-free recommendations of the Paleo diet, people have adapted and can still eat rice, wheat, and other grains.</span><span style="color: windowtext; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; line-height: 150%;">No discredit to Charles Darwin's evolutionary theory. I don't
want to take away from the idea that we've transformed over millions of years.
But, we must give credence that to our ability to adapt to our
surroundings at quite a fast pace. Call this science, epigenetics!
It's like an equation: the environment we live in, the actions we take,
the food we eat, our stockpile of emotions, sum it all up and we get major
changes in our genetic imprint that can be passed to our kids; Take for example, the passing of traits like obesity, the lengthening or shortening the life span, or an
increase or decrease in disease risk. Epigenetics is proof that our
environment and what we do to our body can short circuit evolution and leave an
imprint on the generation. Learn more from the voices behind epigenetics <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span style="color: blue; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">here</span></a>.</span></div>
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All this to say that, genetically, we
cannot compare to our Paleolithic ancestors.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 18px;">4. Can we even replicate the paleolithic food environment?</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></span></span>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;">Earth has changed
drastically since Paleolithic times. The food from the previous environment,
frankly, is not available. Humans have impacted their food source since
we've existed. We cultivated teosinte, a grass seed, into corn. We made the
apple, plum, peach varieties into the sweet fruit we know today. Meats from our stationary animals is fattier and more tender. Our food is different.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large; line-height: 18px;">5. Paleo diets oust grains. Did cavemen eat them?</span></span></div>
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</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 150%;">As grain-free, Paleo diets
became popular, scientists discovered </span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">remnants</span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> of seeds and grains on the teeth of fossilized early humans and on their cooking tools. Too, they found that our ancestors cooked bread! They ground grain into a crude flour to make primitive pita-like grain.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">In closing</span>, I take this thought from Zuk. Our view of people in history is
always changing. To pin down a "Paleolithic standard diet" back then
is hard enough, so to identify the perfect one to follow now would be wishful
thinking. Find more about Zuk's argument, <a href="http://neuroanthropology.net/2009/01/21/paleofantasies-of-the-perfect-diet-marlene-zuk-in-nytimes/"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a> and <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/new_scientist/2013/04/marlene_zuk_s_paleofantasy_book_diets_and_exercise_based_on_ancient_humans.html"><span style="color: blue;">there</span></a>.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AkPcGJQ_hY4/UWwq349WGYI/AAAAAAAAAl8/03icDKNreac/s1600/myplate_yellow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AkPcGJQ_hY4/UWwq349WGYI/AAAAAAAAAl8/03icDKNreac/s400/myplate_yellow.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">When you're looking to stay healthy, </span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span style="color: blue;">match
the amount of food you need with your activity level</span></a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">! Eat right-sized food - a mix of fruits, vegetables, whole
grains, protein, dairy, and sometimes food that satisfies your sweet tooth. It
works every time!</span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c__ludUqqKk/UWwyF-1Gc1I/AAAAAAAAAmU/aVBeGjxwRs0/s1600/NEW+PORTIONS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c__ludUqqKk/UWwyF-1Gc1I/AAAAAAAAAmU/aVBeGjxwRs0/s640/NEW+PORTIONS.jpg" width="440" /></a></span></div>
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</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: xx-small;">Picture from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/PA-NEN/323709389019?ref=hl"><span style="color: blue;">PA NEN's Facebook page</span></a></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04372833948414619911noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217207768686266513.post-51648259047802020522013-04-01T01:34:00.000-07:002013-04-01T01:34:12.871-07:00Springtime and Sage Time<div style="margin: 0px;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">Clean up and clean out. Well kind of. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> S<span style="line-height: 24px;">pring tidying, of sorts, began this week. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Everyday, my family and I tend to animals, organize, compost, and <b>scoop poop</b>!</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dw1NTORllT0/UVeCiUkOpOI/AAAAAAAAAh0/Q9H7enp3Bvc/s1600/IMG_0608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dw1NTORllT0/UVeCiUkOpOI/AAAAAAAAAh0/Q9H7enp3Bvc/s400/IMG_0608.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These mounding piles of compost and cured animal pooh hail to the ritual of shoveling manure, daily. Now, springtime calls for the business of mixing them into our fields and garden beds. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Just as there are all sorts of animals on our farm. Some t</span><span style="line-height: 24px;">all or</span><span style="line-height: 24px;"> squat; others feathery or furry. So too, there are all types of POOP! I must pay my respect to the stuff we scoop day-in and day-out! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Let's talk chicken....They poop a soupy mess - the consistency of the bird poop that splattered on your windshield. It's no more than thumb-size, a handful at the most. But, the stink sticks to your nostrils. It lingers, eluding to the ammonia at its base.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> We can't ignore the horses, our expert poopers. Being vegetarian, they have bulky droppings (and lots of them!!!) with a less aggressive stink.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8E1NOqVTq7k/UVeiABdXGhI/AAAAAAAAAj8/6yW5wQWkD8A/s1600/DSC_0103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8E1NOqVTq7k/UVeiABdXGhI/AAAAAAAAAj8/6yW5wQWkD8A/s320/DSC_0103.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The donkeys' are much the same.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's like a game to them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Peek-a-POOH!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Enough poop talk? I'll spare you the rest.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">We don't get mad at the daily poop scooping. Instead, we try to scoop in thankfulness, realizing that this composted manure is spread into our garden. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">It brings the gift of new, nourishing soil. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> ...a gift from which we can sew seeds...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">...a gift from which we grow food...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">...and, a gift from which we can cook and eat together! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then, we cycle through it all again. We whip the leftovers back to the chickens. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">They poop. We scoop. We compost. We spread. We grow. We eat. Together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You can join our cause by <a href="http://www.nrdc.org/living/eatingwell/files/foodwaste_2pgr.pdf"><span style="color: blue;">choosing suitable ways to save your food waste and the environment!</span></a></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Sage</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What a perfect time to speak about the leftover herbs in our garden. As winter continues to linger and spring creeps around the corner, <b>sage</b> pushes on. In this week's recipe, I mixed store-bought fresh stuff with the dried, straight from the vine in our outdoor herb box. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I use sage because it's around, and frankly, I feel like it compliments many dishes. It touches on the beatuful turkey stuffing traditions of Thanksgiving Day. But, might we try something beyond the ordinary? </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Sage takes on many forms:</i></span></span><br />
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<i style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">It's hard to mistake its flavor: </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sage's scent permeates Thanksgiving dinner. Sweet, floral, woodsy with a hint of mint describe it best.</span></div>
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<i style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Store fresh sage like so: </i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Purchase sage that's fragrant and </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">perky. Refrigerate it unwashed wrapped loosely in a wet paper towel. Place in a plastic bag. In these conditions, it can stay fresh for couple of weeks.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Sage pairs with:</i></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Apple, butter, flavorful cheese (cheddar, feta, goat cheese, parmesan, and pecorino) , garlic, lemon, parsley, pineapple, red wine, </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">rosemary, savory, shallots, and thyme</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;">It bumps up the flavor of these dishes:</i> </span></div>
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<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Mix it, dry or fresh, into goat or cream cheese with chopped garlic. Raw veggies or crackers contrast those strong flavor. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sprinkle it on canned tomato soup.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Roast it with honey-sweetened winter squash, sweet potatoes or other root vegetables.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Corn bread balances sage's woodsy tang.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sauté it with olive oil and chicken or turkey.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Keep to the pig! Pair it with your favorite pork or bacon dishes.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Melt butter, garlic, and chopped sage over pasta.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sage is the defining flavor in sausage. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Top a bed of fresh salad with chopped sage leaves.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Mmm...Shred it over peppered and salted eggs and melty cheese on a crusty sandwich.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fancy it with feta and prosciutto. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Roast a slice of sweet potato topped with two sage leaves, wrapped in prosciutto. Coat the cooking sheet with olive oil, and bake it for 20 minutes in the oven (Thank you <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/dining/18mini.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0"><span style="color: blue;">Mark Bittman</span></a>!).</span></li>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Grow sage like this:</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's a perenial herb which grows back strong every spring. But, it's best if planted again after couple years. It prefers full-sun but also takes well in a small pot, in-doors. Just set it by a sunny window with daily watering.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 24px;">-----------------------------------------</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 24px;">Recipe:</span></span></div>
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<b style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: xx-large; line-height: 24px;">Creamy Walnut, Sage Pesto</b></div>
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<b style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Serving: A 8 oz. jar</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iIds8fLzqCo/UVeGfGo4vPI/AAAAAAAAAjU/DRkXIOpD6jY/s1600/IMG_0614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iIds8fLzqCo/UVeGfGo4vPI/AAAAAAAAAjU/DRkXIOpD6jY/s320/IMG_0614.jpg" width="240" /></a><div style="line-height: 18px;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Prep time: 25-30 minutes</span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Equipment:</span></i></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Measuring cups</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Cookie sheet</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Tablespoons and teaspoons</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A food processor</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">a jar for storage</span></li>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ingredients:</span></i></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 cup of walnuts </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3-4 tablespoons of thyme</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2/3 cup of fresh sage (I also used a big handful of our dried sage from our spice garden. But, this is optional.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2 garlic cloves, whole</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">salt and pepper to taste</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2 tablespoons lemon juice (or 1 fresh squeezed lemon)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1/3 cup olive oil</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Instructions</i>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. To add flavor, I toasted my walnuts on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees F. But, this is optional. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Blend thyme, fresh sage, garlic and salt and pepper in a food processor. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. Trickle in lemon juice and olive oil as the processor continues. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. Pause the food processor to add the cheese. Pulse everything until it's combined. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. The flavor is quite distinct. A very little bit goes quite a long way!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">For longterm storage, I cover it with piece of plastic wrap to stop the browning in the fridge. Make sure to squeeze out any air-space. Press it directly on the pesto. Screw on the lid</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">, and into the fridge it goes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I slathered sage pesto on my burger bun with caramelized onions. Later, </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I used the pesto in a homemade lasagna.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But, I would imagine it delicious in a grilled cheese, a turkey sandwich, or mixed with goat cheese. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 1.5;">I’m beside myself with anticipation...at the edge of my seat.</span><span style="line-height: 1.5;"> Are you rarin’ to mix-it-up with herbs?</span></span></div>
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04372833948414619911noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217207768686266513.post-1970822976934880212013-03-23T13:30:00.000-07:002013-03-24T14:16:34.483-07:00Spice to the Maximus! <div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"> I've been mopping up sniffles. Last week I bore that type of cold that shrivles your nose, until you bid your sense of smell and taste good-bye,<br />"Ta-ta!" </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 20px;"><br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This reminds me of the last time I suffered from congestion. Oh, I remember when a stench was hot beneath my stuffy nose.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">Yes. This adorable pup, Oakly, adventured into the deep, dark abyss called a skunk den! </span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FNvSPu87fvo/UUOzbC7MFcI/AAAAAAAAAfc/kUi5urhThfQ/s1600/IMG_0368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FNvSPu87fvo/UUOzbC7MFcI/AAAAAAAAAfc/kUi5urhThfQ/s400/IMG_0368.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">PEW! </span><span style="line-height: 20px;">Let’s just say I wanted to open a can of woop-butt (for lack of better verbage) on this stinky-faced-dog. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Skunk juice is a remedy I will never try again, but that rotten smell temporarily cured my clogged sinuses! </span><span style="line-height: 20px;">Even in my cold-ridden-state, my nostrils whiffed his nastiness. Heck, I even tasted it.</span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">All ended well. We bathed - 2 times, maybe 3 - until he smelled like shampoo (with a trace of foul odor as a trophy of his adventure)</span><span style="line-height: 20px;">.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Now, back to the reality of my nose that's struck dumb, yet again. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 20px;">It seems like a foreign extremity attached to my face. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Pfft, </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I’m surprised it didn’t jump right off it. I wouldn’t have noticed.<br /><br />What's more, with stuffed nose comes <span style="line-height: 20px;">flattened, bland</span><span style="line-height: 20px;"> flavors - making eating a chore (For those spirited foodies who want to know more about the scientific link between smell and taste, listen to this <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01r95hj">intriguing radio blip</a>!).</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In this smell-deprived state, I only dream of hot, sweet, tangy spice rubbed grub!</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tKmc0E6aaxU/TvADLLpZGaI/AAAAAAAAAbk/B1SBYfTeZYI/s1600/seasoning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tKmc0E6aaxU/TvADLLpZGaI/AAAAAAAAAbk/B1SBYfTeZYI/s400/seasoning.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">How about <span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">YOU</span> enjoy the food I'm missing?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">So many people don't make the time to learn to create spiced, good-eats</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">at<i> </i></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">home. When hunger pangs and the cravings kick in, it’s off to something fast, quick, easy, tasty, dirt-cheap, and usually packaged food. The beauty of the takeout box. Nothing against that...Truly! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">But, I believe everyone can spice-up their foods, scrumptiously AND easily.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"> Let's say, you've got a hankering for Chinese .....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">Rather than scurrying to your closest takeout, what can you do instead??</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">But, listen to </span><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-size: large;">ME</span>. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">Or else....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">For the next couple blog posts, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">I’ll highlight an herb that will keep you coming back for more...and </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">more...and again...and more....and you’re done...</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 24px;">for a wee bit you just breath...then you want more. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Week 1:</strong></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">Rosemary</span></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><em><span style="color: #38761d;">What does it look like?</span> </em><em> </em>T<span style="color: black;">he pine needles from last year's Christmas tree</span></span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It tastes...</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Piney, sweet, slightly floral, tea-like</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #38761d;">Mix it into these EASY dishes:</span></i> </span></span></div>
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<li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Melt it into butter to top steamed potatoes.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Mix it with your favorite olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper to dress your favorite crusty bread.</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span></span></span></li>
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<li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Or, top that bread with rosemary, a pear and a tiny bit of pungent cheese like goat, feta, paremsan, or blue cheese.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Keep it quick by flavoring</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"> your store-bought tomato sauces with this herb!</span></span></span></li>
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<li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> Kick your salad up by throwing in some fresh rosemary.</span></li>
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<li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Lift you grilled cheese to a whole new level with a dash of rosemary.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Entertain your friends by s</span><span style="line-height: 18px;">prinkling it on slice of soft mozzarella and tomato, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, and a basil leaf.</span></span></span></li>
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<li><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Spread it over steak, chicken, other game meats, you name it...yum. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #93c47d;"><em><span style="color: #38761d;">It compliments these flavors:</span> </em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Apples,<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"> asparagus, basil, blue cheese, caramel, citrus, cranberry, garlic, fennel, figs, </span>lemon, <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">mushrooms, nuts, onion, oregano, </span>parmesan,<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"> parsley, potatoes, raisins, sage, savory, sugar, thyme, tomatoes</span></span></span><br />
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<em style="color: #93c47d;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Should you use dried or fresh?</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Both! Dried rosemary acts as an excellent replacement for fresh!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In recipes, use 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary and 1 tablespoon of fresh interchangeably. Some people recommend a 1/2 teaspoon dry to 1 tablespoon fresh because rosemary adds such a strong taste. </span><br />
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<i style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Growing directions:</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></i><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">This herb is a perennial - plant it once, and it grows back every year. It really takes very little care. All you need is sunlight and daily watering. Our rosemary grows abundantly in the summer and can be used dry in winter time!</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: black;">Now, check out this high flavor, low effort, healthy-for-you rosemary recipe!</span> </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Rosemary</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Garlic Chicken Breast</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i><b>Serves: 2</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><i><b>Prep time: 15 minutes (plus several hours to marinade)</b></i></span></div>
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<i style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Cook time:10 minutes</b></i></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><b><em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Equipment:</span></em></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i>- </i></b>a plastic bag for </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">marinading the chicken</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- teaspoons and tablespoons</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- a spatula to flip the chicken</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- a frying pan</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b><em>Ingredients:</em></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i>- </i></b>2 chicken breasts</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Marinade:</em></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">- 2 tablespoons chopped, dried rosemary</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">- 2 teaspoons lemon juice</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">- 2 tablespoons vinegar of your choice (I used white wine vinegar.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">- 2 and 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">- 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced or chopped</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">- 2 teaspoons dried onion flakes or powder</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">- a couple shakes of salt and pepper</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>For cooking:</em></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"><strong><em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Directions:</span></em></strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1. Trim any visible fat from the chicken breast.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2. <span class="fullpost">Put the chicken in a Ziploc bag or flat plastic container. 3. Mix the marinade ingredients together; then pour it over chicken. Seal the bag or container and marinate chicken in refrigerator several hours (the more time,the better).</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span class="fullpost" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">4. To cook, coat your frying pan with 1-2 tablesppons oil of your choice (I used olive oil). Warm the oil.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span class="fullpost" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">5. Take the chicken from the refrigerator, and place it in the pan. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span class="fullpost" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">6. Cook the chicken on medium-high heat. Keep it on the first side for 4-5 minutes or until the chicken does not stick to the pan and the spatula easily slides under the chicken. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span class="fullpost" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">5. Once your chicken is easy to flip, cook it on the other side for another 4-5 mintues. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span class="fullpost" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">6. Total cooking time will be about 10-15 minutes, but the chicken is done when it feels firm to the touch and is lightly browned on both sides.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span class="fullpost" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">7. This chicken would also be delicious grilled or indoors on the George Foreman.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">8. To round out my plate, I paired my chicken with quinoa and </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">sautéed</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> vegetables! </span></div>
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04372833948414619911noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217207768686266513.post-53509662594443962572012-01-24T18:04:00.000-08:002012-01-24T18:04:36.807-08:00Calling every boy, every girl...<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A new year. So filled with opportunity, isn’t it? Just thinking of bits of deliciousness to unearth and healthful-affordable recipes for sharing thrills me right down to my core.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lszGeKp8zfs/Tt7DYd7D-sI/AAAAAAAAAZg/ii0olxcRd9U/s1600/SAM_0967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lszGeKp8zfs/Tt7DYd7D-sI/AAAAAAAAAZg/ii0olxcRd9U/s320/SAM_0967.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So do these! Redolent, dark, rich and creamy; I couldn’t resist C.H.O.C.O.L.A.T.E.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It would be remiss if I were to skip-out on these bites.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fq0jJQGEbp8/Tt7HfliH7rI/AAAAAAAAAZo/TfvW-hppKL0/s1600/IMG_4566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fq0jJQGEbp8/Tt7HfliH7rI/AAAAAAAAAZo/TfvW-hppKL0/s320/IMG_4566.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"> Yup. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;">To put it succinctly, these dinner-spoilers are both my butter and my daily bread.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> One mouthful for me; all eyes for you.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jO2jZ2kmfOc/Tt7M3eMeL0I/AAAAAAAAAZ4/rIt5-9Lttsw/s1600/IMG_4572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jO2jZ2kmfOc/Tt7M3eMeL0I/AAAAAAAAAZ4/rIt5-9Lttsw/s200/IMG_4572.jpg" width="157" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As I nibble, I think, "Why? Why do chocolates taste so gosh-darn perfect?" Chocolate is well, chocolate, and there is no other that holds more allure than multant gooey-goodness that lingers only to leave me ready for the next light-and-fluffy bite.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's truth, my friends: this coming-back-for-more-seduction is but a foolproof tactic to food marketers. The marketers' goal? For us (the eater, buyer or the buyer’s accomplice) to pick their product as a remedy to any craving. Their sales pitch might as well plead, "Pick <i>US</i> as your poison!”</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Don’t believe me? Then here is Coke’s food scientist gloating the essence of soda, “...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">In our fruit flavors we’re talking about, we want a burst in the beginning. And maybe a finish that doesn’t linger too much so that you want more of it.” To hear more, listen to this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkiT2aewGFI&feature=player_embedded">video</a>. And, in case you wonder what food scientists do, they adulterate far-out flavors like <a href="http://www.brucebradley.com/food/processed-food-trick-or-treat/">these</a>, colors like <a href="http://blog.fooducate.com/tag/cspi/">those</a>, and or precarious <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xpst54mpzg&feature=player_embedded">ingredients</a> to mix into the most pleasing entree. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">Maybe processed foods and beverages are the major culprits. You know<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span>the half-baked, partially hydrogenated (also known as <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/new/201201101.html">"illegal" trans fats</a> found in <a href="http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/trans-fat-product-list.pdf">these foods</a>) mis-pronouceable, boxed ingredients we call our beloved All-American cuisine<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span>are engineered to satisfy our taste-buds’ </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">fix.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">But, are these foods addictive? I couldn’t justify an answer nor am I out to vilify the food industry. I like too many of these goodies (but not to my detriment) to do that.</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TAMDew8ckV8/Txy5_2sUSvI/AAAAAAAAAck/66cQWheSPbo/s1600/SAM_0784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TAMDew8ckV8/Txy5_2sUSvI/AAAAAAAAAck/66cQWheSPbo/s320/SAM_0784.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here’s a local cupcakery with cannoli cream filled cakes, buttercream frosted white chocolate cake with mascarpone filling, vanilla cake imbued with <a href="http://littlebrowniebakers.com/products/samoas/">Samoas</a> or Snickers or Reeses, a tuxedoed cream cheese frosting on top a cocoa bottom and so much more!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j-NeogWhmRA/Txy76vpk0JI/AAAAAAAAAdc/2UWXdzVjO3k/s1600/SAM_0768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j-NeogWhmRA/Txy76vpk0JI/AAAAAAAAAdc/2UWXdzVjO3k/s320/SAM_0768.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How about this one...a homemade local plum and peach tart iced with homemade blueberry-lime jam</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TvOFCfmUf88/Txy-ZtIMMDI/AAAAAAAAAdk/69idhFS49YU/s1600/Pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TvOFCfmUf88/Txy-ZtIMMDI/AAAAAAAAAdk/69idhFS49YU/s400/Pie.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You can’t go wrong with this one<span style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span>my first long-neck pumpkin pie. Its flavor comes to life with a splash of bourbon.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u><br />
</u></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>The Food Industry: A Change of Pace?</u></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Food makers seem to vacillate between signs of better-for-you discoveries and the omens of profitable fat, sugar, corn and processing. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">A couple months ago, change-makers in the public and private sectors (like food industry, government, foodies, movers-shakers, you name it) met to brainstorm transformative action in the <a href="http://www.cvent.com/events/building-a-healthier-future-bringing-together-industry-and-civic-leaders-to-end-childhood-obesity/event-summary-8399766c9463480c937678316e7c1b44.aspx">Partnership for a Healthier America</a>. They challenged the current projections about American health by altering children’s programs to grow healthier peeps while devising new partnerships and funding avenues to support them. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">Amidst the speculation, they took this <a href="http://www.hudson.org/files/documents/BFY%20Foods%20Executive%20Summary.pdf">study</a> into account. It addresses the bottom-line advice that industry can profitably make the healthier foods or behaviors the easier choice for Americans. Let's wait to see results. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">Take <a href="http://www.myfruityfaces.com/">Fruity Faces</a> for starters. Though full of sugar and additives, I believe this product enlivens wholesome possibilities. Whats more, the<a href="http://www.drugstorenews.com/article/kelloggs-characters-don-milk-mustache?ad=supplier-news."> “Got Milk” ads will now feature your favorite breakfast Cereal characters</a>. Most of the chosen cartoons represent relatively healthful cereals; except Tony the Tiger from Frosted Flakes (This cereal misses the federal and industry mark by a looong shot because of the ample amount of added sugar)....Oh well, maybe I’m nit-picking. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><b><u><br />
</u></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><b><u>The Food Industry: Hesitant to Change their Direction</u></b></span></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"> For now, companies who make sodas, <a href="http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/08/cereal-cookies-oh-whats-the-diff/#more-115001">sugary cereal</a>, <a href="http://www.brucebradley.com/food/mcdonalds-are-you-lovin-it/">fries</a> and other ambrosial delights cry out for your lapping tongue! The marketers take any means to obtain their hankering....at any cost. Just look at the amount of <a href="http://reporting.sunlightfoundation.com/2011/Food_and_media_companies_lobby/">lobbying money</a> (skip down to the $$ projections at the base of the lobbying link) they spent to continue advertisements, for children no less. According to Marion Nestle’s account, the food industry fought this kind of nutrition regulation with $37 million. Why?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">So they could nutritionally classify <a href="http://www.cspinet.org/new/201111151.html">pizza as a “vegetable”</a> for school meals. </span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">Side Note: the calories in 1 slice of <a href="http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-pizzas-14-pizza-cheese-topping-original-crust_f-ZmlkPTU0ODQ2.html">pizza</a> = 5 cups of <a href="http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-fresh-or-dried-vegetables-carrots-raw-edible-portion_f-ZmlkPTYzMzI0.html">carrots</a> but with 9 times the fat and 14 times less fiber. The registered dietitian in me wishes people eat a pizza for protein and grains and a side dish of carrots for their vegetable fill.)</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tyKS80ZDHc4/Txy3npwdHWI/AAAAAAAAAcU/fx0ZLdsYoRk/s1600/SAM_0132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tyKS80ZDHc4/Txy3npwdHWI/AAAAAAAAAcU/fx0ZLdsYoRk/s320/SAM_0132.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> In this picture I even pack the vegetables on top. Don’t let the purple color fool you, it is a whole wheat pizza-pie loaded with my signature blend of chicken sausage, purple cabbage, onions and roasted sweet peppers strewn across melty cheese and red sauce.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eorjzeri2cY/Txy4Cps6XwI/AAAAAAAAAcc/lzCptCBH82c/s1600/IMG_0040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eorjzeri2cY/Txy4Cps6XwI/AAAAAAAAAcc/lzCptCBH82c/s320/IMG_0040.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"> Even more interesting would be the addition of purple or dragon red carrots as a side!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">Back to my question: why does food industry flaunt what’s unhealthy? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">So that the potato agribusiness representatives can use their clout (and $$) to keep fried potatoes as a school cafeteria staple? Maybe...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">Or, I know! Lobbying food companies get reimbursed. It’s about increasing product sales and monetary pay-backs (Please listen to this NPR <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/12/20/144028899/the-tuesday-podcast-jack-abramoff-on-lobbying">segment</a> for more details!). Though predominant in this area, <a href="http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/03/beyond-elections-people-power/#more-117071">lobbying happens in every sector</a>, not just the food system.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><b><u>The Food Industry: Repercussions of Their Greed</u></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"> Why can’t these lobbiests forget about the money and remember whom they are targeting? The kids. Can’t we</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"> come up with common sensical reasons<i> not</i> to inoculate the young, growing youth with unhealthy behaviors. Because of the obesity epidemic future generations <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/11/health/11fat.html">are predicted to die younger</a> than their parents. Unhealthy kids will be hospitalized more often. Maybe they won’t be as productive as their peers with so many secondary issues to obesity (70% of obese kids have one risk factor for heart disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm">the list goes on...</a>). </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab9zbqHJ_p4">This Youtube campaign</a> states my case loud and absolute: currently, much of the food industry seduces kids with delicious treats. <a href="http://www.yaleruddcenter.org/">Yale</a> and the <a href="http://www.rwjf.org/">Robert Wood Johnson foundation</a> also printed a <a href="http://healthland.time.com/2012/01/10/how-online-games-can-influence-what-kids-eat/?utm_source=SNEB+Membership&utm_campaign=576ea85926-Weekly_Policy_Update01_23_12&utm_medium=email#ixzz1jByW9tr9">report</a> on the influence of internet gaming (Case in point, <a href="http://www.pebblesplay.com/">Fruity Pebble’s Flinstone online games</a>) on kid’s food purchases.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>It’s Your Turn. Take Action.</u></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.united4thepeople.org/">The People campaign</a> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">aims to topple the Supreme Court’s <em>Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission </em>decision, which held that “corporations are people.” If this ruling were to change it would alter two things: (1) corporations would have to disclose their political spending, and (2) it would ardently dismiss big money from politics (lobbying in part). If you wish to confront corporate influence on politics, put your word in by signing this <a href="http://pol.moveon.org/moneyinpolitics/?id=34931-20324787-CEIyqUx&t=3">petition</a> to call the president into action.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You can always support one of these <a href="http://www.eatingawayourfreedoms.org/whos_eating_away_our_freedoms.asp">organizations</a> too! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you’re not into this whole political thing; you can always buy you, your family or your future family healthy, well-balanced meals. Vote with your food dollar.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IzhCmr4rfb0/TvGzs2gkvyI/AAAAAAAAAbs/aDLDMB1eCiM/s1600/SAM_1317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IzhCmr4rfb0/TvGzs2gkvyI/AAAAAAAAAbs/aDLDMB1eCiM/s320/SAM_1317.JPG" width="229" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"> Sammy urges us to go for the cause! And, who could say no to that puppy face...</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;">That’s all for now. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ic3rgKIN89M/TxxOgeQhAaI/AAAAAAAAAb8/GsFQc95CkbE/s1600/IMG_0371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ic3rgKIN89M/TxxOgeQhAaI/AAAAAAAAAb8/GsFQc95CkbE/s320/IMG_0371.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Eat well, and k</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">eep frosty!</span></b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NWSn-SV88vk/Tx6CY-YYtjI/AAAAAAAAAds/Zt4Zk4UNhqw/s1600/IMG_0549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NWSn-SV88vk/Tx6CY-YYtjI/AAAAAAAAAds/Zt4Zk4UNhqw/s320/IMG_0549.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div></div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04372833948414619911noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217207768686266513.post-1958798950864348382011-10-29T15:31:00.000-07:002011-10-29T15:31:44.166-07:00I'm baaaaack.<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chicitos--long-lost friends--groupies of the blogosphere, have you been awaitng more delectable recipes?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I’m speaking to you, readers out there. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It’s been a skip-hop-and-a-sprint type of trip since last we spoke. But, what better a time to revisit this blogging hobby than a couple days past the </span><a href="http://foodday.org/about-food-day/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Food Day</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">? As the first holiday of its kind, this day called partakers to encourage an affordable, healthy, fresh new makeover of our food system. The question is, “Did you take some moments to recognize this special holiday?"</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zNeMnpasB-c/TqqCR3TI-II/AAAAAAAAAVU/i0VeJDQCm84/s1600/SAM_1097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zNeMnpasB-c/TqqCR3TI-II/AAAAAAAAAVU/i0VeJDQCm84/s320/SAM_1097.JPG" width="240" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Moving forward. Please, might you want to pull up a chair, smell the flowers and hear of my adventure last year? Here it comes; hang-on tight.</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">D.C. was just the beginning. A spring board, of sorts. There, I ate from a full plate of opportunities (all voluntary, of course). I started by meeting with many "number ones” or head-honchos of the professional world, Christine Jahnke being one of them. She's a speaking coach from “</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><a href="http://poscom.com/about-us/about-christine-k-jahnke/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Positive Communications</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">” who was featured as one of the most influential female professionals in the NY Times. J</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ust wrapped-up, polished and printed is </span><a href="http://www.wellspokenwoman.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">her first book</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> (Find it on the cheap </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Well-Spoken-Woman-Guide-Looking-Sounding/dp/1616144629"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">). </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Freetime," I devoted toward two places that snuggled dear to my heart: (1)</span><a href="http://livehealthier.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Livehealthier</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and (2) </span><a href="http://www.dccentralkitchen.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DC Central kitchen</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. The people who exert some elbow grease to run these places are fabuloso. EHEM...dietetic interns, both of these organizations house dietitians on staff. Check ‘em out for the pick-your-own-career rotation! REALLY!</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At GW, I attended the big (gigantic in my world...) unveiling of the </span><a href="http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2010 Dietary Guidelines</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, heralding a year of political nutrition support and a world that recognizes the food movement. Also, I took part in the <a href="https://www.signup4.net/public/ap.aspx?EID=NATI379E&OID=110" style="color: blue;">National Food Policy Conference</a><span style="color: blue;">.</span> More to come on all the developments in my future posts!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0h-Bc6zRu0g/ToOyL4wpsYI/AAAAAAAAAPg/IFdcDTHDxlI/s1600/IMG_4421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0h-Bc6zRu0g/ToOyL4wpsYI/AAAAAAAAAPg/IFdcDTHDxlI/s320/IMG_4421.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(Dismiss the bald-head blocking my view at 12 o’clock....) </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Oh my, and how might I forget the kids from the </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lnqdc0FdT8I"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Rooting DC” Conference</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and the </span><a href="http://www.washingtonyouthgarden.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Washington Youth Garden</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">! While conferencing, I succored urbanites in mastering their mud-playing skills. Quite a quotidian matter for us country folk turned into the challenge of their kiddie-lifetime.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pGnnAwYhUV0/TpOUQcaNjHI/AAAAAAAAAUM/6RvmSlOIo9g/s1600/IMG_4462.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pGnnAwYhUV0/TpOUQcaNjHI/AAAAAAAAAUM/6RvmSlOIo9g/s320/IMG_4462.jpg" width="209" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But it was nothin’ that some good-ol’-fashioned education couldn’t handle.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kjWEE7neSvo/TpOUBr8IWPI/AAAAAAAAAT8/OBUwM-UsTPk/s1600/IMG_4460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kjWEE7neSvo/TpOUBr8IWPI/AAAAAAAAAT8/OBUwM-UsTPk/s320/IMG_4460.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This city-slickers learned to roll a dirt ball perfectly. Amen little brother (pronounced “Aaaaammmeennn lil brotha!” And, for effect, a fling of the hip, lean, and elbow up resting on my side).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J9sphaOTvoU/TpOUJ4AL16I/AAAAAAAAAUE/SiH1NSue4lY/s1600/IMG_4467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J9sphaOTvoU/TpOUJ4AL16I/AAAAAAAAAUE/SiH1NSue4lY/s320/IMG_4467.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(My photography is also posted on the </span><a href="http://washingtonyouthgarden.blogspot.com/2011/02/getting-rootedrooting-dc-2011.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Washington Youth Garden Blog</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> site)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To honor my birthday, I caroused in NYC with ferly surprises from two of my best buds (pictured below). Unquestionably one of my 2011 highlights.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NGe7vz9bvXs/To49dQ6pbYI/AAAAAAAAASc/Q79IwGczjb0/s1600/New+York.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NGe7vz9bvXs/To49dQ6pbYI/AAAAAAAAASc/Q79IwGczjb0/s400/New+York.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Together, we ventured through Chelsea, an uppity section of NYC. We fit in? Sure....well, at first we pretended. Instinct and a drive to jump begged to differ. My friend and I posed on the garden furniture as onlookers’ eyes rounded with incredulousness. They tried to decipher the situation. However, their stares never unnerved this party of three (Actually, it was quite adrenalin-pinching.). It was my birthday, and we celebrated how I wanted to: goofing and leapfrogging from benches. Mmmkay?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We stole away to the novel restaurant </span><a href="http://bbandcnyc.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bell. Book. &. Candle</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. What a sight! Skyward, the roof kept a small </span><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/rooftop-garden-deluxe-11338658"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">hydroponic garden</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. Forward, we scored our fixes of this heavenly produce. And, sideward, my friends and I stuffed our faces while sharing full smiles of half-eaten delights.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5lY2y8tTtWk/To5FeGNcoUI/AAAAAAAAASg/uQkNDTdu3-I/s1600/Bell+Book+Candle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5lY2y8tTtWk/To5FeGNcoUI/AAAAAAAAASg/uQkNDTdu3-I/s400/Bell+Book+Candle.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To follow was a market-run for fresh dinner ingredients and a Central Park-run to breath in the flawlessness of the spring evening. By sunset, we finished both our ambrosia and jogging.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That night, the lights of Broadway beckoned us into the city. Mary Poppins welcomed us with open umbrella.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pMckKgc07Iw/To5H4Qwb4WI/AAAAAAAAASk/radURY4I0rg/s1600/New+York+Citaayy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="161" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pMckKgc07Iw/To5H4Qwb4WI/AAAAAAAAASk/radURY4I0rg/s320/New+York+Citaayy.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What next??</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Gardening! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><a href="http://beehavenacres.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Beehaven Acre’s</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(AKA my family’s farm) counters were in constant overflow--mounding with blueberries, blackberries, grapes, green beans, onions, tomatoes, peppers (enough to make Peter Piper red-in-the-face), beets (enough to dye Peter red-in-the-fingers), cucumbers; and during this time of year, a friend and I took on ample amounts of sweet potatoes.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B285w0yEV_4/To7B2v-hbyI/AAAAAAAAATA/JUab4GJDdGA/s1600/sweet+potato.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B285w0yEV_4/To7B2v-hbyI/AAAAAAAAATA/JUab4GJDdGA/s320/sweet+potato.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the last croppings brought horseradish root, parsnips, red beans (for soup and chili), pumpkins (for roasting and a Halloween showing), winter squash, celery, celriac and candy-bites of golden tomato.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LpY1ERwApAw/Toz4tcxJV7I/AAAAAAAAARA/PycqiQwcCeg/s1600/IMG_4529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LpY1ERwApAw/Toz4tcxJV7I/AAAAAAAAARA/PycqiQwcCeg/s320/IMG_4529.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Too, carrots of the red dragon variety....</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CrMZR9SjEyQ/Toz41tJxYRI/AAAAAAAAARE/cg2_4h-4ExE/s1600/IMG_0040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CrMZR9SjEyQ/Toz41tJxYRI/AAAAAAAAARE/cg2_4h-4ExE/s320/IMG_0040.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I cherish the influx of produce. Each fruit marking up a different part of the growing season.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HjX0zPFUs3Y/Toz4_tjocBI/AAAAAAAAARU/_qq-2hlYKpE/s1600/SAM_0244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HjX0zPFUs3Y/Toz4_tjocBI/AAAAAAAAARU/_qq-2hlYKpE/s320/SAM_0244.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wSNdZbvEzOM/TpF63eZwZJI/AAAAAAAAATU/K4gSl2Vqfn8/s1600/IMG_2332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wSNdZbvEzOM/TpF63eZwZJI/AAAAAAAAATU/K4gSl2Vqfn8/s320/IMG_2332.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For early spring: strawberries, sugar snap peas, asparagus and spring onions.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cLRb7PYip8A/TpF7Zq0iMCI/AAAAAAAAATc/tklKPoHdSiA/s1600/IMG_2231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cLRb7PYip8A/TpF7Zq0iMCI/AAAAAAAAATc/tklKPoHdSiA/s320/IMG_2231.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YL8F4PUB8ns/TpF8IvhyAWI/AAAAAAAAATk/latZcs3IBSM/s1600/IMG_2228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YL8F4PUB8ns/TpF8IvhyAWI/AAAAAAAAATk/latZcs3IBSM/s320/IMG_2228.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">summer squash, beets and cucumbers come the heat of mid-summer....</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-efBhAa2FcuY/TpF72n7FhsI/AAAAAAAAATg/JDdhnm613ZY/s1600/IMG_2503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-efBhAa2FcuY/TpF72n7FhsI/AAAAAAAAATg/JDdhnm613ZY/s320/IMG_2503.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XoX_0rtsoSk/Tpfrs-p3TAI/AAAAAAAAAVM/jpHQ8wFpTSA/s1600/SAM_0863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XoX_0rtsoSk/Tpfrs-p3TAI/AAAAAAAAAVM/jpHQ8wFpTSA/s320/SAM_0863.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tomatoes, hot peppers, peppers, tomatillos, onions, okra....to follow</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gYRRoRMfvfI/TpF7PKNzv1I/AAAAAAAAATY/9d4SqwHD3sI/s1600/DSCN2192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gYRRoRMfvfI/TpF7PKNzv1I/AAAAAAAAATY/9d4SqwHD3sI/s320/DSCN2192.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He’s a year-round crop.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OhEUqVpclzY/TpF8Ph95-gI/AAAAAAAAATo/fFRRxuGwMNs/s1600/IMG_2229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OhEUqVpclzY/TpF8Ph95-gI/AAAAAAAAATo/fFRRxuGwMNs/s320/IMG_2229.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yf5DssXc5Fk/TpOX4JqvrbI/AAAAAAAAAUU/5aS1VW6hHcQ/s1600/IMG_2761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yf5DssXc5Fk/TpOX4JqvrbI/AAAAAAAAAUU/5aS1VW6hHcQ/s320/IMG_2761.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JzNPs42M5uo/TpOX8Q_OiTI/AAAAAAAAAUc/cRX3QdFc_dQ/s1600/IMG_2769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JzNPs42M5uo/TpOX8Q_OiTI/AAAAAAAAAUc/cRX3QdFc_dQ/s320/IMG_2769.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W1DfpB7B8Ro/TpOYBzyy_BI/AAAAAAAAAU0/9ayYpwS2rzc/s1600/SAM_1028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W1DfpB7B8Ro/TpOYBzyy_BI/AAAAAAAAAU0/9ayYpwS2rzc/s320/SAM_1028.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-23QqAPBZzlc/TpOX9h7mV1I/AAAAAAAAAUk/TGaCliA780g/s1600/SAM_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-23QqAPBZzlc/TpOX9h7mV1I/AAAAAAAAAUk/TGaCliA780g/s320/SAM_0201.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-52MYRsYOFzI/TpOYEJTvfOI/AAAAAAAAAU8/dwshDyVbL1k/s1600/SAM_1041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-52MYRsYOFzI/TpOYEJTvfOI/AAAAAAAAAU8/dwshDyVbL1k/s320/SAM_1041.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The beginnings of a late summer-early fall harvests includes chestnuts, winter squash, apples, more pumpkins and sunflowers.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CA7B4XoFpAM/TpfmYmJzjdI/AAAAAAAAAVE/I9mindlKplU/s1600/SAM_1060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CA7B4XoFpAM/TpfmYmJzjdI/AAAAAAAAAVE/I9mindlKplU/s320/SAM_1060.JPG" width="280" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I plucked and salted these good-eats-sunflower-seeds for baking. They received the “baseball player” approval from my dad. With his life-long baseball obsession, his expert opinion means the seeds must have tasted smashing! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My next foraging crop up for experiment? Black walnuts.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I also entertained some turkeys. Who knew these birds were such people lovers?!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B77-DtI0mjc/Toz492WCMZI/AAAAAAAAARQ/9itdsdEkct0/s1600/SAM_0219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B77-DtI0mjc/Toz492WCMZI/AAAAAAAAARQ/9itdsdEkct0/s320/SAM_0219.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">However, expect these guys to teach you not to outfit yourself in shiney garb. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jbGLmEyXkJM/Toz48u4nZ3I/AAAAAAAAARM/aQK5TbJxuUc/s1600/SAM_0214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="183" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jbGLmEyXkJM/Toz48u4nZ3I/AAAAAAAAARM/aQK5TbJxuUc/s320/SAM_0214.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Do. Not. Get. In. This. Lady-Bird's. Way. Of. Things. That. Glisten. Hide your watches, bracelets, cameras, earrings and the like.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I taught the beginning of a college course to some </span><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">amazing</span></b></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> gals.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gt7H3LH3fU8/To7CcoIEGHI/AAAAAAAAATE/DxttwD8dT_0/s1600/IMG_4440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="187" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gt7H3LH3fU8/To7CcoIEGHI/AAAAAAAAATE/DxttwD8dT_0/s320/IMG_4440.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8bNlqA-w4wA/To7CgFFDsRI/AAAAAAAAATI/0KgWdQad4Dc/s1600/SAM_0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8bNlqA-w4wA/To7CgFFDsRI/AAAAAAAAATI/0KgWdQad4Dc/s320/SAM_0023.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Charming, aren’t they??</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I met with some </span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">amazing</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> people too.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some of them new and delightful. I proudly admit that <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/marion-nestle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Marion Nestle</span></a> (pictured beneath) is my nutrition idol.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kWkr1whcWbg/Toz5AUnz3bI/AAAAAAAAARY/LEw9x6jdOfk/s1600/Marion+Nestle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kWkr1whcWbg/Toz5AUnz3bI/AAAAAAAAARY/LEw9x6jdOfk/s320/Marion+Nestle.jpg" width="311" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some old but cherished...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LwbbCcTTjD0/To7DDHgC4mI/AAAAAAAAATM/viUOWpYkg8U/s1600/SAM_0169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="263" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LwbbCcTTjD0/To7DDHgC4mI/AAAAAAAAATM/viUOWpYkg8U/s320/SAM_0169.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">An Arabic-speaking eskimo too (She would agree to me addressing</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> her like so.)!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vHT8nCJQ3cU/To7DdPDsMRI/AAAAAAAAATQ/30jwrP7OmNA/s1600/IMG_4422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vHT8nCJQ3cU/To7DdPDsMRI/AAAAAAAAATQ/30jwrP7OmNA/s320/IMG_4422.jpg" width="236" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I’ve kept my feet under me but moving fast. Two races down, the More and Hershey Half Marathons. Come 2012--BOOM--the NYC Marathon. I cannot wait to watch the flutter of colors characteristic to each city borough. But, for now, I weave down, around, and in-between my back-country-roads.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sv47VkxyNnU/To5IpTFVspI/AAAAAAAAASs/3QHsNEXko-c/s1600/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sv47VkxyNnU/To5IpTFVspI/AAAAAAAAASs/3QHsNEXko-c/s320/Untitled.jpg" width="177" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sometimes, I run so early in the morning that the stars ponder down on me. They’re my watchdogs, protecting me from the darkness until day-break. I feel safe. And, just recently, the <a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/238827/20111027/northern-lights-aurora-borealis-solar-storms-south.htm"><span style="color: blue;">northern lights</span></a> gave us a peep show.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I’ve paid zero attention to you, dear blog. Dismissing you altogether, I sadly left little time for leisure writing. It’s my new job, you see. As a registered dietitian at the </span><a href="http://www.panen.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Network</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, I jot a fair share of </span><a href="http://www.panen.org/sites/default/files/Newsletter/Food_Thought_FALL_2011.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">my thoughts</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> for Pennsylvania health and wellness professionals.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BSRgSOEDvWY/ToWTMImIzlI/AAAAAAAAAPs/SluDG7-owes/s1600/SAM_0679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BSRgSOEDvWY/ToWTMImIzlI/AAAAAAAAAPs/SluDG7-owes/s320/SAM_0679.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My organization hosted a nutrition workshop with Lynn Fredericks of </span><a href="http://www.familycookproductions.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Family Cook Productions</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. She spoke to nutrition educators through cooking demonstrations and puppet-play. Lynn researches teaching styles. She shared; the audience listened. Families around the globe could benefit from her nutrition tactics. After the workshop, I breaked for dinner with my Mama in Bethlehem, PA. </span><a href="http://www.1741ontheterrace.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1741 on the Terrace</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> was quite the find!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Along the side, curious friends and family investigate nutrition truths and myths. Questions anyone?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of my girl friends, Shannon, moved back into town! She attained her dream job, and we’ve been celebratin’ with slumber parties. Wahoo! Just call me her rah-rah supporter.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sLJvDTV9rVM/ToT6n7vfdpI/AAAAAAAAAPk/Mtm3C8CPbDE/s1600/mosaic00300b4a592136c1ab5f8cc9cb4a6a4b90d08f99.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sLJvDTV9rVM/ToT6n7vfdpI/AAAAAAAAAPk/Mtm3C8CPbDE/s400/mosaic00300b4a592136c1ab5f8cc9cb4a6a4b90d08f99.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tGOaIsFWGws/Toz5UsyB-rI/AAAAAAAAASY/Z5IuCKyqOrE/s1600/SAM_0977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tGOaIsFWGws/Toz5UsyB-rI/AAAAAAAAASY/Z5IuCKyqOrE/s320/SAM_0977.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Earlier this summer, I played at the beach, baby! My step-sis came along. Attached to her was her cutie-boy Tyler ("T-bone" for short). She just moved on from one of the hardest jobs in the world, being a stay-at-home mama, that is, to another career mentoring boys at a youth development center. She’ll keep busy; I’m sure. Her last week of freedom was spent tanning beneath UV rays of the North Carolina shore. She basked to a coffee-complexion while celebrating T-bone’s first steps on the beach...first cry as a wave nicked his feet....first screech in salty water. Lollygagging in the ocean is just not his forte, until his new girlfriend shimmied into the picture (photographed below on the bottom left frame).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UQo1ZMgo_P0/ToWS2Ifx83I/AAAAAAAAAPo/Hb23_khFAzQ/s1600/beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UQo1ZMgo_P0/ToWS2Ifx83I/AAAAAAAAAPo/Hb23_khFAzQ/s320/beach.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My friend Carolyn brought her monster-of-a-hubby from </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01-PqqifyjA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Where the Wild Things Are”</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to my farm.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6t5WfWk44Uc/ToWTdjUmxHI/AAAAAAAAAPw/5d-IGy6nY7w/s1600/SAM_0729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6t5WfWk44Uc/ToWTdjUmxHI/AAAAAAAAAPw/5d-IGy6nY7w/s320/SAM_0729.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After such a scare, I ran non-stop up to Canada...Wolf Lake.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U-7hidw14T4/ToWTs7JUM4I/AAAAAAAAAP0/GRO8AvZKmTk/s1600/SAM_0872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U-7hidw14T4/ToWTs7JUM4I/AAAAAAAAAP0/GRO8AvZKmTk/s320/SAM_0872.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The traveling-crew started early...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SnsigDanOxE/ToWT2NyYhjI/AAAAAAAAAP4/91ql8qxWVEg/s1600/IMG_0208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SnsigDanOxE/ToWT2NyYhjI/AAAAAAAAAP4/91ql8qxWVEg/s320/IMG_0208.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My passenger slept...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QnygjcPtXFo/ToWUCiNXy4I/AAAAAAAAAP8/UkG4Q-h8xQk/s1600/IMG_0209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QnygjcPtXFo/ToWUCiNXy4I/AAAAAAAAAP8/UkG4Q-h8xQk/s320/IMG_0209.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And snoozed....</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yBCIVlvbl3Y/ToWUELwhybI/AAAAAAAAAQA/5egAHkQUdBc/s1600/SAM_0889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yBCIVlvbl3Y/ToWUELwhybI/AAAAAAAAAQA/5egAHkQUdBc/s200/SAM_0889.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">awoke for some bakery goods! Mmmm....</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kNOxqqGgZEg/Toz5TKMxLII/AAAAAAAAASU/Qo75x_bV5wQ/s1600/SAM_0886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kNOxqqGgZEg/Toz5TKMxLII/AAAAAAAAASU/Qo75x_bV5wQ/s320/SAM_0886.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-upeNrn5ppK8/ToWUF65qMaI/AAAAAAAAAQE/3kPH7-CZ8OA/s1600/SAM_0899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-upeNrn5ppK8/ToWUF65qMaI/AAAAAAAAAQE/3kPH7-CZ8OA/s320/SAM_0899.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He napped here...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NOrF4dwRYN4/ToWUGp8lutI/AAAAAAAAAQI/ZOwDzYDVnLM/s1600/SAM_0903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NOrF4dwRYN4/ToWUGp8lutI/AAAAAAAAAQI/ZOwDzYDVnLM/s320/SAM_0903.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">..there too.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My bucket lists is deemed complete (until tomorrow). Check, check and check! This summer closed full as a pig after a day of hogging all the grass on pasture. Speaking of piglets, today, we picked-up some lovely </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Kune-Kunes</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> to round-out our farm family! </span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">WHAT A TRIP, I tell you. <Breath>, I think you’re all caught up in the dazzling, madcap affair I call life. But, my goodness, how could I leave out the essentials: FOOD!?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: black;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u><b>Ground Cherry Jam</b></u></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Post Food Day just seems like the time to get back down to business, doesn’t it? So lets get to it as I've busied myself in the kitchen.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ground Cherries. They’ve been on my “to-grow” list for a while. Have you heard of these buggers? They cavalcade a mix of tomato and kiwi into your mouth. Their silhouettes imitate <a href="http://www.worldcommunitycookbook.org/season/guide/tomatillos.html">tomatillos</a>, except they shine with their orangie hue and miniature stature.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4jPfxKLH-Ys/Toz5CbRAruI/AAAAAAAAARg/p6orQ9NNwrI/s1600/SAM_0803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4jPfxKLH-Ys/Toz5CbRAruI/AAAAAAAAARg/p6orQ9NNwrI/s320/SAM_0803.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">P<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">eal away the husk; and you’ve discovered, plump, tender, ripe-full of juice, interior fruit.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3grtfVSbn8M/Toz5Bb5WdqI/AAAAAAAAARc/X2jy3jbiH64/s1600/SAM_0802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3grtfVSbn8M/Toz5Bb5WdqI/AAAAAAAAARc/X2jy3jbiH64/s320/SAM_0802.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nnBrREWIb1k/Toz5EKvIXtI/AAAAAAAAARo/pJ_TK9HGgII/s1600/SAM_0832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="284" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nnBrREWIb1k/Toz5EKvIXtI/AAAAAAAAARo/pJ_TK9HGgII/s320/SAM_0832.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These babies simmer down sweet and jell perfectly into a jam. We also popped them for seeds in next years garden! You can too!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PnTLUUJ6SL8/Toz5IB4ygOI/AAAAAAAAAR0/_KgYQxBKklo/s1600/SAM_0845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PnTLUUJ6SL8/Toz5IB4ygOI/AAAAAAAAAR0/_KgYQxBKklo/s320/SAM_0845.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V5P1qyPGX1Y/Toz5KZS6qfI/AAAAAAAAAR8/NV4eR2I90gw/s1600/SAM_0849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V5P1qyPGX1Y/Toz5KZS6qfI/AAAAAAAAAR8/NV4eR2I90gw/s200/SAM_0849.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The nutty-sweet flavor was begging to be paired with citrus and sugar, so I obliged</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #383838;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v2f_P3JDQMo/To5Jmfi4EhI/AAAAAAAAASw/fQe36ElZHzM/s1600/SAM_0844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v2f_P3JDQMo/To5Jmfi4EhI/AAAAAAAAASw/fQe36ElZHzM/s320/SAM_0844.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J5_FcW6PGW4/To5Kw2R01TI/AAAAAAAAAS8/F6Oi69297VU/s1600/Jam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J5_FcW6PGW4/To5Kw2R01TI/AAAAAAAAAS8/F6Oi69297VU/s400/Jam.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">While eating this heaven-like jelly, I found myself heavily dependent on bread...but let’s look outside the bread box to pair it with savory meats, with oatmeal, to top thumb print cookies, combine with mashed butternut squash or sweet potato, blend into a fruit-n-yogurt smoothies, coat your ice cream sundaes or spruce-up your green bean saute. Oh yum...can you add onto my list?</span></span></span></div><div style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </span></span></div><div style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Check out the recipe!</span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #383838;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #383838;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #383838;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #383838;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #383838;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #383838;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>Ground Cherry Jam</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Servings: Two, 6 oz jars of jam<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Recommended Serving Size: 1-2 tablespoons</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br />
<u> Ingredients</u><o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">3 cups ground cherries, (de-papered)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">1/4 cup water, maybe a little more<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">1 orange, segmented orange and juice<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">1/4 teaspoon cinnamon<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">½ cup sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">¾ of 1.75 oz packet pectin<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><u>Directions:</u><o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Remove husks from the ground cherries, then measure the first time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Put cherries in large stew pot and crush so that they are all at least broken. (Remember to save some cherries to de-seed and grow in your garden the following year.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Heat to a boil along with enough water to get them to cook without burning, about 1/4 cup.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Boil 2 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Return ground cherries to the pot.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Add the chopped orange with any juice that is oozing away.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Add ground cinnamon, sugar, if using, and the pectin.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Bring mixture to full boil, boil 1 minute.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Bring to full boil for 5 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div></span></span></span></div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04372833948414619911noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217207768686266513.post-77800287039772525662011-02-23T08:35:00.000-08:002011-02-24T15:19:52.971-08:00Beef it up!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b> Decide for yourself...</b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><u>A.</u></b></span><a href="http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2011/02/10/sigatoka-attacks-pomeroon-farmers/">Bananas</a> imported green from who-knows-where-international <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">or</span><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> B.</span></u></b>hand picked veggies, green and garden fresh from my backyard?</span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CRJoJEsmcLY/TVV8fQienqI/AAAAAAAAAN0/y6rnuiywwRk/s1600/Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CRJoJEsmcLY/TVV8fQienqI/AAAAAAAAAN0/y6rnuiywwRk/s400/Blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: auto;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Quick, easy, cheap. Mark down </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u>B</u></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> for me.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Many thanks to global foods and their suppliers, much of what we purchase and consume uproots from China, Brazil, you name it. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Exotic</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> isn't it? Thousands of "food-miles" lengthen the link between your fork and your food source. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RqFHajNGgZI/TVadBLirpVI/AAAAAAAAAOk/9IixL7c_mDI/s1600/IMG_0361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RqFHajNGgZI/TVadBLirpVI/AAAAAAAAAOk/9IixL7c_mDI/s320/IMG_0361.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RqFHajNGgZI/TVadBLirpVI/AAAAAAAAAOk/9IixL7c_mDI/s1600/IMG_0361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Longer distances mean many a dirty working hands (like mine pictured above), rusty-machine-processors, chemical additives, and pathogenic </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">bugs-munchers</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> groping your food. This all done before the applied plastic wrap protection. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For comparison, I ask all of you, avid cell phone users or Skypers: time and again, distance plays us for a sucker, no? Cross-country or international convos bring delayed responses, echos, maybe a pixilated picture. So, similar to that broken call, remoteness blurs our view of staple pantry items and their kindred sources, in-ground patchwork, the farms, the shepherds, the flock, or the <a href="http://www.ncifap.org/bin/s/a/PCIFAPSmry.pdf">agribusiness</a>.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A backyard garden makes the identification of the source of our produce easy. Nevertheless, Americans disregard their food source. Instead, they hold the convenience of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.everydayminimalist.com/?p=4467&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+TheEverydayMinimalist+(The+Everyday+Minimalist)">FAST FOOD</a> as priority</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> could chalk up our fast food obsession to an urge for a mouth-watering, ambrosial bite of heaven. I argue it as an activity</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> that embraces </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">reclusion</span>--</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">a hermetic avoidance of the fresh air that exists between you and your grocery store. In this state of mind, it</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> would count as sin <b>not</b> to drive-thru the closest McDonald's (usually a 3 minute drive), where the grin of the omnipresent golden arches smiles down on us.</span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Os5lpMSPEhs/TVaaBP_4zoI/AAAAAAAAAOU/vDSAHp4GUaY/s1600/Mexican.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Os5lpMSPEhs/TVaaBP_4zoI/AAAAAAAAAOU/vDSAHp4GUaY/s320/Mexican.jpg" width="241" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Let's switch from the McD's venue to Mexican; take </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Taco Bell for a try. Olay!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But wait! They're taco meat contains a-whatttt?? Up to 65% fillers: </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">water, wheat (an allergen to the gluten intolerant in beef??), oats, soy lecithin (an emulsifier or thickener that's cheap and available), maltodextrin (Sugar!), anti-dusting agents (soy bean oil to prevent spice powders from separating from their ingredients) and modified corn starch (thickener); find a full ingredient list </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/25/taco-bell-meat_n_813864.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">here</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. Legally, it doesn't meet the FDA definition of "taco meat." The FDA says that , "[the] </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Product must contain at least 40% fresh meat to obtain the label: 'Taco Filling with Meat,' 'Beef Taco Filling,' or 'Taco Meat Filling.' " Here's the </span><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41258574/ns/business-consumer_news/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">news</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> and <a href="http://www.wsfa.com/Global/link.asp?L=473242">supporting material </a>on this topic. Ohhh the <a href="http://www.wsfa.com/Global/link.asp?L=473242">politics of beef</a>...</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">No vegetarians, this meat mimic is not for you!! But it's so close you could almost taste it!</span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EQvzS11sf5k/TVbG4HKjD-I/AAAAAAAAAPA/hvn4FWQzqeM/s1600/Blog+Cow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EQvzS11sf5k/TVbG4HKjD-I/AAAAAAAAAPA/hvn4FWQzqeM/s640/Blog+Cow.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">MORE ON THE FAST FOOD INDUSTRY AND THEIR MEAT</span></u></b></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">If traced to their origin, a single lot of meat in a processing plant is butchered from 443 cows. These animals face the peril of death at six different cross-country slaughterhouses! With this mix-match sourcing, no wonder Taco Bell "meat" is dubbed a "taco meat filling". We lost track of our meat's identity</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> in transport, processing, manufacturing, and translation (</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Safe-Food-Politics-Expanded-California/dp/0520266064"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Safe Food: The Politics of Food Safety</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, Author: </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Marion Nestle</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">). </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It's idealistic, friends and colleagues, to think that we might know the route of food</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. The more </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">with our ravenous appetite </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">demands <a href="http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournutritionist/f/processedfoods.htm">processed</a> and fast foods, the more governmental monitoring (run by the </span><a href="http://www.fda.gov/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Federal Drug Administration</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> or the FDA) has trouble keeping pace. This means more meat goes un-inspected. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It's a tough life and tight budget for the FDA. To obtain a safer sustainable food supply this system must change. Mark Bittman of the New York Times puts this into tangible terms: </span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"....the FDA must be given expanded powers to ensure the safety of our food supply. (Food-related deaths are far more common than those resulting from terrorism, yet the FDA’s budget is about one-fifteenth that of Homeland Security.)"</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Without efficient regulation, consumers and industry ask: Do we really know what Taco Bell's unpronounceable ingredient list (term defined <a href="http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Food_additives">here</a>) do to us? </span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><u>My Answer: Well...um...yes and no.</u></b></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In the next couple years, researchers will take the direct route to answer our pleas and inquiries! The FDA, </span><a href="http://www.pewtrusts.org/default.aspx"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Pew Charitable Trust</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, food scientists, food industry, and public health advocates will take turns on the wheel--driven to modernize the approval process of food additives. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Some of these substances were approved for use over 50 years ago???!! Others weren't tested at all!? Take <a href="http://www.diet.com/g/generally-recognized-as-safe-gras">Generally Recognized as Safe</a> (GRAS) food additives, for instance. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In 1958, the FDA established the </span><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Food Additives Amendment</span></span>. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">With it, came</span></span></span></b></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> a list of 700 GRAS additives in our food supply before 1958. GRAS status exempted manufacturers from testing these food additives before putting them on the market. Nothing big, just </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">700 free-bees for the food industry run with, o</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">ne of these being arsenic. "Safe" amounts of heavy metal in my food? FDA, what dated studies and lab techniques support the allowance of this additive? When did you approve this one (if at all)?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lucky for us, scientists now judge the safety of every food additive. But a</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">ge old policy and research methods slow this process. Food industry takes advantage, and the FDA is left playing catch-up! </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Times like these make me feel like the crash-dummy taking a food additive vehicle for a spin. </span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">There's no emergency-break-answer to stop us. A convenience food nation as desperate as ours is a danger to itself. But tell that to a starved child and his grumbling belly. To him a super-sized dollar menu with all its additives isn't death; it's dinner.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6lKTYZASVJc/TWUXx0ReNGI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/iuy_lq3cMGs/s1600/IMG_0453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6lKTYZASVJc/TWUXx0ReNGI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/iuy_lq3cMGs/s320/IMG_0453.jpg" width="240" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">What Consumers Wanna Know:</span></u></b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When it comes to selecting your food, check the ingredients list (located under the nutrition label). Enliven your curiosity, </span><a href="http://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm#safety_summary"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">investigate</span></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">the unpronounceable ingredients, evaluate them, and decide for yourself. Which ones do you want for your diet? Take your food into your own hands, then eat it too! </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">One final note, if you are still weighing out the benefits to analyzing your food, at least take a peek at this brief: the</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://blog.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/2010/08/03/5-food-additives-to-avoid/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Top 5 Additives to Avoid the Most</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 19px;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Hold these thoughts, Eaters.</span></u></b></span><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></u></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Don't stop eating your favorite fast/processed foods. Just be a conscious eater and ask, "How many times do I head to these joints without a second thought?" Then dig deep, "Where is this food coming from? What's the implications of chowing-down these well-traveled foods? <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutrition/pdf/portion_size_research.pdf">On my health?</a> On the environment? How might MY fast-food purchases play into this long-distance system? Can I make a difference with my food dollars by choosing a different restaurant?"</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ITXxs3LMMiM/TVaqAqV0T1I/AAAAAAAAAO8/tRLXU5oaK0c/s1600/IMG_0040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ITXxs3LMMiM/TVaqAqV0T1I/AAAAAAAAAO8/tRLXU5oaK0c/s200/IMG_0040.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Nutrition</span></u></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> As a registered dietitian, I note that some of my clients must eat fast-food! I say to them, "Go for it! To each his own!" But before indulging in this pleasure, take a peek at the resources:</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://calorieking.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">calorieking.com</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> or restaurant website nutrition facts (</span><a href="http://www.qdoba.com/Calculator.aspx"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Qdoba's nutrition calculator</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, for reference) Let them help you find the finger-lickin' dish that fits your diet best. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">To this end, some restaurant </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">menus tagged their foods with their calorie count...but nationwide menu labeling is still under </span><a href="http://www.fdalawyersblog.com/2011/02/restaurant-menu-labeling-guida-1.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">deliberation</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. Other fast food restaurants are suggesting healthier options: </span><a href="http://www.subwayfreshbuzz.com/menu/freshfit_meal_builder/?section=kids#kids"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Subway</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> & </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.foodpolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/Fact-Sheet-Defaults.pdf">McDonald's</a> (hopefully coming soon). </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Hungry Girl extraordinaire gives some healthy pointers for fast-food survival </span><a href="http://www.hungry-girl.com/biteout/show/1899"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Fast-foodies of the "Go-BIG-or-go-home" mentality might scoff at this nutrition stuff. But, I challenge you, Drive-Through Guru, to reduce your restaurant window time to once-a-day or once-a-week or once-a-month. Start easy and embrace whatever fast food schedule seems most manageable for you. Build from there. Don't let those TV commercials tantalize you! </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Try me on this one...if you dare! </span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><u>More on the Fast Food Skinny:</u></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=60467"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The best and worst of fast food breakfast</span></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The top 10 fast food restaurant <a href="http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20410142,00.html">2008</a> and <a href="http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20411588,00.html">2009</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Tips for Healthy fast food <a href="http://www.helpguide.org/life/fast_food_nutrition.htm">lunch</a> & <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/11/fast.food.choices/index.html">dinners</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/on-the-go/healthy-fast-foods/?page=5">Dessert time!!!</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">WARNING!!</span></span></span></u></b></span></div></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> I'm a woman of discriminating taste. My blog usually denotes healthy, wholesome, and simple kitchen-play. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Not this time, baby! </span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Every foodista maintains the right. The right to bake 'em sweet, eat 'em, and blog 'em too!</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://pacificthyme.blogspot.com/2010/10/halloween-sugar-cookies.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Royally Iced Shortbread Cookies</span></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"Cookie rampage" encapsulates the atmosphere at my farm house. For months, my family cherished the smell of fresh-baked cakes and shortbreads wafting into our nostrils, seeping from our pores. Just call us, Bakers! </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Cookies inspire us to make them cakes!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TU1yslCmARI/AAAAAAAAAMs/WFNMZtvD6hA/s1600/Cookie+Cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TU1yslCmARI/AAAAAAAAAMs/WFNMZtvD6hA/s640/Cookie+Cake.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u> </u></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Holidays inspire us to bake stockings and iced presents!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TU13Hbwls0I/AAAAAAAAAMw/hilTuvlFTeM/s1600/Christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TU13Hbwls0I/AAAAAAAAAMw/hilTuvlFTeM/s640/Christmas.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Farm animals inspire too! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TU9KQM5kLzI/AAAAAAAAAM4/Z-_ckJAReCg/s1600/Cookies+Winter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TU9KQM5kLzI/AAAAAAAAAM4/Z-_ckJAReCg/s400/Cookies+Winter.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">...cookies the color of Oakley's toy ball....</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TVA9DzRTNKI/AAAAAAAAANM/zxinrhCrEto/s1600/IMG_4048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TVA9DzRTNKI/AAAAAAAAANM/zxinrhCrEto/s320/IMG_4048.JPG" width="240" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TVA77tOx-uI/AAAAAAAAANI/0HnbFcHJc3g/s1600/IMG_4240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TVA77tOx-uI/AAAAAAAAANI/0HnbFcHJc3g/s200/IMG_4240.JPG" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TVA77tOx-uI/AAAAAAAAANI/0HnbFcHJc3g/s1600/IMG_4240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Baked biscuits..my answer to our horsey, Moon Beam's winter appetite!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ooh! Looks like more animals joined the cookie-merrymaking!</span></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RnfOm4S-NTE/TVYdjmD3bCI/AAAAAAAAAN8/CSNtlGm5x5Y/s1600/IMG_0582.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RnfOm4S-NTE/TVYdjmD3bCI/AAAAAAAAAN8/CSNtlGm5x5Y/s320/IMG_0582.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">O'Malley fainting goat</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4YOiQ0-RFFQ/TVYdtoP9HXI/AAAAAAAAAOA/DEvB_3mHxrk/s1600/IMG_0587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4YOiQ0-RFFQ/TVYdtoP9HXI/AAAAAAAAAOA/DEvB_3mHxrk/s320/IMG_0587.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Mad-dawg, my bear!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UYxnHRkVRvI/TVYeDfnJGrI/AAAAAAAAAOI/aDUvhh0RoMk/s1600/IMG_0590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UYxnHRkVRvI/TVYeDfnJGrI/AAAAAAAAAOI/aDUvhh0RoMk/s320/IMG_0590.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Chick...chick...chickies!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LjI2dDrQDlo/TVYeXWDM7UI/AAAAAAAAAOM/yAnoP70p8l0/s1600/IMG_0534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LjI2dDrQDlo/TVYeXWDM7UI/AAAAAAAAAOM/yAnoP70p8l0/s320/IMG_0534.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Our chunky pony, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Donnie Brasco! (He can stick to decorating the treats. For him, a small cookie for tasting.)</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 15px;"><b> </b></span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">What else inspires cookie baking? Dreaming of the luxuries of spring! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KqGTCqsf7_w/TVPNpwO3JNI/AAAAAAAAANc/g8zb2Xs7UiI/s1600/IMG_4038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KqGTCqsf7_w/TVPNpwO3JNI/AAAAAAAAANc/g8zb2Xs7UiI/s640/IMG_4038.JPG" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V-AV15xC3JQ/TVPOMXEIjWI/AAAAAAAAANk/8y-_gyZKX7s/s1600/IMG_9971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Pv9MPTPNEg/TVV9xE9Pq0I/AAAAAAAAAN4/x9fVlNxeB80/s1600/Blog+Spring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Pv9MPTPNEg/TVV9xE9Pq0I/AAAAAAAAAN4/x9fVlNxeB80/s640/Blog+Spring.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Hearts for February--my first batch ever!</span></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sqgW-VWp3PE/TWEQWI9HpkI/AAAAAAAAAPI/rYFaoMjtGJ0/s1600/IMG_3474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sqgW-VWp3PE/TWEQWI9HpkI/AAAAAAAAAPI/rYFaoMjtGJ0/s320/IMG_3474.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Point blank, I don't take much heart in the Valentine's season. So, the second time around the hearts morphed to monsters. Predators spying on their prey, my wide-eyed owl.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aa4R3ucZdJY/TWEQfLTkopI/AAAAAAAAAPM/yvOUMf7lf38/s1600/IMG_4370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aa4R3ucZdJY/TWEQfLTkopI/AAAAAAAAAPM/yvOUMf7lf38/s320/IMG_4370.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TUzNO-pHk6I/AAAAAAAAAMg/2tTMFotUjq4/s1600/IMG_4036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Even after the Superbowl, these </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://sewonandsewfourth.blogspot.com/2011/02/super-bowl-baking.html">ones</a> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">never went out of season. They inspire my family year-round. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #c27ba0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Many</span></span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #c27ba0;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> props</span></span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">to my </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://boognblob.blogspot.com/">step-sister</a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">for showing up all cookies in her first batch!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">* ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TUzM3tWxV3I/AAAAAAAAAMY/i3LKhtkUKTI/s1600/IMG_4028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Yes, we <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"></span>dietitians do eat unhealthily...especially when it comes to COOKIES! </span></span> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QiYTdvVeJmU/TVacbXqoDrI/AAAAAAAAAOc/xfC62GH2CHM/s1600/IMG_0364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QiYTdvVeJmU/TVacbXqoDrI/AAAAAAAAAOc/xfC62GH2CHM/s320/IMG_0364.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #e06666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">But we're not like these poor, crowded oinkers who pig-out on whatever they can get their snouts on!</span></span></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #e06666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(FYI: My family farm does not house these pictured piglets)</span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #e06666;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #e06666;"></span></span></span></span> Eat in moderation or else. . . . . . .</b></span></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TUzM3tWxV3I/AAAAAAAAAMY/i3LKhtkUKTI/s1600/IMG_4028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TUzM3tWxV3I/AAAAAAAAAMY/i3LKhtkUKTI/s200/IMG_4028.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><br />
</span></span></u></b></span></div></div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04372833948414619911noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217207768686266513.post-25093330913579489562011-01-16T04:57:00.000-08:002011-01-27T17:22:43.739-08:00TWINkies<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have a twin!! I do. My other half shares my brown hair, blue eyes, and, well, that’s it. Six foot one inch of genuine, his candidness causes </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">EVERYONE…yes, everyone to befriend him as their own! It's an</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> innocent type of realness appeals to the masses. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSfbBe7gQNI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/yvGkg9_BSoc/s1600/IMG_4182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSfbBe7gQNI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/yvGkg9_BSoc/s320/IMG_4182.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I can only find one fault in him: He's injury prone. Injury is as synonymous with my bro as a Valley Girl is to "..like, whatever!"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p>My opinion? Ryan delivers exactly what he promises: A jolly, apathetic boy with some vaguely spontaneous, haphazard stunts awaitin’.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSr0j4XzHXI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/WF2uOxuw6tM/s1600/Bottlemania+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSr0j4XzHXI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/WF2uOxuw6tM/s320/Bottlemania+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">His pains originated right out of the womb (No, not growing pains)! The thub-bub of his </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">heart rythmed to the beat of a humming bird wings—300 beats per minute. No worries. After a 5 month hospital stay, he survived. Next up, baby teeth. Ryan lost his front tooth at age 3 and toothless he remained until 3<sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">rd</span></sup> grade. No dental work, and he survived. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSr09jXRjKI/AAAAAAAAAKA/fmK8UTTlRI0/s1600/Amanda+and+Ryan+and+Birthday+Candles+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSr09jXRjKI/AAAAAAAAAKA/fmK8UTTlRI0/s320/Amanda+and+Ryan+and+Birthday+Candles+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Then came the persistence of the broken leg. During elementary school, Ryan felt naked without his leg braced. No joke, <b>7 times</b> he cast and recast it! Basically legless and he survived. Highschool and college brought muscle tears, elbow issues, and a pinched nerve that left him with a lopsided shoulder tilt. A mess that he survived.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><u><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Most recent:</span></b></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Rinnnnng, ring, ring: “Amanda, it's Ry here. This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. Ever. Bar none.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And there I was, struck dumb, rigid and cocked headed, “My brother fell off a 15 foot tree?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Why did he do it? To scare girls! Needless to say, you did the trick bro (F.Y.I. NO SUBSTANCE ABUSE was involved with this accident).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There’s nothing that screams, “Sister, I need you!” quite like a 3 broken vertebral processes, two fractured ribs, and a punctured lung, is there? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #c0504d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Close calls never stop this guy.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_443072501"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">H</span></span></a><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_RVId9OkgI"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">e survived</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">!</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #c0504d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c0504d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ryan's solution for the backaches didn’t come in painkillers. It was a healthy combination of my mom and I catering to his every need, fervent prayer, and the humors he calls friends. My solution to any of life's problems differs: the flash of my camera, the steady beat of my knife on the cutting board, and kitchen mess to adorn my apron. And let's not forget my kitchen</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c0504d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c0504d;"><a href="http://www.cookrepublic.com/food-talk/30-fun-affordable-and-delicious-foodie-gifts-for-christmas-2010/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">wish-list</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c0504d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">...</span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c0504d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></span></span><u><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Curried </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">PARSNIP</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">CARROT</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Dill Soup</span></b></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></b></u><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSr6RKe1omI/AAAAAAAAAKI/DAOdssAvHjw/s1600/IMG_0773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSr6RKe1omI/AAAAAAAAAKI/DAOdssAvHjw/s320/IMG_0773.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSr6RKe1omI/AAAAAAAAAKI/DAOdssAvHjw/s1600/IMG_0773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">To Ryan, Walmart's prepared food section smells of roses. But sometimes he revels in my idea of soothing: meals made-from-scratch.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #c0504d;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #c0504d;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #c0504d;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSfa5rFgvCI/AAAAAAAAAJw/cAl94b9C7gE/s1600/IMG_4094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSfa5rFgvCI/AAAAAAAAAJw/cAl94b9C7gE/s320/IMG_4094.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></span></span></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This time, however, he assumed a non-cooking role: singlehandedly manning kitchen traffic. </span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSfaxvs-_aI/AAAAAAAAAJs/GOTY_DWhsPw/s1600/IMG_4115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSfaxvs-_aI/AAAAAAAAAJs/GOTY_DWhsPw/s320/IMG_4115.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u>The result of his hard work:</u> Creamy Curried Parsnip (left half) and it's other half Carrot <b>Dill Soup (to the right). </b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Twin-like veggies, carrot and parsnip, make puree perfect chowders! Think essence-of-heaven (x 2) embodied in these recipes. Mix smokey cumin with tangy dill and you get a punched up dish with herbaceous flavors. A part of my snow-day survival kit, I drink these soups like a parched man drinks water.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><b></b></div><b><div style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c0504d; font-family: Times; font-weight: normal;"><b></b></span></span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c0504d; font-family: Times; font-weight: normal;"><b></b></span></span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c0504d; font-family: Times; font-weight: normal;"><b></b></span></span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c0504d; font-family: Times; font-weight: normal;"><b><div style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c0504d; font-family: Times; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f;">* ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** *</span></span></b></span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u> </u></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Creamy Curried Parsnip Soup</span></b><o:p></o:p></div></u></span></div></div></div></b></span></span></span></b></span></div></b><b><div style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"></div></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Adapted from the Wholesome Kitchen Cookbook</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Serves: 6 full bowls (or 12 bowls half as pictured above)</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Ingredients:</span></span></u></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">2 Tablespoons butter</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">1 onion, chopped</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">2 garlic cloves, chopped</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">1 lb parsnips, chopped </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">(1 lb=3 cups chopped or 4-6 small parsnips)</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">2 Tablespoons of olive oil</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">2 Tablespoons mild curry powder</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">4 cups vegetable stock</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">14 oz. can butter beans, welled drained and rinsed</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">1/2 cup light cream</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">1-2 tablespoons freshly snipped chives</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">sea salt and freshly ground black pepper</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><u><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">K</span></span></i></u><i><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">itchen Tools:</span></span></u></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Peeler</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Sharp knife for cutting carrots and parsnips</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">large saucepan (pot) with a lid</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Baking sheet</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Large mixing spoon</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Emersion blender, food processor, or blender</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Directions:</span></span></u></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Set the oven to 350 degrees F. On a baking sheet place parsnips. Add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch (1 tsp) of salt and pepper. Roast parsnips for about 30-40 minutes until golden brown.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">When parsnips are halfway done, turn them to the other side. Then in a large saucepan heat butter over medium heat. When the butter melts and coats the pan, add the onion and garlic. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes until onion has softened.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Stir in the curry powder for 1 minute until aromatic. Take the parsnips out of the oven, and add them, the stock, and the beans. Bring all contents to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until the parsnips and beans are tender.</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Remove from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture in batches to a food processor and process until smooth. Return the soup to a clean saucepan and set over low heat. Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f;">** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * **</span></span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f;"></span></span></b></span><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Carrot Dill Soup</span></span></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><i><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></u></i></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><i><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Ingredients:</span></span></span></u></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">2 tbsp butter</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">1 medium onion, peeled, finely chopped</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced (12-16 medium sized carrots, 8 large carrots, or 6-7 cups sliced carrots)</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">1 large potato (sweet, white-skinned, or red)</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">1 clove garlic, crushed</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">4 cups chicken or vegetable stock</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">1/4 teaspoon pepper</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">1/4 cup light cream</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">salt to taste</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">1/2 cup fresh dill</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c0504d; font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><u><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></i></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><u><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">K</span></span></span></i></u><i><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">itchen Tools:</span></span></span></u></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Peeler</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Sharp knife for cutting carrots and parsnips</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">large saucepan (pot) with a lid</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Large mixing spoon</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Emersion blender, food processor, or blender</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><i><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Directions:</span></span></span></u></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></i></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">In a large, sturdy soup pot, melt the butter on medium heat. Cook the onions, carrots, potato, and garlic in the butter for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and pepper and bring the soup to a boil. Turn <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">the heat down so that the soup is just barely bubbling. Cover the pot and cook the soup for 30 minutes. </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i></i></span><br />
<i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important; text-align: left;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Stir in 1/2 cup (or 1/6 cup dry) </span><a href="http://blog.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/2010/06/07/katies-healthy-bites-dill-lectable-delights/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">dill weed</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #e69138;">(<-----I coauthored this Food Network blog!!!)</span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">. Remove soup from the heat and puree using either a food processor or blender. </span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></span></div></i></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></span></div></i></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></span></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></span></div></i></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></span></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></div></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></span></div></i></span></div></div></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></span></div></div></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></span></div></div></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></span></div></div></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i></div></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Let cool for a couple of minutes. Stir in the light cream, salt & more pepper (if needed) and garnish with chopped dill befo</span>re serving.</span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></div></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i></i></span><br />
<i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></i></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></div></i></span></div></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #c0504d;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; display: inline !important;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f;">** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * **</span></span></b></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></span></span></b></span></b></span></div></i></span> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #c0504d;"></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #c0504d;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ryan's mouth did thank me, and I’m sure his waste band will too. This says a lot! He once loathed all vegetables, but his heart warmed-up to the carrots and parsnips with each bite.</span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f;">** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * **</span></span></b></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></span></span></b></span> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSfZ6jUjQ8I/AAAAAAAAAJc/VlCXiTGYoJM/s1600/IMG_4072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="196" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSfZ6jUjQ8I/AAAAAAAAAJc/VlCXiTGYoJM/s200/IMG_4072.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></div><div style="color: black; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange;">Parsnips</span></span></span></u></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange;"></span></span></span></u></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Don't overlook this pale-thicker-fleshier twin to Carrot. Ms. Parsnip is at her prime during snow season. She'll</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> mature best under frost's nip, for it's wintry conditions that turn her starch to sugary sweet. She's in season, so she's very <i>inexpensive</i> (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I hope she doesn't get "parsnipity" about me saying she's cheap)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Parsnip contains essential nutrients: </span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. Potassium <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(helps with muscle weakness, fatigue, and recovery during regular-intense exercise)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"></span>2. Manganese <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(helps absorb other key nutrients, maintains blood sugar, and promotes thyroid function)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"></span>3. Folate <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(protects against neural tube defects in babies and anemia in adults)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"></span>4. Vitamin C <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(improves iron absorption and is an antioxidant)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"></span>5. Vitamin K <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(helps blood to clot and reduces bone loss)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">6. Phenolic compounds <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(antioxidants)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">7. Dietary fiber <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(fills you up, keeps you regular) </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange;">**I don't mean to complicate foods by defining nutrients. I encourage you to look at the whole vegetable versus all the vitamins. Basically their healthy and yummy; eat them. The end.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Before preparing, make sure to wash and peal her pretty. Then </span><a href="http://www.seasonalchef.com/recipe0308a.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">get creative</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">: nuke in the microwave; simmer in stalk, milk, bear, wine, or water; sauté the pealed skin for garnishing, </span><a href="http://sweetbeetandgreenbean.net/2010/03/29/parsnip-puree-topped-with-almond-parmesan/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">steam and mash parsnips with potatoes</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> (the linked recipe is dairy-free), bake </span><a href="http://www.cooking.com/recipes-and-more/recipes/Baked-Vegetable-Chips-recipe-308.aspx"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">chips</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> to crunch or </span><a href="http://ohsheglows.com/2010/04/16/these-fries-will-change-your-life/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">fries</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">to munch (WARNING: these fries contain peanuts), cook </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/roasted-parsnip-bread-pudding"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">sweet n' savory puddin</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/roasted-parsnip-bread-pudding">'</a></span>,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> even dish-up as </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.foodgal.com/2010/11/parsnip-pie-please/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">pie</span></a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">(gluten free pie crust <a href="http://vegetarian.about.com/od/glutenfreedesserts/r/noglutenpiecrus.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">recipe</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">)</span>; or bake a </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">cake (deliciousness found </span><a href="http://www.anediblemosaic.com/?p=4685"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> and </span><a href="http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/10/02/kitchen-garden-cake/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">there</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">) with sugar and spice. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sprinkle basil, dill weed, parsley, thyme, and tarragon over Parsnip. Or go bold with this spice combo: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">cumin, cardamom, coriander, ginger, turmeric and not to miss, garlic and onions.</span></span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSfaCrWw49I/AAAAAAAAAJg/qxvJHA5ZNxU/s1600/IMG_4090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSfaCrWw49I/AAAAAAAAAJg/qxvJHA5ZNxU/s400/IMG_4090.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Carrots</span></span></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"></span></span></u></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ms. Parsnip is only rivaled by her twin vegetable, underground: the one, the popular, Glamazon himself, Mr. Carrrrrot! Sexy. Edgy. Fierce. His outer orange coat—made-to-fit—accents his slender figure. He also wears purple, red, and yellow jewel tones as the new orange. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Both Carrot and Parsnip have nutrient-filled appeal. Being the trend setter, however, Carrot wears bright colors that scream beta-carotene and falcarinol <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(for eye health and cancer fighting antioxidant power)</span>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Carrot</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> & </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: orange;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Parsnip</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Tops</span></span></span></span></span></u></b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3d3d3d; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">T<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">he veggies' feathery tops whisper, "eat me...EAT ME TOO!" </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Mix the carrot and parsnip tops with a lettuce salad. You may also want them for garnish. Use common sense and put them where any greens can be found! </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">These guys make up for what their roots miss in the vitamin K department. Some claim they have</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> antiseptic qualities; they've been added to mouthwashes or mixed with honey to disi</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">nfect sores.</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Veggies for the Pickin' in Any Season</span></u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Some of these roots are planted mid-summer so that they last through winter! Farmers use the ground as a refrigerator-al-natural. A topping of straw prevents freezing when the shiver of cold air prevails. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Once on the grocery store shelves, avoid limp, rubbery, or cracked veggies. If they have their tops attached, you can check the stem color. A dark brown base may be a sign of aging. Without the tops, a bright orange color signifies freshness. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For storage, refrigerate them in a plastic wrap or a tight paper towel. Make sure to cut the tops off and store them separately. This way, you can preserve them for 2 weeks. Stow them away from apples, pears, potatoes and other produce that might ripen. During this process, ethylene gas is released causing carrots to become bitter.</span></div></div></div></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><u><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Finale: THE twins of San Francisco!!!</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Boy-girl twins, twin veggies, now fellow girl-girl twins! Sure enough, all twins notices other sets that cross their path.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSfZR_8U78I/AAAAAAAAAJQ/DmX5okIbyQo/s1600/IMG_4191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSfZR_8U78I/AAAAAAAAAJQ/DmX5okIbyQo/s320/IMG_4191.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">These two San Fancisicans, delight when onlookers take their picture. This photo is the oldest of the bunch, taken when Ryan and I were wee little babes.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSfZaPQb_iI/AAAAAAAAAJU/_0zS-WLLbGA/s1600/IMG_4196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSfZaPQb_iI/AAAAAAAAAJU/_0zS-WLLbGA/s320/IMG_4196.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My mom's next trip to San Francisco came about years later. SHE RAN into the twins, quite literally, while racing the San Francisco Marathon! Yes, these girls still paraded the city with their mouth-drop-wardrobe.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSfZjlRY-3I/AAAAAAAAAJY/jByIEDPFETY/s1600/IMG_4198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TSfZjlRY-3I/AAAAAAAAAJY/jByIEDPFETY/s320/IMG_4198.JPG" width="320" /></span></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And 5 years later</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">!!!!!! As if my mother sent them an invitation, the sisters strutted up! All happenstance! Just call my mom twin baby mama & twin magnet!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><u><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b></u></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><u><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">To you, Ry-Guy: twins 'til the end! And for every one of my readers, remember, </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vQZcsmYepM"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;">everything good comes in pairs</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">!</span></b></u></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TTHAb5MG6NI/AAAAAAAAAKU/LMalMcyXm8g/s1600/mosaic72ff28e8da9feda896ba6042c79316271b78fc7f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TTHAb5MG6NI/AAAAAAAAAKU/LMalMcyXm8g/s400/mosaic72ff28e8da9feda896ba6042c79316271b78fc7f.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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</u></b></span></div></div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04372833948414619911noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217207768686266513.post-3586306009800499442010-12-30T07:29:00.000-08:002011-01-03T06:20:14.061-08:00The Ruff-top Doggy<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 11.6pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Heights! They scare most, but not the Claus, baby! Another Christmas passed, and Santa led his troops above the laws of gravity onto your rooftop. He dove soot deep, chimney-shimmied into your home, and left his presents trailing behind. Predictable, right?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRlvyZzxMlI/AAAAAAAAAHw/stupFuHxUas/s1600/IMG_0958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRlvyZzxMlI/AAAAAAAAAHw/stupFuHxUas/s320/IMG_0958.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRlvyZzxMlI/AAAAAAAAAHw/stupFuHxUas/s1600/IMG_0958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>In a different manner, Sammy, a Santa-wanna-be, climbed to the roof too. Let’s start at the story’s beginning:</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Once upon a time there lived two step-brothers as roommates.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><u><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Odd Couple (FYI: These two aren't really a couple):</span></b></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRx-QbQK9zI/AAAAAAAAAJI/auoFdYO0OFo/s1600/IMG_3066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRx-QbQK9zI/AAAAAAAAAJI/auoFdYO0OFo/s200/IMG_3066.jpg" width="150" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRx-EfEpcuI/AAAAAAAAAJE/I4byyZ5jNgg/s1600/IMG_0754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRx-EfEpcuI/AAAAAAAAAJE/I4byyZ5jNgg/s200/IMG_0754.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>One messy </b> <b> One clean</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A chef a-la-microwave A gourmet cook</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> The puppyless-puppylover An owner of a puppy named Sam</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Together, this odd couple resided in good cheer.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">They enjoyed the southern summer weather…from the inside of their well-temped home. North Carolinian Junes to Augusts repeat a predictable course of smothering hot days proceeded by smoldering hot nights. An occasional storm does barrel through, through, and “Wrrrrrip” through the boys' screen door. The wire threads free, they taunted the home-owners in the wind.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The clean man debated: “To fix or not to fix?”</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Messy man reflexed, “To fix it, later on!”</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Without demur, clean man decided, “Our $$ is tight, so I agree.”</span></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But, this decision backfired when a fiery parcel scorched their procrastination. The Alpha-Omega of the housing development sent the message direct to Sammy’s owner. His words blazing, "Please note that your mongrel dog is a regular on your roof. Control him. Or else…."<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: Times;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQBC0INvwaI/AAAAAAAAAFk/NdGUXBSy5XA/s1600/IMG_1791.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQBC0INvwaI/AAAAAAAAAFk/NdGUXBSy5XA/s320/IMG_1791.jpg" width="240" /></a></span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This picture supported his contention.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">At that, the two men gawked, “Sammy, you? On the roof? How could? Was it? Really? Whaaa?” In those moments the hole in the screen took on new form: a make-shift corridor for their little escape artist.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRlv6d76N6I/AAAAAAAAAH0/pKEW5LKWRAg/s1600/IMG_0966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRlv6d76N6I/AAAAAAAAAH0/pKEW5LKWRAg/s320/IMG_0966.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The evidence all in, the conclusion inescapable: During office hours, when the humans leave home to work their cubicles hard, this lonesome doggy darts for the roof. There’s no harnessing this pup's outdoorsy spirit, not even a door. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">How would they </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnPJmDc0b_M">teach this doggy</a> right</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">? For starters, screen-door-patchwork it'll be.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><u>Speaking of patchwork...</u></b></span></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For this year's Christmas game, our family genetically tested Sammy to identify his background (Why would we do that? To find out, check this <a href="http://beehavenacres.blogspot.com/2010/12/big-canine-reveal.html">site</a>). Sammy's a piecemeal of breeds.</span><br />
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</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Do you want to join the fun? Make your guesses: </span></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRluX5nwpOI/AAAAAAAAAHk/o6YZZq1z43c/s1600/IMG_3906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="229" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRluX5nwpOI/AAAAAAAAAHk/o6YZZq1z43c/s320/IMG_3906.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Take into account his innocent-yellow eyes, a golden-brown-</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/akosvaradi/2620781314/">Viszla</a>-like </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">coat, and skin-folds leaving room to grow. But don't let his puppy-like features fool you. Along with some other "Go_ Samit!" antics, he pursues horses 5 times his size in a purely pestering manner.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRlu4voTY-I/AAAAAAAAAHo/uW9iZLZGqB4/s1600/IMG_1286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRlu4voTY-I/AAAAAAAAAHo/uW9iZLZGqB4/s320/IMG_1286.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">He also hangs a frog-like tongue, </span></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqZfvewp1I/AAAAAAAAAIU/hl8x2dpH664/s1600/IMG_0831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqZfvewp1I/AAAAAAAAAIU/hl8x2dpH664/s320/IMG_0831.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">has lap-dog sleeping patterns,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqZfvewp1I/AAAAAAAAAIU/hl8x2dpH664/s1600/IMG_0831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRnUqqg0BpI/AAAAAAAAAII/W8YfhuoWf-k/s1600/IMG_0742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRnUqqg0BpI/AAAAAAAAAII/W8YfhuoWf-k/s320/IMG_0742.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">and don't forget his table manners!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have no faith in you, dearest reader. You'll never guess him. Even Shannon was surprised by the answer! </span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRlwdjGYfpI/AAAAAAAAAH8/HqITuTjdraE/s1600/IMG_0747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRlwdjGYfpI/AAAAAAAAAH8/HqITuTjdraE/s320/IMG_0747.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Okay, ready for the big reveal?</span></u></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> We dubbed him a Chowpoogleweiler. Rightly so. Our "patch-work" breed is a melting pot of </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22643209@N07/3239174527/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">beagle</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-</span><a href="http://manishtama.blogspot.com/2008/10/another-funny-poodle.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">poodle</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-</span><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rottweiler-DSCF0545.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Rotweiler</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-</span><a href="http://kitweb110.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">chow</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. All that to create Sam's pretty face??</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </div><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Up on the Roof Top and Chow Down</span></u></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For this Holiday feast, I must give credit where <i>HUGE</i> credit is due:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Andy started on the Roast Beast (fried turkey) the night before Christmas. Dipped in a sweet brine, the turkey tasted of licorice <a href="http://www.culinarycafe.com/Spices_Herbs/Anise_Seed.html">anise</a>-picklie flavor.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRql08emzFI/AAAAAAAAAIg/Pah3qr2TVFo/s1600/IMG_3917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRql08emzFI/AAAAAAAAAIg/Pah3qr2TVFo/s320/IMG_3917.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><u>NUTRITION in Fried Turkey??</u></b></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><u></u></b> Not surprisingly, a deep fried bird contains more fat and calories than an oven roasted turkey. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The nutritional information for a 3.5 ounce portion of deep fried turkey skin and all contains 190 calories and 11 grams of fat. Equal portions of roasted turkey breast (with the skin) typically contains about 165 calories and 7 grams of fat. A roasted skinless 3.5 oz breast weighs in at 140 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. One that's fried in its skin but eaten skinless contains a slightly higher calorie count. This is because the turkey skin fat seeps deeper as the bird cooks.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">To minimize fat content, take the tender meat that is furthest from the skin. Reach into the bird!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> If it's</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> deep fried in canola or vegetable oil at a higher temperature (350 degrees+), it will absorb less fat and oil than ones fried at lower temperatures.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You worried about trans-fats? C</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">heck the frying oil label for 0 grams of trans fat and no (partially) hydrogenated oils or vegetable shortening on the ingredients list. Here's the </span><a href="https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/FatsAndOils/FacetheFatsRestaurantResources/Restaurant-FAQs---General-Information_UCM_304180_Article.jsp"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">American Heart Association site</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> with informative answers to trans fat FAQs. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">If fried turkey is not for you, have a <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/healthy-eating/the-health-benefits-of-lean-proteins/index.html">lean protein</a> alternative or <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/vegetarian/index.html">meat replacement</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Let's get this clear, I suggest skinless roasted turkey breast as your best bet. BUT, I'd be less worried about a healthy portion of fried bird (the size of a lady's palm, fingers excluded) than a plethora of decadent desserts. </b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqlpIalyZI/AAAAAAAAAIc/sLjzaNnE0IY/s1600/IMG_3919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="277" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqlpIalyZI/AAAAAAAAAIc/sLjzaNnE0IY/s320/IMG_3919.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Wah-lah: Moist, delicious perfection!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRql7lwOppI/AAAAAAAAAIk/jTL4W2N6qdo/s1600/IMG_3931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRql7lwOppI/AAAAAAAAAIk/jTL4W2N6qdo/s320/IMG_3931.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> CREAMY, lush mushroom soup introduced the dinner. This holiday, the mushrooms were grown organic, but not by us. There's always next year. My dad received grow-your-own white button and portibella mushrooms for Christmas!! YUM!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqmDoBicxI/AAAAAAAAAIo/1a4mnQA9lgI/s1600/IMG_3935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqmDoBicxI/AAAAAAAAAIo/1a4mnQA9lgI/s320/IMG_3935.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqmDoBicxI/AAAAAAAAAIo/1a4mnQA9lgI/s1600/IMG_3935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqmKWI2R3I/AAAAAAAAAIs/QPZtfavw1hc/s1600/IMG_3938.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqmKWI2R3I/AAAAAAAAAIs/QPZtfavw1hc/s320/IMG_3938.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The chilly tartness of the homemade <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/mint-grapefruit-granita">grapefruit-mint granit</a><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/mint-grapefruit-granita">a</a> did some cleansing for our pallets.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqmSrVT7cI/AAAAAAAAAIw/nWZTyb3mcwo/s1600/IMG_3940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqmSrVT7cI/AAAAAAAAAIw/nWZTyb3mcwo/s320/IMG_3940.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanesco">Romanesco</a>-steamed for service-was my favorite! This plant is a relative to cauliflower. Right now, we're scheming to plant these goodies for next Christmas day!!!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqmbYjURWI/AAAAAAAAAI0/hj19BrbBWZ4/s1600/IMG_3962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqmbYjURWI/AAAAAAAAAI0/hj19BrbBWZ4/s320/IMG_3962.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The infamous coconut cake (with enviable rise due to farm-fresh...yes home-grown...eggs) was decorated with royal frosting snowflakes for winter. It's so swoon-worthy that you could crush on its pink flakes.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqmg19ONiI/AAAAAAAAAI4/pk0JEeTZZV4/s1600/IMG_3990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="269" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqmg19ONiI/AAAAAAAAAI4/pk0JEeTZZV4/s320/IMG_3990.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And homemade whip cream for topping or paint for holiday whiskers. Got Milk...whipped?</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqmwY795BI/AAAAAAAAAJA/ZMBxSxru9c0/s1600/IMG_3406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqmwY795BI/AAAAAAAAAJA/ZMBxSxru9c0/s320/IMG_3406.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'm sure our backyard turkey-men, named Christmas and Thanksgiving, give a special thanks to </span><a href="http://beehavenacres.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Bee Haven Maven</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> who made this dream-meal tangible without them being on the plate!</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRnXNXi_QVI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/ieL9rI7pHBc/s1600/IMG_3991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRnXNXi_QVI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/ieL9rI7pHBc/s320/IMG_3991.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Doggy Yin and Yang, here, wish you </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">a balanced holiday.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqmpcU8KMI/AAAAAAAAAI8/MYk7FFpAmmg/s1600/IMG_4006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TRqmpcU8KMI/AAAAAAAAAI8/MYk7FFpAmmg/s320/IMG_4006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Happy <b>SNOW for 2011</b>! </span></div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04372833948414619911noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217207768686266513.post-72475919472855885672010-12-20T07:59:00.000-08:002010-12-27T07:19:54.687-08:00Good Eats for the Kiddies (and Y-O-U)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>FNCE,</b> aka “Fency”, aka The American Dietetic Association’s Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo, aka (in real-people lingo) a place where thousands of foodie-dietitians gather to talk food, learn food, eat food, and sample food! Salute to the grub!</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But all hail the school food programs taking healthier action! With Michelle Obama’s <a href="http://www.letsmove.gov/">“Let’s Move” </a>campaign on many dietitians’ front burners, it became one of the sizzilin' topic at the conference!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ5BrMYsLGI/AAAAAAAAAHA/JuaNFW2lMjs/s1600/IMG_9995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ5BrMYsLGI/AAAAAAAAAHA/JuaNFW2lMjs/s320/IMG_9995.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u>The School Food Norm:</u></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For breakfast? Why not a HUGE hunk of quiche with refined white flour crust and, to top it off: salt laden sausage, eggy goodness, and molten cheese? Lunch serves mile-high creamed corn and French fries accounting for the children’s vegetables (though more like fatty, not-so-whole-wheat starches). Don’t forget a serving of seconds...maybe thirds. From the looks and tastes of it-<a href="http://www.amazon.com/School-Lunch-Politics-Surprising-Twentieth/dp/0691050880">school cafeteria food-past and present</a>-has been a parade of unhealthy, with middle-of-the-road dishes.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Don’t get me wrong, I’ve nibbled, okay, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">downed </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">my share of cafeteria fair. It's tough to resist those faced-sized Otis Spunkmeyer cookies, grab-n-go Poptarts, or pizza doused in enough grease to oil a kid's tricycle. Yet, these unhealthy choices morph from food into bleary eyes and a bloated stomach. Preventable symptoms? Of course! But will children be likely to choose a salad over these McDonald-esc consumables? To this, a deliberate, “Auuhhh, heck NO!” might do.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I don't fault your favorite cafeteria lady for heating-up these fattening fixin's. School cafeterias cook and serve, suffocated by tight-gripped budgets. They run on a year-round, subsidized agrobusiness--y’know the super-sized corn, beef, chicken, potato, soybean farms and their ultra-processed byproducts. The resultant foodstuff pinballs from the producers, suppliers, manufacturers, to the lunch line and student-consumers. During this bounce back and forth food miles rocket above the thousands, gas is guzzled, chow-quality squandered, contamination risk rises, and the food variety is limited. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This large-scale food distribution and processing, is but one factor causing corpulent children. Nonetheless, students are abject to normalize canned vegetable mush, mystery meats, and Twinkies for meals.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ5CQtNNDpI/AAAAAAAAAHI/Lh5oH4UVvnA/s1600/IMG_1584.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ5CQtNNDpI/AAAAAAAAAHI/Lh5oH4UVvnA/s320/IMG_1584.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Unstable, unprofitable, and sometimes un-nutriticious is our current food system. This is why thousands of people (scientists, non-profits, parents, teachers, school dietitians) put up their advocating fists to brawl for the Child Nutrition Act. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">No matter their political party, these fighters duked it out for THE FUTURE GENERATION</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. And they claimed victory when the Child Nutrition Act passed on <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/12/13/us/politics/AP-US-Obama-Child-Nutrition.html?ref=aponline">December 13, 2010</a>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>The Child Nutrition Act Basics:</b></span></u></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. It trades the extensive paper work with automatic enrollment for low-income </span></span><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">children for kids</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">eligible for free lunches.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2. A modest 6 cents increases the reimbursement of school lunches. This m</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">oney is reallocated for healthier school food menus.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3. Financial support is given for the healthy-local-tasty-fresh input of </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">the </span><a href="http://www.farmtoschool.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Farm to School</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> program</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">s.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">4. Acknowledgements are provided for model</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> food systems.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">5. About $1.2 billion will be given over the next 10 years for more meal provision after-school, during summer programs, and to all students in schools with high poverty levels.<br />
6. An estimated $3.2 billion will fund the establishment of new nutrition standards, strengthening local wellness policies, and increasing reimbursement rates.</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">7. It increases food-prep training for cafeteria staff.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 48.0pt;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ9mCKo75QI/AAAAAAAAAHM/jKw8SHJC-FI/s1600/IMG_1602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ9mCKo75QI/AAAAAAAAAHM/jKw8SHJC-FI/s320/IMG_1602.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><u><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">NOW, to</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Build &</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></u><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Forget</span></u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>Building</i> is the tough-love, foodservice modification, and school nutrition education provided for the cafeteria workers, policymakers, your local school board, the parents, and the students. <i>Forgetting</i> is the TASTY (healthful) lunch that surpasses all other unhealthy meals before it's time.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The prospect of modifying a 30-year-old food system may be intimidating, added onto the tough market, limited moneys, and resources too! But I challenge you, parents, teachers, the young (my non-parenting friends), and old (<i>elderly</i> is a relative term) to r</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">emember when you were a kid and all you had was a dream!? Now,<i> </i>give these kids a healthy head start on their childhood dreams:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i><u>Educate yourself with tons of new resources. Find simple ways to join the movement!</u></i></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i><u></u></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://civileats.com/2010/12/13/school-lunch-victory/">http://civileats.com/2010/12/13/school-lunch-victory/</a></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://civileats.com/2010/12/13/school-lunch-victory/"></a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.eatright.org/kids/">http://www.eatright.org/kids/</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.eatright.org/kids/"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/food/archive/2010/03/shtick-aside-oliver-understands-school-lunch/38211/">http://www.theatlantic.com/food/archive/2010/03/shtick-aside-oliver-understands-school-lunch/38211/</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/food/archive/2010/03/shtick-aside-oliver-understands-school-lunch/38211/"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">4.<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/food/archive/2010/04/breaking-down-the-child-nutrition-act-q-a/38597/">http://www.theatlantic.com/food/archive/2010/04/breaking-down-the-child-nutrition-act-q-a/38597/</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div></div></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Hurry up, time’s a-waistin’!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">While We Wait, Let’s BAKE!</span></u></b></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This season we’ve got butternut squash adorning the corners our kitchen pantry. It's stored cool (55 degrees F) in dry, well-ventilated conditions. Keep it for up to 8-12 weeks. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ4LIDleygI/AAAAAAAAAGc/_7lptw7dZaA/s1600/IMG_3329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ4LIDleygI/AAAAAAAAAGc/_7lptw7dZaA/s320/IMG_3329.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ4LCtYEmMI/AAAAAAAAAGY/jvPSihkwxIE/s1600/IMG_3328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ4LCtYEmMI/AAAAAAAAAGY/jvPSihkwxIE/s320/IMG_3328.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Simply Stuffed Butternut Squash</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><i><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Cook time</span></span></u></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">: 1 hour 30 minutes</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><i><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Serves</span></span></u></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">: 3 people</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><u><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Ingredients:</span></span></i></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1 butternut squash
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1 tablespoon olive oil</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">
1 teaspoon salt</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1 teaspoon
pepper<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1/2 cup dried quinoa<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">3/4 cup water<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">
1 onion, chopped<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">2 medium carrot sticks peeled, diced</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">
1 tablespoon olive oil<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1 apple, chopped<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive orange juice</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1 tablespoon soy sauce<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (2 Tablespoons fresh OR candied ginger)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1 tablespoons of cider vinegar</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1 tablespoon honey<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">1/3 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><i><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Kitchen Needs:</span></span></u></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Baking dish<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">pastry brush (optional)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Large, flat pan (sauté pan) with lid<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Large mixing spoon<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Measuring cups and spoons</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">2 boiling pots with lids<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Fork<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">2 small pieces of aluminum foil</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Yourself and 2 other friends</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><u><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Directions:</span></span></i></u></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Cut the acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds (save for later). Place cut-side-up in a </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">baking dish</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> and drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on top of the halves. Use your fingers or a </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">pastry brush</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> to coat all the flesh. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on top. Roast for 45 minutes or until the squash begins to get tender. Once tender, set aside but leave oven on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Meanwhile, on top of the stove, use a </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">saute pan</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> to cook onion and sweat carrots in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over low heat. With a large</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> spoon</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">, mix every 1-2 minutes. Do this for 20-25 minutes or until onions are golden-brown (</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">caramelized)</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Add apples after the first 10 minutes of cooking. P</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">ut a </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">lid</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> on it to save energy. Once finished, set aside in a </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">large bowl</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Place a</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> small pot</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> on high heat burner to bring 1/2 cup quinoa in 3/4 cup water to a boil. Once boiling, bring the heat down to low. Cover with loose-fitting lid and simmer (little bubbles). This allows some moisture to escape. Cook it until small curly white tails spring from the quinoa and most of the water is absorbed (about 10 minutes). Stir and fluff quinoa with a </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">fork</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">. No liquid should remain.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">In the </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">pan</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> that you sauteed the onion in, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, saute for 1 minute until fragrant and golden-brown. Add 1/4 cup orange juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and fresh or ground ginger, and the tablespoon of cider vinegar. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Simmer until thickened. Turn off burner and mix in 1 tablespoon of honey. If you enjoy cilantro and have it on-hand, try mixing in 1/4 cup fresh and finely chopped for a flavor boost.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">In the </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">bowl</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> where the onions are, combine the quinoa, caramelized onions, and orange juice sauce. Toss to coat everything. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Spoon</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> 1/2 of the quinoa mixture into the squash halves, cover with two small pieces of </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">aluminum foil</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">, and bake for another 15-20 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Let cool for 5-10 minutes, slice the butternut squash and spoon the rest of the quinoa mixture over each serving.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ4K3Lw5qfI/AAAAAAAAAGU/7V0cqpydtJ8/s1600/IMG_3319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ4K3Lw5qfI/AAAAAAAAAGU/7V0cqpydtJ8/s320/IMG_3319.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Nothing goes to waste in our house. Salt, pepper, and spice up your seeds. Throw them in the oven at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes (or until toasted light brown). Top salads, soups, sandwiches, or switch in the pumpkin seeds to make <a href="http://www.care2.com/greenliving/basil-lime-pumpkin-seed-pesto-recipe.html">squash seed pesto</a>!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ4LVg7Ik1I/AAAAAAAAAGg/oUVi_AHhPiw/s1600/IMG_3367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ4LVg7Ik1I/AAAAAAAAAGg/oUVi_AHhPiw/s320/IMG_3367.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ4LgbD2w6I/AAAAAAAAAGk/0_-fad_BPsU/s1600/IMG_3369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ4LgbD2w6I/AAAAAAAAAGk/0_-fad_BPsU/s320/IMG_3369.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There was a butternut half that was left naked and unstuffed. I pealed, mashed, and dressed it with white chocolate and pumpkin spice for these </span><a href="http://www.healthyfoodforliving.com/?p=14620"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">bite-sized treats</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">! Any leftover butternut-mash filled </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">my morning oatmeal and pancakes</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>---</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But, nothing molds my family together like buttered-biscuits pressed festive from a cookie-gun. The best part? All the cooks (I mean kids) that helped!</span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ4LmlBDMEI/AAAAAAAAAGo/_-3F52pvglc/s1600/IMG_3703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ4LmlBDMEI/AAAAAAAAAGo/_-3F52pvglc/s320/IMG_3703.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Taylor and Jakie manned the mixer. They're such baking pros!!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ4dsccvRlI/AAAAAAAAAG8/OJvyivAxLgs/s1600/IMG_3706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ4dsccvRlI/AAAAAAAAAG8/OJvyivAxLgs/s320/IMG_3706.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Taylor taste-tested the batter (with no raw eggs). He approved.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ4LvOh6YRI/AAAAAAAAAGs/fOik1XVm4lI/s1600/IMG_3712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ4LvOh6YRI/AAAAAAAAAGs/fOik1XVm4lI/s320/IMG_3712.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Taylor and I are loaded our weapon…only to blast out 200 cookies.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><u>Take Home Message:</u></b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><u></u></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. Bring the kids into the kitchen! Teach them portion sizes, ingredients, cutting and mixing skills, and to have at it with their own creativity!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2.</span></span><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Cook or decorate with the family. Togetherness does not have to involve tasting (other than the here-and-there licking of the spatula)!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3. Let loose! Eat a cookie or two! The small press-cookies' portion create bite-sized snacks for everyone. If the overeating-temptation calls, freeze or gift-up any extra sweets. You could also try waiting out the craving; cravings usually last an average of eight minutes. Until then, occupy yourself with kitchen clean up.</span></div></div><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></span></u></i></b></span></div></div></div></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ4NIEylknI/AAAAAAAAAG0/Hk__ebfKlcU/s1600/IMG_3792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ4NIEylknI/AAAAAAAAAG0/Hk__ebfKlcU/s320/IMG_3792.jpg" width="265" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Here are the presents under my Christmas tree...</span></span></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ997krcsWI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/g54KT2drCWk/s1600/IMG_3799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQ997krcsWI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/g54KT2drCWk/s320/IMG_3799.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">..and my nephew, Santa's little helper. </span></div><span style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt;"><br />
</span></div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04372833948414619911noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217207768686266513.post-13766664623178676622010-12-11T06:41:00.000-08:002010-12-14T04:18:28.490-08:00(F)art-I-choke<div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I had the most GAS-tronomical learning experience, and it swallowed so warm and hardy. Fresh from the garden, Sunchoke-Dill-Chowder set sweet in my family's tummies. Such contentment brought smiles to each of our faces as we remarked, “This sunchoke soup has the most exquisite taste! Why don’t you find these exotics hogging up aisle space of the grocery store? What a lost treasure! People don’t know what they’re missing!”</span></span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQA-GVAW1eI/AAAAAAAAAFE/NG60UUGIPdg/s1600/IMG_2176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQA-GVAW1eI/AAAAAAAAAFE/NG60UUGIPdg/s320/IMG_2176.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Prep work began at the spice garden over-flow. Dill is burried in there somewhere!! Bev, the featured picker, is </span><a href="http://beehavenacres.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Bee Haven Acre's</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> gardener, farm hand, </span><a href="http://www.sewonandsewfourth.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">decorator</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, seamstress, mother of 5 dogs-4 horses-3 turkeys-lots of </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK7eUzbcyRo"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">fainting goats</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">-roosters-hens-ducks-oh my! You name it, she does it. But, I'm proud to claim her as my stepmom! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQA-GVAW1eI/AAAAAAAAAFE/NG60UUGIPdg/s1600/IMG_2176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQBBcTwCHwI/AAAAAAAAAFc/gugOrI2RNiA/s1600/IMG_2320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQBBcTwCHwI/AAAAAAAAAFc/gugOrI2RNiA/s320/IMG_2320.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Onions, onions, all around. We sweat a couple of these with the other veggies and souped them up. Beforehand, these were harvested and set on the back of the 4 wheeler, not for transport but to begin the <a href="http://www.garden.org/foodguide/browse/veggie/onions_harvesting/501">curing process</a>. Creativity at its finest!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQBBPeGHH1I/AAAAAAAAAFY/oiPp3oL_T3s/s1600/IMG_2242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQBBPeGHH1I/AAAAAAAAAFY/oiPp3oL_T3s/s320/IMG_2242.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Meet Manerva, the prettiest garden scarecrow I ever did see. She once had padding to accentuate her hips, but that all settled to her back side. Now she can brag of her </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ImZTwYwCug"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">bedonkadonk</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Speaking of butts, those sunchoke praises came to bite us in ours. No, really! The veggie's blast-a-cap-off antics stirred, churned, flipped-flopped, twisted, and jerked into our gut. Midsections a-bloadin’ predicated one line-of-fire result: farts out the wazooh. It left us with artichoke scented stink-puffs, quite gruesome, if you ask me (or anyone else within a 2 mile radius)!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQOXG5W_k5I/AAAAAAAAAF0/dOE7u4VAGE0/s1600/IMG_3537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQOXG5W_k5I/AAAAAAAAAF0/dOE7u4VAGE0/s320/IMG_3537.JPG" width="281" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I guess it didn’t help that my nutrition nerdiness kicked in <i>directly after </i>dinnertime. I did my research, but it was already too late.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u>The pros started out light and fluffy, innocent enough:</u></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/806198/jerusalem-artichoke-recipes">Sunchokes</a>, also called Jerusalem artichokes accrue wild yet are easily cultivated. Relative to the tubor veggies, they</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> grow elongated, knobby, creamy white, red or purple skinned. Its white pulp has a</span><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> comforting and nutty flavor resembling grandma's golden-crusted potatoes (or maybe the nuttiness and comfort of G-ma, herself) hinted with splash of cabbage, even roasted cauliflower. YUM!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Our</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> chowder recipe compliments the sunchoke's earthiness with the sharp bite of cheddar, an onion-garlic-carrot tang, and the freshness from garden dill. UGGGHH—to die for!</span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u>Then IT BEGAN to get juicy—a reference to the hellacious aftermath:</u></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1d1d1d; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u></u></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626;"><span style="color: #13171e;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The root contains an abundance of inulin, fructose-based carbohydrates. This science-talk stands for food that humans cannot digest. So the dirty work is handed to our beneficial bacteria within our intestine. As they munch away</span></span><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, they spew CO</span></span><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2</span></span><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> into our abdomen while they sing: “Oh let the farts go marching down, down, down, and out!!</span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626;"><span style="color: #1d1d1d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u>There's fart-be-gone hope:</u></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u></u></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #13171e; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Beano's always a safe store-bought bet. But too, long cooking (12 - 24 hours) and low temperatures (200 degrees F) will convert the carbohydrate to digestible fructose. Also, direct word from the farmers who grew them suggests that after 2-3 weeks of storage, the inulin naturally breaks down into fructose sugars well absorbed by your body. Do the math, and this leaves you with fewer detrimental farts evading every nook and cranny surrounding you. </span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626;"><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #13171e; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #13171e; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #13171e; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After cooking, puree them into soup, slice 'em, toss with some sort of dairy before running them under the broiler to make au gratin, or just mix with wintry vegetables.</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626;"></span><br />
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</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #13171e;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u>There's lot of the nutritional value to Sunchokes:</u></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #13171e;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1.<b> Inulin promotes healthy gut flora </b>(those beneficial bugs in our guts that help the food go through smooth).</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #13171e;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2. <b>Inulin keeps you regular</b>.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #13171e;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3. <b>Inulin helps manage diabetes</b>: Because this carbohydrate is not easily digested, it </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #13171e; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">stabilizes blood sugar unlike the spike and dips from your average cup of chowder. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #13171e;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">4. <b>Filled with fiber, sunchokes suppress the appetite</b>.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #13171e;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u>Now to finish my story:</u></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #13171e;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In the night, everyone tucked into bed (even our five doggies—yes FIVE—featured below); there danced sugar plums in...interrupted by filthy, loathing, unwelcomed wind darting out of our wombs. Enough with those farts! We opened a window. Well, we opened ALL bedroom windows.</span></span></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #13171e;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #13171e;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #13171e;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Oh hush, you people, don't think us lunatics for letting in the arctic chill! I consider these farts of artichoke proportions!! </span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQOGvaBtWOI/AAAAAAAAAFw/HQ739nD5hCg/s1600/IMG_1797.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQOGvaBtWOI/AAAAAAAAAFw/HQ739nD5hCg/s320/IMG_1797.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #13171e;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Pup parade (promised above) down to the barn. These guys know when it's time to do farm work. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQA_hG5IQPI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/b9wHpiVILnc/s1600/IMG_2240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQA_hG5IQPI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/b9wHpiVILnc/s320/IMG_2240.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #13171e; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Spright ol' Hickory, a 15-year-old puppy. She is a new arrival at Bee Haven. Without a doubt, farm-life added a healthy 5 years to her life.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQA_9M4RwVI/AAAAAAAAAFU/__rkhc7FqWE/s1600/IMG_0538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQA_9M4RwVI/AAAAAAAAAFU/__rkhc7FqWE/s320/IMG_0538.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #13171e; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #13171e; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Mad-dawg (slang for Maddie), my bear! This 140+ pound Newfoundland is a gentle giant who wouldn't hurt a fly...mostly because she's not fast enough to catch one!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQBCX9Ea3jI/AAAAAAAAAFg/zge-cnTDtdw/s1600/IMG_1799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQBCX9Ea3jI/AAAAAAAAAFg/zge-cnTDtdw/s320/IMG_1799.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #13171e; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sadie-Bright is our Bernese Mountain Dog. If she took on human form, she would be front-of-the-line short bus material. We LOVE her and her doggie-autistic tendencies! </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQBC0INvwaI/AAAAAAAAAFk/NdGUXBSy5XA/s1600/IMG_1791.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQBC0INvwaI/AAAAAAAAAFk/NdGUXBSy5XA/s320/IMG_1791.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #13171e; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #13171e; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Is that dog on the roof?? Yes, more on that later! For now, know this: Sammy-my-boy, who is as the farm for safekeeping, heeds first to my step bro. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQPKofzJUwI/AAAAAAAAAF4/ZITfJSUzMP0/s1600/IMG_3466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQPKofzJUwI/AAAAAAAAAF4/ZITfJSUzMP0/s320/IMG_3466.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #13171e; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(Single ladies, check this brother out--the human, not the dog--he's the total package, the funny guy, a successful engineer, and a cook with killer grilling abilities.)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #13171e; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #171e29; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 28px;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQNLGQqo72I/AAAAAAAAAFs/ter-xbOT6ZQ/s1600/IMG_3640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQNLGQqo72I/AAAAAAAAAFs/ter-xbOT6ZQ/s320/IMG_3640.jpg" width="289" /></a></span></div></div></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 21.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><div style="text-align: center;"></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A shout out to Ben, Karah, and baby-Ellis for the humble donation of 350-ish Jerusalem artichokes. These farmers grew and plucked the goods from their backyard. Thanks to my gleaning from your harvest, this blog came to life! Much love and passing-gas.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u>Finally, the recipe: Sunchoke-Dill-Chowder</u></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Prep Time: </b>20 minutes</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Cook Time: </b>40 minutes</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Total time:</b> 1 hour</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Yield:</b> 6 servings</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><ul><li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3 Tablespoons butter</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 small onion, sliced</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2 cloves garlic</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 pound Jerusalem artichokes, sliced into water</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 cup of carrots, sliced</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1/2 cup fingerling potatoes pealed and halved</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">5 Tablespoons all-purpose flour</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2-3/4 cup chicken stock</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1-1/2 cup milk</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2 cups of cheese of your choice</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2 Teaspoons dry mustard powder</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1/2 cup fresh dill and a couple extra sprigs for garnish</span></li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Salt and pepper to taste</span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Directions:</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In a large saucepan, melt butter, add onions and cook 1 minute; Stir constantly. Drain the sunchokes and add to pan with carrots and potatoes. Cook for 2 more minutes. Add flour, then gradually add stock. Cover for 20 minutes.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Puree soup in a blender or or food processor until smooth. Add milk, cheese, dry mustard, dill, salt, pepper, and blend again. Pour into a clean pan and reheat gently. Do not bring to a boil. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Separate into serving bowls. Garnish as you see fit, and chow down!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><u><br />
</u></b></span></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQA9hfSUReI/AAAAAAAAAFA/z54arP61n5M/s1600/IMG_2948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TQA9hfSUReI/AAAAAAAAAFA/z54arP61n5M/s320/IMG_2948.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The End! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is why I endorse fart producing soups from scratch over the processed stuff:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.america.gov/st/peopleplace-english/2010/November/20101122114827noiram0.1394573.html">http://www.america.gov/st/peopleplace-english/2010/November/20101122114827noiram0.1394573.html</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #262626; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04372833948414619911noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2217207768686266513.post-62227532444589066142010-12-03T13:53:00.000-08:002010-12-03T20:43:11.148-08:00from IT to Blog<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It’s time. Might you ever reach that turning point where you have to do something about IT? My “IT”-small at first, a passing thought, growing moment by breathing moment, until “IT” became a massive, bubbling bother that burst into nothing other than this: one of many, many (drum roll, please)…food blogs! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPlaGJv6axI/AAAAAAAAADc/ukdXu_zmggM/s1600/IMG_3560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPlaGJv6axI/AAAAAAAAADc/ukdXu_zmggM/s320/IMG_3560.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Okay, okay, let’s dig deep into the true origin of my “IT”. The sprouts took root in every imaginative food blog before “ITS” time! The delights on </span><a href="http://www.cakespy.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Cake Spy</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">; the incredible whit of the </span><a href="http://www.choosy-beggars.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Choosy Beggars</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">; the almighty presence of </span><a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">101 Cookbooks</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> or </span><a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Pioneer Women;</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> my favorite knowledge seeking, smart-talkers </span><a href="http://kategeagan.com/blog/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Kate Geagan</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> and </span><a href="http://www.foodpolitics.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Marion Nestle,</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> and the forget-me-not cohesive endeavors of the Food Network's </span><a href="http://blog.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Healthy Eats</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> and </span><a href="http://civileats.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Civil Eats</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> bloggers. And I MUST pledge my allegance to </span><a href="http://beehavenacres.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Bee Haven Maven</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">—the turkey controversy being one of many favorites! Oh, my loves…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Showing up these efforts would be a formidable task, similar to climbing snow-capped mountain peaks with nothing to snug my feet in. So, instead, I’ll join ‘em and trek in their blogger shoes! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The way I see it, all my time that I would spend on musings my mental propensities or low-and-behold hunting for j-o-b-s, can and should, be channeled into the growings, pickings, makings, picturing, and writing of good-eats and consuming them thereafter. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Put simply: Each season brings bountiful chow-blessings, and now, you should pleasure in these harvested goodies too!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But really, how is this food blog unique? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The starring delectables stem from my backyard(s). “Wait…” you might hesitate. This topic dots every gardener’s, farmer’s, and locavore’s blog, or even the restaurant website </span><a href="http://ny.eater.com/archives/2010/08/a_tour_of_bell_book_and_candles_rooftotable_garden.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Bell Book and Candle</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. But here, my challenge is to customize my foods to my local circumstances. This gets a little tricky when my circumstance changes….constantly, as I’ve been an east coast traveler for the past 2 months. I ride on a sort of backyard bliss, crossing paths with all kinds of rooftop, windowsill, city-bank and widespread country spaces budding with produce and life (even at a Virginia rest station where fruits of spit watermelon seeds took root). Though all varied in time and location, these gardens have one thing in common, I’ve shoveled their provisions from the ground into my gullet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So saddle up your taste buds, and travel with me. Come play in my ever-changing backyard!</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here's a taste of what's to come!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Peek at my family's organic garden: Bee Haven Acres....</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPlgGj_QnlI/AAAAAAAAAEI/tn80hAxAwNI/s1600/IMG_2933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPlgGj_QnlI/AAAAAAAAAEI/tn80hAxAwNI/s1600/IMG_2933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPlgGj_QnlI/AAAAAAAAAEI/tn80hAxAwNI/s320/IMG_2933.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPlbBQcGI1I/AAAAAAAAADg/SJIwnuSJ318/s1600/IMG_1820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPlbBQcGI1I/AAAAAAAAADg/SJIwnuSJ318/s320/IMG_1820.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Take a gander at those who encouraged me on my inner-city nutrition education adventures.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPlfsUJWaVI/AAAAAAAAAEA/fqbMgGBHuOU/s1600/SAM_1465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPlfsUJWaVI/AAAAAAAAAEA/fqbMgGBHuOU/s320/SAM_1465.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPlbz_-wpsI/AAAAAAAAADk/r6YPWsCTWEA/s1600/IMG_2428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPlbz_-wpsI/AAAAAAAAADk/r6YPWsCTWEA/s320/IMG_2428.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Gawk at the treasures of city streets </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">that paved my way!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPldvmVrD2I/AAAAAAAAADw/aC9s3kOZTZo/s1600/IMG_3235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPldvmVrD2I/AAAAAAAAADw/aC9s3kOZTZo/s320/IMG_3235.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">PHILADELPHIA, PA</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPle9r6TX4I/AAAAAAAAAD4/_y5Cat8JB8Q/s1600/IMG_2439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPle9r6TX4I/AAAAAAAAAD4/_y5Cat8JB8Q/s320/IMG_2439.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Stop staring at her like that! Pretty? Yes. But, she's my friend, an innocent bystander!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPldTZd5J2I/AAAAAAAAADs/NpQHqccYnaY/s1600/IMG_3233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPldTZd5J2I/AAAAAAAAADs/NpQHqccYnaY/s320/IMG_3233.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">WASHINGTON, DC</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPlkHMt3DSI/AAAAAAAAAEM/h85kUjZu_F4/s1600/IMG_3157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPlkHMt3DSI/AAAAAAAAAEM/h85kUjZu_F4/s320/IMG_3157.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">BOSTON, MA</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPllHYsPYxI/AAAAAAAAAEU/iG0l9o-3B8M/s1600/IMG_3141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L_onvGSBCmk/TPllHYsPYxI/AAAAAAAAAEU/iG0l9o-3B8M/s320/IMG_3141.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My brother and his girlfriend got in the way of CHARLOTTE, NC.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I must confess, I invited them to do so. You do the same!! Be a part of my travels, my food, my BLOG!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</span></div>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04372833948414619911noreply@blogger.com0