tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72783939994770397462024-03-14T03:06:37.502-04:00Some Sugar AddedA girl with a healthy appetiteMelissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.comBlogger447125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-46722242452077280042015-12-13T19:47:00.000-05:002015-12-13T19:47:50.473-05:00Garlicky Green Beans with Almonds & CranberriesI bring to you today the simplest side dish. Crisp steamed whole green beans tossed in garlicky olive oil, toasted almonds, and sweet yet tart cranberries.<br />
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Green beans are pretty standard fare, and almost everyone has their own version of a green bean dish for the holidays. Growing up, we always had traditional Green Bean Casserole with any turkey dinner, but in my older years I've really come to shy away from that gloppy dish and the usual canned ingredients that go into it. There are versions of whole food Green Bean Casserole out there, I just haven't had the interest to try them; I like green beans in their more pure form.</div>
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For the last few years, I've been in charge of green beans for our family Thanksgiving dinner. I brought them one year a while back, and after Matt's cousin ate two plates full and insisted on bringing home the leftovers, I was charged with forever bringing them again. I take that as a compliment? I've been making different versions of them for a while, but this one seems to be a real favorite. It has just enough color and flavor to feel like the holidays, but can be whipped together quickly and doesn't feel heavy like a Green Bean Casserole. It's festive, but healthy.<br />
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And of course, while I usually make them at Thanksgiving and Christmas, they by no means have to be served only at the holidays. I mean, green beans. Why not jazz them up for any time of year?</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Garlicky Green Beans with Almonds and Cranberries</span></b><br />
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<i>Serves 6-10 as a side dish</i><br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
2 pounds frozen whole green beans (i.e., two 16-oz. bags)<br />
2 tsp. sea salt<br />
3 Tbsp. olive oil<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1/2 cup raw sliced almonds<br />
1/2 cup dried, unsweetened cranberries*<br />
Salt & pepper to taste<br />
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In a large pot, place green beans, sea salt and a few tablespoons of water. Steam over medium heat until beans are tender yet still crisp. Drain and set aside. Do not overcook!<br />
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Meanwhile, heat a saucepan over medium low heat. Add oil and garlic, and cook just until fragrant (do not brown garlic). Add the almonds, and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes until the almonds are slightly toasted. Add the cooked green beans and toss to coat.<br />
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Finally, take off the heat and stir in the cranberries. Taste for seasoning and add salt & pepper to taste.<br />
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*Note: unsweetened cranberries can be tricky to find, but are so much better and healthier than sweetened versions like Craisins. I find mine in the raw nuts section of the grocery store, but you can also buy them online.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-17460192729257379922015-12-08T09:08:00.003-05:002015-12-08T09:08:51.794-05:00Construction Birthday PartyThis past weekend we celebrated my favorite 4-year-old's birthday.<br />
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I can hardly believe my sweet little boy is 4! He has brought so much joy and laughter to our lives, and it's so bittersweet watching him grow from a baby into a little kid. I'm thankful he still loves to snuggle and yell "I love you mom!" from down the hallway at school. I pray those little moments last as long as possible!<br />
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Riker actually turns 4 on Saturday, but we'll be in Philly for the weekend - and I'll be going out on the town Saturday night to the Philly Pops / Andrea Bocelli concert with my sister, mom and Grandma (a gift from my sister on her wedding day, which I am SO excited about). We're going to take Riker to the Philly Zoo on his birthday since we'll be in that area, but since I won't be with him the whole night, I wanted to throw him a festive celebration the weekend before. We kept it small, just family, but I still wanted him to feel like it was a birthday party and not just a dinner; I let him pick the theme, and he went with construction. He loves all things dump trucks and bulldozers.<br />
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I got a lot of ideas from Pinterest of course, but came up with a few of my own as well.<br />
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The place cards were paint sticks that I nabbed from Home Depot. I bought a few small paint trays to use as dip holders while I was there, and honestly we buy so much stuff at Home Depot, so I didn't feel bad taking 12 of them. ;)<br />
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I found this little traffic cone at Party Fair, which actually had a sticker on it that said something about turning 30. I pulled the sticker off, and stuck a balloon weight underneath it so it could serve as a construction balloon holder.</div>
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The "lumber" were pretzel rods - and I was excited to find organic, whole wheat pretzels in my grocery store, finally!</div>
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Those little silver buckets <a href="http://somesugaradded.blogspot.com/2015/10/fall-sangria.html">came in handy yet again</a>. Such a great buy - I can always find a use for them.</div>
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For dinner, Riker chose his favorite foods: homemade mac & cheese, chicken tenders (Matt made those) and roasted broccoli. It's the exact same meal he chose last year. The kid knows what he likes.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">Riker also picked his cake design. Thankfully he picked one off Pinterest that I could actually pull off, since I'm not much of a cake designer. The one on Pinterest was absolutely huge, so I had to improvise using a smaller cake, but he loved it. He was so excited about the edible "dirt" on his cake.</span></div>
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Happy birthday my sweet boy. We love you!<br />
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-11410253944475327542015-11-08T11:06:00.002-05:002015-11-08T11:30:32.399-05:00Wine Country Getaway & Oyster Mushroom FettuccineLast night we arrived home from a mini getaway to the Finger Lakes in upstate New York. Our friends Chris & Karla have been going to Seneca Lake every November for years, which is known for its huge array of wineries, beautiful scenery, farms, and local cheeses, chocolates and organic produce. All the wineries and restaurants pride themselves on serving locally grown and produced foods. Totally my kind of place. We've never been able to join them, but this year Matt's family offered to watch our babies for 2 nights so we could head off for a couples-only weekend away, and it was amazing. Matt and a few other of the others in our group are teachers and had off on Thursday/Friday, so we left early Thursday morning and spent the better part of two days eating, drinking, hiking, playing card games, laughing and relaxing. It was so nice to spend some time just the two of us as well as quality time with good friends.<br />
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Some of my favorite stops included <a href="http://www.silverspringswinery.com/">Silver Springs Winery</a> (incredibly enthusiastic and knowledgeable wine maker, amazing malbec, and everything is organic), <a href="http://www.magnusridge.com/">Magnus Ridge Winery</a> (nice reds, they pair all their wines with cheese, and the service is great), and <a href="http://www.glenora.com/">Glenora Wine Cellars</a> (amazing lunch with a nice view). <a href="http://www.gristironbrewing.com/">Grist Iron Brewing</a> also had good craft beers, even better pizzas, and a view that can't be beat, and <a href="http://www.twogoatsbrewing.com/">Two Goats Brewing</a> was a good spot for a very casual night cap with the locals.</div>
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We stayed at <a href="http://www.thefoxandthegrapes.com/">The Fox and the Grapes Bed & Breakfast</a>, and I would highly recommend it. Their view of the lake was gorgeous, and there were plenty of gathering areas both in and outdoors, so in the morning before breakfast you could sit and read quietly drinking coffee while gazing at the lake (one of my favorite vacation things to do), or chat with other visitors while drinking coffee and eating banana bread in the sitting room; and at night you could either drink wine and play games loudly in one area (clearly our preference), while others watched movies without being bothered in another area. The homemade breakfasts and snacks were also fantastic.<br />
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On our way home we stopped at the <a href="http://www.ithacamarket.com/">Ithaca Farmers Market</a>, which my mom had told me was a must-do before leaving the area. She was right. The market was beautiful, filled with all kinds of local organic fruits and veggies, cheese, meat, popcorn (yes, local popcorn!), honey and bread vendors, as well as artisans selling pottery, wools, wooden kitchen tools and more. Not to mention there were about a million delicious things to eat onsite, and live music to top it off. I am so jealous we don't have a market like this by us; I would be there every Saturday.<br />
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We picked up a few things for the week, and when we saw the locally grown oyster mushrooms we had to have them too. I used them to cook dinner last night, and when you have mushrooms this delicate and beautiful, there is really only one thing to do. Pasta. I mean, what's one more day of carbs and butter after a weekend wine & cheese bender?<br />
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We scarfed down the pasta bowls before I remembered to snap a picture, but here is the basic recipe I threw together - and trust me, it was fantastic.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Oyster Mushroom Fettuccini</span></b><br />
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<i>Serves 4</i><br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
3/4 pound fettuccini (about 3/4 of a box)<br />
1/2 cup butter<br />
1 tsp. olive oil<br />
1 pound fresh oyster mushrooms, roughly chopped<br />
1 tsp. sea salt<br />
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper<br />
3 Tbsp. fresh herbs, chopped (use woodsy herbs - I used what I had in my garden: an assortment of sage, rosemary, oregano, and thyme)<br />
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish<br />
Extra herbs for garnish<br />
Truffled sea salt, to taste<br />
<br />
Cook pasta according to package directions, leaving it slightly al dente.<br />
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In the meantime, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the mushrooms and cook gently for about 10 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add the salt, pepper and herbs, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.<br />
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Drain the pasta and add to the saucepan of butter. Toss to coat. Turn off the heat and add the parmesan cheese, then toss again. Pile the fettuccini into bowls, and top with a sprinkling of extra parmesan, herbs, pepper and truffled sea salt. Serve immediately.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-24095062722610520382015-11-01T20:43:00.002-05:002015-11-01T20:46:40.438-05:00Carrot Ginger SoupIt's been a really fun and festive weekend, filled with costumes, parties and of course treats. My brother- and sister-in-law throw an annual Trick or Treat party at their house, which happened on Friday. Our town always does trick-or-treat the day before Halloween because the fire department hosts a big parade on Halloween day.<br />
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I love the Trick or Treat party because it makes Halloween feel like a real event. We eat, we drink, we sit by a fire in the front yard, and we tour the rest of the neighborhood to see all the festivities. And their neighborhood takes it very seriously. The whole area is filled with decorations, haunted houses you can walk through, spooky pumpkin patches, music, smoke machines, fog horns, lights - you name it. Missy and Corey's contribution to the fun is a Halloween Photo Booth, where the kids can get their pictures taken in their costumes. The theme changes every year, and this year was a "Forbidden Forest". They are so artistic - I love how creative the photo booth is!<br />
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Riker wanted to be Spiderman, and Carson and our niece Lianna were "Mary Had a Little Lamb." I can't stand how cute they all are.<br />
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P.S. If you're looking for ways to curb the insane amount of candy eating that goes on around Halloween, we use the <a href="http://www.parents.com/holiday/halloween/traditions/too-much-candy/">"Switch Witch"</a>. Riker is allowed to eat as much candy as he wants on trick-or-treat day, but then when he goes to bed, he leaves the candy for the Switch Witch, who takes the candy and leaves him a small present instead. It works great. I will say that we didn't even need to do it this year, because he only wanted to go to about 5 houses before calling it quits. No complaints here! :)</div>
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Since trick-or-treat happened on Friday, we were free to do some home celebrating on Saturday. Dinner, a family walk, and scary movies on the couch sounded perfect. I knew that I would want to make a mostly healthy dinner on Halloween since we'd be eating lots of snacks and treats at the party on Friday, so I had planned to make a Carrot Ginger Soup (healthy, yet festively orange) and see if I could draw some spiderwebs on them with sour cream. I had never tried it before, but it actually worked pretty well!<br />
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And bonus, I didn't even have to buy carrots. Matt pulled a huge bunch of them out of the garden yesterday, and they tasted sweeter and fresher than any carrots I could've bought. Having a fall garden is awesome.<br />
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I served the soup with "Spider Pizzas" that I made on <a href="http://www.foodforlife.com/product/english-muffins/ezekiel-49-sprouted-whole-grain-english-muffins">Ezekiel English muffins</a> with <a href="https://www.muirglen.com/products/pasta-sauces/italian-herb-pasta-sauce-25-5-oz">Muir Glen Organic</a> tomato sauce (my homemade sauce, which I keep in the freezer, is just too thin for pizza), <a href="http://www.organicvalley.coop/products/cheese/mozzarella/mozzarella-8-oz/">Organic Valley mozzarella cheese</a> and sliced up black olives. These are so fun and always a hit.<br />
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I'd say we might just have our annual Halloween dinner figured out. And of course this soup does not have to wait for Halloween night. It's incredibly easy to make, really budget friendly (only a few inexpensive ingredients), healthy, and has great flavor. It's smooth, sweet, a bit spicy from the ginger and has a nice herby finish. I ate a bowl of it for lunch today with a kale salad on the side, and I'm sure it would be a good dipper for a grilled cheese. It's a good basic fall/winter soup, especially when you have a bunch of carrots to use up.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Carrot Ginger Soup</span></b></div>
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<i>Serves 4-6 as a meal</i></div>
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<i>Adapted from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ginger-carrot-soup-recipe.html">this recipe</a></i></div>
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<u>Ingredients</u></div>
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2 Tbsp. ghee (can substitute butter or olive oil)</div>
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1 yellow onion, chopped</div>
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6 cups vegetable broth (I use <a href="http://www.iherb.com/Better-Than-Bouillon-Organic-Vegetable-Base-8-oz-227-g/31929">Organic Better Than Bouillon</a>) </div>
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2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut in large chunks</div>
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2 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger</div>
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1/2 cup half & half</div>
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1 Tbsp. sea salt</div>
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1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper</div>
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1 tsp. ground ginger</div>
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1 tsp. dried thyme</div>
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Sour cream (optional)</div>
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In a large pot over medium high heat, add ghee or butter. When melted, add onions and cook until translucent. Add broth, carrots, and ginger. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender - about 20 minutes.</div>
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Once carrots are cooked, use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. (If you don't have an immersion blender, transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth, then return to the pot). Add the half & half, salt, pepper, ground ginger and thyme. Stir until combined, and simmer 3-5 minutes more.</div>
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Serve with a dollop of sour cream, or make sour cream spiderwebs:</div>
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<u>Sour Cream Spiderwebs</u></div>
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To make the spiderwebs, put about 1/4 cup sour cream into a Ziploc bag, then snip the corner. Draw a small circle in the center of the bowl, then a larger circle around that. Draw 5 diagonal lines across the circles. Then use a butter knife to pull sour cream from the center outward, all around the circle, until a "web" forms.</div>
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<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-61621163628282697602015-10-27T19:24:00.000-04:002015-10-29T12:06:46.881-04:00Fall SangriaThis past weekend we had our annual Fall Fest. I'm pretty sure fall is my favorite season, and this party is definitely one of my favorite nights of the year.<br />
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Not only do I love decorating the house with all things rustic and pumpkin, cooking up a storm of seasonal foods, lighting candles to make the house feel cozy, and putting on a new sweater and tall brown boots for the evening. What I really love is that it gets all our friends together after a few months of post-summer semi-hibernation. It's been a while since we've all gotten together as a group. And even longer since we all got together as adults only. We all love spending time with each others' children of course, but sometimes you just need to sip on a cocktail and nibble on a crostini chatting with your friends - or maybe even dancing in the living room to 90s hip hop? - without a toddler tugging at your pant leg.<br />
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While the event is not a "cocktail party" per se since the only real cocktail I serve is sangria, I do all the food cocktail party style. It encourages mingling rather than sitting and eating, makes the night feel a little different and special, and bonus - I get to make lots of fun little hors' d'ouvres.<br />
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There are a few must-haves, like the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7278393999477039746#editor/target=post;postID=4326986167208294163;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=1;src=postname">Jalapeno Corn Dip</a> that everyone seems to love, and then there are new recipes I try every year. It's a learning experience figuring out what things go really fast and what things people don't seem to care for, so I keep a list of the menu each year with notes on each item, so next year I can look back and make adjustments based on what worked well and what didn't.<br />
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Among the favorites this year were the <a href="http://www.thecurvycarrot.com/2011/02/18/french-onion-soup-crostini/">French Onion Soup Crostini</a>, cheese fondue, these <a href="http://parkhouselove.com/2012/04/09/spinach-artichoke-bites/">Spinach Artichoke Bites</a>, and my sister's Blueberry & Peach Brie Bites. Matt also made homemade pretzels filled with home-smoked brisket and his spicy pickled garden peppers, which seemed to go over pretty well too.<br />
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The Butternut Squash Bruschetta (based on <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/geoffrey-zakarian/next-day-fall-vegetable-bruschetta.html">this recipe</a> by Food Network's GZ) held much promise, but were a bit of a letdown. The filling tasted great when it was warm, but it got cold quickly and lost its luster. Maybe it's just me, but cold squash isn't very appetizing. I'd probably only make this again for a small dinner party of 6-8 people, where it would get eaten quickly while still warm.<br />
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I also made mini salad cups filled with mesclun greens, cranberries and candied walnuts because I felt the table needed something green amongst the sea of cheeses and breads. The salads looked nice, but only a few people ate them. People seemed to prefer grabbing finger foods as they walked by the table vs. eating something with a fork while balancing a drink in the other hand.<br />
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My sisters and a few close friends also brought some desserts and bar snacks, as well as garlic pull-apart bread, deviled eggs decorated as pumpkins, and fall-themed Jell-O shots. I don't like people to feel like they have to bring something to a party, but I'm not afraid to accept a dish from my family and bestest of friends - it's a big help.<br />
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Drinks included a plethora of pumpkin beers, of course, as well as a few new Baratta homebrews. Matt brewed a Black IPA with a ton of hops grown at our friend Forrest's house, as well as a Farmhouse Hard Cider. I'm not usually a fan of ciders, but the farmhouse yeast he used kept it tart and drinkable versus overly sweet. I actually loved it and ended up drinking a few glasses. </div>
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My contribution to the libations was a Fall Sangria. Like the ciders, I'm not a big fan of most "fall sangrias". Most of the recipes I find call for very sweet ingredients like caramel vodka, ginger ale or Sprite, juice, and then sugar, honey and other sweeteners on top of all that. To me that spells a big fat ick. <a href="http://somesugaradded.blogspot.com/2014/12/party-season-and-recipe-for-jalapeno.html">Last year</a> I made a Caramel Apple Pie Punch that went mostly untouched because of the sweetness level, so this year I wanted to tone it way back and just serve a drink that offered the subtle flavors of fall without tasting like a dessert.<br />
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If you're looking for a less sweet but still festive cocktail or sangria this fall, I have the solution for you.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Fall Sangria</span></b></div>
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
2 apples, sliced thin (I used Red Delicious)<br />
2 pears, sliced thin<br />
Juice of one lemon<br />
1 Tbsp. honey<br />
1 cup bourbon or whiskey<br />
3 cups apple cider<br />
2 bottles dry white wine (I used pinot grigio), chilled<br />
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Place apples and pears in a large bowl or pitcher, and squeeze the lemon juice over top of the fruit. Add honey, whiskey and apple cider. Stir to combine, cover and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours (overnight is best). When ready to serve, add white wine and stir to combine.<br />
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Fall, I'm so glad you're here.</div>
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(Special thanks to my brother-in-law Corey Howell for taking all the photos of the evening!)</div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-72856511494415257522015-09-07T22:32:00.002-04:002015-09-08T09:11:50.123-04:00Back from the Dead! Plus Summer Squash & Carrot Casserole with Goat CheeseAs I'm typing this, I'm realizing it's been almost 4 months since my last post. FOUR months! The spring and summer have been so packed full of events and activities in between a busy work schedule that it's been hard to find time to sit down and write. I've still been cooking a lot and stockpiling recipes though, so I'm hoping to have more time to devote to blogging now that fall is (almost) here.<br />
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If you follow me on <a href="https://instagram.com/somesugaradded/">Instagram</a> you probably already have a good idea of what we've been up to the last few months, but here's a snapshot:<br />
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My sister's bridesmaids and I surprised Amanda with a bachelorette party weekend in Fort Lauderdale back in May.<br />
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Then she got married! It was a beautiful wedding, and a great weekend in Philly with family and friends. I'm so happy for the two of them and so glad to have Justyn be a part of our family now.<br />
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I also helped throw a baby shower for my sister-in-law Missy in early June. Our niece Lianna was born soon after!<br />
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At the end of June Matt got out of work for the summer, and in between a few other weddings and showers, the next few months were filled with all things summertime. Crabbing, beaching, pool day-ing, BBQing, berry picking, all that good stuff. We packed in as many day trips, ice cream cones, park visits, days at the fair, boardwalk and amusement parks, and water fun as we could. We snuck in a few "adult days" as well, including a golfing/wine tasting day and a grown-ups only trip to Six Flags. I even eked out time to can a bunch of pickles and blueberry jam so we have plenty of jars for the winter. As you can tell, it was a busy summer!<br />
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In August my best friend from home came to visit, I had a work trip to Chicago, and then Matt and I packed up our babies and flew to Florida for 12 days to visit my parents and vacation in Orlando, Venice Beach and Key West. We had an amazing time.<br />
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My parents even watched the kids for a few days so Matt and I could go to Key West just the two of us - a belated 7th anniversary weekend - and it was a fantastic getaway. We took a 3.5 hour boat ride from where my parents live down to the Keys, and had 3 days of bicycle riding, leisurely dinners, cocktails and live music, snorkeling and museums. What a great town.<br />
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And all the sudden it's Labor Day weekend. Although we did a million things and made many memories, it still feels like the summer went too fast. We had one last big beach day with a bunch of friends yesterday, but other than that we're trying to relax, get the kids back on a schedule and gear up for Matt's first official day of school tomorrow - which means back to 5:30 am wake-up calls for both of us for the next 9 months, blech. Good thing fall is one of my favorite seasons; I'm sad to send the babes back to daycare and go back to early mornings (no more coffee on the patio before work), but I'm also looking forward to fall foliage, boots, crisp air, apple picking, football and decorating the house with hay bales, pumpkins and cornstalks.<br />
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Before fall officially hits, though, maybe you have a bunch of end-of-summer squash that needs to get used up? If so, I have just the recipe for you. My garden yielded a good amount of squash this year, and I got sick of eating grilled squash, sauted squash, and "zoodles" every other day, so I finally made a few summer squash casseroles with my remaining ones. We ate one already at a beach picnic, and everyone loved it. The other one is sitting in my freezer for a rainy day.<br />
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Note: You can use summer squash or zucchini for this - either works. The carrots may seem like an unusual addition, but it's something I grew up with in Vermont and I love the slight sweetness they add.<br />
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Enjoy the last day of summer!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Summer Squash & Carrot Casserole with Goat Cheese</span></b><br />
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<i>Serves 4-6 as a side dish</i><br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
1 Tbsp. ghee or butter<br />
4 cups sliced squash<br />
1/2 onion, minced<br />
1 tsp. salt<br />
2 carrots, shredded<br />
1 clove garlic, minced<br />
4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded<br />
2 oz. goat cheese<br />
1 egg<br />
1/2 cup whole milk<br />
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
1/4 tsp. pepper<br />
1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs<br />
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Pre-heat oven to 350 (if eating immediately; if freezing, don't bake it first).<br />
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In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the ghee or butter. Add the squash, onion and salt, and saute until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the carrots and garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes more, until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.<br />
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In a bowl, whisk together half the cheddar cheese, goat cheese, egg, milk, cayenne pepper and remaining salt and pepper.<br />
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Grease a medium-sized (1.5 - 2 qts) casserole dish, and spoon in the cooked squash. Pour over the cheese & milk mixture. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese and the breadcrumbs. At this point, either bake it or wrap it and freeze it for another day.<br />
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Bake for 15-25 minutes, until bubbly and brown (if baking frozen, it will take about 45 minutes).Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-44820026033788405282015-05-09T14:46:00.000-04:002015-05-09T14:48:04.117-04:00Vegan Chocolate Monkey Smoothie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I know what you need in your life.</div>
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A healthy chocolate, banana smoothie that's so good it tastes like a milkshake.</div>
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My weekday breakfast & lunch eating is fairly simple, and it includes a smoothie 4 days out of 5. A shake is almost always my breakfast of choice on the days I go into the city, partly because they're healthy and keep me full for hours, partly because they're quick and I can take them in the car with me to drink on the way to the bus station, and partly because they're just so good and I crave them constantly.</div>
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Depending on my mood or the fruit I<span style="background-color: white;">'m using, I'll use either whole milk or coconut water as the liquid in the smoothie. I typically use <a href="http://www.cocozia.com/">Cocozia</a> because it's organic, one-ingredient (no additives) and comes from young green coconuts, unlike many mainstream varieties. When I found out they were offering chocolate coconut water, I couldn't wait to try it out.</span></div>
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Jackpot. This coconut water tastes like chocolate milk, is slightly thick, and gives smoothies a nice deep cocoa flavor and creamy texture without having to use milk (good for vegans, and good for when you want a creamier smoothie but the health benefits of coconut water). This chocolate version does have some sugar and other ingredients that are not in the plain coconut water, but all the ingredients are readable and there is nothing nasty in it. </div>
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Blend it up with frozen bananas and peanut butter, and you've got dessert for breakfast.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Vegan Chocolate Monkey Smoothie</span></b></div>
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<u>Ingredients</u></div>
1 frozen banana, chopped<br />
1 scoop vanilla or chocolate protein powder (I use <a href="http://www.naturalfactors.com/products/detail/7410/raw-organic-vegan-protein---decadent-chocolate">Natural Factors Raw Organic Vegan Protein</a>*)<br />
1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder<br />
1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter<br />
6 oz. chocolate coconut water<br />
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Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.<br />
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*Protein powders are not all created equal. Make sure you read the ingredients on the label or you could be ingesting a lot of sugars, fake flavors and synthetic vitamins. </div>
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<i>Note: This post was sponsored by Cocozia. As always, however, all opinions are my own.</i></div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-86664680683554375432015-04-29T23:10:00.000-04:002015-04-29T23:16:31.211-04:00Bridal Shower for a Wine LoverIn just 6 short weeks, this pretty lady will be getting married.<br />
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I can hardly wait to see my beautiful little sister put on her wedding dress and walk down the aisle. She's going to make such a gorgeous bride and the weekend of Philly fun that she and Justyn have planned has me itching for June 6 to arrive already!<br />
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With the wedding just over a month away, the festivities have already begun. A few weeks ago the day finally came for her bridal shower. I've been having so much fun planning this event and it's been tough to keep everything a secret. She knew she was having a shower, but all the details of the day were a surprise, so I tried my hardest to keep things under wraps. Not easy when you talk to your sister a million times a month!<br />
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Amanda and Justyn are wine lovers, and went to Napa Valley on their first big vacation together, so I knew when I started brainstorming with the bridal party that it had to be a vineyard theme. I love how everything came together, thanks to some small local vendors, Etsy shops and Pinterest crafting.<br />
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<b>The Details</b><br />
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{Vendors}</div>
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- Signage and Favor Tags by Etsy Shops<br />
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- Wine Charm Favors by Etsy<br />
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- Personalized Recipe Book by Zazzle<br />
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- Custom Wood Trays and Wood Chest (used as the wishing well) by Price Custom Creations<br />
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- Wine Cake and Gourmet Cupcakes by Angela Goblesky Pastries<br />
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<b>The Food</b><br />
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<b>The Bride & Her Maids</b><br />
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{Sisters}<br />
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I love these candid shots caught by my aunt. I can tell you that my grandmother gave Amanda a very inappropriate card for a bridal shower. Love my crazy family!<br />
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Such a beautiful day for an amazing bride-to-be!<br />
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Next up - the bachelorette party. We're heading down to Florida this Friday for a weekend of beachy relaxation. Sun, sand, warm breezes and pina coladas, here we come!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-53165839564387183422015-04-25T10:19:00.003-04:002015-04-25T13:43:44.883-04:00Pesto Caprese ToastsHappy Saturday! Coming at you with a really quick breakfast recipe this morning.<br />
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I know avocado toast is all the rage these days, and don't get me wrong, I eat my fair share of it. I love avocado on just about anything, and eating it in all its un-mucked-up glory with just some sea salt, olive oil and crushed red pepper on good bread is probably one of my favorite things to eat ever. But...sometimes you just need a change. And it's spring, and basil is making its way back into my kitchen. And basil means pesto.<br />
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Basil also means caprese salad. But in this version, I've swapped spinach for the tomatoes and then piled everything up on top of toasted Ezekiel bread. It is so.good. It's garlicky, cheesy, bright, fresh, crunchy, creamy, nutty - literally all the good food adjectives. Matt and I have eaten it both for breakfast and lunch, and I'm sure it'd be good for a mid-afternoon pick me up. What's not to love?<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Pesto Caprese Toasts</span></b><br />
2 slices of sprouted or whole wheat bread, toasted<br />
1/4 cup <a href="http://somesugaradded.blogspot.com/2013/08/pesto-pasta-salad.html">basil pesto</a><br />
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves<br />
8 oz. buffalo mozzarella, sliced thick<br />
Extra virgin olive oil<br />
Sea salt<br />
Freshly cracked black pepper<br />
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped<br />
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On each slice of toast, spread half the pesto; top with spinach leaves and mozzarella slices, drizzle with olive oil, and top with salt, pepper and fresh basil. Devour.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-79424397835619950282015-04-20T10:51:00.003-04:002015-04-25T10:24:23.698-04:00How to Host an Easy BrunchAnd the winner of the <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14.4899997711182px; line-height: 21.7350006103516px;">Tuttorosso and Inspiralized giveaway is...</span>greenmtngirl!<br />
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Congrats! Please email your address to SomeSugarAdded@Gmail.com so we can get the prize pack out to you.<br />
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So today we're going to talk about brunch. And how to deal with hosting it at the very last minute with virtually no time to prep.<br />
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Have you ever ended up having people over for a spur of the moment meal, and had a minor panic attack that you didn't have time to plan and have no idea what you're going to do? This weekend the only plans I <i>thought</i> I had were doing some shopping for my sister's upcoming bachelorette party in Florida and a long-awaited get together with my girlfriends on Saturday night. Buttt my husband apparently had other plans.<br />
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On Friday evening, while sitting in the driveway leisurely drinking an IPA and watching Riker ride bikes with his new neighborhood friends, he informed me that we had plans with his family to go to the boardwalk all Saturday afternoon (after Riker's first soccer game at 8:00 in the morning), and also that he had invited a bunch of friends and their children over for Sunday brunch. Um...ok. For me, the "plan every last detail and everything must be perfect Type A dinner host", this was way stressful. I had no time to really plan anything and not much time to cook since we'd be out all day/night on Saturday. I had a little freakout, and then decided to just go with it. And I ended up having a really great weekend. I loved seeing all our friends and family, enjoying the beautiful weather and seeing our kids having fun running around together. I'm really going to try working on not getting so worked up about impromptu plans and be more spur of the moment, because a lot of times those days end up being the best days.<br />
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But that said, if you find yourself in a situation where your significant other informs you that you're having people over for brunch (or any meal) at the last minute, here are 4 tips to get you through it.<br />
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<b>1. Don't Stress Out</b><br />
I plan everything to the nth degree. But sometimes all that planning makes it way more tiring that it needs to be. A few months ago I read this blog post called <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/08/simpler-entertaining-friday-night-dinners-end-loneliness-how-to-build-community-after-having-kids.html">"Friday Night Meatballs: How to Change Your Life with Pasta"</a>, and it really made me think about how every meal and gathering of friends does not have to be "special." What's special is that we're getting together. We all just want to see each other (okay and have some food and drinks most likely), but no one is going to judge if the table isn't perfectly set or the house is a little (a lot) messy. If you haven't read that article, I highly suggest it. Let's all be more impromptu about getting together with our friends and not worry about all the details. Who cares about place settings and crumbs on the floor when you're sipping a mimosa with your best friends watching these joyful little babes run around with glee?<br />
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<b>2. Make it a Potluck</b><br />
With #1 in mind, making a gathering a potluck makes things way easier on the host. When people offer to bring something to my house, my first instinct is to say, "Nope, just come, we've got it." I like people to just come and relax. I enjoy being a host. But it doesn't have to be that way every single time. This was a casual spring brunch and all our friends offered to bring a dish, so we let them. It made me way less stressed, and I think everyone actually liked bringing something. People brought their A game to this potluck.<br />
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For brunch it's nice to have a mix of breakfast and lunch / sweet & savory items, so we coordinated accordingly. And by "coordinated" I mean there was a text chain where everyone threw out ideas. One friend brought a gorgeous fruit & yogurt parfait bar and some roasted breakfast potatoes, and another friend brought flatbreads with fig jam, prosciutto, arugula, goat cheese and balsamic glaze (vegetarian ones for me and Heather).<br />
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<b>3. Make Only One "Wow Factor"Dish</b><br />
Another issue I have is over-thinking the menu. I go down the Pinterest rabbit hole and make a mile-long list of things to cook. But lately I've been trying to just make one or two complicated items and keep everything else simple.<br />
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For brunch I feel you have to have something egg-based and some kind of bread, as well as a salad. It's a classic combo. I had my heart set on making a homemade bread bar, so that was my one "wow factor" item. Everything else looked nice but was super simple to make.<br />
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<i>The Bread </i><br />
I used <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/100-whole-grain-wheat-bread-181106">this recipe</a> for whole wheat bread because you don't have to knead it or let the yeast bloom. It takes time, but not much effort. And it came out great - less dense and crumbly than other whole wheat recipes I've tried. I made the dough first thing when I woke up so it was ready to go by brunch time.<br />
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For toppings, I made a few compound butters, a cream cheese spread and then some straight-from-the-jar organic strawberry jam.<br />
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Topping 1: Herb Butter using unsalted butter with fresh parsley and basil, dried thyme, lemon zest, sea salt and cracked pepper.<br />
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Topping 2: Sweet Orange Butter using unsalted butter, a few teaspoons of organic cane sugar, orange zest and a squeeze of orange juice. (Look at that color! It's all from the orange zest since the butter was white.)<br />
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Topping 3: Sundried Tomato Pesto Cream Cheese (unpictured) using <a href="http://somesugaradded.blogspot.com/2014/08/engagement-party-details-best-pesto.html">homemade pesto</a> I had in the freezer and the stash of sundried tomatoes I always have in the fridge.<br />
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Topping 4: Strawberry Jam. An old standby.<br />
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I put the "bread bar" on the kitchen island so people could snack on it right when they came in, while other things were cooking. It was something a bit unexpected and fun, and everyone seemed to like it. I also think homemade bread makes people feel like you made something special, but it's made from just a few simple ingredients that are always in the pantry, so it's a win win. Bonus: It makes your whole house smell amazingly yeasty, comforting and warm.<br />
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<i>The Frittata</i><br />
I like to make quiche for any special breakfast or brunch. But quiche meant I also had to make crust, and since I was already making the bread, I forced myself to quit the crust and opt for a frittata instead. Frittata reminds me of my grandmother; when I was in college she used to make it quite often and serve it with a simple green salad. This one included kale, caramelized onions and Vermont sharp cheddar; it had a great fluffy texture and nice salty bite from the cheese.<br />
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To make it, I caramelized onions in some ghee (you can use oil or butter), then removed them from the pan. In the same pan I cooked a bunch of chopped kale with some sea salt and pepper. Once it was done, I added the onions back in. Then I whisked together 10 eggs with a splash of milk, salt, pepper and about 5 oz. of shredded cheddar cheese. I poured the egg mixture over the veggies and cooked it on the stove over medium heat for a few minutes until it start to set. Then I popped it in the oven at 450 for about 10 minutes until it was golden brown on top. Once it came out of the oven, I turned it over onto a wooden board and topped it with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese.<br />
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Frittata is great for brunch because you can toss in literally whatever veggies, meats or cheeses you have on hand, you cook everything in one pan, and although it only takes about 30 minutes and very little effort to make, it has a really nice presentation.<br />
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<i>The Sides</i><br />
Lox is also a breakfast favorite of mine, and these little cucumber rounds with cream cheese, lox and dill took all of 10 minutes to make. These are also nice because lox is pricey - especially when you buy wild caught - but I only needed one 6 oz. package to fill a whole platter of cucumbers. A little goes a long way when you use it as an appetizer.<br />
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I also threw together a spinach & arugula salad with dried cranberries, orange segments, toasted walnuts and goat cheese, tossed with a homemade balsamic & raw honey dressing. Spinach and goat cheese salads are a no brainer in our group of friends - they're always gone in a flash.<br />
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{It looks so much prettier before it gets doused with cheese and dressing, doesn't it?}<br />
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<i>Other Stuff</i><br />
Matt still has some steaks in the freezer from our annual Vermont Natural Beef cow purchase, so he marinated a big steak in the morning and then threw it on the grill when everyone arrived. One steak cut into strips was plenty given all the other food around (we actually had a bunch leftover), but it's nice to have some kind of meat for the carnivorous crew.<br />
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I really debated making something sweet, like muffins or a lemon bread, but forced myself to cross it off the list. Not needed! There was plenty of food, and the sweet stuff probably would've barely been touched and then it'd be sitting at our house all week. <br />
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All in all, this menu was pretty simple to make and took about 3 hours total - even with a toddler and 10-month old running around between our feet all morning, even with trying to do a quick vacuum and toy pick-up, even with Matt very ambitiously doing some yard work before everyone arrived, and even with everyone getting showers (though I'll admit, I didn't make it to blowdrying my hair). If it weren't for all the distractions, I probably could've cooked everything in less than two hours.<br />
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<b>4. Use What You Have</b><br />
I based the menu almost entirely around what I already had in the house. I didn't want to have to make a big grocery list and spend an hour at the store. Instead, I just thought about what I had on hand that I could easily turn into a few dishes. I did have to run to the store early Sunday morning to grab lox (simply because I really wanted it) and some strawberry jam (I was low on jam and figured the kids might want it for the bread, but honestly, I could've made do with what I had). That made things much easier.<br />
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<b>5. Ask Someone to Bring the Bubbly</b><br />
My last tip is to have someone bring some bubbly. My friend Heather kept asking what she could bring, and really there was plenty of food already coming, so she offered to bring mimosas. They were the perfect addition. Mimosas make it a party. They feel a little special and fun, and sipping them sitting around the farm table while watching the kids play in the playroom made for a very relaxing Sunday morning. ;)<br />
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Note: Champagne actually gives me a bad headache and makes me extremely tired so I rarely drink it, but Heather used Prosecco, which has a lighter carbonation and doesn't seem as sweet to me, and it didn't make me tired or headachy at all. So if champagne goes straight to your head, try Prosecco.<br />
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Happy spring brunching!<br />
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<script async="" defer="" src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-68820800839369372432015-03-26T11:45:00.001-04:002015-03-26T12:01:26.389-04:00"Spring" Escarole, White Bean & Tomato Soup (Plus a Giveaway!)I know it's spring. But this "spring" we're having is more like 34 degrees/snow/rain/sweater/boots days that require soup/bread/stew/pasta nights. So I think it's perfectly acceptable to still be making soup. Especially when it is filled with greens and comforting white beans but still has a light enough tomato broth that you can get warmed up without really feeling like it's the dead of winter. It's a good "spring" soup, if there is such a thing.<br />
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The tomato/escarole/white bean combination is nothing new - I've been eating it since I was a kid, when my mom and grandmother started teaching my sister and I to have a great love for those curly greens, but I like this version since it's a bit lighter than your typical pasta fagiole. It's also quite quick and you can throw it together last minute if you use canned beans rather than dried beans.<br />
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It's also good for when you have a head of escarole sitting in your fridge that you ordered in your produce box with no plan for it and then forgot about it until it was near wilting to death, but you couldn't bear to throw it away so figured SOUP(!) was the way to go. It's good for those times too.<br />
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I served these particular bowls with crispy little baguette toasts since I happened to have some leftover bread in the freezer. But it would also go really well with fresh homemade whole wheat bread fresh out of the oven, or homemade biscuits, or these <a href="http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/03/pesto-parmesan-scones/">pesto scones</a> (whiiiiich I am totally making this weekend).<br />
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<b>The Giveaway!</b><br />
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But for this giveaway. So as I've mentioned before, I often use <a href="http://www.tuttorossotomatoes.com/">Tuttorosso</a> tomatoes when I'm cooking Italian food because that's how my mama (and her mama) taught me. I buy almost 100% organic ingredients for our regular eating (if I can find it organic, I buy it organic), but canned tomatoes is one place where I will make an exception. If I'm not canning my own, I'm usually using Tuttorosso. And one lucky reader will win a gift pack of tomatoes and other goodies to make this recipe in your own kitchen!<br />
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All you need to do is leave a comment below, and you'll automatically be entered to win. I will randomly select a winner on April 16. You can get extra entries by liking Some Sugar Added on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram - links are at the top of the blog (just leave an extra comment telling me you did so). The gift pack will include:<br />
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- Springtime tomato recipes<br />
- 28 oz. Tuttorosso Crushed Tomatoes with Basil<br />
- 28 oz. Tuttorosso NSA Peeled Plum Tomatos<br />
- 28 oz. Tuttorosso Diced Tomatoes<br />
- <a href="http://www.inspiralized.com/">Inspiralized</a> cookbook<br />
- Tuttorosso coupons<br />
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Tuttorosso is actually also teaming up with <a href="http://www.inspiralized.com/">Inspiralized</a> (hello super easy <a href="http://somesugaradded.blogspot.com/2013/06/zucchini-noodles-with-sunflower-seed.html">zucchini noodles</a>!) for another spring giveaway, which you can enter on Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tuttorossotomato">here</a>. That giveaway will include weekly prizes and a grand prize of Spiralizers, Inspiralized cookbooks, aprons, a picnic basket and kitchen gadgets. The contest will run through April 15. A free Spiralizer sounds awesome. Try your luck!<br />
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And now let's all pray to actually get some spring weather to go with our spring soups and veggie noodles.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Escarole, White Bean & Tomato Soup</span></b><br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
1 head escarole, washed and torn<br />
2 Tbsp. olive oil<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
2 tsp. sea salt<br />
2 tsp. cracked black pepper<br />
28 oz. can of plum tomatoes, broken up with your fingers (I use Tuttorosso, Muir Glen Organic or homemade)<br />
2 cups white beans (if using dried beans, soak first; if using canned, rinse first)<br />
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes<br />
1 Tbsp. coconut sugar (can sub cane sugar if you don't have coconut sugar)<br />
1 cup vegetable broth<br />
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Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat, then add escarole, garlic, salt and pepper. Saute about 5 minutes, until escarole is wilted and garlic is fragrant but not browned.<br />
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Add tomatoes, white beans, crushed red pepper, sugar and vegetable broth. Simmer 10-15 minutes. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and freshly grated parmesan cheese.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-12164773796330027502015-03-08T17:46:00.000-04:002015-03-09T13:08:45.895-04:00Irish Recipe RoundupSo, next week is St. Patty's Day? I kind of totally forgot about it until a friend reminded me that Saturday was the annual Seaside St. Patrick's Day parade. Which on the one hand made me kind of sad because I used to love St. Patty's; we would go out with a huge group of friends all dressed in green, starting the festivities about 10 am and going all day on the boardwalk. But on the other hand, at the ripe age of 32 I really can't even imagine going out at 10 am and just the thought of the hangover that would surely follow (I can't hang for more than 2 glasses of wine these days) is enough to make me break out in a cold sweat. So, I guess I'm not really all that sad.<br />
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Matt was actually away snowboarding this weekend at a bachelor party, so my St. Patty's weekend consisted of baby & bridal shower planning, taking my little guy to see his first play (Puss In Boots, which he loved) and out to dinner, some backyard snow playing, and generally just hanging out with my babies and the family. Low key is all good with me.<br />
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BUT. Just because we don't do the all-day parade parties anymore doesn't mean we can't enjoy a Guinness or glass of good whiskey and a solid Irish meal. Clearly I myself won't be partaking in any corned beef & cabbage rituals, but Matt always picks some up at the butcher for him and Riker, and I usually whip up something green along with an Irish soda bread. Baked fish & chips also sometimes makes an appearance, since it's one of the things we ate the most when we went to Ireland a few years back and I love it.</div>
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If you're looking for a few ideas for your St. Patty's Day/week, here are a few of my favorites. I will say that my food philosophy has changed quite a bit in recent years as I learn more about food additives, pesticides, refining processes and the like, so these days I don't do much baking with refined ingredients - but you could always substitute coconut sugar for white sugar (it's a 1:1 ratio) and whole wheat flour for white flour. Use the recipes as-is or tweak to fit your life!</div>
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In order of courses:</div>
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<a href="http://somesugaradded.blogspot.com/2012/03/old-fashioned-irish-soda-bread.html"><b>Old Fashioned (Fluffy) Irish Soda Bread</b></a></div>
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<a href="http://somesugaradded.blogspot.com/2012/03/orange-bourbon-marmalade.html"><b>Orange Bourbon Marmalade</b></a></div>
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<b><a href="http://somesugaradded.blogspot.com/2013/01/spaghetti-with-caramelized-onions-kale.html">Spaghetti with Caramelized Onions, Kale and Garlic</a> </b></div>
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(totally not Irish, but it's green so I sometimes make it anyway on St. Patty's)</div>
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<a href="http://somesugaradded.blogspot.com/2012/03/guinness-brownies-with-irish.html"><b>Guinness Brownies with Irish Buttercream Frosting</b></a><br />
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If you have any good St. Patty's recipes, especially vegetarian ones, leave 'em in the comments!</div>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-76416736800318703142015-03-02T09:24:00.000-05:002015-03-04T08:23:53.000-05:00Whole Wheat Pizza DoughOver the last few years pizza has become a beloved Friday night staple in our house. At least during the winter months. Every Friday there's a bit of a buzz in the house...we've made it through another work week, we have a whole weekend ahead of us, we can stay up a little later than usual tonight - letting Riker stay up past his bedtime to watch a family movie, and then putting the kids to bed to drink a bottle of wine and binge watch 4 more episodes of Orange is the New Black - and, there's pizza. There will almost always be pizza, and it will almost always be eaten on TV trays in the living room while watching a Disney flick. Because, Friday.<br />
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The pizza varies. On some Fridays we just really don't feel like cooking. The work week has been extra tiresome or the kids haven't been feeling well or I had to work late on Friday...or I just simply don't feel like cooking. I'd rather crack open a beer or pop the cork off a bottle of wine, relax and play with my babies for an extra hour while we wait for the delivery guy to come. On those days we call our local favorite, Tony's, and wait with anticipation for it to arrive (I admit, those days are Riker's favorite. "The PIZZA GUY IS COMING!").<br />
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But on other Fridays I like to make homemade pizza with all kinds of fun toppings. Like <a href="http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/caramelized-butternut-crispy-kale-fontina-pizza/">caramelized butternut squash, crispy kale, pomegranate seeds and fontina cheese</a>.<br />
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Or like last Friday's masterpiece, garlic ricotta, balsamic caramelized onions, shaved Brussels sprouts and mozzarella. I absolutely adore Brussels sprouts on pizza, by the way. If you haven't tried it yet, do it. They get all crunchy and golden and delicious, and you can tell yourself that you don't need a salad on the side because your veggies are already on the pizza.<br />
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(For these less traditional pizzas, we always make Riker try a bite before letting on that I've made a regular sauce & cheese pizza for him as a backup. He loves green veggies so will usually eat half a slice before saying he doesn't want any more, which is when I bring out a regular slice for him.)<br />
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Pizza dough is so easy to make, and I usually make a batch big enough for two doughs so I can stash one in the freezer for another day. There is something so satisfying about making your own, and the taste is really, really good. This particular dough is nice because it's 100% whole wheat but it doesn't have a cardboard-like texture. It's a bit chewy and has a nice crunch on the bottom.<br />
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It's a blank canvas! Pizza Friday will take a hiatus this coming weekend since we're going to my in-laws' for dinner, but I've already planned out the Friday after that. Taco pizza. With homemade refried beans as the base. Friday, where are you?<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Whole Wheat Pizza Dough</span></b><br />
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<i>Makes 2 crusts</i><br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
1 tsp. coconut sugar (can use regular sugar or honey if you don't have coconut sugar)<br />
1 1/2 cups warm water<br />
1 Tbsp. yeast<br />
1 tsp. salt<br />
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil<br />
3 cups whole wheat flour (I use <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/king-arthur-100-organic-whole-wheat-flour-5-lb">King Arthur Organic Whole Wheat</a>)<br />
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and warm water and stir until dissolved. Sprinkle the yeast over the top, and let the mixture stand until foamy, about 5-10 minutes. Add the salt and olive oil to the yeast and stir to combine. Slowly pour the flour into the yeast mixture and stir, allow wet mixture to be absorbed before adding more. Continue mixing until the dough is combined. Form the dough into a ball.<br />
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Coat the inside of another large mixing bowl with some olive oil and place the ball of dough in the bowl; turn it once so the dough is oiled on all sides. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Divide the dough into 2 pieces; either wrap in plastic wrap and freeze at this stage, or roll out on a floured surface. Top, bake, enjoy!<br />
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When ready to make the pizza, bake it at 450 for about 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-29496337120965280972015-02-18T08:25:00.001-05:002015-02-18T08:25:31.838-05:00The Perfect Poached EggYou need this on Saturday morning.<br />
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Poached eggs, specifically Eggs Benedict, are a weekend breakfast obsession of mine. If we go out to breakfast and they're on the menu, it's the only thing I'm ordering. But making poached eggs at home has never been one of my talents. For years I've been trying to get them right - perfectly round, firm on the outside but soft in the middle, and opaque enough so you don't see the yolk until cutting it open. No matter how many times I tried, they always seemed to spread and be a bit see-through. </div>
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Not anymore.</div>
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Poached eggs are finicky little things, but a few key details make all the difference:<br />
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- The perfect temperature water<br />
- A whirlpool<br />
- A splash of vinegar<br />
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A lot of times we'll eat these on an Ezekiel English muffin with lox, or over a simple salad of lemon dressed arugula and tomatoes. These particular ones were laid atop a slice of toasted whole grain bread topped with sautéed spinach, kale, scallions, grape tomatoes and melted gruyere cheese, and then sprinkled with fleur de sel, freshly cracked pepper and red pepper flakes.<br />
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It's what Saturday mornings were made for.<br />
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<b>The Perfect Poached Egg</b><br />
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This is really more of a technique than a recipe. Here's how I make mine:<br />
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1. Place a medium sized pot about half full of water on the stove.<br />
2. Add a splash (about a teaspoon) of white vinegar.<br />
3. Heat the water over medium heat until just before it begins to simmer, then turn it all the way to low. The water should be very hot but not actually bubbling at all.<br />
4. Crack an egg into a small dish or ramekin (if you crack the egg right into the pot, the whites will spread).<br />
5. Using a wooden spoon, swirl the water a few times until you have a whirlpool going.<br />
6. Place the egg dish very close to the water and gently slide the egg into the center of the whirlpool. Poach only <b>one</b> egg at a time - it takes longer, but it's worth it. When the egg first goes in it will look like it's falling apart, but give it a minute.<br />
7. After a couple seconds (maybe 10-20), use your wooden spoon to gently move the egg, helping the egg wrap around the yolk and making sure it doesn't stick to the bottom (if it's starting to stick, just use the spoon or a plastic spatula to carefully lift it a bit).<br />
8. After about 3-4 minutes, when the egg is getting firm but still wobbles a bit when nudged, scoop it out and lay it on a plate lined with paper towels. Let all the excess water drain into the towel.<br />
9. There will usually be some extra egg white clouding the water after this, so I like to scoop all that out before repeating the process with the next egg.<br />
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If you've cooked a couple eggs separately and want to reheat them all before serving, just drop them gently back into the hot water for a few seconds, drain on paper towels and then serve.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-90451158853063174712014-12-26T15:25:00.000-05:002014-12-26T15:53:30.506-05:00Christmas 2014Merry Christmas from our family to yours!<br />
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It's been a wonderful week so far, filled with family, friends, and of course tons of food. Over the weekend it really started to feel like the holidays since Matt finished work last Friday. No better way to kick off the holiday break than with cocktails and cheese plates! We had a bottle of St. Germain so made some fancy gin & elderflower cocktails in non-fancy glasses.</div>
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Matt's grandma also came over to bake our annual holiday cookies with me, a tradition I really love.</div>
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We baked up a storm! We made the traditional <a href="http://somesugaradded.blogspot.com/2013/01/crunchy-chocolate-pecan-cookies.html">Crunchy Chocolate Pecan Cookies</a>, <a href="http://somesugaradded.blogspot.com/2013/11/peanut-butter-truffles.html">Peanut Butter Truffles</a> and Snowballs (we call them Crescent Cookies) but also a few new ones including White Chocolate, Cranberry & Macadamia, Nutella with Sea Salt and Peanut Butter White Chocolate Pretzel. Thankfully about half of these left the house to go to my office, our neighbors and to Matt's parents. I am sugared out!<br />
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We also took the kids for a festive day out with a little shopping, a cozy lunch at a creperie and a ride on the North Pole Express with Santa. (Couldn't get a pic with Riker's eyes open).<br />
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Once work wrapped up for me on Tuesday evening, my grandma, sister Amanda and her fiance Justyn got to our house for our annual Christmas Eve-Eve dinner (<a href="http://somesugaradded.blogspot.com/2012/03/tomato-and-mushroom-mac-cheese.html">Nana's Tomato Mushroom Mac & Cheese</a>), wine, movies and hanging out. They always come a day early because my sister and I cook all day on Christmas Eve day, and it's just nice to extend the holiday for one more night.<br />
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Usually on Christmas Eve I get a little stressed with all the cooking I have to do, but this year we cut the appetizer list down a bit and planned a dinner menu that I could mostly cook in advance, which really helped. It was totally stress free and much more relaxing. And when everyone arrived at 5:30, we were ready to go!<br />
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The dinner menu included:</div>
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- Baby greens with homemade balsamic dressing, cranberries, blue cheese and pecans</div>
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- Breaded chicken cutlets (we bought these from the butcher - one less thing to cook - and dressed them with fresh lemon, balsamic reduction and arugula)</div>
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- Kale and ricotta stuffed shells with butternut squash sauce (this is amazing - get the recipe <a href="http://www.completelydelicious.com/2014/10/kale-and-ricotta-stuffed-shells-with-butternut-squash-sauce.html">here</a>)</div>
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- Green beans with olive oil and fleur de sel</div>
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- Eggplant rollatini (made by my aunt)</div>
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Desserts included a wide array of cookies, truffles and pie.</div>
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Christmas morning with Riker was so much fun. This was the first year he really knew what was going on and looked forward to it for weeks, and seeing the joy on his face as he ran down the stairs that morning was one of the best feelings in the world.</div>
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Sadly I didn't snap any pics of Riker and Carson opening presents since we were too busy enjoying it with them, but that's the point, right? </div>
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Since we're usually starving during present opening, the day before I had prepped some fruit cups for us to eat while breakfast was in the oven. They were a great way to start the morning before all the rich foods that come with Christmas dinner.</div>
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For breakfast I had pre-made (and then reheated that morning) a Broccoli & Cheese Quiche on whole wheat crust and a <a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/orange-cranberry-bread/">Cranberry Orange Bread</a>, which slightly reminded me of being a kid since my mom always loved that flavor combination - every time cranberries were in season she would make Cranberry Orange Relish, and oftentimes on Sundays we would have orange cinnamon rolls. This bread was sort of a mashup of the two and tasted like home.<br />
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We cooked up some bacon on the side (I buy <a href="http://www.applegate.com/">Applegate Farms</a> and everyone loves it), along with coffee and mimosas of course. :)<br />
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My sister left after breakfast to head to Justyn's family's out in PA, and after naps, showers and a second cup of coffee we were off to Matt's parents' house for the big extended family celebration. It's so fun having a group of little cousins running around now. Their excitement is contagious and they're just so cute.</div>
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My two loves!</div>
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We got home late last night and are all pretty wiped from the week of parties, so we've just been hanging home in our PJ's all day. Matt and I both have off work until after New Year's, so it's nice to be able to just be bums today and not worry about the usual weekend to-do list. On Sunday we're headed to the Poconos for a few days of skiing and kid fun at the indoor waterpark, but until then, it's R&R for this bunch.</div>
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I hope you had a wonderful holiday and are gearing up for a great 2015!</div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-43269861672082941632014-12-14T21:28:00.000-05:002015-10-27T19:33:38.372-04:00Party Season (and a recipe for Jalapeno Corn Dip)I know in my last post I had talked about getting into a routine and being able to blog more frequently, but the more I settle into parenthood of two, the more I realize that a routine just isn't in the cards right now. When Carson's napping, Riker wants to be played with, and when Riker's napping, Carson needs tending to, and there is a constant rotation of laundry, dishes, food-making, clean-ups, diaper changes, breathing treatments (Riker's asthma is back and requires 3 treatments a day), dog walking, and of course...our daytime jobs. Having these two amazing little people in my life is better than anything I ever could've imagined, and I grow more in love with them each day. But it is definitely busy!<br />
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Aside from all the busyness of regular day-to-day life, Fall was the beginning of a party season around here, and with Christmas right around the corner the celebrations continue! Baby showers, birthday parties and a big family Thanksgiving all were to be had over the last few months, but we've hosted our own handful of events as well.<br />
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In October Carson was baptized, so we held a small family brunch at our house after the ceremony. We hosted Riker's baptism lunch at a restaurant, but this time I wanted to do something more intimate, and I had a lot of fun planning it and cooking brunch favs like baked French toast, quiche and <span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://arismenu.com/bagel-cream-cheese-dip/">Everything Bagel Dip</a></span> (tastes just like a bagel & cream cheese!), and building a <span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.howsweeteats.com/2014/04/diy-bellini-bar-a-mini-spring-brunch/">DIY Bellini Bar.</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Fun Fact #1: JWow's baby was baptized alongside Carson. And Snookie was the Godmother. Is this real life? </span><br />
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Fun Fact #2: Carson wore the same christening dress that MomMom wore when she was baptized over 90 years ago. Matt's mom and aunt wore the same dress as well, over 50 years ago. The dress was handled with such love and care all these years, and I love the tradition that our baby girl was able to wear it as well.<br />
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And then there was brunch...<br />
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In mid-November Matt and I threw a "Fall Party" for about 40 of our friends, sans kids. Cocktails, pumpkin beers and plenty of appetizers were to be had, and with the late night dance party that ensued in our living room, you'd think we were all back in college again. So fun!<br />
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I spent days (weeks) scouring Pinterest for the best fall appetizers and drinks (hello apple pie shots!), and we ended up with quite a spread.<br />
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Highlights included an Ina Garten style cheese board...</div>
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Cranberry Brie Bites</div>
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Pear, Blue Cheese & Walnut Strudels</div>
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Pumpkin Pecan Baked Brie (made by my sister)</div>
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French Onion Soup Crostini</div>
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Pumpkin "Fluff" Dip (I adapted <span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/11/14/recipe-pumpkin-fluff-dessert-dip/">this recipe</a> from 1</span>00 Days of Real Food by adding double cream cheese, maple syrup and spices, and folding it together with a batch of homemade whipped cream - it was super fluffy!)</div>
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Pesto Pull-Apart Bread (I also made a Rosemary Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread with some rosemary olive oil I had, and it was just as a big of a hit as the pesto one. Just depends on your herb preference)</div>
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There were a few other snacks around as well, but I would say the absolute biggest winner of the night was a very unassuming dish of baked cheesy Jalapeno Corn Dip. This stuff got devoured so fast and I've had multiple requests for the recipe. There are tons of versions out on Pinterest and elsewhere and really they're all good (my friend Cathleen started this dip trend at a BBQ over the summer, and my friend Heather makes a great version in the crock pot), but I think this is one of the best ones I've tried. I had some leftover gruyere cheese from the French onion soup crostini, so I spread that all over the top of it before baking. The gruyere sends it over the top!<br />
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It doesn't look like much, but it's creamy, cheesy, a bit sweet, a tad spicy, and overall one of the best spoonfuls of anything you will ever put on a tortilla chip. Recipe below!<br />
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The party season continued this weekend with Riker's 3rd birthday party (3rd!). I cannot believe my sweet little boy is three years old already. The time has flown. Rather than doing a big party this year, we had a small family dinner & cake at home.<br />
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I let Riker pick his birthday dinner, and he picked all his favorites:<br />
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- Cheese & crackers (He picked two special cheeses from a gourmet cheese shop at a Christmas Village we took him to last weekend)<br />
- Carrots & hummus<br />
- Baked chicken<br />
- Steamed broccoli<br />
- Homemade mac & cheese (do you think I grated enough cheese for 12 people?!)<br />
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And birthday cake of course!<br />
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The day after his birthday we took him to Storybookland for their Christmas light show and rides. He's actually big enough now to ride roller coasters and all. I'm in shock. Love this little man and all the joy and laughter he has brought our house!<br />
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The next few weeks will be filled with Christmas festivities and then a family ski & waterpark trip to the Poconos, all of which I'm really looking forward to. I hope your holiday season has been wonderful so far as well!<br />
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P.S. I don't get to blog as often as I'd like these days, but if you're on Instagram, I post lots of kitchen happenings and updates there. I'm at @MLBaratta if you want to check it out. :)<br />
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And now for that recipe...<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Jalapeno Corn Dip</span></b><br />
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<u><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Ingredients</span></u><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">8 oz. package cream cheese</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">1 cup sour cream</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">8 oz. block of Monterey Jack, freshly grated</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Salt and pepper (about a teaspoon each)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1 can corn, drained and dried on paper towels</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1 cup gruyere cheese, freshly grated </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients except gruyere cheese in a large mixing bowl. Spread into a 2 quart baking dish and top with gruyere cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, until bubbling and slightly browned. Serve hot with tortilla chips (I like <a href="http://www.gardenofeatin.com/">Garden of Eatin</a> blue corn chips) or crostini. </span>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-34068117890906306622014-10-21T21:07:00.002-04:002014-10-21T21:13:46.578-04:00Foodie Favorites #3Did you think I'd fallen off the face of the earth? I wouldn't blame you if you did. I can hardly believe it's been a month and a half since I returned to work - and the same amount of time marks my last blog post. Yikes! Being a full time working mom with 2 little kids is no joke. Some days our house feels like a well oiled machine, and other days it just feels plain crazy. Having two little ones is so much fun, but it also means very little free time (or rather, I should say "alone time"). Our little crew is a routine-driven one during the week and then an activity-loving one on the weekends.<br />
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To give you a quick preview of our weekdays/nights: it's up at 5:30, showers, breakfast, getting everyone dressed, off to work/daycare by 9:00, back home for dinner/bedtime routine and packing for the next day to do it all over again. Phew! It's been hard for Riker to adjust to us both being back at work, so we've been trying to make our weekends really count and do fun stuff as a family. Plus there is so much great stuff to do during the fall. We've been pumpkin picking, hiking, hay-riding, Six Flags-ing, horse racing and everything else we can think of that goes along with crisp air, boots, jackets, and football. Ah, I love fall.<br />
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In between family activities, Matt and I have tried to make time for each other and ourselves as well, as it's so important to staying balanced and happy. We finally had our first date night since before Carson was born, we've each had a night out with friends, and I'm finally getting back into a workout routine (going back to yoga with my friend Heather for the first time tomorrow night, and running a 5K in two weeks that I'm totally unprepared for. This is the definition of winging it).<br />
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So needless to say, it's been busy. But I'm hoping now that we're in more of a routine I'll be able to start blogging again more frequently, since I've been storing up things to share. Like this fab list - the third edition of Foodie Favorites. Here are some of the things we've been enjoying lately!<br />
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<b>1. Fancy Salts</b><br />
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I love salts and tend to pick them up whenever I see them at specialty food stores. Good salt makes such a huge difference in flavoring food and in your health, and flavored salts are great because they add depth to a dish without any added fat. During one of our recent weekend day trips, I found some great ones in a little spice/tea shop and I've been using them on everything. The black truffle salt went great on spaghetti squash with a little olive oil (and I'll take Matt's word for it that it went great on his steak as well) and I like to use fleur de sel as a garnish on steamed vegetables - it adds a little crunch and extra salty bite.<br />
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I also have a citrus one which has lemon and orange peel in it, and just used it last night to add a final flourish to bowls of Orange Maple Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts. So good!<br />
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FYI, for my everyday salt I use <a href="http://www.realsalt.com/">Real Salt</a>. My mama taught me well.<br />
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<b>2. Homemade Coffee Creamers</b><br />
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Why have I never done this before? Typically I only use plain cream in my coffee - no sugar. But I love the idea of pumpkin flavored creamer during the fall, and usually each October I'll cave and buy a bottle of the Coffee Mate Pumpkin Spice because it just doesn't feel like fall without it. This year I decided, no more. I don't even really like it because it's too sweet, and it's filled with all kinds of ingredients I can't pronounce.<br />
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Enter the homemade creamer. It's sitting in my fridge in a mason jar and feels just as festive.<br />
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I love this because it's real and I can control the sweetness. This one has pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and Vermont maple syrup. (Note: If you make this, be aware that the flavorings don't stay blended like store bought creamers, so you'll need to shake it each time you use it.) I can't wait to make peppermint mocha creamer in December!<br />
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<b>3. Quinoa Hot Cereal</b><br />
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It's the season for hot cereal! Matt picked this up at the grocery store a while ago and I just tried it. It reminds me of Cream of Wheat from my childhood, but with the more hearty texture of grits. It also has more protein than your typical hot cereal.<br />
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It lends itself well to sweet toppings like bananas, walnuts and maple syrup, but I actually like it savory, the way I like my grits - with a little butter, salt and pepper. Mmm. Simple but comforting.<br />
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<b>4. Somersaults for Snacking**</b><br />
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A while back, <a href="http://www.somersaultsnackco.com/">Somersault Snack Co.</a> contacted me and asked if we'd like to try their sunflower seed-filled snacks. I'd actually never heard of them before, but was interested in the company after looking at their website and mission.<br />
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The snacks are made for energizing since the seeds are packed with antioxidants, protein, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. While we usually try to eat organic as much as possible, my feeling is that just because a snack is organic (like organic chips) it doesn't mean it's healthy for you. I felt good about these as an occasional snack because they are made with wholesome ingredients like expeller pressed oil, molasses, organic cane syrup, chicory root and various spices - I could understand the minimal ingredient list and the nutritional stats were good. Plus, my family could not get enough of them.<br />
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We tried a bunch of flavors, including cinnamon, salt & pepper, dutch cocoa, pacific sea salt and santa fe salsa. They seriously were all good, but my fave was the salt & pepper. Matt's favorite was the santa fe salsa - they for real tasted like nacho cheese Combos, which we loved back in college. Yum!<br />
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Riker also loved them. I couldn't even snap a picture without little fingers trying to sneak them.<br />
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Take two...</div>
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If you're interested in trying these out, you can order them on the <a href="http://shop.somersaultsnackco.com/">website</a> or check out their store locator.<br />
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**Disclaimer: I received samples from the company to try. As always, all statements and opinions are my own.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-41298787227987225552014-08-31T16:10:00.000-04:002014-08-31T16:10:40.126-04:00Working MomWell, the time has come. The summer is coming to a close, and in just two days I'll be returning to work. Matt will too. It's been a truly amazing summer for our family and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little heartbroken that I have to leave my babies and go back to work while they are still so little. Especially since I know this is the last time I'll be able to stay home with them (considering I'm not a teacher and don't get summers off, and that we are planning to stay a happily content family of 4).<br />
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Among the things I'll miss the most:</div>
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- Waking up to my children calling for me (vs. an obnoxious alarm clock).</div>
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- Being the one to feed Carson all day and knowing her every little nuance. It's hard when other people have to tell you how much your baby is eating, whether she isn't feeling well and if she's smiling a lot or doing something new.</div>
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- Having conversations with Riker. He's really become my little buddy this summer and is SO much fun at this age. We just play and talk and hang out all day long, and he's having a hard time understanding why it won't be like that anymore. I want to cry just thinking about the fact that some days I will only see him for a couple minutes, since I'll be commuting to the city a couple days a week.</div>
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- Not having any real agenda every day. I like that the days just take us where they take us, and it's okay if the only thing I accomplish all day is re-loading the dishwasher because my full attention is focused on one or both of the kids. </div>
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- Ummm....SUMMER!</div>
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It's been hard to reconcile leaving my babies in order to go to work to provide for them, but I know at the end of the day it's for the best. And I'm incredibly grateful for the wonderful 13 weeks I've had with them, since so many women don't even get that long. So instead of dwelling on all the things I'll miss about summer and being home with my little ones, I'm trying to think positively about all the things we have to look forward to.<br />
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Things I'm looking forward to include:<br />
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- Getting back into a routine. Although I've enjoyed not having an agenda for the short-term, in the long run I feel a little out of control without a normal daily routine.<br />
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- Finishing a cup of coffee while it's still hot.<br />
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- Taking a shower before 3:00 - and taking a shower alone (you moms know what I'm talking about). While this will require getting up before the crack of dawn, I know it'll feel nice to be showered, have my hair actually blown dry (rather than being thrown up wet) and be wearing a nice outfit more often than not.<br />
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- Getting back on a normal eating routine. I haven't lost all of my baby weight, and I haven't let it bother me yet because I've been enjoying summer and not really worrying about eating breakfast every morning or getting all my veggies in. I've eaten plenty of takeout fried seafood and Mexican food over the last few weeks, not to mention several dinners out with friends.<br />
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I've also enjoyed quite a few cocktails and glasses of wine, as well as several trips to local wineries, since I stopped nursing Carson. No shortage of calories there.<br />
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It's been fun, but going back to work will mean planned, regular meals, fewer drinks and a healthier me. Always a good thing!<br />
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- Having daily adult interaction and using my brain to tackle challenges that don't involve baby or toddler issues. As much as I love being home with my children each day, I don't know that I would be happy being a permanent stay-at-home mom. I love the work I do at my job, and know I would miss working with people, writing and strategizing all day long.<br />
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- And...FALL!<br />
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Fall is one of my absolute favorite times of the year, so returning to work also comes at a time when we're on the verge of awesome things like pumpkin picking, sweaters and boots, fall scented candles, crock-pot meals and football. The nights are already starting to cool off, so while I love summer and am going to miss it, I'm getting that fall itch and will be ready for it when it arrives.<br />
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For all you working moms out there, if you've gone through some of the same mental struggles I have, just know how amazing you are for balancing the work/family life day in and day out. We do the best we can, and I've decided I'd rather focus on all the good times and precious moments my family does have together vs. wishing there were more of them. I'm going to cherish every moment I have with my children, lean on my friends and family, and always remember that Friday nights are never more than a couple days away. ;)<br />
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Happy Labor Day Weekend moms and non-moms alike!Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-78890549628138829762014-08-21T10:02:00.000-04:002014-08-21T10:02:16.968-04:00Engagement Party Details + The Best PestoIt's official - wedding festivities for Amanda and Justyn have begun! Justyn proposed to my sister Amanda in Vegas in the spring, and a few weeks ago we finally got both our families together to celebrate. I loved meeting Justyn's family and getting to spend some quality time with my own as well.<br />
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Since my house is fairly central to both families (and since we finally finished our massive patio project), my mom decided to hold the party here in our backyard. I was thrilled to have it here. Amanda and Justyn wanted something casual yet elegant, so my mom, grandma, aunt and I had a lot of fun party planning over the last few months to surprise them with something that suited their style. I was so excited to see it all come together!<br />
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To get the feel we were looking for, my mom rented tables with white chairs and flowy white tablecloths, and we set up a big white tent with twinkling white lights. It looked pretty during the day and had a beautiful warm glow at night. We set up flowers and silverware in Mason jars (my fave), little white candles in glass votive holders, and hanging white and black paper lanterns. I think the combination of glass jars, simple flowers and the outdoor setting mixed with white lights and linens made the party feel elegant yet rustic.<br />
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Amanda's wedding colors are blue and yellow, so we tried to do similar colors for the engagement party. Her shade of blue is a bit harder to come by, so we settled for yellow and white, which looked really nice for a backyard summer party.<br />
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How cute are these favors? My mom filled them with maple kettle corn from Vermont - a little taste of home for Amanda!<br />
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After a week of gorgeous weather, of course it poured like crazy the morning of the party, forcing us to change the setup we originally planned. Thankfully the rain cleared up around 2:00 just in time for the guests to arrive, grab a glass of wine and start nibbling on some hors d'oeuvres.<br />
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As for the food, I was in charge of the appetizers and after-party s'mores setup. I love making cocktail food, and put out a spread that included some fun apps as well as a few easy things I could just pull together last minute, like a big antipasto platter and pre-made bruschetta.<br />
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My mom handled the main course, which included catered Italian favorites like shrimp scampi, sausage & peppers and lemon chicken. She also set up an awesome dessert table with a chocolate fountain and my dad's homemade vanilla cake with lemon curd filling. He is one heck of a cake-maker!<br />
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Side note: To make the strawberry basket for the chocolate fountain, I just reused a basket Matt's mom received from <a href="http://www.ediblearrangements.com/">Edible Arrangements</a> a few weeks ago. I put two pieces of foam inside and covered them up with some kale, and then skewered the strawberries and stuck them into the foam. So easy, and a nice way to display berries rather than on a plate.<br />
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One of the snacks people seemed to buzz about the most was the pesto. I used it in two different places - as a dip for the caprese salad skewers, and in the pesto layer dip.<br />
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After the party several people asked for the recipe, to which I replied: It's seriously the easiest thing ever. I don't even use a recipe. I think the key to its deliciousness is the quality of ingredients - using sharp, nutty, fresh parmesan cheese, fresh basil from the garden and nice fruity olive oil really makes a difference.<br />
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That said, my general recipe includes:<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Best Pesto</span></b><br />
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<i>Makes approx. 1 cup</i><br />
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- About 2 cups fresh basil<br />
- 1/2 cup walnuts<br />
- 1/2 cup good parmesan cheese (freshly grated if possible)<br />
- 2 cloves garlic<br />
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste (I use about a pinch each)<br />
- About 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil<br />
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Place all ingredients, except the olive oil, in a food processor and pulse until everything is finely ground. Then, with the machine running, drizzle in olive oil until the mixture comes together and is the consistency you desire. Taste and season with extra S &P if desired. Use right away, or place in a container and drizzle olive oil on top (this preserves the green color), and refrigerate or freeze.<br />
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I could honestly eat this stuff on just about anything. Since I have about 100 pounds of fresh basil in my garden, I've been making batches of it and freezing it for future use. It tastes just as good when thawed as it does when fresh.<br />
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***<br />
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I am so, so happy for Amanda and Justyn and loved being part of their special day. They're going to make a beautiful bride & groom!<br />
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Now that we've gotten through the engagement party, it's onto the shower and bachelorette! ;)Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-3406563457140103142014-07-29T10:35:00.004-04:002014-07-29T10:37:50.531-04:00Grilled Lemon Dill Potato SaladHappy two months to this little lady!<br />
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It's really hard to believe Carson is two months old already, and in one short month I'll be going back to work. It's been such a joy to be home with my family this summer, watching Carson grow and packing Riker's days full of fun. And packed, they sure have been!<br />
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Even though I'm often tired, I get stir crazy staying inside all day, so it seems like almost every day/night we're out doing something, newborn and energetic toddler in tow. We've had the county fair, rides and fireworks at the boardwalk, beach days and pool days, countless walks in the park, a day trip to Philly, a birthday party at a bouncy house, a family day at a local winery, and even a float down the creek.<br />
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In between all the fun, we've also done a ton of work on the house, which we're trying to finish up quickly since we're having my sister's engagement party here next weekend. I've also been able to do a lot more cooking now that Carson is sleeping more. I am really loving this summer!<br />
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One thing I've loved the most is the number of friend's BBQ's, family parties and impromptu dinners we've gone to. Speaking of BBQs, if you're getting a little sick of the same old side dishes every weekend now that we're at the end of July, I present to you the grilled potato salad.<br />
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I've made this twice for family parties this summer and it was a hit each time. It's a refreshing twist on a classic potato salad, which I love because I'm not a big fan of the traditional mayo-laden kind. It has great char flavor from the grill, a little crunch from the onion, a nice zing from lemon, vinegar and capers, and a fresh flavor from the garden herbs.<br />
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Love those grill marks!<br />
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I'm also a sucker for warm salads. This can be served right off the grill or at room temperature, which makes for an easy dish to make and then take with you to a party.<br />
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Off to the beach!<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Grilled Lemon Dill Potato Salad</span></b><br />
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<i>Serves 8</i><br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced thick<br />
1/2 red onion, minced<br />
2 Tbsp. fresh dill, minced<br />
2 Tbsp. parsley, minced<br />
4 Tbsp. capers<br />
1/2 cup olive oil<br />
1/4 cup red wine vinegar<br />
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard<br />
Zest and juice of one lemon<br />
1/4 tsp. garlic powder<br />
Salt & pepper<br />
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Bring a large pot of salted water to boil; parboil the potatoes for about 5 minutes, until they are just fork tender but not quite cooked through. Drain and set on a baking sheet. Drizzle potatoes with olive oil and then grill for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until they are completely cooked through and slightly charred.<br />
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To make the vinaigrette, add olive oil, vinegar, mustard, lemon zest and juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper to a jar; shake or whisk until combined.<br />
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In a large bowl, combine the cooked potatoes, onion, dill, parsley and capers. Pour half of the vinaigrette over the salad while the potatoes are still warm so they absorb some of the dressing. Reserve the other half of the vinaigrette to pour over the salad just before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-70093230914409631192014-07-22T07:56:00.001-04:002014-07-22T08:02:46.599-04:00Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp (Recipe ReDux)I've been on the hunt for rhubarb for months now. Growing up in Vermont, we ate it every spring/summer in spades - it was always readily available and we would make rhubarb jam, pies, ice cream sauce, you name it. I even liked to eat it raw dipped in a little sugar. Love the stuff!<br />
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If you've never had rhubarb, it looks like large red celery stalks but tastes super tart, almost like a green apple. I like it for its tartness and love a plain rhubarb pie, but it also balances out really well with sweet fruit, which is why you often see it paired with strawberries. When I found it by chance in the ShopRite organic section the other day, I was giddy as a little kid and grabbed a few stalks with no real plan for it, until Sunday. As usual I was last minute on coming up with a <a href="http://thereciperedux.com/">ReDux</a> recipe for the month, and as luck would have it, we had plans to have dinner at Matt's parents' house with a bunch of his aunts, uncles and cousins, and I had offered to bring a dessert. Rhubarb, meet berries and sugary crumbs.<br />
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This crisp is filled with summer berry sweetness and just a hint of the tart rhubarb, with an extra punch of flavor from some dark rum. It's perfect for a treat on a warm night with a glass of wine sitting by the fire pit. Ah, sweet summer.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp</b></span><br />
<b><br /></b>
<i>Serves 6-8</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<u>Ingredients</u><br />
10 oz. rhubarb, cut into chunks (2 large stalks, or about 2 1/2 cups chopped)<br />
4 cups strawberries, chopped<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1 Tbsp. dark rum<br />
3/4 cup flour<br />
3/4 cup packed brown sugar<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
1 tsp. cinnamon<br />
1 stick cold butter, cubed<br />
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Preheat oven to 375.<br />
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In a bowl, combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugar and rum. Mix well and set aside.<br />
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In a separate bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Add cubed butter and cut into the flour with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs (do not overmix or use your hands, or the butter will become too soft).<br />
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Add the fruit mixture to an ungreased 8x8 pan, and scatter the flour mixture on top. Bake for about 45 minutes, until topping is browned and fruit is bubbling. Let cool completely so the fruit will set, then top with powdered sugar.<br />
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<!-- end InLinkz script -->Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-20230322918738665042014-07-10T18:26:00.000-04:002014-07-11T11:35:21.684-04:00Things I've LearnedAfter a 5 week hiatus, I'm finally getting a chance to sit on the patio and catch up on email (sort of) and the blog. I've loved having this past month away from the digital world to enjoy my family, but I've missed it too. Although I've had plenty of sleepless nights, exhausted days, dirty diapers to change and bottles to clean, I can't say that I've been sitting around the house all day in sweatpants, un-showered and Googling like mad every time the baby cries - which is exactly what I did when Riker was born and what I thought life would be like the second time around. Having a baby for the second time has been an absolutely joyous experience, full of all the wonder and excitement of the first time but devoid of all the anxiety and confusion. Such a great and unexpected surprise!<br />
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I've learned a couple of things over the last five weeks as a second time parent:<br />
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1. It's so much easier to relax when you know that every cry doesn't warrant panic and it's okay to actually leave the house with a young infant.<br />
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You just have to be willing to feed the baby with your chin while eating dinner, be prepared to scurry out of wherever you are if she starts wailing, and plan for road trips to take about double the time they would normally take. It's all good.</div>
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2. Having a second child doesn't change life all that much. While it certainly is a lot more time consuming, I don't feel like things are as crazy as I thought they would be. I think that's because when you have your first child, your whole world changes - you have to get used to an entirely new life and new routine. Since we've already adapted to life as parents, adding a fourth member to our family has just been really fun and not very stressful.<br />
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3. It really is possible to love another child as much as your first. I realize that might sound awful, but I really did have small fears that I could never love another child as much as I love Riker. Little did I know that my heart could grow even bigger than it was before. It's hard to put into words how much I love them both. They are my everything.<br />
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4. Having a baby in the summer is awe-some. Not only is there more to do during the summer (I had Riker in the winter, and baby and I were stuck inside for the bulk of three months), but extended daylight and warm weather seems to make me feel less tired even after being awake most of the night. We also have the added bonus that Matt is a teacher and has the summer off with me. He's coaching soccer all summer since their pre-season starts in June, so he's been working a few hours 4 days a week, but we've still been squeezing in lots of fun summer activities and making the most of our time off together. We're determined to make this the best summer yet, exhaustion and all. Not to mention, having a second parent at home is making it infinitely easier for both of us to adjust to the extra work of a second child.<br />
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So far the last five weeks has included:<br />
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- Lots of family and friend BBQs and pool days<br />
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- Blueberry picking </div>
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- Taking Riker to his very first movie - an adventure, to say the least. Thankfully it was a free movie as part of our local movie theater's "Summer Movie Series", so the theater was packed with other small children and mine wasn't the only one who was constantly up & down and talking loudly. :/ My friend Heather and I ended up leaving before the movie ended, me with a crying baby in one arm and a kicking toddler in the other, but hey - it was fun while it lasted. Ha!</div>
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- A vacation home in Vermont to visit my family and take Riker to a farm museum, the lake I swam in as a child, and for an overnight stay at <a href="http://www.jaypeakresort.com/summer-and-fall-vacations-at-jay-peak-resort?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=jay%20peak%20resort&utm_campaign=brand&_vsrefdom=p.19">Jay Peak Resort</a> to splash around in their indoor water park.<br />
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I have to say, this water park was awesome, and so was the food and gorgeous hotel.<br />
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My favorite meal there was a "locavore buffet" where all the foods were sourced from local farms. I didn't snap any pics of that since I was too busy taste testing nearly everything they had to offer.</div>
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We had such a blast on our little vacation, and part of the reason we had so much fun is that we had no expectations and just let the kids' schedules dictate what we could and could not do. We fully planned on the drive to take 10+ hours since we have to feed the baby every 2-3 hours, but we incorporated fun activities along the way so that it wasn't stressful - we stopped at several playgrounds to feed Carson so Riker could run around, took a break to watch the World Cup in Albany, ate at one of our favorite restaurants in New Paltz, and made a pit stop at Lake George so Riker could swim.</div>
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- Getting a babysitter a few times here and there so we could enjoy some time with friends during the USA finals and over 4th of July weekend.</div>
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- Spending time on the beach, of course. Don't worry, Carson has her very own tent and umbrella to keep her shaded. ;)</div>
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We even had a kite-flying beach picnic last night with some of our good friends. I always feel so grateful to live where we live when we're up at the ocean.</div>
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All in all, it's been a really great couple of weeks and I'm thankful for every minute I have home with my babies right now.</div>
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On to #5...</div>
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5. Eating "one pot" meals are the easiest way to make sure we eat healthy meals balanced with protein, healthy carbs and veggies when we don't have time to cook a big meal. It's way too easy to skip making a vegetable when we just throw stuff on the grill or make a simple pasta meal, so I've been making a lot of big salads and "bowl meals" to make sure we're still eating our greens. Some favorites include:<br />
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Taco Salad - always a pleaser.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZ7XlCDyIZzcGBHFNqwO48nvl-s2CO9lb4tA3quUjBltxk24xA-WEW5xGKLoL84bbzdo_yDvbP26SiKdkncV5xN-dy8Q7MunXQvTZlxdqAcvBcYn26qrEtuo-sq0hHVfSgZfNiv2MWEs/s1600/IMG_4457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZ7XlCDyIZzcGBHFNqwO48nvl-s2CO9lb4tA3quUjBltxk24xA-WEW5xGKLoL84bbzdo_yDvbP26SiKdkncV5xN-dy8Q7MunXQvTZlxdqAcvBcYn26qrEtuo-sq0hHVfSgZfNiv2MWEs/s1600/IMG_4457.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Cauliflower "rice" (recipe found on Pinterest) with shrimp, onions & peppers, lime and cilantro.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2AqeHsS_jpYIzWgbTihcM_2Y__cIjbL08P6DeAA-4i4f_erzBf9ohQRyCW5wyTY-pHy6RHWC9-2EzF5vVcCBqdouZptfsyYzqZROVEMGlBChB_m2_bRvhd4zPeCvnQfVMpLPo-dWgvw/s1600/IMG_4459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2AqeHsS_jpYIzWgbTihcM_2Y__cIjbL08P6DeAA-4i4f_erzBf9ohQRyCW5wyTY-pHy6RHWC9-2EzF5vVcCBqdouZptfsyYzqZROVEMGlBChB_m2_bRvhd4zPeCvnQfVMpLPo-dWgvw/s1600/IMG_4459.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hawaiian quinoa bowl with zucchini, carrots, coconut flakes, cranberries, pineapple and macadamia nuts (chicken on top for Matt and Riker). Red wine occasionally on the side too...<br />
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Yogurt bowls with assorted fruits (whatever's in my Door to Door Organics box that week), dried cranberries or raisins, and almond / walnuts (mainly for breakfast, but yogurt bowls & smoothies have made their way to the dinner table too).<br />
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<a href="http://somesugaradded.blogspot.com/2012/07/mediterranean-couscous-salad.html">Mediterranean Couscous Salad</a> - which I actually made for a family BBQ.</div>
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6. Even when life seems crazy and you're tired beyond belief when the baby starts to cry at 3 am after you just finished feeding and putting her back to bed...be thankful for everything. All of it. In the weeks since Carson was born and we had that <a href="http://somesugaradded.blogspot.com/">terrible scare</a>, I've heard too many horrible stories of parents losing their newborns at birth. I can't even imagine having to experience the loss of a child, and am thankful every day for our two little miracles that sleep safely in their beds each night. It's really easy to get tired and overwhelmed with the day-to-day of parenting two children, but whenever that feeling inches up, I just look at their tiny faces and am reminded of how blessed we are. </div>
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They are only this little for a short time, so I'm cherishing every second we have before they grow up on us.</div>
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<3</div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-84171883689009760422014-06-12T18:43:00.000-04:002014-06-12T18:43:21.546-04:00Carson's StoryHello, world! As you can imagine it's been a bit of a whirlwind week here. After spending a week in the hospital and then a week at home adjusting to having a newborn with us, we're finally getting into somewhat of a routine. We're still not sleeping much of course, but I'll take no sleep any day if it means having a sweet face like this in my arms.<br />
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Carson actually came a week before she was due, so she caught us by surprise - thankfully we had been baby prepping like crazy the last few weekends. Last Monday started like any other Monday. It was supposed to be my last week of work before maternity leave, so I had a list of things I planned to power through that day. But after dropping Riker off at my in-laws' and coming back home to start work, I realized I hadn't felt the baby moving at all. She nearly always moves after I eat, but I got nothing from her after breakfast; I even tried eating a sugary snack - a peach, some crackers, and some chocolate covered almonds - to get her kicking, but still, she didn't move. That made me really nervous, so I set a timer and paid attention for the next 2 hours to see if any movement occurred at all - nada. I called my doctor, and thankfully they told me to come in right away.</div>
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Matt left work early so he could come to the appointment with me, and after throwing my hospital bag in the trunk just in case it was needed, we sped to my OB/GYN's office. Let me tell you, that was the scariest doctor's appointment I've ever had in my life. The nurse hooked me up to a heart rate monitor, but was unable to find a heartbeat for Carson. After a few minutes, she left and called another nurse in to try. The second nurse wasn't able to find a heartbeat either. At this point Matt and I both lost it. Tears just started pouring out as I imagined the absolute worst. Every terrible thought was running through my head, and I really thought we had lost her. The nurse handed us a box of tissues, said she was sorry, and went to get the doctor. We were both beside ourselves with grief.</div>
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When my doctor came in, she calmed us down and said not to panic yet. She repositioned the monitor a bunch of times and kept pushing on my belly trying to get Carson to move. Finally, FINALLY, after about 10 minutes, we heard a very faint heartbeat. The emotions I felt when hearing that little thump thump is indescribable. I felt elation, incredible relief and joy, while at the same time anxiety and fear that something was wrong with our baby. The heartbeat was so faint that while we could hear it, the monitor didn't even register it on the computer. We went right in for an ultrasound, which told us that miraculously the baby had gone breach over the weekend (on Friday, the doctor had said she was in proper birth position, head down); she was now head up, and while her heart was beating, she was not moving or breathing. After seeing all this, the doctor immediately sent us to the hospital for an emergency C-section. More emotions erupted at this point - we were both so scared that something would go wrong before the delivery, or that she would have brain damage from not getting oxygen, but at the same time excited since we knew we'd be having a baby that very day - in just 2 hours.</div>
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Last pic of the bump before heading to the hospital!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ACa_ziSVyb72RPuyLiV-V7HvyN-USqvkpn9GW57zjMEsKFujAI4WF28O2F866Pp144kwwpZkmtFoOpThRtULI780emjwrjH_2hTYyAaIGq1WfvOfAui9K8aKsFt7gawIo7UqrOTjkIw/s1600/photo+(5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8ACa_ziSVyb72RPuyLiV-V7HvyN-USqvkpn9GW57zjMEsKFujAI4WF28O2F866Pp144kwwpZkmtFoOpThRtULI780emjwrjH_2hTYyAaIGq1WfvOfAui9K8aKsFt7gawIo7UqrOTjkIw/s1600/photo+(5).jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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After a quick ride to the hospital, a bunch more tests (all of which confirmed that Carson needed to come out right away), and surgery prep, I was in the operating room by 4:00. It took two doctors up on foot stools to push and pull Carson out since she had lodged herself up near my rib cage, and had the umbilical cord wrapped around her entire body and around her neck twice. Apparently when she flipped over the weekend, the cord tangled her up and nearly strangled her. After she was born, they had to keep watch over her and not let her cry until they were sure her throat and lungs were okay, which thankfully they were. By 4:29, we were the relieved and proud parents of a healthy baby girl.</div>
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Had I not realized she wasn't moving that fateful Monday morning, the turnout could have been much different and we might have lost her. I am SO thankful that my doctors' office had posters up reminding mothers-to-be to pay attention to their baby's movements so I knew that something was off, and so thankful that they took me seriously when I said I didn't feel her moving that day. It was the greatest feeling to hear her cry when she was born, and to finally hold her in our arms.</div>
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A day or so later Carson ended up with jaundice, which is a fairly common problem, but meant we had to stay in the hospital a few extra days while she underwent phototherapy in the nursery. The hospital was so great and gave us a room to stay in even after I was discharged so we could be with her the whole time, and so I could feed her throughout the night. By the time we finally got the green light to take her home on Friday, we were more than ready to leave the hospital and start life as our new family of 4. Talk about a week of ups & downs!</div>
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We were welcomed back home with a decorated house, flowers inside & out and our families there to celebrate with us. It made the homecoming even better.</div>
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Riker was glad to have us home too (I missed my little guy!), and he's already taking quite the interest in his little sister. So cute.</div>
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After so much hospital food, I was also excited to get back to eating normal food. Food with lots of color! While my parents were with us, they took care of the cooking which was great and super helpful. After they left and we were on our own, I took to making quickie meals - green smoothies, <a href="http://somesugaradded.blogspot.com/2014/06/welcome-carson-leah.html">frozen carrot soup</a>, <a href="http://www.hilaryseatwell.com/products/worlds-best-veggie-burger#.U5nzfZSwL5U">Hilary's veggie burgers</a> with goat cheese and tri-color peppers, and salads. </div>
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Last night's salad was my favorite so far. It included:<br />
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- Frisee<br />
- Red peppers<br />
- Cucumbers<br />
- Beets (no time to roast fresh ones these days - I used a can of beets I had in the pantry)<br />
- A handful of mixed nuts<br />
- Blueberry vanilla goat cheese (snagged at Trader Joe's during our big haul last weekend)<br />
- Olive oil & vanilla balsamic vinegar<br />
(Matt and Riker added sliced up Italian sausages to theirs for some added protein)<br />
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So colorful and tasty!<br />
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We even snuck in a mini date night already, if you can believe it. Riker had a sleepover on Tuesday night with his cousin, so Matt and I decided to seize the opportunity and go out for dinner. There were multiple reasons:</div>
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1. Dinner without a 2-year-old in tow is quite the relaxing experience!</div>
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2. Carson is probably one of the quietest babies, ever. Riker was colicky from the beginning, but we got lucky with this one - she only cries when she needs something (fingers crossed it stays that way!). We figured we'd take a chance and see how she did at a restaurant, and she slept peacefully under her canopy through the entire dinner.</div>
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3. It was beautiful out, and I really needed to get out of the house and get some fresh air. Dinner al fresco sounded perfect.</div>
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4. I've been craving sushi since the day I found out I was pregnant. </div>
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5. Mama has also been itching for a cocktail since the warm weather set in a few weeks ago. I am currently breastfeeding, but my doctor says one or two cocktails is fine, so I thoroughly enjoyed this Lemon Ginger Martini with my sushi and edamame. Yum!</div>
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While we're settling into parenthood of 2, blog posts will probably slow down for a bit, but I'll post as often as I can. I have some new recipes to share and a giveaway coming up, so I won't be idle for long! :) In the meantime, I'll close this crazy long post with one more pic of the babe. Despite the sleeplessness, our house feels so warm, full of life and surrounded by happiness. So in love with my little family! <3 </div>
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-41034623306727162982014-06-05T14:51:00.001-04:002014-06-05T14:51:37.650-04:00Welcome, Carson LeahShe has arrived!<br />
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On Monday at 4:36 pm, we finally welcomed our beautiful baby girl, Carson Leah, into the world. She was a tiny 6 pounds 13 ounces, and 21 inches long. Her arrival was a bit chaotic, but we're just thankful she is here and healthy. We are now officially a family of four!<br />
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Maybe we knew in the back of our heads she was on her way early, because this past weekend was all about prepping. We did a little relaxing, a little housework, a ton of grocery shopping and a lot of laundry and freezer meal prep.<br />
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Both Friday and Saturday evenings consisted of fireside lounging with the family, feet up and s'mores roasting.<br />
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Saturday included some errands, including our quarterly food haul at Trader Joe's, and dinner at Matt's sister's house. Then Sunday we spent the entire day cleaning the yard and the house, and rearranging the whole downstairs. We've been thinking about rearranging for a while now, but it all finally just came together since we were able to sell our formal dining room furniture and the very next day replace it with our dream farm table.<br />
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We moved our bar into the old dining room (the old bar will now be a playroom for the kids, so they can make a mess of their toys and I don't feel the need to constantly be picking them up), moved our sunroom furniture outside to the new patio, and turned the sunroom into a big eating area with the farm table. The downstairs is now much more functional, has a better flow, and is more kid-friendly without feeling like the house is overrun with toys and kid stuff. I love it!<br />
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Matt's family helped with all the furniture moving since I couldn't really lift anything, so I spent a few hours making meals for the freezer for when Carson was born. Little did I know she was due to arrive the next day!<br />
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I made homemade pesto, veggie chili, curried carrot soup, and <a href="http://foodbabe.com/2013/08/29/vegetable-lasagne-with-no-noodles/">vegetable lasagna with no noodles</a>.<br />
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I packed everything into meal-sized containers so we wouldn't have to defrost one thing at a time and eat the same thing for 3 nights in a row.<br />
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For dinner that night, I threw together some peach & Cabot cheddar grilled cheese sandwiches using some fresh sweet peaches from my Door to Door Organics box and some whole grain TJ's bread. The combo might sound strange, but let me tell you, they were fantastic. Sweet, tangy, buttery.</div>
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I also made homemade pineapple coconut ice pops for a guilt-free frozen summer treat. They're really for Riker, but I'm going to need something sweet once in a while too without splurging for ice cream - time to lose some baby weight!<br />
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There are still things around the house I wanted to get done before the baby came, but honestly, we couldn't have been more prepared after all that. I wanted to make sure I felt like things were 100% in order in case she came early. Good thing too, because on Monday morning everything changed. I'll write more about her birth story another day, but we're adjusting well and really enjoying having her here with us.<br />
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Can't stop looking at that sweet face!<br />
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Welcome, Carson, we love you so much already. <3Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7278393999477039746.post-40597553120474281362014-05-28T21:27:00.000-04:002014-05-28T21:38:59.107-04:00Atypical Memorial DayHappy belated Memorial Day! I have really been slacking on the blog posts lately so am pretty late on this one. I've been really tired and going to bed early every chance I get, and the days have been filled with trying to wrap things up at work and frantically getting everything ready for the baby's arrival. She is coming verrrry soon.<br />
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This wasn't our typical Memorial Day weekend, which usually involves pools and beaches and fun with family & friends, but it did feel great to get so much accomplished, and we were still able to squeeze in a BBQ and a fire with some good friends.<br />
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Among the absolutely gigantic list of chores and errands Matt and I put together for the weekend (amazingly, all of which got done), big items included furnishing the new patio, finishing the baby's nursery and planting our garden.<br />
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I decorated the room in pinks, browns and greens, with lots and lots of owls. I love the way it came out! It's cute but not too cutesy, and girly but also warm.<br />
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As for the garden, this year Matt built raised boxes (4 in all) instead of doing our usual square plot with a fence around it. We didn't want to keep the fence up now that we have a nice large patio, but need the plants to have some kind of protection from Butters and other little animals. I love the way his boxes turned out; they add a lot to that little corner of the yard. And I can't wait for fresh heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, strawberries and all the other goodies to start cropping up.<br />
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Saturday was actually Matt's birthday, so after a long hard day of work around the house, our little family headed out for a Mexican dinner followed by some ice cream. They were his only two birthday requests. Not hard to make that boy happy!<br />
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Sunday we participated in our big neighborhood yard sale, and had some friends over to sell their stuff with us. It was actually pretty fun to hang out all together on the front lawn while the kids played and we tried to sell our wares. I think we all caught the sales bug - it's quite the little excitement to negotiate with yard salers and actually make money selling stuff you're planning to get rid of anyway. Matt and I made a nice little bundle of cash, and are planning to use it towards a new farm table we're buying for our kitchen area.<br />
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Sunday evening more friends arrived for some snacks and a fire on the new patio to celebrate Matt's birthday. Not a bad little holiday Sunday. :) I did wake up Monday morning feeling completely wiped out though, so after a few errands, Matt made me relax on the patio couch while he worked on the yard. He's so good to me.<br />
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I'm halfway through a new dystopian novel, Halo, and loved laying in the sunshine reading in the afternoon, dozing off here and there. Can't remember the last time I did that!</div>
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After Mexican food and BBQing all weekend, I wanted something fresh and light for dinner by Monday night. I had a bunch of red and golden beets sitting in the fridge, so I roasted them off and made big salads for dinner, which we ate outside. On the plate:</div>
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- Mesclun greens dressed with flax seed oil and pear white balsamic vinegar</div>
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- Red and golden beets</div>
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- Goat cheese</div>
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- Dried cranberries (I found organic unsweetened ones at ShopRite!)</div>
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- Toasted walnuts</div>
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- A drizzle of aged truffle balsamic glaze</div>
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Soooo good. Dinner may have been veggie-filled and healthy, but we quickly ruined that with a quick trip to the playground so Riker could play and then soft serve cones at our favorite ice cream shop. I forgot to snap a pic, but my small chocolate & vanilla twist with chopped peanuts was fantastic. Just the way I wanted to end the holiday weekend.<br />
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After such a busy weekend of chores, I am feeling a little tired but also now, for the first time, ready to have this baby. If she comes tomorrow, we'll be ready. Eek!<br />
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How was your holiday weekend?Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02552447698147769333noreply@blogger.com0