tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79866087393465625692024-03-13T11:00:32.374-05:00Making a Cape Cod my HomeKatiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-71661220743360124392012-08-12T20:54:00.001-05:002012-08-12T20:54:53.862-05:00<br />
This is my house:
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_Q5LvH1qDubKUMqesbv1j9mdi5A9zCc3euRNXNi9DPVReWhCZ9nDBexZrJ838ygPrjigdOROTs-M5dvyNNP7zi97XATo6e_WGJpFiOgVj2bKW671KiUNHnzaUNRn7_6rE6BcA9PxkmBT/s1600/517+Dorn+Dr+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_Q5LvH1qDubKUMqesbv1j9mdi5A9zCc3euRNXNi9DPVReWhCZ9nDBexZrJ838ygPrjigdOROTs-M5dvyNNP7zi97XATo6e_WGJpFiOgVj2bKW671KiUNHnzaUNRn7_6rE6BcA9PxkmBT/s400/517+Dorn+Dr+front.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Of course, it doesn’t look like that anymore. I chose the picture we took when the house wasn’t ours yet AKA before all the leaves had come in and we realized that the previous owner hadn’t done ANY maintenance of the landscaping in the 20 years she owned the place. It’s made for a long summer of pulling, trimming and cutting down buuuuuuut there’s so much that I’ll save that for it’s own post.
Here’s the floor plan (look at the nifty program I found!).<br />
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First floor: Second Floor:<br />
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It works for us right now but we have grand ideas of how we could make this house even more amaze-balls. You see, currently the upstairs is just our master which is really nice but the other day I was out for a run and saw another model of our house. It looks like they pushed out the back of the upstairs (changed the slop of the roof) so that there are full sized walls and no crawl space action. While I’m not exactly sure how they set it up, I’m thinking that with all that extra room, you could easily fit 3 bedrooms upstairs with a master suite and the other full bath. How awesome would that be? Then we could knock out our current guest room downstairs and make it a great room off the kitchen. Soooooo, if I had a million dollars that’s what I’d do. And buy a monkey. Haven’t you always wanted a monkey?<br />
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Anyway, let me take you on a photo tour (can you tell I’m overly obsessed with this house?). These are the before pictures, I’ll throw some after ones in as we continue to do projects and decorate.
Here’s the front entrance with the stairs up and the front closet.<br />
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turn 180* and....our living room.<br />
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From there you walk through to the dining room, kitchen and sunroom (back)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunroom - Look at the park behind us!</td></tr>
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We have two bedrooms on the main floor</div>
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<----Den<br />
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Guest Room ----><br />
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Let's head upstairs! </div>
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One the right at the top of the stairs is our master bath and unused room<br />
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Then there is our MASSIVE master bedroom....</div>
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with a teeny closet..<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTWWgjRvHSJspIqXi0yZ0NcyuuPvpyDZBtIgmbZcja-rc7PW_1hlfRiBkdVPZ_6pcSkjylib37WvOCg2ANBvglEEOh_WiYR4-AnzecG0L45zZ5-2MExMV1yDCOhYGDEi9LLtFP4MO9XnU/s1600/IMGP0215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTWWgjRvHSJspIqXi0yZ0NcyuuPvpyDZBtIgmbZcja-rc7PW_1hlfRiBkdVPZ_6pcSkjylib37WvOCg2ANBvglEEOh_WiYR4-AnzecG0L45zZ5-2MExMV1yDCOhYGDEi9LLtFP4MO9XnU/s200/IMGP0215.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Hope you enjoyed the tour. Obviously, I need to figure out how to use Blogger a little better so the pictures are spaced more evenly but there is a quick tour. Everything has since been painted and we do have furniture. Micah and I still have so many projects we want to do but have made some serious progress and are excited about it! Hope you'll keep checking it out - maybe this can be our chance to beat Dave's video of their new place. ;)Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-15288701656724559242011-06-15T23:08:00.004-05:002011-06-15T23:41:20.693-05:00Finisher!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJY-3K6UrkZcGQQOkKRXT4BaGlWWkOhcIc5LU1U3IKISHvB38TBNxgllA45_e1roHom_nXJIXXty4dv2CuUydWe4Gj-bbjmIHqdCBzJ6sVUw4u_W53meDTJzP6LH_Gsm5QcG28WuBih70/s1600/2011-05-15+07.07.57+%25281%2529.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJY-3K6UrkZcGQQOkKRXT4BaGlWWkOhcIc5LU1U3IKISHvB38TBNxgllA45_e1roHom_nXJIXXty4dv2CuUydWe4Gj-bbjmIHqdCBzJ6sVUw4u_W53meDTJzP6LH_Gsm5QcG28WuBih70/s320/2011-05-15+07.07.57+%25281%2529.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618666176044817826" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAA9JcPlp-q0hFxpMe6ePCOE-ySVe5GseoSRy93ByGdxXyNmOX_QRUFnzb4LAX1TwY4EfK67odv6WRnKGLJrTf34Kq2QXBA6BxrMdMb6YKIZoinwmeQteFqteA3LdR4F3sic0X-vg8amQy/s1600/2011-05-15+07.04.44.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAA9JcPlp-q0hFxpMe6ePCOE-ySVe5GseoSRy93ByGdxXyNmOX_QRUFnzb4LAX1TwY4EfK67odv6WRnKGLJrTf34Kq2QXBA6BxrMdMb6YKIZoinwmeQteFqteA3LdR4F3sic0X-vg8amQy/s320/2011-05-15+07.04.44.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618666034119720514" /></a><br />That's right. I am officially a 5k finisher and I ran the WHOLE thing. I know that sounds wimpy to most people but running has always been a struggle for me so I was quite happy. I also finished it over 2 minutes faster than I had previously on my practice course. I was worried that I was going to fail miserably, too. The last two runs I had done were horrible so I thought I had slacked too much on my training. No matter now, though, I finished and now it's on to the next thing...<br /><br />That's right, there is more running in my future. I think this is my official announcement so Chelsea it's official. ;) On February 26, 2012, I will be running the Disney Princess Half Marathon. I think I'm crazy but my great friend, Chelsea, convinced me to do it while we were in D.C. It's becoming real too, my parents are talking about coming and her parents are coming for sure. Guess I have to do it now. I plan on running some races in the interim to make sure I am always working towards something. Problem is that Micah will be gone until August so I might have to start running one or two by myself - which I'm not good at. If you want to run a race with me by all means let me know! I want to start with another couple 5ks, work to a 10k and then go from there. Once I have a schedule figured out, I will put it on here so it's official.<br /><br />Last time I posted I talked about the Detox that we tried. We really liked doing it and are going to keep up some of the same ideas. We want to cut out processed foods completely to include refined sugars and flours. I have realized that these make me crash big time and I enjoyed not feeling that when I wasn't eating them. I am not going to cut out wheat and gluten entirely but I do want to limit them because my body likes me more when I avoid them. I definitely need to start doing something because ever since the race I have been eating like crap and I haven't run ONCE. I need to fix this and plan on doing so right after I visit the cities this weekend. :)<br /><br />I hope to keep this updated more. School is over for the summer so I have a lot more time. I will add some great recipes in the future!Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-78884860945162993712011-04-25T14:17:00.001-05:002011-04-25T18:32:54.491-05:00Test 5k and new adventure...<div><p>Long time no post, huh? Last week was Spring Break and I got some fun work outs in. My friend and I decided to try our hands at some of the group fitness classes at our gym since we didn't have school getting in the way. ;) We tried Zumba first which was an interesting experience. My cousin has been taking zumba classes and has lost a good amount of weight and looks AWESOME so I figured it was at least worth a try. We had fun and I was definitely sweating after but I know I looked like a flailing idiot for the entire hour. It was nowhere near as bad as the step class we tried the next day. I could not figure the stupid thing out. Every time I figured out the footwork she would change it upon me and I'd be lost. It was infuriating. Needless to say, I will not be trying that class again. Ha.</p>
<p>I did get a couple runs in as well, the longest being Saturday. In my training plan I am up to the straight runs between 20-25 minutes. I had done 20 on the treadmill earlier in the week and since the treadmill is far easier I wanted to try outside to see how long I could go. Micah and I headed over to the route for the Berbee Derbee 5k and started running. It was great on the way out and the small cramp that I got was easy to work through. Then I turned around and the wind was CRAZY. Mother nature chose that exact moment to start pushing in a storm front and I was miserable. Plus, the way back has a lot more hills anyway. I was able to keep going until about 23 minutes and I had the worst cramp. I walked for a bit and then ran/walked the rest of the 3.1. I finished in 36 minutes and I was soooooooooo disappointed as I  had hoped to be a little closer to the 30 minute mark. I know the the wind sucked but I was trying not to make excuses.</p>
<p>Since I have to keep upping the length of straight running time, if the weather cooperates, I am hoping to keep running this course. That way I can gauge my progress and maybe even finish a practice 5k before the race (which is under 3 weeks away!!). I think I can get myself up to that point in the next three weeks and thankfully Micah is really helping me out by running with me when he's home. I have such a great husband. :)</p>
<p>In other news, I'm starting up a business and I'm super nervous. I'm not talking a little nervous when I think about it but like nervous all the time. I am starting to sell Arbonne which is a company that makes skin care, make-up and nutritional products.  I am starting it because I need to find a way to bring in an income this summer and while I student teach in the fall. Student teaching is a great thing for getting certified and teaching but not so much for the wallet since I get paid NOTHING - I actually pay the school. Haha. Since Micah is in school too, I have to figure something out and I really don't want to go back to waitressing and bartending since late nights and early mornings don't go well together. </p>
<p>Now Micah and I have been using the products for years so I'm not worried that the company is bogus or that the products suck because I know that's not the case. I'm worried that I'm not going to make enough or that I'm going to fail. I am stepping so far outside my comfort zone that I hope I can really do this. The timing of it is hard, too. In order for me to get started, I have to have my first parties (where I get trained) over Memorial Day weekend. Who wants to give up that weekend? However, if I don't get the parties in that weekend I may have to wait until late June because my trainer will be gone to Iceland for the Air Guard.  By that time we won't have had an income for a couple weeks, so that's scary. I am hoping I can make this work because I love the products and can learn some very valuable skills that would make me a better teacher, too (hello public speaking). Keep your fingers crossed for me. Good thing running relieves stress, right?</p>
<p>P.s. wrote this on the blogger apparently on my phone. Hopefully It works and I will edit for grammar and spelling later. :)</p>
</div>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-43377792609883130322011-04-12T21:05:00.003-05:002011-04-13T12:19:28.613-05:00To detox or not to detox....So I was looking into doing a 28 day detox. It's a program designed by Arbonne. If you haven't heard of Arbonne, look it up! It's a great, all natural company that has amazing products from skin care to make-up to supplements. Micah and I talked about it a little and decided to sort of tweek the program to fit our lives a little better. First off, it's not a cheap program to do it completely through Arbonne and it's just not an expense that we're willing to splurge on. Plus, part of it is a 7 day cleanse which I've already done and let's just say, wasn't the most amazing experience and I never want to do it again. So the plan (at least for me) for the next 28 days is less dairy, less to no wheat, less to no gluten, and no sugar. Doesn't that sound horrible? It's basically primal eating - which if you don't know what that is, look it up. A couple of our friends have done it and had wonderful results so I'm trying it. There are a couple of other reasons that I'm trying it, too. After larger amounts of wheat/gluten/carbs, I'm always so tired. I'm hoping this will help keep my energy up! Plus, there are so many great products on the market that have more nutritional value that I'd like to try like quinoa pasta, brown rice pasta, spelt flour/bread, etc.<br /><br />I'm not quite sure if Micah is going to get into it quite as much as I am but he's definitely interested. It's more just about eating healthy to us. I'll probably modify again after this is done but I would still like to keep any sort of processed food out of my diet. One thing that you're supposed to do is to stop all consumption of alcohol....we will not be doing this. :) I can only give up so much.<br /><br />After Easter, because I have Spring Break next week, I'm also going to start to try to work out in the morning. Working out in the afternoon is hard for me because if I EVER have homework, then working out gets the boot. It'd be nice to be able to come home, do some homework, cook some dinner and have a relaxing night. I've tried this in the past and failed miserably but I am going to try it again anyway. Hopefully it will work a little better this time as I don't think I'll have to get up quite as early as previously. Hopefully, it'll warm up again and I can run outside in the morning which takes even less time than going to the gym.<br /><br />So, do you think I can do it? Everyone thinks I'm crazy, but let's hope. I'm going to measure and weigh tomorrow or Friday and maaaaaaaaybe I'll post it. I'm hoping to see a difference before I spend 2 weeks in a bikini. :)Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-55864937748347040982011-04-03T17:44:00.003-05:002011-04-03T18:44:27.710-05:00Happy Spring???Is it really Spring? You wouldn't know it up here or I guess I should say that depending on the day you don't know it. Yesterday it was 50 and today it's cold, rainy and windy. YUCK! I was hoping that by this time I would be running outside more often but sadly, that has only been able to happen twice. Yesterday was one of those days, though and I found a wonderful (and free) new trainer! His name is Bascom and he's my 9 month old Golden Retriever (cutest on the Planet!). Micah had taken him out for a run the other day and since the dog was going stir crazy, I decided to take him with me yesterday. He was great. He pulled just enough to get me to run a little faster which was exactly what I needed. His favorite part was getting to the off-leash section of the park where he was able to run free and run he did....like the crazy dog he is. :)<br /><br />Training has been going pretty well. I had to re-vamp my schedule a little as life had gotten in the way just a bit and I was about a week behind. No big deal, though because I'm perfectly on track for the 5k now. Runs are getting more challenging which is a little scary. This week I'm re-doing week 5 because it's supposed to be nicer so I can run outside based on distance as opposed to just time because I know that I don't run the 9 or 10 minute mile they expect. It's kind of nice that I have the ability to do that because this week is Micah's birthday week and there are a couple of nights out to eat that will mess with my schedule a little. I'm hoping to still fit a run in before dinner tomorrow night with our parents but I don't know if it'll actually happen with the longer school days now. I do feel good that I worked out 3 times last week. I was going for 4 but my spinning class was so hard on Wednesday that the instructor suggested we take two days off. I was sore and obliged. :)<br /><br />I feel like I've been eating pretty well lately, too. We went out on Thursday and I ordered a great salad from the Great Dane. It is their take on Panzanella and Caprese Salad. It uses Pita Bread instead of a regular Italian bread and I think I only ate 2 of the slices of cheese, made for a pretty healthy salad. Tomorrow might not be quite as healthy as we're going for sushi and sometimes I just don't know how to stop with sushi. Tonight I was going to take Micah out for some yummy dinner but because his drill went soooooooo long he's just grabbing take-out from Granite City on the way home - still yummy! I am not deciding how healthy I want to be...pasta just sounds goooooooood.<br /><br />I'm not seeing a lot so far as far as weight-loss but I am noticing that my pants and tops are fitting a little differently. I'm hoping that later this week I'll see a little more when I'm not retaining water. ;)<br /><br />Anyway, I said I would throw a recipe in every time I blog and I will not back out on that promise. Last weekend I was craving chocolate but I didn't want it to be horrible for me. I found (<a href="http://www.erinsfoodfiles.com/2008/11/fantastic-fudgy-brownies.html">this</a>) recipe for some yummy and fudgy brownies that only have 132 calories per brownie. They were a great snack with some of the strawberries I've been hoarding now that they're on sale. Try them. They were even hubby approved. I highly recommend a high quality bittersweet chocolate and powder as it makes all the difference.<br /><br />Anyway, off to grab a card and some candles for the hubby's birthday cake. I'll post a picture later this week. I successfully made a two tier cake and I'm VERY proud of myself. It's preeeeeetty. Have a good week all.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-88332623591380671712011-03-21T21:15:00.002-05:002011-03-21T21:56:50.350-05:00I SUUUUUUUCK....at this blogging thing. What has it been, three weeks since I said I would blog? Ugh.<br /><br />I've really been sucking at eating well which is a big problem. I thought I was doing well last week and then St. Patty's day hit. I ate corned beef and cabbage and then kept going over the weekend with pizza AND chinese. Ugh! I wish I could say that I have been keeping up with my working out but I'm about 2 workouts behind. <br /><br />Life keeps getting in the way and I'm trying to work around it but it's hard. I was able to run outside for the first time this weekend and that was awesome. Best part about it was that I got Micah to go with me. Why is that a big deal? Well...Micah tends to ignore me when I talk about working out at all. He's just in better shape than me at his base level so I get frustrated when we try to work out together. It doesn't help that he is 6'1" and his legs are like 20 feet longer than mine. Also, I may have yelled at him a couple of times in the past when he has finished and come back to run by me. I know that he is trying to motivate me but it feels like he's lapping me and I get frustrated and yell and him. Oops. I'm trying to convince him to help me again because he is the closest person to me so he can be the best motivation. I may have scared him off, though.<br /><br />Alright, I'm going to try and keep a weekly goal. It's a little more attainable than thinking about over a month from now. My main goal is to work out 4 times this week, including my spinning class. I went to spinning two weeks ago and fell in love again. I don't know why I ever gave it up! My goal for working out is tomorrow (run), Wednesday (spinning), Friday (run) and one day this weekend (run). Let's hope I can keep it up!<br /><br />Alright....I know at least one person is interested in some of the recipes I've tried lately so I'll try to post one every time I blog. I'll start my recipes with the first and best meal of the day - BREAKFAST!! This is one of Micah and my new favorite weekend breakfasts. Paired up with a little fruit salad, it's such a great and hearty breakfast that can be made with pretty much anything you have on hand. Who doesn't like eggs, toast and cheese? The recipe can be found on the cooking blog Framed (<a href="http://framed-mylifeonepictureatatime.blogspot.com/2009/09/egg-and-toast-mix-ups.html"></a>). Micah and I always use just egg whites and add different vegetables or leftovers we have on hand including: tomato, green onions, chicken, turkey, etc. I think it would be great with a little avocado or spinach...hum...guess I'll have to try that next time! I normally have one with a little fruit and Micah has two. Fills us up well and if you use some good quality whole wheat/grain bread, you'll get the extra fiber to keep you full!<br /><br />Have a great week everyone. Hopefully I can stick to my plan!Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-37421327312892367932011-03-08T10:05:00.006-06:002011-03-09T20:22:38.689-06:00I'm baaaaack...I'm going to try this whole blogging thing again but this time for a better cause. I stepped on the scale at the gym yesterday and was SO disappointed in myself. The past year of grad school full-time and working full-time has not left me with much time to take care of myself and apparently that has taken its toll. I'm ready to change that! It's time to make time for working out and to get my butt in gear! <br /><br />So, I've decided to train for a 5k. I am not a runner and never have been. I've started training once before but I've never been able to complete the training successfully since I've still never run more than 2 miles straight. I want to change that. One, because I hate failing and two, because running is something I can fit in to my busy schedule since all I need is pavement. Since Micah and I were trying to plan a trip to Hawaii I figured that was going to be the best motivation I could find. So, on May 15, on the beautiful island of Oahu, I will (hopefully) complete my first 5k.<br /><br />So why blog about it? Mainly because I need motivation BADLY! I am the queen of justifying everything and I am hoping that if I can keep a record of my workout schedule, weight lost and some yummy, healthy recipes that I'll have an easier time sticking to my plan. I'm hoping it'll be a way that I can track my progress so it'll be easier to motivate myself to keep going. Plus, one of my good friends started this awesome blog with some friends that she's training with...so I'm really copying her. :)<br /><br />I have made a couple of short term goals that I'm hoping to accomplish by the time I step on that plane to Hawaii. <br /><br />1. Lose 10 pounds - depending on what scale I use I am either 152 (gym scale) or 148 (home scale). My lowest weight was 133 and I was very confident and thought I looked great at that weight. I'd like to get back to that eventually but I think 10 pounds is a reasonable start.<br /><br />2. Complete a 5k- Duh! That's the whole point of this blog. I am not worried about how fast or slow I do it, I just want to FINISH!<br /><br />3. Eat Healthy - With our busy schedule, Micah and I have sort of fallen off the healthy band-wagon. Quick fixes and eating out has become far too frequent and I don't even want to think about how much sodium we've had in the past few months. I did some batch cooking the other day so hopefully the fact that there is quick and easy stuff in the freezer will help with this!<br /><br />4. Work out at least 3 times a week - I'm hoping that some weeks I'll be able to work out more but I would like this to be my starting point. I think this will be hard enough with class two nights a week and a puppy at home.<br /><br />So help me out! Keep me motivated! Ask me if I've been working out. Or just read and enjoy the recipes I hope to post. I'm off to a good start with a run/lift day on Monday and spinning tonight and I'm loving the feeling. Hopefully I can keep it up!Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-35969242152304437392009-08-27T20:53:00.002-05:002009-08-27T21:14:08.429-05:00Tuna Pan BagnatMicah and I love road trips and surprisingly we do really well in the car. We've even made it 19 hours in one day! When we do go on vacation we're C-H-E-A-P! We bring a huge cooler with food that we can make throughout the trip and always bring a grill. For the actual road tripping part we love <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/rachaels-tuna-pan-bagnat-recipe/index.html">this sandwich</a>. I make it before we leave and wrap it in some parchment or wax paper and they're so great after sitting a couple days. The olive oil begins to seep into the bread and the flavors just meld so much better. <br /><br />Now you'll have to decide what kind of bread you want to use. My dad raised me on breads with hard crusts. He always said that it wasn't good bread unless it cut the roof of your mouth and I totally agree. Micah on the other hand, does not. It's up to you but Rachel suggests a crusty bread. I'm sure you could make this with some good quality canned tuna but I always make it with the tuna steak. <br /><br />I don't have any pictures of this but I made it when I went camping last month. They worked out just as good as always and I had leftovers to take to work, too. I made a potato salad to go with it - blog entry to follow!Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-24717247761078419572009-08-27T20:35:00.004-05:002009-08-27T20:50:06.299-05:00Happy (late) Fourth of July!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYqtLNONj4s2ZRHdVvOOLrEwCgr-xvjAHpaDYlPrQFoU8aXrSOlsDhkf0ll5OvUqyapBmrvUAIwhL5_6-lTxVXq9VdTpAegzV8NNBwEpfJrNULohKf6PnNCNQWdaBwGcWBLTp5J-QXN8l/s1600-h/brewer+007.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYqtLNONj4s2ZRHdVvOOLrEwCgr-xvjAHpaDYlPrQFoU8aXrSOlsDhkf0ll5OvUqyapBmrvUAIwhL5_6-lTxVXq9VdTpAegzV8NNBwEpfJrNULohKf6PnNCNQWdaBwGcWBLTp5J-QXN8l/s320/brewer+007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374825058693846194" /></a><br />I wanted to find an amazing dessert to make for the fourth and I saw this one on <a href="http://17andbaking.com/2009/07/01/a-little-taste-of-independence/">17 and Baking</a>. I had no idea if I'd be able to pull it off but it turned out being much easier than I imagined. If I make it again I need to try to use 8in pans because the layers ended up being too thin. Also, I didn't cut them very evenly so it made for somewhat of an odd shaped flag. Haha. I will admit that I cheated and used boxed cake. I did doctor it up a bit and made it a lime cake. Instead of using just water I used half the amount in lime juice and also threw in some lime zest. For the frosting I used homemade cream cheese frosting and I subbed in lime juice and zest in that as well. I was worried that it would be overwhelming but it was so great. The link is above that gives detailed instructions on how to assemble the cake. Enjoy!<br /><br />******Please notice the beautiful flowers my husband sent me (and ignore the beer bottles)******Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-20702342056263336062009-08-18T21:41:00.003-05:002009-08-18T22:04:29.668-05:00Shrimp Scampi on Couscous<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3f1fEIt8ogt9SrDXjC3i8n_cQfq8vbygeJ-sx2uFyeO4S0V12r-lPyMPvb0YWkLPBJ83JlO3s798IFd0qPHbIr2AZgoZfECLIELItfBxqsqJ0BlIJSBqRrRBDuY9oL9FAEBqjro3dPpU4/s1600-h/food+099.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3f1fEIt8ogt9SrDXjC3i8n_cQfq8vbygeJ-sx2uFyeO4S0V12r-lPyMPvb0YWkLPBJ83JlO3s798IFd0qPHbIr2AZgoZfECLIELItfBxqsqJ0BlIJSBqRrRBDuY9oL9FAEBqjro3dPpU4/s320/food+099.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371505365270857858" /></a><br />I made this as the main dish when I had Liz over last month. I'm not going to lie that I like to impress people with cooking. I needed to have a theme, though. She had us over a couple weeks before and had gone Mexican so I had to find another avenue. I chose Italian. Of course, I took out my Giada cookbook and looked through it. This recipe seemed light enough for summer but still had my tastebuds watering. I have to admit that it wasn't the easiest thing to make quickly or without making a mess. However, if I had worked my time frame out better, you can actually make the messy part the day before. I suggest doing that if you're making this for guests. Enjoy this, sorry the picture isn't amazing. It needs something green in it!<br /><br />Scampi on Couscous (from Everyday Italian cookbook)<br />1/2 cup plus 1 Tbl EVOO<br />1 small onion, chopped<br />1 carrot, peeled and chopped<br />3 garlic cloves, minced<br />2 (8 ounce) cans chopped tomatoes in their juice<br />1 ( 8 ounce) bottle clam juice (I used chicken broth)<br />1/4 cup dry white wine<br />1 tsp salt, plus more to taste<br />1/4 tsp pepper<br />about 1 1/4 cups water<br />2 cups plain couscous<br />2# large shrimp, peeled and deveined<br />juice of 1 lemon<br />1 Tbl chopped fres parsley<br />1 tsp dried crushed red pepper flakes<br /><br />Heat 1/4 cup oil over medium high flame. When almost smoking, add onion, carrow and half of the garlic and saute until the onion is soft (5 minutes). Add the tomatoes with their juice, clam juice, wine, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper. Bring to a boi and simmer uncovered until the liquid reduces and the tomatoes break down, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Carefully transfer the tomato mixture to the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth, adding water a couple of Tbl at a time to form a broth consistency. (This is the part that can be made a day ahead. Bring the broth back up to a simmer before continuing.)<br /><br />In saucepan, combine 2 cups of tom broth, 1 cup of water and 1 Tbl oil. Bring the mixture to a boil, then stir in the couscous. Remove from the heat. cover and sed aside until absorbed. Season with S&P. Keep the remaining tomato broth warm<br /><br />In a large skilled, heat the remaining 1/4 of oil over a medium flame. Add the remaining garlic and sute until fragrant, about 20 secs. Add the shrimp and saute until the shrimp just begins to turn pink, about 5 mins. remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, parley, red pepper flakes and the remaining salt.<br /><br />Spoon the couscous into the center of serving plates and top with the shrimp. Spoon some of the remaining tomato broth around the couscous and serve.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-13733704235791905622009-08-18T21:20:00.002-05:002009-08-18T21:40:27.280-05:00Triple Chocolate Rum CakeAll I can say about this is....yum!!! Someone at work brought this in for her birthday and I had to ask for the recipe. I had a friend over the other month and I made this for dessert. Frankly, I think we ate more of this than the actual dinner - 2 pieces each! Plus, I was finally able to use the bundt pan that my sister got me at my bridal shower. Please make this, it's amazingly yummy and super easy. I made it the night before and just kept it in the fridge. I brought it up to room temp and dusted with a little powdered sugar before serving.
<br />
<br />Triple Chocolate Rum Cake (from recipezaar.com)
<br />Ingredients
<br />Cake
<br />1 (18 ounce) box chocolate cake mix</a>
<br />1 (2 7/8 ounce) box <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=888">instant chocolate pudding mix</a>
<br />1/2 cup <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=180">rum</a>
<br />4 <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=142">eggs</a>
<br />1/2 cup <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=360">low-fat milk</a>
<br />1/2 cup <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=387">canola oil</a>
<br />1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips</a>
<br />Glaze
<br />4 tablespoons <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=141">butter</a>
<br />1/2 cup <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=180">rum</a>
<br />1/2 cup <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=139">sugar</a>
<br />1/4 teaspoon <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=350">vanilla</a>
<br />Toppings
<br />
<br />whipped cream</a>
<br />Directions
<br />1Preheat oven to 350°F Spray and flour a bundt pan. (As always, I highly recommend Kittencal's recipe #78579 ).
<br />2Mix all cake ingredients *except chocolate chips* in a large bowl. Mix with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium speed for 2 minutes.
<br />3Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with chocolate chips and gently swirl them into the batter.
<br />4Bake the cake for 45 minutes or until done when tested with a toothpick.
<br />5Pull cake from oven and set it aside on a wire rack.
<br />6Immediately make the glaze by bringing butter, rum, and sugar, to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla.
<br />7Using a toothpick, poke holes all over the bottom of the hot cake. Slowly pour glaze over the bottom of the cake and let soak in and cool completely.
<br />8Invert cake from pan, dust with powdered sugar and serve with raspberries and whipped cream.
<br />
<br />Sorry, I have no pictures. I find it weird taking pictures before eating when you have guests over.
<br />Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-26521271394567348422009-06-16T20:43:00.004-05:002009-06-17T08:28:36.536-05:00Light Sesame Chicken<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSNJuKKHVubzgNZTVNNI33sahErAM0dQEG0LbciSX1SKVMNMcrlAp4CojOcmAOV_XchSeJ8Hi4bh9m90SQ1DSQbJTRJW6no50fjFaaaXHk_DUAY6u4UKC4pLfliPSTFj-8iL8Qyp0U5Ti/s1600-h/food+092.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348110061839311058" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNSNJuKKHVubzgNZTVNNI33sahErAM0dQEG0LbciSX1SKVMNMcrlAp4CojOcmAOV_XchSeJ8Hi4bh9m90SQ1DSQbJTRJW6no50fjFaaaXHk_DUAY6u4UKC4pLfliPSTFj-8iL8Qyp0U5Ti/s320/food+092.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />So Chinese food is by all means my favorite take out food/hungover food but I hate how horrible it is for you. I love looking for healthier versions of my favorite Chinese dishes. My all time favorite is wonton soup and while I've found a recipe I have yet to make it. One of my go to main dishes is Sesame Chicken but I hate that Chinese places fry the chicken first. I saw this recipe and I had to try it. It was AMAZING! It tasted so much like the take-out version and it was 12 times healthier. I did take the advice of blog I found this from and doubled the sauce. It took a little while for it to thicken up so keep that in mind when you're first cooking the chicken. I think I could have cooked it a little less in the beginning since it had to cook another 3-5 minutes to thicken the sauce. I boiled some broccoli (couldn't find my steamer) and had some leftover rice with it. It was great. I literally had to stop myself from eating it so I didn't gorge myself. If you like Chinese Food, try this! Wonton soup is on my list to tackle next. :)<br /><br />Light Sesame Chicken<br />Found on <a href="http://mrsdlovestoeat.blogspot.com/2009/02/light-sesame-chicken.html">Mrs. D Loves to Eat</a> but from <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/">Martha</a><br /><br />1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch chunks <div align="left">3 Tbsp. honey</div><div align="left">2 Tbsp. sesame seeds </div><div align="left">2 Tbsp. soy sauce</div><div align="left">1/2 tsp. garlic powder</div><div align="left">2 large egg whites</div><div align="left">1/4 cup all-purpose flour</div><div align="left">1 Tbsp. vegetable or canola oil</div><div align="left">4 scallions, thinly sliced</div><div align="left">In a small bowl, combine honey, sesame seeds, soy sauce and garlic; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites and flour. Add chicken; season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.</div><div align="left">In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken. Cook, turning occasionally, for 6-8 minutes, or until golden and opaque throughout. Transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining oil and chicken. </div><div align="left">Return all chicken to skillet. Add reserved sauce and scallions, and toss to coat. Serve over steamed broccoli and white or brown rice.</div>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-85366328869667858732009-06-16T20:30:00.002-05:002009-06-16T20:43:15.320-05:00Taco Pasta SaladYum! We went to Noah's Ark the other day for Red Arrow day and Hannah's birthday. Since it was a brigade function the FRG set up a a pavilion and we had to bring a dish to share along with the hot dogs. I wanted to bring something that Erin and I could use as a main dish since neither of us like hot dogs. I saw this on Cara's blog and thought it'd be perfect. I picked up a Rotisserie Chicken (my fav go to thing to buy) so that I could add some chicken to it so it was a little more hearty. This salad turned out great! It was healthy and filling which was perfect for spending a day in a bathing suit. I used a bottled salsa in it and I think next time I will try to use more of a pico de gallo salsa as it'll give it a little more crunch. Also, I'd love to find some Wagon Wheel pasta since that's what it calls for but of course my grocery store doesn't have any. I think this might become my go to pot luck dish. <br /><br />I don't have a picture of this one since I made it in a tupperware to be taken to the water park so I'll just link it directly to Cara's website. You all should definitly make this! Here is the <a href="http://carascravings.blogspot.com/2009/05/wagon-wheel-taco-pasta-salad.html">recipe</a>.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-12680642517781523782009-06-16T17:32:00.004-05:002009-06-16T17:53:30.792-05:00Crock Pot White Bean and Sausage Soup<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3mfvD-VRkqBQf5K1lzGg8OXi05SyiqGBvUCwZ43-kmH7rTxeRhevJEdSYM9WJVO96-VUUWILl-QZHvPSiGBbujyJdVNyWX3yxe6fTzDyRCpjCR2Kzkuxl5xFRwdKJI8IVhXn8DP5shh1a/s1600-h/food+085.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3mfvD-VRkqBQf5K1lzGg8OXi05SyiqGBvUCwZ43-kmH7rTxeRhevJEdSYM9WJVO96-VUUWILl-QZHvPSiGBbujyJdVNyWX3yxe6fTzDyRCpjCR2Kzkuxl5xFRwdKJI8IVhXn8DP5shh1a/s320/food+085.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348062110814410994" border="0" /></a><br />The crock pot is one of my favorite things. Especially during the week when I'm busy after work with working out and getting the dog exercised. I made this over the weekend so that I could have leftovers during the week. I had made it once previously when I was moving and it was great as leftovers! I think that, as a rule, soup is almost better as leftovers! This soup is the easiest and it's pretty healthy. This time I made it even easier by using frozen mixed veggies as I didn't have any fresh on hand. I also used some previously made and frozen homemade veggie stock mixed with boxed chicken broth. It turned out great and it actually looks much fresher with the frozen veggies I used. Also, the recipe calls for the hot turkey sausage but my grocery store never has that. Both times I've used the sweet turkey sausage and it turns out fine. I do think it'd be better with the spicy turkey sausage so next time I see it I'll be sure to stock up!<br /><br />I love the website that this came from. She uses the crock pot everyday to make her food. I have found a ton of different crock pot recipes from her and I'm hoping to be able to use the crock pot once a week! Here's the recipe with my changes!<br /><br />White Bean and Sausage Soup<br />From: <a href="http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/05/crockpot-white-bean-and-sausage-soup.html">A Year of Slow Cooking</a><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">--1 can white kidney beans</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">--1 can pinto beans</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">--1 can garbanzo beans</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">--1 t thyme</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">--2-4 spicy chicken or turkey sausage<span style="font-weight: bold;"> (I used three and I took it out of the casing and broke it up into the broth as there was no direction of what to do with it and this made the most sense to me)<br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">--1/2 chopped yellow onion <span style="font-weight: bold;">(I used more than this)</span><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;">--1/2 cup leftover rice pilaf (if you want to use raw rice, you should have enough liquid to add 1/4 to 1/3 cup without losing soupiness)</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">--2 cups chopped fresh vegetables (I had broccoli, carrots, asparagus<span style="font-weight: bold;">--as I said above I used frozen mixed veggies</span>)</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">--1 quart chicken or vegetable broth <span style="font-weight: bold;">(I used half homemade veggie broth and the rest boxed chx broth)</span><br /></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><br /><br /><div><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">The Directions.</span></strong></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Drain your beans (I didn't rinse, for no reason other than sheer laziness <span style="font-weight: bold;">-- I rinsed 'cause I'm a sodium freak</span>) and throw them into your crock. Chop up whatever vegetables you are going to use in tiny pieces. Break up sausage and add.<br /></span><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Cook on low for 6-9 hours, or on high for 4-5. The soup is done when it's heated through and the vegetables are tender, but it's not going to hurt anything to cook it longer and give the flavors more time to meld. <span style="font-weight: bold;">(This time I cooked on high for about 5 hours but last time I let it cook on low all day. I think it was a little better cooked on low all day)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-6472148167681426742009-06-16T17:05:00.003-05:002009-06-16T17:28:45.262-05:00Tangy Tilapia with Zucchini Boats<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5Zo3DBIEvYPq7e8SO7F7AhEZZNVYdDqfZ391CWrUUcAe1-rlIZDCf-pj6oiByBjgFZ8zF1FvxoPLX_1wZNBiz04Pp2Yolp91v6jMy3JLZ2DFL9IG_kFuF_rjob3rBaRKT7q9Nog_xw1F/s1600-h/food+084.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih5Zo3DBIEvYPq7e8SO7F7AhEZZNVYdDqfZ391CWrUUcAe1-rlIZDCf-pj6oiByBjgFZ8zF1FvxoPLX_1wZNBiz04Pp2Yolp91v6jMy3JLZ2DFL9IG_kFuF_rjob3rBaRKT7q9Nog_xw1F/s320/food+084.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348054792551482370" border="0" /></a><br />So I've been trying to eat healthier again. The past month has sort of been on and off with making food and eating out. Sometimes I just get convinced by the ease of ordering in, especially when it's just me! Anyway, I love fish and it's so good for you. When I went to the store Tilapia was on sale so I bought two bags of it. I saw this recipe on a great cooking blog and thought it sounded great. It goes along with the asparagus soup I made before in that it uses cottage cheese as a filler. This was very good. Only problem was that I made the whole bag of Tilapia which was about 6 pieces. Since it was just me, after the fourth meal of this I was tired of it. I did end up throwing a little bit of it away, horrible I know! It was great though, just make the actual portion size below or make it for more than one person! <br /><br />Recipe can be found at <a href="http://carascravings.blogspot.com/2008/10/tangy-tomato-tilapia-stuffed-zucchini.html">Cara's Cravings</a>. Check out her blog, it's great!Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-79995920661409011032009-06-02T21:23:00.004-05:002009-06-03T15:57:22.770-05:00Rachel Ray's Buffalo Joes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhReUeJdVYGwTGboclVooC2slF2nNIWR7WkKJ-0XZYKWvelX5SqnsoomdFukXhyQ3BU8W2aLhaeaqlKKd_YGnaxA5vH1z2AedQYv8LXPDF-WlpLPt49dfdoGvbL8-lx2AtdRS_0ikTddChN/s1600-h/food+076.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342922343783965346" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhReUeJdVYGwTGboclVooC2slF2nNIWR7WkKJ-0XZYKWvelX5SqnsoomdFukXhyQ3BU8W2aLhaeaqlKKd_YGnaxA5vH1z2AedQYv8LXPDF-WlpLPt49dfdoGvbL8-lx2AtdRS_0ikTddChN/s320/food+076.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />This is one of Micah's fav dishes and it's so easy to make. I made it the other night quickly before taking the dog for a walk and then just re-heated it when I got back. The recipe says to put blue cheese on the top but we found that a little over-whelming. However, we may have gotten skunky blue cheese. I used feta this time because feta is good with everything. I put the pickles on this time as well and it was nice. Added a little crunch. I do add a little extra hot sauce, and I'm a heat wimp so I think anybody else who makes this definitely should. The recipe also calls for turkey but I use chicken. I halved the recipe this time but when Micah's here we easily go through the whole recipe in a couple days.<br />Here's the recipe as I made it:<br /><br />Buffalo Sloppy Joes:<br /><ul><li>2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil </li><li>2 pounds ground chicken<br /></li><li>1 carrot, peeled and chopped or grated</li><li>2 stalks celery, chopped </li><li>1 yellow onion, finely chopped </li><li>2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated</li><li>Salt and freshly ground black pepper </li><li>2 tablespoons red wine vinegar</li><li>2 tablespoons brown sugar</li><li>1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce </li><li>1/4 to 1/3 cup hot sauce (recommended: Frank's Red Hot)</li><li>1 cup tomato sauce </li><li>1 cup chicken stock </li><li>8 good quality burger rolls, split and toasted </li><li>1 cup Feta crumbles</li><li>2 large dill pickles, chopped</li></ul><h2><span style="font-size:100%;">Directions</span></h2><p>Heat a large skillet with extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add meat and break it up with wooden spoon, cook 5 to 6 minutes. Add in carrots, celery, onions and garlic, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, cook 7 to 8 minutes more. In a bowl combine the vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire, hot sauce, tomato sauce and stock. Pour into the pan and stir to combine. Simmer a few minutes more. Pile sloppy Buffalo filling onto buns and top with blue cheese and chopped pickles. </p>This is the best side dish for it too: <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/mashed-potato-skins-recipe/index.html">Mashed Potato Skins</a><br />It's from a Rachel Ray episode of guiltless pleasures. I used turkey bacon in the potatoes. Enjoy!Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-84142883198566926482009-06-02T21:11:00.003-05:002009-06-02T21:20:30.319-05:00Wilton Cake Class<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7b1MA66pQn5373KgWr-6p1-rlBNNd_YpmJHWGqMJhvWoJ42PSY-Umr-STWd1eTXlrSINvsG3-9jcgtizhXJgbm9KqYxenTBxsm5NBm3mDvpbFJHehllBKM6aCLVxqPs_1fFW5gNgocVQ/s1600-h/IMG00046.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk7b1MA66pQn5373KgWr-6p1-rlBNNd_YpmJHWGqMJhvWoJ42PSY-Umr-STWd1eTXlrSINvsG3-9jcgtizhXJgbm9KqYxenTBxsm5NBm3mDvpbFJHehllBKM6aCLVxqPs_1fFW5gNgocVQ/s320/IMG00046.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342919124263685346" border="0" /></a><br />So I took the first Wilton cake decorating class. It was a lot of fun to learn and now I am the official "cake baker." Haha. For our first cake we had to bring in our own design so I drew one up. It turned out really nice I think. I tried to re-make our wedding cake with it. It was chocolate cake filled with chocolate ganache and raspberry filling. I didn't have just raspberries so I used mixed berries. The cake was really good. Again, for times sake, I used a cake mix but my cake tasters didn't seem to mind. I'm really just posting this to brag a little bit. I think I did pretty well and I can only get better from here. :)<br /><br />Last weekend, for multiple birthdays - including Brewers - I was asked to re-create this cake. My aunt wanted chocolate frosting instead of the white frosting. I used <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/07/you-are-owed-chocolate-cake/">this</a> recipe from Smitten Kitchen, which is one of my favorite blogs. Everyone loved it but I thought it was a little rich. I also think that I may have overcooked the cake layers as they weren't quite as moist as I would have hoped for. I just don't think I can do the chocolate on chocolate. I still think it's best with buttercream! I didn't get a picture of the before (probably for the best since I misspelled birthday) but here it is after.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztQ3vAQhj4xGq9WhySFGACIYehCcj9fuOR8MENth8UeD9uYRpq5feDbXdBcY7omN3ueKqM5VWOjSaOEdTEUbSMFB-kulubVYYEAX6X6WgI3vP6o3rEPvA0nmHw_NDwEdkiHE4C8FBl9jd/s1600-h/grad+045.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhztQ3vAQhj4xGq9WhySFGACIYehCcj9fuOR8MENth8UeD9uYRpq5feDbXdBcY7omN3ueKqM5VWOjSaOEdTEUbSMFB-kulubVYYEAX6X6WgI3vP6o3rEPvA0nmHw_NDwEdkiHE4C8FBl9jd/s320/grad+045.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342920442568179250" border="0" /></a>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-70734940379644157752009-06-02T21:02:00.003-05:002009-06-02T21:10:52.654-05:00Creamy Asparagus Soup<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5q-NanotDr07fFyjicH9yotsnuOAH3qSSHRxsuE2U-Xo_k6uWetra3TZDlRo8H120L1nkLoEo3D54SnDy3XwDlVgGh0dFhDq-BQ8rL6-QalHWU36N1JpibXxDNib7EQCezgtxndMnHUVp/s1600-h/food+071.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5q-NanotDr07fFyjicH9yotsnuOAH3qSSHRxsuE2U-Xo_k6uWetra3TZDlRo8H120L1nkLoEo3D54SnDy3XwDlVgGh0dFhDq-BQ8rL6-QalHWU36N1JpibXxDNib7EQCezgtxndMnHUVp/s320/food+071.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342916525107278114" border="0" /></a><br />I'm always looking for healthy ways to make things that aren't always that healthy. This recipe is one of those. Instead of using cream to thicken the soup you use cottage cheese that you blend in. I have to admit, I was quite skeptical at first because I don't like cottage cheese, but this was so good. I did add some garlic toast which made it even better. I think it might have been better the next day. When I took it to work I put a little parmesan cheese in it and it gave a sort of salty, nutty flavor.<br /><br /><br />Asparagus Soup<br />From: <a href="http://carascravings.blogspot.com/2009/04/healthiest-creamiest-soup-youll-ever.html">Cara's Cravings</a><br /><br />1 tsp olive oil<br />1/4 cup chopped onion<br />2 garlic cloves, minced<br />1 1-lb bunch fresh asparagus<br />freshly ground salt & pepper<br />1 tsp Greek seasoning<br />2 cups chicken broth<br />6oz low fat cottage cheese<br />1/4 cup nonfat milk<br /><br />Break off the tough ends of the asparagus and discard. Chop asparagus into 1/4 inch pieces. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for about 7 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add asparagus, salt & pepper, and seasoning and stir to combine. Add chicken broth; this should be enough to just cover the vegetables in the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 10-15 minutes until vegetables are tender.<br /><br />Blend together the cottage cheese and milk in a blender or in a separate container using an immersion blender, until completely smooth. Set aside.<br /><br />Remove the soup from heat and process until smooth, either using an immersion blender or by transferring to a food processor or blender. Return to medium-low heat and gently stir in cottage cheese mixture. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1-2 minutes to let it fully thicken.<br /><br />I found the most luck using a regular blender. My immersion blender didn't seem to work very well.<br /><br />Servings Per Recipe: 2<br />Amount Per Serving<br />Calories: 158.8<br />Total Fat: 4.2 g<br />Cholesterol: 11.9 mg<br />Sodium: 882.8 mg<br />Total Carbs: 18.8 g<br />Dietary Fiber: 4.1 g<br />Protein: 15.4 gKatiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-21220016286157416862009-06-02T20:35:00.007-05:002009-06-02T21:01:39.759-05:00Happy Mother's DayFor Mother's Day I was responsible for most of the food. I had a blast making all sorts of different kinds of food for our brunch. The day before Hannah, Maddy and I made our own edible arrangements as gifts for our grandma and my mom. They turned out really well and we had a blast making them <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj158eT4lCUCfrbZV3U7JEylmj1oNXwjqPpz8algDBlsmmc1mlHk0Eh-8Afa_t3ELBOXYwmQUcAZugyJd1ccd1fG0U2Z9GXN5WDs9kMcWI6qWKjaFNGwummzK08PWmuCdjJVkRKxCgVCxFb/s1600-h/food+058.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj158eT4lCUCfrbZV3U7JEylmj1oNXwjqPpz8algDBlsmmc1mlHk0Eh-8Afa_t3ELBOXYwmQUcAZugyJd1ccd1fG0U2Z9GXN5WDs9kMcWI6qWKjaFNGwummzK08PWmuCdjJVkRKxCgVCxFb/s320/food+058.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342910632067587378" border="0" /></a> I recently started a cake decorating class so I also wanted to make something fun for dessert. I made devil's food and vanilla cupcakes with white chocolate raspberry frosting. They were so yummy. I also made a candy flower to go on top. I used ***gasp*** cake mix for the cupcakes but here's the frosting <a href="http://lovestoeat.wordpress.com/2009/04/19/white-chocolate-reapsberry-butter-cream/">recipe</a>. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4FMayRU4FhsCAFlJ6uUq-7gOiBfw4z0ObS8QkWFBdmBHanKWwCiE6gu-Qbv8K_klbQFUoZHZv2mCZbAtH_OT0vDP_1IP2vlwPC4q7trxEubTqImhlLkIvsDwLZ9AP5zAhhDn-6cGVKni/s1600-h/food+054.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4FMayRU4FhsCAFlJ6uUq-7gOiBfw4z0ObS8QkWFBdmBHanKWwCiE6gu-Qbv8K_klbQFUoZHZv2mCZbAtH_OT0vDP_1IP2vlwPC4q7trxEubTqImhlLkIvsDwLZ9AP5zAhhDn-6cGVKni/s320/food+054.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342912009033512706" border="0" /></a><br />I also made <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/goat-cheese-quiche-with-hash-brown-crust?autonomy_kw=quiche&rsc=header_12">this</a> quiche with a hash brown crust. Instead of goat cheese I used cream cheese and I also added some turkey bacon. It was pretty yummy. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjeqax8_162wg2J-GoNCFcj-13jR7wS0hQg9Ra-Ac68vWBbwAhYQA0-_3d14Ih1BaDfWUt4mPHO1CfZRjJxnVpCFnvmxRUg4Mv7OvJcH4Ayay9_PVNmIGu-iFp_E_yP2aU8M0lxFRTmKQt/s1600-h/food+064.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjeqax8_162wg2J-GoNCFcj-13jR7wS0hQg9Ra-Ac68vWBbwAhYQA0-_3d14Ih1BaDfWUt4mPHO1CfZRjJxnVpCFnvmxRUg4Mv7OvJcH4Ayay9_PVNmIGu-iFp_E_yP2aU8M0lxFRTmKQt/s320/food+064.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342913457518378034" border="0" /></a>Lastly, we made <a href="http://www.vintagevictuals.com/2008/12/monkeyin-around.html">Monkey Rolls</a>. So amazing. I didn't manage to get a picture of these before they were devoured. Make these, they're amazing!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3PyDoW7SDrA3wZc0J-7UA16JcjspKeIUwudOWDz1pmLUmJQqLEUDnq5xbbkfsEnxuDdeYkC-cEcWwgo9hzrXFGDPkx9b7_JYcyOGsYIXjXZ9BJ3jBP2YRelfKo6ZjlEvz-JpcG1skmtF/s1600-h/food+068.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3PyDoW7SDrA3wZc0J-7UA16JcjspKeIUwudOWDz1pmLUmJQqLEUDnq5xbbkfsEnxuDdeYkC-cEcWwgo9hzrXFGDPkx9b7_JYcyOGsYIXjXZ9BJ3jBP2YRelfKo6ZjlEvz-JpcG1skmtF/s320/food+068.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342914577785384978" border="0" /></a>It was a great day of great food.Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-51782511756925787312009-05-06T12:41:00.006-05:002009-06-03T15:58:46.461-05:00Happy Cinco De Mayo!Even though I was only cooking for myself, I still had to cook something in honor of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Cinco</span> De Mayo. I found a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Tostada</span> recipe from a blog that I follow, <a href="http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/">For the Love of Cooking</a>. It sounded so light and simple that I had to try it. I also made my aunt's recipe for guacamole to put on top. I haven't decided if I really liked the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">tostada</span> or if I liked that I had another excuse to eat guacamole. No, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">tostada</span> was really yummy with lots of lime flavor, which I love. I loved that it was easy clean up too, since nothing was actually "cooked." Yum!<br /><br />I adjusted a little from the original recipe. Below is what I used, the actual recipe can be found in the link above.<br /><br /><strong>Chicken and Roasted Pepper <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Tostadas</span></strong><br /><strong></strong><br />Chicken and Dressing:<br />1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and flattened<br />1 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">cubanelle</span> pepper, cored, seeded and flattened (it called for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">pasilla</span> but my store didn't have it, I just got a mild pepper)<br />2 cups of leftover roasted chicken meat, shredded<br />1/4 sweet yellow onion, chopped finely<br />2 tsp olive oil<br />Ground cumin (a couple shakes)<br />1 clove of garlic, minced<br />Lime juice - about 1 lime but I think I added extra<br /><br />Using your broiler, blacken the peppers on a tin-foil lined cookie sheet. Once the skin is blackened (charred) transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for around 10 minutes. Then peel the skins of the peppers and chop.<br /><br />In <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">a</span> large bowl, mix the chicken, onions, peppers. Add olive oil, cumin, garlic and lime juice. Toss well.<br /><br />Other ingredients:<br />-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">tostada</span> shells (you can make these by baking corn tortillas but buying <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">pre</span>-made ones was easier for me<br />-shredded cheese (I only had <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">mozz</span> on hand)<br />-sour cream dressing (recipe to follow)<br />-guacamole (recipe to follow)<br /><br />Layer chicken mixture on top of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">tostada</span> shell, add sour cream and then a little cheese. Bake until the cheese melts. Remove from the oven and top with fresh guacamole. Would also be good with a side of salsa.<br /><br />Sour Cream Sauce:<br />-1 cup fat free sour cream<br />-1 T chopped onion<br />-2 T chopped cilantro<br />-juice of a lime<br />-1 clove garlic, minced<br /><br />Mix and keep refrigerated until you need it<br /><br /><br />Guacamole (Margaret's recipe)<br />-2 ripe avocado<br />-2 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">roma</span> tomato (seeded, drained and chopped)<br />-1 bunch green onions, chopped<br />-1 T pickled jalapenos, chopped<br />-1 T cumin (or a couple shakes)<br />-1 T lime juice (or more...can you ever really have enough lime??)<br /><br />Start by mashing the avocado against the side of a bowl with a fork until it's to the consistency that you like. Add remaining ingredients and mix together. Enjoy!Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-48007330214916032322009-04-13T21:09:00.002-05:002009-04-13T21:37:22.820-05:00Open-Faced Chicken Burgers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9OpxtsyUAFHCLoDlls65bdo8DjH7gTTRNzu-NjT0PAy2ZOAXLdgGysiZ_zmb1dokeSD3sgPoHUnFgaw7zpOjN8eKqca-X4X7T1Pkue3kvTtZ0VDtg1oKMvljFk-zZyy7-r5lElpWI5KF/s1600-h/food+029.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9OpxtsyUAFHCLoDlls65bdo8DjH7gTTRNzu-NjT0PAy2ZOAXLdgGysiZ_zmb1dokeSD3sgPoHUnFgaw7zpOjN8eKqca-X4X7T1Pkue3kvTtZ0VDtg1oKMvljFk-zZyy7-r5lElpWI5KF/s320/food+029.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324366438158359954" border="0" /></a><br />This has become a staple in our house. It's easy, quick and healthy. The original recipe called for ground turkey and used ricotta cheese. I substituted ground chicken and didn't have any ricotta cheese so I substituted cottage cheese and added feta. They're so juicy and light on the carbs. A lot of times, when I have them as left-overs I don't even use the bread on the bottom. <br /><br />****Please excuse the horrible pictures! I really need to work on them. And yes, I used reduced fat cheese that doesn't melt as well.<br /><br />Here's the recipe:<br /><br /><div class="rcpdetail" id="ingredients"> <h2>Ingredients</h2> <ul><li> 1 teaspoon olive oil</li><li> 1 cup vertically sliced sweet yellow onion<br /></li><li> 1/4 cup part-skim cottage cheese</li><li>1/3 cup Feta (I don't normally measure it, I just dump some in)<br /></li><li> 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce</li><li> 1/2 teaspoon black pepper</li><li> 1 pound ground chicken breast</li><li> 1 large egg white</li><li>1 T italian seasoning<br /></li><li> Cooking spray</li><li> 4 (1-ounce) slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese</li><li> 4 slices bread (I've used everything from wheat to english muffins)<br /></li><li> Dijon mustard</li></ul> </div><!-- end class="rcpdetail" --> <div class="rcpdetail" id="preparation"> <h2>Preparation</h2> <p>Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion to pan. Cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned; stir occasionally. Transfer onion to a bowl.</p><p>Preheat broiler.</p><p>Combine cheese and next 4 ingredients (through egg white). Divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Return pan to medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties to pan; cook 4 minutes or until brown. Turn patties over; cook 1 minute.<br /></p><p>Place bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet; broil 2 minutes or until toasted. Spread 1 tablespoon mustard on each bread slice; top each serving with 1 patty and onions. Top with cheese and broil until melted<br /></p> </div><!-- end class="rcpdetail" --> <div class="rcpdetail" id="nutrientInfo"> <h2>Nutritional Information</h2> <dl><dt>Calories:</dt><dd>348 (23% from fat)</dd><dt>Fat:</dt><dd>9g (sat 4g,mono 2.2g,poly 2.6g) </dd><dt>Protein:</dt><dd>43.4g</dd><dt>Carbohydrate:</dt><dd>22.4g</dd><dt>Fiber:</dt><dd>1.5g</dd><dt>Cholesterol:</dt><dd>50mg</dd><dt>Iron:</dt><dd>2.1mg</dd><dt>Sodium:</dt><dd>848mg</dd><dt>Calcium:</dt><dd>325mg</dd></dl> </div>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7986608739346562569.post-73018160205164208782009-04-12T21:34:00.005-05:002009-06-03T15:59:23.050-05:00Ellie Krieger's Garlic Fries<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4GvXg33AP175ytalAd7z065fWduro4Wyayq2gln-OpqDLSWIakq4GJK2YmsISKfBQDDMfpiJgWBaOp53cYdcSxXiR2UIN1lBkJh-8Ig5IDEwTJHOnQT0G-_ieneo9DSKCW16botptBlW/s1600-h/food+001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323999315235960274" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4GvXg33AP175ytalAd7z065fWduro4Wyayq2gln-OpqDLSWIakq4GJK2YmsISKfBQDDMfpiJgWBaOp53cYdcSxXiR2UIN1lBkJh-8Ig5IDEwTJHOnQT0G-_ieneo9DSKCW16botptBlW/s320/food+001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><p>I made these along with Parmesan Crusted <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tilapia</span>. They're a little time consuming but were tasty. I might have used a little bit too much Olive Oil due to my inability to measure. :) There wasn't a huge garlic flavor to them so I found that a little disappointing. I'm going to keep looking for a better fry recipe but use this as a fall-back until I find a b<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">etter</span> one! </p><p>Here's the recipe:</p><div class="body-text"><h2>Ingredients</h2><!--concordance-begin--><ul><li>3 cloves garlic, minced</li><li>2 tablespoons canola oil<br /></li><li>3 large baking potatoes, 12 ounces each</li><li>1/2 teaspoon salt</li><li>1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves</li></ul><!--concordance-end--><h2>Directions</h2><p>Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. </p><p>Heat the garlic and oil in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Strain the garlic from the oil with a small mesh strainer. Set both garlic and oil aside. </p><p>Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch sticks. In a large bowl, toss the oil, potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and spread the potatoes onto it in a single layer. Bake until golden and crisp, about 35 minutes. </p><p>Remove potatoes from the tray with a metal spatula. Toss with parsley, reserved garlic, and additional salt, to taste. Serve immediately. </p></div>Katiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06413833231607981282noreply@blogger.com0