tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56981300921904009602024-03-14T10:11:02.614-07:00The Toddler Café ™Fast healthy and fun ways to feed even the pickiest eater!Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.comBlogger137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-3825955687804723752012-01-13T10:01:00.000-08:002012-01-13T10:02:28.293-08:00We Are Moving (VIRTUALLY)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyise-pkKn88K5-gtlDZRuOBWUDWWRnFqMU0Vqn0BOpS9NVS9wnUV5cYNUWa3rpC9EkeBC79V7tj3BhqZ3EHM_GamuWTQelE2mtXRNR6svdo2psOm31FyLt5eEHcdDYHEQPFTkxBvg4aip/s1600/CARDEN_nic_2011_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyise-pkKn88K5-gtlDZRuOBWUDWWRnFqMU0Vqn0BOpS9NVS9wnUV5cYNUWa3rpC9EkeBC79V7tj3BhqZ3EHM_GamuWTQelE2mtXRNR6svdo2psOm31FyLt5eEHcdDYHEQPFTkxBvg4aip/s200/CARDEN_nic_2011_06.jpg" width="141" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xcAakvhVoQZ1UBObJnOFRHUYv5ehqSMb8Z5_MHin6hMaD_GnGE_J3B7gUtLljyrEONF1jmltiLRkN-AH3bthMeOys7b2QW9V-TEx9zRLM9nkasZevGk6SEZmfqsE-5FN3P8-6oHr0qLQ/s1600/CARDEN_nic_2011_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xcAakvhVoQZ1UBObJnOFRHUYv5ehqSMb8Z5_MHin6hMaD_GnGE_J3B7gUtLljyrEONF1jmltiLRkN-AH3bthMeOys7b2QW9V-TEx9zRLM9nkasZevGk6SEZmfqsE-5FN3P8-6oHr0qLQ/s200/CARDEN_nic_2011_04.jpg" width="142" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQdOOilmU5IoQ_mqZ1HuxDxiXJDsvNXu7YzADiL-56ilWFaNTL-eRy9qVkRFrh2q6e7RJP_vWofHNPZcwfZBt-mgDI5xyJvkQUUqcNBZJMDaS5g_mygTj0QEsRAda539ay3cQoJpA3hiE8/s1600/CARDEN_nic_2011_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQdOOilmU5IoQ_mqZ1HuxDxiXJDsvNXu7YzADiL-56ilWFaNTL-eRy9qVkRFrh2q6e7RJP_vWofHNPZcwfZBt-mgDI5xyJvkQUUqcNBZJMDaS5g_mygTj0QEsRAda539ay3cQoJpA3hiE8/s400/CARDEN_nic_2011_02.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><br />
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Hi readers, for all of you, new and old I just want to let you in on some new information. The good news is Toddler Café the book is sold out! (no bad news here) The Toddler Café Blog is moving, the new blog, <a href="http://playfulpantry.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Playful Pantry</a> will essentially be the same. I have moved over all the original posts from here so you wont miss a beat, all my old post are coming with me. The premise of the new blog is creativity, this has always been my focus but my ideas will expand a bit to include food for kids and grow ups too! I will be working on new projects, and will keep you updated as they begin. The new blog <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><a href="http://playfulpantry.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Playful Pantry </a></span>will be just as fun and will also include great tips, fun and different ideas to help you in the kitchen.<br />
Pleas make sure you go over to <a href="http://playfulpantry.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Playful Pantry</a> and sign up for my email alerts and RRS feed. I value your readership and hope to see you over at Playful Pantry soon. It's easy to follow my new blog, just head over there and sign up for my e mail subcription, and invite your friends too!<br />
Also don't forget to follow me on my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/chefjencarden" target="_blank">Chef Jen Facebook</a> page and<a href="https://twitter.com/#!/Chefjen" target="_blank"> Twitter</a> for all my updates!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-80168006096839268802012-01-02T12:50:00.000-08:002012-07-02T11:10:49.666-07:00Eating Your VeggiesCute Little video for kids who may not be hip to eating their veggies!! Start the New Year off right, get some veggies and sing!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uLptRj_Z6pE" width="560"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-25208934625827109012011-12-25T06:00:00.000-08:002012-07-02T11:10:49.612-07:00HAPPY HOLIDAYS from The Cardens!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X75wfJgHk5s/TvYZNyoXcuI/AAAAAAAABHY/hJQBWsuVXZw/s1600/Holiday_carden_2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X75wfJgHk5s/TvYZNyoXcuI/AAAAAAAABHY/hJQBWsuVXZw/s400/Holiday_carden_2011.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A HUGE THANKS TO ALL OUR FRIENDS, READERS AND COLLEAGUES.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">HAVE A GREAT NEW YEAR!!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-13070310988845731452011-12-24T10:17:00.000-08:002012-07-02T11:10:49.591-07:00Home for the Latkes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DgIqMPPfPE0/TvYWh_PY8uI/AAAAAAAABHI/eIuFwAyATlo/s1600/latke04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="375" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DgIqMPPfPE0/TvYWh_PY8uI/AAAAAAAABHI/eIuFwAyATlo/s400/latke04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13pt;">Hanukkah for me is like Thanksgiving for most Americans, I think. The smell of frying potatoes takes me right back to my childhood. It evokes a warm happy, safe wintery feeling. I have a deep need to share this time with our friends, Jewish or not so I can tell you that today my house smells like a greasy spoon, in a good way. Yesterday I fried Latkes all day long and it was well worth it. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px;">Even though it is not snowing there is a perfect chill in the evening air and frost in the morning. It is good enough for me to re create the winter holiday season I have imprinted from growing up in the East coast. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px;">So here is my recipe for Latkes, I don't drain the potatoes like most people do, they will come out fluffy and crispy just the way we like them! You can make these anytime even if you are not Jewish, everyone eats potatoes!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 17px;">Happy Holidays to you all!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13pt;"><br />
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</span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13pt;">Home Style Latkes</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11pt;">Recipe by: Jennifer Carden * Author of The Toddler Café<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11pt;">We love Latkes; we like them crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. We call the crispy outsides “hair” and the hairier the better in our family! </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11pt;">The small hole grater is what makes these so delish. </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11pt;">My method for making these is a little different than most recipes, just go with it. </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13pt;">3 Tbs all purpose flour<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13pt;">2 eggs, beaten<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13pt;">1/4 tsp salt<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13pt;">1/4 tsp pepper<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13pt;">3 russet potatoes, peeled<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13pt;">1 small onion<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13pt;">1-2 cups vegetable oil<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">For serving</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Applesauce, sour cream<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13pt;">Whisk the flour, eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl. Set aside. Grate the potatoes on a fine or very small grating disk in a food processor, alternating with the onion.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13pt;">Mix the potato onion mixture into the egg mixture with your clean hands.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13pt;">The mix will be soupy, it is OK, and there is no need to drain it. (The water is what makes the hairy edges.)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13pt;">Heat oil in a large skillet on medium until a bit of mixture dropped in bubbles sizzles. Be sure not to let the oil start to smoke-you want a shimmer only.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13pt;">Using tongs or large slotted spoon and gently drop the mix into the hot oil. Fry until edges are brown and crispy. Remove with tongs draining oil over pan.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 20.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13pt;">Drain pancakes on brown paper bags or paper towels. Serve hot with applesauce and sour cream on top.</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-13476877995024048942011-11-29T14:05:00.000-08:002012-07-02T11:10:49.597-07:00Taking Chickpeas To The Next Level<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs52HzhJGO81xesBBw0TPIfeqgS1FIIXJShv6LqPyvoWYzitAYR0ciqZSdtkRmLvLyscpxI5IYhlZy3D3XrtaHHpOuSuC40aB1W-XQlCetutr2D-QbmLnGkfVYxhCT-istrDIwfgzHRkPR/s1600/IMG_0114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs52HzhJGO81xesBBw0TPIfeqgS1FIIXJShv6LqPyvoWYzitAYR0ciqZSdtkRmLvLyscpxI5IYhlZy3D3XrtaHHpOuSuC40aB1W-XQlCetutr2D-QbmLnGkfVYxhCT-istrDIwfgzHRkPR/s400/IMG_0114.JPG" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished roasted chickpeas</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I learned to make <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 14px;"><a href="http://www.napastyle.com/catalog/search.cmd?form_state=searchForm&keyword=chick+peas&search.x=0&search.y=0" target="_blank">Crispy Chickpeas with Garlic & Sage</a> </span>from my friend <a href="http://www.michaelchiarello.com/" target="_blank">Michael Chiarello</a>, we eat them all the time. We love the crunch and the chickpeas are a healthy fiber filled snack food for the kids. We love to do a quick version of his recipe by roasting them in the oven with rosemary and salt, they always get eaten up before they get to the table! My daughter loves to go pick rosemary from the garden wash and cut it up using scissors The kids can season them and stir them, and be proud of their involvement in the dish. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHuDF8J5kwOBqAPWlTIU-O7MtTPUZkiCkEMXJFXqNNuqIZDFHMnm0QTuxMw3A3PPjuEY3zVBAZvLEaNHk3N6kGx3iDJ1Rw-g2Yj68oCyZQsRwGgBpKHvLSeRZP9xczMEs5TP2xFdKvCppn/s1600/IMG_0122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHuDF8J5kwOBqAPWlTIU-O7MtTPUZkiCkEMXJFXqNNuqIZDFHMnm0QTuxMw3A3PPjuEY3zVBAZvLEaNHk3N6kGx3iDJ1Rw-g2Yj68oCyZQsRwGgBpKHvLSeRZP9xczMEs5TP2xFdKvCppn/s320/IMG_0122.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Tiny sorghum popcorn and chickpeas</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Chickpeas can be great in rice, eaten cold or warm, with curry, in salad they go great in just about anything. If your kids are like my daughter they may not like humus but they may like chickpeas in a different form. I always try to serve up ingredients in various forms and sometimes it actually works! My child wont touch hummus but loves the crisp texture of baked chick peas!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was looking for another way to serve up these power packed legumes. I came across a very cute video of two girls making a very yummy version of our favorite. <a href="http://www.humanbodydetectives.com/adventures" target="_blank">Human Body Detectives </a> is an adorable series about body function written by Dr. Heather about her kids adventures in the human body. Her girls also make videos about their favorite healthy recipes that they cook at home. I came across their recipe for a slightly sweeter version of crunchy chickpeas I really like it, I can use organic ingredients, raw honey and control the sweetness too. You can use other spices, try adding pumpkin pie or nutmeg or some vanilla. </div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeXapXt-8pcfBvvsydKCr1u-eOrubh7GSgukz7RGdD0OQPWcMI1dDOeUxC0yAhpQZzCYoJQnPvdp-XXL7Qper4mikLme295NxlV6G-Udr1iBQU20mGwO5mVtP8ry8Akj4hbGn4dkIxk6mE/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeXapXt-8pcfBvvsydKCr1u-eOrubh7GSgukz7RGdD0OQPWcMI1dDOeUxC0yAhpQZzCYoJQnPvdp-XXL7Qper4mikLme295NxlV6G-Udr1iBQU20mGwO5mVtP8ry8Akj4hbGn4dkIxk6mE/s200/photo.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standard popcorn vs. Sorghum popcorn</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One thing we came across recently is Sorghum popcorn, it is tiny tiny popped grains, the cutest thing you ever saw! We tossed it in with the cooked sweet chickpeas for a little texture and saltiness, it was a hit. If you can't find plain popped Sorghum just use regular popcorn it works just as well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The winter holidays are on the way like a wave of sugar and glistening sparkles and you want to be armed with snacky food ideas, don't you? Skip the chips and dip, instead put bowls of crunchy snacks all around the house. Surprise your kids and guests with these sweet gems, it's time to break out of the hummus rut. I suggest making a double recipe....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3eGtp5aAoQMFD0iv4XjAlSiGvpV1sGboNMuV2R1Fx-A4Oa50kHGrz3pG7u2Hbw-p36jktXkwNEKd-rh999NYWJN6Q_R4aRctrH7jZCbWUwiCH5HJzPKP2hv2wdPk05axm_U6xeQMZ4GK/s1600/IMG_0102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3eGtp5aAoQMFD0iv4XjAlSiGvpV1sGboNMuV2R1Fx-A4Oa50kHGrz3pG7u2Hbw-p36jktXkwNEKd-rh999NYWJN6Q_R4aRctrH7jZCbWUwiCH5HJzPKP2hv2wdPk05axm_U6xeQMZ4GK/s320/IMG_0102.JPG" width="242" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Removing the tough skins</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMMsyEjBtEpsEEUvzuDVVezTYqAWVSRD6GmLkuTeV2xXyeI4QwSu8k9vifESvVTSI_4rnn0Gv6dtfZBZ_D8pY4U-lOTq-BbzJWEvNfIojP7fhhNajCWKMPxXEvBaLMBLjg6VL_aCZ4LYK/s1600/IMG_0103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMMsyEjBtEpsEEUvzuDVVezTYqAWVSRD6GmLkuTeV2xXyeI4QwSu8k9vifESvVTSI_4rnn0Gv6dtfZBZ_D8pY4U-lOTq-BbzJWEvNfIojP7fhhNajCWKMPxXEvBaLMBLjg6VL_aCZ4LYK/s320/IMG_0103.JPG" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butter cinnamon mixture</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMMsyEjBtEpsEEUvzuDVVezTYqAWVSRD6GmLkuTeV2xXyeI4QwSu8k9vifESvVTSI_4rnn0Gv6dtfZBZ_D8pY4U-lOTq-BbzJWEvNfIojP7fhhNajCWKMPxXEvBaLMBLjg6VL_aCZ4LYK/s1600/IMG_0103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Roasted Honey Cinnamon Chickpeas</span></u></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">1 15 oz. can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (or 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans)</span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">1/2 tsp ground cinnamon</span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">1 Tbs of canola oil or 1 1/2 Tbs of melted butter</span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">1 Tbs of raw honey</span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">1 cup tiny Sorghum or regular popcorn</span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><b>Directions:</b></span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">1. Preheat oven to 400°F.</span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">2. Place the beans between two paper towels and pat dry, loosening the outer skin of the</span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">beans.</span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">3. Remove the outer skins of the beans, and pat dry to remove any other excess water.</span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">4. In a bowl, whisk together the oil or melted butter and cinnamon. Add the beans and</span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">coat well. Place on a baking sheet.</span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">5. Roast for 40 minutes.</span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">6. Remove the beans from the oven, place in a glass bowl and toss with 1 Tbs of</span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">honey.</span></span></i></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10.5px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">7. Place back in the oven and roast for an additional 7 minutes. Cool completely add in popcorn and </span></span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">serve!</span></span></i></div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>* Sorghum popcorn http://www.minipopsinc.com/<br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-66476533373037449582011-11-10T18:54:00.000-08:002012-07-02T11:10:49.643-07:00Zojirushi Winner!!!<div style="font-family: Arial;">#16 Serena Victoria is the winner. Congrats to you I hope you love your new rice cooker!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdOFAazGYT9lICGVpgsTMW3ZufmQ3u9i-yIm5-4jewPUvb7aZpTyF35OUR-g5aigxvm5xUhFadQI_MeuigJJH1CmxE0-7QBqfQthH2pt_6iI0Iww2JQkaXT6cfy-f77PIFXtT7SXzMSGLh/s1600/Random_11_10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdOFAazGYT9lICGVpgsTMW3ZufmQ3u9i-yIm5-4jewPUvb7aZpTyF35OUR-g5aigxvm5xUhFadQI_MeuigJJH1CmxE0-7QBqfQthH2pt_6iI0Iww2JQkaXT6cfy-f77PIFXtT7SXzMSGLh/s1600/Random_11_10.png" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-65496983400878863582011-11-09T13:11:00.000-08:002012-07-02T11:10:49.639-07:00Egg Pasta Ribbons Minus The Pasta<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSl2GiQFiB60Jx48hCd8-fl0sX80qbVU-cpKJRIz_SolqORJFoCjI7IgKij2XkHrqEePkbtqiXU1gXqhF5vaGQCTUA6HdOTaAdMvee4JVZ68Nq-VA4ALJCEbg1iJ-TE8qTOyJImawGg9Sq/s1600/IMG_3907.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522583386777421970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSl2GiQFiB60Jx48hCd8-fl0sX80qbVU-cpKJRIz_SolqORJFoCjI7IgKij2XkHrqEePkbtqiXU1gXqhF5vaGQCTUA6HdOTaAdMvee4JVZ68Nq-VA4ALJCEbg1iJ-TE8qTOyJImawGg9Sq/s400/IMG_3907.JPG" style="display: block; height: 299px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(it is very important to make sure you have color coordinated flowers on the table at all times (not really, just coincidence)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">This morning my daughter asked if we could have "egg pasta" again soon, how ironic I told her because I was already writing this post! "Great minds think alike" I said!</div><div style="text-align: left;">I think the summer has officially gone, it is starting to get cool and rain here in the San Francisco Bay. I thought I'd share a very easy sunny recipe with you. As I write this it is very sunny and warm but it wont last.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Nothing annoys me more than when my daughter asks for plain pasta for dinner. I may as well give her the sugar bowl and a spoon! Kids need a little more than plain pasta but sometimes we are in a hurry or just out of ingredients. </div><div style="text-align: left;">We almost always have eggs in the house, it is our go to meal. We love eggs the good kind, the deep orange yolks from chickens that roam free and have personal groomers (no really I just couldn't resist!) Just get yourself some great eggs, when you make a one ingredient dish that ingredient should be the best it can be. Eggs are great way to get some nutrition into a kid, but if they are picky or discerning then eggs may turn them off. Pasta will turn them right back on again, I can guarantee it. If making homemade pasta is not your thing this is the next easiest way to fake it and get them to eat eggs! If they like this recipe it try tossing this with real fettuccine noodles upping the nutrition factor. Add peas and Parmesan for a little more flavor. Add cooked chicken or shrimp, or roasted carrots and ricotta cheese.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfrHuod1yv89qKybRbi4hqV4tOEb5FH8o3p1FnCyQo8GfqR3uYw_PJUUrmijcGENqPM-MO6ZmBYDd7J7vvRpbW334lSOl_1dQHRe7NYplcGknM5qbeg5g4tgUOso6fF5ZJDY4BA4mg8yJ/s1600/IMG_3908.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522583602739428594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfrHuod1yv89qKybRbi4hqV4tOEb5FH8o3p1FnCyQo8GfqR3uYw_PJUUrmijcGENqPM-MO6ZmBYDd7J7vvRpbW334lSOl_1dQHRe7NYplcGknM5qbeg5g4tgUOso6fF5ZJDY4BA4mg8yJ/s320/IMG_3908.JPG" style="display: block; height: 246px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><u><br />
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</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Egg Pasta Ribbons Recipe</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The way you get the ribbons is to treat he eggs like a crepe, cooking it as thin as you can. Use a very large pan so the egg spreads very thinly or else you will just end up with an omelet.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Serves one</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>2 eggs</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Pinch salt</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>1 Tbs olive oil or butter</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Crack the eggs into a bowl scramble very well.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Heat a large 8 or 10 inch non-stick pan on medium add oil or butter coating pan thoroughly.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Add egg and swirl immediately coating the whole pan. Cook on medium for about 30 </i><i>seconds</i><i> to one minute until cooked through. Pour out into a plate or cutting board. Roll the egg into a tight roll and cut 1/4 inch slices with a knife. They will be rolled up like little spirals, put on a plate, toss to unravel and serve!</i></div><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfrHuod1yv89qKybRbi4hqV4tOEb5FH8o3p1FnCyQo8GfqR3uYw_PJUUrmijcGENqPM-MO6ZmBYDd7J7vvRpbW334lSOl_1dQHRe7NYplcGknM5qbeg5g4tgUOso6fF5ZJDY4BA4mg8yJ/s1600/IMG_3908.JPG"></a></i><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-10337252485888314302011-10-30T11:48:00.000-07:002012-07-02T11:10:49.587-07:00Oh The Horror...Cherpumple Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50nEVlnzbnji7m9Fqqgz7V0lVMsLf5kMKJooVlra4diTcG8KAQzZTUEzIbH6ALEp02RDI3B1OxPiFsYBvY5oQVr2cZq-DZDo1A235uXk66srnGqtJteARZNLSKSsUgvWE7pPNhTrD1_wp/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50nEVlnzbnji7m9Fqqgz7V0lVMsLf5kMKJooVlra4diTcG8KAQzZTUEzIbH6ALEp02RDI3B1OxPiFsYBvY5oQVr2cZq-DZDo1A235uXk66srnGqtJteARZNLSKSsUgvWE7pPNhTrD1_wp/s400/photo.JPG" width="373" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Every Halloween I try to make the most disgusting thing I can think of, like <a href="http://thetoddlercafe.blogspot.com/2010/10/haloween-2010-treats-and-insanity.html">earwax Q-tips</a> or <a href="http://thetoddlercafe.blogspot.com/2010/10/haloween-2010-treats-and-insanity.html">Bloody Eyeballs</a> or the infamous <a href="http://thetoddlercafe.blogspot.com/2009/10/totally-disgusting.html">Cat Litter Box Cake</a>. We always have fun with Halloween, we eat healthy during the year but on Halloween I just have to go to the dark side! Halloween is a great time for me to showcase my baking talents, I love to bake but I try to stay away from it during the year. My friend Barb sent me a <a href="http://eatingoutpartv.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-to-make-cherpumple-successfully.html">link</a> to one of the worst horrors I'd ever seen, Cherpumple, a travesty of cake and pie a most disgusting mess. I knew I was destined to make this monstrosity and I knew it would take hours, and it did. I think the originator of this mess was <a href="http://www.charlesphoenix.com/category/cherpumple/">Charles Phoenix</a> so I will give him credit too. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> It is basically a Turducken in cake form, a Turducken is a turkey stuffed with a chicken a duck and quail and so on with stuffing in between each layer. I have made one before but it is not a regular occurrence in our house.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDGGPEgq-LzD-eO4v8HfqIQV_3NGJZJ87M4hpBqIeEL5Z6nE7lrhyphenhyphenZ8Mf_Grx4i8x0NzivLsXE9sfyNInRlg-TvJyYT29ntf6fNaA1yLoU3-5Jo6bo7n5kTT51d65bCSUdAEKW54qk86Rg/s1600/turkeysMS1512_468x307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDGGPEgq-LzD-eO4v8HfqIQV_3NGJZJ87M4hpBqIeEL5Z6nE7lrhyphenhyphenZ8Mf_Grx4i8x0NzivLsXE9sfyNInRlg-TvJyYT29ntf6fNaA1yLoU3-5Jo6bo7n5kTT51d65bCSUdAEKW54qk86Rg/s320/turkeysMS1512_468x307.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbu-yKtBqDkCHxZdEi3Pe923Zq0KlT_IUDbcCy3mqAfF9t6sHNK8vU5VOK3FbXolUlAzvFHBx9EhVYAIVJp4Fv6xU1dvzXxLTLMjpFdOZ8-24KIVvHXMLvYcr2yawIHrzX5y-93Ocp5vI/s1600/TurduckenSliced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbu-yKtBqDkCHxZdEi3Pe923Zq0KlT_IUDbcCy3mqAfF9t6sHNK8vU5VOK3FbXolUlAzvFHBx9EhVYAIVJp4Fv6xU1dvzXxLTLMjpFdOZ8-24KIVvHXMLvYcr2yawIHrzX5y-93Ocp5vI/s200/TurduckenSliced.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I knew if I made this cake for Halloween it would have to represent something creepy. It reminded me so much of Frankenstein that I decided to give it the green frosting and hair but not the whole face. I did make bolts for the neck but they ended up looking weird. The problem with this cake it that finished it weighed about 25 pounds and I forgot that It would have to go on a car ride. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I made three layers, yellow cake with a pumpkin pie, chocolate cake with a cherry pie and spice cake with apple pie.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> The way you make this cake is to sink a prebaked pie into raw cake batter and cook it for about an hour and 15 minutes. The glitch is that you can only bake on eat a time or they bake unevenly. I started at 9 am and finished the last touches at 5 pm. I was speed cooling the last layer as I was frosting the rest, it was mayhem. I used some wrapped up frozen salmon on top as it sat in the fridge. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLysf48hh_hadd0lRAXpZjJf3A8T7QSWcaHYZfC2Mn7fD5pEV4SjwoiFlj2ji3xZHJntTg_RyCEE5Q7u-x8C5-iu08CM7rVuv_FZywHzCqRnSX19QvM-YQMtc0Z9adhpC-f689NoOYXpER/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLysf48hh_hadd0lRAXpZjJf3A8T7QSWcaHYZfC2Mn7fD5pEV4SjwoiFlj2ji3xZHJntTg_RyCEE5Q7u-x8C5-iu08CM7rVuv_FZywHzCqRnSX19QvM-YQMtc0Z9adhpC-f689NoOYXpER/s400/photo.JPG" width="376" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The guts.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> It was a ridiculous idea to transport this cake, every time we turned it leaned like the Tower of Pisa but the Tower of Pisa is not covered with green butter cream and fondant! I would not recommend moving this cake, it was like Food Network Challenge when thy have to move those 500 pound cakes, totally nerve wracking. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The good news it that it made it to the party and the crowd loved it. The bad news it that as we removed pieces it became so heavy that it tipped the cake plate over, that's one hefty cake!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am already planning on my Thanksgiving cake....maybe just two layers next time. Don't miss the Poo Poo platter photo below, yet another disgusting idea from my kitchen.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNzw60qHRD-moezkHDCn0RHfv4XIIKg2dlMwSODEapp5gOdmngUx_5SM4ANUzepJHcAGcKEUy2ZvuK4iDV1rhC8nwXdGT1_0qtr6e_PlEtjq7JaJ6xMSHgpHDhBGF-5mYhhhBN5M3w7OGL/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNzw60qHRD-moezkHDCn0RHfv4XIIKg2dlMwSODEapp5gOdmngUx_5SM4ANUzepJHcAGcKEUy2ZvuK4iDV1rhC8nwXdGT1_0qtr6e_PlEtjq7JaJ6xMSHgpHDhBGF-5mYhhhBN5M3w7OGL/s320/photo.JPG" width="243" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctpSsTYGBtF_3rFPlAZm-JC_VYveGoMvcOW9pKofVIHBjr4v3LfvduHf066Gw-byFURZ4Rvi_NfAuVbEyqA_xLtsBg9d6ptCOEGkLGqXy2yFdEZQK-kT5KOQ3ZsmNJtdhbKTZX4K_bWVR/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctpSsTYGBtF_3rFPlAZm-JC_VYveGoMvcOW9pKofVIHBjr4v3LfvduHf066Gw-byFURZ4Rvi_NfAuVbEyqA_xLtsBg9d6ptCOEGkLGqXy2yFdEZQK-kT5KOQ3ZsmNJtdhbKTZX4K_bWVR/s200/photo.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxnwEoVl6pWZfe_HoEEx-46qzTrkkOpUhavE4Vj8-GEzCrUSCkQgErTfhe-49PjIauJQ2cHxNVoRPRJkUYjqsuITJehZ50ZJWTp0dZR3NlE1jFZ1XZwviM5UgkZGE4deudbqE4RAlgLrjE/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxnwEoVl6pWZfe_HoEEx-46qzTrkkOpUhavE4Vj8-GEzCrUSCkQgErTfhe-49PjIauJQ2cHxNVoRPRJkUYjqsuITJehZ50ZJWTp0dZR3NlE1jFZ1XZwviM5UgkZGE4deudbqE4RAlgLrjE/s640/photo.JPG" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Poo Poo Platter! (Tootsie Rolls inside)<br />
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</tbody></table><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-83794414176905382242011-10-27T21:36:00.000-07:002012-07-02T11:10:49.670-07:00Zojirushi's Umami® Micom Rice Cooker GIVEAWAY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The winner is....Serena Victoria</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdewIFe68ZHl88jYT0WA9dV62kK_mY9Onk0VZhqGfa8qycbUPbT7IlSAF-lj84CMjlskcBLdd7d-ez_yfXQ6R4iPOf2auXso9pUzRHGWfN5Pi_e7WQk92uMv2R0_IYlMI04MzTeHNq30O/s1600/Random_11_10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdewIFe68ZHl88jYT0WA9dV62kK_mY9Onk0VZhqGfa8qycbUPbT7IlSAF-lj84CMjlskcBLdd7d-ez_yfXQ6R4iPOf2auXso9pUzRHGWfN5Pi_e7WQk92uMv2R0_IYlMI04MzTeHNq30O/s1600/Random_11_10.png" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg16iEVP9tmd8l468yArC69U3j2ws9O91fwwCgQXfMisAIHZw83sEOhMLvwZ5ur5_U2ZV-BtkPxPSSsiU4B9K6FNL9FV7FPdlui-dQhSicV765Hcub4i1FiOn52g3zhXOudazq-0FPsnHJ/s1600/104.2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg16iEVP9tmd8l468yArC69U3j2ws9O91fwwCgQXfMisAIHZw83sEOhMLvwZ5ur5_U2ZV-BtkPxPSSsiU4B9K6FNL9FV7FPdlui-dQhSicV765Hcub4i1FiOn52g3zhXOudazq-0FPsnHJ/s400/104.2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zojirushi's Umami® Micom Rice Cooker 5.5 cup (you only win one)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span>I am so glad that you can't see my office, it's really cute but you'd never know it because it is almost always filled with boxes! The boxes are full of good stuff though, great products people send me to review and give away. This is where you come in, you as reader could be you as winner! I always have something to give away and this time it's pretty amazing.<br />
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One of the appliances I can't do without in my kitchen is my rice cooker. When I was at the ABC Baby and Kid show last year the people at Zojirushi were so kind to send me two machines! I am a multitasker and for some reason can't be trusted to make rice stove top. I ALWAYS burn it, yes even trained chefs burn stuff. Once I experienced one of these rice cookers I couldn't dream of going back to burnt rice. This is by far the best my favorite appliance, well, I love my coffee grinder too but that is for another time. The Zojirushi Micom Cooker has a timer so all you do is add the rice and water, set it for the time you want it to be done cooking (a great feature) and press a button. This machine is so smart, it's like a PC that just happens to cook food. Truth be told this is not only cute, portable and perfect every time but it plays the cutest little tunes. Yes it plays music...when set, it plays Twinkle Twinkle and when the rice is done it plays another tune but no one seems to know what that tune that is. For about 15 minutes I made it my mission to find out but came up short, let me know if you know what the little song is.<br />
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My daughter says that I love this machine too much, "it's just not right you shouldn't hug a machine mama!" The retractable cord is great and it has a handle so you can take it with you, just strap it in to the front seat! Not because you don't want to be parted from it, but for bringing warm food to a potluck or dinner party. The warm setting is great, my rice stays warm and doesn't over cook. It even has a battery which means you can unplug it when not in use and it keeps track of time.<br />
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You can make porridge or congee, a thick rice soup popular as a breakfast in some Asian countries. I have not made soups but you can make pretty much anything in it, it even slow cooks.Tapioca works well but we use it for steel cut oats. If you add the oats and water the night before it will be done in time for breakfast! Now that's an easy healthy breakfast, add fruit and you can't go wrong.<br />
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The one I own is the 3 cup perfect for our small family, don't think I haven't thought of opening the 5.5 cup that's been in my office! I have will power, not much but I have some. I kept it perfectly preserved for my winner, it's brand new and ready to be shipped. [Rice cooker stats below]<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDp-cv5veGNM1ggmAUoHGf1kWXS4HrkXB13yYMu7-zY8h75OHhqfMwl5HY1g5_2wfefogfJLqaDR13GsvrQiW6CZQ6Qs7cixjR62W-g0O_JNCx5jM4DiN9_SaYoXuHxO0N6pvcf4Jp_Jg/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDp-cv5veGNM1ggmAUoHGf1kWXS4HrkXB13yYMu7-zY8h75OHhqfMwl5HY1g5_2wfefogfJLqaDR13GsvrQiW6CZQ6Qs7cixjR62W-g0O_JNCx5jM4DiN9_SaYoXuHxO0N6pvcf4Jp_Jg/s1600/images.jpeg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
I thought I'd also add a great new cookbook to the giveaway from <a href="http://whatscookingwithkids.com/">Michelle Stern.</a><br />
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Her new book is called the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Whole-Family-Cookbook-Celebrate-goodness/dp/1440511209/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319577856&sr=1-1">Whole Family Cookbook</a> and is available on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Whole-Family-Cookbook-Celebrate-goodness/dp/1440511209/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319577856&sr=1-1">Amazon</a>. I am a bit biased since I food styled the book and my husband <a href="http://www.matthewcarden.com/">Matthew</a> shot the photos. It is a great book because all the steps in the recipes are broken down into age appropriate tasks making it easy for all ages. Her Purple Rice recipe will work really well in your new rice cooker!! So have fun with your new rice cooker and cookbook. Rules for entry are below.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Requirements to enter the Zojirushi's Umami Micom Rice Cooker GIVEAWAY:</b></span><br />
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This giveaway ends on Wednesday, November 9th, 9am PST.<br />
The winner will be generated with Random.org<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;">When leaving a comment make sure you leave your e mail address, if I don't have it I can't contact you. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>1. Subscribe to my email updates</b></u></span> - <span style="color: black;">enter your email in the box on the upper right of this blog</span> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">and </span></div><u><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">2. Leave a comment</span></b></u> on this blog post telling me you subscribed to my email updates. Tell me what your family's favorite rice add-ins are or what your kids favorite rice dishes are.<br />
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<b><u>To increase your chances to win and receive additional entries, do the following: </u></b><br />
<ul><li><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Tweet</span></b> about this giveaway. Add @chefjen and #toddlercafe to the tweet</li>
<li><b style="color: #cc0000;">Share on Facebook.</b> Make sure you tell me you shared by commenting on my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/chefjencarden" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> that you did! Make sure to 'Like' my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/chefjencarden" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>!</li>
</ul><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; text-align: left;"></div><div style="margin: 10px 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blah blah blah...</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NO </span></span><span class="caps"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PURCHASE</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> IS </span></span><span class="caps"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NECESSARY</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> TO </span></span><span class="caps"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ENTER</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="caps"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">THIS</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="caps"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">DRAWING</span></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="caps"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One winner will be chosen at random. Winner will be chosen in Novato California on November 9th 2011 at 10 am. The winner will be notified via email within one week after the draw. The winner will be required to provide an address to ship the two prizes to the address only be used for shipping purposes.</span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="caps"><span class="caps"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">DISCLAIMERS</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">: All federal, state, and/or local rules and regulations apply; void where prohibited by law. Jennifer Carden is not responsible for late, misdirected or illegible entries. Winners are responsible for any and all taxes associated with their acceptance of any prize. Jennifer Carden is not responsible for technical, hardware, software, telephone or Internet access failures of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, or failed or incomplete, garbled or deleted computer or network transmissions which may limit the ability to participate in this sweepstakes. Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel or suspend this sweepstakes or any part thereof should virus, bugs, unauthorized human intervention or other causes beyond its control corrupt or affect the administration, fairness or proper conduct of this sweepstakes, including terminating just one phase or portion of the promotion. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; text-align: left;">Rice Cooker stats:</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The <i>Umami®</i> Micom Rice Cooker Warmer comes with Zojirushi's exclusive Umami setting that soaks and steams the rice longer for enhanced flavor. It also has a Slow Cook function that allows the rice cooker to work like a slow cooker.</span></div><div class="specList" style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin-left: -25px; text-align: left;"><ul><li>Micro computerized Fuzzy logic technology</li>
<li>Zojirushi's exclusive Umami setting soaks and steams rice longer for enhanced flavor</li>
<li>Versatile slow cook function to cook soups and other menus</li>
<li>Automatic keep warm, extended keep warm and reheating cycle</li>
<li>Spherical inner cooking pan and heating system</li>
<li>Delay timer (2 settings)</li>
<li>Menu settings include: white, umami, mixed, sushi, porridge, sweet, brown, GABA brown, rinse-free, quick cooking and slow cook</li>
<li>cETLus listed</li>
</ul></div><div id="specSheet" style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 540px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="txtBold" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; font-weight: bold; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Model No.</span></div></td><td class="txtBold" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; font-weight: bold; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">NS-YAC10</span></div></td></tr>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Capacity</span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">5.5 cups / 1.0 liter</span></div></td></tr>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Dimensions (W x D x H)</span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">10-1/8 x 15 x 9-1/4</span></div></td></tr>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Electrical Rating</span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">120 volts / 610 watts</span></div></td></tr>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Color</span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Pearl White</span></div></td></tr>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="txtBold" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; font-weight: bold; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Model No.</span></div></td><td class="txtBold" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; font-weight: bold; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">NS-YAC18</span></div></td></tr>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Capacity</span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">10 cups / 1.8 liters</span></div></td></tr>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Dimensions (W x D x H)</span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">11 x 16 x 10-5/8</span></div></td></tr>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Electrical Rating</span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">120 volts / 820 watts</span></div></td></tr>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Color</span></div></td><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; padding: 3px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Pearl White</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div id="specSheet" style="color: black; font-family: Verdana,Arial,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; text-align: left;"></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-85744706811573723422011-10-25T12:36:00.000-07:002011-10-25T12:36:38.726-07:00Rainbow and Squirrel Sandwiches (not what you think)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW3bRFZi85XCNUKBktsxJkqQo_3x0O9Tcfl3xRSNwaVZX8cWuVXzNEvYjBvgsUcrbSBJNSsj9Ai1V6UkcN9Xu5gNbGaifNgN-Q6Y9fM0fd7dGMn1p96XVs6LO8IJF6lK1OFa4kSOFqsU7P/s1600/IMG_9674.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW3bRFZi85XCNUKBktsxJkqQo_3x0O9Tcfl3xRSNwaVZX8cWuVXzNEvYjBvgsUcrbSBJNSsj9Ai1V6UkcN9Xu5gNbGaifNgN-Q6Y9fM0fd7dGMn1p96XVs6LO8IJF6lK1OFa4kSOFqsU7P/s640/IMG_9674.JPG" width="476" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We made it through September and October seems to be even busier!! Seriously is it me or do we get busier every year? What happened to the down time it must be somewhere, I am still looking!! The preparing dinners is tough enough, but making lunches can leave you at a loss too. Walking in to the kitchen groggy and trying to juggle breakfast, finding missing socks and making sure homework is in the backpack can be a real chore. The last thing you want to do is make a bunch of lunches, am I wrong? Well I can't help with that because the kids have to eat!! At our school we have to bring lunch everyday we do not have a lunch program (yet). Over one hundred and twenty or more lunches in a school year can seem daunting, and if you have more than one child...well you get my drift! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhara_CRKmgcGGgJ9gbP58slzTMlHIkKfLJK9infim56zNRdU2Y3EBZrCQdkM0XZOlYNHu6RZDgaDdsSFMkC8AU-cxoQgXat3LzFQARqLEV5B0fUAO0JpQMEpXsLatTjgiKSlPkGZbr8YKh/s1600/pita+note.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhara_CRKmgcGGgJ9gbP58slzTMlHIkKfLJK9infim56zNRdU2Y3EBZrCQdkM0XZOlYNHu6RZDgaDdsSFMkC8AU-cxoQgXat3LzFQARqLEV5B0fUAO0JpQMEpXsLatTjgiKSlPkGZbr8YKh/s400/pita+note.JPG" width="298" /></a> When winter comes I immediately get out the Thermos and go for soups and stews, warmth during the day can give a child that little boost they need. But until then I like to make sandwiches, the problem is that my daughter has never been a fan of the sandwich. She much prefers a warm lunch, something homemade of course but that can't always happen. Recently I remembered I had some edible markers I usually use to draw on hard boiled eggs with. My discovery that they work on bread was a gold mine!!! I can write notes like "I miss you" or "drink more water" on her bread!! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The best part is that she likes make her own lunches (with some persuading) because the markers are fun to use. We make the sandwich the night before so we are not rushed in the morning. We only do this once a week to keep it special but it sure is fun!! We add, fruit, cheese and crackers, and a veggie like cucumbers or carrots. I very rarely add any sugary treats unless it is home baked like banana bread. This gives me a break the next morning so I can gear up my creative brain for the next day's lunch.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqQdmSFBb0S5JOd06FiZZpS4qMiMB-l503hO8iv103wg_i0Q_hZsVva3C9A02JAZun3WB88N6WOyhxIPeec8i8PEJDM3X3bcIWcDLY-yMsvvGZoPhFLEprJ-1qYlvPIXiFc8LZ8nOqxDL/s1600/IMG_9675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLqQdmSFBb0S5JOd06FiZZpS4qMiMB-l503hO8iv103wg_i0Q_hZsVva3C9A02JAZun3WB88N6WOyhxIPeec8i8PEJDM3X3bcIWcDLY-yMsvvGZoPhFLEprJ-1qYlvPIXiFc8LZ8nOqxDL/s400/IMG_9675.JPG" width="297" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Try going to a thrift shop for cookie cutters, Ikea has some fun ones too! I have a large collection and find that I almost never make cookies with them. They work so well for "sandies" as we call them in our house!</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMR-O40OJc10Gx5w4IZ7pbm8KRwHAJLClJUVkzZ96WPkt-NstRlXx8kLGzv9Nnb_V231v_Z4DZ547iNOqAKiEeBrqVVOEyu8X4H4VKU7zCfd-2OIhn5P7k8u6eFOUprgCHy1JO3NhxaEu/s1600/IMG_9676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMR-O40OJc10Gx5w4IZ7pbm8KRwHAJLClJUVkzZ96WPkt-NstRlXx8kLGzv9Nnb_V231v_Z4DZ547iNOqAKiEeBrqVVOEyu8X4H4VKU7zCfd-2OIhn5P7k8u6eFOUprgCHy1JO3NhxaEu/s320/IMG_9676.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cookie cutters and edible markers make a great lunch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: right;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60bzL-vLq0FIHPWpI8Ik29bPdMbUvrmj2GF3DpdzqQ1PYmu95gXpzM_nvzTaHXUbFI6TSmVQYQEicIqz0nLYBCo1SQEdY9X6ycgXiz6GenDAlUcQxZaEqkEwSwSCBHpgNtW_g3nxbmRdk/s1600/IMG_9679_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60bzL-vLq0FIHPWpI8Ik29bPdMbUvrmj2GF3DpdzqQ1PYmu95gXpzM_nvzTaHXUbFI6TSmVQYQEicIqz0nLYBCo1SQEdY9X6ycgXiz6GenDAlUcQxZaEqkEwSwSCBHpgNtW_g3nxbmRdk/s320/IMG_9679_2.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-24040443217588863272011-10-15T23:19:00.000-07:002012-07-02T11:10:49.608-07:00Epic Cake Decorating Day<div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vhe_WWrUladtXDCdigt62hTlT4LqiFtIPZ0mUXFEShjAG_EIl0PM5MB4uPKLOrS7NayuxjBctNJvAMxhV0IdEMIgeGJ60CpH84QIpuEetVzRCHfDUrB3uGM4PQM7fIy1k2tIDQZ6DHO6/s1600/IMG_5966-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vhe_WWrUladtXDCdigt62hTlT4LqiFtIPZ0mUXFEShjAG_EIl0PM5MB4uPKLOrS7NayuxjBctNJvAMxhV0IdEMIgeGJ60CpH84QIpuEetVzRCHfDUrB3uGM4PQM7fIy1k2tIDQZ6DHO6/s400/IMG_5966-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beanstalk Stump Cake</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Our school has a fair every October, but because we just joined the school last January we have never been to the feté. One of the requirement for every class is to bake a cake for the cake walk. There is also a friendly competition for the snazziest cake, so naturally I wanted to enter. I immediately started thinking of something to make and as usual my mind was blank. I usually don't have a clue what I will make but I got lucky here. Our class booth is the "sleeping giant," you know the Jack and the Bean Stalk story. I figured I'd make a beanstalk themed cake, the ax was an afterthought but my favorite part!! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">My eight year old wanted to make a cake too she went with the draw bridge theme, I love her cake! She made a sitting night at rest with his helmet off hanging out by the river.</div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">We worked, mostly in silence sharing tools, ideas for hours. </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidjpQgnrJD58F-Mwg3UQa5NsU_yvnxYMbrE3wEXRGF72l6XcHyAwThb7pSb2jgrwvRUavG9vm0FKDbp-RnnDyrQBTyJc1po1UTMQuYJWRILfsdhXyHPExuda_qMko0cDWqouJTuGKOZ11P/s1600/IMG_5952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidjpQgnrJD58F-Mwg3UQa5NsU_yvnxYMbrE3wEXRGF72l6XcHyAwThb7pSb2jgrwvRUavG9vm0FKDbp-RnnDyrQBTyJc1po1UTMQuYJWRILfsdhXyHPExuda_qMko0cDWqouJTuGKOZ11P/s200/IMG_5952.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> What a treat to be able to sit with my daughter and craft something that we are both totally absorbed in. Who knows if either of our cakes will win a prize but I know someone lucky cake walk winner will be taking them home for sure!</div></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihq-0XkkAMtsU2So-Rs9IvHWqggbfS96nX9wzm0WoCu6gBeOaFrYdEEAIq94OXbkQuB1L0zYMUqOihBsJYYgWuO9n8wu3hGjYBYZjtQTDXU46Zd6Fbh0QQ7xEBluGFj90VlvJyS3Jr6mxZ/s1600/IMG_5991-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihq-0XkkAMtsU2So-Rs9IvHWqggbfS96nX9wzm0WoCu6gBeOaFrYdEEAIq94OXbkQuB1L0zYMUqOihBsJYYgWuO9n8wu3hGjYBYZjtQTDXU46Zd6Fbh0QQ7xEBluGFj90VlvJyS3Jr6mxZ/s400/IMG_5991-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Claire's drawbridge and Knight cake<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">UPDATE</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Claire took first place in her division!!!</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">YEA CLAIRE!!</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I won nothing.....</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihq-0XkkAMtsU2So-Rs9IvHWqggbfS96nX9wzm0WoCu6gBeOaFrYdEEAIq94OXbkQuB1L0zYMUqOihBsJYYgWuO9n8wu3hGjYBYZjtQTDXU46Zd6Fbh0QQ7xEBluGFj90VlvJyS3Jr6mxZ/s1600/IMG_5991-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-83795076893863480502011-10-10T17:49:00.000-07:002012-07-02T11:10:49.675-07:00Let The Kids Decide What's For Dinner<div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTeVpWyJ3RApLz3_jIysaRfYFJFHwA9Iz8-xdHFz_eUmO6zvEkIfYHOpE4sAHz6RE_7exTt3znjtpVevpeiCPRQhJcDouYa1Z86tc5SvcfOsM1kgWHTHkFO7kpnLOodLwRUIws1qU13Ym/s1600/IMG_7459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTeVpWyJ3RApLz3_jIysaRfYFJFHwA9Iz8-xdHFz_eUmO6zvEkIfYHOpE4sAHz6RE_7exTt3znjtpVevpeiCPRQhJcDouYa1Z86tc5SvcfOsM1kgWHTHkFO7kpnLOodLwRUIws1qU13Ym/s400/IMG_7459.JPG" width="348" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;">Kids love to give their opinion and to be the boss so let them, sometimes. Dinner can be tricky with toddlers and siblings and distractions. It’s hard to tear them away from a game or task to come to the table. Admit it, if you were in the middle of writing an email or playing with Lego's and someone made you get up in the middle of it for dinner you may be have a tantrum too. We need to be gentle with kids, they live in a whole other world of make believe and play, they may be in the room but their minds can be elsewhere. A warning 10 minutes before dinner can make a huge difference in getting them to the table with sanity! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;">If that trick fails then for sure involve them in the dinner planning to start their engines. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;">Kids want to be involved, feel independent and be a part of the group. Get them involved in dinner, planning so they know what to expect.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;">Start small by stocking your fridge with healthy brightly colored veggies, and proteins. Keep a well stocked pantry full of whole grains and rice and beans.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;">When it comes time to plan dinner have your kids help choose a veggie, a protein and a starch. Let them know that plain pasta just will not give them the energy they need to play for hours. (remember eating a rainbow is the way to grow) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;">Letting your child understand choices gives them confidence and good decision making skills. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;">Set them up for success by starting with simple choices.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><u><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Pick Your Toppings Pasta Night</span></b></u></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhhRMl7jVjvbWrJUR7mygaQV9EAPk0iQ-uBjvf6dvPZsQFILBWQPRbLyN4-BzK4gohJCXR7lSbAmBiHLYpwlANL09w42x06gk91TM-Pv_7NskpkmLT7nROOTxc9b10vO4sEvfoIyP6_X7/s1600/IMG_2933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhhRMl7jVjvbWrJUR7mygaQV9EAPk0iQ-uBjvf6dvPZsQFILBWQPRbLyN4-BzK4gohJCXR7lSbAmBiHLYpwlANL09w42x06gk91TM-Pv_7NskpkmLT7nROOTxc9b10vO4sEvfoIyP6_X7/s200/IMG_2933.JPG" width="188" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><u><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;">Once they decide on the 3 or 4 ingredients, cook them up and, put them in separate dishes and let them “mix” their own bowl for dinner. Feel free to offer a sauce on the side like olive oil or Alfredo and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;">We like to have a bunch of sauces and spices on the table so everyone can tailor the meal to their liking. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;">Get them used to seeing different foods arrive each night. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;">Give them some guidelines, for instance, only add ingredients one spoonful at a time, it is easier to add than take away. and they have to try everything they have chosen to mix in. Give lots of praise even if it tastes bland and boring. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;">Try</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;">to avoid saying something tastes bad in front of a child, being negative around food will quickly create a picky eater. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;">This is about building self-esteem around eating not necessarily what they end up eating. The point here is you are putting them in the driver seat, put on your seat belt and get ready to take a ride.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDzTy_I4IbguCFYVz3ixGdmf0tz-ztYrjyxwoPywMl6WUChpOybOuxr7yFoN8SPof9-sjF0EyCPXA_OE_rowr6I2TyxAEhPqoXMXhqRLpHH7jeUv-84CJ_ESWD8iMVL0lOvR_C0E3fjtB/s1600/DSCF0970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDzTy_I4IbguCFYVz3ixGdmf0tz-ztYrjyxwoPywMl6WUChpOybOuxr7yFoN8SPof9-sjF0EyCPXA_OE_rowr6I2TyxAEhPqoXMXhqRLpHH7jeUv-84CJ_ESWD8iMVL0lOvR_C0E3fjtB/s400/DSCF0970.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grown-ups can go heavy on the veggies to model meals for the kids. Adding nuts is a great way to get protein too!</td></tr>
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;">Choose wisely like trying whole-wheat pasta vs. white pasta, shredded zucchini vs. sausage, white beans and grilled chicken instead of ground beef.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;">Use ingredients like bacon and some meat as seasonings or flavorings instead of using them as the star of a dish. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLTxWvtizDSdux5pd-04z3iv-Ub1aFhN_y2Z770CJ3NCYX6stAuFCOq0ko1Prp0KZWhgtW5rqIKgt0aSDwo9QqjdCfn4hs-S-aBkkiYuzMw0VJTZ5NqtGuswcZzp9GvmvFYKgKiGwKFkqP/s1600/IMG_7457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLTxWvtizDSdux5pd-04z3iv-Ub1aFhN_y2Z770CJ3NCYX6stAuFCOq0ko1Prp0KZWhgtW5rqIKgt0aSDwo9QqjdCfn4hs-S-aBkkiYuzMw0VJTZ5NqtGuswcZzp9GvmvFYKgKiGwKFkqP/s320/IMG_7457.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;">For do-it-yourself pasta night</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;"> here are a 2 ingredient suggestions, using the same pan, sauté one after another. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;">To sauté, heat a large shallow pan on medium heat, add 1- 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add your first ingredient, continuing adding until everything is cooked.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><br />
</o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p><b><u><i>Chicken-ish Pasta Dish </i></u></b></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Chicken apple sausage, cut in rounds and sautéed<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;"><i>Sautéed zucchini rounds</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Cooked whole-wheat rigatoni or elbows<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Shredded green apples, raw to add on top</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Olive oil, salt and pepper</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><b><u><i>Gobble It Up Turkey Sauté</i></u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Ground turkey, sautéed<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;"><i>Broccoli florets, steamed</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Shredded Cheddar cheese<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;"><i>Quinoa or Brown rice, cooked</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><i><br />
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</o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Taco Night</span></u></b></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;">The ever-popular taco night, another great way to get your kids experimenting! Put out bowls of ingredients and let the kids add what they like. Smearing re-fried beans in the bottom of the taco can help the ingredients stick, thus preventing ingredient spillage! Cutting the ingredients into small bits makes it easier for little mouths. Use soft or crunchy taco shells and lots of healthy ingredients like:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJENFVYb7ZiSArbAicL00zOrdVFVWXER5L_6SWgDmmO1tyBFCS8czjWYnBesob5m7SvMNO6gByOLTNyaRPWi7-9Vuzn-doX_eJHQiStO0D-I4FXqx2Wh4ymZ_ioWujpULkf6VVarTfgS7/s1600/photo_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJENFVYb7ZiSArbAicL00zOrdVFVWXER5L_6SWgDmmO1tyBFCS8czjWYnBesob5m7SvMNO6gByOLTNyaRPWi7-9Vuzn-doX_eJHQiStO0D-I4FXqx2Wh4ymZ_ioWujpULkf6VVarTfgS7/s400/photo_2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Corn tortillas, soft or crunchy<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Ground beef or turkey or a mixture (cooked with taco seasoning and crumbled)<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Shredded lettuce<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Green or black olives, sliced<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Avocado, sliced<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Red or green salsa, mild<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Re fried beans, organic, warmed<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i>Diced tomato<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i>small amounts of sour cream</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i>corn off the cob</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;"><i>caramelized onions (raw onion can be too harsh for kids)</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-56624708395484149962011-10-01T08:46:00.000-07:002012-07-02T11:10:49.630-07:00Crunchy Granola a Whole New Generation<div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Verdana; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZ6uD6qrYIbInDVLJrc0s0ftEjxrFLPtGusvmZ5l0hfibImpEmzFXW7GrwbaMEfjVh0x5zOxg96AvNYyMLUagRYWTZ8W2FXWQwfd3YSjabs2lnONlYSl7HeWVVY_o_zabOxEliALm0fZr/s1600/carden_edible_082011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZ6uD6qrYIbInDVLJrc0s0ftEjxrFLPtGusvmZ5l0hfibImpEmzFXW7GrwbaMEfjVh0x5zOxg96AvNYyMLUagRYWTZ8W2FXWQwfd3YSjabs2lnONlYSl7HeWVVY_o_zabOxEliALm0fZr/s640/carden_edible_082011.jpg" width="436" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A fun craft to serve your creation in</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="small" style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px;">My latest article from Edible Fall 2011</div><div class="small" style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px;"><b>Stone's Soup Corner</b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Crunchy Granola a whole new generation...</span></b><br />
When I told my parents 18 years ago that I was moving to California, they labeled me as "crunchy granola." I was pretty offended. After all, I wasn't a hippie; I was a modern 20-something heading to San Francisco to seek out conversations about art in cafés with Beat poet types! They also asked me when I was coming back, to which I replied "never."<br />
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After a year or so in San Francisco, I decided to set aside my artist's tools and take up cooking–the right choice, looking back. The joke is on me because now one of my favorite recipes is what I call "Grab and Go Granola." I guess I was "crunchy granola" after all!<br />
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The ways of Woodstock may be gone, but the tradition of making healthy homemade snacks is alive and thriving. These days, "health food" is not just for love-in breakfasts or others on the fringe; it is mainstream. Snacks like granola are soaring in popularity and it seems every time you turn around there is a new gourmet granola on the market shelf. There are fruity ones, nutty ones, even regular-old cereals masquerading as granolas. A great way to ensure that your family truly is getting a healthy, wholesome granola is to make your own–and it's an easy and fun activity for kids, too!<br />
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<b><u>KITCHEN CRAFT</u></b><br />
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In the cooking and gardening camps at Napa's Connolly Ranch, we teach the kids to make pots for seedlings out of newspaper. These paper pots are also a fun way to serve snacks like homemade granola. You can use newspaper or even plain copier paper or construction paper for colored snack cups. This is a fun and creative activity for parties and play dates, too. Try making different shapes, like squares or rectangles!<br />
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Materials needed:<br />
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Sheets of paper<br />
Tape<br />
Markers or crayons<br />
A can (vegetable or soup cans work well)<br />
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To make:<br />
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1. Cut or fold the paper so that you have a piece that is long enough to fit all the way around the can (with a slight overlap) and is about 1 inch higher than the height of the can.<br />
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2. Wrap the paper around the can and tape the seam to seal the paper around the can–but not so tightly that you won't be able to slip it off.<br />
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3. Fold one end of the paper under the can to form a bottom for your cup.<br />
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4. Tape the seams to secure the bottom.<br />
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5. Have your child draw a design on the paper, then slip it off the can.<br />
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6. Fill your cups with your homemade granola or any other dry snack.<br />
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Grab and Go Granola </span></u></b><br />
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Granola is easy to make and store and it is delicious plain or as a topping. Try it on yogurt! My recipe below is easy and adaptable. Add more or less of any ingredient to your liking and it will always be delicious. Experiment with different types of nuts and dried fruits–dried blueberries or cranberries give it a flavorful punch. Make a double batch because it will disappear quickly.<br />
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Yield: About 6 cups<br />
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INGREDIENTS<br />
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1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut (Note: Using large-flake coconut adds a great chewy texture.)<br />
4 cups rolled oats<br />
1/2 cup wheat germ or flax meal<br />
2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds<br />
2 cups almonds, coarsely chopped<br />
2 tablespoons sesame seeds or flax seeds<br />
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg<br />
1 cup maple syrup<br />
1/4 cup honey 1/2 pound butter, melted<br />
3/4 cup dried currants or golden raisins<br />
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TO PREPARE<br />
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Preheat oven to 350° F.<br />
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Spread coconut on a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 5 minutes, checking constantly. Once coconut starts to toast it will brown quickly, so keep an eye on it. Bake until the edges are golden, then remove from the oven and transfer coconut to a shallow dish to cool. Once cooled, crush to break apart into individual strands.<br />
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Decrease the oven temperature to 300° F.<br />
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Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a small pan, melt honey, maple syrup and butter and set aside to cool.<br />
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In a large bowl, combine oats, wheat germ or flax meal, sunflower seeds, almonds, sesame seeds or flax, cinnamon and nutmeg, then stir well to combine.<br />
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Pour melted honey, maple syrup and butter mixture over oat mixture, then stir well to combine. Spread on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake at 300° F. for about 25 minutes, until lightly golden. Check often to make sure it does not burn. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then break up any large chunks with your hands and add the coconut and dried fruit. Store in an airtight container.</div><div><br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-58023216120040396452011-09-11T09:01:00.000-07:002012-07-02T11:10:49.635-07:00Hawaiian Birthday Bash, The Rain and Hula<div style="text-align: left;"></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdNkcbyHtgefPi2wO_o5acqTsBz5eZsgxNjg5MCAdv0nPSsDzyoU25wTvEWDJM0iYpdVoUyg1Hoauu75GSTZJc0XzBG0NJ32zc69ZmKEwcxsi2oGJVA-M6stUT2rXhw1ldLUlUP7-DM2NT/s1600/IMG_3011.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdNkcbyHtgefPi2wO_o5acqTsBz5eZsgxNjg5MCAdv0nPSsDzyoU25wTvEWDJM0iYpdVoUyg1Hoauu75GSTZJc0XzBG0NJ32zc69ZmKEwcxsi2oGJVA-M6stUT2rXhw1ldLUlUP7-DM2NT/s400/IMG_3011.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQbTybxx5dUv-aohGfaH7sbAdGBrOFdgLmj9dRZE96Z5bxkTu_uVWtYNdI4N6j_-4EL1N9pP1V6RLZtnR5ehqXMZSjiW3Iu8Z7f5Zlgcu_Pkg3DRCM7ekxSImTZ0PY_Jr46yylRpDnILb/s1600/IMG_2890.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQbTybxx5dUv-aohGfaH7sbAdGBrOFdgLmj9dRZE96Z5bxkTu_uVWtYNdI4N6j_-4EL1N9pP1V6RLZtnR5ehqXMZSjiW3Iu8Z7f5Zlgcu_Pkg3DRCM7ekxSImTZ0PY_Jr46yylRpDnILb/s320/IMG_2890.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Message in a bottle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajxfn2PokZB7FCvUeMPg0V8hezNSAk_LW067d753ndV2uUxUu333AdNjcElu0AleXQeUL1F-F3qyJOO735brb-E68_dSPcYt9tISx39N84IzLecHJYxuMeYdbiFIFyT_Kljq6RZmeNViB/s1600/IMG_2853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajxfn2PokZB7FCvUeMPg0V8hezNSAk_LW067d753ndV2uUxUu333AdNjcElu0AleXQeUL1F-F3qyJOO735brb-E68_dSPcYt9tISx39N84IzLecHJYxuMeYdbiFIFyT_Kljq6RZmeNViB/s320/IMG_2853.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our pretzel hut.</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Seven years past and now she's eight, not a toddler anymore but that doesn't mean that food can't still be fun!!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Claire was dead set on having a Hawaiian themed birthday this year, quite appropriate because we has just been to Maui for the first time 2 weeks prior to her party. We let her plan the favors and get a bunch of them in Hawaii, she wanted authentic Hawaiian goodies. We planned for goodies that were reusable and somewhat eco friendly.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The original party was planned for our back yard with a surprise of authentic Hula dancers and a lesson for the girls but the weather worried me. The forecast was cold and rainy and I could just imagine 18 wet and cold crabby girls. At the last minute I secured a gymnastic location, not my first choice but it seemed better than cold wet 8 year olds!</div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making faces on the cheese people.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pineapple with dried fruit</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Table with leaves and shells</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimIE1UPoxxYMCxDYgRqw8hYbxhpIh91iPXcCq64bEVEcO4BNtcrmJjNioGZjeMUot4Zefo3jQhrl3QNJzhNVoIqVuoPutbeAt3MOIvLi8RNhS1CycMWVTM-CGIDX-zh59MW0A6Eo7tWaO8/s1600/IMG_2999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimIE1UPoxxYMCxDYgRqw8hYbxhpIh91iPXcCq64bEVEcO4BNtcrmJjNioGZjeMUot4Zefo3jQhrl3QNJzhNVoIqVuoPutbeAt3MOIvLi8RNhS1CycMWVTM-CGIDX-zh59MW0A6Eo7tWaO8/s320/IMG_2999.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pouches from Hawaii with a necklace in each one.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9pq_sZdFEgp-XzRZCsWSmyhx-bCu3LvhlCGcIv37GfLiMx8P8RIWB7-hjIbreXpCVV0Urfz02N2spwAS4d_hR3ORrV2uIrqiyWbL0sFuxR8BWM6qRzmgZdQUev9QU_p336iXVq49qXMk/s1600/IMG_7082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9pq_sZdFEgp-XzRZCsWSmyhx-bCu3LvhlCGcIv37GfLiMx8P8RIWB7-hjIbreXpCVV0Urfz02N2spwAS4d_hR3ORrV2uIrqiyWbL0sFuxR8BWM6qRzmgZdQUev9QU_p336iXVq49qXMk/s320/IMG_7082.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Decorated cups</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The logistical issue was with the hula dancers and since I'd paid the deposit I was dead set on having them show. We had to squeeze the gymnastics and dancers, snacks and cake into an hour and a half! Well I am happy to report it worked and better yet it was fast and easy!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I has some idea of what I wanted the food to be like but since had just had knee surgery the week before and was on crutches I had to give up some control. (yes that is tough for me) </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The lucky part is that I had a cookie decorating class lined up two days before the party and to my surprise it ended up being a beach theme. I used the cookies I made on the cake I just got lucky they went so well. So I will show you what we came up with, some prior some day of the party. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnvPsqAQKP4zpLTgf1sVap_evL7eOfproldU3vIRSkgCfs9JPWByhaobk6S6wZXQWrWh1UaRRP66Ct-Lck-Yl1sB4IB33yqOd0nn1m0F5-K797zCQP3C8abeVT4a-G7B7Jimh9sJ_Lmcg/s1600/IMG_2873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnvPsqAQKP4zpLTgf1sVap_evL7eOfproldU3vIRSkgCfs9JPWByhaobk6S6wZXQWrWh1UaRRP66Ct-Lck-Yl1sB4IB33yqOd0nn1m0F5-K797zCQP3C8abeVT4a-G7B7Jimh9sJ_Lmcg/s400/IMG_2873.jpg" width="285" /></a>My long drawn out point here is that if you have some basic stuff on hand you can come up with a fun and creative party! </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Dried banana leaves as name tags</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Here is some of what I had:<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Cheese</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">deli turkey</div><div style="text-align: left;">dried fruit</div><div style="text-align: left;">shells</div><div style="text-align: left;">some Hawaiian decorations I got at the dollar store.</div><div style="text-align: left;">cloth napkins....</div><div style="text-align: left;">I got a pineapple not really knowing what I would use it for but it was a perfect way to skewer dried fruit and attach it to the pineapple with flowery picks to serve!</div><div style="text-align: left;">I rolled the cheese and turkey and drew faces with an edible ink marker.</div><div style="text-align: left;">The shells were decoration.</div><div style="text-align: left;">My mom helped me glue fabric flowers and Claire added stickers to the drink cups.</div><div style="text-align: left;">We used large banana leaves as tags on our goodie bags.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimI1Sj6DYSp0eHoYUH9B1HYf8Xamx6-HBYDyMXh3W2IloOqutn_-PCYgWMIHECYLE9Hx5jmuydD2LXKsAyXQP3ijiWSau2EfUEJSly96KJtWVxfFVqnqu448XU13o9e9xnyM_V2DkxMThw/s1600/IMG_2883.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimI1Sj6DYSp0eHoYUH9B1HYf8Xamx6-HBYDyMXh3W2IloOqutn_-PCYgWMIHECYLE9Hx5jmuydD2LXKsAyXQP3ijiWSau2EfUEJSly96KJtWVxfFVqnqu448XU13o9e9xnyM_V2DkxMThw/s640/IMG_2883.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cake we made with sugar cookies attached.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">The cake was planned, Claire made to hut and cut out fondant flowers.</div><div style="text-align: left;">I ordered a sushi platter.</div><div style="text-align: left;">We had gotten sugar cane in Hawaii and added it to the drink cups.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">The kids loved it and it ended up being a great day....it never rained!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Girls in their Hula skirts learning a dance.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCvRJGpGjPE1v2TSpIoWGSC5S46PgKrvvHoIPNr2njWfrqGkXETIzPVk6V6bnsCEhp2d97xKviLys-eK7NmIakMqkHxjc6dBT6HAtGUG8an7kcwLyefA5I-fRQgzGpVhWmqt6IrY3BlB9A/s1600/IMG_3198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCvRJGpGjPE1v2TSpIoWGSC5S46PgKrvvHoIPNr2njWfrqGkXETIzPVk6V6bnsCEhp2d97xKviLys-eK7NmIakMqkHxjc6dBT6HAtGUG8an7kcwLyefA5I-fRQgzGpVhWmqt6IrY3BlB9A/s320/IMG_3198.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A happy birthday girl at home after the party.</td></tr>
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-90791052314577296712011-08-19T08:25:00.000-07:002012-07-02T11:10:49.696-07:00Jessica Alba a Regular Mom: SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="il" style="background-color: #ffff88; color: #222222;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD IN 4D In theaters August 19th </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DaAwzxrApwI7kjIEjc4XqBbNHlMzHKjbHYv9ZWCFSZqFFaM8KTi_NSXyXY6jhY0yP8GcJ3g57Y2ggFDifbFEBxqSaATUAKjIj5wTEBcxa2mnTWeb97SkHw4dqvleAb_qqQeW4NfPUd3V/s1600/Spy_Kids__All_The_Time_In_The_World_in_4D_SK4_title_whiteBG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DaAwzxrApwI7kjIEjc4XqBbNHlMzHKjbHYv9ZWCFSZqFFaM8KTi_NSXyXY6jhY0yP8GcJ3g57Y2ggFDifbFEBxqSaATUAKjIj5wTEBcxa2mnTWeb97SkHw4dqvleAb_qqQeW4NfPUd3V/s320/Spy_Kids__All_The_Time_In_The_World_in_4D_SK4_title_whiteBG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="il" style="background-color: #ffff88; color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">When we are in the kitchen we smell everything, I always ask the kids to tell me to describe the ingredients to me. We pick basil and rosemary and take big sniffs to get our creative juices flowing. The new movie Spy Kids, All The Time In The World is in 4D has smell-a-vision or Aroma Scope, which means we get to smell what the actors are smelling! When you get to the theater you will get a scratch and sniff card, I know my generation will be excited. (I speak for all of us when I say we loved our scratch and sniff stickers)</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyC5bgsEv7WMO-PJRNbhXl9W-ATtQk7QmOyu_OmY4UYVFs2o1vcfkhPEdagKjPQjDYD5_PrEqofQO6TvBM5p__qum7bHCOXsjkOMPJSmUpCwF2dPLksR5xbAGn_IaMSJmS-fEvt1JNLjvH/s1600/family.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyC5bgsEv7WMO-PJRNbhXl9W-ATtQk7QmOyu_OmY4UYVFs2o1vcfkhPEdagKjPQjDYD5_PrEqofQO6TvBM5p__qum7bHCOXsjkOMPJSmUpCwF2dPLksR5xbAGn_IaMSJmS-fEvt1JNLjvH/s400/family.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joel McHale, Jessica Alba, Mason Cook and Rowan Blanchard in "Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="il" style="background-color: #ffff88;"></span>Jessica Alba</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> star of Spy Kids All The Time In The World</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> was as sweet over the phone as she seems to be on the big screen. She is very down to earth and seems like a regular gal</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> who has made quite a name for herself in Hollywood.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> She has a 3 year old girl and had her second daughter on August 13th and is absolutely thrilled. Although she says she can't imagine having them grow up or be teenagers, she says that gives her a panic attack!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> I was invited in on a call where a number of Bloggers got to ask her a few questions about her new movie, </span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;">SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span> </div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> There were some great questions about how she balances her time between family and work, what her favorite scene was and my question about feeding her toddler of course!</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><br />
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</div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Chef Jen's question</b>: Your new movie is called Spy Kids All The Time In The World. I am pretty sure that you don't feel like you have all the time in the world! Being a mom I want to know what your best go to snack is for your daughter? </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Jessica:</b></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Although her daughter is picky at times she is a good eater. Her go to snack is fruit (I loved hearing this)<b> </b> </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">On the run she grabs grapes. She says her daughter is all about being a big girl so when she gets a whole apple she is thrilled. Her daughter knows not to eat the seeds in the middle too. She loves to eat peaches, mom says even though they are messy it's a big girl fruit that keeps her occupied!</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiak05JrqfWNacaIeQhUGP20Ouog7wp2cxvv-Cs1fukDwc0cBn2kUn5hwfDMKp3tQXVlQnLVREGFuAM8d1Y4ogjFWhv0y3VoT_69PSlzLGZuzf5BLycCqM54nC2l4iXlOV4zgpR_uDXha-o/s1600/SK4_10789_R1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiak05JrqfWNacaIeQhUGP20Ouog7wp2cxvv-Cs1fukDwc0cBn2kUn5hwfDMKp3tQXVlQnLVREGFuAM8d1Y4ogjFWhv0y3VoT_69PSlzLGZuzf5BLycCqM54nC2l4iXlOV4zgpR_uDXha-o/s400/SK4_10789_R1.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JESSICA ALBA as Marissa Cortez Wilson in "Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D"</td></tr>
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</span></div><span class="caption">My friend Amy of the <a href="http://thefamilychef.blogspot.com/">The Family Chef </a></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><span class="caption">asked Jessica, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"what is your family's favorite meal?" Jessica replied with some of our family favorites like rice, veggies and she says her husband makes great tacos. She also said her daughter changes her mind 40 times a night, sounds like a typical 3 year old to me! Her daughter is good eater even though she can be picky, again, a typical 3 year old. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><br />
</div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">Although many would describe her as an exotic beauty, </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Alba</span> was raised in a traditional hardworking American family in California. She said she and her brother were always made to feel like they were number one. Although her mom sometimes held 3 jobs she made time to make them feel important and took the time to check in and remind them they are a priority. Jessica talked about working less these days and prioritizing time to spend with her family, I like this idea, and I think I will try it.</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So if you are looking for something to do on a hot summer day, cool off with this cool new movie.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://spykidsmovie.net/">Spy Kids All The Time In The World</a></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: black;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Synopsis</span></b><br style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;" /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">On the surface, Marissa Cortez Wilson (Jessica Alba) has it all...married to a famous spy hunting television reporter, a new baby and intelligent twin step kids. But in reality, trying to mother Rebecca (Rowan Blanchard) and Cecil (Mason Cook), who clearly don’t want her around, is her toughest challenge yet. Also, her husband, Wilbur (Joel McHale), wouldn’t know a spy if he lived with one which is exactly the case - Marissa’s a retired secret agent...</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">(All images courtesy of the Weinstein Company) </span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-73804759656456678292011-07-26T07:40:00.000-07:002012-07-02T11:10:49.653-07:00My Kitchen - A Well Oiled Machine?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Disclaimer - I wrote this on a Spanish computer in an Internet cafe in Spain, please forgive spelling and formatting mistakes!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I was going crazy trying to cook in my kitchen! Yes I love kitchen equipment but my closet, my attic and my shed are not proper places to store my coveted equipment. Special things like a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"><em style="color: black; font-style: normal;">Le Creuset</em></span> pot that Jacques Pépin gave me for working on his show years ago. A tea tin from Martin Yan from China, and various other important items, you get the picture. I always wanted to have someone help me organize my kitchen but it was always last on the list. I love those shows about getting organized, where a team ambushes you, tears apart your house and puts it all back together again! I had my friend and organizer create a workspace in my office about two years ago and it was amazing. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>5 ways to know if you need a kitchen reorg!</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><strong>1.</strong> If you only buy pre-made food because you can't get to your pots and pans.</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><strong>2.</strong> If you spend to much money buying items you already have but can't but don´t know they are in the cabinet.</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><strong>3.</strong> If you never let your kids help in the kitchen for fear of an avalanche and trip to the hospital.</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><strong>4.</strong> If your phone and take out menus are your best asset in the kitchen.</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em><strong>5.</strong> If when you walk in your kitchen you feel defeated before you start cooking.</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I was starting to feel all 5 of these things in my own kitchen. I used to make more homemade pasta, breads and tortillas but all my tools had become buried and it was way too much work to dig them. Unless I was developing a recipe I felt as if my creativity had fizzled due to sloppiness. I tried to do it myself, to organize a few drawers at a time, I thought I was doing so well but I wasn´t because hacking away one mess at a time was not effective. When My friend <a href="http://www.woodallorganizing.com/">Diane a home organizer</a> came to dinner one night I found her on her hands and knees pulling apart on of my cabinets. She looked at me and said, "how do you function in here?" Instead of being annoyed I just said, "well I obviously need help." So we scheduled a day for the kitchen to be transformed and I felt relief. I wish I had taken "before" photos to show you but let's just say it wasn't good. <a href="http://www.woodallorganizing.com/">Diane Woodall</a> is amazing, she took apart my kitchen and put it back together again as a well oiled machine I am glad I made the call. Here are some after photos for you.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My oils and vinegars used to be down below in my island and very hard to see. Now all my go-to ingredients are at eye level for easy access.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBDwB1MaaNqrEJgY98whnNNDPlC1V1aiwwRsytQ0gi1BjeR5OyURNtdgV9D-wiLgeltODm-NRtYIqPSVsQTwRE593YATGedkms2g5boAvTcYieappqN2nvv94h-U4Z2qMOLHzDQfbm3ax/s1600/IMG_7705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBDwB1MaaNqrEJgY98whnNNDPlC1V1aiwwRsytQ0gi1BjeR5OyURNtdgV9D-wiLgeltODm-NRtYIqPSVsQTwRE593YATGedkms2g5boAvTcYieappqN2nvv94h-U4Z2qMOLHzDQfbm3ax/s320/IMG_7705.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything is where we can see it now.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ahGDSRLAlw6-bDbGkPQ-K2cGoVA5_A5YoC55aBoCllv4GqUT0aAjI3CCRNFSm7uO1MCnyPJeoUkXnp4kIc638OkfDehOKY4a-tk1f0NS98trLG7vSdmJ96GUzpcdjkqjmtnk7esuvsOZ/s1600/IMG_7709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ahGDSRLAlw6-bDbGkPQ-K2cGoVA5_A5YoC55aBoCllv4GqUT0aAjI3CCRNFSm7uO1MCnyPJeoUkXnp4kIc638OkfDehOKY4a-tk1f0NS98trLG7vSdmJ96GUzpcdjkqjmtnk7esuvsOZ/s320/IMG_7709.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slide out drawers for easy access.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiONvdLdKa7zE4fN2KIZQonG5cpjNZrzabw6BUWxpQDGHKpfu1N99kMJoir9wyHG7A6mwtXwr-qx0UAU6eiXc8VBLSUVWGQa-2nQZpMqVZ2vioDkfW9JDjFntNHsHuGiNtUu_a8Noe-CE9u/s1600/IMG_7711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiONvdLdKa7zE4fN2KIZQonG5cpjNZrzabw6BUWxpQDGHKpfu1N99kMJoir9wyHG7A6mwtXwr-qx0UAU6eiXc8VBLSUVWGQa-2nQZpMqVZ2vioDkfW9JDjFntNHsHuGiNtUu_a8Noe-CE9u/s320/IMG_7711.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This tall cabinet was full of shoes but now it is full of appliances I can easily get to.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqNyOw12yPrNjrHCEY48wsp3b290MrSNe5YmY7oCvR-gTspQuSv1iqPUYP7za2s5kGLBLb4ITDRmG5CWWgV0t9QDkKkR4DFz-5wkAVi3CdawelE-tVc6ITsiJimKTIKQXDBFy7AXY4FP-/s1600/IMG_7721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqNyOw12yPrNjrHCEY48wsp3b290MrSNe5YmY7oCvR-gTspQuSv1iqPUYP7za2s5kGLBLb4ITDRmG5CWWgV0t9QDkKkR4DFz-5wkAVi3CdawelE-tVc6ITsiJimKTIKQXDBFy7AXY4FP-/s320/IMG_7721.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We love paper straws, they are pretty and better than plastic for the environment and easy to reach now in the straw jar.</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Look now I have an empty space!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-5ztuo-Mk7F1cMBp3V5VKPXURKxlDqx_d6z6n8pPsBCkoTqKFCGr6ATc6VQPSZylWbgtbUlXz-u6zpM2uOM51BcWLb18431R-lUSI9Urum5neTLyjghhWwF8W9KRzExrelJtARMm4aFG/s1600/IMG_7725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-5ztuo-Mk7F1cMBp3V5VKPXURKxlDqx_d6z6n8pPsBCkoTqKFCGr6ATc6VQPSZylWbgtbUlXz-u6zpM2uOM51BcWLb18431R-lUSI9Urum5neTLyjghhWwF8W9KRzExrelJtARMm4aFG/s320/IMG_7725.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-77961872563558249662011-07-26T06:46:00.000-07:002012-07-02T11:10:49.662-07:00Easy as Pie!<img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJaB07cWeZIa7Bz1mrnS4xZTwQ3kAAiBSiGus818IGIkWNyy7ZJbqTWka-2T5mQpgLlr2Z_kE7kRityO95zqkV3_U6nJjQW1za43v8WeDGJfT-Q8Th23WyDDn_PD2ipjCivo5mfYxr0uQd/s400/IMG_8471.JPG" width="400" /><br />
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It's not apple season yet but at the Connolly Ranch where I run my cooking camp there is a tree and it does have apples. They apples are TART, well downright sour I'd say. The kids don't seem to mind though, they eat them because they get to pick them! Mostly they are used for making fresh pressed apple juice with the ol' press. The juice is divine but as for eating the apples could use another few months on the tree. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When it comes to kids they don't seem to care if the fruit is in season or if it has hit it's maximum sweetness I know this because all 130 kids at my <a href="http://www.dirt-to-dine-adventures.com/index.html">camp</a> enjoyed these apples. My daughter loved them so much that she smuggled home about 10 apples and asked if we could make pie! I thought "pie, in July, from apples...not exactly the fruit I'd choose. How about we use cherries or peaches I asked?"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Her response, "nope we have these green apples from the ranch, I want to use these," I agreed. I did remember that I had a lump of pie dough in the freezer from last summer (it was Food Saved so don't think I was using some old freezer burned dough) The great part was that I had worked cheddar cheese to the dough in an attempt to make a "fun flavorful" dough. </div><br />
<img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_21S0hY0G8_lWKXB7VpcmvPIpXp_U8IITEHBU3HQ8SI-DTBnrioVsqX3sWvE_LCBR00pPI-ga6VySIzeaP2NeCaopM-GDyBpaN3M3j1geYVCnlA08025uHlKnkd3vGMe5ZP2ZAJVG26n/s200/IMG_8452.JPG" width="200" /><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cutting apples with kids can be scary until their knife skills get better...we used a chopper. I cut the apples and gave her the chopper to chop them with. I told her to chop them very small so they would cook faster. She loved whacking the apples and obliterating them!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The easy thing about pie is you don't need a pie dish, free form pies or tarts are fun because they always look so pretty and rustic. You can pass of the "rustic" tart or pie as beautiful, anytime!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We needed a way to sweeten the apples without dumping a bunch of sugar on them and recently my daughter discovered that she likes apricot preserves. I wanted to use up the jar we had so I suggested it and she agreed. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Kids seem to love kitchen tools and the more you use the more skills they can gain in the kitchen. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcs2o3S2yHPu9dVKwqZBO5ho1BdyElRhFyqyhsIn_rxQerC4QGrFxpVCanT-Ryn378gecDrv_nMsBGTeDNKRhEeDJUBqGHXP6lwdRY0XW7nYUEHcjOpMuX8BKwN_M7l5uf7FFaN7HCpfe/s320/IMG_8453.JPG" width="238" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We used a rubber pastry brush (not pictured) to spread warmed jam on the crust, they are perfect for this job easy to clean. Warming and stirring the preserves makes them easy to spread. After spreading the jam we added our apples, some droplets of butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar for richness and a pinch of salt. <img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_CIa1DChBCoWLJqXk4qcuKM7wd6PLauZt6kOl_8OdpJ31rZN5FaGPOBccDqwiQSKsMX5gWaX66HfwiH28bZ5kT3TF9HgJAmjU5Cas4gUyCWpXyS_5NHhHyZXn1Eqqf08-2BeJLdR8lgR/s320/IMG_8449.JPG" width="320" /><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUVp5kgj_yGKfdUJV_uJSoxepsR-XfUoZKGFg-MwkCRAfSDx7DlbpdiOxE0tcnER0bhZIIbVMPucOtPy3L5KN3vs77-Q5O5arnNP_6htYiNyTVuz2vccPNZozQDHbqaEH2xCO6Ue7M3jH/s200/IMG_8457.JPG" width="200" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I taught her how to fold the crust up so the sweet goodness wouldn't leak out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We baked it for 1/2 hour at 400F and it was amazing!!! She was so proud of her pie!!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="goog_224724142"></span><span id="goog_224724143"></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzDnARWKxHdsdb-sgr-034mRYrJQXk3TRSXq3D0c8zGRZbuYo1CR3X-56nrYr9jcXQJ2mI6l9T-zt5lLJDHW2H_VFhyldS672g8W2upvDY9XOewJ6O1_rj55uFsIY42UJyg2jZxZkhydH/s1600/IMG_8461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzDnARWKxHdsdb-sgr-034mRYrJQXk3TRSXq3D0c8zGRZbuYo1CR3X-56nrYr9jcXQJ2mI6l9T-zt5lLJDHW2H_VFhyldS672g8W2upvDY9XOewJ6O1_rj55uFsIY42UJyg2jZxZkhydH/s320/IMG_8461.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-42359532742375921422011-07-18T00:22:00.000-07:002011-07-21T07:40:30.820-07:00Pickled Carrots or Carrot Pickles?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>"Mom, I'd like to make some pickles but from carrots. What would we call them, pickled carrots or carrot pickles?"</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DmDQNKhV0eZar8ToVX8gs_53i1goTHYyMJ60TX8kTSMJWdBdEnCmjwEqOe9yxHb_zfUiN30OBCSlgh-OiMaDiZf4XgECuj93qpawbr9xjvZtSVP6PPE24ETGaoW8XqwhnrqLjrc_Jhxm/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DmDQNKhV0eZar8ToVX8gs_53i1goTHYyMJ60TX8kTSMJWdBdEnCmjwEqOe9yxHb_zfUiN30OBCSlgh-OiMaDiZf4XgECuj93qpawbr9xjvZtSVP6PPE24ETGaoW8XqwhnrqLjrc_Jhxm/s400/photo+1.JPG" width="341" /></a></span></i></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><i>I have been in the kitchen every second of every spare minute working on styling recipes for a cookbook with my husband the photographer. I have made, cookies, fudge, omelets, shakes, scones, pretty much everything you can imagine. Somehow in between the recipes for the project and meals for my family (and not to mention I'm running a full time cooking camp for 3 weeks!) I am cooking with my daughter. We are making Popsicles in our Zoku, pies, hand ground corn tortillas, eggs, grilled cheese on a stick, pickles...you get the point. I love what I do don't get me wrong but summer is tough when the kids are out of school and schedules are out of whack.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>She has always loved my food but I have been waiting for her to blossom as a little chef and it happened. The timing is all-wrong, I mean really kid, couldn't you wait until I wasn't so busy? The answer is is that it doesn't matter, I will always be busy and I HAD to take advantage of this NOW! Her taste buds are hopping and her little brain is churning with ideas, it's my job to facilitate that. If my kid wants to try onions I sure as hell am going to help her with that! Tonight she made a pie that was so delicious I was in awe. Sure I help her, give her tips and even chop ingredients but I am really trying to let her drive, really trying. as she gets more comfortable with the equipment I will just sit in the passenger seat and try not to use the invisible brake.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>Sweet Pickled Carrots </i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i></i></span><o:p></o:p><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3PuFMthkDQ3NqrO517SEuZjpd9Ekx4iXrIuw4YVGMDZlOIQhuys85-a-kV1qaKCjGY4QRb6AFf3cNoS1ESuKKq5RPbjABNXDQEwR774Vnzfh32j9G47b376nQ0kwDKKOExvX0Dhfoh_b/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3PuFMthkDQ3NqrO517SEuZjpd9Ekx4iXrIuw4YVGMDZlOIQhuys85-a-kV1qaKCjGY4QRb6AFf3cNoS1ESuKKq5RPbjABNXDQEwR774Vnzfh32j9G47b376nQ0kwDKKOExvX0Dhfoh_b/s320/photo+2.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="228" /></a></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Getting kids to eat acidic foods or foods with any flavor can be a challenge but if THEY make this recipe they may change their mind! </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">This is a great kid friendly base recipe for pickling veggies, let them add a variety of veggies or other herbs and spices to experiment.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Great on tacos!!<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_YgLTaPMd_M6_wSqj55t3CskNCd3WKCmBIk2SR-56vi93I-a-CA_sddHWkChFVmrO5yQ8Or3EewBwip8zluwZ2S47mEgPfY8Zc7dOZgXb2Ar-LwGx2g3Ww2QmiMUe7xHupvPnCnbDHxh/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_YgLTaPMd_M6_wSqj55t3CskNCd3WKCmBIk2SR-56vi93I-a-CA_sddHWkChFVmrO5yQ8Or3EewBwip8zluwZ2S47mEgPfY8Zc7dOZgXb2Ar-LwGx2g3Ww2QmiMUe7xHupvPnCnbDHxh/s320/photo+3.JPG" width="248" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p> </o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Makes about 8 cups <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ingredients :<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> 2 pounds organic carrots, 1/8" slices <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> 1 medium onion, finely sliced half moons<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> 2 cups water<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> 3/4 cup vinegar of your choice (recommend 1 part rice vinegar and 2 parts ume plum vinegar)<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> ¾ or up to 1 cup sugar<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> 1 1/2 teaspoons salt<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Directions:<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1. Blanch carrots in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Place carrots, onions and garlic in two 3 cup glass jars or bowl with a cover.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2. Meanwhile, add water, vinegar(s), sugar and salt to a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and ensure sugar has been completely dissolved.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3. Pour hot liquid over vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, cover and store in refrigerator.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-62527809013948778382011-07-06T13:22:00.000-07:002011-07-06T13:22:17.874-07:00Announcing Our SodaStream Winner!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Congratulations APRIL J. you win!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjl23ZKABB66S03IBuDeuGrT6JuSm_BlG_qVtFvP9bDs-VZy29m8vFBktDQtepIzcR6Ucpq__1uHop-fdtx3lIz7z9f6FNR5hH3V6gqZY9mGHMo_YMPeC1-eFqJi32UTmXLGs98CERXLJG/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-07-06+at+1.15.21+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjl23ZKABB66S03IBuDeuGrT6JuSm_BlG_qVtFvP9bDs-VZy29m8vFBktDQtepIzcR6Ucpq__1uHop-fdtx3lIz7z9f6FNR5hH3V6gqZY9mGHMo_YMPeC1-eFqJi32UTmXLGs98CERXLJG/s400/Screen+shot+2011-07-06+at+1.15.21+PM.png" width="367" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thank you for all your entries and keep looking for our next great giveaway starting very soon!!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-32649778844773819402011-06-28T06:30:00.000-07:002011-06-28T06:30:00.723-07:00Salad Days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT65lniwGC2EGTbixQXYpWQkclqsnFhCxhPegXYJqP4gsIf-ZHSP4ZWSoYMWVSrGC2G6vdNs4AnZJfUq27cLpsiG_SBPqE9uV6HKOXPnXS7XR8SDDMjCS-elHLD4losk5-8kyZ4f1ZoSdj/s1600/IMG_7488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT65lniwGC2EGTbixQXYpWQkclqsnFhCxhPegXYJqP4gsIf-ZHSP4ZWSoYMWVSrGC2G6vdNs4AnZJfUq27cLpsiG_SBPqE9uV6HKOXPnXS7XR8SDDMjCS-elHLD4losk5-8kyZ4f1ZoSdj/s400/IMG_7488.JPG" width="297" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2NrveHQYQGGXgiIpFGxLX5ANuIzgbqIkfRvjoZ7qwaP-EkGcSNk0IDNYB9SNY4m3swwe1TltSO1lgdidWguI1aY8zoxBeW8Dp1ulZj1lVd7lYjmCyx3dgRS5fK22XWIha6bknz3sQE3-/s1600/IMG_7456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2NrveHQYQGGXgiIpFGxLX5ANuIzgbqIkfRvjoZ7qwaP-EkGcSNk0IDNYB9SNY4m3swwe1TltSO1lgdidWguI1aY8zoxBeW8Dp1ulZj1lVd7lYjmCyx3dgRS5fK22XWIha6bknz3sQE3-/s400/IMG_7456.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT65lniwGC2EGTbixQXYpWQkclqsnFhCxhPegXYJqP4gsIf-ZHSP4ZWSoYMWVSrGC2G6vdNs4AnZJfUq27cLpsiG_SBPqE9uV6HKOXPnXS7XR8SDDMjCS-elHLD4losk5-8kyZ4f1ZoSdj/s1600/IMG_7488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIb_cUQje0KKK6KoIaU-mkGe-XXfMpoDFeXOHPnEUxizlEpWUZROUipSAfLf0RlG6Dt23M1FiHt5EW-AYLAhREoWZWUcdxTmc1PfZbTkgaYqfixK2vbsoSeF3s_pFbnAu06M3l5IyLsDV-/s1600/IMG_7472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIb_cUQje0KKK6KoIaU-mkGe-XXfMpoDFeXOHPnEUxizlEpWUZROUipSAfLf0RlG6Dt23M1FiHt5EW-AYLAhREoWZWUcdxTmc1PfZbTkgaYqfixK2vbsoSeF3s_pFbnAu06M3l5IyLsDV-/s320/IMG_7472.JPG" width="238" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">It finally happened, yes it's true...my child loves salad!! I knew the day would come, she always liked her veggies and was OK with chomping on lettuce, but a salad was not on the menu for her. Salad is a tough one for kids, it can be acidic, or slightly soggy or just green! The advice I give in my cookbook <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Toddler-Caf%C3%A9-Healthy-Pickiest-Eater/dp/0811859274/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309241893&sr=8-1">Toddler Cafe</a> is to present some form of salad every night. Put it on the plate, just a few leaves and cut up veggies let your child get used to seeing the veggies there but don't force it. You may end up eating a few extra veggies while you are cleaning up because they probably will leave them untouched every night for years....but...eventually they will eat it. (fingers crossed)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Another tip is to use very crisp lettuce like baby Romaine and cut it small. I like to cut the length of the leaf and then across to make smaller bite size pieces. Having to manage large leaves of lettuce can be un-fun for little mouths, so chop all the ingredients small.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYj8gT32llP4gqGGrIIzBIB5aGENz1-xF0D3BBkLz7SFsnG4T7UaJcJOd3c9f-ABcAy28qptARwYVHDdfr7HUqH3nqbjRBC3T0YQqeK3nIIkgKLUPI9-avFrMgv_7q215fbso45GU1FQNQ/s1600/IMG_7483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYj8gT32llP4gqGGrIIzBIB5aGENz1-xF0D3BBkLz7SFsnG4T7UaJcJOd3c9f-ABcAy28qptARwYVHDdfr7HUqH3nqbjRBC3T0YQqeK3nIIkgKLUPI9-avFrMgv_7q215fbso45GU1FQNQ/s320/IMG_7483.JPG" width="238" /></a></div><br />
Of course it was not all my hard work and determination to get her to like salad, it was school! One day the second grade made a salad, they were so excited it was as if they had just all gotten a candy bar or something!! All 17 of them came screaming in the class room, "LOOK WHAT WE MADE, LOOK WHAT WE MADE, WE MADE A SALAD!!!!"<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I just happened to be in the classroom for reading groups and got the witness the total frenzy of excited eight year olds first hand. It was so cute, they were so proud of harvesting and making the salad including the dressing.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcI2ieS7X1NyJRicr3FstgmuKace6ownq43qShhOOFtta7NjA0a7CTvQYJz0_1Q9HSY7kv7yEhAB7jec2hyphenhyphenLptvSVP_bSjifs16h2yRaweOjojMJkJvw50F9RRnFCJZaeQczVlKU4Er0I/s1600/IMG_7496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcI2ieS7X1NyJRicr3FstgmuKace6ownq43qShhOOFtta7NjA0a7CTvQYJz0_1Q9HSY7kv7yEhAB7jec2hyphenhyphenLptvSVP_bSjifs16h2yRaweOjojMJkJvw50F9RRnFCJZaeQczVlKU4Er0I/s320/IMG_7496.JPG" width="238" /></a>That night when Kidlet came home she asked if she could make a salad for our dinner. She has always cooked with me and always created her own "recipes" but she hadn't really made anything fully edible yet on her own. I said with gusto, "sure you can make the salad tonight!" I fully thought it would be horrible, I mean she has been making salad for her pet rat but now she's working on one we are going to eat!! I knew there would be a mess, corn smashed on my socks and dried up lettuce to be scraped off the floor but I didn't care.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">She chose her ingredients and I helped get the appropriate tools for her. I showed her how to scrape the food in to the bowl from the cutting board instead of manhandling it in small fistfuls into the bowl.</div><div style="text-align: left;">She made the dressing with lemon, olive oil, salt and a few drops of Balsamic vinegar. Her veggies were, sweet corn, broccoli, carrots, lettuces and parsley, all chopped well.</div><div style="text-align: left;">She tossed it and served it and was beaming and proud and truth be told it was really good!!</div><div style="text-align: left;">Now she wants to make the salad every Friday night, we dubbed it Shabbat Salad and she is in charge of that part of the meal now. We always say what we are happy about on Friday dinner and on that particular Friday I was happy my daughter was exited about salad!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-15839688811891634362011-06-13T07:00:00.000-07:002011-06-13T07:00:08.923-07:00Soda Comes Clean (also win a SodaStream)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEismURVe0u0aDWnOJHKPJPfjvQLvT7Mizugl7x3qn9PRtep_FJ9ovGNg9MMsLBu7VPTn8ok76UpSZHXPnNYBbedXWlmzsvwb7nW00vILcxal4RrdhUxq_B7IBf64g9Whdun5axkSxzLq7Jh/s1600/IMG_7294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEismURVe0u0aDWnOJHKPJPfjvQLvT7Mizugl7x3qn9PRtep_FJ9ovGNg9MMsLBu7VPTn8ok76UpSZHXPnNYBbedXWlmzsvwb7nW00vILcxal4RrdhUxq_B7IBf64g9Whdun5axkSxzLq7Jh/s400/IMG_7294.JPG" width="333" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our garnish is a hula girl straw with a strawberry</td></tr>
</tbody></table>In our house we don't drink soda but we do like "fizzy water." One of my favorite gadgets in my kitchen is my <a href="http://www.sodastreamusa.com/">Soda Stream</a>. I can't stand buying bottles of fizzy water just to toss them out a few days after they go flat. Plus with old age approaching schlepping those bottles can be a real back breaker. I became obsessed with "needing" a Soda Stream and once it came I was in love. One of the best things about it is that if the water doesn't get used up right away you can just add more water and re fizz it instead of pouring out the water. Another great thing is that the Soda Stream is self contained, by this I mean it has no plug or cords, and is free standing. We can take it camping or to a party, it travels well no electricity not problem. I chose the model with the plastic bottle for safety with the kids but the "Penguin" model is very pretty with it's retro looking glass bottle. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpIWLLVOO2ff56WBDKAfsUJdRLkw2ocK4tG1mdlMltyJ4BnjHBs-nSGFfbRNQT1cM41XXzQcf4k1PfCm23t3aWjhaomNxzNf0qFK8O5TiJ5eXK9N2nt8XDOCK5wXxSKkM6At5ZgmHsxIc/s1600/IMG_7275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpIWLLVOO2ff56WBDKAfsUJdRLkw2ocK4tG1mdlMltyJ4BnjHBs-nSGFfbRNQT1cM41XXzQcf4k1PfCm23t3aWjhaomNxzNf0qFK8O5TiJ5eXK9N2nt8XDOCK5wXxSKkM6At5ZgmHsxIc/s320/IMG_7275.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mashing berries with wooden spoon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiqXj2072Y_IMGcJHTYuKDseWeY1rfAGK8ahZjDdV8dbdsnV17SZ4iI8DqSHJ03GWxnuNDCGukOFzVI8X0KdcsqjltGi835rdk4e2OiG2ZUO7yXokQthfact9L5IE7W9n7iDcb_rAYJwPz/s1600/IMG_7276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiqXj2072Y_IMGcJHTYuKDseWeY1rfAGK8ahZjDdV8dbdsnV17SZ4iI8DqSHJ03GWxnuNDCGukOFzVI8X0KdcsqjltGi835rdk4e2OiG2ZUO7yXokQthfact9L5IE7W9n7iDcb_rAYJwPz/s320/IMG_7276.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I use a dropper for vanilla extract</td></tr>
</tbody></table>When I attended the International Housewares Show in Chicago I got lucky enough to be given a Soda Stream to give away on my blog! (I asked really nicely and smiled a lot and it worked!) <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Details below on entering to win.</span><br />
I thought I'd give you a fun way to make a healthier soda so when you win the Soda Stream you have a fun activity to do with the kids for summer. You can use your imagination for whatever fruit you want to add and as always I encourage creativity and using up your leftovers!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HoMoolEl2ctQ-059uypjd5etRKhi_jEtEottjulza9i1wefURvYXRIa8wZFI3HKXSOi7M5S7LZA5FzP3c4Afh-g7lXbc2Iqt9Ahd1T-f_puBMYiyoxjiYaGPulJ2-BCVXZZ0pLQbr49_/s1600/IMG_7293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HoMoolEl2ctQ-059uypjd5etRKhi_jEtEottjulza9i1wefURvYXRIa8wZFI3HKXSOi7M5S7LZA5FzP3c4Afh-g7lXbc2Iqt9Ahd1T-f_puBMYiyoxjiYaGPulJ2-BCVXZZ0pLQbr49_/s200/IMG_7293.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="171" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Removing stem</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I also want to teach you how to de-stem a strawberry using a straw it is a great tip. Taking a sturdy straw push it from the narrow end of the strawberry through the center of the top (green leaves). Voila, a de-stemmed berry! (We like to suck the berry meat out of the straw, waste not in our house.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxjB9wypi2TbWDu6Otn92W-0QfSfmIXkdTkRX-Kzwuoon-iSW-UWgjRDlQVzvW9JOQYyu5u35jE_aj83OhoOAZDQiUtjwXQUaoLe50L2PsRmB-_qqe0R5-xXc5PMmdHflv9StgeTuCXBzM/s1600/IMG_7269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxjB9wypi2TbWDu6Otn92W-0QfSfmIXkdTkRX-Kzwuoon-iSW-UWgjRDlQVzvW9JOQYyu5u35jE_aj83OhoOAZDQiUtjwXQUaoLe50L2PsRmB-_qqe0R5-xXc5PMmdHflv9StgeTuCXBzM/s320/IMG_7269.JPG" width="238" /></a><br />
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If you want to get a little less healthy and a little more celebratory try adding a scoop of vanilla or strawberry ice cream! With the ice cream try adding blueberries for a great a Fourth of July drink!<br />
Add lemon for another interesting drink or float an orange slice for more color.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Strawberry Sodas</b></span><br />
<i>Serves 2</i><br />
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<i>6 medium Strawberries, washed</i><br />
<i>1 1/2 tsp sugar, honey or sweetener of choice</i><br />
<i>1 tsp. vanilla extract</i><br />
<i>8 ounces unflavored fizzy water from SodaStream</i><br />
<i>an egg slicer</i><br />
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<i>Have the kids take the tops off the strawberries using the straw technique.</i><br />
<i>Slice de-stemmed berries in the egg slicer, and place 3 in each cup.</i><br />
<i>Add sweetener and, have kids mash, mash , mash with the end of a wooden spoon!</i><br />
<i>Add soda water to the top and enjoy!</i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Fan-only <a href="http://on.fb.me/jOWoep">SWEEPSTAKES</a> from 'Chef Jen Carden' is now Live! Check it <a href="http://on.fb.me/jOWoep">out on my page here</a></u></b></span><br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-13073343703476832732011-06-12T23:02:00.000-07:002011-06-12T23:11:36.281-07:00"Like" My New Page And Enter To Win A New SodaStream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivNTFvgg2hBYdJ0Bv8MhdSyCeKEOROSluLahJHC3RUkih40d3p_z9BcaNEO-2hkYYnIvS8CoLzQTOWM94YVkilDlKTlqXmNAGEJaefNrLa71Sned13ayghxJwAImgHksMOdJ66kpJ6FwF/s1600/Picture+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivNTFvgg2hBYdJ0Bv8MhdSyCeKEOROSluLahJHC3RUkih40d3p_z9BcaNEO-2hkYYnIvS8CoLzQTOWM94YVkilDlKTlqXmNAGEJaefNrLa71Sned13ayghxJwAImgHksMOdJ66kpJ6FwF/s320/Picture+5.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Celebrate the launch of Chef Jen's Facebook page!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Enter the Chef Jen Carden <a href="http://on.fb.me/jOWoep">Facebook Sweepstakes</a> and you could win a grand prize — a fancy new SodaStream soda maker. The SodaStream turns tap water into sparkling water in under 30 seconds! It's one my favorite kitchen gadgets.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The contest ends on June 27 and we will be contacting the winner via email and also announcing it here on my blog. <b>I will be closing down the old Toddler Café Facebook Group soon, so thank you for joining me on my new official Facebook Page.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-52501196789591848582011-06-01T15:24:00.000-07:002011-06-02T09:07:32.647-07:00One-Eyed Purple People Eater Muffins<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #5f3c14; font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 36px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyfBnwbs-FddgJrtQQP0k6z25GL5xfc47DkA0rO8JbsM39oXR_uW0fZU3A6BPhbc9O8uQrfmEZIFc215SDN5_09AgEqE65Q5HejfndSEw2TwdOsx-RToKkanxYa59y4clThpY52Y2JtXpI/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-06-01+at+3.06.04+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyfBnwbs-FddgJrtQQP0k6z25GL5xfc47DkA0rO8JbsM39oXR_uW0fZU3A6BPhbc9O8uQrfmEZIFc215SDN5_09AgEqE65Q5HejfndSEw2TwdOsx-RToKkanxYa59y4clThpY52Y2JtXpI/s400/Screen+shot+2011-06-01+at+3.06.04+PM.png" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7a68ae; font-family: Helvetica;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One-Eyed Purple People Eater Muffins </span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7a68ae; font-family: Helvetica;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Photo by Matthew Carden</span></span></b></span></td></tr>
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</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #232020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 36px;"><span style="color: #5f3c14;">DIRT </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #232020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 36px;"><span style="color: #bb7629;">MADE MY SNACK?! </span></span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 36.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="color: #bb7629;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><u>Article from Edible Marin Wine Country </u><a href="http://www.ediblecommunities.com/marinandwinecountry/">current issue</a><u> you can see all the issues online.</u></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 9.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="color: #5f3c14; font: normal normal normal 44.7px/normal Times;">H</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ow does a year go by so fast—it’s summer again? When your days are full of managing your family, driving kids from here to there and trying to fit in your job, time seems to both fly and stand still at the same time. Yes, indeed, warm, sunny weather is here again, so it’s time to get outside.</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 9.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This is also the perfect time to talk to your kids about dirt. Uh-huh, I said dirt. Dirt is where all of the yummy summertime fruits and vegetables they love so much really come from, and</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 9.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">our kids need to learn that—for their sakes, and for the sake of the whole planet. It is our responsibility to teach our children that taking care of the soil in which our food is grown is the first and most important step in cooking. Dirt’s connection to</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 9.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the kitchen is endless, yet that connection is surely lost on kids when all they see is their parent or caregiver tossing packaged items into grocery carts. Glitzy packaging may be enticing, but a pea pod is also an amazing package design, isn’t it?</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 9.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So, plan a trip to the beach, the woods or somewhere else outside, even as close as your own front yard, and take along a homemade snack, like the fun and delicious Purple People Eater Muffins I give the recipe for below. While you’re out there, talk with your kids about how much dirt matters. </span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 9.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 9.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For extra fun, teach them to sing Dirt Made My Lunch, one of my favorite little ditties by Santa Cruz’ the Banana Slug String Band!</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 9.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 9.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It starts like this...</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 9.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Dirt made my lunch, dirt made my lunch. </span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 9.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Thank you dirt, thanks a bunch— </span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 9.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For my salad, my sandwich, my milk and my Munch,</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 9.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">’cause dirt, you made my lunch.</span></div><div style="color: #bb7629; font: 8.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #7a68ae; font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bb7629; font-family: Times;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="color: #7a68ae; font: 9.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #7a68ae; font: 9.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">One-Eyed Purple People Eater Muffins</span></b></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Local blueberries are coming into season, so it’s the perfect time to bake some easy and deli- cious blueberry muffins with your kids. These can be eaten warm, right out of the oven, or filled with a scoop of delicious blueberry ice cream for an extra special treat. I use frozen blueberries in the ice cream mixture to get the pretty purple, but you can also use fresh berries when they are in season.</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Yield: 12 muffins</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">INGREDIENTS</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For the Crumb Topping:</span></div><div style="color: #7a68ae; font: 8.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1⁄2 cup brown sugar </span><span style="font: normal normal normal 4.8px/normal Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">⁄</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 4.8px/normal Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3 </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cup all-purpose flour 1⁄4 cup room temperature butter, cut into cubes 11⁄2 teaspoons ground cinnamon</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For the Muffins:</span></div><div style="color: #7a68ae; font: 8.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Paper muffin liners (optional) 11⁄2 cups all-purpose flour 3⁄4 cup white sugar 1⁄2 teaspoon salt</span></div><div style="color: #7a68ae; font: 8.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2 teaspoons baking powder</span></div><div style="color: #7a68ae; font: 8.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 4.8px/normal Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">⁄</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 4.8px/normal Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3 </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cup vegetable oil 1 egg </span><span style="font: normal normal normal 4.8px/normal Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">⁄</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 4.8px/normal Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3 </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cup milk 11⁄2 cups fresh blueberries, in season (or frozen, semi-thawed)</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For the Ice Cream Filling:</span></div><div style="color: #7a68ae; font: 8.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 cup vanilla ice cream (your favorite brand) 3⁄4 cup frozen blueberries, semi-thawed (or fresh, but your mixture will not have the same intense purple color)</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">TO PREPARE:</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Preheat oven to 400°. Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Crumb Topping:</b> Mash together sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon. Set aside.</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Muffins:</b> Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a bowl. Set aside. Place vegetable oil into a 1-cup measuring cup. Add the egg and enough milk to fill to the 1-cup mark. Pour</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir until just mixed. Do not over stir. Fold in the blueberries. Fill the muffin cups about 3⁄4 full with the mixture and sprinkle with crumb topping. Bake 20 minutes until the tops are golden and firm.</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">While the muffins are baking, make the ice cream filling.</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Ice Cream Filling:</b> Place 1 cup of ice cream in a bowl with the blueberries and mash together with a fork or potato masher (this is a fun job for the kids). The ice cream should turn purple and will have melted slightly. Place the mixture in the freezer to re-harden while the muffins cool.</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #232020; font: 8.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>To Assemble:</b> When muffins are cool, use a small spoon to scoop out a hole in the top of each muffin. Using a small ice cream scoop or spoon, place a scoop of the ice cream filling in the center of the muffin. Serve immediately or assemble and hold in the freezer until ready to serve.</span></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-46222105376170476982011-05-28T06:00:00.000-07:002011-05-28T06:00:00.608-07:00When does a seven year old need baby food?When does a seven year old need baby food?<br />
When they get BRACES!! I thought this was the perfect opportunity to chat about the UBFC.<br />
Yes that is my face on the box, and I am loving the fact that I get to develop recipes and promote this product. The interesting part is, is that as much as I love developing toddler and baby food, my toddler just turned eight years old! *crying*<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxq2n1kGhBD5oLobYjkheTM-KW7P3b-d_hNfABsV-8SrUI4SNwFE6ETwAg_Tn7VF6aKuzJ_UuGp7D-qPtIzXG1ZmbZadI59Xb5usKlAZOyOu5fpxGdVHjvszXNFHmkXpxxiRPp0Exfn44/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-02-21+at+8.19.19+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxq2n1kGhBD5oLobYjkheTM-KW7P3b-d_hNfABsV-8SrUI4SNwFE6ETwAg_Tn7VF6aKuzJ_UuGp7D-qPtIzXG1ZmbZadI59Xb5usKlAZOyOu5fpxGdVHjvszXNFHmkXpxxiRPp0Exfn44/s400/Screen+shot+2011-02-21+at+8.19.19+PM.png" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ultimate Baby Food Center (UBFC)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: left;">I am always looking for new ways to use this machine, it sits on my counter and it does do lots of nice little jobs like chop nuts, steam a quick side dish for my lunch but best of all makes great baby food!</div><div style="text-align: left;">My baby (yes I know she is 8 now) got braces when she was 7 just a few months ago. First off I have to tell you what a warrior she is because braces hurt! She was not scared a bit or nervous at all, she obviously does not take after me I break out in hives at the thought of the dentist. </div><div style="text-align: left;">Once she got the mouth bling, she was excited and proud to show off the colored rubber bands to anyone who would look in there. The pain was secondary, I knew it hurt but she wouldn't cave to it, just a few whimpers from her was all I heard. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73fWcNR-axzFxC0BtXoTGWRCj_uqRtH0jr4wX5PlOqoazKXpeQ1FX1kv6KStPz6yse3rLWvY_hehj33p30UYt-tMa81Nj8QZIStKznw88aEdQMLa9_1aqrotTHxN8cvJTb6oCH8-oEomv/s1600/Claire+braces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73fWcNR-axzFxC0BtXoTGWRCj_uqRtH0jr4wX5PlOqoazKXpeQ1FX1kv6KStPz6yse3rLWvY_hehj33p30UYt-tMa81Nj8QZIStKznw88aEdQMLa9_1aqrotTHxN8cvJTb6oCH8-oEomv/s320/Claire+braces.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I knew she couldn't chew or bite and the dinner that night, I had absently mindedly made something chewy and tough so that was out. I surely didn't want her to exist on Jello and pudding and canned soup for three days, how could I live with myself?</div><div style="text-align: left;">Baby Chef to the Rescue! I went to my handy copy of the little cookbook I wrote for the machine and made my Swamp Soup recipe. Perfect, I knew she loved it because we have been making it the traditional way for so long. I knew I could whip it up in the UBFC machine in 5 minutes, steam, chop and voila! We also made lots of smoothies with wholesome ingredients to keep her going, she loves an egg in her milkshakes! (that is probably from us talking about the old days at <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;">Orange Julius</em></span>)</div><div style="text-align: left;">For a few days I concocted some soupy recipes with ingredients like silken tofu, broth and beans, and she ate it all. So that is how a 7 year old ends up eating baby food. A puree is a puree, whether it is in a five star restaurant or just plain old baby food. At least when you make it you know what goes into it and you can really make sure your family is getting the best. Get creative, make this with carrots or a blend of veggies.<br />
Happy blending.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><span style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><i>Swamp Soup For Ultimate Baby Chef Machine</i></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><i>Makes 1 ½ cups <o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><i> </i></o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif;"><i>1 medium zucchini unpeeled, diced</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><i>1/2 avocado, peeled and pitted<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><i>1/8 teaspoon nutmeg<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><i>3/4 C. chicken broth<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><i> </i></o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif;"><i>Add water to the steaming chamber</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><i>Place zucchini pieces into steamer basket.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><i>Place filled basket into steaming chamber, turn onto HI<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><i>Steam zucchini for 5 minutes.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><i>Meanwhile add chicken stock and nutmeg to blender, spoon the avocado in, set aside. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><i>When zucchini is done add steamed zucchini to prepared blender cup blend for 1 min or until smooth and silky.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: ArialMT, sans-serif; line-height: 150%;"><i>As with all hot foods, when blending be careful and open blender slowly<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5698130092190400960.post-92044645223928461062011-05-25T05:45:00.000-07:002011-05-25T05:45:00.435-07:00Protein-a-luscious: A Fancy Pants Breakfast<h1 style="border-bottom-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font: normal normal normal 200%/normal Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"> <div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbEJL3hais5Uk8ibUyLOajzklYoKSt6g9nqaukgut0wGww8GHMMGAtMZbwhrT9IqksAeExLBhjh-T6o772pqYXQcIJwlqypZG09LtWhxnEeoR2CMeV6ozQYTp7FoYWe0G9uqkvMKYoMal/s1600/IMG_7257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBbEJL3hais5Uk8ibUyLOajzklYoKSt6g9nqaukgut0wGww8GHMMGAtMZbwhrT9IqksAeExLBhjh-T6o772pqYXQcIJwlqypZG09LtWhxnEeoR2CMeV6ozQYTp7FoYWe0G9uqkvMKYoMal/s400/IMG_7257.JPG" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished nests just out of the oven</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If you know me you know I am a breakfast junkie, I am a believer in high protein breakfasts for kids. I think they act better, think better and grow better. With good for you foods in the early hours of the day their brains function much better than with sugary or even no breakfast. Some kids just don't like eggs so this is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">for kids who don't like eggs. Call them nests!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I saw this recipe on <a href="http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/egg_nests/">Simply Recipes</a> and I instantly loved the concept. The original recipe called for Gruyere cheese but I happened to have a cheddar and jack blend so I went with that. I have changed this recipe, I upped the servings and added a few tips of my own, enjoy!</span><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I like making a few extra smaller puffs (as we call them) ones without egg just to snack on! So snack on and on....</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My daughter said it was the best breakfast EVER!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I can't wait to start experimenting with some other ideas using this technique stay tuned.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>The Bird is in the Nest (wink wink)</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Egg Nests originally from </i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;"><h1 class="parseasinTitle" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span id="btAsinTitle"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>La cuisine est </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>un</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>jeu</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>d'enfants</i></span></span></h1></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Serves 4</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>4 eggs<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>1/2 teaspoon salt<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>1/2 cup grated Cheddar / Jack<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Pepper or Paprika (optional)</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Preheat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or non stick silicone mat.<o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Keep each individual yolk in half of a shell on a rimmed plate or small bowl. (this way you don’t have to dirty four little bowls making for an easier clean up.)</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwbZVdIbAodxS__QaDK_qY-xynKVJorfq6MLFBTKlPE0P7WGG8MS_peSo5zlRG7mc_SwwPDhsFa92LXA3Te9sPv5RqMj9Gf6j-jEYdKQIqVlVZd8G6olmyxaKtMj2dd69mNDgKF2JwJPN/s1600/IMG_7250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwbZVdIbAodxS__QaDK_qY-xynKVJorfq6MLFBTKlPE0P7WGG8MS_peSo5zlRG7mc_SwwPDhsFa92LXA3Te9sPv5RqMj9Gf6j-jEYdKQIqVlVZd8G6olmyxaKtMj2dd69mNDgKF2JwJPN/s320/IMG_7250.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yolks awaiting to be deposited in the white nests</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Place the egg whites and salt in a very clean mixer bowl. Beat the egg whites with a whisk attachment in a mixer (or using a hand mixer), start on low speed working your way up to high speed, until stiff peaks form. Do not over beat the eggs here, you'll want them silky not chunky.</i></span><br />
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</i> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>With a rubber spatula gently fold in the grated cheese, doing your best not to deflate the egg whites.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Create four equal mounds (or more) of the egg white mixture on the lined baking sheet. Form the mounds so they look like nests, using the back of a spoon make indentations in the centers.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Place nests in the oven for 3- 4 minutes until firm but not browned. After 3 minutes, take the pan out of the oven and gently add an egg yolk to the center of each nest. Return the baking sheet to the oven and cook for 4 more minutes. Sprinkle with a small amount of salt.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Serve immediately.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_uLtYqFDW6NoQTLG7ubi7eKr4yjNep4eA25Y5zCGysryuT6G9B7De0EvwMaExJ-VFi3bcmDr5mGMdOeo0EavvKO0RHShNbbih0ZbKpeHChkg25d5Vph2UYglgjeAC894L4nlInBYnNfm/s1600/IMG_7251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_uLtYqFDW6NoQTLG7ubi7eKr4yjNep4eA25Y5zCGysryuT6G9B7De0EvwMaExJ-VFi3bcmDr5mGMdOeo0EavvKO0RHShNbbih0ZbKpeHChkg25d5Vph2UYglgjeAC894L4nlInBYnNfm/s320/IMG_7251.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unbaked nests with cheese</td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMl6sdIcVjj3mcfijyON5lnKHCJDOpiGAkYf3soCFY-CalLdIC_uOAb1Hk4mx_WQ_5Ooxh59W08vinbW3PinbNyy78jb2ixawZaBrK0Bho5em0gKWx039FoM9ZHEAjDm5JdPGazP8DRJ7/s1600/IMG_7255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMl6sdIcVjj3mcfijyON5lnKHCJDOpiGAkYf3soCFY-CalLdIC_uOAb1Hk4mx_WQ_5Ooxh59W08vinbW3PinbNyy78jb2ixawZaBrK0Bho5em0gKWx039FoM9ZHEAjDm5JdPGazP8DRJ7/s320/IMG_7255.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="238" /></a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Tip* Make sure your egg whites are yolk free, free of any fat, the yolk will cause the whites to misbehave. </span><o:p></o:p></div></span></h1><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/" class="pin-it-button" count-layout="horizontal">Pin It</a>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js"></script></div>Jennifer Cardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07791028746384157287noreply@blogger.com5