tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86092666468999808842023-11-15T11:55:27.575-05:00Frolic Through LifeSylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comBlogger148125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-78008582510741675552011-10-06T10:14:00.000-04:002011-10-06T10:14:48.147-04:00Occupy Wall Street : An Observation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Wednesday started out pretty uneventfully. I caught up on some homework, spent some time coloring with the coloring king and ate a really good salad. <br />
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When I was at Trader Joe's on Tuesday, I bought baby beets to add to my salads because I have recently discovered my love for beets. These babies gave my otherwise plain salads a bit of a kick.<br />
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After my salad, I headed to school, which is where my day took an interesting turn. I had been keeping track of what has been going on with the Occupy Wall Street protests since they began, but a friend and I decided to take a trip down there to see what was going on. Wednesday's protest was supposed to be the biggest one yet, because various labor unions were joining in. <br />
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Occupy Wall Street protests started on September 17, with about 1,000 protesters marching through the streets of New York proclaiming that they are the 99% that will not longer tolerate the 1%. That regular Americans should not have to struggle to make ends meet when there is so much greed and corruption going on, on Wall Street, in our financial sector and in the government.<br />
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While I think their message is spot on with what is going on in our country, I've come to see, firsthand, that some of the actions being taken to spread this message are not that great. <br />
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When we got downtown, the police presence was overwhelming. I've been to plenty of outdoor events in New York City, but I have never seen so many police officers, in one place, at one time.<br />
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The protesters were contained to the sidewalks of Broadway, with barricades keeping them off the street to allow traffic to get by. <br />
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The closer to Wall Street we got, the vibe of the protest began to change. The protesters closer to City Hall Park seemed fairly calm, carrying their signs, but the people at the intersection of Wall Street and Broadway were a whole different story.<br />
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People had climbed up on the scaffolding and were pretty much taunting the cops with their chants. They were also trying to get onto Wall Street, whose entrance had been barricaded shut with cops manning both sides of the barricades. <br />
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Since you could feel the tension building in the air, we decided not to stay and made our way out of there and onto the subway. When I got home, I immediately got on my computer to see what was going on, only to find that in the place where I had stood not half an hour earlier, the police and protesters came to blows when protesting started rushing the barricades.<br />
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Honestly, I am a little disappointed. If you follow the #occupywallstreet hash tag on Twitter, you see people calling for peaceful protest, which is something, I feel, they failed at today. Don't get me wrong, the vast majority of people is protesting peacefully, but there are small groups that I feel are ruining it for everyone. The media only shows the negative parts, which turns people off from the movement.<br />
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And those are just my two cents about the Occupy Wall Street movement.<br />
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Have a great Thursday! Only one day until the weekend!<br />
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<b><i>What are your thoughts on the occupy Wall Street movement?</i></b></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-70661945374508306112011-10-05T11:51:00.000-04:002011-10-05T11:51:56.376-04:00Fall is in the Air<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Fall has arrived in our household in full swing. As I sat on the couch this morning, admiring my fall decorations while enjoying a big mug of Pumpkin Spice coffee, I thought that it would be a good idea to share. I'm still keeping an eye out for a fall themed wreath the hang on our front door and possibly some cute orange lights to put out front.<div><br />
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</div><div>I also have another pumpkin which I'm saving for carving, but that won't be done until about a week before Halloween. Squirrels seem to attack the pumpkins as soon as they're carved and I don't want it to get eaten before Halloween even arrives. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Since I'm already sharing things that make me happy, I guess I'll share some more.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I bought these bad boys at TJ's yesterday and omigosh! they are soo good. They are probably my new favorite salty snack. Move over, pretzel crisps.</div><div><br />
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</div><div>Once the temperatures start to drop, all I want is a warm breakfast when I am dragged out of bed by my little man. I've been waking up to oatmeal all week all week long.</div><div><br />
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</div><div>I've also been trying out a new peanut butter that I was sent thanks to<a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/pages/tastemaker-program"> Foodbuzz</a> and Planters. I'm a big fan of Planter's peanuts and their trail mixes and I was really excited and interested to see how they would do with peanut butter. Needless to say, they know their peanuts and their PB is pretty darn good.</div><div><br />
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</div><div>This weekend, I picked up a new mineral foundation. I used to swear by Bare Escentuals Matte, but I think I'm now a convert to Korres Wild Rose Mineral Foundation. Since I've had Munchkin, my skin has been out of control, no matter what I try. I was intrigued by this foundation because it received <a href="http://www.sephora.com/browse/article.jhtml?id=720901">Sephora's natural seal</a>, which means that it doesn't include a ton of different strange ingredients like lots of other foundations. Maybe it'll help my skin. I'm hoping that, at least, it won't hurt it, but so far so good.</div><div><br />
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</div><div>This is something I saw on <a href="http://pinterest.com/xsylvia/">Pinterest</a> and fell in love with. I am currently in the process of gathering different frames to make this. If you know where I can find cheap frames, let me know, because I'm planning on repainting all of them to match anyway.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7s2yCnePLow/Tox4zy0cbAI/AAAAAAAABK8/SfniK4H9Ifc/s1600/58299079_dfs349iV_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7s2yCnePLow/Tox4zy0cbAI/AAAAAAAABK8/SfniK4H9Ifc/s320/58299079_dfs349iV_c.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><div> </div><div>And it wouldn't be a post of things I love without including a picture of my two men.</div><div><br />
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</div><div>Have a great Wednesday everyone. Halfway to the weekend!</div><div><br />
</div><div><b><i>When it comes to PB, creamy or crunchy?</i></b></div><div><b><i>What's your favorite cold weather breakfast?</i></b></div></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-70771427563420100392011-10-04T10:11:00.000-04:002011-10-04T10:11:49.242-04:00Picking Pumpkins Like it's our Job<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">As if sailing through New York harbor with Tommy wasn't enough to make my weekend, on Sunday we piled into the car and drove out to Long Island to go pumpkin picking!<br />
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But before we made our journey, we had to fill our bellies with pumpkin picking fuel. On Saturday night, I got a tweet from my cousin with <a href="http://cheeseandchoco.blogspot.com/2011/02/egg-stuffed-potatoes.html">this recipe</a>. We woke up on Sunday morning with nothing on our minds but egg stuffed potatoes, so they had to be made.<br />
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Unfortunately, my reading skills elude me very often and I didn't realize the recipe called for baked potatoes. Since we didn't have an hour to bake the potatoes in the oven, we nuked em in the microwave. The only thing I want to know is why no one ever informed me that I could cook potatoes in the microwave in under five minutes?<br />
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To make these impressive looking guys, all you need to do is cut off the top of your potato, carefully scoop out the innards, add you egg and topping of choice and bake in the over at 375 for 25-30 minutes. As a side note, if you've never baked eggs before like me, eggs retain their shininess even when fully baked so just check your eggs when time is up. They may look like they're still raw but they're probably ready to eat. I slightly overcooked my eggs, but it was nothing a little ketchup couldn't fix.<br />
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I also used the extra potato to make some breakfast potatoes, by mixing them with a little onion and bacon and throwing them on a skillet. Awesome breakfast to start off an awesome day.<br />
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Since breakfast took a little longer than initially expected, we were running a little late on our way to the pumpkin patch. We got to <a href="http://www.stakeyspumpkinfarm.com/">Stakey's Pumpkin Farm</a> around 3PM and were ready to get to picking.<br />
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Even though the fields were covered in pumpkins, it was really slim pickings. Most of the pumpkins that were laying on the ground were rotting, or had soft spots that were on their way to rotting. The weather over the summer really messed with the pumpkin crops. When people say theres a pumpkin shortage, I believe it. The farm does provide pre-picked pumpkins that are left on palettes on the side of the field, if you don't want to venture out into the mud, but half the fun is getting all muddy.<br />
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Fortunately, the more rotten and squishy the pumpkin, the more Munchkin enjoyed it. <br />
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Tommy ventured way out into the field and came back with some good finds.<br />
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It's a good thing that Munchkin has been hitting the gym, he wouldn't have been able to push the wheelbarrow otherwise. ;)<br />
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He abandonded our wheelbarrow when he found some better company.<br />
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Doesn't it look like Arianna is thinking get your stinky butt out of my face. We all died laughing during dinner while looking at this photo.<br />
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Once we made our pumpkin selections, the fun part started. Stakey's has a deal that you can have all the pumpkins you can carry for $25 and they let you weigh them before to make sure its worth it.<br />
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You have to load up your pumpkins and walk the white line to the cash register. The catch is, that if you drop a pumpkin and it smashes, you have to pay for it. We made it to the register with no problem! Since our pumpkins were over 60 pounds, we saved over $10 thanks to Tommy's skill and muscles.<br />
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After our pumpkins were paid for and loaded in the car, we took advantage of some of the other things attractions Stakey's had to offer. Munchkin went in his first bouncy castle and he loved it. <br />
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He actually loved it so much, that we had to send his godfather in there to scoop him up when his turn was over.<br />
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We also snacked on some yummy soft baked chocolate chip cookies and apple cider. I signed their mailing list and will be getting two free hayride tickets for next fall!<br />
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Our pumpkins have now made the stoop their home. I think they look quite comfy. I'll be showing off more of my fall/Halloween decorations tomorrow if you're interested. :)<br />
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Have a great Tuesday!<br />
<br />
<b><i>Do you go pumpkin/apple picking in the fall?</i></b><br />
<b><i>What's your favorite part of fall?</i></b><br />
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</div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-41214777569368696702011-10-03T10:37:00.000-04:002011-10-03T10:37:36.561-04:00Sailing on a Saturday Afternoon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">This weekend included good food, better people and some amazing adventures.<br />
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Saturday morning I woke up with only one thing on my mind, French toast. I received a package from the <a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/pages/tastemaker-program">Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program</a> on Friday which included a very yummy looking recipe and knew it had to be made ASAP.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3ThLoUew5Q4/Tom6lfIgOwI/AAAAAAAABIk/GifZ2kl4FbA/s1600/photo%2528544%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3ThLoUew5Q4/Tom6lfIgOwI/AAAAAAAABIk/GifZ2kl4FbA/s320/photo%2528544%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This was not your average French toast, this was made with Chocolate Chip Panettone, an Italian sweet bread. The recipe was super quick and easy and the results were to die for. All you need is the Panettone, two eggs, two tablespoons of milk, a tablespoon of sour cream, some cinnamon and a little almond extract. Mix it up, add the bread, fry it up and chow down.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A0-RSuPiU3E/Tom6_PKXM9I/AAAAAAAABJM/3ZUtb7bx2uE/s1600/photo%2528545%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A0-RSuPiU3E/Tom6_PKXM9I/AAAAAAAABJM/3ZUtb7bx2uE/s320/photo%2528545%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After our bellies were full, we headed into the city to go sailing. I bought Tommy an <a href="http://frolic-through-life.blogspot.com/2011/05/were-going-on-cruise-on-pirate-ship.html">experience gift</a> for his graduation through <a href="http://www.xperiencedays.com/">Xperience Days</a> and it included a two hour cruise on the Clipper City through New York Harbor with Craft Beer tasting.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DwLMohafZmM/TonASiX1ewI/AAAAAAAABJU/6T5GwKC6FXA/s1600/1271770271_47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DwLMohafZmM/TonASiX1ewI/AAAAAAAABJU/6T5GwKC6FXA/s320/1271770271_47.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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The weather people kept saying it was going to rain in the afternoon, but we had faith that it would hold out. That is, until it started pouring within minutes of us leaving shore. Luckily, our captain steered us straight out of the storm and it was smooth sailing for the whole trip.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hTwf14gJMeg/Tom60xeKWWI/AAAAAAAABI4/NVGbr97KMmQ/s1600/photo%2528550%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hTwf14gJMeg/Tom60xeKWWI/AAAAAAAABI4/NVGbr97KMmQ/s320/photo%2528550%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The storm we left behind.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P_R_tjcDpAg/Tom6zEBPawI/AAAAAAAABI0/p6O2n-T_dYA/s1600/photo%2528551%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P_R_tjcDpAg/Tom6zEBPawI/AAAAAAAABI0/p6O2n-T_dYA/s320/photo%2528551%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lady Liberty</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
We got some awesome views of the sights of New York and tried six different beers from three different local breweries, <a href="http://www.fireislandbeer.com/">Fire Island Brewery</a>, <a href="http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/">Brooklyn Brewery</a> and <a href="http://www.southamptonpublickhouse.com/Home.aspx">Southampton Publik House</a>. Two of the six were pumpkin beers which I loved! My two favorite beers came from the Southampton brewery, <a href="http://www.southamptonpublickhouse.com/the-beers/seasonal/">Pumpkin Ale</a> and <a href="http://www.southamptonpublickhouse.com/the-beers/">Double White Ale</a>. I really hope I'll be able to find these beers in stores.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E-jLld8k-co/Tom63FZ2KTI/AAAAAAAABI8/nVwTMrIhyKo/s1600/photo%2528549%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E-jLld8k-co/Tom63FZ2KTI/AAAAAAAABI8/nVwTMrIhyKo/s320/photo%2528549%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Once we were back on dry land, we decided to grab some dinner. We decided on <a href="http://ambersteak.com/">Amber</a>, a steakhouse in Greenpoint that we both pass by on a regular basis, but haven't had a chance to try yet. Since we are both Polish, we agreed that the place had a very Polish atmosphere, like a restaurant in Poland, but I don't know if non-Poles would get that kind of vibe from the place.<br />
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We started with the Tuna Tartare as our appetizer. It was good, but we both agreed that it would be better with a little more spice to it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h9Bafs7pL4M/Tom6xjqiU5I/AAAAAAAABIw/kHouzsWjX6A/s1600/photo%2528552%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h9Bafs7pL4M/Tom6xjqiU5I/AAAAAAAABIw/kHouzsWjX6A/s320/photo%2528552%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
For our entrees, we both got the New York Strip Steak. I got mine with mashed potatoes and mushroom and spinach. My potatoes were good, but Tommy's asparagus stole the spotlight. It was coated in a very light butter sauce which gave it an amazing flavor.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hq23iBy76K8/Tom6sTiFahI/AAAAAAAABIo/yZ2OBV2HxQw/s1600/photo%2528553%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hq23iBy76K8/Tom6sTiFahI/AAAAAAAABIo/yZ2OBV2HxQw/s320/photo%2528553%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Overall, it was a good meal, but even though the steak was cooked perfectly to medium, it was a bit charred on the outside for my taste.<br />
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We spent the rest of the evening at home spending some time with the little man. We watched Love, Wedding, Marriage and played some Scrabble on the iPad, while snacking on some Swedish Fish. If that's not a good night, I don't know what it.<br />
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Have a great Monday! I'll be back tomorrow to share our pumpkin picking adventures.<br />
<br />
<b><i>What did you do this weekend?</i></b><br />
<b><i>What's your favorite beer?</i></b></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-80743259654480047682011-09-30T14:39:00.000-04:002011-09-30T14:39:40.046-04:00Shopping Successes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Since we woke up to sunny blue skies, Munchkin and I decided to head out to the park after breakfast and take advantage of quite possibly one of the last warm summerish days of the year. We had a great time running around, climbing, swinging and going down the slides.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8aPa7d_WFP8/ToYEr3jdA_I/AAAAAAAABHs/Fq3nHYYS3w8/s1600/photo+%252832%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8aPa7d_WFP8/ToYEr3jdA_I/AAAAAAAABHs/Fq3nHYYS3w8/s320/photo+%252832%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>We had a very successful shopping day yesterday. We didn't make it to all the stores that I was hoping, but I got almost everything I needed at Target and TJ Maxx. On our way out the door, the weather started to take a turn for the worst. We had to run through the Target parking lot to make it into the store before it started monsooning.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GcDgH_Zh9_I/ToYHECFwSII/AAAAAAAABIU/Iq4ISZJ6C40/s1600/photo+%252830%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GcDgH_Zh9_I/ToYHECFwSII/AAAAAAAABIU/Iq4ISZJ6C40/s320/photo+%252830%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I finally found a pair of boots at TJ Maxx. They're just plain black suede boots, but for $35 they were a steal. They are also super comfy which is a must for me.<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="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-luf00TiqTWA/ToYG39l5dQI/AAAAAAAABIA/PojL4zeyZkA/s1600/10173_119_zoom4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-luf00TiqTWA/ToYG39l5dQI/AAAAAAAABIA/PojL4zeyZkA/s200/10173_119_zoom4.jpg" width="146" /></a></div><br />
I got some good stuff at Target, as well. I spotted this shirt dress and knew it had to be mine.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WjzMnk0i4yQ/ToYHl4J2oQI/AAAAAAAABIc/PWcf0qOplAA/s1600/dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WjzMnk0i4yQ/ToYHl4J2oQI/AAAAAAAABIc/PWcf0qOplAA/s320/dress.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>I also grabbed some fall decorations from the dollar section. These pumpkins were only $2.50 each. I also got some decorations to put up in front of the house, which I'm planning on doing this weekend.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Co3LF32nngE/ToYG9qcBwlI/AAAAAAAABII/ui-l54rV0kg/s1600/photo+%252833%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Co3LF32nngE/ToYG9qcBwlI/AAAAAAAABII/ui-l54rV0kg/s320/photo+%252833%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
For lunch/dinner I made a chicken veggie stir fry. I had a bunch of veggies in the fridge that needed to be eaten and a stir fry was a super easy way to use em all.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o5i4bcTsYLE/ToYG6umZHFI/AAAAAAAABIE/Ff1teUzB6-M/s1600/photo+%252834%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o5i4bcTsYLE/ToYG6umZHFI/AAAAAAAABIE/Ff1teUzB6-M/s320/photo+%252834%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
I served the stir fry over Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice. It was the first time that I bought this rice, but I will definitely be repurchasing because it was very good.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kHwkA13N4vU/ToYHGgmv20I/AAAAAAAABIY/YkhOB-bphlw/s1600/photo+%252829%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kHwkA13N4vU/ToYHGgmv20I/AAAAAAAABIY/YkhOB-bphlw/s320/photo+%252829%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Now that Munchkin is napping the afternoon away, I need to do some cleaning. We are heading out to Long Island tonight for <a href="http://frolic-through-life.blogspot.com/2011/08/teddy-bear-builders.html">dinner at Minado's</a>. We are meeting up for dinner with Tommy's cousins and their baby girl, Arianna.<br />
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We have some big plans this weekend and they involve boats and pumpkins, weather permitting.<br />
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<b><i>What are your plans for the weekend?</i></b><br />
<b><i>What's the last 'steal' purchase you made?</i></b></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-88149073369166220122011-09-29T11:55:00.000-04:002011-09-29T11:55:35.288-04:00What I Did on my Day Off<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">My first day off didn't go exactly as I had planned, but it was a good day nonetheless. I got a bunch of stuff done that I had been meaning to do for weeks.<br />
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After chowing down on my pumpkin pancakes for breakfast, I took a trip to the nail salon. It had been months since I got my nails done, so I felt like this was the perfect way to start off my day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vAiMYQCHqhM/ToSQIdxaMcI/AAAAAAAABHY/7j07V6vxeT0/s1600/photo%2528540%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vAiMYQCHqhM/ToSQIdxaMcI/AAAAAAAABHY/7j07V6vxeT0/s320/photo%2528540%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
My Shape magazine accompanied me to the nail salon. I have a whole stack of magazines to read because I am subscribed to Self, Shape, Glamour, Fitness and Elle. I love reading magazines, but with all my school reading, I have little time to get through them all.<br />
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I chose one of the new colors from the Essie fall collection for my nails. It's called Lady Like and its a gorgeous pinkish, mauvey color. I have a feeling this will be appearing on my nails regularly this fall. I seriously can't stop looking at my hands because I love the color so much.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nlveDexolS8/ToSQCyP9yGI/AAAAAAAABHQ/dJZuY2Sve8E/s1600/photo%2528543%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nlveDexolS8/ToSQCyP9yGI/AAAAAAAABHQ/dJZuY2Sve8E/s320/photo%2528543%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Once my nails were dry, I headed home to spend some quality time with this guy.<br />
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His new favorite activity is coloring. I bought him a Spongebob coloring book a few weeks ago and all I hear all day is him yelling color Bob. His vocabulary is increasing my the day and it is so amazing to see this little guy pick up words so quickly.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cOTjt_D-csE/ToSQFnYwe3I/AAAAAAAABHU/8cWxHEHKHjA/s1600/photo%2528541%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cOTjt_D-csE/ToSQFnYwe3I/AAAAAAAABHU/8cWxHEHKHjA/s320/photo%2528541%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
In the meantime, I also did all my laundry. The laundry basket was actually empty for once. Not a regular occurrence in this house.<br />
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While the Munchkin napped, I cleaned all my makeup brushes. This is an activity that I absolutely loathe. I know its something that I should do more often than I do, but I have to force myself to wash them every time. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rkkqNDYQOsQ/ToSSn96lGNI/AAAAAAAABHc/pWfrIKqoOwE/s1600/photo%2528542%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rkkqNDYQOsQ/ToSSn96lGNI/AAAAAAAABHc/pWfrIKqoOwE/s320/photo%2528542%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
After bath time, Munchkin and I snuggled on the couch and watched the prime time shows on ABC. I really enjoyed the new show Suburgatory, I have a feeling it will be as big a hit as The Middle and Modern Family.<br />
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I have big plans for today. I'm looking to get all my errands done today so I can enjoy the real weekend starting tomorrow. I want to hit up Target, TJ Maxx, Trader Joe's and Michael's, but first I need to make myself some lunch. I have some chicken defrosting and I'm planning on making a quick stir fry to fuel my shopping trip.<br />
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Have a great Thursday!<br />
<br />
<b><i>What magazines do you subscribe to?</i></b><br />
<b><i>Do you do your own nails or get them done at the salon?</i></b></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-26267746805497600002011-09-28T11:34:00.000-04:002011-09-28T11:34:23.827-04:00Kicking off a Five Day Weekend<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Can you think of a better way to start off a five day weekend than with pancakes?<br />
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I can! With pumpkin pancakes!<br />
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I woke up this morning with pancakes on the brain and I knew that pumpkin pancakes where the only way to cure my craving. Luckily, I had no objections from this little pancake lover.<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="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0vRTNBWgAFs/ToM5f33xfiI/AAAAAAAABG4/NFGxIb5_r_Q/s1600/photo%2528539%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0vRTNBWgAFs/ToM5f33xfiI/AAAAAAAABG4/NFGxIb5_r_Q/s320/photo%2528539%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recycled picture, but still same love for pancakes</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I've made pumpkin pancakes before, but I couldn't remember what recipe I had followed so I did a little searching and found <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/pumpkin-pancakes-2/detail.aspx">this one</a>. I was very intrigued because the recipe calls for egg whites to be folded in as the last step. I knew that this would make the pancakes light, airy and extra fluffy. Needless to say, I was sold. I tweaked the recipe a bit, so here is my version.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HITGuLc-Y4M/ToM5kJ9HUCI/AAAAAAAABHA/O2ZThG9DkQc/s1600/photo%2528537%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HITGuLc-Y4M/ToM5kJ9HUCI/AAAAAAAABHA/O2ZThG9DkQc/s320/photo%2528537%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Pumpkin Pancakes</span></u></b><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>1/2 cup all purpose flour</li>
<li>1/2 cup whole wheat flour</li>
<li>1 tablespoon sugar</li>
<li>2 teaspoons baking powder</li>
<li>pinch salt</li>
<li>1 teaspoon cinnamon/pumpkin pie spice</li>
<li>2 eggs, separated</li>
<li>1 cup skim milk</li>
<li>1/2 cup canned pumpkin</li>
<li>2 tablespoons olive oil</li>
</ul><br />
Sift together all the dry ingredients. In a bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks are formed. In a separate, large bowl, cream together egg yolks, milk, pumpkin and oil. Stir in dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Fold the whites into the batter. Cook pancakes on a griddle and dig in!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PoQEremb_oQ/ToM7k2wGxNI/AAAAAAAABHE/Ou9Rv-Zt6lE/s1600/photo%2528538%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PoQEremb_oQ/ToM7k2wGxNI/AAAAAAAABHE/Ou9Rv-Zt6lE/s320/photo%2528538%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
As a side note, if a recipe calls for egg whites to be beaten separately, I always do them first so I don't have to wash the mixer attachments. If you don't clean the batter off of them and go to beat the whites, peaks won't form.<br />
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As soon as I bit into these bad boys, I texted Tommy that I had to recreate them for him this weekend. Dare I say, these might have been the best pancakes I ever ate. Try em out, let me know if you agree!<br />
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I've got big plans for today, places to go, people to see. Okay, maybe I was a little dramatic there, but I am on a mission to find boots for the fall. Wish me luck because so far, every time I find something I like, there's something that keeps me from buying them.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TTRTRqJmWKk/ToM-AjQu3lI/AAAAAAAABHI/oE0ooZLUiI0/s1600/suburgatory_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TTRTRqJmWKk/ToM-AjQu3lI/AAAAAAAABHI/oE0ooZLUiI0/s1600/suburgatory_poster.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I'm also excited for the premiere of Suburgatory tonight. I really think that show is going to be great!<br />
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Have a great Wednesday!<br />
<br />
<b><i>What's you favorite kind of pancake?</i></b><br />
<b><i>Are there any new fall shows you're looking forward to?</i></b></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-61028700514886146012011-09-27T11:45:00.000-04:002011-09-27T11:45:50.757-04:00Spaghetti Squash: Take 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">On Friday, I tried my hand at making spaghetti squash for the very first time. I had never heard of spaghetti squash before last fall, and it took me a year to build up the courage to actually try it. And let me tell you, I am so happy that I did. <div><br />
</div><div>I made the spaghetti squash with pesto and Parmesan cheese and it got two thumbs up from all who tried it, even my littlest food critic. </div><div><br />
</div><div>The hardest part of the whole recipe was getting the squash cut in half. I opted to slice it before putting it in the oven because it cut about a half hour off the baking time. You can bake the squash hole, just make sure to poke some holes in it with a skewer so it doesn't explode in the oven.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tuDZbVQLCHo/ToHYjuw4gPI/AAAAAAAABG0/cVPZaUerZ3I/s1600/photo%2528532%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tuDZbVQLCHo/ToHYjuw4gPI/AAAAAAAABG0/cVPZaUerZ3I/s320/photo%2528532%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>I scooped out the innards and was left with two halves ready to go in the oven.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wu2_PVo4zmA/ToHYhRjApCI/AAAAAAAABGw/aBztiTCUOrE/s1600/photo%2528533%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wu2_PVo4zmA/ToHYhRjApCI/AAAAAAAABGw/aBztiTCUOrE/s320/photo%2528533%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Pesto Parmesan Spaghetti Squash</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><u>Ingredients</u></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">1 spaghetti squash</div><div style="text-align: left;">8 oz package Crimini mushrooms, sliced</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/3 cup pesto sauce (I used a store bought pesto)</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 large tomato, thinly sliced</div><div style="text-align: left;">extra Parmesan cheese for sprinkling</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Place the squash innard side down into a baking pan with a little bit of water, and bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees F. Meanwhile, brown the mushrooms in a skillet.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">After 40 minutes, remove the squash from oven and let cool. Once cool enough to touch, shred the inside of the squash by running a fork lengthwise through the squash, creating noodle like strands.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Place the squash noodles in a bowl and toss with 1/3 cup pesto sauce, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese and mushrooms. Transfer the noodles to a baking pan, top with tomato slices and sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NrJfMJO4pPg/ToHYelK6QfI/AAAAAAAABGs/ukVhCIwCmDM/s1600/photo%2528534%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NrJfMJO4pPg/ToHYelK6QfI/AAAAAAAABGs/ukVhCIwCmDM/s320/photo%2528534%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Put under the broiler for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese browns. Serve and enjoy!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HocLHR_g74Y/ToHYbrLGb2I/AAAAAAAABGo/f6P6GwNlME4/s1600/photo%2528535%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HocLHR_g74Y/ToHYbrLGb2I/AAAAAAAABGo/f6P6GwNlME4/s320/photo%2528535%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I am so happy that today is my last day of school this week. But, I have to get back to the books for now because I have an in-class writing assignment today.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Have a great <strike>Friday</strike> Tuesday! ;)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>What's your favorite squash recipe?</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-11336407846064258152011-09-26T11:43:00.000-04:002011-09-26T11:43:58.226-04:00A Cosmically Good Weekend<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Why do the weekends fly by so quickly? Luckily I only have two days of school this week, so I will soon be enjoying a 5 day weekend.<br />
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Friday started off with a trip to the supermarket where I made an incredible discovery. I was looking for Pumpkin Spice waffles when I ran into these bad boys.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7XUKT6LHOSQ/ToCOV0nB1II/AAAAAAAABFw/fWMJqs75Huw/s1600/photo%2528529%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7XUKT6LHOSQ/ToCOV0nB1II/AAAAAAAABFw/fWMJqs75Huw/s320/photo%2528529%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
With the Pumpkin Spice bagels in my cart, I walked over to the dairy section of the supermarket hoping to find cinnamon cream cheese, but I'm pretty sure that doesn't exist. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands. In the spice aisle I found a cinnamon sugar grinder and I knew this would make my bagels amazing.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EcwO4rU_WMg/ToCOS7uETjI/AAAAAAAABFs/_V1WDZJeHl0/s1600/photo%2528530%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EcwO4rU_WMg/ToCOS7uETjI/AAAAAAAABFs/_V1WDZJeHl0/s320/photo%2528530%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
When I got home, I toasted up a bagel, spread on some cream cheese and topped it off with some cinnamon sugar. It tasted amazing! If you can find these bagels in your supermarket I highly recommend em!<br />
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I also took my first stab at Spaghetti Squash on Friday and was pleasantly surprised with the results. I made it with a pesto Parmesan sauce. Recipe will follow soon.<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="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y-dQo2Wi6ZQ/ToCOPbdTYpI/AAAAAAAABFo/jQ8xAhYVH8I/s1600/photo%2528531%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y-dQo2Wi6ZQ/ToCOPbdTYpI/AAAAAAAABFo/jQ8xAhYVH8I/s320/photo%2528531%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pun intended ;)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Even though the weathermen kept yelling about how the weekend was going to be a washout, that didn't happen. We woke up on Saturday morning and headed over to the farm stand for some fresh produce.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cfYU54jsd80/ToCOphnjg_I/AAAAAAAABGY/hubwqRsiOOg/s1600/photo%2528519%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cfYU54jsd80/ToCOphnjg_I/AAAAAAAABGY/hubwqRsiOOg/s320/photo%2528519%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Munchkin had a ball checking out the pumpkins. <br />
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Munchkin and I spent most of Saturday outside playing on our swing set. His favorite part is the steering wheel, he could play with the thing for hours on end. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fi4T9ksAerk/ToCOmcW9bJI/AAAAAAAABGU/gBT22R7zsCw/s1600/photo%2528520%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fi4T9ksAerk/ToCOmcW9bJI/AAAAAAAABGU/gBT22R7zsCw/s320/photo%2528520%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
I also nearly had a heart attack when I found a salamander slithering up my leg. Even though they are virtually harmless, looking down and finding a lizard on my leg was not a pleasant experience.<br />
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After working up an appetite outdoors, we enjoyed some of the fresh fruit we got at the farm stand.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6iBQF5hJM0Y/ToCOkvUN9jI/AAAAAAAABGQ/m00LEonUpdM/s1600/photo%2528521%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6iBQF5hJM0Y/ToCOkvUN9jI/AAAAAAAABGQ/m00LEonUpdM/s320/photo%2528521%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
After Munchkin was fast asleep, Tommy and I headed out for a night on the town. Unfortunately, the towns in the Poconos are lacking in the night life department so we ended up at the bowling alley. Neither of us had been bowling in years, but it was a lot of fun. The bowling alley does cosmic bowling at night, so the whole place was lit up in black lights.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NMEy-jYr-T8/ToCOiSJBxFI/AAAAAAAABGM/BG1u0J12cMU/s1600/photo%2528522%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NMEy-jYr-T8/ToCOiSJBxFI/AAAAAAAABGM/BG1u0J12cMU/s320/photo%2528522%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
We also made a bet that whoever lost would get dinner that night. So of course I had to lose. Notice that I did get two strikes, but that wasn't enough to win. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-duMC2HEo8Nw/ToCZxxcYarI/AAAAAAAABGc/Cv1sbH4ZeJw/s1600/photo%2528528%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-duMC2HEo8Nw/ToCZxxcYarI/AAAAAAAABGc/Cv1sbH4ZeJw/s320/photo%2528528%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Since it was getting late, it was almost impossible to find a place that was open, but not fast food. Luckily, this place had crazy neon lights which we saw through the crazy fog.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CwH4xQ_jbMw/ToCOb7PD8pI/AAAAAAAABGA/Nm7L3_aZbTI/s1600/photo%2528525%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CwH4xQ_jbMw/ToCOb7PD8pI/AAAAAAAABGA/Nm7L3_aZbTI/s320/photo%2528525%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Luna Rossa is a sit down restaurant, but by the time we got there only the bar section was open and we were limited to the bar menu, which included brick oven pizza. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8q5AXBu2ULI/ToCOdxQ4AHI/AAAAAAAABGE/Nd1EkqNgyw4/s1600/photo%2528524%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8q5AXBu2ULI/ToCOdxQ4AHI/AAAAAAAABGE/Nd1EkqNgyw4/s320/photo%2528524%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0abFIgsU3KY/ToCOf6FYjzI/AAAAAAAABGI/WGfhzy08OAk/s1600/photo%2528523%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0abFIgsU3KY/ToCOf6FYjzI/AAAAAAAABGI/WGfhzy08OAk/s320/photo%2528523%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We got two pizzas to share and enjoyed them along side some Yuengling. For a complete hole in the wall place in the middle of nowhere, the pizza was surprisingly good, and that's coming from two native New Yorkers who know their pizza.<br />
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Sunday was spent relaxing around the house. Munchkin decided to bake an imaginary cake.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SX4DtzS5AO8/ToCOZlcQ-_I/AAAAAAAABF8/TIXriKAY9fc/s1600/photo%2528526%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SX4DtzS5AO8/ToCOZlcQ-_I/AAAAAAAABF8/TIXriKAY9fc/s320/photo%2528526%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Cake is Munchkin's newest word and he points at the oven repeating cake. Maybe I have a future baker on my hands?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KJZ1jjZDVzY/ToCb-kyCdZI/AAAAAAAABGg/RZ-wT6lwKkA/s1600/room-book.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KJZ1jjZDVzY/ToCb-kyCdZI/AAAAAAAABGg/RZ-wT6lwKkA/s1600/room-book.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
I also finished up reading Room last night. It is really an amazing story about a five year old boy and his mother who have been held captive since the mother was kidnapped at age 19. I don't want to give any of it away, but its one of those books you cannot put down.<br />
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Now I need to finish up my reading for school! Have a great Monday everyone!<br />
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<b><i>What's the last good book you've read?</i></b><br />
<b><i>Have you ever discovered a really good hole in the wall restaurant? </i></b></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-19603655249488239412011-09-23T11:00:00.000-04:002011-09-23T11:00:34.306-04:00Cracker Jacks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">My boyfriend went to the Legends Suit at Yankee Stadium...and all I got were some Cracker Jacks.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wSTafQqnQik/TnyZ6NfCCPI/AAAAAAAABFg/8RMKDwEiT0c/s1600/photo+%252827%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wSTafQqnQik/TnyZ6NfCCPI/AAAAAAAABFg/8RMKDwEiT0c/s320/photo+%252827%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
While I was being my studious self yesterday, Tommy got to have an amazing baseball experience. Thanks to his cousin, he got to go to the Yankee game, but this wasn't you average game. They got to sit in the premium seats, you know, the kind that cost $260 a pop.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5qzmVlCwVJI/TnyZ8ZJywGI/AAAAAAAABFk/-78kKEbYfRs/s1600/photo+%252826%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5qzmVlCwVJI/TnyZ8ZJywGI/AAAAAAAABFk/-78kKEbYfRs/s320/photo+%252826%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
They drove to the game because parking is, of course, included. They got to eat at the all-inclusive buffet which was stocked with food you would not expect at a baseball game. All you can eat sushi, seafood, steaks, etc.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fYEPfuRu9s4/TnyZ0Rby6ZI/AAAAAAAABFY/Au0hgbKfS2Q/s1600/IMAG0166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fYEPfuRu9s4/TnyZ0Rby6ZI/AAAAAAAABFY/Au0hgbKfS2Q/s320/IMAG0166.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
If the free food wasn't enough to make me envious, I got this picture in the middle of class.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OlfRmue9T6I/TnyZ3XsrhaI/AAAAAAAABFc/j_u-VS2VPmE/s1600/IMAG0172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OlfRmue9T6I/TnyZ3XsrhaI/AAAAAAAABFc/j_u-VS2VPmE/s320/IMAG0172.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Yes, they sat one row away from the field. Tommy said they could smell the freshly cut grass, which is something you definitely don't get sitting in the top, top rows, where I usually sit.<br />
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Even though the Yankees lost pretty badly, they had a great time. <br />
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Now, I need to get myself to the supermarket because spaghetti squash with pesto is on the menu for today. I have high hopes for the recipe!<br />
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Have a great weekend!<br />
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<b><i>Have you ever gotten free expensive tickets to an event? Why didn't you invite me along? </i></b>;)<br />
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</div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-51205655685021487472011-09-22T14:58:00.000-04:002011-09-22T14:58:09.954-04:00Plate Replacement<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Since I was feeling a little better this morning, I decided to take a trip to the DMV to replace my license plates, because one of mine randomly disappeared off my car last week. Just my luck, I pulled up to the DMV to find that it was closed for the day because there had been a small fire there overnight. <br />
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I was determined to make my first trip out of the house after being sick a success, so I decided to take a detour and go to the barber shop and attempt to cut Munchkin's hair since our last trip to the barber was <a href="http://frolic-through-life.blogspot.com/2011/08/anti-haircut-baby.html">not a success</a>. Luckily, this barber was a bit better with kids and got Munchkin to <strike>sit</strike> stand and watch Toy Story for long enough to fix his hair up a bit. It also helped that he bribed him with two lollipops.<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="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wk2SidCHCVM/TnuByVbpOyI/AAAAAAAABFU/5PCEqreeP6g/s1600/photo+%252825%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wk2SidCHCVM/TnuByVbpOyI/AAAAAAAABFU/5PCEqreeP6g/s320/photo+%252825%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sleepy Munchkin enjoying his lolly</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Since the haircut was a great success, I decided to try the other DVM office. I'm glad I did because we were in and out with new plates within 15 minutes. I am now the proud owner of the gross yellow colored New York license plates. The old ones were so much nicer!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lscazdxA5UU/TnuBD776YhI/AAAAAAAABFQ/m2V0iH9OGZI/s1600/500x_new_ny_plates.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lscazdxA5UU/TnuBD776YhI/AAAAAAAABFQ/m2V0iH9OGZI/s320/500x_new_ny_plates.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div> I had so many fun recipes planned to try this week, but they all got put on hold because of my cold. I do think that I will be making my first attempt at spaghetti squash tomorrow, so keep your fingers crossed that its edible. ;) Time for me to get ready for school, yay! Can I just say how jealous I am that Tommy gets to go to the Yankee game tonight? Just kidding, school is so much more exciting than baseball. NOT!<br />
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Have a great Thursday everyone!<br />
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<b><i>What's your favorite baseball team?</i></b></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-44340257815457100272011-09-21T10:34:00.000-04:002011-09-21T10:34:45.604-04:00Pumpkin Carrot Bread<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">There are very fews things in the world that I hate more than being sick. I woke up yesterday feeling like poop, sore throat, cough, stuffy nose, the works. I split my day between laying in bed and laying on the couch. But, on Monday I made something so amazingly yummy that I have to share it with you. I found this recipe on <a href="http://www.faithfitnessfun.com/13837/pumpkin-carrot-cake-bread/">Tina's blog</a> and knew I had to make it when I read her raving about how good it is.<div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BNyl0KOBiL0/Tnn1P2rTIJI/AAAAAAAABFM/LJyEYTBkwM4/s1600/photo%2528517%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BNyl0KOBiL0/Tnn1P2rTIJI/AAAAAAAABFM/LJyEYTBkwM4/s320/photo%2528517%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Pumpkin Carrot Cake Bread</div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>1 cup whole wheat flour</li>
<li>1/2 cup all purpose flour</li>
<li>2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice</li>
<li>1 teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li>pinch of salt</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
<li>1 1/2 cup pumpkin</li>
<li>1/3 cup packed brown sugar</li>
<li>2 tablespoons olive oil</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla</li>
<li>1 cup grated carrot</li>
<li>1/2 cup craisins</li>
<li>1/3 cup chopped walnuts</li>
</ul></div><div style="text-align: left;">Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together the flours, baking powder, pumpkin spice, and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the egg, pumpkin, brown sugar and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until evenly combined. Fold in grated carrots, craisins and walnut.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and pour batter into pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpicks comes out clean. Let cool and enjoy!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-71X54Okp3WM/Tnn1I0UCMlI/AAAAAAAABFI/Tz6EYPgp6no/s1600/photo%2528518%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-71X54Okp3WM/Tnn1I0UCMlI/AAAAAAAABFI/Tz6EYPgp6no/s320/photo%2528518%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I couldn't find my loaf pan so I baked it in a bundt, which also worked well. This bread is soo good. I know I will be doubling this recipe next time because it was gone in one day.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Now I'm going to crawl back into bed and hope this sickness leaves me alone soon. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Have a great Wednesday everyone!</div></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-37237100563711680762011-09-19T10:53:00.001-04:002011-09-19T11:10:22.031-04:00A little bit of shopping<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Happy Monday everyone! I hope you had a great weekend because I know I did!<br />
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</div><div>We started the weekend very deliciously, with some sushi. It had been almost two weeks since we went out for sushi, which I'm pretty sure is some kind of record. Munchkin is liking sushi more and more as he gets older. Its pretty funny to see a little guy in a highchair throwing back Alaska rolls. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E5GksoqvJIc/TndL61t4yqI/AAAAAAAABFA/dVhJf7QAyQ4/s1600/photo%2528506%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E5GksoqvJIc/TndL61t4yqI/AAAAAAAABFA/dVhJf7QAyQ4/s320/photo%2528506%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>On Saturday, we woke up in the Poconos and I was ready to get outdoors. The weather was gorgeous with a slight chill in the air, the perfect weather to go check out the farm stand. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-onvNYkCP2LI/TndL2ev34sI/AAAAAAAABE4/yJQB0u3_1Sg/s1600/photo%2528508%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-onvNYkCP2LI/TndL2ev34sI/AAAAAAAABE4/yJQB0u3_1Sg/s320/photo%2528508%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GWUevUG1gWM/TndLuv0J3NI/AAAAAAAABEs/ieLbGS8nJck/s1600/photo%2528511%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GWUevUG1gWM/TndLuv0J3NI/AAAAAAAABEs/ieLbGS8nJck/s320/photo%2528511%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YvdYgcrKUSA/TndLzao4ZlI/AAAAAAAABE0/LRanHB5jC2E/s1600/photo%2528509%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YvdYgcrKUSA/TndLzao4ZlI/AAAAAAAABE0/LRanHB5jC2E/s320/photo%2528509%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div></div><div>My eyes lit up when I saw all of the pumpkins, squash and gourds for sale already. As much as I would love to buy them all and decorate already, I really want to go to a pumpkin patch and get the whole pumpkin picking experience. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I did purchase some spaghetti squash, which I will be attempting to make this week, for the first time. Keep your fingers crossed that I don't screw it up!</div><div><br />
</div><div>We also hit up the supermarket where Munchkin not only got a free cookies at the bakery, he also got a sticker at checkout. He was one happy camper!</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L2MzodIadxk/TndL4nkJsLI/AAAAAAAABE8/0SL2mOhHsbw/s1600/photo%2528507%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L2MzodIadxk/TndL4nkJsLI/AAAAAAAABE8/0SL2mOhHsbw/s320/photo%2528507%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Saturday night was date night! We decided to go to the movies and ended up seeing Drive. We were going to go to the movie theater that we went to last time, but its like a half hour drive away so instead we decided to go to the Poconos Movieplex. It was seriously like the strangest movie theater we'd ever been to. It looked like it was stuck in the 80s and it totally gave us strange vibes, kind of like in movies when outsiders come into the little town.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nvKUW7-Bkk8/TndLwWdgo2I/AAAAAAAABEw/mb_Dx3GnvkM/s1600/photo%2528510%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nvKUW7-Bkk8/TndLwWdgo2I/AAAAAAAABEw/mb_Dx3GnvkM/s320/photo%2528510%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCknIVAPFSo/TndLrixxi1I/AAAAAAAABEo/e6NndMqzqVA/s1600/photo%2528512%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCknIVAPFSo/TndLrixxi1I/AAAAAAAABEo/e6NndMqzqVA/s320/photo%2528512%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Luckily, the locals did not turn out to be zombies and we got out of there alive. The movie, however, was so weird. It has really good reviews online, but both of us were just really confused throughout the movie. There were a lot of awkward pauses and the ending didn't really make sense. I don't recommend it. </div><div><br />
</div><div>After the movies we hit up Red Robin..yum! I had a coupon for a free birthday burger, which you get if you sign up for their newsletter. I had the Oktoberfest burger which was really good. Its had beer flavored mustard, Swiss cheese, onions and ham on a pretzel bun. I've never had mustard on a burger before, but it definitely works and gives the burger a really yummy flavor.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0SkdagdNPQ/TndLpBt7tTI/AAAAAAAABEk/SyaLnIX_278/s1600/photo%2528513%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0SkdagdNPQ/TndLpBt7tTI/AAAAAAAABEk/SyaLnIX_278/s320/photo%2528513%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>On Sunday, we hit up the outlets to get some new pieces for our fall wardrobes. I got my first plaid shirt at J Crew and I can't wait to wear it. I think it'll look great with jeans and boots for fall. Munchkin got new fall sneakers and a raincoat with matching galoshes.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nt2Lq1tvWkA/TndLhvkuaRI/AAAAAAAABEY/nJXGtPq9a2k/s1600/photo%2528516%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nt2Lq1tvWkA/TndLhvkuaRI/AAAAAAAABEY/nJXGtPq9a2k/s320/photo%2528516%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>I fell in love with a winter coat for Munchkin, but they didn't have his size in store. Thanks to my online shopping skills, Munchkin's coat will me arriving in 5 to 7 business days!</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FHmsIKffHeo/TndL7H_B9pI/AAAAAAAABFE/XXGu_6avK_8/s1600/jacket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FHmsIKffHeo/TndL7H_B9pI/AAAAAAAABFE/XXGu_6avK_8/s320/jacket.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><div>Now I need to catch up on some homework, I know you're jealous. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Have a great Monday!</div><div><br />
</div><div><b><i>What did you do this weekend?</i></b></div><div><b><i>What's your fall fashion must have?</i></b></div></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-53741906687296501672011-09-16T11:04:00.000-04:002011-09-16T11:04:50.007-04:00Welcoming Fall<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Happy Friday everyone! Fall arrived in New York last night and it was kind of entertaining to see who doesn't watch the weather channel. There were some shivering people dressed in shorts and tank tops on the subway. Another thing I observed on my subway ride home was that no male over the age of 10 should ever wear Crocs, especially not neon orange Crocs. Not a good look. The train that I take always has a lot of interesting people, wearing even more interesting clothes, because it goes through a hipster neighborhood. <br />
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Since I did watch the weather channel, I knew that fall was rapidly approaching and with the temperatures dropping, what is better than a piece of warm, gooey apple crisp. This is seriously the world's simplest recipe and probably the best apple crisp I've made.<br />
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<b><u>Apple Crisp</u></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lByieUdAWxY/TnNie7ujw1I/AAAAAAAABEU/6_zcowwNRhk/s1600/photo+%252823%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lByieUdAWxY/TnNie7ujw1I/AAAAAAAABEU/6_zcowwNRhk/s320/photo+%252823%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>6 apples, cored and sliced</li>
<li>1 cup brown sugar</li>
<li>3/4 cup all purpose flour</li>
<li>3/4 cup old-fashioned oats</li>
<li>1 stick cold butter, cut into cubes</li>
<li>1 1/2 tablespoon apple pie spice</li>
</ul><br />
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Heat over to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine apples, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 tablespoon apple pie spice. Mix well to coat apples. Transfer apples to baking dish. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Using your hands, kneed the cold butter into the flour and oats to create a crumbly dough. Crumble the dough over the apples and bake for 30 minutes or until the apples begin to bubble through the topping. Serve and enjoy!<br />
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I probably make more apple crisp than anything else during the fall. It's my quick, go to recipe for some good comfort food.<br />
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I'm going to be hitting up the farm stand this weekend, so hopefully I can get some nice, in season produce to play around with next week. I'm really hoping they have squash, but I think it is still to early. Fingers crossed!<br />
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<b><i>What's your favorite fall comfort food?</i></b><br />
<b><i>What are your plans for the weekend?</i></b></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-44751553297856434662011-09-15T15:36:00.000-04:002011-09-15T15:36:20.880-04:00Cheeeese!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Law school got the best of me and I had to take some time off to get all my homework for the week done, but I'm back with some yumminess to share!<br />
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The tried this recipe for the first time last Valentine's Day when I made dinner for Tommy and it was a big hit. I've made it a few times since then, but last week I started craving it and knew I had to make it ASAP. <br />
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<b><u>Creamy Stuffed Shells</u></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_IuvTf8cgKs/TnJPE1PYvDI/AAAAAAAABEE/-Za5D_dxBHE/s1600/photo%2528504%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_IuvTf8cgKs/TnJPE1PYvDI/AAAAAAAABEE/-Za5D_dxBHE/s320/photo%2528504%2529.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>1 box jumbo pasta shells</li>
<li>2 cups chopped cooked chicken</li>
<li>1 cup fresh chopped spinach</li>
<li>1 onion, chopped</li>
<li>2 cloves garlic, minced</li>
<li>1 15 oz container ricotta cheese</li>
<li>1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened</li>
<li>1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese</li>
<li>1 large egg, lightly beaten</li>
<li>1 tablespoon Italian seasoning</li>
<li>salt and pepper to taste</li>
<li>2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese</li>
<li>1 jar spaghetti sauce</li>
</ul><br />
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Cook shells according to package instructions. Be careful not to overcook the shells or they will rip when filling.<br />
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In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except mozzarella and spaghetti sauce. Once fully combined, transfer mixture to a large ziplock bag. Cut off one corner from the bag to easily pipe the filling into the shells.<br />
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Arrange the stuffed shells into a baking pan. Top with spaghetti sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake covered for 40 minutes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JpF5k_EtPSs/TnJPCQerT_I/AAAAAAAABEA/nF64LPvTiP4/s1600/photo%2528503%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JpF5k_EtPSs/TnJPCQerT_I/AAAAAAAABEA/nF64LPvTiP4/s320/photo%2528503%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Thanks to the <a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/pages/tastemaker-program">Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program</a> and Sargento, I was able to use Sargento shredded mozzarella cheese to top the shells in the recipe. I was pleasantly surprised with the cheese. Very often, when you buy shredded mozzarella cheese, it doesn't melt very well, but this definitely passed the melty test.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3Cj9H2yc2so/TnJPHhCghwI/AAAAAAAABEI/wEFRMa6FPFY/s1600/photo%2528502%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3Cj9H2yc2so/TnJPHhCghwI/AAAAAAAABEI/wEFRMa6FPFY/s320/photo%2528502%2529.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br />
I also had the chance to try some other types of Sargento cheese and I have to say my favorite (and Munchkin's) were the cheese sticks. You can really taste the difference between the Sargento cheese sticks and other more processed brands which we sometimes purchase, when you try them side by side. The Sargento tastes like real cheese.<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="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JdRdD-9wX8Y/TnJRHjwLlAI/AAAAAAAABEM/b2A-koowpaU/s1600/photo%2528505%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JdRdD-9wX8Y/TnJRHjwLlAI/AAAAAAAABEM/b2A-koowpaU/s320/photo%2528505%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, I got suckered into buying Mickey Mouse shaped cheese.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I also made apple crisp today, but I'll save that recipe for tomorrow. It is the simplest apple crisp recipe I've tried, and its really the best. Speaking of apple crisp, I'm going to go cut myself a piece and catch up on my DVR. I've got Teen Mom, 90210 and Up All Night waiting to be watched!<br />
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Have a great Thursday everyone! This week really flew by!<br />
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</div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-24774286224610344112011-09-12T12:59:00.000-04:002011-09-12T12:59:57.116-04:00Boston Birthday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">We hit the road on Friday and got out of the city fairly quickly. We had a bit of a setback in Connecticut, where we ran into some traffic, decided to take a different road to avoid said traffic, and hit even worse traffic, but once we made it to the right road, it was smooth sailing all the way to Boston. We got to our hotel around 8PM and stayed in for the night because we were tired after the car ride and Munchkin was almost ready for bed. <br />
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We stayed at the Hayatt Place, which was a bit outside the city, and I highly recommend it. When we got to our room, we found that our TV didn't work, so they switched our room and gave us a free dinner for our troubles. I got some yummy French Toast, which I shared with Munchkin who is a big fan of the stuff.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0m4jVS8Yo0I/Tm4S2n-DnRI/AAAAAAAABCE/SzAhxGGxbXA/s1600/DSCN1923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0m4jVS8Yo0I/Tm4S2n-DnRI/AAAAAAAABCE/SzAhxGGxbXA/s320/DSCN1923.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We woke up bright and early on Saturday to head over to the Samuel Adams Brewery to go on the Brewery tour. <br />
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I never knew that Sam Adams makes so many different varieties of beer. They even make the most alcoholic beer in the world called Utopia which was over 27%. We got a walk through of the factory and got to try the different kinds of barley they use to make the different kinds of beer. <br />
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The factory in Boston is not where they make the majority of their beer, but it is where they make all of their specialty beers. After the tour, it was tasting time!<br />
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We got to try three kinds of beer, Boston Lager, Oktoberfest and one of their specialty beers, which was a White Ale. After the tour, we took a trolley over to one of Boston's oldest bars that serves a ton of different Sam Adams beers on tap. Doyle's was also one of the first places that started serving Sam Adams beer, when they were just a little brewery starting out.<br />
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We had some lunch at Doyle's along with our Sam Adams beers. We both had clam chowder, but I opted for the bread bowl, which was so delicious that I can't even describe it. I think I could eat chowder out of a bread bowl, everyday, for the rest of my life and die happy.<br />
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We also shared some potato skins which were very yummy.<br />
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After our delicious lunch, we headed over to the zoo so that Munchkin could have some fun. <br />
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Munchkin enjoyed running around and looking at all the different animals in the zoo, but honestly I wasn't really impressed with it. I may be spoiled because the last two zoos I visited were the San Diego and Bronx zoos which are very impressive. <br />
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After the zoo, we were all tuckered out so we headed back to our hotel to rest up a bit and change because it was getting chilly out.<br />
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For dinner we decided to do more seafood. I found a place a bit outside of Boston called <a href="http://www.turners-seafood.com/Seafood_Grill_Market.html">Turner's Seafood Grill</a>. They had received some of the best rating on Yelp and Urban spoon and we definitely know why.<br />
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Turner's is not only a restaurant, but it is also a seafood market. If they're selling fresh seafood, you have to bet that what they're serving is super fresh. When we sat down, our server Peggy informed us that they were having Oysterfest. Tommy and I had never tried oysters before so we decided to go for it. <br />
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The taste was interesting and not bad at all. We did have a good time joking at the description of the oysters. One of ours was supposed to have a coppery finish...whatever that means. We also shared some Cherry Pepper Calamari which was very good, sweet and spicy at the same time. <br />
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For my entree, I got the crab cakes. They were probably the best crab cakes I've ever had in my life.<br />
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After dinner, we headed over to the Apple Store so I could purchase my birthday gift! I've wanted an iPad for a long time, but couldn't justify spending the money, so my parents and I split the price tag and I am now the proud new owner of an iPad 2.<br />
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We slept in a bit later on Sunday and took our time packing up and checking out. We headed over to Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market for lunch and a bit of shopping. We got lunch at <a href="http://www.bostonchowda.com/">Boston Chowda</a>.<br />
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I got Lobster Mac and Cheese and Tommy got a Lobster Roll. As much as we both love seafood and as good as lunch was, we both decided that we were seafooded out for a while.<br />
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After lunch, we hit the Freedom Trail. I really like that all of the big sights to see in Boston are along the Freedom Trail and that there is an actual line on the sidewalk that you can follow to find these sights.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P2j3MNygNqY/Tm4xYdX4JEI/AAAAAAAABDE/eo50IL6Bxxk/s1600/DSCN1944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P2j3MNygNqY/Tm4xYdX4JEI/AAAAAAAABDE/eo50IL6Bxxk/s320/DSCN1944.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quincy Mahket ;)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DZhcgOvBuYw/Tm4xhSvG13I/AAAAAAAABDI/eLpFV47k6Kg/s1600/DSCN1970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DZhcgOvBuYw/Tm4xhSvG13I/AAAAAAAABDI/eLpFV47k6Kg/s320/DSCN1970.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statehouse</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Samuel Adams</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y_D_O1Y6JgE/Tm4zAH34-oI/AAAAAAAABDQ/zNI0VucarUk/s1600/DSCN1954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y_D_O1Y6JgE/Tm4zAH34-oI/AAAAAAAABDQ/zNI0VucarUk/s320/DSCN1954.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice my two cuties in the corner!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gVlPbyTVnmY/Tm4zIPI_NII/AAAAAAAABDU/B14HWTcX8UE/s1600/DSCN1955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gVlPbyTVnmY/Tm4zIPI_NII/AAAAAAAABDU/B14HWTcX8UE/s320/DSCN1955.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new boyfriend. Shh! Don't tell Tommy ;)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QnBQlH7Sz9Q/Tm4zQ5IbapI/AAAAAAAABDY/-H9GRKtk1ic/s1600/DSCN1956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QnBQlH7Sz9Q/Tm4zQ5IbapI/AAAAAAAABDY/-H9GRKtk1ic/s320/DSCN1956.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Park Street Church</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r05d3A4hUwc/Tm4zarX8InI/AAAAAAAABDc/_bDbYelAlCc/s1600/DSCN1959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r05d3A4hUwc/Tm4zarX8InI/AAAAAAAABDc/_bDbYelAlCc/s320/DSCN1959.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tadpole Playground near Frog Pond</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1GYA7BIXbLc/Tm4zn9TBIxI/AAAAAAAABDg/UBAbdjgIodM/s1600/DSCN1961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1GYA7BIXbLc/Tm4zn9TBIxI/AAAAAAAABDg/UBAbdjgIodM/s320/DSCN1961.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Public Garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table> And since no birthday weekend would be complete without a cake, on our way back to the car we stumbled upon <a href="http://www.sweetcupcakes.com/">Sweet</a>. I actually read about Sweet online when doing some pre-getaway research and I was more that excited to find it!<br />
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The decor of the place was very cute, simple and clean.<br />
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It looked like a place where you could have a tea party that every little girl dreams of. I loved the way it looked! They also had the cutest packaging for their cupcakes.<br />
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We got a Red Velvet, Caramel Macchiato and a Boston Cream. While they were very tasty, we both agreed that we have been spoiled by the <a href="http://frolic-through-life.blogspot.com/2011_09_07_archive.html">House of Cupcakes</a> and will probably compare every other cupcake we try to those. <br />
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Our drive home flew by so much quicker than the ride up, but I think that always happens, especially when you're going someplace exciting. <br />
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I have to say that I had an amazing birthday and I am so lucky to have an amazing boyfriend who spoils me with these kinds of surprises. I also have amazing friends because my phone did not shut up all weekend with texts, calls and facebook wishes. Thank you to everyone!<br />
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<i><b>What did you do this weekend?</b></i><br />
<i><b>How do you like to celebrate your birthday?</b></i><br />
<br />
</div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-52741281385128884772011-09-09T11:09:00.001-04:002011-09-09T11:09:42.675-04:00Pre-Birthday Pancakes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I love birthdays. I love the decorations, parties and of course the cake. But the absolute best part about birthdays is when its your own birthday!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CSe_-zjHTOg/TmoYPuNDd2I/AAAAAAAABBQ/uifzYeMLBJI/s1600/imgres.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CSe_-zjHTOg/TmoYPuNDd2I/AAAAAAAABBQ/uifzYeMLBJI/s320/imgres.jpeg" width="243" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>I don't understand why people start to hate their birthdays when they get older. I'm gonna celebrate my birthday regardless, whether I'm 24, 44 or 104!</div><div><br />
</div><div>Since we are going to Boston this weekend and I won't have access to a kitchen tomorrow, I made Munchkin and myself <a href="http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/01/cake-batter-pancakes/">Cake Batter Pancakes</a> for breakfast, to celebrate a day early. I've tried <a href="http://frolic-through-life.blogspot.com/2011/05/cake-batter-pancakes.html">this recipe before</a>, and I feel like its the perfect special breakfast to make for someone's birthday, or your own.</div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FSP5uKRvMGk/TmomcT7tAyI/AAAAAAAABBs/0FgVly0n6O0/s1600/photo+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FSP5uKRvMGk/TmomcT7tAyI/AAAAAAAABBs/0FgVly0n6O0/s320/photo+%25283%2529.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the way the batter looks all swirly</td></tr>
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</div><div> I have a can of red velvet Sprinkles cake batter that I've been wanting to try these pancakes with, but I think I'm gonna save that for the birthdays of my men since they are born during the same week.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ACBz_vLE4OI/TmomZFHsNVI/AAAAAAAABBo/Q7qGVq1NcFs/s1600/photo+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ACBz_vLE4OI/TmomZFHsNVI/AAAAAAAABBo/Q7qGVq1NcFs/s320/photo+%25288%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yesterday's dinner was pretty yummy also. About a week ago, I received a box of Kikkoman Kara-Age Coating Mix to try through the<a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/pages/tastemaker-program"> Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program</a>. After reading some other reviews of the product, I was a little scared to try it. I read that coating mix had a very strong ginger flavor, which I'm not a huge fan of.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XEsXNoRVoc8/TmoniSecenI/AAAAAAAABB4/ygNDx59-r0s/s1600/photo+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XEsXNoRVoc8/TmoniSecenI/AAAAAAAABB4/ygNDx59-r0s/s320/photo+%25287%2529.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, I decided not to follow the directions. Shocker, I know. The box says to pour the seasoning into a large ziplock bag, add your proteins and shake, kinda like a soy-ginger shake and bake. When I opened the package and tried the coating it had a very strong flavor. So instead of putting my fish directly in the coating, I mixed it with some breadcrumbs to make the flavor a little less intense. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1rPnVmHT4PE/TmooQW5Rg9I/AAAAAAAABB8/FngTy9XmcrA/s1600/photo+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1rPnVmHT4PE/TmooQW5Rg9I/AAAAAAAABB8/FngTy9XmcrA/s320/photo+%25286%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I baked the fish in the oven instead of frying it and the results were pretty darn good. The breadcrumbs mixed with the coating gave the fish a crispy crust and the seasoning mix gave it a really nice flavor.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lm5Vm-Y72ww/TmopLs1H8cI/AAAAAAAABCA/F6DXbjZVuOs/s1600/photo+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lm5Vm-Y72ww/TmopLs1H8cI/AAAAAAAABCA/F6DXbjZVuOs/s320/photo+%25285%2529.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I served the fish along with some baked zucchini which was seasoned with another of my favorite seasoning, 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe's. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm planning on using the remaining coating mix with some chicken when I made Thai Peanut noodles,so stay tuned. The recipe has been in my <a href="http://pinterest.com/xsylvia/to-make/">To Make</a> list on <a href="http://pinterest.com/xsylvia/">Pinterest</a> for months and its day in the sun is approaching quickly. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now it's time for me to get my butt in gear and get to packing. We leave in about three hours and my bags are empty. But, in my own defense, I made a list of what to pack last night, so its like I'm halfway done already, right? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have a great weekend!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i>What's your favorite special birthday meal?</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i>Have you ever ended up liking something you thought you wouldn't like?</i></b></div></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-77694246073303670082011-09-08T10:46:00.000-04:002011-09-08T10:46:03.050-04:00A bit of Fall Baking<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This. Weather. Sucks. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">That's really all I can say. It's been pouring since Monday night and I'm starting to get cabin fever. The rain overnight was insane, it was raining so hard that it woke me up. I feel bad for all the people who are </span>experiencing<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> flooding again, only a week after the flooding from hurricane Irene went down. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">To get my mind off this horrible weather, I did some baking. And we all know that baking makes me a very happy girl.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I pinned <a href="http://thedeenbros.com/index.php/recipes/recipe_detail/peach_and_cinnamon_cobbler/">this recipe</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/xsylvia/">Pinterest</a> a while ago and felt that the weather is very fall-like outside, some comforting food would totally hit the spot. Since I can never follow a recipe without making changes, I'll give you mine too.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iiWUYNceI-M/TmjQ_6PEMII/AAAAAAAABBE/0B8Wo7S9ang/s1600/photo%2528499%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iiWUYNceI-M/TmjQ_6PEMII/AAAAAAAABBE/0B8Wo7S9ang/s320/photo%2528499%2529.jpg" width="292" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Peach-Apple Cobbler</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Filling:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">3 large peaches, pitted and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">3 large apples, peeled and cored, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">3/4 cup brown sugar</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 tablespoon cinnamon</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 tablespoon apple pie spice</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Topping:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1-2/3 cup all purpose flour</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">3 tablespoons sugar</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1-1/2 tablespoons baking powder</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">pinch salt</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 stick cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 cup heavy cream</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>21</o:Words> <o:Characters>124</o:Characters> <o:Company>New York Law School</o:Company> <o:Lines>1</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>152</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;">Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a baking dish. In a medium bowl, stir together the filling ingredients. Pour filling into the prepared dish; set aside.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;"><br />
</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> <!--EndFragment--></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nYf3cDUsigg/TmjQ9ftTawI/AAAAAAAABBA/Z1B26O2z-0c/s1600/photo%2528498%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nYf3cDUsigg/TmjQ9ftTawI/AAAAAAAABBA/Z1B26O2z-0c/s320/photo%2528498%2529.jpg" width="222" /></a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><br />
For the topping, in a large bowl mix the flour, the sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Slowly add the 2/3 cup cream, mixing until the dough just comes </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px;">together. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zULM_7--dYU/TmjRElG7GEI/AAAAAAAABBM/8KKdpIOKCcU/s1600/photo%2528501%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zULM_7--dYU/TmjRElG7GEI/AAAAAAAABBM/8KKdpIOKCcU/s320/photo%2528501%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; line-height: 14px;"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>36</o:Words> <o:Characters>209</o:Characters> <o:Company>New York Law School</o:Company> <o:Lines>1</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>256</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: inherit;">Form the dough into 2-inch balls and flatten gently with the palm of your hand. Evenly arrange the dough rounds on top of the filling. Brush a little cream over the rounds. Bake about 1 hour or until the biscuits are golden and the filling is bubbling.</span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eDUH4kp1V9o/TmjRChZC4yI/AAAAAAAABBI/Fstjj3oW-6c/s1600/photo%2528500%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eDUH4kp1V9o/TmjRChZC4yI/AAAAAAAABBI/Fstjj3oW-6c/s320/photo%2528500%2529.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: inherit;">This is so good that the whole pan got eaten within one day in my house. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: inherit;">Now I need to tend to my laundry. I need to start packing because we are leaving for Boston tomorrow afternoon! I'm so excited. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: inherit;">Have a great Thursday!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: inherit;"><b><i>What's your favorite fall food?</i></b></span></div><!--EndFragment--></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-27535237422024998362011-09-07T10:07:00.000-04:002011-09-07T10:07:59.742-04:00Labor Day Weekend -Duex-<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Time to continue my weekend recap!<br />
<br />
On Sunday, we went to a Labor Day / Housewarming party at Tommy's aunt's house. Since the ride to their house cuts right Princeton, NJ, we were able to stop by the <a href="http://www.thehouseofcupcakes.com/">House of Cupcakes</a>. I've wanted to go to House of Cupcakes since I saw it on Cupcake Wars on the Food Network. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XvZ03OyWcuw/TmYlLGxXS5I/AAAAAAAABAQ/cXnsqWkNF0Q/s1600/photo%2528486%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XvZ03OyWcuw/TmYlLGxXS5I/AAAAAAAABAQ/cXnsqWkNF0Q/s320/photo%2528486%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We got there right when they were opening, so not all the cupckaes had been put out on the shelf yet. The only one that I wanted to get that wasn't out on the shelf was a peanut butter one, which got brought out when I was walking out the door.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cehvSafAPbI/TmYlI6yJW6I/AAAAAAAABAM/ElmvBs4wed8/s1600/photo%2528487%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cehvSafAPbI/TmYlI6yJW6I/AAAAAAAABAM/ElmvBs4wed8/s320/photo%2528487%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I felt overwhelmed by all the different flavors staring back at me. I really wanted to try one of each, but that would have been a little much.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5_139VZXSe4/TmYlGsxN-KI/AAAAAAAABAI/s9TEUhR236c/s1600/photo%2528488%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5_139VZXSe4/TmYlGsxN-KI/AAAAAAAABAI/s9TEUhR236c/s320/photo%2528488%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I was very pleased with my choices.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z84lNyI6O7Y/TmYlEGyVieI/AAAAAAAABAE/iVjm8VAPxw0/s1600/photo%2528489%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z84lNyI6O7Y/TmYlEGyVieI/AAAAAAAABAE/iVjm8VAPxw0/s320/photo%2528489%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I got Red Velvet, Oreo, Boston Cream, Carrot Cake, Cappuccino and Vanilla Riot. I can honestly say that these were the best cupcakes I've ever had. The cake was moist and fluffy, the perfect texture and the frostings were sweet, but not too sweet. If you're ever in the Princeton area stop at the House of Cupcakes. It is most definitely worth the trip.<br />
<br />
We had a blast at the party. There was really more food than we knew what to do with. I loved that before the hot food was served, Tommy's aunt ordered a huge spread of sushi from a local place in their area. It was delicious to snack on the sushi throughout the day.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W8P2aiEmc-g/TmdyRk7uihI/AAAAAAAABAk/vyd2mJg3Jv8/s1600/photo%2528490%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W8P2aiEmc-g/TmdyRk7uihI/AAAAAAAABAk/vyd2mJg3Jv8/s320/photo%2528490%2529.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><br />
All of the food was amazing, she really outdid herself. I'm also completely in love with their kitchen. I seriously dream of a kitchen like that at night.<br />
<br />
After eating, the fun part of the party started. Pool time!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-clq05gZXyHA/TmdygLOnx2I/AAAAAAAABAo/r7L8A82VjNM/s1600/DSCN1910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-clq05gZXyHA/TmdygLOnx2I/AAAAAAAABAo/r7L8A82VjNM/s320/DSCN1910.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Munchkin had a blast in the pool. He is getting braver and braver in the water and even floated around kicking his feet with us only holding his hands.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z6TDojlWm9U/Tmdy12tkplI/AAAAAAAABAw/TfAe7rlQxlI/s1600/DSCN1914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z6TDojlWm9U/Tmdy12tkplI/AAAAAAAABAw/TfAe7rlQxlI/s320/DSCN1914.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We got home after 11PM exhausted after a long day filled with lots of fun.<br />
<br />
On Monday, we slept in a little before heading out to the local mall. I accidentally sat on Tommy's glasses and he had to get them adjusted. In my own defense, he left the on the bed!<br />
<br />
While at the mall, I tried on a pair of Toms and I think I want to buy a pair for the fall. I also got two book thats I've wanted to read for a while for pennies at Borders. I'm currently reading Room as part of <a href="http://www.pbfingers.com/2011/09/02/odd-english-muffin-habit/">PB Finger's book club</a>, but I picked up <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Defense-Food-Eaters-Manifesto/dp/1594201455">In Defense of Food</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/End-Overeating-Insatiable-American-Appetite/dp/1605294578/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315404369&sr=1-1">The End of Overeating</a>. I can't wait to read both!<br />
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</div>We grabbed lunch/dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings before heading back to New York. Tommy's brother won six free wings a week for a year, so we took advantage of his winnings. <br />
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I got a salad as my entree and it was only okay. I think the only good thing at Buffalo Wild Wings are the wings themselves. All of the other thing we've tried from there are just okay.<br />
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</div>The drive home wasn't too bad with only a little bit of traffic. I was so tired after the weekend, that I fell asleep around 9PM in my clothes with Munchkin. I guess my body needed to catch up on sleep, since there wasn't much of it this weekend. <br />
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I also made a peach apple cobbler yesterday. It's really good. I'll be sharing my recipe tomorrow! Have a great Wednesday!<br />
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<b><i>What's the best baked good you've ever tried?</i></b><br />
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</div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-80827401698212088562011-09-06T10:54:00.000-04:002011-09-06T10:54:05.114-04:00Labor Day Weekend -Un-<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">We spent our Labor Day weekend in the Philadelphia area and we had a blast. <br />
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Friday was spent packing, cleaning and running errands before we left. We also had dinner with Munchkin's godfather, Paul. Then we got ourselves some iced coffees and hit the open road. I got a Caramel Almond iced coffee and it really might be my new fav. Dare I say, I liked it better than Pumpkin?!<br />
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On Saturday we woke up and hit up RJ's bagels for breakfast. We split a Heart Attack wrap and a Honey Oat Bagel with honey butter. Both were really yummy. With our bellies full, we hit up the King of Prussia Mall for some shopping. Since we were going to Tommy's aunt's house for a Housewarming/Labor Day party, we had to get her a housewarming gift. <br />
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After wracking our brains, we decided to make her a basket with a bunch of kitchen and bath things because she really has everything else we could think of. We bought a cute basket at Michael's and hit up Bath and Body Works, Williams Sonoma and other similar stores to fill it up. We also stopped by Victoria's Secret and Aerie so I could pick up a few things for myself.<br />
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The basket turned out really cute, but I just realized that I didn't take a picture of it. Since we got mostly fall themed smells, I decorated the basket with fall leaves to tie it all together. Take my word for it, it looked and smelled really good.<br />
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After the mall, Munchkin needed to get moving since he was cooped up in the stroller all day. We hit up the playground by Tommy's house and had a blast there.<br />
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Munchkin and I had our first ride on a tire swing. Yes, I went almost 24 years without ever swinging on a tire swing. Sad, I know.<br />
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While at the park, our bellies began to rumble again and we knew it was time for dinner. A while ago, we purchased a Groupon for <a href="http://www.partyonthegrill.com/langhorne/index.html">Arirang, a hibachi and sushi place</a>. We actually went there for dinner after <a href="http://frolic-through-life.blogspot.com/2011/05/whirlwind-weekend.html">Tommy's graduation</a> and enjoyed the hibachi. This time, we went for the regular dining part of the restaurant.<br />
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As usual, we started off our dinner with some Edamame. <br />
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We also split an Angel Kiss Roll as our appetizer. It was really one of the best rolls I've tired in my life and it was a lot bigger than the specialty rolls I'm used to having in New York. The Angel Kiss was yellowtail, salmon, eel, crabmeat, avocado and pickled squash topped with spicy mayo and eel sauce. To die for!<br />
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For dinner, Munchkin and I split some seafood Teriyaki. This wasn't your regular seafood Teriyaki, my plate was filled with shrimp, scallops and fresh salmon topped with a delicious sauce and a side of steamed veggies. It was also served with a side of rice.<br />
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Tommy had the steak Teriyaki which was also delicious. This was also the first time that a restaurant asked how you want your steak for the steak Teriyaki. <br />
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Arirang gets two thumbs up from us, once again. There is actually a Arirang in Brooklyn which we will be trying shortly. If it's anything like the one in Langhorn, then we might have a new favorite restaurant. <br />
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After dinner, we hit up the Blockbuster Express box to rent Take Me Home Tonight which we enjoyed after Munchkin hit the sack. The movie was really funny and I kind of relate to the main character. Highly recommended.<br />
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In the interest of not writing a book here today, I will post about Sunday and Monday manana. Stay tuned because Sunday includes some delicious cupcakes.<br />
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Hope you had a great weekend and enjoy your <strike>Monday</strike> Tuesday!<br />
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<i><b>What did you do this weekend?</b></i><br />
<i><b>What's your favorite restaurant?</b></i></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-52583374866775854192011-09-02T06:30:00.000-04:002011-09-02T06:30:02.577-04:00Yoga and Yogurt<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Since September is National Yoga Month, I decided to start off my morning with some yoga to celebrate. I never really did much yoga, but the deep stretches felt really good first thing in the morning. I think I will be doing more of it and trying to incorporate it into my workout routine. It can't hurt, right?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">After yoga, it was time for breakfast.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><img height="200" src="http://gallery.mailchimp.com/ad0eab069c1a6535670768879/images/dannon_oikos.jpg" width="200" /> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div> I wrote this post while participating in a blog tour conducted by Clever Girls on behalf of Dannon. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program but my opinions are my own. For more information and recipe ideas, visit www.oikosyogurt.com or www.Facebook.com/oikos. I was selected for this sponsorship by the <a href="http://www.clevergirlscollective.com/">Clever Girls Collective</a>, which endorses <a href="http://www.blogwithintegrity.com/">Blog With Integrity</a>, as I do.<br />
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I have been a huge fan of Greek Yogurt since Trader Joe's opened in my area and I tried it for the first time, many moons ago. Since then, I haven't purchased any other type of yogurt and have even made my little Munchkin a big fan of the stuff. Regular yogurt seems too watery and sweet to me these days.<br />
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When the Clever Girls Collective contacted me to try a new type of Greek Yogurt, I was more than excited. I'm a creature of habit and often suffer from tunnel vision, even in the supermarket. I had seen the blue Dannon Oikos containers in the dairy case, but never looked twice to see what it was. Little did I know, I was missing out. I was hoping to try some of the Oikos flavored yogurt because the Berry flavors beat Chobani 2 to 1 in a national taste test. It also comes in interesting flavors like Key Lime, which I've never seen from a Greek Yogurt before. Unfortunately, my supermarket is subpar when it comes to yogurt selection.<br />
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Since my favorite way to eat Greek Yogurt is in the form of a yogurt bowl, I decided to put Oikos to the test. I dumped the yogurt into my favorite bowl and topped it with Muesli and blueberries.<br />
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I mixed it up and it was ready to eat.<br />
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The yogurt was rich, creamy and thick, just the way I like my yogurt. It gets its delicious texture thanks to an authentic Greek straining process, which the yogurt goes through. Overall, it was yummy. If you've never tried Greek yogurt before, I would recommend trying the flavored varieties first because all Greek yogurt has a very distinct taste. <br />
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And if I haven't convinced you to try it, maybe Uncle Jesse will. I had the biggest crush on John Stamos when I was five. I knew he would never steer me wrong. <br />
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Next on my to try list is overnight oats in a jar with Oikos. It's actually waiting for me in my fridge so I'll let you know how it goes! I'm also heading out to Philly this afternoon and I cannot wait! How lucky am I? I get two weekend getaways in a row!<br />
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Have a great loooong weekend if your in the states, and if not enjoy your regular weekend! ;)<br />
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<b><i>What's your favorite way to eat yogurt?</i></b><br />
<b><i>What are your plans for the weekend?</i></b><br />
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</div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-24979037456681200992011-09-01T10:09:00.000-04:002011-09-01T10:09:07.848-04:00Cheese and Turtles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Why does the week before a long weekend always drag on forever? I'm glad its finally Thursday because it means that we will be hitting up Philly tomorrow!<br />
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I started off yesterday morning with a run. Instead of doing my usual run around the park, I set out in the opposite direction. It felt really good to run through the streets taking in the sights of my town. Running around the track had become tedious because I knew how many laps I had to do until I was "done." This way I run until I feel I can't anymore and walk it off or head home. <br />
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<a href="http://e.wcs.org/goto/sylvia"><img border="0" height="49" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0yaFY0vzUW8/Tl-QnBdWo9I/AAAAAAAAA_I/lZLElpgGpiw/s320/PC2-header.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My first race is in a little over a month. Even though it is only a 5K which is not really an extraordinary distance, its a big accomplishment for me. I'm running the Run for the Wild 5K hosted by the Wildlife Conservation Society, and this year's run is to support turtles that are threatened by extinction. If you'd like to help the cause, visit <a href="http://e.wcs.org/goto/sylvia">my pledge page</a>.<br />
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While perusing Pinterest, I came upon a recipe for mozzarella sticks that were made my wrapping string cheese in an egg roll wrapper and deep frying them. I loved the idea, but I didn't love the frying, so I baked em instead. Mozzarella sticks are one of my favorite snack foods in the world, so I was hoping these would satisfy my cheesy craving.<br />
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To make the baked mozzarella sticks, all you do is cut your cheese stick in half, place it in the center of you egg roll wrapper, moisten the edges and roll it up like a little burrito. After 15 minutes in the oven at 400 degrees, they are ready to be devoured.<br />
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They bake up crispy and brown on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. It's nice to get the warm, gooey, cheesy center without the oil and grease. Totally hit the spot. Since we were out of marinara sauce I ate mine with ketchup, but I eat almost everything with ketchup so this isn't really out of the ordinary.<br />
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I just finished reading the last book of the Hunger Games this morning. I'm hoping to hit up Borders sometime this weekend to get some new reading material. <b><i>Any recommendations?</i></b><br />
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<b><i>What's your favorite not so healthy snack food?</i></b></div>
Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-45896780572778349132011-08-31T09:17:00.000-04:002011-08-31T09:17:35.026-04:00Supermarket Discoveries<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So I went shopping yesterday. We went to the grocery store so Tommy could pick up something to take to work for breakfast and my eyes lit up as soon as we walked in. This wasn't our regular supermarket, and there were so many items that I've wanted to try that I just couldn't pass up.<br />
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When we first walked in I spotted the Kombucha. It's one of those things that I've seen all over blog, never tried and honestly am still kind of scared to try. It's still waiting for me in my fridge. Five minutes after entering the supermarket, I was having trouble holding all my finds. The Starbucks ice cream pressed against my stomach wasn't helping either.<br />
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The only thing that I've tried from my supermarket adventure thus far, were these bad boys.<br />
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Holy moly, they are soo good! Not too sweet, not too oaty, just perfect. As soon as he tried them, Tommy told me I need to figure out how these are made and I agree.<br />
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So of course, I visited <a href="http://haveyourcakeltd.com/home.html">their website</a>. They are a company located all the way out on the south fork of Long Island and they make some, not only, amazing looking, but amazing sounding cakes and cupcakes. I will definitely be trying some of their other products when I go to that supermarket again, I don't think they disappoint.<br />
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Since we're talking about yumminess, I thought that I would share my go to muffin recipe. I found this recipe at the farm stand that we buy our produce from in the Poconos. They always have different recipes next to the register with ideas of what to do with in season fruits and veggies. This recipe was originally for <a href="http://frolic-through-life.blogspot.com/2011/06/very-strawberry-weekend.html">Strawberry Muffins</a>, but I tried it with rhubarb this weekend and they came out just as good.<br />
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<b><u>Fill-in-the-blank Muffins</u></b><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>1/2 cup room temperature butter</li>
<li>1 1/2 cup sugar</li>
<li>4 large eggs</li>
<li>1 tsp. vanilla</li>
<li>3 cups all purpose flour [I've also made these with half whole wheat flour]</li>
<li>1 tsp. baking powder</li>
<li>1/2 tsp. baking soda</li>
<li>1/2 tsp. salt</li>
<li>1 tsp. grated lemon peel</li>
<li>1 cup buttermilk</li>
<li>1 cup fill-in-the-blank fruit</li>
</ul><br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin cups or line with paper liners. Cream butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. Blend in vanilla.<br />
In a seperate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix dry mixture into creamed mixture until well combined. Gradually mix in lemon zest and buttermilk. <br />
Spoon batter into muffin cups until 2/3 full. Evenly spoon fruit into the center of the muffins and sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean. Cool and enjoy!<br />
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I also need to share this cuteness with you guys. We woke up this morning to meowing outside our window. When we lifted the blinds we found this little guy.<br />
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Munchkin had a great time playing with the kitty through the window.<br />
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Have a great Wednesday!<br />
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<b><i>What is your best supermarket discovery?</i></b><br />
<b><i>Do you have any great go to recipes?</i></b></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-61122354745341581252011-08-30T11:45:00.000-04:002011-08-30T11:45:41.385-04:00Party Animals<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Yesterday was the first birthday party that Munchkin attended, other than his own. The little boy who lives next door to us is turning 5 next week, but he told his mom that he will not go to school until he is 5, so they had his birthday party a week early. I got him a Home Depot tool set and it was a big hit with all the kids at the party.<br />
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As usual, Munchkin was the youngest one at the party, but that did not stop him from having a great time. He ran around chasing the older kids and had a blast playing with their play kitchen. He literally sat in front of it for half the time, taking thing out of the cabinets and pretend eating. I'm looking into kitchens and I think Munchkin might get one for Christmas. <br />
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After filling Munchkin with lots of sugar in the form of ice cream cake, we can home to plan our Boston getaway. Tommy is taking us to Boston for my birthday and I could not be any more excited. We already chose our hotel and it's right in the middle of Boston, not far from Fenway Park. It looks great online and the reviews I read are pretty good.<br />
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Since neither of us know much about Boston, I need your help! If you have any recommendations for restaurants, places to see, things to do, please share, I would really appreciate it. My only requirement is that it be child friendly. Thanks so much!<br />
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Now I'm off to do some homework. It was really nice having off yesterday, but its time to get back to reality. Thank god for three day weeks!<br />
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Have a great Tuesday!<br />
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<b><i>Have you ever been to Boston?</i></b><br />
<b><i>What's your favorite birthday memory?</i></b></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8609266646899980884.post-13868664174430288332011-08-29T10:46:00.000-04:002011-08-29T10:46:26.999-04:00The Calm After the Storm<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">After all the hype about New York City getting submerged in water was, luckily, just hype. Just to be sure, we made our way up to Pennsylvania on Friday night. Better to be safe than sorry, right?<br />
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We started our Friday evening off with some Chipotle for dinner. It was a total chance Chipotle encounter because we were looking for Panera, but found Chipotle in the same plaza and went for it. I got a chicken burrito bowl. We seriously need a Chipotle in my area, real bad.<br />
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</div>I also made rhubarb muffins on Friday. They were really, really yummy and I will be sharing the recipe soon.<br />
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We went down to Philly on Friday night because Tommy needed to get his car, which he had to leave at home to get serviced. The plan was to wake up early Saturday and go up to the Poconos. We woke up to the phone ringing three times in a row on Saturday. Our plan to wake up early kind of went out the window because it was already 10 AM. For two people who don't get to sleep in very often, we took full advantage of the sleep opportunity, even though we didn't mean to.<br />
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As soon as we woke up, Tommy knew where he wanted to get a quick breakfast.<br />
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RJ's Bagels looks like a little unassuming shop from outside, but once inside you find a place where all your breakfast dreams can come true. Not only do they have really unique bagel flavors, like cranberry oat, which I want to try next time, they have something called the heart attack.<br />
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We both had heart attacks, sounds super healthy, I know. It was egg, cheese, bacon, ham, sausage and hash browns in a wrap topped with a ton of hot sauce.<br />
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It was very good and very hot. My mouth felt like it was on fire, but in a good way. I also enjoyed a vanilla coffee along side my heart attack.<br />
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When we were making our way out of the Philly area, it started to rain, so we knew that Irene was on her way. The rain got really strong in some spots, but we made it to the Poconos without a problem.<br />
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Along the way, we stopped to buy a cake because it was my cousin's 21st Birthday on Saturday. It was an angel food cake with cream cheese frosting covered in a white chocolate shell. I also loved the little butterflies on top of it.<br />
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We spent Saturday indoors thanks to Irene. The storm got pretty bad at night, with the winds whipping up and rain pounding against the windows.<br />
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We woke up to some damage.<br />
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The winds were still pretty strong, but we ventured out to survey the area.<br />
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With all the leaves blown off the trees, it looked like fall had arrived early. <br />
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We decided to try to make it home in the early afternoon, in case we ran into roadblocks. The drive was pretty uneventful except for one slightly flooded spot.<br />
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In New York, it honestly doesn't look like anything happened, which is a really good thing.<br />
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Today, Munchkin and I will be partying hard at his friend Victor's birthday party. Have a great Monday everyone and I hope everyone is safe and dry after Irene.<br />
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<b><i>Have you ever lived through a natural disaster?</i></b><br />
<b><i>What's your favorite not-so-good-for-you breakfast?</i></b></div>Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11900722533411336966noreply@blogger.com