tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11116404890277646472024-02-20T13:09:54.700-07:00Life With Solenjoying the sunny southwest through food, family, and travelChelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.comBlogger217125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-45869982387463534672014-09-16T21:03:00.001-06:002014-09-16T21:03:31.947-06:00A Time to Mourn & a Time to Dance
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Sometimes we need moments to mourn the brokenness of this
fallen world. To grieve the fact that there is so much loss in our own lives
and in the lives of those we love; loss of life, relationships, and hope for
the future. Today was one of those days for me. </div>
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After dropping Jack off at preschool and putting Maggie down
for her morning nap, I checked my email. I had a notice from Caring Bridge that
one of my best friends had posted a new journal entry. I clicked the link and
read her post about the reconstructive surgery she is facing today as a result
of her battle with breast cancer. I then looked at the past journal entries to
see if there were any I had missed. I found one from May where my dear friend
wrote that she and her husband are unable to have any more children due to the increased
risk of her cancer coming back. She had her first baby about a year before she
was diagnosed with breast cancer. She cherishes that sweet baby girl but still
mourns the fact that she will never hold a newborn again or spend the wee hours
of the morning breastfeeding her baby. </div>
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I then remembered other dear friends who have tried for
years to have a baby, only to see “Not Pregnant” on the test every time. I
thought of friends and family members who have lost babies, some so early in
pregnancy that almost no one knew they were expecting, others so far along that
they had a nursery ready in their home and delivered a lifeless baby. </div>
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Others were brought to mind too—friends facing marital and
family issues including abuse, divorce, and addiction. I thought of my own
family—as we have lost ones we love, and have encountered cancer, financial uncertainty,
and other dark times. </div>
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I sat in my quiet living room and cried. Brokenness is
inevitable in this world tainted by sin. Sometimes we need to take time in our
lives to let that soak in. To stop avoiding the fact that we are messed up,
that people have hurt us, and that there will not be an end to sadness and loss
this side of heaven. </div>
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As I was crying, my nine-month old daughter Maggie woke up
from her nap. I went in her room, picked her up, held her tight, and cried. I
told her I loved her. I thanked God that he has been gracious to give me two
children I do not deserve. And then I changed my baby’s diaper, because
although there is a time to mourn, we must also continue living our lives. We
must work, take care of our families, clean our homes, take showers, and do all
the other seemingly mundane things that are part of living in this world.
Because even though this world can seem so dark, it is not completely black.
There is some light—there is hope. And changing Maggie’s diaper and watching
her play with her toys reminds me of that. </div>
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“There is a time for everything, and a season for every
activity under the heavens. A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn
and a time to dance.” –Ephesians 3:1 and 4</div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-70078289293358918762014-08-01T09:53:00.005-06:002014-08-01T09:58:01.738-06:00Grilled Sausage & Asparagus Fettuccine Alfredo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFG8eGiZiLQGqBaV8rUodnRJaB3EZr65FOXvuPxXlzYmNSBfPI6YV8HQlj7qWtALdT1BQ-59qqg8V7XtmguzcM4Jyh5yzGprZgoDhDCfWg2jWR7503kbbbnkkZxmo8fLF_Pay1DDPQyoA_/s1600/IMG_4061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFG8eGiZiLQGqBaV8rUodnRJaB3EZr65FOXvuPxXlzYmNSBfPI6YV8HQlj7qWtALdT1BQ-59qqg8V7XtmguzcM4Jyh5yzGprZgoDhDCfWg2jWR7503kbbbnkkZxmo8fLF_Pay1DDPQyoA_/s1600/IMG_4061.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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Since Maggie was born I have not been doing as much cooking as I used to. It can be difficult to cook with a baby around and now she has started crawling, so it's even more difficult! Recently I came up with a new recipe inspired by different ingredients I picked up in Target one day. This turned out to be so easy and delicious! Josh and I both loved it, and Jack liked it too! I have made it multiple times now. It's such an easy meal for a busy weeknight or for entertaining.<br />
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1 package Italian chicken sausage (I used the <a href="http://www.target.com/p/simply-balanced-all-natural-italian-chicken-sausage-12-oz/-/A-13267406" target="_blank">Simply Balanced</a> brand from Target)<br />
1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed<br />
1/2 - 16 oz. package fettuccine noodles<br />
1 jar alfredo sauce<br />
Olive oil<br />
Salt & Pepper<br />
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Heat grill to medium heat.<br />
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Cook fettuccine noodles according to package directions. While they cook, pour alfredo sauce into large pan and warm on medium low heat. You just need to warm the sauce, so if it starts to bubble, turn heat to low.<br />
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Drizzle olive oil over asparagus and toss so that they are well coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.<br />
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Place sausage and asparagus on grill. Cook sausage according to package directions. Usually about 4 minutes per side. Grill asparagus about 3-4 minutes per side, until crisp but not blackened. Remove sausage and asparagus from grill. Slice sausage and cut asparagus into thirds. Add to alfredo sauce in pan. Drain noodles and add to sauce. Toss all ingredients together and serve. Add salt and pepper to taste.<br />
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If you don't want to grill, the sausage has instructions for other ways to cook it. And you can saute or roast the asparagus instead of grilling. I've also tried this with fresh spinach instead of asparagus. I chopped it and sauteed it in a pan then added the sauce, sausage, and noodles. There are plenty of variations you could make!<br />
<br />Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-65491934540704071022014-01-23T12:15:00.000-07:002014-01-23T12:15:02.088-07:00Maggie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Well, I have been absent from the blogging world for quite awhile now. Towards the end of my pregnancy I was getting pretty lazy. So now I will do my best to get caught up and write a little more regularly, but we will see how that goes...<br />
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I figured I'd begin by writing about the birth of our sweet baby girl. I wrote about <a href="http://lifewithsol.blogspot.com/2011/07/new-mama.html" target="_blank">Jack's birth</a> and am so glad I did. There are so many things you forget. The details become foggy all too soon!<br />
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Maggie was due on December 14, but she decided to arrive fashionably late, making her debut December 19. I was ready for her to come about a week before her due date, so the fact that she was five days past the due date was very frustrating (at the time)! My mom came a week before Maggie was due to help me around the house and be here to watch Jack once I went into labor. Her plan had been to stay two weeks so that she could help once we brought Maggie home as well. As each day passed over the 40 week mark, we began to wonder if my mom would still be here once our little one arrived. So we were extremely grateful she didn't wait too much longer! </div>
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On December 18, which happens to be Josh's birthday, my next door neighbor, who is a massage therapist, offered to give me a massage. She worked on key pressure points and used tuning forks to help induce labor. I had no idea if it would be successful, but I was more than happy to give it a try (I had tried everything at that point), plus I figured it would feel really good! It was so sweet of her, and did help me relax a bit. </div>
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After the massage I went to a doctor's appointment. She and the nurse were surprised to see me again. It's pretty bad when the entire staff of your doctor's office is saying "Still here?" when you come in. I was not very dilated at that point and was not having any contractions, so she stripped my membranes to see if that would help speed things along. Nothing happened immediately, so I continued to be frustrated with the fact that I was still pregnant. </div>
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After the appointment I decided to go to <a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/index.jsp" target="_blank">Anthropologie</a> to pick up a hot buttered rum candle by <a href="http://www.illumecandles.com/default.aspx" target="_blank">Illume</a>, which they only sell during the holidays. This is the most incredible smelling candle. My mom and I are obsessed with them. Anyway, I figured walking around <a href="http://www.simon.com/mall/abq-uptown" target="_blank">ABQ Uptown</a> might do the trick. I did not start going into labor in Anthropologie or at the shopping center, but we never know, the lovely scent of Anthropologie may have helped Maggie begin to make her way into the world later that night. I also stopped by <a href="http://www.satellitecoffee.com/" target="_blank">Satellite Coffee</a> to drown my late pregnancy sorrows in my favorite drink, the <a href="http://lifewithsol.blogspot.com/2013/02/reliving-my-college-days.html" target="_blank">Carmel Java</a>. </div>
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I don't remember what all I did the rest of the day, (probably just complain to my mom about still being pregnant) but around 8:00 I began to have mild contractions. I was pretty sure (and hopeful) it was the beginning of labor, but it was difficult to know for certain. And I kept thinking it was inevitable that I would be pregnant the rest of my life, so I didn't want to get my hopes up too much. Josh had stayed up at work late that night. He was trying to finish up as much work as he could in case I went into labor. He said having a baby due "sometime around the 14th but never really knowing when she would arrive" made scheduling very difficult. Typical girl, she was already causing her daddy trouble. So I called Josh to tell him that I was pretty sure contractions were starting so he should wrap up what he's doing and head home. I also asked him to pick me up a burrito and some chips and salsa at <a href="http://twistersinc.com/homepage.html" target="_blank">Twister's</a> on his way home. I needed a good meal if I was going to be up all night, right?</div>
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My contractions continued, and I did my best to get them to speed up. I walked around my house, up and down the stairs, and even went for a short walk outside. Josh joined me outside, even though it was freezing and he was much warmer inside by the fire. The contractions didn't seem to be getting much stronger, so around 10 or 11 we decided to try to get some sleep. Josh fell asleep, but I kept feeling contractions, so I paced our room timing them and once again trying to speed up labor. Around 1:00 am they were finally five minutes apart for about an hour, so I called the doctor, and they told us to go ahead and come in. By this point, the pain was much more intense. I have a tendency to get upset with Josh for driving too fast at times, but that night I was very grateful he was paying little attention to things like speed limits. We live about 20 minutes from the hospital, but I think that night we made it in less than 15 minutes. </div>
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When we parked, I felt like Josh was taking way too long to get our stuff out of the car (I'm sure he was not, but the pain was getting really bad). We went up to the labor and delivery floor, the nurse checked to see how dilated I was, and I was already 5 cm. So they admitted us and sent us straight to a labor and delivery room. By the time they began giving me my epidural, it was about 4:00 and the pain was getting so bad, I cried during the last contraction. I was very happy to receive an epidural! </div>
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Then the nurse told us we could wait and take a little nap before the doctor came in to check on me if we would like, and we told her that would be great (my doctor was not on call that night, but the doctor that was ended up being good, which we were very thankful for). Well, she didn't get a chance to tell him, so around 5:00 he came in to see how we were doing. This turned out to be a good thing, because when he checked to see how dilated I was, he said, "Well, you're at 10 cm and your water just broke! I think it's time for you to have a baby!" Josh and I were both shocked this was happening so fast because it was so different from our experience with Jack. So the nurses came in and got everything ready and I began to push. </div>
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Margaret Anne arrived at 5:29 am weighing 8 lbs., 1 oz. (small compared to Jack who was 9 lbs., 4 oz.) and 20 inches long. She had a full head of dark brown hair, also very surprising as Jack had just a little blonde hair when he was born. Although it seemed labor would never begin, once it finally did, she came pretty fast, which we were very grateful for!<br />
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We spent one night in the hospital, and were itching to get home and introduce Jack to his new little sister. Plus, we were just ready to be out of the hospital and comfy at home. We don't remember feeling that way as much with Jack, but maybe that's because he was our first and we liked having the help from all the nurses! I also think the fact that Christmas was so close made us more ready to be home as a family enjoying the holiday. Other contributing factors may have been the noisy construction outside our window at the hospital and the completely non-soundproof walls there, which enabled us to hear every crying baby and loud conversation in the rooms next to and above us.<br />
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My mom was here for a few days after Maggie came home and my dad came up and joined her. My sister and her husband also came that weekend, so it was fun to have all of them meet her. Josh's parents came the following week and spent Christmas with us. We were so thankful to have the help of our family as we transitioned into being a family of four. It was also fun to have a relaxing Christmas with my in-laws. My mother-in-law cooked Christmas dinner so I was able to sit back and rest. They also took Jack out to play, to the movies, and other fun activities so that he could have fun and we could rest. They even watched both kids for awhile so Josh and I could get out of the house for a break. It was wonderful!<br />
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Jack is loving being a big brother. He is so sweet to Maggie. It is so much fun to see them together, and I look forward to watching them grow up with one another!<br />
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It's been so different this time around having already experienced the new baby phase with Jack and having him to look after as well. We can't focus every ounce of energy on Maggie the way we did with Jack, he still needs us and wants our attention as well. I still worry about her from time to time, but it's much less than I did when Jack was a newborn. I also can't spend my day lazing around just holding my baby, feeding her and sleeping when she does the way I did with Jack. But in many ways that has been good. It's helped me get back to normal life sooner and I think it's helping me get back into shape a little faster (although I still have a long way to go).<br />
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Overall, we have been thrilled with the new addition to our family and look forward to the days and years to come!Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-24942457657770139092013-10-28T22:27:00.000-06:002013-10-28T22:27:26.495-06:00Pumpkin Pancakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Imufb16Yl-ZSAIr8rqL420ZkJIDaEHKjDoSsbsMTnmk87tVhzYL9wHKVTNEBkzMlICn2Ev2DOn60s7znAbBLWoDRLi_mGJ6GqANbTSdJyeeufHlW2lMmAqG2BUSRl0qsLST98v3OnbpT/s640/blogger-image-427785487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Imufb16Yl-ZSAIr8rqL420ZkJIDaEHKjDoSsbsMTnmk87tVhzYL9wHKVTNEBkzMlICn2Ev2DOn60s7znAbBLWoDRLi_mGJ6GqANbTSdJyeeufHlW2lMmAqG2BUSRl0qsLST98v3OnbpT/s640/blogger-image-427785487.jpg" /></a></div>
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I've been making <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/271839/pumpkin-pancakes" target="_blank">these pumpkin pancakes</a> almost every morning this month. I found the recipe online one day while searching all things pumpkin. They are very easy to make and so delicious! Jack and I have been enjoying them on a regular basis. I've made them for different guests we've had in town, and they have all loved them and asked for the recipe. </div>
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You must give these a try- you will not regret it! </div>
Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-4381474389951626682013-09-05T21:51:00.000-06:002013-09-05T21:53:13.380-06:00Outdoor Family Fun in New Mexico <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of my favorite things about living in New Mexico is the abundance of wonderful spots to enjoy the outdoors. There are so many beautiful places to hike, camp, bike, climb, and paddle without passing the state line. This summer flew by and we did not get out as much as we would have liked, but we did try making up for it a little in August. <br />
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One weekend we went camping at <a href="http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SPD/morphylakestatepark.html" target="_blank">Morphey Lake State Park</a> just north of Las Vegas, NM, about 2.5 hours from Albuquerque. We went with some friends who have two kids and we all loved it! The park is in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and has a beautiful lake with campsites surrounding it.<br />
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We got in early on a Friday evening, set up camp, and let Jack play by the lake. He was so excited to throw rocks in the lake. He kept saying, "throw rocks in lake," the entire ride up there. Once it got dark we built a fire and made s'mores. This was Jack's first time to have a s'more, and he loved them!<br />
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The next morning we woke up, made breakfast, then went back down to the lake. Jack stayed down there all morning, throwing rocks in the lake, then walking in the lake and playing with the mud with his friends. He would have stayed there all day if we would have let him! All of the adults enjoyed sitting by the beautiful water and watching the kids have fun.<br />
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This is the perfect campground for a relaxing camping trip with beautiful scenery. You can enjoy time just sitting by the lake, paddling a canoe, or fishing. It was great with young kids, they all loved it. <br />
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Last weekend we drove up near Taos, about 2 hours from Albuquerque to spend the morning playing by the Rio Grande. We found a great spot at the County Line Access area run by the BLM just off highway 68 southwest of Taos. It's at mile marker 24.<br />
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We brought chairs, shovels and buckets, and spent our time watching Jack have fun in the water. This is also a popular spot for rafting groups to end their trips since there is a nice ramp, toilets, and picnic tables. We enjoyed watching these groups paddle down the river. <br />
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Afterward we drove into Taos, which was about 20-30 minutes from there. We planned on eating lunch there, but did not anticipate how crowded the town would be for Labor Day weekend. So we just spent a little time at <a href="http://www.twirlhouse.com/weekly-schedule" target="_blank">Twirl Play Space</a> which is one of our favorite spots in Taos. Jack loves playing there, and we love that it's free and has plenty of comfortable spots for parents to hang out and watch the kids! After that we headed back home, we were exhausted from a busy and fun day!<br />
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I loved both of these outings and look forward to many more adventures in the Land of Enchantment! Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-63910997421583275622013-09-01T12:57:00.001-06:002013-09-01T12:57:55.810-06:00Sour Cream Noodle Bake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I made the Pioneer Woman's <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/03/sour-cream-noodle-bake/" target="_blank">Sour Cream Noodle Bake</a> a little while back after seeing it on her blog. It reminds me of a dish my mom use to make when we were growing up. It's very easy to prepare, inexpensive, and can feed a crowd (or at least give you plenty of leftovers). It is also an easy dish to make in advance and either store in the fridge for a day or in the freezer until you want to bake it. Josh and I both enjoyed this and Jack did too! It's definitely one we will keep in the rotation! And I may try it using different seasonings, adding vegetables, or whatever else comes to mind! Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-5659337293372346762013-07-25T11:24:00.001-06:002013-07-25T11:24:53.514-06:00Easy & Delicious Meatball Sliders<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOtPd5krdZ-rJiAVM0tCzAHu6prOYpPhrPimLK02xiFHUGfDQf-fp0hYg1xgwx9RNaK5wpUHbS9HtoBMPnaeUjxZsohDf9mN3E6bwosDBh4nRB9sU2caEwAi9AihqbbHSed4_Xe8sYLsG/s1600/DSC_0382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOtPd5krdZ-rJiAVM0tCzAHu6prOYpPhrPimLK02xiFHUGfDQf-fp0hYg1xgwx9RNaK5wpUHbS9HtoBMPnaeUjxZsohDf9mN3E6bwosDBh4nRB9sU2caEwAi9AihqbbHSed4_Xe8sYLsG/s320/DSC_0382.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I recently saw an episode of <i>The Pioneer Woman</i> on Food Network where she made Mini Meatball Sandwiches. I decided to give the <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/mini-meatball-sandwiches-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">recipe</a> a try, and I am so glad I did! I've never made meatballs before, but now I am thinking it will become a regular meal at our house. They were so easy to make and so delicious! Our whole family loved them.<br />
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The recipe says to use shredded mozzarella, which I did, but on her blog and the show, she used sliced provolone, which I might give a try next time. I bought mini hamburger buns from Trader Joe's, which worked great for the sandwiches.<br />
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The recipe made enough for the three of us to have for dinner (one for Jack and three each for Josh and me), then the following day we put the leftover meatballs and sauce over angel hair pasta, which was wonderful as well. Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-59667682747573183062013-07-23T14:09:00.001-06:002013-07-23T14:09:26.576-06:00Best Blueberry-Banana Bread! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7uSxX7Oh_geoWfUctoYsKZbWFkHg4JobBYpSDCVuZl2sOznho_q12S9aQfhQarho2cfPT_9Q6aoMGdDZQ3gnPafsb2doGxexwmFdpXIut3cVwE4aP7Og19dp0MLvxpRPR4HQepU4H1gPH/s1600/DSC_0434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7uSxX7Oh_geoWfUctoYsKZbWFkHg4JobBYpSDCVuZl2sOznho_q12S9aQfhQarho2cfPT_9Q6aoMGdDZQ3gnPafsb2doGxexwmFdpXIut3cVwE4aP7Og19dp0MLvxpRPR4HQepU4H1gPH/s320/DSC_0434.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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I recently watched an episode of one of my favorite cooking shows, <i>Giada at Home</i>, and she made Blueberry-Banana Bread. It looked so good and the recipe seemed very simple, so I decided to give it a try. You can find the recipe <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/blueberry-banana-bread-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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I brought one loaf to a Bible study I'm in and everyone else loved it too and wanted the recipe. <br />
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I have since made this three more times...and it's only been a week! I'm thinking one weekend this summer while blueberries are still in season and inexpensive I might make about 10 loaves to put in the freezer.<br />
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I live at about 6,000 feet in elevation, so baking can be difficult! Thanks to some great tips from a friend on high altitude baking, I knew of some adjustments to make the recipe work. I added a tablespoon of flour for each loaf, used extra large eggs, lessened the baking soda and baking powder just a touch (by about 1/4), and decreased the baking time by 5 minutes. Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-15223994565308290422013-07-20T15:38:00.001-06:002013-07-23T14:09:52.311-06:00Easy Summer Blackberry Cobbler <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijhXhit5lZf9bdhM_4b1SL24FwSGxXm1IeGAOJA8MSxo3jltggQz9J_nT5PMFSgHv4CpiXHTg4VRVcActwyAr-GddXmhiNCrl8VuaWswaqhvwXWyL_0aLFJBBJoMRjWoaE2JTAoWUS2xYL/s1600/DSC_0396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijhXhit5lZf9bdhM_4b1SL24FwSGxXm1IeGAOJA8MSxo3jltggQz9J_nT5PMFSgHv4CpiXHTg4VRVcActwyAr-GddXmhiNCrl8VuaWswaqhvwXWyL_0aLFJBBJoMRjWoaE2JTAoWUS2xYL/s320/DSC_0396.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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A few years ago, I found <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/easy-blackberry-cobbler-10000001816143/" target="_blank">this recipe</a> for Easy Blackberry Cobbler in <i>Southern Living</i>. Since then, it's one I make regularly during the summer when blackberries are in season. It's one of the easiest and most delicious desserts I have ever made. And it tastes great with some vanilla ice cream!<br />
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This is a great dessert for when you are having friends over for dinner. Just prepare it all ahead of time, then place it in the oven to bake while you eat dinner. Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-9451870493357681142013-07-19T14:30:00.001-06:002013-07-23T14:10:53.369-06:00Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches<br />
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So I have been a big slacker when it comes to this blog lately. I am 19 weeks pregnant, and for the first trimester I was usually too tired to cook, or nothing sounded good to my uneasy belly. So we ate a lot of take out and frozen pizzas...not the healthiest time for my family. However, I am feeling much better now and have been spending much more time in the kitchen. I am determined to get back to cooking blogging more!<br />
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I recently found this recipe for <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/dinner-recipe-barbecue-pulled-chicken-in-the-oven-or-slow-cooker-recipes-from-the-kitchn-168003" target="_blank">Barbecue Shredded Chicken from the Oven or Slow Cooker </a>and was inspired to adapt the recipe to make it my own. To make my version of Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, you'll need:<br />
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<ul>
<li>About 1.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (this ended up being 6 thighs for me)</li>
<li>Salt & Pepper</li>
<li>Cayenne</li>
<li>Paprika</li>
<li>1 cup of your favorite barbeque sauce</li>
<li>Hamburger buns </li>
</ul>
Place chicken in your slow cooker. Sprinkle chicken with a little salt and pepper, cayenne, and paprika. Pour one cup of barbeque sauce over chicken. Cook on low for 5 hours or until chicken is cooked through. <br />
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Once chicken is finished cooking, shred meat using two forks. Place meat on a toasted hamburger bun and drizzle with more barbeque sauce. This will make about 4-6 sandwiches, depending on how much meat you like on your sandwich.<br />
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This was one of the easiest and most delicious slow cooker chicken recipes I have ever made. One piece of advice: use good barbeque sauce! I grew up in Texas, so I am very picky when it comes to barbeque sauce. My favorite brand that is available at most grocery stores is <a href="http://www.stubbsbbq.com/products/sauces/original/" target="_blank">Stubb's Original Sauce</a>. <br />
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<br />Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-82390526248438803522013-06-13T16:57:00.000-06:002013-06-13T16:57:33.471-06:00Dear Dad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>As Father's Day approaches, I wanted to share this letter I wrote for my dad. My hope is that it serves as an encouragement to parents. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Dear Dad, </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you for loving me
unconditionally from day one. No matter how dramatic, selfish, or unkind I was,
your love for me was constant and full of grace. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you for telling me often
enough that I was beautiful that I believed it and felt confident, but not so
much that I believed beauty was all that mattered. Thank you for telling me
more often that I was smart, creative, kind, and unique. Those are the
qualities that last and are most important. You encouraged me to learn, be
creative, and serve others. Because of that I have been able to go through life
confident in who I am deep down inside, no matter what others may say. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you for not spoiling me (at
least not too much!) and telling me repeatedly I was the princess of the world.
I knew the world did not revolve around me. You did not give me everything I
wanted, but you did give me what I needed (and more). You taught me to work
hard, to live a life of humility and kindness rather than regality. You taught
me that I was important, but not more important than anyone else. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you for loving mom so
faithfully. Thank you for showing me by example what marriage is. It was not
perfect 100% of the time, but it was filled with love, forgiveness, and
service. I never doubted your love for mom and your desire to love her as
Christ loves the church. When I became an adult and considered what to look for
in a husband, I knew I needed a man with so many of the qualities you have: a
love for God, a love for others, humility, kindness, and graciousness. And I am
thankful I found a man who shares those qualities with you! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you for listening to me.
Really listening. Not just nodding as I spoke, but truly listening to my heart.
You sat with me from an early age, whether it was me talking about my dreams,
my fears, or my favorite music. You were always there, even when I would come
into your room late at night needing to talk about something that was heavy on
my heart. I knew my words had value to you. I knew that you wanted to encourage
me in my dreams, calm my fears, and share my interests, even if they were not
your own. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you for teaching me that my
body was not something to be flaunted like the world was telling me. Thank you
for encouraging me to dress modestly and find my worth in who I was rather than
in my looks. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you for teaching me that
time is important. This is something that is obviously important to you, and I
know this is why people love you. Your relationships are deep because you take
the time to get to know people. You find out who they really are, what’s
important to them, and you share your life with them as well. You did this with
others, and you did it especially well with all of your children as we were
growing up. Family vacations, daddy “dates,” family time at home, there were so
many wonderful times we shared together. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you for loving my husband and
immediately accepting him as a member of the family. He loves you dearly and
enjoys the times we get to spend with you. I know it is because you believed
that love, not intimidation, was the right way to treat your daughter’s
husband. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you for loving Jack. He
loves spending time with “Pop.” You shower him with love and fun! And what a
blessing for him to have such a godly man to look up to! </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In this world so many fathers are
either absent, or if they are present, they pay little attention to their
children. You have shown me that being a parent is about not only showing up,
but getting your hands dirty, serving your children, disciplining them, and
loving them. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am the woman I am today because
God entrusted me to you. Thank you for never giving up on me. I never doubted
your love for me. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I love you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Chelsea</span></div>
Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-19118168878799058132013-06-12T21:41:00.001-06:002013-06-12T21:41:07.843-06:00Holy Cow Burgers<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIzU8SNsz8fQuaEgwxbEH2MNiYiEk9yn9YsuKrLzjr45ZBxa_S3o-eff76wBA4saxoOz6j_cSfV_3G2dMfBQO9JQD8v8f3Z0WqzoX377DnY_OJ201zynb8wShIpUDwTGhCVwUn16nv-Pk/s640/blogger-image-1783591691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjIzU8SNsz8fQuaEgwxbEH2MNiYiEk9yn9YsuKrLzjr45ZBxa_S3o-eff76wBA4saxoOz6j_cSfV_3G2dMfBQO9JQD8v8f3Z0WqzoX377DnY_OJ201zynb8wShIpUDwTGhCVwUn16nv-Pk/s640/blogger-image-1783591691.jpg" /></a></div>
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On Monday Jack and I met Josh for lunch at <a href="http://holycownm.com/" target="_blank">Holy Cow</a>. This is a great spot for burgers and fries near downtown Albuquerque. I love the atmosphere, it's very casual and cool. We came once before for a date, which was nice, and it was also an easy place to bring Jack! </div>
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We both ordered the Holy Cow Burger, which has pecanwood smoked bacon, American cheese and thousand island. It was delicious! The burger was thick and moist, and the bacon and thousand island gave it an incredible flavor. We also ordered sweet potato fries, which I really enjoyed, and Jack loved them too!</div>
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If you're looking for a good burger in Albuquerque, give Holy Cow a try! </div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/60/1609076/restaurant/Huning-Highland/Holy-Cow-Albuquerque"><img alt="Holy Cow on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1609076/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-24797083381741714392013-06-11T11:18:00.001-06:002013-06-12T20:56:08.747-06:00Texan Gals' Pasta Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you've spent much time around girls from Texas, you might have noticed their love affair with ranch dressing. We like to say, "everything goes better with ranch." It's not just for salads. I dip my pizza in it, fries, chicken strips, and anything else I can think of. So, when I was looking for recipes for pasta salad and came across this <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/corn-and-pasta-salad-with-homemade-ranch-dressing-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">Corn and Pasta Salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing</a> I was inspired to make my own version. I added black beans, grilled the corn, roasted the tomatoes, and used store bought ranch (my favorite from <a href="http://www.dions.com/" target="_blank">Dion's</a> here in New Mexico) rather then making my own.<br />
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Begin with these ingredients:</div>
<ul>
<li>8 oz. rotini pasta</li>
<li>3 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled (add more if you are a bacon lover or if you are sharing your pasta with hungry guys) </li>
<li>2-3 cups arugula</li>
<li>Chili powder </li>
<li>Salt & Pepper</li>
<li>3 tbsp. Ranch dressing</li>
<li>1 cup black beans rinsed and drained </li>
<li>2 cups cherry tomatoes or grape heirloom tomatoes, cut in half</li>
<li>1 ear of corn, husks removed</li>
</ul>
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cool water. Set aside. Place tomatoes in a bowl and toss with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. Pour tomatoes into foil and wrap them up loosely. Brush corn with olive oil. Place corn and tomatoes (in foil) on grill over medium high heat for about 5-7 minutes, just to char it a bit. Remove corn from grill and cut kernels off. <br />
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Place pasta, bacon, arugula, corn, tomatoes, beans, and ranch in a large bowl. Toss so that dressing coats everything. Add chili powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Cool in fridge until ready to serve.<br />
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This is the perfect pasta salad for summer. It's easy to prepare in advance and take to a picnic or barbecue. It's also something you can make on Sunday so that you have lunch prepared for a few days. You can take it to work or when you're on the go in the car. This pasta is easy to make your own. Want more spice? Add grilled jalapenos or roasted green chiles. More meat? Add cooked chicken or shrimp. The possibilities are endless!<br />
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<br />Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-5766536146537309762013-06-02T15:20:00.000-06:002013-06-02T15:20:19.740-06:00Buffalo Pasta Bake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The other day I was trying to figure out what to make for lunch with the limited supplies in my kitchen. I remembered seeing a recipe for <a href="http://lentzedlife.wordpress.com/2013/02/10/freezer-for-matt-buffalo-chicken-pasta-bake/" target="_blank">Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake</a>, on Pinterest recently and thought I'd give it a try. I made about 1/4 of the recipe in a small Corningware dish for a single serving. I did not have any chicken, so I left that out, and I used rotini pasta instead of penne. Other than that I followed the recipe and thought it was great! I wanted garlic bread, so I improvised by toasting an English muffin and spreading butter on it with a little garlic salt. It was great for dipping in the extra sauce.<br />
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This pasta was creamy and delicious with just a touch of spice. It's one I will make again in the future. Very easy, inexpensive, and tasty! Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-13484421053202618522013-05-30T14:44:00.000-06:002013-05-30T14:44:16.880-06:00Watermelon Slushie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last summer Jack and I were at a play date and one of my friends made us watermelon slushies. They were so refreshing and delicious, I decided it would have to become a regular summer treat at our house. So now that watermelons are back in season, I have been making this for Jack and me all the time.<br />
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Here is what you will need to do:<br />
<ul>
<li>Freeze cubed watermelon in zip top freezer bags. I usually freeze half of each watermelon I buy and use the other half to eat on it's own. This way you are not stuck with way too much watermelon! </li>
<li>Place about 2-4 cups of frozen watermelon in a blender. You may have to use a knife to break the pieces apart.</li>
<li>Add 1-2 cups of water or coconut water and about 1-2 tablespoons of sugar. </li>
<li>Blend together until smooth. You may need to add more water as you go. </li>
</ul>
This makes plenty for Jack and me. You can also add lime or lemon juice. And if you have simple syrup, you can use it instead of sugar. Or you could add tequila and triple sec for a margarita! <br />
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This is a wonderful, healthy treat, perfect for a warm summer day! Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-76785403471936852472013-05-28T13:41:00.000-06:002013-05-28T18:25:43.096-06:00Best Burgers!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last night we enjoyed a beautiful Memorial Day by grilling burgers and corn for dinner. I looked around online for burger grilling tips and recipes to see if I wanted to try something different. I decided to try <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/perfect-burger-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">this</a> hamburger recipe from Bobby Flay. It is the easiest, yet most delicious burger you'll ever cook! I plan on using this recipe every time we grill burgers from now on. </div>
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Now that corn is in season, it is super cheap. I found ours for $.20 each at Albertson's. I love grilling corn, and when you are already grilling your meat, it's a much easier and less messy way to cook it. Just brush the corn with canola oil then grill it over medium-high heat for about 8-10 minutes, moving often to cook evenly. Just watch it, you want a little char, but not too much. After cooking mine, I spread a little butter on it and sprinkle it with Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning. It gives the corn a great flavor and a little kick! </div>
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My only regret with this meal was buying the cheap hamburger buns, which as you can see, were a little small for our burgers! <br />
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<br />Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-39127479223543075382013-05-24T07:39:00.000-06:002013-05-24T07:39:11.120-06:00Fajita Night<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A few weeks ago, we had some friends over for dinner. We were going to be busy most of the day leading up to dinner, so I wanted to make something I could easily prepare ahead of time and not have to spend much time cooking once they arrived. One of my go-to meals in situations like this is chicken fajitas. You can marinate the meat ahead of time, so all you have to do is throw it on the grill when your guests arrive. And who doesn't like fajitas?<br />
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I have come up with my own fajita marinade that I adapted from one my mom often made when I was growing up. It's so simple, and you can add or subtract different ingredients to suit your tastes.<br />
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In a bowl, combine:<br />
<ul>
<li>1 cup olive oil</li>
<li>Juice of 2 limes</li>
<li>1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped</li>
<li>2-4 garlic cloves, minced</li>
<li>1/2 tsp. salt</li>
<li>1 tsp. chili powder</li>
<li>Generous dash of pepper</li>
</ul>
Place 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a baking dish, zip top bag or other container. Pour marinade over chicken. Flip chicken over and move around to ensure marinade covers all of the meat. Cover dish. Leave chicken in marinade for at least 2 hours or longer, up to overnight.<br />
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Grill chicken until cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from grill and slice diagonally. Serve in warm tortillas. We warmed our tortillas on the top rack of the grill. It's easy to warm them on the grill, just don't do it directly over the flame...charred tortillas aren't too tasty! Add the toppings of your choice. We had black beans, cheese, guacamole and some of my <a href="http://lifewithsol.blogspot.com/2012/12/meal-for-friend.html" target="_blank">homemade salsa</a>. <br />
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I usually cook extra chicken when we make fajitas because the leftovers are great for quesadillas or nachos the following day. Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-14295168868059688682013-05-14T11:47:00.000-06:002013-05-14T11:47:19.530-06:00Farina Alto<br />
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For Mother's Day, I requested that we go out to dinner at a new spot in our area of town called <a href="http://www.farinaalto.com/" target="_blank">Farina Alto</a>. This restaurant opened recently, and is the second location (the first is in EDo). I love the original Farina, and when I saw that they were opening the new location closer to our house, I was really excited. I have visited the original Farina a few times and always thought it had the best pizza in town, but because it's a little more out of the way for us, I did not get to go there as much as I would like.<br />
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Farina Alto has the same great menu as the original Farina, but with a larger wine menu. The restaurant itself is much larger than the original. The inside has plenty of seating as well as a nice bar. There is also a great patio with beautiful mountain views. It was a little rainy when we went, so we ate inside, but next time we hope to be able to enjoy the patio. The interior is very nice, it would be great for a date night but was also good for a family dinner.<br />
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We ordered the antipasto platter for an appetizer which had a delicious assortment of cured meats, imported cheeses, roasted artichokes, peppers and olives. It was served with wonderful grilled bread. This was a great appetizer and I look forward to ordering it again. </div>
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We split the Salsiccia pizza, which had tomato sauce, local fennel sausage, oven roasted onion, mozzarella and provolone cheese. It was amazing. Once again, Farina impressed me with their wonderful pizza. The tomato sauce tastes so fresh, the sausage was full of flavor, and of course, the crust was delicious and crisp. </div>
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If you are looking for the best pizza in Albuquerque, give Farina Alto a try. You will not be disappointed. </div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/60/1741689/restaurant/Foothills/Farina-Alto-Pizzeria-WIne-Bar-Albuquerque"><img alt="Farina Alto Pizzeria & WIne Bar on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1741689/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
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Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-48860923510227723372013-05-13T19:38:00.000-06:002013-05-13T19:38:29.524-06:00Travel Tips Guest Post from Charissa<style>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Today my friend Charissa from <a href="http://www.mudpiemagnolia.com/" target="_blank">Mudpie Magnolia</a> has written a guest post with some great travel tips just in time for summer! </span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />Charissa and I met eight years ago when we were both working for Reformed University Fellowship just out of college. We became good friends very quickly, and although we have never lived in the same city, we still stay in touch. </span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Charissa now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband Robert and their dog Rufus. </span></i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I hope you find her tips as helpful as I have! </span></i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I travelled a LOT over the past three years. Most of my travel
was work-related, and for a while, it seemed I was in a hotel bed more than my
own.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My first trips in this stretch were a little stressful. I’m a
planner, and there’s any number of things that can go not-as-planned on a trip.
Once I learned some key things, I felt almost as comfortable in a TSA line as
lounging in my hammock. (Okay, not exactly...but<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made some definite improvements).</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Here’s a list of things I found helpful while traveling...and
hopefully you will too, whether it’s a family trip or girls’ weekend.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynU8ApQDP-ThLln44eYIWqxmTi39bkpWjQq4kypDHFWpuE7M7dhSsmBzPk4UCzAVBixl27jtsX5eVXjSc-JCuBq42DaeyEBiGpMt602XkpjAZxiuoF08gYTnIfPqj3gMiGTj_zqUoYXaC/s1600/southwest.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynU8ApQDP-ThLln44eYIWqxmTi39bkpWjQq4kypDHFWpuE7M7dhSsmBzPk4UCzAVBixl27jtsX5eVXjSc-JCuBq42DaeyEBiGpMt602XkpjAZxiuoF08gYTnIfPqj3gMiGTj_zqUoYXaC/s320/southwest.png" width="213" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Sign
up for loyalty programs
</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">It can feel a little overwhelming to try to pick a hotel or a
flight out of the millions of possibilities. I found that narrowing down my
favorite brands made those choices much easier. Almost every loyalty program
for airlines, hotels, or rental cars is free, so you have nothing to lose...and
upgrades to gain. I decided that I would focus on two hotel groups: Kimpton and
Starwood, two airlines: Southwest and Delta, and two car services: Hertz and
Alamo. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Thanks to simply creating an account, I’ve gotten car upgrades,
room upgrades, and way more free drink coupons than I can use on flights.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMUqC2gXaQUeqqS02NnhJmnnY1AEajak5f1mTR12bUHsJOgiikI3Y5IQCZ3cIO_i-8h61ZbaumVigAmBMRN254RYKiizlVEEWYQb5Gbd-oDnFhtbWuMwyBKXNQXlN10roZ38i6VITmawI/s1600/photo+2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoMUqC2gXaQUeqqS02NnhJmnnY1AEajak5f1mTR12bUHsJOgiikI3Y5IQCZ3cIO_i-8h61ZbaumVigAmBMRN254RYKiizlVEEWYQb5Gbd-oDnFhtbWuMwyBKXNQXlN10roZ38i6VITmawI/s320/photo+2.png" width="213" /></a></span></span> </div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Let
your phone know your itinerary</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I do have preferred airlines (Southwest & Delta). I use the
apps that they provide. Most every airline has an app that, at the very least,
will let you view your itineraries. It only takes a few minutes to download the
app and enter your account information for your preferred airline. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The advantage is that these apps will give almost-immediate
updates for gate changes or delays, as well as showing your boarding pass. Most
of them let you check your loyalty rewards as well so you can think “I will be
earning 2 million points for this mess” while you’re spending the night in
LaGuardia airport because Delta made a big mistake...not that I speak from
personal experience or anything.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Compartments</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I keep all my stuff in little modules so that it’s easy to switch
them in between suitcases or bags. I have all my tech equipment in one bag, my
toiletries in a clear zippered plastic bag from the Container Store (ideal for
when you take a carry-on and the TSA smells your lotions), and a small “quick
needs” that holds some medicine, lotion, a Tide stick and mints. Whenever I
switch between backpacks, purses, or suitcases, I can just grab these modules
instead of trying to re-find and then re-pack each item.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Pack
snacks</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I’m always a happier camper when I’ve got a little something to
snack on and drink on the plane/car/train (especially if it’s a long haul).
Since I usually travel by plane, I’ll grab a few healthy snacks (and some
chocolate) and some coconut water once I pass through security. My new
favorites are the Go Picnic meals (<a href="http://www.gopicnic.com/">http://www.gopicnic.com</a>) which you can buy
before you get to the airport or sometimes once you’re there if you fly out of
a bigger airport. I love them because they’re shelf-stable, cheaper than buying
food on a plane, and they cater to dietary needs like gluten-free, vegetarian
and kosher.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOsdDBNt-F7SHXbwbd6K3rHtZJaW9kOLS6Y0_miVAKg339oIfckdG0Y-Yva6_vSoP7UwMr2SKZl3B4WROQzrEUYWzQBMCwxlZyp6CbZMKqpVK2XBh-mT8rPtNJUM4ZBgR0Ax5KKO2UvtyA/s1600/GPB_GS_Almond_Butter_200px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOsdDBNt-F7SHXbwbd6K3rHtZJaW9kOLS6Y0_miVAKg339oIfckdG0Y-Yva6_vSoP7UwMr2SKZl3B4WROQzrEUYWzQBMCwxlZyp6CbZMKqpVK2XBh-mT8rPtNJUM4ZBgR0Ax5KKO2UvtyA/s1600/GPB_GS_Almond_Butter_200px.jpg" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 5.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>App
it up!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My favorite (free) apps for travel (besides the ones for the
airlines and hotels) are:</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hotel Tonight:</b> Does
just what it sounds like...helps you find a last minute hotel at steep discounts.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TripIt:</b> Combine all
your travel plans into one platform. I keep track of my cars, hotels, and
flights simply by forwarding your email confirmations to TripIt. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">GateGuru:</b> Tells you
where shops and food are located in your airport of choice. This has been a
lifesaver in helping me to find snacks on long layovers.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Embark</b>: If you’re in a
large city with public transit, Embark is my favorite way to master the transit
system with minimal worried. I use it in New York and my current home, San
Francisco.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kindle: </b>Reading
material! I use an iPad with the Kindle app, and will download either the
Kindle free features (sometimes they’re truly awful), pick a book I’ve been
wanting to read, or e-borrow something from my library.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Zinio: </b>I subscribe to
magazines through this app (Yay, Texas Monthly!) Between Kindle and Zinio, I’m
not carrying a bunch of extra weight in reading material.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Enjoy.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The best thing I’ve learned is that I’ll eventually get where I
need to go. Being friendly to the travel industry always makes them more
understanding and more willing to help you if something doesn’t go as planned. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Travel is as fun as you make it. Say hello to your seatmate, try
taking the train, keep a journal...and enjoy your trip!</span></span></span></div>
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Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-45770574502566418412013-05-06T23:40:00.000-06:002013-05-13T18:10:41.574-06:00Hiking and Hamburgers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBe3uTFTl1zjPjZtoGHay6renbL-056dFMcyJUypwwEgS0Wnb-9-8iQDmF_aB5BulcecVyHd1YkP5iB2UBXrUQHv2J8OMXtMSClkQjtPbpT45TsJEwAQt6tm-y1ttcONgjaqDjIJqoQNYz/s1600/DSC_4164.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBe3uTFTl1zjPjZtoGHay6renbL-056dFMcyJUypwwEgS0Wnb-9-8iQDmF_aB5BulcecVyHd1YkP5iB2UBXrUQHv2J8OMXtMSClkQjtPbpT45TsJEwAQt6tm-y1ttcONgjaqDjIJqoQNYz/s320/DSC_4164.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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On Saturday we went to one of our favorite spots here in Albuquerque, the <a href="http://www.cabq.gov/parksandrecreation/open-space/lands/elena-gallegos-open-space" target="_blank">Elena Gallegos Open Space</a> for a family hike. This park is a short drive from our house, but once we are there, we feel as though we have escaped the city. It's a beautiful park full of trails for hiking and mountain biking. There are also great picnic spots. It's a great place for a quick and easy hike, a family picnic, or a full day hike. </div>
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Last year we went on many hikes with Jack, but at just over a year old, he was content to ride in our hiking child carrier pack, the<a href="http://littlelife.co.uk/html/child_carriers/freedom.html" target="_blank"> Little Life Freedom Carrier</a>. We loved this pack if you are looking for one for your little one. Josh and I both used it to carry him and found it very comfortable. Jack seemed to enjoy it too! He would smile and look around at the scenery as we hiked, and often fell asleep in the pack. It was easy to go on longish, somewhat strenuous hikes and carry him. I use to backpack often in college, so carrying him wasn't too different. </div>
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This year, it's a different story. Not only is he much heavier (about 35 pounds), he is also much more active! So we have decided that this summer our hikes will be to spots that are a little more geared toward him. Elena Gallegos is perfect for this stage. Many of the trails, especially those parts of them that are near the parking area have wide, somewhat flat trails. You can also stay pretty close to your car and the restrooms just in case you need to rush back in the event of a meltdown! </div>
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So when we arrived, we let Jack loose, and he ran (literally), the entire trail. I'm convinced he will be an Olympic distance runner one of these days. His endurance amazes me! He absolutely loved it, and we had a great time as well enjoying watching him having fun doing something we love and soaking in the beautiful surroundings. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcp9vT3BHtH-Yb9UKt0P6DXmZdElcRcW6mNz9mu7xoxU8pvlt5Vml8UaQx1LvKzcwMPQlkKoQXb-MXUybaM4yNSDzXpU2e45e5VAYvMDgHBfwI3ng0ke0mHc8UjkkHwbbOV26uw-TWYAc/s1600/DSC_4225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcp9vT3BHtH-Yb9UKt0P6DXmZdElcRcW6mNz9mu7xoxU8pvlt5Vml8UaQx1LvKzcwMPQlkKoQXb-MXUybaM4yNSDzXpU2e45e5VAYvMDgHBfwI3ng0ke0mHc8UjkkHwbbOV26uw-TWYAc/s320/DSC_4225.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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During the hike, Josh asked what was for lunch. I informed him that I am failing in my duties as a housewife and had nothing at home. Being the wonderful husband that he is, it didn't phase him. He suggested we try out a new spot in our neck of the woods called Freddy's. <br />
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When <a href="http://www.freddysusa.com/" target="_blank">Freddy's</a> opened up here in Albuquerque, I didn't think much of it. I was in no hurry to give it a try. But when he mentioned it, I figured we might as well check it out. Josh dropped the marathon boy and me back at home so I could get him fed and down for a much-needed nap, then drove through Freddy's and brought our lunch back to the house.<br />
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As you may have noticed in the picture above, I had already taken a bite out of the burger when I took the photo. I was a little hungry after chasing Jack through the desert mountains. That's my excuse for that and for eating all this fatty food. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVrpjZO7XSGajI5TvMq88JT9u7mnXJXjgj-g87x4V9ExrAWt4gl4nWDMZMiMeg7br9yQDaE_ESIC9WjOt-lmTlqyE-frLzXG086TTK9g9q4_Bb_8tRcAUyph6DE_iCgQM1hOrGbH10Vwn/s1600/DSC_4226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVrpjZO7XSGajI5TvMq88JT9u7mnXJXjgj-g87x4V9ExrAWt4gl4nWDMZMiMeg7br9yQDaE_ESIC9WjOt-lmTlqyE-frLzXG086TTK9g9q4_Bb_8tRcAUyph6DE_iCgQM1hOrGbH10Vwn/s320/DSC_4226.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_2084424764"></span><span id="goog_2084424765"></span><span id="goog_329854950"></span><span id="goog_329854951"></span><br />
I got a Single Steakburger California Style with fries. I noticed that most burgers on the menu were double or triple which seemed a little strange, but once I got mine, I saw that the patty is very thin. It was plenty of food for me, but those with bigger appetites would most likely prefer the double. It came with their "Freddy's Sauce," which is like the special sauce at In-N-Out, basically thousand island dressing, which I liked. The burger was better than the typical fast food burger, but nothing incredible. The fries, however, were delicious! They are shoestring-style fries, which are my favorite, so they easily won me over. I also ordered a vanilla concrete (custard) with Oreo for dessert. It was good and very similar to other custard I have tried other places I have lived like <a href="http://caliches.com/" target="_blank">Caliches</a> in Las Cruces and <a href="http://www.sheridansfrozencustard.com/" target="_blank">Sheridan's</a> in Lubbock. <br />
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Overall, I thought Freddy's had great fries, a good burger, and good custard. Although it's not the best burger I've had in Albuquerque, it's still a good spot for a quick meal, and I am happy to have something new close by. <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/60/1695162/restaurant/Northeast-Heights/Freddys-Frozen-Custard-and-Steakburgers-Albuquerque"><img alt="Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1695162/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-87351662060864736382013-05-06T11:01:00.000-06:002013-05-06T11:01:07.940-06:00Pimiento Cheese & Bacon Paninis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1cD4n1WrfECyOhsETZyHoV3vjcwr8pj_nCkVTFOEpeJu3SncBrRZaeXJQeJvsueEEQqblTxYSScMjFuHUYm1wUNt1uvCF_OZ3CY7smSEXPR0_0myY7TR-c11ry8T4VjNQyASG3llbBrMI/s1600/DSC_4245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1cD4n1WrfECyOhsETZyHoV3vjcwr8pj_nCkVTFOEpeJu3SncBrRZaeXJQeJvsueEEQqblTxYSScMjFuHUYm1wUNt1uvCF_OZ3CY7smSEXPR0_0myY7TR-c11ry8T4VjNQyASG3llbBrMI/s320/DSC_4245.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Last night I decided to make an easy Sunday night dinner. I made my <a href="http://lifewithsol.blogspot.com/2013/01/easy-entertaining.html" target="_blank">pimiento cheese</a> and spread some of it on two slices of Trader Joe's sourdough wheat bread. Then I put two slices of cooked bacon between the slices of bread and cooked it in my panini press. This is a wonderful meal for a lazy Sunday night or a weekday lunch. My pimiento cheese recipe will make plenty so that you can make sandwiches for your whole family and/or have some leftover to use throughout the week. It's also great as a dip with crackers. Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-75350433826566835092013-05-05T21:41:00.002-06:002013-05-05T21:41:55.117-06:00Cinco de Mayo Lunch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkErZ9TrBSFdP8UMUNpAjAox26XH-RAxhHkYX-7bJ9Lvg4qw79CipQcCjjr5bUydQ2hATNCpMou-SRTZcvBn1bk1yi8HjVEWf2PqjtCBDB-xuUfKUvZtt3PLcajEV8ZcwpoDLwbGszWQ6/s1600/DSC_4229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkErZ9TrBSFdP8UMUNpAjAox26XH-RAxhHkYX-7bJ9Lvg4qw79CipQcCjjr5bUydQ2hATNCpMou-SRTZcvBn1bk1yi8HjVEWf2PqjtCBDB-xuUfKUvZtt3PLcajEV8ZcwpoDLwbGszWQ6/s320/DSC_4229.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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Today for lunch I decided to make something with the few things we had on hand. Black beans, cheese, and tortillas made quesadillas an easy choice. I also had some salsa I had made last week. So we had an impromptu Cinco de Mayo lunch party.<br />
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I changed up my salsa just a little this time, based on what I had on hand. I used:<br />
<ul>
<li>one can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles (original), drained</li>
<li>one can diced tomatoes, drained </li>
<li> 1/2 bunch cilantro</li>
<li>1/2-1 cup hot diced roasted green chiles</li>
<li>dash of salt</li>
<li>dash of cumin</li>
<li>one garlic clove, pressed</li>
</ul>
Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until you get the consistency you prefer. <br /><br />
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I hope you all had a wonderful weekend with your family and friends like we did! Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-28832966746254548422013-05-04T14:22:00.000-06:002013-05-04T14:23:20.647-06:00Cinco de Mayo Guest Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Check out my guest post over at my friend Charissa's blog, <a href="http://www.mudpiemagnolia.com/bloggy/2013/5/3/cinco-de-licious-guest-blog-from-chelsea.html" target="_blank">Mudpie Magnolia</a>. Happy Cinco de Mayo, everyone! <br />
<br />Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-78298477823506887612013-05-03T18:20:00.000-06:002013-05-03T18:38:35.246-06:00Southwest Roast Chicken Breasts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The other night I was planning on making some <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/tandoori-chicken-thighs-50400000120730/" target="_blank">Tandoori Chicken</a> using this recipe I found in <i>Cooking Light</i> last year. However, as the afternoon began to turn to evening, I realized it was not going to happen. I had not marinated the chicken ahead of time and there was no way we were going to have the energy to grill. For some reason, grilling on a Wednesday night seems to take an extra amount of effort.<br />
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So I decided to try making roast chicken breasts with a southwest twist. Baking the chicken with the skin on gives you crispy skin and moist chicken. These were very easy to make and tasted delicious! I look forward to making them again. <br />
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To make my Southwest Roast Chicken Breasts, you will need:<br />
<ul>
<li>2 bone-in chicken breasts</li>
<li>2 tbsp. butter, softened</li>
<li>1 garlic clove, minced</li>
<li>1/4 tsp. chile powder (or a little more if you want extra kick)</li>
<li>1-2 tsp. chopped cilantro</li>
<li>salt & pepper</li>
<li>olive oil </li>
</ul>
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine butter, garlic, chile powder, cilantro, a generous dash of salt, and a dash of pepper in a small bowl. Carefully spread half of butter mixture underneath skin of each chicken breast. Sprinkle salt and pepper over each chicken breast and drizzle with olive oil.<br />
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Place a layer of aluminum foil on the bottom of a broiler pan then put the broiler rack on top of it (you could also use a wire rack on top of a baking sheet). Place chicken on top of pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let chicken rest for about 5 minutes after baking.<br />
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When I made this, I only put salt and pepper on top, not in the butter mixture. I realized it needed more salt, so I think adding it to the butter mixture as I mentioned in the recipe above will help. Also, if you have limes around, squeeze some fresh lime juice on the chicken after baking.<br />
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I served ours with my favorite <a href="http://lifewithsol.blogspot.com/2013/02/simple-spanish-flavor.html" target="_blank">roasted asparagus</a>. This time I minced some garlic and mixed it with olive oil and salt and pepper, then poured it over the asparagus. I also baked it at a higher temperature, 400 degrees, for about 10 minutes which made the asparagus and garlic nice and crisp. <br />
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This is a great meal for a busy weeknight or when you have guests. You can prepare the chicken ahead of time and stick it in the oven just before your guests arrive. This way you can visit and not have to worry about cooking when everyone arrives.<br />
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If you have any leftover chicken, it would be great for making my <a href="http://lifewithsol.blogspot.com/2013/02/green-chile-chicken-spaghetti.html" target="_blank">green chile chicken spaghetti</a>! Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111640489027764647.post-75494828650468475802013-04-29T22:23:00.000-06:002013-04-29T22:23:18.104-06:00Cauliflower Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I recently discovered the wonderful blog, <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/" target="_blank">The Kitchn</a>, which is the foodie version of <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/" target="_blank">Apartment Therapy</a> (also good). I love all the wonderful recipes, ideas, and great kitchens featured on it.<br />
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While perusing the site, I found a recipe for <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/creamy-curried-cauliflower-soup-recipes-from-the-kitchn-187007" target="_blank">Creamy Curried Cauliflower Soup</a>. It sounded really good, healthy, and pretty inexpensive, so I figured I'd give it a try. It turned out very delicious and was easy to put together. The only changes I made were with the garnishes. I used cilantro instead of parsley and I did not add any cashews, although I do think it would have been good. Josh and I both enjoyed this soup and it was especially good with some grilled naan for dipping. Another change I might attempt next time is sauteing a serrano pepper with the onions to add a bit more spice and flavor. Chelseahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057008304403673937noreply@blogger.com0