tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38139427112567656932024-03-18T23:26:48.949-05:00Hoodwinked in HoustonThe things on here...if I can do it, ANYONE can!Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-17920985526482219232013-09-08T22:03:00.001-05:002013-09-08T22:38:56.339-05:00Pirate P'aaaarrrrr'ty!<div style="text-align: center;">
ARRRRGH! Happy 3rd birthday to my little pirate!!</div>
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My <strike>baby</strike> three-year-old loves Disney's Jake and The Neverland Pirates so he wanted a Pirate Party for his birthday this year. So that is exactly what we did, me hearties!<br />
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AHOY - the food spread!<br />
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We grilled ye some <i>Mr. Smee's Sea Biscuits</i> (hamburger sliders) and served those along with some <i>Seaweed Salad</i> (pasta salad). We also had <i>Ships & Dips</i>, <i>Fruit Swords</i>, and <i>Pirate's Gold</i> (cheddar cheese cubes).<br />
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After eating some pirate grub, we headed over to the pirate games!<br />
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As guests came in, they could grab ye parrrrty favors, i.e. their pirate gear, and set sail for the games!<br />
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We had a relay race to find the treasure. Each matey had to complete the course in order to find the treasure chest (a pinata filled with pirate coins and candy!) Our guests' ages ranged from 1<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">1/2 </span>- 4<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">1/2</span>. They had to 'Walk the Plank' and then 'Swab the Deck'. They walked across a board raised slightly above the ground. They then had to take the sponge and dunk it in the soapy water and 'swab the deck'. Once they finished swabbing the deck, they had to run the sponge back to the next matey in line. When they were all done, they got to go to the treasure chest!<br />
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the cap'n walking the plank </div>
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and then swabbing the deck</div>
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one lad<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>running the sponge back to the next little pirate - so fun!</div>
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Shiver me timbers...THE TREASURE CHEST!</div>
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Once we were done with the games, it was cake and presents time...</div>
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but we decided to take a quick detour and give the donkeys a treat first!</div>
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The dessert table consisted of cookies, cupcakes, candy and even a pirate hat birthday cake for the birthday boy!</div>
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To see how I made the pirate hat cake, you can click <a href="http://disney.go.com/disneyjunior/recipes/cakes-cupcakes/jake-and-never-land-pirate-hat-cake-1823496" target="_blank">here</a>. Super easy! To make the black icing, I bought chocolate fudge icing and mixed in black food color paste (found at Michaels).</div>
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(Chips Ahoy and chocolate hazelnut pirouettes)<br />
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(Vanilla Oreos)<br />
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(Pixy Stix)<br />
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(Peanut M&Ms)<br />
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And what pirate wouldn't want to finish his adventures without a swim?!? Everyone got to go overboard and cool off in the pool afterward. YO HO!</div>
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We had so much fun and of course we couldn't have had such a blast if our friends and family hadn't been there to help us celebrate! Fair Winds, me buckos! Here's to another great year!</div>
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Photos courtesy of Jennifer S.</div>
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Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-90121547522557619372012-09-02T21:58:00.001-05:002012-09-02T21:58:32.112-05:00Rowdy Howdy Jalapeno Popper Dip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<u>Ingredients:</u><br />
2 packages cream cheese (8 oz each) at room temperature<br />
1 cup mayo<br />
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend<br />
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese<br />
1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies<br />
1 can (4 oz) diced jalapenos or 4 fresh seeded jalapenos<br />
<u>For topping:</u><br />
1 cup Panko Japanese style breadcrumbs<br />
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese<br />
1/4 cup butter, melted<br />
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1) Preheat oven to 375° F.<br />
2) Mix first six ingredients together and spread in a greased two-quart baking dish.<br />
3) In a separate bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, the remaining Parmesan cheese and melted butter all together.<br />
4) Sprinkle topping mixture evenly over the dip and bake in oven for 20 minutes or until top is browned and the dip is bubbly.<br />
5) Serve with pita chips or crackers.Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-13784823003411776342012-09-02T17:15:00.000-05:002012-09-02T21:59:44.853-05:002 Infinity and Beyond!Clark has become obsessed with two things. Woody and Buzz. From the movie Toy Story. Even before he saw the movie, he loved Woody and Buzz, so it was plain obvious to us what his theme for his 2nd birthday party would be!<br />
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The invitations were done by SuperMom Saves the Date and they came out perfect! Blending a pool party with Toy Story wasn't an easy thing to do! :)<br />
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Despite the rain, everything turned out great thanks to all the wonderful family and friends that came!<br />
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First up on the menu, "Slinky" hot dogs with "Space Fries" & ketchup! To make the dogs like Slinky, we just spiral cut them!<br />
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Here is a great tutorial on how to spiral cut hot dogs:</div>
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Some other Toy Story characters popped up with some of their yummies as well!<br />
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The jalapeno popper dip was a big hit and I was asked to share the recipe, so here it is!<br />
<a href="http://hoodwinkedinhouston.blogspot.com/2012/09/rowdy-howdy-jalapeno-popper-dip.html">Rowdy Howdy Jalapeno Popper Dip</a><br />
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We had a "Bullseye's Watering Hole" set up as the drink station. We had lemonade, soda, and Buzz H2O (water), "cowboy juice" (milk) and juice for the kiddos!<br />
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The water bottles were just covered with metallic silver duct tape (thank you Pinterest tip!) to transform them into the space ranger's H2O!<br />
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We did cupcakes this year in lieu of a cake. I found how to make these cutie alien cupcakes on the Disney website <a href="http://family.go.com/food/recipe-857832-green-alien-cupcakes-t/">here</a>! I just used mini marshmallows instead of dinner mints for the eyes.<br />
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And we had to have ice cream of course to go with our cupcakes, so what better ice cream to serve than Astronaut Ice Cream in honor of Buzz Lightyear!<br />
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The table decor was easy to make with just some scissors, glitter paper, and glue!<br />
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The guests got to take home a Woody hat, Sheriff badge and a Buzz/Woody cookie as a thank you for coming! Cookies were made by Bella Cibo bakery.</div>
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And the party wouldn't be complete without Buzz and Woody attending themselves! Here is my now 2 year old (gasp!) hugging his favorite "toys"!<br />
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Clark had a blast and even the rain was a huge hit with him! He got to get wet playing in the rainfall and when the sun did come out, he got to get wet by swimming in the pool! But the most important thing was that he got to do this with all his family and friends! Being 2 has already been so much fun, we can't wait to see what the rest of this year brings!Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-72656316933104864762012-06-11T16:19:00.001-05:002012-06-12T08:32:21.425-05:00Blue Cheese Veggie Burger<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sometimes all a girl wants is a burger and beer. One that she can really sink her teeth into...even if that girl is a vegetarian! So when I got tired of just watching my husband enjoy his gourmet BEEF burgers, I decided to create my own VEGETARIAN one!<br />
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Just take some Gimme Lean - ground beef style and some blue cheese...and whatever other toppings you would like!<br />
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For a big burger, take about half the Gimme Lean and almost a 1/2 cup blue cheese.<br />
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Combine cheese and soy meat together to form a patty. Salt.<br />
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Grill over medium heat for about 15 minutes (flipping over half-way through) and serve with fries & a beer for a yummy, filling meal! I topped mine with veggie bacon (Morning Star brand), avocado, lettuce, tomato and onion. I happen to LOVE blue cheese so I sprinkled just a little on top of the patty as well. Served on a big kaiser bun (toasted just a bit), this meal was so filling I couldn't finish it despite how good it was!<br />
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<br />Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-90519657260170851312012-06-04T22:26:00.000-05:002012-06-05T08:04:42.992-05:00Baby Shower: A Tree Grows in BrooklynThis weekend I, along with some girlfriends, had the pleasure of throwing a shower for a close friend who is having a baby girl in just a few weeks!<br />
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<i>"But this tree in the yard--this tree that men chopped down...this tree that they built a bonfire around, trying to burn up its stump--this tree had lived!"</i><br />
-Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn<br />
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Being the book lover that this new mommy is, it was only fitting that her baby have a name with a strong and meaningful literature connection. <i>Brooklyn</i>.<br />
Since she was named after the classic book <i>A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,</i> I decided to run with this in creating the diaper cake. Her nursery's colors are brown and various shades of pink, so the branches and little blossoms fit perfectly into the color scheme!<br />
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And instead of the traditional sign-in looseleaf paper, we bought a hardback copy of the book and had all the guests sign in it for Baby Brooklyn.<br />
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The invitation to help welcome guests in!</div>
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Here is the guess-the-date calendar set out on the sign-in table. The guests were able to guess Brooklyn's birthday by placing a gemstone on the date they think she will be born and sign their name next to it! The Tree of Heaven (another book reference) marked the baby's due date!</div>
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Our yummy menu at Pompeii Italian Grill!<br />
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The tables were adorned with pink flowers in glass baby bottles tied with cute ribbon and little baby rattles giving the restaurant atmosphere more of a baby-chic vibe! ;)<br />
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For the cake, fresh flowers were put on top to match the ones on the table. Beautiful!</div>
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We played three fun games at the shower!<br />
1) "Guess Who's Pregnant?" in which guests had to match the animal to the length of pregnancy. Be thankful we are not elephants...they are pregnant for 22 months!<br />
2) "What's in the Bag?" -This is where guests had to name 10 things that might be in Kim's diaper bag!<br />
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<i>Here is the mama-to-be unveiling all the items in the bag! The first item was a change of clothes! </i><br />
<i>Will definitely be needed!!!</i></div>
3) "Baby Trivia" - A multiple choice quiz on all sorts of fun baby facts!!! Did you know babies were born without kneecaps?!? Crazy!<br />
We had little frozen yogurt mixes to give away as prizes - sounded so yummy in this heat!<br />
Mojito frozen yogurt? Yes please!!!<br />
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The other hostesses and I wish Kim and Baby Brooklyn all the best! We had so much fun planning the shower and seeing it all come together! We can't wait to meet Baby Brooklyn!<br />
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<br />Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-33389343953086909182012-04-26T12:49:00.001-05:002012-04-26T14:25:01.801-05:00Sip 'N See: Cookies & MilkBeing in Texas, it felt only right to take part in the southern tradition of hosting a <i>Sip 'N See</i> for a dear friend honoring her new baby boy! Basically, this is a post-baby shower where people can come by to "sip" some drinks and "see" the new baby. With her newborn in mind, we thought it would be fun to theme her Sip 'N See as a Cookies & Milk party!<br />
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We framed the invitation and put it in the entry way to welcome guests in. We had it as an open house where people could come and go as they please.<br />
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The banner to welcome Baby Ames!</div>
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<i>*I used the "got milk?" font (aka cgPhenixAmerican) for all the labels and banners. </i></div>
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The transfer stickers spelling out his name applied to each bottle filled with Cookie Crisp cereal made for a cute touch on the cookies & milk table.</div>
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I found some vintage milk bottles for the guests to pour their milk in.</div>
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A little monogram initial by the recliner where the momma and new baby were sitting.</div>
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The cookies and milk table! I found these cute FREE printable milk cartons from papercrave.com. You can print the template to make them yourself <a href="http://papercrave.com/milk-and-cookies-printables/">here</a>!</div>
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And my husband and I had a blast thinking up fun little boy labels for the food on the delicious menu our friend Kim created!<br />
For cookies, we served "mud pie" chocolate brownies, "tough guy" toffee almond, "super hero" sugar, "shhh...don't" snickerdoodle, and my favorite, oatmeal & "raisin hell"!<br />
Also on the menu were "little boy blue" cupcakes, mini "strawberry" scones, "boys only" club veggie & hummus sandwiches, "playing chicken" salad in phyllo cups along with veggie chips and cheese straws and some almonds and pastel blue M&M's.<br />
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For drinks we had of course our "got milk?", but we also served some "lemonade stand" sparkling lemonade and iced "t-ball" with mint.</div>
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Two different kinds of cookies were set in a basket by the door for guests to take with them as they left. The cookies were placed in CD covers closed with a label that said "SWEET BABY AMES" or "So SWEET of you to come".</div>
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Everyone had a great time<i> sipping and seeing</i>! Here is the mama enjoying her cookies and milk!<br />
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Out of all the cookies & desserts there, the guest of honor was the still the sweetest thing in the room!<br />
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<br />Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-68646427269853419842012-02-27T21:50:00.002-06:002012-02-27T21:51:22.818-06:00Cinnamon Honey Butter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<u>Cinnamon Honey Butter</u></div>
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1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature</div>
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1/4 cup powdered sugar</div>
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1/4 cup honey</div>
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1 tsp ground cinnamon</div>
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I did all this in my Kitchen-Aid and it was super easy. This is from the <a href="http://eatcakefordinner.blogspot.com/2011/11/cinnamon-honey-butter.html">same site</a> that I got the copycat recipe from for the <a href="http://hoodwinkedinhouston.blogspot.com/2012/02/texas-roadhouse-sweet-rolls.html">Texas Roadhouse Sweet Rolls</a>.</div>
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Just whisk the butter for 30 seconds. </div>
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Then add the powdered sugar, honey and cinnamon. Beat until mixed well and smooth. Scrape around the bowl and whisk again on high until light and fluffy (about another minute or two).</div>
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<br /></div>Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-62373286885289585532012-02-27T21:37:00.002-06:002012-02-28T11:15:44.491-06:00Texas Roadhouse Sweet Rolls (Copycat recipe)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Okay, so if you're on Pinterest, I'm sure you've seen <a href="http://eatcakefordinner.blogspot.com/2011/04/texas-roadhouse-rolls-copycat-recipe.html"><b>this pin</b></a> floating around. I am a bread lover... I'm sure if I gave bread up, I'd lose 30 lbs in a week. But I just can't do it! There is nothing that can make me drool like fresh, home-made bread. Even the aroma is bliss. So I pinned this and decided to give it a go and copy a copycat recipe! After these were done, I had to <strike>have my husband hide them from me</strike> call on my strong will power to not eat the whole batch....(20 rolls and a loaf!)<br />
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<u>Texas Roadhouse Sweet Rolls</u><br />
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4 tsp active dry yeast (about 2 1/2 packets)<br />
1/2 cup warm water<br />
2 cups milk (*scalded and cooled to lukewarm)<br />
3 Tablespoons of melted butter, slightly cooled<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
6-7 cups all purpose flour<br />
2 whole eggs<br />
2 teaspoons salt<br />
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*to scald milk, place in a sauce pan on heat until it FIRST starts to bubble and then remove.<br />
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1) Dissolve the yeast in the 1/2 cup of warm water with a teaspoon of sugar. Then add yeast, milk, & sugar. The recipe also says to add in enough flour to make a medium batter. So I added in about 2 cups of flour. Then whisk together and let stand until light and foamy (I let mine stand for 5 minutes).<br />
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2) Add eggs, melted butter, & salt. Beat well.<br />
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3) Here the recipe said to "add enough flour to form a soft dough". So I guessed and added in 3-4 cups. Sprinkle a small amount of flour on the counter to set the dough on and let rest.<br />
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4) While resting, grease a large bowl (I used Crisco). Then knead the dough until smooth. I put mine in the Kitchen-Aid and used the dough hook to knead the bread for 4-5 minutes.<br />
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5) Put in the greased bowl. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place. (I set mine on the window sill.) Let sit until it has doubled in size.<br />
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3 HOURS LATER....</div>
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6) Punch down. Put on a floured mat/board. I divided mine into 3 sections and then let rest for 10 minutes.<br />
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7) I took one portion at a time and rolled out to about an inch thick.<br />
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8) Then I cut several vertical strips and then made one horizontal cut down the center.<br />
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9) I then folded each rectangle in half and then pressed the sides together to "seal".<br />
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10) Put on greased cookie sheet and let rise for several minutes.<br />
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I did the above with two of the sections. The last section I just put in a greased loaf pan. (No rolling or forming required for the loaf pan!)<br />
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11) Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown for the rolls on the cookie sheets and 20 minutes or golden brown for the bread loaf. Baste immediately with butter.<br />
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These turned out GREAT! So yummy and I got the approval from both my boys!<br />
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And OMG - they are to die for accompanied with the <a href="http://hoodwinkedinhouston.blogspot.com/2012/02/cinnamon-honey-butter.html"><b>cinnamon honey butter</b></a>!<br />
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<br />Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-38636687127239166932012-02-20T18:54:00.000-06:002012-02-20T19:01:17.713-06:00Ships Ahoy! It's a Boy!Over the weekend, we threw a baby shower for a dear friend! We had a great time visiting, playing silly games, and honoring her and her soon-to-come baby boy! The theme was nautical/water as her husband is a ship captain! We had a blast planning and bringing it all together.<br />
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The super cute cake<br />
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Here is the nautical themed diaper cake I made for a centerpiece. Her nursery colors are navy and lime green, so I tried to match accordingly in case she wanted to display it in the baby's room before the diapers were needed...which won't be too much longer! ;)<br />
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Some fishing net for the backdrop for opening gifts<br />
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The food set up<br />
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"Sand"wiches along with goldfish pretzels.</div>
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Had to have some "LifeSavers" to go with our theme!<br />
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Here is the yogurt bar. We had individual cups already set up with yogurt and the guests chose their own toppings. We had blueberry, strawberry, kiwi, mango, and granola. The colors looked beautiful!<br />
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<a href="http://tidymom.net/2011/ducky-baby-shower-punch/">The Ducky Shower punch</a> which we just called "Bath Time" punch </div>
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One of the games we played was a nursery rhyme quiz</div>
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Another was the Chocolate Diaper game which guests had to identify the type of melted candy in each diaper by looking and smelling (tasting optional!!!)</div>
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- WARNING! "Poopy" diapers :)</div>
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The other game we played was the classic "Toilet Paper Belly" where guests tear off the amount of toilet paper they thought would wrap around her belly. Closest that fit her belly won!<br />
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Here are the hostesses with the Mommy-to-be!<br />
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Congratulations again! We all send the best of luck and well wishes!Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-64785551933336429302012-02-08T09:09:00.002-06:002012-02-08T09:17:30.984-06:00A favorite thing...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Okay, so I found these "Window crayons" and they are so much fun for a rainy day! Living with a busy toddler, the both of you can get a little stir crazy being cooped up inside during yucky weather. C loved going and scribbling over all the windows and with every mark he made, he accompanied it with an "oooooooo!"<br />
This is a great way to encourage pre-writing skills if your toddler can't stay on a single "page" and it works with all glass surfaces, including mirrors!<br />
And the best part is, the clean up is a cinch! Just take some Windex, and it comes right off and you have a clean slate to work with all over again! :)<br />
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<br />Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-81113320200729158302012-02-02T12:24:00.003-06:002012-02-02T12:24:26.393-06:00Easy Garlic Knots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Okay, I've died and gone to heaven. As this was an experiment for me, these turned out delicious! I needed something easy and moderately fast to make to bring as a side dish. The dinner theme was Italian so I figured garlic knots would make a great addition! The weather was nasty so I wasn't about to go out to the store either, so I needed to only use ingredients I had on hand.<br />
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After some googling, I found <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/garlic-knots-recipe/index.html">Emeril's recipe</a>. Well, I didn't have 3 hours to spare (or longer...let's face it. If it takes <i>Emeril</i> 3 hours, I'm thinking I'd have to <i>at least</i> double that time for me)...so I took his as an inspiration and just changed it up a little bit.<br />
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<b><u>Garlic Knots:</u></b></div>
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1 can of Pillsbury pizza dough</div>
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1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese</div>
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2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley</div>
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1/2 cup unsalted butter</div>
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2 tablespoons minced garlic</div>
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1 tablespoon olive oil</div>
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Sea Salt</div>
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1) Spray 2 cookie sheets with cooking oil. Preheat the oven to 400° F. (If you are NOT using dark or nonstick pan, preheat to 425° F)</div>
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2)Next, grate the Romano cheese into a large mixing bowl and then mix in the parsley.</div>
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3) Roll out the pizza dough onto a cookie sheet til it's the size of the pan. Brush the dough with olive oil.</div>
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4) Cut the dough in half so you have two long strips.</div>
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5) Cut crosswise into 1 1/4 inch strips.</div>
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6) Take each strip and tie loosely into a knot. (Literally tie it like you are tying a shoestring - stretch it a little if you have to!) Place 2 inches apart. Take some sea salt and sparingly sprinkle over each knot. Pop in the oven for 10-13 minutes. <i>I did the full 13 so mine would be nice and crispy!</i></div>
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7) While knots are baking, combine the whole stick of butter (YUM YUM) and minced garlic in a saucepan over low heat until melted.</div>
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8) After your knots are done in the oven, transfer them to the large mixing bowl with the cheese and parsley. Then pour the garlic butter mix over the knots and toss.</div>
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These turned out really good and there were none left over to take home to my poor husband. I will definitely be making these again as I could gobble these up with spaghetti, pizza, or.... let's be real....I'd gobble these up with anything!</div>
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ENJOY!</div>Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-59018505724925516492012-01-30T08:06:00.001-06:002012-02-02T12:26:25.237-06:00Good Morning Dog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Go Stros!!! One of the biggest lures Houston has had for me, after moving from the hill country, is that the Home of the Astros, Minute Maid Park ball park, actually has SOY DOGS! I was in pure heaven when, while at my first Astros game, my husband surprisingly brought me back an actual ball park hot dog! I haven't been able to partake in this American tradition in....EVER! So Houston immediately went up in <strike>hot dog</strike> brownie points.</div>
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Oh. I'm pretty sure we lost that game. Against the Red Sox maybe? Was there a game even going on??? Errr....sorry, but I was too busy documenting everything in my mind about this momentous occasion of me eating a hot dog...at a baseball game!</div>
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OMG - anyway, I had come across an article in the <i>Vegetarian Times</i> magazine that gave me the Good Morning Dog idea. Pure holy yumminess is the only way I can describe it....plus if you use the veggie dogs and veggie bacon like me, there is more protein than fat, and who doesn't like that???</div>
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*You can obviously replace the veggie dog and veggie bacon with the real stuff for this breakfast, but why do that???? ;)</div>
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Good Morning Dog</span></u></b><br />
TRUST ME! THESE. ARE. AWESOME.<br />
You'll need: a vegetarian hot dog, unsalted butter, vegetarian bacon strips, an egg, American cheese, and a whole wheat hot dog bun<br />
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1) Spray a skillet with PAM (or whatever cooking spray you use). Slice the hot dog(s) lengthwise and grill both sides.<br />
<i>I like to use the panini grill to get both sides evenly grilled at the same time.</i><br />
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2) Heat 1 tbsp butter over medium-high heat and cook the "bacon" according to whichever-brand-you-are-using's directions. Put aside.<br />
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3) Add another 1 tbsp of butter to the skillet and reduce heat to medium to fry your egg. Flip your egg (when it's firm enough to be flipped) and cook for another minute.<br />
*If you are using EggBeaters like me, 1/4 cup = 1 egg.<br />
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4) Toast the hot dog bun. (I literally just put mine in the toaster)<br />
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5) Add a slice of cheese to the top of the egg. When the cheese gets nice and "melty" (thanks to the use of Taco Bell's lovely descriptive, almost poetic terms in their advertisements, my vocabulary keeps expanding), move the egg into the hot dog bun.<br />
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6) Add a couple strips of "bacon" on the egg. Put the dog on top of the bacon, and then wrap the bun around it and enjoy!<br />
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These are so good and so filling. One is enough for me and that will get me through breakfast AND lunch. Whenever I have make these for breakfast, I always think that Adam from Man vs. Food will appear and attempt to eat 20 of these in 30 minutes. Maybe because it reminds of the types of things he eats on the show or maybe because it reminds me of my fantasy of having him over, forcing him to stay and then replacing him myself as the host...</div>Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-24415043832212303682012-01-24T21:56:00.004-06:002012-01-29T22:39:07.973-06:00Crockpot Potato Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I always look forward to a hot dinner, especially during the cold weather! And soups are great for warming you up on a chilly night! However my only knowledge on making a soup comes from what I learned on Top Chef. So to sum up all my soup facts, basically it's all about timing and seasoning. Two things which I <strike>suck at</strike> am still learning.<br />
So when perusing pinterest, I came across not only a <i>crockpot</i> potato soup recipe, but one where I didn't have to dice any potatoes! Heeellllo Beeeautiful! I was instantly hooked. So of course, I changed it into a vegetarian recipe, but you can find the original recipe <a href="http://pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.com/search/label/soups">here</a>! It was as easy as the site said it would be!<br />
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<b><u>Crockpot Potato Soup (vegetarian version):</u></b><br />
1 30 oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash browns<br />
3 14 oz. cans of vegetable broth<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><br />
1 can of cream of mushroom soup<br />
1/2 cup chopped onion<br />
1/4 tsp. ground pepper<br />
1 pkg. cream cheese<br />
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In a crockpot, combine everything EXCEPT for the cream cheese. Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. I did 6 and it turned out great. About 1 hour before serving, add cream cheese and keep heated until thoroughly melted. I served mine with cheese, bacon bits, & chives. And YES, I used plain ole artificial bacon bits and it still tasted great! NOM NOM NOM!Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-14579612692001509802012-01-11T12:59:00.001-06:002012-01-29T22:30:42.827-06:00Black Bean Brownies<br />
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I'll get right to the point. Delicious & healthy??? With more protein than fat, I say these are a definite healthy treat! Plus no guilt trip feeding these to my son (or eating the whole batch myself???). I saw this recipe on Dr. Oz a while back and tried them out. They turned out great and were pretty easy to make. Ever since, I've been replacing 'real' brownies with these and have had no complaints from my family. I love them and my husband even gets excited when I whip these up. So I thought with a lot of healthy New Year resolutions out there, I'd share this recipe.<br />
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<u><b>Black Bean Brownies</b></u><br />
15 oz can of black beans, drained & rinsed<br />
1/2 cup agave syrup<br />
1/2 cup self-rising flour<br />
1/2 cup egg whites<br />
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa<br />
2 tsp vanilla<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
6 tbsp mini semisweet chocolate chips<br />
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1) First, preheat the oven to 350°. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with PAM.<br />
2.) Mix all the ingredients (except the chocolate chips) in a food processor (or blender). Chop until smooth. Scrape down the sides and blend for another 15 seconds or so.<br />
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3.) Pour into the baking dish and spread. </div>
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4.) Sprinkle on the chocolate chips. (You can stir in or leave on top. I like to leave mine on top...and okay, okay, I add in a few extra chips as well....)<br />
5.) Bake for 20 minutes (until the toothpick test comes out clean). Cool and serve!Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-69450978668776934342012-01-04T16:26:00.002-06:002012-01-29T22:31:13.262-06:00Vegetarian Crescent Burritos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm always looking for a quick and easy dinner to make, so I thought I'd share this easy one. It only takes half an hour!<br />
I got inspired from the Pillsbury website - they are always sharing quick recipes using their crescent rolls. So I took their beef and bean burrito and made a yummy vegetarian version!<br />
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<b><u>Bean Crescent Burritos (vegetarian)</u></b><br />
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1 lb Boca meat crumbles (vegetarian) or Quorn veggie meat crumbles (vegan)<br />
(1 lb is usually the whole package)<br />
<i>*you can always substitute the veggie crumbles for real meat if you want</i><br />
One 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed<br />
3 tablespoons of taco seasoning<br />
2 cans of Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls<br />
8 slices of cheddar cheese<br />
handful of shredded cheddar cheese for topping<br />
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1. Mix the veggie crumbles, beans, and taco seasoning in a skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring throughout. I cook until the beans are hot (by this time, the crumbles should be completely thawed and cooked as well).<br />
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2. Separate dough into 8 long triangles. Since I used the crescent rolls, I pressed the perforations together by using my fingers to create a seal, pushing one finger up on the perforation and one finger pulling down at the same time. It should look like this:<br />
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3. Place a piece of cheese on each rectangle. Then spoon the bean mixture down the center. Starting with the short end, roll the dough up like so:<br />
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(I like making enough for left overs, so you will have a bit of the bean mixture to spare. Place the leftover in tupperware and set in the fridge. You can make yummy egg tacos with it in the morning.)<br />
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4. Pinch the edges to seal and place the burritos seam side down on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with cheese.<br />
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5. Bake at 375 F for 20 minutes and then serve! I served mine with some quick Spanish rice and tortilla chips.Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-27500653519022019552012-01-02T22:12:00.000-06:002012-01-29T22:31:43.579-06:00Bleach, Floss & a Butter knifeI usually keep a pretty clean kitchen. It's a never ending chore, but I try my best to keep it constantly clean because it's where everyone ends up most of the time. However, moving into an older house, the appliances and fixtures have a bit of build up that I tend to gloss over in my daily cleaning. But NOT ANYMORE! My first tackle to a better 2012: the kitchen sink!<br />
I'm sure there are a million people out there with spotless sinks with no build up, but apparently I had failed to notice how disgusting my faucet was. So for this reason, I thought I'd share my accomplishment in case anyone else had failed to notice theirs.<br />
Ewww, even from here you can see the gunk that has built up around the faucet's rings! Anyway, point is, I went from this:<br />
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To this: <i>ahhhhhhhhhhhh....so much better</i><br />
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First I doused the faucet with bleach. Then I took some floss to get in between the pieces and flicked some of the gunk out.</div>
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Then I took the flat edge of the butter knife (which also works well to get in between the crevices) and <i>popped</i> off some of the gunk that was really stuck on there. After that I scrubbed with some SoftBleach and rinsed and was done! </div>
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Hopefully, when I now look at my kitchen sink, my kitchen will automatically <i>feel</i> cleaner to me and inspire me to tackle some other details I've ignored in the past!</div>Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-65662213281881234682012-01-01T22:01:00.000-06:002012-01-29T22:39:02.307-06:00Closet Genie<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Happy New Year!!!</span><br />
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Okay, so everyone has a new year's resolution, and each year I try to come up with one that is at least believably realistic for me. Like one year, I tried to give up cussing. Uhhh yeah, I didn't last two weeks. So this year, I am going to try really hard to GET ORGANIZED! </div>
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My whole house needs organizing though, so I needed to pick a starting place. I figured I might as well get the worst over with first. My closet. </div>
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The picture below shows my 2011 organizational skills.</div>
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I brought in professional help (aka - AsSeenOnTV products). Introducing...</div>
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So basically I took some of my shirts and did this with them:<br />
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It definitely gave me more space in my closet so I could as least have all my clothes hung up. That's a start. My closet is an ongoing project so I will keep you updated on my progress (and hopefully not lack thereof)!</div>
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<br /></div>Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-45258034810226345812011-12-25T08:17:00.004-06:002012-01-29T22:38:43.100-06:00Merry Christmas!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Merry Christmas to you & yours! Our Christmas card this year :)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XnqpVP_7_po/Tvqmia_IRmI/AAAAAAAAALc/MNesvBBVzsI/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-12-01+at+8.45.06+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XnqpVP_7_po/Tvqmia_IRmI/AAAAAAAAALc/MNesvBBVzsI/s640/Screen+shot+2011-12-01+at+8.45.06+PM.png" width="459" /></a></div>Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-28043022057235049382011-12-24T09:44:00.001-06:002012-01-29T22:32:10.054-06:00Sugar PlumsMERRY CHRISTMAS! To get in the spirit, I made sugar plums for today and tomorrow! Now I have always heard of sugar plums...as in "sugar plum fairies danced in my head", but I never gave them a second thought as to what they were. The other day I was watching 'The Chew'. I had never seen this show before, but it had 2 things that made me not change the channel. 1) Clinton Kelly from 'What Not to Wear' (love that show!) and 2) Carla Hall from Season 5 of Top Chef (loooove that show!) And the fact that Carla was oddly dressed as a ballerina definitely gave it some "huh??" factor to make me stick around and find out why she was clad in tutu and leotard.<br />
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On this show, it turns out Carla was dressed as a sugar plum fairy and was making....you guessed it! Sugar plums! They turn out to be basically dried fruit delights! She used dried figs in her recipe, but since the mere idea of figs grosses me out, I used raisins in my mix. It seemed easy enough so I thought I'd give it a go!<br />
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You'll need:<br />
2 cup almond, 2 teaspoon orange zest, 2 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 cup dried apricots (finely chopped), 1 cup raisins (finely chopped), 1/4 - 1/2 cup honey, powder sugar (for dusting)<br />
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1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Put almonds on baking sheet and toast in oven for 10 minutes. Once they are cooled, finely chop them.<br />
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2) Combine honey, both zests, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Add chopped nuts, apricots and raisins.<br />
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Stir until everything is well mixed. (I started out with 1/4 cup honey, and I added a little more until the mix was able to be molded into a ball)<br />
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3. Start making balls out of the mixture (about teaspoon size). Then roll each ball in powdered sugar and then place in an airtight container lined with wax paper. You can serve immediately or store in the fridge until needed.<br />
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These reminded me of a sweet energy snack. Yummy, & very sweet! Definitely one for the sweet-tooth!Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-41274194029277468712011-12-21T08:58:00.001-06:002012-01-29T22:32:21.089-06:00Fire Crackers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Needing a little heat this winter? Here is my recipe for Fire Crackers.<br />
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You'll need:<br />
3 sleeves of saltine crackers<br />
1 cup SunFlower Seed Oil<br />
1 teaspoon garlic powder<br />
1 teaspoon onion powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon black pepper<br />
2-3 tablespoons of red pepper flakes (depending on how hot you like it)<br />
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Throw everything EXCEPT the saltines in a large Ziploc bag. (I used the one gallon size and it worked fine.) Seal the bag and smoosh everything around with your hands to mix the spices and oil well.<br />
Then place the saltines in the bag and seal. Turn the bag over to let the oil mix cover the crackers. Repeat several times to make sure all the crackers are coated thoroughly.<br />
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Remove crackers and store in an air-tight container. You can serve these as an appetizer or with some chili! Super yummy and super easy to make!Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-87050142064394018382011-12-16T11:10:00.006-06:002012-01-29T22:37:59.715-06:00Ornament CascadeLet's face it - without our mothers walking around to point out our minor day-to-day imperfections, we'd be all walking around with hair in our faces, pants too long, and wearing a bit too much blush.<br />
Okay, so we know mothers are always so <i>helpful </i>when it comes to voicing their opinion on what you can do differently, and mine is no exception. So far with my decorations, it's been my tree and my staircase railing (that had already been decorated with garland and lights). But I took the motherly advice and did two things about it.<br />
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1) Bought some more ornaments and fillers for my tree; however my now beautiful tree is sadly no longer...... due to living with a one year old. (see below) *<i>teardrop*</i><br />
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2) I added a finishing touch to the end of our staircase railing.<br />
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With just a few ribbons and some non-shatter ornaments later (BEST INVENTION EVER by the way!-<i>refer again to first picture for why</i>), my finishing touch was done!<br />
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One out of two ain't bad, right??? ;) I love it and I must admit it looks a lot better than before! So thanks to my mom and to all the mothers out there who elicit the random awesome stuff that their children do which would otherwise be left undone!Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-13553385741109586842011-12-10T21:49:00.002-06:002012-01-29T22:32:42.365-06:00Glitzy PineconesI'm baaaaack! After being out of town, and dealing with a one year old's molars coming in, I've been MIA. But good news is that during the Great Nap of December 2011 at our house, I was able to get the pinecone project done! Yea.<br />
Okay, it's super simple and only took a couple minutes. BUT what a difference it made. It definitely changed the atmosphere of my dining room.<br />
If you remember last month, C and I went pinecone picking and then made a November centerpiece with the pinecones we found. All I did was take those same pinecones and spray painted them silver!<br />
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After letting them dry for a few hours (one good coat was enough), I refilled the pillars and added a red table runner, and woh-lah! I was done!<br />
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TOTAL = $3 (the cost of the spray paint)!Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-26042632536833981362011-11-21T08:12:00.004-06:002012-01-29T22:33:38.719-06:00Pumpkin Pie Doggie Treats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As a family, we refuse to give our dog table scraps. Although this is nice because she doesn't beg, it gives me an awful guilt complex. E</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">very year on Thanksgiving we stuff our faces with food while my poor dog stares at us and licks her jowls. Every year, you see a little glimmer of hope in her eyes, and you know that it is her thinking that maybe, just maybe this one time she'll get to partake in some of the wondrous gluttony that is going on and alas, each year she is disappointed. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sure she gets treats every now and then, but they have to be few and far between (she has a bit of a weight problem and she's apparently grown sensitive to the allergens in the dog food) and plus, who wants the same ole' same ole'???</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">So this year I decided to look far and wide for EASY, healthy Thanksgiving treats for my Clover that I could make! I finally found a great recipe on <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/dog-cookies">squidoo.com</a>!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Here are Clover's <u>Pumpkin Pie Biscuits</u>:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">(Who knew pumpkin helps calm doggies' tummies too???)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You'll need:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">1 1/2 cups of Whole Wheat Flour<br />
2 cups of all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 cup rolled oats<br />
1 teaspoon of cinnamon<br />
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg<br />
Mix of 1 cube of chicken bouillon and 1 cup water *(<i>original recipe called for 1/2 cup broth instead</i>)<br />
3/4 cup of canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix)<br />
1 tablespoon oil<br />
1 tablespoon maple syrup or pancake syrup<br />
1 egg<br />
Non-Stick Foil</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">2. Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.<br />
3. Blend the broth, pumpkin, oil, syrup and egg in a blender or food processor.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwe9z6CsHJX-YoYvThiQAKPzi1ZjDJS5PpZ06bLzCeOGn4WZMstZx-5Pr2wZqUvDjIawX6PYKu8Va6G3RhqHTju2zYN8A1sgf4uMZuvKrkvIJcWB-aSimorGIWjVGjCQ-jl2CWmYhgb2L/s1600/DSC03337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwe9z6CsHJX-YoYvThiQAKPzi1ZjDJS5PpZ06bLzCeOGn4WZMstZx-5Pr2wZqUvDjIawX6PYKu8Va6G3RhqHTju2zYN8A1sgf4uMZuvKrkvIJcWB-aSimorGIWjVGjCQ-jl2CWmYhgb2L/s640/DSC03337.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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4. Add the blended mixture to the dry ingredients and mix together with a spoon.<br />
5. Use your hand to mix well and form a dough. You'll have to REALLY work it!</span><br />
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6. Here is where I did my own thing to help with clean up. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> (a) Put the dough onto saran wrap.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTM0eos3LA51_cwYCn5gp12PA0eduGyCQOqPCtGZLeYZfjCAuv-L5qCqvJOdT74JOWiLOYiX0hqrlTp_5BHr_n6HqDqNc2N2bvRxeWTp8W9FnSkAeb7ECyL67hTIqIFHCARab_77obAtj4/s1600/DSC03339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTM0eos3LA51_cwYCn5gp12PA0eduGyCQOqPCtGZLeYZfjCAuv-L5qCqvJOdT74JOWiLOYiX0hqrlTp_5BHr_n6HqDqNc2N2bvRxeWTp8W9FnSkAeb7ECyL67hTIqIFHCARab_77obAtj4/s400/DSC03339.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> (b) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Put another piece of wrap on top to prevent sticking to the rolling</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> pin. Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> You will actually roll on top of the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">saran wrap.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> (c) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Pick up saran wrap and throw away with no left-over mess!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsV9BaSqKzIZplBZnudtOY9rBgTSPACF5c2gSpaXjkV8gyK6-hsnrQMgHbQAWGwlF-hb58eDT1m-njRSMKQvmiPnAQGl8Z5UEykZA8QQqIXqk6UQkvzGNusXoET1iFNTKDW88F-6e9rR7/s1600/DSC03342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsV9BaSqKzIZplBZnudtOY9rBgTSPACF5c2gSpaXjkV8gyK6-hsnrQMgHbQAWGwlF-hb58eDT1m-njRSMKQvmiPnAQGl8Z5UEykZA8QQqIXqk6UQkvzGNusXoET1iFNTKDW88F-6e9rR7/s400/DSC03342.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> No extra flour to keep sprinkling on....</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">AND look at how clean my rolling</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> pin is!!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> :)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">7. Use cookie cutters to cut out the biscuits and place on a baking sheet with non-stick foil.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><i>OPTIONAL STEP </i> - At this point, I took a fork and poked four little center holes in the middle of each biscuit just for looks.</span><br />
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8. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until brown.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">9. Store biscuits in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-size: 14px;">I decided to give some of our other doggie friends the same treat, so I made these cute baggies for Clover to give them on Thursday. I put 4-5 biscuits in each Ziploc sandwich bag and added the topper! You can download the bag topper I made </span><a href="http://www.docstoc.com/docs/document-preview.aspx?doc_id=104372138"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><i><b>here</b></i></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-size: 14px;">. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-size: 14px;">This recipe made around 25 biscuits. The wheat flour makes these a little chewy, Clover was the first to volunteer of course, and she loved them! </span></span><br />
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</span>Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-56199852487067740842011-11-17T19:36:00.001-06:002012-01-29T22:36:27.217-06:00Simple Thanksgiving CenterpieceOkay, since we are forbidden to put up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving at our house, I haven't been able to do my little Christmas project yet with those pinecones we picked a couple weeks ago. (Not to mention that the warm weather we've had recently hasn't really helped spread the Christmas spirit much either.)<br />
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So I wanted to do something with the pinecones, so I put together a real quick, simple Thanksgiving centerpiece.<br />
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I just threw some acorns in the bottom of the glass pillars and then threw the pinecones on top. It's not much, but I think simplicity goes a long way. And plus, it's a great holding place until I'm ready to reuse them for Christmas!<br />
It looks festive and literally took a couple minutes to accomplish...which on some days, a couple minutes is all I have!Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3813942711256765693.post-71472448239970971892011-11-12T08:36:00.003-06:002012-01-29T22:38:20.418-06:00Open-faced Breakfast SandwichGood Morning! If you're like me, you value sleep. A LOT. I usually like to sleep until I absolutely have to get up. So getting up early to cook a complicated breakfast is out of the question for me. So this was quick and easy for breakfast...my OPEN-FACED BREAKFAST SANDWICH.<br />
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First I just grilled some sourdough bread. While that was browning, I poured out some Egg Beaters egg whites into a pan.<br />
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Then I threw a piece of low fat cheddar cheese on top of the bread while it was still hot and in the pan so it could melt a bit.<br />
I put the egg whites on top and topped with some Raspberry Chipotle Sauce.<br />
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And you could throw whatever else you wanted on top...I'm thinking a couple strips of VEGGIE BACON would be great! (Although I'm sure I stand with the few in agreeing with anything having veggie bacon in it, but trust me, if you haven't tried it, don't knock it. It's really good. In fact, with veggie bacon, I don't even miss the real stuff anymore!)Hoodwinked in Houstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07184256561177421114noreply@blogger.com0