tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21649577327728443252024-02-18T21:41:28.533-08:00War of the AppetitesI like to cook, eat, and dance around the kitchen. Sometimes while drinking. I also knit, garden, and raise chickens.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-3822800685689552782013-06-19T19:45:00.001-07:002013-06-19T19:45:39.951-07:00Juice Day 2I have made it through TWO WHOLE DAYS without food! I'm pretty amazed at myself. Honestly, it has been pretty easy. I never would have believed it. I've only had a few cravings, and the only time I really felt <i>hungry </i>was on the way home today.<br />
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Today's breakfast juice was <i>divine</i>. Carrot Almond Orange Cinnamon. It was so delicious, I would drink it anytime. Then my lunch juice was meh. It was another one with the dreaded celery: Spinach Celery Cucumber Apple Lemon. It was better than last night's dinner, but still not my favorite. This afternoon's juice was out-of-the-park my favorite. Carrot Beet Apple Ginger. It was like pure sugar and so so so tasty. But I didn't feel full after that one. It tasted great, but was less satisfying. So by the time 7pm rolled around, I was REALLY ready for my Kale Cucumber Apple Lime juice. Which I'm drinking right now. It's okay, but very cucumbery. I'm adding cucumber to my no-juice list:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Turnip Greens</li>
<li>Celery</li>
<li>Cucumber</li>
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Not a huge list, but I think it will make for better future juicing experiences.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-70317970096873402462013-06-18T22:16:00.002-07:002013-06-18T22:16:32.680-07:00Eating grassToday is Day 1 of my Strawberry Moon's A Little Bit Fruity juice fast. I was inspired to try this by one of my knitting friends. I'm hoping that taking a few days off from constantly thinking about what I'm eating next will help me to reset my eating habits. Post-fast, I'm hoping to stick to a healthy low-calorie diet and lose some of this weight I've gained over the last 10 years. Zach wants to lose a few pounds too, so I'm lucky enough to have his support.<br />
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So without further ado....<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Day 1</span><br />
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Breakfast was delicious. I had Carrot Pineapple Lime juice, and it was delightful. Less sweet than I expected, although I could say that about all the juices. I'm definitely glad I went with the fruity fast, because I am definitely not ready for the hardcore veggie juices. <br />
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I'm normally a breakfast eater, so it was kind of hard to get myself out the door without eating anything. In fact, I was so disorganized that I even forgot to take my morning vitamins! I'm laying my clothes for tomorrow out in preparation of tomorrow's chaos. I am very routine oriented, so changing up the start of my day is tough.<br />
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According to the schedule Zach laid out for me (juices evenly spaced throughout my waking hours), I was due for my 2nd juice at 11am. I was totally fine until about 10:30, when suddenly I couldn't stop thinking about doughnuts. Why doughnuts, I don't know, since I very rarely eat them (I even abstained during the last few weeks at work when everyone was bringing them in!). I held out though, and drank my Spinach Celery Cucumber Apple Lemon juice. I learned something right off the bat with that one: I HATE CELERY JUICE! It just tastes like dirt. But I gamely got it down, and wasn't at all hungry, even by the time 3pm rolled around and it was time for my 3rd juice.<br />
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Even though I wasn't really hungry, I was determined to stick to the schedule. I am afraid that if I start getting hungry there will be no stopping me and the whole rest of the fast will be miserable. Kind of like the idea of eating small meals throughout the day, I guess. So at about 3:15, I cracked into my afternoon juice: Orange Almond Coconut. Now, I really expected this one to be sweet. Orange, afterall, is one of my favorite flavors, and it is sweet by nature. But I was a little disappointed to find that the juice really just tasted like an almond milk/coconut water cross. No hint of orange that I could detect. It was still good, but would probably be more satisfying to someone who drinks milk regularly.<br />
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On the drive home from work, I felt satiated, but had a bad case of the munchies. Maybe three days of fasting will help break the "I'm just eating because I need something to do" syndrome.<br />
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Finally, the culmination of a day of fasting, I thought for sure Juice #4 would be delicious. But oh, my dear God, was I ever wrong. Celery Cucumber Kale Spinach Parsley Apple Lemon Ginger was horrible. Again, the celery flavor was overwhelming, and the only other flavor I could really taste was the parsley. Although there was an afterburn from the ginger. I suspect I would have found it more palatable without the celery. I still wasn't hungry after this, but I desperately wanted to eat the rye crackers on the counter because I couldn't get the taste out of my mouth.<br />
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So. Day 1 is done and I'm getting ready for bed. I still don't feel hungry, and I also don't feel as tired as I read I might be. We'll see what happens tomorrow!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-13110490521941034812013-05-08T19:41:00.000-07:002013-05-08T19:41:21.003-07:00Embracing the busOkay, not really.<br />
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I got a new job. At first I wasn't thrilled since it is on the East Side and takes me an hour and a half to get there whether driving or riding the bus, but I've discovered that the job is actually fantastic. The people are great, I'm constantly busy, the company seems fabulous, and it is right in downtown Bellevue, so there is a plethora of shopping and eating establishments within spitting distance. The people watching pretty much sucks, since it <i>is</i> the East Side and everyone either works at a tech company or has just adopted the wardrobe (button up? <i>check.</i>)<i>. </i>If anyone knows of any great stuff to do or places to knit, let me know!<br />
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So the real news is a chicken update! The girls are so big! And the coop is nearly done. All we need to do is add hardware cloth to the windows, build the nestbox and roosts and paint! I'm thinking it is all going to happen this weekend, which would be fabulous, because Merci has lost all her tailfeathers being cramped in the brooder.<i> </i><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-48759397285732086562013-04-27T21:12:00.000-07:002013-04-27T21:12:08.688-07:00Sunshine and grapefruitsWooWEE! This month has been full of excitement. Since the job offer I received (which I <i>did</i> end up accepting), Zach and I went to visit my little sister in California, I started work, and the chicken coop is more than half done!<div>
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First, a few highlights from our trip to SoCal: </div>
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It was wonderful, and I feel like my sister and I are finally really relating as adults. She is a wonderful woman with lots of big hopes and dreams, and I'm really lucky to call her my friend as well as my sister.</div>
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We got back from California Monday night and I started my new job Tuesday morning. It's crazy, and the commute is so bad I've already started looking at home listings online, but the job itself and the people I work with seem great. It will be really busy all the time, and they offer a lot of training and opportunities.</div>
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Today, Zach and his buddy moved the pieces of the chicken coop from the garage out to the back yard and put them together. The framing is all done and the back wall is attached. Sad to say, I forgot to take any pictures, but Zach will be working on it again tomorrow (assuming the skies don't open), so I'll get some shots then. The girls are going to be so happy to get out of their brooder. They are all fully feathered and it's getting crowded in there!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-5515685096739066112013-04-13T00:36:00.001-07:002013-04-13T00:36:51.674-07:00IndecisionI got a job offer this week. I should be really excited, but instead I have this feeling of dread. I can't out my finger on the problem, so I'm stalling on my response and living in limbo. Possibly a part of the problem is that I'm still waiting to hear back from a local job while this offered job is up in Bellevue. But that can't be all of it because I'm also interviewing for a job in Seattle that I have a better feeling about. <br />
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If I haven't heard anything by Tuesday about the local job, my only choice becomes a long commute. Probably to Bellevue. Why am I so stressed about this?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-65150277558381809112013-04-08T12:38:00.001-07:002013-04-08T12:38:34.424-07:00Meatless & MarvelousSo I've decided to do an experiment this week. I'm going to make all meatless meals, but not mention it to Zach. We'll see if he even notices the lack of meat.<br />
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The menu includes:<br />
<a href="http://www.oneshetwoshe.com/2012/01/black-bean-soup-10-minute-delicious.html" target="_blank">Black Bean Taco Soup</a><br />
A bean soup mix that was in my Christmas stocking from my mom<br />
Pasta with pesto and maybe a few random veggies to clean out the fridge<br />
<a href="http://skinnyms.com/skinny-lasagna-rolls/" target="_blank">Skinny Lasagna Rolls</a><br />
and finally, if we have eaten all the leftovers, a vegetarian chili (I haven't decided which one yet)<br />
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I think if I rotate through them, Zach probably won't even notice that not a single day includes meat. Although now that I'm looking at the menu, it's pretty obvious that Mexican and Italian are two of our favorite cuisines. :)<br />
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In other news, Zach started building the chicken coop this weekend! We're using <a href="http://ana-white.com/2012/05/plans/shed-chicken-coop" target="_blank">Ana White's Shed Chicken Coop plans</a>. So far, we have the floor, back wall and front wall all framed. Yesterday, I went up to <a href="http://www.seconduse.com/" target="_blank">Second Use</a> and picked up a couple of plain wood window sashes we'll use to cover the windows instead of relying on shutters. That and painting are all I'm allowed to help with since Zach and I don't work well together. Here's a photo of the progress. It may not look like much yet, but I think it's great progress!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-59589489905550638702013-04-02T23:16:00.002-07:002013-04-02T23:18:17.451-07:00Another gray dayOh, the last few days have spoiled me. It was so sunny and beautiful this weekend, and I really enjoyed getting out of the house and getting started on cleaning up the yard. Plus the time with the chicks in the garden was delightful. But today, and the rest of the week according to the forecast, we're getting back to early spring weather with gray skies and middling temperatures.<br />
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I had plans for today: make Portuguese Sweet Bread (done), start my Chocolate Milk Stout brewing (not done), do some weeding and pruning (a little done), and start my lasagna beds (not done). Oh well. I did accomplish a few things. Most notably the sweet bread, although it didn't turn out like I wanted, so I'm not giving you the recipe yet. I finished my first batch of dairy kefir and started a new one. And I found a volunteer position I'm considering applying for, depending on how Thursday's job interview goes.<br />
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Plus, I'm sticking with <a href="http://www.flylady.net/" target="_blank">FlyLady's</a> Baby Steps cleaning routine, and my kitchen sink is shiny!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-2584580782568163992013-03-31T18:13:00.000-07:002013-03-31T18:13:32.998-07:00Happy Easter!Easter at our house has been quite pleasant. Parents-in-law and I enjoyed Zach's cooking for breakfast, and then once they were off, Zach and I headed out to the yard to get spring started. Or at least that was the intent. Since it was so nice out, I got the idea to bring the chicks out to the garden for their first outing, so other than cutting back a few dead things, mostly I just sat and watched chickens. They were so darned cute!<br />
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This is my favorite picture - Trixie peeking around the crate. She is so adventurous!<br />
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The girls all had a good time, although the camera died, so I only got a few photos.<br />
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Cricket found a slug!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-82266245158098550632013-03-28T17:12:00.000-07:002013-03-28T17:12:35.641-07:00Chicken updateI took pictures of each of the chicks last night. They are getting so big! Merci is looking and acting more like a chicken everyday. She's even clucking sometimes.<br />
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Trixie and Cricket are the rulers of the coop. I'm not sure which one is top chicken, because they seem to team up to gang up on Merci and Scooter all the time. Today's trick is to fly across the brooder and land on the other chicken's back.<br />
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And finally Scooter... She's kind of the tagalong. So far she seems the most easy going and friendliest. She doesn't put up a fuss when I pick her up like the others do, and she is quick to settle in for a cuddle. She mostly hangs out with Merci, which is funny since Merci is so much bigger than her. Her feathers look like they are growing in mostly white, with some gray and tan in spots. I can't wait to see what she looks like when she gets bigger.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-47206410044819760022013-03-27T19:06:00.002-07:002013-03-27T19:06:00.856-07:00Celebration time, come on!Is it unreasonable to feel like I should be justified in buying two sweater quantities of yarn because I got a second interview?<br />
<br />
I guess I'm unreasonable then. Plus, they're no longer going to be selling online! That is enough to justify the second SQ, right?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-90079014120031180082013-03-26T23:35:00.000-07:002013-03-26T23:35:46.660-07:00It's been a long time comingHi. <br />
<br />
It's been a while.<br />
<br />
I'm going to change the focus here and actually focus on more interests than just food. After all, the blog is called War of the Appetites, right? I have an appetite for many things in my life. Food, yes, but also books, crafts, gardening, chickens, cats, and more. So I'm going to widen the focus and maybe you're interested in other things too.<br />
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The first thing I want to get out there is that I am currently unemployed. This has given me some extra time to explore different interests of mine. So far I've spent a lot of time napping and surfing the interwebs, but I have also developed quite the interest in urban homesteading. Now, I daren't say the phrase "urban homesteading" to the other half; he'd accuse me of being a hipster and not take a word I say seriously. Instead, I'm starting small. With chickens.<br />
<br />
Trixie and Cricket came first. One yellow, one black, they were sweet and fluffy and adorable when I picked them out at the feed store.<br />
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Trixie, the yellow one, is a Buff Orpington. I've read that they are docile and friendly, and since I want lap chickens, she seemed perfect. Cricket is a Barred Plymouth Rock. Mostly I got her because I had to bring at least two chicks home the first time and the store didn't have the other two breeds I wanted. <br />
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A few days later, after corresponding with a woman down in Edgewood, I brought home Merci. She is a Black Copper Marans, a hard-to-find breed around here. When she's all grown up, she'll lay dark chocolate colored eggs.<br />
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<span id="goog_1312909299"></span><span id="goog_1312909300"></span>Merci was three weeks old when I got her, and was hatched by a man who raised parrots. She already knows how to step up, which is completely adorable.<br />
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Lastly, I got the Ameraucana I wanted. Ameraucanas lay blue-green eggs and have fluffy beards. Scooter's beard was obvious from day one, and her little fuzzy face is so sweet.<br />
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They've all gotten a lot bigger now... more to come!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-80190514890111324882011-11-20T13:21:00.000-08:002011-11-20T13:21:06.453-08:00Hitting it out of the parkAfter a week or more of meals that Zach hasn't been wild about (mostly featuring winter veggies he doesn't care for), I whipped up a quick and easy quesadilla the other night that he thought was amazing. I thought it was darned good myself. When I first read through the recipe online, I was skepical about how well onions and peppers cooked in sweet vinegar were going to taste when combined with the spicy chicken and cheese. Man, was I ever surprised. It was crazy delicious, and has definitely been added to our make again list. Not only was it super tasty, but with the help of my trusty George Foreman grill, it was done in a flash.<br />
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<u><span style="font-size: large;">Adobo-Marinated Chicken Quesadillas</span></u><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.wholeliving.com/133321/adobo-marinated-chicken-quesadillas?czone=eat-well/healthy-dinner/healthy-main-courses" target="_blank">Whole Living</a></span><br />
1 can (7oz) chiles in adobo sauce<br />
1/2 c water<br />
4 chicken cutlets<br />
Small red onion, thinly sliced<br />
2 jalapeno chiles, stems removed, thinly sliced crosswise<br />
1 c plain rice vinegar<br />
1/4 c sugar<br />
8 eight-inch flour tortillas<br />
5 oz shredded Mexican cheese blend<br />
<br />
Puree chiles in adobo sauce and water in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour mixture over chicken to coat and refrigerate for at least one hour.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, place onion in a small bowl. Combine jalapenos, vinegar, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until jalapenos are soft and sugar has dissolved. Pour over onion, and let stand until mixture is cool. Drain liquid.<br />
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Warm up the grill. Grill chicken about 2-3 minutes. Slice into strips. Wipe pan clean. [If you are using a grill pan instead, 2 minutes per side over high heat.]<br />
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Load up your tortilla with cheese, chicken strips and the onion mixture. Cook on the grill until the cheese is melted.<br />
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Serves 4-6Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-14197565876782987532011-10-09T14:13:00.000-07:002011-10-09T14:14:46.485-07:00Beet it!I've been enjoying the final summer produce from my CSA, and we've been getting an influx of beets and basil. I have yet to try combining them, but my favorite way to enjoy each of them is below.<br>
<br>
Pesto is a great way to enjoy the taste of summer all year round. Whip up this quick recipe and put into an ice cube tray. Freeze completely, then transfer to ziplock bags. Whenever you're in the mood for a mediterranean summer, pull out a cube and toss with pasta, spread on lasagna noodles, or mix with veggies. I promise a ray of sunshine will break through the gray clouds.<br>
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<a href="http://waroftheappetites.blogspot.com/2011/10/beet-it.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-25845095671478121232011-09-23T11:08:00.000-07:002011-09-23T11:08:54.704-07:00Something we should all tryShamefully, it's been a month since I last checked in, but I came across something online today that I had to share: the <a href="http://www.the350project.net/home.html">3/50 Project</a>. Something we can all do to help ease the recession a bit. The idea is that you pick three local stores - mom & pop type places - and spend $50 a month there. The statistics of how much of those funds remain in the local community compared to spending that same amount at a big corporate place is pretty impressive. I'm definitely doing this. This month my three stores have been <a href="http://www.yellowhouseyarns.com/file/Home.html">Yellow House Yarns</a>, <a href="http://renaissanceyarns.com/">Renaissance Yarns</a>, and <a href="http://metropolitan-market.com/home.php">Metropolitan Market</a>. To be honest, I have spent way more than the suggested $50, so I'm really boosting my local economy!<br />
<br />
I've also signed up to participate in a BzzCampaign to try out <a href="http://www.greenmountaincoffee.com/?ck=1&cm_mmc=Google-_-search-_-Green%20Mountain%20Coffee%20-%20Exact-_-green%20mountain%20coffee&gclid=CIOT9fP6s6sCFcsaQgodbT3lew">Green Mountain Coffee</a>, which is a word-of-mouth marketing program, so I'm sure within the next month I'll have more to talk about. And I also have to tell you about this excellent stuffed shells recipe I've made. Coming soon!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-15204403352652044612011-08-29T19:39:00.000-07:002011-08-29T19:39:29.420-07:00Think PinkSometimes you happen upon something quite delicious by surprise... We joined a <a href="http://whistlingtrainfarm.wordpress.com/">CSA</a> this year since I've been so disappointed by the produce at all the grocery stores lately and have been too busy to make it to the farmer's market. So far, we've been really happy with it. Lots of fresh veggies, and as I have previously posted, we got to try fava beans, which was the first of the unusual items we've gotten. This past week, we got a small bunch of beets. Now, I have always loved canned beats, and I once roasted fresh farmer's market beets with delicious results, but these beets came with the greens attached, and they were gorgeous (I really should have taken a picture!). So I knew I had to do something special with them. So I started googling, and look what I found! A spectacular risotto that uses both the beets and the greens at once!<br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrUo3jHhziEEydNu2HQBOTqsCOnDhXgy9mhWGnRdqiW1V8MJ_k6ChicLNNUXWCcqvey6Kt_WQAk0aRP2y7BdMX4gHiBPZJ7U6lItaL4vrXfrHlBvsP4jMMJyF-WGMrF9OTLfzRA_mBP0/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrUo3jHhziEEydNu2HQBOTqsCOnDhXgy9mhWGnRdqiW1V8MJ_k6ChicLNNUXWCcqvey6Kt_WQAk0aRP2y7BdMX4gHiBPZJ7U6lItaL4vrXfrHlBvsP4jMMJyF-WGMrF9OTLfzRA_mBP0/s320/photo+1.JPG" width="320"></a></div><br>
<a href="http://waroftheappetites.blogspot.com/2011/08/think-pink.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-62598887547047660542011-08-18T11:40:00.000-07:002011-08-18T11:40:03.144-07:00Baby Shower InspirationSo in a month I will be hosting my first baby shower. Considering that babies are <em>not</em> my favorite thing, I'm a little surprised I volunteered for this. But I love entertaining, so maybe not. Plus, it serves as motivation for my husband to get cracking on the kitchen remodel so it's not scary when we have guests.<br>
<br>
In any case, I somehow decided on the theme "Peas, Carrots & Love." I'm not sure where I came up with that, but it kind of fit with the invitations I decided I liked.<br>
<a href="http://waroftheappetites.blogspot.com/2011/08/baby-shower-inspiration.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-10730395288615178522011-08-17T10:32:00.000-07:002011-08-17T10:32:59.147-07:00Cool ToolI have to admit, I'm a bit of a gadget junkie. Having a small kitchen with limited storage means that every drawer and cupboard is crammed full of all the special tools and equipment that I've fallen for. Some of it sits languishing for ages after I've bought it and never used it, while other items sit abandoned after I've used it and discovered it's not quite as wonderful as I imagined. <br>
<br>
The tool I'm talking about today was one of the former category. I'd heard of mezzaluna knives before, and then I was watching Nigella Lawson's show one day when she used one. It looked super handy, so I stopped by <a href="http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/default.asp?">Bed, Bath & Beyond</a> one day and picked one up. I then put it in a drawer and forgot about it. Well, except for the fact that the package was clogging up my tool drawer and sometime got jammed in there so I couldn't get the drawer open. In any case, it was abandoned. <br>
<a href="http://waroftheappetites.blogspot.com/2011/08/cool-tool.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-17008062794589216742011-08-03T15:05:00.000-07:002011-08-03T15:05:25.851-07:00I'm so badI know I'm really not staying on top of this blog, but we <em>have</em> been eating delicious things this summer. Here's a quick one: Mashed Fava Beans on Toast. I'd never had fava beans before, but I've always heard how great they are, especially since their season is so short. They have an unusual, slightly bitter flavor that is delicious, and the texture is really creamy. This isn't a recipe so much as sort of a technique. Use these basic ideas to create your own awesomeness.<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYaK3B7fiwkgTMYfNQvKDKAvUKVh6DdJ4Zhccyii9c4XFxSqYKeATgSB4McJivlEMgtB7PSfkzeVP2LVwJ1zpaeRFet8Mr_znG9XBHB7E3W-SrysB1-13WAOLadqig4zXC6QrcOiYKYbE/s1600/unpeeledfava.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYaK3B7fiwkgTMYfNQvKDKAvUKVh6DdJ4Zhccyii9c4XFxSqYKeATgSB4McJivlEMgtB7PSfkzeVP2LVwJ1zpaeRFet8Mr_znG9XBHB7E3W-SrysB1-13WAOLadqig4zXC6QrcOiYKYbE/s320/unpeeledfava.JPG" t$="true" width="320"></a></div><a href="http://waroftheappetites.blogspot.com/2011/08/im-so-bad.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-37405001629061873472011-07-22T11:23:00.000-07:002011-07-22T11:29:24.049-07:00Oops!<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=waroftheappe-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=039306154X" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=waroftheappe-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002PXVZW2" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1">It's been a while since I posted here. I've made a number of things that turned out great that I want to remember, but the two best recipes have both been desserts. Oh, how I love sweet things. <br>
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The first was a batch of oatmeal cranberry-orange cookies. They are far, far superior to any oatmeal raisin cookie I've ever eaten.<br>
<a href="http://waroftheappetites.blogspot.com/2011/07/oops.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-17030157522958750882011-07-07T22:48:00.000-07:002011-07-07T23:20:27.380-07:00They say I'm awesomeI received the best compliment a cook can get today. I was talking to my friend Brandy about the baby shower I'll be throwing her in a couple months. She said she was already planning on eating a lot since the food is so great every time she comes over. Really, that is about the most flattering thing anyone could say to a cook. She's already feeling her stomach stretch in preparation. Then again, that could be the baby....<br>
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Regardless, it is a super nice thing to hear, since I certainly enjoy cooking and I think the food I make generally turns out pretty well. And I admit that sometimes I have my doubts about my ability since it seems like my husband prefers Taco Bell to <em>Cuisine d'Ali</em>.<br>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVApv1sU2E1Vh7kEur4Ccsbl8J8DnALlRZo98IYlo_mQDRztUS6LK81jf4Zw7fnEkyN7R6aode5Am6VBzC2z7W4LFS7yHgmTerO_Fm3DvDsKUBkur4F22XCf_opgovjzI8YUfQea11yo/s1600/spices.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVApv1sU2E1Vh7kEur4Ccsbl8J8DnALlRZo98IYlo_mQDRztUS6LK81jf4Zw7fnEkyN7R6aode5Am6VBzC2z7W4LFS7yHgmTerO_Fm3DvDsKUBkur4F22XCf_opgovjzI8YUfQea11yo/s320/spices.jpg" width="320"></a></div><br>
<a href="http://waroftheappetites.blogspot.com/2011/07/they-say-im-awesome.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-49865006621626378182011-06-24T14:22:00.000-07:002011-06-24T14:32:15.296-07:00When squash are coming out your earsHere's a super fast recipe for those times when your squash plants are producing more squash than you can eat. This isn't the case for me right now since we didn't plant a garden this year, but in years past I've had my squash plants try to take over the entire backyard and it seems like all the squash is ready all at once. Super fast and really easy.<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6FMdvZ4Iin8PE-_Q-1rQawLBHK5CDmfOm4cMBvMJyUQlxKHBg6YLWsi8qdQhjfGgXPhE1h1-RJh5Wqx6GXRZRSUHydkHd4UHTZ0I3_k_z-s8EY7sSEMXJyBCy-zWUI7hF58nMfLKbE9s/s1600/makingbakedpasta.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6FMdvZ4Iin8PE-_Q-1rQawLBHK5CDmfOm4cMBvMJyUQlxKHBg6YLWsi8qdQhjfGgXPhE1h1-RJh5Wqx6GXRZRSUHydkHd4UHTZ0I3_k_z-s8EY7sSEMXJyBCy-zWUI7hF58nMfLKbE9s/s320/makingbakedpasta.JPG" width="320"></a></div><a href="http://waroftheappetites.blogspot.com/2011/06/when-squash-are-coming-out-your-ears.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-85991428142624756532011-06-20T16:50:00.000-07:002011-06-24T14:31:16.958-07:00The best cauliflower I have ever eaten...I love vegetables. But sometimes I have a hard time finding a way to make them exceptional. My standard for side dishes is usually just to buy one of those steam-in-bag veggie mixes and call it good. But sometimes, if a recipe I find elsewhere includes a side dish, I fall in love with it and forget all about the main dish. This was the case with the recipe for Spicy Cauliflower from Martha Stewart's website. Originally it was "Roasted Salmon with Spicy Cauliflower," but the salmon portion of the meal wasn't that exciting. I can salt and pepper a salmon myself, but the cauliflower was inspired. I can't remember now if it was out of one of her magazines originally (I subscribe to a few), but I have definitely bookmarked it online for future use. But just in case I lose my bookmarks, here is the recipe for posterity. Sadly, I snorked it all down before thinking about taking a picture.<br>
<a href="http://waroftheappetites.blogspot.com/2011/06/best-cauliflower-i-have-ever-eaten.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2164957732772844325.post-24583839516205744622011-06-17T19:31:00.000-07:002011-06-24T14:31:33.883-07:00That's meI am not one of those cooks who have a routine. In fact, I seldom make the same thing twice. I tell people I like variety, which is true, but to be honest I also have a hard time remembering where I found the recipe for that dish-I-made-a-few-months-ago-that-we-loved-and-would-like-to-have-again. And to make matters worse, I'm not the most creative of cooks. I'm getting better, but it is a learning process. I can't just throw some random stuff from the fridge and pantry together and expect it to turn out anything remotely similar to the dish I made out of a cookbook by a James Beard awarded author. Or anyone else really. So this is where I will document the dishes we really love and would like to try again.<br>
<a href="http://waroftheappetites.blogspot.com/2011/06/thats-me.html#more">Read more »</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12894633093805342638noreply@blogger.com0