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| fun bike rides together |
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| so silly! |
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| My awesome kids! Katherine, Lindsey & Mark |
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| I see a theme here with the legs! |
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| I wonder where she got her silliness from!? |
I am a lucky girl!! Happy 21st birthday Katherine!
Love, Mom
Vintage fun in a modern world!
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Sweet Katherine
Sweet Katherine is my favorite youngest child! My baby will turn 21 tomorrow. There was a crazy snow storm the day we brought her home from the hospital.
That should have been a sign that Katherine would always bring a bit of excitement to everything!
Katherine is silly, fun, intelligent, insightful, thought
provoking (it takes a lot to provoke my thoughts!), inspirational, fashionable, athletic, funny, and so much more!
Yes, I do have a favorite child! I have three, actually! I have a favorite son, Mark, a favorite older daughter, Lindsey, and a favorite baby, Katherine!
I am a lucky girl!! Happy 21st birthday Katherine!
Love, Mom
I am a lucky girl!! Happy 21st birthday Katherine!
Love, Mom
Friday, February 21, 2014
Jen's Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Soup
I just whipped up a so-delicous broccoli cheddar cheese soup, so I thought I would share it!
I started by melting 3-4 T of butter, add a tablespoon, or so, of flour, cook on low for a minute, add approximately 2 cups of whole milk, on medium high, stirring occasionally until thickened. Add a dash of nutmeg, dry mustard, and salt & pepper. Then dump in as much shredded cheddar cheese as you like (I also had a mix of italian cheese that I added). Stir until all mixed. I then added about 2 cups of chicken broth to that mixture.
This actually should be stop one! Take a head of broccoli and chop it up (I use some of the stalk too), next time I will chop mine a bit smaller. Boil, then put a lid on it and take it off the heat (I don't like to overcook the broccoli). Let that sit for about 5 minutes. Then take a cup or so of the cooked broccoli, add to the blender with (okay I am going crazy with my font-not on purpose), with about a cup of chicken broth and blend. Add that to the cheese mixture, and add the rest of the cooked broccoli. Taste test to see if it needs more salt & pepper. It's quick and easy and delicious! Did I mention it is not fattening at all!!? No, I did not, because that would be lying! I guess I should have worked out more than an hour this morning!
Enjoy!
Jen
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| Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Soup |
I started by melting 3-4 T of butter, add a tablespoon, or so, of flour, cook on low for a minute, add approximately 2 cups of whole milk, on medium high, stirring occasionally until thickened. Add a dash of nutmeg, dry mustard, and salt & pepper. Then dump in as much shredded cheddar cheese as you like (I also had a mix of italian cheese that I added). Stir until all mixed. I then added about 2 cups of chicken broth to that mixture.
This actually should be stop one! Take a head of broccoli and chop it up (I use some of the stalk too), next time I will chop mine a bit smaller. Boil, then put a lid on it and take it off the heat (I don't like to overcook the broccoli). Let that sit for about 5 minutes. Then take a cup or so of the cooked broccoli, add to the blender with (okay I am going crazy with my font-not on purpose), with about a cup of chicken broth and blend. Add that to the cheese mixture, and add the rest of the cooked broccoli. Taste test to see if it needs more salt & pepper. It's quick and easy and delicious! Did I mention it is not fattening at all!!? No, I did not, because that would be lying! I guess I should have worked out more than an hour this morning!
Enjoy!
Jen
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Happy Valentine's Day!
I can't remember what font Katherine told me to use, but anyways, Happy Valentine's Day!
I picked out some things (from Etsy) I personally would love to receive (hint hint). Here are just of my favorite things.
I picked out some things (from Etsy) I personally would love to receive (hint hint). Here are just of my favorite things.
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| cute heart bowls |
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| Subtle bling |
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| lovely scarf |
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| I love charm bracelets! |
Monday, February 3, 2014
What's for lunch!
I love cooking - and eating!
I chopped broccoli into tiny pieces, along with chives, radishes, red onion, celery, and carrots. I topped mine with bit of ranch dressing, but you can be healthier and just add a bit of olive oil and one of your favorite vinegars!
If you read my blog (well thank you very much-I love you!), you know I love to make soup, and most of them are made the same way, just different ingredients, depending on what I have in the kitchen that day. This was started with a bit of olive oil and butter, some red onion and chopped red potatoes (chop them small enough that they won't take forever to cook).
I also added diced carrots and celery. I still had a ton of broccoli left, so after I had cooked the other ingredients for awhile, I tossed in the broccoli. I cooked that a bit longer, and then added yummy baby portabella mushrooms, and just cooked about 5 more minutes. Season as you go along, salt, pepper, italian seasoning, garlic salt, red pepper flakes, thyme.
I added some chicken broth, but you could also use veggie broth. For some protein I added garbanzo beans, and I also added elbow noodles.
For the finishing touch, why not a bit of heavy cream!? It sweetens it up and makes it creamy (you just need about 1/4 cup). Oh, I also added chives when everything was cooked, for some color and freshness.
That's it! Try it, it is delicious!
Jen
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| Fresh and crispy broccoli salad |
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| Potato soup and more |
I also added diced carrots and celery. I still had a ton of broccoli left, so after I had cooked the other ingredients for awhile, I tossed in the broccoli. I cooked that a bit longer, and then added yummy baby portabella mushrooms, and just cooked about 5 more minutes. Season as you go along, salt, pepper, italian seasoning, garlic salt, red pepper flakes, thyme.
I added some chicken broth, but you could also use veggie broth. For some protein I added garbanzo beans, and I also added elbow noodles.
For the finishing touch, why not a bit of heavy cream!? It sweetens it up and makes it creamy (you just need about 1/4 cup). Oh, I also added chives when everything was cooked, for some color and freshness.
That's it! Try it, it is delicious!
Jen
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Happy Valentine's Day!
Happy-almost-Valentine's Day!
I had to share my latest Etsy purchase! I bought the cutest pink heart garland, and loved it so much, I had to buy another one in blue!
Here's a few other cute finds from DoesMeadow
I put one on the back of one of my sofa's in the living room:
And one in my kitchen (I need to fix it so the pins not showing, but you get the idea!):
It's so much fun decorating my house now that I have it cleaned and organized. Although, I do call my house "the house of shelves". Shelves are everywhere in my house, with all of my Etsy shop, so it does look like a store, but at least there's not a bunch of stuff on the floor anymore (okay, maybe a few random things!).
I had to share my latest Etsy purchase! I bought the cutest pink heart garland, and loved it so much, I had to buy another one in blue!
Here's a few other cute finds from DoesMeadow
And one in my kitchen (I need to fix it so the pins not showing, but you get the idea!):
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Soup
What else do you do when you're working out on the stepper? Think about food, of course (at least if you're me)! I started thinking about the broccoli I had in the fridge, and then a light bulb went off in my head (that doesn't happen too often)...broccoli cheddar cheese, of course!
So I came up with this quick and easy recipe!
Cut up broccoli in bite size pieces, and go ahead and cut up some of the stalk too (it's just as tasty), and chop up some onion (I probably used about a 1/3 of a cup); saute that in olive oil and butter on medium heat for about 6-7 minutes, stirring occassionally.
In the meantime, in a separate pot, melt a couple of tablespoons of butter, add a tablespoon of flour, cook on low, stirring the entire time, for about a minute. Then add maybe a cup and 1/2 of heavy cream, cook on medium high for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, add just a tiny pinch of nutmeg to that, and salt & pepper. After it has thickened up add 1-2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, and stir until it's all mixed.
And back to the pot of broccoli---add about 1 1/2 cups or so of chicken broth, turn heat to medium high, put the lid on, and cook for about 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and some pepper flakes for a bit of spice. Then add that yummy cheese mixture, and you will have a fantastic soup just perfect for a cold winter day!
Enjoy!!
Jen
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| I'm better at cooking than photography! |
Cut up broccoli in bite size pieces, and go ahead and cut up some of the stalk too (it's just as tasty), and chop up some onion (I probably used about a 1/3 of a cup); saute that in olive oil and butter on medium heat for about 6-7 minutes, stirring occassionally.
In the meantime, in a separate pot, melt a couple of tablespoons of butter, add a tablespoon of flour, cook on low, stirring the entire time, for about a minute. Then add maybe a cup and 1/2 of heavy cream, cook on medium high for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, add just a tiny pinch of nutmeg to that, and salt & pepper. After it has thickened up add 1-2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, and stir until it's all mixed.
And back to the pot of broccoli---add about 1 1/2 cups or so of chicken broth, turn heat to medium high, put the lid on, and cook for about 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and some pepper flakes for a bit of spice. Then add that yummy cheese mixture, and you will have a fantastic soup just perfect for a cold winter day!
Enjoy!!
Jen
Monday, December 2, 2013
Featured Etsy Shop
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| Girls Handpainted Santa Shoes |
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| Adorable Whale Romper |
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| For The Little Pirate |
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| Pretty Flower Dress |
Be sure to check out their shop! Fill your cart up with unique gifts!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/boygirlboygirldesign?ref=l2-shopheader-name
Happy shopping!
Jen
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Being a Mom
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| Mark, Lindsey, & Katherine (Katherine looks a bit terrified here) |
That's all I have ever wanted.
The other stuff is fine.
But being a Mom is enough for me.
Why does time seem to be drifting by so fast?
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
RIP Tom
A heart so big
It broke a thousand times
In heaven now
Your broken heart
Back together again
You are missed here on earth
But in a better place now
In our hearts forever
We love you Tom! ♥
It broke a thousand times
In heaven now
Your broken heart
Back together again
You are missed here on earth
But in a better place now
In our hearts forever
We love you Tom! ♥
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