tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40153841962700037442024-03-12T20:47:48.445-07:00shiny happy rachelRachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-24519011511268460842013-01-03T13:59:00.002-07:002013-01-03T14:03:19.856-07:00A New HomeIf you haven't noticed already, I've moved my blog to a new host. You can get to it quickly and easily by going to <a href="http://shinyhappyrachel.com/">shinyhappyrachel.com</a>. Add or update your favorites!<br />
<br />
That link will work in about an hour (at which point I'll remove this little note) in the meantime I'm at <a href="http://shinyhappyrachel.wordpress.com/">ShinyHappyRachel.wordpress.com</a>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-19712385390694972202013-01-03T10:02:00.002-07:002013-01-03T12:04:13.387-07:00Pimp Her Blog #1Looking for delicious recipes and not finding what you want here? You need to check out my girl's blog.<br />
It's called <a href="http://notyourmommaskitchen.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Not Your Mommas Kitchen</a> and Dana comes up with some recipes that make me drool.<br />
I think I'm going to make a big batch of her <a href="http://notyourmommaskitchen.wordpress.com/2013/01/03/homemade-meat-spaghetti-sauce/" target="_blank">Homemade Meat Spaghetti Sauce</a> and I'm gonna HAVE to take a paleo break to try <a href="http://notyourmommaskitchen.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/crock-pot-orange-chicken/" target="_blank">Crock Pot Orange Chicken</a>.<br />
<br />
So, <b>RUN, </b>don't walk to her blog.. RIGHT NOW... why are you still here????!!!!<br />
<br />
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-3118036337257706332013-01-02T19:30:00.001-07:002013-01-02T19:30:52.794-07:00Delicious Buttery, Garlicy, Lemony, Spicy Shrimp<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_REMEfWGgnjiA_fVpA9WL4C8LJ-SqHx7eROQFIDWegjDWRiocLLJ8gdCLVy-D_Z3BwWmuSAU8OSolU7tYFwCPauhVDQNA77fYIL3pgU1GCDc8P2qtp7jqO3ISzY0OMG9MMdIO2k6s9GI/s1600/spicy_garlic_BUTTER_SHRIMP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_REMEfWGgnjiA_fVpA9WL4C8LJ-SqHx7eROQFIDWegjDWRiocLLJ8gdCLVy-D_Z3BwWmuSAU8OSolU7tYFwCPauhVDQNA77fYIL3pgU1GCDc8P2qtp7jqO3ISzY0OMG9MMdIO2k6s9GI/s320/spicy_garlic_BUTTER_SHRIMP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I was (again) wandering <a href="http://punchfork.com/" target="_blank">punchfork</a> last night and searched for "Paleo Shrimp" and this jumped out at me. First off, it's really a Paleo cheat because it uses a lot of butter. Butter is "ok" from time to time. I use butter now and then and I'm careful to buy the "Happy Butter" as I call it. Grass fed cows, free-range, no funky stuff fed to them or injected.. so yeah, happy butter!<br /><br />I also served it with some homemade french bread because the sauce you end up when it's cooked is just too good to waste so you can either pour it in a glass and drink it or use some french bread to sop it up. The latter won't make you feel dumb. ;)<br />
<br />
<b>You're going to need:</b><br />
<br />
2 pounds Raw Shrimp, Cleaned and Deshelled<br />
2 sticks <b>COLD</b> Unsalted Butter Cut Into Pieces<br />
1 teaspoon Sea Salt<br />
4 cloves Garlic, Peeled<br />
1/4 cup Fresh Parsley<br />
1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper<br />
1 whole Lemon, Juiced<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 375 degrees (190.6 C).<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Get out your food processor. You're really going to need one to make this painless. Use the blade attachment that chops everything up.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In the bowl add your cut up COLD butter pieces. It's important that it's cold and hard butter or it's not going to crumble right. So butter, sea salt, garlic, parsley, crushed red pepper and the lemon juice.<br />Pulse it until it's all combined and kinda crumbly. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Get a baking dish out (I used a 8x11 casserole pan) and lay the cleaned shrimp out all flat in one layer. The original recipe calls for the shells to be left on and then peel them as you eat them BUT, from experience, when you cook shrimp with the shells on and then peel them to eat, all of the good taste comes off with the shell! SO... I'm saying deshell, clean and put on the tray all nice and flat.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sprinkle the butter mix all over the shrimps and pop in the oven. You're going to want to cook them until the shrimp is pink on the outside and opaque in the middle and butter is hot and bubbly. It took me about 13 minutes and Gary said it was cooked perfectly.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Next, take your plate and serve the shrimp up with big spoonfuls of the butter sauce that you can use your french bread to get off of your plate. The butter sauce is the best part in my opinion!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
(image courtesy of punchfork stock)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-60757469102373190902013-01-01T18:23:00.001-07:002013-01-02T19:33:40.455-07:00Slow Cooker Apple BBQ Chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJs4dzV7EV3SCi3H2E0L4rhI6D_qKvYSYEl2dKdaZ7AgPmaDwnKPlN9kHxdd-e3myXXz8Ep0zmXbdF00aTLCYoPKLYtfo2ODPbir0s0lr52jF3iHeHekAdSgkXFEkMbFvSazJFlwX0aebV/s1600/Slow+Cooker+Bacon+Wrapped+Apple+BBQ+Chicken+500+4688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJs4dzV7EV3SCi3H2E0L4rhI6D_qKvYSYEl2dKdaZ7AgPmaDwnKPlN9kHxdd-e3myXXz8Ep0zmXbdF00aTLCYoPKLYtfo2ODPbir0s0lr52jF3iHeHekAdSgkXFEkMbFvSazJFlwX0aebV/s320/Slow+Cooker+Bacon+Wrapped+Apple+BBQ+Chicken+500+4688.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
I stopped looking for new crockpot recipes awhile ago because everything seems to be "protein plus BBQ sauce". It gets really old, really fast. Well, I was bored, wandering <a href="http://punchfork.com/" target="_blank">punchfork</a> again, and came across this recipe. It had some extra flair so I decided to give it a go and it turned out pretty stinkin' good!<br />
<br />
<i>That is not my picture. I used punchfork stock.</i><br />
<br />
<b>You're going to need: </b><br />
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (<i>I used 3</i>)<br />
4 slices of bacon (<i>I skipped this step</i>)<br />
1/2 cup of BBQ sauce<br />
2 large apples, peeled and cut into small pieces<br />
2 Tbs lemon juice<br />
<br />
You're supposed to start by wrapping the chicken breasts in bacon slices. I skipped this step. I'm sure it adds some decent flavor but I like my bacon one way.... <b>burnt</b>. I HATE soggy bacon and there can come NO GOOD from bacon in a crockpot for 8 hours.<br />
Anyway, place your chicken breasts in the crockpot.. with or without bacon.<br />
<br />
Peel the apples and chop them up into little pieces. (<i>I highly recommend peeling them even if you like skins. The skins won't break down in the crockpot the way they're supposed to</i>.)<br />
Mix the BBQ, apple pieces and lemon juice.<br />
Pour it over the chicken and cook on low for 8 hours.<br />
<br />
I used green apples. Those are pretty much the only kind that Gary likes. If you try a different kind of apple, you'll have to let me know how it tastes!<br />
<br />
I was out of <a href="http://stevesoriginal.com/cart/Paleochef/" target="_blank">Steve's Original BBQ sauce</a> so I used another gluten free/NO HFCS BBQ sauce that I found at Sprouts. :)Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-41537192086356949192012-12-30T12:34:00.000-07:002012-12-31T15:48:40.058-07:00Why hello there, 2013!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXgAR0SFwoczizxCrSeN5flj1I7UeiNvyfWHbo2_qSUQTMu44HQBJlCLklf1ondM-4V-PICiDpnGGL0sBwxBxtVstmMSIbRxQ26a9D8G8OnJQTg9_iN32IgsMmsaTZSaL4Jm5HrWlTzil0/s1600/eating-drinking-boozing-lazy-resolution-new-years-ecards-someecards.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXgAR0SFwoczizxCrSeN5flj1I7UeiNvyfWHbo2_qSUQTMu44HQBJlCLklf1ondM-4V-PICiDpnGGL0sBwxBxtVstmMSIbRxQ26a9D8G8OnJQTg9_iN32IgsMmsaTZSaL4Jm5HrWlTzil0/s320/eating-drinking-boozing-lazy-resolution-new-years-ecards-someecards.png" width="320" /></a></div>
Well, I searched my entire blog and I can't find my post for my 2012 resolutions. I guess that means I didn't make any. I usually do so.... anyway. I wouldn't say it was a bad year. Gary and I started the Paleo diet change mid July and I've lost 52 pounds so far. I had to bring my walking (exercise) to a halt due to girl problems but I plan on picking it up ASAP.<br />
My goals for 2013 are pretty simple.<br />
<b>1</b>. Finish losing the weight I started out to lose. This shouldn't be incredibly hard. It was pretty much falling off when I was walking and my girl problems should be over by mid-February.<br />
<b>2</b>. Be a better pen pal. I've been slacking <b>BIG TIME</b> this year and I'd like to apologize to my pen pals. My goal is to get back on track. I'm going for at least 1 letter, per pen pal, a month. Feel free to nag me if you haven't received yours. :)<br />
<b>3</b>. Be a better blogger. I really do try and keep this updated. I get lazy and that's my only reason. I'm on a mission to find new recipes so hopefully they turn out well and I can share them!<br />
<b>4</b>. I'm going to <b>TRY</b> and read 2 books a month (minimum). I'm a pretty fast reader but I get distracted easily and forget to pick up the kindle or a book. So yeah, I know, I set my goal low but it's a start.<br />
<br />
Hopefully, in 52 weeks, I can update the blog again and report that I successfully stuck to my resolutions!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-35923064962736032122012-12-29T15:09:00.000-07:002012-12-29T15:09:36.296-07:00Blackberry Pork TenderloinHey, I bet you'll never guess where I found this recipe! Oh.. <a href="http://www.punchfork.com/" target="_blank">punchfork</a> you say? OK FINE... actually my mom found it on punchfork and pointed it out to me. :D<br />
You're not getting a pretty picture this time because 1. the stock image looked gross and 2. my own dish looked even worse! Seriously, if you were going by looks alone you'd never touch it. Purple pork with a purple sauce? LOL<br />
OK, just trust me when I tell you that it's delicious AND it's a crockpot recipe so even better!!<br />
<br />
The first thing I did when preparing to make this was go wine shopping. Most of you are cheering at this point, but I'm not a huge fan of wine so I took my wino friend, Melia, with me. :D<br />
I should point out that I do like a nice glass of moscato but I was shopping for a Merlot and I hate red wine.<br />
<br />
So let's get started!!<br />
<b>You're going to need:</b><br />
1 (2lb) pork tenderloin (<i>I used 1 lb</i>)<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 tsp fresh ground pepper<br />
1 Tbs dried rubbed sage<br />
1 Tbs crushed rosemary (<i>I skipped this. We're not a fan</i>)<br />
1 (16oz) jar seedless blackberry jam<br />
1/4 cup honey<br />
2 Tbs dry red wine (<i>I used a Merlot</i>)<br />
<br />
<b>For the sauce you'll also need:</b><br />
1/2 cup of the above red wine<br />
2 Tbs honey<br />
1 cup fresh blackberries<br />
(<i>I would double the sauce if you're making a 2 lb tenderloin</i>)<br />
<br />
Start by seasoning the tenderloin. Cover all sides in the salt, pepper, sage and rosemary.<br />
Put the tenderloin in the crockpot.<br />
Pour the blackberry jam, 1/4 cup of honey and 2 Tbs of the red wine over the pork.<br />
<br />
Cook on Low until very tender. I did 6 hours but that's because Gary was running late from work. It was probably ready 30 to 45 minutes before. It wasn't dried out though. :)<br />
<br />
For the sauce, grab a small saucepan. Pour 1/2 cup of the red wine, 2 Tbs of honey into the pan. Add in the fresh blackberries.<br />
Bring to a boil over medium-low heat and simmer until the sauce reduces a little and the berries begin to burst. It took about 20 minutes for me.<br />
<br />
Slice the tenderloin on to plates and spoon the sauce over the slices! :)<br />
<br />
If you're a slob like me, I'd suggest using an apron. You're using red wine and making a blackberry sauce... so yeah.. everything stains. I **always** cook with an apron!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-26764526224334224262012-12-28T20:35:00.001-07:002013-01-02T19:59:39.294-07:00Sizzling Shrimp with Garlic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiEMvQxoySOT-Ob3px6HhHZ6JW71eaIxLDtaD0HrjUOiI9ZWOae1LdZptDb1F6w11RYS-pSH67uSk25W9ArrIRV_ooH7grI4piMTMc6RwUBEHaHaunh5SVxBioP9vRdnDaq8eBGCBTRlzz/s1600/sizzlingshrimp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiEMvQxoySOT-Ob3px6HhHZ6JW71eaIxLDtaD0HrjUOiI9ZWOae1LdZptDb1F6w11RYS-pSH67uSk25W9ArrIRV_ooH7grI4piMTMc6RwUBEHaHaunh5SVxBioP9vRdnDaq8eBGCBTRlzz/s1600/sizzlingshrimp.jpg" /></a></div>
On December 23rd, I went to the grocery store to pick up a few last minute things for Christmas dinner. I didn't wanna go the day before Christmas because I knew it would be a madhouse. I also picked up a few things to make meals right before and right after because again, I don't like madhouses. One of the things that I grabbed was a pound of shrimp. Then I went googling for a new shrimp recipe because I wanted to try cooking something new.<br />
I'm going to post this recipe as I found it then tell you the changes I made along the way.<br />
Gary gave it 5 stars. I, personally, don't eat shrimp. It's nasty. It tastes nasty and has a horrible texture. It did smell good though!<br />
<br />
<br />
I found this recipe on <a href="http://punchfork.com/">punchfork.com</a>. Punchfork is my new favoritest place to find fun, new recipes. It's where I found the <a href="http://shinyhappyrachel.blogspot.com/2012/12/salmon-with-garlic-lemon-and-dill.html" target="_blank">dill, garlic, lemon salmon</a> that I posted yesterday, and this one, and a few more I'll be trying.<br />
<br />
While this recipe IS Paleo we did cheat and use some delicious french bread. I ate it with my gluten free pasta/marinara and he used it with the pan juices this dish creates.<br />
<br />
<b>You're going to need:</b><br />
<br />
4 to 5 Tbs. olive oil<br />
4 garlic cloves, finely minced<br />
1 tsp. red pepper flakes<br />
1 tsp. sweet paprika<br />
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined<br />
1 to 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice<br />
1 to 2 Tbs. dry sherry<br />
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste<br />
2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley<br />
<br />
Start by heating up the olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan. I didn't have lemons for juice on hand so I used a lemon infused olive oil. Once the oil is warm add in the garlic, red pepper flakes and paprika. Saute for about a minute ... until it's fragrant.<br />
<br />
Turn up the heat to high and add in the shrimp, lemon juice and the sherry. Stir well and saute until the shrimps are cooked. They'll turn pink and opaque... it takes 3 to 4 minutes.<br />
<br />
Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the parsley.<br />
<br />
He liked it so much that instead of saving half for lunch the next (like he normally does), he ate the entire pound of shrimp.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-62378900180923363012012-12-28T11:39:00.000-07:002012-12-28T11:39:14.705-07:00OMG Something Crafty???I was pretty sure that I posted this last Christmas but I can't find it anywhere.<br />
Every once in a while I get a crafty itch. I can't claim this idea as my own, in fact the image I use for the cover of this project isn't even mine. I have no freaking idea where I found this project. I wasn't on pinterest then so I know it wasn't there... anyway, I'm rambling.<br />
<br />
So, if you're like me, you don't like to throw out all of those pretty Christmas cards that people sent you. I found this brilliant idea to package them up together by year.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXIUzFQNn1-OH-Rnt6zhzKSWea6qWUSRwslQgCAU3TGON9dS76xu0UKhvKoS-PzcY6RHOntE3H9I5UhDM2pHp-OLk5q7lWrxbnWsWgUPAKMP4Jvn4RkItKSuiFbT855kOQ6hfJAVjHHZkG/s1600/cards_before.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXIUzFQNn1-OH-Rnt6zhzKSWea6qWUSRwslQgCAU3TGON9dS76xu0UKhvKoS-PzcY6RHOntE3H9I5UhDM2pHp-OLk5q7lWrxbnWsWgUPAKMP4Jvn4RkItKSuiFbT855kOQ6hfJAVjHHZkG/s320/cards_before.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />You're going to need your stack of Christmas cards, a hole punch and some metal rings for binding. You can find them at any craft store.<br />
<br />
It's pretty self-explanatory. You'll punch holes in the cover, in each card and use the rings to keep everything together. :)<br />
<br />
It should look like this when you're finished.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXUD4Bjzvw5o1OhVOPakCwcEqNVr_TeSks3CnOwgUmLs6pRItjT-g_-5w5aqERkn9d2Pjb1L2ww1n_xRKdeBhHSSfKPTVsDicszR-FIhG33p5ezvivdamIIysOPJELs27cF0ajrZE7w5gd/s1600/cards_after.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXUD4Bjzvw5o1OhVOPakCwcEqNVr_TeSks3CnOwgUmLs6pRItjT-g_-5w5aqERkn9d2Pjb1L2ww1n_xRKdeBhHSSfKPTVsDicszR-FIhG33p5ezvivdamIIysOPJELs27cF0ajrZE7w5gd/s320/cards_after.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br /><br />I didn't make that cover graphic and if you don't want to make your own you can just use <a href="http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i288/ohmygodyall/85x11xmascardsblank_zps7afd05bc.jpg" target="_blank">this one</a>! It looks and works best if you print in full page format on a sturdy cardstock. :)<br />
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<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-44456652549682923252012-12-27T17:16:00.000-07:002012-12-27T19:53:05.292-07:00Salmon With Garlic, Lemon and Dill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhptbpUegTxrm5VxMTmBJ26eEVscIm-0JRfcDDpt7Ikacf6oTcNVoWAOvu30lhPZ0-O-WV_5QQWgh98j4YhHlc_BtqNTAppQ_aOcnim_o4rCrOk08-9ALPfo2XAIImtqLy0NnrEqcxO3lu3/s1600/salmon_lemon_garlic_dill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhptbpUegTxrm5VxMTmBJ26eEVscIm-0JRfcDDpt7Ikacf6oTcNVoWAOvu30lhPZ0-O-WV_5QQWgh98j4YhHlc_BtqNTAppQ_aOcnim_o4rCrOk08-9ALPfo2XAIImtqLy0NnrEqcxO3lu3/s320/salmon_lemon_garlic_dill.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I pulled this recipe (and picture) from <a href="http://fortheloveofcooking.net/">fortheloveofcooking.net</a>. Well, I actually found it on <a href="http://punchfork.com/">punchfork.com</a> but it led me to THAT website and anyway.... like you care, right?<br />
<br />
So, I was looking for a new way to cook a piece of salmon that we bought right before Christmas. Our "<a href="http://shinyhappyrachel.blogspot.com/2012/08/butter-poached-salmon-with-warm-tomato.html" target="_blank">go-to</a>" way is delicious but I need change. Gary, on the other hand, could eat the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over again for months on end. (<a href="http://azjade.com/" target="_blank">Melia</a> is the same way too!)<br />
<br />
This one had the prettiest picture ... ok well it was the recipe that called for the least amount of ingredients AND had the prettiest picture. ;)<br />
<br />
<b>You're going to need:</b><br />
1 lb salmon fillet<br />
2 tsp butter<br />
1 tsp olive oil<br />
1 clove of garlic, minced<br />
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste<br />
Fresh dill, to taste<br />
Lemon slices<br />
<br />
<br />
First, preheat the oven to 450 F (232.2 C).<br />
<br />
Line a baking sheet with tin foil then coat it with cooking spray. I forgot the cooking spray and thought "Hmmmm there's enough oil/butter on the top - it should ooze under and be ok, right?" WRONG. USE cooking spray, we lost our skin and that's the best part!<br />
<br />
Put the fish, skin side down, on the baking sheet. I combined the melted butter, olive oil and garlic in a bowl then used my fingers to spread all over the fish. I put a bunch of salt and pepper on it too.<br />
<br />
Then I grabbed my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/RSVP-SNIP-Herb-Scissors/dp/B000TYKWMI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1356653403&sr=8-1&keywords=herb+scissors" target="_blank">herb scissors</a> and I was really excited to use them because I rarely get to. BE CAREFUL! These bad boys are sharp... I cut myself. :(<br />
I used the scissors to snip a bunch of dill all over the fish.<br />
<br />
I sliced a lemon into decent slices and layered them on top of the dill.<br />
<br />
NOW, the recipe calls for you to cook for 10 minutes. I don't know if they like it rare or had a thin salmon or what but I had to cook it for almost 18 minutes and that did NOT overcook it. It was perfect. So, in a nutshell... cook at 450 F (232.2 C) until it's cooked the way you like it.<br />
<br />
I served it with roasted broccoli and it's Gary approved. Delicious!!!<br />
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<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-71373205879257905552012-12-26T16:18:00.002-07:002012-12-26T16:18:38.088-07:00Glossy Box - December<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.glossybox.com/referal?CI=MzU0NTQ=" target="_blank">GlossyBox</a> showed up today and I have to admit I'm pretty happy with it. I'm not sure if it was nicer than usual because it was a Christmas box or if it's always this nice. I'll probably end up giving most of the products to Melia. They're nice, but better suited towards her.<br />~ ECRU - acacia protein oil<br />~ Pleats Please - perfume sample (smells nice, just not my favorite notes)<br />~ Bath and Shower oil - madurai jasmine and mogra scented.<br />~ White Tea epsom salts<br />~ Oscar Bland - Dry Styling Heat Protect Spray<br />
~ Zoya - "Storm"... beautiful sparkly black<br />~ A <a href="http://www.jewelmint.com/" target="_blank">jewelmint</a> sample which was a pretty gold toned necklace with pretty jewels/pearls (fake).<br />
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Anyway, that's that!<br />It's the last day of Gary's Christmas vacation so we went to see The Hobbit. It was FABULOUS! Now, it's time to cook a delicious salmon dinner and I'll post the recipe if it's as good as it looks. ;)<br /><br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-19795014299405134392012-12-23T12:01:00.000-07:002012-12-23T12:01:20.716-07:00Beauty Boxes Overload!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm not going to spend my post bitching about how horrible google is and how they say my google drive is full even though there are maybe 15 spreadsheets/documents in it and that's it. I'm supposed to hear back from them in "1 to 2 business days"... yeah right. Anyway, for the time being, images are being hosted at Photobucket. They haven't ever given me a problem in years.<br />
So, as you can see I've gone red. I don't mean auburn, or strawberry or Nicole Kidman... I MEAN RED... primary red, "you can't buy this in a box at Walgreens" red. I love it. It's fun and funky and well... yeah.<br />
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You might have noticed that I have not posted any of my monthly beauty box posts in a while. I've been busy and distracted and well... lazy?<br />
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That being said, here are a few of the ones I have received since November.<br />
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I'm starting with BeautyBox 5 in November. This box is the reason that I cancelled BeautyBox 5. I'm not even linking to them because it sucked so bad.<br />
Some random crap in a net baggie but what stood out the most was the CETAPHIL lotion.... REALLY???? For the cost of this entire box, I could have gone to Walgreens and bought a giant bottle of this crappy lotion. CUHANCELLED!<br />
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Now, here is BeautyBox 5 for December. Yup, you read that right. They sent me another box after I cancelled. I went back and checked and I did indeed cancel, removed my card, hadn't been charged but they sent me another box anyway. This means I can't really complain about this box HOWEVER, had they sent me this box in November I would not have cancelled. You see that little brush there? I've been meaning to buy another one JUST LIKE THAT ONE for months now and I never think about it until I am using it in the morning and then by the time I get around to it, I have forgotten but they sent me one so YAY! A nice brush, a full sized pretty eyeshadow powder and some other random stuff that I will use. Maybe I'll sign back up again. We'll see if they send me another free box in January. :D<br />
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Now, here comes <a href="http://www.ipsy.com/" target="_blank">Ipsy</a> for December! Y'all know I loooooooooove <a href="http://www.ipsy.com/" target="_blank">Ipsy</a> (formally known as MyGlam).<br />
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A whole slew of products I'm going to use:<br />
Sweet eyeliner pencil, eyebrow gel, GORGEOUS lip gloss, nail polish and Meet Matt eyeshadow in a great color! I love theBalm products!!!<br />
I was also VERY happy with November's bag but I've used most of the products and the bag they came in is being used in my shiny new purse. :D<br />
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Now, here's a new one for the month of December.<br />
It's <a href="http://www.beautybar.com/" target="_blank">Beauty Bar</a> - Sample Society. Sounds all hoity-toity and they have that right. The samples they sent me were pretty high end compared to other sample boxes. I'll probably use most of this but Murad, Philosophy and the Vapour Organic lipgloss in a gorgeous color stick out the most!<br />
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I also signed up for <a href="http://www.glossybox.com/referal?CI=MzU0NTQ=" target="_blank">Glossy Box</a>. They ship out mid-month so I'm still waiting for my December box to get here. I'm guessing it will be Monday and I'll update when I get it. I did some sneak peeking around the website to get a hint of what comes in this month's box. We'll see how pleased when I get it. It seems sorta "meh" but you never know!<br /><br />This concludes 2 months of beauty boxes crammed into one post.<br />
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-90933750706323350842012-11-09T14:21:00.001-07:002012-11-09T14:21:20.304-07:00365<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I know that November is the month that people speak of their gratitude. I've been seeing tons of daily "thanksgivings" on Facebook daily and I think it's awesome.<br />Thanksgiving is a day that gets shuffled to the back of the line by many, especially retailers, as they prepare for Christmas via shopping, decorating, music etc... I love Christmas as much as anyone does but Thanksgiving is just as important as we thank God for all he has given us.<br />
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There are so many things I am thankful for and I will do my very best to hit them all but obviously I'm going to run out of space and time and I'm old so I'll forget things.<br />
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~ I am thankful for my children. They have always been VERY special and have grown up to be such unique and sparkling .. adults.. OK *young* adults. I am always proud of them and all that they have and will accomplish in their lives and I am eternally sorry that I missed any of it.<br />
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~ I'm thankful for my parents. I always took my family for granted while I was growing up. It wasn't until I was older and saw other people's families that I realized just how lucky I am to have 2 parents who love me and each other very much.<br />
<br />~ I'm thankful for my sisters. This includes the 2 I was born with, the sisters I added when I married Gary and all of the sisters I have "adopted" through the years. Each one is dear to me and holds a special place in my heart.<br />
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~ I'm thankful for my brother. He's the only one I have and let me tell you, he's amazing. I'm also happy that I married in to 2 more wonderful brothers.<br />
<br />~ I am thankful for all of my nieces and nephews. This means ALL of them... the ones that my siblings have, the ones I married in to and of course the ones that I have "adopted". Each one is special to me and I love watching them grow up.<br />
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~ I'm thankful for each and every last one of my friends. I've met so many special people through out my life. I include the friends from childhood, the ones I met blogging and gaming and well... ALL of them.<br />
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~ and... I am thankful for my husband. I truly believe that God gave him to me to provide me with anything that I need. He does just that. As I've said many times before, he may not be perfect but he's perfect for me. He goes above and beyond to make sure that I have what I need. He works his butt off making sure that we have a roof, food and whatever else life requires. He's so smart and I love that. Although it's been more sickness than health, he's cared for me through all of it. He "puts up with me".. he loves me when I'm fabulous and when I haven't showered in a week (ok, it's happened a few times but I had good reasons!). He loves me when I keep bringing more pets home, when I wasn't up to cleaning the house that day, when we had to order pizza because I just couldn't cook, when I'm crying my eyes out for one reason or another because we all know I'm good at that. He is an amazing man and anyone who knows him is better off for it.<br />
He always somehow knows when I need that email or text or phone call to brighten my day.<br />
We have had our "better" and we have had our "worse" and we survived and I KNOW he loves me and for that I am always going to be grateful.<br />
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These are some of the things that I am grateful for and I am thankful for them 365 days a year.<br />
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<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-70575867127659060612012-10-20T18:32:00.000-07:002012-12-27T19:50:52.857-07:00Beauty Boxes for OctoberLet me start by saying I was pretty disappointed with all 3 boxes this month but it was easy to pick a winner.<br />
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<a href="http://ipsy.com/" target="_blank">ipsy</a> (formally known as MyGlam) came first. I'm pretty sure this was my favorite out of the month.<br />
First off, it came in this sassy little makeup bag. I usually give these away but I'm keeping this one!<br />
<a href="https://www.thebalm.com/" target="_blank">the Balm</a> - mascara<br />
<a href="http://www.mirenesse.com/" target="_blank">mirenesse</a> - lip bomb lacquer stain<br />
<a href="http://www.couturecolour.com/" target="_blank">Couture Colour</a> - pequi oil treatement<br />
<a href="http://beabombshellcosmetics.com/" target="_blank">be a bombshell</a> - eye liner<br />
<a href="http://www.coastalscents.com/" target="_blank">Coastal Scents</a> - eye shadows<br />
I'm actually looking forward to trying (almost) everything in this months package, especially the stain!<br />
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<a href="https://www.birchbox.com/" target="_blank">BirchBox</a> was next and I'm usually happy with them but this month was a frackin joke. Seriously.<br />
A <a href="http://www.lunabar.com/" target="_blank">Luna bar</a> (that I ate while looking at everything). I like Luna bars but seriously? How is this a beauty product/sample?<br />
<a href="http://www.illumecandles.com/" target="_blank">Illume</a> - red cedar candle. This smells heavenly. I might order a larger one.<br />
<a href="http://www.jouercosmetics.com/" target="_blank">Jouer</a> - Lip Enhance<br />
<a href="http://www.kiehls.com/" target="_blank">Kiehl's</a> - Rosa Arctica Eye brightening eye balm<br />
<a href="http://www.supergoop.com/" target="_blank">Supergoop</a> - City Sunscreen Serum<br />
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Seriously, the only thing in that package that was worth opening was the Luna Bar. /sadface<br />
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<a href="https://www.beautybox5.com/home.php?key=5004a512ab732" target="_blank">Beauty Box 5</a> was last and was "meh"... I'll use maybe 2 of these products and put the rest in a listia auction.<br />
<a href="http://www.margania.com/" target="_blank">Margania</a> - pure argan oil</div>
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<a href="https://www.citylips.com/" target="_blank">City Lips</a> - lip plumper. I'll try this. I already have "big lips" but I am addicted to plumpers!</div>
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<a href="http://www.showstopshop.com/" target="_blank">ShowStoppers</a> - fashion tape</div>
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<a href="http://www.goathausdairy.com/" target="_blank">Goat Haus Dairy</a> - lip balm - again. Addicted to lip products. I'll give this a try!</div>
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<a href="http://furlesse.com/" target="_blank">Furlesse</a> - elevens (relaxes your "11's" aka frown lines in a natural way - whatever that means... I don't have that ... yet)</div>
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<a href="http://www.lashcard.com/" target="_blank">Lash Card</a> - I guess this keeps you from getting mascara everywhere? How about not being a slob? I don't know, I never really have this problem so... meh</div>
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So that's it people. 3 boxes of 'meh'... I'll have to rate ipsy the best box of the month and BirchBox a CLEAR loser. </div>
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<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-87737752688484859822012-10-08T20:03:00.001-07:002012-12-27T17:07:22.890-07:00Crockpot Mexican Soup/StewI know that it's been awhile since I've posted a recipe. Now that I look at it, it's been awhile since I've posted anything. Sorry! I've been busy and other than painting my nails, I haven't really been up to anything blog post worthy. I also haven't really been trying new recipes so I haven't had much to post food wise.<br />
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That being said, I have a new one to post! Gary is going TDY for 2 weeks to Florida. He's leaving on Saturday so this was our last weekend together for the month. Since today was Columbus Day he didn't have to work so we took advantage of this and went to see "Taken 2". It was fabulous. There were a few obnoxious people in the theater but I took a Klonopin before we left, so I didn't feel all stabby stabby.<br />
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I prepared this meal this morning and turned on the crockpot on our way out the door so that dinner was ready a short while after getting home from the movies.<br />
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I did take this recipe from Paleomg and her recipe also calls for cilantro lime "rice" (which is made with mashed cauliflower for those not familiar with Paleo). Gary doesn't like paleo "rice" AT ALL and I didn't feel like making it just for me. SO, if you want the ENTIRE recipe, including the "rice"... it's <a href="http://paleomg.com/crockpot-mexican-chicken-soupstew-over-cilantro-lime-rice/" target="_blank">right here</a>. :)<br />
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<b>You're going to need:</b><br />
1 TBS olive oil<br />
1lb chicken breast (I actually used 1.5 because, well I just did)<br />
1/2 of chicken broth (I used an entire cup and next time I"ll probably use 2 cups)<br />
1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes<br />
1 yellow onion slivered<br />
1/2 a jar of roasted red peppers (I used a 12oz jar)<br />
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed with a knife (I used .. double. We love garlic!)<br />
1 TBS chili powder<br />
2 tsp cumin<br />
1 tsp oregano (oops, I must have forgotten this)<br />
1 tsp garlic powder<br />
1 tsp onion powder (I added this on my own)<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
pepper, to taste (oops, forgot this too)<br />
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Take all of the above... throw it in your crockpot. BUT be warned, if you throw it and miss and make a mess, I'm not coming over to clean that crap up.<br />
Mix it all up and cook it on high for about 4 hours. <br />
Once it's done shred the chicken up with 2 forks or whatever and serve it. <br />
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This is deeeeliiiiiciiiooouuuuusss!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-43179185067114090782012-10-03T09:06:00.000-07:002012-10-03T09:06:43.096-07:00It's that time of year...Well, even though Phoenix doesn't officially have a fall, I like to do "fall cleaning" right before I set up my house for autumn decorations and then Christmas decorations a few weeks later.<br />
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Gary is going TDY to Florida for 2 weeks (leaving on 10/13) and I thought this would be the PERFECT time for me to get this cleaning done. It will help kill time and all the clutter that has been building up and driving me BONKERS will be gone! I try to do one room a day to keep myself from wearing out (gotta love Fibro) and if I'm feeling good after one room, I just move on to the next room. I actually have a cleaning list that I print out on a monthly basis that has me cleaning one room a day each day of the week but I tend to fall behind on that one thus the need for a fall cleaning!<br />
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I know that I've posted these PDFs before but I thought I would share them again.<br />I have a girlfriend who uses these "lists" to keep her house in immaculate order. They include organization for everything from cleaning to grocery shopping to keeping bills in order. There is even a few blank calendars that you can print out. There is even a vacation and packing planner. They're amazing<b>. </b>When I saw them, I knew I had to have them and she was nice enough to share!<br /><br />Here are a few examples of what she sent me:<br /><br />
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Like I said, these are amazing. If you'd like copies just send me your email address over <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rachelcdoyle" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or through <a href="mailto:rachelcdoyle@gmail.com" target="_blank">email</a> and I'll pop them in the (e)mail for you ASAP. If you are already mostly organized or really need to GET organized these are the files for you! </div>
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Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-9050530240661460662012-09-20T21:14:00.001-07:002012-09-21T07:05:21.933-07:00Meet Toni<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29EIzMTOnUlWmlMk_PycHgx9tnfbGKpf_wOckFS3UHKtaJdEEVTakVetZHnWCJmYkSKVj2v3kqhCVnwnGFQt6BMUG-v4VICc9YQ63ZPtORJdQP5WiWXeqJqedlBXrSS54WYrqJiRE5dbJ/s1600/nails092012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29EIzMTOnUlWmlMk_PycHgx9tnfbGKpf_wOckFS3UHKtaJdEEVTakVetZHnWCJmYkSKVj2v3kqhCVnwnGFQt6BMUG-v4VICc9YQ63ZPtORJdQP5WiWXeqJqedlBXrSS54WYrqJiRE5dbJ/s320/nails092012.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
So, this is Toni. I was SO excited to order and get this color FINALLY... and it was a real let down. I mean it's a pretty color and all, but WAY more purple than I thought it would be. I don't have a problem with purple, but when I'm expecting a brown and get a purple I get all sad face. <br />
But, I did decide to use it anyway. I chopped my nails off last night and painted them this afternoon, right before a 1.5 hour nap. Yes, I know, I lead a fun filled life. My excuse is that I had knee injections today and I really just wanted to relax this afternoon.<br />
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<a href="http://www.opi.com/" target="_blank">OPI</a> Chip Skip<br />
<a href="http://julep.com/?r=23267396%20" target="_blank">Julep</a> - Toni<br />
<a href="http://seche.com/products/product-83005.html" target="_blank">Seche Vite</a> - top coat<br />
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<b>ATTENTION FOOD JUNKIES: I haven't stopped posting recipes, I just haven't really tried anything new that I thought was "share worthy". I've been busy lately and sticking to some golden oldies.... well if you wanna call the last 2 months "oldies".. anyway. I'm going to be looking for new stuff over the weekend so be on the lookout!!! </b>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-43211810994149715202012-09-20T19:54:00.000-07:002012-10-20T17:44:27.117-07:00Beauty Boxes for September!Well, the last box showed up today. While I wasn't blown away by any ONE box, there were products in each one that I'll use or at least pass on to friends who will use them. :)<br /><br />So, in order of them showing up, we're going to start with <a href="http://myglam.com/" target="_blank">MyGlam</a> which is now known as <a href="http://ipsy.com/" target="_blank">ipsy</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC1Lw371TYFU_B4eXE9_u0GnDkGjDxvxcrc3M_su_qQNlareHbzUlxGkKpjsg8ZXD-x03dv4x2iPcCg_AQrcGtf4k9RbpabHA_CRxrHmQcpwviSSURJK-gwBES8JbXI3HoNqxMX3b-aKYC/s1600/myglam_september2012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC1Lw371TYFU_B4eXE9_u0GnDkGjDxvxcrc3M_su_qQNlareHbzUlxGkKpjsg8ZXD-x03dv4x2iPcCg_AQrcGtf4k9RbpabHA_CRxrHmQcpwviSSURJK-gwBES8JbXI3HoNqxMX3b-aKYC/s320/myglam_september2012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.ipsy.com/product/p-h701gjg9gdrf1dv/SOHO/Smudge_Brush" target="_blank">SOHO smudge brush</a> - I'll never use this, I'm pretty set on the brushes that I use.<br />
<a href="http://www.ipsy.com/product/p-h6zcu64zp0sj1hrg/Jane/Sparkle_Gloss" target="_blank">Jane</a> - sparkle gloss. I will use the hell outta this. If you know me, you know I have a huge lipgloss addiction.<br />
<a href="http://www.ipsy.com/product/p-h702g3kod9tn2p5/Circus_by_Andrea%27s_Choice/Nail_Color_%28Tightrope%29" target="_blank">Circus</a> - yet ANOTHER Circus nail polish and this time in a gawd awful purple. The polishes are good and brushes are nice but hello....... some variety would be nice. This is the 4th month in a row!<br /><a href="http://www.ipsy.com/product/p-h7033jgybc153k1/Mirabella/Eye_Colour" target="_blank">Mirabella</a> - eye color. I probably won't use this. It's pretty but I use my <a href="https://shop.beauticontrol.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategoriesDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10551&catalogId=10551&cnum=1508951" target="_blank">Beauticontrol</a> eyeshadows and I'm pretty hooked on them.<br />
<a href="http://www.ipsy.com/product/p-h6zczmp39k7m1hyj/Carol%27s_Daughter/Monoi_Repairing_Split_End_Sealer" target="_blank">Carol's Daughter</a> - Split End Sealer. I'll be using THIS the next time I wash and dry my hair. Since I'm growing my hair out, I need all of the help I can get!<br /><br /><a href="https://www.beautybox5.com/home.php?key=5004a512ab732" target="_blank">Beauty Box 5</a> showed up next:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNcX5zzdmOKTXNtxpjuiVQ88c2hV9tLhTvyRsYe8NPg_xQjxjsouYAFsUpmrd_tFUonFIqxUY1gG4nuQ__yW66YilZBiiEe8_AbjWFTXIq5su0xwTaekbV477YHtAdEi3cW9Eeh53dtNk0/s1600/bb5_september2012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNcX5zzdmOKTXNtxpjuiVQ88c2hV9tLhTvyRsYe8NPg_xQjxjsouYAFsUpmrd_tFUonFIqxUY1gG4nuQ__yW66YilZBiiEe8_AbjWFTXIq5su0xwTaekbV477YHtAdEi3cW9Eeh53dtNk0/s320/bb5_september2012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://hwoodbeauty.com/" target="_blank">H.Wood Beauty</a> - Lip Shine... or bright red lipstick. I have a few that I like but I'm NOT a lipstick person. This will go in Melia's stash. She's the one that can pull it off.<br />
<a href="http://www.goathausdairy.com/" target="_blank">Goat Haus Dairy</a> - bath melts. I'll use this too. I take baths now and then and I'm always looking for good bath products. I'm a lush girl at heart but hey, it's free!<br /><a href="http://www.silknaturals.com/" target="_blank">Silk Naturals</a> - eyeshadow... again, nice color but I have my favorites already<br />
<a href="http://www.nastassjaskin.com/products-page" target="_blank">Nastassja Skin</a> - Enzyme Facial Peel. I'm going to give this a try this weekend on my beauty night. I heard it's pretty amazing BUT it's pretty pricey so it's nice to be able to try it first. I was happy to see this.<br />
<a href="http://www.numeproducts.com/" target="_blank">NuMe</a> - Hydro Punch Hydrating Shampoo - They actually gave me enough to be able to wash my hair. Samples are NEVER enough for me. I usually have to pass them on. I don't have one shampoo brand that I like to stick to, in fact I like to rotate them out so that my hair doesn't get build up. I'll use this tonight. PLUS they gave me a $100 off coupon and the shampoo is only $25! I'm going shopping! :D<br />
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<a href="https://www.birchbox.com/" target="_blank">BirchBox</a> showed up today:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4D5h20LUMhpm34pYUusLH_Bs2qTUs7AcYjSiEbJ8evPjJy_nBk0LaZFWezMp1FtF0JD5ZrgCn5D3RmXwYHjLADiZnOc_DLAtPeQKAR_OpajkFrZchM-Bi7TDWCV0YaNHZ_4O_O4jUYOy1/s1600/birchbox_september2012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4D5h20LUMhpm34pYUusLH_Bs2qTUs7AcYjSiEbJ8evPjJy_nBk0LaZFWezMp1FtF0JD5ZrgCn5D3RmXwYHjLADiZnOc_DLAtPeQKAR_OpajkFrZchM-Bi7TDWCV0YaNHZ_4O_O4jUYOy1/s320/birchbox_september2012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Well, "meh"... <br /><a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/bvlgari-mon-jasmin-noir-leau-exquise-eau-de-toilette-nordstrom-exclusive/3275193?origin=category&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=1169" target="_blank">Bvlgari</a> - Mon Jasmin Noir - perfume sample. It kinda smells good and it kinda smells like the Renaissance Festival but not in a sweaty armpit way. <br /><a href="http://www.cosmeticgroup.com/" target="_blank">Color Club</a> - custom polish. I'll probably try it because you know ME, I wanna check out the brush and see if I like it, plus it's a nice sheer gold and sometimes that's just what I'm looking for!<br /><a href="http://www.drjartstore.com/shop/home.php" target="_blank">Dr Jart+</a> - Water Fuse Beauty Balm - apparently it's a moisturizer, serum, sunscreen and tint all in one. I use <a href="https://shop.beauticontrol.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10551&productId=88904&langId=-1" target="_blank">Beauticontrol tinted face lotion</a> though so I'm good. It seems a little dark for me anyway.<br />
<a href="http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=C1QMx2NVbUO2pMu_F8gG0qIHoA9OY_rMC6_6s3CbUlOyFAggAEAEoA1D62K_E-v____8BYMmmxIbEo8gXyAEBqgQiT9BTrHFWxoh1J5VKEzTht6jVPDIOVKubr-BKTnEXF79vfg&sig=AOD64_1fuZUH3Vbt0MmlISAQl408l4oAlw&ved=0CB0Q0Qw&adurl=http://www.fekkai.com/%3Fcm_mmc%3DPPC-GGL-IP-_-frederic%2520fekkai%2520hair%2520products-_-Fekkai%2520-%2520Frederic%2520Fekkai-_-mkwid_swnV42p9s_10294479523_b_frederic%2520fekkai%2520hair%2520products&rct=j&q=Fekkai" target="_blank">Fekkai</a> - Essential Shea Shampoon & Conditioner. OH Fekkai, how I used to love you, then you kinda dumbed down your formula and sold it at Walgreens. It's still pricy, especially for Walgreens, but it's not the same quality it used to be. Their hair gloss is nice though. I do buy that. Regardless, I have way too much hair for the tiny samples they sent. :|<br />
They also included a weird little<a href="http://www.thetwistband.com/" target="_blank"> twistband</a> for you hair... I'll try it when I fast walk tonight.<br />
They also gave me some "<a href="http://www.thebrushguard.com/" target="_blank">brush guards</a>" I guess to slip them over your makeup brushes. Those would be nice for when I travel which is OH SO OFTEN (eye roll).<br />
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Well, like I said, none of them blew me away. I didn't hate any of them but Beauty Box 5 had the most samples that I would actually use so THEY WIN for September! :)<br />
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<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-36795115544462399262012-09-15T13:46:00.000-07:002012-09-15T13:46:20.144-07:00Paleo Chicken Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhffL6zMrRKz1hiGvFEZytbgSZkBwnzpXfjKfjVRvu3FIl8B4vZd4kzYkBxRUQUDcsHuOjN0UClEXfWKCdr1ZXHy_sRTX7v8IG9mxv-gHPPuLV9PwLdqK_lz0yTGPh48YLKmIz05NKPZiYh/s1600/Paleo+Chicken+Soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhffL6zMrRKz1hiGvFEZytbgSZkBwnzpXfjKfjVRvu3FIl8B4vZd4kzYkBxRUQUDcsHuOjN0UClEXfWKCdr1ZXHy_sRTX7v8IG9mxv-gHPPuLV9PwLdqK_lz0yTGPh48YLKmIz05NKPZiYh/s1600/Paleo+Chicken+Soup.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
This weekend is "cooking weekend". I was in the mood so I'm making <a href="http://shinyhappyrachel.blogspot.com/2012/08/enchilada-chicken-stew.html" target="_blank">Chicken Enchilada Stew</a>, <a href="http://shinyhappyrachel.blogspot.com/2012/08/paleo-gluten-free-bread.html" target="_blank">bread</a> for Gary, a new salmon recipe because I have to cook what's in the fridge before it goes bad plus I've been craving chicken noodle soup all freaking week. SO MUCH so, that I broke Paleo law and ate a little bit last night... noodles and all! It, however, did not one little bit curb my craving. I went on a google spree and came up with this site. <a href="http://jeffscrazyidea.com/" target="_blank">Jeff's Crazy Idea</a>. I didn't have much time to do any reading, other than the recipe, but I'm assuming his crazy idea was to go Paleo. I should probably read more because our story could be called "Gary mentioned it and Rachel went crazy"... SO, mine is still simmering so I stole his picture and I'm really sorry, I feel horrible about it but right now my camera is crap anyway. :(<br /><br />I did a few things differently or "Rachel's way" so here goes. <br /><br /><b>You're going to need:</b><br />2 tablespoons of bacon grease<br />2 garlic cloves<br />1 large onion chopped<br />2 cartons (1L each) of chicken stock. <br />4 cups of chopped celery<br />4 cups of chopped carrots<br />2 Tablespoons of Italian Seasoning <br />4-6 chicken breasts cooked <br />1 teaspoon of sea salt <br />1 teaspoon of black pepper<br />
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<b>Let's get started!</b><br />
Starting with the chicken. Jeff's wife (?) boiled hers which, as I've recently learned, is the healthiest way to prepare chicken. I didn't feel like boiling though so what I did was generously season 4 FULL chicken breasts with sea salt and white pepper. I never add salt and pepper to dishes, mostly because I forget, and this way you don't have bland chicken chunks in your soup.<br />
While my chicken was cooking, I started in on the bacon grease. Now, I guess you COULD use a different fat but when someone (especially in a Paleo recipe) says "use bacon fat" I'M ON THAT LIKE A FAT KID ON CAKE because there HAS to be a great reason, right? I don't have bacon grease on hand and if you don't just take 5 strips, cook it down (on LOW) in the pot that you're going to make this soup in. It's going to take a little bit, but you don't want to risk burning the bacon because then you have to start over or everything in the soup will taste burnt. :(<br />
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Ok, so your chicken is done and your bacon grease is ready... let's continue!<br /><br />Pour your chicken stock CARFULLY over bacon grease in a pot and place over medium
heat. When broth starts to get warm, add your onions and garlic into the broth.<br />
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Once onions become translucent (about 10 minutes for me), add the celery, carrots, spices and chicken.<br />
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Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for one hour. Stir occasionally.<br />
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I don't usually post recipes before I've cooked and eaten them to avoid posting GARBAGE but this was smelling SO GOOD that I got a head start. Mine should be done in about 30 minutes and I'm going to GRUB for lunch. <br />
Oh, and if the salmon, that I'm making for dinner, turns out tasty, I'll post it tomorrow! :)Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-43525445773721759972012-09-15T13:13:00.000-07:002012-09-15T13:13:07.742-07:00Another 2fer..I'm just cheap this week!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8029/7989288373_637e3afd26_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8029/7989288373_637e3afd26_b.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8029/7989288373_637e3afd26_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>This is from 9/9/12, I've just been too busy to update.<br />
I was waiting on this polish to come in from <a href="http://julep.com/?r=23267396%20" target="_blank">Julep</a> for a long time and it finally showed up. Not that they're slow, I'm just impatient. I've received a LOT of compliments on this color too. It's the first time I've ever used a green and it matches my engagement ring perfectly. It's a keeper.<br />
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<a href="http://www.opi.com/" target="_blank">OPI</a> Chip Skip<br />
<a href="http://julep.com/?r=23267396%20" target="_blank">Julep</a> - Hoch<br />
<a href="http://seche.com/products/product-83005.html" target="_blank">Seche Vite</a> - top coat<br />
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Ok, the polish that I removed to put on this polish was Essie. Essie is a BITCH to get off. I swear, it takes me like 6 jumbo cotton balls and some freaking muscles. Maybe I'm a wimp but anyway, I have found myself avoiding Essie because of this. Well, I was googling one day and came across this link.<br />
I'm not going to type out everything that I did when you can just go look but let me tell you, I'll NEVER remove my nail polish the "conventional" way again. This looks kinda goofy but takes 5 minutes and it got ESSIE off with NO STRUGGLES! "<a href="http://gingerbreadmanne.blogspot.com/2010/09/5-minutes-nail-polish-removal-tutorial.html" target="_blank">5 minutes nail polish removal tutorial</a>"<br />
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This is what I did last night. I don't normally photograph the right hand. It has nothing to do with the fact that I have a 4 year old skin graft. It's mostly because it's kinda awkward using my left hand to take a picture. Anyway!!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.opi.com/" target="_blank">OPI</a> Chip Skip<br />
<a href="http://www.essie.com/" target="_blank">Essie</a> - Marathin<br />
<a href="http://seche.com/products/product-83005.html" target="_blank">Seche Vite</a> - top coat<br />
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<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-90738471387187692492012-09-11T19:42:00.000-07:002012-09-11T19:42:01.031-07:00Two For One Special!!I haven't posted much lately and I do have another nail polish post to put up but I thought I'd do a quickie.<br /><br />We eat a lot of broccoli and asparagus in this household and after I figured out the perfect way to roast them I'll never ever ever ever ever go back to steaming. EVER!<br /><br />Let's start with the <b>Roasted Broccoli</b>.<br />1 bunch of raw broccoli<br />2 TBS of olive oil or coconut oil (I like using lemon or garlic infused olive oil!)<br />1/2 tsp sea salt<br /><br />Wash and cut the broccoli into smaller pieces with long stems<br />Toss the broccoli with the olive oil and salt<br />Spread it out in a baking dish<br />Bake at 400F (204C) for 12-15 minutes until tender and slightly browned.<br />EAT!<br /><br /><b>Roasted Asparagus: </b><br />1 large bundle of asparagus (20 to 30 spears)<br />1 TBS coconut oil or olive oil.<br />Sea salt to taste (pepper and thyme too if you want)<br /><br />Wash and remove the tough ends of the asparagus<br />Place in a roasting pan or on a baking sheet<br />Drizzle the oil over the asparagus and toss it around to make sure it gets evenly coated<br />Bake for 10 minutes at 400F (204C) THEN reduce the heat to 250F (121C) and bake for another 15 minutes.<br />Season it up with some salt and pepper!<br />EAT!<br /><br />I'm telling you, this is how we will eat broccoli and asparagus for the rest of our lives... OK GARY? FOREVER!!!!<br /><br />That is all. :)Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-88339020021093571662012-09-01T13:15:00.000-07:002012-09-01T13:15:03.942-07:00Essie Strikes Again!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been a very, very, very, very, very, very busy week.<br />My sis (Melia) started her new job and I volunteered to take the boy child home from school until her training is over. I really don't mind AT ALL but it's made for a busy week.<br />
Anyway, the polish from <a href="http://julep.com/?r=23267396%20" target="_blank">Julep</a> that I had on last week stayed on VERY well. It didn't even wear out on the tips. That means my theory about my nails just being too long was correct. <br />
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I used:<br /><a href="http://www.opi.com/" target="_blank">OPI</a> Chip Skip<br /><a href="http://www.essie.com/" target="_blank">Essie</a> - Yogaga (beige)<br /><a href="http://www.essie.com/" target="_blank">Essie</a> - Boxer Shorts (purple on ring fingers)<br /><a href="http://seche.com/products/product-83005.html" target="_blank">Seche Vite</a> top coat as always.<br />
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Have a fabulous weekend! It's Labor Day weekend. That means Gary is off for 3 days and I think we're just going to be lazy, catch up on Dexter, maybe catch a movie and I have some swaps for <a href="http://www.swap-bot.com/" target="_blank">swap-bot</a> to get together!<br />
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<br /> Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-63602757521962920772012-09-01T11:45:00.000-07:002012-09-02T19:57:35.615-07:00"Sore Throat" Tea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I found this on <a href="https://pinterest.com/" target="_blank">pinterest</a> and decided to give it a try. I like to think that I don't get sick that often but I had a horrible chest cold last September and then in mid-November I got a really bad head cold. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to at least try :)<br />
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Winter sore throat "tea". In a jar, combine lemon slices, organic honey
and sliced ginger. Close jar and put it in the fridge, it will form into
a "jelly". To serve: Spoon jelly into mug and pour boiling water over
it. Store in fridge 2-3 months. (<i>I leave out the ginger, I HATE ginger.</i>)<br />
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UPDATE on 9/2/12: I have since added in fresh, grated ginger to the "jelly" as my sister, Lisa, pointed out that it's probably the most important part. I'm gonna have to "man up" and enjoy ginger. :D<br />
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-3163439190094348192012-08-25T09:25:00.002-07:002012-08-25T09:32:41.598-07:00Butter Poached Salmon with Warm Tomato RelishBefore you start hollering... we did use a cheat last night because I just didn't think I could get the same effect butter gives you with coconut or olive oil. I used grass-fed, happy cow, organic butter. :P<br />
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I've never been a fish fan which isn't really fair to Gary that I've waited this long to try. He loves fish and other seafood. Ok, let me rephrase, I'm not a cooked fish fan. I love me some sushi!<br />
He was pretty excited that I chose this recipe to prepare. He didn't have to ask me. I found and planned it without even telling him. I wanted to be a surprise.<br />
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Let's begin. First, I prepared enough for 3 meals. 2 servings for Gary (he brings one to work the next day) and 1 for me.<br />
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<b>Tomato Relish</b><br />
1 small red onion, sliced<br />
2 medium tomatoes, diced<br />
1/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced *<br />
3 tablespoons capers *<br />
2 tablespoons grass fed butter<br />
Fresh ground pepper to taste<br />
<b>Salmon</b><br />
3 filets , skin on<br />
2 tablespoons of butter per filet<br />
Sea salt and black pepper<b></b><br />
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In a small saute pan melt the butter over medium heat, add the onions and cook until the onions begin to caramelize. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. The recipe says this is enough relish for 5 filets <b>BUT</b> * <i>I didn't use the capers or the olives because Gary doesn't like them. I used an extra tomato.</i><br />
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For the salmon: The amount of butter that you use depends on how many filets you prepare. You will use 2 tablespoons of butter per filet.<br />
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Preheat the oven to 350F (176C). Generously season both sides of the filets with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a small oven proof pan (<i>I didn't do this, I just quickly transferred it to another dish before popping it in the oven)</i>. Anyway, melt the butter until it's hot enough so that when you put the filets in, skin side down, they sizzle. Let them cook for about 3 minutes then you're going to start basting the filets. I used a spoon and continuously basted non stop for 4 minutes. After this, pop your fish in the preheated oven for about 8 or 9 more minutes. I put all 3 filets in a baking dish and poured the butter from the pan over top of them.<br />
The time in the oven depends on how thick your filets are. Mine were average. I used the tail end of the salmon so they were less fatty and a little thinner. <br />
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I served this with an <a href="http://shinyhappyrachel.blogspot.com/2012/07/asparagus-with-mushrooms.html" target="_blank">Asparagus and Mushrooms recipe</a>. I cooked the Asparagus first with the tomato relish, put both aside covered with foil to keep hot and then worked on the fish since the fish didn't have to cook for that long and needed constant attention for half the cooking time. :)<br />
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Enjoy! I know I sure as heck did. I actually DID LIKE IT! I'll prepare this again anytime. Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-28844399709251800462012-08-24T10:55:00.001-07:002012-08-24T10:55:33.857-07:00Julep has not let me down!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As the title says, <a href="http://julep.com/?r=23267396%20" target="_blank">Julep</a> didn't let me down. The ends did wear off a little fast but my nails were LONG and I'm hard on them between cleaning, cooking, typing and texting. I chopped them off last night and repainted a little while ago.<br /><br />First thing I noticed was that the old Julep color came off my nails like butter. Sometimes, I really have to struggle, even soaking them in remover, just to get the damn polish off!<br />Julep comes off the nails really well!<br />
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<a href="http://www.opi.com/" target="_blank">OPI</a> Chip Skip<br />
<a href="http://julep.com/?r=23267396%20" target="_blank">Julep</a> - Claire<br />
<a href="http://seche.com/products/product-83005.html" target="_blank">Seche Vite</a> top coat<br />
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Julep is still running the .01 first month. Use discount code <br /><b>PENNY</b>.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4015384196270003744.post-21420175433251732742012-08-23T11:03:00.000-07:002012-08-23T11:06:00.601-07:00Enchilada Chicken StewMove over "Taco Soup" which incidentally sounds disgusting to me, and even though people swear it tastes like heaven, I just can't bring myself to eat it.<br />
This stew is going to knock your socks off. Again.... thanks <a href="http://paleomg.com/" target="_blank">Juli</a>. I really need to dedicate a post just to her. She has single handedly made Paleo fun... and delicious AND funny, all at the same time. <br />
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I've been meaning to cook this (again) for days now, but me and remembering to START crock pot meals in the morning and not 8 hours later when I'm hungry don't get a long. That being said, I REMEMBERED today.. granted I only had 10 minutes to chop everything up and thaw chicken ... well I guess it's not really that much. Anyway.<br />
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<b>You're going to need:</b><br />
2lbs chicken breasts<br />
1 yellow onion, chopped<br />
1 green bell pepper, chopped<br />
1 (4oz) can of chopped jalapenos<br />
1 (4oz) can of chopped green chiles<br />
2 tablespoons coconut oil<br />
1 (14oz) can of diced tomatoes<br />
1 (7 oz) can tomato sauce<br />
3 garlic cloves, minced<br />
1 tablespoon cumin<br />
1 tablespoon chili powder<br />
2 teaspoons dried oregano<br />
salt and pepper, to taste<br />
bundle of cilantro, to garnish *<br />
avocado, to garnish *<br />
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Get the crockpot out. (Yes, stupid spell check, CROCKPOT is a word!)<br />
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Add in the chicken breasts<br />
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Throw everything else in on top.<br />
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Kinda mix it around with a spoon or something.<br />
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Put on low for 8-10 hours or if you're like me, and didn't remember at 6am, high for 6-8 hours. ;)<br />
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When it's all done, shred the chicken up with a fork or a chicken shredder. Yes, they make meat shredders. My girlfriend, Sandra, has one and I might steal it from her.<br />
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Eat it up after you've garnished. <i>Which brings me to *... we both hate cilantro and I forgot an avocado so unless I get my lazy butt to Frys before dinner we AINT HAVIN' IT!</i>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05197053447688119628noreply@blogger.com3