Arizona State Fair

Sean and I weren't going to go to the AZ State Fair this year, but the last weekend came around and we just couldn't help ourselves. Here are a few photos of our state fair fun.

Fresh squeezed lemonade in a lemon stand, how could anyone resist?

How do I look in pink?

Fried Oreos were just one of the interesting foods we saw at the fair and of course I had to try one.

Happy 1st Birthday Richard!

Birthday Fun! November 18, 2009

Richard's birthday gift, on it's way to San Diego and the cute little monkey tag I made for him.

I can't believe how big he's gotten already, Richard will celebrate his first birthday on the 18th.

Mmmm! Blueberry Pancakes

These were the best blueberry pancakes I've had in a long time, Sean liked them too, minus the blueberries.

Ingredients:

1 cup Skim Milk

3 Egg Whites

3/4 cup Oat Flour or whatever you have on hand

1 tablespoon Raw Sugar

1 tablespoon Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1 cup Fresh or Frozen Blueberries

1. In a medium size bowl mix together milk, egg whites and vanilla.

2. In a smaller bowl mix together flour, sugar and baking powder.

3. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together until just combined, make sure you don't over mix.

4. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

5. Coat a flat bottom pan or griddle with melted butter or cooking spray and heat to medium high.

6. Pour 1/4 C of the batter into the pan and turn the temperature to medium and sprinkle blueberries on top.

7. Cook side one for about 3 minutes, the edges will look dry and there will be a lot of little bubbles when it's time to flip.

8. With a spatula flip that pancake and cook for about 2 more minutes. This side will not take as long to cook.

9. Place pancakes in a warm oven until you're ready to eat.

10. Top with your favorite toppings. I like butter and warm maple syrup, Sean likes honey.

Makes 6 medium sized pancakes

* If you have left over batter store it in the refrigerator in an air tight container, it will last for a few more days.

Happy Birthday Sean!

Sean and I celebrated his 28th birthday yesterday. We started the morning with a homemade breakfast before he went to work, complete with his own grumpy cook (I am not the greatest morning person). After he got home we enjoyed a nice steak dinner with twice baked potato and broccoli and watched Stark Trek: The Voyage Home. Even though it was low key we had a great time and I think he really enjoyed it, especially all of the birthday wishes from family and friends. Here are a few pics of Sean's birthday celebration.

Filet Mignon, Twice Baked Potato and Broccoli

Birthday cupcakes for Sean.

Emma enjoying the party.

Fresh or Frozen

I just went to the grocery store today and bought a few bags of frozen veggies. When I got home I was curious to find out if there was a difference between frozen veggies and fresh veggies, I came across this article at Eating Well and thought I would share.

Q. Fresh vs. Frozen Vegetables: Are we giving up nutrition for convenience?

A. Americans typically eat only one-third of the recommended daily intake (three servings instead of nine) of fruits and vegetables, so if you’re in a bind, a vegetable in any form is better than no vegetable at all.

And as winter approaches, fresh produce is limited—or expensive—in much of the country, which forces many of us to turn to canned or frozen options. While canned vegetables tend to lose a lot of nutrients during the preservation process (notable exceptions include tomatoes and pumpkin), frozen vegetables may be even more healthful than some of the fresh produce sold in supermarkets, says Gene Lester, Ph.D., a plant physiologist at the USDA Agricultural Research Center in Weslaco, Texas. Why? Fruits and vegetables chosen for freezing tend to be processed at their peak ripeness, a time when—as a general rule—they are most nutrient-packed.

While the first step of freezing vegetables—blanching them in hot water or steam to kill bacteria and arrest the action of food-degrading enzymes—causes some water-soluble nutrients like vitamin C and the B vitamins to break down or leach out, the subsequent flash-freeze locks the vegetables in a relatively nutrient-rich state.

On the other hand, fruits and vegetables destined to be shipped to the fresh-produce aisles around the country typically are picked before they are ripe, which gives them less time to develop a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals. Outward signs of ripening may still occur, but these vegetables will never have the same nutritive value as if they had been allowed to fully ripen on the vine. In addition, during the long haul from farm to fork, fresh fruits and vegetables are exposed to lots of heat and light, which degrade some nutrients, especially delicate vitamins like C and the B vitamin thiamin.

Bottom line: When vegetables are in-season, buy them fresh and ripe. “Off-season,” frozen vegetables will give you a high concentration of nutrients. Choose packages marked with a USDA “U.S. Fancy” shield, which designates produce of the best size, shape and color; vegetables of this standard also tend to be more nutrient-rich than the lower grades “U.S. No. 1” or “U.S. No. 2.” Eat them soon after purchase: over many months, nutrients in frozen vegetables do inevitably degrade. Finally, steam or microwave rather than boil your produce to minimize the loss of water-soluble vitamins.

Halloween 2009

Sean and I spent Halloween with my mom and stepdad, we had a great time eating Ghoulash, playing Scrabble Slam and handing out candy to the tricker treaters, although there weren't that many.