tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77354227741137955012024-03-05T18:41:29.276-08:00JeanC Reviews...In which I will review what ever I wantJeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-6130134331631856802024-03-03T13:02:00.000-08:002024-03-03T13:09:25.927-08:00Snapdragon Pho - Awesomeness in a microwavable bowl<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">The hubby and I like to shop at Grocery Outlet where we can find quite a deals. Unfortunately, those deals don't always stick around. The stores are outlets for a reason, that being other places needing to get rid of stock. So you won't always be able to find items you love again.</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">When we first saw the <a href="https://snapdragonfood.com/">Snapdragon Pho</a>, we grabbed a couple to give them a try as they were gluten-free. The first flavor was the mushroom, which had a very nice flavor. The hubby tried one and he liked it also. So the next time we went in we bought more. In fact, the next several times we went we kept buying it. Eventually, we bought them out of all the flavors they had. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcuSOvC_p7nejilNz8XzOh-Cqq213JI0qbMHbQM5Fk1LK_6aOAaeHFVp5oRlV1D4vZlBUp71CJKH5z68jwDysmtqvSYWxtuZn9Kpvmq5BXoNYdfqx72Tisgc96qo4glIVPklRnMkIsH3V25kE1TrVYtjpu65EnE-iG2LNjvTFFXYgz7tSkDWY0gHfETuHu/s4032/Pho%2001.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A bowl of Vietnamese pho sits on a kitchen counter with the packets of flavoring, dried vegetables and flavoring oil sitting in front of it." border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcuSOvC_p7nejilNz8XzOh-Cqq213JI0qbMHbQM5Fk1LK_6aOAaeHFVp5oRlV1D4vZlBUp71CJKH5z68jwDysmtqvSYWxtuZn9Kpvmq5BXoNYdfqx72Tisgc96qo4glIVPklRnMkIsH3V25kE1TrVYtjpu65EnE-iG2LNjvTFFXYgz7tSkDWY0gHfETuHu/w640-h480/Pho%2001.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snapdragon Vietnamese beef-flavored pho (photo by author)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>Each bowl has a packet of dried veggies, a flavor packet, and flavoring oil. The oil ranges from mild to hot, depending on your pho flavor.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The look of the Vietnamese pho packets has changed recently. They are a lot more whimsical and fun.<br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsuhrrTrZPrFgI2YrU5le_da4J04UFEJ8AMNnyWkZ8l5ZalxVZOkoYTLzXFkKHRSN7Jd97rL3VXK-FIVGCqS5AfdKQHMcUeAnqch5JqE-ZAW7yJLLhJyyBsYu8l-byNCWCjMWTF37IOGciEB_xBhOufsJ_5QLXaqjjRGktwqVY4MqUBgSWMOOnW0jQFQj/s4032/Pho%2002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Two yellow packets with a stylized dragon in a darker hue sit on a kitchen counter. Both packet have a smaller stylized dragon and the word Snapdragon running on the left side of the packet. The packet on the left has the words Bang, flavor magic and abracadabra on the front. The packet on the right has the words Pow, dried veggies and veggie stardust." border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsuhrrTrZPrFgI2YrU5le_da4J04UFEJ8AMNnyWkZ8l5ZalxVZOkoYTLzXFkKHRSN7Jd97rL3VXK-FIVGCqS5AfdKQHMcUeAnqch5JqE-ZAW7yJLLhJyyBsYu8l-byNCWCjMWTF37IOGciEB_xBhOufsJ_5QLXaqjjRGktwqVY4MqUBgSWMOOnW0jQFQj/w640-h480/Pho%2002.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">photo by author</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Making the pho is easy. Pull back the lid halfway, add the flavor and veggie packets, and then water. If you are using a kettle, pour in the almost boiling water to the fill, put the lid back over, and let it sit for 3-5 minutes until the noodles are tender. Take the lid off, add the oil, and stir. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">For the microwave, they say to take the lid off, but I pull it back halfway. Add the packets and add water to the fill line. Put in the microwave for 2 minutes and then let it sit for 1 minute. Add the oil and stir. I like to keep the lid on while it sits to keep the heat in and let the noodles continue to soften.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lgra5kpqpp8EbQiS0SRgX7Igesr3OtvLbD3Zf2tdRNyAwBB8zncw0gFFtC_Yz5v6_x5wZZZ-AxZFqmBx9KOBEFM-m7Wt44g6Jl42GOoKPuzgplZg-w3_hNnhVgvGtYJqoIuv7Qpz9A-FxW_tYJi6rRStHIdbZCLdeLT_TbSljvEW3yIfjwRsRjo6UVVb/s4032/Pho%2003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A plastic packet with a transparent window filled with a golden oil. At the top of the packet is a small stylized dragon and the word Snapdragon. Below if the word Boom, below that is the words flavor oil. At the bottom are the words warning: may cause awesomeness" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3lgra5kpqpp8EbQiS0SRgX7Igesr3OtvLbD3Zf2tdRNyAwBB8zncw0gFFtC_Yz5v6_x5wZZZ-AxZFqmBx9KOBEFM-m7Wt44g6Jl42GOoKPuzgplZg-w3_hNnhVgvGtYJqoIuv7Qpz9A-FxW_tYJi6rRStHIdbZCLdeLT_TbSljvEW3yIfjwRsRjo6UVVb/w640-h480/Pho%2003.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love a whimsical company (photo by author)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Now hubby can't do a lot of hot, so he's been experimenting with how many drops of flavor oil he can tolerate. I get his leftover oil, I LOVE the heat it gives. There has been a time or two where I ended up with three flavoring packets in one bowl of pho. Talk about heat! But oh so delicious!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">They make a wonderful lunch. <span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rzV7MLGeyD9rtYWsDjJrKeW0mjZA79zfjr8gnOqZm8Uj-rcQjXV64mK2jWiHPZBaqZn0x5Insr1HxpXpQOezG5pMbKVX48BFqaxaYsPFwJtY9MGGfcbypMfUAy3Tu-evoe8CUXIyfHRwVVwCydBV1evCkvf7eghubafYq_dXLCzqzFCfLVa6tNYzP2en/s4032/Pho%2005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A cardboard bowl with rice noodles, soup and a fork." border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rzV7MLGeyD9rtYWsDjJrKeW0mjZA79zfjr8gnOqZm8Uj-rcQjXV64mK2jWiHPZBaqZn0x5Insr1HxpXpQOezG5pMbKVX48BFqaxaYsPFwJtY9MGGfcbypMfUAy3Tu-evoe8CUXIyfHRwVVwCydBV1evCkvf7eghubafYq_dXLCzqzFCfLVa6tNYzP2en/w640-h480/Pho%2005.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div> photo by author</div><br />Every time we are near a Grocery Outlet, we check to see if they have any more. Luckily Costco has had cartons of the Vietnamese Pho in stock every time we've gone in, so we grab one or two. Between what we scoured a Grocery Outlet and Costco, we are well stocked with pho<p></p><div>The company has a <a href="https://snapdragonfood.com/store-locator/">store locator</a> on their website, but even though it lists several stores in our area as having the pho in stock, at least one store listed didn't have any on the shelves. The locator may not always be accurate. We still have a couple more places to check.</div><div><br /></div><div>They do have a <a href="https://amzn.to/49zH1Ec">store on Amazon</a> to buy them online</div>JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-43902487330948638082019-05-27T13:10:00.002-07:002019-05-27T13:12:37.757-07:00a cool new toy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIQ_NMoMP-I-VcHyThhjC3GyyKQO9UXY6CwFrrUCHVx7pSVejuD5Tr6HWAOFNMT9cCMoNNpY76QWapu2zObBAJqglSuwS2UrSSJBPTJLX120h1wx8wr_HqgE3a90NG5u5DIy2G6Nb8-6D/s1600/weedhound01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="863" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPIQ_NMoMP-I-VcHyThhjC3GyyKQO9UXY6CwFrrUCHVx7pSVejuD5Tr6HWAOFNMT9cCMoNNpY76QWapu2zObBAJqglSuwS2UrSSJBPTJLX120h1wx8wr_HqgE3a90NG5u5DIy2G6Nb8-6D/s320/weedhound01.jpg" width="173" /></a></div>
at least new to me. It was my dad's that my mom saved for me when she moved into her condo and didn't need anymore. It's called a Hound Dog Weed Hound and is a nice addition to tackling the thistle in my lawn. While the weather is cool and wet I can't use the vinegar treatment, so this will give me an early start.
It has cool tines at the end that push down and grab the weed and hangs on while you lift the knob and pull up:
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One thing I love is I can pretty much use it one handed as I can't putter about the lawn and stand for too long unaided. It does make for a very nice 2nd cane and lawn aerator since I push it in as I walk along LOL!<br />
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There is a size limit on what you can pull up. Didn't work very well on some bigger clumps of grass that was growing where I didn't want it.<br />
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I don't think they make this one anymore, I've only seen them on eBay. Amazon has one that is really close, called the <a href="https://amzn.to/2woO55G">Worth Garden Stand-Up Weeder and Root Removal Tool </a>.
JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-11966565480147060122019-01-27T15:25:00.000-08:002019-01-27T15:25:27.209-08:00Percival,, erm, um the ECOVACS DEEBOT M80 Pro Robotic Vacuum Cleaner But I call him Percy LOL!<br />
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We picked up the vacuum on a special that was offered and jumped at a chance to try one. We've been looking at the robotic vacs for quite a while now, but have never really been able to justify one. However, physical health issues and the special pushed us to order it.<br />
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The <a href="http://amzn.to/2ufCt57" target="_blank">ECOVACS DEEBOT M80 Pro Robotic Vacuum Cleaner </a>is exactly what we needed. Took a bit once we got it to get things running smoothly, but it was worth having the house vacuumed daily, esp as we have two cats, who while are short haired, shed daily. Not to mention all the small debris we track into the house on the bottom of our shoes.<br />
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The bot comes with a remote that allows you to program and also to run it manually. The phone app can be downloaded and then using the bot and remote sync them all up.<br />
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For most part, we use the phone apps to program and run Percy.<br />
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As mentioned, I named my bot. I'm the type of person who names cars, etc. Robots esp are going to get named, so Percival he is, Percy for short. I even gave him eyes (tho they don't stay on well with crap double sided tape thanks to the bumping he does on his rounds. we'll be going thru quite a few eyes.<br />
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When we first got Percy, I set up his programming for about 2 am. Not a great idea. This is when we discovered that he had issues with throw rugs and anything he could wrap around his brushes and get stuck on. The beeping is REALLY loud at 2 am in the bedroom when you were sound asleep. So we eventually settled for him doing his rounds at 8 pm. Tho when we first had him going in the wee hours, I came out to find him back in bed with a toy:<br />
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Since then we've seen him trundle thru carrying boxes and other things. Still trying to figure out how he got Piglet on top:<br />
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With this particular bot you get mopping tools. It is a plate that you fill with water, has a mop cloth attachment you put on the bottom of the bot and while it vacuums, it mops:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXW8_QSn0vM8cI8MtiMLbMnVnxBYgbRbJPysOTGSqNPkwpcGMJDn79Gu5oBMnQFNaPJbpbrK0JCD6Axj7FiW7uVM4at-I_lBsaLvg8Riuhx30W6hCEekhEX1qkwHTluZtjB1ViLbK2tMR/s1600/20190126_172922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXW8_QSn0vM8cI8MtiMLbMnVnxBYgbRbJPysOTGSqNPkwpcGMJDn79Gu5oBMnQFNaPJbpbrK0JCD6Axj7FiW7uVM4at-I_lBsaLvg8Riuhx30W6hCEekhEX1qkwHTluZtjB1ViLbK2tMR/s320/20190126_172922.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpxgRTYe9BZFuzBxDsN6C22cHHWO_HoIa-HbZeZshTR1DWXxm03htcd13XvyEx6CgJ8jHfQSgNxnNzi6OqkRDodr1sJNTunBV7_Bd9dqTJMrhvOSAMvsxVb7_QHff6jF6I4ivKw-DURfR/s1600/20190126_172700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpxgRTYe9BZFuzBxDsN6C22cHHWO_HoIa-HbZeZshTR1DWXxm03htcd13XvyEx6CgJ8jHfQSgNxnNzi6OqkRDodr1sJNTunBV7_Bd9dqTJMrhvOSAMvsxVb7_QHff6jF6I4ivKw-DURfR/s320/20190126_172700.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After</td></tr>
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<br />The pads are machine washable, so they can go in with regular laundry for next time.<br /><br />
PROS: Once you've set the programming you don't have to worry about it. It is entertaining watching it chase the cats (no really, I swear it deliberately chases Napoleon!). Easy to clean and maintain. The phone app keeps track of the life span of the brushes and filters. Fairly quiet, tho we've gotten good at keeping an ear out when he heads down to the bedroom.<br />
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CONS: If it hits a throw rug just wrong, it gets stuck. It LOVES to snag cables, shoe laces, and anything hanging it can grab. Percy came wandering back into the living room trailing my phone cable that had been plugged in in the bedroom. Small socks and such get sucked up rapidly. You are still going to need to sweep/vacuum in smaller spaces, same with mopping. While running the mop function you have to block off anywhere it can get up on the carpet. Between our kitchen and living room that gets fun.<br />
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All in all, I love my little robot vac. No having to worry about vacuuming every week, esp with physical limitations that make it painful and tiring. We still have our regular vacuums for areas where we won't send in the robot (the office) and vacuuming the furniture and high places. Won't be getting rid of the regular mop anytime so either, as again there are still places the little bot can't get to, but he does make overall cleaning so much easier.<br />
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JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-21582503210734460552019-01-25T18:30:00.000-08:002019-01-25T18:30:10.064-08:00Lance Gluten Free Peanut Butter bite sized sandwich crackers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6eEF_Z4V2ylRc2zekxhyAfXDbR_L8F43kUBgQQpajQsfASXvjthK6JH-y2r_O-D5bTXSTr7akJO46r5gUdoQgrbLmuk79e5TvlaFLzJz4OdBfsjuwV11DuDaP0PNWlST2L7s-eE35Zms/s1600/20180913_124040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6eEF_Z4V2ylRc2zekxhyAfXDbR_L8F43kUBgQQpajQsfASXvjthK6JH-y2r_O-D5bTXSTr7akJO46r5gUdoQgrbLmuk79e5TvlaFLzJz4OdBfsjuwV11DuDaP0PNWlST2L7s-eE35Zms/s320/20180913_124040.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I am seriously addicted to Ritz Bitz peanut butter crackers and have been missing them since going gluten free. I think I have found a suitable replacement for them.<br />
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I miss the buttery flakiness of the Ritz and the <a href="https://amzn.to/2CMflOc" target="_blank">Lance GF peanut butter crackers</a> is very similar. They have a nice salty, buttery flavor that goes well with the peanut butter. The texture of the little sandwich cracker is just about right.<br />
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Like most gluten free products, these are not as inexpensive as the regular name brand, but I found them for a reasonable price of less than $3 a box at my local Winco. I do hope they will be carrying them on a regular basis. Looking them up on the web Walmart sells them, at least thru their website. I have to wander in one day and see if they sell them in the local stores.<br />
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The package lists a serving size as 12 little sandwiches with 5 servings per box, so the pic below shows 1/2 a serving. Problem is, they lied, one serving is the whole 5 ounce box LOL!!!!! Once you start eating it is very hard to stop, they are like Lay's potato chips, you can't each just on (or in this case, just 12). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIq0So-JwcsFLcjqBtsTsKSAKWljiy7gmRhEXfiWW5dWNtebBx_3hGWa4m_AO__fLciVAFMbvyCCkTZrWtDBzMSFT9bwpN4tNcCP3kn00u45DyFFrJMbE9qVLieRvmtA9byhafip-o8-bJ/s1600/20180913_124130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIq0So-JwcsFLcjqBtsTsKSAKWljiy7gmRhEXfiWW5dWNtebBx_3hGWa4m_AO__fLciVAFMbvyCCkTZrWtDBzMSFT9bwpN4tNcCP3kn00u45DyFFrJMbE9qVLieRvmtA9byhafip-o8-bJ/s320/20180913_124130.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I will definitely be putting these on my buy on a fairly regular basis and will be giving the cheddar cheese sandwich crackers a try, tho peanut butter crackers will always be my favorite.JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-62140279101312468002017-05-10T17:27:00.000-07:002017-05-10T17:27:00.189-07:00Firework OreosWhen I first heard about Oreos with popping candy in them I thought it was an internet joke, but it turned out to be true.<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2q4NXFR">Firework Oreos</a> with pop rock equivalent. That to me was a challenge I had to accept, even tho it is not the wisest thing for me to do (gluten intolerant). But I had to.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIx-TudwZgdoepfW2fdQTVK7jWWp4nCh6RwvJCy7jhS78XmaTB6W5hN-_9kK6alarwAdt4LUdwq6F4t9i0Q8EhRjb0XHIFkxwqK8jCuMA9YNYOZu5bsvq99B60UvOK0EdTu_EksoXU2vk2/s1600/34418585002_b811dc3e0d_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIx-TudwZgdoepfW2fdQTVK7jWWp4nCh6RwvJCy7jhS78XmaTB6W5hN-_9kK6alarwAdt4LUdwq6F4t9i0Q8EhRjb0XHIFkxwqK8jCuMA9YNYOZu5bsvq99B60UvOK0EdTu_EksoXU2vk2/s320/34418585002_b811dc3e0d_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Picked up a package at Winco when I stopped to pick up a few items I needed for dinner. The package is 10.7 oz (303 g) for a bit less that $3.00, so price isn't too bad since it is a limited edition cookie flavor.<br />
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Waited a day before trying them, so brought them to work to try them when I went to lunch. Opened the package and slide out the tray (yes there is an easy open on the front, but I like sliding them out of the package the old fashioned way LOL!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWOK-MoPJzMSLIZfuiMqZZqFYOndwLGFuuE_xXQFBAtD2xnjmGdXUAZHt7V3lcsQTrLPng4tJhA5xpaMerGHARhGzFeHMhAepGU7hFFTjossLxFej20ghyphenhyphensxXPDgMG9MCv9bUyS4m8Pnk/s1600/34539209456_a1ac0ff615_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWOK-MoPJzMSLIZfuiMqZZqFYOndwLGFuuE_xXQFBAtD2xnjmGdXUAZHt7V3lcsQTrLPng4tJhA5xpaMerGHARhGzFeHMhAepGU7hFFTjossLxFej20ghyphenhyphensxXPDgMG9MCv9bUyS4m8Pnk/s320/34539209456_a1ac0ff615_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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At first look they look fine, with little teeny, tiny specks of the popping candy. Tho they do look a wee bit too small. I wondered if there would be a satisfying pop at all.<br />
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Twisted off one cookie (it was the filling I was going for in the first place and I needed to cut down the contamination as much as I could from the cookie. I can handle small amounts, but while I was being a stupid in this case, I wasn't going to be a total idiot. Besides, the cookie of an Oreo is always an Oreo cookie).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQNBtKpTUNXIat2xzbyX8lNA9oMkQiRA27yeZyBvMLTufrhZ01AxYOsmWH8ax5vxFEjIOyw1D40TIhpKKbmrmvxEtOeexaOVok5ZD4L11Jl8u6sF_02fGlBN_iTvhOQrTl20f-lcb-r43/s1600/34580437035_a9dc39ebf0_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQNBtKpTUNXIat2xzbyX8lNA9oMkQiRA27yeZyBvMLTufrhZ01AxYOsmWH8ax5vxFEjIOyw1D40TIhpKKbmrmvxEtOeexaOVok5ZD4L11Jl8u6sF_02fGlBN_iTvhOQrTl20f-lcb-r43/s320/34580437035_a9dc39ebf0_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Still pretty small speckles. But the filling lifted off the cookie nicely and I popped it in my mouth.<br />
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Tasted like Oreo filling, pretty good. A little gritty texture from the candy, but no POP! like I was hoping. Nothing really happened until it was almost gone and then the little sizzle there was was kind of an afterthought :(<br />
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Tried a few more, but still the same result. Was pretty underwhelmed with the reaction of the candy in the filling. If I hadn't been looking for it, I never would have known there was some fizzy to it. It was pretty MEH!<br />
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Could it be improved? I think so, bigger pieces of popping candy would be a good start. If you remember <a href="http://amzn.to/2q7aiB8">Pop Rocks</a>, while they aren't huge, the pieces are big enough to produce a satisfying pop when you eat them. Even the smaller bits are good if there is quite a few of them together. But that satisfying pop just isn't in these cookies.<br />
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I brought the rest down for our student workers to have a treat. If I were to have the urge for something like this again I would probably just whip up a batch of knock off filling and mix in several packets of real Pop Rocks and enjoy.<br />
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<br />JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-49877998558888668882017-03-24T18:14:00.001-07:002017-03-24T18:17:53.618-07:00The Relic (1997)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZA3v16uCK8TgOE9qX1NdZI0JWfyCK5CpwxwhaW7a_PHCN7cuNvuA7I_yDCNGVru4PZaUqtbArqMp4p2MWbZm5f9pNqrKFV0FuLanIUdstJcCBYS5AbOwkV0lOAcdZvg_j0Y1mRQtuF9k5/s1600/therelic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZA3v16uCK8TgOE9qX1NdZI0JWfyCK5CpwxwhaW7a_PHCN7cuNvuA7I_yDCNGVru4PZaUqtbArqMp4p2MWbZm5f9pNqrKFV0FuLanIUdstJcCBYS5AbOwkV0lOAcdZvg_j0Y1mRQtuF9k5/s320/therelic.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
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The one really nice thing about cutting the cable is we have a LOT more time to watch movies on Amazon, Netflix, and AcornTV. We have <a href="http://amzn.to/2nfyU9i">Amazon Prime</a>, so are able to watch a lot for free and we take advantage of that as much as possible.<br />
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Last night we watched <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120004/?ref_=nv_sr_1">The Relic</a> with Tom Sizemore and Penelope Ann Miller, based on the book by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.
I have read all the Agent Pendergast novels, of which The Relic is the first in the series, so I had some serious doubts about a movie adaptation that didn't have Aloysius Pendergast as the main character. Not too mention all the interactions between various characters along with getting to know Agent Pendergast. I was pleasantly surprised at how well they did with the basic story line.<br />
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They rolled the character of Pendergast in with that of Lt. Vincent D'Agosta, but kept D'Agosta pretty much as is and just gave him most of Pendergasts' lines when needed. Tom Sizemore did a pretty good job at playing D'Agosta, pretty close to how I imagined him from reading the books.<br />
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I didn't quite care for the actress who played Margo Green. Penelope Ann Miller is a fair actress, but didn't come close enough to the character for my tastes. Most likely the script writers just didn't quite get the character as she is in the book as I like her.<br />
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The setting has been changed from New York to Chicago, but that isn't a problem as they both have very similar natural history museums where quite of the movie takes place. A lot of the plots between assorted characters have been dropped to focus on the main story line, which is about what is killing people and is now creeping thru the Chicago Museum of Natural History.<br />
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While a lot of monster/horror movies are right up front about the creature, The Relic makes very good use of shadows, hints and mood to keep you wondering about what it is. The amount of gore and blood is not over done and most of the usual "surprises" were very well done.<br />
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The movie starts out with an intense scene around a camp fire in South America with an anthropologist who looks to be getting more than he's bargained for when he went in search of ancient South America gods.<br />
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We then move to a port where he has several crates of artifacts that he is shipping back to Chicago, but is extremely anxious to get them back. He sneaks aboard the ship to find them, but comes up empty handed.<br />
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The movie then travels to Chicago where we meet Lt D'Agosta who is investigating a ship that had sailed up from South America that was found drifting out on the Great Lake and the crew missing. Needless to say, he and his partner find out where they went.<br />
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In the meantime we move to the museum, where we meet Dr Margo Green, who is a research scientist in need of a grant, or else her project comes to an end. She is head to head in competition with another researcher who is anxious to get the grant she needs.<br />
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She goes into the office of Dr Whitney, our anthropologist from the beginning of the movie and is kind of caught in the act of peeking into the crates he had sent from South America, but had been put on another ship. Inside of one she finds it full of nothing but leaves with what look like eggs of some sort on them. Wondering why there was nothing else, they unpack the 2nd crate and send the artifacts to be cataloged and cleaned up. The leave and crates are considered contaminated and sent to be incinerated. Dr Green grabs a few leaves with the eggs as she is very intrigued with what they could be.<br />
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From that point things get more interesting, bloody and quite tense (I did mention that they made very good use of shadows, hints and mood). Lt D'Agosta arrives at the museum to investigate the gruesome murder of a security guard, while Dr Green starts DNA testing on the eggs and a beetle with a desire to attack her. Thank goodness for dense science books!<br />
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All the while the museum is gearing up to host a big gala for the donors with some of the artifacts Dr Whitney has sent back along with other exhibits on superstitions and ancient gods. Honored guests will be the mayor and his wife, along with the benefactors who age giving out the grant that Dr Green is anxious to get.<br />
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(Okay, I am sure we all see a predictable plot point here, but is is a good one.)<br />
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D'Agosta is not going to let the gala go on until they catch the killer, so when they find who they think they did it, he still isn't convinced. There have been a number a nagging little details about the whole thing that he can't quite put his finger on. Like the fact the killer seems to have a particular fondness for a certain part of the human brain. Needless to say, he wants to postpone the gala, but he is overridden by the mayor.<br />
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(Do these people EVER watch or read horror movies/novels! LISTEN to the hero when they say there is something not right!)<br />
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So, the gala goes ahead that night as planned. D'Agosta is definitely convinced they didn't get their guy and puts his people into place. The museum security guy thinks D'Agosta is wrong, but puts his own measures into place. The prestigious guests arrive.......<br />
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I'm going to leave it right there. By this point I noticed that my hubby was watching the movie and he isn't a fan of the genre. I'm ready to crawl up to the ceiling I am getting that into the movie (I repeat, shadows, hints, even bigger hints and mood setting) is making for serious edge of the seat viewing. At this point the action becomes a roller coaster and one should make sure their seat belt is fastened.<br />
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I gave the movie a solid 8 out of 10 on the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/">IMDb</a>. There is quite a bit in regards to science and technology to quibble about. DNA sequencing takes a a lot more time than they did in the movie, but for the sake of the movie and action I forgive them taking liberties like that. Think about it, if horror movies actually went the pace of real life, they would be dead boring.<br />
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If you think about this movie without thinking about the books it is based on, it is a very good movie. A solid, entertaining monster movie that delivers what it promises at the end.<br />
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Do I wish they had included Agent Pendergast, yes, but then again, that character is so complex and deep that a 2 hour movie simply would not do him justice. With the rise of original series and movies on Netflix and Amazon it would be nice if someone took the books and made them into a series. With the improved special effects and a lot of talented production companies out there I would bet they would be a great hit (look at how well Penny Dreadful has been doing).<br />
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Just have to figure out who could possibly play Aloysius Xingu Leng Pendergast and do him justice as he needs to be written true to the books.<br />
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<br />JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-46666838853412056642017-03-21T21:13:00.000-07:002017-03-21T21:13:00.334-07:00Stanley J5C09 1000 Peak Amp Jump Starter with Compressor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_5mzGQuWRHjzWVPZXVO61kDd_JN9sDgAgLyINX5vOZHhBfdgv1NkgFIeXh3_jKL0ccHSz6u308jLpV3umls1WgnISdIpWa1cNhvh8XxvtPEl4GI6hOGai8m26HRAnoSkPaodDxWI6I8E/s1600/stanleyjumpit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_5mzGQuWRHjzWVPZXVO61kDd_JN9sDgAgLyINX5vOZHhBfdgv1NkgFIeXh3_jKL0ccHSz6u308jLpV3umls1WgnISdIpWa1cNhvh8XxvtPEl4GI6hOGai8m26HRAnoSkPaodDxWI6I8E/s320/stanleyjumpit.jpg" width="271" /></a></div>
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With the unreliability of the battery in the truck we picked up a <a href="http://amzn.to/2n8kglV">Stanley J5C09 1000 Peak Amp Jump Starter with Compressor</a> to keep in the truck. I have found it has come in quite handy on several occasions, including yesterday.<br />
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Usually we can get a jump from someone (either some nice person driving by or call the service the University has that is very handy), call a friend or one of us brings the other car, but there are times when it is just me and there isn't anyone available and I really don't want to call road service. If the battery is flat at home, I could take the car and leave the truck with hubby to throw the battery on the charger.<br />
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The day Thanksgiving break started this last year the battery was flat when I got off work (of course it did, I was starting a weeks vacation). Hubby had taken some medication that said he wasn't driving and I didn't want to call a friend to come in from out of town. So I called the service the U has and they showed up. I expected him to jump start the battery with jumper cables, other vehicle, i.e., the old fashioned way. Instead he pulls out a jump starter, hooks it up and in a couple minutes I had a running truck.<br />
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So hubby started researching jump starters as soon as I got home. Eventually he settled on the Stanley and ordered it. Arrived a couple days later and he set it up to charge and then the next time the truck went flat, tested it out. Worked like a charm.<br />
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The instructions are pretty easy to follow and the unit is not too heavy to lift and set in place to attach the cables. Simple turn of the switch to on. Get in the car, turn the ignition and you have vehicle running. <br />
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Hubby had been worried that it wouldn't be powerful enough for our vehicles, but this jump starter has plenty.<br />
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I've always hated jump starting cars. I don't like hooking up the cables, esp when they spark. I always back away if someone else is starting the vehicle since I am paranoid about exploding batteries (40 some odd years of car emergency horror stories will do that to a person) and I don't want to be in the blast zone. <br />
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Not with the jump starter. I think nothing of it when hooking it up and then getting the truck started. When the vehicle is going, I simply switch it off, remove the clamps and clamp them to their designated spot on the jump starter and back into the rig it goes.
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I am so glad we bought the jump starter and have suggested to everyone we meet that having one in their vehicles is a great idea.<br />
<br />JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-10262187526430355512017-03-13T20:43:00.002-07:002017-03-13T20:43:49.460-07:00OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline SlicerA couple of years back I decided to invest in a good v-slicer. I'd been using some cheap ones, but they only sliced one thickness and I wanted more flexibility. So I picked up an <a href="http://amzn.to/2n2R8NE">OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline Slicer</a> and have been very happy with it ever since.<br />
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The slicer comes with 3 different blades that change in and out easily. You can make straight cuts, crinkle cuts or julienne and the slicer can adjust to 1.5mm, 3mm, 4.5mm and 6mm thicknesses, so you could make potato chips thick or thin.<br />
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I like to make scalloped potatoes and used to slice the potatoes by hand. I would end up with slices of various degrees of thickness and a cramp in my hand from holding the knife. The slicer makes quick work of the potatoes. The food holder is comfortable in my hand and the only time I have ever sliced my self of the VERY sharp blades was when I wasn't paying attention while dismantling it for cleaning.<br />
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There usually is a small bit left on the holder when done that needs to be sliced by hand, but that isn't much of a problem.
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I really use it during summer squash season, especially when I fire up my gas grill. I have a cast iron griddle I like to use for veggies and having them sliced uniformly makes cooking them perfect.<br />
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When I have a bumper crop of zucchini and squash the v-slicer gives me the perfect thickness to dehydrate. I like to toss them in some sort of seasoning or dry ranch dressing mix and make chips out of them. A nice tasty snack that I grew myself.<br />
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As I mentioned, the slicer has 3 interchangeable blades that are VERY sharp. They also store quite nicely in the slicer itself and the slicer folds and locks for easy storage. It is also very easy to dismantle and put in the dishwasher for cleaning.<br />
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I would very much recommend this slicer to anyone who is looking into one. Are there better ones out there? Probably, but they tend to be more of a professional quality that comes with a price tag that I really can't justify paying for what I use it for.<br />
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What I need is a good, dependable v-blade mandoline slicer that is sturdy enough to handle what I need, doesn't cost an arm and a leg, comes from a company I trust and something I really want to use because if works and feels good. So this is it.JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-22158523084814284642017-02-25T23:24:00.001-08:002017-03-12T11:43:21.921-07:00Instant Pot IP-LUX60 V3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So, we got one of our tax returns back and decided to splurge on a gadget for the kitchen. I have been looking at the <a href="http://amzn.to/2mg50k5">Instant Pots</a> for a while now, a lot of my online friends and fellow foodies have been getting them. I had originally looked at the DUO60 when it was on sale, but we didn't have the money at the time. Seriously glad we waited.<br />
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Hubby was going to surprise me, but realized he wasn't sure which pot I wanted, so had to ask. Like I said, looked at the DUO60, but it wasn't on sale, but the IP-LUX50 was and I had decided the LUX was just what I needed (no intention of doing yogurt and such, so don't really need the low pressure setting). The I noticed there was a new model that not only had everything I wanted, but some new extra setting AND was a 6 qt, rather than the 5 qt. And only $1 more in cost. So went for that one. Am so glad I did.<br />
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The cooker came with a very nice quick reference guide, a manual and a recipe book to get you started:
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I do RTFM, esp since I am rather scared of pressure cookers in the first place. They highly recommend running a preliminary test to familiarize yourself with the cooker and I did. I highly recommend you do that also if you get a pressure cooker. This test was simply fill the pot 3/4 full and run it under the steam setting for 2 minutes. Not only did it give me a good feel of the way the cooker works, but also finished cleaning any impurities left over from manufacture if there are any (plus I had washed the pot and lit with good soap and hot water).<br />
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The first test I did was brown rice, which I have never been able to get a handle on no matter how many times or methods I tried. Measured out the rice, washed it and into the pot it went with water. Followed the instructions in the little recipe book and I had brown rice even hubby liked (he isn't a big brown rice fan).<br />
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So the next night was the next test. Hubby had texted asking what we were doing for dinner and I said hamburgers. He came back with "in the pressure cooker?" LOL! Funny...wait... <quick google=""> you can't use a pressure cooker to make hamburgers. In this case I made stuffed burgers. Found a recipe and tried it. Into the pressure cooker for a 5 minute cook. When I pulled them out I had big, cheese stuffed balls of meat. They were very tasty and juicy. Hubby quite liked them. I will try it again and play with the timing a bit to see if I can fine tune them. </quick><br />
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<quick google=""> The next test was chicken broth. I popped two rotisserie chicken carcasses in the pot, added a whole onion, quartered, some turmeric infused apple cider vinegar and a chunk of turmeric root. Set up the pot for 120 minutes and waited. The chickens had been lemon pepper, so there was plenty of seasoning from that. </quick><br />
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The lovely aromas coming from the broth while it was cooking was too die for. When it was done I let is release naturally and then opened the vent. There was a LOT of steam still coming off and the smell of chicken broth was enough to make me want to pull the lid off before it finished so I could try it. I did wait and the wait was worth it. Very flavorful and will be fantastic in other dishes.</div>
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Got three lovely bags of stock that are now residing in the freezer for future use.</div>
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My next test was a picnic pork shoulder:
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I had googled several sites for the process, read the recipe book and then set to work prepping the pork. I took the rind off (will use it to make cracklin) and then cut up the pork:<br />
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I then turned on the Instant Pot and pushed the saute button and once it was hot, added some oil and then started adding the chicks of pork that I had sprinkled with salt and pepper. When the pot said "hot" it meant "HOT!" There was some serious sizzling when the meat went in. I browned the meat in 3 batches and set them aside. </div>
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Added a little more oil and then added several generous spoonfuls of minced garlic. The smell was divine. Once that had sauteed a while I added a big of water to loosened the fond on the bottom and then added back the pork and the juices that collected on the plate. Added the rest of the water (1 cup) and a healthy splash of the turmeric infused apple cider vinegar.</div>
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Set the cooker to manual and set the time for 90 minutes. We had to pop out to the store for a bit and when we came back into the house, oh my Goddess the aroma was seriously to die for. Hubby said that was worth the price alone for the cooker.
When it was done I pulled the pork out and it was simply falling off the bone with little effort. Tried a bit and OH MY! Gave hubby a bit and he asked when's dinner LOL! Put the pork in a bowl and I had to use a skimmer as it kept falling apart when using tongs:</div>
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Took very little effort to shred the pork. Hubby had a couple of sandwiches plain with cheese. Decided he needed another and had it with some Longhorn BBQ sauce dribbled on. I had mine in steamed corn tortillas with cheese. NOM!! </div>
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Will be doing one more test this weekend with the slow cooker function. A recipe with chicken, mushrooms and mozzarella cheese. Will saute the mushrooms in the pot, then brown the chicken, add the other ingredients to slow cook for 6 hours. I fully expect it to come out wonderfully based on all the tests I have done so far. </div>
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All in all I am very happy with the IP-LUX60 v3 and can't wait to see what else I can cook in it. Once I am really familiar with it I will teach the hubby how to use it so he can start getting dinner ready before I get home from work. I do foresee it getting a lot of use. </div>
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I have a 6 qt slow cooker I absolutely love, but it I bought it in the mid 80s and I will not be getting rid of it. There are times I have not one slow cooker going, but 1 other, plus I have a 3rd that gets used quite a bit. I will tuck them into storage until I need to use them as I do occasionally do serious batch cooking. </div>
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I just however need to get a deep freeze and a pressure canner to store everything I will be cooking in my new gadget. </div>
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Will I recommend the Instant Pot to friends, oh yeah! Even friends who are not good at cooking may find this appliance to help them make better meals.
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JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-10699226804886385612016-12-13T11:50:00.000-08:002016-12-13T11:50:47.284-08:00Cheetos Extra Flamin' Hot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Came home from work yesterday to find hubby had picked me up a bag of these when he had been in the grocery store. So of course I had to try them.
OH BOY! Yup, they are twice as hot as the regular Flamin' Hot Cheetos. Didn't seem to be at first, but the heat quickly built up. Kinda got a bit painful after a bit, but it was hard to stop eating them. The endorphins went into overtime. The heat stuck around for quite a while and eventually faded.
Will I buy them again? Probably on occasion. The older I get, the more I like spicier foods, but these are a little bit more than I like on a regular basis. When I do get a hankering for something this spicy, I will make sure I have plenty of sour cream based dip on hand to help mitigate the heat.JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-6122920161112802562016-02-23T12:06:00.001-08:002016-02-23T12:08:01.428-08:00Doritos Jacked (Ranch Dipped Hot Wings)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3zzqD6Z77sSSojjzQkRSwJPQNryajwzu74Vmqt3bxb9A8KQES4Axv8fYSWmrF6P19Q0XKokDGW9eX8GHdLYCxDZTgfMkLFmSWyWhVgl1XEQ4vXQzGRq8Bl7NGcC988PXw4wXOA3lFCYn/s1600/24863573315_b82cf7bf21_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3zzqD6Z77sSSojjzQkRSwJPQNryajwzu74Vmqt3bxb9A8KQES4Axv8fYSWmrF6P19Q0XKokDGW9eX8GHdLYCxDZTgfMkLFmSWyWhVgl1XEQ4vXQzGRq8Bl7NGcC988PXw4wXOA3lFCYn/s400/24863573315_b82cf7bf21_k.jpg" /></a></div>
I have been finding I prefer the spicier flavors in chips and such, so when I saw these on special, decided to give them a try.
They are a much hardier chip, thicker and should stand up to thicker dips better than regular Doritos. First bite the flavor of the hot wings comes thru strong. As I nibbled tho I could barely taste any ranch flavor. It was there, but more of a hint then something dipped in ranch.
As with any of the snack chips and such with lots of seasoning on them, you will end up with red fingers and stains on your clothes, so be careful.
I liked them tho, a different heat than some of the other hot and spicy munchies I have tried. I will get them again when the mood strikes, but will also grab some sour cream and make a ranch dip to go with them. JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-51411251701818210082013-01-09T14:27:00.000-08:002013-01-09T14:35:27.075-08:00Franz Bakery Mountain White gluten free bread<a href='http://gan.doubleclick.net/gan_click?lid=41000613802463762&pid=ATVT008&adurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.boncui.com%2Fatvt008.html%3Fmr%3AtrackingCode%3D88C806B1-0176-E111-A36F-001B21BCC0BC%26mr%3AreferralID%3DNA&usg=AFHzDLu2_NLCVZYXiJgLIalP4C0WXU3hcQ&pubid=612471' rel='nofollow'>A Tavola Together Gluten Free Pizza 5 Minute Pizza Dough Mix 4 PACK (Google Affiliate Ad)</a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1jjHTJjsTSODdS-yM095ij6_wfREOQJIGDCTzTW7r2KR_DIWp58mBtX7sULIKqWSjoMPKfqsna8w-9pnUsu9BuN4gdg9lUNSzyMN0vY2rRcmCsBw1OJ2VhGS_4feFfB3vab0uHalXmS7/s1600/mtwhiteGF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="245" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1jjHTJjsTSODdS-yM095ij6_wfREOQJIGDCTzTW7r2KR_DIWp58mBtX7sULIKqWSjoMPKfqsna8w-9pnUsu9BuN4gdg9lUNSzyMN0vY2rRcmCsBw1OJ2VhGS_4feFfB3vab0uHalXmS7/s320/mtwhiteGF.jpg" /></a></div>
Was in my Local Winco the other day to find they have finally stocked <a href="http://franzbakery.com/glutenfree">Franz gluten free breads</a>/
HAPPY HAPPY! JOY JOY!!!!
Since I've already had the 7 grain, grabbed the white to give it a try. I had grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner two nights running and I was in bliss. The white is as good as the 7 grain for holding up to being made into grilled sandwiches.
It also held up wonderfully well as toasted sandwiches;
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These weren't wimpy little light sandwiches, I loaded on the cheese and pepperoni and into the toaster oven they went. The bread was wonderfully toasted and held up to the fillings. Some GF breads tend to crumble, but these didn't.
While the price still gives me pause, I think the bread is definitely worth it. Hubby can still eat regular bread, so the GF is mine, all mine BWAHAHAHAHA!!!
So, between the 7 Grain and the Mountain White I have even more choice for my store bought gluten free bread. I have yet to make a loaf of my own that is as good as this.
I however can't decided with one I like better. They are both totally yummy!
JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-30466901869316954652012-10-22T14:31:00.001-07:002012-10-22T14:33:05.907-07:00Whitebox Pies, Bakery and Cafe'and in specific, their gluten free apple pie!<br />
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We've been driving past this <a href="http://www.whiteboxpiesbakery.com/">little bakery</a> on our way out to North Division in Spokane but we usually were driving by at times we'd either already had lunch/dinner or were on our way to a specific place for said meals.<br />
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So when we were up in Spokane this last weekend visiting my aunt, we were out and about early enough Sunday morning that we wanted a little more coffee and realized we were very near, so we stopped in.<br />
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We got there right at opening and went in. A nice little place, very friendly staff and a big display case:<br />
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I quickly perused the case and saw:<br />
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Gluten free apple pie. They had other gluten free goodies, but it had been so long since I've had apple pie I had to go for it. Besides, what better breakfast, apple pie and coffee LOL!<br />
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MMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!! It was delish! Now, I've made my own pies and made pie crusts that were okay, but this is the pie crust I want to aspire to. It was tasty, tender and my brain went "PIE CRUST!!" The filling was quite yummy too, not too sweet and just the right amount of cinnamon.<br />
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We grabbed a few of the to go menus to give to friends, I am looking forward to trying their sandwiches and pot pies. If they are as good as their pie, I will be in heaven.<br />
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Before we left, I picked up a whole pie to bring home, apple of course. They packed it in a nice box with a pretty ribbon (a nice little touch that makes hubby's and my treat to me extra special)<br />
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The ingredients:<br />
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The pie in its whole glory:<br />
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A slice warmed in the microwave, with a slice or two of cheddar on the side and I have a lovely dessert for this entire week:<br />
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I am SOOOO looking forward to going back and sampling their other wares for review :D<br />
<br />JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-37651862456872217412012-09-21T11:58:00.000-07:002012-11-17T20:40:30.260-08:00Wolf Chili<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One thing I have learned since going gluten free and having to read labels, there are a LOT of products that contain wheat in some form or another. Sometimes I have no idea why, except it is used as a filler or a cheap thickener.<br />
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Had to give up my favorite brand of canned chili because of that, the side effects just weren't worth it. I've been contemplating a brand that doesn't have any wheat, but at over $2 a can, just not in the budget.
So while looking longingly at the canned chili at the grocery store the other day I noticed a brand I hadn't seen before, so I picked it up and read the label.<br />
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No wheat listed.<br />
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Looked at all the flavors, no wheat listed.<br />
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Looked at the price, around $1.40 a can. Okay, more then the 88 cents a can of my former favorite, but definitely less the $2+ a can, so I figured, heck, give it a try.<br />
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I picked the original flavor, wasn't up for trying the spicy flavors. Good call, this was just spicy enough for me.
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While it wasn't bursting with beans and meat (definitely more sauce then beans & meat) like it is pictured on the can, it was very tasty. A nice thick sauce (personally I like a lot of sauce) and as I mentioned, just spicy enough for me. The chili has a nice mouth feel and the meat (there is also soy listed, probably blended with the beef) tasted like beef and also had a good texture.<br />
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Will I buy it again, definitely. While I could probably come up with a good homemade chili of my own (and probably will) it is nice to have a can or two on hand when I don't have any in the freezer or I simply want something a bit different.<br />
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ETA: Thanks to a commenter it was pointed out that there is rolled oats in the ingredients. I'd missed seeing those for some reason. Since the oats haven't been certified GF, can't say it is or not. So I've taken off the gluten free tag. Still a yummy chili, flavor and texture are good. Just iffy on if there is gluten contamination or not.JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-42142846498873630292012-07-27T09:00:00.000-07:002012-10-22T11:37:38.965-07:00Franz 7 grain gluten free bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am forever looking for a good gluten free bread. While I've made some pretty tasty ones at home, for the ultimate sandwich (grilled cheese) I have not found one I truely love.<br />
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While shopping in Lewiston a while back we'd passed the Franz Bakery Outlet and saw they had a sign saying they had gluten free bread. We stopped, but they were out (seems it tends to sell out as fast as they bring it in). So the next time we were there we stopped and they had a few loaves left.
It was priced at $4.98 a loaf, so I only grabbed one. The price is a bit more then I would usually pay, esp since I was used to 89 cent a loaf wheat bread, but I decided I had to try it. I hadn't seen any fresh GF in the stores and the ones they do have, while tasty, are found in the freezer section and are rather small for $5 a loaf.<br />
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The loaf was a hefty 1 lb 2 oz and felt substantial. I couldn't wait to get home to give it a try. Since it was brutally hot that day we opted for dinner of cold cut and cheese sandwiches.<br />
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MMMMM! Still had that slightly not moist enough texture that a lot of GF breads that aren't heavy on the liquid component have, but the flavor was yummy. The 7 grains gave it a nice nutty flavor that went nicely with ham, cheese and Miracle Whip. I had to refrain myself from making sandwiches with the whole loaf and eating it all that night.<br />
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I then took some of the bread and some cheese to wok and made my toasted cheese sandwiches in the toaster oven for work.<br />
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Again, YUM!!! The bread held up to the cheese and toaster over nicely and was very good toasted (another time while at home I broke out the toaster, butter and cinnamon and sugar. Oooooooooo toast! I missed you so!).<br />
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But the ulitmate test was still ahead. Grilled cheese sandwiches, but that had to wait until the weather got cool enough that I wanted to stand over the electric griddle. But the day came and I was ready.<br />
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Out came the bread, sliced American cheese and shredded extra sharp cheddar. Plugged in the griddle and set the temp. Buttered the bread and onto the griddle it went. Then the cheeses and the top slice, buttered of course. And I watched.<br />
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I flipped the sandwiches and MMMMMMMMMM! A lovely golden brown color was appearing on the bread. I waited, flipped again and it was even better. A couple more flips and the sandwiches were done.<br />
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The taste test awaited! Onto the plate and the sandwiches were cut. A moment to snap the pic and then.....
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OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have found the bread that has given me back my beloved grilled cheese sandwiches. I will be buying this as often as I can, in fact, if the budget allows it next time I will buy several loaves to stash in the deep freeze to keep on hand.<br />
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<a href="http://franzbakery.com/">Franz</a> does not list gluten free bread on their website and says in their FAQ that they do not have it. From the looks of it tho their website needs to be updated as their company news items are not current. I haven't seen the GF bread in regular stores, but since we shop in Lewiston often it won't be out of my way to pick it up when I can.<br />
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ETA 10/22/12: Found the Mountain White GF bread at Rosauers on Monroe in Spokane WA. Didn't pick one up as the price point, even on sale, was a bit OUCH! on our budget at the moment. But the product is getting out there and once more people find it and start buying it, the price should hopefully come down.<br />
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<br />JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-29690725292988946282012-06-06T10:22:00.000-07:002012-06-06T10:22:00.317-07:00New Planet GF Off Grid Pale Ale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I picked up and tried <a href="http://newplanetbeer.com/">New Planet Beer's</a> Off the Grid Pale Ale and Oh MY!!! If I didn't know any better I would have said this was a regular wheat beer. A little sweeter perhaps, but the taste and mouth feel was very good. <br />
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I have been missing beer of late and I am glad to have the option of picking up a bottle or two to enjoy on a hot day.JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-21596078122731388562011-11-23T08:00:00.000-08:002011-11-23T08:00:05.171-08:00Moscow Food Co-op ground beef<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg67krhhlCM8cTfQUPdgB6fnLQm2z4gVdiNPimekuQYedn59xCE0epmoRaajbtyJdp5wbjjUXCbyzq0KR9Iq8_98OyAnrAQN26neoPXbPuf51C_n7MnqNzdI1c_-pKKMDq6AMOHkdBTZI5T/s1600/beefburger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg67krhhlCM8cTfQUPdgB6fnLQm2z4gVdiNPimekuQYedn59xCE0epmoRaajbtyJdp5wbjjUXCbyzq0KR9Iq8_98OyAnrAQN26neoPXbPuf51C_n7MnqNzdI1c_-pKKMDq6AMOHkdBTZI5T/s320/beefburger.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We've been hearing about the ground beef at the <a href="http://www.moscowfood.coop/">Moscow Food Co-op</a> for a while and finally decided to give it a try. We usually buy regular ground beef in the BIG packages and never the lean or super lean. We both grew up with ground beef being super cheap and when it went to over $2 a pound we went into sticker shock and have been there ever since.<br />
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Still, we've been wanting to try and buy more local (or as local as we can. I count anything from Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Montana as local) and popped in one evening to buy some. They didn't have any of the family packs out, so the meat counter guy ran tot he back to see about them. While we waited for them to finish a couple up we talked with him about the meat.<br />
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The Co-op gets their meat in a whole muscle and grind it there, none of this grinding it in a big factory and then regrinding it to make it look fresh when it hits the mega mart. By grinding it there they can avoid some of the problems of contaminated ground beef the big processors have. They also get beef from producers that believe in raising the animal in as sustainable and humane way as possible.<br />
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So we get our package and it really isn't that much more expensive then the lean at the mega stores and this was the Co-ops regular ground beef. We took it home and I made up patties and used only a bit of salt and pepper for seasoning. Popped them into the oven on a rack and let them bake (I use a baking sheet and a wire rack to cook burgers on. Regular ground beef has lots of fat and it helps the patties drain as they cook).<br />
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When the burgers were done I added some nice cheddar cheese and onto the buns they went. Handed hubby his and he looked at it, picked it up and siad "I hope I don't like it!". He took a bite and had a resigned look on his face and said "it is wonderful!". LOL!<br />
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He was right. The burger tasted like a hamburger should. The burgers we make with regular mega mart beef is mixed with onion soup mix and a few other seasonings to give them flavor. The burgers from the Co-op beef needed nothing beyond the salt and pepper and probably didn't even need that.<br />
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We will keep getting the cheap stuff form the mega mart, for a lot of my recipes it doesn't matter and the money we save on that means we can treat ourselves to the burger from the Co-op a bit more frequently.JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-51296140884973195332011-11-21T15:00:00.000-08:002011-11-21T15:00:01.309-08:00Sonic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9p8p169fgKvb_odOxj25Bz1QX1ktsFylyaKYFRQ8jdFx6Rt2DLQ_RwEqtUQBFnUFNev9yDVKltayZUplnaV-s7VKAH6XuLNFP_3pJfK7AJCqFSuefmcD3T83AXeEAJYhj8k5EWs54iPhz/s1600/sonic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9p8p169fgKvb_odOxj25Bz1QX1ktsFylyaKYFRQ8jdFx6Rt2DLQ_RwEqtUQBFnUFNev9yDVKltayZUplnaV-s7VKAH6XuLNFP_3pJfK7AJCqFSuefmcD3T83AXeEAJYhj8k5EWs54iPhz/s320/sonic.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
A Sonic opened in Lewiston a while back and we decided to stop off and give them a try. We'd been to the Sonic in Post Falls and enjoyed it so we were pretty sure we would like this one.<br />
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There isn't a lot on the menu I could have unless it was altered in some way and I wasn't int he mood for a bunless burger. They did have hot dogs on the menu and I asked for the blue cheese and bacon dog without the bun:<br />
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Hubby opted for the All American Dog:<br />
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They were both good and hit the spot. I like being able to stay in the car and having a car hop bring out the food. I remember when I was a kid when we went to A&W. I do miss the trays that slipped onto the window, there was just something so cool about that (esp with the root beer came in those nice frosty mugs). <br />
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The person putting together the order didni't think to put in a fork and I forgot to ask. So I had to eat my blue cheese and bacon dog with my fingers (insert little girl giggle here hehehehehe). I will have to remember to either stock the car with plastic forks or remember to ask for one.<br />
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All in all I like Sonic, they have a nice range of food and their shakes are pretty darn tasty.JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-53351080565868827882011-10-13T13:00:00.000-07:002011-10-13T13:00:03.528-07:00Udi's GF Whole Grain hamburger buns<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWpd5dfWhg_hleX9p-TRAuApJmR4nzyd8MN9v25j_evRRAL1VN0h3NkpaoOIaMBtrTCyF8rX5uYBTdWm78sBIk614VC2K0IiznZ-CNCsoZYrOWzieQ1m7lNpCv19bn2mv_mOxWgI0w-chf/s1600/elkburger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWpd5dfWhg_hleX9p-TRAuApJmR4nzyd8MN9v25j_evRRAL1VN0h3NkpaoOIaMBtrTCyF8rX5uYBTdWm78sBIk614VC2K0IiznZ-CNCsoZYrOWzieQ1m7lNpCv19bn2mv_mOxWgI0w-chf/s320/elkburger.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We had a friend give us some ground elk and we decided on burgers for dinner. We stopped at the Co-op to pick up some buns and a couple other things (beef to mix with the elk) and found they had the <a href="http://udisglutenfree.com/view_product/1165//Whole_Grain_Hamburger_Buns">Udi's Whole Grain hamburger buns</a>. I thought this was great as for something as special as elk burgers I needed something other then a standard hamburger bun.<br />
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These buns are more of an artisan bun and have a great texture and flavor. Broiled with a bit of butter and they were perfect with the burger. The flavor of the bun complimented the elk burger and my taste buds were in heaven.<br />
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The price for them was good, less the $4.00 a package. They thaw nicely and don't get soggy.JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-49764687500215736492011-10-06T08:00:00.000-07:002011-10-06T08:47:29.170-07:00Redbridge wheat-free sorghum beer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrE7cRTAqCe-Qtg6eGuGpI9PVIK4R4pGMTEgltbxM4HAYsFvn1EiMvoGL9jsLVD_d-yydtI_ljzhgIYaS5jdh971JaHXSo_lN0c420wOiTkUsdJjQhsmC5gueR1TXo0pR0cvGIefd__G_/s1600/redbridge1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrE7cRTAqCe-Qtg6eGuGpI9PVIK4R4pGMTEgltbxM4HAYsFvn1EiMvoGL9jsLVD_d-yydtI_ljzhgIYaS5jdh971JaHXSo_lN0c420wOiTkUsdJjQhsmC5gueR1TXo0pR0cvGIefd__G_/s320/redbridge1.jpg" width="168" /></a></div><br />
We'd stopped in at the Co-op for some chicken breasts they had on sale and I decided to see if by chance they had any gluten free beers. And lo and behold, they did! A small selection compared to all the rest of the yummy beers they have, but as yet there aren't too many breweries making gluten free. So we picked up a couple bottles, one from Anheuser-Busch and the other from New Planet (that will be a subject for another review). Took them home and decided I would try the <a href="http://www.redbridgebeer.com/">Redbridge</a> first since it was from a big brewer.<br />
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Opened the bottle and took a sniff. Smelled like beer. Took a taste and it tasted a bit like beer. Handed the bottle to hubby so he could have a tiny taste and he thought it tasted like beer. Grabbed a glass and poured in the beer:<br />
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Good color, a bit of a head, lots of bubbles. So I started sipping. Didn't quite have the full body feel of regular beer and it had a rather interesting aftertaste that wasn't unpleasant. It was also somewhat fizzier then beer should be. It is 4.0% alcohol by volume.<br />
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I mentioned the brew to a friend I ran into at the Co-op and she said she didn't care for Redbridge as it was too sweet for her. Yeah, it was pretty sweet, but not overly so to my tastes. Looking at the ingredients it shows corn syrup, so that may add a lot to the sweetness of the beer beyond the sorghum and rice which is the basis of the beer.<br />
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Over all, it wasn't a bad beer, not overly satisfying in the long run, but not so unsatisfying that I won't buy it again. The price for a single bottle at the Co-op was pretty good ($1.40) compared to the $2.20 of the other brand I picked up. I am interested to see how it works out in a Shandy (a drink made with beer and ginger ale, GREAT for a hot summers day) so will see about picking up another bottle to see how that goes.JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-68107487357666257222011-09-17T08:00:00.000-07:002011-09-17T08:00:03.496-07:00Strike & Spare Bar & GrillSo we were down in Lewiston/Clarkson last weekend and trying to figure out where to go for lunch. Sitting in Starbucks I used hubby's smarter then me phone to peruse Urbanspoon to find someplace we hadn't been before and would be different.<br />
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Came across an entry for the Strike & Spare Bar & Grill that talked about their giant turkey sandwich. At the mention of turkey, hubby's eyes lit up as he loves him his turkey sandwiches. So it was decided. We punched in the address in the GPS and off we went. <br />
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As you can probably guess from the name, the Strike & Spare is attached to the local bowling alley. We walked in and went AHHHHHHH!!!!!:<br />
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It was that nice late 60s, early 70s lounge decor and feel with the sounds of balls hitting pins in the background. It wasn't too dark and nice and cool. Found our selves a table and sat. Perused the little snacks/drinks menu and waited for the waitress: <br />
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Waitress brought our menus and we ordered ice tea while we looked things over. Hubby quickly decided on the giant turkey sandwich with fries and the scoop of dressing: <br />
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I had a harder time as I didn't want a salad and really didn't want to have a burger without the bun. I eventually settled for the nachos grande without meat:<br />
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Most of the appetizers and entrees were either breaded, battered or served on wheat of some sort so my options were limited.<br />
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I tried the turkey in his sandwich and oh yum! It was almost as good as mine (just as moist as mine but I inject my turkeys with wine or fruit juice for a little added flavor). I kept snagging bits of turkey until hubby complained that he wasn't going to have any for himself LOL!<br />
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My nachos were quite tasty, topped with real cheese, not some kind of cheese sauce, the salsa was just spicy enough for me and the guac was flavorful. The portions were also huge (hubby had gotten the whole sandwich) and while he made a brave attempt, couldn't quite finish it. We both ended up taking the leftovers home in to go boxes to be noshed on later that evening.<br />
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Will we go back, oh yes. Hubby was told by a friend their chicken noodle soup is as good as their turkey sandwiches and I want to try their burgers (sans buns of course). I don't have a problem with changing up orders after the first visit to a new place.<br />
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They also have a coffee shop/diner attached to the bowling alley I want to try on another trip down tot he valley. I also want to go down some weekend and spend a few hours bowling, it has been way to long and bowling and a great lunch is too hard to pass up.<br />
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The lemons in our ice tea were skewered with little plastic swords and I simply had to get a picture of them:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Pj0Bkk_7rDGSJuNxNKlJXycdsWrTZiWFqqc4w5yX_052JNYzmzdkSwnxSOg07gcWi0IFfcsuPJTDTzpx2p_PBOf6OK6HppYq3YrZFu5B4vwjEK02p7tpgnNzYjiPwi5K9clsxPt3ErPp/s1600/strike%2526spare8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Pj0Bkk_7rDGSJuNxNKlJXycdsWrTZiWFqqc4w5yX_052JNYzmzdkSwnxSOg07gcWi0IFfcsuPJTDTzpx2p_PBOf6OK6HppYq3YrZFu5B4vwjEK02p7tpgnNzYjiPwi5K9clsxPt3ErPp/s320/strike%2526spare8.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-47542375096234690232011-09-15T18:03:00.000-07:002011-09-15T18:03:00.031-07:00De Boles Gluten Free Rice Lasagna Noodles (no boil)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWhiyFvuFEuPtUD1FhVYXTlKm8C9ygVlXjwMdymb2KsLp3F0pmp_FcvA8gj3hElGaYuovMTZlraOwdoGYZGby7o7NEAToepxLAw3OHqfSE92ym8LgKuBt7cRPM4_Cs6MjKL_kBW4jFByM1/s1600/deboleslasagna.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWhiyFvuFEuPtUD1FhVYXTlKm8C9ygVlXjwMdymb2KsLp3F0pmp_FcvA8gj3hElGaYuovMTZlraOwdoGYZGby7o7NEAToepxLAw3OHqfSE92ym8LgKuBt7cRPM4_Cs6MjKL_kBW4jFByM1/s320/deboleslasagna.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
A couple weeks ago I had a seriously stressed day and the only thing I wanted for dinner was lasagna. While my lasagna usually takes two days to make (sauce first day and then the dish the next day) I can and will make a quick and dirty one. So I hit the store for ground beef, spaghetti sauce and the cheeses. Couldn't find a 'sketti sauce that didn't have some amount of HFCS in it, even a little bit makes the sauce too sweet and icky, so got a can of diced tomatoes with Italian herbs and spices and tomato sauce.<br />
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We then hit Rosauers to get the brand of GF brown rice lasagna noodles I like, only to discover none of the shelves. <br />
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Off to the Co-op where I was able to finally find some GF lasagna noodles by De Boles. Only thing was, they were the no cook variety. I have never used the no cook type for the very simple reason I use a round deep dish casserole for my lasagna. I would have to break up the noodles to put them in. Since I didn't feel like going to another store to find the noodles I wanted I figured to give it a go.<br />
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Once home I started my sauce, got the cheeses ready and then contemplated the noodles. There weren't really directions on the box on how to use them, just not to cook them. I did skim the recipe on the box for Southwest chicken lasagna and started breaking up some noodles.<br />
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Sprayed the casserole with non-stick spray and put in the first layer of noodles. I made the sauce extra liquidy as I had seen on my various cooking lists and sites that the noodles will cook while baking. Layered in cheeses and custom fitted broken lasagna noodles until I had a full pan. Into the oven it went for 45-50 minutes.<br />
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Pulled it out, let it sit and then dished up. Taste of the noodles was good, but not cooked thru, still a bit too al dente, even for my tastes (I parboil my noodles to just pliable to get them to layer in the pan. When the lasagna is done, the noodles are the perfect texture). Looked at the recipe on the box again and they had the lasagna cooking for an hour and a bit. Which would be a little too long for my lasagna unless I lower the temp a few degrees or so and let them cook longer.<br />
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I did find that when nuked the next day as leftovers the noodles came out the right texture and still tasted good.<br />
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Will I try them again? If I can't get my regular GF lasagna noodles I will. I will either parboil just to give them the kick start they need or lower the oven temp to give them a longer bake time.JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-72347458587203749522011-08-27T14:40:00.000-07:002011-08-27T14:40:25.885-07:00Silverwood Theme ParkI awoke on the morning of my 50th birthday to my hubby telling me he was taking me to Silverwood as my birthday surprise. It was a wonderful surprise, I thought we were going fishing.<br />
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I've been wanting to go to Silverwood for years and just hadn't gotten around to it. Either I didn't have the time or didn't have the money. Hubby along with a couple of friends got together and got details worked out and off we went.<br />
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First thing we did was hop on the train that runs the the grounds of the park:<br />
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeanc/6056128005/" title="Train ride by JeanC38, on Flickr"><img alt="Train ride" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6067/6056128005_75e44f90d1.jpg" width="500" /></a></center><br />
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And got "robbed":<br />
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeanc/6056677034/" title="silverwood08 by JeanC38, on Flickr"><img alt="silverwood08" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6081/6056677034_7beba2b572.jpg" width="500" /></a></center><br />
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeanc/6056132259/" title="Train robbery by JeanC38, on Flickr"><img alt="Train robbery" height="500" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6194/6056132259_a699b84f4c.jpg" width="375" /></a></center><br />
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The whole act was fun and the money goes to charity. <br />
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Then it was off to the rides. It has been almost 20 years since I was last on a roller coaster and I wasn't disappointed. The first one I tried was the Corkscrew:<br />
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeanc/6056686200/" title="The Cork Screw by JeanC38, on Flickr"><img alt="The Cork Screw" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6189/6056686200_8379ee0318.jpg" width="500" /></a></center><br />
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeanc/6056686604/" title="The Cork Screw by JeanC38, on Flickr"><img alt="The Cork Screw" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6074/6056686604_82f1d6de9d.jpg" width="500" /></a></center><br />
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeanc/6056139149/" title="The Cork Screw by JeanC38, on Flickr"><img alt="The Cork Screw" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6209/6056139149_c97a8be087.jpg" width="500" /></a></center><br />
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All in all I rode Tremors and the Panic Plunge. Since it has been so long since I've ridden I have found out a few things. I can't tolerate inversion as much as I used to so I was very woozy coming off the Corkscrew. I already knew I can't do backwards so while I looked wistfully at Aftershock, I knew if I did I was going to be curled up on the ground and not a terribly happy camper (yes it would have been fun, but I really loath throwing up). I didn't get to Timber Terror, that will be another trip (when I will see about the water rides).<br />
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The day we went the crowds weren't very big, in fact we'd just missed two record breaking days on Friday and Saturday. The longest I had to wait in line was 20 minutes for Tremors. <br />
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As a fat chick I was a bit worried that I would not be able to ride, but there was no problems for me with the exception of Tremors when I couldn't fasten the seat belt. The attendant was great. He said the belts in the seats behind me were longer and I simply switched seats with the couple behind me. I did have a little trouble with the belt, but that was because I kept trying to hook it with my shirt in the way. The attendant was again helpful and got it latched just fine.<br />
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I found the whole park to be great for walking, esp with a bad knee. I had my stick along and there were very few steep slopes to go up (mostly for the rides). There were plenty of places to sit, be they benches, low walls or green grass in the shade. <br />
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We hit the water park just after lunch and had a blast. Dang near drowned in the wave pool, I am used to swimming in ocean waves, so the pool was a bit of surprise. It was great to see people of all shapes and sizes enjoying the water.<br />
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Prices for food were not outrageous. You can't bring in your own, unless it is formula for infants. That say they had a special deal where you pay about $9 for a cup with a cap and straw and with the wrist band you get free refills any place that sold fountain drinks (soda and ice tea). This is a great deal, we stayed hydrated all day and have great souvenirs (I use my cup at work for my water). If we take them next time we go back we can get 99 cent refills.<br />
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I found all the park staff to be friendly and ready to help. I did mange to get a good sized blood blister in my big right toe and was able to visit the first aid office for a band aid. When we got there the office was closed, but the people in the shop next door called someone down. I was a bit embarrassed to make someone come in for a blister, but they said it is what they are there for and happy to do so.<br />
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They have a decently sized handicapped parking area right at the front of the park, but it is advisable to get there early as the spaces fill up fast. Main parking is across the highway and there is a pedestrian underpass for people to get to the park. <br />
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Food booths and restaurants are scattered throughout the park and plenty of shops for picking up souvenirs. They have one kiosk that sells glow in the dark goodies, we picked up two ray guns and a light sword that has different settings of lights and colors. That kiosk doesn't open until just before dark.<br />
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I had a seriously wonderful time and hope to get back again to ride the rides I missed the first time and have more fun.<br />
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JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-35530060704577203012011-08-16T08:00:00.000-07:002011-08-16T08:00:00.299-07:00Scotty's Third Base GrillA few weeks ago the hubby and I were on the look out for some place new to eat down in the Lewiston Valley, so I popped on to <a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/">Urbanspoon</a> to see what I could find. After skimming thru a few reviews we settled on Scotty's Third Base Grill.<br />
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They have a fairly simple menu:<br />
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That first time I had the chili burger and fries sans bun and the hubby got their gyro.<br />
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YUM!<br />
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Fast forward to Aug 6th and a trip down to Lewiston and we popped in again.<br />
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YUM! again.<br />
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This time hubby went for the cheese burger with fries:<br />
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and I opted for the gyro salad:<br />
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The salad was so good I didn't miss the pita and loved the substantial cucumber slices, the tzatziki was thick and creamy and a wonderful counterpoint to the gyro meat. <br />
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The hubby loved that the vegetation for the burger was tucked underneath (he isn't a big lettuce on burgers fan) and was able to add the amount he wanted along with the onions and pickle and I got the rest of the lettuce (turning a large salad into a HUGE salad!).<br />
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His burger was made from local beef and was yummy (I tried a bit without the bun) and the amount of fries was so great I didn't feel a least bit guilty snagging some off of his plate. The fires with fry sauce were fantastic, they were even better dipped into the tzatziki sauce. <br />
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The atmosphere of the place is laid back and the staff is very friendly. The owner himself pops out of the kitchen to chat with patrons and waits tables when needed. <br />
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JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735422774113795501.post-62790473012586297722011-08-10T14:14:00.001-07:002011-08-10T14:14:17.677-07:00Blog stuff<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">NAU2YD7J74CQ</span>JeanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08506460151352291506noreply@blogger.com0