:: steph chows ::

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21195510910465152212012-01-30T23:23:26.726-05:00:: steph chows ::healthy eating... that tastes goodstephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.comBlogger7681100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-73014678462974781692012-01-29T13:11:00.004-05:002012-01-30T10:54:42.261-05:0024x24 Sea Kraken Cone Crawl

Simply because it's January doesn't mean you shouldn't go out and enjoy a nice cone full of home made ice cream! Cold weather aside, for this months 24x24 sponsored by Foodbuzz, I proposed a cone crawl of sorts tasting all of the wonderful unique flavors Rochester had to offer during the winter months. I planned it out looking up flavors on websites, noting which creameries were closed for the

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-85689869785329673792012-01-27T07:17:00.004-05:002012-01-27T07:30:30.783-05:00Friday and a winner

Happy Friday! I've been in a baking rut lately... not that I'm not baking, I just keep baking the same things!! Like peanut butter chocolate chippers, and healthy chocolate chip cookies, and banana bread! All tasty.. but kinda boring for blog posts since I've already made them :)So I guess all I have for you today is the Novica winner! That's pretty exciting right? Drum roll please.... the winner

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-78409980300224434882012-01-25T05:46:00.002-05:002012-01-25T05:46:00.125-05:00Ankle Warmers

Psst... Don't forget to enter the giveaway!I fully admit it, I'm a white athletic sock and just about every type of shoe kinda girl... sure I'll wear tights with some pumps when I have to go to a work meeting, I don't totally embarrass myself... but most work days it's just me, a few equally crazy coworkers, and the work cats. (they are sisters, and yes they sleep just like that every day on my

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-87105727132709717632012-01-23T05:27:00.002-05:002012-01-23T11:00:12.470-05:00GF Muffin FAIL

Don't forget to enter the giveaway!Oye... oye... OYE... not good, really not good. I don't think they are salvageable... but I HATE throwing things out... and wasting ingredients. No need to link to the recipe, it was from a blog, and their pictures made them look beautiful... not like mine... which makes me wonder if I missed a step... or something... 3/4 of a cup of peanut butter... 3/4 cup

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-20721429222725371092012-01-20T05:13:00.003-05:002012-01-20T05:13:00.414-05:00Novica- and a giveaway

Over the top pleased and happy. Wouldn't you be if you had this waiting for you when you got home from a crappy day at work??Excited and happy. That is the best way to describe my experience with Novica. It's a site where artisans and craftsmen from around the world are given an outlet to sell their creations to the world. I purchased a cutting board from a woodworker name Teo. And I received a

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-46629066756403346072012-01-18T05:39:00.004-05:002012-01-18T05:39:00.384-05:00PB Oatmeal Chocolate Chippers

These need a warning label... a label stating that you might just eat all the dough and not bake any of these... a warning that once you do manage to get some in the oven, when they come out they will disappear in mere minutes. These things are dangerous!!!I was daydreaming about snack time at work yesterday... oh come now I know you do it too. And somehow I got peanut butter oatmeal cookies into

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-41977076423132857502012-01-16T05:40:00.001-05:002012-01-16T05:40:00.376-05:00Weekend Fun

First things first, the winner of the winter cowl giveaway, picked by random.org is.... Tracy of Sugarcrafter! Conveniently enough she's another Rochester area blogger, looks like we'll have to get together for lunch so I can give her the cowl once I make it! What color would you like Tracy?? :)How was everyone's weekends? Mine was fabulous! I got to hang out with Amanda from A Bow Meets Girl, we

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-68905778300794192892012-01-13T05:20:00.003-05:002012-01-13T05:20:00.505-05:00Cinnamon Raisin Tea Cake

Don't forget to enter my giveaway here!This was one of those recipes where I saw a picture over on Kari's blog... emailed her for the recipe... and made it that same night! And I was sooo sooo glad I did! Yes, there are two, one hour rises required... but you know what... I still started making it at 6pm on a weeknight, and it was WORTH it!Ta-da!! This is a combo of a recipe her grandma made and

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-16159432165702796842012-01-11T08:50:00.000-05:002012-01-11T08:50:00.256-05:00Local Food Banks

Psst. Don't forget to enter my awesome giveaway here!--------I'm all about donating food, whether it's to a specific family you adopt for the holidays or to a more general food bank... I can't imagine going hungry or wondering if I'd be able to put food on the table for my family each night.I'm always willing to help spread the word for a good cause and when I was told by MyBlogSpark about a

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-30563455088521833592012-01-09T05:14:00.006-05:002012-01-15T16:43:20.930-05:00Cowl - Tutorial and Giveaway!

**GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED**Happy Monday everyone! With the holidays over and everyone settling back into their routines I thought it would be fun to do a little more gift giving. This time of year is perfect for staying in, cozying up with a fire, a good movie, and a fun crochet project. Last week I saw this pattern over at The Wrong Century, and immediately started it that night. A few TV shows and

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-75081051061558095162012-01-04T05:05:00.001-05:002012-01-04T05:05:00.344-05:00Gingerbread Bagels

I fully admit, I'm a Panera Gingerbread Bagel addict... you've heard my stories before. Making my parents who live in another state buy out stores and freeze them for me, attempts at making them at home... all failures... but let me tell you my lovely readers, I'm close... soo close to perfecting the recipe. In all reality even if I didn't get any closer I'd be happy with what came out of the

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-2608599833467831182012-01-01T17:15:00.000-05:002012-01-01T17:27:28.127-05:0024x24 intro to sushi making

Happy New Year!!! What did you all do?? John and I got to celebrate 24x24 Foodbuzz style and went to the NY wine and culinary center to take an intro to sushi class! We are serious sushi lovers so the thought of being able to make the stuff at home got us very excited. I was a little worried our rolls were going to look more like a science experiment then they would edible art... but I must say I

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-58713881531719736962011-12-30T05:33:00.001-05:002011-12-30T11:44:41.606-05:00Hot Cocoa for Adults

First off happy holidays! Sorry to go MIA, but lets face it, you were all probably too busy to be reading blogs anyway. I've got a question for you, are you a holiday card person? I'm totally not, don't get me wrong I love getting photo cards in the mail, or a nice handwritten letter, but sending them.. nahhh. You see once you start you can never stop! So I plan on never starting... this however

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-7174646410220522552011-12-23T05:34:00.002-05:002011-12-23T05:34:00.131-05:00Fudge + animal crackers + booze =

Sorry I missed a post on Wednesday. Things have been crazzzzy busy YIKES! Can't wait to take a breather this weekend and just enjoy relaxing!! Speaking of which...Fudge + animal crackers + booze = amazing delicious nostalgic adult fudge!!Boozy fudge has turned into a christmas gift tradition for me. Exhibit A: Captain Morgans SMORE fudge. Exhibit B. Coconut Malibu fudgeAnd now to add to the list

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-61297869951244942512011-12-19T05:36:00.002-05:002011-12-19T05:36:00.948-05:00Bruschetta

This weekend we had bitter cold weather. Waking up to 17 degrees outside does not make me want to go out and run errands, how about you? Weather like this also doesn't make me think of cooking things with fresh tomatoes, but I did have a crazy craving for bruschetta after receiving an email from a friend that used canned tomatoes to make them.Canned diced tomato bruschetta? I can just hear some

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-68090585128706806932011-12-16T05:41:00.001-05:002011-12-16T05:41:00.883-05:00Last minute gift ideas

Remember a few weeks back when the stores were all having "last minute" Christmas sales? Really? last minute?? It wasn't EVEN DECEMBER YET!!! OK now that Christmas is just a little over a week away... we can now officially call this last minute!I'm normally one to be very prepared, making jars of jam throughout the summer, baking and packaging up things to send... not so much this year. This year

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-54193682645534203012011-12-14T05:12:00.004-05:002011-12-14T05:12:00.501-05:00Vermont Adventures - no smooching allowed

A few friends and I skipped work on Friday to head up to VT for a long weekend. It's been a bi-annual tradition for me the last few years and each time I go I seem to pull along a new friend making it doubly as fun! Maybe one of these times all my prior "dates" will make it back with me for a big old reunion party!The last few visits have started two new traditions, the first being a yankee swap

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-73378233514805404262011-12-12T05:00:00.003-05:002011-12-12T10:56:54.686-05:00A salty old lad he was

Ok this isn't about a salty old lad... it's about Java Gourmet... a java and seneca salt (yup!! seneca as in the lake right here near Rochester NY!) rub and sprinkles that lend an amazing complexity to your foods. Boring burger no more! Don't worry it doesn't taste like a burger soaked in coffee.. umm eww? The coffee flavor turns into a more smokey nutty flavor when you cook it.A friend sent me a

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-87469086781463805532011-12-09T05:58:00.002-05:002011-12-09T05:58:00.279-05:00More cookies!!

That's right folks, we all want more cookies this time of year! This time I wanted to try an old favorite, oatmeal raisin, subbing in Smart Balance for the butter. The results.Delicious! These had the perfect amount of chew and sweetness to them, no sugar tooth overload here! Next time I'm going to make them super sized instead of tablespoon sized. We can all have a coffee house style party? What

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-63420051436237651202011-12-07T05:03:00.000-05:002011-12-07T05:03:00.801-05:00NASA

Hey did you know I'm training to be an astronaut?Ok no, no I'm not. But I sure was dressed like one this past weekend! You see we have a full size basement under most of our house, but an addition was put on in the 80's and that section has a very very small crawl space, the only entranceway being the hole you see above. The thing is that part of the house is always a little chillier than the

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-38742735555995062562011-12-05T05:18:00.001-05:002011-12-05T08:48:05.643-05:00Who wants tomatoes!? Giveaway

What's for dinner? We don't want the same old thing we have every week... and I'm hungry so get moving fast... and make it healthy I ate too much thanksgiving day chow last week.Sound familiar? Don't worry, with a little help from Red Pack and the recipe below we'll have something healthy and delicious on the table in 30 minutes flat. Is that what you were looking for? :) Oh and if you leave a

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-46015930840232552992011-12-02T05:45:00.010-05:002011-12-02T11:41:10.116-05:00Cookie Contest

Happy Friday everyone! I know in previous years we had a grand old cookie exchange here, and this year the time has just slipped away from me :( but I have good news, you can still bake your cookie loving heart out, snap a shot, and submit them into the Smart Balance Healthier Holiday Cookie Spectacular!! You could win a years supply of smart balance for your efforts :)Healthier Holiday Cookie

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-62040888651364770202011-11-30T04:57:00.003-05:002011-11-30T04:57:01.010-05:00Oatmeal Raisin Amazin' Bars

I'm in love with these bars! Seriously want to know all the reasons why?Super fast and easy to makeMinimal ingredientsHealthy and deliciousVegan and gluten free so everyone can join in on the party!PortableJohn doesn't like raisins so I get to eat them all!I found these over at Chocolate Covered Katie and made them the day I saw them. Yup it was one of those recipes, instant gratification! One

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-42161448154353843842011-11-27T12:30:00.002-05:002011-11-27T13:27:20.619-05:0024x24 Pan to Plate Sauces

Highlights from the classI got to light brandy on fire, and I didn't even burn off my eyebrows (or John's)!I pissed off the chef-instructor by asking him what I could use instead of the copious amounts of salt he put on everything, you'll learn below this is a major step. (don't worry I didn't really phrase it that way.. but I DID piss him off, whoops)I pissed off the chef even more when I asked

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-45026089959268834972011-11-25T05:09:00.000-05:002011-11-25T05:09:00.109-05:00Day after

So it's the day after thanksgiving... most people probably don't even want to think about food today. So I'll give you a cute picture of my niece and nephew who I am currently off having fun with. Adorable.Photos stolen from my sister, that makes it legal right? Tweet Your email will never be displayed publicly, so don't be scared to comment! :) Oh and make sure you type in your blog link so I

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-46870557990791889082011-11-23T05:54:00.001-05:002011-11-23T05:54:00.201-05:00Stuffin'

Here in the US we'll be celebrating Turkey Day tomorrow! To start celebrating early John made some healthy delicious stuffing to have with dinner. He's a fly by the seat of his pants cook so nothing here is measured exactly, but it will give you a good basis to recreate it!How will you be celebrating Thanksgiving (if you are celebrating that is)? We're meeting up with my side of the family and we

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-51308058673266732322011-11-21T05:41:00.001-05:002011-11-21T05:41:00.079-05:00Pumpkin Ice Cream Sammies

Over the summer I had a love affair with ice cream sandwiches, ok full disclosure, I'm still having a love affair with them. They have been my go to sweet something to snack on at night (I know not the healthiest, but so satisfying to me I don't go back for other treats). In an attempt to bring the Thanksgiving season into my love affair I decided to try my hand at my very own ice cream

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-1374289045891209232011-11-18T05:06:00.001-05:002011-11-18T05:06:00.099-05:00Thanksgiving Side Ideas

A healthy Thanksgiving is impossible you say? Not if you ask me or Cathy from What Would Cathy Eat? She's actually hosting a Healthy Thanksgiving Challenge and asking fellow bloggers to chime in with their healthy ideas! You can check out her tips here.For my contribution I went back to two of my favorite standbys... roasted brussels sprouts and fiesta dip... not together though... that would

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-39400929386020889612011-11-16T05:53:00.004-05:002011-11-16T05:53:00.271-05:00Pumpkin Spice "luna" bars

I saw the recipe for these pumpkin spice bars and immediately knew I had to make them... They are a no bake bar that you put in the freezer, not the most convenient way to store a treat if you ask me, but I was game for it. They were tasty but I felt like I must have done something wrong since my consistency never fully got solid even in the freezer. I want to try and make these again but try

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-62205821544089103922011-11-14T05:02:00.002-05:002011-11-14T08:48:47.407-05:00Dinner by the Giant

Through the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program I was given the chance to try Green Giant Steamers on the house! Basically it's a bag of frozen veggies in a light herb and olive oil sauce. A quick trip in the microwave and they steam themselves in their own bag, no fuss no mess.Now the big question is what to do with these things? Sure you can eat them plain and serve them next to your favorite protein,

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-80193964598309619962011-11-11T01:11:00.003-05:002011-11-11T11:01:35.532-05:00Ginger Coconut Cookies

Happy 11-11-11! Anyone getting married? Apparently it's a popular day for it, half my office is off today because they are headed to weddings! Seems like a good day to celebrate if you ask me... but don't make these cookies, they were awful! I take full responsibility, I was tossing this and that haphazardly into the bowl, following nothing in particular. My downfall was in the baking soda, I

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-54312239160117204392011-11-09T05:40:00.000-05:002011-11-09T05:40:00.103-05:00Giveaway!

It's been a bit since we had a giveaway so I figured what better time than now!? I'm always on the lookout for great deals on things I use all the time (workout gear, cooking gear, shoes... what? a girls gotta walk right?) So when the people at Planet Gear contacted me about hosting a giveaway I was happy to do so! The company sells all things, cute, eco-friendly, cause oriented, and healthy! (

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-2051170997821874212011-11-07T05:36:00.001-05:002011-11-07T09:36:14.378-05:00I got nothing

This weekend was filled with lots of stuff around the house, insulating things, raking leaves, painting a room over at John's parents house. There was also lots of baking and cooking, french toast, pumpkin bread, cookies, fudge, pumpkin rice crispy bars... ok maybe that was almost all baking and not so much cooking...I bet you want to see pictures and recipes huh? Well with all the other things

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-48737949198997913512011-11-04T05:24:00.001-04:002011-11-04T05:24:00.033-04:00Quick no sew scarf

I love the look of infinity scarves and have been "meaning" to knit one up for awhile now... In all reality I'd just like one to magically appear for me :) But then I found this super easy 5-10 minute no sew scarf!You can make one using an old tshirt, or buy some knit material to use... if you cut up a tshirt you will need to sew the pieces together though... so for my version I used some knit I

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-64288724437979480242011-11-02T08:31:00.004-04:002011-11-06T10:22:09.367-05:00Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I literally make a batch of these every week as snacks for John, he can't get enough of them. I've shown you the recipe before, but I keep tweeking it by adding/subtracting things, lately I've been adding oats. For some reason when the temps start dropping I love eating oatmeal and basically adding oats into all types of things. Hence this alteration :)Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip cookiesadapted

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-89838238506238213732011-10-31T05:32:00.004-04:002011-10-31T21:12:15.047-04:00Bar Sitting

Before John and I bought our current house we redid the kitchen in his house. Man I loved what we did to that kitchen... when searching for a new home you can't always find everything you perfectly want... hence our current kitchen. Sure it's big with tons of counter space and cabinets... but it's kinda ugly, and it has this huge built in hexagonal table... I'd take pictures to show you... but

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-3374246768913842722011-10-28T05:30:00.004-04:002011-10-28T21:34:02.131-04:00Melt Frosting - and a chance to win $500

If you've been around with the blog for awhile you know John isn't big on butter, he basically avoids it at all costs. He's also the inspiration for so many of the low fat recipes you find here. Enter in a new product Melt Buttery Spread. It's a butter substitute made of healthy cooking oils."Rich and creamy Melt is a butter alternative made of virgin coconut oil, flax seed oil, palm fruit oil

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-71410611410003532102011-10-26T05:47:00.003-04:002011-10-26T09:03:06.065-04:00Last minute Halloween

Got a party to hit up this weekend? Hate to dress up? I've got just the thing for you... and it only takes a few hours to crochet up.Seriously adorable right? (not me, the hat) Best news is the pattern is free! Just head over here and you can print out a handy dandy PDF. If you are making this for yourself you'll just need to increase a few extra rows until it's big enough to fit your melon (

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-63828144233904373572011-10-24T05:25:00.001-04:002011-10-24T11:22:25.058-04:00Slaw

The first thing I think of when I have a head of cabbage in the house is coleslaw. I'm not a fan of cooked cabbage but serve it be me raw and I'm on board! Our household isn't a big mayo fan so we do a spicier route.Celery carrots, red peppers, cabbage, red onion, apple cider vinegar, italian dressing, red hot, celery seeds, honey... the amounts... not a clue since John is the maker of this

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-45573987109089059152011-10-21T05:32:00.002-04:002011-10-21T09:27:55.792-04:00Pumpkin Pancakes

More pumpkin! Well think about it, I only used 1 cup in the muffins, so I still had a cup left from the can... enter in pumpkin pancakes for dinner!! I'm all over breakfast for dinner, you should be too, easy, fast, delicious, what's not to love?!Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes1 C. whole wheat flour1/2 C. all purpose flour1 t. baking soda2 t. baking powderdash salt2 t. ground cinnamon1 1/4 C. skim

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-74626335138866815282011-10-19T05:30:00.001-04:002011-10-19T05:30:01.363-04:00Pumpkin Muffins!

You know it's that time of year. Time to snuggle up under a blanket with a good book, and time to bake up a storm with my best bud pumpkin! What's the best things to start the season off with... of course muffins!!!I found these over at my friend Sugarcrafter and knew I had to bake some up! Just a few changes from her also delicious as is recipe :)Pumpkin muffinsrecipe adapted from

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-34254515052617271362011-10-17T05:49:00.001-04:002011-10-17T05:49:00.751-04:00Owls

Owls have been popping up everywhere in stores, on fabric, in the trees outside my house...I first saw the pattern on Billie Monster months ago and have been wanting to make this little cute thing ever since. (You can download the pattern over on Hammer & thread.) I finally had an excuse when I was invited to a friends baby shower recently. Can't sew very well? Don't worry, this pattern is super

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-91896510934996019682011-10-12T05:28:00.010-04:002011-10-12T10:16:50.240-04:00Teacher's Pet

Were you a good student? How about the teacher's pet? Yeah lets face it, I was. Front row, hand always shooting into the air... yup I was that annoying nerd... I couldn't help that I loved physics and books! Even if you weren't a good student I think you'll still love this skirt by Shabby Apple.If you head over to Shabby Apple to see the skirt you'll notice it ends at the girls knee... that girl

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-53812510284772518712011-10-12T04:06:00.000-04:002011-10-17T14:08:58.020-04:00Jam and helping a good cause

My heart will always go out to a good cause, and this one seems like a wonderful one. I could put it in my own words but instead I'm going to let Connie do it. Connie was an amazingly giving and caring participant in the jam exchange and if anyone is able to help in this cause please do. Very important note: your jam must be mailed by this Friday October 14th to make it there in time for the fund

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-79580306907065791012011-10-10T05:58:00.008-04:002011-10-10T15:52:28.424-04:00Adventures in GF muffins

I totally thought these muffins were a fail...Turns out I'm just super impatient because once they cooled they popped out of the tins without any issues.They were still pretty crumbly though, but nothing like the first picture. I have to say I was really pleased with the texture and taste of these muffins. John ate one up and it wasn't until after he said he liked them that I told him they were

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-59319660969906892212011-10-07T05:55:00.002-04:002011-10-07T05:55:00.450-04:00Never too old to play

Rochester has a ton of amazing places to visit, John and I played hookie for a half day last week and went on a daytime date to the National Museum of Play which is right down the street from where I work. It's more so a place for kids, but in all reality there is TONS to keep the parents occupied.. or two certain someones who don't have kids but still like to play like ones.John picked me up at

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-72637891856337511562011-10-04T05:19:00.004-04:002011-10-04T05:19:00.162-04:00Super Immunity - giveaway

Full disclosure: I received this book for free from TLC Book Tours. They asked for my honest opinion and I'm giving it. The scientific evidence is from the book, the opinions are all mine.Super Immunity: The Essential Nutrition Guide for Boosting Your Body's Defenses to Live Longer, Stronger, and Disease Free is written by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, M.D. and on the cover it says "no shots" "no drugs" "no

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-34217944223374147922011-10-03T05:56:00.002-04:002011-10-04T13:59:04.256-04:00Green Monster

We're not talking about a green eyed monster here, we're talking about green monster smoothies!! I first heard about them on Oh She Glows and was scared. VERY SCARED.I closed my eyes and down it went... I waited for the grassy disgusting taste to hit me in the face... but it never did. Opening one eye at a time I did indeed drink the green monster, but it didn't taste green? It actually just

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-18673477249218716132011-09-30T05:04:00.020-04:002011-10-16T19:35:37.965-04:00Jam Exchange Roundup!

Wow, I want to say a very special THANK YOU to everyone who participated this year. We hit a new record with over 100 people shipping jam all over this country, Canada, and one jammer exchanging with someone in Portugal! I know this takes a lot of trust blinding sending your hard work to a stranger across the country, and for the most part everything made it where is was suppose to with only a

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-44816065648274424072011-09-28T05:46:00.007-04:002011-09-28T05:46:00.592-04:00Meatloaf... umm Meatmuffins... that sounds really gross

I like meatloaf, not everyone does, but I do. I informed John that we'd be having chicken meatloaf (he doesn't eat pig or cow) for dinner, he made a grossed out face and then said fine fine he'd eat it as long as it wasn't dried out. Obviously he doesn't know me very well, if it's dried out I'm not eating it either.I learned some important lessons while making this. I like red meat meatloaf... I

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-410864042422332522011-09-26T05:35:00.001-04:002011-09-26T05:35:00.036-04:00Swinging from the ceiling

Have you ever gone to a cirque du soleil show? Or maybe seen one of TV? I must say I'm obsessed with watching the pure athleticism of the performers. Knowing very little about swinging from the ceiling on long silk like drapes I decide to learn more and take a class at Aerial Arts Rochester this weekend.This pose was surprisingly comfy... no seriously it was!This one however hurt your underarms

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-24841218429824159382011-09-23T05:48:00.001-04:002011-09-23T05:48:00.596-04:00Hidden no more

Some people find a hidden glorious spot and refuse to share it with others, for fear the added foot traffic will ruin the mystique of the hidden place. I say if you find something amazing, tell everyone about it! Mrs. Pierson taught me very well about sharing back in kindergarten, she'd be so proud!So here's the secret spot. Hidden Springs Farm - 51 Probst Rd. Mendon NY (their website looks like

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-56951212811710485742011-09-21T05:51:00.001-04:002011-09-21T05:51:00.351-04:00Jam Jam Jam

First things first. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my wonderful nephew Walton who turns 3 today!! Go Walton go!! If he's lucky he might get a baby sister for his birthday, my sister is ready to pop any day now!!Back to the chow... You all know I'm in love with all things jam, so I was super excited when Foodiacs decided to showcase Sallie's jams as our next product!! Sure she has traditional jam flavors but

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-31571429411543522432011-09-16T05:41:00.002-04:002011-09-16T09:07:27.471-04:00Meet up and pizza

Jeanne and I are always on a mission to see each other. So when she was going to be driving past Syracuse I had to drive out to meet her... we ended up switching the plan a bit and met in Auburn instead. The town looked like it use to be amazing, but has seen some hard times since...We met at the library which was ADORABLE, old architecture, beautiful. Then we went walking the town seeing what

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-90153801947802598642011-09-14T05:09:00.003-04:002011-09-14T05:09:01.105-04:00Happy Belated!

A belated happy birthday to my sister Jennifer and Maria yesterday!! Same day, same year, and they were my maids of honor. How cool is that?Also a happy belated to Paul, a best man, ALSO with the same birthday! Different year though, so he's not as cool ;) (Paul's the one on the left and yes this picture makes me laugh every time I look at it!)Your email will never be displayed publicly, so don't

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-43765256499135711602011-09-12T05:56:00.001-04:002011-09-12T05:56:00.468-04:00Eggplant and Garlic Sauce

Another thing we got copious amounts of in our CSA were this tiny tiny baby eggplants. What does one make with tiny eggplants?eggplant and garlic sauce! I also used a whole head of fresh garlic that also came via the CSA. mmmm garlic!!! I didn't really follow a recipe for this so here's an eyeball overview of what I did.Probably 12 or so mini eggplants cut into rings or halved and cut into rings1

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-43257666645658378742011-09-09T05:09:00.004-04:002011-09-09T08:46:31.896-04:00Summer

Even though it's September and the kids are back in school I still felt the need to make this very summer style salad. I've been eating it as a side dish, on sandwiches as the main event.. pretty much on everything, it's just that good!Delicious and simple as simple can be: tomato, thinly sliced cucumber, crumbled feta, a splash of red wine vinegar, and a little seasoning in the form of oregano

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-40356963392840586402011-09-07T05:48:00.001-04:002011-09-08T09:38:10.798-04:00Foodiacs!!!

OK everyone you've heard me talking about Foodiacs for over a year now, and I can finally officially say we have launched!!!! Our team have worked countless hours making this a reality and I am so happy to share it all with you. Each one of us works a full time day job so everything you see is a culmination of free time spent making this dream a reality.Our very first company we are featuring is

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-37171267276647399562011-09-02T05:47:00.006-04:002011-09-02T10:40:39.468-04:00Chil-gross-os Mexican

If you can't say something nice, you shouldn't say anything at all. (but I'm not saying anything it's just a picture :D ) images courtesy of Monica's camera phone OK I agree in most cases, but when a restaurant is so atrocious in service, attitude, ok flat out everything... you need to warn other people. I'm doing a public service right? Once a month I meet up with a fun group of women for book

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-10504254165665141822011-08-31T04:34:00.003-04:002011-08-31T04:34:00.110-04:00CSA's, your take?

This summer was the first year John and I have ever tried a CSA. The season is almost over and I feel like we learned a bunch. For starters I tried some new veggies I never had before, kohrabi anyone? And discovered we both loved it! I also learned that this specific CSA needs to cut back on the copious amount of zucchini and squash and up the quantities of other things. Man, I never want to see

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-75172476590382661542011-08-29T05:43:00.001-04:002011-08-29T05:43:00.100-04:00Flour City Bread Co.

There isn't much better than fresh baked bread if you ask me, but how about fresh baked bread an a cup of joe to go with it? Double bonus! A good friend told me about this place and I'm so happy she did, walking in was a sensory overload of breads and other delicious baked goods. If you live in Rochester make sure to stop at the public market and especially the buildings surrounding it to visit

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-90519457381630753632011-08-26T05:41:00.000-04:002011-08-26T05:41:00.255-04:00Birds eye Viola

Through the Foodbuzz tastemaker program I got a coupon to try a Birds Eye Viola frozen stirfry for free. After looking at the variety of choices I went with the teriyaki chicken, the calories and fat weren't too bad so I figured I'd give it a go. Basically it's dinner in 10 minutes, perfect for a busy night like we had last night. Simply open the package, toss into a big pan, cut open the frozen

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-83535679010717795962011-08-24T05:50:00.002-04:002011-08-24T09:40:35.020-04:00Frozen no bake Brownie Balls

Sounds good right? Considering Monday I posted about mashed potatoes and someone equated them to looking like a pile of poo... I figured I might as well post these bad boys. Although amazingly delicious and seriously addicting, John has lovingly nicknamed them poo balls. Yes folks I just went there. I know I should be talking about such things on a food blog... but seriously as pretty as I tried

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-85373659155871706262011-08-22T05:49:00.002-04:002011-08-22T05:49:00.043-04:00A new twist of mashed potatoes

I was very excited when I got the chance to try Sabra Hummus on the house via the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program! The even better part is they asked us to come up with a fun cocktail party use for the hummus. Not one to take the normal route John and I got to brainstorming ideas. We ping ponged many a recipe back and forth but in the end we decided on this one... Mashed potatoes... steph chows

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-9946856009643757782011-08-19T05:46:00.000-04:002011-08-19T05:46:01.237-04:00Blackberry Loaf

I went blackberry picking in a local park last week, once I outran the cops I was home free to bake up these delicious loafs :D I actually use these loafs to bribe John's friends into helping fix things around the house. Lucky for me said friend has a sweet tooth for things like blackberry loaf. Score! How do you bribe people to help you fix things around the house? Blackberry Almond Streusel

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-3015658326985097152011-08-17T05:02:00.001-04:002011-08-17T05:02:00.064-04:00Birthday Cake

First things first, although this was my birthday cake, today is my Aunt Sandy's birthday!! Happy birthday Aunt Sandy!!! We love you!!! Sometimes a girl just needs a nice big slice of cake. And sometimes her husband doesn't need to know said cake has beets hidden in it :) You can read about his original reaction when I first made this last year here. You'll also find the recipe there. As for

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-61265027349964758842011-08-15T05:28:00.001-04:002011-08-15T05:28:00.078-04:00Spicy Green Beans

In another attempt to use up the copious amounts of veggies we get every week in our CSA John made some delicious spicy cashew green beans... when asked how exactly he made them... he simple gave me a shoulder shrug. HA so... no recipe... but MAN they were good! Your email will never be displayed publicly, so don't be scared to comment! :)Oh and make sure you type in your blog link so I can

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-75204922858727609332011-08-12T09:11:00.004-04:002011-08-12T09:21:16.990-04:00Few Words Friday

Birthday present... love the husband Your email will never be displayed publicly, so don't be scared to comment! :)Oh and make sure you type in your blog link so I can click over to you! There is a spot you can type it in.

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-31885283051864753732011-08-10T05:05:00.004-04:002011-08-10T05:05:00.577-04:00Blueberry Cinnamon Jam

If you haven't already, tomorrow (Thursday Aug 11th) is the last day to sign up for the jam exchange!! We're just a few people away from 100! Lets get it to over 100 people! :) Now for one of John's favorite jams. Blueberry cinnamon! Made with fresh picked (by me) blueberries from a local pick your own farm. LOVE.This is super simple to make, and lasts a year. Blueberry Jam with Cinnamon (a low

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-26653049613199243122011-08-08T05:33:00.005-04:002011-08-17T14:57:19.157-04:00Summer in a Box Giveaway

Giveaway now closed: the winner is Bets! How was everyone's weekends? Do anything fun? Perhaps something totally summerish? I totally admit I spent a good portion of it reading a book in a hammock :) Good news, the people at Stonyfield Farms sent me this fabulous Summer in a Box giftbox and they are letting me pick a reader to send one to as well! (image provided) Here's what's in the box:Two

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-14004960156523375572011-08-03T05:26:00.003-04:002011-08-03T09:24:35.744-04:00Giveaway

Did I get your attention?? Everyone loves a good giveaway, and this one is fabulous! Remember that company Foodiacs I was helping start last fall?? Well we are doing one last giveaway before we officially launch within the next month. You only have a few days left to enter so head on over to win this set of amazing cookbooks! (there is also a twitter contest to win.. keep reading to find out how

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-2808464933741230972011-08-01T05:20:00.005-04:002011-08-01T09:25:32.336-04:00Fire toasted grilled pizza

I've made grilled pizza in my back yard before... but what about grilling pizza at your camp site over an open flame? Game ON.I cheated and packed a pan.. and wegmans whole wheat dough. A little sauce some cheese and yellow peppers later we were ready to go.Don't you think pizza taste better when you have a nice backdrop like this?We used a tin foil tent to help the top cook. We got the crispest

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-15717217905829537732011-07-29T05:49:00.001-04:002011-07-29T05:49:00.188-04:00Few Words Friday (camping)

Your email will never be displayed publicly, so don't be scared to comment! :)

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-91568223368984746022011-07-27T05:48:00.004-04:002011-07-28T10:37:47.926-04:00Frozen apple pops

Musselman's peach apple sauce + pop mold + freezer = AMAZING SUMMER TREAT!(yes I was pretending the rocket ship was flying.. and yes I'm 5 years old...)Whoever thought this up at Musselman's is a genius!! I'm addicted to these things and keep making them in all the different flavor varieties. The freezer somehow transforms the apple sauce into an even better and more refreshing summer treat!The

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-5012760678702423842011-07-25T05:14:00.002-04:002011-07-26T16:53:31.635-04:00First of the season

Perfection, in jarred form. How could you not love this? Sign ups are on for the jam exchange... want to join in? With over 75 (scratch that... 90!) participants from the US and Canada, it's going to be an epic exchange :)Never made jam before? Head on over to the easiest jam recipe ever here. But I warn you, you're going to get hooked and want to make more :)Tell me, what's your favorite jam/

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-37068967771578276102011-07-22T05:32:00.002-04:002011-07-22T05:32:00.230-04:00Camping - on my way

Jeanne and I are headed for a camping meet up this weekend and I'm so excited!! We went last year and made these amazing campfire chocolate orange cakes. You can read about them here.I'll be back next week with some of our new adventures (camp fire grilled pizza anyone?)What's your favorite camping treat?Your email will never be displayed publicly, so don't be scared to comment! :)

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-59450875756325103142011-07-20T05:19:00.001-04:002011-07-20T05:19:00.256-04:00CSA Stirfry

With veggies starting to pour in it's time for another CSA basket recipe! This past week we had kohlrabi, I'd never had it before but it kinda tastes like brocolli stems. Just make sure you use a veggie peeler to get the outer layer off, that stuff is TOUGH and hard to chew.CSA stirfryrecipe by steph chows1 kohlrabi, peeled and chopped. I also used the leaves sliced thin1 cup zucchini grated3

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-63116035355084910222011-07-18T05:25:00.003-04:002011-07-18T05:25:00.543-04:00KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce

Through the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program I got to try a bottle of KC Masterpiece BQ sauce on the house! Or course I've been pouring it all over grilled chicken and veggies (it is summer after all!)John has been using it... lets just say... on everything...Exhibit A:Yup that's corn. The man doesn't use butter + salt + pepper like a normal person... he uses BBQ sauce, and I must admit it was pretty

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-80323360144798350232011-07-15T05:16:00.000-04:002011-07-15T05:16:02.976-04:00Rocket Pop

I'm hooked on these vintage inspired pops. It doesn't get any more summery than a rocket ice pop mold if you ask me, and they are so easy to make it's not even funny! I've been making them left and right! My latest creation is a watermelon strawberry yogurt pop.Steph Chows Pops1 cup watermelon1/2 cup strawberries1/2 cup greek plain yogurt1 Tbs sweetener of choice (honey agave white sugar)Dump it

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-44843549339778268412011-07-13T05:22:00.001-04:002011-08-15T08:54:33.582-04:00Jam Exchange Sign Up Time!!!

Thanks to the over 100 people who signed up this year! If you missed the deadline make sure to come back next year!! It's that time of year again, jam making time!!!! I've gotten a few emails from previous entrants and a few newbies who want to join in on the fun! I'm so excited to host this again and can't wait to see what people come up with this year! Here are the "rules" You do NOT need

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-7689726554045314722011-07-11T05:42:00.000-04:002011-07-11T05:42:01.367-04:00CSA Garden Burger

Another dinner straight from the CSA basket plus a few staples. I wasn't sure what to do with so many scapes and my bunch of swish chard but Vanessa was quick to send me this link! I improvised a bit, white beans instead of black, added some scallions in for good measure, used panko instead of bread crumbs. The result... I loved it! John hated it. You win some you loose some :)Your email will

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-36666446783109317322011-07-08T05:12:00.002-04:002011-07-08T05:12:00.275-04:00Ahoy!

I had so much fun doing the giveaway with Shabby Apple a few months ago of course I had to say yes to doing my own review of one of their fabulous dresses!For those of you who weren't around back then, let me tell you a little about Shabby Apple. They make amazing dresses that are vintage inspired silhouettes with modern updates! I'm in love with so many of their dresses! Let me give you an

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-35908002218500295362011-07-06T05:19:00.004-04:002011-07-11T20:55:13.650-04:00Gluten Free Avocado Cookies

Meet Beth! Beth rocks! However her belly feels like she ate rocks when she eats gluten. I'm a bad friend and am always bringing in baked good to work and taunting her with them... so I'm trying to be nicer and bake things she can actually eat with me! Enter in gluten free avocado cookies!!This was a first attempt, they were good, but my next batch would involve cornmeal, although it gave it an

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-53934139214489824322011-07-01T05:29:00.007-04:002011-07-11T20:55:30.323-04:00Whole Wheat Avocado CC Cookies

Don't look at me like that. These things are delicious, and totally the right texture, plus the whole wheat flour disguises the slight green tinge they get from the gloriously luscious avocado.I made these for a party, a dress opening party! I met this wonderful girl Tanvi at a craft fair earlier this year and low and behold it turns out her day job is working in the same department as John! Such

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-47277852258345148292011-06-29T05:11:00.004-04:002011-06-29T05:11:00.964-04:00Owls

We live close to the city of Rochester, but just far enough out that there are things like horse farms and vegetable farms down the road. This also means we have things like bunnies and deer running through our yard, and if you listen closely at night you are bound to hear some owls.OK maybe you wont hear this owl, but he is pretty darn cute. You can find the pattern in Amigurumi Animals: 15

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-76260851450620083682011-06-27T05:48:00.004-04:002011-06-27T08:42:34.504-04:003 Ingredient Recipe

I'm a big fan of quick easy side dishes, especially ones that help use up all those CSA veggies we've been getting. In this past month's issue of Real Simple they had a whole section on 3 ingredient recipes, this one caught my eye since it involved bok choy (one of the things I happened to find in last week's basket).I picked up this cilantro from the Rochester Public Market. For those of you who

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-33520673992893532542011-06-24T05:20:00.004-04:002011-06-24T05:20:00.348-04:00Peanut butter and Jelly Bars - GF

Sometimes recipes sound amazing... but they don't end up looking like what you thought you were making. These are gluten free and vegan (if you use vegan preserves-not all are), and VERY delicious. However mine didn't want to come out of the pan in one piece... coming out in many gooey chunks, check.Truthfully I think it's because I used cashew butter, maybe it was too soft/liquid compared to PB?

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-89276547020758648022011-06-22T05:50:00.002-04:002011-06-22T11:21:03.743-04:00Copious amount of veggies - and a giveaway!

Yesterday was the longest day of the year (daylight wise that is) which means the days are getting shorter now, noooo!!!! But it also means it's officially summer! To celebrate I wanted to make something super fresh utilizing the copious amount of veggies we got from our CSA this week!Arugula, turnips, garlic scape (anyone else have to google that? I had no clue what they were), bok choy, leafy

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-1870169544781322562011-06-19T20:42:00.004-04:002011-06-19T21:12:17.658-04:00Our first anniversary

Hey everyone! Sorry to leave you all hanging last week, a lack of solid wifi made things a tish difficult to update things. But we are back and well rested from celebrating our first wedding anniversary! YEAH! A year ago June 19th, 2010 John and I got hitched and have been having fun ever since :) To celebrate we headed to Cape Cod for a week of eating delicious food, taking long walks on the

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-5889926380271017512011-06-13T05:37:00.001-04:002011-06-13T05:37:00.219-04:00Rhubarb Muffins

I'm out of town this week so I have some fabulous guest posts set up for you! (I was trying to write to tell you all this on Friday but blogger wouldn't let me!) Today we have my best bud Jeanne!When I met Steph a few years ago, we learned very quickly that we have a lot in common. Tons of our conversations started with a story and ended with: "Me TOO!" We have the same birthday (albeit a year

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-86635207080423869952011-06-08T05:22:00.006-04:002011-06-08T09:57:52.712-04:00Not Falafel

Last night I wanted to make salads for dinner topped with falafel patties... but I got seriously lazy, so lazy that I didn't even pull out a recipe and instead just started tossing things into a bowl. Lets just say the only thing these things have in common with falafel is that they contain chick peas... the similarities pretty much end there :)The recipe is non existent. 1 can of chick peas,

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-13324912063558050452011-06-06T05:15:00.006-04:002011-06-06T05:15:00.163-04:00Clearly Fresh Bags

Have you ever heard of Clearly Fresh Bags? According to their website and packaging they make your produce last up to 50% longer. For a person like me who buys lots of fruits and veggies with great intentions... but doesn't always get around to eating them in time... this was a great idea!!OK random question time. How do you like your bananas? Still a little green? Totally yellow? Starting to

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-38317183646606322512011-06-02T05:37:00.003-04:002011-06-02T05:37:00.491-04:00Another new easy to make skirt!

I first saw this skirt over on Sewing in no mans land and fell in love. I love how flattering high waisted skirts can be! She also has the tutorial for a kids version of this skirt, so if you've got a little lady in your life you can whip one up for her too!Love love love! Now my version has one big difference though... mine is a skirt and a belt, and hers is a one piece skirt. Here's why I went

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-20899687813556352382011-05-31T05:02:00.001-04:002011-05-31T05:02:00.530-04:00Silken Chocolate Mousse Cake

Welcome back everyone! Did you have a nice long weekend (if you're in the US that is)? Ours was wonderful and relaxing, and best of all I made this amazing cake!I've mentioned Hannah over at Bittersweet many times before, but I have to say this recipe of hers is my new favorite! It's actually from her first cookbook,My Sweet Vegan: passionate about dessert. If you didn't know she just came out

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-33764747820488254032011-05-27T05:04:00.005-04:002011-05-27T15:18:39.471-04:00Dresses that make you look pregnant

I fully admit it, some days I'm a walking fashion don't... lets take for example dresses that make you look pregnant. I've got at least three dresses like this kicking around in my closet.WOW am I looking pale... yikes! The rain needs to stop so the sun can come out!The dress had great intentions, for starters I loved the pattern, and the cute little button closure at the top... AND it was on

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-61676608964952640862011-05-25T04:59:00.003-04:002011-05-25T04:59:00.321-04:00Carrying Case

Awhile ago my sister asked me if I could make her a crayon carrying case for her purse. It's the perfect thing if you have a kid, instant entertainment at a restaurant, and no crayon mess in your purse. Best of both worlds right?Of course I couldn't resist whipping one up for her, although it did take forever to actually get it in the mail... whoops... hopefully it gets there today... otherwise..

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-42127368299387410072011-05-23T05:50:00.004-04:002011-05-23T05:50:00.201-04:00Alfalfa Farmer

If you've been around the blog awhile you probably know I'm a sprout farmer. Yup, alfalfa, mung beans... I sprout them! It's crazy easy to do and literally costs pennies. Also the sprouts last a good week longer then the ones you buy in the store! Double bonus right?On our trip to Vermont Val packed up some delicious hummus/feta/alfalfa/tomato sandwiches. They were AMAZING, and the day after we

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-41384652854754008932011-05-20T05:20:00.004-04:002011-05-20T13:45:45.175-04:00Date almond loaf and Erythritol

Erythritol kinda sounds like a science experiment doesn't it? It's not though, it's a natural, almost zero calorie sweetener that isn't produced using chemicals (they ferment the sugar with yeast!). Here's more about it not in my words:Erythritol is a natural sugar alcohol which has been approved for use in the United States and throughout much of the world. It occurs naturally in fruits and

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-89330674921614345282011-05-18T05:43:00.005-04:002011-05-18T05:43:00.272-04:00Barn raising

They say it takes a village to raise a barn...Apparently it only takes 3 guys and one fiesty lady to side one though... guess who learned how to install pine plank siding in Vermont this weekend? This chicka right here!!Although the rain tried to beat us down, we wouldn't let it stop us! I learned I'm really accurate with a miter saw, and with some practice I'm deadly with a hammer. (please

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2119551091046515221.post-40456662605448371242011-05-12T11:13:00.004-04:002011-05-15T19:39:47.573-04:00Virtual Bake Sale

Due to a very crappy blogger issue that took place last week this did not post on Friday :( I'm so sad because I wasn't able to let you all know about another Steph's bake sale that I was taking part in. Head on over here to see the final results of the sale.--------I was so happy when another Steph (Steph's rock!) asked me to join in on her online bake sale to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma

stephchowshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09033733602903061210noreply@blogger.com5