It seems that on a sunny, crisp day like today, I might feel better off spending some time outdoors, but yesterday’s three-mile walk has once again left my knee in a slightly uncomfortable state, and I’m slightly more comfortable relaxing quietly indoors. Fortunately, my laptop is now fully functional and I’m happy to report that Mac and I are friends again since I am finally able to access some of the photos that were...

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Perhaps you’ve noticed, perhaps you haven’t, but it’s been a challenge for me to get anything posted on my blog these days. Blame it on technology, too many things to do and not enough time, priorities, sleep deprivation, or sheer laziness. Whatever the case might be, tonight I’m motivated to share this soup recipe because it’s something I’ve made a few times over the last month and my family really enjoys...

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You can’t have a blog post without photos. But I finally realized this morning that I can continue to blog, despite the fact that my iPhoto application on my laptop has been completely out-of-commission for about a week now. I can’t upload any photos from my camera to my laptop, and I can’t access any photos that were previously uploaded prior to my tech-mess. Apparently, my iPhoto application is busy updating my library of...

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Every once in a while, a decadent, rich, chocolaty treat is perfect for celebrating a birthday or a special occasion such as Valentine’s Day. Fortunately for our family, every year we celebrate two such special occasions during the week of Valentine’s Day. I had almost forgotten about this simple chocolaty cake that my friend’s mom taught me back in high school or college. It’s simple because it uses cake mix out of the...

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Comfort. That’s probably one of the first things that come to mind when I think of my childhood besties. When we get together, I am comforted and happy. They are my family. Our get togethers are at least 30 strong (and still growing I’m happy to report), with 10 girlfriends, their mates and a minimum of 10 kids running around. It’s quite an affair, so you can only imagine the amount of food that is often served at our...

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  At the beginning of this month we took a field trip to Pasadena so that we could see the 2013 Rose Parade floats up close and personal. I practically grew up with the Tournament of Roses Parade given my grandparents lived in South Pasadena just walking distance from the parade route and my uncle was a very active volunteer and committee member of the Tournament. Almost every year, for as long as I could remember, my family and I would...

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A few months ago I was inspired to expand my culinary horizons by exploring the world of raw foods. While I am no where close to becoming a vegetarian, I decided that I could certainly benefit by incorporating more raw vegetables and fruit into my diet. You might recall my post about green smoothies and how I fell madly in love with this powerful drink that essentially replaced my breakfast. It’s still a breakfast that I enjoy practically...

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One of the EASIEST soups to make, EVER, is French onion soup. I’ve been making this soup for years, and it’s always been a favorite, but I admit that until recently I’ve always skipped the all important “baking-of-the-soup-in-the-oven-to-melt-a-thick-layer-of-cheesy-goodness-atop-a-crusty-slice-of-bread” step. It always turned out great, however, even without that last step. BUT, it turns out that it DOES taste...

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