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Category: holidays

  1. Friday, April 6

    Easter Feast Plans

    This might be one of my most favorite pictures from my blog over the years. Could it be that I LOVE LOVE LOVE those darn Cadbury mini eggs so much I could just stare at them all day? Perhaps…

    Thought I’d sit down and actually plan our Easter feast! And, as always, please share your plans for this weekend…whether your feast is celebrating Passover or Easter! I could still use the inspiration…and until I actually get to the grocery store, I reserve the right to change my menu in favor of your better ideas!

    I’m hungry already…

    Can’t wait to see what deliciousness you have up your sleeves!

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 7:00 am   18 Comments
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  2. Sunday, January 1

    Week 258 Menu…and HAPPY NEW YEAR!…and a Resolution Suggestion for You!

    Happy 2012, everyone! We rang in the new year by drinking copious amounts of Coke and Martinelli’s and watching Karate Kid (which may have been obvious by my Instagram feed last night…see here and here and here). It was a pretty rockin’ party. That’s how we roll around here.

    Okay, so it’s time for me to do my annual spiel…you know the one telling you how AWESOME meal planning is and that you should make it your 2012 resolution? So, here we go…meal planning is AWESOME and I think you should make it your New Year’s Resolution, starting today! Okey dokey, spiel over…but if you need some reasons why you should do it, click here! And, yes, I am ‘spieling’ for purely selfish reasons…the more of you who jump on board, the more menus I get to read each week. ;)

    MONDAY:
    - Pulled BBQ Chicken (in the freezer) sandwiches, topped with coleslaw

    TUESDAY:
    - Chicken teriyaki and rice
    - Stir fry veggies

    WEDNESDAY:
    - Orange Chicken and rice
    - Roasted Cauliflower

    THURSDAY:
    - Leftovers

    FRIDAY:
    - Eating out with friends for a birthday celebration

    SATURDAY:
    - Lasagna (in the freezer)
    - Crusty bread and veggie

    SUNDAY:
    - Waffles, fruit and home fries

    Your turn! Let’s see all of your menus! And for those of you who haven’t posted a menu before…give it a try, it’s January 1 after all!

    Also…even though I’m bugging you about the meal planning resolution…I am going to have another one for you later this week that I’m super excited about, building on my resolution theme from the last few years. Can’t wait to share it with you!

    Here’s to a delicious 2012!

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 9:21 am   78 Comments
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  3. Sunday, December 25

    Week 257 Menu

    Merry Christmas!

    My Christmas present to myself this year is NO MENU! :) That’s right, I’m rebelling and not planning a thing for the week. We’ll just pull stuff out of the freezer, eat out, pick at leftovers…you know, holiday eating!  I’m thinking Christmas chocolate should keep us sustained, right?

    Hope you all have a great holiday season whatever holidays you are celebrating!

    And, if you do by chance have a menu planned for this week, please leave it in the comments!

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 12:31 pm   10 Comments
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  4. Friday, December 23

    My New Fave Peppermint Bark and How the Grinch Kicked Off Christmas!

    If you’re still looking for a Christmas present for me ;) , Ghirardelli peppermint bark should cover it. Seriously, it’s my new favorite peppermint bark. I tried it for the first time last weekend when we rode the cable cars around San Francisco and stopped at Ghirardelli Square for hot chocolate. They were passing out samples and I immediately fell in love. It’s nice and creamy, with the peppermint bits buried in the chocolate. YUM.

    In other Christmas-y news, SHN recently invited our family to see the Broadway production of How the Grinch Stole Christmas in San Francisco. We took the kids up yesterday afternoon for the play and it was…AWESOME! If you get the chance to see this production, do it! It was such a fun way to kick off our Christmas weekend. The play is short enough that it doesn’t need an intermission, which is great for kids, the costumes and the sets were amazing, and the Grinch was really funny. Anna was scared for the first half but eventually warmed up (and she even admits that despite her reservations, she still really liked it!). Owen was mesmerized! Cate just loved it and giggled her way through the show.

    We were lucky enough to meet the Grinch afterwards and he was actually quite delightful, despite his grinchy exterior. The first child he approached was Owen, who maintained a poker face throughout the entire meeting. The Grinch tried and tried, but Owen was too cool for school. Anna wouldn’t take a picture with him (surprise…you can see her far right sucking her thumb, next to my friend Gina), but Cate jumped right in for the camera. It was such a fun day!

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 9:49 am   7 Comments
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  5. Sunday, December 18

    Week 256 Menu

    Anna has officially taken butter to a whole new level. She’s such a pipsqueak, we figure a little fat will do her good.

    The holidays are here. Hanukkah starts Tuesday, Christmas is Sunday…I imagine many of us are running around like crazy people! I hope we can all find some quiet moments this week to enjoy the things that really matter!

    I for one am looking forward to making my annual batch of vetebröd, the yummiest Swedish cardamom bread this side of anywhere.

    MONDAY:
    - Pulled Chicken BBQ (in the freezer) sandwiches, topped with coleslaw

    TUESDAY:
    - Teriyaki chicken (in the freezer) and rice
    - Stir fry veggies

    WEDNESDAY:
    - Roasted chicken breasts (in the freezer)
    - Green beans

    THURSDAY:
    - Leftovers

    FRIDAY:
    - Eat out, or maybe pancakes or something

    SATURDAY:
    - Chinese take-out, a Maynard Christmas Eve tradition!

    SUNDAY:
    - Swedish Meatballs with boiled red potatoes
    - Veggies on the side (whatever comes in my CSA bag. Yes, our CSA never stops all year. Gotta love California!)

    I can’t WAIT to see your menus for this week, as I’m sure many of you will have wonderful holiday meals (and sweets!) planned. And even if you don’t, I still want to see your menu, so bring it on! :)

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 1:14 pm   28 Comments
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  6. Thursday, December 15

    Frost Bite Mocktail

    Today I made my first cocktail. Okay, it was a mocktail. But I still got to use a shaker. Which feels cool, people. Even if you’re just mixing up a mocktail for your kids.

    Sierra Mist contacted me recently about doing two sponsored posts involving cocktails and mocktails made with Sierra Mist Natural, a new drink that contains only real sugar, no artificial ingredients and 100% natural flavorings. I thought it would be fun so I decided to give it a go! I’ve honestly always liked Sierra Mist, so I’m happy they now have a natural version. And it’s a great ingredient for mixing up some fun mocktails and cocktails! {Shake, shake, shake! Shake, shake! That’s me with my new shaker. I can’t get enough of that thing.}

    For my first post I tried out one of Sierra Mist Natural’s mocktail recipes, the Frost Bite (see below). The girls and I had a little mocktail party and we all loved the drink! I like the subtle taste of lime and pineapple, which pairs nicely with the hint of mint. AND, I think I almost got frost bite shaking the cold stainless steel shaker, so the drink is appropriately named. ;)

    Without further ado, the recipe! I am going to share a few recipes with you, actually. The one I made was the Frost Bite Mocktail. Like I said, it was YUM. But there is a cocktail version, as well as a mighty delicious-looking martini, too! If you’re looking for even more mixing inspiration, you can “Like” Sierra Mist on Facebook and gain access to a bunch of other great drink recipes.

    Frost Bite (Cocktail)
    Ingredients:
    • 3 oz. Sierra Mist Natural
    • 1 oz. Blue Curacao
    • 1 oz. Coconut Vodka
    • Fresh mint
    • 1 oz. Pineapple juice
    • Fresh blueberries (optional)

    Directions:
    1. In a shaker filled with ice, mix coconut vodka and pineapple juice
    2. Add blue curacao, fresh mint and blueberries (optional)
    3. Shake all ingredients well and strain into a large glass filled with ice
    4 . Top with Sierra Mist Natural
    5. Garnish with fresh blueberries for a holiday twist (optional)

    Frost Bite (Mocktail)
    Ingredients:
    • 3 oz. Sierra Mist Natural
    • 2 oz. of White grape juice
    • Fresh blueberries
    • Fresh mint
    • 1 oz. Pineapple juice
    • 1 oz. Lime juice
    Directions:
    1. In a shaker filled with ice, mix fresh lime juice and pineapple juice
    2. Add white grape juice, mint and blueberries
    3. Shake all ingredients well and strain into a large glass filled with ice
    4. Top with Sierra Mist Natural
    5. Garnish with fresh blueberries for a holiday twist (optional)

    Meet Me At The Mist-letoe…Martini (Cocktail)
    Ingredients:
    • 2 oz. Sierra Mist Natural
    • 1 ½ oz. Raspberry Vodka
    • 3 Leaves fresh basil
    • ½ oz. Fresh lime juice
    • 1 oz. Blueberry juice

    Directions:
    1. In a glass, muddle two basil leaves and lime juice, then add to shaker filled with ice
    2. Add raspberry vodka and blueberry juice to the shaker; shake well and strain into a martini glass
    3. Top with Sierra Mist Natural
    4. Garnish with a basil leaf for decoration (optional)

    Meet Me At The Mist-letoe…Martini (Mocktail)
    Ingredients:
    • 2 oz. Sierra Mist Natural
    • 1 ½ oz. Raspberry juice
    • 3 Leaves fresh basil
    • ½ oz. Fresh lime juice
    • 1 oz. Blueberry juice

    Directions:
    1. In a glass, muddle two basil leaves and lime juice, then add to a shaker filled with ice
    2. Add raspberry and blueberry juice to the shaker; shake well and strain into a martini glass
    3. Top with Sierra Mist Natural
    4. Garnish with a basil leaf for decoration (optional)

    Next week I’ll share an original mocktail recipe created by yours truly (now that I have a shaker, I am a mixologist after all) and a giveaway you won’t want to miss!

    Tell me, did I make the right choice going with the Frost Bite Mocktail? I think so…but the Meet Me at the Mist-letoe Martini is starting to call my name…might have to get that shaker out again!

    Merry Mixing!

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 5:33 pm   11 Comments
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  7. Wednesday, December 14

    Picture the Holidays: Reflecting on the Season

    Reflecting on the Season. One of the recent prompts for Picture the Holidays was to “shoot something in a reflective surface and see what you find. It could be you looking back at you, or it could be some other kind of seasonal magic.” Of course my first thought was the shiny ornaments on my tree. But that seemed too easy. I wasn’t entirely sure what reflective surface I was going to shoot or what seasonal magic I might find, but I kept an eye out all day.

    Then, that night, in a very rare quiet moment, I was standing in the dark kitchen contemplating what chocolate might be lurking there. And then I looked up. The tree was reflecting on the sliding glass door, which in turn was reflecting off of the kitchen table. I probably spent 45 minutes that night shooting this reflective scene in a zillion different ways with a zillion different settings.

    At the very end of the night, Nate stepped into the frame. I told him he was ruining my shot. (I know, real nice.) He told me he was making it better. And he was SO right. What better way to “reflect the season” than a photo with my sweet husband and newborn son standing by the Christmas tree? Not only did it give me a chance to study the literal reflection in the window, but I stopped for a moment to reflect on what really matters during the holiday season…my family.

    And, yes, Owen is wearing his Halloween skeleton costume. He takes “Happy Holidays” very literally.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 11:26 pm   3 Comments
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  8. Friday, November 25

    I am thankful

    “She said she usually cried at least once each day not because she was sad, but because the world was so beautiful & life was so short.” Brian Andreas, Storypeople

    This Thanksgiving Nate and I have been feeling especially grateful. I feel like I need to get it down on paper, to take a moment and reflect on what exactly it is we are thankful for.

    I am thankful.

    For Owen. I haven’t talked much about Owen’s birth here on the blog, and I still won’t go into all the gory details, but it was scary. We ended up with a prolapsed cord and from the time they discovered the problem to when Owen was out was only six minutes, six sad and harrowing minutes. Over the days following the c-section, various doctors and nurses would say things in reference to the surgery, comments that slowly made us realize just how grave the situation had been. I have shed many tears reflecting on the experience, but the one thing that keeps me together is the gratitude. The overwhelming gratitude I feel when I look at my healthy, happy baby boy. Every second we have with him is truly a blessing.

    My friend Kami recently experienced a c-section eerily similar to mine. Only there was one glaring difference…while I was 41 weeks pregnant and ended up with a healthy baby, sweet Kami was only 26 weeks along. Her baby girl Afton only weighed 15 ounces. And Afton only experienced one week on this earth. There were far too many “onlys” for Afton and her family. Their experience is simply heartbreaking. And while my heart has broken a thousand times over for Kami, I also feel grateful for her wonderful example of faith and hope. It is truly amazing.

    I am thankful.

    For every moment I have with my three children and my husband. A friend of mine just found out her 20-month old has leukemia. The prognosis is good. But it’s still hard and scary. Last night when I was talking with Angela, we were reflecting on how you never expect life to change so drastically, for these kinds of things to happen to you. When she took her daughter to the doctor for a fever, she never would have thought they’d be heading to the hospital for weeks of chemo. Life takes turns – sometimes good, sometimes not-so-good. Which is why I’m feeling so grateful this week. Grateful for each moment we have together because, as Brian Andreas put it so beautifully, the world is so beautiful and life is so short.

    I am thankful.

    For family who sacrificed time, money and sleep to come help us after Owen’s birth. For friends, who brought us countless dinners and helped out with the girls in countless ways. I have been continuously awed over the last two months at how people step up in times of need. It’s amazing. I learned to accept service, to admit that I couldn’t do it all, to ask for help over and over again. And the love we’ve felt as a result of needing that help has been overwhelming. I am thankful that we will be able to provide that same love and support for others in need when the time comes.

    I am thankful.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 12:10 pm   20 Comments
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  9. Friday, November 18

    Pat’s Butternut Squash

    It’s a good thing my mother-in-law came to visit last week because it actually gave me some food to write about! It’s been great being able to post about the delicious food she made for us…and so much of it is perfect for Thanksgiving, so it’s great timing!

    Today I have a nice, simple side dish for you that would be perfect right along with some turkey and stuffing, although we had it with filet mignon and that was pretty perfect, too. Pat ate some butternut squash at Whole Foods once that she loved, so she went home and recreated it. It is simple, easy and delicious. Just the kind of recipe you need for that busy Thanksgiving day.

    Pat’s Butternut Squash
    From my mother-in-law Pat Maynard
    - 1 medium-sized butternut squash, peeled and cut into ~1″ squares
    - One small onion, cut into thin slices
    - 1-2 Tablespoons butter
    - 1 Tablespoon olive oil.
    - 2 teaspoons sugar
    - 3 heaping Tablespoons dried cranberries

    In a large pot, cook onions in butter and olive oil until soft over mediumish heat. Add sugar towards the end to sweeten/caramelize the onions. Add dried cranberries. Stir with onions about 1 minute or till softened a bit. Put the butternut squash into the pot with the onion mixture. Cover and steam/cook slowly over low-medium heat until squash is nice and tender (but not moist because Pat can’t stand that word and this is her recipe). Stir gently and add a pat of butter if needed before serving.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 10:19 am   10 Comments
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  10. Wednesday, November 16

    Swedish Apple Pie (a.k.a. Makes-Its-Own-Crust Apple Pie)

    I’m about to share a gem of a recipe with you. Seriously. It’s my new favorite apple pie recipe. So yummy and so easy.

    When my mother-in-law Pat was in town, she kept telling us how she was going to make us Swedish Apple Pie (which she did). She said it was a recipe from someone she knew named Grammy Dutton. I asked if Grammy Dutton was Swedish. Pat’s reply, with a laugh, was, “Not at all!” Apparently the real name for this recipe is “Grammy Dutton’s Makes-Its-Own-Crust Apple Pie.” But whenever Pat’s friends are looking for the recipe, they’ll ask for the Swedish Apple Pie recipe, and Pat will say, “The Makes-Its-Own-Crust Apple Pie recipe?” and then they’ll say, “Yeah, yeah, Swedish Apple Pie.” I guess this pie really wants to be Swedish. Because being Swedish is awesome. (That last sentence has nothing to do with the fact that I’m 3/4 Swedish, by the way.)

    Nomenclature aside, Nate and I both really loved this “pie.” I personally do think it’s better than traditional apple pie, but I’m sure there are people who would debate that point with me. But even those people would agree that this is a delicious dessert. The crust bakes on top of the pie and sort of seeps down into the apples in a super tasty, cobbler-like way, but it stays nice and crusty on top. Wow, that’s a terrible description for a really wonderful thing. You’ll just have to trust me. Plus, it’s way stinkin’ easier than making real pie crust. I’m all over easier!

    Grammy Dutton’s Makes-Its-Own-Crust Apple Pie, a.k.a. Swedish Apple Pie
    From Pat Maynard who got the recipe from Grammy Dutton herself
    - Sliced apples, sliced but not too thin, peeled but you don’t have to be super meticulous about it
    - About 1-2 Tablespoons of cinnamon sugar
    - 6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) melted butter
    - 1 cup sugar
    - 1 cup flour
    - 1 beaten egg

    Fill a pie plate or any 8×8 casserole dish/pan with sliced apples. Only the center can be slightly above level with the top of dish or the topping will spill over the sides, so don’t get carried away. Sprinkle the apples with ~ 1 T cinnamon sugar.

    Mix together the butter, sugar, flour and egg. Pour evenly over apples, sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar if desired.

    Bake at 350 degrees F until deep golden brown – around 40-45 minutes or so.

    Posted by Jane Maynard at 6:00 am   33 Comments
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