About Me
Name: Meagan
Nickname: Sarafina
Birthdate: 10-20-1977
Location: Leander, TX
Website: The Haven
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Of Interest...
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Previously On...
Quick Update
Four Foods on Friday
New in Sarafina's Kitchen
This is ridiculous...
Four Foods on Friday
What are the three quirky habits you have?
Who knows how to crochet?
Blog Milestones
Top 5 Reasons for Me to Get Back In Bed
Wordle!


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7.22.2008

Quick Update
 
I realized last night that it's been a while since a real update, so here goes:
 
Dustin and I are headed to San Diego next Wednesday-Saturday.  He's going for a business trip, and I am tagging along.  I still need to sit down and figure out what I want to do while he's in meetings.  I've been to San Diego once before, so I have a vague idea of what I want to do.  I'm mainly looking forward to the 72º weather. :)
 
Thanks to Mr. Foley for yet another good time at your house on Sunday.  It was fun meeting some of your other friends and the food was great.  We need to get together again soon for the Star Wars marathon!
 
Work's about the same.  I've given up on the job hunt for now...there's just too much other stuff to deal with right now.  I was really confident about a job here at the agency, but I didn't pass HR screening for it.  I don't want to go into it, but the lady who was helping me apply for it kind of threw me under the bus and didn't tell me all of the qualifications I needed on my application.  She also didn't try very hard to push my app. through, either.  I'm hoping that something even better than that is out there for me, but I just can't handle the stress of looking right now.
 
D's getting ready for another fun-filled school year as a fundraising rep., but this year will be a transition since his company merged with another one earlier this summer.  He's had to work more than normal this summer, so I'm hoping he's had enough down-time to be ready to go again.  He's been out hunting a few times and spent some time at our neighborhood pool.  Starting this week the conventions and meetings start, though, so his summer's pretty much over.  We talked about trying to go to Vegas next month, but I'm not sure that we'll be able to.
 
I guess that's about it.  The furr babies are both doing well - they had their annual vet visit and everything went smoothly.  Minnie's getting a bit older and bit grumpier with each year, and Padmé just clings to me more.   They're both still super sweet kitteh babies, though, and they keep us entertained.
 
Hope you guys are all doing well...
 
 

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Composed by Sarafina at 7:30 AM
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7.18.2008

Four Foods on Friday
 
If you're not playing , you should be! :)

#1. Fruits and veggies. Do you prefer them peeled or not?
Not peeled - except for those that are meant to be, of course.
#2. What’s your favorite fresh fruit or vegetable smell?
fresh fruit smell - peaches / fresh veggie smell - can't think of one
#3. What’s the worst food smell you’ve ever smelled?
rancid fish
#4. Share the recipe for the dish that you love to smell cooking in your oven.
Easy Pumpkin Bread

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Composed by Sarafina at 11:43 AM
1 remarks

7.17.2008

New in Sarafina's Kitchen
 
Composed by Sarafina at 12:52 PM
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7.14.2008

This is ridiculous...
 
It's 66° in our office right now.  It's the middle of July and I am wearing a sweater and have a blanket wrapped around me.  I forecast snow flurries by lunch.
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Composed by Sarafina at 8:59 AM
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7.10.2008

Four Foods on Friday
 
Time for ! :)

#1. Cake. Buttercream, whipped cream or ice cream?
Buttercream.
#2. When entertaining do you use real, paper, plastic or styrofoam dishes?
Real.
#3. When hosting a party do you cook, have it catered or go to a restaurant?
I cook. I am the queen of hors d’ oeuvres. :)
#4. Share a recipe that you frequently serve when having a party.

Artichoke Tartlettes

recipe courtesy of the fabulous Miss Julissa!

olive oil flavored cooking spray
16 pieces wonton wrapper(s)
1/4 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
4 oz fat-free cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp sweet red pepper(s), chopped
7 oz canned artichoke hearts, without oil, drained and chopped
1/4 cup parsley, fresh, sprigs

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 16-hole mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Gently press 1 wonton wrapper into each muffin hole, allowing ends to extend above cups. Coat edges of wrappers with cooking spray and set aside. Combine cheeses, cayenne pepper and mustard in a medium bowl; mix well. Stir in red pepper and artichoke hearts; spoon about 1 teaspoon of cheese mixture into each muffin cup. Bake until cheese mixture is set and edges of wrappers are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.

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Composed by Sarafina at 5:30 PM
7 remarks

7.07.2008

What are the three quirky habits you have?
 
I found this in draft form - not sure why I never posted it. Originally written 5/3/08.

from Corrin

Every morning when I get up (or if I get up in the middle of the night), I turn on the light in the hallway next to the utility room to make sure the cats have dragged out a little "treat" from the litter box.

If we have a bag of salad in the house, I will inspect the entire bag from the outside before using any. If there's more than 2 or 3 nasty-looking leaves, I won't eat any of it.

Every time I open a bag of shredded cheese, I smell it to make sure it hasn't gone bad. I'll do this even if I've had the same bag out earlier the same day.

Man...reading these makes me sounds a little over the edge. :P I'm not...I swear!

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Composed by Sarafina at 2:50 PM
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Who knows how to crochet?
 
Composed by Sarafina at 2:48 PM
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Blog Milestones
 
Thanks to Corrin's post about her blogiversary, I went and researched my own blogging milestones:
 
 
First online journal started on ezboard on May 28, 2001.  (101 posts)
 
First "proper" blog started with Livejournal on October 5, 2001. (237 posts)
 
My current blog with Blogger started December 26, 2002. (636 posts)
 
Sarafina's Kitchen started on June 7, 2005. (74 posts)
 
Total Number of Posts - 1048
 
Averages: 150 posts/year - 3 posts/week - ½  post/day
 
Phew!  Was that enough number-crunching? :)
 

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Composed by Sarafina at 1:19 PM
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Top 5 Reasons for Me to Get Back In Bed
 
1) The smoke detector started beeping last night about 10:20.  It took me over 10 minutes to unhook it.  It's possible that I threw it halfway across the living room, making the battery pop out of it's compartment.
 
2) The Tylenol PM I took at 9:00 didn't kick in until about 5 minutes before #1 happened.
 
3) I slept through my alarm going off the first time or it never went off.  I've never known it to *not* go off.
 
4) Since I got a late start, I didn't have time to dry and straighten my hair.  It's not curling right and looks like poo.
 
5) As I was pouring my coffee (which was badly needed this morning), some of it spilled on the new shirt I was planning on wearing today.  I had to rinse it out (so it wouldn't stain) and change shirts. 
 
 

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Composed by Sarafina at 7:19 AM
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7.06.2008

Wordle!
 
Thanks to Corrin for yet another thing to pass the time with online - Wordle!

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Composed by Sarafina at 6:29 PM
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Stars and Stripes Forever!
 
found through Buzzfeed :)

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Composed by Sarafina at 6:05 PM
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Four Foods on Friday (on Sunday)
 
Better late than never for .

#1. Name your biggest cooking influence.

My grandparents. They all taught me to love food and to love to cook.
#2. What is your ultimate comfort food?
Macaroni & cheese.
#3. Name one must have tool that you think every kitchen should have.
Food processor.
#4. Share a time saving tip.
See number 3. I don't know how I'd chop some things without it.

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Composed by Sarafina at 5:31 PM
1 remarks