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Best Grocery Stores in the United States

January 8, 2013 by 15 Comments
best-grocery-stores-usa

Finding the best grocery stores in the USA took a bit of travel. In 2011, we traveled 20,000 miles across the USA, spanning 30 states and 9 months. We toured businesses, volunteered at non-profits, went on roller coasters and ferris wheels, visited more children's museums and science centers than the average person will see in a lifetime, and saw a whole lot of...grocery stores. Since our mode of transportation was RV, we had a kitchen with a refrigerator, stove, and oven. We also had a mini … [Read more...]

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Dear People Who Don’t Like Vegetables

September 3, 2012 by 12 Comments
yellow-bell-peppers

Have you ever tasted: roasted carrots, glazed with brown sugar and tossed feta cheese? fresh summertime broccoli with creamy homemade ranch dressing? sweet white corn, slathered with real butter and sea salt? golden yellow peppers right at the height of their seasonal goodness? spaghetti squash, cooked to perfection, topped with bubbly marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese? grilled onions, stir-fryed in a cast iron skillet? If you *think* you don't … [Read more...]

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How to Make Homemade Carrot Juice

August 25, 2012 by 5 Comments
homemade-carrot-juice

Have you tried Carrot Juice? If not, don't be frightened by the bold tangerine color. It's really quite delicious and full of antioxidants. Drink a glass and you'll be protecting your heart, strengthening your eyes, and reducing your risk of cancer. No need to hold your nose! This juice tastes good too. There are many different ways to make carrot juice. Some people think that juicing requires a fancy juicer, but...Tim has since proved otherwise. Wash a handful of carrots. No peeling … [Read more...]

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9 Favorite Kitchen Products

August 7, 2012 by 20 Comments
pampered-chef-springform-pan for cheesecake

Our family eats in on seven nights of the week. Mostly, we eat simple meals: cheese quesadillas and fruit, cinnamon peach pancakes, grilled tilapia, roasted red potatoes and onions, and big salads.  Tim and I share the cooking duties. Often, we cut, grate, peel, and prep side-by-side. Either that, or I read the ingredients out loud with a baby on my knee. Here are 9 kitchen appliances and products that have proven themselves in our kitchen. 1. White Dishes. Tim & I registered for … [Read more...]

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Metropolitan Mama’s “BEST SNACKS”

July 19, 2012 by 12 Comments
Tillamook-Medium-Cheddar

Over the past five months, our editorial team (which included a very eager 3-year-old and 5-year-old) has been sampling snacks. We've tasted over 50 brands of chocolates, chips, popsicles, peanut butters, pretzels, and more. It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it! Before accepting samples from companies, we ensured that they were made withOUT high fructose corn syrup and that they had a relatively low ingredient count. We proudly present Metropolitan Mama's BEST SNACKS OF … [Read more...]

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This is the way we make Tropicana popsicles

July 17, 2012 by 12 Comments
Zoku-Duo-Quick-Pop-Maker

"I still think Tucson is one of my favorite places," I tell Tim as we sit in the garage on camping chairs. "Even in the summer," I add for good measure. It's true that I don't like the 100-degree days when the sun scorches on bare shoulders. There's no way that kind of temp can be enjoyable. BUT - I've tried 90 degrees with high humidity. No, thank you. ;) When the heat overpowers during the day, the girls get in swimsuits and splash in the plastic baby pool - long limbs and laughing … [Read more...]

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Favorite Things to Buy at Costco [summer 2012 edition]

July 15, 2012 by 32 Comments
Kirkland-Peanut-Butter-from-Costco

Over the past few years, I've come to like Costco more and more. The prices are good. The floors are clean. The aisles are wide. The grocery carts have side-by-side seating. The samples are free. The pizza is piping hot (10bucks for a HUGE one). Lately, we've been enjoying these purchases. Blueberries - You'd be surprised how fast we can finish one of these off. On our most recent trip, we paid $7.99 for a 32 ounce carton. Tilapia - The tortilla-crusted kind ($13.49 for 9 … [Read more...]

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Q & A about Orange Juice w/ Tropicana

April 12, 2012 by 7 Comments
orange-in-the-sunlight

How do you shop for orange juice? There are so many brands and varieties out there - and everyone has a different palate and preferences. Our family looks at the ingredient label and always opts for 100% OJ (usually with some pulp). I recently had an opportunity to submit YOUR questions to Tropicana about orange juice. Here goes: Q1 from LaVonne: Pulp or no pulp? Which variety is healthier and why? A1: Orange juice is sold with and without pulp to delight consumers of all different … [Read more...]

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