Keeping the Goals in Check...

August is almost here and it's time I did a evaluation of where I am for my 2012 goals.  So, I will be as transparent as I possibly can be!

So, here is the list...

1. Run a marathon
2. Bike a century (hopefully this will happen on 5/12/12)  Done!
3. Do a triathlon, even if it's a small one
4. Run at least 1000 miles
5. Get 1000 followers on Homemade Served Here's facebook page
6. Learn how to really use our new camera :)  Done!
7. Expand my garden and get more berry bushes Can't wait to see the harvest!
8. Freeze/Can enough vegetables and fruits to get us through the entire winter, not just fall ;-)
9. Take a real vacation - maybe over Christmas - that may even require air travel.
10. Do agility training with Troop
11. Become completely debt free
12. Have an article published in a "real" magazine
13. Spend an entire day running ala this blog post from Kristin Armstrong   Done!
14. Make up for missing camping last year with Brieanna, Adrian and Noah by having a great camping trip in 2012!
15. Winefest 2012, baby!  Here's to Year #3 with the girls in OC!

Hmm....well.  I think I may have been just a BIT ambitious.

1. Run a Marathon - Well, I did try and run a marathon and only did the first loop.  But I am signed up again for another marathon, The Harrisburg Marathon on 11/11...so for now, we'll call this one doable.

2.  Bike a Century...did it!  It was hard, I thought I might die, but it's done and I am proud of it!

3. Do a Triathlon - I don't think this is going to happen.  I just haven't been able to work out the whole swimming part of it, but it will stay on my "someday" bucket list

4. Run at least 1000 miles - So far, I am at 561 for running.  So I'm halfway there!  I think it's doable, but the biking mileage is 522 so at least I can say I've done 1000 miles total.  :)  Not the same at all, but it sounds good.

5. Get 1000 followers on Homemade Served Here's facebook - I am at 560 so we're getting there!  I've got a few more months.

6. Learn how to really use my camera - did it!! I've done better food shots this year than last and I'm even branching out to action shots like cycling and running!

7. Expand my garden - I didn't as much as I'd hoped to but it definitely looks good!

8. Freeze/Can enough to get us through winter...well, we are eating so many more fruits and veggies this year that this will be hard.  Next year I will have to plan for this and plant more.

9. Take a real vacation - This remains to be seen whether or not it will happen.  Summer was a rough time on our budget so it might have to be shelved.

10. Do agility training with Troop - This may have to just be a "something I would love to do but I'm living in a dream thinking it will happen!"  He is still terrified of the car.  Makes it tough to do much of anything.  :(

11. Be completely debt free - Ha!  Summer made sure that didn't happen.  Ever lose 1/3 of your income for 4 months and have another 1/3 of your income be cut in half for the summer?  That was us this year with my daycare income.  Tight does not begin to describe how things have been. It will take us to next year just to get back on track.

12. Have an article published in a "real" magazine - I seriously have not worked on this like I should have.  Maybe I can at some point but it's something I don't have nearly enough focus for at the moment.

13. Spend an entire day running - I did it!  Troy and I spent a day in January just running trails, meeting for a snack and running some more.  I loved every single second of it and I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

14. Making up for missing camping?  Well, it's not happened yet but I guess we could still do it.  The burn ban is still on for our area so it makes it harder to want to head out to camp.  The campfire is the biggest part of the experience!

15. Winefest is scheduled and paid for so here's to hanging with the girls the end of September and enjoying some runs at the beach.  :)

So, looking over where I am and where I'm headed is a nice reminder of what needs done and what needs to be let go of.  I am done beating myself up for all the things that I'd hoped to accomplish that I know just aren't going to happen.  Instead, I will focus my energies on what I can handle, what I can work toward and make happen!  Life happening all around me is more important than hitting 15 goals in 12 months!  I thank God for all I have been given in 2012 and all that I've been able to accomplish.

Sheri

It's Time

Ominous sounding, isn't it?  But this is a totally, non fear-filled kind of "it's time."  Instead this is a joyful, "I feel so ready" kind of "it's time," and I really do think I am ready.  Ready for what? I'm ready to run and it's time.  This past month has been my worst running month this year.  We've biked a lot,  almost 300 miles, but not running.  Running has been shelved with complaints of heat, illness, and a kitchen remodel that was supposed to take a few days and took a few weeks.  And I'm good with all of that.  Life happens and sometimes you just need to go with it, however hard that is and no matter what havoc the stress starts to wreak on your brain.  Yes, there is the big downside to reduced running miles...stress starts to pile up all over the place until I feel like I will explode.  So, that's why it's time.  I have officially declared and registered for another marathon.  It will be closer to home, on roads and hopefully will officially check off another 2012 goal.

Strangely, I am excited, even anxious for the marathon to get here.  I was so disappointed in the series of events that kept me from my first marathon finish back in April but at the same time, I accept that it just wasn't my time.  And the entire time we were prepping for the marathon before, I was anxious, nervous and worried.  This time, when I hit the submit button for the race registration, I felt nothing but calm excitement.  I was so happy to have picked a race, and had plenty of time to train and just enjoy the process.  That calm just convinced me that this it it and I'll conquer that 26.2!

Speaking of the kitchen remodel, I think all the final touches are done and complete.  I bought a new curtain that I think really completed the look.

It really is a panel but I used two tension rods to make into a long valance.  I like that it covers the window hardware...no valances ever do that and I didn't want to have to swap out for a roman shade.   I love the new sign for above the window that I picked up at Michael's on sale for 1.99!  It really pulls so many of the kitchen's colors into one place and draws your eye right to it.  Notice all those tomatoes on the windowsill too...and there are twice as many in the fridge already!  I HAD to make salsa today because there was no room left for tomatoes.  Same thing with cucumbers...I made 3 jars of pickles today just to keep them from going bad, and trust me, we've been eating them like crazy too!

My newest ingredient to experiment with has been TVP, or Textured Vegetable Protein.  It's been a nice addition to some sauces that I would have traditionally used ground beef or turkey in, and I've been surprised at how versatile and easy it is to work with.  This morning, the hubby was asking what was for breakfast...in the past I'd have made biscuits and gravy, eggs and toast, etc.  These days it's usually banana pancakes, pb toast, something like that.  So, I joked and said biscuits and gravy and then thought, well, I bet I could do it!  He was skeptical, but I think intrigued enough to give it a shot.

Not a bad effort at all, I don't think!  He said it had a little too much sweetness, probably from the almond milk I had on hand so I'd rather try it with oat or rice milk, but still, it was a close enough dish that it hit the spot for him.  I wish I had some sort of real recipe but all I can say is I rehydrated the TVP with an equal portion of boiling vegetable stock.  I added pepper and salt to taste with a dash or two each of garlic powder and sage and added some flour and milk to make a gravy.  I served it over homemade drop biscuits.

Eating vegan is less difficult that it seemed, or that I made it out to be in my mind.  I am mindful of the ingredients in our foods, and if something can be altered to be vegan, that's great but it's more important to us that it be organic, local if at all possible and not processed.  We eat so little dairy or any other animal products now and it hasn't felt at all like we're deprived, just the opposite.  I love it and I love the new food combinations, whether vegetarian or vegan.  :) I know our lifestyle isn't for everyone, and that's okay, but I do like sharing the journey.

Enjoy!

Sheri

Grilled Stuffed Peppers and Some Other Thoughts, Just for Fun :)

I was so excited when the mail came and my September issue of Vegetarian Times was in the pile.  I mean, I will overlook the fact that July is not even over and I'm reading a fall themed magazine because it had so many delicious ideas in it!  One of them really caught my eye right away and I had to make it.  Grilled Stuffed Peppers.  I will say that there was one big issue looming though - our grill is out of propane and when we went to fill them, we found out that apparently propane tanks expire.  Who knew this???  I didn't.  But anyway, we haven't had a chance to figure out what to do with them, so we had no grill.  I thought that broiling the peppers in the oven would likely work, and I crossed my fingers, put a bell pepper split in half in the oven and hoped for the best. I wasn't disappointed.  It worked exactly like it should have and I had a perfectly blistered up green pepper to stuff to my heart's content! 

What a perfect meal!  Now, we all know (or at least if you read here every now and again you might know) that I rarely follow a recipe.  It's something in my dna or something, I don't know.  I just look at a picture and then wing it.  One usual exception is baked goods - I follow the recipe at least closely enough that there are few variances.  But other foods, I'm like a mad scientist in the kitchen.  A pinch of this, dab of that and before I know it, I'm done and I have no recipe to share.  I am really bad at this whole recipe side of the food blogging thing, I know.

So, here's what I did.  After blistering my halved, cleaned bell pepper, I sauteed some frozen corn (no fresh on hand) with some salt, garlic, onion and a bit of olive oil.  I added some fresh cilantro and lemon balm at the end of the cooking.  Into the empty pepper, I put a layer of crumbled goat cheese (for vegan, pressed tofu would work well too) and then topped it with the corn mixture.  I put the whole thing back in the oven for about 5 minutes to broil and blend the flavors.  That was it.  And it was beautiful!  Not only that, it was delicious!!

Don't believe me???  This meal was gone so quickly, I wished instantly I had seconds.  But, alas, I'd only made one half for me and the hubby.  You can bet we will making this again, and soon!  I paired it with some tomatoes and basil drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette and a simple fried potato hash.  For dessert we made a delicious peanut butter ice cream which was just rich enough to balance our meal out.

Empty plate = summery goodness!

I can imagine all kinds of different fillings in our peppers to come...I'm already contemplating a squash and eggplant filling...but for this meal, the corn was great.

While we were eating, I happened to look outside and caught a glimpse of an interesting set of clouds...

Thunderstorms were in the area, but this looks like it was a thin rain cloud with a beautiful sky above and below it...and luckily we did get a few drops.  The garden and the hillside plants have been loving the rain, and I'm loving not having to water them every night.  Mother Nature has been gracious in her help this summer for us.  I wish we could share our rain with all who need it, but I am certainly grateful for all that we have too.

I've planted quite a few new plants on the hillside and the birds and butterflies seem to be appreciative.  I know that it's not as full as they're used to but it's getting there.  I'm just hoping it will help head off the erosion.  For now, seeing the splashes of color here and there are enough for me.  :)  I can't wait to see it when it starts to spread out next year.

Okay, so enough rambling for me.  We've been so busy and then I was sick so I just haven't been writing as much as I'd like.  I'm sorry and I hope you appreciate my ramblings when I do find time for them.

Enjoy,

Sheri

German Chocolate Mug Cake

It seems that mug cakes are all the rage around my house these days.  And it's not a new concept...I made a hot chocolate mug cake that was amazing over the winter, and more recently, I made a Nutella one.  But for some reason, it's just now that we've really discovered how awesome and adaptable this quick dessert can be.  I blame it on the eggs - or rather the fact we are trying not to use them - because I am learning that mug cakes do not need eggs no matter what the recipe says.  And for a house that is working on eliminating animal products, that's a big deal to have our cake and eat it too.  Sorry, I couldn't resist that little cliched saying...it just fit too perfectly.

So, anyway...the hubby brought home some toasted coconut from work the other night.  And I love coconut.  It is one of my most favorite flavors in all of the world.  Hubby likes the flavor, but not the texture.  I've been able to work it into my granola recipes without him minding because there already is so much texture but that's it.  So to be able to make a mug cake all my own with a ton of this toasted coconut was like a dream come true.  Okay, okay, maybe a dream come true is a bit of a stretch, but I've been sick and stressed the past few days.  Allow me my simple pleasures.  :)

So, here's a glimpse of my dessert last night.  I took the smallest bites possible because I didn't want it to be gone.  This is another special part of the mug cake.  Once it's gone, if you want seconds, you have to make another cake.  It's alot more thought that goes into making another cake vs having another slice of cake.  So if you're trying to cut back on calories or your sweets, mug cakes are an easy way to portion control.

I made this as healthy as possible, but in the end, it is still a cake.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!

German Chocolate Mug Cake

Ingredients

• 1 T cocoa


• 1/4 c wheat flour


• 1 T coconut oil, melted


• 1/4 t salt


• 2 t baking powder


• 1-2 T toasted coconut, plus some for topping


• 2 T chocolate chips (I used carob.  I probably won't put that much in again.  It was a little sweet.)


• 1/8 or a bit more of almond milk.  Batter should be smooth not runny

Directions

1. Mix cocoa, flour, salt, baking powder, and toasted coconut in a medium to large mug.


2. Add coconut oil and almond milk and mix until smooth.


3. Add chips if you're using them. Top mixture with more toasted coconut.


4. Microwave for about 45 seconds to a minute


5. Let cool and enjoy!

Hope you enjoy my little treat as much as I did!

Sheri

Carrot Cake Granola

I've made carrot cake hundreds of times, carrot cake muffins a few times and even carrot cake cookies.  I am a bit obsessed.  It was even how my husband was able to strike up a conversation before I ended up marrying him 18 year ago.  That's a whole other story about being stuck in a blizzard away from home and craving Haagen Daaz Carrot Cake Ice Cream so badly...and he offered to drive out in his truck to get me some.  :)  Good memories even though I never did get that ice cream...  But I am seriously getting off course here.   The thought of carrot cake granola really never crossed my mind until this happened...



There I was, just innocently doing some shopping at Wegmans when I spied a bag of Carrot Cake granola.  And I had to buy it.  And, as you may notice, I apparently had to eat it too.  I really, really like granola.  But, in order to preserve some money in my wallet, I decided to try and make some this time around.



It had a lot of ingredients...more than my other granola creations, and then there was the whole grating of the carrots ordeal, but, wow, that first taste was amazing.  It tastes just like carrot cake!  Which means I get to have carrot cake for breakfast and snacks now, not just at dessert time.

If you have not made your own granola yet, this would be a spectacular way to give it a try.  This is one of those recipes that gets you hooked!  And the smell while it was baking??  Heavenly.  That's for sure.

Carrot Cake Granola

Ingredients:

• 3 c rolled oats


• 1 c puffed rice


• 1/2 c chopped dried pineapple


• 1/4 c flax seeds


• 1/4 c hulled hemp seeds


• 2 T chia seeds


• 1 1/2 T cinnamon


• 1/4 t nutmeg


• A few shakes of cloves, don't overdo it!


• 1/2 t ground ginger or about 1/4 in of ginger root, finely grated


• 1/2 c finely grated carrots


• 1/4 apple butter or spiced apple sauce


• 1/2 c honey


• 1 T olive oil


• 1/2 c chopped walnuts (or pecans)


• 1/2 c dried coconut

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300


2. Combine first 9 ingredients, all dry, in a large bowl and mix well.


3. Grate ginger and carrots into dry mixture and toss gently to incorporate


4. Mix remaining ingredients into a separate bowl and mix well.  Add to dry ingredients.


5. Mix all ingredient very well until all dry pieces are lightly coated.


6. Press mixture into a baking pan, a jelly roll pan works well, and bake for about 20 minutes in preheated oven.


7. After 20 minutes, remove from oven and lightly break up granola pieces.  Put back in oven for about 30 minutes but increase temperature to 350 for final 10 minutes.


8. Put baking pan on cooling rack and let mixture cool for about 15-20 minutes.


9. Remove from pan and let finish cooling.


10. Store in an airtight container once the granola has finished cooling.

Enjoy,

Sheri

 

 

My Last Kitchen Post...I Hope!

Well, it's been 3 weeks since the beginning of my kitchen project.  Several times I have been able to spy that elusive light at the end of the tunnel, only to head backwards to start something else.  Not now.  It is all done.  And I love it.  It's exactly what I wanted and I just love going in there to cook and, in all honesty, sometimes just to look at it.  I have to start from the beginning because it will just be easier that way.

Here's what we started with...



And here is what we had when we first *thought* we were done with the project...



And here is today...



What a difference a few weeks makes!

Here's the rundown of what we did:

• Painted the kitchen cabinets - first white, then glazed, and then back to white


• Painted the island - first red, then aqua


• Painted all the cabinet hardware


• Changed the dining area light


• Replaced the island countertop with cork


• Used wallpaper and paint to replicate a tin backsplash


• Sold our dining set and bought and refurbished one I fell in love with at a used furniture shop

Busy few weeks?  Yep!  But the end is all worth it.

Here's the play by play of what we did.

Close up of the cork countertop...



The cork countertop was a tricky one.  We used a cork floor we found at Lumber Liquidators and then framed it out with a flat mullion stain grade wood from Lowe's.  It is sealed with wax because polyurethane added too much shine.  I anticipate having to do this every few months, but it's worth it.  The pieces are married together so well that the cork looks like an inset and very professional.  We used a natural colored wood filler all around to seal the gaps.  Perfection.  We didn't even remove the old countertop, instead we opted to glue the cork right to it.  That gave it more height as well as a stable base.  And no waste.  :)

The backsplash...



Okay, this was seriously an easy and cheap project that gave a lot of bang to the kitchen.  Since we kept the old countertops (a huge $$ saver!) we decided to rip out at backsplash at least and we were planning to use the plastic tin tiles that Lowe's sells.  After realizing it was at minimum $150 to do our tiny area, I set to work researching other options.  I settled on a wallpaper with metallic paint that I found at Home Depot and it has fooled just about everyone who's seen it.  Now, I also did find a tutorial for using sharpies on aluminum foil to create a backsplash.  I am not kidding.  That made me laugh and shake my head.  A tutorial for drawing tiles.  Hmm.  To each their own.

The new table set!



Okay, when I bought this set it looked like this...



And just to really get a good picture of what I started with...



They'd been painted yellow, speckled with brown and then had a green hue washed on them.  Not to mention they were obviously smoked around because the fabric smelled!  I loved how fresh and clean the set became with a coat of primer, some very lightly aqua tinted white paint and some new bright fabric to match the rest of the kitchen.  I am not planning on keeping the leaf in the table because I love the size of the table now.  It's nice to have that option though.

So, I thought it would be fun to total up what our whole kitchen renovation cost us:

Paint for cabinets			$32.28
Paint Primer			$20.50
Glaze for cabinets			$9.02
Paint for island			$14.52
Painting supplies			$22.62
Polurethane finish			$11.39
Bead Board for Island			$18.98
Trim for Island			$14.97
Pendant Light Globe			$6.63
Backsplash Metallic Paint			$10.96
Trim for Backsplash			$9.83
Cabinet Hardware Paint			$7.57
Cork for Island			$84.49
Trim for Island			$15.80
New Light in Dining area			$56.00
Wax Sealer for Island			$9.47
New Table & Chairs			$14.00	Net cost after selling current set
Paint for New Table & Chairs			$11.37
Fabric & Foam for Chairs			$35.03
Total			$405.43

Well worth it!  That was the best $400 project.  I didn't keep track of my painting hours, but sweat equity is always the best.  But now it's time to get back to cooking, running and biking!  I've been neglecting those things while this project raged on...

Enjoy,

Sheri

 

Nutella Banana Bread for Foodie Friends Friday!

I decided I was going to make banana bread to bring to the party this week, but thought it would be a fun idea to add some cocoa and make it chocolate banana bread...and then, after smashing the bananas into a bowl of course, that I had no cocoa.  No chocolate chips.  No chocolate anything in the whole house.  What?!?  How is that possible?  But, I did spy a container of Nutella.  We bought this before really getting serious about cutting out milk so it did have some milk in it that didn't fit into my ideal recipe but the end result was so fabulous I won't even complain or feel guilty a bit.  I hope all my foodie friends out there enjoy it too!

Would you feel badly about eating something that looks like that?  And it is so super easy and only needed a few ingredients. I love recipes like that.  This had a fudgy texture with no eggs and no added sugar beyond the nutella.  And, seriously, that was more than enough sweetness coupled with the bananas.

It's been such a hot, as well as busy, few weeks that I haven't taken the time to do much baking or desserts.  When I noticed the whole bunch of bananas going bad at once I just couldn't resist the call of banana bread. And since I've been obsessed with eating chocolate covered frozen bananas in this heat I thought chocolate banana was the way to go.  I did think about making a chocolate peanut butter banana bread, but the nutella route changed all that.  Maybe next time.  For now, these are pretty awesome.  I might even freeze one or two just to have a cool treat.  :)  I love frozen baked goods.  I know, odd.  But so tasty and it changes the texture completely!

[caption id="attachment_1013" align="aligncenter" width="819"] I love the banana chunk popping through!! I leave my bananas chunkier to get that texture.[/caption]

I hope you're as hungry for some banana bread now as I was while I smelled it baking!  So, I'll be nice and share the recipe...

Nutella Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• 4-5 large very ripe bananas, mashed


• 3 T oil


• 1/2 c Nutella


• 2 c flour (I used 1 c wheat, 1 c all purpose)


• 1 t baking powder


• 1/2 t salt


• 1 t vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a square 8" baking pan.


2. Mix all wet and dry ingredients separately


3. Combine wet and dry and mix until everything is incorporated well but not overmixed.


4. Pour into greased baking pan and bake for 30 minutes


5. Cool and cut into squares.

Enjoy!

Sheri

Please check out my fellow Friday Foodie Friends...

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom

Robyn at Robyn's View

Angie at A lil Country Sugar

Wayne at Passione Per Cucina

Sarah at Everything in the Kitchen Sink

Michelle at From Calculus to Cupcakes

Marlys at This and That

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine

Erika at Chef Picky Kid and Me

Lindsey at Family Food Finds

Cindy at Cindys Recipes and Writings

Skye at A Virtual Essence

Sheri at Homemade Served Here

Keira at Luscious Delights

Amber at Mama's Blissful Bites

Rhiannon at Baked In The South

Brianne at For the Love of Food (and Eating!)

Pooja at Saffron N Appetite

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The days just keep flying by...

It's never a dull moment around here.  Sometimes I wonder if it's my inability to slow down or sit still or just how life is, but either way...that's our life.  The kitchen project has seemingly taken over my life in July.  It's been blast to do, but sometimes I look at the calendar and realize that four days have passed and I've not run, not biked, even barely been outside. I guess I forgot that side of home renovations projects.  But this one is coming to an end..finally.  I am repainting the island this weekend, or maybe tonight.  I don't know.  Depends on my energy level, I suppose!  Only thing left to do renovation wise is to get and hang a new dining area light (I've got my eye on a milky white 3 light candelabra and Lowe's) and add the border around the island countertop that we topped with cork.  Yes, cork!  And it is gorgeous!  Oh, and then I have to seal that and the border so it's safe to use in the kitchen.  Cork is like wood and porous so it has to have some barrier.

Here's the ONLY sneak peek I'm giving of the kitchen because I am working on a big post outlining every detail and the total cost incurred.  You will be shocked at how little money this project cost us.

So, here's my kitchen as of today.

And since I've been off the last two days - my last days off until Labor Day - I've been tying up all the loose ends I can!  But, it also means that hubby has had some great breakfasts.  Today he had fresh french bread made into french toast, topped with berries that I picked and froze, and some freshly whipped cream.  Doesn't get a whole lot better than that, does it?

Once the kitchen project is done, I am going to have to fight the urge to find another project.  I was reviewing our calendar for training last night and realized we have two long bike rides coming up - one a metric century, and the other a collection of rides that can total up to 100 miles, a trail half marathon at Liberty University which will be a bit tough because there are some hills on those trails!, hubby has a Superhike which is 28 miles or running/hiking (I'm not his kind of crazy for this one, I'm a volunteer), and some other assorted 5k and 10K races.  That is a FULL schedule.  And I still have not pinned down a marathon for me.  I really would like to do one this year but I guess if it doesn't happen, I need to be flexible with that.

So, I'm headed out the door to arrange delivery of our new kitchen table and chairs - a great find at a furniture consignment shop - and pick up some odds and ends for the kitchen.  I have to take my car into the shop later too...such a pain because the dealership I bought it from is about 25 minutes from our house.  Good deal to buy, a pain when you need service.  Anyone else have an issue with a Dodge flexible seating group seat STOP working?  My seat is locked into some awkward facing forward position after I tried to move it to take some  trim home from Lowe's last week.  It's always something, isn't it??   Since my car is only 3 months old, I'm assuming that this is a warranty fix.  Just the pain of getting it there.

At least I am hoping to get to run with my friend, Kathleen, today!  It has been too long since we've run and I'm glad our schedules finally lined up.  Now the weather needs to stay clear so we can keep this run on the calendar.  And I need to get home in time to meet the people buying my old kitchen table and chairs...see, time is just moving faster and faster and there's always a schedule to keep!

Oh, and I have some BIG news that I'm so excited about...I'm on the board of our HOA and we made a change to the bylaws this week that will allow clotheslines.  I am beside myself happy.  We're trying to implement changes that will be more eco-aware.   We also voted to allow solar panels.  Great steps.  I have also volunteered to be the "Environmental Steward" to educate residents about recycling, green initiatives, etc and keep the dialogue open between community organizations and our neighborhood.  I am pretty excited to be able to make even these small differences in the world around me.

Well, I'm off to run some errands...

Enjoy your day!

Sheri

Mushroom Burger Sub

How are you keeping cool this summer?  We're struggling to keep active but cool and last night's run did not help that situation!  We headed out into a wall of heat and humidity to start a 10 mile run around a lake near our house.  I only made it halfway.  There are day use areas on both sides of the lake, and a swimming area is at the opposite side of the lake from where we parked.  I was struggling with the heat so badly by the time we hit that beach area that I decided to stop and cool off there instead of finishing the last 5 miles.  So, I sent the hubby off to run the last 5 miles alone and come back and get me.  Yeah, I wimped out.  But I'm trying to dwell on the 5 miles I DID do instead of the 5 I didn't.

While I was sitting by myself for an hour or so, I had time to really think about dinner.  We had a casserole on the menu but there was NO WAY I was making our house hot once we finally made it back from being out in that heat!!  I devised a plan...mushroom burger subs.  And they turned out just like I hoped they would.  I've missed having cheeseburger subs...not for the cheeseburger but just the whole taste of it.  This sub gave me a little bit of that back.  :)

Being a Eastern Shore girl at heart, these looked a lot like crab cakes too...and that is another thing I've missed more than I'll usually admit.  I feel so much better when eating a mostly plant based diet but there are some foods that just transcend labels and diets.  If I were to run across some good crab meat that is from our region, I would not turn it down!  This recipe could easily be adapted to mimic a crab cake with a swap of Old Bay instead of the Italian seasoning.

The most time consuming part of this sub was chopping the mushrooms but other than that, it was a quick put together!  I had the sub rolls on hand too and that helped.  Usually I would make the rolls to go with them. The gravy was also a purchased organic mix I'd bought on a whim.  It made the sub though.  I think tomatoes and lettuce would be awesome if you didn't have any gravy on hand.

Mushroom Burgers recipe

Ingredients:

• 10 oz pkg baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and diced


• 1/2 c bread crumbs


• 1 egg


• 1 1/2 c prepared tvp (I bought dried and reconstituted it.)


• 1 T Italian seasoning mix


• 1 T salt


• 1/2 small onion finely chopped

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients until well mixed.  If too wet, add more bread crumbs.  If too dry, add some vegetable broth or water.


2. Preheat a frying pan with some oil covering the bottom to get a good crisp.


3. Make patties and fry for about 5 minutes each side.


4. Serve on roll with whatever toppings you enjoy.

I hope you love it!

Sheri

Grass is Good. A Meadow is Bad. Huh?

This was not a call I've ever gotten before.  I was out of compliance with a township law and it had to be corrected.  At first, I was a little slow in processing what she was saying.  My grass needed mowed?  What?  Our grass is mowed.  And then, I realized what she meant.  Our hillside.  My beautiful little field of wildflowers and birds, butterflies and nature.  It had to go.   I am usually a rule follower, so I relayed the call to the husband and he set out for the backyard to scald our hill.  One hour later, it was all gone.

[caption id="attachment_1000" align="aligncenter" width="819"] :-([/caption]

I cried real tears when I saw it all leveled to the ground for the first time.  And then, I got mad.  I don't know why I got the call.  We keep our lawn in the front and below the hill mowed because of a sewer right of way.  It's either we mow it or the township comes through and mows it down to the dirt.  So, we kept that up and the other lawncare but the hill has just been a source of frustration for our entire time of living here.  We used to pay someone to mow it with one of those fancy mowers, lol, but that got expensive and unsafe for them because we've had some erosion.

That also was during the time when we dumped chemicals religiously on our lawn to make it look perfect.  Not anymore.  We use no herbicides or pesticides on our lawn or otherwise.  So, when we considered the hill this spring we decided to let it do it's own thing.  We figured it would stop the erosion because the plants could get a better foothold and it would help the surrounding wildlife.  We only have 3 neighbors in our vicinity, and one of them is doing the same thing.  Our hills aren't visible to anyone else and it was beautiful.  I loved walking down the hill and walking through clover and all types of wildflowers.  It was heavenly.  But now, it's all gone.  And why?  What is so bad about a meadow that's contained and is planned for and thoughtfully allowed???

There are a lot of articles and information out there about meadow lawns.  And it's positive.  Imagine all the water, chemicals, and lessened fuel needs that would occur if even a small portion of all lawns ran wild and let nature (who ALWAYS knows best!) do it's thing.

Here are some links I've found on the subject...

• Meadow Lawns


• Rethinking Your Backyard


• Letting Go: Part 1 The Lawn

And there are countless more out there.  I know that I am not the first person to get the call, and I won't be the last, but the next time, and I expect there will be a next time, I want to be prepared, ready with an answer and prepared for the conversation.  This time I wasn't any of those things because I was so caught off guard.

Just in case you're wondering what our yard looked like pre-scalp?  It looked like our neighbors...busy and full of life.  Not a dull landscape like it is now...

[caption id="attachment_1003" align="aligncenter" width="819"] Our neighbor's yard. He's not gotten "the call" yet. I'm glad it's still standing.[/caption]

Now, really, is that bad?  Is it a hazard in some way?  I'm just not understanding.  But I am learning...

The Suburban Survival Guide from New Jersey Audubon has some great ideas on how to let your backyard be a habitat without causing a stir...and I will be taking this info to heart!  I've also found a great source of info on Weed Laws and the history of them and their most famous battles.  I am encouraged that so many people have been successful in overcoming the weed laws and I am determined to turn my anger and frustration into motivation for making changes.  My meadow will be back!

[caption id="attachment_1005" align="aligncenter" width="819"] At least I still have my trees down below our hill to look at but not much grows there because of the black walnut trees. No wildflowers to be seen...[/caption]

I guess the part of this whole situation that has me the most out of sorts is the lack of understanding that the enforcement of rules like this have for our future.  If our world becomes a sea of grass and cultivated flowers we are robbing future generations of a world filled with the wildness of nature.  Having to travel to a park to see nature shouldn't be the only way.  Nature should exist all around us.  I know I sound like a far out hippie freak, but I don't care anymore.  I can't stand by and let this beautiful planet be tortured and destroyed, while people who are trying to do their part to save even a small fraction of it are the ones who are breaking the rules.

When I expressed myself to the zoning officer to say that we let it grow because of erosion and difficulty mowing because of it, her answer was a groundcover of some sort.  I've researched and researched groundcovers and have found that most people agree that all grasses and groundcovers are terrible at preventing erosion.  Erosion happens in artificial situations like our hillside that are then planted with shallow rooted grasses that can't hold the soil in place.  But that was the answer.

[caption id="attachment_1004" align="aligncenter" width="819"] At least I still have my garden...and I am thinking next year our hillside will just be an extension of that. Squash and cucumbers tend to grow pretty rampantly....just saying...[/caption]

Whew.  I feel better.  And if you came here looking for a food recipe, I'm sorry.  Sometimes things just need to be said.  There is no Homemade Served Here if there isn't a home that fosters those ideals.  Our life has been a continual evolution for me-based to planet-based and this is just another stepping stone along the way.

 

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #3 And A Discussion About Muffins

I am so super excited to be doing my first post with Foodie Friends Friday!!  Last week there were a ton of fabulous recipes to salivate over...but I headed straight for the muffins!  Muffins are a daycare staple for the kids, and I love them because you make them in a pinch and they don't take long to cook.  And since I shared my Birdseed Muffins it only made sense I'd be drawn there!  These look amazing and I'll be making them soon...

Banana & Peanut Butter Chocolate Muffins

Trust me.  The competition was fierce because there some other delicious muffins to choose from...

• Orange Apricot Muffins


• Corn Muffins


• Strawberry Cheesecake Coffee Cake Cupcakes....I mean what is a cupcake but a sweet muffin???  ;) And coffee cake too?  See, breakfast.

I love the linky party because where else can you see so many delicious food photos in one place, at the same time?!?  What a great idea.

The Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party is hosted on all of these great blogs..

Robyn at Robyn's View  http://www.robynsviewathome.blogspot.com/

Angie at A lil Country Sugar  http://alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com/

Wayne at Passione Per Cucina http://www.passionepercucina.blogspot.co.uk/p/welcome.html

Sarah at Everything in the Kitchen Sink  http://everythingkitchensink.blogspot.com/

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom  http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com

Michelle at From Calculus to Cupcakes  http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.blogspot.com

Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

Brianne at Cupcakes and Kale Chips  http://cupcakesandkalechips.com

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://wifeofthecolonel.blogspot.com/

Erika at Chef Picky Kid and Me  http://chefpickykid.com

Lindsey at Family Food Finds  http://www.familyfoodfinds.com

Cindy at Cindys Recipes and Writings  http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com

Dawn at DJ's Sugar Shack  http://www.djssugarshack.com

Skye at http://www.avirtualessence.blogspot.com

Sheri at http://www.homemadeservedhere.com/

Keira at Luscious Delights www.lusciousdelights.blgospot.com.au

Amber at Mama's Blissful Bites www.mamasblissfulbites.wordpress.com

So, if you want to join us, and I know you do...

Step 1:  Make sure that anything you link up is:

• A Recipe...and is made and photographed by you


• Not part of a sponsership/sales/giveaway or other promotions/linky parties


• Linked to a specific page of your recipe, not your homepage

Step 2:

• Show some love and link back to my blog and Foodie Friends Friday ( http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com ) on the post of the recipe you are submitting.

* for example:  This recipe is featured on "Host Blog Link" and  http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com  Linky Party)

If you want to be the very best Foodie Friend Ever...

• Grab our button at http://foodiefriendsfriday.com and put it on your page and share Foodie Friends Friday!


• Take some time and check out other submitted links and the blogs of all of our gracious hosts


• Come on over and "like" us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter and Pinterest

***Please note that by linking up you are giving permission to use photos/links on Foodie Friends Friday and any of it's affiliated websites or publications.  If photos/recipes are used, proper credit/ linkbacks will be published with them.  We just want to share your amazing recipes and spread some foodie <3 !

Have Fun and Thank You for Visiting!!

 

Maple Nut Topped Waffles

I am a sucker for a delicious waffle.  Breakfast is one of the most important meals around here.  I think it's the versatility of the meal that really makes it special.  It can be sweet, savory, or even a combination of both.  Today we had a potato hash which is one of my go-to recipes because it has so many flavor possibilities... just like breakfast.

But yesterday I did something wonderful...

[caption id="attachment_991" align="aligncenter" width="819"] Just decadent. Enough said.[/caption]

But then, I did this...

[caption id="attachment_992" align="aligncenter" width="819"] Bananas make it healthy...right?[/caption]

Nothing special here about the waffle recipe.  Just my usual recipe...  But the topping?  Super easy, no crazy ingredients, just fabulousness..

I melted about 1/4 c of butter in a sauce pan, added about 1/2 c maple syrup and about 1/4 c of brown sugar.  Toss in a pinch of salt and 1/4 c of chopped walnuts and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and spoon over pancakes, waffles, whatever.

It felt like such a special breakfast for a weekday, even if we are on vacation.  :)  I love using my tried and true recipes, like my waffles and dressing them up to be something extra ordinary.  After spending so much time revamping the kitchen, I was losing sight of my goal of a "housewife vacation."  This recipe made my feel like all was right in my little world again.  Food prepared for those you love has a way of doing that.  All of the little things I do whether it's food, cleaning, etc just feels better when it's done in love.  Life is too short to go through the motions so I try to put all of me into everything I do.

Sometimes that means you'll get maple nut topped waffles when really maple syrup would have done just fine.

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Sheri

Don't forget to stop back on Friday for our Linky Party for Foodie Friends Friday.  It's my first post with the group so I hope you stop by!

A Kitchen Remodel was NOT on the Vacation Bucket List

It used to be when I took vacation we had a project in mind.  Painting was always at the top of the list.  But since moving into this house about four years ago, we just haven't had the inclination to do anything.  I mean, when you buy a house and lose about 60K in value in the first year it doesn't make you want to put any money into it.  When we left our previous house, we had just finished a kitchen remodel about a year earlier.  If I could have packed it up and brought it with us, I would have.  It was my favorite remodel we'd ever done...and there have been a lot.

[caption id="attachment_969" align="aligncenter" width="1037"] Our kitchen that used to be ours. We installed cabinets and did everything ourselves except the granite.[/caption]

We're diehard DIYers....well, we used to be.  This house and the housing market have made us rethink changing too much beyond paint colors.  We overdid our previous house and although it appreciated about 90K while we lived there (it was a foreclosure sale that was in desperate need of TLC and a handy family) we barely recouped all the time, money and effort we had into the place.  Our neighborhood just couldn't support a house that upgraded.  We vowed not to make that mistake again.

So, this is the kitchen I have been blessed with for the past four years...

[caption id="attachment_970" align="aligncenter" width="819"] "Before"[/caption]

Okay, so we did some things...like a new sink, faucet, stove, cabinet hardware...the normal stuff.  But nothing big like cabinets or countertops.  We just couldn't justify it.  So, I had the brilliant idea Sunday morning after perusing pinterest for way too long...why not paint the cabinets????  Easy.  Cheap.  Quick.  Famous last words for all three thoughts.

Easy...well, yes, it wasn't the most difficult thing in the world but I wouldn't call two straight days of painting easy.  My legs hurt.  My arms hurt.  I want to sleep tonight for real.

[caption id="attachment_971" align="aligncenter" width="819"] Primed cabinet boxes...this doesn't seem so bad! (the first time)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_972" align="aligncenter" width="819"] The sea of cabinet doors...my quads are killing me from all the kneeling to paint these![/caption]

Cheap.  Well...this part of the project was cheap.  Less than $100 in paint and supplies.  However, we almost had a big setback when we decided on a whim to get new countertops.  I am headed to Lowe's later to cancel the order...we'll live with this combo for a bit and see if that countertop we had decided to order would really be what we wanted.  But first, we've got to get the island color issue settled and we will still be getting butcher block for the island.

Quick.  This one was fairly accurate.  Three days from start to finish?  Not too bad.  I was thorough and patient and it paid off.  Everything went smoothly.

So, are you ready for the new kitchen....??

[caption id="attachment_973" align="aligncenter" width="819"] First coat of paint...[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_974" align="aligncenter" width="819"] Putting the glaze on.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_975" align="aligncenter" width="589"] First completed cabinet[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_976" align="aligncenter" width="819"] Island modifications made! Added beadboard for more of a finished look.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_981" align="aligncenter" width="655"] First look at it all put together![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_983" align="aligncenter" width="819"] Another view[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_984" align="aligncenter" width="819"] The finished island.[/caption]

I am in the process of choosing a butcher block top for the island.  That was a planned expense because I have wanted one for forever.   I'm hoping it will help "tame" the red too.  The color is really the only thing I do not love about the new kitchen...hubby wants to repaint it a dark teal, I'm thinking leave the red or paint it black.  Any suggestions are appreciated, lol.

Either way...hope you enjoyed sharing our remodel with us.  It was a different project and it was fun to plan and see it all come together again.  Here's hoping the remodel bug hasn't bitten too hard.  Our wallets can't handle that!  But a small project here and there is okay I guess.  :)

Enjoy,

Sheri

What Have I Been Up To? Well.... A Glimpse Into My Life On Vacation.

I love vacation.  I know, I've already established it's not for the usual things that normal people look for in vacation time but still, I LOVE vacation.  I have had so many chances to spend time with the hubby and the boy as well as getting to see friends and family.  It's wonderful.  And I've made some good food (and ate some good food!) the past few days.  I will fully admit though that the first day of vacation dinner was PB&J.  I was tired and ready to start some relaxing!  I am a huge peanut butter addict so it's not all that surprising I'd default to a PB & J for dinner...and I'm glad the boy was working and not home for dinner because he doesn't share the my and hubby's love of peanut butter.  I still have to wonder sometimes if he is my son...hates tomatoes, most veggies and peanut butter.  I mean, I LOVE all vegetables, peanut butter is it's own food group and tomatoes make everything taste better.  I guess he's mine.  He's just different.  :D

Speaking of tomatoes...look at this flatbread pizza I came up with...I say "came up with" like it was some secret recipe, lol.  It's just fresh cheese curd, tomatoes, kale and a little seasoning salt.  But it was good!  And the nice tomatoes I got from market were the star.  I tried to convince the boy  (I wonder if I should start calling him the teenager because that would be more apt...hmmm.  Nah, you've probably figured out he's a teenager by how he acts, lol.)  Anyway...I tried to get him to try a slice of this.  He took one look at it and said "Seriously????  Could you put any more tomatoes on this thing?  Do I have to eat it????"  So I took it back, and the hubby and I ate it.  And loved every bite of it!  He at least did use one of the homemade flatbreads to make his own pizza so I know it was better than the processed crap he usually likes to eat.

And the the flatbread was amazing and SO FREAKIN' EASY to do!!  I was shocked.  I loved making it and it will be on the list now of things to keep stocked in the house.  I think I am going to make a batch once a week and freeze them.  It's like naan or pita bread to me but homemade and healthy because I know every ingredient!

One problem?  I can't find the exact link I followed to make these.  Don't you just hate that??  I think it is just about the same as this recipe because it had shortening, flour, baking powder, salt and ice water.  I'm confident enough to say that this is the recipe I will use when I make my next batch because it sounds right to how I made these.  If I find the original link I used, I will share it.  I think this is a forgiving recipe though so you should be fine.  I did not use all purpose flour though, I used whole wheat and I used organic vegetable shortening.

My friend, Jen had a sunset watching party at her home the other night...isn't that the coolest idea??   So, a few of us toted chairs over and settled in to watch the sun turn orange over the horizon.  She has an amazing view from the top of a hill and the company was fantastic.  Since she eats all gluten free, I decided to make her a treat (in addition to scoring a great deal on some organic cherries to take for a unique hostess gift!) of gluten free crackers.  Since we eat so clean and with more dietary restrictions, I completely understand how difficult it can be to find good foods that fit into the categories you need them to be.  I love making treats that she can enjoy knowing every ingredient and how it's made.  :)

For these crackers, I followed this recipe for Sesame Millet crackers, except...my millet was already ground into flour so I used it in place of the black bean flour, and substituted quinoa for the millet being ground up with the sesame and butter.  I would definitely up the salt and maybe add more seasonings like rosemary or something like that.  I think it would have the right taste.  I will do more experimenting and report back.  If you experiment with it or have ideas, I'd love to hear them!!

As for the sunset?  It was beautiful but I was too busy talking to take a picture.  If you know me, you are not shocked by this revelation.  But I did swipe a photo to share with you...

Doesn't Jen take beautiful pictures?  She is amazing!  I'm so glad I've got such wonderful and talented friends.  :)

So my vacation has been spending time with people I love, and I even managed to spend all morning cleaning yesterday.  I love a clean house!!  The boy and I hit the outlets yesterday and got some good deals on clothes for him.  He's grown AGAIN and keeping up is hard sometimes.  I mean, he's 17 and 6'2".  When does it stop???  But more than the shopping was the time spent just with him.  I love it.  And he didn't even wear his headphones for the ride over.  That's a big deal.

Last night was a picnic with my sis and her family.  We had a great time eating and were just heading into the pool when lightning showed up.  So, out of the pool we all went and we called it an evening.  And I went to bed, lol.  I slept for so long and even overslept for my trail run this morning that I was planning with friends.  I guess I needed some sleep.

But isn't that what vacation is about?  Feeding your soul with all the things it needs?

Have a great day everyone!

Sheri

Vacation is a Staycation

Tomorrow starts my summer vacation.  For having so little planned, I am way overexcited.  I know that the time goes quick, so I want to enjoy it by not overplanning it but somewhere inside my head my OCD tendencies are pushing me to plan, plan and plan some more.  Oh, and throw in a bit of mom guilt.  "This is your last summer of the boy being home you really SHOULD..."  You could finish that statement with go to the beach, go to the amusement park, go anywhere.  But the truth is, I'm just going to enjoy the time no matter what we do.  The boy and I are both off until next Tuesday and then he goes back to work and then the hubby is off for the remainder of my vacation.  Funny how that worked out.  Except for the 4th and for the weekend, they're not off on the same days.

Do you want to know my favorite part of a vacation?  Now, don't laugh at me, but I get to pretend, even for a few days, that I am a stay at home mom.  No other responsibilities except taking care of my family.  I get to cook, can, garden, clean, etc, etc with no other demands on my time.  Doesn't sound like your idea of a vacation?  That's okay, it doesn't have to be.  But that is heaven to me and I will take every second of it that I can get.  Also, it means I get to work out on my schedule.  Early morning runs and late afternoon bike rides are calling my name already...

Last year was our first vacation of just hanging close to home, enjoying the time, the company and the freedom of schedules and it was one of the most relaxing vacations I'd ever had.  I am trying to have no expectations on our week and a half, just to wake up every day and thank God for it.  And that's a good place to start enjoying everything that lies ahead.  I do have a vacation "bucket list" though.  Want to hear it?  Again, no laughing.  I am not normal.  :)

Sheri's Vacation Bucket List

• Pick blueberries, raspberries, etc


• Make jam and can it.


• Lunch with a few friends I never get to see


• Running/Biking


• Market every day it's open just because I can :)


• Make salsa and can it

That's it.  Those are the only things I definitely want to do on vacation.  I may sound pathetic in my boringness to some, but I won't apologize.  I'm thankful for these moments of togetherness that we get.   Although I work from home, and my family sees me throughout my workday, it's just not the same thing.  In those moments, they aren't my priority, and can't be.  During my days off, my family is my priority.

No matter what we find to get into, I'm sure we'll be making some memories, which is good because no matter how much we wish it, the time will still fly by so quickly we'll be wondering where it's gone.  I'm just glad that I get to have my fantasy life just for a bit before it's back to reality.

Appreciate every moment you get!

Sheri

Carrot Cake Redo

So, if you don't use eggs can you still make a cake? Yes.  Definitely.  I wasn't sure but so glad I gave it a try anyway!  I know I've documented our love of carrot cake before...even making it into a cookie...and this was a must try!  I found a recipe at The New Me that had been adapted from Group Recipes.  Never one to back down from a challenge of cake making, I jumped right in.   And I adapted it a bit more.  :)  Cause that's just how I am.

Results?  I think this speaks for itself.  I cannot wait for this to cool.

Oh wait.  We didn't.

I mean, could you resist the call of carrot cake cooling in the pan?  If so, you're a stronger person than either the hubby or I.  It was late, we were ready for dessert and that was that.

We did have another slice with some icing drizzled over it once it had cooled to a reasonable temperature.  Just to show the icing.  Yeah, that's the story we're going with.  It was all for you...just to take a picture.  Oh, the agony of eating a second piece of that moist and delicious carrot cake.  Not buying it?  I don't blame you.

Without any further blabbering from me, here's the recipe.

Vegan Carrot Cake

Adapted from The New Me

Ingredients:

• 1 c all purpose flour


• 1 c whole wheat flour


• 1 c organic sugar


• 1/4 c organic brown sugar


• 1/2 t salt


• 2 t baking powder


• 1/2 t baking soda


• 2 t cinnamon


• 1/4 t nutmeg


• a few shakes of cloves and ginger


• 3 cups carrots (I also tossed in some leftover shredded zucchini so you can use whatever you've got here)


• 1 t vanilla


• 1 t lemon juice


• 1/2 c rice milk


• walnut halves for top of cake, approximately 9

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease 9X9 square pan


2. Mix all dry ingredients in large mixing bowl


3. Mix carrots and all wet ingredients in separate bowl.


4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well.


5. Spoon batter (it will be thick) into greased pan and top with walnut halves


6. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

What was I most upset about missing from my carrot cake???  The icing.  I mean, cream cheese icing is a staple for all kinds of yumminess that I love.  But I really, really, really want to give that kind of dairy up especially so I had to find an alternative.  And this is what I came up with...

Mix 2 tablespoons of organic soy yogurt with a few splashes of lemon juice.  Mix with about 1 cup of confectioners sugar and blend well.  I used my whisk.  I did add a few more splashes of lemon juice at the end because I felt like that "tang" that cream cheese provides was needed, but be careful and taste as it comes along.  You don't want it to taste like lemon overall.  It worked out pretty well and I hardly missed the icing.  :)

Enjoy,

Sheri