Can we chat for a minute?
Guys, I need to get some things off my chest. And I need your input on a couple of other things. Serious things.
1. Is anyone else completely crushed that Chuck is over? I spent most of the weekend battling sudden bursts of tears while drowning myself in leftover jalapeno artichoke dip and homemade marshmallows from our housewarming party. I’m kind of embarrassed at the funk that a silly TV show has thrown me into.
Yesterday I was still a bit mopey so I re-watched the last 5 minutes of the finale, cried some more, then, to get some closure, I put on my hot pink Chucks and went shopping. I feel better today. Ah, pregnancy hormones.
2. Speaking of hormones, did I tell you that we have another girl on the way? Surprised? Yes. (I was SO SURE I was having a boy.) Disappointed? Nope. We’re fully prepped. Besides, I really don’t know what I’d do with a boy.
3. I’m sad to report that some recipes went MIA during the changeover last month. As I’ve been reformatting posts and checking for broken links (there are a lot) I noticed so far that there are almost 20 recipes missing. All of them were posted during the first year.
So here’s what I want to know…
I plan on putting some of these recipes back on my blog. Would you rather see them brand-new on the front page or stuck into the back of my blog like before? (If you subscribe via RSS feed or by email, you’d see them either way.)
Like my favorite chicken curry ever.
And this Tuscan White Bean Soup that’s so easy and bursting with flavor. I redid the photos on this one, too. Looks like I’ll have to redo the post again. (sigh)
I have lukewarm feelings about some of the posts that were lost, but this one made me sad. My go-to whole wheat pizza crust recipe is no longer accessible to you. The fact that I linked to it a kajillion times makes it kind of annoying, too.
So what do you think? New on the front or stuck in the back?
4. Before the changeover a few of you asked about menu plans. Is that still something you’re interested in? I’ve never used pre-made menu plans, so I hadn’t considered creating any before. If there’s an interest in that, I’d be happy to create some from the recipes on Perry’s Plate.
Do you want all three meals for a week?
Just dinner?
Low-carb?
Stuff that I’d pick out during a typical week for my family?
Let me know!
5. Is anyone watching the Super Bowl? If you need snack ideas, check out the sidebar…
perrysplate
perrysplate
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Christina — January 31, 2012 @ 2:38 pm
They look delicious, particularly the chicken curry (I’m a big fan of curry) – please post them new (but then I’m a new visitor to your site, maybe your regulars are over it).
And no, I’m not watching the Super Bowl. Ever. Ever ever ever. And I never watched CHUCK, sorry.
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Natalie replied: — January 31st, 2012 @ 3:07 pm
We never watch it either. Good to know we’re not alone! (Neither of us are big football fans, and I can think of 20 other things I’d rather spend my Sunday doing :))
Sare — January 31, 2012 @ 2:38 pm
I am so sad that you lost recipes. I know they aren’t totally lost, but that’s a lot of work for you. I really have no preference either way, as long as there’s a picture and I can find them easily if I am scrolling through the lists of recipes. For menu planning, do you mean showing us, “hey you can make this for this week and here is what you need to buy?” That sounds pretty cool to me, like maybe give a handful of dinner combinations that might have rollover ingredients, but still a varied menu. I have no idea. I am a terrible meal planner.
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Natalie replied: — January 31st, 2012 @ 3:05 pm
Yep, menu plans like that. :)
Sare — January 31, 2012 @ 2:40 pm
I finally converted to the Office after you telling me how awesome it is, so I guess I should try Chuck too ;) But we never ever ever watch the Superbowl either. We never have.
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Natalie replied: — January 31st, 2012 @ 3:06 pm
Chuck is probably my all-time favorite show. I was bummed that the show was over, but the emotional part came from the relationship between the two main characters at the very end. You’d have to watch all 5 seasons :) I don’t think I’d be crying if the Office ended. Just bummed.
Amy Powell — January 31, 2012 @ 2:58 pm
I like them re-posted! Especially for us new comers :)
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Natalie replied: — January 31st, 2012 @ 3:08 pm
Sounds like re-posting is ahead!
Zoe — January 31, 2012 @ 3:41 pm
For the menu planning–YES! (And some college friendly ones would be great.)
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Natalie replied: — January 31st, 2012 @ 4:49 pm
College-friendly, as in cheap and fast? I think I can do that :)
Christy — January 31, 2012 @ 3:53 pm
Homemade marshmallows ;)
I walked away from Chuck a few years ago (we had to part ways… I would say on good terms though), so I’m not feeling any emotional ties to the finale. I know what that is like though. However, I am not beyond watching a series through more than once (I think I’ve seen Star Trek: Deep Space Nine all the way through at least 4 times… that’s 7 seasons.)
I would love to see those recipes posted “new,” among some new stuff of course. It would be awesome to see some of your old stuff highlighted again, since I wasn’t around in the beginning.
And when is that dip from your party going to make an appearance?!
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Christy replied: — January 31st, 2012 @ 3:53 pm
And yes to menu planning!!!!
Natalie replied: — January 31st, 2012 @ 4:02 pm
I’m not a re-watcher. (Unless it’s some hilarious movie that I love.) Or a re-reader. (besides scriptures & stuff) I think the fact that it’s not a surprise anymore takes the fun out it, but maybe I’m weird. I have thought about starting over with Chuck, but then I might just bawl remembering how it all ended. (That’s mostly the reason I’m a mess… how Chuck & Sarah’s relationship ended up being at the end. Not necessarily that the show is over.)
Natalie replied: — January 31st, 2012 @ 5:23 pm
P.S. The dip is coming soon! (I think it’ll get posted this week…)
Christy replied: — January 31st, 2012 @ 6:34 pm
Excellent!!!
emily kate — January 31, 2012 @ 4:01 pm
I would totally be interested in some low carb meal plans!
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Natalie replied: — January 31st, 2012 @ 5:17 pm
Low-carb, check!
Allie — January 31, 2012 @ 4:24 pm
I would love some menu plan ideas for low carb stuff. I’m a carboholic, but my boyfriend has been on the “primal” diet and I’m having a hard time making complete meals and menus that don’t include pasta, rice, or bread (all the good stuff, in my opinion!) Thanks in advance :)
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Natalie replied: — January 31st, 2012 @ 5:18 pm
Allie, I can totally sympathize. Although I prefer a relatively low-carbish diet, my husband is on the paleo/primal wagon as well. I’ll see what I can put together to please both of you! :)
kelly — January 31, 2012 @ 4:32 pm
I loved chuck, when we had cable. I had no idea it ended. Sadness.
I would love to see the ‘missing’ recipes as brand new. :)
Yay for another girl. You are very well stocked and ready for her.
xoxo
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Natalie replied: — January 31st, 2012 @ 5:16 pm
Oh, Kelly… You gotta finish Chuck. Somehow! Do they have them on Netflix? (We’ve never had Netflix so I have no idea.)
Sue — January 31, 2012 @ 5:00 pm
I’m new to your site so I’d love to see the recipes up front. I would also like to see some meal plans. I’ve never done meal planning (just whatever I throw together at the last minute) so I’d be interested in what you have. I’m also missing Chuck. One of my favorite shows. Thanks!
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Natalie replied: — January 31st, 2012 @ 5:16 pm
Good to have you, Sue! (And yay for another Chuck fan!) I think adding meal plans and putting the recipes up front seems to be the consensus :)
Cara — January 31, 2012 @ 6:51 pm
Congrats on another baby girl, what a blessing!
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Joanne — January 31, 2012 @ 8:24 pm
MAJOR congrats on the girl! You must just have a lot of x’s in your gene pool :P
I say bring the recipes to the forefront! we need to be reminded of such delicious things!
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Laurie {Simply Scratch} — January 31, 2012 @ 8:36 pm
Girls are GREAT! But you already knew that :) I’m so totally happy for you guys! Oh and I say if it’s easier for you to post the old ones as new, then do that! Plus for some it would be the first time seeing them! Xo
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Staci — January 31, 2012 @ 8:56 pm
I love seeing menu plans! I’m always looking for new combinations to shake up the dinner routine. I’m a new subscriber, so everything on your blog is new to me. Congratulations on your little baby girl that will join you soon! Very exciting news!
End of Chuck! =(
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RJ (Kids and Cast Iron) — January 31, 2012 @ 10:49 pm
I am new so I say do up the ones you are passionate about as new and not the others. Like you said we will see them either way.
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Natalie replied: — February 1st, 2012 @ 7:29 am
I totally agree with you. It seems that most people have voted to have them up front. (The good ones, that is…) :)
Donelle — February 1, 2012 @ 5:49 am
Make them a new post for people like me who are new followers (Started following you four months ago!)
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Natalie replied: — February 1st, 2012 @ 7:28 am
Gotcha! Great to have you!
Deanna — February 1, 2012 @ 6:10 am
I miss Chuck!!! I loved that show from the very first episode and they felt like friends. I cried several times in the last hour of the show. My daughter got a set of sock monkeys for her first Christmas. Their names: Chuck, Sarah, Morgan, & Ellie. She calls all of them Chuck. =*)
As a new reader, I would love to see the old recipes at the front! And I would also love to see some menu plans (specifically dinners). That is my least favorite household duty – figuring out what to have and getting the groceries.
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Natalie replied: — February 1st, 2012 @ 7:28 am
Deanna, you understand my Chuck obsession! I’m glad someone else cried, too :) LOVED the bit about the sock monkeys. Kids are so funny.
Making dinner is (ironically) one of my least favorite things to do if I don’t have a plan. I hope menu plans will help out!
Carrie @ Kiss My Whisk — February 1, 2012 @ 7:56 am
I say post them new again! For new readers like me it would be great and I’m sure for old readers it would be nice to have a refresher!
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Janssen — February 1, 2012 @ 9:20 am
Hooray for three girls! (I’m the oldest of three girls. Followed by two boys).
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Sharon H. (TX) — February 1, 2012 @ 9:44 am
#1 – never have seen Chuck, but if you want me to cry along in sympathy, I will!
#2 – Congrats on the news about your new baby girl…praying for a healthy pregnancy
#3 – Please post recipes on front – am fairly new to reading your blog and would love to get some new ideas for meals, which leads me to…
#4 – menu plans? Yes, please! If you’re willing to do the work of planning meals, I’m happy to use my family as a guinea pig!! Plus, it will save me from standing in front of my pantry and fridge with a blank look on my face.
#5 – in a house full of men, I have no choice but to watch the game on Sunday. Sadly, my Texans aren’t playing. I’ll comfort myself by watching the ads.
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Natalie replied: — February 1st, 2012 @ 12:35 pm
Thank you for your well wishes! I really think that the ads during the super bowl are for the women who have no choice but to watch. :) Enjoy them!
Jodi J. — February 1, 2012 @ 9:48 am
So sad some of your recipes are lost. I know the feeling. I had my recipe book all organized and handy in OneNote and then our computer went and crashed! Ack! They aren’t lost, just scattered. Boo! I think you should repost recipes up front. As your little blog is getting bigger and you have more readers, new readers might enjoy seeing the recipes reposted. Good luck with the baby-girls are awesome (and that’s what you are used too) but boys come with a whole new set of fun too. (Plus while their clothes are not as cute, their toys are way more fun!). :)
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Natalie replied: — February 1st, 2012 @ 12:36 pm
You lost your OneNote?! Devestation! I lost mine, too, once, but found an older copy that I had emailed someone. I lost about a year’s worth of additions, though. That’s rough :(
I agree… girls clothes are so much more fun. (I admit I’m a little tired of pink, though…)
DancingMooney — February 1, 2012 @ 10:38 am
Congrats on your baby girl, how exciting! And I bet they will be total opposites of each other too,… or maybe not! :D Sisters… so sweet!
I think you should re-do those lost posts as brand new ones, since they were from the first year, I don’t think any of us would mind one bit to see something fresh, that’s really an old favorite. :)
Things are looking really great so far Natalie, I’m loving it!! Oh, and I am a huge fan of one skillet meals, if you are looking for ideas! And freezer meals, Oh how I want to learn more about planning ahead with those gallon sized freezer bags! {loved your recent post about vegetable broth by the way!} ♥♥♥
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Natalie replied: — February 1st, 2012 @ 12:37 pm
So far my girls are complete opposites so I wonder how this next one will fit in. Thank you so much for your sweet comments, and I’ll do my best to figure out some freezer meals!
Cynthia — February 1, 2012 @ 12:14 pm
Congratulations! Girls are so much fun! Bummer you’ve lost some of your posts…good posts are a lotta work! I’d love some meal plans from you – I need to incorporate some more of your healthy recipes into our diets, but gotta go slowly sometimes – tough Montana husband ain’t so keen on meatless dishes. Yet. :)
I’d love to see some of your old posts up new too!
Take care – hope you’re feeling good!
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Natalie replied: — February 1st, 2012 @ 12:38 pm
I understand about having a meat and potatoes man around. My dad is an old Idaho farmer so we basically ate meat and potatoes growing up. Maybe that’s why I’m so happy about incorporating more vegetarian dishes!
I’m feeling pretty good right now, thanks for asking!
Becca J — February 1, 2012 @ 12:32 pm
Yay for girls! And don’t ruin Chuck for us–we’re still slogging through Season 2 and laughing hard at Awesome and Casey. Sure, put the old posts up front–will that save you some time in finding new things to post about? (I had to go digging through my Reader to find a salad recipe that must have gotten lost in the conversion. Whew!) And menu plans: I would be curious to see what you eat each week, but it sounds like it would be a lot of work for you to prep those each week, especially if you started making a shopping list, too.
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Natalie replied: — February 1st, 2012 @ 12:40 pm
Oh, I won’t ruin anything. (But don’t read the big, long thread on my personal FB page. There are a few spoilers.) I’m excited for you guys. I adore Awesome and Casey.
I don’t think I’d be doing meal plans every week. Maybe one or two a month… unless it’s less time-consuming that I think it will be :)
Dina — February 1, 2012 @ 1:57 pm
Just watch the finale to Chuck today :( I loved that show and all the characters!! I am a new reader so would like anything old or new. I like the idea of menus.
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Cheri — February 2, 2012 @ 7:50 am
I love your blog! Yes on the meal plan. I have been trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals into my meal plans for my boyfriend and I. We are trying to keep it down to 1 carb portion a day. So hard! :) Yes, we will be watching the Superbowl. Go Giants!
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Michelle — February 2, 2012 @ 12:37 pm
I haven’t watched the final season yet, but I love Chuck! Such a good show and he is too cute!
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Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) — February 2, 2012 @ 5:24 pm
Awwwwwwwe – a precious girl!!!!! Congrats!!!!
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Shannon — February 4, 2012 @ 5:15 am
Congrats on another girl! We just had our third girl in August and it’s so much fun! XOXO
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grace — February 5, 2012 @ 4:02 pm
congrats on the baby gal growing in your womb–what happy news! i, too, am still mourning the loss of chuck, but that was probably one of the best and most satisfying finales i’ve seen. oh, zachary levi. what a doll.
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Natalie replied: — February 5th, 2012 @ 7:30 pm
Really, Grace? Satisfying? I thought it was completely heart-wrenching. More open-ended than I would have liked, but at least they left off with some optimism :) And yes, Zachary Levi is a total doll.
gwen — February 5, 2012 @ 4:16 pm
Congratulations on the baby girl! :)
I’m excited to see some of your old posts up front. As you know, I’m kind of obsessed with your blog, so I’ve searched through your archives and made some of your old recipes already, but it will be fun to see them featured!
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Natalie replied: — February 5th, 2012 @ 7:29 pm
Gwen, you make me so happy :) I’d love to hear about your favorites (or ones that you didn’t like)!
Terri @ that's some good cookin' — February 5, 2012 @ 11:08 pm
Natalie, I wasn’t with you in the early days…sounds like a sequel to something, “Natalie, the Early Days”. Anyway, I’d love to see those early posts.
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Natalie White — February 16, 2012 @ 1:55 am
I found your “adapted” Whole Wheat Pizza Crust. I don’t know how to link to the PDF so I’ve retyped it here.
Perry’s Plate
Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
adapted from the Paula Deen Magazine
1 envelope yeast
1 T sugar
1 1/4 cup warm water
2 c whole wheat flour
1 c whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp salt
Cornmeal
Combine yeast, sugar and water; let stand for 5 minutes. Combine flours and salt. Gradually add yeast mixture. Stir until mixture forms a ball (use a stand mixer if you like).
Turn out dough and knead for 5-10 minutes (I usually leave it in the stand mixer and let the dough hook do its magic for 5-10 minutes.) Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise for an hour or until double in size.
Preheat oven to 450. Divide dough into two balls. Roll out each ball into a 12″-15″ circle. Sprinkle pizza stone with cornmeal. Add toppings and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Nat’s Notes:
1. This makes two medium-sized pizzas or three large thin-crust pizzas.
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Natalie replied: — February 16th, 2012 @ 7:05 am
Thanks Natalie :) Those recipes aren’t actually lost to me. I still have them, but I wanted to repost them so it would be easier for all of you to find. That pizza crust recipe was actually my very next post after this one! Thanks for thinking of me :) http://www.perrysplate.com/2012/02/my-go-to-whole-wheat-pizza-crust.html