Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

Menu Plan for the Week

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Happy First Day of Fall! That means it’s a holiday, right? And that I should take a nap to celebrate? Yes. Okay then. Right after I get my menu plan written. :)

I feel like I’m learning right along with you more ways to get ahead in the kitchen and more reasons that getting ahead is helpful. As much as I love cooking, I do not want it to be a full time job. I love being ahead, saving myself stress, and still putting great food on the table for my family.

I haven’t been able to do anything yet toward the Getting Ahead for Dinner Challenge. Have you? What I have done is take advantage of the meals I already had prepared and in the freezer. Such a life saver after a full day of soccer games. Hopefully during the next few days I can replenish my stock. Otherwise, I’ll actually have to cook a meal from start to finish at dinnertime. Can you imagine?! :)

Here’s what our menu looks like this week:

Sunday, September 22
Turkey sausage gravy over leftover bread, fruit
Italian pasta bake, tossed salad
Small group meeting potluck – bbq chicken sandwiches, fruit plate

Monday, September 23
Quick mix pancakes, peaches
Calzones, pears, baby carrots
Homemade tomato soup, grilled cheese sandwiches

Tuesday, September 24
Scrambled egg sandwiches, pears
Tuna casserole, peas
Beefy enchilada bake, tossed salad

Wednesday, September 25
Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, apples
Taco corn fritters, baby carrots, peaches
Three cheese garlic chicken pasta, tossed salad

Thursday, September 26
Quick mix biscuits with peanut butter and honey, applesauce
Homemade mini pizzas, pears
Bacon cheeseburger casserole (from Make-Ahead eBook), tossed salad

Friday, September 27
Dark chocolate almond granola, applesauce
Sloppy joes, fruit salad
Popcorn chicken, sweet potato fries, peas

Saturday, September 28
Fried eggs on toast, blueberries
Leftovers
Potato soup, carrots

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Let’s Do This! Join the Getting Ahead {Dinner} Challenge

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I loved reading about all that you did last week to get ahead for breakfast! When I extend a challenge, you all really do jump right in. Thanks for making this so much fun! I’m sure your family thanks you too. But who really benefits the most from getting ahead? You and I. Yes indeed. The pay off for our efforts is that we make our kitchen work so much easier. Sweet!

Feel free to continue getting ahead with breakfast foods. (Yes, you have my permission.)  Our Getting Ahead eCourse and eBook can help. Now we’re moving on to the evening meal, the Getting Ahead for Dinner Challenge. Feel free to call this a Supper Challenge if you prefer. I grew up calling it supper, but now I call it dinner, but that’s a post I already wrote a few years ago. :)

Who’s with me?! Let’s Do This!

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What’s involved in this challenge? Anything that will help you put a healthy meal on the table in the evening a little bit faster or with a little less effort.

Some Getting Ahead for Dinner ideas:

And those are just a few ideas. There are so many tasks you can do ahead of time to make your dinnertimes easier. (Lesson one and two – well all the lessons really – in the Let’s Do This! eCourse will give you more guidance.)

I’m planning to get a few casseroles made this weekend to help with busy days the next couple of weeks. It is SO nice to effortlessly grab a frozen casserole out of the freezer to heat up for dinner.

Let’s hear it!  What are you going to make to get ahead for dinner? (Or do you prefer to call it supper?)

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We Need Each Other {Guest Post at StrongChurch.org}

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I am honored to have my post featured today at StrongChurch.org. I’d love for you to head over there and read it. Here’s a snippet:

… And by all means, we don’t want to embarrass ourselves by sharing what we are truly struggling with. That might get too personal. It might reveal something ugly. No, we’d best keep our issues to ourselves.

That’s why our conversations in the church foyer often sound like this, “How are you?” “Fine, how are you?” “Fine.” We call it fellowship, even though I often have a more meaningful conversation with the bagger at the grocery store. (“Paper or plastic?”) ….

Read the entire post at StrongChurch.org

 

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Breakfast Crock Pot Casserole

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Every once in a while I think to myself, “Surely someday I will run out of recipes and ideas to share on my website.” But after blogging for almost six years, I have decided that no – the ideas will never run out. Why? Because when food meets internet {splat} – recipes, tips, ideas, and suggestions are never ending. I learn something new, I share it with you. You learn something new, you share it with me. As we all ask questions, learn from others, see new ideas, remember timeless ideas, or come across an idea quite by accident – and we share it with each other via this awesome tool called the internet – our healthy eating journey together continues on a fun and delicious path.

Case in point:  On my own, I would never have thought to make a breakfast casserole in my crock pot. I freeze my Easy Breakfast Casserole and for an easy breakfast to bake in the morning. But this crock pot idea is even better, because we can roll right out of bed and eat a hot, hearty meal within minutes.

A big thanks goes to Karli who sent me this idea. We’re lovin’ it! (So much that I named this recipe after you, and included it in my free Healthy Breakfast Made Simple eBook.)

Karli’s Breakfast Crock Pot CasseroleYum

1 pound turkey sausage
6 cups hashbrowns
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup milk
12 eggs

Brown turkey sausage. Butter the inside of a slow cooker, then stir in cooked sausage, hashbrowns, pepper, onions, and cheese. Whisk together milk and eggs, then pour mixture over the top of the contents in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low overnight – about 10 or 12 hours. Serves 8-10.

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I thought it was funny that the sausage didn’t show up on the plate. It’s in there, I promise. :)

This recipe is very versatile – mix and match any veggies, meats, or cheeses that your family likes or that you have available.

How is the Getting Ahead for Breakfast Challenge coming for you?  I love that there are so many ways to get ahead for breakfast, and not all of them involve putting food in the freezer. This crock pot casserole is a great example. As is the Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packet recipe and the Dark Chocolate Almond Granola recipe. And the Homemade Grape Nuts Cereal. And the Freezing Muffin Batter idea. Oh wait. That one does involve the freezer. I guess I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to bring it up again.

I also wanted to mention that I’ve had great feedback from people taking the Let’s Do This! Getting Ahead in Your Real Food Kitchen eCourse. Families are finding new ways to get ahead in the kitchen, saving time, saving money, and becoming healthier. I LOVE it!

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Dark Chocolate Almond Granola Recipe {Real Food Dollar Menu}

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Ever paid over $6 for a tiny box of cereal, and then witnessed that the contents in the tiny box only fed three people one small serving? As delicious and convenient as the box of Dark Chocolate Almond Granola was from Cascadian Farm – that is one pricey breakfast.

I actually got a box of this cereal with some Vitacost credit I had – just to try it. It was a huge hit in our family. That’s what made me decide that surely I could figure out a similar recipe and make my own. Besides, I like the idea of eating chocolate for breakfast. What a way to start the day. :)

The result of my experimenting turned out delicious! I did a little rough math to determine how much money I saved. These aren’t the cheapest of ingredients, but they are hearty and can stick to the ribs. I found that I cut the cost from over $2 per serving to around 75¢ per serving – even using mostly organic ingredients.

What I love best is that this is a recipe that can be made ahead of time for a quick meal or snack. (It’s a perfect recipe to work into your Getting Ahead in the Kitchen routine.)

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Dark Chocolate Almond GranolaYum

Dark Chocolate Almond Granola Recipe {Real Food Dollar Menu}
 
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Author:
Ingredients
  • 4 cups rolled oats
  • ¾ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
  • 1 cup slivered almonds
  • ¾ cup honey
  • ¾ cup coconut oil
  • ½ cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan, melt coconut oil and honey together.
  2. Stir oats, shredded coconut, and slivered almonds together in a large bowl.
  3. Drizzle on the honey/coconut oil mixture and stir well.
  4. Pour mixture onto a large, parchment paper-lined baking sheet (or two 9x13 inch dishes).
  5. Bake at 300° for 35-45 minutes, stirring after the first 20 minutes.
  6. Allow mixture to cool.
  7. Stir in dark chocolate chunks.
  8. Store granola in an air-tight container.
  9. Makes 12-14 servings.

You may have noticed that this recipe is in the Healthy Breakfast Made Simple eBook. Haven’t downloaded that yet? Get it here for free!

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Just a couple of days left in our Getting Ahead for Breakfast Challenge. How’s it going for you? Have you made some breakfast foods ahead to save you the effort in the morning?

Looking for more meals on our Real Food Dollar Menu? Here are the recipes I’ve shared so far:

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Gratituesday: The Grammy Jammies

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We’ve started experiencing some fall weather around here, which has had our boys digging in boxes and drawers for long-sleeved PJs to sleep in. Malachi appeared one evening in my very favorite pair of all of his jammies, and shucks if I didn’t immediately have to drop everything I was doing and squeeze the life out of him for several minutes.

What’s so special about this pair of pajamas? Well first of all, I think we can agree that kids in pajamas are about the snuggliest and cutest around. So any pair of PJs on my kids makes my heart flop. But it just so happens that this particular pair of jammies was worn by all four of our boys. All of them.  Asa got them as a gift when he was about five years old. He wore them for a couple of years, then when he outgrew them, they became Justus’. Then Elias inherited them. Now Malachi is wearing them.

Let’s all pause a moment and recognize with amazement that such a well made article of clothing exists, and that it has survived in our house through eleven years and four boys without being torn, stained, lost, hung on a flag pole, used as a sling shot, or stretched across the hallway to create a catapult. Indeed, for an entire decade, we have somehow kept track of both the top and the bottom of this matching set of sleepwear, and the elastic is not stretched to the size of Santa. If only we could pass down tennis shoes in this way. Shoot, I’d even settle for a pair of shoes that last through one season and one boy without the sole flopping off or the toe poking through or the foot growing by three sizes in one afternoon. But anyway…

Malachi was thrilled to hear that what he was wearing had been worn by all of his brothers, even the one who is now well over six feet tall. All of the boys chimed in with “oh yeah, I remember those pajamas.” We all inhaled deeply, joined hands, and enjoyed a moment together as we gazed at each other with tears in our eyes. By that I mean that the pajama conversation lasted about four seconds because the boys quickly moved on with life by sticking their heads in the fridge to find something else to eat before bed.

But I wasn’t quite ready to let it rest. “Asa,” I asked, “Do you remember who gave you those?”

He hesitated, because as I said, he had already moved on to thinking about his cheese stick and the pajama conversation was so thirty seconds ago. But then he remembered. “Oh yeah. It was Grammy wasn’t it?”

Indeed. My mom had picked those out for her firstborn grandson. She had no idea at the time that the pajamas would make their way through four growing and busy boys. And we had no idea how special they would become someday – worn so many years later by the grandson who never had the privilege of meeting her.

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Who knew a simple pair of pajamas would be such a treasure?

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If you are linking up a blog post for Gratituesday, please copy and paste the following sentence into your post! Thanks!

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

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FREE eBook: Healthy Breakfast Made Simple {Free Printable From Heavenly Homemakers}

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It’s an entire eBook, filled with ten healthy, easy breakfast recipes – and it’s FREE for Heavenly Homemakers Subscribers! To encourage us all as we work to get ahead in our kitchens, here is Healthy Breakfast Made Simple:

breakfast_e-book cover_sm

Yum

I’ve decided that we can never have too many quick and healthy breakfast recipes. I love recipes that can be made ahead of time (or thrown together quickly), and my family really appreciates a variety. I shared the Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets recipe a few days ago, which is the recipe that inspired the idea for this eBook several weeks ago. I thought it would be nice to have the instant oatmeal recipe in a handy printable, then as I began putting it together, an entire eBook evolved. It’s not a fancy eBook, but who needs fancy? We just need simple, right? A Healthy Breakfast Made Simple. :)

This eBook, Healthy Breakfast Made Simple, has ten healthy breakfast recipes for you, many of which can be prepared ahead of time. Here’s what you’ll find in this eBook:

healthy_breakfast_contents

Get this freebie by subscribing to our free daily newsletter here.

OR get this freebie by subscribing to our free once-a-week newsletter here.

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Menu Plan for the Week (With Make-Ahead Breakfast Ideas)

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How’s everyone doing so far with the Getting Ahead for Breakfast Challenge? Our family has been eating a lot of Instant Oatmeal Packets recently, so I’m going to have to make more soon. Which leads me to my next statement:  We do not always follow our menu plans exactly.  (I’ve shared this before, but felt it was worth sharing again.)

I begin the week with the best of intentions. I create a menu based on what I feel will work best for each day of the week. But real life and ideal menu don’t always never jive perfectly – so I roll with it. That’s why having Make-Ahead Meals prepped and ready to grab is so important to me in this season of life.

Since we’re focusing on getting ahead for breakfast this week, I decided that each breakfast item on my menu would include foods that have been or can be made ahead of time. If I can at least get breakfast put on the table quickly and easily, I find that the rest of my day goes more smoothly.

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Sunday, September 15
Instant oatmeal packets, pears
Potluck – taking Lynn’s no-bake cookie bars, buttered corn, Italian pasta bake, banana bread
Small group potluck – peach crisp, baby carrots and homemade ranch, sweet and sour meatballs (recipe in the Let’s Do This! eCourse)

Monday, September 16
Cranberry white chocolate chip breakfast cookies, applesauce
Crock pot baked potatoes with sour cream and cheese, peas
Chili mac, tossed salad

Tuesday, September 17
Whole wheat waffles, blueberry syrup
Grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, baby carrots
Chicken alfredo with pasta, tossed salad

Wednesday, September 18
Easy breakfast casserole, oranges
Easy noodle stir fry with chicken, broccoli, and carrots
Cheesy salsa enchiladas, tossed salad, grapes

Thursday, September 19
Dark chocolate almond granola (recipe coming soon), applesauce
Homemade corndogs, strawberries, apples
Cheeseburger macaroni, peas

Friday, September 20
Chocolate chocolate chip muffins, blueberries
Meat and cheese burritos, apples
Crock pot fiesta chicken on tortillas with fresh tomatoes

Saturday, September 21
Homemade grape nuts cereal, fruit
Leftovers
Pizza casserole, tossed salad

Give us an update. Have you been working on the Getting Ahead for Breakfast Challenge?

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Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets (without the microwave)

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A breakfast of oatmeal is fast, easy, nourishing, and filling. Making a pot of it on the stovetop is not hard. So why make Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets? Are they really that much of a time saver?

oatmeal_packet_10

For my family – yes. I’m working to get my boys more independent in the kitchen. Having a variety of homemade instant oatmeal packets around for them to grab and fix themselves is a great time saver for me. Plus, it’s nice to have a variety of choices for them so that they can make whichever kind sounds good to them. These are great afternoon snacks too!

Inspired by MoneySavingMom to make Homemade Instant Oatmeal packets, I did a little research to discover the easiest and healthiest way to do this. Here are the tricks I learned through my experimenting:

  • Sucanat works just fine in place of sugar
  • Combining a big batch of the instant oatmeal mixture in a big bowl, then scooping out individual sized portions makes this process very easy
  • Blending a portion of the oats in a blender first to create a powder will help the instant oatmeal packets cook faster
  • A microwave is not necessary to cook this – simply boil water, stir in packet, walk away, then come back and eat
  • The add-in options are endless

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It took about 20 minutes to mix this and prepare the packets. Not bad for 24 quick breakfasts or snacks!

Homemade Instant Oatmeal PacketsYum

Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets (without the microwave)
 
Save Print
Author:
Ingredients
  • 10 cups rolled oats (divided)
  • 2 cups sucanat
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
Instructions
  1. Measure 7 cups of oats into a large mixing bowl. Blend the remaining 3 cups (1/2 cup at a time) until powdery and stir into the mixing bowl. Add sucanat and sea salt. Mix well.
  2. Measure ½ cup of mix into a small zip baggie, making about 24 Instant Oatmeal Packets.
  3. Be sure to scoop the mix from the bottom of the bowl as the sucanat tries to separate and settle there.
  4. Store in a dry, cool place.
  5. If you'd prefer not to scoop the mix into individual baggies, simply place the entire mix in a large, airtight container, scooping out ½ cup of mix for each serving.
  6. When ready to serve the oatmeal, empty contents of baggie into a cereal-sized bowl.
  7. Add ¾ cup boiling water.
  8. Stir.
  9. Allow the oatmeal and water to sit for about 5 minutes.
  10. Stir and eat.

Skip the Packets!

Want to make this even easier? Since originally coming up with this idea, I switched to simply making the Instant Oatmeal and keeping it in big jars. My kids scoop out 1/2 cup of mix, add 3/4 hot water, and they are good to go!

Instant Oatmeal in a Jar

Instant Oatmeal Varieties

By sprinkling in various fruits, spices, chocolate chips, or nuts – you can create many different types of instant oatmeal packets! I fill my bags with the basic mix, then sprinkle in various add-ins so as to have a variety of packages available for my family to pick from. Here are a few ideas:

Chocolate Swirl

Add a few mini chocolate chips

Blueberries and Cream

Add freeze dried blueberries, then cook oatmeal with milk instead of water

Strawberries and Cream

Add freeze dried strawberries, then cook oatmeal with milk instead of water

Cinnamon Raisin

Add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and a few raisins

Apples and Cinnamon

Add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and a few dehydrated apple chunks

Banana Nut

Add a few crushed walnuts and some freeze dried bananas

The blender does a great job chopping up the whole oats.
Remember, just do about 1/2 cup at a time to make the process work better.
oameal_packets (1)

Mix the blended oats (3 cups) with the remaining oats (7 cups),
then stir in the sucanat and sea salt. See how easy this is?

oameal_packets (3)

Scoop 1/2 cup of mix into small zip baggies. Add any add-ins you wish. Seal and store.

oameal_packets (9)

To Prepare:  Pour contents of baggie into a cereal bowl.

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Add 3/4 cup boiling water. Stir. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

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After 5 minutes, stir again, then eat!

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Having these homemade instant oatmeal packets has been so helpful. They are much cheaper than buying pre-made oatmeal packets – plus I can be sure we are only including the ingredients we feel good about eating.

Haven’t decided what to make for our Getting Ahead for Breakfast Challenge? This Instant Oatmeal Packets idea is a great choice. Learn more about this challenge here.

How About Giving the Gift of Instant Oatmeal?

Consider sharing this Instant Oatmeal with new moms, someone who has been sick, or anyone you know would appreciate this thoughtful and practical gift? Get all the directions here for making this happen, and even some cute free printable labels!

Homemade Instant Oatmeal in a Jar Gift Idea

Ever tried making homemade oatmeal packets? What are your favorite ingredients to stir into oatmeal?

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Let’s Do This! Join the Getting Ahead {Breakfast} Challenge

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It’s a great time of year to get a little more organized in the kitchen so that you can stay ahead of your busy schedule. That’s why we created the Let’s Do This! Getting Ahead in Your Real Food Kitchen eCourse and the {Healthy} Make-Ahead Meals and Snacks eBook. Hopefully you’ve grabbed yours already and have started working your way through them. If not, you can do that here.

Whether you’re taking the course or not, I hope you’ll all join me in this Getting Ahead Challenge! We can all benefit from working ahead in our kitchens!

During the next four weeks, we’ll be offering four different challenges so that together, we can take steps to get ahead. I’ll be sharing more getting-ahead tips, new recipes, plus some freebies to help us all in our efforts. My goal with these challenges is to put you to work in the kitchen so that you can see how easy and beneficial it is to get food made ahead of time.

Who’s with me?! Let’s Do This!

350x350_Challenge

Our first challenge is all about Getting Ahead for Breakfast.

Why are we starting with a breakfast challenge? Because that’s the meal I struggle with most as I try to get ahead in my kitchen. Dinnertime casseroles in the freezer? No problem. Burritos in the freezer for a quick lunch? Done. But breakfast? I often forget that there are so many make-ahead breakfast options. Therefore I rarely remember to put these items on my make-ahead-to-do-list. (Except for freezing muffin batter. I’ve been obsessed with that recently, as you know. But man can not live by muffins alone.)

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As much as I appreciate being ahead and having dinner time foods prepped and ready, I think I need healthy breakfast foods prepared and accessible even more. We need to get our day started quickly and smoothly. We need a full, hearty breakfast. We need to not have to think straight the minute we roll out of bed with fuzzy brain, crazy hair, and a long to-do list for the day ahead – am I right?

Therefore, for the past few weeks, I’ve been focusing on creating new recipes and coming up with new ideas for ways to get ahead for breakfast. I am so excited to share all I’ve been learning! You’ll be glad to know that not all methods of getting ahead involve filling the freezer. And they definitely don’t involve spending a lot of extra time working in the kitchen. (The eCourse already taught you that though, right?!)

Now through next Thursday, make plans to join me in getting ahead with breakfast foods. What’s involved in this challenge? Simply pick one (or more!) breakfast foods that you can prepare ahead of time – and get it done! Here are some suggested ideas:

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There are lots of great ways to get ahead for breakfast! (Here are all of the Healthy Breakfast Recipes on this site.)  You aren’t limited to the suggestions above. Do whatever you can to make healthy breakfasts easier at your house. Be watching for more recipes and ideas in the coming days. I can’t wait to share!

Are you joining this challenge? Leave a comment on this post letting me know that you’re taking part.

So let’s hear it!  What are you going to make to get ahead for breakfast?

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