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What to Know If You’re Thinking About Invisalign

January 26, 2021 By: Stephaniecomment

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Now that we are all wearing masks in public, a lot of adults are thinking it’s a great time to get braces. I had been throwing the idea around for a few years, and this is the year I decided to go ahead and get Invisalign. I know I had a million questions before I got started, so I hope after my research and experience I can answer a few for you.

Invisalign Questions and Answers

What is Invisalign?

They are a series of clear acrylic trays that straighten your teeth over the course of several months. You switch out the tray each week for a new one that is just slightly different than the one before. They attach to your teeth with clear little buttons or tabs that keep them in place. You wear them 22 hours a day and only take them out when it’s time to eat or brush your teeth.

Is it expensive?

I recommend getting your treatment done by a qualified orthodontist, so it can be expensive, yes. I got quotes from a few highly-recommended orthodontists in our area and they all charged the same price whether you chose Invisalign or traditional metal braces, which is several thousand dollars. (Get a few quotes, because one of the orthodontists I saw charged $1,000 more and also wanted to pull some teeth. Others were cheaper and didn’t want to pull any.) There are some mail-in companies that offer similar services at a cheaper price, but after reading some reviews I was really leery of them and I wanted to do this under the care and supervision of a professional. They had an interest-free payment plan, so it is costing us a little bit less than $200/month during the course of my treatment.

What can they fix?

The technology has really improved in recent years! Just five years ago I was told I wasn’t a good Invisalign candidate because I have bite issues. (I have an open bite in the front, see how my top teeth and bottom teeth have a space between them?) I was also concerned that previous orthodontists had said they would have to pull up to eight teeth (WHAT?!) to get my crowding issues fixed. But now the technology has changed so much that they can fix both crowding many bite issues and I am a good candidate. Plus, I didn’t have to have any teeth pulled- yay!! If you are curious, it never hurts to ask. Most orthodontists have a free consultation service where they can tell you whether or not you are a candidate.

Why did you choose Invisalign and not metal braces?

I had braces as a pre-teen and I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of doing it again. Mostly, I chose them for aesthetic reasons, but I made my final decision after talking to my dentist. She chose Invisalign for herself and said she recommends them over traditional braces because as long as you are consistent in caring for your teeth the Invisaligns are easier to keep clean and there is really no such thing as an Invisalign medical emergency. There are no wires that can snap and hurt you, and there are fewer appointments to deal with. She also said that she sees fewer cavities in her patients that have Invisalign over traditional braces, because of how often you have to clean your teeth. (I will add, though, that I have heard some people do have cavity issues with Invisalign, and my orthodontist said he prefers to work with traditional braces because they give him more options and are more predictable in terms of teeth movement.)

How do you find a qualified orthodontist?

I asked my dentist who she recommends and also followed recommendations on our neighborhood Facebook page. Then I scheduled consultations at a few places to compare. I believe some dentists also offer Invisalign at their offices, but I am of the opinion that you should always go to a specialist when you have the option. Some things are worth the investment, and with something as prominent on my face as my smile, I knew I wanted to go to a good orthodontist when it came to moving my teeth because that’s literally all they do and they are good at it.

Invisalign questions and answers

Are you happy with them?

I’m not finished my treatment, so I’ll have to update you with the final results. I’m getting used to them. I definitely like them better and they are more comfortable than I remember traditional braces being. I can eat whatever I want, so that’s nice. As an added bonus, they have curbed my snacking and I have not had any soda since wearing them. I’m drinking a lot more water because I’m concerned about them staining. Because you can only eat when the trays are out and they are a pain to remove, I am more careful about what I eat when, so I’m more mindful about my meals than I was before. I will say they are really difficult to remove for eating and brushing and, although less than traditional braces would, they do bring a little bit of unwanted attention to something I am already self-conscious about. They also make me speak slightly differently. I have a little more trouble with sounds like “sh” and “ch,” but my husband says it’s not very noticable to him.

How do you take care of them?

Just brush them (or my orthodontist also gave me cleaning crystals to soak the trays). Brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash after each time you eat. You change the trays every week, so they don’t get that dirty.

Do they hurt?

Not in my experience. For the first few days they felt very tight, but I wouldn’t say it was painful. I didn’t even feel the need to take a Tylenol. After that, they just felt similar to wearing a retainer or mouth guard.

Any other advice?

A friend of mine who has Invisalign recommended white toothpaste and clear mouthwash to avoid staining. I also wish someone would have told me to buy a remover tool like this one because the first day a new tray goes in they are very tight and can be hard to remove.

Let me know if Invisalign is something you have done or are considering!

While we’re on the subject of oral health, check out this post I wrote about my experience with gum disease and using a Waterpik.

Using a Waterpik

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Maryland Crab Soup Instant Pot Recipe

January 5, 2021 By: Stephaniecomment

I know you’re here because you want a quick, easy Maryland crab soup recipe for your Instant Pot and I’ll get right to it, I promise. But first, I need you to know two things: I was born and raised in Baltimore on the water and I know what crab soup is supposed to be. I know how to catch, steam, and pick my own crabs, and I learned how to make crab soup two different ways from each of my grandmothers, who were both also born and raised in Baltimore. My grandmother’s crab cake recipe is on the blog here.

Also, a true Baltimorean looking at this recipe is going to think I’m insane. Yes, I know that’s a bunch of cans and a few unique new things you don’t put in your own soup. Trust me. No, it’s not the way my grandmothers made it, but their recipes took all day and required fresh, live crabs. I need you to trust me. Yes, we are using a few non-traditional ingredients like canned crab and steak sauce. JUST TRUST ME, OKAY. I tested this recipe many, many times until I found one that I would be happy to put up against almost any restaurant in Ocean City. I wanted this recipe to be something easy to throw together on a weeknight and accessible to anyone, all year long. I bought most of these ingredients, including the crab, from our local Walmart.

It’s also very healthy. You can easily make this soup plant-based by just omitting the crab and then you’ll have an awesome vegetable soup that’s even more affordable to make. I do that a lot with this recipe because I try to stay primarily plant-based for health reasons, although I do eat seafood a few times throughout the year.

Yeah, okay, you wanted the recipe. Here you go!

ingredients for Maryland crab soup in the Instant Pot

Maryland Crab Soup (serves 8)

Ingredients (I know, there are a lot of them, but I bet you keep most stocked in your pantry already.) I used a 6 quart Instant Pot Duo for this recipe.

  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 large or 2 small Russet potatoes, chopped (any potato is fine, I don’t even peel them)
  • 2 cans (15oz) or 1 frozen bag of mixed vegetables
  • 1 (15 oz) can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 (8 oz) can of tomato sauce (or a few tablespoons of ketchup)
  • 1 tsp or cube of any kind of bullion (or use stock instead of water) I use vegetable bullion, but it will taste even more like the traditional style if you use beef stock.
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1 entire can of kidney beans (liquid also, that is important)
  • 2 entire 6 oz cans of lump crab meat (liquid too, and it absolutely has to be REAL crab, not imitation.)
  • 1 tbsp of steak sauce
  • 2 tbsp Old Bay Seafood Seasoning (add more or less as desired)
  • 1 cup of any red wine
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • Add water until you are just below the max fill line on your Instant Pot.

Directions: Dump all of the ingredients into your Instant Pot and press the soup button. Make sure the knob is set to “seal.” The soup function will take about 30 minutes of cooking time, after it comes up to pressure. When it is finished, let it naturally release for 10 minutes before venting.

That’s it! We serve it with saltines and set out additional Old Bay for people to add to their own bowls.

This recipe reminds me of the summer days I spent around my grandmother’s table picking the crabs my grandfather caught and sorting their meat into three piles: some to eat by itself, some for crab cakes, and some for soup.

A few notes:

  • Do not drain any of the cans, just dump them all right into your pot, including the liquid.
  • You want to use lump crab meat. You can get fancy and spend a lot more money to buy some fresh lump crab from the seafood counter, but I really don’t recommend it. Fresh meat is 4x the price of canned and this is soup, so all the flavors are going to meld together anyway. (They are going to take away my Baltimore card for telling you to avoid fresh crab, but the Instant Pot is going to break it up quite a bit and honestly it’s a waste of your money to buy the expensive stuff for this recipe. But that’s also why it has to be lump, the cheaper cans will break up so much that they will just liquify into the soup, whereas the lump meat will leave you with some visible crab meat after the cooking process is finished.)
  • Yes, you have to use Old Bay or a similar seafood seasoning if you want this to be a Maryland Crab soup. Otherwise it will just taste like minestrone.
  • I personally would not substitute a different kind of beans. The red bean liquid is part of what gives this soup its color and body.
  • I do not recommend omitting the wine or the steak sauce (although you could use Worcestershire in place of steak sauce). It adds quite a bit of depth because we are cooking this soup in 30 minutes, as opposed to the all-day-long-make-you-own-stock recipes my grandmothers used.
  • If you are a meat-eater, I do recommend maybe trying to add a few pieces of raw bacon, chopped small to the other ingredients or melting some bacon fat on the bottom of the pot before cooking.
  • Like any soup, it is even better on the second day.
  • I haven’t tried it, but I would think that if you omit the potatoes then this soup would freeze well, or even work as a make-ahead freezer meal.

My husband is also a Baltimore native, and Eddie has given this soup his seal of approval as well. He goes back for a second or third bowl every time I make it. Please let me know if you try it! Especially if you are from Baltimore, I’m very curious to hear what you think.

Don’t forget to pin or share this recipe to save it for later, and be sure to check out our crab cake recipe while you’re here.

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Crockpot Apple Butter Recipe

October 24, 2020 By: Stephaniecomment

Are you ready for the perfect Fall recipe? Only 3 ingredients (or 2 if you make it sugar free), and your entire house will smell like cinnamon goodness.

This recipe is also super easy to adjust. I tend to make it in smaller batches, but if you want to double or triple it that works too!

You need:

8-10 red apples: peeled, cored, and chopped.

2 tablespoons of cinnamon

1/4 cup of sugar (Optional)

Plus: Additional water (about 1/2 cup) just so the apples don’t burn.

This recipe is very forgiving. Want to make it sugar free? Great, just leave the sugar out. Want to use more cinnamon or more sugar? Less? Awesome. Customize it however you want. Add nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice. I’m not the boss of you.

This is not a recipe specific to canning, so I do recommend storing this apple butter in the fridge. It’s so yummy it won’t last long anyway, because your entire family is going to gobble it up. Let’s get started!

Step 1: Peel and chop your apples

Step 2: Add all of the ingredients to your crock pot

Step 3: Cook on high, stirring at least once every hour. After about three hours the apples will easily break apart. That’s what you want. Smash them a bit, and keep cooking. We’re going for a very dark, thick applesauce.

Step 4: On hour four or five, the apples will have reduced in size by at least half and the extra liquid should have evaporated. Use a potato masher or stick blender to smooth out the mixture.

All done!

Allow it to cool a bit before transferring to jars. Keep refrigerated and use within two or three weeks.

Serve the apple butter however you would regularly use jam. It’s great on toast, biscuits, or sandwiches.

It also makes super easy holiday gifts. And bonus! This also works with peaches and pears. (I’ve heard it works with pumpkin as well, but I have never tried that.)

Let me know some of your favorite fall recipes or traditions here in the comments or on my Facebook page.

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