i made this recipe last night and it was delicious. i'm always on the lookout for an easy pasta dish.
i didn't even have the pesto on hand that it calls for (didn't quite make it to trader joes this weekend) and it was still delicious. since i'm in love with pesto, i can only imagine how good it will be when i made the recipe correctly.
aaron hates tomatoes and hates pasta that isn't smothered in sauce, so i was unsure how he'd react, but he gobbled it up and wanted more.
hooray for new recipes.
oh, and i roasted my broccoli first instead of blanching it. way more flavor. also, i did most of the prep the night before and just re-heated while boiling the noodles. an option in case you need a super quick dish and can do prep ahead of time.
try it!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
it's that time of year
the UP house, how cute.the gingerbread is being rolled out.
literally.
this week marks the 2nd annual gingerbread house making party.
i have decided to try for a cape cod style home with details such as faux wooden siding in a cheery color, white picket fence, green turf and a host of other details.
i'm baking the gingerbread tonight so it will be nice and firm for wednesday. tonight is also time to dye the coconut for the grass and dip the pretzel sticks for the picket fence.
i've been working on this since last week, gathering supplies and cutting out my pattern.
who knew this was such a beast?
but, the finished product is so worth it. so is rocking out to Christmas music while assembling.
and, maybe in many, many years, my house will actually reflect the amount of time it took to put it together.
and, maybe, one year, i will admit that everyone knows it is a whimsical house and decorate it so, instead of acting like i can fool everyone into thinking it is a real, miniature house.
a candy land theme could be fun...
welcome Christmas traditions!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving
aaron and i are starting a new tradition this year. it is reminiscent to our birthday tradition.
stealing the idea from a friend's family, at someone's birthday, we go around the room and each person has to say why they love the birthday boy or girl. it's super fun for 2 reasons.
1. you hear some really neat stuff.
2. it's the best when someone who doesn't know the birthday boy/girl very well is in attendance and you watch it get awkward when they try to come up with something.
maybe i'm the only one who thinks that is fun.
anyway, we've adapted that tradition to thanksgiving. each person will go around the room and say one reason they are thankful for every person in the room. i like it!
this year we won't be with family (well, blood family anyway), rather crashing a very large non-blood family party, so i don't think we'll impose our tradition on them. aaron and i will begin the tradition with 2 and hopefully have more to share it with next year.
i hope you all have a wonderful thanksgiving and take the time to think about all you have to be thankful for.
the computer you're reading this on!
the eyes you're using to read it!
having something to eat today!
the clothes you're wearing!
i could go on!
i feel so blessed this year and am thankful to my Heavenly Father for all He has given me.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
too good to be true
a le creuset store is coming to primm. primm. you know, my favorite place on earth?
the outlet mall where the only WS outlet on the west coast resides?
the town where i'm forcing aaron to stay while we drive out to utah for Christmas so i can shop at the WS in the morning?
the place where the hotels slightly terrify me, but i'm staying there anyway with the back up plan of sleeping in my car in front of the WS store?
i didn't think this mall could get better. actually, i know almost nothing about this mall because i haven't stepped more than 50 feet into it. why would i? the BR and WS outlets are next to the door. i've always blown my spending limit after those 2 places.
however, my knowledge has just gained a gem. A LE CREUSET STORE IS COMING!
it will be open for black friday. oh, to spend black friday at this mall. i can't even imagine.
but, the whole point is that i will be shopping for amazingly beautiful cookware (yes, dutch oven, i'm coming for you) just before Christmas and now i can bargain shop between the two stores!
the wonder of it all.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
your vote, please
update to the post below...
the link is not working for some people. perhaps there is a campaign to shun aaron's video or the response has been overwhelming. either way, not being able to vote is not cool. apparently you can 'like' the video from aaron's facebook page and it helps. i know nothing about this since i act like facebook does not exist. however, if you remember to check back in and try to vote later today or tomorrow, we'd love it! thanks!
aaron has entered a contest to win a $5,000 scholarship. i surely don't need to tell you how far that would go toward school. if we won, i'd probably pee my pants while screaming. too much info, but i wanted to emphasize how much this would mean.
he made a video and made it to the finals.
the problem? so did 50 other people that we need to beat.
how do we solve the problem? that's where you come in! the person with the most online votes is the winner. simple.
even better? you don't have to actually watch the video. in fact, i ask, beg, plead with you not to. i am in that video and it almost gave me a nervous breakdown. it tested our marriage. if i had any idea that all my friends and family would be watching me in it, i never would have agreed, but it's a bit too late now.
here's the link. all you do is click, rate it 5 stars, submit your rating, and you're done.
super quick and easy!
please vote today. voting closes on the 27th, so go now!!
also, if you do watch the video, please know a few things. i had flown that day. it was late at night. i was extremely tired. i'd been up since very early and got almost no sleep the night before. i was ambushed. i hate the camera. i was on the verge of crying. i had flown that day. also, i hate the camera. like, more than any human possibly could. i just thought it was my duty to prepare you for the horror that awaits you when i flash on the screen.
the link is not working for some people. perhaps there is a campaign to shun aaron's video or the response has been overwhelming. either way, not being able to vote is not cool. apparently you can 'like' the video from aaron's facebook page and it helps. i know nothing about this since i act like facebook does not exist. however, if you remember to check back in and try to vote later today or tomorrow, we'd love it! thanks!
aaron has entered a contest to win a $5,000 scholarship. i surely don't need to tell you how far that would go toward school. if we won, i'd probably pee my pants while screaming. too much info, but i wanted to emphasize how much this would mean.
he made a video and made it to the finals.
the problem? so did 50 other people that we need to beat.
how do we solve the problem? that's where you come in! the person with the most online votes is the winner. simple.
even better? you don't have to actually watch the video. in fact, i ask, beg, plead with you not to. i am in that video and it almost gave me a nervous breakdown. it tested our marriage. if i had any idea that all my friends and family would be watching me in it, i never would have agreed, but it's a bit too late now.
here's the link. all you do is click, rate it 5 stars, submit your rating, and you're done.
super quick and easy!
please vote today. voting closes on the 27th, so go now!!
also, if you do watch the video, please know a few things. i had flown that day. it was late at night. i was extremely tired. i'd been up since very early and got almost no sleep the night before. i was ambushed. i hate the camera. i was on the verge of crying. i had flown that day. also, i hate the camera. like, more than any human possibly could. i just thought it was my duty to prepare you for the horror that awaits you when i flash on the screen.
Monday, November 14, 2011
new soup recipe
it rained all day on saturday and i knew i would want a hearty soup.
this recipe made the cut because i had all the ingredients on hand.
i have high culinary standards.
it turned out to be a fabulous recipe that i will put in heavy winter rotation.
here's what i like about it:
1. it is a great base recipe that you can alter as you'd like.
2. the creaminess and thickening is achieved from a roux, rather than using heavy cream. i used non-fat milk.
3. it is super simple and quick to throw together.
4. it tastes delicious! aaron approved and he is weary of my soups because i usually fly by the seat of my pants, add so much yummy stuff that it turns into all chunks, no liquid.
try it today!
*the adjustments i made were- take out the meat (big surprise), add roasted broccoli and other veggies, used broth rather than bullion cubes and water, left the skin on my potatoes, added a bit of cheddar. have fun with it!!
this recipe made the cut because i had all the ingredients on hand.
i have high culinary standards.
it turned out to be a fabulous recipe that i will put in heavy winter rotation.
here's what i like about it:
1. it is a great base recipe that you can alter as you'd like.
2. the creaminess and thickening is achieved from a roux, rather than using heavy cream. i used non-fat milk.
3. it is super simple and quick to throw together.
4. it tastes delicious! aaron approved and he is weary of my soups because i usually fly by the seat of my pants, add so much yummy stuff that it turns into all chunks, no liquid.
try it today!
*the adjustments i made were- take out the meat (big surprise), add roasted broccoli and other veggies, used broth rather than bullion cubes and water, left the skin on my potatoes, added a bit of cheddar. have fun with it!!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
emoticon madness
let me clearly state, i am not a fan of emoticons.
:) or :( or ;) - i do not enjoy. the one with the tongue sticking out? that really gets my goat. in fact, before i was married, i wouldn't go out with a new guy based solely on the fact that he would text or email me an emoticon. they were serious business.
do lots of people i love and adore use them? absolutely.
but, do i cringe every time i see one? you betcha.
i've never confessed this on a mass scale because i don't want to make emoticon lovers feel bad. so, all you emoticon people who send them to me, don't stop now. i'll know why and things will get awkward.
this is all fascinating back story to my present situation.
aaron knows my emoticon disdain, so he regularly emails them to me. but not the ones you can create on the keyboard, rather the ones you can insert in gmail. they are intense. various colors, movements, graphics to choose from give the sender a smorgasbord of feelings to convey.
the problem is (which is my original issue with emoticons) they don't always convey what you're trying to say and a lot can get lost in translation.
case in point; i began sending them back to aaron when i really was annoyed. then temptation got the better of me and yesterday i wrote him a riddle, mostly comprised of the gmail emoticons. i was so excited for him to unlock the riddle and respond, but i never heard back. later that night, while he was in class, i text him and asked if he received my riddle. here is his reply:
"do you mean the one with a pile of poop in it?"
i dropped my phone. i was horrified and i paused. i would never send a pile of poop. he's totally mistaken. i sent a beehive with cute bees buzzing around it. i text him so and his reply:
"nope, that was a pile of poop with flies swarming it"
could it be? i started laughing so hard i couldn't function. no wonder he didn't reply. i thought it was magical that gmail would have a beehive. how sweet.
and that, folks, takes me back to my original point of why i hate emoticons. once again, i'm firmly planted in the 'i don't use those' camp. it feels good to be back.
you can judge for yourself. i've posted the beehive/poop below. in an email, the bees/flies are moving around. what do you think?
:) or :( or ;) - i do not enjoy. the one with the tongue sticking out? that really gets my goat. in fact, before i was married, i wouldn't go out with a new guy based solely on the fact that he would text or email me an emoticon. they were serious business.
do lots of people i love and adore use them? absolutely.
but, do i cringe every time i see one? you betcha.
i've never confessed this on a mass scale because i don't want to make emoticon lovers feel bad. so, all you emoticon people who send them to me, don't stop now. i'll know why and things will get awkward.
this is all fascinating back story to my present situation.
aaron knows my emoticon disdain, so he regularly emails them to me. but not the ones you can create on the keyboard, rather the ones you can insert in gmail. they are intense. various colors, movements, graphics to choose from give the sender a smorgasbord of feelings to convey.
the problem is (which is my original issue with emoticons) they don't always convey what you're trying to say and a lot can get lost in translation.
case in point; i began sending them back to aaron when i really was annoyed. then temptation got the better of me and yesterday i wrote him a riddle, mostly comprised of the gmail emoticons. i was so excited for him to unlock the riddle and respond, but i never heard back. later that night, while he was in class, i text him and asked if he received my riddle. here is his reply:
"do you mean the one with a pile of poop in it?"
i dropped my phone. i was horrified and i paused. i would never send a pile of poop. he's totally mistaken. i sent a beehive with cute bees buzzing around it. i text him so and his reply:
"nope, that was a pile of poop with flies swarming it"
could it be? i started laughing so hard i couldn't function. no wonder he didn't reply. i thought it was magical that gmail would have a beehive. how sweet.
and that, folks, takes me back to my original point of why i hate emoticons. once again, i'm firmly planted in the 'i don't use those' camp. it feels good to be back.
you can judge for yourself. i've posted the beehive/poop below. in an email, the bees/flies are moving around. what do you think?
Friday, October 21, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
new icing!
i made these cookies this weekend.
pumpkin cookies with brown butter icing.
they taste just like pumpkin cookies should. moist, tender, light with the perfect amount of pumpkin.
too often pumpkin baked goods (cookies, muffins, bread, even pie!) are thick, chewy, dense and stick to the roof of your mouth.
and i love that you have to pipe the dough on the cookie sheets since it is like a mousse.
however, without this particular icing, these cookies would be just another cookie. they work together beautifully, but the icing steals the show. mercy.
the browning of the butter brings a caramely flavor to the forefront and the evaporated milk kicks the richness up a notch. i love that it isn't a cream cheese base since i am not a fan! i believe i will be using this icing for my cinnamon rolls from now on. a true winner!
make it soon!
brown butter icing
4 C powdered sugar
10 T unsalted butter
1/4 C, plus 1 T evaporated milk
2 t vanilla extract
Put confectioners' sugar in a large bowl; set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add butter to confectioners' sugar, scraping any browned bits from sides and bottom of pan. Add evaporated milk and vanilla; stir until smooth.
pure magic. i kid you not. this will woo all your friends!
pumpkin cookies with brown butter icing.they taste just like pumpkin cookies should. moist, tender, light with the perfect amount of pumpkin.
too often pumpkin baked goods (cookies, muffins, bread, even pie!) are thick, chewy, dense and stick to the roof of your mouth.
and i love that you have to pipe the dough on the cookie sheets since it is like a mousse.
however, without this particular icing, these cookies would be just another cookie. they work together beautifully, but the icing steals the show. mercy.
the browning of the butter brings a caramely flavor to the forefront and the evaporated milk kicks the richness up a notch. i love that it isn't a cream cheese base since i am not a fan! i believe i will be using this icing for my cinnamon rolls from now on. a true winner!
make it soon!
brown butter icing
4 C powdered sugar
10 T unsalted butter
1/4 C, plus 1 T evaporated milk
2 t vanilla extract
Put confectioners' sugar in a large bowl; set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add butter to confectioners' sugar, scraping any browned bits from sides and bottom of pan. Add evaporated milk and vanilla; stir until smooth.
pure magic. i kid you not. this will woo all your friends!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
machines for everything
today i tried a new restaurant for lunch.
sushi freak.
the concept is genius.
it's a build your own sushi bar.
you can order one of their pre-made rolls: california, philadelphia, spicy tuna, etc... or you can pick and choose your own. you pick a wrap, seaweed or soy, pick your meat fillings (everything from krab to salmon to tofu to tempura, it's all there), pick 2 veggies and add any toppings or sauce you'd like.
it's like subway for sushi. you watch them make it in front of you and you're out the door in less than 5 minutes. very tasty, too.
it might be helpful to share with you that i love sushi. love, love it. i don't go for the wild kinds, but stick with fish i recognize, like tuna. most of the time i don't even have real fish and get a california roll. but, man, that california roll hits the spot.
a few years ago i developed the crazy notion that i wanted to learn how to make sushi, so i got a copy of sushi for dummies (highly recommend it) and made my own! i would love to make it regularly, but if you're not in the habit, it sure is a lot of work.
not for the kids at sushi freak!! they have these awesome machines. i couldn't believe my eyes. my favorite was a machine that put rice on the paper! that was the hardest part for me. you lay the mat down, cover it in plastic wrap, slap some rice evenly on seaweed paper then quickly flip it rice side down on the plastic wrapped mat, fill, roll up the mat, take off the mat, the gently remove the plastic wrap and hope your rice stays put. whew. check out this beauty.
sushi freak.
the concept is genius.
it's a build your own sushi bar.
you can order one of their pre-made rolls: california, philadelphia, spicy tuna, etc... or you can pick and choose your own. you pick a wrap, seaweed or soy, pick your meat fillings (everything from krab to salmon to tofu to tempura, it's all there), pick 2 veggies and add any toppings or sauce you'd like.
it's like subway for sushi. you watch them make it in front of you and you're out the door in less than 5 minutes. very tasty, too.
it might be helpful to share with you that i love sushi. love, love it. i don't go for the wild kinds, but stick with fish i recognize, like tuna. most of the time i don't even have real fish and get a california roll. but, man, that california roll hits the spot.
a few years ago i developed the crazy notion that i wanted to learn how to make sushi, so i got a copy of sushi for dummies (highly recommend it) and made my own! i would love to make it regularly, but if you're not in the habit, it sure is a lot of work.
not for the kids at sushi freak!! they have these awesome machines. i couldn't believe my eyes. my favorite was a machine that put rice on the paper! that was the hardest part for me. you lay the mat down, cover it in plastic wrap, slap some rice evenly on seaweed paper then quickly flip it rice side down on the plastic wrapped mat, fill, roll up the mat, take off the mat, the gently remove the plastic wrap and hope your rice stays put. whew. check out this beauty.
the sushi man put the paper on the belt, pushed a button, the paper went in and quickly came back out perfectly covered in beautiful rice. my eyes were like saucers.
i must mention the rest of my roll was completely made my hand, lest you think i was at a short circuit sushi bar. but, how exciting! i want one. the website says it has a hopper capacity of 7.5 kgs of cooked rice. i have no idea how much that is, but i want a hopper!
i think i would start the tradition of sushi sunday at my house.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
outliers
i love this book.
absolutely love it.
everything i've read by malcolm gladwell i've loved.
outliers takes a much harder and wider look at success; how people who we think are lucky or wildly successful had many factors go into their achievement. factors that could have happened to you or i.
to me, it is a wildly motivating book that teaches you to look at the whole picture.
his research is fascinating and thorough. i couldn't tear myself away from the book.
here is malcom's take on the book.
read it today!
absolutely love it.
everything i've read by malcolm gladwell i've loved.
outliers takes a much harder and wider look at success; how people who we think are lucky or wildly successful had many factors go into their achievement. factors that could have happened to you or i. to me, it is a wildly motivating book that teaches you to look at the whole picture.
his research is fascinating and thorough. i couldn't tear myself away from the book.
here is malcom's take on the book.
read it today!
Monday, October 10, 2011
a new fave
there has been a restaurant in sd i've always wanted to try.
charming does not begin to describe the atmosphere.
it is located in old town, on the same plot of land as the historic, haunted whaley house.
quaint old street lamps, brick laid pathways, creaky wooden floorboards - i eat it up.
charming does not begin to describe the atmosphere.
it is located in old town, on the same plot of land as the historic, haunted whaley house.
quaint old street lamps, brick laid pathways, creaky wooden floorboards - i eat it up.
plus, i haven't found a good cajun restaurant since santa barbara and i was itching for some creole dinning.
we're currently seizing the day and crossing items off our bucket list, so we gave it a try.
oh mama. it was so delicious! one of those meals where you wonder how it could be this good. you eat slowly because you know each bite brings you closer to an empty plate and you don't want to think about the horror.
the two owners run the place. literally. one cooks and the other serves. -side note: the cook had a straw fedora on and a tommy bahama shirt. i kid you not. - it is a very small restaurant and the service is slow (hey, there's only one guy), but why would you want to leave? historic pictures and plaques adorn the walls and the smell is delicious! the price is a bit of a deterrent, so we won't be going weekly, but it was amazing food and i'm so glad we had the experience!
media fast
the week before conference, our ward was challenged to participate in a media fast.
give up all non-essential media.
tv.
internet.
email.
music.
you get the picture.
after the media fast was over i still kind of forgot about most media.
but, i'm back.
give up all non-essential media.
tv.
internet.
email.
music.
you get the picture.
after the media fast was over i still kind of forgot about most media.
but, i'm back.
Friday, September 23, 2011
lost in translation
last week we found ourselves unexpectedly in canada.
the occasion was sad, but good to see family and friends. aaron always loves going home so much.
i know there is much ribbing that goes on in america of all things canadian. being married to a canadian, we have a rib sensitive household and sometimes even i want to scream, enough with the canadian jokes!
it's like being left handed. believe me, i've heard them all. your joke will not be unique or funny, thanks. it grows tiresome.
aaron has a large family, so we customarily see many faces when we visit, but this time we saw a lot of very extended family. many he had never even met. i share this tidbit to demonstrate that my circle of canadians was widely expanded last week.
and i was surprised at how much they bagged on the american accent! for the most part, they love america, but they sure think they know the best way to say things. most of the people didn't know i was american and i only overheard conversations, so in no way were they being disrespectful. i found myself giggling at most of it.
here is a few gems:
pasta vs. paasta (long a)
mazda vs. maazda (long a)
a comment about how we say milk. couldn't figure that one out.
in-sur-ence vs. IN-surence ( i was corrected on this one).
various other ditties were noted.
all the encounters were made up of, 'can you believe they say it that way? sheesh.' i was so amused.
speaking of oddities, they call their bar donuts, long johns. i believe i've discussed that on this blog before. aaron tried to convince me everyone called them that, but i stopped him in his tracks. a snapshot from a 7-11 proved my point. you would not see this in america. no way.
the occasion was sad, but good to see family and friends. aaron always loves going home so much.
i know there is much ribbing that goes on in america of all things canadian. being married to a canadian, we have a rib sensitive household and sometimes even i want to scream, enough with the canadian jokes!
it's like being left handed. believe me, i've heard them all. your joke will not be unique or funny, thanks. it grows tiresome.
aaron has a large family, so we customarily see many faces when we visit, but this time we saw a lot of very extended family. many he had never even met. i share this tidbit to demonstrate that my circle of canadians was widely expanded last week.
and i was surprised at how much they bagged on the american accent! for the most part, they love america, but they sure think they know the best way to say things. most of the people didn't know i was american and i only overheard conversations, so in no way were they being disrespectful. i found myself giggling at most of it.
here is a few gems:
pasta vs. paasta (long a)
mazda vs. maazda (long a)
a comment about how we say milk. couldn't figure that one out.
in-sur-ence vs. IN-surence ( i was corrected on this one).
various other ditties were noted.
all the encounters were made up of, 'can you believe they say it that way? sheesh.' i was so amused.
speaking of oddities, they call their bar donuts, long johns. i believe i've discussed that on this blog before. aaron tried to convince me everyone called them that, but i stopped him in his tracks. a snapshot from a 7-11 proved my point. you would not see this in america. no way.
i also saw ketchup flavored chips and pickle doritos.
oh boy.
we're not in kansas anymore, toto.
it's good to be back!
cookie funny
as a self proclaimed cookie monster, i couldn't help but laugh when i saw this.
look at the panic in his googly eyes.
i've felt that before.
hope you have a good friday.
look at the panic in his googly eyes.
i've felt that before.
hope you have a good friday.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
just shocking
i'm sharing another recipe with you.
it's shockingly delicious.
a pancake recipe.
pancakes are my favorite.
i like them in the morning.
at night.
when it's raining.
when i don't have many groceries.
when i don't have much time to cook.
when i have a day off.
when i don't have a meeting before church.
when i don't want dinner food for dinner.
when i'm awake.
when i'm asleep.
i want pancakes most of the time.
i'm always on the hunt for a new recipe.
i also have a bone to pick with pancake recipe creators. stop with the crazy ingredients and even nuttier mixing methods. i bought malt powder for one recipe and it was disappointing. now i have malt powder in the cupboard and i don't like malt. does anyone need malt powder? also, some of the instructions in recipes are ridiculous. how careful you have to be with the egg whites and how to whisk them just so. i'm not making a souffle here, people!
which brings me to my latest find. ingredients you have on hand and the instructions say 'wisk until smooth'. i love it!
i made them on monday morning and they are amazing! soft and a bit spongy. i can't wait to make them again!
1.5 C flour
3.5 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 T white sugar
1 1/4 C milk
1 egg
3 T butter, melted
mix dry ingredients in a bowl. mix wet ingredients in a bowl. mix dry and wet, whisk until smooth. pour on a medium hot, buttered griddle. gobble up.
couldn't get any easier!!
if you're feeling guilty about feeding this to your family, slap a little peanut butter on it before the syrup and you've got protein. serve with a side of eggs and it's double trouble!
enjoy!
it's shockingly delicious.
a pancake recipe.
pancakes are my favorite.
i like them in the morning.
at night.
when it's raining.
when i don't have many groceries.
when i don't have much time to cook.
when i have a day off.
when i don't have a meeting before church.
when i don't want dinner food for dinner.
when i'm awake.
when i'm asleep.
i want pancakes most of the time.
i'm always on the hunt for a new recipe.
i also have a bone to pick with pancake recipe creators. stop with the crazy ingredients and even nuttier mixing methods. i bought malt powder for one recipe and it was disappointing. now i have malt powder in the cupboard and i don't like malt. does anyone need malt powder? also, some of the instructions in recipes are ridiculous. how careful you have to be with the egg whites and how to whisk them just so. i'm not making a souffle here, people!
which brings me to my latest find. ingredients you have on hand and the instructions say 'wisk until smooth'. i love it!
i made them on monday morning and they are amazing! soft and a bit spongy. i can't wait to make them again!
1.5 C flour
3.5 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 T white sugar
1 1/4 C milk
1 egg
3 T butter, melted
mix dry ingredients in a bowl. mix wet ingredients in a bowl. mix dry and wet, whisk until smooth. pour on a medium hot, buttered griddle. gobble up.
couldn't get any easier!!
if you're feeling guilty about feeding this to your family, slap a little peanut butter on it before the syrup and you've got protein. serve with a side of eggs and it's double trouble!
enjoy!
sunday adventure
we were enjoying dinner at a friend's house on sunday evening when we saw a cute little dog standing on their back porch, peering in through the window. when we approached him he jumped over the wall and ran down the hill, deeper into their backyard. with their fenced backyard, there was no way for the dog to get out, but to head back up. unsure if he could do that, a few of us went outside to try and help.
he was not to be helped.
we left him alone, figuring he could run back up the hill. the sun set and we saw him on the porch again, but apparently he was so disoriented that he couldn't figure out how to get to the front yard and ran down the hill yet again.
enter night time, about 1opm, and we hear constant barking.
the little guy wanted out.
various attempts to catch him included flashlights, cat food, scare tactics and turkey. finally he came over to me and i grabbed him and took him to the house.
once inside, i fed him the rest of the turkey and we were friends for life.
he was unbelievably dirty and covered in thorns from the trees, so a bath was desperately needed.
emails to neighbors went out and a posting on craigslist went up.
isn't he just a doll?
he was not to be helped.
we left him alone, figuring he could run back up the hill. the sun set and we saw him on the porch again, but apparently he was so disoriented that he couldn't figure out how to get to the front yard and ran down the hill yet again.
enter night time, about 1opm, and we hear constant barking.
the little guy wanted out.
various attempts to catch him included flashlights, cat food, scare tactics and turkey. finally he came over to me and i grabbed him and took him to the house.
once inside, i fed him the rest of the turkey and we were friends for life.
he was unbelievably dirty and covered in thorns from the trees, so a bath was desperately needed.
emails to neighbors went out and a posting on craigslist went up.
isn't he just a doll?
bath time in the kitchen sink.
you never really know how an animal will react to a bath and we weren't sure if he was going to bite or scratch. he couldn't have been nicer. once we started scrubbing him he leaned over and kept licking my arm. what a sweetie!
we took him in the bathroom to shake his water off then towel dried him and tried to pick out more thorns. he let me hold him in all these funky positions. what a good dog!
aaron was in love and wanted to take him home, but i had a feeling he'd be returned to his owners the next day. sure enough, while on a walk, he got loose and bounded into a nearby yard and was home!
the neighbors said his name is sammy. adorable! i'm hoping to go visit him next time we're in the area.
Monday, September 5, 2011
L or R, either one
recently we went to the chinese buffet by our house.
a delicious hidden gem.
however, we got quite a laugh from a small misspelling...
flogleg, anyone?
although we didn't try any, we're pretty sure it should read, 'frog leg'.
good times.
a delicious hidden gem.
however, we got quite a laugh from a small misspelling...
flogleg, anyone?although we didn't try any, we're pretty sure it should read, 'frog leg'.
good times.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
day 2
i made it through one whole day of only fruits and veggies.
heavens, this is hard.
this experiment is giving me new insight into the mind v. body struggle. i am craving my normal foods. last night i couldn't get a bowl of golden grahams off the brain. i think i have a tiny glimpse into how a food addict feels. i wasn't hungry, my body did not need it, yet i couldn't stop thinking about it. i wanted to feel that satisfaction.
this morning i was hungry when i woke up and i can't say i'm the most cheerful person right now. however, they say the first 3 days are the hardest. i can do this.
tonight i'm making a sweet potato and bok choy soup, so maybe that will fill me up. it would be divine with a hunk of bread!!
anyway, i'm still here and breathing.
heavens, this is hard.
this experiment is giving me new insight into the mind v. body struggle. i am craving my normal foods. last night i couldn't get a bowl of golden grahams off the brain. i think i have a tiny glimpse into how a food addict feels. i wasn't hungry, my body did not need it, yet i couldn't stop thinking about it. i wanted to feel that satisfaction.
this morning i was hungry when i woke up and i can't say i'm the most cheerful person right now. however, they say the first 3 days are the hardest. i can do this.
tonight i'm making a sweet potato and bok choy soup, so maybe that will fill me up. it would be divine with a hunk of bread!!
anyway, i'm still here and breathing.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
fruit & veggie nutritional regime
i could have just said 'diet', but i really hate that word.
no, i don't hate the word, i hate the negative connotation attached to it.
but, enough about my oddities.
have you seen the movie fat, sick and nearly dead? i might have mentioned it on here after i saw it. see it. enjoy it. be amazed at it.
a man, joe cross, decides he's had enough of his unhealthy lifestyle, enough of his lifestyle induced maladies (high blood pressure, overweight, an auto-immune disease) and wants to change. in a nutshell, he goes on a 90 day (doctor monitored) juice fast where he only drinks fresh juice. after the 90 days, he works back in solid foods and pledges to stay on a micro-nutrient diet.
the results are shocking. within 6 months, his disease is gone, no more medication, he's lost about 100 pounds and has a completely different lifestyle.
he travels america while on his journey and changes the lives of 2 other people along the way.
the documentary is amazing, won awards at film festivals and has generated an underground following, with people trying the juicing lifestyle for themselves.
aaron and i are now some of those people.
the reboot (that's the program name) website has many different programs and recommends one based on your needs. aaron and i are doing a 15 day juice and fruit/veggie plan where we can eat raw or cooked fruits and veggies, in addition to our juice. the website nicely lays out a sample plan, recipes with nutritional values and guidelines to follow.
today is our first day. here is what we bought last night to get us through 4 days.
that counter is about 2 layers deep in produce.
this is going to be a challenge. i predict mornings will be hardest for me because i always have a solid breakfast. getting used to the juice will be interesting. our mix today consists of apples, pears, blueberries, carrots, chard, and celery. getting out of the habit of eating my normal comfort foods will be difficult. however, that is exactly the point of this process. not to starve yourself or lose a bunch weight, rather to reboot or jump start your body to pack it with micro-nutrients and re-train your body to crave more fruits and veggies.
i can do this, right? we can do this. i'm very interested to see the results and how long i can hold on!
no, i don't hate the word, i hate the negative connotation attached to it.
but, enough about my oddities.
have you seen the movie fat, sick and nearly dead? i might have mentioned it on here after i saw it. see it. enjoy it. be amazed at it.
a man, joe cross, decides he's had enough of his unhealthy lifestyle, enough of his lifestyle induced maladies (high blood pressure, overweight, an auto-immune disease) and wants to change. in a nutshell, he goes on a 90 day (doctor monitored) juice fast where he only drinks fresh juice. after the 90 days, he works back in solid foods and pledges to stay on a micro-nutrient diet.
the results are shocking. within 6 months, his disease is gone, no more medication, he's lost about 100 pounds and has a completely different lifestyle.
he travels america while on his journey and changes the lives of 2 other people along the way.
the documentary is amazing, won awards at film festivals and has generated an underground following, with people trying the juicing lifestyle for themselves.
aaron and i are now some of those people.
the reboot (that's the program name) website has many different programs and recommends one based on your needs. aaron and i are doing a 15 day juice and fruit/veggie plan where we can eat raw or cooked fruits and veggies, in addition to our juice. the website nicely lays out a sample plan, recipes with nutritional values and guidelines to follow.
today is our first day. here is what we bought last night to get us through 4 days.
that counter is about 2 layers deep in produce.
this is going to be a challenge. i predict mornings will be hardest for me because i always have a solid breakfast. getting used to the juice will be interesting. our mix today consists of apples, pears, blueberries, carrots, chard, and celery. getting out of the habit of eating my normal comfort foods will be difficult. however, that is exactly the point of this process. not to starve yourself or lose a bunch weight, rather to reboot or jump start your body to pack it with micro-nutrients and re-train your body to crave more fruits and veggies.
i can do this, right? we can do this. i'm very interested to see the results and how long i can hold on!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
the vineyard
i found this really cool website while reading the ensign this morning. it's called the vineyard and it is an online database of ways to serve in the church.
you log on with your lds account and it has a multitude of opportunities ranging from language translation of church materials, tagging media clips, assisting with genealogy programs to comparing text in church materials to see if it matches.
what a great idea to put service online so members can do little bits and save the church a lot of time and money! next time i'm at home and watching tv, i'll log on. perfect for a sunday afternoon, too.
just thought i would share!
you log on with your lds account and it has a multitude of opportunities ranging from language translation of church materials, tagging media clips, assisting with genealogy programs to comparing text in church materials to see if it matches.
what a great idea to put service online so members can do little bits and save the church a lot of time and money! next time i'm at home and watching tv, i'll log on. perfect for a sunday afternoon, too.
just thought i would share!
Monday, August 29, 2011
dippin pretzels
yesterday morning i dipped pretzels in vanilla flavored almond bark and was instantly transported back to childhood.
i vividly remember standing in our kitchen in folsom, taking a hot bowl out of the microwave, quickly stirring, throwing in a bunch of pretzels, stir again, taking them out one by one with a fork and laying them on wax paper to dry. it was night. the light over the stove was on.
not yesterday.
in my memory.
yesterday it was 7am and i was already breaking a sweat from this heat wave we're having.
aaron was skeptical about the vanilla flavoring. i was not to be swayed. he pointed at the chocolate flavoring. i made a disgusted face. having never tried them before, of course he was unsure. now, he's a friend for life.
isn't it amazing how scents and tastes can deliver powerful memories? i haven't had these pretzels in years. over a decade. but, each bite gives a happy memory.
side note: i know it seems like all i did this weekend was bake, eat and make food. i did a few other things, too, so don't judge. normally i'm not like this. or i forget to take pictures of it, so you don't know about it.
outdoor movie, part duex
on saturday night we watched back to the future at heritage park, in old town. it's across the street from the mormon battalion visitor's center.
it was such a hot day and lovely to sit outside as the air began to cool.
we had dinner at aaron's favorite place in old town then quickly scooted over to the park and got there just in time. thus, the bad picture since we didn't make it before dark.
i had forgotten many of the intricacies of that movie.
i just love it when cities sponsor events like this that are free and bring the community out to enjoy the city in which they live. it was such a nice way to spend a saturday night.
it was such a hot day and lovely to sit outside as the air began to cool.
we had dinner at aaron's favorite place in old town then quickly scooted over to the park and got there just in time. thus, the bad picture since we didn't make it before dark.
i had forgotten many of the intricacies of that movie.
i just love it when cities sponsor events like this that are free and bring the community out to enjoy the city in which they live. it was such a nice way to spend a saturday night.
zucchini bread
we received a zucchini approximately the size of a child's baseball bat from friends in the ward.
i'm not kidding, it could stop an intruder.
the only option in my opinion was to make bread.
quick breads have become an obsession of mine.
i looked around online and found a highly rated recipe. if 3,000 other people loved it, i was confident i would, too. it did not disappoint.
the recipe, which yields a good amount of bread, only used half the zucchini, so i'm making more tonight! someone take away my spatula!
if you have vegetable weapons lying around and aren't sure what to do with them, here's the recipe...
ingredients
3 C flour
1 t salt
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
3 t cinnamon
3 eggs
1/2 C oil
1/2 C applesauce
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
3 t vanilla extract
3 C grated zucchini
1 C chopped walnuts
***ingredient note: the original recipe calls for 1 C oil, but i halved it with the applesauce.***
how to
*grease and flour pans. the original recipe calls for two 8x4 pans, but i used an 8x4 and 3 minis. preheat oven to 325.
*sift dry ingredients in a bowl.
*beat eggs, oil, applesauce, vanilla and sugar together in a bowl.
*add sifted ingredients to wet and beat well.
*stir in zucchini and nuts until combined.
*pour into prepared pans.
*bake 40-60 minutes
*let rest for 5 minutes in pan then cool completely on a wire rack.
we took the large loaf to a dinner last night and got rave reviews.
enjoy!
i'm not kidding, it could stop an intruder.
the only option in my opinion was to make bread.
quick breads have become an obsession of mine.
i looked around online and found a highly rated recipe. if 3,000 other people loved it, i was confident i would, too. it did not disappoint.
the recipe, which yields a good amount of bread, only used half the zucchini, so i'm making more tonight! someone take away my spatula!
if you have vegetable weapons lying around and aren't sure what to do with them, here's the recipe...
ingredients
3 C flour
1 t salt
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
3 t cinnamon
3 eggs
1/2 C oil
1/2 C applesauce
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
3 t vanilla extract
3 C grated zucchini
1 C chopped walnuts
***ingredient note: the original recipe calls for 1 C oil, but i halved it with the applesauce.***
how to
*grease and flour pans. the original recipe calls for two 8x4 pans, but i used an 8x4 and 3 minis. preheat oven to 325.
*sift dry ingredients in a bowl.
*beat eggs, oil, applesauce, vanilla and sugar together in a bowl.
*add sifted ingredients to wet and beat well.
*stir in zucchini and nuts until combined.
*pour into prepared pans.
*bake 40-60 minutes
*let rest for 5 minutes in pan then cool completely on a wire rack.
we took the large loaf to a dinner last night and got rave reviews.
enjoy!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
chocolate cream pie
today was thanksgiving.
in august.
a friend family invited us over for a thanksgiving feast. i was on pie duty.
after scouring recipes i decided upon a chocolate cream with oreo crust and pumpkin.
the grocery stores had another thing in mind. do you know how hard it is to find pumpkin in august? ugh, i'm going to have to hoard it so i can eat pumpkin year round. i went to 4 stores! i was so dismayed.
however, i steadied my course and focused on the chocolate cream. i'm so glad i did. it is amazing. once again, baking illustrated does not disappoint. i don't think it ever will.
k, i am so sorry for the lack of pictures. i had grand ideas, but i was so nervous about my custard being perfect that i only snapped 2. poor ones at that.
stirring the 2 types of chocolate in the custard. a heavenly smell.
the finished product, half eaten. i made whipped cream and added a layer to the top.
this is a gem of a recipe. rich and delicious. it took about an hour, start to finish. if you need to impress a crowd, give me a shout out and i'll send you the recipe.
in august.
a friend family invited us over for a thanksgiving feast. i was on pie duty.
after scouring recipes i decided upon a chocolate cream with oreo crust and pumpkin.
the grocery stores had another thing in mind. do you know how hard it is to find pumpkin in august? ugh, i'm going to have to hoard it so i can eat pumpkin year round. i went to 4 stores! i was so dismayed.
however, i steadied my course and focused on the chocolate cream. i'm so glad i did. it is amazing. once again, baking illustrated does not disappoint. i don't think it ever will.
k, i am so sorry for the lack of pictures. i had grand ideas, but i was so nervous about my custard being perfect that i only snapped 2. poor ones at that.
stirring the 2 types of chocolate in the custard. a heavenly smell.
the finished product, half eaten. i made whipped cream and added a layer to the top.
this is a gem of a recipe. rich and delicious. it took about an hour, start to finish. if you need to impress a crowd, give me a shout out and i'll send you the recipe.
temple walk
one morning i got this crazy idea.
it came to me while doing my hair.
i was re-watching sister elaine dalton's YW general broadcast talk from april. she spoke of john rowe moyle who was a stoncutter on the salt lake temple. he carved the words, 'holiness to the Lord' on the east side of the building. what makes him even more noteworthy is that he didn't live in salt lake during the 20 something years he worked on the temple. his family had a farm 20 miles away and he would walk each monday morning to the temple and walk home each friday night. as if that wasn't enough, during his tenure at the temple, a farm accident happened where he had to amputate his leg at the knee. once he was strong enough, he fashioned himself a new leg and continued his journey. such amazing drive.
some YW in the alpine stake in utah decided to take that same walk to the temple. they walked from the bountiful temple to the salt lake temple.
while struggling with my cowlick and listening to that story, i thought, why don't my yw do that? why can't they be as committed to the temple as he was? i wondered how far it is to the sd temple?
one crazy idea+a trusting bishop+an enthusiastic YW presidency=our temple walk
on august 13th, we walked 18.6 miles from our church building to the sd temple. we met at 4:30am and finished about 1pm. we had aid stations along the way, as well as motivating signs and ward members to cheer us on. i arranged to have sister olsen, the temple matron, meet us in the foyer and talk with us about our journey. she is a wonderful person (as is her husband) and it was the capstone of our trip.
my girls were fantastic. amazing. stupendous. i was worried about complaining along the way. i need not be. they never complained. toward the end i could see the pain on their faces, but they kept going. they had their mind fixed firmly on the temple and no one was going to stop them. i love them.
starting at 4:30 am!
encouragement along the way.
signs and quotes helped to keep us going.
finally, the end!
it was a wonderful experience and they're still talking to me, so score!
it came to me while doing my hair.
i was re-watching sister elaine dalton's YW general broadcast talk from april. she spoke of john rowe moyle who was a stoncutter on the salt lake temple. he carved the words, 'holiness to the Lord' on the east side of the building. what makes him even more noteworthy is that he didn't live in salt lake during the 20 something years he worked on the temple. his family had a farm 20 miles away and he would walk each monday morning to the temple and walk home each friday night. as if that wasn't enough, during his tenure at the temple, a farm accident happened where he had to amputate his leg at the knee. once he was strong enough, he fashioned himself a new leg and continued his journey. such amazing drive.
some YW in the alpine stake in utah decided to take that same walk to the temple. they walked from the bountiful temple to the salt lake temple.
while struggling with my cowlick and listening to that story, i thought, why don't my yw do that? why can't they be as committed to the temple as he was? i wondered how far it is to the sd temple?
one crazy idea+a trusting bishop+an enthusiastic YW presidency=our temple walk
on august 13th, we walked 18.6 miles from our church building to the sd temple. we met at 4:30am and finished about 1pm. we had aid stations along the way, as well as motivating signs and ward members to cheer us on. i arranged to have sister olsen, the temple matron, meet us in the foyer and talk with us about our journey. she is a wonderful person (as is her husband) and it was the capstone of our trip.
my girls were fantastic. amazing. stupendous. i was worried about complaining along the way. i need not be. they never complained. toward the end i could see the pain on their faces, but they kept going. they had their mind fixed firmly on the temple and no one was going to stop them. i love them.
starting at 4:30 am!
encouragement along the way.
signs and quotes helped to keep us going.
finally, the end!
it was a wonderful experience and they're still talking to me, so score!
birthday
for my birthday, aaron took me to a sugarland concert. i'd seen them before, way back when they were an opening act and not a main act, but they were so good that i was happy to go again. they did not disappoint.
another birthday gift aaron presented me with is this lovely graffiti like shirt.
we had joked at the county fair about getting some of these shirts because they are so awesomely bad. aaron found a vendor in the mall who made them, so he ordered two; one for me and one for him. his has a big heart on it with 'aimee' written inside the heart. mine is a homage to my deceased dog.
at least it was supposed to be.
aaron ordered the name 'scruffs' to be airbrushed on the shirt.
my dog's nickname was 'fluffs'. close, but not quite.
so, i have an airbrushed shirt that calls for reverence for a dog that never existed.
it only enhances the shirt in my opinion.
we wore our matching shirts to the concert. luckily, we weren't the weirdest ones there.
it was an outdoor concert, at a field at ucsd. sugarland was awesome, as usual. i think even aaron might have enjoyed himself for a nano-second. they played all their hits and covered songs from brittney spears to michael jackson to dolly parton's 9 to 5.
it was a great time!
another birthday gift aaron presented me with is this lovely graffiti like shirt.
we had joked at the county fair about getting some of these shirts because they are so awesomely bad. aaron found a vendor in the mall who made them, so he ordered two; one for me and one for him. his has a big heart on it with 'aimee' written inside the heart. mine is a homage to my deceased dog.
at least it was supposed to be.
aaron ordered the name 'scruffs' to be airbrushed on the shirt.
my dog's nickname was 'fluffs'. close, but not quite.
so, i have an airbrushed shirt that calls for reverence for a dog that never existed.
it only enhances the shirt in my opinion.
we wore our matching shirts to the concert. luckily, we weren't the weirdest ones there.
it was an outdoor concert, at a field at ucsd. sugarland was awesome, as usual. i think even aaron might have enjoyed himself for a nano-second. they played all their hits and covered songs from brittney spears to michael jackson to dolly parton's 9 to 5.
it was a great time!
Friday, August 26, 2011
my mini
this is my mini, circa 2005. yep, i've had my ipod for 6 years. i'm pretty proud of that. have you seen my cell phone? got both beauties in the same year and i'm still rockin' both of them. however, i'll be the first to admit it has seen better days.
i'm using it right now and took an objective look at it. it's a sorry specimen. you know you need a new ipod when...
...you pull it out in public and people aren't sure what you're holding
...the wheel looks like it survived a rain storm in a sandbox
...the volume control is on the fritz (have no fear, i've learned you just have to pause it to change the volume. easy fix!)
don't tell aaron about it's quirks. he's been begging to pull me into current technology, but i'm kicking and screaming. have you seen me on facebook lately? didn't think so.
i still have my original crimper.
these electronics have stuck with me for so long, why shouldn't i stick with them?
i think i'm like kramer in the episode of seinfeld where he and a car salesman take a test drive and become obsessed with seeing how far they can drive without filling up.
use it up, make it do, or do without, right?
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
good things to come
i love watching the mormon messages. in fact, i'm all about the mormon channel and most any video clip i can get my hands on from lds.org. there is so much great stuff on there. i watch/listen most mornings when i'm getting ready for work.
it makes an ugly process more bearable.
this morning i watched this one, good things to come, featuring commentary and a story by Elder Holland. i enjoy Elder Holland immensely. hearing him speak is such a privilege. he is always upbeat and encouraging. i receive so much strength from his words.
if you're going through a trial and clinging to the hope that one day things will get better, watch this. especially pay attention starting at the 4 minute mark. i am so thankful for apostles and the inspired words they share with us.
Good Things To Come
it makes an ugly process more bearable.
this morning i watched this one, good things to come, featuring commentary and a story by Elder Holland. i enjoy Elder Holland immensely. hearing him speak is such a privilege. he is always upbeat and encouraging. i receive so much strength from his words.
if you're going through a trial and clinging to the hope that one day things will get better, watch this. especially pay attention starting at the 4 minute mark. i am so thankful for apostles and the inspired words they share with us.
Good Things To Come
Monday, August 8, 2011
chocolate chip cookies
the cookie monster strikes again.
i love chocolate chip cookies. like, a lot. this morning, while getting ready for work, i was pondering all the reasons i love chocolate chip cookies. i'm obsessed. i love most cookies, but chocolate chip are my favorite. that's not to say ALL chocolate chip cookies are good. don't get me wrong, i can be a bit of a cookie snob. but, nothing beats a good chocolate chip cookie.
there are 3 main categories:
1. thin, crispy, buttery
2. cakey, soft, pillowy
3. thick, chewy, textured
all chocolate chip cookies fit into one of these categories. i promise. last night i was on the cookie prowl and knew i needed to make chocolate chip. it had been a long week, weekend, day and i needed the comfort of a batch of cookies. while scanning through my martha stewart cookie bakebook, my eyes fell upon this picture.
i love chocolate chip cookies. like, a lot. this morning, while getting ready for work, i was pondering all the reasons i love chocolate chip cookies. i'm obsessed. i love most cookies, but chocolate chip are my favorite. that's not to say ALL chocolate chip cookies are good. don't get me wrong, i can be a bit of a cookie snob. but, nothing beats a good chocolate chip cookie.
there are 3 main categories:
1. thin, crispy, buttery
2. cakey, soft, pillowy
3. thick, chewy, textured
all chocolate chip cookies fit into one of these categories. i promise. last night i was on the cookie prowl and knew i needed to make chocolate chip. it had been a long week, weekend, day and i needed the comfort of a batch of cookies. while scanning through my martha stewart cookie bakebook, my eyes fell upon this picture.
that's all she wrote. the search was over. i knew i was destined to make #2 that night. so i did. don't mess with destiny. they are divine. the heavens parted, i wept. you can, too. here's the recipe:
2 1/4 C flour
1 3/4 sticks butter, softened
3/4 C white sugar
1/4 C brown sugar
1t salt
2t vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2t baking soda
2 C chocolate chips
Walnuts (my addition)
cream butter and sugars on medium speed until fluffy and light in color, about 2 mins. add eggs, salt and vanilla; mix until blended, about 1 minute. add flour and baking soda in batches, just until blended. hand stir in the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts.
bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, rotating after 5 minutes. let cool for 2 minutes before moving to a wire rack to finish cooling. put a lot in your mouth before they cool completely because they are delicious warm.
enjoy!
lady friend visit
i'm in the middle of a visit from an old friend.
sandy is here for a few days until she heads to the northern part of the state.
saturday afternoon we headed to the beach where we walked, talked and ate way too much food. here we are in ocean beach after eating at the tiny restaurant on the pier. it was a beautiful day and so nice to be out on the water again. although i live by the ocean, i don't visit it nearly enough, and it reminded me of my days in sb.
sandy is here for a few days until she heads to the northern part of the state.
saturday afternoon we headed to the beach where we walked, talked and ate way too much food. here we are in ocean beach after eating at the tiny restaurant on the pier. it was a beautiful day and so nice to be out on the water again. although i live by the ocean, i don't visit it nearly enough, and it reminded me of my days in sb.
it's funny to ponder how our lives have changed, but really aren't that different. we're older, to be sure, but not so different. navigating married life, no kids, trying to figure out our next steps, strange family ties, even the same calling (yw pres)! almost 2 decades of friendship and we're still going through the same things and tied together by the past and the present. life is funny that way.
since i haven't gotten my butt out to chicago, i'm glad she came here.
(but really, can you blame me? here vs chicago?)
screen on the green
each summer the san diego museum of art puts on a series of outdoor movies that correlates with a current exhibition. i simply love this.
i love balboa park.
i love new old movies. new to me, old in the production sense.
i love being outdoors at night when my apartment closely mirrors a sauna.
i love the candy.
i love people (and dog) watching.
i love the planes going over scarily close while preparing to land.
i love a lot of things about these nights.
we went last friday night. and i didn't have the temple the next morning. score!
here's the large screen.
here is take out from our favorite restaurant, kiki sushi.
waiting for the movie to start.
we watched the train. a great b/w movie about how the nazis are trying to steal all of france's paintings as allied troops close in on paris. time is running out for an art-obsessed nazi general and the people (including burt lancaster) trying to stop the train of paintings from leaving the country. has a little bit of everything: war, action, art and classic lines. my favorite?
crazy nazi general to burt lancaster: "a painting means as much to you as a string of pearls to an ape".
i'm on the hunt for outdoor movies in sd. we've got 2 more this month!
i love balboa park.
i love new old movies. new to me, old in the production sense.
i love being outdoors at night when my apartment closely mirrors a sauna.
i love the candy.
i love people (and dog) watching.
i love the planes going over scarily close while preparing to land.
i love a lot of things about these nights.
we went last friday night. and i didn't have the temple the next morning. score!
here's the large screen.
here is take out from our favorite restaurant, kiki sushi. a movie wouldn't be complete without a mutual favorite candy.
waiting for the movie to start.
we watched the train. a great b/w movie about how the nazis are trying to steal all of france's paintings as allied troops close in on paris. time is running out for an art-obsessed nazi general and the people (including burt lancaster) trying to stop the train of paintings from leaving the country. has a little bit of everything: war, action, art and classic lines. my favorite?
crazy nazi general to burt lancaster: "a painting means as much to you as a string of pearls to an ape".
i'm on the hunt for outdoor movies in sd. we've got 2 more this month!
extract update
here are a few pics from my extract process.
precious beans.
liquid.
precious beans.
liquid.
beans split, in liquid.
the concoction rests in my closet where i frequently stare at it and shake it.
it has taken on a deep caramel color.
i am intrigued. excited. dream of what's to come.
blue monster
this is posted just to make me laugh.
this was a very hot day. 90's, with no a/c, second floor. hot.
i had just pulled clothes out of the dryer and was lamenting how the hot clothes compounded the nasty heat we couldn't escape. i didn't even want to touch the towels.
what does aaron do? he puts one on his head and starts chasing me around. i was laughing so hard and running from the heat.
does being smothered by a hot towel or running to avoid said towel make you more hot? questions to ponder.
i grabbed the camera and got a perfect shot of what was haunting me.
this was a very hot day. 90's, with no a/c, second floor. hot.
i had just pulled clothes out of the dryer and was lamenting how the hot clothes compounded the nasty heat we couldn't escape. i didn't even want to touch the towels.
what does aaron do? he puts one on his head and starts chasing me around. i was laughing so hard and running from the heat.
does being smothered by a hot towel or running to avoid said towel make you more hot? questions to ponder.
i grabbed the camera and got a perfect shot of what was haunting me.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
4th of july
this is a little late, i know.we spent the 4th of july at my gma's house with my family and had a great time. the usual stuff, hiking, running, eating, eating, more eating, spectacular city fireworks, near death from fireworks done at home, baseball in the backyard and lots of other fun things.
my lack of pictures is telling. that i'm not to be trusted with the camera.
Friday, August 5, 2011
furniture please
i want. this is part of william sonoma's warehouse sale.
who knew they had a warehouse? how can i get inside?
i've been wanting a settee for the foot of my bed. i'm not sure i could actually sit on this - too marvelous.
the website says it's delivered with white glove service. i'm not sure what that is either, but i want that, too.
who knew they had a warehouse? how can i get inside?
i've been wanting a settee for the foot of my bed. i'm not sure i could actually sit on this - too marvelous.
the website says it's delivered with white glove service. i'm not sure what that is either, but i want that, too.
Monday, August 1, 2011
bean love
zapp & roger talked about computer love. i'm talking bean love.
last week a highly anticipated package arrived.
vanilla beans.
i took to calling them 'my precious'.
i've been dreaming of these beans for months. my anticipation was so elevated because i'd been lazy and hadn't ordered them.
at long last, they were in my hands.
in fact, i was stalking them on line through their tracking number and when the usps said they had been delivered, yet i couldn't find them, i went a little nuts. amazingly, the admin employee, who handles the mail, that i harassed came back to work the next day. the excitement took over. i'm not proud.
why the dog and pony show about the beans?
i'm making vanilla extract. and i'm excited. delighted. enthused. elated.
this process takes 2-4 months, so i'll be posting the project near the end of the year. i know you're on pins and needles until then, but you must calm yourself.
i started it yesterday. we'll chat again in december.
(can you believe it's happening right now in my closet?! whoot, whoot! ok, bringing it down a notch...)
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
it's it
are you familiar with the magical it's it? it's a treat to be sure. if not, keep reading, i'm about to educate you.
this is an it's it box. it also comes in green (mint) and brown (cappuccino). you should be excited when you hold one of these because good things are inside.
this is an it's it package. note the colors and flavors. note they are a san francisco tradition. an sf treat. maybe this is where rice a roni got it's name. copycats. you cannot get it's its outside of california unless you are very lucky or want to pay a lot of money.
this is a vanilla it's it. not my picture. i might have set it on a bed of gold shavings. that's how much i like it's its.
this is an it's it box. it also comes in green (mint) and brown (cappuccino). you should be excited when you hold one of these because good things are inside.this is an it's it package. note the colors and flavors. note they are a san francisco tradition. an sf treat. maybe this is where rice a roni got it's name. copycats. you cannot get it's its outside of california unless you are very lucky or want to pay a lot of money. this is a vanilla it's it. not my picture. i might have set it on a bed of gold shavings. that's how much i like it's its.now that you are in the know, i'll continue.
it's been hot in sd. i say that knowing i'll probably get a shoe thrown at my face if any of my east coast constituents are reading this. we live on the 2nd story with no AC. we're hot. our form of air conditioning has been frozen treats. it's working out well. our freezer it stocked with popsicles of every genre. all fruit, creamsicles, fudgesicles, you get the idea.
while prowling the frozen aisle on friday night, i spotted this childhood memory. i used to buy an it's it regularly (dare i say, daily?) while in junior high and high school. just ask my sister. she did the same thing.
my healthy lunches consisted of it's its, taco bell burritos and mini powdered donuts. i have NO idea why i couldn't stay awake in class. moving on...
while i squealed in delight, aaron scratched his head. he had never met an it's it. i quickly remedied that problem. sometimes it's so fun to introduce him to american things. i'm sure he feels the same way about watching me try canadian things.
last night he had his first bite and loved it. we bought the mint variety. another satisfied customer!! try one today!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
feeding america
last night aaron and i volunteered for feeding america san diego. i had done it years ago and wanted to go back. our 2 hour shift flew by and we had a great time.
there were various tasks to do, but we were assigned to break down large shelving for the first hour and got quite the work out. then we headed to produce where we unbagged, sorted and re-bagged onions.
aaron has no desire to eat an onion ever again. all i can say is hallelujah we weren't doing something more nutritious like the kids at the carrot table.
here we are in all our sweaty, stinky, dirty glory. we had fun and it was great to give back to such a noble organization. i'm itching to take the yw there and get them involved. fun!
there were various tasks to do, but we were assigned to break down large shelving for the first hour and got quite the work out. then we headed to produce where we unbagged, sorted and re-bagged onions.
aaron has no desire to eat an onion ever again. all i can say is hallelujah we weren't doing something more nutritious like the kids at the carrot table.
here we are in all our sweaty, stinky, dirty glory. we had fun and it was great to give back to such a noble organization. i'm itching to take the yw there and get them involved. fun!Friday, July 15, 2011
a friday funny
all you dog lovers will laugh and probably recall a time when something like this happened.the rest of you, become dog lovers immediately. it will lower your blood pressure. until they knock the cake off the counter.
even if you can't relate, it's still pretty funny.
aaron says it's my pre-birthday card.
i hope it gave you a friday afternoon smile.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
cookie monster
i am a cookie monster. it's a compliment i give to myself.
a dear friend confided in me that her nickname in grade school was 'cookie monster' because she would try to barter for classmate's cookies. she calls this embarrassing. i call it ingenious. i'm slightly jealous.
anyway, another friend fed my habit by recently gifting this book to me. i immediately stopped what i was doing and began to look through it, mentally highlighting the first few i would make.
last weekend i jumped right into a favorite: lemon bars. luckily, i have homegrown meyer lemons at my finger tips and they never disappoint. neither did this recipe. it's tart, to be sure. 3/4 c lemon juice. but, a healthy dosing of powdered sugar gives the perfect balance. also, the crust is divine. perfect taste, doesn't crumble and would never dream of allowing the filling to seep into it's cracks. it stands up to pushers that way. not that the filling would ever dream of oozing. i like my separation.
aaron declared it a winner and another friend (the lemon tree owner) said it was absolutely the best lemon bar she's ever had. 'a little lemon meringue pie' she called it. make it today. but use fresh lemons!!
Ingredients
Crust:
3/4 C (1.5 sticks) of butter, frozen
1 3/4 C all purpose flour
3/4 C confectioners sugar
3/4 t coarse salt
Filling:
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/3 C granulated sugar
3 T all purpose flour
1/4 t coarse salt
3/4 C lemon juice
1/4 C whole milk
Confectioners sugar for dusting
How to:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13x9 pan and line with parchment. Make an overhang on all sides since you'll be pulling this baby out of the pan later. Just do it.
2. Grate the butter on a grater with larger holes. Work quickly so your hot hands don't melt the butter like mine did. Your arms will hate you then thank you for the workout.
3. Whisk together dry crust ingredients.
4. Add grated butter and stir into the dry mixture until it looks crumbly and combined.
5. Transfer mixture to your dish. Press down to flatten and fit into the corners. Freeze crust for 15 minutes, and then bake until slightly golden, 16-18 minutes. When the crust is done, remove from oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees.
** NOTE ** This will not shatter your Pyrex like I feared. Carry on.
6. While the crust is baking, make the filling. Whisk eggs, granulated sugar, flour and salt. When combined, stir in lemon juice and milk.
7. Pour the filling over the hot crust.
8. Bake until filling is set and edges are slightly golden brown, about 18 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and leave it in the pan. Allow it to cool on a wire rack slightly, then remove from the pan to cool on the rack completely. This is where you'll thank me for the parchment overhang.
11. Once the squares have cooled, dust with powdered sugar, cut into squares, and try really hard not to eat them all.
Enjoy!!
a dear friend confided in me that her nickname in grade school was 'cookie monster' because she would try to barter for classmate's cookies. she calls this embarrassing. i call it ingenious. i'm slightly jealous.
anyway, another friend fed my habit by recently gifting this book to me. i immediately stopped what i was doing and began to look through it, mentally highlighting the first few i would make.last weekend i jumped right into a favorite: lemon bars. luckily, i have homegrown meyer lemons at my finger tips and they never disappoint. neither did this recipe. it's tart, to be sure. 3/4 c lemon juice. but, a healthy dosing of powdered sugar gives the perfect balance. also, the crust is divine. perfect taste, doesn't crumble and would never dream of allowing the filling to seep into it's cracks. it stands up to pushers that way. not that the filling would ever dream of oozing. i like my separation.
aaron declared it a winner and another friend (the lemon tree owner) said it was absolutely the best lemon bar she's ever had. 'a little lemon meringue pie' she called it. make it today. but use fresh lemons!!
Ingredients
Crust:
3/4 C (1.5 sticks) of butter, frozen
1 3/4 C all purpose flour
3/4 C confectioners sugar
3/4 t coarse salt
Filling:
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/3 C granulated sugar
3 T all purpose flour
1/4 t coarse salt
3/4 C lemon juice
1/4 C whole milk
Confectioners sugar for dusting
How to:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13x9 pan and line with parchment. Make an overhang on all sides since you'll be pulling this baby out of the pan later. Just do it.
2. Grate the butter on a grater with larger holes. Work quickly so your hot hands don't melt the butter like mine did. Your arms will hate you then thank you for the workout.
3. Whisk together dry crust ingredients.
4. Add grated butter and stir into the dry mixture until it looks crumbly and combined.
5. Transfer mixture to your dish. Press down to flatten and fit into the corners. Freeze crust for 15 minutes, and then bake until slightly golden, 16-18 minutes. When the crust is done, remove from oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees.
** NOTE ** This will not shatter your Pyrex like I feared. Carry on.
6. While the crust is baking, make the filling. Whisk eggs, granulated sugar, flour and salt. When combined, stir in lemon juice and milk.
7. Pour the filling over the hot crust.
8. Bake until filling is set and edges are slightly golden brown, about 18 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and leave it in the pan. Allow it to cool on a wire rack slightly, then remove from the pan to cool on the rack completely. This is where you'll thank me for the parchment overhang.
11. Once the squares have cooled, dust with powdered sugar, cut into squares, and try really hard not to eat them all.
Enjoy!!
Friday, July 8, 2011
little victory
our return flight for the 4th weekend from slc to long beach was canceled as we arrived at the airport.
we were so kindly re-booked on a later flight to lax. huh. my car is in long beach and i'm flying to lax. doesn't seem to add up. but, it did to delta.
i finally wrangled some ground transportation out of the ticket agent. but, still. getting home hours later and sitting in traffic to get to your car. yuck.
of course, the carrier has no requirement to give you compensation if the flight is canceled. if you're bumped, you can get something out of it. canceled? only a 'next in line please'. i wasn't having it.
i emailed delta the next day to complain. not cool, guys.
i quickly received a reply to apologize for the inconvenience and give both of us a $50 voucher for next time travel. was it still a pain to fly home? yes. but, getting $100 for a 5 minute email? a little victory.
we were so kindly re-booked on a later flight to lax. huh. my car is in long beach and i'm flying to lax. doesn't seem to add up. but, it did to delta.
i finally wrangled some ground transportation out of the ticket agent. but, still. getting home hours later and sitting in traffic to get to your car. yuck.
of course, the carrier has no requirement to give you compensation if the flight is canceled. if you're bumped, you can get something out of it. canceled? only a 'next in line please'. i wasn't having it.
i emailed delta the next day to complain. not cool, guys.
i quickly received a reply to apologize for the inconvenience and give both of us a $50 voucher for next time travel. was it still a pain to fly home? yes. but, getting $100 for a 5 minute email? a little victory.
crazy glass lady
that's what they'll be calling me soon. i only have the WS outlet to blame. i didn't mean to become one, but each time i go there they have adorable glasses for thievery prices. each time i take home a set. i have quite a few sets. none of them match. roosters, fruit, cows, etched, painted, you name it, i got it. i fly by the seat of my pants and pick whichever makes me squeal the loudest. i very much like the idea that one day i'll have them on display and they'll be slightly cracked and chipped from a lifetime of use.
here's my latest acquisition. mason jars with handles!!
here's my latest acquisition. mason jars with handles!!
mine don't have a logo on it, which i'm perfectly happy about.
while at my gma's over the 4th, i saw her washing out a recently emptied jam jar. she buys yummy jam in such cute handle jars! the light went on above my head and i said, hey gma, can i have that jar? followed quickly by, do you have any others? she said, yes, i have 4 empty ones in the pantry downstairs. score! 4 + 1 = 5. no one likes an uneven set. i became the official toast pusher of the trip to make sure we emptied out another jar.
i carefully wrapped 6 precious pieces of cargo and carried them on the plane. i want a set of 12, so eat more toast utah family members!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
if you like rib sticking food
don't be jealous of what you're about to read.
it's pretty amazing.
after our crazy day of traveling (if i gather enough strength to write about it, i'll post it), we found ourselves hungry, exhausted, fed up with the world, crossed our hearts 3 times vowing to never fly again, and decided to eat before driving home from long beach.
aaron insisted we try rosco's chicken and waffles.
i've wanted to try it for a long time, but never got around to it.
it's located in a very, ahem, authentic neighborhood. we even drove past snoop dogg's high school. he was a jack rabbit in those days.
we both ordered the 1/4 fried chicken and waffle combo. behold.
it's pretty amazing.
after our crazy day of traveling (if i gather enough strength to write about it, i'll post it), we found ourselves hungry, exhausted, fed up with the world, crossed our hearts 3 times vowing to never fly again, and decided to eat before driving home from long beach.
aaron insisted we try rosco's chicken and waffles.
i've wanted to try it for a long time, but never got around to it.
it's located in a very, ahem, authentic neighborhood. we even drove past snoop dogg's high school. he was a jack rabbit in those days.
we both ordered the 1/4 fried chicken and waffle combo. behold.
note the orangey neon glow. it's not my camera. it's the inside of the restaurant.
i hear the fried chicken was delicious. i think i remember it faintly. but, once i put a piece of waffle in my mouth, it was all over. three thoughts instantly crossed my mind:
1. how much of this can i shovel in before i am too full to breathe?
2. why haven't i tasted a waffle like this ever before?
3. great. now that i've tasted this gloriousness i'll never enjoy a waffle again. dang.
i'm not kidding, kids. no words fit. the waffles are good, but there is something about that syrup. butter and cinnamon were distinct flavors. it was a traditional maple syrup, so don't go suggesting buttermilk syrup or something like that. i might even move to long beach and get a job at rosco's just so i can be an apprentice to that syrup.
dreams were fulfilled and shattered all in one night. all with one bite. it's only my right? i'll stop.
if you're within 30 miles of long beach, please go. you'll thank me.
ethnic celebration
july 1st was canada day. with aaron around and a canadian missionary in our ward, we weren't going to let the day pass us by without a celebration.
we had pollo asado burritos. we can't completely throw out the baby with the bath water. we also served poutine. for those who do not know (you may be many), poutine could be called the national dish of canada. it consists of french fries, covered in gravy, topped with cheese curds.
i'll provide an illustration of how widespread this dish is in canada: it is served at taco bell.
we're fresh out of cheese curds in sd, so we cheated and used shredded mozzarella cheese.
the two canucks were in heaven.
the two americas kept quiet.
please, puh-lease, ignore my almost bare and ugly wall. we're in the middle of a photo collage project. i use the term 'in the middle' liberally because it's sat untouched for about 2 months.
for dessert? the national treasure of donuts.
until next year.
we had pollo asado burritos. we can't completely throw out the baby with the bath water. we also served poutine. for those who do not know (you may be many), poutine could be called the national dish of canada. it consists of french fries, covered in gravy, topped with cheese curds.
i'll provide an illustration of how widespread this dish is in canada: it is served at taco bell.
we're fresh out of cheese curds in sd, so we cheated and used shredded mozzarella cheese.
the two canucks were in heaven.
the two americas kept quiet.
please, puh-lease, ignore my almost bare and ugly wall. we're in the middle of a photo collage project. i use the term 'in the middle' liberally because it's sat untouched for about 2 months.for dessert? the national treasure of donuts. until next year.
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