Butternut Pizza....

Butternut Pizza.... I  know... it sounds weird, right?

I made it last night for dinner and it is awesome. 

My dad is a master gardener.  He has blessed us this year with some of his garden leftovers.  (We hope there are more - wink.)  I was going to make Butternut Squash Soup and while searching for the recipe I came across this variation for pizza.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/butternut-squash-pizzas-with-rosemary/detail.aspx

I simplified the recipe a bit.

I bought 2 rolls of pre-packaged Artisan Pizza Refrigerated Pizza Dough.  Get a cookie sheet, spray it with Pam, pop open the container and spread it out on the cookie sheet.  I left my dough fairly thick.  I followed the directions on the container rather than the recipe.  I cooked it for 8 minutes, pulled out the pan and spread cooked squash on the dough (I followed the recipe for cooking the squash w/Rosemary), sprinkled the squash with Parmesan, and then returned it to the oven for another 4-5 minutes.  You could also probably add a extras like slivered almonds, bits of spinach, yellow and red peppers, etc.  Add what you love.

We ate the pizza and a yummy spinach, mango, and chicken salad for dinner.  The kids ate every last bite.  Because the dressing was yummy (and fairly low cal), they all kept asking for more spinach leaves.  What?  Are these my kids?

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-avocado-and-mango-salad/detail.aspx

So.... if you are looking for another way to use up your butternut squash, we highly recommend you give this one a try.  Your kids may tell you it looks gross, but they will eat it, every last bite.  My kids are pretty picky.  Once they got past the orange color, they were all in!

Enjoy!

Conference Wrap Up...

How was your Conference Weekend?

Ours was great.

It started with Ryan taking the girls on a little Girl / Daddy Weekend in Park City.  More on that later...

The boys and I spent Friday night watching Avengers on a huge outdoor screen for cousin Cade's birthday.  It was a bit chilly but really run.  We kept plenty warm with ski coats, a fire, hot dogs and soup, and our last official s'more of the season.  Yum!

Saturday morning brought a bit of laundry and grocery shopping intermixed with watching Conference.  Jackson attended his first Priesthood Session of conference later that night.  There was a BIT (note the sarcasm) of resistence there on J's part.  But, in the end, he had a smile when he returned home.  However I'm guessing the source of his smile was from the cup of frozen yogurt in his hand rather than the spiritual nourishment. :)

The big news..... The lowering of age requirements for missionaries.  Wow!  What a great option for all of our youth. 

The only problem.... no matter how much you plan your life, there are always going to be curve balls.

Collin's birthday is June 15th.  Because his birthday is so late in the school year, I didn't have him go to Kindergarten "on time".  He is a bit small for his age and at the time I didn't feel like he was quite ready for Kindergarten.  He is more reserved and shy.  I thought one more year of pre-k would serve him well.  One last reason..... down the road, our little Col Ball would graduate from high school and then leave that next month on his mission.  Most of the kids his age would have that year in between HS and the Mish. 

Well..... there goes planning.  Now all those kids who had the gap year of waiting will have been on their missions for almost a year before Collin even leaves.  Instead of Collin and cousins Hayden, Alex, Jake, and Freestone all leaving together, they will all potentially pave the way for Collin. 

I'm still glad I did what I did at the time and I still think Collin's grade placement is the best fit for him, however I did have to laugh about the announcement.  As much as I try, sometimes I just can get my plans to fit into what the Lord has planned. :)  As always, it is for the best.  When I asked Collin about where he wants to serve his mission, he said, "Um... probably SLC or somewhere CLOSE to home." :)  Ya.... the extra year might be good for him. :)

In other news.... I have two new recipes for you to try.  Sunday we all retreated to Ryan's mom's home to watch conference.  Grandma and Grandpa would be noticeably absent due to their missionary service at the conference center, but that didn't stop all of us from enjoying their home.  We each brought a main dish and a side.  These links were my contributions.  They both passed the test and will be added to my keeper list.

1.  Blueberry Stuffed French Toast - after further discussion with the family, we thought you could use any fruit in this recipe.  You could even use a bag of frozen mixed fruit.  I used fresh blueberries and blueberry pie filling.

2.  Seminary Muffins - Not sure why these are called Seminary Muffins.  Unless it is eluding to the fact that only "good" stuff is included in the recipe rather than a lot of fat and oil. :)  These are only in the 200 calorie range rather than the 3-400 calories that other muffins boast.  If I were to make these again, I might add just a bit more applesauce and bananas just to make them a bit more moist.

What about you?  How did you feel about the missionary announcement?  Around here, we can't think of a lot of negatives.  We even thought of all the benefits of lowering the sister's age from 19 down to 18.  That year isn't a lot of difference.  But.... there's a reason I'm not in charge. :)  What do I know anyway? :)

Here's to a great week!!!

ps - Tonight Jackson was QUITE distraught.  He couldn't find his i-pod.  After a bit of cajoling to get him to bed, I crawled in by him and we said a prayer; a prayer that we'd find his i-pod, a prayer that he'd have a good night sleep (he's been getting up TOO early, a prayer that his heart and mind would be at peace and that worry wouldn't be his constant companion.  I had no sooner finished the prayer that he was quiet and still.  I was actually bracing myself for new onslaught of i-pod woe.  But instead... peace.  I quietly crept from the room without another word. 

Today while jotting down notes in a booklet, I saw repeated notes about praying with Jackson.  I KNOW I need to do this.  I reminded of it often in my thoughts.  I know if we will do this, we can find peace.  Maybe the quiet we heard tonight won't be the result after every prayer, but I know the peace will invite the spirit back when anger and anxiety chases it away.

Once again... I'm a slow learner. :)

Spring Shelter...

Today it was my turn to host 'Women's Shelter'.  It is sacred part of our week.  :)  If one of us misses shelter, there is a dang good reason for the absence. :)

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of winter.  Yesterday after I dropped Izzy off at tumbling, I decided to take a little spin past Joe's Greenhouse to see if they were open for the season.  Usually 'Joe' is peddling his pansies out on a display cart.  His taunting makes all of us who are passing by wish and hope for an early spring.

As I drove up, I noticed bright colors beside the door.  YES! They were open.  I didn't care that a new snow storm was imminent.  I was ready to put the decorative sled away, sweep off my porch, and plant some color, dang it!

Once I entered the green house I was a lost cause.  Only the first greenhouse was open, but it was filled to the brim with colorful primroses and pansies.  Girls! (Said in my best Grandma Gus voice)  It was gorgeous!!! 

Instead of just buying a few plants for the porch, I decided each Shelter Girl must go home with her own bit of spring and happiness wrapped up in cellophane with a bow.  Everything is better with cellophane and bow! :)

Anyway.... with a little color, great company, my prayers over a new dish I made, and a little luck, I think Shelter was a success.  Here are a few pics to remember the day.  For recipe information and today's menu, continue to the bottom of the post.  Click on the items for links to the recipes.

 

 

Today's Menu

Pesto Polenta Lasagna
I love lasagna, but hardly ever eat it due to the calorie content.  Here is a great way to enjoy your favorite lasagna and skip the calories.  Don't be afraid of the polenta.  It is a great substitute for noodles and so easy to use.  Much easier to deal with than boiling lasagna noodles.  I found polenta in my grocery store (Smiths) on the Organic / Whole Foods isle.  It is a shelf item but is refrigerated after it is opened.  It could easily be used in any dish in place of noodles.

I followed the recipe but used a larger pan and increased the ingredient amounts.  I also added a bit of fat free cottage cheese and tons of veggies after the pesto layer.  I used red, orange, and yellow peppers, zucchini, spinach, and fresh tomatoes.  This dish was also a hit with my kids.

Greek Salad 
I doubled the dressing portion and served it on the side.  I also used bottled lemon instead of fresh.  I think I added extra lemon.

Sunflower and Rosemary Bread - courtsey of Smiths Bakery

Strawberry sorbet and mini eclairs with fresh blueberries and strawberries, and a drizzle of strawberry glaze for plate garnish.

and.... lots of Diet Coke :).

Faux Birthday Cake...

This year for Lexie's birthday cake, I made something a little different.  We made birthday apple crisp.  It was delicious.  Based on the recipe, it was probably more fattening than birthday cake.  But, it was so yummy I think I'll make it again and work on cutting out some of the butter. 

If you want to try it, HERE is the recipe.  I added a ton of apples.  I like things hearty.

Right as we were about to blow out the candles, the door bell rang  It was Aunt Cami stopping to pick up something she'd left at our house.  Cami and the boys were right in time to help us eat dessert.  :)  We were able to send some extra home with Jon.  I was happy to get rid of it.  Having that around the house was dangerous. :)

 

If Ye Are Prepared, Ye Shall Not Fear....

"If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear...."  You've heard that scriptural reference before, right?  Well.... in my case, the scripture should be changed to.... "You can prepare all you want and life is still going to happen!"

Case in point....

A few weeks ago, I had the chance to host our weekly lunch group.  "Women's Shelter" is sacred.  It takes quite a bit for one of us to miss shelter.  It truly is a time where we get to sit back, get free therapy, swap mothering tips and recipes, and basically.... solve all the world's problems.  It's important.

Well, on the week I was to host, I had a bit on my plate.  But hey... I'm organized.  The way I accomplish a plate full of responsibilities is one bite at a time.  So, that is what I did.  Cleaned up the house on Monday and went grocery shopping Tuesday.  I was ahead of schedule, so I put together a bit of new fall decor along the way.  Check, check, check.... this was going to be a breeze.

The morning of shelter, I had my stuff together.  Things were moving along and all was timed to be complete at the stroke of the noon hour.  That is until..... half way through my cooking cycle..... THE POWER WENT OUT.

Never before had I wished so hard for a gas stove.  Instead, not only was my ghetto 1983 stove electric, but.... my food was NOT COOKING.  (FYI.... hoping the ghetto stove is gone in April.  Keep your fingers crossed that our kitchen remodel truly does happen.)

Okay.... I told myself not to panic.  Sometimes our power flickers.  It is the joy of living on the mountain and near 89.  Unfortunately people seem to hit power poles more often than we would like.  It should come back on any moment.  But.... deep down, I kind of knew how this was going to turn out.  I had heard a loud pop when the power went out and I knew it might be bad.

Ten minutes pass... nothing.  My guests were to arrive in 20 minutes and all I had to feed them was salad and chocolate cake.  Thank heavens I planned ahead and made the cake the night before!  A 1/2 cooked cake in the oven would not have survived.

So.... even though I had planned and planned, and planned some more..... my lunch was just not meant to be.  I gave in to fate and placed a call to Circe.  She graciously stopped on her way and picked up.... Little Cesar's Freaking Pizza.  Seriously?????

We went from fresh peach glazed chicken, green bean bundles wrapped in bacon, Roquefort pear salad with caramelized pecans and vinaigrette, artisan bread and divine chocolate pudding cake, to...... cardboard pizza.  Where is the justice?

Come to find out, a contractor down the street knocked out the power when he was pouring a new driveway for a neighbor.  I was so relieved to hear he wasn't hurt, but I couldn't help but feel a bit grrrrr to know the cause for our shelter's misfortune.  I mean..... power pole on fire yes..... prepping for cement.... so not worth it! 

In the end, it all turned out fine.  The yummy salad made up for the nasty pizza.  And.... one  of the girls was sick so when the power came back on (right after shelter ended - of course!), I was able to finish cooking the meal and take dinner to a sick friend.

For those who wanted the recipes.... here you go.  Just make sure your neighbors are not under construction when you make them. 

Peach Chicken:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-chicken-with-peaches/detail.aspx
I've used fresh or canned peaches.  It is good either way.  I also add more brown sugar than it calls for and probably a bit extra on the spices.  I like things sweet. :)
I served the peach chicken on a bed of bulgar wheat made with chicken stock instead of water.  We are loving bulgar wheat as a substitute for brown rice.  It has more flavor.

Salad:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/roquefort-pear-salad/detail.aspx
So good!  I've used fresh and canned pears.  Yummy either way.

Cake:
This is one of my new favorites!!!!
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-pudding-fudge-cake/detail.aspx
I added two boxes of pudding instead of one.  It also required a bit more baking time than what was listed - probably one hour.  I served it with French Vanilla Ice Cream, chocolate sauce, and strawberries.  This cake is seriously yummy if you are a chocolate fan!

Green Bean Bundles:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/green-bean-bundles-2/detail.aspx
A bit of extra work, but the presentation is fun.

Hope I didn't miss anything.  If you have any delectable recipes, I'd love to have them.  It is my turn to host again in two weeks or so.  I kind of need to make up for the snafu from last time, so send yummy ideas my way! :)

ps - Ogden 1/2 Marathon registration opens this morning.  Are you going to register?  I want to but I'm not sure I want to pay the high entry fee.  The jacked up prices this year are kind of a bummer!

Try It, You Might Like It....

"Try it.  You might like it."  Isn't that what Mikey from the Life commericals used to say?  Well, I have something else for you to try.  A Spinach Shake!

For a few years now, I've read Ground Hog Day with Celia Fae.  She makes me smile  Her sis, Paige, is also a riot, but sadly.... she's private so I can't pass along the love and let you partake of her hilarity. 

Anywho.... during the last year, Celia has dropped quite a few pounds.  Her blog land followers all noticed and finally she divulged her "secret".  A plant based diet.

On her blog, on the upper right hand side bar, is the basic gist of what she's been doing.  You can also read her friend's blog, Lean to the Sun for additional ideas. 

As I've followed their journey, they keep referring to "the shake" or the "green drink".  After a few weeks, I finally dared to try it.  The shake has officially been declared DELICIOUS by all of my family members - picky eaters included.

Give it a try.  Tell me what you think.

Here's the Recipe

Dear, Sweet, Beautiful, Ann....

On Sunday morning, our beautiful, Aunt Ann completed her journey in this earthly life.  Her final years were filled with grandchildren and blessings.  But, they were also filled with a battle against breast cancer. 

We can't even express how much we'll miss Ann.  Lately I've talked about 'Shiny Happy People' and how I'm drawn to them.  I love their energy, vitality, positive attitude and happiness.  The place I most see these qualities is in their eyes.  Their eyes literally shine.  I know part of the brightness is the light of Christ.  Everyone was born with this light.  Even if you don't claim to be a religious person, the light is still there.  During our lives, that light either grows or diminishes based upon our choices, actions, and attitudes.

Ann had shiny eyes.  They sparkled.  She was a strong and courageous woman who was also very gentle and kind.  These qualities were earned through perseverance, time and life experience.  She learned much during her life and taught us how to work hard, love unconditionally, and most importantly, how to make the BEST DANG Chocolate cake in the world. 

This week will be filled with tears and sadness as we bid her farewell.  We'll throw our arms around Uncle Marlin and around our cousins.  We don't get to see each other as often as we once did.  However there are some bonds that can never be broken.  We have that with our family.

This is Ann's obituary.  A tribute to a wonderful woman and daughter of God.  Following her obituary is her famous Chocolate Buttermilk Cake Recipe.  If you want some love this week, make this cake and share it with those you care about.  Cherish them.  You never know how long they'll be in your life.  Although at some point we all must say good bye, we know we can live together again for eternity.  Our Heavenly Father's Plan makes that possible. 

ROY – Ann M. Hill, our loving wife, mother, sister, aunt, wonderful grandma and sweet friend, passed away on Sunday, February 13, 2011, following a courageous fight with breast cancer.

She was born July 3, 1945 to Emmett and Elizabeth LaMont McDonald in Brigham City, Utah. She later moved to Ogden where she continued to be raised by her uncle and aunt, Everett and Elva Pope. They treasured and loved her. She was a graduate of Ogden High School and attended Stevens-Henager College.

Ann met and married her best friend and love of her life, Marlin G. Hill, on June 24, 1965 in the Logan LDS Temple for time and all eternity. Together they raised four children; daughters, Jennifer, Marlo, and Annette, and son, Matthew. She was a wonderful grandma to 14 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren whom she intensely loved and cherished.

She was a working mom and was employed at the Credit Bureau of Ogden for 20 years.

Ann retired in 2002 and enjoyed being a grandma, traveling and discovered a love for fishing. She loved to cook and have her family to her home. They loved to be there, visiting and eating wonderful food and just feeling the warmth of her home. She loved to serve and was always willing to help all who needed her.

She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Roy 12th Ward for 40 years and served in various callings. Some of her favorites were Relief Society President and Visiting Teacher with her companion, Bonnie. She had a special spirit about her that made people feel comfortable and at ease. She had a great talent for listening and sincerely caring for others.

Ann is survived by her loving husband, Marlin, of Roy; daughters, Jennifer (Anthony) Player, Marlo (Lance) Hawkins, Annette (Dan) Poulton and her son, Matthew (Kristen) Hill; 14 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, her brother, LaMont (Mary) McDonald and sister, Beth D. Sommers.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her uncle and aunt who raised her.

Interment, Lindquist’s Memorial Gardens of the Wasatch, 1718 Combe Road.

Aunt Ann's Chocolate Buttermilk Cake

Mix in a bowl:

2 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1 tsp. soda

In a saucepan, melt butter and the following ingredients and pour over flour mixture.

1 cup butter

1 cup water

4 heaping T. of cocoa

1 tsp. vanilla

Pour:

½ cup butter milk over the mixture

Add 2 eggs to mixture

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until it pulls away.

Frosting:  (not sure if this is the exact recipe, but this is a good one)

1/4 to 1/2 cup melted margarine or butter

1/2 cup cocoa

1/4 tsp. salt

Combine and melt together in a sauce pan.

1/3 cup canned milk

1 tsp. vanilla

3-3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Add to above mixture and beat.

The Little Red Hen Part II..

In Part I, we learned all about wheat and making wheat berries.  The second part to our Relief Society Meeting was learning how to make Artisan Bread.

Now, in the past, if you've been successful at making bread or rolls, you need to throw all of that experience and knowledge out the window.  If you try and incorporate it into this recipe, you are going to mess it up.  Artisan bread doesn't require raise time, kneading, or any of that other stuff that usually fouls me up.

Are you ready?  If I can do it..... ANYONE can do it.

First of all, watch this short clip.  This will get you started.



Now you are ready to give it a try.  There are also a lot of recipes out there that will incorporate the wheat flour from your grinder.  Or, you this recipe and substitute some of the white flour for wheat.  Here's the recipe and also another link back to a food storage site for more tips.

Good luck!  Let me know how you liked it.

Master Recipe for White Flour Dough3 cups lukewarm water
1 ½ tablespoons granulated yeast
1 ½ tablespoons kosher or other coarse salt
6 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
cornmeal for the pizza peel

Mix with a spoon in a food-safe bucket, let it rise at room temperature for 2 to 5 hours, then into the fridge for two weeks. Tear off chunks, shape, rest, and bake as needed.

More detailed instructions here, as well as the You Tube Video

The Little Red Hen... Part I

I'm making baby steps toward getting back to basics.  You know... things like cooking more, food storage and preservation, and using skills like..... baking bread.  Yes, I know it is hard to believe, but bread baking is not usually on my weekly to-do list.  Again, kudos to those who know how to do this task well.  Maybe you would be willing to give me a lesson.

One of the areas where I give service in church is in the women's organization.  Another woman and I plan our monthly meetings.  This year, the focus of our meetings are on all aspects of being prepared.  In January, we learned about having a 90 day food supply (working towards a year supply), and water preservation and purification.  In February, we learned all about wheat.

We started the night off with grinding wheat.  It really was quite simple.  I'm not sure why I had a mental block against it.  I always thought it sounded messy and hard.  That is just not the case.  I think a wheat grinder is on my wants/needs list.

You can also sprout wheat.  Details are on the link below.  If you go to Jamba Juice, you pay an extra bit for a shot of week grass in your smoothie.  Why not grow your own for those protein drinks and Magic Bullet Concoctions?

The next step was to learn to make wheat berries.  To be honest, before our January class, I hadn't ever heard of a wheat berry.  Apparently a wheat berry is a grain of wheat that's been soaked in water for an extended period of time.  The grains puffs up and becomes soft.  You can use wheat berries in cereal and as an extender in other recipes.  For instance, if you are having soup, add some wheat berries.  Not only does it stretch your food, it adds a great little pasta type crunch, helps you rotate your wheat storage, gives you a great fiber source, and helps your body acclimate wheat into your diet.  They can also be used in things like meatloaf and all types of hamburger type dishes.  Chili is another great one and I've even seen recipes for wheat berry salads.

One of my assignments was to try making the berries and using them in a recipe.  I didn't realize I would be doing this until the morning of our meeting.  The directions called for the wheat to soak overnight.  Luckily, my accelerated method worked well.

I placed 7-8 cups of water and 4 cups of wheat berries or grains in a slow cooker.  I placed the setting on high.  I started at 9:00 in the morning and the berries were soft and ready for use about 2 or 3:00 that afternoon.  The berries will be soft with just a bit of crunch. 

I used part of the wheat berries in a cereal recipe below and the rest I bagged and placed in my fridge for later use in recipes.  I also tried doubling the batch and now have 3 extra bags in my freezer for later use.  For example, today I made brown rice.  Instead of using just brown rice, I added cooked wheat berries to the completed pan of brown rice.  I liked the extra crunch and it gave a little somethin' new to just plain ole' rice.

Before I left for my meeting, I fed some of the cereal to my kids as a taste test.  They LOVED it and asked if they could have it for dinner.  I knew if it would pass their test, anyone would like it.  I'm sure many of you have heard of wheat berries before, but if you are like me, go ahead and try it.  They really are good and they are good for your body.  As one woman in our group mentioned, wheat is something that needs to be introduced to your body a bit at a time.  If you had to live on your wheat supply, I'm sure you would have quite a few stomach issues if you weren't use to it in your diet.

Stayed tuned for Part II - How to make Artisan Bread. 
(My siblings are ready to call and make sure I haven't burned the house down.  They still tease me about the time I asked how you pre-heat the oven.  I don't even know how old I was when I asked, but apparently they thought I was old enough to know.  What can I say?  I had parents and two older sisters who cooked.  I was the middle child who stirred up trouble, was at times invisible, and was just doin' my own thing.  I didn't spend a lot of time in the kitchen except for when I stuck my head in the fridge and yelled, "Mom!?  What is there to eat?  We don't have anything good to eat!" :)  Sorry Mom!  Now that I'm a Mom, I feel your pain!

For additional recipes and information, you can click HERE.

Creamy Wheat Berry Hot Cereal
1 ¼ cups reg. rolled oats
½ cup raisins
2 cups milk ( 2 cups water, 1/3 cup plus 1 Tb. dry milk, ¼ tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. powdered sugar)
(I wanted to eliminate calories, so I used 1/2 water and 1/2 milk.  The recipe would also work with just water.)
½ tsp. salt
1 ¼ cups Cooked Wheat Berries
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted (toast in oven for 2-4 min. or in fry pan for 2-4 min. until lightly browned.)
(I used plain slivered almonds from a package - not toasted.)
Bring milk to a boil over med-high heat. Stir in oats, raisins, and salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 3-4 min. Stir in cooked wheat berries and cook about 1 min. more. Remove from heat, stir in brown sugar and cinnamon; let stand 1 min. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and serve.  I added a bit more brown sugar and also extra cinnamon and nutmeg.  Izzy and Ryan tried it with a bit of honey and they said it was delish.

Enjoy!

This, That, & The Other...

This one is for Jul-lay.... she told me I've been too quiet. :)

This:
I went to see her tonight to get my hair done.  (Thank you Jules.  What would we do without your mad skillz?)  It is a ritual every 5-6 weeks.  Gray hair is hard to ignore.  I should know.  I've been dealing with it since I was 20 freaking 5.  How that's fair, I'll never know.  But... at least my gray hair keeps Julie in pedicures, so it's worth it. :)  Tonight when I picked Lex up for dance, I turned on the light to show her Julie's version of "Jennie in Curls".  (We've been experimenting.)  Lex squealed, "Yeah!  No more gray!"  Was it that obvious?  Don't answer that.

That:
Ladies lunch group was today.  It was delish Circ!  In addition to discussing a few more points found in the Tiger Mom book, we solved the world's problems, found out you could be buried in paper, talked about our life plan if something were to change (death of a spouse, life insurance, back to school, etc), and what family scripture study looks like in our homes.  We all agreed that Circe's method is inspired for our stage of life.  The family gathers at 7:30 am (involving all those who happen to be home at the moment), it lasts 5 minutes, and then you get a chocolate kiss when you are done. 

I need to detour a bit here....
In past years, we've rocked the scripture study thing.  But this year, we've struggled.  We did okay up until Christmas and ever since then it has been sparse.  (For the record, we still have individual study.  It is the family study that has been tough.)  Having kids on two different schedules has been a curve ball for me.  (Jr. High and Elem.)  Early morning (5:30 am) is out.  Ryan is at the gym.  And, frankly, no one wants to be around me at 5:30 AM.  And, nights are hard because of Lex's schedule.

One of the great points that was brought out at lunch today was about expectations.  Julie Beck was once asked for her opinion about this very matter.  The mother told her tale of woes and why things weren't working.  Sister Beck listened to her elaborate plan and then told her to simplify and lower her expectations of what scripture study should look like. 

I have to agree completely.  I'm sorry, but when you have a  4 year old, a 13 year old, and two wiggly boys, I don't think study time is realistically going to last more than 5-10 minutes before someone is bouncing around the room - at least in my house anyway.  I'm also reminded of Elder Bednar's talk about the key factor of consistency.  No, every attempt is not going to be smooth sailing.  But, it will matter that the effort was made and that a habit was formed.

So.... bring on the chocolate kiss method.  We start tomorrow.  Only I think we'll use M&M's since they were on sale. :)  When this stops working for us, we'll try something new.  Be flexible right?  Or, as Dori says, "Keep Swimming, just keep swimming...."

The Other:
What else has been going on?  I can't really tell ya.  I just know we've been busy with school, church callings, dance, Ryan's job - sorta intense right now, scouts, helping littles with homework (we leave the math stuff for dad), and surviving these long days of winter.  Pretty much the same stuff you've been doing. 

One thing that's new is my re-commitment to "The Plan" (healthy lifestyle).  The past year has been sorta lax.  I've had one too many Yogo's and it added up.  Nothing major, just a little more junk in the trunk which made the skinnies feel a little snug.  So, I'm back on the wagon and using myfitnesspal to track intake.  So far, so good.  The goal is to lose 7 before the race in May.  I could run it now and be fine.  But I kinda want a new PR - 1:56 is my best time.  How cool would that be to shave off more minutes?  Running lighter will help my time.  According to mypal, my goal weight should happen by the end of February.  We'll see how I do.

Oh, and making dinner has been going really well.  The following are links to the things we've loved.  They were all Izzy Yuck-free approved, 5 Stars, and relatively low in calories!  Have a great weekend!

Squash Casserole: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Country-Squash-Casserole/Detail.aspx
Broiled Tilapia:  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Broiled-Tilapia-Parmesan/Detail.aspx
Strawberry Chicken: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Strawberry-Balsamic-Chicken/Detail.aspx
Balsamic Chicken: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Balsamic-Chicken-with-White-Beans-and-Spinach/Detail.aspx

Pumpkin Crisis Averted...

It was Izzy's first day of her second pre-k class.  Does that even make sense?

Yes... I'm one of THOSE moms who has their child in 5 day a week pre-k.  What can I say?

I have two great teachers who insist on only charging a morsel of what they should.  Plus... I'm sorry, but the last little muffin at home gets quite bored on "non-school" days.

Morsels... muffins.... can you tell where my mind was today?  If you are guessing pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, you'd be right.  Nothing welcomes in fall more than spotting the first few leaves changing on my cherry tree (a sure sign the mountain is not too far behind), putting up the fall decor, and nibbling on fall cookies.  Yum!  Do you think 6 or 7 (maybe more) in one day is too many?  They have pumpkin in them, so they are fairly healthy, right?

 

If I have you craving pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (everyone except my SIL, Richelle.  This weekend she proclaimed she detests anything pumpkin; pumpkin pie, pumpkin roll, pumpkin soup, pumpkin cookies - crazy I know!  She can tolerate pumpkin seeds though) you may just be OUT of luck.

After picking Iz up from school and dropping her off at dance, I went to two stores in search of pumpkin puree.  There was NONE to be found.  Evidently there was some sort of pumpkin shortage last year and puree has been off the shelves for months.  The horror!

What is fall without pumpkin chocolate chip cookies? 

I came home and dug through my pantry only to discover, ONE, big can of pumpkin.  The day was saved.

I tried my sister, Julie's, easy, peesy, recipe.  If you can get your hands on a can of puree, and you're not my SIL Richelle, you may just want to try it out.  I'll even help you eat them so you don't go over on your calories. :)

Happy Fall!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies 

1 spice cake mix

1 can sm. can pumpkin puree

1 cup chocolate chips

Mix, drop on greased cookie sheet, and bake in a 350 degree pre-heated oven, for 13ish minutes.

Enjoy! 

To Brighten Your Day...

It's raining here. Again. The sun is being shy and we haven't seen it here at all today. If truth be told, I really don't mind. I am not one for sun. My skin has never enjoyed it. I think I would do well to transplant myself out of our desert climate and relocate to San Diego. I hear they have mellow weather year round. That would be bliss. But... I would miss my mountains and family, so.... we stay inside or in the shade a lot!


If you are just the opposite, and a sun worshipper, and you live in Utah, you are probably dang sick of this rain. Maybe Nikki's Lemon Bar Recipe will brighten your day. Baby Kiptyn is still teasing her with contractions so she was kind enough to send this to me.

As I said before, I don't even like Lemon Bars, but these... I'll eat. Enjoy!


1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup butter

In a bowl, combine the milk and the lemon juice; mix well and set aside. In another bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in butter until crumbly.

Press half of the crumb mixture into a greased 9-inch square baking dish. Pour lemon mixture over crust. Sprinkle with remaining crumbs. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.

Bonus... Nikki included another yummy one!

"Sorry this took so long to get to you. I also have another recipe for peach pie that is soooo yummy.

Make the same graham cracker crust but cook it first. Then peal fresh peaches pour sweet and condensed milk and 1/2 cup lemon juice over the peaches. Pour onto crust and top with whipped cream."

Recipe Request

Amy needed the recipe. So... since Nikki is busy delivering her baby, I thought I'd share this one while we wait on the Lemon Bars.

Enjoy people. These are a family favorite!


Grandma Marlene's Chocolate Chews
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 ½ cup sifted flour
1 tsp. soda
3 cups oats

Mix together, press 2/3 of mixture into a greased 13x9 pan.

Filling:
12 oz. chocolate chips (can use butterscotch bits)
1 can sweet condensed milk
½ tsp. salt

Mix together until smooth, add 2 tsp. butter, 2 tsp vanilla, and nuts or coconut if desired.

Spread filling over cookie dough to ¼ from edge of pan. Dot with remaining dough. Bake at 350 for 30 min. Don’t over bake.

YUM-O!

Our Visitor...

During the first part of April, my kids were out of school for Spring Break. Lexie ditched us to go and stay with her cousin, Mikelle. Due to the distance between our homes, they hardly ever get to spend time together. They were excited to have some much needed cousin bonding time.

Lexie wasn't the only one enjoying cousin time. During the same week, Melissa, my cousin from Virginia, came to visit and stayed with us in our home.

We didn't get to see her all that much though. She had a jam packed schedule attending temples across the Wasatch Front and also meeting up with old friends.

We did however get to have a night together with the extended family. My Aunt Shirley and all of her family visited on Sunday. Because the whole crew was finally together again, we just HAD to make a batch of the famous family fudge. Sorry Seattle and VA & CA crews. Next time we'll mail you a few pieces. Who am I kidding. There is never any left over to mail. I guess you'll just need to come for a visit and we'll make you your own batch.

The younger girls kept busy painting nails.

The older boys kept busy debating the validity of Glen Beck! One guess on where Ryan falls on the subject? Hint.... Glen Beck may be a Mormon, but that is the only nice thing Ryan has to say about him. :) Matt on the other hand...... his humor helps diffuse even the most tense political discussions.

The rest of the gang....

The other bit of news for the night was my mom. She too was visiting Annalee and Mikelle. On the last night of her stay (the night before the party), she fell and broke her humerus. We felt so bad for her. She was a trooper though. After the fall late Saturday night, an ER trip, and lots of Oxycodone, she was brave enough to weather a short visit with the fam. A shoulder replacement surgery is now under her belt and she is starting her recovery and doing well with physical therapy. Way to go Mom!

And... just in case you are even thinking of making our fudge recipe, maybe these pictures will deter you. It takes just a a tiny bit (j/k... HUGE) amount of elbow grease. This fudge is hand beaten baby!

After you bring the ingredients to a boil (soft ball stage - water taste testers.... another yummy part of the tradition), you pour the mixture into two Pyrex dishes.

Let cool until you can put your hand on the bottom of the dish.

Once it is cool to the touch, beat mixture repeatedly until it loses its shine. I highly recommend having an Uncle Lynn on hand. He beat BOTH of our pans. Now that is arm muscle! I honestly, in 36 years of life, have NEVER seen one person beat BOTH pans of fudge. Usually we all beat about 10 strokes and then pass it off to the next person. He earned his keep that night!

Once the mixture loses its shine, you scrape the fudge out of the bowl and hand it to someone who has buttered hands. They then shape the fudge into "brown logs". I recommend putting your older sister and cousin to work. See... I'm not a fool. I stood behind the camera and put all my guests to work. This way I can be the photog and official fudge eater.

Thanks for coming Aunt Shirley and Uncle Lynn (and kids! We missed you Brandon, Brian and Eric! Next time! For sure!) We have missed getting together on a regular basis. We'll have to do it again soon!

Famous Family Fudge

4 cups sugar
1 cup water
3 ½ squares unsweetened chocolate
Chopped nuts (optional)
2/3 cups dark Karo
1 cube butter
2 tsp. vanilla

Bring sugar, water, chocolate, karo and butter to a boil. Cook until medium ball stage. Pour into 2 bowls and let cool until cool enough to beat. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and, if desired, chopped nuts to each bowl and beat until fudge loses its gloss and begins to set. Roll into logs with buttered hands.

Feeling Better??????

I must be starting to feel better. I have these cookies on my mind.

It all started this last week when I participated in my 2nd cookie exchange of the season. (Yes - I love cookies!) This hot little number was on my take home plate. For a chocolate lover such as myself, it is pretty close to being the perfect cookie. It has just the right amount of chocolate, rolled in a bit of white sugar, with a chocolate carmel surprise in the middle. I had 3 on my plate and only shared a half of one with Ryan.

I think I found a similar recipe here. However, if you have a tried and true recipe for my new little favorite, I would love to have it. Leave it in my comments. I'll post it in case there are others like me who haven't ever had the pleasure of this little gem's acquaintance.

Now it's off to the shower and a big day of party prep. Aren't moms lucky? The rest of the fam had the flu for 3-4 days. I don't think moms could afford that amount of time out of commission.

Vermont Maple Oatmeal Pie Recipe...

Some of you have asked for Ryan's trial run pie contest recipe.

Here is the Taste of Home link.

The only change Ryan made was to spread a layer of chocolate chips on top after it was done baking. This gave the pie a yummy chocolate top layer. So good!

Enjoy - but beware. I noticed the calorie count at the bottom of the recipe. Um yeah - that is WITH OUT ice cream - that's like an hour on the treadmill.

I think it is worth it though. :) Happy Thanksgiving!

1 sheet refrigerated pie pastry
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup flaked coconut
Vanilla ice cream, optional

Directions
Unroll pastry into a 9-in. pie plate; flute edges. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Stir in the oats, syrups, butter and vanilla; pour into crust. Sprinkle with coconut.

Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until set. Cover edges with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning if necessary. Cool on a wire rack. Serve with ice cream if desired. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 piece (calculated without ice cream) equals 552 calories, 20 g fat (11 g saturated fat), 126 mg cholesterol, 375 mg sodium, 90 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 6 g protein.
Vermont Maple Oatmeal Pie published in Branson's Great American Pie Show January 2009

National Men Make Dinner Day...

Yes, that is right. Today is National Men Make Dinner Day. I read about it a few weeks ago in the paper.

Maybe you'll want to direct your significant other to this post so that they are clear on all of the rules. Yes, there are rules. You can't just stop at Little Caesars and pick up a boxed pizza. That would be too easy.

Some of the rules include:
1. Main meal must include a minimum of four ingredients and require at least one cooking utensil other than a fork.
2. Man agrees not to be within 30 feet of TV remote during cooking process.
3. Man is "allowed" to gloat no more than three times during the meal.
4. Family is encouraged to congratulate man on job well-done.
5. Family dog is not allowed to be secretly fed man's cooking.

These are of course according to the local paper. Don't believe me? Check out this site: http://www.menmakedinnerday.com/

I don't think they really apply at our house. Ryan is a good cook and often makes us great meals. His signature dish lately has been Bang Bang Chicken, a little copy cat dish from The Cheese Cake Factory.

I tried to get him to write down his version of the recipe but he says it is just by taste. Maybe he'll change his mind and post it here.

If not, you can google it. There are plenty of recipes out there but they all seem like too much work. A lot of ingredients usually = a lot of work. :)

General Conference Packet....

In case you are interested, here is a link for an April 2009 General Conference Packet. Kids always love to complete these while listening. Don't forget the M&M's if you play conference bingo. Or.... if you are like me, just eat the M&M's and skip the bingo. :)

(I can never get the html linkies to work..... so, here is the long version)
www.sugardoodle.net/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4195&Itemid=5

For some reason, if the page is gone at a later date, just go to sugardoodle.net and search for the packet from their menus. Good luck!

Ryan and I are especially looking forward to conference this year. Yes, we love the talks and especially love getting the chance to listen to the prophet. But, another reason we love conference is because of our family breakfast. Nikki has promised to bring Cadbury Egg Muffins this year. We have wanted to try these for weeks and haven't dared to make them in fear of eating the whole batch ourselves. Nik, I hope we are still in your good graces so we can partake of your muffins.

If you want to try them during the Easter season, here is the recipe.

Cadbury Creme Egg Muffins
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
12 mini Cadbury creme eggs (not full size - not mini candy coated)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.In a small mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, melted butter and vanilla until smooth. Whisk in milk. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined and no streaks of flour remain.

Evenly distribute muffin batter into prepared pan. Place 1 mini Cadbury Creme Egg in the center of each muffin. You can use a small knife to pull a bit of batter over the top of the Muffin, if you like.Bake for 14-16 minutes, until the top of the muffin springs back when lightly pressed and the edges are a light gold.Cool on a wire rack before slicing.Makes 12.

Brownies.... yum!

Check out my Sista's blog for an awesome brownie recipe. A bit more work than brownies from a box, but oh so worth it! I am some what of a brownie connoisseur. So, when I find a good recipe, I just have to share.

http://www.whitehousewhippersnappers.blogspot.com/

What's for dinner....

I may have mentioned I don't love to cook. I used to be soooo good. You know.... the kind of mom who had something on the table every night. The mom who planned her menus on the calendar and always tried to have dinner put together well before "crunch time" (hrs. between 4pm and 6pm, when kids and moms are just plain done!)

Well.... then life happened and slowly but surely, a mom cooking dinner at our house is NOT the norm. Yes, I always have something to throw together, or leftovers in the fridge, or breakfast favorites like, waffles, omelets, and french toast. But well planned out meals... not so much.

In my defense, this last year we have been on sort of a learning curve. Ryan and I are still wrapping our heads around eating healthy and learning to cook healthy. It has been a little stifling for me to try and cook when I am so worried about the nutrition quality of the ingredients.

We have been eating a lot of chicken breasts, brown rice, sweet potatoes, fish fillets, salmon burgers, whole grain pasta, etc. But, after a while, your repertoire of go to dinner options gets a little limited.

This past weekend, I decided to try to get back on the dinner bandwagon. No... I'm not all gung-ho and determined to cook every night. I am a realist. What I did commit to, at least in my mind, not to my family, is that I'll cook at least 2-3 nights a week. When I say cook, I mean, pre-planned, not thrown together, last minute concoctions. I enjoy good food - obviously. And, I know my family does too. The older the kids get, I know they also appreciate my efforts. When I cook, Alexis is always quick to thank me for making dinner. Maybe she is trying to use a little psychology on me. The more she thanks me, the more I'll cook.

So.... last night was my first attempt at a new semi-healthy dish. Other families may already have this in their dinner rotation menus, but for the D house, this was new. I modified the original recipe to cut calories. This was the final recipe. My kids and Ryan all approved, so I thought I would pass it along.

Healthy, Hot Chicken Salad

2 cups cooked, cubed chicken - I used 2 breasts
3 hard boiled eggs, diced - you can leave this out if you're not a fan, but it is great protein

1 c. diced celery
1 can mushrooms or sliced fresh mushrooms
1 Tbsp. chopped onion - I used dehydrated from my food storage
½ to 1 cup slivered almonds, or whole, natural almonds chopped

3 cups cooked, brown rice
1 can cream of chicken soup (you can use low sodium)
¾ cup light miracle whip
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp. ground sea salt

1/4 tsp. pepper
Various chicken blend spices, Mrs. Dash, etc…

Crushed sour cream flavored Sun chips – as a topping. Don't go crazy. You only need about 2 or 3 handfuls to do the job. (This option is a little better for you than the orignal ingredients of crushed corn flakes and melted butter.)

Combine all the above ingredients, except the Sun chips, in a bowl. Spread mixture in a 9x13 pan. Top the mixture with crushed Sun Chips. Place a sheet of foil over the top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. I like my dishes hearty. I added even more celery and, mushrooms, etc. As for spices, when I cook, I am a dumper. If I think it will add some zip, I throw it in. This time I used, Mrs. Dash, Chicken Herb Blend, sea salt and pepper.

If you have some healthy recipes that your family likes, we would love to try them. Send them my way! My family would be grateful!