Check It Out

My sister-in-law has a cute new web site.  She makes awesome stuff.  Good luck Nicci!

redpoppyshop.blogspot.com

My-New-Life

My-New-Life

This is INSPIRING, INSIGHTFUL, INCREDIBLE
Have a tissue close by when you watch this.
Our lives are important and a gift.

Linguine with Chicken, Vegetables, and Peanut Sauce

I tried something new for dinner. The whole family liked this. It is fast and easy to make.
Ingredients:
Cooked Linguine

Slightly steamed broccoli flowerets      
Very thin slices of carrots
Chopped cucumber
Shredded chicken
Directions:
Toss the pasta with shredded chicken (I used leftover rotisserie chicken)
Add the vegetables and bottled peanut sauce. Mix together well. We sprinkled a few rice noodles on top too.
(A fresh fruit salad goes well with this. )

Caramel Cookies

These are really good. I got this recipe from my Grandma's cookbook. I should have made these a long time ago.
Cream together:

½ cup margarine                                                     

1-1/2 cups brown sugar

Add:

2 eggs and Mix well then add
1 cup sour cream
Sift together then add to margarine mixture:
2-1/2 cups flour
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
Add:
1 tsp. vanilla
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes
Caramel Frosting (YUM):
¼ cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons boiling water
½ tsp. vanilla
Melt and cook butter until brown. Pour melted butter into a deep bowl then beat in powdered sugar, then add boiling water, then vanilla. You may need to add more water if it seems too stiff. Spread the frosting over the cookies. *Note – I added a little cocoa powder to the frosting to give it a light brown color. The frosting tastes a little like homemade caramel to me.

Recap of April 2010

I have not been very good about blogging this month.  It has been busy but very good.  I am so glad that I see signs of spring everywhere.  I truly dread winter. 

We had our annual April Fools Dinner.  Notice the hats we ended up wearing and the lovely assorted kitchen utensils we had to eat with.  I had everyone choose what they wanted to have for dinner.  They could not tell anyone else.  It was interesting.  We had stuffed hamburgers, invisible Koolaid, meatloaf that was actually cocoa pebbles and fruit snack pieces made into a loaf, Trix cereal, chocolate cookies, and pink cookie wafers.  Too many sweet things, but then we are just fools that day, and it is fun.

We went to Disney Land for spring break.  It was so nice to be warm, and we had a great time.  We stayed in Henderson Nevada the first day of our trip then drove the next day to Anaheim.  It was General Conference Weekend.  We were able to hear conference via I-Phone while we traveled.  On Sunday we went to the Newport Beach Chapel next to the temple to watch the last session of conference.  We then drove to our hotel to check in.  A little earthquake hit as Josh and I were entering the lobby of the hotel.  The chandeliers in the dining area were swaying back and forth. 

We went to Disney Land and California Adventures for three days then went to see the Mormon Battalion Visitor Center and the beach on the fourth day.  It was so nice to get away.

Last week I drove to Bear Lake when the kids had a day off school.  Josh, Jenicca, and Juliana came with me.  We went to check out a cabin we will be staying in this summer.  We went to the beach for a few minutes.  No one else was there.  The water was cold, but it was fun.  We could hear frogs and wished we had some waders or boots to go catch a few tadpoles.  Next time!!

Fun Easter Recipe

Chocolate Marshmallow Eggs
I remember my mom making these when I was little.  They were pretty and yummy.  I wanted to teach the activity day girls how to make them and have some for family too.  We made them at the girls retreat with my sisters-in-law and mother-in-law this past Saturday too.  They turned out pretty good.  You can add flavored oils to the marshmallow mixture.  I have not tried that yet, but plan to next time I make these sweet treats. 
1 package Knox gelatine
½ cup water
Mix together in a deep bowl.  Set the bowl aside.

Then in a nonstick pan, bring 2/3 cup water and 2/3 cup sugar to a boil and boil to a soft ball stage.
Pour this over the gelatine in the bowl and beat with an electric mixer until elastic.

 Add :
½ tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp powder sugar
Dash of salt

Pour into flour mold. ( Put Flour in a bowl. Make an egg shape with a spoon, egg, or plastic egg in flour)
Chill.   Take the eggs out with a fork, then dip in melted milk chocolate or almond bark.  Chill, then decorate with decorator icing.

Last Days of March

Here are a few pictures of Juliana's Birthday celebration, and some pictures of deviled eggs made by the activity day girls.  We also made chocolate covered marshmallow eggs, but I didn't get a picture of those before they were eaten. 

Pink Poodle cake.  The pattern is from familyfun.com.  I used gumdrops for the collar and for the nose.  Pretty easy and fun to make.  I used a strawberry cake mix.  The frosting was a homemade buttercream frosting with a little almond extract.  It was yummy.

Pinkalicious lunch with 3 friends

Family Birthday  Party

She loves the Fur Real cat from Grandma and Grandpa.  She kissed it over and over again.  It was funny to watch her!

Blowing out the candles

Deviled egg "chicks"-  I got this idea from Family Fun Magazine.  The eyes are capers and the beak is a wedge of carrot.  The feet are made from a carrot coin cut to look like feet.