Recipes

Some people have asked me for various recipes, so I thought I'd post them on here so anyone can get to them! Happy Cooking! :)

Monkey Bread

Dough:
2 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powqder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
5 Tbs butter, melted

Caramel:
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter

Cinnamon & Sugar:
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbs cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Grease monkey bread pan (bunt or fluted work as well) with butter. Mix dry ingredients together in large bowl. mix buttermilk and butter together in small bowl, then add to dry ingredients. Mix till combined thoroughly. Separate dough in two equal parts and then into small balls about the size of a walnut. Cover balls in cinnamon and sugar. Cook caramel till softball stage. Pour 1/3 caramel into pan - place 1/2 monkey bread balls - pour 1/3 caramel over balls - place second 1/2 monkey bread balls - pour remaining caramel over balls. Bake for 35 mins - cool 10 mins & turn out on plate.



Classic Potato Gratin (from finecooking.com)

2lbs potatoes, peeled
3 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 generous pinch nutmeg
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
3/4 cup finely shredded Gruyere, Emmental or Comte cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Cut potatoes into 1/8 inch thick slices. Put potatoes in a large saucepan with all ingredients but the cheese. Cook over med-high heat until the cream is boiling. Remove garlic as you pour contents into a baking dish - shake to settle, then sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 for approximately 40 or until the cheese is brown and the potatoes are tender. Cool at least 15 mins then serve.


Moist Spiced Pumpkin Cakes

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs

1 cup sour cream
1 cup canned pumpkin

Peheat oven to 350. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and set to the side. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Then add eggs one at a time. Add 1/3 dry ingredients to the buter/sugar/eggs. Then add sour cream, then 1/2 remaining dry ingredients, then cannned pumpkin, then remaining dry ingredients - blending after each addition. Divide batter evenly between 6 greased mini bundts, or cook in greased 9x13 pan for 25-35 mins. Watch closely and remove when toothpick comes out clean. Frost with a cream cheese frosting.



Pumpkin Cookies (Meg & Mandi Bucy)

Cream together:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar

Then add:
1 egg
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp nutmeg

Mix well, then add:
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

Mix thoroughly, then add 1 bag mini chocolate chips.

Place large dollops on cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 12-15 mins. Makes approximately 24 large cookies.


Flakey Pie Pastry (from finecooking.com)

2 1/3 cups flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter cut into cubes
1/2 cup chilled shortening cut into cubes
3-6 tablespoons ice water

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add butter and shortening a few cubes at a time and cut into dry ingredients with pastry blender. Mix till ingredients ball up. Drizzle ice water 1 tablespoon at a time and mix into the center of the bowl with a fork. Keep adding water until dough holds together well when pinched together. Pres dough toward side of bowl to make a ball, the roll out with rolling pin.



Classic Apple Pie (from finecooking.com)

8 cortland apples or 6 golden delicious apples and 2 granny smith apples
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar & 1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 400. Peel apples and slice thinly - toss with lemon juice. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, sugar (1/4c), cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add ingredients to the apples an mix. In a small dish, whisk together the egg white and 1 teaspoon water - brush over pie crust. Put apple mixture into the pie crust. Cut 1 tablespoon of butter into pieces and place on top of the apples, then cover with 2nd pie crust. Brush top with egg whites and sprinkle with sugar. Wrap foil around outer 1 inch edge of crust and bake for 60-70 mins, removing foil for the last 10 mins. Let cool 1-2 hours then serve.

Bloody Nose

We just thought this was a silly picture. Lexi got a bloody nose, and it was hot in our house so it wasnt stopping very easily... so I put a cool wash cloth on her forehead and a tissue up her nose and told her to sit in the chair while I packed. She leaned her head back, which wasn't comfortable, so I got her a neck pillow and she was sitting like that when Britton got home from work. he started laughing and took some pictures. :)

Birthday!

We had a fairly large birthday party for Lexi this year since we're leaving in a few weeks. We got together at Nielsen's Grove Park and played in the fountain/wading pool. Then we had cake and presents, and then we went home and had an extended family dinner and party. It was a nice excuse to get everyone together one more time before we left. We will miss all our friends and family we are leaving in Utah.

Family Pictures

I just loved these pictures that the Quists so graciously treated us all to, and I thought they deserve to be seen. The gal who took our pictures was so meticulous, and so good with working with everyone! And the proof is in the pudding as they say! I love these pictures, I think they turned out amazing! As soon as I ask Lisa who took them, I'll post it since I think everyone should be her patron for family photos! I just wish we would still be in Utah in a few months so we could take some new ones with Ashton in them when she comes!

The photographer's website is:

www.prettylittlepictures.com

Dancing

Lexi was involved with Utah Academy of Ballet this past year. She did their summer camp last year and took part in their pioneer legacy performance (which was awesome). This year, the company did the ballet Cinderella for their recital and Lexi was a bluebird. It turned out great, and Lexi had such a great time!

Graduation

I did it!!! I finally graduated from college!!! I received my Bachelors of Science in Nursing and WOW does it feel good to be done! I had a great time and made some great friends! :) I'll get some more pictures on here soon!

David and Mercedes Alden, David and Tami Caceres, Britton and I

My best friends in the program: David and David

My close friend Krista and I

Karen Palmer, Aubreigh Parks, Me, Jen Walton

Lexi walked with me

Me getting pinned (this is a big deal for nursing schools)

Disneyland

We went to Disney Land in August with Michelle and her boys, David and Russy, and my mom. It was SO fun to see Alexis react to all the princesses and the rides. We got there pretty late that first night and were trying to get all 4 kids to eat their dinner at about 10 pm without complaint. We were failing miserably when this awesome balloon guy came over and made balloons for the kids. He bargained balloons for bites and the kids laughed and had a great time. It reminded me of the master card commercials: trip for 3 to Disneyland $1,500, dinner for 7 $250, getting the kids to eat their dinner without complaint? Priceless.

We went to a princess lunch at Ariel's Grotto. Lexi had so much fun, and I swear we met the real Snow White! lol.... her voice, her looks, her demeanor... everything! Lexi was so excited and so shy at the same time, it was so cute!

We also had a character breakfast one morning which was really fun. Captain Hook was one of the only characters she knew however since we din't really watch TV. That took some explaining...."Lexi, he's not a bad guy at Disneyland." Tigger was quite flirtatious...acting all shocked that I was married....sometimes you wonder if it's a boy or girl under those costumes...hahaha....

I have to say, that the new Woody ride at California Adventure is AWESOME! It was SO much fun. It's now one of my favorite rides. Lexi really liked it too. Lexi liked the Peter Pan ride best (also my father's favorite). She got scared on Snow White and Winnie the Pooh, and Britton took her on the Roger Rabit ride which also scared her. She liked the roller coaster in Toon Town though, and did the princess coronation ceremony and loved it.

Britton in the mean time got over his fear of roller coasters and even went on California Screamin' and loved it - we went two more times. :)