Numero Seis

Six years have flown by. Ups and downs along the way. 2 Beautiful girls of our very own. I have always loved the quote, as cheesy as it is, "All because two people fell in love." It is true. I have been blessed! Happy Anniversary, Brian. I love you the mostest!

Avery's Dance Recital

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Christmas Cookies

Spuds

Idaho is known for their Spuds. My father in law bought us a 800 lb (it seems like it) bag of potatoes a couple of months ago. We have kept them in cold storage, but they started to sprout a couple of weeks ago. There are only sooo many ways to eat potatoes.

I remember my mother making potato pancakes when we were younger. I found a really yummy recipe online and we all really enjoyed a nice break from the standard; baked or mashed.

If you are looking for a way to use up some potatoes or just try something different, try this recipe.

POTATO LATKES

5 cups Russet potatoes shredded

1 med onion shredded

2 rounded TBSP flour

2 beaten eggs

dash of cayenne pepper for spice (add more or less)

Lots of salt and Pepper (cook and try one to see if needs more salt/pepper)

Peel potatoes and shred. Rinse potatoes and spread potatoes over kitchen towels. The dryer the potatoes the crispier they are. Roll kitchen towel up and squeeze out extra water from potatoes. Mix all ingredients together once potatoes have as much moisture out of them. Heat up vegetable oil in frying pan. Oil needs to be hot enough once you place the potatoes in the pan or it will just soak up grease and you will end up with a greasy cake. Form potato patties and place in hot oil. Fry on each side until crispy and light brown. Let rest on paper towel to soak up excess oil. Serve with ketchup or sour cream. Tastes best hot!

First Blizzard of 2010

Kid Friendly Recipe

CREAMY ORZO
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis (click on recipe title for origin of recipe)

Ingredients

1 pound orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, juices drained
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Bring a heavy large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic, and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cream and peas. Add the orzo and toss to coat. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the Parmesan to the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Stir the pasta mixture until the sauce coats the pasta thickly, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to maintain a creamy consistency. Season the orzo with salt and pepper, and serve.

So flavorful and easy. It is kinda like a fancy mac-n-cheese! So, next time you are looking for a side dish to go with your meal..remember to try this one!

Delaney = Gilly

Have you ever seen these skits on Saturday Night Live? Gilly reminds me of Delaney! When she is in trouble for doing something, all she will say is "Sorry". She says it in almost the same tone as Gilly and it cracks me up every time because I have a flashback of these SNL skits. She is a little trouble maker and gets into everything!

Some examples:

* Throwing a metal tractor at Avery for no reason causing a welt on her forehead.
* Emptying out a band new bottle of pancake syrup out, most in the sink, some on the floor.
* Black crayon all over my tile floor!
* Emptying out the shampoo, at least it was in the bathtub!
* Climbing on top of the counter. Grabbing a steak knife. Opening the fridge. Taking out a package of turkey dogs. Opening the package. Eating the tops and bottoms off 6 hot dogs and then throwing them away. All while I was in the shower and at 8:30 am!
* Rubbing Desitin cream all over her arms and legs, saying "Lotion". That was the hardest "lotion" to get off!
* I usually have a baking day to freeze things for quick meals. I had made about 12 whole wheat pancakes after breakfast and left them on a plate to cool before freezing them. Brian came into the kitchen later to find that she had taken a huge bite out of EVERY single pancake!
* She has a knack for knowing that if she opens up a package of gum/candy at the store that means that mom is going to have to buy it. So 98% of the time when I am checking out at the grocery store (when I am not paying 100% attention) she will quickly open up a package of whatever she can reach! Sneaky little devil!


I could go on and on. Brian is always irritated when I am asking where Delaney is or can he go see what she is up to! He feels that we shouldn't have to hover over them. But, I think he is starting to realize that if you don't, you usually have a larger mess to clean up! We love our little "Gilly" and wouldn't trade her for anything...but sometimes I wish we could give her a tranquilizer:)

Gobble, Gobble!

Pumpkin Pie Squares

Pumpkin Pie Squares

Submitted by Amy ~ The Sisters Cafe

Crust:

1 box yellow or spice cake mix, reserve 1 cup for topping

1/2 cup melted butter

1 egg

Filling:

1 29oz can pumpkin (I used Libby's-make sure it is pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix)

1.5 cups evaporated milk

1.5 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 t. salt

2 t. cinnamon

1 t. vanilla

1 t. ginger

1/4 t. cloves

Topping:

Reserved 1 cup dry cake mis

1/4 cup sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1/8 cup butter

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, mix together cake mix (reserving one cup for the topping), melted butter and egg. Spread into greased pan. For the filling, mix all ingredients well and pour over crust mixture in pan. For the topping, mix together reserved cake mix, sugar, cinnamon and butter. Mix until crumbly and sprinkle on the pumpkin filling mixture. Bake 1 hour or until a nice inserted in the middle comes out clean. (I just poke it with a knife and make sure it comes out clean). Chill and serve with real whipped cream.

ABSOLUTELY YUMMY!

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

It is hard to say, "I am thankful for adversity". There have been many of moments in my lifetime that I honestly don't know if I could be brave enough to say such a thing. I say, moments, because looking back, that is exactly what it is. Moments.

Arthur Golden, “Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are.”

Last year my mother in law took her daughter and daughter in laws to Time Out for Women and Emily Watts was a speaker. She said something that still sticks in my mind, paraphrasing she said that the Lord gives us trials so we can become who Heavenly Father intended us to be. I keep telling myself that without the certain trials I have been through and (hopefully) become stronger from, I am becoming the person my Heavenly Father intended me to be.

I am thankful that my Heavenly Father knows me and knows what I need. I know He never forgets about my needs and has given me much comfort in those moments, which I am grateful for. I am going to try to be more thankful for those trials and adversity.

what are YOU thankful for?

BOO!

A little past due, but here are Halloween pics of our beautiful Snow White and our Little Bumblebee. I forgot the camera, so these are from Brian's phone, so not the best quality! The city had a trunk or treat that had local businesses pass out candy. Avery was a little more hesitant asking for candy, but of course our little bee just buzzed along trying to get as much candy as possible!

Super Cheesy

Another yummy recipe! The girls LOVED it. Super easy, super cheap and interchangeable with different ingredients.

Cheesy Stuffed Shells

1 lb hamburger meat (could substitute for Italian sausage or do no meat at all)

1 container low fat cottage cheese (I used small curd..but feel free to use full fat and large curd..whatever your preference)

1 container Ricotta Cheese

1 package shredded Mozzarella Cheese ( I used the generic Italian mix shredded cheeses)
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

2 eggs

1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce (any flavor)

20 jumbo pasta shells, cooked, drained al dente

Salt and Pepper to taste

Oregano

Basil

HEAT oven to 400°F.

Mix cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs and seasonings until well mixed. Place cheese mixture in cooked jumbo shells.

COOK: Cook hamburger, drain grease. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Put half of sauce mixture into 13x9-inch baking dish. Add filled shells, cheese mixture facing up; top with remaining sauce. Cover with tin foil.

BAKE 25 min. or until heated through. Top with remaining mozzarella; bake, uncovered, 2 min. or until melted

****Could add thawed, drained spinach to the cheese mixture. Could add pancetta or prosciutto to the cheese mixture. *****

I double the recipe and make 2 pans and freeze one pan for a quick meal another night!

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Pumpkin Patch

Avery picking out her pumpkin. Auntie Tanya is petting the goats with one of Avery's cousins.
Delaney and Millie. Delaney striking a pose for the camera. Little Diva.
We were in Wal-Mart when D got into my purse. She found my mascara and proceeded to apply it. I refused to wipe it off and made her walk around with her "pretty" makeup on. You would think I would learn because just today she got my mascara again and got it all over her brand new Columbia jacket. OOH I could of strangled her. Nothing is safe from those little hands!

Corn and Chorizo Chowder

I made this yummy soup tonight. I have tons of fresh corn that is taking up lots of freezer room and was trying to find yummy ways to use it. Avery ate it up and Delaney just dunked her toasted cheese into it. So, I would overall call it a success! Read below the recipe for my modifications! Click on the soup name for the blog I found the recipe on!

Corn & Chorizo Chowder

2 sliced good bacon, chopped
2 leeks, white & light green parts sliced
1 c yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
6 oz chorizo, sliced (This is Spanish style chorizo not Mexican. It is smoked & comes in links.)
2 T all-purpose flour
2 russet potatoes, peeled & cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 c chicken stock
2 c water
1 t fresh thyme, chopped
3 T fresh parsley, chopped
salt
pepper
1 1/2 c milk (we used 2%)
2 c corn, fresh or frozen

In a large heavy soup pot cook the bacon until crisp over medium heat. Move the bacon to a paper towel to drain but leave the fat in the pan. Set the bacon aside.

Add the leeks, onion, garlic & chorizo to the pot. Cook on medium for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour in & cook while stirring for 1 -2 minutes. Add the potatoes, stock & water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover & let simmer for 10 minutes. Add the thyme parsley plus salt & pepper to taste. Simmer covered for another 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Add the milk & corn. Simmer uncovered for another 5 - 10 minutes. Taste for seasonings.

***** I used 6 slices of bacon for no other reason than the love of bacon! I didn't have the link chorizo, so I just cooked mine in with the onions and leeks. When I make this again, I will cook the chorizo in a separate pan and then add it into the soup. I found it really greasy and hard to drain the grease off from the leeks and onions. Also, leeks tend to hide a lot of dirt and girt in their leaves, so after chopping it up, place it in a colander and rinse a few times. I also added red potatoes because that is what I had on hand. I only had skim milk, so I added a little bit of half and half instead of milk.*******

Last of the Texas trip pics..

Cousin to cousin we will always be; Special friends from the same family tree!

"Cousins are people that are ready made friends, you have laughs with them and remember good times from a young age, you have fights with them but you always know you love each other, they are a better thing than brothers and sisters and friends cause there all pieced together as one."

Author: Courtney Cox

"A cousin is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost!" -Marion C. Garretty



"A cousin is a ready-made friend for life" - Author Unkown



"Cousins are those childhood playmates that grow up to be forever friends." - Author unknown