Baby Shower & more. . .

I'm trying to learn how to use my camera a little better.

I'm "going green." I asked Brady what he thought of green toenails and that was, in a nutshell, his response.

Dana, my sister in law, is expecting her first baby girl at the end of March. Of course we had to spoil "Peaches" in pink. . .so, we had a shower for them!

This is Tam & I setting up (the strawberry tree is in the making).

My mom, me, Tam and Anna. Getting set up!

Cupcakes. Lindz, my other sis in law make the cute cake bites.

Brade and I went and tried cupcakes last week so we knew they were delicious for the shower! We hand picked Breakfast at Tiffany's and The Diva from "Mini's" and carrot cake, raspberry lemonade and key lime pie from "So cupcake."

The food table! Thanks to everyone who helped with the food and setting up!

The mommy, Dana, and me.

Food Friday #3

This week I think we should do a dinner! So, here you have it. We love this dinner and it's pretty easy, but you need to plan ahead with this one!

(remember most my recipes are for 4 - this will serve 4 with leftovers)

ROAST & TWICE BAKED POTATOES

Grocery list for this dinner:

-5 potatoes (medium to large)
-small tub sour cream
-small block cheddar cheese
-1 stick butter
-1 roast (I like to use a rump roast)
-1 package Lipton’s Onion Soup
-bacon crumbles (if desired)
-chives (if desired)

Already in the kitchen:

-salt and pepper
-garlic salt
-flour

Roast
(Linda Barker)

1. Salt and Pepper the roast (you can use a little garlic salt too, if you want)
Make sure to salt and pepper all sides of the roast and rub it in.
2. Set roast in pot (fat side down), you can use an 8 quart pan.
3. Pour about ½ cup water around roast
4. Pour 1 packet Lipton's Onion Soup mix over the roast
5. Cover pot with lid and cook in oven @ 200 degrees for 11-12 hrs, but could be done earlier.
You can also put it in the crock-pot on low overnight.
You can go up to like 250 or 275 if you have less time and cook it more like 6-8 hours
6. Once it's done take it out (there should be juice from water and roast-leave it in pot), remove fat from bottom of roast, it should peel off when roast is done.
7. Shred roast (I pull it apart length wise and the strips are about 2 inches thick)
8. Make gravy on stove top & leave the roast in the pot while you make gravy. (sure you know how, but I'll include how I do it)
Mix ¾ cup flour with 1 ½ cup water in separate container and mix thoroughly. Pour into pot w/ meat and juice from roast.
Add more water or flour to get desired consistency if gravy, if necessary. Salt & pepper to taste.

Twice Baked potatoes
(me)

1. Bake 5 potatoes (Scrub, rinse, dry, wrap in foil, poke holes in top w/ fork for steam to escape) Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until tender.
2. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes.
3. Slice a small piece of skin from the top of the potatoes lengthwise, leaving sides intact.
4. Scoop out pulp out with a small spoon, setting 4 of the 5 shells aside .
5. Make mashed potatoes as desired
My recipe for mashed for these potatoes: 4-6 TBSP butter (to your taste), 1/3 cup sour cream, ½ to 1 tsp garlic salt, s & p to taste, ½ cup shredded cheese. Mix thoroughly.
6. Put the mashed potatoes back into the shells.
7. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until warmed through. Add ½ cup shredded cheese to top and melt (about 5 more minutes.) Put bacon & chives on each potato, if desired.

Note: You may have leftover mashed potatoes. You WILL have leftover roast.

I will do a green veggie a lot of the time with this meal!
ENJOY!!!

Food Friday #2

How about a little sweet treat for this week?

I love to bake too, although I am still trying to perfect my baking skills.

I learned a little tip from a woman in my ward that I'd like to share with you!

When you bake "quick breads" (like banana bread, pumpkin bread, zucchini bread, etc.)

try using glass pans, instead of dark non-stick ones.

This should help the breads cook evenly without getting too dark on the bottom and sides.

And now,

without further adieu. . .

Simply Delicious Banana Bread

(Chris Middlemiss w/ a tweak from yours truly)

1/3 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup bananas (about 2 1/2 bananas mashed)

1/2 walnuts (if desired)

1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit. Mix shortening, sugar and eggs in your mixer until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and bananas. Mix well. Add chocolate chips and nuts.

Grease and flour pans and pour batter evenly in one large or two medium bread pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. I like to use the "tap the top trick," which means the top will "bounce back" when the bread is done. Be careful not to overcook. The inside of the cracks on top (you will see what I mean), may still be shiny and that's ok!

Note:

This recipe will make 1 large loaf, 2 medium loaves or about 2 dozen muffins. I double it a lot of the time. If doing muffins decrease cook time to 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Oh, and if you want a healthier treat leave out the chocolate chips, but I have to say I love it with chocolate!!!

Rain, Rain. . .

This rainy day makes me want to. . .

be there

with him

and them

remember this?

(i almost died on the car ride (the road to hana), or maybe i just wish i had cause i was so car sick!)

and this?

and this?

(they are so talented)

the end.

(seems gross, but this is our last memory of that trip. the men had been trying to catch these the whole week. and we witnessed it.)

We miss you guys so much!

Can't wait to do that trip again!

The start of . . .FOOD FRIDAY. . .

I love to COOK!

So, I decided to start FOOD FRIDAY. . .

A weekly post of recipes and cooking ideas

I will post recipes of my own, from my mom, my mother in law and

any that you decide you would like to share with me.

Most recipes I share serve 4 people or 2 people with left overs.

My guarantee is that I have personally made each recipe I post and that

I like them . . .

I hope you do too!

Since it's still cold, I decided to start out with this recipe. It's one my mom always made for us growing up. She taught me to cook and to love good food. . .and boy do I love food! Thanks mom.

Beef Stroganoff

1 to 1 1/12 lbs ground beef

or

any type of beef you want - such as slices of roast

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/4 to 1/3 cup sour cream (to your taste)

1/4 tsp nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 of large bag egg noodles

Brown ground beef in large skillet or use whatever beef you like. Add can of soup, sour cream, nutmeg and s & p to taste. Simmer covered while you cook your noodles, stirring occasionally. Add water or milk to achieve the consistency you desire (note: it is a pretty thick sauce)

A salad, green beans or broccoli go great with this dish!

Enjoy!

And it is. . .

BRONCHITIS

I finally convinced him to go to the doctor

Mind you. . .it's been 3 weeks of incessant coughing

and other yucky symptoms

Poor Brady Jay

But that cough syrup they gave him is magic

He finally slept well through the night!

Combined with the antibiotics

I'm sure he'll be back to his healthy self in no time!

I'm so grateful for the knowledge we have about illnesses and medications that help them. Being a nurse has really helped my testimony grow. . .seriously!

Baby Shower Cakes

I am throwing a BABY SHOWER for my sister in law and want to have a really cute cake or cupcakes. Anyone know someone good in Salt Lake that makes

CUTE BABY CAKES OR CUPCAKES?

Sun Valley Woes

Brady had to go to Sun Valley for work
He left Sunday morning
While it was snowing
Before I left to church
I sat in sacrament meeting and cried
Yes, I cried. . .an hour after he left
Because I miss him.