Rise and Shout!

We are gearing up for the big game tomorrow! For those of you not "in the know," tomorrow is the BYU-Utah football game..a huge rivalry here in Utah.

I put these flags on my car and drove to the mall.  I got flipped off on the freeway and one dude actually gave me the thumbs down sign when I pulled into the mall parking lot.  I was afraid my car was going to get keyed.  U of U fans can be really classy.  cough cough.

My kids are all decked out in BYU gear:

My dad has season tickets and I have already taken Luke to the two home games this year.  My fondest hope is that he will love BYU football and want to go to BYU.  I think it is working:

I am planning to make this for the game.  I will probably eat the whole thing myself:

I took my little guys to Costco today for hot dogs since I won't be getting one tomorrow at the stadium.  (The game is at the U.)

Go Cougs!

Sunday in Spring

I had a really great weekend. It was our stake conference and I made it a point to get to the adult session Saturday night and I took my kids to the regular session Sunday morning. The Sunday morning was a total bust because Mitchell was out of control and we left early. I forgave him because it was his birthday and really, who doesn't want to sneak out early anyway? The adult session was so good though. I have been feeling a little spirtually disconnected lately so I made myself go to it and it turned out being so worth it.

When we arrived at Stake Conference this morning, I had to parallel park on the street. I am terrible at parallel parking. I have no faith in the way they taught us in driver's ed so I usually reverse and pull up about 10 times to get in.  My kids were laughing at me. When we came back to the car to leave, Luke said, "Mom, I'm just walking home because it's going to take you like 15 minutes to get out of that spot!" It made me laugh out loud. Sometimes that kid cracks me up.

This afternoon, I took my kids down to Temple Square to see the tulips. I had to parallel park again..twice in one day..what are the odds? My kids thought it was hysterical. The tulips were out of this world. If I ever get married again, I am doing it in the spring! I am done with winter weddings! It was so nice outside and fun to walk around with my kids and enjoy the flowers.  Mitchell was napping at my Mom's house.  Here are some of my favorite shots:

It is also Buster's birthday today. My baby is two!!! Yes, I made that cake...continuing the tradition of the world's ugliest cakes. Don't forget this one.

I wish my Grandpa Warner was here to see it. He loved my ugly cakes! I think I really took it to the next level with this one. The cake kept flaking off as I tried to frost it. At some point, I had to stop frosting or the whole cake would have come off on my spatula. And yes, I shamelessly brought it to a family party. I have no dignity!

This little guy didn't care. 
 

Happy Birthday darling Buster!

Halloween Dinner Night

I hosted Gourmet Dinner Night at my house last night. As you know, when it is at my house, it is simply called "dinner night." I can't guarantee gourmet but I can guarantee a dinner of some sort. I have darling friends...see photo above. Lisa wasn't there yet and Liz couldn't come but there are nine of us in the group.

Since it is October, I decided to do soup, salad and bread sticks, since that seems like Halloween food to me. I have to admit, I am not wild about this soup and that should have been my first red flag in making it. But I pressed on. The soup was not good. It was Pasta Fagioli's from Olive Garden and it just did not turn out right. This always seems to happen to me on at least one item...unfortunately for my guests, last night it was the main course...

At least the table looked cute. I borrowed the candelabra from my mom (who has the world's cutest decorations and tableware.)



I put out the bubbly cauldron which is just a mist maker put into water that you can actually buy at Harmon's. It is one of the best Halloween purchases I have ever made.



We started with a Halloween punch (that I pulled from a Country Living magazine at Harmon's the night before). It kind of tasted like a apple cider with a kick. I liked it but it was nothing to write home about. I threw some plastic spiders in for good measure.



When I got home from Harmon's (our local grocery store) with the ingredients, I pulled out the Martinelli's and they had put it in its own brown bag...like I had just been to the liquor store and was going to be swigging it from the bottle in a park next to my shopping cart full of everything I own.



We had bruschetta from Harmon's (I love that place!)



and apples and caramel dip to start:



Then had a knock-off of the house salad at Smokey Mountain Pizza. My family loves this salad and we always eat it with pizza and Italian food.



I also served garlic Parmesan bread twists that I got from the cookbook "When Life Gives you Friends" that Ashley recently gave away on her blog. The bread twists were yummy and I will make those again. Here they are pre-cooked and before they had risen:



My piece de resistance was a made from scratch peach pie with ice cream...I got the pie crust recipe from my sis-in-law Sarah. She got it from a Lion House cookbook. I love that you can mix it in a Kitchen Aid Mixer. Most pie crusts require a pie cutter and they take forever but not this one.



I am totally relieved that it is over. I love this group of friends so much and love doing this every month because it forces us to get together but just don't love when it is my turn to host. Cooking stresses me out. With this group, the conversation is always a bit racy and I laugh really hard. We have been through a lot and I am so glad these girls are in my life.

Recipes:

I am sparing you from the soup.

Parmesan Garlic Bread Twists:

2 loaves frozen bread dough, thawed
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 t. garlic salt
Parmesan cheese

Thaw bread dough in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from frige 2 hours before you want to serve hot. Roll each loaf into 12x20" rectangle. Melt butter in a microwave safe bowl and add garlic salt. Cut dough into 1 inch strips (the short way). Dip each breadstick in buter and lay on large cookie sheet. Take two strips and twist together. Arrange on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with garlic salt and parmesan cheese. Let rise for one hour. Backe at 400 degrees 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.

Smoky Mountain Salad

lettuce (any kind will do)
mushrooms (sliced)
olives (sliced)
tomatoes (diced)
feta cheese

Buy dressing at Smokey Mountain Pizza and Pasta--the one in SLC is on 9400 South and Highland Dr.

Pie Crust (makes two crusts)

1/4 c butter
1/4 c margarine
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup lard (I don't go anywhere near lard...I just do 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup shortning)
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp nonfat dried milk (I never have this and it's fine)
3 cups flour
1/2 cup cold water

In mixer cream together fats and sugar, baking powder, salt and dried milk. Add half of flour and mix well. Add water and remaining flour. Mix. Roll thin. Put bottom crust in plate. Put peach filling in and put top crust on. Back at 400 for 30 minutes. Cover in foil after about 15 minutes.

Peach Pie filling

3/4 to 1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
dash salt
about 7 ripe peaches

Apple Cider punch

1 gallon apple cider
1/2 gallon white grape fruit juioe chilled
1 bottle sparkling apple cider chilled
8 oz orange juice
apple slices to float
sonic ice

Chicken Enchilada Soup

My sister Ashley sent me this recipe for Chicken Enchilada Soup. I am sharing it with you because it is delicious and stupid easy. In fact, I regret that Sam watched me open up the 6 cans and dump everything in because I got no props for making dinner. He loved the soup and that is saying something since (like most men) he doesn't like soup. I suggest making this before your husband walks in the door and then acting like you really put yourself out!

Here is the recipe:

1 can of green chili enchilada sauce
1 (15 oz. can, drained) yellow corn
1 large (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 package of taco seasoning
1 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 can of chunk chicken (I bought a rotisserie chicken and pulled the chicken off--much better than the canned stuff.)

Open the cans, pour everything into a large saucepan or stock pot. Simmer over medium heat until chicken is heated through.

Serve w/ shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado,fresh tomatoes, & tortilla chips, etc

This would be good with my cornbread recipe found here.

Enjoy!

Real Men Eat Quiche

Tonight I cooked up the most nasty concoction my kitchen has ever seen. A quiche with waaaaay too much (frozen) spinach and mushrooms. The thing didn't set up properly and was slimy and slippery and stinky. I got the recipe from a cooking class my mom and I recently attended at Thanksgiving Point. It was delicious when we ate it there. But at home, something went horribly wrong.

Enter Sam. He was a desperate man. After his first bite, he said "not bad." Then after a few more bites, he admitted it was BAD. After polishing off an entire piece, he admitted it was horrible. But that didn't stop him. You can see how much he ate.

As bad as it was, he maintains that it isn't the worst thing I've ever made. When I asked him what was the worst, without hesitation he said, "the goulash you made back in 2002." He is referring to the time that I got a recipe for chicken rice soup from my mom. The thing fed like 100. We had vats and vats of it in our fridge. It wasn't good but we ate it for days. Ironically enough, my mom dropped off that very soup to us tonight and my kids loved it. Everything she makes is delicious.

To my gourmet dinner night friends: Don't be scared. I'm not making you quiche when you come in three weeks. I've begged Sam to make a bird again for me to serve that night. No dice. When he makes a bird, he has to babysit it all day and since GDN is on a weekday, he won't be home to do it.

I've learned from past experience. This year, I'm serving a Honey Baked Ham.

Sam Brought Home a Bird

Not a live one--he knows I would leave him if he ever did that. He went to Harmon's Friday night for a few groceries and came home with a 26 pound frozen turkey. However, the word "turkey" was never used. We simply referred to it as "the bird."


I first thought he was out of his mind. He assured me it was his bird and he was going to take care of it. He called his buddy Jason last night to get tips on how to prepare the bird. Jason is an avid outdoorsman/food network junkie/hunter extraordinaire. He is also a lawyer but that is beside the point. He gave Sam some mad tips on how to prepare and stuff the bird.

Sam set out to thaw the thing last night. He was supposed to be changing the water every 30 minutes but he never did:


He spent the next 12 hours teasing me about the neck and gizzards.

He came home early from church today (because he "is sick" and he needed to babysit his bird.)

He took these pictures on his phone of the bird stuffed with apples and oranges and rubbed down with oil and salt and pepper. Impressive:


I came home from church to the smells of Thanksgiving dinner. About 5 hours later, this bad boy came out of the oven:


The unglamourous refuse from the bird (most had already been dumped:)


The finished product (have I ever mentioned we ain't fancy?) Do you like the Crescent rolls on paper towels..classy:


Sam and I stand behind the bar to eat and the kids sit at the bar. Just how it is at our house. I prepared all the side dishes (from boxes and frozen bags!) Thanks Sam--I didn't think you had it in you but it was a darn good bird and I will be eating turkey sandwiches for weeks.

note-I can't believe I posted this after all of your posts with pictures of your beautiful Thanksgiving feasts. I know how trashy this whole operation was..but that's how we roll.

Meat and Potatoes

Last night, I headed over to the grocery store about 11:00 pm to find something to make for dinner tonight. You read that right. I had no recipe, no list, I just started down the aisles and hoped something would strike my fancy.

I hit the jackpot. As I was rounding the meat case, I saw a lady picking up a large piece of red meat. I could only assume she was going to use it to make a roast. I've never done a roast in my life.

I asked the lady if she made the thing in a crock pot (my only criteria) and she did! She told me to put some water in the bottom and sprinkle some instant beef bouillon granules on top and 6-7 hours later I would be in business.

I was skeptical but I bought it. This morning, I cut the fat off the meat (I'm a Warner--it's in my blood, I have to cut every piece of fat off every piece of meat before I cook it) and threw it in the crock pot. I also sprinkled garlic salt on it for good measure. Seven hours later, the whole house smelled delicious.

I dug out some frozen Ore Ida steam n' mash potatoes from the freezer--threw them in the microwave and then whipped them myself with some margarine and milk, added a frozen veggie and some crescent bread sticks from the tube and it was the best meal I ever made. It would have been even better with gravy (The picture at the top is obviously not my roast!)

The best part? No mess. Everything was done in the crock pot and microwave. Where has the roast been all my life? I will never make real mashed potatoes again! What a score. Are you all cooking roasts every Sunday? How come no one has told me about this!

Gourmet Dinner Night Recipes--Mexican

As I was trolling the internet looking for recipes for my gourmet dinner night, I found a blog called My Kitchen Cafe. This blog was easy to read and everything I made from there was delicious. I got my taquitos, cilantro lime rice and cornbread/honeybutter from this site. I hate websites like http://www.allrecipes.com/ because you never know if stuff is really good. I prefer knowing that the author of the blog has tried everything and liked it enough to put it on her blog.

Here is what I made:

7 Layer Mex-Tex Dip

from my mom

1 can refried beans

1 can frito lay bean dip

2 medium very ripe avocados

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonaise

1/2 to 1 full package taco seasonin

3 tomatoes cored and chopped

1 can chopped pitted black olives

1 small can green chilis

grated Monterey Jack cheese

First Layer: Mix refried beans and bean dip together and spread over bottom of pan

Second Layer: Peel and pit avocados and mash with fork. Add salt and pepper to taste

Third Layer: Mix together mayo, sour cream and taco seasoning

Fourth Layer: chopped olives

Fifth Layer: chopped tomatoes
Sixth Layer: green chilis

Seventh Layer: cover with cheese

Refridgerate. Serve with tortilla chips.

Kiwi-Lime Slush

from http://slcgourmetgals.blogspot.com/

2 cans lime-ade concentrate
1 cup sugar
1 (15 oz.) can crushed pineapple
4 kiwi, peeled and smashed
2 Liters 7-up

Reconstitute the 2 cans of limeade concentrate with 1 cup of sugar, then add enough water to make two quarts. In a blender mix the limeade and crushed pineapple. Add kiwi, Put in Ziploc gallon bag and freeze for several days. Just before serving combine frozen mixture with 2 liter bottle of 7-Up until slushy.

My All-Time Favorite Salad

I know this didn't go with the Mexican theme but it's always a hit so I had to serve it.

Baked Chicken Taquitos

from http://www.mykitchencafe.blogspot.com/

makes 14-16

4 ounces cream cheese, softened (I used light cream cheese)
1/4 cup green salsa
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 green onion, sliced finely (white and green parts to equal about 2 tablespoons)--I left this out
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I cook large batches of chicken in my crockpot with a little chicken broth and salt, shred it and freeze it for meals like this.)
1 cup grated monterey jack cheese (use pepperjack for a litte heat)

small yellow or white corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat overn to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix softened cream cheese, green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare this step ahead of time and keep the mixture in the fridge.

Working with a few tortillas at a time, place 3-4 between two damp paper towels and microwave for 30-45 seconds, until tortillas are soft and pliable and don't crack when rolling. Place 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture on the lower third of a soft tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it up tight as you can.

Place filled taquitos seam side down on the baking sheet, making sure they don't touch each other. When ready to bake, spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and lightly sprinkle some kosher (coarse) salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Serve immediately. Taquitos can be dipped in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, etc.

Cilantro Lime Rice

from http://www.mykitchencafe.blogspot.com/

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/4 cups rice

2 1/4 cups chicken broth

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

juice and zest of 1 large lime

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1/4 teaspoon cumin

In a skillet, melt butter and add rice. Let cook for 1-2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 18-20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Beans-

from Cafe Rio

Why mess with perfection?

Cornbread

from http://www.mykitchencafe.blogspot.com/

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 1/2 cup flour

2/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup oil

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/4 cup milk

Add dry ingredients, make a well and add oil, butter, eggs and milk into the center. Stir until just mixed (batter will be runny--don't be alarmed!) Bake in an 8" square pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. This doubles perfectly for a 9x13 inch pan.

Honey Butter

from http://www.mykitchencafe.blogspot.com/

2 sticks butter, softened

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup marshmallow fluff

Whip all together with an electric mixer and serve at room temperature (can be refrigerated and softened.)

Brandi's Chocolate Bundt Cake

from my friend Brandi

1 package chocolate cake mix

1 package instant chocolate pudding

4 eggs

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup oil
1 small carton sour cream

1 package chocolate chips

Combine ingredients. Pour into bundt cake pan. Bake 350 for 1 hour.

Sprinkle powder sugar on top.

Gourmet Dinner Night: Fiesta!

It's over! My gourmet dinner night came and went and I think it was a success. In my last post, many of you suggested we just go out to eat once a month and save ourselves the trouble. While I think that is a brilliant idea, and I eat out often, I do love the idea of learning to cook and entertain in my own home.

Just as the formal dining room is going the way of the dodo, formal dinners are kind of dying off. My mom is a great cook, as were my grandmothers, and I just don't ever cook unless I have to do it for something like this. So I'm glad I got the opportunity but I'm also very glad it's over. Plus, I love going to the other girls' homes and enjoying their food.

Here is what I have learned from my past four years of hosting dinner group:

1. Use the opportunity to buy new serving pieces/kitchen stuff. I got new red plates for Christmas knowing I would use them for dinner group. I also bought these bowl at Taipan imports especially for the occasion:


2. You will be pinched for time. Cook first, clean later. If you run out of time, people won't care that your floor isn't mopped (I hope!) and they'll appreciate that you had decent food. Once again, I had to employ this method of floor cleaning:


3. Try to farm out your kids while you are getting ready to avoid becoming Bobby. Thanks so much Sarah for watching the rugs.

4. If the kids are around, put them to work:


Never mind, just get rid of them.

5. Set the table cute and hope it makes up for where your food is lacking. I copied the centerpieces from another blog.




6. Get outside help when you need it but be sure to hide the evidence.

7. Serve a lot of food so if something bombs, there are still some good items people remember.


8. Sit back and enjoy watching your friends enjoy the meal.


9. Hope that your friend Jaime brings her darling 5 week old baby girl. Get your "baby fix."


10. Put the husband to work taking pictures and doing dishes. After he deals with the aftermath, he won't want you to ever cook again.

I'll post my recipes and favorite food blog tomorrow.

My All-Time Favorite Salad

I love being asked to bring a salad to an event because I know this one will always be a hit. I'm posting it on my blog so I don't have to keep emailing the recipe to people.

Red leaf lettuce and spinach
8 oz pkg slivered or sliced almonds--glaze with 2/3 cup sugar (I'll explain below)
2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese cubed small
1 1b bacon cooked in microwave, shredded
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained

Dressing:
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp dried onion

I always prepare the almonds ahead of time. You just put the sugar in a pan on the stove and melt into a glaze. Dump the almonds in and toss around quickly. Pour them onto wax paper to cool. They burn quickly so you have to move fast.

I like to cook the bacon in the microwave on paper towels almost to the point of burning it because who wants to eat soggy bacon in a salad?

Enjoy!

*Special thanks to my cousin Liz for hosting us at a yummy BBQ with fireworks yesterday for the 24th of July. My kids were in Heaven. The "white-trash chicken" they grilled was divine. The marinade is one part soy sauce, one part vegetable oil to two parts Sprite. I will be making the chicken this week!

Recipe Extravaganza #2 Carrot Cake

To me, carrot cake seems to go with Easter, not Christmas. But I make mine year round. I consider this my own recipe because I altered another recipe I liked and made it my own. This recipe doesn't call for raisins, pineapple or any other ingredient that is an abomination to carrot cake. I don't mean to toot my own horn but this cake has a cult following. Enjoy.

Carrot Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp allspice

1 cup applesauce

1/2 cup vegetable oil

6 egg whites

3 cups peeled, grated carrots

1 cup finely chopped nuts (optional)

Mix dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Spread in 2 greased 8" round pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, or until toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean. Cool, then frost with Cream Cheese Frosting (see below).

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened

powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla.
a little milk

I put my cream cheese in the microwave for about 10 seconds to so to soften it.  Blend cream cheese and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar and milk until desired thickness.  Beat until smooth. I like to put chopped walnuts on the top.