Most Recent Read: Percy Jackson Series

Matt got me the entire Percy Jackson series for Christmas. I enjoyed reading them, especially because of the humor. I love how seamlessly Riordan mixes our day and age with stories from Greek Mythology. I also like how he uses obscure characters from Greek Mythology, like the gods Hestia, Nemesis and Janus. One of the quotes I like the most is by Poseidon, in my favorite book of the series, The Battle of the Labyrinth: "Percy, lesser beings do many horrible things in the name of the gods. That does not mean we gods approve. The way our sons and daughters act in our names...well, it usually says more about them than it does about us." This quote makes me think about the various names we take on. Our father's surname, our husband's surname, and according to our religion, we represent the Deity we worship.

Recipe of the Week: Elizabeth's Chicken Chili

Everything I've learned about cooking, I learned from my Mom. My Mother is an incredible cook, and this is one of her recipes. It is the best Chicken Chili Matt and I have ever tasted.

3 15oz Cans Great Northern White Beans

(or 2 Cans White beans and 1 Can Black Beans)

1 Small Onion

2 Cups Chicken broth or bouillon

1/2 tsp Chopped garlic minced

2 Tbsp Butter

1 Cup Sour cream

2 Cups Cooked chicken

1 Can Diced green chilies

1/2 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp Oregano

3/4 tsp Salt

Pinch of black pepper

Dash of Cayenne Red pepper

In a pot large enough to hold all the ingredients, saute onions and garlic in 2 Tbsp butter, then add all the ingredients except the sour cream. Simmer on just above medium heat for 10 minutes. Then add the sour cream and serve.

Christmas

Christmas this year was exceptionally fun (It is every year). We started on Christmas Eve going to my Grandparent's house in Ogden. We sang, talked and ate for hours. My Mom's side of the family is quite numerous. My Grandpa and Grandma had twelve children, and nine of them were at the party, with most of their children. I took a ton of pictures.

Later we went to my parent's home and watched Christmas movies and then fell asleep. But not before we had a Christmas devotional, we had one on Christmas Morning as well. On Christmas morning, we woke up to my Mom's amazing cinnamon rolls. Then we opened all our presents and stockings. It was so much fun giving everyone their gifts and seeing how excited they all were. And I'm just going to say it, it was fun getting presents. Before we left Mom sent us off with some Christmas ham because we wouldn't be there for dinner.

Matt and I then drove to Matt's family's house for Dinner. First we played Glee Karaoke. Hayley and Whitney were doing awesome. Matt did really well with his rendition of Kanye West's "Golddigger." I was proud. After Matt sang "Golddigger" almost everyone else wanted to try. Even Matt's Dad. He did a good job, but it was really funny seeing an accounting professor rapping, especially that song. Then we ate dinner. It was delicious, as always. At the end we ate "La galette des Rois" or The King's Cake, symbolizing when the wise men visited the baby Jesus. I found the Baby Jesus in my piece of cake so I got to wear a crown. Then we had a miniature Hanukkah celebration. Matt's Mom converted to the LDS Church when she was sixteen, but before that, she and her mom practiced Judaism. It was fun, we lit a Menorah and we got gifts that were tastefully Jewish. Whitney gave us our gifts from Austria, I got a Mozart music box. I love it. Then Matt and I went to our little home and exchanged our gifts to each other. After, Matt and Zach set up our Wii's so they could play Mario Kart together. Then Matt and I just played games, drank sparking cider, and relaxed.

Whoa

Just watched Inception for the first time. May be the best movie ever. Wow.

The Wonder of Christmas

"...They said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen." Luke 24:5-6

"And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid." Matthew 14: 26-27

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

"There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus the Christ." President Thomas S. Monson

RRRRGGGG!

http://www.spiralpocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/pirate-books.jpg

It was a time when gentlemen were gentlemen and the gentlemen who weren't gentlemen, were pirates.

A Night Out With Friends

From Left to Right, Shannon, Billy, Ashley, Bryan, Jason, Rachel, Megan, Cooper, Matt, and Jessica

Winter Wonderland

It's still snowing. I love it. Hopefully it will stay for Christmas!

Recipe of the Week: Annette's Orange Brownies

http://ntvare.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/recycle-citrus-peel-title-main_full.jpg

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

4 eggs

2 tsp pure orange extract

1 tsp grated orange zest

Glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tbs orange juice (you can just squeeze it out of the orange you use for the zest)

1 tsp grated orange zest

Preheat oven to 350° F

Grease a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan and set aside. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter, eggs, orange extract, and orange zest and beat with a handheld electric mixer until well blended. Pour batter into the greased pan and bake for 30 mins, or until light golden brown and set. Remove from oven and pierce top of entire cake with a fork.

Glaze: Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stirring until smooth. Pour glaze over cake. Cool cake and cut into squares. (It should make 24 squares).

Star Bits and Wikis

I have been craving gushers now for weeks thanks to their similarity to Star Bits on Super Mario Galaxy. I also recently found out there is a Super Mario Wiki. Apparently there is a Wiki for everything. There is a Wookieepedia, Camp Half-Blood Wiki, and a Wiki Wiki Web. Furthermore, you can find a list of Wikis on Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia.

Fun Christmas Stuff

The first picture is our first Christmas Tree. I added the star, lights, red berries and bow. The next picture is a gingerbread house I made years ago out of graham crackers, neccos, and green marshmallows. Sadly, this is the year it fell apart. But at least I got a picture first. The last picture is a family Christmas Card picture.

Matthew & Jessica's Anniversary Adventure

Matt and I stayed at Powder Ridge for a night. It was so much fun. We lit a fire in the fire place, ate Hershey's cookies and cream chocolate drops and watched Hidalgo Then we went skiing the next morning. Matt had never been to Powder Mountain skiing before, so it was fun to show him where I have been skiing for years. Literally years. Grandpa took some pictures of us. I love skiing, especially when I am going super fast down a hill.

Recipe of the Week: Family Spaghetti Pie

This recipe sounds weird, but it is actually delicious. It comes from Campbell's Kitchen and once again I have added some commentary.

1 pound ground beef (or chicken tenders)

1 cup Pace® Picante Sauce

1 cup Prego® Mushroom Italian Sauce

(Or any Prego® sauce you like)

3 cups hot cooked spaghetti

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Cook the beef in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until meat is well browned, stirring frequently to break up meat. Pour off any fat. Stir picante sauce and Italian sauce into the skillet and cook until hot and bubbling. (For the chicken, I usually grill it on the George Foreman grill and then cut it into chunks and add it to the sauce and let it simmer for a bit.)

Mix the spaghetti, Parmesan cheese, egg and butter in a medium bowl. Spread on the bottom and up the side of greased 10-inch pie plate. Spread ricotta cheese in the spaghetti shell. Top with the beef mixture.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbling. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Cut into wedges.

Oh Dear...

I am so wired. I think there was more than just a little bit of Mountain Dew in those Italian sodas. Curse you caffeine!

Recipe of the Week: Jessica's Chicken Chowder

This is recipe I came up with today while using what ever we had on hand in our apartment. It is the combination of a white chicken chili recipe (http://www.karenceliafox.com/ Eating/recipe_whitechili.htm) and a chicken chowder recipe.

2 large onions

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp garlic powder

2 cups milk

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups canned corn

2 cups canned carrots

(or what ever vegetable you want)

1/2 cup water

5 chicken tenders

(grilled and diced)

1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese

(finely shredded)

1 tsp Tabasco Sauce

Mince the onions and then put them in a pan with a little oil. Cook until all the onions are translucent. In a large pot, melt 1/2 cup of butter over low heat and whisk in the flour. Cook the roux, whisking constantly, for three minutes. Stir in the onions and gradually add the broth and milk, whisking the whole time. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally until it thickens. Stir in, Tabasco, sugar, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add water, vegetables, chicken and cheese and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

Fun Facts from a Mistletoe Box

http://daredevyl283.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/mistletoe.jpg

Mistletoe is not for human consumption (Just in case you got a mad craving for it)

Mistletoe has been the subject of many legends and traditions for hundreds of years. Ancient Druids considered mistletoe sacred because it grew without roots in the gound and assumed that it must have been planted by the gods. Mistletoe was thought to ban evil spirits and bring good luck and great blessings. When warriors met beneath mistletoe, they had to lay down their weapons and call a truce. From this, it became a sign of peace and good will. But why do we kiss people under the mistletoe?

It all started with a goddess called Frigga. Her son, Balder, was shot with an arrow made of mistletoe. Frigga's friends succeeded in conjuring up powers to save the boy. Balder lived anew and Frigga ordered that the mistletoe should never again be used to harm. Instead, she made it a symbol of love by kissing anyone who passed under it.

Reconnaissant

I'm grateful for my wonder life. I have an exceptional husband and an incredible family. Life is good.

It is Officially Winter

Winter finally came. And, it brought a cold, just for me. Now I have a pile of Ricola wrappers and tissues on my floor right next to the humidifier. This experience is making me grateful I do not have allergies.

Recipe of the Week: Fresh Rhubarb Pie

I just realized, I should have put up a Thanksgiving recipe. So in honor of the holiday I'm going to add another Recipe of the Week. This recipe is one of Matt's favorite and is from The Pushing Daisies secret recipes from the Pie Hole, with some commentary.

Fresh Rhubarb Pie

4 cups chopped rhubarb

1 1/3 cup white sugar

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon butter

(I like to use 2 cups rhubarb and 2 cups fresh strawberries instead of the 4 cups rhubarb)

Preheat oven to 450°

Combine sugar and flour. Sprinkle 1/4 of it over pastry in pie plate. Heap rhubarb (and strawberries) over this mixture. Sprinkle with remaining sugar and flour. Dot with small pieces of butter. Cover with top crust.

Place pie on lowest rack in oven. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°, and continue baking for 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm or cold. (I vote warm)

For the Crust:

(Only makes one crust, needs to be doubled for a covered pie)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening, chilled

3 tablespoons ice water

Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium size bowl. With a pastry blender, cut in the cold shortening (I like using unsalted butter, terrible for you, but it tastes amazing) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water over flour. Toss mixture with a fork to moisten, adding more water a few drops at a time until the dough comes together

Gently gather dough particles together into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling. (I never let it chill, I just make a pie with it and it usually turns out fine)

Roll out Dough, and put in a pie plate. (If making a covered pie, split in half then roll it out to make the top and bottom crusts)

Most Recent Read: Anahita's Woven Riddle

http://www.spongobongo.com/Oriental_Rugs/Persian_Rugs/images/Kashan_Rugs_Kashan_Carpet_from_RugMan.jpg

I just finished a book called "Anahita's Woven Riddle" by Meghan Nuttall Sayres. It was about an Iranian carpet weaver. I loved how it conveyed so much of the Iranian/Persian Nomadic culture. It reminded me of when my my mother and I visited Israel and Egypt. It was an incredible experience. When we were in Jerusalem, I remember hearing the the adhān being called in the morning , signaling the time for prayer. It is interesting to see all of the different people who visit Jerusalem. It is fascinating to me that Christians, Jews, and Muslims all consider it a holy place. I noticed, even though these individuals live in a desert where nearly everywhere you look is covered in brown sand, they find ways to add color. For example, the multiple shades of blue found inside and outside of mosques. The golden top to the Dome of the Rock. And the vibrant colors in the rugs they weave.

Recipe of the Week: Jessica's Cheesy Enchiladas

I created this recipe myself as I was trying to clean out my fridge. It turned out to be AMAZING. So, here it is:

Preheat the oven to 350°

1/2 Cup Salsa (La Victoria Cilantro)

1 Packet Taco Seasoning (McCormick)

Dash of Chili Pepper

1 Diced Tomato

1/8 Cup finely chopped Onion

3 Grilled Chicken Tenders, Diced

Spritz of Lime Juice

Add the appropriate amount of water for the taco seasoning to a sauce pan. Add all the other ingredients and simmer until it thickens.

3/4 Cup Ricotta Cheese

2 Cups Marble Cheddar

Dash 0f Parsley

Dash of Freshly Ground Pepper

Dash of Parmesan Cheese

In a separate bowl combine the cheeses, parsley and pepper. Mix throughly.

Put 1/4 cup of the taco and 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture into a tortilla. Roll it up and put it in about a 8 x 8 pan. Continue to add the mixtures to three more tortillas and roll them up and put them next to the first. Cover the tortillas with any remaining mixture or just add some marble cheddar to the top. Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese and sauce starts bubbling and the enchiladas are heated throughout.

Hot Chocolate

I am addicted to hot chocolate. I have been trying to figure out why. Is it because I am often cold, and hot chocolate warms me up? Is it because it reminds me of sitting on a heater vent at my parents home while watching through a window as big snowflakes float from the sky? Maybe it's like in "Charlie and The Chocolate Factory" when they are falling in the glass elevator through random candy explosions. Charlie says "Candy doesn't have to have a point. That's why it's candy."

Recipe of the Week: Backofenschlufer

This recipe comes from my German Great-Grandmother, Ruth. She was amazing.  Apparently it means "bake-oven slide" or something.  It is the recipe for puffy oven pancakes.

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

6 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 450°, melt 4 tsp margarine in a 9 x 13 pan and then coat the bottom of the pan with the melted margarine. Mix the rest of the ingredients together and then pour them into the pan. Bake for 17 minutes. Try not to open the oven when it is baking, or it could collapse. Usually it puffs up nicely, but sometimes it will stay flat. I'm still trying to figure out what makes the difference in puffyness, and I will let you know if I find out.

Recipe of the Week: Fall Pumpkin Soup

http://www.applepiepatispate.com/soups-and-stews/whole-pumpkin-baked-cream-cheese/

Recipe from finecooking.com, with some commentary.

I made this soup for Matt for his Birthday. I think we also had sparkling apple-cranberry juice, however even if we didn't it would go really well with the soup.

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, sliced

6 cups 1-inch-diced peeled, seeded sugar pumpkins

2 medium cloves garlic, sliced

1/2 cup dry white wine (or white grape juice)

8 medium fresh sage leaves (optional)

4 to 6 cups lower-salt chicken broth

2 1/4 cup packed grated Gruyere cheese

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 slices rustic bread (Artisan bread works well)

Gruyere cheese is expensive (it's swiss), but it is the best cheese I have every tasted. You need to try it at least once.

The Recipe says to boil the pumpkin, but I like to slice it up and bake it in the oven on a pan with about a 1/2 inch of water in the bottom until it is tender. (When it has cooled a little you can just scoop it off of the rind.)

Also, if you want, save the pumpkin seeds, bake them in the oven with a little salt and oil until they are golden brown and then use them to garnish the soup.

Melt the butter in a heavy-duty 4-to 5-quart pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin and garlic and cook, stirring 1 minute more. Add the wine (or grape juice) and the sage leaves (I don't add the sage) and cook, stirring, until the wine evaporates, about 5 minutes. Stir in 4 cups of broth, cover, and simmer, adjusting the heat as needed, until the pumpkin is very tender, about 25 minutes.

Add 1/4 cup of the Gruyere and using a handheld or standard blender, puree the soup (in batches if necessary). Season to taste with the salt and pepper.

Return to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly and adding more broth as necessary to achieve a thin soup with the consistency of heavy cream. (The soup can be prepared up to 3 days ahead. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat to serve)

Slice the bread so that each piece is about 1/2 inch thick. Position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high. Arrange the bread on a baking sheet. Toast under the broiler, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Sprinkle the bread with the remaining 2 cups cheese and then minced sage (once again, I don't add sage) and season with pepper. Broil until the cheese melts and is bubbly, about 2 minutes. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and serve with the bread.

Enjoy!

Canyon Walks

Winston

This is Winston our Beta Fish.

Washington

Rain

I love the sound of rain out of an open window. I've noticed overcast days have a way of making colors look more vibrant, more real. Especially in the Fall. Well early winter, it is November.

Crucibles

So I've been practicing typing as of lately. You can play "spacebar invaders" only so many times. So I thought I would write a note.

I titled this “Crucibles” because I have been thinking about crucibles lately. I use them at work to do loss on ignition tests. I think it is fascinating I can open the incinerator door when it is literally 800 degrees inside, and the side and bottom of the box will be glowing red hot, but the crucible inside remains untouched.

I remember in high school when we had to read "The Crucible” for English. I did not understand how symbolic this title was until I saw for myself what crucibles could withstand. Crucibles are supposed to remain unchanged even when subjected to extremely harsh conditions. Even though throughout the story it seems as if the characters do change, in the end we fundamentally see who the characters are. That is the crucible. We see what part of the individual remained after the intense fire and heat. Extremely difficult situations have a way of stripping back the layers of an individual’s personality until all that remains is what that person truly believes, what they are made of. What are you made of?

The trials we go though in this life are like incinerators. Each trial is not the same, and we all must pass though multiple fires. But it is important that we do pass though these difficult times. They show us who we fundamentally are. Anyone can steer a ship in a calm sea, but the true captain can battle the storm. Sometimes when you are going though an especially difficult time it is hard to see the reasons. But as we go though those fires we are cleansed and purified.

I have learned so much about myself in fires I have passed through. I know I will pass through many more, and while I do not look forward to difficult times, I am grateful for the opportunity they give me evaluate where I am. They help me see what need to do to get to where I want to be.

Jessica and Matthew's Wedding