cookie bake off

We mixed up some plain ol dough and went at it with whatever we could get our hands on to enhance the flavor...or something like that. Simply amazing. One thing Brett has tried to educate me about is the science of baking a big cookie. It must be soft and doughy on the inside. Umm well that didn't happen this go around. He got after me for not taking them out when he told me too. So he relished in the fact that he found one doughy center and than kept the rest of the unbaked dough to himself to put to good use for later.

And in case anyone is wondering; the pool closes at ten ;)

It's all about the food

didn't you know that's what sports are good for? Get with the times.

So with The Nuggets on vacay I have filled my time with other silly nonsense because nothing compares to my love for basketball. However in the moment I'm able to forget about it and have some fun! In between soccer, baseball, and football I've been able to forget for a moment that my precious Nuggets may not be able to get it together this season. So for now I enjoy the other stuff.  But what good would the other stuff be without the food.

Well like I mentioned we did the whole sports thing. We were looking forward to nachos and it never happened! Out Of Control!

So after one of our excursions out we hit the hot-tub and than we decided the best way to top off the evenings events would be to partake in nachos. Not ballpark equivalent but still legit.

staying up late - eating nachos - discussing mindless matters; only one way to sum it up. endless summer is still around HUA!

u bake nite

Best recipe ever for pizza dough! My dad played/coached softball in Barnwell and they always made this with dry ice root beer. Too bad we didn't think of root beer to chase our pizza with but heck it stood its ground. It was amazing! We had fresh garden tomatoes with fresh basil and spinach and well you get the idea. Delicious!

{u-bake pizza}

1 tbsp dry yeast

1tsp sugar

2 tbsp liquid oil (i used evoo)

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups flour

Dissolve Sugar and yeast in water. 

Stir in oil and salt.

Make well in flour and pour in liquid.

Knead until smooth; divide into two portions. 

Bake at 425

The future is now

So when you go to a Rapids game it's not just about the game but about the dippin dots. I had no idea...and really I could do without the whole concept of the ice cream of the future. {thought we already were in the future} But for Jimmy it's his fave thing to indulge on. I think they taste like styrofoam so I took a pass. But apparently it still sales. I guess I missed that whole craze.

it's on

The grill that is.

Eating is just a necessary thing in life; and if one is lucky it's not just viewed as a must but as an enjoyable memory in the days that whir past us. Well for us it's no secret we love getting together and we love putting the grill to good use. Here is Danny's marinated chicken. Doesn't it look well honestly who am I kidding it's raw! But the finished product is amazing! We've enjoyed it not just once but twice now - like I said it's just that good. 

working hard

or hardly working...such is the life during endless summer time. 

{i asked for a smile and this is what I got} 

not just any ordinary day

Reese and I had a play date - we played house, discussed Halloween costumes, colored, and best of all we ate puddin' pops! Not just any bland ol' flavor but Strawberry Lemon! Delicious!

psht Easters got nothing on my Chinese Easter

So while mum's away the menu becomes very predictable around here. Dad loves Chinese and he's good at making it. But for me I really have to be in the mood for the assortment of dishes he cooks up. Don't get me wrong; it's delicious. However if I'm off to the gym that night I don't really want to eat Chinese. I'd rather grab a water and some fruit.

The point of this post you may ask. Well here it is Wednesday and since Sunday guess what's been on the menu? What was that? Chinese? Why yes, you are correct.

Dad asked me tonight, "Are you getting sick of Chinese? Wait are you even eating it?"

Well you guys I had some for lunch on Monday, does that count? Anyways he decided to fire up the grill tonight and opted for burgers and hot dogs. Hmm...guess he figured I was sick of Chinese.

Guess I know what I'm eating for lunch tomorrw.

death by pine nut!

I made a discovery recently. Thought I'd share with you in case you are still out to lunch on this particular item of business.

Study of interest: pine nuts

End of the day deduction: The soi tastes fabulous in my green bean recipe, my homemade pesto, and even loved on my goat cheese and balsamic spinach salad. However I have some alarming news that has been brought to my attention.

pine nuts were given their name for the precise reason deduction exists. They taste like a pine tree. Do nuts come from trees? Don't answer that. All I know I have fooled myself into thinking that pine-nuts are delicious because I cook with them often and they taste good as a tertiary compliment.

The point: Just because something looks good from far away {or in a culinary dish where in theatre terms for lack of a better phrase "has no lines."} I know I'm wordy-it's also after 3am and after the night medicine. Anyways what was I saying oh yes, sometimes things are good because they bring the best out in others - but they don't always know how to bring the best out in themselves. SO after eating said nuts tonight I am saddened that it took me so long to make this simple discovery.

note to readers I didn't confirm my allegations, I'm assuming they taste of pine trees because they are pine nuts and pine trees are their given source. What do I know? I know you know enough to figure it out on your own! Best of luck!

Celebratory Cookies!

I like this whole sleeping thing. Two nights in a row of 12 hours of sleep! It's blissful and I'm in love! It's Monday which means it's a baking kind of day! I am going to bake up some cookies that are full of love! {and chocolate and mint chips} I think I deserve of yumminess for being such a good sleeper! Love to you all on this chilly Monday!

Ooh an award! I love awards...they are loverly. A huge thank you to one cool lady over at My Own Brand of Crazy! She deserves some cupcakes!

Here's the deal, the rules state that

1) Thank and link to the person that gave you the award.

2) Pass the award on to 15 Bloggers who you've RECENTLY discovered and whom you think are fantastic.

3) Contact said Blogs to let them know they've won

4) State 7 things about yourself.
 

I gift this to:

DunnThat
Finding Forget Me Nots
MyFaveTeam
HenlineGoodness
Kelly Belly
Jess&Brandon
TawnaKins
Some Mayhem
LittleMissPaige
HappilyEverAfter
Found Love in Colorado
Bitemarks
LoveStory
BallFactory
DardenneDudes

7 things about me

I love the sun! And you can still get tan even when you wear sunblock. Whoever taught me it didn't - you deserve to burn!

I don't like to drive. Because of my ankle problems it would hurt to drive for more than 15 minutes. Hopefully that will change here soon.

I LOVE watching movies in 3-D. It's always worth the extra dough. PROMISE!

I hang out with mum every day! She is my best friend.

I LOVE basketball!

I love to bake, however most the time it always has something in it that the one boy I would gift it to wouldn't eat. So he just goes without. More for me!

I am going to Roswell, New Mexico in a few months. Any thoughts on this?

Enjoy your Monday! I'm off to the dr...for fun!

it's been one of those days...

This should do the trick!

What follows a Manic Monday?

Why that would be a Terrific Tuesday, Alex!
Ha ha who am I kidding? Today was disastrous - but only for a moment
because I decided what better to do with a day you know is already
going to be long...find something to eat up all the time with! So I
cook, and perhaps I am guilty of taking some frustration out on
spaghetti sauce but no matter because after walking away for a moments
time I came back refreshed.
So I am reading a book that I pretty much swore to myself I would
never pick up...it is irksome, it has some way too detailed play by
play moments and is all too creepy. But I just can't walk away from
it! Ahh what am I to do?
I discovered that I wish it were summer - wanna know how I came to
that realization? Because I am pasty white and pretty much glow in the
dark because I am such. UGH! Summer you can't come soon enough.
Now I've gotta go catch up on the Bachelor because I'm a lil behind
and I have my fingers crossed that Michelle had a freak out of some
sort and gets sent packin! One can only hope! I think it is safe to
bank on that though!

China town?!?

Okay so it wasn't really in 'china town' but it was in a way. If Colorado had a China town I would mark this area to be just that. {duh I know I contradict myself} anyways China town was amazing. We went to the Chinese grocery store which is an experience everyone should have at least once. We went to the Chinese furniture store and we even made an appearance at Dim Sum! YUMMY! Anyways I am back from my lil out of Colorado but in Colorado experience. It lasted just a few hours and I loved every minute of it. In the furniture store there was bamboo and Buddhas everywhere and oh the tea pots~I wanted to buy every single one of them!! So beautiful!! The dish ware is so beautiful and well I could go on and on but really I just wanted to say I took a mini 4 hour vacation and it was amazing! Love you all!

Srsly delicious

I love Fall!

I love the leaves that begin to fall and the changing colors and the smell. There's a smell to Autumn, everything about it I love.

I love to especially bake this time of year. Something about the sweet smell in the kitchen is that much sweeter this time of year.

Last year I shared my pumpkin pancake recipe with you, this year though I thought I'd share my Apple pumpkin spice muffins with you! They are to die for, can't wait to bake them fall!

I got this recipe in college from my stake presidents wife! Enjoy!

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Granny Smith apple, grated...peel and all!

Topping:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine pumpkin, butter, and eggs in another bowl and add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Fold in grated apple and spoon into greased muffin pans, filling two-thirds full.

Now for the topping!
Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; sprinkle over each muffin.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from pans immediately, and cool on wire racks.

I found a remedy!!

Are you feeling as if your baking skills are not where they could or should be?

Do you find yourself bored with your measuring utensils?

Are you falling asleep while there's a cake in need of immediate attention because it's about to 'fall'?

Then these measuring cups are just the thing! They will spice up any kitchen and help create some fun while you bake it up!!

No but seriously I love these-no joke. They are really cute and I think they would be a fun addition to any girls kitchen! I like them more than my long obsession with the collapsible cups!

What's your joy?

Owl flew past a day or two ago and noticed me.He didn't actually
say anything, mind you, but he knew it was me.
Very friendly of him,I thought. Encouraging. EEYORE

As a young girl I really loved Eeyore. He brought me joy which sounds odd but in a round about way I always seemed to learn something valuable from him. He wasn't known for talking a lot but when he did it was thought provoking. But there was something I thought of tonight that He said once upon a time "weeds are flowers too...once you get to know them." That's the attitude I need to have. To be an optimist one must have faith and for me I also need patience and through faith patience will come.

This whole surgery recovery is a learning experience and I find I cry a lot and get frustrated easily and feel lonely or get impatient...I can and so I unfortunately choose to do so. We all knew it would come with this whole isolated bed rest thing but I guess I didn't think of it as being this hard. I feel so lonely each and every passing day...sometimes it's a fleeting thought and leaves as fast as it came and other days it can be longer lasting. But I have a lot to be grateful for.

So tonight it's about the JOY!

I went on an outing today with mum. Nothing extravagant but long overdue. It made me happy to see the sun from somewhere rather than just my window today.

I got to chat with my lil niece Bai today...she was happy just to be happy. It made me smile, her simple words from such a young mind were refreshing.

I'm glad I get to actually get out of bed. Even if it is just to go to the bathroom. I can and for that I'm happy. Also that I won't always have these crutches makes me smile.

I'll walk again after all of this is over...I still have my foot who cares about the scars. I don't know what I would do if I ever lost my ability to walk permanently. I don't want to take it for granted anymore...but it's hard not to do so.

My mom takes care of me every day you guys. She doesn't have to but she does. She loves me and that makes me happy and I love her. I want to serve her the way she serves me someday.

I saw a picture of my Grandpa today-I smiled. I'm glad I have the family I do with the history that comes with it...I have so much to take from my ancestors.

I have hair...seems silly but there are those who don't have hair for various reasons. I'll take mine any day even if it is red and frizzy. I love it!!

I have the gospel in my life. I have truth in my life and my life it has a purpose and I want to live...even if I do have moments of despair.

Tonight I read some stories...it is about light; our own individual light. That it is enhanced through doing specific things. I love that I read it. It was a good decision. You should check it out.

P.S. Gina I so want to make P.B. cookies now...I hate P.B. but you sure do make them sound delicious enough to not only bake but eat. Do you have a good recipe?? What am I saying-of course you do. Care to share? Or anyone out there for that matter??

Summer lovin'

So anyone else share the same love for ice cream that I do?! Ice cream has always held a special place in my heart! It is always my friend and it always seems to make things so much better. It's delicious and always provides temporary relief to those not so great days. Here's to ice cream! And to the end of my summer peeps. I'm nearing my one week countdown and then I'll becoming even better friends with my bed for several weeks to follow. Loves*

It doesn't take a genius for peeps to know I love Red Robin. No matter what RR is always there for me in the best and worst of times. I know I can always count on them when it matters most!

Anyways long story short I went the other day with Rach. I got the usual...turkey burger-hold the mayo with a side of mustard and cut in half and of course a side salad! yumm!

We're sittin there and Rachel said the most hysterical thing ever!


Rach "So what are you eating?"

Steph "Their turkey burger."

Rach "Oh is that like their vegitarian burger?"

Steph "No, it's just turkey."

Rach "oh ha ha ha oops" Duh

I love you Rachel hands down it was too funny!

Catch a ride wit me!

Alright so I'm thinkin I'm crazy these days peeps. It's nothin new and nor does it surprise me. I just thought I'd put it out there that I feel like I'm livin a crazy dance.

No but really I have been doin things that are not my norm - okay correction perhaps my norm but now I'm just realizing it.

Like for example I've been goin to the library and checkin out books that I have read so many times I've lost count and yet I still keep bringin them home. I read them all together at one time. There's no point in readin one and then pickin the other up-what's the point of checkin them all out. You know what I'm sayin? So anyways long story short it was my weekly trip to the library yesterday and I brought home 10 books 2 of which I have finished and 4 of which I'm readin right now. Why do I do this? I don't know what I even get out of it. Just new found knowledge of some of my fave peeps or moments in history. (I check out biographies and world history fyi) Which then secures all those lil random factoids in my head yet again and serves no real purpose except to make me remember that I already knew most of this. See I'm crazy!

Speakin of books I found one that was gives you easy ways of goin green. It helps you examine your life and weed out things that can be unhealthy for the environment. For some odd reason I felt the need to check it out. Peeps let me tell you I can't go any more green than I already am unless I want to live without my car. Technically it just said get rid of one of your cars and seein as I only have just one I think I'll keep her around.

Okay so maybe I'm not crazy but either way I'm over it now. The weather is amazing out this week! I LOVE it!
OH and here's a recap of Jeane's birthday throw down at Papadeux. Now it's a tasty place to eat and always has great entertainment if you go on the right day. But it's crawfish season and seein as she is a classy southern belle we went for the crawfish! Okay so not too interested in the lil buggers honestly. Last year I did want to go but I couldn't bring myself to. Secretly it just didn't sit well with me. But this year is different I got some gall and went. I'm sure classier peeps wouldn't describe the event in such way as I'm about to. They come to you on a huge platter (you can 1-2 lbs at a time) I was wamin up I had my bib on and I felt prepared and a lil excited. Then there it was - all those lil mud bugs starin at me and I wanted to cry. (p.s. I did for sec) How embarrassing eh? Why am I even tellin you all this.

Movin on...the night was fun it ended up bein not as bad by the end of it all but I think it'll take a good amount of returns to conquer my fear of those crawfishies.