Friday, October 21, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
new icing!
i made these cookies this weekend.
pumpkin cookies with brown butter icing.
they taste just like pumpkin cookies should. moist, tender, light with the perfect amount of pumpkin.
too often pumpkin baked goods (cookies, muffins, bread, even pie!) are thick, chewy, dense and stick to the roof of your mouth.
and i love that you have to pipe the dough on the cookie sheets since it is like a mousse.
however, without this particular icing, these cookies would be just another cookie. they work together beautifully, but the icing steals the show. mercy.
the browning of the butter brings a caramely flavor to the forefront and the evaporated milk kicks the richness up a notch. i love that it isn't a cream cheese base since i am not a fan! i believe i will be using this icing for my cinnamon rolls from now on. a true winner!
make it soon!
brown butter icing
4 C powdered sugar
10 T unsalted butter
1/4 C, plus 1 T evaporated milk
2 t vanilla extract
Put confectioners' sugar in a large bowl; set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add butter to confectioners' sugar, scraping any browned bits from sides and bottom of pan. Add evaporated milk and vanilla; stir until smooth.
pure magic. i kid you not. this will woo all your friends!
pumpkin cookies with brown butter icing.they taste just like pumpkin cookies should. moist, tender, light with the perfect amount of pumpkin.
too often pumpkin baked goods (cookies, muffins, bread, even pie!) are thick, chewy, dense and stick to the roof of your mouth.
and i love that you have to pipe the dough on the cookie sheets since it is like a mousse.
however, without this particular icing, these cookies would be just another cookie. they work together beautifully, but the icing steals the show. mercy.
the browning of the butter brings a caramely flavor to the forefront and the evaporated milk kicks the richness up a notch. i love that it isn't a cream cheese base since i am not a fan! i believe i will be using this icing for my cinnamon rolls from now on. a true winner!
make it soon!
brown butter icing
4 C powdered sugar
10 T unsalted butter
1/4 C, plus 1 T evaporated milk
2 t vanilla extract
Put confectioners' sugar in a large bowl; set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add butter to confectioners' sugar, scraping any browned bits from sides and bottom of pan. Add evaporated milk and vanilla; stir until smooth.
pure magic. i kid you not. this will woo all your friends!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
machines for everything
today i tried a new restaurant for lunch.
sushi freak.
the concept is genius.
it's a build your own sushi bar.
you can order one of their pre-made rolls: california, philadelphia, spicy tuna, etc... or you can pick and choose your own. you pick a wrap, seaweed or soy, pick your meat fillings (everything from krab to salmon to tofu to tempura, it's all there), pick 2 veggies and add any toppings or sauce you'd like.
it's like subway for sushi. you watch them make it in front of you and you're out the door in less than 5 minutes. very tasty, too.
it might be helpful to share with you that i love sushi. love, love it. i don't go for the wild kinds, but stick with fish i recognize, like tuna. most of the time i don't even have real fish and get a california roll. but, man, that california roll hits the spot.
a few years ago i developed the crazy notion that i wanted to learn how to make sushi, so i got a copy of sushi for dummies (highly recommend it) and made my own! i would love to make it regularly, but if you're not in the habit, it sure is a lot of work.
not for the kids at sushi freak!! they have these awesome machines. i couldn't believe my eyes. my favorite was a machine that put rice on the paper! that was the hardest part for me. you lay the mat down, cover it in plastic wrap, slap some rice evenly on seaweed paper then quickly flip it rice side down on the plastic wrapped mat, fill, roll up the mat, take off the mat, the gently remove the plastic wrap and hope your rice stays put. whew. check out this beauty.
sushi freak.
the concept is genius.
it's a build your own sushi bar.
you can order one of their pre-made rolls: california, philadelphia, spicy tuna, etc... or you can pick and choose your own. you pick a wrap, seaweed or soy, pick your meat fillings (everything from krab to salmon to tofu to tempura, it's all there), pick 2 veggies and add any toppings or sauce you'd like.
it's like subway for sushi. you watch them make it in front of you and you're out the door in less than 5 minutes. very tasty, too.
it might be helpful to share with you that i love sushi. love, love it. i don't go for the wild kinds, but stick with fish i recognize, like tuna. most of the time i don't even have real fish and get a california roll. but, man, that california roll hits the spot.
a few years ago i developed the crazy notion that i wanted to learn how to make sushi, so i got a copy of sushi for dummies (highly recommend it) and made my own! i would love to make it regularly, but if you're not in the habit, it sure is a lot of work.
not for the kids at sushi freak!! they have these awesome machines. i couldn't believe my eyes. my favorite was a machine that put rice on the paper! that was the hardest part for me. you lay the mat down, cover it in plastic wrap, slap some rice evenly on seaweed paper then quickly flip it rice side down on the plastic wrapped mat, fill, roll up the mat, take off the mat, the gently remove the plastic wrap and hope your rice stays put. whew. check out this beauty.
the sushi man put the paper on the belt, pushed a button, the paper went in and quickly came back out perfectly covered in beautiful rice. my eyes were like saucers.
i must mention the rest of my roll was completely made my hand, lest you think i was at a short circuit sushi bar. but, how exciting! i want one. the website says it has a hopper capacity of 7.5 kgs of cooked rice. i have no idea how much that is, but i want a hopper!
i think i would start the tradition of sushi sunday at my house.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
outliers
i love this book.
absolutely love it.
everything i've read by malcolm gladwell i've loved.
outliers takes a much harder and wider look at success; how people who we think are lucky or wildly successful had many factors go into their achievement. factors that could have happened to you or i.
to me, it is a wildly motivating book that teaches you to look at the whole picture.
his research is fascinating and thorough. i couldn't tear myself away from the book.
here is malcom's take on the book.
read it today!
absolutely love it.
everything i've read by malcolm gladwell i've loved.
outliers takes a much harder and wider look at success; how people who we think are lucky or wildly successful had many factors go into their achievement. factors that could have happened to you or i. to me, it is a wildly motivating book that teaches you to look at the whole picture.
his research is fascinating and thorough. i couldn't tear myself away from the book.
here is malcom's take on the book.
read it today!
Monday, October 10, 2011
a new fave
there has been a restaurant in sd i've always wanted to try.
charming does not begin to describe the atmosphere.
it is located in old town, on the same plot of land as the historic, haunted whaley house.
quaint old street lamps, brick laid pathways, creaky wooden floorboards - i eat it up.
charming does not begin to describe the atmosphere.
it is located in old town, on the same plot of land as the historic, haunted whaley house.
quaint old street lamps, brick laid pathways, creaky wooden floorboards - i eat it up.
plus, i haven't found a good cajun restaurant since santa barbara and i was itching for some creole dinning.
we're currently seizing the day and crossing items off our bucket list, so we gave it a try.
oh mama. it was so delicious! one of those meals where you wonder how it could be this good. you eat slowly because you know each bite brings you closer to an empty plate and you don't want to think about the horror.
the two owners run the place. literally. one cooks and the other serves. -side note: the cook had a straw fedora on and a tommy bahama shirt. i kid you not. - it is a very small restaurant and the service is slow (hey, there's only one guy), but why would you want to leave? historic pictures and plaques adorn the walls and the smell is delicious! the price is a bit of a deterrent, so we won't be going weekly, but it was amazing food and i'm so glad we had the experience!
media fast
the week before conference, our ward was challenged to participate in a media fast.
give up all non-essential media.
tv.
internet.
email.
music.
you get the picture.
after the media fast was over i still kind of forgot about most media.
but, i'm back.
give up all non-essential media.
tv.
internet.
email.
music.
you get the picture.
after the media fast was over i still kind of forgot about most media.
but, i'm back.
Friday, September 23, 2011
lost in translation
last week we found ourselves unexpectedly in canada.
the occasion was sad, but good to see family and friends. aaron always loves going home so much.
i know there is much ribbing that goes on in america of all things canadian. being married to a canadian, we have a rib sensitive household and sometimes even i want to scream, enough with the canadian jokes!
it's like being left handed. believe me, i've heard them all. your joke will not be unique or funny, thanks. it grows tiresome.
aaron has a large family, so we customarily see many faces when we visit, but this time we saw a lot of very extended family. many he had never even met. i share this tidbit to demonstrate that my circle of canadians was widely expanded last week.
and i was surprised at how much they bagged on the american accent! for the most part, they love america, but they sure think they know the best way to say things. most of the people didn't know i was american and i only overheard conversations, so in no way were they being disrespectful. i found myself giggling at most of it.
here is a few gems:
pasta vs. paasta (long a)
mazda vs. maazda (long a)
a comment about how we say milk. couldn't figure that one out.
in-sur-ence vs. IN-surence ( i was corrected on this one).
various other ditties were noted.
all the encounters were made up of, 'can you believe they say it that way? sheesh.' i was so amused.
speaking of oddities, they call their bar donuts, long johns. i believe i've discussed that on this blog before. aaron tried to convince me everyone called them that, but i stopped him in his tracks. a snapshot from a 7-11 proved my point. you would not see this in america. no way.
the occasion was sad, but good to see family and friends. aaron always loves going home so much.
i know there is much ribbing that goes on in america of all things canadian. being married to a canadian, we have a rib sensitive household and sometimes even i want to scream, enough with the canadian jokes!
it's like being left handed. believe me, i've heard them all. your joke will not be unique or funny, thanks. it grows tiresome.
aaron has a large family, so we customarily see many faces when we visit, but this time we saw a lot of very extended family. many he had never even met. i share this tidbit to demonstrate that my circle of canadians was widely expanded last week.
and i was surprised at how much they bagged on the american accent! for the most part, they love america, but they sure think they know the best way to say things. most of the people didn't know i was american and i only overheard conversations, so in no way were they being disrespectful. i found myself giggling at most of it.
here is a few gems:
pasta vs. paasta (long a)
mazda vs. maazda (long a)
a comment about how we say milk. couldn't figure that one out.
in-sur-ence vs. IN-surence ( i was corrected on this one).
various other ditties were noted.
all the encounters were made up of, 'can you believe they say it that way? sheesh.' i was so amused.
speaking of oddities, they call their bar donuts, long johns. i believe i've discussed that on this blog before. aaron tried to convince me everyone called them that, but i stopped him in his tracks. a snapshot from a 7-11 proved my point. you would not see this in america. no way.
i also saw ketchup flavored chips and pickle doritos.
oh boy.
we're not in kansas anymore, toto.
it's good to be back!
cookie funny
as a self proclaimed cookie monster, i couldn't help but laugh when i saw this.
look at the panic in his googly eyes.
i've felt that before.
hope you have a good friday.
look at the panic in his googly eyes.
i've felt that before.
hope you have a good friday.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
just shocking
i'm sharing another recipe with you.
it's shockingly delicious.
a pancake recipe.
pancakes are my favorite.
i like them in the morning.
at night.
when it's raining.
when i don't have many groceries.
when i don't have much time to cook.
when i have a day off.
when i don't have a meeting before church.
when i don't want dinner food for dinner.
when i'm awake.
when i'm asleep.
i want pancakes most of the time.
i'm always on the hunt for a new recipe.
i also have a bone to pick with pancake recipe creators. stop with the crazy ingredients and even nuttier mixing methods. i bought malt powder for one recipe and it was disappointing. now i have malt powder in the cupboard and i don't like malt. does anyone need malt powder? also, some of the instructions in recipes are ridiculous. how careful you have to be with the egg whites and how to whisk them just so. i'm not making a souffle here, people!
which brings me to my latest find. ingredients you have on hand and the instructions say 'wisk until smooth'. i love it!
i made them on monday morning and they are amazing! soft and a bit spongy. i can't wait to make them again!
1.5 C flour
3.5 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 T white sugar
1 1/4 C milk
1 egg
3 T butter, melted
mix dry ingredients in a bowl. mix wet ingredients in a bowl. mix dry and wet, whisk until smooth. pour on a medium hot, buttered griddle. gobble up.
couldn't get any easier!!
if you're feeling guilty about feeding this to your family, slap a little peanut butter on it before the syrup and you've got protein. serve with a side of eggs and it's double trouble!
enjoy!
it's shockingly delicious.
a pancake recipe.
pancakes are my favorite.
i like them in the morning.
at night.
when it's raining.
when i don't have many groceries.
when i don't have much time to cook.
when i have a day off.
when i don't have a meeting before church.
when i don't want dinner food for dinner.
when i'm awake.
when i'm asleep.
i want pancakes most of the time.
i'm always on the hunt for a new recipe.
i also have a bone to pick with pancake recipe creators. stop with the crazy ingredients and even nuttier mixing methods. i bought malt powder for one recipe and it was disappointing. now i have malt powder in the cupboard and i don't like malt. does anyone need malt powder? also, some of the instructions in recipes are ridiculous. how careful you have to be with the egg whites and how to whisk them just so. i'm not making a souffle here, people!
which brings me to my latest find. ingredients you have on hand and the instructions say 'wisk until smooth'. i love it!
i made them on monday morning and they are amazing! soft and a bit spongy. i can't wait to make them again!
1.5 C flour
3.5 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 T white sugar
1 1/4 C milk
1 egg
3 T butter, melted
mix dry ingredients in a bowl. mix wet ingredients in a bowl. mix dry and wet, whisk until smooth. pour on a medium hot, buttered griddle. gobble up.
couldn't get any easier!!
if you're feeling guilty about feeding this to your family, slap a little peanut butter on it before the syrup and you've got protein. serve with a side of eggs and it's double trouble!
enjoy!
sunday adventure
we were enjoying dinner at a friend's house on sunday evening when we saw a cute little dog standing on their back porch, peering in through the window. when we approached him he jumped over the wall and ran down the hill, deeper into their backyard. with their fenced backyard, there was no way for the dog to get out, but to head back up. unsure if he could do that, a few of us went outside to try and help.
he was not to be helped.
we left him alone, figuring he could run back up the hill. the sun set and we saw him on the porch again, but apparently he was so disoriented that he couldn't figure out how to get to the front yard and ran down the hill yet again.
enter night time, about 1opm, and we hear constant barking.
the little guy wanted out.
various attempts to catch him included flashlights, cat food, scare tactics and turkey. finally he came over to me and i grabbed him and took him to the house.
once inside, i fed him the rest of the turkey and we were friends for life.
he was unbelievably dirty and covered in thorns from the trees, so a bath was desperately needed.
emails to neighbors went out and a posting on craigslist went up.
isn't he just a doll?
he was not to be helped.
we left him alone, figuring he could run back up the hill. the sun set and we saw him on the porch again, but apparently he was so disoriented that he couldn't figure out how to get to the front yard and ran down the hill yet again.
enter night time, about 1opm, and we hear constant barking.
the little guy wanted out.
various attempts to catch him included flashlights, cat food, scare tactics and turkey. finally he came over to me and i grabbed him and took him to the house.
once inside, i fed him the rest of the turkey and we were friends for life.
he was unbelievably dirty and covered in thorns from the trees, so a bath was desperately needed.
emails to neighbors went out and a posting on craigslist went up.
isn't he just a doll?
bath time in the kitchen sink.
you never really know how an animal will react to a bath and we weren't sure if he was going to bite or scratch. he couldn't have been nicer. once we started scrubbing him he leaned over and kept licking my arm. what a sweetie!
we took him in the bathroom to shake his water off then towel dried him and tried to pick out more thorns. he let me hold him in all these funky positions. what a good dog!
aaron was in love and wanted to take him home, but i had a feeling he'd be returned to his owners the next day. sure enough, while on a walk, he got loose and bounded into a nearby yard and was home!
the neighbors said his name is sammy. adorable! i'm hoping to go visit him next time we're in the area.
Monday, September 5, 2011
L or R, either one
recently we went to the chinese buffet by our house.
a delicious hidden gem.
however, we got quite a laugh from a small misspelling...
flogleg, anyone?
although we didn't try any, we're pretty sure it should read, 'frog leg'.
good times.
a delicious hidden gem.
however, we got quite a laugh from a small misspelling...
flogleg, anyone?although we didn't try any, we're pretty sure it should read, 'frog leg'.
good times.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
day 2
i made it through one whole day of only fruits and veggies.
heavens, this is hard.
this experiment is giving me new insight into the mind v. body struggle. i am craving my normal foods. last night i couldn't get a bowl of golden grahams off the brain. i think i have a tiny glimpse into how a food addict feels. i wasn't hungry, my body did not need it, yet i couldn't stop thinking about it. i wanted to feel that satisfaction.
this morning i was hungry when i woke up and i can't say i'm the most cheerful person right now. however, they say the first 3 days are the hardest. i can do this.
tonight i'm making a sweet potato and bok choy soup, so maybe that will fill me up. it would be divine with a hunk of bread!!
anyway, i'm still here and breathing.
heavens, this is hard.
this experiment is giving me new insight into the mind v. body struggle. i am craving my normal foods. last night i couldn't get a bowl of golden grahams off the brain. i think i have a tiny glimpse into how a food addict feels. i wasn't hungry, my body did not need it, yet i couldn't stop thinking about it. i wanted to feel that satisfaction.
this morning i was hungry when i woke up and i can't say i'm the most cheerful person right now. however, they say the first 3 days are the hardest. i can do this.
tonight i'm making a sweet potato and bok choy soup, so maybe that will fill me up. it would be divine with a hunk of bread!!
anyway, i'm still here and breathing.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
fruit & veggie nutritional regime
i could have just said 'diet', but i really hate that word.
no, i don't hate the word, i hate the negative connotation attached to it.
but, enough about my oddities.
have you seen the movie fat, sick and nearly dead? i might have mentioned it on here after i saw it. see it. enjoy it. be amazed at it.
a man, joe cross, decides he's had enough of his unhealthy lifestyle, enough of his lifestyle induced maladies (high blood pressure, overweight, an auto-immune disease) and wants to change. in a nutshell, he goes on a 90 day (doctor monitored) juice fast where he only drinks fresh juice. after the 90 days, he works back in solid foods and pledges to stay on a micro-nutrient diet.
the results are shocking. within 6 months, his disease is gone, no more medication, he's lost about 100 pounds and has a completely different lifestyle.
he travels america while on his journey and changes the lives of 2 other people along the way.
the documentary is amazing, won awards at film festivals and has generated an underground following, with people trying the juicing lifestyle for themselves.
aaron and i are now some of those people.
the reboot (that's the program name) website has many different programs and recommends one based on your needs. aaron and i are doing a 15 day juice and fruit/veggie plan where we can eat raw or cooked fruits and veggies, in addition to our juice. the website nicely lays out a sample plan, recipes with nutritional values and guidelines to follow.
today is our first day. here is what we bought last night to get us through 4 days.
that counter is about 2 layers deep in produce.
this is going to be a challenge. i predict mornings will be hardest for me because i always have a solid breakfast. getting used to the juice will be interesting. our mix today consists of apples, pears, blueberries, carrots, chard, and celery. getting out of the habit of eating my normal comfort foods will be difficult. however, that is exactly the point of this process. not to starve yourself or lose a bunch weight, rather to reboot or jump start your body to pack it with micro-nutrients and re-train your body to crave more fruits and veggies.
i can do this, right? we can do this. i'm very interested to see the results and how long i can hold on!
no, i don't hate the word, i hate the negative connotation attached to it.
but, enough about my oddities.
have you seen the movie fat, sick and nearly dead? i might have mentioned it on here after i saw it. see it. enjoy it. be amazed at it.
a man, joe cross, decides he's had enough of his unhealthy lifestyle, enough of his lifestyle induced maladies (high blood pressure, overweight, an auto-immune disease) and wants to change. in a nutshell, he goes on a 90 day (doctor monitored) juice fast where he only drinks fresh juice. after the 90 days, he works back in solid foods and pledges to stay on a micro-nutrient diet.
the results are shocking. within 6 months, his disease is gone, no more medication, he's lost about 100 pounds and has a completely different lifestyle.
he travels america while on his journey and changes the lives of 2 other people along the way.
the documentary is amazing, won awards at film festivals and has generated an underground following, with people trying the juicing lifestyle for themselves.
aaron and i are now some of those people.
the reboot (that's the program name) website has many different programs and recommends one based on your needs. aaron and i are doing a 15 day juice and fruit/veggie plan where we can eat raw or cooked fruits and veggies, in addition to our juice. the website nicely lays out a sample plan, recipes with nutritional values and guidelines to follow.
today is our first day. here is what we bought last night to get us through 4 days.
that counter is about 2 layers deep in produce.
this is going to be a challenge. i predict mornings will be hardest for me because i always have a solid breakfast. getting used to the juice will be interesting. our mix today consists of apples, pears, blueberries, carrots, chard, and celery. getting out of the habit of eating my normal comfort foods will be difficult. however, that is exactly the point of this process. not to starve yourself or lose a bunch weight, rather to reboot or jump start your body to pack it with micro-nutrients and re-train your body to crave more fruits and veggies.
i can do this, right? we can do this. i'm very interested to see the results and how long i can hold on!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
the vineyard
i found this really cool website while reading the ensign this morning. it's called the vineyard and it is an online database of ways to serve in the church.
you log on with your lds account and it has a multitude of opportunities ranging from language translation of church materials, tagging media clips, assisting with genealogy programs to comparing text in church materials to see if it matches.
what a great idea to put service online so members can do little bits and save the church a lot of time and money! next time i'm at home and watching tv, i'll log on. perfect for a sunday afternoon, too.
just thought i would share!
you log on with your lds account and it has a multitude of opportunities ranging from language translation of church materials, tagging media clips, assisting with genealogy programs to comparing text in church materials to see if it matches.
what a great idea to put service online so members can do little bits and save the church a lot of time and money! next time i'm at home and watching tv, i'll log on. perfect for a sunday afternoon, too.
just thought i would share!
Monday, August 29, 2011
dippin pretzels
yesterday morning i dipped pretzels in vanilla flavored almond bark and was instantly transported back to childhood.
i vividly remember standing in our kitchen in folsom, taking a hot bowl out of the microwave, quickly stirring, throwing in a bunch of pretzels, stir again, taking them out one by one with a fork and laying them on wax paper to dry. it was night. the light over the stove was on.
not yesterday.
in my memory.
yesterday it was 7am and i was already breaking a sweat from this heat wave we're having.
aaron was skeptical about the vanilla flavoring. i was not to be swayed. he pointed at the chocolate flavoring. i made a disgusted face. having never tried them before, of course he was unsure. now, he's a friend for life.
isn't it amazing how scents and tastes can deliver powerful memories? i haven't had these pretzels in years. over a decade. but, each bite gives a happy memory.
side note: i know it seems like all i did this weekend was bake, eat and make food. i did a few other things, too, so don't judge. normally i'm not like this. or i forget to take pictures of it, so you don't know about it.
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