random saturday five

1. I made these cupcakes.... these are some of the ones I had left over for the kids.
These candy cane heart suckers are so easy & cute- I found them here- one of my very favorite blogs ever. I was so disappointed that I had forgotten to use the candy canes until I saw this post! Hooray!!! I made a couple dozen for valentine gifts & cannot wait to give them away- that is if they make it- they are really yummy. You really have to check out Pleasant Home it's amazing!

2. I made guacamole! I am posting the recipe here tonight... I hope. Our computer is dead again but wende's husband... is again trying to bring it back to life, that guy's a saint- so I am sharing my computer with a lot of people!!! oh the misery

(sweet photo huh? I wish I would've gotten a shot one second later when he was busting up laughing!)

3. I made miracle bread! THREE TIMES. We have decided that this bread is so darn easy & delicious that I am not buying bread anymore... well not all the time anyway. Jack took a loaf down to marcus who is now home from the hospital. Brian was with him most of the day & says he is doing great-- a little drugged up-- but he's gonna make it.

4. Tonight was our fourth set of tickets to the symphony. But, we decided to pass & gave the tickets away. I am so behind on everything around here & Brett has been so busy with work- we are staying home.

5. I started sending our our VAlentiNe CArdS!!!

I can't wait for you to get one :)

just a great saturday

It's a beautiful spring here finally!

This is the view from my driveway into my next door neighbor's yard.

Gorgeous!

I went to get the mail & just had to go back in to get my camera.

I wish you could see the majesty of the mountains in the background.

Because of my love of Rhododendrons...

I planted two in my yard, right after we first moved in. They don't bloom at the same time & I know they will never be as beautiful as in the Northwest. But I love them just the same & it is a thrill for me when the do bloom.

SAD, sad news.
Trent finally found the carefully hidden Guitar Hero aka: Guitar hell.
Bummer. I hate this game. He ran upstairs exclaiming, "you won't believe what was way, way behind the games in the game cabinet?!!"
I think it's okay for older kids, but come on- nine year olds should not be playing to- rock me like a hurricane.... somehow it is going to be "lost" again soon.


I finally got around to washing these & put them on my bed!
700 count sheets I bought just outside of Battery Park in NY for $20- score.
Some guy was selling loads of them, I decided I could carry one set around for the day in my bag- it was worth it. They are luxurious.
I did ten tons of laundry & ironed almost everything in my ironing box, all while listening to Chloe's IPOD- the WICKED soundtrack. When the first song came on I got goosebumps. Oh how I love that we went to see that! Do you ever feel like this? After a big, exhausting, vacation you did something right- it was all worth it- just for the memories?

I'm having a hard time getting rid of or even recycling my crate & barrel bags...

The armed forces are in full force sending Jack info about joining up...
hmmmmm- I would be the proud mom of a soldier- on one condition.... he waits to make any big decisions like this until after his mission.

Bronco had an accident- again.

holy. moly. somebody. help. me.

-that is all I am going to say about that-

Finally the time came to go pick up Megan at the airport!!

Hooray!
she made it & we are all hovering around her like she is a superstar.
She is of course better than a superstar around here.

We made it to Cafe Rio - YUM.
It was just as good as she remembered.

Jack is very cool here-I love this photo.

Do you ever miss someone, then when they come back it instantly feels like they never left?

love that

new jersey grocery & cooking crazed

I really love grocery shopping.

I have a food "thing." It's frankly pretty obvious from my backside, if you know what I mean?

Sounds silly but you can tell a lot about a community by what's in their grocery stores.

After getting to our hotel during our trip, we ran to the store to grab a couple of essentials, like water bottles to take into the city- snacks & some kid friendly foods for Trent.

I was so glad I brought my camera!

Shoprite here in New Jersey they had an amazing produce section!

Chloe said- "people in New Jersey must eat really healthy...."
then she said-- "look at those huge plums!"
So- I've never cooked egg plant? have you?

Also- look at these really great brussel spouts on the vine here. I've never seen them sold like this in a grocery store. We may not eat egg plant, but we love brussel sprouts.

A lot of brands have different names from East to West.

Does anyone know why?

Dreyers Ice Cream is Edy's here...

We love Dreyers & don't have coconut pineapple flavored- at least I've never seen it- but want to!

The prominent religion in Utah is of course Latter Day Saint. We don't have Matzo Balls in the freezer section - I'm sure you can get them somewhere...

But I don't know about Kosher Cokeor pickled tomatoes.

This was a fantastic opportunity to talk about Passover & world religions. I WIsh we had this stuff.

I've seen this brand on TV- but not at the store. Yum- I didn't think we could eat or should eat a whole tub of marshmallow fluff in just 4 days so I passed.

A whole section of restaurant quality Italian food!

Now this is living!

We are totally missing out here... there were all kinds of Italian specialties.Here at home- I've gone cooking crazy!

I've been cooking up a storm ever since I got back.

I don't know if it was the week off or what... but besides making jam-I've put casseroles in the freezer- made a huge pot of marinara & froze 3 quarts-

I've made Kristy's bread sticks-- so good.

Banana bread... cookie dough & last night I made rolls to go with our lasagna...

and put two extra lasagnas in the freezer!

This is my favorite roll recipe & it will be on Blogger mom's cook- later.

*do you like to grocery shop?

*have you ever cooked with eggplant?

*have you ever seen Kosher Coke?

jammin'

Ball- has a new recipe in their pectin box (and a .50 coupon inside)

STraWberRy KiWi

Making freezer jam is not really cooking.

It's just mashing fruit-

measuring sugar and...

stirring! It's so easy & 100x's better than regular jam.

We love it at our house & strawberry is always my favorite.

But- this new strawberry kiwi- is FANtastic!!

With strawberries in season & so good this year.

I made a four batches yesterday!!

It's nice to be home & back to real life...

*do you make jam?

*what is your favorite flavor?