Miracles...

One week ago  Rachel gave birth to her little baby girl Paisley! Even typing the words it seems unbelievable. Ever since Rach was a little girl she has wanted to be a 'mommy.' She cared for her dolls with precision. She bathed them, and combed their hair. She wrapped them in their blankies and cuddled and rocked them. When anyone asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up she would always say 'I'm going to be a mommy!'

Now her dreams have found reality. She was admitted into the hospital last Sunday, September 12 at 7:00 am. She was in active labor- but more than that she was present, and calm and ready. I was prepared for her to be scared, and nervous... but I wasn't prepared for the peace. There she lay, completely calm and enjoying every moment. With her 'blankie' cuddled around her she was drinking

in the experience. Everything progressed quickly, and still the calm stayed put. Summer and Jenna arrived with anxious support. Summer brought with her cupcakes to celebrate Paisley's entrance into the new world.

Her room began to fill with lovely women... London, Hayley, Emily, Jacey, Chris,and  Jesse's mom and sister. For some that would seem overwhelming, but for Rachel it was perfect. Things were as they should be. 

As you can imagine the room had a tangible spirit with excitement and laughter but more importantly love and support. Rachel said she had the opportunity to look into each one of those women's eyes and she was strengthened by their steadiness. 15 minutes after this picture was taken we met Paisley...

I can not put into words the spirit in the room as she took her first breath and looked into her mommies eyes for the first time. What a gentle moment!

Others began to trickle in and that little girl was welcomed to the world by a room full of people who instantly loved her. With a toast to Mommy and baby girl the world has been changed forever!

Welcome to the world our baby Paisley!

Blueberries

I love blueberries! They are beautiful and enticing and plump and delicious. I love them plain, I love them on my favorite Kashi cereal in the morning, I love them in muffins, and in ice cream and I just made a blueberry crumb cake that just made me joyful.










Blueberry Crumb Cake
1/2 stick butter
1 Tbsp (additional) butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
2 cups fresh blueberries

For the topping:
3/4 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir and set aside

Cream 1/2 stick butter plus 1 tablespoon of butter with cinnamon and sugar. Add egg and mix well until combined. Add vanilla and mix

Add flour mixture and milk alternately until totally incorporated. Don't overbeat! You want your batter to be lumpy. Stir in blueberries, be gentle, until evenly distributed

Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour in batter

In a separate bowl, combine topping ingredients and cut together with a pastry cutter or a fork works fabulously as well!

Sprinkle over the top of the cake!

Bake cake for 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Sprinkle with sugar. Cut into squares and serve warm with ice cream or whip cream or a little milk. It is sooooooo good!

Amazing BBQ chicken pizza

Somehow Summer has come and gone. Today you can feel a little Fall in the air. I love Fall if it wasn't for that one little thing...  Winter is just around the corner. I am not a fan of cold weather (so what am I doing in Utah... right!)

We have relished in the sun and tried to pluck fun out of the beautiful days of Summer. There has, of course, been a lot on the to do list... but what is life without lists!

Just recently Parker and Jacey were married! We are thrilled to welcome Jacey into our crazy life and crazy family! They are very happy and enjoying the beginning, blissful, days of marriage!









We are anxiously anticipating our next big event... the birth of baby Paisley... Rachel is due on September 13, but she is ready to go whenever she is!

But tonight.... I made the tastiest bbq chicken pizza, homemade crust and all... all thanks to Pioneer Woman! She is a genius... really! So here is the recipe!

Pizza Crust

1 tsp active dry yeast

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp kosher salt

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into a bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water. I like to sprinkle a little bit of sugar as well, to activate yeast. Set aside.


In a separate bowl combine flour and salt

With an electric mixer on low speed, drizzle the olive oil and mix, just until incorporated.

Gently stir the yeast/water mixture.

Drizzle the yeast mixture into the flour/oil mixture; mix until the dough forms into a ball.

Drizzle a little olive oil into a clean bowl, toss into bowl and turn over to coat in oil. Cover with moist, warm, kitchen towel and allow to sit for 1-2 hours.

In the meantime, let's get the toppings ready! Tonight I did bbq chicken, but of course, the options are endless!
2 chicken breasts
1/2 cup Barbecue Sauce
Olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt, for sprinkling
Fresh Mozzarella cheese, sliced thinly (tonight I did not have any, so I used grated)
1/2 whole red onion, sliced very thin
Chopped cilantro, to taste

Preheat oven to 375.
Cook chicken breasts, pour barbecue sauce over the breasts and turn them to coat. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Cut into small pieces, set aside.

Get out your trusty cookie sheet, drizzle olive oil on it to coat bottom and I like to add a dusting of corn meal. It helps with a perfect crust!

Now, get out your beautiful pizza dough and using your hands - stretch out the dough to fill bottom of cookie sheet. Dont' worry about lumpy finger marks, it makes it taste better!

Spoon some barbecue sauce all over the dough and sprinkle some kosher salt.

Next add your chicken

Thinly sliced red onion

Top with cheese

Honestly, your mouth is watering huh?!

Bake for 15 - 17 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly.

Remove from oven, sprinkle with plenty of chopped cilantro and tonight I sliced up some tomatoes from my garden and arranged on top of that. 

I don't think I have ever enjoyed pizza this much! When it tastes this good, the calories just don't matter!

Fourth of July - Fruit Pizza

We love the fourth of July! Beginning with the early morning balloon rising...

Where all the family gathers...

Enchanted with the crisp blue sky, and delicious, happy faces

The goofy, darling cousins

And the pure patriotism

Then our favorite part... breakfast at the park. 

And after bagels, fruit and hashbrowns.... ice blocking!!! 

Thanks Grandma for 15 years of fun!!!!

Of course the day must end with the traditional b-bq! This year we had the juiciest, biggest hamburgers you have ever seen... homemade french fries and of course....

Fruit Pizza!!!

Recipe: 2 pkg Sugar Cookies

Roll out on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes

Allow to cool for a really long time... I like to put mine in the fridge.

In the meantime cut up any red, white and blue fruit. I used strawberries, raspberries, bananas, blueberries and blackberries.

For the cream make a large pkg of vanilla instant pudding. Only use 2 cups of milk instead of three. Allow to thicken in the fridge. Then fold in a large container of Cool Whip.

Start with your baked cookie, add the cream and decorate with the fruit! I only make this once a year - on the fourth of July - and it is highly anticipated! There are never leftovers!  

Can't wait until next year!!!!

Meatloaf cakes

This is just kind of a new spin on meatloaf. It seems like when some hear the word 'meatloaf' they immediately turn their nose up and gag a little. Well.... I am here to tell you these little delights will change your mind about that! They are 'cute' and delicious and a perfect size for kids. You can make them and freeze the leftovers and with a quick blast in the microwave have a delicious, nutritious and fast meal for your family. You know I love cupcakes, so this is my take on the meatloaf cupcake...

Meatloaf
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, or 1 Tbsp dry parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sage
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
Combine eggs and milk, stir in bread crumbs, onion, parsley, salt and sage (I like to also add about 1/4 tsp pepper). Add hamburger and mix until all is combined. Get your muffin tins and spray them generously with Pam. Using a large spoon or I used a 1/4 cup measuring cup, divide the hamburger mixture into each of the 12 tins.

Sauce:
1/2 cup catsup
4 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp dry mustard
Mix these ingredients together and then spoon this sauce onto each of the hamburger muffins.

Bake at 350 for about 40  minutes. Start checking them at 30 minutes, I don't like mine to be overcooked.

Now is the pretty part. Add the 'icing'
Clean, and boil 10-12 red potatoes
When the potatoes are cooked, drain the water and add:
1 cube butter
3/4 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
Mash all together. Then place a dollop (I like that word) of mashed potatoes on each meatloaf muffin and tada.... meatloaf cupcakes... (You have to admit they are cute)

Magleby's Breadsticks

These really and truly are as yummy if not more yummy than the breadsticks at Magleby's! They are also simple, simple, simple...

Start with a bag of frozen Rhodes Rolls

Spray Pam on a cookie sheet

Place frozen rolls on pan

Allow to sit out until soft but don't let them rise very much

In two separate dishes:

One, melt one cube of butter

Second, combine Parmesan cheese, Italian Seasoning, Garlic Powder

Roll each individual roll into a oval shape

Then roll in butter

Next cover in cheese mixture

Put all the rolls on cookie sheet

Allow to rise for a couple of hours

Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes

You want them to be golden brown

Pasta Chicken Salad

I know there are one million cagillion recipes for chicken salad.... I just thought I would give you one more. It just happens to be my fav! Why? Because it is easy and delicious... of course!

Cook 1-2 pkgs bow tie pasta

Drain and allow to cool

2 cups celery, chopped

1 cup red grapes, sliced

1-20 oz can pineapple tidbits (drained)

In a separate bowl combine:

1 cup mayonnaise or miracle whip

1-16 oz bottle of Kraft Coleslaw dressing

2 Tbsp lemon juice

Dice cooked chicken breasts

Add chicken to the salad

Fold in dressing

Refrigerate for several hours

Add salt and pepper, to taste

So yummy!