halloween

Friday was our ward Halloween party. It was really fun. The Bishop and his wife dressed up as Mr. Fredrickson and Russel from Up.
Rachel got to trick or treat from doors in the church and ws really good at picking up a candy from the bowl when offered.
I won a ball toss on my first try and got Rachel the pumpkin Frisbee. Josh did the putting and did it on the first try as well.
There was a costume contest for the kids with a first second and third place and one for the adults with about 4 categories one award each. Me, Josh and Rachel won the superhero/cartoon category beating out a Zelda and link along with others.

TGI Fridays sizzling chicken and cheese

This recipe is from the cookbook mom and dad got me for christmas last year called America's most wanted recipes: Favorite Restaurants. You need a cast iron which melts the cheese and melds everything but me and Josh both really enjoyed it. It makes a ton of veggies. I added marinara sauce to the leftover veggies for lunch or you could just make more chicken and potatoes to serve the whole family. I used red potatoes instead of russet because I love them a lot. The recpie serves 2.

Sizzling Chicken Skillet

2 4oz chicken breasts
marinade:
2 T chopped garlic
1/4 c olive oil
1tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
Veggies
1 green bell pepper cut in thin strips
1 red bell pepper cut in thin strips
1 onion cu tin thin strips
1/4 c olive oil
1 tsp chopped garlic
salt and pepper to taste

The rest
2 T olive oil
2 cups mashed potatoes
1/2 c shredded chihuahua cheese (it exists but is really hard to find use montery Jack)
2 slices American cheese (I think cheddar would have been a little better)
2 T chopped fresh parsley

1. Marinate chicken 3 hours
2. saute pepper and onions in olive oil add garlic near the end and season with a little salt and pepper.
3. Saute chicken in olive oil on all sides till cooked
4. Heat cast iron on burner until very hot.
5. place potatoes on skillet followed by the vegetables, cheese, chicken and garnish with fresh parsley. ( cheese should melt from the hot cast iron if unsure cover with foil for 1-2 min and the heat will melt everything)



Super yum!

top secrete recipies

I was looking for items to make our costumes at DI and while looking through the cookbooks I found this for $3. Normally it would be $15. I love cheap books about cooking!

molasses cookies with a kick

I tried a new cookie from my Oct/Nov taste of home. It was the second place winner in the contest of the month, cookies. It called for about half the spices I have. Which is a lot. I was actually amazed that I had them all. One of particular interest was cardamom, which has a special place in my heart.

The cookies came out awesome and soft. They won't last long. It made 4 dozen. Here is the recipe, as always if you make it I want to hear your opinion.


Molasses cookies with a kick

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
  
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon each ground white pepper, cardamom and coriander
• 3/4 cup turbinado (washed raw) sugar

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses, egg and ginger. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, cayenne, salt, nutmeg, white pepper, cardamom and coriander; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1-1/2 hours or until easy to handle.
• Roll into 1/2-in. balls; roll in turbinado sugar. Place 3 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

inching along

Rachel is now inching along when she can. She is really going and trying to stand as much as possible.

P F Changs mongolian beef

I as searching around the internet trying to uncover the secrets of panda expresses food and I discovered a recipe swearing to be the actual recipe for P F Changs Mongolian beef. Me and Josh had gone there to eat out one last time before Rachel was born. from some secrets I had learned it sounded pretty legit and I found the same recipe with the same claim. I tried it and it was awesome. Only adjustments were I did not use all the sauce it made and to make the brown sugar dark I added 1/4 tsp molasses. Did you know that molasses is taken out of sugar to make it white and then added back to make it brown again for brown sugar? Coll things to know.

Here is the recipe

Mongolian Beef

2 tsp veg oil
1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 Tb minced garlic
1/2 c soy sauce
1/2 c water
3/4 c dark brown sugar
1 c veg oil
1 lb flank steak
1/4 c cornstarch
green onion tops cut 2 in

Sauce:heat oil slightly, add ginger and garlic ( will become fragrant), add soy sauce and water, dissolve brown sugar into it. Boil till it thickens and reduces slightly ( it wont thicken much, the cornstarch from the beef really does it)
Thinly slice the flank steak across the grain so it is tender ( this is easier when slightly frozen). Toss in cornstarch to coat. Heat oil in wok. Fry the beef. drain oil from wok. add back the meat and add the onion, wilt slightly, add sauce as desired, toss and heat, serve.

Springville Art Museum

If you live close to the museum and you have not been here reciently you should go. Me and Rachel came today to see what there was to see there was some really fun art inside even the lower level had art picked out to demonstrate color principles for children. The Best however was the sculpture garden. I have been her many times but the garden wasn't open yet. Today it was and right now it is beautiful. many flowers and roses are in bloom, the vines have grown and decorated the walls, apples hang like ornaments from manicured trees and the weather is perfect to be outside. One of my favorite things was a fishsculputre on the patio area. Carved of marble the artist picked the perfect piece. The colors ans streaks really remind me of a colorful fish under shimmering water.