In need of help: kitchen.

One thing I learned very early on in marriage is how different families grow up eating.  Not that one way is the best, just different.  I grew up eating very simple meals.  My meals would typically include grilled meat, a vegetable, fruit, bread, and milk.  Spencer grew up eating a lot of homemade food with a lot of options at dinner.  He also hates vegetables, except potatoes, which should those really even count as a vegetable?  We'll say yes.  The only fruit he enjoys are bananas and strawberries.  And the one I love most but he doesn't: soup.  So I married the world's pickiest eater.  Luckily I like him a lot, needless to say I have stewed over what to cook this lad.

My perfect meal is the one above.  I like simple meals with good options.  So we make a good balance with this one in the photo.  I try and sneak stuff in for example in the dinner shown: he loves V8, he might eat veggies with homemade buttermilk ranch dip, he'll eat black beans if they are with rice, and he loves fruit dip which too will increase the likelihood of him eating fruit.  I say, whatever works.  So my question to all other ladies out there with picky eaters for husbands is what meals do your men love or how do you sneak in the goods?  Spencer is willing to try, but it has to be "good".   Lately he's loved likes spinach on his sandwiches.  That's a huge step, trust me. 

the cake that hated us.

My Mom and I made this cake yesterday for our friend. We got the recipe off of Sweetapolita. She forgot to mention that the cake in the picture was her 15th try. Okay it was probably first but this cake was a lot of work and difficult for us amateurs. We definitely learned a lot about what we'll try different next time. It was fun to cook with my momma nonetheless. And we had some really good laughs. 

P. S.  I am looking for a good fondant recipe. Does anyone have one? 

P. P. S. The lighting in these pictures is terrible. 

Makin and Bakin

I've attempted to make bread once in my life. Let's just say it wasn't the most pleasant experience. They were rolls in fact, and each time I bit into one, I worried I would lose a few teeth. It was that hard. After two years, I was able to emotionally get over that experience and mustered up the courage to try again. Now making bread is no quick process as most of you know. This ole' bread had to rise three times. But after four long hours, it was done. And didn't taste half bad.

We used to have a Bosch. Which lost its life in the fire and I am still grieving over. I heard you can't make bread with KitchenAid. But you can. But it's not the same. Needless to say we will get another Bosch. Rising for the first time in the KitchenAid. And then punching the bread. My favorite part.

Spencer thinking he is funny. Blood, sweat, and tears.

My silverware drawer. As trashy as it is, it is oh. so. nice. not having to separate those little punks everytime I was dishes. Spencer agrees. (are we really that lazy? yes)

Rising in the bathroom. Yep, the bathroom. I turned on the shower for steam and it worked wonders. 

OH hey Spence! I know how you love the camera. 

And rising. Again. (third time in case you forgot)

And 35 minutes later.....  My little ninos arrived. In all their glory.

I was so happy. I even thought about jamming out to Etta James - "At Last". Why didn't I?  

I made homemade applesauce with apples from my tree and my sis.

"Fall is here, hear the yell.
Back to school, ring the bell."
               - Jack Johnson

Crepes. Cripes!

I've made a lot of Crepes in my life. But this recipe is by far the best. Enjoy! 

The Best Crepe Recipe I've Ever Made... And I've Made A Lot

4 eggs (lightly beaten)

1 c. flour

1 1/3 c. milk

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. melted butter

We topped or filled ours with home made huckleberry syrup (thanks denise!), home made strawberry jam, peanut butter and powdered sugar. 

Cocoacups.

Last night the Landon's had a barbeque for Spencer's cousin Molly, she is the best and is visiting from Vermont.  I took Gudrun's salad and these little chocolate cups. They were fun to make and who doesn't love an edible bowl? Less dishes. And just more fun.  I got the recipe of Bakerella.

macaroons, stain glass, and good music.

My mother in law is an amazing cook so we decided to try good ole macaroons.

We used Martha Stewart's French Macaroon Recipe and her Buttercream Swiss Meringue for the filling.

Three and a half hours later, it yielded about 30 little cookies.

Labor intensive, yes!

I made flour out of almonds.

After my arm about fell of grinding flour (I felt like I was in the 1500s)

We made it work.

Worth it, yes!

I  thought they were better the second day. 

The week before that. 

I attempted some stain glass jello.

Hard, no. 

Time consuming, yes.

Beck & Dawson were in love. So it was worth it. 

It tasted surprisingly better than normal jello.

It must have been the sweetened condensed milk in the white filling. 

I got the recipe off of Our Best Bites.

And.... One of my favorite songs at the moment.

I recommend listening to it. All of it.  It won't disappoint. 

The amazing tastebud pleasing salad.

A few months ago my good friend Gudrun made this salad for me.

It is the best Salad EVER...

It doesn't have a name so we are going to call it the

Gudrun's Amazingly Delicious Tastebud Pleasing Chicken Pesto Salad.. EVER.

We had some friends over tonight and so we had to share the goodness.

I will share it with you.

Gudrun's Amazingly Delicious Tastebud Pleasing Chicken Pesto Salad.. EVER.

Romaine

1 Red onion. 

(Use as much as you want)

Bacon Pieces 

(packaged works just fine)

1 Piece of cooked chicken. Shred.

Baby Tomatoes. Slice in thirds.

Pine Nuts 

Pesto. As much as you want. 

Toss. 

B is for Badly, Burnt, Bread.

Remember me sharing yesterday how I was going to make some homemade bread?

It failed.  It failed in a bad way. 

After pouring mounds of flour, into my (not killed) yeast, and patiently, patiently waiting.  It just wouldn't do what the directions said it would.  I even left it out all night hoping it would rise by morning (In all reality I just didn't want to look at failure in a bowl). So I then preceded to make homemade croutons to go with my spinach and freshly cut head of lettuce.  I thought, I can do this without recipe.  How hard can croutons be. After I poured a little garlic salt, minced onion, olive oil, and parmesan over the cubed bread, I popped those little babies in the oven.  No timer, I checked on them once, they needed a little bit longer.  Went into the other room, Spencer and I danced to song on pandora, well laughed most the time. Then we smelled the burnt smell of fire. We don't like fire around here.  Ran into the kitchen. Burnt croutons. There were only six not burned because they were hiding under other croutons. I thought, well heck with it, I put six croutons on the salad.  And they surprisingly tasted good.  I was persistent about making something that turned out.  So I made lemon bars, from a box.  There is no way I could mess up these.  Put package in bowl.  Add water.  Add eggs.  Stir.  Put in pan.  Cook for 27 minutes. And guess what, they tasted good. Ah! I found my nitch, boxed foods.  I wish this were true, but I am determined to be a good cook.  Even if I ruin thousands of dollars worth of food in the process. 

And do you want to know what I am going to do today.  Make bread.  That's right, make bread. Not burnt, destroyed, flattened, ruined bread.  Make bread.  

While shopping today, I heard a little girl in the market say, "Today is going to be the best day ever".  I couldn't stop smiling for minutes.  She was right.  Today is going to be the best bread-making day ever.

Sign up for giveaway below! Ends tomorrow.

I made this print for Beck & Dawson's birthday last January.

GIVEAWAY Comment-ers.

Blogger was having some serious issues last week, and in the process, some of your comments got deleted on the giveaway. I swear, I didn't do it.

So, if you notice your name is missing, add it once again. 

On a Sunday note, Church was awesome today. What's new.  I love sundays, I love church. 

I personally need that weekly edification. Today we learned about the light and truth that each of us possess, the restoration, and enriching marriage. 

Yesterday we were able to attend the temple with Spencer's cousin and husband who received their endowments and thereafter her little family of two boys was sealed. It was very special and I felt lucky to be there.  The thought that their family was sealed that day forever gave me the chills. I am SO happy for this blessing.

Now I am off to make some homemade bread! I got the recipe off of here. Wish. Me. Luck. 

i'm embarrassed

I am embarrassed that I am posting this.

I meant to a long time ago.

This Christmas I made treats for several people.

I planned on delivering them to several people.

But a lot of crazy stuff went down the day's I was planning to.

So, I am now delivering them in the digital world.

Hope they taste good.. to your eyes.

I also made a cherry pie.

paint

cookies pallete's. no, not pac-man.

got the idea from a picture posted two posts previous.

my twinner nephews beck and dawson sure enjoyed them.

on a side note. beck and dawsy saucy turned three yesterday. 

i made them this little 'happy as a clam' picture'.