Of Course I Have to Modify..."Resistance is useless"

Penne with Vegetables in Tomato-Basil Sauce
original recipe from Betty Crocker Sunday Dinner Cookbook
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped onion
2 carrots, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 zucchini
1-2 cloves pressed garlic
Basil, Oregano, Salt, Pepper to taste
Shredded Parmesan cheese
Penne pasta (I use whole grain and it is great)
-Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion, garlic, and carrot in oil until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook 5 minutes.
-Stir in zucchini and seasonings; reduce heat to medium. Cook until desired consistency. I simmered the sauce while I cooked the pasta and it turned out perfect for us. Serve over pasta and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese. (Yes, I am a snob about parmesan cheese thanks to my mom who not-so-affectionately calls the stuff in the cans "fake cheese." It really does make all the difference in the world though.)

Seriously, Zach and I both LOVE this recipe. It is simple, fast, and so healthy especially if you use the whole grain pasta. I am still figuring out how much pasta to cook, but that is probably the easiest portion to change. Sorry, I don't make a habit of whipping out the camera for dinner so I don't have any pictures. Although, I have to admit it is quite a pretty dish to serve. Not that that REALLY matters. ;)

*Completely UNRELATED note: Who can tell me what book/movie (will accept either one, although will be more impressed if someone mentions the book first) I quoted (which means the part in quotations) in my title? Zach you should know this one as it is in your top ten movies of all-time.

My Best Effort Yet

Yes, I made the best peanut butter cookies I've ever made. After church on Sunday, I asked Zach what kind of treat he would like. He, of course, said he didn't know (this is always the response I get). When I suggested peanut butter cookies, that hit the mark. Naturally, I wanted to try a new recipe-this is one of my favorite things to do...try new recipes. I found this recipe in Essential Mormon Celebrations by Julie Badger Jensen. I made ONE alteration: I do NOT use margarine, I only use real butter (Mom, you should be proud of me). I think these would be amazing with chunky peanut butter, but I never buy chunky peanut butter because Zach doesn't like it, so I probably won't ever try it. If anyone does, let me know if it delicious! Without further ado:

Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
sugar
Hershey's kisses, if desired
-Cream together butter, sugars, eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture and beat together. Roll dough into balls and dip/roll in sugar. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes (mine took 11 minutes b/c I used my 2 tbsp cookie scoop). If desired, place a Hershey's kiss on top while still warm. (Obviously, I didn't do this part.)

Can I just explain WHY these peanut butter cookies were so amazing? They were soft...and they STAYED soft. AND they tasted amazing, too. Bonus. Maybe nobody else has ever had issues with their peanut butter cookies getting a little hard, but I have. EVERY recipe is always delicious, but doesn't stay soft and I LOVE soft cookies. Try it! Or don't, whatever. It's not like I'll ever know the difference. I just love sharing.
-Kirk out.

A Curve Ball (or should I say SEVERAL)

SO...we went on vacation to visit the FAM in The Great Northwest (ie. Oregon). It was a very nice and relaxing vacation. Sami was AWESOME except for the SO-HIGH-PITCHED-THAT-ONLY-A-DOG-COULD-HEAR-IT (almost that high...it seemed like it to me)screaming that occurred the last few days. But, seriously, she was so GOOD besides. She traveled great, was friendly...for her...and entertained the Grands.
ANYWAY...I love going on vacation...but it takes me SOOOO long to NOT be a mess after I get back that I wonder.
About the curve ball...well, lets just say that I feel as though I've had one thrown at me everyday since we returned. Sheesh! When is it going to stop???
For example, I just ran upstairs because Sami (who is supposed to be SLEEPING and won't) screamed and then started crying. I ran upstairs because I thought something must be wrong...but NO...she just doesn't want to take a nap is protesting very loudly.
Seriously, I am still such a mess. Maybe I will have my life in order by the next time I take a vacation...which will be NEXT year!
On a completely unrelated note, I have almost perfected my whole wheat bread recipe. I took a great recipe from The Joy of Cooking and altered it to my liking. And Zach isn't complaining either. So, here is the current recipe (I'm sure it will change again sometime, but probably not soon):
Whole Wheat Bread
Dissolve 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast in 1/4 cup warm (105-115 degree)water.
Beat together and add to the yeast mixture:
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup melted butter
2 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup each of honey and sugar
Add and mix until smooth:
1/2 cup non-fat dry milk
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
2 cups whole-grain flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
Add until stiff enough to handle:
2 to 2 1/2 cups whole-grain flour
2 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Let dough rest for 10 minutes, covered. Remove to lightly floured board; knead until smooth and springy, about 10 minutes. Place in a large, greased bowl turning once to grease top; cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, until double.
Punch dough down and separate into three equal parts. Let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Shape into loaves and place in three greased 9x5 loaf pans. Brush tops of loaves with 1 to 2 tbsp melted butter. Cover and let rise in a warm place until loaves fill corners of pans.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

I promise I will post some vacation pictures soon. Maybe I should promise...I don't want to break any promises...lets say, "I shall try..."
Go COUGARS!!! Here's hopin for a great season...
Ummm, bye

Ice Cream Cake, Crescent Rolls, Anniversary, Internet

The title is random because this post is going to be random...And, um, my brain is random...need I remind you, dear reader?!
-Zach and I celebrated our five-year anniversary last Thursday. Well, we didn't do anything on our actual anniversary, but on Friday we did. We went to one of the BEST burger places I've ever been to. For me, it is tied with In-N-Out. It is called Five Guys Burgers and Fries. It is definitely reminiscent of In-N-Out with it's simple menu and fresh ingredients. I highly recommend all burger lovers to check it out. Also, we did baptisms at the temple. Then, ate ice cream cake (which I made and will add the recipe at the end), opened presents, and watched The Importance of Being Earnest(my present from Zach).
-On the subject...well, sorta...In-N-Out is coming to Utah (again.) Read this article from the Deseret News for proof. It will be perfect for us because there is going to be one at Jordan Landing (10 minutes away) and another just announced in Centerville (where we want to live eventually.)
-My internet has been down since the weekend...and before that, I hadn't had the computer on since last Wednesday. Consequently, when I checked my email today, I had 43 emails. I'm sure for popular people (since I am actually NOT popular OR cool at all) that happens in a day or less. But, still.
-I made Buttery Crescent Rolls yesterday...They were/are heavenly if I say so myself. I promise I'm not trying to brag. I am always surprised when things turn out so good for me.
Buttery Crescent Rolls
2 pkgs (1/4 oz each) active dry yeast
2 cups warm milk (110° to 115°)
6 ½ to 7 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup butter, melted and cooled
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
Additional melted butter, optional
-In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in milk. Add 4 cups of flour, eggs, butter, sugar, and salt; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.-Punch the dough down and divide in thirds. Roll each portion in a 12-inch circle; cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up wedges from the wide end and place with pointed end down on greased baking sheets. Brush with melted butter, if desired. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 400° for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 3 dozen. Taken from Taste of Home Grandma’s Favorites, Lynne Petersen.
-I made an ice cream cake which is supposed to imitate Dairy Queen's ice cream cake. I have to admit, it was pretty close and very delicious. Although it made way too much and Zach and I ate it all ourselves (not in one sitting btw). It is actually pretty straightforward.
You need ice cream (I used chocolate on the bottom and vanilla on top), Cool Whip, Oreo cookies, and fudge sauce.
Layer 1: Spread softened ice cream until smooth and flat in bottom of whatever size cake pan you like.
Layer 2: Crushed Oreo cookies.
Layer 3: Fudge sauce at room temperature.
Cover and place in freezer until hard.
Layer 4: Spread softened ice cream as thick as you desire.
Place in freezer until very hard.
Layer 5: Mix equal parts of ice cream and cool whip. Spread over top of cake.
Place in freezer until frozen.
-So, this is a long and probably tedious post. Maybe next time will be lighter reading.

Oat Waffles and Scentsy

Here's a delicious recipe for waffles...of course, I modified it...as I always do whenever I make ANYTHING. (This doesn't always yield the best results for me...but I only post recipes that have worked for me and that Zach has enjoyed.) Actually I can think of like 2 recipes that I do NOT modify (that much). Anyway, here is it:
Oat Waffles
1 cup flour (half whole wheat, half all-purpose)
1 cup oat flour*
4 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup milk
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp vanilla
Combine first five ingredients.
In a separate bowl, combine eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Do NOT overmix.
Pour onto a preheated waffle iron until golden brown.
*1 1/4 cups quick oats ground in a blender is a good substitute.
**Also, it is beneficial to allow waffle/pancake batter to ruminate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Of course, this is not required, but the result is extra fluffiness and yumminess!

I got a Scentsy warmer last week and I love it. It is very decorative and the scents are delightful. I got Beach, Skinny Dippin' (I have NO idea why it is thus named...it brings to mind nothing close to skinny dipping), and Enchanted Mist.

That is all.

Cookies You Can Make When You Can't Decide What Kind You Want

I wanted to make some cookies yesterday. I always make the same kinds of cookies with the same great recipes. BUT...I wanted something new. I found this recipe on allrecipes-which is my absolute favorite online resource for yummyness. This did NOT disappoint.
Like I have said before, oatmeal cookies are kind of my nemesis. I can't get them soft. Anyway, these are amazing. Zach loved them and he's not crazy about my oatmeal cookies, usually.

Baker's Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies
1 cup flour (I used half whole wheat, half white)
1 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder (if you use whole wheat flour, put in a little extra)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanillla
6 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used chocolate chips, not chopped)
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder and salt; sat aside. Beat butter, sugars and peanut butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing until well blended after each addition. Stir in chocolate.
-Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls of dough, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased baking sheets. (I used a medium cookie scoop.)
-Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from baking sheets to wire racks. Cool completely.
I totally forgot that I was going to take a picture and post it...I will try to put up the picture later. :)

Hot Fudge and Spiders

First of all, I made hot fudge sauce from scratch Sunday night and it is delicious. It is perfect over vanilla ice cream! Here's the recipe (from Betty Crocker cook book):
1 can (12-oz) evaporated milk
2 cups (12-oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
Heat milk, chocolate chips and sugar to boiling in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; remove from heat.
Stir in butter and vanilla until mixture is smooth and creamy. Cool about 30 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken. Serve warm. Store remaining sauce covered in refrigerator up to 4 weeks. Sauce becomes firm when refrigerated; heat slightly before serving (sauce will become thin if overheated).

Second noteworthy item...Tuesday night we had the most ginormous spider in the house that I've ever seen. I tried to get a picture with my phone, but it didn't work out. Anyway, I think Zach was actually a little nervous to kill it. However, being the braver one (by A LOT), he did the deed and it was nasty. I'll spare you the details...you would thank me if you knew what happened. :) I hate spiders! Especially nasty huge ones that are inside my house. Ironically, over the last two days I have killed five or six other spiders...luckily those ones weren't that big or nasty. I just don't know why we have to get so many inside! Now, I just freaked myself out...I thought I'd try to find a photo of the spider online... well, I didn't and now I think I'll have trouble sleeping tonight. Oh well.

Thanks for listening...BYE

Lemony Lusciousness

Okay, so the picture may not show the lusciousness of it, but this Lemon Bread is delicious. It is just the right amount of lemon and sweet and rich! Oh, and easy.

Lemon Bread
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp lemon juice
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
Glaze:
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
-In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and lemon juice. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into creamed mixture alternately with milk. Pour into a greased 8x4x2 loaf pan (I used a 9x5 loaf pan).
-Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Combine glaze ingredients. Remove from pan; immediately drizzle with glaze. Cool on a wire rack.

This bread makes me think of a light, fresh, sunshiny day! Perfect for this time of year.

This Post Will Probably Make You Hungry

Honey Wheat Bread

2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, divided
2 pkgs active dry yeast (or 4 1/2 tsp)
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup honey
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp salt

In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups whole wheat flour, and yeast. In a saucepan, heat milk, water, honey, butter, and salt to 120-130 degrees; add to flour mixture. Blend on low speed until moistened; beat on medium for 3 minutes. Gradually stir in remaining whole wheat flour and enough all-purpose flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto floured surface (I use a greased surface); knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise until double, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Shape into two loaves; place in greased 8x4x2in. loaf pans. Brush with melted butter. Cover and let rise until double, about 1 hour. Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks.

Pop-Up Rolls
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
3/4 cup milk
3 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp mayonnaise
In a bowl, stir together all ingredients until thoroughly combined. Fill greased muffin cups half full. Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Yield: 9 rolls
Note: Substitute for self-rising flour-2 1/4 tsp baking powder and 3/4 tsp salt in a measuring cup and add enough flour to equal 1 1/2 cups.

This is the recipe for whole wheat bread I have used twice. I prefer it because it isn't quite as sweet. It is delicious. And the pop-up rolls are surprising. I doubled the recipe and we ate them all because they were so good. You can not even tell there is mayonnaise. They are light and super easy/quick.

Drumroll please....

This outfit is from my mom and I think it looks adorable on my adorable little girl...you be the judge for yourself though. Thanks Mom and Happy Birthday, I love you.

The video I took today is the best display of pitter-patters from the Sami Lynn. The actual length is almost 2 minutes, but I shortened it to about 35 seconds for your viewing convenience! Thank me later.

Deluxe Marshmallow Bars

Deluxe Chocolate Marshmallow Bars

3/4 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp baking cocoa
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional, I didn't use nuts)
4 cups mini marshmallows
Topping:
1-1/3 cups (8 oz) chocolate chips
3 tbsp butter
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups crisp rice cereal

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa; add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts if desired. Spread in a greased 15x10x1 pan(a cookie sheet.)
Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes. Sprinkle marshmallows evenly over cake (I used a little extra); bake 2-3 minutes longer. Using a knife dipped in water, spread melted marshmallows evenly over cake. Cool.
For the topping, combine chocolate chips, butter, and peanut butter in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and well blended. Remove from heat; stir in rice cereal. Spread topping immediately over bars. Chill. Yield: about 3 dozen.

*These are seriously delicious. When they were all gone, Zach said, "I wish we had more." Try them! Yum.*

Sillyness and beans

-Sami is silly. Above is my evidence.
-Zach's new job is such a blessing. I love you Zach, for being willing to work to provide for us.
-I do NOT want Congress to include the three US automakers in their bailout. If they can't run their businesses to be successful, they should suffer the consequences, NOT US. Where does it end?
-A delicious recipe from Bettycrocker.com modified by me because I don't like lima beans or kidney beans (sorry, no picture, it's beautiful trust me):
Rice and Bean Bake
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 tbsp vegetable or chicken boullion
1 1/2 tsp fresh chopped marjoram or 1/2 tsp dried marjoram leaves
1 medium onion
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans, undrained
1/2 cheddar cheese, shredded
Heat oven to 350. In ungreased 2-quart casserole dish, mix all ingredients except cheese.
Cover; bake 1 hour to 1 hour 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir; sprinkle with cheese.
-I'm reading The 5000 Year Leap by Cleon Skousen and LOVE it. Everyone should read this. It's about the Constitutional Convention. It's easy to read and relatively short considering the topic.
-I love my book club. I have read books that I wouldn't have read otherwise, and enjoyed most of them!
-Sami got her leg stuck in between the slats of her crib this afternoon. She was crying so hard (which she rarely does). I held/comforted her for a couple minutes and put her back down. She started crying again and looked so sad. I just couldn't leave her in there, so I got her up and consequently, she didn't take a nap this afternoon. Bad mom maybe, you judge, but I just couldn't her there crying and looking so sad. :)
-The weather has been so nice the last few days, I love it. Sure doesn't feel like it's almost winter (or basically already is here because we pretty much have TWO seasons: Hot and Cold).
-Um...I am SICK and TIRED of hearing/reading about Proposition 8! It already passed in CALIFORNIA, not Utah. It is a MORAL issue, not a POLITICAL or an equality issue. I will respect the new President Barak Obama, even though I didn't vote for him. I wish all would do the same concerning this issue. Deal with it!
-Zach and I watched Get Smart on Friday. I LOVED it! I thought it was hilariously awesome and Steve Carell was perfect as Max Smart. And, bonus, it was surprisingly clean.
-I'm looking forward (nervously?) to the BYU-Utah game on Saturday. It would be AWESOMELY amazing if we beat Utah and I know we can do it.
-Seriously, try my recipe. It's easy and yummy!

Homey Chicken Hash

I found this recipe in the Deseret News last Wednesday and tried it yesterday. It was delicious (even though I did cook the potatoes too long.) It's pretty easy and quick, try it out!

Homey Chicken Hash
1 tbsp oil
1 small onion (1/2 cup chopped)
2 medium carrots (1 cup chopped)
4 cups diced cooked potatoes (or 1 lb, 4 oz pkg refigerated potatoes w/onion)
2 cups cooked chicken
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a 12-inch skillet that has a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Peel and coarsely chop the onion, adding it to the skillet as you chop. Peel and slice the carrots, adding them to the skillet as you slice. Cook until the onion begins to brown on the edges, about 3 minutes.
Add the potatoes to the skillet. Stir and cook until brown, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the chicken, and stil well to break up any pieces. Cook until the chicken is heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season the hash liberally with salt and pepper, to taste.
Sprinkle the cheese over the hash and cover the skillet. Turn off the heat and let the skillet rest until the cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Serve at once, with ketchup if desired.

Zach put barbecue sauce on this instead of ketchup. He said it tasted really good that way. I just ate mine by itself and it was delicious that way, too! Also, I added a little extra oil because it seemed kind of dry.

Mmmm Cookies

Story:
I have tried sooo many oatmeal cookie recipes and never had success. They were flat, see-through, balls, too crunchy, not set up enough...you name it. I think everything that could have gone wrong with my oatmeal cookies, went wrong! Poor Zach, had to put up with all my failures. Anyway, a while ago, my dad sent me this recipe that my mom uses that always turns out really good. So, I thought, "what the heck!" and tried it a while ago. They turned out so good (not perfect, mind you, but leaps and bounds ahead of what came out of the oven before.) I made them again last night for Zach, and they were even better this time. Well, you know me, I had to document it. So, here's a picture-careful, you don't want to drool on your keyboard (bwahahaha)-and the recipe. If you try it and love it, thank my mom-of course, she could use any recipe to make anything and it would be delicious. :)

Quick Mix Oatmeal Cookies

2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 tbsp water
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups oats (thanks Lois)

Mix first six ingredients. Add remaining ingredients, except oats. Beat till smooth. Fold in oats. Shape into small balls. Bake in greased cookie sheet at 375 for 12 to 15 minutes.

Home Sweeeeeet Home

Well, we're back. Fun times were had, delicious food was consumed, much visiting and laughing happened. I took our digital camera and video camera, but didn't use them as much as I hoped. Here are some pictures we took plus a video of Sami pulling herself along the floor at the Hassells. She started doing this while we were in Ashland and now does it all the time and quite fast. My mom introduced her to Cheerios and now she's addicted! I almost forgot that Sami has two teeth on her bottom gum. Overall, it was a good trip. We enjoyed the time we had with both our families and are glad that they were willing to accomodate us! It is always great to be home, too.



Also, I made this for the reunioners and it was DELICIOUS! I used the triple berry mix from Costco (frozen) and buttermilk bread. Also, you don't have to let it sit overnight. I let mine sit for about 45 minutes, but I think even a half hour would be fine. Try it!

BLUEBERRY FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

8 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups half-and-half
1/4 cup butter
12 slices bread
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Cinnamon sugar:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Beat together the eggs, sugar, vanilla and half-and-half. Butter the bread and place 1/3 in bottom of a 9-by-13-inch pan. Add 1/3 of the berries; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Pour 1/3 of the egg mixture over. Repeat layers two more times. Cover and place in refrigerator overnight. Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes

For the road...we'll be back

So don't miss us too much! Bwahahaha. It's a joke, I know you won't. :)

Banana Bread

3 ripe bananas
1 cup sugar (I use ¾ cup brown sugar and ¼ cup white sugar, it’s yummy!)
½ cup butter, room temperature
2 eggs, well beaten
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup walnuts (I do choc chips sometimes)

Mash bananas and set aside. In a large bowl cream sugar and butter together. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and stir together. Stir in nuts. Place in two greased, 9x5 inch loaf pans and bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 275° and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Essential Mormon Cookbook, Julie Badger Jensen

**Sorry, no picture. This is THE BEST banana bread recipe I've tried. It always turns out perfectly moist. Zach likes it with chocolate chips, I like it with pecans. Either way, it's delicioso.**

Chocolate Decadence

I was eating chocolate chips out of our "chocolate lover's size" bag of Nestle Tollhouse semisweet chocolate chips on Thursday and this recipe caught my eye. It is decadent with thick, sweet cream on top and gooey center. And it was even more amazing because it was easy! PS: Sorry the picture is a little blurry.

Chocolate Decadence with Sweetened Cream
2 cups chocolate chips, divided
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350. Line 9 inch round pan with foil; lightly grease.
Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips in microwave (1 minute, stir; then, 15 seconds at a time; stir until smooth.) Cool to room temperature.
Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs; beat on high for 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually beat in flour alternately with milk. Stir in remaining 1 cup chocolate chips. Spoon into prepared pan.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Lift cake from pan using edges of foil; remove foil and top with sweetened cream.
*Sweetened cream: Beat 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 tbsp powdered sugar, and 1/2 tsp vanilla in chilled bowl until soft peaks form.

Note: the cream whips A LOT better if you use a chilled bowl (metal works even better.)

Also, here are a few pictures that we've taken recently. Formco's new building is REALLY nice, the pictures I took don't do it justice at all. Kirby, the owner, showed us a few of the special things about the building and talked with us for about an hour. A "smart" thermostat system is installed and each of the employees will have a key code that will allow them access to certain parts of the building. They are moving in, officially, Friday or Saturday.
And, Sami is growing so fast. When she's on the floor (or in our laps) she's constantly moving. As you can see, she rolled to her tummy on her blanket and then pushed herself to her crib and then rolled to her back again and then pulled the bear that's bigger than she is onto herself.