Halloween 2011.

We spent to day with Hopkinsons - they hosted a soup and fried potato donuts dinner for the neighborhood before trick-or-treating.  Yummy!  And Thanks!

 Jean, Quinn, Enoch, Emmie, Addie, Eve, 

Anna, Bodie, Mackenzie, Truman, Dallin.

Simons

{I forgot Greggs costume; I felt so bad}.

 Addie the mermaid.

 Enoch.

Enoch + McKay the cowboys.

Anna the cat.

 Hopkinsons

 Lovell's

 Trents

I don't know why but I really like this picture of Truman, so I included it!

 The babies.

 and I really like this picture of Bodie!

 Fried donuts before trick-or-treating!

Classic Aaron face.

Thanks everyone for a great time.

book club.

I hosted book club this morning at my house.  I set my camera out and still forgot to take pictures, bummer.

This month we read The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. 

 The book is being made into a movie, Hugo, which comes out over Thanksgiving.  You can see the movie trailer here.  This cute boy, Asa Butterfield is playing Hugo and Martin Scorses is directing it.  Can't wait to see it.

I served Autumn Pond French Toast and fresh fruit.  Yummy.

Next we are reading The Genius in All of Us by David Shenk.  Should be good.

Autumn Pond French Toast Souffle.

AUTUMN POND FRENCH TOAST SOUFFLE

Christine Quinn

6 large croissants
10 eggs
3 cups half and half
3/4 cup real maple syrup (divided into 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 oz real butter, softened
Cinnamon and sugar (I used large crystal sugar)

Chop croissants into inch-sized pieces and place in a 9x13 buttered glass
pan (I used Pam spray).  Whip softened cream cheese, butter, and 1/4 cup
maple syrup until smooth, and spread on top of the croissants.

Blend eggs, then add half and half and the remaining 1/2 cup syrup.  Pour
over the croissants.  Cover and refrigerate over night.

Oops.  I forgot to say that you sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar on top just
prior to baking!  Sorry.


Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes, uncovered.  Serve hot with butter and Buttery Maple Syrup.

BUTTERY MAPLE SYRUP
1 cup real maple syrup
1 cup butter
1 egg, beaten

Heat butter slowly, then add syrup.  Add one beaten egg VERY SLOWLY while
beating with an electric mixer.

trunk or treat.

Trunk-or-treat!
{picture thanks to Tara!}

Marching in the costume parade.  

 time to get serious about this candy!

my Conference Cinnamon Rolls got 'first runner up' in bake off.

friday flashbacks.

Tiffany and Nathan | October 1988

{this is still my favorite Halloween photo}

raspberry cornmeal crumble bars.

Raspberry Cornmeal Crumble Bars

¾ cups natural almonds

½ cup yellow cornmeal

2 cups flour

¾ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, melted

10 ounces frozen raspberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on two sides.  In a food processor, pulse almonds until finely ground.  In a large bowl, whisk together ground almonds, cornmeal, flour, sugar and salt.  Add butter and stir until dry ingredients are evenly moistened.

Press about two thirds the dough into dish.  Scatter raspberries over top and crumble remaining dough over raspberries.  Bake until top is golden brown, 30-40 minutes,  Let cool in dish on a wire rack before cutting into 9 bars.

One Bar

459 calories

27 grams fat

7 grams protein

50 grams carbs

4 grams fiber

more decorations.

Here are some more decorations that I added to our house for Halloween.  I used my cricket machine to die cut the 'Trick-or-Treat' for the front door and also the little jack-o-lantern for the front window.  I think they turned out cute!  At my sisters house I die cut four silhouettes of trick-or-treaters and put in her four front windows - maybe she could take a picture and post...maybe!

*** Post Update ***
My sister sent pictures of her cute door decals!  Thanks Tiff. 

dirty dash.

I just got this picture from the Dirty Dash I did {see here}.  There was a photo booth set up as you finished the race.  You can tell how dirty I was from this photo.  Next year I am signing up all my siblings to do this race with me {because it was so fun and funny}.   It was a 10K {6.2 miles} with mud obstacles and even a part where you had to "run" in Deer Creek reservoir.

My brother Dallin and his friend Rebecca did it also - I love their photo.

decorations.

I was in the mood to decorate for Halloween this year, but I didn't want to go out and buy stuff.  One night I put this Halloween mantel together.  I was telling my sister about it and she asked me to take a picture and put it on my blog so her kids could see it and try to replicate it at their house.  Here you go - good luck - can't wait to see it.

friday flashbacks.

How long has it been since I did Friday Flashbacks? Way to long.  It's time I start doing them again...

{I have always loved this picture!} 

 Jacob Trent | March 1986

Chocolate Angel Food Cake.

Chocolate Angel Food Cake

 

12 egg whites

1 cup flour

1/3 cup baking cocoa

¾ teaspoon cream of tartar

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon almond extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 2/3 cups sugar

Icing:

1 ¾ cups confectioners’ sugar

1/3 cup baking cocoa

1/3 cup reduced fat sour cream

1 tablespoon fat-free milk

¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Sift flour and cocoa together twice; set aside.

Add the cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form.  Gradually add sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved.  Gradually fold in flour mixtures, about ½ cup at a time.

Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan.  Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets.  Bake on the lowest oven rack for 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned and entire top appears dry.  Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour.

Run a knife around the side and center tube of pan.  Remove cake to a serving plate.  For icing, in a small bowl, beat the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, sour cream, milk and vanilla until smooth.  Drizzle over cake.

1 slice

195 calories

1 gram fat

2 mg cholesterol

43 grams carbohydrates

1 gram fiber

4 grams protein

Curry Chicken Rice Soup.

Curry Chicken Rice Soup.

¼ cup butter

2 large carrots, finely chopped

2 celery ribs, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely  chopped

¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 cans (12 oz each) fat-free evaporated milk

1 cup half-and-half cream

4 ½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 cups cubed cooked chicken breast

2 cups cooked wild rice

In a large heavy pot melt butter.  Add the carrots, celery and onion; sauté for 2 minutes.  Sprinkle with flour; stir until blended. Stir in salt and curry.  Gradually add milk and cream {you are making a rue}.  Bring to a boil; and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. 

Gradually add broth.  Stir in chicken and rice; return to boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

1 cup

263 calories

8 grams fat

54 mg cholesterol

26 grams carbohydrate

2 grams fiber

20 grams protein

outtakes.

Tiff and I tried to take some photos of our little jack-o-lanterns.  We have pictures of our two year old jack-o-lanterns when they were this same age {seen here}.

The outtakes were better then the actual "posed" pictures.  Enjoy!

 the leaf was way cooler to look at then the camera.

eating leaves.

 falling.

 oh.  really falling.

Bodie:  "get me out of here - what are you doing to me - really mom?!"

 and what are some family photos with out Enoch doing his usual funny faces.

Anna pushing Bodie over - the fighting begins.

Anna- we have got to work on that smile - and Enoch is actually smiling normal!

okay, there were two cute ones!