julia.

When the movie Julie and Julia came out I went and saw it at the theater with some girlfriends.  A couple of days ago we watched it again for Girls Night Out.  I think it is a darling movie and I felt inspired to try a Julia Child recipe.  I have made some of her recipes before when my sister and I took Gourmet Food in high school {we loved that class and still quote it all the time}. 

I went to the library and checked out her cook book Mastering the Art of French Cooking Volume Two.  I also noticed the A&E biography on her and check it out.  My dad and I watched it together - according to her biography everything in the movie {Julia and Julie} about Julia Child is true.

A week ago Gregg, Truman and I were in Park City 'babysitting' for the Sumsion family.  I took the cookbook and Chloe and I decided to try a recipe.

 

We made Le Glorieux {a very rich, very light flour-less chocolate cake}.  It was really good.

Truman LOVED the Sumsions dog Indy.

 

If you like the movie and are at all interested in learning more about Julia Child, I highly recommend her biography.

crawling.

Truman mastered crawling this week.  I don't think he realizes that he is mobile yet.  He also started to pull himself up onto the bed, sofa, etc. with a little help.  Once he pulls himself up he gets stuck and can not figure out how to get down!

friday flashbacks.

 

Nathan, Tiffany, Grandpa and Grandma Quinn, Paul, Valine, Anthony, Camille

Disney World | 1993

byu basketball.

Last week my sister gave us some vouchers for two tickets to a BYU basketball game.  Monday while we were in Provo we stopped by the ticket office and picked up some tickets for the BYU vs. SDSU men's basketball game.

We had pizza with my brother Nate before heading to the game.

Thanks to Truman's cousin Presley for letting him borrow her PINK ear phones - they were great.

Truman sat bundled in Nate's sweater almost the entire game, I could not believe it.

Thanks Nate for taking a family photo!

Some drool and left over dinner on his face, yummy!

BYU scored over 80 points so we got some very yummy chocolate cake at Magleby's for free after the game.  Thanks Tiff for the tickets and thanks Magleby's for the free chocolate cake {and thanks BYU for scoring over 80 points}!

PS- BYU won.

teeth.

Truman is getting his two upper teeth and they are a mile apart - so cute! 

book club.

Tonight we met at my house for dinner and our monthly book club.  We read The Great Divoce by C.S. Lewis {It was my choice this month}.  As always I loved the discussion and thoughts on the book, heaven, hell, sins, etc.  I think most people like the book better after discussing it.  I alwasys feel so intellectually uplifted after book club.

I am going to give this book four stars out of five.

Bonnie, Jennilynn, Tami, Laura, Tara and Tara.

Yummy Dessert {at the request of the girls I have posted the recipes below}.

I made everyone a little 'book club' note book where they can take notes on the book, plot, characters, thoughts etc.

 

Here is a look at one of the pages inside!

Next month we are reading "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett.  I am very excited about it.

cornucopia salad.

2 heads romaine lettuce
1 cup celery, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
1 14 ounce can mandarin oranges
1 avocado, sliced
1 red apple, diced
1/4 cup craisins {or raisins}
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (or Feta cheese}
2 cups chicken breasts, shredded
candied almonds {I like Sunkist almond accents, butter toffee glazed}


Dressing
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

rosemary bread.

2 1/2 tablespoons dry yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
4 cups warm water
8 1/2 cups white flour
4 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
4 tablespoons oil
1/2 cube butter, melted


Combine yeast, sugar, and warm water and allow mixture to become bubbly.  Add salt, rosemary and flour.  Led dough rise in an oiled bowl covered until double in size {about 1 hour}.  Shape the dough into 8 small rounded oval loaves.  Brush melted butter over the tops of the loaves.  Sprinkle remaining rosemary over the loaves and press lightly into the surface.


Let loaves rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes.  Sprinkle lightly with course salt.  Bake at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

chocolate pudding cake.

1/2 cup granulated sugar

6 large eggs, separated

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted

1/2 teaspoon salt

confectioners' sugar, for dusting

butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and set a kettle of water to boil.  Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish; coat with granulated sugar, tapping out excess.

In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks with granulated sugar until lightened in color.  Whisk in melted chocolate; set aside.  

In a large, clean bowl, using an electric mixer on high, beat egg whites with salt until soft peaks forms.  Whisk 1/3 of whites into chocolate mixture.  Add remaining whites, and gently fold with a rubber spatula just until combined {do not over mix}.

Transfer batter to prepared baking dish.  Set dish in a roasting pan, and pour enough boiling water into pan to come about 1 inch up side of dish.  Bake until puffed and just set {center of cake should barely move when jiggled}.  25 to 35 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes; dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

perfect pizza crust.

3/4 cup hot water
2 teaspoons yeast
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour


Mix dough and let rise to double in size.  Preheat pizza stone in a 500 degree oven on the bottom rack.  You can add cornmeal if you like.


Roll crust to approx 1/4" - 1/2" thick.  Transfer to the preheated pan and precook the crust for 5 minutes on the bottom rack.  It will get puffy, but when you pull it out to top it you can press it down and let the steam out.


After 5 minutes pull out the pizza stone with the crust.  Flip the crust and push out the steam.  Assemble your pizza and cook for an additional 7 minutes on the middle rack.

soft pretzels.

2 packets {1/4 ounce each} active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 olive oil
2 teaspoons coarse salt
4 cups flour


Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into a large bowl; sprinkle with yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.  Whisk sugar, oil and slat into yeast mixture.  Add flour and stir until a sticky dough forms.  Transfer dough into an oiled bowl and brush top with oil.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until dough has doubled in bulk - about 1 hour.


Place dough on a lightly floured work surface.  Divide dough into 8 equal pieces.  On a lightly floured work surface roll each piece into an 18-inch long rope.  Shape dough into pretzels.  Transfer pretzels to an oiled baking sheet and let rest for 20 minutes.


Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add 3 tablespoons baking soda.  In batches, boil pretzels until puffed and slightly shiny, about one minute.  Wish a slotted spoon, transfer to a wire rack to drain.  Return pretzels to baking sheet; top with melted butter and coarse salt.  Bake until golden brown and cooked through - about 10-15 minutes.  Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.  Yummy!

friday flashbacks.

Nathan and Anthony Quinn

{sooo cute!}

1987 or 1988

good things utah.

Today my girlfriend Tami and I went to Salt Lake to a live taping of "Good Things Utah".  It's a local morning talk show with segments on cooking, fashion, crafts, fitness, etc.


After the show they let the audience come up and take a photo with the hosts.
Me, Nicea Degering, Angie Larsen, Marti Skold and Reagan Leadbetter, Tami Fife.

It was fun to see how the show is produced and aired.  Apparently we looked really stupid on air when they panned the audience and we were not clapping!  Opps!  I think we are going to try and go again sometime.

PS- Tami and I both won $5 gift cards to the featured cafe on today's show...yummy!

hopkinsons.

My sister and her family came to town for a quick weekend visit.  It was really quick, but we tried to pack in an much fun as we could.



Addie was determined to teach Truman how to crawl since her little sister Jean can crawl already.  I don't think Truman is interested in crawling yet.

Cute smiles!

Enoch enjoying a tea party with his sisters and grandma.

Truman thinks this toy is so funny.

My mom wanted a picture of all the grandkids {minus Ira} only Quinn is looking! 

Time for a crawling contest.
Jean won!
Truman went no where.

Addie and I went shopping and got Truman some new books.  She is a great reader and Truman loved getting read to.

Truman's new favorite funny toy - you turn it on and it dances and Truman cracks up laughing at it.

We had a great time!!