Pregnancy Update Pictures

This is for you, Rachel G.
Currently between 16 and 18 weeks along (I don't really know. I always lose track.)
This is officially what they're talking about, aj, when they say, "Just wait..." It's called 'maternity pants the day you find out you're pregnant'.
Ultrasound is next Friday. Is he gonna be a she? oh my oh my!THIS BOY is totally crackin' me up...

AI - Kentucky

Brent Keith Smith
I predict Top 12... I mean, that dimple in his cheek already has my vote.

Recipe FLOPS

WHAT IS IT with the recipe flop fairy following me around these days? It's driving me NUTS!
Paula Dean's FAMOUS Crab Cakes. One of Food Network's Top 10 recipes for 2008... Check mine out...They look NOTHING like the picture (below). They tasted great but I couldn't for the life of me keep them together while I was frying them... they just totally fell apart. FLOP!
And here we have Lettuce Wraps that tasted SO GOOD 2 years ago when I requested the recipe from my fabulous Floridian neighbor but when I made them???... just not that great! FLOP!
Rachel Rays Braised Pork Chops. This was good... but it wasn't THAT good. It was quite filling and tasty but just NOT good enough to find a permanent place in the book. I call that a FLOP! I really would like to only spend my time and money on utterly fabulous recipes.
And below is my crooked picture of Pillsbury's Cherry-Blueberry Pie. This is still not going in the book but it wasn't a flop for 2 reasons: it was a spontaneous decision where I had all the ingredients on hand (score) and it really was pretty dang good just not utterly fabulous. (and Bryan doesn't like berry pies anyway so I had to eat it all myself).
And because of all these flops I am currently having a love affair with Tostitos Salsa Con Queso. And it MUST be dipped with Tostitos 100% white corn round chips. I could eat this and watch "24" every night and be perfectly content. On the menu tonight... Tator Tot Casserole! That stuff is good. There's no way it could flop.

Marcia Lynn McClure

First of all, I'd like to say how cool I am for posting 4 posts today.

And now to the subject at hand...

It has been confirmed that Marcia Lynn McClure books are totally and utterly fabulous.
Confirmed by my friend, Lauren, in none other than Gainesville, FL who took the plunge and ordered one from inter-library loan. She started reading it at midnight and next thing she knew it was 6am. I am so proud of her. This may be the beginning of a Florida sweep... meaning, watch out SE, the McClure men are coming. ( :

I was starting to wonder. I thought, "If these books are so fabulous, why are they not more popular or available in more libraries?" I don't know but I do know that if you can get your hands on one... just try it. You may never look back.

Currently and anxiously waiting for "The Time of Aspen Falls" (her new book just released). In the mail as we speak.

Girls Night

The Valentines cookies I couldn't resist making... Picky Palate's Soft Perfect Sugar Cookies.The girls...

(Kari, Me, Cindy, Alyssa, Rachel, Georgia)

The candid photo that had us rolling on the ground in tears.
You wouldn't think that Alyssa's stern stare is candid but that really is her 'before I smile' face. HAHA!

Tyler Florence's Chicken Parmesan

Rated as one of the Top 10 recipes in 2008 on Food Network.com.
A 5 star recipe... almost 200 reviews.

Made it. Loved it! The chicken... divine. The sauce... I don't think was that special. Maybe it's because I left out the Kalamata olives (which probably contained a lot of the flavor).

Tips for the chicken (from reviewers)...

• Use Planko bread crumbs (for crunchierness) mixed with Italian bread crumbs (for more flavor)
• Do not add sauce before putting in oven (will make crust soggy). Cook on a wire rack so bottom doesn't get soggy. Add cheeses the last 5 minutes.
• Add a little garlic powder to sauce and extra basil.
• Be sure chicken is pounded thin.

Dirties a lot of pans. Worth it. I think the chicken is the main star. When I make it again I'll probably just use marinara sauce or homemade spaghetti sauce.

recipe

On the menu tonight... Paula Dean's Crab Cakes (also a top 10). Can't wait.

AI - AZ

I CANNOT resist posting my thoughts...

I really like Emily Wynne-Hughes. I pretty much think she's a shoe-in. I predict... top 12.
So here I am spending 2 stinkin' hours of my time watching AI... hating half of it and loving the other half. And then we get to the end and they manage to pull out a tear-jerker... Scott MacIntyre, the blind pianist. And this is what he sings, "And So It Goes" by Billy Joel. The exact words...

And this is why my eyes are closed
It's just as well for all I've seen
And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows

What the heck? Don't they know that pregnant woman watch this show? Do they not realize that a situation such as this is bound to stir emotion within? Of course they do. And I was touched. Mission Accomplished. (sigh)


Bikini girl..... GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!

And why didn't they just cut out that clip where Seacrest tried to give MacIntyre a high five? I suppose they thought it would give AI more press. Hm.

Valentines

What? You think it's too early to think about Valentines? (disappointingly, Target does)

I am official WAYYYYYYY into our next holiday.

Check out all these urges I must fight:

• the urge to buy every Wilton cake product at Micheals
• the urge to dress in pink every day
• The urge to buy every size of heart shaped cookie cutters (oh wait, I just did that)
• the urge to bring heart shaped cookies to girls night tonight (I'm not fighting that one)
• the urge to buy a big deep reg shag carpet to go in my living room (I really don't want to fight this one)
  
• the urge to buy super nice expensive Valentines decor at Pier One (I will fight this one and win)
• The urge to go tanning (oh wait, that's just cause it's getting springy here)

Which reminds me... after watching Suze Orman on the Oprah Show I was all set out to NOT buy a yard this year and save all our pennies until we have an 8 month cash stash (as suggested). But look what happened... Mr. Sun came out and has decided to taunt us with St. George spring weather. I have since decided it would be a mere impossibility to go through another spring here without green green grass in our backyard. Just completely impossible. (sigh). Dear yard, I command you to be fruitful.

Nacho Libre

INCARNACIOOOO - HONE!!!!!!
That was probably my favorite part of the whole movie.
I couldn't find a short clip of it but it JUST MIGHT be worth 20 seconds of your time to watch this starting from 1:30ish on.

His delivery... so much feeling.

I have to say, Lauren, that I really was 'moved' during the fight scene. I think it had a lot to do with the heightened emphasis of the theme song that had been playing throughout the whole movie... And I quote, "I'm proud I am. I'm glad I am. I am I am. I'm proud I am". Doesn't that sound like a song that would move you?

And remember THIS scene...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Just.... ya know.

I can't seem to get my thoughts together enough to post something that's... ya know, something. But I MUST GET MY POST FIX! My blog calls to me... "Mariewee, come post. Come post, Marie. You must post. Post you must. If you do not post, I will blogtalk in your mind all day." And so it has been. Not only is my blog talking to me but I am talking in Dr. Suess. My life is really taking a turn this year. ( :

Mindless thoughts that deserve a showing:

• An overabundance of hormones somehow makes me feel like I am living life more fully. Why? Because I can cry 4 times during a 10 minute stretch of Forest Gump. That's right. There are a lot of truths in that movie that deserve a good hard sob.
• I also realized that during this tender time in my life I can feel true sympathy for Superman when I listen to that song by Five for Fighting. "Even hero's have the right to bleed..." He's only a man in a silly red cape.... Does that not just make you (sigh)... sad?
  
  
  
  
  
• Ok, so maybe this is a crying post. I LOVE pregnancy posts. I cried today when Bowen wouldn't go into Sunbeams. I let myself get carried away thinking that this one defining moment would determine the rest of his life. Not a healthy way of thinking for a mother of a 3 year old.
• Well, enough crying. Let's examine the other side of having an overfillment (not a real word) of 'feelings'.... I experienced true, unmatched, yet bewildering joy when I received my Costco coupons in the mail this week. I still experience giddiness thinking about running over there and giving them all my money... all the while saving it. I'm not really sure how that works but I think it means I get to go to Cafe Rio afterward.
• One more thought... my new office. I say new because it feels like new now that I've finally decided to give my walls a little love. There's only about 17 other huge walls in the house that need the same treatment. I must say... I'm really proud of the minimalism of it. That little black box there on the right is where our entire house is run out of. You take that box and our house will blow up. I may find myself watching 'Nacho Libre' tonight. Wish me luck.

Christmas

We had JB and Shawn with us for Christmas (Bryan's younger brothers)...Grandma Rula, too!...
We made Gingerbread houses on Christmas Eve. Bryson was really good about eating all the candy.
Jill & Fred during the Gingerbread house merrymaking...
Christmas morning... Bowen and Bryson got a new Thomas picture and sound book...
Here's Bowen leading Percy around his new train track...
Bowen and Bryson enjoying their Christmas surprise...

The car track.... another HUGE HIT! We found it at the Utah state fair... one of those toys that aren't sold in stores probably because of their small parts and other unapproved properties...
Endless hours of entertainment!...


Check out how accommodating Bowen has become in sharing the trains... Such a good big brother.


Bryson also got an ABC Elmo doll that freaked him out so we took that back and got Henry the train. And then Bowen got a little computer that he already had so we took that back today and got Gordon the train.
Now Bowen and Bryson have Thomas, Percy, Rosie, Gordon, & Henry. It's a disease, I tell ya. I can't wait to collect them all. ( :

This is what I found under the tree on Christmas morning...YAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!
As well as a few other things.... some having to do with vampires, some having to do with really nice pictures of Temples from Costco, and some having to do with Rachael Ray.

And we've been playing THIS game non-stop. Can't stop. Love it. Thanks, Riki!!!

The Big One

BEFORE

AFTER

Coffee Table: $8 (DI)
Train Track: $50 (Costco)
Seeing the kids faces on Christmas morning: PRICELESS!!!

Hot Spiced Cider

I can't wait to whip this up tomorrow...

2 quarts Apple Cider
2 T Apple pie spice
1 T vanilla
1 peel of an orange

Simmer on low all day. (Saw on Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade)

I'm doing it in a big pot WITHOUT a lid so that it can aromatize my home. That is the point... but it is also edible, of course.

Confetti Cakes

Discovered these at B&N. Why am I at B&N so often? Because they have a full Thomas train set for the kids to play with AND it's 30 seconds from my house.

Discovered the Confetti Cakes for Kids in none other than the kids section again. Amazing things lie hidden in the kids section. I prefer the kids one over Confetti Cakes just because the designs are a little more fun.

Definitely must buys. They pretty much decorate every cake with fondant or some kind of gum sugar... which is EXACTLY what I'm talking about.

I look forward to that day, in the future, when all my cookies will be fondant blessed... all my cakes be gum sugared... and I will own every size and shape of cookie cutter known to man... especially the mini ones.

A Christmas Miracle

My friend, Heidi, has started a food blog! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS???

Some of the best recipes I've ever received have been Heidi referrals...

To name a few...

Best Ever Tomato Soup
Cinnamon Chips & Fruit Salsa
Southwestern Cobb SaladChicken Pot Pie (actually from Amber)
Sausage Stars

Heidi has style. Her recipes are not only delicious but always pleasant to behold. She's all about presentation as well as taste... AND THAT IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! I LOVE IT.
I'm so excited, Heidi. Can't wait to try more of your recipes.

(P.S. I tried to link those recipes to your foodblog but couldn't figure out how to link to just one specific recipe. Weird! So they're just linked to mine.)