Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Janae's First Day of School

My little precious leaving for her first year as a junior.

Janae with Robert.  He has feline leukemia and has lost over 10 lbs, but he is still hanging in there.

(Tear, sob)  I'm so proud!

My green beans.  I'm so proud of these too.  Janae said something to the effect that she didn't know anyone besides me who would take a picture of bottles of green beans.  All I can say is that I do know others that would take pictures of bottles of green beans.


Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Lisa's Recipes

Lisa’s Harry Potter-esque Recipes
Lisa wrote out the recipes with the changes that she made to them, but also included are the website links where she got the original ideas/recipes.
I must say that the food was incredible.
 
 
Pumpkin Juice
Original recipe found:
 
Ingredients:
½ cup of pumpkin puree
2 cups of apple juice
½ cup of pineapple juice
1 teaspoon of honey (more or less to your liking)
dash of Cinnamon (ginger, nutmeg allspice etc to taste)
 
Directions:
1- Pour the pumpkin, apple juice and pineapple juice into a blender.
2- Add the honey to the juices and blend thoroughly.
3- Add spices to taste.
4- Chill your pumpkin juice or serve iced.
 
This drink would probably also taste great as a warm fall/winter drink.
 
 
Butterbeer
 
Ingredients:
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup butterscotch topping
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 bottle vanilla cream soda
 
Directions:
1- Combine condensed milk, butterscotch topping, and butter in a microwave safe bowl.
2- Heat in microwave for 1 minute. Remove and stir until butter has been melted and incorporated into mixture.
3- Heat cream soda in another microwave safe bowl until warm, but still carbonated.
4- Put 1-2 Tablespoons (or to taste) of butterscotch mixture into the bottom of a mug.
5- Fill mugs with heated cream soda and stir thoroughly. Serve garnished with an old-fashioned butterscotch candy stick.
 
 
Steak Pie
Original dish found in Harry Potter is steak and kidney pie.  This is an original recipe.
 
Ingredients:
1 ½ lb top sirloin steak, trimmed and cubed
3 large potatoes, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
¾ cup carrots, chopped
½ cup peas, frozen
¼ cup butter or margarine
¼ cup flour
1 pkg brown gravy mix
¼ tsp sage
¼ tsp thyme
½ tsp onion salt
1 recipe for two-crust pie dough
 
Marinade:
½ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 ½ tsp beef bouillon
½ cup water
 
Directions:
1- Mix all ingredients for marinade, and marinate steak overnight.
2- Make gravy according to package directions, and set aside.
 
3- Pour off most of the marinade from the steak, retaining about ¼ cup.  Put steak and remaining marinade into a large skillet.  Cook on medium heat for about 10 min, or until meat is cooked through the center.
4- In a separate skillet, sauté potatoes, onion, and carrot in ¼ cup butter until tender.
5- Toss sautéed vegetables with ¼ cup flour, sage, thyme, and onion salt until evenly coated.
6- Combine steak, vegetables, and gravy in the large saucepan.  Stir in peas.  Add either milk or flour by tablespoonfuls until sauce is the consistency of slightly runny gravy.
7- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare bottom crust in a 9-inch pie dish, trimming even with the dish, and poking holes in the bottom and sides.
8- Fill the crust with the meat and vegetable mixture, and cover with the top crust.  Trim evenly with the dish, flute the edges, and cut slits to release steam.
9-Bake pie in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until crust is golden brown along the edges.  Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
 
 
Chicken Pasties or Chicken Potter Pie
Original food from Harry Potter is Cornish pasties.  These are essentially steak and radish turnovers.  This recipe looks the same as traditional Cornish pasties on the outside, but in my opinion is much more delicious on the inside.
 
Ingredients:
1 large can chicken
3 potatoes, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
¾ cup carrots, chopped
½ cup corn
½ cup green beans
¼ cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp dried parsley flakes
¼ tsp sage
¼ tsp dried rosemary
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 recipe for two-crust pie dough
1 egg, beaten with 2 Tbsp milk for egg wash (optional)
 
Directions:
1- Saute potatoes, onion, and carrot in ¼ cup butter until tender.
2- Add the flour, and seasonings until blended.
3- Gradually add the milk and chicken broth, and bring to a boil.  Stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
4- Stir in chicken and peas.
 
For Pasties:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll out pie dough and cut into 6-inch rounds.  Place about ½ cup filling on one side of the round.  Brush the edges of the round with the egg wash.  Fold over and press the edges together.  Flute edges with a fork.  Cut a slit for steam or poke holes in the top of the pasty.  Brush the tops with egg wash.  Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
 
For Pie:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare bottom crust in a 9-inch pie dish, trimming even with the dish, and poking holes in the bottom and sides.  Fill the crust with the chicken and vegetable mixture, and cover with the top crust.  Trim evenly with the dish, flute the edges, and cut slits to release steam.  Brush the top with egg wash.  Bake pie in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until crust is golden brown along the edges.  Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
 
Variations:
You can mix and match the vegetables in this recipe for your favorite ones.  You can also make the pies ahead of time and freeze.  If using frozen pies, remove from freezer 30 minutes before baking.  Cover edges with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
 
 
Pumpkin Pasties
Original recipe comes from:
 
Ingredients:
1 small can of cooked pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp allspice
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten with 2 Tbsp milk for egg wash
Extra sugar for sprinkling
1 recipe two crust pie dough
 
Directions:
1- Preheat oven to 35o degrees.
2- Combine the pumpkin, egg, spice and sugar in a medium bowl.
3- Roll out dough and cut into 4-inch rounds. Place about 1 Tbsp filling on one side of the round. Brush the edges of the round with egg wash.
4- Fold over and press the edges together.  Flute edges with a fork.
5- Brush the tops with egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar.
6- Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool to room temperature and serve.
 
 
Treacle Tart
Ingredients:
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp dried breadcrumbs
5/8 cup honey
5/8 cup light corn syrup
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp finely grated lemon peel
1 Tbsp mild-flavored molasses
¼ tsp salt
1 coarsely grated peeled Granny Smith apple
1 recipe one-crust pie dough
whipped cream for topping
 
Directions:
1- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out pie crust and place in a 9-inch pie or tart pan.  Trim edges even with the pan.  Pierce sides and bottom.
2- Bake crust in preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes.  Crust will not be brown, only set.
3- Combine honey, corn syrup, eggs, whipping cream, lemon peel, molasses, and salt in large bowl.
4- Stir in apples and breadcrumbs. Pour filling into crust.
5- Bake tart until filling is set in center and edges appear to be slightly brown.
6- Let stand 5-10 minutes.  Top with whipped cream and serve.
 
If you have access to Lyle’s golden syrup, substitute 1 ¼ cup for the honey and light corn syrup.
 
 
Chocolate frogs
 
Ingredients:
12 ounces of your favorite chocolate (a bag of chocolate chips will do)
Frog molds
 
Directions:
1- Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe dish.
2- Melt the chocolate on high for 1 ½ - 2 minutes, stirring well every 30 seconds.
3- DO NOT OVERHEAT THE CHOCOLATE.  If, after heating, the chocolate continues to be lumpy, do not continue to microwave it.  The chocolate seizes, or sticks together in large unmanageable lumps, when it is too hot.
4- If the chocolate seizes, add milk 1 Tbsp at a time stirring well.  The chocolate should have a thick creamy consistency with no lumps.
5- Pour the melted chocolate into the frog molds.  Refrigerate or freeze until solid (1 ½ - 2 hours).
6- Remove the frogs from the mold and enjoy!
 
 
Trifle
This recipe copied nearly verbatim from:
 
Ingredients:
1 (19.8 ounce) package brownie mix
1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
½ cup water
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 (1.5 ounce) bar chocolate candy
 
Directions:
1- Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and cool completely. Cut into 1-inch squares.
2- In a large bowl, combine pudding mix, water and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until smooth, then fold in 8 ounces whipped topping until no streaks remain.
3- In a trifle bowl or glass serving dish, place half of the brownies, half of the pudding mixture and half of the 12 ounce container of whipped topping.
4- Repeat layers. Shave chocolate onto top layer for garnish. Refrigerate 8 hours before serving.

Busby Family Reunion

We held the second annual Jim and Shauna Busby family reunion at the end of July.  The only time we could all make it together just happened to be on Harry Potter's birthday.  For all you muggles who don't know when that may be, mark your calendars for July 31st so you won't miss it next year.

A big shout out goes to Lisa and Todd for researching, planning, and preparing  the menu, and to everyone else who helped.  It was definitely a family affair.  Here are some pictures of our party.  Lisa and Todd worked like house elves to make this such a success.

Professor Snape, Hermione, and Professor McGonagall

 Hermione and the Fat Lady

Luna Lovegood

The Fat Lady, Prof. McGonagall, Fleur, Winky, Snape, Luna, Dobby, and Hermione
The Fat Lady and Mad-Eye Moody
(News Flash:  Yes, they are an item!)

Winky (aka Lisa) with her wonderful creations.
Pumpkin pasties, chocolate trifle, treacle tart and chocolate frogs.

Dobby, Luna, Winky and Neville; all working like house elves.

And what would a Harry Potter Party be without, well, Harry Potter?
Luna, Harry Potter, McGonagall

Petunia and Vernon Dursley were also in attendance.  Thanks to Sara Staker (Petunia) for the pictures.  Vernon must have been at Grunnings.


Monday, July 26, 2010

Run for Ry

As many of you know, my four-year-old grand-nephew Rykert  (my sister Connie's grandson) has been diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy.  This has been devastating for the whole family.  He is such a sweet little guy.  Besides the blow of having to deal with such an degenerative disease, they are also dealing with the expense of raising a child with such special needs.  His young parents are not in any position, financially, to provide the extra necessities that he will require to live as normal a life as possible.

A website has been set up in Rykert's behalf.  

A 5K run is being held in Rykert's behalf sometime in October.  I hope that anyone who is in a position to, will sponsor me as I RUN for Ry.  And I mean run.  Jim and I are going to run the 5K.  We started our program this morning.  It's the Jillian Michaels program "From Sedentary to 5K in 8 Weeks."  There's not much I can do for the family, but I can get up off my big fat hiney chair and get running.

Please go to his website and look around.  There are several events in the planning stages and everyone is invited to join in.  Please keep this little boy and his family in your prayers.







Monday, July 19, 2010

Weeding

The weeds have been taking over the raspberry patch lately, so I though that I would work on that area today.  The patch is on the south side of the house so I wanted to get to it early, but that didn't exactly happen.  But I finally get out there and I'm weeding happily away when Jack and Dori, our Australian Shepherds decide to join me.
They lay exactly where I am trying to weed.  It was in the shade so it made perfect sense to them.  I  kick them out of that area, only to have them sneak back within minutes.  Finally, I tell them to leave the area, which they do, and I continue weeding.  A few minutes later, I find this big white furry thing hidden in the bushes.  It scare me because I have found remains of Robert's "kills" in our flower beds before.  I realize that it is Jack's paw and he is hiding in the bushes, with Dori nearby.  I kick them out again.
The cat decides to see what is going on.  He too lays right where I am trying to weed.  The dogs can't understand why Robert can be in the raspberries and they can't so they come back and sneak back into the bushes.  I kick Robert out with the dogs.
The chickens decide to join the party.  Why on earth would I be digging in the dirt if it wasn't to help them find bugs and worms?  They come right between my legs, ready to pounce on anything I may dig up.
The dogs start to harass the chickens and the cat, so I kick them out again.  The cat decides to go to the neighbors house and see if she will give him some food, since I haven't fed him yet.  
 The chickens are still under foot and every time I turn around to throw some weeds away, the dogs have crept another foot or two closer to me.
The ducks decide to check out what is going on.  They plow into the raspberry patch with the chickens, looking for bugs.  The dogs are now right behind me, hoping that I don't notice that they have sneaked back in.  I throw a big handful of weeds, hitting the rooster, who lets me know that he is not happy.  I turn around and the dogs are now in the raspberries with the ducks and chickens, right where I am trying to weed.
I kick everybody out and barricade the entrance to the raspberry patch so I can finish in peace.  I do finish, but not in peace.  They are all outside the barricade I made, making sad doggy, chicky, ducky faces at me.  It was so pathetic, but it didn't work.  I finally finished weeding the raspberries.  What a big production for such a little patch!

NOTE TO SELF:  Make the barricade BEFORE you start to weed next time.  Oh, and wear long pants next time too. 






Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Grand Tetons/Yellowstone

We had a great time on our vacation with Ed and Sara Staker and their girls.  My PHS friends might recognize Sara as Sara Skousen.  We left Thursday and drove to the Grand Tetons, where we spent the night.
Jackson Lake
Jim and Ed
Amy Staker, who had just had her appendix out 5 days earlier, Janae, and Anna Staker
Janae at Moose Falls, Yellowstone
Sara and Anna at the Mud Pots
My first bear sighting in the wild, a huge grizzly.
Grand Prismatic Spring
Anna, Sara, and Amy
Rainbow at Upper Falls.
Lower Falls
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Grand Geyser
This picture doesn't begin to show how huge this geyser is.  It is much bigger than Old Faithful and lasts for about 9 minutes.
John and Sherene McClellan met us there.  They drove up on John's new motorcycle.  He was kind enough to give Janae a ride, making her day.  Unfortunately, there are no pictures of this momentous occasion. Also, there are no pictures of me included.  Ed took many pictures and I will include something with me in it as soon as he gets us some copies.  And then I will prove that I was there.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Janae's Room

Janae decided to clean her room.  It has been pretty scary lately, so I was really happy.  I don't have a before picture, but I have a during.
She moved almost everything into the living room.  This is only a small portion.  I couldn't get everything to fit into the picture.
This is after I shampooed the carpet.  (Who knew that there was carpet under all that stuff?)  For those who know Janae and her room, this is really astounding.  She is now going through everything she moved into the living room and getting rid of a lot of junk.  More pictures to come when she has moved back in. 

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Pigs

I have been so behind on my wood carving projects.  I finally decided that I had to finish something.  These are the pigs that go to Noah's Ark that belongs to Eric's family.  They were supposed to get them at Christmas time, but as I said. . . .

I need to finish my Nativity and three Santas that I didn't get made for Kristine, Janae, and me.  Everyone else got theirs on time.  I am also working on Lisa and Todd's Ark.  (It's a secret so don't tell them, even though they read my blog.)  I just need to put the finish on it.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Grand Gulch 3

Things I didn't like about our trip:

-the wind, gusts up to 55 mph.  I hate the wind.
-hayfever
-snow, rain, sleet, hail, and wind all in the same day
-59 creek crossings in one day.  I didn't count the other days.  It was one of the wettest springs on record.
-bruised toe from jumping across the streams about 150 times
-rocks falling off the mountains into our camp
-having to pack used toilet paper out
-having to hike up Bullet Canyon
-too much dried fruit and not enough Snickers

Things I liked about our trip:

-plenty of water to drink
-my new sleeping bag
-my sleeping pads
-hayfever meds
-walking poles,  they saved me from falling more times than I can count.  I have really bad balance from the fibro.
-individually packaged Wet Ones
-Snickers Bars
-my hiking boots
-individual hand warmers, I put them in my booties to keep my feet warm at night
-my down booties I sleep in
-my hand knitted socks that wick so well
-my hat, even though it is hideous, it keeps the sun and the rain off me
-a 23 lb pack
-it was mostly sunny
-the ruins, they were great
-good friends and meeting new friends on the trail
-Mountain House lasagne
-a great husband that would let me rest while he made dinner and served me in the tent out of the wind
-Ziploc bags
-Crystal Light, filtered water doesn't always taste very good.
-duct tape, great for torn pants among other things
-great kids at home that I could trust to keep things going

Grand Gulch 2

Okay, I am suffering.  But what did I expect?

Monday, May 3, 2010

Grand Gulch Backpacking Trip

I've had several people tell me that I shouldn't go on these backpacking trips because I have both Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  Many people believe that if someone has these illnesses, they shouldn't do anything but sit around and do nothing all of the time.  I have never been that type of person and I know from experience that that doesn't help either.  I hate having these illnesses, do but I'm not going to let them get in the way of my doing what I want to do.  So I went anyway.  I might suffer for it later, but I don't care.

So that being said,  here are some highlights of our trip.

Jim and I drove to Natural Bridges National Park on Monday and took in the sights.  We camped out in their overflow campground that night.  That was actually the coldest night that we spent that whole week.

We left Kane Ranger Station around 1:00 Tuesday afternoon.  Jim and I were joined by our good friend Doug Honey and his brother Alan.

We hiked for about 5 miles that afternoon and camped at Junction Ruin.  Jim took my picture to prove that I was there.  I usually take all the pictures and there aren't any of me.  This is in front of one of the living areas.  

This is Doug in front of a grainery at Turkey Pen Ruin.

Alan at Turkey Pen Ruin.

Split Level Ruin.  We spent the night just past this ruin, about 6 miles from where we spent the previous night.    It was so windy that day, with gust up to 50 mph we were told.  We had to cross the creek 59 times that day (but who's counting?).  It rained on us that night.  We were a little nervous because we heard (and saw) several rocks falling off the canyon wall, landing too close to us for comfort. 

The next day we hiked about 8 miles (through snow, sleet, hail, wind, rain, and a little sunshine) to Jailhouse Ruin, where we camped for the night.  Jim scouted that out for me, because I was tired and didn't want to press my luck with my energy.  I wanted to make sure I had enough to get out of the canyon the next day.  I had heard about what was coming.

Just around the corner from Jailhouse is Perfect Kiva Ruin.  

Jim and Doug looking into the dwelling.

Jim climbing out of the Kiva.

Perfect Kiva Ruins were perfect.  They were the best of the whole trip.  We saw many other ruins that I haven't shown.  Up to this point, the trip had been great.  Plenty of water.  The weather wasn't too bad most of the time.  The scenery was beautiful.  Then it came time for us to hike up Bullet Canyon.

This is what the trail up Bullet Canyon looks like.

Boulders, boulders and more boulders.
Okay, it wasn't like this all the way, just for 1/2 mile or a little less.  But it seemed like boulders all the way up. 

We stopped to take a rest because this was out next step to get out.  We all made it out finally.  
Doug and Alan went directly back to Mt. Pleasant.  Jim and I went to Blanding, where we stayed in a hotel (that was supposed to have a hot tub, which was out of order).  We went to the Monticello Temple the next day and then had a leisurely drive home.  It was a good trip, in spite of the boulders.  I'm not ready to think of a new trip yet.  It takes me about a week to be able to do that, but Jim is already thinking up some place new for us to go.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Early Easter

We are celebrating Easter twice this year.  Adam and his parents can't be here on Easter because his dad has to work, so we had our own celebration a few days ago.
He thought it was great.  He didn't know what was going on though.
He had an egg in each hand.  When he found a new egg, he would throw down one from his hand and reach for a new one.  Dad's job was to collect all of the discarded eggs.
Then a few days later, he finally got his first tooth.  His dad was slow to get his too.  So no cavities from 
Easter candy. Yay!

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Snow Canyon

Jim and I took an impromptu trip to Snow Canyon, near St. George.  We wanted to test out our new sleeping bags we got for backpacking.  We left Friday afternoon and came home Saturday night during a terrible snow storm.
Some beautiful scenery.  The weather was great, not hot and not cold.
Proof I was there.  I am so not photogenic.
It started to sprinkle just as we were ending our last hike.  It started to hail while we were at a restaurant in 
St. George.  By the time we got to Cedar City, it was snowing pretty hard.  We got stopped just outside Beaver.  Two semi trucks had jackknifed and there was a ten car pileup as a result.  Lots of other cars had slid off the road. We have heard that no one was hurt, which is a great blessing for everyone.  It took us about 6 hours to get home, when it usually takes less than 4 hours.  But in spite of everything, we had a good time. Sleeping bags were great!

Friday, February 26, 2010

Fry sauce vs. catsup

Photo Essay
Fry Sauce Vs. Catsup
 
Hmmm! Fry sauce is good!

 
Dad says that catsup is better.

 
I want to try catsup, but mom says it's icky!

 
Dad is right.  Catsup is the best!  I can't get enough!  Who needs fries?  I could just chug this down all day!