Easing the burden

I am amazed at how people make all the difference of sticky situations. My family had a slight CRISIS yesterday and I am so grateful for people helping and serving. Not that I like being at the hand of service, but it always amazes me of how willing people are to step up and help. It made EVERY aspect of our situation less burdensome. I again understand why Christ has asked us to love our neighbor and help ease the burdens of others. It makes challenging situations easier to bear. I hope that I am able to serve and "pay it forward" being aware of others every need and help ease their burdens. I appreciate all the prayers, visits, calls, food, babysitting and help. Wow I am overwhelmed with gratitude. THANK YOU!!!

COOKIES!!!

My friend Katrina has introduced me to some awesome cookie recipes. She truly has a knack for great recipes and loves to bake. She is on a quest for the ultimate cookie. In her expedition she came across Jacque Torres. He is quite famous and has 3 gourmet cookie stores in New York City. On her visit there she went to try one out for herself. Loving it, she researched and found how to duplicate his cookie. Here is my attempt to follow the directions. I have to say a few things that really made this cookie the ultimate to me is using chocolate discs instead of chips. I, like Treeni, got the Hershey bliss chocolate candy and using a sharp knife sliced them in 3rds making thin discs of chocolate. This technique has the chocolate laying flat through out the cookies in layers ooey gooey chocolate then layer of cookie and then another layer of chocolate in the same bite. I like the texture this provides as I bit into the cookie. The thing that I did was also use the milk chocolate bliss, and mixed the two chocolates. So there is to have different intensities to the chocolate. All semi chocolate seems too much and all milk chocolate seemed not enough... so I mixed them in the same cookie. The other technique I learned from this recipe is to allow the cookie dough to meld together in the refrigerator for 24 hours. This really allowed all the flavors to penetrate the cookie dough leaving an even more flavorful cookie. When I tasted the cookie I immediately enjoyed the vanilla. It was more powerful in flavor than my other recipes have been. I believe this is due to the refrigeration process. Here is the recipe for all to try and delight over. Who knows maybe you could be the next Jaques Torres?

Here is Alta enjoying the cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Published: July 9, 2008
Adapted from Jacques Torres
Time: 45 minutes (for 1 6-cookie batch), plus at least 24 hours’ chilling
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons
(8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)
Sea salt.
1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.
Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.
Note: Disks are sold at Jacques Torres Chocolate; Valrhona fèves, oval-shaped chocolate pieces, are at Whole Foods.

Our Vacation

Our cute clean fun beach house. I loved being on the top deck! Great place to read, tan, sit at night with hubby and enjoy the relaxing sound of waves. I like the colors of the house. I think I will paint my kitchen to match. White cabinets and robin egg blue walls. Nice reminder of the beach.

We all had a fantastic time. Loved it!!! Sure would love to share it with all.

Alta's Pixie cut

The solution to the no bangs and no pony tail.... a Pixie cut. She loves her short hair. Very Sassy.

My Birthday Present

I began piano lessons when I was 8 years old. I played all through high school. I have always loved music. My mom said I wouldn't nurse as a baby unless classical music was playing in the background. I often play Brahms loudly in my car and conduct it to myself as I am driving. Classical piano music fills a place inside of me that is rarely touched. It can be so powerful and peaceful and enriching all at the same time.

Now I am no where near in talent able to play to this extreme. I would love to increase my talent to that point, but it will take me many, many years. I have to restart and relearn things I have forgotten, but that will be done quicker, as I now have a piano in my home. I got the piano from a dear lady who was ready to get rid of her piano. There is a web site that I use that is free and people put on the list of things that they are in need of, or want to get rid of. The site is freecycle.com it is in most major areas. I placed and ad "wanted piano", and about a month later this lady emailed me saying she was ready to give her piano away and was wondering if I was still interested. Of course I was and got movers there as soon as I could. It just happened they had an opening on my birthday. Happy for me!!! The moment I got it I cleaned it. It had a lot of dust in all the wood work and the keys are yellow with tape on them. I got to scrape that off and give the piano a little love. One key sticks and a few need more pressure to hear the sound, and of course needs tuned, but I have a piano and I can play it. I got a beginner book to learn the basics for Alta. She has had one lesson and is practicing every day. Chloe is right with her in wanting to play. Here are some videos of Chloe playing. Unfortunately there is no sound, but it is a joy none the less. The first one she doesn't know I am there and she is singing at the top of her lungs. The second one she is replaying peter peter pumpkin rhyme I played for her earlier. She said to me mom I can play the "man eating a pumpkin song". Notice as she crosses her hands. Pretty darn cute!

Their own Style??

Now as you look upon this adorable smiling face... please note the short bang area... Yes it is true. Both of my girls decided they did not want bangs anymore, so what did they do? You guessed it, they cut them off. Chloe's hair not nearly as short as Alta's in the following picture. Where did they get the scissors???

A picture of Alta's no bang idea. She cut off as close to the scalp as possible. This was done using school scissors.

Did they get in trouble? YOU BET!! They both did, but this is not the first offence for Alta. Notice she is the one not smiling. As you look further down just above her chin, you will notice she also cut the side almost exactly as she did when she was 3 years old. That was when her Aunt Mimi fixed it. Where is Mimi when you need her?
Another picture of Chloe's now bangs. It is too late to go get these fixed tonight, they will get to sport these hairdo's for church tomorrow. What to do??

Blog Candy

Thanks to Susan I found this site that is giving away free blog candy. Go check it out!!
Maybe you will win?

Snap!!

I am officially non cool. My 8 year old has used this phrase.... OH SNAP!! Now I thought I was pretty up on trendy words, but this one caught me by surprise. I did not quite know what it meant. I asked her does that mean you need to hurry. She looked at me as if I was clueless... which I was. "No, Mom" I then said did you say that because you did not mean to do something...."No Mom". I guess it means.. oops I forgot and need to go do it, "sometimes" Alta said. I asked Max if he had heard it before. Sure honey. He tells me that Raven one of the Cheetah girls says this. He is way cooler than I.

This reminds me of my father. Now my father is a good man, but loves to mess with people...... when I was a teenager, I remember my dad snapping his fingers and saying Damn with a shake of the head, frequently. Usually to me or one of the kids when we were wanting to do something or want something, and he did not feel we should go or have it. Now the snap was not immediate, it was after we started whining and complaining that we were not going to get what we wanted. Now being the good little girl (non swearing teenager) I mimicked the snap, with out the Damn. My brother David and I would do this on any occasion that would allow it, to each other. This would constitute usually me wanting something from David, him not giving it to me, snapping his fingers at me, ending with me punching his arm and us laughing. So as one can see, this phrase... Snap really can have different meanings, Right?!

Now after that memory lane... I am going to go back to my little world where I get to be the parent and snap at my children. But still not be cool.

Father's Day recipes link

I have had a request that I give the recipes... they are all on the internet.
Here are the links... ENJOY THE FLAVORS
Couscous stuffed chicken with kalmata olives, sundried tomatoes and feta cheese.
Blueberry scones with lemon glaze
Apple dumplings

HAPPY TASTING

Happy Fathers Day

I love father's Day. It is a great opportunity to show extra love and service to the wonderful men in my life. My cute husband is an amazing man that has taught me more about love than I ever thought was imaginable. He knows how to love unconditionally. He is very attentive and enjoyable to be around. It is amazing how hard he has worked this past year improving his life, attitude and habits. He is a great strength and support to me. I am grateful he is the father of my children and they get to call him dad. He is in every sense of the word. Thank you, Max, I love you.

Today Max was awakened to a breakfast in bed, (of course after moving sleeping Chloe out of the way...) Blueberry scones with lemon glaze and a fruit smoothie. Of course there was bacon on the side. He loves bacon.

For dinner he asked that couscous be included..... so not only was it included but it was the show stopper. I made him couscous stuffed Chicken breasts with sun dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives and Feta Cheese. He loved it. I have to say it was rather yummy. Thanks to Food network recipes. These flavors together were very complimentary.

We then finished the day full of calories with an awesome, but very simple apple dumpling recipe. Its sauce is nothing but butter sugar, vanilla and mountain dew... yes you read correctly mountain dew. My hubby loves his mountain dew, so when I read this recipe from the pioneer woman's web site I knew Max would have to try it. It Rocked!!!

Now I cannot end this posting about Father's Day with out mentioning my other favorite man in my life.... my Dad. I have no recent pics of him but this is the last digital picture I have of him before he went to Cambodia for his mission. I sure have been missing my parents lately, but I do know they are serving the Lord and helping those humble people in Phenom Pen. My dad is a happy man who loves to tease tease tease. He is a devoted man not only to God, but to his family and service. He has taught me more about how to serve with out expecting anything in return. He has been a great example of hard work and perseverance, even when times are not ideal. It is because of him and the love and life he has shown me that has laid the foundation of who I am and my life. Thanks Dad!!! I love you.