Share Dessert

Basketball Cake Tutorial

2013-05-07T12:38:00.004-06:00

Wow... 2 months. Has it really been that long since my last post?! Ay Caramba! Lots going on lately.

Check out my other blog for details --->

I actually have a ton of stuff to catch up on so I am going to just do really short posts.

Let me know if you have any questions and I'll answer those and add them back into the posts.

These cakes turned out so cute! They were for my little brother's basketball championship game for his team. It was super simple.

I made 8 inch round cakes and stacked them 2 high with frosting in between. I cut the cakes so they rounded off as much as I could on both the top and bottom (to try to make them look as round as possible without falling apart). This would also be really cute if you used a dome cake pan to truly make it round. I colored some buttercream orange (using water-based food gel) and covered the whole cake. Looking back I wish I had done the orange a little bit darker but I think I actually ran out of orange color and that's why. :)

Once you do that, take plain twizzler black licorice for the stripes and lay one across the middle of the cake. You will have to use more than 1 rope for each line. Try to connect them away from the bends because they tried to stick up on me and wouldn't stay bent how I wanted them to.

Lay a rope perpendicular to the one you just laid (see pictures) and you can just start them right on each side of the first one (make sense?).

Then take about 3 orange m&ms- you can get plain orange m&ms at certain party stores. I went to Zurchers- and lay them down (with the m&m brand facing down) starting at the corner of the licorice on each side (again see picture). Do about 2 rows. You want them to be as close as possible. It looks better. Laying the 3 m&ms down helps you measure where your outer licorice lines should go. Now lay down your last outside licorice lines. To get a bit of a rounder effect, curve the licorice at the bottom back towards your main middle line just a little bit (see picture- right licorice is curved in a little).

Voila! And there you have it. These are not difficult to make but do take a little bit of time and dexterity since you have to place each m&m.

I want to say I used about 12-16 oz of m&ms by weight to cover these 2 cakes and 1 package of black licorice (I think! I forgot to write it down so if it just doesn't seem right when you are buying the m&ms, go with your gut. Extra m&ms never hurt anyone. That was my philosophy). I bought way too many m&ms so now extras are sitting in a dish on my desk waiting for on-lookers to come and eat them. They are sitting right next to the new Sherbert Oreos I had to get for my work people because they looked weird... yeah, they're pretty sweet (as in sugary... not awesome). Not my favorite. Other people liked them though..... tangent.

If you really want to know how many I used... you could count the m&ms on the cake. =D

Anyway, they were a big hit! So fun. Try them out for your next sports party!

New Lifestyle Blog: Life with Sara Jane

2013-03-10T21:45:00.003-06:00

Hello everyone!
I am in process of creating my new Lifestyle Blog called "Life with Sara Jane". It will contain all of my awesome ramblings and allow this blog to continue solely for desserts. Oh what joy!

They will both continue to be mine but will both have different content obviously. This is for all those who are interested in my desserts and don't want to sift through my other awesome non-sense (really?! Do these people exist?) So head on over real quick and please check it out! Subscribe to email over there if you want to continue getting all of my posts (not just desserts)!

I am in process of moving over most of my non-dessert related posts to this site so if you are looking for one here and can't find it... it probably moved over there!

{Here is the link}

Life with Sara Jane

I'll include the link in the nav bar above too!
Can't wait to start this new blog that will include so many awesome things to do, gifts to give, places to be and people to help! Come along with me on some new adventures!

Crossfit, Protein Shakes and German Chocolate Cake

2013-02-26T20:13:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm not saying this is a good idea...

it's just what I do to make my protein shake enjoyable so I thought I'd share.

I use this protein supplement to make 8 oz shakes. It gives you 25 gm soy protein. boom. deal.

It's also nasty.

I am no quitter though so I found a way to make it really tasty!

I've tried to add it to my fruit smoothies and it just makes them taste funky. It doesn't work. no bueno.

It was just missing something.... what was it?

Oh yeah, sugar.

;)

So I found a great way to make it flavorful and tasty.

Caramel syrup.

Just a small squirt will do (about 1 tablespoon).

Yep. For the pittance price of 50 calories and 10 gm of refined death sugar... I get to enjoy my shake. I'm cool with that right now. You might even be able to get away with less (but why?!). For you health crazies out there, you can probably even find a decent sugar free caramel syrup (however it's debatable if that's really healthier). ;)

Try also chocolate syrup. Mmmm....mmmm....

You get the picture. Try it! You will be surprised!

So, yeah. It makes you want 2 servings of your nasty health drink. :)

*****

Crossfit Day 2:

Dear Diary,

Crossfit kicked my but today. I wanted to cry. Not like an emotional, more like a physical stress induced cry.... it was weird. I've never felt that before. No, I did not cry. :)

I was so sore from the workout yesterday that I could hardly walk up stairs. I found the solution to this though with the help of Michelle.... just don't walk up stairs. deal. But want to know what's worse than walking up stairs? Walking down them... my legs keep giving out on me. I get a little weak in the knees, shake a bit, get a little hyper-extension going and stumble down the stairs like I just got double prosthetics. It's probably pretty awesome to watch... not so much to experience.

Here was today's workout:

SWOD:

Deadlift- 10 lbs

warm up

5,3,2,1

Working Sets

5 x 3

WOD:

10 Hand Raise Push-ups

20 sit-ups

20 squats

40 mountain climbers (my shoes fell off with these)

Repeat.... 6 times!

Everyone else had to do 30 squats and 8 reps, suckers! Since I'm weak and sissy, Andrew modified it for me. Andrew is the owner and trainer. He's really great at explaining technique.

I did it in 27:12 but I finished!

I am 100% sure this is the hardest I have ever worked out in my life. To the point of physically being unable to do that last squat or last sit-up.

Oooouuuuch! I really thought I wasn't going to be able to finish the squats but I did. :) And I'm glad I did it!

I got a really good night's sleep last night after my first workout and woke up energized and ready for the day. I started to get sore around midday today.... I shudder when I think of what punishment tomorrow brings to my poor aching body. I'll be returning upon my recovery. I have to. I paid for March already. baaaahhh.

Well, that's about it for my crossfit adventure today.

Out!

*****

On an awesomer note.

I made a cake!

First cake in months!

Here she be.

so pretty. It makes me happy looking at it.

It was really nice to be baking again. I even attempted writing on it!

{I don't write on cakes... when I worked at a bakery, I was banned from writing on cakes}

What I love about this cake is that when I am finished, I feel like I have made a substantial cake, a big impact on the world. It's heavy and takes 4 hours and is amazing.

You might even recognize her from last year.

Here is the recipe I posted before.

Best German Chocolate Cake Ever

It's really pretty awesome.

Enjoy!

A Special Valentine's Day

2013-02-14T17:41:00.001-07:00

Even though it is February, I feel the warmth of the sun as I sit next to my sweet Ben's grave. Today I have been embraced by his sweet comforting arms. It is a beautiful day. A warm day. A day I will always cherish. I know I can say this is the sweetest Valentine's Day yet. It's one thing to be hugged by your beloved's body. It's another to be hugged and enveloped by his spirit. It's like nothing I have ever experienced before. It is not something that can be explained and only something to be experienced by an eternal companion, by that person that completes your soul. I hope Ben is hugging each of you in his own way today. I hope you feel this warmth on this special Valentine's day with your dear one and only companion.

I received this beautiful flower arrangement from Ben's sister, Emily's, parents-in-law, Karen and Gene Phillips. I do have to say this was my favorite arrangement for a few reasons.

#1- Ben's favorite flowers are roses. He has always loved and wanted roses in our garden. The combination of white and orange is so beautiful too.

#2- My favorite flower has always been lilies. Any color.

I absolutely love roses too. Those are up there with lilies.

#3- Lilies and roses were our wedding flowers.

So this bouquet was very special, unbeknownst to the wonderful senders.

I decided these would be perfect to take to Ben today.

So pretty.

I don't want to leave even though my fingers are beginning to numb. It is so sweet. Such a sweet feeling. So happy. So eternal. That's what I am feeling. An eternal happiness.

I thank God for this gospel.

Happy Valentine's Day.

The Little Things {Ben's Silver Watch}

2013-02-14T12:06:00.000-07:00

I just read Aspen's (sister-in-law.... but really just a sister) blog post here.

I wrote a comment on her blog and just wanted to share a thought.

It's "The Little Things" that I have been thinking about lately because that's what this earthly experience is about... little things. Little things are wonderful and may seem like big things but they are still just little things.

"The Big Things" are only in the next life. Only God turns little things into big things. I am full of greater anticipation than I have ever been. Oh, how great our joy will be of those big things if we find such joy now in these little things.

Another little thing.

Ben's watch will always remind me of Ben because..... he always used to wear his silver watch and nice dress clothes on a regular basis. He was a very clean and kempt boy.

Many of you may have never known him this way if you met him after he started working in landscaping about 6 years ago. Dressing up routinely kind of died with having a dirty job. :)

But I still remember it and I love it.

The Little Things {Fresh Flowers}

2013-02-13T21:48:00.000-07:00

Fresh Flowers will always remind me of Ben because....... I received so many beautiful flowers for Ben's funeral and I think of him when I see them.

The Little Things {Showers}

2013-02-12T10:15:00.001-07:00

Showers remind me of Ben because....... I was only allowed to take 8 minute showers because he couldn't stand to have me away from him. ;)

{Ok, it was more of a fear that something medical would happen to him and he would need something but I'll stick with the former excuse}

P.S. I call these my "Love Pangs". Those sweet little things that give you a glimpse of Ben in them and a short little stab to the heart. I am happy to have them though so I can remember all those little things I may have forgotten and write them down now.

My Sweet Ben Passed Away

2013-02-12T09:39:00.002-07:00

My Sweet Ben passed away on February 6th, 2013.

I wanted to share his beautiful obituary.

His sister Aspen wrote the body and I just added a few things.

He had the most beautiful funeral ever yesterday. It was such a peaceful day.

Ben was with me.

OBITUARY FOR BENJAMIN JOSEPH RIDGES

DECEMBER 12, 1980 - FEBRUARY 6, 2013

    Our beloved husband, son, brother, uncle and grandson, Ben Ridges, age 32, passed away on February 6, 2013 after a long battle with cancer. It may have taken his body, but Ben's spirit was never taken. He amazed and inspired us all with his patience, kindness and grace. We will forever remember his example.
    Ben was born to J. Rand and Marla Campbell Ridges on December 12th, 1980 in Bountiful, Utah. Ben was the second of four children, the only son, and the king of the castle. He was sealed to his beautiful sweetheart, Sara Jane Falkner Ridges, on November 27, 2002 in the Salt Lake Temple. Together they moved several times before settling in Centerville, Utah.
    Ben loved all things mechanical. He spent many hours with his dad working on engines and adding horsepower. He loved big tires, loud engines, and "showing us what this baby can do". Ben loved both the mountains of northern Utah and the red rock and sand of Southern Utah. He loved off-roading and horseback riding; whatever could take him off the beaten path and do so with speed.
    Known as Uncle Teasy-Pants to his 8 nieces and 2 nephews, visits with him were always fun. During the last months of his life he often requested their visits to brighten his day and make him smile. His home was plastered with drawings, pictures and cards sent by his earthly angels who prayed for and loved him. He will be missed by them. Eliana, Cadence, Joel and Jasec Hadley; Brielle, Claire, Addison and Molly Davis; and Brooklyn and Kennedy Phillips.
    Ben is survived by his loving wife, Sara; furry child (boxer), Izzy; parents, J. Rand and Marla Ridges; sisters, Aspen (Steven) Hadley, Camille (Marty) Davis and Emily (David) Phillips; grandparents, Roy and Maxine Campbell; parents-in-law, Trudi and Harold "Short-T" Goode, Dane R. Falkner and Mary Jo Ahlin; brothers-in-law Dane V. (Charlotte) Falkner and Nicholas Falkner along with aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who loved him greatly.
    Special thanks to doctors and staff at the University of Utah Hospital and Huntsman Cancer Hospital for the professional and charitable care provided to Ben. Also to the many friends and neighbors who served and loved Ben during the past two years. We couldn't have done it without you!
    While he will be missed terribly, we imagine Ben joyfully casting off his mortal body. We hope he will take big, deep breaths. That he will run and jump and enjoy freedom from pain and suffering. That he will increase the eternal joy and happiness of others on his eternal mission as he did in his earthly mission.
    A funeral service to honor and celebrate his life will be held on Monday, February 11th at 11:00 a.m. at the Chase Lane LDS Building, 1125 N. 400 West in Centerville. A viewing will be held Sunday, February 10, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Russon Brothers Mortuary, 295 N. Main in Bountiful and on Monday morning prior to the funeral services from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church.
    In lieu of flowers, those who wish to do so may donate to The Ben Ridges Charitable Fund at any America First Credit Union in order to assist with funeral costs.
    The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. The prize belongs to him or her who endures to the end.

a picture is worth a thousand words

2013-02-11T18:02:00.002-07:00

2013-01-21T18:29:00.000-07:00

I have so many things to post that I don't really want to post anything. Haha.

Ever feel that way?

New LDS Youth Curriculum~ LOVE IT!

2013-01-16T23:11:00.001-07:00

I just have to give a proverbial shout out to the new LDS youth curriculum: Come, Follow Me.

Can I get a "Woot! Woot!"

I am so glad this has been initiated.

For those who aren't sure what I am talking about, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints holds a 3 hour church block in which the classes are split up according to different categories such as age, gender, priesthood status, etc to help guide discussion to appropriate topics. For both male and female youth, they attend each of the following for approximately 1 hour each: Sacrament Meeting, Sunday School and Young Men or Young Women.

This new curriculum focuses more on guiding youth lessons by recognizing promptings from the Holy Ghost and teaching the same way Christ taught his disciples, through a discussion like mode rather than a lecture format. Christ often asked questions to his disciples that he might understand their spiritual maturity and then answered them appropriately according to what they personally needed to hear. He often explained gospel doctrines through specific examples, also known as parables, that related to their life at that moment in time.

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." John 14:26

Using this type of teaching style in our modern setting grants each member the tools needed to learn for themselves the truths of this gospel and gain greater intelligence. It allows each individual to convert themselves through diligent study, prayer and guidance by the Holy Ghost resulting in stronger testimonies and knowledge of Christ's church. It also has many other benefits including increased fellowship and confidence in their knowledge of the gospel , which helps nurture full-time and lifelong missionaries. Christ himself said "Feed my sheep."

I invite you to watch this quick 4 minute presentation that describes this new curriculum. I'm not going to lie, this curriculum is pretty cool and I am really excited to start using it with all the resources it provides. If you would like to watch other videos of how to do this click here.

"And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19

New Share the Love Project: The Road Home

2013-01-14T17:46:00.004-07:00

Who knows about The Road Home and what their mission is?

Sometimes it's hard to know how to help if you don't know who needs the help, right?

Well I am going to introduce you to different organizations that need your help and the first one is:

A few simple words sum up why I really love The Road Home.

"Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day.

Teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime."

They don't just provide a shelter for those in need but they help them re-establish permanent housing and a better life. This is critical to truly helping those without homes get back on their feet and keeping them off the streets. Housing is one of the first things you should have and they help you get it.

I first want you to watch this video.

If that doesn't bring a tear to your eye or make you want to help out then you should watch it again or go watch some of the other videos they have HERE. They are so good and eye-opening, I would encourage you to watch all of them. I'll be posting them all eventually, one at a time.

Did you know....

The Road Home is the largest shelter in Utah.

The Road Home provides emergency shelter and housing services to men, women and families in our community.

The Road Home has helped over 1,000 families move out of shelter through Rapid Rehousing.

It only takes $9 to shelter one person for one night.

The Road Home is locate at 210 S. Rio Grande Street in Salt Lake City, UT
They also have a Community Winter Shelter at 529 West 7300 So in Midvale, UT

In 2011, The Road Home provided shelter to a total of 7,000 people, including:
•615 Families (including 1,063 children)
•4,387 Single men
•740 Single women

During the Winter Shelter months The Road Home expands from serving an average of 635 individuals per day, to serving 780 per day. This saves lives.

They never turn anyone away.

CLICK HERE for a more comprehensive showing of the services they provide to the community.

"So, how can I help?"

Make a Donation. I have a "Donate" button on the right side of my blog to make it easy!

CLICK HERE to see a list of items that they do and do not accept as well as delivery sites. You may also drop donations off to me at any time if you are in the Centerville, UT area.

In winter the most needed items are:

Warm clothing, blankets and shoes!
So do a little New Year clean out and see what you could donate to them!

Consider sponsoring a Palmer Court Apartment Kit to help a chronically homeless family get re-established in permanent housing. These kits include essential home items. CLICK HERE for the different kit lists.

Attend One of Their Events such as the following one coming up!

Join TD Gift Solutions and 120 local boutiques & retailers for a Valentine's Gift Show to benefit The Road Home.

Clothing Drive Needs:
Hygiene Items
Towels & Pillows
Blankets (all sizes)
Baby Items (diapers, wipes, bottles, ect.)

Raffle Tickets for donations!

Pampered Chef Cooking Demonstration
Photos with Cupid
Key Note Speaker: Leta Greene
Sponsored by: Utah Olympic Oval

Volunteer! Being the largest shelter in Utah, they are a very large facility and can use your help! They have great opportunities to help ALL ages. Through giving your time you can make a huge impact on individuals or families. You can also really help if you are bilingual! CLICK HERE for more volunteer information.
Do you have a group that wants to donate time? This is a great way to provide service in a ton of fun ways such as sorting and putting together kits from donated items or making a dinner and taking it to the shelter to serve to guests. If you are a local food business owner, wouldn't this be a great way to use the food that wasn't sold?! You can even design your own project to help them. This would be great for Young Women or Young Men activities!
CLICK HERE for group information.
You can also volunteer for activities with the Palmer Court Residents. I think this one sounds like a ton of fun: Teen Night Out! You get to plan and take them on activities such as movies, bowling, sports games, you name it! Go have fun! CLICK HERE for Palmer Court Volunteering.

Here is also a very unique and awesome project that was launched Dec 4, 2012 and will be occurring on Jan 30-Feb 2, 2013.
100,000 Homes: Salt Lake City
100,000 Homes: Salt Lake City supports a national movement of change agents working together to house 100,000 vulnerable and chronically homeless individuals and families by July 2014. Homeless service providers and local volunteers will take to the streets for Registry Week. The objective is to create a by-name registry of people living on our streets, so that we can prioritize those who have been homeless the longest and are the most vulnerable, and move them into housing. What we learn together during this week will help us reduce and ultimately end chronic homelessness in our community. Volunteering for this requires a training day so you need to sign up for it. You can also sponsor or volunteer goods if you are a business.
Check out their Facebook page HERE to read more about it and sign up to volunteer.
This would be so incredibly rewarding and such a great experience. Take advantage of these awesome opportunities!

The Road Home collaborates with a variety of organizations to ensure families and individuals have the tools they need to get back on their feet and stay there. Check out all the resources in this link. Community Resources

I can personally say that I have learned a ton and have grown to love The Road Home as I investigated and created this next Share the Love Project. When I am able, I would like to coordinate volunteer activities to do, so when I do (or if I hear any of you are!) I will pass along the information!

Ya know, sometimes people just a need a little bit of help to get back up on their feet and be fine again. With your help, they can. Join me.

Share the Love

Homemade Hot Cocoa

2013-01-11T14:21:00.004-07:00

I wasn't going to post today but I felt compelled to do so because of the weather outside here in sunny Centerville, Utah.

It's beautiful! All 18 inches of it!

I love huge snow storms (as long as I don't have to drive or the roads are clear).

So anyway, I had a really bad headache this morning and decided that Hot Cocoa would definitely make it go away. Funny thing.... it did. :)

Here is a fabulous and super quick hot cocoa recipe for those days when you find yourself lacking pre-made hot cocoa powder or just like to make things from scratch. There are lots of good hot cocoa mixes out there (Stephen's Dulce de Leche Hot Cocoa...drool), just make sure you use milk! That's what makes it creamy and rich, plus it gives you some nutrients too.
If you do make the hot cocoa from scratch it is a bunch cheaper.
Plus you can adjust it until it is your perfect flavor!
You like it sweet? No problem! Add a little more sugar.
You a chocoholic? Right on! Add more cocoa powder!
You can add hazelnut, caramel/ dulce de leche, peppermint sticks, you name it! You can have it your way!

So snuggle up in front of your fire with a warm blanket and a good book and sip away at your rich creamy hot cocoa. Enjoy the moment. Mmmm..... :)

Dang it. My headache is back. Better go make some more hot cocoa...

Homemade Hot Cocoa

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Tbsp sugar (or adjusted to your preferred taste)

1 Tbsp cocoa powder (or more!- I used Ghirardelli sweet ground chocolate and cocoa)

2 Tbsp water

1 cup milk

¼ tsp pure vanilla extract (or other flavoring)

Combine sugar, cocoa and water in a small saucepan and heat over medium until sugar is dissolved. Stir regularly to prevent scorching. Add the milk and flavoring and whisk well until it reaches your desired temperature. Make sure not to get it too hot before serving so it doesn’t risk burning someone, especially children. If you need to keep it on the stove, just turn the heat down to the lowest setting to keep warm. I love hazelnut or caramel/dulce de leche flavored hot cocoas so adding a bit of that flavoring is next on my list! I'll add an addendum if I find other awesome additives! Apparently, doubling the cocoa powder is a fabulous idea! ;)

Perfect Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream

2013-01-10T20:49:00.001-07:00

I don't know what it is about winter, but it always makes me crave ice cream despite how cold it is outside. Maybe it's the heavy cream that tempts my senses into thinking it will eventually make me warmer.... at least around the hips. ;) That's my theory.

Anyway, I have the perfect recipe for fresh strawberry ice cream. It is amazingly creamy strawberrily delicious. Yep. I'm excited. =D

I love me a good strawberry ice cream.

Plus I found out it gets better as it ages in the freezer. Mmmmm.....

Today I made some fresh pasta for my niece's birthday and was thinking (as I was licking an empty spoon) that I should have made her ice cream! What kid wants fresh pasta over ice cream?! Silly Aunt Sara. ;)

The key to amazing strawberry ice cream is amazing strawberries. I've said this before and I'll say it again. You can't expect to get amazing strawberry flavor in your dessert from dull or tart strawberries. It denies all laws of food physics. Just don't try it. Get good sweet delicious strawberries.

Oh, and if you are needing to clean out your automatic ice maker in your freezer, this is surely the way to do it. I used exactly one full binful of ice. Perfect!

I am trying to say lots of interesting things because I got so many yummy pictures...

Yup.

Mmhmm.

Ok. On with it already!

Perfect Strawberry Ice Cream

Serves 6...or just 1
Ingredients
1 pound fresh sweet strawberries, hulled and chopped into pretty small chunks
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup milk (I used 2%)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 big pinch salt

Directions
Combine chopped strawberries, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup sugar in a mixing bowl, set aside in fridge for a couple hours (I did 2.5 hrs). In a large bowl, beat eggs for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Sprinkle in 3/4 cups sugar and mix well. Stir in the milk, vanilla and salt and mix well. Mash the strawberries pretty good so you don't have large chunks (keep the juice). You want pretty small chunks so they don't freeze and break your teeth. Add to the other mixture and mix well. Stir in whipping cream and refrigerate until chilled or overnight (I waited almost 24 hrs). I like to give it more time for the flavors to meld. I could definitely taste a difference after it had sat in the fridge overnight. Pour into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions. I have a good old fashioned (motor driven) ice cream maker and it churned for about 30 minutes. Then I took out the dasher and scraped it off, packed the ice cream down into the can, corked the lid and replaced it. I covered it with more ice and a little more salt (I used our water softener salt... it worked) and let it sit for about 3-4 hours to harden it. Dish out and enjoy quickly or store in freezer. (It melts fast) You'll want to eat it within about 5 days so it will be creamy and not crystalized. Enjoy!

{Original recipe I found on Food.com but I tweaked it a bit}

Peanut Butter Bars

2013-01-05T11:39:00.004-07:00

There are certain things in this life that are just meant to be together.

Salt and Pepper
Jack and Jill
Yin and Yang
Macaroni and Cheese

Well, in the world of sweets you can bet your knickers that one of those pairings is
Peanut Butter and Chocolate
Mmmm....
Who doesn't just love the combination of creamy peanut butter and rich chocolate?
{All of you who overdosed on Reese's cups and now can't stand to eat them don't count...}

Point being, it's pretty good and my husband, Ben, loves the peanut butter/chocolate duo. He requested I make some peanut butter bars... "the kind with oatmeal in the bottom".
And so it began.
I whipped out a ward cookbook and knew there was going to be a gem in there. Peanut butter bars are one of those desserts you can expect most people in your neighborhood to be able to make. Everyone has a different recipe and they are somehow all amazing.

Here they be in all their glory.

These are fabulous with their fudgy texture.

I just love ward cookbooks. ;)

Testimonial:

"Fact: I don't like peanut butter. Second fact: I would give my first born for these bars. Delicious!" ~Jillian Rose

Well there you have it ladies and gentlemen. Need I say more?

This recipe is also very easy to make. Guaranteed success.

It is great because it makes a lot at one time so it would be perfect for gifts, parties, vacations, etc.

These bars are sweet so if you (like me) prefer desserts that are less sweet and more rich or "deep", for lack of a better term, then this may not be the recipe you are looking for but it is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients for cakey-doughy part

3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

3/4 cup White Sugar

2 eggs

3/4 cup Salted Butter, softened

1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 tsp Salt

3/4 tsp Baking Soda

1 1/2 cups Flour

1 1/2 cups Oatmeal

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a jelly roll pan (standard half sheet baking pan with sides ~ 10x16") with a sheet of parchment paper. You can use a smaller pan for thicker bars if desired. Beat together peanut butter, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs and butter. Add vanilla, salt, baking soda, flour and oatmeal. Press mixture into bottom of pan to spread (mine did not reach to all the edges). Cook for 10-12 minutes (I cooked for 10 min). They will look undercooked when you remove them so don't overcook them. Let them cool and top with more peanut butter (optional- I did not do this but probably will next time) and the chocolate frosting.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch.

Ingredients for Chocolate Frosting

1 cup Sugar

1/4 cup Chocolate (I used semisweet chocolate chips)

1/4 cup Salted Butter

1/2 cup Milk

2 Tbsp Light Corn Syrup

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (or until desired consistency, decrease for less sweetness)

1 tsp Vanilla

Bring all ingredients except powdered sugar and vanilla to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring. Place bottom of pan in cold water until mixture cools and thickens a bit. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until thoroughly blended. Pour on bars before mixture hardens.

{Recipe from Brooke Johnson in Parish Canyon Ward 2012 Cookbook- Thanks Brooke!}

Enjoy!

Awesome Bible App

2013-01-02T18:04:00.003-07:00

I just discovered an awesome app for Bible videos and stories about the life of Jesus Christ.

It is found HERE. {You can also watch them online.}

You can read through the birth and early years of Christ and watch videos that are linked near the text. You can continue on with his life and ministry by watching the videos. I love these kinds of videos. They can give you an increased insight of what it really might have been like. These videos are really high quality too. They are the same style as the one I posted on Christmas.

This app is a perfect way to pass the time while you are waiting for an appointment or just because.

I sure love them. You will too!

Here is an example!

Enjoy.

New Year's Resolution

2012-12-31T14:15:00.001-07:00

I haven't given much thought to a New Year's Resolution to be honest.

There are many things that will be different next year, so I'm not so sure I need one but I'm a believer in second chances and new beginnings so, alas, my inner being compels me to make a New Year's Resolution. :)

But first, we must reflect.

This is a recap of last year's resolutions

(posted to my personal blog)

Happy New Year Everyone!

Every New Year provides an opportunity to start over.

It gives us a chance to change and become a little bit better than last year.

Ben and I were discussing our New Year's resolutions and I was definitely more into this resolution game than he was....but that was to be expected. :) I found myself being more interested in making a resolution than in previous years. Maybe it's because I have more time to think about it. Maybe I've just had enough. Probably a little bit of both, but either way, I am really excited about my new year's resolution because it is realistic and something I have been working on for a bit already.

Let's check out Ben and Sara's New Year's Resolutions!

I will start with Ben. He is a pretty straight forward guy. When I asked him what his new year's resolution would be, these are the answers he gave me. :D I love him.

Goal #1: To not die

{I can chuckle at this because he's nowhere near that but has felt like he wanted to a few times this past year.}

Goal #2: Go Camping more

{Great goal! I like it!}

Goal #3: Build up his Trucks and Jeep

{Hmmm.....this was a surprise.}

Now for Sara. I have really been focusing lately on becoming who I want to be so that is my new year's resolution this year.

Resolution: Become who I want to be.

Life itself is intended for progress so I don't expect this to be "checked off" the list at the end of the year but I would like to say that I am a step closer to my goal (if not a lot of steps closer). Besides, life would suck if you didn't like spending time with yourself!

To be able to become who I want to be, I figured I should break my resolution down into some achievable goals.

Goal #1: Be Relaxed

I have been working on this for a while and I actually feel I am pretty good (or at least a lot better than I used to be) but I do recognize a few things that could make this even better, which leads into goal #2.

Goal #2: Get Organized

I eluded to this before in my last post. An organized house nurtures an organized mind. This is definitely true for me. I love to be organized but somehow my inate instincts (or as some of my family call it, "the genius" in me. ha!) make me a very disorganized person. My excuse has always been that it's organized chaos. But no more! Goodbye Entropy. Hello finding my shoe!

Goal #3: Make my Home Sweet Home

I still feel like I just moved in. I know I am not the only one who has lived where they are for a few years and still haven't unpacked everything. I just really don't like looking at rooms of boxes and am at the "I've had enough" point. It's time. I want to create an environment that nurtures family and the spirit. I would love to have this done before we grow our little family. I want to create a safe haven and a cozy home. We love our house and it is cozy and warm but I think organizing it and actually setting up the rooms (and putting things up on the walls) would help it tip over into the "We live in a cozy home and love it here" phase rather than the "We move every 6 months so we don't even bother unpacking" phase. My mom always created a wonderfully cozy home for us to enjoy and I want to do the same thing for my family.

Ben and I also decided to have a combined resolution for this year.

Family Goal: Keep the Sabbath Day Holy

I know that we can do a better job at keeping the sabbath day a holy day to give us more time to study and reflect on our being. With all the hubbub and drama of worldly daily living it can be very easy to lose track of our eternal goals and relationships with each other and our Father in Heaven.

I really like the quote, "Be in the world but not of the world," and I know for a fact that taking the time out to study, learn and meditate and make right choices on an hourly basis will help us to easily achieve that goal and will allow our 'body' and 'spirit' to coexist in peace. One thing that has always helped me is the thought below:

"The longer we follow a path, the easier it becomes."

This is true in all aspects of life, no matter which path you choose.

So follow the path that will allow you to become who you want to be.

Happy New Year.

Well, surprisingly, even through all Ben has been through this last year,

all of his resolutions have come to fruition (whether he wanted them to or not).

#1 Yep, still here.

#2 We went camping up at Huntsville and fished for the first time together!

Ben was also able to go jeeping in St. George.

#3 Ben built up his jeep and his truck a bit

I am glad he was able to enjoy a few things while he could. He deserves so much more and will soon receive it when he passes into the next life and is no longer plagued by a broken body.

I can proudly announce that I have also achieved all of my goals.

I am definitely more of who I want to be this year.

Relaxed, a bit more organized and Home Sweet Home Achieved.... well, more like Room Sweet Room achieved... I created a little cozy haven in the room where Ben is by decorating the fireplace mantle and walls with notes, drawings, balloons and cards from family and mostly the nieces and nephews. I stuffed Christmas into this room too so it is very cozy for us. Room Sweet Room. :)

We also achieved our family goal by not just keeping the Sabbath day holy but by keeping every day holy as much as possible. We have learned a ton and gained much from this experience. Living holy invites a greater spirit into your home and provides an atmosphere of education and inspiration. Our hearts have been further softened. I highly recommend it.

The New Year will bring many changes to my and Ben's life, in sad but good ways.

This next year will definitely be bittersweet for both of us.

Since things will be so different, my blog will be a way for me to write down "things" and I might as well share them in case they could help someone else out there that may be in a situation similar to mine. Maybe it could help. Either way I just enjoy sharing things. :)

Anyway, I digress. Resolutions.
Really, there has been one major thing on my mind lately and I think my 2007 New Year's post says it best so instead of recreating the wheel, I would just like to share that post with you.

This is my resolution.

Well....The Christmas hustle and bustle should be over now for most people. This is the time when we can really focus on Christ, his birth and his influence in our life. We can also look back at the year and reflect on the good times, the sad times, and the accomplishments we have made. We can remember loved ones we have lost and new friendships we have gained. We can also remember those who walked through our hearts and left footprints that may never be washed away. Whether 2007 was monetarily prosperous or not will not matter in the grand perspective of things. What really matters is how many hearts we touched this last year.
We can try to count the number of people we might think we have helped but most likely there are many more we are unaware of. We can never know when a small and kind gesture makes a world of difference to another person. I have been the recipient of many of these gestures that are often performed without thought.
These few people are what make me trust the world a little too much and gives me hope for a safer, kinder world for our children. I want to thank those of you who open doors for others even if they could do it themselves. I want to thank those who help shovel their neighbor's walkways and bake cookies for the new families in the neighborhood. I want to thank those of you who donate your time and money to helping those who are not as fortunate as you. Thank you to those who inspire others and are role models. Thank you to those who spend a little more time with their family. Thank you to those who say "Hello" to a stranger and to those who support our troops. Thank you to those who try to enjoy life a little more. Thank you to those who make this world a better place one act of kindness at a time.
I try to think to myself "If everyone in the world did as I did...would this world be a better place?" I would hope the answer to this question would be 'Yes' for me.
In a few days we will get to make a New Year's Resolution that most people drop two weeks into the year. This year, let's make a resolution that is easy to keep not only for a year but for a lifetime. If you have an opportunity to serve, whether convenient or inconvenient, take the opportunity. It doesn't have to be a huge sacrifice like many may think. It could just be the simple acts as stated above. You never know how many lives 3you may touch or even change.

My resolution is to serve God a little bit better.

"And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." Mosiah 2:17
Happy New Year.

How to Reheat Pasta

2012-12-29T12:27:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried to reheat your pasta and cream sauce only to get a greasy separated mess?

Who hasn't?! I hate it. It's gross and it's almost not worth eating.

Since I just posted the Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo recipe yesterday, and this recipe makes a lot (at least for a family of two), it behooveth me to share with you how I store and reheat cream-based pasta dishes. I love me some pasta (that's an understatement) and have a very simple tried and true method that never fails to reproduce delicious pasta meals the day after you prepare them. There are many ways to reheat them, but I like simple so this is probably the simplest way of doing it (plus it's good and it works).

So here are some rules to reheating cream-based pasta dishes

{these do not necessarily apply to marinara sauces}

Rule #1:

DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT mix your pasta and your cream sauce together when you store them!

This is for multiple reasons: pasta absorbs sauce as it sits so you have less coating and dryer, softer pasta, also, using my method to reheat sauce, it can't be mixed. So store your pasta apart from your sauce in airtight containers.

Rule #2:

Reheating the Pasta: Place your desired amount of pasta in a bowl and put a very small amount of water on it (you don't need much at all). Using your fingers, toss the pasta around so it all gets coated with the water and loosens up. This allows the pasta to be somewhat steamed and stay moist while cooking. Cover it loosely with a lid or another plate (whatever looks convenient). Cook in the microwave for 20-30 seconds at a time and toss in between until it is heated thoroughly. Brava.

Rule #3:

Reheating the Sauce: Place your sauce in a microwaveable bowl and cover loosely. Microwave for 15-20 seconds at a time stirring thoroughly in between each heating, When you heat it and take it out of the microwave you will notice it has separated. "Crap!" you say to yourself. Fret not my hungry flustered friends. Just stir it until it comes back together completely.... trust me, it will. Sometimes it takes longer than others but it should not take more than a couple minutes. Our quest is to allow all the ingredients to melt and recreate an emulsion by stirring the water and oil components together. This happens at different rates depending on the ingredient so be patient.

{There is another method that involves adding egg, which acts as an emulsifier, and this method may be better for reheating large amounts or if you are serving super picky eaters}

Once sauce comes together, heat it more and repeat steps until the sauce is as hot as you will want it. Magnifique.

Rule #4:

Assemble your dish. Place your pasta in your bowl and cover it with an unnecessary amount of sauce.

Rule #5:

Don't you dare think about sticking it back in the microwave because you decided at the last minute that you want it hotter. Nuh uh! You made your choice, buddy, and now you have to live with it.

What do you think will happen to your sauce if you heat it again?

{Go ahead. Try it and let the tears flow. Don't say I didn't warn you.}

Rule #6:

Sing praises to Sara and enjoy.

Olive Garden's Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe

2012-12-28T13:56:00.001-07:00

One of Ben's favorite dishes is the Fettuccine Alfredo from Olive Garden. Their Alfredo sauce is just like no other. We have yet to find a better one.

His appetite has constantly decreased, especially over the last week, so I decided to resurrect some of his favorite recipes in hopes to ruse him into thinking he likes food again. The one that sounded tolerable today was Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo.

We had attempted a recipe quite a while ago and it was pretty good- well, it was the best one we had made at home- but it wasn't quite there. The other day I found a recipe that I decided to give a go. It tastes exactly the same as what I remember from the restaurant! I am happy I found the keeper.

I would be proud to serve it to guests. :)

Here she be.

Olive Garden's Fettuccine Alfredo
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 pint heavy cream
1 teaspoon garlic powder (not salt)
salt to taste (~ 2 pinches)
black pepper to taste (~1 pinch)
2/3 cup fresh Parmesan cheese grated very fine
1 lb fettuccine pasta, prepared as directed
Chicken- boneless, skinless breast (optional)

Directions
If adding chicken, heat oven to 350 degrees. Start water to boil for pasta and cook as directed. Place chicken breasts on a baking pan with slotted grooves or a rack on a baking sheet. Salt as preferred on both sides and bake for 16 minutes turning have way through. Meanwhile. over medium heat, melt butter in a medium saucepan. When butter is melted, add cream cheese. When cream cheese has softened a bit, add heavy cream, garlic, salt and pepper. Simmer over low-medium heat for 15-20 (20 if you have time). Stir regularly. Remove from heat and add the Parmesan cheese. Stir, allowing cheese to melt in the mixture. Serve immediately over hot fettuccine noodles. Slice chicken and serve on top. Voila.

Now that's delectable! These are the times when your eyes are always bigger than your stomach!

What I love about this recipe is that it takes less than half an hour from start to finish! I'll say!

Also, this is my favorite way of cooking chicken if you want it tender and juicy. It's a miracle method and you can cook a lot at one time. Try it.

Here is where I found the original recipe. I just added some information to this great recipe.

Enjoy!

{Click HERE for information on how to store and reheat cream-based pastas}

Christmas

2012-12-25T00:30:00.002-07:00

Today is Christmas.

I won't be posting a new recipe.
I won't be posting about the gifts I've received or what was on the menu today.

I'm not even going to post about how much I love my Ben.
I am going to post about Christ.

Because He is what we celebrate this day.

Do we really understand the significance of this day?

Today is the day that our Savior, our brother, was born unto us in this mortal life.

Today is the day that the Plan of Salvation sets the course to change the outcome of every person in existence, to save them from eternal sorrow and bring to them the opportunity of eternal happiness and life in the presence of our Father in Heaven.

Today is the day, over 2000 years ago. that a miracle happened.

Do we see it? Do we recognize it? Do we feel it?

What does Christ mean to you personally?
Christ is truly light and life. The answer to all sorrow and heartache. One that has sunk below all to know how you feel and to save you from living in your sins forever. He has conquered death for you. And what did he expect to gain? Nothing but the chance to live with you again.
Christ is ultimate selflessness. Do we know him?

Imagine your brother.

Today is his birthday.

The thing is, he is not physically there with you because he sacrificed himself for you that you might not die. Not only did he sacrifice himself but he suffered greatly right before and during his death. He did it so you wouldn't have to.

Would you honor him on his birthday?

Maybe just a little more than you do now?

What gift would you give him on his birthday to honor him?

What is the one thing he wants for his birthday?
He asks of us only one simple thing. Follow him.
He will lead you back home.

Old Fashioned Christmas

2012-12-22T21:16:00.000-07:00

I love nights like tonight. Ben and I are watching old reel films of my dad's family growing up, cozying up in our favorite chairs while the Christmas tree is glowing in the corner. :)

Doesn't get better than this.

This is what home feels like.

Folksy Floral Loretta Apron {Product Review}

2012-12-21T19:33:00.001-07:00

So, remember that Apron that I really, really, really, really loved?....."Oh, Loretta?"
Yeah, that's the one.

Well, my awesome friend, Susan, wrote the company (ASD Living) to see where she could get one and they ended up sending one to me for free in the Folksy Floral Fabric that I loved!!

Now, how awesome is that?!

It just gives me warm fuzzies that people are so nice and giving. :) smile.

There you are.

Upon receiving this fabulous gift, I admired how it was packaged. That stuff doesn't really matter but it makes me happy when things are packaged in a cute way.

Two thumbs up. Simple but thoughtful.

And I open her up to find....

Really cute buuuut I will say I was a bit disappointed in the coloring of the material. That's almost 90% of the reason why I wanted it and it's not the color that it looked like on the internet (maybe it was just my computer). It's kind of like expecting a sip of cranberry juice (which I like) but getting black cherry (which I also like). I thought it would be more blue and white than teal and cream. But still! It is really cute and I love it! I probably would have bought it anyway so 2 thumbs up!

Functionality

I had to give 'er a test run of course to make sure the pockets were in the right places for my monkey arms and that it did in fact look cute as well as keep the mess offa me.

No better way to test drive it than to make some Christmas cookies for the neighbors, eh?!
Well, I got lazy so I didn't make the cookies but I did try it on. ;)
Review: The pockets are in the perfect spot to rest my weary cookie making arms, {I don't know why I love pockets} The apron itself does cover a lot of square footage so it is definitely functional! For the fit, it is pretty good for an apron. I am definitely not as small as that mannequin is so it fits quite different. The bottom is super cute and frilly (love), but for me the top just doesn't fit like the picture looks. I think my torso is a bit too long (and wide) plus I'm not a mannequin. ;) This Loretta halter style would look best on a thin frame. If you have the shape of this mannequin then it will look stunning on you! Otherwise, it is still a nice apron but other styles would likely be more flattering.
I also really love the material. It is sturdy but flowy and very comfy. It's perfect for an apron.
So, overall I give it a 2 thumbs up rating! Check out ASD Living for other cute apron styles as well.

And just for fun I am showing you these ridiculously awesome spatulas I received as a gift for Christmas last year.

Happy Baking!

Oh Christmas Tree

2012-12-20T22:18:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to show everyone my Christmas tree this year. I love it. It's our favorite one yet.

Isn't it beautiful? I love good traditional Christmas trees.

The best part is the story behind this tree. My mom went to Home Depot to pick up the tree and she likes to talk, you see, so she starts telling the guy who is loading the tree about Ben. Before you know it, he says, "Well then, Merry Christmas from Home Depot" and he just gave her the tree.

This is not the only time they have shown such generous kindness to us so from now on I plan on frequenting the Home Depot in Centerville for all my home needs.Thank you Home Depot!

Every year my husband and I buy a new ornament for each of us sometimes regarding something that happened that year like cowboy boot ornaments when we got our horses! We write the year and our name on it so now we have wonderful memories throughout our years that we can reflect on every Christmas.

And here it is all lit up!

I love the glow of the tree and the reflection of light off the ornaments at night.

It is such a wonderful cozy feeling.

Below is a picture I took a bit ago of Ben's birthday balloons that I had to do something with. There were 35 of them so the only logical place to put them was on the ceiling and wall. ;)

Organizing Addresses with Google Docs Spread Sheet

2012-12-17T18:05:00.002-07:00

Isn't keeping track of addresses such a pain in the butt?!

I just want the information easily accessible, where and when I need it.

That's all really. Nothing fancy.

Well, I finally decided to gather all my addresses together and needed a good way to do this. I didn't really want to use another social network or another separate program I have to keep track of so I did a little searching and someone on the net mentioned using Google docs.

Ahhhh! Yes! Why didn't I think of that!?

If you haven't used google docs... well you should try it. I have used it for recipes, spreadsheets, sharing and now addresses!

It allows you to store documents that you can access from anywhere you have internet! It's great. It's your own little document cloud. Plus, if you want to share any of your documents, you can do that mucho easily by just entering the person's email address into the "share" function. It's really convenient and awesome so I thought I would share.

Anyway, Google has a spreadsheet document, essentially excel.... and it's free! You just need a Google account, which you already have if you have a gmail email.

This is how we do it.

When in www.google.com there will be a bunch of tabs along the top of the page. Click on "Drive". It will open up the documents that you have created or have been shared with you. On the left side you can click on either "Shared documents" to see the documents others have shared with you or "My Drive" to see the documents you have created. Just click on "Create" to make a new document and it will pop up the different document types. You can make a word document, spreadsheet, presentation. form, or drawing.

I am not an expert on it but it is actually pretty easy to use so you don't have to be one to use it. :)

I am sure there are much fancier and advanced ways of collecting addresses but I'm not too technologically advanced so for now, I like this method. It's simple and easy.

50 Totes for 50 Patients

2012-12-16T09:15:00.002-07:00

Curious what 50 gift totes looks like?

Huzzah!

Them's a lot of totes. ;)

{If you're just now dropping in, look to the right side bar for more information on the Christmas Comfort Totes project for chemo patients at the Huntsman Cancer Hospital or Click Here.}

Wrapped and Ready!
Stay tuned to see when the next batch of 50 is ready!