Happy Autumn Recipes

Here are some recipes tried and devoured!

The jicama makes it for me. It is delish.

Avocado Chicken Salad
This is a terrific way to use up last night’s leftover chicken. Cilantro and lime juice add a bit of zest to liven up lunch or dinner. —Patricia Collins, Imbler, Oregon
5 ServingsPrep/Total Time: 20 min.
Ingredients

3 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 medium ripe avocados, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup cubed peeled jicama
1/4 cup pimientos, diced
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup chopped green onions
5 romaine leaves

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, avocados, jicama and pimientos.
In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, cilantro, lime
juice, salt and pepper. Drizzle over chicken mixture; toss to coat.
Top with onions. Serve on lettuce leaves. Yield: 5 servings.

I love meringue and I love that I won't have the calories of a pie crust!


Makeover Frozen Chocolate Pie


The original recipe for this fabulous dessert was absolute heaven — until it came to stepping on the scale! Now the fat’s been cut by over half, the calories reduced, and your taste buds will never even know the difference! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Greendale, Wisconsin
8 ServingsPrep: 40 min. Bake: 1 hour + freezing
Ingredients

3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Dash salt
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups reduced-fat vanilla ice cream, softened
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature for
30 minutes. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form.
Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until
stiff peaks form.
Spread onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased and floured
9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Bake at 275° for 1 hour. Turn off
oven and do not open door; let meringue cool completely inside the
oven.
For chocolate sauce, in a small saucepan, combine the cocoa,
cornstarch, salt and remaining sugar. Whisk in milk. Bring to a boil
over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer,
uncovered, for 5-7 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from

Mat loved this!

Autumn Couscous Bowl

Ingredients:

1 2-lb butternut squash, peeled and chopped (in 1/2-inch pieces: If you buy Costco, consider cutting them smaller: about 4 cups)
2 cups small cauliflower florets
1 1/2 cups couscous
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup sweet Asian chili sauce

Directions:

Preheat broiler. Place squash and 2 tablespoons water in large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Microcook on high power for 5 minutes until crisp tender.

Transfer squash and cauliflower to a baking pan. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Lightly coat with cooking spray. Broil for about 10 minutes, stirring once.

Meanwhile, prepare couscous. In a saucepan, place couscous, chicken stock, salt, black pepper, and curry powder and bring it to boil. Once it boils, turn of the heat and stir well to make it fluffy. Set aside.

Melt butter in a small pan over low heat and add the sweet chili sauce. Stir well with a spatula until butter is melted and mixed well with the chili sauce.

To serve, divide couscous among 4 bowls. Top with vegetables and chili-butter.

I made this for the chili cook off. I knew it wasn't going to be a winner because people are used to chili being a certain way, but if you're will to eat outside the box, you'll like it.


Harvest Chili



Harvest Chili
Makes: 8 servings
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 30 mins

Harvest Chili
Ingredients

2
tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2
pounds cooked chicken-apple sausage links, cut in 1-inch pieces
2
large red onions, chopped (3 cups)
3
cloves garlic, minced
1
large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut in 3/4-inch chunks (about 6 cups)
2
teaspoons chili powder
1/4
teaspoon salt
1/8
teaspoon cayenne pepper
3
cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3
Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut in 3/4-inch slices
1
15 - 16 ounce canpinto beans, rinsed, drained, and slightly mashed
1
tablespoon snipped fresh sage or tiny sage leaves
Golden Delicious or other apple, sliced in rings

Directions

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage; cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon.

2. In the same pan, cook onion and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until nearly tender. Add the squash; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, salt, and cayenne; cook for 1 minute. Return the sausage to pan. Add broth; bring to boiling, then reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 8 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Cook apple slices in hot oil for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until light brown. Transfer apples along with beans to chili. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until apples are tender. Top servings of chili with sage and apple rings.


Shout out to the Weed's on a new baby boy.

Boy is Liking Pumpkins (Here's Why)

Becket has never been a fan of pumpkin anything, but when the teach sends home a recipe involving pumpkin ("Oh! Now you want to make it!") It's called the sentence recipe. He learned that a sentence is the following recipe:

3 ingredients

*subject
*verb
*predicate

With this assignment was attached a recipe for pumpkin chocolate cookies that only had 3 ingredients

*spice cake mix
*1 15 oz can pumpkin
* chocolate chips

Mix cake and pumpkin, add chocolate chips and bake at 350 until golden brown

He's been begging me to make these so he was so excited when we did!



He also won the overall winner in the school reflection's contest at school. He got this HUGE pumpkin that said "You've been picked for best film!" He also won a pack of butterfingers, a medal, paints, pizza, ice cream, red box movie, Swedish fish, and lots of certificates and ribbons. I asked him how he felt today and he said: "I am one lucky boy today." And then he just giggled with surprise. He was so happy and I was happy for him. Gretchen also entered a poem and visual art. They both got to shake the hand of the mayor of Cottonwood Heights. Gretchen was waaay excited about that. Gretchen: "I actually got to touch the mayor! Can you believe it?!" Becket moves onto the district competition. I wish him luck.

Happenings Around A Southern Town

It's Fall Break/UEA/Deer Hunt Once Removed, whatever you want to call it? So, we headed to St. George for the weekend. I'm here to report the strange happenings that went down in St. George.

1) Becket gets upset at Gretchen for not making him a birthday card for his upcoming birthday on November 4th. Gretchen knowing how bad her brother wants her to make him a birthday card takes advantage of the situation and makes him suffer until he bleeds from his wounded ego. Becket finally gives her a list of ideas that she could draw or write about in his card.





The card still hasn't been made :)

2) Little Micah: "I thwink my mouf has an owie awn it. I betta put a band-aid awn it."
Mic: (smiles with a little guilt): "OK!"



3) I TRIED REALLY HARD TO CUT THIS BREAD STRAIGHT! JUST LOOK AT IT? I'M NEVER CUTTING BREAD AGAIN!



4) I had to laugh at what my mom was storing in her filing cabinet at school. No, it's not the worksheets and supplemental help for her students. It's the snacks and caffeine to supplement the teachers to get through the work day. Here! Here! Ma!



5) Mat attempts to set a new personal climb on his family's property north of St. George. After several tries, he realizes that the climbs are too unapproachable and too hard of rock to put anchors in.





He still got in some rock climbing Monday with his sibs. I sadly had to return to the great north to attend other commitments. He's headed back tonight after staying down south to operate on some patients. I'm excited to have him back. The girl's keep climbing into bed with me at night. I welcome the company when Mat's gone, but it does leave me dazed and groggy in the morning after enduring midnight kicks to my kidneys. And, the kids haven't been to bed before 9PM:)

2011 Halloween Costumes Revealed

What are our contestants going to be for Halloween this year?


I tried to encourage them to think outside of the Tangled/Spiderman box and this is what they came up with ALL ON THEIR OWN.


Micah didn't step out of the box too much. Mic: "What do you want to be for Halloween?" Micah: "A princess." There she be:





Grecthen stepped out of the box and into a whole other box. Gretchen (said in her fast excited voice):"I want to be a Rockstar in an RV. It's my dream, ya know. Yes, that's what I want to be! You can get this box, do this to my hair, glitter, gold, big windshield...... You can make the trunk go up and that's where my trick or treat bag will be so they can just drop in the candy" Here's what we rigged up after she caught her breath.


She named it herself: G-RV (coming soon, spikey rock star hair. This was a trial run and I didn't have the energy)





And her genius invention to put her bucket in the boot so she doesn't have to carry it:





Becket stepped out a box and into a hole, a snake hole that is! Becket:"I want to be a cobra." I thought this was going to be easy to make, but when I got thinking about it, how was I going to get material that wouldn't fold and that I didn't have to sew?! I have outlawed sewing for the rest of my life. I took a personal oath and I refuse to put the needle with the thread. Luckily, Andrea had the grandest idea to buy  a sun shade for your car and paint it black. I finally got it painted it black after several variations of paint that would stick. We rigged and jigged and tweaked and creaked.  Here it is:





I am always relieved to have costumes designed and over with. I don't know why it taxes me until it's done. Well, yes I do know why it taxes me, I was born this way! Let's be honest. I have to give Mat credit, he is my go to for things I have no idea how to do. He's pretty much my go to for everything. So thanks Mat! On with the parties! Exciting!

Doctor Certified And Latisse Deal

You would think Mat would be about done with his test taking life, but not so.  He has passed his ophthalmology boards with flying colors and now he just has one little eensy, weensy plastic ophthalmology test today in Florida. As .....I .....WRITE. Sigh. I wish him luck. After this many tests, who wants to study for another one?

This test gets him acredited for ASOPRS. The what? American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.  It's his special group he'll be certified to belong to. Not all plastic surgeons are created equal you know!  If you're going to have some work done, you may want to take an extra looksy to see if they have taken this extra step and an extra couple years of training to become board certified.  I'm just thinking I would rather have someone undergoing test after test and 2yrs of  training operating on me than someone who has just put in a year of training and is not recognized on the board.

Speaking of Dr. Mat's stuff here is where you can find him

utahoc.com or on facebook Utah Oculoplastic Consultants, P.C.

Oh! And remember my eyelash post after I had used Latisse for 4mths.  If you want those long lashes for cheap go to Utah Oculoplastic Consultants, P.C. Facebook page or Latissewisheschallenge.com and donate $20. You'll get a certificate for a free trial of Latisse and if you get two friends to also donate, you'll get a $20 off coupon for your first purchase of Latisse. If you are thinking about trying it, this is a great way to start. It saves you $100 bucks. Bring in the certificate to our office and we'll get you started , you need  Dr. mat to sign you a perscription.

That's my fellowship trained doctor of oculofacial plastic surgeons specializing in eyelid, brow and facial rejuvenation using the latest techniques, almost done with test taking husband.  Now, life can resume back to normal, kinda.

Here's a picture of his office staff.  The secretaries are completely awesome and added to my bff's list. And, that's Dr. Call, the man leaving his practice to Mat. A very lovely person as well.

  

Kids Get Crazy

First crazy hair day in Becket and Gretchen's life. Here's what they came up with :

Becket's cobra is hard to see, but it's coming over the top of his head. The cobra is about to eat the spider nesting to the side of it. And Gretchen created a tall tree for her giraffe and also a lush green meadow of hair for it to stand on.

Harvest moon Has More Meaning

We recently watched the documentary In The Shadow of the Moon.  Ron Howard interviewed the respected astronauts who had been to the moon.  The old, funny men made me smile.  I found them to be cute. I loved the part where one of the astronauts said there is definitely a higher being. Paraphrased: "When you're up there and looking back on the earth, you know you can't be the only one."

Woman Uses AAA For First Time In 2yrs

It's taken me a while, but I knew having this roadside assistance would come in handy. I finally made the call after my 2yr dedicated membership.

Time: 1:00PM

Location: D. I. Parking Lot Shopping for Halloween costumes.

AAA was there in ten minutes, Costco was another 1 and 15 min to get the tire fixed. I was one grateful woman...until I learned my exit to the 215 Eastbound was closed...and maybe my kids were already home from school.

Comic Strip

How I learned to mind my own business

I was walking past the mental hospital the other day,
And all the patients were outside shouting "13...13....13"

The fence was too high to see over, but I saw a little gap in the planks, so I looked through to see what was going on....

Some idiot poked me in the eye with a stick!

Then they all started shouting "14....14.....14"

(my mom sent that to me)

Also, this movie was intended for my kids, but Mat and I found ourselves laughing at it more. It has Putty from Seinfeld in it, he's the sheriff, and he is the show.

John Locke Spotted Rock Climbing

Okay you Lost fans from long ago, I spotted John Locke while rock climbing a week ago. I had to snap the picture quick and pretend that I was actually clicking Micah rather than him, but I think you can make the star out. He even talked like him too! I finally confessed to his daughter who I thought he was and she laughed and said, "Ha! I always thought he looked like him too. He's actually a very spiritual guy, very earthy and whole."

Doctor's Office Breaks Out In Laughter

So, remember two posts down from here "Doctor Gets Scammed on Chairs?" (scroll down with your beautiful eyes). The office chairs we ordered and then vanished into Internet space? The chairs that were ordered first part of August and were supposed to be delivered mid August? Well, guess who Mat gets a call from yesterday?

FedEx Man: "Uh, hello, Dr. Harris? I have the 10 chairs you ordered. They will be ready for delivery tomorrow morning."

Mat: "Huh?" chuckle.

FedEx: "I will give you call to tomorrow to let you know when I am coming. It will be between 8AM and 12PM."

Mat: "Thanks." Click.

Pictures of the complete office remodel coming next week.

Man Decides Marathons Are Not For Him

We spent the weekend running. Running down to St George to run the marathon. Mat had trained for this marathon and was excited to run it, but then quickly realized that all this running in large groups wasn't for him. I on the other hand, dig the hype, the energy, the social running! He digs the solo, tranquil, not going-to-talk-to-anybody runs. We are completely opposite and that's why we are still happy I assume. In his words, "It's too crowded and I don't like people cheering for me and I don't like dishing out high fives. I don't like paying to run. I think I'll just do runs on my own from now on." Pure Forest, so Mat. Regardless, I am very proud of him and the other members of my family who participated in the run this weekend.

I rode my bike up with my high school friend Becky. It's convenient nowadays to call up an old buddy to go target our husbands with. We found our husbands just past Snow Canyon. (Becky still has her fabulous legs and figure!)

I felt like I was stalking Mat, because I was able to get around on my bike faster. I was a PI on two wheels! I kept shouting and woot wooing at him as I rode down the trail. I'm sure the other marathoners were impressed at his number one fan. Actually, I'm sure they would have spat on me for having a bike at that point in the race. They were ready to be off their feet.

I pedaled fast to get to my moms house and grabbed a 5 sec shower and the family. I raced over to the CROWDED finish line and I heard a text go off from Mat, "I'm done." I had missed him finish? Nice wife of the year award coming up! Exception:Crowds and traffic are not okay when I'm trying to find my marathon husband cross the finish line. Luckily, he tossed my lack of timing to the wind. He ran a 3 hr 28min race. Pretty darn good. I was able to grab a few pictures with the kids.

I love the glazed eye look. It just says complete and utter tiredness.

Love this one of him and Beck

Mat had an ice bath at my grandpa's house nicely located a block and a half away from the finish line. Little note: my grandpa was one of the first to run the marathon and he helped keep it going until he was diagnosed with Alzheimer disease. That's why I like this picture. So much of his posterity have ran the race since. I think we counted up to 14.

Other than that, we chilled and watched conference.

Our morning walk....

to the St. George Temple (where Mat and I were married for those that don't know)