Since we now have church in the afternoon we try and have a fun yummy big breakfast. Today we decided to make Indian Fry Bread. It is super easy. I found website, http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/NavajoFryBread.htm, that talked about frybread and we made it for breakfast. It was fun. So I think that I will try and make a breakfast from a different country or culture each Sunday and we will get a little education in the processes.Sunday, January 31, 2010
Sunday Breakfast
Since we now have church in the afternoon we try and have a fun yummy big breakfast. Today we decided to make Indian Fry Bread. It is super easy. I found website, http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/NavajoFryBread.htm, that talked about frybread and we made it for breakfast. It was fun. So I think that I will try and make a breakfast from a different country or culture each Sunday and we will get a little education in the processes.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Let it Snow...Let it Snow...Let it Snow...
On Thursday afternoon the weather was somewhat frightful, but we were all so delightful. The snowflakes started as just little itty bitty ones and then grew into big beautiful flakes, which are very hard to capture on camera. Maybe if I had one of those fancy expensive cameras. Anyway, it was great because the snow fell just before the kids came home, we hurried to get homework done and went to play. We built two small snowmen, a child and a baby - that is what Tyler wanted. We threw a few snowballs and when Justin got home we headed up to the hills to do some sledding. Thank goodness for four wheel drive. I think half of the town was up in the hills behind the college driving around and getting a look at the snow on the whole valley. This doesn't happen very often, maybe every 5 to 7 years. I always hope for just one day every year and Thursday that hope came true. Heavenly Father must have known I needed some good cheering up -- so thank you for that one day!Saturday I went to my friends funeral. This friend Tami had a baptism date set up for next month, but now she will hopefully be able to get that work done for her. She was a sweet and very positive person through all the challenges that she went to. I am grateful for examples like that because although times get ruff we should just enjoy the journey and rely on the good times and many blessings to pull us through. It was a very nice service and thank you to all who helped!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Family Pictures
I just recently got a CD of pictures that we had taken this summer. These were taken in my parents back yard by a friend of my youngest sister. They turned out pretty good and we were pleased with them.
Ultimate Beef Stew
I needed a recipe for stew and found this one. It was delicious. I didn't made the horse radish sauce or the bread, but they sounded good. I also didn't cook it for as long as the recipe suggested and it was still fine. Anyway, if you decide to try it, I hope you like it.
Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for frying, plus more to drizzle
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 to 3 pounds beef chuck shoulder roast, cut into 2-inch pieces (this cut is also called chuck shoulder pot roast and chuck roast boneless) (I used round steak, cause it is what I had)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bottle good quality dry red wine (recommended: Burgundy) (I used red wine vinegar, but not a whole bottle, probably about a cup or less)
8 fresh thyme sprigs (I used dried thyme about 1 or 2 Tbsp)
6 garlic cloves, smashed
1 orange, zest removed in 3 (1-inch) strips
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 bay leaves
2 1/2 cups beef stock
9 small new potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut in 1/2
1/2 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
2 cups frozen pearl onions, a large handful
1 pound white mushrooms, cut in 1/2
1/2 pound garden peas frozen or fresh
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish
Horseradish Sour Cream, recipe follows, for garnish
Toasted Peasant Bread, recipe follows, for serving
Directions
Preheat a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat with the oil and butter.
While the pan is heating, arrange the flour on a large dish. Season the cubed beef with some salt and freshly ground black pepper and then toss in the flour to coat. Shake off the excess flour and add the beef chunks in a single layer to the hot pan, being careful not to over crowd the pan, you might have to work in batches. Thoroughly brown all of the cubes on all sides. Once all the meat has been browned remove it to a plate and reserve.
Add the wine to the pan and bring up to a simmer while you scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon being sure to loosen up all those tasty bits. Once the wine has gotten hot add the browned meat, thyme, smashed garlic, orange zest strip, ground cloves, freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste, bay leaves and beef stock. Bring the mixture up to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered until the liquids start to thicken, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 1/2 hours.
After 2 hours add halved potatoes, sliced carrots, pearl onions and mushrooms, along with a pinch of sugar to balance out the acid from the red wine. Turn the heat up slightly and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes more, until the vegetables and meat are tender. Add the frozen peas during the last minute of cooking. Season with salt and pepper and remove the thyme sprigs.
To serve, place the stew in a soup bowl, garnish with parsley, drizzle with olive oil and add a dollop of Horseradish Sour Cream. Right before serving add a slice of Toasted Peasant Bread, half way submerged in the stew.
Horseradish Sour Cream:
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Chives, finely chopped, as garnish
Combine sour cream, prepared horseradish and a drizzle of olive oil in a small bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add a dollop of the mixture on top of the stew and garnish with chopped chives.
Toasted Peasant Bread:
1 loaf peasant bread, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, halved
Chopped parsley leaves
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Put a sheet pan in the oven so that it gets good and hot.
Place the bread slices on the hot sheet pan. Drizzle the bread with the extra-virgin olive oil bake for 5 minutes, until the bread is nicely toasted. Rub the bread slices with the garlic cloves, and discard garlic. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for frying, plus more to drizzle
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 to 3 pounds beef chuck shoulder roast, cut into 2-inch pieces (this cut is also called chuck shoulder pot roast and chuck roast boneless) (I used round steak, cause it is what I had)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bottle good quality dry red wine (recommended: Burgundy) (I used red wine vinegar, but not a whole bottle, probably about a cup or less)
8 fresh thyme sprigs (I used dried thyme about 1 or 2 Tbsp)
6 garlic cloves, smashed
1 orange, zest removed in 3 (1-inch) strips
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 bay leaves
2 1/2 cups beef stock
9 small new potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut in 1/2
1/2 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
2 cups frozen pearl onions, a large handful
1 pound white mushrooms, cut in 1/2
1/2 pound garden peas frozen or fresh
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish
Horseradish Sour Cream, recipe follows, for garnish
Toasted Peasant Bread, recipe follows, for serving
Directions
Preheat a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat with the oil and butter.
While the pan is heating, arrange the flour on a large dish. Season the cubed beef with some salt and freshly ground black pepper and then toss in the flour to coat. Shake off the excess flour and add the beef chunks in a single layer to the hot pan, being careful not to over crowd the pan, you might have to work in batches. Thoroughly brown all of the cubes on all sides. Once all the meat has been browned remove it to a plate and reserve.
Add the wine to the pan and bring up to a simmer while you scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon being sure to loosen up all those tasty bits. Once the wine has gotten hot add the browned meat, thyme, smashed garlic, orange zest strip, ground cloves, freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste, bay leaves and beef stock. Bring the mixture up to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered until the liquids start to thicken, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 1/2 hours.
After 2 hours add halved potatoes, sliced carrots, pearl onions and mushrooms, along with a pinch of sugar to balance out the acid from the red wine. Turn the heat up slightly and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes more, until the vegetables and meat are tender. Add the frozen peas during the last minute of cooking. Season with salt and pepper and remove the thyme sprigs.
To serve, place the stew in a soup bowl, garnish with parsley, drizzle with olive oil and add a dollop of Horseradish Sour Cream. Right before serving add a slice of Toasted Peasant Bread, half way submerged in the stew.
Horseradish Sour Cream:
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Chives, finely chopped, as garnish
Combine sour cream, prepared horseradish and a drizzle of olive oil in a small bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add a dollop of the mixture on top of the stew and garnish with chopped chives.
Toasted Peasant Bread:
1 loaf peasant bread, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, halved
Chopped parsley leaves
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Put a sheet pan in the oven so that it gets good and hot.
Place the bread slices on the hot sheet pan. Drizzle the bread with the extra-virgin olive oil bake for 5 minutes, until the bread is nicely toasted. Rub the bread slices with the garlic cloves, and discard garlic. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Blog...Shmog...
I have to admit, I have not felt like blogging lately. Why? I really don't know. Maybe it has become boring to me, or I just haven't wanted to take the time to do it. I got so wrapped up in finishing my scrap booking for the year of 2009 that that is where I have spent most of my time, besides doing all the regular stuff that a mom does. Anyway to get everyone updated on the life of the Turner's I will start with the present and work my way back. Here it goes:
This past weekend we decided to invite some neighbors to go down to the temple with us. It was Friday and a flex at that so we took off after the kids were taken to school and then headed to L.A. Thankfully our neighbors kids were able to watch are kids after school so it worked out beautifully for us. Anyway, I took my first name to have temple work done. This was my great uncle, and for whatever reason he had never been sealed to his parents. It was neat to be able to get that done for him. After the temple we went to Red Lobster for lunch then off to the movies to see Avatar in 3-D. Which I have to see was a very impressive show with the 3-D affects and all of the color that they used in the film. I don't care much for all of the fighting, but it was entertaining none the less.
Now for the New Year, we are back on a schedule, the kids are back in school, we have made goals, and we are moving right along. I think the kids are liking being back to school.
For New Years Eve we decided to hang out as a family. We had yummy egg rolls, wantons, salad, and soda. It was great! We then roasted marshmallows and played the Wii as a family. The kids got tired around 9:30 and went to bed on their own while Justin and I still played. We then watched a show. At midnight we said "Happy New Year!" and went to be soon after.
It was a lot of fun! Here are a couple of scrapbook pages from our fun:
Anyway, hopefully I can get a little more excited about blogging, but sometimes you have to wonder if anyone really reads your blog. Well if you do read you will have to give me some encouragement to keep going.
This past weekend we decided to invite some neighbors to go down to the temple with us. It was Friday and a flex at that so we took off after the kids were taken to school and then headed to L.A. Thankfully our neighbors kids were able to watch are kids after school so it worked out beautifully for us. Anyway, I took my first name to have temple work done. This was my great uncle, and for whatever reason he had never been sealed to his parents. It was neat to be able to get that done for him. After the temple we went to Red Lobster for lunch then off to the movies to see Avatar in 3-D. Which I have to see was a very impressive show with the 3-D affects and all of the color that they used in the film. I don't care much for all of the fighting, but it was entertaining none the less.
Now for the New Year, we are back on a schedule, the kids are back in school, we have made goals, and we are moving right along. I think the kids are liking being back to school.
For New Years Eve we decided to hang out as a family. We had yummy egg rolls, wantons, salad, and soda. It was great! We then roasted marshmallows and played the Wii as a family. The kids got tired around 9:30 and went to bed on their own while Justin and I still played. We then watched a show. At midnight we said "Happy New Year!" and went to be soon after.
It was a lot of fun! Here are a couple of scrapbook pages from our fun:
Anyway, hopefully I can get a little more excited about blogging, but sometimes you have to wonder if anyone really reads your blog. Well if you do read you will have to give me some encouragement to keep going. Happy New Year to all!
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