Life is like a Hurricane

Okay, so does anyone remember that tune from Ducktales. Yah, so I was thinking about where the time has gone since my last post, and that song popped into my head.

My life has been so busy. From kid's school, football practice, PTO, football games, PTO, and oh did I mention PTO???

I volunteered, to be the Room Parent coordinator. Hmmm, now why did I do that? It has been so much work the last couple of weeks, not to mention the school's fall carnival is in 2 weeks, and I am on that committee, oh and I am also the Room Parent for Morgan's class, who is of course in charge of a booth at the carnival.

But with all that, I have bottled 16 quarts of spaghetti sauce, 48 quarts of peaches, and few quarts of salsa. Oh, and today I started to tackle my Halloween quilt.

Yup, I am officially insane. Why do we fill like we need to do so much? Fall is supposed to be my quiet time, my curl up on the couch with a good book and a Diet Coke time.

No, I have too much to do. I will finish my Halloween quilt by Oct. 1st so that I can have a full 31 days of joy with it.

Please stay close, don't leave. I will be back, I promise!

P.S. We had our ward chili cook-off (which I should have totally won). I did my white chili, and these amazing SMORE' BROWNIES. Ohh, they were to die for. Here you should really try them!


White Chili
1 TBLS oil
1 onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp pepper
2 whole chicken breast cooked and diced
3 cans Northern white beans (15oz)
1 can Garbanzo beans (15oz)
2 cans White corn (12oz)
1 can chopped green chili's (1 7oz or 2 4oz)
2 tsp chicken bouillon (or 4 cubes)
1/2 to 1 cup of chicken broth

Boil chicken (season water with lemon pepper)
While chicken is cooking, saute onions, garlic and spices in oil.
Dice chicken and add to onion mixture.
Add remaining ingredients (do not drain beans, corn or chili's)
Simmer for 1 hour or put in slow cooker on low for a few hours
Serve in bowl topped with shredded Monterey Jack cheese and sour cream


Smore Brownies
1packaged brownie mix (or I use a homemade recipe)
Bake as instructed on box
Take out of oven and sprinkle with mini marshmallows and broken up pieces of graham crackers. Put back in oven for 5mins. Watch so your graham crackers don't burn. Take out and sprinkle broken up pieces of Hershey bar.
Cool for 20mins (that gives time for the sweet chocolate to melt)
Cut and serve (with Milk and a napkin)

Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes

Who didn't remind me that hot tomatoes and a blender don't work?
Today I made my spaghetti/lasagna sauce. I love the way it smells up my house. I was going right along and poof! Tomatoes everywhere. I guess I got a little excited and forgot myself. Production stopped and I had to clean up. Not long after I have 6 great jars for some yummy lasagna and spaghetti!

Pleated Skirt

This having the kids back to school has been pretty productive. I made up this adorable skirt yesterday for Morgan. It is so adorable on, and was so easy too.

I also made a stop at my local quilt shop to get my elastic and ribbon and happen to see all the new Halloween fabrics. Those who know me well, know I love anything with Halloween and the colors orange, green and black. I had to snatch up a few fat quarters for a Super spooky Halloween throw. I will get started on that next.

But first, I just picked 2 HUGE bowls of tomatoes, so my special spaghetti/lasagna sauce happens first.

Super Hero

Movin on up from the old dish clothe super cape...

To the new and improved super capes.

Apples and Pears

I was in the kitchen all day yesterday making more zucchini bread to freeze and chunking it up for soups this winter and things were getting messy. Including me, so I thought "I need an apron".
I have admired this "apples & pears" material for a long time. I first saw it in TN and loved it, but never could think of what to make with it. When we moved back to UT I saw it in our Joann's and snatch some up to just wait for the inspiration.
Well it came to me this morning. So here it is. Don't ya just love it, and easy too!

A moment of reflection

My sweet sister-in-law was diagnosed with cancer almost 3weeks ago. It started in her Uterus and has spread to her lungs and her bones. She just had surgery yesterday to put rods in her 2 broken arms, so she could function and be able to go home to start outpatient treatment.
One of my first thoughts while she has been confined to a hospital bed was that I wanted to make her a quilt. Something soft and comforting and bright.
As I rummaged through my fabric supply, I came across on old project. One that I had started over 10years ago. Unfinished, because of the lack of motivation. It was a tedious project. A lot of cutting and piecing, and with my little experience back then you can see the mistakes made. I simply gave up, and didn't want to continue because they were too difficult to correct.
As crazy as it sounds, as I looked at this unfinished quilt I couldn't help but think of CiCi. It would be so easy for her to give up, to think there is no way. I looked at this project and it represented something all of a sudden to me. A little life lesson.
We all have made mistakes, thought things were too hard to do, and wanted to just give up. It may take a little bit more work to correct those mistakes, and now I have more knowledge to correct them.
I am almost finished, and even though it is not a masterpiece, it is pretty and hopefully will bring some comfort.

More zucchini?

With all our zucchini plants, I have had so much to work with. We love it grilled, sauteed, make it in bread and I even have a couple of casserole recipes. However, I am running out of ideas. I went to my cooking group and came home with a couple new ways to use zucchini. So I thought I would share.

Cream of Zucchini soup
3 cups of zucchini
1/2 cup water
1 TBSP minced onion
2 tsp chicken bouillon
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP flour
1/8 pepper
1/2 cup light cream
Combine zucchini, water, onion, 1 tsp bouillon. Cook until zucchini is tender and most of the water is evaporated.
Puree or mash and set aside.
In saucepan, melt butter, flour, 1 tsp bouillon and pepper. Blend, add cream and simmer until thick. Add veggies to cream and mix.

This is such a great cream soup, I was pleasantly surprised. I fixed it last night and it was so good. Next time I thought I would even add some potatoes and corn to make it into a chowder.

Here is another:

Zucchini Brownies
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp vanilla
½ c. milk
2 ½ c. flour
½ c. cocoa
2 c. grated zucchini

Mix ingredients together and beat. Bake at 350 in a greased 9x13 pan or deep cookie sheet. For brownie consistency: bake 20-25 minutes. For cake: bake 30-40 minutes. (I noticed it didn't matter how long I baked it---it still had a cake-like consistency. But still very good)

Frosting:
½ square margarine
3 TB milk
1 ½ TB cocoa
Bring to a boil and add enough powdered sugar until smooth for spreading.