WINE COUNTRY

A group of friends decided we needed a little R&R so we decided what better place than Napa Valley. It was absolutley beautiful and the weather couldn't have been nicer. We toured wineries daily and tasted alot of different wines. We went to Dean and DeLucas daily and bought cheese, grapes, salami and baguettes for our picnics at different wineries each day.It was heavenly! It was a very relaxing and enjoyable trip wtih a group of friends I have know since 1979. We are already planning next years retreat. Thanks girlfriends for a wonderful time!!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

I love this brownie recipe. I try not to make it very often because I can't leave them alone, especially if I have a freshly brewed pot of coffee, which means I will have one for breakfast if they are in the house!

Fudge-Topped Brownies

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 tsps vanilla, divided
1 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup nuts, chopped
1 package (12 0z.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 0z.) sweetened condensed milk

1. Mix together the melted butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs, milk, and 1 1/2 tsps vanilla. Mix well.
3. Addflour, cocoa, and baking powder, mix well.
4. Stir in nuts.
5. Spread batter into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
6. Just before the brownies are finished baking, melt the chips with the sweetened condensed milk and the remaining vanilla. Remove from the heat.
7. Immediately spread the fudge mixture over the hot cooked brownies. Chill completely.
8. Cut into bars. Makes 2-3 dozen.

Enjoy!!

LUNCH AND CARD PLAYING AT TERRY'S HOUSE

                                                                                                                                                                                We all love to play cards and our favorite game is hand and foot. We played in pairs and just to let everyone know Terry and I ruled the day!! There will be plenty of rematches when we all get together in Palm Springs sometime this winter. So friends, practice up!!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Teamwork…means never having to take all the blame yourself.

THE HILLS ARE ALIVE.........

Fall is always bittersweet for me because I absolutely love summer and all the beautiful flowers, green yards, long days, all the fresh vegetables and fruit etc. but fall has it's beauty of it's own. The mountains in Utah have unmatched beauty when it comes to fall when all the different tree's leaves turn incredible colors. When we fly over them in the helicopter at work it never ceases to amaze me of the awesome beauty. I also love the cool nights, opening the windows and feeling the cool breeze before I fall to sleep.

David & Leah's Wedding

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO JED AND ASHLEE

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

I love how easy these are to make.  These is no kneading involved, which for me is a must because I have never quite gotten the whole kneading thing down.  It calls for white flour but I use half wheat thinking then they may be just a little healthier and I love wheat rolls and bread.

SPOON ROLLS

First Step

2 cups milk      1 tsp salt    

1/2 square butter

Scald and let cool.

 

Second Step

1/2 cup warm water         1 tsp. sugar, sprinkle over yeast  and water mixture

2 pkg dry yeast

Third Step

Whip 2 eggs, then add to scalded milk after it has cooled.  Next, add yeast mixture to scalded milk and eggs, and place in large bowl.  Stir in 1/4 cup sugar, slowly stir in 5 1/2 cups flour.  Dough will be sticky.  Cover with a damp cloth as dough doubles in size, stir down.  Repeat this process 5-6 times (takes about 3 hours).  Grease 24 muffin tins.  Using a large spoon, spoon dough evenly into muffin tins. Let rise to double in size.  Bake at 375 degrees for 12-18 minutes or until golden brown.

TRIP TO MINNESOTA

I made a little trip to Minnesota to  attend the wedding of my nephew.  I flew into Fargo on thursday and picked up my rental car and drove to Hoffman where my mom lives.  Sarah drove up from Omaha and my sisters Judy and Diane drove up from the Kansas City area. The rest of my siblings live in Minnesota. It is always great getting together with everybody and catching up on all of their lives.  The day of the wedding it poured so that was a little disappointing for everybody since it was suppose to be an outdoor wedding.  My brother Doug put ALOT of work into landscaping and even put a waterfall in.  David and Leah were a little disappointed they weren't able to get married in the  backyard but they were good sports about it.  All in all it was a great day.  Welcome to the family Leah!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

He who does not hope to win has already lost. -- Jose Joaquin Olmedo

FUN FILLED WEEK

Sarah and Kurtis were here all week and then Jed joined us on Tuesday. Unfortunately Ashlee had to work so we missed her but hopefully next time she will be able to join us. The week was filled with everything from the water slide to playing catch phrase, 20 questions, ladderball, and tribond, going to Oktoberfest, the zoo, and celebrating Sarah's 28th birthday. We will all have a big let down tomorrow when the alarms go off and we have to go to work. Jed and Kurtis did have a couple of days where they did have to work last week.

OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW

I sold my dinette set on KSL.com and this is the new one I bought.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

by Billy Graham)
My home is in Heaven. I'm just traveling through this world.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

I got this recipe from a realtor who sent it to us telling us to welcome our new neighbors with some freshly baked cookies. I not only made these cookies for them but over the years we shared many dinners together before they moved.

These are delicious Ginger Cookies

2 cups flour
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp soda
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup shortening
4 tbsp molasses

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the first 5 ingredients into a bowl. Add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Roll into walnut-shaped balls and dip in sugar. Bake for 8-10 minutes. If I want to get a little more creative I dip half of the cookie in melted chocolate after they have cooled.

FLOWER BEDS

For those of you who really know me you know how much I love to plant and take care of my flower beds throughout the summer. Thanks to miracle grow you can make any flower thrive in any kind of soil.