love your oven

Can I share a bit of my current life with you? With the recent location change we have had to sacrifice a few things; things that I will admit I must have taken for granted because now that my life is deprived of them I notice that I'm a bit more whiny. Well at first I was.

hello there

how was your week? did you enjoy my little sister's wit and prose? we are moved in although not completely unpacked. however it is starting to feel a little like home. I'm content with the kitchen, love the natural daylight, the view out our bedroom window/door, and the space; goodness the space. i get my own whole room for creating, albeit there is less kitchen counter space to play with.

As for blogging, I will be in and out within the next few weeks, surely with some beloved family recipes for you to enjoy for the holidays. thanksgiving is on its way, oh how I love this time of year. I will warn you, posts may be scant. sweet baby jane has a food allergy, poor thing. not sure exactly what it is just yet but this week is no dairy week, next week is no wheat. whatever it may be, it will surely change my eating plans for the holidays. If she is allergic to both I may cry a little, but I refuse to let it make my food life bland. I will find a way; ready for the adventure?

and of course, check out my zupas post today.

in progress

This post is mainly just a recipe post, no stories. And I know I said no chocolate for a while, but I can't help it. These cookies are a work in progress. I've been combining two recipes and so far this is what I've got. They're a smaller batch than these, and they're a little sweeter. The dough tastes a little bit like toffee, must be the brown sugar. This is one of the many recipes I've been perfecting over the years.

whatever you do

do it with gusto!

when i was a budding adolescent, in junior high, there was a designated sandwich shoppe that our group of friends would meet after school or basketball games. that is, if our mother's didn't need us at home. none of us were of driving age, so this shop was within walking distance and across the street from one of my friend's home so we not only went during the school year, but all summer long as well. We'd buy sandwiches, drinks, and always an ice cream bowl with the cone on top. We would talk and joke with the owner, and he loved having his shop filled with the pre-teens of our small town as long as they weren't causing trouble. at least we thought he liked us, who wouldn't?

"We Interrupt Your Normal Blogcast System . . ."

Sorry to interrupt your normal blogcast system but Jen is off galavanting in her new humble abode sans internet. She asked that I, her little sister, write a post in her stead to guide you sweet little sheepies to her Zupas post where she explains how to create some spooky treats! She even gave me permission to write whatever my little heart desired and get in some self promotion! What a brave sister. Don't worry, sis, I won't embarrass you too much and I'll try to keep my thoughts PG/short.

definitely treat.

this annual halloween tradition is from aaron's upbringing. for as long as i've known my husband, he has loved to eat sticky, gooey, gummy become-one-with-your-teeth treats. when we watch those 'how it's made' shows and they highlight some kind of candy, and they show it at the stage where it's just a ginormous big-as-a-human size hunk of gummy sugar he comments, "i'd like to take that whole thing and just {omn!}" demonstrating with his hands as if he were a wild animal sinking his chops into a slab of thigh. sorry for the mental image.

so when we make car'mle corn on halloween it can't be too hard or too crunchy (although he doesn't complain if it is). it should be gooey, but not too gooey, and leave bits of car'mle on the teeth so it takes a while to completely digest. When you enjoy something so much, may as well make it last. this is why we make it for both halloween and christmas, we may even do it for thanksgiving if we feel like it.

boo!

did i scare you?

It's the week before Halloween! do you have a costume picked out? jane will either be sporting either this or this, i haven't decided. This week will be another demanding one for the johnson's; we're moving. We won't be relocating far, barely a half block away from where we are now; but it will be a busy week full of packing boxes instead of baking sheets. pray for us that the weather is kind.

however don't fret, I have some fun things up my sleeve to share while I'm away making {a new} home. A restaurant review, a cookie in the works, and our favorite halloweeny treat, caramel corn. i'm not sure how long we will be without internet, it may be a nice break. oh, and if you have any design/decorating ideas for brick walls on the inside, lemme know. yeah; classy.

gracious,

is it friday already?

This week has proved a demanding one with moments of great happiness, deep frustration, and a little bit of sleep walking in between.  We had a milestone this week, jane began to laugh. I'm not sure I can describe to you how wonderful that was, especially because it was on account of my husband's sillyness. I can tell you it was better than that white chocolate and cinnamon covered apple I finally ate for dessert last night; and goodness that was good, better than rocky mtn good.  my mother in law's caramel recipe is up on zupas blog today. check it.

As for me and my house, today is proving to be a stay in your pj's while watching silly movies and taking naps sort of day. don't be surprised if you see a "please do not disturb" sign on my front door; but do have a wonderful weekend.

better than fiction

One long ago Christmas my parents gave my sister and I sets of books. I got anne of green gables and she got little house on the prairie. We were young, so we still shared things and i remember reading a few of the books in the little house series. I'm pretty sure I only made it to book two or three, but there was one chapter of all I read that I remember even years later. It was the Christmas chapter. I remember they poured molasses on the snow, and the children ate it like candy. The description of it's taste made me want to try it, and although I knew my granny's gingerbread used molasses I don't think I really knew what molasses tasted like on its own. Heaven knows I'd never try it now.

happy monday

did you have a good weekend?

it's a beautiful monday, cloudy skies with bright blue peeking through, trees bursting with color, a chill in the air and a breeze making the leaves tickle the concrete out back. molasses cookies will be in the oven shortly, we're also making caramel apples this afternoon and this evening we're carving pumpkins with our neighbors.

i love october.

just...

spending the weekend with these lovely people;

kristin & baby bryn are visiting from georgia these next few days.

happy weekend!

on the hunt

for a the perfect dough recipe to use in savory tarts and quiches. One that's buttery, salty, flaky, and melts in your mouth. One you can count on through thick and thin, like a best friend, or your favorite pair of heels. So far I've only found dead ends when it comes to the base of the meal. Can you help?

back to basics

I love simple and homey recipes, ones that are basic and therefore adaptable to any cooking mood. Recipes that utilize the hodge podge of leftover items in the refrigerator. No wonder casseroles are so often what people share with each other.  Autumn is the perfect season for such cozy foods. They remind me of good days with my mother at home, sitting down to the table after reluctantly coming inside from playing out in the cool, crisp autumn air, a casserole of some sort in the oven, served with bread and butter, always; and a glass of milk.

always a good choice

There are a handful of recipes that I have an interesting relationship with. I adore them, really I do. but for some reason no matter how much I love the end product, no matter how excited I am to have leftovers, I'm not exactly fond of the means whereby, or the experience getting to the point of enjoying that first bite. Every time, something happens. It never fails; either I make a mess every time, or i forget something, or I don't have a certain ingredient I thought I had, or it takes much longer than planned, or it just isn't the way I want.  The great thing is, no matter what happens while making these recipes, it ends up being the most delicious thing i've tasted.  This quiche recipe is like that; every time I make it, it's an experience; but the satisfaction that I get from it's rich, savory, and delicious "ness" makes me forget my shortcomings and assures me that indeed it should be kept on the list of things to make for dinner.

feeling it

image source

“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” ~George Eliot

inspired by kelly mccaleb
more of my tumblr autumn love here
happy monday.

cardamom-azing

ha! admit it, you think it's funny.

Pumpkins run rampant during the month of October and usually sweet recipes like pies or quick breads are the most popular in highlighting the winter squash.  This recipe for pumpkin cardamom rolls isn't exactly sweet, but it is delicious.  These rolls are perfectly spiced and the pumpkin isn't overwhelming at all.  Plus look at the color the pumpkin gives them, they're a perfect addition to an autumn feast. These are my new favorite rolls. They're delicious paired with your favorite soup or stew and are even great with a little butter and honey. I was planning on posting this over at the zupas blog, but I can't due to technical difficulties. So I'm posting it here; lucky you.

autumn soup, it's time

My bestie would make this every autumn, usually for the first time around general conference weekend because that's when the weather changes for good here in Utah.  Borderline summer days are a thing of the past, and the days consist of temperatures in the 50s with an occasional storm bringing us into the high 30s.  I made this soup this past weekend, keeping the tradition strong, and when she found out she told me she made it for her little family a few days before.  It's an inaugural soup, calling in the new season; the name helps.

tradition!

Granny's gingerbread , popcorn, and a movie on sunday night. You know those traditions that continue through generations? This is one of them, although to be honest as it has filtered through generations, it became diluted. As a child, my mother would do it often, and in my own childhood we would do it seldom. I want to include it in baby j's childhood so she can have that connection to past family members. We're all connected somehow, this is one way mine are linked together although it's not the most important way.  What are some traditions that have been handed down from past generations in your own family?  I'd love to hear them.  Whatever they are I hope they're accompanied by happy memories.  If not, make new traditions that will create those happy memories.

the last hurrah

Have you ever seen/tasted/experienced something that you wanted to recreate? That's what this pie was for me, a bit of an experiment. I went to a gathering and a friend brought a peach cream pie made with fresh peaches. It was yummy and I figured since peach season is almost over I'd make one up of my own for another gathering I attended this past week. It turned out alright, but I hated the crust I made with it, so I'm not even going to mention it; except it was pretty, that's all. The day after I made it Joy the Baker posted this and I think I'll use it next time I make this pie.

chocolate cake with a kick

You know how some new moms get makeovers after they have a baby? New hair, new, clothes, new shoes. Not me. I get a blog makeover instead. New buttons, new layout, new feel. I like it a lot better, what do you think? Yes, that means all who are reading this in your google reader, email, or whatever you're reading this from, have to actually click a button that will take you to another website, potentially mucking up your whole browser with various tabs/windows to see what I'm talking about.

life's rough.

oh bother

The weather is advocating cuddling, warm blankets, and soup for supper, but all I can think about is how I want me some Texas bbq. Must be because I just wrote two posts for Zupas this week (up friday n' saturday) and I'm missing my granny and Texas. Oh how I wish there was a Wright's bbq down the street.

bittersweet

I believe last night was the last time this year hub and I will sit on the couch together, shoulder to shoulder, my legs over his, with half a watermelon and two spoons. Makes me sad, but I'm doing okay because it's in exchange for hot soups, sweet breads, warm drinks and the holidays.

I'm so excited for Halloween.

fajitas

Si, I am still writing for Zupas.
Come see what we had for dinner the other night, fajitas!

and of course, have a wonderful weekend.

well hello there friends;

I'm back.

I can't tell you how wonderful the past two months have been spending every moment with this little one. Thank you for all your kind words & wishes. She has grown so fast and my adoration for her has grown even faster. She's a wiggle wart, fart machine, and our sweet baby jane.

new things

tiny toes, grabby fingers, increasingly chubbier arms and legs, a sweet little bum, and a beautiful face with the most adorable expressions. my time has been filled with these wonderful little things, and I can't get enough of my sweet baby jane.


photo by her auntie booboo

jane loiselle
born 22 july 2009
10:13 am
6lb, 15oz
19.5 in long

now that the bun is out of the oven, I've spent much less time in the kitchen, and for good reason. I'm sure you concur.

until i return, check out my zupas posts, every friday.
here is today's.

gimme a gummi

national gummy worm day was wednesday, did you celebrate?
visit my zupas post for the day to make gummy worm pudding cups.

have i told you lately...

that I love the wizarding world?
Harry Potter 6 is now in theaters (at midnight!); and I'm dreaming of a visit to The Three Broomsticks and Honeydukes.
This is just a small collection of various lovelies I'd like to try (or have tried) that make me warm and fussy inside. Maybe that's just the butterbeer.

tgif!

my zupas post is up for the week.
what are your weekend plans?
I'm hoping to finish a quilt, eat some yummy bread with butter and oh, i duno; have a baby. no guarantee though.

vanilla is my friend

Here's the dessert I planned for our fourth of july celebration. Of course since our day was full of spontaneous and fun plans as well as 10+ pounds of watermelon for the two of us, I didn't get around to making it. So a small bag of crispy peaches were sitting in the refrigerator for a few days until I pulled 'em out yesterday.

happy {almost} fourth of july!

For those of you in the states, I hope your holiday is full of family, friends, tradition, and remembering those who helped us attain the freedom we have today. I really do believe Independence Day is on the top of my "favorite holidays" list.

Also please visit my zupas post for the day and make some old fashioned lemonade. I've mixed mine with some home brewed strawberry cordial, yum.