Tocco or Recipe #4

According to About.com, "Tocco is a Ligurian term that means meat sauce, or ragù, and is an example of frugality." From another website, "Tucco is meat sauce made in the whole Comunità Montana area." 

According to me, tocco is some serious good food. My friend's mother was taught the recipe as a child in Peru at the knee of an Italian woman who brought the recipe with her from the old country (I am serious!). My friend's mother is in her eighties so this recipe has been around for a long time. My friend was nice enough to give me the recipe (that her mother even signed for me) and then she made it for me once and then she watched me as I made it. See one, do one.... I was surprised how easy it was to make and it was so delicious. (Many of the recipes that I looked at used braising meat but we just used ground beef.)

Now that I have made you hungry, I have a confession. I promised my friend that I would not share this secret family recipe. So, you will just have to take my word that it is amazing (or you can ask my sister and her family) and be excited that this completes recipe #4!

 

Buon appetito!

I don't mean to GOAT...

I was driving with a friend to the outlets (last Fall) when I looked out my window and saw something strange in the back of a Subaru. It took me a second to process what I was actually looking at because it was just so unexpected. I got really excited. It was like the universe was just handing me the biggest present.

Here is what I saw at first.

Please notice the child safety gate between the driver and the cargo.

Here is my second picture. My friend who was driving had to work hard to stay next to the Subaru so I could get this picture.

Yep, it's a goat. Seriously, more reason to have a Subaru, they are good for transporting goats.  Who knew? Completely awesome!

Cute as a Button or Project #4

Whenever I am with my wonderful sister-in-law Ellen, we craft (and cook and shop and play.... you get the idea). It is just what we do. So, I thought I would show you our latest project and my Valentine's Day gifts to some work friends and the women I visit teach. 

We made earrings by making our own buttons (covering buttons with fabric) and then we backed the buttons with earring backs. We got the idea from this cute blog. It is super easy to craft when someone comes up with the good ideas!

 

And what would Valentine's Day be without a little chocolate! Cute Valentine's Day bags from Target for $1. Easy and cute! (Did you count how many times I used the word cute? Sorry. 'tis the season!)

Speaking of cute, the other day I was leaving for work and Eric was staring at the computer watching PBS kids with his earphones on. I tried to get his attention by tickling his side but I just got a sour look. So, as I was walking out the door, I tapped him on the shoulder and signed (in sign language), I LOVE YOU! He just looked at me and said, "Me too." then he when right back to his show. It made me smile. I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day!

I LOVE.........

I don't have a Valentine this year. Nope, not a single one. It is a bit depressing but seriously Valentine's Day is a just a commercialized holiday created by retailers to make money, etc.....

Actually ignore the last sentence. I know that Valentine's Day is a commercialized holiday and I know that I would like to find someone who showed me love and romance every day of the year and not just on one Hallmark day. But with that said, I am a romantic. And I am not talking about just liking Valentine's Day. I am an over-the-top, fall over heels, hopeless romantic. Truthfully, I really don't know why because past experience really hasn't given me much confidence that romance is anything more than wishful thinking that is sold in the form of chocolate and chick-flicks. However, I really can't help it. I love romantic gestures and I love the whole idea of falling and staying in love. I think Jane Austen said it best, "A girl likes to be crossed a little in love now and then. It is something to think of"

Regardless, I still don't have a Valentine but I don't want to be ungrateful for all the wonderful things in my life. If Valentine's Day is about love, then I will share with you 36 things that I love (in no particular order).

1. My family including all of my cute nieces and nephews
2. Good friends who love me for me
3. Western sunsets
4. Hugs & Kisses (see hopeless romantic above)
5. Pedicures
6. Surprises (good surprises)
7. Packages in the mail
8. Sunday naps
9. A good home cooked meal
10. Freshly washed sheets
11. The kindness of others
12. Reading cookbooks and making new recipes
13. Farmer's Markets, Antique Stores, Flea Markets, Goodwill
14. Mill Creek Canyon and the smell of the creek, the trees and a campfire
15. Feeling understood and being able to communicate with someone freely
16. NPR and any good listening options for my commute
17. Chocolate covered cinnamon bears
18. My job, my boss, my work location- I love where I work and who I work for!
19. Landing in the Salt Lake airport
20. A good cry
21. Romantic movies
22. Thunder and lightning storms (If I am safe inside watching)
23. Going to quaint new places and experiencing new things including fun new restaurants
24. Completing projects and being organized (wish this happened more)
25. Hope
26. Amazing technology
27. Pumpkin Pie
28. Good books and the time to read good books
29. My testimony of the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life
30. Small, medium and large miracles 
31. Homemade lemonade, limeade, root beer- basically any homemade beverage
32. The East Mill Creek 4th of July Parade
33. Mountains
34. Acupuncture
35. My Birthday
36. Babies

It's here!

I have wanted an iPhone for a very, very, very long time and I was almost about to give up on Verizon but FINALLY they came through for me! I have had my phone for a little over 24 hours and even though I am still working through some user error, I love it. I can see why it can be very difficult to get the attention of an iPhone user. So much to do. I am asking everyone what their favorite app is so if you have a favorite, please let me know!

Favorite NPR Quote of 2010

July 19, 2010
 
I was listening to Barbara Demick, a writer for the New Yorker about North Korea's "currency reforms". She said, "The changes actually wiped out the savings of North Koreans, and may have fueled more popular discontent with the regime. And as I keep on saying, you know, being a totalitarian regime means never having to say you're sorry."

Apparently this is just one more perk of a totalitarian regime, never having to say your sorry. Who knew? Maybe more people would try it if they knew of this extra perk. I know I am a bit of a nerd but I still laugh pretty hard every time I think about the quote.

So funny.

Flowers or Project #3

As mentioned previously, one of my 36 New Year's resolutions is to complete 36 projects (old or new) and/or learn a new skill. My dear, wonderful friend Bling is getting married and I was asked to do the centerpieces/ flower arrangements for her bridal shower. Mind you, I have never done flower arrangements. However, with a little help from my friends (thank you R&R), the idea and creation were born. I "wrapped" the inside of all the vases with hydrangea leaves and put the roses in the tall vases and the hydrangea in the small vases. When I was looking for small vases, I stopped by goodwill and found six for $0.49 a piece. I think they are scotch glasses but they made great vases. I also bought eight small picture frames and filled them with pictures of the happy couple.

I was a bit stressed about not finding the perfect color of flowers (her colors are purple, silver, black and white) so I went with pink roses and hydrangea and I loved how they turned out. 

Check off another completed project! Yay!

Dear VDOT (Virginia Department of Transportation),

I am just wondering who thought that it was a good idea to close not one, not two but three lanes on 495 on the Sunday night following the Super Bowl. For the record, drunk/ exhausted people and merging traffic are never, ever, EVER a good idea.

I had a lovely time at my Super Bowl gathering (thank you for asking) but next time, seriously, please, think before you cause a traffic jam miles long.

Sincerely,

Chris

Peant Butter Cookies- Recipe #2.5

A girl in my sister's ward made these cookies for my nephews' baptism. They were so tasty that I hunted down the girl and I begged her for the recipe. She told me it was the easiest recipe and I didn't believe her until I tried it. They are delicious and actually dangerously easy. (This recipe gets #2.5 because I did make them over the Christmas holiday for a cookie exchange. However, I wanted to share anyway.)

Step One: Buy a peanut butter cookie mix. I know, it is cheating, it has added preservatives,they are not "homemade", I get the arguments but go buy a mix.


Step Two: Make up the mix according to the instructions and use a small cookie scoop to evenly distribute the dough into mini cupcake pans. Do not press down dough into the pans or the bottoms of the cookies will get too well done (like we did below).


Step Three: Bake according to the mix. When the cookies have about 3-5 more minutes left to bake, take them out and gently press a Reese's peanut butter into the center of each cookie. Put them back into the oven for 3-5 minutes or until cookies are done.


Step Four: Be patient and let the cookies sit for 2 minutes in the pan. Take the cookies out of the pan and let them sit for 2-3 more minutes. As Alton Brown says, "Your patience will be rewarded."


Step Five: Enjoy, repeat, go to the gym (the gym statement is just for me):) These cookies are super easy but they look complicated-a perfect mix.

Rack 'Em Up or Project #2

I told each of my nephews and niece that I live with that I would make them a surprise cupcake creation for their birthdays. I made Eric the race car, Jenna the butterflies and Alex the pool balls. I love how they turned out.

It is a relief to have the project done so I don't fell like I am behind the eight-ball (sorry, I couldn't resist.)