Family Reunion and Food

Last week we had a great time at the Glen Whipple Family Reunion. This year Matthew and I were in charge of planning it so we invited everyone to come up to Matthew's family's cabin for a few days. We visited McCall on a particularly windy day and braved the waves in our canoe and kayak, swam in the river by Smith's Ferry and went for a hike.

After having fun at the cabin we went to Declo, ID for some quality time on the Snake River and with extended family. We had a great time water skiing, wakeboarding and visiting our grandparents.

I planned all of the food for the three days at the cabin and it was the biggest undertaking of that kind that I have every taken on. I enjoyed it and everything must have turned out well because my family members requested the recipes I used so the following is a menu of the food we had. I am linking to all of the recipes that I can to save time on typing (I started school this week so time is at a premium!).

Monday
Sopa de Lima (Yucatan Lime Soup)
Fiesta Rice
Guacamole (we just mixed the fresh tomato salsa with some avocado and lime juice)
Fresh Tomato Salsa
Cherry Pie
Pie Crust
from Williams-Sonoma (no longer on their website)

For a 9-inch double-crust pie:
2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp sugar
3/4 c shortening
6-7 Tbsp. cold water

Hand Method: Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and toss together. Add the shortening. With a pastry blender, blend the ingredients together, working quickly, until you have a mixture of tiny, irregular flakes and bits about the size of coarse bread crumbs. Sprinkle on the water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, stirring gently with a fork after each addition. Add just enough water for the dough to form a rough mass.

With floured hands, pat the dough into two smooth disks. The dough is now ready to use. It is not necessary to refrigerate the dough before rolling out, although for convenience it may be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to two days.

Tuesday
Continental Breakfast (including oatmeal, eggs, toast, fresh fruit, bagels and yogurt)

Deli Sandwiches and Wraps
Macaroni Salad
Chips
Watermelon
Old Fashioned Potato Salad

Dinner at Lardo's Restaurant
Chocolate Covered Frozen Bananas
Melt chocolate chips with butter in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time. Cut bananas in half and remove peel. Put banana on a popsicle stick, dip in chocolate, roll in chopped peanuts and pistachios.
Pineapple Pops
1 14.5oz can pineapple
1/3 c milk
1/4 c sugar
Blend in the blender. Pour into popsicle molds or dixie cups, insert popsicle stick and freeze.j

Wednesday
Breakfast Casserole
Blueberry Raspberry Muffins (I used frozen blueberries and raspberries)

Skipped lunch because we had a late breakfast

Rigatoni with Tomatoes and Mozzerella (I add diced chicken breast sauteed in olive oil with salt and pepper)
Green Salad (nothing special)
Jo's Rosemary Bread (I bake it in the oven rather than the bread machine)
Homemade Ice Cream (ask Melissa for the recipe)
Cookies--These were especially a hit
Torie's Cherry Chocolate-Chunk Cookies
Outrageous Chocolate Cookies
Gingersnaps (from the 1959 Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook--I will post the recipe when I have the book at the computer with me--don't let me forget :)

Thursday
Baked Oatmeal

Chicken Enchiladas

I made this the other night because we happened to have everything on hand and it was delicious. I substituted a can of Great Value (Wal-Mart generic) Red Sauce in place of the taco sauce and it tasted even better I think. I like all of the fresh toppings in this recipe from Southern Living Magazine.

3 cups shredded cooked chicken (just boil it and shred with two forks)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Vegetable cooking spray
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 (8-ounce) bottle green taco sauce (I used 1 10 oz can of red sauce)

Toppings: diced tomato, chopped avocado, chopped green onions, sliced ripe olives, chopped cilantro

Stir together first 5 ingredients. Spoon chicken mixture evenly over each tortilla, and roll up. Arrange in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Coat tortillas with vegetable cooking spray.

Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Stir together sour cream and taco sauce. Spoon over hot enchiladas, and sprinkle with toppings.

Chemistry Marathon

For the past three weeks I have been taking General Chemistry II and it will continue for another two weeks. That's 5 credits in 5 weeks ...and it's chemistry. I'm not normally a whiner about school but this class is exhausting. I am in class (either lecture or lab) for 17 hours each week. Once that's over I am studying for 30-35 hours each week. So, that's pretty much my life. If you have been wondering why I have dropped off the planet, there's your explanation. And if you need to know how to create a buffer solution for your next biochemistry experiment, you know who to call.

Welcome to the World Alice Love Chandler!

Matthew's sister, Rachael, had her third child on Wednesday--a pretty little girl. She is our thirteenth niece/nephew and we think she is beautiful! Welcome Alice!

Paul Revere

When Matthew and I visited Boston last year we traced the ride of Paul Revere. I was really impressed by this story and surprised by how little I knew about it. Everyone knows the "one if by land, two if by sea" and "The British are coming! The British are coming!" parts but there is a lot more depth .

I encourage you to read about it on Wikipedia or wherever else you like to search for that type of info. Paul Revere was only one part of the sequence of events that could have changed the course of history. After learning more about "The shot heard round the world" I have a greater respect for those patriots who made a leap of faith--I think you will too. I am thankful to live in United States and for our revolutionary and founding fathers that created this great nation. God bless America!

Mrs. Fields Double Rich Chocolate Cookies

This is the recipe from the official Mrs. Fields Best Cookie Book Ever and my cousin and I both showed up to the family reunion last summer with these cookies so you know--two of us can't be wrong! They are supposed to be soft so don't over bake them.

2 1/2 c Flour
1/2 tsp Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 c Unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c Dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 c Sugar
1 c Butter, softened
3 lg Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
2 c Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300*F.

In a medium bowl combine flour, soda, salt and cocoa powder. Mix well and set aside.

In large bowl blend sugars with an electric mixer at medium speed. Add butter and beat to form a grainy paste. Scrape down sides of bowl, then add eggs and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips, and blend at low speed just until combined. Do not overmix.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Immediately transfer cookies to a cool surface.

Okay, okay...

I know it has been AGES since my last post so my sincere apologies...if anyone is still even bothering to check this site. My excuse is that I have been spending every spare computer moment working on my PA school applications so please forgive me!

I just did a post on our travel blog about our last trip down to Southern Utah. It has pictures and movies so maybe that will make up for my terrible absence from the web. :)

I have a chocolate cookie recipe to share soon too so stay tuned.