Recipe- Veggie Pasta

When I remember to order we participate in a local co-op called Bountiful Baskets. For $15.00 they give you two baskets- one vegetable and one fruit. You never know what you are going to get but I think it is an adventure finding way to cook things that you don't normally use. Of course this offers a whole new way to be creative which is how the veggie pasta was born. It is a family favorite around here so here it goes:

Preheat the oven to 425.

Cut bacon and chicken breasts and cook in a skillet.

Pick three to four veggies of your choice. They need to be veggies you can bake. I have used the following: yellow squash, onions, mushrooms, asparagus, red peppers, zucchini. Basically the sky is the limit.

Chop up the veggies and place into a large bowl. Toss with 4 Tablespoons of olive oil, teaspoon of basil, teaspoon of garlic salt, 1/2 teaspoon of salt. 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Spread out on a cookie sheet with sides. Roast 18-20 minutes until veggies are tender.

In a small sauce pan mix a cup of cream or half and half and 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese over a medium low heat until slightly thickened and cheese is melted.

When meat and veggies are done return to the bowl top with the sauce and mix together. Top with fresh tomatoes and parmesan cheese.

FHE- Thanksgiving

*Disclaimer- I meant to post this last week but spaced it. So it is a tad late now...sorry.*


When I became a teacher I began to order from Oriental Trading Company. I loved the fun things I could get on a teacher's salary. I have continued ordering from them since I have been home and find great activities and crafts for the kids. I stumbled upon a gem a few months ago and wipped it out for Family Home Evening.

It was a thankful tree sticker with leaves that we could put on what we were thankful for. We then drew pictures to accompany the tree. It was a fun activity that the kids and parents enjoyed. Christian even drew a picture of the family having a picnic under his tree.

Here are some highlights from our lists

Laine- Jesus Christ, food, books, trees, friends, family,

Eve- my body, books

James- tigers, lions, leaves

Matthew- binky, stuffed carrot

They were proudly displayed on the door for the rest of the month and will be put away into remembrance books to look back and smile one day.

Book review-The Wedding Quilt

I started reading the Elm Creek books about five years ago. I loved the stories of friendship that were told in these books. I loved the characters and I enjoyed watching them struggle through many problems that life brings and overcoming them. These books also made me want to learn how to piece a quilt and make some beautiful creations. Unfortunately these books have gotten a tad trite over the past year. The last one I down right hated. This installment was a breathe of fresh air.

This book returns the series to the original characters of Elm Creek Manor twenty five years from when the reader last visited with them. It fills in many of the plot points that have developed over several books as all the characters gather for a wedding of Sarah's daughter. To me this was a fitting ending to the series. All things that had been left opened were nicely tied up. In many ways I hope this is Chiaverini's last novel with these characters. I think anymore would be overkill.

Recipe- Apple Cake

For her birthday last month Eve declared she wanted an apple cake. I asked her if she had an apple cake before and she said no. I scoured the internet for a recipe and found a few but nothing seemed that it would be a good birthday cake. Eventually Eve decided that she would rather have an apple pie which was easier to manage.

Then last week I attended a Relief Society dinner and the dessert was an apple cake. I was there alone with the baby and was leaning towards heading home but I stayed to try this dessert and I was so glad that I did.

I have made it twice since then. It has been a hit with everyone and I have to say I could just eat the sauce by the spoonful.

So here it is the Apple cake-

Mix together-

2 cups of sugar

2 cups of flour

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Then add-

4 cups of peeled and grated apples ( I found this was about four medium apples)

1/2 cup oil (you can substitute applesauce for this one too)

2 eggs well beaten

2 tsp vanilla

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

For the sauce-

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup half and half

1 Tbsp of flour

1tsp vanilla

Stir constantly and bring to a boil. Let cook for two minutes.

For me the longest and hardest part of this was peeling and grating the apples. That took about 40 minutes after that it took 10 minutes to put together.

Book review-Matched

From the inside flap-In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s hardly any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one… until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow — between perfection and passion.

Okay this book is right up my alley but I stayed away for a long time for one reason- it was written by an LDS author. I have read many books by LDS authors, some have been geared towards an LDS audience and others towards a broader audience. I read some of Ally Condie's early work and didn't really enjoy it. I found it formulaic and boring. This is why I approached Matched with some trepidation. I wish I hadn't waited.

I really liked this book. Though it shares many similar traits with books like The Handmaid's Tale, The Giver, and other dystopian books out there I still found it to be fresh and unique. Like Cassia you are torn between this near perfect society but then you watch it change and realize that it is not as perfect as you thought it was. I like that the story is plain and simple. The limited liberties that Cassia and her family have are slowly and unexpectedly taken away and though you know it will happen each one reverberates with a slight shock.

I even liked the love triangle. Usually I abhor them, I have never been a fan of this set up. I didn't understand the Edward-Jacob-Bella thing or the Katniss-Peeta-Gale one either. This one though I like all three characters. I think Cassia is a good female role model and she has a tough choice between both boys and she realizes that. I like how she knows she could be happy either way. One is not better than another they are just different. I don't find myself on "Team Ky" or "Team Xander" I think that both are wonderful and though I can guess where she is taking the story I do have a favorite.

I enjoyed this book, my only regret is that I read it before all three books were out. I guess I will just have to wait at least book two just came out.

Craft Zone- Baby quilts

I remember being a little girl and my mom making a gift for my dad. We would go over to visit my Aunt Rita during the day and she and my mom would work on tying a giant University of Utah blanket while I played with my cousins. I remember that they taught me how to tie and I tied a few stitches and then I grew bored and went back to playing with my cousins.

During Young Women I got the chance to tie a few more quilts and found I liked it a bit more. Then I joined Lamda Delta Sigma while in college. It was there my love for creating quilts really took off. For each girl that got married we would tie a quilt. We got really good at it. Then as time progressed we tied quilts at baby showers. It is a tradition now to make quilts. There is something about creating them then giving them to others that I enjoy.

This past week I actually finished two quilts on my own. Though I have quilted many I have always had others finish them for me. I have learned that being able to sew a semi straight line can open up many doors in quilting.

The first quilt I finished was for my sister-in-law Sarah. We tied this quilt at her baby shower and then my mom came over to teach me how to bind it.

I had to unpick it a few times but I was pretty happy with how it ended up.

The second one I did all by myself. It was for my cousin Stef and her son-to-be-born son. Stef lives in LA and is married to a USC fan. Stef is a U fan and I figured that her son would be surrounded by USC fans and he would need something to combat that influence. So I made her a U of U quilt.

I love this quilt. Love it. I was tempted to keep it for myself. I think I will be using this fabric in the future as well for a baby quilt and maybe a nice king size quilt too.

A few of my favorite things

Today I want to talk about a few of my favorite things. I want to point out that these are things not people. If it was people my dear husband would be the top of the list and not in a pity spot as he thinks he would be. So here they are my top three favorite things for today.

1. SwaddleMe Blanket
I love this blanket. My friend Amanda sent me three of them when Matthew was born and I used them for many a nap time. When he grew out of the three that were sent I ran out to Target to buy the next size up. This thing is a life saver for those parents like me that can't swaddle to save our lives. I also find it amusing that Matthew will always get one hand out of the swaddler before nap time is done. I have only two complaints. The larger size only comes in two colors green or pink. The second complaint is that there are only two sizes.

2. Mary Kay's Love Lash and eye makeup remover.
Oh my gosh these are the two best make up products I have ever purchased. I was pointed towards the eye make up remover many years ago and have used it since. It takes the eye make up right off without leaving one with red stinging eyes. You can get this remover in your eye and nothing happens. It also removes anything without a problem. Then last week a friend introduced me to the new Love Lash mascara. This is by far the best mascara I have ever used. I feel like my lashes are now visible. Really the best product ever.

3. Chick-fil-a's Peppermint Chocolate Chip Shake
So today I went with my husband and my brother to the grand opening of a new Chick-fil-a and they gave us a sample of their holiday treat. I had one of these earlier in the week and was so excited to try it again. It is just wonderful and not to pepperminty. I loved it. I also love Chick-fil-a.

I would also like to give an honorable mention to night shirts I can wear more than two days in a row. Most of them are gone after one day of wearing them...baby and all.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

I love pumpkin. It is one of my favorite things about fall. I love the smell. I love the taste. I love the many things you can do with it. Last year I was determined to try out some new recipes and was excited when my in-laws announced that we would be having a pumpkin meal contest. There was around six different categories and all had to feature pumpkin. There was just one problem. The morning of this delicious pumpkin dinner I was walking down the hall to the kitchen where Christian was preparing some of our pumpkin delights and had to bolt into the bathroom. That's right the one smell during pregnancy I couldn't stand was pumpkin.

This year I am making up for the lack of pumpkin goodness in our home. This weekend alone I made pumpkin spice cookies, two pumpkin pies, and two pumpkin cheesecakes. It is that recipe I now share with you.


This recipe is taken from the Foodnetwork.com. I took Paula Deen's recipe and made it my own so here it is-

Nat's pumpkin cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 stick melted salted butter

Filling:

• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
• 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:

Combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

For filling:

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.

Pour into crust and bake for one hour 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Here are the great things about this recipe. The brown sugar in the crust gives the pie a caramel feel. The cheesecake spices are fantastic and give it just the right kick. Oh and the cheesecake is so creamy. Really I am in love with this.

Oh and just so we are clear honey, I didn't eat that piece of cheesecake featured in the picture above. Well, maybe I had a bite but don't judge me by the dishes in the sink.

Welcome

Hi and welcome to Nat-fix your guide to all the crazy goings on in my life. This is a place to sit back and relax and really just feel like one of the crowd. My name is Nat and I will be your guide through this blog. Now I am sure that you have a few questions regarding this blog and its place in the blogosphere. So if you will please proceed in an orderly manner to the Question and Answer section of this post I will be happy to address all of your questions and concerns. Now please follow me.

The Question and Answer Section

Are you all here yet?I am waiting.

Good, you have all seemed to arrive at the Question and Answer section of this blog now to those pesky questions-

Q: Why start yet another blog? Wasn't the Bradley Family Blog enough for you to keep up with?

A: Yes, that blog does keep me going but I wanted a place that was my own. A place where I could talk about recipes I have tried, books I have read, and shows I have watched. I also wanted a place where I could maybe sometimes mention religion and politics- two big no nos on the family blog stage. And really I wanted a place to sit and write about whatever came to mind and let others express their opinions.

Q: So how does this differ from other stay-at-home mom blogs.

A: Well honestly I don't read much outside the family type blog. You know the ones where you post pictures of what your kids are doing and things along that line. If you are looking for family content don't look here.

Q: Will there be treats?

A: Oh yes. As my waist line can attest, I believe in treats.

Q: What other fabulous topics will you discuss here?

A: Food, News, David Tennat, Crafts, Doctor Who, Crime Procedural dramas, Books, Being a Mom, My Fear of Dying while the kitchen is a mess and the Relief Society coming over and seeing my messy kitchen and looking down from heaven on the house wondering where I went wrong and how ironic it was that the one night I didn't clean the kitchen just happened to be the night I died...and other important topics like that.

So that is it. I will be posting several times a week about a variety of things so stick around and hang out and maybe get entertained with the crazy thoughts that pass through my mind. If that isn't enough stick around for the cookies.

I will now entertain any other questions...