Book Review :: Don't Breathe A Word

Been reading a lot more lately.  Almost back up to my normal amount of reading.  :)

Don't Breathe a Word, by Jennifer McMahon

Synopsis:  On a warm Midsummer's Eve night, Sam's sister Lisa disappears into the woods near their home, claiming that the King of the Fairies was coming to take her to be his queen.  Fifteen years later, Sam and his girlfriend, Phoebe, receive first a telephone call from a girl who says "I'm back from the land of the fairies, I'll be seeing you soon", then a series of mysterious notes claiming the same thing.  Phoebe is sucked into a past that Sam has never before been able to reveal to her--she becomes acquainted with estranged cousins, long-lost childhood friends, and a potentially insane aunt.  The worst part?  Sam and Pheobe don't know what to believe when a girl covered in stick figure tattoos and not an ounce of body fat on her, especially when the girl claims to be Lisa returned from the land of the fairies--and the rest of the family claim a completely different story.  Could Lisa's mother and aunt have imprisoned her for fifteen years in a basement bedroom?  Or is Lisa telling the truth--is Teilo, the King of the Fairies, real?  And if he is, is he really as sinister as she claims?  Because Phoebe doesn't only have to worry about herself and Sam.  She has to worry about the new life growing inside her.

My Rating:  *  *  *  *

I will be honest, I couldn't put this book down.  The story was definitely right up my alley!  I could have been  Lisa, wandering around in the woods, claiming to have found evidence of fairies, taking sweets from home to leave as gifts to placate them.  It's certainly a page-turner.  If you like being caught up in a story like this that will keep you up hours past your bedtime trying to find out what will come next, this is a good book for you.

Dislikes:  Could have done without all the swearing; quite a few too many f-bombs for my taste.  Also if you're not into reading about what happens to many little girls when they disappear (read: get pregnant) then this might not be something you'd be wanting to pick up.  If you are willing to overlook those things and get swept up in the adventure and the thrills of a tale that tells a darker side of the fairy folk, this is a pretty good choice.

Book Review :: "Cinder"

This was one I saw in the bookstore, and I was curious.  See, I have this rule.  I read the back cover (or the inside flap, whichever it happens to be) and if I'm hooked by the time I finish that, then the chances are good that I will enjoy the rest of the book too.  So that's what happened with this one.

Cinder, by Marissa Meyer

Synopsis:  Imagine a world many years in the future, when humans have established a colony on the moon and the number of countries on Earth has been diminished to six.  And, we have developed the technology to fuse human and machine.  Cyborgs are the outcasts of this society.  With their metal pieces, their machinated nervous systems, they are considered inferior by many of society.  And Cinder is one of them.  She also has to be the most renowned mechanic in all of New Beijing.  When the prince enlists her help in fixing an old android that has sentimental meaning--and possibly information that could change the course of the future of humanity--she doesn't think anything of it; after all, princes need mechanics too.  But then he asks her to his coronation ball.  On top of her confusing feelings--or not feelings?--for the prince, and her sister contracting letumosis (a terrible disease; contagious, lethal, and quick-acting), her stepmother volunteering her for letumosis research, and the strange encounter between the prince and the queen of the Lunar colony, Cinder's identity and life are turned upside down.

My Rating:  *  *  *

I really really loved the idea of this book, but it suffers what I have dubbed "the Twilight complex"--which means, essentially, a super good idea and a sub-par realization of that idea.  Don't get me wrong, the book was a fun read.  It was different, it was interesting, it was fun.  But it was a little too predictable for my taste.  (Maybe it's just because I read too much sci-fi.)  I tend to get bored with a book if I can tell exactly everything that is going to happen by the end of the third chapter, and even more so when all of it actually does happen.  It's a lot more fun when the book can surprise you and turn your assumptions inside out.  So, overall, a fun read, but not particularly challenging on an intellectual level.

Sick as a Pig

Sick.  Sick, sick, sick.  Sick as a pig (I've never actually understood that particular phrase, but I've always wanted to use it, ever since I read it in Harry Potter). 

So one of my best friends got married on Saturday--YAY!!  Shoutout to her.  She's awesome.  Love you and stuff.  Anyway, her reception was in Park City.  This is kind of how our conversation went on Saturday afternoon:

Husband:  "Hey, sweetie, what's the address of the reception again?"
Me:  "Um....It's at the Canyons Resort in Park City..."
H:  "It is?  Bring me the invitation."
Me:  (brings invitation)
H:  (looks at it)  "Oh it's at the Canyons Resort.  I know where that is."
Me:  (confident in this statement, forgets all about it)

 Fast forward to later that evening when we are actually driving down to Park City.  We figured we had ages and ages and ages, so we stopped at Olive Garden.  Delish.  Seriously.  And if you haven't tried their Chocolate Almond Amore, you MUST try it.  (Just make sure to order it virgin.  I almost didn't once and it was almost really bad.) 

Anyway, so after dinner, we kept driving.  And driving and driving and driving.  And suddenly, we realize how different everything looks when it's dark outside.  Plus, it had been quite a while since Husband had actually been there.  So...we got lost.  And it was getting close to the time when the reception would be ending, and I was getting a little panicky.  But eventually we figured it out.  And she looked beautiful, and we met her new husband, and I got to re-connect with her and her family, and look like a crazy fool while I danced with my sister. 

And then we left.  We got some caffeine on the way home to help us keep awake (totally helped).  We got home around 11:30 probably.  And sometime between 11:30 and waking up the next morning, I came down with something.  Something nasty that started in my throat and settled right in the middle of my chest.  And that's the story of how I finally got to use the phrase "sick as a pig".

Recipe :: PoChiBeans

Yep.  You read that right.  Po-Chi-Beans.  Pochibeans.  It's short for potatoes, chicken, and green beans and it is my favoritest meal to make for Husband and me on weeknights.  And I make it so often, I figured I should share it with you here.  You can also find multiple recipes on Pinterest, like this one.  So easy, and so so so delish.
Here's what you do:

*4-6 raw chicken breasts
2-3 large potatoes
2 cans green beans
1 stick butter
1 pkg Italian dressing mix, powder

Line up the chicken breasts down the middle of a 9x13 pan (longwise).  Fill one side with cut potatoes, the other side with green beans.  Top with melted butter.  Sprinkle dressing mix over the top.  Cover with tin foil.  Cook at 350 for **1 hour.

*Since we have this recipe at least once a week at my house, we have discovered that we prefer a higher vegetable ratio.  We actually only use 1-2 chicken breasts, because we prefer more veggies and less meat.  So feel free to experiment.  Also feel free to experiment with the veggies.  We stick with beans because we love them, but I had a roommate try it with broccoli and it was also quite tasty.  She also used ranch dressing instead of Italian.  This recipe is so easy, folks, get creative! :)
**We also discovered (quite by accident) that everything is much more juicy, much more flavorful, and much more tender if you let it cook for 1 hour 30 minutes.  If you don't have time, 1 hour is still pretty awesome, but the best is 1 hour 30 minutes.

It also makes excellent leftovers.  Win!

A Rant :: Our Flawed Society

What an ugly world we live in.  When did we allow our society to become so obsessed with the way other people look and what other people are doing?  Every day impressionable young girls and boys alike will be pressured into dieting, obsessive exercising, eating disorders.  Every day millions will wake up and avoid looking in the mirror for fear of what they will see.  Or else they will look in the mirror and do nothing but degrade the person looking back at them.

Since when did it become more important to be thin than to be intelligent?  When did having perfect abs take precedence over having a college education?  When did being beautiful start to matter more than being individual?

Society claims that they support individuality, and then pounces on those who dare to disturb the "norm".  Celebrities are followed relentlessly, praised and worshiped when they look perfect or are wearing the right clothes or are starring in a great new movie.  Why do those things matter than the other things those same celebrities are caught doing?  Drugs, porn, arrests, DUIs--these are the people that we are expected to want to be like?  These are the people that they are exposing our children to? 

Young men are ridiculed if their bodies are not perfectly tanned, toned, and muscular.  Girls are sneered at if they are not a size zero.  Your skin must be flawless, your teeth white and straight and even, your lips perfectly symmetrical.  Your nose must be straight and small.  Your eyes can't be different sizes.  If your eyebrows have a stray hair, you have committed a grievous sin.  Your legs, ladies, must be long, toned, thin, tan--and do please make sure you have shaved them.  You have to have the type of body that will look good in a bikini.  Your breasts must be a certain size and shape.  Guys, if your abs don't look like sections of a Hershey's bar, then no woman will ever love you.  Also, your pecs must be massive, your shoulders broad and your waist narrow. 

What happened?

When did fad diets replace books on the list of important things in our minds?  When did exercising obsessively take over all the free time we could be spending with people we love?  When did being the belle of the ball take precedence over being actual productive human beings?

When did women start getting pregnant for the extra press attention, instead of for the furthering and enriching of their lives and their families' lives?

And what, pray tell, will happen to those children?  Children of my own generation are struggling and falling everywhere I turn.  Individual people with beautiful minds and hearts are being squashed because their outside appearance is not what this broken and ugly society considers perfect.  What will happen to the children of rising generations?  The children bred and born to have their faces on the covers of magazines from the moment they first enter this world, as well as countless others whose faces are less well-known but no less important? 

When will society understand, and adjust its priorities to what they should be--not on who looks best without makeup, not whose body looks the best in a bikini, not whose arms are bigger, not how many calories are in such-and-such a dish.  Not how many hours you should be spending at the gym, and if you aren't, you're a fatty and doomed to be so forever.  Not on how to make your hair grow longer, thicker, curly or straight.  Not on how to flatter your face shape the best. 

Not on who has been voted Country Weekly's hottest man and how you should look more like that.  Not on how much muscle mass you should have.  Not on the definition of your abs or pecs or legs.  

Not, in other words, on the meaningless appearance of things.

The kind of beauty that the world values fades with time.  And when it does, society mocks and ridicules it.  True beauty is something else altogether. 

It is talent, and the joy that talent brings to someone.  The pride that shines through his face when he plays a masterpiece--his own composition--on the piano. The way she can see beauty in unusual things, and then capture and share them with her paintbrush.  A good grade on a tough assignment, a scholarship received, an engine restored, the solving of a difficult mathematical equation, the ability to make someone's day brighter, a dress sewn, jewelry made, a car beautifully restored.

It is love.  The way the newlyweds smile at each other in every picture.  The tenderness in a new father's eyes.  The exquisite joy when the child graduates high school, college, or even grade school.  The jokes played, the tears shed, hands held, kisses exchanged.  Photos taken, memories made, words spoken and remembered.

It is patience.  It is kindness.  Honesty.  Charity.  Integrity.  Intelligence. 

When will society understand that it's not about what things look like.  It's what they are. 

Movie Review :: "Man of Steel"

So Husband and I started this cool tradition last summer where we go see the latest superhero movie at the Imax theater in Salt Lake City (which is conveniently located in the Clark Planetarium, which satisfies my nerdy side).  Last year, we went and saw "The Dark Knight Rises".  I gotta tell you, it's tough to beat seeing the finale of the epic Batman trilogy on such a HUGE screen. 

Anyways, this year's feature was "Man of Steel".  **WARNING: THE REMAINDER OF THIS POST MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.** 
 
My Thoughts: 
It was a good movie; lots of action, well-cast, good storyline.  I also enjoyed all the subtle references to the rest of the Superman franchise.  I saw that the Sears sign had "Smallville, Kansas" on it, and noticed some "Lexcorp" piping during the final battle scene.  I'm sure there were more, but I probably just missed them, or can't remember them at the moment.  I also enjoyed the fact that unlike so many movies these days, there was no blatant sexuality or completely unnecessary swearing.  Actually, it was really clean with regard to both of those subjects. 

However, the camera work was extremely shaky--kind of like "The Hunger Games"; I felt like I couldn't quite focus on anything the whole time (made even more difficult by the gargantuan screen and the 3D glasses).  Also, I thought the characters lacked development and depth.  My favorite characters were Clark's Earth parents; I found them the most believable and engaging characters.  Lois Lane and the rest of them were less rounded. And the whole romance between Clark and Lois could have used a lot more backing.  Even though everyone who knows anything about Superman knows that he and Lois have a thing, I was still a little taken aback when all of a sudden they started holding hands.  To me it felt forced and fake.

Husband's Thoughts:  
"The action and special effects were good."

(Yep.  That's all that he had to say on the matter.)

Our Overall Rating:  *  *  *

 

Book Review :: "Flipped"

Another recommendation from that friend of mine I mentioned earlier.  :)

Flipped, by Wendelin Van Draanen

Synopsis:  Ever since Bryce Loski moved in across the street from Julianna Baker, she has been entranced by him.  His eyes are the bluest blue she has ever seen, and his smile melts her heart the way that sunlight melts butter.  But Bryce doesn't seem to be on the same page...actually, he runs away whenever he sees Juli.  But as time goes on and they are forced to get to know each other better--via classes in school, bus rides, and dinner parties--Juli realizes that maybe she should look beyond Bryce's appearance and decide if she likes the whole package.  But just when she starts to figure out that it's just the eyes and the smile and the shiny dark hair, Bryce realizes that he's been seeing Juli in the wrong light all along as well.  It's eighth grade now--is it too late to prove Juli that there is something more to Bryce?

My Rating:  *  *  *  *

This was such a fun read!  I remember when it first came out and all my friends were reading it; for some reason it never appealed to me much, but I'm glad I gave it a shot.  I was giggling the whole time I was reading.  It's a pretty easy read so it goes by fairly quickly, but it's a fun and light romance.  (Plus it's always fun to read about kids at that age and remember how awkward I was when I was there.)  I highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for something light, fluffy and happy-thought-inducing.

Book Review :: "The Weight of Silence"

So a good friend of mine and I have been trading off books this summer.  This one came highly recommended by her and I was very, very impressed by it.

The Weight of Silence, by Heather Gudenkauf

Synopsis:  Calli Clark suffers from selective mutism.  Having witnessed a traumatic event as a toddler that pushed her into silence, she hasn't spoken a word in nearly four years.  Her father is an alcoholic, usually absent, and often angry, but she finds solace in her mother, Antonia; her brother, Ben; and her best friend, kindred spirit and voice, Petra Gregory.  When both of the seven-year-old girls go missing, Antonia begins to fear that the decision to stay in her marriage has cost more than her daughter's voice.  In order to find the girls, the Clark and Gregory families will be forced to confront the skeletons in their closets and dig deep into their families' darkest secrets.

My Rating:  *  *  *  *  *

This was an interesting read for me.  Typically, I stick well within the YA genre of the library.  This book was one of those books that kind of make you rethink a lot of what you thought you knew.  The story was intense and deep, and at times uncomfortable.  I enjoy books that make me think when I have finished them, and this one definitely did that.  I couldn't put this book down; it was a page-turner until the very end.

**SPOILER ALERT**
If you are uncomfortable with the awful things that humans can do to each other, don't read this book.  Also, if you are uncomfortable with a certain four-letter word beginning with "f", you may want to steer clear.  However, where some books and movies will add that word for no apparent reason, in the case of this book, it actually really helped to establish character and setting. 

Memoirs of a Former Retail Worker

So I used to work at Macey's.  I worked there for a long time--too long, I think.  But April 30 was my last day at work, and I just wanted to share a few things I've experienced as a retail worker.  I hope some bring a smile to your face--even if it's the kind of dry smile that has nothing to do with happiness because you know how it feels too.  Enjoy!

dog dog dog dog DOG!!!

Guys.  It's finally happened.  I have a dog!!!  FINALLY!!  After 21 years of begging and pleading with my parents, I have a dog! 
Okay.  Sort of.
Here's our story.
One night before Husband was my husband, and was still living at home in Tremonton, he drove his sexy wonderful teal Jeep home, and he got out, and there was a black pup sitting there on the sidewalk.
He kind of just figured it was someone's dog that had gotten out of their yard or whatever, didn't think anything of it.
She followed him to the front door.
His dad came out and said "whose dog is that?"
Husband:  "...I don't know, it was just there when I got out of my car..."
His dad promptly picks up the pup (which isn't really a pup, by the way, she was quite large, even then) and proceeds to walk to every house within a seven-block radius (okay, that was an exaggeration, but he went to all the plausible houses close by) and asked at every one if this was their dog.
Everyone said no.
Well, my parents-in-law have two dogs, and a very nice, large, dog-friendly, fenced-in backyard.  So they stuck her back there.  And the next day, Husband says, "So remember how one of your conditions for getting married is that you have to have a dog?"
(I might have paraphrased that.)
And I said, "...Yeah..."
And he pulled out his phone and showed me a picture.
She's beautiful.  And so smart!!  But she fails at frisbee.  Yesterday while we were all playing catch in my parents'-in-law backyard (some with a football, some with a frisbee, some with wiffle balls--that was mostly our tiny nephew and his dad--and some with all of them at once), I grabbed one of the frisbees because she was watching them with her ears all perked up and her tongue hanging out.  So I threw it--directly at her open mouth.  All it did was hit her smack in the face and then she picked it up with her tail wagging, and looked so proud of herself.
Good job, Dog.  You caught it. 
So anyway, that's our dog, Lucky.  :)  She's great!  Here is a picture (sorry that it's blurry, I only just managed to take it before she decided that my camera was a treat and she should eat it):

 

 We still have to teach her manners--like, jumping on people is not an appropriate way to say hello, and neither is sitting on someone's face just because they decided to lie down on the grass near you.  But I am confident that her social skills will only get better, and that she will be a good girl, and learn her lessons.  Unlike this dog.  Anyway, tootles, everyone!!

MUSIC VIDEO!!!!

So remember how I read?  Like, a lot?  Well a while back I read Suzanne Collins' "Mockingjay".  And in it, she wrote the lyrics to a song that the characters knew.  And, being the music freak that I am, I obsessed over those lyrics, wondering what they might have sounded like.  And soon I figured it out.  This is the finished product.  My hope is to send a recording, along with a copy of the score, to the company that is filming the "Hunger Games" movie trilogy.  Maybe, just maybe, they will like it enough to use it in their film!  Comments and feedback much appreciated.  Please let me know what you think!!  Enjoy. 

Book Review :: "The Book Thief"

Oh.  My.  Gosh.  K, so I know I read a lot.  ...Like, a lot a lot.  Maybe too much, but whatever.  I have never read a book quite like this one, nor has there been one that had quite such an impact on me.

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak

Synopsis:  Liesel Meminger is a foster child in the middle of the rising of the Nazi party in Germany, and she has three secrets:  one, she is secretly in love with her neighbor and best friend, Rudy; two, she loves to read, especially when the books are stolen property; and three, she has a Jew hiding in her basement.  In spite of the NSDAP gaining power rapidly and the Fuhrer imposing his views and opinions on everyone, Liesel and her foster parents lead a pretty good life, with Liesel's mama's laundry business taking care of the essentials, her papa's painting business not exactly booming but allowing them to scrape by, soccer games on Himmel Street, thieving escapades with other youngsters, school at the Hitler Youth groups, and sneaking into the mayor's library to read and, occasionally, steal their books.  Everything seems great, until the Jew shows up.  And even then, everything is still great.  But then the bombs come, and Liesel's world is turned upside down.  Can she figure out how to put it back together again?  What will happen to the Jew she befriended while he hid in her basement?  And what will happen to the little book that the book thief fills with the many things she has seen and done?

My Rating:  *  *  *  *  *  (out of 5)

This book was so different from everything else I've ever read, and I think that's part of why it held such a pull for me.  If you don't mind some swearing--most of it is in German anyway, but it's definitely still there, along with the translation a couple of times--I really really recommend this one.  I personally love stories about the rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany, especially ones that come from an insider's view, like this one.  On the cover, someone's review of this book says it might "change your life".  I agree one hundred percent with that statement.  If you read this, it just might change your life.

Book Review :: "Inkdeath"

Hey friends!  I just finished the third book in the "Inkheart" series.  So here's my review, if you're interested.

Inkdeath, by Cornelia Funke

Synopsis:  Mortimer Folchart (a.k.a. "Mo") is becoming more and more like the robber and hero of Fenoglio's songs.  He goes out at nights to protect the women and children from the raids of the soldiers, now that their husbands, fathers, sons and brothers have been killed. The Adderhead has taken over and is allowing his pale, cowardly brother-in-law--known by his subjects as the "Milksop"--to sit on the throne of Ombra, expecting taxes of silver, but all the Milksop does is spend his time hunting.  Even Dustfinger the fire-dancer is no longer around to distract from the depression of everyday life, having sacrificed himself for his apprentice, Farid.  Orpheus, jealous of Mo's reading abilities and the way that Fenoglio's words have more power in the Inkworld than his own, reads Mo into a dangerous situation with Death itself in exchange for Dustfinger's return to life.  Mo makes a deal with Death and is allowed to bring Dustfinger back, on one condition:  If he doesn't deliver Death's original target, the Adder's, life before winter's end, Death will claim his, Meggie's and Dustfinger's instead. So he agrees to Violante's proposal to help her kill her father.  Mo trades himself for the children of Ombra, captured by the Piper, and delivers himself as Violante's prisoner.  Violante persuades the Adderhead to meet her at the Caste in the Lake, where he courted her mother, to have Mo cure the White Book, which is both keeping the Adderhead alive indefinitely, and making his flesh rot on his bones.
Elinor is missing her family, meanwhile.  Her books, once her most prized possessions, no longer offer her any solace with the people that she loves most missing.  Finally taking pity on her, Darius reads them both into the Inkworld to follow Mo, Resa, and Meggie, and to find out what happened to them.
Meanwhile, Orpheus is still bitter and jealous.  He manipulates Fenoglio's words to earn himself higher positions within Ombra.  While Mo is trapped at the Castle in the Lake and is forced to do the Adder's bidding, Orpheus tortures him with his words, and not even Dustfinger's fire can keep the darkness inside him at bay.
When the children are released, the Milksop sends hunting parties after them.  To save everyone, Fenoglio must think quickly and creatively, and with Meggie's help he manages to keep the Milksop at bay.  Everyone prays that the Bluejay will kill the Adder soon and save them all, as the songs all tell.
Will the Bluejay fill the role that Fenoglio has written for him?  Can there be a happy ending in this rapidly unraveling world?  Can Fenoglio gain control of the story again, or will Orpheus become its new author?  And most of all, will Mo and Resa's child be born in the Inkworld?  Or will Resa convince Mo to go back?

My Rating:  *  *  *  *  *  (out of 5)

Anybody who loves to read books will love the "Inkheart" trilogy.  Funke outdoes herself in this third and final installment, bringing loose threads all together into a neat and tidy conclusion, while still managing to keep the reader on the edge of their seat, wondering what turns the story will take next.  As unpredictable and thrilling as ever, "Inkdeath" will have you turning pages until there are no more left to turn...and even then, you might still want more.

p.s.  If you want it, my review of the first book in the series can be found here.

Reicpe :: Nutella Muddy Buddies

So basically, I'm not a huge fan of peanut butter.  At least not when it's combined with chocolate.  (I know, I know, I'm probably the only person in the world who doesn't like that combination, but whatevs.)  So I'd been having this idea for a while...what if, instead of peanut butter, I used Nutella in my muddy buddies instead of peanut butter?!  That way, I could enjoy them as much as everyone else!!
They were...fabulous.  If you like Nutella, anyway, which both Husband and I do, so they were awesome!
In case you don't already have the recipe, here it is (both original, and altered):

9 c.  rice chex, corn chex, wheat chex, chocolate-covered chex, honey-flavored chex, or any combination/variation of chex cereal
1 c semisweet chocolate chips (we actually use milk chocolate, I've never tried with the semisweet)
1/2 c peanut butter (or Nutella!!)
1/4 c butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla
1  1/2 c powdered sugar

Set aside cereal in a large mixing bowl.  In a large microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter together for one minute and stir.  Microwave about 30 seconds more or until mixture can be stirred smooth.  **I actually always just use my stove on a very low heat**  Stir in vanilla, and pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.  Pour into 2-gallon resealable bag and add powdered sugar; seal bag and shake until cereal mixture is coated in powdered sugar.  Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Let us know what other variations you guys come up with, and let us know how you liked our own concoction!  Enjoy!

Recipe :: Stuffed Red Peppers

Okay, so I'm cheating and we actually tried this recipe a while ago, but it was delicious.  I made some adjustments to the recipe, but I'll share the original one with you first (if you want the original original, you can find it here).

Turkey Stuffed Peppers
-1 lb. lean chopped turkey meat
-1 garlic, minced
-1/4 onion, minced
-1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
-1 tsp garlic powder
-1 tsp cumin powder
-salt to taste
-3 large red peppers
-1 c fat free chicken broth, divided
-1/4 c tomato sauce
-1 1/2 c cooked rice
-olive oil spray
-1/4 c reduced fat shredded cheese

Directions:

Heat oven to 400°. Spray a little olive oil spray in a medium size saute pan and heat on a medium flame. Add onion, garlic and cilantro to the pan. Saute about 2 minutes and add ground turkey. Season with salt and garlic powder, and cumin and brown meat for several minutes until meat is completely cooked through. Add 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and 1/2 cup of chicken broth, mix well and simmer on low for about 5 minutes. Combine cooked rice and meat together.

Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, and remove all seeds. Place in a baking dish. Spoon the meat mixture into each pepper half and fill it with as much as you can. Place all stuffed pepper halves on the baking dish and pour the remainder of the chicken broth on the bottom of the pan. Cover tight with aluminum foil and bake for about 35 minutes. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and enjoy.

 So our changes to the recipe:
-instead of turkey meat, we used chunks of chicken
-rather than 3 peppers, we only made two
-we used mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar
-at the very end when it tells you to fill the bottom of the baking dish with the rest of the chicken broth, we didn't do that; we both prefer our peppers slightly crispy, and figured that the chicken broth would make them very soft

These.  Were.  Delicious. Husband couldn't stop raving about them while we were eating them.  They were so good!  Although next time, to be honest I don't think I would bother baking the peppers at all.  They were still a little soft to my liking, and since everything is cooked by the time you stick it all in the peppers, I figure you don't really need to bake them.

If you try this recipe or some sort of variation, please leave comments--tell us what you did differently, how you liked it, family's reaction, etc.

For more recipe fun, check out my Pinterest page.  Happy cooking!

California Vacay

Hey everyone!  My first post as a married woman.  Holy cow.  Crazy.  It's weird though; Brian and I agree, it feels like we've been married for ages.  It's kind of a cool feeling.

We just got back from California a few days ago, and we decided it would be kind of fun to share our adventure with you!  We'll tell you about places we went, what we did, and what we thought of it all.  Pictures (sometimes, with the permission of Brian) included.

Coco's Restaurant and Bakery

 

 Well we really liked it!  This place is awesome for anyone who loves breakfast food.  Their portions are huge--and it was really good food too!  We really enjoyed it.  For those of you from Utah, a worthy comparison is Village Inn.

Mimi's Cafe

I know, I know, we have these in Utah too, but it was super good!  I'd been craving a good, home-cooked, sit-down meal and Brian had been craving a nice big burger, and we both got exactly what we wanted.  My salmon even came with an appetizer salad and dessert, which we shared.  The dessert we got was bread pudding (that's what he is holding in the picture) and actually, it wasn't all that great.  Neither of us like raisins much, and the bread was stuffed full of them.  Aside from that it was pretty good, and everything that came before the dessert was phenomenal.  Seriously.

 

Disneyland!!

 Yes, we had to go to Disneyland!!  I've actually never been before, so it was my first time.  Note to first-timers:  DO NOT go on New Year's Eve!  (Although, to be perfectly honest, I wouldn't change our New Year's Eve for anything!  New Year's Eve at Disneyland is pretty awesome, but only if you're okay with huge lines and lots and lots of people.



 

 

California Adventure:  Soarin' Over California

We knew we wouldn't make it to all the rides in either park, so we did a few from each park.  The two that we hit at California Adventure:  Soarin' Over California and Tower of Terror.  Soarin' Over California is super cool!  You're in a simulated hang-gliding tour of California, so you see all its awesomeness laid out in front of you.  It's seriously awesome.

California Adventure:  Tower of Terror

...Yeah, I wasn't so much a fan of this one.  I don't like that butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling that you get when falling form great heights, so I really can't understand what people love about this ride or rides like it.  Brian, on the other hand, loved it, and so does everyone else that I talk to, so chances are, I'm the only person on the planet who doesn't.

Submarine Adventure (thing...)

 This one is my favorite picture of us.  We took it while we were waiting in line for two-hours-plus for the submarine adventure ride thing (that I can't actually remember the name of).  It's an extension of Finding Nemo.  It was really cute.  Not particularly exciting or engaging, but very cute.  Definitely not worth waiting for--at least not as long as we did.  Our advice:  If there's a line, skip it. 

Now here's some videos!!  This first one is of the newest addition to Disneyland; a Star Wars attraction called the Jedi Academy.  Little kids are called up and trained in the ways of the Force by a Master Jedi, and then they get to confront either Darth Vader or Darth Maul.  It was the coolest thing there, pretty much; Brian wished he was younger so he could learn.  I picked the smallest and cutest kid up there to film.  

This one--believe it or not--is part of the pre-midnight New Year's Eve dance party that was going on all night long down the main street of Disneyland.  This particular film clip is of Mickey and Minnie Mouse dancing to--wait for it--Gangnam Style!!  So priceless.  So awesome.  So....just...beyond words.

San Diego Temple

We took a long drive one day down to San Diego down the Pacific Coast Highway.  If you have a day to kill, do this!!  It was really fun to drive down next to the coast and see the surfers on the beaches, and cruise through all the cute little beach towns.  It's also a very relaxing trip.  Highly recommend.  

Laguna Beach

If you are planning to go to the beach, I highly recommend Laguna beach.  On our drive to San Diego, we passed a ton of beaches but they were all crowded with surfers and beach goers with their dogs.  All super good beaches and super fun, but Laguna was nice because it wasn't nearly as crowded.  It was really nice. 

Brian looking super awesome in front of the sun and sea

More of Laguna--so nice!!

 

Wild Buffalo Wings

Sports bar!  Brian was kind of embarrassed about bringing me here 'cause of the atmosphere but it was kind of fun.  They had the Lakers vx. 76ers game on almost every screen (that's what he's looking at; he loves sports) and it was fun to watch the locals get way into it.  Also the food was awesome.  You can choose what spices go on your wings!  They don't have to be so hot they burn your taste buds off!  (I was really excited about that.)  Mine were lemon pepper and they were so good.





There was another place we tried while we were here but I didn't get a picture of it; it was called Rubio's.  It was an awesome little Mexican food joint that we saw all over the place.  I think their specialty is fish tacos; we got a steak burrito.  They use super fresh ingredients, and the burrito wasn't greasy--it just seemed so simple and fresh, it was awesome.  So you should probably try that place too.  :)

Anyway, I'm signing off for now.  More to come soon--books we read, recipes we try, etc.  Stay tuned!