Happy Christmas!

I have so much to write about, and pretty much no drive to do it. Things are abuzz with the holidays oh-so-near, and we're busy as ever. I'm thinking about doing a photo-a-day for 2013 as a way to keep up on my journaling/blogging. We'll see if that idea develops into a commitment...

My love and I at my mom's fun new apartment building in downtown slc

Time is flying

You'd think that this last month has been pretty dull over here if you were going off of my blog posts... which haven't been happening at all lately. It's quite the opposite, in fact. It's been a very full and exciting month, with lots going on and lots to blog about, besides recipes I want to remember. We've had (in the extended family. Not Kimball and I alone!) marriages, babies, birthdays, holidays, accomplishments, and milestones. Okay, we've also had some awesome food, so you're still going to get some of that.

Time has just flown by, and not only this month. I realized yesterday that it's been 6 years since I entered the MTC and became a missionary lady. Naturally, I've been reminiscing and looking at pictures today, and I just have to say that even thought it had its extremely frustrating and difficult times, I love the memories I have from those 18 months. I learned so much, gained so much (yes, even weight), and changed so much. I loved it. Not every minute, but lots of minutes.

I was going through my facebook albums of mission pics (most of my pics are on hard drives somewhere) and had to post a few here. I just laugh so much when I look through my pictures. Probably about 85% of my memories are absolutely hilarious. I laughed a ton on my mission, but as the years pass I find myself laughing even more, because now I'm laughing at myself, not just the situations we were in. Oh, I love my mission memories, and I love Los Angeles!

I've added some little descriptions of the photos, although some don't need any explanation at all.

1. I'm a thug.  2. Besties!  3. This lady wouldn't let us get a pic without holding some dolls.  4. Mission rules - no eating in cars. Made me mad, but I was a good girl.

1. Pres. Blackburn - my fave.  2. We loved our weekly service!  3. Peruvian niños and a llama. I spoke no español, and they spoke no english (story of my mission). Tough to communicate.  4. This was our mission beach day (no water... just sand). We just had to show up in vietnamese sun hats.

1. Just taking a tracting/photoshoot break.  2. This is how we do it in L.A.  3. MTC roomies. Love them.  4. Besties in the same mission. Simply uncanny.

1. My tiny little Hermana Hernandez. I stood about a foot taller than everyone in this area.  2. View from the Getty Museum (best p-day activity ever!)  3. Just me. 4th of July baseball... so naturally I just sat on the bench.  4. Oh, I'm just answering phones and being on TV at the Jerry Lewis Telethon. Best service project ever.

It feels so good to relive those moments. I looked so young! Hard to believe I was even 22/23! My mission is where I noticed my first wrinkles. All that time in the sun was rough on me (and then 8 months in the Middle Eastern sun didn't help). My face also looks a little chubby in some pics. That would be the fifteen pounds I gained while practically being force-fed dinner and dessert every night and then being blessed/cured with a car (this time the 8 months in the Middle East - with no good ice cream and no car - actually helped).

I'm glad to say that even though those were great years, they weren't the best of my life. It just keeps getting better. It's been a great six years.

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

This meal was outstanding! Oh my. Shutterbean does it again. I thought, since it snowed last night, that something warm and comforting would be fitting for our dinner today. This was perfect. Not only is it super filling, very easy, and deliciously satisfying, it's surprisingly light and healthy, too. Oh man, and those breadcrumbs on top, soooo good. So crispy and flavorful. 


Here's the ingredient list:
(Recipe from here, but slightly adapted by me)

Ingredients:

-multigrain or whole wheat spiral noodles (or, you know, macaroni)
-chopped cauliflower
-bread crumbs 

-dried parsley
-olive oil
-salt & pepper
-diced onion
-grated cheese (I used half cheddar, half mozzarella)
-plain greek yogurt
-skim milk
-Dijon mustard
-garlic powder

See what I mean? Not terribly unhealthy. I'm not going to bother writing out the instructions or anything, but it's really not that hard either. 

If you make this, just be aware that the original recipe will make enough for a large family. I cut it in half, and these are my leftovers. One and a half 8x6 baking dishes:

Tomato Cheese & Herb Tarts

These are so so good.

This is another recipe from Shutterbean, the blog I've become obsessed with this week. The original recipe is actually for one big tart, but since the grocery store I went to was out of puff pastry sheets, I just got little puff pastry shells instead. They worked out perfectly. My only complaint was that they were just simply too small.

The recipe also calls for three cheeses, but I only used two: mozzarella and parmesan. Not only were these little tarts delicious, but I thought they were so pretty too. There's nothing quite like almost-crispy golden brown cheese with tomatoes. These little delights would make a perfect little Christmas appetizer (I would make them even smaller though) or finger food for any old party. Did I mention how easy they are to make?

Here's how:

Poke the thawed puff pastry with a fork and pinch the edges so it doesn't puff like it's supposed to.

Thinly slice a tomato and soak up the extra juice with paper towels.

Mix up some herbs and melted butter.

Spread the herb butter onto the puff pastry.

Top with cheese.

Add a tomato slice and a little more cheese, and bake till the cheese is golden and the pastry's crispy.

Making these made me want to learn how to make my own puff pastry. Then again, maybe it's better if I don't see all the butter that goes into it...