Thursday, May 28, 2009

What Gobles Gobble... simple side!

Ok so they're really the simplest of things but they're delicious sweet creamy and extremely good for you full of lots of good things the more colorful the fruit or vegetable the better it is for you and these are day glo! Steve and I love them so much and its a guilt free side dish (almost) cuz I serve it like a potato but its more like a vegetable... Baked sweet potatoes...

They're simple to make there's really only a few simple steps

1. Buy the potatoes we buy one per person but you could buy a big one and share.
2.Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F
3. Rinse your sweet potates and place them on a cookie sheet
4. Bake potatoes for one hour-90 min or until knife inserted goes in easily.
5. remove from oven and split the same as a baked potato.

We eat them with some butter and a drizzle of honey but they're just as delicious with some salt and pepper or experiment with your spice cabinet see how they taste with a pinch of curry powder or cinnamon...

Sweet Potatoes aren't just for holidays anymore.. but if you must have marshmallow once finished split open add a bit of butter a sprikle of brown sugar your desired amount of marshmallows and return to oven for 5 min...

Friday, May 22, 2009

To Aunt Dea's house


The meaning of the name Izaiah is God Is Salvation
Izaiah Adrien Elwell was born at 3:50am on May 14 2009
weighing 6lbs 3.5 oz and 20 inches long

That little face has so much personality it almost seems like too much for such a tiny person. You look like your Great Grandma Elwell (at least in this picture) I dunno if anyone else sees it but I do and, since I supposedly look like her in a round about way I guess that means you look like me. You look like your your Uncle Bubba sometimes too except for that nose I dunno where that came from but its a cute nose its yours. I get to see you tomorrow for the first time outside the hospital, I'm very excited. Its been a week since I saw you last. I hate working I hate that my hours are so crazy and that I couldn't come see you I've missed you very much. I feel like I've missed so much of your short life it makes me sad. I'm itching to hold and kiss you to kiss your sweet baby feet and kiss the soft fluff of hair on your head. I don't want to rush these sweet precious days when you're so small and soft still new and tiny. I am however very anxious for smiles and giggles toothy grins but you can stay this tiny for a year or so I know its not possible I know someday all too soon I'll be re-reading this page marveling at how quickly time has gone by...but today I'll savor your first trip to Auntie Dea's house...

Monday, May 18, 2009

What Gobles Gobble.... Hot slaw


Ok so mine doesn't really look like this but its delicious... And its my grandma's recipe :) When i first got to Texas I heard talk about this Hot slaw stuff but I had never eaten it... I didn't think... The first time we made it my grandma came into the kitchen and sat on her walker and talked me through it.. She taught me to make Hot slaw her way... My Aunt Lil said it was the first time Grandma had come into the kitchen since she'd moved to Texas... I'm just thankful she got to teach me... Its a memory I'll always treasure! I remembered eating hot slaw in the first few bites... a distant memory being 4 yrs old at my grandma's old old house in Winnemucca probably kicking my feet under the table... My grandma missed cooking the most she said it was one of the things she dreamt about doing... I could imagine that...I know if after spending 70 some years cooking every day feeding myself my family I would feel like something vital had been taken away from me to not be able to stand and a stove and stir... I tried to do "cooking activites" with her we made apple pie once it was super yummy... but Hot slaw in its simplicity will forever be a favorite quick easy side dish that makes me think of her... It also lends itself very well to exotic variations as Steve and I found out....

Grandma Elwell's Hot Slaw

1 head of Green Cabbage, julienned
1 stick of butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/4c Apple Cider or Rice Wine Vinegar
season to taste with salt, pepper, garlic powder

In a big frying pan melt the butter down over high heat until its browned watch closely so it doesn't burn. Once its browned and frothy dump in the cabbage and toss you're going to wilt the cabbage and brown it. Cook the cabbage to the desired done-ness. My grandma liked to flash fry it in a hot ban brown it up let the heat kiss the cabbage and finish it off I cook it down some more so the stalkier bits of cabbage still have some crunch but the leafier parts get soft and tender. Pour the egg over the cabbage and toss until the egg is cooked it will look like little bits of scrambled egg clinging to the cabbage. then just before you turn off the heat pour the vinegar over the whole pan and stir to combine. Eat and enjoy... I'm sure you could cut back on the butter and replace it with a healthier fat like olive oil or go 50/50 I think the trick would be to not add the olive oil until the butter browned... Try it i hope you liked it....When you're proficient with this try adding some ground pork fresh garlic ginger green onion soy sauce and wrap it in gyoza for delicious potstickers!!

Friday, May 8, 2009

The most beautiful thing....


Sweet baby face... I love you so much already... and now my secret is out and I can tell the world how much I love you. I got to see your sweet face today on a giant TV screen it was the cutest thing I almost cried. I know I will cry I cried when I met your mommy its impossible to expect I won't cry when I meet you. I can't wait to hug you and kiss you and love you I can't wait to cuddle you close to my heart and say "Hello little one I'm your Auntie Dea" I can't wait to wrap you in a silky blanket that was the most intricate tangle of yarn I've ever done knowing every stitch is a wish and a prayer and filled with love for you... ... I didn't expect to meet you until I had given you cousins to look up to instead you get to be the cousin my kids look up to (Thats a high calling buster). I look at this situation my baby sister (she'll always be a baby to me you see) is gonna be a mommy... my 17 yr old baby sister is gonna make me an Auntie when I've just become a wife. To say I'm not shocked or a little hurt and a lot afraid would be an understatement but you baby boy are not a mistake you are a gift from God. I know you will teach us all many lessons your mommy the most I know... We make choices some of them are good and some of them are bad you may be here because of a poor choice made by my sister but she made the best choice she made the brave choice when she chose to keep you, and to welcome you into our family. I'm proud of her beyond words. I get to be an Auntie sooner than I thought but I love you as much as I love my baby sister your mommy (maybe more you'll be cuter and cuddlier than she is nowadays). I will love you always baby boy and I can't wait to make this world ready for you! Uncle Steve and I love you so very very much and we can't wait to meet you and hug you we can't wait to buy you star wars toys and Spiderman sneakers. We can't wait for all the fun all the laughter all of the giggles you'll bring to our family We hope and pray for you every day we know God is knitting you together perfectly inside your mommy and we pray you would someday come to know him as we do! We pray God would give us the wisdom and allow us to be a beacon for him and show you of his greatness goodness and love.
Come see us soon baby boy screaming healthy and strong...




Saturday, May 2, 2009

SNAPSHOT!!! Crochet...


No frills No primping I read Danae's blog immediately grabbed our camera and shot.... 5 or 6 pictures so I could pick the best one... :) nothing in the rules said you had to use the first one right? :) I thought they were all horrible haha this is why girls need to primp... I think I need a hair cut I have no idea what to do but I get tired of always wearing my hair in a pony tail how silly is that.... So its been a few days since I've been tagged but I did take this picture that night I've been busy this week...
Tomorrow is dear sweet Jamie's baby shower and I've been slowly working on little gifts for her since I found out she was pregnant and since my fingers could once again tangle with yarn and make things I got creative :) Here's a small sampling... A very heavy blanket that will keep Haddon warm well into age 7.... a sweet little bear that rattles... I was scared to death to crochet a teddy bear I reserved all of tonight for the purpose of stuffing and stitching that bear and it came together in 1 hr and 15 min... ( all the body parts were crocheted individually throughout the week) We also have a cute pair of hiking booties and a lumberjack hat.. :) I've never posted a completed project on here I don't think... so I figured my first crocheted stuffed animal was a good excuse...