Honey-Balsamic Lamb Chops Or Pork Chops

I promise this will be my last food blog for awhile.

I just HAVE to let you know all my favorite dinner/ lunch

meals that I have done. I just had to share. Try them.

I promise you, it's amazing.

I think I have made this dish a few times for Kenton.

The first time was fore some friends that came over,

Brady and Bonnie. It's been awhile since i've made this

dish, but still the concept applies. I couldn't find my original

picture of this. It looks just the same. Sorry Giada for

taking your picture off your network.

I add that you can use Pork chops instead of those

expensive Lamb Chops. I Went to the store and

bought the pock chops on the bone. Don't buy the thin

kind. My husband like them... Yet the down fall.

They cook way too fast, plus you don't get a lot of

juice that way. If you like it dry. Go on a head and

cook that kind. I wont stop you. I just prefer

the thicker kind.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 small lamb chops
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Directions

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the balsamic vinegar, garlic, and honey. Pulse until blended. With the machine running, slowly pour in the vegetable oil until the mixture is smooth and forms a thick sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Season the lamb chops with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary. Grill the lamb chops for 2 to 3 minutes each side until medium-rare.

Arrange the lamb chops on a platter. Spoon the sauce over the top or serve the sauce on the side.

***Don't over do your sauce. It will over power it and wont taste as good. Just drizzle it,

Make it look pretty. If you like it and want more then go ahead.

I like to make a gravy with the drippings. just spoon out the herbs in the pan.

Or leave it. It's just rosemary give it a little more flavor.

If you chopped it fine, then you should be ok.

If there is more then desired just spoon it out. Try not to get the meat juices out.

You'll need that for the gravy.

I usually add water to my pan. Then I bring to a boil on medium heat.

add corn starch mixed with water (into a small bowel)

pour slowly into the warm water.

Stir quickly and add until thickens (you don't have to use

all the corn starch/ water mix).

If it looks like a gravy stop pouring.

Add salt and pepper to taste. If you added too much

cornstarch mix. You might want to add more water to your

gravy. Now pray for the best.

~Add gravy to your lovely potatoes.

I love serving Corn with this dish.

Remember to neer forget your vegetables :0)

Mini Lasagnas with Sweet Corn and Mascarpon

You will never guess how CUTE these are. Giada is an

AMAZING cook!

I would have never thought...

a little lasagna present for everyone to eat. No More

Mess... Portion size! Portion size! This is what I call a Portion

control. lol jk! As I was watching her on the TV I decided to

make this. If you are like me, you tend to over do the Herbs.

FYI your husband will probably not like it (or you) if you're

or they are not into Herbs all that much. My husband did not

like all the extra Basil I added to this dish. Just be careful

with your herbs.

This dish can be made

into different ways. Especially the way my mom makes

her traditional lasagna (I'm going to make that next, next

time I want lasagna).

Please note to self to NOT over cook your Lasagna sheets.

I promise you that they don't need to be that loose

or they will break and not fold properly.

Ingredients

• Butter, for ramekins
• 12 lasagna sheets (or how many dishes you need,
• I cooked 8 because I was only serving for 4 people.
• You can use Gluten free or Rice lasagna sheets,
• Which also comes gluten free).
• 3 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1/2 cup whipping cream, at room temperature
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• (You can use mozzarella cheese)
• 1 cup (4 ounces) finely grated Pecorino Romano, plus 1/2 cup (2 ounces)
• (I used 4 Italian cheeses from Walmart already pre grated)
• 1 large lemon, zested
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves
• (Or less basil, depends on taste)
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded sharp Provolone
• (you can use your 4 italian cheese bag. I only bought one
• bag and had some left over. Just portion what you want on
• your lasagna)
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Special equipment: 6 (10-ounce) ramekins, each 2 1/2 inches tall and 3 1/2 inches in diameter

Directions

Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter 6 (10-ounce) ramekins. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain. Using 2 cooked lasagna noodles in an "x" shape, line each ramekin, pushing the noodles gently into the bottom of the ramekins, allowing any excess pasta to overhang on the sides.

In a food processor, blend the corn, cream and garlic until chunky. Add the mascarpone, 1 cup of the Pecorino Romano cheese, the lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. Add the basil and pulse until just combined.

Pictures below on how to fold and how the end product should look like. :0)

Spoon 1/4 cup of the filling into the bottom of each ramekin and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the Provolone.

Fold 2 overhanging pieces of pasta over the filling, (trim the ends of the pasta with scissors, if necessary). Add another 1/4 cup of filling to each ramekin and top with another 2 tablespoons Provolone. Fold over the 2 remaining overhanging pieces of pasta.

Spoon any remaining filling on top of the pasta. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano and drizzle with olive oil. Arrange the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until the tops are golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.

To serve: Run a knife around the edge of the ramekins to loosen the lasagnas. Unmold the lasagnas onto serving plates and serve, without ramekins. :0) Serve and Enjoy!

Mini Pineapple Cakes

If you are wanting a dessert to go with your sweet and spicy

Drummetts. Why not add this Mini Pineapple Cakes to your

list. Especially if you are craving pineapple. I know I sure did

enjoy this after my meal. :0) They were SO YUMMY!!!

My husband also agrees! No guilt trip! They are small.

Everyone gets their own little cake. SO CUTE!

If you don't want to go out and buy mini bunt cake pans.

Go use your small Ramekins. They work Just the same.

Only makes 4 AND it's a little bit bigger then the mini

bunt cakes. You can share and enjoy!

Just keep an eye on them. Poke with a tooth pick

to see if it is all the way cooked through. If it is

still very moist in the middle,

leave in over for 5 min. Check it and do it

again if it still isn't cooked. I hope you enjoy.

If you tried it, leave a comment and let me know how

much you enjoyed it.

Ingredients

• 1 (3 1/2-pound) pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces* see Cook's Note
• 2 tablespoons pineapple juice plus 2/3 cup
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 egg whites
• 2/3 cup water
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix (recommended: Betty Crocker Super Moist)
• Special Equipment: 6-cup mini Bundt pan

Directions

Place an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and flour a mini Bundt pan.

For the Cakes: Place the pineapple in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped. In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, combine the chopped pineapple, 2 tablespoons pineapple juice, sugar, and butter over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cook until the liquid evaporates and the mixture begins to brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Spoon the pineapple mixture into the prepared pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg whites, water, vegetable oil, almond extract, cake mix, and 2/3 cup pineapple juice. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the mixture on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour the batter over the cooked pineapple. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and the tops are golden. Allow the cakes to cool for 15 minutes. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the cakes. Put a baking sheet, upside-down, on top of the parchment paper. Flip both pans over and allow the cakes to cool completely while still in the Bundt pan, about 1 hour. Unmold the cakes and place on individual serving plates.

Cook's Note: This recipe will also work using 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple in 100 percent pineapple juice, drained and juice reserved.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Drumettes

I would be lying if I said that I didn't like this much.

Because I LOVE IT! It's like Heaven in your mouth.

You need to be careful if you don't like spice, not to add

so much. I have to add MORE pineapple juice, for my husband.

Just because he doesn't like the spice all that much. If you want

just triple the juice count it doesn't hurt.

In this picture is the sweet and spicy chicken drummettes...

If you don't want to do drummettes that's fine, just stick with

normal drumsticks. Just leave them in the bag to

Marinate longer. I have a Mango Salad, corn on the cob

that we make on the grill, and Aloha L.A. Cocktail.

I will have the ingredients on the drink below. FYI

I don't use alcohol in my drinks. I like to make the virgin

style. So think of it as a fruity drink. :0)

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Drumettes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup pineapple juice (0r 2 1/2 cups makes more sweet
• and less spicy)
• 1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sweet Marsala wine
• 1/4 packed cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 pounds chicken drumettes
• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground arrowroot powder or 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional- I don't add this...
• It just adds some color onto the chicken)

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, soy sauce, Marsala wine, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, chili powder, and red pepper flakes until the sugar is dissolved. Put the chicken drumettes in a 1-gallon size, resealable plastic bag. Add the pineapple liquid to the chicken and seal removing as much air as possible from the bag. Marinate the chicken for 3 hours in the refrigerator.

Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it liberally with vegetable cooking spray.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and arrange in a single layer on the prepared pan. Season the chicken with salt, to taste, and bake until the skin is caramelized and very dark in spots, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the marinade into a small saucepan. Whisk in the arrowroot or cornstarch, if using, and bring to a boil over medium heat (in order to kill bacteria). Reduce the heat to a low boil and cook until thick, about 5 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.

Using a pastry brush, brush some of the cooked marinade over the chicken or pour it into a small bowl and serve on the side. Arrange the chicken on a platter, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve.

ALOHA L.A. Virgin Cocktail

ingredients:

3 Cups of Pineapple (Drain juice from can, use in recipe above)

1/2 cup Agave nectar

2 medium Limes (Squeeze juice from)

~Blend all together~

pour into Pitcher add Ginger-ale (OR diet Ginger-ale)

Place into fridge to get nice and cold

Add 2 cups of ice before serving and ENJOY!

Dad and Ann's Sealing s

This is a picture that I had JJ help me with.

It actually after I had printed it had more green and

was a lot darker. At least you can see the picture a little

better. I was so excited with the end product and how it

turned out. I was thinking I should have put the year on when

they were married and emphasized the day they were sealed.

Dad and Ann thought this was very good and that they liked

it how it turned out. I'm so excited I almost want one for myself.

Thinking I just might do that. Plus make one of Kenton and I.

I Loved how this picture looked in the end.

What a great day for a Sealing.

Dad and Ann have been married since

June. 25, 2004

They went to Colorado, Then got married

in a court house in Farmington on June 25th 2004

I was happy to see that they were working hard

for an eternal marriage. I have been happy to

see my dad come back with the spirit and Love of

the Gospel! He was always a great leader of the

church growing up.

Ann and Dad in the sealing room looked so happy.

You could feel all the wonderful spirits and love in that

room. I know that they will truly be blessed in the end.

They decided to come out in all white for pictures.

My two cute nieces ran up to give their Grandpa

and Grandpa a hug Hello! Super cute

Nieces with Grandpa and Grandma

If you are wondering what is in their hands...

It's string cheese lol!

Mckenzie, Ann, Dad, Me, and Aubs

All the sisters that came to the Jordan River Temple.

We sure missed Alysa being there. She had to work.

Kenton and my niece making a funny faces.

She told Kenton to take the picture. Silly girl!

They didn't know they were making the same face.

It wasn't planned

Kenton and I at the Jordan river temple.

It was such a beautiful day.

I wanted to stay in the sun all day. lol!

You can't tell in this picture, but I'm 10 Weeks along.

Crazy how time flies.

Dad with his Dad (my grandpa) on the far right is

Grandpa's Girlfriend Donna. She is sure cute and

reminds me of my Grandma in a way.

For a wedding gift I made Ann and Dad a cake with

48 cupcakes with 48 butterflies that I made by hand.

They sure did love their wedding cake I made for them.

(shh... it has yummy Sweet cream cheese in the middle.

I love cream cheese with powder sugar and secret ingredients).

My sister Aubrey let me borrow the Glass Temple

she bought for them. She was afraid it would be too

small for this cake. To tell you the truth I'm happy it

was just the right size. Thanks Aubrey!

I love these butterflies. They are two separate butterflies.

I made 3 templates that said Lyle and 3 templates that said

Ann. Decorated it and then copied and printed them off.

I felt like they were great souvenirs. Super cute!

My husband Helped cut them out. I did all the glueing.

I love projects like these. I'm so happy that I can still

decorate a cake. I haven't lost my talent yet. :0)

I didn't mention that We stayed up till two AM... It was so

worth staying up so late. I am so happy that they all loved

my cake and cupcakes. I was sad... Ann and Dad cut the

cake I was recording. When I thought they were all done I decided

to take a picture. Ann then smashes some cake in dads face and

gets it all over his beard. I was so sad that I missed it! I didn't

get it on video. It was a memory that was truly fun to see.

GREAT NEWS with Jetblue and Passports

JETBLUE!!! I FINALLY got a hold of them. It seems

like they are going to hold my job for one more month

so I can go on this MEXICO TRIP. Thank Goodness!

I will be starting with them on November 16th, instead of

October 12th. I was so happy to hear that we didn't have to cancel

anything and our passports wont go to waste.

I still don't know what is going to come of the job after this baby

of mine finally comes, because it is a call center and it has be Quiet.

Unless I get a baby sitter I don't know how this is possible.

I can finally say "I think I'm ready now" as Britney Spears would

say. lol JK! I just felt like I didn't know what to do, if it

was ok to go on this trip. Maybe that's why I use

a quote from Britney... LoL! I'm not referring to

the actual song. Yet she is wearing blue while

she was a flight attendant for the music video. AWESoME dream job.

Becoming a flight attendant.

I hear they make GREAT money and get to travel a lot.

How would that be? Sounds like an adventure.

Yet it's not in the cards for me.

Kenton and I awhile ago... FINALLY got our passport

information in. Took us long enough. I thought we

were going to have the money. Yet every time we

turned around there was something going on.

We had the money at one point, just to find out once we

got down there that is was an extra $35 extra per Person.

We just didn't have that money at the time. I had

a few things come up that NEEDED to be payed.

Sometimes I feel like we are just barely at float.

sometimes we feel like that in our lives some times.

"Life is but a box of chocolates, you never know what you're

going to get!" Quote by Forest Gump.

The most frustrating thing I think that came up

was extra things/extra expenses from our wonderful roommates.

I felt like it wasn't worth the trouble of having them here.

I need to say... Just because we

have roommates doesn't mean we are rich. Just because

we have a house or a nice car. Doesn't make us RICH. I

believe it makes you poor and little things always come up.

IF we had money... We would be paying off extra debt and

we would be just fine. Yet everyone thinks we are made

out of money. Kind of frustrating sometimes.

When it comes to our passports...

we did finally get everything sorted out in the end

THANK GOODNESS! Thanks to Kenton's Parents

that helped us out. Kenton wrote a post dated

check to them.

To be cashed the day he got paid. I'm glad that we have

that trust with them, that Kenton is trustworthy.

He always does, what he say's he is going to do.

I have never found Kenton to be a liar. He can't lie,

Nor can he keep a secret a surprise. lol! He is too

good for his own good.

I should say...

If I had a job things would be a lot different.

Instead, we

go off of our means. I believe that makes us

responsible adults if you ask me.

I have to tell you a funny story that happened today.

I was out looking around for something to get

for Kenton for his upcoming birthday. I have

been going a little nutty. I know

what I am getting him for Christmas,

Yet I don't know what I'm going to get

him for his birthday. Crystal and I

were out shopping at Sams club! We

didn't get much Yet a DVD. We

haven't bought one in FOREVER.

I feel in Love with Prince of Persia.

We've seen it 3 times already on Redbox.

Because we are cheap like that. lol!

Crystal and I were talking and brain storming.

She was thinking of things for Tyson for Christmas

and I was thinking of things for a birthday.

We decided to go to the mall to get Kenton

some shoes "Adidas", He has been talking about

how he has wanted some NEW shoes. It just

dawned that is what I should get him.

I had been working at Bed Bath and Beyond and

made some extra money on the side. Thank Goodness!

I was just sad to see that it was just a temp job.

Crystal and I walk in and try to find the shoes.

As we are walking to the end of the store. Someone

behind me comes up and pokes my side and gives me a jump.

I look around to find Kenton in the store we were at.

I was wondering... Why are you at the mall? He told

me he had sent me a text saying he was going to meet

me at the mall, when I had told him Crystal and

I were going to the mall. To find ourselves in the same

Store. It was ironic, yet funny all at the same time.

I asked him why he was there. He mentioned "I need new

shoes". He was buying some Adidas, because he

really need them. I was so frustrated that he couldn't

wait for a surprise. I told him why we were in the store.

Just because he was buying the gift I wanted to give him.

He then adds.... "You can buy them for me"

lol NOT! I was so excited that I thought of something

that he really needed. Comes to find out that he

was 20 steps ahead of me this time.

Oh well... Great minds think alike right???

Love you Honey! I will think of a great gift to get

for you, and it will be a great surprise. :0)

OH AND WE GET TO GO TO MEXICO!!!

I'M SO EXICTED!!!