The desert "blossoms as a rose"

ANNOUNCING the very FIRST zucchini, and vegetable,

to come from the Dopp Arizona garden!  :)

Ok, so it may not be a big deal to many of you, but we are pretty excited to finally have a garden that is our very own.  We may not get very much out of this garden, but it has been a great experience for us.  We planted everything from seed and have loved to see things grow. Growing up, I never really appreciated the gardening that we did as a family.  There is something so very therapeutic about getting your hands dirty and working the soil.  Hopefully this is the first of many succesful gardening adventures!

Hope you are all enjoying your own gardens!

Cinco de Mayo

It was so wonderful to be with you all last week for Matt's wedding!  What fun times!
In honor of Cinco de Mayo this week, I thought it would be fun if we each posted our favorite Mexican dishes/recipes.  I have a couple favorites. I decided to post the recipe for those chimichangas that I made at Mom's last week, as well as a crock pot fajita recipe that I have been asked about a lot. 

Hope you all have a fantastic week!

Chimichangas
2-4 chicken breasts cooked and shredded/cut up
1 1/2 cups salsa
16 oz can black beans
1 envelope taco seasoning
Approx. 16 oz flour tortillas (10 inch)
16 oz. cheese cut into strips

Cook chicken, shred. In skillet combine black beans salsa and taco seasoning.  Smash black beans with potato masher. (refried beans can be substituted in place of black beans). Add chicken and mix well.  Warm tortillas.  For each chimichanga place small amount of chicken and bean mixture in center of tortilla, then add strip of cheese and wrap.  Place on greased cookie sheet and cook at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or 375 degrees for 35 minutes.   Can be frozen and will last 6 months in the freezer. 

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas
1 small bottle fat free Italian dressing
1/3 cup lemon juice
4-6 chicken breasts
1 large green pepper chopped
1 large red pepper chopped
1 medium onion

Place all ingredients in a crock pot and cook slowly for 2-3 hours or until chicken is done.  Shred chicken before serving.  Serve in tortillas with cheese and sour cream.  

This recipe is easy to stretch.  I like to add a lot more veggies (3-4 peppers) and a little less chicken.  Just make how you think you'll like it best.  It's super-easy and yummy.

Weddings...

I am a traditionalist. Through and through. It always comes out when there's a wedding coming up and I get rolled eyes when I request outdated things like; "Could you please dress UP for your announcement pictures? "Could we use Mrs. and Mrs. Keith Eddington instead of Keith and Diana?" or " I don't care if it takes days, I want to hand write every address on every envelope, whether I get help or not! (That's a lie, because I really couldn't do it myself) So, tonight we had an invitation party. Angie made brownies. Kiana, Angie, Lana and I hand wrote hundreds of addresses, Matt stuffed and Emily filed them in alphabetical order (to ensure no duplicates) We had a great time. Children running, phones ringing, people coming in and out. Wonderful bedlam!

So what IS the big deal? Why do I want things "just so" for my children's weddings? Why can I just not bring myself to use stickers? Well, you see, Matt's getting married. I have prayed and hoped and taught and loved him all his life. He was my miracle baby. The only one that didn't cause me the normal pains of childbirth. He has brought joy to my soul and laughter to our home. I will soon entrust sweet Kim to love and care for him. But I will miss him at my breakfast table. I miss you all at my table. I am so happy you are all coming home. So, what about the handwritten envelopes? I answer to that one lies deep in my heart.

MOM

Sugar Cookie Bars

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law. It is a super-yummy way to enjoy sugar cookies without waiting for refrigeration, or even cutting out.  I think I'm going to try to put a little almond extract in the batter too - maybe 1/4 to 1/2 tsp.

Sugar Cookie Bars

1 cup butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

5 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp lemon zest (optional)

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, micxing after each egg.  Add vanilla and mix well.  In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda and stir with a whis to combine.  Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined.  Spread on a greased baking sheet/jelly roll  pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean (they won't look clean)  Cool completely and frost.

Frosting

1/2 cup butter room temp

4 ounces cream cheese softened

1 tsp vanilla (can use 1/2 almond extract)

1/4 tsp salt

4 cups powdered sugar

5 TBSP milk, (or amount needed to get to desired consistency)

-Heather

St. Patrick's Day meals

Dad and I were talking this morning about the green stuff Mom used to make for us on St. Patrick's Day.  I vividly remember green pancakes and scrambled eggs for breakfast, and green milk that (naturally) I was not too excited to drink.

Now my husband LOVES corned beef and cabbage, so we have that for dinner every year.  I like it too, in small quantities.  One year I tried to make some Irish soda bread that ended up hardening and getting thrown away....

Does anyone have favorite St. Patty's Day meals?  That kids actually like to eat?
I'll tell you what, just thinking about that green milk still makes me feel a little funny.

-Rachel

Dinner Exchange?

Have you ever heard of a dinner exchange?  With an exchange, you only have to cook dinner once or twice a week. My friend started this up with 3 of her other friends and they LOVE it! 

Their families are about the same size (about 3-4 kids each). They get together at the beginning of the month to make a meal plan. They each choose a day of the week, which day would work for them. (Stacy has every Tues of the month, Camille has every Monday, etc.) They usually plan a main dish and one side to go along with it. They also write down the pans/dishes that the other person will need each day and set up time to have dinner done. Each family will then go pick up dinner at the time assigned (unless it needs to be cooked at your own house, then you pick it up early). 

Example of dinner calendar:

Of course there is always something that comes up in your schedule where you may not need dinner that night, but that is why you have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on your own. You can make your own dinner or have leftovers.

Your group can be as extravagant as you want and make up your own rules (dessert, budget, etc.).

I thought it was a pretty fun idea, now if I can find 3 other people to join in with me! :)

-Megan

Dinner Ideas

Hi Everyone....

So rather than giving any information with this post, I am requesting ideas. We are having the annual (sometimes more often) Elders Quorum Progressive Dinner this weekend, and my sweet husband signed us up to host and serve a main meal, plus salad/sides.

Does anyone have any ideas that would serve about 8 people that wouldn't be too much work, but still good? I would appreciate any input/recipes.

Thanks in advance!

p.s. plans are in the works for 2 bridal showers to be held on March 26th in Salt Lake...keep the date open if you can attend!

Menus. How we (don't) love them.

Mom: I never know how many people will be there for any meal.  Plus, I don't like anyone telling me what I have to cook for dinner!  Even if it is just a menu.

One: I don't have money by the end of the month for what I WANT to cook.

Three: Life is never the same for long enough for me to plan ahead!  We throw last-minute parties, join parents for dinner, etc.

Fourplus (who actually does follow a menu) says: I plan a month's worth of meals and do my shopping 2 weeks at a time.  I follow it unless I don't feel like what's on the menu.  I think it saves money..... unless I forget to get everything on my list!

Five: My husband likes to cook, and he likes to eat what he wants to eat.  I hate to cook beforehand, because I never know what he will feel like eating.

Do you use menus?  Do they work for you?