The West Weber Woman Cooks

So there's this cookbook out there called, "The Pioneer Woman Cooks" and it's totally all the rage. It's chock full of luscious, yummy comfort food made with real butter (lots and lots of it), real sugar, and real cream--you know, the good stuff. The stuff that dreams are made of.

The photos in the book are amazing. From her ranch in Oklahoma, she's made a living out of writing the story of her life; the people, the scenery, and the food. Of course, the food! After buying both her cookbooks, I decided I was going to make meals that would bring my family to tears. Food that would leave them full and satisfied yet begging for more. Food that would attract the neighbors. Food that could cause the stars to shoot.You get what I mean--GOOD food.

So, I started with beef stew. It was delicious. Made with butter (of course), beef, the predictable stew veggies and a bottle of beer, this stew made me sing like an angel! It was nothings short of Divine. "I'm really going to do well with this book," I thought to myself. "I'm going to cause some serious finger-licking with food like this."

And so I decided to try the Thai Chicken Pizza. You know, because Thai Chicken Pizza is like totally the bomb (or so says Pioneer Woman). I start by mixing up the dough. Yes, I said MIXING THE DOUGH. I was a dough mixing virgin prior to Thai Chicken Pizza. That's right, this recipe de-flowered me. I have now officially made dough!

While the dough was rising, I grilled some luscious chicken breasts until they were true perfection. Resting on the plate in the kitchen, I admired the grill marks. "I've totally go this," I say to myself. "Totally."

And that's when I began making the sauce. The stupid sauce. First, I start by adding the fresh garlic to the blender (Pioneer Woman uses a food processor. I don't have a food processor. So, I think to myself, "It's probably because Pioneer Woman doesn't own a blender. I have a blender. That's the better option than some stinking food processor. Food processors are for wimps," and I went about my blending business.), then I add the minced fresh garlic, followed by fish sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, and water. Everything was going fantastic. You know, as fantastic as newlyweds on a honeymoon.

The Blender...After the 1st Counter Smacking...

And that's when I added the peanut butter to the stupid sauce. Stupid peanut butter. I add the peanut butter, and turn on the blender. The blender begins with a sputter...sputters some more...and even more. I shut off the blender. Examine it, smack once on the counter, and turn the sucker on again. Sputter...sputter. I stick the metal spoon into my mixture and hit the blade. Nothing. It's still sputtering.

And that's when the smoke started! That's right, people, smoke! I shut it off. I give it another good thump on the counter. I think to myself, "I bet Pioneer Woman doesn't have to whack her stupid food processor every time SHE wants to make Thai Chicken Pizza. She's a ninny, I've got this...I've totally got this." I turn it on again--more smoke--and now, it's making a griding noise. Not the kind of griding noise that indicates the machine is on the verge of kicking it in high gear...nope, not that kind...more the kind of noise that makes everyone run for cover and scream, "She's gonna blow!"

The Stupid Sauce--Vertical View

Then with one big (and I mean BIG) POOF the blender shut off. That's right--I fried the blender with Thai Chicken Pizza sauce and I still don't even have the sauce made. The dough is in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap and longing for Thai Chicken Pizza Sauce. But, I've got news...this West Weber Woman isn't cooking Thai Chicken Pizza today or tomorrow. In fact, I may never cook Thai Chicken Pizza. What was I thinking, anyway? I'm from West Weber, not Thailand!
And so it begins, the quest to use pizza dough for something other than Thai Chicken Pizza. Pioneer Woman has a recipe for Steakhouse Pizza. Maybe I'll try that. I sure hope I don't have to thump any more kitchen gadgets on the counter. The counter's looking like it's ready to hang out the white flag.

Yup, I'm moving on...Steakhouse Pizza tomorrow night. For now, though, I'm off to spray some more Freeze--the blender smoke smell in this house is enough to kill us all! Stupid sauce...



Our Life in Black & White

That's right, I have new photos from the camera. This time I experimented with the "MONOCHROMATIC" setting. I gotta say that Brandon's getting a little tired of my camera. I told him to get over it. He's a cowboy hunk and everybody loves looking at pictures of cowboy hunks.

What'd I tell you? HUNK!

Uh-huh. He's mine. Hands off! I'm stingy that way. 

New Camera!

So I bought a new camera--a Cannon Rebel T2i--today! Holy cow, it takes some AMAZING photos! I could hardly wait to get home and test it out. Brykn wore out pretty quick from all the picture taking, but Harlee kept saying "CHEESE!" all afternoon!

Here's some of the photos I took today. I'm still learning the ins and outs, but check out the photos so far...

This is the face of HOMEWORK!!!!

Just 10 Things You Should Know…

(Brykn, self photo...with my camera...when I wasn't looking)

Every day when we say goodnight, I ask my angels if they know how much their mom loves them. Brykn, now a mighty five-year-old, rolls his eyes and says, “Just a little bit.” I snuggle him tight and say, “WRONG! I love you more than anything in the whole wide world.” Harlee, on the other hand, still hasn’t caught on to the game and usually says, “Nigh, Nigh, My lub ew.”

Well, tonight I’m changing it up a bit, Brykn. I’m going to tell you 10 things you should absolutely know…

Brykn...

10. I love the way you come snuggle with me on the couch on Saturday morning. You have no idea how much I miss cuddling you. You’ve gotten so big and I’m not even sure where the time has gone! Thanks for taking a minute to remind me how much I love your hugs when you’ve just gotten out of bed!

9. I love the fact that you are always on the go! I had a neighbor once tell me that the thing she misses the most about having her children be small is the noise. I thought she was crazy…and, well, there are still sometimes I think she is. But, I love the fact that you are an active little guy who is always up for an adventure.

8. I love making music with you! I love dancing and singing while you rock out on the guitar—even if we do look completely crazy!

7. I love taking you to the bus every morning. Despite how hectic our mornings are, the very best part of my day is when I get to kiss you as the bus pulls up, tell you to have a great day, and pat your but as you run for the bus steps. Thanks for kissing me—in public! (I know that’s not going to last long.)

6. I love watching you become a cowboy superstar! I can’t believe how brave you are and how good of a little cowboy/horse trainer you are becoming. You remind me of another Burnett cowboy when you ride horse!

5. I love that you are such an amazing brother. You help Harlee, you stick up for her, and you love her. You have no idea how proud that makes me!

4. I love seeing the projects you bring home from kindergarten and the pride in your eyes as you show them to me. It’s amazing to me how much you have learned in just a few months. You’re getting to be a fantastic reader!

3. I love reading to you every night. I love how it takes you 15 minutes to choose 2 books to read. I love how you beg me to read it again…and I do. I love that this is special time for just the two of us.

2. I love that you have a soft side. You are a thoughtful, kind person who cares about others. You are always willing to share, you treat others nicely, and you truly care about other people’s feelings.

1. And, of course, I love that you are mine. And, because I am lucky enough to be your mom, I get to tell you that I LOVE YOU MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD! 

You're a Grand Old Flag!

"Tribute to America!" Yup, that was the flavor of the night and was it ever spectacular! The entire West Weber Elementary School dressed in Red T-Shirts and paid tribute to the land of the free and the home of the brave! The first school program West Weber has had in 10 years, this was truly a night to remember!

I don't know if I've ever felt a more proud moment as when that curtain opened and he was on the front row singing like a super star. I've always thought it was crazy when people would cry with pride...but that night the smile on my face was the size of Texas and I had tears in my eyes. Partially because I seriously can't believe he's this big! And, secondly, because I am just so stinking proud of him.

I'll never forget that he was the only kid with his shirt tucked in! And that belt buckle--it shined like a neon beacon!

Brykn's class sang "You're a Grand Old Flag" and I'm telling you what, there has never been a musical rendition more practiced than that one! Harlee even caught on to the words. I might be partial, but the kindergartner's number was the best one of the whole night!

Two BIG Projects!

In the last 2 weeks Brykn has had some BIG kindergarten projects. First, his name was drawn from the "kindergarten bucket" to bring "Honey the Bear" home! Does it get more exciting?! The project: bring the bear home, do something fun with him, and then write about it (in our VERY BEST handwriting) in the class journal. There were only three other kids who got to write in teh journal before Brykn--OMG! Brykn was so excited that I thought he was going to explode! What did he write, you ask...well, here it is!

"We went to the store and got a drink. Then we ate dinner. We played trucks and watched Rocky III. We read and went to bed."

Now, I'm not positive, but I THINK "Honey the Bear" probably only got to watch Rocky III at our house...

Can you believe what good handwriting Brykn has? Really good, Buddy! Great Job!!!

Our second project was the "100's Day Art Project." Our assignment? To find a collection of 100 things and make a piece of art from them. Brykn wanted to "just get 100 nails and put them in a bucket." I told him that didn't count as art. So, we went a different route. His finished product was a poster board with 100 eyeballs on it. He glued those eyeballs with precision!

You're doing so great in kindergarten, Brykn. I can hardly believe you are already in school--but I'm so proud of your great learning! Love you!