April Fools Dinner

Last night the boys asked me if I was going to make them an April Fools mix-up dinner this year. I hadn't planned on it, but because they really wanted a whacked-out dinner, I went on an internet hunt for inspiration.

To start the meal out, I served chocolate covered bacon. Disgusting? Yes, but I haven't been able to get that recipe out of my head so I figured tonight was a good night to make it...The verdict... NASTY!

Then it was onto the main course... chicken pot pie and apple juice.
Here's the pie and the juice...Now, of course, it wasn't really chicken pot pie and apple juice. The juice was set lemon jello (with a drop of red food coloring in it). The drink was the hit of the meal. It completely caught the boys off guard! The looks on their faces were a classic!The chicken pot pie was a pie shell filled with vanilla pudding (gravy), dried apples (chicken), potatoes (banana), peas (green Airhead rolled into balls), corn and carrots (Starbursts cut and shaped to scale). Would you like the leftovers?

Finally, Nolan wanted me to make a video of him chugging his "drink". Be warned... it's gross (but makes him happy)!

Lunch

Today I wanted a good lunch. I was tired of quick or grazing lunches. I found a recipe the other day that looked good and decided to try it. It's called "Spanish Tortilla". It was good. It's basically a fritatta, and why it's called a "torilla" at all, I'll never know. I basically followed the recipe this time, but next time I'd make some modifications. Here's what a "Spanish Tortilla" is (with Laura modifications taken before eating it).

• Roll 4 new potatoes in olive oil and roast at 400 for 20 minutes. Slice potatoes into 1/4 inch slices.
  
• Thinly slice 1 onion and caramelize it in a 10" oven-safe skillet. Add 1 tsp garlic when caramelization is nearly complete.
• Add the potatoes to the onions.
• Wisk 12 eggs, add salt & pepper to taste.
• Add eggs to onions/potatoes and cook on cook-top until the bottom is set.
• Put egg mixture in preheated oven (at 425) and cook until center is set and eggs are puffy (about 8 minutes)
  
• Invert skillet over platter and serve.

Okay... now, what I would do to make it better...

• Add chopped peppers when you add the eggs to the onions.
• Add grated sharp cheddar cheese along with the peppers.
• Add more onion
  
• Serve the final product with salsa (I ate it this way... yum!)
  

Windows!

Yea! The new windows have been installed. This house has A LOT of windows. Unfortunately, many of the window seals were bad, the wood frames were warped, the windows were hard to open/close, and they were drafty. We bit the bullet and ordered replacement windows... 29 replacement windows, as one of the installers informed me (31 removed, 29 installed). We replaced all the windows in the house except for 2... one in a garage, and the custom-cut window above the big window in the dining room. It took 2 days to get the windows put in. Yesterday morning the weather was pleasant, but by late morning, the wind picked up and the air was full of dust that blew through my house as I had holes in my house instead of windows. There is a layer of dirt on every surface in my house. The installers (there were 5, 2 crews and a bonus man) put in all the windows except for the dining room windows yesterday. The dining room windows, along with some exterior work, were saved for today. Lucky us... today it was snowing and cold, and my house had a gaping hole in it for several hours. I came in the computer room, shut the door, and turned on a space heater! Anyway, the installers were polite, clean, and very efficient. The job is done! Last night, it was fun to watch the neighbors slow down and stare at the latest transformation of our house as they drove by. I think I like the new look (and if I decide I don't, then I'll just have to get used to it). What do you think?

Before...
During...
After...

Shaking My Head

We are getting windows installed in the house house today. I told the big boys that the installers needed to be able to safely navigate the bedrooms and needed 3 feet in front of the windows cleared of all their stuff. Now, I knew that their rooms were BAD, but since I don't go down to their rooms everyday, I was stunned at just how bad their rooms are. Take a look...

This is a picture of Nolan's laundry that I had nicely folded before he took it downstairs to "put it away"...Here is the overall condition of Nolan's room.

Not to be left out... here's Jonathan's room.I choose to shake my head; it's that, or be really mad!

Piano Recital 2010

Nolan's piano recital was last night. He played "The Train Robbery" by Kevin Olsen. He played great (or so I heard... I was out in the main part of the store with a sad Miles). Not only did Nolan play great, but he won the practicing competition for his age division. He loved that prize... $5! Wish you could have been there? Well, join Nolan vicariously at his recital by going here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7WC_kgGaTU

It's a Small World

Nolan participated in the elementary school orchestra festival today. It was fun. There were 6 or 7 elementary school orchestras there. They played as individual schools and all together as a big group. Miles didn't think it was that great. He wanted to be outside. He won... we went out so he could be free, rather than disruptive. There was another mom outside with 2 small boys. Miles was busy running around and the mom and I started talking. At first glance, I thought she was one of my old neighbors, but realized there was just a strong resemblance. I found out that she lived in Pleasant Grove, but her son attended Rocky Mountain Elementary in Lindon and was in the orchestra. Her son is a 5th grader. I asked which class; she said "Mrs. Parker's". Her son is in Nolan's class. I asked his name; she said, "Jared". That's Nolan bestest school buddy! We keep talking... she says she's from Canada. At that point I asked her if she was related to my old neighbor who she looked so much like (because she was from Canada), and it turns out they are sisters. Talking continues... we discover there's another person we both know; this person moved from my PG neighborhood to her area in PG. Then she somehow gets talking about her mother who lives in Provo... I asked where, she says "on the East bench". I told her that we once were under contract to buy a house on the East bench... Mile High Dr... that's where her mother lives! Turns out that her parents bought the Provo house that we were under contract for after we backed out. How is that for a ton of strange coincidences? Oh, but I never found out her name!

Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

I hate Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. Regular, fun-sized, mini, dark chocolate, flat-Easter egg style, it doesn't matter, I don't like Reese Peanut Butter cups, with one exception... I LOVE Reeses peanut butter eggs... the small, oval, 3-dimensional ones that are available at Easter time. I absolutely love them to the point that it is dangerous. It makes no sense... it's the same product that I hate but in a shape that I love. I don't get it, but Easter better hurry up and get here before I eat them all!