Hi ho hi ho... its off to Utah we go!

I am so excited to leave for Utah in less than two hours! yay!
I get to spend an entire weekend with...

We will be spending time with 

This very handsome and silly man and...

Dennis' Aunt and Uncle and....

have a picnic with this wonderful girl and her husband...

and go to dinner with this happy couple! 

Happy Memorial Weekend everyone... don't worry I will be
having a blast with my husband
and going to a REAL mall!  Don't worry
I will do enough shopping for everyone in Rexburg!

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

In my food storage I have about 5 jars of Ragu Alfredo sauce.  I occasionally pull it out and add it to some pasta and throw some chicken into it when I have 10 hour days on campus.  Every time I pull it out I feel so guilty and gross, but it tastes so good! Alfredo is one of the best inventions known to man kind, but not the best when you are trying to look good for your new husband.  

The other day when my husband requested chicken Alfredo for dinner, which I was ecstatic about because he NEVER gives suggestions for dinner, was going to just pull out the Ragu then I stumbled upon this sauce.  This recipe is from one of my most favorite websites by two of the most inspiring and interesting ladies that I just happen to get to hang out with for a whole day next month at BYU-Idaho! The website is ourbestbites.com.  

Let me just tell you, you will not have to feel guilty eating this sauce and completely covering your pasta.  According to the website there is only 100 calories in a 1/4 cup of sauce... did you hear me...only 100 calories!   Oh ya another great part  about this sauce it only takes 10 minutes and as a college student working 20 hours a week and taking 15 credits 10 minute sauce is music to my ears and a party on my taste buds. I promise you will never feel like you are missing the cream or extra amounts of cheese! Enjoy!

Guitless Alfredo Sauce

adapted from{ Our Best Bites Guiltless Alfredo Sauce}

2 cups low-fat or skim milk

1/3 cup or 3oz of low fat cream cheese

2T flour

1t Salt

1T butter

3 cloves of Garlic

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 shakes chili powder 

a few red pepper flakes

Toss milk, cream cheese, flour and salt into the blender and mix for a minute or two until smooth.  In a non-stick sauce pan melt butter and add garlic... don't you just LOVE the smell of garlic and butter cooked together! My husband threatened to wear garlic because I love it so much. ha.  Saute for about 30 seconds.  Add in milk mixture and stir constantly for about 3-4 minutes or until the sauce begins to boil.  Once it begins to boil remove from heat and stir in the cheese.  Cover the pan and let sit for about 10 minutes to let the sauce thicken.  

I served it with grilled chicken over multi-colored pasta, zucchini, and French bread.  

Bon Appetit!

Flyer

Here is a flyer I designed for an event I am helping to plan.  

Would you let me plan your event and design your flyer?

My husband is QUAILMAN!

Anyone remember the TV show Doug?

Well for some unknown reason my husband LOVES Quailman.  

He names everything Quailman: his computer, our car and himself! 

Last November we went to a birthday party for a friend and it was a superhero theme.  

So... my Dennis and I dressed up as Quailman and Patty Mayonnaise! 

A couple months ago Dennis was featured in his work newsletter as Quailman

and now that is the joke at his work.

I love my husband so much! 

 

This is our car Quailman! 

Summer!

Sometimes I just don't want to do homework and I mess around with my CS5.  This is what I did today instead of homework... Do you like?

old school milk bottle vase

All my vases and flowers from a party I did on Saturday!

If you look hard you will notices this vase is an old school one-pint milk bottle. I love it! It is so cute!

I decided when I have a house of my own I will have a rose bush, pick roses and put them in this cute vase on my kitchen table!

Spiced Pork Medallions and Roasted Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Dennis and I are the ward greeters which means our job is to greet the new families in the ward and help to unify the ward.  Many of you know me and would know I love to throw parties and have people over.  Not to mention I LOVE to cook for other people. So... this calling isn't much a calling as it is just adding to what I do already and get blessings from it! ha.

Because of this and because we just love to have people over we try to have at least one new couple over a month.  This month we have already had three couples who have never been over before.  It has been such a blessing in our life to get to know these couples and their back grounds.  

Today we the couple who live above us over for dinner.  We had a great time talking with them and discussing everything from how we met our spouses, to movies, to our jobs, or how we were raised.  I decided to make  spiced pork medallions, roasted garlic Parmesan mashed Potatoes, green beans and stuffing and our guest brought over strawberry tart with orange cream.  It was all so tasty and satisfying!  It smelt like Christmas in my house! 

Spiced Pork Medallions

from {delish.com}

2  (about 3/4 pound each) pork tenderloins

• 1 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon(s) ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon(s) ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup(s) red currant jelly
• 2/3 cup(s) chicken broth

Directions

1. Trim any fat and sinew from pork tenderloins. Cut each tenderloin crosswise into 4 pieces. Between 2 sheets of waxed paper, place half of pork pieces cut side up. With meat mallet or rolling pin, pound each piece of pork into a 1/2-inch-thick medallion. Repeat with remaining pork.
2. In medium bowl, mix salt, thyme, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, and cloves. Add pork medallions to spice mixture; toss to coat.
3. In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Add pork medallions; cook 5 minutes per side or until they just lose their pink color throughout.
4. Remove pork to warm platter. Stir currant jelly into drippings in skillet until melted; stir in chicken broth and heat to boiling. Spoon sauce over pork.

Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

adapted from {foodnetwork.com}

Ingredients

• 1 head garlic
• Olive oil
• 2 pounds red potatoes, washed well and quartered
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Slice off the very top of the garlic head. Drizzle head with olive oil and wrap in foil. Place on a sheet tray and bake until tender and fragrant, roughly 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Remove the cloves and mash with a wooden spoon.

Place potatoes in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Add salt and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender and drain. Mash the potatoes until smooth.

Meanwhile heat butter and cream until butter melts. Add the roasted garlic and potatoes and mash all together.

Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately

I NEED TO CRAFT!

Here is what I am thinking about doing.... 

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All of this and more.  This is not to mention our hideous dresser that NEEDS to be redone...

I day dream about creating new things.  Hopefully in the near future I can 

do one of these projects.  In the mean time my husband is building 

shelves in our storage closet, building me a planter

 box and a few other projects. I love him!

Today I am grateful for...

Almost everyday I say today I am grateful for   blank    .

{link}

Today I have decided to be grateful for this wonderful school I go to, Brigham Young University-Idaho.  I have always felt a love and an appreciation for the school.  I have always done my best to give back to the school and the students to show how grateful for this opportunity. 

One of my favorite talks was given by Elder Bednar in Oct 2006 at the ground breaking of the BYU-Idaho Center and then again at the Dedication of the BYU-Idaho Center in December 2010. 

He tells the story of when President Eyring was on campus for the dedication of the Taylor building.  After Elder Bednar showed him around the building he took President Eyring into the Chapel.  He stood at the pulpit and looked into the congregation seats.  Elder Bednar asked President Eying what he was thinking about. 

President Eyring said " I am thinking about how much we do for so few and how little we do for so many." 

Two-Thirds of my education is subsidized by Church tithing.  There are so many people who diligently give tithing each month and a portion of their money comes here to help me go to school and get the wonderful education I do.  They will never see the buildings, they will never learn and they will never get to have the experiences I do here at BYU-I. 

I feel an overwhelming gratitude for this opportunity and blessing.  I am receiving a world class education for a community college price.  I have made it my goal to do my best, learn the most, and give back with all of my heart.  I feel it is my duty to share what I have learned.  I will give it my all and after I will give even more.