Rosemary Bread

My BFF Neighbor has been raving about this bread for a while. He has shared it with many, but he did not share it with me. I finally got tired of hearing about how awesome it was and wanted to try it for myself. Since he wasn't going to bring me some, I asked for the recipe. I finally tried it today and he is right... it is quite awesome and delicious. Easy too... because its made in the bread machine. This also brings up another reason why it is awesome... I have not had many bread recipe's that actually turn out that great using the machine... but this one had no problem turning into bread like the machine is supposed to do. Will I make this bread again? Most definitely. If you have a bread machine, I recommend you make it. Here is the recipe from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F (43 degrees C))
• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons crushed dried rosemary
• 3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Pour the water into the pan of a bread machine, then sprinkle in the yeast and sugar. Let the mixture sit in the bread machine until a creamy foam forms on top of the water, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the salt, then add olive oil, thyme, garlic powder, rosemary, and flour. Set the machine for light crust setting, and start the machine.

Flashback Friday 10

Today's flashback is from October 1984 (I think). Halloween with my sisters that I love and adore. I don't need to explain anything.... it was Halloween, we were having fun. The picture says it all. I love this picture.... especially Jamie's smile.

Kristy = Princess
Lori = Ballerina
Jamie = Mouse
Tracy = BYU Baseball Player

Confessions of a Brunette on the Internet 63

I am so tired. I have been trying to play catch up since I have been back from my trip, I have been struggling... but I think this weekend I will be able to do it. Trips are totally worth it though. I felt like I really needed that trip. It was a good trip too. You will be hearing more about it.

One of my co-workers that works from home in Vermont came into town this week because of all the merger stuff that is going on. We are now officially owned by attachmate  and all the main managers have been let go. Nobody in my department yet. I'm sure they wanted to wait until after quarter end to do that. I hope nobody on my team goes... but we will see. We have been eating a lot of food to keep our spirits high. My co-worker was nice enough to bring me legit real maple syrup from Vermont. I have never had it. But I am pretty excited to try the real stuff.

On my way to Florida I went to get my suitcase because I had checked it in instead of carried on. When I went to get it... one of my wheels had broken off! I was so sad. I had to lug it around the rest of the trip with only one wheel. Makes things a lot more difficult. I was kind of sad too because I love my suitcase. It is brown with white polka dots. I thought it was one of a kind but while I was waiting for my suitcase to come out there were two black suitcases one with pink polka dots and one with blue polka dots. So... I guess its time I get a new one anyway. One that is original and cute that I know is mine as soon as it comes out. I'm thinking animal print. We shall see. Thanks suitcase for the few years you gave me.

While I was in Florida, my Aunt Janet showed me all of her amazing art that she has done in the last several years. She is VERY talented. It was inspiring.... she only started once she moved to Florida which was in the last 7 years. It made me feel like I should give painting another try. Anyway... I told her she should show off her stuff and start a blog. So I helped her start a blog while I was there. :o) She named it "Creations Devine" which I love. You can check it out here. (Mind you... she just started it, so there is not much there... but check back because she has some amazing stuff to share). Janet is sweet and amazing and I am very excited to see everything she puts on the blog.

Why is it that "when it rains, it pours"? It has been pouring for me in terms of dating.... but I think it is starting to sprinkle now. I would be okay with this if the pouring led to me dating one of the guys... but it hasn't. So I'm not ready for it to stop yet. How do I make it start pouring again? ha ha

I don't know why everyone is so obsessed with the Royal wedding. I mean... I am in full support of people being so happy and supportive of marriage... but seriously. Why does everyone care so much? I really don't. Am I the only one?

The other day on facebook, someone that I know from grade school posted a picture of our 6th grade class shirt and then tagged everyone in that class to the shirt. It was funny to see everyone comment on it and reconnect after 16 years. After that my 6th grade boyfriend added me on facebook. I had not seen him since we were in the 6th grade... so in my head I know his name and picture him as a little boy because that I all I knew. It was so weird to see him on facebook 16 years later as an adult. He looked a lot different... obviously. Facebook is so awesome to reconnect with people in this way.

I was so excited when I saw some of my flowers start to come back. Then the next day... THIS happened. I am NOT okay with this. Seriously. I understand this happens in Utah... the crazy bi-polar weather, but by the time its spring, I'm just done with it. You know? It happens every year and every year I get upset because I can't take the cold weather any longer. Especially after coming back from Florida with 90 degree weather. Ugh.

Photo of the Week 61

From the Butterfly Exhibit at Epcot.

Flower & Garden Festival

Kirsten and I were fortunate enough to go to Epcot for the first time during HGTV's International Flower & Garden Festival. The entire park was filled with beautiful flowers (even baskets of flowers floating in the water which I loved) a butterfly exhibit AND different Disney characters shaped out of plants all over the park. We both loved it. I was just going to have the Festival just be part of my Epcot post... but there was just too much. It deserved its own post.

This is just a little of what we saw around Epcot.

*Click on images to see them full size*

Harry Potter World

This last weekend I went to Florida and some of my dreams came true.... I got to go to Harry Potter World. I love Harry Potter. As soon as I heard there was going to be a Harry Potter World, I wanted to go to it. I made it in less than a year from when it opened. All I can say is... it is AWESOME!!! Smaller than what I thought it was going to be... but still awesome. Although Harry Potter World is pretty small (since it is just a small portion of Universal Studios) Kirsten and I managed to spend a quality 8 hours there. They regulate it because it is still very new and gets very crowded. Before you can enter you have to go get a paper that says you can enter between such and such hours. Once you enter, you can stay as long as you want, but once you leave you can't go back. Knowing this, we wanted to see it during the day and night, so we camped out. We were totally okay with this. Here is how my day at Harry Potter World went...

We arrived by Hogwarts Express... okay, we didn't really... but we should have.

We then went to Hogsmeade.

This is where we went to shop for wands at Ollivanders and visit the Owl Post.

And drink Butterbeer (by the way it is worth going to HP World just for this. It was amazing. We had 2)

We shopped for Candy at HoneyDukes which was right next to the joke shop.

We had lunch at "Three Broomsticks" I had cornish pasties and pumpkin juice. YUM! Oh also... when you went in the bathroom, you hear Moaning Myrtle talking the whole time. ha ha.

We went to Hagrid's House and went on the Flight of the Hippogriff. The ride was kind of like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland... except only 30 seconds long. Seriously. A little disappointing.

We watched the Hogwarts Choir perform (which was awesome... especially with the toads helping) and the competing schools (for the Goblet of Fire) danced.

THEN we went to Hogwarts. This was awesome. So awesome we went twice AND took the castle tour. The ride is half virtual and half reality. It was actually super awesome how they do it. The transition between the two was always smooth. They want to make you feel like you are riding a boom stick on the ride and I feel like they do a really good job at it.

So obviously I loved Harry Potter World. I thought they did a great job paying attention to detail and making it a magical experience. As they should have. I think they could still add more, but what they have now is really awesome. I totally recommend going there if you are a Harry Potter fan. I know this post has been long, but I want to leave you with this. While in line for the ride "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" for the second time, there was a cute family from England behind us in line. While starting conversation with the dad of this family I mentioned to him that we should be going to England for Harry Potter World.

British dad: "My son was asking me lots of questions on our way here"
Me: "Ya?"
British dad: *imitating his son... picture how cute this is with a British accent* "Daddy, where is Harry Potter from?" he replies "In England son" "Daddy, where are the Harry Potter movies filmed?" he replies "In England and a couple other places son". "Oh... Daddy, where is Harry Potter World?" he replies "In the United States Son". "Why daddy if everything is supposed to be out of England?" he replies "Well son, the US has more money than we do".
Me:  " Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha"

*Maybe you had to be there... or maybe it is more funny with a British accent, but it was pretty funny to hear this dad tell me this conversation that he had with his son.*

Creamy Lemon Crumb Squares

When I made the Baked Beans for my work pot luck, everyone loved them so much that they asked me where I got the recipe. I started to explain about The Pioneer Woman cooking blog and how amazing all of her recipe's are (that I have tried). My manager's manager decided that we were going to have a Pioneer Woman day. What does this mean? We were all going to make something off of her cooking blog. We decided that everyone would choose whatever they wanted out of her appetizers and desserts.

This was such a good idea. I work with older married men, however most of these guys like to cook. It was a success. We had a bunch of yummy snacks that we got to eat all day. My co-workers are so awesome. This is what I decided to make. Simple and tasty.

Creamy Lemon Crumb Squares

Ingredients

• 1-⅓ cup All-purpose Flour
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 stick (1/2 Cup) Butter, Slightly Softened
• 1 cup Brown Sugar (lightly Packed)
• 1 cup Oats
• 1 can (14 Ounce) Sweetened Condensed Milk
• ½ cups Lemon Juice
• Zest Of 1 Lemon

Preparation Instructions

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES.

Mix butter and brown sugar until well combined.

Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.

Add oats and flour to butter/sugar mixture and mix to combine.

Press half of crumb mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 11 inch pan.

Mix together condensed milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Spread onto the bottom layer of the crumb mixture. Top with the other half of the crumb mixture, but don’t press.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Allow pan to sit on counter for 30 minutes after baking. Cut into squares and refrigerate for a couple of hours or until cool.

Serve cool.

Lunch Dates, Take 4

You know how I love to get together for lunch (or dinner) with friends. Here are the lunch dates with my friends over the last month.

First I got together with friends I had not seen in 6 years from my Devonshire year, Bethany & Bre. Such fun girls. It was so fun to meet their kids and catch up with them.

Then I had my Apx boys over for dinner before some of them left for the summer to sell. They are always a blast to hang out with. They are too funny.

Got together with my girl Stacie at Rumbi Island Grill. This was the lunch date that we decided that we were going to travel together. :o)

Next dinner at Zupa's with a friend and old co-worker that I had not seen in 2 years... but we keep in pretty good touch via facebook & blog. Lauren.

I missed Jeanna's birthday party... so I told her I wanted to treat her to lunch. She is a good friend and I wanted to show her that by our lunch date.

Sara and I always have our lunch date at the Art City Trolley in Springville. We have a lunch date every few months or so. I love them. We always have such a great time talking and catching up.

So this wasn't a lunch or dinner date. Cute, pregnant Monica went with me to get a pedicure. So nice to just sit back and relax while you catch up on life. So glad Mo-Trash and I have stayed friends over these past 8 years. Oh... and look how awesome my toes look. The guy that did my toes did a rockin job.

I love my friends and I love getting together with them. Let me know if anyone wants to schedule a lunch date. :o) 

Flashback Friday 9

This week we are flashing back to 2001. My Senior Prom. Looking at these pictures now... not sure why I am sharing them. I guess they are not that bad. I have a lot more in scrapbooks... but this is what I found on my computer. 

I went with my friend Allan. We have known each other since my family moved to Santa Barbara... when I was two. We went to nursery together. Who ever knew we would go to High School prom together. We also went with good friends Jessica and Matt and Jessica's friend Katie. Light blue must have been the "in" color... because I don't recall trying to match on purpose. Beautiful prom pictures are easy to get in Santa Barbara because it's so beautiful everywhere you look. We took these pictures at the Santa Barbara Court House before we went to dinner and then the dance and then the after prom. Don't worry... before dinner Jessica and I got our nails done and our hair done. It was a fun filled day.  :o)