Happy Birthday McKade! Big #9

McKade turned #9. His last year in single digits for the rest of his life. He is such a great kid and he brings so much joy and laughter into our home. He has a fun, spunky personlity and we love everything about him. His birthday wish this year was to have a Jimmer Fredette jersey and a icecream cake. He had a fun day at school and then he and is dad were off to a Utah Jazz game and were lucky enough to sit on the 6th row. He thought it was awesome and even cooler that he was close enough to catch a basketball they were throwing out.





McKade you are a growing up to be a wonderful young man. Thanks for helping keep dad and mom humble and thanks for all the laughter you bring into our home. WE LOVE YOU! Happy Birthday Bud.

Heavenly Chocolate Cake With a Twist!

With the new year in stow, I or (we) have been trying to eat healthier. Scott always says my HEALTHY food taste good, but not as good as a chocolate piece of cake would taste. So, with that being said, I was determined to make a healthier chocolate cake. To all of our surprise, it was a huge success even with or without the normal chocolate cake ingredients.





Healthier Flourless Chocolate Cake with a Twist

Makes a 9" one layer cake

Ingredients:
1-15 ounce can of unseasoned black beans
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 c. sugar of choice
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9" cake pan with extra virgin olive oil cooking spray, or just grease it with a thin layer of butter. Cut a round of parchment paper and line the bottom of the pan, then spray the parchment lightly.

Drain and rinse beans in a strainer or colander. Shake off excess water. Place beans, 3 of the eggs, vanilla and salt into blender. Blend on high until beans are completely liquefied. No lumps! Whisk together cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Beat butter with sugar. Add remaining two eggs. Pour bean batter into egg mixture and mix. Finally, stir in cocoa powder and beat the batter on high for one or two minutes, until smooth. Scrape batter into pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cake is done with the top is rounded and firm to the touch. After 10 minutes, turn out cake from pan, and flip over again on to a cooling rack. Let cool until cake reaches room temperature. Cut cake in half horizontal, and frost the center of cake, then put other layer on top and frost the entire cake. ( I found it easier to put both sides of cake in freezer while making frosting, take out cake and then frost. Can top with chopped nuts if desired.

You could dust with powder sugar for even a lighter touch.

Go ahead and try this cake, I promise, you will not be disappointed.
So Moist, So Chocolaty and So Yummy!

Even my hardest food critique gave this Cake an A+. (mitchell)

RINGING IN 2012

We rang in the New Year up in Salt Lake City. It was a wonderful night with our family. We started the night off with ice-skating. It was really fun, but it has been a while and we all seemed a little rusty at first. It didn't take long before we were all doing pirouettes. Not really, Scott, Mitchell and myself held our own. Sadie put her whole heart and sole into it, and even though she fell on her poor little bottom a 100 times, she loved it and didn't want to stop. McKade did not think it was the greatest thing he had ever done in his life and thought the ice was way to slick. Go figure Kade, we are ice skating!
Next, we hit the pool. It was nice and warm and the kids had a blast. They swam there little hearts out for a couple of hours and by this time we had all worked up a healthy appetite to go and hit Tucano's. It was super yummy, we all ate way to much. Mitchell was brave and tried a piece of everything. Sadie could not get enough of the grilled pineapple, I think she ate a whole pineapple herself. McKade was a little hesitant at first, but after a few rounds of meat he found out his favorite thing was the spicy wings and he stuck with those the rest of the night. After all the food we needed to walk it off. We walked around the Gateway for a little while, then headed over to the festivities at the Salt Palace. It was hopping with a lot of teenagers, so we decided to walk over to Temple square and check out the lights. They were beautiful as always. It was around 11:00 so we walked back to the hotel and have a little party of our own. We played games, ate treats and watched the fireworks from our window of our hotel. It was a fabulous night and a great way to welcome in the 2012!













We are so blessed in our lives. We had a wonderful and healthy 2011 and are hoping for a FABULOUS 2012!

Oh, What Do You Do In The Winter Time?????????

Winter in UTAH usually = snow, sledding, snow mans, snowball fights, snow boarding, hot chocolate, frigid temperatures, and bundling up. This winter seems to be a little different then the past winters. Instead we are having bakes sales, lemon-aid stands and picnics in our front yard. I am not complaining one bit, I have to admit the Sunny weather actually makes me SMILE. but, it is a little weird to see all the kids out playing without coats on in January.





Sadie and the cute neighborhood girls are living it up and trying to make the most of this sunny January and I am loving it!!!!