The Chic Chef

Obsessed

2009-03-07T19:42:00.000-08:00

A few things I obsess over these days...
M.A.C. "Girl About Town" lipstick...has this amazing texture that stays on and the color, oh my goodness!, it's this deep magenta color. If you want some lips people will talk about, "Girl About Town" is a must have!

Paradise Bakery's Crumbly Blue Cheese Salad...chunks of blue cheese over Romaine with sunflower seeds, craisins and Caesar dressing...

Domino magazine...everything from elegant to rustic home decor ideas, recipes, gift wrapping, home designers picks and where to find them, before and afters (who isn't a sucker for those). It has a page of stickers to help you mark pages of interest while you read. A little something for everyone! (dominomag.com

Rihanna...who's not obsessed! I love her glamour rock style, her makeup...always flawless and interesting, her hair...KILLER!, she's got great pipes and tell me her music doesn't make you want to bust a move.

Some Serious Catch Up

2009-02-27T17:27:00.000-08:00

Okay, we have a lot to catch up on...what brought on this sudden blog catch up you might ask. Well it was this freaky little thing...

He was sitting on our porch yesterday with a cupcake. Did I mention that he is sensored so everytime you pass him he has something negative to say. I was threatned by a dear friend that if I didn't get back to blogging that I was going to get my least favorite thing (a gnome) on my lawn. I think they are freaky, and they make me feel weird. So without mentioning any names...

Thank you for the motivation!
So here it goes in a short version...
December is my favorite month! It is filled with spiritual feasting, family and friends, parties, delicious food, and for me lots of emotions of gratitude. It started with the "Festival of Trees". My sister in law, Autumn and I did a tree this year for her family. It was a tree to honor her grandma who had passed away and they were never able to have a proper memorial service for her so this was a way for the family to have some closure. It was a touching experience and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to share this with her and her family.

"Card Group" party...
It's a group of friends that have been getting together for 5 years once a month to exchange cards. They are dear to my heart and I look forward to this party each year.

Foote Christmas Party #1...

Foote Party #2
This one we had Santa Claus come as a surprise to our guests! Check out all the great Christmas sweaters...we had a contest for the "Best Worst Sweater".

Christmas Eve at our house with the Foote Family...
This was a special year for us. We spent it at home instead of going to Wyoming, had the family at our house for Christmas Eve, had Christmas morning with just the two of us, and spent Christmas day eating and going to a movie with the family.

This was a hostess gift from my talented friend Audrey...it totally matched the rest of our house and it was so funky and chic. They lasted forever too. Check her out at studiostems.com.

Snack Time

2009-02-27T16:57:00.000-08:00

As I catch up on some much needed blogging...I am enjoying Ritz crackers topped with cottage cheese and sprinkled with Mrs. Dash, a Diet Pepsi to drink, and of course some Neyo playing in the back ground..

He's got some serious moves!

M.A.C.ified!

2008-11-13T21:56:00.000-08:00

Old School M.A.C! This is my old M.A.C. family that I'm learning is one in a million. There was never a team like this and probably never will be. I feel very very lucky to have had the opportunity to be a part of this great group. This was Jen's baby shower (my first manager) slash M.A.C. family reunion.

Face Charts...ummm a constant work in progress.

M.A.C. Basic Training the Second! It's like the best week ever. You're stuck in a room at Cafe Trio for 7 hours a day for 5 days with a M.A.C. trainer who knows everything there is to know about makeup and every M.A.C. product. There is tons of great food and lots of excited makeup artists. It's so inspiring, motivating, refreshing, and a huge boost of knowledge to take back to our everyday at the counter. (Meg, this pictures for you!)

This was my partner for "application". I know she's already beautiful so I was lucky to get her. I really just enhanced her great features, but I was proud with how great the makeup looks.

Fall Funk

2008-11-03T21:37:00.000-08:00

So I am not a fan of Halloween or Fall. Halloween is too freaky deaky and Fall is the start of a long, cold, snowy Winter. I do however love the beauty of Fall and the signs of the holidays being around the corner. Some of the things I depend on to get me through this time of year are....

Ed Hardy Boots-I'm not an Ugg fan but these are super funky and oh so comfortable and warm to run here or there in. Not as casual as an Ugg and they come in different heights and colors. (Found at Nordstrom.)

Betsey Bag-She's patent leather for the changing weather and she holds all the many treasures I think I have to have with me to leave the house.

(betseyjohnson.com or Nordstrom)

Emanuel Ungaro "Not So Shy" lipglass...the cute pink nuetral color is perfect with those dark smoky eyes for fall.

(Found at Nordstrom or maccosmetics.com)

Scarves, scarves, and more scarves. Anything to put around my neck. Not just for the outside this year but add a great accessory to your outfit.

(Found at Nordstrom)

Carmel Apples-Best treat of the season. My cute friend Sara makes these every year and they are beautiful and delicous. I made some this year and did use her trick of white chocolate around the carmel and cinnamon and sugar. I also did the white chocolate with Heath bar and Butterfinger bits. Heath was the favorite but the Butterfinger was pretty close behind. Not as beautiful as Sara's but still delicious!

(Mrs. Prindales-Sara's really do look like this. Mine...not so much!)

Fire!-This is my new favorite thing! As soon as we wake up and as soon as we walk in the door it's on.

(Francois & Co.-These mantels are a dream!)
Happy Harvest!

A Day Off!

2008-10-21T22:00:00.000-07:00

Here's how it went...
Got woke up from people on our roof hanging Christmas lights.
Made French toast and sausage for breakfast.
Load the washer and the dish washer.
Laid in bed with my man while he watched ESPN and I looked at the new Crate and Barrell magazine.
Continue to lay in bed and get caught up on lastnights episodes of "Little People BIG World" and "John and Kate Plus Eight".
Made bed.
Got car cleaned and rock chips fixed.
Stopped for a soda and a gas station Taquito. (I know its gross but I am a sucker for gas station food!)
Boogie came home with some friends to play Ping-Pong.
Talked to Jaimie.
Ate clam dip and potato chips. Ate more clam dip with potato chips.
Fold clothes.
Showered.
Talked to Autumn.
Talked to Amy.
Made homemade hot chocolate for Young Womens.
Went to the cemetary for Young Womens for a scavenger hunt. (It was super fun and a great idea to get them excited about geneology.)
Young Women had hot chocolate at our house.
Boogie arrives. Hooray!
Homemade chicken chimichangas and cabbage salad for dinner.
Neighbor brought over delicious pumpkin bread made with less sugar for Boogie. (Thoughtful, huh?!)
Blogging, blogging, blogging!
Face charts for work!
My favorite thing...laying in our warm bed next to Boogs reading.
Good night!

Adventures over the past few months...

2008-10-12T18:30:00.000-07:00

Scottsdale with my Mom, lil sister Brenda, and sister-in-law Autumn. Each year we go to Scottsdale, Arizona for a clogging competition but really it's just a great trip with people that I love to hang out with. We have tons and tons of fun...laying by the pool, lots of amazing food and shopping, and a little clogging. We took second over all in the competition this year and lost to a great team that was on "America's Got Talent" (they made it to the top 20 on the show!).

"Sprinkles" a great cupcake place was our mid day snack after a long day at the pool. They have tons of flavors...known for the Red Velvet. My favorite was the Banana with Cocunut Frosting. If you have a chance to go you must! Delicious, adorable, moist and full of frosting!

Me, Autumn, Mom, Brenda, Brittany at the competition in my "gangsta" gear.

By the way...I'm taking the year off of clogging. I'm totally bummed but also know that I can go back and take this year to get some things in order with life.

Bear Lake
Each year we gather up all our good friends and go to Bear Lake. We stay in a cabin that has priceless views of the lake and mountains. Go to the beach during the day and watched the Summer Olympics at night. We treasure the relationships we have with these people and look forward to this each year!

Eight Great Years!
Boogie and I celebrated our eighth anniversary. We still feel like newleyweds! I worked the night of our anniversary (oh the life of retail!) so Boogie brought me eight chocolate-covered strawberries from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory representing eight years. I am so blessed to spend each day with this man and I'm forever greateful the Lord put us together. Over that weekend we went to Pineview Resevoir up Ogden Canyon to meet some friends and go boating. Oh my beautiful! It's like this little treasure in the middle of nowhere. The condos are right on the lake and sandy beach. The night ended with some rain and the electricity going out.

Camping in the Uintahs
Have you been? This place is so beautiful especially because it was fall so the trees were all these vibrant and interesting colors. We went with my family and took Sam and Max. We took a trailer and camping will never be the same...a heater, a fridge, a toliet, soft bed...all the emenities that just don't come with a tent. Not to mention the protection from wild coyotes and other various wilderness animals.
Great food, great reading (Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer...we'll talk about that later!), great family time...we don't do things like this enough and I was choked up when leaving my parents. I certainly don't see them enough and really enjoyed the time being with them without any distractions.

The M.A.C. World

2008-07-11T17:59:00.000-07:00

I totally live in the M.A.C./Makeup world and love it! I would love to share it with you as much as I can. Here's what's going on...

(I can't handle how beautiful this makeup is. Look at those amazing lips. Fall will be all about dark eyes and dark lips.)

Mineralized makeup is the rage these days. It's in Vogue, InStyle,Elle... all the fashion mags and even on an infomercial late at night. Here's why people love it...
1.It contains Calcite which is skin rejuvenating. Zinc which is great for people with sensitive skin or acne and has a natural form of ant-bacterial. Selenium which fights environmental damage. Seracite which gives a healthy sheen finish to the skin.
2.It's so natural that you can sleep in it.
3.It's made with yeast so it doesn't grow any bacteria.
4.M.A.C. is the number one seller of mineralized products in the industry and that is not even what they are known for. They also use 77 minerals in their products. That's a lot! You only have to have one mineral to call the product mineralized so make sure you ask questions about how many minerals are contains when buying a brand other than M.A.C.

We just launched a line called "Electro Flash"-"Electricity is our most precious resource...everybody, electrified! Light up this world, and the next!" The colors are amazing and all mineralized! Something for everyone. Go to their website to view the colors (maccosmetics.com).

Snack Time

2008-07-11T17:49:00.000-07:00

Tostitos Multi-Grain Chips with Parmesan Artichoke Dip with Spinach...heat the dip in the microwave for a minute, stir and serve it warm...delicious! The chips are so flavorful and taste so much better than regular corn chips...not to mention they are better for you. Chips are at your local grocer and the dip you can find at Costco.

Mullet Kid Rock Weekend

2008-07-01T00:25:00.000-07:00

Each year I go back to my hometown for some good mullet watching, cig smelling, and some serious family time. I love every second of it! It starts with a pedicure with my Mom from my lil sis Brenda, then lots of cake, tasteless bean Navajo tacos from the carnies, and some good music live from Rodney Adkins and Chris Young with the fam.

Saturday was the HUGE parade full of trucks, horses, and more trucks. No floats, just trucks. Bret Micheals from Poison was there on Saturday night and we had access to back stage. We were a little nervous and thought it would be scandalous so we chickened out. I know...we're crazy for not using our resources. It was a mullet fest...long, short, you name it it was there. It was a great night with my sisters.

Ok, your going to die...this is the best carni food ever...curly fries (deep fried of course) with feta cheese crumbles on top. I will never forget it! Find it wherever the carnies hang out.

I look forward to this weekend every year and especailly for the time I get with my great family. Mullets and all!

M.A.C. here I come!

2008-07-01T00:18:00.000-07:00

I'm bbbbbbbbbaaaaaaaaack! Started back at M.A.C. and am loving getting all my creative juice flowing again. That's partly why I have been a slacker with my posts. It's a rough job playing in makeup all day. Ha!

B-Day

2008-06-30T23:22:00.000-07:00

I love birthdays! However, it's weird but I seriously forget how old I am now. It's always a day full of gratitude for all that love and think about you, pampering, good food, and feeling like you can do whatever you want. This year was no different...
The day started off with a delivery of these beautiful flowers from Boogie.
My adorable "Rock Star" sister was here to spend time with me for my day.

My Mom got this delicious cake from "Sweet Inspirations" in Green River, Wyoming. This place knows how to make some seriously good cakes...chocolate with buttercream frosting is this one and my sister and I ate most of it in 2 days. If your ever passing through, you have to stop at this place. It's totally worth it!
Boogs took me to the "Roof" in Salt Lake City where we ate with Moroni. He was practically standing right next to our table. Food is amazing...Shrimp Cocktail, Seafood Chowder, Lion House Rolls with Honey Butter (my most favorite) and they bring them warm, Prime Rib, Marinara Halibut, Creme Brule, Chocolate-covered Strawberries, oh my gosh I could go on forever. If you've never been there, it's at the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building so you are level with the top of the temple. You're view is unbelievable and the atmosphere is very classy, but comfortable. There is a large white grand piano with a pianist in the middle playing classic hits. One of my favorite parts of the night was the waitress brought out a dessert plate and while she brought it out the pianist played "Happy Birthday". I loved being there with my sweet husband. He makes each birthday special.

Snack Time

2008-06-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

Snack time today is homemade salsa with Tostitos white corn chips while watching the city workers mow the city property behind us. Ummm...I think there is something wrong with this picture. I think I'll start working for the city if I get to watch someone else work with all my buddies. I'm also listening to Top 20 on XM however, it got scandalous so I switched it to Contemporary Christian. I'm feeling better already! Here's the recipe for this amazing salsa that won't stop going into my mouth...shoot!...how do I get it out of the keyboard?

Homemade Salsa

Aunt Lucy's Recipe

2 Cans Italian Tomatoes

6 Tomatoes (Roma are best)

3 Green Onions with greens

1 Tomatio (looks like a green tomato)

1 Small Onion

2-3 Cloves of Garlic

1 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper

Jalapeno (with or without seeds-hotter with seeds)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until its the texture that you like. Will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

Moab Family Vaca!

2008-06-16T14:29:00.000-07:00

Boogs and I went to Moab with family this weekend. Holy fun, holy warm, holy Audry can't stop taking pictures and eating. Here are some photos and I know...they are a great looking family

Right before hitting the BIG rapids on the river.

All of us still waiting to get on the BIG rapids.

Boogs and his bro.

On Boogie's birthday gift for the first time heading to a place called Gemini Bridges. It's so fun being behind your sweetie with the wind blowing in your face, screaming deep conversations to each other.

Boogs and his other bro Jrrd. No it's not misspelled, that's how we say it.

We were in charge of dinner the first night so we made Pulled Pork sandwiches on Granatos hard rolls, Bean and Corn Salsa with Corn Chips, Bowtie Oriental Pasta Salad with Fresh Spinach, Fresh Watermelon (from Costco of course), and Caramel Popcorn for dessert.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

3-4 Pound Pork Roast

2 Onions, sliced (optional)

16 oz. Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce

1/3 C. Honey

Place pork in the crock-pot with onions. Mix the bbq sauce and honey together and pour over the roast and onions. Cook on low for 8 hours. Shred the meat with 2 forks and keep it in the sauce. Serve on rolls (needs to be on hard rolls so the bread does not get soggy) or hamburger buns.

Sunday morning for Father's Day we went to a breakfast place called Jailhouse Cafe. It used to be the old jail and they are now a Cafe that is only open for breakfast. Menu was great:

Eggs Benedict, Swedish Pancakes, Berry Waffles and hot chocolate oozing over the top with

chocolate and whipped cream.

This was such a great weekend with the family! We were missing two people and we definitely missed them. Each person's personality contributes something to a family and it's obvious in our family when these two are missing. We love you Autumn and Aaron and missed you!

Recipes as Promised...

2008-06-16T13:58:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Crepes

Crepe Batter:

2 Eggs

1/4 C. Milk

2 tbsp. Water

4 tbsp. Flour

1/8 tsp. salt

Cream Cheese Filling:

3 oz. Whipped Cream Cheese

6 tbsp. Cottage Cheese

1/4 C. Sugar

Strawberries

Heavy Whipping Cream

2-4 tbsp. Sugar

For the batter: beat eggs, milk, and water. Add flour and salt, beat until smooth. Lightly butter a crepe pan or a medium non-stick skillet. Heat pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, spoon 2 tbsp. of batter into pan and spread evenly around pan. When edges start to brown, flip over.

Filling:In a mixer beat the cream cheese, cottage cheese, and sugar until smooth.

Pour 1 C. of heavy cream and sugar into a mixer and mix until it becomes whipped. Slice up strawberries.

To assemble: Add 2-3 tbsp. of filling to the middle of the crepe. Spoon a few strawberries on top of the filling and then roll up the crepe. Top with the fresh cream and a few strawberries.

Makes 8 servings. (1 crepe each)

Chic Chef Tips:

1. I always use whipped cream cheese for everything made with cream cheese. Its always soft and gives great fluffy texture. Costs a little more but it's worth it.

2. Crepes usually cook fast so watch carefully and keep them wrapped tight in a dish towel so they don't become dried out and crunchy.

3. Probably want to double this because everyone will at least want two because they are so delicious!

Blue Cheese Crusted Steaks or Hamburgers

1 C. Blue Cheese

2 tbsp. Melted Butter

2 tbsp. Italian Bread Crumbs

Mix together with a fork until well blended. Add to the top of browned steaks or browned hamburger and place in the oven for 10-12 minutes. This is for a medium doneness steak so if you want it more well done, add 3-5 minutes.

Chic Chef Tips:

1.Browning is cooking just the outside of the meat at a really high temperature with a little oil or butter. You can also grill the steaks or hamburgers just use the same method...really high temperature for just a few minutes because you are finishing the cooking in the oven.

2. I personally think that Fillets are a little over rated. Look for the New York or the Rib-eye for steaks. They have great marblization, creating lots of flavor and tenderness so you are still getting a great steak for less cash out of your pocket.

3. Use a thermometer for checking the doneness of your meat and always let it rest after to keep all the juices inside the meat. Let it rest at room temperature before you brown it so it cooks evenly through.

Fabulous Finds

2008-06-03T11:54:00.001-07:00

Here are some "Fabulous Finds"...

These are two black bamboo ladders that I had to have but wasn't sure what to do with them. We went back and forth about what wall, what way, and if we are feeling like we're in the middle of a jungle (with our new friend above the fireplace...bamboo ladders...fountain in the entry...ummmmm). We decided the stair wall and their starting to grow on us.

I couldn't pass up this "Dream". I am so not a wood board with words person but this was funky, from the dump looking, almost graphity looking. There was a "Love" one too, but I couldn't figure out what to do with it. You'll die when I tell you where it's from...Pier 1 Imports. I love that store and I can always find that one thing that makes people talk. They have great stuff and I like the quality and price.

This is a soap dispenser made from all recycled glass. Isn't that FABULOUS! I love the funky dispenser top. Haven't filled them yet cause I love the glass look. Found at Target.

I'm sorry I have to put this in the "Fabulous" list....

This fridge is so beautiful that sometimes I just stare at it, even with all the finger prints. I love the French doors for baking sheets to fit. It has tons of room inside and the freezer helps keep things organized with its levels and compartments. I love the clean lines of its look. Wow! I really love this find. From Mountianland Design.

The Euro!
Where have I been? I am sure that everyone probably has a Euro but I have just discovered how "Fabulous" they are. They bring drama, interest, and sophistication. You can buy them at any bedding place (Bed Bath Beyond, Linens and Things, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrell.....).The Euro coverings tend to be a bit more expensive than your usuals but they are totally worth it. Most people do four Euros (for a King) but we did three and that was plenty. This one is from ZGallerie (our most favorite store).

Stop with the jungleness...that's what your saying right now as you see the zebra print towels. These are in the guest bathroom and they took me forever to find. Have you tried finding great towels? They are really expensive and it's hard to find different, funky ones. I love these and actually this is our favorite bathroom. Ahhhh ehhhh ahhhh (that is so supposed to be Tarzan)! Found through Bed Bath Beyond.

Red Trees

These are above our bed and we loved the interest of these two. We couldn't buy one without the other. Notice that they are opposite of each other with where the red is. There is a little red in the black frame around it and the shape of the frame is great, especially putting them side by side.

The New Addition

2008-06-02T22:17:00.000-07:00

We have a new addition to our family....

This is our new friend that hangs above our fireplace. We absolutely love him and I know that he's a little large but we had to have him. If you look closely you can see a penguin in the middle. He's fun to look at!

Snack Time

2008-06-02T17:16:00.000-07:00

I so go through stages of snacks, but they are always salty. This week it's popcorn, not your average popcorn-popcorn popped in a BIG popcorn machine (gas stations, Target, movie theatre), like movie popcorn and a Diet Coke. Today it's mixed with Contemporary Christian music (XM "The Message) and the book "Confessions of a Shopaholic" by Sophie Kinsella. Watch for more "Snack Times"!

The Life of Us Lately...

2008-05-29T15:48:00.001-07:00

Wow! I'm actually posting again. I would like to give you a briefing into our lives this past month (hopefully it will explain the absent posts). Get yourself a soda, a snack, and a comfortable chair cause this might take a while...

April 25th-Merrill Lynch Dinner

It was held at Mountainland Design in their showroom (which is amazing-you'll come out wanting all sorts of things in your kitchen). I created the menu and the clients of Merill Lynch prepared the meal with my supervision. I had Sous Chef Jaimie to help me out. I wouldn't have made it without her. Here was the menu...Portabello Napoleons, Blue-cheese crusted Fillets with Port Wine Sauce, Herb Halibut, Parmesan Risotto, Raspberry Glazed Carrots, Parmesan Cibatta Bread, and Creme Brule for Dessert with Fresh Berries (I'll post some recipes later). These are pictures of the table settings...Sous Chef Jaimie made some place setting cards and menus for the tables. I have these great vases that I put lemons and limes in to add a little color to the black and white table (Jairus, I could have really used your funky expertise with some flowers-please come back!). The second picture is their "take home gift"-a packet of all the recipes on personalized Chic Chef recipe cards and homemade vanilla syrup for drinks in the summer or for poaching fruit.

Augusta's Birthday

My sweet sister turned 30. She loves that I am posting that right now! My Mom planned a surprise party for her with friends and family. Tons of great food, great music, and people we love. She has always been my dearest friend. Even when she was blaming me for breaking the bunkbead or telling on me for stealing earings from the store for my doll Blossom. I depend on her a lot and am so so grateful the Lord put us together. Love you Gusty!

May 1st-Moving Day

Here's how it went down...we sold our home that we had lived in for 7 years the middle of March. Had to be out by May 1st. Didn't find a place to live until April 29th. Closed on old house on Wednesday, April 30th. Moved for 18 hours into new house on Thursday, May 1st. The day of moving was not my favorite day. Thank you Megan, Jaimie, Autumn, and Annita for all your help with the cleaning. You truly are angels. It meant so much to us. I thought I would be sad to leave, but we were so exhausted that it was hard to feel any emotions. Si anora busy road and minks! I did get emotional the day I went back to pick up the mail...the black and white stripes had been painted and the chandelier that I loved was taken down. (I'm sighing right now!)

A New House!

We love, love, love our new house! We wake up each day and are so grateful for it.

Las Vegas!-May 2nd (did I mention that this was the day after we moved?)

Let's talk about how fun this was! I went with four friends who I love love! Stayed at the JW Marriot and played BINGO and went dancing at the Red Rock. We went to "Tournament of Kings" and ate frozen potatoes, huge trees of broccoli, mini dry dry dry chickens (did I mention how dry they were?), and a toaster strudel for dessert while we watched men with long hair, big muscles, and fanny packs run around. Laid by the pool in the warm weather. Had the best pizza ever at BJ's (honestly I crave it). Ate crepes at the Bellagio. Yoga tricks in the hotel room. Heather and Jaimie getting no sleep. H&M, Michael Stars, and of course M.A.C. shopping. All bought the same green jacket. We put together a CD that had favorites from everyone and I am still listening to it. Katie and her camera-how thankful I am that we have all these great pictures.

"Pai Gow" with Katie. Great trip! I want to thank...

Heather for her honesty and for being herself, always up for anything, and for bringing the chocolate covered almonds and carrots-I really enjoyed your music on the CD too!
Jaimie for your hilariousness, for always surprising us with something, for your groovy dance moves and for having the best legs at the pool-stop with those Turtle Brownies-DELICIOUS!
Sara for the long driving, amazing humor, what's up with those dance moves that I have never seen?, adorable style, front seat talking-loved the cute traveling kit!
Katie for the pictures, for letting there never be a dull moment, your energy, and the way you say crepes-ummm what did you bring again as a treat?

Boy Dog Sam's Ticket...

Our yard is not fenced yet and we have to tie up the two furry friends that live with us every time they need to go out. We were a little relaxed about Sam because he always stays around the yard until...we got a visit from Animal Control (we should call them the "Anti-Animal Cops"). Sam got a ticket for his naughtiness. What happened to cookies and pies when you move into a neighborhood, instead we get the "Fun Police" on our porch.

Boogs Birthday!-May 10th

Let's talk about my fabulous husband for a second...he takes really good care of me, loves me more than I can imagine, he's super hot, has a tender heart, generous and loving, the life of the party, and I absolutely adore him. For his birthday my parents brought his gift from Wyoming in the morning. It was a 4-wheeler and we put a BIG bow on it and put it on the front lawn. We then had crepes filled with a cream cheese filling and berries (I'll post recipes later) Italian sausage. That night we got together with some friends in the canyon and had Beef with Burgundy Wine and Chicken Alfredo Tin Foil Dinners, Caesar Salad, Fresh Fruit with my famous fruit dip (I will post that recipe soon too), Carmel Popcorn, Strawberry Cake, and Smores. We have such a great group of friends! They are always supportive and we have so much fun when we're all together. Happy Birthday Boogie! Here's some photos from the night...

Clogging Competition-Lagoon-May 17th
We do a routine to the soundtrack from "Stomp the Yard". We're so gangsta in our camo pants, big sweatshirts, sideways hats. We got overall at the competition with it which means we are awesome! I'll try to get the video uploaded so you can watch it.

Does this explain the absent posts?

M.A.C. Training Class

2008-04-19T09:03:00.000-07:00

M.A.C. holds classes locally that a M.A.C. trainer comes in to teach. Are you kidding...that is such a treat! The trainer is the same person that trains the makeup artists. Yesterday I helped out and everyone was raving about how great the class was. All the artists had on two sets of lashes, one on the top lashes and one on the bottom lashes, with a softer bronzie-gold eye and thick black eyeliner. Some had a ribbon around their head with a feather. The lips were Viva Glam VI which is a terracotta plum with a pearl finish (below). All of the proceeds from the Viva Glam line go to the Aids foundation. I love this program. At Christmas they sell Christmas cards that were made by children with Aids and the proceeds from that also go to the Aids foundation. Overall, the day was filled with loose powder foundation all over the front of my black dress (10 minutes after getting there), lots of lashes, product knowledge (thanks Sandy), and eye charts (which wow am I rusty...my eyebrows looked like a skinny turd). I absolutely love the opportunity to work with the company! What other job can you go and play in makeup all day?

Soup Day

2008-04-11T10:55:00.000-07:00

Today is a total soup day! Snow on the ground in April...come on Mother Nature get it together. Here's an easy soup recipe with things you have in your pantry and freezer. You can stay in the comfort of your home next to the fire with your bowl of soup and a movie. Mmmmm!

Snow on the Ground in April Minestrone

1 lb. Ground Beef

2-3 Cloves of Garlic minced

1/4 C. Diced Onion

1 14.5 oz. Italian Diced Tomatoes

1 14.5 oz. Tomato Sauce

1 14.5 oz. Kidney Beans

4-6 C. Chicken Stock

8 oz. Pasta (macaroni, radiattore, bowtie-any bite size pasta)

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper to taste

Brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until almost cooked all the way through. Add the onions and garlic. (At this point if there is a lot of grease left from the ground beef, drain it.) Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and kidney beans. Add your chicken stock and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and add the pasta. Salt and pepper and cook for an additional 10-12 minutes or until the pasta is tender. The soup with thicken a little from the pasta. Serve with a crusty bread and fresh Parmesan on top. Makes about 6 servings. Enjoy!
Chic Chef Tips

Chicken stock makes your meals taste like you have been slaving in the kitchen all day. Spend a little money on it and buy in the refrigerator containers so it's always at your fingertips. I use the Organic chicken stock from Costco. I also really like the chicken base from Costco-the brand is McCormick.

Add a little more chicken stock to this soup if you want it more like a broth soup.

I gotta bounce! This house is not going to get packed up on it's own, however I wish it were possible. Time for a diet Coke!

Outrageous Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

2008-04-07T17:02:00.000-07:00

Ya, they are as delicious as they look. These are my husbands favorite cookies lately. I made them today for my sweet "Activity Day" girls. I have to give a little shout out to my mentor...Sandy. She is an amazing cook and I have learned quit a bit from her in the short time I have known her. This is her cookie recipe and this isn't the last you will hear about her and her fabulousness.

1/2 C. Sugar

1/2 C. Brown Sugar

1/2 C. Butter

1/2 C. Peanut Butter

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

1 Egg

1 C. Flour

1/2 C. Oatmeal

1 small package Chocolate Chips (I use milk chocolate)

Beat the sugar, brown sugar, butter, peanut butter, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Add the egg and mix until the egg is incorporated. Mix in the flour and oats. Stir in the chocolate chips. Make into balls or use a medium scoop and drop onto a non-greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool for a few minutes and then place on a cooling rack. Makes about 1 1/2 to 2 dozen.

Chic Chef Tips

1.This recipe does not make a a lot and believe me you'll want a lot, so I double it.

2.I love the medium scoop from Pampered Chef for my cookies. It makes them perfectly round.

3.Place a piece of parchment paper or foil over your baking sheets before placing the cookie dough on them. It makes for easy cleanup.

Heatherette Colors

2008-04-07T16:23:00.001-07:00

Tell me this compact is not fabulous! Here are the two pallets for Heatherette. The lashes at the bottom are patent leather...yes, I said patent leather. Their called "She's Good". Love, love the second pallet! The middle color all over your eyelid with a little of the dark in the outer crease of your eye is stunning and using the dark as your eye liner with an angle brush gives it more of a smoky soft look. The colors in the first pallet are Baby Pearls, V.I.P., Cassette and the second one is Mood Ring, Hoppin, Cloudburst.

Heatherette

2008-04-07T12:33:00.000-07:00

"Nothing says "trash and flash" like the dazzling New York pop aesthetic of fashion duo Traver Rains and Richie Rich. The former cowboy and infamous club kid birthed their line when a Patricia Field buyer spotted Rich in one of his own leather tops, ordering 20 of them on the spot. Hip hop star Foxy Brown saw the tops at Patricia Field, and asked Rains and Rich to design her outfits for the MTV Video Music Awards. Soon, Lil' Kim had bought five leather shirts for her tour, and Gwen Stefani wore one of their tops in Entertainment Weekly. The pair has created Hello Kitty couture, crafted sequined and studded mini dresses for Shirley Manson and Paris Hilton, neon, tattered tees for Pink and Justin Timberlake, and crafty, one-of-a-kind looks for David Beckham, Alicia Keys, and Britney Spears. Their crazed-club-kid-meets-award-show-chic designs aren't for shrinking violets—only paparazzi-stopping exhibitionists need apply." (New York Fashion)

M.A.C. has events all the time where they feature different icons. Right now they are featuring Heatherette. Two fabulous designers! (If you go to maccosmetics.com and click on Heatherette, you can watch a little video of them and their makeup artist-the beginning is the best "I can't live without my lip glass!") This weekend I was able to do some free-lancing and wow! was there a lot of pink. The makeup artists had top hats on with a tool fabric bow tied around it along with a few glittery stars on the face. A few pink leggings and my personal favorite, some great pink lips! Everyone looked hot of course! I'll post some of the colors in a bit. Chow for now!

2008-04-02T16:54:00.000-07:00

So, each week I send a menu to my clients for the following week. Here is their menu for next week...(while I chomp on some sweet watermelon from Costco-I buy the small ones, they seem to be sweeter and I can eat one all by myself)

Day 1-
Prime Rib w/ Au Jus Sauce and Fresh Horseradish
Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
Sauted Sweet Vegetables

Day 2-
Chicken Marsala with Radiatore Pasta (small swirly pasta with lots of places for the sauce to go)
Romaine Salad with Sweet and Zesty Dressing (I add a tablespoon of sugar to Good Season's Italian Dressing mix to sweeten it up a bit)

Some of my clients have bread with every meal and so I am always looking for some great bakeries. Costco actually carries some specialty breads (Foccacia bread from Granato's and their hard rolls-oh my good night I want some right now!) Of course we have one of the best bakeries right here-Lehi Bakery (their maple bars are the best! You'll never find another one like it...the soft 1 inch thick maple frosting...wow! Is it dinner time?) Any great places, please let me know.