Getting to know me

        
A book I highly recommend is:The Harry Potter series. I know....Cliche, but such good books!
A movie I watch over and over is:Despicable Me or Dumb and Dumber
A T.V. show I watch regularly is:Parks and Recreation. Soooo funny!
I love to collect:Pictures, antiques
My favorite thing to buy is:Clothes! For me or for other people. I love shopping :)
A smell that makes me pause is:Lilacs. They get me every time.  
My favorite sport to watch is:Volleyball or NBA Basketball
My favorite restaurant is:The Blue Iguana in SLC is amazing! Or Red Mango...FroYo counts right?
A moment when I achieved absolute happiness was:When I held my baby girl for the first time.  Words really can't express the feelings you have.
The music I listen to most is:Alternative? I dont know what you call it. I also love classic rock.
My earliest memory is:When I was about 2 (maybe younger) and we were at a family reunion in Yellowstone. My cousin Shellie told me there were bears in the play house and I believed her.  
My favorite flower is:peonies and roses. 
A game I like to play is:Pinochle. Some of my fondest memories come from playing with my mom and grandma.  I also love to play Scrabble.
My favorite hobby is:Anything that lets me express creativity.  I love to sing, play the piano, write music, poetry, and make things with my hands. I also LOVE to bake and cook and I love fashion.
A singer or band I currently listen to the most is:Ace Enders, Weezer, Led Zeppelin.
My favorite quote is:It changes frequently, but recently it is this: "I fall in love with you more and more everyday. Well....not everyday.  Yesterday you were pretty annoying" - describes my marriage perfectly
I drive a:Toyota Avalon. 
If my house was burning down and I could only rescue three things, they would be:pictures, my patriarchal blessing, and Brynn's stuffed penguin that she just can't live without.  
The city I would most like to visit is:Its not a city, but I've always wanted to go to New Zealand soooo bad!
My favorite meal is:I love a good burger.  I also love mexican food!
Someone or something that made me laugh this week was:The voice that Robbie does to translate what Brynn is saying.  It sounds so funny. I guess you would just have to hear it. It's hilarious.
My first paying job was:working at Mountain Sports. I loved that job.
The memory that still makes me laugh is:Dallas teaching me to be a ninja.  Also, when I caught Dallas singing "Bad to the Bone" in the bathtub when we were little.  He just kept repeating the part that goes "ba ba ba ba baddd bad to the bone ba ba ba ba baddddd".  He thought he was so cool. What a loser! :)
My best birthday was:When I turned like 6 or 7..I'm not sure which one.  My dad made me an elaborate Aladdin cake (he used to decorate all my cakes...he is amazing) and I had a sleepover. It was so much fun. 
A smell that reminds me of my childhood is:The smell of lilacs after rain.  When we would go visit my great aunt B in Thermopolis she lived on a couple acres and they had a bunch of lilac bushes on the side of their house.  I used to explore the area around their house because they lived in the middle of nowhere. 
The story behind my name is:I think it was a last minute thing.  I was originally going to be a Jackie i think. Or an Alex.
My favorite color to wear is:Olive green or navy blue.  
My strangest possession is:This dinky thing that Robbie bought in the Dominican Republic.  Its a man wearing a barrel and when you take the barrel off, his penis bounces up and surprises you. I know, it sounds perverted but thats just how their culture is. Its hilarious and I love tricking people with it!
My favorite dessert is:Chocolate chip cookies, Red Mango Froyo, s'mores, cupcakes, pie....just about anything! I love sweets!
When I exercise, I like to:Yoga, taking Brynn on walks.
My favorite thing to do on a date is:Go somewhere pretty and just talk, eat and relax. Like a park or the mountain.  When we feel like staying in for our date I love snuggling up with my hubby and watching a movie.
The best vacation I ever had was:

When my family and I went to Hawaii to visit my grandma and grandpa Perkins while they were on their mission.  I made so many lifelong memories.  
The best thing about being married is:Never being alone.  You always have someone to hang out with and make you laugh.  Snuggling up to someone in the middle of the night when I have a nightmare and need comfort (it happens quite often). Being able to start a family and enjoy your children together. 

The thing I am most passionate about is:	Being a good mom and definitely singing and cooking.  I dont know... its hard to pick what I'm passionate about because I'm passionate about everything I love.

     

I just cant get enough

I found a new recipe about a month ago that I cant seem to get enough of! I have made it 3 times since I found it.  Robbie loves it, I love it, and it is healthy (always a plus). Now, I've modified this recipe each time I've made it, and I think I've found perfection in this meal. It is so scrumdillyuptious! Here is the recipe. My modifications will be in parentheses. 

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups chicken stock (I used boullion cubes, made it three cups/three cubes)
• 2 tablespoons butter ( i didnt use the butter...just adds more fat)
• 1 1/2 cups Jasmine or other white rice 
• Peanut or vegetable oil, for stir-frying (I used some peanut SAUCE and less oil than they called for. I also added a dash of some pre-made stir fry sauce that we had in the fridge)
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh meat, chopped into bite-size pieces
• Finely ground white or black pepper
• 1/4 pineapple, trimmed and sliced into thin, bite-size pieces (1 cup) (I just used a can of chunked pineapple, drained...way easier)
• 1 bell pepper-seeded, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1 red Fresno (milder) or Thai (hotter) chili pepper, seeded and thinly sliced or finely chopped ( didnt use a chili pepper. Instead, I did a few splashes of tobasco and added about 2 tsp of crushed red pepper)
• 1 piece (1 1/2 inches) fresh ginger, grated or minced
• 3 to 4 large cloves garlic, chopped (grating is easier and doesnt get your fingers smelly)
• About 2 tablespoons kecap manis (an Indonesian condiment), orsubstitute 2 tablespoons Tamari and 1 teaspoon sugar (i omitted this all together)
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons fish sauce (i omitted this as well)
• 1 cup basil leaves (about 20 to 24), torn (i used finely chopped basil from my spice cabinet...I didnt want to eat leaves of basil)
• 1 lime, 1/2 juiced and 1/2 cut into wedges, plus 1 teaspoon zest
• 1 1/2 cups Jasmine or other white rice
• Yields: 4

Preparation

In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock and butter to a boil, then stir in the rice and return to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer until tender, 16-18 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

When the rice is about ready, heat a thin layer of oil, about 1 1/2 tablespoons, in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Pat the chicken dry and season with pepper. Add the meat to the pan in a single layer and do not touch for 2 minutes; stir-fry until golden, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. (cook about 1/2 way done so that chicken doesnt get tough)

Add a little more oil to the skillet and heat up, then add the pineapple, bell pepper, chile pepper, ginger and garlic, stir-fry until crisp-tender and the pineapple pieces are light golden at the edges, about 3 minutes. Stir in the kecap manis (or tamari and sugar) and fish sauce. Add chicken and toss to coat.

Turn off the heat and add half the basil leaves to wilt. Stir in the lime juice and zest and toss again to combine. Serve the rice and garnish with the lime wedges and remaining basil.

Saturday at the park, I think it was the 4th of June...

I love that song. Only its JULY not JUNE. But for blogging purposes I have changed the lyrics to June. On Saturday Robbie and I went to the park in Kaysville to have a picnic. It is my favorite park! It has a creek, a bridge, and TONS of geese and ducks!  We ended up staying for about 3 hours just laying on a blanket in the grass and resting in the shade. We ate, played with Brynn, and played a couple games of scrabble on the tablet.  It was probably one of the most relaxing days I have had in years.  I cant wait for more Saturdays like June 4th!