i gnome you're jealous.

while at the mall on Saturday, i cam across the perfect addition for my kitchen. gnome salt and pepper shakers, aren't they lovely!? i immediately texted my best friend a picture to which she replied "...you're so weird." it then turned into a discussion about grilled cheese sandwiches and i volunteered to name a sandwich in her honor. "the julianator" which is what my pepper shakin' gnome is now named. thanks for the dare julia, i now own a gnome that's name has something in it besides 'gnome'
salt gnome has not yet been named. i'm thinking salty. any better ideas?
happy eating!
sarah

darn good chocolate cookies.

fast sunday: a day which benefits my culinary mind. all day long i sit and thing about what delicacy i'm going to make once five rolls around. today it was all about the chocolate. i'm not normally a huge chocolate fan and could pass up a chocolate bar any day. hand me a slice of banana cream pie and it's a totally different story. cookies on the other hand have become a forgotten love in the past year, becoming replaced by cakes, pies, and cupcakes of a much higher culinary expertise. sorry cookies, i won't do that again.
i went home and dumped a bunch of stuff into nutmegan. the result was fabulous, and ten chocolate cookies later  i'm in love.

triple chocolate cookies.

1 stick butter

1/2 c. butter flavored shortening

1c. granulated sugar

1c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 c. nutella

2 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp special dark cocoa powder + 3 tbsp regular cocoa powder

2 c. milk chocolate chips

m&m's (optional)

Preheat oven to 350*F

beat butter, shortening, and sugars until combined, add eggs and vanilla. mix on slow. add nutella and beat until well incorporated. in a separate bowl mix together remaining ingredients until combined. add half to liquid ingredients and combine, once combined, add remaining mixture. fold in chocolate chips and scoop out tablespoon rounds onto a cookie sheet. you can fit twelve perfectly without having them melt together. once on cookie sheet press about four m&m's into each cookie if desired. 

place in oven for eight minutes, the cookies will be appear slightly raw but remove them anyway and allow to set for five minutes. transfer to a cookie rack.

makes approximately 4 1/2 dozen.

i hope you enjoy these lovelies as much as my family did! a glass of cold milk was the perfect companion.

happy eating!

when you're in new york.

i've had this little list for quite some time now, but as the clock is ticking away and applications are due in ten months,  this list is actually going to be put to use. new york is the avid food lovers dream and the perfect place to launch my culinary career. to get to wander these streets for the first time in a few months is going to be such a dream. hopefully, in just a year and a half, i'll be calling this place home.

New York TO DO's
~tour French Culinary Institute
~tour housing: EHS Clark and Roosevelt Island
~dine at L'Ecole
~Georgetown and Sprinkles cupcakeries
~Carlos Bakery
~breakfast at Tiffany's
~Rachael Ray show
~food network studios
~central Park
~statue of liberty
~times square
~church
~manhattan temple
~mesa bar and grill
~how to succeed in business (starring nick jonas and beau bridges) on broadway.
now i just have to figure out how to cram all of this into a three day trip.

2012.

hello new year, it's very nice to meet you.
i LOVED 2011! or the first eight months, anyways. there are a lot of things that i have to be grateful for, and because of the things that happened last year, i've become such a better person.
highlights of 2011:
getting to go home for the first time.
spending six weeks in utah with my best friends.
turning sixteen.
getting my drivers license.
making new friends.
minnesota EFY.
becoming best friends with kelly and briana.
gaining a stronger testimony of prayer, fasting, and scripture study.
becoming a real minnesotan! dontchya know!

2012
going to new york to tour the FCI
utah trip to visit everyone.
finishing my junior year.
making new friends.
dating more men.
minnesota EFY.
family reunion in Nauvoo.
starting my senior year.
applying to FCI, BYU's, etc. (and getting in!)

now let's talk the annual resolutions.
this year i will:
be a better friend
manage my time better
keep my room cleaner
focus more on school
read the book of mormon cover to cover again
have food related blog posts once a week
be less judgemental
make new friends
find time for myself
save more money for school

here is to a fantastic year full of great food, friends, and new memories