Testing Jasmine's Christmas Recipe

This year my sister Jasmine asked for a recipe for Christmas. It had to be something she could make at home pretty easily. Preferably chocolate. I revamped an older recipe and am giving it to her for Christmas. It's called "Jasmine's Chocolate Bread Cake" and it's served with a White Chocolate-Almond-Maple Sauce. I tested it at home and served it to Will's family and mine. So far all the thumbs have been up, and I think I would personally give this one four stars out of five. But the real test takes place back in Oklahoma with the Dickerson family.....

Delicious Bread Cake

Gifts for Molly...or Molly for Gifts?

Ellie came to Provo last week to play. Dad pointed out that the Molly-Ellie relationship is a symbiotic one. Ellie loves Molly. She likes chasing molly, calling Molly Elmo (Ma-mo), petting her. Molly gets a good deal because when Ellie eats, she doesn't know how to keep all the food on the table, yet. And even if she did, I suspect that she would try to feed the animals, anyway.

Molly gets some welcomed gifts from Ellie.

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At home, on the other hand, Molly has decided that she enjoys the Christmas tree skirt, and often settles in right under the bows, just like a Christmas gift. I was tempted to put a ribbon on her.

The prettiest-wrapped gift under the tree.

Tagged?

I was reading the blog of my good friend, Toni, when I came across a post titled "I was Tagged." She listed 6 things about herself, and then offered the challenge to me to do the same. I suppose this is what "tagged" means. So, here goes:

1. I hate cooking at home. Give me someone else's kitchen, sure- or a commercial kitchen, even better. I feel guilty whenever anyone finds out I have a culinary arts degree and then makes some comment about how lucky my husband must be. Poor guy.

2. I love the Christmas season more than the actual day, and I don't get sick of the songs.

3. I love shoes. I hate shopping.

4. I care about almost everything anyone else cares about. Y'know when someone starts talking about something wierd, like the trouble they had with the toothpaste this morning, and everyone who is listening is thinking "Why is he telling us this?" instead of actually listening? Well, at this point I am usually thinking "oh, really?" I'm not sure yet if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

5. I wish I could have a baby, but since this doesn't seem to be happening, I would rather spend money to foster or adopt, rather than spend money in the doctor's office. I hate being a patient, and for some reason I feel like not having a baby is an opportunity, not just a burden.

6. I've read Alma 5 every single day for the past two weeks. It takes me 20 mintues.

School Pictures

A couple of weeks ago we had school pictures taken. It feels weird to know that I'm going to be in the "faculty" section of the yearbook. No one ever does more than glance over the lunch lady's pictures, but I'll be there nonetheless. I got a package of pictures of different sizes, but I honestly have no idea what I will do with them. I decided that if I post a picture here then it will be preserved and I don't have to keep a bunch of wallets, 4x6's and whatever else they gave me. So here it is, Anna wearing the School Crest on her shirt. Thank you all for humoring me.

The A&W Christmas Card

Happy Holidays! According to my brother-in-law, Mike, We can officially start singing Christmas songs today, should we so desire. And you, lucky you, can start viewing our 2007 Christmas card because I have provided a link to it below! Just click on our picture in front of the Christmas tree.

And should you get to the end of the Christmas card and want to know the answers to the "Who Read What?" trivia, click on Molly. She'll be happy to tell you the answers as soon as she finishes this chapter...

Chef's Table "The Best Of Utah Valley"

Tonight Will and I were treated to a very nice dinner at Chef's Table, often considered Utah Valley's nicest restaurant, along with Mom and Dad Faber. It so happens that they had received gift certificates and I had received a complimentary meal for two (by virtue of working at the restaurant durring the Christmas season 2006). The gift card covered the whole meal for Mom and Dad, and Will and I simply paid a tip. It was dee-lish.
Mom commented that she would often fantasize: "One day we will go out to eat with one of our children and we will not be the ones paying." Well, my friends, eight kids and I get the honors to be the first. Take that!

Third and Final Installment of the '07 Pumpkin-Themed Blog

The Halloween party this year was so much fun. I volunteered to make a cake for the cake walk, along with some cupcakes. The cupcakes turned out great, they feature the classic jack-o-lantern, a mummy, a monster, and an overgrown grave with a spiderweb. They were so much fun that I made some extra for Will to take to work.
The cake turned out alright, too. It featured a super-chocolate graveyard. The headstones were all made from solid chocolate and there's one open grave- you could be next! I added some long grass to make the graveyard look overgrown, like the cupcakes, but I think the pure chocolate version actually looked better.
This year, as with every year, I had the hardest time coming up with costumes. I was looking through the costume box at my mom's house when I found a blond wig. I put it on - I kind of like wigs.
Shelly, my sister, also had to show off her Halloween surprises. She put on an all-black bodysuit and looked like a ninja. She scared everyone with her creeping around.
When they were done screaming, everyone saw my blond wig and asked me if I was going to be Miss Piggy for Halloween. Why not? I like the whole couples-dress-in-related-costumes thing, so naturally I had to make a Kermit costume for Will. The costumes turned out pretty awesome.
Now it's all over. I just hope that I can think of some more fun ideas by next year.