Rainbow State

We just returned from a two week long vacation to Hawaii. Escaping the cold and wet weather here in Oregon was blissful. The first week was spent on Maui with the hubby's family to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of his folks. 17 of us in a big house. Pure fun.

 

Our days were simple. We went to the beach in the mornings, got back to the house for lunch and naps, lounged by the pool in the afternoons and ate an early dinner so there was time for games and fun before going to bed early.

 

 

The second week we traveled with my in-laws to Kauai where we met my parents and older sister. The weather wasn't nearly as warm as Maui but we could still wear shorts (my family who is from Southern California thought it was chilly and wore pants and long sleeved shirts the entire time...inconceivable!). Here our days were even simpler and our greatest quandary of the day was where to eat dinner.

 

It was a memorable vacation but like the song says..."there's no place like home for the holidays."

Blogs I Love

Before I started to blog I followed several. Part of me feels like it is weird to follow the lives of people you don't know but another part of me is so entertained! A large number of the blogs I follow are cooking/baking blogs. I can't seem to get enough! Here is a list of my favorites:

• Bake at 350 - The best sugar cookie recipe and creative decorating ideas
• Beyond Kimchee - Korean recipes with amazing photos
• Brown Eyed Baker - Tasty desserts for every occasion or craving
• Frugal Living NW - Coupon clipping for the lazy! They tell you where to get the coupon, when to apply it and how much you can get something for
• Hot Polka Dot - Fun and innovative recipes. Tic Tacs in your dessert?
• Joy the Baker - Yummy baked goods with a contemporary edge
• Kristin and Kayla - Awesome photography with some creative and quirky Photoshopping
• My Baking Addiction - The name pretty much explains this one!
• Simply Recipes - Good basics. Whenever I want the starting blocks for a recipe, I go here.
• The Pioneer Woman - Entertaining blog about Ranch life in Oklahoma
• Two Peas and Their Pod - Simple and easy cooking

Roasting Chestnuts

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire... I don't know about you but I never really thought about the words to that famous Christmas carole until my hubby's family introduced me to this awesome nut. There used to be a few chestnut trees at a local park. Each Fall I would head over and pick up the nuts from their prickly coverings. Sadly those trees were chopped down a couple of years ago. Luckily Frank the farmer has some trees and has shared his bounty with us. We've never roasted chesnuts over an open fire but do roast them in the oven. It's a bit labor intensive at times to get the nuts out as the skin can sometimes stick, but it is well worth the effort!

 

 

Start by scoring an "X" on the outer shell.

 

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the outer shell starts to peel away.

 

Allow to cool or you will burn your fingers. These little guys really retain the heat! Once cool, remove the outer shell and the inner papery skin.  The inner papery skin is what sometimes sticks and is a pain to get off. When you get a perfectly peeled nut, it is a great accomplishment (at least for me).

 

Usually they break a part a bit but they still taste great! Sweet, soft and like the Fall.

Art Project #4

For my last art project I wanted to do a little cartoon for the kiddos bathroom. My friend Amanda's dad got me this hilarious t-shirt from a coffee shop in Corvallis. Being originally from there, I instantly loved the word play about a dinosaur from Corvallis and the location "Corvallis, OR, US".

I decided to do something similar for my 4th art project. I Googled some dinosaur cartoons and attempted to draw something recognizable as a dinosaur and put him in an Oregon State t-shirt.

 

It isn't fine art by any means but fits the kids' bathroom perfectly!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,
Rice Pot Mama

Thank you.

Two simple words. Thank you. So easy to say but not said often enough.

Thank you cards are something that we didn't do growing up but something I have come to appreciate as an adult. My friend Holly is the queen of thank you cards. She writes them for everything and somehow makes them personal and touching without getting sachrine.

When I get a thank you card that I know took effort and thought, it means so much. I am working on my thank you card writing skills but have also come to appreciate the beauty of some store bought thank you cards.

 

These are a couple my Auntie Bonnie gave me. Aren't they cute?

We have a large amount of left over Halloween candy so I've taken to baking with it. We've chopped up Reece's Peanut Butter Cups and put them on top of cupcakes, substituted chopped up Snickers for chocolate chips in cookies, and put mints into brownies. I found this Butterfinger Cookies recipe from My Baking Addiction blog and knew I had to make them.

I switched things up a little bit and added chopped Reece's Peanut Butter Cups too. I think my ratio was about 1 1/2 cups Butterfinger and 1/2 cup of Reece's. The cookies were soft and chewy and stayed moist for the entire week. We'll be making these again soon! 

Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c. white sugar
2/3 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
2 egg whites
1 1/4 c. smooth peanut butter
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
2 c. candy bars, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking sheets.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the egg whites and beat well. Beat in the peanut butter and the vanilla, mixing until well combined.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in the chopped candy bars.

Using a medium cookie scoop (about 1 ½ tablespoons) shape dough into balls and place on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove cookies from oven and allow them to cool for about 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before moving them to a cooling rack.