Claire's Sunday dinner

We celebrated Claire's upcoming 27th birthday on Sunday while she and R were in town. The menu was:
Spinach salad with strawberries & poppy seed dressing
Baked asparagus
Lion House rolls with freezer raspberry jam
Chicken Chalupas
Fresh strawberry refrigerator dessert

(recipes available upon request)
PS - Dave and Courtney attended as well. They just got there a little late and missed being in the video.

Oatmeal toffee cookies

Today I made a huge batch of these oatmeal toffee cookies. They say "comfort food" to me in a big way. They are a favorite of my daughter Claire who just happens to be in town for a few days with her husband R to visit his mother who is very ill.
Here is the recipe in case you've never made them. I always double the recipe. If you're going to make cookies, then make cookies!

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 eggs
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 1/3 cups (8 oz. pkg.) Heath Bit o Brickle Toffee bits
1 cup coconut flakes (optional) I don't often put the coconut in because Claire doesn't like coconut.

Heat oven to 375 degrees, lightly grease cookie sheet. Beat butter, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Beat until blended. Stir in oats, toffee bits and coconut if desired with spoon.
Drop dough (by using a small ice cream scoop) about 2 inches apart onto a prepared cookie sheet. Bake 8 minutes. Let cool five minutes on the cookie sheet before removing. Cool on a wire cooling rack.

Unlike my sister Lee who is the COOKIE QUEEN of the universe, I don't have a lot of cookie making secrets, but I do have a few, which are these ~ always use real butter, margarine just doesn't taste the same. Let the butter come to room temperature if possible before making the dough. If you must soften the butter in the microwave, don't let it melt. I've noticed that melting the butter changes the consistency of the cookie and makes them greasy. Use real vanilla, not imitation. Use a small little ice cream scoop as shown in the picture to make the cookies all the same size. Don't over bake cookies. Take them out when they are just barely done and let them sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes to finish cooking. This results in a chewy cookie as opposed to a hard, crunchy cookie. Always make more than you need and freeze the rest or share them.
I'm proud to say I've only eaten TWO. In fact today I could pull my jeans down to my knees without unbuttoning them or unzipping the zipper. Size 12, here I come!!!!

Bigotry against M-o-r-m-o-n-s

Take a look at this opinion piece today in the Salt Lake Tribune. The author hits on a topic that is real and disconcerting here in Utah. I tend to agree with him. Here is a little sample of the article:
"It is obvious to an outsider that Utah, or at least Salt Lake City, has within itself a deeply held culture of bigotry. A bigotry so ingrained in the cultural norm that the readers posting comments to the newspaper's blogs, apparently believing they are freethinking and ironic, are saying things online that would never be allowed into print if written about other groups.

The Tribune and Utah bloggers seem unaware of this.

I noticed that after Utah and BYU athletic events, many bloggers simply use the occasion to display anti-Mormon hatred that had little relevance to the actual game..."

We live in a state where people reside who hate us because of our religious beliefs. Lots of other people hate us who live outside of the state. There are bigots on both sides of the debate. Mormons don't have a corner on perfection. Even though we strive to improve ourselves and make wise choices like most people, we are not perfect. However, those who speak the loudest just speak the loudest on both sides of the debate. They do no represent the silent masses who just go about living their lives and doing the best they can. There is a divide in this state that grows wider and deeper with the passage of time and events. The thing I object to are the generalizations that are used to categorize all people into one common stereotype. I am thought of as persona non grata because I live in Utah County as well and have affiliation with BYU. Could there be a more vile, repressed, unsophisticated, non-thinker, ignorantly obedient, weird, judgmental, self-righteous, provincial, backward, narrow-minded, prejudiced bigot than I?

Personality colors

Years ago Rick and I took a personality test that asked questions about our core thoughts and feelings and other motivational factors that make up our personalities. The book is called the Color Code.
It's an interesting look at what makes a person tick, and how that person relates to other people based on their personality characteristics. It puts people into four basic categories or colors and outlines their strengths and limitations. Of course people can have characteristics from each color, but each of us is generally predominately one color. Here's a little overview ~
RED ~ The Power Wielders. Are hungry for power. Want to look good to others. Seek leadership opportunities. Want to be productive. Shouldn't be taken too seriously. Some characteristics: active and productive, demanding and critical, competitive and bold, disagreeable, calculating and manipulative, insecure in some areas, tenacious and taxing, resourceful & self-reliant, lack intimacy orientation, assertive and determined, relentless and impatient.
BLUE ~ the Do-Gooders. Motivated by altruism. Directed by a strong moral conscience. Crave intimacy (loving relationships). Need to be loved. Some characteristics: emotional and admired, high expectations, self-sacrificing and nurturing, appropriate and sincere, self-righteous & insecure, committed and loyal, demanding, unforgiving and resentful, purposeful & dedicated, perfectionist, self-disciplined and stable, worry & guilt, moody & complex.
WHITES ~ the Peace Keepers. Motivated by peace. Like to keep a low profile. Motivated by other people's desires. Need kindness. Are independent. Some characteristics: peaceful and diplomatic, tolerant & patient, blendable, accepting, gentle and even-tempered, silent & stubborn, insecure & non-assertive, impressionable, unproductive dreamers, boring & lazy, aimless and misguided, doubtful & dependent, withhold feelings, unmotivated, timid & emotionally unsure, indecisive.
YELLOW ~ the Fun Lovers. Value play. Need intimacy through physical contact. Like action. Welcome praise. Want to be popular. Some characteristics: happy & fun, irresponsible, disorganized & incomplete, naive & trusting, self-centered, enthusiastic & carefree, impulsive & undisciplined, chatter-box & flirt, uncommitted, superficial, charismatic & popular.

The book is an interesting read and is helpful when trying to understand different personalities and their points of reference. It helps sort out basic human interactions when people respond so differently to similar situations, based on their personality color. It also gives some good tips on how to "deal" with personalities different than our own and how husbands and wives can better interact. I'll admit (which will come as no surprise to anyone who knows me) to being a predominately red personality with strong blue characteristics as well (nearly 50/50), some white and very little yellow characteristics. My husband is mostly blue with a lot of white, some red and little yellow. Our four children are probably each a different color! It's been so fun to raise them because they are each their own person and have their own unique personalities. Do you know your color?

Kids say the darndest things