Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

 Hello again, blogging world! I know I've been absent, but I couldn't let October pass without at least ONE fabulous pumpkin recipe! Some of you may have seen me sharing about these life-changing cookies all over social media, you might even have the first draft of the recipe! Well, after four batches and three different adjustments, THIS is the perfect pumpkin snickerdoodle recipe! I squeezed in some more pumpkin and evened out the spices, so pencil in the changes on whatever version you may have saved!

One of the things I dreamed about when we were waiting to bring our daughter home was baking for her. Filling her to the brim with delicious treats! Well, that didn't go quite as planned, since she arrived with a wariness of all things bread and a sweet tooth that only liked candy. Instead, she made me up my noodles and meats game. Slowly but surely, she's getting a taste for baked treats, and I have found the secret weapon: pumpkin!!

She loves EVERYTHING with pumpkin in it! (Not to mention actual pumpkins) Heck, she'd eat pumpkin out of the can with a spoon. And I just might let her... These cookies are hands-down her favorite! They just might be the Geologist's new favorite cookie too... So basically, if you haven't tried them already, you MUST!

Homemade Salsa

Re-post today, because this is one of our family's summer essentials, and I just happen to be making a behemoth batch of it today! The Geologist requires plenty of salsa for football season, but we usually just barely run out after the Superbowl, so hopefully this batch will last a little longer. :)

Essential tips for making homemade salsa:

First: Wear gloves. Don't be a hero, you are slicing up jalapenos, and I don't care how tough you are, NOTHING gets jalapenos off your fingers. I tried it all, lemon, rubbing alcohol, baking soda, dish soap... Nuthin. You WILL put your finger in your eye. Or use it to put on lip balm and have spicy lips. Just wear the gloves. 

Second: If there is any possible way for you to move your food processor outside for the chopping of toxic veggies, do it! Extension cord, outdoor plug, whatever. It helps SO much!

Third: At some point you will have to cook this concoction, even if just for a few minutes. Make sure all of your doors and windows are open, all fans are on first, you are simmering tear gas. You will run from your kitchen, eyes streaming, seeking shelter from the fumes! Ventilation, people!

Fourth: Keep ventilating as long as possible. All night if you can. Your whole house will smell like salsa. Which is kinda fun while you're making it, not so much when you wake up the next morning... and your pancakes taste like salsa... Took me 48 hours to get the salsa smell out of my house!

Kimchi Bacon Fried Rice

Can I just quit my "job", move to Korea, and learn how to rap in Korean? No? Okay fiiiiine. Ugh. I'm obsessed with this stuff you guys. Korean music is spoiling me for American Top 20 nonsense. I've got this new song on repeat and my boys learn the lyrics faster than I do. In fact, they created a game where I pick them up from school, they roll down the windows, we crank a Korean song up nice and loud and they see how many "weird looks" we get. Although I suspect a good half of those looks are due to Joe's rap faces. He's pretty hardcore. I'm pretty sure the other parents think we're obnoxious... little do they know that our Korean rap/pop is squeaky clean! Pardon my nerd-ness, I'm done for today. :)

Well, not completely, since I'm also a food nerd, and watching all of these Korean dramas (cuz somehow you just can't have the music without the dramas!) made me run to the internet searching for recipes for all the amazing looking things they're eating. I've loved kimchi ever since I was 14, when one of my best friends used to bring her Mom's homemade kimchi to school for lunch. Yum!! Anyway, in the midst of my TV-fueled Korean cravings, I discovered a new favorite food blog called Beyond Kimchee. I found this crazy dish there, and it's my new favorite thing to eat for lunch. It may sound a bit odd, especially among my pies and muffins and things, but it's deeeelicious!All you have to do is find yourself some decent kimchi, (or make some!!) and you should have the rest hanging around your house! Oh, and if you need some music to listen to while enjoying your kimchi fried rice, let me know and I'll be happy to recommend a few songs. ;)

Grilled Sesame Scallion Steak

Happy 4th of July!! 

I know I'm a little late for your Independence Day parties, in fact most of you probably won't see this recipe until the fireworks are all cleaned up and normal life has resumed, but hey, if you're not sick of grilling yet, try this one! We've put it on the shelf for years, lacking a decent grill, but now it's back in rotation and oh, how I've missed it!

Raspberry Rhubarb Crunch

I. Love. Rhubarb. Unfortunately, it is kinda hard to find around here, at least reliably. If it wasn't so early in the year, I'm sure I could count on our awesome farmers markets, but sadly, they start up right after rhubarb season is ended. So every time I go to the grocery store I eye the tiny space that holds the rhubarb for a few weeks... usually they're too big, too tough, too old, too green... But every once in a while I get lucky, and they're just right, slim and snappy and ruby red. And when they are, I bring home a big bag and make this, my favorite rhubarb dessert ever! You could use just rhubarb; or add strawberries, the classic combo, but I love the tartness of rhubarb and like to complement it with tangy raspberries. Either way, it'll be delicious!!

Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

TA-DAH!!! How do you like the new look?? I felt it was about time for a teeny bit of sprucing up around here! I have to figure out a way to move my recipe index to one of those tabs, but other than that, it's all ready to go! I love it, it's cleaner and brighter and makes me happy! Plus, I did it ALL by myself! *pat on the back* Code and everything, woohoo! I hope everyone likes it. :) Please leave a comment if you find any errors or malfunctions! Also, I finally joined the social media parade and created a Facebook page for Dimples and Delights, and you can follow it with that cute little red Facebook button in the right column. See you there!

Time for something yummy and sunny, because yet again we're getting dumped on by a snowstorm! Supposedly, we're going to get 8-14 inches, but it's going to have to take it up a notch if we're going to get there. I shall snuggle in and bake some bread (very excited about this recipe!) and try to resist the urge to bake gingerbread (it's just so Christmassy outside!) and pray that this storm doesn't destroy what is left of my poor lilac bush. The last one that we missed while in Utah broke a few crucial branches. Sadness. Oh well!! At least it's still alive! I can't help it, even now, snowstorms are fun. The slushy muddy days after them, not so much, but I'll always be a sucker for snow.

Meet Mei Li Kay!

The blogging itch has been growing the past few weeks, and last night I got a pretty huge boost of motivation! Some of you may have seen it, but just in case, Buzzfeed posted a list of 25 High-Altitude Recipes and FIVE of them were mine! I had over 3000 hits in 24 hours! Welp, turns out that was the final push I needed, and I'm baaaack! I posted some epic chocolate cupcakes yesterday, and today I'm catching you up on life. Specifically, my 4 year old distraction from blogging, Mei Li Kay!

Ultimate Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes

You might notice that this is the very first cupcake recipe on this blog. Ever. In 5 years. That's because I'm not a huge fan of cupcakes, to be perfectly honest. They're just too sweet for me! But this is not just any cupcake. Noooo, this is THE most chocolate-y cupcake I've ever encountered. This cupcake is so amazingly delicious that it even earned itself a nickname and a cute backstory. We call these babies "Chocolate Puppies". Why? Well, my Mom used to be THE resident treat-maker for my Dad's office. Considering this office changed every three years, thanks to the US Air Force, that was quite a badge of honor. Certain cookies and breads of her making became famous across multiple Air Force bases! So one day she hauled a few dozen dozen of these cupcakes to the office and one of the captains, a fellow chocolate fanatic, was so enraptured with them that after his first bite, he was going on and on about how good it was. He was cradling it by his face and my mom said, "Terry, get a hold of yourself! You're holding that thing like it's a puppy or something!!" Thus the nickname Chocolate Puppies was born. I actually posted them forever ago, but the pictures are simply atrocious, plus I tweaked them (of course!).

Favorite Christmas Treats

I said I wasn't going to post, but I'm sitting here waiting for my second batch of caramels to hit "soft ball" and realized that heck, there are a few more days until Christmas, maybe a few of you are looking for a last treat or two to whip together, so here is a compilation of my very favorite Christmas treats. Enjoy, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

First up, since they're the one that gave me this idea, Classic Caramels. Perfect, chewy, buttery caramels, and not as tricky as you might think!

It's been a while...

Hello friends! I kinda dropped off the face of the earth there, didn't I. Last thing you heard, I was off to the UK! Our trip was glorious, heavenly, an absolute dream come true. As excited as I was for Scotland, the Yorkshire Dales totally captured The Geologist's and my heart, so if the bottom drops out of the petroleum industry, we're totally moving there and opening a B&B. And we'll go camping in Scotland and Wales on the weekends. That's the plan!

I'm sorry I haven't been posting, this whole adoption thing kind of took over my life. 85% of my brain is in China with Meili, and I am not good for much else these days! In fact, so much has happened, things have moved along pretty quickly, and we fly to China NEXT FRIDAY. Just like our trip to the UK, I can barely wrap my head around it, but I will be holding my little girl on January 4th!

Chicken Gyros & Homemade Pita Bread

WE LEAVE TOMORROW!!!

I can't believe it. That's just one of those things we say, but honestly, I don't think I'll 100% believe I'm actually going until the plane leaves the ground. I have zero experience with international travel. The Geologist has been to Egypt and the Bahamas, but the furthest I've been outside of the USA is a drive down into Mexico with my best friend and her family when I was eight or nine. Considering that the only things I remember from that trip are olive trees and gross cold fish tacos, I'm going to have to say that doesn't count. But now I have a passport and I'm going to be flying over an ocean! Heck, we have a layover in Iceland! I probably won't have a chance to leave the airport, but still!!  Iceland!! I'm... just... floored. Okay. Gathering myself together, ha!

Today's recipe is a re-post, because it's one of my favorite recipes I've ever discovered on a fellow food blog (shout-out to Half-Baked Harvest!!) and the pictures from my original post are... kind of awful, lol! Some day I'll get the hang of rolling them up, so they actually look like gyros... Oh well!

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Wow, it's been forever since I posted something chocolate-y on here!! Looking through the archives... Back in March? Jeepers! It's about time I share this one then! This is the second attempt to post this recipe, the pictures from the first attempt I just... couldn't. Nope. I'm off to run errands and finish re-painting the basement, so until tomorrow, friends!!

Roasted Corn with Manchego and Lime

You GUYS. I leave for the UK on Saturday!! Only FIVE days!!! I don't even know what to do with myself. I'm sorry it took me so long to get back on the blogging "horse", but I'm finally coming out of my adoption brain fog and will give you a nice full week of recipes before I leave, and set up a few to post while I'm gone. It's still depressingly hot and summer-y around here, even though I am SO ready for Fall, so I'll give you a handful of my last Summer recipes, because as far as I'm concerned, it will be Fall when I get back. I decree it must be so! 

Starting off the lineup today is my new favorite Summer side. My little sis made this when she was home for the early summer term and I couldn't stop eating it. It's ridiculously addictive!! I never got a chance to bring it to any BBQ's or picnics, but I made it for myself a few times! If fresh corn is still as yummy where you are as it is here, you need to make some of this awesome stuff ASAP!

We Found Her!!!

Source: Pinterest

It's true!! It finally happened!! We found our little girl!! I can't post pictures or give many details for a few months, until China approves the match, but I can tell you she just turned three, we still hope to travel in January to get her, and we are ALL in LOVE!! We honestly weren't expecting to get our first referral for a child for weeks yet, maybe months, and now we know who she is! I barely even know what to do with myself! I'll be back with food tomorrow, today is all about being beyond joyful!!

I also wanted to let you know that we are doing just a smidgen of fundraising, no pressure, but if you're interested, come take a look at the beautiful t-shirt we designed :)

https://www.bonfirefunds.com/phillips-china-adoption

PS- YAAAAAAY!!!!!!

August 20 Daybook

 

Source: alittlebitofsillinessreally

For today, August 20 ... I'm back!! I had every intention of blogging all summer, but between adoption stuff, entertaining the boys (aka living at the pool), vacations, and life in general, my brain was just on constant overload. I sat down in front of the computer a few times and stared blankly at the screen for a while before realizing that I had nuthin. :) Luckily I kept taking pictures of food, so I have fun stuff saved up for you!

May 27 Daybook

Source: seasonalwonderment

For today, May 27 ...

Fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes with Buttermilk Syrup

Another re-post! These are my favorite pancakes ever in the history of pancakes. I posted them way back in the beginning months of my blog, and while the pictures weren't terrible, they just didn't do these completely scrumptious pancakes justice! Plus they were missing some historical toppings. You see, these pancakes are a kind of family heirloom.

Back in July 2012, when I began this blog, I was in and out of the hospital preparing for a yard sale surgery. Ironically enough, I started a food blog during a time when I couldn't really eat anything! My Mom was visiting us (and most of her family) in Utah for the 4th of July and my doctors let me leave the hospital just in time to go to a very special family reunion with her. A reunion of two families: The Watts and Rytting families. Ardean Watts was her Dad's (my Grandpa's) best friend. His family, and my Mom's family, the Ryttings, practically grew up together. Camping, holidays, various celebrations, all spent together before everyone grew up and scattered to the winds. Most of them happened to be back in Utah for a wedding that year, and they decided to get the whole "clan" back together for a Fourth of July breakfast, including all possible progeny. It was quite an experience! We all got to meet each other, catch up, and listen to Ardean's notorious story-telling. And I tasted these amazing pancakes for the first time! Totally cheated, I wasn't supposed to be eating solid food but I just had to try one bite and fell in love! It was months before I could make them for myself, but so worth it. They're still my favorites.

A Garden Post

Well, Winter has come and gone, and I've gone a little garden crazy the past few weeks! Winter did leave a parting gift though, another Mother's Day snow storm. What is it with Mother's Day and snow around here?! Last year the storm completely flattened my massive peonies, so I never got to experience their true glory. This year we managed (just barely) keep them safe, and they're huge!! I keep having the boys stand next to them to see if they've finally topped my children... not quite yet...

Best Chewy Sugar Cookies

Today I have a re-post for you! And because I am saving all of my interesting blogging thoughts for my daybook, and I described these cookies so well the first time, I think I'll just use my words over again, with MUCH better pictures! Enjoy :)

There are two, distinct, completely different kinds of sugar cookies in this world. Lets get that straight. There are the fluffier, thicker kind, the kind you cut into shapes and frost. Then there are the chewy, crispy, covered-in-sugar cousins to the snickerdoodle. Keeping up? Good. I love both. I already have a perfect cut-out sugar cookie recipe, but we'll save that one for a holiday (and frost them, of course!). I've never bothered to try and make the other kind, because they always let me down. I am PICKY. When you have a cookie this simple, it has to be PERFECT. It should taste creamy, and buttery, not just like sugar. Bleck. So when I saw this recipe at Bunny's Warm Oven, I was skeptical. But she said they were the best... and the pictures looked just about perfect... and I was determined to make a batch of cookies for the boys. Not to mention it has cream cheese in it. Cream cheeeese... Which I love as much as lemon, and more than most things.

Banana Cream Pie: My Favorite Pie Ever!

Well, almost every last piece of our big ole pile of paperwork is in, just waiting to finish up our homestudy on Friday and send it off for the first big wait: approval from immigration. This is the trickiest one, because they quote you a 60-90 day wait! It can be less, heck, it can be under 30 days, but you just never know. Isn't that crazy??  It's hard to think about much else these days, I have to admit. Hang in there with me friends, I'll keep you posted! And keep posting :). I'm writing up half a dozen posts today, scout's honor!