Recipes of the Month:

Chocolate Cherry Bundt Cake:
1 package chocolate cake mix, 2 T. flour, 1 21 oz. can cherry pie filling, 1 tsp. almond extract, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 1 T. butter, 2 T. milk, 1/2 cup powdered sugar.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using solid shortening, grease and flour 12-cup bundt pan. In a large bowl, blend first 5 ingredients. Beat 2 minutes on high speed. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool upright in pan for 45 minutes. Turn onto serving plate. Cool completely. In small pan, over low heat combine chocolate chips, butter and milk until chocolate chips melt, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in powdered sugar with a wisk until smooth. Add additional milk if necessary for glazing consistency. Spoon over cake.

Another fun, easy dessert for summer is called Ice cream Sandwich Dessert:
10 ice cream sandwiches (Fat Boys), 1 12 oz. container Cool Whip, chocolate syrup, 2 Skor candy bars.
Place Fat Boys in bottom of 9x13 pan (may need to cut them). Cover with Cool Whip. Drizzle with chocolate syrup. Sprinkle 2 crushed Skor bars on top. Freeze until ready to serve.

Happy Birthday Dale & Linda

Dale & I spent the entire weekend of the 24th celebrating our birthdays! Thursday we had family come watch the Handcart Days fireworks with us (Bountiful City must spend half their budget on the fireworks every year-they were fantastic as usual). We had homemade chocolate ice cream and our favorite birthday cake-Cherry Chocolate Bundt Cake. Friday, we went to Park City and stayed at the Marriott Mountainside. We went to dinner at the Snake Creek Grill in Heber. Their black bottom banana cream pie is one of the best desserts ever! Saturday we rode the Alpine Coaster (what an adventure-I didn't brake once!) On the way home we stopped at the Outlet Stores...I can't pass by without at least stopping to see what good deals I can find! That night we headed to Spring Mobile Ballpark (formerly Franklin Covey Field, formerly Derks Field) to watch the Bees (formerly the Buzz, formerly the Stingers, formerly the Bees) game. They lost to the Portland Beavers, but it was a beautiful night at the ballpark and the peanuts were delicious!
I'm grateful to have such a great guy to share my birthday with...

PHOTO OF THE MONTH:

"Bountiful Sunset" taken by Dale July 7, 2009.

American Idol Tour Concert

July 14th I drug Dale to the American Idol Tour concert at the E-Center. He thought we would be the oldest people there, but we weren't!! A lady sitting in front of us was at least 80! I'm sure if she wasn't already hard of hearing, she was after the concert...It was SO loud. Darren & Karlie came with us and had a camera. The photos didn't turn out very well, but here are a few. My favorite song was Kris Allen's Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone. Adam Lambert did an amazing job singing Mad World, and I also really liked the performances of Matt Giraud & Danny Gokey. All the contestants sounded fantastic-maybe they've been taking singing lessons...
Thanks for being a good sport, Dale!!

Finger Paintin' & Tubbin'

Oh what do we do in the Summertime?? Hot tub and fingerpaint of course!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Photo of the Month

This photo was taken by Darren on June 1st. Whenever there's a storm, the boys like to put the camera on a tri-pod on the deck and take photos of lightning.  Quite an "electrifying" photo D!

Say Hello to Harley!

We have a new addition to our family!! Chris' family got a new Shitzu puppy a few weeks ago. Ashley wanted to name him Bo, but everyone else liked Harley. To make her happy, his full name is Harley Bo Muir. 

Recipes of the month

Corn-Bean Salsa:

1 can shoe-peg corn or frozen petite corn (1 1/3 cups)

1 can black beans

1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

1/4th of a white onion chopped fine

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 avocado, diced (optional)

2 limes, juiced

1 T. red wine vinegar

1/2 T. olive oil

1 tsp. salt (or less)

Drain corn and rinse & drain beans. Combine in bowl with cilantro, onion, tomatoes and avocado. Combine lime juice, vinegar, oil and salt. Shake in a container and pour over vegetables. Chill. Good by itself or with chips or fajitas. 

*Hint of Lime Tostitos are very good with this salsa. 

**Best if eaten the day it's made.

Grilled Pineapple: This is another of our favorite side dishes we have a lot in the summer.

Just cut a fresh pineapple in rings, brush with vegetable oil and BBQ for about 3 minutes per side. Cooking the pineapple brings out the sweetness-it's delicious give it a try!

Grilled onions are also a great side dish and very easy. Just brush with oil & sprinkle with salt & pepper. Cook about 5 minutes per side.

Dance Recital

June 13th Jensyn & Ashley performed at their 2009 Jazz Studio dance recital.

It's hard to get photos of them on the stage dancing in a dark auditorium, but here are a few! My favorite dance was the "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" routine.  Good job, girls!