salmon potato chowder. yum.

It has been snowing on and off all weekend!  So, for dinner I made one of my favorite meals... and I don't even generally like soups!

Salmon Potato Chowder
Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 pound potatoes - peeled and cubed
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 8 ounces cooked salmon filet (or smoked salmon), shredded
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 1 cup half and half

Directions

1. In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, combine the butter, olive oil, onion, garlic, and celery. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, or until the onions are transparent. Sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir well to make a dry roux. Gradually add the chicken broth and stir until slightly thickened. Stir in the potatoes, dill, tarragon, thyme, and paprika. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Stir in the salmon, wine, lemon juice, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Simmer over low heat, uncovered for 10 minutes.
3. Mix in the half-and-half and continue to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not let the chowder boil after adding the half-and-half. Serve hot.

OR...  you can mix Step 1 and 2 and leave all day on med/low in a crock pot.  Then, do Step 3, let it heat up and serve!!

martha stewart incognito.

Congratulations to Mark and Lindsey on the pregnancy!!  Ryan and I can't wait to be an uncle and aunt!!

I had so much fun sewing for Lindsey and baby "Gus Gus."  Here are some of the fun things that I made for them for the baby shower:

Baby blankets!  Didn't Diane and Hayley pick out adorable fabric?!

Diaper/Burp cloths!

Diaper Bag!

I'm thinking about opening an Etsy store...  We'll see what happens.  But it could be fun.  If only there were more hours in the day.  :)

And, since it is snowing here in Arizona, there are Carrot Cake Cookies in the oven.

Martha Stewart, watch out.

coconut sherry chicken curry.

I was told a couple of times that I should start sharing some of my favorite recipes on my blog, so here it goes:

It is stinking cold here so, to help warm us up tonight, I made Coconut Sherry Chicken Curry.  So amazingly yummy and it makes the house smell so good!

Coconut Sherry Chicken Curry ::

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks
• ~ 4 white potatoes cubed
• ~ a handfull of baby carrots
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 large onion, cut into chunks
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup cooking sherry
• 2 cubes beef bouillon
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons curry powder
• water to cover
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 C Jasmine Rice, prepared

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Coat chicken with cornstarch and place in skillet with garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Add sherry and beef bouillon and let liquid reduce a little.  Add potatoes and carrots.
2. Stir in peanut butter and curry powder and add water to cover; add ginger, reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes, or until potatoes and carrots are soft.  Then lastly stir in coconut milk and serve hot over Jasmine Rice.

I know it doesn't look very pretty but trust me...this is amazing. 

SOOOO yummy!  This is definitely one of Ryan's favorites!

On another note, I would like to wish Grandma Hansford a big Happy Birthday!  We love you!

the spin cycle.

We gave the dogs a bath this morning.  I guess you can call it spring cleaning because it is, after all, 55 degrees and sunny this morning, even though it is just the end of January.

The very appropriately named 'spin cycle' that occurs post-bath:

And the end result:

keeping up with the joneses

Jennah and Nate came to visit a couple of weekends ago!  It was so great to see them.  It was a fun weekend full of hiking, exploring downtown Prescott and Jerome, trying out the local brewery, and getting a Mani/Pedi (just to clarify...that last one was just Jennah and I).

I didn't have my camera with me during our first hike at the Granite Dells along Willow Lake.  This is unfortunate because this is where Ice Bocce Ball was invented which, as it turns out, is an incredibly difficult and addicting sport.  I expect to see it in the next Winter Olympics.

However, the next day, I did have my camera as we drug Nate and Jennah to the exact thing they were trying to get away from when they came down from Colorado... Snow.  We headed up to Sedona and I can, FINALLY, say:  "The West Fork Trail?  Yeah.  Been there.  Done that."  And it was beautiful!  And, covered in snow.

This is the brilliance behind Ice Bocce Ball.

Yay for the West Fork Trail!

Since their visit, I have adopted two new favorite past times:  1.  Ice Bocce Ball.  I'm hoping to represent the US at those Olympics.  2.  Looking at local outpatient ortho PT jobs for Jennah, so that they can move to AZ.  :)

christmas, part 2

You remember Halloween Witch Franz?  Well, thanks to Grandma Barbara, we now have Reindeer Franz...

I can't wait to see if there is an Easter Bunny Franz.

-----------------------------------

While huge snowflakes were falling in town, Ryan, Steve, Diane and I headed up to the Colorado Trail for some snow shoeing!  It was beautiful.  One of my all time favorite trails!

Our familia, minus the Franzie

Max and Millie had a great time chasing Sonora around through the snow!  We had some tired dogs at the end of the day.

Steve and Diane with Max and Millie.  So cute.  

The Colorado Trail.  One of the most beautiful trails in the whole wide world.  

What a wonderful day!  It was great to get outside and play in the snow.

--------------------------------------------

Before I pack up the Christmas tree, we would like to recognize some of our favorite adopted Christmas tree ornaments.  A special shout out to "The Scary Santas":

buena vista christmas

It is SO great to be in Colorado for the holidays!  We love our life in Arizona, but Colorado is still home.

We went for a leisurely hike up Midland trail.  5 adults.  5 dogs.  It was so much fun!

We lined up the dogs for a little race.  Look at who finished first!  And, while he is more...uh, streamlined and aerodynamic...check out who finished last, despite a valiant attempt.