Illinois and Nectarine Raspberry Salad

We went to Illinois for Labor Day weekend to visit my family. We had a great time, but of course the trip went too quickly. I am sorry I haven't updated the blog, we were busy playing and my dad's internet connection is so slow! We live in the boonies and the connection isn't that great:)

One of the highlights of our trip was meeting our five month old niece, Ramona. She is such a doll. My brother and his wife spent most of the weekend with us so I had time to become the favorite auntie:)

We also played tennis, had a bbq, met up with some friends, did some baking, and relaxed. Josh's highlight was probably flying a plane! Our good family friends own a plane and Josh went up for a ride-I was too scared to go, but Josh LOVED it. He took over the controls and even flew the plane for awhile. I am glad he had fun.

Here are some photos from our trip!

My stepmom made this nectarine raspberry salad for our bbq and I loved it. The raspberries and nectarines were ripe and juicy. The dressing was wonderful as well. I am glad she was willing to share the recipe, because I can't wait to make it again! I will post some of our baking adventures soon. My dad makes the best bread!

We had a great trip! I will try to catch up on my blogging this week.

Nectarine Raspberry Salad

(Printable Recipe)

Fresh spinach or spring mix

Raspberries

Nectarines, sliced

Dressing Recipe:

1 nectarine, chopped, pit and skin removed

2 T fresh lemon juice

3 T olive oil

1 T honey

Salt and pepper to taste

For the dressing: In a blender add all of the ingredients. Blend until smooth. Taste. Add more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve over salad greens, nectarines, and raspberries. Will keep in fridge for a couple of weeks.

Lazy Friday and Hiking Catherine's Pass

Friday is becoming my lazy blog day. Sorry! It is my day off from work and I usually have errands, cleaning, laundry, cooking/baking, working out, etc. to do.

Today I am having fun though. I am going to see Julie & Julia with a group of Utah food bloggers. I can't wait to see this movie. I have heard good things! Kalyn, of Kalyn's Kitchen, is having all of the food bloggers over to her house after the movie to share our thoughts and of course munch on tasty food. I am making a peach almond cake to take to the big party! It should be a great day!

I am sharing some photos from one of our recent hikes. When Josh's mom was in town we hiked Catherine's Pass, right above Alta. It was a gorgeous day! The wildflowers were in full bloom and the scenery was breathtaking! This is one of my favorite hikes.

Is anyone else seeing Julie & Julia this weekend?

Neff's Canyon Hiking Photos

Utah is a beautiful place. If you haven't been, I highly recommend you add it to your list of travel destinations. We love having company too:)

I am feeling lazy today so I am sharing some of our recent hiking pictures. Utah received a lot of rain this spring/summer so the mountains are extra green and lush. These photos were taken up Neff's Canyon.

Sorry no recipe today, I will be back with a sweet treat soon:) Have a great weekend!

Penny Pinching Pantry Raid Update

I had to buy a couple of things this week-a gallon of milk and Roma tomatoes. The gallon of milk was only 80 cents because I had a coupon. The Roma tomatoes were on sale for 99 cents a pound-I spent 1.19. Overall I have spent $10.27 on food this month. Not too shabby:) We are over half way there!

Our Weekend Trip To Colorado

We went to Boulder, Colorado over the weekend for Josh's cousin's wedding. We left on Thursday and got home last night. We drove and it actually wasn't that bad of a drive. I am usually not a fan of road trips, but this one wasn't too far. It only took us 7 hours and that was with a couple of stops. 

We had a great time in Colorado. We went to Boulder's Farmer's Market, Estes Park, we saw Transformers, and of course we spent lots of time with friends and family. The wedding was beautiful and we are glad we were able to celebrate with the bride and groom. 

I have today off since I work a 4/10 schedule at work. They made us take a day off this week because the 4th of July falls on a Saturday. That is fine by me. I have a lot to catch up on today.  

Here are a few photos from our trip. I will be back tomorrow with my lemon blueberry cookie recipe, I know some of you have been begging for it and I promise you will have it tomorrow:) 

Palm Beach Florida

We are back from sunny Palm Beach Florida. We really had a great vacation. The week went fast, but we were able to squeeze in loads of fun and a lot of rest and relaxation. I know this is a food blog, but I am going to share some of my vacation photos anyways. Sorry if I bore you! 

We stayed in West Palm Beach at the Ocean Pointe Marriott Resort. It was fantastic! Our room had a full kitchen, living area, king bed, jacuzzi, etc. There was also a nice fitness center, 4 pools, hot tubs, and great access to the ocean. 

Taking in the Florida sun! We were spoiled with perfect weather, minus the humidity:) 

Enjoying the Atlantic Ocean! 

We visited a Wild Life Sanctuary. We watched the alligators and turtles eat dinner. Dead rats and chickens. Kind of gross, but fun to watch! 

Pretty Bird!! 

Our late night stroll on the beach. Yes, Josh wore his head lamp:)

We drove into Miami one afternoon. We visited the beach and walked around. It's an interesting city! 

More beach time. I was too chicken to get in, but Josh enjoyed the water. 

We went to Delray Beach one evening. Very nice beach and area. 

We stopped and took pictures at a Lighthouse. 

We really enjoyed our time in Palm Beach. Thanks to Ben and Whitney for coming with us. It was a lot of fun. Florida, we miss you, but it is nice to be home! I will be back with something tasty soon!

Crunchy French Toast

We are still at the cabin, it has been the greatest weekend ever. Josh loved the surprise getaway! We really didn't do much and that was the best part!! We needed a long weekend of R and R!!!

The cabin is in a beautiful location, just east of Kamas, Utah. It was snowing some of the weekend...we enjoyed watching the flakes tumble to the ground from the window. I am glad we were snuggled up inside!! We watched a lot of movies, some sports, read, slept, went on a scenic drive, etc. It has been so nice!!

I made Joshua breakfast yesterday. I fixed crunchy french toast with fresh strawberries...and sausage for him. He was pleased to have some "man" food! We love french toast and sometimes we go for a crunchy version! We normally have it with a corn flake crust, but this time I used Honey Bunches of Oats for the outer coating. It paired nicely with the cinnamon and vanilla flavored french toast! Next time you make french toast, give the crunchy version a try!! We love it!

We have to head back to the city today...so sad!! But it was the perfect weekend!! Thanks again to the Dewey's and Gram for letting us stay at the cabin. It was very relaxing and peaceful. Just what we needed!









Crunchy French Toast

1 egg
3 egg whites
Splash of skim milk
Cinnamon-we like a lot
1 tsp. vanilla
Bread
Honey Bunches of Oats cereal, crushed a bit
Maple Syrup

1. Whisk together the egg and egg whites. Add in a splash of milk.
2. Mix in cinnamon and vanilla.
3. Crush the cereal on a plate.
4. Dip the slices of bread in the egg mixture. Then dip each side into the crushed cereal.
5. Cook each side of the bread on a hot griddle.
6. Serve hot with syrup and berries if you wish!

Snowy Utah

Here are some photos of Snowy Utah! I hope everyone is having a wonderful Sunday...and staying warm wherever you are! I will be back with more recipes tomorrow!

Scenic Utah

We recently purchased the Canon Digital Rebel XSI camera...an early Merry Christmas to us:) We are loving it, but still need to figure it out! We have messed with it some, but we have been busy. Our major issues are lighting and just figuring out what all of the buttons do..ha!

We drove up Little Cottonwood Canyon in Salt Lake City to take some nature pictures for fun. Wow, we live in a gorgeous place! I am always in awe at the mountains that surround us. The views are breathtaking.

So here are some scenic views of Utah. We used our new camera! Hopefully our pictures will improve soon. We just need some practice and time to figure things out. It is a wonderful camera!