Salt Lake Getaway

This past week Seth and I were just itching to get away.  Itching down in our bones I tell you.  We debated going down to Southern Utah for some warmer weather-but neither of us were really feeling the long drive there AND back-so we cast our votes and unanimously Salt Lake City became the winner for our getaway.  I had read where The Pioneer Woman visited Salt Lake recently and stayed in the glorious Grand America and had only positive reviews.  I was uber excited about it and thought that is the place for Seth and I to stay-no questions about it.  Needless to say we discovered the prices and chose to look elsewhere :).  Across the street was a mini version of the Grand America called the Little America--catch my drift?  Anywho-it was a lovely hotel (just as good as the Grand in my book!) and we both had a great time.


We went to the movies and saw 'The Adjustment Bureau' and my date splurged and bought us Popcorn and a Soda :).  We went into a HUGGGGE kitchen store where we spent at least an hour browsing.  Neither of us wanted to leave without purchasing something-Go Figure-so we narrowed down our choices to:


1. Porcelain Mixing Bowl with Handle and Pourable Lip.
2. 12 inch Cast Iron Pan
3. Cast Iron Dutch Oven
4. Pretty Decorative Cake Plate


After Much A-do about it-we narrowed it down to the two Cast Iron items--and Still couldn't decide!!  Who other to call than Seth's sister Emily to help with this Cooking Dilemma :).

Dilemma Discussion w/ Emily.

Dilemma Resolved--We are now PROUD owners of our First Dutch Oven.

Coincidentally Dutch Ovens are Utah's State Pot-so now we are Common Utah folks with this new purchase.  And again we are very excited about it-Seth has already informed me that we are rearranging our menu this week so we can use our new Dutch Oven multiple times.  Thanks Emily :).

View At Night from the Room.

View During the Day from Our Room

We took a stroll to Temple Square-which is Downtown Salt Lake.  Salt Lake offers Trax for traveling downtown (which we used one day to travel to the mall-movie-dinner) but we just walked from our Hotel to the Temple on this occasion.  

By a water fountain.

The Salt Lake Temple

Fun Fact:  It took them 50 years to complete this building.

Temple.

The dome looking thing in front of it is a Tabernacle-which is a Church for LDS.

It was fun to see the some of the monuments that Salt Lake is famous for.  We are planning on showing these things to my Mom and Aunt Macka when they come visit!

Now Seth and I are both just itching to try out our newest addition to our kitchen items-so I will be off now!  Have a good week!

The Cook's :)

Mid-March.

Hellllllo Mid-March!  I can't believe how fast time is flying by us-next thing you know Seth and I will be married one year and living in Utah for one year!  Whoop :).  


During the past few week-days Seth and I have been on the go-go-go--so we've been using our weekends to crash and enjoy ourselves doing the lazy thing.  With that being said-we don't have any fun new Utah adventures-so I will just be updating about life and what we've been slapping together in the kitchen.


I would LOVE a dishwasher-Love Love Love one.  Those of you who own/have a dishwasher in your home I think you should give it a whopping kiss for helping you out and feel sorry for Seth and I for not having one.  I would have to say we have probably washed about 15 rounds of dishes over this past weekend-my hands probably washed 13 of those 15 rounds :).  Kidding-Seth always helps.  So this is what Seth and I were cooking up this weekend-which is where the whole dishwasher thing came about.

Butter Chicken-Indian Recipe.  Superb. 

Graham Cracker Dough

Seth making Rye Bread.

Rye Bread

Turkey Sandwich on Rye Please :).  With a glass of Sweet Iced Tea.

Graham Crackers

Pioneer Woman's Cookbook-Pineapple Upside Cake (Recipe came from this cookbook)

You can tell I haven't mastered presentation yet :).

Had to take a picture of his enjoyment-on his third piece :).

So our weekend pretty much consisted of us stuffing our faces with fattening-high calorie-wonderfully delicious food.  Needless to say I will be hitting the gym pretty hardcore everyday next week.

As you can tell in the picture above-Seth is wearing a T-shirt :).  We had a Gorgeous spring day here-it was in the mid 50's and we were able to take our lawn chairs and books outside and enjoy the sunshine!  With a glimpse of the warm weather we are looking forward to summer (we hear Utah likes to skip the spring and fall seasons and just do Summer/Winter) and are trying to plan trips and outings!  It will be so WONDERFUL to see green grass-things that are living and thriving and not snow.  We are hoping to have a small garden this summer-either buying plots from the school or going in with some friends and using their yards :).

Current Stuff:
-I'm currently on halt with The Red Tent-we are suppose to read half by Monday 14th so I didn't want to be one of those over-achievers and leave Sarah and Laurie behind :).  I'll get to pick that book back up Tuesday or so-but for now I'm reading East of Eden and it is very good.
-We are going to try and recreate Seth's Mom's chili this week--hope that it comes close to hers :).  We are also going to try Chicken Spaghetti and I'm rather looking forward to it.
-I'm going to enjoy the time change.  It is 7:30 here and I still got a little bit of sunshine :).  Wonderful!
-I've given up Facebook for Lent--I was getting a little ridiculous with getting on there out of habit everytime I'd get on the internet.  Rather than checking my email or going to the website I had intended-I'd find myself on facebook for 5-10 minutes.  Plus I felt convicted to give up Coffee or Facebook.  I chose the latter.


That's about all I got for now.  Hope you folks have a wonderful week!  Oh-sorry for all the house pictures of Seth and I-I'll get some pretty Rockie's up here soon :)-But I always want to put up a picture of us so you don't forget our faces while we are gone!!

The Cook's :)

Cooking Cook's. Love Using My Name As a Pun :).

....Life in the Cook Household.... 

Back to Normal-I'd say-Thankfully!  

-Much needed skypage time with our families

-Long overdue time with friends

-Semi-relaxing weekend that was spent doing exactly what we wanted when we wanted :).

-Cooking

I found some fun looking recipes on a few food blogs that I follow--daily :).  This past weekend we tried a few out.  Yummmmmmm...Our bellies were content and oh sooo full!

Wheat Thins

Seth rolling out the dough for wheat thins.

Seth is usually our dough rolling man.  He is a lot more patient and gentle with dough-whereas I'm aggressive and will manhandle that dough.  Therefore dough usually isn't fond of me-and will never do as I ask.

Cut up wheatthins-ready for bakeage.

Wheat thins :)

As you are probably noticing-we did not take the care to particularly cut these wheat thins into squares.  We were going moreso for the cracker taste rather than appearances :).

Yumminess.

We didn't have wheat flour (which is what the recipe calls for).  We used regular flour and they turned out very good.  We will probably buy wheat flour for our future wheat thins--

Beef Stir Fry with Sesame Noodles

I just had to post a picture of the yummy meat marinating.

It looks yummy.

Oh soooo Good!

Happy fella.

Needless to say my husband's palate was extremely pleased this weekend :). 

We are intensely working on the menu and daily activities that our April visitors will entail-Whoop :).

I am currently reading 'The Red Tent' by Anita Diamant with Laurie and Sarah.  We are trying to do this long distance book club deal where we read and then are able to skype.  Mainly to see each other and stay in touch-but also to discuss the book some.

Utah is still dumping snow on us-last night we were lucky enough to receive a few more inches :).  Seth was lucky enough to clean a few inches off and around my car with such a happy heart :)-he has started doing happy dances in the morning when it is above freezing and he doesn't have to scrape ice off my car.  Wish you all could be witnesses of that!  :).

Happy evening-and bless you all this week!

The Cook's :).

There's No Place Like Home.

This past weekend Seth and I were able to have another mini vacay and housesit for some of our friends.  Seth and my favorite part was just watching the sunrise in the morning and the sunset in the evening (along with a cup of Joe in the morning and a cup of tea in the evening!).  Here are a few pictures-I hope you guys don't get tired of these pictures-I love having my camera handy when we get in the car because I know I am going to see something beautiful. These pictures are pretty neat-but mind you my friends this doesn't even come CLOSE to doing the actual sight justice.

Mountains after a snowstorm.

Beautiful sunrise. 

Mountains during sunset.

Seth and I are doing great.  He is staying very busy with schoolwork and his research and trying to get as much knocked out as he can.  Luckily he has spring break next week and can focus entirely on his research and thesis and not have to deal with classes (assignments and readings).  We are hoping he can get ahead with everything during the break.  We will definitely be those boring people who are staying home to work work work instead of going out playing and sightseeing during SpRiNg BrEaK.  BUMMER.

We've done pretty well with not getting homesick very often.  We are able to skype-email-phone chitchat with most of our family and friends which helps a load.  Unfortunately this week has been a homesick week-especially for me.  Nothing really has trigged this feeling-it has just shown itself at the doorstep and I guess I just let it invite itself in.  No blubbering going on-just watery eyes every so often-there will definitely more skypage going on in our near future :).  So in honor of my sadness I just want to say:

-I miss sitting on the porch talking with my Daddy.

-I miss ol Vic and her changing the TV station I am watching to The Soap

-I miss touching my family-hugs-and those weird sideway cheek kisses that I do with my parents.

-I miss ol Troupe and his gnawing on my extremities.  I miss his excitement when I'd come home (Seth doesn't bark-run around in circles fast-or pee himself when he sees me!) 

-I miss waking Eason up in the mornings :)-and beating him up during the day (he couldn't ever take me!)

Blah Blah Blah-no more sadness on here.  You guys know me-I just had to drag you all down with me :).  I have a wonderful husband who says he is going to take me out on a get prettied up date and make me feel better. And I'll remember not to blog when I'm homesick again.

On a happier note-we have another weekend booked with visitors!  Our friends Tanner and Catherine are coming out for a long weekend in May :).  Yippee!

There will definitely a more upbeat cheerful blog in my near future!

The Cook's :).