Lookie

Last night I went to our ward's Young Women in Excellence program(a once a year evening our church has to welcome the new girls turning 12 and entering the youth program). I watched each of the girls bring up their Personal Progress books, all dog eared, stuffed with papers and notes, and looking like there is no way it will make it until the girl turns 18. In a few weeks they are supposed to get an insert to put in those little books to go with the new value of Virtue. In addition, each Personal Progress book comes with a small journal that the girls are supposed to record their thoughts and feelings in.

Enter inspiration, my love of fabrics, and my strong desire to avoid housework of any kind.

I whipped this little packet up in about an hour, start to finish. And I have no doubt that the next one will come together even faster. It isn't perfect, but the concept works. I have a few things to tweak, but they will be easy enough to fix.

Here is the other side of the packet -- personalized, of course. It is called PERSONAL Progress.

As you unroll it there is space for your journal. I couldn't find mine (because I am the most awesomely organized secretary EVER) so I used my True to the Faith booklet (AWESOME, btw) instead.

This is what it looks like unrolled all the way. There is room for the Personal Progress book, For the Strength of the Youth book, and the Journal. And when their Virtue addition comes, it will fit in there too! There is also room for a pen and a pencil.

I don't want to over promise and under perform, so let's just say I PLAN on doing a tutorial for this. I think that it would be a great gift to give to the YW in your ward, and then present to each girl as she turns 12 and enters the program. Since I am in the Stake YW Program (we oversee seven different congregations of YW programs) I don't think I will be making 85 of these. But I plan to make them for the other members of the presidency. They will be my test packets, and probably the ones I use to make the tutorial. What do you think? Is there anything you think would be beneficial to add? Something that aethetically doesn't work? Is this something you think the girls would even USE?

**UPDATE**

When I was younger, we had a family joke that we were the B___r Also-Rans. We were ALWAYS a day late and a dollar short. If there was a contest, we took second. If we went on vacation, something was usually closed. We just laugh about it. Well, the curse has struck again.

Check out what I found on Sugardoodle.net:

Even the PEN holder is in the same place. There are differences -- mine has interfacing so it's a bit more sturdy. And the closures are different. I just made a second one without the bias tape and a loop and button closure. I thought it would be easier than using the bias tape, but it took about the same amount of time. This second one is also a little longer. I like the way it wraps around more and there is space for a small notebook or to put handouts in. I think I will still do a tutorial, since the one on sugardoodle is more than a little confusing. Most of you who sew probably don't need the tutorial, but I think just having the dimentions would be helpful. Here is the other one I made:

Warning -- I am Climbing on a Soapbox

I really don't like politics. I dislike economics even more. I am just not hardwired for it. I am horrible at saving money, I hate to balance my checkbook, and I am not very good at sticking to a budget. I think there is just way too much right brained creativeness in me to stick to rigid schedules and plans.

That said, I know how much money we make each month. I know how much goes out each month to bills. I know how much we pay a month on our mortgage. Before Brian and I bought this house we crunched numbers again and again and again to make sure that we were not getting in over our heads. We bought this house with an interest only loan. And we refinanced in a year to a 30 year fixed. Easy peasy. We are not mortgaged to our eyeballs and even in this crappy economy if we HAD to sell our house we still owe less than we could sell it for.

Where am I going with all of this?? It makes me SO MAD that the government is going to take MY money that I have been faithfully paying on time for the past four years of being a homeowner and giving it to the people who thought they could afford a house twice the price of mine while making half as much money.

I am not frustrated with people who have lost their jobs in this crappy economy and therefore can't make payments. I am talking about Joe Jones who drives the brand new car, took a Hawaiian AND Park City Vacation last year, has HDTV, gets a new wardrobe every year, and is now facing foreclosure. Why the heck should he receive my help?????? Make the guy sell all his toys, let him take the bus, and then maybe he will learn that he doesn't need an 3000 square foot home for him and his wife! I'm talking about Suzie Spendsalot who works as a nail tech and was told by the Bank of Pipe Dreams that on her $30K a year job she could afford a $2000/month mortgage payment and said, "Really?? I can??? Sign me up!" Even with my limited math skills I know that if I have $1000 coming in a month, I can't afford $2000 going out. Even if someone at a lending company tells me I can.

I'm sorry people. If you bought more than you can afford, your gig is up. It's time for you to rent a 900 square foot apartment with your two kids, survive 95 degree days with no a/c, be surrounded by chain smokers and people who cook stinky food, and drive 10 year old cars so you can reassess how much you really CAN afford. You don't deserve to be rewarded with bailout cash paid with MY taxes so you can continue living in homes that are nicer than mine, enjoying a lifestyle that I don't allow myself to have.

Can you tell I also struggle with the Parable of the Prodigal Son? I'm all for mercy. Heaven knows I need it in my life. But I still have a hard time when people who have done things the RIGHT way are given a nice pat on the back and the people who broke the rules, inconvenienced others, and screwed up are given swag bags. At least the Prodigal Son was repentant. I fear that most people who will be getting bailout funds are only mad that it didn't come sooner.

Sweets for the Sweet

I had a very yummy Valentines Day...

We went into town to get Brian some new suits and we took a little detour to a bakery that specializes in cupcakes. They had eight different flavors out for Valentines Day, and with their cute little size I was able to try all eight. Not all at once, but one here and there... it was great. :) I obviously couldn't wait to take a picture until we had all had one. Missing are all of the chocolate ones and some red velvet. I highly recommend the toasted coconut one. It tastes like a macaroon with cream cheese frosting. Heaven.

After our return from town we fed the kids some very romantic Hamburger Helper (Jillise and Jaren ate only the noodles, Joelle ate only the meat. Reminds me of Jack Sprat and his wife), we got them bathed and put them to bed. Brian and I enjoyed some New York Strip steaks, potato skins, corn, french bread, and Martinellis. Then strawberry cheese cake and chocolate mousse cake for dessert. Gotta love the Safeway bakery department where I can just get one slice of each. Then we watched No Reservations and called it a night!

I fully intended to make candy for Valentines Day. But with all of the Valentines Day projects, travelling to town the past two Saturdays, and driving 1 1/2 and 2 hours respectively the past two Sundays for ward conferences, it didn't happen. Maybe for St. Patty's day.

And finally, since we are talking about sweets, does this handsome fella not give you a toothache?

Special Meal

Need a special dinner to make for Valentines Day tonight? Or just something yummy that doesn't involve cream of chicken soup? Then make this. Now.



Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Chile Salsa





Ingredients

Roasted Tomatillo Chile Salsa:
1 pound tomatillos, husked
1 white onion, peeled, sliced, quartered or whole
4 garlic cloves
2 jalapenos
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 lime, juiced

Enchiladas:
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock, storebought
Chopped cilantro leaves
1 deli roasted chicken (about 3 pounds), boned, meat shredded
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
10 large flour tortillas
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Sour cream, Chopped tomatoes and cilantro leaves, for garnish
Guacamole, optional

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

For the salsa:
On a baking tray, roast tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapenos for 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the roasted vegetables and any juices on the bottom of the tray to a food processor. Add the cumin, salt, cilantro, and lime juice and pulse mixture until well combined but still chunky.

Enchiladas:
Meanwhile heat a 2 count of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and caramelized - this should take 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin then cook for a further minute. Sprinkle on the flour and stir to ensure the flour doesn't burn then gradually add the chicken stock to make a veloute. Continue stirring over a low simmer until the flour cooks and the liquid thickens. Turn off the heat, add half of the roasted tomatillo chile salsa, some additional fresh chopped cilantro and fold in the shredded chicken meat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Change the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees F and begin assembling the dish. Take a large baking dish and smear the bottom with some of the reserved tomatillo salsa. Now take the flour tortillas and briefly flash them over the stove-top flame (or put them briefly under the broiler if using an electric stove). Using a shallow bowl, coat each tortilla lightly with the reserved salsa mix. Put a scoop of the shredded chicken-enchilada mix on top of the tortilla followed by a sprinkle of the shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla over the filling and roll like a cigar to enclose it. Using a spatula place the tortillas in the baking dish and continue to do the same with all the tortillas. Finally pour over some more of the salsa and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until bubbly and cracked on top. Garnish with sour cream, cilantro and tomato.



These were SO GOOD. I made the roasted tomatillo salsa the day before and just kept it in the blender jar in the fridge. Here are some recipe notes that I think you will want if you are going to try this at home.

• Make one and a half batches of the salsa. It is really good and you will probably want some more to garnish your enchiladas with or to dip chips in. I think that the one batch would probably BARELY give you enough.
• I don't have a gas stove, so I did has he suggests and just stuck them two at a time under the broiler until they just barely started to color. I don't know that it affected the flavor much, but it does give them some more color instead of just pale white.
• I used two rotisserie chickens. I figure that since I am not very good at getting every last peice of meat off of the carcass and the ones at Safeway are only 2 lbs, I would average the right amount of meat. I also shredded the chicken earlier in the day and kept it covered in the fridge so I wouldn't have so much to do in the evening.
• If you don't like things super spicey, take the seeds out of the jalapenos before you roast them. Since I did a batch and a half I roasted two jalapenos whole and I removed the seeds out of the last one.
• If you use the large tortillas like he suggests then bake them in your roasting pan. A 9x13 will not be big enough.
• A half pound of cheese is NOT enough. I used a full pound. Some people on the website used Pepper Jack because they REALLY like spice.

I filled my first two tortillas a little too full and I only ended up with nine enchiladas. But even feeding myself, Brian, two missionaries (with very good appetities), and giving a half of one to Joelle we had two and a half left over. They are HUGE. And really really really really good. I served these with Rice-A-Roni Mexican Rice. Real traditional, I know. But it's good. And is a nice compliment to these enchiladas.

I had come across several blogs where people had raved over the black beans on that same recipe page. I was all excited to make them and I followed the directions to a "t," But they just didn't turn out like I was hoping. Even after simmering for two hours (30 minutes longer than suggested) they still were a bit too firm for my taste. I guess I am just too accustomed to the mushy ones from the can. Oh, well.

Hope everyone has a fabulous Valentines Day! No super fancy meal for us tonight. I am doing steak and potato skins and french bread. And my potato skins are from the freezer aisle. Why reinvent the wheel?

Another Product Endorsement

This stuff works well. Really well. Really.

I have been walking around with it upstairs all day today "erasing" old grease and mystery spots that 401 Carpet and mulitple steam cleanings COULDN'T get rid of. I got a new vacuum today, too. My old one decided to die. Finally. Now I have a cool one with a dirt canister so I can be totally grossed out by what comes out of my carpet. Nice.

One More

I had to do one more apron post before I get off the computer and tackle the house.

First, I received my apron from Frieda for the Sassy Flirty Apron Swap (the one I made the pink apron for down below). I LOVE IT. I love the pink and black, and I love the pattern. And Frieda is much better at working with bias tape than I am. I found myself looking closely at the corners trying to figure out how she got them looking so perfect. She also included some goodies for me and even some Valentines treats for the kids.

I loved the apron pattern that Frieda used so much that I broke down a paper bag to try to duplicate it (thanks for the tip, Candy). I have a former student that I taught in Jr High that I have reconnected with on Facebook that has been handed some pretty rough challenges. So I made her a little pick-me-up package. She loves cherries, so I have been collecting different cherry fat quarters, not really knowing how I was going to make them work together. I had thought of attempting a patchwork/quilted type apron, but I could see myself just ruining a whole pile of fabric that way. So I used the pattern from Freida's apron and extended the bottom a little so I could add four different flouncy layers, and put a pocket in the front to bring in one more cherry fabric. I really think this is my favorite new apron pattern. It's just so sassy. I need to make one for myself. The package is going out today. I hope it cheers her up and that she loves it as much as I do! Now I'm off to sweep up more thread.

And just one more of my cute boy with his "pikey" hair -- becuase he's just so cute.