food obsessed

what a great resolve…

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so i’m a little obsessed with this easy peasy “Crusty Bread” and keep baking it…

(horrible phone pic….but always consumed in a day or two via my roommates and i…)

no kneading, no fuss, i like to make mine with cheese…

my friend’s mom (who has the BEST cooking blog) made some while i was staying at their house. i was in love. she put pepper-jack in the particular loaf i ate…

anyway…check out the recipe. it’s a quick and DELISH hit!

http://simplysogood.blogspot.com/2010/03/crusty-bread.html

i don’t have a fancy pot like she uses….so i take the inside part out of the crock pot and use that. works just as well!

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i came upon another LEGIT mexican food joint….with some killer tacos and a salsa bar!

not to mention a slice of mexican chocolate cake to DIE FOR (mexican chocolate = moist with cinnamon included)

Tarahumara Cantina

i kind of got way excited when i saw the name of this place. i often saw Tarahumara Indians in Mexico when we’d visit my grandparents in the summer down where my mom grew up. they wear the most colorful clothing and big skirts and dresses…and weave beautiful bracelets (because i bought a few off of one once). anyway…it made me happy!

great food!

and like 25 fresh homemade salsa options!

about 20 minutes up Provo Canyon and in a town called Midway.

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so, i’m officially back in school and the term is almost over already! goodness…only about a week and a half left of classes. finals coming up. ooooh boy…

love, whit

C R A V i N G S

it’s one of those days where nothing in the house is calling my name…but these sure are!

sweet potato burger with avocado

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chicken with coconut-lime peanut sauce!

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Brownie ‘N’ Berries Dessert Pizza!

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…i wish my budget, schedule, and figure allowed me to just cook and stuff my face all day.

you better believe i would!

love, whit

autumn is coming!

i love georgia because it has all four seasons.

and it has a very beautiful FALL! i am getting very anxious for this time of year and all it brings.

cider in an apple mug?! YESplease!

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fall fashion. boots, cardigans, tights, and scarves!

i have to mention that this last week, i just happened upon some excellent clearance at Target – woven/knit/patterned tights for $2!! knee socks for my boots, too. $2. i love a good deal. and yes, i stocked up for the season.

thai spiced pumpkpin soup

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on a different note. Dieter F. Uchtdorf is the man.

his inspiring words from this last weekend’s conference…

love, whit

the weekend

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my weekend had me thinking about a few things.

1. in the words of justin bieber, “never say never”  (great documentary, bee-tee-dub) – life has curve balls. plans can change. time will make things happen that you might have never anticipated…i mean, five years ago had i been asked that infamous question, “where do you see yourself in five years?” – this is not entirely what i would have pictured…

…so,

2. prepare. to take on whatever. go forward with faith. no, maybe you don’t have all the answers, and things are unsure – but go forward anyway.

3. TiME. time does so much to a person. a relationship. a block of cheese. it takes times for something to be ripe enough for the picking, but with time, the same thing can also go rotten. i may be only 24 – but sometimes i feel like i’m ALREADY 24. time is slipping away. things need to happen! i feel behind. stuck. as though i’m on pause but the world around me and the clock keep ticking. i get anxious and frustrated. then i have CARPE DIEM moments of caring less about any time-table other than fitting in as much as i can and enjoying life while i am still young and single and life is full of options and opportunities. i guess regardless… time: don’t waste it.

ps – i’m SO ready for full-time school again in january.

again, go forward.

i guess my #3 really goes with #1…and #2. whatevs.

4. thanks to a great lesson in sunday school – the Lord’s wisdom and the world’s wisdom are not the same. a reminder of the constant need to re-evaluate priorities, what’s most important, and my motives.

5. maybe North Point is a good idea. (Paige, if you read this, let’s not jump the gun though)

6. i’m glad i called elissa

7. two words – apple festival

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caramel apple cheesecake bars

um, YES!

love, whit

today i just want my bed

i made crepes for the first time! no, this is not my picture…i was too lazy to make a visual production of my food – though it was the photo that inspired my craving…and the recipe (found here), which i will also share below.

yes, crepes are easy. and delicious. why haven’t i made them before? no idea, really. though i’m glad i did. SOGOOD! and foolproof.

Ingredients: 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 cup (5 ounces) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk (2% worked just fine for me, too.)
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Sugar (to sprinkle on afterwards, if you want)

Directions:

1. Place oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet and heat over low heat for at least 10 minutes.

2. While skillet is heating, whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon sugar, and salt in medium bowl. In separate bowl, whisk together milk and eggs. Add half of milk mixture to dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Add butter and whisk until incorporated. Whisk in remaining milk mixture until smooth.

3. Using paper towel, wipe out skillet, leaving thin film of oil on bottom and sides. Increase heat to medium and let skillet heat for 1 minute. After 1 minute, test heat of skillet by placing 1 teaspoon batter in center and cook for 20 seconds. If mini crêpe is golden brown on bottom, skillet is properly heated; if it is too light or too dark, adjust heat accordingly and retest.

4. Pour ¼ cup batter into far side of pan and tilt and shake gently until batter evenly covers bottom of pan. Cook crêpe without moving it until top surface is dry and crêpe starts to brown at edges, loosening crêpe from side of pan with rubber spatula, about 25 seconds. Gently slide spatula underneath edge of crêpe, grasp edge with fingertips, and flip crêpe. Cook until second side is lightly spotted, about 20 seconds. Transfer cooked crêpe to wire rack, inverting so spotted side is facing up. Return pan to heat and heat for 10 seconds before repeating with remaining batter. As crêpes are done, stack on wire rack.

btw: this crepe cake looks heavenly…my next “crepe project” to try:

have you ever been to FOODGAWKER.COM ?! oh my…it’s amazing. just go…and you’ll find yourself craving everything you see. i especially like looking under popular and favorites. SO MANY THINGS TO TRY! not enough time…or dinero.

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this is how i feel today:

last october i had bronchitis. for a whole bloody month i had this horrendous cough! it sounded like death. though i didn’t realize it was bronchitis until i went to the doctor two weeks into the never-ending coughing. it was strange to me that i wasn’t congested, my nose was fine – and i felt pretty ok – just coughed. it got nasty though. low fever and feeling achy and tired. and the hacking my lungs out – horrible and painful at times. and exhausting.

anyway…for the past few days…i’ve had this “cough”. nothing else, just coughing. and progressing. the past couple nights it’s made it impossible to sleep well. and today, i feel like a zombie. tired. bags under the eyes. slight headache. slightly feverish, but i’m not positive. i don’t want to go all HYPOCHONDRIAC – but i reallyreallyR E A L L Y  hope it’s not the ol’ bronchitis again. BOOOOO!

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thought for today:

i do like miss swift. there’s something admirable and real about an artist that writes all their own music.

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rad photo-manipulation for the day:

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and, along with the food-bit of this post, a neat shabby/chic DiY food display out of tins and candlestick holders! ingenuity – i love it.

and… HEART ENVELOPES! cute.

now i just need someone to write a “love note” to.

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i officially suck at my photo challenge. i work 9-5. come home and usually head to the gym. by the time i get home i’m tired, needing a shower, and it’s too dark to take pictures. excuses? yeah, maybe. whatevs.

and really, today i just want to go home and take a nap. or curl up with a good movie. or even better, with one of the 6 books i have in my room waiting to be read.

yes.

love, whit