Road Trip

A couple of weeks ago I decided to take a road trip. I knew there were still some fawn around with spots, and I also knew they would be outgrowing those spots very soon! I wanted to try to get pictures of them before they completely outgrew those cute spots! I also just needed to be by myself for a while. I needed to get out of town and just drive where the roads would take me. I do some of my best thinking in my car with the music blaring. I feel very at home in my car. Driving relaxes me, and sometimes I just need to get in my car, drive, listen to music, and sing at the top of my lungs! So, I drove in a big circle on some country roads around Lusk. It took me a couple of hours and it was exactly what I needed. I saw a few fawn who still had some spots, an owl, and lots of great countryside! It was even nice enough for me to drive with my windows down, so I got some fresh air and I got to take in all the wonderful smells of the country (okay, all the smells are wonderful except for the smell of cow manure!). I think I might take a road trip at least once a month. Head in a different direction each time. Maybe even make it a weekend road trip...get out the state or head to a different part of Wyoming to see some new scenery. I know a perfect country road near Cody, WY that has been calling my name for over a year!

The leaves looked so pretty as they blew in the wind while the sun shone on them.

This owl was just sitting in the road.

There are still so many sunflowers along the roads. So pretty!

Mmmmmm, delicious!

My co-worker's (Twyla) husband (Jim) requested some homemade cookies a while back and last week I decided it was the perfect time to make some. A couple of weeks ago some people moved into the house just down the street so I decided to make a double batch of homemade Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies...enough for the new neighbors (as a "welcome to the neighborhood" gift), Jim & Twyla, Doug & Julie (some friends), the linemen, a really nice salesman that was going to be at the NEA the next day, and a few for me!

Earlier this year I found the best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. It is the only one I use now and you'll never guess where I found it...recipezaar.com! Did you sense the sarcasm? Yeah, so recipezaar.com is where I get many of my recipes. It's a great site! You should check it out if you haven't yet done so.

This Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe is DELICOUS! The linemen literally devoured their large plate of cookies within fifteen minutes or so! The salesman called today and told Rick (Line Superintendent) to tell me not to make him anymore cookies because he ate his plate all by himself! Twyla told me they were the best cookies she's had in a long time. She also mentioned how hard it was not to eat them all before Jim got any. So...I suggest you try these cookies! You won't regret it...unless, of course, you eat the whole batch by yourself, which may happen. Maybe these cookies should come with a warning.

Warning: These cookies are so devilishly delicious that you may not be able to quit eating them. You might create an addiction! (There, you've been warned!)

Oh, and as far as the new neighbors are concerned, I haven't heard if they liked the cookies or not, but even if they didn't, it felt good to be a nice neighbor. I like to give...it makes me happy to make others happy.

"Giving is more a dictate of the heart than a command of the brain." ~ Henry A. Rosso

Bucket List

Last year I watched the movie "The Bucket List" with Morgan Freeman (one of my most favorite Actors) and Jack Nicholson. The movie was okay. It definitely isn't one of my all-time favorites, but it did help me open my eyes. I've always known life is too short, and that I should be doing all the things I've dreamed of before it's too late, but I also always thought I was too busy to pursue many of those things. I was too busy with school. Too busy with work. Too busy with Pacen. Too busy doing other things. Plus I am not as financially well off as I need to be in order to pursue many of my dreams and interests. Not even close! (I think I really need to find a sugar daddy who will fund my expensive hobbies, interests, and dreams!)

I decided to make a bucket list. I put all my dreams, hopes, desires, and interests on paper, well, actually, I put them in my computer. The initial list was long, and, well, it keeps getting longer! I've been able to cross some things off my list, but it seems I add more than I cross off. Many of the dreams on my list have to do with traveling and, needless to say, traveling is way too expensive.

Some things I've been able to cross off are: see Aerosmith in concert, learn to scuba dive, learn how to rock climb, earn a Master's Degree, learn how to weld, and travel out of the United States. Some things that might take me a while to cross off are: travel to Petra, Jordan; dive the Great Barrier Reef; take Pacen to The Australia Zoo (Steve Irwin was his hero); backpack Europe; swim in The Devil's Pool at Victoria Falls; etc. Luckily there are still a few things on my list that can fairly easily be accomplished: raft class 5-6 rapids, skydive again, compete in a Triathlon, and travel to Las Vegas.

I suggest everyone make a bucket list. See what your list entails and I guarantee there will be at least one thing (maybe even ten or more) that you can afford to find the time and money for. Then go from there. It might take years to cross everything off your list, but so what. Your goals are on paper and it will keep you motivated. I read the other day that people who set goals and accomplish them are happier, healthier, and live longer than people who don't. So make that list, start crossing things off, and live a better, more fulfilling life!

"Nothing happens unless first we dream." ~ Carl Sandburg

Dream Come True!

On August 5 I got to attend something that I've been waiting 15 years to attend! I went to an Aerosmith concert! Yes, I've waited 15 years to see Aerosmith in concert...15 years! I almost gave up on the dream, thinking they wouldn't go on tour again, and if they did they surely wouldn't hit any venues within driving distance of Lusk, but alas...they started a tour with ZZ Top (another of my favorites) and decided to play at the Buffalo Chip Campground in Sturgis, SD!

I found out last October that they were going to be playing at Buffalo Chip this year. Kurtis and I were eating at The Pizza Place and he says, "I have to tell you something." I said, "Okay, what is it?" He then says he can't tell me until we get outside. We hadn't even gotten our food yet and I was thinking, "You can't just leave me hanging like this!" When our food arrived I scarfed mine down in no time flat (curiosity was really getting the better of me) and he took his sweet time. Arg! Finally we left and as soon as we were in the parking lot I turned around and said, "So, what do you have to tell me?" He said, "Aerosmith is going to be at Buffalo Chip next year." Oh! My! God! I started screaming, squealing, and jumping up and down! He looked at me and said, "This is why I had to tell you out here!" As soon as tickets began selling I bought two! I wanted to upgrade to VIP but I couldn't afford to. Aerosmith had two different VIP packages. One was about $1,600 and the other was around $900! I seriously shed a tear when I discovered that I wouldn't be able to afford VIP tickets.

Finally, August 5 arrived! I took my friend Dawn and we got to Buffalo Chip around 2:00 pm. We set up our tent and headed to the amphitheater to see if people were already starting to crowd around the stage. It wasn't too bad so we roamed around, grabbed a bite to eat, and then headed over to the stage to find a spot to sit for the next 5 1/2 hours while we waited for the concert to start. We forgot to bring chairs so we ran over to the Buffalo Chip General Store and bought $22 camping chairs, which turned out to be well worth the money. We grabbed our spot again (very near the right corner of the catwalk) and lounged in our new chairs. We met some nice people while we waited, visited with them, and drank $1.00 tap beer (can't beat that)!

Saving Abel opened for Aerosmith and began playing shortly after 8:00. I've never really gotten into Saving Abel so I didn't know what to expect. They were pretty good. As soon as they got done a pretty big thunderstorm rolled in. It was lightning like crazy and pouring rain. Luckily we were close enough to the stage that it blocked a lot of the rain so we didn't get nearly as drenched as the people further back. It rained for 1/2 an hour or more and I was beginning to think that maybe I wouldn't get to see Aerosmith afterall, when it finally quit! Yay! It took another 1/2 hour for the stage crew to get things ready again.

Finally the moment I'd been waiting for happened! Aerosmith made their way onto the stage! AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!! (That's my scream!) We had made our way right up to the fence surrounding the catwalk, so for much of the concert I was only 10 feet from Steven Tyler and Joe Perry! AWESOME! I felt like one of those crazy teenage girls that goes to a concert and screams, and cries, and reaches for the band, except I didn't cry or reach...I screamed, screamed, screamed, screamed some more and took pictures! :) About the eighth song in they started playing "Love in an Elevator". Joe was on the catwalk and an amp blew. He motioned for the music to be cut, but it didn't happen. He walked back to the main stage to figure out what was going on and Steven grabbed his mic and headed onto the catwalk. He started doing a crazy dance to keep the crowd going. He spun around and...off the catwalk he went...backwards! Oh! My! God! My mouth dropped open and you could hear the whole crowd gasp (all 160,000 people)! He fell on the other side of the catwalk so I couldn't see what was going on. After what seemed like an eternity, the stage crew helped Steven back onto the stage. He was bleeding, but he was walking...with some help. After another eternity, Joe Perry came out and told us the concert would be ending since Steven was on his way to the hospital.

I couldn't believe it...I wait 15-years to see Aerosmith and Steven falls off the stage! I have a theory about what happened. You see, just before Steven fell he made eye contact with me, got flustered, and fell off the stage! He literally fell in love with me! LOL!! Seriously though, that's what happened! I know some of you don't believe this theory, but it's true! (I can dream!) Okay, though, I seriously do think that we made eye contact at least once during the concert. He was only 10 feet from me and I swear he looked at me (at least once)! Dawn thinks I'm crazy, but I'm not. I'm just a dreamer! :)

So, it turns out Steven broke his shoulder and cut his head open. I'm thinking they should change the name of their song "Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)" to "Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Shoulder)". :)

Agggggggghhhhhhhh!

Joe Perry playing behind his head!

Sad!

"Dreams are necessary to life." ~ Anais Nin

"Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning." ~ Gloria Steinem

Soup in the summer?

While I was on the Morning Star (the live-aboard I was on in The Bahamas) we were served many delicious meals. My favorite was the creamy tomato soup. I've never been much of a soup in the summer kind of girl. I always just thought of it as a winter food. When we were served soup and sandwiches for lunch one day I decided to go ahead and try the soup. OH. MY. GOODNESS. It was the best soup I think I've ever tasted! I immediately asked Chef John for the recipe and he just kind of laughed at me and said, "It's just creamy tomato soup." He was nice enough to pass the recipe on though and last week I made it for my family. It pretty much tasted the same...except I accidentally put too much salt in it. I also made my favorite pasta salad and BLT's.

Without further ado, here is the recipe for the creamy tomato soup, which I am now calling:

Famous Chef John's Creamy Tomato Soup

Olive oil
3 carrots, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 64oz can Tomato Juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 quarts Heavy Cream
1 large can diced tomatoes
Dry basil, to taste
Garlic Salt, to taste
White Pepper, to taste
Kosher Salt, to taste
1 tsp sugar

Sautee the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in olive oil until soft. Put the tomato juice and sauteed vegetables in a blender and puree.

Mix the puree mixture, heavy cream, and can of diced tomatoes in a large pot. Add the seasonings to taste and heat over low to medium heat until hot, stirring frequently.
Viola! That's it! Oh, and I must say...this version of the recipe will feed A LOT of people! I suggest you half it. I halved it and there were still plenty of leftovers (I fed 5 with it).

Now the recipe for my favorite pasta salad!

Brooke's Favorite Pasta Salad

1 16oz box of Garden Rotini (the multi-colored pasta)
1 block of mild cheddar cheese
1 block of mozzarella cheese
1 block of Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese
1 package of Pepperoni
2 - 3 small cans of sliced black olives, drained
1 bottle of Kraft Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. While the pasta is cooking cut the cheese into small squares and cut the pepperoni slices in half. When the pasta is done, drain and rinse with cold water. Put the pasta in a bowl and add the remainder of the ingredients. Use as much dressing as you like (I usually use 1/2 - 3/4 of the bottle.) Another ingredient I sometimes add is halved cherry tomatoes. Mix thoroughly.

Dinner with good company

For about a month or so my sisters and I have been setting aside one night a week to get together and have dinner. We take turns at each others houses. A couple weeks ago we had it at my house and I made Cheese and Chicken Enchiladas. We were on a Mexican "kick" for a couple of weeks...Tacos at Raine's one week and Enchiladas at my place the next. Who doesn't love Mexican food though, right? Okay, I'm sure there are a few strange people out there that don't like it, but I think Mexican food is DELICIOUS! It's even better when you can enjoy it with good company! :) Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of my sisters and I...just the food. Tonight we had dinner at Quinn's. She made BBQ chicken, pasta salad, and rice. It was yummy. Still no pictures of us girls though. I'll have to remember next time!

Anyway, I found the recipe on my favorite cooking/baking site, Recipe Zaar. This is where I find many of my recipes. You can pretty much find any recipe on this site. I love it! The good thing about the Cheese and Chicken Enchilada recipe is that it can be made as a OAMC (once a month cooking) recipe! I ended up freezing half.

Cheese and Chicken Enchiladas

1 1/2 cups shredded chicken breasts
1 cup reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup picante sauce
3 ounces neufchatel cheese (1/3 fat free cream cheese)
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 cups bottled green taco sauce
flour tortillas

I put 4-5 frozen chicken breasts in a crock pot. I then covered the chicken in picante sauce and cooked on high for 4 hours. I then used two forks to shred the chicken. Spray a skillet with cooking spray and heat over low heat. Mix the chicken, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, picante sauce, and cream cheese. Add to the skillet and cook until cheese begins to melt. Spoon about 1/3 cup filling on each tortilla and roll up. Place enchiladas (seam side down) in a 9x13 baking dish. Drizzle with taco sauce and remaining cheese. (At this point you can freeze some if you want. Just put them in the freezer until hard and then bag them. To cook, just thaw in the fridge and bake.) Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

"A sister is a forever friend." ~ Unknown

"It is better to be alone than in bad company." ~ George Washington

I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream...cake!

I'm behind in blogging because I didn't have Internet at my house for about 1 1/2 weeks, so there may be quite a few blogs in the next few days...or maybe not. We'll see.

So, a couple weeks ago Pacen participated in his First Holy Communion. For those of you that don't know, First Communion is a Catholic ceremony. Yes, my family is Catholic. All of my grandparents are Catholic, except my Grandpa Herren who is non-denominational. I was raised Catholic and confirmed into the Catholic Church when I was a junior in High School, but I don't practice it. A choice I made when I realized how many different religions there are in the world and started questioning what I believe. My mom is bound and determined that I raise Pacen as a Catholic and since I don't attend church or practice the Catholic religion (something she has finally accepted) she has taken over in the religion department of Pacen's life. So far he doesn't mind (he doesn't like going to church, but what kid does?) and if he chooses to follow in my footsteps in the future that's just fine. A person has every right to believe what they want and follow any religion they want.

Pacen with Father Berger

Okay, enough about religion. To help Pacen's celebration better I made him a home-made ice cream cake. I found a recipe that was similar to Dairy Queen's ice cream cake (supposedly) and went from there. So, my recipe is as follows:

Similar to DQ's Ice Cream Cake

2 quarts ice cream (one Vanilla and the other any flavor you want. I used Moose Tracks.)
Oreos (or cheap version)
Fudge topping (comes in a jar)
1 recipe Whipped Cream Frosting

Put a 10" springform pan in the freezer. While the pan is chilling take the Vanilla ice cream out of the freezer to soften (15 minutes or so). When the ice cream is soft, but not runny, remove the pan from the freezer and quickly (yeah right) spread Vanilla ice cream around the pan wall (not too thick but not too thin...maybe around 1/8") with a rubber spatula. (I had to put the pan back in the freezer a few times before I was able to cover the entire wall.) When the wall is completely covered put the pan back in the freezer.

Now remove the other ice cream from the freezer to soften. Remove the pan and empty the entire quart of other ice cream into the pan and spread evenly. Put the pan back in the freezer.

Crush some Oreos in a bowl (slightly large chunks). I don't know how many Oreos I used so go with what you think would cover the first layer of ice cream. Now pour some fudge topping in the crushed Oreos and mix well (again use as much as you think is necessary).

Take the pan out of the freezer and pour the Oreo/Fudge mixture over the first layer of ice cream and spread evenly.

Since your Vanilla ice cream is already soft (probably way soft by now) pour the rest of the quart on top of the Oreo's and spread evenly. Put the pan back in the freezer. Now whip up a recipe of the Whipped Cream Frosting. If you are planning on using different colors go ahead and mix your colors and put the colored frosting in pastry bags. Remove the cake from the freezer and put a layer of white (or whatever color) frosting on top of the Vanilla ice cream and spread evenly. Put back in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Remove and finish decorating.

(I took the following picture after I transported the cake to Harrison and the cooler I had it in (DQ ice cream cake cooler) touched the letters and screwed it up.)

When you are done store it in the freezer until it's time to eat! :)

Look at all the layers! (From bottom to top: Moose Tracks, Oreo/Fudge, Vanilla, and Whipped Cream Frosting)

"My advice to you is not inquire why or whither, but just enjoy the ice cream while it's on your plate." ~ Thornton Wilder