Cinnamon Open House

If you didn't get a chance to come last night, come tonight!

Plenty of items to look at and lots of cupcakes to eat:)

Wednesday July 14

6:30-9:00

522 South 130 West, Orem

Cinnamon Party

"The time has come," the walrus said, "to talk of many things"....

Of shoes, and shirts, and pretty hats,

Of cupcakes and hair things.

And why the sun is boiling hot,

And whether hearts have strings

My time has come to host the first official CINNAMON PARTY.

Tuesday July 13

5:00 - 9:00 PM

My house (522 south 130 west, Orem)

Bring a friend to come check out my stuff and munch on yummy treats.

Custom creations upon request:)

Just a few of my Favorites

Thank you to Taylor and Ellen Young for last-minute modeling my one-of-a-kind creations!

Accessories available

Cookie Face-OFF

CHOCOLATE CRINKLES

BANANA OATMEAL COOKIES

Sometimes I bake... the other night after dinner I really wanted to bake some cookies. I couldn't decide between yummy/healthy cookies or sugary/chocolaty/fatteningly delicious cookies. So I made both!

Oddly enough, the healthy oatmeal cookies turned out to be a much bigger hit with my family. The chocolate crinkles are more bitter, like dark chocolate. I liked them because I love dark chocolate, so give them a try if you dare (Recipe from Real Simple).

But..... you should definitely try the yummy banana oatmeal chip cookies (Recipe from Carrots 'N' Cake). There were a few ingredients in this recipe that I didn't have on hand and definitely did not want to search for them in a grocery store so I substituted some:
AGAVE NECTAR = HONEY
SOY MILK = 1% MILK
CHOCOLATE CHIPS = RAISINS
I also didn't have flaxseed meal :( so I just trashed that and added some toasted WHEAT GERM.

Wheat Germ Benefits:
*B vitamins
*Calcium
*Comples carbs
*Fiber
*Iron
*Magnesium
*Manganese
*Omega-3 fatty acids
*Phosphorus
*Potassium
*Protein
*Selemium
*Vitamin E
*Zinc
As you can see, the benefits are endless and quite substantial! It is particularly high in Vitamin E with is great for the skin and has anti-aging properties. The secret to the fountain of youth:)

Baked American Fries

Way yummier than those greasy, deep fried, fast food fries!

-Preheat oven to 450°F

-Scrub potatoes (about 1 per person, depending on the size)

-Cut into wedges

-Combine potato wedges, olive oil (about 1 tbsp per 3 or 4 potatoes), and a generous amount of steak seasoning (Recommended: Montreal) or Sea Salt and Pepper in a Large zip lock bag.

-Spread potatoes onto foil lined baking sheet (add seasoning if you want)

-Bake for 40-45 minutes.

Carrots 'N' Hummus

My new favorite snack would have to be carrots dipped in Hummus. Oh, so good! Hummus may scare you because it sounds like a funky health food, but don't run away so quickly! Meza Traditional Hummus, my favorite kind, is made with garbonzo beans, roasted sesame, lemon, and garlic. It can be found at Costco. It comes in a big tub so you'll have plenty to go around. Someday I'll attempt to make my own hummus, but for now this is a fabulous substitute!

This snack goes perfectly with a recipe I posted a while back. Fish for the Greek Gods. I love love love the feel of fresh, clean, healthy mediterranean cooking! If you haven't tried it yet, please do! It's to die for. Tilapia is a very very mild fish so even if you don't like fish, you might like this dish! I made it again tonight, because my grandpa came over for dinner and my dad hadn't tried it yet. Big hit! Except my dad adds lots of salt to everything... Which explains his really low blood pressure?

Chicken and Green Chili Soup

For the past week or so my mom has been raving about the new soup at Chili's. I'm pretty sure she went to Chili's specifically for the purpose twice in one week. We decided to kind of reinvent the soup. I've never had it so I had nothing to compare to, so she kind of took the lead. This is what we came up with...1 pound chicken tenders
About 5 cups chicken stock or water with chicken bouillon flavoring
1 tbsp oregano
1/2 medium white onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic salt
2 small cans chopped green chilis
3/4 tbsp chili powder (add more or less for your spicy preferences)
1 tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 1/2 cup cooked rice
2 cubed tomatoes
1 cubed avocado

Boil chicken in chicken broth, onion, garlic salt, green chilis, chili powder, lime juice, and cilantro. While the chicken boils, cook white or brown rice (brown rice takes a lot longer, but it has added nutrients like fiber and protein). Once the chicken is completely cooked through, shred with knife and fork. Taste the broth to make sure the spices are pleasant. You may have to add more water because it boils down, therefore you may need to add more spices. You may have to experiment until you feel like it's perfect. We definitely didn't get it right at first! Stir in rice, tomato, and avocado. Serve with an array of toppings: cilantro, sour cream, tortilla strips, shredded mexican blend cheese, or lime wedges.

Sorry the instructions and ingredients are a little sketchy... Just experiment and trust yourself!

America the Beautiful

Everyone has a holiday that they anticipate much more than others. Christmas? Thanksgiving? Halloween? Easter? Mine is definitely INDEPENDENCE DAY! This day always brings back so many memories of past traditions with my family.

This was a special year, since the 4th was on a Sunday. I loved celebrating it all weekend!

Saturday July 3:
My family and I went to the Stadium of Fire where Carrie Underwood rocked it! She's super classy, beautiful, NORMAL, and seems happily engaged to a professional Canadian hockey player:) The fireworks were Amazing! An all around fun night out.

Sunday July 4:
The beautiful weather called for a cook out. My mom and dad spent all day preparing these bad boys. You have to boil, bake, and grill these ribs, so they are very time consuming. Carnivores beware....

And, of course, the All-American dinner calls for fries! My sister and I made these baked steak fries. I'll share recipes later on. And next time I make them, I think I'll try sweet potatoes. More Vitamin A and more flavor! Yummm...

Jessica, my sister, made this cute red and blue Jell-O. Be sure to visit Just Sew Darn Cute for the recipe!

Kiersten, my sister-in-law, made this flag cake for dessert. Greatest frosting ever. My guilty pleasure was for sure licking the plate.... Here is a tutorial for a similar cake from Make it and Love it

The perfect patriotic plate, ready for devouring, put together by my brother, Jason. Man that boy can eat!

Mama, Jason, Kiersten, and Dallin

Grandpa Horton

Janelle aka My Mama

Addie didn't take very many naps, as you can see...

Jace spent his time by the toys, with woody, his BFF.

Monday July 5:

Started the day off with a good race. The freedom run is held annually in Provo. We all finished, but Dallin took 1st in his age division! Congrats Dal!
The parade + not too hot + my family = :)
Free hot dogs!
My beautiful friend Ashlee was cheering for Blaze in the parade.
Swimming at the Scera. Everything is better with SUNSHINE!
Another successful memory made.