RECIPE: Ricotta & Vanilla Ravioli

My lovely friend, Meagan, is an amazing cook. She brought me these ricotta & vanilla ravioli with orange mint dipping sauce & it was just about the tastiest thing I have EVER had. So, yesterday I asked her to teach me.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest, from 1 medium orange
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1 egg, beaten
• 24 round potsticker wrappers
  

(note: we used square potstickers & there worked great too)

• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice, from 1 medium orange
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

(note: we needed more like 2 oranges to get enough juice)

AND... veggie oil for frying

We had some lovely fresh mint from my friend Malea's yard & it's the first time I've ever worked with a vanilla bean & a zester.

For the cheesy insides you just combine all the first ingredients together- easy peasy.

To seal the ravioli's you need a mixed up egg rub it on the edge, seal at the tip, & then seal it down the edges.

The orange dipping sauce is super easy too- just add the juice & sugar and boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 more minutes, then let it sit for 20 minutes. When you are ready to serve it, add the chopped mint to the sauce (which I forgot to add in the pictures below).

To fry them just add veggie oil to the bottom of the pan (or if you are cool like Meagan you have a fryer you can use) & cook them until golden brown.

And TA-DA there is a lovely, light dessert!

2 adults, 6 children, 4 hours to a GRAND GETAWAY

Spring Break popped up without me really realizing it was coming. I had a bunch of friends that were going on vacation for it but I didn't really process that it was coming until it was too late to do anything. I resigned myself to some sort of "staycation".

Unfortunately DAY 1 of "staycation" was horrible- rainy, bad moods all around- a boring bust. So, I was chatting/commiserating with my lovely friend Meagan and I said, "We should just go somewhere." and she said, "Yeah, we should". So, you know what we did? We just went.

This is no small feat, my friends. We have three kids each of us- two in diapers and 3 that look like triplets between the ages of 5 and 7. But we did, we decided on Saint George a 3 1/2 - 4 hour drive away to Southern Utah & vastly different landscape, and we reserved a ghetto room (we were going on the cheap). We made a plan at 5 at night and left at 7 the next morning.

We did everything a couple o' mamas with small children would want to do. We stopped off to an easy hike in a fantastic red rocks area right by the town- there are narrows to squeeze through, caves to explore, and a gorgeous view of the whole city.

We then went swimming at the local Rec Center- this was the highlight for the children- nevermind that we could drive 20 minutes to visit almost the exact same pool in our area. But they had a blast.

We spent multiple times at a local  park and had a BBQ with Meagan's in-laws one night too.

Not to mention that our stay at the Economy Lodge was an adventure in and of itself. All of us crammed in a tiny room- 4 kids on the floor, and two beds for mamas and babies. It was a sore-fest (mostly thanks to Linc) and everyone got very little sleep but we had a blast!

We found  a carousal with a small splash park next to it. The kids had so much fun despite changing into and out of swimsuits in a car.

 And, of course, we ate copious amounts of really terrible, artery clogging, super tasty food and ice cream. 

And when I left sunny Saint George behind me, I can't help but feel that I left a little piece of me back there. It's strange, given that I'm an East Coast girl- all greenery, and trees, and humidity, and city. But I feel like there is something about that land that I connect to. Specifically those redrocks of the first day that I thought, "This place kind of feels like home". 

The only thing missing was the Mister and I was glad to get home to him. But the little jaunt away from home was just enough to satisfy my restless soul and got the kids out of town and out of their routines and made for a fun spring break.

So, next time you feel the hankering to go, forget that you have responsiblities, and dishes, and children you have to drag along with you and just go.

REVIEW: The Raven Boys

The Raven Boyscomes out September 18th, but I was lucky enough to borrow an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from the lovely Meagan who went to BEA this year. And though I have already read this book, when it comes out I will buy my own copy.

It is brilliant. Brilliant. And the main character is named Blue. I mean, come on, read it just for that! It's about magic, and ley lines, and a small Virginia town.

It's written beautifully, but with a lot of humor & wit. It's quick, but complex. And the author, Maggie Stiefvater, is just... I don't even know the word but I wish I could condense it & put it in a pill. (She's written two other books that I loved Shiver & The Scorpio Races).

I pretty much spent the last half of the book like this...

Dishes and small children be darned.

She is actually coming to Utah in October &, I tell you guys, I'm gonna be there front & center in hopes that I can somehow obtain her "je ne sais quoi" through osmosis. Join me?

HOW TO: Resolutions

I honestly love New Years. It is one of my favorite holidays. It has all my favorite things- fireworks, kissing, staying up late, eating tasty appetizers, starting the year off fresh. What's not to love?

This year, under the direction of my SUPER friend Brook I was a bit more thoughtful about my resolutions. For me it has now become a 5 step process & I'm here to share it with you friends (please note: this is more touchy-feely/spiritual/conceptual than I tend to get here on the blog but go with it I promise you won't regret it):

Step 1: PUT YOUR PAST YEAR TO REST
I had, at a conscious and unconscious level, wanted to and sorta had been doing this but I didn't really know how to do it in any pragmatic way until Brook sent a link to me (here) of a work sheet you can fill out that helps you kind of look at your past year- the good stuff, the sucky stuff, disappointments, and triumphs. And, oh boy, did it help.

Then at our solstice celebration we wrote down a word from this past year that encapsulates perhaps the hard parts of the past year (that's when I picked the word SURVIVAL to describe 2012 because while I love it, the first year of a babies life if survival-mode for the mama) and then we burned the little pieces of paper in essence eliminating that hard time and having a clean slate for new times to come.

It was fantastic to put 2012 to a close. Something I have never done it in such an organized way, but I plan on doing from now on.

Step 2: PICK ONE LITTLE WORD
This is also a concept Brook taught me (I told you she's SUPER) & she did it much more justice on this post from her blog (go read it now). But I'll tell you in my lack luster words- it's the idea of picking ONE WORD to encapsulate your goals for this year. Maybe the word just comes to you, but for me, I looked at the goals I had for this year, the things I wanted to get done, changes that needed to be made, meditated on it, prayed about it, & then came to my word. Which, my friends is REVOLUTION. There are a lot of things that need to be revolutionized in my life. A complete upheaval in some parts, but there are quiet revolutions need to happen everyday also.
This is also something we celebrated at our Winter Solstice party too. Other words that people picked were: Light, Whisper, & Today. So, what I'm saying is you can pick ANYTHING. If you decide on one & wouldn't mind sharing post here- I'd love to hear it.

Step 3: PICK A PHRASE
In my case I picked a scripture that happens to completely encompass the things that I want to work on this year (seriously you guys, I take the fact that I found this, as a sign that I'm focusing on the right things, right now). It is "Establish a house. Even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God." Now your phrase can be anything- long, short whatever but, for me, already, 7 days into the New Year, it's become a mantra.

Step 4: MAKE AN INSPIRATION BOARD*
I've had an inspiration board above my computer for a long time. When I was a teenager it was more like an inspiration wall (like complicated, angsty wallpaper). But I love the idea of doing something a little smaller this time (mine is a 16x23 inch pin board) that focuses solely on what I want to accomplish/how I want to feel during this LUCKY 2013.

I'm sure we've all done this before, so you all don't need instructions but take a look here at my friend Meagan's board (her's is huge & blocked into sections) and here's Brooks board (her's is on 12x12 scrapbook pages & covered with lovely pictures from magazines). They can be as full as you want, sectioned off, colorful- whatever you need. For me, I needed it to be clear, focused, straight lined because, as you all know I'm not that way AT ALL.

* NOTE: I actually have a Pinterest board too & I love having both. Mostly because I need my physical board to be REALLY clean and clear & I like being able to add to my Pinterest board as I go along. I have things on my Pinterest board that are more practical too. Things like: dying my hair a funky color, seeing the Red Woods, camping, having adult dinner parties, taking a great family picture- things like that. You can check mine out here.


Step 5: GET YOUR BUTT IN GEAR!
'Nough Said.

There we go. I guess the point I want to make here also is that you don't need a New Year to do this (though it's an excellent starting point) but you can do this any time in any way that works for you. I'm sure there will be be updates here on the blog & I want to hear about your New Years Resoltuions.

Do you love New Years? 
Do you have traditions when it comes to your resolutions? 
What are some of the things you want to accomplish in the nest year? 
Has anyone picked their word/phrase yet?

Richelle Mead book signing

I had a fabulous night with two LBGS (Smithy & Lay) and two writing group girls (Meagan & Debbie) at the Richelle Mead book signing. I've mentioned her books (the Vampire Academy series) a couple times on my blog & I haven't found anyone yet who has read them & not enjoyed them.

Of course I had to design shirts. I say, "Go big or go home!". We wanted to do something original so I played off of her last name "Mead" & made a bottle of mead with her face on it. She thought it was funny & even put a picture on her blog.

Petite LBG #5

That's right, our 5th LBG baby was born yesterday. Malea, Linds, & I got to go meet Soryn Tanana today (huge THANKS to Meagan for watching Syd & Rob for me!)

She's a lovely baby with lots of pretty dark hair & she hardly makes a peep. Can't wait to get to know her better!

Read all about Soryn, Heather, & Mike on their blog!

Winter Solstice Party

Yup, it's that time of year again: Solistice Celebration. And this time it was Winter Solstice. Beforehand, it was so interesting to read about how different cultures celebrate the midwinter. From here on out the days will only get longer, and for my little Seasonally Depressed soul that is a fantastically uplifting concept.

Plus, there is something so awesome about really letting yourself go every once in a while. Not caring & dressing up like when you are little. Throwing yourself a party & reconnecting with nature.

And thank you to these Solstice Sisters: Brook, Meagan, and Rachel. Brook provided the fox skins and coyote head dress. Terribly wintery and eccentric. Just like we like. I also made the crowns again, this time with leafless branches, tiny bells & a feather.

We also spent the evening talking about last year and putting it to rest. It's a lovely feeling to consciously close your year- thinking about the things that were fantastic & the things that were disappointing.

If I were to pick a word to sum up last year it would be SURVIVAL. I think it's a pretty common feeling to a mama in the first year of new babies life. I'm ready to shed SURVIVAL and take on something more. We also made plans for the New Year & resolutions but it was so inspiring that I think it needs its own post. Check back because I think you're going to love it as much as I did.

 It was a lovely evening with warm soup, raw pomegranate cheesecake, womanhood, & a chance to make plans for these longer days of light. Try it sometime. I promise you'll come out the other side happier.

P.S. Summer & Fall Solstice