The Baxter Girls have Curls

It was a great weekend. On Friday night Brianna had some friends over to watch a movie and Scott took Lyndsee on a date to see Hop.  I made the teenagers some treats and then retreated to my bedroom to hide and listen to teenage gossip. :) I realized that Brianna has some really nice friends.  On Saturday morning I ran a local 10k.  When I signed up I didn't count on it being a record breaking heat day.  I did fine, but definitely not a PR - the heat was exhausting.  It was still a fun race and morning out with my girlfriends. Logan played football and had a great game. He got an interception, threw a touchdown pass and later caught another touchdown pass. They won the game and he came home happy. He quickly got the lawn mowed and his room cleaned up so he could go to his friends house, where he helped them trim their trees. I really appreciate that Logan is a hard worker! Later that night we went to the park while Scott and Logan went to Priesthood session of General Conference and then Lyndsee had some friends over to watch a movie. She and her friends had a great time too.

During General Conference some people sit on the couch in their church clothes and listen attentively.  Some people may take a nap, draw, or play games (in their PJs). Today, I decided to curl the girls hair.  It's fun to do Brianna's hair now that she doesn't yell and scream at me for it.  She is usually even appreciative of me doing it.  Lyndsee wasn't so thrilled that she got curls too, since she thinks of herself as more of a sporty girl, but she consented to the picture after she realized I had tricked her into getting her hair curled too.  It was a good way to pass the time, and it kept the girls sitting still for awhile during the afternoon session of conference. 

Lately alot of people have been telling me that my girls look just like me, especially Lyndsee.  Of course I think that is the ultimate compliment since my girls are both gorgeous. I guess after looking at this picture I definitely see the resemblence, especially with me and Lyndsee, but maybe it's just the matching hairstyles. But either way, I'll take the compliment.  I love my girls and think they are adorable, but I am super proud of how kind, responsible and compassionate they are. 

Herb Bread

This bread is frequently requested at my house.  It is so good served with olive oil and herbs to dip it in.  The recipe comes from one of my favorite friends, and not surprisingly a lot of my favorite recipes come from her! She is a fabulous friend (and great cook) who for some reason, still unclear to me, moved to the middle of nowhere...and I miss her. :)

Herb Bread

1 1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 t. salt
3 1/4 cup flour
1 Tablespoon (heaping) dried Basil
2 teaspoons yeast

Add ingredients to breadmaker in order listed and cook according to breadmaker instructions.

A lot of times I make the dough and let it rise in the breadmaker and then form it in to a round loaf and cook it on my cooking stone at 350 for about 20 minutes. 

I'll try to post a picture when it's done.

"If I see a tree, I climb it"

One day during spring break we took a picnic lunch to the park. Lyndsee spent a lot of time in this tree.  It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed our picnic with friends.

Stuffed Peppers with Basil

This is a yummy recipe for Stuffed Bell Peppers.  Delicious!

1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
2 onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. fresh basil, finely chopped (or a heaping tablespoon dried basil)
2 teaspoons chili powder
salt and pepper
14 ounce can tomatoes (pureed in blender)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespooon soy sauce
1/4 cup milk
1 to 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (use amount of cheese you prefer)
1 1/2 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
4 - 5 red bell peppers (depending on size)

1. Cook the beef, onions and garlic until meat is browned.
2. Add the basil, chili powder, salt and pepper and stir well.
3. Combine the pureed tomato, sugar, soy sauce and milk and add to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
4. In the meantime, bring a pot of water to a boil. Stem and slice the bell peppers lengthwise. Drop them in the boiling water for 3 - 5 minutes. Drain and cool.
5. Fill the peppers with the rice mixture. Place peppers on a cookie sheet or in a shallow baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.
6. To freeze, place peppers on a cookie sheet and put the in the freezer. When they are frozen wrap, seal and label them and store in the freezer. To serve from the freezer partially thaw the peppers in the refrigerator and bake for 45 minutes.

Now and Then

Now...

and then... 

Brianna and Bailey have changed in a lot of ways in the last 11 years or so, but apparantly they still love flower crowns. :)

It made me super happy to see them in thier bright yellow flower crowns yesterday.

York loves Spring Break too!

Lazy dog.  He LOVES Brianna and is enjoying some extra time with her during spring break!

Tangy Balsalmic Vinagrette

This is my favorite salad dressing lately. The recipe is from my sister in law, Kimberly Harper.

Tangy Balsalmic Vinagrette

3/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsalmic vinegar
1 T. Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic
1/8 t. oregano
¼ c. real maple syrup
½ t. salt
¼ t. pepper

Puree in blender till smooth. Serve on spinach with bacon, strawberries, feta cheese and candied almonds.