A bit more to remember......

Christmas at Pioneer Square

 Ugly sweaters on Portland sculpture

Holly and her good friend, Mistletoe Madison..... Google it.

 Howard's annual Christmas party.

 The Last Word.... Old but new famous cocktail from Chicago I think

 Daddy time with the Swemma

 Ms. Goff's 4th grade class and Gary Hirshc Botjoys!  Joybot.  Kindness bot  For Red Ball 2014!

 Emma's Bot from Gary

We just looked over our blog and realized how great it is to look back at some highlights with great photos.  We are going to keep it going for us, as we know no one looks at it but us. All the better!
Let's start back with........ let me go to iPhoto and see what is the latest.
I finally did something with all of our corks.  My inspiration came from a blog and I thought, how cool to make it in the shape of Oregon.  Again, inspired by "Heart Oregon" I used red corks to make a heart.  Weld Bond glue is the best!

Emma during a holiday choir performance. Ms. Wright.  Love her!
 

Reindeer noses!  

 Making snowflakes on New Years Eve at the Painters

 Tom the money maker!  New Years Eve at the Painters playing CLR - Center Right Left

 Our traditional prime rib.  We grilled it on our new Weber BBQ this year.  It will become an annual tradition.  It was great!

Prime Rib, yorkshire pudding, blue cheese wedge salad

 Pookie snuck into the living room.  she can stay awhile... xoxo

 perfect santa pookie

 Holly's 12th birthday with Maddie Root.  We picked up Maddie and went to see Frozen.  Sushi in Beaverton somewhere.  Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and a sleepover.

Great Ted Talk 

Both my kids watched it.

Made paella over the open fire this week at the Howard's family cabin on Penland Lake in Oregon (near Heppner or Heavener as Jack would say).

A few months ago I would say I was not much of a paella fan, so I decided to create my own recipe.  It gets better every time, but I'm not sure I can top cooking it over an open fire!  Thank you Howard's!

Next time I'll try to keep my mouth shut......  safety first!

Kim's Paella

Kim’s Paella

Serves about 8

Asparagus – trimmed and par cooked 1 lb

¾ cup dry white wine

1 t. saffron threads

Olive oil – approximately 1/3 cup

8 chicken thighs – skin on, bone in

Chorizo – 4 sausages

1 onion – chopped

Kosher salt  - approximately 1 T

5 cloves garlic – minced

1 yellow pepper – chopped

1 can diced tomatoes

2 cups paella rice

Chicken broth – 4 – 5 cups

½ jar of piquillo peppers (7. 6 oz jar of Matiz Navarro brand)

2 bay leaves

Smoked paprika – approximatel 1 ½ teas

Sweet Spanish paprika – approximately 1 ½ teas

½ teas. Crushed red pepper

Shrimp 16 or 1 pound

1 cup frozen peas

flat leaf parsley & lemon wedges

In small saucepan bring wine and saffron to boil.  Simmer 3 minutes, turn off heat and let steep 20 minutes

In paella pan – heat olive oil, add chicken skin side down.  Cook for 5 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken over add onion and salt.  Sauté a few minutes and add garlic and yellow pepper.  Be sure not to burn. Add diced tomatoes and piquillo peppers stir. Add wine and saffron to deglaze. Stir scraping bottom of pan.  Add paella rice and broth slowly add bay leaves, paprika, red pepper, salt. Make sure all grains of rice are covered. 

Simmer stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes. Add more broth if needed. Add peas,shrimp and asparagus. Garnish with lemon and parsley.

Adapted from Bon Appetit March 2005, Cooking Channel Paella del Reyes, Jamie Oliver.com, Saveur Mixed Paella and Thomas Keller Chicken Mar y Muntanya.

Kindergarten Ainsworth Auction

This will be for auction at Ainsworth Elementary School's Red Ball at The Nines in Portland Oregon on Saturday February 27th, 2010.

Custom mat and black frame by Frame Central on Macadam.

White Pizza

Homemade whole wheat pizza dough
Lightly sauteed sliced garlic in olive oil
pearl mozzarella cheese
shredded mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
oregano

Ponies Cupcake Topper

White cupcakes

Pink Frosting

Scallop punch

Photoshop Elements design for Go Ponies!

Best Chocolate Chip Recipe ... For now

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Jacques Torres

New York Times July 9, 2008

Time 45 minutes - Chill time 24 hours

2 cups minus 2T (8.5 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8.5 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons corse salt

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2T (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pound bittersweet chocolate disks or feves,

at least 60% cacao ( I used about 14 ounces)

sea salt

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside
2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light and creamy, about 5 minutes.
3. Add eggs one at a time. Mixing well after each addition.
4. Stir in vanilla
5. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop in chocolate pieces and incorporate with wooden spoon as to not break the chocolate.
6. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches and can be refrigerated for 72 hours.
7. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or non stick backing mat.
8. Scoop generous golf ball size mounds onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that may be poking up.
9. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
10. Bake until golden brown, about 16-20 minutes.
11. Transfer to wire rack for 10 minutes.

Camp Sherman Sept 09

We spent the weekend with the Mansberger's at their cabin in Camp Sherman

Camp Sherman buying penny candy.

Game night - Blokus

A ride to the Camp Sherman Store

watching the horses.

Walk to the Head of the Metolius River

Suttle Lake, Oregon Sept 2009

Some of my favorite photos of the year!

Santa Con Portland 2009

Santa Con - North Portland Saturday, December 5 2009.

Santa's on the MAX

Santa's outside Eagles Nest.

Inside Eagles Nest

they like it!

Jamison Square

Our friends come to visit from Bend. We had dinner downtown and then took the kids to run around in the park. There was still water in the fountain and everyone got wet. They had fun and it wasn't too cold.