Clam Chowder Lovliness

I have loved Clam Chowder my entire life.  Whenever we would go to restaurants as a kid I would always get the Clam Chowder if it was on the menu.  It's just yummy I think.  I especially love it when we travel somewhere where there is a lot of fresh seafood around and the Clam Chowder is just perfect.  Ivar's in Seattle, the Lexington Mass. Great Harvest has the most amazing Clam Chowder, and I even love getting a San Francisco Sourdough bread ... ...continue reading

Hum Hum Hum Hummus! Yum!

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It didn't even make it to a serving bowl.  We ate it straight from the buzzer!My first introduction to hummus was a few years ago when our family won the Cooking With Your Kids Contest with the Food Network.  One of the nights we were in NYC we were able to prepare dinner with all 4 of the  families who won, and Emeril.  Each family had a station in the Food Network kitchen and made a different component of the dinner.  Our family made a dessert ... ...continue reading

I Love This Bread Recipe

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I know.  My husband owns a bakery, but I love to make homemade bread at home on occasion.  Actually I make it quite often with 4 big kids that love hot bread with homemade blackberry jam on it.  Sat. we were going to go skiing with the fam, but Jimmy wanted to give his wounds a few more days to heal. ( He was using the treadmill in a very inappropriate way, and ended up getting some very large gouges on his leg, and some huge raspberries in ... ...continue reading

Visions of IKEA Dancing Through My Head

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Happy IKEA visitors!We love IKEA at the Clawson household.  It's just one of those fun places that the whole fam damily likes to visit any chance we get.  We usually make it our yearly "Beginning of Summer!" tradition each June as soon as the kids get out of school.  My brother Josh first introduced us to IKEA years ago when they lived in the Seattle area.   Since then we've hit every one we come across.  Maybe it's the maze you walk through to ... ...continue reading

Chinese New Year

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We celebrate this holiday every year.  Why you may ask?  Because most of my family speaks Chinese, have all lived in Taiwan for a few years, and we need another reason to make 240 pot stickers don't we?  My James was the first to go to Taiwan.  A two year mission in 1990-1992.  Then it was my brother Marc who served a mission to Taiwan as well and then ended up marrying a girl who served in Taiwan too.  And finally my youngest brother Eric just ... ...continue reading

Jimmy’s Birthday

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Feb. is such a great month.  I love Valentines Day, and it's also my favorite man's birthday.  It's also a month of hope that the long winter will end.  How about the last few days in Cache Valley.  We've been in the 50 degree zone.  It's been wonderful.  A bit spring like, and just a wonderful reminder of what's to come. So I have to tell you what I love about James since it's his birthday.  He's wonderful!  I met him and was instantly smitten. ... ...continue reading

My Day

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Cold, austere beauty!Last Friday was so beautiful.  You know those cold mornings when the whole world looks as if it's been flocked.  I love the way everything looks.  The trees, the ornamental grasses, my kitty's whiskers, and my running friends eyelashes.  Beautiful and white.  I had to share my day and what we had at the bakery.  It's that time again for Red Velvet Love Cakes, and fabulous sugar cookies, but I must admit it was the Reuben ... ...continue reading

Yeah!

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Yeah we've moved on to a new month!  I am not a negative person, and I love all the seasons, but I always get a little thrill when Jan. is over.  Just last General Conference there was a talk that struck me.  It was a talk by Elder M. Russell Ballard where he talked about the beauty of fall and then the "cold austere beauty" of winter.  His talked made me think of a favorite song I have at Christmas time.  It's called, "In The Bleak Midwinter".   ... ...continue reading

The Best Two Bites You’ll Ever Eat!

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These were so yummy!!  During our New Year's getaway to Bear Naked Lake, my sister in law Katie was in charge of snacks.  She did a bang up job, and of course had all my favorites, but one item she brought surprised me.  She had a gallon Ziploc bag full of mini little banana bread muffins.  They didn't look like much.  You know.  Just a mini muffin, but they were oh so good.  She opened the bag and I took one to be nice, but then I took another ... ...continue reading

Cranberry Pepper Jelly

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This was a beautiful appetizer my fabulous niece Ashley made for the holidays this year.  I love Pepper Jelly in general, and I have many a neighbor who make a beautiful batch every summer.  It's delicious draped over a block of cream cheese and then dipped into with a Wheat Thin.  This recipe had something a little different about it.  It was the prettiest pepper jelly I've ever seen.  Beautiful!  Most pepper jelly's rely on food coloring to ... ...continue reading