363/365

363/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

Yesterday afternoon I had unlimited coffee at Panera Bread. Last night I had chicken noodle soup from Panera Bread. This morning I had half a chocolate chip bagel from Panera Bread. For lunch today I had black bean soup and a tuna sandwich from Panera Bread.

...and somehow, I am still craving Panera Bread.

359/365

359/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

Hi!

I'm sorry. I'm posting about food again. But I woke up this morning and, fueled by yesterday's crisis, I knew that I needed to have an amazing breakfast.

So I decided to combine all of my favorite things and put them into one recipe, onto one plate. Guys, I rocked this. And I mean it this time!

I give you...


Health Freak Pumpkin Pancakes with Homemade Hot Blackberry Thick Syrup/Thin Jam (what would you call that?) and Non-Fat Cool Whip from the Grocery Store.

Catchy, I think.

I combined some of my favorite recipes - one for whole wheat pancakes and one for pumpkin - changed a few things, added a few things, and came up with a masterpiece.

The blackberries are easy. You can make this with any kind of berry, and I do. Just boil 1/3 of the amount of berries you want to use with a little bit of water, cornstarch to desired thickness, and sugar to desired sweetness. Take it off the heat and add the rest of the berries. I use this as an alternative for syrup, to put in oatmeal, so spread on toast, as a pie filling...anything and everything.

I topped it with cream because if Alice's Tea Cup in NYC taught me anything it's that berries and cream NEED to be served with tea and scones. Or pancakes and coffee.

Guess what else I made today?


Those are homemade graham crackers, recipe courtesy of Smitten Kitchen.

Add this:


And this:


And this:
(Marshmallows not pictured)

And you have a gourmet s'more:

If a gourmet s'more is possible.

S'mores always make me think of The Sandlot.

FOR-EV-ER.

Here's my made-up-but-perfect recipe for those pancakes:

HEALTH FREAK PUMPKIN PANCAKES

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose white flour
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
2 TB ground flax seed
3 TB brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 TB cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp all spice

2 eggs
1/4 cup apple sauce
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1 cup pumpkin

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients to the wet. Mix that all up and say BAM! Or something.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. I used cooking spray. You could use oil or butter but that then these won't be that HEALTH FREAK-y.

Measure out pancakes by 1/4 cup sizes. Let them cook until they bubble, then flip once.

You can add a few chocolate chips (I did that) or nuts if you're into that kind of stuff.

For me, this made 16 pancakes. That's 90 calories each, if you're interested. I froze them for future best-ever-breakfasts.

Mmmk...will try not to post about food tomorrow. Six. more. days. Please don't give up on me now.

358/365

358/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

This was so good! Wow! I am the best cook! I loved it! Nothing tastes this good!

Are all things I wish I could say. Instead...

The chicken was tough.
I burned the onions and celery.
I used canned soup.
I used wheat flour.


And I used a cup of pepper.

Tomorrow...or some other day in the near, near future, since I cannot let chicken and dumplings defeat me...


It's back to the drawing board.

341/365 Part Two

341/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

Let's just get right on to it...


Christmas morning! Mom walked out, wide-eyed, and said, "Santa came!"


Santa came with some sweet kicks for me.

Then we had breakfast: venison sausage, chocolate gravy and biscuits, scrambled eggs and mimosas. The strangest meal you've ever heard of.

Next came one of our Christmas traditions: be ready to walk out the door for grandparent's house, be late, but decide to take pictures in front of the tree anyway, be cheesy.


We always laugh like "how stupid is this going to look!" when we hug, but then we end up liking those pictures best.


And here we are in the winter frost! Brrr.


And here we are with our laser dog!


Then mom and dad joined us.


And Gracey smelled remnants of sausage on my hands.

Moving on!


Loads of shrimp. Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas...


My cousins love Christmas!


My sisters love Chelsea!


My mom loves her, too.


There is no telling what Jonah is playing or what Joel is eating.


Sweet cousin love. Did you know that I was her maid of honor like, five years ago? I'd do it again if we were polygamists!


Kasey got a Cinderella dress, a Belle dress, and an Aurora (Sleeping Beauty - yes, I know her name) dress. I gave her bitter, jealous glances all night. Here, I told her to pose like a cute little girl with her chin resting in her hands. Then I told her to sweetly ask, "Where is my prince?" to which she responded, "WHERE is MY PRIIIIIIIIIIINCE?!?!?!"

Eeek. I know a lot of people who can relate to you, Kasey.


We posed some more.


We travelled to the 60s with my grandparents.


Can you believe I've made it this far without posting a picture of Keane? Here he is with his parents and both sets of grandparents.

By the way...


Keane weighed 5 pounds last year.

Way to grow, cuz. Way to grow.


Yes, this is the cutest moment you've ever seen.


This is pretty cute, too.


If I were really cheesy, I'd say that Keane is a gift...

(Keane is a gift.)


This year's cookies were not our best looking but ummm wow, they tasted good. Of all the sweets there, I was so into these. How often can you say that about a sugar cookie? ALWAYS mix vanilla and almond extract.


The deer lost his head on the ride over. It's okay, he was dead already.


New tradition? (Check my uncle Jay - nice touch.)


And check last year. Also, check the fake gold eye lashes....

We nixed that idea this year.


Brandon liked the cookies.


Lauren liked the cookies.


Chris took a perfect bite of his cookie!


And my cousin, Justin...


He liked the cookies but I don't know how he ate them considering he literally filled his plate with some sort of awesome cherry dessert that his mom made. I'm talking, a serving the size of his hand, at least. And that's why he needed Joel to hold the plate for him.

At some point we had communion and a sing-a-long with Andrea Bocelli.


And we also opened presents! Lauren has the same reaction...


As Emmalynn.

Christmas is always magical.


I wrapped seven presents for Jesse and put them in different places under the tree.


BAM! I win. Or, he wins.

There you have it...that's what I got. Some of these pictures are from Rachel's camera so thanks for those, sis. Even though I deleted them all. Love you!

I was thinking today that my faith is really pretty crazy. God became man...He walked among us...He never, ever messed up...He suffered so that I wouldn't have to. It sounds absolutely insane and yet, I believe it. And I believe the root of it all is love. So love and tidings and baubles and bows and cheers and hugs and kisses to each of you!

Well, kisses only to some of you. I have a reputation to uphold, here. And some of you might not brush your teeth that often.

Merry Christmas!

321/365

321/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

This summer we planted a garden.

I was adamant about my gourd corner. You might remember my family of butternut squashes awhile back. The wonderful thing about butternut squash is they don't rot very fast! And tonight I finally ate the fruits of my labor in the form of pizza.

Not a single family member touched my pizza. They think I'm weird.

Slice and dice the squash/toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and onion slices/roast in the oven.

Spread over pizza crust. Add spinach leaves, basil, mozzarella and gorgonzola cheese.

Then thank God for pizza and squash.

310/365

310/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

Happy Thanksgiving! That's my Papa, his son, and his grandson.

You're probably very familiar with the grandson. He pops up here a lot.


Keane!


I love when you make this face!


We used my great-grandmother's China today. It was a nice change from the plastic plates...but don't put the China in the microwave.


I made the sweet potatoes and two desserts. Mom made the green bean casserole, homemade wheat rolls, and deviled eggs.

For some reason I really want to go for a run...