Only one month to go now.

Yesterday our employers at Marvellous Catering threw us an engagement party. They made us sweet pulled pork enchiladas with fresh pico de gallo, caesar salad, artichoke dip, delicious cookies, and THE BEST popcorn in the world : white chocolate with candy pieces, and cinnamon roll popcorn. So good. We had so many leftover cookies that I brought them to my Sunday School class today.

We were so lucky that Marvellous Catering threw us a party and that we had so many wonderful friends who came to help us celebrate. We work for the best people. This little party was kind of like a rehearsal reception and it made us both really excited to get married. 

Matt and I made monster sugar cookies a few weeks ago. I never posted the photos. The best one is on the bottom left-hand corner where the bear is eating his own foot. Also the one on the top in the middle is my Robo-bear and I love it. Plus, they were delicious. The sugar cookie recipe courtesy of my sis Jaime. 

Autumn = Apple, Pear, Cranberry Pie

 I made an Apple Pear Cranberry Pie with an almond biscuit crust. This magical pie fed 9 people, 7 of whom were watching my FAVORITE Halloween movie: Hocus Pocus.

 I got the recipe for the crust from the latest Martha Stewart Magazine. For some reason she sent the November issue to me at the beginning of October -honestly 2 weeks after receiving the October one. Whoa, slow down there, let me enjoy both of my favorite months? Anyway, I was skeptical about the biscuit topping, but it was actually really good. I also loved the combination of pears and apples with the cranberries. And no, mom, I did not reduce the sugar. Who wants to eat low-sugar pie? If I eat pie, I want to enjoy it. I'll just have a smaller piece.

 A week or so ago Matt and I went for a little walk in Rock Canyon. We took a few photos. Mostly I had to beg him to smile in a photo. He hates the first one because he looks like he was trying to show off his chest by having his shirt unbuttoned so low. (He was.)

And this is a photo of one of the creatures infesting our yard and eating my dying plants. My pumpkins are pretty much dead. All the leaves have withered. I can't imagine why! I water them and love them and pray for them. But they are dying. I have three pumpkins that will not turn orange! One of them looks like a cat has been attacking it in the night. There are lesions all over the surface -poor thing. I doubt we'll even be able to get seeds from the other two. They're too green.  I'm so sad.

Croque Monsieur

This photo is accidentally emphasizing the pomegranates. It's the sandwich on Matt's plate that you should be interested in.

I had this cheese sandwich for the first time in Avignon, France. I fell in love. Surprisingly, I hadn't made it for Matt until tonight. While he shelled a pomegranate, I buttered bread and sliced up a small block of $10 Gruyere cheese. Matt says nothing constitutes buying a small block of $10 cheese. Too bad these sandwiches were constitution enough.

The sandwich.

Buttered bread with Gruyere cheese and a slice of ham. Toast on both sides in a pan. THEN add Béchamel sauce over the top. (Butter and a bit of flour with milk, salt and pepper, stir until thickens to desired consistency) I added a bit more cheese to my sauce. I stuck the sandwiches under the broiler just to make everything a bit more cripsy. (The croque of Croque Monsieur is from the word "croquer" in French which means "to crunch")


Awesome. We also had a side of minestrone and a bowl of pomegranates. Very delicious, highly lactose-y dinner.

Wouldn't it be awful if your last name was Whitehead?

It's a real name. gross.

Speaking of gross, why is everything at the mall so gross? People cannot honestly buy/wear 80% of what they're selling. No more mall for me. I'm sticking with JCrew (sales of course).

I had my first midterm today. Poly Sci. I think it went alright.

I guess this is a wrap up post.

10 days ago Matt and I drove to San Bernadino for our marriage license. We spent the night in St George with two London-y married people Josh and Misty Everett. Lovely to see them, but in the morning at 245a Matt and I were on the road to CA. We were in California for a total of 1.25 hours before we were back on the road. Matt drove 15 hours that day (he wouldn't let me drive his car :p).

It's kind of autumny. The leaves are changing colors. I love autumn so freaking much. No other season is even .05% as good as fall. I could live all year long in perpetual fall. I really really could.

I've had very little work lately so not a lot of money which equals not a lot of food. But today I spent $12 and bought things to make a really delicious dinner:

Sage-Rosemary Chicken stuffed with...

Apple, Cranberry, Hazelnut stuffing. (bread courtesy of old cheesy biscuits) This is honestly the best stuffing. I had too much for the chicken, so while that is cooking I'm just munching on the stuffing. Love love love!


I hate school this semester. But I am determined to do just as well, because being engaged is not an excuse. And right now I'm blogging instead of studying. Boo.

'The whole wood is full of her spies. Even some of the trees are on her side.'

Remember earlier this month when I made a gingersnap crust pumpkin pie?

Remember how it was a stroke of genius and extremely delicious? (I don't mind saying something I've made is delicious when I eat it and cannot get enough, sorry humility.)



WELL! In the November 2010 issue of the Martha Stewart Magazine, in the "Save Room For..." section she featured a, ahem, pumpkin pie with a gingersnap crust!

I'm proud to say I did it before Martha (not that I really imagine I was the first). Also featured in the issue was cranberry tarts, which I made last year and Nicole and I have been dying for since.

Oh Martha, you're so Lana.

Indian September

Last September we went to India Fest on our first date -but you know this.

This September during India Fest time I had a breakdown about all my homework so we did not go. No big deal, we stayed in and I calmed down.

On Monday Fiance asked me if I could get all my homework done on Monday for Tuesday so he could take me out on a special date. Well I did.

Last night we rode bikes, in a roundabout way to downtown Provo. It was lovely to ride our bikes fast down the streets in the late-summer evening with the warm wind whipping us. We arrived at India Palace. I LOVE India Palace and I haven't been there in ages! We got Lamb Tikka Masala and Chicken Coconut Korma with garlic Naan bread and Onion Bahjis. So delicious, except the Lamb. I always try to like lamb, because I don't really dislike any foods, but I guess I do not like lamb -or pickles for that matter.

After dinner we rode our bikes back up to BYU campus. Fiance had purchased tickets to see a performance by the foremost sitar player in the world Nishat Khan.

It was awesome. He played, uninterrupted, for a solid hour. No breaks. By the end of it I was in this meditative stupor, but it was also getting late, so we didn't stay for the second hour.

It was a really great date. I love Indian September. Maybe someday we'll get to spend Indian September in INDIA!

Upside-down Plum Cake...

...equals the BEST CAKE EVER. Matthew has said this a few times. He also said that he wants a grooms cake of that variety, but I'm not going to make a cake so close to the wedding.
It really was delicious. I made it last night and it's gone, less than 24 hours later. Nicole and Brooke are partly to blame. The rest of the blame goes to Matthew. Rudy could only take one bite before the sugar was too much for her.

It was a delicious upside-down cake with plums and a peach, and I topped it all off with a plum glaze (plum jam, which equals the best jam I've ever made/eaten, watered down and some powdered sugar added and drizzled over the top)

SO Delicious. I wish it wasn't gone. I would like another piece.

I did go running. I ran 6.32 miles. After mile 5 I got a second wind and couldn't seem to stop. I didn't stop until a slow song came on my iPod. Then I came home and it took nearly all my strength to not crash down the stairs. My knee is killing me, but I ran 6.32 miles. And I had made some homemade minestrone and bread this morning which served as a wonderful post-run meal.

I Love Summer Saturdays

I especially love them when I don't have to be at work all day and I can go to the Farmer's Market with a dear old friend and buy produce.

Yummy Lunch here I come. Plus a little homemade cherry pie for dessert? Yes.

4th of July (or Banana Bread French Toast with Pure Kenyan Sugar)

 Here in Provo Independence Day seemed to last the entire weekend because the 4th was on a Sunday. Saturday Matt and I went up to Squaw Peak to watch the fireworks. Luckily we got there several hours early, or we would never have been able to get a spot.

 

While we were up there, I kept hearing someone speak in a British accent. Finally, I mustered up the courage to ask him which part of England he's from. He said, "Reading." I asked if he knew the Perry's then. Looking stunned he said, "I am a Perry." I was so excited. I told him how I knew his little brother David Perry, and his wife said, "Oh you're Lana. Yeah, I remember hearing about you." I was so excited. It's amazing to meet someone half way across the world on top of a mountain who knows someone (let alone is related to someone) I knew well in London!

  Sunday, which was the 4th was fairly uneventful. We all went to church and before we watched our Sunday Documentary, I got to visit with Becky, and then Matt blew up some fireworks. We put bottle rockets down the tube of a broom, and placing the bristles on our shoulders like guns, shot them into the sky. Then we blew up a disgusting tissue box holder sent from Korea. Sorry Sophie, Lauren made me do it. (Though I honestly didn't protest.)

 

Monday was a long day. The parade was going on in the morning. We didn't go see it. But Matt and I tried to navigate threw it to get to a bakery that ended up being closed. So I made Banana Bread French Toast with Pure Kenyan Sugar. It was delicious. It was especially delicious because I didn't have milk, so I had to water down sweetened condensed milk into which I whisked the eggs. 

After Breakfast, we all (which always means Me, Matt, and Lauren) worked on my garden. It now looks beautiful! And then headed to Lauren's grandparents house for a barbecue (which we learned is not actually spelled with a "qu", who knew?). We had hoards of children attacking us. And it was wonderful.

After the Barbecue, we all met up with some other friends to float down the Provo River. I was advised strongly to not take my camera on the river, though, having completed it unscathed, I wish I had.

 

The river was SO COLD! We had a really hard time getting used to it. We had a really great time all in all, even though Lauren claims she hated it. We know we had fun. All of us had fun, except one. She was hurt pretty badly. I felt really awful for her. But she's alright now. 

  

After the river, Matt was craving bucketed chicken. So we had to go to KFC. I can't remember the last time I actually ate there. At the time it tasted really good, but I'm kind of regretting it now. I picked some green beans from my garden, and we made some fries and had a picnic in my living room and watched The Edge.

It was a really good weekend.

I can't stop posting!

 

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? Very well, Thank you.

I'd like to introduce you to, Onion stalks and Peas. Peas are very sweet and well mannered. Onion stalks still have a bit of growing up to do.

And this is String Beans. String Beans are growing fast and taste delicious with some butter and garlic. But then, what doesn't?

Here is Lavender, Chives, Basil and Cilantro. Chives is a little behind the rest, but is growing fast. Cilantro is growing too fast. It's already gone to seed! It's so tasty though.

Behind Lavender you can see Mint.

And over here you can see Carrots, and Strawberries. Strawberries grew up too fast, and all the ants ate away her delicious fruit.

You can't see them in these photos but Pumpkin is growing SO FAST! Lauren is against it, but I'm going to milk feed one of my pumpkins this year. Isn't that a funny idea? I read about it in Little House on the Prairie. I'm going to do it and that Pumpkin is going to be huge! You also can't see Spinach, Jalapeno, Butternut and Lettuce.

I love Summer and I love gardening and I love eating the fresh veggies and herbs. Yum.

No food? No Problem.

Since I've been hired to work for Marvellous Catering, I have not been grocery shopping. I was hired in April. That's nearly 2 1/2 months of no food shopping. I get fed so well there and I get so many leftovers (plus I practically live there) that I really don't ever need to buy food -which is great for me, and my bank account.
But it happens sometimes that I didn't work all day. So I'm not fed a huge meal. So I'm at home with no food -and hungry.
The last week or so I've been in this position a few times and I've had to improvise. I'm happy to say that I've done quite well. Not on my own, of course, it helps when people move out and leave leftovers.Though I would much rather they all hadn't left for Africa and Canada.

 

Yesterday's lunch: Quinoa spiced with ground ginger, garlic salt, fresh cilantro from my garden, soy sauce, and a drop of sesame oil ( sorry Lauren :) ). 

Salad made from Lettuce from my garden and a bit of Romaine that had frostbite, some frozen raspberries from work, some craisins, some leftover steak from work, topped with a homemade dressing : Olive Oil, Garlic Rice Wine Vinegar, Salt and Pepper. 

Cucumber Balls from work and Kiwi slices from work. I don't know how filling it was for Matt. But I really liked it. He loved the Quinoa.

Lunch for me today: Penne with a handful of freezer burnt broccoli, cucumber balls, an infinitesimal amount of steak, a bit of feta (that's been in the fridge forever) and the same dressing as yesterday but with oregano. Kind of like a Greek Pasta Salad thing. Whatever it was, it was delicious.

What to make for dinner now?

Provo Sourdough

I'm up at 3a. Why? Baking bread. I somehow miscalculated when I started my tempermental loaf of sourdough yesterday. So now, I'm sitting half asleep waiting for my bread to finish up so I can go back to sleep. The things I do for baked goods!

Popsicles

Happy Official First Day of Summer!

The solstices and equinoxes are my favorite times of the year. I love the change to a new season. I love each of them for a different reason. I love the summer solstice because I am warm from head to toe and I can live off of popsicles until September!

Fried Apples and Onions

I had NO idea that this existed! I want this so badly! 

Most of you who know me well know that I ADORE Little House on the Prairie books. They make me so nostalgic and cozy inside. I've read them so many times and I want to read them again and again. I've learned so much from these books about how to embroider, make a braided rug, knit, gardening tips and even some recipes. But there is an actual Recipe BOOK!? 

I must have this.

It does the job

Tonight:


"How's your pork, Matt?"

"Uhm, it does the job I guess."

"What?!"

"It's just a fork."

miscommunication disorders are already setting in

California

This weekend Matt and I roadtripped out to my hometown of Redding, California. Driving out there isn't bad, unless the rental car you secured doesn't have cruise control!

The Sundial Bridge

When we were walking on the river trail with one of my oldest friends, Adrienne, we found a mulberry tree. Some of the berries were too high for us so Matt had to take his shirt off (the berries stain EVERYTHING) and pull down branches for us. Mulberries are so tasty.

Skipping rocks at Brandy Creek.

The area around Whiskeytown Lake is so beautiful. It was especially green from all the rain. I shot so many photos, while we were eaten alive by mosquitoes.

Nor Cal...

My little brother graduated from High School, so some old family friends came to help us celebrate. We had a lot of really delicious foods. Matt couldn't stay away from all the berries. My mom supplied us with a refilling cache of berries. Matt was in heaven.

The day of the graduation it poured all day. We weren't sure how that would go for the walk. But by the time it started the sky was dry and beautiful.

When I'm in Utah, I miss my cat Noni. Matt loves her now too. Especially since she slept with him every night.

Saturday we went to Lake Shasta Caverns with Adrienne and Evan.

The caves were so cool. Photos from my little Cannon just don't do it justice.

Cave Bacon.

Sunday we drove back to Utah. I was unbelievably carsick almost the entire time and poor Matt had to drive a lot. We saw this lovely little gem of an election poster in Lovelock:

She needs a better photographer.


When we arrived in Utah Valley there was the most beautiful lightning storm overhead. I was still too sick to take many shots but I got this one over the Jordan Temple. I couldn't believe how colorful the sky was. I was in awe. And I am very thankful to be home and not in a car anymore.