caramel marshmallow popcorn

You're not going to want to miss out on this sweet treat! Incredibly EASY and makes for a great gift or movie snack. Get creative and add some yummy mix-ins of your own! Such as some drizzled chocolate or M&Ms :)

Caramel Marshmallow Popcorn

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
10-12 regular sized marshmallows
12 cups POPPED corn

Directions:

Cook popcorn according to instructions, removing any unpopped kernels, and setting aside.

In medium saucepan melt butter and brown sugar over low heat.

Increase heat to medium, adding marshmallows while stirring until completely melted together and mixture is smooth.

Pour over popped corn making sure to evenly coat the popcorn. Serve warm or store in air-tight container!

Quick Tip: This recipe may also be prepared in microwave, following each step, but allowing ingredients to melt together for a minute or two in a microwave safe bowl verses stovetop!

called to serve

I made this montage for a special combined church meeting focusing on missionary work. It contains video clips and pictures of missionaries currently serving from the Live Oak Canyon Ward of the Santa Margarita Stake along with segments from general conference talks that can be found online at lds.org. I certainly do not own the rights to any of that or the music, however I do own the rights of loving all the people in them. They are AWESOME.

But seriously, I love these people! My homeward has always had a fairly large youth group and growing up with them has been a blast. Anyhow, we've now reached that college age where we're now making big kid decisions and going our separate ways. Which in our church usually means college or mission calls! Right now our ward alone has 17 missionaries(male and female ages 18-21) out in the field right now with a few more soon on the way! These missionaries are close friends that I've grown up with my whole life. While I may miss them like crazy, this work they are doing is so much greater! The message they have to share is not only bettering their lives and building up their own testimonies, but changing the lives and futures of so many others! This Gospel of Jesus Christ truly is the most valuable piece of information you will find anywhere. Just understanding where you came from, where you're going, and the purpose of our mere existence alone means so much! Life just makes sense with the gospel and living it brings me so much happiness on a day to day basis! This gift I've been given is one I want to share with everyone just so they too can feel of this unexplainable joy the spirit of the gospel brings me. I love it, I live it, and I seriously never want to be without out. While I may not have ever been "called" on a mission like these friends of mine, that doesn't stop me from trying to be a missionary to those around me and you can to! We are all called to the work and have such a great message to share!

Want to learn more about this message?
Speak with the missionaries yourself!  or
Find out the real scoop on all this "Book of Mormon" stuff!

crunch wrap supreme

Ever since watching "Super Size Me" in my 7th grade Home Economics class I've been pretty anti-fast food. The idea of consuming food, especially meats, that contained that many preservatives just didn't sit well with me. That can't be natural for us to be fueling our bodies with such genetically engineered ingredients. Of course, at the time Taco Bells Crunch Wrap Supremes were all the rage and I definitely may have broken my rule a few times to consume in its deliciousness. But now, I have a guilt-free version that contains all the flavor without the questionable meat!

Crunch Wrap Supreme:

large flour tortillas (burrito style)
1 lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning (mccormicks)
sour cream
nacho cheese or shredded cheese
corn tostada shells or tortilla chips
tomatoes
lettuce

Directions:

Cook beef according to taco packet instructions.

Spread choice of cheese around center of your first large tortilla(recipe should make around 6 wraps) and top with cooked ground beef covering no larger than the shape of the tostada shell. Layer with tostada, then sour cream, shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes.

Fold up soft tortilla toward center and continue all the way around until completely folded over in the shape of a hexagon(just like Taco Bells version).

Place folded side down of wrap down onto lightly greased non-stick pan. Press with spatula and cook until nice and brown, then continuing with opposite side(1-2 minutes) until finished. Serve with store bought Taco Bell Hot Sauce or your own favorite version!

Tip: For a faster alternative use a panini press! (PS. totally one of my favorite appliances).

peppermint chip cookies

If you're like me you have plenty of leftover Christmas candy still laying around the house. One of my families favorites is Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark! This limited edition candy has milk and dark chocolate variations but I'm a personal fan of the dark combination. Both have the white chocolate and crushed candy cane and are a great addition for Christmas cookies. Of course you can play around with your own combination of these flavors if theres no peppermint bark available in your area but I'm a big Ghirardelli fan!

Peppermint Chip Cookies:

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (optional for extra minty-ness)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups peppermint bark(or any combination of chocolate chips/bark)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and sugar until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping bowl as needed. Add the eggs, one by one, followed by peppermint and vanilla extracts.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients until just combined. Chop peppermint bark into a chocolate chip-like size, measuring out 2 cups, and then mixing into cookie mixture. Spoon cookie dough into rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake until until edges begin to turn golden brown, about 9-11 minutes.

Let cool, and enjoy!