Christmas in the Condie Home

Due to Mckay's passion for Christmas, we have our decorations up super early this year. We love the extra lights and color to our beautiful home!

We plan to spend Thanksgiving with the Condies and Christmas in Denver with the Beardalls!

We are so very excited to celebrate our 1 year wedding anniversary in downtown Salt Lake City on December 17th.

With only a month left before Christmas, we have completed our extensive presents list to Santa.

Mckay wants:

• Batman Game
• Iphone
• Movies
• Clothes
• Shoes

Danielle Wants:

• Clothes
• Shoes
• Iphone
• Cake decorating kit

One of our favorite parts of the Christmas season is the family parties.

Can you guess who's stocking is who's?

hApPy HoLiDaYs!

Fall Festivities

This fall has been exciting and memerable! Mckay was busy with football finishing off the season with a 6-5 reccord. He remained the starting longsnapper the entire season and plans to spend one more year playing for the Southern Utah University thunderbirds. Aside from football, Mckay has been enjoying his studies, furthering his learning in psychology.

For me, I completed my first marathon October 1st. It was fun for the family to gather together to see my dad and I finish the St. George Marathon. I also have been continuing my studies in Communications, planning to graduate either Summer or Fall of 2012.

We are excited for the holiday season to come and the goals we would like to accomplish for the upcoming year!

Sunday Night Dinner

This is an extremely easy dinner and tastes delicious. Also, it's always so hard to get Mckay to eat vegetables, so adding a few toppings makes anyone like their vegetables!

Broccoli & Cheese Sauce:

• One stick of butter
• Cream of Mushroom soup
• Large handful of Cheese

Heat all ingredients on medium heat until all is melted. Serve over steamed broccoli.

Cooked Carrots and Dressing

• Butter
• Honey
• Brown Sugar

Boil carrots until tender. After, drain the water and add a desirable amount of the above ingredients.

Grilled Chicken

• Chicken Breast
• All seasoning salt
• BBQ Sauce

Marinate chicken in BBQ Sauce and salt for a 1/2 hour. Place chicken on grill and cook until no longer pink.

Stuffed Green Peppers

Mckay and I absolutely loved these, and they are so filling!

Ingredients
1 C long rice

4 large green bell peppers, bottom trimmed, cap end cut off and diced, and seeds removed
1 large onion, diced
2 tsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil
2 links turkey Sweet Italian Sausage

1/2 tsp. ground fennel
1/2 tsp. dried Greek or Turkish oregano
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used cheddar)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese (Once again, I used cheddar)

Directions:

1. Cook rice according to package directions, or using a rice cooker.

2. Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Trim bottom of bell peppers so they have a flat surface to stand on. Cut off a fairly generous amount of the stem end of peppers, then remove seeds. Place hollowed-out peppers in a baking dish that you've sprayed with non-stick spray or olive oil. (A dish that's close in size to the peppers will work best.)

3. Remove stem part from the pepper caps and trim off any white membrane, then dice pepper caps and the onion into fairly small dice. Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in a large skillet, then saute diced pepper and onion for 3-4 minutes, until they are starting to soften but aren't browned. Remove pepper-onion mixture to a bowl, add 1 tsp. more olive oil.

4. Then squeeze sausage out of the casing and cook until it's lightly browned, breaking apart with the back of the turner.

5. Put the onion-pepper mixture back into the pan with the sausage, add the dried spices, and saute 2-3 minutes to blend the flavors. Then add cooked rice and Parmesan cheese, season the mixture with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste, and cook just long enough to warm, about 1-2 minutes.

6. Stuff the filling mixture into the hollowed-out peppers, using a spoon to press the mixture down so it's tightly packed into the pepper shell. If you have any extra filling, you can put it in a small ramekin and bake along with the peppers. Bake peppers for 30 minutes, then remove from oven and put a generous pinch of grated mozzarella on top of each pepper. Put peppers back into the oven and bake about 10-15 minutes more, until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Serve hot.

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

1 C butter flavored Crisco (yeah, I didn't have this. I had regular shortening, and real butter. So, I did 1/2 cup normal shortening, and a 1/2 cup butter...but on her website, she mentions that you can use 1 cup butter if you don't have shortening. They just might not be quite as soft.) 

1 C creamy peanut butter 

1 C sugar

1 C packed brown sugar

1 t vanilla

3 eggs

3 C flour

2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

Additional white sugar for rolling

filling: 

1 C creamy peanut butter

1/2 C  real butter, softened

4 C powdered sugar

2 t vanilla

3-4 Tbs milk

Cookies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream shortening, peanut butter, and sugars together until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add in vanilla, and eggs one at a time. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt and add to dough. Mix to combine. The dough will be very soft- that’s normal!

Roll dough into 1/2 inch (or a little larger) balls, roll in sugar, place on ungreased cookie sheet and do the little forky criss-cross thing.

Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until puffed and set, but not browned.  Remove from oven, let cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes and then transfer to cooling rack. 

Filling: Beat peanut butter, butter, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth, if needed, add milk until desired consistency is reached.  When cookies are completely cooled, spread a layer of frosting on one side and sandwich together

Triple Layer - Chocolate Peanutbutter Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup neutral vegetable oil, such as canola
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 8-inch round cakepans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine them well. Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and be sure the batter is well mixed. Divide among the 3 prepared cake pans.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely. (Deb note: These cakes are very, very soft. I found them a lot easier to work with after firming them up in the freezer for 30 minutes. They’ll defrost quickly once assembled. You’ll be glad you did this, trust me.)
4. To frost the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or large serving plate. Spread 2/3 cup cup of the Peanut Butter Frosting evenly over the top. Repeat with the next layer. Place the last layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. (Deb note 1: Making a crumb coat of frosting–a thin layer that binds the dark crumbs to the cake so they don’t show up in the final outer frosting layer–is a great idea for this cake, or any with a dark cake and lighter-colored frosting. Once you “mask” your cake, let it chill for 15 to 30 minutes until firm, then use the remainder of the frosting to create a smooth final coating. Deb note 2: Once the cake is fully frosted, it helps to chill it again and let it firm up. The cooler and more set the peanut butter frosting is, the better drip effect you’ll get from the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze.)
5. To decorate with the Chocolate–Peanut Butter Glaze, put the cake plate on a large baking sheet to catch any drips. Simply pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely. Remove about 1 hour before serving. Decorate the top with chopped peanut brittle.

Peanut Butter Frosting
Makes about 5 cups
10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter, preferably a commercial brand (because oil doesn’t separate out)

1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup half-and-half

1. In the top of a double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half, beating until smooth. Use while still warm.

Peach Cobbler

This is one of Mckay's favorite desserts he has me make for him! You will love it!

Ingredients:

• 1cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 cups sliced peeled fresh or frozen peaches

Topping:

• 2cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tbs butter
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• Ground cinnamon, optional (I always sprinkle some in for fun)

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the milk just until combine.

Peal and slice peaches

Fold peaches into mixture.

Then spread mixture into a greased 8x8in square baking dish

Set aside and begin preparing the topping. In a large saucepan, combine the water, sugars, butter, nutmeg, and cinnamon if desired. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugars are dissolved. Pour over top of mixture in baking dish.

Bake at 400 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until filling is bubbly and a toothpick inserted in topping comes out clean. We like to serve this with vanilla ice cream on top, but can be served with half-and-half cream.