Anita & Alyssa Cook

yesterday I stumbled upon something delicious that has been missing from my life all these 19.5 years.
Butternut squash.
Though it looks like something that only belongs next to the Thanksgiving cornucopia and is a beezy to cut when you don't have a good knife, it's delicious. Try it.
A couple months ago at Sam's house I stumbled upon a Clean Eating magazine. The foods in that bad boy looked like ambrosia, so after having a hayday with the copier and basically replicating every page in the book, I've been trying out a couple of them and none have failed me.
Butternut squash risotto was no different. In fact, after first bite, Anita and I had to have a moment of silence... actually like 5 minutes of silence only punctuated by "mmmmms" and a lot of fork scraping... and foot shuffling back to the stovetop to load up on more. Seriously people, this stuff is a new favorite. The recipe is a little time intensive, we just used instant rice instead of arborio, and omitted the thyme because I didn't have any, so feel free to change the recipe. Here's the link because I'm feeling like utilizing my resources today and have much to do before the Jazz game tonight.
Now salivate.

Finally got a camera battery charger. HALLEfreakingLUJAH life thru pictures may resume

I've had this nagging feeling I should be writing something

but now that I've finished my midterms and had five seconds to sit down and actually think, well, I can't remember all the things I was going to write on here. Boo.
I could write about getting my tires rotated today and how I learned that the guys at Les Schwab really do come running right when you park... and sometimes they shave in the dark and have the remnants of half a mustache to prove it.
I could also write about how I made a bajillion cupcakes with Kelsey the other day for our Ward Halloween party, how we made the best Halloween rainbow cupcakes ever, and we rocked the cakewalk. Oh, and I drove all over God's green earth in search of black balloons to complete my blackberry costume. It was legit. I couldn't move my arms down. I felt like I gained 500 extra lbs. I was never happier to shed such an uncomfortable situation.
Oh, I should probably write that my intramural team is kicking the trash of every other intramural team in the league. Maybe it's Brittany's shin guards she lets me use every game. Maybe it's my skiing socks that I use as soccer socks. Perhaps it's the fact that we score a lot of goals and knock a lot of girls down. I have missed soccer, and that is a fact.
Another thing I could mention- the fact that I love my roommates and I have never been happier in Provo Utah. There is definitely something to be said for living with your friends. Especially when they are great and clean and lovely.
I should also talk a bit about my love of fall. And the fact that I love cooking everything pumpkin. Oh, and that this season Mansion 34 has become candy corn addicts. Slowly all the leaves are changing, the temperature is lessening, and that means I get to wear my boots. And long sleeved shirts. My only regret is that I can't actually enjoy the crispness of October and whatnot due to an overload in the scholastic department. Boooo. I want to go on a fall drive, take a lot of pics, and make a whole day devoted to pumpkin cooking, but nope. That will not be happening... although we are having a really sweet Halloween party next weekend. Stay tuned.
Have a fabulous weekend. Stay classy

Anita & Alyssa Cook

Antonio, my beloved phone, is dying.

At first he would just randomly turn off during the day or tell me I had a simcard error. No biggie, I'd just fire him back up and he'd work for the next 2 or 3 days. Today, however, he stopped vibrating. Now he just makes this weird shrill sound that I don't even understand... it's quite heartbreaking, really. I'm wondering if I should just euthanize him... no. He has to last til Christmas. I definitely cannot buy a new phone right now.

Anyways, bad tangent. On a happier note, Anita and I cooked today and it was a COMPLETE success. I highly recommend this one, folks. I found this little gem in October 2008 of Cooking Light at work a couple days ago. I have such an old soul- seriously. Anyways, I copied it down, and we tried it because it basically fit into Anita's raw food diet. Here's the link to the recipe because it's too long and I'm too tired to write it down. (PS. we substituted cumin for fennel)

and here is a pic of us enjoying. My camera is dead and gone until I get my charger from Idaho Falls, so we won't be having any new pictures for awhile... boo :(

Anyways, complete success, and even Kelsey liked it. "Alyssa make me healthy!" is what she said after trying it and me giving her a lesson on red lentils. Love you Kels.

Well, that is it for now I believe... only 3 more midterms and life will be good... man oh man.

oh, and this video is the most favorite of the week. enjoy :)

SG and a weekend away

we have other friends but these ones are my favorites. plus my camera was dying so I had to decide who was really important.

This weekend was great. We drove down to St. George on Friday, stayed and played our 1 1/2 days away, and came back bright and early this morning in time for choir practice. It was so fun. Highlights?

1. getting the voicemail telling me I'd won a 32 in plasma TV for taking a marriage survey. HA I may never get married but at least I win stuff!

2. Spraining my ankle trying to be Spiderman and run up walls. Yeah, UGGs are not good for those activities. My ankle is still huge. 

3. Going to Zion and hiking despite that darn ankle. I love the red rocks! Oh, and pretending to sit on a cactus but actually really sitting on it and finding a thorn in my hind parts later that day...

4. Making boys cook for us, even if it's just Bisquick pancakes and canned pineapple.

5. Getting dressed up and going to Chili's. Oh, and having everyone think we'd just gotten back from a high school dance.

6. Playing the HA game and having our abs hurt in the morning times 10.

7. Making fun of Sam and her pesky lactose intolerance....

8. Driving back to Provo at the butt crack of dawn and listening to Disney the whole way... and getting back in time for choir practice. Ohhhh yeah.

To say the least it was a good time, and a much needed break from Happy Valley. As for the week, meh bring it on.

 Hope life is grand wherever this finds you. xo

Anita & Alyssa Cook

So I guess all that studying paid off, because I definitely did better than I'd anticipated on my test. Maybe I won't fail out of BYU :)

After I finished my test and classes I went home, texted Anita, and I celebrated the only way I know how. I cooked. 

Because Anita is in this World Religions class and has all these crazy assignments, for the next two weeks she is a vegetarian Buddhist Monk who has to omit preservatives, meat, sugar, and salt, does meditation every night, and has to be silent on Thursdays. Naturally, she came to me with her vegetarian questions. :) (And probably just because she knew we'd cook together haha) Anyways, my foodstuffs are running low, so this week we just whipped up some raw food fajitas. Real easy, real simple, real delicious.

Fajitas 

1 red pepper and 1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced

1 onion, diced

1 T garlic

some mushrooms, sliced

lots of EVOO

sautee all that together and just try not to die of the delightful smell... heaven is gonna smell like onions and garlic. I know it.

oh, and we made some beans too... my roommate Sam makes the best ones, so we just modified her version, with no sauce or cheese because Anita can't eat processed things, and she hates cheese... basically we were left with a pot full of refried beans and a little milk mixed in. it was real good.

Serve in heated tortillas with cheese, beans, and veggies. (and the secret ingredient to great fajitas I just didn't have tonight- slices of potato. Divine.) Oh, but I forgot one thing. Anita definitely couldn't eat my whole wheat tortillas because they have some preservatives in them, so I had the bright idea of frying her up her own tortilla... basically that meant just mixing wheat flower and milk, then frying it in olive oil. She thought it was a success... only did I mention she couldn't talk to me the whole time because she has to be silent of Thursdays? She just made "mmmmm" noises the whole time. It was great :)

After a delightful din I was not done. I was on a cooking rampage, and I had peaches to use, thanks to Ashlee and Jake and his mom's wonderful peach tree. Kelsey cut the peaches, I mixed the ingredients, and we made this Thank you, smittenkitchen. I am such an addict, and I am converting the roommates to the world of foodblogs as well...

Try it. It's real good. Alright folks, that's it. Til next time

hello from Harold

This is me studying for anatomy in the library. At least I got a window seat.
I've got study hair. There will be no picking of split ends, no twirling, and no braiding. I've got bags under my eyes. There is no time to sleep these days. I've got an anatomy midterm I am feeling a little unprepared for... oh well, that's nothing 5 hours of studying before the 4 PM test deadline won't fix, right? RIGHT. (hopefully)
I just watched a spider crawl across my table, jump down to the chair, then floor, and then proceed to hop (yes really) across the floor and away from me. Intriguing. About as interesting as interstitial fluid. And simple squamous epithelial cells.
In time this too shall pass, right? (Heck- it's gotta be done my 4!)
One thing is keeping me going though- and it's called Friday Saturday and Sunday. This weekend the friends and I are St. George bound to stay in one of my friend's condo/timeshare/whatevers as our reward for a sufficiently stressful month of September. Can't wait!
Okay, the break is over. And sorry me and Anit didn't cook last week. or this week. But today we shall, so don't touch that dial.

one two step

welcome to my Friday night. Friends are playing, fun is brewing somewhere, and I am sitting in the kitchen studying for my accounting test. Yes. Anyways, amidst all these dividends and such I just decided I had to share a really great story that happened to me. Here it goes:

As most people know, I make an effort to get to the gym every day. Working out makes me feel a little better, gets my mind a little clearer, and makes me feel a little less guilty when I've just GOT to make a 50 cent Macy's ice cream cone run. Most mornings I make it, but Fridays are especially hard for me because I've got to be out the door for work by 8. That means early gym time... which takes me back to the good ol' days of Fitness 19 with Mom at 4:45... oh I do NOT miss those early mornings. Anyways, this morning I got up at 5:30, suited up, and went to Gold's with the intention of sweating it out at step class- the only class offered at 6 AM. I figured it wouldn't be that hard... I kind of remember my Mom doing step in the wee mornings of the early 90s, and from what I remembered, well, it wasn't anything I wasn't capable of. I got there in good time, found some space in the back corner, and sized up my competition. Meh- it was a handful of women in various walks of life, most 40s or 50s, and without a second thought I stretched out a little and prepared for what I thought would just be a nice little routine.

I was wrong. 

Stepping is a cult. I don't know where these women learned it, but they  were INSANE and I just stood there looking like a fool trying to mimic their footsteps as they did all these ridiculous moves and fancy footwork on that dumb bench. On a break one lady even turned to me and was like, "oh is this your first time? Don't be intimidated, just follow the footsteps.. you'll get a hold of it!" 

I did not get a hold of it. I was almost crying with embarrassment, the hilariousness of the situation, and the fact that the stupid step was kicking my butt. Why the beep was I even here? I could tell all the women around me were pitying me... they didn't look directly at me, but conveniently the walls at Gold's are full of mirrors, therefore the graceful steppers watched me just trip over myself in the back corner. However, I was determined to stay the whole 45 minutes. I was determined not to relive the "hip hop class" incident of many moons ago. 

But I am not that strong, turns out. After a big enough dose of embarrassment I stepped it right out of there with a "thanks for coming!" hollered at me from the instructor as I ran out of there, throwing back a big "ol' yeah..... you owned me" grin as I ran away.

You will find me at the treadmills from now on.