For all you "servantless American cooks"

I am in no way trying to be Julie in the movie "Julie and Julia" by blogging this but I couldn't resist after seeing the movie this weekend. I persuaded Kelly to come with me but he actually really enjoyed this movie as much as I did! I have a new respect for Mrs. Julia Child, the woman who in my family gets teased more than not on occasion for her voice (of course) and her wine drinking during a cooking show and her personality (which Meryl Streep hit perfectly). This is a movie for everyone but more especially for anyone who likes to cook or thinks about cooking or dreams about food or loves to EAT! I am inspired from both Julie and Julia's lives and though I won't be making any goals now or ever to cook 575 recipes from Julia's cookbook in 1 year, I will try to master certain recipes that I am too lazy to try until now! I could identify with Julie-her ambitions and disasters! Next up, the eclairs I've mentioned before. They are for my mom's birthday party next Sunday and they MUST be PERFECT. So my trial run is Friday just in case they don't turn out I will still have a day to get it right! After that I want to make a really light and melt in your mouth gnocchi. For those of you who haven't seen the movie, GO! You will gain a new appreciation for Julia Child. AND here is a recipe for all of you who don't visit my recipe blog...Shauna, this isn't for you (ha ha) but your friends who wanted it. NOT hard, promise! You don't need any servants to make this one!!!! Bon Appetit!!!!

This recipe comes from a very good friend from CA who loves cooking as much, if not more than I do! Everything she makes is superb! Thanks Bonnie!

Sweet Pepper and Leek Tart

1 C flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

9 Tablespoons unsalted butter-cold

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1 leek, cleaned, trimmed, and diced

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 eggs

1/2 Cup grated mozzarella or smoked mozzarella

1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 Cup heavy cream

6 torn basil leaves

1 Tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley

Make dough: Pulse the flour with the salt and all but 1 Tablespoon of the butter in food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add a little ice water (1 teaspoon at time) to form dough. Roll out on floured surface. Line 9-10 inch pan with dough and trim off excess around edges. Poke with fork. Refrigerate.

Make filling: Melt remaining butter with olive oil over medium low heat. Add peppers and leeks salt and pepper to taste. Cook 15 minutes. Cool.

Preheat oven to 375. Beat eggs, mozz., Parmesan, cream, basil and parsley. Add pepper mixture. Pour into pie crust and bake 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Serves 8.

happy day!!!

This is the day we've been waiting to arrive! The first day back to school! I know I am extremely happy! Yes, I do LOVE my kids but there is something to be said about spending 3 entire months with them-day in , day out...we needed a break from each other and here we are at last with that break! The kids were all VERY excited to get to school this morning. They all lucked out and got great teachers and classes with their friends. I am now sitting in a quiet house (Jenna is off playing quietly with herself...I think?) And I am going to clean and work out! Before I sign out, I must say that Noah and Bailey were both embarrassed by my presence in their classroom and shooed me out quickly! SAD! BTW-Bailey is in 5th, yes 5th grade!!!!! Noah is in 3rd and Sam is in 1st grade. Jenna will start preschool after Labor Day! Hope all of you have a WONDERFULLY HAPPY DAY!!!!!

Where are the Farmers now?

Party at Shellie's house the night before the reunion with our families. BBQ, pool party, water slide!

Kelly and I (Met in CT in 1992 when we were nannies. Her husband, Darrion grew up with my Kelly!)

After 20 years, where has life led the graduates of Granite High, class of 89? (The Farmers) Kelly just had his 20 year reunion! Last night I got to see first hand what everyone looked like not because I knew them then but because they each had a name tag with their senior picture on it! It was hilarious to see all the mullets and perms with high bangs!!! I know, I'm next and yes there were plenty of perms in my day but it was still fun to laugh at the 80's. They held the reunion at Market Street Grill in Sandy. They had a live band playing 80's music and a big screen playing Ferris Bueller's Day Off!!! Kelly really only keeps in contact with a few close friends so I don't think he knew or recognized many people last night but there were a few that he was especially happy to see. My favorite part was seeing my good friend Kelly Bowers. She is married to Kelly's best buddy Darrion (see triathlon picture). It was great to see their kids, to chat and catch up and have someone to stand with at the reunion! We laughed as we watched one of the girls from Kelly's class flirting her best with him, not once but at least 3 times!!! She kept going up to him and getting in his "personal space". Can you believe the NERVE!!!! I was a little bugged! There was also some pretty interesting dancing going on. Now that was fun to watch! I think there were a few a little "toasted". Anyway, it was a well organized, fun evening and Kelly is very lucky to have such wonderful friends! I love to see him with them after all these years! It was a great weekend!

Jenna was watching me cut up sweet potatoes for dinner. As I placed the slices on the pan she said, "Mom, you're a hero!"

Kelly asked me who Sam got as a teacher for 1st grade and Jenna cut in saying, "I know who Sam has, he has the wolf!" (Mrs. FOX)

a perfect ending...goodbye summer!

Bailey's favorite things to do is beach comb. This was a good find! She was so happy!

The Spackmans

On board a real submarine!

Petting the Bat Rays!

WWII Monument. This is a gigantic statue!

La Jolla

Coronado Beach

My midlife crisis car-Porsche Speedster!

Parting is such sweet sorrow! Yesterday we had to tear ourselves away from the beach in La Jolla and say goodbye to our wonderful friends at the same time! The Spackman's are moving to Aix, France and we won't see them until our visit in April. We had such a great family vacation with them in San Diego!!! It was our "grand finale" to summer and it was bliss! The kids soaked up plenty of sun while enjoying some of their favorite friends! I loved watching their sweet expressions, the way they were fully entranced by the sand and sun and all the attractions. Now we have to prepare ourselves for school. Fun.

There is too much to cram into this post so I will highlight as usual. Here goes...

Walking, rollerblading, and riding scooters down boardwalk on Pacific beach-lots of crashes but no one was suriously injured!

Breakfast at Kono's. The best french toast EVER! Cheap, tasty eats!!!!

Boogie boarding. Kelly was a natural and couldn't get enough! Brandon and Kelly were out in the water more than our kids! Noah and Bailey gave it a shot and really enjoyed catching the waves!

Amazing sea weed/kelp art jewelry made by two clever girls named Bailey and Sophie!

Sand so soft it was like walking in flour!

PERFECT moderate weather-made lines at Sea World pleasant and our beach stay longer.

Meeting in the lobby of hotel at 10:30 P.M. with Brandon and Jill. Ate Cheesecake Factory Mud Pie and laughed our guts out. Yes, I was crying! We stayed till 1:00 A.M.

Planning our futures on the beach...trips are in the works, as usual!

Gelato-need I say more?

Anthony's Sea Food Grotto!!!! Fresh fish, calamari, clam chowder oh my!

Shamu, Sea Lion show, Cirque de la Mer show, Bat Rays, Atlantis ride, winning lots of stuffed walruses.

Trader Joe's run. I bought 25 packs of their "Just Bananas" dried bananas that Kelly LOVES and 10 boxes of their frozen chocolate croissants plus a lot of other great things. The guy checking me out was looking at me funny and asked if I was shipping this to someone. hahahah! I love that store!

Tour of three old ships in harbor-submarine, ship used in movie Master and Commander, and the Star of India. Kids LOVED it!