Rack of Lamb goodness

Well it seems that my last post has brought some fall our way here in Los Angeles. The weather has turned a bit cooler the last couple of days and today was an absolutely beautiful day.

To bring in the fall we made a yummy dinner. We both love cooking so much and never have time during the week to make super yummy meals. We do the usual grill a meat, steam some veggies, maybe a rice dish here and there, but nothing too inspired. So while we were out the other night Aaron thought for us to start doing a Gourmet Dinner Night, where we take turns choosing what we want to make, usually some amazing recipe from our favorite cooking magazine SAVEUR.

Tonight was the first night (Aaron's night) and we started it off with a RACK OF LAMB, with red potatoes and spaghetti squash. While the red potatoes and spaghetti squash were not the gourmet aspects, the RACK OF LAMB was. It was incredible and as you can see a pretty easy recipe. If you are not a big lamb person I think this is a great mild introduction. We used a rack of Australian Lamb, can be found at costco, which is known to be a milder flavor. Recipe is from Saveur this month. Can also be found online and you will find that their website is incredible however may result in you wanting to stay home all day and just cook and cook.

1 1 3⁄4-lb. frenched rack of lamb
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper,
to taste
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. roughly chopped fresh rosemary
1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme, plus 4 sprigs
10 cloves garlic, smashed

1. Heat oven to 450˚. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12" cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb fat side down and cook, using tongs to flip and sear the bottom and sides of the rack, until browned, about 10 minutes. Turn lamb fat side up in the skillet and scatter herbs over the top.

2. Add garlic to skillet and transfer to oven. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of the meat reads 130˚ for medium rare, about 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing into chops and serving.

Here is a pic of the final product. Aaron did a fabulous job, I must say having a husband who enjoys cooking and is great at it is a great bonus.

Now off to decide what I will choose to make this next week...if you have any ideas feel free to send them my way.

It's that time of year

We got a problem people...a big one. What is it you may ask. I MISS UTAH. It is official I am going through the usual it is fall time in Utah, but not in California, withdrawals. In Southern California Fall does not really exist. It comes around December. Sept/Oct are actually the warmer months of the year due to the Santa Ana winds. Anyway, so I am missing Utah as a result of this. And the problem is once I start thinking about one thing I miss about Utah the list starts to get super long. I was talking to Aaron tonight and I think the problem is that my heart is still in Utah. It is where I moved after high school and started out with such a rough start in terms of liking Utah. But then I made it my home, grew so much, fell in love and started my life with Aaron there.

So just to rub in my sadness as much as possible I am going to make a list of all the things I miss tonight about Utah.

1. -Our house
2. -Bombay House
3. -Matt, KT, Liam and George
4. -The crisp fall air
5. -Sugarhouse Park
6. -Eggs in the City
7. -Our neighborhood
8. -Dilworth elementary park
9. -Walks through the tree lined streets
10. -Leaves changing
11. -BBQing in our back yard
12. -Playing in the front yard with neighbor kids
13. -Bikram Sugarhouse studio
14. -Ash
15. -Mazza
16. -Mountains
17. -Watching the dogs play in the backyard
18. -The charm
19. -Aims
20. -Utah Utes Football
21. -ARTEC and my friends there
22. -Snow

(okay not a ton of it, but I do like the change, I know remind me of this if I ever move back)
23. -Cutler's
24. -Great Harvest
25. -Rivers
26. -How close everything is
27. -REI on 33rd

So I know this list seems long and may make it seem that I do not like Los Angeles at all, which is not true at all because I really do love Southern California. It's just the fall is a really hard time to not be in Utah. Luckily me and my girls, Ash and Aims, have a girls trip coming up in Utah in November so I can squeeze some Utahness in to hopefully fill me up.

Santa Barbara with the fam

Last weekend we took a Steenblik vaca up to Santa Barbara. I must say that I had been wanting to go to Santa Barbara ever since we moved to cali and I am so glad we finally made it there. The town of Santa Barbara is just as charming as can be and the scenery is not too shabby either. We stayed in a home that was on top of the hill overlooking all of Santa Barbara and the beach. The location was just perfect and the home was beautiful. We made trips to the beach, the local farmers market, the old Mission, the Natural History Museum, the Pier, and played many of games of Hide and Seek with Liam. It was just great being with the family and I will admit I cried when I got in the car to drive home. Life is stressful right now and our weekend trips are making things more manageable. I am so happy that we were able to do this trip together.

I am so glad we were all able to get together for a few days. I know I say this often after time with my family, but really and truly spending time together is the greatest.
I am so thankful for the family I am a part of.

Weekend away in AZ

Aaron and I headed to Arizona for this past weekend to enjoy some time away. It was a great weekend to head away from Los Angeles, as the fires have been making the air here so nasty. I really wanted to have a nice lil summer monsoon while we were there and my wish was granted Saturday morning. We had a great weekend away with my parents. We hiked Camelback Mountainn 2 times, which is a crazy nice workout. It is the mountain (like a hill when compared to the Wasatch Mountains) that my parents live at the base of. We were able to meet up with the Johnson's who moved to AZ this last year from grad school. It was great to catch up with such great people. We of course spent time in the pool, one of Aaron's favorite things to do. Bear became proficient and retrieving his bumper from the pool and he loved playing fetch to his hearts content. The only problem was on Sunday it was pretty hot, so we found him laying down in our shower to cool off. We went to the Hale theatre in Gilbert and saw a nice local production of She Loves Me, which is the broadway show that You've Got Mail was written from. We took a nice 3 hour nap on Sunday and it felt so great. We didn't come home until the early evening on Monday so we were able to enjoy almost 3 full days in the Valley of the Sun. I always love going home. Now it is back to life again meaning back to work. But I am not feeling too bad for myself since I had Monday off and we leave for Santa Barbara on Friday for a weekend getaway with my family.

Heaven

I have found myself writing and then rewriting this post as I just don't know how to do this experience justice. We will see if I can get close, however I am certain I won't.

Aaron and I were fortunate enough to head up to VINHAGEN with our dear friends the Beck's. After a late night road trip, got in at 4 a.m. we arrived. Since we unpacked during the evening we did not know what we were in for. When the sun came through our screen windows the next morning (two hours later) and I took a look outside it was clear that we were set up for a weekend in paradise. Our weekend was full of incredible views, fabulous meals, some excellent company (Ash, Clay, James, Attitcus, Megan, Greg, Jessica, Matt, and Fergie), great fishing, a wood burning hot tub (enjoyed at night underneath the magnificent stars), canoeing in the pond, walks, cows, magic, Henry's Lake, Mesa Falls, late late nights, UNO, smores, warming up by the fire, the Continental Divide, wood chopping, lounging, talking etc. It was such an awesome camping experience. The cabin was built in the 1920's and is in its original form. No electricity, no phones, no internet, no lights, and no crazy world getting in the way of our relaxation. This really was the ultimate escape and respite that Aaron and I were in much need of. Aaron and I are forever grateful to the hospitality that the Peterson's and Beck's have extended to us and have some fabulous memories due to their generosity.

Swinging enjoying the beautiful summer day.

The cute lil rainbow's.

Up at the Continental Divide. Snuggling close due to it starting to do a summer snow/hail.

Aaron and Clay toasting to a great weekend. With a favorite drink of Clay's, Henry Weinhard's Root Beer.

The walk down the road.

Roasting marshmallows for the smores.

On our way out on our last day.

The girls of the weekend.

Mesa Falls

Me and the Mr.

I am so thankful that a couple of months ago, one late night, this plan came about and that Aaron and I were able to enjoy such an amazing weekend. It truly was an unforgettable experience that is dear to me and has filled my cup. It has entered the top 10 list for sure.

I can't finish this post without a big shout out Thank You to Laura and Courtney for taking such good care of our kiddos while we were gone. I never worried about them once and I can't say enough what a great blessing that was for us.

THANKS BECK'S!!! We love you much and can't wait to see you soon in Cali.

Roaches

So my job in LA is great and I am in love with what I get to do every Monday through Friday. However, I did not love the baby cockroach that walked right across the top of my foot today while I was meeting with a client on their floor. Yup it's true. I was on the floor working with this client on a project and I felt a little tickle across the top of my foot, thinking it was just a fly I ignored it. But the tickle kept going so I looked down and sure enough a baby roach just walking across my foot. No biggie really!!! Right. You might be wondering what did I do? I brushed it off like no big deal and kept on talking with my client as if nothing happened. Don't you worry though I did not show that I was freakin out but my heart was beating so fast. After I brushed it off it continued on its path and walked across the room. Fun times in South Central.

A perfect holiday

Over the weekend of the 4th Aaron and I were lucky and got to escape to Utah together. Thanks to our friends the Nielson's we were able to leave our doggies in California and enjoy our first trip to Utah together since we lived there over a year ago. It was such a treat to be together in Utah. Utah will always have a special place in my heart, afterall it is where Aaron and I fell in love. We were so happy to be there together enjoying the beauty that is everywhere in Utah during the summer.

Aaron and I headed up to Logan one day with Jeremy and Aaron's dad to do some fly fishing. It was, as you can see beauiful. It was so great being outside doing something so fun together.






This lil guy has got to be one of my favorite buddies in the world. He is so happy and full of so much joy and love. Spending time with him is just fabulous and makes me so happy.

Here are some of the boys (minus our Matty cause he had work) Jeremy, Liam, Aaron and George enjoying the summer afternoon on the front porch.



The night of the 4th we headed to Sugarhouse park to enjoy the show. I can't believe that after living in Utah for almost 7 years I had never actually gone to Sugarhouse for the firework show. Liam was going bananas for the fireworks, it was so cute to hear how excited he was "up up up up up up BOOM BOOM," "did you see that?" "oh my gosh!" He was too cute that night.

BOOM BOOM BOOM

Check out the rad snake on my cheek. Jer did it as I was trying to get Liam to be cool with getting something pained on his face, he was mostly interested in painting on Jer Jer's arm though.


The morning of the 5th we headed up Little Cottonwood to go to Lisa Falls. It was a short beautiful hike and once again reminded me how gorgeous Utah is.

Our 4th Holiday was great. Utah was wonderful and we enjoyed being with our family and friends. We got in my favorite sugar cookies, a snowie, visits to family and friends and some much needed relaxation. We are excited to get back there soon.