And they say Pintrest is bad...

Sitting at the Guest Service Booth has given me some extra time to surf the web. So after hitting up pintrest all day on wednesday, we decided to make this awesome pawsome recipe. We doubled it though so we would have left overs for our next couple lunches. Definitely adding it to my favorites. I love Pintrest!!!

Roasted Butternut Baked Penne

Serves 4

ingredients:

1 pound butternut squash, peeled and chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small shallot, chopped
1 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
2/3 cup milk
1/2 pound whole wheat penne
1/4 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
sage leaves
crumbed bacon, if desired

directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and chop squash, then lay on a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Roast for 20 minutes, flip once, then roast for 20 minutes more. Remove from oven and add squash to a bowl, then mash with a potato masher or fork.

Prepare water for pasta and cook according to directions.

While pasta is cooking, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add butter and shallots. Whisk continuously until the butter browns and small brown bits appear in the pan. Immediately whisk in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add milk, mascarpone and mashed squash, then mix until until combined. I chose to keep my “sauce” in a thicker state (see the second picture), but if you’d like it thinned out a bit more, add additional milk. At this point, taste and see if you’d like any additional salt or spices – this will most likely depend on how seasoned your squash was. I added another small pinch of salt.

Add pasta to an 8 or 9-inch baking dish. Pour sauce over top, then use a spoon to fold the sauce into the penne, coating it completely. Top with shredded cheeses and fresh sage leaves. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly. Garnish with crumbled bacon if desired.

Note: this is a very “thick” pasta, and it is not swimming in sauce. If you would prefer it to be “saucy,” I’d advise adding more milk to the sauce while cooking. It is great reheated, and adding 1-2 tablespoons of milk when reheating helps it come together nicely.

EVERYONE HAS TO TRY THIS!!! ITS THE BEST!!!!!!

(.....What a Beautiful Monday.....)

"Be who you are and say what you feel,because those 

who mind don' t matter,and those who matter don't

 mind."

- Dr. Suess

I thought I would start my post with this wonderful quote by my main man Dr. Suess!! Holla!! I love his words of wisdom. On this fine Monday, I had the day off and decided to hit the Mountain. What better then to spend your Monday riding. I rode with my new co-worker from Quiksilver and a couple of his buds. Not a lot was open- But it was good for what it is? Where's the SNOW? People, start doing snow dances for me out here in Utah, ok? 

On music Monday, I thought I would post a nice slow jam for you all by the Black Keys, one of my favorites. Beautiful Melody & Beautiful lyrics. 

http://youtu.be/o8tBPidveM4

~Giving Thanks~

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! Unfortunately Gabe & I weren't able to spend it with out immediate friends & families back in Minnesota or Arizona :( (the most hardest thing about living in Utah) but fortunately with our many loved friends and families in Utah -very lucky! For thanksgiving Lindsay & I started our day like rockstars and hit the gym. We knew we were going to be stuffing our faces, so we decided it would be nice to get our fitness on for a while. Then us gals spent a little time throwing back a few mimosas on main street.

After, we went to the Aucunas's for a wonderful thanksgiving dinner. We spent the day prepping, chatting and playing games and eating delicious food. THANKSGIVING ROCKS!! My favorite foods were the stuffing and the mash potatoes. HOLLA. I want to specially thank Steph & Dan for being such wonderful people and inviting us into their home & spreading the thanksgiving love. Our Greek family away from Home. xoxox

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful, and this year I am thankful for so many things. Last year, I made a list of things to be thankful of, so I figure I better make another LIST- my favorite thing to do.
Well first off I am thankful for my friends & family!!! I love them. OLD FRIENDS & NEW FRIENDS. They are the most wonderful things in the world. They are a wonderful support system and make me smile :) Since we have been out in Utah, I've made so many unbelievable friends that will always be a part of my life. Thank you thank you thank you!!

Its tough not having family out here, but with so many good friends, they pretty much are your family. When summer rolled around, I was so thankful that my mother got to come out and see where I have been the last year. I loved showing her around and bringing her on some little adventures. We spent some really nice quality time together that I will cherish for the rest of my life. She is very important to me, and sometimes I feel like the time we have together gets taken for granted. I love her to death. Thanks Mom!

I am also very Thankful for the wonderful traveling that I got to do this summer. I am very fortunate to have gotten to explore the places we did, Ireland & Spain. They were some of the most beautiful places I have seen and I will never forget the experiences, especially the place captured in the picture below, the Cliffs of Moher. Such pure beauty. I am also very thankful for the handsome man standing right next to me. Boy do I take his love for granted sometimes. He is the most awesome person in the World and I wouldn't change anything about him. I love my life with him. He's wonderful & I am so thankful!

I am also very appreciative of my health. I am one healthy girl. I live in one of the most beautiful places in the world and get to do fun, fit, amazing activities all the time, which keeps me in great health. I am happy and thankful to feel as good as I do every morning when I wake up. I would like to maintain my healthiness and even increase my fitness, its always an ongoing project for me, but over all, I am thankful for my health. I get to mountain bike, hike, snowboard & ski, climb, and swim all the beautiful land. I am thankful for the wonderful, first time, garden that we grew this summer and all the great sustainable, local farmers markets around Park City. I am thankful for Ester C vitamins for helping me when I need a boost ;) I am thankful for milk and cheese to keep my bones strong. heheh (I love cheese.)

Going back to Friends, Good Good Friends that will be in your life forever- I am thankful for. This summer was a very busy summer for me when it comes to wedding bells. Some of my bestest Friends in the whole WIDE wide BIG world married the loves of their life this summer, and I am so thankful that I got to be a part of everyones. Three wonderful weddings, Yup, but everyone was worth it. I am thankful that I was there to be apart of the special days for my friends, I am also thankful that I got the pleasure to go back to my home roots to spend time with my good friends and family. (mom and dad, The Andersons, The Harrisons, Jenny, my bestie westie, Kathie & Bill- my second family, Gavin & Jacs- best cousins ever, and so many old friends that made me so happy to see.) I am also thankful that after all the traveling was said and done, we made it back home to Utah safely (damn tornados, deer that run in the road, and cops that have too much time on their hands.) But we made it. Love each and every one of you :)

I am thankful for my dad! He's a vietnam vet and fought for this country. He's a wonderful man who tries very hard for his kids. He's got a great heart and I want to thank him for helping me get through school, always wanting whats best for me, and helping me out in some of the toughest times EVER. I am also thankful for both him and my mom being sober for the periods of times they have. They are awesome and I am so SO SO SO proud of them. It's been a hard journey, but they are strong individuals. Love you both.

Last but not least, would anyone like to guess the last thing I am going to say? He's furry, handsome, so squeezable, true, a best friend anyone could ever have? He's my little angel, my world, I am obsessed....
                                                             No, Not Gabe, I know I said he was furry,
But its my beautiful, 4 legged friend, Sancho Domingo Panzo. What a true lil companion I have, he is always by my side, and always appreciates the person I am, and for that I am thankful. And I don't care if you think I am crazy and sound like an idiot because I am talking about my dog, but that little bugger is my life. I love him!! On thanksgiving I spent the first 20 minutes after I woke up, telling him HOW THANKFUL I am for him. (I would of told Gabe, but he was in the bathroom, LOL, and we all know how long Gabe can be in the bathroom for. LOL)

Theres so many more wonderful people and aspects in my life that I am thankful for. And I Appreciate each and everyone of you, and all that this life has given me!

Hope everyone had a great thanksgiving! Now get ready for Christmas!! Here comes the Holiday Music! OH GREAT. Have a good rest of your weekend :)

Just Hiking Around, you know

*****WINTER HIKES******
~~THE TIME: BEAUTIFUL HOURS~~
!!!!WITH WHO: AMAZING FRIENDS!!!!
??????WHERE: SOME OF THE MOST BREATH TAKING PLACES EVER??????????

Check out some of my amazing pictures from the most recent hike I did with my lovely friend Andrea Currie. It was a beautiful evening and the dogs were happier then ever. We stumbled across a group of guys that warned us that there were moose ahead. As Giddy & Excited as I was, since we had the dogs we had to take the other route, but we still got to see their beautiful tracks. Such amazing views. 

So, recently Gabe & I were in the cotton woods and we saw a Moose. I posted a picture on Facebook of the beautiful creature, but my iPhone unfortunately takes awful pictures, so I snapped one with my other camera. She was so beautiful and peaceful. I wish I could of pet her. 

Musical Day of the Week~ MONDAY

After a long, awesome day at work, and a SLUG meeting, this song suites me well. I LOVE IT!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hxaSYxM3Wo

Everyone knows The LUMINEERS, originated in Denver Co, (Only a state away, just move over a lil to the west and come to UT.) They play the "HO HEY" song, "OH YEAH, THEM!!". Its a good one!! But they have other awesome songs too. One of my favorites, "Slow it down." I absolutely love it. I want to see them, they are my favorite.

MUSICA MONDAY

OH MY MUSIC MONDAY! This weekend was our second BIG snow storm. Sunday we Played in the snow all day. It was so deep and fluffy, just the way we like it. I can't wait to get my powder ski's out. Resorts around here start opening Wednesday! WHOOP WHOOP! Today this song has been stuck in my head. AAAHHHHH! It's a very bizarre song and kinda spooky- But I love it!

LYKKE LI
http://youtu.be/vZYbEL06lEU

Maryland Makes History: Voters Approve Same-Sex Marriage « CBS Baltimore

Maryland Makes History: Voters Approve Same-Sex Marriage « CBS Baltimore

I am so Happy! Finally!
-Nice report Derek

THE BIG WHITE BARN

I took this photo on a hike of the Big White Barn. Its a well known park city historic land mark. Its right off of highway 224, you can't miss it. Its also a well photographed piece of art that you can find on post cards, art galleries and other places among park city and even beyond that. Park City Utah is amazing! Theres so much natural beauty everywhere. I cannot wait for the winter season to start. I've never lived somewhere where winter was so amazing, Its funny where life takes you, 2 years ago I never would of thought I would of wanted to live in a ski town with snow, we were planning on doing the very opposite and moving somewhere HOT. Well not anymore :)


Recently Gabe & I decided that we will be leaving park city at the end of the season. Our time is up here and its time to move on. We will be venturing off to Lake Tahoe, northern lake Tahoe, around the city of Truckee California. So in May/June time, we will be heading to California/Nevada area. In February we are heading there to go visit, and I am going to check out a school and attend an informational session. I have one friend in Tahoe, but that is it. It won't be like Park City, moving with a bunch of our friends, but the complete opposite, not knowing anyone. Lake Tahoe has 7 resorts based off of it, Squaw Valley, Heavenly, Sierra, Alpine Meadows, Northstart, Kirkwood and Mount Rose.  We are excited!

Lake Tahoe in the Winter

Lake Tahoe in the Summer

MUSIC MONDAY- My work out Playlist

Working out to music is the best. I can't read, and I can't watch TV. If I am at the gym, MUSIC IT IS! Some music will pump me up so hard when I am working out compared to other music. The good stuff will get me so tranced in to my work out that I will forget that I am even working out. I usually listen to Pandora or my work out play list on my iPod. So I will tell you what I listen to when I work out if you tell me what you listen to :) 

WORK THAT BODY PLAY LIST

1.Britney Spears-Womanizer

2.Nelly Furtado-Promiscuous ft. Timberland

3.T.I.- What Ever You Like

4.Alex Clare- Too Close

5.GROUP LOVE-Tongue Tied

6.Britney Spears-Toxic

7.FLO RIDA- Whistle

8.ICONA POP- I love it

9.MGMT- Electric Feel

10.Rhianna-Umbrella

11.Eminem-Loose yourself

12.OUTKAST- The way you move

13.Beastie Boys-Fight for your Right

14.Cypress Hill- Superstar

15.David Guetta ft. Akon-Sexy Bitch

16.Pussy Cat Dolls-Dontch Ya

I need more SONGS, what do you guys listen to?

I Love TRICKS AND TREATS!

When black creepy, cats prowl around and  beautiful orange pumpkins gleam, May luck be yours on Halloween! Every year on Halloween, park city celebrates by having kids come down to main street to trick or treat, and for all the families that are crazy and dress up their dogs- to meet and show off their furry friends in a dog parade from the top to bottom. People are too funny- You should see some of the costumes people put their animals in, but hey, i will admit, I am one of those people.

Panzo was not the happiest camper dressed as a devil. Lucky for him the parade doesn't last very long, just long enough for citizens of park city to snap a pic of their favorite bulldog, which believe me happened way too much. A couple of my favorite costumes were the chia pet, a hot dog, money bags, clowns and the ones that match their owners. TOO FUNNY! I love Halloween!

After the Halloween parade we got some dinner with some friends and came back to the house to greet the trick or treaters! This year we would finally get trick or treaters, YAY!! What I found to be pretty common was a lot of trick or treaters in groups. I love answering the door and screaming to pretend how scared I am of them all and making them do funny things. I also just recently volunteered at the zoo, and we made all the super heroes flex their muscles and screamed in horror at some of the kid's costumes. Its funny because they think your really scared! One of the kids at our house last night asked us how much candy he could take, that brought me back to the Jimmy Kimmel episode that is so HILARIOUS! Check it out....

http://youtu.be/_YQpbzQ6gzs

We decided to watch a scary movie, since I am huge fan of scary movies. Made some hot apple cider and popped in the movie "IT." What a combination huh?

"Oh what's that? We didn't dress up you ask?"
"OH YES WE DRESSED UP! WE HAD A HALLOWEEN PARTY ON SATURDAY AND    WENT OUT TO MAIN AT THE END." Dressing up is my favorite, especially when you put the costumes together from pieces. Imagination my friends.

After a long, busy, summer of Minnesota weddings, I thought it would be best if we celebrated our OWN wedding. I celebrated in a beautiful dress that I bought at Savers for 30 some dollars and the veil and white gloves at another local thrift store. Gabe picked up the pants and coat at Savers and his red bow and suspender accessories at a local salt lake thrift store. We definitely had some fun with it!







Halloween was awesome and I can't wait till next year! Until next Oct. 31, Stay Spooctacular!!!