The perfect Fries

We decided to save a few bucks and make french fries instead of going out. I looked up how to cook french fries on the Internet, because I had heard there was a trick to getting them crispy and cooked all the way through. I tried it out, and it was a little more work, but the fries turned out perfect. I know a lot of my friends and family have gotten deep fryers recently, so I thought I would share the recipe here.

This is what you need:
Russet potatoes cut into 1/4 inch fries (with or without skins)
A large bowl with ice cold water in it
1-2 cookie sheets (depending on how many batches you make) line them with paper towels

First heat oil to 350
In the mean time cut your fries and throw them into the cold water as you are cutting them. The cold water keeps the fries from sticking together and ensures maximum crispness. Leave in water about 10 min, then take out a batch at a time, (aprox. 2-3 handfuls) dry and put in fryer.

blanch in oil at 350 for 3 min. When done, they will still be white and soggy, don't worry. Place on cookie sheet and put somewhere cold like the refrigerator or outside.

Repeat for all batches.

Now heat oil to 365. Take the first batch out of the refrigerator and fry again for 2-2 1/2 min. They should come out golden brown crispy and delicious. Repeat for all batches. Salt dip and enjoy!

New years resolutions

So I have been thinking over the last few weeks what I would like to accomplish this year and this is what I came up with:
1. Finish my spring cleaning, before spring is over. Last year I started in the spring and didn't get done till the end of summer. So this year I am going to start in January and hopefully it will get done before June.
2. Run a half marathon. This is a resolution I actually accomplished last year and it was actually a lot of fun. I would like to run a different one this year just to switch things up a bit.
3. To get my death in order. Okay, this last one takes some explanation. I just got done reading "Tuesday's with Morrie", over the Holidays. This book has some good basic life lessons from a man who is dying. One thing that jumped out at me was, when he talked about getting your death in order so that you can live. So, that is my new years resolution: to get my death in order, meaning: write a will, and write letters to my children and husband, you know just in case. Not that I think I am going to die or anything, but I have already gotten started by writing letters to each of my kids, and it really does ease your mind. Now I won't be sitting up in Heaven (hopefully) thinking, "I wish I could tell them them how much I love them."

Happy Holiday's 2009!

I've been trying to think of the best way to do this post, since I can't seem to get myself in the blogging mood, and I was really horrible about taking pictures over the Holidays. So, I decided to just take all the pictures I took over the holidays, even the random ones, and stick them in one big post and get it over with. So here goes......

One of Santa's elves always delivers our girls an early present on Christmas Eve. New Christmas Pajamas! The girls look cute posing in their pajamas. Sydnie has especially taken to the camera lately and any time she sees it, she begs me to take her picture by doing goofy smiles and saying "Cheese". Speaking of, here are a few more of Syndie posing for the camera....

In this one she got so excited she actually fell off the chair immediately after the picture was taken, it still turned out cute.

This one I took just before writing this post. When I got my camera out to upload Christmas pictures she insisted on posing with Brianne. This was one of about 10 shots she insisted I take of her.

Okay, now to Christmas morning. Boy did Santa spoil our girls this year! I don't remember them being that good. Maybe its Santa's way of saying they would be great girls, if they just had better parents. Ha Ha.

Brianne opening a new Christmas blanket. My girls love blankets. I find them everywhere when I am cleaning the house.

Sydnie with the hard to find Zhu Zhu pets. Santa looked everywhere and finally managed to find three just in time for Christmas. I was pleasantly surprised that they lived up to all the hype and my girls have had a lot of fun playing with them.

Fast forward to New Years Eve, I will fill in the rest later. We had a quiet new years eve this year. We decided to not make the long drive back to Idaho and just stay home. It was too late to make other plans so we just stayed home rented a movie and played Rock Band. The next day we went sledding with the girls, then today we went ice fishing (pictured above) I have to say we have had funner ice fishing trips than this one. It all started with Sydnie getting car sick on the way, and throwing up all over her clothes, luckily I had packed extras just for this very reason. Then, when we finally got to the ice fishing spot, Sydnie started crying and would not stop for the entire 2 hours we were there. NO not because she was cold but because she wanted to play in the icy water and I would not let her. We finally gave up after a couple hours of only one nibble. On the way back to our car we must have looked like a sorry sight, because a nice couple stopped and gave us a ride on their snow mobiles. Thank goodness!!! Then on the way home literally within eyesight of our house Sydnie carsick once again threw up. Well, that was just about how the day was going. Once we got home, Brianne(she is a die hard fisher woman) and Shaun decided to try the spot on our lake about five minutes from our house and caught a bunch of little fish, so I guess the day wasn't a total loss.

As for the rest of the Holidays.... We had fun doing favorite things theme on both sides of the family. It was fun to see what everybody's favorite things were. And I have had fun this week trying out some of of my brothers and sisters favorite things, as well as trying out some new recipes. So far, we have tried out Nancy's candy syrup recipe (a big hit, and I have had to talk them out of having waffles for dinner almost every night this week.) We also had, Hawaiian Haystacks (from Greg's favorite recipes), and Beef Stroganoff (from Laura's). I tried out a great cleaner for hard water that Laura gave me, and used a lime squeezer (that Natalie gave us), on a new recipe for white chicken chili. I have also enjoyed reading one of my brother Greg's favorite books "Tuesdays with Morrie". So far, so good, I look forward to trying all the rest of the fun things we got.

Of course I can't leave out one of my most favorite things about the family Christmas parties we attend: that is the fun things my Dad always makes for us. He is a very talented wood worker and always makes all the grand kids fun handmade wooden toys. This year Brianne and Kaylee got a barn complete with fence and hay bales. Sydnie got a cute pull toy with two silly looking guys teeter tottering back and forth when you pull it. Then the whole family got a handmade wooden Chinese checker board.

We had a great Holiday season this year. Thanks again for all the fun things we got from everyone. And to Josh and Jenny for letting us stay at their house and rock out to Rock Band till all hours of the night. We went home exhausted.