Local Business Shout-Out ~ Choice Cut Meats, Boise Idaho

Thursday evening, I thought burgers sounded good.  Burgers and wine.  I messaged Tammy from Indian Creek and asked her if any local stores carried their Muscat Canelli, since I knew the winery wasn’t open for tastings today, even if they were, I wouldn’t make it out there in time after getting off work   Tammy was prompt to let me know that Choice Cut Meats in East Boise carried it.  So, after work, I headed out to Choice Cut Meats.  I had decided that Bratwurst and burgers sounded good, and I’d buy the meat from them since I’d already be in the store.  I have to admit, even though we lived in the area for about 7 years…I never really tried them much.  Boy, was I missing out!  Fresh meat, no antibiotics, no hormones.  Burger patties at least an inch thick, with little cubes of cheese (I got 2 Smoked Cheddar and 2 Pepper Jack), Bratwurst with no nitrates (it’s probably a little hard to see the Brats in the photo…they are under the burgers, but you can see one at the lower right).  I have to admit…I was a little leery…but no need to be…this meat was fantastic!  The burgers tasted wonderful, and the Bratwurst were the best I’ve ever had!  YUM, YUM!  I’m definitely going to make more regular stops at Choice Cut Meats!

Random Recipe Wednesday

Today’s recipe is for Scotcheroos.  If you haven’t had this little bit of heaven, you must try them!  I’m not sure how my family started the tradition, but my grandmother used to make them for family events, and now my mom makes them.  If we forget, or leave them off the planned menu, someone AlWAYS asks for them, it never fails!

• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 6 cups Rice Krispies
  
• 1 package (6 oz., 1 cup) Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• 1 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:

1. Place corn syrup and sugar into 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. Mix well. Add Rice Krispies cereal. Stir until well coated. Press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray or butter (I prefer butter). Set aside.

2. Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips together in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Spread evenly over cereal mixture. Let stand until firm. Cut into 2 x 1-inch bars when cool.

A few things I have learned over the years:

• Rice Krispies brand cereal is best.  The generic brands just don’t taste the same or have the same crispiness.
• Use Nestle Toll House chocolate chips.  Generic or store brands don’t melt the same.
• Don’t overboil the sugar mixture.  Just bring it to a boil, otherwise your treats will be hard instead of soft and chewy.
• Crunchy peanut butter changes the consistency and flavor a bit.  Not necessarily bad, but I don’t prefer it.

The ingredients (I see a sneaky wine glass *innocent*)

Corn Syrup & Sugar

Bring to a boil

After adding peanut butter

Mix syrup/peanut butter into Rice Krispies

Lightly press into buttered dish (there’s that wine glass again *no comment*)

Chocolate & Butterscotch chips melting on a low temperature

Spread the topping onto the rice krispie mixture. Let cool & ENJOY!

Macro Monday

It was another gorgeous spring day Saturday.  Almost 70 degrees with a slight cool breeze.  The sun was out, and I got a bit of a sunburn.  Yes…my fair skin just doesn’t do well out in the sun.  Very little tanning, mostly burning.  I try to keep covered for the most part…I just didn’t expect it to be so wonderful that I’d want to stay out as long as we did.

We headed to Indian Creek Winery again.  It’s so neat to see the change in the growth since two weeks ago when we were there last.

I’m not really sure what kind of flower this is, but I can’t wait to see them when they have bloomed.

Alison ~ Capital High School Class of 2013

This is Alison!  She’s a beautiful, sweet girl I got to meet a few weeks ago.  She’s interested in photography and art and has applied to several art schools for college.  One of her assignments was to help out a pro photographer, so she came along with me on a session.  She was super friendly and tolerated all of my questions (cause I can be inquisitive sometimes), she also did a great job helping me by holding the reflector.

After we were done with the session, the light was so beautiful, I took a couple of pictures of her.

OpLove Deployment Session ~ Boise, Idaho

I love providing sessions for OpLove.  Meeting new families and celebrating the love they share!  The O family was super sweet and a lot of fun!