Sunday Morning Hike

This morning we went out for a hike up Dry Canyon, where the boys had previously seen the rattlesnake, and the picture of me looking over the cliff was taken. Today, the boys spent the first 25 minutes griping that they were going to die of exhaustion, or get shot by the elk hunters that we knew were in the area. But things started looking up for them, when patches of snow were found, and snow chunk fighting was born. The weather was beautiful, the sky was blue, and the snow was flying. The next form of entertainment was found when Elias and Satchel decided to take a short cut straight down the hill, instead of on the trail. "We should do this all the time!" was heard when we couldn't actually see them, because they decided to go straight through the only thicket of scrub oak on the hill, instead of around it. Come to find out, contraband trails were all over the place, and while walking along the actual path, we could hear boys crashing around in scrub oak, and bounding down hills to zig-zag across the path and find another one. I wished I had brought a camera, it was beautiful.

recipe

* 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
* 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 3/4 cups sugar
* 4 large eggs
* 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
* 1 1/4 cups solid-pack pumpkin
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts or other nuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan or dish. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; butter lining.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cayenne, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Put sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until fluffy and well combined, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in flour mixture.
4. Divide batter between two medium bowls (about 2 cups per bowl). Stir chocolate mixture into one bowl. In other bowl, stir in pumpkin, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Transfer half of chocolate batter to prepared pan smoothing top with a rubber spatula. Top with half of pumpkin batter. Repeat to make one more chocolate layer and one more pumpkin layer. Work quickly so batters don't set.
5. With a small spatula or a table knife, gently swirl the two batters to create a marbled effect. Sprinkle with nuts.
6. Bake until set, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 16 squares.

Some small changes...
8 tablespoons of margarine instead of butter. Still use the bittersweet of chocolate.
Amazing and addictive!

Happy Halloween....

Indecision

Raking

Here in Utah you have to put them in the trash. Its a good opportunity for giving rides around the neighborhood. Its one of Satchel and Atticus's favorite activities.

I'd tell you the recipe, but then I would have to kill you. Just Kidding. If you want it, comment. They are the best dessert on the earth

House Update
Over the past three weeks we have torn out a wall, taken up a entire houseful of carpet, and demolished a kitchen.
We filled two dumpsters with stuff. Now we have moved onto painting the basement walls, and on Monday someone
comes to take down our sparkly cancer causing when in your lungs asbestos ceiling. After the ceiling is removed we will
do some insulation work, put in a ikea kitchen, lay a floor, and paint. While looking at the long list of stuff yet to do,
something comforting is the view.

sometimes I get lucky and they pose for me

impromptu PJ football party