recipe by request

Here's the recipe for "spud-nuts," so you can have your own Donut Night!

• 2/3 c. butter or margarine
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 c. hot mashed potatoes (we use instant mashed potatoes)

Combine first three ingredients together and add:

• 1 c. warm milk (we use water and powdered milk; we like our homemade breads best when we use powdered milk)

Let cool to lukewarm and add:

• 1 T. yeast that has been dissolved in 1 c. water with 1 t. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 t. salt

Beat well. Add 2 c. flour and mix well. Add an additional 5-7 c. flour and knead thoroughly (we use dough hooks in the mixer). Dough should not be too sticky. Place dough in large Tupperware bowl, spray top with Pam, cover, and refrigerate overnight (we have been known to make dough first thing in the morning for use later that day--the dough is easiest to work with, however, when thoroughly chilled). For a large crowd we have been known to make 1 1/2 batches of dough.

Roll out dough about 3/8"-1/2" thick and cut circles and holes with round cutters. You may have to experiment with sizes. We have a large set of circle cutters and use one of the larger ones. Transfer cut donuts to waxed paper-lined trays that have been generously scattered with flour. The secret to beautiful donuts is being able to get them off of the cookie sheet and into the fryer without collapsing the dough, hence adequate flour is helpful.

We originally tried frying the donuts in hot oil in a skillet, but found it difficult to control the temperature of the oil; the donuts would often get too brown on the outside and still be doughy on the inside. We have since invested in a "Fry Daddy" and it has been worth every penny! We also read up on donut making and discovered that it is recommended to use solid shortening (a.k.a. Crisco) rather than vegetable oil. Fry donuts until golden, turning as needed. Drain on paper towels/newspapers.

Make a watery glaze of powdered sugar, water, vanilla, and a few grains of salt. I am the fryer and my mom is the glazer, and when I asked her for the Secret Recipe for the glaze she laughed. She just starts with some powdered sugar in a bowl and adds 2-3 times as much water, adjusting thickness/thinness as necessary.

After the doughnuts have drained for a minute or two (not too long) use a fork to dip in glaze and transfer to wire rack. Donuts are also good dipped in granulated sugar instead of glaze.

Good luck in your homemade donut endeavors!

progress report

Having been two weeks to the day since cleaning out Sarah's room, I finally bought the supplies and started painting today! Nothing feels quite so good as rolling fresh paint onto battered walls. I'm a little taken aback by the color--it's very bright and very orange--but I'm trusting Susan on this one (and humoring Sarah, as well).

It will improve the look greatly once I pull up the teal carpet and take down the blue painter's tape. It looks sort of like a Denver Bronco fan's room at present. Sarah was able to fulfil a life-long dream of helping to paint. I let her put a second coat on the baseboard heater vent.

I think she now realizes that painting, as I have repeatedly tried to warn her, is not quite as much fun as it looks.

I was hoping to only have to buy one gallon of paint, but it looks like I may need a second. Mark still needs to roll the ceiling and I think the walls will need a second coat. *sigh* Maybe by this weekend we can get the trundle bed from my mom's house and start putting her room back together.

I had to laugh because when John came home from school today to the smell of fresh paint he said, 'Oh--I love this smell! It smells like home." Huh. I didn't think I painted that much, but I'm glad it's a comfort smell for him.

two truths and a lie

• I fixed my car when it wouldn't start in the parking lot of Sam's Club.
• I got a ton of ironing done during General Conference!
• I went to the gym for the first time ever and actually enjoyed myself.

Can you guess which one is a fib?

Donut Night!

Like many, we look forward to semi-annual Conference weekends at our house. It almost seems like a holiday--a holiday in our family room. I love the spiritual boost, but mostly I love the feeling of complete security and safety. It's as if, for an entire weekend, I am in a little safe cocoon protected and sheltered from the world. I feel such love and respect for our Church leaders and feel especially grateful to know that President Monson is the Lord's prophet on the earth--right here, right now--for me and my family, as well as the Church as a whole. I love this feeling of unity, knowing that worldwide my friends and loved ones are watching and worshipping together.

About six or seven years ago we began a new tradition that is now a much-anticipated part of our Conference weekend: Donut Night (now a proper noun in our home). During the Saturday night Priesthood session of Conference the girls (meaning my mom, me, my daughters, friends--whoever happens not to be attending the Priesthood session) gather together in this fun ritual of rolling, rising, frying, glazing, and eating.

Part of me felt a little wistful and sad this year, knowing that both Charlotte and Emily would be absent. I decided that rather than be sad, however, I would surround myself with lots of friends and commission my mom to mix a double batch of dough.

If I do say so myself, it was one of our better batches! (The following blurry photo doesn't quite do them justice).

The best part was enjoying time spent with good people.

Rachelle and her parents and brother Devin came, as did Neighbor Nick, Jacquelyn, Melissa, and the missionaries.

Elders Hixon and Sax risked breaking curfew to stop by on their way home.

Don't I have the prettiest mother in the world? She turned 82 on Sunday, and I feel so blessed that she is a part of my everyday life.

I am blessed in so many ways, and Conference weekend is always a grounding reminder for me of all those things for which I am most grateful--fresh donuts being only one them.

"What the??" Part II

It's 9:30 p.m. and the trucks are still at work outside my front door, complete with that loud BEEP*BEEP whenever they back up, which seems so much louder in the dark than it does in the daytime.

Rewind: When I returned to the kitchen to finish up dinner after posting about the dirt pile earlier this afternoon, what do I find but two firetrucks--with all lights flashing--and a street full of firemen in full regalia.

Apparently, all that digging this afternoon did something to puncture a natural gas line. I was just about to call my parents to tell them they would have to park on another street (remember, I was unable to get my car out to go pick them up myself) when I saw a fireman approaching my front door. 'Oh no,' I thought. 'Are we going to be evacuated? That will surely ruin my dinner.' Then I realized he was carrying a box--a strangely familiar box--one of my mother's flat boxes from Costco in which she carries food. A young, rather attractive fireman in his full gear was delivering a box with my mother's part of the dinner in it to my front door! Apparently my parents had already arrived and been instructed to park a block or two away and the kind fireman who informed them of this volunteered to carry my mom's food box up the street. That's what I call a public servant!

Of course, the first thing I said to the cute fireman as I took the box from him was, "I really want a picture of this!" He just sort of did the Smile-and-Nod, and as I was rather distracted by everything that was going on, alas, I missed a great photo opp. My dad, shaking his head as he came in the house, remarked, "Well, at least when the explosion comes, they'll be ready to put out the fire." Always the optimist, my Dad.

When the missionaries arrived a few minutes later, also having had to walk a few blocks, they told us that a fireman started to approach them on their way up the street. Before they could explain that they were in fact not tracting, but rather coming for a dinner engagement, the fireman took off his gloves, extended his hand in greeting, and with a smile said he was a member of the Church, too (not as common an occurrence in Colorado as in say, Utah).

Anyway, it was quite an eventful night--still ongoing. The firemen are gone, however, replaced by the Public Service utility guys.

I just hope I can get my car out of the garage in the morning.

Like Jill said. . .

"What the?. . ." This is what is going on directly outside of my house today:

Yes, that is my driveway. And this is the view from my kitchen window:

It's a good thing Mark has a four-wheel drive vehicle, as that four foot wall of dirt blocking the driveway could pose a problem in getting into the garage. Hmm. And tonight would be the night I've got the missionaries and my parents coming for dinner.

workman's comp

Workman's Comp is the kind of insurance your employer carries to insure against injury at the workplace. I'm wondering if the startling appearance of an unexpected and very large, hairy spider, and subsequent squishing of said spider will qualify me for benefits.

Keep in mind, this photo was taken after I had squished it, so it really was bigger than it even appears here. I was sorting through stacks of old blueprints and moving the prints from a file drawer to the floor to a trashcan and look what crawled out! Thankfully, my Amazing Mom Skills allowed me to dispose of it with only moderate horror and trepidation.

Sorry Jill, but I just had to post this one with the smudge of guts on the paper. (I killed it by putting the mercifully thick, folded set of plans on top of it and then stepping on the plans.)

I don't even want to know how or when the horrid spider got there, or if it has friends and family members lurking nearby. I just don't want to know. Thank heavens I had my camera in the car!