I'm sorry I haven't been on here lately. I have been really busy with the chalet and this semester (which is not going to me my last. I'll get to that in a minute)

The girls are fine. Very happy six year olds. They can't wait for summer when they are going to be flying to Italy (with my sister, I wouldn't put my kids on a plane alone!). They are going to spend the summer on the villa's. July-Tony's parents, August-My parents. They'll be back for the last week of August so I can get them ready for the first day of grade one.

My how the girls grew up so quickly.

Anyways, my news. I broke my leg three weeks ago on the slopes. I fell the wrong way and b/c of that I broke my leg and sprained my wrist. Now I am on crutches for six weeks. I'm into my thrid week so only three more to go (being this optimistic is NOT helping)

So that means that I can't drive. Which means that I am now taking my classes by correspondance. Which isn't good b/c most of it is cooking. I can only do the written part which I send via email to my profs. They are trying to come up with a solution for me to cook and them to test it so I don't have to take the cooking part in the new semester next year. If they can come up with something I'll be able to graduate in June. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Sad thing, by the time I get off these crutches the snow might all be gone

That's all the news I have for now. Hope you guys have all been ok. I'll try and catch up with all your blogs soon.

Samantha

BTW, I dropped out of the midnight run b/c I got a really bad flu at Christmas. Tony went in my place and got second.

Well, I had my dinner party. It was a huge success! We had an amazing time and all the food turned out great. I guess I'll make a good chef.

The only problem was that Bethy decided that she didn't want to spend the night over at her friend's house. And because she didn't want to go Gracey didn't want to go. Eventually, Tony convinced them they should go otherwise their friend would be slightly disappointed.

That's all they could talk about on the ride home on Sunday. Was what they did, had to eat, what her mom made for breakfast (smiley faced pancakes) .

College:

Well, I'll be going to school longer then I thought I would be. After this year I'll be starting on my photography courses and my final semester of cooking. After all my photography courses I'll be taking some business courses and some event planning course (doubling up, tripling if you count the last few photo classes) that way I when I am completely done I can open up my own event planning/catering/photography business. Wish me luck

Recipe of the Day-No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

The recipe today is not that extravegant but it is something that the twins like to help me with. We have those soft cake molds and they like to make "cakes" in them with these.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat combine the maple syrup, oil, cocoa and cinnamon. Boil for three minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter, rolled oats and vanilla until well blended. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto waxed paper and chill to set, about 30 minutes.

Have great week everbody.

Samantha

I'm having a dinner party on Saturday night for some friends from the chalet and college. The girls are spending the night at one of their friends houses.

It's going to have a christmas theme and everything. Green, Red, White (Italy colours! ).

It is also our first dinner party since moving here.

We set up the christmas tree last night. There is this one commercial that show two kids decorating a tree and when they tell their parents that they are done, only the half that the kids can reach is done. That is what it was like for us last night. Me and Tony were moving decorations around so the whole tree was done. It looks pretty good. I'll take some pictures when I we get some presents under the tree.

Then Tony lifted both the girls up so they could put the angel on the tree. It was so cute.

The following recipes are what I am going to use for the dinner party.

Appetizer (This is for 2 dozen)

Crisp Caraway Twists

Ingredients

• 2-3/4 egg
• 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons water
• 2-3/4 teaspoons country Dijon-style mustard
• 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
• 2/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon and 2-1/4 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 2-3/4 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

Directions

1. In a small bowl, beat egg, water and mustard; set aside. In another bowl, combine the cheese, onion, parsley, caraway seeds and garlic salt. Unfold pastry sheet; brush with egg mixture. Sprinkle cheese mixture lengthwise over half of the pastry. Fold pastry over filling; press edges to seal. Brush top with remaining egg mixture. Cut widthwise into 1/2-in. strips; twist each strip several times. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets, pressing ends down. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Main Dish (For 12 people)

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ingredients

• 12 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1-1/2 cups mayonnaise
• 1-1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese (I prefer mozza but you can use feta if you want)
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 12 slices bacon

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix mayonnaise, spinach, feta cheese, and garlic until well blended. Set aside.
2. Carefully butterfly chicken breasts, making sure not to cut all the way through. Spoon spinach mixture into chicken breasts. Wrap each with a piece of bacon, and secure with a toothpick. Place in shallow baking dish. Cover.
3. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 1 hour, or until chicken is no longer pink.

(I am serving Garlic Mashed Potatoes with the chicken. Just mash potatoes and pour in melted garlic butter and a little bit of milk. (1 tbsp garlic butter/potato) Just melt the butter with 4-5 cloves of garlic.)

Dessert

Mini Cheesecakes

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 (12 ounce) package vanilla wafers
• 1/2 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling (or any pie filling you want)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line miniature muffin tins (tassie pans) with miniature paper liners.
2. Crush the vanilla wafers and place 1/2 tablespoon of the crushed vanilla wafers into the paper lined miniature muffin tins.
3. Cream together with an electric mixer the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Fill each miniature muffin liner with this mixture, almost to the top.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 15 minutes. Cool and then top with a teaspoonful of cherry (or any other flavor) pie filling.

BTW, I am feeling better so it is good that I will be ok to cook on sat. Have a great weekend and I'll let you know how the dinner party went.

Samantha

Yep its going around the House here! Tony had it then Gracie then Bethie and now me! Thankfully we did get our flu shot so it wasn't as bad as it could have been

Anyways, the lodge is finally open (late I might add! ) which means that the slopes are open and we can all go skiing, and I can practice for the midnight run.

The Girls:

I can't believe how grown up my girls are getting. They have started Grade One a year early. And they are going to be turning six soon! Wow!

Its just like Kenny Chesney said in his song-

Don't Blink
just like that you're six years old and you take a nap and you
Wake up and you're twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife
Don't blink
just might miss your babies growin' like mine did
Turning into moms and dads; next thing you know your better half
of fifty years is there in bed
And you're praying God takes you instead
Trust me friend, a hundred years goes faster than you think
So don't Blink

Recipe of the Day:

Amazing Bruschetta

INGREDIENTS

• 4 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 (1 pound) loaf Italian bread, cut into 1 inch slices
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, olive oil, oregano, basil and parsley. Place bread on a baking sheet, and top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until bottom of bread is browned. Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.

Samantha

I can't wait till we can go skiing this year. Well, we can its just an hour away and with Tony working all day to set up the Lodge and the Chalet for working order this season. Plus me going to school and the girls going to kindergarden we don't have a lot of time to travel to the other ski hills in the area.

But hopefully, if all goes well with the lodges and chalets for ski season we might be able to hit the slopes by mid November.

Anyways, I got asked to do the midnight run again. I am really excited. So I am going to be making a point of going to the larger slopes on the weekend to practice. I wonder if I'll be able to keep or beat my time from last year!

Recipe of the Day:

Lets have a little soup for the coming chilly months!

Hmmm, I think I'll give you the recipe that my girls love to gobble up on cold winter days!

Herbed Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 cups water
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 cups milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Place potatoes and water in a large saucepan; cook over medium heat until tender. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, saute onion butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt, thyme, rosemary, and pepper. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add potatoes with cooking liquid; heat through.

Ok, I know there is milk in this one but next time I'll get a recipe with no milk for you no1thinker!

Samantha