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Movie night - Popcorn Delight

Growing up we had popcorn every Friday night. My grandmother would pop some kernels in a pan with a bit of oil and some salt and "voila" we had the treat of all treats - POPCORN! She would then turn on the TV and we would munch while watching Love Boat, Fantasy Island or shhhhh! don't tell anyone "The Dukes of Hazzard". Popcorn became a must have treat for a night of favorite TV. I think I have tried it with everything....cheese, brown sugar and butter to create a carmel, caro syrup, and my least favorite of all butter. But never in all my experimenting did I find an ingredient that complimented popcorn quite so well as I did Friday night. See we love chocolate with our popcorn and even better chocolate covered raisans so my three year old and I concocted what you see below.

Chocolate Popcorn and Raisan Delight

Chocolate Covered Popcorn Explosion

Chocolate Popcorn and Raisan Delight or Chocolate Covered Popcorn Explosion

Ingredients:

Popcorn - as much or as little as you desire

3 squares of Chocolate almond bark

Raisans - I used golden (no raisans in the explosion)

Rainbow sprinkles (I didn't use sprinkles with the raisan delight)

Directions:

Make the popcorn as directed on the package and pour popped corn in serving dish. Sprinkle with raisans and toss. Melt the squares for 1 min and stir and then continue to melt at 30 second intervals until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over popcorn (use as much or as little as desired) for explosion add sprinkles and let chocolate dry. Then eat to your heart's content!

"We are family"

left to right - Miss Livvy, Lilah, Chancey, Zeke (in Chancey's Lap), Joaquin and Abe

Here are some highlights from our overnighter!

Joaquin awoke Thursday morning shouting with joy, "My Cousins are coming, My cousins are coming!" He was beside himself with anticipation.

A few short hours later Abe ran enthusiastically into our home and announced "I love this place". I thought, me too Abe especially when you are visiting!

And the fun began...Lehi pool, twirling chairs, Webkins named Custard and Jo Jo, Oquirrah Temple, laughter, fears of gators and crocs, tacos, cookie dough and cookies and cream ice cream, cannon balls, more laughter, super dark scarey slides (at least for aunt Karmen), bloody nose and lip from a super hero like jump with a twist, bedtime book, bedtime puppy story told by Livvy to Abe and Joaquin, more laughter, lazy river, super hero duels, some sleep, cleaning, cranberry juice, Power Rangers, gummies, 100 degree weather, Scooby Dooby Dooo Where are you?, lime green and pink toothbrush, yummy bubble gum toothpaste, baths, "just a little bit more comfortable in the water" (emphasis on the little), night lights, dreams, hopes, fears and lots more laughter.

We miss them already!!! Thanks to Matt & Cayr for sending their sunshine our way!!!

Broccoli Salad

As I was searching for a good salad for a recent pot luck I rediscovered this recipe among my sister's "tried and trues". It is quick and easy and tastes like it took you all day to make. It is always a hit wherever we take it. Sorry it doesn't have a picture but it got gobbled up before I could find my camera. I will make it again soon and add a picture.

Broccoli Salad

Recipe courtesy of Sonia Goodwin and Caprece Curtis

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 3 heads of broccoli chopped
• 8 oz of shredded mozzarella cheese (2 cups)
• 1/2 to 1 cup of cooked or pre-cooked bacon (I always use pre-cooked...hate what cooking bacon does for the smell of my kitchen)

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 TBS apple cider vinegar

Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl mix the salad ingredients and toss. *2 hours before serving pour dressing over salad and toss again making sure to cover salad well. Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

*Although it is better if you let it marinade in the dressing for 2 hours, it tastes perfectly wonderful marinading only for 30 minutes.