Dickey's: A Review

Kenley J. was in town a couple of weeks ago and on his list of Utah food stops was the new (at least to our neck of the woods) Dickey's. Not really my typical eating establishment, but he loves BBQ and I'm always willing to try something new. Here's our take on this homestyle dining. We both really enjoyed the BBQ. I had a sandwich and I think KJ had a mixed meat plate. I was especially excited about the vanilla soft-serve cone that came with our meals. Truthfully, I don't think it's somewhere I will frequent, but Kenley thinks he will need at least one more visit. We'll see.

Cupcakes for Breakfast

I was recently introduced to these sugary breakfast goodies. Let me just say that Pebbles and Bambam have got it goin' on!

Three Cupcakes and a Funeral

When I die (in about 80 years), I'd like it to be of a chocolate overdose. I'd like cupcakes and BYU chocolate milk served instead of funeral potatoes and ham. You can pick up the necessary baked goods at the dessert cafe aptly named, THE Chocolate. Don't worry. It's just up the hill in Orem and worth every bit of scary State Street driving.

BTW. BGibbs--the next time you're in town, there's a slice of cake with your name on it. Tempting, isn't it?

Kiwi Berries

Yesterday, when I was at KSL, Darin was telling me about kiwi berries. Huh??? I'm a fruit person. I should know about such things. At first, I thought he might be pulling my leg--he does that on occasion. But, it turns out the sweater-wearing talk show host was telling a truth. So, I love kiwi and I'm on a serious search for a tasty sampling of these little green gems. Darin claims they've had a few at Sam's Club, but come in VERY limited quantities. So, if you spot a package, give me a "RED ALERT" jingle--I'll come running.

I'm In Love

Dear Blue Diamond,

I am in love with your butter toffee almonds. Thank you for bringing them into my life. I appreciate their sweet goodness. They are officially my snack food of choice! I hope my pending purchases make your fourth quarter sales skyrocket.

To the best nuts around. May you have a long and prosperous production season.

Your biggest fan,

M. Virtue (yes, of the Blackfoot Virtues)

p.s. The Mayor loves you, too.

The Cupcake Cafe

If you live in Provo (or the surrounding area). . . (or you want to visit), please stop by The Cocoa Bean Cafe and pick me up an Ultimate Brownie Cupcake. Please keep in mind that they only serve this decadent delight on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. As a result, I will not be answering my door on Tuesdays, Thursdays, or the weekend. Best if purchased before 1pm.
Oh, and yes, I do have a cupcake schedule magnet hanging on my refrigerator. Thank. YOU. Very. Much.

Double Down for the Count

In the case of Heart Disease vs Fast Food--I present exhibit A. Yes, the Double Down has come up in 3 separate conversations. Eric--check. Kenley--Check. Ry-Guy--Check. Aaron--I'm just waiting for a phone call. Rumor on the street is that the reason they call it the Double Down is because your chances of going DOWN with a heart attack DOUBLE after consuming one of these babies. . . .

Envious?

Did I mention that I was in Las Vegas a few weeks ago for work? Did I mention that a tall, dark, and handsome man bought me dinner at ENVY? Did I mention the salmon was amazing and I might never be the same?

Praising the Greek Gods of Dairy Production

I too have fallen in love with THE GREEK GODS Tradition Greek Yogurt. Thank you, Laura-bear for the recommendation. Try it. I know you'll love it, too. My friends at Smith's definitely carry this little treasure. I'm particularly fond of the honey flavored variety. It's like a dairy-lover's dream.

I can't help myself. . .

It's official. I'm an addict. I purchased 10+ boxes of these little babies and they are literally carrying me through the dog days of summer. Mmmm, I can eat 2 at a time. At 15 calories each, I feel totally fine about downing a box of 10 in one day. . . .not that I've ever done that????

I'll be darned. . .STRAWBERRIED!

Miss Monica Facebooked about these little gems (Strawberried Peanut BUTTER m&ms) and so off I went to pick myself up a small bag--as I believe you only live once and woman cannot live by cucumber alone. Turns out, they are very yummy and it's a good thing I steered clear of the large bag. Give them a try, but make it quick--they're limited editions!

REAL Banana

And now I'm in love with a box of Cheerios. These are splendid. It's like having banana bread and a glass of milk for breakfast. Seriously, try them. Yep.

A Sweet Find

A little fairy brought me a taste of the Sweet Tooth Fairy's decadent delights today.
The grand opening of their new Provo sweet shop is Saturday from 11am-7pm. Meet you there!

A Fun Factory Friday

There's something a little bit unsettling about admitting to the entire state of Utah that you're goal in life is to try every flavor of cheesecake on the Cheesecake Factory menu. For a glimpse of my admission click HERE. If you're watching closely, you might also recognize a few other familiar faces.

Check these three babies off the list for today!

FRESH STRAWBERRY
The Original Topped with Glazed Fresh Strawberries. Our Most Popular Flavor for 28 Years!\

CHOCOLATE OREO^® MUDSLIDE CHEESECAKE

Chocolate Oreos Baked in our Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake with a Chocolate-Almond Brownie Crust

LEMON RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESECAKE
Raspberry Vanilla Cake, Creamy Lemon Cheesecake, Raspberry Lady Fingers and Lemon Mousse

Introducing a new favorite

Introducing a new favorite. . .Yes, that's Red Mango, where they serve THIS cup up deliciousness.
It makes people like this CRAZY for frozen yogurt covered in fresh berries.
It makes people like this wish they could bath in low fat frozen dairy products.
A list of happy locations can be found here!

A Sweet Treat

Quite some time ago, my friend, JaVan, introduced me to these little morsels. Recently, they have become my evening treat. I mix up a single serving size (2 tablespoons brownie mix with 1 tablespoon vanilla fat free yogurt in the microwave for 1 minute) and am as happy as can be. They can make you happy, too! Try them. You'll love them & ME for suggesting it.

HELP!

Does anyone know where a girl could purchase a root beer ice cream cone in Utah County? I'm desperate for one.

Let Them Eat PITA

My mom has 4 sisters and 2 brothers. They have children--which means I have cousins. Not just ordinary cousins--but quite fun and extraordinary cousins who I genuinely like. My cousin Danny married Melissa this weekend & we were lucky enough to be invited to some of the festivities--despite the nut thievery incident which occurred during the last Lymann wedding.

So, to Melissa--welcome to the craziness that is our family.Part of the fun of family weddings is helping out. This time around, Annette took full responsibility for the food served at the luncheon. Time was an issue on Saturday, but it's completely amazing what lots of willing McNeel hands can do when they're working together. All of the food was sooooo good. I'm still dreaming about my overflowing pita.

Don't even worry--Aubri & I were the chicken servers. We were awesome.
The mother load!
One of our favorite patrons--grandpa seemed to be enjoying himself. Grandma wouldn't even look up from her food for a picture--it was that tasty.
And, at the end of the day, these are the people I want in my kitchen (or anywhere for that matter) corner.

A Winter Goodness

On frigid mornings like this one, there's nothing like a mug of Pero. I love to add a little non-dairy creamer & a packet of Splenda. It's a winter goodness. . .and a perfect break from coffee.

Mini Cheesecakes

We had a few friends over for birthday treats on Sunday evening. I forget how much fun it is to invite people into your home. Earlier in the afternoon, Laura helped me make mini cheesecakes with my fancy new pan. I love anything mini or bite size. These were no exception. They were easy and completely darling. Thanks for your help, sister. You're a great assistant.The recipe/instructions:

Melt 6 tablespoons of butter and mix with 1 & 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup of sugar. You could also use other crumbs - oreos, chocolate graham crackers, vanilla wafers, etc. For 12 cheesecakes, fill each cup with about 1 & 1/2 tablespoons of crumb mixture. Press into the bottoms and sides of the pan. I covered the sides about half way up.
For the filling, mix together 8 ounces of softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour the batter on top of the crusts and smooth out the tops. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes.