If any of you have ever gone to "Mimi's Cafe", you will love this recipe. If you've never been...you'll wish that you had. Last year my step mom and I went and tried it out when we were out in Salt Lake. I had never been, but had always wanted to try it out. They have awesome food there, but my favorite part of dinner was their "Carrot Raisin Nut Bread"! It was the best quick bread that I had ever eaten. In one of my many searches for new recipes I fell upon a copycat recipe for this bread. I thought I would give it a try and much to my delight, its a very close fake.
You've got to try it to appreciate the just how fantastic it is!!!!
Mimi's Cafe Carrot Raisin Bread
3 c. flour
2 t. baking soda
4 t. baking powder
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
2 c. vegetable oil
2 c. brown sugar
6 eggs
1 c. chopped nuts (don't leave these out unless your allergic, they add alot to the bread)
1 c. diced or crushed pineapple, completely drained!
1 c. raisins (I used CRAISINS...because my kids aren't big raisin fans)
2 c. finely shredded carrots
Sift the first 5 ingredients into mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar and eggs. Stir the liquid mixture into the flour; mix well. Add the next 4 ingredients; stir again. Grease AND flour 3-4 bread pans (i used 4 so that they are smaller loaves and cooked clear through). Fill the pans 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes ( or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.) Enjoy!!!
* If you use mini loaf pans they take about 20 minutes
Happy Cooking!
my dad's family and 1 from my mom's family). After my grandparents passed away, we knew that it would be harder to get together to see each other because we weren't going to all be meeting at grandma's and grandpa's house for special occasions. So we decided that in order for our family to try and stay close we were going to have a reunion with my dads 3 sisters and their 4 children, and all of my brothers and sisters and their families. Each year we rotate who will be in charge of 
the reunion, between my dad, my brothers and sister and me. This year my dad and I were in charge. We chose to have it at Hardings Hide Away over by Myton. The owner is a close friend of my dad's so we were able to get a really good deal on it. The kids look forward to the 
reunion every year. Its always a blast. I love getting together with my family and laughing and goofing off (yes, we grown ups do crazy things like that!) and just having a great time. We decided to shake things up a bit this year and camp over night. We had a fun talent program, roasted marshmellows and made smores, sang campfire songs and visited. The next morning we got up and made 
a big breakfast, cleaned up (yep...we have to do that at reunions too) and then headed for the water. My niece Avery and I went on a frog hunt. We usually spend hours looking before we find any (we've had the reunion here 3 out of the 4 times) that we are able to actually catch. But this year we caught 2 in about 10 minutes. The little kids all loved our frogs, but Dayna wasn't very amused when we showed her how our frog liked to jump in her hair....(hysterical for all who were watching) but she was a good sport and we all had a fun laugh. Also, at Harding's they have a great big pipe that they have converted into a water slide. I've always had so much fun watching the kids slide down it...because it is really high and quite terrifying... they usually scream at the top of their lungs the first couple of times that they go down it and sometimes they even wipe out when they get down to the water. The slide is great entertainment for everyone to watch, as well as slide down. I had decided this year that MAYBE I would try to go down the slide after lunch when it
was warmer (last weekend was a chilly one). My brothers had been trying all morning to get me to go down and I kept telling them that I didn't want to get wet until after lunch and then MAYBE I would try the slide, but I hadn't decided for sure because it looked so scary!!!! Not too long after that my brothers decided that I "needed to just get wet now" and go down the slide. You know how brothers are...so persistant! Th
ey proceeded to chase me down, pick me up and toss me into the water....and OH SO COLD water at that!!! After I was wet anyway I decided that I would be brave and try the slide. I have to admit...I don't know what got into me because I am scared of heights, I don't swim very well and the water was so cold...plus I really don't like swiming in ponds, lakes or rivers as there tends to be things (tadpoles, fish, SNAKES, water skeeters...etc...) that swim around your legs and feet, and frankly~ it freaks me out!!! So honestly, I don't really know what I was doing!!! I climbed up to the top of the slide and just kept telling myself to "not look down". I climbed on to my boogie board and looked at my brother John and then looked down the slide, and then I started to realize just how far I was up there...I started to 
get scared so I told him to let me go (I knew I had to do it before I chickened right out) and down I went....TERRIFIED all the way to the water. I have to admit, it was really fun, still really scary, but it WAS fun. I even t
ried it a couple of more times after that. We all had such a great time. Everyone was entertained in some way or another. Some paddled around in the boats on the pond, some of the little ones played in the sand, some of the grown ups goofed off on the slide, and some just wanted to watch, but I think that everyone that was there had a wondeful time. Thanks to everyone that was able to be there! Reunions are the best!!!! The food was great, the company was great...and I can't wait until next year when we do it all again!
ring quicker and quicker. My point being....IF you make these, make alot~ because they don't last very long.
ward to anymore. Being so close to the fair grounds (no its not right out my front door like some people, but its still close) we can hear everything that is said from the announcers stand, the music, see the fireworks and smell the exhaust from the Derby Cars and Motor Cross...its just like 
being right there in it anyway. Although we don't participate much in the other events, we've always still tried to go and look at the Arts and Craft exhibits, we've missed a few years, but we enjoy it when we are able to attend. This year Halle wanted to enter some of her drawings into the Arts and Crafts exhibit. She had worked hard on them and was excited to have them judged and win premium money for her ribbons. After waiting a day for the judges to look over all the entries we ran down for a peek at what they awarded her with. She got blue ribbons on all of them! She was thrilled. Its fun to see her face light up when she feels successful and a sense of accomplishment. Although she didn't get any premium money (I guess they don't do that anymore?), she was happy that she entered her drawings and is going to start working hard for next year. She is a wonderful artist and has alot of potential. There were alot of wonderful entries this year and it was fun to be able to take a quick peek at them all. We were in a hurry and didn't get to look at all of them, but I was really impressed with the talented people in our area that share what they are able to do, with those of us that aren't so talented. NOW that the fair is over we are well into the fast moving count down until school starts.....I might be a little strange, but I am not looking forward to sending my kids back yet! Where does all of the time go, summer just goes by way too fast!
d was missing feathers sporadically over it body. Erik begged and begged us to keep it. Finally we relented and let him put it in a cage outside and told him that he could keep it if he fed and watered it. Well, it wasn't 2 days later that we noticed that the rooster had LICE...and so did Erik! It was awful! Erik got his head shaved bald, a massive dose of RID and we hauled the rooster off and "took care of it". After that, Erik didn't bring home strays, but always begged for this pet or that pet. He had Guini pigs, rabbits, parakeet
s, kittens, puppies and even a salamander. Lately he has been wanting another pet...a Doberman Pinscher. He has talked about it often and said how "one day" he was going to get one. I guess an opportunity arose and his "one day" came. Yesterday he brought over the cutest little Doberman puppy. We all fell in love with him. He had quite the funny personality. We all cuddled him, played with him, made him chase sticks and wore him right out. He
fell asleep on the grass with his paws over his eyes...(he put them there all by himself ) AHHH..isn't he so cute!. His name is "TANK"...which is a big name for such a little guy, but I have no doubts that he will grow into it before too long. Erik was just like a proud parent, showing him off to his family and friends. He is really good with animals and I know that he will be a good "dad" to baby Tank.... I am excited for him and that he finally has his dream dog!
