What a fun "almost" week I had visiting family and friends in Utah!  I love Utah, but this particular few days reminded me why I don't live there anymore…it is cold, no…FREEZING there!  Snow, ice, sluggish car…these things reminded me of why I love to visit there, but live in San Diego…at least for now!  I say this as I shiver in my office, all bundled up with wooly socks on my feet and my fingers just far enough out of my sweatshirt so I am able to type!  Gas and electric are so high without running my furnace that I am afraid to touch the thermostat.  We only do it when the kids are all home for Christmas to take the chill off in the morning.  I haven't lived in Salt Lake City since I got my Expedition and I got to try out something that I never used before – my side mirror heaters…they melt the snow so I could see where I was going when I needed to back up…that was a very cool feature that is wasted in San Diego but nice to have for cold weather travel.

I haven't been on my computer for days now, and I'm glad to get back.  If I had been super organized before I left, I could have had automatic posts ready to go.  But no such Boy Scout working here!  Before I left I posted a picture of a cute turkey cupcake.  And now here's the creator!

 
Jordan taught a class at our Relief Society Holiday Baking Exstravaganza – Baking with Children.  She had so many cute ideas.  I will personally try them out for you in the upcoming weeks here at justhelen, but my inspiration comes from my friend, Jordan.  The turkey cupcake is one that I think you can make without instructions, just a few identified supplies. 

*Cupcakes – you can use a mix if you like, but some cake mixes are extra light and fluffy, and the candy is heavy and might fall out.  Try a denser cake or brownie cooked in a muffin tin. 

*Chocolate frosting – for the body.

*Candy corn for the feet, beak and feathers – notice the pointed white edge up for the beak, and the yellow side up for the feathers and feet.

*M & M's for the eyes, with black icing (gel or frosting) for the pupils.

*The gobbler is a cut piece of fruit roll-up.

Wouldn't a cupcake display stand full of these happy little gobblers be fun at your Thanksgiving gathering especially if the kids can help make them?  I never remember liking pumpkin pie when I was young, so this is a happy alternative! 

As a side note…when I was in Utah, I noticed a few iconically "Utah" things.  Here are a couple:

First, you know you are in Utah when you walk into a Carl's Jr. and find these two

Caffine-free Diet Coke, and…

our favorite: fry sauce!

You know you are in Utah when you can stand in the driveway of one LDS church building…
and look a block down the street and see another LDS church building.

 My daughter passes one church to go a couple of blocks down the street to meet in her ward's building.  I don't know if it's ONLY there, but it sure is that way in Utah!  That is fun!