My Favorite Recipes:

I was born and raised in southern Idaho, Malad and Buhl respectively. At the ripe old age of 14 I developed a love of traveling thanks to 4H.

That year my parents made me fill out a 10-page application to attend the National 4H Dairy Conference, held yearly in Madison, Wis., in conjunction with the World Dairy Expo. As an adult that might not sound too bad, but as a kid who neither liked to read or write, a 10-page application was a huge trial that my parents pushed me to finish. But finish I did, and soon enough I was on my way. It was my first time traveling without a family member, my first time riding a plane and the farthest I had ever been away from home.

The conference was a life changing experience for me. I loved it.

The following spring I attended another 4H conference, this one in Washington DC. A year later I visited New York City with my drama group. The following summer I returned to Washington DC for another 4H Conference, this time taking a day trip out to Gettysburg, Pa. The fall of my senior year I attended yet another 4H conference, this time in Atlanta, Ga. Before I graduated high school I had already been to 19 of the states.

After graduating high school I attended the University of Idaho, switching majors to English after three years of animal science. During my last summer of college I did a four-week study abroad in France. In my experience, immersion is the best way to learn a foreign language.

Unlike some people, I didn't come straight back once the program was over, but instead spent a couple weeks doing some more touring. The week after the program ended I traveled the United Kingdom, mostly Scotland.

There is nothing quite like a compliment from a Scotsman to make a girl feel good about herself. I still remember the heart-pounding, breathless, time-stopped moment of falling in love. It was the best week of my life.

Unfortunately, I didn't fall in love with a person, but a place; the City of Edinburgh, capital of Scotland. It makes the whole dating and marriage thing a little difficult, and all too soon I had to return home.

My trip abroad inspired my college roommate at the time, and a few months later she and another of our friends were volunteering in Australia, the land down under. While she was there she met her Dutch husband. I've made it a point to visit her each time I've returned to Europe since.

After graduating college I moved down to Utah for a couple years, then returned to Buhl for a couple more. During this time I had worked as a server, news correspondent, and even a library clerk, but was looking for something away. A friend of the family opened up a new opportunity for me that would once again change my life.

"Look for a job in Alaska," she said, "They're always hiring."

Such a small statement, but seeing as I felt almost desperate for a change, I did the research and applied. May 5, 2015, I was moved into what became my summer home for the next five years working for the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge. Through Princess I learned about winter jobs at ski resorts where I learned how to both ski and snowboard. Thanks to Princess I've been able to cruise across the Atlantic, to Hawaii and back, through the eastern Caribbean, and most recently through the Greek islands.

Fifteen years after graduating high school, I've managed to up my count of states visited to 33 and add in 14 countries outside the US. I'm not planning on stopping my travels anytime soon. I still have 17 states and two continents I plan on visiting before I'm forty. I need to return to Edinburgh, revisit London, delve deeper into Pompeii. I want to visit Marseille, Gibraltar, Machu Picchu, the Ivory Coast, Tasmania, Tanzania and Cape Hope at some point.

I often hear people say, "Travel while you're still young."

I do.

Recipes

Rice and Hamburger

(this is my favorite meal

that I grew up with)

10.5 oz. can(s) cream of mush-room Soup

Minute Rice

Hamburger (1 lb per can of

soup)

Water

Soy sauce

Brown the hamburger in a large and deep skillet, drain off excessive grease. (Growing up we raised our own cattle, so we rarely need to drain off the grease, the meat tended to be lean).

Empty the can(s) of cream of mushroom soup into the hamburger.

Fill the now empty can(s) with rice and pour into the skillet. (I find this helps get the last of the soup out of the can as well).

Fill the double emptied can(s) with water and pour into the skillet.

Mix everything well, stirring occasionally, until it starts to boil and reduce heat.

Cover (optional) and simmer until the rice is nice and fluffy, stirring occasionally.

Pour some soy sauce over the dish and stir it in, how much you add in depends on personal preference.

Remove from heat and serve. I add even more soy sauce at this time, have drowning it, but everyone is a little different.

Hutspot

My friend showed me how to make this the first time I visited her in the Netherlands.

2 lbs carrots, peeled and cut

into small

chunks

2 lbs yellow onions, diced

2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes,

peeled and cut

into quarters

½ lb chunk of smoked bacon

2 Tbsp butter

½ tsp salt

Place carrots and onions into a large pot. Cover with 2 cups water.

 Cover and cook 35 to 40 minutes, until onions and carrots are soft.

Drain and reserve cooking liquid. Set cooked carrots and onions aside.

Boil potatoes in the same cooking liquid, cooking them until they fall apart.

Mash potatoes with carrots and onions. Stir in butter and salt.

Cook bacon and serve alongside or on top of the hutspot.

Olive oil or Castile soap

I haven't actually made this...yet. My most recent adventure took me to Greece which, on top of being a mecca of history and mythology, is also the third largest producer of olives in the world, and the Greeks add olive oil to just about everything, and I don't just mean food. Candles, shampoos, and yes, soaps. I found a very basic recipe for olive oil soap.

1 pint olive oil

4 ounces lye dissolved into

cold water

Lye is caustic, so make sure to wear protective glasses and gloves, and do not use aluminum pans, as the lye will erode the aluminum.

Heat the lye water with the olive oil to a boil.

Once the mixture has thickened to a gravy-like texture remove from heat.

While still liquid-y but cooling you can add any colorings, scents or additional textures to the soap and mix well to evenly distribute. I understand this soap takes a long time to harden; adding salt during this time can increase the speed and hardness of the soap.

While cooling and still fluid pour into prepared molds. For easy removal of the soap coat the molds in grease or wax paper. If you need to cut the soap try to do so before it finishes hardening and use a wire instead of a knife.