.Just some random photos from this week.
13 years ago
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Thankful Thought - November 3
Today I am thankful that I have amazing friends who support me no matter how crazy my decisions might seem. When I made the decision to move to Colorado, everyone was supportive. When I went through a terrible depression, that showed me who truly cared about me and helped me leave those who made me worse. My friends have always been there for me and I hope that I can return the favor for them.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Thankful Thought - November 2
Today I am thankful that I have a wonderful husband who loves me unconditionally, takes care of me when I'm not feeling well, and surprises me daily with demonstrations of his love. I love my family, but my parents didn't show love all that well so learning to live with a highly emotional Italian man has been interesting to say the least, but I wouldn't trade in this life for anything!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Thankful Thought - November 1
One of my high school friends just posted a thought on facebook and I'm totally going to steal it from her. She is going to try and post one thing she is thankful for each day of November. Sounds like a good idea...and because I'm such a slacker at actually posting, please expect to see multiple posts for multiple days on one day...retroactively of course =)
So Thankful Thought - November 1st
Today I am thankful that I have a job that helps keep our house warm, food in our bellies and a roof over our head. True, it provides a constant source of frustration, but I am lucky to have that source when so many people are without employment.
So Thankful Thought - November 1st
Today I am thankful that I have a job that helps keep our house warm, food in our bellies and a roof over our head. True, it provides a constant source of frustration, but I am lucky to have that source when so many people are without employment.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Everyday Cupcakes
Thanks to a VERY old Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook my dad gave me a few months ago, I found this recipie and made these moist and delish cupcakes that aren't too sweet and balance out frosting quite well.
I made some of these on Friday when our friend Rachael was over. She desperately wanted some cupcakes and freaked out when I started making these from scratch. They are super easy and I made a double batch because, contrary to popular belief, 12 cupcakes just isn't enough! We used both strawberry and chocolate frosting...and the combo was very nice...but use whatever frosting is your favorite and I promise, you won't be disappointed.
Everyday Cupcakes
1/2 cup shortening (I used butter)
1 3/4 cups sifted flour (I use whole wheat flour, but really whatever you have around)
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Place shortening (or butter) in mixing bowl. Sift in dry ingredients. Add egg and half the milk; mix till flour is moistened. Beat 2 minutes at low speed. Add remaining milk and vanilla; beat 1 minute longer. Fill paper bake cups in muffin pans half full. bake at 375 degrees (f) for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and frost.
I made some of these on Friday when our friend Rachael was over. She desperately wanted some cupcakes and freaked out when I started making these from scratch. They are super easy and I made a double batch because, contrary to popular belief, 12 cupcakes just isn't enough! We used both strawberry and chocolate frosting...and the combo was very nice...but use whatever frosting is your favorite and I promise, you won't be disappointed.
Everyday Cupcakes
1/2 cup shortening (I used butter)
1 3/4 cups sifted flour (I use whole wheat flour, but really whatever you have around)
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Place shortening (or butter) in mixing bowl. Sift in dry ingredients. Add egg and half the milk; mix till flour is moistened. Beat 2 minutes at low speed. Add remaining milk and vanilla; beat 1 minute longer. Fill paper bake cups in muffin pans half full. bake at 375 degrees (f) for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and frost.
Peanut Butter Banana Bread Bundt Cake
A long title, I know.
The other day I was asked to bring some sort of sustenance to a long event where food might be scarce. Seeing as how I had a large quantity of blackened bananas, I decided to make bananna bread. As my original recipie called for only two ripe and mashed bananas (and there were four on my counter), I decided to adapt my recipie and see how things turned out. Please forgive me because some of the measurements aren't really measurements at all. I just added things until I was satisfied with how the batter looked and what the consistency was like. For me, baking is all about trial and error...some times you win and some times you lose. Either way, it was delicious so I say that's a win in my book!
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
5 tablespoons butter
1 1/3 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 medium)**
1 egg
2 egg whites
2 1/2 cups flour**
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup walnuts**
1 cup chocolate chips**
1/2 cup peanut butter**
**If you stick with the listed ingredients, minus the peanut butter, the recipie turns out great. But if you use more bananas than listed, throw in the peanut butter and a little extra flour. The chocolate chips are optional, but I loves me some chocolate and you know, I use semi-sweet dark chocolate so they're healthy, right?
Preaheat oven to 375 degrees (f). Grease pan and set aside
Beat sugars and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add banannas, egg and egg whites.
Sift flour, baking soda and salt in to medium bowl; add to banana mixture. Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips (if you want them). Pour into prepared pan.
Bake one hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Serve warm, preferably with a nice pat of butter.
Of course, since I added so much extra stuff, I had to use a bundt pan so I had just one loaf. I decided to take some artistic liberties and added nice walnuts to the bottom of the bundt pan, prior to spreading the batter in evenly.
It looked wonderful and recieved many compliments. So take, bake and enjoy!
The other day I was asked to bring some sort of sustenance to a long event where food might be scarce. Seeing as how I had a large quantity of blackened bananas, I decided to make bananna bread. As my original recipie called for only two ripe and mashed bananas (and there were four on my counter), I decided to adapt my recipie and see how things turned out. Please forgive me because some of the measurements aren't really measurements at all. I just added things until I was satisfied with how the batter looked and what the consistency was like. For me, baking is all about trial and error...some times you win and some times you lose. Either way, it was delicious so I say that's a win in my book!
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
5 tablespoons butter
1 1/3 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 medium)**
1 egg
2 egg whites
2 1/2 cups flour**
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup walnuts**
1 cup chocolate chips**
1/2 cup peanut butter**
**If you stick with the listed ingredients, minus the peanut butter, the recipie turns out great. But if you use more bananas than listed, throw in the peanut butter and a little extra flour. The chocolate chips are optional, but I loves me some chocolate and you know, I use semi-sweet dark chocolate so they're healthy, right?
Preaheat oven to 375 degrees (f). Grease pan and set aside
Beat sugars and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add banannas, egg and egg whites.
Sift flour, baking soda and salt in to medium bowl; add to banana mixture. Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips (if you want them). Pour into prepared pan.
Bake one hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Serve warm, preferably with a nice pat of butter.
Of course, since I added so much extra stuff, I had to use a bundt pan so I had just one loaf. I decided to take some artistic liberties and added nice walnuts to the bottom of the bundt pan, prior to spreading the batter in evenly.
It looked wonderful and recieved many compliments. So take, bake and enjoy!
Falling In Love Chocolate Mousse Pie
In relation to the last post regarding the Marshmallow Mermaid Pie, I also made this pie for our "food featured in film" dinner party.
This one was ridiculously delicious and the amount of mousse that it makes could probably fill at least two pie shells. I took the extra mousse and used it to dip fresh strawberries in. Honestly, I would probably just make the mousse again sans pie shell because it was just that good!
This one was ridiculously delicious and the amount of mousse that it makes could probably fill at least two pie shells. I took the extra mousse and used it to dip fresh strawberries in. Honestly, I would probably just make the mousse again sans pie shell because it was just that good!
Falling in Love Chocolate Mousse Pie
9-inch baked pastry shell
1 14-oz. can condensed milk (not evaporated)
2/3 C. water
1 (4 serving) pkg. chocolate pudding mix (not instant)
1 1-oz. square unsweetened chocolate
2 C. (1 pt.) whipping cream, stiffly whipped
In large saucepan, combine condensed milk, water and pudding mix; mix well. Add chocolate. Over medium heat, cook and stir rapidly until chocolate melts and mixture thickens. Remove from heat; beat until smooth. Cool. Chill thoroughly; stir. Fold in whipped cream. Pour into prepared pastry shell. Chill 4 hours until set.
9-inch baked pastry shell
1 14-oz. can condensed milk (not evaporated)
2/3 C. water
1 (4 serving) pkg. chocolate pudding mix (not instant)
1 1-oz. square unsweetened chocolate
2 C. (1 pt.) whipping cream, stiffly whipped
In large saucepan, combine condensed milk, water and pudding mix; mix well. Add chocolate. Over medium heat, cook and stir rapidly until chocolate melts and mixture thickens. Remove from heat; beat until smooth. Cool. Chill thoroughly; stir. Fold in whipped cream. Pour into prepared pastry shell. Chill 4 hours until set.
Marshmallow Mermaid Pie
A few weeks back we attended a dinner party where the theme was "food featured in films".
You would think that this would be an easy category, but honestly, all of the easy things like fried green tomatoes or pizza were taken. I dug in a little and remembered that "Waitress", an independent film from a few years ago, featured quite a few different pies.
This one was called Marshmallow Mermaid Pie. It was good, but you definitely have to like marshmallows to like this...the other "off" part was that I used the graham crackers we had taken camping the week before so there was a slight campfire taste to the pie that just didn't seem to go along with it...but meh!
Here is the recipe, should you want to attempt this pie. It was pretty easy so if you ever feel like pie making or if you have some random dinner party to attend, why not?
You would think that this would be an easy category, but honestly, all of the easy things like fried green tomatoes or pizza were taken. I dug in a little and remembered that "Waitress", an independent film from a few years ago, featured quite a few different pies.
This one was called Marshmallow Mermaid Pie. It was good, but you definitely have to like marshmallows to like this...the other "off" part was that I used the graham crackers we had taken camping the week before so there was a slight campfire taste to the pie that just didn't seem to go along with it...but meh!
Here is the recipe, should you want to attempt this pie. It was pretty easy so if you ever feel like pie making or if you have some random dinner party to attend, why not?
Marshmallow Mermaid Pie
9 graham crackers
1/2 C. sweetened, flaked coconut, toasted
5 Tbs. butter or margarine, melted
34 lg. marshmallows (8 oz.)
1/2 C. whole milk
1 1/2 C. heavy or whipping cream
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, grated
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine coconut and graham crackers in food processor until coarse crumbs form. Combine crumbs and butter with fork. Press to bottom and side of 9-inch pie plate. Bake 10 minutes and cool on wire rack. Heat marshmallows and milk in 3-qt. saucepan over low heat until smooth, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat. Cool completely (30 minutes.) In large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold marshmallow mixture into whipped cream with grated chocolate. Spoon filling into cooled crust. Refrigerate pie at least 3 hours or overnight. Top with mini marshmallows, maraschino cherries and rainbow sprinkles.
9 graham crackers
1/2 C. sweetened, flaked coconut, toasted
5 Tbs. butter or margarine, melted
34 lg. marshmallows (8 oz.)
1/2 C. whole milk
1 1/2 C. heavy or whipping cream
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, grated
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine coconut and graham crackers in food processor until coarse crumbs form. Combine crumbs and butter with fork. Press to bottom and side of 9-inch pie plate. Bake 10 minutes and cool on wire rack. Heat marshmallows and milk in 3-qt. saucepan over low heat until smooth, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat. Cool completely (30 minutes.) In large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold marshmallow mixture into whipped cream with grated chocolate. Spoon filling into cooled crust. Refrigerate pie at least 3 hours or overnight. Top with mini marshmallows, maraschino cherries and rainbow sprinkles.
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