Wingledings

Tiramisu Cheesecake

2013-04-09T17:32:00.001-04:00

It's been so long since I've posted I struggled to find a good transitional post to get back into the swing of blogging-hopefully. I know I've said it before, and if I'm being honest with myself, I will likely say it again. I guess it's no surprise that blogging has fallen drastically on my priority list as a new mom, with a full-time job (even if it's from home), a hubby working on his CFP certification, and a baby that (while adorable) will not sleep for beans.

That being said, I miss it terribly! I'm constantly taking pictures and even editing them just to have them sit in a file marked "to blog" for all eternity. But I'm going to try, really, really try this time. Everyone needs a little outlet and this is mine. I know it may seem silly, what do I really say on here? Not much. A recipe here. A craft there. Soon to be motherly anecdotes about our adventures, I'm sure. But it's a place to express myself in those ways, which makes me happy.

We had a wonderful Easter celebration this past weekend!

(HA it took me a week to write this-even after my promise. Not a great sign)

Ben loved welcoming new members to his duck family.

(He kisses each one and touches their beak to make sure they're really ducks)

He's seriously obsessed. It's cute.

We went on a family playground adventure. And he liked it a little more than it looks in the photos. Only a little more though. Not quite warm enough just yet!

Then we visited with both sides of our families for a holiday meal. Pete was honored to kick off the Sunrise Service at our church, even though that meant a 4:30 "wake up" call after a rough night. I use the term "wake up" loosely as I believe you have to sleep in order to wake up. Thanks Bug. We still love you.

Other than that, we have just been loving watching our little mushy baby boy grow into a sweet, curious little toddler.

He's a mellow kid with the heart of a tiny explorer. You can find him chilling in his ball pit. Riding around in his new wheels. Or maybe banging on some drums in music class. 'Cause that's how he rolls.

Ok, enough with the mom gushing. I love that little man to pieces, but the main reason for my post is this little beauty.

Ohhhh, yeaaaahhhhhh! I went there. Creamy filling. Sweet graham cracker crust.

Chocolate dusting ~~covering all imperfections~~ luring you in for that first bite.

Want to make it right now?? Of course you do.

The only thing is- this one tastes better once it has been chilled for at least a day. Quite honestly, it was the best several days later. Like 3.

Richer

Creamier
Better.

I recommend making it a few days before you need it. Trust me.

Tiramisu Cheesecake

(Original Source only slightly adapted)

For the crust:

1 ½ cups ground graham crackers
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted

For the cheesecake:
2 ½ pounds cream cheese, at room temperature (I used half low fat and half regular to cut calories/fat a bit!)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
3 egg yolks, at room temperature
3 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons Kahlua
4 teaspoons espresso coffee powder (I used a mix of instant coffee/espresso powder-because I ran out!)

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Sweetened whipped cream, for the garnish

Preheat oven to 375ºF and butter the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan

Mix together the cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press into the spring form pan, going up the side of the pan only 1/4 inch. Bake 8 minutes. Cool completely.

Decrease oven temperature to 325ºF

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese until it’s smooth. Add the sugar and mix together. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time; mix each in before adding the next. Add the cornstarch and mix together. In a small bowl combine the Kahlua and coffee powder and stir until the coffee powder has dissolved. Add to the cream cheese mixture and mix together.

Wrap two layers of aluminum foil around the sides of the spring form pan. Pour the cheesecake filling into the pan on top of the cooled crust. Bake in a water bath for 55-60 minutes. The outer edges should be set and the center will still jiggle a little when you move it. (The cake continues cooking after it’s removed from the oven.) Cool for 30 minutes, then remove the spring form rim. Cool completely, then place into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, overnight is best.

Right before serving, mix the cocoa powder and powdered sugar and sprinkle over the cheesecake and serve with whipped cream.

Sassy Cilantro Salad

2012-08-15T22:04:00.000-04:00

I don't know what's sassy about it...but it's catchy, isn't it? And OH. MY. GOSH is it tasty!

This is one of my favorite foods. Hands down. It's fresh, flavorful, and fast! I'm just full of alliteration today! (alliterations? hmmmm) While most of the ingredients are not ones you commonly have on hand, they are easy to find and inexpensive. Still a win in my book.

Look at that. It's a thing of beauty, don't you think?

Wanna know how to make it? I know you do.

Sassy Cilantro Salad

Ingredients:

1 bag cole slaw mix with carrots
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup green onions, sliced
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 can sweet corn, drained
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar, Splenda, or equivalent amount of sweetener of your choice

Directions:

1. Toss all vegetables together in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Mix vinegar and sweetener in a small bowl and pour over salad.
3. Toss to combine.
4. Serve immediately or chill. For best results, chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Better late than never.

2012-08-15T12:10:00.001-04:00

I cannot believe it has taken me 2 months to introduce the new man in my life. Life has been crazy. We've been adjusting to a new (not) sleeping schedule, visiting with friends and family, vacations, weddings, friends' babies, Pete going back to work, and just simply ignoring all other responsibilities to stare at this face for hours a day.

I am overjoyed to welcome Benjamin into our little family. Life has never had more meaning. More excitement. More worth. He is everything I've ever dreamed and hoped for and I'm so wildly blessed to call him mine. Well, ours. And Pete's when he needs to be changed ;) hehe

Benny joined our family June 15, 2012 at 6:08pm. He weighed in at a whopping 8lbs 12oz...and yes, we had a natural birth. Seems to be the first question people ask. haha I've had many pats on the back and "you brave girl" looks. haha

While the delivery was fairly quick, all things considered, it was definitely not easy. There were moments I truly feared having to walk away without my son, but my doctor is AMAZING and he managed to keep us both safe and make us a family. My recovery was difficult, it took me 2 weeks to be able to walk around the house on my own without being in immense pain. It was frustrating to have this perfect little bundle and not be able to care for him the way I wanted to. But we have a wonderful support system and I didn't have to worry about a thing. I would just sit in my chair and stare in wonder at this perfect little life in my arms. I don't think I looked at him once in his first month of life without tears coming to my eyes. I just can't believe he's finally here. I'd do it all again in an instant. No question.

We are so in love. It's only been two months since that first car ride home, but feels like he's been here forever...in a good way. He just slipped into our lives and fit in perfectly. It has taken some time learning how to be social again. I can't honestly say I'm there yet. But we're working on it.

I won't be adding too many updates to Wingledings about Ben, but if you'd like you can follow along on our baby blog...I will add the link soon, it's not quite ready. Soon though. Promise.

I'm happy to be back to blogging...though I'm sure I won't have nearly the same amount of time to devote to Wingledings. I just need to get better at writing/editing quickly.

Slap that on the "to-do" list ;)

Sweet, sleepy baby Ben. We are so happy to know you.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

2012-05-15T14:18:00.001-04:00

First, a rant:

I miss Picnik!! I'm SO annoyed they closed the site!! I can't edit any of my photos unless I want to use Photoshop and honestly, I just don't have the patience for that all the time. I loved being able to quickly upload and tweak a picture with next to no effort. And now it's all gone :( The programs they suggested stink...leaving me with unedited photos and a sad heart. Oh well. I'm sure someone will come up with something similar soon. I'll just wait it out. I wish they would allow us to buy it. I would in a heartbeat!

Ok, guess that's out of my system. Now on to the recipe!

The other day, my cheese-loathing husband asked me if I could recreate the biscuits that Red Lobster gives out before your meal comes. I said sure, without really thinking because he rarely asks for anything and I like to keep my man happy :)

Once I started thinking about it, I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to make good on my promise...Not having been to Red Lobster in, gosh, 15 or so years, I was nowhere near confident I even remembered what they were, let alone create a recipe to replicate them! And what made him think of these, I'll never know! Commercial maybe? Regardless...I got to work...and by that, I mean I pulled up trusty old google and searched my butt off. Oh Internet, how I love you.

These came out awesome and really added some pizzazz to the otherwise lame dinner I made that night. Hey all my efforts went into the biscuits...that counts for something, right?! :) Either way, they were delicious and he loved them. Win. Win.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Recipe from: Top Secret Restaurant Recipes

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups Bisquick baking mix

¾ cup cold whole milk

4 tablespoons cold butter

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese

Bush on Top:

2 tablespoons butter, melted

¼ teaspoon dried parsley flakes

½ teaspoon garlic powder

pinch salt

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter or a large fork. (I used a food processor) You don't want to mix too thoroughly. There should be small chunks of butter in there that are about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and ¼ teaspoon garlic. Mix by hand until combined, but don't over mix.

3. Drop approximately ¼-cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop.

4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.

5. When you take the biscuits out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter is a small bowl in your microwave. Stir in ½ teaspoon garlic powder and the dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread this garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits.

Makes one dozen biscuits.

Asparagus Risotto

2012-05-09T15:39:00.000-04:00

How does this always happen?

I get all excited that I have post, after post, after post to share...but weeks go by and nothing gets written?! Bad blogger! Sheesh!

I have just been so busy getting ready for this tiny man that posts have fallen to a distant last on the "to-do" list. While I LOVE blogging and crafting, we've been spending most of our limited free time praying for, reading to, and loving on this guy. (And no, that's not my man hand. It belongs to the ecstatic daddy-to-be!) I feel like I need to soak up every last moment of relaxation I can and enjoy every kick while I can still have him this close to me. Soon these moments of peaceful joy will be replaced by a new kind of joy...a more tiring variety, I expect ;)

BUT here I am. With 30 minutes to spare before I need to pick up a few cute monsters from the bus stop and said to myself...that's just enough time to write about my delicious lunch!

For my birthday, my friends surprised me at my favorite restaurant with a wonderful birthday dinner. It was a blast and oh so very yummy! Two of us split this to-die-for risotto and I have been thinking of it ever since! I've only recently tried risotto and have decided, what's not to like?! It's kind of like pasta. Sort of like rice. Smothered in cheese. And in this case...asparagus.

Oh yeah.

Creamy Asparagus Risotto

Recipe adapted from here

6-8 stalks of asparagus

3 Tbsp. plus 1 Tsp. (light) butter

1/2 small sweet onion, diced

1 cup Arborio rice

1/3 cup dry white wine, I used cooking wine

2 Tbsp cooking Sherry

3 1/2 cups fat free chicken stock

¼-1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Instructions:

Break off tough ends of the asparagus and cut into ½ inch pieces, or larger if you’d prefer. Boil water in a medium saucepan and blanch the asparagus pieces for 2-3 minutes. Drain and quickly place in an ice bath to stop cooking. Asparagus will remain green and vibrant. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt 3 Tbsp butter over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Pour in rice and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring until nicely coated.
While the shallots are cooking, bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan.
Add the wine and sherry. Slowly stir, allowing the rice to absorb the wine. Once the wine is almost completely absorbed, add 1/2 cup of stock to the rice. Continue to stir until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, add another ½ cup of rice and continue in this pattern until all stock is used. Stir frequently, rice will stick to the bottom of the pan. After 15-20 minutes, the liquid should be absorbed rice will be tender. Remove from heat.
Gently stir in the Parmesan cheese to taste. My cheese was strong, so I only used a little more than ¼ cup. Add butter and asparagus and stir gently to combine. Salt and pepper to taste.

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Army Man Cupcakes

2012-03-06T14:33:00.000-05:00

I'm currently a nanny for a family of three children, two boys (11 & 9) and one girl (3). A few weeks ago, as he's running out the door to catch the bus, the 9 year old requested army and camouflage cupcakes for his family birthday party...that night. I had about a billion errands to run that day as well as a pile of sports uniforms to wash for weekend games/practices, but I had to give it a try. He hardly asks for anything and is such a sweet boy! With my limited time, he had to settle for a boxed cake mix..but I did manage to make homemade buttercream frosting.

Don't judge me for the picture...it was taken with my dying blackberry and is horribly blurry! But it gives you an idea of how they came out! I forgot to take a picture of the camo ones, but they came out ok. A little more like a globe than camo, but he didn't mind.

It was super simple too! I just crushed up a bunch of oreos and rolled the frosted cupcake in them...and stuck an army guy down inside so it looked like he was hiding in the mud. They were a big hit and he was thrilled!

He later told me that I would win in an awesome contest...as the "Awesomest Nanny Ever"

Score!

It's amazing how a simple gesture can make a child's day :)

Cupcake Quilt

2012-03-02T14:09:00.001-05:00

SO I'm going to be honest...I did this project a WHILE ago! In fact, the baby that this was made for is now 6 months old...and this was her shower gift. YIKES! But as I mentioned, there's been a lot going on recently, so I can't get too bent out of shape over it ;-)

So once upon a time...my lovely cousin was having baby! For her "sprinkle" I wanted to make her and the baby something special..one of a kid and from the heart!

So I thought for a while and this is what I came up with!

The best part is, it turned out so close to what was in my head! That almost never happens. Know what I mean? I always seem to come up with these ideas and I get so excited about them but they hardly ever come out the way I had hoped. Not this time! I was really pleased! And it was soooo simple...other than the fact that I didn't know how to quilt. Details. Details. But even that turned out ok!

I went to Christmas Tree Shop to get an inexpensive lamp shade. As a matter of fact, the Mommy-to-be-again, was shopping with me. She probably wondered why I was buying such a boring shade! Now since I used hot glue, I had to work quickly so these are the only pictures I have. But seriously, you don't need them. It wasn't hard. I just measured the shade from top to bottom...which luckily for me was 12 inches so I didn't have to cut my paper! I folded the paper like an accordion, every 3/4 inch or so and hot glued them to the shade. Easy peasy!

The quilt on the other hand was harder for me since the only one I've ever made was TINY and several years ago. I played around with some patterns, but ended up going for tried and true...squares! Just to ensure that this pretty Mama actually received a gift on time. haha I fell in love with the pattern of the polka dot fabric and since it the gender was a secret, I thought it would be a good choice!

I was so thrilled with the way it came out..and having some left over red felt and a fake flower stem was just the "cherry on top." HA! Sorry, bad pun. But that's all it was really, a little red felt sewn into a circle and a fake flower stem that I clipped the flower off of and hot glued it inside. Done and done.

Here's the woman of the day and her giant cupcake!

(I promise she's not naturally this orange!)

I think she liked it! And thought it was...dare I say..."Sweet?"

Hello again!

2012-02-27T19:38:00.001-05:00

After a very, very long absence, I'm happy to say that I am back to blogging! It has been a busy and challenging (both good and bad) few months...but I am ready to share some of my crafts, recipes, and excitement with you all!

The first project I'd like to show off is my biggest yet!!

So big, in fact, that it won't be complete until June!

Source

SQUEAL!!

And guess what?!

It was rocky for the first trimester, which I'll share later, but we are doing great now! I'm looking forward to writing about some other projects I've been working on now that I am feeling better and my energy is back! So come back and visit soon!!

*Sigh*

It feels good to be back!!

Pumpkin Granola

2011-10-12T21:04:00.000-04:00

Oh, glorious Fall. I am thoroughly enjoying your presence and all the pumpkin related foods you bring!

I haven't had a lot of luck with granola in the past, mainly because I like it sweet...never want to add enough sugar in hopes of keeping it healthy. I also leave out a lot of the oil usually so it's not as fattening. (At least I can identify my issues...right?! hehe) This recipe is awesome though because it has a lot less sugar (though still a decent amount) and NO oil! Woot woot!!

So far we've had this in milk, on yogurt, and just for general snacking! It's realllly good!

Crunchy perfection <3

Pumpkin Granola

(Recipe adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod)

Ingredients:

5 cups rolled oats
1.5 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¾ tsp. salt
¾ cup brown sugar, not packed
½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup applesauce
¼ cup maple syrup (you can cut this amount down with agave, but I didn't have any on hand)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pepitas (I didn't have any of these, but they would have been yummy!)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine oats, spices, and salt. Mix well.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into oat mixture and stir until the oats are evenly coated. They will be moist. Evenly spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and stir. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the granola is golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and stir in dried cranberries and pepitas. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Cookie Dough Cupcakes

2011-10-02T22:10:00.001-04:00

If there was one treat I wish I could eat...all the time...for no calories...it would be raw chocolate chip cookie dough. mmm At my friend's college, they served partially baked cookie dough in little parchment wrappers...I was always jealous! Last year I found an awesome egg-less cookie dough recipes that I used in truffles and for snacking purposes, but I always wondered how it would taste on a cupcake. Now, if I'm being honest, this recipe is not as good as the eggless cookie dough, but it is really yummy and tastes super great on graham crackers...just saying! I want to try and thin out my other recipe and use that as frosting, but I haven't gotten a chance yet. Don't worry, it will happen.

Cross my heart.

For now, let me share:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Frosting

From: Perry's Plate

*This makes a LOT of frosting, I halved it and it worked fine*

Ingredients:

3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

¾ cup light brown sugar, packed

3½ cups confectioners’ sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ tsp. salt

3 tbsp. milk

2½ tsp. vanilla extract

Procedure

Beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy.

Mix in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour and salt. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.

Frost the filled cupcakes as desired, sprinkling with mini chocolate chips and topping with mini chocolate chip cookies for decoration.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I put a piece of cookie dough in the batter before I baked them. It was pretty awesome, but next time, I will fill the cupcake with raw cookie dough. It was lost a little by baking it.

Don't hate me :)

Crayon Wreath

2011-10-02T21:48:00.001-04:00

This is a project I have been waiting to make for a while now, but never had a good reason. Well, my friend Ms. Daly got a job as an elementary school teacher for this school year and I thought it would be perfect for her! She's an extremely bubbly, sweet, and cheerful person...what better to represent her than a happy rainbow wreath?!

This project required about 64 crayons, two embroidery hoops, and a few embellishments...just for fun! I hope she likes it! I think it's adorable and so happy!

You can't see it in any of these pictures, but there is a little ribbon hook to hang the wreath. I added the ric rack at the last minute, and I'm so glad! I think it really pulls it all together, don't you? I'm super happy with the way it turned out, and that it is going to a good home!

SO this was not the quote I was looking for...I wanted something that was inspiring, happy, or even about teaching...but I stumbled upon this and couldn't stop laughing. Oh Dr. Seuss, I love you.

“In my world, everyone's a pony and they all eat rainbows and poop butterflies!”
― Dr. Seuss

Sesame Chicken Fake-Out

2011-09-09T10:52:00.000-04:00

If you love Sesame Chicken as much as I do, you NEED to try this take-out fake-out! Hubby and I love to get take-out on Friday nights, but since I quit my job to start substitute teaching, I've been trying to find recipes to mimic our favorite dishes on the cheap! So far, this is our favorite! It truly tastes like something you would order from a Chinese food restaurant, but it's sooooo much better for you!

Sesame Chicken Fake-Out

(Adapted from Melissa d'Arabian)

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons soy sauce (I use low sodium)
2 tablespoons apricot jelly or preserves
1 tablespoon white wine
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
3 tablespoons light butter, melted
1-2 crowns of fresh broccoli or 1 bag frozen, steamed
Rice, for serving

Sauce:

2-3 Tbsp soy sauce (I use low sodium)
3 Tbsp apricot jelly
3 Tbsp white wine
ginger to taste
1- 1.5 Tbsp flour
1/4-1/2 cup water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil with nonstick spray.

Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. In a medium bowl, mix together the soy sauce, apricot jelly, and wine. Toss in the chicken cubes and marinate for at least 10 minutes and up to 8 hours in the refrigerator.

In another bowl or plastic bag, mix together the flour and sesame seeds. Drain the chicken cubes and toss in the flour to coat lightly. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with the melted butter. Bake until the chicken is crispy but not dry, about 20 minutes, turning the cubes halfway through.

While chicken is in the oven, begin the sauce. In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, jelly, wine, and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Add water as necessary to thin out the sauce. Once it's simmering, reduce the heat. Combine the flour with a tablespoon or so of water to make a thin paste. Slowly add to sauce to thicken into a gravy consistency. Keep warm.

When chicken is cooked through, toss with broccoli and sauce and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Serve with rice.

Melted Crayon Wall Art

2011-09-07T21:39:00.000-04:00

Today was the first day of school for many local kids...and it made me so sad! I wish I could still be in school. In any capacity, really...as a teacher or a student! I used to love the first day of school...new clothes that are waaayy to hot to be wearing in September but they were too cute to fold in a drawer and wait for the chill of Fall to set in. I loved getting a new backpack, notebooks, pens in all different colors. I loved school...in almost every grade (except 5th grade and my freshman year of college...those weren't great years in all honesty) I even miss the butterflies I used to get before I walked into the building...and for the entire night before. One day I will just have to live vicariously through my children on their first days. :)

Well two of my lovely friends started their first years of teaching today, and I couldn't be more proud! I wanted to make them each something to decorate their walls since they are presumably rather bare this early in the year. Katie, a new Family and Consumer science teacher is going to be working with middle school students, so I needed an idea that wasn't too juvenile...or too much like an inspirational poster. :)

I decided on the melting crayon art that I saw it on Unsimple Living... I've seen it floating around other craft blogs, so I'm not sure where it originated. It seemed perfect for the age group, as well as clever and unique... just like Katie! Perfect!

Isn't it awesome?! I am super happy with the way it came out! Basically, I hot glued crayons to the top of a canvas and using an embossing heat gun I melted them slowly. As they melted, I tilted the canvas back and forth depending on how long I wanted the drips. When all the colors were done cooling, I decided it wasn't exactly like I was hoping...but the addition of "inspire" in that adorable typewriter font was the icing on the cake for me! LOVE.

Look at that texture! How cool is that? Ha, I am so happy I tried it! I hope Katie and her students love it as much as I do.

“A good teacher can inspire hope,

ignite the imagination,

and instill a love of learning.”

- Brad Henry

Hail! to the victors valiant..

2011-09-05T16:05:00.002-04:00

Hail! to the conquering heroes!

Hail! Hail! to Michigan,

The leaders and best!

(Source)

Michigan football.....my husband's ~~first~~ second love. Both of his parents went to The University of Michigan for their undergraduate studies....though his sister went to Penn State...we don't talk about that. (kidding KHo!) I knew going into this marriage that I would lose many Saturday afternoons to the Wolverines, but my wonderful hubs always makes up for it with a chick flick that night.

Opening day for Michigan football was this past Saturday. Ironically, I stumbled upon this "pin" that morning...

(Source)

I laughed out loud, especially because my MIL and I were joking about how I would become a "Football Widow" soon. (Truthfully, baseball season is worse because there are more games.) I joke that I hate football season, but the honest truth is though I don't really enjoy watching the games, I do enjoy spending a lazy Sunday reading/crafting while he watches. If I am being completely honest...I have been known to do a little "pay attention to me" jig in front of the screen if the game goes on too long.

Hey, no one's perfect :)

Well as a supportive beginning-of-the-season wife, I decided to make a Maize and Blue breakfast for my Wolverine.

He was thrilled! Now I joked earlier that Michigan was his first love...but no, sadly Michigan falls to second place...behind me breakfast foods.

If I ever find myself in a position where, say, I went a little crazy at the mall...breakfast foods would surely smooth the waters. Not that I've tried, you know. :)

So what better way to celebrate opening day than with some awesome french toast?! And with "maize" colored bananas and blueberries! I don't usually like french toast, but this was so yummy. Especially with the fruit!!

Fluffy French Toast
(Recipe from allrecipes.com)
Ingredients

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 pinch salt
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon white sugar
12 thick slices bread
berries or fruit for serving
powdered sugar for serving
maple syrup for serving

Directions

Measure flour into a large mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in the milk. Whisk in the salt, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract and sugar until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium heat.
Soak bread slices in mixture until saturated. Cook bread on each side until golden brown.
Serve hot with fruit, powdered sugar and/or maple syrup.

Espresso Cupcakes in a Jar

2011-08-11T21:22:00.001-04:00

Cupcake in a Jar.

Doesn't that just sound like fun?!

I have seen these all over the internet, but waited for an actual reason to make it...as opposed to a "I love sweets so I am going to try this" kind of a reason. :)

My bestie was traveling the country this summer, working for an awesome organization called Youth Works and of course I knew she could use a little lovin' from the oven! The only problem was that she was traveling during the time I made this and it wouldn't be so yummy if it was a week old. So long story short, I'm a stinky friend with the intentions of a great one! That should count for something, right?! Ugh. Sorry Katie, I promise to make it up to you with pumpkin related items this Fall <3

Hubby, on the other hand, was pleased this didn't make it out of the house.

Here is the cake recipe I used, it was super yummy! I've tried this coffee buttercream before and it's awesome! However, it's not the one I used this time. Honestly, I haven't written out a recipe for the one I did use because I'm still tweeking it. I'm sure it will make an appearance soon. The one I posted is really, really good...just doesn't hold up well to heat which is why I didn't want to send it in a box across the country! hehe

Chocolate Cupcakes

(From the The Cupcake Project)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoons vanilla
2/3 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.

Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a small sized bowl and whisk to combine.

Measure out the milk and vanilla and stir to combine.

Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar and beat to combine. Add about a half of the milk/vanilla and beat to combine. Continue adding, alternating between dry and wet and finishing with the dry. Stir in chocolate chips.

Scoop batter into cupcake cups about 1/2 full and bake for 22-25 minute.

Espresso Buttercream Frosting
(Recipe from The Cupcakery)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
pinch salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. instant coffee granules
1 tsp freshly brewed espresso (or strong, hot coffee)
1 tsp milk, cream, water or coffee liqueur

1. Beat together the butter, salt and sugar until well combined.

2. Add vanilla and beat until frosting is smooth.

3. In a small bowl or cup mix together the coffee granules, hot coffee and milk (cream, water or coffee liqueur) until the granules are dissolved. Cool completely.

4. Add coffee mixture to butter mixture and beat until smooth.

Coconut Rum Cupcakes

2011-07-26T21:59:00.000-04:00

I have more cupcakes I want to try than I have events to bake them for! This is a flavorful little guy, so if you don't like coconut...it's not the one for you. I have had my eye on this baby for a while, but never got around to making it. Then I saw that Kate, from A Healthy Passion, took this awesome recipe and and brought the calorie and fat count down a bit, which is awesome! I know that it's difficult to lighten a coconut recipe, it's just naturally high in fat...but so yummy! I just had to try them.

Coconut Rum Cupcakes-Lightened up!

adapted by A Healthy Passion, originally by How Sweet

Ingredients:

3/4 cup raw cane sugar

1/2 cup salted butter

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup light coconut milk

1/3 cup shredded coconut

1/3 cup coconut rum

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter, sugar, and eggs together until fluffy. Add vanilla and coconut extracts and mix until combined.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add half of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Add the milk. Once mixed, add remaining dry ingredients. Add coconut rum and fold in shredded coconut.

Pour into cupcake tins and bake for 20-25 mins at 350. Let cool, then frost.

Malibu Frosting

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup coconut rum

1 tablespoon vanilla

Cream butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with rum and vanilla, until desired consistency is reached. Feel free to add more or less sugar or liquid based on how thick you want your frosting.

Curious George Cupcakes

2011-07-26T08:00:00.002-04:00

A friend asked me to make cupcakes for her son's 1st birthday party..it was a Curious George theme...super cute idea! I wanted to keep the cupcakes simple, she had a really cute cake planned.

So I just went with some primary colors and a Curious George stand. I hadn't finished it in this picture, it ended up saying "Happy Birthday Cillian" down the three tiers with little pictures of bananas and other monkey business. :-)

I don't have a lot of practice with cookies yet, but I wanted to make some to decorate the cupcake stand a bit. So I did some with the baby's name, little number ones, and of course the yellow hat! You know, like the Man in the Yellow Hat's hat.

Sweet and Sour Coleslaw

2011-07-25T08:00:00.002-04:00

This is one of my two favorite summer salads. My mom started making this a couple years ago and I seriously couldn't get enough of her first batch. It's so fresh, so tangy, and just downright yummy! If you don't like cilantro as much as we do, cut back on the amount or go ahead and leave it out. There are enough flavors to carry this salad without it. But for me, the cilantro is the best part! I love this with some rotisserie chicken in a wrap! mmmm

Sweet and Sour Coleslaw

(Original recipe: Eat Smart Magazine)

4 cups cabbage, shredded (I used a bag mix)

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup green onions, thinly sliced

1- 14 oz can sweet corn corn kernels, drained

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/3 cup Splenda (you can use sugar, but the calorie count will not be the same)

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Chill and serve.

Makes 8 servings: 37 calories, 1g protein, 0g fat, 9g carbs, 2g fiber, 12mg sodium

Countdown Muffin Tin

2011-07-24T11:16:00.000-04:00

The parents of the kids I watch went to Paris for a few days and I wanted to do a countdown project with them to help me them through the week.

I didn't have much to work with and between camps, classes, and playdates we never seemed to find the time to go to a craft store...so we made due. It may not be the cutest thing ever made, but it certainly did the job and the kids had fun making/using it. They helped make the actual "calendar" then I sent them out of the room to fill it so they would have a surprise a day until their Mom and Dad came home. I loved watching them work together to pick out the papers, cut them to the size, and the older one did a great job with the numbering.

So in every cubby, I put a note for each child and a little treat. Before their parents left, I had them write a note a day for each boy, just telling them something about where they would be on the trip or giving suggestions to combat the "I'm Bored" summer phenomenon.

(Yes that is a Dora bracelet, the little guy LOVES Dora..and jewelry.)

The kids couldn't wait to take off a number each day and see what Mommy and Daddy had to say, as well as what little toy or candy they would find. Next time I will plan ahead and get cute papers, or magnetic paper even...though I don't think the boys will know the difference. :)

S'mores Bars

2011-07-23T13:20:00.001-04:00

What is summer without S'mores? This little bar of awesome was created because I needed a dessert for an event, didn't have time to go to the store, and had to use what I had on hand. I was originally going to make Rice Crispy treats, but only had Special K and Golden Grahams on hand...what's the obvious choice there?!

So S'mores bars were born!

S'mores Bars

6 cups Golden Grahams
4 tablespoons butter
5 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Grease a 9x13in pan and set aside.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium low heat. Add 4 cups mini marshmallows and stir until melted. Remove from heat and pour in Golden Grahams cereal. Stir until completely coated. Fold in remaining cup of marshmallows. Gently press into pan using waxed paper.

Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe dish for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until smooth. Transfer chocolate to a ziplock bag.

Remove the waxed paper and snip the tip of the bag, just a little so the chocolate can come out slowly. Drizzle over the cereal treats. Let cool until chocolate has hardened then cut into squares.

Enjoy!!

Raspberry Lemon Bars

2011-07-18T22:22:00.000-04:00

Lemon bars are one of my favorite desserts. I can resist cakes, pies, and cookies, but lemon bars? Never. So when I saw this recipe for Raspberry Lemon Bars on Two Peas and Their Pod, I had to try it! I love their blog, so many great recipes and their pictures rock! If you haven't stopped by, do it! You'll be happy you did.

My In-Laws were coming over to go see Harry Potter and I needed a quick dinner/dessert combo so we wouldn't be late. I decided on these and they were definitely worth it! Quick, easy, and delicious. I know it's a little strange that there isn't any flour or anything, but it works! Next time I'm going to try it with blueberries...mmm!

Lemon Raspberry Bars

Ingredients:

For the crust:
1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons salted butter, melted (I used light butter)
1/4 cup sugar
Zest of one lemon

For the filling:
2 large egg yolks
1-14 oz. can fat free sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
6 ounces fresh raspberries

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 8 by 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and lemon zest. Stir until graham cracker crumbs are moist. Press crumbs into the prepared pan, pressing the crust mixture one inch up the side of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Once the crust is cool, combine the egg yolks and condensed milk until well mixed. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir until mixture begins to slightly thicken. Gently fold in the raspberries. Fold carefully so you don't break the raspberries.

Pour the lemon raspberry filling evenly over the graham cracker crust. Bake for 15 minutes, or until just set.

Cool to room temperature, then chill for at least one hour before serving. Cut into bars and serve. Keep bars in the refrigerator-up to five days.

Prom Dress scraps to Necktie

2011-07-13T21:51:00.000-04:00

So to get to this craft, you need to get through all my big sisterly love!

May and June were really crazy, but great months for my family. My little sister went to her senior prom,

Then my little brother had his 8th grade dance..

In June they both graduated. Sissy's off to college,

And B-ry will be going to high school!

It's hard to believe the time has gone so fast...but it certainly has been fun so far! I can't wait to see all these two will accomplish in the coming years! We are very proud of both of them.

OK, now on to the crafting! So, Sissy got her dress hemmed..of course, because we're a family of shorties :) (except for Daddy!) and she asked if I could make her date a tie from the scraps. I said "Of course" before I thought about whether I knew how to do that or not...but I figured, it's a pretty simple shape...plus I had a month. I was using one of hubby's ties as a template when I noticed the inner lining...so I grabbed an old one, took off the silk and this is what I was left with...

Perfect, right?! A little fabric interfacing and I was on a roll. I got the fabric to stick to the lining, but then I ran into a problem. I couldn't sew it shut because you would see the stitching, so I ended up hand stitching it shut...verrrry carefully. The fabric her dress was made from was NOT forgiving at all. It showed every little pull, so I was careful not to make many!

He said that everyone loved it! And look at how it matched his boutonniere...

Awesome!

And of course it made the Queen happy..

*Yes, that means she was Prom Princess last year, and both Homecoming and Prom Queen this year.

Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!

And with those pretty purple flowers in the background...Perfect!

Strawberry Pecan Muffins

2011-07-13T10:00:00.000-04:00

It's amazing how many things I can think of that "I've been meaning to do" when there is unpacking and cleaning to be done. hehe Well, here's another procrastination project...Strawberry Muffins!

My first grade teacher sent me this recipe a few weeks ago and they looked so yummy, I decided to make them for Sunday brunch with the hubster. Now, these are low fat, but of course I had to add a streusel topping! But I was good about it...And doesn't it make it look just delicious?!

Strawberry Pecan Muffins
(Original recipe: Taste of Home)

Ingredients:

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (or a wheat/white mix)
• 3/4 cup sugar (Can use Splenda Blend)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I used cinnamon b/c I don't like nutmeg)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled (I used light butter)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/4 cups coarsely chopped fresh or frozen unsweetened strawberries

For the topping:

2 Tbsp packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4-1/3 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°. In a small bowl, combine the first four ingredients.

In another bowl, whisk the eggs, yogurt, butter and vanilla. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in strawberries.

Fill muffin cups coated with cooking spray or lined with paper liners two-thirds full. Sprinkle on topping.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Yield: 1 dozen.

I {heart} power outages :)

2011-07-09T14:14:00.000-04:00

I have always loved when the power goes out. When I was growing up, it seemed like it happened all the time. I can remember one time when it was out for a few days (not as much fun as a few hours) and I had a project due for school. Ironically, the assignment was to write a journal from the perspective of a pioneer headed west in a covered wagon...so my dad got me out the oil lamp and said "There, now it's authentic!" What fun! He sat next to me and read the paper while I worked at the coffee table.

Well, as an adult, I haven't really experienced power outages of any great length, but it did go out for a few hours last night because of the storms. It was awesome! The lightning outside the window, the crashes of thunder...so fun! We lit some candles, which was easier said than done since we just moved and nothing is unpacked. Poured some iced coffee, and talked on the couch. It was wonderful. No tv. No phones. No internet. Just us. After a while we found enough candles to play a game, so we got out our favorite backgammon set. (Pete crushed me in both rounds, as well as the game of Scrabble to follow) I'm not a good opponent...unless you want to win. haha

My honey. Iced coffee by candlelight. Board games.

The simple pleasures in life :-)

I still love when the power goes out.

Tiramisu Layer Cake

2011-07-08T23:14:00.000-04:00

My Dad loves Tiramisu and since it's one of his favorite desserts, I decided to make him a tiramisu birthday cake! I've had this recipe in my "to make" folder for some time now and thought Daddy's birthday would be the perfect time to try it out! It was a hit, although I didn't have instant coffee powder, only espresso so the coffee flavor was not as strong as I would have liked. Still yummy though!

And it looked pretty good too! So chocolatey...mmm

I even made a monogram out of dark chocolate. Though be careful if you put candles on the cake...the monogram will melt...quickly. Lesson learned. :-)

Tiramisu Layer Cake

(Source: All recipes)

CAKE:
1 (18.25 ounce) package moist white cake mix
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
1/4 cup (strong) coffee
1 tablespoon coffee flavored liqueur
FILLING:
1 (8 ounce) container mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur
FROSTING:
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur
GARNISH:
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 3 (9 inch) pans.
Prepare the cake mix according to package directions. Divide two thirds of batter between 2 pans. Stir instant coffee into remaining batter; pour into remaining pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. In a measuring cup, combine brewed coffee and 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur; set aside.
To make the filling: In a small bowl, using an electric mixer set on low speed, combine mascarpone, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur; beat just until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
To make the frosting: In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the cream, 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur until stiff. Fold 1/2 cup of cream mixture into filling mixture.
To assemble the cake: Place one plain cake layer on a serving plate. Using a thin skewer, poke holes in cake, about 1 inch apart. Pour one third of reserved coffee mixture over cake, then spread with half of the filling mixture. Top with coffee-flavored cake layer; poke holes in cake. Pour another third of the coffee mixture over the second layer and spread with the remaining filling. Top with remaining cake layer; poke holes in cake. Pour remaining coffee mixture on top. Spread sides and top of cake with frosting. Place cocoa in a sieve and lightly dust top of cake. Garnish with chocolate curls. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
To make the chocolate curls, use a vegetable peeler and run it down the edge of the chocolate bar.