I entered a cupcake contest on Martha Stewart's website. Mine is a zombie cupcake in the cupcake gallery (17th photo uploaded, so it is way at the end of the gallery). You have to click on "Enter Our Cutest Cupcake Contest" on the right side where it says "Cupcake Week" and then you can click on the button to view the cupcakes entered. It wasn't until today that I realized that it says Cutest Cupcake Contest....so, not too sure how my zombie cupcake will fair since cute isn't the right word to describe it. I was going for being creative and different, so maybe I will score on that. We'll see.
Wish me luck! :)
Monday, March 31, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
just stuff
Fruit Fact: When picking a honeydew mellon, it should have a yellowish skin (not pale green) and be slightly tacky to the touch. I had no idea. I had to get all green fruit for a potluck today and this is what the produce guy told me about picking a honeydew. I cut it up this morning and it was seriously delicious!
Also, red grapes are super sweet right now. Sooo good.
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Greg had a 9am softball game last night and he managed to get me to go even tho I knew I'd be sitting there freezing my ass off for 2 hours. But I'm glad I went....he got his first home run of the season :) He's been soooo close to it so I knew it was just a matter of time. And it is really early in the season, so I know there will be more. He's such a studmuffin.
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Abby turned 2 years old on Sunday. We got her a new cat bed and a box of her favorite toy mice. She destroys the mice. We find mouse heads with no body, bodies with no heads, mice ears....and nothing else, and 90% of them have no tails. She just loves us to throw them down the hallway and she tears after it and brings it back to us ready to go again.....just like a dog. Such a playful little thing. We're lucky she came into our lives.
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Get ready to "spring" into action! Tomorrow is the official first day of spring :)
Also, red grapes are super sweet right now. Sooo good.
---
Greg had a 9am softball game last night and he managed to get me to go even tho I knew I'd be sitting there freezing my ass off for 2 hours. But I'm glad I went....he got his first home run of the season :) He's been soooo close to it so I knew it was just a matter of time. And it is really early in the season, so I know there will be more. He's such a studmuffin.
---
Abby turned 2 years old on Sunday. We got her a new cat bed and a box of her favorite toy mice. She destroys the mice. We find mouse heads with no body, bodies with no heads, mice ears....and nothing else, and 90% of them have no tails. She just loves us to throw them down the hallway and she tears after it and brings it back to us ready to go again.....just like a dog. Such a playful little thing. We're lucky she came into our lives.
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Get ready to "spring" into action! Tomorrow is the official first day of spring :)
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
I'm on administrative leave from work this week so I've been doing a little of this and a little of that.
This morning I had a mammogram. First ever. It wasn't nearly as bad as I had been expecting. You hear all these horror stories about them and how awful they are.....I don't know....I can think of a lot of other things at the doctors office that are worse. I saw my regular doctor last week because my shoulder has been killing me. Turns out I have something called rotator cuff syndrome. She gave me a prescription for something that she thinks will help, but if it isn't better by next month when I see her again, I have to have a cortisone shot right in the joint where it hurts! Now.....I tell you, I'd rather have a mammogram over a shot in my shoulder joint any day of the week. In fact, I might fib and say it's feeling better just to avoid the shot. I mean....that sounds horrible! And I know it's going to hurt because she told me upfront that it would be painful. The mammogram was just uncomfortable for a few seconds. Pray the pills work for me.
I've also been cooking. Greg does a lot of the cooking because he gets home so early from work. But since I'm home this week, I've been Le Chef. Saturday I made Moo shu pork wraps, Sunday was lasagna, yesterday was turkey wrapped bacon. Tonight is leftovers. So far everything has turned out great. Greg liked the Moo shu pork wraps....pretty good for a white girl, he said ;)
Well, off to clean out my linen closet and get that checked that off my to do list for the week. Then Greg has a softball game later tonight. He's trying to hit the ball out of the park and so far it has not made it quite that far. I know it will happen....he just needs to stop thinking about it so much. These things happen when you least expect them to. How many times have you heard that? Blah, blah, "I didn't think it was a good pitch" or "I couldn't get a hit to save my life"...and then it happens. All he needs is a little patience.
Later, ya all.
This morning I had a mammogram. First ever. It wasn't nearly as bad as I had been expecting. You hear all these horror stories about them and how awful they are.....I don't know....I can think of a lot of other things at the doctors office that are worse. I saw my regular doctor last week because my shoulder has been killing me. Turns out I have something called rotator cuff syndrome. She gave me a prescription for something that she thinks will help, but if it isn't better by next month when I see her again, I have to have a cortisone shot right in the joint where it hurts! Now.....I tell you, I'd rather have a mammogram over a shot in my shoulder joint any day of the week. In fact, I might fib and say it's feeling better just to avoid the shot. I mean....that sounds horrible! And I know it's going to hurt because she told me upfront that it would be painful. The mammogram was just uncomfortable for a few seconds. Pray the pills work for me.
I've also been cooking. Greg does a lot of the cooking because he gets home so early from work. But since I'm home this week, I've been Le Chef. Saturday I made Moo shu pork wraps, Sunday was lasagna, yesterday was turkey wrapped bacon. Tonight is leftovers. So far everything has turned out great. Greg liked the Moo shu pork wraps....pretty good for a white girl, he said ;)
Well, off to clean out my linen closet and get that checked that off my to do list for the week. Then Greg has a softball game later tonight. He's trying to hit the ball out of the park and so far it has not made it quite that far. I know it will happen....he just needs to stop thinking about it so much. These things happen when you least expect them to. How many times have you heard that? Blah, blah, "I didn't think it was a good pitch" or "I couldn't get a hit to save my life"...and then it happens. All he needs is a little patience.
Later, ya all.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Weekend Treat
I know it isn't the weekend yet (just wishing), but here is a treat to consider making. Spring is almost here....it officially arrives on the 20th, but since it is daylight savings time this weekend, I think we can call it a Spring Treat. Recipes found at www.pinkofperfection.com. The Sangria sounds delish!
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Sangria for a Party
makes 10 cups
1 bottle acceptable red wine
2 1/4 cup orange juice
1 cup triple sec
1 cup apricot brandy
1 cup sprite
Pour ingredients into a big pitcher. Drop in some seasonal fruit (I floated a few thin slices of orange on top). Serve over ice.
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Makes about 4 cups
1 14 ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, chopped
1 10 ounce box frozen spinach, defrosted
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Squeeze the excess water out of the spinach by placing on a few layers of paper towels (or a dish towel) and wringing. Stir together artichoke hearts, spinach, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice and most of the cheese in a ceramic baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 30-40 minutes, until bubblingly hot and cheese on top is melted. Serve with crackers, celery sticks, or tortilla chips.
---
Sangria for a Party
makes 10 cups
1 bottle acceptable red wine
2 1/4 cup orange juice
1 cup triple sec
1 cup apricot brandy
1 cup sprite
Pour ingredients into a big pitcher. Drop in some seasonal fruit (I floated a few thin slices of orange on top). Serve over ice.
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Makes about 4 cups
1 14 ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, chopped
1 10 ounce box frozen spinach, defrosted
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Squeeze the excess water out of the spinach by placing on a few layers of paper towels (or a dish towel) and wringing. Stir together artichoke hearts, spinach, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice and most of the cheese in a ceramic baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 30-40 minutes, until bubblingly hot and cheese on top is melted. Serve with crackers, celery sticks, or tortilla chips.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
How good to these sound for an October treat? I know that's months away, but I just had to share.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
1/3 cup milk
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup canned pumpkin or mashed cooked pumpkin
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1 package dry yeast
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tbsp. melted butter
Caramel frosting (recipe follows)
In small saucepan, heat milk and 2 tbsp. butter just until warm (120-130 degrees) and butter is almost melted, stirring constantly. In large mixer bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar and salt. Add milk mixture and beat with electric mixer until well mixed. Beat in egg and yeast.
In separate mixing bowl, combine flours. Add half of flour mixture to pumpkin mixture. Beat mixture on low speed 5 minutes, scraping sides of bowl frequently. Add remaining flour and mix thoroughly (dough will be very soft). Turn into lightly greased bowl, then grease surface of dough lightly.
Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Turn onto floured surface. Knead a few turns to form a smooth dough, sprinkling with enough additional flour to make dough easy to handle. On lightly floured surface, roll dough into 12x10 inch rectangle.
In small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Brush surface of dough with melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Beginning with long side of dough, roll up jellyroll style. Pinch seam to seal. With sharp knife, cut roll into 12 1- inch slices. Place rolls, cut side up, in greased 9 inch square baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.
Bake rolls at 350 degrees about 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan to waxed paper-lined wire rack. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with Caramel frosting. Makes 12 rolls.
CARAMEL FROSTING
1/4 cup (4 tbsp.) butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla
Dash salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar.
In small saucepan, heat butter until melted. Stir in brown sugar and milk.
Stir in brown sugar and milk. Cook over medium low heat 1 minute.
Transfer to small mixer bowl and cool mixture. Stir in vanilla, salt, and confectioners' sugar. Beat with electric mixer until well blended. If necessary, add more confectioners' sugar for desired consistency.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
1/3 cup milk
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup canned pumpkin or mashed cooked pumpkin
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1 package dry yeast
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tbsp. melted butter
Caramel frosting (recipe follows)
In small saucepan, heat milk and 2 tbsp. butter just until warm (120-130 degrees) and butter is almost melted, stirring constantly. In large mixer bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar and salt. Add milk mixture and beat with electric mixer until well mixed. Beat in egg and yeast.
In separate mixing bowl, combine flours. Add half of flour mixture to pumpkin mixture. Beat mixture on low speed 5 minutes, scraping sides of bowl frequently. Add remaining flour and mix thoroughly (dough will be very soft). Turn into lightly greased bowl, then grease surface of dough lightly.
Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Turn onto floured surface. Knead a few turns to form a smooth dough, sprinkling with enough additional flour to make dough easy to handle. On lightly floured surface, roll dough into 12x10 inch rectangle.
In small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Brush surface of dough with melted butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Beginning with long side of dough, roll up jellyroll style. Pinch seam to seal. With sharp knife, cut roll into 12 1- inch slices. Place rolls, cut side up, in greased 9 inch square baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.
Bake rolls at 350 degrees about 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan to waxed paper-lined wire rack. Cool 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with Caramel frosting. Makes 12 rolls.
CARAMEL FROSTING
1/4 cup (4 tbsp.) butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla
Dash salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar.
In small saucepan, heat butter until melted. Stir in brown sugar and milk.
Stir in brown sugar and milk. Cook over medium low heat 1 minute.
Transfer to small mixer bowl and cool mixture. Stir in vanilla, salt, and confectioners' sugar. Beat with electric mixer until well blended. If necessary, add more confectioners' sugar for desired consistency.
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