Sunday, November 9, 2008

delicishhhh treats!




So we were invited to a dinner party in the ward and I was assigned dessert. I was thrilled by the challenge, because i wanted it to be something super good but look really good and look like I spent a lot of time on...hehehe. VAIN I KNOW!
My friend Manda has this great blog on her blog called pickypalate.. really good stuff on there and that's where I found these great treats.
The two I brought were: Double Chocolate little spice cakes w/caramel butter cream frosting. and, Chocolate Chip cookie cup treat! Both super super good. Both pretty easy. The first one takes a little more prep work, but really not much and SO worth it. The trickiest part was finding the cinnamon chips which i went to the Hershey's website and clicked product locator and was able to find them at a store called Wegmans which luckily just opened not to far from us. So here's the receipes for everyone.....have fun and tell me what you think!!!!!

Double Chocolate Little Cinnamon Spice Cakes with Caramel Butter Cream

1 devils food cake mix
½ Cup oil
½ Cup water
4 eggs
8 oz sour cream
1 pkg chocolate pudding mix, 4 serving size
1 package cinnamon chips
Frosting
20 soft caramels, like werthers or kraft
¼ Cup milk
2 egg yolks
¼ Cup powdered sugar
2 sticks softened butter
3 Cups powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer beat cake mix, oil, water, eggs, sour cream and pudding on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in cinnamon chips on low. Fill 24 traditional cupcake size cups ¾ full. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes clean from center. Remove and let cool completely. * I actually used mini muffin tins and cut the cooking time to 16 min. made 65.

2. Place caramels and milk into a medium saucepan over medium low heat until melted and smooth, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes. Place egg yolks and powdered sugar into a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whisk until well combined. Slowly beat in melted caramel until well combined. Transfer to a covered bowl and refrigerate until chilled, a couple hours or overnight. When chilled, beat butter and caramel in a stand mixer until whipped. Slowly beat in powdered sugar until fluffy. Spread on cooled cupcakes and serve. * I chilled in fridge for 3 hours.




Chocolate Chip Cookie Cup Treats
½ batch of your favorite cookie dough recipe
3 Cups Mini Marshmallows
2 Tablespoons butter
3 ½ Cups rice crispy cereal
1 Cup semi sweet chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons coconut oil (you can also use heavy cream)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Press cookie dough into mini cheesecake tins or mini muffin tins filled about ¾ way full. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from oven and drizzle 1 teaspoon caramel ice cream topping over each cup.
2. Place marshmallows and butter into a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1-2 minutes or until puffed up. Stir in rice crispy cereal until well combined. Scoop a spoonful of mixture and place over cookie cups. Spray hands with cooking spray and press gently to even out.
3. Place chocolate chips into a medium microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until melted and smooth. Stir in coconut oil or heavy cream until shiny and smooth. Drizzle over top of brownies.
12 cookie cups

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Gobble Gobble!!



For FHE ( Family Home Evening) We made a turkey which the girls named him Hunter. That's what they wanted. He also has a workout band on his head. Which if you read "The Turkey Race" you would understand. Anyways, we put things we are thankful for on the feathers and then this year we cut tons of extras out and our mailing them off to family for them to write and decorate if they like what they are thankful for. Then they mail it back to us and we put it up on our turkey..hmmm Hunter. The girls are super excited about getting mail and i'm excited to see what everyone writes and does. I hope our family doesn't mind that we are doing this. But it is so neat to see the girls really love an activity. Oh Hunter is up very high on the wall because i fear for his safety. A certain 3 yr. old can not be trusted. And yes Jacob's belly is hanging out Jolie just thought that was way too funny.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

MEYERS!!!!!












We had so much fun with our friends the Meyers family. Brett's mission companion and family came up from Alabama for a baby blessing and stayed with us for a week. The girls loved having the boys here. Lucas, Carter and Jaxon. We went to the Baltimore aquarium, a pumpkin patch lunch at Red Robin where i dumped a drink all over me and Jacob. Amanda has a good group picture of us all on her blog. It was so fun getting to know them all over again. I have to say i miss my wife :) We hope we get to see you guys again soon.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Jillian's "DO"




All the girls and I ( jake too) went to the salon for a haircut. Jolie and Genevieve have already had there hair cut many times, but jillian has only had like 2 trims. So this was a big deal for the big cut. I LOVE IT! Her hair looks so much nicer and fuller, but she doesn't look like a baby anymore. The girls were quite the hit in the salon, talking the whole time. At one time while I was getting my hair washed, i heard Genna say i think she's 29. Then Jolie yells yes she's 29, MOM, you're 29 right. Yes jolie' i'm 29. The stylists just couldn't get over i had 4 kids, they made my day when they came up to me and said they thought i was only 22. Man do they know how to bring back a client or what!
ok, not sure how the picture of me got up in the corner, but that's my new do. which i really like, just ignore the no make up.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

To Doo or not to Doo!!!!


I have been teaching Pilates at a small club next to my house for a few months. I was hesitant to do it at first just because of the commitment and a husband that works far away....made me nervous you know. But with a persistant owner I decided to give it a go. Once a week for one hour shouldn't be that big a deal right. WRONG! It seems like it's been way more stressful than actually relaxing. They've changed the schedule a few times, plus lots of miscomunication and i've looked like the loser teacher that doesn't show up even though i did tell him i would be out of town. ANYWAYS, we're about to start up again and i'm just not sure if i really want to continue doing it. I really love teaching and it's a great excuse to get out and be healthy. but i have 4 kids and that pretty much tells you right there that life is pretty unpredictable. I don't want to lose the skill either. ahhhh....i just don't know what to do. Tell me what you guys think?