Saturday, August 29, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Thermostat vs Thermometer
Do you know the difference between a thermostat and a thermometer?
Both have something to do with temperature but they are fundamentally different. Inside the house, a thermostat is something we set that dictates the temperature in a room. A thermometer simply tells us what the room temperature is.
People are either thermostats or thermometers. You either gauge the temperature (thermometer) and gripe about it, or you do something about it (thermostat).
Choose to be a thermostat!
Both have something to do with temperature but they are fundamentally different. Inside the house, a thermostat is something we set that dictates the temperature in a room. A thermometer simply tells us what the room temperature is.
People are either thermostats or thermometers. You either gauge the temperature (thermometer) and gripe about it, or you do something about it (thermostat).
Choose to be a thermostat!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
PB & J Cupcakes
Peanut butter cupcakes with strawberry jelly buttercream. I mainly made these so I could try to do a rose. I hadn't ever done one before so I watched a how-to video on youtube. Not so shabby for my first time!
I'm taking a hiatus from cupcakes for awhile. My husband has threatened my life. He's on this diet kick and says I'm making it hard for him =) I am, however, going to make these for church this weekend. They are fantastic!
I'm taking a hiatus from cupcakes for awhile. My husband has threatened my life. He's on this diet kick and says I'm making it hard for him =) I am, however, going to make these for church this weekend. They are fantastic!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Schwans offer
I just got my Better Homes & Garden magazine and it had a free offer from Schwans. It's for new customers only and it's good for a free item $10.00 or less. No strings attached, delivered free to your home. I tried it and it worked perfectly. I ordered Fiesta Lime Chicken. Try it!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Tiramisu
Tiramisu cupcakes. Easy. DELICIOUS!
It started with a Nilla wafer in the bottom of the cupcake liner.
The batter was even the color of coffee!
Looks yummy even before they're baked.
Cream cheese icing.
Dusted with cocoa.
VIOLA!
It started with a Nilla wafer in the bottom of the cupcake liner.
The batter was even the color of coffee!
Looks yummy even before they're baked.
Cream cheese icing.
Dusted with cocoa.
VIOLA!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
For a change
I thought I wouldn't blog about cupcakes. I love baking, but I have a life outside of that =)
Appreciating:
1.) Aubree being cool with me brushing her teeth today. Yesterday she was not. She wanted to do it all herself which does not produce clean teeth.
2.) DVR!
3.) Fall is approaching! I wish I was somewhere to see leaves change colors, but I still enjoy the temperature drop and all the holidays at the end of the year!
4.) Derek having the day off. We didn't get done what we originally planned, but it was nice hanging out being lazy today and going to Golden Spoon.
5.) Learning how to hyperlink!
Thinking about:
1.) Tomorrow. The dishes I have to wash. The sun I want to worship. What things I can do with Aubree... I'm thinking finger painting with pudding!
2.) How life will be in California. How life will be when we get out of the Air Force...
3.) Money, money, money... MONEY! I want lots of it!
4.) Aubree's runny nose and how I hope she'll sleep ok tonight. Poor baby :(
5.) Plans for this weekend... None. MAKE SOME!
Appreciating:
1.) Aubree being cool with me brushing her teeth today. Yesterday she was not. She wanted to do it all herself which does not produce clean teeth.
2.) DVR!
3.) Fall is approaching! I wish I was somewhere to see leaves change colors, but I still enjoy the temperature drop and all the holidays at the end of the year!
4.) Derek having the day off. We didn't get done what we originally planned, but it was nice hanging out being lazy today and going to Golden Spoon.
5.) Learning how to hyperlink!
Thinking about:
1.) Tomorrow. The dishes I have to wash. The sun I want to worship. What things I can do with Aubree... I'm thinking finger painting with pudding!
2.) How life will be in California. How life will be when we get out of the Air Force...
3.) Money, money, money... MONEY! I want lots of it!
4.) Aubree's runny nose and how I hope she'll sleep ok tonight. Poor baby :(
5.) Plans for this weekend... None. MAKE SOME!
You put the lime in the coconut and... YUM!
I had some shredded coconut left over from the last time I made cupcakes. I figured next on my list would be these:
Lime cupcakes with triple coconut icing! They were good! Nothing complicated. White cake box mix with lime concentrate instead of water. The coconut icing had cream of coconut, coconut extract and of course the sweetened shredded coconut. When you use three times the coconut you can't go wrong! They actually exceeded my expectations!
Lime cupcakes with triple coconut icing! They were good! Nothing complicated. White cake box mix with lime concentrate instead of water. The coconut icing had cream of coconut, coconut extract and of course the sweetened shredded coconut. When you use three times the coconut you can't go wrong! They actually exceeded my expectations!
Monday, August 17, 2009
So I'm not in love... lust maybe, but not love...
They ended up reminding me of Snowballs... the taste and the look. Lots more ideas flowing.. stay tuned =)
Friday, August 14, 2009
I'm on a roll
I just got back from the grocery store and I've bought all of the stuff to make these cupcakes I saw on
(Love that show!)
They're chocolate cupcakes with a cream cheese icing rolled in sweetened coconut. Simple, huh? I'm a huge coconut person, so I bet I'll love 'em. I always send them to work with Derek the next day, so I bet all the Airmen will love them too! We'll see!
(Love that show!)
They're chocolate cupcakes with a cream cheese icing rolled in sweetened coconut. Simple, huh? I'm a huge coconut person, so I bet I'll love 'em. I always send them to work with Derek the next day, so I bet all the Airmen will love them too! We'll see!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Get your shades ready...
Not everything can be a success. This definitely was one of those things. This was my attempt to make Banana Split Cupcakes. I mentioned in the previous post my ideas. I followed through with all of them except the frosting. Whipped Cream frosting isn't portable, so I made a buttercream instead. I started with a cake mix and added to it. I think I added too much because after I filled 24 cupcake liners, this much was still left, enough to make 6 "Texas" size cupcakes. It was the first time I used that pan, so it was ok =)
After baking. The batter was so lumpy, but probably too liquidy as well. See how flat they are!
You got those sunglasses ready? PUT 'EM ON! I made a basic buttercream and instead of adding vanilla extract, I added banana. The flavor was good. A little too stiff and very hard to work with. Also it was the first time I worked with gel food coloring. It was a little brighter than I intended =)
I topped some with walnuts.
And nothing impressive with the others...
I think if I made these again, I could learn from my mistakes and they'd turn out alright. They are more like muffins than cupcakes. They're not the right consistency, the frosting's too grainy and they're....... well...... UGLY :( Oh well, I must move on. I'm thinking tiramisu! What do you think? I would love to get somebody else's ideas!
After baking. The batter was so lumpy, but probably too liquidy as well. See how flat they are!
You got those sunglasses ready? PUT 'EM ON! I made a basic buttercream and instead of adding vanilla extract, I added banana. The flavor was good. A little too stiff and very hard to work with. Also it was the first time I worked with gel food coloring. It was a little brighter than I intended =)
I topped some with walnuts.
And nothing impressive with the others...
I think if I made these again, I could learn from my mistakes and they'd turn out alright. They are more like muffins than cupcakes. They're not the right consistency, the frosting's too grainy and they're....... well...... UGLY :( Oh well, I must move on. I'm thinking tiramisu! What do you think? I would love to get somebody else's ideas!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Cupcake #14
For the hubs, my version of a banana split.
Vanilla cake with crushed pineapple and strawberries in addition to mini chocolate chips. Frosted with a light & fluffy banana whipped cream.
Sounds yummy, huh? I'm gonna surprise him with them later in the week!
Vanilla cake with crushed pineapple and strawberries in addition to mini chocolate chips. Frosted with a light & fluffy banana whipped cream.
Sounds yummy, huh? I'm gonna surprise him with them later in the week!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
30 Life Principles by Charles Stanley
The 30 Life Principles
Our intimacy with God – His highest priority for our lives – determines the impact of our lives.
Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.
God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm.
The awareness of God’s presence energizes us for our work.
God does not require us to understand His will, just obey it, even if it seems
unreasonable.
You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow.
The dark moments of our life will last only so long as is necessary for God to
accomplish His purpose in us.
Fight all your battles on your knees and you win every time.
Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees.
If necessary, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will.
God assumes full responsibility for our needs when we obey Him.
Peace with God is the fruit of oneness with God.
Listening to God is essential to walking with God.
God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.
Brokenness is God’s requirement for maximum usefulness.
Whatever you acquire outside of God’s will eventually turns to ashes.
We stand tallest and strongest on our knees.
As children of a sovereign God, we are never victims of our circumstances.
Anything you hold too tightly, you will lose.
Disappointments are inevitable, discouragement is a choice.
Obedience always brings blessing.
To walk in the Spirit is to obey the initial promptings of the Spirit.
You can never out give God.
To live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His life in and through us.
God blesses us so that we might bless others.
Adversity is a bridge to a deeper relationship with God.
Prayer is life’s greatest time saver.
No Christian has ever been called to “go it alone” in his or her walk of faith.
We learn more in our valley experiences than on our mountaintops.
An eager anticipation of the Lord’s return keeps us living productively.
Our intimacy with God – His highest priority for our lives – determines the impact of our lives.
Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.
God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm.
The awareness of God’s presence energizes us for our work.
God does not require us to understand His will, just obey it, even if it seems
unreasonable.
You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow.
The dark moments of our life will last only so long as is necessary for God to
accomplish His purpose in us.
Fight all your battles on your knees and you win every time.
Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees.
If necessary, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will.
God assumes full responsibility for our needs when we obey Him.
Peace with God is the fruit of oneness with God.
Listening to God is essential to walking with God.
God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.
Brokenness is God’s requirement for maximum usefulness.
Whatever you acquire outside of God’s will eventually turns to ashes.
We stand tallest and strongest on our knees.
As children of a sovereign God, we are never victims of our circumstances.
Anything you hold too tightly, you will lose.
Disappointments are inevitable, discouragement is a choice.
Obedience always brings blessing.
To walk in the Spirit is to obey the initial promptings of the Spirit.
You can never out give God.
To live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His life in and through us.
God blesses us so that we might bless others.
Adversity is a bridge to a deeper relationship with God.
Prayer is life’s greatest time saver.
No Christian has ever been called to “go it alone” in his or her walk of faith.
We learn more in our valley experiences than on our mountaintops.
An eager anticipation of the Lord’s return keeps us living productively.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Cupcakes!
I made some cupcakes today! It had been awhile and we're having a small group meeting a church tomorrow, so I thought I'd bake =) Plus, it seemed like the best thing I could blog about for my 100th post! I made 2 different kinds, both derived from box mixes: Tangy Strawberry with Cream Cheese Frosting and Chocolate with Buttercream. Here's the strawberry:
The chocolate cupcakes were the best cupcakes I have ever put in my mouth. I found the recipe online. It's basically a chocolate (fudge) box mix with a pack of chocolate pudding. I added a little something-something myself of course. The icing was a Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream. It's intimidating, but not that complicated really.
Mix egg whites and sugar over a double boiler until disolved.
Whip them until stiff.
Switch attatchments and add in butter. If you want the recipe, ask me and I'll get it to you.
They turned out ugly because the frosting's consistency wasn't right for a piping bag.
The only alternative I could do besides spread it was to use an ice cream scoop, but I didn't have enough to put that much on all of them.
My favorite part of today was finding this:
Isn't this the best for transporting cupcakes? I was stoked when I came across it! It's the first thing I've seen that carries a full batch.
The chocolate cupcakes were the best cupcakes I have ever put in my mouth. I found the recipe online. It's basically a chocolate (fudge) box mix with a pack of chocolate pudding. I added a little something-something myself of course. The icing was a Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream. It's intimidating, but not that complicated really.
Mix egg whites and sugar over a double boiler until disolved.
Whip them until stiff.
Switch attatchments and add in butter. If you want the recipe, ask me and I'll get it to you.
They turned out ugly because the frosting's consistency wasn't right for a piping bag.
The only alternative I could do besides spread it was to use an ice cream scoop, but I didn't have enough to put that much on all of them.
My favorite part of today was finding this:
Isn't this the best for transporting cupcakes? I was stoked when I came across it! It's the first thing I've seen that carries a full batch.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Oreo Truffles
My friend Britni told me about this one. It's the easiest recipe ever!
Mix in food processor or blender:
1 box of Oreos
1 block of cream cheese
Refrigerate.
Roll into balls (choose your size).
Refrigerate again until they can hold their shape while on a toothpick being dipped in chocolate.
Dip!
I cheated and bought the dipping (milk) chocolate that you just zap in the microwave instead of doing the whole double boiler thing. Britni said she tried white and dark chocolate and they were both yummy. Nothing like a recipe you can customize!
They really do have the consistancy of truffles. They taste just like Oreos, though. Pretty good to be so easy!
Mix in food processor or blender:
1 box of Oreos
1 block of cream cheese
Refrigerate.
Roll into balls (choose your size).
Refrigerate again until they can hold their shape while on a toothpick being dipped in chocolate.
Dip!
I cheated and bought the dipping (milk) chocolate that you just zap in the microwave instead of doing the whole double boiler thing. Britni said she tried white and dark chocolate and they were both yummy. Nothing like a recipe you can customize!
They really do have the consistancy of truffles. They taste just like Oreos, though. Pretty good to be so easy!
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