This Week..

I have been really enjoying my new camera lately. I literally carry it around the house and take pictures. Testing out my different modes and lenses. I have made sure to relax to the max this week. The holidays seem to get the best of me more and more each year. By the end of the hustle and bustle, I'm ready to flop on the couch and zone out.
We started watching Portlandia, via the Netflix. Totally hilarious. I can't stop singing the Portlandia song over in my head. I love the way they characterize the different types of people, so funny.
Love this, I feel like this at times.

I have been reading another book by Lisa See, actually a continuation of "Shanghai Girs", this one is called "Dreams of Joy." I love how the story line followed into the next one so perfectly. If you enjoy different cultures and delving into the personal lives of the characters, you will enjoy her writing.
I took some various pics around the house I'll share.



I have been wanting to take pictures of the wonderful paper dolls that my father-in-law gave me. They are very old and in remarkable condition. I can't get over the colors. My fave is the monkey and the bear!



I also have a Blondie one as well. I definitly plan on framing them.
Have a great week!

Giftees

Enjoying my new gifts. My husband surprised me with a new camera, a Canon Rebel T3, and a new house, the Neville house from CB2. Score!
Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday. We are all recovering from a flu, but are enjoying all of our fun gifts. There were muppet puppets, barbie pools, barbie tents, legos, playmobil, and all kinds a goodies. We woke up way to early, 4 a.m. for the kids. They couldn't make us get out of bed until about 5:30. Nuts, but the squeals and anticipation forced us to roll out of bed.
Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season!

Merry Christmas From My Family to Yours!

Have a very Merry Christmas!

Wow, long time

This season has been busy busy. In between family visits, colds, a whole mess a baking, I've been too pooped to post. I have been doing a whole mess of baking, which I love having an excuse to do. I could bake all day if my kids didn't need to eat and be cleaned ;)
This week has officially started our winter break. Yeah! I am trying to figure out the specs for a snoopy dog house for our gingerbread house. Just need to do some measuring and such. I felt like I was getting a cavity just looking at the candy in the shopping cart that I bought to decorate with. Candy canes, skittles, dots, pull and peel licrorce, oh my!
I have some cranberry scones that I'm wanting to make this week. After I tackle this gingerbread house.
I have been having fun with my little unfinished apartment. I was thrilled to hear that the "I'm a giant" dollhouse challenge was postponed. I had high hopes to participate, but got very busy this season. I may and try and attemp finishing up my apartment now that I have a month to kick in gear. Knock on wood!
Here's some pics I've taken lately.



Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Brownies

When in doubt, make brownies. I needed chocolate, and I wasn't going to take no for an answer. Just be prepared for the most intensely delectable taste explosion.
I used this recipe.

1 cup butter, melted
3 cups white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
2.Combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each, until thoroughly blended.
3.Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until blended. Stir in the chocolate morsels. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
4.Bake in preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove, and cool pan on wire rack before cutting.

Enjoy them with a big ol' cup of milk.
When you bite into one of those chocolate chips, you will be even more excited!
I finished up my christmas ornmaments, and I'm pretty pleased with them. I am really feelin' the sequins this year. I have many memories of all the ornaments my grandmother had when I was a child.

Sequin Angel Set. They love to bat their eyelashes while wearing blue eyeshadow.

Retro Cat Set

Mr. Turtle

I love toy soldiers. Especially happy little soldiers to happy up your tree.
I wanted to go with happy cheery colors for this year.

I almost cannot believe that next week is Thanksgiving. How is this possible? I have a pumpkin cream cheese roll on the list of desserts. And I'm really planning on some sweet potato pie of some sort.
Go make some brownies!

Don't be Blue

I have had blueberry muffins waiting to be made. I decided this morning, a rainy morning would be perfect to wash away those rainy day blues.
I have actually been rolling out of bed at a decent time this week, with the time change tricking my body. I usually like to get up a few minutes after 8, but now I get up a bit after 7, so needless to say, I had time to make some muffins!
Here's what you'll need, But, Double it, if you want them for a couple days, I Would!

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Get oven going on 400 degrees. Put your muffin liners in or butter a muffin pan.

Mix flour thru baking powder in a big bowl.

Mix oil, egg, and milk together, then put into the flour mixture. Fold in your blueberries last. Pour into muffin pan. (It will be thick, so more like scoop)

When finished, mix sugar, cinnamon, flour and cold cubed butter in seperate bowl.
Get the mixture nice and crumbly, you don't want big chunks of butter on top. Top your muffins evenly with the crumbly mix.

Bake for 20 minutes depending on your oven. I think I might do mine for less time next time.
Now wash those rainy day blues away with that blueberry muffin.

I almost couldn't believed how expensive the blueberries were at the store, but I really needed to make these. Really almost 5 bucks for a bag, anyways.
So I used this recipe.
I tweeked a bit with a lower fat milk, and doubled the recipe.

I don't have a pastry cutter to dice up the butter. But I have found that if you use a whisk and keep your butter nice and cold you can chop it up fine with the flour, sugar, and cinnamon mixture.

Wha La, the crumbly delite on top is amazing.


I have heard of Kate Nash, but I had not really realized how much I love her voice!
I love the song Merry Happy. It is so darn catchy.

I am totally buy her album on itunes.
I've been working my little fingers off on Christmas ornaments. I am almost done with my collection. I have been sketching since the summer on ideas, then I have totallys scratched things several times. But I finally settled on the theme. They remind me of my childhood and the types of ornaments I loved the most.
I should be done by the end of the week. I can't believe how close Christmas really is. Cuurazzy!
Enough talking, go make some muffins!

Snickerdoodles are for Fridays

So I haven't been able to get Snickerdoodles off the brain lately. What are these you ask? Surely you have had one. You may think they are similar to a sugar cookie, but let me tell you , they are oh so much more. I have not been graced with one of these since college, and well, that's been about 10 years, yikes.
Thats too long to go without a snickerdoodle folks.
So I went in search for the most well-loved snickerdoodle recipe. And this one did not disappoint. I usually never cook with vegetable shortening, I'm usually a butter purist. But for these, I felt that I must enter over. And I am glad I did.
I used this recipe.

When I came across this recipe by "Joy the Baker" I could not resist.
I a potato in many forms is good, but I had never made a Hasselback potato. Not to be confused with a Hasselhoff potato. They might get drunk and eat a cheeseburger. and we wouldn't want any of that here ;)
This potato has it all. Garlic, butter, salt, and olive oil. You can probably find all of these in your kitchen. Uhhmazing.

We had them with breaded pork chops, french style green beans, and apricot jam. I works at the perfect side, or on it's own!

I can't believe Halloween is on Monday. The kids wanted specific costumes this year so , I let them do just that. We have Mario from mario brothers game, Thomas the tank engine, and Batgirl.
I think on the list is pumpkin carving and apple turnovers for the weekend.
Have a great Friday!