Cue: awwwwwwww!

Today, Eric and I are off to my brothers for a family get together! I wanted to make my niece some birthday cupcakes for an early birthday celebration so I searched Martha Stewart for some Spring Cupcake ideas. It wasn’t long before I came across her super cute Spring Chick Cupcakes!

My heart melted when I saw them.

And then I saw how easy they are to make and I loved them even more. And no chicks were harmed in the process. Well, except when I stuffed one in my mouth!

You won’t BELIEVE how easy these are to make!

What You’ll Need:

• 3-4 cups sweetened shredded coconut (you want the thick shred)
• 1 batch cupcakes
• 1 batch frosting
• Almonds + something black for the eyes (I used cacao nibs). Martha also used red licorice for feet and hair.

Spring Chick Cupcakes

Idea from Martha.

Step 1: Toast about 3-4 cups sweetened coconut at 300F until golden. Remove and set aside. Bake cupcakes (I used my favourite vegan chocolate cupcake recipe) and allow to cool. Once cooled, remove the liner from each.

Step 2: Meanwhile, make the frosting. I used my vegan almond buttercream frosting. Flip cupcake upside down and trim the top so it sits flat on plate. Eat scraps.

Step 3: Frost cupcakes around sides and top. Roll in toasted sweetened coconut and use fingers to cover bare spots.

Step 4: Insert eyes, beak, and feet. I used an almond for the beak and feet and cacao nibs for eyes. See Martha for her suggestions.

These vegan cupcakes always rise so nicely. I had to trim the top a bit so it would lie flat on the plate. I didn’t mind eating the scraps either.

Flip the cupcake so the top is on the bottom of plate. Frost sides and top.

Roll in toasted and sweetened coconut (thick shreds) and then garnish with a beak, eyes, and feet.

I can’t handle how cute these are! And I really can’t look at them without laughing. They are a bit homely looking and I love them for that.

They would be really fun to make with kids for Easter too.

Some of you were asking how my back is doing so I thought I would give a little update. My sciatic nerve is feeling about 80-90% better after two massage therapy sessions. I am also keeping up with stretching, ab planks, and yoga. For my cardio, I have been doing the elliptical 5-6 days a week and also light weight lifting a couple times a week. I am hoping to try running sometime this week to see if I have any pain.

My RMT recommended that I pick up a stability ball to use as a deck chair because my posture is so poor and I always get a ton of shoulder pain. Anyone use one at a desk? Hopefully it helps.

Have a great Saturday!

Good morning!

I spent the entire weekend working on my Challenge #8 post for Project Food Blog. I’m happy to have most of the baking and shooting done as tiring as this weekend was. I also have about 50% of my draft post written up. I was hoping to finish the entire thing this weekend, but that was wishful thinking…I always underestimate how much time my ideas will take!

It is a gloom and doom weather day here in my neck of the woods. I woke up to dark skies and rain and it doesn’t look like it is leaving any time soon. I was feeling pretty ‘blah’ this morning (thank you PMS and gloomy weather!) and I knew if I started the day off on the right foot with a workout it would make all the difference.

After a lot of debate and trying to talk myself out of it, I finally got on the treadmill and had a mood-boosting 4 mile interval workout.

I did 1/4 mile intervals switching between 7.0 mph and 2% incline and 6.0 mph and 4% incline. I pause my workout after each mile for a quick, mini break and water replenishment. Breaking up the workout into 1/4 mile intervals and 1 mile spurts makes it so much more manageable! I say to myself, ‘Just 1/4 mile to go’ and ‘only 1 mile left’ instead of ‘I have 4 miles to run in a row’.

Huge mental difference even though the physical distance is the same. Of course, I felt great afterwards.

For breakfast, I didn’t feel like pancakes, VOO, cereal, a Green Monster, or hot oatmeal.

Nope, I was thinking about making a breakfast cake.

I made this 3-layer apple pecan breakfast cake that was a breeze to throw together and adds a fun twist to common hot breakfasts. The best part about this recipe is that you will have leftovers all week to enjoy to make for really quick breakfasts on the go. This cake would also make a fun afternoon snack!

Gather up the dry ingredients…

and the wet…

And let’s make magic.

Peel and chop 2 granny smith apples (or other baking apple).

In a small casserole dish, add 1 tbsp of maple syrup.

Add a layer of apples and pecans on the bottom of the dish. Use just less than half of each.

In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients (whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, kosher salt, cinnamon) . In a small bowl mix the wet ingredients (maple syrup, vanilla, applesauce, and Earth Balance/butter).

Add wet to dry and mix well.

Add a layer (about half) of the batter on top of the apple and pecans.

Now add on another layer of apples and pecans reserving about 2-3 tbsp of each.

Now add on the rest of the cake batter.

And finally the last of the apples and pecans. Garnish with cinnamon.

Bake for 55 minutes at 350F.

Allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Now run a knife along the sides of the cake and flip onto a cake stand or plate.

Carefully tap the bottom of the dish and slowly lift up.

Ta-da.

A few of the apples stuck to the bottom of the dish, but you could probably prevent this by using a circle of parchment paper on the bottom of the casserole dish before you add your ingredients.

The result was a chunky, delightful breakfast cake.

I really wasn’t sure how this breakfast cake was going to turn out, but I was quite pleasantly surprised!

It has a hint of maple and cinnamon and a comforting and gooey apple pecan crunch. It is lined with earthy and wholesome cake layers that are a bit undercooked in the middle, but add to the cake’s appeal.

I give it two breakfast thumbs up. Oh and by the way, it also is incredible with Banana Soft Serve…

Have a great one!

Like stilettos hobbling on the cobblestone in Paris, baking of the vegan variety can be just as treacherous to navigate.

In my dream world, I would own a cookbook like this:

In reality, vegan baking often requires throwing caution to the wind, a healthy dose of trial and error, and a will to succeed.

(And let’s be real, a few choice words at times…)

I’ve had pancake flops galore.

Blueberry muffin ‘bricks’.

And clumpy custard.

Just to name a few!

But then that moment occurs when time stops and every failed recipe is forgotten.

Not even Brownies with a bad hair day could take this moment away from you.

You smile.

You cackle with delight.

And you tuck this day away in your memory for you never know what tomorrow’s baking adventures will bring.

Sometimes in life, we need to turn things upside down to make them right side up.

Gingerbread Caramel Pear Upside Down Cake: A Step-by-Step Guide

What do you get when you combine Thanksgiving dinner, your mother-in-law’s birthday, and your Aunt’s birthday all into one weekend? One spectacular occasion with loved ones and a couple of Fall-inspired celebration cakes!

For the full recipe in PDF format, click here.

First things first, preheat oven to 325F, take a deep breath, and visualize success. You are half way there already!

Grease cake pan(s). You can use one 10-inch cake pan or a combination of smaller sizes. I used a 6, 5, and 4-inch pan for a 3-tier cake.

Gather up the troops!

Peel.

Now cut 1/4 inch slices.

Set aside and prepare to make cascading caramel ribbons!

In a sauce pan, combine 1/2 cup of brown rice syrup and 6 tablespoons of Earth Balance butter. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and then reduce heat to low. Add in 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of smooth peanut butter, and 2 teaspoons of fleur de sel. Stir well.

The caramel will start to develop nicely and thicken up after a few minutes.

Relieve any residual stress by making figure eights.

Stir over low heat. After a few minutes, you will have a delicious, cascading ribbon of caramel.

Pinch yourself.

But wait, there is more work to be done before vegan baking victory is yours!

Remove the caramel from heat and pour into the cake pan(s). You only have a window of about 20-30 seconds before the caramel starts to harden, so move quickly!

Just not too quickly or you might drop the pan in the process…

But then again you probably aren’t dangling a huge camera from your neck so you should be safe.

Next, layer the pear slices on top of the caramel (I think I was on my 3rd vegan caramel attempt at this point).

Set aside your cake pans and grab a mixer or some old-fashioned elbow grease. Gather the following ingredients: 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 cup Earth Balance, 1/3 cup blackstrap molasses, 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, 1 cup almond milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel, 1 tsp ground ginger, and 1 tsp ground cinnamon.

Whip the sugar and Earth Balance until fluffy.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (molasses, maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla).

In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining dry ingredients.

Now take your wet mixture and add a bit to the fluffy sugar mixture. Mix on low to medium speed.

Add a bit of the flour and mix for another 10 seconds or so.

Alternate the wet and dry ingredients until heavenly gingerbread cake batter is achieved.

(Feel free to lick the screen if it makes you feel better. I won’t tell.)

Distribute the cake batter into the cake pan(s).

I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to have lots of fun here!

Spread with a spatula until smooth as silk.

Now for the fun part…

I’m sure you can find a way to ‘clean’ the bowl.

Bake for about 35-45 minutes depending on the size of your pan(s). Full baking instructions here.

Grab a plate or cake stand and place on top of the pan.

Flip over and hope for the best. Gently tap the top of the pan and carefully remove the lid.

As I said, sometimes things must be upside down to become right side up. Words to live by, I say.

Stack tiers (if necessary).

Sift confectioner’s sugar over top.

A vegan, Fall-inspired celebration cake that is easy on the eyes and delicious too.

But, perhaps gingerbread just isn’t your thing.…

(I won’t mention any names.)

If apples, spices, and caramel are more your thing, just take the above recipe and make 3 easy swaps:

• Swap apples for the pears
• Swap maple syrup for the molasses
• Swap cinnamon for the ginger

This is what I’d like to call a 2 for 1 cake. Who doesn’t love a good baking bargain?

For this Spiced Apple Upside Down Cake, I used three 7-inch cake pans, but you can use one 10-inch pan.

Flip & Stack.

If you are feeling truly crazy and adventurous make yourself another batch of caramel and go to town.

This may be illegal in some countries.

Please don’t ask me to choose. I just couldn’t.

And when you see your mother-in-law light up with her beautiful smile, you will say it was worth every second.

Cheers to our loved ones near and far and to delicious food and drink!

Note: This is my official entry for Project Food Blog Challenge #4. Voting begins at 9am EST on Monday October 11th. If you enjoyed this post I would greatly appreciate your votes in carrying me into the next round! Click here to vote. Thank you!

Good evening!

Eric thanks you for your birthday wishes!

Today has been a whirlwind day! Crazy, crazy, crazy trying to get caught up on work before I leave tomorrow. Just when I thought I was caught up I got an order for 150 Glo Bars! Madness.

I asked Eric what he wanted for his birthday dinner tonight. I said I would make him anything he wanted.

‘A juicy burger’ was his request.

And so it was done like dinner.

These are the burgers he picked up at Whole Foods on the weekend.

He said it was delicious!

I had a Curry Chickpea Burger that I popped out of the freezer. Still lovin’ those in a huge way. They just might be my favourite homemade veggie burger.

Despite the mad house, dishes piled up all over the kitchen, and my still unpacked suitcase, I made Eric birthday cupcakes because I strongly believe that a birthday without flour, sugar, and icing is a crime against all things good and true. He agreed with me.

I made him burger cupcakes!

Birthday Cupcake ‘burgers’ with Secret Green Frosting

Vanilla cupcakes adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World.

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance OR 1/3 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup organic cane sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350.  Line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Whisk the almond milk and vinegar in a mixing cup.  Allow to curdle for a few minutes. Beat together the soy milk mixture, oil, sugar, vanilla, and almond extract.  Sift together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to the wet ingredients, mixing until just incorporated and no lumps remain. Taste the batter, it is incredible. Pour into muffin liners and bake for 20-22 minutes.  Cool completely before frosting. Makes 12 cupcakes.

Avocado ‘Buttercream’ Frosting

Adapted from Alton Brown.

• Meat from 1 very ripe avocado, pitted
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3 cups organic powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions: Peel and pit avocado. Place avocado, lemon juice, and vanilla into a processor (alternatively you can use a stand mixer or hand mixer). Process/mix about 2-3 minutes scraping sides of bowl when necessary. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time and process/mix. Store in refrigerator when not using. Apparently it doesn’t turn brown either, although I did not verify this entirely. Use at own risk! makes enough to frost 16-24 cupcakes (I had lots leftover after these 12).

The frosting was VERY mild, as in, it wasn’t very sweet. It tasted like a very mild butter cream frosting, with just a hint of lemon and sweetness. I did not detect the avocado in there at all and Eric and my mother-in-law didn’t either! They both really loved the frosting because they didn’t feel sick after eating a cupcake.

The frosting also had a great texture! It was not too slick and it sat well on the cupcakes and didn’t slide around. If I had more time I would have tried piping with it.

These would make great St Patty’s Day cupcakes!

It was fun to eat.

I told my in laws they could have the leftovers, but Eric seems to think he is bringing them on the plane with him tomorrow. LOL. What a cupcake monster. Security would probably ‘confiscate’ them…

I made 4 varieties: rainbow sprinkles, coconut, cocoa powder, and cacao nibs.

All of us thought these were quite tasty. Very light and a great way to use up an avocado!

Well, I have packages to ship, a suitcase to fill, and dishes to clean. I’ll see you in the windy citaaaay!

I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it.

Today was my fiirst day ever using fondant icing! And oh how fun it was.

I channeled my inner Bakerella and Pioneer Woman, and dove right in:

I used Wilton’s Fondant as well as a wonderful Wilton’s 12 pack gel icing colours:

Gloves are necessary if you are a prissy princess like me. (That’s what hubby says anyways)

Mixing some pink gel:

Is it worth it, let me work it, I flip my thing down…ok, I really don’t know the words to that song!

It simply wasn’t pink enough. I like pink. I need more pink. Deeper pink please!

So soft and pretty. I love fondant.

Just your average UFO crop:

Once you have cut the circle (the same diameter as the cupcake) you place it into your hand and twist. I wet the sides a bit so it would stick. You really need to do a couple to figure it out and see what works for you best!

Voila! Mon petite cupcake!

Not perfect, but not bad for a first try!

It is just begging to be decorated, no?

My second attempt on the left. I liked this one better.

Now it was time to make my 1st rose. I was panicking on the inside.

Try not to laugh too much.

What an awful looking rose.

I admit I cracked up when I saw this sad looking rose on the cupcake.

Folks, this is what we call a ‘Back to the GLO drawing board!’

So I went back to the PW/Bakerella post. And I re-examined her roses. They looked so perfect I wanted to vomit.

Back to the kitchen I went! Determined to create a better rose.

You see, the key, is creating a flat, convex, D-shaped squiggly thing. Not a round ‘worm’ shape, which was what I initially created.

And here we go!

I’m in love.

Utter, pink, rose-y love.

I did a happy dance. Followed by The Hammer. Ohhh ohh, oh, oh, ohhhh, oh, ohhh, oh, ohohohohoh STOP HAMMER TIME.

Oh no, I’m not finished. There is more!

After this rose, I felt like the sky was the limit. I felt weightless. Much like when I put my knee sleeves on yesterday.

Are you ready?

Pastry cutters work amazing with fondant:

Yes that rose is a mammoth. Next time I would make it smaller. But hey, go big or go home!

Channeling my inner Glo Bakery colours:

Ta-Da!

Pretty darn adorable, eh?

I think these would make the cutest wedding favours!

I also want to try regular cupcakes too.

And this is just the beginning. Oh yes, only the beginning. My next attempt will be Marzipan. Fondant’s healthy and expensive alternative.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

I thought I would start today off with posting the most amazing cupcakes that I have ever made!!! You will seriously want to make this recipe when you see these bad boys.

I actually wasn’t anticipating that these would turn out as delicious as they did. All I can say is I am lucky I only ate one of them last night!

I wasn’t planning on having any sweets last night, but how could I pass this up? I rest my case.

Angie’s Famous Strawberry Cupcakes

This recipe was adapted from Good Things Catered

2 1/2 c. cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/3 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c. chopped strawberries (I only had 1 cup defrosted + drained strawberries, not ideal but worked out!)

Strawberry Icing

1/4 c. strawberries
1 Tbsp. strawberry liquor
1/2 tsp lemon juice
8 oz. cream cheese, room temp
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
1 3/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 Tbsp vanilla

I actually decided to make my own icing as I didn’t have cream cheese. I used a classic buttercream recipe:

Pink Buttercream Icing

3 cup icing sugar
1/2 stick butter
2 Tbsp milk
1/2 tsp almond extract

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare 2 cupcake pans.

2) Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until fluffy. Add buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. In a different bowl mix together or sift the dry ingredients.

3) Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until just combined (I used level 1 on the mixer to achieve a ‘stir’)

4) Fold in berries

5) Evenly distribute batter into cupcake pans. Bake for 20 mins.

6) Icing: Mix softened butter and gradually add icing sugar. Add 2 tbsp. milk and almond extract. Mix until light, smooth, and fluffy.

7) Have fun decorating and enjoy!

One of these things is not like the other:

I made 18 cupcakes and then a mini cake

This was the boys tasting plate:

Lucky devils!

These were so darn good! A perfect V-Day treat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My nighttime snacks included:

An orange:

And one cupcake (sans icing)

It’s all about moderation, right?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, I have lots to prepare for V-Day so I better get cracking! Eric and I might go on a very light hike at a nearby conservation. We are so lucky because we have about 5 conservation parks within 1-5 km from our house! The sun continues to shine so we better enjoy it.

I would like to take this moment to show my appreciation for my wonderful readers!!! It is really hard to believe that Oh She Glows was started only a short 3 1/2 months ago. The support and encouragement that you have given me has been nothing short of amazing.

So, THANK YOU so very much for taking the time out of your day to see what I am up to! I hope you will continue to visit Oh She Glows and find that it is a place where you can re energize, relax, and leave feeling a bit better about yourself than when you came.

One of my goals on this website is to show others that it is possible to overcome struggles with body image and self esteem and to achieve a balance and satisfaction with oneself.

Enjoy your day- I hope it is with loved one(s)!

See you later for more V-Day fun and some ‘AFTER’ family room pictures after painting the primer coats! You won’t believe the difference.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being “in love” which any of us can convince ourselves we are.

Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two.
- Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. “Love is the beauty of the soul.” –St. Augustine

GAHhhhhhhhhh….so romantic isn’t it? Gosh I am a sap for this stuff…;)

Good evening!

Well it is Superbowl Sunday and I can’t say I watched! I saw a bit of the half time show but that was it! I have never been a big Superbowl person.

[polldaddy poll=1333497]

And now I present to you my healthy Pumpkin cake recipe!

I slashed the fat and sugar by 50% from a traditional pumpkin cake recipe. YES!

Because this cake is low-fat and uses applesauce to replace 50% of the oil, the cake is very dense. The texture is not like a traditional cake, but the taste is still fabulous.

Ingredients

• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Almond Breeze or milk
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt (if preferred, I omitted)
• 1 pkg. cream cheese
• 5 tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups icing sugar
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 and grease cake pan. In a large bowl, beat pumpkin, sugar, and oil. Add eggs and mix well.

2) In another bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add dry to wet and beat until just mixed.

3) Pour batter into a cake pan. and bake for approx. 25-30 mins.

4) While cake is cooking, make cream cheese icing. Beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and icing sugar for 3-5 mins or until smooth.

5) Ice the cake and top with walnuts!

Enjoy a cake that is low in sugar and fat, yet loaded with antioxidants and vitamins!

Tips:

I don’t know why but I have a hard time getting a good consistency for cream cheese icing. Mine always ends up too soft not matter how much icing sugar I add. Any tips??

Also, I made this cake into a double layer and I wouldn’t recommend this. The cake, being that is is low fat, is quite dense and not cake like. So when you put your fork through the 2 layers they tended to slide off one another and fall apart. One layer would have been better! Also the amount of batter in this recipe was not enough for 2 layers….they were two very skinny layers. Not what I was hoping for!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somewhere along the line of development we discover what we really are, and then we make our real decision for which we are responsible. Make that decision primarily for yourself because you can never really live anyone else’s life, not even your own child’s.
~Eleanor Roosevelt

Night!

PS- Check out my Ebay sale for a Pink Lululemon Remix Hoodie! Starting bid set at just 99 cents!

See you tomorrow AM for an update on my weekly expenses and budgeting strategies in the grocery store. See what I had to GIVE UP for now….

Afternoon!

My day is going well. We are getting tons of prep work done for tonight! I think it is going to be a big hit. I did some Power Yoga inbetween prepping. It feels so good to be moving my body again (even though very slightly). I am slowly healing and feeling better. The only time my left leg hurts is when i lift my knee up and bend downwards (like putting on a sock). Slowly but surely I think it is getting better. It will still be a while before I feel safe enough to run though.

I did about 15-20 mins. of the Power Yoga. It was relaxing! I really enjoy Bryan’s approach. But man oh man, are the people in the video funny. Everyone is in tighty whiteys!!!!!!! But more on that later…LOL.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A warning before this post: This recipe is not for the faint of heart!!!

Oh She Glow’s Brownie Caramel Pecan Cake

Recipe adapted from “Brownie Caramel Pecan Bars” from: Best-Loved Hershey’s Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/2 c. water
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/3 c. all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt (if preferred)
• 50 caramel pieces, unwrapped
• 1 Tbsp. milk
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 3/4 cup pecan pieces
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350F. Grease cake pan and dust with flour. Set aside.

2. Combine sugar, butter, and water in a large sauce pan (do not use a frying pan like I did!). Cook over low heat stirring often until mixture boils. Remove from heat and immediately mix in 2 cup of chocolate chips. Stir like crazy until your arms feel like rubber. Beat in 4 eggs and vanilla. Stir, stir, stir! It will get easier. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix together well. Add flour mixture into chocolate mixture and stir. Spread batter into cake pan. Bake approx. 20 mins. Cake will start to crack and pull away at the sides.

3. While cake is baking, prepare caramel topping. Unwrap 40 (I used 50, but 40 would be enough) caramels. This is boring as heck, and I am open to other ideas if anyone knows any! Microwave caramels, butter, and milk on high for 1 minute. Remove and stir. Return to microwave for 30 sec. intervals until smooth. Do not overcook.

4. Once cake is out of the oven, cool for a few mins. and place on wax paper for easy clean up. Spread on caramel topping all over. Immediately sprinkle 3/4 cup pecan pieces and 1/2 cup chocolate chips on top. Set for 1 hour.

I will be reviewing my thoughts (and my guests) on this brownie cake later! It sure looks delicious I think it will be a huge hit!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

See you later for a recap of the dinner party!

People of mediocre ability sometimes achieve outstanding success because they don’t know when to quit. Most men succeed because they are determined to.
~George Allen

Hi everyone!

We had a great dinner party tonight! Boy am I full and tired.

I will post a quick picture recap tonight and then tomorrow afternoon I will post the rest of the recipes that I used.

The decor:

No Canadian winter is complete without a log fire burning! Sketchie is captivated by it.

Candlelight:

A pop of colour:

Where the magic happens:

The Food:

Spinach Dip and Pumpkernickle Bread:

This was a HIT, almost as big of a hit as the carrot cake! It was polished off within 15 mins!

Cheesy Spinach Pasta:

Sooo good. I made my half with no cheese. It tasted awesome!

Top to Bottom:

• Homemade Biscuits
• Steamed Organic Baby Carrots with seasonings
• Burgundy Pork Tenderloin in a Shiraz wine sauce
• Cheesy Spinach Pasta

And last but certainly not least:

This Carrot Cake from Smitten Kitchen did not disappoint! Moist it was

It was such a fun night and I am ready for bed!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stay tuned tomorrow morning for my sister Kristi’s next installment in the Get My Body Back 2009 Challenge!

Also on deck tomorrow- another FAQ installment, the recipes to my dinner party, my workout, and much more.

Have a great night everyone!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is sufficient, for he that is so wants nothing. The great blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not.
~Seneca

Good morning!

I have been busy as a bee this morning. I woke up early with lots of my mind of what I have to do for the dinner party prep today. Up and at ‘em!

Chugging along on my Weekend of Fun to-do list:

I started my morning off with a bowl of Nature’s Path Pumpkin Raisin Crunch cereal, Almond Breeze, and a Ginger Tea (the ginger tea is growing on me!).

Then I got cracking on my Carrot Cake:

Did I mention Sketchie is obsessed with icing?

Several months ago, I was baking a cake and a small dallop of icing hit the floor. Let’s just say Sketchie has been my baking partner ever since.

My first time using my new cake dome that I received as a wedding gift:

I also set the  table:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now it is time to hit the treadmill for an easy 3 mile run. Surprisingly, I am not sore from yesterday’s 8 miler! The stretching must have helped.

The bad news? MY ipod Shuffle is KAPUT! I can’t load any songs on it anymore and I made  the mistake of deleting all the songs off it yesterday. I am hoping to use my $50 Wal-Mart gift card to buy a new one. I guess I will be blaring the music from Eric’s computer again, lol.

I guess I can’t complain though, I got a good 2 months out of it since that disasterous day it went through the washing machine!

See you this afternoon!!

PS- If you haven’t seen it already, go check out Jenna’s video of Caitlin from See Bride Run getting hitched!!!

“Health, happiness and success depend upon the fighting spirit of each person. The big thing is not what happens to us in life – but what we do about what happens to us.” ~George Allen