Sunday, July 26, 2009

Show Us Your Life--Flowers and Wedding Party


A closeup of my bouquet--I had hydrangea, roses, and lisianthus.


and one of my favorite shots!


My girls had hydrangea and lilac roses.



My girls--Stacy, a friend who I met teaching in denver, Tracy, my BFF from college, and my sister, Karen.


Our whole party ballin'

Heading to...


San Diego!! I am headed to the AVID conference, cooler weather, and a chance to see my sister!!!

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Show Us Your Life

So a few of my blogging friends have directed me to Kelly's Korner where she is starting a series called Show Us Your Life and this week it is Show us your Wedding Dress, since I loved loved loved my dress, here it is! It was Casablanca 1831 in Ivory--gorgeous!!


Monday, July 20, 2009

I am in love...


..with my Polar Heart rate monitor. I had one of these many years ago but have just recently bought this pretty pink one. I love it. I have tendency to think I am working very hard, when in reality my heart rate is about 50% of maximum(not really doing much) or to go really hard like 90-95% of max(doing way too much anaerobic). Now I can monitor my training so much better. And at the end of the week it gives you a summary. So last week I burned over 2500 calories in 5 1/2 hours of working out. And the bonus its pink!!

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Weekly Blog Hop--3 Things you Don't Know About Me

Thanks to Mrs. RealLife, who is participating in this blog hop. If you click the link at the bottom of the post, it will take you to the other blogs participating--a great way to find new bloggers!
1. I do not like broccoli--my husband loves it but I have yet to make a recipe with broccoli in it.

2.I am an early bird, I rarely sleep in and if I do, I consider 8 am sleeping in.

3. I have seen Steel Magnolias hundreds of times and yet I stop on it if I am channel surfing and it is on!

MckLinky Blog Hop

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Banana Pecan Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream Frosting

Again from the Martha Stewart Cupcake book, a treat for Kevin to take to his office. Mine didn't turn out quite like her picture, my frosting was not as rich or thick but they are still tasty.
Cupcakes


3 cups of cake flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 3/4 tsp baking powder, 2/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinammon



4 large very ripe bananas(we stuck ours in the freezer overnight)



to the bananas add 3/4 cup of buttermilk and 1 tsp of vanilla



cream together 1 1/2 sticks of butter and 1 1/2 cups of packed brown sugar



beat in 3 eggs



alternate adding flour mixture



with banana mixture



1 cup chopped Pecans, mix nuts in by hand. Fill the cups 3/4 full and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, spinning muffin tin halfway through.

FROSTING


Caramel Sauce--1/2 cup and 2 TBSP of sugar and 1/4 cup of water, melted together in saucepan, swirling to make sure it colors evenly. When a dark amber color remove from heat and pour in 1/4 cup heavy cream and stir with wooden spoon, set aside to let cool. Be very careful--sugar burns--I am icing my finger as I try to type.



With an electric mixer, beat together 3 sticks of room temperature butter and set aside.



In mixer bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 4 egg whites



Put mixer bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk by hand until smooth and warm, then transfer to mixer with whisk attachment.



On medium high speed, with whisk attachment beat egg mixture for about 10 minutes until fluffy and glossy



Add butter in 1/4 cup at a time, beat at medium low speed.



Add 1 tsp vanilla extract.



Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add the caramel, mine hardened very quickly(not sure what I did wrong)


The final product

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Mint Filled Brownie Cupcakes


I am in love with this cookbook(if anyone wants to get it for me:)), and these amazing cupcakes will be winging their way to California early next week, for my baby brother who loves York Peppermint Patties. Of course Kevin and I will do a taste test first!

8 ounces of semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped...


...1 stick of butter chopped into pieces...


...melt together in a bowl over a simmering pot of water...


...1 cup of sugar and 3/4 tsp salt...


...1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa(supposed to be sifted but I don't have a sifter)...


...3 eggs...


...12 mini York Peppermint patties...


...after chocolate and butter is melted remove from heat(I actually put it in a new bowl because my bowl was hot and I didn't want chocolate scrambled eggs) whisk in sugar...


...whisk in eggs slowly, 1 at a time...


...whisk in flour and cocoa powder...


...Put 1 heaping TBSP of batter into cup...


...Place the peppermint pattie into batter and lightly push down with your finger...


..cover with 2 TBSP of batter in each cup(I only had enough batter to do 1 TBSP. bake at 350 for 35 minutes, spin halfway through. Cool on rack.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Easy Roast Meals

With only 2 of us, we almost always have a ton of leftovers. I don't mind leftovers, I could eat the same thing almost every day(since I know the points and can plan around it and I am just that way), the husband notsomuch he will take the leftovers to work of course for lunch but then of course wants something different for dinner, so I have to make another meal. By chance I saw this show(Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller) on Food Network, which I had never seen before, and it is geared towards families and saving money, this episode called Beef It Up was great, since the husband doesn't think its eating unless there is red meat. Recipes and Shopping List

The first day we had roast with vegetables and a salad made with this amazing Raspberry Vinagrette Dressing and Walnuts.

The next day we had Empanadas with the roast and some green chilies.



The third day we had this Asian Beef Salad and Chai Tea Smoothies.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Happy Birthday Baby Brother!




Today is my little brother's--whom I call Opie--birthday! Here is to hoping you have a great year!

Monday, July 6, 2009

Camping Weekend!







So a little variation on the staycation, we camped at a state park in our hometown. Hung out with Kevin's cousin, Laura and her dog, Willie, made smores, watched fireworks, hiked Devil's Canyon, drove through the Colorado National Monument, tried to stay cool in the blazing sun by dunking the dog and ourselves in the Colorado Rive--ice cold!