Chocolate Lollipops

I know I am extremely late at getting around to posting this, but I still wanted to share these pictures. For Christmas we made chocolate lollipops using this recipe from Ina Garten. They came our really good and were a great project for me to do with my daughter. She was able to be really involved without it getting frustrating because there wasn't anything she could mess up. Plus, she was really proud of them and liked to tell people she had made them.

Day 29: Something I could never tire of.

I have been pondering this topic all day. As I near the end of this daily posting project I feel as though I keep wanting to use the same answer for everything. I must be very boring. I finally realized that something I could never tire of would be baking. It's extremely rewarding for me to take the final product out of the oven. The best is when not only does it look beautiful, but it is also yummy. The downside of course is the weight gain that comes from wanting to bake all the time so I have to really curb my desire. I used to be able to eat a lot more without really gaining any weight, but that is no longer true. C'est la vie. Oh well.

(photos are all food I have baked and featured on this blog over the past couple of years)

Burritos, YUM!

One of our favorite places to eat is Carrburitos, in Carrboro, NC, which is about one step away (and one degree cooler) from Chapel Hill, NC. When we lived in Carrboro we ate there weekly.  Now, we are 45 minutes away and eat there every few months. My husband loves the verde salsa almost more than he loves me. It is pretty good, but honestly I he probably dreams about it. I usually get a burrito with sweet potatoes, excellent. While I often get the verde salsa I also have a soft spot for there fruit salsa. This past weekend we went to the music festival in Saxapahaw, NC and drove the extra 15 minutes to eat at Carrburitos.

Lemon Pie

I made this pie awhile back (as my grandmother will attest to), but just happened upon the photos. To make this pie you use the entire lemon, yes, rind and all. It intrigued me when I found it nearly a year ago, but heeded the warning not make it unless using Meyer lemons. I had no idea about these lemons, but I filed them away in my mind, assuming they were very expensive lemons. Fast forward to this Spring when I found Meyer lemons 10 for $2. That's cheap. So I followed this recipe and made my first Shaker Lemon Pie. It's pretty good and the next time I happen upon some Meyer lemons I will make it again.

Food!

Lately, I haven't been able to make it the computer too often. I guess the holiday season is keeping me busy. I am trying to finish crocheting a blanket for me daughter as well as re-watching every ballet movie I own. I have had these pictures of our second Thanksgiving dinner for awhile. This past weekend I made a variety of cookies for a cookie exchange in Durham, but forgot to take pictures! I guess my New Year Resolution will be to keep up with my photographs!

Catch Up/Preparation

Even though I took these pictures before Halloween I think that they are very Thanksgiving-y as well. I always feel sorry for Thanksgiving because everyone tends to skip over it. Christmas is already in the air it seems. Yesterday they were put up wreaths and lights at Friendly Center. We went into Macy's and their trees were up and Christmas music was playing. Of course, I did get a little Christmas spirit when I walked in. I celebrated my birthday this weekend and when my daughter saw my husband carrying my wrapped presents her eyes got all big and she went, "ohhhhh." She loved tearing off the paper. She didn't care too much about what was inside unless it was a CD. She loves playing with CDs. Reading the labels, examining the disc. I wonder if we will be able to keep any presents wrapped with her around.

Look at me, I've digressed from my thoughts on Thanksgiving. Growing up my Thanksgiving was a little different from my friends. My mom is a vegetarian and we never really had turkey. Every now and again my dad would make one, but it was never the centerpiece. When I was really little I remember eating shrimp, but then she gave up seafood. The most important part of our holiday has always been listening to Arlo Guthrie's Alice's Restaurant at noon. They play it live on KBCO (the former local radio station in Boulder that now resides in Denver). We drink mimosas, eat bruschetta and dance around. And have done so since longer than I can remember. My husband's family does the more traditional thing where lot's of family gets together and there is a lot of food (including turkey, often more than one, I think, honestly I don't pay that much attention to the turkey).  As all marriages go traditions have to be melded together and my Thanksgiving tradition has become the Sunday after Thanksgiving tradition. And after we listen to Arlo we put up the Christmas. After all, Thanksgiving can't last forever, not like Christmas.

Wordless Wednesday (Strawberry Bread)

Strawberries

The other day the grocery store had strawberries buy one get two free. I wasn't planning on buying strawberries, but couldn't pass it up. Knowing that they were more than likely on such a good deal because they were about to go bad. Luckily, I love strawberries, so does my daughter, but my husband is so-so.

Immediately, I chopped up a box to make a strawberry sauce to put on yogurt. My daughter loves it (and me too). I had many great ideas of how to use them, but other than a really good loaf of bread I ended up not using them all. I'm kicking myself for not freezing some. Too much of a good thing I guess. Today I noticed that strawberries were buy one get one free. Though it was extremely tempting I passed. My mom is visiting this weekend so I probably won't be baking too much.

Hawaiian Cupcakes

Before my sister left she had a going away party and asked me to make some Hawaiian themed cupcakes. These are still from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. They taste so good nobody believes me that they are vegan.

The first cupcake is pineapple, the second is lemon macadamia, and third is chocolate coconut. I had the worst time decorating the last one, but my friend was helping me and we decided that it looks like a volcano. While they are not decorated Hawaii-ish, I used Hawaii ingredients.

At this point my sister has been in Hawaii for twenty-four hours. I talked to her earlier and she says it is really beautiful and she is enjoying watching geckos play. It's a pretty shocking statement to say it is beautiful in Hawaii, I know. Can't wait to visit her!

Busy Day

My daughter is getting her molars and has been very fussy. Today I needed to paint a chair that I am fixing up for our living room. Of course my daughter wanted to "help." So my husband had to keep her occupied, which normally isn't such a big deal if it wasn't for the teething. She wants to be near me all the time. In the afternoon my sister called and asked if I could make cupcakes for her going away party (she's moving to Hawaii) and the party is tomorrow night. My daughter and I had to go to two grocery stores then my husband went for a third tonight for some items I had missed. I just finished them (it's 11 pm) and will frost them tomorrow. I also need to do a third coat on the chair and it will be done. It's amazing to me how busy I stay.

Through all of this my husband has been aiding the poor baby with swollen gums while I bake and paint. It made me think of when we were in Vermont and my husband would take the baby out for the day while I attended the conference. One such day they went to the wildflower farm and he took the above pictures to let me see where they had visited.

German Chocolate Cake

 For my husband's birthday he wanted a German Chocolate Cake. Now this is a special request because he usually wants a Carrot Cake. So this threw my for a loop and at first I wasn't thrilled about this cake, but it now is one of my favorites. I used this recipe. If you choose to make it, be aware that it took me 6-7 hours to make it. The were many special directions such as separating the eggs, adding each yolk one at a time, and then beating the egg whites into peaks before adding it to the batter (though I think it is fun to beat egg whites, small pleasures). It would be in your best interest to make the cake the day before you put it all together. Hands down the most amazing part is the filling, which you can see on the top of the cake as well. Excellent.