Changes

We are leaving warm sunny winters, the ocean, and flip flops. In less than one week we will go from tshirts to sweaters, flip flops to boots, and suddenly we will have to remind ourselves to grab a jacket on the way out the door. And here's the thing....we can't wait!

Life brought us to Florida three years ago. We packed it up, said goodbye to family and friends, and started this adventure. We had fun, and I loved the experience. Jim and I grew even closer, and learned new things. About ourselves, and each other.

Now, life brings us back to where we left three years ago. It is the start of another adventure. And this time we can share the adventure with the people we love and missed so much while we were gone.

Florida, thank you for the memories. We will visit, this is a guarantee.
Ohio, thanks for taking us back.

This ones for you Carmen

So, my sister in law scolded me and told me I need to update my blog. Considering she doesn't ever ask for much, I decided I should honor her request.
There was a post from December, but someone anonymous left a weird and slightly freaky comment so I took it down. Still, I didn't do so well in the blog department last year.
There is a lot to say, much to update and after today my blog will have a pretty new look.
Hope you come back again.

It's not you, It's me

Writers Workshop #3

It's been two months. I know, two months!
I am sorry. Things just got rough, and then we went on vacation and one thing leads to another and I start to think...."Should I even start up again?"

Where do I start, what do I say.
Then, I remember why I started. For me, for an avenue to vent and release and be me through some writing. I love comments, I really really do. Hopefully I will lure you all back.

I lost my job, and three weeks later, my grandpa. He wasn't just any grandpa. He was a friend (for real), and so many memories of my childhood have him in them.

Those two losses got me down. Really down. My friends and family know that I am not one to not have something to. I stay active. (not the exercising, healthy active - the always doing something kind of active). I can't sit still, I need to multitask and I like to squeeze as much in to my day as I can.

Well, after those couple of weeks I did nothing. I sat around watching movies, sleeping, reading the gossip columns. It was depressing. Really. I allowed myself to be that way for a while until I had a little "meltdown". Jim, my sweet loving Jim, assured me it was ok. I was grieving two losses (one more important than the other). I felt a little better, but by then, it had been a month away. Next thing I knew we were off on a dream vacation we had saved and planned for. I got back, and by then it had been over one and a half months away.

You get the idea. It got crazy, life got in the way. I was nervous to come back, but I am here. I hope you all still like me!

Thanks for the prompt Kathy!

Happy Birthday Grandma (Oct 10th)

Happy Birthday Grandma (she is the one we call Grandma Foxy)

Five Fun Foxy Facts

1. She loves to tell the story of the time I ripped her houseplant right out of its planter (to my defense, I was a just a baby)
2. She warms your plate before serving dinner. "You don't put hot food on a cold plate"
3. She makes the best salsa and strawberry jam you will ever eat.
4. She participates in the Relay for Life Event for The American Cancer Society Every Year
5. She is an amazing, kind, caring woman who I love, adore, and think of every day (often more than once)
   
6. She once exclaimed "Carrie is by far my favorite grandchild"

Happy Birthday Mom - You are missed

Mom (Pamela Jean) - I don't know the year of this picture, but it is clearly the holidays (festive sweater mom, Jessica are you loving this?) and that is our first house, so it is probably the mid-late 80's.

It hits me some days that it has been nearly sixteen years since we sad goodbye. I sit here to write this birthday wish and all the things I think and feel don't seem so easy to express.
In a way I owe this blog to her. It was seeing her cook that inspired me. It was seeing the joy and the ease in which she did it all that allowed me to try. Maybe that's why I have always felt so relaxed when I bake and cook. I think it is during these times I feel she is there. Reminding me it doesn't have to be perfect, telling me to take my time. Making sure I know she is always at my side. And perhaps that is why I take it so seriously and get a little on edge when someone tries to step in (sorry sweet hubby and friends). Those are my moments with her.
I really wish she could be here. It breaks my heart she never met Jim, didn't get to pass down some of her family recipes to her daughter in law, Carmen. It hurts that she doesn't get to bake Christmas cookies (peanut butter blossoms, Russian teacakes, nut cups, etc.) with the two amazing girls that are her granddaughters. Chucky and Carmen did good with those two. One day when Jim and are I blessed with children of our own, I will feel that pain knowing she won't be there to spoil the heck out of them. I know that is what she would do. I often choke up realizing that the amazing friends in my life never met the person who helped shape me into who I am today.
I have only one complaint - She didn't write down her recipes. I have three that Grandma gave me in her handwriting. They are tucked away in a plastic protective sleeve, already stained from the years she used them, notes lining the margins of notebook paper she jotted them down on. I have tried to perfect her oatmeal butterscotch cookies to no avail, I won't even attempt her blackberry cobbler, and chicken soup with homemade noodles, well mine it doesn't come close. Perhaps it was just that little bit of motherly love that made them impossible to duplicate.
Either way, she inspired me. It is why I read cookbooks cover to cover and would rather spend money on a mixer than a designer purse (of course, if I could have both that would be great too). She is the reason why when most men would be in the doghouse, I actually ask for appliances for Christmas. A few years ago, Grandma (her mom)taught me how to make jelly and jam, and it felt like I was in the kitchen with her again. We had so much fun.
She was 39, far too young to have to leave the world, but here long enough to touch more lives than she could ever know. She is still touching them today. If today I have friends and family who adore and admire me half as much as her family and friends did her, then I must be doing something right.

Happy Birthday Mom!
*****Maybe this is the year you will finally get your pig roast! : )

The music is a bit slower today, but its my blog and I'll post how I want to. Forever Young has a very significant and special place in mine and my brothers hearts -a special bond with my mom, and the rest just seem appropriate today. And btw....I was less than pleased with playlists happy birthday choices. I am still learning how to search just right on there though.
To lighten it up a little (I know that is her style), I leave you with some pictures I am sure she would like, and if nothing else will have some friends laughing at my expense,: (go down to continued post for more - I guess there is a picture limit???)

Me, Alyssa, and Kara (my brothers girls) just being goofy. Grandma looking on wondering if it is possible there is a mix-up and she isn't really related to us!

Me and Aunt Kimba.
(moms younger sister - remember the first post, I'm her first niece, she is my confirmation sponsor, etc. etc. - I wonder if she is reading)

Me, Grandma and Papa (moms mom and dad). This was after Dads 60th birthday party in July. They drove down from Michigan and I came up from Florida. They surprised me, and I had no clue they were coming. Chucky, Carm, and the girls kept the secret the whole time I was staying with them. They made the seven hour drive to Ohio to be with my mom when she was sick more times than you could count. They will always be my heroes.

Chucky, Dad, and Me - Thanksgiving 2006. Can you tell Chucky was on his few days off in a row. Firemen can't have beards (mom would be so proud of him) And Dad, as you can see fully embraces the grey. The Florida heat and humidity caused me to chop the hair recently, but still a fun picture of us.

I have no clue what year this is (lesson here is date your pictures). She is really young though and I think Aunt Kim might be able to help, based on the robe (lol). I posted it because I have been told I give this SAME look to people.

More pictures from above post (happy birthday to mom)

OK - I take that back two complaints: A mullet AND a purple and pink striped skirt. Seriously? She would say I am exaggerating, but take a look people. This is one of two family pictures I found of us. This was 1987, I was just about to turn ten. The other is 1991 (or 92), and I was sporting the puffy bangs us girls all loved (a french braid my have even been involved), courtesy of my big barrel curling iron, so either choice left room for me to be teased. My moms entire family (brothers, sisters, spouses and kids - I think there were just 20 of us then) got together for a family Christmas in January at my grandparents house in Michigan (I don't recall it happening another time - there are six kids in my moms family, spread around the states), and if notice my then twelve year old brother and his buddies did something crazy to their hair the day before we left for the trip and family photo. My parents were less than thrilled. And for the record, my dad rarely smiles in pictures but he is a happy man!

My brother (who is now just Chuck, but I still call Chucky - he is a junior and growing up dad was Chuck and my bro was Chucky), for the record he will hold you down and do that thing where you let spit hang down over you if you mention the Chucky movies to him.


Jim and me on our honeymoon. This is Oxford on our first leg of a two week trip to England.

Jim and me in May 2006 on our trip to the Riviera Maya.

Where in the world is Carrie

Want some clue on where I was?

Were you all wondering? Did you miss me?

Well, the truth is, first I went on vacation. I needed it...really really needed it. And it was - AMAZING!

OK, I am sure you give up.

Maine, and then Cape Cod. We stayed with friends who fed us well, let us kick back and relax, and were the most amazing hosts. I would highly recomend getting some friends in these areas. I would rent our friends to you if you would like. Be warned though, you will get use to the treatment and the snap back to reality isn't fun.

25 more!

Remember this post?
Well, if not, brush up. You are about to learn 25 MORE things about me

1 I hate when people are late. OK, you shouldn't hate. But I strongly dislike it

2 I really strongly dislike when people interrupt

3 My middle name is Ann

4 I had scoliosis as a teenager and had to have surgery to correct it. The surgery made me grow 2 1/2 inches. So, basically I grew 2 1/2 inches in a matter of about 12 hours

5 My husband proposed with a fortune cookie he made himself. It said "You will live long life if you become my wife"

6 I love grocery shopping

7 I believe there is a right way and a wrong way to load a dishwasher

8 I am extremely blessed to have all 4 of my grandparents still in my life.

9 When I was little I had a pretend friend named Amy

10 I can't work unless my desk is clean, neat and tidy.

11 I make lists for everything.

12 If I mess up when I am writing the list I have to start over

13 I love to read. Always have been a bookworm

14 I worry too much about what people think of me

15 I worry to much in general

16 I love lip gloss. I buy them all the time. Its odd really

17 I never go in the ten items or less lane if I have more than ten items. Not even with 11 items.

18 I have 4 nieces and 4 nephews

19 My friends kids call Jim and me Uncle Jim and Aunt Carrie, which gives us 5 more nieces and 3 more nephews

20 I can say the alphabet backwards

21 I live in Florida and I don't know how to swim

22 I take after my mom in the way of not writing down recipes (until now). I am working on it.

23 I get angry when someone gets in my way in the kitchen (MY kitchen)

24 I took three years of Spanish in high school and all I can say in Spanish Hello, How are you, Where is the bathroom, and My Name is Carrie

25 I think I am boring, because I am running of things to post about. The next 50 are gonna be tough. I may have to get creative.

To my blogging buddies

I'm taking a break...a short one. Just a week! Things to do, places to go, people to see.

I am trying the auto - post feature, so there will be fun stuff, but I won't have much computer time. Please don't think I am ignoring you all. I promise to spend my first day back catching up and commenting. The mail can wait, bills can wait, the blogging buddies can not!

Also, I sure hope I don't get in trouble for missing Writers Workshop Wednesday. : )

Apple Fritters

Disclaimer: I can't be held responsible for any diets crashed, pounds gained, etc. I maintain that the apples in these make them healthy.

When we moved to Florida from Ohio, I thought that winter would be the hardest. While seeing Santa in shorts, and noticing that the Christmas tree tents had fans that misted cool water on the trees to keep them alive was odd, I actually didn't miss the snow all that much. We went back to Ohio for Christmas, had a little bit of snow, and I was satisfied. Besides, what is more fun that calling your friends from a patio as you eat lunch watching the boats float by in ocean while they are out shoveling for the second time in one day.

No, Fall was hard for me. Sad really. I LOVE fall. I LOVE football, and something about football makes me think Fall. I want to throw on a pot of chili, put on my Browns sweatshirt, and enjoy the weekends. I could take Fall weather all year. I love seeing leaves change colors and wearing sweaters and jeans. I love the smell of fireplaces going, and seeing piles of leaves in yards. Cut to Florida. There is hot and there is hot and humid. I really enjoy being here, but I wish I could have Fall down here. And people....68 degrees one day of the year IS.NOT.FALL. When it "drops" to 55 in the middle of the night, again that IS.NOT.FALL. The point of all of this is that if were still up North, I would have saved this recipe for a Saturday morning. I would get up, get the paper, run some errands, make apple fritters, but some comfort food in the crock pot and settle in to watch the Buckeyes! Instead, I am in Florida and I threw caution to the wind (the Florida wind that never blows around orange and green and golden leaves) and whipped them up this weekend.

These things were delish. I had one for breakfast, ok one and a half. I may have even had one for a snack in the afternoon on Sunday. Its all a little fuzzy now.

I haven't quite mastered the frying in oil thing (my thighs are pumped about that by the way), so I think I got it too hot. The outsides got pretty dark, but I had no choice or the insides would not have cooked up.
The dough/cakey part reminded me of funnel cakes my mom use to make as a special treat.

Apple Fritters (otherwise know as diet killers)
5 apples (your choice, I used red delicious) peeled, cored, and chopped
1 1/2 C flour
1/2 C sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
1 C milk

Beat all ingredients except apples together. Fold in apples.
Pour 1/4 C into heated oil and cook till golden brown. Again, my were REALLY golden, but the oil was a little to hot.
Let cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Enjoy with a loved one and then hide the leftovers and enjoy in secret.

A letter to me

09-03-2008
Assignment #2

Dear Ten Year Old Carrie-

Stop being such a brat to Mom. I know its a phase and for ten years you have been her sidekick and companion. I know it about a year it will change and you will be her friend again, but this time that you are going through right now needs to stop. Let her sit with you on the couch and watch TV, let her be excited about your life. And don't just let her - want her to, embrace it. Not every girl is as lucky as you. When you are 17 and the boy you really like says he wants to go the prom with you and then a week later tells you he doesn't want to go anymore - in the high school cafeteria in front of all of his and your friends, and when you are 21 and the boy you think you love breaks your heart, and when you are 26 and the boy you ACTUALLY love and were suppose to be with and you endure your first miscarriage, you will really really want her be your side. The trouble is, she won't be able to be there. Then there will be the times that you want to call her with your excitement...The perfect guy proposed, something hilarious happened at the grocery store, etc. etc. Again, she won't be able to be there. So knock it off and appreciate her.

Dad is an amazing man. Say this over and over again, because right now you think he is a complete dork. The thing is, he kind of is. He is by default, because he is your dad. He could be the coolest guy in the world to every other 10 year old girl, but since he is your dad he isn't. Yes he doesn't really know how to dress, but neither do you (and you will never quite grasp that one either for the record), and he has an El Camino that you are completely embarrassed to be seen in, but still. Don't waste a moment not seeing how amazing he is. He doesn't need to prove it to you. He will, in fact, he already has. Be nice to him. One day he will be the guy who leaves you gifts on Valentines Day when you don't have a boyfriend and all your friends do. He will the one that takes you shopping every year at Christmas and buys you a gift that no one else knows about but you two. He will be the one who proves to you over and over again what you should already know. He is an amazing man, father, person.

Your big brother isn't that bad. He is 13, your 10. I am pretty sure there is a rule written that older brothers are not allowed to like their little sister. I know you want him to "like" you and not pick on you, but even when you are 31 he will tease you a bit. Also though, when you are 15 and in the deepest stage of denial ever, he will the one to get you through. He will be the one who is legally, but not emotionally an adult, and yet he will do the most adult thing ever for you. He will go to your high school and find all your teachers and tell them that you are going through a rough time, that your mom is sick and you don't want to deal with. He will tell them to go easy on you, to understand that you are privately struggling. He will make sure you don't know he had these conversations. You will find out, on accident, and your view of him will change forever. As an adult he will become your friend. He will marry an amazing woman and will give you two nieces who you cherish and adore more than words can describe. So, yes, today he is mean, and annoying, but that's just how big brothers roll, and when you both grow up he will be the one you want on your side when the chips are down.

Don't worry so much what others think. Really, just stop. Kids are mean, teenagers are even more mean, and they keep picking on you because you react. Its mean, petty, and immature, but it is just the way it is. Don't give them the satisfaction. Don't try so hard to change it, because you can't. It isn't like it is in the movies, and most of the time it only makes it worse. Look around you and see who your friends. Hold on to them. Worry about them. Ignore the rest.
ps on this one: You will learn to love yourself, marry an amazing man, have wonderful friends, and want to laugh in all their faces one day. You will want to, and deserve to...but you won't.

Again, stop trying so hard. Be who you are, who you want to be. No matter what you have, how you look, and what you can do, chances are you will be able to find someone who is better if you want to. Someone will always be thinner, prettier, more popular, more talented, etc. Embrace you, love you, challenge you, define you. You will look back and see what a waste it was trying to change and be someone you weren't. And you will wonder who you were really doing it for in the first place.

Finally - HAVE FUN. Before you know it, there will be bills to pay, a job to attend, groceries to shop for, etc. Embrace the now. Enjoy the now. Because it will be only a memory sooner than you would like.




btw...loyal readers. I have not lost sight of why this blog was started. Recipes are a coming. Every Wednesday though, expect Writers Workshop Wednesday

I'm famous!

I got a blog award today! Sorry, I wasn't expecting this, I have nothing prepared. Except to say that this may be proof people actual read this thing.

Go see Tara! Thanks Tara!

Everything is gonna be all right -

Name Carrie
Date 08-26-08
Subject Assignment #1



I had a blankie and a security pillow. I still have a piece (literally, a tiny little piece) of the blankie. The pillow on the other hand, well I have it still. And for good reason. Thats it right there in the picture.

When I was little I would sleep on it and pull at the little feathers that would sometimes poke through at night when I was scared. I knew everything would be all right.

Sometimes I would put it on my Moms lap and lay there with her when I was sad. She would stroke my hair and everything would be all right.

When my mom was sick I would hug it at night and cry. I thought everything would be all right.

My mom didn't beat the cancer that she fought so hard against, and for a moment I thought nothing would ever be all right. I was questioning a lot of things at that time.
I would lay with that pillow at night, or in the morning, or whenever I needed to, and every once in a while I would notice it smelled like her. Things were not all right, but they were ok.

Then something happened. Our dog got a hold of the pillow, and chewed a hole right in the middle of it. I was devastated. It may sound ridiculous to some, but I was a sixteen year old girl devastated at the loss of her "blankie" that was for her, a pillow. Most probably didn't get it.

One person did...my dad. He took the pillow, found some thread and a needle and got to work. I laugh at it now. He is most definitely not a sewer. He grabbed the edges of the hole the dog had created, gathered them in a wad and ran the needle back and forth and sideways and however he could to close up the hole. It was/is not pretty. It doesn't matter though. In that moment, he was the dad, the mom, the comforter, the fixer, the everything. The man, that for sixteen years had just been my dad become both parents at that moment. I knew then that everything was going to be all right. It would never be ok that she was gone, but I knew at that moment, that we would make it.

We did..And some days, even though it has been nearly 16 years are much much harder than others. Some days I need the pillow, or the thought of it rather, and what it represents. I don't hold it for comfort anymore, but I will always have it near me.

Since that day, the pillow has had the case replaced twice (you can still feel that ball on the actual cover that dad fixed), it has moved four times (one out of state). It has endured many more memories.

My Dad and I have had a few downs, but mostly ups. He is an amazing man and father. I don't need that moment like that to see it now, but I guess I did then.

I don't have to sleep with that pillow every night anymore, but I know its there when I want it. It sounds odd to most that a 31 year old still has a pillow that brought her comfort as a child, but for me, its so much more than that.

Homework

She can call them The Prompts, but personally I call them homework. Either is just fine by me because it gives me something to blog about. I need some help with that sometimes. I also think it adds a little personal touch to the blog. Not too worry though, its original subject remains. And soon, I will have a recipe for the cake I made and can show off my latest sewing creation. The cake is being served tonight, and I always like to wait for a verdict before posting. So stay tuned folks, because tomorrow you are going to get learn a little bit about me and my security blanket (which is actually a pillow).

I'm still here

I am still here. I haven't posted in a couple weeks. Although, Jennifer and Emily are probably the only two people that would know that. I haven't left the blogging world, and to confirm that, I will be posting about my experience with Coq Au Vin. Two days of cooking for chicken. Was it worth it? Check back tomorrow to find out.

In the meantime, here is the latest project. A fun tote bag. Is it wrong that I live 15 minutes from the ocean and would pick sewing over going to the beach on the weekend?




See you soon!

I'll miss you dear Kitchen-Aid

but hopefully distance will make the heart grow fonder!



I am headed back up North to visit family, friends, and some co-workers. The highlight of the trip will be celebrating Dad's birthday!



Do not fret my loyal readers.



The amazing pre-post feature will allow me to have plenty of posts next week. No pictures of food I have created, but I will promise fun stuff.

The first 25

So, I was told that once you hit 100 posts on a blog, you are suppose to write 100 things about yourself. Well, I thought "But Carrie, at the rate you are going, it will be a while before you get to 100 posts and I am sure the world is just dying to know random, useless things about you." And then I answered myself and said "You're right. Today is the day to be a rebel. Why not post 25 things about yourself. Then, after the next 25 posts, you can post 25 more". I thought about it. A LOT. Really, this would mean breaking a "rule", so lots of thought went into it. Well, as you can see - I threw caution to the wind and here you are. The first 25 of 100 random, useless things you could care less about, about Carrie.

1. I am 31 yrs old (they can't all be exciting facts)
2. I don't like scary movies
3. I sing in the shower
4. You know those free address labels charities send out? Well, I think its wrong to use them unless you donate to the charity.
5. My kitchen appliances are either male or female. (the blender is a she, the food processor a he)
6. Some of the appliances have names.
7. My mom made the best oatmeal cookies with butterscotch chips and I have tried numerous times to make them and they always fail. That really bothers me.
8. I look just like my mom (its nearly creepy), which I cherish about 99.5% of the time.
9. I think I would have give Donna Reed and June Cleaver a run for their money back in the day.
10. I have an older brother, a stepbrother and a stepsister.
11. I don't like my food to touch on my plate. (I have heard it all before - I know it all goes to the same place, blah blah blah blah blah. I just don't like it all to touch)
12. I don't eat chicken wings, drumsticks etc., if it is on the bone. I make Jim carve the turkey and pull roast chicken from the bone before its served. I can't even watch.
13. I think its impossible to be too nice.
14. I don't like birds. Birds are basically rats with wings. They creep me out. I think they are scary, gross, and carry diseases. Just typing that makes me uncomfortable.
15. I don't like clowns. Pretty much the same as 14, minus the disease part. Thats a little harsh and I can't really prove it.
16. I can't dance or sing to save my life, but take me anywhere there is karoake, and look out people.
17. I cry at TV shows and movies that I have seen several times.
18. I sometimes TIVO shows, fast forward to see what happens at the end and then go back and watch the rest of the show.
19. The first thing I remember baking is Christmas cookies with my mom and brother. Peanut Butter Blossoms (I was stuck unwrapping the Hershey Kisses), Nut Cups, and TeaCakes. I remember it vividly. Every detail.
20. My second is baking heart shaped cookies to take to school for my birthday celebration with my Grandma Laura. (she is the one on the right in the picture)
21. My Grandma Foxie taught me how to make jam not too long ago. It was one of the most fun days I have had. Now, however, Drew is addicted and we are trying to find a strawberry jam recovery center. (she also makes the best salsa in the world - family rifts have broken out over who gets the first jar) she is the one on the left in the picture.
22. I have an odd obsession with coffee mugs. I love them and I have to stop myself from buying them all the time.
23. I am also obsessed with purses and bags. This one is not so strange. Jim gets freebies from meetings and stuff that he goes to for work. He knows better than to refuse a free bag I don't need and will probably never use.
24. I laugh at my own jokes
25. I HATE being scared (no scary movies, haunted houses, etc....), but I like to scare other people. Twisted, I know!
    

You want a cupcake? I'm gonna need to see some ID

Hey there cupcake...You come here often? (That Guinness is a smooth talker.)

So, a cupcake walks into a bar, the bartender says "sorry we don't serve food here".

OK, I'm done. Really.

This weekend I wanted to bake something different. Not new necessarily, because I experiment a lot with baking, just different.

My biggest issue with baking is coming up with my own, original recipes (although, the malted cookies turned out pretty well). I nearly entered a large scale cooking contest until I read that a requirement was submitting 50 original recipes. I stopped right in my tracks and declined to enter.

I bake because of the science of it, and because there are "rules". In general, you have to follow the "rules" or recipe when you bake, otherwise, you end up with bread that doesn't rise or cakes that fall apart. I enjoy recipes, because I am a rule follower, always, and not just in baking. If the sign says don't walk - I don't walk. The speed limit is not a friendly guide, its the limit, and I count every item in my basket before entering the express 10 items or less lane. You get the point. Those of you that know me, could probably agree that given certain "things" that have happened in my life, perhaps the baking thing is for the control aspect. I don't know, and now I am really getting off track.

What I am trying to get to is that even though I like to try new things, I have yet to allow myself to really experiment, and for now use recipes from blogs, cookbooks and websites for my inspiration. And after searching and searching on Saturday, I found this weekends creation. Let me tell you people.....Wowsers!

I found my inspiration from Anna at Cookie Madness (see link to her site on sidebar). She made a Chocolate Stout Cake with Malted Chocolate Frosting, which I made into cupcakes rather than a whole cake. You can adapt a cake recipe to cupcakes by simply forgoing the bake time called for in the cake recipe and baking your cupcakes for 17-20 minutes.

This tasted great and worked well because I got to use some of my malted milk powder that I bought on a whim and Jim ended up with the 5 leftover bottles of Guinness since the recipe only requires a cup of stout. Win-Win!

Follow the link if you want to try it.

I posted a picture for this part of the frosting recipe:
Melt chocolate and half of the brown sugar together in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water or in top of a double boiler. Let cool slightly.

If you don't have a double boiler (I don't), just use a bowl that sets in the pot and allows room below for the simmering water and allow the sugar and chocolate to slowly melt. If you don't follow this or the double boiler method, you will scorch the chocolate.



Here they are. Guinness and Cake..4-ever

A few things you should know

1 - I am not a professional. Aside from a one day pasta class I took at a specialty market in Westlake, advice from Tony the butcher in Palm Beach Gardens, and the current cake decorating class, I have no real training. I do read cookbooks, watch Food Network, and subscribe to several cooking magazines (its a bit of an obsession). I learn a lot from these resources and test a lot in the kitchen. That being said, the stuff here isn't fool-proof. Its just what does and doesn't work for me.

2 - Its not perfect. That is a lesson I continue to work on. I am truly my own worst critic. Not everything works, some stuff is better than others, some stuff just isn't good at all. I will write about it all. I am learning to embrace the messes and try new things. I use to get really down on myself, until I realized, this is what I am doing for fun. If it doesn't work, throw it away, and move on (taking notes on what went wrong). The worst that could happen is you wasted a little time on a recipe and don't have much to show for it except a "loaf" of bread that looks that a pancake.

3 - It won't always look like the picture. First off, Food Photography is a career. People are paid to cast the right light, and have the perfect backdrop before a picture is taken for a cookbook or magazine. Sometimes the food looks as pretty and perfect as the cookbook, sometimes it doesn't, and while presentation is big - especially in restaurants, I am at home. I prefer to present the food at a nicely set table on pretty platters. As pointed out in #2, I try not to stress over it. If it looks pretty to me, then I am fine with it. Jim's mom put it best when I was talking about how my stuff never looks like the Martha Stewart pictures that "It would if you had a staff of 100 people putting it all together for you."