Cupcake Cake Take TWO!

Do you remember, back in February, when I attempted to bake a cupcake cake?  It was for TEN's birthday.  I was hell bent on making this cake for him.  I attempted it twice.  Both times were complete failures.  Feel free to read about my humiliation HERE.  If you choose to skip that painful memory, you can have a peek at this picture to see how terrible it all was:

Everyone was very nice about it, of course.  And yet, I knew that inside they were all thinking "poor, poor T.  she cannot cook a thing."

Flash forward to yesterday.  I was answering the 8 questions about food tag, and I told you about my EPIC FAIL cooking pork fried rice.  MK said to me "I cannot believe you did not tell the story of the cupcake cake".  And I pouted.  And it hurt my feelings.  And at that moment I made a decision.  I WAS GOING TO GO HOME AND SUCCESSFULLY BAKE A CUPCAKE CAKE THAT NIGHT!  And I did.  And do you know what happened?  Here, let me show you:

(i am in a fight with blogger.  i am also sideways.  whatever)

While the cakes cooled...Louis had play time!

(into the freezer for 10 minutes prior to icing. )

(waiting...)

(more waiting.....)

(aha!  it did make it easier :)

(using food coloring to make a green bottom half)

(sideways..almost finished cupcake)

("let me see!  let me see!  i want a taste!")

TADA!!!  SUCCESS!!

Betty Crocker in the Hooooouuuuuse!

T

Housekeeping Part 2

Quite a few of you had questions about the Taco Ring I made for Bunco this week.  Here is what it looked like when it came out of the oven:

I had salsa and sour cream as toppings:

The recipe suggested other toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, onions, etc.  I decided that the next time I make it, I will make the ring larger.  I will then put a big mix of lettuce, tomatoes, etc. in the middle!  That way, people can scoop out what they want to garnish their meal.  Also, it will be more aesthetically pleasing :)

Here is the recipe.  So simple!

1lb ground beef

1 pkg taco seasoning mix

1 cup (4oz) cheddar cheese

1 Tbsp water

2 8oz refridgerated crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Brown ground beef and drain grease.  Stir in taco seasoning, water and cheese. 

Unroll crescent rolls and separate.  Arrange triangles in a circle on a round baking stone with wide ends overlapping in center, and points toward the outside.  (T's note..this made no sense to me.  The triangles are basically obtuse/scalene shaped.  You take the shortest end and put that toward the middle of the baking stone.  Let the long sides, and point drape out over the edge of the baking stone.  Cross short ends over about 50% of the way.  If you don't, there will not be enough of a solid place to put the filling.)  There should be a 5 inch diameter in the center.

Scoop meat mixture evenly onto widest ends of dough at center of ring.  Bring points in and over, and tuck underneath the wide end.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

And that's it!  ENJOY :)

Now...on to some other tasty treats from Bunco night!

(cheesy chorizo sausage dip - SUPER SPICY!)

(mini crab cakes)

(Tuscan cheese ball with blue corn chips)

Some of my favorite pictures from the night:



(ummm...me daincing...sideways?  what gives?)



(biggest loser & biggest winner prizes.  sideways.  grrr...)

Overall, a lovely evening!  I'm just so irritated that these pictures are sideways.  Very, very irritated...

T

Housekeeping

(Casa Seersucker "decked out" for Halloween)

(Louis reminded me to turn on the lights on the ghost.  I forgot, of course!)

(I attended another wedding.  It was lovely.)

(you know how I feel about the bouquet toss...)

(here I am being "full of myself".  imagine that.)

(I love when Kroger has those $1.00 per bunch flowers)

(I made this little arrangement for $4.00!)

(I hosted BUNCO last night.  I made a taco ring for the occasion)

(and cheesy chorizo bean dip)

(and a Tuscan Cheese Ball)

I have better pictures of all of the tasty treats, as well as the evening...but I actually took them on my "real" camera.  Not on my blackberry.  And I forgot to bring it with me today.  Hopefully I'll remember to bring it to share them tomorrow :)

Until then,

T

Westie Wednesday - Halloween Safety Tips for Pets!

Louis will be entering the Halloween Costume Contest at day care tomorrow.  In case you don't remember, he will be a bumble bee.  Have a peek:

I found the following article, and Louis and I have reviewed it.  Word for word.  I asked him not to eat any part of his costume, for his safety.  He agreed.  He asked me to remove the skirt, for his pride.  I said no.  He pouted.  I believe we are in agreement as of last night.  Anyway, here are some tips if you plan to dress your pup and lead him/her around town this Halloween!

Halloween is a great time to dress your furry friend in adorable costumes and parade them around in all of their outfitted glory. But, we must remember that while they may be Count Dogula, our best friend is not always thinking of safety. There are several Halloween safety tips that will ensure a fun Halloween for you and your stylish pet.



1. Ingestion. Your dachshund may be sporting a hotdog outfit, but that still means that their costume is for wearing only! Let them become accustomed to their costume slowly. You don't want them to spook you by swallowing something they shouldn't!


2. Observe. Make sure your pet is comfortable. Also, with constant opening and closing of doors for Trick-or-Treaters, make sure your pet doesn't sneak out through the door or go after the candy! A helpful hint is to add reflective tape to their costume, so if they run outside, they can easily be spotted. Remember, the best accessory is a pet identification tag!


3. Fitting. Make sure the costume isn't too tight. Remember, pets are sensitive to ear infections, so avoid costumes that require direct ear contact, no matter how cute!


4. Vision. Make sure the costume doesn't obstruct your pet's ability to see. We don't want Frankenpup to run into anything!


5. Make-up and paints. Putting make-up or paints on your pet isn't smart. They could eat it or it could irritate their skin. Even make-up that is non-toxic could cause stomachaches or worse. All dogs are natural beauties anyway!


6. Candy. There obviously will be candy on Halloween. Remember, chocolates can be toxic and pets can choke on lollipops. This doesn't mean your pet has to miss out on Trick-or-Treating; give your pooch their own Halloween candy by treating them to their favorite doggy treat such as Simple Essentials dog treats by Hills Science Diet which are both healthy and are guaranteed to make your pooches mouth water!


7. Safety. With all the carved pumpkins and the burning flames inside them, it is important to make sure your pet and their costume stay safe from the flames. Instead of lighting a candle inside your pumpkin opt for a Scentsy candle! These are so great, they have light bulbs that burn a wax filled center, so no wick, no flame, but an unbelievable smell! Check out the Jack O'Lantern Scentsy Candle for a safe and spooky Halloween!


8 . Etc. If your pet is uneasy around children or loud noises, you may want to keep them indoors during the festivities. The sounds of screams or haunted houses could disorient your pet, so make sure they have a quiet place to relax and are safe.

See the actual article HERE.

T

Fun Food Tag & Beautiful Blog Award!!

Little Miss Can't Be Wrong from How I Met Your Father has tagged me in a Fun Food Tag!  How appropriate is this, as I'm on my way to become a gourmet chef.  Well, okay, perhaps I'm exaggerating a wee bit :)

Anyway, let's see what the questions are shall we?

1. What is your favorite dessert?  Hmph.  Not a very good question for me to start things off.  I'm boring when it comes to dessert.  Like BORING.  Seriously.  I like apple pie.  Plain.  I like cheesecake.  Plain.  That's about it.  See.....I told you.  Boring.

2. Ever tried to cook something and fail miserably?  Ahhhh...hahahahhaha...hahahahaha....where shall I begin?  Let's talk about pork fried rice, shall we?  Senior year of college I decided that there was absolutely no reason I should continue to pay the Hunan King $8.95 for a little box of pork fried rice.  I found a recipe for it somewhere, and I had a wok.  I was ready!  At least....I thought I was.  Those chinese restaurant peeps have a secret that they are NOT about to share when it comes to their rice.  Fried rice.  What is that anyway?  How does one make that happen?  I ended up with pork, peas, egg, bean sprouts, carrots and white rice that burned :(  EPIC FAIL.  Hunan King is still on my speed dial.....

3. Is there a dish you haven't made yet but really want to?  I would like to make a turkey.  For Thanksgiving or Christmas.  All by myself.  And I would like for it to be tasty :)  I have attempted to do so in the last few years, but somehow someone else always takes over.  I am sent off to make the stuffing.  One day....







4. What is your favorite food?  Filet Mignon.  Made even better if it is Oscar style ;)  Mmmmm...now I'm getting hungry.

5. What is your least favorite food?  Brussel sprouts.  My mother used to attempt to force me to eat them as a child.  She would not let me leave the supper table until I ate them.  On some nights I would sit at the table late into the evening, until my daddy would tell me to go ahead and do my homework.  One time I fed our westie, Piper, a brussel sprout.  He promptly vomited.  I showed my parents.  It was a small victory for a little girl, but she has never...to this day...eaten a brussel sprout.

6. Do you have any seasonal meals you like?  I'm not sure it's really "seasonal", but a pot roast in the crock pot has always signified the change of seasons for me :)  When the cold weather is here to stay, I make a pot roast.  Until that first pot roast is made, I don't truly consider it to be Fall.







7. What is your comfort food?  Chicken Tenders & French Fries.  Mmmmm....

8. Chocolate: milk, dark or white?  I don't really like chocolate.  I know, I know...I'm a weirdo :(

Now that I am terribly hungry (even though I have just scarfed down a quesadilla from a little shop downtown), let's change gears a bit.  The charming Screen Door Prep from A Note on the Screen Door has awarded me the Beautiful Blog Award.  I'm blushing.  Really, I am :)  I am so honored every time someone tags me or gives me an award.  It never gets old, does it?  Well, it doesn't for me.  Thank you, love.  You and Little Miss Can't Be Wrong have made my day.  And I needed that :)

Rules...

*Share seven things about yourself.


*Tag three blogs with the award.

1.  I wish I had studied abroad in high school or college.  I was so worried about missing some stupid party, or some nobody girl "stealing" my boyfriend, or some other completely ridiculous thing that I never did it.  I was far too worried about what I may miss HERE, to realize what I would miss by not going THERE.  I will force my children to study abroad.  They will hate me, I'm sure, but one day they will thank me :)

2.  I am all about wearing the Old Navy cotton dresses with leggings and ballet flats I told you about last week.  Yesterday's outfit was fabulous.  Today I feel like I'm wearing a smock from art class.  Clearly I made an irrational purchase when I bought like 20 of these dresses.  Sometimes I do that.  I get really excited about an idea, and run with it.  I am so excited, and set on it working, that I sometimes fail to stop and realize that it isn't so much working :(

3. I wonder, on a regular basis, if I have ever really been "in love".  Because if I have been, why didn't it work?  I have thought I was "in love" 2 or 3 times.  But, I can't shake the idea that perhaps I was wrong.  Because if I was "in love", how could I have walked away?  Or...was I actually "in love", and I wrecked it?  By not giving it enough of a chance?  Love confuses me.  Bunches.

4.  I have always wanted to be a dancer.  Not like a classy ballerina (been there, done that), but more like a Fly Girl from In Living Color.  Have I told you this before?  I feel as if I have.  But I'll tell you again.  I have always wanted to get up on stage and dance as if I was born to do so.  And to shake my money maker in front of a crowd.  And to not look like a fool.  And that is exactly why I am taking Zumba :)  Because I do exactly that, and I pretend I'm a Fly Girl and it makes me happy.  Shhh...don't tell anyone.

5. I am struggling to hear what God is trying to tell me right now.  I have a terrible time determining the difference between what he actually IS telling me, and what I WANT him to be telling me.  And I acknowledge this.  But, I'm still trying to figure out what he wants for me.  Because I'm not sure that what he and I want at the moment are the same thing.  And heaven knows, he's the one who knows what's best :)

6.  I am truly, madly, deeply in love with my puppy.  And I worry sometimes that it is unhealthy...how much I love him.  I would rather spend time with him than with many other people I know.  Is that bad?  I think it might be.  He's just so charming.  And clever :)  And he never gets on my nerves.  Well, that isn't true.  Most of the time he doesn't get on my nerves.  And he pretty much thinks everything I do is awesome.  And he just wants to be with me.  How could I not be in love?

7.  I am tired.  Really, really tired.  I'm okay.  Just overwhelmed.  I realized, after my blog post Tuesday, how lovely it is to have blog friends that notice when you are gone.  Or worrying.  And it felt like a HUGE hug every time I got an e-mail from one of you.  Thank you for that :)  I am okay.  I am just fine.  I found myself in the middle of something that I felt somewhat responsible for.  And I found myself trying to "fix" everything.  Which isn't my job in life.  And I'm just trying to find a happy middle ground.  And it's a lot of what is on my mind right now...so it's hard to talk about anything else.  But I don't really want to talk about it.  Wow...that sounds ridiculous.  Anyway...thank you for listening.

Now, who to tag?  You know how much I love finding new blogs, and then share them with all of you....so, please meet the following new-ish (to me, anyway) bloggers and stop by for a visit. 

I'm going to do this like I've done before.  There are two tags/awards above.  Please select the one that you would most like to have.  If you have already been tagged with one of them, please take the other :)  Or...if you like them both equally...congratulations...you've been tagged twice!  Just have fun with it.

Except for mrs.mfc.  She MUST complete the food tag.  Because I said so.  And this is my blog.  So there :-o hehehe....

Elizabeth from Blogging Blondie

Daisy from "Story of My Life"...  (this is my IRL friend Daisy y'all!!)

Elizabeth from biz and the bungalow

Bronwen from Bronblog (okay, so she's not new to me...but her blog name change is!)

Deviled Megs

Laurnie from From Orange County to Country Road (another blog name change)

mrs.mfc

Twenty Something Blonde from Growing Up Blonde

Hev & Farley from Life with Farley

The Wifey from Love Cocktails and Puppydog Tails

Cinderella from My Hebrew Name is Cinderella

The Preppy Pre-Med from My Preppy Pre-Med Life

Caroline from PNOS (pink and navy oxford stripes)

T