YAY!!! Muffin top pan

Wilton 12 cup Muffin Top Pan

So today I decided to run out to Wal-Mart before I had to go to work tonight. I was extremely happy to see that they got the Wilton muffin top pan in and it was only $11. I of course grabbed it up and some new cooling racks too. What you should know is although I will be 30 this summer I still get excited like a little kid in a candy store when I get what I want.

2 pack of Wal-Mart cooling racks.

I don't ask for much and when I do it's usually something that's not expensive. I have so many plan's for this pan alone that I can't contain my giddiness about it. I just felt the need to share this bit of info with you all. If you own one than you may understand how I feel.

Photo's are from my phone so they're not the greatest quality lol.

Brenda

Chocolate Chip Cake Recipe

Recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker's Cookbook
1973 reprint of 1969 edition.

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/4 cups milk
3 eggs
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate pieces finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degree's. Grease and flour 2 round layer pans, 8 or 9 1/2 inches. Measure all ingredients in large mixing bowl. Blend 1/2 minute on low speed, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes on high speed scraping bowl occasionally.

Bake 40-45 minutes or until wooden pick is inserted in center and comes out clean. Cool.

Fill and frost with you favorite filling and frosting.

This recipe used a butterscotch filling and a chocolate chip glaze. I instead baked it in a 9" x 13" pan and made a whipped chocolate caramel almond buttercream frosting.

Brenda and I's first vacation together.

The cabin we rented

   Brenda and I went on our first vacation together to the great state of New Hampshire.  We got up nice and early on Friday morning and left for the White Mountains.  The drive there was beautiful.  The sky was a bright blue with just the slightest touch of clouds.  I drove up to a little cabin we rented for the weekend in a little town called Twin Mountains. 
   The mountains were right in our front yard, so when we went to bed that night after a long drive we watched the sun go down over the top of Mount Washington.  The scene was absolutely breathtaking as we sat outside while we both drank a beer and I smoked a few cigarettes we enjoyed a pizza together.

The summit of Mount Washington looking down.  

   Around 8 the next morning we woke up to the chirping of birds and the rustling of trees.  We drove up Mount Washington.  The drive was beautiful but very nerve racking.  The road up the side of the mountain is barely wide enough for one car let alone two.  There are no guard rails and the sides are very steep but the views were so exhilarating.  Both Brenda and I agreed that we would both definitely do it again.
   We also drove around through the mountains into some of the small towns and saw what life was like in these pretty little hamlets.  The town of Conway is on the eastern boarder of New Hampshire and Maine and is so quaint.  We went in and out of a few of the local shops looking at where I found a nice knife and where Brenda bought me a beautiful sword.
   That night we went back to the cabin fairly early and Brenda and I cooked an amazing dinner consisting of steak, potatoes, and fried plantanos. We retired to bed early but before we went to sleep I stepped out for a cigarette and as I was smoking I heard rustling next to me.  As I turned to look I saw a big bear walking next to the cabin.  I've never run so quick in my life. 
   The last day as we went home it began to rain.  We stopped at a park called "The Basin".  We trudged through the rain and saw what looked like a big toilet in the ground.  It was a massive whirlpool in the rock.  After we left there we drove home and went back to reality.  It rained the entire drive home but it really gave Brenda and I time to talk and get to be with each other. I loved this vacation.  I love Brenda so much, and now we're getting married.

Anglo-Mexican Shepherd's Pie

April 24th 2012

   Well I appolagize for not posting a picture with tonight's post.  I made a Shepherd's Pie and we all know how messy those can be. 

   Tonight's dinner is called an Anglo-Mexican Shepherd's Pie.  I normally don't make too many of these I grew up eating it but I never really found it all that exciting.  So I just don't make it often.  I must admit it (and I hate tooting my own horn) but the pie came together pretty well.  

    I seasoned the ground beef heavily with chili powder, basil, and adobo (you'll find that I cook a lot of dishes with adobo).  I browned the beef till all was fully cooked and put into a regular size bread loaf pan.  I use any pan for cooking, however I am will not use my Wilton cake pans for anything except cakes.  So I put the beef on the bottom of the loaf pan, added a layer of corn (yes from a can, I know its wrong but its easier).  After the corn is added just add some mashed potatoes that you can cook while browning the ground beef.  After I put the mashed potatoes over the corn I  then sprinkled paprika and basil over the top of the potatoes and cooked it in the oven for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  When it was done I let it cool for about 10 minutes and then served. 

    I recommend that you serve this Shepherd's Pie with either brown bread or really good hearty bread.  I love soaking up whatever juice in the bottom of the bowl.  I think you should try this, you really get a nice flavor from it.  You can try and present/plate this nicely if you'd like but I will admit it can be difficult because this has a tendency to just crumble.  If anyone has any ideas about plating this meal please let me know.  I will always take tips and comments.  Thank you I hope you enjoy.

   Now comes the waiting game till Brenda gets out of work and she tells me her opinion on how it came out.  We always try cooking new foods or give old foods different twists so I'm excited to hear what she thinks about it.

Chocolate Chip Cake

Before running off to work I wanted to share a comment about this cake. Holy cow I love it! Thank you Betty Crocker. I received this recipe through a tag sale find for $1. It smells and taste's just like the cookie but I'm kind of liking the cake more. I'll add the recipe late tonight when I get home.

My makeup sillyness

So I've been known to have too many hobbies and makeup happens to be one of them. I decided to do my makeup one day and my niece was with me. I feel that you should I can get a little bright with my makeup which leads to why my niece prefers I wear neutrals and brown's. I understand why she feels this way, she is 14 after all and being out with me when I go wild can be embarrassing for her. She prefers this look.

 Look at that hair!Scary for some people. not a good hair day, I had gone swimming and let it dry that way.

I personally like this look but I also have a fondness for look's like this.

I know it can be an eyeful for some people but I have an awesome fiance who take's me for who I am. Seeing how I am kind of new to this I have to say it's kind of obvious I also have a huge fondness for all thing's drag queen. You'll see at some point what I mean.

Yeah yeah yeah I know the hair again. Ugh oh well it happens lol a lot.

Well that's all I've got for now but Greg might swing in later. Hope you have a great day. I have to get ready for work soon. :(

Cajun Chicken Alfredo atop Penne and Black Beans.

April 23rd 2012 Dinner

    Cajun Chicken Alfredo atop Penne and Black Beans.  The idea was given to me by Brenda.  She had gotten the idea from a dinner we had had at a restaurant up in Rutland Vermont about two weeks ago.  Well long story short I've cooked Italian and Cajun so I didn't think it would be hard.  I wasn't wrong but I was in for a ride.  It was a pain in the butt.  I love to cook but sometimes I get really frustrated with the "fusion-confusion" cuisine.  I can say I really enjoyed this meal though, and I'm not one for Alfredo sauce.  I don't mind it but I really really have to be in the mood to eat it.  

     The chicken was seasoned with cayenne pepper (ground), cinnamon, both garlic and onion powder, adobo, and paprika.  After putting the dry rub on the chicken get a cast iron skillet nice and hot (by hot I mean you want to set it on the stove on high for a while I mean let the pan get scary hot) and just put the chicken in the pan on the front of the breast.  Sear the chicken till it gets a nice dark brown color.  Finish off in the oven at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes make sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

    The alfredo sauce is the only pain in the butt part to this dinner.  I have made so many bechamels that I cry milk, however each time I make one its always a challenge.  Unfortunately due to a variable of factors no two sauces will be the same only very close.  But I rant.  On to the Alfredo sauce.   Take about 3 cups of milk and heat on medium-low and just heat till you see a slight amount of steam rising.  If the milk gets too hot it will curdle and we are not out to make cheese.  Add a little flour to the milk once its to the right temperature and stir using a wisk (make sure to whisk while adding the flour so you don't get clumps of half cooked flour).  When you are done whisking the flour add about a cup of parmasean cheese and thoroughly whisk into the thickened sauce.  Your sauce may still seem to be a little watery but let it simmer for around 20 minutes while stirring frequently.  Before you simmer your sauce for 20 minutes add some paprika, and cayenne pepper to the sauce as you like.  Make sure you taste the sauce as you go so you know how the final taste will be.  

    When the sauce has finished simmering add salt and pepper to taste.  While you are cooking the sauce go ahead and cook off your pasta.  I use penne but you can use ziti or rigatoni.  When the pasta is done add a can of black beans.  Make sure to strain and rinse them so you get the black water off of the beans.  Take about 1/3 of the sauce and add to the pasta.  Place the pasta portion on your plates.  After that add the chicken on top (you can arrange them however you like) and pour some of the alfredo sauce over the top.  Then you can garnish with either parsley, thyme, or basil.  I used parsley only because I had it on hand.

    Well go ahead and enjoy and please let me know what you think.  I will be posting many more dinners.

Welcome to our blog

Hi, 

I'm Brenda and I decided today on a whim that we (my fiance Greg and I) were making a blog about our hobbies. We are getting married in January of 2013 and we decided to do it all ourselves. This means every weekend when I have the time off from work we've been baking all kind's of cupcakes and cakes. 

I have no experience in cake decorating but luckily Greg does from cooking school. I have been an internet recipe search hound and have come across all kinds of recipes and awesome blog's. Sharing our hobbies and our quest for our self done dream wedding seemed like a good idea. 

Feel free to ask us any question's and post any comment's you would like. I am going to warn you this is a blog so we may have some babble time when we post lol. We hope you enjoy our blog and find it interesting and helpful.

Thanks For Dropping By,

Brenda & Greg