Babble and Hurricane Sandy

So it's been quite a while hasn't it? We finally moved into our apartment with a working oven lol. I know it might not seem like a huge thing to some people but I am so excited. I have been baking like a fiend and we gobble it all up or hand it out to family. My most recent thing is pineapple coconut muffins I'm making tonight.

The most time consuming and dedicated project for us is our upcoming wedding in January. Talk about a time crunch. For those of you who don't know we are doing all the baking, decorating, invites to envelopes and yes even gift boxes here in our living room. On my days off which are few and far between. I have never made any of  these paper crafts because it never really was my thing. I intend on posting every weekend about our progress and since I'm a photo freak you'll see my disastrous beginnings as well.

Hopefully it all goes as planned but if not it's a small wedding of immediate family and closest of friends only. They'll understand lol. Luckily the food is being made by my mom, Greg's mom and possibly my dad because that man can cook.

With all the stress that went on this week with Hurricane Sandy we forgot a few important thing's but luckily all of our family was safe and sound. Unfortunately there are those who were flooded out and sadly many lost their lives. We send our condolences to those who faced a much more severe outcome of the storm than we did.

Brenda & Greg

My sunday baking fest

I decided saturday night to make strawberry muffin's and muffin tops. Sunday morning I woke up and began making homemade Mc Griddles. Yeah that was a flop it was more like a maple flavored wafer because I failed to put enough baking powder in the batter. I settled on making chocolate whoopie pies with strawberry cream cheese filling another with coconut cream cheese filling and a special one for Greg with peanut butter cream cheese filling.

Failed Mc Griddles

Whoopie pie success

Since failing miserably at my maple pancake wafers I decided to go safe and follow the recipe on the whoopie pie pan and came to find that it's freaking good. I couldn't stop licking the airy batter off the mixer blades and the spatula gave up fighting me off. lol I know I can be an outrageously cheesy person but I am who I am. Along with maple wafers and chocolate whoopie pies I am making cornbread for dinner tonight with Greg's chili from scratch. Mmmmmmm I love it.

I have no pics of the chili and cornbread since it was devoured before either of us thought to take a pic. It was so good that I wanted seconds but when there are 3 people eating and only enough for four it's not fair to be the greedy one. Although I seem to be the only one with this thought because his dad promptly devoured a second bowl lol.

Greg's addition to my muffin tops

Since the strawberry muffin tops were a hit Greg made dessert out of them. Holy cow they were so good. Tell me I don't have a food genius at home and I'll let you know quickly your wrong. Greg has so many good ideas and I love when he gets in the kitchen and goes for it.

The whoopie pies had to be frozen because there was no way they were getting eaten that night. I must say they hold up very well frozen. According to Greg he says they taste similar to a frozen devil dog which are so good.

The strawberry muffin top recipe was from joyofbaking.com and the whoopie pie recipe came from the whoopie pie pan from Wilton. The failed Mc Griddle was all my own.

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.

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.