11.24.2011
11.21.2011
Boot Watch 2011 is OVER
That's right folks. I found and purchased my new boots. I LOVE THEM!
They are very comfortable and stylish. I also love that they are wide calf....I used to be a jump-roper and was in marching band so my calves are large and in charge. At any rate, here they are.
I bought them on clearance at DSW!
They are very comfortable and stylish. I also love that they are wide calf....I used to be a jump-roper and was in marching band so my calves are large and in charge. At any rate, here they are.
I bought them on clearance at DSW!
11.18.2011
Carrot Cake
I made my first carrot cake this week. Let me just say it was amazing! Here are the pictures.
Carrot Cake- Williams-Sonoma Cooking at Home
Unsalted butter for pans
2 C. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground allspice
4 eggs, at room temperature
3/4 C. canola oil
3/4 C. sugar
1 C. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 C. buttermilk
3 C. lightly packed shredded carrots
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and tap out the excess flour.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and allspice. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, granulated and brown sugars, and buttermilk until well blended. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture just until combined. Fold in the carrots. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops of the batter with a rubber spatula.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 40 min. Let cool in the pans on wire racks for 15 min. Invert onto the racks, turn right sides up, and let cool completely.
Place 1 cake layer, top side down, on a plate. Spread 1 1/4 cups of the frosting over the top. Place the second cake layer, top side down, on top. Spread the remaining frosting decoratively over the top and sides of the cake. Serve right away, or cover with a cake dome and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bring to room temp. before serving.
Cream Cheese Frosting- Williams-Sonoma Cooking at Home
1 lb cream cheese, at room temperature
6 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 C. confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until smooth. On low speed, add the sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in vanilla.
Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week, then bring to room temp. before using.
I followed both of the recipes and it made an amazing cake. However, I would recommend putting parchment paper on the cake pans because my cake stuck a LOT!
Carrot Cake- Williams-Sonoma Cooking at Home
Unsalted butter for pans
2 C. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground allspice
4 eggs, at room temperature
3/4 C. canola oil
3/4 C. sugar
1 C. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 C. buttermilk
3 C. lightly packed shredded carrots
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and tap out the excess flour.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and allspice. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, granulated and brown sugars, and buttermilk until well blended. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture just until combined. Fold in the carrots. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops of the batter with a rubber spatula.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 40 min. Let cool in the pans on wire racks for 15 min. Invert onto the racks, turn right sides up, and let cool completely.
Place 1 cake layer, top side down, on a plate. Spread 1 1/4 cups of the frosting over the top. Place the second cake layer, top side down, on top. Spread the remaining frosting decoratively over the top and sides of the cake. Serve right away, or cover with a cake dome and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bring to room temp. before serving.
Cream Cheese Frosting- Williams-Sonoma Cooking at Home
1 lb cream cheese, at room temperature
6 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 C. confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until smooth. On low speed, add the sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in vanilla.
Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week, then bring to room temp. before using.
I followed both of the recipes and it made an amazing cake. However, I would recommend putting parchment paper on the cake pans because my cake stuck a LOT!
11.16.2011
The Boot
So, I have been hunting for a good boot for this year. I have a boot from last year, but it is kind of small and let's face it my jeans don't fit well inside it. Here are some great options Piperlime is offering.
I really like the buckle on this one by Chinese Laundry.
I like the tiny heel on this boot and the slouch by Steve Madden.
I like the clean lines of this boot along with the heel by Very Volatile.
11.14.2011
Music
As I have mentioned before, work is very very busy lately and I've been there more than my fair share lately. To get myself woken up in the mornings, I've been trying to listen to more music. It isn't as distracting as T.V. while trying to get ready and it just gets me in the right from of mind (mostly because I'm too busy singing along to grumble about work). Here's what I've been listening to...
11.11.2011
Recipe Cards
I mentioned in my birthday list that I wanted to design recipe cards and fill them up with all of my favorites. I accomplished this task a while ago, but never shared. Here are some pictures of the cards I designed. I still need to make dividers for the recipe box, but other than that I am very happy with how they turned out.
I got the recipe card box from The Container Store.
I got the recipe card box from The Container Store.
11.09.2011
Banana Nut Bread
I don't typically make a lot of bread, but Banana Nut Bread is something that gets made about 4 or 5 times a year. I LOVE it! I have been using my mom's recipe forever, and to be honest, I do not know what cook book it is from, but here it is.
Banana Nut Bread- from my mom
1 C. Butter
2 C. Sugar
4 Eggs
1/4 t. Salt
2 t. Baking Soda
4 C. Flour
6 Bananas- mashed
1 C. Chopped Pecans
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, mix dry ingredients together. Add dry mix to creamed mixture, stir in bananas and pecans. Pour mix into 2 greased loaf pans, bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until toothpick comes out clean.
Just for an FYI I used one large and two small loaf pans. This way I can share the small ones, because Nick and I wouldn't be able to eat two full loaves.
Banana Nut Bread- from my mom
1 C. Butter
2 C. Sugar
4 Eggs
1/4 t. Salt
2 t. Baking Soda
4 C. Flour
6 Bananas- mashed
1 C. Chopped Pecans
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, mix dry ingredients together. Add dry mix to creamed mixture, stir in bananas and pecans. Pour mix into 2 greased loaf pans, bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until toothpick comes out clean.
Just for an FYI I used one large and two small loaf pans. This way I can share the small ones, because Nick and I wouldn't be able to eat two full loaves.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
