Day 365

Woohoo!  We made it through another year, eh!?  A year ago I listed the good and bad of '09.  I contemplated doing it again this year but then decided against it.  2010 was much the same as 2009, a little bit of good sprinkled in an otherwise rough year.  My life direction took a turn this year, and I'm ok with that, this little journey I'm on that seems to be much slower than others. 

Whatcha gonna do about it huh?  Here's the thing..I feel like if you aren't doing anything to fix something, then you have no right to complain about it.  I will not end the year on a complaint but instead excited and optimistic at this new beginning.  Since last year left my state of affairs in such a state of disarray, I will be starting the new year with a 21 day Daniel fast.  Fasting is not a diet, although if you do it long enough it can certainly do great things for your body.  The Daniel fast in particular is a partial fast.  In the Bible, Daniel says:

I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled." Daniel 10:3 KJV

Basically for 21 days I will be eating only fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.  Restricted are meat and all animal products, wine/alcohol, sugar, levening products (like baking powder..so no bread).  The only drink I can have will be plain water.  It is actually much like the cleanse I did this past year, only that was a diet, on a fast you deny food for a spiritual purpose...and my purpose is to get myself back on the road of life that I was meant to be on.

My fast will begin on Sunday..in the meantime.. probably what I shouldn't be doing but am anyway..cleaning out the fridge by consumption rather than feeding the garbage can.   There was the slightest bit of heavy cream hanging out in there so I just made a quick bowl of fresh whipped cream, lightly sweetened with a little powdered sugar, and made some dark chocolate hot cocoa, with a tiny splash of orange extract in there as well.  Topped off with my fresh cream and dare I say, I am in heaven.  There are also a few leftover cookies chilling on the counter..Orange Chocolate Chunk cookies.. which go perfectly with my orange dark chocolate cocoa.  Ah, the simple pleasures.

I have one of my favorite holiday movies ready in the other room, The Holiday.  And by ready, I mean while I've been typing I've been listening to the menu music repeatedly and it's starting to get a little bit tiresome.  I am going to bring my cocoa, cookies, and stinky pup over to the other room to relax and watch a movie!

And my final word of the year..I am so very grateful for everyone reading this.  I noticed I jumped over 100 followers, yippee!!  And it happened at a time that I didn't blog as often, I will do better next year!  Thank you for stopping by.  Please be safe tonight, whatever you end up doing!  And may 2011 be the greatest year for everyone.

Merriment

Only one week left of this blasted year, and I couldn't be happier!  Especially because it's the most indulgent week of the year.  Hubs and I just got back from a wonderful Christmas Eve church service.  Bacon spaghetti is simmering on the stove, tiramisu chilling out in the fridge, and we are hitting the nog.

I am quite fairly certain that 2011 is going to be the greatest year in a long time.  I'll be starting the year with a 21 day Daniel fast, more about that later.  For now, Christmas, joy, and merriment.

From all of us at Siestas and Cupcakes,

and by all of us I mean me,

May your Christmas be full of surprises..

... peace and love.

Relish in the warmth of being surrounded by great family and friends.

For just one day, leave all your troubles behind and enjoy.

Eat plenty of great food, drink in life's simple pleasures , and be merry to all those you meet.

Merry Christmas!!

Tiramisu

Merry Christmas Eve!  Tonight's menu for us...Bacon Spaghetti and tiramisu!  I've made this tiramisu before and it is definitely faint worthy.  A true delight.  An amazing treat.   Just plain gooooooood.  A friend made this for a work party and I begged and pestered until she gave up the recipe! 

I downloaded the toy camera app on my iphone, and took all the pictures with it..some good, some eh.  I'm having lots of fun with this app though..totally recommend it!

Now on to the good stuff..

Tiramisu

2 packs of lady fingers
2 cups of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 carton of whipping cream
2 packs of mascarpone
Strong brewed coffee

Dip the lady fingers in the coffee very quickly and arrange them in the pan where you want to have the tiramisu. Mix the mascarpone cheese with the powder sugar, make sure it is mixed very well. Slowly add the whipped cream, and add the vanilla.  Put the mixture over the lady fingers dipped in the coffee and then add another layer of lady fingers dipped in the coffee, ending with the mascarpone layer.  With a strainer, spread cocoa powder over the top. Keep the tiramisu in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours just to make sure you can cut it.

(This one isn't my photo -- we haven't cut into yet!)

 

For the love of all that's good and holy, please make your own fresh whipped cream.  You won't be sorry.

Yummmm!

Dreams

I'm back!!  I spent a glorious week (2 weeks?) away from the computer.  Funkalicious indeed but you know, the weather and end of the year reflections.  I had such high hopes for twenty ten, and sadly it let me down.  But it's all good!  I believe it was just setting me up so I can appreciate 2011 even better.  And I am ready to appreciate.  Now I have all afternoon to go catch up on my blog reading!

 Let me take you down the path to my dreams..

 A cozy bed in the woods, just because.

 And visions of my future home:

The dream kitchen

 A bedroom with ceilings high as can be!  And white!

 

 A fabulous closet full of shoes..naturally.

 And the most beautiful pool in the world in my backyard.

 Fun, playful, carefree days..

Body Rocking..

 And world travel.

Most of all..

YES!!!

All photos from we heart it.

Dreaming feels good!  You should try it!

When Charleston feels like Chicago

I don't know how it is where you live, but here in Charleston, it's gotten COLD!!

Actually though December in Charleston feels like Chicago in October.  But still.  I had to break out my Chicago jacket this morning, it was 30 degrees.  And it was windy, walking into work my hair was swirling around like a tornado above my head.  It was not pretty I assure you.

I know I haven't blogged since Thanksgiving.  Truth be told, I've been quite bored.  And what does one write about when bored?  I'm stuck in a bit of a rut and need a project.  Anyone have any ideas?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Something -D-o-o economics.

It has to be an exciting project though, I'm bored to the point that I need something stimulating and not mundane.  Like..no cleaning/organizing.  Nothing involving money.  Even cooking lately has lost it's charm.

Fester fester fester fester.

Rot rot rot.

(It all goes back to movie quotes.)

Should I write that book I've always wanted to write? 

Success Magazine says 81% of people have a book in them.  Didja know that?

I could learn photography and photoshop, being that I own a great camera and the computer program already.

Take up sewing?

Learn Italian?

All things I want to do, but nothing is igniting that spark in me.

Completely stuck in a rut, I am.

Just because, another movie quote. 

Frank: It 's the same old story. Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, girl finds boy, boy forgets girl, boy remembers girl, girl dies in a tragic blimp accident over the New Year's Day Orange Bowl.

Jane: Goodyear?

Frank: No, the worst.

The world surely lost a funny actor last week.

There will never be another as funny as me.  And don't call me Shirley.

Happy Thanksgiving!

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, for love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

http://www.jackiearthur.com/

Christmas is coming!

Right about this time every year I get super excited about Christmas.  Super dang excited!  I can't wait to decorate the house.  The only problem is I'll be on a budget ~  I've been looking for ways to decorate on the cheap.  Sometimes I hit up the dollar store looking for bargains.  I try to stick to a color scheme when shopping at the dollar store so it doesn't end up looking...well, dollar store-ish.  I know this is sorta putting the carriage before the house ~ talking about decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving... I had Thanksgiving yesterday since I have to work tomorrow.  (It was goooooood!) 

Here's a few ideas I've found that I may work into my decorating this year:

Candy canes in a glass jar..economical and jolly!

I'll be using red instead of blue..but the blue really does look nice.

Just cute.  Festive.

Pretty.  Makes me want to run out and get some disco balls.

I would love this on my mantel!

I hope you have a happy, safe, Thanksgiving full of yummy deliciousness!

Lemon Pound Cake

Every now and then I come across a recipe and post it just for me.  If you are anything like me, I get lost in the blog world.  Sometimes I just look at other people's blogrolls and jump from blog to blog to blog, sometimes I see something great, forget to follow the blog, and forever try to remember where I saw that one thing, and it remains in oblivion forever.

Or sometimes!  Sometimes that just happens at home with my millions of cookbooks.  I also print recipes daily, then go to find it and find scraps and bits of paper and recipes and grocery lists on backs of recipes all over the place.  Organize much?  Clearly lacking at the moment.

When I found this recipe I knew I was going to make it relatively soon, and just so happened had to bake for a bake sale.  And gosh.  I so didn't want to give this pound cake up..it was delightfully lemony, perfectly moist, altogether just delicious.  I knew I had to post it so I don't lose this one!

Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake

Recipe from Baking Bites

3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 tbsp lemon zest
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in lemon zest, then beat in the eggs one at a time until well-combined.

In a measuring cup or small bowl, combine vanilla, buttermilk and vegetable oil. Working in two or three additions, alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture, ending with a final addition of dry ingredients. Stir only until no streaks of flour remain. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack before topping with lemon glaze (recipe below)

Lemon Glaze
2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake.

Friday Fives

Today I'm linking up with Beth at Just Me and My Life for her Friday Fives!

Big ups for link ups!  Woot wooooot!

1.  Describe your IDEAL Saturday.

I have lots of ideals actually, but I'll give a realistic ideal.  Tomorrow I have a Saturday off and I couldn't be more excited!  I've only had about 4 or 5 Saturdays off this whole year so this is something special.  I am looking forward to a business meeting in the morning..my own business that will ultimately lead me to the life I've always dreamed of.  Then either lunch with hubs or friends, a movie at the theater, and church.  Then a quiet night with the hubs.  A little Barnes time squeezed in somewhere too.

2.  What is your favorite Thanksgiving dessert?

Hahahaaaa well.  I never met a dessert I didn't like.  But Thanksgiving wouldn't be Thanksgiving without a pumpkin pie.  Although on Throwdown the other night Bobby Flay made a pumpkin bread pudding..I've been searching for the recipe, I must have that!  But I haven't found a recipe that looks like the one he made.  Anyone?

3.  What is your favorite Thanksgiving tradition?

I was a flight attendant starting in 2001, then in 2007 I moved from the flying world to the hospital world..both industries that don't get holidays.  I am usually working, sad to say!  This is why I look forward to waking up early on a Saturday morning for business meetings,  because one day, holidays will be all mine!  And new traditions will be made.  Really though, I just miss my family, who are in Chicago.  I just want to go hoooooome for my mom's turkey.

4. Who does the cooking?

Depends on where I am.  Anywhere but Chicago, I do the cooking.  In Chicago I make a dish or two and dessert.

5. Do you shop black Friday?

Helllllllllls no!  You won't find me waking up at 3am on a day off..and I hate crowds, in particular vicious crowds.

Oh nooo.  No no no.

Just no.

Happy Friday!!



The Great Thanksgiving Menu

I have to work on Thanksgiving, can you believe that bunk!?  Someone break out the violin, hand me some cheese to go with my w(h)ine, and give me the pathetic sad face!

This leaves me to cook our Thanksgiving dinner on Tuesday, which means today, I shop.  I just finished the grocery list and hope for a week's worth of leftovers out of this meal, because this wipes out my grocery budget for the next 2 weeks.

Here are the recipes I'll be using:

From Pioneer Woman:  Turkey brine, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and pumpkin cream pie.  Wow, I didn't realize how much of her recipes I was using until I wrote all that out.  I almost considered not doing mashed potatoes this year, for health's sake, but after seeing PW on Throwdown with Bobby Flay last night, I made a command decision: mashed potatoes were back on the menu!

Turkey Brine

Mashed Potatoes

Green Bean Casserole

Pumpkin Cream Pie

And from Southern Living Magazine, a necessary slow cooker dish.  You gotta have one right, saves so much time!

Balsamic Root Vegetables

And stuffing, no recipe attached.  I'm sorry to say I can't make it from scratch, and by can't I mean I am too much in love with making the ol box of Stovetop, I saute up carrots, onion, and celery with crumbled spicy breakfast sausage, then add in the Stovetop.  And there is no other for me.

I can't wait I can't wait I can't wait!!!

It's just going to be hubs and I so if you are free on Tuesday, come on by!