Photo a Day - Upside Down

February 28, 2013

Photo a Day - March

To see the full website for Photo a Day please click here.

Photo a Day - Playing

February 27, 2013

Photo a Day - Quiet

February 26, 2013

Photo a Day - On Your Bedside Table

February 25, 2013

Horseys and Birthday Cake

This weekend I tried a new recipe with cake mixes. Actually I tried two. However the first one I didn’t take pictures of because I was in a hurry. It turned out really well though so I wanted to share the recipe. I’m sure I’ll use this method again later so I can post pictures then.

So one thing I wanted to start doing this year is to use my baking for good. Well if I’m going to be baking I might as well do it for a good reason. Friday my family and I went to Turfway Park to watch some horse racing and enjoy their dollar beers and dollar bets. My uncle Mike’s birthday is in a couple days so I thought it would be nice to surprise him with a birthday cake at the track. I text his daughter, one of my very favorite sister cousins, to see what his favorite flavor cake was. So I was set out to find the best Vanilla cake recipe I could find. I had a ton of cake mixes because I took full advantage of a 98 cent sale on Duncan Hines cake mixes a few weeks ago. I had a funfetti cake which was pretty vanilla-ey to me. I remembered seeing a trick to make cake mixes more like a bakery cake and I wanted to try that so that’s what I started with. Then I’d never made a butter cream icing from scratch before so I went with that.

To doctor up the cake mix all you have to do is:

• Replace the oil with melted butter and double the amount (if it calls for a tablespoon of oil melt 2 tablespoons of butter and dump it in!)
• Replace the water with milk
• Add an extra egg (or two if you want it to be super rich) I wussed out on the extra egg because my cake mix already called for 3. Next time I’m going to get crazy and add another egg, promise.
• Add a Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract

The cake turned out really good. It was a bit more dense than a regular cake mix but still very moist. Definitely the way to go for when I’m ready to start decorating cakes more. 

For the icing I just made a very simple Vanilla Butter cream frosting:

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened (but not melted!) Ideal texture should be like ice cream.

3-4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract 

up to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Instructions

Beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time.

The cake was a success! Everyone really liked it, however I felt bad because my mom and my aunt Dianne gave up sweets for lent! Ugh, and beer. They are saints.

Even though I don't have a picture of the cake I do have a picture of the birthday boy and my momma!

Photo a Day - Cloud

February 24, 2013

Photo a Day - A Word

February 23, 2013

Photo a Day - Full

February 21, 2013

Not for long!

Photo a Day - Where You Stood

February 20, 2013

And so it begins

Photo a Day - I am

February 19, 2013

Photo a Day - Something You Don't Like

February 18, 2013

Just kiddin' it's been paying the bills since 2002

Photo a Day - In Your Hand

February 17, 2013

Photo a Day - Perfect

February 16, 2013

A fun night out with my family

Photo a Day - Inside Your Fridge

February 15, 2013

Go New Orleans 2013

If you know me, you know a little bit about how much my mission trip to New Orleans meant to me. I had been feeling the push to go there for years. I just really wanted to help. I had no idea how to though. I had just graduated college and wanted to start volunteering and getting involved in the things I was passionate about. A friend of mine at the time told me that her church was going to New Orleans as they had been doing the past few years. I had never been to the church but was going to their Super bowl Service and I loved it! I grew up Catholic and had never been to a church like that before and really didn’t know they existed. I decided to sign up for their New Orleans trip and it was absolutely the best decision I’ve ever made.


From beginning to end I loved every moment of this trip. There were several meetings before so we could get acquainted with our GO group. There were about 300 of us who went so they put us in groups of about 8 to 10 so we could get better acquainted with people before the trip. I loved my GO group everyone was so loving and so uplifting and so much fun. We had time to meet with each other throughout the trip and dive into how the trip was affecting us and we could talk it out with each other. I had my first experience with really praying, I had never been in a setting like this at all before, never done a bible study, mission trip or anything but the sit kneel stand of a Catholic church. I was pushed to do things I wouldn’t normally do, pushed to address feelings I never bothered to deal with. I was pushed by people who whole hearted idly believed in me when I was unsure of myself. I went to love on people and to do good for them and came away feeling more love and support than I’ve ever could have imagined and it was from people who days before were complete strangers. Complete strangers who also went on the trip and people from New Orleans who lost everything, who had nothing five years earlier, they prayed for ME. They asked me what I missed in my life, what I had been through, they wanted to know my story and how they could pray for me. Everyone was just so upbeat and five years later all they wanted was for someone to care what they went through and they knew each and every one of us were there because we did care. My heart melts every time I think of the city of New Orleans and everything it has taught me.

The people I worked with in New Orleans are the reason I want to volunteer my time. They are people who went through something horribly tragic that you and I have no concept of. Whether it’s a hurricane, a mother or father who were not present or an abusive parent, an illness, anything at all, something that hinders them from living a life that I am absolutely blessed with. They just want someone to care. Someone who doesn’t make excuses as to why what happened to them is their fault. And they are so gracious. So thankful for your support. And they 100% lean on God. And many people regarded us as angels sent from Him. What an amazing feeling to be a part of something far bigger than my small world.
Seven years later Cincinnati is the number one home builder with Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans. That is a huge deal. Crossroads doesn’t stop at homes though, they build into kids at the church with bible study, crafts and games. They do vision screenings, clean up and paint schools, and of course the photo team. I got to snap pictures of families. Families that lost everything, every memory, every photograph they ever had. I got the help replace them, to build new memories with them. What a huge blessing I was given.

I’ve been feeling the push to go back this year. I no longer feel like I would be ‘new’ to prayer ‘new’ to my faith. While I gave the trip everything I had back in 2010, I think I would be able to bring more now. I even thought about doing Habitat instead of photo, maybe. I would encourage anyone that’s ever felt the need to go and help the city of New Orleans to do it. I promise you, you will not regret it.

Ms. Sonya had the most impact on me, read her story here:

Ms. Sonya

And watch the video from last year!



Also you can see most of my trip recounted in my July 2010 blog entries

Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I have been in a major winter funk. It's too cold to do anything. I absolutely do not like cold weather, I don't understand people who take vacations to the cold mountains to ski. Do they not know about beaches and sun and sand and vitamin D and what it does for your life? Apparently not. So to break myself out of the funk yesterday I decided it's time to start baking again. I had all the ingredients for this recipe on hand so I went with it. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Here is what you'll need:

2-2/3 cups All Purpose Flour

1 1/4 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp salt

1-1/2 sticks butter

1 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions

First pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees

Then whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside for later

Next in a large mixing bowl (or in your new Kitchen Aid mixer that you got for Christmas!!), beat butter using paddle attachment. Add sugar and beat for a few minutes.

Add your eggs, one at a time while continuing to beat on low, then add vanilla. Add mashed bananas on low as well.

Mix in the flour and buttermilk alternatively, beginning and ending with the flour.

Fill into cupcake pans about 2/3 full. It is important to try and make them all the same size, a few of mine turned out a little more brown than I would have liked since they weren't all exactly the same size. I am in love with this batter filler that my brother and sister-in-law bought me for Christmas. Next time I will be using it properly!

Bake the cupcakes for approximately 18-minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean. A tooth pick or this cute handy tool!

The cupcakes can be stored in room temperature for up to 2 days.  Recipe yields 18 cupcakes.

These were a HUGE hit at the office!  I've been told when I start my bakery that these should be first on the menu.

Corona Cupcakes

This weekend was superbowl weekend and a friend of mine's fiance's birthday.  They were having a party so I thought beer cupcakes would be perfect!  They turned out really well and have been requested again already. 

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

• 3/4 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1-3/4 cup sugar
• 2-1/2 cup flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp lime zest
• 1 cup Corona beer, plus more for brushing on tops
• 1/4 cup milk

For the citrus cream cheese frosting:

• 12 oz cream cheese, cold
• 6 tbsp butter, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed orange/lime juice
• 1 tsp orange/lime zest
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
For the cupcakes:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add eggs, beating after each addition then add the vanilla and zest.
5. Combine milk and beer and alternatively add this mixture and the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture with the mixer on low speed, starting and ending with the flour.
6. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.
7. When cupcakes are done, poke holes in the tops of the cupcakes with toothpicks and brush some beer on each while still warm.

For the citrus cream cheese frosting:

1. Cream together the cream cheese and butter in an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the citrus juice and zest and gradually add the powdered sugar until well-combined. Beat until smooth for about 2 minutes.
3. Load frosting in a piping bag fit with a large star tip and pipe cupcake tops once cooled.

Recipe yields 24 cupcakes.

Photo a Day - Love is...

February 14, 2013

Each and every one of these couples have taught me what love truly means

Photo a Day - Walking

February 13, 2013

Photo a Day - Where You Ate Lunch

February 12, 2013

ok so this was actually dinner

memorize

James 1: 22

22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

Photo a Day - Entrance

February 11, 2013

Give it up

It's that time again.  The time of year where many Christians give up something for Lent.  From Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday.  I grew up Catholic and my family always participated in this but I don't know that I ever have fully committed to it.  So this year I am.  This is the first year that I have felt that I am fully committed to growing.  No more excuses.  Since winter and cold weather has begun I have become entirely too lazy.  I play on my iPad way too much and I watch way too much TV all while in the comfort of my bed and heating blanket (it's SO cold!!)  So starting Wednesday..... it hurts to say it...  no more iPad games (I literally threw my head back in protest after I typed that.)  That's how unhealthy my obsession with these games are.  In the place of the games I will read my bible and do my daily bible study, read more books, and get my butt in the gym.  I also will only use my phone for pictures in social settings.  No more checking what's happening on Facebook, no more games, no more looking away from a conversation to see what is happening on my phone.  Time to be totally present.  Time for 44 days of breaking bad habits, stopping things that waste time, and personal sacrifice in order to build into myself.  We'll see how this goes!

Photo a Day - 3 O'Clock

February 10, 2013

Photo a Day - Guilty Pleasure

February 9, 2013

Photo a Day - Something Orange

February 8, 2013

Photo a Day - Your Name

February 7, 2013

Photo a Day - Soft

February 6, 2013

family.support.cookie.dough.vodka.

My sister in law is awesome.  Yesterday she came over to bring me a bottle of Cookie Dough Vodka, to cheer me up.  Sometimes I'm amazed by the love that's around me.  I know it's there, but I rarely call on it.  I love that my family and friends know that about me so they just do it anyway. 

So needless to say I've been looking around today for yummy recipes using cookie dough vodka.  Pinnacle's website recommends drinking it with milk.  Then I stumbled upon a website with a recipe called Mint Chip Cookietini.  Which I thought looked really good too.  I'm thinking maybe some Godiva Chocolate Liqueur mixed in as a shot?  I will be exploring some recipes to share this weekend.

Photo a Day - Something You Smelled

February 5, 2013

believe

The last couple days have been horribly hard.  I wrestled with things for months.  I've been diving into my faith for a couple of years on and off, figuring out what I believe, learning how to build that relationship, lacking dicipline and dedication to it.  I've really tried to talk to God through this, to know what the right path is.  While I think He's given me information to make a choice, I just didn't feel confident, like maybe He was being silent.  I am the type of person who doesn't like to deal with hard things (who does right?)  No matter what it is.  That doesn't mean that I don't ultimately deal with them, but I really don't like it.  I always want someone to tell me what to do.  This time I thought maybe this was God's test.  It was time for me to do something horribly hard without someone else telling me it had to be done.  Time for me to trust what I was feeling, even if I'm not 100% sure.  It was time for me to trust Him.  How many times have I stayed in a spot that wasn't right because I wasn't 100% sure?  When are we ever 100% sure of anything?  And if we are then there's not a reason to make a change.  We're all on a path, some can be wildly different than others, but I believe you must follow the one that you know in your heart of hearts is right, no matter how hard it is.  No matter how scared or unsure you are of what lies ahead.  No matter how much you love what is left behind; you can't force a life you weren't made for.  I believe that there is a plan, for all of us, a perfect plan, one that is right in everyway, one where who we are is completely celebrated, we just have to be brave enough step out and live it.  Maybe in the end that path takes a big swirly adventure right back to where you were, stronger and better than before.  Or maybe, just maybe, it takes you somewhere entirely different.  Either way I believe it will be okay.  I believe in His plan.

Photo a Day - Hope

February 4, 2013

Photo a Day - Something Beginning With "E"

February 3, 2013

Photo a Day - Pattern

February 2, 2013

Photo a Day - Fork

February 1, 2013