Here is the Challenge:
So here is my Day 1 Selfie!
:) I've got to say, I really love my Canon Rebel T4i
Tuesday, 18 February 2014
Photography Challenge! Day 1
This will be a little bit different for here, but I've decided to do a 30 day photography Challenge. So on top of regular posts for food and crafts and what-not, I will be posting a photo a day. This will help me with my new camera, to get use to it and as well to experiment with it and see what it's capable of.
Here is the Challenge:
So here is my Day 1 Selfie!
Here is the Challenge:
So here is my Day 1 Selfie!
Sunday, 16 February 2014
Happy belated Valentines Day...
Or my favourite day...the day after Valentines Day when all the candy and chocolates and cake decorating stuff goes 50-75% off! haha
I'm not a person that particularly cares about Valentines Day, but it is fun for the kids when they get to have little parties in the classroom and have treats... ie it's not a bad day for me because I usually end up helping my sister come up with something for her class. Her school was handing out Candy Grams, but a couple of her friends have a red dye allergy, so she wasn't able to buy anything for them and felt pretty bad about it. We came up with something for them too!
When she came home upset about the candy grams, we decided that we would make them our own candy gram! I've got tons of candy molds and some I haven't used, but were perfect for Valentines Day for sure! Megan got to choose which one to use and I helped her do them. Here's the final product...
Of course neither of the girls did the Challenge because they "didn't want to have their face online"...yet they have facebook with a million pictures of themselves on there...and the other just wanted to eat hers...Darn 12 year olds. (yes, I'm peeved about it...I thought it would've been a cute idea). So I made an extra one and did it myself, then once the girls (my sister and her friend) saw me doing it they wanted to. So here they are
Then we made a batch of mini cupcakes, which really surprised me as to how many I was able to get out of the mix. I think we made about 50 total...that's a lot of cupcakes! I had so many left over that I was able to take some into the ladies I work with. They were all really excited about it...yet we work in a bakery...Really?! haha!
Of course, I didn't have any decorations, so I ended up going to the Bulk Barn before hand so we had a ton of decorations to put on them.
I'm not a person that particularly cares about Valentines Day, but it is fun for the kids when they get to have little parties in the classroom and have treats... ie it's not a bad day for me because I usually end up helping my sister come up with something for her class. Her school was handing out Candy Grams, but a couple of her friends have a red dye allergy, so she wasn't able to buy anything for them and felt pretty bad about it. We came up with something for them too!
When she came home upset about the candy grams, we decided that we would make them our own candy gram! I've got tons of candy molds and some I haven't used, but were perfect for Valentines Day for sure! Megan got to choose which one to use and I helped her do them. Here's the final product...
Then we made a batch of mini cupcakes, which really surprised me as to how many I was able to get out of the mix. I think we made about 50 total...that's a lot of cupcakes! I had so many left over that I was able to take some into the ladies I work with. They were all really excited about it...yet we work in a bakery...Really?! haha!
Of course, I didn't have any decorations, so I ended up going to the Bulk Barn before hand so we had a ton of decorations to put on them.
Wednesday, 12 February 2014
K's Melt "-in-your-mouth-" Aways
Cheesy name, I know...I couldn't come up with anything better.
We make something like this at work, but it's different in it's own ways. This was all just a big experiment for me.
What I came up with is a basic bottom of Honey Grahams with butter, then Coconut, and lots of different chocolate chips...
***THIS WAS SOOOOOO HARD MAKING BEING ON A NO JUNK FOOD CHALLENGE THIS WEEK!!!!***
...so it's sweet, and goo-y! (So I've been told)
Here she is...
Line an 8" cake pan with parchment paper (NOT wax...I found this one out the hard way during this! Thought I grabbed a different box of paper than I actually did...Oops!) Fully melt 1/4 cup of Salted Butter in a small bowl. Add in 1 1/4 cups of Honey Graham Crumbs. Once fully mixed pour into the lined pan and bake for 10 minutes.
Once it's finished in the oven let it cool for about 20 minutes. While you wait gather your other ingredients separately. These are all estimated measurements, I was measuring for a little while, but since I was experimenting I was just going with it, if anything it will be LESS than what I've written here (sorry about the un-preciseness!). 1/2 cup of sweetened Coconut (plus extra for later), 1/4 cup White Chocolate Chips, 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips, 1/4 Butterscotch chips and about 1/2 (I estimated when I was putting mine on) cup Low Fat Sweetened Condensed Milk.
Once it's cooled sprinkle on the Coconut and layer the different chocolate chips
Sprinkle the extra coconut on top, then your condensed milk. Stick it in the oven for about 15 minutes and then let cool. Once it's cool, cut the square size that you want and freeze on the paper over night. Take it out the next day and re-cut where you previously cut (it'll be easier to cut with the guidelines you made the day before). Serve cold (it'll be a less goo-y, sticky mess!)
The only complaint I got was that I had served it warm the first night because everyone wanted to try it, and that the pieces were too small!
So here's what you need:
1 1/4 cup Honey Graham Crumbs
1/4 cup Salted Butter, melted
1/2 cup Sweetened Coconut (plus extra for on top)
1/4 cup White Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup Milk Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup Butterscotch Chips
1/2 cup Low Fat Sweetened Condensed Milk
We make something like this at work, but it's different in it's own ways. This was all just a big experiment for me.
What I came up with is a basic bottom of Honey Grahams with butter, then Coconut, and lots of different chocolate chips...
***THIS WAS SOOOOOO HARD MAKING BEING ON A NO JUNK FOOD CHALLENGE THIS WEEK!!!!***
...so it's sweet, and goo-y! (So I've been told)
Here she is...
Line an 8" cake pan with parchment paper (NOT wax...I found this one out the hard way during this! Thought I grabbed a different box of paper than I actually did...Oops!) Fully melt 1/4 cup of Salted Butter in a small bowl. Add in 1 1/4 cups of Honey Graham Crumbs. Once fully mixed pour into the lined pan and bake for 10 minutes.
Once it's finished in the oven let it cool for about 20 minutes. While you wait gather your other ingredients separately. These are all estimated measurements, I was measuring for a little while, but since I was experimenting I was just going with it, if anything it will be LESS than what I've written here (sorry about the un-preciseness!). 1/2 cup of sweetened Coconut (plus extra for later), 1/4 cup White Chocolate Chips, 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips, 1/4 Butterscotch chips and about 1/2 (I estimated when I was putting mine on) cup Low Fat Sweetened Condensed Milk.
Once it's cooled sprinkle on the Coconut and layer the different chocolate chips
Sprinkle the extra coconut on top, then your condensed milk. Stick it in the oven for about 15 minutes and then let cool. Once it's cool, cut the square size that you want and freeze on the paper over night. Take it out the next day and re-cut where you previously cut (it'll be easier to cut with the guidelines you made the day before). Serve cold (it'll be a less goo-y, sticky mess!)
The only complaint I got was that I had served it warm the first night because everyone wanted to try it, and that the pieces were too small!
So here's what you need:
1 1/4 cup Honey Graham Crumbs
1/4 cup Salted Butter, melted
1/2 cup Sweetened Coconut (plus extra for on top)
1/4 cup White Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup Milk Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup Butterscotch Chips
1/2 cup Low Fat Sweetened Condensed Milk
Tuesday, 11 February 2014
"Skinny" Peanut Butter Oat Granola
Yesterday I started another No Junk Food Challenge today and I need to find some healthier snacks for me to have with my lunches for work this week aside from the obvious fruits and veggies. So I got hunting on Pintrest and came across this recipe and it looked delish! I just had to try it! Of course, I had to go grocery shopping to be able to make it.
Here we go!
In a saucepan, add Coconut Oil, Peanut Butter, Honey and Vanilla. Don't let it boil, just let it get creamy and rich.
In a large bowl, add in oats. The recipe I was following called for Rolled oats, I just used Quick oats. Then pour the peanut butter mixture over the oats and mix well. Let it stand for 5 minutes, or more.
Add in Mini Chocolate Chips and sprinkles if you please, there aren't many, so it's not that bad in the over all mixture. (My dad complained that there wasn't enough chocolate or sprinkles and that it was "too healthy" for him)
Once it's all mixed together you can make them into bite sized balls OR put it in a bar form like I did. Once you have the mix in the pan make sure it's pressed together really well! For a little added stickiness to hold everything together I drizzled a bit of Honey over top.
Stick 'er in the fridge for a good hour, then take it out and cut into bite sized pieces (I put mine in 1/2" squares).
So here's what you need :
1/4 cup Coconut Oil
1/4 cup Light Peanut Butter
1/4 cup Honey (plus extra for drizzle)
2 1/4 cups Oats
1/4 cup Chocolate Chips
2 tbsp Sprinkles (Optional)
The recipe is Copyright of BruCrew Life, but it was just way too good to pass up sharing with all of you.
Here we go!
In a saucepan, add Coconut Oil, Peanut Butter, Honey and Vanilla. Don't let it boil, just let it get creamy and rich.
In a large bowl, add in oats. The recipe I was following called for Rolled oats, I just used Quick oats. Then pour the peanut butter mixture over the oats and mix well. Let it stand for 5 minutes, or more.
Add in Mini Chocolate Chips and sprinkles if you please, there aren't many, so it's not that bad in the over all mixture. (My dad complained that there wasn't enough chocolate or sprinkles and that it was "too healthy" for him)
Once it's all mixed together you can make them into bite sized balls OR put it in a bar form like I did. Once you have the mix in the pan make sure it's pressed together really well! For a little added stickiness to hold everything together I drizzled a bit of Honey over top.
So here's what you need :
1/4 cup Coconut Oil
1/4 cup Light Peanut Butter
1/4 cup Honey (plus extra for drizzle)
2 1/4 cups Oats
1/4 cup Chocolate Chips
2 tbsp Sprinkles (Optional)
The recipe is Copyright of BruCrew Life, but it was just way too good to pass up sharing with all of you.
Saturday, 8 February 2014
The Cake Sampling
Alright, so I promised last blog that I would show you what I did for the cake sampling. Now I qon't give away what I am doing for the final project, as I would like that to be a surprise for the day and for the guests.
So for the cake sampling I did both white and chocolate cakes. I did plain Buttercream icing, Almond Buttercream icing and I did Cream Cheese icing (which didn't taste all that great so I didn't end up using it.). Then for fillings I did Custard, Lemon and Strawberry Mousse. I also showed the difference between using icing as the outside, and having fondant on the cake.
There is a large difference between the 2. The taste is quite different, even though there is a thin layer of icing on the cake to hold the fondant in place, it is still quite different. Buttercream icing is really sweet, buttery goodness. Fondant is basically sheet icing...not quite, but really when it boils down to the simplistic answer, that's it. Fondant is hit and miss. Some people don't enjoy the taste of fondant, where as others do...I find if you've had 1 bad experience with it, you won't really try it again, unless you're adventurous and re-try it you may find that there is one that we really enjoy.
Anyways, without further ado here is the sampling.
Plain Buttercream - No filling
Almond Buttercream - No filling
Custard filling with Buttercream Icing
Lemon filling with Buttercream Icing
Strawberry Mousse filling with Buttercream Icing
Just an example of Fondant covered cake with the Gumpaste/Fondant Roses and Leaves
So for the cake sampling I did both white and chocolate cakes. I did plain Buttercream icing, Almond Buttercream icing and I did Cream Cheese icing (which didn't taste all that great so I didn't end up using it.). Then for fillings I did Custard, Lemon and Strawberry Mousse. I also showed the difference between using icing as the outside, and having fondant on the cake.
There is a large difference between the 2. The taste is quite different, even though there is a thin layer of icing on the cake to hold the fondant in place, it is still quite different. Buttercream icing is really sweet, buttery goodness. Fondant is basically sheet icing...not quite, but really when it boils down to the simplistic answer, that's it. Fondant is hit and miss. Some people don't enjoy the taste of fondant, where as others do...I find if you've had 1 bad experience with it, you won't really try it again, unless you're adventurous and re-try it you may find that there is one that we really enjoy.
Anyways, without further ado here is the sampling.
Plain Buttercream - No filling
Almond Buttercream - No filling
Custard filling with Buttercream Icing
Lemon filling with Buttercream Icing
Strawberry Mousse filling with Buttercream Icing
Just an example of Fondant covered cake with the Gumpaste/Fondant Roses and Leaves
Wednesday, 5 February 2014
K's Chocolate Twists
This week was just one bad thing after another! Seriously! Someone (yes I know who, but they never bothered leaving a note or anything) hit my car in the parking lot at work, causing a fair amount of damage to the back end of my car. Then my credit card was giving me issues...UGH! My work schedule was all messed up this week because of my course. My course went well, but I found out that the local health unit no longer inspects home kitchens, which raised some questions about an old neighbour who claimed she had hers done. So that threw me for a loop because I finally had decided I wanted to set up at the local or not so local (I hadn't decided that far yet) farmer's market to sell some of my good (such as the ones you'll see here). Renting a Kitchen is fairly costly and I don't know whether my things will sell or not. So it's been a busy and very eventful week.
I also did the cake sampling this week, which went amazing! (I'll show pictures and more details next post) We've decided on the cake! Woo!
So seriously it's been one heck of a week! Although it wasn't all bad! My sister and I went to see Disney on Ice on Saturday evening which was fantastic! I'd definitely go see something like that again! Then last night a co-worker and I decided to go see the Barenaked Ladies and they were totally awesome! Woo!
Here are K's Chocolate Twists. I won't give a step-by-step, as I'm still looking into the Farmer's Market thing. Basically it's decorated licorice that's really delish!
A friend of mine was going to buy these at RFW (I can't name the place, but we'll say it's RFW) for $12 for about 6 pieces. Mine were 2 pkgs of 10 for $7. Since she was a friend I didn't want to charge her a ton extra, so I charged for costs and rounded up so I'd at least make a little. She loved it! They were both meant to be going to her daughter-in-law for her birthday, but only 1 pack made it that far! Needless to say they were thoroughly enjoyed!
Anyways, here's a couple pictures
I also did the cake sampling this week, which went amazing! (I'll show pictures and more details next post) We've decided on the cake! Woo!
So seriously it's been one heck of a week! Although it wasn't all bad! My sister and I went to see Disney on Ice on Saturday evening which was fantastic! I'd definitely go see something like that again! Then last night a co-worker and I decided to go see the Barenaked Ladies and they were totally awesome! Woo!
Here are K's Chocolate Twists. I won't give a step-by-step, as I'm still looking into the Farmer's Market thing. Basically it's decorated licorice that's really delish!
A friend of mine was going to buy these at RFW (I can't name the place, but we'll say it's RFW) for $12 for about 6 pieces. Mine were 2 pkgs of 10 for $7. Since she was a friend I didn't want to charge her a ton extra, so I charged for costs and rounded up so I'd at least make a little. She loved it! They were both meant to be going to her daughter-in-law for her birthday, but only 1 pack made it that far! Needless to say they were thoroughly enjoyed!
Anyways, here's a couple pictures
Saturday, 25 January 2014
Weird Couple o' Nights
I know this post is a little off from what I normally post, I just need to get this out there, cause...
Wow, has it ever been strange. I know I said something in the last post about believing spirits are with you of lost loved ones...well it's getting WEIRD!!! Dreams...things moving on me...noises...songs played in a certain order...finding things that no one's ever seen before.
WHAT IS THIS!?!
Alright, so Wednesday (2 days after Nikki, our dog passed on) I got into my car after work and the song She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy by Kenny Chesney was playing, I got in the car just as it came on. Now this song was my best friend's and my song. We had a dance to it and everything. So every time this song comes on the radio I know he's looking out for me. You may think that's weird, but it's in a way soothing for me to know he's still looking out for me.
The very next song that came on was Emerson Drive's With You. I just love this song, there's so much meaning behind every word of this song, especially the lyrics...
I'd give anything, anything to kiss your face
And I'd trade all my forever for one more day with you
Living, Breathing, Laughing
Feeling you here by my side
...so yeah you can see why this song means a lot to me. Loosing a loved one and wishing nothing more that they were right there by your side even if it were just for a moment longer. This song always gets me going.
Then the very next song after that was Carrie Underwood's See You Again...Well HELLO! Seriously, wanna talk about someone bawling their eyes out..just play these songs and I'm done. "I'll see you again, This is not where it ends, I'll carry you with me, Til' I see you again" ... I can't even explain this one... I can but I'll cry!
We've all been hearing noises in the house like Nikki is still here. It's comforting, yet it's unnerving. We live in an old house that's built over the foundation of a church (clue #1 why I'm likely so weird!), in the country. So hearing noises in the house is a little weird.
Now things in my room are moving. Things that haven't been touched in weeks are falling. My closet doors have been shut for a few days, and something fell from the top shelf ?! Something else that was buried is now somehow on the floor. A few months ago a bottle of 'Ferrari' cologne showed up...it's what my best friend always wore...?!
The night that Nikki passed, when I was finally able to start falling asleep I felt her curl up beside me, back to back like we did when she was a young pup (I'm talking like 12+ years ago)...
So are all these things supposed to be little signs? Or what is going on here?!
Anyways, after all that. I am planning on getting tattoos for both of them. Mackenzie and I were supposed to get matching tattoos, so I am going to get it with his initials and dates with it and I'll be getting Nikki's paw print on the side of my hip (always by my side). I'm hoping the tattoo artist will be able to do this, as I wasn't able to get an actual print, just a picture and a mold.
So after all the noise in my room tonight of things falling, I think I will curl up in my bed and likely have a 4th sleepless night in a row...I hope it's not busy at work this week!
Wow, has it ever been strange. I know I said something in the last post about believing spirits are with you of lost loved ones...well it's getting WEIRD!!! Dreams...things moving on me...noises...songs played in a certain order...finding things that no one's ever seen before.
WHAT IS THIS!?!
Alright, so Wednesday (2 days after Nikki, our dog passed on) I got into my car after work and the song She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy by Kenny Chesney was playing, I got in the car just as it came on. Now this song was my best friend's and my song. We had a dance to it and everything. So every time this song comes on the radio I know he's looking out for me. You may think that's weird, but it's in a way soothing for me to know he's still looking out for me.
The very next song that came on was Emerson Drive's With You. I just love this song, there's so much meaning behind every word of this song, especially the lyrics...
I'd give anything, anything to kiss your face
And I'd trade all my forever for one more day with you
Living, Breathing, Laughing
Feeling you here by my side
...so yeah you can see why this song means a lot to me. Loosing a loved one and wishing nothing more that they were right there by your side even if it were just for a moment longer. This song always gets me going.
Then the very next song after that was Carrie Underwood's See You Again...Well HELLO! Seriously, wanna talk about someone bawling their eyes out..just play these songs and I'm done. "I'll see you again, This is not where it ends, I'll carry you with me, Til' I see you again" ... I can't even explain this one... I can but I'll cry!
We've all been hearing noises in the house like Nikki is still here. It's comforting, yet it's unnerving. We live in an old house that's built over the foundation of a church (clue #1 why I'm likely so weird!), in the country. So hearing noises in the house is a little weird.
Now things in my room are moving. Things that haven't been touched in weeks are falling. My closet doors have been shut for a few days, and something fell from the top shelf ?! Something else that was buried is now somehow on the floor. A few months ago a bottle of 'Ferrari' cologne showed up...it's what my best friend always wore...?!
The night that Nikki passed, when I was finally able to start falling asleep I felt her curl up beside me, back to back like we did when she was a young pup (I'm talking like 12+ years ago)...
So are all these things supposed to be little signs? Or what is going on here?!
Anyways, after all that. I am planning on getting tattoos for both of them. Mackenzie and I were supposed to get matching tattoos, so I am going to get it with his initials and dates with it and I'll be getting Nikki's paw print on the side of my hip (always by my side). I'm hoping the tattoo artist will be able to do this, as I wasn't able to get an actual print, just a picture and a mold.
So after all the noise in my room tonight of things falling, I think I will curl up in my bed and likely have a 4th sleepless night in a row...I hope it's not busy at work this week!
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