Happy Holidays!

The past week was a blitz of Christmas activities and a quick trip to Portland, but somehow I only managed to take the following pictures. I can't tell you exactly what compels me to take a photograph, but it's apparently random....and little strange. Here you go....

While shopping for an HBU shirt in the HBU bookstore, I came across this lone donkey in an HBU shirt. What. the. heck?. HBU's mascot is a husky. Why on earth was there ONE little DONKEY decked out in an HBU shirt?! Absurdities like this make me very happy. I bought it.

On Saturday, December 18, I flew to Portland, Oregon. They've been having an unusually dry December and that Saturday was gorgeous with clear, blue skies. The first thing I saw when I stepped off the (tiny) plane was a clear view of Mount Hood. Beautiful! The rest of my days in Portland were gray and cloudy, but it never really rained. I kind of wish it had.

My first stop, after picking up my rental car, in Portland was IKEA. Then I went to Petsmart where I found this adorable pit bull luggage tag! Which I bought. For myself. I'm much better at Christmas shopping for myself than I am for others.

I spent 3 nights in Portland, 2 of those nights were with Erin! And Leonard! Since I moved from Portland Erin and her boyfriend, Chris, moved into a new apartment in North Portland and got a dog (Leonard). Their apartment was so nice, it was so gracious of them to let me stay with them, and I had so much fun!

After church on Sunday, I came out to my rental car and found that I was parked behind an SUV with a TEXAS license plate! This excited me. Who goes all the way to Oregon only to be excited about seeing a license plate from the state they live in?!

At my favorite thrift store, Village Merchants, I found this fur purse. Of course I did. I had been eyeing one at JC Penny in Houston that cost $40. This one cost $8! Gosh, I love that thrift store!

On my last morning in Portland I ate a pumpkin bagel with cinnamon cream cheese and Stumptown coffee, while observing cool Portland people, do cool Portland things on their Macs. 

I also went shopping on NW 23rd and found this hotdog necklace. No, I didn't buy it. I'm not spending $22 on a hotdog necklace. But I did buy 4 sequined scarves (to give as gifts), an Eiffel Tower key chain, and a new collar for Henry.

My flight back home was crazy and annoying. When we landed in Houston one guy asked the flight attendant, "where do we get our luggage?". She looked at him like he was an alien and responded, "At baggage claim". That's just one example of the lou-lous that were on that plane.

My flight got into Houston at 12:45 am on Wednesday, December 21. That night we celebrated Christmas with my mom's side of the family and I made this veggie lasagna. I adapted it from this recipe.

At Powell's Bookstore in Portland I bought Henry's sister, Cali, this natural, organic, cotton-filled toy that was made to look like a stick. Before I had a chance to pack it up and send it to Georgia, Henry found it, chewed on it, ripped the tag off, and got it muddy. Merry Christmas, Cali!

My Christmas present wrapping theme this year was lime green and silver.

I received a gift on my dad's side of the family in this cat bag. At first glance I thought it was a lion dressed like Santa. Later I realized it was just a regular cat with a Santa hat on, but I loved it nonetheless.

Greg (my cousin's husband) gave me said gift in said cat bag. Here he's modeling one of the sequined scarves I bought in Portland.

My cousin Denise's baby, James.

I made these cinnamon rolls for Christmas Eve brunch. I made these for the first time in 2008 I think and now they've kind of become a tradition. I use the Pioneer Woman's recipe and they're really not that difficult to make. And they are honestly the best cinnamon rolls I've ever eaten. I half the recipe.

Henry receiving his Christmas gift.

Henry's favorite part of Christmas was playing in all the wrapping paper and with all the boxes. It brought my heart such joy to see him so happy.

Here's a close up of the collar I got Henry in Portland. It made from recycled neck ties and he looks sooo handsome in it!

Henry, modeling a scarf I received from my brother and sister-in-law. Isn't he dashing?

This collection of pictures in no way truly represents my Christmas, but it is what it is. 

Merry Christmas!

Homemade S'Mores Party!

Look at that delicious chocolate and bright, white, fluffy marshmallow!

This past September my friend Ashley I took a weekend trip to Austin. While we were in Austin we had s'mores for dessert at this little coffee/wine/dessert place on 6th Street (we're so wild). To toast the marshmallows they had this little mini fire at our table. It was really funny because when the server put the fire on our table he instructed us not to light our marshmallows on fire and wave them around the restaurant. I guess they'd had problems with that...


As were we eating our s'mores, and commenting on how good they were, we came up with the bright idea of making our own homemade s'mores, with homemade marshmallows and homemade graham crackers. Back then it was only a dream, but last night we made it a reality!

The marshmallow recipe was actually really easy to follow. They were made in 13 x 9 inch pan, which made one GIANT marshmallow that had to be cut into smaller cubes. Which was fun! I was surprised at how easily the giant marshmallow came out of the pan and how easy it was to cut it into cubes. Just make sure you have plenty of powdered sugar on hand. It makes things less sticky. 

Once a marshmallow cube was cut, I dipped all six of its sides in powdered sugar so that they wouldn't all stuck together in the bag. 

 Here are all the marshmallows, happy in their Ziploc-bag home. Ready to be eaten. Homemade marshmallows are so soft. Seriously. It's a wonderful sensory experience. They're like little, heavenly pillows. I want to jump in a giant pile of homemade marshmallows. 

On my way to the s'more-eating event, I saw this beautifully decorated tree. Huge, old oak trees are one of my favorite things about Houston... 

Ashley made the graham crackers...

Paula bought the chocolate and melted it in her fondue set...

The finished product. We didn't toast the marshmallows (which I still kind of want to try), but the chocolate was melted from the fondue pot and everything was very delicious and rich. 

Paula enjoying a marshmallow while Samuel enjoyed an intense game of Monopoly ;)

Ashley enjoying a s'more...

The recipe...

Springy, Fluffy Marshmallows 

From Smitten Kitchen

3 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

1 cup cold water, divided

2 cups sugar 

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 egg whites 

1 tablespoon vanilla 

Oil (I used Crisco) bottom and sides of a 13 x 9 inch rectangular metal (I used glass) baking pan and dust bottom and sides with some powdered sugar.

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer or in a large bowl sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water, and let stand to soften.

In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook sugar, corn syrup, second 1/2 cup of cold water, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240 degrees, about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.

With standing or a hand-held electric mixer beat mixture on high speed until white, thick, and nearly tripled in volume, about six minutes if using standing mixer or about 10 minutes if using hand-held mixer. 

In separate medium bowl with cleaned beaters beat egg whites until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla into sugar mixture until just combined. Pour mixture into baking pan and don’t fret if you don’t get it all out. Sift 1/4 cup powdered sugar evenly over top. Chill marshmallow, uncovered, until firm, at least three hours, and up to one day.

Run a thin knife around edges of pan and invert pan onto a large cutting board. Lifting up one corner of inverted pan, with fingers loosen marshmallow and ease onto cutting board. With a large knife trim edges of marshmallow and cut marshmallow into roughly one-inch cubes.Sift remaining confectioners’ sugar back into your now-empty baking pan, and roll the marshmallows through it, on all six sides, before shaking off the excess and packing them away.

Marshmallows keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature 1 week.

Butterscotch Haystack Bars

For several years now I have made Butterscotch Haystacks every year at Christmas time. Normally, butterscotch haystacks are comprised of Chinese noodles, salted peanuts, peanut butter, and butterscotch chips.

Butterscotch Haystacks from Christmas 2009

A couple of weeks ago I saw a recipe for salted nut bars, which sounded good, but as I looked at the recipe I ingeniously realized that those ingredients could easily be altered to create Butterscotch Haystack Bars!!! I couldn't wait to make them!

The result? Delicious! Do I like them as much as I like butterscotch haystacks? Yes, but in a different way. The classic butterscotch haystack is very crunchy due to the noodles. These bars are definitely softer, but there is still a crunch from the noodles and peanuts. I would say these almost borderline on fudge....I'm not exactly sure what technically qualifies a sweet as being "fudge", but these must be close.

I am absolutely in love with the salty sweet combo in these bars and that they're so easy and quick to make! If you love butterscotch haystacks, I would encourage you to give these a try.

Butterscotch Haystack Bars
adapted from Bake or Brake
1 1/2 cups Chinese noodles
1 1/2 cups salted peanuts (no skins)
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup peanut butter chips
3 Tablespoons butter
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups miniature marshmallows

In an ungreased casserole pan (use 11x7, 9x13, or mine was 10x10) evenly spread the noodles and 3/4 cup of the peanuts.

The noodles.  

The peanuts. 

In a medium saucepan melt the butter, peanut butter chips, and butterscotch chips over low heat. Add the sweetened condensed milk and the mini marshmallows and stir until the marshmallows are completely melted and the mixture is smooth.

Pour the mixture into the pan, over the noodles and peanut, spread evenly and sprinkle the other 3/4 cup peanuts.

Refrigerate to let the bars set up. Then cut  and serve either cold or at room temperature. I prefer them at room temp for sure.

Look! Fall leaves in Houston! I know it's December....but still! Fall leaves!

I'm a Cake Slice Baker!

I am now a member of The Cake Slice Bakers! That means that every month I will bake a cake that all the members voted on from the Southern Cakes cookbook. This is very exciting news in my world! I've been waiting for months to be able to join this group. I will be posting pictures, recipes, and thoughts about my cakes here.

My Best Friend's Birthday

Last Wednesday was AJ's birthday. Happy Birthday AJ! She had to work late on the actual day, but we still celebrated with chocolate chip pancakes for lunch, and cheesecake and presents when she got home that night. It was really fun!

I made a strawberry white chocolate chip cheesecake, which was really pretty, but I wasn't too impressed with the taste - which was kinda disappointing. However, I also came down with a cold that day and it might have affected my taste-buds(?!). 

 The night after AJ's birthday, my family took her out to Benihana's to celebrate. I had never been to a Japanese steakhouse before - it was really fun and good!

I really enjoy celebrating birthdays!

Measuring Cups

My mom bought me these today and I am happy!

If you can't tell, these are measuring cups that look like tea/coffee cups. So cute! They're from Anthropologie and they also make ones that look like ducks, flowers, and a Russian doll. 

I was in the newspaper!

About a month ago I started this blog. It's just a fun way for me to display the things I cook and bake. I just did it for myself; I didn't even tell anyone about it (except my mom and a couple of friends). 

Then one day last week I got an email from a lady who writes Food articles in the Galveston County newspaper. She was writing an article on the popularity of cake balls and she wanted to know if she could ask me a few questions. 

I was so excited! My first thought was - how on earth did she find my blog??? It turns out she had googled "Cake Lady, Friendswood Texas, and cake balls" and I just happened to blog about all those things in one post.

So, anyway, here's the article. It's my first experience with baking publicity. Hopefully it won't be my last :)

The Process

In January I started teaching for an after school program at an inner-city middle school in Fort Worth. I teach a baking class. Yesterday we were making Cookie Surprise. Cookie Surprise is a very simple dish - you just layer chocolate chip cookies and Cool Whip and cover the top layer in chocolate syrup and chocolate chips. However, it is a process.

First, you have to put cookie dough on baking sheets.
Then you have to bake the cookies.
Then you have to let them cool.
Then you dunk them in milk.
Then you put them in a pan.
Then you top it with Cool Whip.
Then you repeat the process.
Then you drizzle the chocolate syrup and sprinkle the chocolate chips.
Then (as if life weren't cruel enough) you have to put the whole thing in the freezer for about 10 minutes before you can eat it.

Now, I love those middle school-ers. I genuinely love them. Sometimes it surprises me how much I love them. They're precious. I want to take them home with me. Not really. But I like them. A lot. However, they have a MAJOR weakness: they are not, in any form of the word, patient. Patience is not even a virtue they wish to have. They want instant gratification. They wanted entertainment and satisfaction and they want is NOW.

Cookie Surprise is a delicious dish, but my class was so impatient, they didn't even want to wait for it to be completed. They wanted to eat the different components of the recipe. The cookies, the Cool Whip, the chocolate chips, and the chocolate syrup. They were willing to forgo the finished product in order to have the immediate gratification of the ingredients - the parts of the process.

Now, because I have the unique ability to turn almost anything into a spiritual lesson for myself, I thought about how much I am like my students. Not with desserts, but with life.

Most things in life are a process. Graduating from college. Forming close relationships. Feeling comfortable in a new environment. Learning to be more confident. It's all a process. But I can be very impatient. I want what I want NOW and I don't want to wait. And sometimes I'm tempted to settle for parts of what I want. Not what I really want. I want Cookie Surprise, but I'll settle for a hand full of chocolate chips.

Why do we do this? There's a book that says kids in poverty have trouble understanding delayed gratification. They want things immediately because nothing is guaranteed in their lives. Promises in their lives are frequently broken.

I think sometimes I act like I'm spiritually poor. I don't believe God's promises or that through a process He is bringing good things into my life. I want Him to give me what I want NOW or else I'll settle for something I can secure on my own.

I don't want to be like that. I don't want my students to be like that. I want us to understand and believe that life is a process and good things take time to develop.

Yeah, you want to have something that's real

Well, give it some time, baby

-Pete Yorn lyrics

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:3-6

Christmas Sweets

When AJ and I were in San Francisco, we went Ghirardelli Square almost everyday and every time we went we got a sample of their peppermint bark.

It was pretty good, but I thought I could make it better. I love trying to recreate things, but even better. And homemade stuff is always healthier (not necessarily less fattening though...).

All you need to make delicious peppermint bark is a bag of chocolate and some candy canes or peppermints. I've made peppermint bark with just white chocolate before, but I really like it even better with a layer of dark or milk chocolate. I used Ghirardelli chocolate chips, just to make it a more authentic recreation.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet or cake pan with parchment paper and spread the dark or milk chocolate chips in an even layer. Put this in the oven for 5-7 minutes.


Then use an offset spatula to spread the melted chocolate chips in an even layer. Place this in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.


Meanwhile, put about 5 candy canes (or a large hanful of peppermints) in a ziploc bag and crush them with something heavy. Like a hammer. I used a bottle of champagne :)


When the milk/dark chocolate has hardened in the fridge, put the white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time until melted and smooth when you stir it.


Stir in the crushed candy cane/peppermints.


Then spread the white chocolate over the milk chocolate and leave that in the fridge until it hardens. I usually leave it overnight.

Once it's hardened, you can break it into chunks and voila - you have yummy peppermint bark that will impress all your friends. Super easy and much better than the Ghirardelli kind.

My mom also made these sugar cookies. They're really good by themselves, but we added canned vanilla icing and green and red sugar to make them more festive and even yummier. I think they are pretty.

Merry Christmas!!!