Some Days You Just Need a Helmet

Yesterday Addy was having a really really bad morning. I didn't have time for her hysterics because I was rushing everybody out the door. So she got herself ready. She obviously felt that it was one of those days: a day when you need a cape and a helmet to face the terrible darkness of the world. I stopped rushing long enough to try to coax a picture out of her.

Sometimes I wish I could just put on a cape and helmet to make facing the world bearable.

House of Cushions

I had some pictures with Meghan playing here too. But(t) every shot had her showing major crack so unfortunately the records will never show that Meghan once had fun with the couch cushions. We will now have a moment of silence to mourn posterior- I mean posterity's lost knowledge of their ancestors.

Swing Babies

Cake-Mix Cookies

Like a backwards cherry cordial except with strawberries.

This is my new favorite way to make cookies because its super easy and super fast. Handy too when I find a cake mix sale for like 90 cents a box. So I stock up a handful and make these when I feel like it. My favorite is Devil's Food Cake with white chocolate chips. The picture is of our experiment today: strawberry cake and chocolate chips. Not bad, if you like that sort of thing.

Cake-Mix Cookies

1 box cake mix

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

1-2 cups chocolate chips (or butterscotch chips or peanut butter chips or nuts or m&ms or bacon bits or whatever floats your boat)

Combine cake mix, oil and eggs until mixed. If it's a little runny add a spoon or two of white flour. Add chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Let cool on pan for 2 minutes. Eat and Repeat.

UPDATE NOTE: I usually add a spoonful or two of flour to stiffen the dough up a bit, but its not mandatory. You know, simply a suggestion. If you want to. Why are you looking at me like that?

UPDATE NOTE 2: After a bit of experimentation, I've decided the Betty Crocker cake mixes are much better for this than the Pillsburry ones.

UPDATE NOTE 3:  After some more experimentation, I found that the Pillsburry cake mixes worked pretty well with 1/3 cup of oil instead of 1/2 cup of oil.  Not sure if this extends to the Betty Crocker mixes.  Probably would mean that I wouldn't need the extra flour.

I Need This Barbie...

if only to terrify the neighborhood children.

I Love Lucy indeed.

Black Tie Mousse Cake

I finally did it: I got my Olive Garden black tie mousse cake imitation recipe "perfect." Perfect being defined as How I want it. Cake-y brownie, cream cheese mousse, custard, dark chocolate ganache, chocolate whipped cream and mini chocolate chips. It takes an afternoon to make, so its a bit of an investment of time.

Olive Garden Black Tie Mousse Cake

Servings: 16

approx 608 calories/443 fat calories/49 grams of fat

---Bottom Layer---

1 box Chocolate brownie mix

---Second Layer---

1 teaspoon Unflavored gelatin

1 tablespoon cold water

2 tablespoons boiling water

4 ounces chocolate chips (2/3 cup)

6 ounces cream cheese, cubed

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

---Third Layer--- (I doubled this layer from the original, Kyle thinks its too much but I like it. Plus I couldn't figure how to do 1.5 times 3 egg yolks)

6 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

6 tablespoons flour, sifted

2 teaspoons Unflavored gelatin

3 – 3 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

---Fourth Layer---

1 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

12 ounces chocolate chips (2 cups)

---Fifth Layer---

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup Mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Bottom Layer: Prepare brownies according to the box, making them more cakey by doubling the water. Bake about 1/2 of the batter in a springform cheesecake pan (for the cake) and the rest in an 8x8 for approximately 20-25 minutes. Since you're splitting the recipe you will have to check it frequently near the end to make sure it is done (knife in the middle comes out almost clean). You won't be using the 8x8 brownies so go ahead and enjoy them. Don't remove the springform collar because it will shape the rest of the layers.

2. Second Layer: Melt cream cheese in a double boiler. While its melting, melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl (approx 2 minutes on high). Stir chocolate chips until smooth, add into melted cream cheese. Let cool. Soften gelatin with cold water for 1 minute, then add boiling water, stir until dissolved and clear. Let this cool while you start whipping the heavy cream and sugar. As cream starts to thicken, add gelatin. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Add 1/4 of the cream to the chocolate mixture and mix thoroughly. Then fold this into the remaining cream. Once you have completed spread onto cake and refrigerate.

3. Third Layer: Beat egg yolks until pale. Add sugar, flour and gelatin, then beat until mixed. Bring cream and vanilla extract to a boil. Add a small amount of cream to egg mixture while stirring. Gradually add until all of the cream has been added and then pour entire mixture back into the pan. Continue to cook until custard begins to thicken. Not too thick or it might go grainy. Cool slightly pour on top of chocolate mousse and freeze while getting the icing ready.

4. Fourth Layer: Bring butter and cream to a boil, pour over chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let cool (slightly warmer than room temp) until it starts to thicken. Remove cake from freezer and remove the collar. Pour some of the ganache (about 1/2) and using a spatula spread it evenly across the top and sides of cake. Freeze while finishing last layer.

5. Fifth Layer: Whip heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks. Fold in remaining ganache. Pipe onto top of cake in decorative border. Sprinkle on mini chocolate chips. Freeze or refrigerate. If left in the freezer all night it becomes solid as a rock so you might need to defrost it in the fridge before you can eat it.

Crazy Baby

Not crawling yet, but boy does she get around. She really wants to stand. One picture I haven't captured yet: she puts her feet on the ground, lifts her behind into the air and then pushes with her hands trying to get herself to stand. It doesn't work yet.

Princess of the Garden Fairies

Oh, and some kid with a bouquet.

Hair Cut

Here Meghan, let me get your picture with your new hair cut!

No, put your tongue back in your mouth.

Like that is a whole lot better.

There we go. :)

Why the haircut? Because when you turn your back on kids and scissors for any amount of time, you'll find nicely chopped clumps of hair on the floor. Addy got a thinning treatment. Sadly, Addy's hair is already so thin that you can't really tell it's a whole lot wispier unless you're looking for it. Meghan, on the other hand, required a bit more work on my part.

Herbal Infusion Party

Tea Parties with real water are the best.

Jealous she wasn't invited to the Tea Party.

In My Little Red Wagon

Here is one of our awesome Christmas gifts. Boy does this make taking walks very easy. Of course, what was the girls's favorite part?

The Box.

Babies Need Hats

Snow Buddies

Daddy and Addy wandering and making snow angels.

Utah Christmas

Decorating the Christmas Tree

Meghan loved decorating Nana's Christmas tree with whatever she had on hand. The Lincoln Logs were the most popular, but baby toys and ribbons worked great. Yes, eventually we did get out real decorations which resulted in a Nutcracker convention in that same spot where her toy decorations previously resided.

Hee hee hee. You'll never find me in my secret fortress.

Reach! If only I could just REEEEEAAAAACH!

Sleepy Babies.

Vivian and her pink chair.

This was her favorite toy. The chair was just the right weight, the right dimensions, the right texture for holding and chewing.

Still Growing