Stories of a loner

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Mon, 31 Dec 2012 13:52:27 -0500

This is true love

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:46:51 -0500

This is true love

HAHA Best moment ever!

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 13:01:12 -0500

HAHA Best moment ever!

Pumpkin cookie bars with cream cheese frosting

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 18:14:00 -0500

Today was the perfect fall day to bake with pumpkin ^_^ EKKK! I love pumpkin!

I was really excited to try a recipe for Pumpkin Snickerdoodles. Unfortunately I ran out of time to bake them into cookies. Instead I took the basic cookie recipe and pressed it into a baking pan. (I must say it made for quite the mess) Thankfully they had an amazing taste! I also added a cream cheese frosting to round out the flavor and BAM!The soft delicious pumpkin flavor from the cookie and the sweet creamy flavor of the frosting were a match made in heaven! Hopefully someday I will be able to bake the true recipe but until then these shall do. I do suggest trying to follow the original recipe first.

Ingredients for the Cookies:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Ingredients for cream cheese frosting:
I halved this recipe from Allrecipes

2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar and, granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin puree, then beat in the egg and vanilla.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir until fully incorporated.
Spray baking sheet so bars don’t stick. Press dough into the baking sheet.
After the bars have cooled completely. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners’ sugar.

If you try the recipe let me know what you think!

Happy Baking,

Pizza Balls

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 21:25:00 -0400

Tonight I decided to venture out and try a pizza ball recipe for Danny. They turned out pretty good! Here are some pictures!

Getting prepped to go in the oven

All done =}

The only change I would make is to use the regular size Pillsbury instead of the grand biscuits.

Here’s the recipe

Ingredients:

3 cans Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits (10 biscuits per can)
56 pepperoni slices
Block of cheese (Colby & Monterey Jack or Cheese Stick) or shredded cheese
1 beaten egg
Parmesan
Italian seasoning
Garlic powder
1 jar pizza sauce

Cut the block of cheese into at least 28 squares.
Flatten a biscuit out and stack pepperoni and cheese on top.
Gather up the edges of the biscuit.
Line the rolls up in a greased 9x13 in. pan. Brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with parmesan, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Bake at 425°F for 18-20 minutes.

Serve the rolls with warm pizza sauce for dipping.

Big thanks to Riches to rags for the recipe!

I really suck at this blogging business….

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 19:44:00 -0400

I really suck at this blogging business….

I can dream.

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 01:42:53 -0400

I can dream.

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Fri, 10 Aug 2012 02:46:37 -0400

teaandtolstoy: This is Samwise: The greatest dog ever. Sam...

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 18:42:19 -0400

teaandtolstoy:

This is Samwise: The greatest dog ever. Sam has Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), which is a genetic disease (this in particular is caused by a recessive gene carried by both parents) causing his retinas to deteriorate. I began to notice an increasing “clumsiness” about two years ago, but when I inquired about it, my concerns were shrugged off; however, as time progressed it became increasingly obvious that there was indeed a problem. A few months ago he was diagnosed with PRA, and is now almost completely blind. His eyes are cloudy, and much like a blind person, he has to “feel” his way around. I started frequenting message boards for parents of blind dogs, and I found that many people actually euthanize, or cast off their visually ailing pets. That does not sit well with me. I understand that having a pet with a disability is more work, and they require a bit more attention, but when someone makes a decision to bring an animal into their home, they had best be ready for anything. It is not a convenience factor. I have had people suggest getting rid of Sam- I’ve even heard euthanasia from one brave, moronic, soul. Sam is a very happy little guy. We still play a “sniff and find” version of catch- his favorite game. He runs into things occasionally, and having recently moved to a new home, he gets a little anxious, and follows me everywhere to make sure I don’t leave him, but I love him, and I will do everything in my power to make sure his life is a decent one. Do not abandon your pets simply because they are no longer convenient. The love should extend in both directions, and if you can’t grasp that concept in regards to your pets, then you shouldn’t have them. I implore you to consider your furry family members as just that- family.

I completely believe in her words. Well said Laur

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=190814 Found the discussion to be quite thought...

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 18:38:17 -0400

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=190814

Found the discussion to be quite thought provoking

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Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:13:14 -0400

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Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:12:56 -0400

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Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:12:30 -0400

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Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:12:08 -0400

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Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:09:04 -0400

teaandtolstoy: foolbleed: The Utonagan is a breed of dog that...

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:04:32 -0400

teaandtolstoy:

foolbleed:

The Utonagan is a breed of dog that resembles a wolf, but in fact is a mix of three breeds of domestic dog: Alaskan Malamute, German Shepherd, and Siberian Husky.

I want it.

paperbeatsscissors: Bulba-rave.

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 22:26:38 -0400

paperbeatsscissors:

Bulba-rave.

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Wed, 11 Jul 2012 22:26:03 -0400

4th Of July

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 19:59:39 -0400

For the week of the 4th of July Dan and I packed ourselves into the Tahoe and headed straight for the cabin. Unfortunately everyone found out about my aversion to lakes and lack of coordination. I did however go swimming in the lake despite my resilience. I also failed miserably at water skiing but it just proves that you cannot be good at everything. We went for dirt bike rides and all I can say is that I am addicted!

After the weekend was over Dan and I packed it up and began our 4 hour ride home. The best part was watching the fireworks as we drove through the towns. We stopped just outside of Milacs for their firework show! It was spectacular! Nothing beats watching fireworks and being with someone you care about.

Now to transition into a more health based blog:
I don’t even want to think of the weight I have gained because of all the homemade comfort foods. It was worth it though! For this reason I have declined to weight myself and will do so next week. What’s the harm anyways?

Unfortunately I may have broken one of my toes while jumping off the boat. For this reason I will be altering my workout routine until I can slip on some shoes and at least get on to a bike.

Hope you had a great 4th!

Peace&&Love

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Tue, 10 Jul 2012 19:38:27 -0400