I love you, a bushel and a peck...

Happy Valentine's Day!  Here are some "drunken" dark chocolate truffles that I made for Dan.  And here is the recipe.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chocolate-truffles-recipe/index.html

Of course, I tweaked it a bit.  Before mixing in the liqueur, I divided the chocolate into 3 equal portions and then added a tablespoon of different liqueurs to each one (brandy, triple sec/orange, amaretto).  I also melted the 8 oz. of chocolate in my small crock pot instead of using a heating pad and bowl (really, Alton?!).  These turned out pretty good, but I'm more of a milk chocolate fan.  However, these weren't for me anyways and Dan loved them!  Tonight's dinner: heart shaped homemade pizza with my big and little valentine's. :)

Mom Uniform: Outfit 4 of 30

If I was a cartoon character, this is the outfit I would be drawn in.  I wear it over and over...sometimes with boots...whoa wild.  So, it's early in the remix and I'm already wearing 'ol faithful.  I'm not sure what I'm going to be dressed in by the end!  P.S. My photo is from Luke's high chair point of view.  He's screaming...does he want to eat or something? I think he wants me to stop taking stupid pictures of myself in front of the oven and dish him some dinner!  Maybe he'll stop if I do the robot with oven mits on? Nope.

Remix 4/30: striped cardigan + seafoam v-neck + slim jeans + converse

All Dressed Up...and Finally Somewhere to Go! Remix 3 of 30

Yesss! We busted out of snow prison yesterday and got to go to Target and Hobby Lobby...yippee!  It was certainly an occasion to dress up for.

Outfit 3: Sweater dress + suede boots + tights + belt + red bag

11 uses for Apple Butter, 3 days of hibernation & 2nd Remix Outfit

Still hibernating around here...I am hoping hubby will take us out tomorrow to hobby lobby and dinner, hey-oh!  Yesterday I made crockpot apple butter that takes all day.  Man oh man it's worth the 12 hours.  Last night I had it over vanilla ice cream and this morning Luke and I had it on some toast.  I was brainstorming some other uses for this tasty stuff...with greek yogurt, spread on biscuits, pancakes or waffles, thumbprint cookies, inside wonton wrappers for little pie fritters, baked inside of cresent rolls, mixed with oatmeal, swirled in cake batter and baked into a apple cake...ooh I might need to have that apple butter topped ice cream again!  Recipe follows post. I'll take and post a picture tomorrow.  Here is my second outfit for the 30 for 30 remix challenge...

Outfit 2: Argyle Cardigan + pink v-neck + cargos + suede boots
Luke: dino pjs + elmo slippers :)

Crock Pot Apple Butter (Adapted from http://www.food.com/recipe/crock-pot-apple-butter-93886)

Ingredients:

About 3 lbs apples (10 medium) (I used a mix of granny smith, gala, & braeburn) - peeled, cored, & diced small

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1. Mix all ingredients together in crock pot.  Cook on high for 1 hour.

2. Turn down to low and cook for 9-11 hours until thick and brown.  Half way through I stirred and mashed with potato masher...though I'm not sure it was neccessary.

3. Uncover and cook for one hour more.

4. Cool and store in fridge or freezer.



Day 1: Wardrobe Remix

Day 1: gray sweater + skinny jeans + brown ankle boots + belt

It was my second day of being snowed-in, so this outfit stayed inside (and truth be told slippers were the footwear of choice for most of the day!)  I kept things simple for playing with my little man, practicing on my new embroidery machine, digging a tunnel in the snow for Franklin to go out in the backyard, and making apple butter. Stay tuned for a recipe that will make your house smell amazing!!

30 for 30: Wardrobe REMIX!

I am by no means a "fashion blogger"...just wanted to make that clear!  But, I have been so enthralled by real fashion bloggers lately like... Kendi at kendieveryday.blogspot.com, Sydney at tandsdaybook.blogspot.com and my friend, Shea, at bonchicbongastronomique.blogspot.com.  Speaking of Kendi, every season she inspires hundreds of readers to join the "30 for 30 Wardrobe Remix".  You choose 30 articles of clothing & shoes and for 30 days you wear only those items to make 30 different outfits...and no shopping allowed during this remix!  Here's why I want to do this...

1. One pj day is fun, but 2 or more makes you feel frumpy and lazy!
2. I wear the same jeans, cardigan, tee combo pretty much every other day.
3. There are items in my closet that get completely ignored and it's time to give them attention.
4. Any restriction to shopping is a good thing for me!
5. I have plenty of accessories that need to be worn.
6. I have an obsession with makeover shows, so this is kind of like that.
7. Not practical to wear a dress to shop for groceries, but it's a bit old timey, and I like that!
8. Just for a fun challenge, my 7th grade self would be pleased that I haven't changed much. :)

So, here are my 30 wardrobe picks...