We went swimming at Reed Park tonight. They have put in three new play areas. The kids had so much fun. One more thing checked off our summer bucket list! Little man fell asleep at 8pm on the sofa. He played so hard. He loves the slides. No fear!
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
smore cupcakes yum yum
S'Mores Cupcakes
Adapted from MarthaStewart.com
Makes 24 cupcakes
1 "Family Size" box Pilsbury Fudge Brownies
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
20 graham crackers
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 bag unsweetened mini chocolate chips
2 cans Marshmallow Fluff
2 Hershey Bars (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place 24 cupcake liners in muffin tins. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for "cake like" brownies (3 eggs instead of 2). Set aside batter.
Combine graham crackers and sugar in a food processor or blender and pulse until the crackers are crushed into small, even crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse again until mixture is crumbly but becomes firm when pressed.
Drop 1 Tablespoon of graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup and use a small glass to press them down until evenly spread and firm. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of chocolate chips on top of graham crust in each cupcake. Place cupcake pans in the oven for about 5 minutes to firm graham crusts and begin melting the chocolate.
Remove pans from oven and fill each muffin cup with brownie batter until 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle each cupcake with another teaspoon of chocolate chips and a Tablespoon of graham mixture. Place tins in the oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean.
Place muffin tins on a rack until the cupcakes are cooled. Meanwhile, fill a pastry bag or quart-sized zipper bag with marshmallow fluff. When cupcakes have cooled, pipe a small amount of frosting on top of each cake. Do not overfrost, as the fluff will ooze as it settles onto the cakes.
Turn oven to broil setting and place muffin tins, one at a time, under broiler approximately 1 inch from the flame. Watch the cakes closely to make sure they puff and brown but do not burn. This may only take a few seconds! Shift tin as needed to make sure the marshmallow browns evenly. Repeat with the second tin. If desired, once cupcakes are completely cooled, top each with a piece of Hershey's chocolate.
Serve with lots of napkins....or a hose.
Adapted from MarthaStewart.com
Makes 24 cupcakes
1 "Family Size" box Pilsbury Fudge Brownies
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
20 graham crackers
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 bag unsweetened mini chocolate chips
2 cans Marshmallow Fluff
2 Hershey Bars (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place 24 cupcake liners in muffin tins. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions for "cake like" brownies (3 eggs instead of 2). Set aside batter.
Combine graham crackers and sugar in a food processor or blender and pulse until the crackers are crushed into small, even crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse again until mixture is crumbly but becomes firm when pressed.
Drop 1 Tablespoon of graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup and use a small glass to press them down until evenly spread and firm. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of chocolate chips on top of graham crust in each cupcake. Place cupcake pans in the oven for about 5 minutes to firm graham crusts and begin melting the chocolate.
Remove pans from oven and fill each muffin cup with brownie batter until 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle each cupcake with another teaspoon of chocolate chips and a Tablespoon of graham mixture. Place tins in the oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean.
Place muffin tins on a rack until the cupcakes are cooled. Meanwhile, fill a pastry bag or quart-sized zipper bag with marshmallow fluff. When cupcakes have cooled, pipe a small amount of frosting on top of each cake. Do not overfrost, as the fluff will ooze as it settles onto the cakes.
Turn oven to broil setting and place muffin tins, one at a time, under broiler approximately 1 inch from the flame. Watch the cakes closely to make sure they puff and brown but do not burn. This may only take a few seconds! Shift tin as needed to make sure the marshmallow browns evenly. Repeat with the second tin. If desired, once cupcakes are completely cooled, top each with a piece of Hershey's chocolate.
Serve with lots of napkins....or a hose.
Cancer Survivors Day
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Summer Bucket List
Summer Bucket List 2011
I have seen several summer lists and decided to modify this one to meet our needs.
- Go Swimming at the Gravel Pits
- Go to the area parks like Hartwick Pines
- Hiking on the Fred Meyer Rail Trail
- Bubbles station
- Make Ice Cream in a bag
- Water Balloons
- Family Picnic on July 4th
- Attend an outdoor concert in the park
- Michigan Adventure Water Park
- Children's museum
- Binder Park Zoo
- Fishing
- Camp in backyard
- Make smores
- Dinner at the Lake
- Sidewalk chalk
- Go to the Splash park in Sanford
- Parade
- Read books in back yard
- Make a park in back yard
- Bowling
- Local historical sites
- Local summer festivals
- Farmer's market
- Geocaching
- Scavanger Hunts
- Star Gazing
- Fireworks
- Make & eat popsicles
- Feed ducks @ the pond
- Play in sprinklers
- Mini-golf
- Soccer
- Paint Rocks
- Make Forts
- Slip & Slide
- Nature journal
- Banana splits
- Free summer concerts
- Hopscotch
- Pick strawberries
- Can some jam
- Garden with the kids
Friday, June 10, 2011
In the garden
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Panda Express Orange Chicken
Panda Express Orange Chicken recipe from easy-restaurant-recipes.blogspot.comFOR THE ORANGE CHICKEN SAUCE:
5 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons white vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons water
grated zest from 1 orange (optional)*
FOR THE CHICKEN:
2 pounds boneless chicken pieces, skinned
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
White pepper
Oil
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch, divided use
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon minced ginger root
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 dash crushed hot red chilies
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon rice wine
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon sesame oil
TO PREPARE THE ORANGE CHICKEN SAUCE:
Stir together the ingredients for the sauce; set aside.
TO PREPARE THE CHICKEN:
Cut chicken pieces into 2-inch squares and place in large bowl. Stir in egg, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon oil and mix well; set aside.
Stir 1/2 cup cornstarch and the flour together. Add chicken pieces, stirring to coat.
Heat oil for deep-frying in wok or deep-fryer to 375 degrees F. Add chicken pieces, small batch at time, and fry 3 to 4 minutes or until golden and crisp. (Do not overcook or chicken will be tough.) Remove chicken from oil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
Clean wok and heat 15 seconds over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant.
Add and stir-fry crushed chilies and green onions.
Add rice wine and stir 3 seconds.
Add Orange Sauce and bring to boil.
Add cooked chicken, stirring until well mixed.
Stir water into remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth. Add to chicken and heat until sauce is thickened.
Stir in 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Serve at once.
*You may want to add grated zest of 1 orange to the sauce for flavor.
Servings: 6
got to try this! I love this as take out. I didn't mean to copy picture but when I copied the recipe the picture came too and I can't take it out without loosing the recipe.
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