Deep fried bliss

Ok, so I do not own a deep-fryer, for very good reason. If I did, I would be making things like I ate last weekend- deep fried pickles and deep-fried burgers! Yes...an artery clogging, deep fried burger, topped with sour cream and jack chesse. Let me back up a little here...

A good friend of mine was getting ready to leave for the summer, so a few of us got together to grab some drinks and a bite to eat last weekend. We went to a local place known for their burger menu, so naturally, most of us tried something new in that department. Myself of course, chose the ever popular deep-fryer burger. All it is really, is a hamburger and fix-ins covered in a tortilla wrap and flash-fried, then topped with sour-cream and cheese, and let me tell you, it was D-E-L-I-S-H. Mind you, I could only eat close to half of it, since I was also enjoying some french fries and my pickles.

Now, lets get to the pickles. If you like dill, you will love these. Imagine a large spear of pickle, deep fried in a crunchy Italian like batter, along with a ranch like dipping sauce and fresh dill. Sadly, we hoed into the pickles so quickly, I forgot to snap a pic to show you :( I did however, grab a pic of the burger for your viewing pleasure, so without further a due, the deep-fried burger.

Dreaming of Cake

Ok, so I think I have a cake problem?! Last night, right before bed, all I could think about was cake, and icing, mounds of mounds of buttercream icing! Right before I went to sleep I was talking cake with Construction Man, so maybe that's why it stayed in my head all night. Regardless, my thoughts are still consumed with cake this morning so I thought I would share some decorating ideas with you.

Since I love to bake, I plan on making my own Birthday cake next month. If you have not had a chance to check out the Blog "I am Baker" then you really should, that is where I picked my design for my soon to be Birthday cake.

 

The inside has vertical layers :)

So there it is, isn't it a beauty? I can't wait to try it out and take some pics to share with everyone. There is also a similar version of the Rose cake done Neapolitan style that I also want to try.

I guess we will just have to wait and see how much energy I have on my Birthday, but one of these ladies is going to be all mine, well, I guess I will share. Check out the "I Am Baker" blog for more decorating ideas and recipes http://iambaker.net/

A healthy Triple Chocolate Muffin? Yes please :)

If you are anything like me, than you LOVE chocolate. I'm talking about the can't get you out of my head, true heart's desire, kind of love. This can obviously be a problem....so when I pinned a recipe for healthy chocolate muffins, I was excited to get in the kitchen.

The only thing I did not enjoy about the recipe, was that it used a cup of sugar substitute, which I am not a fan of, but hey, you win some, you lose some. The rest of the recipe calls for simple, healthy ingredients like apple sauce instead of oil and cocoa powder instead of mounds of actual chocolate. But don't fret, there are a few chocolate chips in the recipe for good measure.

Overall, the taste was pretty great considering the lack of un-healthy ingredients. They were Superkid approved and judging by how fast they were consumed, I believe Construction Man was a fan too. They will definitely be something I make again because they are almost guilt-free for me, and I like that when it comes to my chocolate! Next time you have the urge to bake healthy, give this one a try. The recipe can be found here : http://healthyisalwaysbetter.tumblr.com/post/6583755120/lessthan300kcal-triple-chocolate-chunk-muffin

Toddler Times- what Superkid is up to now!

On a day-to-day basis, I find myself in awe of how much my little Superkid knows and learns. Construction Man and I have always thought she was the smartest most beautiful little girl in the whole wide world, but obviously, we are her parents and we are biased, of course.

At any given time, like most toddlers, she is surprising us, changing with every blink of an eye and it all happens so fast. From first steps, to big-girl beds and potty training, I am always wondering what will be our next big milestone, but she never makes me wait to long to show me something new she can accomplish.

Here are some of the things Superkid is up to now, at 27 months:

• Mommy Mocking- Saying things like "Bless you Heart" when someone sneezes or calling her little friends "Sweetie".
• Strong Decision Making- When asked which Blizzrd flavor she prefered a few weeks ago, Mom's Midnight Truffle or Dad's Strawberry Cheesequake, she didn't choose but replied "I like both".
• Book Memory- We get a slew of books each week from the library, which we burn through in no time, and Superkid after one read, can usually recall and help finish sentences from the pages.
• Puzzle Building- Over the past week, she managed to teach herself to put together her 10 ft, 28 piece Alphabet puzzle, on her own. This is a new favorite and she does it multiple times a day.
• Personal info- If Superkid is ever lost, we can rest assured if asked, she could provide the following information: Her full name, address (including street number), hair and eye color, and parents first and last names.
• Surroundings- We noticed she has a keen eye for her surroundings, always asking what so and so place is or what the name of this and that is. She can now easily rhyme off many landmarks around our area including the Library, Grocery store names, big-box stores like Wal-Mart and Canadian Tire, and resturants like Boston Pizza and Eastside Mario's, to name a few.
• Music-We listen to a lot of music via the radio and YouTube in our house, and Superkid listens to our music as much as her own kid stuff. She loves to sing and has been asking for specific songs and singers in particular which is really cool.

As a mom, I could go on and on for days with the list, but I will cap my Mommy bragging right there for now.  I have to admit, I could not be any prouder and I'm sure you can tell. I can't wait to see what Superkid will show me next; only time will tell.

Happy Friday

There is no better day of the week than Friday, its just special. For me, its the day I slack on cleaning because I hope to not be in the house much during the weekend anyways. It's also a day when I get to think about what I want for a little weekend treat, which is usually something I bake.

We spent our morning grocery shopping and hitting up the library for some quality mommy/superkid time, which is something I make a point to do every week. We have been going since Superkid was about 3 months old and she really has a love for books!

The rest of my weekend is shaping up nicely with a possible play-date this afternoon and a get together with friends tomorrow evening. I will also be hitting the local pool with Superkid this weekend for the 1st time in a while, which will be fun. Throw in a campfire in the backyard and life is complete.

With no real theme for this post I will leave you with what I think is a very fitting "Happy Friday" pic, enjoy :)

Beat the heat with easy ice-coffee

We have been getting some really warm temperatures the last  week or so and one can not complain about that. However, if there is one thing I know, its that the sunshine makes me crave cold, icy, drinks and at take-out prices, you can really rack up a bill. For instance, a Grande Cookie Crumble Frap from Starbucks will cost you just about $6, besides the zillion calories that come with it. I must admit, I did indulge in one while finishing off the Hunger Games Trilogy last weekend and it was worth every penny, but in moderation of course.

A healthier do-at-home ice coffee is as simple as two ingredients: Almond Milk and your fav Coffee :) Simply freeze you cooled down coffee in ice cube trays, and pop a few in a glass of almond milk for a delicious drink when your feeling the heat. These are quick and easy when you are entertaining during the summer months too and it won't break the bank.

Finger Painting Fun

If you are looking for something super fun to do on a rainy day, make your own finger paints! Ok, so maybe the process of making them is not super fun, but your little ones will have a great time playing with them and that will make it worth it. Besides, its pretty quick and easy and you probably have the supplies on hand.


My advice is not to let it thicken to long or that can end up making Vaseline like texture paints, which happened to me the first time I made it. Other than that, have fun with it and experiment  with different colors.




Here is what mine looked like!                                                           Here is Superkids lovely Artwork