Decorating for Christmas

Needing to try something new for Christmas Decorations, I went with rustic.  I have always been a little partial to rustic anyway, and this just seemed to fit.  The best part, it didn't cost me a dime.

Reed and I went out searching for pine cones.  In Oregon, in the middle of winter, there is no way we were going to find dry pine cones.  But we looked anyway.  We found a bunch of closed pine cones, and they were soaking wet, but we picked them up anyway.

We came home and turned the oven on to 200 degrees and left them in there for an hour.  The house smelled woodsy and the pine cones dried out and opened it.  It was fabulous.

I found gold ribbon in my gift tag box .  With a hot glue gun in hand I started making the jars.

Christmas Jars

Large canning jars

sugar

tea lights

gold ribbon

twine

branch off the Christmas tree

pine cones

Really, they couldn't be cuter and they look like and smell like Christmas.  I used twine, more pieces off the tree and a cinnamon stick to wrap the napkins.  (Next time I will buy cloth napkins for this, but I was so happy to not spend anything on this project, I couldn't bring myself to drive to the store to do that.)

Meeting Some Goals

I'm glad to finally be able to say that I've broken the 6 minute per mile mark.  I ran this on a Monday and by Wednesday I ran 5:46.  I am pretty sure that I have a 5:30 mile in me...just have to mentally prepare for it.  The seconds seem to be just falling off of my times.  

I ran 4 miles outside at a 6:30 minute pace.  I have an app on my iPhone that updates me on my time and pace every mile.  So one day when I went to run outside on my own, I was so shocked when my phone said I was running that fast.  Never one to back down from a challenge, I had to keep the pace up for 4 miles.  My run was suppose to be 6, but I wasn't sure if I would ruin my time by pushing it too much at first.

 I am giving my new dedication to Centergy and Yoga all the credit for my marked improvement in my times.  I have been happy with the new found flexibility and the fact that we do so many planks that I can do push ups like crazy now.  The most beneficial part has definitely been the flexibility in my hips.  I am running with a lot less issues and although my IT bands reacts when I run hard ( faster than an 8 minute pace) for anything over 6 miles, it's been getting better and I'm confident that with continue commitment to Centergy it will help alleviate my issues.

My next goal is to run a half marathon at a 7:30 minute pace.  Interested to see how long my new goal will take me. 

Cherry Limeade Cupcake

Pinterest has made me a cupcake fanatic.  I have always loved cupcakes, but now I just can't get enough of them.  There are so many flavor, so many cakes, so many frosting flavors.  I have no idea how I'm going to maintain my weight if I don't continue working out EVERY DAY!

These yummy things I found at Annie's Eats and it may be one of my favorite cupcakes ever.  It is just the right amount of sweet and tart combined.  And anything topped with a maraschino cherry has to be fabulous.

Cherry Limeade Cupcakes

Yield: 24 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

3 cups cake flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. limeade concentrate

3 eggs

3/4 cup milk (I used 1%)

For the lime syrup:

3/4 cup limeade concentrate

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

For the frosting:

3 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 tbsp. (or more) maraschino cherry juice

red food coloring

For decorating:

maraschino cherries

Directions:

To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line two muffin pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl combine the cake flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.  Stir together and set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth.  Add the sugar and beat on medium-high speed until creamed.  Add in the limeade concentrate and mix to incorporate.  Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions.  Add in the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Mix ingredients just long enough to incorporate but no longer.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pans for 5-10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack over wax paper to cool completely.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, whisk together the limeade concentrate and confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl to make the lime syrup.  Poke several holes (at least 6) in the top of each cupcake with a skewer and pour the syrup over the cupcakes, allowing it to soak in. (The more you use the moister the cake).

To make the frosting, combine the confectioners’ sugar, butter and maraschino cherry juice in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Mix on low speed until sugar is incorporated, then increase to medium-high speed and beat until smooth.  Add more maraschino cherry juice as needed to achieve desired texture.  Add red food coloring if desired.

Frost cooled cupcakes.  Garnish with lime slices and maraschino cherries, if desired.

Yummy Pesto Sauce

This is just a one day pick from my garden.  I have had the best luck this year with everything but my tomatoes.  In fact I have more basil than I know what to do with, so I've been making pesto.  I absolutely love pesto and I was so happy to find out that you can make it with other nuts, not just pine nuts.  I have pecans and walnuts on hand all of the time, but not pine nuts.  This pesto recipe worked great and I loved the flavor.

• 
  
• Fresh Pesto Sauce
• 
  
• 3 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 
  
• Combine in a food processor.
• Blend until smooth.
• Enjoy.

Stuck in the Intro

I had tried to read The Pillars of the Earth twice, and both times I was so bogged down by the introduction that I just moved on to a different book.  I had no idea why people were so interested in this book.

On my 3rd attempt at reading it, because I had just finished

Half Broke Horses, which is a fantastic read too, and did not want to research which book to read next, just picked one on the Kindle.  So I skipped the introduction and was hooked by the very first page.  What an amazing book this was about dreams and goals and facing down your demons...even when they continued to resurface.  I was so enthralled with it, that I was not ready to have it end.  In the 1100's life was so much different than it is today, and yet you can see that people struggle with life no matter what the year is.  Life always comes full circle, and I really enjoyed reading a book that fulfilled that promise, even when at times it seemed like things were too bleak to ever come around.
What a great read, and I am excited to start on his second  book about this place!

Disappointing Endings

I have been reading so many good blogs and websites lately, that it sometimes cuts into my novels, but I've managed to go through 5 novels this last month.  Happiness is having time to read in the sun as your children and their friends play in the sandbox, swim, run through the sprinklers or whatever else seems to keep them entertained.   

Ever finish a great book, only to be disappointed that it ended?  That happens to me a lot, especially when I feel like there may be more to the story that the author should have got out.  Books need more sequels like movies seem to overuse but always want to do if the first one was great.

Reading The Lantern was suppose to be similar to reading The Thirteenth Tale and I always love to read a good ghost story. I am not much of a scary movie girl, but love to read them.  

The book is about a couple that move out to the country and purchase a run down cottage and farm.  The isolation that ends up occurring is strange but predictable in such a remote location.  The main character is less likable since she seems so willing to just give up everything to be with her fiance.  She seems obnoxiously able to go about living a life that she doesn't really enjoy, because of her fiance.  Yuck.  The flashbacks to the ghost are much more entertaining and interesting.  Here is a woman who is strong, is willing to stand up for herself and even thought she is not always willing to accept the truth right away, comes around to figuring out what is right and what isn't.   It wasn't nearly as scary or as suspenseful as The Thirteenth Tale, but it was worth reading...until the end...and then the author seemed to just run out of steam.  I needed a much more exciting ending...but that's just me.

Before I Go To Sleep was so good.  It's the story of a woman who loses her memory.  I was so enthralled and could not wait to see what new things she discovered each day she woke up and read her journal.  This book was hard to put down, because you knew she was on the verge of figuring something out...but the ending, again was disappointing.  Very anticlimactic, even though the actual story line was good.  I'm not sure how an author can keep you so engaged only to make it seem like the end just wasn't exciting enough.

Enjoy reading...but sometimes I feel like I should be an editor!

Zucchini Zucchini and more Zucchini (Cakes and Brownies)

So excited that my garden is doing so well this summer.  Had no idea that I would end up with so much zucchini so fast.  So I have been making zucchini recipes like there is no tomorrow.

Zucchini Brownies

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups  sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees 

Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan

Mix oil, sugar and vanilla.

 Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. 

Fold in the zucchini and walnuts. 

Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes

I topped them with frosting.

Zucchini Cakes

• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Combine the zucchini, eggs, onion, flour, mozzarella cheese, and salt. 
• Stir well.
• Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. 
• Drop zucchini mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls.  
• Cook for a few minutes on each side until golden.
• Serve with marinara sauce.