Pie Are Squared: Joyce Carol's Black and Blue Pie

I had decided early on that I wouldn't make any berry pies until berry season, just to be green and all (and save some money). But then a local grocery story had a huge sale on berries, so I went back on my decision. But I regret nothing.
This was not only my first berry pie, but it was also my first double crust pie. I don't think I've ever made a full-fledged double crust pie. I did a lattice once, but that's all. It was definitely a little more time consuming, but nice.
I really like Marie Callendar's frozen Razzleberry pie, so I wanted this to be comparable in yumminess. And it was. You just mix blackberries and blueberries with some flour and sugar, add some spices and a little vanilla, and pour it into the shell. Then you sprinkle with lemon juice and top with little bits of butter. Butter really does make everything better. Except perhaps my cholesterol, but as terrible as it sounds, it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

Add the top crust, seal and crimp.

Give the edges a little foil shield so it doesn't burn.

Bake.

As my husband and I sat around enjoying this delicious pie, I marveled at the remarkably flaky crust. I really feel like I have developed some decent pie skills. I no longer have to feel ashamed, and I truly look forward to making the pies now. It is a good feeling.

Ratings:

Flavor: 9-So delicious. Yay for unseasnably cheap berries!

Execution: 9-I was pretty proud of how this one turned out. Even the next day, the crust was still flaky and yummy.

Difficulty: Easy. Filling is really easy, but the double crust might induce rolling fatigue.

Overall rating: ***** 5 out of 5 stars, though I think I'd rename the pie if I were to give it to other people. "Black and Blue", while apt, conjures images of beatings and bruises. But maybe I've just been working with domestic violence offenders too long.

Tonanterror: Week 5

Week 5

This was the first week of Phase II, and it held many setbacks. However, "play" was pushed everyday, and "it" was brought:

Day29—Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps—Crazy crazy pushups and arm workout. My arms feel like jelly. I was actually happy to do the Ab Ripper workout today. I was able to do much more of the ab exercise than ever. I’m feeling great. Bring it!

Day30—Plyometrics—INJURY! My knee started hurting at the beginning of this workout and I had to drop out early. This was not a happy experience. I was upset, but I am hoping to be up and ready for next week.

Day31— Back&Biceps—My knee has felt a little weak all day today. I strapped on the knee brace and did the workout anyway. I was forced to do all the pull-ups from one leg only, which it turns out is significantly harder. I enjoyed the extra work. I worked harder on Ab Ripper than ever. I am hoping that with the Yoga X tomorrow, I’ll be able to stretch out the knee without injuring it further, fingers crossed.

Day32—Yoga X—I stayed in for the Yoga even longer this week. I found myself really enjoying the last half of the disc this time. Instead of balance postures being torture, it was a relaxation and meditation period. I still struggle with many of the postures (shoulder stands are a long ways of way from reality for me), but I am bringing it every time. I am feeling even more flexibility, and even more strength. What was once my most feared and painful workout is fast becoming my favorite.

Day33—Legs&Back—My workout buddy and I had a horrible day today. Everything just seemed much harder than before. I think the new workouts in the routine took their toll this week. I still managed to get more pull-ups than ever. The hurt knee gave me some trouble through the squats as well. But we still brought it and got a great workout.

Day34—Kenpo X—The fun workout was still fun. In spite of the rough day yesterday, we had a great day with Kenpo. It is a great cardio workout that goes by quickly.

Day35—Rest—I am sore all over even after 35 days of this exercise. The soreness is somehow much more pleasant than the first days. I am more conscious of each individual muscle and how to use them. I am happy thus far with the results and I’m excited to continue on with the program.

Camp Cupcake: Black Forest Cupcakes

Part of my success with the cupcake project lies in the fact that, when I go out of town, I try to make at least one cupcake recipe. It really only works if I am staying with someone and have access to their kitchen.

Last week was spring break, and I had the opportunity to visit Kit in Chicago. Kit and I were roommates at BYU for a couple of years. Then she went to Chicago to get her master's degree, and I moved to Texas. I told her about the cupcake project and asked her to pick a recipe for us to make. She picked this recipe, which, I have to say, was an excellent choice.

I neglected to take pictures of us baking the cupcakes, so here is a picture of me and Kit. We are arranged shortest to tallest. Kit is the tallest.

This recipe is slightly complicated, which is why I am just posting the link. It is a chocolate cupcake filled with pastry cream and maraschino cherries, and topped with chocolate ganache glaze. You will note, however, that mine and Kit's look remarkably similar to Martha's. One suggestion I would have would be that if you use Mexican vanilla extract, don't use as much as Martha suggests. I forgot how strong it is, and I think I would have decreased the amount I used, were I to do it over again. Make this recipe and the people around you will be so impressed. It has most of the same components as Boston creme pie cupcakes, so if you want to put in a little extra effort, you could make both recipes at the same time.

Camp Cupcake: Lemon-Yogurt Cupcakes with Raspberry Jam

This is another one of those recipes that is light, making it easy to eat several without noticing. It doesn't even have frosting. However, they are not low-fat. Just a warning. Also, they do not call for lemon yogurt. Rather, they call for plain yogurt and lemon juice and zest, separately. I did not get a good picture of the finished product. Instead, here is a picture of the remainders, which got stale while I was out of town.

I took these to work, where people enjoyed them, and then I took the remainders to the institute building. That night, I got this text message from Garrett:

"Just so you know, your cupcake was not only delicious, but made my stomach very happy! Thanks!" That's exactly how Garrett talks. It made my day.

Here's the recipe:

3 sticks unsalted butter

2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

3 large eggs, separated, room temperature

1 1/4 c. granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest, plus 4 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3/4 c. plain whole-milk yogurt (I could not find this in the individual serving size)

1 c. seedless raspberry jam or preserves

powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350. Brush standard muffin tins with melted butter, dust with flour, tapping out excess. Or use Baker's Joy, which is infinitely easier. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. Add 1/2 c. granulated sugar; whisk until peaks are stiff and glossy, but not dry.

In another bowl, cream butter until smooth. Add remaining granulated sugar and lemon zest. Beat until pale and fluffy. Add yolks one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in lemon juice and vanilla. Add flour in three batches, alternating with two additions of yogurt, beating until just combined. Whisk one third of egg-white mixture into batter to lighten, then gently fold in remaining whites.

Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full. Bake about 20 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. After cooling, remove cupcakes.

To finish, use a serrated knife to slice each cupcake twice horizontally to make three even layers. Spread a thin layer of jam between each layer. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Tonganterror: P90X Week 4

Week 4

Day22—Yoga X—Holding out even longer on some of the poses.  I’m beginning to actually enjoy it.  I still have a lot of work to do to get this workout down though.

Day23—Core Synergistics—This workout is difficult!  There is a lot going on, it’s fast paced, and fortunately it ends pretty quickly.  It will take some time before I feel good about this one.

Day24—Kenpo X—Much harder when it follows core synergistics.  Grr…Still, I'm happy that I am now pulling off some meaningful "X" Jumps during the "breaks". 

Day25—X Stretch—A much needed stretch.  All my muscles were really sore and needed a nice break from the intense workout.

Day26—Core Synergistics—Recovery week my ……  The honeymoon is over.  This program is difficult and the recovery week offers no relief.

Day27—Yoga X—I experienced a much better workout with the Yoga today than ever.  I am seeing huge improvements in my endurance and flexibility.  My balance is greater than it has ever been.

Day28—Rest—After a long and difficult week, my rest day was welcome, and I actually felt outstanding.  We are now on the verge of being exactly 1/3 of the way through with the program and to date I have lost 4” off my belly.  Things are going well, I feel great.  This next phase I am going to try to focus on eating properly while maintaining the current workout schedule.  I don’t know what these next workouts will bring, but I know that I’ll be bringing it one way or another.

The Mighty Pen: Introduction

I've wanted to write since I was a preteen, and I have...a little bit. Over the years I developed a dream to author a novel, but not having the courage or foolhardiness to plunge into the struggling artist lifestyle (in addition to being interested in different things), my education and career choices haven't exactly been reflective of that dream. The most progress I've made was to take an unchallenging creative writing class in college; and start the same story about a dozen times over the last eight years, being dissatisfied with every incarnation. Even with the intention to go full steam ahead despite the awful beginning, life has always gotten in the way of pursuing the dream. That's going to change.

There are a number of goals I considered blogging about, such as getting in shape, learning to read French fluently, or dressing up in costumes just for the fun of posing. But writing is the one I need to be accountable for. One thing I will not do is provide any samples of my writing, as the horror of it is my business alone at this point. So I'm not sure what I will report, but it will be something.

The Goal: I've discovered (Thank you for the idea, Megan!) that there is a writer's group here in town. They meet on Tuesday nights which I currently have booked, but my goal is that before the year is out, I will have something I'm willing to share with others, and take the brave step to attend a group meeting and see what they know.

The Contender: A 28 year old Architecture Librarian (meaning I work at an architecture library with architectural resources, not that I design libraries), whose job is pleasant and challenging, but leaves her somewhat intellectually unfulfilled. Hence the goal.

The Plan: According to...someone (an author whose name I can't remember), one only needs to write fifteen minutes a day in order to perfect their craft. So instead of trying to allot a big block of time every week, I'll aim for the daily habit. I'll work on anything: that story that I think I may finally have figured out how to open, ideas and synopses for other stories, or creative exercises when I'm in a slump. Blogging definitely doesn't count.

Pie Are Squared: Old-fashioned Apple Meringue Pie

I had grand plans for Pi Day. I'd never celebrated it before, but here I was, making pies every other week, and Pi Day even landed on my week! But we had to leave town for a funeral all weekend, so I had to improvise a bit.
There were only a couple of recipes that I could do, seeing as it was Sunday evening when we got home, and I only had certain ingredients. So I went with the Apple Meringue.
First, you bake in the apple filling:

Top it with meringue:

Bake again:

Slice, eat, enjoy:

I think the forces of Pi were smiling down on me, for this was a truly delicious pie. The idea of meringue on an apple pie struck me as kind of weird, as I'm sure it did you, but it was a nice combination. I was a little wary of the meringue because a lot of homemade meringue pies are soggy and runny (and gross), but I think this meringue was quite nice. The buttery crust coupled with butter in the filling made it yummy. PLUS, I hate when recipes call for just yolks or just whites, but this was the perfect pie because the filling called for 3 yolks, and the meringue called for 3 whites! It rounded things out perfectly. Just like Pi.

Ratings:
Flavor: 9-Really delicious. But I'm hesitant to hand out the perfect 10. But maybe I'm setting an impossible standard. This was a really yummy pie.
Execution: 9-If there were no topping, it would have been ugly, but the meringue gave it a nice, tasteful wig.
Difficulty: Easy
Overall rating: ***** 5 out of 5 stars. I'd make this again for sure.

Shape Shifter---In Detox

The plan originally started with just giving up caffeine. There are particular medical reasons why my doctor has suggested that I not drink it, but is was more of the fact that I have used my 'need' for caffeine to not do things that I need to...ex. fasting. When it hit me that I was being controlled by this substance and that my whole purpose when I arise has been to reach for a beloved Diet Dr. Pepper, I realized that I needed to quit drinking the stuff. Having 'gone off' of' caffeine before, I knew that there would be several days worth of withdrawals and I might not be suitable for public interactions. I decided to wait until my Spring Break to deal with it...so here I am...Day #2 of Detox. But I figured that while I am giving up caffeine, I should give up another white super evil in my life...Sugar...

Now, please do not judge if I fail abysmally at this one. I just really think that I obviously put too much junk food into my mouth and that if I spent more time putting healthy food in my mouth, it will help me to reach my goal of running a 5K. I admit that I see the 'skinny' girls drinking their coke, eating their Snickers and I wonder "If they can do it and stay skinny why can't I?" I am afraid that for some reason, I did not win that genetic jackpot. I will never be a tiny girl...it is not in the genetic make-up, but I can be a fit and in-shape girl. I can be the best me---and that is my goal. It is the goal with my 5K and the goal with conquering my caffeine and sugar addictions.

Speaking of the 5K---my workout partner and I are officially on Week 3! We have found a 5K to run in the LBK on Memorial Weekend!

Tonganterror: P90X Week 3

Week 3

Day 15—Chest & Back—All day, even though I have a cold, I have been eagerly awaiting this workout.  My body is starting to crave the exhaustion that comes from these workouts.  I worked harder tonight than ever before and pulled off a much better performance over last week as indicated by the above pic.

Day16—Plyometrics—Still bringing it.  I am sick, I have a paper due, but I am still doing the workouts every night.  The workouts are a great stress reliever, and sweating out the sickness does wonders for the way I feel afterwards.  I am keeping hydrated and positive.  The workout buddies seem to be doing great…everyone is experiencing dramatic increases in ability on these workouts. 

Day17—Shoulders&Arms—Had a great workout.  I can feel these muscles getting much stronger and I’m able to do more than ever before.

Day18—Yoga X—This is still the killer of all the workouts.  Many of the moves are impossible for me still, but I’m BRINGING IT!  My flexibility is increasing and I am getting better at settling in and relaxing while I attempt these very difficult things.  I noticed after the workout was over, I felt extremely calm and peaceful.  I felt regenerated.

Day19—Legs&Back—For some reason, this workout was extremely hard today.  Maybe because I put more into Yoga than ever.  I was in pain for most of the workout and I didn’t want to do any of it.  I still BROUGHT IT! 

Day20—Kenpo X—I didn’t want to do the workout at all today.  Fortunately, having a buddy, I was forced to maintain the schedule and I feel great.  I am able to work through this workout pretty steadily now.  I am even doing “X” Jumps, which is something I never thought I could do.  I could tell there has been some massive changes in my body so far as I stretched slowly down to the floor and placed the palms of my hands on the floor during the cool down.  P90X is a beautiful thing.

Day21—Rest—Still feeling great.  With 3 weeks down, I feel like I have a new lifestyle.  I look forward to the upcoming recovery week and the new workout schedule. 

Pasta Mama: Artichoke Ravioli with Tomatoes

I know, I know, I have not posted anything since my first pasta recipe. But I am happy to note that my pasta maker made it here from Utah and I FINALLY used it! I did do a couple of new pasta recipes before this one (one being a baked mac n' cheese which turned out to be a funny consistency - not worth posting). Last week, however, I decided to pull out the big guns, and I spent 3+ hours making this Artichoke Ravioli with Tomatoes. It did take a whole afternoon, but I tell you, it was divine. It would probably have taken less time if I had had all the right tools (like a food processor and a cookie cutter for the ravioli - heck, even a pasta wheel may have been faster than my pizza cutter). The main problem with this one is that you have to make the dough in advance. I would say that if you make the dough around lunch time and stick it in the fridge (covered of course) you could pull it out an hour before you need it, then start on the ravioli filling and you could have it all done in 1 1/2 hours if you're lucky. That's for a first time. Let's hope it gets faster the second time, because I am making this again! But like I said, totally divine, and totally worth it. It calls for frozen artichokes, which make up the bulk of the filling. I love cheese ravioli, but this was a surprisingly refreshing way to eat pasta that normally leaves you feeling a little cheesed-out and a little sick. None of that here, just delightful, delicious ravioli with a fresh tomato sauce. Give it a go if you have a spare afternoon - it won't disappoint.

Shape Shifter: Happy Trails

This last week I enlisted a friend to train for a 5K with me. After reading a few other blogs where people were working with a teammate, I thought that it could help me to stay more motivated and be more fun in the process. So, last week we investigated two trails that we liked, that were safe in the evening, and walked two miles on three occasions.

(Wishing our trails were this scenic!)

Today was our first official running night. We are starting a running program off of Runner's World. We ran one minute and walked two minutes, repeating 10 X's. Our pace was steady and even. We completed two miles. Can I say that running + wind + cold = no choice but to wipe your nose on your sweater. It was a little nippy out tonight while running, and I don't think I felt too much because I was a little frozen. Now that I have thawed out I can feel 'it' and I love it. For some reason when I work out, if I am not sore or feeling 'it', I don't think that it was a good workout.

Also, I don't want to have an inappropriate rant about sports bras---but you just can't win. If you can breath while wearing it, there isn't enough support. If there is enough support, you practically turn blue from oxygen deprivation or feel that your rib cage is going to collapse.

Regardless, it feels great to be working towards a running goal. I have a Quote Book for Runners and found one I really liked that seemed to fit at this stage:

"Running is the classical road to self-consciousness, self-awareness and self-reliance. Independence is the outstanding characteristic of the runner. He learns the harsh reality of his physical and mental limitations when he runs. He learns that personal commitment, sacrifice and determination are his only means to betterment. Runners only get promoted through self-conquest." ---Noel Carroll

apricot-glazed black and white cheesecakes

This is a great recipe if you are looking for something simple and elegant. Growing up, mini-cheesecakes were one of my mom's specialty desserts. This recipe reminds me of them, except that hers called for a vanilla wafer in the bottom of the cupcake liner for the crust. This one requires you to actually crush cookies and form the crusts in the bottom of each liner. It takes surprisingly less time than it seems like it would.

My camera batteries died, and I have not yet replaced them. However, to give you a visual, they looked kind of like a fried egg with the white cheesecake and the golden circle of apricot jam.

Makes 18

For crust:

3/4 c. crumbled chocolate wafer cookies, such as Nabisco Famous Wafers (they did not have these at my grocery store, so I used chocolate graham crackers instead)

1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp. sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For filling:

1 lb. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 c. sour cream

pinch of salt

3/4 c. apricot jam

Make crust. Preheat oven to 350. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Stir to combine chocolate cookie crumbs, 1 Tbsp. and 1 tsp. sugar, then stir in melted butter. Press 1 Tbsp. of mixture firmly in bottom of each lined cup to form crust. Bake crust until set, about 7 minutes. Cool. Reduce oven temperature to 275.

Make filling. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add 1/2 c. sugar, followed by the vanilla. Beat until well combined, about 3 minutes. Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, stopping often to scrape down sides of bowl. Beat in sour cream and salt until combined.

Pour batter into crust-lined cups, filling each almost to very top. Bake until filling is set around edges but centers appear soft, between 20 and 22 minutes. This part is very important. Get it right, and they really are like tiny cheesecakes. Cool completely. Refrigerate (in tins) for at least four hours (or overnight).

To finish, heat apricot jam in a saucepan until loose. Strain through a fine sieve to remove lumps. Spoon warm jam (about 1 tsp.) onto each cheesecake. Serve immediately.

And if you really want to make a cheesecake lover's day, put a couple aside specifically for them. Trust me, it will make your day, too.

Mother Bird: S'more Fondue, Please!

The nice thing about contributing to a group blog is that your absence (read: laziness) is less conspicuous. I may have only posted about a couple of new recipe attempts but rest assured, I've made at least one for every week since we started this. So I guess my real problem is blogging. Sometimes I just don't feel like it.

But this recipe was too good not to share. I come from a family of big fondue fans. Between my parents, my siblings and myself, I think we own at least six fondue pots, so I'm always on the lookout for good fondue recipes. But this weekend I tried "Chocolate S'mores Fondue" from Dessert Fondues by Sandra Rudloff and I honestly can't see any reason to keep looking for dessert fondues, this one was that good.

I like chocolate fondues okay, but usually by the time I've had all of the cheese/meat fondue I can eat, the straight chocolate pot is a bit more than I can handle. But the s'mores fondue was just light enough that I was able to eat waaaay more than I should have but still chocolaty enough to give anyone a decent fix. And it wasn't all drippy like chocolate fondue can be. It was like... well, a s'more, but without all the mess I usually make when I eat them. Graham crackers are the obvious dipper if you want a truly s'more-like experience, but don't underestimate the power of the banana here, folks. That's a dipper that I don't usually care that much about, but the combo of the bananas, milk chocolate, and marshmallow was heavenly. We also dipped strawberries, wafer cookies, and macaroons and they all went really well with this recipe. Oh yeah, the recipe...

Chocolate S'mores Fondue

In a saucepan or fondue pot, heat 1/3 cup half-and-half over low heat until very warm. Add a 7-ounce jar of marshmallow creme and stir constantly over low heat until smooth. Add 6 ounces of chopped milk chocolate (I used milk chocolate chips) and stir until melted and well mixed. Do not boil. Keep over low heat when serving.

It's that easy... at least, until you get on the scale the next day and wish you were one of those people who are doing P90X.

*Side note: If anyone is looking for a good dessert fondue book, I would recommend this one. It's inexpensive and has a great variety of recipes for fondues and dippers. And many of the recipes are non-alcoholic for anyone who is looking for some great, family-friendly recipes to try.

Week 2

I have been noticing the tremendous burden that this hour and a half per day commitment is in my life.  However, the program is definitely worth it.  I've lost about 2 inches off my waist now.  I haven't gotten into the gym to weigh myself, but I'm not super concerned about the weight right now.  I'm just focusing on pushing play everyday.  My workout buddy is also noticing positive differences in the way he feels.  This is a great workout and I am extremely satisfied thus far.

Day 8—Chest & Back, was intense!  But I loved it.  No screaming headache, and I did at least 1 real pushup of all the different types of pushups.  Still using the chair for all the pull-ups, but I pushed it away a little farther away this time.  Ab Ripper is still a killer.  I am fighting just to keep my legs up on the exercises let alone actually perform them…little by little though, I can feel myself getting stronger.

Day9—Feeling much stronger.  I have noticed that I feel myself standing a little straighter.  I am more conscious of all my muscles.  Plyometrics again tonight.  It was much easier this time to do the modified exercises.  My legs feel like jelly again, but I was able to do a lot more this time than last. 

Day10—Shoulders and arms is a much stronger workout for me.  Without having to go against my own body weight, my arms and shoulders have a much easier time.  Great workout nonetheless.  Ab Ripper follows this workout and is still a tragic occurrence.  I am gradually able to do more and more of the workout however. 

Day11—Yoga X—still the hardest of all the workouts for me.  I am able to perform more of the initial moves.  An hour and a half invariably leaves me shirking on a lot of the poses and moves.  I am gradually getting more and more though.  I feel my flexibility growing and I have a hope that someday I’ll be able to do some of the more complex stuff.

Day12—Legs&Back—excellent workout.  I am still having issues with things like wall squats and flexibility.  But I am noticing significant improvements in my overall progress.  I didn’t start recording reps until this time last week;  there are big changes.  I’m much stronger and have much more endurance.  Things are great.

Day13—Kenpo X—This is a fun and quick workout.  I think it might be my favorite.  It’s mostly a cardio workout.  I last much longer now and I can even pull off most of the “break” which if done as intensely as the people on the video do can be its own workout.

Day14—Rest—I’m feeling great.  My muscles are less sore.  I am moving around a lot more.  More overall well-being is vastly improved.

Camp Cupcake: Brown Sugar Pound Cake Cupcakes

February is a crazy time for me at school. In the five years of my graduate student career, every February has been marked by interviews for both faculty and students. This week was particularly crazy because, in addition to school and work, I also helped out a lot with doctoral interviews, and hosted two interviewees for two days, which meant I had to clean my apartment for the first time since the last time I had people stay with me for interviews.

My crazy week began with my first-ever opportunity to supervise a practicum. For those of you who are not therapists, practicum is one night a week in which student-therapists see clients with their supervisors and classmates watching them. They get feedback from the people watching, which, in theory, helps them to become better therapists. As a Ph.D. student, I am learning how to supervise other students, and with that comes the responsibility for supervising two practicums over the semester.

Because I wanted the supervisees (first-year masters' students) to like me, I made cupcakes. I'm sure, at some point in my development as a supervisor, I will get past this. Because I was so frazzled and tired by the time it was over, I forgot to take pictures of them.

However, this recipe has joined the ranks of requested baked goods, like mint brownies and red-velvet cookies. It's pretty darn good. And really really bad for you. Enjoy.

Brown-Sugar Pound Cakes

Makes 28

3 c. sifted all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 1/4 c. packed light-brown sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

3/4 c. buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

With an electric mixer on medium high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk and beating until combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups. Bake about 25 minutes.

To finish, spoon brown-butter icing over tops.

Pie Are Squared: Mary Lawrence's Peaches and Cream Pie

I feel like this pie sounds delicious. It might even look delicious. But it was only pretty good.
Definitely not bad, but not amazing. But it was really easy, since it didn't call for a crust.

You mix self-rising flour with milk, egg, and a cook-and-serve packet of vanilla pudding. Put it in the pie plate and top with canned peaches.

I crammed as many peaches as I could on there.

This excited Dane.

Then comes the cream cheese/sugar/peach syrup from the can topping. I didn't get a picture because I couldn't get it to spread very well though.

Then, you "sprinkle" 1/4 c sugar mixed with 1 tbsp. cinnamon on the top. I put "sprinkle" in quotes because it's a ton of topping. The whole top is just covered in it.

Then bake. I was hoping the cinnamon sugar would turn into a carmelly sauce, but it didn't. It also took over twice as long to cook as the book said. I'm not sure of the explanation for that.

Anyway, then cool completely before serving.

A decent yum.

Ratings:
Flavor: 7. Really, not bad, but not like "wow, I'm going to impress people with this one."
Execution: 8. I think it was a pretty delicious looking pie.
Difficulty: Very easy
Overall rating: *** 3 out of 5 stars.

Yoganista: Day 7 - They have a fight, triangle wins.....

The side angle poses we did today had me begging (out loud) to go back to lunges. There was lots of heavy breathing and sweating going on in this class as well. We worked on more fluid movement between downward facing dog, lunge, warrior, and side angle poses. I realized that I hadn't been pushing myself hard enough and could actually take the lunges down deeper (which made the side angle pose a bit easier to hold). I came away from it feeling good, albeit a bit wobbly.At the beginning of class, one of the other women called me out on always taking the same space each class (left, front row near the wall). As much as taking a yoga class solo was my way to step outside of the box, I admit I quickly sought out some comfort from seeking out the same spot. There were lots of unknowns week to week (e.g. what poses we would do, how strenuous said poses would be, and who if anyone would be breaking the fart barrier). As a therapist, I fully embrace and acknowledge the power of change, in my personal life? Not so much. :]

The major take home for me today was our teacher explaining to us the meaning of "purna" which roughly translates to perfection coming through the act of trying one's best. Yoginis are deep and ripped!

The minor take home for me was that I like the smell of dude, but not smelling like a dude. You see, I had run out of deodrant that morning and had to bust into my 72 hour kit and scrounge for the free Speed Stick that Southwest provided me when they sent my luggage to Reno and me to San Francisco. If you want to find me in an emergency, head towards the manly scent.

SBD:0

L&P:0

Tonganterror: Week 1 of P90X

The first week is over. I kept a daily log of the first week. As you can see, things are much easier now than at the beginning. I don't know that I will keep a daily log from here on, but weekly updates will follow.

Day 1- Feel like dying, didn’t really perform any of the exercises well, but I did my best, and I’m going to forget the rest.

Day2-Felt great all day, until the Plyometrics workout. Wanted to throw up many times. Kept it in (still vomit free for the last 6 years, but it was close). Had to do the modified version of almost every exercise slowly. In the words of my workout buddy, “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, my friend, even if it’s a small one.” I’ve noticed that I have no desire to eat after the workout, which is a good thing.

Day3-Woke up today feeling seek and hobbled around. Every muscle in my body is sore, and every time I laugh or cough, my insides shriek in pain. My buddy had other things to do today, but I still pushed play. The shoulders and arms workout was much easier to pull off. Strength exercises are common to me, and though I still got a difficult workout, I felt very comfortable with this workout. I was feeling really good about how easy that workout was, but I forgot about the round of Ab Ripper that comes after the workout….pain.

Day4-Still sore, but woke up feeling much better. Yoga…grr…..hurt….hate….life. I thought Yoga would be a great time to “relax” and really consider this great new lifestyle I’ve chosen. Instead, it turns out that there is little in Yoga that is easy. The first hour was extremely difficult. The last half hour was a little better, but still agonizing. Only 86 more days…J

Day5-Legs&Back—GRRRR.. very difficult. It is done though and I am being to feel an overall strength coming from doing the workouts. I am nowhere near as good as I want to be, but I’m still pushin’ play and things are working. I’m also struggling with the diet. My craving for food is tremendous since starting the program. I am going to buckle down and focus on making better choices and eating well.

Day6—Kenpo—This was not as difficult as others. I was able to actually do most of this video. I enjoyed it a lot more.

Day7—Rest—Felt great all day. P90X is great. I haven’t seen any great changes, but I feel much better. I feel much more flexible and much stronger. Looking forward to Week 2