His Favorite: Carrot Cake

Our first married Thanksgiving was spent at my parent's house. One of the good things about not hosting Thanksgiving is not having to make everything. We made mashed potatoes and a dessert.

The Hubs was in charge of the mashed potatoes and as much as I would like to share that recipe, because they are the tastiest mashed potatoes you will ever eat AND they are dairy free, he just kinda throws in a bunch of spices, margarine, Almond Milk and chicken broth until they taste right. I'm sure everyone has a recipe they make like that... mine is my hamburgers.

I was in charge of dessert. I was just going to make the Cooking Light pumpkin pie again, but then I found out we were going to someone else's house for dessert and they were already making a Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie. We couldn't very well have TWO pumpkin pies, so I decided to make a carrot cake. They extra fun part was I got to use my newly acquired cake decorating skillz to impress everyone. Who doesn't like impressing people?

The recipe I used is from Chuck-a-Rama's website.

Chuck-A-Rama (for those of you who don't know) is a Buffet chain. We've never been but the Hubs Mom lived near one in St George, UT... there is a Golden Corral right across the street and we've been there. The Hubs LOVES buffets and the only time I ever really go with him is when we visit his mom in St George. Since he only gets to go to one, Golden Corral always wins because it has a better reputation.

Ingredients
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 1/2 Cups Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/3 Cup Pecans, Chopped (My sister is allergic to Walnuts)
1/3 Unsweetened Apple Sauce (Used instead of Oil)
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
3 1/4 Cups Carrots, Shredded
(Note: I didn't add the raisins because we don't like them)

The Hubs grating the carrots for me. Those Pecan Pies are a joke gift for my FIL.

Directions
1 - Peel carrots.
2 - Shred carrots using a 1/16 of an inch shredder hole.
3 - Place first 7 ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand.
4 - Add all remaining ingredients and mix by hand until well blended.
5 - Place mix into a greased round 9 inch cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until done.

I also cut a piece of parchment paper and put it at the bottom of the pan, this makes getting the cake out after it's baked MUCH easier.

6 - Let cool and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Frosting Ingredients

1 Pound Fat Free Cream Cheese
1/2 Cup Margarine
1 3/4 Cups Powdered Sugar
2 Teaspoon Vanilla

Directions
1. Place first 2 ingredients in a bowl and beat until smooth.
2. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula.
3. Add remaining ingredients and beat until light and fluffy.

The recipe on the website for the frosting was missing some measurements. I tried to find another recipe online but most of them called for butter instead of margarine and less cream cheese. If my sister hadn't tried to substitute margarine for butter in the frosting for my mom's birthday last year I would have just done that in a recipe with actual measurements. But since she did, I know this could happen.

The frosting melted at room temp!

I figured the extra cream cheese would keep it from melting like my mom's birthday cake. I just guessed on their measurements and I'm pretty sure I guessed right because the icing worked well and tasted delish!

I wish I'd taken a picture of the cake out of the box, but we were so excited to eat it after dinner, I forgot.

Another Cheesy Bar Joke...

Four Dogs and a shoe walk into a bar while it's Sprinkling. Yep, another cheesy Weddingbee inspired bar joke with no punchline.

With my finals a week away, (anyone want to do my Residential Design boards for me? You get to use spray adhesive?) last weekend I got to take a much needed break with five lovely Bees. Miss Poodle (and Mr Poodle), Mrs Peep Toe, Mrs Sprinkle and Miss Spaniel and I met for Margaritas, Guacamole and other Mexican goodies on last Sunday.

Photo by Mrs Sprinkle

With flaming margaritas, we celebrated Miss Poodle's arrival to California, Mrs Peep Toe being in LA and Miss Spaniel becoming a Bee!

Photo by Mr Poodle (via Mrs Sprinkle's camera)

It was fun to hear to compare wedding days, with Mrs Peep Toe and Mrs Sprinkle, hear more planning stories from The Poodles and Miss Spaniel. A special thank you to Mr Poodle for 'talking wedding' for 2 hrs! and an extra special GET WELL SOON to Mrs Meatball, who was too sick to make it with Mr Meatball.

Thanks for meeting up ladies!

Five for Friday

Previous Fridays

1 - You were REALLY excited about the carrot cake I made for Thanksgiving
2 - You added the jug from your beer to our kitchen decor

3 - You Vacuum
4 - You bought stamps
5 - You make the tastiest mashed potatoes

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving Internets!

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This Thanksgiving I thankful my very understanding and supportive friends and family. I thankful that I'm happy and most importantly healthy. That I have roof over my head and we can afford the things we need. I am especially thankful for all the new friends I've met this year that have taught me a lot about myself. And last, but most certainly not least, I am very thankful for the most wonderful husband a girl could ever ask for, who I fall in love with more and more every day :)

I hope you all have a wonderful day!

Adventures in Dining Out: Turf Supper Club

This past weekend the Hubs and I met up with another couple in San Diego and had a night on the town. We started out with drinks at Top of the Hyatt, which you may have guesses is a bar at the top of a Hyatt.

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We sat at one of those window tables with the club chairs, had drinks and a yummy cheese platter.

Mmmm, cheese and honey...

After drinks we went to dinner at a restaurant I've been craving for months, Turf Supper Club.

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Every time we eat here I am reminded of how 'un-hip' I am. Ask the Hubs I spent a good 45 minutes trying to find a 'cool' outfit in our closet. I was so upset when I realized the coolest thing I had to wear was a Banana Republic cardigan I own in 3 different colors. However, even if I am the only girl in there wearing Banana Republic I love it all the same, because the fact that you know this place exists get you instant cred once you enter the door.

At Turf they don't cook a single thing in 'the back'. You order your meat, which comes with a piece of yummy buttered bread, and you grill it all yourself.

I always order the beef kabobs and a salad,

and the Hubs gets the Rib eye.

Sorry, if I've offended my Vegetarian or Vegan friends :-/ This restaurant is definitely not Vegetarian or Vegan friendly. Although they serve a Veggie Kabob there is no way to cook it without running into a piece of meat.

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There is more to Turf Supper Club than tasty meat!

The drinks are HUGE...

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and the decor is awesome!

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Close-up of the lighting...

and the wallpaper...

Have I convinced you to go yet?

NaBloPoMo

Today is one of those days I wished I hadn't promised myself I'd complete this NaBloPoMo stuff.

Confession: I don't blog on the weekends. All my weekend posts are written during the week and scheduled.

Well, since this weekend is 4 days long I don't have Thursday and Friday to blog for Saturday and Sunday. I have Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday to blog for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday! You're probably thinking with all those extra weekend days I should surely have time to blog, but I don't want to plan on that and then not have time and miss a day. Yeah, I know, I'm crazytown :-/

Anyway, so I have writer's block or writer's unmotivation this week so you get this lame post... sorry.

Where do you get your writing inspiration?

Movie Love: Favorite Quotes Giveaway Winner

Happy Monday and a special Congratulation to my second Giveaway winner Katie!

These were the quotes...
A. "Don't you think daisies are the friendliest flower?"

B. "It's my hips, isn't it?"

C. "Listen up, you little spazoids. I know where you live and I've seen where you sleep. I swear to everything holy that your mothers will cry when they see what I've done to you. "

D. "I don't think I've ever drunk champagne before breakfast before. With breakfast on several occasions, but never before, before."

E. "The only reason for being a bee is to make honey. And the only reason for making honey is so I can eat it."

F. "I was a junior chipmunk, uh, and I had to be versed in all the woodland creatures. "

G. "The whole 17 years we've known each other I've been sneaking off to go on little hunting trips around the world. No, I don't even know what the fuck a quail is! "

And these were Katie's answers...
Yes, F is Emperor's New Groove!

Congrats again Katie! Comment with your email address so we can work out the prize :)

Our First Christmas Card

I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am so be sending out our first Christmas card! SO FREAKIN' EXCITED!!!

Just goofing around on the internet I've come up the 3 styles I'm pretty happy with...

Spapfish

Shutterfly

Shutterfly

Where do you go for your Holiday Cards?

Frenchie Kisses: Mr Frenchie's Morning

My favorite part of most recaps is seeing what the boys are up to when the girls are running around getting pretty and taking pictures. In most cases the Bride has to wake-up earlier because it takes us ladies so much longer to get ready. Heck, I had to be laced into my dress! That alone takes longer than putting a suit on, right?

Although, I have no clue how long it takes to get a pocket square just right.

The day of, I had a hint as to what Mr Frenchie was up to the morning of our wedding. My Uncle called to get his cell phone number and that is when I found out Mr Frenchie was trying to get his shoes shinned. Groomsman JP stopped by our parents room a few hours later to drop of a bouquet of flowers from Mr Frenchie, so I knew he'd been to the store. But, other than that, I didn't know what he was up too until I saw these pictures.

Have a told you all how much I LOVE the country look of our venue? Because I love it! The French Bulldog style is very modern most days, but we like to think we're 'A little bit Country and a little bit Rock N Roll Modern' and we think our wedding definitely showed that.

Boys are silly!

They even shared wine for those pre-ceremony jitters. Mr Frenchie was so worried about standing up in front of all those people during the ceremony. I'm really glad Groomsman JP got them a bottle to share.

I promise, he shared. See?

Is your groom nervous about being in front of all those people?

Up Next: Getting ready to walk down the aisle.

***Note: All photos, unless otherwise noted, are by the fabulously talented, and super awesome to know, Ohana Photographers***

Five for Friday

Previous Fridays

1 - You think we should get a creepy concrete animal like our neighbor ladies.

2 - You plan us little weekend getaway trips, like this weekends trip to San Diego.
3 - You still haven't plugged in our TV
4 - You remember to close the shower curtain after your finished
5 - You want to get more than one Roomba to you can watch them battle over the dirt

Movie Love: Favorite Quotes

Posting about Clueless yesterday got me thinking about all my favorite movie quotes.

I think it would probably be a fairly boring post if I just listed off my favorite movie quotes, so I've decided to make it a quiz with a prize! The first person to get the most right will win a copy of one of my favorite movies. (My pick, unless you already have it, then we can work something out).

I know you can just Google any of these quotes and get the answer, so I'm trusting you to not do that, k? Don't be a cheater, please :)

A. "Don't you think daisies are the friendliest flower?"

B. "It's my hips, isn't it?"

C. "Listen up, you little spazoids. I know where you live and I've seen where you sleep. I swear to everything holy that your mothers will cry when they see what I've done to you. "

D. "I don't think I've ever drunk champagne before breakfast before. With breakfast on several occasions, but never before, before."

E. "The only reason for being a bee is to make honey. And the only reason for making honey is so I can eat it."

F. "I was a junior chipmunk, uh, and I had to be versed in all the woodland creatures. "

G. "The whole 17 years we've known each other I've been sneaking off to go on little hunting trips around the world. No, I don't even know what the fuck a quail is! "

*All entries must be in Sunday 11/22 and I'll announce the winner on Monday. You will win one of the 6 movies from the quotes above. PLEASE DON'T CHEAT, that's no fun.

Interesting Question

An interesting question was brought up on boards at Dooce Community

At the time couldn't think of a single scene, NOT ONE! I was really disappointed in myself because I love movies and the whole used to be a film major thing. Am I slipping?

Anyway on my way to work this morning I thought of scene AANNDD it's from Clueless. Yep, the best movie of all time, Clueless. If you think that is sarcasm, think again, because I freakin' love this movie. I quote it all the time (maybe I should so a post on my favorite Clueless quotes).

The song and scene I'm thinking of is when Cher says...

"So, ok i dont wanna be a trader to my generation and all but I dont get how guys dress today. I mean c'mon it looks like they just fell outta bed and put on some baggy pants and take their greesy hair, ew, and cover it up with a backwards cap and like we're expected to swoon? I don't think so." - Cher

and David Bowie's version of All The Young Dudes starts playing. I think of those boys and their baggy pants and ratty hair every time I hear that song.

What song scene haunts you?

Cooking Light: Classic Banana Bread

About 3 years ago, when the Hubs and I just started dating, we were grocery shopping and I saw the CUTEST cherry baking dish for like $20. A week later, it was mine.

Yes, it gets even cuter. Inside it reads...

"Baked with Love" Awwwww

So, in those 3 yrs that I've had this dish, I've never baked in it. In fact, I didn't even take it out of the box. What? I lived with my parents, it was just easier to keep my stuff in a box and use their stuff. I took it out of the box last night, threw away the mix that came inside (you know, because it expired in 2007) and made the Hubs Banana Bread. Mmmm, tasty banana bread.

My Grandmother makes the best banana bread, but I don't have her recipe... although I think my mom does, I need to get on that. Anyway, since I didn't have her recipe I thought I might as well make a "healthier" version of banana bread. I turned to my go to healthier recipe source and decided to make a variation of Cooking Light's Classic Banana Bread. I say variation, because you know me, I can never follow a recipe exactly.

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3.5 bananas)
1/3 cup light sour cream (Cooking light calls for plain low-fat yogurt)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray

Directions

1 - Preheat oven to 350°.

2 - Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

3 - Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute).

4 - Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

5 - Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended.

6 - Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist.

7 - Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.

8 - Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

9 - Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

I will definitely be making this recipe again, the Hubs loves it, he had 2 slices. Check out how moist this bread is!

Do you have the same problem I do? Can you make a recipe straight or do always have to add your own little twist too?

Back to School: Cake Decorating Class

My sister's birthday was the weekend after the Hubs and I got back from our honeymoon (in September) and I had NO clue what to get my sister for her birthday. Jen loves to bake, and she's pretty good at it, but neither of us could decorate or properly ice a cake to save our lives. Enter a cake decorating class. Sadly it was all booked up in September so we hung out on the waiting list and made it into the November class.

This past Saturday my sister Jen and I, got up bright and early for our cake decorating class in Laguna Beach.

Not the most attractive picture.

I knew I should have brought my own apron! It is so much cuter :)

We were supposed to bring our own 9" round by 3'tall white cake. Neither Jen nor I had a cake pan that would make a 3" tall cake, so we assumed the best solution was to make a layered cake... and so did the girl who answered the phone at the Culinary Institute. We quickly learned when we arrived that we were NOT supposed to bring a layered cake because our teacher was going to teach us how to tort, level and fill out cakes. Information that would have been helpful to know before I made the grossest vanilla filling in the world.

You can also see here that my cake fell apart when I took it out of the pan. Next time I will definitely use parchment paper or wait for the cake to fully cool... or both. My cake also stuck to this plate so I never got to transfer it to the cardboard cake round and doily I purchased.

The first thing we learned was how to tort and level the cake. Our instructor had this awesome tool!

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I NEED one of these, it is WAY easier than using a serrated knife! When I use a knife, my cakes alway end up sloped in one direction.

This is the lady across from me's cake torted (cut in half), leveled and with an icing damn to keep her filling inside.

Next we got to icing! I learned how to properly ice a cake and have it look smooth.

You can't even tell how ugly my cake was under all that icing.

Next we practiced different techniques and icing tips on a plastic practice board. My favorite (and I think everyone else's too) were the roses.

The rose on the left is the instructors and the one on the right is mine.

We call made about 5 roses and put them in the fridge to harden up while we learned how to do leaves, vines and sweetpeas. My sweetpeas looked a little more like rose buds to me, so I decided to use them as a part of my border when it came time to decorate our cakes.

There you have it... my very first decorated cake! Watch out world, there will forever be flowers on my cupcakes. You know, if I'm not too lazy to make all the different colored icings and get the tips out.

**Cake decorating class tip: BRING a cake box! I called ahead of time to see if they would be supplying cake boxes for us to bring our decorated cakes home in. I was told yes, but there were no boxes. This was pretty difficult to transport home fully iced.

**We used all Wilton materials in this class, so I can only assume this was very similar to a Wilton class one can take at Michaels.

Frenchie Kisses: Me and My Bridesmaids

In the last post, I promised you more pictures of your's truly, so here it goes.
After taking pre-ceremony pictures with my family, my bridesmaids and I headed inside, out of the heat, and back to the lobby.

The photographers set me up on a bench opposite the front desk and had me strike a couple poses.

I'm the first at admit I'm not very good a "serious" pictures, but a couple of these shots turned out to be some of the Hubs' favorites.

I felt kind of like a celebrity posing in the lobby as people checked in. A lot of guest stopped to congratulate me and tell my how pretty I looked.

The Hubs gave me that silver Tiffany bracelet for the first of my birthday's we celebrated. I wear it everyday! Just goes to show, you don't need to buy new schmancy jewelery.

Lastly, my bridesmaids and I posed for a few shots together. Look how good we are at ignoring each other ;-)

We're so fierce!

Exhausted from acting all fierce and taking so many pictures, my BMs and I went back to my parents room for sandwiches.

Up Next: What has the Hubs been up to?

***Note: All photos, unless otherwise noted, are by the fabulously talented, and super awesome to know, Ohana Photographers***