Happy Belated Birthday to my Little One
Am getting back into the blog of things. Time to catch up slowly!
This year's cake theme was (what else?) --Pokemon.
Happy Birthday to my wonderful 6-year old child.
November 17, 2010
November 21, 2009
Pecan Pie Brownies
[for photo, see November 14 entry "Fun Fair"]
1/4 c butter
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 c packed brown sugar
1/4 c corn syrup
5 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 c chopped pecans (the smaller the pieces, the easier to cut the brownies later)
1 package brownie mix (for 9x13 pan)
1/2 c oil
1/4 c water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In medium saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour until blended. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and 2 eggs until well blended. Cook over med heat stirring constantly until bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and pecans. Set aside.
In medium mixing bowl, combine brownie mix, oil, water and 3 eggs. Spread batter into greased 9x13 pan; spoon pecan mixture over top.
Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean or almost clean. Transfer to wire rack and cool. Cut into squares. Eat 'em.
November 14, 2009
Fun Fair
One of the prices you pay as a parent is the joy of fundraising for education. Fundraising can come in various forms from selling cookies, chicken, or gift wrap to doing activities like fun run/walks or attending luaus. Plus there's the dreaded Scholastic book fair (they do it 3 times a year, and we spent $50 for the first one)! Yesterday I had the joy of Fun Fair. The kindergarten class does bake & popcorn sales. So, I spent a fair amount of time and money on butter mochi and brownies. Then I went to the fair and spent more on $20 worth of scrips, $7 at the cafeteria on food, and $10 on snack pacs fundraiser for the preschool class. And they say public education is free... HA!
Overall he had a good time. The cafeteria food was actually ono. The only issue I had was with the obstacle course, which I didn't realize was a competition. So when we went to do it, the guy at the booth had his kid (a 3rd grader) race against mine. Talk about unfair. Needless to say, I knew it would end badly and it did. There was some crying, although he's getting much better at stopping quickly.
My mood: good
November 01, 2009
Happy Halloween
Ugh. Halloween over! I love Halloween, but it's a really busy time of the year for me. Between work and my home life, I'm exhausted. This weekend was no exception. Yesterday was spent cleaning and doing housework, followed by our annual trek to the Musson side of the town for trick or treating. This year seemed less busy. Normally her neighborhood is just full of kids, but this year it seemed like less traffic. There was more space on the sidewalks. Last year, we were walking partly on the road because the sidewalks were too crowded. At our house, grandpa was also not as busy giving out treats. Of course, it could be because of the large truck that parked in front of our gate. Hmmm.
Today we woke up early for the literacy walk at WCC. Then it was off to our new session of swimming at the Y w/Miss Shannon (we had Miss Shannon the first time we ever took swimming lessons). Then it was back home to get ready for C's birthday party w/our friends.
Keiki before the hunt for sweets.
Birthday cake for this year.
The pumpkin kings.
My mood: exhausted and going to bed
December 26, 2008
Chocolate chip pecan pie brownie
1 pkg brownie mix (19.5oz)
1/2 c butter, melted, plus 3 Tbsp butter, melted
3 eggs
1 c dk brown sugar
1 c dk corn syrup (I used light)
2 c chopped pecans
1 c mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom of 9x13 pan w/nonstick cooking spray.
In med bowl, mix brownie mix, butter and 1 egg. Press into prepared pan.
Bake 15 min. Remove from oven (leave oven on).
While crust bakes, in med bowl whisk 2 eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, and 3 Tbsp butter. Stir in pecans and mini chocolate chips; pour over hot crust.
Bake 35-40 min longer, until just set and topping is golden brown. Cool. Cut into bars.
Makes 24-36 bars.
December 13, 2008
Reindeer
Decided to dress up dessert last nite. Idea was from Carleen...
We put the reindeer in snow (ice cream).
Stupid computer won't let me reinsert memory card once I eject it unless I turn computer off and then on again. And my darn cough still won't go away. It's been 3 weeks.
Raining again. That storm forced me to close my library because the power was out for 3 hours and then my A/C died (then restarted). Not like anyone would come there in the storm. Our parking lot was a lake and the preschool on campus got flooded. I felt bad because all I kept thinking was "I hope my library books are safe and dry." [yikes]
My mood: ready for the weekend
November 02, 2008
Jello & Lunch
Jabon Jello
1 Jabon (Pomelo), peeled, segmented, and separated
1 large can mandarin oranges (or 2 small cans)-- drained, save juice
1 small can crushed pineapple-- drained, save juice
2 cups of juice (combination of juices from can and the rest from water)
4 packs of Knox gelatin
3/4 cup sugar
Place fruit in mold or pan. Heat liquid, sugar and Knox. Cool liquid slightly. Pour into fruit. Chill until firm.
Took a picture of C-Man's lunch from the other day
Spent the morning at WCC doing a Run & Read for Literacy. We walked a mile, ate bananas and bought a few paperback books.
My mood: tired
October 25, 2008
Happy Birthday!
Aah, another year done! I can't believe how much I stress over a little gathering of friends. I kept going over and over in my mind what things I was going to make and do. My ideas are grand, but as the date draws near, my plans always dwindle into "hmmm, what do I have time for?" Overall, it was a great evening. Here's the proof...
The spread: smokies, hot dogs, Milton's vege lasagna, sausage & mushrooms, fish sticks, meatloaf, pasta salad, musubis
Close-up of the musubis (cute, yeah?)
Decided to do an activity, so they all made their own masks
The cake (actually it's a brownie). Took me about 1.5 hours. Not bad, huh?
At least I know they enjoyed it
Time for presents! He's been waiting all nite for this part
Have you guessed the theme yet? Notice he still chose to wear Thomas for his birthday!
My mood: exhausted
August 27, 2008
Orange Cream Delight
This is for Aunty J and Sis, sorry no picture yet. Next time I make it I will be sure to post! Recipe from C.Matsuda.
Crust:
¾ cup butter
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1½ cup flour
½ cup chopped nuts
Filling:
24 ounces of sour cream
2 boxes instant vanilla pudding
½ cup powdered sugar (sifted)
8 ounces of Cool Whip
2 cans mandarin oranges
Crust: Cream butter and sugar. Add flour and nuts and mix well. Spread dough in 9”x13” pan and bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool
Filling: Combine sour cream, vanilla pudding, powdered sugar, liquid from one can of mandarin oranges, and ½ of the cool whip until batter looks smooth. Fold in drained mandarin oranges. Spread over cooled crust. Cover top with remaining cool whip. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Optional: sprinkle top with chopped nuts.
August 24, 2008
Crab Kim Chee Salad
Okay, no cooking required, but looks ono yeah? It was.
I did bake some chocolate chip cookies yesterday. I didn't take a picture because they're just boring toll house (from the bag of chocolate chips) cookies. That's okay, still taste yummy. Will take some to work and save the rest for home.
After nap, C-Man and I went for a walk (he rode his bike) down the road to the library.
My mood: better
June 12, 2008
Chocolate Peanut Butter Mochi
For Sis...
Regular:
With cocoa powder in the mochi:
Original Recipe
3/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 cup mochiko
1-1/2 cup water
potato starch
peanut butter
Combine sugar, mochiko and water in pyrex bowl. Mix well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 4 minutes. Stir and cover. Microwave for 5 minutes longer (or until cooked). Dump mochi by spoonful onto surface covered with potato starch. Flatten and fill each piece with a little peanut butter, seal and smooth into round shape.
Makes 12-20 depending on size.
I cannot make this without chocolate, so here is directions for chocolate lovers:
Additional ingredients:
Cocoa powder (about 2 Tbsp)?-- this goes into mochiko mixture and gets microwaved.
Chocolate chips (handful)? depending on how chocolatey you want it.--this gets mixed with peanut butter and microwaved for a few seconds until it starts to melt (20-30 seconds?)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUSSON!
My mood: exhausted
June 01, 2008
Strawberry & Cranberry Muffins
Ingredients:
1-3/4 c flour, sifted
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c white sugar
1/4 c melted butter
1/2 c milk
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c chopped strawberries
1 c dried cranberries
Cinnamon sugar
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper (12-15)
2. Put dry ingredients in large bowl. Add butter, milk, egg and vanilla. Mix. Add strawberries and cranberries.
3. Fill muffin cups. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 25 minutes.
Sort of experimental. Next time will try adding some brown sugar and orange zest in the mix and putting cinnamon into the batter. Enjoy.
January 01, 2008
Carpe Diem
Hau‘oli Makahiki Hou!
Have been busy, so that's my excuse for not having time to reflect on the most recent year gone by. 2008 looks like a promising year of growth, adventure, and discovery. I have given up on making pointless resolutions except my one which I know I can keep which is to tell C-Man that I love him every day. I will make efforts to be healthy, exercise more, and to hold on to the good things in life.
Here are a few photos taken today:
Coconut Apricot Cupcakes...
Beautiful New Year's Eve flowers, which I may have killed because I passed out before I could put them in water when I came home...
Items C-Man picked in the yard. He brought me the flower first because he saw the roses upstairs and thought I'd like more flowers...
As always, I feel blessed. Hope everyone has a wonderful new year. May peace, joy and good health follow you on your journey.
Go Warriors!
My mood: H A P P Y
December 23, 2007
Cookies anyone?
I did not bake these, but they had an awful lot of fun decorating. Thanks Auntie Chris!
My mood: fabulous
December 22, 2007
Peanut Butter Cups
These took forever to make, but was worth the effort...
In the process of cleaning, but I need a break.
My mood: tired
December 19, 2007
Magic Cookie Bars
Been busy. Still need to make cookies this weekend sometime. Wanted to get to Macy's for the one-day sale, but looks like I might have to go after work if they're still open. Finally got my new Macy's card, so the fraud alert on my name was not necessary, oh well, better safe than sorry. Still waiting for those fr#$%&^%g Christmas cards. They better come soon or everyone will have to wait until after Christmas. Off I go...
My mood: tired
December 18, 2007
F U D G E !
Cranberry & Blueberry
Rocky Road (Macadamia Nuts)
My mood: tired
December 12, 2007
Muddy Buddies
A favorite treat for the gang. Easy and kid friendly.
1 c semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c peanut butter
1/4 c butter (or margarine)
1 tsp vanilla
9 cups Chex cereal
1-1/2 c powdered sugar
In 1-quart microwavable bowl, mix chocolate, peanut butter, & butter. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir until smooth. Add vanilla. In 9x13" pan, place cereal. Pour chocolate mixture over and stir until evenly coated. Put powdered sugar into 2-gallon ziplock bag. Add cereal. Seal bag, shake until well coated. Spread on wax paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator or eat 'em.
November 28, 2007
Visions of sugar plums
Stockpiling ingredients for Christmas baking. The loot looks good so far. Have assorted bags of chips including a bag of Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chips, white chocolate, mini chips, and butterscotch chips. Not sure how I'm going to use the Ghirardelli yet, either for cookies or a dessert (probably a dessert). Also stocked my shelves with French butter, pecans, dried blueberries & cranberries, and macadamia nuts. As usual, I overbought and am overambitious. Most of the ingredients will keep until well after Christmas, so all is good.
Definitely on the agenda are my cranberry & blueberry fudge and my all-time favorite rice krispy cookies. Maybe the rocky road fudge. Maybe gingerbread boys. Maybe snickerdoodles. Maybe sugar cookies. Maybe some kind of mochi. Ooh, chocolate & peanut butter sounds good. Haven't made that since Sis was here. Did I make that? I'm pretty sure I did... Probably the fruit bars if I remember to buy dried figs. Ooh and definitely peppermint meringues.
No cookies this weekend. Christmas tree pickup and must clean house for UH game. Found a recipe for German Chocolate Pecan Pie. Need to buy coconut, but I think I'm baking pie. Have been craving pecans lately, I think it's because I neglected them on Thanksgiving. Hmmm, also thinking nachos (kalua pig?) and quesadillas. We haven't had those for a while too. Have no theme for the game, will leave that to Musson.
Found the cutest idea for gingerbread house cupcakes. For sure the kids would love that. Must keep up my reputation of the best baker ever (in my baby's eyes).
My mood: cold & hungry
November 22, 2007
Turkey Day Half-Time
Current Stats
Me: Still no sleep. Got the kitchen under control. Lots of time. Took a walk with C-Man. Walked him in the stroller to the school and we played on the playground. My butt is dirty from the slide. Hard to run with that stroller, settled for brisk walk. Roads were pretty deserted, drivers were being nice and stopping to let us cross road. Could smell turkeys roasting and smoking all the way back. No smell of pie though. Need bath. Talked to Trini, UH football tomorrow nite at my house. Need to clean when I get home.
C-Man: Wide awake- dressed, eaten so far half a Krispy Kreme donut, 2 slices of apple, pork sausage, corn bread, and a handful of craisins (can you tell he's been with me while I made the stuffing?).
Food:
Turkey: in smoker, turned, browning nicely, minimal droppings for gravy
Asst. turkey parts: pau, liver in stuffing, rest for dogs, liquid for gravy
Stuffing: In oven- finally decided on a recipe of french bread, cornbread, pork sausage, turkey liver, onion, celery, fresh rosemary, basil, parsley, an apple, craisins, and chicken stock. Eat that Stovetop man.
Green bean casserole: on standby.
Yams: baking
Green salad: on standby. Still need to wash greens (easy from Costco), add tomatoes, pears, cranberries, mushrooms. Still undecided about toasted pecans.
Coming up: beginning of the 3rd quarter, with the 4th quarter at Grandma's house. Ooops, I need to call her and make sure there's rice. Hmmm. No one's answering the phone.
Won't get to the rest of the game until probably tonite. Or maybe I'll get lucky and fall asleep...
Happy Turkey Day!
Thanksgiving play-by-play
Still awake. Didn't watch movie yet. Didn't walk yet. Had a heart-to-heart with Sis. Hope her turkey is doing well.
C-Man: Still snoozing
Turkey: in smoker
Asst. turkey parts: bubbling for gravy
Herbs: picked from "garden" FRESH rosemary and basil
Stuffing: bread cubes toasting, onions & celery chopped; next step-- chop cornbread muffins, brown sausage, chop mushrooms
Green bean casserole: green beans cooked, realized that nothing else to do but bake. Oops, too early.
Yams: washed, put in oven after breadcrumbs done
Green salad: nothing yet. Need to wash greens (easy from Costco), add tomatoes, pears, cranberries, mushrooms. Still undecided about toasted pecans.
Oops, back downstairs before my bread cubes burn...
My mood: wired (on a cooking high) and ready to roll
October 25, 2007
Happy Birthday Little One!
Happy, Happy Birthday Little One, Little One!
My mood: exhausted, but happy
October 17, 2007
Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies
Repost of recipe from Sep 21, 2007
2 large egg whites
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1/2 c mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 250 degreees. Line 2 baking sheets w/parchment paper or foil. In glass bowl beat egg whites w/electric mixer on high until soft peaks form. Add sugar a little at a time and continue to beat until they're stiff peaks. Mix in vanilla and cocoa powder on low speed. Fold in chocolate chips by hand. Drop small mounds onto parchment paper at least 1" apart. Bake for 45 minutes. Turn off oven, DO NOT OPEN. Leave in oven for at least 2 hours or until center is not too moist. Remove from pan. Eat 'em. If you can't eat 'em all, store in airtight container.