Chocolate Chip Marbled Fudge Cupcakes

For Christmas, I got the above cupcake book. It has a ton of different cupcakes (which is why I put it on my list as one of my 12 things to do in 2012)! Some of them are very simple and some seem very elaborate, but I'm going to try my hand at each kind...ahhh.

As y'all know Monday was MLK Jr. day and I decided to make the marbled cupcakes pictured above (I thought they were represented equaltiy...he he)

They look pretty so far right?!?! The book said to 'marble' as best you can because the batter is extremely thick and it was!

The book also says it's best to make the icing and put it on/serve the same day. Well that didn't really work for me since I wasn't about to wake up at 4 am to make cupcakes. So I made the icing the night before and refrigerated it per the instructions, but when I went to ice them it was already drying out, but still looked decent. Did I take a picture? Nope. So the above cupcake is 3 days later. I couldn't even spread the icing! I had to smush it on...

The cupcake was a little dry...I might have over baked them, but they weren't burnt or anything so it might have just been how thick the batter was. To me the cupcake tasted more like a chocolate chip muffin...which of course I love...hmmm...cupcakes for breakfast?!?!

All in all, I would probably make these again with maybe a different icing.

You're #1 Card

Excuse the quality...taken with my iPhone in a room with horrible lighting

I made this simple (maybe even dorky) card for one of my good friends who was running in the half marathon over the weekend. I still had leftover ribbon from last 4th of July, so I thought what better way to use it than to make a gold medal with it...ha ha! It's the thought that counts right?!?!

The Broadway Melody

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Another Oscar winner! This wasn't bad for being made in 1929! The people are a little hard to understand at times, but that's because I'm not use to how people spoke back then and probably because I was watching it in the car on my teeny tiny dvd player...

It may not look that small, but it fits in one of my make up bags along with it's batteries and cords!

My favorite thing about this movie is how they appreciated the body of a real woman. The "beautiful girl" resembles an early version of Marilyn Monroe. Oh how the views of society have changed...

The story follows a sister act, The Mahoney Sisters, and their dream to make it big on Broadway. Of course it has some love triangle drama, rejection drama and some I'm so happy for you (but not really) drama. Oh and there is music, dancing and humor to round it all out.

January Meal - Taco Stuffed Pasta Shells

My first new recipe to try for 2012!! 1 down 11 more to go! Gotta give a shout out to Erica who was once again my inspiration! She got her recipe from here.

There are a couple of things I did different of course (I don't like being normal)!

First, I didn't use salsa, instead I used a 10 oz jar of taco sauce and put about 8 oz of that in the bottom of my pan. Second, I didn't drizzle the remaining taco sauce on the shells until I put the chips and cheese on. Third, as you can probably see or guess I used a lot less cheese, but that's my personal preference. For anyone who would eat the stuffed shells I made, I would recommend adding more cheese.

I really enjoyed this dish and to quote my brother "This is really good sis!"

The Hurt Locker



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This was another one on my Oscar need to watch list! (For the full list check out my "bucket list" page)

O.M.G. was this movie intense! Honestly, I don't quite get the title other than the fact that things can really mess with you when you are over there so you are "Hurt" in a way.

This movie definitely made me appreciate (even more) what all of our military men and women go through to keep us safe. Thank you to everyone who has served or is serving our country!

12 things in 2012

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I love lists! And I LOVE crossing stuff off lists!! I was inspired by Erica to create a list of 12 things to do in 2012. Let me tell ya...that is not easy...I don't know how people come up with 101 things to do in 1001 days?!?!

Here it goes...Wish me luck!

1. Make one new recipe a month (1/12)
2. Read at least 5 new books (0/5)
3. Watch at least 5 movies off my Oscar list (1/5)
4. Travel to at least 1 new state
5. Go to the Ranch (my parents have owned it for 2 years and I've never been)
6. Learn and use my new stand mixer
7. Make/decorate 1 new cupcake from my new cupcake book per month (0/12)
8. SUCCESSFULLY make fudge (read about my fudge fail here)
9. Finish my friend's wedding gift (hopefully by March 5)
10. Finsih cork frame
11. Make at least 2 more seasonal wreaths (0/2)
12. Move out (ha! I've been saying that for 2 years)

I made a page for this list and will update it as I complete things!!!

Red Rock Canyon

I spent New Year's day at Red Rock Canyon park in Canton, OK. It was really nice to get out and do some minor climbing...

Sunset from the top of the rock...so pretty, but we did have to climb back down fast to avoid darkness