11.25.2011
The tree is up...
After we slept off our turkey coma, we mustered up some energy to put up the Christmas tree. As you can see, Leroy was there to supervise again this year. In case you missed it, here is the video from last year where he made his star appearance. It is amazing to see how much Charlotte has grown and changed in the past year. We laughed the most at her hair.
11.24.2011
11.20.2011
New Kicks
I saw these shoes when I was in Huntington Beach and I fell in love with them. I wanted to buy every pair they had for Charlotte. I am pretty cheap when it comes to shoes since kids outgrow them so fast so $30 was a pretty hefty price tag.
I decided to pass on them. When I went back to my room I looked up the company and found out that for each shoe that is purchased, they donate one pair to a child in need. I found this very inspiring that the Toms company is so dedicated to helping those that are less fortunate. So I went back to the store and picked up a pair.
11.01.2011
Tricks and Treats
Let me preface this by saying that Halloween is my all time favorite holiday. We used to go all out decorating when I was kid. I still remember the snickers and milkyway ghosts and pumpkins that we used to set out. I love Halloween for the decorations, the little kids romping around in their costumes, and the fresh cool fall air.
This year we had some friends over to decorate Halloween cookies. Their attention spans lasted a whole five minutes...but that was to be expected. It went a little something like this: Mom spreads frosting on the cookie, toddler dumps an exuberant amount of sprinkles on the cookie, toddler eats two bites out of the cookie, toddler goes for the frosting.
On Halloween day we went over to the Urbansky's and had some more Halloween treats. Then we went on base to get our trick or treating on. Charlotte wasn't a fan of walking to the doorsteps...or course she had to be carried. But she sure did enjoy the chocolate, the puppies running around in costumes, and the lollipops.
This year we had some friends over to decorate Halloween cookies. Their attention spans lasted a whole five minutes...but that was to be expected. It went a little something like this: Mom spreads frosting on the cookie, toddler dumps an exuberant amount of sprinkles on the cookie, toddler eats two bites out of the cookie, toddler goes for the frosting.
On Halloween day we went over to the Urbansky's and had some more Halloween treats. Then we went on base to get our trick or treating on. Charlotte wasn't a fan of walking to the doorsteps...or course she had to be carried. But she sure did enjoy the chocolate, the puppies running around in costumes, and the lollipops.
10.29.2011
October...month of pumpkin goodness 4
October is almost over so I have to get one more pumpkin recipe up. I used this Martha Stewart recipe to make the pumpkin pies and altered it a bit using this recipe for mini pumpkin pies.
Ingredients
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups fresh Pumpkin Puree Pumpkin Puree, or canned
3 large eggs, lightly beaten, plus 1 egg for glaze
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
Pate Brisee (Pie Dough)
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin puree, and 3 eggs. Beat well. Add evaporated milk, and combine. Set aside.
2. Between two pieces of plastic wrap, roll pate brisee into a 12-inch circle. Using a bowl or 4 inch round cookie cutter, cut out 12 circles from your 2 9-inch pie crust doughs. Place each circle into a pre-greased muffin tin. Press them in, letting the sides come up for a fun look. Score the bottom of your dough with a fork to keep the crust from bubbling up as it cooks. Pour your filling into each muffin tin cup. Fill them to the very top.
3. Make the glaze: Beat the remaining egg, and combine with heavy cream. Brush glaze very lightly on edges of pie shell.
4. Bake your muffin tin pumpkin pies at 425* for 15 minutes. Then turn your heat down to 350* and bake them for 25-30 minutes.
Ingredients
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups fresh Pumpkin Puree Pumpkin Puree, or canned
3 large eggs, lightly beaten, plus 1 egg for glaze
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
Pate Brisee (Pie Dough)
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin puree, and 3 eggs. Beat well. Add evaporated milk, and combine. Set aside.
2. Between two pieces of plastic wrap, roll pate brisee into a 12-inch circle. Using a bowl or 4 inch round cookie cutter, cut out 12 circles from your 2 9-inch pie crust doughs. Place each circle into a pre-greased muffin tin. Press them in, letting the sides come up for a fun look. Score the bottom of your dough with a fork to keep the crust from bubbling up as it cooks. Pour your filling into each muffin tin cup. Fill them to the very top.
3. Make the glaze: Beat the remaining egg, and combine with heavy cream. Brush glaze very lightly on edges of pie shell.
4. Bake your muffin tin pumpkin pies at 425* for 15 minutes. Then turn your heat down to 350* and bake them for 25-30 minutes.
10.28.2011
Snow Day
We got around a foot of snow this week. Every time I post snow pictures people are often left wondering where in the world we live that it snows as early as October. Wonderful Wyoming! Where else?
Kayu went out to shovel the snow so we found it to be the perfect opportunity to put on Charlotte's new snow suit and boots. Of course she wanted nothing to do with the snow. We got a couple of smiles out of her when we had Daddy pull us around the sidewalks on the sled.
Kayu went out to shovel the snow so we found it to be the perfect opportunity to put on Charlotte's new snow suit and boots. Of course she wanted nothing to do with the snow. We got a couple of smiles out of her when we had Daddy pull us around the sidewalks on the sled.
10.23.2011
October...month of pumpkin goodness 3
I have always wanted to make whoopie pies. I picked up this book from the library and since we have containers full of pumpkin puree (from when Kayu made the real stuff), I decided to make the pumpkin whoopie with the classic buttercream filling. I might have gone a little overboard and made the cakes a little too big. Next on my list...macaroons.
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