Tried and True

Over the past few weeks, I have been trying out different recipes I have pinned on Pinterest.  My mom is always searching for and finding really good meal ideas and dessert recipes on this site and they always turn out so tasty! 

The recipes below are ones that caught my eye.  I have tried these out and they truly did turn out as good as the picture AND even passed Ian's taste test!  He is not usually big on desserts, but he really liked these.

First, a picture of my baking assistant:

 (Great Grandma McDonald would be proud)

Now, for the recipes...if you click on the title of the pictures, it will take you to the link with the website that includes the recipe.

Chocolate chip cookie dough brownies

Cake Batter Pudding Cookies

Texas Roadhouse Rolls  (you have to scroll down quite a ways on this website to get to the recipe)

To be honest, the rolls I made did not look quite this symmetrical.  They were a little misshaped but still tasted pretty close to the actual ones, albeit a little heavy on the flour, which I think gave them a bit of a doughy texture.

These buns would not be complete without the famous cinnamon butter recipe.

A long time ago when I first started pinning recipes, I came across the "rainbow cake."  

I thought it looked so neat and would be fun to make.  Here was my attempt:

I'm not sure how they got such bold, vibrant colors when mine turned out more pastel.  More food coloring maybe?

I have also attempted to create cake pops, but they were not even really photo-worthy.  I have yet to discover the trick to making a truly rounded cake pop after it has been dipped.  Mine turned out more lopsided. 

Lastly, my cake baking adventure led me to try the fondant type frosting used on many of the fancy cakes on the shows like "Cake Boss."  My favorite cake decorating show used to be "Ace of Cakes," which I don't think is even on TV anymore.  I tried using the premade Wilton brand rolled fondant.  It took forever to get it rolled out thin enough to be usable.  

Here is my first attempt at a fondant cake.  I'm not sure how to get the rolled fondant ball border to look smoother...

Maybe I will keep pinning to see where my next baking adventure might lead.

25 Random Tidbits

I have come across a few blogs and even Facebook posts of "25 Random Things About Me" where people have created lists of random facts about themselves.  I always find these interesting to read.  Inspired by this, I have created my own list of random tidbits.  Plus, I just enjoy blogging and maybe you will learn something about me you didn't already know:)

1.  My favorite childhood memory is playing school.  I remember spending countless hours creating lesson plans and activities for my sisters and decorating one of the spare bedrooms at the time in order to transform it into my classroom.  I always wanted to be a teacher ever since I can remember.  My first teaching job was exactly what I had hoped for; fifth grade in a Catholic school setting.  

Fast forward 5 years from when my teaching career began and I decided to embark on a different career route.  Now, my work-from-home medical transcription job is perfect for this stage of my life.  Maybe when we are done having kids and they are in school, I will once again pursue the education field but in a more concentrated position, such as reading/language arts.  

I also remember daydreaming about future careers when I was younger and if I had to choose something other than being a teacher, I had wanted to be a florist.  

2.  A childhood nickname I was given was "flower pot."  My dad is big on nicknames and once one is given to you, it sticks with him.  As a kid, I would much rather be inside than play outside, much like a flower pot sits on the windowsill inside I guess is how this nickname came to be.  I did not even like going outside for recess as a kid.  As this nickname faded away, it was replaced with "chucks," which started with my sister calling me that as being short for "chuckles" since I laugh a lot.  Both my sister and of course my dad still call me that.  

3.  When I was in grade school, I had entered a spelling bee and became the winner of the local bee in our area.  When I advanced to the regional round, I did not last long; I still remember the word I misspelled:  quadruple.

4.  I worked at Dairy Queen when I was in high school, even fulfilling the role of cake decorator, which I really enjoyed.  Working in this fast food restaurant was a fun social experience but also hard work at times and truly taught the skill of multitasking.  I also was a telemarketer.  While this job was not quite as enjoyable and the time went by so slowly, I did like the challenge of trying to achieve the sales goals that were set.  

5.  The first real concert I went to was 'N Sync.  I truly loved all the boy bands.  I still think Nick Lachey is the HOTTEST man to roam this planet.

6.  I do not have an athletic bone in my body and was never out for any sports.  In fact, I always dreaded PE.  I attempted to always pick a spot where I was sure the ball would not land for kickball and I feared dodgeball (seriously, why is this not yet banned in schools?!).  I was one of those kids picked as one of the last on the team...every...single...time.  I can't blame the captains though.  I would not have been an asset to any team!  Playing the piano was my forte and I also played the organ in our church. 

7.  My first car was a little red, somewhat sporty Mercury Tracer.  I was so excited to get a compact car!  It was exactly what I wanted.  I thought the neatest feature was the automatic seat belts.   However, I almost flunked out of driver's ed.  I was such a nervous driver, which probably didn't help any.  I remember the driver's ed instructor sending home a letter to my parents requesting that they spend extra time with me behind the wheel.  

8.  While I did excel in school academically, my common sense department is lacking. 

9.  I am not a big animal person.  I know Ian really wants another dog some day and Eli loves animals, so I will probably have to get used to having a family pet, but if I have any say in this decision, I would want a black lab.      

10.  My all-time favorite food is chicken strips.  Dairy Queen has the best!  I also crave McDonald's McNuggets and fries...often.  In fact, I would be just as happy going out to eat at McDonald's as a fancy restaurant.  

11.  I have never broken a bone, had a cavity, or had any kind of surgery.   

12.  I am not a big jewelry person.  I have never even had my ears pierced.  

13.  I have never been to a tanning bed (obviously!) and am not interested in getting pedicures/manicures.  While I am not into these things, I am very particular about my hair stylist and I finally found one in Maquoketa I really like instead of driving over an hour back home where I was loyal to my stylist there.  I love, love, love short hair styles!  My favorite styles are the inverted bob and the pixie.  I also have a chronic habit of hair twirling, although never in public, only at home.   

14.  I will wear glasses for life; I will never get contacts.

15.  My all-time favorite author is Nicholas Sparks.  His books are so well crafted from beginning to end.  While he is a part of the romance genre, his plots go much deeper and have more substance than typical romance novels I have read. 

16.  Frugal should be my middle name.  I love to find a good deal.  I never go shopping without a list and I always stick to the list.  Although I am not a big couponer in stores, I will search and search until I find the perfect deal for things if I am shopping online.  Free shipping is always a bonus!  I also wait until either Shutterfly or Snapfish offer their "Penny Prints" deal (usually 99 prints for 99 cents) and will only order pictures with this offer. 

17.  We were offered keyboarding classes/typing lessons even in grade school, which I really enjoyed.  This was another area I excelled (probably due to taking piano lessons), so when I took the exploratory class of keyboarding in junior high, I was completely bored because this seemed to be the first time most of the other kids who went to different elementary schools were introduced to this.  Little did I know then my keyboarding skills would come in handy for my transcription job I have now.  I can usually average about 90 words per minute. 

18.  I would describe myself as a very independent person, a perfectionist when it comes to certain things, someone who gets easily annoyed, and a worrier.  I think I create problems that don't even exist at times with my worried thoughts.

19.  I am a strong believer in birth order theory.  It seems to ring true as it describes myself and my two younger sisters.  I love my position as the oldest child in the family. 

From:  http://www.womansday.com: "Oldest children tend to be conscientious, ambitious, organized and—in relationships—dominant. Says Cane, 'Firstborns like to be in control.' They are dependable, accommodating, and persistent. While some first borns have a strong need for approval, so that they grow up pleasing people and taking care of others (often being taken advantage of in the process), other first borns are high achievers, hard driven and ruthless. One common characteristic of many first borns is that they tend to be perfectionists. They don't deal well with criticism and are devastated by failure." 

Yep--that's me.

20.  I am a quick decision maker.  

21.  I prefer "Good Morning America" to the "Today" show.

22.  My favorite clothing store is Maurices.  I can always find something there I like. 

23.  I tend to be a punctual person.  I would consider myself late if I arrive exactly on time somewhere.  I like to be early.

24.  I am more of an early bird now.  Before Eli came along, I had no trouble sleeping in; now, if I can make it to 6:00 in the morning without getting up, that would be sleeping in.  I don't even have to set an alarm anymore.  My body naturally wakes up around 4:30 in the morning, but I don't usually get out of bed until 5:00.  I am ready for bed by 9:00 at night, though.

25.  If I had to choose just one channel to watch on TV, it would be TLC.  I also like "Cupcake Wars" on the Food network and I just have to watch the Kardashians on E! (even though their whiny voices drive me crazy and their lifestyle is one I would NEVER want or even agree with).

I sure wish "Jon and Kate Plus 8" was still on TLC.  Those were the good ol' days...lol.  "DC Cupcakes" was another favorite of mine.  Love those sisters who run the cupcake shop -- and the cupcake displays they create!  It seemed to be a short-lived series.  As for all the different wedding-themed shows on TLC, "Four Weddings" is my favorite.  Watching "Sister Wives" is yet another guilty pleasure, although I do not agree with their lifestyle.  I was first introduced to "Undercover Boss" on TLC as well.  I think I have seen every single episode of this series.  Seriously, how do those CEOs get into their positions?!  "Honey Boo Boo" tops the list for me.  When this was first advertised, I thought to myself there is no way I am watching that.  As time went on, I found myself watching the episodes and laughing...multiple times...out loud.  I think it is funny in itself these people need subtitles during the entire show to be able to understand them.  Their inventive vocabulary cracks me up, too.   

There you have it -- my 25 random facts.