911: We Will Never Forget

This is one of those posts where I don't need to say anything because pictures really are worth a thousand words. Please take the time sometime in the next 24 hours to remember this day and those who lost their lives, those who lost loved ones and those who saved lives, also remember our troops as the fight to protect our freedoms and this wonderful country we are blessed to live in.

PHONE CALL!

I know I am behind on blogging. I need to blog about school starting and the vacation I took. But this post is going to me short but sweet.

Today I have been in a good mood because it's Adam's halfway mark, he is halfway through bootcamp. But the big surprise happened about 20 minutes ago. I got a call from an unknown number. I rarely answer those calls, but today I did, and it was ADAM! At first I seriously thought it was a prank call. But then I realized it was really him, his voice sounded weird, I asked if he was sick and he said no, I said "I guess I forgot how your voice sounded" that made me sad, but then he said "well I yell a lot here so my voice might be hoarse or I might be loosing my voice" I realized he was right. Our call only lasted a minute and thirty second and unfortunately about 20 of those seconds were me trying to figure out if it was a prank call. After a minute and thirty seconds his DI started yelling at him to get off, so we said our quick goodbyes and hung up. It was the worst and best feeling at the same time, worst because the call was so short and I had to hang up, best because I got a call in the first place. But boy I've been on cloud nine since and probably will be for the next few days!

BIG NEWS!

I JUST WANTED EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT I GOT MY FIRST NOT ONE, BUT TWO LETTERS TODAY, ONE FROM ADAM AND ONE FROM JOSUE! SO ECSTATIC RIGHT NOW!

Grapesoda Cupcakes

Today I decided that I wanted to bake, something that I really enjoy, but don't do nearly enough. I wanted to try a new recipe, so I turned to my Cupcake Bible and decided on making these Grapesoda Cupcakes and they actually turned out pretty good!

Cupcake Ingredients-

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 envelope grape kool aid
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, DIVIDED
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, DIVIDED

Directions-

• Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Line muffin pan with paper baking cups.
• Whisk flour, drink mix, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
• Beat sugar and 1/2 cup butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy, add the eggs.
• Add the flour mixture, beat until blended, add 1/2 cup of milk and 1 tsp vanilla beat until smooth
• Divide batter evenly into muffin pan, bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. 
• Let them cool for 10 minutes in the pan, and then cool off the rest of the way on a cooling rack.

Frosting Ingredients-

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla 
• Purple good coloring
• 3-4 Tbsp heavy whipping cream

Frosting Directions-

• Beat the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, heavy whipping cream and food coloring in a bowl with an electric mixture on medium speed until fluffy
• Spread or pipe onto cupcakes
• ENJOY

Fresh from the oven

The finished Product

Source: The Cupcake Bible

*The original frosting recipe called for 3 Tbsp milk, but I changed it to 3-4 Tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream

Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Icing

Cupcake Ingredients-

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup blueberries, plus some extra for garnish 

Directions-

• Preheat oven to 350°F, line 12 standard muffin pan with paper baking cups. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl
• Beat 1/2 a cup butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, beat well. Add the flour mixture and 1/2 cup  milk, beat at a low speed until combined. Stir in the blueberries, spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin cups.
• Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, remove to wire rack and cool completely.

Frosting recipe-

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
• Zest of one lemon
• Juice of one lemon

Directions-

• In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the sugar and butter until smooth
• Mix in lemon zest and lemon juice
• Spread over cooled cupcakes
• ENJOY!

Cupcake source: The Cupcake Bible       

Frosting Source: kitchenbelle.com

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Week 2 Update...And Other Stuff

Okay so actually I lied, there is no update because I have not heard from Adam...yet. And I spent a good part of the week either sick, at work or working on redoing my bedroom...nothing exciting.

Now to the "Other Stuff" I love salad, they're healthy and there are so many different kinds, my top three favorites are:

• The berry mango salad from Zupas
• Caesar (especially when I make it at home with homemade Caesar dressing)
• And Fruit and Spinach with poppyseed dressing

Tonight we had the fruit and spinach with the poppyseed dressing salad for dinner. So as I made it I thought I'd share the recipe because it's soooo good.

Salad:

Romaine Lettuce and Spinach

Mandarin Orange and Strawberries

Mozzarella Cheese

Roasted Almonds

Homemade Poppyseed Dressing (recipe below)

Poppyseed Dressing:

• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup White Vinegar
• 1/4 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds
• 1 Tbsp Poppyseeds
• 1/4 cup minced white onion

Mixed together then toss with salad!

And you've got yourself a delicious salad!

1 Year Mark!

A year ago today this blog was created, since it's been created its had two different names and three different backgrounds. And I'm it'll keep changing as time goes on and life takes me different places. Although my blog was abandoned for a few months I feel like I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things now that I have more free time on my hands. So happy 1 year mark and hopefully many more to come!

On a side note I was given Josue and Adam's boot camp addresses today and sent off their first letters. If you are reading this and you know them and you'd like to write some encouraging words to them shoot me a message and I'd love to share the address with you!