Fun Friday: Our take on the "Cherpumple"

So I am sure that Hubby and I were the only ones that had NOT seen this You Tube video. We are apparently in the dark about a lot of important life skills....

Regardless. He emailed it to me on Friday and that was all it took.

Frankly as a baker, I have often wondered what would happen if you baked certain pastries in other pastries. A tart inside a scone, a cookie inside a pie, a pie inside a cake perhaps?! Okay...that's a lie. I have honestly never even thought to put a pie inside a cake but man-o-man...I wish I had.

See despite my hatred for anything involving warm or mushy fruit (aka pie), I can appreciate one's love for pie...kind of. I really enjoy making them. Heck, I even won a contest for my apple pie (don't ask for my autograph quite yet, I am pretty sure me plus the other two 65-year-old women who won were the only ones who entered)! I just dont like eating them. It's a texture thing. I also don't do jelly or chocolate milk. Call me crazy...I know.

But a pie in a cake...would that be different? Could that be my ticket to pie eating bliss?! I had to find out.

One store bought frozen blueberry pie, one box of white cake mix, three eggs whites, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, and some water (I think 1 1/3 cup) later....I had...

almost a mess in my oven (be sure to bake on a cookie sheet) and a pretty ugly cake. BUT to my surprise, it looked like a cake with no sign of my secret surprise inside!

What could fix this unsightly mess...

nothing more than an off-set spatula and a container of store bought cream cheese icing!

When the time finally came to cut into the creation....I was nervous. Would it turn into a big pile of fruit goo? Would the cake even be cooked? Would the roughly 5 hours that it took making this thing (can you imagine if I would have tried the 3 layer!!) be for nothing?

It was an easy cut. Like a hot knife through butter, one might say.

It was the moment of truth...

holy crap...

it actually worked!

But was it tasty?!

....

YES!!!!! (yes that is his excited face...you can tell by the wrinkled brow)

And yes! I actually enjoyed it too! (Granted I did focus my attention mainly on the outside of the cake where all the crust was hiding BUT I did get a couple of blueberry bites in there too and I didn't throw up!)

HOORAY! A "new", fairly white trash dessert has been born!

Now for the name...

One of my favorite things!

So you may or maynot be familiar with McCormick's Garlic Bread Sprinkle. Frankly before Hubby...I had never heard of the stuff. If you haven't heard of it, and therefore I am assuming you have never tried it, you must stop reading immediately, do not pass go, do not collect $200 (okay maybe do collect $200 if someone is passing out checks and then please call me and tell me where they are), and do not even put on shoes! You must run to the store, go immediately to the section that sells spices, and put this in your cart. It is amazing. Not only does it taste delicious, it is so versitile! I use it to spice up (pun intended) cresent rolls, I always add it to my pizza crusts when making homemade pizzas (I may also sprinkle a little on top for good measure), and I have been known to use it to make my "white trash garlic toast" (see recipe below).

I have not been contact by McCormick to push this product, although if they would like to contact me I would LOVE it. I just simply love this stuff and felt it was necessary to share it with you. 

Happy Sprinkling!

White Trash Garlic Toast 

This recipe is perfect for any left over bread product you may have. My favorite is hamburger buns. No one ever eats ALL of those buns!

Place buns on oven safe cookie sheet. Spread (or spray) with butter/margarine/Sprachel. Sprinkle with Garlic Bread Sprinkle and then stick under the broiled until crispy (but not burnt). 

PS...I think I am officially obsessed with using ( ). Just saying.

22 weeks

(please disregard my "Sunday" look...Im just shocked my hair is actually done...)

I am 22 weeks as of Sunday! Punkin is still being called Punkin as we have not decided on a name. I figure we have plenty of time. Once we found out it was a boy, we kind of stopped talking about it. Weird!

I am feeling lots of movement, especially in the morning, which makes me SUPER happy because I am not sure what I will do if I am the ONLY morning person in this house!

Im getting a belly but still somehow managing to squeeze into my jeans (thank GOD for the Be Band (Target's version of the Bella Band)). Definitely not bragging...it is merely because we are cheap! I did finally have to upgrade the bra though....it was exciting, don't get me wrong, but again...Im cheap.

I can't believe we only have 18 weeks left. It feels like both a lifetime and like it is just around the corner...

Happy Bump!

The Big 2-7

Last Saturday (yes that's right...my poor husband has my birthday and Valentine's Day BACK-TO-BACK) was my 27th Birthday....whew....let me say it again...27. Wow. I am no longer in my "early twenties"...scary! Despite being an old hag, I am actually okay with that number. Looking back to where I was five years ago, hell one year ago...I would never guess I would be where I am now and I am nothing but blessed and grateful for everything and everyone in my life. BUT that being said...when I think about the fact that I was TWENTY YEARS OLD when Hubby and I met...it gives me chills...

Anywho...early in the week last week, Hubby surprised me with an early birthday present. We try not to go overboard BUT this year he scored MAJOR points in the "Awesome Husband" category! I came home from work to find that he had picked out and installed a shiny...new...

RANGE HOOD! Complete with stainless steel backsplash! WHAT?!

This might not be exciting to some but considering we had replaced our microwave awhile ago, the old one had become an eye sore and a pain in my rear. We decided to unplug it since it was no longer of use to us, thanks to my new GIANT microwave, so that meant no light and/or fan. And trust me...I burn things...a lot. It was such an awesome surprise and such an awesome birthday gift! So thoughtful!

To make him even more amazing, he also surprised me when I came home early during the Blizzard of 2010...with...

BIRTHDAY CUPCAKES!

He was proud of them! He is pretty stinkin AWESOME! And they were delicious!

Turning 27 turned out to be not so bad and with everything going on in our lives, I am thinking this is going to be a good year!

Happy Birthday! TO ME! : )

2-4 Inches of Snow Predicted

So last Thursday, us Texans sure got a surprise! We have had a pretty cold (cold for us mind you) winter this year and we have had quite a bit of rain and seen snow twice! So last Thursday, snow was in the forecast again, 2-4 inches if that. I woke up to let the dogs out at my usual time (5:00AM...dont judge) and thought I had left the backporch light on but instead realize that it was this!

I immediately flipped on the weather, heard it was going to be passing over us soon but would start back up again that afternoon. I got ready for work and anxiously waited for Hubby to wake up! I didn't want him to miss it! Needless to say he was less excited than I was and didn't even get up to make sure I was telling the truth! Men! : ) Anywho...I went to work and throughout the morning...it just kept snowing...and snowing...and snowing. BIG, FAT flakes mixed with small, light flakes mixed with normal, "everyday" snow. It was beautiful. By around 1:00PM, my boss' wife was getting nervous, my mom was getting nervous, and even Hubby thought it might be a good idea to think about heading home. When he suggests it...I know to listen. I left work around 2:30-3:00 and got home just in time to see this...

and this...

oh and this...

and this...

and finally this...

And it pretty much kept snowing for the rest of the day. It was forecasted to stop in the evening but ended up snowing until around 1:00AM on Friday morning. Needless to say...work was canceled. SWEET! It was so beautiful, until we realized it was burying our trees and eventually snapped one. Oh well...not much damage and not as much as other people in our neighborhood. The dogs paws have been a pain BUT that is okay! I will take this...

5:00AM

3:00PM

7:00AM

ANY day!

Happy Winter!

No excuses

So I have nothing of interest to say other than I hope to post something more interesting tomorrow. I have approximately 1.5 million pictures detailing my birthday weekend (yes...birthday), our hunt for a new coffee table, and my wonderful husband. Dont get discouraged and leave me...I promise hope to have something new and exciting to read tomorrow.

Please stand by.

Happy Lack of Time! : )

Fun Friday - 2nd Edition

This is my cart-o-goodness. It sits on my counter (because it's precious) and has become my storage for chocolate chips and other delicious goodies.

(pretend you also see instant coffee and chopped pecans)

When deciding what to make for this week's edition of Fun Friday...I decided to use what I had and try to make something new and delicious and oh boy...did I ever.

I like brownies just as much as the next girl, dont get me wrong but sometimes I want something in addition to that chewy chocolate goodness. Give me some texture, or some nuts or something and I am one happy gal.

I decided to use what I had in the cart to see what I could come up with so I layered fudgy dark brownie with chopped pecans (courteous of my father-in-law), melted caramel bits, and melted milk chocolate chips.

I know...I know.

Let the tears of joy rain down upon your apron strings!

Click here for recipe.

Happy Baking!