Hot Dogs and Dehydrated Frogs

It's hot. H.O.T. Even with our little AC window unit (which I am so thankful for) and lots of fans, the nights are getting uncomfortable. Just too hot. I'm so hoping the cool-down on Saturday is bigger than they are forecasting...but for today we are just a bit too warm. So what are the latest signs that it is too hot??

How about a hot dog? He happily gnaws on chunks of ice throughout the day to stay cool...

And how about a dehydrated frog? We found this little guy on our pool cover this morning. Beth is convinced he was suffering from dehydration because of his whitish coloring. So she quickly dunked him into the dog's water bucket. After his coloring started to improve, she put him up in a nice shady tree. Frog rescue. Just another day in the life of Beth.

The kids' route to cooling off? Alex is at the lake today with a big group and the girls are back in the pool, where they have spent hours this week. And I am debating whether it's worth it to run today. Even in my air-conditioned family room. I feel a bit like a slug. And slugs aren't the greatest runners. Probably their absence of legs or something.

And what better excuse for this than an extreme heat wave??

Hope you all are staying cool...

Monday Menu ~ brought to you by Brad!

Today the Monday Menu is a recipe contributed by one of the most unlikely sources...Brad.

I could go on and on (and sometimes I do!) about how great Brad is. And it's all true. I think this world is a better place because Brad is in it. I think you are a better person if you call Brad your friend. And if you don't like Brad, I don't like you. Quite simple.

But for all his greatness, there is an area where Brad just does not excel. And it's the whole area of cooking. He's tried over the years. And we've all tried to encourage him. SO! When there is something that he does well in the whole food prep thing, we really want to make a big deal out of it. We want to celebrate it and get as many miles out of it as we possibly can. And there is one thing he does well. It's totally his domain, and I haven't entered it in years and years.

The recipe that he has conquered?? RICE KRISPY TREATS!! So, with no further ado, I give you Brad's Rice Krispy Treat recipe. (In his words)

"1/2 a thing of butter

48 big marshmallows

slightly more than 6 cups of Rice Krispies

heat the butter and marshmallows in the microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds. then you stir it up and start putting about 3 cups of cereal in, stir it, then 3 cups in and stir it. one of the keys is to not pack it too hard. put it into a 9x9 buttered pan and smooth it out with a plastic baggie on your hand. don't pack it too hard because then they just get hard and they don't stay soft."

Thank you, Brad.

Now, for a special treat, we added a couple layers once Brad had taken the recipe this far. Beth had requested peanut butter in there, but you just don't mess with a good thing. At least Brad doesn't. So when he got it to that part, I pulled out the peanut butter and spread a chunky, generous layer over the top. And because I am never one to leave well-enough alone, I then decided that the peanut butter may be lonely without some chocolate. So I pulled out the left-over dark chocolate frosting from Brad's birthday cake and let Beth spread that all over the top of the peanut butter. Very, very, good...The only thing I would change is to make these in a 9x13 pan if you are topping them, then you have a better cereal bar to frosting ratio. Cause you know, life is all about balance.

Please take notice of the beautiful and fancy way Beth spread that frosting. She was very careful to get all those pretty little "peaks" in the frosting. That a girl.

Energy to Burn + Creativity + Mom's Camera =

I think my position as family photographer/paparazzi is secure.

Two Kings Who Braved the Angry Sea

Yesterday two men braved the angry sea to hunt and gather and provide for their families. They rose at 3:10 in the morning to get themselves to the dock on time. The endured a lot of rocking and rolling, accompanied by the sound of grown men hurling over the side of a boat. (One of these two men discreetly lost a doughnut over the side of the boat, but did not go to the point of hurling in an ugly way.) They worked themselves silly to bring home dinner to the rest of us. The group photographers were so distracted by the bounty of provision that they both forgot to take pictures of us enjoying their catch. But we did enjoy their catch. Grilled to perfection with garden fresh zucchini and potatoes and garlic bread dripping with butter. A meal fit for a king. Actually a meal fit for two kings ~ who braved the angry sea.

Ahoy!

The bountiful salmon of their labor.

The two kings with their catch.

I have a feeling these two boys, I mean men, I mean KINGS, will be back out there next year experiencing this all over again.

Friday Flashback ~ Christmas in July!

What a wacky time to be thinking about Christmas! Well, not really. The last three years I have had the great pleasure of working with a couple friends decorating a tree for the annual Christmas Forest. This all benefits St. Peter's Hospital...beautifully decorated trees and wreaths that are auctioned at a big gala dinner the week after Thanksgiving. These trees are amazing, and I am always in awe of the creativity that goes into all these trees. Last night we had our planning meeting for this year, and our creative juices got flowing at the end.


But for the flashback, here is a glimpse into our past trees. (I can't quickly find the 2006 tree...Charlotte's Web. It was pretty. Trust me.)

2007...A Charlie Brown Christmas

We had FUN planning this tree.

2008... Visions of Sugar Plums

We wanted to do just a pretty tree. And it was.

It's harder to see the details on this one, but it had clusters of plastic plums that we "sugared" and plum-colored glass balls that we also "sugared". We also lightly flocked this tree, it looked just like a tree covered in light frost. Lots of silver...it really was pretty.

And what does 2009 hold? Well, it's going to be bright. It's going to be beautiful. It will have some creatures. Great creatures, and small creatures. But that's more of a flash forward, so that's all I will say for now. You'll have to wait for Thanksgiving weekend to come check it out!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRAD!!!

A very happy birthday to my very favorite person...wishin' you were here (no thank you for the spray next time).


Or here.


Just something to bring a smile to your face, anyway.

I do love you so much, and am so thankful to get to spend my life with you. Every year has been better than the last...


Thanks for the love. And thanks for having a birthday so we can have cake tonight!


Hurry home...you got a lotta love waiting for you...

Monday Menu ~ Chocolate Cupcakes

(The following post is dedicated to Marlece, who made it very clear she was expecting this soon...and I hope you are happy with this recipe!)

I'm back on track with the Monday Menu! (Well, at least for this Monday...) And I'm coming back with a very spectacular treat. So spectacular that I made Brad take them to work this morning so I wouldn't eat them all myself. I would have eaten them just one at a time, but I'm pretty sure that a series of "just one" would have added up to like 5 or 12 by the end of the day.

So, after visiting this place, I have been on a mission to make a really good cupcake. I mean really good. I'm getting closer. This one is definitely a yummy cupcake. Perfect? Maybe not quite. But really, really good. Too good to wait for a special occasion to make them. Just make them and eat them. You'll be glad you did.

The cupcake recipe comes from The Barefoot Contessa. I happily stumbled upon her show, which I don't often watch, when she was comparing 2 chocolate cupcakes. She made one batch "plain", and one batch with her "secret ingredient". The secret? Instant coffee granules. The coffee flavor does not come through much at all, but it totally intensifies the flavor of the chocolate. These have a dense, fudgy texture...so yum. She topped hers with a ganache, but I'm more of a smooth buttercream girl, so I'm giving you my topping of choice. You're welcome.

Chocolate Cupcakes
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 (16 oz.) can Hershey's chocolate syrup (I KNOW!!)
1 TBSP pure vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 tsp. instant coffee granules

Preheat oven to 325. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes or so. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in the chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the flour and coffee granules and mix until just combined. Don't overbeat or the cupcakes will be tough.

Scoop the batter into the muffin pans, filling about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake for 30 minutes, or until just set in the middle. Don't overbake! Let cool thoroughly in the muffin pan.

Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. instant coffee granules
1 tsp. vanilla

Add the coffee granules to the milk and set aside for it to dissolve. Beat the butter until fluffy. Add the cocoa and beat together. Alternately add the powdered sugar and milk/coffee mix, beating continually. Add vanilla and beat well.

Spread generously onto cooled cupcakes.