Vetrans Day Flash Back

Well today was just one of those overly productive days. It was a holiday I know a genuine bonified holiday (aka Veterans Day). No I didn’t sleep in although many would say I should have. Instead I was up at my normal time and off to the gym to get in my workout so I could have the rest of my day to myself! But first off I have to go back in time to Sunday.

Sunday…
Sunday was amazing but then disaster struck in the form of a baking nightmare. I was making blonde brownies from this website everything was going great I was excited to try them out. I hadn’t had blonde brownies for a while let alone blonde brownies with my favorite candy bar in them!!! So I was baking as I normally do following the directions. I placed the pan in the oven and walked away to do some embroidery for Xmas gifts. I checked on my brownies and they looked like they were coming along but they weren’t puffing up like brownies do instead they looked hard like a cookie. I ignored this and went back to my embroidery to come back to them and pull them out. They were still flat as a cookie and even worse because I thought they should puff up a little they looked like this:

BURNT!!!!
I know it was disastrous but u know me I’ll eat it no matter what. A little vanilla ice cream makes everything better. So now I have these burnt brownie bar things in the freezer. I’m not knocking this person recipe at all but I must have screwed up somewhere and I cant figure out where!!! So from this I went on to make an AMAZING Turkey Chili and Sweet Potato Fries.
The Chili Came from Here and its a Turkey Chili which means its a little more healthy
Its delicious I would add a little more chili powder to make it kind of spicy but that’s me! As for the fries again amazing and if you’re a living alone I've got the recipe so you don’t make to many!

Sweet Potato Fries
1 sweet potato
2 tablespoons olive oil
French Fri Seasoning to taste (someone gave me this seasoning if you want you can season with salt and pepper chili powder whatever floats your boat)

Turn oven on to 425 Degrees

Wash the sweet potato and cut off any blemishes you wouldn’t want to eat (its okay to eat the skin its actually makes the fries a little more tasty if you ask me). Next cut the sweet potato ends off and then cut the Sweet Potato in half. Now with your halves cut those in half so you have a long flat side. Place the flat side down and cut strips to make the fries shapes (you can cut the potato however you like but this is how I did it). Next place two tablespoons of olive oil in a bowl along with a few shakes of the French Fri Seasoning. Place the Sweet Potato slices in the bowl and move around so they are covered in the oil. Place the sweet potatoes a cookie sheet and place in the oven for around 10-15 minutes then take them out and turn them and put them back in the oven for another 10 minutes. They should be a golden brown to dark brown color depending on how you like them!

So at least Sunday ended on a good note of some homemade chili and sweet potato fries. Yes it was good and now probably not diet approved but I tried okay!

Back to the Here and Now!

So as I was saying it’s a holiday and I have been productive. After the gym came home and tried my luck at some blonde brownies with candy bars instead of chocolate chips and I struck pay dirt!!!

All because of my mother the Home EC teacher. I emailed her on Monday and asked if she had a recipe and she did its even one she uses in her class! She faxed it on up and it worked amazingly with a few adjustments for my liking . So here it is in just 10 EASY steps!

Blonde Brownies
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
¼ c or 4 Tablespoons Butter (salted)
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
8 oz or one cup of chopped candy bar or chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease a 9x9” pan
3. Measure Flour and Baking Powder into a bowl and mix together
4. Melt Butter in a small saucepan and then remove from heat
5. In a separate bowl mix together the Butter and Brown Sugar using a wooden spoon
6. Add Eggs and Vanilla to the Sugar-Butter mixture stir until combined
7. Stir in dry ingredients (ie Flour and Baking Powder)
8. Stir in chopped up candy bar (I used snickers and kit kat)
9. Using a rubber spatula spread the mixture into a greased pan
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes (check with a sharp knife by piercing the center of the brownies it should come out clean)

Ahh success! While these were cooking and long after they were done I worked on these little bike bags for a co-worker who is getting married. They are from Canada and just got bikes for riding around in Davis I thought it was time for a couple bags so they could take some stuff with them easily.

They are very cute I love them I'm going to make a few more and put them up on etsy when I get a chance and make myself one too! I got the idea from this blog, but please be warned that instead of a single piece that is 3x22inches I would go for 3x25 inches and then cut off the excess. I added the interior too, which is not included in the tutorial. When I put one together next I’ll make a tutorial to share.

After completing these projects it was off to the movies. My friends make fun of me because I like to go to the movies in the middle of the afternoon especially on Fridays when I work half days! I call it me getting into my old age and believe they are just jealous. So I went and saw Zack and Miri Make a Porno. Very funny and cute not for the youngster though lots and lots of nudity even I didn’t really want to see all that nudity! And then it was back home to work on Xmas gifts. These gifts seem like they are never ending I guess its good I started so soon but I’m so close to finishing too!! It will be over before I know it and then hopefully ill be back to the normal routine of making stuff for etsy and myself. OOOh in better news the boy toy is coming to visit on Friday. This wasn’t planned he has to take an exam at Sac State because he is moving up here to finish school!!! My level of excitement for that day is rising cause finally ill have someone to eat my food so I can try out new stuff and not be eating leftovers for weeks to come! Well I guess its time I get back to work on projects and get Xmas wrapped up!

In remembrance…

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army


In Flanders Fields the poppies grow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead.
Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.