New Year's Resolution Update #5

June 29, 2011- 69 books read, 231 to go.

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle- L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion- L.J. Smith
The Vampire Diaries: The Return- Nightfall- L.J. Smith
Rainbow Boys- Alex Sanchez
Rainbow High- Alex Sanchez
Rainbow Road- Alex Sanchez
Getting It- Alex Sanchez
The Weight of Silence- Heather Gudenkauf
Cool Beans- Erynn Mangum
Life's a Beach- Claire Cook

Caramel Chocolate Bars

Recipe courtesy of the Palo Iowa Quasquicentennial Cookbook


1 (14 oz.) bag of caramels
1 can evaporated milk
1 (18 oz.) package chocolate cake mix. (I used Devil's Food)
3/4 cup melted butter
1 pkg. chocolate chips


Combine the caramels and 1/3 cup of evaporated milk in pan. Stir until melted, and keep warm. Combine the cake mix,  butter, and 1/3 cup of milk and mix well. Spread half of the batter into a greased 9 X 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 for 6 minutes. Cool 2 minutes. Spread the caramel mixture over crust and top with chocolate chips. Drop the remaining batter by spoonfuls over the cake. Bake for 18 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.
These are very very yummy!!

Orange Brownies

Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen and "Paula's Home Cooking"

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
2 sticks softened butter
4 eggs
2 teaspoons orange extract
1 teaspoon grated orange zest.

Cream the butter, eggs, and sugar. Add the orange extract and orange zest. Add the flour. Beat until well blended. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until light golden brown. Allow the cake to cool, then pierce the entire cake with a fork. Spread the Orange Cream cheese frosting over brownies.

Frosting
1 8 oz. package softened cream cheese
4 tablespoons softened butter
1 [1 pound] box of confectioner's sugar (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice

Whip the butter and cream cheese together. Gradually beat in the confectioner's sugar until it is combined and smooth. Beat in the orange zest and orange juice. Spread over brownies.

Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake

This dessert is literally as easy as it sounds, and it's delicious!

1 can pie filling ( I used cherry, but you can use any kind)
I boxed cake mix (I used chocolate, but white/yellow/spice will also work)
1 stick of butter.
*We usually make ours in a cast iron skillet or dutch oven, but a casserole dish works just as well. Make sure you grease whatever pan you are using WELL!
1. Dump the pie filling into the bottom of the dish and spread it around.
2. Pour the DRY cake mix over the pie filling (don't mix the cake up)
3. Slice the butter and place it around the pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!!
Cherry-chocolate is the combination we usually make, but you could also do apple-spice, or yellow/white cake mix with any pie filling!!

Summer fun stuff to come..

Hello blog readers!! I've decided to do a little project. I love to bake, so I'm going to try a bunch of different dessert recipes this summer, and I will post the recipe and picture of it on my blog! Then you guys can get the recipes or just drool at the picture..I'm baking tomorrow morning so will try to post sometime tomorrow
Hasta la vista!
:)

The letter that I'd never send

When I was a kid, nothing was more exciting than my parents telling me that all my relatives were coming home, and we were going to Grandma's for the weekend. I would get everything packed and be waiting by the door, because I was STOKED to see my family. Even though most of the gatherings were all the same (swimming at the hotel, lots of good food, and laughs), each time was special. My parents, sister, and I always stayed in the same room at my Grandma's house, and I made a sign that said "Reserved for the Ron Struck party of 4." My Grandma kept that sign and hung it up every time the whole family was coming home. Most of my aunts and uncles stayed at the hotel, so I would go hang out in one of their rooms and go swimming with my cousins. We would then all go to the party room at the hotel, the church basement, or my Grandma's. My aunts and uncles would tell stories, and we would laugh and laugh. Unfortunately, things aren't like this anymore. Instead of begging my parents not to leave because I didn't want the fun to stop, I ask constantly when we can go home. I'm not sure what happened, but we don't act like a family anymore. Some people in this family find it necessary to try and boss everybody around. They have their "favorites", and the rest of us get blown into the wind. They get to make all the decisions, and then act like it was something that everybody was in on. They are lying to Grandma about so many things, just because they want to spare her feelings. They call certain people, and are derogatory and yell at them, and then email those people expecting an apology, when they should apologize to the person that got yelled at. You say that you want to get this family back to the way it used to be, but that can't happen until the people who have been a**holes to everyone else admit that they were wrong and apologize. Not a blanket apology, but a single apology to EVERY SINGLE PERSON. I don't look for that to happen, unless hell would freeze over twice and pigs learn how to fly. So, go ahead. Have your little cliques, and be jerks to everyone in this family. But at the end of the day, look at a picture of Grandpa, and think about how he would feel right now, because he knows that he didn't raise you guys like this.

Random thoughts on a Friday night

In case you haven't noticed, I got a new font for my blog. (If you honestly hadn't noticed, you might want to look up "optometrist" in the Yellow Pages.) It's a little crazy and insane, just like me, so I thought it would  be the perfect font for my blog. It also types everything in all caps, which makes it seem like I'm kind of yelling (mind you, yelling in a "Hey! You should read my blog" sort of way, not a "Hey! You're an idiot" sort of way.) This isn't really the deep, insightful post I was hoping for, but I hope you laughed. I aim to please.
Sayonara!

What was going through my mind last night while I was trying to fall asleep

I've often referred to myself as a "self chosen anti-social", but the more I think about it, the more I realize that that is not an accurate description. I wouldn't call myself anti-social, because I do like to hang out with people, just not people my own age. If I was given the choice between going to a party with kids my own age, or going to get coffee with my mom and her friends, I would honestly choose the latter option. I don't want to sound self-centered, but I honestly see myself as more mature than a lot of my classmates (mind you, not all of them, just a majority), so I would rather hang out with people who I can have intelligent conversations with. By intelligent, I mean about something other than who is throwing a party this weekend, or where you got your nails done.  I'm sure that's not typical of most high school kids, but I guess I'm not a typical 17 year old high schooler. Let's share some examples of how I'm not "typical." Instead of sitting in the student section at sporting events, cheering and having fun with classmates, I sit with my parents so my dad can explain what the heck is going on to me. I would rather stay at home and play Mario Kart with my sister or Wii Bowling with my family than go hang out with my friends. My parents seem to not mind that I'm not a typical teenager,  because they always know where I am at, and that I'm not getting into any trouble (because I'm usually just down the hall.) I guess if I was a parent, I would also take comfort in knowing that instead of getting an alcohol possession at a party on Saturday nights, my daughter is laying on my bed watching The Lawrence Welk Show while making macrame bracelets.....