You just think you have everything you need for football season...

...but you don't!

Not until you get the Collegiate Snuggie!



There is an entire blog about it.

Not even kidding.

How many ways...

...can you make the same birthday cake?

Last year (for the third year in a row) I made Friend's birthday cake. It's pretty easy and it's good. No, it is delicious. I won't lie. I've been waiting for this birthday week for a while and now that it's here I am dissatisfied with the idea of making the same cake again.

What to do? Well, I have a few ideas tucked away somewhere :) I'm sure I'll manage and I'm sure it will be just as good. Check back soon for pictures of the final results and the recipe!

I've been waiting patiently...

...and finally!

War Eagle!

6:00pm tonight on ESPN.

More fun with tissue paper...

If you read my previous post about the decorations I made for my roommate's birthday...

...here are some additional directions for the tissue paper pom-poms.

1. Add four more sheets of tissue paper.

Yes, I realize that is only one more step, but it makes a big difference. They are much fuller and don't "wilt" as easily.


Here is a shot of our house from the street with them hanging up.


You can also buy the do it yourself kit at Michael's, but why pay $20 when you can do it for $5.?

We should be friends.

I think this kid and I would get along well.

Especially due to his salmon pants, love of tartan and his tie collection.

By the way, have you ever heard of college dorms that allow a "bar" in the bedroom?

Maybe the whole "no alcohol" on campus is just a southern thing, but really, quite a nice collection.

Music to my ears.

Have I mentioned my love for Pandora Radio?

I love it. You should too.

Might I suggest creating a station for The Shins.

I am currently listening to selections from The Shins, Matt Costa, Death Cab for Cutie, The Killers, Sufjan Stevens and Belle & Sebastian. Perfect for semi-rainy days in the office.

Irish Car-Bomb... a cake to kill for.

Yes. I made an Irish Car-Bomb Cake. For those of you who know me, please do not pass out. (For those of you who don't, I'm not exactly the Irish Car-Bomb taking type)

It was created for the birthday of a friend who does enjoy Irish Car-Bombs.

As you can see, even those that don't like the drink had no problem with the cake.

The recipes I used are posted below. The cake is probably the best chocolate cake I've ever had. The frosting was good enough to eat by itself - literally...ask my roommates.

Cake: (originally from Bon Appétit )

• 2 cups stout (such as Guinness)
• 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/3 cups sour cream

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line with parchment paper. Butter paper. Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack; cool 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack and cool completely.

Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 2/3 cup icing over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake.

Frosting:

• two sticks butter, room temp
• 1 1/2 lbs. confectioner's sugar
• 4 T. Bailey's Irish Cream (I just bought a mini bottle at the liquor store)
• 1 t. vanilla
• milk, if needed, to thin frosting.

Whisk first 4 ingredients together in mixer. Add milk as needed to reach desired consistency. I found it easier to frost the cake immediately after mixing because the frosting was as light and fluffy as it was going to be.

Back home...

...physically, that is. Mentally, I'm still trying to feel sand between my toes and pray my tan doesn't fade as quickly as it usually does.

While at the beach I tried a new recipe and (I think) perfected an old.

One night we were cooking dinner and I was dying for fresh vegetables. We passed so many farmer's markets and roadside stands on the way down I could hardly stand it. I remembered one recipe in particular I had been wanting to try and called mom for it.

Fresh Sauteed Corn*

• 6 ears of fresh corn, sliced off the cob
• one large Vidalia onion, diced
• six strips bacon
• 4 T. Butter
• 3 T. whipping cream
• 1 T. fresh basil
• fresh cracked pepper

1. Fry bacon in heavy skillet.
2. Remove cooked bacon and drain on paper towels.
3. Remove all but 3T. grease from skillet. (I said it was good, not healthy)
4. Add diced onion and saute until tender.
5. Add corn kernels and saute another five minutes.
6. When tender, add butter cream, pepper to taste and crumble bacon into dish.
7. Right before serving stir in fresh basil.

Serves 6-8.

*I made a few alterations to the original recipe and have yet to come up with a new name for it.

The other dish I'm quite proud is an incredible simple "salad." Simple as it is, I somehow can never make taste quite like my mother's. This time I got pretty close and it was so cool are refreshing after a day in the heat.

Summer Salad

You may laugh when you read this and think how could anyone mess this up. I think the key is the onion/tomato ratio and the type of dressing:

• two large cucumbers, sliced (I cut the seeds out of mine because I hate slimy things)
• two large tomatoes
• one Vidalia onion
• one purple onion (this is really for color)
• half a bottle of light Italian dressing

Chop/slice vegetables. Pour over half the bottle of dressing and let marinate in the fridge at least a few hours before serving.

Growing up this was a constant in our fridge for the entire summer. Everyday we would just slice a few more vegetables and add a bit more dressing.

*My mother and grandmother always added green bell peppers to theirs.