Photography Dump :)

I've been going nuts learning new photoshop techniques the past day or so. >_>  Especially since my child broke my Nikon so I don't have a camera to take NEW pictures with.  And the leaves are starting to fall/change on our walnut trees.  GRR.

So, a three pic spam post!


My puppy Colby, grinning for the camera:



And Ms. Megan, the Corvette Cutie!

(This is probably my favorite picture I've snapped of her all summer.  And once I played in photoshop, I'm pretty damn proud of it.  The small size doesn't do it justice, click on it for the full picture!)




(Why so serious!!!????  Okay okay, :D, I just love the shape of her face and eyes, and this picture shows it so well.)

Recipe: Mocha Ganache Mini's

So I've been toying with an idea for a dessert recipe for awhile now, and I finally put it to the test tonight.  All I can say is... chocolaty bliss.  Yes, that is all.

I really think the mix of flavors came out AMAZING, and they are small enough that you can indulge in one and not feel TOO guilty.

Mocha Ganache Mini's

(Yields approximately 16 cupcakes.  Double recipe for an 8" cake round.)

• 4 TB butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
•  1 cup Hershey's chocolate syrup
• 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

For the Ganache 1

• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon STRONG coffee

For the Ganache 2

• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 4 ounces white chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 ts STRONG coffee

Directions:

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 1/4 hr

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

a.) If making CAKE: Butter and flour an 8 inch round cake pan, then the bottom with parchment paper.

b.)If making CUPCAKES:  Place 16 cupcake liners in pan.  If you choose not to use liners, butter and flour cupcake tin.

For the Cake:

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time.
Mix in the syrup and vanilla.
Add the flour and mix until JUST combined (overbeating will make the cake too tough).
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40-45 minutes for a cake, 20-30 minutes for cupcakes, or until just set in the middle and a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool thoroughly in the pan (or you can cheat and set them in the fridge while you make the ganache).

For the Ganache:

Use a double boiler (if you do not have one, fill a sauce pan 1/2 full with water, and place a glass bowl on top).
Add heavy cream, coffee and chocolate chips.
Allow to melt, mixing together until smooth and warm.
Pour (or spoon) ganache on top of cake or cupcakes, allowing to run down the sides.

Rinse out glass bowl, and make the second ganache.Add heavy cream, coffee and white chocolate chips.
Allow to melt, mixing together until smooth and warm.
Drizzle in a cross pattern across the top of the chocolate ganache.


Do not refrigerate.

Recipes: Chicken in a White Wine Sauce

Definitely a recipe that will go in my keeper box.  We had this for dinner tonight, and everyone cleared their plates, including Megan... which doesn't happen very often with my bird!





Chicken in White Wine Sauce:
3-4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine (I used a riesling)
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon italian herb seasoning
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese, grated 

Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 45 mins

• Preheat oven to 350.
• In medium bowl, combine flour, paprika, salt, and peppers, and italian seasoning. Moisten chicken and dredge in flour mixture, make sure it's thoroughly coated.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook a few minutes on each side, until browned. Add the broth and wine. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat.
• Place into a baking dish, and pour the sauce over the chicken.  Cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes or until juices run clear.
• Switch over to Broil, remove foil, and allow to cook for 5 additional minutes.
• While the chicken is broiling, remove 2-3 basters full of the wine mixture and add to sauce pan.  Mix 1/4 cup of COLD water with 1 TB of corn starch, and add to wine mixture.  Cook on low until the sauce thickens.
• Remove from oven, sprinkle with cheese, and drizzle sauce on top of the chicken breast once on the plate.

I served the chicken with a long grain wild rice, and also drizzled a bit of the thickened sauce on top.  It was delicious!

Growth Spurt

Megan will be 32 months old on Tuesday. Holy. Crap.

I have been stressing over Megan's vocabulary, or more, the lack of it since Megan had turned two. Megan didn't even say "mama" or "dada" until she was almost two, the little stinker. If it weren't for the fact that her physical and muscle growth weren't so pronounced so early (sitting up on her own at 4 months, crawling at 6 months and walking by 9 1/2 months, along with amazing balance, and running and hopping by about 13 months), I think I would have had her tested to make sure nothing was wrong. (Yay, first time helicopter worry wart mom!)

Shortly before going on vacation for the summer, a few of my friends predicted being around other adults and children aside from me would do her a world of good. Starting with our vacation to Texas and staying with Malin's three kids, and then with her grandparents, she started pulling out new words pretty fast. Coming up to Michigan for the summer? I don't even know who this child is!! She's learning so fast! And not just new words, but shapes, colors, and numbers as well!

Megan can identify AND say the following colors: pink, blue, green, purple, black, white, brown, red, yellow, and orange.

Megan can identify (not say) the following shapes: circle, line, square, diamond, rectangle, heart, triangle, and star.

Megan can identify (and say 90% of) the following body parts: hair, head, eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth, teeth, lips, ear (and other ear haha), shoulder, tummy, tushy, vagina, elbow, wrist, hand, fingers, nails, knees, feet, and toes.

Megan can count to 10, as well as put up the corresponding fingers for each number.

Megan can say (and she's starting to identify): A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I.

She can identify and say the following animals: Kitty, Dog (though she calls it a woof-woof), Horse (I just finally got her to say horse and not ho-ho, haha), Goat, Duck (though anything with wings equals a duck to Megan), and fish. (I haven't worked with her on animals too much yet).

She's starting to string together 2-5 word sentences, and becoming more and more clear. She's expressing excitement over seeing animals at the zoo!

Megan can say and identify the following family members:
Uncle ( My brother Austin, who is her favorite person ever)
Paw-Paw (My stepdad)
Ki-ki (Jordan's Mom)
Gei-gei (My mom)
Aunty Curly (My sister Carlye)
Anna (our exchange student from Germany who is like a family member)
G-paw (Jordan's stepdad)
While she has strange names for some of the family members, when you ask her who grandpa or grandma is, she will point at them and call them by the nicknames she's assigned them!

One of the biggest things she does that cracks me up is that she refers to herself in the third person.

If I say I'm going to cook, she says "baby cooks too!", or if I say I'm going to drink my tea, she says "baby drink tea too, mama!" She'll also say "Help baby!" instead of "help me". She also loves to say "Baby blows bubbles!" (And she says bubbles like boo-bulls, it's adorable.)

Overall, her vocabulary growth just since May has been ASTOUNDING. I'm so proud of her, and she's turned into such a quick learner.