Monthly Archives: December 2010

So this is the new year

Happy New Years Eve!

I am not very good at new years resolutions and or goals for the new year. I usually keep them pretty simple and some how I still don’t fulfill them.

For example:

Two years ago I decided that I needed to drink more water. It’s so simple and so important. While I did drink water (obviously) I didn’t really drink anymore than usual.

Last year I decided that I wanted to go for the water idea again and to add to it I wanted to use all eco-friendly/biodegradable shampoo and shower products. Again, not so much happened. While I tried to find truly earth friendly products the search was really difficult. Organic does not mean that after it goes down the drain that it is all that good. And things like castile soap make your hair feel like hay. So I gave up.

This year I’m thinking that I should write a list of things I want to do within the next year and just see how many I can do. Ambitious I know but by giving myself more options I may actually do one or two of them and honestly thats better than any other year.

I do have a life aspirations list but some of those items are much larger than things I can accomplish in this next year but there are definitely some that I could start or try to fulfill.

Here are some of my goals-

-learn to play the guitar
-make exercise a priority for overall health
-go to a protest
-try vegetarianism
-master French macarons
- use biodegradable shower products
-drink more water
-save money
-learn to surf
-travel

I think I can do at least 2 or 3 of these if not more.

I truly do like the idea behind resolutions/goals. It kind of reminds you that you can be and do what you want. That its never too late to make a change and have the intention to change. And imagine the satisfaction of accomplishing those goals and seeing the effect it has on your life.

2010 was definitely a difficult year for me. Graduating college, looking for jobs, my grandmothers cancer diagnosis and her passing. I am ready to bring in 2011.

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Filed under Holiday

Christmas Birthday Cake

My cousin Ellen’s Birthday is on Christmas so her day gets a little mixed in with all the holiday chaos. So every year I make her a birthday cake so that she has at least one thing that remains a constant birthday tradition. And she loves chocolate, I mean really loves chocolate.

This year I made a variation of the cake I made for my sister’s Birthday 3 weeks ago. A yellow chocolate chip cake with a mint chocolate whipped cream icing.

I used the same cake recipe from here and just added chocolate chips.

The icing however is pretty darn special. I use this recipe as my go to chocolate mousse recipe, chocolate whipped cream recipe, and for cake filling and icing. It is ridiculously easy and it tastes sinful.

No, really it does.

Chocolate icing, mousse, and whipped cream recipe:

1/4 cup sugar

3 Tablespoons cocoa powder

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

*1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract (optional)

from Better Homes and Gardens New Baking Book

Beat the heavy cream and add the cocoa powder and slowly add the sugar until it forms soft peaks.

done and done.

I totally recommend making a cup of hot chocolate and topping it with this magical chocolate cloud.

Holy yum.

enough said.

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Filed under Baking, Dessert