THE THOMSENS: Valentines treat

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Valentines treat

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I have always somewhat enjoyed baking and cooking, especially around the holidays. However, I have recently become ADDICTED to the Food Network and the Cooking Channel. Some of my favorite programs are: Chopped, Cooking for Real, Giada at Home, Worst cooks in America, Cake Boss, At Home with Pillsbury, and Paula Dean. I know, I know... you are all probably thinking I am the biggest couch potato ever... Not true. I catch maybe a couple of programs a week. Between work, school, and homework there isn't much spare time for tv watching. But when I do have the time, I love to cook.
Since Valentines Day is right around the corner, I figured I would try something new. We were having some friends over for dinner and it made for a perfect excuse to make a Valentines Treat.
In an internet browse session, I came across the recipe for Red Velvet Cupcakes. Needless to say, they were delicious and fun to make. But lets be honest, anything made from sugar and butter with cream cheese frosting is always delicious... and a healthy addition to the bootaayy. But who cares right. There is always the rest of the week to work it off. LOL.
If anyone is interested, I have posted the recipe below, just in case any of you want to try it. Valentines day is tomorrow so you still have time. I found this recipe at http://www.thejoyofbaking.com/.

Cupcakes:
1 1/4 C sifted cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 T cocoa powder
3/4 C white sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 C buttermilk
1 T red food coloring
1/2 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 oz cream cheese (room temp)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 C confectioners' sugar
1/3 heaving whipping cream

I am really going to try to be better at this blog thing, and hopefully post more fun easy recipes at least once a week.

Below are some pictures of us all hanging out after dinner. We have started a new tradition of doing dinner each month at one of our homes. Jeff and I hosted the first dinner. It was so fun to have everyone over to our place. Our little place is tiny and it was a bit of a crunch, but turned out a okay. I made pizza for dinner and then we watched the boys play Soul Caliber on the wii. It is way more enternaining than any movie would ever be. Its amazing how these boys never "really" grow up. I love it. As you can tell by Jeff in the picture below.

Stockton was a little champ, and was so good all night. It is so fun seeing all these kiddos grow up. And if anyone is wondering.... YES! Jeff and I are plagued with the question "So, When are you guys going to have kids??" all the time. Ha Ha. Well, the answer is.... nunya. LOL.

I know. We are getting old. Jeff's mom told us the other day that we need to quit having fun, and start having kids. And my mom is not subtle about dropping hints at all. It makes for some funny conversations. But to put all minds at peace... Jeff and I are going to have a baby.... one day. :)
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Well it was a fun weekend. As you can see little Stockton is one of the guys already. thanks for the fun time everybody.

3 comments:

John~Chelsey~Enorah~Dash said...: i am with ya on the food channel & food network! i LOVE giada! my fave (: the cupcakes look delicious!; February 13, 2011 at 7:18 PM
Cass said...: Those cupcakes were freaking awesome! I love when you bake/cook. :) Hey, don't wait too long on the kids thing - our little ones will need friends! *wink* *wink*; February 14, 2011 at 10:41 AM
Mel Brown said...: that looks delicious! :); February 15, 2011 at 4:11 PM

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Bryce Canyon

Jeff took me to Bryce Canyon for the first time in May. I loved it there. This was actally the second stop in the destination. We first were in Zions, where we hiked Angels Landing. Jeff had done it before, but I hadn't. Its two and a half miles up. The first two are just normal switchbacks and hiking, but the last half mile scared the pants right off me. You basically hold on to a chain and its cliff drop offs on both sides. I still can't believe I did it, but would do it again in a heartbeat. It was so much fun. We camped over night in Zions, and ate at this place called Blondie's. If you are ever there, you have to stop. She cooks it right out of her house. Literal home cooking, but it was awesome. Then next day we headed to Bryce. This picure is of us on the Navajo trail. It was one of the most amazing places I have ever seen, and Jeff and i picked up a new favorite quote there. "it's a hell of a place to lose a cow" It was a good little weekend getaway, and now we are National Park season pass holders, so we are planning to go a few more times this summer.

Engagement Pics

Jeff and I were engaged September 9, 2007. His family had rented out my uncles cabins in Wayne County. We were headed down for the weekend, and I had no clue that Jeff was planning on proposing that weekend. He had been there with me and my family before, and we had scoped out some pretty sweet places. One of our favorite spots is called pride rock, because it looks like the rock on the Lion King. The second day we were there, Jeff randomly grabbed me to go for a four wheeler ride. He seemed kind of nervous, and before I knew it, we were flying up the dirt road. He was driving super fast, the kind of fast where your cheecks are flapping in the wind. He was acting nervous and was fast with his words. We ended up at Pride Rock that has a 360 overlook, its got a really amazing view. He was showing me this geo cache box that he and his brother had found earlier that day. As I was reading what his brother wrote in the little notebook from the geo cache box, when he asked me to give him the notebook. I continued to rummage through all the crap in the geo cache box. He then handed the notebook back and told me to read what he wrote. In scrambled handwriting it read, "Will you Marry Me". I turned around and he was on his knees, yes both knees, shaking with a ring in his hand. I was completely shocked. He then proceeded with shaking hands and voice to ask me if i would marry him. So I said yes, he gave me a dozen roses that his family had strategically placed up there, and that was it. Two months later exactly to the date, we were married.

Our Wedding

Jeff and I were married on November 9th. It was a perfect 65 degrees on our wedding day. Everything turned out perfect. We were married in the Salt Lake Temple at 9:40 in the morning. We then headed to a lunchean in Saratoga Springs, and also a reception that night. It was a long and tiring day, but everything turned out absolutly perfect. The line was a million miles long at our wedding, but ended perfectly at 8:30just as we had hoped. As we headed out from the reception, Jeff realized he forgot shoes besides the ones that he wore with his tux. So before we headed up to midway to stay at the Zermatt, we found one of the few places open (Target), and picked him up a new pair of boots. We referred to them as his "moon boots". It was quite the adventure, and something we still laugh about.