Pinterest Fail and Success, Part 2.

This is part two of my pinterest failure and success, here's the first part; the failure.  This post will be a little more happy since it's a success.

This is the picture from the website and the recipe.  I made some changes on this one too and they turned out great.  Still didn't look like the picture but they tasted EXCELLENT!

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup rolled oats + a couple extra tablespoons for topping
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup milk
• ¾ cup applesauce
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups carrot, grated

I didn't have any cupcake papers so the first batch were just right in the cupcake tin and the second batch I decided to try it with parchment paper.  I didn't want to put the oats on the top either.  But what I did differently was instead of the oil I used applesauce.  Instead of milk I used greek yogurt, instead of brown sugar I used honey, I didn't have any ground cloves, and no egg.  They tasted so good.  Chris liked them a lot too.  WAY better then the triple chocolate chunk failure.  These will definitely be made again.

However, no matter what our favorite things to make is our TWO go to pizzas.

   We have pizza at least once a week.  We have our own recipe and everything.  Chris is the pizza master.  He's got the dough recipe down and rolls it out perfecto!

 Yes, we have to have it be half and half because I only like veggies on my side and Chris only likes pepperoni.  Needless to say, it's kinda silly looking but oh so yummy!

Our other pizza that we make is sweet potato crust pizza with homemade pesto sauce and zucchini, squash, onions, tomatoes, and pepperoni and cheese for Chris.

 This is the dough before it goes in the oven.  See the little bits of sweet potato?

So so SOOOO yummy.  I crave both of these pizzas every week.  One of our favorites for sure.  These will always be SUCCESSES!  Happy Pinning Everyone!

Pinterest Fail and Success

We all love pinterest... let's be real.  The one thing though is there are many times that the things we decide to do, like making food, a craft, etc. don't turn out just the way we expected.  Therefore, we place a big fat "F" for fail on that task.  However, oh that sweet sweet joy and elation of success when we did something right, or even better, if turned out better than what was given on pinterest. 

Well, I have had my share of failures and successes when it comes to pinterest. 

First, the failure... this is what it's suppose to look like...

 

Really Yummy looking right!?  Triple Chocolate Chunk Muffins

This is what mine turned out looking like...

 

Not that great looking.  See, in the oven they looked great and then once I took them out they collapsed.  I didn't follow the recipe EXACTLY which probably is the reason why they collapsed but they tasted alright.  A little salty tasting but good.  

 

The weird thing is they tasted better cold.  I put them in the fridge because they have greek yogurt in them, but they really did taste better cold.  Interesting huh?

Here's the recipe:
1 3/4 C. Oats
3 Egg Whites
3/4 C Unsweetened Cocoa
1/2 C Unsweetened applesauce
1/2 C. Plain greek yogurt
1/2 tsp. Cream of tartar (or 2 tsp. vinegar)
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Power
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 C Hot Water

1/2 C. of baking stevia or 1 c. sweetener of choice

1/2 C. Chocolate Chips

The things that I did differently were that I didn't put any egg whites (I think that's the reason they didn't keep their shape).  I used vinegar and did a half cup of agrave sweetener.  Like I said not too shabby.

Stay Tuned for the Success!

Much needed Temple Trip

As mentioned in my last post, the Friday following my birthday we headed down to Orlando to attend the Temple.  It was wonderful because we were suppose to serve the next day but I was asked to speak at a new beginnings so we decided to not go.  Even though we couldn't serve as workers we still wanted to go down.  We haven't been in a session together in a long time so it was nice to be a patron for a change.  It was surprisingly a busy day for a Friday.  We got there at 9:30a.m. and the 10a.m. session was full.  It was nice though to see it busy.  We left around 2:00 or so and headed to Panera for a quick bite and just headed on home.  It was nice to get home around 5:30p.m. for a change instead of 8:30p.m.  Our nephew Bakari wanted to go to a school dance but his mom couldn't take him so they called us to see if we could.  We did and it was fun to tease him about the dance and girls and such.  Chris had to go in to sign a permission slip and kept telling him he was going to embarrass him... oh our poor children...

 It was a beautiful day out.  A little warm... in the mid 80's but the weather was great.  It rained pretty much most of the way home but it was nice to have some warm sunny weather before the rain.

 

Yes, I wear that cardigan a lot... it's a favorite.  Plus I haven't had the opportunity to wear that skirt in forever so it was the only cardigan to match well.

 Taking his picture probably wasn't the safest thing to do considering it was raining but oh well... he at least kept his eyes on the road. =)

V-Day and a B-Day

Valentine's Day:

This year's valentine's day was not to bad.  I was sick... not very fun.  I stayed home from work on the 14th and 15th, which is so not like me because I usually can stick it out but I just really didn't want to.  Thursdays are Chris' flex days at work and valentine's day happened to land on a Thursday.  Awesome!  He got off at 12:30p.m. and headed home.  I made sure to be showered, dressed and ready because Thursdays are also grocery shopping day too.  Before shopping Chris took me out to lunch to a surprise place. 

I have been wanting to try this place for months now and Chris thought this would be a nice surprise.  I knew this was probably one of the options and I was right.  It was so good and Chris even liked it.  He got the buffalo tofu and I got the black bean burger.  It's small inside but very cozy.  Basically you feel really cool and hipster like being in there. 

After lunch we went to the next surprise.  My valentine's day gift was to pick out whatever fruit tree I wanted at Tallahassee Nursery.  We didn't actually buy anything that day because we need to clean up the yard a lot and find the best spot but I picked an orange tree.  Chris thought it was be a fun thing to plant together at our new home and to take care of it together. 

We then finally went off and did our grocery shopping and just chilled the rest of the night.  It was a great day and I am so grateful for a loving and supportive husband.  Especially while I was sick and not feeling well.  He's the best caregiver.

OH I forgot to mention what I did for Chris.  Well starting on Monday, February 11th each day I gave him two (because there were eight) cheesy Harry Potter themed Valentine's with a reason why I loved him on the back.  Each day I also decorated his little cubical area.  The last two valentines didn't get to him until the Monday after since I was sick but everyone at his work thought it was cute.  We eat lunch together pretty much everyday.  Usually on Tuesdays and Wednesdays I'll walk down to his work to have lunch and on Mondays he comes to me.  Fridays it depends on when I decide to get into work.  So on the days I went to eat with him I brought the different decorations.

He seemed to be surprised.  He knew I was up to something when it took me awhile to come into the break room for lunch but it was worth it.  His office was very sad and empty looking.

Birthday:

For my birthday (which is just four days after Valentine's Day) we really didn't do much.  I was still getting over my cold and that following Friday we went to the Temple so I didn't want to have us go out to eat since we already were going to in Orlando.  I got a new camera for my birthday which I'm excited about... just have to learn how to use it better.  And Chris also got me this...

 

Let's just say I eat the whole thing by myself and it was gone before the evening was over.  He knows the way to my heart... not flowers but an edible arrangement.  He wanted it to be sent to my work but the place said they only had one driver and they were backed up so we picked it up after work.

I can't believe I'm 24... it makes me want to throw up just thinking about it.  I think back on my life and I can't understand where the time went.  I feel like it was just yesterday I was moving up to Tallahassee for school and now I'm an old married lady, graduated for college, and wearing cute collared pink shirts with cardigans.  I'm excited though for this year... last year was a bit of a roller coaster for Chris and I and I feel like we're finally settled down a little.  Who knows what this year will bring but I'm grateful and happy to know I will be spending it with someone I truly love and care about.