2011.
You were an interesting year to say the least. I never say if a year is good or bad, as I am more of a shades of gray kind of gal, but this year was what they call in hockey a restructuring year.

There were highs and lows, with the lows being just as valuable as the highs. As my dad always told us (and still does) “you have to have the bad days in order to recognize the good ones”.

This year I amazed myself by turning my black thumb into a shade of green, growing a little farm out on my patio. And of course winning $1000 because people liked my farm best was pretty darn awesome. I still look at the photos and can’t believe I got stuff to grow…and grow well! Soil is the key.

The state of Washington decided I had jumped through enough of their hoops to give me a teaching certificate. Interestingly enough the tests I took apparently a lot of people don’t pass them (all the people sitting around me at both test were all retaking it). Many, like when taking the SAT, take a prep course. I didn’t study for either of them. Of course I didn’t study for the SAT either and some may argue that I did pretty well on that as well.

I’ve interacted with someone who modeled for me everything I don’t want to be in a human being. And while some may say how is that a positive, it has helped me in more ways than you will ever know.

I continued to get the love of my ever sweet and loyal cocker spaniel. I would like to say the same for the bunny, but he really only loves me when it’s cold and he wants to snuggle and get warm.

I discovered the joy and time suck that is Pinterest. Not only is it fun for me, it has brought many new people to the blog this year and I greatly appreciate that. So thank you to any and all who have ever pinned one of my recipes. And while I don’t blog to get readers (or to please them as some point out ), I do always enjoy knowing that people like what I am doing…most of the time.

But 2012 is knocking loudly at the door and I must think about what I would like to accomplish. As always my resolution is to gain 16 pounds. Since I suck at keep resolutions that seems like a good one to not happen. But in all seriousness, this is my plan (well the food related stuff):

There has been much talk lately about some of us bloggers who have been around for a while not feeling the connection and community that the food blogger world once had. Now I am guilty of this myself. I used to read a lot more blogs than I do now, but back then I didn’t have three part time jobs in the mix. But I’m going to do my best to get around more and let people know I’m there and I care about what they are doing too.

I want to introduce some savory meals, mostly ones that are family friendly (if you don’t know why I’m doing family friendly, you should probably read my About Me page that was updated in August).

I want to go through my cookbooks and really figure out what ones I use. And if I’m not using them I really need to donate them. I’m pretty sure Confederate Cooking is on the top of my list to donate. Not even sure how I ended up on that one.

And lastly to lighten up a little. The world will not end if I didn’t make the dinner rolls, just bought them instead. Just buy some good ones and be done with it. I know sometimes when you are the cook or the baker people expect grandiose things like that. Don’t let them or yourself put pressure on you. Time is a precious thing, if you have the time to make it and want to go for it but if you don’t have time to make your own pasta the world will not come to an end. Well it might, but it won’t be for that reason.

So here is to you my dear readers,

I wish nothing but good things (with a couple of not so great just so you can recognize when you do have it good). I wish you to realize that you are good enough and don’t let Pinterest think you are a bad mom for just making cupcakes for your two year olds birthday party instead of a themed extravaganza. Don’t make things harder on yourself, make them easier. Be kind to others. Be kind to yourselves.

Below are recipes from each month of the year. They were the ones I liked best (or what were making me hungry at the time when looking back). What about you? Did you make anything from my blog this year? If so, what was it and did you like it?

Oh, and one last thing…watch out 2012…I’m coming for you!!!
January 2011

Rasberry and Almond Bark Muffins

February 2011

Red Velvet Brownie Dipped Vanilla Double Stuffed Oreos

March 2011

It’s Not Swimsuit Season Yet Mini Cadbury Caramel Egg Fritters

April 2011

Cadbury Cream Egg Pie

May 2011

Chocolate Marshmallow Cake

June 2011

Sweet Corn and Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream

July 2011

Neapolitan Cupcakes

August 2011

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Bites

September 2011

Candy Corn Whipped Cream Frosting

October 2011

Mummy Oreo Pops

November 2011

Grape Jelly Purple Layer Happy Sprinkles Cake

December 2011

Peppermint Bark Deep Dish Cookie

This is where I say a goodbye to many of you. Oh it’s not a permanent goodbye for most of you, as you tend to all come back around Valentine’s Day, but many of you flee this time of year. Many people write or comment that you won’t be coming to my site for a while, that it’s too much temptation while you make your “lifestyle change”.

Let me be the first to assure you that if you can’t look at photos of food without setting off some sort of trigger, than you are not on a lifestyle change, you are on a diet. If you can’t figure out how to fit in a brownie once in a while then you aren’t going to last. If you have always had a sweet tooth, which if you come to this site you probably do; it is quite unrealistic I hate to tell you to give up sugar for the rest of your life. I should know, on a dare I once did Sugar Busters for a year. Did I lose weight? No, in fact I gained 12 pounds. Why, because I never lost my sugar craving. I lost my craving for bread, but never sugar. I got horrible migraines and was pretty much a miserable b!tch to anyone and everyone that came my way. My doctor told me to go back on sugar (how many do that?) and sure enough it cleared up my migraine problem.

If you want to change your diet, the more power to you. But all I ask is that you think about not doing anything extreme. You will lose weight at first, probably quickly. Every one of my friends to go low carb has always lost weight…and always found it again. You don’t even need to spend money on books or going to meetings or eat prepackaged foods. It’s always been a simple formula…take in less calories than what you put out. There is a website (that has an app as well) called My Fitness Pal.com (no they aren’t compensating me in any way) that is not only free but will scare the crap out of you if you are honest with it. If you plug in all your food and click done with the day it will tell you how much you will weigh in 5 weeks if you ate like that every day. It works both ways, have a crazy eating day it will probably scare you into not eating that much. Eat within reasonable calorie range for your weight and height and you will probably like the number that will show up in 5 weeks. Either way it’s up to you. It doesn’t matter if you don’t put it down that you ate it…your body knows you did and will make your jeans tight all the same.

You will not see diet recipes on here. I won’t be doing any low fat desserts (the least selling cookbooks ever FYI are low fat desserts). Which means some of you will leave sadly. But I believe in staying true to myself and that means not putting up sugar free, fat free pudding as a dessert. Because it’s not. In fact I’m pretty afraid to even know what is in half that stuff. Yikes.

For those who have learned to indulge once in a while I offer up my Brownie Tart and Hot Chocolate Ice Cream. This is a rich tart and a little slice will go a long way. Perfect for those in a lifestyle change.

Brownie Tart with Hot Chocolate Ice Cream

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Grease and flour a 9-inch tart pan with removable sides. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a bowl set over simmering water. Add 2 cups of the chocolate chips, remove from the heat, and stir until the chocolate melts. Set aside to cool completely.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, yolk, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the cooled chocolate. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and the remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips.

Fold the flour mixture into the batter until just combined. Pour into the pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the center is puffed (the top may crack). The inside will still be very soft. Cool to room temperature before removing the sides of the tart pan.
Adapted from Ina Garten Foodnetwork.com

Hot Chocolate Ice Cream

1 cup milk
4 tsp. cornstarch
2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup hot chocolate mix
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
¼ tsp. salt
3 tbsp. cream cheese, softened
1 ½ cups mini marshmallows

In a bowl, stir together 1/4 cup milk and the cornstarch; set slurry aside.

In a 4-qt. saucepan, whisk together remaining milk and the cream, sugar, hot chocolate mix, cocoa powder, and salt; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Cook for 4 minutes; stir in slurry. Return to a boil and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Place cream cheese in a bowl and pour in 1/4 cup hot milk mixture; whisk until smooth. Then whisk in remaining milk mixture.

Place into a container and place into the fridge for at least 6 hours, even better if you do over night. Make sure that you ice cream bowl for your machine has sat in the freezer for at least 24 hours.

Pour mixture into an ice cream maker; process according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add marshmallows just as ice cream is finishing. Transfer ice cream to a storage container and freeze until set.

Adapted from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

Christmas:
*Good. Santa was super-duper kind to me and got me a Kitchen Aid 13 cup Food Processor. My old one is 16 years old and while the motor was fine all the plastic parts were not.
*Had this yummy cinnamon coffee cake that is easy and an overnight cake (see the recipe below). Went non-traditional for dinner and had steak and a seafood gratin. Followed with a brownie tart with hot chocolate and marshmallow ice cream (recipe later this week).
*As usual Crazy Cocker Spaniel made out the best. Which is why we are mean and play Deck the Dog with her.

In good news though you can all see that I picked up a date for New Year’s Eve.
What did you end up getting? Was Santa kind to you as well?

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

2/3 cup unsalted butter
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk
Topping:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Cream together butter, brown sugar and, granulated sugar.

Add the beaten eggs and mix well.

Sift together all dry ingredients.

Add to creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk.

Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13-inch pan.

Sprinkle topping over the batter.

Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Remove foil and bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until cake tests done.

Adapted from Food.com

Nothing says Christmas like football? Well they do thank God a lot when they get a touchdown.

I spent most of my day at the Seahawks game. It was my first NFL game ever. It was…interesting. We had been given free tickets and said what the heck. It’s the only sport that I have had to been pat down and go through a metal detector, that was the first bad sign. Then there was drunken peanut guy. He was so drunk he couldn’t keep his head up and kept throwing peanut shells at people…he was escorted out. Then you have the extra coaches in the stands that let the team know what they should be doing. Keep in mind most of the people “coaching” them couldn’t run half way down the field without coming close to dying. Four dollars for a diet coke? $30 to park…and that wasn’t the highest amount…some wanted $50! And my favorite is that they aren’t allowed to swear in the stands so when a ref makes a bad call instead of saying bullsh!t they shout out “pitch it”.

I was definitely an unusual way to spend Christmas Eve. I can honestly say football to me is far more fun watching at home, in my comfy clothing. Not freezing and squeezed next to some man spilling out of his seat and into mine. And buying a beer doesn’t require taking out a loan.

But now it’s truly Christmas Eve and my traditions are starting to kick in. I had pizza for dinner. My mother always ordered pizza as she was too busy preparing for the meal the next day. One year when all the pizza places were closed it has become such a tradition that we made English muffin pizzas.

Right now most people aren’t on the Internet reading blogs. But if you are I just want to say that I hope you are having a happy and loving holiday with people you want to be celebrating with. I hope you wake up tomorrow and that Santa has brought you what you want. And if you didn’t get it have the grace to accept what you got. You can always save up for something yourself.

I’m off to open my Christmas pajamas (for those wondering someone got my Christmas pajamas.:)) , make a nice cup of peppermint hot chocolate, snuggle up with CCS, and watch a little Christmas Story.

All my best to you and your families. Merry Christmas!