Cake Pops!

Sorry for the break from my progressive dinner desserts over the last couple days.
Let jump back into it.

The third dessert was by far my favorite:

Red Velvet Cake Pops

I thought this would be a fun and also mobile dessert.  

I stole the recipe for the Red Velvet Cake Ball from Bakerella.com

Red Velvet Cake Balls
Ingredients:

1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
wax paper

 Instructions:

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

 Then

 Then I followed another blog, Love From the Oven,  which showed me how to make these balls in to pops:  

The next step was to put the sticks in.  I prefer to dip the stick into a bit of melted chocolate, than into the cake pop.   This seems to help the pop stay on the stick better, which helps a lot when you are dipping them in the chocolate.

After that I dipped each one into the chocolate and placing them in the fridge after the chocolate dried.  I used both milk chocolate and white chocolate. 

 It ended up making 48-58 pops so we gave going home goodie bags from the Progressive dinner, then froze the rest which we ended up taking some over to our friends for a cook out last weekend. 

Both times I arranged them in a small vase with little stones at the bottom to help hold them in place..

This was a little more involved dessert but a lot of fun and very yummy!!

Cherry Blossom 10 Miler Done!

Today is April!!!

And I started April with an awesome run surrounded by awesome people cheering each other on.  

While I was standing in my "designed waiting spot" I was amazed by all the different types of people who were running today.  This is truly what I love about the sport- anyone can run.  

Yes any one. 

4 years ago I could not even run a mile and now I have competed in multiple 10 miles, 1/2 marathon, and various other races.  You can do it!

On the home stretch, mile 9 when your body is tired and ready to be done, again I was amazed by all the runners who were cheering complete strangers on as well as friends/family cheering all the runners on.  These people are complete strangers and yet they were here to support all that were running! 

Furthermore, there was my hubby, who rocks for always supporting me and showing up to support me!  And all my family and friends for the emails, texts-  I kept you guys in mind on mile 10  =0)

Amazing way to start off April- 

Cheering on complete strangers, pushing them to do better and be better.

Empower people!!!

Empowering Lives!

Happy April!

Goodbye March!

Today is the last day of March-

Can I get an Amen!

I am so happy to be moving on to the next month!

Joe and I was sitting in bed last night, talking and we both stated how happy we were that March was over!

 

While March was a good month (Hubby Birthday, spending time with family),

March also had some not so good points (the passing of my godmother, the car accident, work/life stuff for both myself and my hubby).

I find it ironic that on April 1st, the first day in April, I will be running a 10 miler.

The Cherry Blossom 10 miler of course!

I totally love this race and am looking forward to it. 

Some people deal with stress/grief/life events in all different sort of ways...

My way.... Running!

(Let me tell you how hard it was not to run for two weeks after my accident! )

So while I am running tomorrow...

Not looking at the Cherry Blossoms because they have already come and gone  =0(

I will be saying goodbye March and hello to April - a new month and a new day! 

Happy Running and Happy April!

Banana Pops

The second dessert we made for the progressive dinner was Banana Pops.

I chose this because it was easy.  

 

Ingredients:

Bananas

Chocolate

Tooth Pics

Directions:

1) Cut the Bananas in small pieces- stick a toothpick in them and then set in the freezer for 1-2 hours

2)  Dip bananas in melted chocolate

3) Place in freeze until ready to serve. 

Overall- very simple to make and very good. 

Out of all three desserts this was my least favorite but I would make all of them again...

Chocolate Mint Cookies

We had a Progress dinner a couple weekends ago with three sets of our neighbors.

This is an idea I came up with after seeing it on Top Chef  and after a sucessful one last year, 

I wanted to do another one this year.  

This year we had three houses...

Appetizer

Main Course

Dessert. 

I jumped at the chance to do desserts since I had a number of recipes I wanted to try...

We ended up doing three small desserts and over the next couple of blogs I will give the recipes for all of them.

First up: 

Chocolate Mint Cookies

I stole this recipe from Allrecipe.com

I chose it because it has over 600 good reviews...

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter 

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 

2 tablespoons water

 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

36 chocolate mint wafer candies (I used Andes Mints)

Directions: 

Step 1: 

In a large pan over low heat, cook butter, sugar and water until butter is melted. Add chocolate chips and stir until partially melted. Remove from heat and continue to stir until chocolate is completely melted. Pour into a large bowl and let stand 10 minutes to cool off slightly. 

Step 2:

At high speed, beat in eggs, one at a time into chocolate mixture. Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients, beating until blended. Chill dough about 1 hour

Step 3:

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 

Step 4;

Roll dough into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake 8-10 minutes. While cookies are baking unwrap mints and divide each in half. When cookies are brought out of the oven, put 1/2 mint on top of each cookie. Let the mint sit for up to 5 minutes until melted, then spread the mint on top of the cookie.  Eat and enjoy! 

I made them Friday night and we served them Saturday.

Most excellent.  This is a recipe I will be using again!
It is just thr right amount of mint on a chocolate cookie
=0)

Clinque Bonus Gift...

Yeap it is that time again....

Clinque Bonus Gift at Macy's!!!

I got my flyer in the mail last week and put it on my list of things to do for Monday.  

It started Monday  March 26th.  

Free Bonus Gift with a $23 dollar purchase.  

I love the Bonus Gift because it always includes a Mascara, eye shadow, lip stick, miniature lotion, and two make up bags.  This means that I do not EVER purchase mascara and eye shadow.    The lip sticks normally are not in colors I like so I give them to my mom or friends.  And I love the make up bags because make up bags do get dirty and it is nice to have the option to switch them up.  They also make awesome traveling bags to put electronics in them. 

Interesting conversation that I had with one of my friends, S.

So there are 2 Macy's at FairOaks Mall and I have been know to go to each one and purchase one product at each with a free bonus gift.  

Yes two free bonus gifts.  

One for you or even two for you, or one for a friend or family member. 

 Some might consider this cheating the system but I do not!!!!  

After all, while I love the Clinque lotion especially the Moisture Surge and All About Eyes Cream- 

it is not cheap! 

Happy Free Clinque Bonus Gift!!

Happy Monday!

First I apologize for my absence, life has been taking me running in so many directions and I do have some good running post/ food post/ and general life post coming up.  

But today I want to say.....

Happy Monday!!!

Today is an Awesome day for so many reasons.  

1)The weather is amazing and I am actually off to enjoy it.

2)I just got a free Dunkin Donuts coffee... thank you coupon!

3)I just got my free Clinque bonus gift..... again thank you free stuff!

4)I had an amazing run yesterday and a good run today!

5)I have a puppy who is full of life and wants to do nothing else but sit outside and eat sticks!

6) Loft is having a dress sale today- already scored me something with a gift card from Christmas.  Shopping is so much more fun with fake money.  

7)I have an amazing husband who walked Clemson this morning so he would let me sleep in. 

YOU ROCK!!!!! (Just in case I do not tell you enough)

8)I found out two of my friend are coming to visit! My friend from the UK with her hubby in June- SO EXCITED!!!!  And friends from Clemson also in June!!!! 

Can we say AWESOME SUMMER!!!

So happy.....  

Happy Monday!!!