the office

so, i knew "the office" was a pretty funny show, and we've been sporting "the office" magnets on our refridgerator for about two years now (from a gift from my mom) but i had never really watched the show, only clips here and there. that is, until now. let me say, it is freaking hilarious. i cry. every episode. EVERY episode. and to just look at their expressions, especially the people in the background. especially anything dwight does. i CRACK UP! i just look for the people's expressions to see when they're about to crack up. its just about every scene. watch it from the begining. its funny sporatically, but it such a good show from the begining.

Cake Balls

I got the technique from Bakerella.  I have only tried this once, but it turned out Good.  She has other variations of this that you can check out at her blog.  This is just an overview.

In order to be more figure-friendly, I used half sugar, half Splenda.

This is the recipe that I vaguely followed.  It is from Cooking Light, the Best of 2007.  (By the way, I HIGHLY recommend this cook book.  Great, great, great.  One of the few I actually use, plus, LOTS of pictures.)  Instead of adding coconut extract and butter extract, I used double vanilla and 2 teaspoons almond extract.  I omitted the coconut and the nuts.  I only did this because I didn't have them on hand.  You could follow the recipe exactly, and I'm sure it would be equally good.  My version is less like an "Italian Cream Cake" and more like "Cream Cake, or Wedding Cake."  Very yum.

Just the butter, sugar, and 2 egg yolks.  Look how yellow it is!  I am able to use fresh eggs from my Mother-in-law's chickens.

Once you make the cake according to the directions, you let it cool, and crumble it in a big bowl.  Mix it with one tub of icing from the store.  I'm sure if you're adventurous, you could make your own, but I'm not that adventurous...at least not today.  Mix it good until all the icing is mixed into the cake and it turns kinda like sticky crumbles.  Once it is, its ready to be rolled into balls.  When your cake balls are all made, pop them in the fridge for about 30 minutes or so.

When they are good and solid-ish, dip those bad boys in melted chocolate or white chocolate.  I added food coloring to mine to give it the blue shade.  This recipe that I used combined with the white chocolate (or blue chocolate) tastes like petite fours.  Yum.

Last Night's Dinner

Ecuador

Right now I am missing Ecuador.  The sites, the smells, the people, and, yes, even the food.  I was browsing a friend of mine's amazing photos from Ecucador and instantly I was in awe of the beauty of the country.  Its been so long that I had forgotten the details.  But when I see those pictures, I'm brought back just as quickly as when I smell Purell or a diesel truck.  Actually, one time in college, it was an overcast day, and I had just Purelled my hands when a diesel truck came by.  There was no mistake, I was in Santo Domingo again.  

Prison Break

I have become lost in a whirl-wind of Prison Break episodes the past few days, and all signs point to a few more days of it. We're trying to catch up before the new season starts in April. I am pretty sure that we will be able to do it with ample time to spare, at the rate we're going. It is really a good show!!

Updated Knox

laundry laundry laundry!

I am swamped. But secretly, I kinda don't mind laundry. I don't know why I let it get this ridiculous, though. Really. And now its to the point where I have to finish all of it today and tomorrow because I have to pack all day Wednesday for our trip to Florida early Thursday morning. I kinda like packing, too; I just am so concerned that I'm going to forget something. I make lists of what I need, lists for what I need to get, lists for what I have in each bag, and lists for how many bags we have.
Kuyper is laying on the couch beside me and giggling. His little sounds are so sweet. And Knox is enjoying seeing Kuyper more alert these days. He gets excited whenever Kuyper is looking at him. Yesterday Kuyper was crying in the car and Knox told him, "Its ok, Little Buddy. Don't cry." How sweet.