Picture fun...

Still a looong way to go....



Martha Stewart Crisp Coconut and Chocolate Pie

So tonight I tried to make this delectable recipe from Martha Stewart Crisp Coconut Chocolate Pie.  This is the link over to her wonderful creation and here below are the changes I made because of what I had in my kitchen.  Now no one (at least me) can make things look like Martha Stewart but no one has my two wonderful co-chefs either!

All this pie needs is 4 ingredients...

For the crust-4 TBS of softened unsalted butter (I used margarine) & about 6 cups of sweetened shredded coconut
For the filling-1 C Heavy Cream (I used light cream) & 8oz of bittersweet chocolate (I used semi-sweet chocolate chips)

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.  Using a food processor, blend the butter and 1 Cup of the coconut together for around 1-2 minutes until it could make a ball.

Then add the other 2 Cups of coconut and mash together with your hands.  Then press into a pie pan.

(Now this is where my non-baking skills really come out)  I just pushed it all into the bottom and baked it at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.  It was golden on the top.

While the coconut was baking, I brought the cream to a simmer and then poured it over the chocolate chips.  I let it sit for about 10 minutes and then stirred it all together.

Then you pour the chocolate over the coconut and place in the fridge until the chocolate is set.  Martha says 1 hour to 1 day...ours was not ready in 1 hour but I had a taste anyway.  It is like a giant Mounds bar to me...maybe next time I'll add nuts.  As for Martha's I am sure it is a wonderful pie!

Bon Appitte and enjoy some shots of the chefs!

being silly

showing off her mixture

sampling the wares

not a good chef if you don't taste everything!

licking the spoon!

January Photo Projects...

Ansley and I have decided to participate in a 52 photo project (1 photo based on a theme for 52 weeks)!  This is a first for both of us so it's kind of a New Years Resoulution! 

I am doing two, one is My Four Hens 52 weeks of photos and the other is Paint the Moon-Let's do 52.   So far so good, I am really enjoying the challenges for each week and I have even learned what the heck negative space is.  I will get this photography thingy down {fingers crossed}!  Here are my entries so far...I would love feedback and ideas!

Negative Space

Resolution



Responsibility

 

Life

Inspiration

 And here are Ansley's entries so far...she is participating in Paint the Moon- Let's do 52- Kids click too

French Onion Soup...

Since today was a super rainy, yucky outside kind of day, it made for a perfect soup day!  I have been promising Jake that I would make French Onion Soup for a while and decided today was the day.  I could not find the recipe that I used before so I 'revised' a recipe that I found in the Atlanta Cooknotes Cookbook and it turned out yummy!  SO yummy even the girls enjoyed it!  Yea soup!

SO to start with you need (remember these are my revisions)...3 medium-large thinly sliced sweet onions, 3 TBS of butter, 1 TBS of oil, 1 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp of sugar, 4 TBS of AP flour, 2 14oz cans of undiluted beef broth, 3 cans of water, 1/2 cup white wine, salt and pepper to taste, 1 TBS Worcestershire sauce, four slices of french bread and 1&1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese

Cook onions in butter and oil covered over low heat for 15 minutes.

Uncover and increase to moderate heat.  Add salt and sugar.  Cook 30-40 minutes, stirring often.  Blend in flour and stir 3 minutes until smooth.

Stir in beef broth and 1 can of water.  Boil remaining 2 cans of water and add to mixture along with white wine, salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce.  Simmer 30-40 minutes.

Add grated Swiss cheese to french bread and toast. 

Pour soup into bowl and add grilled cheese toast. 

mmmmm

Enjoy!

Three Weeks...Day Twenty-Four

RELAX!! 
PREPARE!! 
BREATHE!!

Three Weeks...Days Tweny-One, Twenty-Two & Twenty Three...

Day Twenty One-(Thursday)
FUN day with jake, which always includes a trip to the Home Depot!  but it was for art room supplies so this time it was fun!  i also decided to join a 52 photo project!  this will be the first photo project that i have done & i am EXCITED, can't wait to see how it turns out!  anyone can join...you can find all the details here My Four Hens Photography

Day Twenty Two-(Friday)
more working on the art room.  i am so excited & i LOVE it.  i can not wait to spend hours & hours hanging out crafting with my family!  almost done!

Day Twenty Three-(Saturday)
Today the girls & I went out antiqueing (real word?) with my mom & dad.  We had a nice warm winter day.  we even had a lightning show this evening, crazy GA weather (but i like love it).  submitted my entry for the photography project!  (yay)



PS...
Dreading Monday!!

Three Weeks...Days Nineteen & Twenty...

Day Nineteen...
today we started the art studio in the basement!  can not wait until it is done!  it is going to be another amazing Jake Cordle original...(of course you know that pictures will follow)  i also had dinner with Katie, which was great catching up & actually completing a conversation in one sitting  :)  not much else but  a wonderful day!

Day Twenty...
today Ansley had to go back to school :( (not cool) BUT she did get her report card & did great!  She went up in 4 subjects & did not go down in any!  she is also reading like a mad woman, i hope that she keeps that up forever!!  Sarah & i spent the day hanging out, we watched some looney tunes & had a blast together.  this kid cracks me up...is she really four?  sometimes i wonder!

Three Weeks...Day Eighteen...

Today is football day!  GA vs Michigan State in the Outback Bowl & Wisconsin vs Oregon in the Rose Bowl!  We headed over to the Turner's for Christmas/football day.  This year we were all so busy, we had to wait until after Christmas to get together.  I think this was the first year that happened!  And although neither of our teams won, we had a great time with friends & at home later.  Happy Bowl Day!

Sarah in her Badger Wear!

And in her Dawgs gear!

Happy New Year...I made a curtain!!! {Day Seventeen}

I MADE A CURTAIN!!  (Now we will not discuss how it is 2-3 inches too short...hoping to get some tips on if I can fix that) but boy does it make me proud!  NOT only did I make a curtain BUT I made a new spool of brown thread for the bobbin, put it in & threaded the machine with the brown thread!  (I was crafty & downloaded the manual to my sewing machine & it took me about 2 hours...) but right now I feel awesome!  This was on my list to do while I was off & I was beginning to wonder if I would make it!  Yea me!!  I did.  Now for the photos...  this curtain is going in Sarah's room, it will hang in from of the playroom.  Jake & I insulated that thing like crazy but it still gets pretty cold & hot so hopefully this will help & they can just pull it back when they are playing.  Tomorrow Jake said that he will hang it & viola...instant awesome {I think}

Happy New Year!



I even ironed!

lined with an Ikea sheet

broke out my sewing machine manual

had to remove stiches

done, but ended up being too short....

Adjusted the hem and viola!  Done!



Monday....took the hem out of that was there for the curtain rod and used a different rod and it is now long enough!  Hooray!