~Twinkle Toes

I have always had problems breaking in shoes. So I thought I would share...

~Holly Marie Combs Quote

"Your faith in yourself is all you will ever have. Don't let anyone take it away from you, ever."
~Holly Marie Combs

~The MatchMaker ...Week-End

I have taken a 3 day week-end to try to get my head together. So I am in much need of a chick-flick week-end. So here it goes...

The MatchMaker (1997)

When election campaigner Marcy Tizard arrives in Ballinagra Ireland to track down the ancestral roots of U.S. Senator John McGlory, romance is the last thing on her mind. But this otherwise sleepy village is in the middle of its annual matchmaking festival, and the locals have money on it that she'll be fixed up in no time.


In Honor of my late cat Bailey..."BAILEY'S IRISH CREAM BUNDT CAKE"

www.RecipeGirl.com

CAKE:
1 cup chopped pecans
1 package yellow cake mix
3.4oz. package instant vanilla pudding mix
4 large eggs
¼ cup water
½ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup Irish Cream liqueur

GLAZE:
½ cup butter
¼ cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup Irish Cream liqueur


1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour 10-inch bundt pan. Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over bottom of pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine cake and pudding mixes. Add eggs, water, oil and liqueur. Beat for 5 minutes at high speed. Pour batter over nuts in pan.

3. Bake 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan.

4. Prepare glaze while cake is cooling in pan. Combine butter, water and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in Irish Cream.

5. Invert cake onto serving dish. Prick top and sides of cake. Spoon glaze over top and brush onto sides of cake. Allow to absorb glaze; repeat until all glaze is used.

Servings: 12



Read more: http://www.recipegirl.com/2008/08/19/irish-cream-bundt-cake/#ixzz0vGlXs4wA

~Loss Of My Little One

Week-end Blogger friends. I took sometime off this past week when I lost my beloved cat Bailey. He would have been 18 on Christmas Day. I hsve been struck by the kindness of the people around me. Seems their are other animal people out there that have felt the same way I do right now. I miss my little furry baby more than I can say...


Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

~The Holiday Week-End

Happy Week-end everyone. I have always felt like Iris while watching this movie. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do...

The Holiday (2006)
In London, Iris Simpkins write a wedding column in a newspaper and has an unrequited love for her colleague Jasper Bloom. Nearby Christmas, she is informed that Jasper is engaged and will marry another colleague, and her life turns head over heels. In Los Angeles, the movie-trailers maker Amanda Woods has just broken with her unfaithful boyfriend Ethan and wants to forget him. Amanda access a house exchange website, and impulsively swaps her mansion for Iris' cottage in Surrey for the holiday along the next two weeks. While in Surrey, Amanda meets Iris' brother and book editor Graham and they fall in love for each other. Meanwhile Iris meet her next door neighbor, the ninety year old screenplay writer Arthur, who helps her to retrieve her self-esteem, and the film composer Miles, and they fall in love for each other




Holiday Honey Chocolate Surrey Sweet LA Orange Cake

Serves 12
April 2000
Ingredients
Cake
7 large eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
3 tablespoons grated orange peel
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup matzo cake meal
5 tablespoons potato starch
Glaze
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted pareve margarine
1 1/2 pounds bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
3 tablespoons honey
Nonpoisonous flowers (optional)
Orange peel strips (optional)
Preparation
Cake
Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom of 10-inch-diameter springform pan with foil; brush foil with oil. Cut cardboard into 9-inch round. Wrap with foil.
Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff glossy peaks form. In another large bowl, beat egg yolks, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, vegetable oil, orange juice concentrate, orange peel and lemon juice until blended. Sift cake meal and potato starch over yolk mixture and beat at low speed just until blended. Gently fold whites into yolk mixture in 2 additions.
Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack. DO AHEAD Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.
Glaze
Melt margarine in heavy large saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Mix in orange juice concentrate and honey. Let cool until thickened but still spreadable, about 2 hours.
Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Release sides. Cut cake in half horizontally, leaving cake bottom on pan bottom. Place top half of cake, top side down, on foil-wrapped cardboard round. Spread 1 1/3 cups chocolate glaze over. Place bottom half of cake, pan side up, onto glaze. Remove pan bottom; peel off foil. Spread 1 cup chocolate glaze in thin layer over entire cake, anchoring crumbs. Refrigerate cake 30 minutes.
Rewarm remaining chocolate glaze over very low heat until just pourable. Place rack on baking sheet; place cake on rack. Pour glaze over cake, coating entirely and smoothing sides with metal spatula. Chill cake on rack until glaze is firm. Transfer to platter. (Reserve glaze on sheet for another use.) DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before servings.
Garnish cake with flowers and orange peel strips if desired.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/1994/04/chocolate_orange_and_honey_cake#ixzz0ts6X0vVf

~Happy Bastille Day! Liberté, égalité, fraternité!

French Martini

1 1/2 oz vodka
1/4 oz Chambord® raspberry liqueur
1/4 ozfresh pineapple juice
1 twist lemon peel






"I believe there`s some kind of destiny involved with meeting people... some things are just meant to happen."
~ Audrey Tautou







LEMON MADELEINES

6 lg. egg yolks
1/2 c. sugar
2 tbsp. grated lemon peel
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 c. all purpose flour, sifted
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and lukewarm (3/4 stick)
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter 12 madeleine molds (cookie molds that resembles sea shells). Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until pale yellow and slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes. Fold in lemon peel and lemon juice. Fold in flour. Place half of batter in small bowl; fold in butter. Gently fold batters together.
Divide batter among prepared madeleine molds. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of madeleines comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Turn madeleines out onto rack and cool completely. Store at room temperature in airtight container. Sift powdered sugar over madeleines BEFORE serving. Delicious with ice cream.

~Kyra Sedgwick Quote

"Everyone makes a difference. You don't deserve a place on this earth unless you take responsibility for it and its future."

~Kyra Sedgwick

~Jennifer & Stella

So my friend is selling the lovely Stella & Dot Jewelry. So I thought I'd share some of this fun stuff with all of you. What do you think?




“I love that whole princess mentality, but I also like throwing my hair in a ponytail and just wearing jeans, going on a hike and then eating a big chili-cheeseburger.”
Jennifer Love Hewitt

~Just Like Heaven Week-End

This week-ends movie goes out to my friend Kelly who is soon going to be in San Francisco for a Stella & Dot event. *sigh* must be nice. I miss that city. So I thought I would feature a chick flick set in The City.Take note of the joke of Phoenix vs. San Francisco. (FYI my last trip I did a whole week of movies set there to get into the mood. Yup I'm a nerd like that. haha) Have fun Kelly!The rest of you out there enjoy the movie & the tasty treat!

Just Like Heaven...
Elizabeth Masterson, a dedicated doctor in San Francisco, had almost no time for anything. When her sister with two kids set her up on a date, she gets into a tragic car crash and gets in a coma. Meanwhile, David Abbott moves into San Francisco and coincidentally, into Elizabeth's apartment for rent. While at the apartment, Elizabeth's spirit haunts him. She doesn't remember who she is, who her family is, and what she did - All that she remembered was her apartment and where everything was. To settle the arguments, David agrees to figure out who Elizabeth really is. When they get close to figuring out who she is, they eventually find love in each other and as they finally know who she really is, they learn that fate really has put them both together

Enjoy with "Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Heavenly Pudding"


Peanut butter pudding:
1/2 cup sugar
5 teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup creamy (smooth) natural peanut butter (made with only peanuts and salt)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate pudding:
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
4 ounces imported milk chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 Reese Peanut Butter Cup Garnish


Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Peanut-Butter-Milk-Chocolate-Puddings-350968#ixzz0tCLVAK7T

~Sarah McLachlan Quote

“We're constantly being told what other people think we are, and that's why it is so important to know yourself.”
~Sarah McLachlan

~Discovering Home

Forget Hilda (silk flowers on the wall really?). Forget Frank (the Trump lo King). My favorite Trading Spaces designer had to be Laura Smith. This week-end I came across her book & had to have it. her designs have warms, traditions with a modern twist.

~Book Video~

~Classic Laurie videos~

~Video~

~Oh Joy!

Here ya go; sunshine in a bar of soap. What a great way to start the day with this Joy Soap. $7.50 for a 9 oz bar at Kala Style.

~Lauren Graham Quote

"Texting is not flirting, if you don't care about me enough to say the words than that's not love, I don't like it! "
~Lauren Graham

~Happy 4th

"A day out-of-doors, someone I loved to talk with, a good book and some simple food and music -- that would be rest."

~Eleanor Roosevelt

~I Carried A Watermelon

"I carried a watermelon."
~Baby



Watermelon Cupcakes

What you’ll need~

8 cupcake liners
8 cupcake shaped pieces of seedless watermelon, (see below)
2 cups pineapple cream cheese frosting
Sprinkles for garnish
How to make them~

Place the liners in an 8-cup cupcake tin. Cut 3-inch thick slices of seedless watermelon. Cut round cupcake sized pieces from the slices. Put a watermelon ‘cupcake’ in each liner. Place a dollop of frosting on each cupcake. Decorate as desired with sprinkles. Serves 8.
CREAM CHEESE-PINEAPPLE ICING

1 (No. 2) can crushed pineapple
1/4 stick butter
1/4 c. sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 box powdered sugar

Combine pineapple butter and sugar in saucepan; cook until mixture is thickened and transparent, stirring constantly. Let stand until cool.
Combine lemon juice and cream cheese; blend in powdered sugar. Add pineapple mixture; beat well. Spread on cake.


Watermelon cupcake recipe and image courtesy of NWPB


Watermelon Martini

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 cups diced watermelon
2 oz vodka
Juice of 1/2 lime
Ice


Make a simple syrup by bringing the water and sugar to a boil. Allow it to cool. (Leftover syrup can be stored indefinitely in the refrigerator.)

Place the watermelon in a food processor or blender, and pulse until smooth, then press through a fine sieve, reserving the juice.

Place the vodka, lime juice, ½ ounce of simple syrup, and 2-3 ounces of watermelon juice (to taste) into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well, and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a wedge of watermelon
Makes 1 cocktail.


Watermelon Face Mask

Things You'll Need:
One cup of chopped watermelon without seeds
1/2 half of a banana
1/2 of a small container of plain yogurt
glass bowl
metal spoon
blender


After chopping the watermelon into smaller pieces, place it in the blender. Add the banana and half of your cup of yogurt.


Blend the ingredients.

Turn the blender on and blend until the contents are thick and pasty. If the mixture is too thin, add more yogurt, If too thick, add a small amount of water.

Place your freshly made watermelon mask in the refrigerator for at least an hour before using. It feels much more inviting when it's a bit cold.

Spread a thin layer of the mask over your face. Relax with your eyes closed for fifteen minutes. Wash off the mask with cold water.

~The Long Long Trailer...Week-End

Ahh the week-end is here again my friends. What better way to avoid the heat than curling up & watching Lucy? This is a great one that doesn't get show a lot. Although it is going to me on Turner this month. It's very sweet to see Lucy & Desi still newly weds in this cute film. Enjoy!

The Long, Long Trailer (1953) Nicky and Tacy are going to be married. Nicky wants to save up money for a house, but Tacy dreams of starting off with their own home on wheels--a trailer. After the two are hitched, they hitch up their trailer and begin their honeymoon. The humor comes from several disastrous adventures the couple has while traveling including Tacy's awkward attempt to cook dinner in a moving trailer, and a cliffhanging ride through the mountains that nearly destroys their marriage



" Lucille Strawberry Fudge Balls"

•1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
•1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels, melted
•3/4 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
•1/4 cup strawberry preserves , Smuckers
•1/2 cup almonds or pecans, toasted and finely chopped*
Preparation:
Beat cream cheese at medium speed with a hand-held electric mixer until creamy. Beat in melted chocolate until smooth. Stir in vanilla wafer crumbs and strawberry preserves; cover and chill for 1 hour. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in toasted chopped almonds or pecans, and chill. Yield: 4 dozen.
*To toast nuts, spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in a 350° oven, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes. Or, toast in an ungreased skillet over medium heat, stirring, until golden brown and aromatic.