A girl making progress May 19, 2008

This is #6

 

As we have seen, this girly can really look darn gorgeous.

 

But a one night trick is not what we’re working towards.  Although looking gorgeous doesn’t hurt, it is our hope to get #6 to fully incorporate all these things about beauty and style into her daily life.  This will involve going through her wardrobe, helping her buy things, helping her coordinate outfits and how to properly apply all my teachings. 

Since #6 is amply game to make progress, this was a piece of cake.  So we went to work.  First we went to the mall and we went shopping.  This is our haul:

See!  No black tshirts!

I am so proud.

One of the best moments while shopping was in the dressing room.  #6 was in the booth and I’m tall enough to peek over and make commentary.  We seemed to have concentrated on tops this time out.  And in this time #6 fully discovered the wonders that was….

Her boobs!

At first she was self conscious.

Then I reminded her that she’s a girl

And that people paid lots of money for that kind of cleavage.

In the end she was able to embrace her curves.

We even had a nice discussion as to what was sexy and what was slutty.  After all, if one loves themselves with a proper amount of reality, then you learn to be sexy and pretty with class.  So she saw her hourglass figure for what it was and not as being too heavy or anything like that.  For that, I was very proud.

I really enjoy shopping.  That’s no secret.  And I think #6 really enjoyed seeing me in my element.  She saw me just look at something and know instantly how well it would go with something else.  I also showed my psychic size talent.  Which is when I just grab something off the rack and can just “feel” when it is the wrong size.  I did this more than once and #6 laughed every time I would say a hanger ‘felt’ wrong to me and how I would grab another that was just the right size.  And how even when I had the right size I’d ‘feel’ that it could either go up or down one size so it would fit her right.  My SIL saw this talent in action more than one time.  I’m sure it’s nothing, but it’s entertaining all the same.

At home, she went through her closet and I made her dump things out that were too worn, too small and just plain ugly.  It was very cleansing and therapeutic, she said.  I thought so too.  And no, I wasn’t the one to throw things out.  I just sat on the bed and made her do it herself.  For this she needed to be honest both to me and herself.  We only had a few moment of contention, but I think we did very well. 

After the closet clean out, #6 carefully put her new things into her closet.  Her mother really did like all we bought and #6 was positively beaming.  She never knew she’d love so much color.

Then we got down to more serious business. 

I went and plucked #6’s eyebrows.

 

She yelped and complained.

I sadistically kept plucking and didn’t listen.

But I reassuringly explained the concept of shaping.

I definitely think she is all the better for it.

After the eyebrows we hit up the makeup lesson.  This was the best part because we went over the whole thing and I taught her how to deal with eye shadow, which I keep getting informed by many that it’s the hardest part to apply. 

 

However, when all was said and done, #6 intoned her disbelief at to why she was so scared of her eye makeup when it was so darn simple.

When we were done, we washed it all off and had our lesson in beauty care.  And no face cleaning in a group can go without this:

Face masques!

Oh yes, the one that dries and changes colors.

That night we spoke about body language and attitude.  This is also part of #6’s makeover.  Talking is one thing and it will take a while before she develops these habits until they seem like second nature to her.  We’re in no hurry for this but I think I did open her eyes to the importance and significance of body language.  Hopefully she’ll be able to open up and take these things in.

There is still more work to be done.  As far as clothing goes, #6 still needs bottoms that aren’t jeans.  She also needs shoes that aren’t heels, wedges of sneakers.  Then she needs to better work on her collection of lip colors and perfect her beauty regimen.  Most importantly she needs to get her hair cut.  For this we need to get to y hair stylist in Mayaguez.  I’m hoping that by summer session she’ll be a whole new girl, an extremely confident girl who just shimmers with her great attitude and fun personality.  I think the boys will be blown away.  So watch out world, #6 is truly coming out of her shell!

Food Review: Heladeria Lares May 18, 2008

My mother says that I’ve been here before.  I must have been a lot younger because I don’t remember going.  But this ice cream shop is very famous for making interesting flavors of ice cream.  On any given week you can have things like carrot and sweet potato to shrimp, avocado or rice and beans.  #6 and I played it safe, she went for coquito acanelado and I had dulce de leche. 

Now, coquito is a big thing here on island.  During the Christmas holidays, instead of eggnog we have coquito.  It’s a coconut milk drink laced with lots of rum and cinnamon.  I like it a lot.  Last Christmas, my SIL and I got nice and drunk on it while wrapping the presents.  The ice cream version was very delicious.  And I’ve made it no secret of my love for caramel.  So dulce de leche was a good choice for me. 

Believe me, we must have sampled at least a dozen ice cream flavors.  We could have been more adventurous but we played it relatively safe.  Actually, nothing in the freezers seemed too crazy.  But the line was pretty sizable.  There was a flurry of activity as people tried to look into the freezers and make their choice. 

The actual place is pretty big.  The freezers are the first things you run into and they run along the left side.  The other side is a wall full of lots of pictures.  I didn’t bother to get a closer look at them.  I’m guess it might have to do with Lares, its rich history and stuff from the island.  Towards the back, the place opened up to tables so people can sit to enjoy their cool treats. 

#6 ended up knowing two of the girls who worked behind the ice cream counter.  They were very friendly and handed out the samples very kindly.  The prices were pretty reasonable, though I was too distracted with all the talk for me to truly notice just how much I paid for my large cup of ice cream.  But, all the same, we enjoyed it and ate it outside in the plaza.  I like that it’s right of the town plaza because it gives it a tranquil old-world feeling to the place. 

A girl wondering about natural beauty May 17, 2008

I often say that I don’t believe in natural beauty. 

Before you argue with me, here’s my reasoning…

I believe that while there is beauty in nature, as women, we are hardly ever just natural.  Even in our most basic states, we’ve shaved and plucked and shaped ourselves.  There seems to be loads of expectations on women to be as hairless and possible.  It’s everything from our legs, underarms, bikini areas, eyebrows and faces.  We have developed so many products just to deal with these things.  In fact, I believe facial hair is one of the things women combat the hardest and is our biggest secrets.  We never share how we pluck, wax and shave our would-be beards and moustaches.  It’s annoying but we find them psychologically unsightly.  Even women who will wear no makeup and wear men’s clothing will go around worrying about the hair on their face.

Then we have the hair on our heads which we dye and we shape into more flattering styles.  We comb it and we either curl or straighten it at will.  There are even more products to work our tresses into the right texture and usually no one is happy with the kind that they were born with.  If it’s curly, they want to go straight.  If it’s straight, they want to be curly.  And if you have it wavy like me, you wish that your hair was either one way or another. 

So when all is said and done, we’ve been altered.  We’re no longer natural.  To be “natural” takes plenty of work!  It takes maintenance and rituals.  We moisturize and we exfoliate, we primp and we prep.  But when all is said and done, we can achieve beauty.  Which is what I think makes it all worth it.  I know that at my age I can be all fresh faced without my makeup.  But I am the first to admit that to look as good as I do take even some masochistic beauty tendencies. 

Funnily enough, while some of these things are part of societal expectations, I do it all for me.  And I’m just fine with that. 

As I often tell my cow…

[Insert random pic of cow by my lap]

We can’t all be as naturally beautiful as her.

Movie Review: Chronicles of Narnia- Prince Caspian May 15, 2008

Alright, so… I TOTALLY loved this movie.  I loved the first Narnia movie.  I mean, what’s not to love about Narnia?  As a little girl I had to read The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe for third grade.  It was assigned reading.  So was Magician’s Nephew and Horse and His Boy, as well as Prince Caspian I believe.  I can’t remember, but I think those were the only ones we covered in class.  I, however, went to the library and read  Silver Chair and, my absolute favorite Voyage of the Dawn Treader.  No matter in what order you read the books, I have always found them to be a delight.  (It wasn’t until I got the Narnia box set that I knew about the final book, The Last Battle, and I read it… and cried profusely and loved the series even more).

Shame on anyone who hasn’t already read the full set of Narnia, seriously… I’d say to stop reading, that Narnia existence offends me, but that would actually seem a bit rude.  Instead, I will just beseech those who haven’t read them to go out and get them!

Anyways, we’re talking movies and not books.  So, the story behind Prince Caspian is that while it’s only been a year for the Pevensie children, it’s been well over 1000 years in Narnia.  In that time, the old ways of Narnia have been forgotten and the Telmarines have taken over, thinking they had eradicated Narnians.  When Caspian’s uncle finally gets an heir, he realizes his life is in danger.  He flees and ends up with all the supposedly extinct Narnians.  With use of Susan’s horn, the Pevensie kids end up back in Narnia, prepared to get their kingdom back in order.  War ensues, but in the end good prevails.

I have to say, as a true Narnia fanatic, I ALWAYS walk into these sorts of movies with a boulder of skepticism.  I mean, my wary attitude has a reason, while LOTR was well done, just look at what they’ve done to the Harry Potter films.  Seriously.  However, I have to say that so far both Narnia movies have been just beautiful.  The cinematography is breathtaking, the plots are true to story and it truly seems to capture all I envisioned of Narnia since I was a little girl.  Overall, I just loved it.  The kids are original from the first movie and it was amazing to see them growing up. 

As far as I know, they will be continuing with the Narnia Chronicles for a few movies more.  While it is not in the Narnia chronological sequence, it seems to be following the publishing sequence… which in all reality is good to follow because then we get to keep the same actors in the movies and watch them essentially grow up.  But, taking away all of my Narnia bias, the movie is still wonderful.  So everyone go and see it, go rent the first movie if you haven’t seen it first though… so you can be in on all the history. 

Karaoke Night: Part Deux May 15, 2008

I think I mentioned in some meme or other how my ‘hubby’ and I are big motor-mouths, as in we spend a lot of time in the car singing at the top of our lungs, off-key and off-tune to whatever is in the car stereo.

 

I would have thought that because we sing and giggle and sing some more in the car, in my living room, in scizor’s dorm that all my friends would be game for karaoke.  Boy was I wrong!

It took a week of begging and threatening and we thought that we had a decent group of friends ready to hit La Casita for karaoke night.  Then two dropped out because of lab assignments and tests.  While most of us had finished for finals, a few over-estimated their readiness when agreeing but decided to stay behind.  Even as everyone got assembled at my apartment there were doubts circulating.  But I gave my orders, people would sing and we’d have fun dammit!

 

 

 

With some sweet talking to the dj, he gave me the folders on the promise that we sing a lot of songs.  I was up for the challenge.  After writing up about a dozen songs on a napkin, I began to see some were being very stubborn and refusing to sing.  I cajoled and I pleaded.  We had plenty of time to get up our courage.  All I wanted was for them to pick a song, any song to add to the list we were giving back to the dj.  Half of our merry band refused and I got upset.  So, being the karaoke nazi, I just turned around and forgot about them.  What fun were they if they couldn’t pick a song, join others in singing other songs together and supporting your friends as they got up the guts to croon in a bar.  That’s what friends are for, after all. 

But the night wasn’t a bust, after a few songs alternating in combos of myself, #6 and scizor, the best thing happened! 

We inspired several groupings of drunken people to sing as well!

     

So it began that we’d sing in between shuffles of others and the night just rocked.  Of course the other twits that had joined us had ditched us at this point.  So they missed the rocking good time everyone was having.  It was amazing!  We closed the place down. 

In fact, one of the major accomplishments of the night was when #6 sang with our super cute dj.  I was so proud!  She looked smashingly hot.  I had done her makeup and hair before we stepped out.  No black t-shirt was in sight! 

  

After we closed down the bar with “I don’t want to miss a thing”, we opted to ditch the ditching bee-yotches who wanted us to go play video games with them.  Instead we piled on out to go to Denny’s.  There scizor, #6 and I proceeded to spend the next few hours chattering and recapping the night.  They had been the two biggest nay-sayers.  In the end, they were two of the karaoke stars.  I asked them why they had been so hesitant.  After it was all said and done, neither could remember what their fears were. 

Later, I asked the twits who chickened out what their problem was.  After loads of lame excuses they said they felt pressured to sing too early.  They obviously hadn’t listened to a darn thing we’d told them.  But, we didn’t miss them.  I seem to find smaller groups the most fun.  I’m glad that we went.  It turned out that between the three of us who stuck it out, we didn’t even have one full drink.  So, ultimately, it happened to have been some wholesome good fun. 

Well, as wholesome as one can get when singing at a bar.

A girl reminiscing about bikes May 14, 2008

I haven’t the faintest idea why, but I have been very nostalgic of my time in New York lately.

Last night, scizor had a fight with another of our friends. He was all huffy, so obviously he came on over to my place to pick me up so we could go to Denny’s (A tradition begun with my best friend and SIL, Dy, and now continued with my ‘hubby’). Here we have hot chocolate and just talk, order something if we feel like it… but mostly we spend over 2 hours talking about nothing and everything.

I don’t remember what we were talking about for me to mention this, but I brought up how a certain gent (funny, this seems to be his nickname now on here! lol) showed me this site for this beautiful island and how it had a lilac Festival. Scizor, of course, automatically said how I’d be in heaven in such a place. It’s common knowledge that while tulips are my favorite flowers (as mentioned in a melancholic state for V-day), my favorite floral scent is lilac. In fact, a few years ago when I couldn’t find a commercial perfume that I liked, I would order a perfume oil mixture of lilac, magnolia and ivy.

Anyway, the thing about that lovely island is that it doesn’t have cars. You can only go around on bicycles or horse-drawn carriages. Here is where scizor learned something new about me because he very snobbishly said that I don’t do bicycles. But he was actually very wrong and I set him straight immediately.

Of course, scizor had no clue that in NY one of the main family activities we used to do since I learned how to ride a two-wheel bike was to go bicycling as a family. Sure, I can’t do the cross country thing, but I used to love going to the parks and just going around with everyone else. And in NY there are quite a few neighborhood parks where we used to haul our bikes to.

We used to make entire days of it… First we’d go and fill up those red thermos jugs, one with iced tea and one with water and lots of ice. We’d wash out the square wicker picnic basket with the sets of 4 plates, mugs and utensils. Then we’d place all our bikes onto the car carrier and head down to the supermarket. There we’d go to the deli section and get some cold cuts, fresh rolls, pickled mushrooms and some mousse (there was this cookie speckled on that was SO good!). From there we’d go over to Flushing Meadow Park to the southern section which has Meadow Lake. This lake has the bike path around it and nice fields where you can sit down and just relax. My mother would sit and read while my brother and I went around the lake.

Those kind of picnic bike trips were common occurrences.

I miss those pickled mushrooms and the mousse.

When we got to PR, we brought our bikes with us. But where we live in my hometown, there are too many curves and there really isn’t a good place to bike through, not when you are used to open parks and winding lake trails. My bike fell into disuse and eventually was thrown out because it got ruined from being on the balcony so long. It took my little brother until last year to learn how to ride his two-wheeler. That was an ordeal. I don’t remember my learning to be that difficult. Because, as always, the story went for me how my mother let go the first time and I crashed a little ahead, but only when I’d realized she’d let go of me. She’d been worried that I wouldn’t ride anymore but instead I just picked myself up with the bike and kept on going all on my own.

When teaching my younger brother to ride, I got a chance to use his. I was almost afraid that I wouldn’t remember how. It had been well over 9 years since I rode a bicycle, but it all came back to me. If the area were better for it, I’d actually love to have a bicycle. However, no point in getting one now.

Needless to say, szicor was very impressed with my memory… and how picnics were so rare here, and how he wanted to go to NY someday. We joked and I told him of how it would be like if I were to be his guide, and I’d take him to all my old haunts, the places of my childhood memories. All this talk made me feel very homesick, my home being NY. One would think that after a decade I would feel more in place in PR, but that’s not the case. I feel like I was already very grown up when I came to PR even though I was only 11. Some of my stories made scizor very sad and he began to understand some of the deep rooted resentment I seem to hold for this island… but, I’ll leave those stories for another entry.

Last night ended with us hitting the beach at 3AM. We sat on the sand and watched the moon and waves. Then I started collecting seashells and stepping into the clear cool water. It was shallow and we walked along the starlit surf. Then we went home, the hood to my sweater full of pretty shells.

Lab Rat #6 May 13, 2008

(AKA: Amanda’s Makeover)

The title is actually the name of the mission that my friend Amanda has given her own makeover. Why? Well, because she says that’s how she thinks she’s going to feel. After about 2 weeks, I don’t think she really feels that way but now the name has stuck. I will now refer to her as #6 from here on out, even though the actual number is not relative to anything at all other than it being the first number she blurted out.

So, here’s the backstory: #6 is a friend of scizor’s and mine. She’s a very sweet girl of 19 who, just recently, took a good look at her closet and realized that it’s filled with jeans, converse sneakers and black t-shirts. This along with an invitation for a chic dinner with some friends at Longhorn made her notice that she didn’t have any outfits appropriate for such a dinner occasion. Aghast by this discovery, she promptly went out and bought herself some very cute springy dresses and she intoned to any around her how she truly needed a makeover. Thankfully, this plea came upon my beloved ‘hubby’s’ ears first and immediately he had the answer for her: “Ask Ivy. She does this all the time. In fact, she seems to live for it. You’d be in no better hands.” He assured her.

At first it took a few tries to get both she and I in the same room together, it took a few more tries to get us both and her new dresses. For it was with the dresses she felt that her change could truly be envisioned and realized. Without even having seen the dresses I knew that I was just what she needed. The plan, of course, was to make her realize that only I would work for the task. It had to come from her, since the changes she was wishing for were most complete. In order to change, you must want to do so, not be coerced into it.

Slowly I worked to build her trust.

I think at first #6 was a little skeptical. Others had tried to make her over, but none of it seemed to stick. Any attempts by her mother would be met with arguments, friends seemed only capable of slutting her out for a night. The change she wanted was radical, complete. She wanted to feel like a young woman, dress like one, have various outfits to choose from, know how to select the right pieces for herself. Surely it was a lot to ask but I’d done just this to many people before her.

What #6 didn’t know is that for a while now I have been casually running an Image and Shopping Consultation business in my free time (I just added a page dedicated to this on my blog, so be sure to check it out). I practiced on friends, but then I saw that a lot more people needed help. With very fair fees and my exquisite taste, I have aided in the transformation of several ladies, and even a few gents who wished to become ladies. I am very careful in who I decide to help, the interview process is actually a bit long because I like to learn everything about the person I am working with. In no way do I wish to change them. I want to polish them, bring out their best sides and make them shine.

So a week and a half ago, we were #6 at the mall. She needed shoes to go with her new dresses. Converse sneakers just weren’t going to cut it with them. Over lunch we discussed her thoughts, her sizes, her desires, her price range. This was the first in depth interview we had and we spent at least an hour just talking. I wanted her to feel comfortable and confident. What she probably didn’t realize was that that shopping trip was going to make or break whether I could fully help her or not. I knew this, so I needed to be sure I’d read her correctly, if she was going to be willing to trust me. The last part is extremely important, something I learned time and again with my sis-in-law, Dy. It took me quite some time to gain her trust, but I’d like to say that since she met me I achieved more for her appearance than her step-mother and sister combined had in the years before she met me.

We began slowly browsing shops, seeing what styles seemed to be in fashion and which she would feel comfortable wearing. Then I slowly got her to try on a couple of shoes in several stores, receiving her thoughts and opinion the entire time. Along the way we spoke of comfort and appeal, as well as how one did not need to “match” things in their wardrobe but learn to “coordinate” them. This last phrase is one I often have to drill into my clients. Far too many can go too far with matching things to the extreme. Sure, you want things to go together, but only enough so it looks good together, not that every single item be just one precise shade. I have to say #6 was a wonderful sport, she withstood all my cutting witticism like a real champ. In fact, she found them extremely funny and put her at ease. This made her more willing to try things I suggested that she normally would have shied away from.

Thank goodness she did! Both shoes she got from this trip were absolutely gorgeous (one a pair of white pleated front open toe t-strap wedges and another a chocolate round open toe wedge with faux reptile skin and gold metal details) and both would work with either dress as well as some of her other clothes.

After this trip #6 is most eager to move on to other things. I spent an entire afternoon last week going through her clothes, her makeup, her accessories and her beauty regimen. We even took the time to write up in a sort of journal all the things she wished to cover, what I recommended, what we needed to move towards. The progress will be slow. There are quite a few things that we need to buy. But there is also a lot that we need to work out with her attitude and the way she sees herself. As with many, #6 does not see herself clearly. She lacks self esteem but has incredible potential. I’m definitely looking forward to making more progress.

Let it be known that #6 gave me full permission to document her transformation on my blog. There are no pictures as of yet, but I hope to remedy that soon and see if this site will let me put them up, it’s been acting a little funny as of late.

I can’t wait to get things going some more.

I’m bubbling with ideas and I just know #6 will turn out to be such a knock out!

Stay tuned!

A girl blogitating May 12, 2008

(blogitating = blog meditating…. well, I try)

One of the things that I did learn for the whole mess a month ago with my blog was how many of my friends also had blogs.  But, as they very disdainfully told me, their blogs were PRIVATE.  I could hear the censure in their voices, wondering why it never occurred to me to make my own blog private as well.  And, you know what?  I don’t think it ever crossed my mind that I should do so.

Ever since then I have had this running in the back of my mind.  Should I have entries blocked and private?  Should I be such a blogtator as to rule who can read what content and when?  Should I be so very elitist and only expect a certain hand selected few to read my thoughts, rants, recipes and ramblings?

Then I got to wondering as to which blogology was more vain…

Is it those who post all their stuff for the world to see?  They put their words out into the blogiverse and expect people to come and flock to their humble little blog.  They are elated when comments come through from strangers, keep track of their numbers to see how much traffic entries make and keep on blogging in the hopes of just being read and heard.

Or is it those who write and keep it private only to a select few?  Those who thoughtfully address things only to a certain audience, keep a control on their traffic and only dispense with their addresses to trusted few.

After all this time, I know it’s pretty obvious to which blogosophy I belong to.  And, yanno, even after that stupid mess, I’m not sorry.  I like the random openness of blogs.  I was delighted when MQ found my sleeping sewing machine… when I stalked CB’s failed appletini cupcakes… when TW was hating on meme’s and stalking on Slush… when I lurked all over countless other’s blogs and randomly slapped them onto my blogroll.  If our blogs hadn’t been very public, none of this would have happened and my past 4 and a half months of blogging would have been all the poorer.

Why then did I get so much damn flack from so many people about having my humble little blog (one I never plastered the address around for, instead just letting the blog fates do with it as they will) public?  I know a few others who had some issues and skirmishes on their own blogs… so I wonder, would having had your blog private made up for whatever little mishap you had?  Do you feel like you would have lost on so much more?

Can someone please explain to me the point of a private blog?  Does it then become more diary than blog?  For that, shouldn’t they just stick to livejournal or some such in order to have a better medium for their expressions?

Or am I being a blogist and not open-minded enough to understand this?

Mother’s Day Breakfast May 11, 2008

Every year my aunt and I are the ones who pull together the meals for Mother’s Day. We usually just think about it and on the Friday I travel home, we compare notes and buy whatever ingredients we need. Lately, we’ve unofficially agreed that I’m in charge of breakfast and dessert while she’s in charge of the late lunch/early dinner. This usually has to do with the fact that I need to travel back to my apartment on that day and can’t deal with that meal and packing all at once. I tried it one year and just about lost it. So it’s just best if we both stick to our strengths (even though my aunt is reknowned for her ‘cooking’ which usually involves her phone and some take-out menu, she has mastered a few dishes which are really quite delicious).

As you have seen so far, I spent Friday evening baking the bread to go with my aunt’s meal. Yesterday I spent it on the brioche and cupcakes. I worked all through the night. By the time I was finished it was 7AM and I didn’t wish to sleep through breakfast. So I stayed awake and began breakfast at 8AM. The brioche was already made so I just had to worry about the frittata.

Spinach and ham egg white frittata

Serves 6

• Sautee some diced white onion until transluscent.
• Add about 10oz. defrosted spinach into the pan and mix.
• When spinach is heated, add about 10 slices turkey ham.
• Place mixture into the bottom of a square casserole pan.
• Cover with sharp cheddar cheese, approx. 6 ounces.
• Beat 12 egg whites with a hand mixer on medium speed until the mixture is white and fluffy. It shouldn’t reach soft peak stage.
• Add a large dollop of the egg white mixture to 7 egg yolks which have been lightly beaten. Slowly fold together.
• Add the lightened egg yolk mixture to the egg whites and fold gently together.
• Smooth egg mixture over the rest in the casserole dish,
• Bake at 400F until the top is golden brown and the egg foam has cooked thoroughly, approximately 20-25 minutes.

Final Review: This breakfast was a huge hit with the mother’s and everyone else. It was light and yet very filling. We’re huge fans of spinache, but because my grandmother cannot have anything with high levels of potassium, I actually made a small loaf pan for her with everything but the spinach. It was also very delicious. The bottom layer can be anything you want it to be so don’t be afraid to mix it up. The whites are super fluffy and you needn’t use so many of the yolks. I usually just use enough to show a slight yellow tinge to the mixture.

The funniest moment was when my grandfather took my elegant breakfast and just made it into a sandwich. Got to love the man. He did the same thing for dinner, where he shoved some of the meatballs into his french bread and consumed. I wonder if it’s from him that I get my love for sandwiches.

PS: Check back to last week because I did a backpost about going to karaoke. Don’t want any of you to miss any posts!

How TW saved my cupcakes May 11, 2008

Alright, so maybe she didn’t SAVE them. I sort of saved them myself… but that doesn’t make for a very good title.

As it so happens, for Mother’s day I decided to make red velvet cupcakes. Out of all the cakes I make, I think red velvet is probably the favorite. So I try and make a lot of them. This time I think I may have overdone it.

The thing with my recipe of red velvet is that it doesn’t use cocoa powder (many may argue then that it isn’t really red velvet, but I don’t care! My gradmama can’t have chocolate because of bad kidneys) and I use vegetable oil and a couple teaspoons of vinegar. The latter making quite a lot of bubble when it acts with the baking soda. So when baking, you want to get your batter into the oven as soon as possible or it won’t lift up as it should. And let me tell you that this batter really does rise. I swear, it doubles in volume when baking. And because of the oil, you DEFINITELY do not want it sitting in a cupcake liner… getting it all oily and not looking so great.

So how did TW save my cupcakes? Well.. she gave me cupcake pans which I remembered to bring with me to my hometown, which were sorely needed as this recipe made me churn out a whopping amount of batter for an equivalent of 54 cupcakes!! With these extra pans I was able to bake them all up and not worry about deflate or greasy papers. Thank heavens for that. I’d been making bread for what felt like most of the weekend and just didn’t have the energy to be all too creative when it came to my cakes.

(I have admitted to being a VERY messy baker)

Oh, and the round tin was to use the rest of the batter

since I could only make 48 with the tins

and I still had enough batter for 6 more cupcakes.

I did CB proud, no batter gets left behind!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

• 3 3/4 cups self rising flour
• 2 tsps. baking soda
• 2 tsps. vanilla
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 1/4 oil
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 2 tsps. vinegar
• 2 bottles red food dye

1. Mix milk with cream of tartar and set aside.
2. Beat sugar and oil until fluffy. Add eggs and continue to beat to maintain fluffiness to mixture.
3. Add vanilla and baking soda. Blend together.
4. Alternate milk and flour additions.
5. Mix in food dye.
6. Blend in vinegar.
7. Divide into cupcake pans, not filling them more than halfway.
8. Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 8oz. package cream cheese
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 lb. confectioner’s sugar
• 2 tsps. meringue powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Mix softened cream cheese and butter until fluffy and creamy.
2. Add vanilla extract.
3. Slowly beat in half of the sugar. Then add the merengue powder. Beat in the rest of the sugar.
4. Cover lightly and chill for at least 2 hours.
5. Frost cupcakes liberally.

Final Review: I accidentally spilled about half a bottle of vanilla extract into my cupcakes. I’d confused the new box of vanilla with the box that had the bottle of red dye. When I realized what was coming out of the bottle was the wrong color, I’d already tipped in about half of the damn bottle. Still, it seems that the cake came out delicious because my family was secretly wolfing down the cupcakes long before they were supposed to be served.

I also admit that I seem to really suck at frosting cupcakes. It’s so shameful to admit since I seem to post and be around so many amazing cupcake frosters! But, I tried!

My mom like them. She thought they looked like flowers.

I got tired and gave up piping frosting about a dozen in (hey! I was frosting cupcakes at 6am after NO sleep). So I switched using the straight icing spatula just to show CB that I could do that funny little swirl she was sobbing mentioning that she couldn’t do.

I’m rotten, arent I?