New Year's Eve Menu

There are two things I always have on New Year's Eve - pigs in a blanket and champagne. I also always like to have something sweet, so I am making the winner of my '09 Baking Challenge - Black and White Cheesecake Brownies from April.

As it turns out, I have no cocoa powder, so I am substituting block chocolate. I also only have 1/2 a block of cream cheese, so I am halfing the recipe. I'm using an 8x8 pan instead of a 9x13 - this will be plenty for hubby and me.  I had to adjust the butter and sugar content because of the chocolate and I would recommend not doing this.  I have had much better results with cocoa powder. Also, the recipe calls for dutch process but I can never find this in the grocery store. Hershey's Special Dark tastes much better than their regular.  And do you like my new CIA digital scale?  I got it on Rue La La and it is going to make measuring so much easier!

I made my lil piggies with cocktail weiners and puff pastry.  I had wanted to put poppy seeds on top but I forgot them at the store, oh well.  I also made myself an inspired Champagne Cocktail.  My aunt and I had Mango Martinis at Olive Garden and they were so good that I picked up Rose's Mango Twist Mix.  I added about an ounce to my flute and topped it off with champagne, YUM!

This is also my first post using my new camera and picasa - what do you think?

It's Official...

Today was my last day of work - woohoo.

I leave to visit my mom on Monday for two weeks, and then I just have loads of free time on my hands and a potentially huge announcement to make {but it's too early to share}.

Happy New Year!!  I feel that 2010 is going to be the year of big changes.

A 2009 Re-cap

Between holiday vacations and other life chaos at the moment, I have no projects done or planned to show you.

So please, please, PLEASE go read Beth's 2009 Home Decor Re-cap at Stories of A to Z.  She is so spot on and the commentary will have you clutching your sides in laughter.

Now, on your way, go on, enjoy!

2009 Baking Challenge - December

Well, the year kind of went out with a flop. My final baking project of the year was this Chocolate-Chestnut Mousse Cake.

Here is the lovely magazine photo:

Martha Stewart

And here is how mine turned out:

I don't know what caused mine to turn into a puddle, but here are some theories:

1)  I could not find chestnuts anywhere!  so I just made all chocolate mousse - maybe the nuts added stability

2)  I was not in my kitchen, therefore who knows?

3) It was in a spot in the fridge that just wasn't cold enough

Even though it looked a mess, it tasted really good.

I'll keep on going with making the Save Room For.. article in every issue of MSL {unless it is unappealing to me and my family}

And guess what my Santa-Hubby got me for christmas - a new camera!

Yeay!! no more camera-phone pictures {I can't use it until I get a memory stick because the camera can only hold 3 photos}