Project Healthy Food

I'm in a sociology class this semester where I volunteer in a school twice a week to teach nutrition and physical activity lessons to the kids. It's been so eye-opening to the problems with school lunches and the kid's mentality surrounding food.

The girls in my class and I have a final project to do all together before the end of the year, and tonight we're having a potluck to eat some good healthy food and to get some work done on the project.

Naturally I volunteered for dessert, and made Angel Food Cake cupcakes for the occasion.

They're frosted with Cool Whip, and topped with sliced strawberries. The cupcakes that I'm bringing are drizzled in chocolate, because I was craving chocolate covered strawberries.

Hooray for healthy baking and potlucks! AND for the super warm weather we're finally getting! YAY SPRING!

Team Dinner

This Saturday night I had my softball team over for dinner.

We start playing this weekend in Ohio, and were looking for a chance to bond a little off the field so we can play better together on the field.

Playing with my team is the best. They're all smart, wonderful ladies who are also super talented softball players. They're all SO AWESOME.

Anyway, on the menu we have:

Stuffed Shells

Garlic Bread

Cookies (Toffee and Chocolate Chip)

...and the finished plate:

After a couple trips to Ohio, we're off to the Club Softball World Series in Georgia!
Wish us luck, and GO BLUE!

Cooking with Tim

To go along with Baking with Friends, when I got break I made dinner with my friend Tim!

I had been craving risotto for a long time, but was afraid to try making it, because my best friend's dad makes the absolute BEST risotto and nothing can compare ever. I finally gave in and tried it with Tim.

We made lemon, asparagus, and shrimp risotto. Turned out pretty well if I do say so myself :)

The asparagus was cooked slightly and then blanched so it was still a little crunchy, just the way I like it!

Risotto mid "mix-for-20-minutes". so long but so worth it!

Best dinner ever.

Bre's Favorite Cake

My roommate BreAnne is often my taste-tester (along with everyone else that I can bribe to eat my food) and one day she said, "My mom used to make me this delicious cake, and I found the recipe online. If I buy you the ingredients will you make it?

OF COURSE. Free ingredients and a chance to make a cake? Won't say no!

Heath Bar Cake

1 box German Chocolate Cake
One jar sweetened condensed milk
One jar Caramel ice cream topping (we used Smuckers)
One package Cool Whip
4-6 Heath Bars, crumbled

Bake cake as directed. When still warm out of the oven, poke holes in the top of the cake and pour sweetened milk and caramel over the top. When fully cool, spread cool whip over cake and top with crumbled Heath Bars.

so easy!

Enjoy!

Chocolate on the Brain

When I was younger, I claimed I didn't like chocolate. I think I was lying.

I made these chocolate rice krispie treats for a meeting before break, and split some with a friend who needed a pick-me-up.

Since then, all I want is more chocolate. Brownies, ice cream, cake, frosting. I can't wait to eat more. All the time. Fruit and vegetables are for suckers.

Chocolate is the only way to go.

Baking with Friends :)

Baking for friends is my favorite thing to do. It could be a selfish feeling when I get complimented on the treats, but I really just like to bring a little joy to the people around me.

Baking with my friends is even better. I was fortunate enough to have three friends help me complete some pre-spring break baking.

This is Melissa. She's one of my future housemates, a super hard worker, and possibly the sweetest person on the planet. She helped me start a cake for my friend Beth's birthday after we shared a yummy lunch of chicken and bruschetta.

I say "start" because we strayed too far from the recipe and the cake didn't rise. It tasted okay though, so my roommates got to snack on that one before I threw it out.

We sure had fun though! And the batter looked (and tasted!) delicious.

These lovely ladies are Jessica and Jillian. They're my brothers in APO. They helped me make cupcakes. Which were promptly destroyed by the masses. yummm!

I can't wait to bake with everyone again! Spring break gave me some great ideas, good thing there's only around 2 months until summer vacation, because I've definitely had enough of this snow!

Oh yeah, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY BETH!!! :) I hope you enjoyed your cake!!

"Youth is happy because it has the ability to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old." -Franz Kafta