It may not be pretty, but it sure was yummy!

If you haven't heard of Pinterest yet, you might be living in a cave. I remember my friend, Wednesday, telling me to join and warning me that it is addicting. Well, she was right! At first I didn't get it. An online pin board? It didn't sound like something I really needed. Then I started thinking back to websites where I liked a certain photo and I wished I could find it again. That's when it hit me. I really did need the new addiction of Pinterest. For me it started with photography, and then it grew....and grew. I have found some great recipes on there as well. Which leads me to this beauty cake.

My son helped me bake this cake, and if you have ever made a dessert with a child you know that it needs to be ready ASAP. This cake has a lot of steps to it, which made it even more of an exercise of patience for Max. We rushed the cooling time a little and that probably had an impact on how this cake looks. My husband asked me what happened to it. Hee, Hee.

Here is the link to the recipe:

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/chocolate-covered-oreo-cookie-cake-90307.aspx

Now for a great laugh, compare their cake to our cake:

We did make some changes to the recipe by:

-using non fat items when available

-finely crushed Oreos thanks to my little helper

-melted icing out of a container due to the nastiness that occurred to the chocolate when melted with butter.

The Parker family would like to endorse this recipe by giving it ratings of (scale 1-10):

Ben= 10

Max= 5,000

Annie= 15,000 (she's a little competitive)

Enjoy~

Baby Carter

Thought I would share my favorite photos of sweet baby Carter!

 

 The great thing about this picture (besides his sweet smile) is that the scale belonged to the family's grocery store. 

 The tie was worn by dad at the wedding, and the blue fabric was mom's petticoat from the wedding. Love the special memories to this photo. 

What a blessing to have the opportunity to take this sweet baby's photos! So glad he is a part of our family!

I Heart Faces Challenge- Hugs & Kisses

This is my beautiful daughter, Annie, and her favorite doll, Elizabeth. There are a couple of special things about Elizabeth:

1. Nanny and Boompa gave Annie this doll.

2. She is an American Girl doll, and she is brown like my daughter

3. She lives in the closet in a doll chest most of the year b/c Annie's neurotic mother is trying to keep her hair pretty. She does get to play with her from time to time. And, I have heard the American Girl doll store has a beauty salon. So, I am working through my neuroses...almost. The first step is to admit it, right???

This photo was submitted to the I Heart Faces photo challenge – www.iheartfaces.com

Texture Tuesday

 I decided to use the Phoebe texture with vivid light. Really liked the funky look for this delicious beverage. 

Fabulous Friday Challenge

Stuffed Eight Ball Zucchini

Not sure about you, but usually I think of cocaine when I hear the term "eight ball". Not sure if it is just the non profit industry I have worked in or too many crime investigation shows. I found these little eight ball zucchini's at our local farmer's market this past weekend. They were $1 each. This is what I used to make this meal:
2 zucchini's
2 tomatoes
1 Cup of Brown Rice
1 1/2 Cup of mozarella cheese
1 package of sausage
1 Tblsp of Italian seasoning
olive oil to saute the tomatoes and squash 

Core the zucchini and save for later. Steam the zucchini for approx. 20 min. While you are steaming your zucchini, you can start to boil your rice.

 Saute your zucchini guts (took out the seeds) and your tomatoes.

After you have sauteed your vegetables, add your sausage, and your cooked rice. Once everything has cooked, add your cheese and save a small amount for the top.

Once everything has cooked, stuff your zucchini with your mixture. Add some shredded cheese to the top. Bake at 425 degrees for approx. 25 minutes.

Voila! Enjoy. Our family ratings (1-10): Ben= 8.5, Annie= 100 (can you tell she is a people pleaser?), and Max= 5

Fabulous Friday Challenge