What I love about being a music teacher

1) Summer break

2) Thanksgiving break

3) Christmas break

4) Spring break

5) Easter break

6) of COURSE I love the music & kiddos ;)

...and last but definitely not least...

Yes folks, today is a snow day, WOO!!! 

There's something especially magical and exciting about the first snow day of the year, wouldn't you agree?  

No matter student or teacher, seeing the name of your school district flash across the bottom of the news screen in the morning sends little tingles of joy from your head to toes!

Okay, okay... I realize that maybe as a parent with a normal, non-teaching job, snow days may present a bit of a stressor... 

...but I'm a teacher and I LOVE THEM!  =D

So what does this snow day mean for me?

An entire day of quiet house 
(the regular 9 to 5ers still had to go to work, tee hee!) 
and I have all day to...

Play in blog world

Catch up on laundry/house cleaning/organizing (YES!!!)

Work ahead on lesson plans

Bathe & trim Sir Skylar

Do a bit of baking & cooking

Start my GAL T-shirt quilt

Possibly write a "101 in 1001" list, inspired by my friend Jenny

Yes folks, it's going to be a lovely day!

A Belated Birthday Post

First of all, I would like to mention a belated happy birthday wish to my incredible hubby and his twin sister.  =)  Their birthday was on Tuesday and I had intended to create an entire post dedicated to how amazing my hubs is in honor of such a historic day, but I got a little wrapped up in preparing his special birthday meal and several other things around the ol' apartment and the post slipped right past me!

So here's a happy, happy birthday to my incredible, handsome, hardworking husband who takes such wonderful care of our little family and loves me more than I deserve & to one of the best sister-in-laws I could have ever hoped to inherit!  =)  

I love you two!

Aaand a run-down of the hub's requested birthday dinner... everything from scratch, naturally, because that's what you get when it's your birthday!  =)

Extra Cheesy Lasagna... mine was much cheesier than this pic.  =)

Caesar Salad, a fav of both of ours...

Fresh Pineapple, another fav of ours...

...and Cherry Cheesecake (this was a first time experience for me)

It was quite the dinner!  We were both full and quite content when it was all said and done.  =)

Gimme "S'more" Cake Recipe

Dear Readers, 

          Per your request...  Try this new twist on a summer bonfire classic.  =)

Gimme "S'more" Cake

Recipe From Taste of Home Magazine

Prep: 50 min          Preheat To: 350

BakeTime: 20 min + cooling          Yield: 12 servings

Cake

1/2c shortening
1/4c butter, softened
1c sugar
3 eggs
1t vanilla
2 3/4c graham cracker crumbs
3t baking powder
1 can (12oz) evaporated milk

Marshmallow Frosting

4 egg whites

1c sugar

1/2t cream of tartar

1 1/2t vanilla 

1 1/2c miniature semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Cake Directions

Line two 9in round baking pans with waxed paper and grease the paper; set aside.  In a large bowl, cream shortening, butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.  Combine cracker crumbs and baking powder; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.

Transfer to prepared pans.  Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Marshmallow Frosting Directions

In a large heavy saucepan, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar over low heat.  With a hand mixer, beat on low speed for 1 minute.  Continue beating on low over low heat until frosting reaches 160, about 8-10 minutes.  Pour into a large bowl; add vanilla.  Beat on high until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes.

Place a cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 2/3c frosting and sprinkle with half of chips.  Top with remaining cake layer.  Frost top and sides of cake; sprinkle with remaining chips.

Whitney's Thoughts & Amendments

 Cake: Wouldn't change a thing. Quite possibly the most delicious cake recipe I have ever found!

Marshmallow Frosting: First, the beating part took a lot longer for me, as you read in my previous post.  Perhaps I was doing something wrong, but just FYI.  Second, I thought the frosting tasted more accurately like marshmallows before adding the vanilla and definitely think the recipe calls for too much.  When I make it again I will probably take it down to just 1t vanilla extract, if not only 1/2t.  Also, I got impatient after the incessant beating with my hand mixer and didn't finish all the way.  Definitely finish your beating or you marshmallow frosting will slowly creep down the sides of your cake.  =)  I knew this would be the consequence, but I my impatience won over my desire for the cake to be pretty.  lol

Chocolate Chips: I used way more than called for... let's face it, you can never have too much chocolate in a s'more!  =)

Other Twists: Being the chocolate lover I am, I also thought about icing the delicious graham cracker cake with chocolate frosting and dropping either mini marshmallows or dollops of marshmallow frosting/cream between the cake layers and on top .

Though I will make a few changes next time, all in all this cake was a big hit with this Young family!  =)

I Covet a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer

Last night I made this cake...

S'mores cake.

 Yes, it's pretty much as delicious as it looks.  Of course mine didn't turn out that pretty {never does, lol}, but it is still delicious.  My favorite part?  The cake.  Made from scratch with almost 3c of graham cracker crumbs.

Deeeelish.

 

The marshmallow icing, however, scheduled an unplanned 45 minute date for me and my hand mixer... are you kidding me?  I have this Kitchenaid hand mixer...

I

 I love it.

But it's supposed to be for small jobs... 45 minutes together is a long time.

So anyway... According to the directions it was only supposed to be 10 minutes of mixing on the stove, then 7 more minutes in a bowl... this was not so.  It took my marshmallow icing much longer to form it's "stiff peaks" than the instructions said it would; even though {I think} I executed each ingredient, measurement and instruction to a tee.

Well those lovely, arm aching 45 minutes left me coveting a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer.

This one was on our wedding registry...

  ...but let's face it, who on earth was going to purchase me a $300-$500 stand mixer?  I put it on there just in case cause, you know... you never know.  =)  But yea, it was a no go for me.  Turns out I'm actually glad no one got that mixer because I don't want red anymore... just like me to be indecisive, right?  =)

For a while I wanted this one instead cause, well, what girl doesn't love pink?! 

The only problem is that this one donates part of the proceeds to the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation which we do not support.

{It's all about the distribution of money and a portion that goes to procedures we don't agree with.  I may make another post about that in the near future since many people are unaware...}

But theeen I found these pretties!!!

So much indecision... thus is my life.  There are just too many pretty colors to pick from!  Then there's always the sensible route of a stainless steal so that it matches my kitchen no matter how many times I remodel it. 
Though... that bronze one is definitely versatile...=)

*sigh*

I suppose I don't have to worry about picking my color until I have the $$$ to get one!

So tell me readers... if you could have your pick of Kitchenaid mixers, which color would you choose?  

Feel free to link it up!

...and later this evening...

I made cookies! =)

After Mr. Young went to work on my DIY backpacking pack again...

Shoulder and hip straps, complete. =) Now to put together the back...
Attaching the completed shoulder and hip straps to the back of the pack...
Mark's finished pack (left) and the back of my pack... progress!
Tryin it on for size... =)

I had to do something fun (since my treasure hunting was a major flop today).
So I threw three of my favorite cookie recipes together and made one grand batch of scump-diddily-umptious cookies.When they came out of the oven, Bayley wanted in on the delicious action too!Needless to say Mr. Young and myself may have enjoyed a few more than we should have....But don't worry, we all went on a run/bike ride to shed those extra calories. =) I took this skilled picture one handed, with my phone, from my bike! Skeeeels baby.Successful evening to be sure.



Want the cookie recipe? Here you go!

• 1/2 c Butter
• 1/2 c Brown Sugar
• 1/2 c White Sugar
• 1 t Vanilla
• 1 Egg
• 1 c Flour
  
• 1/4 t Baking Soda
• 1 c Oatmeal
• 1/4 Salt
• 3/4 c Toffee Candy Bits
• 1 c Chocolate Chips
  

Cream together butter, sugars and vanilla. Beat eggs slightly then add to butter/sugar mixture. Grind oatmeal in blender or food processor into flour like consistency. Combine flour, oatmeal, salt and baking soda then add slowly to moist ingredients. Mix in toffee and chocolate chips.

Drop dough by the teaspoon full onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until "tips" of cookies just begin to turn golden. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from cookie sheet. Replace onto wax paper or rack to finish cooling.

Enjoy!