HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME 9.23.2012

I made cupcakes for me.  Because its my birthday.  Can't remember how old I am going to be. I always have to ask Mr. Dick then I add one year.  I knew when I was 23 because I was born on the 23rd.  But since then I forgot................ 

Going to visit Miss Morgan in October, she lives in Houston, Texas.  Love to visit her just don't want to get on a plane.  Texas is so scary compared to my little landscape in Maine.   My last visit Princess Morgan picked me up at the airport told me in get in the car, put on the seatbelt and shut up.......................I tried hard to obey her.  So, at one point in our travels I said can't you slow down, she said "no" I have to keep with the flow of traffic, I said "Morgan"  no one is around us either in front or behind us.   

But, I am really excited to visit again, my last visit we tried hard to find a cowboy. None found.  Or at least in Houston, all week my camera was ready, So when did I see my cowboy, in the airport headed home!!!  

Oh, I though for sure I could find a demin skirt. After all its Texas, Cowgirls must wear them, the selection will be great.  NO, she takes me to a cowboy boot store, and they tell me to go to the "Gap"!  I flew, been peeing my pants in the car with all your traffic, and you tell me to go to the GAP...  I could of gone to the Maine Mall and stayed home!!!

Hope you like my cupcakes! They were called Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes and I iced them with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.   Found on Pinterest, I love that place, I visit it everyday at least once.  I got the recipe for these lovely little cupcakes at glorious treats.  Will keep this recipe for sure.  Finding a white cake recipe is like finding that white blouse for our wardrobe.   Every wardrobe should have a crisp white blouse.  Just like we all need a white tee shirt at the beginning of the summer season.   

Happy Birthday to me, and enjoy your day, go pick some apples!  Make a apple crisp or make some cupcakes......  andi

                                            Have a great day           

CHILI

Today's recipe is a mild, very easy chili recipe.  I found this at food.com.  I've already made it twice.  Mr. Dick likes hot, spicy food and I prefer not so hot, but with this you can spice it up as much as you want. 

I went last week to stay for a few days with brother Dicka who is living in Brooklin, Maine.   Brooklin is the home of our father.  He was a lover of the sea and loved all the wonderful foods that come from the sea.  Weather was beautiful, and I had a great time.  I made this chili and had some relatives over for dinner one night.  Brother Dick has a stove just no gas line hooked up yet. So I used his small electic skillet to cook the onions and peppers and in small batches I cooked the ground beef.  It worked. Want something bad enough you can always find a way.....................Enjoy    

food.com

1 onion, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 1 (14) ounce can stewed tomato's 4 (8) ounce cans tomato sauce 1 (14) ounce can ranch style beans 1 (14) ounce can pinto beans 1 (14) ounce can Rotel diced Tomato's 1 (1.25) ounce package McCormicks Mild Chili seasoning mix 2 pounds ground chuck Serve with corn bread and sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top.......  PRINT RECIPE Using your skillet or large pot add a little butter, or oil and add the chopped onion and green pepper.  Saute' this for a few minutes or until soft.   Add the ground chuck and cook until no longer pink.   Strain this and place in your large crock pot. My mixture was at the rim. Then open all the cans and empty juice and all in the crock pot and open the package of chili seasoning and add to the crock pot and stir.   Allow to cook for 6-8 hours on low heat.  Serves 12 and freezes well.

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE BARS

Just because I haven't done much posting on the blog this summer, I have been cooking and baking.  Then I eat and walk the ball park to make myself feel better for eating that cookie........  I have across the street a recreation area.  Three trips around is a mile.  So I walk and eat a cookie?????  I made these Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars and they were gone in no time.........I found this recipe at Mommy's Kitchen and Pinterest.  I made the cookie base but you can also purchase cookie dough in the dairy section of the market.  Enjoy and happy baking,  Andi    Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup room temperature butter 1/2 cup oil 2 eggs 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp vanilla 3 cups flour 12 ounce bag of chocolate chips  PRINT RECIPE Mix the sugars with the butter and the oil, add the eggs and mix.  In another bowl combine all the dry ingredients and whisk together to combine all the dry ingredients.  Add the dry mixture to the sugar mixture and mix.  Add the chocolate chips and stir with a wooden spoon.        Prepare a 9x13 inch baking pan with spray Pam.  Press half of the cookie mixture in the bottom of the pan.  Using your fingers press the dough to cover the bottom of the pan.  Bake this at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.    In a small bowl combine 2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, (I only used one) 1 egg, 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/2 tsp of vanilla.  Mix this well, and when the 10 minutes is up remove the pan from the oven and spread this cream cheese mixture on top.  Spread this mixture to cover the entire cookie base.   Then you are going to take small pieces of the remaining dough and cover the entire top of the cream cheese.  Try using the smallest pieces of dough so that you will have enough to cover the cream cheese.   Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.    Cool in the refrigerator for a few hours before cutting in squares.   This dessert needs to be kept in the refrige because of the cream cheese.                                                            Have a fun day, Andi