Thursday, June 28, 2012

Chocolate, Nora, Spice Girls, and Vampires (A fun post with a surprise!)

Just because I write a lot doesn't mean I don't do other things.  One of those things is 'experiment in the kitchen' as the boys call it. It's cooking, don't let them fool you. They're just jealous of my super fly skills with a spatula. So last night I had an extremely girly evening to myself, which is rare in my house.


So, after paying homage to Norah Ephron with a viewing of Sleepless in Seattle, I danced around the kitchen to...get ready for it...Spice Girls...and...Ace of Base. Found a box in the basement...long story.  Hahahaha. While dancing though, I made cupcakes. Tiny, yummy, amazing bites of scrumptious heaven.  Orrr just cupcakes. Lol.


The recipe had been in my favorite recipes tab on my computer for a long time, and I figured it was time to bust out a dozen of these bad boys while the guys were gone.  (They eat EVERYTHING.) So after a little prep and lot of unnecessary hip shaking,  I successfully made a pretty batch of Cinnamon Chocolate Cupcakes. This recipe comes from one of my favorite little foodie blogs 52 Kitchen Adventures, it's one of her older posts, but it's great . So pop on over and say hello to Stephanie, her site is awesome! 


If you guys like this kind of post, let me know, and I'll make it a regular thing. I have tons of recipes. :D


After the recipe, I've included a few things (one serious and the others...not so much. :) ), and a surprise for all my vampire lovers. :)  Have a good day! 


<><> <><> <><>
I assure you mine were not this fancy. So, don't freak.  I'm no pro. Lol.

Recipe:

Chocolate Cinnamon Cupcakes
Yields: 18-19 cupcakes

Adapted from Epicurious.com
1 1/3 cups flour
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 + 1/8 cups freshly brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature
1/2 + 1/8 cups buttermilk
1/4 + 1/8 cup vegetable oil
1 large eggs
1 large egg yolks
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients from flour through baking soda.
In a separate large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thoroughly combined. Add coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla, and beat until blended. Turn mixer speed to low and slowly pour in dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan until each cup is 3/4 full. Bake 20 minutes, until the center springs back a bit when lightly touched. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.


Nutella Buttercream
You may need to double this if you like a lot of frosting on your cupcakes.
  • 1/2 C butter, room temperature
  • 1 C Nutella
  • 1 C powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 T milk
Beat butter until smooth. Add Nutella and beat together until thoroughly combined. Slowly add powdered sugar, mixing until combined. Add vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. Add additional milk or powdered sugar as needed to reach desired consistency. Pipe or spread onto completely cooled cupcakes.



In Memory of Nora Ephron:
Movie magic ensued and audiences fell in love when she introduced Harry to Sally, paired Tom Hanks with Meg Ryan and introduced Meryl Streep to the joys of cooking.
She was also responsible for one of the most quoted lines of film dialogue ever, inspired by Ryan's expert faking of sexual ecstasy in a crowded New York deli in 1989's When Harry Met Sally|-| : When a nearby customer, played by director Rob Reiner's mother, Estelle, overhears Sally's shrieks of joy and tells a waitress, "I'll have what she's having."

For more information about the life of the fabulous Mrs. Ephron, click here.  Source:UsaToday.com
Night's Hip-Shaking Flash Back (aka music that will make you groan):




Spice Girls: Wannabe (Oh yes, I did ROFL)

Ace of Base - I Saw The Sign (Best part is the very beginning where they come out of the dark. So thug life.)

No Doubt - I'm Just A Girl (That was in the box too. ROFL. Love Gwen!!)


 ~Your Special Surprise~

An excerpt from Dan and Rowe Chapter 6


Knox stopped dead in his tracks. A cold feeling spread through him, his good old friend switch being turned off.  “The fuck you say?”
“I said…wait.  Knox, shit…” Rowe grabbed his hair and took a deep breath, before letting it go as a scream through his teeth. “Fuck, I can’t control it.  I’m just so angry.  I feel like I have control of nothing right now. I never lose control.”
“Doesn’t mean you didn’t mean what you just said,” Knox replied coolly. “Call Hill yourself, you have a phone. Then you can listen to him freak out for four hours because his new mate is having twins.”
“What?” Rowe whispered, his hands dropping limply to his sides.
“Yeah, then when you’re done with that, you can go and remind everyone else who doesn’t have a mate how worthless they are. How they’re pathetic because they’ve tried everyone out in the city in hopes that one of them might be ‘the one’.  But you know what I’m realizing, and if I’m truthful with myself I’ve known all along, Rowe? I don’t want a fucking mate. I don’t want to watch them go through this shit.” Knox pointed to the bedroom.
“I don’t want to watch them pass out because they get pregnant, I don’t want them to be some kind of lamb to slaughter for the enemy. I don’t want any of it. So yeah, I think I’ll take my chances being a lonely slut. Deal with your own shit for once, you spoiled brat. I’m out.” Knox was so tired and the only person that he really let go with had just hurt him in a way that he wasn’t ready to admit out loud. He had feelings after all.  He was person too, damn it.
“Knox, I am so so…”
“Fuck off, your majesty,” Knox muttered with a sarcastic bow and stormed out.   
XOXO NIGHT TEMPEST

17 comments:

  1. What? Whoa! Wait up!! Wow, sounds like Rowe crossed a major line there! Excited for the whole story leading up to this confrontation. :o)

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  2. Yes, more foodie fun! :) I just bookmarked that blog. I love cooking, finding new recipes, having fun in the kitchen. Haven't blogged about it, but creating a perfect osso buco or seafood enchilada can rival sex for pure pleasure. I play bombastic music turned up high enough for the whole neighborhood to hear. They're probably going, "She's cooking again," and jealous they can't eat it. People die just so their families can get a casserole. :D Just kidding. But yeah, I like posts like this.

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  3. What a perfect thing to wake up to on a boring Thursday! I think I might have to make some cupcakes, listen to some cheesy music, and well wait in anticipation for cpt 6! So excited! It sounds like its going to be great :)

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  4. I really hope for Rowe that he didn't say what I think he just said. That just not right. Sounds like he's going to have a whole lot more of groveling to do. It just makes me want to hug Knox (not that it would go over too well...). Poor guys just can't catch a break, and I blame you! Lol.
    By the way,can't wait to try those cup cake with the kid. Thank for the tip.
    Kym

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    1. By the way, those cupcakes were awesome! Thanks for the recipe!
      Kym

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  5. I love the idea of food recipes tossed in with yummy stories. I will also not admit to any of the guilty pleasure music I have been known to rock out like a crazy person but I will say if you were new you could be a kid on the block if you had the right stuff and were ok to hang tough. :o) Thanks for the little nibble of Dan and Rowe and yummy cup cakes. I also have to mention the new Linkin Park c.d. is out. Living Things. Oh, forgot to mention I like the new design of the site, very stylish. :o)

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  6. Liking the retro look of the site. Great little tasty treat from the guys. (and the recipe,lol)

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  7. Lol I can burn water on a good day but I love cookery stuff and reading about other people's successes so post away :) That cupcake recipe looks delicious ...and the wee excerpt from Dan & Rowe tantalising :D

    RIP Nora Ephron, I enjoyed her movies. She had the same illness as my mum, it's a horrible thing that takes people from us far too early :'(

    Mox

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  8. aaawwww, I feel so sad for Know.... Despite all the bravado, he seems lonely...
    Night, I really hope you consider doing a Knox story later on. Maybe after you publish Cade. :)

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  9. OMG!!! How can you torture us like that????!!! Why???? It's such a good excerpt too. Bad bad Rowe!!! So unhappy with him now that I read it. Don't worry Knox, you'll get your mate soon :D Hopefully soon.

    Thanks Night for the amazing recipes and well, just for everything :D

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  10. Such sweet, sweet torture....... first: the wonderful recipe for cupcakes, which I now crave but have no ingredients for; second: for getting those terrible and wonderfully addicting songs stuck in my head (yeah, I'll admit I used to majorly rock out to these songs, and maybe even have a few currently on my iPod); and third: for that incredible snippet from the next chapter of Dan and Rowe! You are such a tease, and I hate that I love every minute of it!!!

    Now, off to bed I go so that I can head out early and hit up the store for cupcake fixins :) If, that is, I can get 'I Saw the Sign' out of my head long enough to fall asleep!!! Lol!

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  11. Hu uh, another drama....

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  12. OMG what the hell happened. Now I am wondering if Rowe just lost his closest friend. I hope Knox does find his mate cause it seems that deep down he wants one he just doesn't want to realize it yet. Night awesome teaser. I would love to take a peek into your brain when you get into one of your creative moments because utopia are truly one gifted writer. Love your work. Keep 'em coming.

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  13. OMG what the hell happened. Now I am wondering if Rowe just lost his closest friend. I hope Knox does find his mate cause it seems that deep down he wants one he just doesn't want to realize it yet. Night awesome teaser. I would love to take a peek into your brain when you get into one of your creative moments because utopia are truly one gifted writer. Love your work. Keep 'em coming.

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  14. Ahhhhh...... *Such* a tease Night. Can't wait for chapter 6. And then hopefully it won't be to much longer until you start working on Isaac's story, continued from the little tease you gave us last month. If I read things right, Knox will be happier soon. :) Always, always write more, 'cause I will *always* read it, your stories are awesome. :D

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  15. Oh wow, I feel so badly for Knox. He has watched all these people find their mates, while he hasn't. Some tiny part of me feels like the way he treated Blaze came back at him a bit. He clearly knew Blaze might want/feel more, even knowing they weren't mates, and yet he accepted the gift that Blaze gave to him by surrendering his whole self. It seemed so cold to say what he did before they got their breathing fully under control after that crazy, intense sex OK, so Blaze did have a good time at least :)
    Anyway, I feel like Knox should take some of his lonliness and focus it on his brother who suffered so badly and for so long. I hope he reaches out to him. I am just glad King was there for him when Knox wasn't. Everyone is in such flux there. It feels like the storyline is in a pressure cooker at this point. It is worrisome that Knox and Rowe lose each other a bit now. Rowe may have his mate, but I think that they need one another still. They have been friends for so long that they need the strength and support they provide one another. They balance each other out. I think they need each other more while Knox deals with some deep issues and while Rowe deals with his birthright and his mate who is so damaged now. *Shivering* It is all so good!!! Keep writing!!
    ~cannd

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  16. The entire compound must be under so much stress with Nina's pregnancy, Nova's reappearance, Dan and Jess's changes and the war with the other side. I can imagine tension running high, and Rowe isn't known for watching his mouth.

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