Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Pinteresting Wednesday

Happy Leap Day everybody!  Nothing counts today!

And because nothing counts today, I'm not going to use a theme for my Pinterest post today!  

Actually, I think I will.  Today's theme is "Whatever I Darn Well Feel Like Pinning."



google

You know the game.  Post your Pinterest finds on your own blog and then link up here.

I am 100% Mac.



Source: failblog.org via Emily on Pinterest

I haven't been able to find a recipe for this cake yet.  I kind of have an idea of how to do it. I just don't know how to do the edges.






Slow cooker chocolate cake! I can't wait to try this in my slow cooker!

Source: google.com via Emily on Pinterest

If/When I get married, my groom and his men will take this picture! 

Source: flickr.com via Emily on Pinterest

Love this dress!


This looks just like a dress Kate Middleton wore when she was in the states!

Source: polyvore.com via Emily on Pinterest

I love pairing cardigans with sundresses.


I made these a couple weeks ago and they were so good! And easy! Expect a blog post soon :)


Source: priceworld.in via Emily on Pinterest

I need to keep this in my car so that I think twice before going through the drive-thru.




Source: bing.com via Kate on Pinterest

Monday, February 27, 2012

Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies

Remember when I told you about these amazing cookies and promised to share the recipe? And, in true Emily fashion, I didn't.

Yeah, oops.  This post has been in my drafts box for three weeks.  FAIL.

February has been totally, out-of-my-mind crazy.  Between school, theater, and my body deciding to stop functioning properly, my brain's a little fried.  Deep thoughts and proper sentences are not happening.  But a picture's worth a thousand words, right? And I have lots of pictures!

So, for those of you who are just joining us, let me catch you up:  At the end of January, a few friends and I had a girl's night! We all went to my friend Charlynn's house and watch the SAG awards.  We all brought either a soup, salad, bread, or dessert to share.  I brought Asian Salad and these cookies.

Here's the original pin for the cookies:


And a photo presentation for your enjoyment:

My first time making merengue.

For some reason, we keep the cocoa really high in my house.


You're supposed to roll the dough into balls.

Too messy for my taste.

Much better (and cleaner!)


Halfway done baking!

So good!

They got dad's seal of approval.


The finished product.
I need a better camera.  This picture doesn't do them justice. 

These were a little bit more work than your average cookie recipe, but they were so worth it! They were ever so slightly crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside.  And so rich and chocolatey—Perfect with a glass of milk! But be warned, don't breathe in while eating your cookie.  I learned that the hard way. 

Another thing I really like about this recipe is that it's gluten and butter free, so my friends with those dietary restrictions could enjoy them too! 

These were a hit at SAGs night :)

Natalie, Me and Lauren
Photo Credit to Melissa at Little Mrs. Married

I wish I had remembered to take a picture of my food before I ate it all! Tomato Basic Parmesan Soup, Sausage and Lentil Soup, Caprese Salad, and Swiss Poppyseed Bread.  It was all so good.

*Fun Fact: It took me 5 tries and a google search to figure out how to spell "parmesan."

Mel and I! I borrowed a few of these pictures from her, including this one. 
Photo Credit to Melissa at Little Mrs. Married

Me, Charlynn, Lauren and Mel
Photo Credit to Melissa at Little Mrs. Married

So  silly!
Photo Credit to Melissa at Little Mrs. Married

Charlynn's dog Sophie.  I spent all evening trying to get this picture!

Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies
*Recipe found on www.divine-baking.com

  • Nonstick vegetable oil spray
  • 1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (about 9 ounces), divided
  • 3 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray.
  2. Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in a glass bowl in the microwave, stirring twice.  (About 2 minutes) Cool slightly.
  3. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites in a large bowl to soft peaks.  Gradually beat in 1 cup powdered sugar.  Continue beating until mixture resembles a soft marshmallow creme.
  4. Whisk 1 cups sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl to blend.  On low speed, beat dry ingredients into the meringue.
  5. Stir in lukewarm chocolate and half cup chocolate chips (dough will become very stiff.) Note: My dough didn't become very stiff.  I think thick might be a better word)
  6. Place 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a bowl.  Roll 1 rounded tablespoon of dough into a ball. Roll in sugar, coating thickly. Place on a prepared sheet.  Repeating with remaining dough, spacing 2 inches apart.
  7. Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10 minutes.  Cool on sheets on a rack for about 10 minutes, then place the cookies directly on the rack and let them cool completely.
Makes about 18 cookies.



Oh my goodness, I need a cookie now!


Friday, February 24, 2012

Finally Friday

Whew....it's Friday!  This past week was busy!  I already had a busy schedule.  Add to that all the catch-up I had to do after spending 2 days sick in bed last week and you have one pooped Emily! There will *hopefully* be time and energy for blogging soon.  

How about a little Five Question Friday to kick off the weekend!

Answer the questions on your own blog and link here!

1.  What's your favorite way to spend down time?
Bed. Movie or TV. Jimmy John's.
I'm a lazy bum.

2.  Are you the kind of person who wants things more as soon as you know you can't have them?
Not particularly.  If I already wanted something, know I can't have it doesn't make me want more.  And if I don't want something, not being able to have it is going to make me want it any more.  

3.  If you were given $1000 to spend on yourself, what would you buy?
Well, what I would REALLY like to do is save it.  But if I HAD to buy something, it would be an iPad with the smart cover.  And then I would upgrade my iPhone.  And then I would buy a pretzel.

4.  Do you ever go out to eat by yourself?
Rarely.  If I'm by myself, I'd rather get whatever I'm going to get to-go and bring it home.  I always feel so awkward and sad eating out alone.

5.  What company would you want to do a blog review for?
Hey, Ann Taylor Loft! I think you really need a particular redheaded blogger to review all of your future collections!  And Apple, you know what your advertising strategy is missing? Review on my blog!  
Oh, and Jimmy John's, I think we could make a little arrangement.  How about a review in exchange for a lifetime of free sandwiches?

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Saturday Excuses

I could be...
  • doing schoolwork
  • cleaning my apartment
  • reading a book
  • organizing my desk
  • getting a manicure
  • studying for the GRE
  • cleaning out my fridge
  • emptying my dishwasher
  • excercizing
  • doing laundry
  • getting pictures developed for my photo albums
  • getting my car washed
  • writing a good blog post
  • going to a Mardi Gras parade
But...
  • it's raining
  • I'm sick
  • it's Saturday
  • my ear hurts
  • my favorite Harry Potter movie is on TV
  • I have a head ache
  • the Sudafed I took makes me dizzy
  • I still have 4 days of break left to be productive
So instead I'm...
  • still in my pajamas
  • lying in bed
  • watching Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban on ABC Family.
  • drinking lots of gatorade
  • knitting my dog a scarf
  • watching the rain
  • browsing Pinterest
  • writing a blog post full of excuses
  • eating chocolate
  • giving myself a break

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Words of Pinterest

Hello, all! Long time, no see!

My bad.

It's just been one of those weeks.  You know those weeks, right?  The kind of week that's just better off forgotten and not written about for everybody in the blogosphere to read.

But, I'm back! (How often do I begin my blog posts with some variation of that sentence? I have got to get better at this)

(I say that, but you and I both know that I never will be a consistent blogger.  Still, it's nice to think that I will, isn't it?)

Let's celebrate my inconsistency with a little link-up, shall we?

It's time for....(drumroll please.....!




google

You know the drill.  Post some of your favorite Pinterest finds on your own blog and then link-up here!

In light of my past week, today's pins are from my Quotes/Sayings board.  Because sometimes, we just need a little inspiration.  And sometimes it's just nice to know that someone with photoshop and the ability to put words on pictures feels the same way as you do.











Source: imgfave.com via Emily on Pinterest







Source: Uploaded by user via Emily on Pinterest






Source: favim.com via Emily on Pinterest




Source: pinterest.com via Emily on Pinterest


Source: etsy.com via Emily on Pinterest