Rodeo Season

It's rodeo season here in Texas.  Today is "Go Texan Day".  Everyone celebrates this day. 

We celebrated at work with a chili cook off and dressing in western wear.

This would never happen in Virginia.  

Anyway, this is about rodeo season.  This season has kicked off, with a chili cookoff to begin, and then the rodeo/concerts begin.  I got some tickets to an Aeros hockey game for Saturday, so I'll be there in style instead of the rodeo.  Yee haw!

Ooey Gooey Carrot Cake

Adam's birthday was this past Sunday, so I made him a carrot cake from scratch (with scratch made icing too!)  Carrot cake is his favorite, and I found a super moist recipe from here.  Do you like carrot cake, with a nice spice and crunch from walnuts?  Do you like super creamy cream cheese icing?  This is the carrot cake to die for.

Cake:

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves

2 cups finely grated carrots, packed

1 cup coconut flakes

1 8 oz can crushed pineapple (drained) - reserve the juice

1 1/3 cups chopped walnuts

1 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla

4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix the carrots, walnuts, coconut, pineapple and oil together until well mixed.  Add eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition.  Add vainlla and mix well.  Add a tablespoon of the pineapple juice.  Add in all dry ingredients, and mix until well incorporated.  Prepare two 9 inch round pans with parchment paper sprayed with Pam.  Place in oven 35 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted. 

For the icing:

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2 packages cream cheese, softened

2.5 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 shake of the salt shaker

Cream the butter and cream cheese together.  Add in vanilla and salt.  Add the sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing well until incorporated.  Add more sugar if you like it a little sweeter. 

 

Fudgy Brownies

I made some brownies the other night.  I like the fudgy ones, not the cake like ones, and I have a great recipe from here.  I've also listed the recipe below.

 

 

Ingredients:

1 1/4 sticks butter (melted)

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup and 2 tbsp. cocoa unsweetened

2 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup flour

 

Combine butter, sugar and cocoa.  Beat until mixed well.  Add eggs 1 at a time, and add vanilla.  Stir until mix looks shiny.  Add flour and mix well.  Add to 8x8 dish, and bake in 325 degree oven 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out slightly moist (these will look undercooked - they will be fine). 



New Master Bath Floors

Woop woop, new floors!  I am surprised we got these finished, since I've been so busy with work and Adam in school.  But, we did!

 

The progression from move-in to final end point

 

 

The ugly bathroom on move-in. 

 

 

After countertop change and cabinet refacing (see the linoleum floors?)

 

 

 

Here we go

 

 

 

And done!

 

 

 

Looks soooo good.

 

It's like a laminate floating floor, where there are planks that lock together.  However, they're vinyl, so it's 100% waterproof, and they look better than the "wood look tile" that I browsed around for.



Ham and Swiss Sliders

Wow, haven't made a post in a while.  I've been busy with work and house stuff, and then this weekend was super gorgeous outside.  I went to a Superbowl party, and made these sliders.

I don't even like swiss cehese, and I liked these.  They were floating around pinterest, so I made some.

Ingredients:
24 dinner rolls (hawaiian if you have them, if not, add a bit of honey to the topping)
12 slices ham (cut in half)
12 slices swiss (cut in half)
Mayonaiise
8 tbsp melted butter
1 1/2 tbsp mustard
1 tbsp finely minced onion
1 tsp worcestershire
poppy seeds

Split rolls, lightly spread mayo on both sides.  Add half slice of ham and swiss.  Add to a baking pan so they are tightly spaced.  Mix butter, onion, worcestershite, and mustard together (and honey, if not hawaiian rolls).  Spread onto top of buns.  Sprinkle on poppy seeds.  Cover dish with tinfoil, and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Remove foil, and bake 5 more minutes.  Serve hot