1*29*11

Have you heard of TED? Its a collection of talks from some really amazing people on some very compelling subjects.

Last year Jamie Oliver spoke about a topic that I think is very important: ignorance about food in America. Check it out. And lets make some changes.

1*27*11

While I was getting fat over the holidays, I tried something that was absolutely wonderful and that I just had to have the recipe to.

Its called Georgia Bachelor Cake and it tastes like heaven.

I tasted it while I was in Florida; one of my boyfriend's cousins had made it for the gift exchange, and the lucky recipient was kind enough to share a piece with me. I can't say I would have been so kind. Cause it's dang good.

This cake is special because my boyfriend's grandmother used to make a loaf every year for all the bachelors. This is such a calorie-rich cake that I can't help but wonder if the idea behind it is for the bachelors to eat a loaf, and not have to eat again for the rest of the year.

A key part of the deliciousness? The main ingredient: vanilla wafers.

You crumble the vanilla wafers up (I used a rolling pin), and mix it with more sugar, lots of eggs, and other good stuff, like coconut.

You can make it in a fluted tube or a bread loaf pan. I used a bread loaf pan, and reserved a little for a mini fluted tube.

This cake is so flavorful and surprisingly moist. Definitely worth whatever crazy amounts of calories it has.

Georgia Bachelor Cake

from Katherine Edwards

• 12 oz box vanilla wafers
• 2 cups sugar (I only used 1, and it was still sweet enough)
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 sticks butter, melted
• 7 oz coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 300.

Crumble the wafers, add sugar and stir.

Add eggs, milk and butter, and stir to combine.

Stir in coconut and pecans.

Pour into a well buttered and floured bread loaf pan or fluted tube.

Bake 1 hour and 45 min.

1*25*11

They say that the surest way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I cant disagree.

And given that my favorite dish to prepare and consume is dessert, I am always making attempts to win extra adoration from my sweetheart with things like tiramisu, red velvet cupcakes, and key lime pie.

Well, as it turns out, I've been doing it all wrong.

He's much simpler, it seems.

I came home the other afternoon and whipped up a vanilla bean pudding. It probably took me 15 minutes. When I told him what we were having for dessert (and then realized that, NO, it had not come from a box) he was thrilled! Apparently, the way to his heart is effortless and creamy.

Chocolate pudding requires only six ingredients, so chances are you have what you need to make it on hand.

And it's more-or-less a one dish recipe. I just rigged up a double-boiler using a metal bowl and a pot of boiling water.

You can use fancy chocolate, or Safeway brand chocolate chips. Either way its gonna be tasty!

Chocolate Pudding

• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups milk
• 6 oz chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine cornstarch, sugar and salt in the top of a double boiler.

Slowly whisk in the milk.

Place over gently simmering water, and whisk occasionally, for about 15 minutes.

When the mixture begins to thicken, add the chocolate.

Continue stirring for another few minutes, until the pudding is smooth and thickened and all the chocolate is incorporated.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour into individual serving dishes.

If you like pudding skin, pull plastic wrap over the top of the serving dishes before refrigerating.

If you don't like pudding skin, place the plastic wrap on the pudding surface before refrigerating.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

1*22*11

Is this the way of the future? Good lord. I hope not.

1*19*11

Attention designers!!!

I just discovered one of the most useful tools I have ever seen: Wordmark.it gives you a preview of all the fonts on your computer. Just type in whatever you'd like, and like magic, it shows you that word(s) in every font you own.

Why didn't anyone think of this sooner?

1*16*11

More changes. Change is good.

1*13*11

You know those days when you can't catch a break? When shit just starts getting piled on you, and just as soon as you think that maybe its going to let up, that it has to let up, more shit just gets tossed on...

This is one of those days.

Losing $450 worth of rental deposit (for paint! I would have happily painted it back!). Needing $750 worth of repairs on your car (when you were more than reluctant to even get a car in the first place). Then getting a flat tire on your bike.

If you have one of these days, there's only one thing to do: make cookies.

Hazelnuts. They're a wonderful thing. Especially with chocolate. Ever tried Nutella?

Mixing. Is there anything more soothing than that?

And finally, the silver lining in my day:

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Hazelnut Cookies

• 8 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground clove
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream the butter with the sugars, salt and vanilla.

Beat in the eggs.

In a separate bowl combine the flours, baking soda and spices.

Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture.

Stir in the oatmeal, hazelnuts, orange zest and chocolate chips.

Drop spoonfuls on to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 10 minutes.

Eat about 5 of them while they are still warm. It will make you feel much better.

1*10*11

I'm not sure what got into me. I bought purple paint...

...and slathered it all over the walls in the guest room/office.

It's growing on me.

1*6*11

Thats champagne on my desk.

I'm celebrating.

I got a job.

Cheers!

1*5*11

Lets talk sugar.

A couple years ago I had the bright idea to make caramel sauce as a Christmas gift for my loved ones. 3 failed attempts and many tears later, I had no caramel sauce. I had a very disastrous looking kitchen, and crystalized sugar, but no caramel sauce.

So this year when I decided that I would make s'mores stuff, I was a little scared that I would be repeating my mistakes. But, no! It was easy! And relatively quick! And oh so much FUN!

Go, do it! Make some Honey Vanilla Bean Marshmallows! They're just as delicious as they look (I confirmed this with several test subjects).

I would repost the recipe, but it is much easier to just direct you to the original link. Enjoy!

1*3*11

I hope your holidays were as wonderful as mine! I got to spend quality time with my family, meet and hang out with my boyfriends awesome family, and visit the south for the first time. I am feeling very blessed.

Oh yeah, and I must have been a very good girl this year, because I totally scored with some awesome gifts! Flannel pajamas that are actually long enough (!) that I never want to change out of... my mom's old rolling pin that has about a thousand times more memories and capacity than the one I've been using... a thumb drive with all of my family photos going back more than four generations that brings me close to tears... and a sewing machine! My very own sewing machine! I feel so grown up!

Oh man. I'm a lucky lady.