Monday, September 13, 2010
DANCE FESTIVAL....amazing
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Seattle Fun
Cream Puff Pie...a little of heaven on earth
Pie Crust & Filling Ingredients:
1 cup water
4 cups milk
1/2 cup butter
3 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanila pudding mix
1 cup flour
1 (12 ounce) container of Cool Whip
4 eggs
1/4 cup Hershey's Chocolate Syrup
Frosting (for bottom of pie) Ingredients:
2 (1 ounce) squares semi-sweet chocolate
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 Tbsp hot water
DIRECTIONS:
CRUST:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. In a large, heavy saucepan, heat butter and water to boiling over medium-high heat. Add flour and reduce heat to low. Cook and stir until it forms a ball and pulls away from the pan. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg.
3. Spread in bottom & up the sides of two 9 inch glass pie dishes. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool completely.
Frosting:
1. While the crusts are cooling make the frosting. First, melt semi-sweet chocolate squares & butter in saucepan over low heat.
2. Stir in confectioners sugar & vanilla.
3. Stir in 3 Tbsp of hot water (I add one Tbsp at a time until I get the right consistency - sometimes that is only 2 Tbsp.)
4. Spread/pour the frosting on the bottom of each of the pie crusts.
Pie Filling & Topping:
1. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Then add a small amount of milk and beat the cream cheese and milk. Keep adding small amounts of milk and beat in between until you have added all four cups.
2. Add pudding mixes and beat until thickened. Spread over both cooled pie crusts.
3. Top both pies with Cool Whip & then drizzle chocolate syrup over the top.
4. Keep refrigerated until you serve. You can make it the day before and it does not get soggy!
OK people this dessert is my new favorite. It is absolutely divine. It is easier than making cream puffs, but you get the satisfaction of having a homemade cream puff. I cound sit and eat a whole pie. Good news is you can do that and you still have another whole pie for "other" people.
Max's Birthday Party
Beach: Memorial Day

A few months ago the Maganas (my sister-in-laws family) & my little family rented a beach house at Rockaway Beach for Memorial Day weekend. It was a last minute thing & we really lucked out with a great beach house and lots of fun times.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Super Duper Chocolate Cake
SUPER DUPER CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE
1 package of devil's food cake
1 (5.9 oz) package of instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs - beaten
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips
small amount of powered sugar (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs, & water. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a well greased bundt pan.
3. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pan at least an hour & half before inverting onto a plate.
4. Dust cake with powedered sugar. (optional)
I know many people make this cake or a very similiar version, BUT oh my it is the perfect cure for a chocolate craving. Problem is I have a chocolate craving about 17.5 times a day. Maybe that is why I am not the skinny girl I used to be :)
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Hot Air Balloons
I used to have my students make hot air balloons every year in physical science class when I taught in Arizona. This is the first year I did them in Oregon. Here are a bunch a photos from our flying day. We had to wait a few weeks for a good flying day - I was starting to think we would never fly them. It is very windy where I live and we needed a day with very little or no wind.