rainbows :)

Last week's dessert! This is just a simple dessert with a fun twist :) Rainbow Cupcakes!

Ingredients: Cupcake mix (and everything it calls for: eggs, water, vegetable oil, etc.), frosting, food coloring, cupcake liners

Step 1: Prepare the cupcake mix as the box says. Very simple!Step 2: Here is where I went off on my own to make these. I took 2/3 cup of the cupcake mix and put it into 5 seperate bowls. You can do however much in however many bowls, depending on how many colors you want in your cupcakes. After I put in the 2/3 cup in each bowl, there was still some left in the bowl, so I did the obvious--evenly distributed the rest to the bowls and licked the spoon. (Duh!)
Step 3: After you have divided up the batter, add drops of your food coloring for any colors! This is how mine turned out; I wish I had made the colors darker, but they still worked out great. This would be fun to do for holidays!
Step 4: Then, use a spoon to pour batter into the cupcake liners. I started with blue, then put green on top, followed by yellow, then orange, then pink (which was supposed to be red). None of them had the exact amount of each color so they were all different.

Then, bake your cupcakes :)

Step 5: After baking the cupcakes, let them sit out to cool. How yummy do they look already?
Step 6: After they cool, I set all of the cupcakes out on the counter to put icing on them. Step 7: You can ice the cupcakes anyway you want. Some of these look straight up AWFUL because I was trying different ways. Yeah, some of them were a FAIL. Oh well, it all tastes the same.
Here is one of the better icing jobs! lol
And as Matt asked the other day, "What's for dessert this week???"

A Cool, Refreshing Treat.

Yes, I am aware that I am totally behind on posting this--2 WEEKS behind. Oh geez, I'm getting awful at this!!

I mentioned that I had a better "how-to" post coming that is even better than the first (in my opinion!)

MORE DESSERT!!

2 weeks ago I made this fabulous Lemon Cake that was gone so quickly. Everyone loved it. But poor Abby didn't even get a piece :( So I will be making another one sometime :) Which is good, because as I was putting these pictures on my camera, I noticed that I missed a step and forgot one of the ingredients in the picture when taking pictures. Not cool!

Hope you enjoy the pictures and try this recipe out for yourself! You won't regret it!

Here are all of the ingredients: 1 package (2-layer size) of lemon cake mix, 2 packages (3.4 ounces each) of Jell-O Lemon Instant Pudding, 1 1/2 cups cold milk (not pictured :( ) and 1 tub (8 oz.) of Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed

*The eggs, water, and vegetable oil were for the cake mix*

Step 1: Prepare the lemon cake mix just as the directions say on the box. Step 2: Pour cake mix into the pans. (I used two 8-inch circle pans for this. You can also use a 13x9 rectangle pan and just frost the top. Whatever you prefer.) Bake the cakes according to the directions on the box.
Step 3: Once you have baked the cakes, let them cool.

Step 4: Beat the pudding mixes and milk with a whisk for 2 minutes.
Step 5: Immediately spread the pudding/milk mix over the tops of the cake layers.

Step 6: Put one layer on top of the other. *I ended up having a lot more pudding mix on the top layer because I was afraid of running out, and I had already stacked the cakes. Still turned out great!

Step 7: This step is to ice your cake with the Cool-Whip, just as you would with any frosting. I can't believe I forgot to take a picture of the cake after I finished covering it, but this next picture shows it somewhat. Step 8: Enjoy!!! :) This is what each slice looks like inside. Yummyness in every bite!

Now, hopefully I'll get myself caught up and post my dessert from last week tomorrow or Tuesday! Because then I'll be making something else.

a fun-filled weekend!

Well, my weekend became more jam-packed than I thought! Not much time for writing a good, lengthy post, but that's what Monday morning is for now!

As I mentioned in the last post I was at Matt's Family Reunion this weekend. It was held at Osborne Boat Landing, which is where it was the first time I went to one...4 years ago!

On Friday night, some of Matt's relatives came down from Maryland to stay with them. Along with them, Matt's aunt and uncle came to the Nolte's to hang out, eat and just catch up. Reminded me of Pendleton get-togethers :) Ordered out for Chinese and at 9:15pm, Matt and I headed out to pick up the food. I have to say, I have never see one order of Chinese food so big, and never so late! haha

Saturday was the actual Reunion. Lots of fun-more of the same things from the night before-hanging out, eating, catching up-but also looking at pictures from previous reunions and taking even more pictures! I expected it to be so hot on Saturday, but we were under a shelter that had ceiling fans, but even more, there was a really nice breeze coming in from the water. It was so relaxing, that it made me sleepy!

I left late in the afternoon with Matt, his brother and cousin, to go back to their house, and I thought the plan was to take naps. Instead, I watched the three guys play Call of Duty I think it was? idk, just looks like a game I'll never be good at!

So around 6:30 I guess, the rest of Matt's family comes back and we go to Matt's grandparent's house to go swimming. More fun, of course! We were there until 9 when we....

...went to Krispy Kreme! We met more of Matt's family there around 10 (why so late-I'll never know! :-P ) But it was great! Really yummy!

Next day: Sunday. Really, the reunion was over, but Matt's family from Maryland were still at their house, so after church, I went back home with Matt to see them once more. Also, Matt, his brother (and apparently me! lol) gave Matt's parents their Mother's Day/25th Anniversary/Father's Day gift. Michael Buble tickets for them as well!! :) Very exciting!

Now, all we have to do is wait for July 6th when Matt's parents, Matt and I will be sitting at the Richmond Coliseum for a great performance!!

Reunion!

I love reunions. Especially the Law Family Reunion--SO much fun! I've written a post about them before if you'd like to read-- here.

This weekend, I'll be at my 4th, yes 4TH, Nolte Family Reunion! It's crazy to think this is my 4th reunion with Matt's family that I've attended.

I'll be sure to write about it by the end of this weekend.

Also, have another fun how-to post coming up!!! :) And this one is better in my opinion!!!

Dreams

This isn't going to be like any blog post I've ever written. At least, I don't think it is.

The Disney song lyrics from Cinderella says:

A dream is a wish your heart makes
When your fast asleep,
In dreams you lose your heartaches
Whatever you wish for you keep.

Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through,
No matter how your heart is grieving
If you keep on believing
The dream that you wish will come true.

Well, if these lyrics are correct, then my heart has been making the same wish night after night! lol.

I also found this quote on dreams in an article online:
"Dreams represent a world of imagery in which our darkest fears, deepest secrets, and most passionate fantasies break our from the unconscious mind and only at this time become present to our own consciousness."

Well, what I've had dreams about isn't a "deep secret," haha, and I wouldn't go as far as to say they're about fears, sooooo I don't know what they are then!

I have been having dreams about recurring themes 90% of the nights in the past month. And quite frankily, it's starting to get annoying.


What are your thoughts on dreams??

I'm Baaaaaaaaaaack!

Matt did not propose. I did not get a hair cut. I did not get my nose pierced. I did not get a tattoo. I did not buy a new pair of shoes. Sorry Lindsey Burlew. Those were all nice guesses, but not even close to what I did today! haha!

I've been wanting a Magic Bullet since I first saw the infomercial. I would find it as I was flipping through the channels at 1 am and watch the entire thing. Every single time. For some reason, it just amazed me. But I knew how expensive it was, and at the time I first saw it, I wasn't old enough to buy it myself and Mom wouldn't buy it for me. lol :) Well, Memaw gave Abby one for her birthday and we were both equally excited!! However, it had not been used once so I saw it yesterday and decided I wanted to make something. I flipped through the recipe book that came with it and found something that looked yummy and simple enough to make! Cheesecake!

Here are some pictures I took of the process!!

All materials/machines needed: the Magic Bullet (or other blender) and the recipe book

All of the ingredients: 1 8oz. package of cream cheese, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, and 1 graham cracker crust.
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Put all of the ingredients (except the crust-as the book distinctly says! haha) into your Magic Bullet or Blender.

Step 2: Blend away until you get the right consistency. Step 3: Pour your mixture into the graham cracker crust.

Step 4: Gently tap your crust on the counter to get the bubbles out of the mixture. I didn't do this very long because I didn't want the bottom of the crust to break.

Step 5: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the mixture sets.
Once it is done baking, leave it out on the counter to cool off. After it has cooled, keep it in the fridge for a few hours, or until you are ready to serve.

Step 6: ENJOY! You can eat it plain or with toppings! I had chocolate syrup on mine, Mom had frozen strawberries, and Abby ate in plain. I ended up adding some strawberries on mine as well. But you can add whatever you'd like!

See Lindsey, I told you that your guesses weren't even close :-P

Overdue

I know it's been over a month since I've posted--really posted--but trust me, I'll have a real post coming up shortly! I'd post now, but I have to wait until tonight to get a final picture..... ;)

Any guesses as to what the post might be on?? :)