Moved to a new web host – alas, my pictures did not travel well. Will have to add them manually (I have a backup on my computer with all of the pictures and videos) so it will be awhile before it is all back together.
Long story short — I surrendered my first born for adoption (I was a teenager at the time and bought that bit of social engineering).
Fast forward 22 years later, I found him, we met, life was good for a few years. Then, for whatever reason, he backed away, and I was told by a third party he no longer wanted contact with me. I was sad. Ok, devastated. But I kept my distance at his request.
Fast forward 10 years later, and what should greet me on Facebook a couple of days ago, but a friend request from my firstborn. I stared at the email, and wept. For joy.
The pic above is my son, his wife and their 3 year old son.
Cupcake recipe is adapted from a Cook’s Illustrated recipe for dark
chocolate cupcakes. If you would like to frost the cupcakes, I’ve
included two recipes for a mint-flavored frosting. The butter cream
version is quite sweet, the cream cheese version is a little less sweet
and has a tang from the cream cheese.
Ingredients
*Cupcake Ingredients*
* 8 Tbsp (1 stick, 8 ounces) unsalted butter
* 1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa
* 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chips or chopped
* 3/4 cup flour
* 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 large eggs
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons mint extract
* 1/2 cup sour cream
*Optional Buttercream Frosting Ingredients*
* 8 Tbsp butter, room temperature (1 stick, 8 ounces)
* 1 Tbsp milk
* 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon mint extract
* 2 cups powdered sugar
*Optional Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients*
* 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
* 4 Tbps butter, room temperature (1/2 stick, 4 ounces)
* 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon mint extract
* 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
* Fresh mint for garnish
Method
*Cupcakes*
*1* Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a muffin tin by lining it with
cupcake liners. Use a double boiler or add an inch or two of water to a
medium sized saucepan and place a metal bowl over it, bringing the water
to a simmer. Add butter (cut into chunks), chocolate, cocoa to the bowl.
As the butter and chocolate melt, whisk until the ingredients are well
combined and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool to touch.
*2* In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and baking
powder.
*3* In a large bowl (can use a mixer), beat the eggs. Add the salt, the
sugar, the mint extract and beat until well combined. Slowly add in the
chocolate butter mixture and beat until combined.
*4* Add in half of the sifted flour mixture, mix to combine. Mix in the
sour cream. Mix in the remaining flour mixture.
*5* Spoon the batter evenly into the lined muffin cups. Place in oven in
middle rack. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until tops spring back when touched
and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
*6* Let cool in muffin tin on a rack for 15 minutes. Then gently remove
cupcakes from the tin and let cool completely before frosting.
Use frosting of choice, flavored with a little mint extract. Garnish
with a little fresh mint. Recipes for simple butter cream or cream
cheese frosting follow.
Makes 12 cupcakes.
*Frosting*
*1* In an electric mixer, beat the butter (if making buttercream) or
butter and cream cheese (if making cream cheese frosting) at medium
speed until creamy. Beat in milk (if making buttercream) and mint extract.
*2* Slowly add in the powdered sugar on low speed, stopping every now
and then to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until light and fluffy.
Taste and add more mint extract if it isn’t minty enough for you, or
powdered sugar if it isn’t sweet enough for you.
I don’t know if this has been posted here before, but I like it so much, I decided to post it anyway
Tips for Better Life
1. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day. And while you walk, smile.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
3. Sleep for 7 hours.
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
5. Play more games.
6. Read more books than you did the previous year.
7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
11. Drink plenty of water.
12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
14. Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
15. Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
16. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
17. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
18. Smile and laugh more.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.
20. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
23. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about. Don’t compare your partner with others.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
25. Forgive everyone for everything.
26. What other people think of you is none of your business.
27. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
28. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
29. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
30. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
31. The best is yet to come.
32. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
33. Do the right thing!
34. Call your family often.
35. Your inner most is always happy. So be happy.
36. Each day give something good to others.
37. Don’t over do. Keep your limits.
38. Share this with someone you care about
Just felt this… haven’t had a shaker in awhile. It started to rumble before things started moving. It’s centered about 30ish miles from where I live. Wheeeee!
Just copy and paste into your own blog placing in Bold the things you have done-
1. Started your own blog 2. Slept under the stars 3. Played in a band 4. Visited Hawaii 5. Watched a meteor shower 6. Given more than you can afford to charity 7. Been to Disneyworld or Disneyland. 8. Climbed a mountain 9. Held a praying mantis 10. Sang/played a solo 11. Bungee jumped 12. Visited Paris 13. Watched a lightning storm at sea 14. Taught yourself an art from scratch 15. Adopted a child 16. Had food poisoning 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty. 18. Grown your own vegetables 19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France 20. Slept on an overnight train 21. Had a pillow fight 22. Hitch hiked 23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill 24. Built a snow fort 25. Held a lamb 26. Gone skinny dipping 27. Run a Marathon 28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice 29. Seen a total eclipse 30. Watched a sunrise or sunset 31. Hit a home run 32. Been on a cruise 33. Seen Niagara Falls in person 34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors 35. Seen an Amish community 36. Taught yourself a new language 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied 38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person 39. Gone rock climbing 40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person 41. Sung karaoke 42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt 43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant 44. Visited Africa 45. Walked on a beach by moonlight 46. Been transported in an ambulance 47. Had your portrait painted 48. Gone deep sea fishing 49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person 50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris 51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling 52. Kissed in the rain 53. Played in the mud 54. Gone to a drive-in theater 55. Been in a movie 56. Visited the Great Wall of China 57. Started a business 58. Taken a martial arts class 59. Visited Russia 60. Served at a soup kitchen 61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies 62. Gone whale watching 63. Gotten flowers for no reason 64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma 65. Gone sky diving 66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp 67. Bounced a check 68. Flown in a helicopter 69. Saved a favorite childhood toy 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial 71. Eaten Caviar 72. Pieced a quilt 73. Stood in Times Square 74. Toured the Everglades 75. Been fired from a job 76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London 77. Broken a bone 78. Been on a speeding motorcycle 79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person 80. Published a book 81. Visited the Vatican 82. Bought a brand new car 83. Walked in Jerusalem 84. Had your picture in the newspaper 85. Read the entire Bible 86. Visited the White House 87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating 88. Had chickenpox 89. Saved someone’s life 90. Sat on a jury 91. Met someone famous 92. Joined a book club 93. Lost a loved one 94. Made a baby 95. Seen the Alamo in person 96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake 97. Been involved in a law suit 98. Owned a cell phone 99. Been stung by a bee
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