Art

Good Morning!

I have been busy working on lots of creative projects! I have been stringing beads for a chandelier, paper mache-ing for some lamps, and painting with acrylics!

I've found that creating things has really been a stress reliever for me. I am able to do what I like without fear of it being done "wrong." I can relax and just make something from my imagination. It's a beautiful thing.

If you haven't had a chance to check out my artwork, go to www.laece.daportfolio.com or add me as a friend on facebook (Jenna M. Weaver).

Who knows! This whole 'art' thing could become a career for me. I have even been thinking about entering my photography into the River Festival in Salina. The price is not too high and I think it would attract attention to my work that I need to become successful.

When at work I find myself wishing I were building something, painting something, or glueing something. I have a skip in my step and I am very happy to have found some hobbies (relatively inexpensive ones at that!) that I can stick with.

On a dessert note, I took my key lime pops to some friends. They enjoyed them very much! In fact, ate all of them within minutes! The only problem was they kept falling off the stick just a few bites into them. The key lime cream STILL is too soft! By george, I'll get the recipe right one of these days!

Key Lime Pie

I adore key lime pie. Something about the creamy tartness gets me every time.

I have made cheesecake pops in the past-- cut up pieces of my cheesecake, inserted a lollipop, and dipped each bit into chocolate. I didn't see a reason I couldn't do it to key lime pie!

In the past, I tried and I failed. I make my key lime pie in a rectangular pan without a crust and then I scoop out rounds onto parchment paper. The problem with key lime pops comes in when you try to keep the lollipop stick in the key lime pie. It tends to come right out--the key lime cream is too soft, even after freezing.

This time, I rolled the key lime scoops in crushed up graham crackers and put them back in the freezer to see if they'd harden up. Didn't seem to help. For this recipe, I added a bit of gelatin hoping it would help sturdy up the key lime cream, but it didn't help. I'd like to be able to figure out how to sturdy up key lime cream so I can make some yummy chocolate dipped pops! Perhaps I should mix key lime pie with a bit of cake crumbles so it sticks together?

Either way---enjoy a delicious piece of key lime pie!

Key Lime Pie

2 egg yolks

2 14oz cans sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup key lime juice

1/2 cup cream

a graham cracker crust or your own homemade crust (precooked)

beat yolks.

add cond. milk

add key lime juice.

add cream.

Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. cool completely and refrigerate.

It's so simple!

I shall continue my trial and error key lime pops.

S'mores Bars

Cozy up next to a fire, grab your marshmallows and grahams, and get ready for some chocolate-y goodness!

I really love s'mores. The ooey gooey cream center between two graham cracker crunches. Oh my...my heart skips a beat. S'mores remind me of times where I'm relaxed and in a good mood. I was in the mood to bake something but I didn't want to make a cake. I've never tried to make bars before of any kind, so I figured why not make s'mores bars?!

Some More S'mores Bars, Please

1 cup butter (room temp)

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups graham crackers (crushed pretty fine)-- this amounts to 14 graham crackers, fyi.

1 to 1 1/2 cup peanut butter (based on your liking of pb)

3 GIANT Chocolate Bars (The 6.8oz ones)

1 14oz container marshmallow fluff

Mix the first set of ingredients until smooth.

Add in the second set of ingredients until just incorporated (will be crumbly like)

Grease a 9X13 pan (recipe can be halved for an 8x8).

Divide the graham crust mixture in half. Gently press one half of the mixture into the pan.

Using a spatula and some patience, smear the peanut butter over the graham crust.

Gently plop the chocolate bars (enough to cover the entire pan) onto the peanut butter. Break them if you need them to fit more snug.

Use a spatula and spread the marshmallow fluff over the chocolate (GOOD LUCK!). I didn't warm it in the microwave, though I bet you would have an easier time spreading it if you did.

Finally, pour the remaining half of the graham crust over the marshmallow layer. My mix was in crumbs, so it was easy to spread and then pat together to make on even layer.

Bake at 350 for about 30-35 minutes or until light brown on top. Cool completely and cut and enjoy!

YUM!

To open a bakery or not?

Is it smart to start your own business? Now or ever? Experts claim that becoming your own business owner can be a bad move. Breaking free of the chains from working for 'the man' can be liberating. Without such direction and security, taking the leap into your own business can be a bit scary and risky.

I know I've had dreams of opening my own bakery and so has my sister, my husband, and just about everyone else I know. No one likes to be under someone else's thumb. We want freedom. We want to hold our future in our own hands. The question is: Are we capable? Can we handle our own dream? My husband says that only crazy people with crazy ideas are successful, people willing to take a chance and go for it.

It seems that poor accounting skills and a bad economy will shred your business apart. This is true. I wonder how many businesses start out working in the home and when business blooms, proper expansion occurs. This expansion, however, not being a leap 30 steps ahead but only 5 (not paying for too big of a facility, not getting in over your head financially or employee-wise). I assume this is how all small businesses start? My mom basically opened shop. She bought a small store and put out an 'open' sign. She's never had to advertise. It's always been word of mouth. Perhaps it's just her chosen occupation that makes it no need for advertisement. Considering a bakery I believe there's got to be a strong foundation of clients and sales.

It's not all fun and games. When I think of owning my own bakery I think of how I will decorate it, how I will relate to the customers coming in to enjoy treats, or I imagine baking cakes and decorating them all day long. What I don't think about is the 18 hour days working towards a deadline. Dealing with weather changes and how they affect cake delivery for weddings. I don't think about constantly being dirty with flour. I don't think about unhappy customers. I don't consider the same repetitive movements and cakes/sweets I'll have to make. I also don't think about what happens if no one loves my bakery.

"Oh, everyone loves sweets! I don't need to advertise!" " People will love my bakery!" These thoughts are a dreamer's gold. Not everyone will love my baking. My bakery might need some help getting discovered in my local and regional area. It's a dreamy thought to open up a business and have everything fall into place. Crap happens though and sometimes you can't change it. No matter how good of a product you have, if people don't know about it or dont like it you're out of luck.

I think also it's hard to admit defeat. One doesn't want to admit his business is a failure. That would then lead to him being a failure. On top of pursuing your dreams you've got to keep your feet on the ground in reality and go with the flow of the economy and market.

Who doesn't love a good treat?

One thing I know: People love gifts. They love it when someone thinks about them enough to present them with a gift, even if it's small or cheap. Everyone likes to be remembered and thought of.

I made some cheesecake for some friends a few days ago and everyone's eyes light up with delight when presented with a piece of creamy sweetness. I'm happy I could do that one little thing to brighten up their day.

The weather has been so beautiful up here lately---not hot with a cool breeze. This time of season makes me yearn for a garden---for something to grow in front of me so that I can see the results and be thankful.

I think I'd like to plant garlic, onions, tomatoes, and chives for a start. I just cannot imagine having a full garden of lettuce, broccoli, asparagus...BOY! That would be great, eh? I like the movement towards gardening/self sustainment. I hope it sticks with a lot of people.

On another note, I've really been struggling with my future, with what to major in for college, with what to do with my degree when I am completed. I cannot decide though I weight my options. For now, it's probably best to just keep living and laughing and working hard until I decide what would be the best career path. *sigh* life can be tough sometimes....

Have a great day!

The Best Peanut Butter Cookies

I am a fan of moist cookies. I don't like the thin crispy ones that come out of the oven flat. I like a little bit of softness to my cookies! These Peanut Butter Cookies are just the ticket. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2C butter

1/2C peanut butter

1/2C brown sugar (packed)

1/2C sugar

1 1/4C flour

1 egg

1/2 tsp soda

1/2 tsp powder

Beat butter until very smooth and creamy.

Add in the peanut butter.

Mix until well incorporated.

Add in all other ingredients one at a time. Scrape sides of the bowl continuously.

Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes.

All I need is a reason to bake. It had gotten to the point where I'd bake something and then desperately try to find someone to enjoy my sweets. I baked these wonderful cookies and took them to the Airmen and Family Readiness Center. They appreciated them!

More and more I am thinking about what to major in for college. I'm also debating what career to end up in. It's very frustrating! One would think it'd be easy...but not for this goose! No sir! Any suggestions?

Have a great day!

Devil's Food Cake

"Another chocolate cake recipe, Jenna?" you may ask. The answer is yes. I have yet to find the perfect chocolate cake recipe and I will continue searching, tweaking, and taste testing!

This one is a Devil's Food cake, adapted from a Mr. James Crabb, on allrecipes.com

Moist Devil's Food Cake

1 1/2 cups water

2 cups sugar

3/4 cups butter

2 eggs

vanilla

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup cocoa

1/2 tsp salt

Boil the water. Add the sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved and cook for a moment longer.

Whip the butter. Slowly pour sugar water mixture into butter while beating. Beat until smooth.

Add vanilla and lightly beaten eggs into the sugar/butter mixture.

Sift in the remaining dry ingredients. Constantly scrape down the sides and beat until smooth and all the flour is incorporated.

Bake at 350 until toothpick comes out clean (30-45 minutes depending on pan)

Enjoy.

This cake is extremely creamy, moist, and wonderfully chocolate. It's not too dense or too chocolately.

Hope you have a great day! I know I will!