WOWZA!!

Yesterday I decided to try out one of the recipes from my new Cookbook (Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey). Black Bottom Cupcakes was the recipe of choice. I was craving some serioius chocolate and boy did I ever get it. These cupcakes are not for the faint of heart. They are so rich - but oh, so yum they'll leave you in a stupor! Here's the recipe - give it a try (and make sure you've got lots of nice cold milk on hand to help you wash it down!!)

Filling

8oz. Mascarpone Cheese

1/2 c. confectioner's sugar

1 large egg

Pinch of Salt

1t. pure vanilla extract

1c. miniature semi sweet morsels

Cake Batter

1 1/2c. All purpose flour

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. dark brown sugar

1/4 c. cocoa

1t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1 c. boiling water

1/3 c. vegetable oil

1T. apple cider vinegar

1t. pure vanilla extract

Topping

8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

3/4 c. unsalted butter

1/4 c. light corn syrup

1 t. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.

Make the filling: In a medium bowl cream together mascarpone, confectioner's sugar, egg salt and vanilla. Stir until smooth and creamy. Stir in chocolate chips.

Make cake batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In a 2 cup meauring cup combine the boiling water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid ingredients. Stir together just until smooth.

Place enough cake batter in each cupcake cup to cover the bottom and top with a heaping tablespoon of filling. Top the filling with enough cake batter to cover filling. Bake until the cupcakes are puffed and firm about 25 min.

Make the topping: Combine all the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 min. Romove from microwave and stir until smooth. If choclate is not completely melted continue to microwave for 30 sec. until smooth.

Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack and let cool completely. When cool, dip the top of each cupcake in the glaze (feel free to double dip). Let excess glaze drip from the cupcakes for a few seconds and then place the cupcake right-side up on the wire rack until the glaze firms up before serving. (I didn't want to deal with the drippy mess, so I waited until the glaze had firmed up a bit in the bowl and just frosted the cupcakes with it).

Grab a glass of milk and ENJOY!!

Homesick

This is where I grew up - a little place called Skagit Valley. I don't miss it too much (sorry Washington fans, I'm too used to the sun now, I can't give it up) except for this time of year. April is Tulip Festival time. It's been years since I have been able to drive by miles of tulips in bloom. I forget how beautiful it is until I look at my sister's blog (which is where I swiped this picture - thanks Karen) and feel a sudden surge of homesickness.

"Nerd Night"

I've mentioned before that we like to play a game called Settlers of Catan, more specifically Cities and Knights. I know it sounds all Dungeons and Dragons (which is why when we get together to play our friend Naomi jokingly refers to it as "nerd night") but it's really not. It's a thinking game with lots of strategy involved, which is why it appeals to the guys. Maren and I are just along for the ride (meaning the treats and the conversation) and occasionally we get lucky and actually beat them.

Dustin and Maren

Mark trying to show me his serious game face...which just made me laugh.

Birthday Wrap-Up

I had an awesome birthday this year. Thanks to all my 'peeps' for the cards, flowers, phone calls, e-mails and presents. I feel very loved and very blessed that I have so many wonderful people in my life.
Here are a few of the highlights:

• Breakfast in bed {Creme Brulee French Toast no less}.
• Mark brought home pink roses and a Costco cake (it is my favorite birthday cake - I know, pretty fancy taste I've got!!)
  
• Dinner/movie (Leatherheads) with Mark at Alamo Drafthouse
• A very fun girls night with my friends (thanks for hosting Naomi)

Here are a few presents that I am especially excited about:

Nike+ipod sports pack. I can't wait to try this thing out.

I will definately need it to motivate me to run more since Natalie who, quite obviously, has my number got me this amazing cookbook of, well...I think the name says it all Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey - right up my ally!!


Lastly, Cheryl wins the prize for most awesome find! I think you might have to be a Johannesen girl to appreciate {much less recognize} this contraption. It is the KrumKake Express 839! I am confident that I am the envy of all my sisters with this beauty!! I can't wait to try it out!

Happy Birthday, Kristen!!

Kristen normally posts for birthdays of our family, but I don't expect her to post for her own birthday. Turnabout is fair play.

To celebrate her 29th birthday, here are 29 reasons why I love Kristen...

1. Has served a mission (Palau)
2. Always lets me choose the lesser of two evil chores
3. Very caring about other’s feelings
4. Encouraging
5. At night, she’ll get up with the boys when I’m faking sleep sound asleep
6. Will watch sports with me
7. Our family is most important to her
8. Not afraid to laugh at herself
9. Dances like nobody’s watching on our dance
kitchen floor
10. Enjoys spending time with my family
11. Reliable
12. Feigns interest when I tell her fantasy sports stories
13. Undoubtedly, a very good cook
14. Lets me play with keep the boys occupied while she does the work
15. Bargain shopper
16. Is not afraid to get her hands dirty (yard work, changing tires)
17. Ready to help whenever needed
18. Tolerates my interest in bowling
19. Her wonderful family
20. Determined (learned the Palauan language not in the MTC, but on her mission)
21. Always up for a game (no matter the odds)
22. You know she makes great desserts
23. Knows how to make us laugh
24. Resourceful
25. Is a really good singer
26. She’s my bestest friend
27. Testimony is strong
28. Exceeds expectations of an insomniac mom handling 2 full-time (and 1 part-time) boys
29. Not sure that I deserve her, but she’s MINE

Mark

So, I guess what you'd call me is a "passive aggressive" blogger. I do nothing for days {sometimes weeks} at a time and then BAM! I hit you with 3,4 sometimes more at a time. Oh, well - that's how I roll people. We haven't been up to anything particularly fun or interesting lately. I've just been enjoying other people's blogs far too much to spend time on my own. But just to let you know we're still around - here are a few recent pictures/musings etc.

Braden came to watch one of Cooper's soccer games - I think he's trying to get Cooper to smile in this picture. They are funny together. Until recently Braden called our boys "Coopet" and "Portet". I'm a little sad that he's getting better at his r's.

The other night I was busy {probably reading blogs} and Porter found a package of self adhesive "google eyes" and put them all over his tummy. He ran around like that for probably an hour. Mark and I were cracking up!

Cooperisms

Lately it seems like Cooper is so grown up {which, of course, is a relative term}, but it has had me noticing the little things he does that I know he's going to outgrow very soon - and that I will miss so much.

Some of my favorite "words" for example:

Tur-ok-wet - (Chocolate)
Absowootwee
Regary (regular)
Wookie (his friend Luke)
Lasterday (any day before today)
UN-side-out (the opposite of inside-out)
Ketar (guitar)
Parnano (Piano)
Mudder/Fodder (mother/father)...I especially like Henwee Fodder
"Are you mark"...instead of "on your mark"
Sunscream
Breathix (breakfast)


Sometimes he likes to pretend he's a robot and speaks in a monotone voice. One time I said "What's your name, robot" his response {in a tiny 4 year old monotone} "fiftyfreedowars" ($53)...go figure!

The other day after his soccer game, he had played hard and it was warm out...but as we were getting into the car I gave him a high five and said "Who's hot stuff?" to which he responded, "I AM!...but I need to be cold stuff, can you turn on the cold air?"

At this age when I ask for a hug or a kiss he just lights up and comes running. I try to get all the hugs and kisses I can while he's so eager to oblige.
For these and SOOOOO many more reasons - I'm so very thankful today that we have Cooper in our family!

mustachioed

So what do you think? Can Porter 'rock the stach', or what?

C-H-E-E-S-E

I love the pictures I get of Porter when I tell him to say "cheese". He puts his all into it! That kid is a crack up! He's at that age where pretty much everything he does is cute and funny {to us anyway}.

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!!

Congratulations to Naomi who was the only one in our pool to have Kansas going all the way. I was leading the pack going into the final four but I had North Carolina winning it (beating Mark's pick UCLA) neither of our teams made it to the championship game! For those of you who don't know, March Madness is a big deal in the Hilton home. Maybe that's why I haven't been blogging lately - our weekends have been filled with basketball and brackets. Not a bad thing...but not really blog-worthy either...unless you actually went to the game - which Mark did. He and his friend Rob Moore headed down to San Antonio and scored some pretty decent tickets to the final game. What a game it was too! I'm going to attempt to get him to do a post about it.