pumpkin cupcakes

Best thing you will put in your mouth. Seriously. Make these. You'll thank me later.

Cupcakes:

4 c. cake flour (not self-rising)

1 t. baking soda

1 T. + 1 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

2 t. ground cinnamon

1 T. ground ginger

1 t. nutmeg

1/4 t. ground cloves

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.

2 1/2 c. packed light brown sugar

4 large eggs

1 c. buttermilk

1 1/2 c. canned pumpkin (not pie filling)

Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1/3 c. butter, softened

3/4 t. ground allspice

1 1/2 - 2 c. confectioner's sugar

1 t. vanilla

2 T. milk

Preheat oven to 350. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.

With an electric mixer on med-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until just combined. Add pumpkin; beat until just combined.

Divide batter evenly amount lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer tines to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 3 days in airtight containers.

When cupcakes are cool mix up frosting. Blend cream cheese, butter, and allspice. Gradually mix in the sugar, vanilla, and milk until the mixture is spreadable.

Frost and enjoy!

performances and promotions

Ever have one of those nights when your dreams are just plain up crazy? That was me last night.

Dream #1: I watched as JC Chasez and Justin Bieber sang two duets together at two different ball games. I think one was at a baseball game and one was a basketball game. They sang "American The Beautiful" and some Christmas song that I don't remember right now. JC, normally a sexy guy, wasn't looking too good in my dream. I had longer hair (reminiscent of 2004), he had all these strange little tattoos all over his neck and chin (I think they were Chinese symbols or something), and he was really skinny. Like. REALLY. More than usual. And I thought, "I have to tell Rachel (aka Kristy) that I think JC is anorexic."

Then the dream switched.

Dream #2: I was promoted to be a manager in a different department at work. Through a couple exchanged emails with my director (which were weird and strangely flirtatious) I met with him and a few other directors/managers at work and was offered the position. I don't remember what the department was (I actually don't think it was a real department) but it had something to do with processing instead of having any direct interaction with students. So, I was put in as the manager of this team and was driven over to the building where they were in (a weird, creepy, old house in a strange neighborhood) and introduced to the team. They were all people who had been at UOP for longer than I have and were kind of disgruntled that I had been put in as the manager.

That's where the dream ended.

Sometimes, I really hate dreams. Especially when they're weird and/or stressful, because I don't sleep very well and wake up tired.

phillip

I know I made an earlier post where I bashed Disney and the unrealistic expectations they gave me of life and love, BUT...Prince Phillip (from Sleeping Beauty) has always been my favorite and (as much as I love Flynn Rider) he always will be. (Forgive me Flynn!)

I love how instantly Phillip falls for Briar Rose and defies his father and the expectations of his birth to go after her, despite the fact that he believes her to be a "commoner." I love his singing voice. I love how desperately he fights for her when Maleficent takes Aurora and puts her under the spell. I love the look on his face when he walks down the stairs with his princess on his arm (who knew a 2-D, cartoon character could portray so much love??). And, although he's not as "buff" as others I think he's sexy and I love him.

Below are some of my favorite pictures of my Prince Charming...

In the words of Katy: "Nice butt, Phil!" :D

halloween

I realized today that I am excited for Halloween.

This is a new emotion for me.

I'm not sure what to do with it.

hawaii

Here's what we did:

*survived a 6 hours flight (both ways)

*watched Mr. Popper's Penguins and X-men First Class (on the plane)

*got lost trying to find out hotel (Waikiki Gateway)

*went to church (had Sacrament Meeting in the cultural hall)

*visited 2 temples (Buddist and Mormon)

*hiked Diamond Head (thought I was going to die several times)

*experienced Pearl Harbor (got emotional a few times)

*had lunch on the beach one day (love)

*saw Dolphin Tale and The Three Musketeers

*did tons of walking/window shopping (everything was SO expensive)

*took a tour of Kualoa Ranch (gorgeous scenery)

*fell in love at the Dole Plantation (pineapples everywhere and dole whips)

*went to a stupid macadamia nut farm (don't bother)

*got sunburned at the Polynesian Cultural Center (hawaiian pizza....not hawaiian)

*read and sunbathed on our balcony (was too exhausted to do anything else)

*drove around the island at least 6 times (the North Shore was my favorite)

Here's what I didn't like:

*paying $20 a night for parking (not joking)

*all the one-way streets (Waikiki is the most confusing place to drive)

*the humidity (nothing ever dried)

*how expensive everything was ($6 for a tiny salad)

*no volcanoes (would have liked to see some lava)

*the flight home (got a kink in my neck trying to sleep)

breast cancer awareness

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month Faith and I went and got some pink hair extensions.

apropos

First of all, I love this word: apropos. It's fun to say, and when you say it, people think you're really smart. :)

We played a couple rounds of the game "Apples to Apples" today in our team meeting at work. As is often the case, the green cards that I won ended up describing me pretty well. "Very apropos," I thought.

According to the game today I am: courageous, cute, frivolous, and delicious.