Lunatics... puppy love.

If you follow me via any form of social media, you probably know that The Hubbs and I have been searching for a pup for a while. We have an adorable and funny kitty, but felt that adding a pup into the mix would be a good choice. After searching and applying for puppies that got snatched up before we could even meet them, I heard about Luna. I was actually in Boston for work (oooo, that sounds cool!) when I got the email saying she was available. I immediately emailed the organization (PoochMatch). Then, I thought that might not be enough, so I called. :)

Donna from PoochMatch spoke with me about Luna, who was named Bippity at the time. She was quite shy, but sweet. Luna had been rescued from a hoarding situation and wasn't used to people. I called my husband when I landed back in California to see if he thought we had the ability to help a shy pup become confident and he said yes.

We made arrangements to meet Luna that night. She ran away from us and hid at first, but once we had her in our arms and laps, she snuggled and got quite comfy. Our hearts were stolen. We took Luna home a few days later and she worked her magic on our hearts. She especially melted The Hubbs' heart. He's a sucker for puppy cuddles.

She is such a sweet and gentle puppy and we've been having a good time going through the learning process with her. Her first walk was spent with her cowering behind us and now she walks with head and tail up, beside or in front of us! We get to work on learning to heel soon! :) She's learning how to sit on command and how to fetch right now. She has also learned that she's not allowed to bark at Ellie.

And that's another thing! Our kitty has been so good with Luna. Aside from hunting Luna once or twice, she tolerates her well. Then again, there was that look of utter disgust on Ellie's face when Luna licked her this morning... :) I'm just waiting for the cold winter day that I find them sleeping next to each other.

All this to say, we are crazy (you may even say LUNAtics) for our puppy. We love introducing her to people and other dogs and helping her build her confidence. She is such a sweet cuddler, so even just hanging out is a joy. If she keeps heading in this direction, I may have a therapy dog in the next six months! I would love to share her sweetness with people who need it.

Cupcakes, meet Margaritas. Be best friends.

I just finished eating one of the best cupcakes I have ever had. I know that sounds lofty, and it sounds even worse when I disclose that I baked them myself, but it was so good! I stole the Margarita Cupcake recipe from the Brown Eyed Baker blog (http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/05/05/margarita-cupcakes-cinco-de-mayo/) so you can check it out there. I made a few little changes and I doubt that they altered the final product, so feel free to take note or ignore the following:

The Hubbs and I prefer Corralejo tequila, so I used that instead of Patron. Good choice! Curious about the taste of Corralejo? Check out this review: http://www.tequilatown.net/reviews/reposado/corralejo-reposado/. You can find this stuff for a great deal at Costco if you're willing to hold a bottle the size of a newborn child.

No zest was used in my version because I don't have a zester and the cheese grater does not work well for that purpose. Surprise.

I baked my cupcakes at 350 because my oven doesn't know how to bake at a lower temperature, even when I set it to 300 degrees. I can't wait to move to place with a legit, properly-calibrated oven! Regardless, my cupcakes turned out great and did not burn or dry out.

I cheated on the frosting. I bought store-brand vanilla, because it was cheaper than sin and holds up to piping nicely. If you choose to do this, scoop the frosting into a bowl and then add a dash of tequila and lime juice to taste. I like quite a bit of lime, but toned it down for The Hubbs. I also added one drop of green food coloring since I didn't have zest to add any color/garnish. I chilled the frosting mixture for about an hour for ease of frosting. Then, I spooned it into a ziplock and cut off the corner for a disposable frosting extravaganza! I had plenty of leftover frosting because I don't like to pile it too high and the recipe only makes 12 cupcakes anyway.

All that being said, if you are looking for a satisfying, tasty, tangy, sweet cup of deliciousness... make these! I wish I could take them in to work to share tomorrow, but there is unbaked tequila in/on them and I don't want to go against the rules. Keep that in mind if you also work on campus at a college where no alcohol is allowed. Or just in any conservative work place.

Now I think I'll go taste test another one....

I Spoke to a Squirrel

The title says it all. Today I caught myself talking to a squirrel. Shall I elaborate?

I work on a college campus that seems to encourage squirrel life. Worse, the Natural Sciences department and Business Office secretaries feed the squirrels. Campus Safety officers have been taking pictures of the "evidence" (no joke, they've photographed nut shells) but so far haven't stepped into the action more than that.

Because of the feeding, the squirrels have become rather forward with people. This delights some and frightens others. I lie somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. Which leads me to my story.

I was walking across campus, minding my own business, when I noticed a furry little creature out of the corner of my eye. I paused to glance at it and the second I made eye contact, the evil little squirrel began to pursue me. He'd follow for a few steps, then pause while standing only on his hind legs, only to follow on all four again. Creeper. Without even thinking I stopped and yelled to him, "I don't have any food! So stop following me!"

Strangely enough, he listened.

And so I walked away, glancing furtively over my shoulder until he was far behind me. And that's the story of the time I spoke to a squirrel.

Adios!

PS I promise I'll write more frequently soon. I'm in rehearsal for a play (I'm a lead!!!) and I'll surely have some fun stories. I'm working with some awesome people.

Happy New Year

It's 2012. 2012. 2012. Oh, sorry, I'm just practicing so that hopefully I don't use up a whole container of white-out at work tomorrow when I have to fix the year in my writing. :)
Hubbs and I had a pretty quiet celebration. We had a friend over and I made stuffed mushrooms and cupcakes. Really healthy stuff, right? The cupcakes are what I really wanted to share about, though. If you don't like chocolate, read no further.

I found a recipe for Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes online and adapted it to my way of working. The beer isn't too noticeable, but adds another level of delicious to the eating experience. I love any opportunity to use my red mixer and this was the perfect one since I'd also be making homemade frosting. Here's the deal for the cupcake batter:

1 c unsalted butter (I accidentally only used 1/2 c and they turned out great)
1 c Guinness stout
2/3 c cocoa powder
1 c light brown sugar
1 tsp table salt
1 c white sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 c sour cream

Preheat your oven to 350 F. In a saucepan melt the butter and add Guinness, cocoa powder, and light brown sugar. Whisk frequently until it is all melty, combined, and smooth. Remove from heat and let it cool. Perhaps sample the tasty goodness on your whisk.
In your mixer, add the rest of your ingredients (sans eggs and sour cream). Make sure these are all stirred together, then add the cool Guinness mixture to them. Once that is mixed well, add in your eggs and sour cream. If you taste the batter at this point, you'll notice the sour cream so don't taste it. Once the batter has been baked that goes away and what is left is moist chocolatey goodness.
Fill your cupcake liners 2/3 or 3/4 full depending on how much you want them to bake over. Bake for 20-25 minutes. This recipe made me 20 cupcakes.

Now for the frosting:

1/2 c butter, room temperature
3 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 pinch salt
Bailey's (to taste)
Jamison's (to taste)

Cream the butter as best you can in your clean mixer bowl. Then add in the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Toss the salt in. Mix until combined. Add some Bailey's and Jamison's as you're mixing until you get a spreadable consistency. Taste frequently. If you want to cut down on the booze factor just use Bailey's and milk.

Now frost those lovely cooled cupcakes! I sprinkled some extra cocoa powder and then decided to sprinkle some salt, too. The salt isn't terribly noticeable, but it adds interest to the taste and evens out the sweetness a bit.

Enjoy!