Today is Birthday Day

It's been a weekend full of fun.. because Today my baby boy, The Kid is officially 13!! For the past few weeks I've been reeling.. OMG, a Teenager.. really, a teenager, my baby boy.. wow. I remember being 13.. the teenage years aren't that far behind me, after all.. but wow.

Yesterday it was the annual birthday party at Dave & Busters, which I refer to as a Chuck E Cheese's for Adults, it's so much fun, we have dinner followed by not birthday cake, but Birthday Fondue (as per The Kid's request since we started going there), play games (and rack up lots of tickets that The Kid is saving up for something "really good") and leave way later than we planned.

Today it was go to the movies, have ice cream and then birthday cake tonight after a home made birthday dinner.



The cake was a Coca Cola Cake

2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
3 Tbs. cocoa
1 Tbs. Vanilla
2 eggs

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. shortening
1 c. Coca Cola
2 c. mini Marshmallows

Icing
1/2 c. butter
3 Tbs. cocoa
6 Tbs. Coca Cola
1 16oz box Powdered sugar
1 c. chopped walnuts

1. Mix first 8 ingredients, then heat next 3 and add gradually into first mixture
2. Grease 13x9 inch pan and cover bottom with mini marshmallows
3. pour batter over marshmallows and bake in preheated 350° oven for 35 - 45 minutes

Icing

1. Heat butter, cocoa, Coca Cola & Vanilla
2. pour over sugar and mix well
3. add nuts
4. pour frosting over warm cake

Cool before serving.

Now, since we were having this cake with ice cream as per The Kid's request I didn't make the icing.. it was just too much butter & sugar for one day, lol.

The New Dunkin Donuts Waffle breakfast sandwich

I woke up feeling like total crap this morning, I was more interested in getting 10 more minutes of sleep than making coffee, my throat was so sore that the thought of swallowing anything other than medicine to numb the pain was outrageous. So on my way into the office I decided to run into Dunkin’ Donuts for a Hot Latte’ (because, honestly by then if I didn’t get some caffeine in me I would be fast asleep at my desk in no time) While I was standing on line that was practically out the door at 8:45 I saw an ad for a new breakfast sandwich, the Waffle Sandwich. From the picture it just looked like a mini waffle with egg, cheese & bacon.. But Boy was I in for a surprise!

I don’t normally get egg sandwiches from Dunkin Donuts, I used to refer to them as ‘rubber eggs’ as they were chewy and overcooked and pretty much all around nasty that no amount of ketchup and pepper could cover up. But being all I had all day yesterday to eat was a packet of wheat thins for lunch and a bowl of hot & sour soup for dinner I was absolutely starving and this honestly looked pretty good. So I went ahead and ordered the waffle sandwich and coffee and went on to my office.

Now, Dunkin Donuts has some of the hottest coffee around, no matter what kind of hot drink you get you always have to wait at least 5 minutes before even attempting to take that first sip without totally scalding your tongue and throat (or at least, I do) so I set aside the bag with the sandwich and my coffee and started to tackle the pile of work on my desk that never seems to get any smaller. Once the smell of the coffee started to wear me down I took a sip (ahh, lovely) and then I opened the bag with the sandwich and to my disbelief the 2 little waffles were studded with ......little bits of Syrup! Just like the McGriddle from McDonalds!!! And not only were these little waffles good, but the egg was light and fluffy and the bacon was crispy!!! It was all around good!


I like that Dunkin Donuts is spreading their wings a bit and expanding their menu options, their flatbread sandwiches leave much to be desired though, the eggs are chewy and the small portions leave you hungry. I really like this new waffle sandwich though, it’s a keeper.

My Lemming Central Box has arrived

This is the best! Every other month I anticipate the Lemming Central Sample box.. and for almost a year now I've been absolutely Delighted every time it has arrived!


Today my box arrived and I couldn't wait to tear it open!

Inside the plain white USPS box encased in Styrofoam peanuts was a pretty pink paper gift bag stuffed to the tippy top with goodies and topped off with some lovely pink tissue paper..

Inside that pink gift bag was...

1. Soap slab sample in Patience from Elementals By Diane Natural Handmade Soaps
2. 2 candle tart samples in Hello Sweetie and Pink Sugar from What's That Smell?
   
3. 2 perfume oil samples from Lunableu Bath & Body Treats in Blackberry Noel and Cocoa Pink
4. 1 One ounce handmade goat milk soap sample chunk from Nice Touch Handmade Goat Milk Soap
5. Cinnamon scented heart shaped candle melts from Kreations by Kathie
6. In the goodie bag from SBS Teas was 1 formed black tea heart, chocolate decadence soap sample, sweetheart mint roobios tea sample (with directions on how to brew the teas) and a dark chocolate truffle.
7. 1 good sized sample of Maile Lei hand & body lotion from East Coast Tropics
   
8. 1 - 0.07oz sample stick (about the size of a softlips lip balm) concealer stick in roasted chestnut (which is way too dark for my fair skin, boo hoo) from Zosimos Botanicals LLC
9. THE MOST GIGANTIC CANDLE TART SAMPLE THAT I'VE EVER SEEN in Pink Passions from Things That Make Scents
10. 1 lovely heart shaped wax tart (with a cute ribbon tied through a hole in the top) in (VS scent) LoveSpell (YUM!) from Ugly Duckling Designs
11. Redux multi-grain facial scrub 1oz sample, olive oil smoothie soap & Lavender soap samples from Little Egg Harbor Soap
    
12. 1 hearts desire soap sample (BIG!) and perfume oil sconcentrate in pink stardust from Tickled Pink Scentsations
    
13. And the biggest sample set of all was from Farm Hussy Bath and Body Products (lol) with... 0.5 oz sample baggie of Bath fizzle FoShizzle bath powder in creme Brulee, 4 oz sample B'oink soy whipped glace, 1oz Sissy's silo-tion in prairie princess and a little baggie with 2 large Valentine tootsie rolls and a tootsie pop (my favorite!)
14. 1 2oz candle tart in Spruce Christmas Tree scent from Just Right Candles

HOLY COW!!!!!

It all smells really, really good! I can't wait for the April Box!!!

It may not be pretty...

But it sure was good!

Way back when, I had this great Pillsbury cookbook that had this amazing recipe for Lemon Pudding cake.. then I rented from this horrible family who, in between picking up my things when moving here, threw that cookbook amongst many if my other things, away. I didn't think much about that book until the Meyer lemons came around and had me craving for that lemony cakey-pudding-y goodness.

Of course, Zaar came to the rescue (as always)

Lemon Pudding Cake


Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 grated lemon, zest of
3 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter 8" square pan or baking dish.
3. In mixing bowl, combine 3/4 c of the sugar, salt and flour and stir them together.
4. Add melted butter, lemon juice and zest and egg yolks.
5. Stir until thoroughly blended.
6. Stir in milk.
7. In separate bowl, beat the egg whites with remaining 1/4 c sugar until stiff, but moist.
8. Fold beaten whites into lemon mixture, then pour batter into prepared baking dish.
9. Set the cake pan into a larger pan and pour hot water into larger pan to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan.
10. Bake for 45 minutes until top is lightly browned.
11. Serve warm or chilled, with whipped cream, if desired.

It’s that time again, the Lemming Central Boxes are On Sale

Sample Boxes are on sale now! Go get yours before they are gone. Buy a box now!!

Congratulations to Tickled Pink Scentsations! Their samples were voted the best Valentine's theme by our panel of judges.

This sample box is sponsored by Spa Secrets, so be sure to check them out!!

Hurry and get yours before they're all gone!

I've been doing this since April 2008 and have never been disappointed in the items that I got. I even got 2 for Christmas and spread the goodness to my friends and family.

It's a real treat for $20!