Why am I trying so hard to display my awkwardness?

Peaches and cream cake

My oh my!



What you need:

1 Golden butter cake mix
1 pkg instant Vanilla pudding mix
1 large can of peaches in syrup
1 egg
3 sticks salted sweet cream butter, softened (sinful, I know)
Vanilla extract (couldn't tell you how much, really)
Several cups of powdered sugar
1 cup of Southern Comfort
pinch of salt
Couple of tbs of sweetened condensed milk (regular milk will work, to the detriment of the icing)

Cake
1. In large mixing bowl, combine your cake mix and pudding.

2. Drain peaches, saving liquid. Replace water in pkg direction with syrup and Southern Comfort in a 3:1 ratio. For example if the cake mix calls for 1 C water use 3/4 C syrup and 1/4 C SoCo.

3. Add butter according to pkg directions, vanilla(I measure using the cap of the bottle, three overflowing capfuls) and one egg.

4. Add peaches and beat with mixer until creamy.

5. Bake according to pkg directions. Cake may take longer the the pkg indicates, as the batter will be much thicker.

Icing
1. Cream 2 sticks of softened butter.


2. Slowly add powdered sugar until soft peaks form.


3. Mix in another couple capfuls of vanilla, milk and one pinch of salt.


4. Add powdered sugar until desired consistency.


5. Ice completely cooled cake.





Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of G. Rach!

Maple Peanut Butter cupcakes

This one got rave reviews, y'all:


Cake
1. Start with a golden butter cake mix. Throw it in your mixing bowl. Add one pkg of instant French vanilla pudding mix.
2. Mix in water and softened butter according to the package directions.
3. Add two big heaping Tbs of peanut butter and some maple syrup.
4. Mix in one egg.
5. Add in vanilla extract to taste. I usually taste the batter. If you need to add peanut butter or syrup, now's the time.
6. Bake according to pkg directions. This cake will work as well in a rectangular pan or on 8" round, but not a Bundt. It will probably take longer than the pkg indicates as the the batter will be thicker than regular cake batter.

Icing
1. Cream one heaping Tbs of peanut butter with one stick of softened salted butter.
2. Add powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
3. Add in vanilla extract and syrup to taste and pinch of salt.
4. Hit it again with the mixer.
5. I added 1 Tbs of sweetened condensed milk, but it isn't really nescessary.

I taste the batter and the icing to determine if I have enough peanut butter and syrup. Trust your taste buds!

A Dear John Letter

I don't really have a theory on what happens when a person is about to die. I haven't studied divinity, theology, or even philosophy. However, I am a whore of the moving image. I have seen a lot of movies, and I watch a lot of television. In this research certain things are clear....

If you are pregnant and you are anywhere near your due date, keep out of elevators. The thing will certainly get stuck and your water is gonna break. If you are real lucky, Brandon Walsh is in that elevator, he's been there.

For sure, before you die, your life flashes before your eyes. For this very reason, I am afraid for John McCain's mortal soul.

This man spent his career as a senator actually trying to do what he felt was the right thing to do, and he is throwing it all away. Now, he is reversing his positions to pander the religious right, and flip floppin' ain't maverick. Didn't these people hate him not that long ago? He is throwing out his integrity for a JOB, and it makes me so sad for him.

I've got to believe that somewhere in the back of his mind that he's just so tired of all it. Sarah Palin, really? What do you think? Are they really soul mates or is it the political Viagra she slipped him?

I just have this feeling that whether or not John McCain breaks loose these earthly chains having been President or not that he, too, will have to face these demons. I hope his psyche holds out until then, because no matter how powerful the position might be, no job is worth throwing away your beliefs.

Also, Senator McCain, why don't you tell Menopause Barbie to cool it with the Botox. Cindy is looking a little plasticine.

Love, Ash.

Back in the Saddle.

So I am trying this whole blog thing again. Originally, I wanted to focus my topics to good or bad advice I have been given, or giving consideration to the gems and to the nonsense that I hear everyday. I created this several months ago, but recent events have gotten me all riled up, so here goes nothing...