Does it have to have a title?

I never know what to title my posts! There are so many things to put up here, since it's been a whole week! The evenings get busy. I'm still trying to adjust to being a new wife. It's fun, believe me. And busy. But I love being busy, so it's great! Today I've got a kitchen tip, a favorite song, fashion, thoughts, food, food and more food. :)

Ever had rock-hard brown sugar? Well, I have, but never this bad! It was bending my spoon as I tried to get it out! I figured that since it is in a canister on my counter, I would just get a paper towel wet with hot water, ring it out as much as I could, and stick it in the top of my canister. Like this:

Looks kinda dorky, I know. BUT my brown sugar is as soft as it was when it came out of the bag! I was amazed, so I thought I would share. 

Okay, so time for a taste of the music I love!!! I know Josh Groban is amazing. You know it too. :) His new CD, Illuminations has got to be my favorite. I don't own it yet though. I know. Sad. :( I went to his concert in Salt Lake City, Utah last August. I almost cried just because he was there, singing to me. Like...actually! He sang Happy Birthday to a gal who's birthday was that day. Oh. My. Gosh. I was so jealous. I almost wished it was my birthday! haha. Anyways, I love Josh Groban. Plus, he's hilarious! Have you seen the tweets of Kanye West by Josh Groban? If not, here it is (sorry, the beginning isn't my favorite :(, just skip a little): 

Okay, so he's hilarious, has a gorgeous voice...what could be better?! This song:

Made me cry the first time I heard it. Any favorite Josh Groban songs you guys???

While I was sitting in class, listening to group presentations on ESL curriculum guidelines, I saw one of the girls in my class, and I could not get over how everything she was wearing was so cute! Here's Karen:

Just, how she pieced together the whole thing amazes me! Okay, here's where she got everything: Pants: Zara, Shoes: Aldos, Cardigan & Belt: H&M, Shirt: Banana Republic. I love shoes. A lot. and I think that's what clinched the outfit for me. All the colors and tones were just perfect, and the shoes made it heaven. Thank you Karen!

I've been thinking a lot about how much people know. I'm a heavy Pinterest user, and the things I find on people's blogs are amazing! Just, the vast amounts of knowledge that are in this world...I just wanna grab everyone on the street and get to know who they are and what they know. Osmosis through a hug would be the coolest thing ever! It just makes me want to learn everything! I think that's why I'm a teacher. I love everything, so therefore I can teach my students to love everything. 

I love food. I love desserts. Danish Puff Pastry (something my Grandma Nell would make at Christmas) is one of my favorites! You think pastry, and you go, oh no! I don't wanna fold this a billion times to make it fluffy and full of goodness! But you don't have to! It just requires some cutting in of butter. 

I don't know where the recipe came from, but here it is:

Delicious Delights, Danish Puff Pastry:

Danish Puff Pastry:

1 C flour

1/2 C butter (a stick, cut into pieces)

2 T water (I always use 3 or 4)

1/2 C butter

1 C water

1 C flour

3 eggs

1 t almond ext

Measure 1 C flour into bowl, cut in 1/2 cup butter. Sprinkle 2 T water and mix with a fork. round into ball, divide in half. Make 12"x3" strips, 3" apart on ungreased baking sheet

Combine second amounts of butter and water in saucepan

Bring to rolling boil and remove from heat. Stir in 1 C flour (all at once) to keep from lumping. Stir until smooth. This is what it will look like: kinda doughy, weird texture.

Add one egg at a time. This is the weirdest step. The egg doesn't really mix in very well so you have to mix it forever. 

Add extract and beat again. Divide in half and spread over the two crusts on baking pan. 

This is the top view. The dough covers the whole crust. Try not to get it over the edges.

This is about how thick it is on the top. It looks weird and tastes nasty all by itself, 

which is why you need the frosting (coming later)!

Bake at 350 for 60 minutes (check at 50, especially if you don't know your oven very well, like me, in my new apartment. 60 minutes was a little too much) If you bake it the right amount, it'll be soft in the middle. 

This was how mine was:

little toasty

Traditional Buttercream Frosting: (learned from Mom)

2 C powdered sugar

1-2 T butter, melted

sprinkle of salt

1/2-1 t vanilla/almond ext

milk

Put everything but milk into a bowl and mix until you can't anymore. Add milk, 1T at a time until glaze is consistency you want it. (I like mine pretty soupy) 

I cut these in half long-ways and then into pieces short-ways. 

Yummy yummy! 

Then I made dinner...I know. Dessert tends to come first in my mind... :P I work at a bakery, and there are always extra donuts. I used to think they were so amazing. Now, I can only eat a bite before I'm so done with the donuts. Unless they're cake/old-fashioned donuts. *sigh* those are the best ever. I could eat those until...well forever I think. Anyways, I found a recipe on Pinterest!

Pinterest Pinned, Mini Mexican Pizzas:

I actually didn't make mini pizzas, I made big pizzas, but here's the reference recipe, from Dashing Dish! 

 

What I did:

1 lb ground beef, cooked (no seasoning)

1 can refried beans, heated

2 T taco seasoning

1/2 C peach pineapple Chipotle salsa (from Walmart, the Great Value kind)

Mix all that together and spread on 2 normal sized flour tortillas, on greased baking sheet. I put a flour tortilla on a cookie sheet--so I ended up using 2 cookie sheets. Cover in shredded cheese with chives:

yummy yummy 

Bake at 425 for 8-9 minutes. It was so surprisingly delicious. Except for the pieces of pineapple (I strongly dislike the texture of pineapple) Thank you Dashing Dish!

Last night Chad and I went to Chili's! I am such a fan of their 2 for $20 right now! It has steak on it!!! But, I didn't get the steak. That'll have to be for next time. I got the Honey Chipotle Chicken Crispers. 

plus a corn on the cob! It was so delicious! And the seasoned fries in the ranch...mmmmm. The chicken was the perfect texture, perfect amount of sauce...It was just so good. 

Chad got the ribs with the dry rub...look at him! He just can't wait for me to take the pictures so he can eat!

I took a few bites, it reminded me of being in a log cabin up in the woods. Chad said it reminded him of Independence Day on the 4th of July. 

Well, welcome to the end of our week! Our next door neighbor just had a baby! So excited for them to come home tomorrow! I'm excited to hear baby cries through the walls! (no, that was not in the least bit sarcastic)

Hope y'all enjoyed! Better try some recipes at home! "Everyone can cook!"--Ratatouille, the Disney/Pixar film. <3 movies! Tell me about good movies you've seen! I watched Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End this weekend. I love love love that movie! It's so clever, and the plot goes everywhere...its good.