Saturday, November 12, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
S'mores in a Jar
"S'mores are good...the end"
With summer coming to an end,I am trying to suck up each and every moment. One of my favorite past times is making s'mores. Here is a recipe that I found that ties in three of my favorite things, s'mores, cake,and jars!
I’m in heaven after seeing this S’mores in a Jar recipe on How Sweet It Is. First, I love S’mores….second, I love when sweets are served in jars! How amazing does this look??
S’mores Cake in a Jar
makes 4 16-ounce mason jar cakes
for crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 stick butter
pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter and mix in graham crumbs and salt. Mix until moistened. Spray 4 mason jars with non-stick spray and press graham crust into jars. I began by adding a tablespoon to each, and repeating until graham crumbs were gone. They don’t need to look perfect. I pressed the crumbs down firmly with the flat bottom of a clean screwdriver.
for cake: (from peanut butter hot fudge cupcakes)
1 1/8 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons sour cream
for topping:
1 bag of large marshmallows
In a bowl, whisk egg and sugar until smooth and no lumps remain. Add milk, cream, butter and vanilla, and mix until combined. Stir in sour cream. Sift dry ingredients together and add to wet mixture. Mix until batter is smooth. Using a 1/4 cup measure, add batter to mason jars one scoop at a time. You only want to fill them up about half way, and the batter should work evenly for 4 jars. Again – don’t worry if it is perfect. Place mason jars in a baking dish and add about 1 1/2 cups of water to the bottom. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cake is set.
Remove cake from the oven and press large marshmallows down on top, being careful not to burn yourself. There is no set number of marshmallows to use, I pressed down as many as I could, about 4-5 each. Heat the broiler on your oven and watching carefully, brown marshmallows for about 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown. Do not take your eyes off them! Serve immediately.
Notes
*The recipe looks really long, but it is actually really easy! *When you put the marshmallows on top and broil, they may sink down below the edges of the chocolate cake. This is normal. The cake it still more than halfway to the top. *These are pretty rich and sweet, and make a really great dessert for two people to share with two spoons… but can still be eaten by one. *You can use other sizes of jars, just use your eye to decided how much batter to use, never going over half way. If you have too much batter, just make a few cupcakes.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
Happy Baking,
Chloe
With summer coming to an end,I am trying to suck up each and every moment. One of my favorite past times is making s'mores. Here is a recipe that I found that ties in three of my favorite things, s'mores, cake,and jars!
I’m in heaven after seeing this S’mores in a Jar recipe on How Sweet It Is. First, I love S’mores….second, I love when sweets are served in jars! How amazing does this look??
S’mores Cake in a Jar
makes 4 16-ounce mason jar cakes
for crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 stick butter
pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter and mix in graham crumbs and salt. Mix until moistened. Spray 4 mason jars with non-stick spray and press graham crust into jars. I began by adding a tablespoon to each, and repeating until graham crumbs were gone. They don’t need to look perfect. I pressed the crumbs down firmly with the flat bottom of a clean screwdriver.
for cake: (from peanut butter hot fudge cupcakes)
1 1/8 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons sour cream
for topping:
1 bag of large marshmallows
In a bowl, whisk egg and sugar until smooth and no lumps remain. Add milk, cream, butter and vanilla, and mix until combined. Stir in sour cream. Sift dry ingredients together and add to wet mixture. Mix until batter is smooth. Using a 1/4 cup measure, add batter to mason jars one scoop at a time. You only want to fill them up about half way, and the batter should work evenly for 4 jars. Again – don’t worry if it is perfect. Place mason jars in a baking dish and add about 1 1/2 cups of water to the bottom. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cake is set.
Remove cake from the oven and press large marshmallows down on top, being careful not to burn yourself. There is no set number of marshmallows to use, I pressed down as many as I could, about 4-5 each. Heat the broiler on your oven and watching carefully, brown marshmallows for about 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown. Do not take your eyes off them! Serve immediately.
Notes
*The recipe looks really long, but it is actually really easy! *When you put the marshmallows on top and broil, they may sink down below the edges of the chocolate cake. This is normal. The cake it still more than halfway to the top. *These are pretty rich and sweet, and make a really great dessert for two people to share with two spoons… but can still be eaten by one. *You can use other sizes of jars, just use your eye to decided how much batter to use, never going over half way. If you have too much batter, just make a few cupcakes.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
Happy Baking,
Chloe
Monday, August 15, 2011
Let the Countdown Begin....
I can't believe school is only a week away! With such a crazy schedule, I feel like summer just started. Even though I am done with my break from swimming, I hope I still have time to live up the last days of summer, and maybe sneak some time in to get a tan. Today is kind of a crazy day, and practice starts again, so comfort is key for the day.
Hope everyone has a great day,
Chloe
Saturday, August 13, 2011
The School Bag
A woman's mind is as complex as the contents of her handbag; even when you get to the bottom of it, there is ALWAYS something at the bottom to surprise you!
Choosing the perfect bag for school is always a big task for me! I have to make the decision, backpack, or tote bag? Everyone wants a bag that is strong, can hold everything, doesn't hurt your shoulder, and still looks cute. That's a lot of criteria for one bag to meet!
The Backpack
A backpack is usually what you think of to carry around your books, pens, and papers around school. I'm sure it has always been your staple throughout your school years, but eventually it's time to get something a little bit more sophisticated.
Here are the pros and cons of carrying a backpack...
Pros:
-Really Spacious: Backpacks are the best possible way to carry everything you could ever need to class. If you’re the kind of girl who needs her books, laptop, 10 different types of pens, cell phone, water bottle, snacks, money, makeup, and more, definitely consider a backpack to fit it all.
-Backpacks are usually waterproof, which comes in really handy when you have important things in your bag & encounter a sudden rain storm. A cloth tote bag won’t protect you in that case.
-Double duty: backpacks are very versatile. You can use a backpack for school, as a carry on when traveling, or as a gym bag. This is great if you are really active on the weekends.
-Great for heavy items: It’s always easier to distribute the weight of three textbooks and a laptop on both arms and shoulders than to have it all on one arm. If you’re carrying a lot of heavy stuff, backpacks are the way to go.
-Great for heavy items: It’s always easier to distribute the weight of three textbooks and a laptop on both arms and shoulders than to have it all on one arm. If you’re carrying a lot of heavy stuff, backpacks are the way to go.
Cons:
-Backpacks are way less cute than tote bags. It’s just true, and it will always be the case. The purpose of a backpack is function, not fashion. Don’t get me wrong, you can find backpacks that are cute, but a backpack itself isn’t about making a fashion statement.
-There are fewer fabric and color options to choose from. Most backpacks that are the right size & price don’t come in many styles. If you’re looking for something really unique in terms of style, I recommend a tote bag.
-They are a little too primary school, don't get me wrong I carried a backpack all the way from elementary school through my sophomore year of high school, and they work great, but there is something about a backpack that is a little too young. Once you're an upperclassmen, or in college it might be time to ditch the backpack, and use a tote bag.
-Backpacks are way less cute than tote bags. It’s just true, and it will always be the case. The purpose of a backpack is function, not fashion. Don’t get me wrong, you can find backpacks that are cute, but a backpack itself isn’t about making a fashion statement.
-There are fewer fabric and color options to choose from. Most backpacks that are the right size & price don’t come in many styles. If you’re looking for something really unique in terms of style, I recommend a tote bag.
-They are a little too primary school, don't get me wrong I carried a backpack all the way from elementary school through my sophomore year of high school, and they work great, but there is something about a backpack that is a little too young. Once you're an upperclassmen, or in college it might be time to ditch the backpack, and use a tote bag.
Here are some cute backpack options, if you decide to go with the backpack this year. My favorite is the dark leather backpack. It looks a little bit more "vintage traveler" which I'm loving right now.
The Tote Bag
A tote back is the cutest, and most fashionable option, that is also functional. While it may be able to hold the slew of pens, books, and papers that every girl undoubtedly carries around, it may not be the most practical choice for everyone.
Pros:
-Cutest and most fashionable option: Tote bags are the most fashionable way to carry around your "things" around school, and if you don't carry around a ton of stuff, they are a very practical option as well.
-There are lots of colors and styles to choose from:With tote bags, your possibilities are endless. You can go basic black leather, funky hot pink patent, canvas, and everything in between!
-You don't have to use a tote bag just for school:Tote bags are great because you can wear them for many different occasions. You can bring a large, classic tote to class, work, and out at night, and can wear it with almost any outfit. Try doing that with a backpack!
Cons:
-May not be roomy enough: Totes can be problematic if you need to carry lots of stuff to class, or if you have one of those teachers that requires you to bring your textbook everyday. The fabric can sometimes rip with too much weight, and your shoulders can also get strained. No fun!
-They are heavy on your shoulder: Your shoulder is going to hurt if you have too much stuff with you, and I know for some people like myself, too much stuff, is still never enough!
-They aren't waterproof, and many don't close on top: This means that your stuff can get wet if you encounter a sudden rainstorm, which is obviously not a good thing. Of course, carrying an umbrella will solve this problem.
Here are some options, if you decide to go with a tote bag this year....
As you can tell, choosing the right type of bag is no easy task, but with these tips I hope make your decision a little easier. This year I will be using a tote bag, probably a Longchamp (in navy, one of my school colors), or a Vineyard Vines tote bag.
Whichever bag you choose, I hope it suits you well in this upcoming school year!
Until next time,
Chloe
A tote back is the cutest, and most fashionable option, that is also functional. While it may be able to hold the slew of pens, books, and papers that every girl undoubtedly carries around, it may not be the most practical choice for everyone.
Pros:
-Cutest and most fashionable option: Tote bags are the most fashionable way to carry around your "things" around school, and if you don't carry around a ton of stuff, they are a very practical option as well.
-There are lots of colors and styles to choose from:With tote bags, your possibilities are endless. You can go basic black leather, funky hot pink patent, canvas, and everything in between!
-You don't have to use a tote bag just for school:Tote bags are great because you can wear them for many different occasions. You can bring a large, classic tote to class, work, and out at night, and can wear it with almost any outfit. Try doing that with a backpack!
Cons:
-May not be roomy enough: Totes can be problematic if you need to carry lots of stuff to class, or if you have one of those teachers that requires you to bring your textbook everyday. The fabric can sometimes rip with too much weight, and your shoulders can also get strained. No fun!
-They are heavy on your shoulder: Your shoulder is going to hurt if you have too much stuff with you, and I know for some people like myself, too much stuff, is still never enough!
-They aren't waterproof, and many don't close on top: This means that your stuff can get wet if you encounter a sudden rainstorm, which is obviously not a good thing. Of course, carrying an umbrella will solve this problem.
Here are some options, if you decide to go with a tote bag this year....
As you can tell, choosing the right type of bag is no easy task, but with these tips I hope make your decision a little easier. This year I will be using a tote bag, probably a Longchamp (in navy, one of my school colors), or a Vineyard Vines tote bag.
Whichever bag you choose, I hope it suits you well in this upcoming school year!
Until next time,
Chloe
Friday, August 12, 2011
Outfit of the Day
Today I had a very relaxing day. I decided to hit of the country club pool, to catch some rays, and to read about all of the latest fashions in my magazines! I went with a simple navy bikini, with simple detailing, and all gold accessories! I of course had to have the essential floppy hat, and bug sunglasses to protect my face from the sun, and the monthly magazines were essential. I couldn't have asked for a better day!
I hope everyone has a great weekend,
Chloe
Friday Favorites
A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.
This Friday, I decided to make fabulous, by sharing all of the things I'm loving this week!
This watch! If this not the most fabulous watch, you have ever seen?! I am absolutely in love with it. On Tuesday, when I went to the mall with my friend Katie I actually got to try one on just like it, and I was in heaven ( until I saw the $14,000 price tag)!
This Kate Spade clutch is so fabulous! When I first saw it, I actually thought it was a real book, it's absolutely genius, who wouldn't want this clutch?!
I am in love with these Tory Burch riding boots, they are the perfect pair for fall, and I would honestly just be honored to have a pair of these in my closet.
This is the cutest outfit I have seen in a long time! This is such a style inspiration for me, it's giving me an idea of what I would like to wear on the first say of school. This exact outfit might be a little much for high school, but I hope I can come up with something like it!
I'm loving this quote this week! I think it's so true, you can't always expect everything to be perfect, everything is more fun when something is a little off!
As you can tell I live in a fantasy world, but I wouldn't live life in any other way, but hey, a girl can dream right?
May your wildest dreams come true,
Chloe
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)