Friday's Scoop 1/4/13

It's Friday and you know what that means! Here's the scoop!

1. Happy New Year! Can you believe it is 2013?! I originally wrote the wrong date for this post! Oops! With a new year comes new resolutions, I have some in mind, but I have not yet acted on them...yet. Of course my resolutions are the usual get in shape, eat better, and live a better life. These days I barely exercise, and occasionally I eat vegetables, but that is a very rare occasion. Maybe if I share my resolutions with you, I will actually keep them! I sure hope so, I really want to get in shape, it has been on my mind a lot recently. So, don't be surprised if I begin to share some healthier recipes! None of this is guaranteed, but we shall what the future brings! What are your resolutions for the new year?

2. Does anyone have a TON of Christmas baking supplies that they haven't used yet? Me me me, I do! I have Andes baking chunks, M&M baking bits, all kinds of Christmas sprinkles, and even a brand new spritz cookie press! Almost all of them remain untouched, there are even Christmas cookie cutters that I NEVER used this year! Please tell me I am not the only one with this problem, and if I am just lie to me so I don't feel weird. Any ideas for how I can use these goodies up without being too "holidayish"? Or maybe I will just continue the holiday until I finish them off!

3. There are 4 or so days until things will be a changin', changin'! I hope you like them! I want to hear any and all feedback, even if it hurts my feelings. Then I will just make some cookies to make me feel better.

4. This week I received a wonderful gift from a close friend! She gifted me the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook! I have been eagerly reading the recipes and making lists of the goodies I want to make from it! It not only is an awesome cookbook, but it would make a great coffee table book, the pictures are GORGEOUS, case-in-point below!

Source SmittenKitchen.com

5. What I pinned this week!

• Skinny Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins By Sally's Baking Addiction Told you I wanted to try some "healthier" recipes. These are healthy....they have fruit and chocolate just for kicks! 
• Trail Mix Balls By EatLiveRun Another healthy recipe. Just recently I have become fascinated with quinoa! I have only tried it in savory recipes, but I really want to try breakfast quinoa! I will be sure to let you know how it is! 
• Coconut Chicken with Apricot Sauce by Pennies on a Platter Coconut is one of my favorite ingredients for baking! I love the crispy coating on coconut shrimp, but I am not so much a fan of the shrimp. The crispy coating + chicken sounds like something I will be fan of! 
• Crack Pie by Almost Bourdain Have you heard of Crack Pie? I just discovered it this week! One day I want to go to NYC and try it from Momofuku Milk Bar!

What did you pin this week?

Finally, have a great weekend and try to keep warm! This cold spell is crazy, remember to keep your pets warm too!
Xoxo,
M

Friday's Scoop 12/28/12

As fast as the holidays came upon us, they are just as quickly gone! There is hope though, we still have New Years to celebrate! So, pick out your final sparkly outfit of the season and finish your holiday baking! Before you know it, it will be 2013 and then onto Valentine's Day! I went to craft store the other day and I was shocked that they already had Valentine's Day stuff, but then I turned the corner and was horrified to see St. Patrick's Day stuff already! That wasn't the end, I found myself walking down another aisle and BOOM there was Easter stuff! If they are that far ahead into the holidays why not just leave out the Christmas stuff for next year! Stores are pushing the holidays way too much, before Thanksgiving and even around Halloween I was already seeing Christmas things! One holiday at a time people! Enough of my rant on big box stores pushing holidays, time for a more celebratory topic, it's finally Friday and that means time for Friday's Scoop!

1. I had a wonderful Christmas, and I hope you did as well! Mine was filled with way too much eating and just enough present opening! I must have been really good this year because Santa was very generous! What did Santa bring for you?

2. I love the snow! I am a December baby so I think my profound love of snow must run in my blood! They say I was born during a blizzard! I was so excited the other night when snow began to fall, but it was only a dusting and it is already gone! I would be happy with just one really big snowstorm! I just want some snow this season, seeing as we had NONE last winter! Have you gotten any snow? As I do the snow dance and beg for snow I thought I would share this hilarious snow cartoon that I found on Pinterest with you!

3. Recently I have been thinking about switching things up here on the blog! Nothing major....unless you consider changing one's name! Okay, so it might be kind of major, but MollyCakes just is not doing it for me any more. I want something more simple and sophisticated. I have some ideas in mind, not sure if I have found the one yet, but I will keep you informed! Do you have any ideas for a new name?

4. Here's my usual weekly round-up of some of my favorite pins!

• Lemon Curd by Tracey's Culinary Adventures I might have a slight fascination with lemon curd and lemons in general. This recipe sounds super easy and there is no separating of eggs, woohoo! I feel as though I waste so many egg whites already. 
• Meyer Lemon Sorbet by This Homemade Life Continuing my love of lemons, here is a refreshing lemon sorbet recipe that doesn't use an ice cream maker, meaning I can make it! I promise the next pin will not involve lemons! 
• Skinny Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Scones by Skinny Taste  Scones are one of my favorite pastries, but they are often very unhealthy. As these have skinny in the name I may just have to make them as a "health food" and eat them everyday. Sound good to you? 
• Amish Cinnamon Bread by Redfly Creations I think I have pinned this recipe multiple times, and it might just be time to whip out this recipe for a weekend breakfast! 
• Brown Sugar Blondies by Baked Perfection Now these say they are for Valentine's Day, but that is probably because of the color of the M&Ms, so I will just switch out the M&Ms and then they can be for anytime of the year! (This selection brought to you by Molly the hypocrite...I know I bashed rushing the holidays before, but these look really good and they are only Valentine-ish because of the M&Ms, so there!) 

5. It is finally Friday! I am very happy that it is the weekend, but unfortunately I have to work both days this weekend! I may be a little removed from the blog this weekend, but I am working on a delicious post for you that should be posting any day! Have a great weekend!

From Pinterest 

MollyCakes Christmas

"Oh, Christmas tree, oh, Christmas tree"

Merry Christmas! So, did Santa bring everything on your list? He was pretty respectful of my list, and by that I mean he was very kind to me! Was the food fabulous or was something left a little too long in the oven? Our dinner was simple compared to years past, but very delicious all the same! Were your gifts a hit or are you a terrible gifter? Up until this year, I was probably tied with my mom for worst gifter in my family. My mom means well when buying gifts, but she is buys into all sorts of knick-knacks and quirky things. This year I think my gifts went over really well with everybody! I hope you had a happy, safe and delightful holiday! Here are some shots (with my new camera!) from my family's Christmas celebration!
Enjoy,
M

Cozy new beds for the dogs!
(How about that bokeh background? Huh?! Pretty neat, huh!)

Guess what?! I made that tree skirt, thanks to Pinterest!
 It is not finished yet, but I plan to finish it before next Christmas
 (The first ring of ruffles took me over an hour, so it is going to be a while!
Should have started it before December 23rd)!  

P.R.E.S.E.N.T.S!

Sausage, egg and cheese breakfast casserole. Yes, those are my footy PJs!  

Super duper old fashioned crumb cake with raspberry preserves!
(Why of course I will be sharing this recipe soon!)

Some weird, but awesomely tasty dish from my grandmother! It is called pineapple casserole! Sounds really gross, I am pretty sure I refused to try it up until last year! Now I am hooked and probably at 3/4 of this pan! 

Nom nom nom!

All is bright! 

Merry Christmas!

By now you should have been able to dig yourself out from under all the wrapping paper scraps! I hope Santa was good to you! I wanted to wish you all Merry Christmas! More posts coming soon!
Xoxo,
M

Friday's Scoop 12/21/12

1. It is Friday, December 21, and today the world is supposed to end, so far we are okay, right? I mean at least for now...we will find out in about two hours and 39 minutes! Did you do anything to prepare for the end of the world? I did zip, zero, nada!


2. Yesterday was my birthday and my parents surprised me by giving me a new camera as my birthday present! That is right it was a BIRTHDAY present, not a birthday/Christmas present, purely birthday! Win! I will be sharing pictures soon! Maybe near the bottom of this post?! Oh, there is one at the top!

3. Christmas is right around the corner! I think I am done with shopping, but I am sure that once I begin to wrap I will saying "Oh, fudge" like Ralphie in A Christmas Story (BEST. CHRISTMAS. MOVIE. EVER. except for maybe Elf!). I feel like I must have forgotten someone's present. Hmm...who could I have forgotten?

4. Today at the grocery store I picked up a copy of America's Test Kitchen Christmas Cookies, I can't wait to get in the kitchen tomorrow! So many recipes I want to try! Should I begin with Fudge Drops, or Hazelnut Lemon Curd cookies, or maybe Toasted Coconut Butter cookies! Any recommendations or which one would you like to see on the blog?

5. Here are some of my favorite pins from the week, I have been pinning like crazy, as I fall asleep, as I wake up, when I am waiting somewhere and even as I wind down for a nap! It's getting a little intrusive! This week I will share some recipe pins and some DIYs to mix it up, most having to do with the holidays!

• Bakery Style Frosted Brownies These may not scream Christmas, but I am sure if you dress them up with some Christmas sprinkles they will begin to! 
• DIY Stocking Tutorial I love the fabric that they used! First I will need to learn to sew, so I guess I will stick with my generic store bought one. Do you make your own stockings or do you have a generic one like me? 
• Holiday Cake Crumb Cookies I find these intriguing, how does one combine cake, crumb and cookie? I will have to find out by making them! 
• Gingerbread Waffles Sounds like the perfect way to start your day on Christmas! I will be opening my presents way before breakfast, I can't help myself. On Christmas I act like a total kiddo with the Christmas pajamas, waking up bright and early, even rushing downstairs and demanding that I open the first gift! Okay, so maybe I don't quite demand it with my angry voice, but I do like to start opening my presents ASAP. 
• Sugar Doodle Vanilla Cookies Part sugar cookie? Part snickerdoodle? Add vanilla! Yes please! 
• DIY Tabletop Christmas Tree If Christmas were'nt only four days away, I would put on my MollyCakesMakes game face on and get to DIYing, but that probably won't happen because I have so much baking and wrapping to catch up on! AHHH, if you here screaming from under a large mountain of wrapping paper it's probably me with a severe paper cut from curling ribbons! 

6. Here is my favorite Instagram photo that I took this week!

Anyone else feel the same way? Well I am off to make cupcakes...

7. And finally, here are some of my pictures with my new camera!

Mozi got a boo boo on her nosie. :( 

Well, I hope to post before the Holiday, but as I mentioned before I have loads of Christmas stuff to get working on! Merry Christmas if I don't post before then, but I will try my very best to!

Enjoy!
M