blog resolutions or something like that

I've seen many bloggers writing about their new year resolutions and many have included goals on number of times they will post in a week, what they will post about, etc. It's true that the beginning of a year is a great time to reflect and renew. I have been feeling like I need some refreshing on the blog front. I took some time to review the past couple years of blogging and realized that in '08, I had a pretty good thing going here. I would post poetry, city happenings, family photos, articles of interest, etc. I believe I have just gotten lazy. I have been doing a mediocre job of posting family pics, but the rest has gone by the wayside. My resolution is to post at minimum twice a week, idealy 3-4 times a week and to vary the interest of my posts. Hopefully I have something interesting to say and read. Hopefully you will still enjoy my blog.

Happy 2010

Miles says Happy 2010 with food

Divine Dark Chocolate Cheesecake

mmmmmmmmmm mmmm mmmmmm

You heard it: Dark Chocolate Cheesecake

Now see it:
Wanna make it?

Ingredients:

Crust
9 oz. chocolate wafer cookies (oreos w/o cream, teddy grahams or fancy wafers - my preference)
1 T sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling
10 oz. Valrhona Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups + 2 T sugar
1/4 C unsweetened (Valrhona) cocoa powder (super important to use high quality cocoa powder)
4 large eggs

Topping
3/4 C whipping cream
6 oz. Valrhona Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped
1 T sugar
Bittersweet chocolate curls


Preparation:

Crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides. Blend cookies in processor until finely ground; blend in sugar. Add melted butter and process until well blended. Press crumbs evenly onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan. Bake just until set, about 5 minutes. Cool while preparing filling. Maintain oven temperature.

Filling:
Stir chopped chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water; cool chocolate until lukewarm but still pourable. Blend cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder in processor until smooth. Blend in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in lukewarm chocolate. Pour filling over crust; smooth top. Bake until center is just set and just appears dry, about 1 hour. Cool 5 minutes. Run knife around sides of cake to loosen. Chill overnight.

Topping:
Stir cream, 6 ounces chocolate, and sugar in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly. Pour over center of cheesecake, spreading to within 1/2 inch of edge and filling any cracks. Chill until topping is set, about 1 hour.

Release pan sides. Transfer cheesecake to platter. Top with chocolate curls. Let stand 2 hours at room temperature before serving.

Notes:

* Seattle residents - you can purchase Valrhona chocolate at DeLaurenti's at the market in their bulk section upstairs. You can also purchase chocolate curls from the same section if you're lazy like me ;)

** Recipe adapted from Bon Apetite

*** The staple of this recipe is high quality, high cocoa content, dark chocolate. You shouldn't make this cake if you aren't willing to find the right chocolate or aren't a dark chocolate fan.

**** I added some raspberry sauce when serving - it went over well.

Halloween 2009

Father Time. Mother Nature. Rainbow Girl. Baby Earth. King Halloween 2009.

We spent the day working on costumes, going Trick or Treating in Downtown Winslow, picking up cousin Megan and going to the Baumgartner Halloween Party. It was a great day. MoNK's costume lasted all of 5 minutes - to be expected ;) And we traded candy in for cookies for SydMo. I'd call it a successful Halloween.

Father Time & Rainbow Girl @ Home

On our way to Trick or Treat

Excited Rainbow Girl

Mother Nature

Mama & the kids

Mama & MoNK

Out & About

Filling her bag

The street giant

It's getting dark SO early!

Pic from G-pa

Family

Friday night we met up with G-ma and G-pa for dinner at Stella's. They came over to visit afterwards. It was such a beautiful evening. We enjoyed our courtyard and bs'd for a while. I finally got a couple pictures of Miles with G-pa.

Saturday (the 4th) we went out to Shelton for Chris' family reunion / Desi's 50th b-day party / to celebrate all the July b-days in his family. Uncle John came in from Arizona, Aunt Selena came in from Tri-Cities, Grandpa in from Spokane.... lots of people to meet :) We ate great food and enjoyed everyone's company. And of course got a few more pics.

The pics are mostly of Miles & Fam...

G-pa & Miles... the most awake Miles has been since his arrival

Their hands

Love...

Grandma Desi & Miles

Cousin Stephanie & M

Chris, Great-Grandpa & Miles

Aunt Linda & M

Sounders v. LA Galaxy

WORST OFFICIATED GAME EVER!!!!!! It brought out the swearing in everyone. It was..... terrible. Probably the worst game I've seen in my entire life. I hope for the ref's sake they were escorted to their cars after the game.

27 fouls, 8 cards and one more red card for the Sounders. I could rant for hours, but that would just waste a lot of breath. Let's just hope we don't see that particular guy in the yellow jersey on the field ever again.

This picture makes me cringe....
(click to enlarge - note the fan's reactions. you would think with the ref standing so close he might be able to make the call)

Happy Birthday G-pa!

Happy Birthday Dad/G-pa/the best guy in town :)

Hope you have a fantastic day. We love and appreciate you so very much.

(Father's Day '08)

May Seattle Events

Speaking of May events.... here's a rundown of what's happening around the city:

May 9th & 10th = Pike Place Market's 1st Annual Flower Festival

May 16th & 17th = Seattle Cheese Festival at Pike Place Market

May 22nd - 25th = Northwest Folklife Festival at Seattle Center

Seattle Mariners are at home from May 15th - 24th

Seattle Sounders FC play at home Sunday May 10th and Saturday May 30th

One Cute Birthday Girl

4th Birthday agenda:
10am Children's Museum
1pm Lunch at the Center House
Nap
5pm Dinner at Marrakesh w/ G-ma & G-pa
7:30pm Dessert at Belltown Bistro
8:30 Smiley Face Birthday Cup[cake] at home

Leavin the house for the B-day Celebration

It's My PARTY!

Jumping & Counting at all the crosswalks

It's a little cold out here...

Back riding the Metro again

Grocery shopping at Metropolitan Market

All her produce

Shopping Madness

Checking out with Papa

Acting at the Theatre

She's "At Work"

Getting a little assistance from Papa

Her big project

Had to go back and drive the bus

Fun experiments

A little sleepy on the way home

Opening presents at Marrakesh

Loving her presents from G-ma & G-pa

The belly dancer had Syd hold her scarf

& her castanets

She got good at playing these

Learning a few moves

About time for dessert