100th Post! And a Treat for You, Dear Reader

Okay, before I start talking about cupcakes, I just want to say...

HUZZAH! IT'S MY 100TH POST!

Now on to other topics.  I am not someone who generally enjoys cooking, and I only somewhat enjoy baking.  I like the concept of both, and I like the finished product.  And (if you'd read any of my A&A Thursdays you would know) I love to eat good food.  Heading off to Cambridge will be an adventure in food.  I will no one to cook for me but myself (and perhaps some good friends).  I've collected recipes and know the basics.  But living by myself in Cambridge will certainly be a test of my culinary skills.

But this blog post is not about me cooking myself a meal.  Actually, it's about these delicious cupcakes I baked.  If there's one thing I'm pretty good at, it's cupcakes.  Okay, I'm just following a recipe (except frosting...I always use my own recipe), but I do make everything from scratch.  And these cupcakes turned out pretty delicious.  So, for you, dear reader, I leave this recipe.

Deanie's Scrumptious Chocolate Banana Cupcakes

Makes 16

1 5/8 flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 ripe bananas

8 tbsp butter

1/2 cup butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

4 tbsp sour cream

1 cup powdered sugar

4 tbsp butter

Nestles Baking Chocolate packet

splash of milk

splash of vanilla (Do you like how technical I am?)

chocolate chips

Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder/soda.  Peel bananas and mask with fork.

3. Put butter, sugar, and vanilla in bowl and beat together until light and fluffy.  Gradually add eggs.  Stir in bananas and sour cream.  Fold in dry ingredients.

4. Fill cupcake cases about 3/4 of the way.  Bake for approx. 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting

1. Blend butter until creamy.

2. Add powdered sugar and mix with wooden spoon.

3. Add chocolate packet, vanilla, and milk.  Mix well.

4. Add more powdered sugar if necessary to get proper consistency.

Garnish

1. Chop chocolate chips with large knife.  This resulted in a mix of larger chunks and shaved pieces.

2. After frosting cupcakes, sprinkle chocolate garnish.

Enjoy!

Ten Things I Learned About Myself and England From

the British Foreign Exchange Students

1. I have a very strong accent.  It’s actually much different and much stronger than my other American companion, who was from Cedarburg.
2. I must never, never, NEVER, under any circumstances, go to Blackpool.  Not only are they stupid and boring, but there’s nothing to do there and it’s generally crap.  They could not emphasize this enough to me.  I think I may have to visit Blackpool just to see what all the hate is about.
3. Cambridge is very “posh.”  They must have used that word about sixteen times to describe Cambridge.
4. If I am to follow a football team (soccer, to us), I must follow Manchester United, or Man U as it is called by true followers.  Arsenal is a big no-no.
5. I am a very happy and very nice person and I will be taken advantage of in England.  Fantastic.
6. There is no iced tea in England.  There is no chai tea.  In fact, all they really have is “tea” which I assume is an English Breakfast/Black tea.  Also, they just have “coffee,” no fancy mixed drinks or blended thing-a-ma-bobs.  Ordering in a coffee shop in England just got simpler.   
7. I must expect everyone to be rude to me initially/elbow me out of their way when they’re going somewhere.  Apparently everyone in England has someplace to go and they need to go NOW.
8. British girls all have a ton of crazy hair and they’re all orange.  They’re also all mean.  Which means that I will stick out like the Yankee tourist I am.
9. Despite #8, everyone in Cambridge is (as mentioned) very “posh,” so I “should be fine.”
10. Despite #s1-9, I think I will have an amazing time in England.

First Market Trip of the Summer

Cannot believe it took me this late into summer to visit the South Shore Farmers' Market.  They have fantastic fresh and organic vegetables, meat, honey, jams, baked goods and breads, tamales, coffee, and more.  And it's right on beautiful lake Michigan.  I threw on a sundress, grabbed my camera, and strolled with my mom.  We bought onions, tamales, apples, German chocolate cake, cider, and kettle corn.  Yum, yum.  I think we'll have to come back next weekend for squash and zucchini to grill.  It's a lovely way to start off Saturday with food, lots of dogs, live bluegrass music, and a calm breeze off the lake.  

Hope your Saturday was as great as mine's been!

A&A Is Back Today!

Woo Hoo! Get excited dear reader! Awkward and Awesome Thursday is back.  Laziness and business kept me from posting last week (okay, okay, it was mostly laziness), but here I am, to bring you more awkward and awesome moments from my life.


Awkward

• These photos I took on PhotoBooth.  Although, they are a little bit awesome aren't they?  Look at that gorgeous wavy hair! (see below)
• Gathering ALL of the paperwork I have for my visa--which is quite a bit, I tell ya--and then not having the ONE piece of paper the people at the Department of Homeland Security need.  And the lady giving me the death glare when I keep showing her papers she doesn't want.  Well, sor-ry, lady!
• Having the tiniest, tiniest bite from a turkey vulture, and then having it swell up and get infected and HURT so much.  So I complain and complain and when people want to see the injury I'm like, "Oh, well it's right here."  "Where?" they ask.  "Right. Here."  "What?  That itty-bitty little speck of a cut?"  Yes.  YES!  Okay, I know it's small, but it HURTS!  
• Using the word "frigid" to describe weather in front of British kids.  And having them snigger.  Apparently "frigid" means something else in British English.  Oops.
• Wearing shoes that I KNOW hurt my feet.  And walking around the mall until I get blisters on my toes.  So then I have to hobble from store to store like I'm the crippled child from A Christmas Carol.  
• Forgetting to bring my ID to a beer tasting.  And then trying to convince people that not only am I of age, I am one year beyond being of age.  No one was convinced.  Especially since (another awkward moment) the cashier at Kohl's was convinced I was 15.  Awesome? Not.

Awesome

• My hair.  It's really been good to me lately.
• Going to MAM After Dark, Irish Fest, AND Fish Fry & a Flick (sort of) all in one night. Do I know how to have a good time or what?
• FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY mailing out my visa.  I just hope I get it back in time to go on my trip considering they also have my passport.  Yikes!
• Hanging out with three awesome British kids.  They taught me a lot about what to expect in England (I'm hoping to have a post on this later).  And we had a great time touring Milwaukee; I got to see my beloved city through their eyes, which was certainly an experience.  
• Starting to revamp an old novel of mine.  And knowing that I'm working out old kinks and making it better.  Hopefully draft two will be even more awesome!
• Discovering that I actually like tomatoes!  The tomatoes we're growing in our garden (and by we, I mean my step-dad) are sweet and delicious.  I've been eating sliced tomatoes on toast with mayo, salt, and pepper.  What a perfect summer snack!

Door County, Take Two

Yes, indeed.  I went back to Door County, this time with the family.  And this time around, it was all delicious food (Wild Tomato and Shipwrecked were the top two), wine tastings, min-golf and go-karts, kayaking, antique shopping (the Red Barn was awesome), and...did I mention food?

Wisconsin in a Nutshell?

Not me, thank the Lord.

Okay. Let’s disregard all of the negative press coverage the Wisconsin State Fair has been getting.  Usually, the WSF is an awesome, family-friendly place to visit.  I still think it is.  It’s unfortunate that an unruly group of idiotic youngster had to ruin it for everyone, but I hope we can pick ourselves up and move on.  So, let’s talk about what the WSF is really all about: food, farm animals, and fun.  This year at State Fair I had a lot of firsts.  I’ve gone to State Fair many times as a child, and the past few years I’ve worked there doing shows for the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center.  However, it’s been a long, long time since I actually walked around and enjoyed the fair outside of my 30 minute lunch break between programming with SANC.  This year, I had my very first cream puff.  I know many of you are thinking, “How on earth has she never had a cream puff?  Is she even from Wisconsin?”  Well, I AM a true Wisconsinite, but I’ve never had a cream puff.  So, I went over to the cream puff building (yes, it has its very own building) and tried one.  And I am definitely sold.  It was delicious, not too sweet, and very light.  Way too much to eat in one sitting, especially after having eaten quite a bit of other treats, but I brought the rest home for another night. 

I also got to visit the animals for the first time in ages.  My favorite areas were the horses and, of course, poultry.  My new dream is to have some chickens when I’m older, perhaps six or so, and I got to see so many different breeds at the Fair.  The baby chicks were especially adorable.  I could not help myself from squealing and cooing at them.  Everyone around me probably thought I was crazy, but how could I resist?  I wanted to scoop them all up and take them home and cuddle them.

Of course I sampled more delicious food, including Mexican corn, malted chocolate milk, butterfly potato chips, mozzarella sticks, BBQ pork sandwiches, loaded baked potatoes and honey sticks.  Yum, yum.  My mom and I shot paintball (we were quite good!) and looked at the photography winners (most were horrible and amateur, not to be mean or anything, but they were) and learned about farm animals (Did you know a duck’s quack has no echo? I find this very odd.).  There was so much more to see and do and eat, but having worked all day, my feet were aching and I was ready to go home.  Still, a wonderful little slice of the Fair, a must-see if you’re in Wisconsin this time of year.  Ignore the unfortunate press coverage; the Wisconsin State Fair is a fun family adventure.

Did not eat this, thank the Lord.

In the comments, let me know your favorite State Fair food or animal?  Have you tried the chocolate covered bacon?  Do you, like my sister, think the cows are the best because they have individual personalities (unlike the chickens, she argued)?  Do you think, like one of my SANC coworkers, that the Krispie Kreme hamburger is the perfect mix of sweet and savory?  Let me know! 

Awkward and Awesome Thursday!

Awkward

• I know it may seem from this picture that I only handle puppet owls, but I assure you, I am also trained to work with real animals.
• Not knowing my way around my own city.  Okay, I admit, I’ve lived here my whole life and I still don’t really know where the heck I am.  I’m going to go with the sexist thing and blame it on my female lack-of-spatial-reasoning.  I guess in reality it’s just embarrassing.  
• I jumped out of my kayak to go swimming in the lake.  Clamoring back in, though, was rather awkward.  I basically tripped and fell back into the kayak, banging up my legs.  The next day: my knees and shins were covered with bruises.  Ew…
• Also, kayaking peacefully on the lake.  Then turning to the side and seeing a daddy long legs crawling on my shoulder.  And then proceeding to scream like  the ridiculous girl that I am.
• This conversation at State Fair:
• Creepy Man: Your bird’s beautiful.
• Me: Thank you.
• Creepy Man: And you’re not half bad yourself.
• Me: *laughs awkwardly*

Awesome

• Ginormous book sales.  I seriously do not need any more books in my personal library, but it’s hard to resist when the books are between $0.60 and $1.00.  Every three feet I stumbled upon a book I’d been wanting to read forever.  Among the gems I snatched up: The Emperor’s Children, Titus Groan, The Magnificent Ambersons, Sabriel, and Trainspotting.  I still have no room for them on my bookshelves, but I’ll figure that part out later.
• Getting my visa mostly sorted out.  By mostly I mean that I still have to finally submit it, but I think I have all of the six billion bits and pieces I need to finally send it in.  Cross your fingers for me!
• Going kayaking with my old roommate.  It was a beautiful day out.  We saw herons and huge fish.  There were hundreds of water lilies and butterflies flying everywhere.  It was a wonderful day out. 
• Working with the Audubon birds at State Fair.  And handing a bird that doesn’t normally like me.  And having him rouse, preen, sunbathe, and chirp while on my glove.  Awww!

Another Reason Why Wisconsin Dominates

It isn’t truly summer until I go to Noah’s Ark.  For those of you who live under a rock, Noah’s Ark Water Park is America’s largest water park (yes, we have both the World’s Largest Music Festival and America’s Largest Water Park…Wisconsin is awesome).  According to Wikipedia (always a legit source), it has almost 50 waterslides, among other fun water attractions.  For the past few years I’ve gone with two friends of mine (three is actually a great number because most rides are either individual or for 3+ riders).  I wasn’t sure if we were going to make it this year, but since I’m leaving for England and probably won’t be able to go for the next few years, a trip to Noah’s Ark was a must.

We went on a ton of the rides. Black Anaconda, the water-coaster, was the first ride we hit up. We went on the Time Warp twice (singing “Let’s do the Time Warp again!!!!!” over and over), an awesome ride the drops you into pitch darkness, sprays water at you, then sends you shooting down into a whirlpool like bowl. I even braved The Plunge, which wasn’t as scary as I remembered it being when I was little.  In fact, it was loads of terrifying fun. After a lunch break we did all of the oldies but goodies: Witches Gulch (pitch black with a scary drop), Twin Twisters, Big Kahuna Wave Pool, and Kowabunga!  We lounging in inner tubes on the Adventure River, suntanned by the wave pool, and stood on the Flash Flood wall where we were nearly knocked over by a humungous wall of water. 

The only downside to the trip: I got horrible, horrible, HORRIBLE sunburn.  And I even applied sunscreen FOUR (4) times!  And it wasn’t just the usual sunburn on my shoulders and nose, oh no.  I got horribly burnt on my lower back, upper thighs, and stomach.  Awkward much?  Oh well.  I’m hoping it will morph into a gorgeous tan that will last me through the upcoming sunless English winter.

The day ended on a good note, however.  We got dinner at Moose Jaw, a must-visit restaurant and brewery in the Dells.  We sat at the bar while we waited for our table and enjoyed home-brewed beer (the vats were literally ten feet away); I got their Rustic Red, while my friends got a Golden Lager and a Wildberry Ale.  We also HAD to order their to-die-for beer bread with honey butter.  I kid you not, I could have eaten the entire loaf by myself and then some.  When got to our table, we finished off the leftover honey butter (we don’t like being wasteful) and ordered a large Hawaiian pizza (to keep up the whole watery-tropical feel the day had going for it).  It was delicious.  After stuffing ourselves to the brink of bursting, we made our journey home.  Overall, a wonderful summery day out with two of my best girls.

So, got any great Noah's Ark stories? What's your favorite ride? Any awkward bathing suit moments? (We all have those...no worries...)

A&A is Back!

I’m back! I know I missed a week, but in my defense I had my whole A&A list prepared, but didn’t have access to a computer for a few days and next thing I knew it was Sunday and it seemed silly to post A&A Thursday-on-Sunday.  But, I’m back with even more awesome and awkward moments from the past week!

Awkward

• Public bathrooms.  And the woman in the stall next to me talking on her phone.  Which was on speaker phone.  Okay…
• Being serenaded by a mariachi band.  And if that was not awkward enough, the band made me and my tablemates sing along with them.  So it was like mariachi karaoke.  Oh dear.
• Going to do a program for the Audubon.  Then getting there and being told that the audience is international and they don’t speak English.  Uhhh… Thankfully there were two translators (for German and Japanese) but I still ran into some awkward times: talking before the translators had finished, saying way to much for the translators to translate, using terms/words that didn’t translate well…
• Enjoying myself on the Adventure (Lazy) River at Noah’s Ark.  And lounging in an inner tube with my eyes closed.  And then some old man’s feet smacking me in the face.

Awesome

• Elevator photos.
• Tactical laser tag.  I can’t get over how much I like it.  I went for the second time on Sunday.  I actually think I’m getting better.  And we played against a bunch of random cute guys who were all SUPER into it.  I “killed” some blond dude and ran up to the top floor of a building, and on his way back I heard him yell, “Girl! Second Floor! Pink building!” Too bad I was already far away and “killing” those teammates he was warning! Mwahahahahahaha! I definitely felt like a badass spy.
• Surprise parties!
• Finally, FINALLY getting my diploma in the mail!  It only took two months!  I was getting a bit worried that they just lied to me and I didn’t really graduate and I had NO idea how I was going to explain that to the Davies-Jackson committee and my tutors at Cambridge.  Yikes!  But all is well.  Now, if only I could figure out what I did with my diploma holder thingy.  Hmmm…
• Finally, FINALLY submitting the first part of my student visa application.  Now if only I could figure out the next eighteen parts.