Inspire. Create. Bake.: December 2010

Dec 31

Top 10 Savory Recipes of 2010

As 2010 comes to an end, I wanted to recap some of my favorite recipes as well as your favorites based on page views. Since this is my first recipe recap, I'm going through all of my food posts from when I started blogging until now. I don't want to leave behind some really good ones. There are several favorites, so I'm splitting them into two posts — sweet and savory. After creating this list, I realized I really like chicken. Most of the main course dishes feature it. Hopefully you like chicken as much as I do. These are fantastic recipes.

Also, today is the last day to enter the $55 giveaway to CSN Stores. Entries close at midnight tonight and the winner will be announced tomorrow morning. Good luck!

Happy New Year to you friends! I've met some truly amazing and supportive people this year through blogging. I wish you all the best in 2011!

Drum roll please...

Charred Corn Salad

Restaurant Style Salsa

Hot Caramelized Onion Dip

Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers

Jamaican Jerk Grilled Kebabs

Creamy Taco Mac

Crescent Chicken Squares

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Brussels Sprouts Extraordinaire

Read More 3 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Dec 31

Top 10 Sweet Recipes of 2010

As 2010 comes to an end, I wanted to recap some of my favorite recipes as well as your favorites based on page views. Since this is my first recipe recap, I'm going through all of my food posts from when I started blogging until now. I don't want to leave behind some really good ones. There are several favorites, so I'm splitting them into two posts — sweet and savory.
I'm very passionate about cooking and baking, but in the second half of the year I didn't do as much. I became consumed with my photography and food seemed to take a backseat due to lack of time. Next year, I want to find a balance between the two. I'm sure my husband will appreciate that as well. His dinners often turned into frozen pizzas and mac and cheese with tuna. It's good for him though, sometimes you just have to fend for yourself.

Also, today is the last day to enter the $55 giveaway to CSN Stores. Entries close at midnight tonight and the winner will be announced tomorrow morning. Good luck!

Happy New Year to you friends! I've met some truly amazing and supportive people this year through blogging. I wish you all the best in 2011!

Drum roll please...

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies

Pineapple Pretzel Fluff

Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting

Orange Creamsicle Cookies

Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing

Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Pear and Cherry Buckle

Vanilla Creme Brulee

Blueberry Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

Cracker Jacks

Today I linked up and at these fabulous blog hops:
Fab Friends Friday
Weekend Blog Hop
Feature Your Sassy Sites
Friday Follow New Friends

Read More 2 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Dec 30

Hot pepper jelly

Being a little adventurous over the holidays, I tried to make something I haven't made before. My Uncle Tim makes several jams throughout the year; strawberry and a peach/plum. He inspired me to make some myself. I wanted to try a jalapeno jam, but wasn't really digging the recipes I'd found. I've had several versions of the jelly poured over cream cheese and eaten with crackers. Very tasty. As my Aunt Carol and I were looking through her recipes, we came across one from Tim's mom called hot pepper jelly. That's exactly what I was looking for.
I ran into a few issues during the cooking process, but I didn't realize it until the next day. I removed one from the fridge and the jam was still too runny and had a very strong acidic taste. The next day I went at it again, added more sugar, boiled the jam longer to remove the vinegar taste and added another box of Sure-jell. I re-poured the mixture into the mason jars, placed them back in the fridge and the next day they were perfect! I've adjusted the recipe so you won't have to go through it twice. I'm pretty sure I didn't boil the ingredients long enough the first time, but I like the way this turned out so I'll stick with it.

Hot Pepper Jelly
Adjusted family recipe
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cup chopped hot peppers, seeds in
1 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper, seeds out
3 cups apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup hot peppers, finely minced
14 1/2 cups sugar
3 boxes Sure-jell
green food coloring

DIRECTIONS
Place vinegar and 1 1/2 cup each of chopped hot peppers and bell peppers and in a blender and chop fine approx. five minutes. Pour into saucepan with remaining 1/4 cup minced hot peppers, bring to a rolling boil. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Cook for 5-7 minutes, tasting for sweetness and the acidity mostly removed (from the vinegar). Remove from heat. Wait five minutes, add Sure-jell and about 7 drops of food coloring, depending on how green you want it; stir well. Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal.
Fills a total of 13 mini mason jars.

Don't forget to sign up for the $55 giveaway. Entries will close December 31st at midnight!

Read More 5 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Dec 28

My week in a nutshell

I've had quite the hodgepodge of a week. I spent a lot of time with family over the Christmas weekend, indulged in food and sweets and did a whole lot of nothing. It was awesome! I starting feeling under the weather and time got the best of me by Sunday. Now it's Tuesday and it's time for a post! Here's my past week in pictures.

Tues. night / Weds. morning I stayed up really late to take pictures of the eclipse. It was so cold outside, but it was worth it.

Love this one.

After church we spent time at my grandma's house. This is my niece Alexis. She's grown so much since the last time I've posted about her. Here's some older pics of Alexis to catch you up.

Me and my niece Mariah.

Smiley faces are the best!

Christmas evening, two of my younger brothers came over and we hung out. It was so nice to spend time with them. I don't see them too often since they are busy with their own lives. I get it. I was once a teenager. Tyler on the left will be 20 next month and Zach on the right just turned 18. I miss them when they were still in diapers. Can you see the resemblance? Everyone in my family has almost the exact same hair color.

Don't forget to sign up for the $55 giveaway. Entries will close December 31st!

I linked up at:
sweet shot tuesdays - life with my 3 boybarians

Read More 7 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Dec 23

A $55 holiday giveaway for you

Yay for free money! Good times were had with my one year anniversary blog giveaway, and I'm thinking it's time for more fun. I've teamed up with CSN stores to give away $55 for free. Why? Because you are awesome, friend.

CSN has over 200 online stores. You can find just about anything you want; luggage sets, furniture, home decor, housewares, shoes, purses, even the kitchen sink. One giveaway winner will receive a $55 gift certificate to use on any product from any one of the CSN store sites (shipping costs not included). Here's how to enter.

~ COMMENT TO WIN ~ COMMENT TO WIN ~ COMMENT TO WIN ~
   1. Become a follower of Inspire. Create. Bake. or tell me if you already are.
For additional entries, leave separate comments for each of the following:
   2. New Year's Resolutions — will you have one or is it not your thing?
   3. Visit CSN stores and tell me something you'd like to spend the $55 on.
   4. Blog about this giveaway.
   5. Facebook about this giveaway.
   6. Tweet about this giveaway.

You can comment a total of six times!
In one of your entries, provide me with your email address if you don't have a blog or a way for me to contact you. This giveaway will end at 12:00 a.m. December 31, 2010. I will use a random generator to pick the winner on the first day of the new year January 1, 2011! One follower will receive a $55 gift certificate to CSN Stores. Good luck, Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year! Good luck!

Read More 52 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Dec 21

Roasted almond coconut bites

While I'm over my Aunt Carol's house, we go through her recipe collection often to see what new recipes I'd like to try. She suggested this recipe because "they taste like little Almond Joy bars". Seems like a popular candy bar and I do like coconut, so I gave it a try. I've made them twice in the past three days for different parties. Simple to make and requires little baking. Plus they're fun little finger foods which I'm all for. It makes approximately four dozen.

Roasted Almond Coconut Bites
Adapted from my Aunt Carol from Jane Hodge
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup dry powdered milk
3 cups shredded coconut, sweetened
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup whole almonds

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place almonds on a cookie sheet and bake for 7 minutes or until almonds become fragrant. Remove from oven and cool.
Melt butter in a 2 qt. saucepan or microwave, remove from heat; add water and vanilla.
Mix sifted powdered sugar and dry powdered milk in a separate bowl. Add powdered sugar mixture to butter mixture, approx. 1/2 cup at a time. Mix well between each addition.
Stir in coconut. Drop a teaspoon of coconut mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. An alternate method — roll into a ball with hands and flatten. Dampen hands with water occasionally to prevent sticking. Chill for approx. 20 minutes until firm.
Melt chocolate pieces in microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring each time until chocolate melts, but is not too hot. If chocolate is too runny, firm up in the freezer for a few minutes.
Spoon melted chocolate into a piping bag with a large circular tip and pipe on top of the coconut disks about 1 tsp. Press a toasted almond into the chocolate.
Chill. Store in fridge until served.

I linked up at:
tasty tuesdays - for the love of blogs
sweet shot tuesdays - life with my 3 boybarians
tuesdays around the world - communal global

Read More 11 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Dec 19

this is love.

Words can't express how much I enjoy taking photos like this. I love textures, patterns, environmental wear on industrial objects — the list goes on. It is so fascinating to me. If I could walk around all day and take photos, I would be one happy chick.

Read More 13 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Dec 17

The indefinite

My week has been a little abstract. I feel like things aren't exactly clear or concrete. I have so many thoughts running through my head, sometimes they get intertwined, and it's hard to unravel them. I feel I'm in need of a change in my life. What that may be is a little unclear. Maybe a new hair color or a different car, a job or a change in profession. It's hard to say. The year is almost over, maybe that is why I feel a change coming on. I reflect back on 2010, and I like what I see. How can I make next year even better?
Today, my work Christmas party starts at 12:30. I'm not sure what we'll be doing. It's always a surprise. I like surprises.
I hope everyone has a spectacular, stress-free weekend; the last shopping weekend before Christmas. I don't know about you, but it snuck on me. Are you ready for Christmas?
Today I linked up and at these fabulous blog hops:
Fab Friends Friday
Friendly Friday Follow
Weekend Blog Hop
Feature Your Sassy Sites
Friend Finding Fridays
Friday Follow New Friends

Read More 10 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Dec 15

Wordless Wednesday

Read More 12 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Dec 12

Sullivan family

Only one more family to edit, and I'm done for December! One of the joys of taking photos for families/kids/seniors this year is reconnecting and spending time with people I haven't seen in years — meeting their family and watching them interact with each other. I'm looking forward to next year in photography to see where it may take me.
This photoshoot for the Sullivan family I was really excited for. Jacie and I were very good friends in high school and even after we graduated. We grew distant over time, but were able to reconnect through Facebook. (Facebook is good for something!) You can see the love and happiness in this family, and I'm grateful to capture it in photos. The two older boys love and protect their little sister and that was so sweet to see. She will have two superb bodyguards when she gets older.

Read More 5 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Graphic designer, baker and a photo taker. Inspired by Jesus, photography, stellar design, all things creative, cooking, the arts and funny stuff. I prefer to visually tell stories through photographs; whether a trip I was on, a dessert I made or a recent vintage find. Art is all around me, and I capture it whenever I can.

Top 10 Savory Recipes of 2010

Top 10 Sweet Recipes of 2010

Hot pepper jelly

My week in a nutshell

A $55 holiday giveaway for you

Roasted almond coconut bites

this is love.

The indefinite

Wordless Wednesday

Sullivan family

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inspire & create

those who bake

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