Best Dessert EVER!

This is NOT a gluten free recipe. REPEAT: this is by no stretch of the imagination a GF recipe.

However, it is incredibly delicious.

Like, knock your socks off yummy!

A friend sent me the link to this recipe from this blog. I wanted to make it SO bad. One problem, we've cut gluten out of our diets (minus a special occasion or two). Hmmm...what could my special occasion be???

That same week was my brother's going away party. Since I needed a spectacular way to send him off while simultaneously needing to give him a final memory of his loving sister at home who will cook for him anytime he wants (this is my small attempt at making sure he'll actually come back to the States!), I decided this would be the PERFECT recipe for him!

You have your typical ingredients for cupcakes. But in this situation, I like to think of them as merely the supporting actors.

This production requires some major superstars. Therefore...

...I give you the lead characters!

Mmmmmm. Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Buttercream Icing!

How could it even possibly go wrong?

For your cupcakes, you'll need:

1 bottle Extra Stout Guinness (warm)
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1.5 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

For your icing, you'll need:

1 cup unsalted butter (room temp)
4″ish” cups powered sugar
5 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Creme

I doubled this recipe because I wanted to make sure I had plenty for my brother and his friends, but with the ingredients above, you'll get 24 regular size cupcakes.

I found these cupcake liners which I thought would be perfect so my cupcakes could look like they were wearing little Irish kilts!

Anyway, go ahead and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Cut up your butter and place it in a large saucepan. Pour your beer into the saucepan as well and let the butter melt and blend with the beer over medium heat. This was so exciting for me!

While that's melting, use your mixer to whisk together your flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

When your butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat and add your cocoa. Whisk together until smooth. Oh boy, it's REALLY getting good! Let this cool for a while.

While you're waiting for it to cool, go ahead and whisk in your eggs and sour cream. I'm a big fan of sour cream because I think it always adds to a recipe. This is why these cupcakes came out so moist and perfect.

Once your chocolate mixture has cooled (the hubs came in and got this shot), add it to your dry flour mixture and whisk it until it has just combined.

Check out all of those beer bubbles!

Once you've lined your cupcake pans, pour the awesome batter in until they are 3/4 full.

FYI: this batter is delicious and has a very stout, bitter dark chocolate taste to it. This will be a great compliment to the very sweet icing later.

Let those cupcakes bake for about 30 minutes or so. Let them cool on a rack. You may have to sample one here...if necessary.

Now for the icing.

This was everyone's favorite! It is incredibly sweet, but oh so good!

Whip your room temperature butter for about 2 minutes or until it's light.

Add in 3-4 cups of powdered sugar in with the butter making sure to add it gradually. I started out with just 3 cups and added more later to get the consistency that I was looking for.

Add 5 tablespoons of Bailey's to the icing.

You could add less, but if you really actually consider taking AWAY some Bailey's, this probably isn't the recipe for you.

Frost those cupcakes and devour!

Here's my final product!

I must say, I think they were a hit with everyone. Cupcakes can be considered dainty by some, but I saw plenty of the boys going back for seconds...and thirds...and even fourths (that's why I doubled the recipe!)

Thanks again to Caitlin Bolte for the recipe!

Enjoy!!!

My Handsome Boy

OK, so alot of my friends put up pictures of their adorable kids. At this point, Mark and I are more than happy without any kids of the human persuasion, but I must say that we are quite in love with our dog. So, I decided that I wanted to put up some funny pictures I've taken of him recently.

He is literally the goofiest dog I've EVER seen and I tell him that on a regular basis. These pictures should give you a little glimpse into life at the Bennett home.

My favorite is the way that he sleeps (which is basically all that he ever does!) and he can literally fall asleep in any position. In fact, as I type, Guinness is snoring as he sleeps next to me. His favorite place to sleep is right next to the computer. On all of my days off, I would wake up in the morning to feed him and after he checked out things around the house for the day, he would curl up next to the computer until the afternoon.

I should say that he also tends to fall asleep sitting up. Once he rests his head on a table, you can be sure he'll doze off shortly after that. There have been a few times where he has not had a table to support him as he dozes off while watching tv and this usually results in his body eventually giving way as he falls to the floor with a less than graceful thud.

Guinness loves to go outside and lick the snow off the porch. I've never seen a dog more obsessed with snow. However, with as cold as it has been lately, everytime I let Guin outside, he comes racing back into the house (as fast as his little legs can carry him). Throughout the day, I have come around the corner to see this.

Guin finds any vent he can in the house and falls asleep on top of it. Again, with the sleeping.

Finally, over the holidays, I had to use Guinness sleeping spot in the computer room to wrap some presents. It became a bit of a disaster zone in there and he really didn't like that I was in his space, but he didn't let that stop him from his precious slumber. He just slept right on top of the wrapping paper. One night, I came upstairs and must have startled him. In his sleep, he must have been drooling and when he looked up at me, he had a piece of wrapping paper stuck to him bottom lip.

I could not stop laughing and I can't believe I was able to snap this picture in time. He was still a bit groggy.

I must say, I love my dog! Don't get me wrong, I look forward to having kids and I know there's absolutely no way to compare the two, but I'm pretty happy with the goober that I currently have. He makes us laugh every day and I have to say that I'm pretty happy with the little Bennett family that I have.

Best Buds

Jacob had Dozer in his crate Saturday while Guinness was out and roaming (I tend to keep the back door open on nice days). They tend to play too hard at times when unsupervised so I left Dozer in his crate while I was getting ready upstairs. This is what I saw when I came downstairs....

Too funny!

Guinness and Mark Play the Wii

This is what happens when you have a hyperactive dog who things that everything revolves around him. We got a Wii and Guinness doesn't understand the concept.

Happy Holidays from the Bennetts!

Love, Mark, Maria, and Guinness

*Many of you will be receiving New Years cards from the Bennett clan this year*

Also, notice Guinness' Bengals jersey!

Irish Thanksgiving

Irish Thanksgiving was so much fun! It was met with great success and has already been deemed a family tradition. Mark and I (and my brother) are very proud of our Irish heritage (you can make fun of us all you want) so we were so excited when my parents suggested an Irish feast rather than the normal Thanksgiving spread.

As promised, here are some of the pictures...

Mark and I started cooking pretty early. Mark took care of all of the bread. Plus, he was my wing man!

Me making the brandied yams. They were a hit!

Hanging out in the kitchen. Yes, I'm wearing an apron. It got pretty messy!
Irish Thanksgiving couldn't have happened without these sponsors.

Daniel with Guinness (our mascot). Guinness looks pretty evil in this picture!
Mark's Irish Flag Bread
The full spread...we couldn't eliminate anything from the menu
A plate full of goodness!

Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce for dessert

Mark was STUFFED!

Daniel wasn't sure what to do after all of that food!

Another dessert, a Blarney Bulldog!

The Blarney Bulldog was great! I'm including the recipe if anyone wants it. It's delicious but dangerous!

Blarney Bulldog

You need:

• Vanilla ice cream
• Vodka
• Kahlua
• Heavy cream
• Root beer

1. Put 3 scoops of ice cream in a pint glass.
2. In a separate bowl, mix 3 Tbs. Kahlua, 2 Tbs. Vodka, and 1/4 cup heavy cream.
3. Pour mixture over ice cream.
4. Fill the rest of the glass with root beer (about 1/4 cup)

This drink is very yummy!

Happy Birthday to Guinness!!!!

Yesterday was Guinness' 1st birthday so we spent the weekend celebrating it. He got special treatment from us, a new chew toy, and I even made him his very own batch of peanut butter muffins. These muffins are safe for dogs to eat, but tasty enough for his mom and dad to eat as well. They tasted good, but were very plain. Guinness, however, absolutely LOVED them!

Here's some pics of the big birthday boy!

You can tell he loves that hat.

I don't have any kids yet...humor me!

Guin with his daddy

Checkin' out the muffin...

Yum, yum!

He forgot all about that annoying hat on his head once he got to start eating!

I thought I'd include the recipe in case anyone else has a special pup who would enjoy a birthday muffin!


Peanut Butter Muffins
Makes about 12

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup skim milk

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup all-natural peanut butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients until blended, then beat the batter for 2 minutes. Spoon the batter into muffin cups, three-quarters full. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Muffins are done when a toothpick insterted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the pan once cooled.

Update On My Life

This is totally how I've felt lately.

I realize that I've been horrible about blogging. I have had so much going on lately and have had every intention of updating my blog, but just haven't been able to find the time or energy. Here's a few quick updates on what's going on in my world:

• I have a WONDERFUL group of students this year! I only have 20 in my room on a regular basis and they are all awesome!
• I started graduate school at EKU for my Masters in Educational Leadership as well as my Principalship. Very excited, but it's taking a lot out of me. I'm in school mode from 4:45-10:00 (when I leave for and get back from class) and every Friday night (my homework night).
• Mark started school at EKU for his EMT certification on Mondays and Wednesday nights.
• I joined BLC (Bluegrass Ladies Club) with some of the coolest ladies and we are developing some wonderful frienships.
• Mark and I have been getting involved in the Crossroads: Georgetown Campus. We absolutely LOVE it!
• My weekends are what get me through. My last two weekends have been spent at the UK game and in Cincy at IKEA for the day with the BLC.
• My football team stinks! Bengals are having a rough start. I will stay loyal!
• My fantasy football stinks as much as my real football team! 0-2
• I just finished reading Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist and I'm getting ready to start Twilight because I've heard so many good things from Cameron, Sarah, and Brooke.
• I've been staying focused solely to One Tree Hill, ANTM, and Project Runway. I do not have time to watch any other shows than that (at least until The Office and LOST come back on)
• Guinness is keeping me on my toes everyday!
• We finally finished renovating Mark's room. I'll have to try to remember to post some pictures.
• Mark started a new blog which just gives you a small glimpse into what I live with day in and day out!
• I am currently updating a blog for my 3rd grade team at school (It's also doubling as credit for my Technology for Leaders course)

I think that's all the highlights!

RIP Goose

As I mentioned before, Guinness got a new toy goose.

Goose is now dead.

Cause of death: decapitation.

New Toy

Guinness got a new toy goose that he runs through the house with shaking violently. I thought it was so funny and had to tape him.

You can tell that he's healed well from all his surgeries this summer. Here he is being his goofy self.

Enjoy!

Under the Knife

Our poor little Guinness is having surgery tomorrow. On Saturday he hurt his leg when he was outside playing with MacGyver and we spent the better part of the day at the Emergency Clinic. When we went to our regular vet yesterday they told us he needed surgery right away. He has a tibia avulsion which means part of his tibia bone near his knee has broken off and they need to screw it back down in order for his leg to grow properly. We are so sad that he has to have surgery when he's so young, but it's what's best. He'll be crated for a few weeks, but we know he'll be a trooper like always!

2 Tents, 2 Dogs, and a Ring

On Friday, Mark and I took Guinness camping with one of my co-workers, Jacob, his girlfriend Danae, and their dog Dozer to Red River Gorge. This was no easy camping either. We packed our giant bags full of supplies and hiked to a campsite for the night. Mark made a campfire and we enjoyed brats, s'mores (Guinness tried his very first marshmallow...it's in the picture below), swinging in the hammock, practicing on the slack line, and dodging the rain (yes, it rained on us quite a bit Friday night).
Little did Danae know, but Jacob had told me Thursday that he was going to propose to Danae Saturday morning from their favorite lookout spot of the Gorge. He asked me to take pictures of the whole thing. I was so nervous for him Saturday morning and kept thinking I was going to do something to mess it up, but once we got up to the lookout spot (and Danae was done taking pictures), Jacob took her over towards the ledge and started talking to her. She started crying instantly and then he got down on one knee. It was absolutely beautiful and Mark and I felt so honored to be able to be there and celebrate such an exciting time in their relationship. Congratulations Jacob and Danae!!!
After all of the excitement, we set off to do some more hiking. We went down into and over to the other side of the Gorge to Double Arch. It was a long hike and was made even more difficult with those heavy packs, but it was definitely worth it. The view was amazing and there was such a sense of accomplishment when we got to the other side and saw how far we had just hiked. The dogs really enjoyed being able to hike together and did a really great job. Most of the time they were not a leash unless we started getting into the cliffs. Guinness enjoyed jumping in the creek and at one point face planted into a giant mud puddle (of course). He really started to find his stride after a while and was jumping over logs and up rocks. What a trooper! His dad and I were so proud! All in all we hiked around 8 miles or so. None of us really kept track, but we all knew that we were tired. The dogs were extremely exhausted on the way home and Guinness is still sleeping more than normal. We had a great time and look forward to many more trips like that this summer.