Happenings

 

I should start off by saying I have no idea how some women (bloggers I read) are able to find time to raise children, have full time jobs and blog perfectly beautiful blog entries 3-5 times a week with dozens and dozens of pictures. I have been super overwhelmed and haven't blogged weekend recaps in a couple weeks. I figure that's okay since my blog doesn't have heavy traffic along with people that expect me to blog every day and most of the people that do come to my blog are people that see me cooking on Facebook and want to get my recipes.

 

Since I am an Accountant by nature, I love pretty summarized paragraphs so that's what I will do!

 

ANNOUNCEMENT!

I was offered an accounting position at a local winery on the third of this month. This just so happens to be a winery owned by Francis Ford Coppola, for any of you that aren't Sonoma County locals or live under a rock Francis Ford Coppola is a famous hollywood director (think The Godfather trilogy) and he owns a company called Francis Ford Coppola Presents which has three wineries, several resorts around the world, a restaurant in SF and a fine foods line. So techinically I will be working for the mother company of all these entities. It's a dream come true, I can hardly believe it's happening but it is! I realized a few months ago that non-profit accounting is not my calling and I had been searching for something more my fit for a few months. I start my new position on the 22nd (the week of Christmas, YIKES!) but I am so so grateful for the oppurtunity to work here. Dream come true for sure!!!

 

7 Monthiversary

Yesterday marked 7 months of being married to my hunky, tall, strong, brown husband. Whenever I talk to people my own age (early twenties) I always relay to them that marriage is the hardest thing I have ever done but it is the most gratifying. I can candidly admit that Tony and I are very different and our personalities are almost opposite but the one thing we have in common is the same fundamental beliefs and one common goal: to make our lives better because we are together.

 

 

Casa Gudino

My Momma is getting ready to put up her and my Dad's home for sale. My parents bought this big home on a golf course in the suburbs of Santa Rosa (my hometown) when I was 14. I lived in this home that I loved so much until I got married at 24. My whole adoloscence and early adult years were spent in that house so it's kind of sad to know that it won't be ours anymore but this is the best move for BOTH of my parents and I fully support them.

 

Christmas

I've been slowly buying Christmas gifts for my family. My list of people to buy for has grown this year and it's Tony and I's first Christmas as a married couple. My Christmas list looks like so:

Momma, Dad, PK, My brother, Brother's GF, my nephew, my two nieces, my cousin and her husband, Tony's parents, Tony's sister, Tony's brother. I have bought gifts for everybody except my Dad, Tony's Dad, Tony's brother and one of my nieces. I'm excited to do some more Christmas shopping this weekend! I also have a few friends I want to buy something small for! The recurring theme for my presents this year has been small but thoughtful instead of buying one large thing for each person I've been focusing on getting a few useful things for each person like:

 

 

I LOVE The Body Shop and so of course I had to share my favorite product with my loved ones for Christmas!

 

I also had to throw in some PartyLite product, especially for my peeps that I know love some candles!

 

I don't usually like Bath and Body Works since I find skincare products from The Body Shop are far superior but they have good bundle deals on hand soaps so I got a few of those!

 

 

I think I might go back and get a few more for myself ;)

 

 

And can I get an AMEN for all of the cool gift ideas Starbucks provides every year?! I mean Starbucks is my go-to for gifts.

 

On the Cooking Front...

Monday I tried to recreate Chic-Fil-a's Spicy Chicken Sandwich and although the results were delicious, the sandwich wasn't spicy enough. I look forward to tweaking this chicken this weekend and posting the perfect copycat Chic-Fil-A spicy chicken sandwich recipe for you!

 

 

 On the Social Front...

My in laws are leaving to Mexico on the 18th, while I am kinda bummed I won't be able to hang out with them and joke around like we do while they're gone, I will be able to cook and bake without getting in my Mother in Law's way! Saturday we are having my friend and her boyfriend over for an all american meal, Steak or Ribs, Corn on the Cob, Baked Potatoes and Rolls!

See you on next Monday when I post my weekend story and my spicy chicken sandwich recipe!

~Mely

 

 

 

Moist Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

 

 

For the Carrot Cake:

1 Cup Sugar

3/4 Cup Oil

1/4 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt (I use Fage)

3 Large Eggs

2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

2 Cups Flour (I use Soft Silk Cake Flour but honestly I don't even know if that makes a difference)

1 TSP Baking Soda

2 TSP Ground Cinnamon

1/4 TSP Ground Nutmeg

1/2 TSP Salt

2 Cups of Finely Grated Carrots

For the Frosting:

8 OZ Softened Cream Cheese

1 Stick Softened Butter (Salted)

2 TSP Pure Vanilla Extract

2 - 2.5 Cups of Powdered Sugar

Preheat your oven to 350.

In a large bowl beat (using a stand or handheld mixer) sugar and oil, then add yogurt until creamy. One at a time add the eggs and beat until well mixed. Then mix in the Vanilla Extract. Set aside your wet ingredients.

In another bowl combine your dry ingredients; Flour, Baking Soda, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Salt.

With a spatula, manually mix your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients just until you can't see any more flour pockets then fold in your carrots.

Bake your cake 30-35 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

While your cake bakes, make your Frosting. I used my Ninja Food Processor with the mixer attachment but you can use a stand mixer or a handheld mixer (I just live in the dark ages and don't have a stand mixer). Simply combine all ingredients and mix until mixture is creamy. Start with 2 cups of powdered sugar and add a little more depending on how sweet you want your frosting, I ended up using 2 1/4 Cups.



Now this step is very important, DON'T be like me and frost the cake before it has cooled. I didn't have the patience to wait and wanted to retreat to bed that I went right for it! This is what I ended up with when I tried to frost my cake while it was still warm:

 

 

Carrot Cake: Melty Edition

 

Evidently patience is not my greatest virtue :) still tasted great though!

 

Happy Thanksgiving Eve!

~Mely