Cheesecake-Stuffed Peaches

Cheesecake-Stuffed Peaches

One of my co-workers always comes in with THE most delicious desserts and appetizers for us to nosh on while we work.  Well, last week she brought in something especially amazing: Cheesecake-Stuffed Peaches. Bam! Pow! Zing! I immediately asked for the recipe so that I could try them out on my own.  I was surprised how easy and painless the baking process was, so easy and painless that I feel compelled to pass it on!


What You Need:
6 peaches, halved and pitted
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 tbsp cinnamon sugar (if you don't have any, just mix together the two)
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk (the yellow stuff)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla


What You Need to Do:
#1: Preheat oven to 350
#2: Line pan with parchment paper
#3: Slice off some of the peach bottom so that they can sit flat in the pan
#4: Dip peach tops into melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mix
#5: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with mixer on medium setting until smooth
#6: Add in sugar, yolk, and vanilla
#7: Beat combination until smooth then spoon into halved peaches
#8: Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until golden-ish brown (or until you just can't wait any longer!)


Enjoy!

Save Your Shampoo (...and your scalp)!

How many of you out there spend FARRRRR too much money on expensive shampoo and conditioner (yes, I'm talking to you Pureology) only to be disappointed when it stops working a few weeks in?  I too suffer from shampoo-related depression which usually occurs in the weeks following a big purchase. Well, I'm excited to tell you that you need suffer no more. NO MORE YOU HEAR ME!  Feast your eyes on this gem, Neutrogena Anti-Residue shampoo.   The box recommends that you use this shampoo once a week to get rid of weekly buildup, but I have found that it works best for me if I use it two times a week (probably due in large part to the massive amount of product I use in my hair on a daily basis).  So go ahead and give it a try and watch yourself fall back in love with that shampoo that made you so happy in the first place!

Chocolate Hummus

Inspired by one of my friends, I have decided to make chocolate hummus. It is super delicious, super easy and waistline friendly-ish!
1 15 oz. can of garbanzo beans/chickpeas
2 tbsp coco powder
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp water

Drain the beans and rinse them thoroughly then go ahead and throw them in a blender with everything else.  Set the blender to "puree" until semi-smooth.  This will go well with any fruit (especially bananas and strawberries) or even with some whole wheat pita dusted with brown sugar!

90's All-Stars

I was furious when Gus woke me up this morning, not because I was tired, but because I was having THE best dream.  No, Eric Northman was not in it.  I dreamt that I was a contestant on Legends of the Hidden Temple. Epic. This got me thinking of how many great shows were around when we were younger and how much we took them for granted.  I have decided to compile a list of amazing shows and movies from my youth that I miss dearly, feel free to add any to this!
1. Salute Your Shorts
2. Legends of the Hidden Temple
3. Recess
4. Pepper-Ann
5. Halloweentown
6. 13th Year
7. Brink
8. The NeverEnding Story
9. Problem Child
10. Rugrats
11. Saved by the Bell
12. Boy Meets World
13. Wonder Years
14. Clarissa Explains it All
15. Sabrina (both animated and tv show)
16. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (movie and show)
17. Tales From the Crypt Keeper
18. Now and Then

Oh, and anything that involes the Lawrence Brothers, JTT, Devin Sawa and any other teeny bopper who appeared in the pages of BOP Magazine. Rawr.

Now all I need to do is find all of these bad boys and add them to my Netflix queue.

Looking Through Rose-Colored Glasses

One thing that I have come to learn throughout both my personal and professional life is that we are not always going to like everyone, and that this is okay.  However, I have found that if you give people enough chances and give them the opportunity to prove you wrong they usually do. This is a realization that I am thankful for.  Growing up, in both age and maturity, is a continuous process full of its own ups and downs, but it is something we have to do.  I have learned that the only thing we can control is ourselves, and that no matter how hard we may try to change someone that we never can because true change comes from within. With that being said, I have learned to stop trying to change others and instead work on changing my perspective.  I know that this is a concept that seems so simple, but it has taken me years to (near) perfect.  Being able to do this has enabled me to make friends with people I would not normally associate with and to try things that I would have previously snubbed.  I am thankful for this change in perspective and the events that led to this realization.  The world is how we choose to view it, so we can go through our lives looking at everything as though its gloom and doom, or we can opt for the rose-colored glasses and enjoy ourselves and eachtoher just a little bit more. Just something to think about.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

Chocolate chip ZUCCHINI muffins

Its a Wednesday night. Ryan is working.  Im not working or in class.  All my stories are repeats. What is a girl to do besides...... BAKE!  I love Elinor Klivans' "The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook" for a few reasons:
Reason #1: It has pictures of what more of the sweet treats are supposed to turn out like
Reason #2: It has easy to follow directions that are a godsend for those who get overwhelmed after 7 ingredients
Reason #3: EVERY SINGLE recipe has.....wait for it.... CHOCOLATE CHIPS

If you're not sold for these reasons, please allow me to continue. This book has so many amazing chocolate-based recipes such as coffee and white chocolate chip blondies, chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake bars, strawberry and white chocolate chip cheesecake and tonight's experiement, Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins.  So far I have tried out half of a dozen recipes from this gem and I have not been disappointed.  I strayed away from my usual chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake and opted for tonight's experiment because zucchini just so happens to be in season and I figure that if I'm going to give this recipe a shot I better go at it with the best possible ingredients. So here I stand with batter on my shirt and flour on the floor, eager to see how these bad boys turn out. My timer is showing 3 minutes and counting, let's get it going. 
(2 minutes later)... The verdict is in, and they are delicious!


Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
*Makes 12
*Mixing Time: 5 Minutes
*Bake @350 for 20-25 minutes

You will need
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn or canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup finely chopped zucchini
3/4 cup coarsley chopped walnuts
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (...don't be stingey on these)

Step #1: Chop up zucchini
Step #2: Line 12 muffin cups with nonstick spray
Step #3: Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together in a medium sized bowl
Step #4: In a large bowl whisk the eggs and sugar until blended smoothly. Then whisk in the vanilla and oil until blended.  Use a large spoon to stir in the flower mixture from Step #3 until it is evenly incorporated.  Then stir in the zucchini, walnuts and chocolate chips
Step #5: Fill up the muffin cups about 3/4 of the way
Step #6: Pop into the oven until the tops are light brown and a toothpick comes out clean. 
Step #7: Cool the muffins in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes
Step #8: ENJOYYYYYY

in recent news, I just whipped up a batch of Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies with walnuts and they are delish, and unhealthy. But delicious all the same!

I Did It!

After years of hard work, and lots of tears, I am proud to say that I passed my final evaluation and start seeing clients the end of August!  It is so weird to think that I, a punk-ass kid, am going to be helping people with their problems and aiding them in finding the answers that are right for them.  I have had people ask if I'm excited, but I'm not, I am more anxious than anything.  I'm scared that my clients will not like me, that I will be unable to help them, and most of all, that I am not ready.  I understand that education is a process, and that this is something that I will become more comfortable with in time, but right now I feel like I could cry/pee my pants/scream/have a beer all at the same time. Weird, huh? So for now, I am going to do my best not to worry about it, and I'm going to try to give myself a little more credit- I didn't get here on pure luck alone.