Toppings

Thursday Things

01.23.14

20140122-233916.jpg  1. Hey guys. Missed ya.  I've been gone since the weird post where I didn't write a single thing and just posted pictures of my holiday season because I'm lazy (but apparently not too lazy to edit all those pictures and photo-collage them in lightroom), but it was okay because you all kind of liked it?

2.  Also.  I've been REALLY trying to let up on using ellipsis because a friend's facebook post recently informed me that it is NOT grammatically correct to use them whenever you want to pause for dramatic effect.  But it's honestly just second nature for me to throw those three loving dots in the middle of my sentences.  They love me. I love them.  I have a REALLY hard time letting them go.  Meh. you guys deal with my lack of capitalization, repeatedly endless run-on sentences, and my lack of ability to truly understand when commas are appropriate (it just doesn't gel with my mind.  I, JUST, LOVE, COMMAS.)  [did i do it right?] dealing with one more grammatical error on this little spot on the internet won't kill you right?  I'll just add it to the pile of #noregrets I'm going to have in 2014…

3.  You've probably seen my “check ins” on twitter and instagram, because you stalk me obvi, and you're probably like wtf?  LET ME TELL YOU.  I joined a group called Tone It Up. and omg I love it.  I love them.  KarenaKatrina are so pretty.  I want to be them.  Or at least look like them.  or. something?  But anyway, I'm kind of obsessed and I love their workouts and just yeah.  They're really fun.  Annnnndd they give off this really good message about loving your body and yourself and yeah.  SO I'm doing their Love Your Body challenge and the 100 miles by V-Day challenge.  Check it out.  Don't let me tell you what to do.  Okay I'm done.

4.  Except I'm not.  Because I went and bought a kettle bell for Tuesday's workout.  Not only did I buy the wrong size, but I left it on my hotel room floor and stubbed my toe on it and now it's swelling and I think it's broken.  Which wouldn't be a huge deal, if i were a normal person and didn't WALK ON MY TOES.  who am i?  why do i do that.  my friends tell me its cute.  They're humoring me and laughing behind my back.  Literally.  *cough, micaela, cough*

5.  In other, big/more-exciting news:  I'M GOING TO VEGAS BABY.  for my birthday. and my friend laura's birthday.  and I'm seeing Britney.  Yeah, that's right.  It's Britney, Bitch.  Sorry, I just felt the need to brag.  It's not till May so don't be too jealous.

6.  Last weekend was the first weekend I've been in my apartment in like five weeks.  know what that means?  YOU GUYS, I MADE THINGS.  And I'm super excited to share them.  Soon.  I pinky promise, because every. freaking. time. I promise you guys something's coming to the blog it never makes it there.  Apparently, I need to pinky promise to make that happen.  Ugh.

7.  Also, I spent a weekend in Napa two weeks ago!  I'm thinking about doing another purely pictures post, but if anyone is curious to the wineries/hotels/transportation we used to keep our trip relatively budget friendly let me know.  I wouldn't mind sharing!  Also, two words.  Mud. Bath.  It was weird. but cool. but weird.  I still don't know how I felt about it.  Moving on.  

8.  It's no secret that I've never been into football, but I have to tell you it was pretty cool to be in my city when Sunday's game ended.  There was tons of yelling and honking, fireworks and bells.  People were crazy downtown.

9.  I'm kind of indifferent on the whole Richard Sherman controversy, but since the whole country is apparently in uproar about it (yes, i'm talking to you all my friends from home who posted facebook statuses about it): here's some food for thought.

10.  I almost peed reading this if you're looking for a laugh.

11.  Speaking of laughing though.  My new favorite drink at the bar?  Vodka soda with two lemons and a lime.  Do you know how ridiculous I look at the bar with a literal TREE of fruit in my drink?  Why can't I be a grown up?  And to top it off what kind of tree grows 2/3 lemons and 1/3 limes?  Is a lemon-lime tree a thing?  Someone should invent that.  Not that I could plant one.  I live in an apartment, people.  With NO yard. 

12.  Anyways, in summary I've missed you and you've got some good stuff coming your way guys… goooooood stuff… delicious stuff…..  you'll want to eat it every day kind of stuff………  my-favorite-pizza-sauce kind of stuff. (elipsis for the win #isuck)

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Recipes

Cake Batter Shots

12.30.13

First and foremost, how was your holiday?  Did you drink too much eggnog, get noogied by your uncle, and eat way too much food?  Yeah me neither.  I'm obviously WAY too old to get noogied by my uncle…

Cake Batter Collage-4

More importantly, what are your plans for New Years?  I'm going to be in New York with Frankie.  We won't be at Times Square.  I just don't feel like standing around in the cold for 12 hours only to pee myself and get pushed around by large quantities of people who can't even “legally” drink.  My days of sneaking booze into places are over.

Cake Batter Shots

Except at sports games… and concerts… and bars.  Okay, my days aren't over, but I'm NOT sneaking booze into New Years.  

Cake Batter Shots-2

I'd just rather do fun things with my alcohol.  Like put it in fruit, Jell-O, and other creative things.

Cake Batter Shots-3

Like pudding.  Nom.  Let's put some alcohol in pudding.  

Cake Batter Shots-7

These pudding shots taste EXACTLY like cake batter.  They're the perfect consistency.  Everything about them is perfect.  You should make them.  They're also perfect for that friend that requests “alcohol” in place of a “birthday cake,” ahem, Taryn.   

Cake Batter Shots-4

Make them and give them to people with little sparkler candles for the New Years count down.  Or just make them and hoard them to yourselves.  

Cake Batter Shots-6

Print

Cake Batter Shots

  • Author: Ashley Renee
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 120
  • Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
  • Yield: 20 1x
Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 box vanilla instant pudding mix
  • 3/4 cup of chilled milk
  • 3/4 cup of cake vodka (I used pinnacle)
  • 4 oz whipped topping (1/2 container of Cool Whip)
  • nonpareil sprinkles
  • whipped cream

Instructions

  1. Mix together the pudding mix and milk until it is at the soft set stage where it will take on a gel-like consistency. Add in the vodka and mix well.
  2. Fold in the whipped topping until the mixture is smooth and uniform.
  3. Lightly fold approximately 1 tablespoon of nonpareil sprinkles into the mixture. The colors of the sprinkles will run to achieve a funfetti-effect, be careful not to overfold and end up with a brown mixture.
  4. Spoon the mixture into individual cups and refrigerate for approximately two hours to thicken.
  5. Top with whipped cream and additional nonpareil sprinkles for aesthetics!

Notes

  • Drink responsibly!

Nutrition

  • Calories: 1126
  • Sugar: 91
  • Sodium: 656
  • Fat: 31
  • Saturated Fat: 19
  • Unsaturated Fat: 10
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 108
  • Protein: 10
  • Cholesterol: 105

Cake Batter Shots-8 Cake Batter Shots-5 See ya in 2014! 

 

Dessert / Recipes

Peppermint Whipped Cream

12.19.13

Peppermint Whipped Cream-3 What kind of Christmas people are you?  What do you dooooooo with your life?  I need to know.  Talk to me.  Tell me everything.  Let's just discuss whether you would rather watch Christmas movies or snow falling.  Do you sit in front of a fire on Christmas eve and eat ALL of the pigs in a blanket?  Do you have holiday traditions?  Where do you go, who do you see, do you cook or do you go out, do you open gifts on Christmas eve?  WHO ARE YOU?? TELL ME EVERYTHING. Peppermint Whipped Cream-4

Most importantly, do you like hot chocolate? Peppermint Whipped Cream-2

How about peppermint?  Do you like peppermint? Do you? Peppermint Whipped Cream

If not, we can't be friends… well that escalated quickly.  (be nicer ashley!) FINE, we can be friends but like you're bumped down half a rank.  (nicer ashleyyyy)  UGH, fine we're friends I'll get over it, whatever. Peppermint Whipped Cream-5

But if you don't like peppermint you might want to relocate to a different page becauseeeeee I'm about to faceplant into a mug of peppermint whipped cream and hot chocolate.  nom. Peppermint Whipped Cream-6

Or maybe I'll lick the bowl.  Or the whisk.  Let's be honest I'm just going to eat spoonfuls of it straight AND drink the hot chocolate. Peppermint Whipped Cream-7

I'm one of those people who loves peppermint stuff all year round, but I respect that most people prefer it during the winter time.  Which just HAPPENS to be right now… don't get all astrological on me and say “winter technically doesn't start until Saturday,” just bear with me because we're friends.

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I also might have had too much fun making a mess.  Oops. 

Print

Peppermint Whipped Cream

  • Author: Ashley Renee
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 5
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of heavy whipping cream
  • 4 tablespoons of powdered sugar
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Instructions

  1. Place bowl and whisk in freezer for 10-15 minutes.
  2. After the bowl and whisk have chilled, remove them from the freezer. Pour the whipping cream into the bowl and whisk at a medium speed until soft peaks form.
  3. Add in powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Continue whisking until stiff peaks form.
  4. Serve immediately or store whipped cream in the fridge for up to 10 hours.

Notes

  • Swirl in red food coloring for a candy cane effect!

Nutrition

  • Calories: 1809
  • Sugar: 32
  • Sodium: 183
  • Fat: 176
  • Saturated Fat: 110
  • Unsaturated Fat: 57
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 45
  • Protein: 10
  • Cholesterol: 652

Peppermint Whipped Cream-8 Ugh.  Throw some Godiva liqueur in there and call it a day.  GOOD NIGHT.

 

Toppings

Wednesday Things

12.18.13

Christmas Things 1.  Haiiiii party people.  What's goin on?  IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS.  Which means I want all the cookies, candy canes, and martinis.  (sometimes being an adult is alrightttt)

2.  It also means I want the Christmas music 24/7 and mistletoe candles burning, and trees lit, and dareIsayit, snow.  I would like some snow right now.  <- when I go home on Friday and complain about the snow you can quote me

3.  Is there anything more awkward than when your stomach makes noises in a silent room at work?  I don't think so.  I'M NOT EVEN HUNGRY STOMACH STOP TALKING.  

4.  Have you guys ever worked out and felt like it was just bad?  It happened to me for the first time yesterday.  I tried to go to the hotel gym and run, but neither of the treadmills were working and I hadn't planned a strength workout.  Soooo I took it as a sign I should go to hot yoga (which I've recently become obsessed with) and drove on over to class.  I hadn't been preparing all day, so I'm pretty sure I was dehydrated but the class was just a bad class for me.  My balance was off, I felt like I couldn't do ANY of the poses, my willpower was low, and I was super self-conscious.    I made it through the class, but I left feeling like I failed.  They say a bad class is better than no class, but it was a pretty sucky feeling.  Any tricks for coming back after a “failed” workout?  I think tomorrow I'll just do a few pinterest workouts and see where it goes.

5.  ALSO.  I have HUGE news.  I can't believe I didn't make this number one.  WHAT WAS I THINKING.  The Doyle's got me the most ahmayzing Christmas gift this year:  A baby giraffe.  YES, YOU HEARD ME CORRECTLY.  I am a proud zoo parent of Misawa, but you can call him cutie (that's what everyone called him before he got a real name).  Frankie and I are just THRILLED.  

6.  Speaking of my boyfriend… I FLY INTO NEW YORK ON SATURDAY. cue the party… but literally.  I once told his mom that I'm upset she's never thrown me a party when I come home, after she threw a party for one of her sisters.  SO I'm going to make them party, they don't have to THROW a party, but they damn sure have to partay with me.   

7.  Also, this assignment I'm on for work not only brought me to Diamond status with HiltonHonors, but also MVP status with Alaska Airlines.  The amount of traveling I do for work is disgusting… yet pretty cool.  

8.  Something I learned on this assignment: having Diamond status with Hilton won't fix the slow internet you are faced with at the Hilton Garden Inn in Pismo Beach. #firstworldproblems

9.  I was recently introduced to middle class problems… has this been a thing all along?  are they the same as a first world problem?  OHMAHGAWD.  What if i never understand the difference?? #middleclassproblems  <- did I use it right?  ugh this is all so complicated

10.  Do you have any big plans for the holidays??  I want to know what you're doing and who you're talking to and I want to know everything that you're doing and I don't want you to act like I'm being annoying, I just want you to answer all of my questions.  I'll be spending Christmas in Rhode Island and New Years in New York.  #I'mreAdytoPAAAArTAYYYY 

11.  Happy Holidays everyone!  I'm so grateful for all of you.  

Christmas Things        IMG_2456

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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