What is strength? Lifting 100 lbs? Willpower? Having the courage to stand up to people? Or providing positive energy to get through the day?
I believe that strength is seen a lot of ways from physically to mentally, but this past week I've experienced it in incredible ways. (You should know, this is not in anyway accurate information. This is just how I see strength in individuals.)
A few examples....
1. I have this incredible friend named Kelly Tobias. Remember that name... she is a rockstar. Literally... Kel is the singer in the band Big Hurry, a local band in Pittsburgh. Kelly pulls me through each week at work with her dedication to UP and with her love for me. This past week, during our workday Kelly and I had to go borrow some tables from a local community center. Kel was in a skirt and wedges but offered to go help anyway. It was literally 98 degrees out and we carried those stupid tables back and forth to the van until we almost passed out. That amazing woman is freaking STRONG. Physical Strength.
2. My housemate Abbi was in a fender bender this morning. It wasn't her fault but was verbally abused by the other driver. Ab was able to calm herself, grab the needed information and drive her baby truck back to the house where she gave a sigh of relief and possibly a few tears. I talked to Ab tonight and told her she was allowed to be angry, sad, frustrated and become an emotional wreck for a bit. Car accidents are scary things, but she also should believe in and stand up for herself. She pulled out her EMOTIONAL STRENGTH.
3. An anonymous individual that has continued to provide strength to more than just themselves, but the people around them. POSITIVE STRENGTH.
Sometime this week, when my work seems to be getting the best of me, or when my body is exhausted, I'll probably think of these three people and their incredible selves and be able to get through the day.
ap
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Vacation...
Every time I think back to summer its of the family vacations to West Virginia. The road trips to Florida, the warm days at the beach and then the nights filled with summer softball.
I've decided....
I need a vacation.
Any suggestions???
Please.... give me your suggestions, give me your summer homes, give me your ideas.
:)
I've decided....
I need a vacation.
Any suggestions???
Please.... give me your suggestions, give me your summer homes, give me your ideas.
:)
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Dessert of the Month.
In April, PULSE had our annual fundraiser called PULSEations. It was a big sweet hoopla where we were able to listen to good music, chat with friends and love on PULSE. At the event there was a silent auction where alumni and current participants were encouraged to show off our sweet skills and possibly donate something to be auctioned off.
A few things you should know....
1. I'm not artistic.
2. I don't believe I have auction like talents to give away.
3. I love to bake.
So I came up with a dessert of the month coupon. One lucky person would get home-baked deliciousness once a month for a year. Well... I officially love this. The lucky winners (a couple) have had two desserts so far and I'm including the recipes.
A fun fact you should know, one of them is vegan. SCORE! New recipes. :)
Dessert of the Month #1
Vegan Caramel Pecan Bars
SERVES
Makes 16 big, gooey bars
INGREDIENTS
For the Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
A big pinch of salt
3/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, slightly softened
For the Pecan Topping
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup nondairy milk
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
2/3 cup brown rice syrup
2 tablespoons melted non-hydrogenated margarine
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/ 4 teaspoon salt
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13x2-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, making sure the foil completely covers the sides of the pan, with about 2 inches folded outside over the edges. Spray the bottom and sides of the pan generously with nonstick cooking spray.
Prepare the Crust
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Use a pastry cutter or two knives held together to cut in the margarine until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Pour crumbs into the prepared baking pan and press down evenly and very firmly, making sure to press the mixture all the way to the edges of the pan. Bake the crust for 8 to 10 minutes until firm and very lightly browned. Remove the pan from the oven and set it aside.
Prepare the Topping
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and nondairy milk until foamy. Stir in the dark brown sugar, brown rice syrup, melted margarine, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Fold in the pecans and pour the mixture onto the crust, using a spatula to spread the topping evenly.
4. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 28 to 30 minutes, or until the filling is rapidly bubbling. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes, then move it to the refrigerator to finish cooling and setting. Chill for at least 2 hours or, even better, overnight.
5. To slice completely cooled bars, grab a hold of the foil and carefully lift the whole thing out of the pan and onto a heavy cutting board. Peel away the foil and cut bars with a heavy, sharp knife.
Variation
Salted Caramel Pecan Bars: Right after the bars are out of the oven and the topping is still hot, sprinkle the surface very sparingly with your favorite coarse-grained gourmet salt. Cool and slice as directed.
From the book Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. Excerpted by arrangement with Da Capo Lifelong, a member of the Perseus Books Group (2009).
Dessert of the Month #2
Vegan! Raspberry Blackout Cake With Ganache-Y Frosting
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups soymilk
1/2 cup canola oil
1 (10 ounce) jars raspberry preserves ( reserve 1/2 cup for the batter)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup coffee creamer ( if soy creamer is unavailable, soy milk will do)
6 tablespoons non-hydrogenated margarine
10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips ( 1 cup and 2 tablespoons)
fresh raspberries, for decorating and yumminess
Directions
1.In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the soy creamer to a low boil. Add the margarine and melt, turn off the heat, and stir in chocolate chips until smooth. Let sit for at least one hour. It should have a pourable consistency at this point. If you want a spreadable consistency then refrigerate for an hour.
2.Preheat oven to 350. Spray two 8-inch round springform cake pans with cooking spray. If you don't have springform, then use parchment paper rounds on the bottom of two ordinary 8-inch round cake pans to prevent sticking.
3.Sift together the four, cocoa powder, baking power, baking soda, and salt. Combine the rice milk, oil, 1/2 cup of the preserves, the vanilla, and the sugar in a large bowl and mix with hand mixer or strong fork. The jam should be mostly dissolved with the rest of the ingredients; some small clumps are okay. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in batches and mix until everything is incorporated. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes, or until a tooth pick or knife comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cook in pans.
4.When the cakes have cooled fully, spread one layer of cake with a thin layer of the reserved raspberry preserves (give the preserves a quick mix with a strong fork to get a spreadable consistency); spread a layer of chocolate frosting on top of the preserves. Place the other layer of cake on top and spread its top with preserves. Carefully spread the chocolate frosting over the top, then ice the sides. I like to put a circle of fresh raspberries around the circumference of the top.
So here's to baking 10 more delicious goodies.
A few things you should know....
1. I'm not artistic.
2. I don't believe I have auction like talents to give away.
3. I love to bake.
So I came up with a dessert of the month coupon. One lucky person would get home-baked deliciousness once a month for a year. Well... I officially love this. The lucky winners (a couple) have had two desserts so far and I'm including the recipes.
A fun fact you should know, one of them is vegan. SCORE! New recipes. :)
Dessert of the Month #1
Vegan Caramel Pecan Bars
SERVES
Makes 16 big, gooey bars
INGREDIENTS
For the Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
A big pinch of salt
3/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, slightly softened
For the Pecan Topping
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup nondairy milk
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
2/3 cup brown rice syrup
2 tablespoons melted non-hydrogenated margarine
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/ 4 teaspoon salt
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13x2-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, making sure the foil completely covers the sides of the pan, with about 2 inches folded outside over the edges. Spray the bottom and sides of the pan generously with nonstick cooking spray.
Prepare the Crust
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Use a pastry cutter or two knives held together to cut in the margarine until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Pour crumbs into the prepared baking pan and press down evenly and very firmly, making sure to press the mixture all the way to the edges of the pan. Bake the crust for 8 to 10 minutes until firm and very lightly browned. Remove the pan from the oven and set it aside.
Prepare the Topping
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and nondairy milk until foamy. Stir in the dark brown sugar, brown rice syrup, melted margarine, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Fold in the pecans and pour the mixture onto the crust, using a spatula to spread the topping evenly.
4. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 28 to 30 minutes, or until the filling is rapidly bubbling. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes, then move it to the refrigerator to finish cooling and setting. Chill for at least 2 hours or, even better, overnight.
5. To slice completely cooled bars, grab a hold of the foil and carefully lift the whole thing out of the pan and onto a heavy cutting board. Peel away the foil and cut bars with a heavy, sharp knife.
Variation
Salted Caramel Pecan Bars: Right after the bars are out of the oven and the topping is still hot, sprinkle the surface very sparingly with your favorite coarse-grained gourmet salt. Cool and slice as directed.
From the book Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. Excerpted by arrangement with Da Capo Lifelong, a member of the Perseus Books Group (2009).
Dessert of the Month #2
Vegan! Raspberry Blackout Cake With Ganache-Y Frosting
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups soymilk
1/2 cup canola oil
1 (10 ounce) jars raspberry preserves ( reserve 1/2 cup for the batter)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup coffee creamer ( if soy creamer is unavailable, soy milk will do)
6 tablespoons non-hydrogenated margarine
10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips ( 1 cup and 2 tablespoons)
fresh raspberries, for decorating and yumminess
Directions
1.In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the soy creamer to a low boil. Add the margarine and melt, turn off the heat, and stir in chocolate chips until smooth. Let sit for at least one hour. It should have a pourable consistency at this point. If you want a spreadable consistency then refrigerate for an hour.
2.Preheat oven to 350. Spray two 8-inch round springform cake pans with cooking spray. If you don't have springform, then use parchment paper rounds on the bottom of two ordinary 8-inch round cake pans to prevent sticking.
3.Sift together the four, cocoa powder, baking power, baking soda, and salt. Combine the rice milk, oil, 1/2 cup of the preserves, the vanilla, and the sugar in a large bowl and mix with hand mixer or strong fork. The jam should be mostly dissolved with the rest of the ingredients; some small clumps are okay. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in batches and mix until everything is incorporated. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes, or until a tooth pick or knife comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cook in pans.
4.When the cakes have cooled fully, spread one layer of cake with a thin layer of the reserved raspberry preserves (give the preserves a quick mix with a strong fork to get a spreadable consistency); spread a layer of chocolate frosting on top of the preserves. Place the other layer of cake on top and spread its top with preserves. Carefully spread the chocolate frosting over the top, then ice the sides. I like to put a circle of fresh raspberries around the circumference of the top.
So here's to baking 10 more delicious goodies.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Stella
I have this tree. I named her Stella.
Stella and I have been together for about a year and a half. I bought her at IKEA in Detroit one day when I traveled there with my sister. This was also the time in my life when I didn't need to furnish an apartment or had no need for throw pillows... (not that I have a need for throw pillows at this time in my life either, but anyway)
I bought my good ol' Stella instead.
Stella and I are in a love/hate relationship. About 335 days out of the year I love her. I lavish her in water and adoring words, but there is that one month in the year that I don't necessarily hate her, but I long for her to love me back. She doesn't like cold weather and it is during the winter months (mostly January) when Stella and I begin our struggle. I water her and her leaves still turn brown. I place her as close to the sunlight as I can without freezing her and she ignores the love and still has dead leaves. I buy her a new pot and she refuses to budge. If it wasn't for the fact Stella is actually a tree, sometimes I might believe she was my child just going through her teenage years.
But since we've made it through those cold bitter months, Stella is blooming like crazy. She loves her new place in the front window where she bask in the sun and drink away at her version of a margarita.... water.
Here's to the next 150+ good days till the cycle will repeat itself.
ap
Stella and I have been together for about a year and a half. I bought her at IKEA in Detroit one day when I traveled there with my sister. This was also the time in my life when I didn't need to furnish an apartment or had no need for throw pillows... (not that I have a need for throw pillows at this time in my life either, but anyway)
I bought my good ol' Stella instead.
Stella and I are in a love/hate relationship. About 335 days out of the year I love her. I lavish her in water and adoring words, but there is that one month in the year that I don't necessarily hate her, but I long for her to love me back. She doesn't like cold weather and it is during the winter months (mostly January) when Stella and I begin our struggle. I water her and her leaves still turn brown. I place her as close to the sunlight as I can without freezing her and she ignores the love and still has dead leaves. I buy her a new pot and she refuses to budge. If it wasn't for the fact Stella is actually a tree, sometimes I might believe she was my child just going through her teenage years.
But since we've made it through those cold bitter months, Stella is blooming like crazy. She loves her new place in the front window where she bask in the sun and drink away at her version of a margarita.... water.
Here's to the next 150+ good days till the cycle will repeat itself.
ap
Friday, June 3, 2011
Beatle.
He will probably kill me if he ever read this, but I don't actually care.
My dear friend Joel aka Beatle is coming to see my city this weekend. The best part, is that in just a few short months he will be starting his year in Pittsburgh with PULSE! Wooohoo! I can't wait.
He will be jumping on the "I'mfromOhioandI'mnotaSteelersfanbutilovethiscity" bandwagon, well... he better.
BUT anyway.... I'm dragging him to so many different things this weekend, he might not want to move here.
So Beatle, be ready to walk your little feet off and thanks for driving out to see me.
lovelovelove.
ps. His nickname is one I made up and probably the only person that refers to him by. He LOVES The Beatles and looked like a Beatle for the first few months that I knew him.... so obviously that is where it came from.
My dear friend Joel aka Beatle is coming to see my city this weekend. The best part, is that in just a few short months he will be starting his year in Pittsburgh with PULSE! Wooohoo! I can't wait.
He will be jumping on the "I'mfromOhioandI'mnotaSteelersfanbutilovethiscity" bandwagon, well... he better.
BUT anyway.... I'm dragging him to so many different things this weekend, he might not want to move here.
So Beatle, be ready to walk your little feet off and thanks for driving out to see me.
lovelovelove.
ps. His nickname is one I made up and probably the only person that refers to him by. He LOVES The Beatles and looked like a Beatle for the first few months that I knew him.... so obviously that is where it came from.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
My favorite song ever.
I love this woman. There is just something about her music that speaks to my soul. Not just my heart, but my entire being. Thank you Mags for sending this via twitter to me, and thank you Sara Bareilles for finding a way to make the world of music a place where I can fall in love.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Thanks Daddy
Ok- So this post is going to be a BIG thank you to my dad. For many reasons. If you've not met my father before... he's kinda a big deal. Well-- he probably doesn't think so, but after this post he totally is.
So I went back to good ol' Clyde Ohio this weekend with my planner jammed packed full of things. I saw old friends, met new ones, went to a Bridal Shower, wedding, and tried on my mother's wedding dress. Yes--- that actually happened. She had it in her head that since we decided to go dress shopping for my oldest sister Molly we needed to bust open her dress that was sealed for 30 years. Dang. ANYWAY.... it was lovely and my weekend was fantastic, but as I packed up the car to drive the 3.5 hours back to Pittsburgh, I was exhausted. Dead tired. But my parents were fantastic people and allowed for me to bring the minivan back one more time (basically so the next time they didn't have to waste 6 hours coming to get me), so I needed to drive my sorry butt back.
Well-- it was about 2 hours in and my ipod started to die and the PA state line seemed like ti was forever away. Truly. I then started thinking about how every road trip was like this when we were younger. Dad would wake up early, pile us in the car and take off for our next adventure. The parents would trade back and forth on the driving, but most of the time dad did a lot of it. The first leg of the 8 hour WVa trips, the drive to Florida, staying up through BOTH movies at the drive in while we all pass out in the back and then he will do the drive at 2am back home.
So Daddy--- here's to you and your sweet skills at staying up through all the long drives growing up. It will be something that I hope gets easier with age, but somehow I don't think it will.
Happy June-
ap
So I went back to good ol' Clyde Ohio this weekend with my planner jammed packed full of things. I saw old friends, met new ones, went to a Bridal Shower, wedding, and tried on my mother's wedding dress. Yes--- that actually happened. She had it in her head that since we decided to go dress shopping for my oldest sister Molly we needed to bust open her dress that was sealed for 30 years. Dang. ANYWAY.... it was lovely and my weekend was fantastic, but as I packed up the car to drive the 3.5 hours back to Pittsburgh, I was exhausted. Dead tired. But my parents were fantastic people and allowed for me to bring the minivan back one more time (basically so the next time they didn't have to waste 6 hours coming to get me), so I needed to drive my sorry butt back.
Well-- it was about 2 hours in and my ipod started to die and the PA state line seemed like ti was forever away. Truly. I then started thinking about how every road trip was like this when we were younger. Dad would wake up early, pile us in the car and take off for our next adventure. The parents would trade back and forth on the driving, but most of the time dad did a lot of it. The first leg of the 8 hour WVa trips, the drive to Florida, staying up through BOTH movies at the drive in while we all pass out in the back and then he will do the drive at 2am back home.
So Daddy--- here's to you and your sweet skills at staying up through all the long drives growing up. It will be something that I hope gets easier with age, but somehow I don't think it will.
Happy June-
ap
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