More Pictures!!!!!

I love taking pictures!!! I just can't help it. There's something about capturing a moment that you will be able to keep forever that is so special.

Well, you've all seen pictures of my girls, but I took these the other day in my own yard. I've been trying to work on my settings! Anybody can take a picture and make it look good if they have the right setting, but it takes a little work and creativity to make something out of nothing. Obviously, your subject is your main focus, but some people don't realize that the background is very important. Anyway, that has been my project and I think I'm improving! :)

I just want to say that I love these two little girls! Are they not just adorable? Hope you like the pictures!

Chocolate-Almond Torte wiht Ganache Topping

Another big hit! I love chocolate!!!!

Ingredients

FOR THE TORTE

1/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, cubed
1 bag bittersweet chocolate chips (12 oz.)
1 tsp. instant espresso powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup cold brewed coffee
2 tsp. almond extract
6 eggs

FOR THE GANACHE

1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
Toasted sliced almonds (Optional)


Instructions

Heat oven to 325 F. Coat a 9x2-inch round cake pan with nonstick spray. Line with parchment paper cut to fit in bottom of pan; coat with nonstick spray.

For the torte, bring water and sugar to boil in medium saucepan to dissolve sugar; remove from heat. add butter, chocolate chips, espresso powder, and salt. Let sit 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Whisk in coffee and almond extract.

Whisk eggs until whites and yolks are combined, then whisk into chocolate mixture. Pour batter into prepared cake pan, place cake pan inside a roasting pan. Add warm water to roasting pan halfway up side of cake pan. Bake torte until puffed and soft to touch, 40-45 minutes. Remove roasting pan from oven and then place cake pan on a cooling rack. Let cool 1 hour.

Run a paring knife around the inside of the cake pan; invert onto a platter. Peel off parchment paper; chill until ready to serve. (The recipe tells you to bring torte to room temperature before serving, but I really liked straight out of the fridge.)

For the ganache, before serving, heat cream in a microwave-safe measuring cup until cream is boiling. Add chocolate chips and let sit 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Cool ganache 2-3 minutes, then spread over top and down the sides of torte. Sprinkle almonds on top if desired. Chill any leftovers!

WHEN YOU ARE CUTTING THE TORTE, DIP YOUR KNIFE IN A HOT CUP OF WATER!!!!!! This is very important! If you don't it won't cut clean!

Key Lime Pie

This pie was a big hit! I made it for my mom on Mother's Day because it's her favorite!




Ingredients

4 large eggs, separated

1 (14 oz.) can condensed milk

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

3/4 heavy cream

1 tsp. grated lime peel

2 or 3 drops green food coloring (optional)

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 cup sugar

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 F. Beat egg yolks in medium bowl on low speed of electric mixer. Gradually beat in condensed milk and lime juice until smooth. Blend in cream, lime peel and food coloring, if desired. Pour into unbaked pie crust. Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in medium bowl on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar on medium speed. Beat at least 4 minutes to make sure the sugar dissolves. Should form stiff glossy peaks. Spread over hot pie, carefully sealing to edge of the crust to keep meringue from shrinking.

Bake an additional 15 minutes or until meringue lightly browns. Cool 1 hour on wire rack. Chill at least 3 hours before serving.

Just a few more pictures of Dakota. Hope you like them!

Happy Valentines Day

Here a few pictures I took of Dakota for Valentines Day! I love them! And it's not just because I'm his aunt! LOL! Anyway, I hope you like them!

Well, first I just want to say that I am so thankful for the Lords protection. I was on my way home from church last night with my brother, his wife, and their baby. We stopped to get gas and Chaise got us all a Dr. Pepper and a beef jerky. (That's my favorite.) I asked Chaise if he could open my beef jerky because I was driving and he did but when he went to hand it to me he accidentally hit me in the face with it! LOL! I was already tired and edging on delirious, so I thought it was the most hilarious thing that ever happened! LOL! Anyway, it was raining and we were on the really long road from our church to my house which is 285 and all of the sudden a deer walks onto the road! I started slowing down but it was raining and the road was slippery so I couldn't slam on my brakes or I would have been sliding all over the road. Well, the deer saw me slowing down and totally freaked out and ran straight in front of my car!!! Thank God I slowed down as much I could or that deer would have come right through my windshield and there would be no more Callie to tell this story! LOL! After I completely stopped the car and the deer slid off my hood, I was looking at the deer and he had a broken leg. (Serves him right for hitting my car!) I look at Chaise and we just bust out laughing because this dear is like totally freaked out and flopping all over the place and his broke leg is flapping because it is broken in two! Now that may sound absolutely disgusting, but after this deer just murdered my car I found it quite amusing. What I haven't told you is that this was no ordinary deer, it was a baptist deer! We're talking at least 10 points and minimum of 200 pounds! What are the odds of me hitting probably the biggest deer in Fl.? It's craziness! LOL! So, while Chaise and me are in the front seat laughing our heads off, Hannah is in the back seat with Dakota and she is totally freaked out. Freaking out is probably a very normal reaction to that situation unless you're abnormal like me and my brothers! LOL! At least we have fun! Anyway, That was my totally scary/funny story! LOL! I hope you enjoyed it! I love all of you!

"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible."
~George Washington