Winner!

Let’s get down to business first thing!  Thanks to everyone who commented on my birthday post from Friday – I had such a kick reading all your favorite birthday memories!

The winner of the giveaway . . . .

danica, on March 19, 2010 at 8:10 pm Said: Edit Comment

Awww – they look sooooo Happy! My parents had several exchange students growing up with the longest being from Brazil – she was with us for a year. It’s SO FUN!!! I can’t wait to read about your adventures showing her around town and all.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you and your Twin Sis!!!

My most memorable birthday was when The Husband went all out. He doesn’t really cook, in fact, he has only cooked I think maybe 3 times in our 7 years together. He actually baked me a cake for my 33rd birthday without me knowing and I heard from both his mom and my mom about all his calls on how to make it…if its supposed to puff up, how to frost, etc. I had NO CLUE he was making a cake nor did I have a CLUE that he was suprrising my by taking me to a restaraunt and my entire family was there. He rocks!!!

Congrats Danica!  Send my your address at bdl319@gmail.com.

Breakfast yesterday was quick – a Thomas Bagel thin egg sammie with 1/4 of a fuji apple – these apples were huge!

I have to give Tony full credit for my submission to Natasha’s monthly challenge – come up with your own compound butter!

It all started with making corn muffins.  I just used the recipe that was on the side of the corn meal.  Had these all been for me, I definitely would have added chopped fresh jalapenos!

Tony suggested making an avocado butter!  Genius!

Avacado Butter

• 2 tablespoons softened butter
• 6 ounces avocado (2 medium sized)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• juice of 1/4 of a lemon
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  
• salt and pepper to taste

Throw everything into the food processor.  While I kept this butter in a dish for dinner – after dinner I put it in parchment paper, shaped it into a log and put it in the freezer.  Tony and I are going to melt some the next time we have steak!

My mom loved it – I think she liked it even more just with tortilla chips!

Since I was doing beef for dinner, I decided to make a macaroni and cheese for Hannah – and since I wasn’t sure Maxi liked beef, I thought she could eat it too.  Well, turns out the group she was with when she went downtown lost track of time and missed their train – she didn’t end up getting home until 8:00 – but she had a great time – too much site seeing and not enough shopping, but she did end up eating at a Chinese restaurant and getting ice cream! 😀

It was then I realized I was out of bread crumbs!  So I took 4 pieces of bread from my freezer, toasted them well and pureed them.  Then I mixed the bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons of melted butter for the topping.

This was a great mac n cheese!  Loved the topping 😀

I think my friend John would love this roast beef!  The key is to remove it at 125 and let it sit for 20 minutes before slicing.

My plate:

I almost forgot to show you one of my favorite birthday gifts!

This peanut butter is amazing!  One day this week I plan on making my pumpkin pancakes and plan to schmear this peanut butter on top – gotta love that after peanuts, the next three ingredients are all chiles! 😀

Alright, time to get ready for work – enjoy your Monday! 😀