Homemade Fried Shrimp

12/31/2009

Happy New Years!!! (I know I’m a few hours early.) I LOVE bringing in the new year. There is so much fresh potential – like a blank sketch book. Welcome Twenty Ten!

In case you need an finger food idea for a party tonight, here’s a very simple recipe for delicious homemade fried shrimp:

Buy already cleaned & shelled shrimp if it’s on sale (so much easier)
Dip in flour
Dip in 1 egg scrambled up
Dip in bread crumbs (we used Publix Original Style and it was perfect!)
Drop shrimps in deep fryer for a few minutes

Serve with cocktail sauce

So simple. So wonderful.

* * * * *

Need a recipe for a sweet treat? I highly recommend P Dub‘s Chocolate Truffles with Sea Salt. They were a big hit over Christmas. I made a second batch with 1.5 bars of 85% cacao and .5 bar of 70% cacao chocolate for the inside. I also turned the sea salt red to be more festive! (Same instructions as making colored sugar, only I let them dry out in a pyrex dish and it only took a few hours.)

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Green Tea Ginger Ale

12/30/2009

Canada Dry Green Tea Ginger Ale. This stuff is surprisingly delightful! I can’t seem to finish a whole can, though. I think maybe it’s too bubbly.

Canada Dry’s slogan is Just North of Everyday. Isn’t that cute?

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Posted by mahlbrandt

A Tiny Winter Forest

12/29/2009

After spending most of a Saturday searching every thrift store, craft store and gift store in town without much success*, Jason and I finally found some bottle brush trees at a craft store. This is about half of the tiny forest. We’re going to experiment with spray paint to see if we can get the effect of vintage pink & yellow dyed bottle brush trees.

*Have I ever mentioned how awesome my husband is? He totally got behind my obsession with this photo and was willing do drive me all over looking for some!

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Chocolate Truffles with Sea Salt

12/28/2009

I attempted this yummy-sounding recipe from the Pioneer Woman for chocolate truffles with sea salt. They came out pretty good. I used Lindt chocolate from our Swiss friend Vlada –  1 dark chocolate bar and 1 70% cacao bar. Jason and I agree it still turned out a bit too sweet. (The condensed milk and milk chocolate shell are very sweet.) Next time I’m going to use some of our 85% cacao chocolate bars for the filling. Also, I grabbed fine sea salt at the store but I think coarse would have added a nice crunchy texture.

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Happy Christmas Eve!

12/24/2009

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I LOVE this picture. It captures the essence of Christmas decor I want to have in my home. It also sent my husband and me on a mad search for bottle brush trees. (Once I finally figured out what they’re called!) I’ve found some on Etsy but I was hoping to come across some vintage ones at local thrift stores. No beans.

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Posted by mahlbrandt

God Jul! {MCM thrift store find}

12/23/2009

That’s Merry Christmas in Swedish. (Or “Good Yule!” literally.) This little green ceramic tree with tiny colored lights is a festive find from our holiday thrift store searching. We were on the hunt for bottle brush trees without much luck.

The Dálecarlian horse was a gift from my Uncle Bob several Christmases ago.

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Best Peanut Butter Blossoms

12/22/2009

This is my mother-in-law’s recipe for the world’s best peanut butter blossoms. I’ve been told that they can be even better if you stick the kisses in point first. I’ll try that next year!

Peanut Butter Blossoms

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups Bisquick
sugar (approx 1/4 cup)
1 bag of Hershey’s kisses

Mix condensed milk and peanut butter until smooth. Add vanilla extract and bisquick. Roll into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar. Bake 6-8 minutes @ 375º on a greased pan. Press Hershey kisses into hot cookies. Kisses will melt and then slowly harden again—don’t touch them while they’re melted! Makes about 2 dozen.

Note: Cookies do not brown on top or sides. Don’t be tempted to over bake them! (There are no “raw” ingredients so no worries.)

I’ll post a blog about these plates soon!

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Winter Lip Therapy

12/21/2009

The best exfoliation treatment for dry winter lips: mix a small amount of vaseline (or any moisturizer you don’t mind putting on your lips) with some regular refined sugar, rub on your lips and then rinse off. Result: smooth and sweet lips!

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Phone Photo Friday

12/18/2009

I took a sick day on Monday. It was so nice of my hubby and my doggie to help me take it easy all day by joining in the relaxation!

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Observations on Working from Home

12/17/2009

Last week one day my boss let me work from home for the first time. I LOVED it. Here are some reflections from throughout the day:

8:06 am
No shower, no make-up.
Holey jeans, zip-up hoodie, fuzzy socks that don’t match & my winter hat.
Sunlight is pouring in the window.
I’ve got a pot of my favorite tea, a bowl of cocoa pebbles and a clementine for breakfast.
I’m getting started an hour earlier than usual.

2:13 pm
Having a more productive day than yesterday and the day before.
Maybe combined.
But I set the bar pretty low the past 2 days.
Nonetheless, I’m feeling pretty good about this arrangement.
Thinking of taking the dog for a brisk walk before it gets dark.

I’m praying that this is a new arrangement I’ll be able to do at least once a week. I LOVE saving 1 hour a day (drive time) and gas money and most of all getting to work in a quiet sunny office 10 steps away from my bed.

2 Comments | Art, Art: graphic design | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt

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