Birthday

DIY Birthday Box

DIY Birthday Box

If I love you, you’ll know it. I will have cooked for you, or crafted for your or both. One of my closest friends, and former coworker, moved abroad last year to start Grad School and join her fiancé in Paris. When she was still here in DC, she practically held my hand through two of the craziest years of my life, even when she had a million other things going on in her own life. And for that, I don’t think I can ever really thank her enough.

When she left to pursue her dreams, I was torn. Of course I wanted the best for her, I wanted her to become successful and stay happy, but I was also selfish. I didn’t want my close friend to leave because that would mean I wouldn’t be able to see her whenever I wanted, or go on our crazy adventures. So I sent her off with a Paris Survival Kit, complete with a Learn French on Your Commute CD pack, a photo of the two of us, some wine accessories and a really-long letter explaining what everything meant and why she needed them. (more…)

Cream Puff Cake

Cream Puff cake

Every occasion is an excuse to craft. At least, that’s my philosophy.

My mom’s birthday at the end of June marks the last of our June festivities. But that’s not to say we don’t go all out! The minimum in our household is a family birthday celebration that includes singing happy birthday and a birthday cake. As the siblings have gotten older, that’s the least we can dedicate to our parents – you know, those people who brought us into this world and spent years raising us. They deserve to tell us our birth story and fawn over us for a couple hours. (more…)

Happy One Month Birthday!

One month ago, on this very day, Measuring Cups, Optional was born. You all caught a glimpse of my measuring cups  and got to know me, Mrs. Measurement, and my blog in its early stages. So here we are one month later, and we’ve done a little bit of growing up:

 So let’s celebrate with chocolate and a birthday song.

 

 

 

Chocolate Brownies with Walnuts Recipe

 Ingredients

 1 stick Unsalted Butter
1/4 cup Cocoa
3 Eggs
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 cup chopped Walnuts
1 teaspoon Vanilla
 
 

Directions

Grease and flour a baking pan.
In a small saucepan, melt butter with cocoa.
Beat eggs until foamy, then gradually beat in sugar.
Add cocoa-butter mixture to egg mixture.
Sift flour and baking powder then sift half of it into batter.
Mix walnuts into the remaining flour; add to batter; stir to blend.
Add vanilla. Spread batter into the pan
Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes
Ice cooled brownies with icing
 
 
 

Chocolate Icing Recipe

 Ingredients

2 cups Powdered Sugar
4 tablespoons Cocoa
Heavy Cream
1 teaspoon Vanilla
 

Directions

Sift powdered sugar and cocoa into a mixing bowl.
Add vanilla and enough cream to be of desired spreading consistency.