Joseph, Oregon... heaven on earth

Just returned from a trip to Joseph, Oregon and Wallowa Lake.  I had heard from others that it was pretty.  Well, it was actually breathtaking.  And sweet.  The people were so nice it was kind of... well... almost weird, but weird in a really good way.

Joseph, Oregon

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza Recipe - and World Peace...

My hubby and I spent our honeymoon in Chicago (this was May of 2010, kids). One of our best food moments was eating deep dish pizza at Giordano's.  

Emerile Lagasse has this recipe that I want to try soon.  Sounds pretty legit:

Deep Dish Pizza Recipe... (click here)

I didn't take this picture... found it on the web, but our pizza looked just like this.  Seriously, kids.  Not sure why I'm addressing my non-existent blog reader as "kids."  Perhaps because I just saw the Hunger Games and it disturbed me.  Made me think a lot about kids and our voyeuristic culture and the media and violence and our government which does a lot of covert things and... well, you see my train of thought.  So, on that note, let me go back to ruminating about deep dish pizza, :-)  my amazing honeymoon, ;-) my continually amazing husband, :-) my amazing kids who don't have to go to the reaping (hallelujah) and so on.  Ah... better now.

What if we could get our world's leaders in a room together and have them share some splendid deep dish pizza, sing a few gospel songs (a cappella, hand holding optional) and share photos of their children and grandchildren with each other? The world would be a different place, I tell ya.  I might start a foundation with these basic ideas as our goals.  The name of our organization? P.G.S.P.O.C.  Pizza, Gospel Songs and Pictures of Children.  It could change the world.

Gospel Choir of the Cascades

Here are the bright, shining, smiling faces of the Gospel Choir of the Cascades.  Love these people.   The choir is five years old now... started as this itty bitty thing meeting in people's houses.  I just wasn't sure what was going to happen... who would come, where it would go.

To look back for a moment at the people we've had in the choir, the concerts, the lives touched, the people inspired to sing and be joyful... well, I hate to quote Martha Stewart, but it's a really, really, really "good thing."  Amen.

Zen Time

Breathing in.  Breathing out.
           

Goals for the summer:

Spend as much time as possible in our canoe:

* Paddling (of course)
* Eating
* Reading
* Floating
* Laughing
* Fishing
* Kissing (each other, not the fish)

View from canoe at Drake Park - Summer 2012

(Our canoe actually IS red.)  :-)

So's I don't go forgettin', here are some recipes I wanna make for my sweet fam-fam:

Greek Style Beef Stew

Greek Chicken Recipe

Brazilian Lemonade Recipe

My next cupcake recipe is below.  Chocolate peanut butter.  Looks amazing.  Will make it soon... say... Friday night?  Yes, Friday night would be good.  A real T.G.I.F. as they say.  A real sweet start to the weekend.  Yessiree Bob.  Gonna make these.  Lookin' forward to Friday night now.  Not just for the cupcakes... also because it means I'm done working for a day.  Saturday off and all that good stuff.  The weekend with my sweet hubby.  Lots of fragmented sentences there.  Huh?  Yep.  Okay, okay, here's the link.


Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake Recipe


Here's the text for the ol' recipe-o.

CAKE INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups flour
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs

PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING INGREDIENTS

• 10 ounces cream cheese (room temp.)
• 1 stick unsalted butter (room temp.)
• 5 cups powdered sugar/confectioners sugar
• 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixer bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add vegetable oil and sour cream and mix until blended.
4. Slowly add in water (to prevent water from flying out of your mixing bowl).
5. Add white vinegar, vanilla extract, and eggs, and mix until blended well.
6. Place paper liners in your cupcake tin, and fill each about three quarters of the way full.
7. Bake for around 20-22 minutes at 350 degrees, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
8. While cupcakes are baking, begin making peanut butter frosting by combining the cream cheese and unsalted butter in your mixer. Beat until fluffy.
9. Add in 5 cups of powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
10. Lastly, add in the peanut butter and mix until it’s blended well. Make sure to scrape down the sides of your mixer bowl to ensure everything is combined.
11. When cupcakes have cooled, frost them.
12. Try to not eat all of the cupcakes in one sitting. Enjoy!

Here's the pic:

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...