Today I experienced my very first Black Friday. My Mom, Dad, Fletcher and I got up at 4 o' clock this morning and headed straight to our local Wal-Mart. The town that my parents live in has a population of about 3,000 people. So, needless to say, Black Friday isn't as much of a fight here. We got there about 4:30 and each got into different lines for different items. I grabbed a Canon Rebel, my Mom grabbed a laptop, Fletcher grabbed a tv and Fletcher's mom, who met us there, grabbed an Xbox 360 for Fletcher's Christmas present (shh...don't tell him). We got everything that we wanted! It was awesome! I'm very glad that I had a good first Black Friday experience. I heard a lot of horror stories of people who were in much larger towns and I don't think I could have fought the crowds. We also grabbed some little Christmas gifts and some dvds. The thing I'm excited about the most is my camera. I have been wanting a Canon for at least 3 years now.
Here are some of the first pictures I took with my new camera today...
My favorite part of Thanksgiving.
My pretty girl, Petey.
My Mom's puppy, Trucker.
View from my parent's back deck.
image sources unknown
Happy 21st birthday to me!!!
So far I've had a pretty good birthday weekend. I'm sure the rest of it will be absolutely amazing too thanks to my awesome friends and family!
I've been wanting to make donuts for months! I finally found a donut pan and immediately had to buy it! This is the recipe that I have been saving for a while and I couldn't wait to give it a try. They were so yummy! I'll definitely be making this recipe again and again!
I got the recipe from Dujour magazine. If you haven't checked it out yet then get to it!
Chocolate Glazed Doughnuts
via Dujour
makes 18 mini doughnuts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup plain soymilk/milk
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
4 Tbs. butter or vegan margarine
1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 egg (use egg substitute if making vegan)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
To make doughnuts:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat doughnut pan with cooking spray.
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in large bowl.
3. Combine soymilk, chocolate chips, margarine, and vinegar in saucepan, and warm until chocolate and margarine are melted. Cool. Whisk egg substitute with 2 Tbs. water in small bowl; whisk this mixture and vanilla extract into soymilk mixture. Stir soymilk mixture into flour mixture.
4. Fill each doughnut mold half full with batter. Bake 12 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean and Doughnuts spring back when pressed. Transfer Doughnuts to wire rack to cool, and repeat with remaining batter.
For the chocolate glaze:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup whole milk, warmed
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Directions
Combine butter, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla in medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until butter is melted. Decrease the heat to low, add the chocolate, and whisk until melted. Turn off heat, add the powdered sugar, and whisk until smooth. Place the mixture over a bowl of warm water and dip the doughnuts immediately. Allow glaze to set for 30 minutes before serving.
