Belly Up to the Bar With Bendy and Her Friendies!!! Button Pics & New Thread Started!

[TDC Nala]

I have a Nunzilla too. I still have the cathedral-style box!

 

[Tink rules]

ME TOO!!! ( and I'm sure I'll have to say at LEAST a ton of Hail Mary's before they let ME into heaven... )

 

[BoosGram]

If you haven't tried it yet, mix some Myer's Dark Rum into the eggnog. That's the best! (Of course, I love Myer's Dark in cider, orange juice, pineapple juice, etc.)

And nuns do retire. My DH's older sister was a nun. She taught kids, attended older sickly nuns, and did occupational therapy in a nursing home. When they get too old to fill a job adequately, they retire (usually at a much older age than the rest of us, like in their late 70s or 80s; I had a nun in high school who had taught my mother in grade school). OK, you can now take this off your list of things that make you go hmmmmm .

 

[oybolshoi]

Isn't it amazing the kinds of tangents we can wander off on?

I have to say ... some of those ladies (nuns) were really sweet and some were absolute terrors. And some of them didn't become nuns until later in life after they were widowed. I found the whole thing a little strange and kinda fascinating, especially since I am a heathen and have no formal religious training.

Winkers ... I love cheese whiz! Although I'm not sure if there's any cheese actually on the ingredient list. It's like Country Time Lemonade ... there's not a single lemon in it!

 

[BoosGram]

Isn't it amazing the kinds of tangents we can wander off on?

That's kind of the best thing about the DIS (outside of the fantastic Disney info, of course); you never know where it'll go .

I have to say ... some of those ladies (nuns) were really sweet and some were absolute terrors. And some of them didn't become nuns until later in life after they were widowed. I found the whole thing a little strange and kinda fascinating, especially since I am a heathen and have no formal religious training.

Well, I had 12 years of religious training and I'm still a heathen . Nuns may soon become a thing of the past. There are VERY few young women willing to give up just about everything and join the convent. My DSIL was one of the "young" ones, and she would have been in her early 60s if she were still with us (she was definitely one of the sweet ones).

 

[oybolshoi]

Just a quick note before heading off to snoozeville ...

the cake turned out better than I could have hoped considering it was a spur of the moment decision about 9AM this morning! There was none left for us to bring home which is fine by us.

I'll post the recipe and pictures tomorrow along with our NYE pics.

 

[Tink rules]

Isn't it amazing the kinds of tangents we can wander off on?

I have to say ... some of those ladies (nuns) were really sweet and some were absolute terrors. And some of them didn't become nuns until later in life after they were widowed. I found the whole thing a little strange and kinda fascinating, especially since I am a heathen and have no formal religious training.

Winkers ... I love cheese whiz! Although I'm not sure if there's any cheese actually on the ingredient list. It's like Country Time Lemonade ... there's not a single lemon in it!

That's kind of the best thing about the DIS (outside of the fantastic Disney info, of course); you never know where it'll go .



Well, I had 12 years of religious training and I'm still a heathen . Nuns may soon become a thing of the past. There are VERY few young women willing to give up just about everything and join the convent. My DSIL was one of the "young" ones, and she would have been in her early 60s if she were still with us (she was definitely one of the sweet ones).

& we wonder why the other thread got shut down????? I had the terror... my siblings had the heavenly ones... I didn't make it past 3rd grade in catholic school...

& what do you mean there's no lemons????

 

[winkers]

Winkers ... I love cheese whiz! Although I'm not sure if there's any cheese actually on the ingredient list. It's like Country Time Lemonade ... there's not a single lemon in it!

What next? Are you going to tell me there's no Santa Claus???

 

[Tink rules]

Easter bunny...

 

[kabuki]

OK Brenda and all .. Here are some Christmas Cheese and Wine Party Pics from our house earlier this month!

Our Spread ...

Table waiting for guest cheese and wine to arrive!

Mr. Pig dressed for Christmas!

My Martha Moment! Cranberry Grand Marnier Trifle and my red nose in place!

Miss Kabuki ready for a party!

 

[Tatania]

We're actually booked on the 2010 Transatlantic ... the Disney Magic leaves from Barcelona in September 2010 so we will finally get to see a teeeeeny little bit. Barcelona, Madeira, and Gibralter ... it's a start!

Funny you mention that. I checked Vacations To Go again last night to see if there's any good discounts on that cruise because I'd love to do it. Just not sure I can justify spending over $4000 (with the exchange and tips) to be on a Disney ship (and that's inside cabin) - though I know it would be a blast. Will keep checking to see if the price goes down.

 

[whogirl'smom]

What next? Are you going to tell me there's no Santa Claus???

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus....bringer of Easy Cheese to all good boys' and girls' stockings!

OK Brenda and all .. Here are some Christmas Cheese and Wine Party Pics from our house earlier this month


My Martha Moment! Cranberry Grand Marnier Trifle and my red nose in place!

Can you post this recipe, it sounds great! I love to make trifles (they easily impress, don't they? ) I make Cherries in the Snow all the time.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

OK Brenda and all .. Here are some Christmas Cheese and Wine Party Pics from our house earlier this month!

Our Spread ...

Table waiting for guest cheese and wine to arrive!

WOW! Your house looks great. Love the ornaments hanging from the ceiling. And the food looks delish!!!

 

[chrisw127]

Here's my contribution to the christmas food pics..............................

That's hilarious. I see you brining that one out in a few years to torture him in front of his first girlfriend.

 

[oybolshoi]

Funny you mention that. I checked Vacations To Go again last night to see if there's any good discounts on that cruise because I'd love to do it. Just not sure I can justify spending over $4000 (with the exchange and tips) to be on a Disney ship (and that's inside cabin) - though I know it would be a blast. Will keep checking to see if the price goes down.

We got a really good price from Dreams that included airfare and nabbed us a Cat 8 cabin (no balcony this time but at least we'll have a window) plus an onboard credit. The transatlantic cruise is actually cheaper than last year's Panama Canal cruise which we dearly would have loved to take.

 

[oybolshoi]

Kabuki ...

Your house looks mah-vel-ous! I love the ornaments dangling from the ceiling!

And please share your trifle recipe with us when you have time ... it looked wonderful and I'm sure it tastes even better than it looks!

 

[kabuki]

whogirl'smom
Yes, trifle is a beautiful dessert that seems hard to mess up and always tastes great .. everyone seemed to like this one and I will post the goods next! Hope you like it!

2xcited2sleep and oybolshoi
Thanks for the love on the decor. We had those hanging in three rooms and we loved it. My hubbies parents came and said it looked like a dive bar I don't know what places these people hang out?!

off to get the recipe

 

[oybolshoi]

Recipe taken from Williams Sonoma catalogue many many moons ago. It's not a quick or easy cake to make, but so worth the effort. And although the recipe doesn't call for Baker's Sugar instead of regular granulated sugar, I'm here to tell you that Baker's Sugar will make all the difference, especially in the glaze. Trust me ... Bendy won't steer you wrong!

Cake Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
18 tablespoons butter (yep, that's 2 and 1/4 sticks)
8 ounces cream cheese
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons amaretto


Directions (of which there are many):

Have all ingredients at room temperature. Position baking rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Grease & flour a bundt cake pan.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer beat the butter and cream cheese until creamy and smooth. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and beat until light and fluffy - be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Beat in vanilla and amaretto.

Fold in the flour mixture, in three additions, blending each addition until just smooth.

The mixture will be very thick at this point. The recipe actually suggests spooning the batter into the prepared pan, but I found that it worked a lot better to have Jay hold the bowl while I used a spatula to coax it into the pan. Make sure that the sides of the pan have more batter than the center because of the manner in which the cake will rise as it bakes.

Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean ... about 90 minutes. Cool upright in pan for about 10 minutes and then turn out onto a rack where the cake can cool completely.

Glaze Ingredients & Directions:

1/4 cup amaretto
3/4 cup sugar

In a small bowl whisk amaretto and sugar until blended. Set cake & rack over a sheet of wax paper and spoon glaze over the cake.

YUM!!!!

And now ... pardon my pride but for something I whipped up at the last minute this baby turned out perfectly!

Look at my pictures! Oh, and I'm a sucker for cool baking pans so that's why my cake has a cathedral look to it.

Fresh out of the oven:

Glazed and Confused:

A single slice for yours truly ...

And an interior shot after the first-round decimation was complete:

 

[kabuki]

Cranberry Grand Marnier Trifle:

2 bags(12 ounce each) fresh or frozen cranberries
2 1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fine grated peeled fresh ginger
1 cup water
1 cup Grand Marnier
1 bar cream cheese room temperature
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream
2 homemade all butter pound cakes ( I used Sarah Lee!, why mess with tasty perfection?)
Grated orange zest for garnish (optional)


Combine Cranberries, 2 cups of the granulated sugar, ginger, Grand Marnier,and water into a sauce pan and bring to a simmer over medium. Cook until Cranberries begin to POP about 10 minutes. Let cool completely.

Make cream filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, brown sugar and remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and vanilla on high until well combined. Gradually add heavy cream and beat until soft peaks form.

Then you layer the cake, then cranberry compote, then cream mixture into a 3-quart trifle bowl or serving dish. You should be able to repeat twice and end with the cream. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or up to a day. Garnish with grated orange zest.


If you don't want booze in this substitute the Grand Marnier with more water!

Hope you like..

 

[D&R love Disney]

Both the pound cake and trifle looks to die for! Good thing I'm eating my lunch or I'd be drooling on my keyboard