New Job!!

So I started my new job!! I have returned to Target working in the deli and bakery, hopefully to become a baker or decorator. I am working full time and taking a year off of school. I was not going to have a placement for student teaching in time for the beginning of the year. I decided that since I was not going to be there for setting up the classroom and the first few weeks of school, it would be better to put it off. I did not want to go out into the work force without having those experiences. Hopefully this next year we will be able to save some money for a place.

Vikings Cake

I made my uncle's 60th birthday cake. He wanted choclate cake with chocolate frosting decorated for the Vikings. I decieded to make a Vikings jersey with his last name and the number 60. I used a box mix to save me time, and becasue my 4 year old neice was with me that day. I fosted it and made the jersey out of fondant.

I cannot get the picture flipped!! Sorry!

Banana Fluffernutter Cupcakes

So I have been feeling a little under the weather with a cold lately, but Chris' B-day is Wednesday so I had to make some cupcakes. He said my last cupcakes were to rich so I tried a banana cupcake and I had some Mallow-Fluff so I made some peanutbutter-mallow frosting (fluffernutter).

The cupcakes were the lightest fluffiest cupcakes I have ever had. I was worried they were going to turn out too dense and more like a muffin or banana bread but I was so excited that they turned out phenomenal!! The frosting was amazing, this could be put on anything. I instantly thought of putting it on ice cream! The cupcake was a bit to light and fluffy to carry the frosting so I might try adding a bit of whipped cream to lighten up the frosting next time, but for a birthday cupcake they are spectacular!

Banana Cupcake:
2 eggs (separated)
1 tsp baking soda
4 tbsp milk
1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
3 mashed bananas

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mix baking soda into milk
3. Cream butter and sugar
4. Add egg yolks and vanilla
5. Alternate adding flour and bananas (I sifted my flour into the mixer)
6. Stir in milk
7. Beat egg whites until stiff, fold into batter

Fill 2/3 full and bake 15-18 minutes. Let cool completely.


Fluffernutter Frosting:
1/2 creamy peanut butter
1 8oz. jar Marshmallow Fluff
1/3 c. softened butter
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk

1. Beat peanut butter, fluff and butter until smooth and creamy
2. Alternate adding powdered sugar and milk (Again I sifted the PS into the mixer)
3. Add vanilla

*I should note that after I frosted the cupcakes I put them in the refrigerator to set the frosting since my apartment was about 80 after having the oven on.

  

Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes

So I was trying a new chocolate cupcake recipe. When I took them out of the oven they were more like brownies. They were a delicious surprise!!

I used a recipe from the Primrose Bakery for both the cupcake and the buttercream, however I did add more butter and less powdered sugar.

Cupcakes:
4 oz bittersweet chocolate
6 tbsp butter
3/4 c packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs separated
1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 c 2% milk
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 375
Melt chocolate in microwave or in double boiler
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy
Beat egg yolks in separate bowl for several minutes
Slowly add egg yolks
Add melted chocolate
Sift dry ingredients together
Add vanilla to milk
Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk to the butter batter, starting and ending with dry ingredients
Beat egg white in a separate bowl until soft peaks form
Fold egg whites into batter
Bake for 18-22 minutes
Let cool for 10 minutes before removing to wire rack

Buttercream Frosting:
6 oz bittersweet chocolate
1 c (2 sticks) butter
1 tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c powdered sugar

Melt chocolate in microwave o in double boiler
Beat butter, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla
Add chocolate and beat until thick fluffy consistency, this can take up to 10 minutes

**I used 3 sticks of butter and only 2 cups of powdered sugar

Teaching VS Cupcakes

My dream is to open my own cupcake shop/bakery. Since I was a little girl, I wanted to teach. When researching the two I decided that teaching would have to support me until I could afford to open my shop. With one year left of school, I am now rethinking my decision.

I have become increasing aggravated with my school and schooling to the point where I am less motivated to become a teacher. I am dreading starting in the fall, which should be really exciting; I am supposed to start student teaching this fall. However, I have not received my placement and will be weeks behind everyone else going out into the field. Yet another severe let down from my college. My classes this summer are yet another set of classes that repeat the same stuff and contain things that I will never use. It is also another summer where I am paying $100 an hour to have my teacher run off on tangents unrelated to the topic flowing into 45+ minutes of hypothetical situation story time. On top of all of this, me and my husband have moved in with his parents to save money for a house. This is very difficult being that I cannot work while student teaching, as that is a full time job.

With all of this, I have been temped to find a full time job and start working on my cupcake business. Today, instead of working on pointless irrelevant homework, I have been researching small business regulations in my area. I feel so excited and motivated. I haven't had this much motivation since I moved away for college. Everyone is telling me to stick with the last year so I at least have a four year degree and something to fall back on if my business fails. I do understand the logic behind this, however I am having a very hard time finding the focus to continue on at the level of performance I expect of myself.

Am I just getting nervous for starting a career? Am I supposed to teach? Am I supposed to bake? Am I just frustrated with my schools lack of communication and organization leading to chaotic irrelevant repeated teaching methods? Should I continue with my original plan? After 4 years and huge life changes, is it time for a revaluation and new plan? This is the perfect time for life's magic-eight-ball, anybody have one I could borrow?

Good News

So me and the hubby have decided to move back in with his parents for a while. As soon as we decided to move we told our land lord and our apartment was rented the next day! I was so happy we wouldn't have to worry about the place not getting rented while we were still paying the rent. I was able to get into the urban block section for school so all of my classes will be 10 minutes away rather than an hour. I am also guaranteed an after school job at one of the schools I will be at!! I truly feel like everything is working out and I am able to be closer to family.

I am a little sad to be leaving my FABULOUS apartment, but the neighbors at the new place aren't so bad. ; ) I hope I can keep up with my baking, which I am now noticing that I have not been posting, and return to my blog. I feel like I have not done as much with this as I have wanted to, but my goal is to improve my blogging as I go into this very exciting time.

Getting married = less money!?!

I have one year left at college. Kids and a house are in my future. Now how to make this happen? We can no longer afford to live in our apartment : ( it is so beautiful!! Being that I lost my job and cannot afford my rent I now have to pay money to leave my apartment and possibly still pay the rent if they don't re-rent it! How am I supposed to know they are trying to get it rented as long as they know I still will have to pay the rent? Anyway, we have decided to move in with my husband's parents for a while, at least until I graduate. We were hoping to save money for a house, but after completing my financial I have found out that I will be responsible for almost all if not all of it!!! GRRRR Being that I was laid off and I cannot find work that matches my school schedule or work load that will allow for this I am unsure of how this whole paying for school and saving for a house is going to go? How do they really expect a couple to pay for college and live independently on on one persons salary? ( I say that because I am student teaching which is 40+ hours teaching in the classroom) After rent, insurance, bills and other living expenses we have no money anyway, let alone another $7,000+ a year. Are we really going to have to live with his parents for two years?! On top of that we were planning on starting our family before then; not sure how that is going to happen with no money and no house!?  Quitting school, working full time and starting a cupcake shop is sounding like a really good idea now!!!


Sorry for my rant and I know there are many more people in my same boat; I just needed to release some anxiety while I try to figure things out. But really, How do they expect you to pay for college when your schedule is more than a full time job?

New Beginnings

I am so excited for what is in my near future. In one week when I return from spring break I will be back in the classroom!!! I so miss being in the classroom with students. After extended absences like this, I know that is where I belong and I can't wait until I have my own classroom. I also have my nephew's 1st birthday in a couple of days! He is getting so BIG. I can't believe one year ago I was sitting outside the delivery room hearing his first cries and holding his perfect little self for the first time. Now he is walking, talking and babblin' away. Love you Noodle, OXOXOX
 

Wedding 1/15/2011

I married my hubby this January on the 15th. We had a 10am ceremony followed by a lunch reception at Edinburgh USA in Brooklyn Park. Our bridal party consisted of: my sister, his sister, my best friend, his best friend, his brother-in-law, my brother, my nephew and his niece. Later that evening, we went to Two Stooges bar and pool hall for the after party.

Mrs. Hoff

Yesterday I married the man of my dreams and I became Mrs. Hoff!! I will have more info and pictures to follow.

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