I've decided to take part in the Crossfit 100 Day Burpee Challenge 2010. Call me crazy, but by the end of this adventure I hope to be much much stronger in my push ups. The challenge goes as follows: Jan 1 - 1 burpee, Jan 2 - 2 burpee's, Jan 3 - 3 burpee's...until the 100th day when I'll do 100 burpee's.
Definition of a burpee:
1) Begin in a squat position with your hands on the floor in front of you,
2) Kick your feet back into a plank while simultaneously lowing yourself into a push up,
3) Immediately return your feet to the squat position while simultaneously pushing up with your arms,
4) Leap up as high as you can from the squat position.
...and that's 1 burpee
1.01.2010
12.30.2009
A for absolute melt in your mouth goodness!
I did it! I successfully baked my Lemon Bars!
The crust, composed of all purpose flour, powdered sugar, a dash of salt and 1 stick of unsalted butter...all mashed together to only be mashed into the pan and chilled in the fridge for 30 min before baking.
Next, the filling, and I'm armed with one of my favorite and most used kitchen aids! The spatula!
The filling consisted of 2/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/4 of lemon zest, 1 cup of sugar, 7 egg yolks, 2 full eggs and half a stick of butter. This mixed was warmed on med/high temp stove top until it thickened into a sauce that reached 170 degrees. Then the thickened mixture was sifted once through to leave behind the lemon zest before adding in 3 tbs of heavy cream to the mixture and then immediately poured into the warmed crust that was baking for 20 minutes.
Once all added, then baked for an additional 10-15 minutes...
removed from the oven and cooled for 45 minutes before adding the final touches...
The filling consisted of 2/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/4 of lemon zest, 1 cup of sugar, 7 egg yolks, 2 full eggs and half a stick of butter. This mixed was warmed on med/high temp stove top until it thickened into a sauce that reached 170 degrees. Then the thickened mixture was sifted once through to leave behind the lemon zest before adding in 3 tbs of heavy cream to the mixture and then immediately poured into the warmed crust that was baking for 20 minutes.
Once all added, then baked for an additional 10-15 minutes...
removed from the oven and cooled for 45 minutes before adding the final touches...
More powdered sugar!!!
All in all these were fun to make and I was totally surprised how good they tasted in the end. Better than any other lemon bar I've tasted before (sorry ma). :)
who likes cupcakes anyways? pshhh!
So now that I know my cupcakes from scratch failed miserably yet gracefully...I shall take a step back and try something perhaps a bit easier...the Lemon Bar! Thanks to my new bible baking cookbook, Baking Illustrated, I shall conquer the Lemon Bar!
By the way, did you know that picking the right kind of flour for your recipe can often times make or break your end product? It's all about the protein content in the flour needed for that particular recipe...who knew!?
12.28.2009
wanna buy a duck?
Roughly 2.5 weeks around Christmas 09...
Caught! in one of those department store mirror/security cameras while xmas shopping for the kids downtown.
Post-shopping sushi time at our favorite Ballard spot, Sam's Sushi :)
perfect angels...pshhh!
The annual Oltman's/Ott's take over downtown for Zak's birthday trip. Sooo why is it again that Shan had to ride in the trunk downtown when there's a 13 year old in the car...something doesn't seem right here.
mom being "the mule" while we all take a spin on the carousel
Gotcha!
...thrilled
Christmas eve dinner with the Oltman's...now that's what I call a bottle-o-wine!
Sunset Christmas eve night in Edmonds
mama bear
papa bear (in all his glory with his specially shipped Tasty Cakes from PA)
YUM!
I like presents
...a lot
Cupcake adventure for the bday party - before
don't hate on my ensemble 
go little guys, go!
so proud, night one done!
up and at 'em, time to make the frosting!
whisk, whisk, whisk...and more whisking.
something went wrong with the frosting, my egg whites and sugar never "peaked" as they should have and it tasted like a bowl of butter (perhaps that had something to do with the 4 sticks of butter). To top it off, the cupcakes turned out dense and not so moist as expected for buttermilk cupcakes... oh well, it was my first go at homemade cupcakes from scratch.
my creation...
...and what they were supposed to turn out as :P
Gotcha!
...thrilled
Christmas eve dinner with the Oltman's...now that's what I call a bottle-o-wine!
Sunset Christmas eve night in Edmonds
mama bear
papa bear (in all his glory with his specially shipped Tasty Cakes from PA)
YUM!
I like presents
...a lot
Cupcake adventure for the bday party - before
don't hate on my ensemble
go little guys, go!
so proud, night one done!
up and at 'em, time to make the frosting!
whisk, whisk, whisk...and more whisking.
The after picture...
something went wrong with the frosting, my egg whites and sugar never "peaked" as they should have and it tasted like a bowl of butter (perhaps that had something to do with the 4 sticks of butter). To top it off, the cupcakes turned out dense and not so moist as expected for buttermilk cupcakes... oh well, it was my first go at homemade cupcakes from scratch.
my creation...
...and what they were supposed to turn out as :P
Instead we ventured to Top Foods only to buy box cake mix for the bday party...the kids clearly didn't care in the end
the bday girl with her bday kiss from nana :)
wait for it...
the terrible 3's, no really
get it girl!
Shan and her ma (so stinkin cute!)
she likes presents too :)
pig pile as the night ended. All and all a fabulous Christmas season 09...next up, New Years!
the bday girl with her bday kiss from nana :)
wait for it...
the terrible 3's, no really
get it girl!
Shan and her ma (so stinkin cute!)
she likes presents too :)
pig pile as the night ended. All and all a fabulous Christmas season 09...next up, New Years! Hello 2010.
12.18.2009
12 Days Of Crossfit 09
gutted out in order like the Christmas song...
1. 100 yard run
2. bear crawls
3. second handstand holds
4. clean and jerks
5. dive bomber push-ups
6. hanging knees to elbows
7. KB swings
8. hanging leg raises
9. ring dips
10. squat thrusts
11. pull ups
12. rocket pistols
my time: 31 min 13 sec
(then some 100lbs tire drags to top off the workout, you know, just because)
1. 100 yard run
2. bear crawls
3. second handstand holds
4. clean and jerks
5. dive bomber push-ups
6. hanging knees to elbows
7. KB swings
8. hanging leg raises
9. ring dips
10. squat thrusts
11. pull ups
12. rocket pistols
my time: 31 min 13 sec
(then some 100lbs tire drags to top off the workout, you know, just because)
12.15.2009
welcome winter and the runny nose that comes with it
Lake Tapps frozen winter tundra
What better use of a chilly December day than to make tasty baked goods!
Shan's 'famous' banana bread recipe
Chocolate covered pretzels and oreo's for days
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