happy new year!

Hey all! Did you miss me? I sure the heck missed you! Almost a month later, and I'm glad to say I'm back in business for whipping up some new recipes and showing off some of my favourite pictures from the holidays. First things first, I made it through exam week at school (barely!), and ventured home to the snowy white northwest where dial-up and a 1,000 population town awaited my arrival.. well, maybe like a dozen of those thousand were waiting for me, but you get the idea. Small. Achingly slow internet. No posting for me! But I'm back, and I'll update you on what's to come for my puny little blog.

First, I tried two new recipes from Ree Drummond's website The Pioneer Woman which failed miserably for me, although looked gorgeous and others got great results. I'll just blame it on my dad's appliances. Nothing to do with my expertise level at all, right? Anyway, check her website out, it's amazing, hilarious and is one of very few websites I visit daily, I love it so much. But even though my pride had been a little hurt from those recipes, I'll keep on keepin' on. For the sake of all things chocolate, I will!

Second, my Christmas wishes came true.. no, I didn't get a car, or a big-ass ring, or tickets to go see a pro hockey game (which my boyfriend did get, the lucky bastard). I got.. wait for it. A KITCHENAID MIXER. How long have I been waiting for this day to come?! Not very long, but I got it. My extreme desire for a new telephoto lens, or even an awesome macro lens, had to wait because, well... I'm broke. So the mixer it is. Can't wait to get busy with it!

I'll quit blabbering here and get to the good stuff.. what I'll be cooking up in the weeks to come, school and funds permitting. My auntie made this awesome chocolate cake over the holidays called Jumpy Monkey, which I'll be attempting my own version of since I'm allergic to bananas. I'll be making a Marble Cheesecake after the remains of my Christmas goodies have been eaten up. I really want some Baked Garlic & Artichoke Dip since my sister was going to make it, but never got the chance to. And maybe some homemade Reese's Peanut Butter Bars when that cheesecake is gone. So loosen up your belts people, it's about to get crazy over here! Love ya's!

-carly-fries