By Lisa Gutierrez on 11/01/2010 This is probably the least-Halloweenish cupcake ever (minus the awesome Martha Stewart cupcake liners I got on sale the day before)! However, it’s the only part of the day my husband requested. And not even directly. That guy can’t make a food decision to save his life! But he did say it was one of his favorites and I really wanted to try it, so I made them.
I originally planned to turn them into cute owls or scary werewolves, with candy and piped frosting and blah blah blah. I’m pretty gnarly at planning and ended up making the frosting while cooking dinner, so needless to say, I ran out of time. They still looked pretty sweet–
I got this recipe from my aunt. It’s the one she uses when she makes this enormous german chocolate bunny cake every Easter. It.is.scruuuuumptious!
Ingredients:
1 egg
5 1/3 oz can of evaporated milk
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
dash of salt
1 1/3 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions
In a saucepan, beat egg lightly. Stir in milk, sugar, butter, and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat for 12 minutes, or until thick and bubbly. Stir in coconut and pecans. Cool thoroughly, then spread on cake (or cupcakes!)
I would double for layer cakes. I was only able to frost about 12-13 cupcakes.
If you try the recipe, I hope you like it! October had 2 cupcakes because I accidentally skipped a month somewhere! I’m all caught up and brainstorming ideas for November’s cupcake recipe. Any suggestions??
p.s.! don’t forget to enter my giveaway, lovelies!
By Lisa Gutierrez on 10/25/2010 
My sewing machine and I are about to be worked sweatshop style. No, really. I’m doing some crazy work (to help someone else) and so I’m going to be absent for a bit (again). Forgive me? I’m going to list some duo-tone slouch hats to the shop late tonight.
I’d rather be sitting on my little loveseat, making things with yarn.
I made a doily-like lap blanket about 2 weeks ago. it’s the perfect size for covering up legs when I get chilly at night. It’s pretty, no?
By Lisa Gutierrez on 10/17/2010 The lovely Debra Parker of the sunshine chronicles has been giving weekend photo challenges the past couple of weeks. This weekend’s challenge is stripes! I always see the challenges and make a mental note to do them, but then….the note disappears in my brain (it is like SO vast and full of amazing thoughts!) and I view her posts on Monday and feel bad that I can’t contribute.
SO! I did this one early. I was on the lookout for stripes from the moment I woke up.
the first ones I saw were shadows on the wall. Then, I slowly looked around and noticed the ones on my bookcase.
These Polaroid photos remind me that the next time I’m at a yarn store, I need to pick up a few balls in these colors. Polaroid-inspired aghan, anyone? Oh yes.
Moving along outside. This is a few hours later. The mission is to tucker out these kiddos. Just let them play outside. All.Day.Long. Have I mentioned I love having a backyard? Because I do.
Andrew was wearing my favorite stripes of the day.
Nathan picked up this hat at a thrift store. He likes rainbows, so it was an obvious decision. He used money he got from the tooth fairy! I’ll spare you the photos of the stitches in his mouth. He had 3 supernumerary teeth removed on Thursday. They had to remove his central incisors to access them. They were behind and above (impacted!). That’s 5 teeth in total, guys. I can hear your collective cringe!
He took it to bed with him. He said in case the tooth fairy wants to see what he bought.
I asked him to show me more stripes and he pointed down…
Well duh! He got these shoes about a month ago and they are so worn already! the black little edging at the toe is rubbed off. He wears them everyday to school.
I don’t know if this really qualifies as a stripy photo, but I like the lines, so I’m including it:
There are more and more leaves turning red in our trees. Excitment abounds! Nate spent a good 5 minutes throwing a ball into the tree trying to get one to come down.
The sun sets, the shadows become more pronounced, and my stripe-hunt comes to an end. It was fun! I hope to participate in future challenges. I might have to set up a task reminder in Google. I might forget otherwise.
By Lisa Gutierrez on 10/07/2010 
or muffin.
or bake it in a loaf pan and make bread.
No matter your preferred method of baking, this is by far the BEST pumpkin recipe I’ve come across. The cake is just so moist and spicy and delicious! I took these photos, this morning. Then, I ate two. I still suck at frosting, but WHO THE HECK CARES when the pumpkin is that good? Not I!
I strongly suggest making your own pumpkin puree for this. To be honest, I had never made it before I came across this recipe, a whole 5 years ago. My oldest was just 5 months old, so I couldn’t share them with him, but I totally did a little dance, with a muffin in hand, that made him smile. This morning, I’m happy to report, he approved of these muffins and even took one to school for his teacher! Amazing.
I’m posting this recipe with permission from the author. This is the original link.
Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
1 cup fresh pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 7×3 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans. (I almost forgot, I had about half a cup of raisins leftover from something else, so I tossed them in as well, along with the wet ingredients.)
Bake for about an hour in the preheated oven. Bread is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. //I baked the cupcakes for about 23-24 minutes.
If you click on the original link, there are some simple directions for roasting a pie pumpkin and making your own puree. It’s so easy!
How about a closer photo?
from the top?
You’re welcome.
Now, go make some cupcakes!
By Lisa Gutierrez on 09/29/2010 
with:
-coffee
-my french press
-wool
-crochet
-cross stitch
-finding mugs
-photographing steam
-back-lit photos
-diptychs
Yes, that is a diptych of photos of my french press in its new crocheted sweater made from woolly scraps and my awesome new cross-stitch mug with steam emanating from it in the morning sunlight.
Happy National Coffee Day!
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