Sunday, October 4, 2009

More Cottage Cheese...and CUPCAKES!

Good morning lovelies! You know, sometimes the only thing that gets me out of bed is the thought of breakfast. I know you can relate! Lately I've had just one thing on my mind: April's Pumpkin Pie in a Bowl. How could you NOT want to try this? (P.S. Don't forget to check out April's NEW site here.)

I started in true April fashion by whipping up some cottage cheese is my food processor until it was a delightfully smooth and creamy texture. I almost at this little pillow of dairy delight just by itself, it looked so good.
But I abated and continued on instead. Mixed with 1/2 c. pumpkin, 1 packet of Sun Crystals, and CINNAMON...it looked so pretty all swirled together, I just had to take a picture.

Dolloped with a spoonful of Bee's Knees...you know I wasn't that impressed with my initial taste of this peanut butter, but it's starting to grow on me. No, I still don't think it tastes like honey, but it does taste delicious...
And topped off with cereal trio: Fiber One (as usual), Quaker Oat Squares and Cinnamon Heart to Heart, plus some banana slices to truly replicate the original.
H-E-A-V-E-N!!! You guys know how much I love cottage cheese, and this is only helping to fuel the obsession! Witness the infatuation here and also here, over at sweet Susan's blog as featured in my guest post.

In fact, guess how many times I've eaten it in the last three days? 8 times. True love baby! I always think to myself that it's too bad that something as yummy as cottage cheese has to have such an unfortunate, unappealing name. It should be called like "refined and cultured dairy droplets" or something...But regardless of what you call it, my adoration has grown thanks to April's addition, which, by the way, I have eaten THREE times in the last three days. It's just that good people. That good. Well done my friend!

April was unsure if this tasted like cheesecake since she's not really a fan, but I can vouch that it tastes almost better than that! It actually reminded me of the Olive Garden's seasonal Pumpkin Cheesecake. I know some ladies that wait all year for that fancy thing. Personally, I would rather concoct my own mess like so. Little tidbit: I used to work at the OG while I was in college. I did take out and it was a pretty decent job, but I can totally live the rest of my life without seeing their food and be perfectly happy.

Speaking of being happy. Thanks again for building me up so wonderfully on my last post. You guys are all so wise and caring, and it's great! I buoy myself with the knowledge that the more I deal with these things now, the more I am able to step into recovery.

Special K had some great thoughts that you may be interested in regarding doughnuts and other office treats here. One doughnut, or two, is not the end of the world, and is not an excuse to hate myself, give in to Ed or otherwise ruin my day/weekend.

I was even able to actually enjoy the time I had planned with my brother, which involved celebrating his birthday with dinner, and yes, CUPCAKES!

My sister and I got these from a little bakery called Mini's in one of our favorite neighborhoods. SLC chicas need to check this place out. To be honest, I have seen cuter cupcakes, but these were by far the best tasting teenies I have ever had. It's always nice when something tastes as good as it looks, or even better.

Obviously I had to have this one. It was chocolate cake with pink cream cheese frosting called "The Diva." Yes, I got it just because it was pink :)

In true Experimentarian style, my sis and I gifted my brother with a new waffle iron and some fun food goodies, including this freaky food find: pancake batter in a can. He was impressed.

Well, it was morning when I started writing this and it's now later in the afternoon, which just goes to show you what kind of a day I'm having. I feel a little badly that I haven't been more productive, but that's what Sundays are for right? I did accomplish taking a loooong shower and partially pedicuring my toes, so I think that counts for something, yes?

Hope you guys had a great weekend and a realxing Sunday as well. xoxo

14 comments:

  1. I'm glad you were able to enjoy your brothers birthday! The icing on those cupcakes looks so pillowy and delicious! The pancake batter in a can makes me laugh!

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  2. Between your adoration of all things pink and obsession with cottage cheese, I'm starting to think that you and I are distant relatives ;)

    I've always wondered if those pancake batter things actually made good pancakes? Your bro needs to fill us in! I saw refrigerated pancakes today - kind of gross? Yes, very.

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  3. I don't really like cottage cheese, but your pics look good enough to make me a convert.
    I'll have to ask my in-laws if they know of Mini's. Those cupcakes look great!

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  4. I have never heard of anyone putting cottage cheese in a food processor before...seriously? I love cottage cheese, but I'm not sure about that one. Then again, you tell me it tastes like cheesecake, and I may be willing to process :)

    Cupcakes are too cute. Why I love mini things, I don't know, but I do!

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  5. I'm actually down in ut. county but you gotta try out 'Nuthin Bunt Cakes' in sandy (by Pei Wei) it is the best cake on the planet... seriously. Their rasberry lemon is my favorite - it's like sweet summer mmmm... ok now I'm hungry - so quick question - have you found a way to use cottage cheese to make plain cheese cake?

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  6. I've used that pancake batter! It's organic and works great for mini Snuffy-sized pancakes. I'm not a fan of Bee's Knees either. I bought some when I couldn't find Mighty Maple but I now have replaced it with Justin's Maple AB instead

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  7. Lol, diva cupcake for a diva!
    I LOVE cottage cheese with pumpkin too! I eat it savory though with salt and pepper, spread it on bread and top it with ham!

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  8. Natalie,
    Plain cheesecake is an easy sub with cottage cheese. Two ways: You can usually find a recipe that calls for ricotta, and you can just sub whipped cottage cheese there. Or, the cheater's/simple snacky version: combine whipped cottage cheese with some sugar free, fat free jello pudding mix in either the vanilla, white chocolate or cheese cake flavors. Add cinnamon, obviously, and sprinkle with some cereal. Ta-dah! Great question :)

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  9. Yay I'm so glad you've tried it! your the first person to try it (that I know of) and I've been dying to know if it's as good as I say it is! LOL. You should send me some of your cottage cheese concoctions.. I've been eating it everyday too!

    And those cupcakes are so darn cute! I've actually never had a fancy cupcake before. Not fair!

    And which link do you have in your reader? That's so strange!

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  10. ummmm this looks SO GOOD! was it sweet enough? my only thing with pumpkin is that i need a bit of sweetener with it otherwise it has a funky taste to me. yay for cottage cheese - when it is all whipped up, it looks so heavenly!

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  11. So fun! Can you help me make a cupcake without an oven?
    http://thespecialktreatment.wordpress.com/ks-cooks/unbake-off/
    Announce on your website to win some bagels!
    (Also! Would you want to share again? There are some essentials I need from the states and can send you German Chocolate!)

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  12. I am totally not into cottage cheese so sadly I cannot rave about your concoction but it does LOOK gorgeous!!
    I heart cupcakes. The end.

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  13. Seriously?! Pancake batter in a can?! That is awesome in a kind of weird way ;) I also so frosting in a can recently (a squirty can). Wow. Crazy!

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