Balloon Love
Oh, yes–we’ve done this up-by-the-crack-of-dawn, 4th of July, balloon festival thing since the caveman days. I can prove it too–check HERE and HERE…and…oh, that’s enough. Just trust me.
But THIS time the “crack of dawn” meant 5:45am instead of our usual 6:30am wake-up call.
We were determined to get there BEFORE all the balloons were in the air.
Please be amazed at all these adorable smiling faces–so very, very early in the morning!
Of course our beloved fruit pizza breakfast could have something to do with it! We are, I’m afraid–hopeless traditionalists and once something is in our celebration routine–it ain’t never coming out. :}
We had a bit more of a wait for the balloons to fill because the skies were so cloudy that the officials were nervous about lightning and wind.
We were forced to content ourselves with whatever means were available to us.
Such good sports on this silly, chilly morning.
At last, at last–a few brave souls began torching up their balloons…
all around us.
Oooooh–ooooOOh. Haven’t seen THIS guy before. Spoooky!
We spotted some of our dear friends in the crowd too–what a lovely surprise!
Who knew that there were so many crazy early-bird people in the world?
There’s just something about a field of gigantic balloons that make you feel very small and peaceful…even in a crowd.
That is, of course, until the wind kicks up and they all start deflating…
and blowing over on everyone! It was actually kinda funny–everyone running and yelling as the big things were flapping down on us. Sorry–no pictures. Too busy running!
In a matter of minutes the entire park was emptied of any sign of balloons. Gone. Just like that.
I have a feeling that this event, for us anyway, doesn’t have as much to do with the balloons as you might think. Seriously–you know our motto…
Any. Excuse. To. Play.
Heh.
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Summerfest 2011…
is coming.
Yep, the signs are positively everywhere…
Roustabouts putting up there rides…
then testing them out.
Bleachers being set up to get a better view of the parade…
or watching those who are perfectly happy to watch everything from the ground level set up “camp.”
One the best signs that our favorite event–Summerfest– is coming soon is..
the official “claiming of a half city block” in the name of two sisters, 1 brother and all their kids.
I know, I know…it starts on Saturday and we have our blankets down on Thursday morning. It may seem early to you, but we do what we must to make sure nobody…I mean nobody–takes our special spot.
So if you go out on Saturday, and you see us, be sure to say hi. I promise, rain, sleet, snow or sunshine…
we’ll be there–so stay tuned!
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Parting With the Tree
A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from our lives.
A simple, special, memorable moment.
A moment I want to pause, savor and keep close to my heart.
If you are inspired to do the same–leave us a link in the comments.
Happy winter weekend my friends!
Steamed Chocolate Pudding…
…with Caramel Sauce…AND a giveaway. That’s what I said.
Oh baby–the room is starting to spin. Grab something stable and hold on.
For some odd reason, I’ve been fascinated by the idea of making real Plum Pudding–you know just to see if it tastes like…dirt, or if it’s actually good. Now, it takes a special pan to make traditional Plum Pudding, so, I’ve been on the look-out for just such a pan for many years. Finally, after checking each holiday season, at Williams Sonoma–at last, at last, they had one. But, fortunately for all of us–the recipe included with the pan was for “Steamed Chocolate Pudding with Caramel Sauce.”
Oh my…oh my. Are you sitting down? Rock beats scissors. Paper beats rock. Chocolate beats just about anything–but certainly…plum.
Dude.
Steamed Chocolate Pudding with Caramel Sauce
Ingredients:
9 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
9 Tbsp. butter, cut up
6 eggs, separated
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/2 Tbsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup caramel sauce
whipped cream
Directions:
Grease a steamed pudding mold. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler and allow to cool. Beat the egg yolks and brown sugar on high speed for about 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add vanilla, cooled chocolate and salt and beat until combined–about 1 minute. Transfer mixture into another bowl.
In a clean, dry bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a clean whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly add the granulated sugar and beat until medium-firm peaks form–about 4 minutes.
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whites and the chocolate mixture together until no whites are visible. Sift the flour over the batter and fold in until well blended. Pour the mixture into the greased mold. Place the lid securely on top.
Next, set the mold on an inverted colander or steam rack, set in a large pot. Fill the pot with water to come halfway up the sides of the mold. Cover the pot, and set over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 40 minutes.
Remove mold from pan and let cool on wire rack for about 10 minutes. Uncover the mold and pour caramel sauce over the pudding. Let cool in the mold for another 30 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate and…
and serve warm.
Hot dang.
We loved this so much–especially the Bald Kid and I–that I can’t bear not to have a partner in-steamed-pudding-crime. Therefore my friends–I’m giving away a true, live, steamed pudding pan to one lucky reader–on Friday at 10:00 am…sharp. To enter, leave me a comment on this post. In fact, I’ll give you one entry for each comment you leave on any previous post–from this moment on. Ha ha! Comments for EVERYone!
Steamed Chocolate Pudding...
Ingredients
- 9 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 9 Tbsp. butter, cut up
- 6 eggs, separated
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- 1-1/2 Tbsp. vanilla
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup + 1 Tbsp flour
- ½ cup caramel sauce
- whipped cream
Instructions
- Grease a steamed pudding mold.
- Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler and allow to cool.
- Beat the egg yolks and brown sugar on high speed for about 4 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add vanilla, cooled chocolate and salt and beat until combined–about 1 minute.
- Transfer mixture into another bowl.
- In a clean, dry bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a clean whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Slowly add the granulated sugar and beat until medium-firm peaks form–about 4 minutes.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whites and the chocolate mixture together until no whites are visible.
- Sift the flour over the batter and fold in until well blended.
- Pour the mixture into the greased mold.
- Place the lid securely on top.
- Next, set the mold on an inverted colander or steam rack, set in a large pot.
- Fill the pot with water to come halfway up the sides of the mold.
- Cover the pot, and set over medium high heat.
- Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook for 40 minutes.
- Remove mold from pan and let cool on wire rack for about 10 minutes.
- Uncover the mold and pour caramel sauce over the pudding.
- Let cool in the mold for another 30 minutes.
- Invert onto a serving plate and… and serve warm.