GAME NIGHT

Last night was game night. We had some friends over to host our first "party" since we've been married. Thanks to Michelle for the Chicken Salad and French Fry Casserole recipes. The game of the night was Trivial Pursuit - girls against boys. The girls won. More game nights to come. We have so many more games to break out. I forgot to take pictures of game play, but I did get this one of our friend's adorable daughter and our adorable rabbit, who we call Monkey, which is quite confusing when you are still learning your animals. :)

We have a new table!

Thank you Bed Bath & Beyond and to all our friends and family who gave us gift cards. We have this awesome gate-leg table that folds to a tiny size. And it stores four chairs in the base. Awesome!

Brunch Date and Walk on the Hudson

One Stuck Duck!

Last night I went to a film premiere. For a film that my husband Rob Powers and a group of his friends made. It all started in June, when they entered a 72 hour film festival, which means that they had 72 hours to create a film from concept to final. This got the creative juices flowing, and they already had the Production Company name (One Stuck Duck) and they set about making a second film, which has been in production for the last two months. Monday night, or maybe really early Tuesday morning, the film was complete. Just in time for last nights showing at Blondie's East Side. There were around 100 friends who showed up for the screening. Check out this post for info on the first film. It is a challenge for animators to keep working at jobs that pay, but to also do their own creative projects on the side. I'm hoping they stick to it, and more films will follow.

Favor Recipes

I've had a couple of requests for the recipe of what was IN the favor jars from our wedding. So I'm going to post how to make the jar mixes here. I found all of the recipes on this website.

For our favors I chose two muffin mixes and two pancake mixes, which are posted below. The website has many more options for pancakes and muffins and a whole host of food items to choose from. They make really nice hostess or christmas gifts too.

Cappuccino Chocolate Chunk Muffin Mix

2 cups flour
1 cup BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup GENERAL FOODS INTERNATIONAL COFFEES, any flavor
2-1/2 tsp. CALUMET Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Grease or line muffin pan with papers. Beat 1 egg in large bowl; stir in 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted. Empty contents of bag into bowl. Stir just until moistened.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan, filling each cup 2/3 full.

Bake at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Makes 1 dozen.

Walnut Chocolate Chip Muffins
Because this mixture doesn't quite fill up the quart jar, it isn't necessary to pack the layers down as tightly as usual.

Layer in a clean 1 quart jar the following:
2 c. flour, mixed with 2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1/3 c. granulated sugar
2/3 c. chocolate chips
1/3 c. coarsely chopped walnuts (OR macadamia, pecans)

ATTACH RECIPE TO JAR:
To make Walnut Chocolate Chip Muffins:

Spoon out walnuts & chocolate chips into small bowl. In a large bowl, empty remaining contents of jar and stir together until well blended. In a third bowl, stir together:

2/3 c. milk
1/2 c. butter, melted (allow to cool before mixing)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

Make a well in center of the dry ingredients. Add milk mixture and stir just to combine. Fold in chocolate chips & walnuts. Spoon batter into either greased or lined muffin cups (about 2/3 full).

Bake 15-20 minutes. Test for
doneness with toothpick. Cool 5 minutes before removing from muffin cups.

Makes 12 muffins.

Gingerbread Pancake Mix

1 C. cake flour
1 C. all purpose flour
7 T. buttermilk powder
4 T. sugar
2 t. ground ginger
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. ground cloves
1 C. white chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients. Transfer to a decorative jar.

Attach a recipe card with these directions to the Gingerbread Pancake Mix:

Place mix in a large bowl. Add:
1 3/4 C. water
6 T. melted butter
1/4 C. molasses
2 eggs

Blend until just combined. Pour batter 1/4 C. at a time, in a hot skillet, to make the pancakes. Cook pancakes, turning once, about 2 minutes.

Yield: 20 pancakes

Cinnamon-Brown Sugar Pancake Mix

3 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Sift all the ingredients together into a container and continue mixing until well blended. Pour into a jar.

Card:
Cinnamon-Brown Sugar Pancakes:
Beat one egg in a medium bowl and add 3/4 cup milk and 3 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add 1-1/4 cup of mix until moistened. The batter will still be lumpy -- do not over mix. Cook on a hot, lightly greased pancake griddle over medium heat.

Corona Park and a Museum

Rob and I had an eventful Labor Day weekend. On Friday we happened to have the day off, so we went up to Brewster to visit Rob's mom and to pick up one Mr. Theodore Monkey. The monkey is happy to be home.

Saturday we started what I hope will be a fall of museum going. We went to the American Museum of Natural History. Is it bad that I chose this museum because we recently watched "Night at the Museum" from our blockbuster queue? We spent most of our time on the second floor looking at Asian Mammals and Peoples. I read way to much about all the religions and had to catch up with Rob who had moved into the next wing. We did a quick trip up to the fourth floor to visit the dinosaurs. This immediately explained why the first half of our visit was so peaceful. All of the kids who we saw in the lobby were looking at dino bones. I think its that roaring that gets them. A quick loop through the Ocean Life room to see the whale and squid and home for us. All in all a good visit. I'm not sure what museum is next on our list. I need to research what exhibits are out. But the Guggenheim, and free MoMA Fridays are on the list.

Monday we went out to Corona Park. It is not just home to Shea Stadium and the US Open. It is also home to the buildings of the 1964 World's Fair, the New York Hall of Science, the Queens Zoo and Botanical Garden, and a Carousel.

Here is Rob in front of the globe. You recognize it.

Crazy Space things from the World's Fair.

On the carousel.

This is our fourth carousel. (The first 3: Bronx Zoo, Central Park, Playland)