Coconut Poke Cake

Yes, it's as good as it sounds.

Tonight I had my parents over for dinner. It's like 19 degrees today so I wanted to make tasty comfort food.  On the menu was my version of stuffed cabbage.  Sweeties family is Polish...100%.  We look forward to Christmas dinner every year because it means we get FRESH Polish Kielbasa (I now refuse to eat anything made by Hillshire Farm), stuffed cabbage (insert Polish name here that I can pronounce, but NOT spell) and lots of other things made from the recipes of his grandmothers.

I have to say it came out much better that I expected!  *Pats self on back*  They took a little longer to cook than I thought, but I think the grandmas would be quite proud of their non-Polish granddaughter-in-law (to be) :o) Also made some potato pancakes...YUM!!  Honestly, I could eat potatoes any which way and be happy!  But the best part of the meal is always dessert.  So here is the recipe for Coconut Poke Cake from allrecipes.com (frosting recipe is my aunts)...

Your favorite brand of White cake mix

1 14 oz. Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 14 oz. Can Cream of Coconut (I only found 15 oz, so I didn't use all of it)

Frosting Recipe to Follow

Prepare cake according to directions.  Mix condensed milk and cream of coconut together.  As soon as cake comes out of the oven, pour this mixture all over the cake.  Let cool completely then frost.

Frosting:

1 c milk

5 tbsp. flour

Heat and stir over medium heat until very thick (kind of like paste...smells weird at this stage, but I promise it gets better!).  Transfer to bowl and put in fridge until completely cooled.

1/2 c shortening

1/2 c butter or margarine

1 c sugar

1-2 tsp coconut extract (depending on your taste)

Mix all ingredients, including milk/flour mixture from earlier on high for 10 minutes and VIOLA!

This frosting can literally be flavored with anything you like.  It's my favorite!!

 

 

I also toasted some coconut in the oven at 350 for a few minutes.  Until it's as brown as you like it.

It was so good!  I will totally make this again...Ooh, probably for Easter!  Guess what I'm having for breakfast tomorrow!?!  OK, maybe not, I have a dress to fit in to!

I Survived My First Weekend Alone

It wasn't THAT bad. 

I slept through the night on day 1 (on sweeties side of the bed of course).  But I think it was because I didn't force myself to go to sleep until well after 1 a.m.  Made sure the door was locked 10 or 12 times and that my house phone and cell phone were on the pillow next to me.  The last 2 nights were just OK.  Not sure what it was, but I woke up a lot. 

I had my sleep over with my sister and niece last night.  It was fun...we made foam picture frames decorated with glittery flowers and sparkling crystals, cooked a yummy roasted chicken for dinner, watched Julia & Julia and ate my sisters cupcakes...they were to DIE FOR.  And inhaled any and all junk food in site.  Made sure to fit in a work out after they left to try and balance it all out, lol.

This is my last night alone.  I cleaned up the house, did some laundry and planned dinner for when he gets home tomorrow.  Can't wait to give him a big hug and a kiss when he walks through the door! 

This is after our craft session, staring down my victim and the aftermath:

 

We also got some boutonniere's done, pictures soon!!

Sleeping Alone

Tonight will be the first time I get the bed to myself since we moved in together a little over 3 years ago.  Sweetie is going on an ice fishing trip up north for the weekend.  I've never been the clingy type, I have no problem with him going away, but I don't want to sleep in the house all by myself!  It's very comfortable to know that your big strong man is asleep next to you and there isn't much to worry about.  I tend to be a bit paranoid sometimes. 

So to ease my mind, I am making him show me how to load the gun.  I know a lot of people who are anti-gun, but I am not.  I grew up around them and was always taught gun safety...I've just never shot anything bigger than an air rifle!  But should I start to panic if an intruder gets into my house, I have no problems clubbing someone to death WITH the gun...you do what you have to.  ;o)

Who knows, I may wake up tomorrow morning and love the fact that I can sleep in the middle of the bed without him shoving me back to my spot.  Come to think of it, it will be rather nice to not have to shove him over to get him to stop snoring.  This could be total bliss!  LOL

My sister and niece are coming over on Saturday for a sleepover.  Hopefully she and I can get some more wedding invitations done.  We did a lot of rubber stamping last weekend and just have to put everything together!  Oh, and I still don't have a map card, but I'll get to it.

 

I Used to Hate Winter

Not so much anymore, tho.  Sweetie and I really enjoy being outside whenever the mood strikes us.  We get all bundled up, put our boots on and take in the fresh air.

On Monday, we decided to head over to the lake that his parents live on...and lucky us...Someone already cleared a rink!  Last year we dragged the snow blower out so we wouldn't be out there till dark shoveling. 

Now, I am no NHL All-star .  I literally started skating when my sweetie taught me how...3 years ago.  But give me a stick and a puck and I can be out there all day.  My sweetie on the other hand is awesome on skates.  He played ice hockey for years growing up and the passion hasn't left him.  But honestly, does he really have to be that good at EVERYTHING?!  I must admit tho, he's damn sexy when he's doing something he loves.

We stayed out until my toes were frozen and I ran out of tissues (can't get rid of this cold I've had since Xmas).  Then went back to his parents for some hot chocolate.   It was great to just be together and enjoy a beautiful day...even when it's below freezing.  :o)  Ask me in another month if I still love the winter...

Wow...

I...am a terrible Blogger!

Maybe it's just because I don't have much to report on, and that's an OK thing I guess. 

Holidays were great, Santa was good to me, and it is now January 8th, and I still plug my Christmas tree in when we eat dinner, I just can't seem to let the Christmas magic go yet!

I don't really do New Years Eve, BUT, this year, sweetie and I somehow managed to stay awake to tell eachother how excited we are that this is the year we get married!!  A little less than 5 months to go now!  I have to get crackin' on making my invites, boutonnires (sp?) and table numbers.  Mom and I made a trip to Michael's last night for silk flowers (Woo!  1/2 off sale!), but when I got them home they were too big for the beaded accent leaves that I had made to match my flowers.  So it's back to the drawing board.

We're moving right along and I can't wait!!  We've had so much fun planning and it's coming down to it.  I think we'll be calm, we are very "go with the flow" type of people.  He'd never tolerate a Bridezilla, and I know I don't have it in me to act that way, so it works out well for both of us, haha!

Hopefully I'll update this more.  I can't wait to show off some of my wedding projects in the coming months!! 

Sending you all Love and Happieness in this New Year!!