the kimistry of cupcakes

After my fabulous encounter with Molly's Cookie Monster cupcake in Chicago, I search the internet trying to find a good recipe for cupcakes with cookie dough filling. This version I tried out this week. Simply make a typical cupcake and drop some frozen cookie dough on top of each cupcake before baking. It was very easy, although may of the cupcakes drooped in the middle. It did appear that the longer you baked them, the less they drooped, but since I hate dry cake, I error on the side of underbaked.

The end result was still delicious. The droopiness could be covered up with icing, and wah-lah yummy cookie dough cupcake. However, still not as good as Molly's. One of the main flaws was that the cookie dough sunk to the bottom of the cupcake. Still doughy, but not exactly the filling like at Molly's. I'm still searching for a better way to acheive the cookie dough filling, and I've got some ideas that I'm going to try next time.

Several people got to try out this first version, and I think people like them. Nick and I had a great dinner date with Silvy. Her husband, James, whipped up some tasty tacos and we had a great time visiting with them! I do have to say nights like tonight make me sad that the move to Dallas is coming up so quickly! April is going to be packed for us with finishing up our classes and getting ready to graduate in early May.

Here's a couple more pictures from our trip to Chicago: Me in front of Cloud Gate, and Nick and I out experience the city's nightlife (one of my favorite pictures of us in a long time!)

Chicago!

Meet the best cupcake i've EVER eaten. The Cookie Monster at Molly's Cupcakes in Chicago. I can't even explain how truly delicious this was...but i'll attempt. It was a moist vanilla cupcake with just a few chocolate chips filled with gooey chocolate chip cookie dough topped with a light buttercream frosting more chocolate chips and a mini cookie. OH MY GOODNESS. Sooo good.

I've committed myself to replicating its goodness.

Otherwise Chicago was a really fun trip. We arrived friday on Amtrak. I've never traveled by train before and it was a lot of fun. Tons of space for each seat with an awesome leg rest and electrical sockets. It takes about as long as driving (minus the traffic) but you can do other things like sleep or work on your thesis.


Nick's brother Cal showed us a great time around the city on Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday. We tasted Spanish tapas, great chinese food, smoothies with tapioca balls (a lot better than it sounds...and I don't even like tapioca pudding), great homemade pork tenderloin.

Hopefully we'll be back up here again soon!

thesis...you never end

Did I say 40 or 50 more pages to go? I've got those done, but its still not done yet! I just want it to end already! Unforunately I've got to finish talking a few things before I can really wrap this thing up....

may graduation...may graduation....

whirlwind

Life is moving so fast! Where did this year go? Nick and I are both busy trying to finish up our masters here so we can move to Dallas and start the next "stage" of our life. I'll be starting my career (eek!) and Nick's looking to start his counseling PhD.

I'm really looking forward to getting off my graduate research pay and on to a salary with all the great benefits...like health care! My job offer with TI still stands, so I'm hoping it makes it until July. With the current economic condition, I know that I'm totally blessed to still have that job offer out there when so many people are losing their own.

Am I going to be able to talk to my kids about what it was like in the Great Depression 2? I really hope not, but the economic conditions in the country look bad. really bad. And our Roth IRA, interest on our money market, and my TI stocks are VERY representative of that. Thankfully we are still young with many working years ahead of us...I feel terrible for those who were hoping to retire in the next 5 years.

What's that? Oh its my thesis calling me back....30 pages down and around another 40-50 to go!