5th Year Blogoversary

It would seem that I let my 5 year blogoversary come and go without any remembrance, which is silly because I scheduled a draft for last Wednesday. Yet here I am, 5 days later, finally writing a post, and wondering how I let that slip my mind. So to commemorate the five years of The Prose of an Electrate Mind, I’d like to share a video with all of you.

Share

#FoodieFriday Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

Last week I promised my daughter that if she behaved in school we’d bake cupcakes. She complied, so I invited her into the kitchen to bake some peppermint mocha cupcakes.

Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes (Adapted from Healthy Indulgences [Yes, I love playing with this recipe!])

1 can of drained, rinsed black beans
5 large eggs
2 tsps peppermint extract
1/2 tsp salt
3/8 cup coconut oil (or butter or oil of your choosing)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tbsp instant coffee granules
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Put the beans, 3 eggs, extract, and salt into the food processor. Puree that mixture for a good two minutes. Add the remaining two eggs, oil, and sugar. Puree for another minute or so. Add the dry ingredients. Puree it until smooth and combine. Pour the batter into a lined cupcake pan (trust me — now is NOT the time to skimp on the cupcake liners!). Put the pan in the oven for 20 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool before frosting.

Peppermint Mocha Frosting

1 stick of butter (8tbsps, 4oz), sliced
1 cup melted mint chocolate pieces
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp coffee extract

Cream the butter and melted chocolate until smooth. Add the sugar, cocoa, and extract. Whip until smooth and fluffy. Frost your cupcakes.

peppermintmocha

Share

#ThankfulThursday Birthdays & Halloween

Tuesday was my birthday, yesterday was Halloween, and Saturday is my youngest’s birthday. This week is always a lot of fun for our family. I’m always grateful to have cake, dress up, and have lots of fun. I may be getting older, but I’m of the opinion that one is never too old for cake, candy, and dressing up. I’m also of the opinion that giving children a good example helps them grow into fun loving individuals. Seeing them learn how to enjoy life fills my heart with joy and gratitude. I also appreciate the warm, fuzzy feelings I get from seeing my littlest’s reactions to his cake and presents. I think I enjoy his birthday more than my own because his little face just lights up with such happiness.

I’m also feeling thankful for the month of November. I’ll be attempting to participate in National Novel Writing Month. I plan to write a series of shorties — “small stones” — with the hopes of reaching a novel length. My first eBook didn’t go over as well as I’d have liked, but November brings the chance for a new opportunity. December brings even more opportunity. I start my December Cultivate 2012 prompt series. For the entire month of December I’ll be evaluating my life and planning for my future. I’m very excited about it, and I’m even more excited to share this experience with my readers. If you’d like to review the prompt list on November 30th and daily prompts throughout December, you can subscribe to the mailing list: eepurl.com/pRFHb. I may even spruce up my webpage for Cultivate 2012. Admittedly, I’m a bit more about utility anyway.

Share