Divine Wine Cupcakes

I am thinking that this would be a great wordless Wednesday post but I want to share the recipe with you because these cupcakes are seriously delicious AND easy to make.

Remember the Friends episode when Rachel makes the trifle and accidentally mixes two recipes together and adds a layer of beef sauteed with peas and onions (I think) and Joey says..."Jam, good. Custard, good. Beef, good."

I promise that there's no beef sauteed with peas and onions in these cupcakes but there is an unusual ingredient...

Zinfandel wine! It's in both the cupcake AND the frosting...thus the blog post title "Divine Wine Cupcakes!"

Here's the recipe for all of you chocolate AND wine lovers!

Zinfandel Cupcakes

Batter
1 box devil's food cake mix (super moist recommended)
3/4 c. water
1/2 c. Zinfandel wine
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 c. miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make cake batter as directed on box using cake mix, water, wine, oil and eggs. Stir in chocolate chips. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about 1/2 full).

Bake 20 to 22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Cool in pans 10 minutes, remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Frosting
6 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. unsweetened baking cocoa
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. Zinfandel wine

In large bowl, beat powdered sugar, butter, cocoa and salt with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Beat in wine. If frosting is too think, beat in more wine a few drops at a time. Frost cupcakes. Garnish with chocolate curls (if desired).

I veered from the recipe in a couple of cases.

I didn't have mini chocolate chips so I used regular chips...however I failed to coat them prior to mixing them into the batter and the chips fell to the bottom of the cupcakes while baking. So I suggest taking a couple of tablespoons of your dry cake mix and tossing it with your chips. This should keep them from dropping to the bottom of your cupcakes!

Second, I just realized as I am typing the recipe that I forgot to add the salt to my frosting...I think it turned out OK.

And...I sifted my powdered sugar and cocoa before mixing them with the butter. I also started with four cups of powdered sugar and a quarter cup of wine and added more of each until I got the consistency and the taste I thought worked best.

I definitely recommend these cupcakes...they'd be great for a girls night in or a bridal shower or a Tuesday night.

iHave a New Obsession

i ordered one of these today...

Source: amazon.com via Megan on Pinterest

And now i have a new past time...hunting iPhone accessories on Pinterest.

It could turn into a full time job.

I'm serious...look at this.

Source: katespade.com via Megan on Pinterest

and what about this pouch...

Source: etsy.com via Megan on Pinterest

i have also found some covers that are just plain fun.

Source: perpetualkid.com via Megan on Pinterest

and what about this one...

Source: photojojo.com via Megan on Pinterest

i'm in love with this...

Source: twelvesouth.com via Megan on Pinterest

There are also some very cool accessories available. The iPhone has a great camera so there are lenses for it!

Source: photojojo.com via Megan on Pinterest

i've seen this one used by celebrities but don't think it's for me...

Source: elledecor.com via Megan on Pinterest

i'm afraid that as rough as i am with my phones this is what i'll have to fashion my cover from...

Source: google.com via Megan on Pinterest

Thankful Thursday: Sweet Baby Niece

I was able to spend some quality one-on-one time with my youngest niece this week.

I saw several Thankful Thursday posts up already and thought that title was appropriate for these two photos.

I think I've said it on here before but I'll say it again. I have always been a sucker for matching/coordinating shirts for my nephews and now I have two nieces just six months apart so the trend continues.

I got the girls matching butterfly costumes for Halloween and I put the little one in hers to see how it fit.

Adorable, right? Just imagine another little girl with the same outfit sitting on the couch next to her...double adorable!

I'm thankful that I have six happy, healthy nephews and nieces AND that they all live within 5 minutes of me.

Floating Down the River

Last week I took a tour of the Ohio River and the McAlpine Locks near Louisville, Ky. for work. Originally we were supposed to float down the river on a barge but at the last minute we switched to the Spirit of Jefferson.

Now, while I have a secret fantasy of floating down the Mississippi on a barge to New Orleans, I wasn't too upset that we made the switch.

It was 90-plus degrees out and the Spirit has air conditioning...and a crew that serves cold soft drinks.

The barge has a canopy and a cooler of pop.

The trip is designed so that participants learn a bit more why the river system is so important to farmers. Quite a bit of our corn and soybeans are shipped on our inland waterways.

It was an enjoyable morning on the water. (I love the river...love being on it or near it NOT in it! Unlike another person on the barge...I do NOT want to reach out and hug the river. I admire it from afar.)

We saw a few barges...

We went under a railroad bridge...

We enjoyed a day on the river...

Linking up to Pinke Post.

Cookies, Clematis and Combines

Cookies

I was craving homemade cookies this weekend and I just watched the second episode of The Pioneer Woman's show on Food Network.

Because of the above, I made these...

I remembered reading about Monster Cookies on one of the blogs I frequent but it was before I started Pinning in and every recipe I may ever want to try. This meant I had to do some searching and I finally came upon PW's recipe on the Tasty Kitchen site.

If you have never used Tasty Kitchen to look up a recipe, I highly recommend it. Lots of great bloggers and others post their favorite recipes there.

Clematis
My sweet autumn clematis has started to bloom!

Can't wait to see it in full bloom!

Combines
As I was driving by the farm (also known as Grandma's house...even though my baby sister and her family live there now) and noticed this...

as sure of a sign that harvest is right around the corner as the turning corn and soybeans in the field around us! We were thinking that harvest was going to be late this year because all the rain this spring caused Dad and other farmers in Indiana to plant late. However, we didn't get much any rain in July and August so the crops have already started to turn. 

Looks as if they either plan to start with soybeans (the bean head is on the combine...the corn head looks more like fingers) OR they are just cleaning it up while they have some time.

Harvest was early last year and it went VERY fast so I only got to ride with Dad once the whole harvest...I'm definitely going to be in the cab more often this year...if I can persuade my nephews to give me a turn in the jump seat!

Those I Visit the Most

August...it's over?

Really?

I'm not sure where it went!

Hello, August, are you out there?

Of course, it WAS 100 degrees on September 1st so while August flew by, summer is still hanging on.

I can say the same thing...I'm hanging on! I worked 27 out of the 31 days of August so I have not been keeping up on my blog reading lately.

Having said that, today's Show Us Your Life theme over at Kelly's Korner is "Show Us Your Favorite Blogs" and that got me thinking.

What blogs did I make an effort to at least glance at during August when I was so busy?

Which blogs do I immediately click on in my blog roll when I see they have a new post?

These are the ones I'm going to feature today...even though I have a dozen more "favorite" blogs. Head over to the Real Farmwives of America Facebook page to see many of those, as well as my blog roll on the right.

So, here we go...in chronological order, here are my "most read" blogs:

1.  The Pioneer Woman...I took a road trip with six other women JUST to meet her. Enough said.

2.  From My Front Porch...I've learned to blog with Jent and we actually live very close to each other - not that I see her more than 4 times a year! Love her humor and realistic look at life - on and off the farm.

via

3.  A Blonde Ambition...This southern girl has style and personality. I really want to ask her if I've waited too long to purchase a pair of leggings! She's getting married very soon and she's taken all of us with her through the process and it's been very fun - be sure to check out her engagement photos.

4.  how i met your father...I totally follow her train of thought and her posts never disappoint.

5.  How Sweet It Is...This one comes to my inbox and I forget it's a blog sometimes. I finally had to start "pinning" her recipes because my inbox was getting full. Of course, I haven't actually MADE any of her recipes yet but I will, I know I will. 
Usually I'm in love with her sweet creations but for some reason this corn chowder with shrimp and bacon is calling to me...

Source: howsweeteats.com via Megan on Pinterest

What are your favorite blogs? Be sure to link up to Kelly's Korner today!

My Excitement is Budding

I'm so excited. 

This is my Sweet Autumn clematis...

Isn't it gorgeous?

Look at all of those potential blooms!

I planted this last summer from a transplant my mom gave me. 

I have always loved clematis. I worked with a lot of different varieties during my summer job in high school working for a nursery. Clematis with large dark purple blooms. Clematis with light purple blooms. Clematis with large white blooms.

But I have not had the chance to enjoy Sweet Autumn clematis before and am so looking forward to sitting on my patio when this is in full bloom!

Do you have flowers that have not yet bloomed yet?

What's your favorite fall flower?