Turning 30

It's true....I am finally 30!!! To celebrate, HC and I did the Lake Powell Tri! It was fun training and I learned how to swim better, not good, just better than before. I can stick my face in the water.

The weather was perfect and the view was amazing on the run and bike. HC ran with balloons next to me and people kept saying "happy birthday" to him. It was a great day! Also, my new plum coach purse is amazing.

New House

Our new house is coming along. I am having a great time picking out my new awesome appliances!

Blood Type Diet

It wouldn't be characteristic of me not to be in a middle of a challenge....for Sept, I am working on the Blood Type Diet with a few friends from work.

How to get on the Blood Type Diet Challenge???

1- Know Your Blood Type

2- Visit http://www.drlam.com/blood_type_diet/index.asp and download your Blood Type Diet

3- Let everyone know you are going to do this diet for a month

4- Print multiple copies of the diet and keep at work, home, and in your wallet

5- Don't lose challenge

I am Type B and it looks like my entire family is B too, or at least my better siblings are Type B!!

Portland

Well, my only 2 friends in Oregon both had some stuff going on in June. My buddy got married and Jean Bean had a beautiful baby girl. I haven't been back to Oregon since my family moved back to Korea- I didn't recognize anything! P-town was grown so much!

We arrived Friday afternoon and stayed in the cutest hotel in downtown P-town. The first thing HC said when we arrived was "Hippies! Hippies everywhere!" 

Clinton's wedding was that night, so we unpacked and got ready. The wedding was so fun- laid back and everyone was so happy. The best part of the evening was the 6 course Chinese dinner. I ate so much, I had to loosen my dress 2x during the wedding. The food was delicious and each course had 2-3 dishes with it.

HC indulged my visiting restaurants I saw on the Food Network. I bought doughnuts from Voodoo doughnuts and ate breakfast at Pine State Biscuits- so good.

Jean Bean had a beautiful baby girl she named Laney. I love it! I can't wait for her to grow up!

Iron Man Hawaii

This update is late- I can't download my pics from my camera to my computer- I lost my electronic thingy to do it.

Well, we went to Hawaii so HC could compete on the 70.3 Iron Man- he did so awesome. He qualified for the World Championships in Clearwater Florida this November! He was one person away from qualifying for the full World Championship in Hawaii 2010.

HC trained everyday while we were in Hawaii and I just ate and hung out at the beach, slept in, ate more stuff! I had a great time:)

New Cook Book

I bought myself a new cook book from William Sonoma and I love it! It's a Southern Cake Cook Book and I am slowly making all the cakes. 

I finished my last pineapple upside down cake in June and I am starting the coconut cake section for July. I am on recipe 2 for the coconut cakes.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Recipe 2

Here's recipe #2! It's a William Sonoma recipe. This recipe is a little different than the others I have looked at, because it calls for regular and brown sugar for the carmel topping.

Ingredients:

For the topping:

7 fresh or canned drained pineapple slices (1/4-
 inch slices)

6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. firmly packed light
 brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

For the cake:

2 cups cake flour

1 1/8 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

3/4 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 Tbs. dark rum

6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

7 canned cherries in syrup, drained

Directions:

Have all the ingredients at room temperature. 

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 350°F. Grease a pineapple upside-down cake pan. 

To prepare the topping, place the pineapple slices in the prepared pan, aligning them with the relief pattern. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar and heat until the butter melts. Stir to blend the ingredients, then spread the mixture over the pineapple slices. Set aside.

To make the cake, over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, vanilla and rum. Set aside. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat each addition just until incorporated, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Bake until the center of the cake springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool upright in the pan for 15 minutes. 

Tap the pan gently on a work surface to loosen the cake, invert the pan onto a cake plate and lift off the pan. Place 1 cherry in the center of each pineapple slice. Let the cake cool for 45 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 10.