Creative Cooking...Pineapple Coconut Cupcakes

Pineapple Coconut Cupcakes


I told you guys I tried to make these cupcakes back in December, but they didn’t turn out right and they tasted like cornbread. Everyone knows I detest cornbread. So I search for another recipe.  Anyway, using the recipe on catesworldkitchen.com I decided to try it again.

Ingredients:

10 oz can of crushed pineapples in juice
1 cup of flour
¾ cup of sugar
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp of baking soda
¼ teaspoon of salt

With my oven preheated to 350 degrees. I combined the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Then put the egg and oil together and mixed and then added it to my dry ingredients. After mixing well, I added my crushed pineapples. I did not use the mixer for this recipe. I poured the mix into my cupcake line muffin pan and cooked until they were golden.

I basically did a simple buttercream for the frosting except I did add crushed pineapples to the frosting.  I topped the frosting with toasted coconut.

1 stick of butter room temperature
1 tsp of coconut extract
2 cups of powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp of crushed pineapples
Toasted coconut
Heavy cream as needed

Verdict: The recipe was quite easy, but honestly the cupcakes were just okay. I can’t seem to find the right blend of icing and cake that work well for flavoring. The cake itself was quite moist and not overly sweet, but it was a bit dense for me. As for the icing, I am finding that I prefer a cream cheese frosting on my cupcakes. Go figure. Maybe you can try this and find a way to make it wonderful. Although they tasted fine, I can’t say this is the recipe for me.

Um, I have tried to stay off Pinterest, but I took a look. I can say as soon as someone invites me, a monster will be created. So much stuff!

Five Years of Sisterlocks...

Taken on January 21, 2012

On January 9, 2012, I celebrated 5 years of having Sisterlocks. My how time flies. I do not have this long diatribe on how 5 years of having locks has changed my life or anything of that sort. As I have said over and over again, my hair is boring. I still get questions and compliments about it but nothing extreme or blog worthy.

Yes, I still band and twist my hair.  See my look of frustration.

Yes, all my hair is under 2 of plastic caps

I regimen is simple. I wash with Sisterlock Green Tea Formula and depending on my mood I will use the Sisterlock Reconstructor or Moisture Treatment. However, I have incorporated Oyin’s Handmade Honey Hemp Conditioner. It is the one new product I have tried and love how it makes my hair feel. This particular conditioner keeps my hair soft between washings and I use it as a leave in conditioner. I also use their Greg’s Juice as a spritz ever so often. Not regularly. I still hate washing my hair. I consider it a project of immense proportions. It really doesn’t take that long to wash. Usually about 20 minutes, but it is the process afterwards of separating the locks, sitting under the dryer with the conditioners and plain getting my hair dry. In the summer, I usually wash on a Sunday morning and by late night my hair is dry. In the winter, I sit under the dryer for about 30 minutes then I spend about 15 minutes or more blow drying my hair. Can’t walk around with a wet head when the temperature is low. I retighten every 3 to 4 weeks and if I wait the four weeks I have done some spot tightening in between. It usually takes me 2 hours to do the front and about 2.5 hours to do the back, because the hair is so dense back there. I find that it is best for me to retighten my hair at my own pace and while I am relaxing at home on a Saturday or Sunday morning.

See me smalling because I am done.  Hair is finally dry!

 

I still do not regret getting my locks. I still wish they were a bit larger, just because the base would be stronger. I have lost a few locks but nothing like before. I have combined a lot of them, because it was just plain necessary to strengthen the base. I try not to where my hair in ponytails a lot, because I can tell where the hair ties thin the locks when done too often. I tend to where my hair a curled bun atop my head and take it down to have a cute curly do. I normally roll my hair with soft spike curlers. I haven’t used my flexi rods in a minute, because I can’t sleep in them. I have done a Caruso set once, which gave my ends a really nice curl and giving my hair a lot of body.

Blurry picture of length.

Fresh retightening

So you see after 5 years of having Sisterlocks, the maintenance is still the same absolutely boring. One question I have been asked a lot lately is how long I will let my hair grow. I will not have locks down to my butt. I do not want my hair longer than bra strap length. This hair is hot in the summer and great for the cold of winter, but this hair is heavy and I know my limitations. Happy Sisterlock Anniversary to me!

Pump the Brakes...2012 Is Going Too Fast!

Happy New Year's Everyone!  I hope you brought it in with a bang and have the memories to savor. 

Let's see...I worked that night and I mean I literally worked because I was shorthanded.  Although, I could have flipped my wig, I took it in stride and was thankful one of the day workers stayed to assist us through our rush.  When he left, we could literally count the customers from that point on.  Can you say slow?  Next year, we need to close at 7 pm.  Hell, most places around us closed early.  And what was funny were the customers saying, "I can't believe you are still open.  Aw!  I hate you have to be here until 9."  Really? I don't think you really were That sorry.

However, I guess I was in a pretty good mood because I knew I would have two whole days of no working, just relaxing.  Yes, for all day in one's pjs.

I got home and prepared me a light dinner of Bang, Bang Shrimp and fried calamari.  Yummy!  Then I took a long bath.  Wished Happy New Years to my sister!  And when Central time called for a New Year's countdown I counted down the last 10 seconds and drank a glass of Martinelli's, who told them to put pear in that?, and I hit the bed.  I was sleep by 12:30 pm.  I had to wait until the idiots stopped shooting off their guns before I officially went to bed. 

I woke up the next morning and cooked up a small batch of turnip greens and black eye peas.  I need the extra money, and some veggies.  Then I proceeded to watch Law & Order and sleep all day.  And the next day wasn't much better.  I mean my house was clean and frankly I needed the rest.

A little funny before I go.  The Wednesday after Christmas I woke up with a floater in my left eye.  Anyone who has ever experienced this can tell you it is weird and scary all at the same time.  So I made an eye appointment immediately.  Well, after I consulted Web..M.D.  Seriously, I tell my sister to stay off the site all the time because she is forever diagnosing herself with some type of ailment.  Most of them contrived.  After reading web.m.d, I became completely distraught and figured I was going blind because of a detached retina.  First of all, my family is prone to the dramatics.  We can put on a show.  So after my research and figuring I would be blind in my left eye I went to thinking about the future.  Oh yeah, I was ready to research disability and since the Internet said one should get someone to help them with day-to-day activities and of course finding a driver or using public transportation to get around, my mind was in turmoil.  However, I put on a good face and said I wouldn't worry about it.  I have been a praying fool, too!  Well, I had my appointment this week and I do not have a detached retina.  My doctor in a very kind way said is so many words, "Stay your azz off Web.m.d."  Well what he said was, Web.m.d has a lot of information on it, but you have to know exactly what you are looking for, because they seem to give you information on the worst case scenario.  Prepare for the worst and you won't be devastated later.  Because you know I had been sitting in the room in tears thinking I was going blind.  I do have a floater, but it isn't going to cause me blindness.  He explained what floaters are and really there isn't much one can do for them and I really didn't have anything to worry about.  Thank goodness!  I had worried myself to near a catatonic state. 

I will be back next week with my 5 year Sisterlock Anniversary post with pictures.  Happy New Year!