S'mores Cupcakes

Graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows... the perfect combination!  I saw this recipe on Bakerella and knew I had to try this one out.  They looked amazing!  And trust me, they are.  One of these and a big, cold glass of milk had me satisfied!  I haven't really baked much of anything since being in Korea (3 months... it's been THREE MONTHS and I have only baked one cake).. I've been in the baking mood, and I was bound and determined to make something that made my sweet tooth happy.  I'm proud to say they turned out pretty darn well, too!

Cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup oil
• Bag of jumbo marshmallows

Graham Cracker Crumb Topping

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Ganache

• see recipe here (I cut it in half)
• 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
• 4 oz heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.  Separate the mixture in half, into two bowls.

Stir cocoa into one bowl and the graham cracker crumbs into the other.
Add 1/2 cup milk, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/4 cup oil to the cocoa mixture and beat until combined.
Repeat, adding the same ingredient to the graham cracker crumbs bowl.

Now to make the graham cracker crumb topping! Mix the brown sugar and graham cracker crumbs into a small bowl and  pour in the melted butter.  Stir until combined and crumbly.

Pour a little graham cracker cake batter into your baking cups and then sprinkle the topping mixture lightly on the surface.  Place a marshmallow half on top and then cover the marshmallow with the chocolate cake batter until it's about 3/4 full.  Sprinkle more of the topping mixture over it.

Bake the cupcakes for about 15 minutes.  This recipe made about 16 cupcakes for me.  Let the cupcakes cool and then top with the chocolate ganache.

Now EAT!  MmmMmMmmmmm.

Doesn't it just look pretty???!

Mini Adventure..

Yesterday we decided to venture outside the base a little farther.  We went to Home Plus just to walk around and kill some time.  Coleman driving + Korean traffic = Scary.  I was getting freaked out, which annoyed Coleman.. but.. I couldn't help it!  Maybe next time I'll be a little more calm (doubt it).

 

We ate some ice cream at the food court in Home Plus, and I also had to get a waffle.  I swear they are obsessed with waffles around here.. and that little boy eating his waffle all by his lonesome......... adorable!  I may or may not come back to the states with a little Korean baby.  Ha!

Planes, Trains, & Automobiles..

Seriously.  It literally took 2+ days to get back to Korea after our wedding (which, by the way, was AMAZING).  We left Monday afternoon for Moline, then flew to Chicago, then on to Seattle.  We arrived in Seattle at about 5:30pm and found out at 10:30pm that we were unable to get on the Patriot Express back to Osan because of severe winds and weather conditions.  So we got a hotel and spent the night in Seattle.  We bought a ticket the next day to Seoul.  We flew from Seattle to Tokyo and had a 17 hour layover, so once again, we had to get a hotel (another adventure.. super!).  And then the next day we flew to Seoul.  We had to get a bus back to Songtan, but got off at the wrong bus station.. it just never ends, seriously!  Then had to take like a 20 minutes taxi ride back to the main gate of the base.  It was a fun trip, though.. and being in Tokyo was neat.  But you can imagine my excitement when we got to Korea and actually started to recognize where we were... it is good to be home!  Our shipments should be here soon with all of our things, so I can finally start to decorate our apartment.

Jet-Lagged... ick!

17 hours on airplanes and 15 hours sitting around in airports is WAY too long.  I can't believe we have to do it all over again in a week and a half.  But we made it to the states and have been on the go ever since.  No time to be jet-lagged.. and it sucks!  Lots to get done for the wedding.  We have all the decor for the reception figured out, I just need to decide what I want to do for decor at the church.  And I still have to get these darn programs done before Monday so they can get printed.  I can't wait to see everything come together for it.  Some inspiration for my wedding...

 

The movers came yesterday and packed up our things for the express shipment.  So when we get back to Korea we'll have our TV, all of our kitchen items (my amazing food network pots and pans that I've missed SO MUCH, and everything else), vacuum cleaner, and a bunch of others things.  I can't wait!  The movers for the rest of our HHG come on Tuesday, I think.  It will finally feel good to have all of our things with us at our home.  Ok.. now back to these programs.............. ugh.

September is a Good Month!

I feel like I have been going nonstop for the past week.  It's all been good, of course.  September has been a GREAT month, and will only get better!  So many things to look forward to - we have house guests for the next 2 months, we are moving into an apartment on base (hello American appliances!), we are getting a car tomorrow, we get to go back tot he states for a couple weeks to see our families, and our vow renewal ceremony is on the 25th!  Lots of little things happening in between all that.. but those are just the highlights.

Our house guests came in last week and are staying through the end of October.  A friend that Husband works with flew his wife and 9-month-old son (who is the most adorable thing!) to visit, and staying at a hotel for 2 months would be ridiculous, so we offered them our spare bedroom.  His wife is from Sweden, so it's been really fun learning new things.  She even cooked us some Thai food one night (she is half Thai)... yummy!  I've been busy cleaning house and we took a couple trips up to Seoul to the Korean War Museum and to Itaewon, we went to the pool a few times, and we went bowling today.  Then tomorrow we get our car and move into our new apartment.  It is SO NICE.. the apartments are pretty brand new.. I am EXCITED!  I am going to start counting how many times I've moved.. I have moved 3 times in the past 5 months.  At least this will be our last move for the next year and a half.  Ha, ha!  I think it's safe to say I lead a pretty crazy life at times, and I wouldn't change it for the world!  I love experiencing all these things!

The museum was fun and after that we walked to the Itaewon shopping strip so Caroline and I could do some shopping.  Sometimes it's nice having another girl in the house! ;o)

So, 5 more days until we leave for the states and 17 more days until our VOW RENEWAL!  I am beyond excited.  Everything is really coming together perfectly it seems.  Even though our original plan of flying me back to the states on September 1st to get things ready for it obviously did not go how we wanted.  But our families and my cousin have been helping out so much.  They have really been a blessing to us, and making things less stressful.  We are so excited to see our families - we can't wait for everyone to be together!  I am also excited to shop at AMERICAN stores!  They have some really good shopping here, but sometimes it can be so frustrating.  So, because we have limited time in the states, I began to compile a list of things that Coleman and I would like to get before coming back to Korea.  I have to be organized so I can really be effective when I go shopping LOL...

I am counting down the days until we land in the states and trying to prepare myself for the insanely long plane ride.  And one step close to getting our TMO.... about time!

Good Bday.. Relaxing Weekend..!

My husband always knows how to make my birthdays special!  And this weekend was twice as special because we found out Thursday night that he made Staff Sergeant!!  So congrats to my hubby, I'm so proud of him.  :)  So for our wonderful reasons to celebrate, I made a cake.. which turned out to be freaking amazing.

I used this yellow cake recipe and then a chocolate cream cheese buttercream frosting.  I think it's safe to say that it's the best yellow cake I've ever had.  I even had a piece for breakfast.  I love being an adult for that very reason, ha ha!

So for my birthday my hubby took me shopping in Itaewon all day on Saturday and I bought some really cute tops and a necklace.  He surprised me with a couple of other things and a really sweet card... and he also told me that I can pick out a keyboard so I have something to practice on after my piano lessons!  Getting to Itaewon in itself was an adventure.. but I won't tell that story, for my husband's sake (your welcome, babe.. hahaaha).  Besides the Koreans breathing down your neck to buy something, and every 5 minutes some man is asking you if you want a custom tailored suit, it was a good time!  We even bought some super awesome sunglasses..

 

Ok, I'm so totally kidding... but those sunglasses are hilarious!  I was hoping to actually see someone walking down the sidewalk with them on, but no such luck.  Instead of riding the subway back to Osan... because I had definitely had enough of the subway for one day... we hopped on the bus at Yongsan Army Post.  When we got back to Songtan we decided to take a chance and finally go out for some Korean food (for the first time since we've been here!).  I think the restaurant was called Nobloo?  Maybe.. I'm not really sure.  It was actually really good!  Don't ask me what we ate, because I have no idea.  Coleman called it 'beef on a leaf'... which pretty much sums it up.  It was like a lettuce wrap... beef, kimchi, onion, some sauce... yum yum.. 

Sunday we had a super relaxing day... it was gorgeous outside so we went to the pool, and then we hung out and watched movies all day and ordered in some pizza.  Now that is my kind of weekend!  Had to get all my relaxing in because I have a feeling this week is going to be crazy.  Time to start looking for some flights back to the states so I can be there for when TMO comes to pack up our stuff... FINALLY............