Cycle to the Sea 2011

It's that time of year again where in just a few short months the weather will get nicer, the sun will come out, the flowers will bloom, and the bikes will come out!

Cycle to the Sea 2011 is fastly approaching and I need help to raise my $1000. My first time riding was last year and it was a huge success! My partner Shannon has decided to ride as a support rider and I couldn't be more excited. So not only do I have to raise $1000, she does too!

The Adaptive Sports and Adventures Program helps people with all different types of disabilities get back out in the community and acheive all different types of goals. They have helped me live an active lifestyle with their continued support in my handcycling as well as paved the way for me to Water Ski not only on a competetive level but a national level. With your support you will not only help me acheive my goal of handcycling 180 miles to the beach you will help anyone and everyone affiliated with ASAP. ASAP loans out new and used sports equipment, provides endless opportunities for adaptive golf, water skiing, snow skiing, kayaking, tennis, fishing, and Quad rugby.

If you would like to read more about it click here

Click the donate button!

We thank you again for your continued support and can't wait to get out there and show 'em what we got!

If you want to read about my story click here!



Here is a video of us coming in to the end of our ride!

Chocolate Meringue Pie

Pie Crust Ingredients:


1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
Ice cold water





-preheat oven to 425 degrees
-mix flour and salt
-mix together

-add shortening
-cut into flour/salt mixture with a pastry blender

-add enough ice cold water to form a ball

-roll out on a floured surface (wax paper)

-place in pie pan
-cut excess crust off with knife
-flute edges

-crumble a piece of wax paper, unfold and place in pie crust
-place pie rocks on top of wax paper (if no pie rocks you can use rice)
-bake in oven for exactly 12 minutes

Chocolate Pie Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

-separate 3 eggs
-reserve egg whites for meringue

-combine sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium sauce pan

-mix ingredients
-add milk, cook over medium heat (stirring constantly)

-when mixture thickens and comes to a boil, boil 1 minute (stirring constantly)
- remove mixture from heat, beat egg yolks with fork, stir about 2 tablespoons mixture into yolks, add back into remaining mixture (stirring constantly)
-cook 2 minutes more on medium heat (stirring constantly)

-remove from heat, add butter and vanilla
-immediately pour into pie shell

Meringue Ingredients:

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 egg whites
dash of salt

-add water, sugar, and cornstarch in small sauce pan
-cook over medium heat, (stirring constantly) until transparent and thickened

-add egg whites and salt in bowl (copper preferably) [The copper in the bowl assists in creating a tighter bond in reactive sulfur items such as egg whites.] from Wikepedia under [egg whites]
-beat on high until foamy, continue beating gradually adding the cooked mixture in with the egg whites
-beat 3 minutes

-spread meringue over filling, sealing to edge of pie shell

- bake at 425 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned

-Plate and Enjoy!

Toffee Crunch Candy

Ingredients:
Candy Thermometer
2 sticks salted butter
2 blocks semi-sweet baking chocolate (red box)
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup chopped pecans (reserve 1/4 cup for topping)
1 tablespoon white Karo syrup
3 tablespoons water

prep:

-chop pecans
-put 1/4 cup in separate bowl and save for end of recipe

-spread sheet pan with butter
-set aside

 -place butter, karo, water, and sugar in pot
-cook on 4 (NO LESS, NO MORE)

-cook butter mixture (stirring constantly) until thermometer reaches 300 degrees
-the color of the butter mixture will change through the process

-once thermometer reaches 300 degrees add 3/4 cup pecans
-pour out onto buttered sheet pan

-let sit 10 minutes to harden
-melt chocolate in microwave
-30 second intervals  until melted

-scoop chocolate in spoon
-let chocolate stream off spoon drizzling it over toffee
-add remaining pecans over chocolate

-once toffee has set break toffee into uneven peices

Plate and Enjoy!

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

 Ingredients:

1 cup shortening

2 cups [packed] brown sugar

2 eggs

1-2 tablespoons grated lemon peel

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1 cup sugar [for end of recipe]

prep:

preheat oven to 350 degrees

-cream shortening and brown sugar

-You can do this by hand, to move things faster I used a hand mixer

-zest lemon

-add eggs and zest, mix

-mix in baking soda, salt, ginger, and cream of tartar

-use hand mixer just enough to mix in the flour

-use wooden spoon to shape dough in large ball

 -use only about a tablespoon and a half of dough when shaping into ball

-put sugar in bowl

-roll shaped dough into sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet

-bake cookies at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes

-place on cooling rack

-plate and enjoy!