It’s been just over a month now of having Mr. Squishy Face in our family now. Getting used to each other takes some time but he definitely has stolen my heart. Here are some ways he has changed our lives:
The good:
I am now a morning person (7:30am which is morning for me) thanks to his pill schedule. Which is good in the fact for networking (when I wake up at 9:30-10am on PST it’s already 1pm for most of the people I was talking to). It’s good because I get my workout done right away.
I fall asleep quicker than I ever had. Since he gets his pills every 8 hours I get up at 7:30am and he gets his last set at 11:30pm. The second he gets his pills I go to bed. It used to take me up to two hours to fall asleep after I lay down. Now, just like my husband, I fall asleep as my head is hitting the pillow.
MSF gets a walk every day. Usually 2-3 miles in order to get some weight off of him (extra weight is hard on his medical condition). This takes 40-60 minutes on average. MDP comes with me. So that means that my husband and I get an hour to ourselves each day now to just talk and not be distracted which is really, really nice and it’s my favorite part of the day. It also helps that we get in an extra 15-18 miles (give or take) a week of extra exercise a week.
I have a super snuggly spaniel who wants to spend every waking moment with me.
The bad:
I am now a morning person. Wasn’t this in the good? Yes, but I still don’t like being a morning person. It’s not my personality. My coffee intake has increased tenfold.
MSF gets a walk every day. How is that bad when it was just in the good? It rains here. He doesn’t care if he has to walk in the rain (he has a cute rain coat). I’m not a fan nor is MDP of walking in the rain, but we do it, because he loves it and we love him.
I have a super snuggly spaniel who wants to spend every waking moment with me. Again, a good and a bad thing. Bad because he whines when he isn’t with me. If I’m trying to type (like now) since I only have a desktop computer (we are looking into me getting a lap top) he whines because I’m not on the couch with him. So then I can’t think clearly and it takes forever to get a blog post up.
The ugly:
My blogging has suffered big time. Big time. Mostly because I get my best ideas between midnight and 2am usually. Except now I am asleep during that time since the second he gets his pills at 11:30pm I run to the bed. While the food creativity keeps coming (these cupcakes are case in point) the writing part of blogging (which I really enjoy) simply isn’t happening, at all. So I’m trying to figure that out.
Because he does have to have medication at exactly the same time each day doing spontaneous things just doesn’t happen. Lots of planning happens now. I leave next week to go to Fort Collins to visit Rodelle and I’m super excited but wow did it take some major planning. Luckily we have super awesome friends who are helping us out.
So we are still figuring things out and we will get into a routine one of these days I am sure. 🙂
I have a whole other post about MSF for Friday that is more about him as a dog not how our routine has changed because of him. BUT if you can’t get enough of him he does have his own blog and Instagram account!
Luckily MSF does like me in the kitchen cooking. He really likes me photographing the food and that becomes a race…me vs. the Kong, as in I have to get all the photos done before he finishes what treats are in the Kong. 🙂
The chocolate malt and French fry donuts got me thinking about what other flavor combos that are similar to that and I immediately thought of my favorite treat at the movies: movie popcorn and Milk Duds. The frosting is indeed butter popcorn flavored but it isn’t an overpowering flavor, just enough hint of the popcorn so you know what it is. If you are crunched for time you can always make these using a box cake (I won’t tell anyone) but know that this Devil’s Food recipe is super yummy so you should try it at some point.
Movie Popcorn and Milk Dud Cupcakes
1 batch Devil’s Food Cupcakes
1 batch caramel syrup
1 batch buttered popcorn whipped cream frosting
1 cup movie popcorn (for garnish)
1 cup Milk Duds
Devil’s Food Cupcakes:
1 2/3 cups cake flour
1/3 cup plus 1 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Rodelle)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sour cream
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 TBSP (3 oz) unsalted butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 350°F and prep cup cake pans with 24 paper liners.
Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and sugar into the bowl of your mixer. Stir in the salt and equip the paddle attachment.
In a separate bowl combine the buttermilk and sour cream, whisking until smooth.
In yet another bowl, combine the eggs and melted butter.
Now turn your mixer onto medium low and add your buttermilk mixture to the bowl in thirds, alternating with the egg-butter mixture.
Scrape down the bowl, as needed to ensure everything is combined.
Divide the batter into your cupcake cups, filling each cup roughly half full. Bake for 10 minutes and then rotate the pan(s) and bake for another 10 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool completely on wire racks before continuing.
Cupcake recipe from Ad Hoc at Home
Caramel Syrup:
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water, divided
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
In a small, sturdy pot, combine the sugar and 1/4 cup of the water. Stir over low heat until dissolved.
Once the sugar has dissolved completely, turn the heat up to medium high, cover the pot, and let boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove the cover and stir vigorously as the caramel continues to cook.
Stir over heat until mixture is a light amber color.
Remove the caramel from heat. Carefully pour in the remaining 1/2 cup of water. Be very careful when stirring the water into the caramel as it can splatter. Stir in the vanilla.
Buttered Popcorn Whipped Cream Frosting:
2 ½ cups heavy whipped cream
2 cups movie popcorn
1 cup powdered sugar
Yellow food coloring (optional)
Add the heavy cream and popcorn into a plastic container with a lid.
Place in fridge and every 2 hours shake vigorously.
After 8 hours (or overnight) strain out the popcorn from the cream. You will probably have to use a spatula to press down on the popcorn to get some of the cream out of it.
Discard the popcorn and measure out 2 cups of popcorn flavored cream. If you do not have enough just add some regular whipped cream.
Beat the cream and food coloring in a stand mixer using the whisk attachment on high. Beat until soft peaks form.
Add the powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time.
Beat until all the sugar is incorporated and whipped cream has formed stiff peaks.
To assemble the cupcakes:
Place cupcakes on a wire rack with a baking sheet below it.
Brush the tops of the cupcakes with the caramel syrup.
Pipe frosting onto the cupcakes, on top of the caramel syrup.
Add extra popcorn and Milk Duds. Best eaten day of.
June Burns says
Wow those look amazing! I’d love to munch on one of these during a movie 🙂
Dori says
Make the Milk Duds into Junior Mints instead and then we’ll talk (popcorn + Junior Mints = my fave movie combination!). 🙂 Although I guess you’d have to go pretty easy on the Junior Mints as a topping ’cause holy cow them things are crazy sweet!! Fun cupcake idea!
Peabody says
@Dori- Junior Mints would be awesome as well
Aly ~ Cooking In Stilettos says
Peabody – it’s amazing how that schedule changes once the pup needs pills and is on a schedule. My SousPug got my schedule all wacky with his med issues, between feeding, pills, tests, etc. but it was well worth it and I learned to adjust. The Jr. SousPug is so different – he’s not a morning pug but his pills tell him he has to be. He thankfully is healthy except for horrid allergies.
Before I forget – this cupcake idea – LOVE IT! I think the creativity will still flow – your schedule will adjust 🙂 Now I need to read MSF’s blog 🙂
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
These look sinful! I love love milk duds, even though they are a nightmare on your teeth 🙂
Stephani says
When I worked in the theater we always kept a box of Milk Duds in the butter warmer, so melt hand gooey delicious. Jr. Mints are great too, but I like them cold. My favorite popcorn and chocolate combo is buttered popcorn with M&Ms, plain or peanut.
MSF is adorable, by the way.
KB says
My favorite ways to eat popcorn were always either with mini marshmallows mixed in right when the popcorn is done, or hot popcorn tossed with frozen bittersweet/dark chocolate chips. I wonder if I couldn’t swap the caramel drizzle for a marshmallow crème filling, then use mini marshmallows on top instead of Milk Duds. Then again, these look so good on their own I don’t know that I want to change the recipe! I’ll admit though, the thing that excites me the most is that frosting. Must try it.
I’m really glad you’ve bonded with your new spaniel! If you don’t like walking in the rain, you can switch places with me. Take my desert. I LOVE the rain. 🙂
Peabody says
@KB- Oh I love the rain that’s why I moved here. But some days when it’s blowing sideways you just don’t want to go walk in it. 🙂
Alice says
Another amazing recipe! Thank you!
Lindsay says
Mr. Squishy Face! I love it! Perfectly adorable nickname for a perfectly adorable pup. I am sooooo thrilled you guys found each other 🙂 ♥
P.S. If I could find Milk Duds in Korea, I would sooooo make this. Best.movie.treat.ever.