In Case You Were Wondering...

...being woken up at 5AM by raging fire alarms going off throughout the building is not fun.

And it's even less fun is having it happen again 1 hour later.

Sigh.

{photo from similar incident that took place on the day after Christmas 2011}

Nora Ephron & Two Favorite Films

Before bedtime last night, I read that Nora Ephron had died.

Screenwriter & director, Ephron penned two of my all-time favorite movies: You've Got Mail and When Harry Met Sally.

I know these aren't the most prolific films, but I can't even count the number of times I've seen them. Both make me feel happy, warm and fuzzy. They make me feel excited to live near (and have lived in) New York City. And both make me laugh and suck me in every single time I see them on TBS.

It makes me sad, yet happy in a way that she unprolificly touched so many through movies that simply make people feel good and hopeful.

Some of my favorite quotes from When Harry Met Sally:

Harry: There are two kinds of women: high maintenance and low maintenance.
Sally: Which one am I?
Harry: You're the worst kind; you're high maintenance but you think you're low maintenance.
Sally: I don't see that.
Harry: You don't see that? Waiter, I'll begin with a house salad, but I don't want the regular dressing. I'll have the balsamic vinegar and oil, but on the side. And then the salmon with the mustard sauce, but I want the mustard sauce on the side. "On the side" is a very big thing for you.
Sally: Well, I just want it the way I want it.
Harry: I know; high maintenance.

Harry: 'Cause someday, believe it or not, you'll go 15 rounds over who's gonna get this coffee table. This stupid, wagon wheel, Roy Rogers, garage sale COFFEE TABLE.
Jess: I thought you liked it?
Harry : I was being nice!

Harry: I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.

Some of my favorite quotes from You've Got Mail:

Joe: Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.

Joe: It'd be a shame to miss New York in the spring.

Kathleen:People are always saying that change is a good thing. But all they're really saying is that something you didn't want to happen at all... has happened. My store is closing this week. I own a store, did I ever tell you that? It's a lovely store, and in a week it'll be something really depressing, like a Baby Gap.

Sigh.

Tonight Shaun has basketball and I think it's the perfect opportunity for a little Nora Ephron marathon!

And now I'll be walking around for the remainder of the day quietly singing 'Surrey With a Fringe On Top'...in front of Ira.

Questions of the Day:

What are your favorite feel-good movies?

Are you a crazy quoter? Like me? :)

Pineapple Cupcakes + Coconut Frosting

Oh cupcakes, how I love thee.

They really just don't seem to ever get old in my eyes.

Don't get me wrong, I love a good layer cake. But I really adore a tiny personalized dessert of any flavor.

A few weeks ago, we went to a big barbecue at my aunt's house. I wanted to make something summery and most importantly, simple. It was the same weekend that I made 80 cupcakes for Lindsey's shower and so I wanted something that would take just a little bit of time and effort.

I had seen these pineapple cupcakes on Skinnytaste a while back and have had them in the back of my head ever since. It's two simple ingredients - a box of moist yellow cake mix and a large can of crushed pineapple. Mix 'em together well and bake and voila! Gorgeous, moist, pineappley cake. Or cupcakes.

The recipe made 24 cupcakes. Admittedly, some came out a bit smaller than others, but I didn't mind. There was a full table of desserts at the party and so I'm glad that these pretty lil' things were small and simple to eat.

Oh and the frosting!

How could I forget that?! I chose my own coconut frosting recipe for these. Fluffy, coconutty and sweet, this is really one of my favorite frostings. I piled it on, dusted with shredded coconut and a sweet little pinapple coconut cupcake was born!

Pineapple Cupcakes
*from Skinnytaste
1 box Supermoist yellow cake mix
1 20oz. can crushed pineapple

Preheat your oven according to the box directions. Mix together the cake mix and pineapple (note: do not drain the pineapple!) on medium-low for 30 seconds. Up the speed to medium-high and mix for about 2 minutes until the batter is light and fluffy.

Pour into a prepared pan - a muffin tin lined with baking cups for cupcakes or a greased 13x9" pan for cake.

Bake according to package directions.

Let cool completely and make the frosting!

Coconut Frosting
*From my Pineapple Coconut Dream Bars
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, at room temperature
½ stick butter, at room temperature
2-3 tbsp virgin coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 C confectioners’ sugar
sweetened shredded coconut, for garnish

Beat the cream cheese and butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix in the vanilla and coconut oil. Beat in the sugar, 1 cup at a time. Beat until light and fluffy.

Frost the cupcakes. Eat many immediately.

And side note: I'm totally crushing on these sweet cupcake liners! So cute!

Questions of the Day:

What's your favorite kind of dessert to bring to a party?

What's your favorite easy dessert?