Matthew Robinson

I love me some good Top 40.  And this, this is great:

You can download an mp3 version here!

Tonight I play a part in a wedding of two of my dearest friends, Karyn and Andy.  Members of a group of young adults with whom I began teaching and transitioning to being a “grown up” after college in Tallahassee, the “family” we found in each other as we began our careers is one that I cherish.

I’m actually officiating.  It’s my first time.  (And yes, we’ve checked, I’m legally able to :)

And a lot has been on my mind these past few weeks as I’ve prepared for this wedding.  Thinking and reflecting and praying about commitment.  companionship.  love.  service.  selflessness.

And the vows these two will share tonight.  The covenant they’ll enter in to.  The promises they’ll make to one another.

Well, they’re just…lovely.  I can think of no other word.

And no other way to ring in the start of 2010.  Celebrating love.  Grown in 2009 and many years past.

Happy New Year’s Eve!

…to have an to hold,

from this day forward.

I pledge before God and our family and friends

to place your good before mine,

now and always,

no matter the circumstances.

I promise to honor you, to love you, and to cherish you

until death do us part.

Joyfully and willingly,

I commit myself to you,

and to you alone.

So this is the savory Christmas creation for all my fellow food lovers out there.  It’s actually my friend Kayla’s idea that I stole.  I will make this again.  Like, every day in 2010 perhaps.  They’re that good.

You Need:
1 box (2 sheets) Puff Pastry (thawed)
1 small tub Chive & Onion Reduced Fat Cream cheese (softened)
A bunch of asparagus (I used one package of fresh)
1/3 pound thinly sliced Prosciutto
1 tbsp. butter, melted

Assembly:
Work quickly!  Puff pastry, once warmed, doesn’t puff!

Lay out one sheet of puff pastry, and spread a thin layer of cream cheese on top of the whole thing.

Lay out a thin layer of prosciutto on top of the cream cheese’d pastry.

Slice 16 thin slices of this layered goodness. (repeat with other sheet)

Wrap and curl around two or three pieces of asparagus.

Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Brush a small bit of melted butter on top edges of each roll up.

Bake in 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until browned and puffed.

I don’t have another name for this one.  Because it’s four layers of decadent chocolate.  And it was my Christmas creation this year.  And I was in a coma for four days afterward.  It’s the result of a lot of thinking and figuring out and recipe combining and investigating.  And oh.  my.  It was incredible.

Cake
8 0.z. bittersweet baking chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 (8 0.z.) container sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup hot brewed coffee

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 2 (9 inch) round pans.  Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper.  Lightly grease parchment paper.

Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl at high 1 1/2 minutes until smooth.

Beat butter and sugars at medium speed until well blended.  Add eggs, 1 at a time.  Add melted chocolate.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.  Gradually add chocolate mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Stir vanilla into hot coffee.  Gradually add coffee mixture to batter.

Pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 3 to 42 minutes.

Whipped Ganache Filling
1 (12 o.z.) package semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 tbsp. orange liqueur

Melt chocolate chips and whipping cream in a microwave safe bowl on high for 2 1/2 minutes, stirring until melted and smooth.  Whisk in liqueur until smooth.  Cover and chill 2 hours or until mixture is thickened.

Beat ganache at medium speed with an electric mixer 20 to 30 seconds or until soft peaks form and ganache lightens in color.  Use immediately.

Fudge Layer Crust:
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
1 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1 stick margarine, room temperature
1 stick butter, room temperature

Beat eggs, egg yolks, vanilla extract and sugar and add melted chocolate chips, butter and margarine.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes in a 10-inch parchment paper lined pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Set aside to cool and then refrigerate overnight.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8 0z) package cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 box 10x Powdered Sugar (1 lb or 4 cups)
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Combine cream cheese and butter in mixer until well blended.  Slowly mix in powdered sugar.  Beat for several minutes.  Stir in vanilla extract until blended, beat mixture again for one minute.

Chocolate Chunks
Melt 1/2 cup of semisweet chocolate chips and spread in thinnest possible layer on wax paper on top of a cookie sheet.  Refrigerate for several hours until hard, and break apart.  Keep cold until ready to place on cake.

Assembly (bottom up)

Fudge Layer Crust
Cake (layer 1)
Whipped Ganache Filling layer
Cake (layer 2)
Frost outside of cake

Day after the day after randoms:

I love my family.

I love sleep.  For more than 5 1/2 hour periods at a time.  Glorious.

I love to cook.  And even more importantly, the way the food tastes.  It’s been nice to have some time to create.

I’m thinking about running a half or a full marathon in 2010.  Call me crazy?

I forgot how much fun you could have at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.  As an adult, it’s great, too.

I don’t really like trying to keep a church running from a distance.  I miss my people. My friends.  My do-life-along-side-ers.

I’m proud of James.  And thankful for the Hills. (Listen to him now.  Watch them when I return.)

I needed a break.  This break.

I’m grateful for old friends.  The ones who got you then and can still get you now.

500 Days of Summer.  Perfectly matched movie and mood.  Thank you, iTunes rental.  (Try it!)

I miss driving an SUV.

And I’m kinda actually excited I got this for Christmas.

(I know, I know.)

Where are you Christmas?

I think I’ve found you!

Two and a half weeks.  I haven’t done this in so long.  Thank you, God.

Nick Lachey.  Can’t take him.  It’s one of my dreams to host something on tv one day.  I’m auditioning for his job next season.

This is just wrong.  No, no, no:

All she did was stare the whole time:

I can’t take blow up yard ornaments.  A block down from my parent’s house in Clearwater.  No, no, no:

There’s nothing like some good ol’ Top 40 93.3 FLZ.  (Old school Power Pig anyone?).  Between them and the all “new Magic 94.9″ (Dellliiiilllaaaahhhhhhh) I’ll get some decent radio while home.

Good day, Tampa Bay!

And miss you, Tallahassee.

So if I’ve gotten one thing right this semester, it’s been (1) recognizing I/we needed help and (2) picking the two best College Staff Interns possible with Dean.

These two young women are serious business.  We trust the heck out of them, are encouraged daily by them, and can’t wait to work with them again in the spring.

You’ve heard Giana Lopez all over the place…it’s no secret I have a massive crush on her booming voice, and if you don’t know her, you’re missing out.

Sarah Cowart, she, too, impresses the heck out of us.  Sarah went to town with pictures from last Sunday at The Moon, and you can see her great work, here.

We love our interns.  And you should, too.