#incrediblelife2013

“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.”

Last Friday, I took the stage before a room full of the most amazing young adults in South Miami and asked them to consider what things they would call truly incredible in this life?

The answer is simple...really. Incredible can be found everywhere.  It’s discovering the extraordinaire among the ordinary; capturing the unforgettable snapshots of our everyday life.  The phenomenon that occurs within each of us as we gear up to take hold of a new year.

Reflecting on my own little world of incredible...I find an adventurous, curly haired girl saving the tooth fairy a trip this time...leaving two teeth instead of one, a mischievious blue-eyed boy who loves his boots almost as much as he does his mommy, a group of young adults who are grabbing life by the horns and owning it; a nonfat, decaf mocha latte...extra mocha please; a fire for life that cannot and will not be contained.

Somewhere today, I hope you’re falling in love with something or someone; indulging in triple chocolate fudge decadence or possibly a deep dish Chicago-style pizza pie covered in layers of mozzarella and parmesan cheese; training for your first triatholon; anticipating the day you marry your true love or embracing the miracle of a new baby; or maybe changing and experiencing the world one fantastic, beautiful moment at a time.  

2013 is your year.  I have a feeling it’s going to be perfectly...incredible.  

This week post your incredible moments and pics via Instagram at #incrediblelife2013 or http://onekontest.com/incrediblelife2013 via Twitter.  Photo contest ends January 4th at midnight.  One winning photo will be chosen on January 5th.  Happy posting!

Just a few photo contest pics...

The Secret of Sweetness

Let me clarify that there is absolutely nothing healthy about this recipe. Aside from running, if there’s one thing this girl can do...it’s baking homemade cinnamon rolls.  Over the years, I’ve found that bread baking is a dying art, however, it remains a passion and a holiday tradition in our home. Simply enough, I run because I love sinfully sugary things.  It’s a good thing that my running skills have somehow managed to compensate for my ungodly obsession.

The night before Christmas eve, I began mixing the dough, so that I could bake the rolls first-thing in the morning.  We had invited friends for a Christmas Eve brunch and I was hoping for a culinary masterpiece.

As my holiday gift to you, I thought you might enjoy learning the secret to fantastic sweet rolls:

Runner Girl Cinnamon Rolls

7 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 packages regular or quick active dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)

2 1/4 cups very warm water (120° to 130°F)

4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted or softened. 

1. In large bowl, dissolve dry yeast in 2 1/4 cups warm water.  Water should be very warm, but if too hot, it will kill the yeast. Stir 3 1/2 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt, and oil until well mixed. Mix together with your hands.  I find it easiest to continue to add oil if it becomes too difficult to mix. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle. 
2. Knead about 10 minutes or until dough forms into a nice ball. Place dough in greased bowl. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 40 to 60 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. I often leave my dough overnight to rise. Dough is ready if an indentation remains when touched.
3. Grease bottom and sides of 9x13-inch pan with shortening or spray with cooking spray.
4. Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Remove dough from bowl and flatten each half with hands or rolling pin into 18x9-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface. Cover dough with 1 stick of melted butter and about 1 cup of sugar and enough cinnamon to appear dark as in the picture above. Roll dough up tightly, beginning at 9-inch side. Cut into 1-inch slices. Place each slice, cinnamon side up and down in pan.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 35 to 50 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.
5. Move oven rack to low position so that pan will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350°F.
6. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until outside of rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Allow to cool slightly in pans before icing.

The Perfect Icing

1 stick butter

1/2 bag of confectioner’s sugar

1 t. vanilla

1/3 c. milk

Mix with a beater until icing is smooth and ready to pour over warm rolls.  If you like a thicker icing, add more sugar.  

Serve rolls warm, with a cold glass of milk.  Enjoy!  

Eat well now, because my next post is all about getting entered to win a Free Entry to “Color Me Rad.”  Come New Year’s, we run!

Cramming for Christmas

We are 10 days out from the most wonderful time of the year...and I have this horrible feeling that I haven’t truly drank in the season.  So, I’m cramming (thank God, not for finals)...the festivities...a little bit of Kris Kringle...chestnuts...anything...I’m on a mad search for the spirit of Christmas present...

In honor of Baby Jesus and Santa and Jack Frost and Buddy the Elf, 

this weekend looked like my first and only cup of eggnog (light, of course),

Christmas party cleaning...may as well of hired a hazmat team...

falling asleep on a blanket palette around the Christmas tree. And coercing my guy to join me.

Santa bucks for the kids. Yep. We paid $2.50 for a dollar with a sticker of Santa’s face stuck smack dab in the middle.  Santa bucks=the cure for seasonal depression.

Mani/pedi giftcards in the most perfect silver boxes for two girls I love.

 A couple of crazy hours of family pics that became the happiest cards ever.

A houseful of friends tomorrow night.

Managing a grilled parmesan, bacon, and cheddar sandwich for my lovies. Definitely  Christmas, if this girl is cooking.

This runner girl began an 8-mile run at 6 in the morning.  I’m on the verge of hallucinations at this point. With that, I’m heading for the land of sugar plums. 

God help me...I plan to make magic over the next 9 days. 

I hope you and yours are making some enchanted plans of your own.  

Christmas 2012, I swear to slow down, savor, seek the wonder.  

Christmas 2012, I LOVE you!