Saturday, May 21: Cookies! For Kids with Cancer

This Saturday I'm participating in the Cookies for Kids with Cancer Bake Sale & Silent Auction.

I like kids.

I hate cancer.

I love baking.

So bam, there you have it.

You can find more info about the event here. I highly recommend you attend!

I'll be helping to raise money for a cause other than Team Challenge, but it's a good one so I encourage you to attend.

Purchasers of my baked goods will be delighted to also receive a little card of encouragement from yours truly, including information about my Team Challenge participation. See? Two birds...

In an effort to keep things healthy, what with my half marathon training and all, I will be making the following recipes.

Whole Foods Flourless Brownies*

Ingredients:
1 (15 oz) can no-salt black beans, drained and rinsed
3 large eggs
1/3 cup melted butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. Splenda
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 F
Butter an 8-inch baking pan. Place black beans, eggs, melted butter, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla, and Splenda in food processor and blend until smooth. Gently stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. Transfer mixture to pan, and bake for 30-35 minutes or until set it center. Cool before cutting into squares.

*Image from Whole Foods Market


Dashing Dish Single-Serve Money Bread*

Ingredients:
2 cans reduced fat Pillsbury cresent rolls
1/2 cup sugar free maple syrup
1 tbsp light butter
3 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 cup Splenda

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Spray 12 cup muffin tin with non-stick sspray. Open cans of crescent dough and cut each triangle into 3 equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece of dough into small ball, just a little smaller than a golf ball.

Combine splenda and cinnamon in bowl, and toss each ball in mix until coated. Place 4 balls in each prepared muffin cup.

Melt butter in microwave-safe bowl and add syrup and 1 tbsp cinnamon. Stir to combine. Pour over each muffin cup until dough is almost covered.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until carmelized crust forms on top of each monkey bread. Remove from oven and let cool 15 minutes. Use knife to loosen edges and remove.

*Image from Dashing Dish

If you'd like to attend, here are the deets:

Bake Sale & Silent Auction for Kids' Cancer
Saturday, May 21, 2011

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Best Place - in the Historic Pabst Brewery
901 W. Juneau Ave, Milwaukee, WI
__________________________________________________________________

Current Couch Potato | Aspiring Runner:

Completing my first half marathon to benefit the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America will be a community endeavor. Won't you help me change lives?

Follow | Donate __________________________________________________________________

TONIGHT: Your Chance to Win These Amazing Prizes at @AJBombers!

Not only is this weekend my birthday, but it also marks a chance for you to join me in kicking the crap out of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

First off, I am sad to report that the Lakefront Brewery Tour is CANCELED. Do not fret, for it will be rescheduled at a later date. Though it is a big bummer, I know (I'd link to the post describing the awesome event, but a) I don't want to pour salt in the wound, and b) Blogger erased it).

I would, however, like to remind you of my little AJ Bomber's Guest Bartending Benefit that's taking place TONIGHT from 6:00 - 9:00 PM. Yes, I will be spending precious birthday celebration time slinging some kind of orange-colored concoction at everyone's favorite Twitter bar.

Details here.

In addition to the general event details you will find by following that link, I'd like to whet your appetite for the amazing, fabulous prizes you could win if you come and purchase a raffle ticket or two...or seven.

Timber Rattler 4-Pack of Tickets
I went ahead and solicited raffle donations for things that I enjoy with the thought that, if you've heard about this event then you must know me or someone I know, therefore, all of us knowing each other means we're somewhat similar. Thereby, you must also like these prizes.

Sound logic? Debatable.

Regardless, I enjoy myself some minor league sports. I do enjoy major league as well, but what major league lacks is the spirit of showmanship combined with approachable irreverence.

For every Major League moment in a major league game (hello, Brewers base running anyone?), there is 10x that fun in a minor league game.


And that's why I like it.

So for the low price of $1 (or $5) you can get your very own raffle ticket (or 6), which may or may not lead you to actually winning 4 tickets to a Timber Rattlers game.

Like how I did that there?

Wine Tasting for 20 at Captain's Walk Winery
Captain's Walk Winery in Green Bay, WI has to be one of my favorite places on earth.

The wine has a lot to do with it.

But so does the veranda.

There's a rocking chair with your name on it.

Every year for my birthday for, oh, the past 3 years or so, I've invited friends to Green Bay to join me on Door County winery tours and/or enjoy fun "Green Bay" things (aka: visiting Lambeau Field).

Captain's Walk is always our first stop on the list.

And this raffle prize is good for you and 20 of your favorite people on Earth to enjoy a tasting ($60 value) and then receive 50% off wine by the glass and 10% off wine by the bottle on top of their everyday discounts.

Brings a tear to your eye, doesn't it?

2 Tickets for 2011-2012 Milwaukee Buck's Game

Did you know that Bango is one bad-A mickey-fickey?

Exhibit A:


Yeah, I'd like to see your mascot do that.

Newsflash: He can't. Because he isn't as awesome as Bango.

Bango = Superior in all ways.

That's why I'm giving you the chance to win the chance to see Bango live and in-person (as opposed to live and out-of-person).

You - yes, you - may just win 2 tickets to any game in the 2011-2012 Buck's season. The only drawback to winning this prize is that you have to wait awhile before it can actually become a reality. Let's consider that #Winning Charlie Sheen style.

I hope these prizes and the promise of me slingin' you drinks is enough to get you excited and ready to head down to AJ Bombers tonight.

I'll see you there.

And, again, sorry for the late notice on the canceled Lakefront Brewery Tour. It really puts your day in the crapper, I know.

__________________________________________________________________

Current Couch Potato | Aspiring Runner:

Completing my first half marathon to benefit the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America will be a community endeavor. Won't you help me change lives?

Follow | Donate __________________________________________________________________