::Pink Cupcake Camping::

Annorah turned four today. We spread the celebration across a weekend, inviting family and friends up to the campground to share some cupcakes. About the cupcakes, maybe the best cupcakes EVER. Recipe:

::Yellow Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream::

::Gang in Red and White::

"All these kids, it's pretty awesome. I was trying not to drool," the woman said before she took our picture. A reminder to never take any of it for granted.

 

 I spy, with my little eye. . . Imodium! Poor Aidan. He couldn't enjoy the amazing food. Rosemary Lemon Chicken breast on the smoker. And these:

::Salted Baked Potatoes stuffed with Goat Cheese::

::Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches::

Just bought the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, because I flipped through it and wanted to eat every single thing! These cookies were fairly simple to make. Just don't get too frustrated with the crumbly dough. It looks like it won't work. But it does.

::Taste of Spring::

These tasted like spring.

::Sunnyside-Up Cupcakes Recipe::

::Valentine's Tea 2013::

Our second, annual Valentine's tea party. 

 I stuck with a favourite tea snack: Strawberry Napoleons

I added a few new ones: Raspberry Creamcheese Brownies, Lemon Vanilla Madeleine's {But in mini-muffin tins} & Macaroon Truffles.

Valentine's done Elijah's way:

::Cheddar & Chorizo Soup::

ade a meal to embrace the cold weather. It's hot, spicy and full of fat.

 :Paula Deen's Cheddar Soup::

I substituted chorizo sausage for her pimentos. And I served it in homemade bread bowls. I baked the bread into round loaves the size of small soup bowls, than cut away the top and hollowed out the middle.

::Homemade Soft Pretzels::

 "Soft Pretzels" from Canadian Living

::Just Yellow::

::Lime Poppy Seed Cake::

This is one of the first cakes I learned how to bake, back when I was first married. It's a tea-sipping cake. The recipe calls for fresh berries on top, but I prefer to drizzle it with a citrus glaze.

::Lime Poppy Seed Cake::

::Offending Beets::

Beets and I have come to a recent understanding. I tolerate their earthy, foreign taste for the sake of those all-important antioxidants, but I juice them and drink 'em down quick. Clearly, they don't feature in any of my dinner menus. This partly explains why my daughter reacted the way she did this weekend. But, only partly. The rest can only by chalked up to the Fall.

The girls were staying at our friends' home while we were away. They are beet-eating types. (You know, the types who will outlive us all.) As the beets were being chopped up for a salad, Norah was offered a sample. I've worked hard to train my kids to never turn anything down before they've tried it at least once. Annorah dutifully took the beet. I mean, they're really pretty and pink, just the thing to catch a girl's eye. But apparently, after just one little nibble she, rather conspicuously, made her way over to where her two year-old friend was sitting and popped the offending bit down the front of her shirt. It's particularly funny because the actual garbage was right next to her. It's almost like she mistook the two.

It was one of those times where something had to be said. Like; "Norah, you can't just go around stuffing beets down people's shirts," but, giggling around the words of a rebuke sort of defeats the purpose. Besides, Norah's little friend is no worse for wear. Apart from the little pink stain still remaining on her belly.

::Lemon Crinkles::

Thank you Alanna for bringing these sunshiney morsels into my life. We used this recipe, but there are thousands out there.

::Tomato Peanut Soup::

What?! Peanut Butter in soup?!
Yes. Absolutely yes.

Recipe: Tomato Peanut Soup

::Tea Time: Vanilla & Strawberry Napoleons

These made it only our Valentine's Day menu, but we'll revisit them again and again and again between now and next February. They were quick to make, but look and taste fancy-pantsy. Perfectly deceptive. I got the recipe from "Afternoon Tea" by Susanna Blake.

Basically, all you need is a good vanilla custard, yes, with vanilla beans. Costco sells them. Note: Store your vanilla beans in an airtight container and check on them. They can go all funky on you:

::Vanilla Custard::

Once you have your custard, prepare your puff pastry according to the package. I cut mine into small rectangles but I've seen these in the shape of hearts or circles.

Toss some sliced strawberries in a bit of sugar and Grand Marnier (optional.)
And then assemble! Note: Don't assemble these too far in advance or they will grow soggy, and they just won't do.

::Heart Day: Homemade English Muffins::

One of Aidan’s favourite breakfasts is English muffins with eggs & bacon. Personally, nah. But when I found a recipe for homemade English muffins, Aidan's love for them gave me an excuse to learn a new skill. And since Valentine's Day is all about food 'round here . . .

They worked out perfectly. And they were a lovely way to start our Valentine's Day food marathon. But will I ever make them again? No thanks. They had to rise three times, and then be baked in a skillet for 20 minutes. Aidan and I were up until midnight.

English muffins. Check. Moving on.

In case you feel like spending three hours in the kitchen making these:

English Muffins

::Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins::

I had extra cream cheese in the fridge and decided to use it to make these:

::Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins::
No regrets.

::Honey-crusted Doom::

I know a girl who loves to bake bread. She says it makes her feel like she has accomplished something of value, even if she has done nothing else with her day. I finally get it.

For years I have been using my trusty breadmaker to pump out mediocre dough. And it suited me just fine. I have long-since learned that bread travels on a direct path from my mouth to my thighs, so who cares if my whole wheat roles don't make me giddy? But then, as appliances are want to do, my breadmaker broke. Black sludge began to seep out from it's guts onto my counter. R.I.P, to mediocrity. With it's passing dawned a new era: the era of The Kitchen-Aid Mixer.

It took weeks of breadlessness to finally looked my Mixer up and down with any real intent. I eyed it's wicked-looking dough hook with some trepidation, flipped through the manuel and finally went for it. . . Only to find that doom is upon me. Now that I have tasted the buttery crunch of my crusty Honey Oatmeal Bread, I expect to grow by one clothing size per week until no plus-sized store will be able to hold me.

::Honey Oat Bread::

::Cookies & other Homemade Delights::

We had a Cookie Exchange here today. Ten ladies yield a lot of different cookies. Red ones, green ones, some the size of your head. This really is the way to go if you like variety. We each baked five dozen and scooped up six of each kind. The perk of hosting, of course, is that I ended up with all of the extras.

{Glass Pebble Magnets from Alanna}
In celebration of homemade treasures:

{Fabric star from Karin}