A Day in the Life of Us: May 22

You guessed it.  Day 22 was the winner, so we had our first day in photos on Wednesday.  Here are the results.  Enjoy!

 

This is how I start my mornings.  OPC and Calcium (and sometimes B vitamins).

The kids get their own breakfast ... and my kitchen is in a constant state of messiness. 

 My morning coffee date!

Our bunny-obsessed dog Arcee! 

This was a van on loan while ours was getting fixed. 

They really didn't like it, or at least Miles didn't. 

Serie, Maia and Pearl ... ready to sew and play Harry Potter ... or something. 

The little kids and I spent about four hours at the laundromat.

They watched Wreck-it Ralph; I did laundry. 

Macey's last class of Starburst Dance.  She really likes her teacher, Taylor. 

Pretty sure that's her reaction to a green olive from the Hy-Vee salad bar. 

Good night ... I read a cookbook before turning in for the night!

New Goal

I finished my last goal over a year ago.  I just finished putting up all the blogs, all with pictures, a few without recipes.  I'll see what I can do about working on that.

Today I was on Pinterest and saw a photography idea.  The main premise:  pick a day of the month and take 10 photos from that day, with the photographer having to be in at least one of them.  I think it is a fabulous idea, and I have a new camera.  So, I think I will plan to start that this month.  I will put days 7-28 in a bowl and draw (may take out 10 and 25, so as to avoid birthday days).  That will be the day of the month for May 2013-April 2014.  If it is a success, maybe I'll do it again.  :-)  Wish me luck!!

Week 52: Potato Pie

Recipe: Potato Pie

From: Food Network Magazine (I think)

Category: 

Rating:

Week 51: Chicken Spaghetti

Recipe: Chicken Spaghetti

From:

Category: 

Rating:

Week 50: Chicken & Sausage Supreme

Recipe: Chicken & Sausage Supreme

From:

Category: 

Rating:

Week 49: Snickerdoodle Cake with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream

Recipe:  Snickerdoodle Cake with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream

From:  www.foodiewithfamily.com (via Pinterest)

Category: Dessert

Rating:  Out of this world!  Delicious!  Addicting!  (I made mini cupcakes and they were really good!)

Ingredients:

For the Cake:
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 sticks butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups fine or superfine sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk, warmed to room temperature
For the Buttercream:
• 4 1/2 sticks butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 8-9 cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of half and half, plus more if needed
Optional:
• Whole cinnamon sticks for garnish

Instructions:

To Bake the Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Butter and flour two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
4. Cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy and pale in color.
5. Beat the eggs in one at a time, fully incorporating each egg and scraping down the bowl between each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
6. Add about 1/3 of the milk, beat to incorporate, then 1/3 of the flour, again beating to incorporate.
7. Repeat this process, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until all of the milk and flour are added and mixed in evenly.
8. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake, rotating midway through, for about 35 minutes or until the cake tests done.
9. Let the cakes cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes before turning out onto the racks to finish cooling.

To Make the Buttercream:

1. Beat together the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until fluffy and pale in color.
2. Add 6 cups of the confectioner's sugar and the vanilla extract and beat, starting on low and moving up to high, until it is fully incorporated.
3. Scrape down the bowl and add the half and half. Beat to incorporate again.
4. Add another 2 cups of the confectioner's sugar and beat, starting on low and moving up to high, until fully incorporated. Check the consistency of the buttercream. If it needs to be thicker, add the remaining confectioner's sugar. If it is too thick, add more half and half a teaspoon at a time, beating after each addition, until it reaches the consistency you like.

To Assemble and Frost the Cake:

1. Level out your cooled cakes and cut each into two even layers.
2. Place one layer on a cake plate then add a layer of buttercream, spreading to the edges and evening out as you go. Repeat with the remaining layers.
3. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream.
4. If desired, garnish the top of the cake with whole cinnamon sticks.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before slicing.
6. Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator.

Week 45: Spicy Sausage Patties

Recipe:  Spicy Sausage Patties

From:  Fall Freezer Meals (Taste of Home, 2011)

Category: Breakfast

Rating:  Yummy!

Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 pound ground pork

Directions:
1.  In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients.  Crumble pork over mixture and mix well.  Shape into four 3-inch patties.
2.  In a large skillet, cook patties over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or until meat is no longer pink.  Drain on paper towels.