Apr 26, 2009 | Recipes, Sweets, Uncategorized
I’m done with the cakes and they are gone to their new homes! YAY!
The big bridal shower cake wasn’t as pretty as I’d liked it to be, but it is so hard to make a 1/2 sheet look beautiful. Not my favorite shape. I have a bad picture of it, and will try to get another.
There was basketweave along the sides but it doesn’t show here. I went with a cream cheese icing, but cut the cream cheese a bit and added more butter.
The birthday cake for Kennedy was really cute, I don’t have a picture of it put together, and will try to get one of those also. I’d made a banner out of fondant with her name to sit around the bottom layer, and some squiggly things to hang between layers, so they won’t be in these pics.
Top Layer
Bottom Layer
Both of these were buttercream with fondant decorations, and I’d never done that before- but they did work alright. I put them in the fridge and no issues (that have been reported yet!)
Today is mom’s open house too- hope it sells today! š
*Note- Scott raced in a bike ride for diabetes this weekend (50 miles) and made it! He even took the kids to the movies afterwards! I am really impressed!
Apr 13, 2009 | PanameƱa, Recipes, Uncategorized
Meme and Fidelia (PanamĆ”)
Emily loves pineapple and talked me into buying one at Sam’s on Friday. I noticed it looked pretty ripe this morning so I decided to cut it up and make chicha de Arroz con PiƱa while I was at it. This is a frothy, yummy, sweet, drink that instantly brings back memories of shopping on Avenida Central with mom and Meme. They would have big jugs of this for sale in little stores and it tasted so good when you were hot and sweaty from shopping with two shopaholics all morning! I learned how to make this by watching one of my babysitters, Delia. She was a wonderful cook and an even better person!
Recipe for Chicha de Arroz y PiƱa
1. First cut top and bottom off of pineapple (piƱa.)
2. Continue by cutting rind off. (Do not throw away!)
3. Cut into quarters. Then cut down edge to get rid of center core. (SAVE.)
4. This is what you will have. A bowl of the cut up fruit, a top piece (to plant,) and a pot with all the end pieces, core, seedy pieces etc.
5. Cover the scraps in the pot with water. Add about 1-2 cups of rice, cinnamon to taste (or cinnamon sticks,) a little dash of cloves, sugar to taste (I like raw or turbinado about a cup,) and boil until the rinds are soft and rice is done. You can substitute the sugar with a can of condensed milk at the end if you like that taste, but I was trying to keep it lower calorie and this tastes as good. When it’s done take out scraps and toss them in your compost. Put what’s left in the blender and puree. Then pour into a pitcher over some ice to cool. To serve I like to get a glass of ice, pour glass about half full of milk, then the rest with the chicha.
Sprinkle with cinnamon.
You can add vanilla if you like and more pineapple juice if you like.
(Also, if you didn’t add sugar you can add the condensed milk to the pitcher and add a bit more water.)
Mar 3, 2009 | Recipes, Sides & Salads, Uncategorized
Yesterday I made spaghetti and meatballs (turkey) and homemade French bread for dinner.
The recipe I use for the bread is a great one and makes 4 loaves. It’s from a great bread book mom gave me a long time ago “Farm Journal’s Homemade Breads” Usually I cut corners on time and it’s just OK. Last night I was patient and it was beautiful. I LOVE fresh bread. One of the biggest pains I have is missing the lovely fresh “michas” and “michitas” we would get in Colon (Panama) for $.25 to $.75. The smell alone makes you full and happy I think. They baked them with wood on a tile bed which makes all the difference. The kids actually ate.
Many things have been happenning around us lately that makes me realize how lucky we are and how grateful I am for the life I have been given.
Things I’m grateful for:
- Dishes left on the table and counter – means we have more than enough to eat. (And it means I don’t have to pay the kids their allowance!)
- Clothes not in the hamper– We have clothes to wear (too many)
- Legos on the floor I step on– means I have creative children (And again it means I don’t have to pay the kids their allowance!)
- Too many things to do in the day– Makes me happy that I’m healthy enough to do them
- My children arguing- We are all together and still speaking to each other
- Library fines– I have a place I can find free books
- Paw Prints on the clean floor
- Sticky little kisses
- Scratchy big kisses
I just know that we have to savour every minute of the beautiful lives we are given.
Feb 18, 2009 | Recipes, Sweets, Uncategorized
I think that out of the holidays there are to celebrate my mom loves Valentine’s Day the best. She always made it special for us with a special Valentine card, box of Whitman’s chocolates and a special dinner. I have always tried to continue this loving feeling to my kids because it was something special I remember from my childhood. This Valentine’s Day I was very behind on the preparations. Jac and I had watched a show (probably Martha Stewart Living, considering that usually that is the ONLY show we watch all day) with a special Valentine’s Day menu of “Love Birds” and other special treats. I meant to get that made but??? The funniest thing was that after sixteen years of marriage I did the horrible “Get up before you and run to Walgreen’s to get a Valentine” and then Scott did the “Ooops, I need razorblades/Valentine’s day card” run also. So romantic. (Sorry babe, I’ll do better next year!)
I did manage to make “Cinnamon Crispy Hearts” and hot cocoa for breakfast. The kids like these and I don’t make them very often, so they enjoyed them. I am a hot cocoa snob, I must admit, and have made my poor children into three cocoa snobs as well. The first time Emily had cocoa from a mix she said “Mommy, what is this? It is NOT hot cocoa!” I love to make the real deal, and trying to cut the calories have cut out their nightly hot cocoa fix to once a week (for my benefit, not theirs!) My mom brought the kids a box of chocolates and balloons, and Sharon brought them cards and animals so they were quite the happy campers!
“Cinnamon Crispy Hearts”
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/2 c warm water
3/4 c flour
3/4 c whole wheat flour
1/8 tsp salt (I used salted butter and leave this out)
2/3 c butter
1 egg yolk
1 Tblsp. melted butter
2/3 c sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon (I used the fresh, strong stuff so only used 1 tsp.)
Sprinkle yeast over warm water, stir until dissolved and set aside.
In large bowl stir flour and salt. Mix in butter with a pastry cutter until crumbly.
Stir in yeast mixture and egg yolk until well blended. Cover tightly with wrap and
refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.
Turn dough out onto lightly floured board and knead until smooth, folding over at each
turn, about ten times or so. Roll out into a 12″ x 10″ rectangle.
Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar. Starting with a long side
roll dough up “jelly roll” style to center of the rectangle. Then on other long end roll up that side
to center mark also. Cut into 12 slices.
Sprinkle some of remaining cinnamon sugar on waxed paper and place a slice on the paper.
Flatten slightly with hand, pinching into more of a heart shape as you flatten, then roll with a
rolling pin to 1/8″ thick. (Turn slice as you go to sugar both sides.) Repeat with other slices.
Place hearts on ungreased baking sheet and bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes.
There was basketweave along the sides but it doesn’t show here. I went with a cream cheese icing, but cut the cream cheese a bit and added more butter.
Top Layer
Bottom Layer
