fat bottom

fat bottom

Friday, April 15, 2011

i'm still here!

hey everyone, i am just dropping a quick line... if you have been wondering where i've been as of late i'll tell you... after 98 DAYS away from me and the boys, my hubby is finally back from california... he was in school getting some coast guard training before he leaves this summer aboard a boat (BOOO!!!)...


and i'll admit, these past few months have been tough, but me and the boys made it through, and i'm proud of us for staying strong (me especially... i've learned alot about myself, about love, and about family)... but as of right now, i haven't let go of the hubs enough to get my tushie in the kitchen :)


but i'll be back shaking it up in the kitchen on sunday baking up some goodies...


so until then... thanks for being patient :)


and happy baking!

Monday, April 4, 2011

ben's wild rumpus!

hey there everyone!! here's the showpiece cake topper i made for my little munchkin Ben's 2nd birthday... since Ben is my little wild one, i figured what better theme then "where the wild things are"... so here's some pictures of my creation :) hope you enjoy!!



happy birthday little man!
happy baking everyone!

better late then never :)

i know st. paddy's day was like a month ago... but leave it to me to be forgetful... here is a quick post of some delicious cakey, not too crumbly irish soda bread that i made for one of my favorite holidays... and what i liked about this recipe is that the soda bread didn't come out rock hard, it was nice and moist, with a slight buttery flavor... and what was even better it didn't go stale the next day like most soda breads... irish soda bread, makes one loaf


ingredients:

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 cup) softened

1 teaspoon caraway seeds, (optional... i opted out!)

1 cup raisins

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg


directions:

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. in a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt and stir well to mix

3. add the butter and rub in until the butter disappears into the dry ingredients

4. stir in the caraway seeds if used and the raisins

5. in a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg together and mix into the dough mixture with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula

6. turn the dough out on a floured work surface and fold it over on itself and kneed several times... transfer to well greased loaf pan. Cut a cross in the top of the bread... bake for about 45 minutes check with toothpick that center is cooked

7. cool the soda bread on a rack... slice and serve with butter, jam or just enjoy it's plain old goodness :)



and here are my two little hooligans enjoying some st. patty's day cupiecakes... they certainly are two little goofballs... :)

wishing you a happy baking day :)