This magical little bug landed on our window the other day.
I think its a superhero in disguise.
Archive for July, 2009
disco bug
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009cupcake diversion
Friday, July 24th, 2009
I decided to make some cupcakes this morning to distract my thoughts from the fact that I am a week past my due date.
These little gems are called angel cakes, a recipe from a book called cupcakes by Pamela Clark.
Vanilla Buttercake Batter
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup self – rising flour
3 tablespoons of milk
Preheat oven to 350. Line a standard cupcake pan with paper baking cups.
Beat all of the above ingredients with an electric mixer on low until just combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat until mixture has changed to a paler color. Divide mixture among baking cups; smooth surface.
Bake for about 20 minutes.
Turn cakes onto wire rack to cool. Make chocolate icing.
Chocolate Icing
3/4 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup milk
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
Melt butter in medium heatproof bowl over medium pot of simmering water. Stir in milk, powdered sugar and cocoa powder until icing is of a coating consistency. Remove baking cups from cakes.
Dip cakes in icing; drain off excess.
Toss in unsweetened shredded coconut. Place on wire rack to set.
Cut a circle out of the top of the cake.
Fill with a teaspoon of raspberry jam.
Top with whipped cream.
Place the cut out piece on top of the whipped cream and finish it off with a raspberry!
In Pictures: Horseradish salt crusted beets
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009
Beets. Glorious Beets. Golden like sunshine and deep red to stain your fingers and your lips.
This process is a bit entailed but it’s fun to do. The flavors from the salt and horseradish are subtle but definitely there. I combined two recipes and just kind of went with it. The main difference was one used an egg white in the salt mixture. I found this helped the salt adhere to the beet and make a nice crust. Check out one recipe at epicurious. Definitely make the horseradish creme fraiche. Have your sliced beets over a nice butter lettuce salad drizzled with the dressing. Yum!
B-I-N-G-O!
Monday, July 20th, 2009
Found these great B I N G O play cards this weekend. Not quite sure what we’ll do with them yet. Most likely they will be hung somehow as a collection on the wall. Otherwise we’re all set for a Bingo party.
Will these be our lucky numbers?
oh dahlia!
Friday, July 17th, 2009
I love dahlia season. This variety in particular is one of my favorites. So round with tight little mounds of colored petals.
The way the petals are formed makes me think of the kids who could curl their tongues in school. I always wished I could do that.
what happens when you decide not to eat the artichoke…
Wednesday, July 15th, 2009
The petals just keep opening…
and it’s a purple thistle like flower! Amazing!
smoked salmon & cream cheese sundae
Monday, July 13th, 2009
What? Smoked salmon and cream cheese ice cream topped with dill, capers, red onion, drizzled with honey served over bagel chips. The result of our second trip to Junior Ambassador’s. Have you checked it out yet?
what do you mean it’s not for me?
Sunday, July 12th, 2009
Junior Ambassador’s is sweet awesome!
Thursday, July 9th, 2009
Words can not describe how jubilant I feel about this amazing ice cream treat! First of all, why didn’t I think of it?! And how come it hasn’t appeared on the summer cover of some food magazine? Maybe you need a close up…
A scoop of homemade chocolate ice cream “glued” on to a pretzel rod with creamy natural peanut butter. Better than a cone!
This is Rudy, the smiling ice cream wizard, and the man behind Junior Ambassador’s bright orange joint on the grassy lot next to 4734 North Albina. During the week he is busy making his sweet, sometimes savory and inventive flavors of ice cream and on Friday, Saturday and Sunday he opens his windows and scoops them out.
While we were there I sampled the strawberry chipotle…yum…and the ginger snap cookies with basil…also yum..before deciding on my chocolate on a pretzel rod because I just had to see it! Jon had the banananilla wafer with chocolate chips…a monkey’s dream…so bananariffic! Didn’t try the salmon and cream cheese, but I watched another girl sample it and love it!
This is the maple strip tease. Yes, those are real pieces of bacon!
The flavors change from week to week and you can even order ice cream for special occasions through his websight, juniorambassadors.com .
I personally am so excited that tomorrow is Friday so I can head over and test out a new flavor. Who am I kidding? I really just want another chocolate & peanut butter on a pretzel stick.
This place really is sweet awesome!
Place your bets!!! When do you think the baby will arrive?
Wednesday, July 8th, 2009
Test your psychic abilities and dazzle your friends with your insight into guessing birth dates!
If you win maybe we’ll let you pick the name.
Just kidding!
But you’ll have bragging rights!
Leave a comment with your guess of day and time frame. Our expectant due date is the 18th. When does that ever happen?! And for those of you who already guessed the full moon on the 7th, looks like you’ll have to guess again!
Our pick? Well, 22 has been a lucky number in this house. Although I thought a birth date of today would be kind of great… 7/8/09! Easy to remember!
We’re looking forward to see what you think!
By the way, this cute letterpress card is from FuguFugu Press.