freshly squeezed

Today is a day of fresh starts. We are getting a new president, the boy is back in school for the week, and I'm wearing new underwear. Gotta love that. So, if you are new around here, hello. Take a load off and stay a while.I have begun work on the Secondsister Spring collection. I always look forward to the Spring collection. There is nothing like pulling out all my most colorful gems and going to work. These felt babbles have been calling my name.

Today is also the day I will thoroughly clean my bedroom. All clean and folded clothes must find their home in the closest. The unruly stack of books at the side of my bed must be shelved. I think there might be an old hard orange rind that I must retrieve from under the box spring.

All this manual labor, plus my mid-afternoon run, will help take the edge off my guilt when I make a new cupcake recipe that I am dying to try. These little gems are WAY off my diet, but I am willing to tack on an extra mile for the chance to sit and enjoy citrusy cakey heaven in the sunshine after lunch. The recipe only makes twelve so the damage can't be too great.

Crystal Light Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs, at room temp
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
2 packets Crystal Light On The Go Raspberry Lemonade mix
zest of one lemon

Frosting
4 oz. Neufchâtel cheese (or cream cheese), at room temp
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons water
1 packet Crystal Light On The Go Raspberry Lemonade mix

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a small bowl, whisk or sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, and lemon zest with an electric mixer on high speed for 2 minutes.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating on high speed for 30 seconds between each addition. Scrape sides of the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula.
5. In a measuring cup, combine milk and lemonade. Mix well.
6. Add flour mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. (You should have 3 additions of flour and 2 additions of milk.) Mix just until flour is incorporated.
7. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (a few crumbs are fine). Cool on a wire rack. When cupcakes are completely cool, make the frosting.
8. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on high speed for 20 seconds. Slowly add confectioners' sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until combined.
9. In a small measuring cup, mix water and lemonade until completely dissolved. Add lemonade mixture to the large bowl. Beat on high speed until frosting is thick and creamy.

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Oh and here's another fresh little piece of news to make you feel oh so happy. Orla Kiely is designing for Target. Yes, you read that right. Quite frankly, I'm totally beside myself with this information. It seems that the collection will go on sale on February 1st.

I personally found the worker being trampled at WalMart thing totally disgusting. I mean, get a life people. But. Please, ladies, stay out of my way on February 1st as I enter Target. I'm just sayin.