runner up

Fashion really is what it's all about, BUT the treats are a close runner up.


Wilton has some really fun baking kits out this year. They really spice up your goodies.

Too bad I can't actually eat these morsels. Alas, Nazi Natalie is sticking to the one treat a week rule.

A big wet raspberry to that.

weekend

Thursday

On Thursday evening Thom came bouncing into the kitchen to show me the pocket knife that his father had given him to use for the weekend.

A pocket knife.

He's six.

At that point I decided to pray fervently that they would survive and leave it in the Lord's hands.

Friday

The boys left on Friday to search out Butch Cassidy's hidden treasure. They drove eight hours to Escalante National Park where they met up with two outlaws named Papa and Uncle David, got some lunch and then headed out into the wild.

Saturday

On Saturday, Rosie, Birdie and I went for cupcakes.


Just outside the door of my favorite Bakery, one can find this fabulous old piano and violin, languishing in the flora.

Aren't they just simply romantic?

Rosie ordered up a strawberry kiss cupcake and I had chocolate toffee. We split a "mustachio" which is a pistachio cupcake with a chocolate moustache.

For my one sweet of the week, it wasn't too shabby.

The boys got home safe and sound with no sizable wounds to speak of. They found the treasure. Pictures to follow.

For now I give you a gratuitous photo of my beautiful baby girl looking oh sooooo sweet in her new Tea tunic.

köszönöm!

A little something delightful came in the post.

It was from Julie. I met Julie, here, on Suaviloquy. Julie is from Hungary. She makes killer goulash. To make killer goulash you must have special Hungarian paprika. Julie is a nice girl. She sent me some special Hungarian paprika so I can make her killer goulash. I really like Julie. I think I will like her goulash even more.

To Julie:

Kedves barátom-
köszönöm a tréfa csomag! Nem tudom várja, hogy az ön recept. Ha ön születésnap? Én már egy másik kis vmit!

No, I don't speak Hungarian, although I would like you to think that I do. I cheated and used an online translator. I sincerely hope that it translates correctly with no inadvertant curse words. Luckily, Julie not only makes killer goulash, she also speaks English. Talented girl that Julie.


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As far as I'm concerned, one of the best things about being a kid was coming home to a mom-made after school snack. My own mother was the master o' cinnamon rolls. I tell ya, there is nothing like coming through the back door when my mom's been baking cinnamon rolls. You simply float 3 inches off the ground til you find yourself in the kitchen with one of those big curls of heaven placed before you. And I think it sufficient to say that there are very few places in life where you will experience the same rush of endorphins that wash over you when you actually take a bite. Your scalp tingles.

I try. I really do try to have a yummy homemade treat waiting for the boy when he returns, weary, from his day of painting, running, singing, counting and experimenting. Some days he is really tuckered.

So I made the Pink Lemonade Cupcake recipe. At this time I would like to make a public service announcement and say that these cupcakes are absolutely of the devil. I warn you.

Here you see them in their sweet innocence. Don't they look harmless? Cute even?


Here is the revised photo which reveals their true Las Vegas nature. They are sour and tangy and SINFUL and ADDICTIVE and those of you with a weak resolve ought to run for the hills because heaven knows I've already snarfed down more than I'd rather admit. But you know what they say. What happens with these cupcakes, says with the cupcakes.

And on your thighs.

Thom and I shared an existenial moment as we ate our cupcakes. And believe you me, this is as close to Las Vegas as this boy is getting as long as I have a say.

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.

par-tay

Considering the fact that we were partially comatose and totally out of whack due to traveling on Thom's real birthday, we are celebrating today. We've got a handful of families coming over to watch a movie on our back lawn after the sun goes down. We've got something like 15 pounds of candy for the "concessions stand". We've got popcorn, We've got snow cones. We've got glow sticks and bouncy balls. We're ready.

I made cupcakes instead of a cake this year. It is just easier when you have a lot of people to serve. Besides, I'm partial to cupcakes.

There are several huge advantages to having a boy (faster hair styling, less shoe purchasing and the whole pee factor*) however, cute birthday parties are not one of them. When you have boys, you may be able to get away with cute birthdays for the first two to three years, then things take a sharp turn to the ugly, i.e. Spiderman, Transformers, Pokemon.

I found a loop hole in cupcakes. Boys don't seem to notice if you beautify their birthday cupcakes. Don't try this with an actual birthday cake, from personal experience I can tell you, it doesn't fly.

*There isn't a day that goes by that I don't enjoy the benefits of having a boy when it comes to urinating. This is especially wonderful if you have mysophobia (fear of germs) and public restrooms seem like mine fields. I am all about peeing in the bushes, even outside of Target. Er- I mean Thom. Thom peeing in the bushes, not me. I personally brave the bathrooms with custom crafted paper towel gloves. As a general rule I don't pee outside. I think that would be against the law, right?

design sunday

"In the childhood memories of every good cook, there's a large kitchen, a warm stove, a simmering pot, and a mom."
— Barbara Costikyan

Ahhhhhh- Sunday again. Church came a little too early today, considering daylight savings time. I personally wish the rest of the country would follow Arizona's lead and just stay on the entire year. I can't take this switching back and forth.

I like to cook. I really like to bake the most, but I have warmed up to cooking considerably over the last few years. Today's designs will perk up your kitchen and your mood. You know what they say- presentation is everything.

Whitney Smith is a potter working out of Oakland, California. Her work reminds me a little of pieces from the arts and crafts/mission era that I love so much. You can check out her work here.

One of my earliest Etsy purchases, my Sunda Rose apron, was made custom for me and came in a darling box with a bow. I thoroughly enjoy wearing it. It makes me feel pretty, even with bad hair and flour on my face. You can get your own here.

Some day I will have these napkins. I have been looking at them on and off for a while now. The problem is, I will need a whole new set of dishes (set #10) to go with them and I am really running out of space in my cabinets. I don't know how much longer I can hold out though. If you love them as much as I do, you can buy them here.

I hope these things inspire you to cook in style. Be fabulous.

Make sure to click on the cupcakes at the top of the post. The cupcakes were blogged about on Cupcake Bakeshop , one of my all-time favorite blogs. They are herbal essence cupcakes by a really fun bakery called Whiskie Bits. Check them out.