Ukrainian Christmas & MSBH Update

This past weekend we celebrated Ukrainian Christmas. Yes it was a week late. But we were out of town the actual weekend and ended up celebrating it on the Ukrainian New Years. So that works! This year we had a lot of people (although there were quite a few I would have also liked to invite but we just didn't have the space!).

I looooove celebrating with lots of friends for Ukrainian Christmas! We had 23 people over and it was jam packed in our little house but so fun!!
I made 12 dishes (including cabbage rolls, perogis, etc) 7 meats and 7 desserts. It was a really fun time! I love this tradition and I love inviting different people. It's just so fun!


I also used the opportunity to finish off a whole pile of MSBH Challenge recipes.
Baba Au Rhum
Rum Syrup (I made Apple Syrup instead)
Kouigh Amans
Chocolat Babkas
Streusel Topping
Pissaladiere
Pissaladiere Dough
Plum-Oat Crisp
Dried Peach and Goat Cheese Galette
Corn and Shiitake Tart
Cornmeal Pate Brisee
Lime Glazed Cookies
Lime Glaze
Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies

So I have 10 recipes left.
I am going to make them all before the end of January!

MSBH Challenge Update

Soooo i've realized that my list is not up to date and I can't figure out which ones I am missing from my list. Cause I don't have that many left but my numbers don't show it. One day soon here I will figure it out. But not right now, cause I am not feeling it!

153. Pithivers
154. Baguettes
155. Fouagsse
156. Focaccia
157. Dried-Fruit Focaccia
158. Roasted- Tomato Bread
159. Buttermilk Biscuits
160. Chocolate Scones
161. Popovers
162. Brown sugar Buttercream
163.
164.
165.
166.
167.
168.
169.
170
171.
I'm done 171. Cause I counted the ones I have left and I thought I had less but it appears I have 37 left. But quite a few of them are recipes that you use together. So you make one and then three more go with it (ie icing fillings or curds, etc). So all in all. This weekend, I'm gonna make a bunch for my girl's night I am having on Friday night!

And since a picture always makes a post better... here are the pecan pie and Cherry-Cheese Strudel from Thanksgiving.

aaaaaaaand a quick one of Steff and Luke - my current editing project!

MSBH Update

It's been a while and I haven't updated this. I am soooo close to being done! And then Regan has said I need to go on a cooking light challenge. So I probably will be doing that or some variation on it :)
138. Cherry Cheese Strudel
139. Strudel Dough
140. Pecan Pie
141. Canneles
142. Lemon Madeleines
143. Pavlovas with Mixed Berries
144. Wheatmeal Shortbread Wedges
145. Prune Pinwheels
146. Prune Filling
147. Cheese Danish
148. Cheese Filling
149. Apricot Bow ties
150. Chocolate Pistachio Danish
151. Sticky Buns
152. Sugar Buns

Do you think I should write Martha and tell her I did this? Or is that just weird?

And since a post just isn't the same without a picture... some of my favorite pictures lately

MSBH Challenge Update

It's been a while since I updated my list.
I made this not long ago which I LOVED!

125: Classic Crumb Cake
126. Crumb Topping
127. Peach, Apricot and Cherry Pie
128. Apple Crumb pie
129. Slab Pie
130. Almond Crumb Crust
131. Fourth of July Blueberry Pie
132. Gooseberry pie
134. Tender Pie Dough
135. Struesel
136. Nectarine Tart
137. Tart Dough

I am planning a baby shower and I am making treats to go to that... so I will hopefully be able to knock off about 4-5 more recipes for that today. :)


This child is adjusting to having the other kids in school. He is lonely. And doesn't know what to do with himself. I set up the tent in the living room and he played for a bit. He spends a lot of time whining and crying that the other kids aren't home. Hopefully we adjust, so that we both can be happy and I can still get some things done during the day!

MSBH Challenge Update

Well I must admit I am feeling a bit like stopping my challenge.
Here's an updated list of the last few I've made....
116: French Almond Macaroons
117: Swiss Meringue Buttercream
118: Dobos Torte
119: Rubarb Tart
120: Cream Cheese Tart Dough

121: Summer Fruit Tart
122: Pullman Bread
123: Fruit Turnovers
124: Fruit Fillings

And I still have a few left to do. 208-124 = 84. That's still a few. And well I've made other things when I could have been making stuff out of here. Sounds like a need a serious bake-a-thon with just things from my MBSH.
But well I need a little encouragement to get it done. A little you can do it and stuff like that...... do any of you even care about this challenge???

MSBH Update

So today I am guest posting over here at Frankly Entertaining. So go check it out and then look around at the great site. Two sisters post lots of great recipes and cookbook reviews and other tips about working in the kitchen.

AND since I am over there today I thought I'd just give an update here on my MSBH Challenge.

107: Cherry Streusel Coffe Cake
108: Milk Glaze
109: Mexican Wedding Cookies
110: Torta Sbrisolona
111: Linzer Cookies
112: Classic Apple Pie
113: Olive oil Bread
114: Fruit Turnovers
115: Sfogliatelle

And since it's way more fun with a picture.... here are two.

WINNERS!!!! and some other random things.... :)

Winner of the Camera Strap:
"The Lowry's"

Email me your address at steedr at gmail dot com pretty please and I'll get it off to you!
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I updated my 365 photo blog FINALLY. :) One of my favorites that I put up there....


heehee. Didn't that just make you smile??? :)

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Thought I'd give an update on my MSBH Challenge:

83. Cornmeal Drop Biscuits
84. Cream Cheese and Chive Biscuits
85. Brown Sugar Pound Cake
86. Oat and Dried Apricot Scones
87. Carmel Nut Bars
88. Palmiers
89. Old Fashioned Berry Layer Cake
90. Apple Spice Layer Cake
91. Caramelized Lady Apples
92. Creamy Goat Cheese Frosting
93. Blackberry Roulade
94. Mocha-Pistachio Wedding Cake (i made it chocolate instead of Mocha
95. Chocolate Buttercream
96. Chocolate Pastry Cream
97. Simple Syrup
98. Torta Della Nonna
99. Past Frolla
100. Pistachio Tartlets with Creme Frache and Berries
101. Pistachio Tart Dough
102. Potato and Onion Tartes Tatin
103. Sausage and Feta Hand pies
104. Easter Pie
105. Easter pie Dough
106. Sour Cherry Lattice Cobbler

(that means I'm over half done!! :) )
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AND i was thinking that I'd do a little Q&A so.... if you've got a question that you asked and I didn't answer it or one that's been burning in your mind, now's the time to ask it :)


hmmmmmmmm kind of a boring post eh? :)

In the Kitchen: Linzertorte

I had requests from every one who tasted this for the recipe. SO here it is!!!



LinzerTorte
(from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook)

1/2 cup hazelnuts
1 cup blanched almonds
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
Raspberry Jam

Preheat oven to 350. Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast, stirring occasionally until skins begin to split, about 15 minutes. Immediately rub hazelnuts vigorously in a clean kitchen towel to remove skins (as much as will easily come off.) Let cool.

In a food processor (i used a magic bullet), pulse the hazelnuts and almonds until finely ground. (be careful not to over process it into a paste). Transfer into a small bowl, set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and beat 1 minute to combine. With mixer on low, add ground nuts and the flour mixture all at once; beat just until combined.

Divide dough in half. Using your fingers, press half the dough into a 9 inch cheesecake pan (you can use a bottomless tart ring if you have one but I didn't) to form the bottom and up the sides about 3/4 inch. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly dust a piece of parchment paper with flour and roll out the other half of dough to a 13 inch round. Place on a baking sheet and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.

Using an off set spatula, spread the Raspberry jam evenly over the chilled base. Set aside. Cut the dough into 3/4 inch wide strips from chilled round of dough.(the recipe tells you to use a fluted pastry wheel but I don't own one of those, so I just used my pizza cutter!). Arrange strips on top of the jam in lattice pattern. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350.

Bake, rotating pan halfway through until torte is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 20 minutes. Remove ring and cool torte completely. Best eaten the day it is made as the crust gets soggy if left too long.

TRY IT!!!

And while i'm talking food, an update on my MSBH Challenge.
76. Linzer Torte
77. Bagels
78. Blueberry Muffins
79. Plum Coffee Cake Muffins
80. Marble Cake (SERIOUSLY good one!)
81. White Chocolate Glaze
82. Danish Dough

In the kitchen: Grapefruit Cookies & MSBH Update

Grapefruit Cookies
from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook
Makes 15 sandwich cookies
Grated zest of 1 ruby red grapefruit, plus 1/4 cup freshly squeezed juice
1 cup sugar
1 cup all purpose flour plus more for dusting
3/4 cup cake flour (not self rising)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 large egg yolks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the grapefruit zest with 1 Tablespoon sugar; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and remaining sugar on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg yolks, and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the reserved zest-sugar mixture. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the juice, and beat to combine.

Turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, and shape into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the disk to 1/8-inch thick. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds and place about 1 inch apart on the prepared sheet. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until the edges are golden 18 t o20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes. Transfer parchment paper and cookies to rack to cool completely.

Using an offset spatula, spread 1 Tablespoon filling onto the flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, keeping the flat sides down. Once filled, cookies can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Grapefruit Cream filling
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 TBSP honey
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice

In the bowl an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the honey. Add juice, 1 Tbsp at a time filling holds together and is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and set aside until ready to use.

63. Cheesecake Thumbprints
64. Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
65. Peanut Butter Filling
66. Grapefruit Sandwich Cookies
67. Grapefruit Cream Filling
68. Nut Crescents
68. Lemon Sugar Snap Cookies
69. Graham Cracker Cookies
70. Black and White Cookies
71. Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
72. Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies
73. Anise-Almond Biscotti
74. Devil's Food Cake
75. Mint Chocolate Ganache

Baby Shower: Cookies and Milk

Cookies and Milk.
(these aren't the best pictures but it was late and I was in a hurry!!)
I saw this idea for a baby shower theme and LOVED it. And lucky I was lucky enough to plan a baby shower for my sweet friend Jenna. Here she is with her sweet 4 day old Colby (isn't he a doll!)

I asked Jenna and she said yes! And I used this opportunity to make a whole lotta cookies from the MSBH for my challenge :) I did 12 recipes (including the fillings)

For cookies we had:
My favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies (not from the MSBH)

Anise-Almond Biscotti

Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Black and White Cookies (which never got the black and white icing cause I ran out of time!)

Graham Cracker Cookies

Lemon Sugar Snap Cookies

Nut Crescents

Grapefruit Sandwich Cookies

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Cheesecake Thumbprints

And my friend Teale brought over some Ginger Snaps too.

For milk we had:
Soy, Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry and White.
(mmmmm milk!)


And Reg brought home some flowers and chocolate bar to help with my bad day :)


The whole table

Christmas Food

Over the Christmas holidays I made a bit of stuff to eat! :)
To add the the list from here

50. Chocolate Shortbread fingers
51. Cranberry - Pistachio Biscotti (which I will share the recipe for at the bottom cause it was SO STINKING good!!)
52. Maple Walnut Cupcakes
53. Maple Buttercream
54. Carrot Ginger Cupcakes
55. Orange cream cheese Frosting
56. New York Style Cheesecake
57.Petits Fours
58. Puff Pastry
59. Chocolate Napoleon
60. Chocolate Pastry Cream
61. Lemon-Blueberry Napoleons
62. Lemon Custard

Cranberry - Pistachio Biscotti
from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup boiling water
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar plus more for sprinkling
3 large eggs, plus 1 large egg lightly beaten
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 375F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Place cranberries in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand until plump, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl, set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition and scraping down the sides as needed. Beat in vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Mix in drained cranberries and pistachios.

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, divide in half. Shape each piece into a 16 by 2 inch log. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. With your palm, slightly flatten logs. Brush beaten egg over logs and sprinkle generously with sugar.

Bake, rotating halfway, until logs are slightly firm to the touch. About 25 minutes. Transfer logs on parchment paper to a wire rack to cool slightly. About 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 300F.

Place logs on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut lots crosswise on the diagonal into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place a wire rack on a large rimmed cookie sheet. Arrange slices, cut sides down on the rack. Bake until firm to the touch.

Martha Stewart Baking Challenge

I thought I'd give a bit recap of where I am at on my challenge. (If you don't know what I am doing you can read here
1. Banana Nut Bread
2. Chocolate Frosting
3. Yellow Butter Cake
4. Ciabatta
5. Sugar Cookies
6. Rugelach
7. Banana Carmel Cake
8. Mascarpone icing
9. Pumpkin Bread
10. Pizza Dough
11. Chocolate Chunk Cookies
12. Honey Whole Wheat Bread
13. Coconut Cream Pie
14. Key Lime Pie
15. Candied Key Lime Slices
16. Individual Gingerbread cakes
17. Chocolate Ganache
18. One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes
19. Swiss Buttercream
20. Chocolate Wafers
21. Coconut Pecan Caramel Sandwich Cookies
22. Martha's Birthday Cake
23. Almond Swiss Meringue
24. Almond Buttercream
25. Herb Baking Powder Biscuits
26. Lemon Curd
27. Pate Brisee
28. Cornmeal Drop Busicuts
29. Fudgy Chocolate Brownies
30. Banana Carmel Cake
31. Mascarpone Frosting
32. Caramel Sauce
33. Tart Dough
34. Lemon Curd
35. Tarte Tatin
36. Tomato Tart
37. Pate A Choux
38. Cream puffs
39. Pastry Cream
40. Chocolate Eclairs
41. Vanilla Whipped Cream
42. Pastry Cream
43. Baking Powder Biscuits
44. Parker house Rolls
45. Cranberry Zucchini Muffins
46. Coconut Cake
47. Seven Minute Frosting
48. Classic Angel Food Cake
49. Gingerbread Men

Both the Angel Food Cake (because I thought it would be harder to make) and the Tomato Tart (because it was really really good and I was expecting not to like it) surprised me.

I have learned quite a bit already! A lot about icings and frostings! And a lot about bread doughs and how my stove cooks!

I've been doing this about 2 months and I've made 49 of the 208 recipes. Over Christmas I can find lots of reasons to cook!

One this is there is a wedding cake recipe in there.... so I need someone getting married who wants me to make them their wedding cake and decorate it..... anyone know anyone who needs that in the next 10 months? :)


And since a post is more fun with a photo.....

A recent from the last posted family session on my photo blog.

In the Kitchen: Banana Carmel Cake

Last March I made this cake for a Book Club I was hosting at my house. It was scrump-diddly-umsious. And they told me to email them the recipe. And I never got around to it (sometimes I'm LIKE that unfortunately) I just made it again this past week. And I thought I'd finally post it and send it along to all those lovely Book club ladies who I miss and wish I could attend. Instead maybe they can eat my cake :) A little late. But better than never. Try it. I promise you'll love it!


(from the Essence of Chocolate by John Scharffenberger & Robert Steinberg)
3 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 canola oil
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
3 ounces semi sweet chocolate chopped into chip sized chunks
1 1/2 diced ripe bananas (about 2)

Carmel
1/2 cup firmly packed lightly brown sugar
2 Tbsp whole milk
4 Tbsp unsalted butter cut into chunks

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Butter and flour a 12-cup (10 inch) Bundt pan.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and baking soda.
In the bowl of a mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla and almond. Mix on medium speed til combined well, stopping to scrape the sides if needed. Mix in the dry ingredients, about 1/2 at a time, stopping to scrap the bowl if necessary.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in pecans and chocolate. Carefully fold in the bananas; do not over mix.

Pour into the prepared pan/ Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Meanwhile, about 5 minutes before the cake is done, combine the brown sugar, milk, and butter in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally as the butter and sugar melt. Once it is amber in color, remove from the heat.

Remove the cake from the oven and immediately, using a long skewer, poke holes all over the surface of the cake. Pour the hot caramel over the top, poking more holes and pushing the cake slightly away from the sides of the pan as necessary to allow the caramel to soak into the cake's top and sides. Place on a cooling rack to cool slightly.

When the cake has cooled, but is still warm to touch, unmold to a serving platter.

Serve either warm or at room temperature.

**Don't add more bananas as it will make it a gummy cake.**
And I added a chocolate ganache on top just for a little extra va-va-va-voom.


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MSBH Challenge: 33(Baking Powder Biscuits) 34 (Parker house Rolls) 35 (Cranberry Zucchini Muffins

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And there is a new family up on my photo blog if you wanna see them.
A lovely neighbor I have.

In the kitchen: Donuts

Now my momma (and my grandma and me) are all those kind of bakers. You know those ones who don't exactly know the amounts of things that are put in. It's more about how the dough feels and all that. But I'll do my best in posting amounts! :)

Now this is also a BIG recipe. It makes 10 dozen donuts. So you can use it to make donuts, long johns, cinnamon buns, dinner buns, or scones. Or you can cut it in half (which I do often!)

2 liters of warm water (like warm like the bath warm)
1 pound melted margarine (or use 2 cups oil)
8 eggs
3 Tbsp Salt
3 Tbsp instant yeast (quick rising)
2 cup sugar
Flour (? a lot hahahaha)

Put your water and salt in a large bowl and stir to let the salt dissolve.
And set it aside.
In a different bowl mix the eggs and sugar until frosty.
Combine into the biggest bowl. Add 1/2 of the melted margarine (or oil).
Stir well.
Start adding flour until it gets hard to stir with a spoon. Like it isn't dry yet... but it looks lumpy with flour (does that make sense?) It's sloppy and super sticky.
Sprinkle yeast on top and stir it in.
Now start adding flour until the dough comes together and you can handle it. Knead it a bit with your hands. (If you are using a Bosch or a kitchen-aid it will start to pull away from the sides.) It should be a nice clean dough that you poke your hand into and it just leaves a dent that pops back out. (make sense?)
Turn the dough over so the smooth side is on the top. Then pour the rest of the margarine (or oil) over top and grease the sides of the bowl with it too.
Let rise in a warm spot until doubled.
Punch down once.
Let rise in a warm spot again.
Once doubled again use it.

Now to make it into donuts, you lay the dough out onto the counter squishing it with your hands until is in a rectangle shape (like you would for cinnamon buns) then cut out your donuts (I have a rolling pin that is a donut cutter outer. So I lay my dough out and then roll it over it and it cuts out constant donuts. It's cool. And it was my mom's. It takes me like 3 minutes to cut out 80 donuts (which is what I did this morning.)

Deep fry them in hot oil (I always use the stove but you could use a deep fryer).
Then drain them.
As soon as you can touch them without burning your hands, drop them into a glaze. (my glaze is just icing sugar with vanilla and some warm water til it is runny. I have no idea the amounts..... just til it looks right. hahahaha)
Then let them drain again.
Then eat them. :)

The more often you make this dough the easier it will be. It's a bit second nature to me as I used to make this dough weekly to make buns and whatever else. I did it on baking mondays. It sounds like a lot of work but it's really not.

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MSBH Challenge 25 (Banana Carmel Cake), 26 (Tart Dough), 27 (Lemon Curd), 28 (Pate A Choux), 29 (Cream puffs), 30 (Chocolate Eclairs), 31 (Vanilla Whipped Cream), 32 (Pastry Cream).

Hmm that's a lot of stuff...... but a lot of them went together. As in the lemon curd and tart became a french lemon tart. The Pate A Choux is the dough that starts cream puffs and chocolate eclairs and the vanilla whipped cream and pastry cream fill them.

And a funny side note to all this baking? I've lost a little weight lately. hahahaha. Kind of ironic eh?

In the Kitchen: Cafe Rio Salad

I have had quite a few people ask for this recipe. And I've never gotten around to posting it. (Sorry it took me so long Brett!) This really is one of my very favorite meals! I made it this past week on Thursday for a group of ladies I had over for lunch. And it was marvelous! :) I don't have a picture of it.... but here is the recipe

Cafe Rio Salad:
Put in your crockpot:
3-4 pound Pork Roast
1 cup Pace Picante Sauce
1 cup Brown Sugar
Cook it until you can shred it with a fork.
(For a frozen roast about 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high)
Cook some rice with zest from 1 lime.
Dressing:
Blend and chill:
1 1/3 cup light sour cream (I use 500ml of sour cream)
3/4 cup mayo
1 bunch of cilantro
1 package Ranch Dressing (you know that powdered stuff)
4 Tbsp Safeway Salsa Verde
1-2 cloves of garlic
1/8 tsp Tabasco (I always leave this out so my kids will eat it)
Juice of 1 lime
Add milk if too thick
Guacamole: Use your favorite recipe or
2 mashed avocados
2 Tbsp lime or lemon juice
1 diced tomato
add to taste: hot sauce, garlic powder & cayenne pepper

To eat it pile it in this like a taco on your plate:
Tortilla
Rice
Black Beans
Shredded Pork
Romaine Lettuce
Diced Tomatoes
Guacamole
Corn Chips (Optional)
Dressing
**Eat it like a salad, breaking off tortilla as you go or wrap the whole thing like a burrito (that's what we do)**

and here is a random photo from last weekend!

Some people think that this time of year is ugly around here. I completely disagree! I LOVE the yellowness of this season!! Love the hay bails in the fields. Love the crisp blue sky. I think it's beautiful!!!
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MSBH Challenge 23 (Herb Baking Powder Biscuits), 24 (Fudgy Chocolate Brownies)

The Inventor/ Mad Scientist Party

Some pictures from the party.
Alden invited 5 other boys. (Which funny enough felt like 2x the amount whereas the girls party two weeks ago was more girls and easier to manage! Lucy came upstairs and said to me "Mom, girls just talk a lot but boys are loud and make trouble!")

I had wanted to get the kids some lab coats. I was going to borrow some from my mom (She has enough for her entire grade 1/2/3 split class) but she couldn't find them and it was too late to head out to the thrift store to buy men's shirts - but that would totally work!)
So instead we just had funny mustaches. :) Kinda random. But totally funny!

We did some science experiments and a little building. Each boy got the same amount of toothpicks, marshmallows and cheesies. The boys really got into it!!




Then we made homemade silly putty or goo or whatever you wanna call it. Most of the boys loved it. One of them (Carter) said he was gonna throw up cause it was so gross. :) (Notice him escaping from the table quickly behind Ben)


Then we went outside to do some baking soda and vinegar exploding. Which they loved! :)


The cake. I let Alden pick whatever cake he wanted (from my Martha Book!) and he picked a cake called Martha's Birthday Cake. And only Alden liked it. The other kids told me it wasn't so good. hahahaha. I didn't really care. As long as Alden was happy, I was happy! :)



It was a good birthday party I think! Alden loved it!

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MSBH Challenge 20 (Martha's Birthday Cake), 21 (Almond Meringue), 22 (Almond Buttercream)

Alden turns 7

Seven years ago at this time I was a brand new mom.
8 hours of labor total from start to finish.
A 10 pound 6 ounce baby boy.
Size that surprised every single person there.
Regan, My mom, Dr. Gallagher, the nurse named Ruth, and the student nurse.
Both Regan and I thought we would have a boy.
We did.
A blue eyed, only peach hair, insanely large perfect boy.
I became a mom.

At 7 years old Alden:
• still quiet and thoughtful
• loves to snuggle with me especially when I am wearing my housecoat. (He sees it as a sign to snuggle)
• on the cusp of learning to read
• loves lego a LOT
• loves to swim and ride his bike and play on the playground at school
• is really tall for his age and insanely skinny
• has recently outgrown his pants again (only for length)
• is working on projecting his voice (he has never been able to yell and is still working on talking loudly - we're on a wait list to see a speech pathologist that specializes in voice)
• has stunning blue eyes and dirty blond hair
• is currently missing 3 teeth (with two more wiggly and one growing back in)
• can be a great help with Eli (if he wants to be) by playing with him, lifting him down when he gets into trouble
• loves to sit and listen to stories, books and also makeup stories from his dad
• has notebooks and notebooks filled with inventions that he has drawn out
• loves to learn about how things work and what makes things go
• favorite foods are spaghetti (we had tonight), pancakes (for his party tomorrow), cheeseburgers, and nutella sandwiches
• switches between his bunk beds - currently its the top bunk
• loves to fill his bed with stuffed animals (he calls them stuffies)
• is a very obedient student at school and church
• loves the Wii at grandpa's house and wants one desperately at our house (no we will NOT be getting one!)
• has a growing testimony of the Gospel and is getting really good at bearing his testimony all one his own
• absolutely loved getting the attention on his birthday this year
• told his class today for show and tell that he recently invented a new game called Zombies
• still has no idea what he wants to be for Halloween
• is obsessed with the Sears Gift Book
• loves to play the computer
• thinks Family Home Evening is the coolest thing and loves it
• is very polite and respectful to adults
• is GOOD at drawing. Adds a lot of details and layers
• is really into building things with anything he can get his hands one
• whenever I empty a box or a toliet paper roll is done he annouces "I know we can make a craft with that!)
• loves all things Pokemon (including the very boring books!)
• is a very easy going child and such a joy to have in our home!

Update on MSBH Challenge:
Aldens' cake tonight and cupcakes for school today was Chocoalte Cake. (I added whipped cream and chocoalte ganache to the cake for us and regular cream cheese icing for the cupcakes for his class)


Over thanksgiving I made:
Coconut Cream Pie

Key Lime Pie

Individual Gingerbread cakes with Chocoalte Ganache
(all the kids loved these!)

Plus i made two different kinds of cookies out of the book for my Photography Class I held at my house last night. (no pics of those....)
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MSBH Challenge 13 (Coconut Cream Pie) 14 (Key Lime Pie) 15 (Individual Gingerbread cakes) 16 (Chocoalte Ganache) 17 (One Bowl Chocolate Cake 18 (Chocolate Wafers) & 19 (Coconut Pecan Wafers)

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And thanks for all the lovely words about the scrapbooking. :) makes me feel all warm a smooshy inside :) smooches