Cousin Love

I haven't posted in a while because life has been too busy. However, this picture of the girls taken by Papa at the twins 2nd birthday party last night was simply too cute to not post. Sadie is so lucky to have such cute cousins who live across the street from her! Love those girls!

Twirly Skirts

At the beginning of summer I started making Sadie some skirts with some left over satin I had in my fabric stash. They got set aside and forgotten until 2 weeks ago. I finally sat down and spent an entire day finishing them up and adding embellishments. I knew it was worth the time though as soon as Sadie put them on. She couldn't spin enough!

Tres Leches Cake

I made this for the Labor Day family BBQ and I had forgotten how amazing it tastes. Just wanted to pass it on.

Tres Leches Cake

Serves 12

*If using a standing mixer to beat the eggs in step 3, be sure to use the whisk attachment. The cake becomes more moist and dense as it sits.

Milk Mixture

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

1 c. heavy cream

1 t. vanilla extract

Cake

2 c. all-purpose flour

2 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

½ t. ground cinnamon

8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 c. whole milk

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 c. sugar

2 t. vanilla extract

Frosting

1 c. heavy cream

3 T. corn syrup

1 t. vanilla extract

1. For the milk mixture: Pour condensed milk into large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave on low power, stirring and replacing plastic every 3-5 min., until slightly darkened and thickened, 9-15 min. Remove from microwave and slowly whisk in evaporated milk, cream, and vanilla. Let cool to room temperature.
2. For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 13x9-in. baking pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in bowl. Heat butter and milk in small saucepan over low heat until butter is melted; set aside off heat.
3. With electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs in large bowl for about 30 seconds, then slowly add sugar until incorporated. Increase speed to med.-high and beat until egg mixture is very thick and glossy, 5-7 minutes. Reduce speed to low and slowly mix in melted butter mixture and vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, scraping down bowl as necessary, then mix on med. Speed until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Using rubber spatula, scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 30-35 min. Then transfer cake to wire rack and let cool 10 min.
4. Using skewer, poke holes at ½-in. intervals in top of cake. Slowly pour milk mixture over cake until completely absorbed. Let sit at room temperature 15 min, then refrigerated uncovered 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
5. For the Frosting: Remove the cake from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. With electric mixer on med. Speed, beat heavy cream, corn syrup, and vanilla to soft peaks, 1-2 min. Frost cake and slice into 3-in. squares. Serve. The assembled cake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

It's a silly name, I know. But this is seriously the best coffee cake in the world. I make it and our family falls all over it! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do. You can't really go wrong with cake for breakfast!

Blueberry Boy Bait

Serves 12

If using frozen blueberries, do not let them thaw, as they will turn the batter a blue-green color.

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour plus 1 teaspoon
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup blueberries , fresh or frozen, (see note above)

Topping

• 1/2 cup blueberries , fresh or frozen (see note above)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

• 1. For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

• 2. Whisk 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. With electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated. Reduce speed to medium and beat in one-third of flour mixture until incorporated; beat in half of milk. Beat in half of remaining flour mixture, then remaining milk, and finally remaining flour mixture. Toss blueberries with remaining 1 teaspoon flour. Using rubber spatula, gently fold in blueberries. Spread batter into prepared pan.

• 3. For the topping: Scatter blue-berries over top of batter. Stir sugar and cinnamon together in small bowl and sprinkle over batter. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan 20 minutes, then turn out and place on serving platter (topping side up). Serve warm or at room temperature. (Cake can be stored in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.)

Jackson Earned His Bobcat

We are so proud!

First Day of School!

Cooper is starting 4th grade.

Jackson is starting 2nd grade.

Sawyer is starting 1st grade.

It's going to be a good year.

Remember Pokemon?

My kids are obsessed with them. I saw on this blog that someone had done a really cute Pokemon birthday party and that this website allowed you to make some up for your own kids. I thought it would be fun for the kids. They LOVED them and wanted to make several, but settled with making one for each of them. They picked the names and all the other stuff on the cards. Kind of fun!