HEIDI!!!

Just seein' if yur payin' attention, Heidi. I found the most luxurious frosting reciper EVER! This stuff is so smooth, not overly sweet, creamy, lovely. Aaaah. Thanks to Williams and Sonoma.
It takes a few steps, but it is sooo worth it.
Step 1: In a stand mixer, beat 1 1\2 cups unsalted butter (room temp) until it is the consistancy of mayo. Transfer this to a small bowl and clean out the mixer bowl.
Step 2: In a small sauce pan, heat 1\2 cup whole milk and 1\4 cup sugar on medium heat until bubbles form around the edges, stirring occasionally.
Step 3: Using the stand mixer, beat 5 egg yolks and 1\2 cup sugar with the whisk on med-high speed until the mixture is pale and thick (3 minutes) Reduce speed to low and slowly add milk mixture. Return this new milk mixture to the saucepan. (Wash your mixer bowl again)
Step 4: Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until it registers 170F (5 minutes) Pour this mixture back into the mixing bowl and beat with the whisk on medium until it cools (5 minutes) Beat in 2 tsp. vanilla and add butter in 4 stages. I kept beating it for another few minutes until it cooled enough to thicken. OOOHHHH. Then, I added melted chocolate for chocolate frosting. IT was delish! So creamy and light. NUM.

To Die for Banana Cake

So, I love finding PERFECT recipes...I am always on the hunt. I found this one online. It was SOOOO moist and yummy. It's a keeper.
Cake:
2\3 cup sugar
1\2 cup sour cream
1 egg
2 Tbsp butter, softened
2 mashed bananas
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1\4 tsp salt
1\2 tsp baking soda

Frosting:
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1\4 cup heavy cream
1\2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1\4 cup confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream together sugar, sour cream, egg, and butter. Add mashed bananas and vanilla. Add flour, salt, and baking soday. Mix well. Pour into greased 8X8 pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes (using the toothpick test) Cool completely.

top with frosting. NUMMMO. Scrummy.
This recipe doubles easily into a 9X13 pan, too.

frower

I am attempting a Garganshoooous flower made of gumpaste. As I started forming the petals, I discovered that the flower is going to be way too heavy to put on the side of the cake. So, I decided to make only this central part of the flower one piece. Then the bigger, outer petals can glue on the cake itself around the center and cascading down the cake. I can't wait to see the finished product. I normally don't like to think about cakes too far in advance, but I am so glad I do on this little wonder. I probably would have made the flower whole, had I not thought about how heavy it would be...or I would have waited til it was too late to wait between adding rows. ..only 36 more petals to make for the cascade. Lovely.

Great Memories

When we were "homeless" for a year, I felt a need to get out and explore...to get the boys away from the everyday stresses. We visited parks, went to new eateries, and found places that we had never been. This was a BEAUTIFUL day March of 2010. It was such a perfect day, we decided to walk across the new Tacoma Narrows bridge. It was spontaneous (as usual. It's better that way). Then we found this nummy little cafe in downtown Gig Harbor to have lunch and round off the day PERFECTLY! Aaah. What a great memory (except for the part when one of my lovely children spilled their entire glass of water on my lap).