Cute as a cupcake!

Oh man - I sure have been loving everything cupcake lately!  What is my problem?  They are just the cutest things ever.  So sweet - so tiny - pretty pastels - sparkly sprinkles on top- oohh myyyy!

So I'm at Von Maur tonight looking desperately for a swimsuit cover up.   Scored a snazzy brown one with a buckle and teeny seashells & beads on it.  Hand wash you say?   I say "oh well" because it looks nice and I needed it NOW.  It was 1/2 off on clearance at the cost of one I almost purchased at Target.   Whoever called Target's version a cover up was joking! 
Anywho, I wander over to the gift section wondering if the white pitcher I spied a few weeks ago was on clearance yet. Yep - and it was gone.
So I decided to keep going over a little further to sneak a peek at the most adorable cupcake display!   Demdaco has the cutest stuff out right now!

  Get a load of this cool metal cupcake centerpiece!  ...Wow! 

I might need this cute birthday banner for my birthday this Friday.  No party or anything but it would be fun to have it for sometime in the future, right?

Now this one I just about bought.  That and a ceramic cupcake sprinkles dispenser.  My wheels were turning how I could justify buying it for myself since it was going to my birthday soon, after all!

Right? I need a shopping enabler right now.  LOL

Okay - I didn't succomb to the cuteness cravings. Not yet anyway!

I left with my classy bathing suit cover up for an upcoming trip with my family to the lake.

Can't wait!  Have a great week!

P.S.  My blog friend Diane Duda (the very talented artist who did my header) has announced that Demdaco has a new line of her artwork for sale!  I'm so excited for her and hope to see the products in my local store very soon!  Please check it out!

Stayin Cool

Hi all!  Just popping in to say hi and hope you're all staying cool!   It's been pretty hot & muggy.  Needless to say all I've wanted to do is stay in and soak up the A/C and have some delicious frozen yogurt or sherbet!

I hope to have some fun things to post soon - I have been sooo busy helping out a friend get ready to move.  I also have an outdoor wedding to attend this weekend!   It shall be fun to see a sweet pal give her vows.   I'm hoping it'll be a fun country style occasion.  I'll bring my camera.    Ciao!

Lighten Up

Hello!  It's already Sunday and time to start the work week again.  I got to spend some time outdoors Friday night with a friend.  We went to see Shakespeare on the Green.   "Romeo and Juliet" - but of course!
I was a little disappointed how very plain the set was - extremely plain.   I thought the director kept the theme a bit dark with a "man in black" lurking around which I interpreted as death and there were a bunch of people chanting endlessly which was a little creepy to me.  I mean,  we know they die in the end but come on! Needless to say we left early.  But I did enjoy some time outside to catch up and picnic with a friend!

I have been doing some cooking this weekend.   Lately I feel a bit sluggish and without much energy...  I'm sure it's because of the way I've been eating.  Going out and getting junk doesn't do the body good! 
This is my chance to turn things around and start eating more nutritious food.  Especially since there are such great fruits and vegetables at the farmers markets available now!  I also need to get to the gym I have a membership to.  They've been enjoying getting money every month even though I'm not there!

My mom and I both happen to have this cookbook by Ellie Krieger.  We like cookbooks...

So Mom challenged me to make at least 2 recipes a week out of the cookbook!  Like in "Julie & Julia" (I loved that movie and it inspired me to start this blog).  So this weekend I am making a couple chicken recipes that are from Ellie's  archives online but not in this book.  I happened to have printed them out a few yrs ago.  Thought I'd at least start there since they sounded good.
Tonight I made herb crumb crusted chicken and it smelled wonderful and was tasty as well!
I have prepared part of the recipe (the chicken) for the curried chicken salad.  Because it calls for tossed mixed greens I wanted to make it fresh right before eating.  

                                               Ellie Krieger Food Network (recipe link)

Let me know if you try these!  Maybe I'll blog about the ones I prepare and I thought were tasty enough to share with you!   Would you like that?  Have a great week!

Wanted: Better Skillet Skills

Oh boy!  Little Miss City Girl is needing help in this area!   I get myself all inspired by reading blogs like Sugar Pie Farmhouse and Pioneer Woman and go out and by myself my first iron skillet at the store.   I guess I shouldn't say first because my sweet brother bought me a flat iron skillet a very long time ago.  I was miffed because I had absolutely no idea why he'd by me such a thing, let alone attempt to use it.  

Image from Pioneer Woman Cooks

I was intimidated by the whole seasoning ordeal.   I thought it was too much trouble.   I think I still have it and will pull it out to see how I do with it. Of course it's not seasoned so I will have to do that first!

 Right now I have a Lodge medium frying pan and have cooked on it about 3xs. 

Earlier in the week I made the mistake of warming it, putting on butter to melt and walking away for a few minutes.

BURNT BUTTER STINKS!

In case you wondered...

After clearing out the smoke and starting over I managed to make some pretty good fried eggs and blueberry pancakes.

 Image from BBC Good Food

Today I tried my hand at it again and did great with the eggs but the 2nd batch of pancakes were on the burnt side.   As the skillet got hotter the pancakes were cooking a little too fast.  Ugh!

I will say that I do love that the pan is very hot and it doesn't take much to cook evenly on my electric stove.  I finally can fry an egg and turn it without breaking the yolk!

I may be converted to using an iron skillet often!   I just have to remind myself over and over to NOT touch that handle without a mitt.  After years of cooking with non stick pans and in the microwave it's something that can easily be forgotten.  Next up will be trying out baking in that pan!

 That's one thing I love about myself - a willingness to learn things later in life and give it a go!

image from Pioneer Woman

Mmm see the above picture of PW's skillet apple cake?  I'm thinking I need to try this recipe in the Fall.   When all the apples are harvested and nearby Nebraska City has their Applejack Festival. 

Here's the skillet apple cake recipe from Pioneer Woman's website along with the link (I recommend printing from her site):

Ingredients

•4 whole To 5 Whole Granny Smith Apples, Peeled, Cored, And Cut Into Six Equal Pieces

•1-¾ stick Butter

•¾ cups Sugar

•_____

•FOR THE CAKE:

•1 stick Butter

•⅔ cups Sugar

•1-½ teaspoon Vanilla

•2 whole Large Eggs

•½ cups Sour Cream

•1-½ cup All-purpose Flour

•1-½ teaspoon Baking Powder

•1 teaspoon Salt

•½ teaspoons Cinnamon

•1 whole Small Granny Smith Apple, Peeled, Cored, And Chopped Finely

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.



In a 9 to 10-inch skillet, melt 1 3/4 sticks butter over low heat. Add 3/4 cup sugar to the pan and stir around, then place apple slices, wedge side down, in the pan. Don’t pack them too tightly, but try not to leave overly large gaps. Allow this to cook over low/medium-low heat while you make the cake batter.



In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 1 stick of butter and 2/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and eggs. Add sour cream and mix well. Gradually add flour mixture until just combined. Gently stir in 1 chopped apple.



Remove skillet from heat. Spoon batter over the top, then spread gently so batter is evenly distributed. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cake is golden brown and bubbly. Allow cake to sit in skillet for five minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Don’t worry if some of the topping isn’t perfect—it’ll taste perfect!



Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.


Let me know if you try this and how it went! 

Let Freedom Ring

                      Stopping in to wish my American friends a wonderful Independence Day! 

photo from Country Living

I'm planning to start celebrating tomorrow with my family.  We were invited over by a wonderful friend to have some Italian sausages, beef hotdogs, angus burgers and all the goodies that go along with that.  I'm looking forward to seeing some big booming sparkly fireworks in the sky! I can't wait!

Photos from Southern Living

I think I might bring a peach pie from a local bakery.   That sounds good!  Hmm I may have to bring some "a la mode" ice cream as well.   Getting hungry?

Photos from Country Living

I love these country style picnic decorations.  I'm a city girl but with country girl roots.  My mom's side of the family hails from Creighton, NE.   I had a little taste of working on a farm and getting some of that small town charm!  

I like spending time in small towns and enjoying the people.   I am anticipating a trip to Woodbine, IA this Fall. 

Last year it was so touching to spend time with my best friend and her family.   We were there to celebrate the life of her father that had passed away.   You see, he loved to put his classic car in the auto show there. 

I loved the town, the sweet little old ladies serving chicken and noodles at the church, the craft show in the gymnasium and the time spent loving on my friends. 

photos from Southern Living

   

                                                                      

                  God Bless America!