Stud

This is for you Melissa! He wore his tie you made him and his new white shirt to church with his awesome mohawk... chicks dig him in the tie!

I cant find cake flour...

I have been looking for cake flour for-ev-er!!! I have looked at Vons, Albertsons, Ralphs, Stater Bros, Traders Joes, Major Market, Sprouts and Jimbos... nobody has it. I needed it for the red velvet cake but couldnt find it so I used all purpose, and now I have another recipe that calls for it. Now its more like a challenge to find... anyone know where to get it? Really at this point I dont care what kind it is, I just want it.

New Poll

Anybody's take on baby food meat???? G hates baby food meat, and I let him try it cause the doctor said but... I dont even have to put a spoon in his mouth for him to gag. He makes the nastiest faces when it does end up in his mouth but I just feel bad making him eat it. He does extremely well with pretty much all fruits and veggies but the meats.... not so much. Tell me what you think and vote. (isnt this a funny picture! He's making a crazy face!)

I love Red Velvet

Last night I tried a new red velvet recipe from my cooking light magazine and it was super delicious! This was my first time baking Red Velvet, and the recipe was for cupcakes, but I didn't have any paper cups. So I used my spring form pan and frosted the whole cake with the yummy cream cheese frosting! For my first time baking it, it turned out pretty good! Thought I'd share the love...

Ingredients

• Cupcakes:
• Cooking spray
• 10 ounce cake flour (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups nonfat buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring (about 1 ounce)
• 
  Frosting:
• 5 tablespoons butter, softened
• 4 teaspoons nonfat buttermilk
• 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (about 1 pound)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare the cupcakes, place 30 paper muffin cup liners in muffin cups; coat with cooking spray.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon cake flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine cake flour, unsweetened cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk. Place granulated sugar and unsalted butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and 1 1/4 cups nonfat buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Add white vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and food coloring; beat well.

4. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire racks.

5. To prepare frosting, beat 5 tablespoons butter, 4 teaspoons nonfat buttermilk, and cream cheese with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar; beat until smooth. Add 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla; beat well. Spread frosting evenly over cupcakes.

Look how cute G looks in this hat! Some friends of ours, Kyle and Melissa, came to visit from Canada and this is Kyle's hat, isn't he handsome! We went to LAX to pick them up and on the way home we stopped at the La Brea tar pits in LA, In n' Out (no brainer..) and the next day we did lunch on the pier at Ruby's, drove through the parking lot of the temple, and the Birch Aquarium. We only had 2 days with them so couldn't do ALL the fun things but hopefully they come here again! OR... we may have to go to BC... who knows!

Happy Easter!

Hey everybody, I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter Holiday and spring break! We spent Easter Sunday at Ren's parents house, we got there in the morning and I made some de-lish blueberry banana pancakes, we had a pork roast for lunch and Natalie made a oh so yummy chocolate strawberry cake for dessert! Annie and Natalie hide some Easter eggs around the house and the boys went on the hunt, it was pretty funny. Gavin just wanted to eat them! So, we were just watching conference and all of a sudden a earthquake hit... It was funny because we all just sat there thinking "ok this will be over any second..." and it just kept going! By the time we finally decided to go outside, the earthquake stopped and stuff was just swaying all over the house!

So now we have a crazy week, I am back to work this week covering for a girl who went on vacation, and Ren is in Salt Lake City working so I am thankful I have family close to help with Gavin. He had his 6 month check yesterday, weighing in at 17.5 lbs and doing very well. He has 2 teeth that popped up, and he is sitting up all by himself and sooooo close to crawling. I keep telling people at work "He is gonna crawl for the first time while I'm working and Ren is out of town..." (just my luck it would happen that way) So we will see...

Crusin'

Gavin is starting to really move in his baby walker! He just discovered he can go forward, so he MOVES now.