The kids are home today. Nathan has two friends here and Sophia has the girl from next door over. They are busy!
The boys have been throwing the football around, playing video games and drinking soda- lots of soda. The girls are upstairs trying on dress-up clothes, flipping through books and playing pretend. I have to admit it is really nice having everyone around today.
I've been brainstorming party plans for the upcoming holiday season. It always arrives sooner than I feel ready.
This year I am throwing caution to the wind and hosting a Holiday Open House. I think by this weekend I should (seriously) get a head start on my holiday baking.
For the party I know I will want cake balls and Christmas cookies to serve to guests. Luckily those are two items that freeze well.
I am not quite sure what we will be doing for the Thanksgiving Holiday this year-although I know we will continue with one important tradition. I am sure I probably wrote about it last year on this same blog.
We put together either a whole bunch of turkey sandwich lunches or buy a slew of gift cards and pass them out to people in need. It's been a great way to instill in the kids the importance of reaching out to help others.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Quick Idea for Leftover Halloween Candy!
We've decided to invite some friends over tomorrow to watch Football. Although, it has been a touch and go kind of week with all the 'bugs' going around. We'll see.
Later today, I am going to get a batch of chili started and have meatballs and sub rolls on hand. I found a delicious recipe for a new salad that I'm going to try with lettuce, pepperoni and white beans. If plans do get cancelled due to sickness-at least I will have a head start on dinners for the week!
It's going to be one of those Incredible Cape Cod kind of days I live for-sunny and a slight chill in the air.
It's funny how much our kids change as they grow. I told my youngest I wanted her help on Saturday to start raking all the leaves in the yard. Her immediate reply with a huge smile: "YEAH! I can't wait!"
I mentioned to my oldest that I was hoping for a little help in the yard and he said, "AAH! MOM-- Not on Saturday!"
Hopefully, I can convince him to help for a bit before he's off with a friend: either riding his bike or playing football, off looking for adventure!
Here is my quick idea for what to do with leftover candy. I make chocolate cupcakes. I fill the cups half way with cake batter then drop in a piece of Halloween candy in the center. I am using nestle crunch but Snickers, peanut butter cups and Hershey bars work just as well too. I fill the cups all the way then bake, cool and frost!
You'll have to try it for your self to see how good they are!
Later today, I am going to get a batch of chili started and have meatballs and sub rolls on hand. I found a delicious recipe for a new salad that I'm going to try with lettuce, pepperoni and white beans. If plans do get cancelled due to sickness-at least I will have a head start on dinners for the week!
It's going to be one of those Incredible Cape Cod kind of days I live for-sunny and a slight chill in the air.
It's funny how much our kids change as they grow. I told my youngest I wanted her help on Saturday to start raking all the leaves in the yard. Her immediate reply with a huge smile: "YEAH! I can't wait!"
I mentioned to my oldest that I was hoping for a little help in the yard and he said, "AAH! MOM-- Not on Saturday!"
Hopefully, I can convince him to help for a bit before he's off with a friend: either riding his bike or playing football, off looking for adventure!
Here is my quick idea for what to do with leftover candy. I make chocolate cupcakes. I fill the cups half way with cake batter then drop in a piece of Halloween candy in the center. I am using nestle crunch but Snickers, peanut butter cups and Hershey bars work just as well too. I fill the cups all the way then bake, cool and frost!
You'll have to try it for your self to see how good they are!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Flapper Girls, Mermaids, Gangsters & Pumpkin Cakes!
It has always been the little things that make me the most happy. Cases in Point:
My Flapper Girl costume turned out cute! Although if truth be told I had a hard time with all my props. I found one of those long black cigarette holders and fake cigarettes that looked as if it were lit when I puffed on it. I kept losing and dropping my props throughout the night!
The next day I was out walking in the neighborhood with a girlfriend and we found my fake cigarette on the ground. I'd lost it the night before on the way back home. I also had long white pearls, two inch heels, a feather in my hair, a black rose choker around my neck and long black gloves. Tommy made a pretty good gangster too. He had a fake gun, a white silk tie, a rose corsage tucked in his pocket and a cigar. He didn't have as much trouble with all his props as I did.
At the party, we saw my middle daughter's Science Teacher who made a great 'Mad Scientist'. She had a lab flask from which she drank her party drink.
On Saturday, Sophia woke up not feeling well. She woke with a cold and slept most of the day. Although, she rallied right up like a true party girl when it was time for trick or treating. I loved her Mermaid costume. I never did find a red wig so I bought a long blond one and dyed it red myself.
The only baking I was able to squeeze in last week were the two bundt cakes that I frosted orange. I grabbed sugar ice cream cones and frosted them green. I stuck them in the middle of the cakes so they'd look like pumpkins and brought them with me to the Halloween Party!
I did receive a cookbook order through Amazon last week though-I felt like a real professional downloading the label and shipping it to the customer right from home in my pajamas while drinking coffee!
My Flapper Girl costume turned out cute! Although if truth be told I had a hard time with all my props. I found one of those long black cigarette holders and fake cigarettes that looked as if it were lit when I puffed on it. I kept losing and dropping my props throughout the night!
The next day I was out walking in the neighborhood with a girlfriend and we found my fake cigarette on the ground. I'd lost it the night before on the way back home. I also had long white pearls, two inch heels, a feather in my hair, a black rose choker around my neck and long black gloves. Tommy made a pretty good gangster too. He had a fake gun, a white silk tie, a rose corsage tucked in his pocket and a cigar. He didn't have as much trouble with all his props as I did.
At the party, we saw my middle daughter's Science Teacher who made a great 'Mad Scientist'. She had a lab flask from which she drank her party drink.
On Saturday, Sophia woke up not feeling well. She woke with a cold and slept most of the day. Although, she rallied right up like a true party girl when it was time for trick or treating. I loved her Mermaid costume. I never did find a red wig so I bought a long blond one and dyed it red myself.
The only baking I was able to squeeze in last week were the two bundt cakes that I frosted orange. I grabbed sugar ice cream cones and frosted them green. I stuck them in the middle of the cakes so they'd look like pumpkins and brought them with me to the Halloween Party!
I did receive a cookbook order through Amazon last week though-I felt like a real professional downloading the label and shipping it to the customer right from home in my pajamas while drinking coffee!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Flapper Girl, Pumpkin Bread & Amazon!
For now, I've decided not to go ahead with the cup cake costume~I came across an adorable flapper girl costume instead and since I seem to have talked my husband into going as a Prohibition era gangster we may be on to something fun here.
Years ago in a women's history class I remember the Professor talking to us about how flapper girls were bold, independent and liked to smoke, drink and listen to jazz music.
The term flapper came from a movie back in 1920 called the 'Flapper'. A Harvard Psychologist back then was quoted as saying Flappers were "the lowest forms of Intelligence". It must have been their independence that bothered him so much.
My daughter was up extra early this morning. Her class is going on a field trip into Boston to visit Bunker Hill and have lunch at Faneuil Hall. Since I'm up I've decided to bake pumpkin bread to have ready and around the house this weekend. Although it usually doesn't last very long.
As for Amazon, I just added "Meet Me in My Cape Cod Kitchen" to their list of titles and it should be ready for purchase in about two weeks through them. It's something I've been meaning to get to for awhile now. Life just gets busy in so many different directions.
Years ago in a women's history class I remember the Professor talking to us about how flapper girls were bold, independent and liked to smoke, drink and listen to jazz music.
The term flapper came from a movie back in 1920 called the 'Flapper'. A Harvard Psychologist back then was quoted as saying Flappers were "the lowest forms of Intelligence". It must have been their independence that bothered him so much.
My daughter was up extra early this morning. Her class is going on a field trip into Boston to visit Bunker Hill and have lunch at Faneuil Hall. Since I'm up I've decided to bake pumpkin bread to have ready and around the house this weekend. Although it usually doesn't last very long.
As for Amazon, I just added "Meet Me in My Cape Cod Kitchen" to their list of titles and it should be ready for purchase in about two weeks through them. It's something I've been meaning to get to for awhile now. Life just gets busy in so many different directions.
Friday, October 16, 2009
For the Love of Mermaids & Cupcake Costumes!
I will be catching up with good long time friends later at a wedding rehearsal dinner. I feel blessed. These are friends I have had for literally 35 years! We used to play at each other's house as far back as second grade.
I decided to bake mermaid shaped cookies dipped in lavender sugar (colors of the bridal party) for the girls to snack on throughout the day tomorrow as they get ready for the big event. They are almost too cute to eat!
My youngest daughter Sophia has decided to dress as Ariel, the Mermaid, for Halloween this year! Her dress is a shimmery green with a puffed up skirt and the most adorable sparkly gold and purple clip-on earrings. Maybe she'll want me to put a touch of green in her beautiful blond curly hair. I love all the rituals autumn provides.
My husband and I have been invited to a Hip Halloween Party for a neighbor's fortieth and I am thinking about putting a pink cupcake costume together. I am not much of a seamstress so I would give it my best effort-I would start with cotton for the frosting, a pink wig and pink taffeta type material for the bottom of the cupcake. Although this may prove challenging, I would want to be a 'cool' looking cupcake and I suppose this might be a hard affect to achieve-with a pink wig and all...
I decided to bake mermaid shaped cookies dipped in lavender sugar (colors of the bridal party) for the girls to snack on throughout the day tomorrow as they get ready for the big event. They are almost too cute to eat!
My youngest daughter Sophia has decided to dress as Ariel, the Mermaid, for Halloween this year! Her dress is a shimmery green with a puffed up skirt and the most adorable sparkly gold and purple clip-on earrings. Maybe she'll want me to put a touch of green in her beautiful blond curly hair. I love all the rituals autumn provides.
My husband and I have been invited to a Hip Halloween Party for a neighbor's fortieth and I am thinking about putting a pink cupcake costume together. I am not much of a seamstress so I would give it my best effort-I would start with cotton for the frosting, a pink wig and pink taffeta type material for the bottom of the cupcake. Although this may prove challenging, I would want to be a 'cool' looking cupcake and I suppose this might be a hard affect to achieve-with a pink wig and all...
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Catching up, Cookbook & In the News
I just got a call from the Coonamessett Farm store; a woman had come in from out of town to buy three of my cook books and they only had one available-so sorry. There are also cookbooks at Paper Tyger in Falmouth.
I will drop off more tomorrow on my way to work.
I have been trying to catch up with a good old friend for a while now-we've been playing phone tag and now it seems as though time keeps passing. I suppose it will happen when it's time. I need to have patience the way I do when I am baking.
As for being 'in the news' here is a nice little article written about me recently. There will be a reception for the show this friday from 5:30-7:30.
Check it out: http://www.examiner.com/x-18360-Cape-Cod-Science--Nature-Examiner~y2009m10d6-Everyday-objects-inspire-Cape-Cod-artist-Linda-Steele
I will drop off more tomorrow on my way to work.
I have been trying to catch up with a good old friend for a while now-we've been playing phone tag and now it seems as though time keeps passing. I suppose it will happen when it's time. I need to have patience the way I do when I am baking.
As for being 'in the news' here is a nice little article written about me recently. There will be a reception for the show this friday from 5:30-7:30.
Check it out: http://www.examiner.com/x-18360-Cape-Cod-Science--Nature-Examiner~y2009m10d6-Everyday-objects-inspire-Cape-Cod-artist-Linda-Steele
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
"Julie & Julia", Baking for the Teachers & Pumpkin Bread
Last Friday, I snuck away and caught the movie many friends have been encouraging me to see. I thought Julie & Julia was adorable. Meryl Streep makes an excellent Julia Child. I couldn't drive home fast enough to get my oven turned on and try something new. I adore how Julie felt she knew Julia simply from reading her cookbook!
I've decided to meet my daughter for lunch in her school cafeteria today and I have baked one of my famous lemon cake's to share with the staff. They seem to like it when they see me heading to the school with baked goods.
Later today I am going to make the pumpkin bread that I included in my recipe book. It's a good fall day for pumpkin bread. The only problem is the kids eat both loaves in no time. It's hard to resist warm from the oven with a touch of butter.
I've decided to meet my daughter for lunch in her school cafeteria today and I have baked one of my famous lemon cake's to share with the staff. They seem to like it when they see me heading to the school with baked goods.
Later today I am going to make the pumpkin bread that I included in my recipe book. It's a good fall day for pumpkin bread. The only problem is the kids eat both loaves in no time. It's hard to resist warm from the oven with a touch of butter.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Such as Life!
Here is the cake I decided to bake for myself this morning to share with my family tomorrow on my birthday!
It's called Magic Mocha Cake and I suppose it doesn't look too magical from here except to say that the new pan I bought has a special insert so that there is a thick layer of fresh whipped mocha cream all throughout the inside of the cake.
The cake itself is a two layer double chocolate. The frosting is a whipped butter cream with white chocolate.
Many times when I bake a cake it is for a cake order I am going to fill so someone else gets the pleasure of eating it! This time my kids were very happy to hear they are the recipients of this one.
The 'such as life' comes in when I remember to mention that just yesterday I wrote about how much I like to sit back and 'reflect' on the good times while baking. As usual a little bit of reality always creeps in.
As I was whipping the frosting, the kids were busy running around the house and my attention was unexpectedly called away for a minute--the setting was on pretty high, I'd just begun the whipping. As I looked back not even a half minute later lots of the frosting had escaped from the bowl and covered everything from the wall, the counter, the floor, my clothes, etc..I think you get the picture.
Anyway, I have managed to get it all cleaned up and the cake is ready to roll for the celebration tomorrow. As always, more good times to come.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Good Times!
I think one of the reasons I love baking so much is it allows me a bit of time to reflect on the good times.
So much of life seems so busy busy busy and rush rush rush! When I have something baking in my oven, for the most part, I simply allow myself the gift to wait for it to finish. Instead of trying my hardest to multi-task, I'll often take a minute to put my feet up and reflect.
My birthday is Sunday and I recently bought myself a very sweet cake pan that I have had my eye on for a while now. Sometime over the weekend I am going to bake myself a yummy cake and reflect on all of my 'good times'.
Last year, I had a very fun birthday party to celebrate my fortieth--I guess this particular year I am looking for something a little more low key. We are having lunch with my mom on Sunday at one of my favorite restaurants in the Worcester area--it's not my favorite so much because of the food--although it is pretty good--but rather because of all the good times I can remember from going there.
So much of life seems so busy busy busy and rush rush rush! When I have something baking in my oven, for the most part, I simply allow myself the gift to wait for it to finish. Instead of trying my hardest to multi-task, I'll often take a minute to put my feet up and reflect.
My birthday is Sunday and I recently bought myself a very sweet cake pan that I have had my eye on for a while now. Sometime over the weekend I am going to bake myself a yummy cake and reflect on all of my 'good times'.
Last year, I had a very fun birthday party to celebrate my fortieth--I guess this particular year I am looking for something a little more low key. We are having lunch with my mom on Sunday at one of my favorite restaurants in the Worcester area--it's not my favorite so much because of the food--although it is pretty good--but rather because of all the good times I can remember from going there.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Blueberry Blogger Contest Results!
At the start of summer I noticed a blueberry blogger contest posted on of all places-Face book. I entered my recipe for blueberry walnut empanadas.
It's something I created on the spot during a baking demonstration I did last November. Why not enter? I had nothing to lose.
I won second place and the recipe is now posted on their website-the prize was $600!
That's a lot of blueberries!
It's something I created on the spot during a baking demonstration I did last November. Why not enter? I had nothing to lose.
I won second place and the recipe is now posted on their website-the prize was $600!
That's a lot of blueberries!
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