Milk Breath and Margaritas

Easy Baby Bries - Apricot and Cherry

2010-08-15T19:53:00.006-05:00

I don't have good photos of these recipes because they get eaten up before I can get my lens cap off!

These two brie recipes are easy as can be, fool-proof crowd pleasing appetizers.

Brandied Apricot Brie and Cherry Pecan Brie (pictured above)

Brandied Apricot Brie
Mix together 1 C apricot preserves, 2 teaspoons of brandy, 1 1/2 teaspoons of orange juice, 1/2 a teaspoon of cinnamon.

Heat mixture in microwave for 30 seconds to a minute - until it's just starting to bubble.

Place a wheel of brie in a shallow serving dish, pour the apricot mixture over it, and microwave until the brie is soft and melting. (In my microwave it's about a minute.)

Serve with French bread.

And even though I've made this three times this summer, these are the two pathetic photographs I have:

Trust me - it's very pretty. I'll try to get a decent photo next time!

Next up, Cherry Pecan Brie.

I think this one is my new favorite. It's sweet and zingy and uses two of my favorite things: cherries and balsamic vinegar!

Mix in a bowl 1/3 C cherry preserves, 1 T balsamic vinegar, 1/8 t freshly ground pepper, and 1/8 t of salt. Pour mixture over your Brie round and heat in microwave until the brie is soft and melty. Top with toasted pecans.

Again, this is it for the pictures:

Y'all, this is SO good. Serve with water crackers, bread, or toast points.

Two super easy, no cook, wonderful appetizers!

Have a great Monday and be sure to check out the other great recipes at Rachel's!

The Bull Ridin' Song

2010-08-11T22:00:00.000-05:00

Last fall Mr. P was flipping through the channels on TV and stopped on Professional Bull Riding. My boys were riveted, especially little Bear who was not even three yet.

Bear fixated on bull riding with all his toddler energy. We did a cowboy birthday, he got boots and a hat and some chaps, and he rides his spring horse so hard it moves around the room until he tosses himself from the saddle (gets bucked off) and leaps to the sofa (so he doesn't get trampled).

His favorite bull rider is a young man named (music warning on this link) J. B. Mauney (pronounced "mooh-nee") . Three-year old Bear sort of mushes those initials together and calls him "Jackie Mauney," which charms the socks right off of his Mama. Here is J. B.:

( I love that hat.)

Bear also likes a rider named Kody Lostroh. Kody won the world championship last year and took home $1.5 million dollars.

This weekend the PBR comes to Nashville. Bear is so excited. The other night he grabbed a toy microphone and sang me "the bull ridin' song" which I'm seriously thinking should be the opening act at the PBR. I don't know if this indicates Bear's calling as a bull rider or as a heavy metal rocker, but it sure would get the crowd going!

I present: The Bull Ridin' Song

The Bull Ridin' Song from Amy Smith on Vimeo.

You want to go see some bull ridin' now don't you?

(not a sponsored post)

Shark Bites - Daddy is in Finance Edition

2010-08-10T22:23:00.006-05:00

"He's getting so big," I said wistfully to my mom, placing my hand on Shark Boy's head.

"Oh no. I don't want to grow up," he said firmly.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because I don't want to have to deal with this terrible economy."

8th Birthday

Ann

2010-08-09T20:46:00.010-05:00

Last year I began receiving thoughtful e-mail comments from a reader named Ann, who found my blog when I posted about Nashville's wonderful Ellington Agricultural Center.

Ann's father was the governor of Tennessee from 1959-1963 and again from 1967-1971. The agricultural center is named for Governor Ellington and the gorgeous white house on the property is called Miss Catherine's House, in honor of Ann's mother.

I found out that Ann is an artist. Painting, jewelry design, stained glass, bead work - she does it all. Earlier this summer, I finally met Ann and saw her wonderful studio. And look what I got:

This stunning creation is a statement piece for sure. I absolutely love it. Turquoise is such a magnificent color, the shade of western skies and caribbean oceans. And that pendant - it's very heavy. Can you guess what it is?

It's marble!

Even the clasp is pretty.

And the earrings - I love them. I wear them a lot, with and without the necklace.

Ann may want to knock me on the head with a marble pendant for mentioning this, but when your new friend was a personal friend of ELVIS PRESLEY for years, trust me, you just have to get that right out there in the open. Because ELVIS Y'ALL!

This is beautiful Ann. With beautiful Elvis. They make a super cute couple actually, don't you think?

Other things I love: this fantastic bear painting (I think I need that for Bear's room. Quick! Send money!) and the Jade and Pineapple quartz necklace (Oh those colors would go with absolutely everything!).

I love my turquoise necklace - my Ann Ellington Wagner original. How amazing would it be to have such artistic talent!

Check out her web site at the link above, and if you are in Nashville visit the Ellington Agricultural Center. It's one of my favorite places to take the kids.

(This post was not in any way sponsored or compensated. I am simply friends with the artist.)

Isn't blogging the best way to meet the coolest people? All of you just re-entering from BlogHer - am I right?

A Good Sunday Post

2010-08-07T19:53:00.010-05:00

After I posted about my inability to blog, Mary sent me an email in which she tagged me for a meme I've not seen before. And it's the perfect one to help me get a post up!

What are my 3 favorite Catholic devotional prayers? There are a lot of prayers I love, but these three came straight to mind:

As a philosophy major at Franciscan University I had many classes with Dr. John Crosby. My first class with Dr. Crosby was Epistomology and I fell in love with philosophy in that class. Dr. Crosby taught me the philosophy of the diginity of the human person. He assigned reading by a man named Karol Wojtyla and I was amazed by what I read (I was not Catholic yet and was stunned when I made the connection - realizing that Wojtyla became Pope John Paul II). I can still hear Dr. Crosby's voice and see his kind smile, and the prayer with which he opened every class burned a permanent pathway in my brain.

"Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your spirit that they shall be created.
And you shall renew the face of the earth."

*****
"Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee."
-- the archangel Gabriel greets Mary in Luke's Gospel.

The Rosary - the quintessential 'Catholic' prayer. Many people believe this prayer is about Mary, but it is about the life of Christ; it is a walk through the Gospel. The Rosary is like sitting down with Mary and looking at her scrapbook of her son's life. It honors Mary's place as the mother of our Lord, and it is very simple, very old, and very comforting.

*****
The Divine Mercy Chaplet in song.

"For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on me and on the whole world."

The Divine Mercy chaplet can be said on rosary beads, but I absolutely love this CD, which is beautiful to sing along with. The model for this prayer is a daily remembrance at the hour of Christ's death. This comes to us from St. Faustina who said that that was the time when mercy was opened to us, and so the 3 o'clock hour (whenever that is for you - it's not literal) is considered a special time of grace to offer a little prayer.

I do not pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet every day at 3 o'clock. But for a long time I listened to this CD in my car a lot, even if it was after 3 o'clock, and this has inspired me to get back in that habit!

I tag the following people:
Jordana at Curmudgeonry (if she's feeling up to it) (J - if you need anything call me!)
Tertium Quid (if he does memes...)
Meredith at Holy Clutter
Michelle at Musings of a Catholic Lady

Happy Sunday!!

Blocked

2010-08-05T20:31:00.005-05:00

I can't write anything. It's actually making me depressed.

I've composed so many posts in my head this year, but I can't get them down and I'm sad that those memories will fade.

All three of my kids have had birthdays this year and I didn't write them anything for their birthdays, something I had hoped to do every year.

Each time I sit down at the computer:
A kid starts crying
A kid wants fed (again)
A kid has a life crisis
Or, I simply sit here, tired, wishing that idea I had earlier would come back to me.

What do you do when you are stressed, tired, and just stuck?

Strawberry Milano Devonshire Cream Pie

2010-08-02T18:13:00.006-05:00

Strawberry Milano Devonshire Cream Pie

This is one gorgeous pie!

Last month I shared my "moment under the stars" - a few blissful minutes alone before the chaos of bedtime in my home. But, I had to share my Strawberry Milanos eventually - in the form of pie!

Here is the recipe for Strawberry Devonshire Cream Pie, and I replaced the regular crust with one made from Strawberry Milanos.

Crust:
One package of Strawberry Milanos, crushed
1/3 C soft butter
1/3 C sugar

Mix together well and press into a pie plate.

Filling:
1/2 an envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 C water
1/3 C sugar
1/8 t salt
1 C sour cream
2 T milk
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 C whipping cream, whipped
1 t vanilla

In small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand to soften.

In medium saucepan mix well 1/3 C sugar, sour cream, salt, milk, and egg yolks. Cook over medium heat 15 minutes or until very hot - do not boil. Stir in softened gelatin and cover surface of mixture with plastic wrap to prevent a pudding film thingy from forming. Refrigerate for 45 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Fold in the whipped whipping cream and vanilla, and spoon into the Strawberry Milano cookie shell. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

Topping:
2 T sugar
1 T cornstarch
1 (10 oz) package of frozen strawberries, thawed, drained, juice reserved

In small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch, mixing well. Add liquid from strawberries, whisking over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils. Stir in strawberries and cool to room temperature.

Spoon strawberry mixture over filling and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.

Voila! Visit the Strawberry Milano Facebook page, where you can share your Milano Moment and get a coupon for .55 off a bag of Strawberry Milanos!

So, do you prefer to eat your Milanos with coffee or milk? Cause I'm pretty sure there is no other option...

This is a sponsored post for the Strawberry Milano campaign on behalf of Pepperidge Farm. All words and opinions are my very own.

Summery Shrimp and Pasta Salad

2010-08-01T22:35:00.005-05:00

This one is simply stunning - a very pretty salad and the epitome of fresh summer flavors.

Summery Shrimp and Pasta Salad

8 oz uncooked medium-size shell pasta
1 lb peeled medium-size cooked shrimp (31-40 count)
1 large nectarine, cut into thin wedges or small cubes
1 cup chopped cucumber
Fresh raspberries
Arugula
Lemon-Herb Dressing with Mint and Tarragon (below)

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and place in a large bowl. Add 1/2 C dressing, tossing to coat. Stir in shrimp, nectarine, and cucumber. (I used a pound of fresh little ruby red shrimp, bought already peeled and deveined. Boil some water, toss them in for 5 minutes, and they are ready!)

On individual salad plates, arrange a serving of arugula and top with a scoop or two of shrimp and pasta salad. Garnish with raspberries and drizzle with more dressing.

Gorgeous, summery, lemony, light, delish!

Here's the dressing:
Lemon-Herb Dressing with Mint and Tarragon

1/3 C canola oil
3 T chopped fresh mint
1 T chopped fresh tarragon
1 T honey mustard
1 t lemon zest
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
1 t salt
1/2 t dried crushed red pepper

Whisk all ingredients together until blended.

Fresh herbs are a must in this dressing!

Southern Living Annual Recipes 2009 scores again! Enjoy!

Note: I used penne pasta because that's what I had, but little shell pasta would be better.

See more Mouthwatering Monday recipes over at Rachel's!

Smile?

2010-07-26T22:02:00.000-05:00

This is what happens when Mom takes a lot of pictures. They are so over it.

Cinnamon Pastry Roll

2010-07-25T22:00:00.000-05:00

When I was growing up, whenever my mom made a pie she also made a cinnamon roll. Now, when Shark Boy sees me with pie crust the first thing he says is, "Can we make a cinnamon roll?" And if I don't watch carefully, he'll eat the whole thing and not share!

These are a great way to let kids learn to bake. When you are trimming your pie crust, ball up the leftover dough and let them roll it out. It doesn't have to be any particular shape or size as long as it's about the same thickness you would use for a pie crust.

Spread butter all over it.

Now sprinkle it with sugar and cinnnamon.

Roll it up, and spread a little butter on top and one more sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon.

Place it in the most ancient, beat up small pan you own. (good grief)

Put it in the oven next to your pie. I usually pull mine out after 5-7 minutes (when it starts to brown on top).

Hot, fresh cinnamon pastry!

I loved the cinnamon rolls as much as the pie when I was little!

More ideas:

Make a lot of smaller ones (cigarette size) to serve on the side of some butter pecan ice cream for an elegant and easy adult dessert. OR

Add chopped nuts before you roll it up. OR

Drizzle the top with powdered sugar and milk icing.

See more Mouthwatering Monday recipes over at Rachel's!

Happy Monday!

Vladimir Nabokov Seriously?

2010-07-21T10:20:00.006-05:00

I write like
Vladimir Nabokov

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

This web site will analyze a writing sample and tell you what author most matches your own style of writing. It is programmed to look at "your word choice and writing style and compare them with those of the famous writers."

It's a gimmick of course but pretty fun to do. I grabbed the text of my first sample on the side bar in the box titled "Free Samples," a post called Comforter. You see the result above - Nabokov.

A few thoughts...

First, I don't know how the algorithms at the site work, but Nabokov is a really excellent writer. A professional writer. An endlessly creative writer. I do not write like Nabokov.

Next, Lolita. I will be honest, I still try to put that story out of my mind. He is an incredible writer but that story omg --- it is fascinating and nauseating and repulsive and desperately, horribly sad. {shudders}

Finally, a Russian! I've always loved the Russian authors. Dostoevsky, Pushkin, Tolstoy, Solzenitzen. I've not read the Russians in years (except for her), but I do love them so! And The Nose by Nikolai Gogol is one of my favorite books to read to my kids when they are little.

Try it -- tell me who it says you write like.

Bourbon Marinated Pork Tenderloin

2010-07-18T22:00:00.001-05:00

This is one of Mr. Smith's all-time favorites.

Bourbon Marinated Pork Tenderloin

1 (1 to 1.5 lb) pork tenderloin
6 T Worcestershire sauce (I like Lea & Perrins)
3 T bourbon (I use Maker's Mark)
3 T maple syrup
2 T honey-Dijon mustard (sometimes I use Emeril's Kicked Up Horseradish Mustard)
2 T vegetable oil
1/4 t ground pepper

Whisk together Worcestershire sauce and next 5 ingredients in a small bowl until blended. Pour marinade into a large ziplock freezer bag, add the tenderloin, seal the bag. Turn the bag over a few times to coat the tenderloin well with the marinade.

Chill 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Grill pork, covered with grill lid, 10-12 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest portion reads 150 to 155. Remove from grill and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

While pork is grilling, pour marinade into a saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil 2 minutes. Drizzle sauce over pork before serving.

We started buying pork tenderloins at Costco in bulk because we liked this recipe so much. And then my mother-in-law told me I could add the marinade before freezing the pork, which is sheer genius.

I mix up a big batch of marinade and make up several ziplock bags, each with a tenderloin and marinade, and toss them in the freezer. If we want this for dinner, I set one out before I go to work. During the day it slowly defrosts and marinates and is ready to grill when we get home.

Such an easy way to have an elegant main dish in no time!

From Southern Living 2009 Annual Recipes.

See more Mouthwatering Monday recipes over at Rachel's!

Happy Monday!

Weekly Winners - Summer Flower Backlog

2010-07-17T22:00:00.000-05:00

From the Month of June

In blatant violation of the rules (I'm sorry!) I'm posting some winners from June because it's been THAT LONG since I've been able to do Weekly Winners.

Visit lovely Lotus for more Weekly Winners by people who follow the rules.

Cheekwood Botanical Gardens, Nashville

Weirdly - this came out of the camera this way, though it looks post-processed.

Sonoma Country, California

Shark Bites - The Office

2010-07-14T22:00:00.001-05:00

Waaaaay back in April of 2008, I wrote a post about having to take Shark Boy to work with me one day. It went a little like this:

Scene: My office with me typing, concentrating on a report on my computer.
Him: "I'm trying to color this passenger plane. I need you to Google "passenger plane" so I can see the colors."
Me: "Make it whatever color you want."
Him: "I really need to see it. "
Me: "But, it's your plane. You can make it whatever color you want."
Him: "I don't know what color this plane is supposed to be."
Me: "Fine." (Googles. Two seconds later...) "Here. See?"
Him: (Studies several photos.) "Thanks."(Two minutes later...)
Him: "I need to see it again."
Me: "No. I'm working."
Him: ...
Him: I really can't remember what color the wing stripe is."
Me: "Honey, Mommy's busy."
Him: ...
Me: "Daddy will buy you ice cream if you stop interrupting me."
Him: ...
Me: (He's not going to let this go...) "OK, one more look."

He wasn't being bad, just being six. Look at this. Can I have some tape? Do you have a crayon sharpener here? Can I climb up onto your window ledge and stand up at the giant plate glass windows on the 4th floor of this old, old building that who knows if I lean on it it may just fall out of the window hole? (NOOO!) Look at this! Can I go to the bathroom again? Do you have any more snacks? Look at this. What makes Mexican jumping beans jump? Can you spin me in this chair? Are you popular here? Whatcha doing? Look at this! Is your work always so boring? When's Dad coming?

When. Indeed.
*******
Fast forward to last week, Shark Boy age 8, at work with Mommy again.

Scene: My very quiet office, me working on the agenda for an important meeting and Shark hooking together in a chain every last blasted paper clip in the place. But he's quiet.

Suddenly, Him: "What is your calling?"
Me, looking up dazedly: ...
Him: "What do you do here?"

Me, still lost in meeting preparation trying to focus on his question and well - it's complicated! Multifaceted! So I'm sort of staring at him and...

Him, lowering his voice so as not to be overhead: "Do you know?"

(It completely cracked me up that he thought maybe I didn't know what my job was.)

So, meeting time comes and I tell him to keep quiet and color while I'm in the conference room next door. If he needs anything he can ask Ms. C in the outer office.

I stick my head in the door to check on him midway through the meeting. At first I don't see him, and then I notice this:

The top of his head sticking out of a box lying on the floor.

I go for the camera, quietly, since he is sound asleep in the box, wedged in a space between my conference table and desk.

Even in sleep he is hilarious!

Cowboy

2010-07-13T21:17:00.006-05:00

Oh my my! {clutches heart}

May marked our 15th wedding anniversary and I'm looking very much forward to the next 15 and the 15 after that.

One of my favorite scenes from the stage of life we are in right now is when he gets into bed (I'm always there first), pulls back the covers, and says something like "Clone Troopers" as he gathers up the little figures and tosses them out of the bed. Or he climbs in only to climb right back out to brush sand off of the covers. Or sweep out popcorn. Or rocks or cap guns or mulch.

The other night he went to climb in beside me and said "That's a first," and plucked a pair of chop sticks from the bed.

I sure love this cowboy and those boys he gave me.

Even if there are sometimes popsicle sticks in my bed.

Caramelized Cajun Chicken - Super Easy Recipe!

2010-07-11T22:52:00.003-05:00

This is one delicious and very very easy recipe. I served it with black beans and rice and steamed baby peas.

Caramelized Cajun Chicken
4 skinned and boned chicken breasts
2 T light brown sugar
2 T Cajun seasoning (I used Kroger brand Caribbean-style Jerk seasoning)
Salt to taste

Place chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap (or in a ziplock) and pound with a rolling pin to flatten them a bit.

Stir together brown sugar and Cajun seasoning; rub mixture over chicken.

You can grill the chicken or cook it in a skillet with some oil. (I used a skillet.)

Season with salt to taste.

*I used 5 T each of brown sugar and seasoning for the rub and really coated the chicken well.

I love this recipe because it sounds and tastes more complicated than it is, and in fact it's so simple you don't need to look at the recipe. Equal parts of the brown sugar and seasoning make the rub, and that's it, super simple!

From Southern Living 2009 Annual Recipes.

There is plenty more Mouthwatering Monday! Click here:

A Moment Under The Stars

2010-07-06T16:15:00.013-05:00

I pulled into the driveway under a twilight sky, and instead of going inside I turned off the engine and walked down the sloping hill behind the house. The kid’s play set was clearly visible in the moonlight next to the garden. I sat on a swing and wondered at what point this summer my littlest one would learn to pump those chubby legs. I had mixed feelings about it, wanting him to both need a push and swing on his own.

Swinging myself, through air scented by the hyacinth bushes that grow wild in the trees beyond the play set, I leaned back and felt my stomach flip-flop, just like when I was a kid.

Slowing down, I looked up at my house looming at the top of the hill, in shadow except for the glow from the family room windows. I smiled thinking about the noisy activity my husband was likely attempting to manage inside, the bustle of a busy family. My family.

A moment completely alone is a precious thing for a mother, even if she spends it looking in through the window, whispering thankfulness for all that she’s blessed with.

***
This Milano Moment brought to you no thanks to my rabbit-decimated strawberry plants – good thing Pepperidge Farm isn't counting on my harvest for any cookie making this summer! And they'll need bushels of strawberries because one of my all-time favorite combinations - strawberries and chocolate - is now in Famous Cookie Format as Strawberry Milanos!

I'm excited to be a Milano Maven, a group of amazing bloggers who are helping Pepperidge Farm launch this delicious new Milano cookie. And they want to hear about your Milano Moments!

For me, a Milano Moment is a point in time to stop and appreciate something that brings you joy. You can share a summertime Milano Moment on the Facebook page and enter to win a bushel of cookies y'all. I also have a coupon here for the new Strawberry Milanos, which melt in your mouth. Light and sweet and very pretty too!

So tell me, do you hide the Milanos? (I do.)

This is a sponsored post for the Strawberry Milano campaign on behalf of Pepperidge Farm. All words and opinions are my very own.

Bobby Flay's Pimento Cheese-Bacon Burgers

2010-07-05T09:07:00.004-05:00

Oh y'all, these are so wonderfully different and yummy! They were a big hit at my house this past weekend. The homemade pimento cheese was really easy and added pizazz to regular burgers. Pizazz is always a good thing, no?

Here's how to do it:

Bobby Flay - Pimento Bacon Cheeseburgers
1/3 C mayonnaise (I used Hellman's)
1/4 t Kosher salt
1/4 t ground black pepper
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 lb extra sharp white Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
1/4 lb extra sharp yellow Cheddar, coarsely grated
1/3 C drained and finely chopped roasted red peppers or piquillo
1.5 lbs lean ground beef, shaped into burgers
Thick sliced smoked bacon, cooked

Combine mayo, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a bowl. Stir in cheeses and roasted red peppers. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Make your burgers and grill or cook them. During the last 30 seconds of cooking, top each burger with cheese mixture, then cook covered until cheese melts slightly. Arrange burgers on buns and top with bacon.

*Bacon not pictured. heh.

You should grate blocks of cheese instead of buying pre-shredded cheese. It makes a lot of difference in the creaminess of the texture.

This is a Bobby Flay recipe. He was on TV with a Fouth of July special this weekend sponsored by Hellman's Mayonaise (our favorite) and he made these. I'm not involved with him or Hellman's, I'm just saying this is where the recipe came from. Keeping it FTC free all up in here.

You really should try this at your next hamburger grilling.

Check out the other Mouthwatering Moday posts!

American Flag Cake

2010-07-03T13:04:00.003-05:00

This is a re-post for the Fourth of July. My oldest son helps me make this American Flag cake every year. It's a delicious lemony cake with light sweet homemade frosting and lots and lots of fresh berries. Big enough to feed a crowd!

Cake:
Zest and juice of 2 lemons (use fresh lemons - it makes a difference)
2 boxes of white cake mix (I prefer Duncan Hines) (I was not paid to say that.)
6 large egg whites
1 t. lemon extract

Frosting:
1 C. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 C. solid vegetable shortening, room temperature
4 boxes (1 pound each) confectioners' sugar
8 T. milk
4 T. lemon juice
(This is doubled to make a large cake; you could half the frosting recipe)

Decoration:
3/4 C. blueberries, washed and dried
3 C. fresh large raspberries, washed and dried

1. Cake: Heat oven to 350. Coat two 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pans* with nonstick cooking spray. Pour lemon juice into 4-cup measuring cup; add enough water to equal 2 2/3 cups.

2. In large bowl, beat cake mixes, egg whites, lemon zest, juice-water mixture, and lemon extract to blend, about 3 minutes. Divide evenly between two pans. Smooth tops.

2a. Let the helpers get a few licks in.

3. Bake at 350 until cake springs back when lightly touched, about 20 minutes. Let cool on wire racks 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto trays and cool to room temperature. If making ahead, wrap layers when cool in plastic wrap; refrigerate for several days. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.

4. Frosting: Beat butter and shortening in large bowl 1 to 2 minutes until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar, milk, and lemon juice. Continue beating on low until well blended and good spreading consistency, adding more milk if needed.

5. Decoration: Place one layer on serving tray. Reserve 1 Cup of frosting for piping. Frost layer, top with second layer, frost top and sides.

6. Mark off field for "stars" with toothpicks (approx. 6" across and 4.5" down) and fill in with blueberries. Place seven red "stripes" of raspberries on cake, leaving equal spacing for 6 white "stripes" between the rows of raspberries.

7. Place reserved frosting in pastry bag with star tip. Outline cake with piped stars, and fill in white stripes with piped stars.

Last Christmas my mom gave me a present that I love - my grandmother's pastry decorating tool. I've no idea how old it is (very old), but it works well and I used it for the first time on this cake.

8. Refrigerate uncovered to set frosting, then loosely cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Our Flag Cake. Don't count the stars please. Bear was eating them while Shark Boy was counting blueberries into the bowl, and we ended up just filling in the space and there might be like 70 states. But they are all yummy!

Happy Fourth of July!

Bloggy Heart Failure

2010-07-02T12:54:00.007-05:00

Signs it's been a really long time since you've held a posting schedule:

Your blog name and blogger.com no longer appear in your drop down Internet history thingy.
People are contacting you again (many thanks to each of you, bless your hearts) to make sure you are OK.
You are embarrassed to tell people you are a blogger, because what if they actually look at your neglected site GAH.

Reasons to begin posting again even though it's a Friday AND a holiday weekend and no one is reading blogs:

You attempt to log on to add something to your side bar and Blogger says "BLOG NOT FOUND."
OH DEAR GOD BLOG NOT FOUND BLOG NOT FOUND
Miraculously, you begin to breath again.
You attempt once more to see your little blog and Blogger now says it feels there has been suspicious activity. There is a frantic password scramble between you and Blogger, involving not enough characters and having to add a numeric character and clicking refresh againandagainandagain in gmail and VOILA!
BLOG FOUND THANK YOU I'LL NEVER STOP POSTING AGAIN AS LONG AS I LIVE.
Note to self: call your blog designer ASAP re: how to back up a blog.
Oh and also - you have an opportunity to be a part of a new campaign that will involve people giving you cookies.

YES WILL BLOG FOR COOKIES.

Farm Fresh Green Beans Amandine

2010-05-30T22:00:00.000-05:00

I can't walk through a Farmer's Market without wanting everything in sight. When it comes to the fresh veggies, I'd buy more than I could ever cook before it all went bad.

I love to find easy recipes for fresh vegetables so that when I see that basket full of fresh green beans for example, I can grab a bagful knowing exactly how I'll fix them.

Fresh Green Beans Amandine

1/2 C sliced almonds
2 lbs fresh green beans
1/3 C butter
1 T lemon juice
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper

Bake sliced almonds in a shallow pan on 350 for 5 -7 minutes or until toasted. You'll know they are nearly ready when you smell toasted almonds wafting through your kitchen and you faint from joy.

Snap the ends off the green beans, then snap them in half in the middle. (This is a great job for kids.) Drop them in boiling water and cook for 4 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain the beans.

Melt the butter in a serving dish and add the almonds, beans, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss to coat and serve immediately.

Serves 8-10. Looks very pretty.

Lovely Rachel has so many great recipe links that go up every week. Check out the other Mouthwatering Moday posts!

Being Snarky Never Pays

2010-05-25T20:37:00.005-05:00

At least not for me apparently.

Look what Mr. Smith came home with:

Yes, that's right. I was all HA HA look at those silly things and now my onion has ended up in a specialized onion-shaped container.

Never.Pays.

Since I was taking pictures inside my fridge (side note: blogging will make you crazy), I noticed the dates on my milk containers are the birthdates of my first two children.

Now what do you suppose are the chances of that? One birthday wouldn't seem unusual, but there they are - Sugarplum's and Shark Boy's birthdays on the organic soy milk.

I do realize that part of the reason I have these two containers is that April was like, a full month ago. It had been pushed to the back and upon seeing that it was extremely expired, I promptly threw it out. Well, promptly after taking a picture. (see side note above.)

(Post not sponsored by either Yoplait or the soy milk people. Or the onion container people. Or the "clean your fridge out regularly!" people.)

So, anything odd happen to you lately?

Faux Fried Coconut Shrimp

2010-05-23T18:21:00.007-05:00

It looks like fried shrimp. It tastes like fried shrimp. But it's actually oven baked, so it has fewer fat grams and is less messy to make.

WHOOT!

Light Fried Coconut Shrimp
1.5 lbs large raw shrimp (21-25 count)
2 egg whites
1/4 C cornstarch
1 T Caribbean jerk seasoning
1 C sweetened flaked coconut
1 C Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 t paprika
Honey-Mustard Sauce

Preheat oven to 425. Place a wire rack coated with cooking spray on a jelly roll pan. I used one of my cookie cooling racks.

Take your gorgeous big shrimp and peel them, leaving the tails on. (Devein if desired. I didn't bother.)

Now you need three bowls. In the first, mix together the cornstarch and jerk seasoning. In the second, whisk the egg whites until they are foamy. In the third, stir together the coconut, Panko (light-as-air breadcrumbs), and paprika.

One at a time, grasp a shrimp by the tail and drege in the cornstarch mixture, then the egg white, then the coconut mixture. (When you do the coconut and Panko dip, press gently.)

Before placing each shrimp on the rack, spray lightly with cooking spray. This is the trick to the browned, crunchy shrimp (that are actually baked and lower in fat!).

They are ready to go.

Bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes, turning after 8 minutes to brown the other side.

I love how shrimp turn pink when you cook them. Aren't they gorgeous?

(Recipe is from Southern Living's May 2010 issue.)

For easy Honey-Mustard sauce I mix together equal parts Emeril's Kicked Up Horseradish Mustard (which I've recommended before) and honey. It's the perfect tangy-sweet dipping sauce for your low-fat "fried" coconut shrimp.

Add a tossed salad and some corn on the cob, you have a picture perfect summer meal.

YUM. Happy Monday!

Visit Rachel for more awesome recipes.

Weekly Winners - Camping Edition

2010-05-22T21:25:00.004-05:00

May 16 - May 22

Visit lovely Lotus for more Weekly Winners.

We went camping and it rained the whole time.

It didn't stop us though.

The rain turned everything to mud.

So we were all wet and very muddy.

Awesome dog shake.

Did I mention the mud?

It was primitive camping (no facilities).

But it all worked out just fine.

U.S. Patent No. 139,121

2010-05-20T08:32:00.003-05:00

This is from The Writer's Almanac today, and I have to share it.

It was on this day in 1873 that Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis received a patent for work pants reinforced with metal rivets, the pants that came to be known as "blue jeans."

But the story of blue jeans began about 500 years ago, in the port city of Genoa, Italy, where a special thick cloth was used to make pants for fishermen and sailors in the Genoese navy. The cloth came from the Italian town of Chieri, a town known for its weaving and textiles. The fabric started out brown, but was eventually dyed blue with gualdo, or wode, a plant that was popular for its blue dye before indigo. The pants were designed to be heavy-duty, to stand up to wet and dry, to roll up easily when the deck got wet, and to be quickly removable if the wearer fell overboard. Our term "blue jeans" comes from a bastardization of the French "bleu de Genes," or "blue of Genoa." In 2009, Genoa held a three-day conference celebrating their role in the history of blue jeans.

But the fabric that Levi Strauss ended up choosing was serge, from the city of Nîmes, in France. It may have been copied from the Italian version, or it may be a similar fabric that was created independently, but it was this "serge de Nîmes," that Strauss chose for his pants, and "de Nîmes" eventually turned into plain old "denim."

Levi Strauss was an immigrant from Bavaria, born Loeb Strauss in 1829. His family had a dry goods business, and when he was 24 years old, he saw an opportunity in the California Gold Rush and headed west. He had some canvas that he had intended to use for wagon covers and tents, but when he discovered that the men out there had trouble finding sturdy work pants, he started making pants out of canvas. And when he heard that the pants were good but they chafed, he switched fabric, to the "serge de Nîmes."

One of his customers was a tailor named Jacob Davis, from Reno, Nevada, who bought cloth from Strauss and sewed his own work pants from it. Davis had heard from customers that the pockets kept ripping, so he had the idea to reinforce them with metal rivets at their weak points. He decided that he should get a patent for this idea, but he didn't have enough money. So he wrote Strauss and asked if he would be interested in sharing a patent for sturdy work pants with metal rivets, and Strauss agreed. On this day in 1873, the two men received U.S. Patent No. 139,121 for "Improvement in Fastening Pocket-Openings."

By the 1920s, jeans were the most popular men's work pants, although still used only by laborers — with one notable exception being the Santa Fe Artists Colony, whose members wore blue jeans in the 1920s as an artistic statement. In the 1930s, Hollywood Westerns portrayed cowboys in jeans, and they became a novelty fashion item for East Coasters who went to dude ranches. During World War II, jeans were considered suitable work pants for both men and women to wear in factories. For women's jeans, the zipper went down the right side instead of the front.

The 1950s saw the biggest change for jeans, as they became a teenage status symbol. James Dean wore jeans in Rebel Without a Cause, and along with leather jackets, they became the quintessential clothing of bad boys and juvenile delinquents. Jack Kerouac wore blue jeans and work shirts as early as the 1940s. In the late 1950s and into the 1960s, jeans became the outfit of choice for bohemian artists, preferably with a black turtleneck and sandals. In 1960, the word "jeans" was finally used in advertising (teenagers had been using it for years). By the late 1960s, bellbottom jeans were taken up by the flower children of the counterculture, and by the 1970s they were a staple of mainstream American culture. And there are some people who can always wear jeans — John Grisham said: "Writers can wear anything. I could go to a black-tie dinner in New York City with blue jeans on and boots and a cowboy hat and a bow tie, and people would just say, 'Oh, he's a writer.'"

I loved reading this because one of my favorite clothing items is jeans. I love that today you can buy $200 "dress" jeans and wear them with stilettos, an evening bag, and a luxe top for an evening out, or wear a pair of Levi's to ride a horse or work in the garden. I have fancy jeans and I also have a pair of Levi's I've had for nearly 20 years that I still wear! (Wore them camping this past weekend.)

So, here's to Italian sailors, French fabric, and Strauss and Davis!

What is your favorite brand of jeans? I love J Brand and my James Jeans are amazing. And I still love Levi's, and I love Wrangler's on my boys.

PS: If you don't subscribe to The Writer's Almanac and receive their edifying emails each day, your life is not complete.