Girls Night Out

In celebration of another birthday my friend, her daughter and I decided dinner and a show.  Campo www.camporeno.com before the show was delightful.  Kale Salad, Frito Misto, and Pumpkin
Gnocchi were each perfect. The show was Grease, a favorite.  Still singing Beauty School Dropout today in my head.  Counting another year a success.

A Decade of Blessings

This weekend my little boy turns 10.  How in the world did that happen already?  He is an incredible kid.  He has been the light of our lives and we enjoy every minute with him...even math homework time!  He loves anything outdoors...snowmobiling, surfing on the lake, baseball, soccer you name it.  This weekend we will celebrate his birthday with his travel baseball team at a tournament.  Three other players have birthdays at exactly the same time so the party is on!  A tournament championship would be a great gift don't you think?  Go Muckdogs.  Happy Birthday Sweetie we love you more than you will ever know.

Celebrating Another Fab 40 with Friends

Vanilla and Chocolate Cake Pops.

A table full of sweets worthy of a Big Four-Oh Celebration.

A crowd pleasing favorite, grilled pizzas.

This is the year to turn 40!  For my friends and I anyway.  This past weekend a few close friends gathered together to celebrate another Fab 40.  A girls day out, lunch and cocktails at a local favorite Bar of America - recommend the Ahi Tuna Salad and Fish Tacos, then a stop at Truth Tattoo and dinner party featuring appetizers, grilled pizzas, Extreme Vanilla Bean cupcakes and cake pops.  What a weekend.  Happy 40th K.  Really glad to be a part of the celebration.

The 40th

I celebrated my 40th birthday this past weekend with good friends.  The only way to celebrate such a milestone.  My best girlfriends and I enjoyed pedicures and champagne and then shared a fabulous meal of seafood Cioppino with our families.  Topped off with Mix Cupcakes in four flavors: Pumpkin Spice, Vanilla Bean, Chocolate and Red Velvet.  Delicious.  The decorations were pink and sparkly and beautiful.  My family called me, sang, sent generous gifts and showered me with love.  My husband and son treated me like a queen for a day.  My favorite is the homemade birthday card from my boy.  What a terrific birthday.  Thank you every one of you - love you guys.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my sister - wonderful woman, sometimes wonder woman, mom, daughter, wife and friend. Many more sis! Love you more n' my luggage.

And Chili Dog. The best Blue Heeler in all of the Sierra turns two today. He is being showered with dog treats by his favorite eight year old. Lucky dog.

The Big Four Oh

It is my sweet husband's 40th birthday today. Happy Birthday! We are having a few friends over for a simple dinner party to celebrate. On the menu....Homemade Spaghetti Sauce, Caesar Salad, Fresh Bread and Ice Cream Sundaes. The sauce is a recipe my Grandmother handed to my Mom and my Mom handed down to my sister and I. Even though we live on opposite coasts - we can smell it simmering in our kitchens when we put a pot on. It's the sort of recipe that you can evolve and change. In fact I don't follow the recipe anymore and I'm sure neither my Mom or sister do either. Somehow it comes out the same - fabulous every time.

You need one big pot that can simmer on the stove top all day. Dice one yellow onion, saute slightly in the big pot. Add 2 lbs ground beef or sausage or a combination. Brown, season to taste. While the beef is browning I add 3-4 crushed garlic cloves and a generous amount of Italian Seasoning - whatever you like or have in the spice cupboard. Once the meat browns add a quart or more of diced mushrooms - stir. Add 1 large can of tomato juice, 1 large can of tomato sauce (32 oz or so) and 2 small cans of tomato paste (12 oz or so) - stir. Let this simmer all day, stirring ocassionally.

Serve it over spaghetti or use it in a lasagna or manicotti.

Friends, birthdays and cucpcakes

Some girlfriends and I gathered to celebrate a birthday. Even big girls like cupcakes. These were Chocolate and Coconut. YUM. Here is the recipe from Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa. They are indulgent and because these are girly girls - only pink coconut would do.



Coconut Cupcakes
1999, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, All rights reserved


Ingredients
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut
For the frosting:

1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.