Rhubarb Roll

I got this recipe from Brian's Mom a few years ago. I just love rhubarb and this is just a great recipe to highlight the taste of rhubarb nicely. If you don't like rhubarb or have never tasted it you should give this recipe a try and it will change your mind about this interesting plant.

Rhubarb Roll

2 cups All Purpose Flour

1/2 cup shortening

3 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup milk

2 cups water

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

3 cups chopped rhubarb

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

First, mix flour, shortening, baking powder together with a pastry cutter until pea-sized crumbs. Then add milk and stir until combined.

Meanwhile combine water and sugar in a saucepan until it boils.

Roll out dough onto a floured surface into a 10x13 rectangle. Spread dough with 1/4 cup melted butter and sprinkle dough with 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tsp of cinnamon. Sprinkle chopped rhubarb over dough. Roll dough from short end up. Cut roll into about 12 slices and place into greased 9x13 pan. Pour hot sugar liquid over the rolls and bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly brown. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Wonderful Witches of Oz

Aria is our little star! Ever since Aria could walk and talk she has been singing, dancing and acting out Princess Stories. When Aria started Kindergarten they passed out a flyer for a Theatre Academy Class called Up With Kids. Aria was so excited and wanted to start taking classes because they were going to be doing a play called Wonderful Witches of Oz. What is so great about Up With Kids is that everyone that takes the classes gets a part. Soon after Christmas they passed out parts and Aria was given the part as Piglet a Munchkin and also she would be an Emerald City person. Aria's play was Tuesday and she did such a great job!

Her in her Munchkin dress

Emerald City
Receiving her Academy Award

After the play

Click Here to see Aria's acting debut as Piglet in The Wonderful Witches fo OZ

Buttermilk Pudding Cakes

Since strawberries are perfect right now here is a little dessert for ya. In the recipe they just tossed the berries in sugar, but I used Danish Dessert. Whenever I make Danish Dessert I always think of my mother.
Buttermilk Pudding Cakes

3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 large eggs
3/4 cup whole or low-fat buttermilk *
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
9 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
Nonstick cooking spray
2 cups (8 ounces) fresh raspberries or strawberries
Whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 425 degrees with a rack positioned in the top third of the oven.

2.Sift together flour and baking powder in a large bowl. In another large bowl beat eggs until creamy and yellow. Whisk in buttermilk, vanilla, 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar, and butter (mixture will look curdled and broken). Slowly add flour and whisk until batter is smooth and combined.

3.Spray 8 standard-size (3-ounce) nonstick muffin pan cups with nonstick cooking spray. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin pan cups, filling about two-thirds full. Transfer to oven and bake until sides of cakes are evenly browned (check by inserting a knife tip between the rim of cake and muffin cup, pulling gently to expose side of cake), about 9 minutes. If cakes are not evenly browned, they will not hold together when inverted. Continue baking, checking every minute, until evenly browned.

4.Meanwhile, place raspberries or strawberries in a medium bowl; add remaining 4 tablespoons sugar and gently toss to coat.

5.Invert cakes onto eight individual plates. Place berries on top and alongside cakes; serve with whipped cream, if desired

* Note - If you do not have buttermilk you can substitute regular milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 1 cup. Let stand a few minutes. Or use 1 cup plain yogurt.

Pictures by Me

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Show

Swimsuit Cover-up

I was wandering online one day and found this great tutorial on how to make a shirred dress for and adult but would also be cute for a little girl. Since we got passes to a local swimming pool I thought that I would make me a cover-up so I can just throw it on and hang out in the shallow end without totally being exposed (the sun and I don't get along). I am not totally thrilled with the print but you get the picture.

Aria, my six year old, wanted me to state that she took this picture :)

2-Step Stroganoff

This is one of my stand-by recipes that I always have the ingredients, quick to make and everybody loves it in the family.

Campbell's 2-Step Stroganoff

1 lb. Ground Beef

1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 cup sour cream

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire

1/3 cup milk

1 can sliced mushrooms, drained

Step 1

Brown hamburger with garlic powder, drain off fat.

Step 2

Add the rest of ingredients to browned hamburger, heat through

Serve on Farfalle or extra wide egg noodles.

Audrey turns 2!

Two years ago from today our beautiful daughter, Audrey was born at 1:11 in the afternoon. Audrey was born on a Mother's Day and we were the only couple in the hospital that day. Audrey is such a sweet, lovable girl. She has quite the personality and can turn on the charm. She has her daddy wrapped around her finger.
Audrey loves all animals and can spot a dog a mile away. So I knew that I had to do some kind of animal cake. I saw this cake on a Betty Crocker cake mix box. I added the animals to it and I thought it turned out pretty good. Audrey loved it!

Opening Presents

She let Aunt Jenni help also.

Apron I sewed for her.

All smiles. It was a good day

Blowing out the candles.

Yummy!

Cause you can can can!

One day I was blog hopping again, one of my favorite past times.

I found this great blog called Made.

If you love to sew and create old things into new things this is the blog for you. The first day I went to Dana's blog I found this pattern for these can-can skirts. I just had to make them for my frilly girls. If you are a close friend and would like to make one also, give me a ring and we can get together. Or you can go here and purchase a pattern for $6.00 from Dana.

I tried to talk Aria into another color but she insisted on pink and so I knew that Audrey's would have to be the same also.

She did not want to wear the skirt at first, but after Aria pranced around in hers it was on in seconds.

And what do we do in our can-can skirts.......
We Swing!

Chocolates for MOM

What Mom wouldn't want a box of homemade "chocolates" for Mother's Day? These little cake bites are so yummy and taste almost like truffles but a lot less expensive and more impressive that you made them all by yourself.

Cake Bites

1 box cake mix (I used Devil's food but the options are endless)

1 can frosting (I used cream cheese)

milk, semi sweet or white chocolate chips for dipping

Make and bake cake from the directions on the box.

Remove cake from oven and let cake cool completely. Now the fun part, break the cake up and put into a large mixing bowl. Dump the frosting into bowl of crumbled cake and mix until smooth.

Roll cake mixture into 1 inch balls and place on waxed papered cookie sheet. Place bites in freezer until firm about 2 hours.

Melt any kind of chocolate you like. Dip bites in chocolate and place back on waxed paper and sprinkle immediately with toppings. Place dipped bites bake into freezer until set. Store bites in freezer.

This recipe makes a lot. I actually did not dip all of mine at once. I kept some undipped bites in a freezer bag for later when I was in need of a chocolate fix.