Happy New Year!

Hope you all had a great Christmas and I wish you all a very blessed 2013.

Pie Safe Doors

We have the pie safe that belonged to my husband's grandmother in our kitchen, I have random stuff in it.  Well to see the stuff in it you had to keep the doors open, which got in the way as you're walking through the kitchen.  So, I took the doors off and gave them a new place in the house.  Pretty cute I think.

The screen door in the peacock feather picture now has a chippy barn door behind it now, I just don't have a picture yet to share with you.  I'm lovin' it though. The first two pictures below are in our hallway. The bottom two are on our master bedroom mantle.



 

 

Margarita Cupcakes

Molly and I spent a little time together this afternoon in the kitchen, we made cupcakes.

 Margarita Cupcakes                                                                               
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
zest and juice of 1 1/2 limes
2 tablespoons tequila
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line muffin tins with paper liners.
In medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt;  set aside.
In an electric mixer on med-high speed, beat the butter and sugar together until pale, light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the eggs one at the time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
Scrape the sides of the bowl, then add the lime zest, lime juice, vanilla extract and tequila.  Mix until combined. (The mixture may start to look curdled at this point, but don't worry, it will all come back together).
Reduce mixer speed to low.  Add the dry ingredients in three batches,  alternating with the buttermilk in two batches.  Mix only until just incorporated,  using a rubber spatula to give it one last mix by hand. 

 Divide batter between muffin cups.
Bake approximately 25 minutes or until slightly golden.  Rotate pan at halfway point of baking.
Allow cupcakes to cool 5 to 10 minutes and then remove to cooling rack.
Brush the tops of cupcakes with tequila (I did not do this)
Cool completely before frosting.

Tequila-Lime Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons tequila

pinch of coarse salt

Whip the butter on med-high speed with electric mixer for 5 minutes. 

Reduce speed to low and gradually add powdered sugar, mixing and scraping the sides of the bowl until all incorporated.  Give it a mix on med. speed for about 30 seconds.

Add the lime juice, tequila and salt until incorporated and fluffy.

If frosting appears a bit too soft, add some additional sugar, one spoonful at a time.



My Sweet Babies

It is so hard to believe my two sweet babies are going on 17 months old. 

They are Nana's little loves.

Bailey - May 25, 2012

Judslee - May 26, 2012





Daylillies

Yesterday was my Daddy's birthday, I went to visit with him for a while.  We rode over to my Aunt's to look at her daylilly garden. I promise you the pictures just don't do justice to how beautiful it really is.  The daylilly garden is something she and her husband (my dad's brother) enjoyed working in together. Sadly my uncle passed away a few years ago, and even though he isn't here to help her she continues on taking care of her beautiful garden. Just so you know she is in her 70's, fit as a fiddle and doesn't have to take any medications . She says digging in the dirt keeps her healthy. People come from  far and near to visit her garden and buy bulbs from her.

I think maybe I should take up gardening. 

Figs

The figs are beginning to ripen, they're a little early this year and I don't think I've ever seen a tree as loaded with figs as ours is.  I hope to make lots of fig preserves this summer.

Back To Me

For a few years now I have been a fan of Facebook, well more than a fan I guess you could say, I was more like addicted to it. Facebook is great for keeping up with friends and family but other than that all its good for in my opinion is drama.  When the point comes you are getting so mad over posts on there that you could bite nails in half, its time for a break I think.  I know I am more opinionated now that I'm getting older which is good in a way and bad in a way.  I can remember being in my 20's feeling like I was going to explode because I would take anything and everything and never step up and speak my mind.  Well the 40's have brought to me a gift, now I have no problem speaking my mind, which is truly good but also bad at the same time.
I love my friends and I love my family, I don't need facebook to stay in touch.  Also, my life was much more productive before the world of Facebook, I think of all the reading, sewing and other projects I used to love doing ... I'm ready to get back to that "me".  I want to work on my home and make it even more special.  I want to sew and make things for the grand babies, I want to spend more time cooking and baking.  I want to sit on the couch with my husband at night without my phone constantly in my hand, scrolling through Facebook.  As of today my youngest child just finished up her Sophomore year in high school, the years are passing extremely fast, my goal is to slow down the pace a little and enjoy each and every second the old timey way, no Facebook.

Ok, enough of that.  Today I worked on a cut out for our back door.  I'm thinking these would make great Christmas gifts for family.