Showing posts with label birthday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label birthday. Show all posts

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Surprise, Surprise!

You got me good!  I showed up last Saturday to my Dad's in Duxbury for a beach day with a few good friends.  Instead, I walked in to a surprise 40th birthday party for ME!  I was shocked, standing there in my bathing suit, hair up in a clip, not a stitch of makeup on...

My friends starting coming out of the woodwork - friends from kindergarten, high school, and my more recent escapades.  I wish we had gotten a picture of everyone together, but I can see them all in my head.

There's one now.  This is my friend Christie, who was one of the instigators for this shin-dig!

 
We had a great day, drinking cocktails on the veranda, playing bocce (I lost) on the back lawn, and eating the wonderful food served up by my family and friends.  People brought food to share, and I enjoyed every bit of it!

Have you met my sister?  This is Meggie.  Here we are at 5 and 7. 

And now.


For dessert we had a great Lemon & Raspberry Cake from Whole Foods.  They did a great job, and I made a few wishes for the year ahead. 

I know that my 40th year will be a good one, full of adventures and many more surprises.  I can't wait!


Coming up soon - my new 40 at 40 list.   Leave me a suggestion, will you? :)

Friday, October 29, 2010

If you do nothing else, you have to make this for Thanksgiving! Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake

Since I got no help or response on my last post asking for food/diet help, I decided to ditch it all and make cake! Actually, it's my friend Kristen's bday, and I promised her a pre-Thanksgiving dinner. Included in tonight's festivities is a scrumptious Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake from my new Fine Cooking subscription! I modified the recipe slightly from the one Fine Cooking provided. I used a can of pumpkin, substituted Eggbeaters for the eggs, and I didn't make the topping because nuts are not allowed tonight! Also, I made it in a 9x13 pan.

But other than, it's this recipe from Fine Cooking's Autumn magazine.

Here my version:

6 oz. (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for the pans
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. table salt
1 tsp. chinese five spice
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup Eggbeaters
1/3 cup buttermilk

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.

Pam spray and flour a 9x13 glass or aluminum pan.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  I swirled it for about 4 minutes, watching for a small layer of bits to brown on the bottom of the pan.  Once that starts to happen, remove from heat.  Watch carefully, as it takes little to burn!  Pour into a separate bowl and let stand. 

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and cloves. In a large bowl, whisk 1-1/2 cups of the pumpkin with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and buttermilk until very well blended. With a rubber spatula, stir in the flour mixture until just combined.


Gently whisk in the brown butter until completely incorporated.

Pour into prepared 9x13 pan.

Bake the cake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 32 minutes. Let the cake cool  completely in the pan.

Meanwhile, you can start the frosting!

4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 oz. (1-1/4 cups) confectioners’ sugar

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat as above.  Pour into a small bowl and let stand until the solids settle at the bottom of the bowl, about 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the bowl to the freezer and chill until just firm, about 18 minutes. Using a spoon, carefully scrape the butter from bowl, leaving the browned solids at the bottom; discard the solids.


Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light in color and the brown sugar has dissolved, 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar and continue beating until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.




It's time to frost the cake!

Spread evenly over the cake, and then put into the refrigerator to chill.

I sprinkled the top with confectioners sugar and some extra cinnamon powder.

Happy Birthday Kristen!

We will be sampling it tonight, but if the batter is any indication, we are in for a treat! :)

Hope you enjoy!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

July is my Birthday Month and So I Celebrate!

It's been a busy summer thus far, spending a lot of time away from my house.  

Here's what my July looked like:
  • Chatham, MA for fun with friends!

  • Yumminess at the Barking Crab in Boston, MA (Fish and Chips and Beers Galore)
  • Babysitting my twin nieces
  • Celebrating my Birthday in Lake Placid, NY (I could have stayed weeks and weeks without complaint!)

as well as
  • Beach trips to Narragansett, RI and Gloucester, MA
  • Hanging out drinking wine at friend's houses in the city

What a great month - and we're not done yet! :)

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The View From Here

I spent a very long weekend in Lake Placid, NY to celebrate my birthday. 
Most of the weekend was spent looking at this view right here. 

I'm home now and will share soon!

Monday, November 23, 2009

Prayers Needed
My best friend KJ's brother is in the hospital today. He woke up yesterday with a splitting headache and somehow determined that he should go to the hospital. Thank God he did. They think he may have had a hemorrhage in his brain, and I believe that they are working on fixing it as we speak. So, please, no matter who you pray to, please pray for AJ today. Pray for the doctors, and for my friend's family in this scary time.

Happy Birthday Little Girls!

My nieces turn 1 year old tomorrow and I am absolutely bursting with love and joy for them. They give so much of it to me, I don't know how I was living without them 1 year ago!

Today I am home baking a turkey with apples and onions stuffed inside to keep it moist and give it a nice essence. It's cold outside, or at least it feels it! (It's actually 46F, but its cloudy and dark at 10:00am, so it's cold to me...) Baking inside seems like the right thing to do on this day. Why am I cooking a turkey 3 days before Thanksgiving? Because it was on sale, I love turkey, and I will be able to share some with my Mom who won't be able to join us for dinner on Thanksgiving.


The turkey is in the oven and I just spilled about 1/2 cup of apple juice all over the bottom of the oven. Smoke city! But, at least the smoke smells like burnt sugar and apples. What's wrong with that?

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Wordless Wednesday...





Ok, a few words... my Granpa Jake is turning 100 in a few months.

He continues to amaze me. I love you Jake!