May's Ten Things

May is over.  I can't believe how fast it went.  I know I say that every month, but May really did go faster.  Time to link up:

Here are my Ten Things to Smile About in May:

1.  Sparkle toes

2.  Being the Judges Chairman for The Miss South Jordan Pageant - such fun!

3.  Mother's Day

4.  Watching Madeline ride her new bike

5.  I repainted and redecorated my bathroom!  Pictures coming!

6.  I got to go out to dinner with Todd and then to Hale Centre Theatre to see The Hasty Heart

7.  My pink tree!!

8.  Madeline getting potty trained!!!!!!!!

9.  All my Memorial Day treats I was able to bake

10.  The hope . . . HOPE that is may someday get warm!

Desserts with Family

At lunch, I shared my Lemon Meringue Cookies with family.  It's good to share treats.  My sister-in-law made lemon meringue ice cream too.  Who knew we'd have such a lemony day?!  Then for dinner, we went to another family party where I shared my Root Beer Float Chocolate Bundt Cake with 24 people.  You don't feel nearly as guilty about making a cake that has 1600 calories in the butter alone when you're sharing it with so many.  Oh yes, it was good!

Strawberry and Jam Muffins

Best.  Muffins.  Ever.

Strawberry and Jam Muffins

adapted from joythebaker.com

6 TBLS unsalted butter

1/3 cup 2% milk

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup chopped fresh strawberries

3 TBLS raspberry jam

Put a rack in the upper third of oven and preheat to 375 degrees.  Generously butter muffin cups or line with papers.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over moderately low heat;  remove from heat.  Whisk in milk, egg, yolk, and vanilla until well combined.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  Add milk mixture and stir until just combined.  Gently but thoroughly fold in berries and jam.

Divide batter among muffin cups and spread evenly.

Bake 18-22 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Baking

I love baking!  When I think of all my hobbies, this is the one thing I could do the longest without getting tired of it.  And if you include photographing the food and eating it after, then you really can't beat it.  Period.

I just finished making muffins with fresh strawberries and raspberry jam in them.  I could have eaten the whole batch.  Ethan said he could have eaten 50.  They seemed more like cupcakes.  And they didn't even need frosting. 

Speaking of cupcakes, I am hoping to make some chocolate ones soon, with peanut butter cookie dough in them.  Yes, you heard that right.

I currently have a list so long of recipes I want to try that I wonder if I'll ever get to all of them.

Ginger Shortbread Lemon Bars.  And Rootbeer Cake.  Peanut butter Banana Bread.  And Meyer Lemon Blueberry Cake.  And deep dish pie.  How about Sweet Potato Zuchinni Bread?

Most of these come from my two favorite food blogs:

Desserts for Breakfast
Joy the Baker

Sigh . . .

I'm heading to my treadmill.

No Room in the Inn

Sometimes I wonder how Ethan sleeps at night . . .

Colorful Outfit

Here is my darling three year old in the outfit she picked out all by herself!  The heart shirt (which has no yellow in it) matches her panties and therefore doesn't need to match her skirt.  If you don't believe me, just ask Madeline!  And all you have to do now, is picture her wearing Ethan's old Lightning McQueen red crocs (on the wrong feet) and you have a classic, "I'm three and I dressed myself" girl!

Painting

I just finished painting my hall bathroom!  Last week I painted the ceiling, this week the walls.  I'm very excited for the new look.  I've been collecting new towels and rugs and wall decor for a while now and it'll soon come together.  I just have a bit more sewing to do.  But back to the painting, have you ever had to paint behind a toilet?  Not the easiest thing in the world . . . but it feels so clean in there now!  I love it.

Sorry, no pics yet.

How have you been spending your Saturday morning?