Walk by Hello: March 2010

22 March 2010

On Top of It

In all this madness it's nice to know someone's got control of the ball...

15 March 2010

An Educated Man...

He's growing up almost overnight it

seems...

Sleeping Beauty

I went in to check on Natalie before turning in and found her asleep..in a Cinderella dress no less...

11 March 2010

Up

Here's what we've been up to lately..besides moving.

discovering lipgloss...fun with daddy dolls and bro time...new toys and "Hurry Up Spring" picnics.

The other evening at bedtime I was getting Adam's pj's on and started singing "Jesus Loves Me". Suddenly he began to protest in frustration. "No Mom. don't sing that, no no." I stopped to listen and he said, "Don't sing Jesus just loves you, Jesus loves all of us. Sing that mom."

So Nice

Mom and Dad Behnke were just here for a few days visit. We had a birthday celebration, fun at the Playplace and many laughs and tickle fests and some help with moving prep. What a great recharge before our big move...

If you give a girl a Kitchen Aid she'll make...

Gigi's Carrot Cake (Emeril Lagasse)

3 sticks, plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Pecan Cream Cheese Icing:

8 ounces cream cheese
1 stick unsalted butter
1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter 3 (9-inch) cake pans with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer. Add the sugar, and beat. In a medium bowl or on a piece of parchment, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and mix well.

Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the eggs, beating well after the addition of each. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Add the carrots and beat on medium speed until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Fold in the nuts. Divide between the 3 cake pans and bake until set and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest in the cake pans for 10 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, remove from the pans, and let cool.

For the Frosting: In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, beating constantly. Add the vanilla and pecans.

When the cake is cool, place 1 cake layer on a cake plate or stand. Spread the top with cream cheese frosting and top with a second and third cake layer, spreading the icing between each layer. Spread the icing around the sides of the cake and let harden slightly before serving. To serve, cut into wedges.