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Friday Favorites

It’s Friday!

YAY

Someone suggested to me today, that Friday should be called YayDay.

Seems fitting to me.

Let me start my Friday Favorites with last Saturday.  We threw a BIG party for Mama’s 75th birthday.

Favorite # ONE

She seemed to have a really good time.

We had a band, a sing-a-long, a Mary video, lots of family, food, balloons… it was quite an event!

Happy Birthday Mama!

And on the subject of birthdays…

~

Favorite # TWO

Happy Birthday LB!

LB had a birthday Tuesday before last, and would have been in last week’s Friday Favorites if I had created a post to share.

Hoping to get me to spend more time on the back patio, he chose an outdoor heater as his birthday present.

We celebrated the big day by going to LaNopalera for dinnerand taking the next day off.

LB wanted to go to the beach for a cookout.

So we did.LB will always be my favorite!

~

Favorite # THREE

Carrot Cake

February 3rd was National Carrot Cake Day.

I asked LB to choose a birthday cake from my Southern Living Cake book.  Guess which one he picked.That’s right, he wanted a giant carrot cake for his birthday.

And on the subject of cakes, this week I recieved a request to make a birthday cake for our favorite soon-to-be 3 year old Rory.

~

Favorite # FOUR

A Cake like no Other

This is an example of the cake that Emily believes Rory will love, since she loves the story of Sleeping Beauty.

Reminiscent of the birthday cake the three fairies made for Aurora.  It looks like a mess, so I’m sure I won’t have any trouble replicating.

~

Although it isn’t always PRETTY, it is important to pass along information to people you care about.  Especially since it won’t be covered on News4Jax or any MSM.

Favorite # FIVE

Being Informed

Clearly you will see that this video was created prior to our 2020 Presidential election, however it contains information that everyone has a right to know.

https://rumble.com/vdkn0l-covid-911-learn-the-truth.html

~

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Put the Lime in the Coconut

Occasionally LB will tell Alexa to play

Put the Lime in the Coconut

 

Me:

via GIPHY

It is a slightly irritating song.

But since LB likes “Put the Lime in the Coconut”, and he needs a cake today, I decided I would create a new recipe using lime and coconut.

Recently LB bought coconut thinking I added it to the grocery list (which I did not) and now I have 3 bags of coconut.  He has also made sure that we don’t run out of lemons and limes.  Some of the limes are starting to shrivel and need to be used for something good.

Now I have extra coconut, limes, and [I almost forgot] I have a can of coconut milk that was recently purchased just to support GOYA…So here we go!

 

Put the Lime in the Coconut Bundt Cake

is adapted from a recipe by Amber at Dessert Now, Dinner Later!  (Lime Bundt Cake) who may have adapted it from a recipe by Stephanie at Plain Chicken (Ritz Carlton Lemon Pound Cake).
I did my best to write the recipe in my own words, but alas, there are only so many ways you can list ingredients.

 

Lime in the Coconut Bundt Cake

  • Servings: 16
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Yield 16 servings

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, room temperature
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 cup canned coconut milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp coconut extract
  • 1 1/2 cup shredded coconut
  • zest of 1 lime

Glaze:

  • 3 to 4 Tbsp lime juice
  • zest of 1 lime
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.  Spray or grease/flour a large bundt pan.
  2. Whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl.
  3. In a stand mixer, cream together butter, coconut oil, and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  4. Shake the coconut milk then open and measure one cup.  Add extracts to milk.
  5. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and coconut milk to the butter mixture. Starting and ending with dry ingredients, mixing  just until combined.
  6. Mix in coconut and lime zest until just incorporated.
  7. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan.  Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes, then out onto a plate and cool completely.
  8. Make the glaze by whisking the ingredients together to desired consistency, adding more lime juice to thin, or more powdered sugar to thicken. Pour over cooled cake. Slice and serve. Store cake in an air tight container up to 5 days.

Try it!

~

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Mississippi Mud Cake

It is one of my favorites!

Mississippi Mud Cake showed up in my Pinterest feed this week, and it has been bothering me ever since.  Although I don’t need an excuse to bake, it makes me feel better to have one.

When I learned that Stephanie and Amanda would be in the neighborhood this weekend, I thought I just might have justification.  Then when Amanda announced that she and Stephanie should come over to swim, I knew I must create a special treat for them!

It’s what moms do!

~

Mississippi Mud Cake has three layers:  the cake layer, which is topped with marshmallows or marshmallow cream, and finished with a VERY sweet chocolate icing that is poured over the marshmallows.  I have tasted recipes where a boxed cake mix is used, but, to me, a made-from-scratch chocolate cake is so much better.

 

This recipe I used is an interesting process.  There’s a lot of butter

There’s a lot of cocoa.

Just after the cake comes out of the oven a whole bag of marshmallows is sprinkled on top.

Perfect!

Then back into the oven, under the broiler.

I didn’t put the marshmallows under the broiler, because I have trouble with the broiler.  I tend to set off the smoke alarm when I use it.

Instead, I pulled out the blow torch.  LB joined in the fun and set the marshmallows on fire.

He likes things well done.

After the marshmallows are nicely toasted, it is time for the icing.More butter, cocoa, and FOUR cups of powdered sugar!

Here is the recipe that I used posted on the food network courtesy of one of my favorites, the Pioneer Woman:

Mississippi Mud Cake

  • Servings: 16
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

Cake:

Nonstick cooking spray, for the baking dish

2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter

1/4 heaping cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup boiling water

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

One 10-ounce bag mini marshmallows (about 6 cups)

Icing:

1 3/4 sticks (14 tablespoons) salted butter

6 tablespoons whole milk

1/4 heaping cup unsweetened cocoa powder

4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

1 cup chopped toasted pecans

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  1. For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the cocoa powder, then the boiling water. Let it bubble up for a few seconds, then turn it off and set it aside.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, granulated sugar and salt. Pour the chocolate mixture over the flour mixture and stir a few times to start to cool the chocolate.
  4. In a separate small bowl, mix the buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla and eggs. Pour over the flour-chocolate mixture and mix until everything is combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn on the broiler.
  5. Sprinkle the marshmallows over the cake, then return the dish to the oven to broil until the marshmallows start to turn golden, about 1 minute. Set aside to cool.
  6. For the icing: Melt the butter in a saucepan, then whisk in the milk and cocoa powder. Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar in 4 to 5 additions. Stir in the nuts and vanilla.
  7. Pour the icing all over the marshmallows, allowing some marshmallows to remain visible. Let the icing set, then deliver or serve.

 

 

It is ready when you get here girls!

~

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

¡Feliz 23 de Mayo!

because saying feliz veintitres de Mayo takes too much energy.

Happy 23rd of May!

With the Covid19 crisis, it has been a couple of months since we visited with other human beings.
LB and I missed out on Easter Sunday church and festivities, the annual Kentucky Derby party and even Cinco de Mayo.
Last week when LB and I met at Olive Garden with friends to celebrate Laurie’s birthday we all decided that we would have to get together for that missed annual Cinco de Mayo party.
The party happened on Saturday

~

~

Ray brought his homemade rubber-band gun

and no, Boo did NOT get shot.
We tried to follow CDC guidelines while catching up.
LB lit the torches and we sat out by the pool and talked into the night.
And we ATE a lot!
Steak fajitas and toppings, re-fried beans, queso dip, chips with salsa, and…

Cream of Coconut Cake

  • Servings: 16
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 1 box white cake mix
  • ingredients needed to make cake: egg whites, oil and water)
  • 1 (15 oz) can cream of coconut
  • 1 (8 oz) container COOL WHIP thawed
  • 1 (8 oz) package sweetened flaked coconut

Instructions

  • Prepare and bake white cake mix according to package directions for a 9 x 13 pan.
  • Remove cake from oven and, using a fork, poke holes all over the top of cake.
  • Open can of Cream of Coconut (making sure to stir it first) and pour over warm cake.
  • Let cake cool completely then ‘frost’ with COOL WHIP topping.
  • Top with flaked coconut (I did not use the whole package).

 

It was delicious, if I do say so myself!

Thank you Laurie for documenting this event with photos!

And thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Friday Favorites

It’s FRIDAY!

According to superstition, Friday the 13th is an unlucky day.

However, Friday is MY FAVORITE DAY, whether it is the 13th or not!

And my Friday Favorites will go on!

Favorite # ONE

The beginning of

Daylight Saving

It happened last Sunday! 

When Daylight Saving Time starts just before spring, we set our clocks forward by 1 hour.

Yes, an hour is “lost” [yawn] and on the clock, the day of the DST transition has only 23 hours.  For those of you who work a night shift, you will get away with working 1 hour less that ‘day’. 

Because I work a day shift, and do not appreciate the loss of an hour, I took the following day OFF.

Favorite # TWO

A Random Day Off

Where’s Kim?

Yes, that’s right.

I took Monday off and I’m not going to apologize.

~

Favorite # THREE

Another Keto Recipe

These are Low Carb Keto Biscuits and I found the recipe here.

I baked these in my muffin top pan.

The recipe yields 9 biscuits, but I was able to get 12 biscuits.  If I still have math skills, there are approximately 173 calories and 4 carbs in 1/12th of this recipe.

Low Carb Keto Cheese Biscuits

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  •  1 ½ cups superfine almond flour
  •  ¼ tsp salt
  •  1 tbsp baking powder
  •  ½ tsp garlic powder
  •  ½ tsp onion powder
  •  2 large eggs
  •  1/2 cup sour cream
  •  4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  •  1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • No stick cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly spray muffin tin with no stick cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together almond flour, salt, baking powder, garlic powder and onion powder.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, sour cream, butter. Whisk until smooth. Pour into bowl with dry ingredients.

Mix together until batter is combined. Stir in cheese.  Batter will be thick and sticky.

Scoop batter into lightly sprayed muffin tin.

Bake biscuits about 8 minutes or until tops are golden and toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool slightly before serving.

Yummy!

~

Favorite # FOUR

New Outfits for spring

Wide Leg Crop Jeans & Ruffle Top // Peplum Top // Flare Crop Jeans

I really tried to NOT shop, but it’s no use.  I’m a hopeless shopaholic and a sucker for 50% off.

~

Favorite # FIVE

New Glasses

One of my weekend errands was a visit to the eye specialists at Target.  I’ve gotten away with NOT updating my glasses for a long time.

It has been 3 years but now my prescription has changed enough to justify new lenses.

I’m getting old y’all.

~

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Friday Favorites

The first full week of November began with a challenge from my November 1st  Birthday Girl

Stephanie

She sent me a pin on Pinterest which was a link to the current birthday cake of her dreams.

This qualifies as one of my Friday Favorites!

 🎂

Favorite # ONE

The Birthday Cake Challenge

I’m always up for a baking challenge and I’d likely be more successful if I’d follow the recipe.

The Frosted Animal Cookie Cake with four layers of cake, three layers of filling, and white chocolate buttercream frosting topped with pink ganache (pause to catch breath) took me three evenings to complete.

For the most part, I followed this recipe from lifeloveandsugar.com, however in order to finish quickly, I used a box white cake mix:I think she likes it!

Bonus information: 1,088 calories in 1 slice of a 14 serving cake

😱

Favorite # TWO

A

Birthday Dinner

with three of my favorite ladies

The family was scattered on Stephanie’s birthday and we weren’t able to gather together to celebrate.  In an attempt to make her day special, I had Mama, Stephanie, and Amanda come to my house for dinner.

We had something I never imagined I would include in my blog

🍟

Favorite # THREE

Poutine

It sounds weird and it is weird, but it was Stephanie’s request.

The meaning of the word poutine is from a Québécois slang word meaning “mess”.

It is fries with gravy and cheese curds and MUST be eaten with a fork.

THIS RECIPE is a good one!

~

Favorite # FOUR

Face-Time

While we were together, Emily and the baby girls face timed Stephanie to wish her a happy birthday.

We all enjoyed a teeny little visit together.

It is essential to stay in touch with family!

Moments after I left for work today, LB received the news that his Dad passed away early this morning.

For the past few years LB has made regular visits with his Dad, typically on Friday afternoons.  Although this is a heartbreaking time for him, LB is happy for making time to visit and maintain a close relationship with his Dad.

We have attended church with him on Father’s Day a few times and it was on one of those occasions that I snapped this photo

Favorite # FIVE

A picture is worth a  thousand words but the memories are priceless!

~

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Low Carb Chocolate Cupcakes

Wendy has been sticking to her KETO diet lately, and I’m proud of her for being so disciplined.  Although she hasn’t cheated (as far as I know), she has talked so much about chocolate cake that it won’t be long before she does.  She has one specific cake on her mind.  The cake she is longing for is one that was brought into work several months ago by one of the managers at our office.

That cake had a special ingredient…

Zucchini

When Wendy admitted to not knowing that there was a difference between liquid and dry measurements, I knew I would need to step in to help.

I told her I would try to duplicate the recipe.

On Tuesday she handed over 5 small zucchini,a zip top bag filled with cocoa powder, and a bottle of Stevia concentrate.  Seeing that she was serious, I committed to create this cake for her.

My low carb chocolate cupcake recipe was adapted from Lisa’s Low Carb Yum Best Low Carb Chocolate Cake Recipe.

This recipe makes 24 cupcakes, contains 96 calories, and 2.5 net carbs.  It requires planning ahead because unless you bake low carb/sugar-free regularly, you probably won’t have all the necessary ingredients on hand.

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cup low carb sweetener (1:1 sugar replacement)

1/4 teaspoon Stevia concentrated powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)

8 large eggs (beaten)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups zucchini (shredded)

Using my food processor I shredded 4 small zucchini which is apparently the secret to making this low carb cake recipe so moist.

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk coconut flour, sweetener, Stevia concentrate, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt.
  3. In a separate container whisk eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla until smooth.
  4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
  5. Stir in the shredded zucchini.
  6. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling about halfway.
  7. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
  8. Cool on wire rack.
  9. Once cool, frost with chocolate buttercream frosting, if desired.

I highly recommend frosting with chocolate buttercream frosting.  The recipe is from Lisa’s Low Carb Yum, is unbelievably tasty, and completely worth the extra calories!

 

 

Low Carb Chocolate Cupcakes

  • Servings: 24
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

1 cup coconut flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cup low carb sweetener (1:1 sugar replacement)

1/4 teaspoon Stevia concentrated powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)

8 large eggs (beaten)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups zucchini (shredded)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.

In large mixing bowl, whisk coconut flour, sweetener, stevia concentrate cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt.

In a separate bowl whisk eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla until smooth.

Combine wet and dry ingredients.

Stir in zucchini

Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling only halfway.

Bake for 15 18 20 or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack. Once cool, frost with chocolate buttercream frosting, if desired.

prettyis.me

 

 

Wendy had a happy day!

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

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