Family Times and Cream Puffs for a 40th Birthday

I recently went to Durango, CO where my youngest son, Kevin, DIL, Kristen and Harper and Hayden were staying for the month of July.
While there,  Kevin celebrated his 40th Birthday.  He wanted cream puffs for his celebration, which surprised me since while growing up, he always wanted cherry cheesecake.  I think he missed cream puffs, and I was happy to make them. 

 

 

Before I left, my son Tim invited my middle son, Mike, and I over to swim while  his wife, Avery, and Ella were in Chicago for Avery's Nationals Volleyball tournament.  It was a relaxing 4th of July.

 

I was thrilled when my grandson Caiden texted me and asked if he and his girlfriend could come over to bake at my house!  What a sweet couple they are!  They made blueberry scones and we played cards while the scones were baking and cooling.  They were so good, too!  Caiden is going off to Oklahoma State University and Liz still has another year of high school.

I spent almost two weeks with Harper and Hayden.  The top left is their log cabin home, and the top right is the view from the deck.  I kept Harper and Hayden busy while Kevin and Kristen worked. We played library, and hotel, and they did some "school work".  The bottom left is an outdoor restaurant we went to and on the way home, I captured a rainbow on the drive home.

The girls at 5 years and 8 years are adventuresome kids and did the BMX bike trail one day. At another outdoor restaurant, middle photos, there is a fort that the kids play in underneath old, tall pine trees.  It's really quite magical, and they wanted me to climb up and see all the arrangements.  The bottom left photo shows the girls playing fairies, wearing the fairy crowns that Harper made for them.  They are so good at using their imaginations.

In the top left photo, Harper made Cloud Dough, and the top right, Hayden made sugar cookies.  I was only there for one weekend and Kevin drove us up to Andrews Lake on the  Million Dollar Highway.  He said, "Mom, just close your eyes", for he knows how I am!  He's a really safe driver, and I was perfectly (almost!) comfortable.  While at the lake, they fished, paddle boarded, and we had a picnic on the bank, under the shade.  The bottom right was our visit to the library, and afterwards we went to the rec center.  They are about 30 minutes for the town of Durango, but very close to the Purgatory ski resort.

Kevin went mountain biking with three friends on his birthday, and then he came back and Kristen and the girls put together a fun scavenger hunt for him. Afterwards we all went to dinner,  came back and had the cream puffs that Hayden and I made; both girls made the filling.    Hayden thought the batter looked like "mashed potatoes".    I put together a photo album for Kevin's gift.  Kristen gave Kevin as one of his gifts, fly fishing lessons, that they went to the day after his birthday, and then it was time for me to head to the airport.

My darling daughter and darling granddaughter picked me up at the airport, cheering for me as a came through to the baggage area. They sure made me feel special, and Cissy, who is almost 16, drove to and from the airport and did great!

Yield: 10-12, depending on how large you want them

Author: Kitty, but filling recipe is from my friend Debbie at mountainbreaths.com/

Cream Puffs for a 40th Birthday

These are so good! They are pretty with powdered sugar on top, but their pantry didn't have any.

Ingredients

• Cream Puff Shells:
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup flour (I used bread flour this time, and liked the results)
• 4 eggs
• Filling:
• 1 package of instant vanilla pudding
• 1 and 1/4 cups milk
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream

Instructions

• For Cream Puff Shells:
• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Heat water and butter to rolling boil. Stir in flour. Stir vigorously over low heat for about 1 minute, or until it forms a ball. Remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes.
• Beat in eggs, all at one time, and beat until mixture is smooth and very stiff. If you prefer, you can do this in an electric mixer.
• Drop by scant 1/4 cupfuls (an ice cream scoop works well), onto a parchment lined baking sheet, 3" apart, or just put on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 35-40 minutes or until puffed and golden. Cool , and cut a small vent on the side towards the top, to let out steam.
• Cut off tops. Pull out any filaments of soft dough. Fill puffs with the filling.
• Filling:
• Mix pudding and milk and the heavy whipping cream and beat until thickened. Fill the cream puffs, and replace the tops. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, using a small sieve.

Notes

I normally just fold in Cool Whip after the pudding and milk are mixed, but Kevin wanted whipping cream this time. You will have some extra filling!

Thank you for your visit!  xo

I am sharing this with:

Love Your Creativity Link Party

Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Encouraging Hearts and Home