Happy 85th Birthday, Mom!

My Mom flew from Ohio to Texas to spend her 85th birthday with me and my family. We had a wonderful family party last night and today I set up a tea and cupcake for her on my patio.  Isn't my Mom beautiful?

 I made some special cupcakes that Mom could enjoy.  Here she is ready to blow out the candle!  Happy 85th Birthday, Mama!

 My Mom sent this pretty teapot to me recently that she had found a thrift store.  I love the pretty design.  You can see a bit of the embroidered tablecloth that my Mom made when I was a baby.  It's a treasure.

Here's the inside of the pretty teacup that my Mom gave to me that had been in her collection.

 Cupcakes make everyone happy!  These have a delicious  strawberry filling and a cream cheese frosting.  If you ever need a wonderful cupcake, please try these.
This recipe is adapted from www.tidymom.net.  I made them when I had a Royal Wedding Party here.

Happy Birthday Cupcakes

1 white cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup melted BUTTER
1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix all ingredients on low & then mix on high for 2 mins. 
Pour into paper lined cupcake pans.  Bake for 20 mins.


Strawberry Whipped Cream (filling)

1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 t. vanilla
5-6 chopped/processed strawberries

Chop strawberries in blender or food chopper until they are thick.  It only takes about 4 large berries.

Beat whipping cream & vanilla until it starts to thicken.  Mix in sugar.  Fold in berries.  Set aside.

Cream Cheese Frosting 

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 t. vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

Place butter in mixing bowl & mix slightly.  Add cream cheese & blend until combined.

Add powdered sugar & blend on low speed until combined.  Mix on medium until it get fluffy.

NOTE:  for chocolate cream cheese frosting, add 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder BEFORE adding the powdered sugar.

For Filling Cupcakes

1.  Bake cupcakes & cool.
2.  Cut a small section in the center of the cupcake.  I used my apple corer & it worked great.  Save    the extra cake to eat later with some of the filling!!!
3.  Replace the tops.  I actually just left them off.
4.  Pipe the frosting on top of the cake with a 1M tip, or just generously spread, or put the icing in a food storage bad, cut a corner off and pipe on the icing.  I sprinkled on some sparkling sugar. 

Refrigerate the cupcakes until ready to serve.

I am sharing this with:

Make It Pretty Monday
Tea Time Tuesday
Tuesday Cuppa Tea 
Friends Sharing Tea
Tea Cup Tuesday 

Share Your Cup
Full Plate
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck

Quick Summer Stir Fry

 

With the summer heat upon us, I wanted a quick meal to throw together, while waiting for my Mom to fly into Texas from Ohio.  Because of storms, her flight was delayed!  My poor Mom, but she'll be here before you know it.  The point of this recipe is to use whatever fresh veggies you have on hand and throw in some leftover meat or chicken.  The measurements don't have to be exact.   Serve it over some rice and it's dinner!

A bunch of asparagus, tough ends trimmed and sliced into 1" pieces

Some fresh mushrooms

Some sliced onion

About 1 T. Olive oil

About 1 T. butter

A sprinkle of crushed red pepper

A clove or two of garlic, minced

One leftover cooked chicken breast, cut up

Several shakes of soy sauce

Cooked brown or white rice

Heat the olive oil and butter together in a non stick skillet. Add the mushrooms, asparagus and onion, crushed red pepper, and sauté for several minutes, until the asparagus is tender, around 7-8 minutes.   Add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds. Add the cooked chicken and add several shakes of soy sauce and heat through.

Serve over the cooked rice and dinner is ready!  I'm saving a plate for my Mom! 

I'm sharing this with:

Make It Pretty Monday

Share Your Cup
Full Plate
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck

Thank you for your visit!  xo

Spinach Salad with Watermelon and Feta

 Kathleen is having a "Summer Whimsy" party at Let's Dish! and Sandi is having a "Savour the Summer" Tea Party at Rose Chintz Cottage and I wanted to use one of my favorite teapots that I recently found in a storage box.   The sweet Joan Walsh Anglund doll that's sitting on a wicker chair, belonged to my daughter when she was a little girl.  My "summer" blocks were a gift from my sister and actually have a watermelon paint design and a tiny watermelon on top.  

 I had to add my favorite lady vase to the setting.  She always stays on my kitchen sink area all year long.  My Mikasa Berry Delight dishes blend with my teapot.

What could be more perfect for my summer theme than a watermelon and feta salad? 

My youngest daughter-in law made a version of this fabulous salad, but she used arugula. I had some spinach at home and decided to use that instead. It's a refreshing  salad for summer and has the coolness and sweetness from the watermelon and a slight bite from the feta. I love this combination and I think you will, too. I hope you try it at your next outing.  You could also add some blueberries and have a red, white and blue salad.  

For the Salad

Spinach or arugula

Watermelon, seeded and cubed

Red onion, sliced

Feta cheese, crumbled

Combine all the salad ingredients in whatever portion you like. Drizzle with the balsamic dressing and toss. Enjoy!

Balsamic dressing

1/2 cup oil (olive oil or canola)

1/4 c. Balsamic vinegar (I used white balsamic this time)

1 T. sugar (I used 2 packets of Splenda)

1/4 t. salt

freshly ground pepper

Combine oil and remaining ingredients in a jar.  Covers tightly & shake.  Pour over enough to coat your salad; save the rest for another time.

I am sharing this with:

Let's Dish!

Make It Pretty Monday
Tea Time Tuesday
Tuesday Cuppa Tea 
Friends Sharing Tea
Tea Cup Tuesday 

Share Your Cup
Full Plate
Foodie Friday
Weekend Potluck

  Thank you for your visit! xo