Lemon Curd

These next few posts I am going to share the recipes from the baby shower I did for a good friend of mine. First up..

Lemon Curd

1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 6-8 large lemons)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest

1 cup sugar

6 large eggs

1.5 sticks butter (12 tablespoons) cold, unsalted butter cut into bits

Zest lemons and set aside. Halve lemons and juice. Whisk together juice, zest, sugar and eggs in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Cook over medium low heat for about one minute. Then slowly add bits of chilled butter, whisking frequently, until curd is thick enough to hold marks of a whisk and the first bubble appears on the surface (about 5-6 minutes).

Press curd through a large sieve into a shallow casserole dish (a 9×13 Pyrex works well). Cover the surface with plastic wrap to keep a film from forming on the surface of the curd. Chill overnight or for 8 hours before serving.

I made some fresh whipped cream and put some blueberries on top and it was DE- VINE!

I

Don't like getting up at 6am.
Love my new iPad, it's my new bff, we go everywhere together.
Need to go clean out the chicken coop but its to muddy and I cant find my galoshes cause the dang dog dragged them off somewhere.
Think Madden is to smart for his own good, those dimples get him out of a lot!
Am trying to do the px90 work out, um yea its to hard, I'll stick to walking.
Workout to eat.
Have to many recipes to try and keep adding more everyday, like red velvet pancakes.
Had so much fun at the beach and so happy the whole family made it this time, so much so that we want to get a house there.
Need to get Madden a snack.
Am back from getting said snack.
Need to find a place for my sewing stuff besides on the floor in my room.
I hope the rumors about getting a Trader Joes is true, that would so make my day.
Wish I could go back to bed.
Need to get my fall garden in.
Never have Enough time to get everything on my list done.
Don't think my house will ever be organized like I want.
Need to potty train this cute boy but he wont even sit on the potty!!
Should be doing laundry.
Need a hair cut.
Have the Cutest kids but at the end of the day there voices sometimes give me a headache. Do they have to say mom a hundred times each?
Have play doh on the carpet from dimple boy. There is also some red crayon on the wall from my little bff. He says "we best friends right mom?"
Keep finding scorpions in the house, and we get it sprayed!!
Wish TX summers were not 9 mo long.
Am waiting for cooler weather to wear my new fall clothes.
Want to learn to knit.
Really need a nap.
Put Oatmeal in the crock pot last night and the electricity goes out for about 3 hours! The one time I try to get ahead.
Wish our new library was open, can't wait to see if they have a ton of new books!
Have a jungle for a yard, it wont stop raining long enough to mow.
Can't wait to see my family in November.
Have made this list before.
Didn't know you could freeze muffin batter.
I'm thinking of cute things to eat and do at our pumpkin party next month.
Think thats most of the things rambling around my head.

Got the tutorial here. The design is based on the fold over plastic sandwich bags. I made 3 different sizes, one for sandwiches, big snack and little snack. I forgot the name of this type of fabric, i think its called sport fabric? Not sure! But its washable, anti microbial, and food safe. you could do them with reg. fabric like she does!

Super fast to make! I am going to write on the front with sharpies.

Labor Day Parade

The 3 Goober loves of my life!
Annalyse wants a camera like mine! She is practicing with mine! Is it just me or do my cheeks look puffy?? I know Madden J's are!! I love those squishy cheeks!

All the kids waiting for the candy, I think that's the only reason they want to go!

Cousins! Almost sisters! Annalyse needs her bangs trimmed-bad!

Poor Ella was trying to hold Maddens hand and he didn't want her to!! What a boy!

We had a relaxed labor day weekend, just went to the parade and hung out at home. Monday i didn't even change or go go anywhere! Love those days!

Coconut Cream Pie

Ingredients
■2 eggs
■3 cups half and half
■1/2 cup flour
■3/4 cup sugar
■1/4 teaspoon salt
■1 cup flaked coconut, toasted
■1 teaspoon vanilla extract
■1 teaspoon coconut extract
■1 pie shell, baked (9 inch)
■1 cup whipped cream

How to Make Coconut Cream Pie
1.Mix the eggs, half and half, flour, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan over low heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently.
2.Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in 3/4 cup of the coconut flakes, the vanilla extract and the coconut extract.
3.Pour the mixture into the baked pie shell and refrigerate for at least two hours.
4.Top with whipped cream, then sprinkle with the remaining coconut flakes.
5.Cut into eight slices, serve and enjoy! Refrigerate any unused portion.

Chocolate Covered Twinkies!

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk

Place rack in center of the oven and preheat oven to 350.
Spray a Twinkie pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl of an electric mixer at medium high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at time, beating for 1 minute in between each addition. Beat in vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture alternately with the milk in 3 batches, starting and ending with flour. Beat until just incorporated.

Fill each cup in the prepared pan about 2/3 full of batter. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until the cakes are slightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from oven and let pans cool on wire racks. Do not try and remove Twinkies from pan until almost all the way cool or they may fall apart.

Once Twinkies are completely cool, fill with Twinkie Cream

Twinkie Cream (From Todd Wilbur)

2 teaspoons very hot water
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 oz jar marshmallow cream
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the hot water and salt in a small bowl and mix until salt is dissolved. Let the mixture cool.
Combine the marshmallow cream, shortening, powdered sugar and vanilla extract in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy.
Add the salt water to the filling and beat well to combine.
Scoop into a pastry bag with a small tip and pipe into cooled Twinkie cakes.
**I allowed my Twinkies to cool in the refrigerator overnight before dipping in chocolate. This allowed them to firm up so they wouldn't fall apart when rolled in warm melted chocolate.

You will need a bag of Milk Chocolate Candy Melts and a bag of Dark Chocolate Candy melts. Pour about half of each bag into a medium sized bowl and melt in the microwave according to instructions. Mix well so that the milk and dark chocolates are well blended and not marbled. Place one Twinkie at a time in the bowl and roll around to coat, spooning chocolate over the Twinkie if necessary. Place coated Twinkie on wax paper until set. If you want sprinkles, be sure and sprinkle them on before the chocolate hardens.
I used chocolate chips and a little cream melted in the microwave.

Repeat until all Twinkies are coated (there should be about 12 total). It may be necessary to melt the other half of the chocolate coating to finish.