Friday, April 25, 2014

spring ketchup

Oh it's been so long.......will you forgive me if I offer you cake?
angel food cake // the little red house
So much to catch up on......but where to begin?

the kids: Jonah turned 9....NINE! WHAT? WHY? WHEN? HOW? 
we are on a 5 week count down until they are out of school for the summer......hurry hurry hurry.
Easter Sunday, aren't they the cutest?
easter weekend // the little red houseeaster weekend // the little red house
spring: spring is finally, just a teensy tiny bit deciding it's here. It's been cold and blustery these past few days, but the earth is slowly warming and coming back to life.....thank goodness.

running: I am finally back to running again. I hurt myself snowboarding back in January and didn't run for TEN weeks.....I think that is the longest I have gone with out running in.....like 12 years.....I thought I might die. But now the trails are dry, and life is good, and I didn't die.

chickens: the girls are back to laying daily now that spring is here.
as much as I wanted more babies this year.....I really didn't want them in my house again. So I think we are going to pick up a few laying hens to add to our flock. I didn't realize how much I would love this whole chicken farmer business...it really is so much fun.

school: I turned in my final papers this last week!!! AAAAHHHHH!!!! I never want to write another research paper again. I am sooooooo close to being done with this semester--I have 3 finals next week and then I've made it! I seriously cannot wait.

reading: these past four months of school I have read and read and read.....but it's almost time for me to start reading for fun again--woohoo!! I ask this all the time--but it's because you guys give the best suggestions--
What are you reading? 
What is on your MUST READ list for summer?  

blogging: It's been a good break these last few months, but I'm anxious to get back to sharing again--I've had lots of ideas brewing in my brain...

caking:
I think I have posted angel food cake 100 times (give or take a few) but it really is one of our favorites. we had this with our Easter feast last Sunday. 
angel food cake // the little red house
Angel Food Cake
recipe for angel food cake by alton brown

INGREDIENTS:
1 3/4 cups sugar 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1 cup cake flour, sifted 
12 egg whites (the closer to room temperature the better) 
1/3 cup warm water 
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar 

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350°
In a food processor spin sugar about 2 minutes until it is superfine. 
Sift half of the sugar with the salt the cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside. 
In a large bowl, use a balloon whisk to thoroughly combine egg whites, water, vanilla extract, and cream of tartar. 
After 2 minutes, switch to a hand mixer. Slowly sift the reserved sugar, beating continuously at medium speed. 
Once you have achieved medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam. Using a spatula fold in gently. 
Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated. 
Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased tube pan. 
Bake for 35 minutes before checking for doneness with a wooden skewer. (When inserted halfway between the inner and outer wall, the skewer should come out dry). 
 Cool upside down on cooling rack for at least an hour before removing from pan.


Homemade Whip Cream
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla

Top with whipped cream, berries, and enjoy!
try it with chocolate whipped cream HERE

Happy Weekend!


blogged 1 year ago: not your mama's ruby red juice

blogged 2 years ago: dear moab, I love you
blogged 3 years ago: chocolate and coconut milk cake + my dorky debut

come find me on Instagram @_sheenarae for a peek at our day to day adventures

7 comments:

whitneyingram said...

Books:

"Gone Girl", lots of bad language, incredible read. Couldn't put it down.

"If I Stay", quick little read. Pleasant.

"Me Before You", endearing love story. So bittersweet.

"All Creatures Great and Small", as a farm girl, you must read this. Stories pre WWII of a vetrinarian in the English countryside.

Also, do I recognize that wood cake plate thing?

Also again, LUNCH FINALLY???

infinitezest said...

I am reading "Persepolis" right now. I read "We Need New Names" this semester, which was really lovely. I have "Night Film" but haven't started it yet. One of my favorite slow and beautiful summer reads is "Housekeeping" by Marilynne Robinson. Sorry for a random group of suggesitons!

alicia said...

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd SOO good.

Allison said...

so glad you are back!

i've been craving angel food cake since last summer, seriously. i just can't seem to justify it when it's only two of us! clearly we need more friends ;)

read "wild" by cheryl strayed. my mom read it and then mailed it to me. we both loved it! and if you like mysteries, ANY of john hart's novels, (especially "the last child") are amazing.

melissa said...

oh yeah, i also like brainless mysteries--kind of an oxymoron but not really because you don't really have to try to figure them out--the phryne fisher ones are good (title, not author) and agatha christie's seven dials is a favorite, and dorothy sayers' "have his carcase" was delightful, as is any Jeeves book by PG Wodehouse.

also, i love angel food cake, but then--12 yolks!

i hope you're done with your school junk now.

Anonymous said...

Tea Rose, Winter Rose and Wild Rose- all by Jennifer Donnelly
Me Before You by Joyo Moyes

Unknown said...

Thanks for the post. They are really cute. And belated happy new year to you all. Enjoy a lot and keep writing nice posts.
Regards:
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