Friday, April 27, 2012

Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake


I found this recipe on Pinterest … which, by the way, I’m addicted to … so badly that I have to limit my time on it LOL (seriously!).  It’s from the website http://www.alexandracooks.com so I most definitely must give all the credit for this recipe to its owner!  I was going to make this last Thursday … I was just in a cake mood … in other words, I was craving a piece of cake =)  Anyway, since it has blueberries in it I decided to wait until Alayna came home (yesterday) since she absolutely loves blueberries and anything with blueberries in it … so much so I’ve seen her finish off 2 pints of them in just a matter of minutes … no lie … we tease her that if she isn’t careful she will turn blue like the girl in the movie Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory LOL

Anyway … this cake is amazing!  I thought that it would be more like scones, if you’ve ever had them, or at least a very dense cake, which there is nothing wrong with but the batter was so thick and hard to spread into the pan … I just assumed that’s how it would turn out.  NOTATALL … it is the lightest, fluffiest, airiest cake … man is it good!  Hope ya’ll will enjoy it too!!


Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake
Serves 6-8
½ cup Unsalted Butter, room temp
2 tsp Lemon Zest ~ Zest from 1 Large Lemon
7/8 cup + 1 tablespoon Sugar
1 Egg, room temp
1 tsp Vanilla
2 cups Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Kosher Salt
2 cups Fresh Blueberries
½ cup Buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Cream Butter with Lemon Zest and 7/8 cup of Sugar until light and fluffy.  Add Egg and Vanilla and beat until combined.  Meanwhile, toss the Blueberries with ¼ cup of the Flour, set aside.  (This is so the Blueberries will not sink to the bottom of the batter.)  Whisk together the remaining Flour, Baking Powder and Salt.  Add the Flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the Buttermilk.  Fold in the Blueberries. 

Grease a 9-inch square baking pan with butter or non-stick spray.  Spread batter into pan.  Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of Sugar.  Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.


Friday, April 20, 2012

How To: Frame in an Open Back Frame

Here's just a little 'How To' about framing photos in those large Open Back Frames,
which, is a lot less expensive and just as beautiful as professionally framed photos.
And it's so easy!


What you will need:
Open Back Frame
Mat
Frame Hanger
Foam Board
Measuring Tape/Ruler
Double Sided Tape
Craft Knife
Glass Sized to Fit, optional (I do not use it)

First measure the opening on the back side of the Open Back Frame ... not the opening on the front side which is slightly smaller ... but the opening on the back as shown in photo below.


Next cut out the appropriate size Foam Board needed to fit the Open Back Frame snugly ... 
this is important ... the Foam Board must fit the frame snugly or it will not stay in place.  
Once the Foam Board is cut out ... place the photo on it and lay the Mat over the photo to center it.

After centering photo on Foam Board, use the Double Sided Tape to tape it into place.  

Now place the Mat and then the Foam Board (with photo taped into place) into the
Open Back Frame .
Lastly, attach the Frame Hanger to back of Open Back Frame and you're done!!!  Simple and easy!
I framed all three of these in just a matter of minutes ... I'm so proud of my three Airman.
Now I just have to hang them =)

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Wall It


I always wanted an Ironing Board that hung on the laundry room wall.  You know, so you don’t have to drag it out and put it up all the time.  Just pop it down and back up when you’re done.  So … when I moved into this house some 7 years ago I went on a search to find one.  I found numerous Ironing Board boxes that you hang on the wall and sorta look like a cabinet but I really didn’t like the looks of them or the price.

Then while in Target one day, I saw an ‘Over-the-Door’ Ironing Board … I knew I could make it work.  Now it’s not a full sized Ironing Board but it works just fine for me.

Instead of ‘hanging it over the door’ which I knew wouldn’t work for me, I hung it on the wall with two plumbing pipe thing-a-majiggees (SEE PHOTO BELOW … I do not know what they are called) that I picked up at Home Depot.  Best thing I ever did … I love it and thought I’d share my tip with ya’ll!