Remember Summer?

Saskatoon Berry Muffins...An old Canadian favorite.  You can use any berry, but why not a Canadian classic?  We went Saskatoon berry picking last summer and I am now rapidly depleting my supply of frozen Saskatoon  berries.  There is a really great U-pick berry farm called Little Purple Apple south of Calgary, a 15 minute drive from our house.  Their fields are beautiful and the berries are plentiful.  It doesn't take long to get buckets full of yummy, juicy berries.  They freeze great when you rinse, pat dry and then freeze on cookie sheets until firm.  Dump them into freezer bags and enjoy them all year long.  It’s a great ‘pick-me-up’ and a yummy taste of summer during our cold winter months.  Today, it is MINUS 24 degrees C outside, with the wind chill, it feels like MINUS 35 degrees C.  We really need to remember summer today.

Saskatoon Berry Muffins
Makes 2 dozen large muffins
3 ½ cups flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ cups milk
2 tsp vanilla

2 cups Saskatoon berries (frozen or not)
2 tbsp flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees C.
In a big bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt.  Make a well in the center.
In another bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Beat in eggs until quite smooth.  Mix in milk and vanilla.  Pour into well.  Stir just to moisten.  Batter will be lumpy.
In a small bowl gently stir Saskatoon berries with flour.  Fold into batter.
Fill muffin cups and bake for 25 minutes until nicely browned.

Love always,

Twin B

xoxoxoxo

Red Cake

So Grandpa's Birthday is on Christmas day.  Every year, when we were kids, we would wait at the bottom of the stairs on Christmas morning.  Dad, the earliest riser on the planet, would already have a fire going, the Christmas tree lit and the coffee pot a brewin'.  On the "come on up" signal, we would race up the stairs, take a quick "glance" in passing at our overflowing stockings with all the "hanger-oners" and what Santa brought for us under the tree and then find Dad.  We would wish him a Happy Birthday, plant a couple of hugs and kisses, then he would wave us off in his humble, don't think about me kinda way, and he would graciously let his birthday mesh into the crazy excitement of Christmas morning.  

Well, since Grandma & Grandpa arrived in NY on the 26th, we HAD to have a special birthday cake.  I'd been wanting to try and make a Red Velvet Cake, since the cupcakes are so popular right now.  I found this recipe online.  It is a good one.  The icing intrigued me... check it out.

Happy littles, happy Papa.

It is supposed to be a mitten...

Red Velvet Cake.

The cake was yummy, but next time I would follow one of the comments on their website and substitute the shortening for oil (the cake was a tad dry) and I would double the cocoa.  The "flour" icing reminded me of icing I'd had in a bakery once, but I might also try a cream cheese type frosting.  We decorated the cake with some holiday sprinkles we had on hand from our cookies and the result was really adorable.

Happy "Happy" Papa!

Red Velvet Cake

1/2 cup shortening

• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 4 tablespoons red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Grease two 9 inch round pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Cream shortening and 1 1/2 cups sugar WELL. Add eggs and beat well.
3. Make a paste of cocoa and red food coloring. Add to creamed mixture. Mix salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla and buttermilk together. Add alternately the flour with the milk mixture to the creamed mixture. Mix soda and vinegar and FOLD INTO CAKE BATTER. DON'T BEAT OR STIR NOW.
4. Bake for 30 minutes.
5. To Make Icing: Cook 5 Tablespoons flour and milk over low heat till thick, stirring constantly. LET COOL THOROUGHLY! While cooling, cream 1 cups sugar, butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat this well till light and fluffy. Add to flour mixture and beat until of a good spreading consistency. DON'T ICE CAKE TILL COOL.

Sending Love,

Twin A

Just a Playin'

Before the holidays, the big little and little little and I had a day where we just stayed in our PJs all day and PLAYED.  The little little had just started to be on the move more and the big little thought it was pretty neat that she could keep up with him.  We played with our toys in our makeshift playroom, really our extra wide hallway.  It was snowing and blowing outside, but we were toasty and happy inside.  Gotta love those days.

Chewing on everything.

Cardboard box "mountain".

This is a tall road Mama!

Up on my knees!

So proud.

Who me?

"Come on baby, this a way!"

Ring ring goes the phone.

Colors.

Playin' happily.  I even got to walk away for a min. and grab a tea!  Amazing.

Sending Love,

Twin A