13 days and counting

Ahhh, only 2 more Mondays left of the school year! Yippee!! I am so ready for summer...so are my kids! Yesterday was Mother's Day and I had such a good day! I am blessed beyond measure to be called Mom by my four amazing kids!! :-)

Stephanie got on Shutterfly and made me an AWESOME photo book. She scanned in old pictures and everything. I so wish I could share it with everyone I know because I like it that much. I have looked through it at least 6 times already and talking about it makes me want to go look at it again! Just know, if you come visit me, you have to look at "the book"!

Jason took the kids and bought me a panini press! I have wanted one for so long and am so excited to have one! Now I have to plan something for dinner this week and start stocking up on panini recipes! Can't wait to start cooking with this new tool!

We went to church Saturday night which made Sunday so relaxing! I got to sleep in and then the kids made me breakfast in bed with Eggs Benedict! I LOVE that tradition, it is soooo yummy! Then J and I ran to get some propane, I got a shower, helped Stephie make my cupcakes and just relaxed! As an afternoon appetizer we had some bruschetta, which I LOVE! Then Jason made some teriyaki steaks on the grill and some potatoes along with some cucumber salad. It was all SO PERFECT!! And my cupcakes were SUPER YUMMY!! Definitely need to print the recipe and get it into my recipe book!

I just loved my day, loved spending time with family and loved being able to relax! Now it is Monday, I have to go grocery shopping and plan for the next week! I think next year my gift needs to be a day where someone else does the grocery shopping! Ugh! I hate grocery shopping each week, but it is a necessary evil!

Hope you all had a GREAT Mother's Day too!



















































Here is my Bellini Cupcake Recipe

Cake Ingredients:

3 large egg whites, room temperature
1 cup champagne
1 ½ cups cake flour
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

Cake Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In small bowl, mix egg whites and champagne. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Mix butter into dry ingredients until it resembles moist crumbs.
Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients until fully combined.
Divide evenly between twelve cupcake liners. Bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.

Filling and Frosting Ingredients:
15 oz can sliced peaches
½ cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
White sanding sugar for topping

Filling and Frosting Directions:
Melt two tablespoons of butter in a medium-sized skillet on medium heat.
Drain and discard liquid from peach can.
Use a towel to pat dry the peach slices, removing excess moisture.
Place the peaches in a single layer in the hot skillet. Cook for about three minutes or until the bottom side is browned. Then flip.

Repeat until all sides of the peaches are browned.
Remove peaches from skillet and cool.
Use a food processor or immersion blender to puree the peaches.
Use a small paring knife or cupcake corer to remove a piece of cake from the center of each cooled cupcake. (You will not need the pieces that you remove, so feel free to eat them!) Fill each hole with peach puree. (setting aside 1/4cup of puree for frosting)

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter on high speed for five minutes.
Slowly mix in the powdered sugar and beat for another five minutes.
Mix in vanilla extract, salt, and ¼ cup of peach puree and beat for two minutes.
Pipe frosting into cupcakes and sprinkle with sanding sugar