Thursday, April 28, 2011

a royal wedding

well, i have to admit
i am so excited about
tomorrow's royal wedding.


i have not missed a royal wedding
in 38 years!!!!

my first was princess anne to captain mark phillips



and of course the wedding of the century

diana to prince charles




and the last

prince andrew to sarah ferguson



I am going to make Orange-Cranberry scones

Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
  • 1/2 cup butter, cut up
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
Preparation
  • Combine first 6 ingredients; cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Add buttermilk and dried cranberries, stirring just until moistened.
  • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead 5 or 6 times. Pat into an 8-inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges, and place 1 inch apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with milk, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
  • Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until scones are golden brown.


Thursday, April 21, 2011

Easter Kugelhopf

Easter is Sunday....

and since my husband and his family
are German, I thought I would make this
beautiful cake.

I don't have a Kugelhopf pan
but am sure that a
Bundt pan

will work just fine!

Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup lukewarm water
  • 3/4 cup plus 1 tsp. granulated sugar
  • 2 (1/4 oz.) packages active dry yeast
  • 2 sticks (1/2 lb.) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for serving
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 cup golden raisins
  • 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Preparation
  • Stir together water and 1 tsp. sugar in a bowl. Sprinkle with yeast and let stand until foamy, 5 minutes. Butter and flour a 10-cup Kugelhopf or Bundt pan.
  • Using an electric mixer, cream butter and remaining 3/4 cup sugar on low speed for about 30 seconds, then increase to medium high and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each. (Mixture will look curdled.) Beat in lemon peel, salt and vanilla. Add yeast mixture; gradually add 2 cups flour. Beat on medium, scraping bowl, until smooth, 5 minutes. Gradually add remaining flour; beat until dough is elastic. Stir in raisins.
  • Butter a bowl. Transfer dough to it, cover with a towel, and let rise until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch dough down and stir in almonds. Transfer dough to prepared pan, cover with a towel and let rise until dough is within 1/2 inch of top of mold, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 475°F. Bake Kugelhopf until golden, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 30 minutes. Let Kugelhopf cool for 5 minutes, then turn out of pan onto a rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar; slice with a serrated knife; serve with butter.
Recipe from All You, March 2006
photo: Romulo Yanes

Friday, April 15, 2011

the best birthday party ever

she said it was the
best birthday party
EVER....


MY KATE TURNED 8!!


Her friends arrived for a
PINK CARPET/GLAMOUR GIRL
EVENT!!!!!


There were pictures with friends


There was a fashion show.....


KAOROKE!!!


then a
TEA PARTY



good friends.......


and of course
no party is complete without

CAKE!!!!!


and ICING FACE

A VERY HAPPY
BIRTHDAY!!!!!!


all photos by Meg Burke

Friday, April 8, 2011

wedding series, part two

our HONEYMOON

was one of the best
trips we have ever taken...


it was autumn and the weather was perfect!!!

We traveled to
NORTH CAROLINA
and stayed in Connesstee Falls.

We planned several day trips
which included a day in
BREVARD.

we hiked in the woods....
I fell in love with the leaves as they turned....
this is one of my favorite pictures on the BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
Here is my very handsome husband, Karl
We also visited ASHEVILLE wear this picture was taken....
and the beautiful BILTMORE ESTATE