Golf as a family event

My husband bought the most adorable little golf club sets for the boys a few years ago. Robert has had a few lessons, but Carter just likes to whack at the ball.










All three of them are hackers.











This weekend, we enjoyed the links as a family.













Brian played, Robert and Carter teed off and also practiced several putts on the green. They enjoy that elusive moment of actually putting the ball in the hole. They like to dig their ball out of the hole again and again in order to sink another putt from 10 inches away. Each moment is glorious for them, they raise their hands in the air like Phil Mickelson or Tiger Woods after winning the Masters. I got to snap a few photos.

Robert did have a great moment.








He shot his ball over water to land on the green. It was beautiful. Much fist pumping and little boy and proud daddy bravado ensued.

Who stepped on the duck?

Why are farts so funny?
We all break an occasional wind, just like we all walk, talk, sneeze, or sleep. So why is the fart such a hilarious moment that needs to be celebrated with snickers and high fives.
Belly-busting for busting tail.

I live with three men (two under the age of eight and one who should be old enough to know better), but for some reason if anyone cuts the cheese all decorum is lost. Even the stink-eye from mommy can't bring them back from the brink.

Taco and chili nights are the best gas-producing dinners (unfortunately meals that I don't have to threaten or bribe them to eat.) And now that we've entered into spring, the produce section is teeming with the green leafy veggies, those toot-fueling monsters. I admonish, "eat your greens," but with my trepidation knowing what vapors lurk in their little bowels yearning to break free.

The only thing funnier than a fooster from my boys would be one from me.
High fives all around.

What's a griffin?

Do you remember Ebirt?

Yes, William and Mary announced that we will be a Tribe of LionBirds. Yes, we, well not me, but they chose the Griffin as the mascot of our school.









This is a griffin.


See our president, W. Taylor Reveley III, explain how he made this important decision,YouTube VIDEO









This does bode well for the William and Mary Quidditch team (as reported in AltDaily) Here is a glimpse of our team. Click this link: William and Mary Quidditch

Tribe pride is overflowing here...


hark upon the gale.

Video about the state of our "lovely" downtown

I am looking forward to the achievement of our local government's vision for our city.

An excuse for cake pops

I am going to make these when I figure out an excuse to make them...
Maybe Robert's birthday, or maybe before, just because.
I am not a girly girl, but even I can't resist something so charming and seemingly easy to make.

Here's the link for the recipe. LINK to CAKE POP RECIPE

I would not use the can of frosting. Homemade buttercream is so much better and relatively easy to make. Here's the recipe for that:

BUTTERCREAM ICING

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup solid vegetable shortening

½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened

1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons milk

Yield: About 3 cups of icing.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla and salt. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often.

2. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

3. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

Stay away from the package!

I am amazed at how much processed and packaged foods we eat. Good, real food is not hard to prepare, but people seem to think that a packaged meal is so much more convenient.
I don't normally read the NY Times, but a friend of mine led me to this short article about American's eating habits. Click the LINK.

"Americans eat 31 percent more packaged food than fresh food, and they consume more packaged food per person than their counterparts in nearly all other countries. A sizable part of the American diet is ready-to-eat meals, like frozen pizzas and microwave dinners, and sweet or salty snack foods."

I would love to start a real food challenge. Try to eat nothing from a package or a fast food restaurant for a week. See how good you feel afterward. Making simple food from scratch is cheaper and can be simple. I find a lot of good recipes from Everyday Food. www.everydayfoodmag.com They're recipes (despite being from the Martha Stewart test kitchen) are usually easy, fast and don't require crazy ingredients.

Try one of these chicken recipes: LINK to CHICKEN

Or this vegetarian chili: LINK to VEGGIE CHILI

Bon Appetit!

Some photos of the boys

This free slideshow design generated with Smilebox

Rolling with the fondant

So here is my first attempt at a fondant cake. Fondant is actually easy to make; it's not as easy to make it look like something.

I was worried that it would taste awful. It's made with marshmallows and confectioners sugar. Yes, sugar and more sugar. But, it was really edible and not so thick that you couldn't put a fork through it. But, buttercream is still my preference for tastiness.

The cake was good too. Under all of that icing, it stayed nice and moist. I was shocked, because a lot of fondant cakes I've had in the past have been very dense with a hint of dry-as-a-bone texture.

I was completely covered in cornstarch, powder sugar and food dye by the end.

More photos:

www.whatscookingamerica.net/PegW/Fondant.htm This is a link to the website that guided me. I also like this cake website for ideas. www.easy-cake-ideas.com Let me know if you have any favorites.

Here's the recipe for homemade marshmallow fondant:
Marshmallow Fondant
16 ounces white mini-marshmallows (a bag may only be 10.5 oz.)

2 to 5 tablespoons water

2 pounds confectioner sugar

Vegetable shortening (you'll need about 1/4 cup to coat your hands and work surface)

1. Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler: Put the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and continue doing this until melted. It usually takes about 2 1/2 minutes total. Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on the top of the melted marshmallow mix.
   
2. Now grease your hands GENEROUSLY (palms, backs, and in between fingers), then heavily grease the counter you will be using and dump the bowl of marshmallow/sugar mixture in the middle.
   
3. Start kneading like you would bread dough. Keep kneading, it's sticky at this stage! Add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more. Re-grease your hands and counter when the fondant starts sticking. If the mix is tearing easily, it is to dry, so add water (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time and then knead it in). It usually takes about 8 minutes to get a firm smooth elastic ball so that it will stretch without tearing when you apply it to the cake.
   
4. It is best if you can let it sit, double wrapped, overnight (but you can use it right away if there are no tiny bits of dry powdered sugar). If you do see them, you will need to knead and maybe add a few more drops of water.
   
5. Prepare the fondant icing for storing by coating it with a good layer of Crisco shortening, wrap in plastic wrap and put it in a re-sealable bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible.
   
6. Marshmallow Fondant icing will hold very well in the refrigerator for weeks.

Easter birthday force

My son, Carter, will turn 4 on Easter Sunday.
He is excited to have a birthday Easter Egg hunt at his friend's school. According to Carter, it was nice of them to do this just for his birthday.
This year is Star Wars themed because Brian and I finally acquiesced and let our kids watch the series. We've now watched the whole series all the way through. They have now also been accoutered with myriad light sabers (to make up for their lack of actual Jedi powers) and Star Wars pajamas, of course.
We're dying Easter Eggs and decorating a Darth Vader birthday cake. (I am making my first attempt at decorating with fondant- homemade marshmallow fondant- because I heard that it actually tastes good.) Pictures will follow, I hope.

May the force be with you...
and also with you!