An Old Standby

This is one of those desserts that I know I can throw together last minute to take to a party or to dinner at a friends house. It doesn't require much time, great skill, or numerous ingredients and is relatively inexpensive. You would never know it by the taste or presentation, which is what makes it so awesome!

I usually make it with just a whipped cream frosting, but this time I wanted to give it a little something extra so I made a mascarpone-whipped cream frosting. If you want to cut down on the cost (and calories), you can omit the cheese. It can be pricey, but I find that it's on sale a lot.

Mascarpone Whipped Cream Frosting


You will need:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1-8 oz container mascarpone cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Whip cream and confectioners sugar until soft peaks form. Add vanilla, zest and cheese and whip until stiff.

See, I told you this is easy.

I always buy an angel food cake premade at the store, it's just easier that way (we're going for easy here people). But if you're feeling special you can make one yourself. Otherwise, just run a knife along the outside of the cake and around the inside hole and turn over onto a plate. Use a serrated knife to cut into two layers. Spread a layer of cream in the middle and line with thinly sliced strawberries. Place the top half on it.

Use an offset spatula to frost the edges and top of the cake. Pipe a border on the top and bottom if you'd like and decorate with fresh strawberries, raspberries and blackberries (you can really use any berries you'd like). Garnish with some lemon curls.

No matter the time of year, it's always summer when you serve this cake :).

Blueberry Picking

So we didn't get the 75 degree, partly cloudy, breezy day that I had hoped for but berry picking was a success non-the-less. If nothing else I think hope everyone had a really good time! Here are some pics and I'm sure some blueberry recipes will be in this blogs future.

The babies did very well. They were all lathered up in sun screen and had their cute little hats on. From far away you'd think Liane and Steph were a couple of rough tough country women slinging their babies around the blueberry field. Then you'd get closer and hear them asking "When are we going to Dairy Queen!!!???" :) :)

Jen and her super awesome homemade berry fanny pack.

Liane had an interesting technique:) I didn't have the heart to tell her she ended up with smashed blueberries on her butt....Sorry Liane!

Kathryn off doing her thing. Somehow she ended ended up like a mile away in a matter of minutes. Perhaps she was escaping the certain odor that we all acquired within 5 minutes of being in the sweltering heat haha.

Yummy! They weren't the biggest blueberries I've seen but I'll tell you what, everyone I've eaten so far has been sweet and delicious.

Half way there!

Evie may or may not have been traumatized by the whole experience. She was one cranky baby on the way home. Maybe she didn't like the hairdo I gave her????

Besides grabbing handfuls and popping them like candy, I haven't made anything with them. But I did throw some in my oatmeal this morning with some brown sugar. It was so good. If you don't make your own oatmeal I encourage you to. It's really easy. These are Bob's Red Mill rolled oats from Weggies, in the natural/organic section. I love oatmeal and I feel better about eating it now that I make this because I can control the amount of sugar in it (I don't like plain oatmeal so there has to be something in it, usually a tsp or two of brown sugar) and then add extra of whatever I want. It seems more filling also. I cut the recipe in half that's on the back of the bag.