1.30.2011

daddy's home!


One of the most difficult parts of relocating a family is often the job holder is expected to begin their new role immediately - long before it is feasible, or realistic to move their family across the country.  Such is the case with us....once again.  Hubby has been working in Portland for the last two weeks.  I was lucky to travel to Portland and see him while I visited school options, but our girls had not seen him for two long weeks.  It is difficult not having daddy around, especially on the little one. 

Hubby's birthday was last week and our girls were eager to celebrate the occasion when he got home.  I  received Ina Garten's new cookbook "how easy is that?" for Christmas and have wanted to make her red velvet cupcake recipe ever since.  This seemed like the perfect opportunity to break out our aprons!



The little one was the perfect sous pastry chef!


 I love the opportunity to bake with this sweet little girl.  She loves hanging out in the kitchen as much as I do.  And while her sister seems to be handling all our changes quite well, this little girl has had some moments of sadness and worry.  Spending some one on one time with her and really making the opportunity for her to be heard will continue to be important in the coming months.
 
 I'd say we did pretty well!

When I got my camera hubby ducked behind our presentation - not wanting to be pictured here, too bad!

Oh, and the cupcakes were super delicious!



Barefoot Contessa Red Velvet Cupcakes

2.5 cups all purpose flour
.25 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1 tbp liquid red food coloring
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
.25 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1.5 cups sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
Red Velvet Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin tins with paper liners.

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 1 minute, until light.  Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined.  With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients alternately in 3 parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and mix until combined.  Stir with a rubber spatula to be sure the batter is mixed.

Scoop the batter into the muffin cups with a 2.25 inch ice cream scoop or large spoon.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.  Cool completely before frosting.

Red Velvet Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese
12 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
3.5 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Place the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl and mix on medium speed until combined.  Add the sugar and mix until smooth.

9 comments on "daddy's home!"
  1. Oh you'd not enjoy being an Army wife then, we move every 2 years & go for months on end without Daddy in the house. Just makes for a different dynamic in our house, when he's home, he's HOME, the best Daddy ever & our 4 absorb every minute. Good luck with the new location & school, love Posie

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  2. You are such a good Mommy, in tune with what your girls are going through. That is so important. There is sure a lot going on in your life right now. It's great that you took the time out to bake and bond!

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  3. yum! i think i have this cookbook :) it stinks when daddy's away...i makes everything feel wierd. glad he got home to be with you all.

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  4. So glad he got to come home. Two weeks is a really really long time! Red velvet cupcakes are my absolute favorite. I will NOT be copying this recipe...I need to back away quick before I cave;)

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  5. So sweet, Jill! I could just see the joy in your little one's eyes that her daddy was finally home. ♥

    xoxo laurie

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  6. Love the
    little tootsies
    and your cute
    aprons!
    Hey, I think
    I may have rec'd
    this book for
    Christmas...gonna
    run and look.....
    Happy Week!
    xx Suzanne

    ReplyDelete
  7. just found your blog!
    We've moved about 20 times in the last 22 years - my guy's a corporate guy too and right now on a work assignment in Ireland. I bop back and forth from Canada to Ireland (just landed in Dublin again yesterday) and now we're looking at another possible overseas move. I feel your pain. Luckily we don't have kids since our life is much too crazy for that - I can barely keep myself sane, let alone the minds of kids!
    good luck with your move and if you just face it as an adventure each time, it keeps you positive and you actually enjoy the change instead of fearing/dreading it :)

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  8. Thanks for the inspiration, Jill! My daughter and I made these today...and I have "tested" two thus far!
    Good luck with everything...we're hoping to move full time to our "homeland" (currently second home) Door County, Wisconsin in the next year or so. I'm enjoying your tales of getting ready to transition, but it's making me nervous too...darn housing market!! I keep thinking my "decor" skills and my old house's "good bones"/great location will set us apart, but wishful thinking maybe!

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