Friday Finds

Well, I've had a bit of a theme going on this week so I just thought I would continue with that theme for today's Friday Finds. So this week I am featuring adorable Cupcake items from Etsy. Enjoy!

Small Poofy Pillow by Apple Core Crafts


Cupcake Hair Clip by Pretty Bows Boutique


Cupcake on a Flower Ring by Penelope's Porch


Yummy Cupcake- Mon Gateau by Galerie Anais


Cupcake Print by 2 Dogs Art Works


Personal Cupcake part II by West Byron

Temptation Thursday

I have to admit it, if there is cake or a cupcake in front of me or is offered to me, you better believe that I am going to take it! I love when a cake is super moist and tasty with fabulous creamy frosting. I came across some of these cupcakes below and just had to share them. Can you tell I am in a baking mood since Tasty Tuesday was a cupcake recipe?! After the move, I know I will be making a cake or some cupcakes. :) Enjoy these tempting beauties!

Wordless Wednesday

Just wanted to share some of my photographs of my ranunculus flowers from last year.

Tasty Tuesday

OH MY GOODNESS!!! Don't these just look absolutely delicious?! They remind of a Hostess cupcake and I LOVE those!!! :) YUMMY!! As soon as I saw this recipe, I just knew it would have to be a Tasty Tuesday post.

Chocolate Cream Cakes

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup(s) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tablespoon(s) all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cup(s) whole milk
• 2/3 cup(s) sugar
• 1/2 cup(s) dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa
• 1/4 cup(s) sour cream
• 3 large eggs
• 3 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
• 1 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 cup(s) confectioners' sugar
• 9 ounce(s) bittersweet chocolate
• 1 1/2 tablespoon(s) vegetable shortening

Directions:

1. Make batter: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a small brush, lightly coat three 2 1/2-inch 6-cup muffin pans with melted butter. Dust with flour, tap out excess, and set aside. Place 2 cups flour, 1 1/4 cups milk, sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, 3/4 cup butter, sour cream, eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Beat using a mixer set on low speed until combined. Increase mixer speed to medium and continue to beat 3 more minutes.
2. Bake cakes: Divide batter equally between prepared pans and bake on middle rack of oven until cake tops spring back when lightly touched, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in muffin pans on a wire rack 5 minutes. Use a knife to loosen cakes from pan sides. Invert cakes onto wire rack and cool completely.
3. Make cream filling: Whisk remaining milk and flour together in a medium saucepan until smooth. Place saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and set aside. Using an electric mixer set on high speed, beat remaining butter and confectioners' sugar together in a medium bowl until light. Add remaining vanilla, reduce mixer speed to medium, and slowly add cooled milk mixture. Beat 1 more minute.
4. Fill cakes: Fill a pastry bag fitted with a long, narrow tip (we used a Bismark tube #230) with cream filling. Insert tip into bottom of cake and fill by gently moving tip from side to side while squeezing pastry bag, until cake begins to swell. Gently remove tip and return cake to wire rack. Fill remaining cakes and set wire rack over a baking pan.
5. Glaze cakes: In a double boiler set over simmering water, melt bittersweet chocolate and shortening together. Once melted, remove pan from heat and let sit 3 minutes. Pour about 1 tablespoon chocolate mixture on top of a cake. Use a small spatula to glaze top and smooth around sides until completely coated in a thin layer of chocolate. Repeat with remaining cakes. Freeze 3 minutes, remove, and let sit until chocolate has set, about 1 hour. Decorate cake tops with remaining cream filling, if desired.

Must Have Monday

I am so happy spring is here and in honor of that I searched Etsy for some photographs of one of my favorite flowers, Ranunculus. Enjoy these fabulous finds by these talented photographers.

Ranunculus Photograph by Lauren Marie Photography


Beauty, 5x5 Fine Art Print by Ciao Bella Photography


Between the Pages, Fine Art Photograph 8 x10 by Lucy Snowe Photography


Delicate Pink Flower, fine art photograph 8x8 by Lucy Snowe Photography


Waiting for Spring by Claudia Kay Photography

Ranunculus 1 by Claudia Lord Photographic Fine Art


Nostalgia, fine art photograph by Irene Suchocki Photography


Sweet Romance 4x6 by Laura Deponte Photography


Friendship, 5x7 print by Melissa Beach Photography

Super Saturday

Yeah for the weekend! As this Super Saturday post is added to the blog, Travis and I are in Mexico so it really is a SUPER Saturday! Hopefully, at the time of this post, we are already up and laying out on the beach or by the pool catching some much needed sun and spending much needed relaxation time together on our first full day there! :) It is our first time in Mexico and we decided to head to Cabo San Lucas and we are staying at Pueblo Bonito at Sunset Beach (pictured below). We normally don't have much luck getting to any of our vacation destinations so hopefully this time around we didn't have any problems.

I scheduled some of my normal posts to be posted while we are gone. When we get home next week I will share some pictures and stories about our trip and hopefully a "problem" story will not be one of them! So, See you in a week!


And, I hope that everyone else has a SUPER Saturday as well!

Friday Finds

Today's Friday Finds are some amazing, undiscovered Esty shops. Pounce on them while you still can!

Poppy Sketches, 4 separate prints by Adam's Atoms

Zipper Rosette Necklace by Elma's Box

Large Gray Square Foiled Glass Earrings by Simple Creations

French Striped Work Dress by Double Six Vintage

LEILA White Pearl and Rhinestone Filigree Necklace by Divine Jewel

A4- The Biggest House in the World- print by Danilo

Captain Travis Michelena

Travis had his promotion ceremony yesterday so he is now officially a Captain in the U.S Army. He was very happy to finally have those Captain bars on his chest. The promotion ceremony was held down at 3rd port on the Large Tug Boat. It was raining so we were all inside on the bridge but it was large enough for everyone to fit in there so it worked out well. I am very proud of him for all his hard work! Just wanted to share some pictures from the day.


Centering his CPTs patch


Shoving it on to make sure it sticks!


Put on his hat with his new rank


Travis with his Battalion Commander, LTC Draper


The 2 new Captains take the Oath


Congrats from all


So proud of him! YEAH!


With our good friends, the McGills


Travis and LTC Draper


With his cake. Don't mind the writing! Getting the cake was a last minute decision and the bakery was already closed to I had to write it on there! Looks awful! lol

Temptation Thursday

If any of you are anything like me, when I get a sweet tooth, I just want anything to satisfy my craving. And I LOVE chocolate and I LOVE ice cream! This special treat has both and they look so tempting that I don't think I would want to share them! I got this recipe from Pillsbury.com and it was the Million Dollar winning recipe from the Pillsbury Bake-off contest so you know it HAS to be good!


Mini Ice Cream Cookie Cups

INGREDIENTS

1	package (16 oz) Pillsbury® Ready to Bake!™ refrigerated sugar cookies (24 cookies)
4	teaspoons sugar
1/3	cup Fisher® Chef’s Naturals® Chopped Walnuts, finely chopped
1/2	cup Hershey’s® semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
1/4	cup Smucker’s® Seedless Red Raspberry Jam
1 1/2	cups vanilla bean ice cream, softened
24	fresh raspberries

DIRECTIONS

1.) Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. Place 1 cookie dough round in each muffin cup. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. 2.) Place 2 teaspoons of the sugar in small bowl. Dip end of wooden spoon handle in sugar; carefully press into center of each cookie to make 1-inch-wide indentation. Cool completely in pan, about 20 minutes. 3.) Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix walnuts and remaining 2 teaspoons sugar; set aside. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring after 30 seconds, until smooth. 4.) Run knife around edges of cups to loosen; gently remove from pan. Dip rim of each cup into melted chocolate, then into walnut mixture. Place walnut side up on cookie sheet with sides. 5.) In another small microwavable bowl, microwave jam uncovered on High about 15 seconds until melted. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon jam into each cup. Freeze cups about 5 minutes or until chocolate is set. 6.) Spoon ice cream into cups, using small cookie scoop or measuring tablespoon. Top each cup with fresh raspberry; serve immediately.

Wordless Wednesday

"Anticipation"

(Ok, so a few words Wednesday. Our neighbor's little boy, Grant, watching his ball and anticipating a spare. Which he got and was THRILLED about!)

Tasty Tuesday

Here's to another Yummy Tasty Tuesday! I changed things up a bit today. I went for a slow cooker recipe, since we are all on the go and this makes things SO MUCH EASIER! This recipe is from bettycrocker.com.


Slow Cooker Swiss Steak Supper

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 8 hours 15 min
Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2	pounds beef boneless round steak
1/2	teaspoon peppered seasoned salt
6	to 8 new potatoes, cut into fourths
1 1/2	cups baby-cut carrots
1	medium onion, sliced
2	cups Progresso® diced tomatoes with Italian herbs (from 28-oz can), undrained
1	jar (12 ounces) beef gravy
	Chopped fresh parsley, if desired

	1.) Cut beef into 6 serving pieces. Spray 12-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Sprinkle beef with seasoned salt. Cook in skillet 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, until brown.
	2.) Layer potatoes, carrots, beef and onion in 4- to 5-quart slow cooker. Mix tomatoes and gravy; spoon over mixture in slow cooker.
	3.) Cover and cook on low heat setting 7 to 8 hours or until beef and vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with parsley. (Note: This recipe was tested in slow cookers with heating elements in the side and bottom of the cooker, not in cookers that stand only on a heated base. For slow cookers with just a heated base, follow the manufacturer’s directions for layering ingredients and choosing a temperature.) Health Twist Leaving the peel on the potatoes not only retains nutrients but also helps potatoes keep their shape. Just scrub and cut as directed. Substitution Peppered seasoned salt is one of the newest varieties of seasoned salt available in the supermarket. If you can't find it, use regular seasoned salt and sprinkle the beef with pepper, or you can just use salt and pepper.

Military Monday

Enjoy this week's Military Must-Have Monday! Perfect items for the spring time!


Cloth Napkins- Lunch/Cocktail Size from Camp Cupcake Designs


The Simple Name; double disc 3/4 in. Sterling Silver Necklace from Tiny Belles Boutique



Cream Chrysanthemum Flower- silver plated adjustable ring from Beans Things

Abundance of Yellow 5x7 Photograph Print from Jrzy Girl Photography

Sparkles and Pearls from Sweet Pea Treasures

Simplify- Hand painted sign from Word Boards



Remember to support the Homefront! Visit the Homefront Team's blog to discover more fabulous items.