Strawberry Smoothie

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Strawberry Smoothie

Strawberry Smoothie

Strawberries were the fruit of my youth. In the summertime, they were consumed almost daily. We would chop up the strawberries and mix them into a bit of vanilla ice cream (topped with a generous dose of chocolate syrup, of course). On special occasions, they were spooned on top of angel food cake and topped with a dollop of whipped cream. Usually, though, we ate them simply—sliced and sprinkled with a spoonful of sugar to make them sweet and ooze strawberry juice.

I never could resist liking that bowl clean.

Strawberry Smoothie

One of my favorite bedtime snacks was the classic strawberry smoothie. I would sip them up on hot summer evenings. The chilled drink would always cool me down until I got goosebumps. The taste was close enough to a strawberry milkshake that I felt like I was getting a special treat even though my smoothie was anything but unhealthy.

Mothers are good at tricking you like that.

Nowadays I tend to enjoy them while strolling around outside or for a light breakfast when I'm on the go. One of my favorite qualities of smoothies is the versatility. They are perfect for all hours of the day. Morning, afternoon, or evening, you can always enjoy this understated treat.

Strawberry Smoothie

This strawberry smoothie is a light, fruity drink that will satisfy any sweet (or health conscious) tooth. The base of the smoothie is low-fat vanilla yogurt and milk. Strawberries and ice provide a nice variety in texture, while a splash of vanilla extract will help round out the flavors. Remember, you control the amount of sugar in the drink. If you're afraid it may be too sweet (or you're watching your sugar levels), add a little sugar at a time until it is just right for you.

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Baby Sugar Cookies

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Regrettably, I'm still feeling under the weather. I feel a bit like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh, with a raincloud over my head and I keep misplacing my head (or tail, as it may be). In addition to losing 5 pounds in the last week (which I will certainly gain back in eating many, many cookies), I've temporarily lost my sense of smell and taste.

Moment of silence.

Now I ask you this: is there anything worse for a food blogger? How am I suppose to share delicious food and decadent desserts with you if I first can't test them out for myself?

Devastating is what this is. Maybe even a little bit ironic.

So today, we're going to try something new. I'm going to ask you to eat with your eyes instead of your taste buds.

My cousin Missy has been expecting a sweet little girl for some time now and she's finally arrived! Congratulations to Missy and Kurt (and new big brother Dylan)!

I can't wait to meet the new baby. Since my brain is always focused on butter and sugar, I wanted to give the new, soon to be very sleep deprived, second-time parents a special treat while they spent some time in the hospital with their new bundle of joy (and something to feed the visiting guests who have come to Ooo and Ahh over the cute baby toes).

Earlier this week, I baked up a batch of baby themed sugar cookies to send their way. I have already shared a couple sugar cookie recipes on this website which you can find here and here. Since I can't think of anything cuter than baby items (I literally squeal over them if I happen upon them in a store), I filled a bunch of pastry bags and quickly set out to decorate them. I used a royal icing to decorate the cookies (recipe below).

If there is enough interest, I would love to do a cookie decorating tutorial for you. Let me know if you'd like to learn!

I hope I've inspired you to try out cookie decorating for yourself! Or, if you know of a baby in the works, a few ideas to use to decorate your own baby themed cookies.

Royal Icing
3 3/4 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
6 tablespoons water

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water until stiff peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add food coloring, if desired. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To thin icing to fill larger areas, use a few drops of water at a time. Remember, a little bit of water goes a long way and it will take a lot of powdered sugar to compensate if you've added too much water.

Piña Colada Cupcakes

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Piña Colada Cupcakes

Piña Colada Cupcakes

Today's post is going to be short, but sweet. Since I'm feeling a bit under the weather, I hope these cupcakes will help you to forgive me.

Coconut and pineapple have always been on my list of favorite fruits. I used to buy gallons of organic coconut pineapple juice at the store (which I would try not to drink in one sitting). For some reason it never occurred to me to combine this wonderful combination with alcohol. When this finally dawned on me a few weeks ago, I realized I needed a piña colada and I needed one now.

Piña Colada Cupcakes

I love piña coladas so much I decided I needed to have this particular cocktail in a more... suitable container. Well, for a baker, pastries are the perfect delivery system for cocktails. Even if you aren't a baker, I don't think you will protest these piña colada cupcakes too much (if at all).

It's nearly summer, the sun is shining, and I think you deserve a little treat. Don't you?

Piña Colada Cupcakes

These Piña Colada Cupcakes are a cocktail in cupcake form. No corners were cut on this recipe—you will find rum, coconut, and pineapple throughout. The cupcake is made with coconut rum, coconut milk, and pineapple juice, which gives the cupcake that great cocktail base. Shredded coconut and crushed pineapple are then folded into the batter to give the cupcake a little extra oomph. Of course, to keep this kid friendly, simply substitute the rum with coconut milk or pineapple juice.

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