Cupcakes!

This past week we have been getting ready for Ellen's birthday. For her birthday party we made some cupcakes. They are really good! (The recipe said the cocoa and vinegar would react and cause the batter to turn red, however it did not work for us. It also said you needed regular cocoa for this to work, not dutch processed cocoa. We thought we used the right cocoa. In addition we used beet juice for the red dye, but that did not do much for the batter. It did make the frosting a nice pink color, though.)

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice)
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 2 teaspoons red food coloring (recommended: Select natural food coloring. We used beet juice.)

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Red food coloring ( We just used beet juice)
  
• Special equipment: pastry bag and large round tip

Directions

Cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder, and fine sea salt together onto a piece of waxed paper. Mix the eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, vinegar, and food coloring in a standing mixer. Using the paddle attachment, on medium speed, beat until well combined. Turn down the mixer speed and slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing until totally smooth, about 3 minutes.

Line a standard 12 cupcake tin with the liners (preferably silver). Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full with the batter and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the pans for 5 to 10 minutes, then remove them from the pans. Cool completely on wire racks before frosting.

Frosting: In a standing mixer, on medium speed, cream the butter until smooth. Turn down the mixer speed and slowly add the powdered sugar, salt, milk, and vanilla and mix until smooth and creamy. (We added just a little bit of beet juice till the frosting was a light pink color.)

Optional decorate with sprinkles :)

Carameled Apples

Ellen dipped hers in sprinkles.

I had caramel sauce on ice cream.

Happy Birthday Ellen!

Today is Ellen's birthday! We went to Panera this morning and had breakfast. Then came home and Ellen opened her birthday gifts. I gave Ellen a cardigan and a scarf for her birthday. I also made myself one because I liked it so much. ( I made them both a little big so we could grow into them.)

In Chist Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found

He is my Light, my strength, my song;

This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace,

When fears are stilled when strivings cease.
My Comforter, my all in all,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless Babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
'Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of god was satisfied.
For every sin on him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground his body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then, bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine,
Bought by the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me me from his hand;
'Till he returns or calls me home,
Here in the pow'r of Christ I stand!

A Milk Trip

Dad and I went out to get milk at a farm in Elmwood, NE last Tuesday. When we went into the little building where they keep the milk. We left the back of our car open and this curious kitten climbed into the back of our car.

Isn't she cute! (Sorry I didn't get a picture of the kitten in our car.)

They also raise chickens, goats, pigs, and cows.

Juncos!

The Juncos are back; winter is coming soon.

Our Mini Melon Bed

In our backyard we have a compost pile and earlier this summer we put our Cantaloupe and Watermelon rinds in there. (We have a fence around compost pile so Ginger won't get it.) And the Cantaloupe seeds started growing up the fence! Just recently has it started producing fruit.

Fall Flowers

Here are some pictures of some fall flowers that took yesterday. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking pictures of them. Please let me know how you liked them.