Cofee cupcake craziness

Sometimes a gal just needs a cup of joe. And a doughnut (with sprinkles, please). Aw heck, just throw it all in a cupcake:



I know, I know - the insanity! But so worth it.

Want to make them? I know you do. Recipe adapted from here (which was adapted from here).

Coffee and doughnut cupcakes - makes 12

Ingredients:


for cupcakes:
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee (cooled)
1/8 cup half & half


for coffee frosting:
1/2 cup butter, room temp
1 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons coffee (plus more as needed)
1 tablespoon half and half (as needed)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

decoration:
sprinkles and doughnut holes (Krispy Kreme? yes please!!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cupcake pan with liners.

Whisk together four, baking powder, and salt in bowl. Set aside

Combine coffee and milk, set aside.



Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla.



Alternate adding flour and coffee mixture to butter mixture, beating until combined.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on wire rack.

For coffee frosting -

Cream butter in bowl of electric mixer. Carefully add about half of sugar, and 2 tablespoons coffee. Add rest of sugar slowly, testing for sweetness and consistency (I found it a bit sweet with all the sugar). Add more coffee and half and half to thin/amp up the coffee flavor!

Decorate!!



Oh, boo-ya! Get on in there for a closer look:



THAT is what I'm talking about.

Mmm, coffee and doughnuts...mug optional!

Feeling blue

It's going to be a great summer...

Like a hole in my head...

Life 'round these parts is not busy at all. I've got oodles of free time on my hands as I try to finish my dissertation, search for a job, traverse the skies between Nashville and Tampa, paint the bathroom, help the boy landscape the yard, and try to figure out why there are always huge piles of laundry to be done. Free time....HA!

Yet even with all these demands on my time, I still have the urge to create something. I know I could be working on those long promised patterns for you guys (they are coming, I promise), but wouldn't it be nice to have someone else do all that pesky thinking? And make a pretty quilt? And maybe win some sewing supplies in the process?

That was exactly the thinking that sucked me into my latest adventure. I was blog cruising the other day and ran across this post on the Old Red Barn Co. blog. Remember the quilt giveaway from last summer? Now Dana's doing a quilt along for that same pattern, with plenty of giveaways along the way. And the grand daddy giveaway at the end is a Janome 6600! Yup, same as my baby. Obviously I don't need it, but one of you should win because its an awesome machine. Totally not to late to join in the fun as I'm just getting started myself!

I tried to go for a stash-busting quilt as I should not even be starting this project, never mind buying more fabric.






I bought more fabric. Just a little, I promise!

But look: pretty, green, and featuring a lot of my favorite fabric designers! Yippee!


Left to right:
Top row - Paula Prass, Anna Griffin, Paula Prass, Heather Bailey, Amy Butler, Anna Maria Horner

Bottom row - Heather Bailey, random stash fabric from JoAnn's, Amy Butler, Jessica Jones, Amy Butler, Patty Young

I'm a little behind the official steps of the quilt along, but I've got strip ready for when I get a free moment to sew:



I'll keep you updated on on my progress (or lack thereof) here, but in the mean time you can head on over to the flickr group to see how everyone else is sewing along!

Gratuitous Cuteness

The only little feet going pitter-patter in this house belong to felines (sorry Mom!). But you, dear blog reader, deserve a little cuteness when you come by to visit. Where I am going to find some gratuitous cuteness for you? Never fear, I have a solution:



Look at that cute fuzziness! Not cute enough, you say? Try this on for size:



Would you look at that fat belly? So fat and squishy and loveable! It helps that our little part Maine Coon/part stray mutt of a cat is a total love bug and can't get enough of the loving that we want to give. He's a bit of a "special" kitty too, which makes him all the more endearing.



Pounce!

Play, eat, sleep... I wish I was a house cat!

Whew, all that cuteness must be exhausting. Why don't you take a break, buddy.


Good Kitty.