Simple Apple Cake

Here is a simple apple cake recipe when you want to throw something together quick.

Apple Cake

3 apples, pealed and sliced
3 eggs
1 c sugar
1 c flour
cinnamon and sugar mixture (1/4 c sugar plus 1 tsp cinnamon)

Preheat oven to 350° and grease and flour round pan. Beat eggs until fluffy, add sugar and then flour. Pour into pan. Then layer apple slices on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake 35-40 minutes and check to see if it is done. Serve warm or chilled with whipped cream.

Puffy (Biscuit) Baby Quilt

I made this puffy baby quilt for a friend's baby shower. I had so much fun making this quilt. I got to use the design wall Mike got me for my birthday. It makes it easy to place and design the pattern. This quilt is very forgiving if you don't sew the lines straight.

 So, step by step, I laid the squares out.

 Next I sewed the pockets. The pockets have a backing so that the pleats can be made.

 Here the pockets are sewn in rows. The tops are open.

Next, they are stuffed with filling. Then they are sewn shut and the rows are sewn together. For this quilt, I decided to tie the backing to the quilt and machine sew the binding.

The final product is a super comfy puffy quilt. The yellow squares are minky which adds a different texture that babies love.

Our 3-Year Old

Our baby Benjamin it now fully into toddlerhood and turned 3-years old. Three weeks after having Levi, we celebrated Benjamin's birthday. I didn't do anything too fancy for his birthday and settled with brownies. He thoroughly enjoyed them since it ended up all over his face.

 We discovered that he loves puzzles...thanks Aunt Karen.

 Ben's looking forward to cooling off on the hot summer days with his sprinkler.

 Now that Ben is a big boy, he graduated to the big boy bed. Thanks to Aunt Melissa for the plush cars toy! Below is a video of Ben's reaction to his bed...sorry the first section is sideways.

Welcome Levi!

 We welcomed Levi into our family on March 27th. He is so adorable and precious to us!

 Above Levi is in his take-home outfit with the toy Benjamin gave him.

 At two weeks we were able to give Levi his first bath. He's not too fond of bath time.

Here is sleeping Levi. He looks like Benjamin except for the darker hair. It will be fun to watch the boys grow up together.

Peanut Butter Salted Caramel Tart

This is the first complicated recipe I tried while pregnant with Levi. I took it from Martha Stewart, but changed up a few things in the caramel sauce. If you love peanut butter and peanuts, this will tantalize the taste buds. It was a perfect mixture of peanuts, rich chocolate and salted caramel. I made this dessert for the Stuy Christmas party.

For the Chocolate Crust:

• 2 1/3 cup Oreo boxed crumbs
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted

For the Caramel Sauce:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoon butter 
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 cup roasted salted peanuts

For the Peanut Butter Mousse:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup power sugar
• Salt
• 1 1/4 cups smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy cream

For the Chocolate Ganache:

• 7 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the chocolate crust: Combine cookie crumbs, granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Stir in butter. Press mixture into bottom and 2 1/2 inches up sides of 9-inch springform pan. Bake until dry and firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.
2. Make the caramel sauce: Heat brown sugar, butter and heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, and add vanilla. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in creme fraiche. Refrigerate until cool but still pourable, about 45 minutes. Fold in peanuts.
3. Meanwhile, make the peanut butter mousse: Beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add peanut butter and vanilla, and beat until combined. Whisk heavy cream in a separate bowl until medium-stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into peanut butter mixture. Fold in remaining whipped cream in 2 additions.
4. Assemble the tart: Pour caramel sauce into cooled chocolate crust. Gently spread peanut butter mousse over caramel in an even layer, making sure they don't blend together. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Make the chocolate ganache: Place chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour cream over chocolate, and let stand for 1 minute. Whisk to combine. (Use immediately.)
6. Remove tart from refrigerator, and pour in ganache to cover surface. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.