trailer park donuts

Wow! Has it really been since June 8th that we last posted?? Sheesh!

Well, I've been at the beach all week long and before that have been doing lots of loan signings. Every where I go there is a bakery. Tracy wants to open a bakery one of these days so I tend to notice them more. I thought this cupcake shop in Mill Valley was really cute. I love the way she displayed her cupcakes. I did not try one though. I'm more of a pizza gal. If I could buy pizza every where I went I would. That should be my mission - to find the best pizza place in the Bay Area.

Anyway... my husband made these donuts the other day. I've named them "Trailer Park" donuts - not to say that if YOU live in a trailer you couldn't make the fancy kind of donuts. They are fast, easy, and cheap. And surprisingly delish!

Ingredients:

*Those biscuits that you buy in a tube

*Vegetable Oil

*toppings:
cinnamon/sugar mixture
powdered sugar
glaze or chocolate frosting



Smoosh the individual biscuit a little and tear a little hole in the center. This is usually my 5 year old's job. Then fry in oil until golden brown on each side. Transfer to a plate. If you use the cinnamon/sugar or the powdered sugar just put it in a gallon zip lock bag then it's easy to put one doughnut in and shake it up. The glaze is really yummy too. I must admit... we've had these more often than we probably should, but really - the biscuits are only $.59 a tube - maybe I should call them Recession Doughnuts. (that might be more P.C.)

Are you my mother?

      Last year, two days before mothers day I was leaving a yoga class to find a beautiful potted plant on my car with a note from a friend who was also in the class. At first I was a little shocked, I wasn't her mother.  Then I read the note and it said something to the extent that she thought I was a great mother and how lucky my family was to have me. Even thinking about this simple event in my life I get a bit emotional. She truly changed the way I look at mothers day.  It is a day for mothers and to honor women.  So I have been thinking about how I can give back this mothers day and I think my form of appreciation is going to come in the form of a cupcake. 

  

  I found some boxes just the size for one cupcake and some beautiful ribbon. I am planning on taking two dozen to the salon so Shep and the other stylist can pass them out to there clients.  There is nothing that makes you feel special like getting your hair done and having a cupcake, right ; ) I think I will make one more dozen to pass out to friends. I will keep you posted on how it goes and my final decision of flavor.  Right now I am thinking of chocolate with a fresh strawberry buttercream, but I might change my mind......    

Tiny Cakes

When I went to visit Liz we met up with my sister-in-law and her family in Los Gatos and went to the best bakery ever. Liz mentioned it right here. Ever since then I have been craving bake goods like no other. When my sister in law came out to visit me the following week we even went on a bakery tour of Salt lake.  Nothing we found has even begun to satisfy the craving I have for Icing on The Cake. So I have taken it upon myself  and against my better judgment I have been baking  all most every other day. Today I tried these beauties and they where wonderful just light and delicate and just what I needed. Thank you little Madeleines you made this dreary rainy day a bit more bearable!    

Monkey Bread

My oldest daughter adores cinnamon rolls and like the rest of us her favorite part is the center. A couple of days ago I came along a recipe for monkey bread and thought how perfect this would be for my little Grace because she love monkeys as well. I just used the Challah recipe from the “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day”. I rolled the dough into balls Grace dipped them in butter and Ava sprinkled on the cinnamon and brown sugar.  We left the dough to rise for an hour then put it in the oven. Soon enough our house was filled with the amazing sent of cinnamon and freshly baked bread. After it had cooled we glazed the top with an orange powered sugar glaze. I have to say this was so easy and so perfectly yum. I really enjoyed watching the girls giggle as they sticky fingered pulled the bread apart, and devoured it. I can’t say enough about this book I have used it so much. There most defiantly is a part of me that feels like I am being a good homemaker if I can supply my family with fresh baked things. Maybe thats a little “Leave it to Beaver” But I guess I am a little old fashioned.