Recipe posted

I know I haven’t written in a while, but I’m super busy, so this will be quick.  My mass was benign.  The pulmonologist is just going to re-test me in 6 months.  Everything is going well.  And, I just posted the Neapolitan Cupcake recipe from Valentine’s Day, so please enjoy!

Neapolitan Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 24 ounce strawberries
• 1/4 cup milk
• 6 large egg whites
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 4 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons butter, softened

Directions

This is a great recipe for cupcakes, and everyone loved them!  I top them with a good buttercream frosting, for the white part.

First, make the brownies …

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line your muffin tin with cupcake cups.
2. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder.
3. Spoon batter to half-fill the cupcake cups.

Then, make the strawberry cake …

1. Hull, slice, and toss fresh strawberries with a teaspoon of sugar and let sit for a couple of hours to allow to get juicy. OR Thaw frozen strawberries in whatever form (sliced, whole, etc) and in whatever container/bag you have them in. Pour into a fine strainer placed over a bowl and let sit. Lightly toss the strawberries occasionally to remove any pockets of excess liquid. Reserve the liquid for another use or discard.
2. Place strawberries in a food processor or blender and puree.
3. Reserve 3/4 cup puree for the cake. Use leftover puree to fill the cake or fold into the frosting, if desired. It’s also fabulous spooned over ice cream… and eaten straight with a spoon.
4. In small bowl, combine puree, milk, egg, vanilla and mix with fork until well blended. In bowl of stand mixer, add sifted flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix to combine. Continue beating at slow speed and add butter. Mix until combined and resembling moist crumbs.
5. Add liquids and beat at medium speed for about 1 minute or until full and evenly combined. Stop mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl and hand beat for 30 more seconds.
6. Spoon the batter on top of the brownie batter in the cups.
7. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (time will vary). Let cakes rest in pan for about 10 minutes before removing from pan. Let cakes cool completely (about 2 hours).

More waiting…

I’m at home recovering from surgery today.  My wonderful doctor removed a large mass from my uterus yesterday.  It was attached in two locations, and was not like anything she’s seen before.  So, now I am waiting for 2 more weeks to find out the pathology results. But, luckily, I should be better by the weekend, which is good, because Tuesday is Valentine’s Day and I have lots of cupcakes to make.

I’m making Neapolitan cupcakes, which will be a layer of brownie on the bottom, a layer of strawberry cake in the middle, and vanilla frosting on top. I hope they turn out yummy.  If they do, I will definitely post my recipe here next week.

My husband has been great. He took the day off of work yesterday to take care of me and Jade while I was recovering, and he’s working from home the rest of the week to help me out as I recover. He is such a great husband!

We’re not doing well with potty training.  She went so many days without wetting, but then she’ll have a bad day and not want to go on the potty any more. I’m doing my best to be patient with her on this. I know she’s young, and it takes time.  My hardest part of all this is making my husband understand that she’s young and it takes time.  How do others deal with husbands who want to punish for accidents and messy pants?

Birthday week

My birthday is this Saturday. I’m going to be 18 (x2).  I’m excited to have a fun time with my family, but don’t expect it to be too much different from any other weekend with my family, except for the fun sushi dinner with some of our friends.  I am so happy and excited to have so many good friends in my life and feel so blessed! I can’t wait!!!

There has been progress on my health front.  I’m getting the mass in my uterus removed next week.  I spent the morning at the hospital doing pre-op tests.  So, once that is done, the doctor may have some insight as to whether the mass is from the miscarriages or if it is what caused the miscarriages.  Either way, it’s a step forward and I’m looking forward to that.

Adventures in potty training aren’t going so well.  We tried going to school with underwear today, since she seems to be more likely to tell us when she has to go potty more when she’s wearing them.  She stayed dry in underwear for almost a week now.  I still can’t get her to do her stinkies in the potty, but that will take a while, I’m sure.  But, after just 30 minutes at school, she wet her pants.  Plus, her stinky was due, so I just put the diaper back on her.  She’s not quite ready yet, I guess.

One more thing … everyone in the Orlando area … go out to http://eventsforchangeinc.org/events/orlando-chili-cook-off/ and get your tickets for the Orlando Chili Cookoff.  I will be cooking my Barracho Chili as Beauty and the Beans, and will need all the support (votes) I can get.  Your admission fee goes to charity, so it’s win/win for everyone!