She requested a chocolate rainbow cake with extra chocolate and rainbows… here’s what we came up with.

The inside frosting layer was also a rainbow! Now you can just imagine what I could do if I actually had a piping bag and tips. This is all ziplock back piping action!

Etta is quite the kitchen helper, particularly good at cleaning… here’s a little clip of her enjoying the “spoon”.

We raced the birds to the tree this weekend then set up our ladder and picked, washed then ate and pitted a big bowl full of cherries.

Our seeds have sprouted,  the morels are out for the picking, I seem to spend every weekend mowing our little yard, we are diligently planning our summer fun, and after the first round of exams I am squeaking by with A’s in both Microbiology & AP3.

Now back to work I go! :)

I highly recommend.

I ate all my brownies… and didn’t photograph, I guess I’ll have to make more!

We celebrated in style with two parties, a little family dinner with cake and a toddler fun-a-thon double birthday party with Etta’s little (now 1 year old) friend who shares her birthday. Both events were very special, each in their own way!

The cake(s) were divine!

I spent a lot of time in the kitchen and am happy to say everyone enjoyed them thoroughly!

Etta requested a Lemon Cake for her Birthday Dinner…. so this is what I made….

For the toddler party, I made cupcakes… lots and lots of cupcakes!

Butterfly Lemon Poppy-seed Cupcakes!

Chocolate butterfinger cupcakes, chocolate buttercream frosted cupcakes,  crumb on the top & bottom cupcakes, and baby cupcakes!  Besides what is pictured, there were several plates of “backup” cupcakes in the fridge!

Speaking of food.

Etta and I made this Apple Pie this weekend (while taking a break from studying for my first exam)!

It’s a little hard to see, but yes those vent holes are stars!

It was YUM YUM YUM!

Many thanks to my sister’s-in-law who crafted these up, in secrecy and presented them to me on my birthday a few weeks ago! What a fabulous gift, placements (reversible) and matching napkins! I think the pattern came from I love patchwork.

They are AWESOME!

We had a nice little party with cake! And some impromptu ninja action!

No ninja is complete without a matching sidekick!

A weekly post capturing a single moment from our wild life, to savor.

I love my lentils and this is by far my most favorite recipe. They can be slopped on bread for a sandwich, or served in a bowl with some cheese as a chili like soup!

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 red or white onion (small dice)

1 bell pepper (small dice, any color sweet pepper works)

1 anaheim pepper or jalapeno (small dice)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 & ½ cups dried french green lentils (brown lentils work too) rinsed

One 28 oz can crushed or diced tomatoes

3 cups water

2 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

fresh ground black pepper

6 buns (we used New Sammy’s Cowboy Bistro buns)

1 tablespoon butter (for toasting buns, optional, and if your feeling wild, grate some aged white cheddar on top too!)

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan on a stove top over medium heat, then add the onion and peppers, cook until softened or until onions turn transparent (about 5-10 minutes), add the chili powder, stir then turn off the heat.

Get out your crock pot!  Add the warm onion mix to the crock pot/slow cooker.  Then add your lentils, tomato’s, water, soy sauce, mustard, brown sugar, salt and grind in some pepper (basically everything else), stir all ingredients till well mixed then cover with lid and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours(french green lentils take longer then brown ones). Remember NEVER TAKE THE SLOW COOKER LID OFF!

If you want to make this recipe without the crock pot/slow cooker, just combine ingredients in a large pot on low, stirring every now and then till lentils are cooked through (about an hour or so).

Once  the lentils are done, or you are ready to eat, slice the buns, butter and then toast them under your broiler!

Recipe Adapted from Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker