LAVENDER HONEY CUPCAKES

I made these cupcakes a few weeks ago for a picnic we were going to have, but it got rained out. I had some high expectations for these babies. They....well.... were almost good. It's my own fault. I added the dried lavender AND lavender extract. It tasted like bathwater. Now don't think that this recipe will taste like that. I've tweeked it and made it 100% better. No extract.

Lavender Honey Cupcakes

1/2 cup of butter
1 cup of sugar
2 whole eggs
1-2 tablespoons of honey
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 cups of flour
2 tablespoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1-2 tablespoons of dried vanilla
2/3-1 cup of milk
- Vanilla buttercream
- Honey for garnish
- Dried lavender for garnish

1. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until a light yellow. Then add in the sugar and mix until light yellow.
2. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and honey.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and dried lavender.
4. Add in the flour a little at a time, alternating with the milk. Ending with flour.
5. Bake at 350, until golden on top but not brown. You can also check to see if they are done by slightly touching the surface. If it's spongy like, then it's done. Please don't stick a toothpick in, unless you have to.

6. Make whatever vanilla buttercream icing you like. I like American Buttercream as it's the easiest and I can control the sugar. Cream cheese icing would also be awesome with this.
7. Use a little bit of honey on top and sprinkle a few lavender buds on top to garnish.
8. Enjoy! :]

TEN

Soccer game! We had two this weekend.

Someone used the potty all by himself this weekend!

Bubbles and sandbox = heaven for a 3 1/2 year old.

Candyland for game night!

 Favorite pizza... homemade.

Ice cream sundae!

 Sunday morning donuts courtesy of my sweet husband.

 Trying to get a ladybug friend to crawl on his finger.

My brussels look so good!

Hanging outside always touching mama.



PIZZA

In our house, we have a love of pizza. A deep love. We could possibly eat it every single day and be ok with it. Of course, we don't or we'd be rolling to work in the mornings.

We try all different pizza. Homemade is our favorite. We can customize the toppings and the dough. We usually use Trader Joe's fresh pizza dough because it's the best tasting and most convienent for us. We love the garlic one the best. We get home from work pretty late, so dinner must be fast! We try to keep a few fresh vegetables around and we always have pepperonis or bacon.

This pizza (pictured above) has to be my favorite ever. We had made a whole chicken in the crock-pot the day before, so I used the leftover chicken, Classico pizza sauce (the best), baby bell peppers, parmesan cheese, kale, and a little olive oil on top (so the kale doesn't burn). So GOOD!

TEN FROM EASTER WEEKEND

 Taco Night

 Babysitter night!

 Colorful pancake breakfast for Jack!

Basket goodies. 

 He opened the one's with cars in them and then forgot the rest.

 More eggs.

New sandbox. 

Easter cupcakes. 

 Confetti eggs! 

 New flower garden!

 Dessert!

Best photo of Jackson EVER.