Roasted Pork Shoulder with Fennel and Oranges

A perfect day according to Emma would be filled with two activities: taking baths and eating. When Emma wakes up in the morning, the first thing she asks for is a bowl of cereal. After she has sufficiently stuffed herself (she normally has a couple bowlfuls and a banana), she then declares her desire to bathe. However, I know better than to stick Miss Bubbles into the tub before 6pm when my husband is not around to reinforce me when it comes time to remove her from the bath water. Emma would stay in the bath all day if I let her. When I have finally had enough of watching her splash, play, drink bathwater, and practice her "swimming", I have to brace myself for the fight that normally ensues when I try to get her out. She screams, she kicks, she wails bloody murder, and her newly cleaned, naked, wet, chunky body is so slippery and difficult to hold onto that I fear dropping her onto the bathroom tile. Not only that, when I do finally wrestle her into the room to dress her, she continues her fight and I practically have to sit on her arms and legs to pin them down so I can put her diaper and clothes back on. It's a nightmare. This is why Emma only bathes when Paul is home. Then, there are two of us to wrestle with her afterwards.

Matthew, on the other hand, normally protests the bath. We practically have to threaten him with promises of "no bedtime story" or "no art supplies for a week" before he finally (and sulkily) will bathe. Once he's in, however, we have a hard time kicking him out too. He's normally easier to evict than Emma - we just drain the bathwater after Emma has been taken out and before long he gets too cold to stay put. The same trick does not work on Emma because, unlike Matthew, she has figured out how to stop the water from draining.

As mentioned above, in addition to her fastidious bathing habits, Emma would also prefer to spend the majority of her waking hours eating. She eats large, prolonged meals where she remains happily in her high chair chewing away on whatever I have placed in front of her. However, it just seems like she never actually gets full! I much prefer her eating habits to Matthew who barely eats enough to sustain a sparrow some days. Lately, he has been refusing breakfast in the mornings. What is wrong with this child?

 

However, one meal that both the children and the husband will happily eat is roast pork. Pork shoulder is one of the cheapest cuts of meat you can buy nowadays. Normally to get such an awesome deal on it, you have to buy a large amount. I can get pork shoulder for around 1.29/pound if I buy at least 10 pounds of it. I don't mind buying such a large quantity. I normally have the butcher divide it into 3-4 equal portions for me and then I freeze whatever I am not planning on using immediately. It's a great cut to have on hand because it is so darn tasty!

Earlier in the year, we tried a sample of this Roasted Pork Shoulder with Fennel and Oranges at Wegmans. The chefs at Wegmans are fantastic with trying to teach their clientele how to cook in new, exciting ways and experiment with different flavor combinations they might not yet have had the opportunity to experience! On this particular day, they were doing a cooking demo on pork shoulder and trying to showcase various ways it could be prepared other than your typical BBQ pulled pork. We sampled this recipe and LOVED it. So savory from garlic and pork with a mild sweetness from the oranges and fennel. Paul was especially enamored with it! We got the recipe from the chef and have had the pleasure of enjoying it at home for dinner!

This is what the roast typically looks like after coming out of the oven.

When we make it at home, the only thing we do differently is make a gravy out of the drippings. I like my sauces thick, so serving just the "jus" didn't cut it for me. To make the gravy, we defatted the drippings and then made a simple roux using equal parts butter and flour. Once golden and bubbly, we whisk in the defatted pan juices along with a touch of chicken broth and let the gravy bubble for a bit until it is thickened. Off heat, season to taste with salt and pepper. Fabulous.

This is great served with roasted root vegetables (think carrots, sweet potatoes, and parsnips) or a comforting bowls of mashed potatoes with peas! Emma definitely approves of this meal as the perfect ending to a perfect food-filled, bath-laced day!

Then again, watching Curious George is pretty high up there too!

Roasted Pork Shoulder with Fennel and Oranges
from Wegmans Menu Magazine, Winter 2011

3 Yellow Onions, halved, peeled and sliced thinly
2 Naval Oranges, with the peel on, sliced thinly
1 (7-10 pound) Pork Shoulder (mine are always a bit smaller)
1 Tablespoon Fennel Seed
6 large cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper

The day before you want to serve, combine the onion and orange slices in the bottom of a roasting pan. Score the marbled side of the pork shoulder by cutting 3/4 inch deep marks with a very sharp knife. You should make a "diamond pattern." Do the best you can. The point is to pierce the fat layer so that the rub will penetrate the deeper into the pork.

Season the pork on both sides generously with salt and pepper. Then, rub the fennel seeds and garlic all over the surface of the pork. Place the pork, fat side up, on top of the oranges and onions in the roasting pan. Cover the entire pan tightly with plastic wrap and let it rest overnight in the refrigerator.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap from the roast. Cover the roasting pan tightly with a layer of foil and place in the oven. Roast for 7-8 hours or until very tender.

Remove the roast from the oven, transfer the meat to a cutting board, and cover with foil. Let the meat rest for at least 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, ladle the hot juices that have collected at the bottom of the roasting pan into a fat separator. Reserve the defatted juices (the au jus!) to serve with the pork. You may also reserve the onions for serving alongside the pork. Alternatively, you can make a gravy out of the pan drippings if desired.

Serve pieces of the pork alongside some mashed potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, or turnips with a generous splash of the au jus (or gravy) over the top!

How We Began: Our Love Story

Valentine's Day has always been a special celebration for Paul and I. This is because we officially became a couple on Valentine's Day evening in 2005 during our Freshman year at Notre Dame. We had established a friendship a few months prior, but Valentine's Day 2005 will forever mark the beginning of a courtship that evolved into a marriage and a family! In honor of our upcoming 10-year anniversary (and inspired by Jessica's love story), I am going to write a short history about how Paul and I became "Us".

We first met when we were about 8-years-old while both living in Montana. Nothing monumental happened there. I always thought he and his identical twin brother were absolutely adorable despite the fact that they loved to tease and mock pretty much everyone. Then, my family moved halfway across the country and I never saw them again.

That is, until I began my Freshman year of college. Turns out, those cute little twin boys grew up and decided to apply to Notre Dame as well. I had heard that they would be on campus and looked forward to reconnecting with someone from my childhood past! I was eager to reminisce about Montana and perhaps rekindle a friendship with those two boys. Well, the opportunity presented itself when one of my high school buddies happened to be assigned to the dorm room right next to Peter's (Peter is Paul's twin). So, my friend had met the twins and decided to organize a lunch to have his high school friends meet some of his new college friends. This was before classes had even begun for the year! We all met outside of South Dining Hall and I immediately had a nice, friendly chat with Peter who claimed he remembered me and was eager to talk about Montana and mutual friends back there. Paul was a bit late, but he soon approached and I turned to him and said: "Hi Paul! I'm Monica. We were kids together in Montana! Do you remember me?"

His reply, unemotional, monotone, and completely disinterested, was: "No. I do not remember who you are."

And that was that. He never really made an effort to talk to me or continue a conversation. Peter, on the other hand, was extremely chatty and fun and we soon established a good friendship. Paul remained a bit more aloof and just plain moody, so I concluded that he was kind of a jerk. However, I was still attracted to him and I could not explain why! It bothered me that I wanted him to show me a little attention even though I had no idea why!

Fast forward a couple months to the end of October. Paul got stuck with the task of walking me back to my dorm. My friend Pat had basically ordered him to do so since it was very dark out and it was only gentlemanly for the women to be escorted back. We spoke very little until we got to the Notre Dame grotto. I showed Paul the statue of Thomas Dooley and began to talk to him about who Dr. Dooley was and why his likeness occupied such a prominent spot on campus. In the flickering candlelight, as we began to finally talk and connect a bit, the words "I'm going to marry this guy" floated into my mind and heart. They took me aback but I recorded the date to be remembered just in case my odd little premonition came to fruition. Later on, after we had started dating, I learned that Paul had also gone back to his dorm and committed that moment to memory. He claims that it was the moment he fell in love with me.

After that, we began making plans to hang out more often. Paul would often call or message me about where he was going to be during the weekends and we became pretty inseparable. Most of our activities were done in a group with about six to eight other people, but we always tried to sit together. It was so much fun! We had a great friendship going. One time, Paul invited me over to his dorm for Sunday Mass and one of the guys who lived on his floor referred to us as "Mr. and Mrs. Nistler". I thought it was funny, but it really, really angered Paul. That made me think that maybe he did not have feelings for me and perhaps our relationship would never grow to be more than just a friendship.

Then, Valentine's Day rolled around. A guy that I worked with during the Summer had asked me out on a date over Thanksgiving. I went - and it was the most awkward, uncomfortable experience of my life. He tried to kiss me at the end and I quickly avoided that. Of course, that didn't stop him from continuing to send me notes and other signs of affection. In honor of Valentine's Day, he sent me a card asking me to be "Be His." I threw up a little bit in my mouth and then tossed the card into the trash. However, being the manipulative young woman that I was, I decided to use the love letter to my advantage with Paul. I told him about it and how the guy had asked me out and that I was "debating" what I should answer. As if I would ever have gone steady with him.

Well wouldn't you know, that very evening Paul showed up at my dorm with a bouquet of roses and a hand-written poem. He was also wearing a festively red polo shirt. Perfect for the occasion. I accepted the flowers, read the poem, and told him how much I loved it. He was making me nervous because he wasn't saying much. In fact, he was obviously trying to keep his mouth as shut tight as possible. The reason became obvious a few minutes later: he was wearing his retainer. I didn't even know he had a retainer. Apparently, when he had brushed his teeth before heading over, he had accidentally put his retainer in (ala his normal bedtime routine) and realized it too late. So cute.

Anyway, we talked for a little while longer and then he headed back to his dorm. I received a quick call from him soon after asking: "Ummm...soo....are we going out now?"
I said: "Are you asking me out?"
He said: "Yes."
I said: "Then yes."
He said "Good. Goodnight."

And so we began ten years ago this coming Saturday. In the 10 years since that time, we graduated, began new jobs, got married, had two kids, lost two babies, bought a house, started a business, and currently have a third baby on the way. That's a lot of life we have lived together so far and I have loved (almost) every minute of it!

I love you, Paul. Happy Anniversary and Valentine's Day!

This post is being linked up for #TuesdayTalk! Look at the other great posts here.

Buffalo Chicken Chili

Alright, I know what you all are thinking. You JUST posted a chili recipe and now you're back with another one?!?

Well...it's COLD outside, people! The snow has been attacking us over and over again throughout the past few weeks and the plows have collected a mountain of that white, icy, horribleness right next to the mailbox that is about 12 feet tall. I wish I were joking. I've backed my Tahoe into it about four or five times this week, so I can attest to its vast height. My backing up skills really aren't that bad... it's more because Paul only carved out a narrow "hallway" in our driveway instead of shoveling the entire piece of concrete - and just to make things more fun, he forged a curvy passageway! Hence the reason, backing out normally takes me a couple tries. I really dislike winter, snow, and ice.

Bottom line...it's cold. So cold that all I want to eat is soup. And oatmeal. So that's pretty much what we've been eating around here - oatmeal in the mornings and soup in the evenings! It's the perfect winter food. I've also been craving meals with a little extra spice, heat, or some kind of kick to it. We made this Buffalo Chicken Chili for the Super Bowl last Sunday and it made enough to last us a couple meals. It does a great job of capturing the traditional chicken wing flavor without completely singeing your nose hairs. If we added a swirl of sour cream to a bowl full, the kids could definitely eat it.

Paul was obsessed with this chili. He never got sick of the leftovers and looked forward to coming home more for a piping hot bowl of chili than he did to spend time with his loving wife and children. That's probably not true, but the point is that he really, really liked this meal! I'll definitely be making it again. Additional bonus is that it is another super-duper easy slow-cooker recipe. Saute a couple vegetables and then dump everything into the slow-cooker and let it do the rest of the cooking. It's almost like having a personal chef.

As I was sitting here typing out this whiny post about how much I hate the cold, my doorbell rang. I went to answer it and the mailman handed me huge package. I wasn't expecting anything, so I took it inside and immediately opened it to find the vibrant colors of orange and yellow and the sweet smell of citrus jumping out at me. It was a box full of tangelos, oranges, clementines, and lemons - with a note attached written in the familiar handwriting belonging to my Grandmother that read: "Sunshine from California!" These fruits were hand-picked from her orchard in Southern California. I had been feeling so blue about the cold winter weather that this was certainly a sweet little miracle that brightened up my day! As I finish up this post, I am happily snacking on a perfectly sweet, ripe tangelo while dreaming of warmer weather. Thank you, Grandma!

So, make this chili but then follow it up with a piece of citrus for dessert. It'll be a winter meal with a little bit of summer thrown in!

Buffalo Chicken Chili
adapted from Closet Cooking

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 onions, diced

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced carrots

4 large cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 cups chicken broth

2 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes

2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 cup Frank's Buffalo Wing Sauce (or more to taste)

 

Trim the chicken thighs of any excess skin and place in the bottom of the slow cooker.

 

In a skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the celery and carrrots and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and cook for and additional 30-45 seconds, or until fragrant.

 

Add 1 cup of the chicken broth and deglaze the pan. Pour the vegetable mixture over the chicken in the bowl of the slow cooker. Add the rest of the chicken broth, the tomatoes, the beans, the paprika, oregano, cayenne, and wing sauce. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours or until the chicken is cooked through and falling apart.

Let's Snack: Crispy, Chewy, No-Bake Peanut Butter Granola Bars

We've been doing a lot of snacking lately.

We've been eating a little later in the day because Paul has been working late. However, the kids (and this pregnant gal!) are usually starving by 5:30pm and when dinner is not until 7:00, we better have something to chow down on in the meantime. It's a family trait to turn into monsters when hungry. (Paul is the WORST).

Enter these granola bars. The kids love them, they are not the worst things for you - and you can definitely cut down on the sugar in the recipe and I doubt they would notice. You can throw in a variety of "add-ins" like chocolate chips. white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips (hold on - the healthier stuff is coming), sunflower seeds, chopped nuts, and any combination of dried fruit. You can even switch the cereal out if you do not have crispy rice cereal (aka Rice Krispies) on hand - this time, I actually used a knock-off brand of Cinnamon Toast Crunch that I lightly crushed before mixing with the oats. Worked great.

These bars have been a sanity-saver during this crazy week. The kids and I have actually been in a little routine of snacking on these at 5:30 while watching an episode of Home Improvement and cuddling on the couch.

This recipe has been in my files for quite some time, but I haven't broken it out in a while. Now, I'll probably make it the next time I need to bring treats for Matthew's preschool or when I need something on hand for a play-date. I love how portable and relatively non-messy they are. These yummy bars would also be great to bring on a road trip if you have to leave early in the morning and plan on literally transferring the sleeping children from their beds to their car seats (we almost always do this!). You can fight the grumpy protests and sleepy convulsions by offering them one of these to munch on!

Crispy, Chewy No-Bake Peanut Butter Granola Bars
adapted from Cooking Classy who adapted it from Kraft

2 cups quick-cooking oats (NOT instant)

1 1/2 - 2 cups Rice Krispies cereal (or other rice-based cereal of choice that works)

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (or 1 cup chunky)

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 - 1 cup add-ins of choice (I used 1/2 cup dried cranberries this time)

 

Line a 8x8 baking pan with aluminum foil, being sure to leave a 2-inch overhang so you can easily remove the bars from the pan.

 

In a large bowl, toss together the oats and cereal.

 

In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, combine the peanut butter, honey, sugar, and salt. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Take the bowl out of the microwave, give it a good stir, and then microwave for another minute on HIGH. Remove from the microwave, whisk in the vanilla and make sure that everything is smooth and combined.

 

Pour the warm peanut butter mixture over the oat mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.  You might have to get your hands in there to ensure that everything is properly coated. Scrape into the prepared pan and press it down as evenly as you can.

 

Chill the pan in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or until firm. Lift the bars out of the pan using the foil overhang and cut with a knife or a bench scraper into the desired shapes. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Creamy, Smooth, Delicious Hummus

 

Hummus is one of our favorite condiments. I feel funny even referring to it as a condiment because the kids and I will oftentimes make a meal out of a big bowl of hummus and some cut-up vegetables and pita bread! I certainly would not be doing that with ketchup or mustard. Well, except when I am in the midst of a mad pregnancy craving for mustard - then, I just might be seen eating it by the spoonful along with a fistful of dill pickles. This has been my predominant craving every single pregnancy.Why don't I crave non-gross things like ice cream?

My biggest pet peeve with most store-bought hummus packs is that they are not completely smooth in texture. Some brands have a gritty texture from the chickpeas not being blended entirely or because a lesser amount of tahini/oil was used when processing the hummus. In college, I hated the hummus served in the cafeteria (sorry Notre Dame Food Service!) because it was so salty, chunky, and blech! I never understood why people loved the stuff so much and just assumed it was one of those "health food trends" that people ate because it was good for them and not necessarily because they liked the flavor - like egg white omelets or brown rice. Then, I went to a Middle Eastern restaurant where they served hummus as an appetizer along with warm pita bread and it was so silky, so smooth, so beautifully seasoned, that I fell in love. I have since found that Sabra, a brand of hummus easily found in stores, is acceptably smooth and creamy. The brand produces an entire line of flavored hummus that I love but unfortunately the high price tag is often hard to stomach when it come to our family food budget.



Hummus was part of our Super Bowl appetizers this year.

I told him to "give me a REAL smile". This is definitely NOT it.



Too busy eating to smile.

A couple years ago, after I opened my beautiful food processor for Christmas, I began resorting to making my hummus at home and found a recipe that produces the perfectly smooth, creamy taste that made me fall in love with it in the first place. It is super easy to make - requiring maybe a total of 10 minutes - and is way more delicious than anything you can buy! There is a little bit of upfront cost involved because you do have to buy a jar of Tahini (I can find a 16 ounce jar for around seven dollars), but after that initial purchase you can make about 6 large batches of hummus from a single jar of Tahini. It's much easier on the wallet!



Engrossed with the game. We didn't care who won - and it was a good game to watch!

Fresh, homemade hummus tastes a lot "brighter" than the grocery store varieties. It's great plain, or you can add in a variety of mix-ins to give your hummus a unique flavor. We like chopped fresh cilantro and jalapeno, smoky chipotle, fresh lemon zest and dill, roasted garlic and rosemary, or whatever sounds good to you!

For the batch of hummus I photographed for this post, I kept things simple and just drizzled some chipotle-infused olive oil that I have over the top. It adds a great amount of extra flavor without too much heat, so the kids can still enjoy it right along with us!

Even though I technically published this on a Monday, I'm linking it up with Jessica and Katie and all the rest for #TuesdayTalk.

Creamy, Delicious Hummus
from Cook's Illustrated

3 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh is best, but bottle lemon juice works great!)
1/4 cup water
6 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
14 ounces chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Combine lemon juice and water in a small bowl or measuring cup. In another small bowl, whisk together tahini and 2 tablespoons oil.

Process the chickpeas, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne in food processor until almost fully ground, about 15 seconds. With machine running, add lemon juice-water mixture in steady stream through feed tube. Scrape down bowl and continue to process for 1 minute.

With machine running, add oil-tahini mixture in steady stream through feed tube and continue to process until hummus is smooth and creamy (about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed).
Transfer hummus to serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let stand until the flavors meld, at least 30 minutes. Drizzle with additional olive oil, if desired, and serve with cut-up vegetables, pita bread, or tortilla chips.

This can also be done in a blender, but it takes a lot more scraping and patience. If you have a choice, go with the food processor.

Our Favorite Chili

With the Super Bowl coming up on Sunday, I thought this was an appropriate time to share our favorite chili recipe. Paul and I used to host many game watches and Super Bowl parties before we had kids. At each one, we would try out a different chili recipe - we tried steak chili, vegetarian chili, beef and bacon chili, and used all different combinations of beans, spices, beers, and condiments. In the end, our favorite chili recipe is this chipotle-spiced recipe. Every time I make chili, this is probably the version we will have. It is probably Paul's favorite meal.

I originally found this recipe on the blog My Fare Foodie and loved the almost mole-inspired combination of chipotle peppers, ground espresso (or coffee), and chocolate. It makes a yummy, smoky, spicy chili that the whole family loves. I have tried making it with beef, ground turkey, ground pork, and with extra beans for a vegetarian-friendly version and they all are fantastic. Paul of course favors the all-beef version. The kids will even eat it - especially if we serve it with lots of delicious toppings. Our favorites are shredded cheese, sour cream, frito chips, diced avacado, and diced green onions. Or just plain. It's fantastic as is!

Feel free to adjust the seasoning to your preference - taste as you go along. If your family is a little hesitant around spicier food, reduce the canned chipotle peppers and ground cayenne. You can always add more later!

Oh, and serve this with a big batch of cornbread. The sweet kind. Like this. It's a beautiful pairing!

The Best Chili Ever
adapted from My Fare Foodie

Note: This makes a lot of chili. My slow-cooker is on the smaller size, so I normally halve this recipe. However, if you have a really big slow-cooker and like cooking for a small army, go with the full recipe!

2 pounds ground beef (or turkey, pork, or sausage)
2 cups diced onions
2 cups diced bell peppers (I use red and yellow)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons diced canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (scrape the seeds out if you want less heat)
2 teaspoons adobo sauce (from the chipotle peppers above)
2 29-ounce cans tomato sauce
2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 15 ounce can dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 ounce can chili beans with the sauce
1 15 ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
11-12 ounces beef broth
3 dried bay leaves
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cayenne red pepper
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped dark or unsweetened chocolate (I actually use Baker's)
2 tablespoons espresso powder or ground coffee

In a skillet set over medium heat, cook the beef until brown. Drain the meat and dump it into the slow-cooker.

Return the skillet to the oven and let it rewarm a bit. Cook the diced oinons and peppers until softened. Add the garlic and diced chipotle peppers, and adobo sauce and let cook until very frangrant, about 1 minute longer. With a spatula, scrape the vegetable mixture into the bowl of the slow-cooker. Top with the canned tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beans, broth, seasonings, chocolate, and coffee (aka everything else). Stir well, then cover and cook on LOW for about 6 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours. Your house will smell amazing. (You're welcome)

Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, diced green onions, diced avocado, Frito chips, etc.

Vanilla Cupcakes with the Best Vanilla Buttercream

Even though Matthew's birthday was the day after Paul's, this post has been long delayed because we traveled to Ohio for my sister's wedding. After a full three days of family gatherings, celebrations, and fun, we are finally home but very, very exhausted. Paul is back to work like normal (he's a trooper) but the rest of us are just lying about reading books and working our way through several art projects in an attempt to rest up after such a full past couple of days. So, that's my excuse for just now getting down to writing about Matthew's birthday celebration.

We kept it super simple this year. This was the first year Matthew did not have a party of some sort at our place. I don't think he minded and Paul and I certainly liked how low-key we kept everything this year. Matthew's birthday fell on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, so he did not have preschool and Paul did not have work! We had the whole day dedicated to our little man.

We began the day by fooling Matthew into thinking Paul was going to work. He dressed in his work clothes, grabbed his work bag, and told Matthew "Bye, Fluffy!" as he walked out the door. In reality, he went down to the donut shop to pick up a half dozen sweet treats for a special birthday breakfast for the birthday boy. I distracted both Matthew and Emma from eating oatmeal before he could come back. When Paul walked back in the door with the donuts, Matthew was so darn happy! It was the sweetest moment. He was thrilled to spend the whole day with his Daddy.

We then played a bit around the house because Matthew likes attention more than anything. So, we gave it to him in the form of watching him do a puzzle. That was exciting. Then, we went to look at the puppies at the pet store (a favorite winter pastime for the children) and selected a hyper little dachshund to pet and play with for a good 30 minutes. Matthew tried to talk us into bringing the little dog home "for my birthday present" but we quickly dissuaded him. After all, Riley would really hate that.

Next, we grabbed a quick lunch and announced to Matthew that we had a surprise for him. We told him to close his eyes as we drove over to the local bowling alley. Now, Matthew has been begging us to take him bowling and so we thought his birthday would be the perfect opportunity to take him! He was so excited! There were very few people at the bowling alley that day, so we practically had the place to ourselves. This was a very good thing because we are all abysmal bowlers. Matthew follows in my footsteps, although I don't think my bowling balls take quite so long to make it down the lane. There were a few occasions where Matthew's bowling ball was moving so slowly towards the pins that when it finally touched the pins, the ball itself bounced backwards from the force while the pin remained upright. But, the important thing was that he had a blast. We can work on our bowling skills later.

After bowling, we came home with two very exhausted children. We talked to both sets of grandparents briefly on the phone and then cuddled up to watch a movie for "quiet time."

After the movie was over, we headed to Matthew's birthday dinner. His request: to eat pizza at "the pizza restaurant" - aka Pizza Hut. A meal the whole family can agree on! Matthew and Emma enjoyed personal pans - Matthew ate half of his while Emma devoured all of hers (typical) - and Paul and I ordered a large, stuffed-crust (of course) Hawaiian. Delish.

After pizza, we headed home for presents and cake. Matthew received a Davy Crockett hat, a kaleidoscope, and some candy from Grandma and Grandpa Nistler, a bunch of art supplies from Grandma and Grandpa Korson, a puzzle set, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle watch, and a remote control car. He loved each and every gift he received.

This is what Emma was up to while Matthew opened his gifts.

For cake, he requested chocolate with sprinkles - and that's what he got: a chocolate fudge cake, with hot fudge filling, and vanilla buttercream. I covered it with sprinkles and he was thrilled. Both kids were falling asleep at the table as they struggled to finish their slices of cake. It was such a full day for them! But, they went to bed happy and full.

Matthew's birthday celebrations did not end there. For his next preschool class, they had a little celebration for him and, as his parent, I was required to bring in 60 mini cupcakes for the enjoyment of the class. Matthew requested vanilla cupcakes with white frosting and sprinkles (of course).

The recipe I used is one of my favorites. Now, it does produce a richer, denser cake so if you are seeking a recipe that is similar to box cake, this is not it. However, the flavor is fantastic - not to sweet but perfectly moist. It is my favorite cupcake recipe and the kids love it as well. I paired it with the easiest, most delicious vanilla buttercream. Out of the 60 cupcakes we sent to school, only five came back and Matthew's teacher asked me for the recipe. Matthew and Emma ate the remaining five cupcakes as soon as we came home "for a snack." I think they liked them.

Vanilla Cupcakes with the Best Vanilla Buttercream
cake recipe from Cook's Illustrated, the buttercream recipe is my own

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon table salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature

½ cup sour cream

1 large egg, room temperature

2 large egg yolks, room temperature

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a regular or mini muffin tin with liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sour cream until smooth. Add the egg and egg yolks and beat until smooth. Then, add the vanilla and beat for about 30 seconds more. Add the dry ingredients and beat on medium for 1 minutes. Scrape the sides down and beat again.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The mini-muffins will bake for 8-11 minutes (keep an eye on them!!). Remove the tin from the oven and let cool for about a minutes before transferring the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

The Best Vanilla Buttercream

Note: This recipe makes enough to frost a layer cake. I would make about 1/2 a recipe for cupcakes and you will have more than enough!

1 1/2 cups butter (softened)

4 - 4 1/2cups powdered sugar

3-4 tablespoons heavy cream

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon of salt (start with the smaller amount and then add a bit more)

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and carefully add the 4 cups of powdered sugar and the salt with the mixer beating on low speed. When everything is incorporated, crank the speed up and drizzle in the heavy cream and vanilla. Continue to beat until smooth, fluffy, and creamy, about 6 minutes. Add a bit more powdered sugar as you see fit, but I prefer the lesser amount.

This post is linking up with Jess, Katie, and the others for #TuesdayTalk.