Texas Book Festival 2011

Just got home from the Texas Book Festival in Austin, Texas.  It was awesome! Amazing! Fantastic! I was able to listen to some amazing authors & illustrators speak about their craft.  I saw Skippyjon Jones...I was brave enough to ask a question to Rosemary Wells (Max & Ruby)...I heard about the creative process of Eileen Christelow (5 Little Monkeys) & Paul O Zelinsky (Caldecott Winner)...and I got to sit in a State Senator's chair during a session with Kathy Reichs (who writes the series that the TV show Bones is based on) and her son Brendan who are currently collaborating on The Virals Series.  As I was saying....Awesome!!!! Oh, did I mention that all this awesomeness was free!!! I love Texas....

Shipwrecked....in San Antonio

Went to soccer games in Austin on Saturday (Lexi got MVP and Jaeden outran everyone on the field!).  Lots o fun there.  On Sunday we wandered down to the Witte Museum for the opening weekend of Shipwreck! Pirates & Treasure.  Very interesting exhibit.....the kids liked all the hands on activities.  I learned a ton...my favorite factoid: pirates had different flags to fly to identify which pirate ran the ship. The most familiar pirate flag (shown) is actually associated with "Calico Jack", hmmmm the inspiration for Jack Sparrow maybe?

If you live in the San Antonio area you can visit the Witte for FREE on Tuesdays from 3 to 8pm! (You have to pay to visit the special exhibits). If you have kids this is perfect time to check out the HEB Science Tree House!

(Please note: I was not paid or perked to say nice things about the Witte.  I just love it.)

Ricotta, Risotto and Whoopie Pies...

This week has been filled with good eats! First of all, I made cheese! Ricotta! It was so easy and yummy, so proud of myself! I saw the recipe here a while back and was convinced I should give cheese making a try and I am so happy with the results. Woo-hoo!

After making said ricotta, there is whey (by-product) and it just about killed me to think it would all be wasted.  So I googled it and found a whey bread recipe.  It also turned out delicious! I don't remember where I found the recipe, but it was super easy!
Ingredients: 2cups whey, 1 TBSP honey, 2 TBSP oil, 1 package yeast, and about 3 cups flour
Mix all ingredients, then place in a greased bowl and rise to double.  Punch down and put in a bread pan. Bake @350 for 1 hour. Mmmmm.  The bread did not last long!

I had a cooking lesson this week too! Karen from the Accommodating Cook stopped in and taught April, Mrs. T and me how to make lemon chicken risotto! Fun! and double yum!!!! Seriously awesome...

Also made root beer float whoopie pies (vanilla cakes with root beer creme filling)....life is good.

Fall in a Cupcake

I ran across a recipe for spiced apple cupcakes with salted caramel icing- yum, yum, yum.  I was only able to make 11 and they were delish! Super easy to make and they smelled like fall in a cupcake! Warm, spiced, apple goodness.  And then you take a bite, and *BAM* even though its still 100 degrees outside, you know fall is on its way....so good.