Tag: baby

Family

Joy of a New Grandmother!

cathysmaha6 Comments

I’m in love, again, with a beautiful baby boy…Evan Michael.  For years I have heard about the tremendous love a grandparent feels for their grandchildren and now I get to experience that joy!

As our children grow up it is hard to imagine that they, too, will once be parents.  Not only is there joy in meeting your grandbaby but joy in seeing the eternal love that the new Momma and Papa have for their sweet baby boy.

Daughter, Sarah and her husband, Kyle, had their precious baby on April 24. Mother, Father, and baby are doing well.  I am so happy for them and wish them good health, much love, and happiness for their family.

baby evan 1 sarah hands and evan feet

We Love You, Little One

We loved you from the very start,
You stole our breath, embraced our heart.

Our life together has just begun,
You’re part of us our little one.

From the day we first knew,
Our mind was filled with thoughts of you.

We’d daydream of the things we’d share,
Like bedtime stories and teddy bears.

Like first steps and skinned knees,
Like nursery rhymes and ABC’s.

We thought of things you’d want to know,
Like how birds fly and flowers grow.

We thought of lessons we’d need to share,
Like standing tall and playing fair.

Each naptime we lay you down to sleep,
We gently kiss your head and cheek.

We count your little fingers and toes,
We memorize your eyes and nose.

We linger at your nursery door,
Awed each day we love you more.

Through misty eyes, we dim the light,
We whisper “We Love You” every night.

We loved you from the very start,
You stole our breath, embraced our heart.

As grandparents and grandchild our journey’s begun,
Our hearts are yours, forever, little one.

~~ Author Unknown ~~

New Favorite

Mini Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

cathysmaha2 Comments

Our baby shower treats of last Saturday focused on baby-sized treats, including Mini Snickerdoodle Cupcakes.  Who doesn’t love a Snickerdoodle cookie…so why not a cupcake?  They could easily be adapted to a full-size cupcake without a problem.  They are yummy, yummy in the tummy as I will soon say to my first Grandbaby.

IMG_2822

MINI SNICKERDOODLE CUPCAKES

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dusting
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups milk

Cinnamon Frosting

6 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 to 4 tablespoons milk (or more to achieve desired consistency)

Garnish

2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Makes 98+ mini muffins.

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.  Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
  • With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Beat in vanilla.  Reduce speed to low.  Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each.
  • Divide butter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full.
  • Bake rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about (10-15 minutes). (Cathy’s Note: Each oven varies greatly with mini cupcakes, so do a test run.)
  • Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months in airtight containers.
  • Frost mini cupcakes and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
  • Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are frosted.  Keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

Cupcake recipe adapted from:  Martha Stewart
Icing recipe from:  Betty Crocker

New Favorite

Mini Corn Dog Muffins…addictive finger food

cathysmahaLeave a comment

This past weekend my older daughter, Megan, and I hosted a baby shower for younger daughter, Sarah, due April 27.  Megan did all of the planning and the food was to be ‘baby size’.  One of the recipes that we chose was Mini Corn Dog Muffins.   Served with mustard and ketchup they were a big hit for the little ones and grown-ups alike.  Let me warn you…they are addictive!

MINI CORN DOG MUFFINS

1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal (yellow)
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
8-10 all-beef hot dogs, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  
  • Combine butter and sugar in a bowl and whisk to combine.  Add eggs and whisk to incorporate.  Add buttermilk and whisk again.
  • In a separate bowl, combine baking soda, cornmeal, flour and salt.  Stir to combine. Whisk into wet ingredients.
  • Spray mini muffin tins with non-stick spray.  Spoon 1 tablespoon of batter into each mini muffin cup.  Place one hot dog bite into the middle of each cup.
  • Bake for 8-12 minutes (oven temperatures may vary) or until cornbread is golden brown.  Cool in mini muffin tin for 5 minutes before removing and serving. I found using a small bamboo skewer was the perfect way to loosen the edges of the muffins to remove from the muffin tin.
  • Serve with sides of mustard and ketchup.
  • Store leftovers in the refrigerator and re-heat for 20-30 seconds in the microwave before serving.

Adapted recipe from Iowagirleats.com

For Snickerdoodle mini-cupcakes, see post Friday, March 22.