Friday, September 12, 2008

Great end of summer cake recipe

My father is Spanish. I am not sure when his people came over from Spain but I do know that I was raised with homemade tortillas and yummy pepper steak. Once in a while we all get together for some loud talking and great food. We are having one of our dinners tonight and I was assigned dessert. I am not a big fan of flan so I choose a margarita cake.

I have made the cake before and its delicious!! Very moist. It does have alcohol in the cake but the alcohol bakes out as the cake bakes. I have also made this with non alcoholic margarita mix and it tastes very similar .... so enjoy ladies!

Margarita Cake

1 18.25 ounce package Orange or lemon cake mix
1 3.4 ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup veggie oil
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tequila
2 Tbs triple sec~~ instead of tequila and triple sec, you can use a premade margarita mix

Glaze

1 cup confectioners sugar
1 Tbs tequila
2 Tbs triple sec
2 Tbs lime juice


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour ( or use a spray like I do :) ) a 10 inch bundt pan.

In a large bowl combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, water, lemon juice, 1/4 cup tequila and 2 Tbs triple sec. Beat for 2 minutes.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven to 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes; remove to rack and pour while still warm.

To make glaze: in small bowl combine confectioners sugar with 1 Tbs tequila, 2 Tbs triple sec and 2 Tbs lime juice. Mix until smooth.

~~~~ Remember the lighter the pan the longer it takes to cook.
~~~~ I squeeze fresh lime and lemon juice and it really makes it extra yummy!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Kiss my face Giveaway!



My friend Marcy over at http://www.stretchingabuckblog.com/ is having an awesome giveaway on her blog. Kiss My Face has sent her all sorts of yummy goodies to give away. They are all natural and makes tons of kids products. ( Mamas can really appreciate that ! ) Just go to her site and leave a comment and you are entered!
To add to her "awesomeness" she also gives you a coupon code to save 30%... WOOHOO!!!

Good luck girls!

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Sometimes all you need is less

I am talking hair here..... I decided to snip my long locks. About 12 inches. It went from below my bra line to just below my ears. I just needed something different and more importantly easier to style and maintain. So I made the jump :)

The hairstylist told me that I was going to have so much more energy with so much less hair and I looked at her like she was crazy !!! It didn't take m long however to realize that she was right. I now have about 30 extra minutes a day without all the straightening and flat ironing. It gives me a jump on my day, lets me get ready and read my daily devotional before my kids get up. In return I don't feel rushed, can spend more time with them at the beginning of the day and overall just feel more organized.

This made me start thinking about how else I can simplify my life! What can I "cut" out of my life so that its a more richer existence? So here is what I came up with.....

Cut out the clutter in my basement. We are talking no small task here ladies..... its a jungle down there. I have thrown everything I don't know what to do with down those stairs. There could be a small colony of trolls living beneath my stairs. And to top it all off its a finished basement. That is so much wasted space! Not to mention it is draining my wallet. I can't find my craft products when I go to make something and so I buy more. Only to find the exact same product a couple weeks later..... That is not even mentioning that we will have more space for a play room, small office and a home theater room. With all that extra room we won't feel the pressure to move soon. ( That is a whole lot of savings there !! )

So wish me luck girls.... I will need it.

yes I know I am a slacker

I have not opened my computer for about a week now..... I feel guilty about it. The truth is that I have been super busy with my family and friends. You know how I love fall so I have been busy baking, decorating and spending time with the kiddos.......
The baby got sick, I have been trying to get her to take naps in her crib and my parents are getting a divorce ( drama, drama, drama).... is that enough with the excuses? I am really really going to try to be better....