The last month of summer is ahead of us. I want to cherish every moment by:

• Visiting the beach at dusk to listen to the waves crash and gaze at the twinkling stars
• Have more picnics with really yummy food
• Read a good book under the sun
• Have dinner on the patio of Va Bene Café
• Go to Church at St. Mark’s – expand my horizons
• Have brunch with friends at Pizza Luce
• Buy cheese, fruit and wine at the Co-Op
• Bake banana bars with cream cheese frosting
• Smile often
• Visit the Italian Market in West Duluth
• Make a tomato tart with fruit from my little garden

floaty, breezy dresses

I love all the dresses this summer. They are just so floaty, breezy and comfy. Plus there will always be room for an extra piece of pie when sporting one! This one is from Banana Republic and I am sure I could wear it all day long, no problem.

Anthropologie is also another store that will never let a girl down. This cute pink dress would be perfect for a stroll down an old cobble stone street with an icecream cone.

Many of the shops are already presenting their new fall line and I am not ready to let go of the summer clothes yet! I wish stores would just be in the same season as the rest of us.

sweet party cupcakes

These cupcakes are party perfect. The cupcake recipe is Ina Garten’s and the frosting is the famous frosting used at the Magnolia’s Bakery in New York City. Beware, the icing is sweet...sweet....sweet....


Vanilla Cupcake – makes 30 cupcakes (can easily be halved)

18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature2 2
3 cups sugar
6 extra-large eggs, at room temperature*
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pans with paper liners.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth.

Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Fill the cupcake liners to the 2/3-level with batter. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.

*Put eggs in warm water for 30-45 seconds and they will be then be room temperature.

Magnolia’s Vanilla Buttercream – makes enough for 2 dozen cupcakes

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 cups confectioner’s sugar
½ cup milk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Place the butter, 4 cups sugar, milk and vanilla in a bowl of an electric mixer. On the medium speed beat until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition, about 2 minutes, until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all the sugar.

the whole world

"My favorite thing

is being your lap

while we sit there

together & love

the whole world."

- Story People

long stemmed strawberries

Long stemmed strawberries are the essential summer fruit. Last night Daine and I had a wonderful treat of vanilla icecream with fresh strawberries. Does life get any better?

peanut butter sandwhich cookies

The Nutter Butter is my one weakness when it comes to the cookie aisle. Recently I have purchased Martha Stewarts’s Baking Handbook and to my surprise there was a recipe for peanut butter sandwich cookies! I could not resist...I had to make them. The end result was better than I expected.




Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen cookies

2 cups flour
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ sticks butter, room temperature
¾ cups smooth natural peanut butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup light-brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla
Peanut Butter Filling

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Place butter, peanut butter and both sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer; beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat to combine. With mixer on low, add reserved flour mixture and beat until well incorporated, about 1 minute.

Divide dough in half, and shape into two flattened disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a scant ¼-inch thickness. Cut dough into 2 ½ by 1 inch rectangles. Using the floured tines of a fork, score the top of each cookie. Transfer cookies to baking sheets, and refrigerate for 15 minutes. (I skipped this step)
Bake until light and golden around the edges and firm in the center, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Spread 1 tablespoon (or more!) filling onto the flat sides of half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies. Once filled cookies are best for up to three days.

Side Note: I was so sick of rolling the dough out and cutting them into rectangles by the time I got to the second disc of dough that I just made balls, flattened them and scored them. Just as good, but not as pretty.

Peanut Butter Filling

6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
¾ cup natural smooth peanut butter
3 tablespoon heavy cream

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine all ingredients. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

peonies

This flower makes me scream in delight when it blooms in June. One day I hope to have a pretty little yard outlined with peony bushes, but for now I will dream of them.

My wedding was actually planned around the ‘bloom of peonies.’ The simple, but wondrous flower danced in the colors of dark pinks, light pinks, pure and creamy whites and the faintest of yellow. They were on the tables which were lined with white linins, layered softly on the tall pretty pink ice cream wedding cake and not to mention the bouquets were simply nothing but peony. Peonies simply make me smile.