More Birthday Dreams

This morning as I looked out the window I was thinking (I'm on mat leave now, so I have time to think in the morning). If the baby comes early - oh, I guess I should explain myself, I am 36 weeks, due March 26 (still a month to go) BUT one night this week I did have contractions for a few hours (I am now under strict orders by my mom(s) and everyone else I know to chill out and not do much), so like I said, I was thinking...
If baby comes soon there will most likely be snow on their birthday every year. This will be fun for a bit, go skating, tobogganing, make snowmen, whatever they are into (and fits the theme!).
BUT...a BEACH PARTY would be great!!! The kids could wear fun beach clothes, we could go swimming somewhere, make sand castles (a sand box in the house works, right?)

BUT THE BEST PART???

Coconut Cupcakes of course!!!!

I know I talk about Martha a lot, but shes just so great and these cupcakes are amazing...I even had a dream about them once (not even lying)

Jessica Seinfeld is Amazing...

...for this recipe at least.

I bought a fun white cheddar on the weekend and wanted to put it to good use so I made mac 'n cheese from Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious.

If you have never heard of her, basically she got fed up with fighting with her kids (and husband) to eat their vegetables at every meal so she started pureeing them and sneaking them in all of their meals (GENIUS). In this recipe I used cauliflower (loaded with fiber, vitamin B, & C) since I had white cheddar but the recipe also suggested butternut squash (Vitamin A, B, & C) if you use normal cheddar. Dan LOVED this, even after I told him I hid veggies in it.

Mac 'n Cheese, according to Jessica Seinfeld (P.S. the boys in my house eat a lot, so this is the doubled version)

1 Pkg Macaroni pasta (I use whole wheat by default)

2 Tbs Oil

2 Tbs Flour

1 Cup Skim Milk

1 Pkg Cream Cheese

3 Cups Shredded White Cheddar (Balderson is the best IMO)

1 Cup Pureed Cauliflower

Paprika

Salt & Pepper

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook according to package directions.

Add oil to a large saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring until you get a thick paste, a few minutes.

Add the milk and cook, stirring every so often until mixture gets thick (I was trying to multi-task while making this so I let it go for a 'bit' longer than suggested) about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until sauce is smooth, add the macaroni.

I totally want a bowl of this right now!

Sugar Cookies

I decided to take a brake from all of the crazy weekend cooking I've been doing and so some fun baking isntead. I found a recipe for Sugar Cookies that is SO GOOD. It's not the normal make the dough, chill it and then roll it into shapes. Just make the dough and bake it! The boys LOVED these - I think one of them even used the word phenomenal.
P.S. you can make these GIANT or a normal size. I did normal just to try it out.

(I know what you're thinking, taking a picture with a dirty mixer in the background?? WHO DOES THAT? I had to take a picture quick, before all of the cookies were gone! )

2 Cups of flour
1 Tsp baking powder

1/2 Tsp salt

1/4 Tsp baking soda

1/4 Cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 Cups Sugar plus more for sprinkling

1 egg

1 Tsp vanilla

1/4 Cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Beat butter and sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy (2-4 minutes). Add egg and vanilla and beat to combine.

With mixer on low add half of the flour, then sour cream and finish with the remaining flour.

Drop dough onto ungreased baking sheets, 1 tbsp for normal size and 3-4 tbsp for GIANT and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake until edges are firm and cookie tops are barely beginning to brown, about 15 min (longer for GIANT). Transfer to a rack to cool.

Fight Night

Tonight is fight night and I am so PUMPED!! We are going to a big party and I wanted to make a fun snack that wasn't the normal chicken wings or nachos so I am making Coconut Dream Bars (from Martha of course!). Grocery day is tomorrow and the cupboards are pretty bare so I had to make A LOT of substitutions. TECHNICALLY I don't even know if this still qualifies as a Martha recipe. I think if you stick to the base, you can add or take out whatever you want...the possibilities are ENDLESS!!

GOOEY COCONUT DREAM BARS

(I didn't put any measurements in because you can use as much or as little of everything/anything you want, Martha would NEVER do this)

CRUST

Graham cracker crumbs

Butter, melted

Dash of salt

Mix all ingredients together and press into a 9x13 or 9x9 baking pan depending on how much you want to make. I didn't actually have enough of everything so I made a small batch. I didn't have graham cracker crumbs either so I used oreo cookie crumbs.

TOPPING

Shredded coconut

Chocolate chips

One can of condensed milk (more if you are making a large batch)

Sprinkle coconut over the crust and then sprinkle chocolate chips (I didn't have these so I used peanut butter chips). Pour the condensed milk over everything and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until the edges are golden but the milk does not bubble over. They come out gooey and coconuty and are so good. Next time I might make these a bit healthier...throw some oats in the crust and add some dried fruit and nuts to the topping.

http://www.ufc.com/