Bean Salad

I love that the Internet makes information so easily accessible. We had the neighbors over for dinner last weekend and I found some amazing new recipes online. Great food and great company- Does life get any better?

Healthy Garden Salad

Ingredients
5tbs red wine vinegar
3tbs grape seed oil- I used olive oil since it was already in my cupboard.
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro- I am not a professional chef so I used some dried cilantro and it tasted fine to me. The grocery store was out of cilantro so unless I wanted to stop at two stores with two children the fresh just wasn't happening!
2 limes juiced- Never go grocery shopping on Saturday! No limes either! I just bought a bottle of juice.
1 tsp white sugar
3/4 tsp salt
2 cloves of garlic minced
4 green onions thinly sliced
1 lb frozen shelled edamame (green soy beans)-My kiddos had fun shelling our soy beans because that was all I could find. It was actually pretty easy once cooked.
3 cups frozen corn kernels
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 pint cherry tomatoes

In a large serving bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, grape seed oil, cilantro, lime juice, sugar, salt and garlic. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the soybeans and boil for 3 minutes. Add corn to the boiling water and continue cooking for 1 more minute. Drain very well, and pour into the bowl with the dressing. Gently mix in the cherry tomatoes, green onions and black beans. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to chill and blend the flavors.

Tres Leche Part 2

This cake recipe is from Alton Brown on Good Eats but because he measures in ounces, I am posting my easier to use version using teaspoons and measuring cups.

Preheat oven to 350 F

Ingredients

Cake:
1 cube butter
1 cup sugar
5 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp powder
1/2 tsp salt

Milks:
12 oz can evaporated milk
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup half and half

Frosting:
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Cream the butter and sugar until thick. Add the eggs one at a time blending well with each egg. Blend in vanilla. Mix dry cake ingredients and add to butter mixture in three slow additions.

Smooth flat in a greased and floured 9 X 13 inch pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cake is lightly golden and is 200F internally. Cool for 30 minutes on cooling rack. Then generously perforate the cake. I like to use my meat thermometer. Stir together milks and pour them over cake. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, blend the frosting ingredients together slowly at first then at a medium-high speed until the mixture comes to stiff peaks. Spread over cake and enjoy!

Custom Quilting

I quilted this quilt for Joyce Carr and I absolutely fell in love with it. She made this special quilt for her husband. After binding and washing her quilt, she brought it back to me so I could take photos and share it. Thanks Joyce!

Tres Leche Part 1

Tonight I am staying up late to make one of my favorite cakes of all time, Tres Leche. This is a cake you have to make in advance because it has to soak up the creamy liquid like a sponge overnight. We are having a big neighborhood celebration for the fourth tomorrow so the cake has to happen tonight. I can't wait to see my kiddos watch the fireworks. Talking to my three year old tonight, he doesn't seem to really remember fireworks from last year so it will be fun watching him discover them all over. I find so much pleasure in watching my kids experience new things. Last week we went to Lake Powell and I loved watching the kids enjoy the lake. My husband always says people find happiness in progression. I have to agree, watching my kids learn and get better at things is one of my favorite parts of life.