Cupcakes and garden

The first part of the week was dominated by cupcakes.  I had volunteered to bake for Selim's class on Thursday for the going away party for their teacher's assistant.  I knew that one of the kids had an egg allergy, so how hard could that be?  Then the parent coordinator wrote back that there were peanut/tree nut and dairy allergies in the class as well.  OK.  I can still do that.  Except that I skipped over the tree nut part and baked two batches of sour milk cake using coconut.  Good thing I reviewed the email before I put away all the supplies for the night.  I baked another batch using the orange juice version and then called it a night.  I got out of work early on Thursday and baked one more batch of chocolate and frosted them.  I bought store frosting because I I haven't figured out how to make good frosting without butter.  (I've put the recipes for the cupcakes at the end of this blog.)

The party went off well.  It was a surprise and the kids did not give it away.  The teacher asked if we could give a present that had a class room theme.  Selim gave a pencil box filled with paper clips, erasers, pencils, a stapler and stickers.  Other kids gave crayons, glue sticks, note pads, and other stuff.  It was very sweet.

My daffodils have not been spectacular this year.  I'm getting lots of green and only a few flowers.  Only one of my favorite peach color flowered. 

The tulips in front of the house aren't doing much, but two in the rock garden area bloomed yesterday.  I want to turn that area into a patio and put a chair and some big pots of flowers.  I hope that Nedim and I can get to that sooner rather than later.

My mother's day quince bush is flowering.  I love it.  This is its second year and the blossoms are spectacular.

Last night Selim decorated the front step with "nature" to make it pretty and help guide my way. 

Today Selim and I made a trip to Agway to get tomato seeds and a couple bags of garden soil.  We came home and took the flats out of the shed that we bought a few weeks ago but couldn't find the seeds.  Sigh.  Back to Agway to get kale, spinach, parsley, basil, cuke and zukes.  It didn't take long to fill up the two trays with our seeds.  Last year we had success so there is hope for this year.  I turned over the raised beds with the garden soil.  The first two beds are ready and the third one needs a bit more work.  I haven't gotten to the fourth yet.  I still have to weed that one and all compost and soil.

We are supposed to get some rain tonight.  I am keeping my fingers crossed.  It is so dry.  Without snow this winter and no rain this spring -- the earth is in need of moisture.  If we do get the rain, it will be easier to weed the herb garden and clean out the strawberry beds.

This is school vacation week.  I'm ready for a week with out the homework grind.  May be we can get to a couple of karate classes since we skipped today.  Last week I had two great classes.  I did an actual running start front roll on Tuesday and Thursday's class was all about forms.  But today we slept in until 7:30 and Selim seemed to need a lazy morning of cuddle time.  So I didn't push to get up and out for class.  Some days I'm not sure that I am making the right decisions.  Oh well.  I've gotten a lot done today.

Cupcake recipes are adapted from Cooking With Light: Favorite Vegetarian Recipes.

Wacky Cake

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cider vinegar.

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a 12 muffin tin with paper liners.

Mix all the dry ingredients together.  Add the oil, vanilla, and 1 cup warm water (if you aren't making for kids try adding 1 cup warm black coffee instead).  Whisk/stir.  Add the vinegar and mix gently.  Some stripes are OK.  Pour the batter into the muffin tin 3/4 full or so.  There might be a little batter left in the bowl.  Bake for 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Sour Milk Cake

Preheat oven to 375

Sift together:
1 2/3 cups flower
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine and beat in:
1 cup milk (or 1 cup orange juice)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Once that is incorporated, add
1 tablespoon cider vinegar (1 teaspoon if using the orange juice)

Fill the muffin tins 3/4 full or so.  This should use all the batter.  Bake 20-23 minutes, until tester comes out clean.