Cooking With Love

I love to cook!  I enjoy baking, cooking, and even meal planning, but it’s more than that.  I express my love through homemade food.  I believe you can change a person’s day with a thoughtful gift, and food so often fits the bill.  Food has the power to nourish, to transport us home, to comfort us, and to make us smile.  I want to teach my daughter to bring joy with simple, homemade, and delicious food.  Sorry twins, but today is a “girls’ day”!

My beautiful niece graduated from high school, so Sissy and I prepared several dishes for her party.   Sissy decided every party needs cupcakes and made Strawberry cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese frosting.  Together we also made Cowboy Caviar and Poolside Dip.

Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Strawberry Cupcake Ingredients

I normally make all of my baked goods from scratch, but since we were short on time and this was Sissy’s first attempt at solo baking, we decided to use a cake mix.  Sissy mixed up the cake according to the package directions, broke the eggs, poured the oil and water, put in the cupcake liners, and filled each one ¾ full.  She even preheated the oven.  While the cupcakes baked, we started on the frosting.

Adding sprinkles

For the frosting, we creamed together one stick of room temperature butter with 8 oz room temperature cream cheese until fluffy.  Sissy then added ½ tsp. of strawberry extract.  Finally, she added 4 cups of powdered sugar in ½ cup increments, beating after each addition.  When the frosting was the perfect creamy texture, we frosted the cooled cupcakes and added sprinkles.

Love at first bite!

  

 Cowboy Caviar and Poolside Dip

Poolside Dip Ingredients

Both dips are very easy to prepare, but are high protein, low fat options for summer parties.  For the Poolside Dip, chop the peppers, drain corn and olives, combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix well.  (Poolside Dip Recipe)  To prepare the Cowboy Caviar, mix together the hot sauce, oil, and vinegar.  Drain the beans, corn, and tomatoes.  Chop the parsley, green onions, and avocado.  Toss the avocado in the sauce, then gently combine all ingredients. (Cowboy Caviar Recipe)

Cowboy Caviar Ingredients

 Sissy helped me drain the corn, tomatoes, and black eyed peas, harvest the parsley, and mix up the sauces.  She even ran the red peppers and jalapenos through the food processor.  

The Poolside Dip is creamy and spicy.  The Cowboy Caviar is chunky and satisfying.  I plan to serve both dips with tortilla chips and baby carrots.  

Cowboy Caviar                   Strawberry Cupcakes                 Poolside Dip

Update:  Sissy’s cupcakes were a huge success.  She and her Dad walked around passing them out and they were gone in seconds.  She was able to experience the joy food can bring, and my husband’s family was very generous with their compliments to my cute little chef!  The dips were also a bit hit.