I'll Take a Little Cake with My Lemonade Please!

Today my parent's celebrated their 30th Wedding Anniversary! (I know right? WOW!!!) 

So my Grandparents and I threw them a little surprise dinner party for them to celebrate.

My contribution to the dinner was Pink Lemonade Cake.

Making a cake for both of my parents is a little tricky. My Mom can't have chocolate or cheesecake and my Dad doesn't like white cake or any type of fruit in his cake. (And, to be completely honest, I cannot stand carrot cake so I never have much of an inclination to make it.)

So, after a little search on Pinterest (my favorite!) I found the recipe for Pink Lemonade cake and thought it would be perfect!

And it was a big hit! A few people even got seconds so I'm marking that one in the success column!

Here is the finished result...

 

I also tried a new decorating technique but I was next to the 400 degree oven and the buttercream was melting before it even touched the cake so I settled for a simple frost. 

Maybe I'll have better luck next time, I'll try again over Christmas ha ha.

Lastly, a big congratulations to my parents on their anniversary! 30 years is pretty darn impressive, wouldn't you say??

xoxo Cassi

Yes Please, Grill Me Some Peaches Sir!

Today we went to a family friend's house for little BBQ and for dessert we had grilled peaches! 

So yummy!

I totally have to give credit where credit is due and admit that this isn't my picture, it is from the blog Twirl and Taste, thanks guys!

Unfortunately, I am still not in total blog mode and I forget to take pictures (a lot!) But from where a started, the fact I remember to take any is a huge improvement. I'm trying to work on it though, mid-way-through-the-year resolution? I think so!

But here is the recipe from our chef of the evening himself---

Butter, 4 Tablespoons

Ground Cinnamon, a few shakes (this is based on your taste)

Brown Sugar, 2 teaspoons

Fresh Peaches, cut in halves

Melt the butter and mix in brown sugar and cinnamon. If the mixture is too thick you can add a little water to dilute the mixture. Then brush the mixture on the cut side of the peaches and grill for 3-4 minutes, making sure they don't burn. Enjoy!

I think this is probably my new favorite summer dessert recipe! I can't wait to try it with different fruits all summer long, yummmm!

xoxo Cassi

For the Love of Cake!

Well, plastic cake to be more accurate, but look how cute this little guy is! I LOVE cake, like a lot, and I want to learn more decorating techniques but I think this is the next idea I'm going to try (well, I'm going to make it with real cake, but you get the idea!)

I went to the Boise Parade of Homes this weekend with my parents and these little cuties were at each place setting of the dinner table. And yes, I totally want to go to that dinner!

See, I told you, SO cute right?! Now I just have to decide when to make it!

xoxo Cassi

Waffles Waffles Waffles

This video makes me SO excited for summer. First, there is just something so sweet and summery about it that I love. Second, I hope to have lots of time to cook this summer and develop cool recipes like this! I found it a few weeks ago on one of the blogs I love (and check religiously) called Life in Technicolor and I've wanted to share it since! I hope you enjoy, and if you're in the middle of finals too, I hope this helps you be excited for summer also!

The Waffle Video (Saturday Waffles)

(Unfortunately, if you know me, you know that technology isn't the easiest thing in the world for me to understand and work with. That means I couldn't get the video to load on the post :( But here is the link and you really should go watch it! It will brighten your day for sure!)

xoxo Cassi

Cassi's Chocolate "Shake"

So as those you who know me outside the blog may know, I'm trying to eat smaller meals during the day while also increasing my calories. I've been looking up food suggestions for people with Crohn's disease (aka me) and I'm not having much luck at all finding credible sources with actual research, so I've decided to try to tackle it myself! When I did a nutrient analysis on myself I realized I wasn't getting nearly the calories I should be and I've been trying to work on it. Once summer starts (in a week!) and I actually have more time, I'll be able to work on it much more and start looking at more research and developing some recipes. This is my first try, and it makes a pretty good snack for finals week!

Cassi's Chocolate "Shake"
1 medium banana, FROZEN (this helps create the "shake" texture)
1/4 cup 2% milk* (you may need more, depending on what thickness you like)
1/4 cup regular yogurt (vanilla or plain. You can also use greek, but don't use light yogurt**)
1 Tablespoon Unsweetened cocoa powder

Makes 1 serving

I like to use my Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender when I make smoothies or shakes. First I blend the banana with the milk (so I don't have frozen chunks) and then I add the yogurt and cocoa powder and blend everything together. And that's it!

So here are my reasons behind what I recommend above:
*2% Milk:
I like to use 2% milk because of the higher fat content. As a downside, it does have saturated fat which isn't great but the fat helps slow digestion (1). For people who have fast moving guts, like some of us with Crohn's, the fat can help slow the process of digestions which increases absorbtion of all those great nutrients like Calcium and Vitamins A &D.

** NO light yogurts:
Light yogurts can contain some sugars, used to substitute the fats, that can create digestive upset for those individuals with sensitive stomachs

Personally, I like to eat something with a texture like a smoothie or shake later in the day. If I eat something like this without anything in my stomach, it doesn't sit as well as it does when I eat it later. Also, what more could you want as a yummy dessert?!

Resources:
(1)
Gropper, S., Smith, J., & Groff, J. (2005). Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism: Fourth Edition. Thomson/Wadsworth.

xoxo Cassi