Makes Me Smile!

Matt making a silly face- showing off new haircut! 

Nothing makes me smile more than Matt!  The best thing about driving a truck is that the kiddo always rides shotgun so I get to witness all the funny things he does in the car. From air guitaring to a rock song, to playing a game of slug bug (he always wins).  The other night on the way home from visiting his Mimi - he was in rare form!  Nothing like a new haircut to bring out his personality. The picture is a little blurry it was taken with my phone- but I couldn't resist sharing this! 

Aloha from the Tin Palace.....

Nothing says Aloha like coconut cupcakes with a white chocolate cream cheese frosting!

The Barefoot Contessa's Coconut Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 7 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

*These are delicious dense cakes! They are delicious even without the frosting. I filled the liners about 3/4 of the way full... if I had filled this to the top they would have EXPLODED!

If you are going to pair this with a frosting here is my pick:

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

• 7oz (approx one heaping cup) white chocolate chips
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar

1. Melt white chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave in 20-second bursts. Cool for about 10 minutes.
2. Cream butter and cream cheese together using an electric mixture (make sure they are both room temperature or they won't cream properly).
3. Add the white chocolate and vanilla and beat until combined.
4. Carefully add in the powdered sugar and beat at low speed until combined.
5. Turn off mixer and give it a good stir to make sure everything is combined.

*I added another cup of powdered sugar to mine because it was a little to thin.

I made these recipes for a party my cousin was having today.  I am dying to hear how they went over with the rest of the guests!

Aloha!

Up A Tree....

It's a beautiful day, the sun is shining...... where would you be???