Friday was Pat’s actual birthday. Usually, when I am canning peaches every summer, I whip up a few pies while I’m at it and stash them in the freezer. I found out one year that peach pie is his favorite, so to be able to just pull one out of the freezer and call it day has been glorious. One of those things I really love about myself, you know? This year, for reasons that I can’t remember why now, I didn’t. I think after spending 2 weekends back to back canning peaches and tomatoes and everything else in sight, I didn’t feel like making a pie crust. And then Pat told me it was okay, because he wasn’t sure he wanted a peach pie this year anyway. Phew.
However, that meant that I had nothing to pull out of my sleeve on his actual birthday. And true to form, I was getting weary of cranking up the oven and baking a treat. I still have a good bit of canned peaches on hand, so I knew it had to be something that used them up. Thank you internet, for inspiring this:
Peach Pound Cake. I cut the recipe in half, and used the other half of the jar of peaches I popped open to make a glaze. Super easy, super good. Even better the next morning with yogurt on top for breakfast.
Saturday night was the big slumber party. Edie had 5 friends over. Why do I think it’s easier to host a slumber party than to just spring for a party at the bowling alley or Bounce & Play or any of the other places around town that cater to this sort of thing? Oh that’s right, I find paying for it harder than cleaning my house and dealing with 6 little girls for a night. I am that cheap.
We went with cheese pizza for dinner and I outsourced it to Mona Lisa Pasta. Well, at least the dough part. For $2.50, you can buy a dough ball, bring it home, roll it, top it and bake it yourself. And since all the mommies but one decided to stay and have a glass of wine (or 4), Pat stepped up and took care of making dinner. (He’s a total keeper.)
Dessert was the Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache Centers from Cooks Illustrated. So, so easy and so, so good. And they looked divine on the pink depression glass cake stand Allison found for me. (I need a new butter dish please, a round one. Preferably old lady looking china. Thanks. Your thrifting luck has been better than mine lately.) Moms stayed for that too. I think we may have a reputation for serving good food.
Breakfast was chocolate waffles, topped with your choice of strawberries or cherries (canned by me last summer of course), fresh whipped cream and sausage from
Tom & Michele’s pigs over at Open Gate Farm. Last summer when we went to visit, we got to watch some piggies being born, so when I told Edie I got some sausage from them, she asked if it was made from those pigs. No, they’re not quite old enough yet. “Oh, then it must be from the ones I helped feed. That’s cool too.”
That’s my girl. On a first name basis with her food.
So, birthday week, with all of it’s baking and celebrating is over. We finally get to settle into the winter doldrums. I spent a week pulling out all the stops and making sure everyone got their favorite food for their birthdays. The chocolate waffles are by far, the most requested breakfast whenever Edie has a friend sleepover. I came up with the recipe myself after a few experiments and I’ll share it below. The tally of baked goods for the week? 6 dozen cupcakes, 1 cheesecake, and 1 peach pound cake. Also made were lasagna, pizza and creamy shrimp & spinach stew. Yum. I think we need a week of beans & rice to recover.
And I’ll admit, after all the girls left Sunday morning, I crawled back into bed with a book and stayed there until it was time to make dinner. I’m currently reading
Life by Keith Richards. Who knew he loved being a boy scout?
Chocolate Waffles
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp sugar (or more, to taste).
Whisk dry ingredients together in a bowl. Separate 2 eggs. Beat yolks and combine with:
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups buttermilk
a heaping spoonful of yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
Add to dry mix. Beat remaining egg whites until fluffy and fold in. Cook according to your waffle maker’s instructions.
They are good served with fruit and whipped cream, but syrup and butter work just fine too.
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You are my inspiration, Becky! And, of course your daughter is on a first name basis with her food. I would expect nothing less. Looking forward to making your waffles! And wait…Keith Richards…a boy scout??