Curlew Crossing...and a Sea Gull

For me, there is nothing that relaxes me more than sitting on the beach ...

under my umbrella...

and watching the birds ...

scamper through the surf...

Or just stand guard, watching for a crumb from an unsuspecting beachcomber.

May all your troubles melt away with the setting sun...

Have a wonderful weekend!

WHAT A WEEKEND!!!

This has been an amazing weekend (exhausting, too!)!

On Friday,  I taught my first cooking class!

               With a class of 14, we made and feasted on crustless quiche, coconut chicken bites, roasted vegetables, chicken and spinach pizza, cappuccino bites, and a citrus cake. This was so much fun!

All the foods were delicious and the guests had fun. That's all I ever hope for.....

(Sold some great cooking tools, too. That's always nice!)

Saturday afternoon, I got to babysit for my wonderful granddaughter!

Her parents really had to twist my arm to do this...NOT!

On Saturday night, I baked...and baked...and baked...and....enjoyed being with MG, DB and Sweet Catherine! They came to hang out...while I baked the desserts for Adam's "surprise" graduation party.

This was graduation weekend for our eldest...WG. He finally graduated from college. Taking classes through the "experienced learners" at Eckerd College, WG completed the education he began at Auburn 14 years ago. I am so proud of him...in awe of his perseverance and dedication. He graduated with a 3.6+ average! (Not bad for the kid who "had a lot of fun" for his first 3+ years!)

The graduation ceremony was held outdoors, early Sunday morning, under HUGE tents...alongside the college's private beach and sailing school buildings.

Throughout the ceremony, gorgeous sailboats sailed back and forth...Students from the sailing school were manning the boats. So beautiful!

With the families and friends having to arrive an hour before the ceremony (we're talking

7am...meaning that we were up at 5:00 am to get there), the college set up tents with a continental breakfast ... Coffee, tea, juices, and lots of wonderful baked goods. They also provided huge barrels of iced, bottled water, strategically places throughout the grounds and around the perimeter of the graduation tent.  There was a lot of thought put into this celebration.

The ceremony was not terribly long...except for the speaker. I think she forgot she was giving the commencement address and not her dissertation on marine life. (The president had to stop her...after almost an hour!)

Eva spent much of the time going from lap to lap...She loves her Gramps' watch.

(She was dressed in the school colors!)

                                                                        

Here's our college graduate and his familly...newlywed (just a year)...new father!

What a crazy, roller coaster year this has been for him.

And we're so proud!

Now it's time to PARTY!

CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES!

And this is how we all looked at the end of the day...

LUSCIOUS LEMON CAKE

Cooking shows are the most popular shows on television, today.  Just look at the list on the Food Network...or the Cooking Channel. Even the local stations in our area have weekly cooking segments. Names like Guy Fieri, Paula Deen, Rachel Ray and Martha Stewart are household names. 

So, I believe the time is right for a company like Demarle at Home to make its name...and its Flexipans, Silpats and Silforms... known.

I mentioned in an earlier post, that I was beginning to teach cooking classes...going into peoples' homes and sharing tips for healthier cooking...and eating. As I prepare for my classes, I experiment at home...which my husband and neighbors love.

Last night was "Sweet Night"...the time I experiment with mixes, recipes, etc...all having to do with desserts. Many of my desserts are quite healthy...some of my "tried and true recipes" are more healthy now, than in their original state... But all of my desserts are easy to prepare...easy for my students to replicate. Some even begin with a mix!  Last night's cake was one of those...

The secret to this beautiful cake is the baking pans... I used the Sunflower Flexipan and Perforated Pan by Demarle at Home. (Why the perforated pan? Flexipans are just that...very flexible! The perforated pan supports the pan, protects the pan from the HOT racks, and allows heat to circulate,  allowing the cake (or whatever you are cooking) to cook evenly and thoroughly.)

 For tonight's cake, I used a boxed Lemon Cake Mix (Betty Crocker, to be exact)....something easy to use. It's a good item for a novice baker! Just follow the directions on the back of the box...(almost)

Never one to leave a mix alone, I added freshly grated lemon zest to the batter...and used milk in place of the water. The cake was tender, moist, tangy...Move over Sandra Lee!

I pour the "doctored"cake batter into the Flexipan Sunflower mold (do not oil, butter, spray the Flexi!!!) and placed it in a 350 degree oven.

Thirty minutes later, the baked cake has a golden, almost glossy color...so beautiful (and Boy! Did it ever smell good!!!)

                                                     

When the cake had cooled for awhile, I placed a serving plate on top of the mold, then turned it over. The cake slid right out of the mold, leaving just a few crumbs to be washed out with soap and water. (Notice the crumbs in the center and petal part of the pan? Hardly any!!!)

                                                                                           

Next, I put 1/2 jar Robertson's Lemon Curd in a microwave-safe bowl and heated for just a minute, to soften, almost liquify the curd. Then I brushed the top of the cake with the curd, to make a glaze.*

More lemon zest was grated over the top of the cake, and lemon twists were added in the center. Doesn't it look pretty!?!

(Of course, you could make your own lemon curd...or glaze, using lemon juice, powdered sugar and a pinch of salt.)

And Mac Daddy thought it tasted good, too!

(I love the serving size of this pan/cake. It's just the right amount.)

Be watching...in the next couple of weeks I will be giving away a Demarle at Home Sunflower pan.

It's more than just a cake pan...I also use it for stratas, quiche, and so much more. It's a real kitchen TOOL. (My definition of a kitchen TOOL....a product that has multiple uses. I HATE things that have only ONE use. It's a waste of space...)

For more information on Demarle at Home, please contact me (my website is still under construction) or visit

www.demarleathome.com

I am linking with Foodie Friday.

FINALLY....

my camera is back and working! It's been in the shop since mid-March. So guess what my first photo was...

Eva is 2 months old now...she's resting up for her first time in the pool...

Eva's first swim...

Not so bad... 

Daddy and Eva

Swimming wore her out!

Rowdy tried to teach Eva the finer points of swimming.

(She wasn't paying attention...maybe when she's older.)

All in all...a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon...

Thank you for bearing with me...for allowing me to indulge in photos of my little granddaughter. I have missed so much of her first 2 months...

Jane