Free Admission to the Zoo!

We have an odd assortment of animals at our zoo, but we thank you for coming.

Little Minds

This is what Elsa looks like when she roars like a lion:

She roars like a lion when she sees this:

and this....

and this...

and this.

Can you see the connection? Fascinating. Watching little minds grow will never cease to amaze me. The associations they make as they interpret the world around them are amusing, perceptive, and to some degree humbling. How quickly we grow up and overlook the details that surround us: simple smells, common sounds, ordinary sights, everyday objects. But to a little mind, piecing everything together day by day, the world is full of lions!

And snakes...

(True story.)

Elsa Has Turned to the Dark Side...

Though some cabinets in the kitchen are off limits to our busy little lady, she can explore, at will, others we deem to be harmless. But lately, some things have gone missing, including two of these brilliant Star Wars cookie cutters. So we looked in all her usual hiding spots...nothing. Seems unfortunately likely that someone has been disposing of said items in the garbage can... But the saddest thing about all this is not that we can now only bake with the 1/2 teaspoon measurer (as all his friends have mysteriously gone missing...) or that we are going through wash rags at an alarming rate. The saddest thing is that the two cookie cutters that have been eliminated are Yoda and Boba Fett, sparing Darth Vader and the Imperial Stormtrooper. Elsa has officially turned to the Dark Side.

May the Force be with us.

Military or Marching Band??

Not sure whether this natural marching talent is from her grandpa's military genes or her daddy's marching band prowess! Only time will tell.

Welcome to the World of the Uprights

Sunday, October 23, 2011:

The day Elsa officially decided to leave the crawling world behind.

Take 5 Carrot Cupcakes

I came across this recipe in the January 2011 Food & Wine magazine. The memories surrounding its discovery are sweet and savory. Much like these cupcakes.

Justin, Elsa, and I were spending the holidays in Raleigh last winter. Both our families were present, which was a wonderful treat! I had been charged with dessert duty for Christmas with the Meeks as well as birthday #32 for Tina and I. (I know, twist my arm, right...) While the fruit tart and decadent chocolate torte whipped up for Christmas were blog-worthy in and of themselves, it is this simple carrot cake recipe, used to commemorate another year of health and happiness for my sister and I, that keeps finding its way back into the spotlight.

I modified the recipe in order to create a 10" double layer cake for festivities up to this point. Most recently, however, I made it for the first time in its original form to ring in the beginning of a new year for our sweet little lady. As with its previous performances, it did not disappoint.

So without further ado, I bring you Take 5 Carrot Cupcakes.

Take 5 Carrot Cupcakes

ACTIVE: 45 MINUTES TOTAL: 1 ½-2 HOURS

MAKES: 14 CUPCAKES or

10” DOUBLE LAYER CAKE

Ingredients	Cupcakes	10” Double Layer Cake
all-purpose flour	1 C	2 C / 243 g
cinnamon	1 ½ t	3 t / 7 g
baking soda	1 t	2 t / 12 g
salt	½ t	1 t / 5 g
eggs, large	2	4
canola oil	¾ C	1 ½ C
sugar	1 C	2 C / 400 g
vanilla extract, pure	1 t	2 t
carrots, finely shredded	1 ½ C	3 C / 380 g
pecans pieces, toasted	1 C	2 C

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line or grease muffin cups/grease and flour 10” cake pan(s).

2. In medium bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. In large bowl, using electric mixer, beat eggs with canola oil. Gradually beat in sugar at medium-high speed until thick, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients with a rubber spatula. Fold in carrots and pecans.

3. Spoon batter immediately into muffin cups or spread evenly in cake pan(s). For cupcakes, bake 25 to 30 minutes. For cake, bake approximately 60 minutes.

4. Top with Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below.)

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients	Cupcakes	10” Double Layer Cake
unsalted butter, softened	4 T	12 T
cream cheese, softened	4 oz	14 oz
vanilla extract, pure	½ t	1 ½ t
confectioners’ sugar	1 ¾ C	5 C

1. In a bowl, using electric mixer, beat butter with cream cheese until smooth. Beat in vanilla and confectioners’ sugar. Beat mixture at high speed until frosting is light and fluffy.

Dust chopped, toasted pecans with cinnamon and garnish cupcakes/cake if desired.

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/take-5-carrot-cupcakes

Happy Birthday Elsa!

One Year Stats:

Weight - 20 lbs. 12 oz. (44th %ile)

Height - 29 in. (44th %ile)

Head Circumference - 17.61 in. (39th %ile)

Teeth - 2 on bottom and a wee bit of 2 on top!

Distances Traveled - 15,200 miles! (7,900 by land; 7,300 by air)

Words and Sounds - owl, hi, hat, cat, Daddy, up, out, hot, snack, Momma, bath, "ow," "whoo-hooo," "ruff!," "quack quack,"

Signs - nurse, bird, eat, milk, drink, outside

Click here for a slideshow of the big day.

(Email: kathrynirenemeeks@yahoo.com Password: elsa1)