Goodbye, NED

I can't wait to tell my future kiddos about the year I traveled the world as a yo-yo professional. It has been a unique and blessed journey, full of great experiences traveling and meeting neat people.  Above the cool adventures in England, Australia, Canada, and across the U.S., though, I'm most glad for the awesome kids I got to meet. I will miss them ever so much.

This guy was growing out his hair so that he could donate it in behalf of his friend who had lost a battle against cancer the year before. He told me that a champion has to encourage the people around him so that they won't give up on their dreams.

I can't tell you how many kids gave me awesome, insightful ideas about being a champion. This job made me love kids.

But...I'm glad to be moving on to the next chapter of my life. 

As President Monson says, the future is as bright as my faith. I've got a lot of faith that this next year will be amazing, difficult, and precious. Of course, I'll take what NED taught me to help me accomplish my goals in 2013: Never Give Up! Encourage Others! Do Your Best!

Lemon Cake with Raspberry Flair

I made a lemon cake for Easter Sunday dinner. 

Isn't it beautiful? It was also immensely tasty. My mom first tried this recipe when I was in high school. I'm not sure where she found it, so I can't give credit where credit is--seriously--due. But I can share it with you!

Cake:                                                                           

1 1/3 cups sugar                                                          

6 TB butter, softened                                               

1 TB grated lemon rind                                               

3 TB thawed lemonade concentrate                            

2 tsp vanilla extract                                                     

2 large eggs                                                                 

2 large egg whites

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder                                                    

½ tsp salt                                                                    

½ tsp baking soda

1 ¼ cups buttermilk

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then get started on the cake batter by whipping up your sugar, butter and lemon rind with an electric mixer. When that's well-combined, add the lemonade concentrate and vanilla. Whip it up, whip it up good.

Add your eggs and egg whites, one at a time, beating between each. 

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Listen. You don't actually have to sift it. I know, I always hate it when recipes tell me to do this. But at least stick it in a different bowl and mix them together with a whisk. 

Then add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately, bit by bit, beating with the electric mixture after each addition. (flour-beat-buttermilk-beat-flour-beat-buttermilk-beat, etc.)

Pour the batter into two 9-inch round pans, which you previously greased and floured, of course. Sharply tap each pan once on the counter to remove air bubbles. Bake for about 20-30 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for ten minutes or so and then remove from the pans. Allow the cakes to finish cooling completely on the cooling rack. 

Frosting:

2 TB butter, softened

2 tsp grated lemon rind

2 tsp thawed lemonade concentrate

½ tsp vanilla extract

8 ounces cream cheese

3 ½ cups powdered sugar

To prepare frosting, place butter, lemon rind, lemonade concentrate, vanilla and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, and beat at low speed just until blended. Chill 1 hour.

Raspberry filling:

1 1/2 C fresh raspberries

1 TB cornstarch

2 TB fresh lemon juice

1/4 C sugar

Throw all of that in a small saucepan and heat it until it simmers, let it cool in the fridge for about an hour. Then assemble your cake!

Easter Sunday Dinner

This Easter, I did something I had never done before: I made prime rib roast for dinner, just like my Nana always does. It was perfect and delicious. PLUS, I made fantastic-tasting gravy from the drippings. SUCCESS.

Lemon cake for dessert, which matched my cute table. 

It was a lovely evening with a few friends. Hope your Easter was delightful!