Easter Sunday

May the Lord go with you always
and fill your days with many blessings.
Happy Easter to one and all.

Yours Always, Sares

Pink Saturday

Welcome to Pink Saturday where all your pink wishes come to life,
and a special thank you to our Hostess Beverly @ How Sweet the Sound.
Now come away with me on a teeny, tiny, yet loveleigh journey...

Once upon a time...

...there was a loveleigh girl that had sweet dreams in a sweet pink bedroom. However, one day this loveleigh girl awoke in a mood that was not at all pleasant. The loveleigh girl decided to cheer herself up and lighten her mood.

The loveleigh girl dressed in her pinkest of pinks
and called to her tiny pink pet...

they grabbed some yummy pink cookies and some pink lemonade
and headed outside to rest in the shade.

The loveleigh pink clad girl and her tiny pink pet sat on the grass,

under the loveleighest of all pink trees. She munched and
she sipped the hours away,when suddenly her gaze landed upon...

a single, solitary rose of perfection. This single solitary flower made the loveleigh
girl think about all the beautiful, wonderful, lovable things in her life and her mood instantly shifted, for the loveleigh girl knew the Lord had blessed her. Blessed her with
life, with love, with hope, with a caring family, and most of all with his
presence. The loveleigh girl suddenly looked up to the heavens...

...and saw a pink lit sky, and the loveleigh girl was at peace.


Yours Always, Sares

Easter Cupcakes!

Toasting the coconut that forms the nests adds a natural straw color as well as a pleasant crunch and nutty flavor to these whimsical cupcakes. Easter egg candies come in many different sizes; use as many as will comfortably fit in each nest.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup sour cream

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup sugar

6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 eggs, at room temperature

Vanilla buttercream for frosting cupcakes ( I'm using store bought frosting and adding extra vanilla for flavor)

Easter egg candies for decorating

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper or foil liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, oil and vanilla. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the sugar and butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream mixture in 2 additions, beating until just combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Bake until the cupcakes are lightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cupcakes to the rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour.

Frost the cupcakes with the buttercream. Top each cupcake with a ring of toasted coconut. Place an Easter egg candy (or candies) in the center of each nest and serve. (The finished cupcakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before serving.) Makes 12 cupcakes.

Adapted from Cupcakes, by Shelly Kaldunski (Weldon Owen, 2008).

I'm going to try this recipe for Easter Sunday and I hope they taste as yummy as they look!
So those of you who are joining me Sunday, wherever I may be (no plans yet) will get to try one of these loveleigh little delicacies.

Yours Always, Sares