Family, Video

Babysitting and Playing With The Littlest Pet Toys

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  My daughter called me and asked if I could watch my grandchildren Friday night. They were going out with some couples for dinner.  Luckily, Friday was a half day at work for the holiday weekend and so I drove in and left right from work.  Natalie is crazy for Little Pet Toys, she has a whole family of them and plenty of accessories too.  So, when I asked what to you want to do, the answer was “Let’s play doctor visit with my little pets”.  Here is just a sample of how Friday night went.  This playing continued on Saturday morning and Liam got into the act too 🙂

These Littlest Pet Toys are adorable and lots of fun to play with. I love playing make believe with Natalie and Liam. It’s always an adventure 🙂

 

 

http://www.timetoplaymag.com/

Family, recipe

Rum Cake

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I had to go all the way to California to taste a Rum Cake.  My sister-in-law Carol was the one to serve me this delicious tasting cake.  Of course, once I heard the  name Rum my ears perked up like a puppy.  Rum in the cake?  It was a no brain-er , tasting this cake was sure to happen.

Did Carol make this cake especially for her visiting in-laws?  No!  Carol  made this cake for her BUNKO GIRLS, whom she had over the night before we arrived.  Really, we got the left overs. HA!  Once I tasted the cake I was surprised that there were any left overs.  I would have certainly ate the whole thing.  Well almost the whole thing.

Of course the best part of this cake was the  blast of the rum.  I could tell Carol did not go skimpy on adding the ingredient, and something tells me that she added a tad more (that is what I would have done).

Carol told me she make the cake from scratch, this was a surpris.   Boy,was I impressed.  But then I find out that scratch means with a little help from a box.  This made me happy.  See I don’t do scratch.  LOL!

If you like rum here is the cake that could give you that RUMBA experience.

RUM CAKE:

ingredients:

  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 box yellow cake mix (with pudding)
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 1/2 cup dark rum (80 proof)
  • GLAZE:
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar 
  • 1/2 cup rum (80 proof)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup (standard size) bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts over the bottom of the pan. Mix all cake ingredients in mixing bowl.  Pour batter over nuts. Bake 1 hour.  Cool. Invert on serving dish.

For the glaze: melt butter in saucepan.

Stir in water and sugar; boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Spoon and brush glaze evenly over top and sides of cake.

Allow cake to absorb glaze. Repeat until glaze is used up.
california 2013 064

Thanks Carol for making this rum cake.  Yeah, thanks Carol, just what I needed another desert that I cannot resist… 🙂

cake photo:bridgetbakescakes

http://www.food.com/recipe/rum-cake-44511

mb

recipe, Time of the Season

Shrimp Cocktail At The Seafood Shack Tobay Beach

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I can’t believe that Labor Day is this weekend. I just love summer and everything about it.  I especially love to eat outdoors and by the water.

So when my friend called and asked if I’d like to go for lunch at The Seafood Shack, I jumped at the chance.  I’ll be ready when you get here 🙂

I looked at the menu out of habit because I already knew what I wanted!!  Shrimp Cocktail & Little Neck Clams. Oh, yeah!!

 

Shrimp Cocktail – Food Network

  • 1 lemon, juiced, plus lemon wedges for garnish
  • 16 jumbo shrimp, cooked and cleaned
  • Salt
  • 1 (28-ounce) can chunky style crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons horseradish
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, eyeball it
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce, eyeball it
  • 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
  • 4 shots ice cold vodka, optional
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

 Squeeze half of the lemon over the shrimp and sprinkle them with a little salt. Mix together the remaining lemon juice, tomatoes, horseradish, Worcestershire, hot sauce, celery, vodka and pepper in a small pitcher. When ready to serve,pour the sauce into martini glasses. Hook the shrimp, 4 per glass, around edges. Make garnish wedges of lemons to hook on the edges of the glasses and serve.

TIP: Chill some martini glasses in your freezer the morning of your dinner club party to serve these cocktails.

 

My girlfriend let me have some of her waffle fries – would you look at that Lobster Roll . Wow!!  I hope I get to go back to the Seafood Shack a few more times before it closes in October for the winter.  Keeping my fingers crossed for a Indian Summer 🙂

http://tobaybeachseafoodshack.com/