Packing A Baby For Vacation

OH DEAR!!  I have t-minus 3 days and counting until we leave for a much needed vacation to the beach.  Is anyone else out there as neurotic and OCD as I am when it comes to packing and being prepared?  I literally started YESTERDAY.  I know, I know...go ahead and laugh at my craziness, but to me, it's not crazy at all.  Especially when you have a 10 month old and all of the crap you have to tote along with him.  Now my husband... he's crazy.  He will honestly start packing 4 hours before we head out the door.  If he only knew how completely panicked and terrified that made me... well, he'd probably still do it anyway haha.  My heart is palpitating as we speak just thinking about it.  He calls me the Macgyver of Packing.  I must say, I get that from my mom.  We can make an unimaginable amount of stuff fit into the smallest of packages, and when it comes to packing the car, you'd be amazed at what all we can make fit.  There should be an Olympic event for packing.  Mom and I would take the gold for sure!  But I'm going to let you in on a little secret.  SPACE BAGS!  They are the best invention ever when it comes to packing for a vacation.  Just make sure that your destination has a vaccum that you can use when you pack to return home. 

I always use the large bag to pack my clothes, but I can fit Layton's in a medium one.

Yesterday I got all of Layton's food that I'd be taking with us packed and frozen.  If you didn't know already, I make all of Layton's food on my own.  It is honestly so easy to do, (I'll share recipes with you all on another post one day) and it doesn't gross me out like jarred baby food does.  I can make his food for a whole 3 months in about 3-4 hours.  A great friend of mine reccomended that I get the book Baby Love by Norah O'Donnell and Chef Geoff Tracy.  It's FABULOUS.  It is also geared twoard people who know absolutely squat when it comes to the kitchen.  It gave me some great bases to start with, and I've found myself adapting my own recipes from theirs.

Layton was happy as a lark playing in his bouncer while I packed his food. 

To store homemade baby food, you puree it and freeze it in ice cube trays.  Then from there you put it into freezer bags.  I knew that in the 10 hours we'd be traveling, the food cubes would more than likely thaw out a little, even in an iced cooler.  So here is my plan (who knows whether it actually is going to work).  I got out all of the food cubes I'd need for the entire week and placed them all back into ice cube trays and wrapped them like crazy with plastic wrap.  I figured if they thawed out a little, I'd be able to freeze them back once we got to the beach.  Sounds simple enough, but hopefully I won't end up with a pile of liquid mess.  I have everything from blueberry apple, strawberry banana pear, apple raisin cinnamon oatmeal, spinach broccoli, spinach green bean, chicken soup, sweet potato, cauliflower, carrot, and yellow squash all in the same trays.  Imagine if all of that combines!  YIKES!

I promise it's easy to do.  If it weren't, no mom would be able to do it. 

So today's task (along with getting Layton used to sleeping in the pak-n-play, which by the way he is snoozing away in as I type *fingers crossed*) is to get my clothes ready. I can already tell this is going to be a long week.  I'll need a vacation just from getting ready to go on vacation!   At least the sweet bunny rabbits are coming back to visit our backyard again.  Spring is finally here!  Oh, and don't worry, I promise to share what I did with the Swiss meringue buttercream that I made once vacation is over.  Until then, I hope everyone has a blessed  and safe spring break.  Take time to enjoy all God has given us.

 

Batman May Have Robin, But I've Got BUTTERCREAM!!!

Yesterday I had to do a cake for a very good friend who was throwing a bridal luncheon for today.  Little did I know that this fancy shindig would be taking place at none other than PIZZA TIME.  Only in Kentucky can you have pizza and a fancy cake to celebrate your upcoming wedding.  I love it!  That is my kind of luncheon.  Anyway...I digress.  I thought that since I was going to be making a cake, I might as well share a few things with you (especially since my sweet baby would be spending the entire day with his grandparents, and I'd be able to take pictures of every step).

So here it goes ladies and gentlemen.  Your very first "how to" from yours truly!  Are you on the edge of your seats yet?  Tonight's lesson will be on how to make Swiss meringue buttercream.  Now, before I get nasty hate mail about how this buttercream "ain't like my Granny's," let me give you a little background.  Americans have gotten used to what I like to refer to as LARDcream.  YUCK!  Just thinking about it makes my tongue cringe.  You all know what I'm talking about.  It's that thick white icing (that often comes in a 5 gallon bucket) that many bakeries use.  It leaves your tounge feeling as though it's just been dipped in wax.  Now don't get me wrong; there is a place for the more sugary buttercream that I'm sure most of your grandmothers make using butter, powdered sugar, and milk.  But let this be a sign unto you -- shortening should NEVER be used in any type of buttercream.  It's just plain wrong.  Swiss meringue buttercream is rich, extremely buttery, and unbelievably silky smooth.  If for some reason you are a freak of nature that doesn't like the taste and texture of real butter, this is not for you.  This buttercream also serves as a great base recipe to create other flavors.  So let's get started already!  But first you must see the sweet face I missed ALL DAY yesterday.

Just look at those squeezable cheeks!

As with every good chef, you must first get all of your ingredients and tools together before starting (aka "mise en place" or "everything in its place").  I think I sense some eye-rolling, but I promised my husband that I would use my very expensive pastry chef degree in ways he would never imagine!  This recipe only requires 4 simple ingredients that I'm sure all of you have.  Egg whites, granulated sugar, unsalted butter, and vanilla extract.  As for your tools, you'll need a double boiler (I just use my mixer bowl over a pot of simmering water), a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (you will not want to attempt this with a hand mixer.), and a candy thermometor. 


The vanilla didn't feel like having his picture taken on this paticular day.

Start by putting your egg whites and sugar over a double boiler.  If you don't have a double boiler (which most of us don't) you can easily construct one by putting a heat safe bowl over a pot of simmering water.  Make sure the bottom of your bowl doesn't touch the water in the pot.  However, if you like to use as few dishes as possible like I do, you can simply use the bowl from your stand mixer over the simmering water.  Like this.

Now, for those of you that just threw your unused egg yolks down the drain, get ready for a scolding.  A great pastry chef NEVER wastes any product.  Did you know you can freeze egg yolks?  That's right.  Or better yet, make a chocolate cream pie for someone.  You'll make both me and their stomach smile!  Back to the buttercream.  You are going to need to whisk your egg white and sugar mixture continuously while it is in the bowl so that the egg whites don't curdle.  This mixture will need to cook until it reaches 160 degrees F (which should only take about 3-5 minutes).  Why is this the magic temperature you ask?  Two reasons: the sugar will be completely dissolved at 160 degrees F and eggs need to be cooked to 140 degrees F in order to be safe to consume, so going to 160 degrees covers that, too.  Your mixture should be nice and frothy looking when it's done.

Transfer this mixture to your stand mixer and use the whisk attachment to whip whip whip the egg white and sugar mixture to stiff peaks.  It should double in volume and be as glossy as a pair of new patent leather shoes.  Kinda like this!

As you can tell, my Kitchen Aide stand mixer has definitely been put to good use.  It is priceless and a neccessity to a serious baker.  Just tell your spouse that when you go out and buy one this weekend :)



You will want this mixture to be room temperature before you go adding the butter.  Now to all of you unpatient sweethearts out there...don't rush this glossy beauty into taking on the butter before it's ready, otherwise you'll end up with butter soup. Make sure it's good and cool, then you can add in your glorious, oh so perfect, silky smooth butter. You'll want it to be at room temperature and chopped into small cubes.  

HEAVEN!!!

With the beater going at medium speed, add the butter a few chunks at a time.  Once it's all added, turn the mixer to a higher speed.  For those of you that tend to be the worrying-glass-half-empty kind, don't have a complete melt down when you see the mixture seem to curdle and look like a complete disaster.  JUST KEEP WHIPPING!!  If it helps to repeat this to yourself in the style of Dory from Finding Nemo, please do so.  It can take a while for it to come together (about 12-15 minutes), but the end result will be a billowing, fluffy-smooth thing that dreams are made of.  *Note* the humidity does affect the amount of butter that is added.  Sometimes it will come together before all of the butter is used.  It's perfectly fine if you have butter that is left over.  The final step is to add in the vanilla and whip breifly to combine. 



Don't you just want scream with excitement?!  Just looking at it makes me happy.


Now you're ready to ice a cake, cupcake, or just eat the whole bowl.  My best friend could seriously do just that.  She has a buttercream addiction that will never be cured.  I love her!!  She's getting married in May and I'm seriously considering making her entire cake out of buttercream.  You can read more about her amazing life here at her blog Casting My Cares On Him.  Speaking of great blogs, you should also check out my friend Beth's blog, A Fine Close Weave.  I have AMAZING friends!

There are a billion recipes for Swiss Meringue Buttercream out there and they all are very similar.  I've adapted my own recipe for you all below since every recipe I have is in bulk.  This recipe will make a batch large enough to ice a two layer 9" round cake.  The next post I'll show you how to do just that!  I'm going to leave you in suspense until then and in the mean time, go make some BUTTERCREAM!!

Swiss Buttercream

6 egg whites
1 1/2 C granulated sugar
2 C (1 lb) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into cubes
1 tsp vanilla

1. Whip sugar and egg whites together in a double boiler until the temperature reaches 160 degrees F and sugar is dissolved.
2. Transfer mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer.  With the whisk attachment, whip until mixture is cooled and soft, glossy peaks form, about 10 minutes. 
3. When mixture has cooled to room temperature, add butter a few pieces at a time until incorporated.  Continue beating until butter is incorporated and frosting is fluffy and smooth.  It can take 8-12 minutes. 
4. Add vanilla and beat until incorporated.

Storage:  To store for future use, place in an airtight container and store in the fridge.  When ready to use, bring to room temperature and beat until light and fluffy in stand mixer.

New Blog, Old Baby

Yesterday my sweet baby turned 10 MONTHS OLD!  I get that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I think about it.  He's growing up way too fast and I find myself relishing in every moment I get to spend with him.  I remember the first day we brought him home and how terrified we were.  My husband and I had NO CLUE how to care for a baby, and neither of us had any experience with them.  But isn't it amazing how those paternal instincts immediately kick in and you find yourself quickly learning what to do (although I must admit, I'm still completely clueless on so many things and find myself learning something new everyday)?!

Now doesn't that sweet face just make you want to melt?



I don't know how or if I'll be able to leave this precious face every morning to work in and run my own bakery.  It's something I've thought a lot about lately.  I've been running my own business , Dalisha's Desserts, out of my home kitchen for the past 4 years.  It grew so quickly that I couldn't keep up with the demand (both a blessing and a curse).  My bakery space (which was supposed to be completed well before my son was born) should finally be ready by the end of summer, but now I'm not ready.  I know many people would tell me that I would be wasting a talent by staying at home and that Layton would be perfectly fine staying with someone else.  And of course, there is always a money issue that looms in the background.  My husband and I do rely on the money I bring in, but I look into that precious 10 month old  face and nothing else in this world matters.  No material thing could ever replace the time I have with my son and although the opportunities that I have now with the business won't exist a few years from now, I'll still have my talent.  Maybe this blog will become so wildly famous I won't have to worry about any of that!  Even typing that caused my fingers to laugh, too.  Only in my wildest dreams!  So until I become the next Pioneer Woman or Bakerella, my question is this: how do all of you working mothers out there do it?  And for those of you that have chosen staying at home over your job, would you have it any other way? I think I pretty much know the answer to both of those questions; it's just nice hearing your take on things.  Now  I must go peek at my precious angel asleep in his crib one more time before heading to bed.  I hope all of you out there come back for more baby and bakery stories.  I know there will be so many stories to tell, recipes and demonstrations to share, and screw-ups to make you laugh!