You start AND end your week with a party!
On Sunday, we celebrated Mama Jean's 70th birthday out at Folly Beach. It was hot and windy, so we stayed inside the beach house most of the day.
Today, we were blessed to see the marriage of Mallary Chritton and Edwin Pope. We have been great friends with the Chrittons (Mallary's parents) for a few years, and it was so great to get to share in this special day with them.
Dan and I celebrated four years of wedded bliss (or something like that) yesterday. I learned a valuable lesson: sometimes a nice date with your husband can turn a bad day around. Who knew I would cry so much on my anniversary? Whether it was the hormones, or the craziness of the day, or what--I do not know.
I got a few requests for the Key Lime Cupcakes recipe, so I got to thinking--I will share a few of my new favorite summer recipes right here. So, here you go:
Easy Fruit Dip
(1) 8 oz. package of Cream Cheese
(1) 7 oz. jar of Marshmallow Creme
Blend together with electric mixer, cut up some fruit, and enjoy!
Key West Cupcakes (straight from Betty Crocker herself)
Filling
1box (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup fresh Key lime or regular lime juice
4 drops green food color (NOT NECESSARY IF YOU'RE NOT INTO USING DYES)
1 1/2cups powdered sugar
Cupcakes
1box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
Frosting
1 container Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting
1 tablespoon fresh Key lime or regular lime juice
1/2 teaspoon grated Key lime or regular lime peel
1.To make filling: In large bowl, beat pudding mix and whipping cream with wire whisk 2 minutes. Let stand 3 minutes. Beat in 1/4 cup lime juice and the food color; stir in powdered sugar until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.
2. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark and nonstick pans). Make and cool cake as directed on box for 24 cupcakes.
3.Spread 1 rounded tablespoonful filling on top of each cupcake. Stir frosting in container 20 times. Gently stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice and the lime peel. Spoon frosting into 1-quart resealable food-storage plastic bag. Cut 1/2-inch opening across lower corner of bag. Squeeze 1 tablespoon frosting from bag onto filling on each cupcake. Garnish with fresh lime wedge if desired. Store covered in refrigerator.
This also works well if you just want to bake a cake. I sliced a 9"x13" cake in half and put the filling in between two layers.
Mandarin Orange Cole Slaw
(1/2 bag) cole slaw mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
11 oz. can of mandarin oranges, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine mayo, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in bowl. Blend into cole slaw mix. Add oranges and stir.
Hope you enjoy some of these fun recipes!
We had a great time on Father's Day this year. Emma and I woke up and cooked Daddy some breakfast (one of his favorites--sausage gravy and biscuits), and then we packed up for the day and headed up to Myrtle Beach to visit with my Dad. They vacation up there every year with a group of friends. It was a great day!
Today, Emma and I tried something that we've never done together before--baking. I have told Dan for the last week that I would make him some cupcakes to take to work, but with us having to stay at my Mom's because of the a/c and being so busy with stuff for church, we have had no time. 
