May 2013 Printable Calendar

Hi everyone! I hope your April days haven't been too rainy; it's been pretty dreary here in Maryland. Here's a new printable calendar for May - cheerfully inspired by citrus and margaritas, since May includes one of my favorite holidays - ¡Cinco de Mayo!

To print or save, click below to view the PDF file on my Google Drive. From Google Drive, choose "download" to open or save the file. When you're ready to print, just make sure to select "Fit to Printable Area."

PDF Calendar with Holidays

PDF Calendar Blank (No Holidays)

Happy May!

April 2013 Printable Calendar

Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the March 2013 Printable Calendar I shared last month. Here's a new one for April - hopefully it will inspire you to grab a cheerful umbrella during the rainy days of April!

To print or save, click below to view the PDF file on my Google Drive. From Google Drive, choose "download" to open or save the file. When you're ready to print, just make sure to select "Fit to Printable Area."

PDF Calendar

Happy April!

Shamrock Shake-cakes!

Happy (belated) St. Patrick’s Day everyone! One of my favorite ways to celebrate St. Patty’s Day is with a delicious, ever-elusive Shamrock Shake from McDonald’s. Have you tried one? They’re so perfectly minty and refreshing, and only available around St. Patrick’s Day. I wanted to recreate my favorite shake as a cupcake, so here’s what I came up with (recipe follows).

 

I had originally seen this recipe from Better Homes & Gardens, but couldn’t find buttermilk at my grocery store. Seriously? What grocery store runs out of buttermilk? Mine, apparently. So I ended up changing the recipe quite a bit. Here’s my variation:

For the Cupcakes (makes 24):
• 1 box white cake mix
• 1 cup milk
• 4 egg whites (as called for on box)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (as called for on box)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• Green food coloring

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line muffin tins with paper baking cups.
2. Combine cake mix, milk, egg whites, and oil in large mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until just combined.
3. Add vanilla, peppermint extracts, and food coloring. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
4. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
5. Bake for 19 - 23 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes completely.
6. Using an angled spatula, spread mint frosting evenly over each cupcake. If possible, refrigerate cupcakes to set frosting before piping white.
7. Using a piping bag fitted with a 1M swirl tip, pipe white frosting on each cupcake. To create the “whipped cream” look, hold bag straight up and down over cupcake and squeeze frosting onto center wiggling slightly.
8. If desired, top with disco dust or sprinkles and small straws.
9. Finished cupcakes should be refrigerated and can be served chilled or at room temperature.

For the White Chocolate Frosting (adapted from BH&G):
• 8 oz. white chocolate with cocoa butter, chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 and 1/2 cup butter (3 sticks)
• 4 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• Green food coloring

1. Cut butter into small pieces and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Chop white chocolate into small pieces and place in large mixing bowl.
3. In a small saucepan, warm whipping cream on low heat until just simmering.
4. Pour whipping cream over white chocolate and let sit without stirring for 5 minutes.
5. Stir chocolate and whipping cream until chocolate is fully melted and mixture is smooth. Let sit for 15 minutes.
6. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, gradually beat in butter until fully incorporate.
7. Beat in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, until frosting reaches piping / spreading consistency.
8. Spoon approximately 2/3 of frosting into a piping bag fitted with 1M swirl tip, leaving remaining frosting in mixing bowl.
9. To remaining frosting add ¼ tsp peppermint and vanilla extracts and several drops green food coloring. Beat until well mixed.
10. If frosting seems too loose, refrigerate for a short time in order to reach piping consistency.

The cupcakes had just the right amount of minty flavor and were a big hit at the office. I really enjoyed them and hope you guys do too!