Cookin, Killer Bees, and Kiddos

I've been trying to be a better cook lately since everyone has to eat what I make. When Patrick and I first got married, I didn't cook much and if I did, it was one of my two go to casseroles. After Ayden was born, I had to adjust my diet to lose the baby weight and that is when I started actually trying to cook. I've learned a lot, found some delicious recipes, and enjoy trying new things. Some are hits and some are misses, but I think everyone is enjoying my culinary efforts.

These are cookie dough filled vanilla cupcakes with cookie dough butter cream frosting with a mini chocolate chip cookie on top. (the dough recipe has no eggs and you freeze it before baking so it remains dough) Sounds like a bit much and it was, but Patrick still ate 3 in one sitting so I guess he liked them. I like decorating cupcakes, eat one, and send the rest to work with Patrick, which gets him some brownie points (no pun intended).

 We got a fryer a while back to cook our own buffalo wings. Surprisingly, they aren't nearly as greasy when you do them yourself. We also tried our hand at our own Mexican: chimichanga and home made tortilla chips. Win!

 Throw in a few fresh sopapillas to complete the meal.

 Now we usually only splurge on the weekends, so I'm always trying to find healthy substitutes for yummy foods. Like this cauliflower alfredo sauce (no butter or cream but perfectly creamy). It was delicious served over tomato and spinach fettuccine noodles. 

 This was interesting. We get a call from the neighbors at 7pm one night asking us what we were going to do about the giant bees nest in the front yard. I was a bit confused since I had just been in the yard playing with the kids that afternoon and did not notice and giant hive of bees. But low and behold, I looked out the window to see this! It literally appeared in mere hours. That's a tree not a bush! There were hundreds of bees flying around. I started itching instantly!

 Look at all those bees! That's just a clump of bees beginning to build a hive.

 Luckily, I knew a bee keeper...but unfortunately Uncle Jack was too far away to come help me with my bees. So, the local bee keeper (who also owns his business with his son) came and put the bees in a hive box.

 With in a few hours, all the bees had flown in and it was good bye bees.

 And what's a post without the kiddos.

Ayden decided to accessorize...with every bow she owns. I guess her motto is more is more.

Sweet boy saying Hi!