Today is my sister's birthday, and sadly she doesn't love cake.  So I am making her a mixed berry pie for her birthday.  I love the tartness of the berries with the crisp buttery crust.  My goal for this pie was to make it sure it wasn't a runny mess, because that always makes serving so sloppy! This recipe originally came from allrecipes.com but I made several changes. 
      If you are making this in summer and have access to fresh berries, I would recommend using them! If not, frozen berries will work, but make sure that you thaw them and let any extra water drip out so the pie isn't too runny. 
      I started with my pie crust recipe.  Make sure to double the recipe so you have enough for the top crust and the bottom.  After you make this, put it in the freezer so it can stay nice and cold and easy to work with.  

Directions:
1. Mix the flour, sugar, and cinnamon together.  Then mix the berries in gently to coat them. 
2. Roll out the first half of the dough and tuck it into the bottom of the pie pan.  
3. Gently spread the berry mixture in the center. 
4. Sprinkle a bit of lemon juice on top and chunk up a bit of butter and add it. 

I had been baking at my sister's house last week and left a lot of my stuff there.  So when I went to roll out the dough I realized I didn't have a rolling pin or my rolling cutter! So, I improvised with a wine bottle and a knife.  Better than nothing!

4.  Roll out the second half of the dough and cut it into even strips.  I have a rolling cutter that cuts a scalloped edge which is adorable, but of course I didn't have it either.  No matter what you use to cut the strips make sure to cover it in flour every time it touches the dough so you don't rip it accidently. 

5.  In order to make the laticce crust start by laying the two longest strips at a 90 degree angle.  From there continue to add the next longest strip. I try and make the gap in between the same width as the strips.  Each one should alternate over, under, over, under. Continue this until you reach the edge of the pie in all directions.  Amazingly it will probably take almost every strip even though there are gaps. 

6.  At this point you have a few options.  My sister loves pie crust! So I folded up the extra laticce strips, then folded the excess pie crust over that and pinched it with my fingers.  If you don't want such a bolky crust then trip some before you finish it off.  

7.  Because I was using homemade pie crust there was flour everywhere.  In order to ensure that the crust looked shiny and beautiful I mixed one egg with a bit of water and brushed it on the surface.  I then sprinkled some sugar and cinnamon on top. 
8. The edges will naturally cook faster, so wrap foil or a crust guard around the edges o the pie.   
9. You are done! Bake it for about 50-60 minutes at 425 degrees until the crust is crispy and golden in the center.

     Work on the bedroom began on move in day. After all, it is your place to relax and conclude each day.  When we moved in the room was just plain dull.  It was a dark greenish gray that just looked to me like a dreary day.  
     So out with the dull and in with the gold! The paint cans were open as soon as we could get the drop cloths down.  Thank you mom and aunt Wendy for painting this! 

     I wanted to do vertical stripes to add some interest to the room without adding stuff that takes up space. It was inspired by the Citizen Hotel in downtown Sac.  Initially we just painted the gold in a matt paint.  Then when we got around to it we masked off the stripes with painter's tape.  This was challenging in a 90 year old house because the walls aren't actually straight so there was a lot of eye balling involved.  We painted the cream with a semi-gloss so that there is a difference in sheen.  It is probably about time to put something on that wall, but we have been busy redecorating the living room. 

    The doors to the bathroom came a few days later.  The bathroom, which connects to our room,   didn't have any handles at all!  This meant that you either let everyone be part of your business or you used a screw driver.  Obviously this was an immediate fix.  Luckily we  found most of the door handles in the basement along with these gorgeous period door plates. Most of them are unique so each door has a slightly different design.  They were all black and tarnished but looked nice after a good scrub! 
   I also oiled all the doors with a tinted oil to bring back the rich color.  

     At some point in the life of our house the breakfast nook was added behind our room.  I know this because there was the outline of an exterior window in our room that lead to a wall! We debated about all the ways to fix this.  In the end we covered it up.  Now we have a curtain on one wall.  Besides being a great cover for an eye sour, I like the change in texture and the break in the stripes.  
   So that is our bedroom! It feels relaxing a peaceful to me without being dull!  I change the bedspread about three times a year when I am feeling an itch for a new look.  I would love to see other people's rooms if you want to share!

        I am sad to say that we are chickenless.  Last week I came home and before I could even walk in the door, my husband said "You better come see this" and I knew it was going to be bad.  Sad little Chicken Nugget was laying on her side unable to stand up.  We really couldn't figure out what was wrong with her.  So we made her a nest out of towels in a laundry basket and brought her inside so she would be warm.  She wasn't eating or drinking and barely opening her eyes.  Physically she was a mess.  When I walked by talking she would perk up and try and get to her feet but couldn't.  To make a long and gruesome story short she is gone.  
   I was surprised at how sad I was.  I know she is just a chicken, and I eat chicken, but she added a lot of personality to the backyard and it is so quiet now!  Every time I would walk in the backyard they would scurry over to the fence as fast as they can and be undeservingly eager to see me.  Now, it is just quiet. 

      Poor Barbecue poked around calling for her for a few days.  Then one day we went outside and then we walked into the basement.  She let out the loneliest cry ever and we decided living alone was not a good life for her.  Nugget and Barbecue had never spent a night apart.  I actually read that chickens won't survive alone because they are such social creatures.  We ended up finding family of a friend who has six chickens out in Shingle Springs and taking Barbecue up there.  I have gotten word that she has integrated with the other hens and is laying eggs again! 
   

 So, we have gone from a house full of chickens to an empty nest.  Sad.

     Here is an adorable little gift you can make that costs almost nothing!  I saw it on the cover of Starting From Seed and couldn't resist. I am going to give it to my family for a little Easter present.  These are Zinnia plants, so hopefully they will bring beautiful flowers! The recipient can crush the shell a bit and put it in the ground.  Done!
   

    Simply take a few eggs and poke a hole in the bottom. This is so water can flow out and not flood the seeds.  I used a metal barbecue skewer and tapped until a hole broke through.  
    Then hold the egg over a dish and tap with a knife along the top the basically cut the top off.  Plop the egg in your dish and rinse out the shell and set it to dry.  Eat the eggs of course. 

    Find something to put the eggs shells where they won't rock around.  FIll each egg about 3/4 of the way full of dirt.  Put three seeds in each to ensure that at least one grows.  If they all grow you may have to remove some. Water and wait! Soon you will have adorable sprouts.  
      I am hoping they will continue to grow until Easter.  I am watering them every few days and setting them outside here and there.  Mostly they are sitting on the window sill in the basement looking cute! Have fun. 

My friend Erica had a baby shower this weekend to welcome in their first little baby! They are waiting for the big surprise at birth to see if it is a boy or a girl.  So for the cake I decided to follow the theme of the invitations and go with baby carriages.  I made a lemon cake with a black berry filling and a meringue frosting.  I used a Martha Stewart recipe.  

I make the decorations the night before to simplify everything a bit.  I started by taking small chunks of fondant that I bought at Michael's.  I tinted them with either a gel frosting or the intense cake coloring.  Avoid using regular food coloring because it is too wet and will make the fondant sticky. After you tint it, roll out the fondant using powdered sugar so it doesn't stick.  I then used cookie cutters. After that I added details with sprinkles, indentations with a toothpick, or painting them with food coloring. When all the decorations were done I covered them with plastic wrap over night. 

Cake Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced and seeded

***I made a double recipe and then made a three layer stacking cake.  I had a bit of extra batter that I threw in some cupcake tins. This recipe makes for a beautiful flat perfect cake for stacking.  It make kind of pitiful cupcakes. 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans, tapping out excess flour. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Beat in 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.
3. Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, 32 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack.
4. While cakes are baking, bring remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add lemon slices and simmer 25 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer lemon slices to a waxed-paper-lined plate. Stir remaining 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice into syrup. ***I did this next step and I didn't end of using the lemons because of my decorations, so this isn't necessary***
5. Using a toothpick, poke holes in warm cakes on rack. Brush with lemon syrup. Let cool completely. Prepare frosting, substituting 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for vanilla extract. Frost cooled cakes and top with candied lemon slices.

     If you are stacking cake layers higher than two layers, I would recommend taking a good look at them to see if they are flat.  If not, when the cake is completely cool, trim a bit with a bread knife and flatten things out.  Put the trimmed side down so you are not trying to spread frosting on the cut edge. 
     Before laying the cake on the serving plate I like to put down a border of wax paper.  This way you can frost the cake without haveing to be too careful.  At the end of frosting slide it out, fix anything that needs it around the border, and you have a clean cake plate to serve from. 

***This frosting was very light and meringue-like.    It was a bit hard to form to the cake because initially it is very viscus and then sets up quickly so you have to work fast. If I were to do this again I would use a butter cream recipe.  It gives you tons of flexibility with shaping and spreading it on a cake however it is a rich, thick flavor so you have to decide what you are prefer. 

After making the frosting I scooped some into a separate bowl and mixed it with slices blackberries.  Make sure to rinse and dry the berries well so excess water doesn't ruin the frosting. Spread this in between the layers of cake.  It adds a bit of sour that contrasts well with the sweet cake. 

   When are the layers are construction I plop a bunch of frosting on the top of the cake.  I slowly spread it out until it starts spilling over the sides.  Then as it does I shape it down the side of the cake.  It is easier to encourage the frosting to go down than up! 

   When everything is set, carefully place the fondant decorations on the cake. Squish them in a little so nothing peals back off.   For me presentation is half the fun, so make sure you have a cake plate that you love! I found this one a few weekends ago in the back of an antique shop.  After about an hour of polishing it shined right up!