Mini Apricot Cakes (from Bon Appetit, June 2013)

I served these at my Sip and Swap.  They were such a hit, I didn’t even get to try one for myself!

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• good pinch of salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 small apricots, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 4 tablespoons slivered almonds
• 4 tablespoons raw sugar

Preparation

• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, lemon zest, and vanilla and beat until combined.
• With mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients, a third at a time, alternating with the milk, ending with dry ingredients.  Divide batter among muffin cups (cups will be only 1/3 full) and smooth tops. Top with apricot slices, almonds, and sprinkle with raw sugar.
• Bake at 350 degrees until cakes are golden and a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20–25 minutes.
• DO AHEAD: Cakes can be made 1 day ahead.

The Countdown Continues

Four months from today marks the expected arrival of our little sweet pea (we’ve been calling her that for quite some time).  I have to say that the pregnancy was going very smoothly in the beginning.  No nausea or weird food cravings.  I had a few weeks of increased appetite that forced me to eat lunch at 10:30 every morning, but that has subsided.

The 8 week ultrasound revealed her little fingers and legs and a pretty clear side profile that mom and dad were excited to see.  She was situated with her head on my right side.

We revealed that we were pregnant to many of my friends on week 13 by hosting make-your-own grilled pizza and sundae party.  Some of our closer friends found out very early, including our friends who we saw at M&P’s wedding in August

By the 18th week ultrasound, sweet pea had done a 180 with her head on my left side.  It was at that ultrasound that we found out that we were going to be having a little girl (although it wasn’t that apparent to us based on the images).  B was right in that we were going to have a little girl.  He told me that day that he didn’t know anything about little girls since he had never lived with one.  I reassured him by saying that daddies have it easy with little girls.  They love their daddies and save the arguing for moms!

Towards the end of the first trimester, I wasn’t feeling tired, but I slept whenever I would lie down.  Regardless, I tried to stay active as much as I could, although I was easily winded.  I was very proud that I was able to conquer Angel’s Landing again, but this time 15 weeks pregnant.  Trekking upstream through The Narrows was also quite a feat with the extra weight.

15 weeks pregnant

On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving week at week 20, I first felt sweet pea kick.  I was sitting at work when I suddenly felt 3 pokes on the left side of my belly.  I was certain that it was sweet pea!

Thanksgiving weekend was very special for B since it was the first time he felt her kick.  You could also see her poke out of my belly.  That was when B really started to talk to her, play music and even read her Paddington Bear, a book that her auntie bought her.

20 weeks pregnant

The following weekend at week 22, I was awoken by sweet pea in the morning.  I was lying on my right side, and she was kicking my right side.  I rolled onto my back, and over the course of a few minutes, she kicked in the middle of my belly, then on he left side.  Later that morning, B could feel her making circles, and I could see her swirl around my belly button.

Later that same week, I started suffering from sciatica which limited my mobility.  I have started walking more gingerly since it hurt to step onto my right foot.  I’m hoping that as sweet pea moves, it will alleviate the pain.

I have enjoyed being pregnant and I feel like I’m already bonding with my little sweet pea.  I love curling in bed to spend quiet time with her when I can.  B and I are spending a lot of time together at home which I appreciate.  And as much as I am enjoying our time together as a couple, I am trying to patiently wait for the day I finally get to meet sweet pea face to face.

One big family

This past week, my parents came to visit. We spent the week eating around town, and as always, with plenty of wine. We visited some of our regular places we visit when ever my parents are here: Roy’s and Chin’s. We introduced them one of our new neighborhood favorites, Pomodoro. We also tried a place new to all of us, Flavor.

Despite eating out almost every night, we did enjoy a home cooked meal made by yours truly. While shopping at Costco, B picked out a very nice package of boneless short ribs. It was so sweet that he is starting to ask for some of my dishes! So on my parent’s firt night in town, we had spinach salad, braised short ribs with papardelle and red velvet cake!

They say it’s your birthday!

Today is my B’s birthday, and we are having our siblings over for dinner to celebrate. I set the table for 6 for a night of Seafood Fair! I prepared a Crab Stack with Avocado and Mango, Seared Scallops and Salmon with Pomegranate Balsamic Glaze.

I didn’t have a whole lot of time to prepare and cook since I worked that day, so I thought seafood would be the way to go. No long marinating or cooking time! The first course was served around 8pm. Dinner was lively and I think that B had a good time.

Dessert was highly anticipated since I ordered Sprinkles cupcakes for dessert. This Beverly Hills phenomenon just arrived to our hometown maybe about a month or two ago. The lines are out the door UNLESS you order a dozen or more ahead. I took advantage of our big group and ordered 4 different flavors so that each couple would have 4 different flavors to share. The cupcakes were very cute, decorated with their signature modern designs, each flavor having its own design or color scheme. Everyone really liked the red velvets. The banana and carrot were also favorites.

Would I wait in line to pay over 3 dollars for these little bites of heaven? Hmmm, probably not. Although they are very tasty I would rather do something more useful with my time. And why wait over 30 minutes to eat something that you’ll finish in less than 5 minutes?!

What did I get B for his birthday? A Keurig single cup coffee maker that he has been using for the past 3 weeks. Why did he start using it so early, you may ask…well because I’m a terrible hider, and B found it when I asked him to help me put some things away in a closet! Luckily, he didn’t find the jacket I also got for him that was hiding in the other closet!

The first 8 months

Now that wedding and the honeymoon excitement has subsided, B and I have been focusing on building our little nest on a hill. We recently heard news that an acquaintance who married just 1 day before us just had his first baby. Doing the math in my head, that doesn’t really add up…but anyways….I thought about what we have been doing the last 8 months while R and L were preparing their own nest for their new arrival.
Even though we’d been together for over 5 years and spent lots of time together in the past, being married felt different to me (but apparently not for B, according to him!) I suddenly felt like were now co-dependent on each other. I felt like I should have dinner on the table and take care of household duties. B easily slipped into the roles of dishwasher and garbage taker-outer (as always), vacuumer and landscaper. Aside from uncertainty and instability at work, the first 8 months of marriage have been wonderful!
We’re gradually adding furniture pieces, the most recent are a second couch upstairs and 2 bedrooms chair, one of which I’m sitting in now. It took us about 7 months to hang the oil painting of Venice upstairs in the living room. It’s special since we picked it out together one afternoon spent in Coronado. Domestic items we have purchased that I’ve never considered to get before include and steam mop, and good sized collection of throw pillows and steam iron.
The past summer in particular has been one to remember. We started to get to know our neighborhood including the walking path to the local market and enjoying the Cabrillo National Monument. We took walks on warm nights to the park via the hidden staircase B discovered while jogging.
TRIPS:
Although we haven’t lived up to our agreement that we would travel somewhere far and exotic every 6 months, we managed to take a quick trip to Yosemite as part of our trek to Fresno for M and L’s wedding reception. Although we froze in a non-insulating permanent tent and used public showers and bathrooms at Camp Curry, it was a great trip, a true vacation. It was B’s first time actually seeing the summit point, and even though I had seen it before, we were both awe-inspired by the breathtaking view. We (actually more B) hiked along the path of the waterfall right when we arrived in the park. We completed the vertical hike along Nevada Falls which is about 7 miles I believe. When we finally made it to the top, we enjoyed the view from the fall’s break point and the serene waters with a very aggressive squirrel. The second day was spent going to Glacier Point, probably B’s favorite spot of the trip. We then took a short hike up and rock just a little smaller than Half Dome and took some fun pictured that made it appear that we were climbing a huge rock! On our final day we saw the Giant Sequoia’s, walking right through one of them! We met a couple who went to med school at UCSD and who were friends with an former pharmacy resident-small world!
Travelling to Santa Barbara is also a relaxing getaway and we can visit family at the same time. We stayed with B’s parents and traveled to wine country via Solvang. We got a great bottle (to be enjoyed) which has notes of smoke and coffee. A very complex flavor profile that I’m looking forward to drink!
CELEBRATIONS and PLAYING HOUSE:
My first venture in my new kitchen was making homemade scones with a recipe from the Cook’s Illustrated subscription I received as a bridal shower gift. The strawberry ones were so much better than the blueberries (when overboard on the blueberries). In any case, B’s work and Uncle P and Aunt L appreciated them.
We hosted our first dinner guests on out 1 month anniversary, cooking Thai food for 10 guests (our SSC group). I will definitely think twice about cooking Asian food for a big group next time!
C and M came over to make lamb shanks braised in red wine with risotto and strawberry shortcakes on one summer evening which really made the kitchen and the house feel more like home.
Thanksgiving was also another milestone in our 1st year that was so wonderful! I planned for quite a while, trying to find the perfect apple pie and pumpkin pie dish. Although my efforts to make homemade pie dough using bourbon was an absolute flop, the house-full of people appreciated our hospitality. The menu consisted of:
Herb roasted brined turkey and gravy, Mashed potatoes, Roasted sweet potatoes and yams, Mac and cheese, Cornbread stuffing with sausage mushroom apple and cranberry, Mixed marinated veggie salad, Mom’s Broccoli casserole and Rice stuffing, C’s grown-up’s string bean casserole. Dessert was skillet apple pie, pumpkin pie, pecan squares and Nancy’s organic carrot cake.
For my birthday, B surprised me with a day at December nights, noshing on fried potato balls and papusas, visiting the natural history museum and listening to local groups perform at the Organ Pavilion. The night was topped off with a l dinner at Kensington Grill with D, M and H and dessert with Mae and Heaven Sent-Red Velvet of course!
After hosting a Holiday Party for B pharmacy staff, Christmas was pretty low key since I was battling a bad cold or URI of some sort. B gave me a beautiful pearl necklace, and he liked the Citizen EcoDrive watch I picked out for home. One new thing that we did that may become a family tradition was check out the Christmas lights and decorations on B stumbled across on delivery run for work. Although there aren’t that many houses, it was quite a sight…like Disneyland!

Our first extended house guests 2 families with 2 rambunctious kids, particularly the little 2 year old G who has a hot head and stubborn personality. C got a glimpse into parenthood and thought that kids were as cute as she had thought! Made J*’s little 6 month old A* seem like an angel from heaven. He hung out at our house for about an hour for dinner with little more than a bit of fussiness.  He chilled with B on the couch watching the Laker’s game with him and patiently sat in his carseat without a peep. So sweet! Just re-enforced that not all kids are the devil’s child!
Last weekend was Chinese New Year and mom and dad came to visit. This is their second visit since B started calling them mom and dad. Kinda weird….we celebrated New Year’s Day and Vigilucci’s which was surprisingly good! Traditional Chinese New Year Dinner was Saturday night when we split our time and stomachs between Auntie’s house and ours. Mom made big tempura shrimp, fried wontons and yummy sweet and sticky spareribs as appetizers. We feasted on miso glazed salmon, lion head, sugar snap peas and chai. M tried so hard to make an impression. He wore red (along with wearing ‘crimson’ after approval from C on Thursday night) and ventured to the local Asian market in search of a pomelo and mochi!
So far, it has been a great ride, and I am looking forward to continuing it. As my mom alluded to as I handed her a New Year’s red envelope for the first time as a married daughter, B is a part of the family now. Mom acknowledged that she is an in-law now….timing possibly related to the New Year? But she said that she was hoping that grand kids would be on the way soon. We’re still trying to squeeze in some fun travels, but we will see what the future holds!