First Day of School! First Day of School!

I seriously can't believe I have a Kindergartener!

And Lydia started preschool this year!

Funny Elise

"My eyes are closed, but I can still see you!"

Bushels of Utah State Fair Fun!

We love the state fair. Well maybe I shouldn't speak for Mike. And I'm not sure we would love it as much if we had to pay the full admission price, but we have connections. Anyway, I think it's a fun tradition.
Our favorite things at the fair:
The Future Farmers of America's "Little Hands on the Farm" activity
All the cows, pigs, chickens, rabbits, goats, sheep...expecially if the kids notice them doing anything interesting (bodily functions, you know) and announce it loudly.
The giant vegetables
The arts/crafts and fine arts entries
The empty calories. This year we tried funnel cake. Wow, is it the opposite of healthy!
Visiting Grandma and Grandpa who take tickets at the grandstand, slipping in to catch a bit of a concert.

Peaches'n'Cream Cupcakes

I can't resist a nice competitive contest (does this stem from being an attention-seeking middle child?), so when my friend Wendy Paul wrote a cookbook and then held a best cupcake contest at her book release party, I decided to invent a recipe and enter. My cupcakes turned out pretty tasty, although if I had done a test batch I might have tweaked it a little bit. I actually came in second place and won a prize, which I was thrilled about.

Here is my recipe, exactly how I made it for the book release. Next time I make it, I think I will use more diced peaches in the batter and on top, and only 1 koolaid packet. I also think for the topping you could just use sweetened whipped cream, or cool whip.

Peaches'n'Cream Cupcakes

Batter:
1 white cake mix, prepared as directed but with only half of the oil called for
2 packets unsweetened mango kool-aid (yes, mango, but I think it tastes peachy)
2 large fresh peaches, diced

Filling:
8 oz light cream cheese (Neufchâtel)
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a mixing bowl, combine dry cake mix with Kool-aid powder. Add eggs, water, and half the oil directed on the box. Mix well, about 2 minutes with a mixer. Stir in diced peaches.
In another bowl, make the filling. Cream together softened cream cheese and sugar. Add egg and mix well.
Fill paper liners about 1/4 full with batter. Add a spoonful of filling to each cup, then divide the remaining batter among the cups. Bake about 20 minutes. Allow to cool before frosting.

Frosting:
1 c. cream
1/2 container storebought vanilla frosting

Whip the cream very stiff. Gently combine with frosting. Spread over cooled cupcakes, or pipe from a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off, and garnish with diced peaches on top.

Look, I even took a pretty picture like one of those food bloggers!