More Cupcake Goodness!

Yummy, yummy, yummy! Here are our Father's Day Cupcakes from last month.
You may have had this cake in "cake form", but I highly recommend trying it as a cupcake!

Start with your DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE Mix. I use the Pillsbury brand. It makes a full 24 and they are plump and round! After they cool poke holes in the cupcakes and pour SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK over the cupcakes. Next I frost with Pillsbury FUDGE FROSTING. I have recipes to make my own... but this is SO GOOD and SO EASY! Next pipe COOL WHIP on top followed by crushed HEATH BAR. Oh yeah!

This recipe is so simple, but so effective! I'm sure Ryan got the message
"HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!"

Today I headed up to Logan Canyon to spend the day with family at a cabin. It was so nice of my cousin to invite us to share in their family reunion. I figured the least I could do was bring CUPCAKES! They are perfect for any OCCASION!

Start with a Pillsbury WHITE CAKE mix and bake as directed. This time I divided the batch in half so I could make two different flavors - STRAWBERRY and PEACH.
Prepare a box of strawberry and a box of peach JELL-O as directed. Before allowing Jell-O to cool and set, carefully poor over cupcakes that have been "forked" allowing the jell-o goodness to seep in. Do this for the peach cupcakes and again for the strawberry ones. After they have cooled pipe on COOL WHIP (buy two tubs or one large one to be safe). Top off with a slice of strawberry or nectarine. Yes, I know they are peach flavored, but NECTARINES are so much better!

Such an easy recipe, but so ELEGANT! These would be perfect for a baby or bridal SHOWER. They are kid friendly as well. I think my cousin's son ate 4 maybe 5! Now that's a compliment to the chef!

Celebration!

It's a BIG day at the Hochstrasser's! Today Ryan turns 33! Since he is so awesome I decided we had to celebrate in style! How better to celebrate than with CUPCAKES!?! Just like there are multiple things about Ryan I like, there are multiple flavors up cupcakes to like, so Ryan got TWO different flavors. If I had the skill and know-how he would have got 33 different flavors...

Here's to you Ryan! Raise a cupcake and take a bite, you deserve it. It's been a big year so far. You've taken a new job and moved your family across the country. I can't count the bedtime stories you've read or the delicious pizzas you have made. Through it all your dental hygiene has been outstanding, and your dedication to your family superior. I have no complaints! Let the good times roll and may this next year bring more good and more cupcakes! Hugs and Love to You! Love, ~Karin~

Raspberry Chocolate Delight

This little concoction starts with a Pillsbury Devil's Food Cake Mix. Bake as directed on box. While the cupcakes are cooling I poked them with a fork and poured warm raspberry seedless jam that was mixed into warm water in a sauce pan, over the cup cakes.

Next the cupcakes are filled with a Raspberry Frosting, and then frosted on top:
8oz cream cheese
4 Tbls Seedless Raspberry Jam
1 tsp. Vanilla
1-2 c. Powdered Sugar (to desired consistency)
1 tub Cool Whip
Yum Yum!!

To top them off I piped Pillsbury Fudge Frosting on the tops, added sprinkles and a quarter of a Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate Raspberry square.
Joshy gobbled this up and begged for more.

Peanut Butter Pleasers

I know my man, and I know he loves Peanut Butter, and I know he loves Chocolate. This was teh ultimate combination of both!

Once again, I started with a Pillsbury Devil's Food Cake Mix. I spooned a small scoop of the batter into the liners followed by a scoop of Peanut Butter Filling and then topped off again by more cake batter. After swirling them all together it was time for the oven.

Peanut Butter Filling courtesy of Martha:
1/2 stick butter melted
1/2 c. powdered sugar
3/4 c. peanut butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla

After they were baked they were topped with Pillsbury Fudge Frosting followed by my own recipe for Peanut Butter Frosting. The finishing touch: Crushed Peanut Butter Cups.


Peanut Butter Frosting:
1 lb. powdered sugar (half bag)
1/3 c. shortening
1/3 c. peanut butter
2-3 Tbls melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. milk

I told Ryan I earned some bragging rights for this one. They were sooooo good! Did I mention I served the P.B ones with vanilla ice cream with Reeses P.B Chocolate Magic Shell? Oh yeah!

It's nice to have someone so deserving to bake for! Thanks for being so great Ryan! Happy Birthday!

Here We Go Again! St. Louis Part 3

It almost didn't happen with the 99 degree temperature, not to mention the humidity, BUT we made it to the St. Louis Zoo! Joshy was able to connect with his inner chimp and all in all we had a really good time. (Plus it was free AND we got a close parking spot!)

One of the best parts of the whole week for Danny was a little one on one time with what Danny calls "Sting-less Rays". (They don't have "stingers" any more.) He loved every moment of it and got his $3.oo worth.


These penguins were amazing! Plus there were no complaints visiting their air conditioned environment!

One of our last adventures was visiting the Arch. Danny and Josh stayed with Nana, and Jared, Ryan and I took the 3 minute tram ride to the TOP of the Arch! It was a little room with a large view! As exciting as it was, I don't think I need to do that again.

Despite the flooding Mississippi and limited parking, we made it to the Arch and we are glad we did!

Hochstrasser Family Reunion Part 2

Hangin' with the Cousins is always the best part of vacation when you are a kid! These two are great cousins, if only they didn't live so far away in Georgia!

Joshy and Weston chillin' at the pool. They are destined to be buddies for sure!

It's all smiles at the water park for Jared and well... I can't tell about Josh.

Yeah for all the cousins together again! Raise your hand if you love Grandpa and Nana!

We took a break from the humidity and visited "The Magic House".
There was a little city for little folk. Jared loved the fishing stream.

When Danny wasn't repairing cars he was busy at work in the Construction Zone.

Joshy had a chance to visit "Wonderland" and have his first tea party. I'm pretty sure it isn't his "thing". What do you think?

Hochstrasser Family Reunion part 1

In June we loaded up the minivan and headed east. Twenty hours of driving later,( plus a few following detour signs to get over the flooding Missouri river...) we made it to St. Louis for a Hochstrasser family Reunion! Every day was filled to over following with activities and outings. We fit as much into our 5 days there as we possibly could.

Even with our busy schedule the ladies got out for a good G.N.O (Girls's Night Out) which was actually a surprise baby shower for Christina! Where else better to celebrate than The Cheese Cake Factory?!?

All of Ryan's siblings and their families along with his Mom and Dad were able to come. To make things even more official, Ryan designed a t-shirt for the reunion. Don't we look good matching?

We visited the "City Museum", a crazy, huge building filled with play ground / sculpture installations for old and young to climb in and on. Among all the chaos was a 10 story slide... and that seemed mild compared to the the jungle gym of contraptions outside the building that reached up to the roof!

How could I visit St. Louis without seeing where Ryan's brother Jason works? April, Mikaela and I got a private tour of the operating room after hours. We had a lot of fun... and hope Jason still has a job!

At the science museum the boys enjoyed learning all about everything from dinosaurs to space ships!

Looking out over the freeway through the sky-way tunnel was a highlight for sure!


I loved the Botanical gardens! We all had on our matching shirts, but somehow I still got separated from the group. In the mean time I took pictures of the flowers and enjoyed the quiet.

Eventually we all met up again!