Peaches for You, Peaches for Me

I am not a huge fruit person, but I am happy that the few fruits that I actually like are in season. Gilbert loves my peach and blueberry cobbler, but I wanted to try something new, so I searched Food Network's library and found a new recipe by my favorite Southern Cook (besides my Mom), Paula Deen. Here is the receipe - I cut it in half - so my version will make 6 servings.

The Lady's Peach Shortcake - Paula Deen

Shortcakes

2 cups bisquick

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup milk

1 tablespoon melted butter

3/4 teaspoon almond flavoring

Peaches

3-4 peaches

Fruit Fresh (fruit preservative)

Spash warm water

3/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To make the shortcakes, mix the bisquick, sugar, milk, butter and almond flavoring in a medium size bowl and pour into 6 muffin tins. (You can grease them, but I used cupcake paper things). Bake for 15-20 minutes until done and remove from oven. Cool for 5 minutes and pop out of pan.

Peel, core and slice the peaches. Immediately sprinkle with Fruit Fresh to prevent peaches from turing dark. Add a splash of warm water to the peaches to moisten. Stir sugar into the peaches, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. (The peaches kept very well over night. Just use plenty of the preservative)

When you are ready to eat, cut the muffin in half. You can either make a sandwhich or put the muffin halves side by side. Layer some vanilla ice cream, then peaches, then whipped cream. (I never said this was a healthy snack!!)

Here are some pics. Mine was the sanwhich and Gilbert's is the side by side with that nasty Redi Whip!! They are delicious and a great way to enjoy peaches in the summer!!

Yum Yum!

Relaxing (and a bit unproductive) Weekend

Gilbert and I had a really nice weekend. We went to dinner on Friday night and afterwards went driving around South Austin. We ended up way South - on 1826 and found our dream neighborhood called "The Overlook at Lewis Mountain". We had the windows rolled down and could actually hear the sounds of the country. Each home was on at least an acre lot and had amazing views of the Hill Country. We just have to work really hard over the next few years - as the cheapest house in the area was $480,000!! But it is always good to have goals, right?!?

On Saturday morning I met my friend Danyelle at Cafe Monet for lunch and pottery. Cafe Monet lets you bring your lunch in and pick a piece of pottery and paint it. They will glaze it and fire it. I picked a medium size bowl and painted the outside a midnight blue and the inside black. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it comes out okay! Art (and a steady hand and patience) are not my forte!

On Saturday night we went to Joe and Rebekah's for poker night. We played for about an hour and a half and I managed to double my money and Gilbert managed to lose his in the last hand. I think he did it on purpose (lose that is) - always having to go out with a bang!

On Sunday morning we taught Sunday school and had kinder. I LOVE kinder - they are so much better than the 3rd graders that we had before. They still like being around adults and have not yet learned how to be bad! I think we are going to try and stick with them!

What we should have done this weekend was some cleaning and some yard work. We have been getting lots of rain - which is great - but it has also caused our backyard to once again look like a forest. I don't know what we are going to do!!!

Cook-Out

On Thursday we were invited over to our friends Jorge and Jenny's house for a cook-out on their brand new deck. Jorge's brother and his wife and son were visiting from Yuma, Arizona. It was nice to meet them and see all the kids play together. The new deck that Jorge and Jenny built is amazing - the perfect place to go and relax. We had a great time just hanging out and talking. And Mario did a great job with the steaks!! Very chill!

The Aldrete Brothers - Mario, Jorge, Ernesto

Me & Jenny

Wedding Weekend

This weekend we traveled down to the Valley for Thelma and Raul's wedding. Growing up my Dad would always get hyped up before a road trip and I told myself that I would NEVER be that way. Never say Never - I am so much like my Dad in the trip category. For my defensive, Friday was filled with troubles - the first being the garage door (it wouldn't go down!) and the second being our phone line being out. It felt go good once we loaded up the truck and pulled out of the driveway. The garage door and dead phone line would just have to wait until we came back!

The wedding and reception were beautiful and it was great to spend time with family. We were able to visit Gilbert's grandparents and Gilbert's Dad came from Mexico, where he has been working, to see all of us. While at the reception, Gilbert, Robby, Katie and I played hangman. It was really hard to stump them! And then I did MASH on Robby. Do you remember that?? His answers were super funny and I can't wait to remind him of his "future" when he is a little older!

Katie took control of our camera and told us to make mad faces.

Yum Yum

On Friday night Gilbert and I decided to try a new restaurant in town. We didn't know anything about it, but were up for something new! As we pulled in the parking lot, Gilbert saw someone he knew (big shock!!) who happened to work there and he assured us that the food was great. And he was so right! The name of the restaurant is Estancia Churrascaria - and it is a Brazilian Steakhouse. The price for the food was an all-in price per person that included the salad bar, side dishes and all the meat you could ever want! Each person has a card - red on one side and green on the other. When you are ready for your meat and sides, you flip the card to green. Men are circulating with the meat and will come to your table and cut as much as you would like. There were about 8 different types of meat - and some chicken. The food was SO flavorful. I ate enough meat to last me a long, long time!!

When we got home, we goofed off with the camera. No way we could go to bed with such a full stomach!!

Fun in the Sun

We were blessed with beautiful sunny weather this weekend. I did not work on Friday, so spent the day with Jenny, Isabella and JD. We went to the Barton Creek Country Club so the kids could enjoy rhe pool and so Jenny and I could enjoy some of the best frozen margaritas! It was JD's first time in a pool and he loved it. It was a wonderful afternoon!

Isabella, Jenny, JD

Saturday was Katie's birthday party at Lake Bastrop. Since Gilbert had to work, Megan joined me for the party. It was another beautiful and sunny day and Megan and I were able to soak up the rays while the kids played around in the lake.

Megan in her chic shades

Katie blowing out her 8 candles

Robby getting a cupcake

Miss Sophie

I wanted to post an updated picture of Sophia. My sister just sent this to me and it is super cute. I can't get over how "grown-up" she looks!