Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 Tablespoon cocoa

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

1 cup oil

1 cup buttermilk

1 Tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-2 oz. red food coloring

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

    Line trays with cupcake papers.

    Lightly stir eggs in a medium bowl with a wire whisk. Add remaining liquid ingredients and stir together with    whisk until blended. Set aside.

    Place all the dry ingredients in your mixing bowl and stir together with another wire whisk.

    Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix on medium-high for about a minute or until completely combined.

    Pour into cupcake pans and drop the pans on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.

    Bake for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

    Makes 24 cupcakes

Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 cups confectioners’ sugar

    Sift sugar and set aside.

    Beat cream cheese and butter on high until creamy. Add vanilla.

    Then, add the sugar in batches. Scrape down the sides in between each addition.

    And frost away.

Pasta Salads!

Shannon & Lauren made a delicious pasta salad and it was their own creation, no recipe used!  I am impressed :)  
Ingredients are listed below:
Sundried tomatoes, orange and yellow peppers, avocado, feta, pasta, Italian dressing, Italian seasoning, red onion. YUM! 


Now Lara and I did use a recipe for our pasta salad.  It came from the California Avocado Commission.  You can find this delicious recipe by clicking on this link:  http://www.avocado.org/recipe-details/view/31470/mediterranean-pasta-salad-with-california-avocado