Last weekend when I was in Salado (Texas) I stayed at a fantastic bed and breakfast, The Rose Mansion. There were many things I enjoyed about staying there but the biggest luxury to me was waking up to the smell of someone else fixing breakfast!

What decadence to wander out to the dining room at 9 o clock and plop down to a steaming cup of coffee and a hot breakfast that you didn’t have to fix. I gained 4 pounds from Friday to Monday between the B&B and the restaurants that I visited. I would waddle back to my room and unbutton the jeans with a sigh as I rolled onto the bed. I do mean rolled. (more…)

Everyone in my family loves pancakes.  Whether they are flavored, buttermilk, or plain, you can bet that pancakes will disappear pretty quickly around here.

The other day I was shopping and saw the cutest pan ever.  It is by Nordicware and is called “Zoo Friends Pancake Pan”.  It has a nonstick coating and you just put two tablespoons of batter in each compartment.  Your child ends up with an embossed money, giraffe, elephant, or lion…or all four!  The pancakes are a little bigger than silver dollar sized.

I love things like this.  It gives me a chance to be one of those cutting edge Martha Stewart types without any real effort on my part.  Win Win!

image:(c)RestlessChipotle, all rights reserved

Since the flood on Tuesday we have had the nicest weather imaginable. It has been sunny, warm, and even the mud has about disappeared. The water brought the grass forth from the earth, and the flowers are beginning to bloom. Everywhere I look I see redbud trees, wild plum, iris, tulips, and other harbingers of warmer weather.

Our hens are determined to sit on their eggs, even though we are not ready for them to begin that yet…The first set of goat kids is here, with the next batch due any day. Spring.

Lemon filled donuts have always been a favorite of mine, topped only by the most magical donut of them all- Bavarian Cream. And there is something about the sunny yellow lemon that always seems very spring-like to me.

These cake donuts are easy to make, taking less than 45 minutes from start to finish. You can top them with a simple confectioner’s glaze, or choose to simply roll them in sugar as I have done. Either way they are a great way to start Easter, with a cup of coffee. You can make them the night before if you wish, and warm them slightly in the microwave to freshen them.

Of course you don’t have to just have them at Easter…Any day will be a bit more special when you start with one of these! If you can east just one….Bet ya can’t, unless it is the only one left.

Lemon Curd Filled Donuts

Old Fashioned Filled Doughnuts

2 eggs

1 c sugar

1 c half and half

4 c flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp almond extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 tbs melted butter

Heat oil in deep fryer to 370

Blend dry ingredients, except sugar, in a bowl.

Mix eggs, half and half, extracts, butter and sugar until it forms a soft dough. Turn out onto a floured counter. Roll out about 1/4 inch thick and cut into rounds. Make a depression in the rounds with your thumb and put a tsp of lemon curd in the depressions of half the rounds. Wet edges with a little egg and press one unfilled round on the top of each filled round, pinching the edges securely closed, or crimping with a fork.

Fry at 370 until golden turning once. Drain and sugar.

Lemon Curd

1 1/2 c sugar
4 egg yolks
1 c lemon juice
2 TBS lemon zest

3/4 c unsalted butter

In a microwave safe bowl whisk egg yolks, sugar, juice, and zest if using it, until smooth. Microwave in one minute intervals until mixture is thick and coats back of metal spoon. Remove from microwave and add butter, a little at a time, wisking smooth after each addition. Store for up to 3 weeks.