Dylan & Erica’s Place…

February 16, 2010

And I have made it to 8 weeks! Woo hoo! I can’t wait to see Jelly Bean (aka Hamburgler) again! I have a feeling if everything goes well.. Please God let everything go well.. I will officially graduate from my RE.
I’m sort of sad actually to tell you the truth. I love him so much. He is so caring, understanding, cute (yes I said cute), sweet, smart, knowledgeable. Man I could go on and on. I wish he could follow me through my whole pregnancy and get to meet and see him or her. The good thing is he is very good friends with my OB and my OB is upstairs in the same office building. Maybe one day I can accidentally run into him with our new little one.

I will be happy to graduate but sure am going to miss Dr. H. We are definitely going to see him with #2 if I still have ovulation issues.

So whats going on with me? Lets see. I’m sick. I throw up alot. It has gotten a little better but as weird as it sounds, it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside! Its very reassuring.

I love burgers. I can’t get enough burgers. Actually I want sonic now. OH MY GOD, a double cheeseburger sounds ridiculously awesome right now.

I’m tired to the extent that I didn’t know I could be tired. Seriously I could sleep all day and still be tired.

I have to pee about a million times in one night.

My pants don’t fit.

I ate banana pudding for dinner last night.

I haven’t worked out in a week.

I went to the gym yesterday and forgot my pants. Who does that?

Did I mention I barf at night?
Oh and lets not forget the crazy ass dreams I have.

You know what? I wouldn’t change this FOR A THING! I absolutely love it. I know lots of women who complain. Who are upset. Why do I have to be sick. Why do my pants not fight. Women that are miserable. But I personally love it. I love knowing I am making a little person. I love that God has given me and Dylan this opportunity. I wouldn’t trade this for a million bucks. I wouldn’t trade it for energy. I wouldn’t trade it for a bigger bladder.

This is simply amazing. And for all you ladies out there trying to start a family, DONT GIVE UP! I know its hard. I know how many tears I have shed over this. I know how many times I was upset with God but in the end he came through for us. And that is simply amazing! I thank him every.single.day.

February 2, 2010:
I’ve been a horrible blogger. There is a reason. Main reason is shown below:

Can you see that? Can you see our jelly bean? Can you see it? Yes I’m pregnant. I’m 6w3d today. Last Friday we got to see a heartbeat and it was truly amazing. Dylan wanted to take a photo with his iphone and my RE said, here’s a print out. So sweet!

So why didn’t I blog this earlier. We are just cautiously excited. Don’t get me wrong. I wanted to share it with the entire world, just need to be cautious.

I will never forget my positive test. I decided to test after my temp went up on cd11. It NEVER stays up that high. EVER. It always plummets. I didn’t even feel different this cycle. I was just ready to get some testing done after this cycle.

Well that Thursday morning (January 13, 2010) it was as early as 5 in the morning and Dylan was already getting ready for work. I’m lazy and SLEEP forever but I just had to pee so I walk to the bathroom, pull down my pants, and ‘Knocked Up’ (the movie) style, pee on a stick.

I stare and stare and say, Oh sh*t. There’s a line. I see it. Oh My. I get the stick run down the stairs into the kitchen where Dylan is making his coffee and say, Oh My God. Do you see it? He says, yeah but its so faint. My comment, who cares! Its a line! We’re having a baby!

I then can’t go back to sleep. Go figure and call my RE’s office when they open I go in for a beta and its 33. 33!! I’m pregnant! I can’t believe it.

I then have multiple betas and they all seem to be doing great and multiplying correctly. I’m still in shock. Its so amazing. So unbelievable. It happened.

Like I said, on Friday I saw our little jelly bean and its little heart thumping away. So tiny but so loved already.

Tomorrow I go in for another u/s. I’m hoping this time we can measure the heartbeat and will get to see little jelly bean’s growth.

Its truly amazing!

of not post for more than a year. In a year we have gone from my husband almost dying to expecting our first child.

I’ll first start with our journey and my husband almost dying.

The Rollercoaster

So you want to know what this rollercoaster was? Oh just wait.
First let me tell you a little about Dylan. Dylan is so optimistic, sometimes a little too much. He always tells me to calm down, don’t worry, everything is going to be okay. He is my rock, my strength and my best friend. He is my everything.

On Dylan’s 27th birthday he decided to take the day off and enjoy his birthday. We were just sitting at home and he decided to go out for a jog. When he returns he tells me he can’t type and my laptop is acting funny. Weird? My computer? NO WAY! See Dylan always complains about my computer. It was old, big, bulky, and heavy. He didn’t think twice about MY computer being the problem of why he couldn’t type.

Fast forward to the next day Monday, Dylan chats with me online and starts complaining about not being able to write with his right hand. I tell him to make an appointment with a neurologist and what do you know, HE DOESN’T! That’s fine. I start obsessing (what I’m good at) and start googling his symptoms and realize he has Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Well, this is my diagnosis; I’m not a doctor or anything. Nothing that bad, nothing too much to worry about right? WRONG!

Tuesday night Dylan showed me how he couldn’t even pick up his pen while trying to write. I tell him, scratch that, I DEMAND him to get an appointment with a neurologist ASAP. He says he will.

Wednesday morning Dylan calls me on the way into work and says, “I’m going to the Emergency Room, I’m slurring my words and my hand doesn’t work at all.” Great. I tell him to stop what he is doing and I will pick him up. I meet him at a shopping center parking lot and he gets in my car and we drive to the Emergency Room. We still think it’s nothing that serious. Well, I try to convince him it’s just a really BAD migraine and everything will be fine. RIGHT? WRONG!

June 11, 2009 is when my world changed forever. Dylan was sent for a CT scan and when Dr. D came back with the results he said some of the words that changed my life…

“Mrs. T, Mr. T’s brain is bleeding.” YES that’s right, my husband, my rock, my twenty something husband who has NEVER had surgery in his life, who JUST ran a 10K two weeks ago, has a brain bleed. I stand there looking at him, holding onto his hand so tight lost and confused. HOW? How could this happen to us? We are so young. He is so young. What do you mean brain bleed? Is it still bleeding? Make it stop. What can we do?

A million and one thoughts were going through my head and I look at Dylan and he starts to tear up. Surprisingly I’m not yet. I ask some very odd questions according to Dylan. I ask the doctor, “What caused this? And what is the worst case scenario? Is it brain cancer? Is he going to die?”

NO! It can’t be! We don’t have children yet. He can’t die. How I went from brain bleed to dying I don’t know. It must be the pessimism in me.

Well Dr. D left us alone and I asked Dylan how he was. He was fine. He had anti anxiety medicine. He was fine. I’m not fine. He asked me how I was. I said fine, even though we all know I wasn’t. We were going to be okay. It was just a bump in the road, nothing too serious. I mean it’s JUST a brain bleed. Little did he know the minute I walked out to call my friends and family I lost it. Completely lost it. I cried, I cried more, I threw up, and I gained my composure and walked back into the ER room. (Thank goodness for wonderful friends and family. Without them, well I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have been the rock I was.)

By this time my friends had come to see us and were keeping me a little calm. Everyone has asked me what was going through my head and all I can say is this.

I was upset. I was pissed. I was hurt because I knew if Dylan left this world I wouldn’t have had any children with him. We didn’t have a family. I was so sad and hurt. So I took his hand, looked at him with a big smile on my face and tears in my eyes and said, “If you make it through this alive, I promise you I will no longer wait to have children. We are starting a family the MINUTE you are released from your doctor”. See, I always wanted to wait to have children. He was ready. I wasn’t there yet. I don’t know why I wanted to wait. There weren’t really any reasons. I just wanted to wait.
And that is where our journey of trying to start a family started. With a small promise I made with my husband in a hospital bed in the middle of an Emergency Room.

So I am sure right now you want to know what caused the brain bleed and how Dylan is.

Cause: A golf ball size mass.

Where did this mass come from? Well he was born with it. I always knew my husband was a little odd, I just didn’t know he was born that way!

The night before his surgery, AKA our 2 year anniversary, Dylan could not walk, talk, or use his arms. He was paralyzed on the entire right side. I looked at him in amazement. This entire time he never thought he was going to die, he was so strong which made me stronger for him. He was and is truly amazing. Simply, amazing.

Dylan had brain surgery on our 2 year + 1 day anniversary, 14 days after his initial diagnosis of a brain hemorrhage. In those 14 days he went from walking and talking to having seizures and paralysis.

His wonderful amazing neurosurgeon removed the mass from his brain in 6 hours. (I will say I have a slight crush on him. Would you expect any less? He gave me back my husband!)

Two hours after surgery I saw my husband for the first time in recovery and I fell in love with him all over again. I was so proud of him. His first surgery was brain surgery and he had made it. I looked at him with tears in my eyes and said, “You did it. How are you feeling?” He looks at me and says, “Okay but my throat hurts”. So amazed and happy I said, “I’m so happy and grateful right now”. Then it hit me. HOLY CRAP! He is talking! He isn’t slurring! I ask him to move his legs and in amazement he moves them. No problem! My eyes are filled with tears and we hug and cry! This was and will always be one of the best moments of my life. Photo warning for below: Picture was taken right after surgery.

 Hours after brain surgery!
Can you tell I haven’t slept in days

If you are wondering how he is now, well let me just tell you, as I am writing this Dylan is working out and jogging. Can you say Over-Achiever?

So this is my story and how the journey started for us.

One month after brain surgery!

I have been a HORRIBLE, yes HORRIBLE blogger.  I haven’t updated this thing in forever.  And for that I am sorry.  I hope you can forgive me.  For forgiveness I will give you one of these.Chocolate Cupcakes, from Bakerella2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour2/3 cup cocoa1 1/2 tsp baking soda1 1/2 tsp baking powder1/2 tsp salt2 cups sugar3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature3 eggs, room temperature1 1/4 c milk, room temperature1 tsp vanilla* Preheat oven to 350 degrees.* Prepare cupcake pans with 36 baking cups.* With a wire whisk, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.* In a mixer, cream sugar and butter.* Add eggs one at a time, scraping down sides with each addition. Add vanilla.* Add flour mixture to the creamed butter in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions. (flour, milk, flour, milk, flour)* Bake for about 15 minutes or until done.* Cool and frost.I frosted with my favorite icing recipe:Whipped Cream, adapted from Cherie Brown (Dylan’s awesome Aunt who can bake up a freaking storm)12 oz HEAVY whipping cream (this is better to use because it holds its form and peaks better)3-4 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar1 teaspoon of vanilladash of cinnamonBefore making your cream place your large steel bowl you use with that mixer you have.  You know the one that has the initials of K.A. You know what I am talking about!  Place that bowl along with the whisk inside the freezer for about an hour until they are chilled. Beat cream and confectioners’ sugar in a large chilled  bowl until stiff peaks form. Spoon the whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with your favorite tip and pipe patterns onto your cupcakes.  Now just decorate! Use anything you would like Sour Punch Straws, Jelly Beans, Chocolate Milk Balls.. Anything you can think of!

My wonderful husband got me a cookbook for Christmas and it has nothing but cookies in it.  Its really neat.  Well on Sunday I asked Dylan what he wanted me to make out of this cookbook.  His choice.  I was certain it was going to have mint or peanut butter in it.  YUCK! I hate mint.. I hate peanut butter so I was thinking its not going to be a cookie I want.

Well I was wrong.  He decided to pick this cookie called, chocolate chip cookes in a cookie.  The recipe says this cookie is a cookie for all cookie lovers.  The lovers that love crisp chocolate chip cookies and the lovers who love soft chewy chocolate chip cookies.

This recipe is simple.  You make a batch of cookie dough.  Some of the cookie dough is baked into crisp cookies.  Then these cookies are cooled and mixed into the remaining unbaked dough and then baked together.

The result, a soft and chewy cookie with crisp pieces of cookie throughout the whole cookie.  My favorite cookie of all time. They were so good that less than 24 hours after they were baked, my cookie jar looked like this..

Twice Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies, Adapted from Elinor Klivans, 2005

2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups chocolate chips, semi sweet

Preheat oven to 350. Position oven rack in the middle of the oven. Line 2 sheets of baking sheets with parchment paper. One will be used later.

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smoothly blended, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until blended, about one minute. On low speed, add the flour mixture, mixing until it is incorporated, Mix in the chocolate chips.

Drop 10 heaping tablespoons (about 3 level tablespoons of each) of dough 3 inches apart onto one of the prepared baking sheets. Set the remaining dough aside. bake until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned but the centers are golden, about 13-15 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Line the baking sheet with a clean piece of parchment paper.

Break the cooled cookies into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces.  Add the pieces to the reserved dough and mix on low speed just to distribute them evenly, about 10 seconds.  Using an ice cream scoop, scoop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until they feel firm on the top but are still soft in the center and the edges are beginning to brown slightly, about 15 minutes.  Cool the cookies on the  baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool.

I love cookies.  Nothing is better than a glass of milk and a hot warm soft cookie.  Whats my favorite?  Good question. Chocolate chip? Well that is good, however its a little too plain jane for me.  Chocolate chip oatmeal? Oh well those are delicious, but I wanted something different. I had some cranberries in the pantry that I needed to get rid of  therefore, chocolate chip oatmeal cranberry walnut cookies evolved in my kitchen.  They were delicious.  So soft.  So yummy.  They were so great Dylan ate AT LEAST a dozen.  I kid you not.  At least a dozen!  When I asked him where they all went, he smiled, and pointed at his belly and then he went upstairs to the treadmill.  And to make this even better is the fact that Dylan doesn’t even like cranberries! He claims you can’t taste them.  I think he just realized he likes cranberries.  One day everyone should ask him about his cream cheese adventure and if he likes cream cheese.

Enjoy these cookies with a nice cold glass of milk.  Oh and if you are trying to stay on your New Year Resolution.. Try making the cookies smaller and just eating one with skim milk.

Chewy Cranberry Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Adapted from here

1 ½ cups  All purpose flour
1 tsp Baking soda
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Ground cinnamon
2 ½ cups Old fashioned oats
2 sticks Unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 cup Packed light brown sugar
½ cup Granulated sugar
2  Large eggs, beaten lightly
1 T Honey
2 tsp Pure vanilla extract
6 oz Dried Cranberries
5 oz Chopped pecans about 1 cup 3 oz Mini chocolate chip morsels about ½ cuo

Directions:

• Oven to 350 degrees F.  Line sheet pans with parchment.
• Mix the dry ingredients together, then stir in the oats. Set aside.
• Beat the butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, then scrape down the bowl; add the honey and vanilla and beat until blended.
• Add the flour mixture in two additions, beating each until well combined.
• Stir in the cranberries and pecans and chips.
• Drop by tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart on parchment lined sheet pans.
• Bake until the centers of the cookies are soft and no longer look wet; about 11-13 minutes.

Oreo balls that is.  Get your mind out of the gutter.  My husband LOVES making these things.  Ever since my nephews 1st birthday party (over a year ago) he decided this is his favorite thing to make.  There is no baking involved.

Dylan has an annual cookie exchange and he makes these for the wonderful women he works with.  They love him more and more every year whenever he brings them in.  I have to say, I’m proud of him.

I decided this year to make some for our first cookie exchange at the office.  I really enjoyed piping the chocolate on them and decorating them.  What I didnt like? I don’t like coating them.  But I do have some wonderful hints on doing it.

• To change it up, also try the “cool” mint-flavored Oreos.
• Either let the cream cheese warm up to room temperature or just cut it into pieces with a butter knife. If it’s soft or cut up, the mixing will go faster.
• If using white colored bark, you may not want to attempt to color it with food coloring… the color seems to screw-up the consistency, turning the bark into a paste akin to play dough… However, if you add a little canola oil to it and keep stirring, you may be able to correct it.
• If using two flavors/colors of bark, try alternating the colors of the balls and then “sprinkling” the other color over them. It looks neat.
• It seems using double stuffed Oreos helps.  I know some people don’t like using the double stuffed, however I do prefer them.

Oreo Balls

Ingredients:
•    One package of Oreos
•    One 8oz. package of cream cheese
•    Almond bark (for dipping)
•    Cookie sheet with parchment paper
•    Hand soap (it’s messy)

1.    Dump all of the Oreos into a large freezer bag and bash them to bits. A rolling pin helps a lot. Or hitting your husband with the bag =) Just kidding
2.    Once Oreos are nothing but a sack of crumbs, dump the contents of the freezer bag into a mixing bowl (some of the filling may adhere to the side of the bag; so you may need to scrape it off).
3.    Add cream cheese to the Oreo crumbs and start mixing it. The desired result will resemble a paste and be kinda sticky and messy (see??).
4.    Using your hands, form the mixture into balls and place them each on the parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Each package of Oreos and cream cheese should make about 20 balls.
5.    Put the cookie sheet into the fridge to chill for 1.5 to 2 hours.
6.    Melt the bark in a double boiler on your stove (the double boiler method, though a tad time-consuming, is the one method that is least likely to result in burned chocolate.)
7.    When melted, dip the balls in the chocolate. Spin them around a bit to get them coated nicely. When done, put them back on the parchment paper for cooling.
8.    Eat (once cooled and dry).

Time to try to make  all baked goods out of PUMPKIN!! I love pumpkin.  Its so yummy.  And you know what goes great with pumpkin.. cream cheese.  A friend of mine gave me this recipe.. actually I don’t know where she got it from so I really don’t k now who to give credit to.  I am very sorry. Whoever came up with this.. let me know.  I’ll give you credit where credit is deserved.  This recipe is wonderful.  It really is.  The cake is very moist and the cream cheese.. well cream cheese is just good no matter what.  Make it for yourself and you shall see.  This is definitely going on my Thanksgiving Menu!

Cake:

3 eggs

1/2 cup pumpkin

1 cup granulated sugar

1 t baking soda

3/4 cup flour

Filling:

2 T cake batter

8 oz cream cheese

3/4 t vanilla extract

1 c powdered sugar (plus extra for dusting)

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix cake batter.  Place wax paper on a small greased jelly roll pan. I used a small one.  If you are making large rolls you can use
a large pan like the size of a regular cookie sheet.  In this case do not half the recipe.  Pour 1/2 of the batter into the pan and bake for 15 minutes.  Dust a dish towel (I use the kind that does not have lint) with powdered sugar to prevent it from sticking.  Flip the cake on to the towel and let it cool slightly.  Peel off the wax paper and roll the cake up inside of the towel.  Let it cool completely, unroll the cake and spread half of the filling inside, then roll the cake again.  Slice and serve.

It makes two cakes, and they freeze well.

** I am very sorry.  My camera is having some problems at the moment.  I have pictures to upload just no way to upload them.  I know I know.. photos make people want to cook my recipes but please I am begging you.. COOK THIS TONIGHT! Don’t wait another minute.  I promise pictures to come soon!!

Growing up my brothers were into sports and every Friday night (or Thursday) we would go to High School football games.  As I got older, I became a cheerleader and then it was my time to go to football games.  My favorite thing about Friday football games were the Frito Pies.  I know.  I should be excited about the game, winning, the sport.  But NO I get excited about eating Frito Pie. Mmmm There is NOTHING better than eating that Frito Pie out of the Frito bag… It was so SCRUMPTIOUS!

The other day we got a cool front here in Houston.  Yes, that means it got down to about 60 (Ha!).  I wanted chili.  Yum.  Chili by far is my favorite meal to cook.  I love it.  I can eat it every day for a week.  Maybe even two.  This is the only meal I can eat leftovers of.  I hate leftovers.  But, not chili leftovers.  Chili is so versatile.  You can make so many things with it.  So back to my story about football and Frito Pie.

One day at work I heat up my chili in the office and talk about how yummy it is.  I have some Friotos and tell the whole world how I am about to make myself some Frito Pie.  Long and behold a coworker says, “What is Frito Pie?” There is NO way.  NO way someone doesn’t know what Frito Pie is.  That is so un-American.  You have got to be kidding me.  NO way.  So I had to explain to her (She isn’t from Texas) what heaven is.  Frito Pie everyone.  Chili on top of Fritos on with shredded cheese on top.  Heaven on earth.  Awesome.

She has yet to try a Frito Pie but I promise she will! And I promise I will try her Louisville style Chili and we will both be in heaven.  And this is why chili is my favorite meal.  All time.  Nothing can beat this .. well maybe Gumbo.. Nah chili still wins!

It’s Chili, Adapted by All Recipes 

•     2 pounds lean ground beef
•     1 (46 fluid ounce) can v8
•     1 (29 ounce) can tomato sauce
•     1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
•     1 1/2 cups chopped onion
•     1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
•     1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
•     1/2 teaspoon white sugar
•     1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
•     1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
•     1 teaspoon salt
•     1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
•     1/4 cup chili powder
•     1 bag of Fritos
•      Shredded cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Place ground beef in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, and crumble.
2. In a large pot over high heat combine the ground beef, tomato juice, tomato sauce, kidney beans, pinto beans, onions, bell pepper, cayenne pepper, sugar, oregano, ground black pepper, salt, cumin and  chili powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours. (Note: If using a slow cooker, set on low, add ingredients, and cook for 8 to 10 hours.)
3. Place some Fritos in bowl, top with chili, shredded cheese, (some prefer onions YUCK) and enjoy!!

So as most people know Houston got hit by Hurricane Ike.  We are slowly getting back to normal at our house.  Nothing extreme happened, THANK GOD! Everyone was safe and we actually only lost power for about an hour.  Most people I knew didn’t have power for days some weeks.  So we are very thankful!  However on my time with no cable (I know I shouldn’t complain) I had nothing to do so what did I decided to do? Bake.  Well stupid me forgot to take pictures but this weekend I decided guess whats coming up… HALLOWEEN! My favorite time of year!

I really have no idea why its my favorite.  Maybe because its starts out all the baking and cooking I do.  Who knows but during the LSU game I decided I would make some cupcakes.  No.. they weren’t purple and gold.  These cupcakes looked too cute to pass up.  So I decided what the heck, I can try.  So I gave it a try.  And here is my creation.

Question of the Day, Are they too pretty to eat?!?! I THINK NOT!

Spider Cupcakes, adapted from Cupcake Fun and Martha Stewart

Chocolate Cupcakes

•       3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
•      3/4 cup all-purpose flour
•      1/2 teaspoon baking powder
•      1/4 teaspoon salt
•      3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
•      1 cup sugar
•      3 large eggs
•      1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•      1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt in small mixing bowl. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
Beat in vanilla  With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with sour cream and beginning and ending with flour.
3. Pour batter into cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Cool in pan 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Decorate as follows.

Buttercream Icing

•     1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
•     1/2 cup butter or margarine
•     1 teaspoon Clear Vanilla Extract
•     4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (approx. 1 lb.)
•     2 tablespoons milk

Directions

1. Cream butter and shortening with electric mixer with whisk attachment.
2. Add vanilla.
3. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. The icing will look dry after all the sugar has been added.
4. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Keep icing covered with a damp cloth until ready to use or inside the refrigerator.

Chocolate Buttercream Icing

•     1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
•     1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
•     3/4 cup cocoa
•     1 teaspoon Clear Vanilla Extract
•     4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (approx 1 lb.)
•     3 tablespoons milk

Directions

1. In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy with whisk attachment
2. Add cocoa and vanilla; mix well.
3. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. The icing will look dry after all the sugar has been added.
4. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Keep icing covered with a damp cloth until ready to use or inside the refrigerator.