Food & Drink: Chocolate Cupcake With Lemon Frosting And Raspberries On Top

I love dessert. I consider it acceptable decadence on a plate. However, my previous attempts to bake and properly plate desserts are less than legendary.

These past several months, I have forced myself to move past my dessert baking related anxiety.

As a result, my baking skills have greatly improved. (Apparently, baking desserts requires one to properly measure and be mindful of how long a pan remains in the oven. Who knew?)

I baked this particular dessert using the following ingredients for this cupcake:

1. Duncan Hines devil's food cake mix

2. Duncan Hines creamy lemon supreme frosting

3. Fresh raspberries (for both the fruit and the sauce)

4. 1 table spoon of powdered sugar with cornstarch

Raspberry Sauce

Mash raspberries into a saucepan on a medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Add the powdered sugar to the pan and gently stir it in

Allow it to cook for another 5 minutes.

Turn off the burner.

Strain into a bowl to separate the seeds from the sauce.

Fashion: Summer Wardrobes

I vacillate between wanting to be glamorous in a flowy chiffon summer frock with high-heeled sandals rockin’ comfy yoga pants with a scooped-neck T-shirt and espadrilles. Luckily, I have reached a happy comprise of wearing the more casual clothing ensemble to run errands in and saving the summer frocks for nights out with friends and family. This summer, I have focused a lot of attention on purchasing shoes and small crossbody purses. Back in April, I started ordering pastel-colored sandals in lilacs and canary yellow to go along with the standard black and beige ones that I order every year. It has added the essential pop of color to my wardrobe. I top all this color goodness off with a coordinating cross-body purse. So far, I have purchased these in lilac, canary yellow, fire engine red, beige, black, chocolate brown, and navy blue. For rainy day social outings, I steer away from flowing frocks and focus my attention to a more stylishly sturdy clothing ensemble. Fitted cap

Simple Luxuries: Finding Simple Luxuries In Daily Living

Simple luxuries are all around us. The extra 30 minutes of reading time that we give ourselves on a sunny Saturday morning or purchasing an ounce of loose leaf tea from our favorite local shop. Both activities can provide us with a much-needed life boost without requiring a huge time or financial commitment. These types of simple luxuries can be pursued in either a large metropolitan city or quaint little towns.

Food and Drink: Salad Plates

Salads provide us nourishment in many forms. There are the traditional salads filled with leafy greens, tomatoes, onions, and sprinkles of cheese in various sizes and shapes. Generally, they are featured as one of the opening courses or a side dish to accompany an entrée. However, salads have way more to offer than standard veggie goodness. Adding beans, meats, and cooked pasta can take the accompaniment element of salad into the entrée realm. The salad pictured contains mixed greens, grilled chicken, garlic scapes, cherry tomatoes, shredded mozzarella cheese, red onions, cilantro, and Baby Bella mushrooms. I served it with a side of baked breadsticks (sliced store-bought bistro bread). The thin and crispy texture calls for more of an oil-based dipping sauce versus a marinara. For the dipping sauce, I used Extra Virgin Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lime juice with basil and black pepper. One of the best things about this salad is its versatility. You

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