Good food and bad, a "Don't"

Sugar snap peas are hot off the presses right now, y'all. Are you eating them by the truckload? We are! While the boys love them raw and plain (indeed delightful), I like to play around and make summer veggies like the sugar snap into more substantial side dishes or salads. 

I haven't made my Sugar Snaps with Bacon, Feta and Mint in a while so did on Sunday night. Delicious again. Surprisingly, Tom thought the mint was distracting. I do not concur, but if you're not a mint fan, feel free to make a bad decision and omit it. 

Tonight, I'm gonna do something with this mess of fresh favas that Ol helped me pick out at the farmers market. I also have hull peas and corn, tomatoes, plums and peaches. A plum tart is coming and beyond that, well, the night is young.

I feel exceptionally lucky to have a babysitter today. Three hours of blessedly quiet free time. I left the house immediately because Oliver had donned the Hulk gloves and Jack was steamed. Tired as get-out, I stopped in at Starbucks to get a flat white before ambling over to get my stinky toes cleaned up and polished (see above for lovely result). 

Just before my order came up, Jack called me. Now, I am glad that he knows how to make a call, but I will tell y'all that he sometimes abuses the "call in an emergency" admonition. Today was such a day. Because I was so distracted by his Oscar-deserving tale of woe, I picked up the wrong drink. Might as well have thrown $5 in the garbage. 

Anyway, I beseech you to NOT order whatever this is. It was disgusting and this key is incomprehensible. What is 2R syrup? #adont

Home again, home again, jiggity jig

The kids are such great travelers, but today was hella long. The drive between DC and Wrightsville Beach is about three hours past crazy-inducing, but it's so nice to be there that it's worth it. 

We were sad to leave by also very happy to pull up in front of home. Home. That word conjures so much. During the last couple miles, we talked about what we looked forward to returning to: Nutmeg, "my room," "my bed," amongst others. 

Walking in did not disappoint. Hugs all around for pets and things familiar. I cleaned out the fridge, Tom mowed, the kids crafted a buffet of Minecraft-related perler bead things.

And then dinner. Thanks to our freezer (shrimp), crisper drawers (corn) and garden (greens and herbs), we ate well and were thankful to do so. Off to bed now.

A jolly birthday cake

As we always do during this annual beach vacation, we will today celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday. The real thing isn't until Monday, but here she is surrounded by her sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren, a rare event. 

Each year, I make her cake. Three years ago, it was strawberry; the next chocolate; and last June, an old-fashioned yellow cake with an amazing chocolate caramel ganache frosting.

In an attempt to keep mixing things up, I this year chose to make a homemade funfetti cake. I'd seen the recipe for and photograph of Molly Yeh's version on Food52 and was drawn to its whimsical nature. Yeh, who writes the blog My Name is Yeh, is an incredible baker whose desserts are always beautiful.

My mother-in-law likes festive things, and this cake is like a party of primary colors blitzed with butter, sugar and eggs. As it calls for imitation vanilla and the fakest sprinkles ever, it's quite possibly the most artificial thing I've ever made. But it is from scratch, so there's that. And I hope my MIL loves it.

funfetti cake

funfetti cake, almost completely frosted; this image put through a filter for effect

Betty Crocker, eat your heart out.