Cornbread made, gorgeous day -again!, finished off beet tart, frosting to be whipped

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Jack and I took Oliver to family visiting day at O's school this morning- so cute to see J in his old classroom. Everything was the same, but now he's so grown up. It's almost hard to remember him at 2 years old. Then we came home, walked the "canine", got a cookie treat and have been snuggled up reading Aladdin on the couch. I made the red chile cornbread, and once I get Mr. O down for his nap and J into his quiet time, it's whipped cream-mascarpone frosting time- SUCH a good icing for cakes. Jack refuses to eat buttercream so I found this recipe out of necessity but am so glad I did and will post it soon. It's so beautiful again here today. I just want to go roll around in my yard, but having seen Percy and his "spot-treatment" on my plants, I think I shouldn't do so.

Can I just tell you that the beet tart ages well? Heck- I just finished it off for a mid-morning snack. The goat cheese-onion mixture is really sublime. Ok, we gotta get O. How gorgeous are these apples and pears?

Cakes perfect, cornbread ingredients at the ready, food mill ordered, to bed

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Gosh I'm tired. The cakes turned out beautifully and are now wrapped snugly in anticipation of being iced tomorrow. Interestingly, the Bake Even strips added nearly 5 minutes of cook time; I wasn't expecting that. Has anyone else had that experience? As well, all cornbread components are at the ready, and I'm pleased to report that this time after I minced my chile pepper, I did not rub my eye but rather washed my hands for quite a while with warm, soapy water. Chile + eye or nasal membrane = REGRET.

I also pulled the trigger on a good quality food mill. Though I lust for all things Rosle, I just cannot bring myself to even consider spending what they ask. Yikes! So I went with one that got great reviews -OXO- and is much kinder to the wallet. Apple butter is in my near future, and I just couldn't fathom picking out by hand every lingering apple peel in the mix.

This gal is tired as get out. Buona notte!