Try a New Recipe Thursdays - Birthday Edition

Happy Birthday to me today. Next time you're celebrating a birthday, try these Classic Vanilla Cupcakes. Yum.

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened

1/2 cup vegetable shortening softened

2 cups sugar

4 extra large eggs (l cup eggs)

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 drops lemon and almond extract (optional)

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 1/2 cups milk

Line two twelve-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Blend butter with shortening until light and fluffy. Add in sugar and beat well. Add in eggs and extracts. Mix dry ingredients together and fold into batter, alternating with milk. Blend on slow speed to combine, scraping down bowl sides and bottom often. Blend until smooth, about 3 minutes. Fill cupcake liners two-thirds to almost full. Place in oven, immediately reducing heat to 350 degrees F. Bake until cupcakes test done (tops should gently spring back when touched), about 20-24 minutes depending on size of cupcakes. Approximately 24 medium cupcakes - 36 smaller cakes.

Out from Under the Covers

I've finally emerged from home after a horrible case of the stomach flu. Not fun, but the important thing is I am back just in time for the weekend. Lots to look forward to with my birthday celebration upcoming as well as the Eagles in the Conference Championship Game and Monday off work for MLK Day!! I think Mr. Prepster is going to take me here for my birthday dinner. Such a pretty setting and I can't wait to drink out of one of their lovely wine glasses. We will need to bundle up because it is supposed to be in the single digits here in Philly. Anyone seen any preppy and cute scarves, hats or mittens lately? I am in search of some new ones.

Updating Blogroll

I plan to update my list of blogs over the weekend. If you would like to be included, leave a comment or shoot me an email. Happy Friday!

Try a New Recipe Thursdays - Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

After taking a holiday hiatus, Try a New Recipe Thursdays is back! I'd like to share one of my favorite easy dessert recipes - Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies. Most people only make this type of cookie at Christmas time, but for me they are a year-round staple and always go over well with friends. This recipe makes a lot of cookies and is very easy.

1 cup butter

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter (can substitute reduced fat)

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 t vanilla

2 2/3 cup flour

2 t baking soda

1 t salt

16 oz. package chocolate kiss candy

Combine butter, peanut butter and sugars; blend until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; blend. Mix flour, salt and soda, add to cream mixture; stir well. Roll dough into quarter size balls. Roll ball in bowl of sugar. Bake dough at 350 degrees for 8 minutes, take out, place chocolate kiss in center of each cookie. Bake an additional 2 minutes.

J.Crew Quinn Cami

Anyone have this item? I am such a sucker for ruffles. What do you think of it? I saw it on sale today and think it could be a pretty cute "going out" top and would transition well into spring. I know, this purchase would be in direct contradiction with resolution 3. below, but... this cardi is cute and on great sale too. Here's a set with them together. With the prices the combo is pretty tempting (I already have the bag shown).

Resort Look by Preppy in Philly

9 Resolutions for '09

Here's what I hope to "improve" about myself this year...

1. Work out at least twice per week (gotta start somewhere, right?)

2. Drink more water (hopefully a consequence of actually achieving 1.)

3. Invest in more special, interesting clothes that I actually need and will wear for years to come instead of mindlessly purchasing whatever tops are on final sale each season at J.Crew

4. Cook more, eat out less

5. Find reasons to have friends over for appetizers, dinner, drinks, etc., i.e. actually use all of my cute wedding serving plates and things!

6. Read more quality books (my list of books read last year consisted of way too many with the word "shopaholic" in the title)

7. Attend church more regularly and give thanks for my wonderful marriage, family and good health

8. Keep in better, closer contact with my two siblings

9. And finally, pay off my student loans

Happy New Year!

Hello blog friends and Happy 2009 to all. After a very busy Christmas season I'm looking forward to unwinding a bit in January and catching up on my blogging. This weekend was a good start to what I hope will be a more relaxing 2009. Mr. Prepster and I spent New Year's Eve and the weekend here, and it was just lovely! We were lucky enough to be upgraded to a room with a fireplace... so cozy. We played Scrabble, watched movies, went to a very cool restaurant for NYE dinner and then another very yummy restaurant later in the weekend and generally just spent a couple of days just being together without distractions or interruptions. This is the first year we haven't done a big NYE reunion with friends from out of town, but honestly (and not that we don't love seeing our friends), I don't think we missed anything. I'm pretty confident we'll all see each other plenty with the multiple weddings that are scheduled for this summer and fall. Oooh, and I wore one of my favorite Christmas gifts, my new pink Victoria Ruffle Cami, on NYE. Those who have been following this blog know that I've been coveting this top forever... And I'm happy to report it is even cuter than it looked online!