Summer Birthday Plates Bonanza

Summer birthdays.  My daughter has one.  Unfortunately for her, each summer many of her friends are away and unable to attend a birthday party.  So we end up including a whole bunch of adults, which creates the problems of what to serve? How to decorate?  What sort of plates do you use when half the guests are under ten and the other half are over forty?  Lucky for you I have the answer. These adorable cupcake plates, napkins, and gift wrap are perfect.  Cute enough to satisfy little girls' desires, adorned with yummy looking cupcakes so boys won't have to eat off of Barbie's face, and elegant for the grown ups.  Oh, and there's another reason to love these. My mother Carolyn Bucha did the artwork!  I know you were under the impression that I must be the most awesome member of my family, but my mother is a wonderful artist.  Just look at these plates!

You can buy them on Amazon, so there's no need to drop everything and run to the nearest party store. Just click here!

What to serve on these plates?  Here's an idea.

And now here's this...

Veteran's Day Pancakes for Dad

Dear Reader,

It is Veteran's Day here in America, a time when we say a big THANK YOU to all our service men and women.  As the proud daughter of a former Army Captain in the 101st Airborne (HOLLA) I offer you my father's apple pancakes.  Thanks, Dad.

Dad's Army Ranger Pancakes

You will need:
Pancakes
(I always use Nigella Lawson's recipe, but Dad uses Aunt Jemima's, and I have to admit, they are better)
Apples
Maple Syrup
Butter
Butter
More Butter
Cinnamon

Peel, core (is it really necessary to tell you to core them?  Would you ever leave the core in?) and chop apples and add a generous pat, more like a slab, of butter to a small saucepan.  Throw in the apples.  Cover them with a whole bunch of glugs of syrup, a pinch of cinnamon, and let them simmer.  Meanwhile, make the batter.  Add to the batter a dose of syrup.  Place another slab of butter into a hot pan.  Pour on the batter, adding the cooked apples.  When the pancake is ready to be flipped (when small bubbles are forming in the top) flip it over.  If you are quite deft, you can throw in more butter while the pancake is being flipped.  With the cooked side up, use your spatula to press down on the pancake, this will crisp up the edges and make them slightly caramelized.  Turn onto plate and top with more syrup.