Yummy American Buttercream Frosting

I am 8-months pregnant with baby C and knew I couldn't stand to cook egg whites for SMBC so I decided to look for something easier and frankly more kid friendly. This recipe was perfect. Sweet but not too sweet and didn't take a long time to make. Also perfectly pipable and it held all night before the party.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks), softened
• 4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 3-5 tablespoons heavy cream (I used 4 tbsp to get the consistency in the photo)

Instructions:

1. Using a paddle beater, beat softened butter on medium speed for about 3 minutes.
2. Add sifted confectioner's sugar and stir on low until incorporated.
3. Add vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of heavy cream. Beat on medium-high for 3 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides once or twice.
4. If a thinner frosting is desired, add additional heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Resource: Unsophisticook

Maui Banana Bread Muffins

This is my favorite recipe. Reminds me of banana bread Mike and I got on our honeymoon in Maui halfway on our road to Hana trip. It's also super easy with not a lot of ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cup of flour  
• 1 cup sugar  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda  
• 3 very ripe bananas  
• 1/2 cup melted butter 
  
• 2 eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift together flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. 
3. Blend together bananas, shortening, and eggs. 
4. Fold flour mix into blended wet ingredients ...don't over mix. 
5. Spoon into 9 x 9 x 2-inch pan, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. (Or use paper liners in 12-cup standard cupcake tin.) Thump once to remove air holes. 
6. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. (20 minutes for muffins). Bread/muffins should be a dark brown color.
7. Cool. Cut into squares. 

Potato Salad (with Eggs)

I've always loved my friend's, Hong, potato salad. But Mike isn't quite a fan. He wants some acidity in it like they have in the store bough ones (yuck). So I compromised by looking for something that had all the stuff in Hong's that I liked (potatoes, eggs, onion) and something that he would like (vinegar or relish) and found Jack's potato salad on Pinterest. It's the perfect compromise between our two tastes - even Tina likes it and she's a tough critic! This recipe is delicious and easy to make. Perfect for a picnic or barbeque!

Ingredients

• 5 pounds new red potatoes, skin left on
  1 tablespoon salt
  6 room-temperature uncooked eggs
  3 tablespoons white vinegar, divided
  1 ½ tablespoons cider vinegar
  1 cup finely minced sweet onion
  2 teaspoons celery salt
  1 teaspoon white pepper
  1 teaspoon poppy seeds
  ¼ cup white sugar
  1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  3 cups mayonnaise (we recommend Hellmann’s or homemade)
  1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  1/3 cup canola oil

Directions

1. Place washed unpeeled potatoes in a large pot and cover with water to about 6 inches above potatoes. Add one tablespoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a medium boil and boil for 30 to 40 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes. Prick with a fork to tell when they are done.
2. While potatoes are cooking, bring a medium pot of water to a boil, add the 1 ½ tablespoons of white vinegar, and gently add the whole eggs in with a slotted spoon being careful not to crack the shells. Boil rapidly for five minutes. Turn off heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 15 minutes.
3. Drain the eggs and shake the pan back and forth to crack the shells. Under running water remove the shells. Roughly chop the eggs in large pieces and set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, mix the other 1 ½ tablespoons of white vinegar, cider vinegar, onions, celery salt, pepper, poppy seeds, sugar, mustard and mayonnaise. Set aside and refrigerate.
5. Mix both oils together in a measuring cup or other small container.
6. Once the potatoes are cooked, leave them in the hot water and remove one at a time with a slotted spoon to your cutting board. Cut potatoes into chunks and place in large bowl.
7. Once you are a quarter of the way through cutting the hot potatoes, pour one quarter of the mixed oil over the cut potatoes and gently combine. Continue with cutting and oiling until all of the oil and potatoes are in the large bowl.
8. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the hot oiled potatoes and gently mix. Add the cooked eggs and gently mix.
9. Now pour the entire contents out onto a sheet pan spreading evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled to below 40 degrees. Once cool enough remove potato salad to your serving container and enjoy.
10. If serving this outside, try to keep shaded and, as an added precaution, place a bowl of ice (larger than the bowl you are using) under the bowl of potato salad to keep it chilled while serving. Place leftovers in the refrigerator as soon as you have finished serving.

5 pounds new red potatoes, skin left on

1 tablespoon salt

6 room-temperature uncooked eggs

3 tablespoons white vinegar, divided

1 ½ tablespoons cider vinegar

1 cup finely minced sweet onion

2 teaspoons celery salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

¼ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 cups mayonnaise (we recommend Hellmann’s or homemade)

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup canola oil

- See more at: http://www.afamilyfeast.com/jacks-potato-salad/#sthash.b8qShFz1.dpuf

5 pounds new red potatoes, skin left on

1 tablespoon salt

6 room-temperature uncooked eggs

3 tablespoons white vinegar, divided

1 ½ tablespoons cider vinegar

1 cup finely minced sweet onion

2 teaspoons celery salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

¼ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 cups mayonnaise (we recommend Hellmann’s or homemade)

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup canola oil

- See more at: http://www.afamilyfeast.com/jacks-potato-salad/#sthash.b8qShFz1.dpuf

5 pounds new red potatoes, skin left on

1 tablespoon salt

6 room-temperature uncooked eggs

3 tablespoons white vinegar, divided

1 ½ tablespoons cider vinegar

1 cup finely minced sweet onion

2 teaspoons celery salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

¼ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 cups mayonnaise (we recommend Hellmann’s or homemade)

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup canola oil

- See more at: http://www.afamilyfeast.com/jacks-potato-salad/#sthash.b8qShFz1.dpuf

5 pounds new red potatoes, skin left on

1 tablespoon salt

6 room-temperature uncooked eggs

3 tablespoons white vinegar, divided

1 ½ tablespoons cider vinegar

1 cup finely minced sweet onion

2 teaspoons celery salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

¼ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 cups mayonnaise (we recommend Hellmann’s or homemade)

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup canola oil

- See more at: http://www.afamilyfeast.com/jacks-potato-salad/#sthash.b8qShFz1.dpuf

Ingredients

• 5 pounds new red potatoes, skin left on
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 6 room-temperature uncooked eggs
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar, divided
• 1 ½ tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 cup finely minced sweet onion
• 2 teaspoons celery salt
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 cups mayonnaise (we recommend Hellmann’s or homemade)
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup canola oil

- See more at: http://www.afamilyfeast.com/jacks-potato-salad/#sthash.b8qShFz1.dpuf

Ingredients

• 5 pounds new red potatoes, skin left on
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 6 room-temperature uncooked eggs
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar, divided
• 1 ½ tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 cup finely minced sweet onion
• 2 teaspoons celery salt
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 cups mayonnaise (we recommend Hellmann’s or homemade)
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup canola oil

- See more at: http://www.afamilyfeast.com/jacks-potato-salad/#sthash.b8qShFz1.dpuf