What Do You Get When...

...you pile 5 kids and 3 adults into two cars and seek adventure in 3 different states in 48 hours? 

A rainy day at the Aquarium..

lots of eating...

 and crazy kids on a camel!

I'll do a real post when I have more energy. We had a ton of fun, but boy am I a tired momma tonight.   

Peanut Butter Cheesecake

I had several people ask me about the peanut butter cheesecake recipe that I was raving about awhile ago. I made it again a couple of night's ago for a girl's night out recipe exchange and yet again, it did not disappoint. I am a huge fan of any peanut butter pie dessert and I also really enjoy cheesecake. This recipe combines those two types of desserts. I found the recipe here. 

original source

I modified the recipe slightly because I don't use a water bath to bake a cheesecake and I also bake my cheesecakes at a lower temperature. My only other suggestion would be to make a larger amount of ganache than the recipe calls for. I double it so that I can cover the entire top of the cheesecake with a nice smooth layer. 

Peanut Butter Cheesecake with a Brownie Crust

Brownie Base 

(adapted from King Arthur Flour)

12 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter

1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar

3/4 cup (3 ounces) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour (or spray with baking spray) a 9 x 9 square or 10" round springform pan.

Melt the butter and stir in the cocoa powder. Cover, and set aside to cool.

Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs for 3 minutes (longer if you're using a hand mixer), then gradually add the sugar, beating 2 to 3 minutes more. Stir in the butter/chocolate mixture. Gently fold in the flour and salt, just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. Cool completely.

Peanut Butter Cheesecake

2 pounds (32 ounces) cream cheese

1 cup peanut butter (not the natural kind that you have to stir)

1 1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

1/3 cup sour cream

1 cup heavy cream

Be sure to have all ingredients at room temperature, especially the eggs and cream cheese. This will help keep cracks from forming in the top of the cheesecake.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (I bake mine at 315 degrees). In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese at medium speed for about 4 minutes, until soft and creamy. Add the peanut butter and beat for another 2-3 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for another 4 minutes. Beat in the salt and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (about 1 minute) and scraping sides of bowl after each addition. Beating at low speed, add the sour cream and heavy cream. The batter will be thin.(Note: If you're using a hand mixer, you will want to increase the mixing times).

Pour the batter on top of the cooled brownie base. You'll want to leave a little room (half-inch or so) at the very top of the pan, but it should be nearly full (depending on your pan size and your base, you may have a little extra batter which can be cooked in small cake pans or muffin tins). 

Place the cheesecake in the oven. Bake the cheesecake for about 55-65 minutes: it should hold together and appear set at the edges, but there will still be a lot of jiggle in the center.  Refrigerate overnight if possible. 

Ganache Topping

5 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

3 fluid ounces heavy cream

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium-sized bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a boil, and pour over the chocolate. Let sit for one minute, then stir until smooth. Let the ganache cool to lukewarm or even room temperature, and then pour over the chilled cheesecake. Spread the ganache evenly over the entire cheesecake, and return to the fridge to set.

Bring the cheesecake to room temperature before serving. Run a thin sharp knife around the edge of the spring form pan before removing the outer rim of the pan.

A "Pet"

I don't do pets. It's not that I dislike animals; for the record I love other people's dogs. I am admittedly not a cat person which works out fine because I have several relatives with hefty cat allergies so we couldn't have one anyway. The boys have asked for a dog many times, but it's not going to happen in this house. I can't be responsible for a dog along with all of them too. At least not now. Not never, but certainly not now. I did finally tell Braeden that I would get him a fish if he wanted one. As it turned out, I didn't even have to buy it for him.

Meet Nemo

(Pretty original name there Braeden..)

We were fortunate to have a friend who was giving out fish as the favor for her son's first birthday party, so as of yesterday, Nemo joined our family. There is a piece of screen across the top of the jar so that he doesn't commit suicide on us. Two of the fish jumped out of the jars on our friend while she had them on her counter before the party. It seemed to make sense to take some precaution to keep Nemo safe from himself. He is technically everybody's fish, but Braeden picked out the name and Evan enthusiastically agreed. When we brought him home, Braeden was so excited to finally have a "pet". Not exactly buddy, but if it satisfies his need for one at this point in time, that's all that matters. 

Not a "Plunger"

Braeden came up from the toy room today wearing a tool belt and carrying his toolbox. He came into the kitchen and asked if anything needed to be fixed. I directed him to the door that "needed some adjustment". He worked on the door, disappeared for a few minutes and then found me again and we had the following conversation.

B: Mom, is there anything else that needs to be fixed before I go to my construction site?

Me: Well.. I don't know. Maybe the faucet in the bathroom? It could use some attention.

B: Mom (sigh), I'm not a "plunger", I'm a builder.

Vacation Bible School

This week was VBS for the boys. It was bizarre to have them both gone every morning, but a really nice look at what fall will bring for our family. I was able to come home after dropping them off, put Maggie down for a nap and actually get some things done. That's right.. I accomplished something this week! I'm going to pretend you're all woot-wooting with me. 

Both Braeden and Evan love to go. I think they look forward to it all year. Fortunately there is VBS for a day once a month so they get little doses all year long. This year's theme was the Gold Rush. Over the course of the week they mined for gold, made books, made coin pouches (to store their treasures) and so much more. Along with all of the fun they learn verses, songs and bible stories. It's a week very well spent for them and they enjoy every minute. 

Today was the last day with the end program and pony rides. Roman, Maggie and I joined them for their program and lunch. 

 Getting ready to leave the house

 The Old West stage set-up

 Braeden and Jean

 Maggie entertaining herself during the program

 Singing a group song 

 Evan on the "little pony"

Braeden riding the bigger pony (they said it would be a pony but I think it may be a horse..)

We are so grateful to have this opportunity in our town. Our own church doesn't offer these types of programs for children and it's wonderful that the Baptist church opens their doors to everyone. We have many relatives and friends within the Baptist church so our boys feel very much at home there. What will I do when Maggie is old enough to go too? Oh the possibilities..

Two Little Fish

At the beginning of the summer we signed Braeden up for swimming lessons with the hope that he would become comfortable in the water and be ready for learning actual strokes next year. We knew Evan wasn't ready to start yet, especially since every time we got near the pool he refused to go in or even put on a bathing suit. Fast forward a month and we have two little fish! Who knew so much could change in a few short weeks. I am so proud of them both for how far they have come in such a short amount of time.

Evan had been slowly creeping closer and closer to the water and in the last week or so he was willingly putting a bathing suit on and getting in. We wanted to give him some independence in the water so I got him a life-vest and we put some swimmies on his arms and he was off. Today he was up and down the pool from the shallow end to the deep end. He even jumped in in the deep end without anyone waiting for him in the water. He even went down the slide!! My heart is exploding as I'm watching him learn to love the water and trust that we will keep him safe in this new adventure. 

Riley and Evan ready to hit the pool. Nice outfit Evo!

 Loving his new independence!

 You can't see it, but he's actually trying to do the front crawl

And Braeden.. Oh Braeden. I am so proud of him for the amazing hard work he has put in and made himself into a swimmer this summer. He can now swim unassisted in the deep end and jumps off the diving board and uses the slide. He has gained major confidence in himself and spends hours in the water at a time. This week he has begun learning how to dive. His instructor is his 5 year old friend Brayden. It is adorable to watch. 

 Braeden and Brayden practicing diving

 Swimming back to the shallow end

 Ready, set, dive!

Not quite ready for the Olympics..

I have to include this picture because Riley rocks. None of the boys would go down the slide on their stomachs so she marched up there and showed them how to do it!

Our Set is Complete

I'm sure all mothers would agree that it is impossible to have too many pictures of your children. I take tons and every now and then try to get them done professionally. As I've posted before, we just had a family session with incredible results. But the only thing we couldn't do then was the picture collage that we get for each child from Sears when they turn one. I took Maggie this morning to get hers done and as usual, I am not disappointed. I'm sure it helped that my little diva hammed it up for the camera. 

Unfortunately I don't have Braeden's as a digital file, but this is the big picture for his collage.

We had to choose from the best of the not great shots of Evan. He has NEVER liked having his picture taken. 

Maggie on the other hand, enjoyed herself very much. 

Now our set is complete.