Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

While planning Freida's first birthday party, I put together a few different recipes and landed myself with a perfectly delicious dye-free buttercream frosting!

Here's what to do:

Fit your Kitchen Aid mixer with the paddle piece and combine,

1⁄2 cup Shortening

1⁄2 cup Butter/Margarine (room temp.)

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

31⁄2cups Powdered Sugar (sifted)

2 tablespoons Milk/Mocha Mix

4 tablespoons Strawberry Preserves

1⁄8 teaspoon Salt

The frosting should be a good consistency, light pink color, and have specks of strawberry fruit throughout - giving it some rustically homemade character!

For thinner cream add some more milk, for piping decorations gradually add more powdered sugar.

Can be made early and refrigerated, just bring to room temperature and re-beat when ready to use.

Enjoy!

Vodka Latkes

Here's to my all time favorite latke recipe. My grandmothers Chanuka heirloom - punched up with some alcoholic properties...

The perfect Chanuka-party-potato-pancake! Enjoy!!!

Ingredients:

• 2 Onions
• 10 Potatoes
• 3 Eggs
• 1⁄2 cup Matzo Meal
• 1  1⁄2 teaspoons Salt
• 1⁄8 cup Olive Oil (plus plenty for frying!)
• crushed black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Vodka
• sour cream (optional)
• applesauce (optional)

Peel and quarter the potatoes and onions. Process in food processor, in shifts, until pureed. Pour potato/onion puree into a colander in the sink, in order to rid of excess potato liquid. Pour into a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, mixing well with a spoon.

Heat up plenty of oil (the latkes should be lightly floating in it - but not deep frying!) Fry each side on medium/high until golden brown. Serve immediately with a dollop of cold sour cream topped with cold applesauce for the best effect!!

(Can be re-heated later, single layered in the oven on °200)