Baked Vanilla/Vanilla Donuts

I have been fighting buying a donut pan for some time... I couldn't hold out and picked one up the last time I was at Hobby Lobby. (The recipe for blueberry baked donuts with orange glaze pushed me over the edge... thanks Pinterest!)

My first try was a really simple recipe for vanilla donuts (with a hint of cinnamon) and vanilla glaze with sprinkles. Everything from the dough to the piping to the glaze was simple. The pan works really well. The donuts are a bit softer and less dense than a real cake donut which I think I might prefer... still deciding. In any event, baking donuts at home will be a great substitute for picking up fried donuts on the weekends!

(On a random note - the colored sprinkles melted into the glaze but the gold ones didn't.)

Donut recipes I have been pinning and will need to be made:

• chocolate donuts with buttermilk glaze
• blueberry donuts with orange glaze or lemon glaze
• buttermilk pumpkin donuts
• maple bacon donuts
• cinnamon-sugar donuts
• cake batter donuts
• vanilla donuts with strawberry glaze

Perhaps I need to host a coffee/donuts brunch?

Fort Worth Stockyards & Love Shack

Mike and I ventured out to the Fort Worth Stockyards during our long anniversary weekend. I have to say, we were a bit underwhelmed... I just wasn't sure what we were supposed to be exploring there. Mostly there were steak restaurants and just a couple of shops. There were tons of people walking around but Mike and I were kind of at a loss. We're guessing when there is an actual event there its a lot more exciting...

We were able to spot a couple of fun things during our outing, a guy riding this longhorn and a group riding horses down the main road of the stockyards.

(who knew you could ride a longhorn?)

Mostly we ventured out to the stockyards to try Tim Love's Love Shack burgers. Now, be aware, if you go its cash only and the term "shack" is to be taken literally. (There is no actual building so go on a nice cool day like we did.) The restaurant is very thin and long with picnic tables on bottom and a series of porches built 3 stories high to view a small stage where a guy played country music while we ate. The burgers were really good and the atmosphere was great (plus I had a pretty good date with me)!

homemade chili & parmesan chips

Spicy Chop Beef Sandwiches (and homemade bbq sauce!)

I made these yummy spicy chop beef sandwiches for Mike and I along with the homemade bbq sauce. I really like this girl's blog... how could I not? Its all about Texas!

The brisket can be expensive but the actual work could not be simpler. I don't have a "real" roasting pan so I just used a 9x13 pyrex and everything turned out just fine. The meat is really tasty even before you put the bbq sauce on it. I had mine with just bbq sauce while Mike wanted his a lot fancier... jalapenos, onions, jalapeno jack cheese and sauce.

(I also was able to freeze enough for two sandwiches for a rainy day!)