A Front Porch Party, a Giveway winner and yet another Giveaway!

Good Morning and welcome to the Second Annual Celebration of Rhondi's Porch Party. Rhondi of Rose Coloured Glasses is our gracious hostess. Now, I really don't have a front porch here at Oak Cottage, I have an old stone patio and a beautiful garden but I don't have the front porch of my dreams . . . you know the kind . . . long and sweeping across the front of your house, a place to sit in a comfy chair and look out at the world and keep an eye on all that's happening in the neighbourhood, a place to greet neighbours and friends, a place to just sit and contemplate . . .

I have always wanted to live in a house with a wrap around veranda. Back in my home town there are lots of huge old Victorian homes. I used to have to walk past several of them on my way to school and as I did, I used to dream about what it would be like to live in one of them. To be able to sit on their porches and view the world from such a solubrious place . . .



Just imagine . . .



There would be comfy chairs sitting along the front, just right for you and me and mayhap another friend or two . . . sleepy dogs laying by our feet and keeping us company.



A swing in one corner, just right for a young courting couple to sit upon it, on a warm summer's evening, the swing gently moving back and forth . . . he flirts . . . she blushes . . .



Plants are everywhere, bring colour, and scent and humming birds . . . not to mention bumbly bees and butterflies . . .



Over in another corner a hammock swings, just the thing for aching and tired bones on a lazy summer afternoon. You lay in it and drift off, the sound of leaves tinkling in the breeze and the far off cry of a lawn mower . . . music to your ears.



Perhaps the trickle of water moving over pebbles and stones in a nearby a nearby brook . . .



Of an evening you can have friends over for a front porch supper . . . they only need to bring their appetites. I can hear the laughter and the conversation now . . .



The screen door creaks open and then slams and you think to yourself . . . I better get some oil out, that door is squeaking . . . you wave to a neighbour as she passes by. You haven't seen her in a while and so you invite her up for a sit together and a chat . . .



Perhaps an ice cold glass of lemonade, it's a warm day out there . . .

and some blueberry cupcakes. You didn't think I wouldn't bake did you???



*Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

From the minute I saw this recipe in Cooking Light, I knew I had to bake them. They looked so pretty, capped with that lucious looking cream cheese frosting and little blueberry jewels.
They are fabulous and best of all probably only half the calories of a normal cupcake. Rich, moist and chock full of lovely blueberries, these are real winners!

CUPCAKES:
1 1/2 cups plus 2 TBS flour, divided
10 TBS white sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 large egg
1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
1/2 cup 2% reduced fat milk
1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
3/4 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries
FROSTING:
1/4 cup (2 ounces) low fat cream cheese (Philadelphia)
2 TBS butter, softened
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
fresh blueberries to garnish (optional)



Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. LIne a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners, Set aside.

Measure out the 1 1/2 cups of flour and 1 TBS of the flour into a large bowl. Whisk in the sugar, baking powder, salt and soda.

Whisk together the butter, egg, buttermilk, milk, and lemon zest in another bowl.

Stir the blueberries together with the remaining 1 TBS of flour in a third bowl.

Add the buttermilk mixture to the floured mixture, stirring only until moist. Gently fold in the blueberries along with the 1 TBS of flour. Divide equally and spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centre of one comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes on a rack before removing them completely from the pan to finish cooling on the wire rack.

Once cooled completely make the frosting by placing the cream cheese and the next 4 ingredients into a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at low speed until blended. Gradually beat in the icing sugar, taking care not to overbeat. You may need to use a bit more icing sugar than the recipe states. I did, but the creamed cheese over here is not as thick as the cream cheese in North America. Stir in the lemon juice. (I left out the lemon juice in the frosting and just used 1/2 tsp of lemon extract instead, because of the cream cheese issue over here.) Spread frosting evenly over top of the cupcakes. Garnish with blueberries if desired. Store in the refrigerator.

Hop on over to Rhondi's Page to see some of the other Front Porch Party Entries. There are sure to be some beautiful porches out there.

In the meantime, I'd like to announce the winner of my last giveaway . . . the cupcake cookery book, cute cupcake liners and an assortment of five of my notecards which feature my own artwork.

Jan of Serendipity, you're my lucky winner! OH how exciting! E-mail me with your details Jan so I can get these goodies out to you. Don't forget to let me know which five cards you would like.

All you others take heart. TO celebrate the launch of my new cookery blog, The English Kitchen, I am hosting another delicious giveaway over there. Hop on over today to see what it's all about and get in on the chance of winning my wonderful prize! You just never know, the lucky winner could be you!!