Enjoy Cupcakes | Summer Un-Bucket List

I told myself that this summer I was not going to do a bucket list and more importantly I was not going to force one on the kids.

Ever since we came back from Brazil a year ago it seems like every day was planned out. I started working. I had a baby. I had to recover from having the baby. We traveled. Enzo started school. I started working again. Christian taught two classes. Christian started his dissertation. Christian tutored, twice. Twice! I almost begged him not to tutor the second time around but since he had already given his word he would not back down. We were busy. And trust me I am not bragging. 

I'm looking forward to a slow paced summer. I want my kids to be bored for goodness sakes. I want lazy days. This is hard for me. I'm a total planner. I plan, make goals, I write to-do lists. I buy pretty pens and reserve them for crossing things off my list.

I saw this cute trailer in an open field with delicious treats around it and I thought, "THAT! That's the kind of feeling I want to evoke this summer." I want space, beauty, and delicious treats. Always delicious treats.

Lucky for me Enjoy Cupcakes makes an appearance in Santa Barbara. We'll definitely be in Santa Barbara at some point this summer. If I happen to run into them I won't complain.

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Food Blog Forum 2013 | Walt Disney World

Last year I took the kids to Disneyland for the first time. After 3 days in the park we had to leave. Enzo was so sad to leave. He said was that it felt like only 5 minutes had passed not 3 days. I hear you Enzo, I feel the same way.

Last month we got on a plane (actually 2) and went to Florida to experience Disneyworld. After 3 days in the parks Enzo was once again sad. "That felt like less than 5 minutes; 3 minutes tops!"Yup, I agree. I wish we could have stayed longer, it always feels too short.

We headed to Disneyworld so that I could attend Food Blog Forum.

Can you find me in the picture? I'm the one with the baby. The only one with a baby.

Going to blogging conferences have had a huge impact on my journey as a blogger and now as a full time editor. These conferences feed my creativity. I learn so much - everything from new techniques to new ways of thinking about personal goals.

"When thinking about success always start with the emotion you are trying to achieve. Ask yourself, what will x give me. That emotion needs to be the cornerstone of what you’re trying to achieve" - Scott and Jadyn Hair

It's inspiring to see different journeys, different stories, different blogs. Some bloggers have kids others work full time. Some have been able to transform their blogs into full time jobs, others have no desire to do that and want to keep their blogs as a hobby. There was no shortage of knowledge shared and as always I feel like bloggers are so generous with their knowledge and their time. Thank you to all the speakers and organizers thank you so very very much! And Disney, what can I say? Thank you for your incredible service, hospitality, and the amazing trip.

Also, a super thank you to Lindsey the greatest Disney travel planner ever! She totally planned out our days in the parks which was a huge success.

Blue Cheese Pão de Queijo with Bacon

We've been getting on the kids' case about speaking too much English. We have a rule; at home we only speak Portuguese. Christian and I are not great at inforcing rules apparently because both Enzo and Maria are speaking way more English than Portuguese these days. Christian, the only one in the house who's first language is English, is the one who is the most disciplined about speaking Portuguese.  

We're your average mixed ethnicity family. We switch back and forth between two languages, we celebrate American holidays and wish we could celebrate all Brazilian holidays - for the 4 day weekends that are always coming up in Brazil. I'm not a purist, not with language, not with culture, and definitely not with food. I like mixing and experimenting and trying new variations.

Kerrygold, sent me a 3-pound wheel of their Cashel Blue cheese for me to use in a recipe.

Since cheese and crackers are my staple snack I have been eating away at this wheel like no one's business. This semi-soft cheese is creamy to perfection. I wanted to use this cheese in something besides a salad or the traditional pairing with steak or figs. Since, like I said, I'm not a purist I decided to try mixing the Kerrygold Cashel Blue with a pão de queijo recipe. 

If you've been to a Brazilian steakhouse you've probably had a pão de queijo or two. Pão de queijo literally means cheese bread and they're becoming more and more popular in the U.S because they are gluten-free, made with tapioca flour. I have a recipe that I like to make using my muffin tin. There are some great recipe out there as well like the one from The Kitchn and the one from Simply Recipes. 

For the blue cheese variation I experimented with an older recipe I had and modified it a bit. The chashel blue really brings the dough together. Not only does it add a mild blue cheese taste to the batter, it also makes the batter way creamy. As for the bacon, well you know... it's bacon one of the few foods you can never go wrong with.

Blue Cheese Pão de Queijo with Bacon

Yields: 5 dozen

8 slices of thick cut bacon

1 kilo (2.2-pounds) sour cassava flour or tapioca flour

1 + 1/2 cups warm water

1 cup milk

3 eggs

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup Kerrygold Cashel Blue Farmhouse Cheese 

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

salt to taste

*Preheat oven to 350

Cook the bacon until very crispy.Crumble the bacon and set aside. Reserve the bacon grease for later.

Mix the flour and 1 cup warm water. Break any large lumps with your fingers. If you've never worked wit tapioca flour before it may feel a little strange. It resembles corn starch and you will want to get the flour to feel smooth and chalky.

Measure out 1/2 cup of bacon grease. On a small saucepan heat up the bacon grease and the milk and bring to a boil. Then pour on top of the flour and water mixture.

Knead the dough until all the milk and bacon grease is well incorporated into the flour. 

Add the eggs, olive oil, Kerrygold Cashel Blue Farmhouse Cheese, parmesan cheese and salt and knead the dough until smooth. 

Add the crumbled bacon and fold it into the dough.

Roll little balls of dough on your hands and place on a cookie sheet 1 dozen at a time.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm