Tuesday, June 4, 2019

It's Not a Competition, But I Win

Raising kids is not a competition. It's a team sport, everyone knows that. 

I could continue the lie here, of course, tell you that just like not having a favorite child (that one really is true), we don't want to foster the notion that our children could have a favorite parent. But I won't lie, I want to be the favorite. {{waves hand frantically}} pick me pick me!

It's harder to achieve when you're a stay at home parent. Of course, I have more time in the day to place subliminal messages in their brains. All while they were growing up I used to say to the boys "I love you. Now that daddy guy, he doesn't like you so much, but I love you." Of course, that sort of lost it's impact once the boys started to get my sense of humor. Which {{sigh}} they did at an early age. It was, after all, a matter of self preservation.

As a stay at home mom though, I was the one who went on adventures like J. Doe hopping with them, took them to the pool in the summer, brought them to brain cell killing Pokemon movies, did crafts with them, even put them behind the wheel of a car for the first time. But I was also the one who made them eat their vegetables, clean their rooms, do their homework and set the table. Which, basically, pretty much negates all the progress I'd made and brings me right back to even footing with Hubs. Damn.

Now I do have a few other tricks up my sleeve. After all, Hubs can't boil water and I can bake. Not just for lunch dessert, dinner dessert, and snacks, but even breakfast treats. That's 4 points a day, if you're counting.


Baked Key Lime Donuts have a refreshing citrus flavor. Bake, glaze and enjoy!| Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #donuts
Baked Key Lime Donuts
Baked Key Lime Donuts have a refreshing citrus flavor. Bake, glaze and enjoy!| Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #donuts


Let me tell you a story. Happened just a few days ago. Actually, it starts many years ago. I'll give you the shortened version because I've talked about parts of it before. PurDude was 10 and College Boy was 11 when they went with Hubs to a city about 45 minutes from here and purchased a little red BMW. Initially Hubs drove it, but I ended up with it. The day, and I mean the exact day, PurDude got his driver's license he took it over and he was not giving it back. That car took him through high school, through 4 years of college and this past year as well. 

All through those years, as he held onto that little red BMW, we had cars come and go. A few years ago my car was replaced with a red BMW, mine an SUV. So when PurDude was home from school, this is how the double side of our garage looked. Mom and son, 2 red BMWs.  

Dual BMWs | Picture taken by and property of www.BakingInATornado.com


But, alas, that SUV was just too big for me. I not only had trouble climbing into it, but wasn't happy trying to park it either. So Hubs took it and he and PurDude went out and found me a beautiful grey Audi SUV. I was shocked as we have a history with Audis, having tried to buy one twice before over the years and always having something happen. In fact, we fretted that we were Audi impaired, somehow sentenced to a lifetime of never owning one. But this must be the year of the Audi, or the stars must have aligned or something, because I ended up with this one and it is perfect. I absolutely love it.

Audi Q7 | Picture taken by and property of www.BakingInATornado.com


Fast forward to this past weekend. It was time for the talk. PurDude's little red BMW had a long, long life, it was well loved and thoroughly enjoyed, but it was time to let go. It had almost 100,000 miles, the header was leaking so badly that he was having to replace the oil constantly, the automatic door locks don't work, the driver's window didn't go down (actually it did go down, just not back up again), a spark plug was misfiring, he'd just replaced a tire and a rim, and now the brakes were grinding. 

PurDude was on the hunt for another BMW, he knew just what he wanted, but that was proving difficult to find. He came to us last weekend and wanted his dad (yikes, dad points) to go with him to look at a car. Coincidentally it was at the same dealer where we had originally picked out his car. They went out and talked to the dealer, but ultimately he couldn't afford the car he had gone to look at. Even with me signing the BMW title over to him to use as part of his down payment, it was not only above where I thought he should be for monthly payments, but it was a little above where he wanted to be. He was disappointed. He drove the car and absolutely loved it.

I saw him on Memorial Day and he was still stuck on that car, thinking about calling the dealer at the end of the week. I came up with a way that he could bring the payments down a little, but they would still be high.

On Wednesday the dealer called Hubs. When PurDude got in touch with him on Thursday, the dealer had come down in price. The payments would be right where I wanted them to be and the financing at a great rate. The hang up was that it had to be that day or the next. They needed the car out of their inventory in time to reflect in their month's end quota.

Thursday after work, PurDude came here and picked up his dad. I wanted Hubs to go over all of the paperwork before PurDude signed. 

About 3 hours later, PurDude came home with his new car. He had traded in his red BMW for a grey Audi.

Audi S5 | Picture taken by and property of www.BakingInATornado.com


No, parenting's not a competition.

But clearly, I win!


Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics


Baked Key Lime Donuts
                                                              ©www.BakingInATornado.com



Printable Recipe


Ingredients (makes 18):
1/4 cup Key Lime juice
1 cup milk
2 1/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp Key Lime zest
1 stick butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 1/2 TBSP Key Lime juice

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease 18 donut pan cups.
*Add 1/4 cup Key Lime juice to the cup of milk and set aside.
*Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lime zest.
*Whisk together the melted butter, eggs, milk and Key Lime mixture. Add to the flour mixture, just until incorporated.
*Spoon or pipe evenly into the prepared donut pans. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the center springs back to the touch. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing.
*Whisk together the powdered sugar and remaining 4 1/2 TBSP Key Lime juice. Drizzle evenly over the warm donuts.

26 comments:

  1. I drove an Audi SUV a couple of weeks ago. The car is WAY out of my budget, but if I could come up with an extra $20,000? I'd get it in a heartbeat.

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    Replies
    1. Did you try pre-owned through a dealer. Mine is a 2016, PurDude's is a 2016 also.

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  2. Of course you win. Nice ride for a handsome young man!! I did not know there are donut pans. If I don't learn about ingredients from your recipes I learn about equipment!

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    Replies
    1. Yes, I'm in love with my new donut pans. Have another donut recipe coming up next week.

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  3. Yep. I'd definitely call that a win!
    Well done, Mama. And PurDude!

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  4. Plus . . . I've never seen those pans. Our family's favourite treat is donuts! But always deep fried. I MUST find those pans!
    Keeping this recipe for sure!

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    Replies
    1. If you love deep fried donuts like I do, these baked ones are really quite different. I just hate frying foods, I feel like the oil gets into my skin.

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  5. I love baked donuts and totally get it about the holding on to a car for way too long. My husband refused to part with his car that is in our garage, under a cover and that hasn't seen daylight in eons. Sigh :)

    The donuts look yummy!

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    Replies
    1. Glad my son didn't think of keeping this one in the garage under a cover, but then he wouldn't have gotten the trade in value, which he needed.

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  6. I worked in a donut shop years ago and I rarely eat donuts. They allowed you to eat all you wanted and - well,there is definitely a logic behind that. Cured me permanently. But for those who like donuts, Key Lime would be an excellent flavor. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. That happened to me when I worked in a Chinese restaurant, but it didn't last more than a few years, then I got over it.

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  7. Sounds like someone likes having a car like mum's...........

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    Replies
    1. I think Mom's the one who's the most happy about it.

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  8. I definitely had a favorite parent- and it was the one that told me to clean my room :) My dad had a BMW, and man, it drove like butter. No wonder he was reluctant to give it up, but I'm glad that he was able to get what he wanted in the end!

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    Replies
    1. Yeah, BMWs have a way of getting a grip on you, I was surprised when he didn't buy another, but he absolutely loves this car and got a great price so I'm really happy for him.

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  9. You are absolutely the winner! I do not yet have one, but I am a definite lover of the BMWs. Glad however your son is happy! Now to the donuts! Love them! They make me want to go out now and get everything I need to make them!

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    Replies
    1. Oh, and I'm working on a new donut recipe today, Rena!

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  10. I wish my monitor had a scratch and sniff (and taste) option. The donuts look delicious.

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  11. Mom for the win. Congratulations to him and you.
    Delicious looking donuts.

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  12. Fingers crossed he doesn't have the adventures with the Audi he's had with the BMW the last few years.......Nice cars and can't wait to make the donuts

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  13. If I use buttermilk instead of milk, can I still add the key lime juice to it? Thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I haven't tried it, but yes, you could. It's going to add more tang to the donut. You could add a little more sugar if you want to counterbalance that.

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