Baby, it's cold outside!

Wow, is it ever cold today! It was -2 this morning when I came into work, with a windchill of -20 and they say tomorrow morning is supposed to be worse....Worse?!? Really? How much colder can it possibly get? Spring can't come fast enough for me this year. I am ready to be outside again. I haven't run outside in such a long time. I was thinking of doing the St. Louis half marathon, but I just don't think I can get ready in enough time. It's in early April and I haven't run more than 6 miles since before Christmas sometime. It is just not as much fun to run on the treadmill. But, the Osteopathic Fun Run is a little later that month, so I'll probably try to do the 10K again. That's not nearly as hard to prepare for!

Ben is on ENT this month and has pretty good hours. In fact, he has gotten home early enough the past two days to cook dinner for me. It's been great! He made some California rolls on Monday. He has made sushi a couple of times before, but this was definitely his best effort. We took a picture of some of the leftovers since he did such a good job.

Also, someone asked for the recipe for the Triple Layer Lemon Cake that I made for Ben's birthday. Here's the recipe and a picture of what the cake should look like ;-)

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1/2 recipe Lemon Curd (see recipe below) or 1 cup purchased lemon curd
1 recipe Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting (see recipe below)
Lemon peel curls (optional)

Directions:
1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour three 9 x 1-1/2-inch round cake pans. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, lemon peel, and lemon juice; beat until well combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Add flour mixture and buttermilk or sour milk alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Pour into prepared pans.
Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks.
3. To assemble, place a cake layer on a cake plate. Spread with half of the Lemon Curd. Top with second layer; spread with the remaining Lemon Curd. Top with third layer. Frost top and sides with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting. Cover and store cake in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. If desired, garnish with lemon peel curls.
Makes 12 servings.

Lemon Curd:
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
6 tablespoons lemon juice
6 tablespoons water
6 beaten egg yolks
1/2 cup butter or margarine, cut up
Directions
1. In a medium saucepan stir together sugar and cornstarch. Stir in lemon peel, lemon juice, and water. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.
2. Stir half of the lemon mixture into the egg yolks. Return egg mixture to the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until mixture comes to a gentle boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Add butter pieces, stirring until melted. Cover surface of the curd with plastic wrap. Chill at least 1 hour or for up to 48 hours. Store covered in refrigerator up to 1 week or transfer to a freezer container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in refrigerator before serving. Makes 2 cups (sixteen 2-tablespoon servings).

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:
Finely shred 1 teaspoon lemon peel; set aside. In a medium mixing bowl combine two 3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup butter, softened; and 1 teaspoon lemon juice; beat with electric mixer on low to medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually beat in 2-1/2 to 2-3/4 cups additional powdered sugar until spreading consistency. Stir in the lemon peel.