My mom is the best cake decorator I know. I wish I would have let her teach me when I was younger (actually there are A LOT of things I wish I would have let her teach me back then....dang you bratty teenage self) Now I have to learn things I could have already known....
Well I decided to take a little cake decorating class....

MmMMmmMm..........homemade raspberry filling.....

My 1st cake

After lots of preparation every Sunday night, batches and batches and batches of icing and TONS of cleanup.....

It was time to make the final cake!

Here she is!
We had a really fun time! And learned a lot. Although I don't think either of us will be making, eating or looking at icing or cake for the next few months....

Saturday night was the Relief Society broadcast. Somehow someone always says the perfect thing I need to hear......its so nice to have little reminders of the things that are really important.

We had dinner before it started and of course there was so much delicious food and dessert!! We had Broccoli Cheese Soup, Spicy Gumbo, Taco Soup and I brought Tomato Basil and the biggest salad I've ever made! Salad for 40 people?? I didn't even know where to begin, I wanted to make sure we had enough.....and we ended up with a little extra....I've had 5 bowls of salad in the past 2 days, and there is still some in the fridge. 40 people don't eat quite as much salad as you might think?? At least we didn't run out!

Creamy/Chunky Tomato Basil Soup

6 celery ribs, diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper, diced
1/4 C. butter
3 cans(14.5oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 T. tomato paste
3/4 C. fresh basil leaves, chopped
3 t. sugar
2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 1/2 C. heavy cream
(I use half and half instead, I've made it both ways and they are both just as delicious)

In a large saucepan saute celery, onion, red pepper and butter 8-10 minutes or until tender.

Add tomatoes and tomato paste. Heat through. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 40 minutes.
Remove from heat, and stir in basil, sugar, salt and pepper. Cool slightly.

Transfer 1/2 of soup mixture (or more depending on how chunky or creamy you want it) into blender, gradually add cream or 1/2 and 1/2. Process until pureed.

Return to pan and heat through, do not boil.

(This one is not my picture, I found one online that turned out way prettier and more delicious looking than mine did...still working on the food photography)