Read Confectionately Yours #4: Something New for Free Online Page B

then I’ll help you work on yours. Okay, look, we have to submit your name to the office so they can put you on the ballot!”
    “Wait — I never said —”
    But Meghan has already darted off. To the office for my paperwork, no doubt.
    It’s amazing how some people manage to get a yes even when the answer is no. What’s the trick to that?
    And why hasn’t anyone ever taught me?

    Avocado Cupcakes
    (makes approximately 12 cupcakes)
    Avocados are nature’s butter! They’re just so creamy and delicious … and I always like putting something green into my cupcakes. It makes them seem healthier somehow.
    INGREDIENTS:
    1 cup milk
    1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    3/4 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    3/4 cup granulated sugar
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 cup ripe avocado, mashed (about 1 medium avocado)
    INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and apple cider vinegar and let sit for a few minutes to curdle.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Once the milk has curdled, add the sugar, vanilla extract, and mashed avocado. With a whisk or handheld mixer, add the dry ingredients to the wet ones a little bit at a time, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl a few times, and mix until smooth.
Fill cupcake liners two-thirds of the way and bake for 18–20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack, and let cool completely before frosting.

    Super Quick and Easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
    INGREDIENTS:
    1-1/4 cups butter, cubed and softened
    2-1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    2 tablespoons milk
    3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
    INSTRUCTIONS:
Add all the ingredients to a food processor at once. Pulse to combine, and then process until the frosting is smooth.

“C ome on, Tessie,” I say, giving the leash a gentle shake. It turns out that our new foster dog is a sniffer. Right now, she’s smelling a tent pole for all it’s worth. I wonder what it smells like. What could be so interesting? Did a squirrel rub up against it or something? I shake the leash again, but Tessie won’t budge. I glance down at the list Mom gave me. If this dog and I don’t get a move on, the farmers’ market will close down around us. “Come on, girl.”
    “Fred?” A boy with curly blond hair turns away from a bucket of flowers to smile at me.
    “Hey, Kyle. Yeah, it’s me.” Kyle is legally blind. He can see shapes and colors, but sometimes he needs a little help identifying faces.
    “Who are you talking to?”
    “Our new dog. Tesseract.” Kyle laughs, and I add, “Chloe named her. It was Rupert’s suggestion. They’re reading A Wrinkle in Time .”
    “Well, that makes sense, then.” Kyle kneels down and slowly reaches out his hand toward the dog. “Hello,” he says softly. “Hi, Tessie.”
    Tessie stops sniffing the tent pole and starts sniffing his fingers. Then she starts licking them.
    “Hah! I just had fries,” Kyle says. “I must be pretty delicious.”
    “Nice and salty,” I agree.
    Tessie finishes licking him and puts her paws on his leg to reach up and sniff his nose. Kyle sniffs back. I’m over being afraid of our little dog, but I’m still not one of those people who likes getting licked and having a dog breathe in my face and stuff. Sometimes, I think I’m the only person in the world like that. I wonder if it’s genetic or something.
    “What brings you to the farmers’ market?” Kyle asks.
    “Mom sent me for some greens, and to see what other veggies they’ve got. But there isn’t a lot here.”
    “It’s early in the season. You could have some rhubarb.”
    “Right.” I look around. “Or some baby plants. What are you here for?”
    “I might get a couple of plants. I have a tiny garden. It’s, like, three square feet,”