No Cookie Cutter...

It started out simple enough.  I had a request for longhorn shaped sugar cookies.  No problem...I knew I didn't have a cookie cutter in that shape, but I have several contacts that I figured I could ask - just borrow one from them.

Nope.  Came up empty handed.  Hmm...what to do next?  

Well, I thought, "I could order a cookie cutter, similar to this, pay the outrageous shipping fee to get it here overnight, and then potentially only use it once."

Or...I could try to make my own cookie cutter, sounds easy enough.  Just get a metal cookie cutter and bend it to the shape I need.  "Yep," I said to myself, "I can do that."  So, I started out with something similar to this:

And ended up with something similar to this:

Actually, I think my attempt was worse, but I didn't think to get a picture of it before I threw it to the floor and stomped on it frustration.  I completed my cookie cutter cleansing by tossing the flattened piece of metal into the trash.  It made me feel better anyway.

On to plan "C"...make a stencil and then cut out the cookies ONE by ONE.  Then, after baking them, use the stencil again to cut out the rolled buttercream designs ONE by ONE.  It was a tedious process, but no one can claim the cookies are "cookie cutter," they each had their own little personality.  Believe me, I spent 4 hours cutting the darn things out...cajoling them to cooperate, pumping myself up to cut out just one more, cursing the broken horns (turns out this shape is rather fragile...who would of thought?), but I completed them!  I even had a few extra to pass on to some dear Sooner fans I know.

Here's a few of the broken horn versions.  For some reason the Sooner followers seemed to prefer these over the others...and they had a tendency to turn them upside down as well...so odd... Hehe!  (Don't rant at me for not understanding what this is all about, believe me I do, I'm just being facetious.  After all, I'm an Oklahoma girl. And an Oklahoma State fan.)

Luckily my hands and fingers survived the cookie cutting experience.  And since they did, I figured why not hand draw and decorate a few pretty ponies for a cake that took me back to my childhood days?  I remember playing with these toys...in fact, I believe they are still at my madre's house.  The nieces seem to be big fans of them, apparently they are a toy that doesn't go out of style.

Everything on the cake is edible.  And, K even helped me color in several of the ponies...I think he secretly enjoyed it, even though he wouldn't admit it, even under duress.

Oh, and I also made some small cheesecakes.  They weren't anything fancy, but they received rave reviews. Now that I think about it, I should have kept a few for myself.  Lemon cheesecake, key lime cheesecake, original cheesecake, chocolate cheesecake...ooo, they all sound so good!  May have to try out the praline cheesecake this weekend...keep it all to myself!

Go Pokes!