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31 May 2012

"May"hem

Have you been having cake design withdrawals?  If so, fear not; I'm here to feed your addiction...and in a big way.  We're talking all, yes, ALL, of the cakes from the month of May.  There are even a few cupcakes and one prom dinner included at no extra charge!

Why am I sharing everything with you in one GIANT post?  Because I love ya!  Well, that, and because I've been so swamped these past few weeks that something had to get put on the back burner if I wanted to get any sleep at all; and yep, the editing/uploading of photos and writing of posts won that race.  Or maybe it lost the race?  Either way...let's get started, shall we?

#1.  My favorite cartoon character hands down.  And, of course, a cake with his image wouldn't be complete without a few burgers and the team's van!  The burgers were actually "Krabby Patties" gummy candies, but they worked like a charm.
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#2.  The first of many of the graduation themed cakes from these past few weeks.  The graduation cap cutouts and "Class of 2012" were made from an icing sheet cut on the Silhouette, the paw print was fondant.

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#3.  The fraternal, not identical, twin of Cake #2.  Again the stars and inscription were Silhouette cuts using an icing sheet, the graduation cap was made from rice krispies and fondant.

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#4.  Graduation cake for a political science major at THE state's college!  I hand-cut and layered the logo and gavel using gumpaste.  The lettering was cut using the Silhouette.  (Seeing a theme here with my Silhouette usage?  If not, give me a minute...it'll get clearer.)

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#5.  Another OSU grad cake, the recipients of this one were headed to LSU for the next step in their adventure.  The cake is rather hard to read, but said "Love Purple" across the top tier, and "Live Orange" across the bottom tier.  The decorations were made from fondant/gumpaste; the phrases from icing sheets. And, yes, that is a motel room serving as the backdrop.  This cake, along with #4 and #8, were traveling cakes!
  
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#6.  Hello!  A pretty pink birthday cake with a friendly kitty and lots of flowers.  The letters on this cake were fondant and were not cut using the Silhouette. *wink, wink*

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#7.  An animal themed graduation cake.  Paw prints, zebra stripes, and a wildcat, oh my!  The school mascot = wildcat, hence the paw prints and topper, but the honoree adored zebra stripes, so we also had to make sure those were included.

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#8.  Scrub top cake for a friend's graduation from physical therapy school.  The cake was chocolate with a toasted marshmallow buttercream and crushed graham cracker filling.  Yum, yum!

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#9.  Cupcakes!  With camouflage toppers!  Bet you had a hard time seeing them, huh?

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Good news!  We are halfway to the finish!  Woo!  Do you need to top off your cup of coffee?  I'll wait...

Oh good, you came back!  Let's resume our tour.

#10.  Cupcakes!  For a 2012 graduate whose school colors just happened to be red, white, and blue.  This design would make a fun treat for July 4th...hmm...

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#11.  Cake for the same school's graduation as the cupcakes above, but for a different honoree.  The eagle was made from gumpaste.

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#12.  Sports themed cupcakes for a baby shower.  The toppers were Wilton royal icing decorations.  Don't judge...I was under time constraints due to being unable to get in contact with the client.  They still turned out very cute, even with the mass produced decorations!

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#13.  Gold, black, and silver star topped cuppies for a new college grad.

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#14.  A multicolored, floral themed cake for a younger graduate.  Chocolate cake with chocolate chip cookie dough filling.

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#15.  The prom dinner Madre and I put together for my niece and her date - steaks, twice baked potatoes, broccoli, dinner rolls, and cherry cheesecake, all homemade, of course!  The original plan was to serve dinner on the deck, but the 35 mph winds and near 100°F heat thwarted us, so yes, my patio set was relocated to my living room.  It all worked out though!

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Hungry now?  Hang with me just a few more minutes...only four left!

#16.  A "naughty/nice" cake for a "bachelorette shower."  I had originally designed a different cake, but the bachelorette party became a bridal shower, so I had to make some changes.  Oh, and I learned an important lesson...never use the method I did to apply petal dust to a buttercream, it didn't turn out so well, certainly nothing like I envisioned. *sigh*

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#17.  Jewels, feathers, and a crown...definitely a cake fit for a princess.  There was a different castle backdrop framed in purple on each side of the cake; the client planned to add princess figurines after delivery.

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#18.  A simple graduation cake for a reception honoring students from several schools.  The grad cap and scroll were gumpaste; the lettering Silhouette icing sheet cutouts.

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And, at long last...drum roll, please...the final cake!

#19.  And, yes, it's another graduation cake!  This one for the hometown event, complete with orange polka dots and paw prints.

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Are you still with me?  If so, I applaud your stamina!  Thanks for sticking it out, you have my permission to go take a nap now if you'd like.

Talk to you soon!

29 May 2012

Nice Stems


Next time you need a way to add height to your tablescape, reach for your stemware.  Flip each glass over so that the bases are turned upward, then use the inverted glasses to display mini treats or candles.  You can even place flowers or other types of fun fillers under the glasses to add additional color.  And, the varying heights and designs of the inverted stemware will provide an eye-catching display without any additional cost!

Mmm...tasty!


25 May 2012

English Muffin Mini Pizzas

This recipe is a blast from my childhood...I hadn't made one of these in years!  But then, the other day, as I was staring into my nearly empty refrigerator - yes, I needed to go FOOD shopping, I can make a baked good or pastry item at the drop of the hat, but a savory meal...fugetabouit!  And before you go thinking I can't cook, I can!  It's just that I don't normally have savory ingredients on hand...

Anywho...as I was staring into my nearly empty refrigerator, my eyes landed on the package of English muffins...and the pepperonis, left over from some past dish...and, viola!  I decided to make English Muffin Pizzas!

These are great, and probably the reason my mom had them in the food rotation when my sisters and I were younger, because #1:  they are ready in about 15 minutes and #2:  everybody can make their own pizza, choosing only the toppings they like.  Assuming you provide a plethora of toppings, of course.

English Muffin Mini Pizzas
Printable Recipe


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Ingredients:

  • English Muffins, plain, split into 2 halves
    • Plan 1 to 2 muffins per person, or 2 to 4 "slices"
  • Pizza Sauce, jarred or homemade
  • Cheese of your choosing (I like to use Mozzarella or a Mexican Fiesta Blend)
  • Additional Toppings of your choosing, some suggestions:
    • Pepperonis (you'll want to quarter them or use the minis)
    • Cooked, scrambled sausage or hamburger
    • Bell peppers
    • Onions
Preparation:
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Line a baking sheet with foil, and place the desired number of English Muffin halves onto it.
  2. Add the pizza sauce, cheese, and any additional toppings to the muffin halves.
  3. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the muffins are heated through.
  4. Serve as is, or if you have a broiler and would like to get a nice crunch on the edges of the muffins, place them under the flame for a few minutes before serving.  Just watch them carefully so they don't burn!
Happy cooking!



22 May 2012

Too Much Green


If you're anything like me, you always end up chopping up far more of a fresh herb than is called for in a recipe.  Rather than throwing this deliciousness out, put the extra green stuff in an open bowl* to create your own "house blend" of herbs.  You'll likely end up with a hodgepodge that is perfect for flavoring soups or meats.

*Or use a plate, sheet pan, etc.  Just about any container that will allow the herbs to be exposed to air and allow them to dry completely will work fine.  And, once the herbs have dried, you can store the mixture in a tightly sealed container.

Mmm...tasty!


16 May 2012

Put on Your Dancing Shoes

Or maybe that should be your running shoes; at least if you want to try to keep up with me anyway.  Seems like the past few weeks I've been doing nothing but running here and there and everywhere, including from one end of my fabulous state to the other and back again!  Want proof?  These cakes I'm sharing today are from April.  Yes, April!

I know...I'm a horrible blogger.  *hanging head in shame*

*brightening suddenly*  But, I've managed to keep up with the tasty tips!  So it hasn't been completely a deserted wasteland around here.

I solemnly swear to try to do better.  But, for now, let's go dancing!

Ballet, perhaps?

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Or maybe hip-hop is more your style?

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There's always tap - maybe it's your cup of tea?

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None of those strike your fancy?  Well, there's always the option of Mexican Fiesta music...

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If you opt for the fiesta, don't forget your sombrero, it might help protect you from some of the heat of the peppers!

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In case you are wondering, everything on both cakes is completely edible.  The dance step charts in the first cake were made from edible images.  The tiles on the fiesta cake were hand drawn and colored on gumpaste; all the other additional elements (i.e. chili peppers, dahlia flowers, sombrero, and blanket) were made from fondant.

Who wants to go dancing?  I'm pretty handy at two-steppin'!

15 May 2012

Moldy Cheese


We've all done it - you have the perfect dish in the making, and all it needs to finish it off is a little bit of cheesy goodness, but when you pull the block or bag of cheese from the fridge, you find the cheese has mold on it!  And the thought goes through your mind, "Can I still use this?  Is it safe to eat?  It's only a little bit of mold..."

Well, next time, keep this in mind:
  • As long as the fuzz is on a block of hard or semihard cheese (think Parmesan or cheddar), you're in the clear.  Just cut off one inch around and below the contaminated area, being careful not to let the knife come into contact with the mold.
  • But, if  you find something furry on grated cheese or any type of soft cheese, toss it.  These types of cheeses can easily become contaminated throughout, making it nearly impossible to remove all the mold.
Mmm...tasty!



08 May 2012

Keep 'Em in the Carton


Your fridge may have a space designated for egg storage, but you're better off keeping them in the carton.  The average eggshell has up to 17,000 pores across it's surface - that's a lot of tiny holes for odors and flavors to be absorbed through.  Storing them in the carton helps minimize this absorption, so all you taste when you cook the egg is egg...not that freshly sliced onion in the bottom drawer.

Mmm...tasty!


01 May 2012

Dinner Discs


Summer is right around the corner!  Yay!  And that means outdoor party season!  

Need an easy party favor idea that does double duty as a plate holder?  Try picking up a few inexpensive plastic Frisbees (aka flying discs) at your local party or discount store and tucking a paper plate into each one.  (Make sure the plates fit snugly.)  Once your guests have eaten, remove the plate and, voila, instant party favor!  

Psst!  This would also be a fun idea for those outdoor graduation receptions many of you are probably planning right now.  Just find Frisbees in the graduate's school colors or purchase plain ones and decorate with paints or permanent markers.  You could even have guests sign one for the graduate as a keepsake!

Mmm...tasty!