Got Questions?

I've got answers!

Well, to some questions anyway - I won't even pretend to have answers to every question.  What fun would that be, if I did?  I'd never get to learn anything new!

Anywho, if you've got questions regarding Sugared cakes, check out the new page.  Maybe it'll answer a few of those burning queries you've got bouncing around in your brain.

Oh, and if you're wondering where all the cake creations have been lately, or if I'm even still baking, believe me, I am.  I've got literally hundreds of photos to sift through and weeks worth of posting to catch up on.  I'll inundate you with baked goodies very soon...hopefully!  But, first I have to survive the next couple of weeks - it's wedding season after all...

Until then, though go check out the new FAQ page!

Talk to you soon...

Fresh Friday: Vol. 5

It's FRIDAY!  And, while Fridays are always good things, this Friday is capping off a busy, but thoroughly good week.  Three reasons why it's been a better than usual week:

1. It rained!!  And I don't mean just a little spit in the bucket, I mean it rained cats and dogs, had 2 inches in the rain gauge, kind of rain.  It even prevented me from running outdoors Thursday evening; no complaints though.
2. Nuts.com - no this is not an advertisement, but I am officially hooked on their plantain chips and carrot chips.  Not to mention their shipping is fast and the product packaging makes me smile.  You should check them out if you're looking for dried fruits/veggies/nuts/chocolate...they have lots of options.
3. The t-shirts for the 5K my family is hosting in a couple of weeks finally arrived.  I've got to get the bibs and tee's ready to mail to our virtual runners this weekend.

How was your week?  Feel free to share in the comments or pop over and share with Katherine @ Real Food Runner.

Have a great weekend!

 

Fresh Friday: Vol. 4

It's Friday!  Woo Hoo!  Are you making plans for your 4th of July celebration yet?  It'll be here next week, you know.  Time flies when we're having fun.

And, since it's Friday, I'm joining up with Katherine over at the Real Food Runner for Fresh Friday.  Here's my three things that have made this week fresh and fantastic.

1. Going topless.  Not that kind of topless!  The Jeep is going topless; it is summer time after all.  The 110°F temperature yesterday left no doubt about the season.
2. My first meringue pie - of any kind!  This particular incarnation was of the lemon variety.
3. My first GPS watch.  Yay!  I went with the Garmin Forerunner 10 in green.  The pink and purple color choices just weren't really my cup of tea, so it's a good thing I liked the remaining color option.

Hope you have an amazing weekend!  Don't hesitate to leave a comment and share what made your week great.  Or pop over and visit Katherine's link-up party @ Real Food Runner, I'm sure she'd love to hear from you, too!

Talk to you soon!

Fresh Friday, Vol. 3

It's Friday!  And, I'm linking up with Katherine over at the Real Food Runner to share a few things that were fresh and fantastic about my week.  Did I mention it's Friday?  And the weather is beautiful?!

Anywho...my 3 things for this week:

1. Atomic bowling...complete with bowling shirts.  I hadn't been bowling in years; threw my share of gutterballs, but am proud to report I came out the winner overall, winning 3 of the 5 games we bowled.
2. Peachwave frozen yogurt.  It was a treat for my birthday, so I couldn't pass up the cheesecake flavor along with the fudge brownie flavor.  Oh, and it wouldn't have been complete without sprinkles and candy bar pieces.  Did I mention it was a treat for my birthday?
3. I'm a runner.  I know that doesn't sound like anything particularly fresh and fantastic, but after the bombings at the Boston Marathon this week, I couldn't have been prouder to call myself one.  I was in shock at what happened, but was moved by how quickly the running community mobilized to help.  Our sport is largely one that is based on individual effort - we run for ourselves, we set our singular goals, but it is also one of the closest-knit communities I've encountered - runners are accepting and welcoming to other runners no matter where in the world they are.  I may never qualify for Boston or cross that fabled finish line, but I'm proud to be a runner.  Our spirits are not easily crushed - we'll continue to run.

Ok, off my soapbox now. Thanks for listening.  What made your week fresh and fantastic?  Feel free to share here or you can pop over and visit Katherine.

Talk to you soon!

Fresh Friday Vol. 2

I'm linking up with Katherine over at the Real Food Runner Blog again today!  Here's my three things for this week:

1. Celebrating Saint Patty's Day with friends.  Complete with green mustaches, Irish Sunrises, and a few broken dishes.
2. Exploring the world of allergen free cookies - not just dairy free, but also soy free and nut free.  In one cookie.  A challenge?  Yes.  Am I up for it?  You bet!
3. $40 pies.  I'll go into the saga in a later post, but sometimes in order to make a birthday the best it can be, you just have to go to great lengths.  Even if the end result was less than beautiful...

What made your week great?  Or different?  Or exciting?  Feel free to share! Talk to you soon!

Fresh Friday

Katherine over at the Real Food Runner invited me to join her Fresh Friday link-up party!  The idea:  share the 3 things that made your previous week fresh and fantastic.  So, here's my three for this week:

1. I'm running again!  True my miles are few and my times are long, but I'm officially back to running after having to take over a month off to work on healing a foot injury.  It's like the first drop of rain after a long drought. Upper left photo.
2. Amazing sunsets.  The ones around here are some of the best I think you could find anywhere (Biased?  Not me.) and I always find myself stopping to enjoy them no matter how many I see - after all, no two are alike.  Upper right photo.
3. Sharing one of my favorite Bible verses with a friend who was in need of some support and comfort.  Bottom photo.

So, those are three things that made my week fresh and fantastic.  What made your week amazing?  You can share them here, and why not pop over and visit Katherine while you're at it?

Talk to you soon!

Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays!  Or whatever sentiment would be proper for the season you observe!  Wishing you the best today and in the year to come.  Oh, and just a quick reminder:

Try to remember this today - especially when the in-laws start to drive you crazy or the kids have already given up on the new toys, or your exhaustion with the entire escapade starts to set in.  These are the times, and these are the days, that you can never go back and "do over."  Embrace the crazy, live, laugh, and love.

Mmm...tasty!

I Want To Suck Your Blood

Not literally, of course.  And, admit it, you read that title in an old school Count Dracula voice, didn't you?

There will be no literal blood sucking today, friends.  But...I am going to give you a recipe for making your very own sugar blood from corn syrup.  Yes, it is as fun as it sounds and it's perfect for your upcoming Halloween party!

A couple of caveats - Number 1:  it's sticky stuff.  Seriously sticky, so just stay aware of that as you are splattering it about and garnishing glasses and platters and such.  And Number 2:  it's a bit messy.  But, honestly, aren't most of the really good/fun things in life?

Here's just a tiny example of the fun you can have with this stuff!

Bet you're wondering where I came up with a glass that offers you a chance to name your poison, huh?  Turns out I have an entire set of them...everything from Arsenic to Carbolic Acid to Paris Green; found them at a thrift store.  Oh the things you can find in places like that!  And yes, that is a ceramic skull wearing a hat in the background.  He's actually a candle holder; been in the family for years and part of a matched set.  He and his buddy used to welcome visitors to the haunted houses the fam once hosted in days gone by...aw, the memories!

Anyway, moving on to the recipe for corn syrup blood...

Corn Syrup Blood

Yield:  Approx 1/4 cup

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tsp molasses, preferably blackstrap
• Red food coloring, approx 1/2 tsp

Preparation:

1. Stir together the corn syrup and molasses in a small bowl.  Add the red food coloring until desired shade of red is reached.
2. Have fun using the "blood" to decorate and garnish!  Store in an airtight container if not using immediately.

Gory goodness!

Lighten the Load

I don't know about you, but my green thumb is really starting to itch.  And, if you're anything like me, you love the look of those giant planters overflowing with lots of greenery and color.  The only problem with these planters - they require large amounts of soil to fill and super human strength to move once they are filled.  

An easy way to help solve both these issues is to fill the planter about a quarter to a third of the way full with packing peanuts, then add the soil.  (Make sure you use the old school Styrofoam peanuts, and not the new corn-based ones that are biodegradable.  The corn-based packing peanuts dissolve quickly in water.)  Doing so will lighten the load of the planter (making it easier to move), will improve drainage, and will save money on potting soil.

Happy planting!

Rabbits, Chicks, and Eggs...Oh, My!

Once again, as is almost always the case around here, I'm sharing holiday goodies with you after the holiday.  But that's just how the cookie crumbles, and, to put a positive spin on it...I'm giving you a heck of a good jump on planning for next year!

With that in mind, maybe for Easter next year you'd like to make some cute cake balls or cake pops decorated to look like eggs (in many varieties), chicks, and rabbits.

(I call this photo "The Lineup," and it represents many, many hours of work.)  I think the rabbits are my favorite - it's their marshmallow ears, just too cute!

And, after you've made all your cake balls/cake pops, why not put them into a couple of cute Easter baskets, maybe even use some edible grass to really carry out the idea!

Ah, yes...the wheels are turning...I can see the ideas taking shape in your mind's eye for next year's extravaganza.  Be sure to take notes!  I don't want you to forget anything!

A large part of Easter is about the basket (see above), but why not consider an Easter present, in cake?  All tied up with a pretty bow and ribbon.

Or, maybe invite a couple of bunnies to the party.  

NO, not those kind of bunnies!  These bunnies; though you'll want to keep a close eye on the bunny next to the bow...

Or, maybe you need ideas for a unique cookie for Easter brunch.  How about these apple pie cookies?  A fun, multi-step, several hour long process cookie that will leave you wondering why you agreed to make them for your dear niece who insisted you wait to make them until she was home.  You were thinking, of course, that she wanted to help construct them, only to be told she just wanted to taste-test them, not help make them. *sigh*  But, that being said, they were really rather fun to put together and tasty, too!

And, of course, you'll need a few dyed eggs for hunting.  May I suggest these marbled beauties?  Dyed using shaving cream and food coloring.  A rather messy process, but the results were pretty spectacular.  Oh, and bright color combinations seem to work best; the darker colors seemed more camouflage than marbled...

Got your notes all written up?  Perfect!  Just make sure you put them in a safe place, so that you'll have them at the ready for Easter next year.  Hehe!

Talk to you soon!

1 Year Already?

Yep...today's the day.  It's the 1 year anniversary of the blog! Or the "blogiversary" as I like to refer to it.

Time really flies when you're having fun...I can hardly believe it's been 365 days!  There's been a lot of ups and downs, a few changes, both big and small, and lots and lots of sugar!  Hopefully, I'll be able to continue sharing my baking and cooking adventures with you well into the future.

If you've been following my posts before now, I hope you've been enjoying yourself and a big THANK YOU for your support.  And if you're new here, feel free to take a look around...maybe you'll be tempted to check back in with us or even read the ramblings on a regular basis!

And, in honor of the blog making it to the 1 year mark, I'm having a giveaway!

Want to see what 1 lucky winner will receive?  Here it is:

What's included:

• 1 large "Mix-n-Measure" glass (1.5 cup capacity)
• 1 small "Mix-n-Measure Mini Measure" glass (2 TBSP capacity)
• 1 copy of Good Housekeeping's "Brownies:  Favorite Recipes for Blondies, Bars & Brownies" 
• 1 copy of Good Housekeeping's "Cookies:  Favorite Recipes for Bar, Drop, Rolled, & Shaped Cookies"

So, why this stuff?  

Well, I absolutely love, love the "Mix-n-Measure" glasses.  They have several different forms of measurement (i.e. ounces, cups, grams, millimeters, teaspoons, etc) printed on the sides, making them perfect for both dry and liquid measuring.  And, as for the cookbooks, I ran across them the other day while shopping, and they just pulled me in.  (Yes, I'm a sucker for cookbooks and food photography!)  Both books have an abundance of recipes and tips, the photography is beautiful, and they are from Good Housekeeping, which means the recipes are tested and re-tested for the perfect result!  

How do you enter?*

Just leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite thing is to bake.  It could be bread, cake, cookies, or maybe something a little less common.  I look forward to seeing everyone's answers! (And, make sure you leave some type of moniker (i.e. nickname) so that I can identify you if you're the lucky winner!)

I'll announce the winner on December 16, 2011.  You'll have to check back on that day to find out if you're the lucky recipient, and if so, to find out how to claim your prize.

Good luck!

*Contest ends Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 12:00 pm CST.  Winner will be announced Friday, December 16, 2011.  Winner will be selected using the True Random Number Generator at Random.org.

**Disclaimer:  I am not in any way affiliated with the manufacturers, writers, etc. of any of these products, nor have I received any compensation to mention or giveaway these products on my site.  They are just a few fun items I wanted to share with one of my readers in honor of the blog's birthday.

The Great Pumpkin of 2011

Don't worry I have cake goodies to share with you today as well.  But, first, the great pumpkin of 2011!!

Isn't it just gorgeous! Hehe!  I opted to go with a less Halloween-ish theme since I didn't get around to carving it until October 31st.  This way I can keep the candle burning well into November - or at least until the pumpkin gets too withered to continue residing on my porch...

Since Halloween fell on a Monday this year, a lot of the Halloween celebrations took place the previous weekend.  And, I, of course, couldn't slip by without contributing some kind of edible goodness.  How would you have liked to receive one of these boxes?

Despite the warning label, there weren't any tricks, just treats inside.  (K picked up these boxes for me awhile back.  Aren't they great fun?)  So what was in the boxes?  Well...

Cake eyeballs! My niece and nephew found them to be "cool," though I have a suspicion that some of the other box recipients may have been slightly turned off by the red velvet cake inside.  Perhaps that wasn't the best choice of cake color...nah, who am I trying to kid, it was perfect!

I didn't just make fun treats for the family and friends, I also got to make this fun Halloween themed birthday cake.

The pumpkin topper was made from rice krispy treats.  And the candy corn and mini pumpkins were actually candy corn candies.  And, as a bonus, I got to eat the leftover candy! (Not that I needed to, but I did anyway.)

Of course, not everything was pumpkin, ghost, or goblin themed this past week.  I created several other pieces, including these cake pops:

I'm happy to say that my cake pop making has improved.  I've made several adjustments, including adding some new "tools" to the process and have been happy with the results.  (Hopefully, I don't end up eating these words when I try to make Oklahoma State University cake pops later this week!)

This birthday cake for one of my nieces:

This design was fairly simple, but it was a bit of last minute decision to have her party this past weekend.  Luckily, she's a big fan of Dora, The Explorer, and I just happened to have the candle in my supplies!

This gift box cake for a 50th birthday:

The bow, ribbons, and lettering were fondant, but the leopard print pattern was all buttercream.  The cake was iced in white buttercream, then the spots were added using brown and black buttercream, then I airbrushed over everything (prior to adding the other decorations) with a light bronze sheen.

And, finally, the piece de resistance:

This wedding cake was a stressful, nail-biting (proverbially speaking) affair for me, but I have to say, it may well be my favorite wedding cake I've done to date.  The cake was iced in white vanilla buttercream, then each layer was decorated with a hand piped design; the hydrangeas were artificial blooms provided by the bride.  So the decoration/design itself wasn't what had me stressed...it was the construction.  Let me explain - those small cakes at the base are actually sitting around a Styrofoam block.  And that Styrofoam block was the support for the upper three tiers of cake!  And, to make things even more interesting, the tiers weren't stacked directly on one another, there was approximately 3 inches of space between each tier to accommodate the flowers.  Stressful?  You bet.  Beautiful?  Absolutely!!

Ciao!

New! But not yet improved...

There's now a new way to keep up with all the happenings on the blog!  You can subscribe and follow by e-mail!  To do so, just enter your e-mail address in the "Follow by Email" box over on the left, then watch your inbox for an activation e-mail.  Once you receive it and activate your subscription, then you'll start getting an e-mail anytime there's new blog content (though only once daily, even if there's more than one new post).  Hopefully, plenty of you will become subscribers and find it an easy way to follow me!

So, it's an all new way to stay up-to-date, though I must admit, at the moment the e-mails are still fairly plain-Jane.  I am working on ways to spice up the format, but I couldn't wait to share the new feature with you!

Don't forget to subscribe!

Boo!

Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Carving Tips

Halloween is almost here!  Planning to carve a pumpkin this year?  If so, here's a few tips that might make your project go a little smoother and last a little longer.  (There are lots of ways to carve a pumpkin and lots of tips on how to do so, these are just some that have worked for me in the past!)

While I haven't carved a pumpkin yet for this year (I'm planning to though, already have a pattern selected, just need a pumpkin!), here are K and I's creations from last year.  Kinda a little bit of proof that I somewhat know what I'm talking about. Hehe!  My creation is the headless disco dancer and K's is the take on an immensely popular arcade game.

       

Now that you're inspired to create your own carving, here's those tips:

1. Pick out a pumpkin that will make a good jack-o-lantern.  Traditionally, the larger the pumpkin, the easier it will be to carve.  Also, keep in mind what type of pattern, design, or stencil you will be carving and choose a pumpkin whose shape will fit the design.  Try to find pumpkins with smooth surfaces and large, sturdy stems.
2. Once you've found the perfect pumpkin, you have to get inside to clean it out.  Most people opt to cut the top out of the pumpkin, creating a lid.  If so, carve at a 45° angle, this will provide the lid a "ledge" to sit on, rather than falling into the pumpkin as it dries down.  If your design lends itself to removal of the bottom of the pumpkin, slice it off flat and discard the base.  Easy peasy!
3. Use sturdy scrapers to remove the "guts" and seeds.  I personally like to use metal cooking spoons, spatulas, or even an ice cream scoop.  Try to scrape the walls down to approximately 1 inch thick, this will make carving much easier.  And remember to keep the seeds!  They taste great roasted; here's how.
4. Once your pumpkin is free of its insides, time to transfer the pattern!  My preferred method is to tape the pattern to the pumpkin, then use a small awl or drill to poke holes through the pattern and into the pumpkin.  Remove the pattern, then dust the surface of the pumpkin lightly with cornstarch or flour.  This will highlight the holes and make the pattern easier to see.  Keep the pattern for reference as you are cutting.
5. I would recommend getting a set of pumpkin carving tools.  I personally am drooling over this one, but I take my pumpkin carving fairly seriously.  And since I don't own that set yet and it is still out of my budget, I use the inexpensive sets you can get at most major retailers.  Just make sure it has a scraper, drill, and a couple of different sized saws.
6. Time to start carving!  Carve the smaller details first, then move on to the larger ones.  Be sure to carve slowly and take your time.  Getting in a hurry or try to force a piece of the carving out before it is fully cut could result in your design being altered from its original intent.
7. Carve a ventilation hole in the back of the pumpkin (unless you are carving a reflective pattern).  Do not forget this step!  You will either catch your pumpkin on fire or your candle will not stay lit.
8. Once you are finished carving, rub a thin layer of petroleum jelly over all the cuts.  This will help the pumpkin retain water and prevent it from drying out so quickly.
9. Find the perfect place to display your work of art, add a candle, and light.  Don't forget to take photographs!  You can also sprinkle the inside of the pumpkin with some cinnamon, cloves, or nutmeg...it'll make a wonderful air freshener!

A little more inspiration for you...the pumpkin I carved in 2009.  I try to find patterns that are fairly unique, I don't think I've ever carved a "traditional" jack-o-lantern...I may have to do that one of these years.  But for now, "we're all mad here."  (That's what the side of the pumpkin said...rather hard to read in the photo.)

 

If you need a pattern for your pumpkin(s), there are numerous free ones available online.  Just do a search for "free pumpkin patterns" or, if you prefer, you can usually pick up a book of patterns in your local variety store.  If you purchase a book, I'd suggest making a copy of the pattern so that the book stays intact for future use.

Happy carving!  And I'd love to see your creations if you want to send them my way.  I'll share mine once I get it completed!

Cake Pops & a Car Show

Cake pops have officially "made it" to my little corner of the world...or so it seems to me, anyway!  I've had several orders for these yummy little treats in the last week, no cakes though.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Cake Pops, they are crumbles of cake mixed with frosting, formed into shapes, placed on a lollipop stick, and then covered with candy coating.  They can be made in just about any flavor you can dream up, and if you're really ambitious, even just about any shape.  If you choose to go the route of interesting shapes, just be prepared for lots of failures...make plenty of extra!

A few fun flower shaped Cake Pops for a Tinkerbell birthday party.

Three dozen red and white Cake Pops for a carnival themed birthday party.  (These were white cake with buttercream, and chocolate cake with buttercream.)

And, a few firefighter themed Cake Pops for my nephew's birthday party at school.  (I apologize for the picture quality, it was somewhere around 5:30 AM when I snapped this pic.  Sleep is overrated right?)  These were admittedly a headache from the get go and didn't turn out as well as I would have liked...odd shapes and all.  There are fire helmets, fire hydrants, and a few white pops drizzled with red candy coating...I will attempt the helmets and hydrants again, I know I can do better.  Practice makes perfect and all that jazz...

So, now that we have gotten the sugar taken care of, whose ready to see the cars?  

K and I attended the Hooker, OK car show last Saturday.  I've been attending for several years, and each year the show just gets bigger and better.  This year they had over 220 vehicles entered and absolutely perfect weather.  If you ever have the opportunity and are interested in cars, particularly classics, I would encourage you to attend...the setting, hospitality, and fun vibe of the event is hard to find anywhere else.

Here's just a few of the photos I took, and if you're like me, you'll find many of these cars drool worthy, so be sure to have a napkin or two handy...

Pontiac Firebird & Ford Mustang...can I have both?

Corvette convertible.  Best in Show Car for the 2nd year.  I'll take this one, please...

"Yes, officer, please pull me over."

Another classic Corvette convertible.  I'll take this one, too!

There's just something about a vintage Chevy pickup...

Chevelle SS, 396 engine.  Race ya?

Workhorse.

Love the wood beds in these pickups!

Oh, the places I could go!

Rubber duck on the dash...obviously it was meant to be...

Gorgeous orange coupe.  And an OSU tag! These are my people!

Sunny yellow Ford pickup.  Love the fat whitewalls and red rims!

Plymouth GTX.  Probably my favorite of the show this year!
No power steering, but it did have power windows.
Who needs power steering anyway?  It was built to run straight and fast!
Photo courtesy of K.

Did you see anything you liked?  Oops, I think you may have a little drool on your chin.  Not there...over just a tad...there ya go, got it.  

Can't blame you, I'd have a garage full of them, if I could only afford it!  A girl can dream though!