Laissez Bon Temps Rouler

Yes, I know that Mardi Gras was a few weeks ago.

And Easter is on April Fool's Day this year.  Hopefully some of you will have some fun with the collision of the two.  After all, no matter the time of year, let the good times roll!

I attempted making a King cake for the first time this year; I took the lazy man's route and didn't bother to braid it like a traditional King cake.  And, there was no naked baby inside to pose as a choking hazard, but all in all I thought it was pretty tasty.  (My coworkers did too!)

February turned out to be a fairly busy month.  Which is strange because usually everyone is still trying to recover from the holidays and the New Year.

Cake Bosses in the Making

I supervised a group of budding cake decorators at a birthday party last week.  I know, you're sitting there asking yourself what in the world I'm talking about, so let me explain.

The birthday girl wanted to have a cake decorating party as part of her celebration.  Her mom asked me if I would be able to help make that happen.  I figured "why not?"  It's something different, out of the ordinary and it might be pretty fun.

Basically, I provided the guests each a plain white iced buttercream cake (i.e. their blank canvas), several colors of buttercream, some fondant, and the decorating tools and knowledge; they provided the creativity.  I was impressed, definitely a group of possible future decorators.  I told them they could come sous chef for me, as long as they helped with the clean-up.  There weren't a lot of takers.

Here's their creations.

Pretty good, huh?  Like I said, I was very impressed with their creativity.

Here's a couple of my creations from last week, too.

Sprinkles!  Who doesn't love sprinkles on their birthday cake?  I assume the recipient did, I didn't ask his preference since it was a surprise...

A birthday cake for the bosses - that's a good employee right there.  This one was German chocolate, so the decoration was kept pretty simple, but hopefully it earned some good brownie points.

Talk to you soon!

New & Nifty: Stacked Wines

This may not be such an issue at the holidays, since it seems like there are always people around, but do you ever yearn for a glass of wine, but hate to open a new bottle because you know you won't (or at least you don't plan to) finish it?

If so, let me introduce you to Stacked.  What is it?  A tower of four individual cups of wine that snap together to equal a full bottle.  It's perfect for sharing.  Or not.  For on the go, since it's already in a glass.  Or staying at home, since you won't have to dirty any additional dishes (did I mention it's already in the glass?).  It currently comes in four varietals:  cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, merlot, and pinot grigio.  And, if you only feel like one glass, you no longer have to worry about wasting the rest of a bottle.

Mmm...tasty!

P.S. You've still got time to enter the Blogiversary giveaway!  You can do so until 12 pm CST tomorrow (12/19); just click here.

*Disclaimer:  Stacked Wines has no idea who I am and they didn't ask me to say nice things about their product.  I just wanted to share a new product that I found fun and innovative.

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!

Chill Out

One of the biggest worries I encounter when planning a party is how to ensure the canned and bottled drinks are cold come party time, and how to keep them that way.  I don't usually have the refrigerator space to store them; putting them in the freezer could result in exploded cans and busted bottles; and icing them down in a cooler takes just as long as the fridge plus I have to remember to start the process early.  

My solution?

Place the warm bottles or cans into a large bowl, bucket, the kitchen sink, or even a clean water tank and cover the drinks completely with ice.  Add water enough to cover the drinks and ice, then add 1 cup of salt (either rock or granulated) for every 3 lbs of ice; stir/swish the mixture around occasionally to help the drinks cool faster.  You'll have cold drinks in mere minutes - about 3-5 minutes for a 6-pack!  It will take a bit longer the more cans/bottles you have (bottles take a bit longer to cool than cans), but it still beats waiting hours for cold drinks.  Oh, and be sure to rinse the bottles and cans off before opening, otherwise you'll end up with a nice salty addition to your drink.

Mmm...tasty!

No Punch Bowl

Throwing a party, but don't have a punch bowl?  Or you need an extra because you're serving more than one drink?  Try using an over sized wide mouth jar, or a pretty decorative tub or bucket.  Just make sure the item is either plastic or glass (metal items may not be safe for food use or could possibly lend a metallic taste to the beverage); also make sure it will hold the liquid without leaking and that the container has been properly washed/cleaned before use.  Just add a long handled ladle and viola, instant punch bowl!

Mmm...tasty!

Double-Duty: Ice Cream Maker

Oh, sure, you can use your ice cream maker to churn endless varieties of ice creams and sherbets, but why not use it to make frozen drinks, as well?  It can be a bartender's best friend!  

Just add the cocktail ingredients to the bucket (you won't need to add any ice since the ice cream maker will do the freezing) and let churn for about an hour before the party.  Once the mixture is slushy, place the bucket on the table for guests to scoop their own.  Easy peasy!

Mmm...tasty!

Ice Cube Improv

Want to add a little pizzazz to the clear or light colored beverage you're serving at your next party?  Freeze clean red, purple, or green grapes (or go all out and mix the colors) until solid.  Once completely frozen, put the grapes in individual glasses or into a large pitcher*, then add the liquid and serve.  The grapes add a pretty pop of color and will do double duty by keeping the drink cold without watering it down.  No ice cubes needed!

*Works best if you use clear glass or plastic containers so the colors will really show through.

Mmm...tasty!

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!

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!