Confessions of a Wannabe Baker

I miss this

2011-07-17T16:16:00.000-04:00

I miss baking. I really do.

My collection of recipes keeps growing. But I don't bake much anymore.

Why?

Lots of reasons.

Grad school - yes, but not so much the main reason.
Healthy eating- certainly another reason. Yummy desserts aren't exactly on the paleo diet.
Busy - There is a lot of things to do these days, and not a lot of time to do them.
Mess- I am a messy baker, I will admit that. So baking for the blog means my kitchen gets destroyed. Then I have to clean it up. If only I had a maid :-D

But as I sit here thinking about my paper, and processing how I will write it, all I really want to be doing is baking and writing a blog post about it.

Maybe I will start using it as a procrastination tool (JK mom and dad)

So hopefully I find myself back in the kitchen soon. I miss you all. Sorry this blog has become stale and stagnant.

HA!

2011-06-25T14:35:00.001-04:00

Since I started grad school, the baking and blogging have been at a minimum, and the stress has been at a MAX..

I am thinking I could adopt this chick's style and combat both problems!

So I give you - My Drunk Kitchen

Fresh Salsa

2011-05-19T20:59:00.001-04:00

I love Mexican food. I could eat it everyday and be happy. I often get a craving for it and I won’t stop. I love to go to restaurants and eat the chips and salsa. I can crush a cup of salsa and chips in record time. It is embarrassing.

Part of my 26 before 27 challenge (which I am super behind on! AH!) was to make fresh salsa. I decided this Cinco de Mayo I was making salsa!

I made it the night before, and thank goodness I did, the first batch was SO HOT ( my dad and brother called me a wimp!) I learned to take out ALL the seeds for round two (which I made the next day)

It was so easy!! Seriously – I won’t be buying from the jar anymore!! EVER.

Ready….Vamonos!

I adapted this from Created by Diane

[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients:

1 clove of garlic

4-5 roma tomatoes

1 small onion

1/2-1 jalapeño (depending on the amount of heat you want)

handful of cilantro

salt

Directions:

Deseed and devein the pepper.

Grill the pepper and tomatoes

Rough chop the onion and peel your garlic.

Carefully quarter the tomatoes and pepper

Bust out our old 70’s food processor (or newer model if you are a lucky duck)

(Picture from another recipe)

Put tomatoes, garlic pepper and onion in the food processor and pulse.

Add cilantro and pulse a little more.

Add salt to taste.

Chow down!

This isn’t perfect, and every time I make it I am going to tweak it until I get it like the restaurants. Suggestions?

My suggestion is you run out and buy the stuff and chow down NOW! (Wish I could right now! Darn it!)

Royal Wedding Cake

2011-04-30T21:21:00.003-04:00

I admit, I loved the Royal Wedding.

I didn't get up at 5am, but thanks to DVR, I saw it all.

Yes, her dress was amazing... you know what else was amazing?

THE CAKE!!!

OH. MY. GOODNESS!!!!

Check it out. Royal Wedding Cake

p.s. the Groom's cake was impressive too, but I am still in love with the wedding cake! Groom's cake

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pound Cake with PB Glaze

2011-04-19T07:28:00.000-04:00

Holy yum!

My sweet, dear friend Amanda (wife of Jordan from the last post) sends me recipes regularly. When this one showed up in my inbox I immediately printed it, and went to work.

It helped that it was Monday afternoon and I knew I could get rid of it at playgroup the next day.

Yes, I have an obsession with PB and chocolate. 80% of the desserts I star/save are pb and chocolate.

I undercooked this one a bit and it sunk in a little, but it was still amazing! (seems even after almost 2 years I still don’t have my oven down!)

Recipe was adapted from RecipeGirl

[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup creamy peanut butter (don’t use natural)
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
3 cups granulated white sugar
6 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips

1/2 c. peanut butter chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Grease a tube pan ( I used Wilton Cake Release)

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In mixer, cream together peanut butter and butter.

Add sugar and beat for 5 minutes.

Add eggs and vanilla beating until well combined.

Add dry ingredients a little at a time, beating just until incorporated.

Stir in chocolate and PB chips.

Pour batter into prepared tube pan.

Tap it a couple of times on the counter to shake out any hidden air pockets and get the batter level

Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes.

After an hour, check on the cake and make sure it isn’t browning too much- if it is, loosely cover with foil

When a toothpick comes out clean it is finished.

Let cool for 20 mins and then remove from pan and let cool completely.

Ice with glaze once totally cooled

GLAZE:
1 1/2 cups (sifted) powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter ( I actually ran out of creamy, so I used natural chunky and it was fine)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini- chocolate chip

Directions: In a medium bowl, mix together powdered sugar, milk, peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.

Drizzle glaze over the top of the cooled cake, letting it drizzle down the sides.

Sprinkle chocolate chips on top.

The glaze will set eventually, I let it set over night, but you could speed it up in the fridge.

This was rich and yummy and certainly will be made again.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

2011-04-09T19:31:00.001-04:00

This recipe is from Matt's old roommate (actually his mom)

Matt loved when Jordan would make this and mentioned wanting it multiple times.

I finally broke down and asked Jordan for the recipe.

It is yummy! Even if I slightly over baked it.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs

2 1/3 cups Bisquick baking mix

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

6 oz. chocolate chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°.

Generously grease bottom of loaf pan, 9 x 5 x 3 inches (I used two, though after talking with Jordan, he said it should all fit in one.)

Mash bananas.

Add in all ingredients(except choc. chips) in mixer bowl and beat vigorously 1 minute.

Shake choc. chips in bag with a little bisquick so they don’t sink to the bottom of the batter

Add to bread

Pour into pan.

Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. (My oven over cooked it when I did it for 55, I would start checking it around 45 mins next time)

Cool 5 minutes.

Run knife or metal spatula around sides of loaf, pressing gently to loosen.

remove from pan.

Eat!

This bread is so good. I don’t even really like banana bread and I enjoyed his bread. Super easy and super good. It is a must bake again!

O's Birthday cake

2011-03-23T20:25:00.000-04:00

I am still decorating cakes. I typically put them on FB and forget to post them here.

My friend from HS contacted me to make her husband's birthday cake. They are big Orioles fans(GO O's)
she sent me to this blog for what she had in mind.

I think he liked it. I am happy with it, except the edge at the bottom that broke off- bummer.

World Water Day

2011-03-22T07:00:00.002-04:00

Hi! I promise I have some yummies coming up for you REALLY soon.

But first, please visit my other blog for a really cool cause!

Then come back soon for some cakes and other desserts.

Black and White Cookies

2011-02-23T22:11:00.003-05:00

The boyfriend loves Black and White cookies. So I decided I would make him a batch for Valentine’s Day.
I was pretty nervous because I knew he would have high expectations. I think I did pretty good though!
I really enjoyed them.
I got the recipe from Stephanie Cooks and followed it pretty much the same.
I failed at taking pictures of making the batter and icing. Sorry.
Ingredients for Cookie
[Printable Recipe]
1 1/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/3 buttermilk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350
Mix flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.
Beat together butter and sugar with mixer until fluffy, then add egg and vanilla beating until combined.
Mix in flour mixture and buttermilk alternating starting and ending with flour. ( I did 3 flour additions and 2 buttermilk additions)
Pour batter onto lined baking sheet. I made them large, about 1/4 cup of batter.

They will puff up, so don’t make them too round.
Bake until buffed and golden. About 15-17 mins.
Allow to cool completely before icing.
Ingredients for Icing:
2 1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 tbsp light corn syrup
3 tsp lemon juice (I might use a big less next time)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1-3 tablespoon water
1/3 c. cocoa powder
Directions for icing:
Whisk together powdered sugar, corn syrup , lemon juice , vanilla and 1 tbsp water until smooth ( I had to put about 2 tbsp water to get it thin and smooth)
Put half of the icing in another bowl and add cocoa powder and water until same consistency of vanilla icing.
Turn cookies flat side up and ice half with the white and half with the chocolate.

Matt liked. He ate half before I could take my pic!
My icing turned out to be a bit thin, so I had to put on a couple layers. It made a big mess on the counter but it was totally worth it. So good!

It is here!!!!

2011-01-26T20:50:00.000-05:00

Isn't it pretty?

A while ago, Kitchenaid came out with an anniversary mixer and it had a glass bowl. I wanted that so badly, but I just got my mixer. They just recently started making the bowl and selling it separately.

I had my brother on a mission on Christmas Eve to find this for me. He couldn't- everyone was sold out. He got me a giftcard to Bed Bath and Beyond and I signed up for them to email me when it was in stock again.

They emailed me last Thursday, and I ordered it an hour later!!

I was so excited.

Thanks little bro! Love you!!

I can not wait!!!

2011-01-24T22:51:00.000-05:00

I LOVE my kitchenaid mixer. LOVE IT.

It is perfect and I enjoy using it.

Images source

*** This is not my exact mixer - though I know I have taken pictures of it - I can't find it, and it is a bit dirty right now from making cookies and I am too lazy to clean it and take a picture****

Not much out there would make it better...

but there is one thing...

and it comes tomorrow.

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYY....

Guesses to what it is?

Brownie Oreos

2011-01-18T22:35:00.001-05:00

These were so simple to make, and so yummy. I do not know why it has taken me 18 days to blog about them.

Super slacker, and to think 2011 I would suck less at this! Maybe one day I will get to the backlog of recipes.

I don’t know how other bloggers do it!

Anyway.

These yummies have been floating around blogworld during the holidays. I saw them on numerous blogs and I just took mental note of how to make them (yup that is how simple they are) so if you made them and want recognition let me know, I will link to you.

[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients:

Package of Oreos (I used double stuff)

1 box brownie mix (or your own personal recipe)

sprinkles or white chocolate to decorate.

Directions:

Make brownie according to box (or your recipe)

Dip Oreos into the brownie mix and place into a muffin tin

Bake for 12-15 mins (mine took about 13) at 350

Remove from pan and let cool

Drizzle white chocolate on top and top with sprinkles if desired.

How easy is that?! These were so good and a big hit at the New Years Eve party we went to. The Oreo became slightly mushy inside the brownie. Some people didn’t even realize it was an Oreo inside. I recommend using paper liners in the muffin tins. I sprayed the pan for the first batch with lots of PAM, but they still stuck.

Cinnamon Play dough Ornaments

2010-12-16T21:19:00.002-05:00

So you don’t exactly get to eat the recipe in this post. (well you can if you want but I don’t know how good it will taste.)
I made cinnamon play dough with the girls the other day and then we made Christmas ornaments out of them. I have had a lot of people asking for the recipe so I decided to blog about it so that it was in one place easy to share.
The recipe is easy.

[Printable Recipe]
Ingredients:
1 c. applesauce
1.c cinnamon. (I think it could have used more cinnamon, our dough was sticky!)
Directions:
Mix together and rollout.

Cut out shapes.

Use a straw to make a hole for the ribbon

Let dry either for a few days or in 200 degree oven. Turning after the top gets pretty dry.

Add ribbon

The girls had fun doing this and the house smelled amazing while they were drying out.
This takes a lot of cinnamon so use cheap cinnamon. I got 2 jars of it at walmart for $1.

Great holiday craft!! Also good grandparent gifts!! :-D

Happy Hanukkah and Yummy Latkes

2010-12-06T22:15:00.001-05:00

Well, I started this post on Thursday night and then somehow this post disappeared.

Anyway. Here I go, round 2.

We made latkes for dinner (and chicken too) and then called Matt’s parents and sister to light the candles together. Even though Heather was in Atlanta and his Mom and Dad are in Miami it was nice to all speak and do this together.

I briefly touched on making these latkes last year but this year when we made them I took pictures of the steps for you!!

[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients:

1 Simply Potatoes package
2 eggs
2t tbsp. flour or matzo meal (we always use flour for these)
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1 small onion, grated
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Take 1 package of Simply Potatoes Shredded Hash Browns

Grate onion using the smallest side of the grate box. (Forgot a pic of this – DOH!)

Combine ingredients

Mix well

Spoon into hot oil (we used canola)

When edges turn golden brown flip

Fry until both sides are golden brown

Serve with sour cream (or applesauce)

These were the best yet. Seriously super yummy.

Tonight was the 6th night of Hanukkah.

This was from last night.

Tonight I also put up my pink Christmas tree. :-D

I love getting to celebrate both holidays!

Hope your Holiday season is wonderful!!

Holiday Tip

2010-11-30T23:18:00.001-05:00

This year when you make dozens and dozens of cookies remember this little tip.

To keep your cookies soft (or to make cookies that are a little too crispy softer) store them in an airtight container with a piece of bread.

The cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread. Change the bread every few days when it drys out.

I did this the other day when I over cooked my cookies by about a min or two. I really like soft cookies, and by the next day they were perfect.

Try it. Promise it will work. Your cookies will be soft and yummy for all of the holiday season.

Linking up with We Are That Family

Rice Krispy Turkeys

2010-11-25T21:24:00.005-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you are able to spend time with friends and family and reflect on everything you have to be thankful for this year.

I saw these cuties floating around the blog world and decided I wanted to take them to Thanksgiving!! I followed the recipe that Give Me Some Oven and adapted my decorations from her. Her's were MUCH better decorated - but I did the best with what I had. I wasn't making a trip to the store, too tired for that - and I am terrified of what I might find the day before Thanksgiving!

They are really simple to make.

Make rice krispies, mold them into balls, then decorate.

I used candy corn for the feathers, whoppers for the head and colored candy melts for eyes and beak.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

2010-11-22T13:46:00.001-05:00

Matt had a Thanksgiving potluck at work today - he signed up to bring cupcakes. So we decided I would make the recipe from Carol and Tim's wedding cake.

I made one batch of the cake batter recipe and ended up with 35 large cupcakes and 24 mini cupcakes!! I guess I could have halved the recipe!

I made a double batch of the filling recipe and had only a little bit left over, which is perfect because I will be making a half batch of cupcakes to take to my grandparents on Thursday.

The cupcakes only took about 12 mins to cook (about 9 for the minis.)

I just piped the icing on in a swirl. I should have let the icing chill in the fridge for a few mins, but I didn't so the swirl sort of blended together. But they still tasted yummy!

This recipe has become a favorite of mine. :-D

(sorry no pics - I left the camera in the car for this one and didn't want to get my cell phone all messy- See cake post for pics :-D)

Harry Potter Butterbeer

2010-11-20T23:36:00.002-05:00

Remember on my birthday I made a list of recipes I wanted to try? No, ok check it out here.
One of those things was Harry Potter Butterbeer.
I am a big HP fan, and typically see the new movies on opening weekend (even a couple midnight showings.) When I heard that they were opening a whole area of Universal Island of Adventure that would be devoted to HP, I couldn’t wait to get to FL (still waiting- but hopefully soon.)
This drink is very popular in the park, makes sense since it is one of the drinks the wizards drink at the 3 broomsticks pub.
This was very good, sweet with a sort of butterscotch taste to it.
I found the recipe from Noble Pig. I pretty much followed her recipe exactly.
[Printable Recipe]
Ingredients:
For butterbeer:
1c. packed light brown sugar
2 Tbsp. water
6 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. heavy whipping cream
4 12 oz. bottle root beer
For whipped cream:
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
Directions:
Combine brown sugar and water and bring to a boil.

Cook until reaches 240 degrees.

Add butter, salt, vinegar and cream.

Stir until combined and butter is melted.
Let cool to room temp.
With mixer, whip cream and brown sugar for about 3 minutes until thick.

To assemble:
Put sauce in bottom of the glass (I put a little less than 1/4 c.- next time I might use more because Matt said the root beer flavor was pretty strong)

Add 1/4c. root beer and stir to combine. The sauce is thick so stir well.

Then fill glass with remaining root beer.

Spoon a bit of whipped topping on it and serve.

This was really good. I liked it a lot. Saving the extra syrup so I can make more later this week. I think that adding a little rum to this would be good too. After all in the movie those who drink butterbeer get a little tipsy! :-D

And now I am ready to go see Harry Potter 7!

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Dip

2010-11-19T10:26:00.000-05:00

I made this recipe to take to a Halloween party. I figured I could call it lizard eyes or something.

I adapted this from The Sweets Life

[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese – softened

1/2 c. butter – softened

3/4 c. powdered sugar

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla

3/4 c. mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Beat cream cheese and butter together until fluffy.

Add powdered sugar and brown sugar

Add vanilla

Stir in Chocolate chips

Cover and refrigerate for about an hour

Place on piece of plastic wrap and shape into a ball.

(you can’t tell, but this is on plastic wrap)

Refrigerate for another hour.

Serve with Graham crackers and vanilla wafers.

My skills at shaping this into a ball were lacking. It might have been because I didn’t let it set up in the fridge long enough, but it was basically just a blob of yummy goodness. We served it with a spoon to dip it out. So good! So good with the vanilla wafers.

This is a new must make for a party.

How to make cake flour

2010-11-16T20:54:00.001-05:00

I typically have a box of cake flour in my pantry, but when I started making the wedding cakes I realized I didn’t have enough and I didn’t feel like going out to get more. I knew it was possible to make your own, and just days before Joy the Baker posted how to do it! So after a little google reader searching I found it!

I think this is a great recipe to have just in case you find yourself needed cake flour.

It is simple.

You need 3 things -

1- Flour

2- Corn Starch

3- Sifter

Measure out your flour

For every cup of all purpose flour you have , remove 2 Tbsp flour.

Then add 2 Tbsp corn starch

Then sift – a lot – like 2 or 3 times, then sift it again with all the ingredients.

And that is how you make cake flour from regular flour.

Recipes for Carol and Tim’s Cake

2010-11-09T22:04:00.002-05:00

The cake was Pumpkin Spice cake – recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
The filling was Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing – recipe adapted from Gimme Some Oven
The Icing was Buttercream icing – Recipe adapted from Wilton. ( taken from the book from my cake decorating class)

Cake recipe
[Printable Recipe]
Ingredients:
4 c. cake flour ( I made my own – I will explain in another post – but you can use store store bought too)
1 tsp baking soda
1Tbsp + 1tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon (my teaspoons were not level – but not exactly heaping – I just was generous with the cinnamon)
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp nutmeg (I didn’t use fresh grated- I used from the jar)
1/4 tsp cloves
2 sticks butter – room temp
2 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
4 eggs
1 c. buttermilk
1 and 1/2 c. canned pumpkin puree (generous with this measurement too)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices – I sifted twice.
In mixer on med- cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
Add in eggs one at a time making sure each are incorporated and scrape sides in between each one.
Reduce to low (make sure you do this – oops)
Add flour mixture alternating with buttermilk. (Three batches of flour and two of milk – start and end with flour mixture)
Beat until combined.
Add pumpkin and beat until combined.
Pour into a cake pan (I used wilton’s cake release, but you could just butter and flour your pan)
Bake for 25-35 mins.
(a 10” cake took about 32 mins , 8” – 30mins, 6” –27 mins and the 11x14 sheet cake was 34 mins)
Let cool on rack completely before icing and filling.

Filling Recipe
[Printable Recipe]
**I made this recipe as the icing for the cake when I made the tester cupcakes**
Ingredients:
8oz cream cheese – room temp
4 Tbsp butter – room temp
1 lb powdered sugar (more to taste)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon (generous tsp)

Directions:
In mixer mix together cream cheese, butter and vanilla.
Slowly add powdered sugar until all incorporated.
Add cinnamon.
Add more powdered sugar if needed (I prefer it more sweet- I put a few Tbsp extra in)
Refrigerate until ready to use. Let come back to room temp before using.

Buttercream Recipe
[Printable Recipe]
Ingredients:
1 c. white vegetable shortening (crisco)
1/4 tsp vanilla flavor (use clear vanilla extract if want white icing)
1/2 tsp butter flavor
2 Tbsp water
1 lb powdered sugar – sifted
1 Tbsp –Wilton Meringue Powder
pinch of salt
Directions:
In mixer cream shortening, flavors and water. Sift sugar and meringue powder together. Slowly add to the mixture. Add water until you get desired consistency.

The cake and cream cheese icing make really yummy cupcakes – just throwing that out there!!

How to make a wedding cake

2010-11-09T21:00:00.002-05:00

Carol, my college roommate, got married this past weekend.
Her wedding was very beautiful and had lots of personal touches all through out it.
I was one of those personal touches. I made her cake.
She called and asked me a while ago, and said she didn’t care what it looked like and that it could even be just a single cake layer.
Well I have never made a wedding cake before – but I also know that a single cake layer wouldn’t do.
I found a picture that I liked and decided I would use that as my inspiration.
Carol wanted a pumpkin roll as her wedding cake. So I took the flavors of it, and made it into a wedding cake.
Here I will show you pictures of the process – I will post the recipes in a separate post. Click here for recipes

Divide the cake batter into the cake pans. (One batch made one of each size cake – a 6”, 8” and 10”)

Make the largest bowl of butter cream icing ever. (I took the recipe – doubled it and then made it 3 times. I used all but a little bit – and that little bit is still in the mini fridge in my hotel room)

Slice and fill the cakes with the cinnamon cream cheese filling.

Slice and fill the large sheet cakes – even if they crumble – they will look ok after they get iced

Crumb coat the cakes.

Ice the cakes

I did all the icing at my parents house – we were staying there the night before we left because it was closer and we could leave later. It was a good thing. I didn’t have this kind of room at my apartment.
I put them in their cake boxes and put them in the trunk of the car overnight – thank goodness for mid 30 degree temps. The next am – I smoothed the icing more and re-packed them for the drive.

Put the cake boxes in boxes and buckle them in for the 4.5 hour drive to New Jersey. Hold your breath and cross your fingers they make it

Have a heart attack when the road to deliver the cakes to the reception site is cobble stone and bumpy as heck!
Go to hotel, rehearsal, dinner, sleep and wedding – then drive like something is chasing you to the reception site to assemble the wedding cake before everyone gets there.

I was in the wedding – and I didn’t want to get white icing on my navy dress – so I tossed the shirt I wore to the church that AM on over my dress and got to work as fast as I could.

I used straws to make sure the cakes wouldn’t crush each other.

Stacking the cakes was more difficult that I thought it would be.

Now it is time to fix all the finger prints and parts of the icing that didn’t want to come off the cake boards when I to stack them.

Pipe the boarder around where the cakes meet.

Try very hard to ignore the fact that people are coming and and walking right past you to go to the cocktail hour. (it was very hard for me- I was slightly freaking out about this.)

Add flowers (make sure you hide the spots that are a little thin!)

Rosemary made the centerpieces and helped me by arranging the flowers on the cake – she is a true artist!

Give Rosemary the biggest hug and take a deep breath because it is finished (then hit the bar for a well earned drink!!)

Take lots of pictures of the cake.
Eat, dance and have fun for the rest of the day.
Drive back to VA

Clean up the disaster you made in your kitchen.

And that my friends is how you make a wedding cake. :-D

I am sure there are easier methods, this is just the one I used.

Special thanks to:
My mom – for believing I could actually do this from day one! (and for giving me all those cake pans you had in the attic!!)
Matt – for not driving like a jerk and ruining the cakes on the way to NJ – and for tolerating the mess I made all over the kitchen and dinning room.
Meg – for being the best photographer/cheerleader/people blocker ever. I seriously would have panicked while putting it together without you!
Rosemary- for making the cake look amazing with your floral arrangements.
Mom’s Group Playgroup – for taste testing the recipe before I made this cake. :-D
Carol and Tim- for trusting my ability enough to allow me to make the cake for your special day. I love that I was a part of it.

I had a lot of fun making this cake. I was very stressed, but only because I was afraid it wouldn’t make it to NJ and that I wouldn’t have time in between the wedding and the reception to make it look beautiful. (I had to be at the church at 7:30 am – for the wedding and couldn’t get to the reception until about 12:45 because of travel times. I knew I wouldn’t be able to put it all together before the wedding so I just had to hope I was fast and there were no disasters. It all worked out of course!) I am not sure I will make another wedding cake again for a little bit – I just didn’t have enough space in the apartment to work!

Wedding Cake 101

2010-11-03T22:48:00.001-04:00

I probably should have taken that class.

Instead I am flying by the seat of my pants and hoping for the best.

Have I mentioned I am making my college roommate's wedding cake? Yes'm I am. My first wedding cake! It looks beautiful in my head. Let's hope I execute!!

Today I made the biggest batch of butter cream icing I have ever seen. I took the Wilton recipe, doubled it, and then made that 3 times.

I also made a quadruple batch of cinnamon cream cheese filling.

3 tiers, and 2 sheet cakes are baked (quadrupled the recipe I used too! Yes, I will be sharing recipes after Sunday)

Tomorrow I will slice and fill each tier and then ice them. Then they will be packed up and driven to NJ on Friday where the remaining decorating will be done - in my hotel room.

Saturday I will add fresh flowers before the reception. (I am crossing my fingers I don't get white icing on my navy blue bridesmaids dress)

I am really excited about this cake....and a little nervous. Mostly nervous something will go wrong. I know that it tastes good, I just want it to look good.

Will update, promise.

Now I must go to bed - and not stress about this.

(oh - and I made such a yummy dessert for a Halloween party last weekend - that is coming soon!!)

26 things I would like to try before I turn 27

2010-10-26T00:17:00.002-04:00

Today is my 26th birthday!

I have decided that I will post 26 recipes I want to try before I turn 27.

I didn't take the time to put them in the order I will make them (mainly because I don't know what that order will be)

But I know that since Harry Potter comes out really soon - that will be one of the first things made!

Better makes sure I keep up my running - there aren't a ton of healthy things on that list!! Local friends - get your forks and spoons ready!

Crispy Baked Chicken Fingers

2010-10-19T22:19:00.001-04:00

Well, I am finally able to sit down and blog. I was super productive today so I don’t feel guilty sitting and writing.

So these chicken fingers are one of our new favorites. They are semi healthy too! I adapted this from Annie's Eats

[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients:

1/4 C. salt

1 package of chicken strips

1/4 C. flour

1 stick of butter

2 C. crushed corn flakes

Seasonings – garlic powder, season salt and pepper

Directions:

Dissolve salt in 1 qt cold water in a gallon size zip top bag.

Add chicken and refrigerate for 30 mins. (don’t skip this step – we did the first time and it wasn’t very good)

Dry chicken

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place a baking rack over a cookie sheet.

Put flour on a paper plate and add garlic powder, season salt and a pepper. (I didn’t measure – I just shook a little onto the flour)

Melt the butter and allow to cool a little

Crush the cornflakes and put on the other paper plates

Dip the chicken into the flour, then the butter then coat with the corn flakes

Place on baking rack.

Bake for 15-20 mins until the chicken is cooked through.

These are really good and are semi healthy. I am pretty sure you could switch out butter for an egg wash and it would be even more healthy.

Enjoy!