Ali Bee's Bake Shop

Tropical Pool Party

2013-06-17T11:30:00.001-05:00

So this weekend I'm in the Dominican Republic for a wedding. Blogging from my iPad which I've never done before. So if the layout or whatever looks different please accept my apologies.

Anyway. This will be quick and sweet. Cuz I'm wasting sunlight. I made these for a tropical pool party last year. But I thought they were appropriate this week considering my location.

My Father

2013-06-14T00:30:00.000-05:00

So I am going to tell you right now, I have been avoiding writing this post because it still hurts so much, but I need to.

The month of April was pretty rough for me. New baby, husband out of town, no sleep, 4 year old...the usual. So I thought it would be really nice to go home and see my family in Texas the first weekend in May. See, it was my dad's 60th birthday that Saturday. My sister and her new fiance were coming into town especially for the occasion...the whole family was going to be there. So I put myself and the kids on a plane and headed to Texas.

The weekend started like any other at home. Hugs to the parents, Dad cooked dinner for us (something he loved to do. Dad used to be in the restaurant biz. My passion for food stems from him), watched some TV, cooed over the baby...just spent time with family. That's how we do it. We just enjoy each other's company.

That Saturday was the big day, my dad's birthday. I didn't see my dad that morning....I was sleeping in...long night of feeding baby. He was going to work that morning, "just for a little bit", so he told my sister when they passed in the hallway. We went about our morning, getting ready for the birthday party later that night. I was all excited to make him my very special chocolate cake.

We were ready to go and started heading to the car. Now my parents have a driveway that accommodated one car wide so all our cars are out front are lined up like ducks. If one person wants to go somewhere we have a circus act of car moving. Takes coordination. Dad's car was still there. He was supposed to be at work half an hour ago.

And that's about when my life changed forever. When all our lives did.

Dad suffered a major cardiac arrest. When we found him upstairs, he had already gone.

JR Barnes

1953-2013

Sugar Cookie Recipe

2013-06-12T00:30:00.000-05:00

I've oddly had a tone of requests for my sugar cookie recipe. Which I think is interesting because a sugar cookie is a sugar cookie right? But I still get requests.

Now I really like my recipe. It isn't too sweet, in fact it's rather buttery which I love. And has a soft texture. Not a super soft cookie but not a crisp cookie. So if you like 'em crisp you wont like mine.

I warn you, it isn't ground breaking...I mean there's only so many ways to make sugar cut outs. And it isn't diet friendly. But it is delicious.

So here it is....

My sugar cookie recipe.

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From the vault: Colorful Butterflies

2013-06-10T00:30:00.000-05:00

So I have been a little short on time for cookies lately. Weird right? I mean the lady has a baby and suddenly she doesn't have time to do cookies? Who needs a shower right? There's cookies.

Anyway, so I'm going to be posting cookies here and there that I made a while back that I've been saving for times like this...where I'm too tired to remember if I brushed my hair today...just to run my fingers through it and think " Have I even brushed it this week? What is this in it? Is that a Cheeto?"

Nice huh?

Anyway....here's some pretty butterflies I made a while back that are so colorful you can't help but cheer up and think, "ah, who cares if you haven't had a pedicure in so long that your toes look like raptor talons....see the pretty rainbow colors!"

Hi. My name is John.

2013-06-07T10:54:00.000-05:00

On March 14 my due date finally came....and went. And for the next 2 weeks I started get ever more impatient. I mean really kid. What's the deal? I can't be that comfy.

I was pretty determined to give myself and my kid every shot at a natural birth. Not that I am a hard core naturalist, or that I judge or anything. I just wanted the experience this time around that I didn't get with my first baby. Sophie was induced a week early because I became toxemic. It wasn't pleasant. She was not ready and neither was I. I digress...

But 2 weeks post due date my doctor put his foot down. No more waiting for me. I wasn't progressing past 4cm no matter how many things I tried (and I tried almost everything). It was due day...

So after a relatively shorter (compared to the days of labor I was in with Sophie) labor John was born.

John

Born March 28, 2013 at 10:38pm

21.75 inches long

7lb 15oz

I'm back!....I think

2013-06-06T13:42:00.001-05:00

Well I've been gone a while. Yes. Sorry. Had stuff ya know. A lot of stuff. So I'll probably be posting a ton in the next couple days to get everyone up to speed on life over here. Just because I feel like I owe an explanation....and because it's been a roller coaster of emotions, it's only appropriate that I separate it all in separate posts...other wise it will be the post that never ends....

So bare with me here. I'll be posting very frequently in the next few days....probably quite a bit today to start. But for now I have to go to an appointment. Talk to you soon

Nursery Progress - Week 3

2013-03-06T19:36:00.000-06:00

So I know I've been gone a while.

I blame the whole hormonal baby thing. I've been avoiding the internet like the plague. Don't know why. Maybe I'm trying to focus on the here and now. Getting ready for D day. (That's delivery day)

So I haven't been doing too many cookies. And well, the cookies I have done, I am saving for "maternity leave" so I'll have something I can post in between midnight feedings and the occasional shower I might treat myself to.

So instead I have more nursery details....yay. I know y'all are probably sick of the nursery. But it's one of those things I have had to focus my attention on. I'm seriously due any day now.

Any day.... *sigh*

So here's what we have going on.....

Finally got the wallpaper up on the shelves and OMG it's awesome.

Or ya know....I think so anyway. And since it's my nursery that's probably good.

My mom spent hours putting it up on her last visit. See the glass of ice tea on the shelf? That's a southern woman's life line. Gotta have tea to tackle any home improvement project. Otherwise your doomed to failure.

We also got a couple accessories and some furniture in the room.

Sorry the pics aren't great. But ya know...I'm not exactly an interior photographer...

Anyway. This chair was inherited as well from my MIL. It's awesome. I love it. I have a match in my master bathroom....

There's the chaning table covered by drapes.....and of course the giant giraffe. I mean what nursery doesn't need a giant giraffe.

I swear it's taller than I am...which isn't a hard feat...but still...

And a lamp we picked up on impulse at TJ Max. Yeah. I shop the Max. With no shame.

Anyway....crib isn't up yet....it's a long story. Next nursery post will be the completed room. Well maybe with the exception of some wall art pieces and a bed skirt. The bed skirt was put on hold. Part of the long crib story. So till then...

Maybe pray I go into labor soon. I really really really want to have a baby....like now.

Nursery Progress - Week 2

2013-03-06T19:18:00.001-06:00

I went to Dallas recently and picked up the nursery curtains. I looked everywhere for these and they discontinued them. So I settled on these....and I was about to order them online but by the time I went to click check out they had removed them from the website! So I thought, well, when I head to D-town, I'll stop at the nearest PBK and try and find them...hopefully they will still be in stores. Well, they weren't. They had one panel in the length I needed. *sigh*. However, while I was looking for a replacement lo and behold I found these!!

Just like the ones I wanted but in blackouts instead.

The curtains I had been looking for since the very beginning. The coveted dream discontinued curtains. I guess they took them out of circulation because they were going to re-release them in blackout panels. I prefer blackouts for nurseries anyway. Makes nap time...well...darker. Especially when the room is practically all windows. They cost me almost double what I would have paid for the other 4 panels....but....ya know.....ya gotta do what ya gotta do...

I also picked up the wallpaper for the back of the bookshelves.

By the time I talk to you next week, I'll probably have a completed nursery to show ya.

Other details we have going on...

Zebra rug. I know not the history or origin of this rug. I inherited it from my husbands family. But it works so....

elephant curtain finials.....

We had a baby shower and there's all kinds of stuff to get in the nursery now. It's overwhelming.

We also have our crib and changing table picked out and delivered too. I offered to assemble the crib...but the hubs got all mopey...something about it being his job....paternal rights...I dunno.

Anyway, that's how it's looking!

Nursery Progress - Week 1

2013-02-10T21:49:00.001-06:00

Ok, so I don't know how interesting this will be to anyone but me and my other cookie friends who I've been going on about my nursery to.....but I thought I would give you guys an update on my nursery reno. Ya know...just a little peek into why the heck I haven't been posting tons of cookies.

Gotta delegate time...I only have 4 weeks to get it all together after all....

Anyway....

This week (well last week really....I just forgot to post) we had the painter come out and paint all the trim in the room.

Here is what it looked like before...

A sea of brown....and khaki..... blah...

And here is what it looks like after the trim is complete.

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Mardi Gras 2013

2013-02-09T10:28:00.000-06:00

I like Mardi Gras. Granted, yes, I've never actually been to Mardi Gras....but I have a soft spot for it for some reason. Maybe because I have a soft spot for New Orleans and Louisiana in general.

Yes, there are flaws in New Orleans...I mean...Bourbon Street...kinda dirty and well... you know...

But the FOOD! The food is some of the best anywhere. And Louisiana is so beautiful. All those bayous and moss covered trees....old homes...wildlife and water....

And did I mention food?

I basically go visit New Orleans (and Louisiana in genreal) just to eat. I used to go visit my sister while she was in LSU. Last time I was in Louisiana actually was when she graduated... I've been running short of valid excuses to get my fat happy butt back....

Anyway... Mardi Gras right?

Wildberry Pie

2013-02-05T13:46:00.000-06:00

Ok, I love pie. I mean LOVE pie. Almost as much as I love my husband....

However, I have never been a huge berry pie fan. Maybe because most berry pie you get out there is made with the canned filling....or a flat, stale crust.... I dunno. But I've never been a berry pie fan...

Until now

This pie is SO good! It's a little tart and a little sweet. Basically, perfect with ice cream.

Tutorial: Stadium Cookies

2013-01-30T00:00:00.000-06:00

Ok... So I made these stadium cookies like I don't know how many years ago for a college football playoff. At the time I was just kinda getting in my groove and I had no idea how popular they would become. Well, they are now one of my most copied cookies. Not complaining. I'm happy people seem to like them. Just one of those things where you don't know how something is going to go over until years pass and you do a Google search.

Anyway, I thought I would show y'all how I made them years ago. Or kinda how I made them. A quicker and smaller scale version of them anyway. The ones I made years ago were like 5 inch cookies and had this rather unnecessary scalloped edge on them. Anyway....here's a toned down version of them that's super super easy. And I think the cookie I used is like 3 inches or something. So there you go...party sized. Just in time for the Super Bowl.....

Ramblings: Pregnancy Insomnia

2013-01-29T01:24:00.000-06:00

For the last 2 or 3 weeks all I can think about is how dang tired I am. I mean, can't stay awake. Asleep before my husband and daughter...needing afternoon naps...just drained. Like the first trimester returned coupled with kicks to my internal organs...including my suddenly nauseous stomach.

But tonight....man. I can not wind down. Hubs fell asleep about 3 (maybe 4) hours ago.

In those 3 hours I have:

-Eaten about 3 slices of banana cake. I'm estimating because I sort of destroyed it this afternoon packaging up most of it to take to my hubs shop. I basically strolled out into the kitchen at midnight and ate the scraps off the cake plate with my hands. It was like carnage. A wild woman, with fresh kill.....

Did I mention I can really eat lately?? I mean really eat. My husband gave me the last 2 pot stickers tonight (we usually split them) saying something about how I probably want them more than he does... But there was fear and horror in his eyes.

- Oiled my belly (no new stretch marks so far! yay!)

-Watched the alien in my tummy create warped waves in my abdomen. Think he might be turning...hopefully head down..... That or practicing for future sky diving acrobatics.....

- Played a couple rounds of Bingo Bash on my Ipad. You can only play a couple rounds before you run out of chips....and I refuse to pay real money to play a bingo app.... Yes, I am an old lady who enjoys a good game of bingo.... judge away.

- Read a few blogs. Had a few laughs.

- Watched a couple sappy Valentine's movies on Netflix. I have no idea why I'm "girling out" lately. All I have wanted to watch is salacious television and sappy chick flicks. It's really not like me at all.

-Ate some cheese.

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Wild Valentine

2013-01-28T21:47:00.000-06:00

Sorry for disappearing for a week or two. The WHOLE HOUSE came down with the sniffly drainy crud! And my poor daughter came down with an ear infection in both ears. :(

But I'm feeling better. Well enough anyway to post some cookies.

Sophie's Pink and Purple Princess Party

2013-01-14T00:00:00.000-06:00

Over the holidays my beautiful little girl turned 4.

These were seriously the only non Christmas cookies I made all season. And I think they're my favorite because they're just so darn GIRLIE!! :)

Tutorial: Making Snowflakes

2013-01-08T21:44:00.001-06:00

So Christmas time is over...which means a lot of places will finally be getting some snow :)

Or at least that's how it seems to be here in the midwest....so they say.

Really, I don't know. The year before we moved here, Joplin got like 8 feet of snow or something. People were blocked in their houses and all that. Since we moved here....

nadda.

Let's face it....snow doesn't like me as much as I don't think I would like it. I mean it's cold....

really cold.

Anyway, speaking of snow.....I thought I would show a quick tut on making snowflakes that are pretty and still fast and easy

From the Vault: Football Stadium Cookies

2013-01-03T16:20:00.004-06:00

The College Football National Championship game is almost here!!

It's January 7th.... I think.....

Anyway, it's Alabama VS Notre Dame. Big game.

I've mentioned my family ties to U of A yes? Yes. We're big into the SEC in my family. We enjoy SEC football. So it's no surprise who we are going to root for.

Notre Dame...

Right....no.... Alabama.... My dad almost had a coronary.....

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Simple Gingerbread

2012-12-24T00:00:00.000-06:00

Well, it's here....Christmas Eve.

I don't have much to say, except that I hope everyone has a wonderful day with their family tomorrow.

Here, let me deliver Christmas well wishes with delicious gingerbread.....

Tutorial: Edible (OR Storable) Christmas Cookie Ornaments

2012-12-20T00:00:00.000-06:00

This year, I think I've done more cookie decorating than ever before...which is ironic because I haven't taken any cookie orders this season....

I had this plan (last year) to make a whole cookie tree...not a tree made of cookies, but you know, our little 2 foot tree covered in cookies.

The 2 foot tree....it's our first tree as a married couple. We still have it....

Anyway, best laid plans blah blah blah.... you know how it goes. Didn't happen this year. Of course.

But that didn't stop me from trying. At least trying to kick the cookie ornament urge.

So I made a few and put them on the big tree :)

Wanna learn how to make them? They're super easy. And the best part is I only had to make one color of icing...woot!

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Recipe: Easy Brownie Triangles with Mint "Buttercream"

2012-12-18T00:30:00.000-06:00

So after the events last Friday, I didn't feel much like working over the weekend.

It's Christmas, a time for love and family and peace, and the thought of working through another weekend with my daughter was a little depressing. So I didn't. I had fun with her instead.

Every time I make cookies she asks me if she can be my little helper. It's heartbreakingly sweet...that little face with those doe eyes looking up at me.... tho I know her real motivation is just to get her hands on a cookie and icing...to eat it. Still...

So this weekend I made a project that she and I could do together. Even got the hubs to join in.

So yeah, it's a family activity. Something you can easily do with your kids this holiday. And it's fun too!

No, these wont be OMG amazing or expertly done or perfect by any means....just clean wholesome down and dirty baking fun.

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Faux Gingerbread: Brown Sugar Spice Roll Out Cookies

2012-12-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

Recipe time!!

Let's start with a story. Love stories right? I'll just pretend you said "yes, love them, please tell me a tale...."

My dad hates molasses. I mean can't stand it. The look or smell of it....just not his thing. And it's not that Dad is picky. He eats just about everything. He used to cook for a living before I was born.

See, when Dad was a kid he went to go work at the feed mill with my grandpa. Well, one of the byproducts of the mill was molasses. Or something like it anyway. It was my dad's job to climb down in the tank whenever there was a back up and unclog it. So he had to go down armpit deep into the pit to fix it. Guess what kind of things like molasses? Maggots. Maggots love it. And beetles. Getting a visual here?

Really, I don't blame him. Not one bit.

Appetite aroused? Awesome.

Anyway, my family came up for my daughter's 4th birthday party and I was working on Callye's 12 days of Chirstmas project. I was making a "gingerbread box". But for some reason I didn't have molasses in the house. Must be habit. And good thing too because I don't know that dad would appreciate the molasses-eee goodness a bakin'. SO I improvised with what I had in the house to make a gingerbread-like cookie that is molasses free.... And it turned out AWESOME!

So awesome in fact, that I just had to share it. If your team NO MOLASSES then these cookies are PERFECT!

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Tutorial: Christmas Bow

2012-12-10T08:00:00.000-06:00

So like so many people this season, my schedule looks like this:

go go go...to-do to-do to-do....shopping shopping shopping...work work work...party party party...

Christmas.

Did I mention party? I think there's something going on every weekend for the next month... maybe more. Who knows. Anyway, with all these parties going on (which I love btw....I mean who doesn't love a good party around Christmas?) I get asked to make a lot of cookies.

Yesterday I went to my first cookie exchange party. And I had to bring cookies (duh). 4 dozen of them. Well, with everything else going on this month, I don't have a ton of time to make really exquisite Christmas cookies in large batches. And I would imagine neither do a lot of people...I mean we have to get everything done to get ready for Christmas. There's social engagements, the shopping, the cooking, decorating.... and of course we want to spend time with our family. So when it comes to cookies like these....I keep them old school simple.

Classic simple and festive. Does the job. And it's cute to boot.

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WFD? Buttermint Marshmallows

2012-12-06T14:50:00.000-06:00

I think I get excited for cold weather. Which is weird for me because I don't like to be cold.... but I know that when the weather gets cold, I get to wear comfy boots, long sleeves, scarves. I get to stay inside and do indoor crafts and games with my kiddo. I get to light fires in the fireplace decorate my house drink hot cocoa.

I think it's mostly about the cocoa if I'm going to be honest.

Anyway, I like to make my own marshmallows because they do this amazing melty thing on the top of your cup. You literally get a creamy bit of mallow in every sip. It's heaven.

Well, I like my peppermint cocoa...and since we have moved to a small town I haven't been able to find my peppermint cocoa. I know, I know...there's Amazon. I could order it...but that requires planning ahead...yuk. I have a hot cocoa compulsion and I can't wait for 2 day shipping even if it's free.

So this year when I made my marshmallows....I made Buttermint Marshmallows

12 Days Guest Post: 5 Golden Rings

2012-12-05T22:49:00.000-06:00

I am participating in Sweet Sugar Belle's 12 Days Countdown today!

I was given 5 Golden Rings...

Wanna see how I made it? Head over to Callye's blog RIGHT MEOW and check it out!

The posts so far have been amazing! If you aren't stalking her daily at this point then get on it! You don't want to miss the rest of the countdown!!

Mayan 12-12-12

2012-12-03T08:00:00.000-06:00

I'll get straight to it.

My very good friend (and Cookie Con roomie) Pam gave us all some beautiful new cutters while we were at Cookie Con. And then she asked some of us if we would come up with some creative uses for her new homespun tree cutter.

I love Pam, so naturally I said....ALI BEE IS GO!

I thought about it for a long time. An finally I came up with a design that has NOTHING to do with Christmas!

Because I'm a kook like that.

Nope, instead it has to do with THE END OF THE WORLD!

Festive huh?

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