Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Daring Baker December Challenge.....

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Labels: Daring Baker
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
What do you do on a Yucky Afternoon....

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Labels: Kid Recipes
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
It's a Holiday Open House in Blogland.....
It's Holiday Open House in Blogland and Kimba of "A Soft Place to Land" is today's hostess. So take some time to visit others and see what great decorating ideas you might get, just click on the sign above to link up! But, while your here take a stroll through my home, and see some of this year's holiday decor.




Then there is the antique snowmen guarding their little house.

This wonderful Snowman stands guard in my dining room. One of many....



A close-up of the tree, check out that Little Bo Peep percolating coffee pot!




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Labels: Home Decorating
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Go Elf Yourself, We did!

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Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Bake Sale Crazy....
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Labels: Humor
Saturday, November 29, 2008
November Daring Baker Challenge.....
Another baking challenge from the Daring Bakers, and this one included lots of sugar. I have been making a lot of items for a bake sale at the end of this week, and caramel corn was on my list. So this challenge of making the caramel icing seemed like I could do it in my sleep.This recipe may look hard to do, but it really isn't especially in cupcake form.
And, Salted Caramel is all the range now, especially Salted Caramel Coffee. I thought I would add a bit more salt to my creation on top. These were a big hit and I will be selling them at the Bake Sale. Yum-mo! So give them a try if you have the time....
This was my version of Shuna Fish Lydon's of Eggbeater (http://eggbeater.typepad.com/) signature Caramel cake (as showed here).
- The responsible parties for all this caramel craziness were hosts:
- Dolores(http://culinarycuriosity.blogspot.com/),
- Alex (http://blondieandbrownie.blogspot.com/)
- and Jenny (http://forayintofood.blogspot.com/).
CARAMEL CAKE WITH CARAMELIZED BUTTER FROSTING
INGREDIENTS
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/4 Cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 Cup Caramel Syrup (see recipe below)
2 each eggs, at room temperature
splash vanilla extract
2 Cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk, at room temperature
DIRECTIONS
**Preheat oven to 350F
**Line cupcake pans
**In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar and salt & cream until light and fluffy.
**Slowly pour room temperature caramel syrup into bowl. Scrape down bowl and increase speed. Add eggs/vanilla extract a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down bowl again, beat mixture until light and uniform.
**Sift flour and baking powder.Turn mixer to lowest speed, and add one third of the dry ingredients.
**When incorporated, add half of the milk, a little at a time. Add another third of the dry ingredients, then the other half of the milk and finish with the dry ingredients. {This is called the dry, wet, dry, wet, dry method in cake making. It is often employed when there is a high proportion of liquid in the batter.}
**Take off mixer and by hand, use a spatula to do a few last folds, making sure batter is uniform.
**Scoop batter into cupcake liners, baking for 20 min, until springy.
**Cool cupcakes completely before icing it.
CARAMEL SYRUP
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup water (for "stopping" the caramelization process)
**In a small stainless steel saucepan, with tall sides, mix water and sugar until mixture feels like wet sand. Brush down any stray sugar crystals with wet pastry brush.
** Turn on heat to highest flame. Cook until smoking slightly: dark amber.
**When color is achieved, very carefully pour in one cup of water. Caramel will jump and sputter about! It is very dangerous, so have long sleeves on and be prepared to step back.
**Whisk over medium heat until it has reduced slightly and feels sticky between two fingers. {Obviously wait for it to cool on a spoon before touching it.}
***Note: For safety reasons, have ready a bowl of ice water to plunge your hands into if any caramel should land on your skin.
CARAMELIZED BUTTER FROSTING
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound confectioner’s sugar, sifted
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons caramel syrup
Kosher or sea salt to taste
**Cook butter until brown. Pour through a fine meshed sieve into a heatproof bowl, set aside to cool.
**Pour cooled brown butter into mixer bowl.In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, add confectioner's sugar a little at a time.
**When mixture looks too chunky to take any more, add a bit of cream and or caramel syrup. Repeat until mixture looks smooth and all confectioner's sugar has been incorporated.
**Add salt to taste.
***Note: Caramelized butter frosting will keep in fridge for up to a month.To smooth out from cold, microwave a bit, then mix with paddle attachment until smooth and light
Blended Together by Suzy at 11:48 PM 3 Others Say:
Labels: Daring Baker
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Have you Hugged Your Sister Lately?


We have had the best times together growing up. Playing Paper dolls and Barbie, EasyBake Oven baking, ice skating, and going in halves on a water paddle board, so we could paddle all over the lake to see our friends. We were even cheerleaders in High School together, when I finally talked her into it!

This is a picture of us in the back of a limo, when we spent the day in Napa Valley going to wineries, what a great day. I had gone out to visit for her daughter's graduation from High School. As I said she is always a step in front of me, I have 5 more years for that to happen....
Blended Together by Suzy at 11:15 AM 1 Others Say:
Labels: Extra
Friday, November 7, 2008
13 Going on 30 Party!
Do you remember this movie? It hasn't been that long since it was out. I thought it would be a great theme party for a girl turning 13. A make-over and a photo shoot, where each girl would go home with a magazine cover of herself. So a couple of weeks ago, just before Halloween, we threw this birthday bash! The girls had a good time and were amazed at all the candy and cupcakes that were at their disposal.
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Labels: Party Food
Thursday, November 6, 2008
My Birthday Cake...German Chocolate!
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup water
4 (1 ounce) squares German sweet chocolate
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 egg whites
FROSTING INGREDIENTS
1 cup white sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
**Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 3 - 9 inch round pans. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a small saucepan, heat water and 4 ounces chocolate until melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
**In a large bowl, cream 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 4 egg yolks one at a time. Blend in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated.
**In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.
**Pour into 3 - 9 inch pans Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto wire rack.
To make the Frosting:
**Spread frosting between layers and on top of cake.
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Labels: Cakes
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE!
I took the girls and their friends this past week to see the stage tour of "So You Think You Can Dance" with backstage passes...HOW EXCITING!!!! If you haven't seen the show, it is definitely a must. It is from the producers of American Idol, and is featured during the summer months. They will have auditions around the country for next season, starting next week, then the top 20 go on to do the show on FOX.
We meet up with Kherington. She is the daughter of my friend Sheri, whom I have known since my high school days, and was my college roommate. Sheri and her family live in Southern California.
Kherington has been dancing since she was 2 1/2 years old, and when she turned 18, she knew she wanted to try out for the show. She succeeded in making it to the top ten, and going on tour. How exciting to be 18 and tour across the United States. And what doors have opened up for her. The sky's the limit and she is just now on the escalator on her way up! Look for her in the new remake of the movie "Fame", the shooting starts this month. This is Chelsea, she is one of Kherington's Buddies also performing on the tour. She is so beautiful. She can eat anything and is so toned!
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Labels: Extra
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Happy Halloween!
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Labels: Extra
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Daring Baker Challenge.....Pizza Dough
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Labels: Daring Baker, Dinner Recipes
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Time for Kettle Corn!
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Labels: Party Food