Christmas treat for your table.


 Lets see just what we can create with this group of goodies.


#Lindt Truffles #Reese Mini's  #Oreo Mini's #Wilton Sprinkles & candy melts #Target Market Pantry White Fudge Cookies








Wishing you Joy and Peace at Christmas and throughout the New Year.  
A time to treasure your family and friends you hold dear. 


Leave me a note if you'd like a step by step how to, to build these snowmen and women.



Dinner with Mr. Turkey

Here's a sweet little bird you can set next to your thanksgiving day plates.  



What you'll need:
Wilton Candy eye's
Ghirardelli Chocolate squares
Pepperidge Farms Signatures Chocolate Medallion cookies
Lindt Lindor Chocolate Truffles
 Brach's Candy Corn
Whoppers Malted Milk Balls
Chocolate for melting


Melt some chocolate for attaching you bird to the base.  Take a food safe paint brush and dip the end in you melted chocolate and adhere you truffle to your base, let stand for the chocolate to set.
Now do the same for your malted ball heads and candy eyes, let stand for the chocolate to set.
Cut the tip off a candy corn and adhere to the face for the beak.   
Dipping the small ends of your candy corn in the melted chocolate and a fix them to the back end 
of your bird. Let stand for the chocolate to set.
Last, using a darker chocolate brush on wings and let set.  





Now your ready to set the table.


"Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting."

 Author: Unknown


Mum's the word....

Long ago on a very dark and stormy night, in an old and dusty kitchen, the Mad Franklyn Baker was busy mixing up all kinds of concoctions, day and night.  Odors of all sorts penetrated the air. A green vapor glow could be seen miles away through the cloudy windows in that tall house on the hill.  All of a sudden, a thundering bang violently erupted from within the house!  Then, seconds later an unnatural shout of joy rang out from the Mad Franklyn Baker, who then emerged with the greatest creation ever; little mummy mini cakes!
  




You and your little ghouls can now make the Mad Franklyn Baker creation.




The following is what you will need:

Devil's food Cake Mix (no shame in a box mix; your not the Mad Franklyn Baker)
Wilton Mummies
Spooky/festive Halloween Sprinkles
Mini Cake pans and cup cake paper liners
Electric Green/Monster Green food coloring
Butter cream frosting (the Mad Franklyn Baker says you can use a can)




A cookie scoop is helpful in filling your mini cup cakes.  





Following your cake mix box directions, and once cooled frost with butter cream frosting, add mummies and sprinkles.  Enjoy eating your creations!!






Wishing you and your little ghouls, a very spooky night.  








Autumn in Michigan

Fall is in the air here in Michigan and farmers markets are in full swing.  We've been to the Greenfield Village Farmers Market twice this month. If you have a chance you should check it out.



At home our garden tomatoes are turning ripe faster than we can keep up with. There is just nothing like  homegrown tomatoes fresh from the garden.


Wanting to prolong the fruits of summer I put on a pot of tomatoe sauce to simmer the day away. Once its cooled, I put it in bags and freeze for pasta's and soups.



I love knowing what food I preserve is wholesome and free from chemicals, just pure rich and delicious. 




What are you cooking in your kitchens this fall?  Anyone else wanting to hold on to their summer gardens?












Saying good bye?

Well, it's been awhile since my last post.  In April I had to say good bye to my dear beloved grandfather.  He was 94 years old and in January of this year he and my grandmother celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary. Yes, 72 years of marriage, if I'm ever so lucky. While reminiscing with my family and friends we remembered what a character he was and what a full and eventful life he had.  We've been truly blessed.  Love you Grandpa!

On a less tearful note, I was able to wish a dear co-worker a Happy Retirement with a butter cream yellow sheet cake. 


 The roses were done in red fondant and dusted with edible glitter to give that morning dew look.  




 Our co-worker did a wonderful job putting this all together; just check out the flowers.

 And after after 29 years of dedication, we wish Regina the best in her new adventure.  
The office will never be the same.  
Enjoy!

The Mighty eggs....

Just a little note to answer the question of where did I find the eggs I used on my cake.
The answer to that big question is......Hobby Lobby in a 9 oz. bag for $2.49.  They are Mighty Malts hide 'n' seek eggs by Necco, individually wrapped and taste great too.  



Enjoy!

St. Patrick's for the Dogs


Hope you all had a great St. Patrick's Day.  
My dog got into the green with some homemade 
green dog biscuits. 



They are Bailey approved as you can see, 
he did not leave a crumb in site.  
Not too bad since this was my first go at dog treats.  





Homemade St. Patrick Dog Biscuits


1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup corn meal
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup oat meal
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock for basting.
Green food coloring


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine whole wheat flour, corn meal,
pumpkin and 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock and vegetable oil. Mix well.
Now add a drop or two of green food coloring until you get your desired color, mix well.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out your dough about 3/8 inches think and take a dog bone cookie cutter and cut out your shapes.
If you like a fuller plumped bone biscuits you can transfer you biscuits to the cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.   

To keep your biscuits flat, take a toothpick or fork to the center of each bone biscuit and transfer your biscuits to the cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake your bone biscuits for 10 to 12 minutes then basted with chicken stock, bake another 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool, your looking for a dry crunch biscuit. 


Store in an airtight container at room temperature.


Hope your four legged friends enjoy them as much as mine did.   



Spring Dance


Spring is around the corner and I'm counting the days.
Last weekend I saw my first two Robins and look what I found in the yard the other day.




So keeping with the theme of spring, here are some Spring Fairy Princess Ball Dress Cup Cakes.
Found the idea of them on line.



Here's how to make your Fairy Princess Ball Dress Cup Cakes with ribbons of buttercream ruffles.
This is a short cut version.
Start with your basic cup cakes, matching your cup papers with the color of your ball dress.
Bake and cool according to the package.
Set aside.
Take store bought sugar cookie dough, add a few drops of matching food color and kneed into dough until you reach your desired color.
You may need to add more flour to make it workable.



Next, roll out and cut out the top of your dress with a Onesie cookie cutter.
It worked best for us to have a thin cookie.
Bake according to the package; but, before they cool off , take your Onesie cutter and again cut the baked cookie while still warm.
Careful they are HOT.
Doing this keeps the shape uniform and precise because they spread during baking.
Let cool.

Now you can whip up your favorite buttercream or use a store bought version.

 I find the store buttercream to be a little to stiff.

Color the buttercream to match your cookie and cup cake paper.

Using a rose tip, ice your cup cake in ribbons.

Once they are done take a cookie and stick one in the center of each cup cake.
You want a hard cookie to do this.


We accented with a fondant flower at the waist of each dress.



Wishing you a fresh bright spring! 


Double-O Cup Cake

As I promised, Spy Cup Cakes.  
A thanks goes out to my sister who google these ideas on line.







Are you ready for some Cake ?!


I spent the weekend baking cakes which were all needed for Sunday. 
Yes Super Bowl Sunday!
Two 1/2 sheet cakes in a football theme. 
I wanted to do the team helmets but due to restrictions I had to keep it simple. 
For the footballs, I used chocolate eggs and for the lacing I used butter cream icing. 




Then I moved on to the next cake, this was for my sweet sister's birthday. 
Did a Ganache icing and fondant ribbon roses dusted with crystallized pearl dust.
10" Round Chocolate Fudge Cake 







Next up spy cup cakes!

Irish Pasties Corn Beef Hand pies

What to do with your left over Corn Beef and vegetables? Why, make Irish Pasties hand pies of course.  Here is a quick and easy way to deal ...