Cookies

Friday, August 3, 2012

Ruffles & Bows - The Food and Fun.

What better way to end the work week than with FOOD AND FUN, Islanders?


Without further delay, allow me to introduce the dessert table:




Here it is during set-up:



Aren't those ruffles fabulous? Amazing? Perfect? How'd I do it?  If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram (and you totally should), you probably saw that I ordered Munch's bed skirt for $25 from Wayfair... After searching for a ruffle table skirt, I quickly realized it would cost me no less than $100 for the quality table skirt I envisioned... Then a light bulb went off and I decided the bed skirt would be perfect (ruffles cascading on the sides and flat on the table surface? Too perfect).  I used wrapping paper to protect the bed skirt's surface:






I think it turned out perfect: 




The cake!




You can see the bunny tail yarn on the window in the background of the above photo(I covered all the windows in the same fashion).  For the cake's design, I wanted ruffles with colors from white to dark pink... Something girly, frilly, fabulous and unexpected all at once.  Misty, the owner of Girl Meets Cake, did an amazing job!  I absolutely LOVE the end result!




Thanks, Misty!


The Cupcakes.


I ordered 2 dozen lemon cupcakes (pink) and 2 dozen chocolate cupcakes (turquoise), Chef Joy did an awesome job! I communicated the same concept as the cake (in shades pink and turquoise) and also sent the picture from my inspiration post so she could create the other designs I fell in love with.  I thought I wanted all of them to have the same design until she sent this picture with my two ruffle options to choose from:




Who could choose just one?!  Luckily, we had enough cupcakes to have multiple designs.  They were delicious:






My co-worker's wife owns a local in-home bakery.  I tried her red velvet cupcakes and knew we HAD to have them at our party... They were the crowd favorite and didn't last long at all.  Great job, Gabie!




Like the toppers? Check out the tutorial here.


Cake Pops.


I was so excited when the local baker, Custom Cake Pops, offered a Groupon.  I snagged 2 orders (1 for baby shower and 1 for Munch's birthday party) for next to nothing.


During my lunch break, I met the fabulous owner, Ashley, when she delivered my cake pops. She was so cute and sweet:




Thanks, Ashley!


Before the shower, I used some scrap ribbon, little bows and stickers to make the already fabulous pops even MORE fabulous:






Cookies.


With my cake pops in hand, I headed to Chef Joy's for the cakes and cupcakes.  She had very strict instructions for traveling with her beauties in the heat:




When I saw the goodies, I completely understood why she wanted them to remain perfect!  Here they are on display:




Yes, God baby's name is on the onesie cookies... I just love them. Like. LOTS.




Add the cookie assortment and you've got enough sweets to feed the attendees!


Of course, we had real food too!




The Menu.


My mouth was watering when my sweet daddy sent me these pics:




Yes, dad made curry lamb/chicken and egg rolls!  Partner that with jasmine rice, fried party wings, mac-n-cheese, green beans, meatballs, chips-n-dip, fruit and more; WE WERE EATING REALLY WELL!



The Games.


Dancing Dilemma.  Mom has to go out for a night on the town and requires a belly-appropriate dance.  Once divided into teams, the groups took the "stage."

First, because this was an icebreaker, they had to introduce themselves individually and then as a group with their team name.  Up first? Team 1... As in First Place:




Followed by the Shhh Girls (all of their names started with the shhh sound):

They performed the belly bump:


Team #3, BMD (B.aby M.ama D.rama), performed the belly rub in the club:



Team #4, The Baby Droppers had a Beyonce entrance and got down like it was the last 24 hours before baby would come, lol!


Daddy-to-be (D2B) chose Team Baby Droppers as the winners.  The game, however, had a catch.  The decision-maker had to perform with the winners.

Yes, that meant D2B had to Beyonce walk on to the stage with the girls and let his belly catch the groove... Here he is doing JUST that (those facials are hilarious).


As you can see, Mommy-to-be (M2B) was enjoying the yummy food and let daddy get his dance on while she enjoyed the yumminess :)


Daddy Designs.  We've all seen a little girl with her dad and thought, "awww, he must've {tried} to get her dressed or to comb her hair."  We gave the guys an opportunity to design a onesie for baby.  I had Chef Joy bake 1 dozen plain onesie sugar cookies.  I gave the guys sprinkles and icing to (in my Tim Gunn voice) "make it work."  When time was up, we turned on the music and they gave a fashion show of their designs.  From the picture below, you will see one of the them took a pretty pre-decorated cookie from the dessert buffet and added a few sprinkles - CHEATER, lol.



The Newly Dad Game, was structured like the Newlywed game.  I asked 10 questions about M2B's pregnancy.  When it was time to review the answers, I asked the question, let the audience blurt out responses, gave D2B a chance to answer then let M2B give the RIGHT answer.

We had a cute moment when I asked what D2B loved most about the pregnancy.  He responded, "that I have the prettiest pregnant woman ever."  M2B confirmed with a simple response, "I said me..."

Awwwww!

At the end of the game, everyone tallied up their scores and guess who won fair and square?


He was so proud of himself that he held up his card in celebration:)

After games, we cut the cake, opened gifts, headed outside for a group shot then played in the photobooth.  Everyone gobbled up their second (...and third) plate while enjoying time with each other.


Do you see D2B put a pacifier in his mouth? As you can imagine, with him and 2 little girls, mommy has her hands full.

Luckily, I'll help hold God baby anytime!

I hope you have a weekend full o' fun!





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linking up:
Weekend Bloggy Reading

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Doll Cakes - The Tutorial.

Whata Gwon? 

 That's island talk for what's going on?  If you're going to be islanders, we must start building your vocabulary, right?  Right.  Say it with me, WHAT-A-GWON?

Why, thanks for asking, Islanders!  I've been working on the baby shower and the birthday party in my spare (non-organizing, cooking and cleaning) time.  Let's talk birthday party, shall we?

In the birthday party breakdown, I mentioned creating a mini tablescape for the dolls in attendance.  We'll have mini plates, napkins, cups, party hats, centerpiece and even mini cakes.  I haven't decided whether each guest will decorate a cake for her doll but I am just SO happy the mini cake idea came together.

Tutorial for the pictured doll hat here!

Here's how we did it:

Easy Doll Cakes

Supplies

- Oreos (2 required for each cake)
- Regular Icing (it's the easiest to work with for projects like this; whipped and fluffed only get messy)
- Butter knife
- Optional: Sprinkles

Steps

1. Place a small dollop of icing on the top of a cookie

2.  Sandwich another cookie on top

3. Spread the icing along the sides and top of your double decker Oreos to make them look like a cake.  I prefer a messier look but you can choose to smooth your cake(s) perfectly 

4.  Sprinkle to your heart's desire!  Munch had a blast decorating her mini cake: 


I placed 1 heart-shaped sprinkle on top of my cake and I think it turned out so cute!


I could totally see an elf on the shelf idea with a mini birthday cake, mini cards and tiny balloons.  What about celebrating a doll's birthday by making a mini cake?  Chocolate oreos with strawberry icing? YUM!  Loads of possibilities found in 1 pack of Oreos! 

Munchface had a blast in the practice run and I'm sure she is going to LOVE the real-deal party set-up!

Cheers to tiny celebrations that have a big impact!




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Thursday, March 1, 2012

Cookie Crescents

I tweaked a recipe from Cookies & Cups to create a yummy cookie crescent with Munchface last night... They turned out amazing and are perfect with a cup of coffee or milk... If I didn't solicit the help of a 5 year old they would be pretty enough for a platter at a brunch... Simply put, DELISH!

Cookie Crescents How-To

1.  Gather supplies:


2. Roll out your crescents (without breaking them apart). Note: smoosh the perforated edges to make it one flat roll. You don't want the contents to come out when you slice

3. Spread the Nutella on the roll.  We were a little heavy-handed with this part.  If you're prissy or want it really pretty DON'T do what we did...

Seriously, though, can you EVER have too much Nutella?


4. Sprinkle your chocolate chips on top... (Munchface was really exact with this part, lol)


5. Roll it all up!


6. Refrigerate for 10 minutes (this allows for clean cookie cuts)

7. Slice the roll into "cookies"


8. Bake on 350 for 10 minutes (or until brown)


9. Let it cool (unless you're like me and PREFER to bite into one immediately and do the breathing-blowing-it's-hot-but-yummy dance).

ENJOY!  Note: I let them cool for 20 minutes then put them in a freezer bag to take to work (I TOLD YOU, Hubbs is on a silly diet so we couldn't have this in the house, lol). 

Don't you LOVE taking an ordinary treat and making them EXTRAyummyORDINARY?!


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Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Yum-O{reo}

There are times when I love shopping with Munchface.  She notices the most random (and sometimes totally awesome) things.  Some examples of her random awesome-fantastic-where-has-this-been-all-my-life finds include: Mickey cheese shapes, individual cupcake holders (with PLASTIC icing-shaped caps), ice cream scoopers that are shaped like animals and the new Goldfish flavors... She always makes shopping an adventure (even when she picks out clothing for her IMAGINARY younger sibling)... During a recent trip to our neighborhood Walmart, she found perfection in a tube:
I HAD to have some... and 1 box of this:


To create these OREO WHOOPIE PIES:



Here's how I made them:

1. Combine 2 eggs, 1 stick of softened butter and the cake mix

2.  Spoon cookies onto sheet (they spread so be sure to leave enough space)

3. Bake on 350 for 10-12 minutes


4. Let cookies cool for 10 minutes

5.  Flip one cookie over and squeeze the Oreo icing on the bottoms-up side (I let Z put her Mardi Gras colored sprinkles on top of the icing at this point)


6. Sandwich another cookie, of similar size, on top


7. Squeeze the two together so the icing is evenly distributed to the edge of the sandwich (Munchface LOVES this part)
8. Pour your milk, toast your glasses and enjoy your easy Oreo whoopie pie :)

Sidenote:  Hubbs started a diet and came home as soon as we finished icing our cookies.  I whispered to Munch that daddy was on a diet and she stopped chewing to tell me, "that is so sad for him" *CLICK*

Yes, yes it is sad for daddy!

 I'm ALWAYS looking for quick kid-friendly recipes. Do you have any to share? 

Linking up:
Country Momma Cooks


This post was featured in Baker's Delight via twitter... Social Media is amazing, isn't it?! 

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Life Update - Divorce.

In my last post, I mentioned it's been 6 years since I last blogged and this particular life update is one of the reasons I buried my he...

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