A Double Birthday Celebration

On Friday, June 3, my mom turned 85. We were supposed to have a party for my step father in May when he turned 95, but it was postponed because my mom had a 24 hour bug. Laura and I made a few desserts for the party. I baked everything and she did almost all the decorating. Her skills far and away outshine mine. 

Walt and Mom were given leis by my mom's sister, and my niece, Amy, had the very same idea, so my mom is wearing two leis! 

Here's the dessert table-

Mom was happy with how everything turned out. Here are a few close-up pictures of what we made. 

The cupcakes were supposed to be stuck into a styrofoam ball which had been glued to a clay flowerpot, but it was so warm that the cupcakes wouldn't hold onto the toothpicks, so because I didn't have enough time (traffic was miserable and it took twice as much time to drive there as it normally does) to go to plan B, which was to add frosting to the ball as a glue, I gave up on that idea and just set the cupcakes on the little table stands. 

The flowerpots are holding Rice Krispies treats. The flowers were supposed to be on a stick and standing up in the silicone pot, but I didn't put enough treats inside the pots for a base, so they wouldn't stand up. After the party, I had to fish through the trash can to find two of my little pots that had been thrown away. Yikes!

Here's the premier for the ladder stand that I made with some assistance from Bud and Laura. It had been so long since I used my scroll saw that I forgot a few key elements, but eventually we got it all to work. I'm happy with how it turned out. I bought the little stands as separate pieces from The Wood Connection, then stained and glued them together. I forgot to bring the doilies I bought to put under the large cookies. I always forget something! 

The sunflower ganache balls were a little too delicate and I had trouble keeping the petals in tact when I tried to peel away the liner. 

The sugar cookies were the hit of the party. Laura's diligence in making the flowers which went on top of the cookies had everyone in awe.

These puff pastry shells were filled with whipped cream and topped with a raspberry-chocolate chip flower. We had a different plan for these guys too, but went with a time saving option instead.

Laura made and arranged the flowers for the six layer orange-flavored cake. At the base of the cake are mini lemon tarts with homemade lemon curd. We never cut the cake. Cheryl took it home. 

The cupcakes are filled with strawberry cream. I didn't try one on the night of the party, but the couple bites of scraps I tasted earlier in the day were yummy. 

So there you have it. My mom provided the appetizers on a separate table. I think the guests who came all had an enjoyable time. I know these kids had a good time! 

Cupcake Recipe found here at McGreevycakes.com. This is a great recipe to use when you need to doctor a mix. We used half of the recipe, using one cake mix. 

Strawberry Cream Filling for the cupcakes found here. Bonus on this one is you get the recipe for cream puffs as well as ganache. Thanks OBB girls!

Swig Sugar Cookies copycat recipe found here at the Idea Room. Please try to overlook her misspelling of tartar (as in cream of). The cookies are fabulous. 

Lemon Curd found here at Your Homebased Mom.

Ultimate Bakery-style Rice Krispies Treats found here on Brown Eyed Baker who adapted it from Cookies and Cups, but this is a double recipe which makes a ton. I've done the math for you in case you want to make a single batch. 

Ultimate Bakery-style Rice Krispies Treats- slightly adapted (half recipe)

5 T. unsalted butter (71 grams)

16 oz. bag of miniature marshmallows (453 grams), divided

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

6 cups (158 grams) Rice Krispies cereal

Line a 9x9-inch pan with parchment paper; set aside. In a large pan, melt the butter, then add 8 cups (340 grams) of marshmallows. Over low heat, stir until the marshmallows are melted, then remove from heat. Add the salt and vanilla extract. Stir in the Rice Krispies cereal and stir until they are well coated. Add the remaining marshmallows and stir briefly. Don't over-mix though. Pour mixture into prepared pan and press down lightly (don't compact it). When treats are cool, cut into bars. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 to 3 days. 

Happy birthday to Mom and Walt. I hope you had a fun party! 

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Wearing Green on the Inside!

Today is Saint Patrick's Day. I don't know why we make a big deal about this day other than it's fun and gives us a reason to have a holiday for the month of March. If you don't wear green today, you run the risk of getting pinched, which may or may not be a good thing for you. If you don't own anything green, you can make these awesome mint brownies and tell everyone you are wearing your green on the inside!

Thanks to my friend Jenny for sharing the recipe with me (but I don't know where it came from before that). She says there are 231 calories per 2-inch square in case you're counting. 

We both agree they are worth it!

Chocolate Mint Brownies  (the straight version)

Brownies-

1 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
Mint Frosting-
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 T milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp peppermint extract
green food coloring
Chocolate Ganache Topping-
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Brownies-
In stand mixer, mix melted butter and 1/2 cup cocoa powder together, then add the sugar, mixing briefly. Add eggs, one at a time until well blended. Add vanilla extract. Whisk salt into the flour and then add to the chocolate mixture, stirring just until blended. Do not over mix.
Pour batter into a 9x13-inch baking pan. I lined my pan with parchment paper, with the ends of the paper hanging over the sides of the pan for easy removal. You can also spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Bake brownies for 25 minutes. Cool for a few minutes, then put them in the freezer for 20 minutes. While you are waiting, make the mint frosting.
Mint Frosting-
Beat butter until it is creamy, about one minute. Add the powdered sugar, milk and peppermint extract and beat until smooth. Add green food coloring a drop at a time until you reach your desired color. Remove brownies from freezer and spread the mint frosting over the top of the brownies. Return to the freezer for 20 more minutes. While you are waiting, make the ganache.
Chocolate Ganache-
Melt butter and chocolate chips in a microwaveable bowl, being careful not to overheat the chocolate. Heat for one minute. Remove and stir to blend mixture together. Drizzle warm chocolate over brownies and spread smooth with a spatula. Return brownies to the freezer for 20 more minutes, then cut into squares and serve.

Now for my twisted version (because I can never leave good enough alone).
Increase the vanilla extract to 1 T in the brownie section. In the mint section, add 4 oz of softened cream cheese, adjusting powdered sugar to taste (the straight version was a little too sweet for me). In the ganache section, use the leftover chocolate frosting that is sitting in the refrigerator instead of making new ganache. Ignore the extra calories this adds to the 231 number.
Happy Green-wearing day, even if it is only on the inside!

My Baby Turns 30!

Happy Birthday, Danny! My baby boy is 30 today. How time flies by. He was a darling baby, the cutest toddler, a funny kid and a hilarious teenager. Now he is a handsome man and a dedicated father. I couldn't be more proud of him. I love you Danny! 

Danny and Erin in Venice, Italy

Danny and Claire and Jackson in Georgia

And to celebrate Danny's birthday, let's bake some cookies! Cookies are fun, especially when they are funfetti cookies!

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and since my sister wanted to be a taste-tester, I took them to our "Girl's Lunch" yesterday. I've been eating a lot less sugar these days which is why my sister said I thought these were too sweet (and I certainly don't miss the 17 pounds I've lost and hope never to "find" again!). Perhaps you won't think they are too sweet though. 

The plate was nearly empty before lunch was over. 

Funfetti Cookies (slightly adapted from Crazy for Crust)

1/2 cup butter, softened (that's 1 stick)

1 cup sugar (next time I make these I'm going to use less sugar and see what happens)

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp butter extract (can be omitted if you don't have any)
1/4 tsp table salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 box (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles (or color of your choice to match a holiday)

Preheat oven to 350°F. In stand mixer, beat butter and sugar for about three minutes until it is light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract (and butter extract if using). Add in the salt, baking soda, and pudding and mix until combined. Add flour and mix until it is incorporated. Stir in sprinkles. I used my small cookie scoop and dropped these onto my parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until just barely beginning to brown on the edges. Remove from oven and immediately transfer to cooling rack.
In the original recipe over at Crazy for Crust, she never mentioned when to put in the butter extract or the sprinkles. I pointed that out to her with a comment and she fixed the butter extract directions but still didn't fix the sprinkles direction. Oh well. I'm going to play around with this recipe a little bit to see if I can make it more to my own liking. You try it the way it's written and tell me if you think it is too sweet or if it is just right. I'm dying to know.

And once again, Happy Birthday to Danny!

The Day I Became A Mom

Long, long ago, I became a mom on this day. Thirty-seven years ago, at 6:38AM. 

Here is my first-born child with his first-born child.   

Now he has six children and they are all wonderful! I am grateful to be Samuel's mother. He has taught me more than I have taught him. I love you, Son. I hope you have a Happy Birthday! 

Agnes Is Eight!

 It's Agnes' turn to have a birthday today~ and she is 8 years old! I'm so excited for her! I have a very special relationship with this lovely young lady. I'm so happy she is nearby so I can see her often. She is a precious angel!

A donut for her first birthday! 

A fondue party for her second birthday! 

See what I mean about her being an angel? Totally.

Happy Birthday, Agnes! I love you more than you can imagine! 

Happy Third Birthday Olive!

Three years ago, this beautiful little girl came into our lives and changed our hearts forever! 

Olive Hazel Read with her siblings, Agnes and Eliot.

On her first birthday she was in California to celebrate with her great grandpa Bill, with whom she shares a birthday, 79 years apart.

Here is our little doll on her second birthday! 

The night before her baby brother, Matthew was born

At the Sweet Fairy Bakery

I love you, Olive! I hope your birthday is wonderful for you, because YOU are wonderful! 

Peppermint Sugar Cookies

These need to make it onto your Christmas cookie platter. I put them together three different ways and loved them all. Bake up your favorite sugar cookie recipe. I have a couple of favorite recipes that I really like. Try this one, or this one or try this one, depending on whether or not you have any sour cream or cream cheese in the house. Once you have the cookies baked, it's time for the frosting!

You can sandwich two cookies together

or you can pile some frosting on top

or you can omit the frosting and dip one edge in melted white chocolate and just sprinkle on some crushed candy canes (apologies for the weird lighting on the third photo. It was late which made for an off-red coloring). My favorite cookie was the middle option.

Peppermint Frosting

4 cups powdered sugar, divided

8 regular-sized candy canes (with more for decorating, if desired)

1 cup butter, softened

1 tsp clear vanilla extract

5-10 drops of peppermint oil (or extract to taste)

2-4 T milk

1/2 cup Cool Whip, thawed

In a food processor, add one cup of powdered sugar and the candy canes (I got that idea from my friends at OBB from this post). Pulse until you hear only small crunching sounds instead of major crunching sounds. You want the candy canes to be fairly small in size, but not turned entirely into dust particles. You can see the bits of candy in the photos. 

Cream butter for about a minute. Add the extract(s) and/or oil, and add the remaining powdered sugar (3 cups). Beat until it is well blended. It will be quite stiff at this point. Add 2 T of milk and continue beating. Check the consistency and if you want it a little thinner, add a little more milk. Fold in Cool Whip. This makes a nice light, not too sweet frosting that you can sandwich between cookies or pile on top of cookies. Then either roll the edges in crushed candy canes, or sprinkle on top of the cookie. 

To make a great tasting cookie without making the frosting, melt about 1 cup of white chocolate discs in the microwave for one minute. Stir the chocolate and melt for 30 more seconds if necessary. Dip one edge of cooled cookie into the chocolate and set on parchment paper. Immediately sprinkle with finely chopped candy canes. Let set for at least 15 minutes. 

Snake Cookies

I have a fun cookie for you, just in time for Halloween. This can be done with any holiday color scheme, so if you are too stressed with Halloween plans, keep it in mind for Christmas, Easter, Independence Day or whatever! Make up your favorite sugar cookie recipe. If you don't have one, use this one from Our Best Bites. Once you get your dough made, separate it into however many colors you want in your cookie and tint your dough. I separated mine into four balls, and then split one ball in half so that my white and black stripes weren't as predominant as the green, purple and orange.

Now comes the fun part. Roll each color into a long rope and place them together. 

These are two feet long. 

Then slice off one inch at a time of the ropes. 

Take that one inch of dough, tip it on its side and press it together into a little circle, like this. 

Tip that circle back onto its edge and roll the dough into a "snake" about 8-10 inches long. Here's the trick- once you have it long enough, roll one end toward you and the other end away from you. This will give you a nice striped pattern.

Starting at either end, coil up the snake.

Sometimes you will see that your colors are matching up with the layer right next to them. 

If that happens (and you dislike it), just roll the tail of the snake slightly and it will eliminate that problem. 

Pick out some coordinating jimmies (sprinkles, decorettes, or whatever you want to call them) and roll the edge of the cookie in them, overlapping onto the top of the cookie a little bit. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes in a 350°F oven.

Cool on the pan for a few minutes, then move them to a cooling rack.

These would also look great as a cookie pop. 

Next time I'll make them that way and show you what I mean! Happy Halloween!