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!

A Pinkalicious Birthday Cake

I was asked to make a birthday cake for my niece's daughter. She sent me a picture of what she wanted it to look like. I baked the cakes (3 8-inch rounds and 3 6-inch rounds) and made the frosting. The frosting making process was comedic. It was suggested that the recipe be tripled so the beater attachment would stay under the frosting, thereby making a smoother product with less air pockets. Oh boy. 

Come on. Really? 

Here's how you get the frosting onto the cake.

Then you smooth it out. I used the Viva method. As in...paper towel. Once it was filled, frosted, stacked and doweled, I turned it over to my "partner," Laura. I tinted the frosting and handed it to her and she did all the ruffles. She made the ribbon and bow from fondant and the crown and star are gum paste. I painted the gum paste with lemon juice and applied gold sparkle dust. Then I spritzed it with water and added some silver sanding sugar to give it a little more sparkle. 

Laura is trying to find the best place to take a few photos. This wasn't the best place, so we went outside for the photo shoot. 

And here is the recipient, the birthday girl herself! Happy Birthday, Livy! 

Three pretty princesses! Laura did another awesome job. I can't do any of this without her. 

Here's the recipe I used for the cake.

Vanilla Butter Cake (adapted from the Mermaid Bakery)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 3/4 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325°F. with rack in the center of the oven. Grease and flour 3 8-inch rounds).
On medium speed, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about four minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg. Measure the buttermilk and then add the extracts to the buttermilk. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar/eggs mixture in two parts, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, beating well after each addition. Pour batter into pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick tests clean. Remove from oven and cool in pans 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack (or immediately wrap in plastic wrap and pop them in the freezer until you need them.
I may never go back to a cake mix again!

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!

Agnes' Baptism Day

I have a couple other posts that I should have put up before this one, but sometimes you just can't go in "order."

Agnes, just before getting baptized

Agnes and Nick

Nana and Agnes

Sugar cookies- this might be by all-time favorite recipe. I'll blog it "soon." 

Cream puffs or "circular" eclairs

chocolate mousse and panna cotta 

focus on the "8" and the picture window, and ignore the bulletin board in the background

another picture window

red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting with the gorgeous gum paste flowers that Laura made

chow time! 

Olive loves strawberries! 

the chocolate mousse with its cherry

Each table had artwork and photos of Agnes. I like the easels Laura made from tongue depressors (also known as craft sticks)

Agnes' great-grandma. She really is great! 

Cameron and his wife, Selena

friends

more friends (and Olive)

Eliot finishes off the leftover fruit salad

Hallie gives her daddy, Seth a big hug.

Cohen's tongue matches his vest!

Hallie wanted to take a picture. She focused, I snapped. Great combination. Cute Katie!

Family picture #1

#2

#3

#4

#5

Agnes with her Grandpa Michael

Agnes with Nana and Poppy

It was a great day. Congratulations Agnes!