St. Patty's Day sugar cookies

Ok. So I saw this done on Martha stewart. I have tried it once and wanted to try it one more time before I decided if I liked it or not. I would have to say if you want really pretty cookies.. do not use the squeeze bottle. Use the bag and tip. Maybe with some more practic I will like it better. I would let my kids decorate this way though. Much easier for them. And less mess for you.

In the end, you just cant get much details using the squeeze bottle. I think it is due to the tip. It is just to big. And does not lay the icing very smooth.

But hey, My girls love them.. So that is all that matters.

Valentine Petite Fours

I decided to make Petite Fours for my MOPS meeting this Friday. They are easy and pretty fast to make.

Bake any cake on a cookie sheet. I used a pampered chef one.. I like using the cookie sheet stone when doing this cake. Bake at 325 or 350 for only 15 or so minutes.. just watch it carfully.

Let it cool. Then frost it.. Use buttercream frosting though.. this batch I used canned frosting and it just starts to melt way to fast compared to the buttercream from scratch. Put wax paper over the top of the frosting to smooth out frosting. Wrap in plastic wrap, then freeze over night.

The paper will come right off.

Cut the sides to even make everything straight.

Then take a good knife and heat under water for a few seconds, wipe clean, then start cutting. I have to clean my knife and re-heat it every few cuts.

I used wilton melts for the coating. Just microwave at 50% till melted. Be carefull not to seize the chocolate. Heat it only for 1 minute at a time.

I use my cooling rack to place the petit fours on to dry. I switched to wax paper after my cakes started to stick to the rack. Not sure what was going on. I have never had this problem..

The let your daughter eat the left over chocolate.. She loved this!!And then wrap in pretty papers and give away as gifts!!

Chocolate sugar cookies

Ok.. So I wanted to try out some chocolate sugar cookies for Valentines day. I love how they look. Not sure on the recipe. I think I need to try a few more before I decide on one. The colors just pop on these dark cookies though!

Valentine cookies

I decided to start practicing for Valentines day. Also I am hosting a MOPS moms night out and this is what I am teaching the moms to do. Decorate cookies. Since it is in Feb. I thought Hearts would be perfect.

I tried a new technique with the making the heart in the actual dredging part of the cookie. It was really easy!! Love this effect.

Bread or Cookies??

So I was in the baking mood today. Made some sugar cookies, then looked at the banana's I had in the fruit basket.. They looked pretty sad. So I decided to make banana bread.. then I thought.. oooohhh I have some chocolate chips. I should add those to the loaf.. Then I took it a step further and decided to see if they would hold up in cookie form. And what do you know?? They did!

I only made 6 at first on the silpat.. Then I let Eva try one!! LOL I too tried one.. I was pretty impressed that they tasted really good. And they were done all the way through.

I used a Med. pampered chef scoop to scoop them out onto the silpat. That way they are all the same size.

I had to keep checking on them. Not knowing how long to cook them.. I started at 10 minutes.. Then kept having to come back to them every 2 minutes.. They finally looked done at 19 minutes.. So I would say the time is between 18 to 20 minutes..

The big three O!!

I made this cake for my freind Tina who turned 30 in Dec.

This design came from a balloon.

Turkey's Turkey's

I enjoyed doing this one with the kids.. I had a friend come over and help.. We had 4 kids helping and eating all the candy!

All you need is Oreo's, Candy Corn, Woppers, Resses Peanut Butter cup (mini) and frosting. White and Brown. I had a friend send me a link to The crafty Crow that had these goodies on there site. I decided to give them a try.

You use the frosting to glue all the pieces on. I used brown frosting to glue everything together. Dont push to hard on the candy corn or you will split the cookie apart.. I used brown frosting on top of the white filling to increase the hold on the candy corn. They stuck in there easier. Then put the cup and the wopper on.

I used white frosting to put the beak on then pipe the eyes with white and a little dot for the color of the eyes. Instead of pipping orange frosting on for the feet I cut the orange part of the candy corn and used that for the feet.

They were fun to make. The kids enjoyed the final product.. And all the parts of the product!!