Sunday, December 18, 2011

Apes for Monkey


I'm about to make a monkey.


Sweet cinnamon balls!  This looks so good 
and it's not even cooked yet!


This monkey is headed to the home of a good friend.
I hope she likes monkeys.

Recipe can be found there on the Food Networks website.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Merry Merry!

Mission - Bake tons of cookies & a cake for my 
mother's High School Reunion/Party.
I got this.



Must remember to lower the speed when adding icing sugar.
On a side note, my counter looks very Christmasy.  


My super cute snowflakes
(inspiration for the snowflake - PaperChick )


I had planned to make 'Idiot Mittens', but I forgot to flip the cookie cutter over.
 I was left with 24 Right Handed mittens.  
Meh.  They're still cute!
Inspiration for these mittens came from a pair of Felt Mittens 
&
The soft gingerbread cookie recipe comes compliments of Martha Stewart



I have been wanting to makes these since last year.
The inspiration for my snowman, came from me! 
I just love them!



His Middle




His carrot nose and coaly smile
(Inspiration for the Snowman's Head)


Ta Da!



More Goodies!  
These will be split between teachers, bus drivers, 
Secret Santas and our Annual Christmas Eve Cookie Delivery.

Each year, we pick a place to deliver Christmas goodies on Christmas Eve.  
We usually focus on staff that work the night shift on Christmas Eve.
In previous years we've delivered to fire & police departments, Base Commissionaires, Military Police  & Military Fire Departments



This year we're delivery to a Women's Shelter.
This shelter is open 24 / 7 365 days a year.  
On Christmas Eve, we'll deliver a batch of cookies, 
along with donations of clothes 
and non-perishable food items.  
As well as a few gifts for those families that are staying at the shelter.


Turkey Time


I love Thanksgiving!  
It means the start of Fall Clean Ups for my client's gardens 
and Christmas is just around the corner!!


I need a bigger fork.



Two bites later, my boy was finished.  
His eyes, much like his mother are bigger than his stomach.




You know it truly is a skill to take pics of yourself.  
A skill which I have yet to master.

My apron proudly says 'Just call me Martha'.  
Although, I answer to Leigh-anne and Mom as well.


For fear my turkey pants might not hold a pumpkin pie 
after such a big supper, I opted out.

I made this for dessert instead.  
What is it?  
Pumpkin Fluff.  
Had I known this would have been so yummy, 
I might have just skipped the turkey and headed straight to this.
Pumpkin Fluff recipe



Wanna know what's even better than toasted pumpkin seeds?


Sweet mother of seeds, this was gone in seconds.

Make a Wish



Last year I baked up a storm for my dear friends Baby Shower

Hard to believe she's 1 already!

The Birthday Girl's Theme was 'Wish'


I made these adorable 'wish' cookies
(Inspiration came from this adorable site )


The sugar cookies were so fun to make, and super easy.  



The main event was a moist chocolate cake, 
with vanilla frosting and of course finished with fondant



The cupcakes were a super moist ginger cake recipe, topped 
with creamy vanilla frosting and a shiny pink star.

I'm Close to 40


It's official.  I'm closer to 40 than I am to 30.
Although I appreciate this cows excitement. 
It's utterly annoying.



Since I was in Nova Scotia, visiting my parents, 
and they have yet to taste my baking or enjoy a pretty cake
 that I've made in my kitchen, I decided to make my own cake for them.


Here it is!  Makes me dizzy!



Inspiration for this elegant cake came from this site



To ensure no smoke alarms were triggered, we opted for one candle.
And...the thought of 36 candles on a cake for me, makes me crazy.



My helper.


When we arrived back home, I was asked what 
kind of cake I'd like made for my birthday.

Me?  A cake for me? 


Carrot cake please and thank you.  

You see, I had recently had a 'moment' with an 
amazing carrot cake at Bella Bistro  www.bellabistro.ca
As I sunk my fork into this piece of heaven, 
I knew I was about to experience a carrot cake like no other.


Should you get the chance, swing by Bella Bistro,
 you're guaranteed to be put in a food coma.




So my husband hit the 'information super highway', 
found a recipe and put his own twist on it!




Fricken huge pieces of pineapple!!



The finishing touches and presentation 
(compliments of my son) 
made my birthday day!

Cupcake Pies


Words can't describe how excited I was that 
my neighbour invited us to her place for Thanksgiving!

These are the yummy treats I baked up for dessert


Seriously fun 



Mmmm...



I just love the little 'dollup' of whipped cream
 fondant ontop of the pumpkin pies!

(Inspiration for these little slices of goodness came from this site )
 

Baker Fail



I can't lie, sometimes I lack patience.  


Of course, I'm lying.  


I don't have any patience.  


Especially when the directions clearly state
 to let the cake cool in the pan.

This is the result.


Thankfully the beautiful hydrangeas 
take the focus away from the 'brain' shaped cake.  

However, because I'm not only a wicked gardener, 
I'm a genius on fixing cakes.  



I amaze myself sometimes.

Again, I'm lying.  
I caved for fear I may throw another cake 
out the window and bought a 'store made' cake.  

Double Digits


Wait a tic.  My son is 10?


To start the day of right, he was presented 
with this trophy from his big sister.



In addition to the trophy, he was given this.  
I'm positive she may regret giving this to him.  
In fact, she has.



This year, I was incredibly busy with my client's garden, 
so my husband offered to bake for my son's birthday party.  


The theme?  
Angry Birds of course.




He's off to a good start.


Looking pretty good.



Fantastic job by my sous chef.




Enough Angry Birds for all the kids


For my son's actually birthday, I baked him exactly 
what he wanted.
Double chocolate cake, chocolate icing and more chocolate.
Not only did I deliver said wish, 
I put peanut butter between each cake layer.
Fricken delicious.



My happy camper

More than a Neighbour



As the house was being built next door
I secretly wished for a good 'normal' neighbour.

Turns out she's not normal, but neither am I, so it's a perfect fit.  

I offered to bake her birthday cake this year. 
Her request, something pretty.
  


Piled with pretty little flowers coupled with super cute pink fondant 


I'd make her another pretty cake any day.

Elephant Shoe



We can fly people to the moon, 
but we can't stop our children from getting older?
Not fair.  



She may be getting older, but she's still a kid at heart.  
She requested an Elephant Cake.  
Today, this adorable fondant elephant
sits happily on her shelf.  


(Tutorial on making an elephant can be found here)



A tad hot for a picnic, but the elephant pulled through.