Happy Birthday Jesus!

Lucy's preschool teacher asked me to make the "Happy Birthday Jesus" cupcakes for the Christmas program.

She likes to set the cupcakes around her sweet Nativity ornament. So sweet!

These are Lucy's best friends, Claire and Avery.

They are so adorable together! Always so many giggles, I love it!

Teacher Christmas Gifts

Ethan wanted to give these to his teachers for Christmas.

FroYo gift card with a treat. We have done these before and it never gets old. "Thank you froyo hard work!"

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Bark

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (250 g) milk chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli brand) 
• 1 1/2 cups (250 g) peanut butter chips (Reese's brand)
• 3/4 tsp. coconut oil 
• 1/2 cup (250 g) skor toffee bits (I ended up using more because thats my favorite part- I just sprinkled until I was happy)
• Instructions
  • Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In a microwave safe bowl melt the milk chocolate chips on medium heat for about 1 minute, check the chocolate by stirring it, if not melted you can turn on again for 30 seconds. Check and stir again. Repeat if necessary. The chocolate should be smooth.
  • In a second microwave safe bowl combine the shortening and peanut butter chips and microwave on medium heat for 1 minute, check the peanut butter chips by stirring it, if not melted you can turn on again for 30 seconds. Check and stir again. Repeat if necessary. The peanut butter chips should be smooth.
  • Spoon each one alternately in lines on the pan you line with parchment paper. Just add it randomly, doesn't need to be any rhyme or reason to it. Continue until all the melted chocolate and peanut butter is on the sheet. Now take a butter knife and start to pull it through the colours to create a marble effect. I like to do mine in lines and pull straight through. I like the look of it. But design yours any way your little heart desires. It sets up quick so you may want to do this halfway through the process.
  • Toss the skor toffee bits on top. Then use your hand and press the bits into the chocolate a little so you don't lose them all when you break it up.  That's why I like to add more!
  • Place the cookie sheet in the fridge for about an hour to set up.
  • Remove from the fridge and break into pieces.

We put this together for Wyatt's teacher. He loves books so we got him a Barnes and Noble gift card with all the snacks and Sweet Tea that he loves! Mr. Estrada is up there with the greatest teachers of all time. He left his Corporate America job to become a teacher like his wife. He is an incredible artist and thinks outside the box to help Wyatt with all his learning disabilities. He is truly amazing and is making a difference. 

This is what Lucy wanted to give to her preschool teachers. Super simple-movie tickets with theatre candy. 

Christmas cookie exchange

I made these for a Christmas cookie exchange. Cookies are not my favorite thing to make unless they are sugar cookies but I wasn't in a decorating sugar cookie kind of mood.
So I decided to make cookie balls instead and I had a great time. 

Nutter Butter Heath Balls: I used my Blendtec (a food processor would also work) to crush Nutter butters, I then added peanut butter and mixed until it was a dough consistency, dipped in almond bark and covered with Heath bits (found in baking isle.)

Mint Oreo Cookie Balls: I crushed the mint Oreos, added softened cream cheese until it was a dough consistency, dipped in almond bark, and added crushed candy canes on top. 

If using an entire package of mint Oreos you would add 8 oz of cream cheese.

**Let's talk about dipping. So the key to dipping anything starts with the consistency. you don't want it too dry or they will fall apart, too wet and the chocolate won't stick. Think dough consistency.

I usually use my wilton chocolate melt container or you could set your bowl on a grill set at 200 degrees with a kitchen towel over the grill to prevent your bowl from getting too hot.

Drop your cookie ball or truffle into the bowl of melted chocolate, use a spoon to cover the ball with chocolate, then use a fork to get it out of the bowl, get the excess chocolate off by tapping your hand holding your fork lightly with your other hand (Bakerella's suggestion), scrap your fork on the side of the bowl and then use a toothpick to slide the ball off the fork onto wax paper.

Oreo Balls: I used regular Oreos and cream cheese for these. Once the almond bark was dry I used white almond bark to add a drizzle.

Nutter Butter Snowmen: Nutter Butters and softened cream cheese.  For each package of nutter butters you would need 8 ounces of cream cheese. 

Snowman hat= mini Oreo cookie and mini Reese's peanut butter cup, Scarf= airhead extreme licorice cut into strips, Face= piped on frosting, colored black and orange.

I used M&M's for the earmuff and an airhead extreme licorice cut into strips for the part that connects the earmuffs. Make sure to put the strip on first so you know where to put the M&M's. 

I seriously love any treat with a face. They are so fun to create and I feel like they have a personality! It makes it all worth the effort!

This is how I displayed them. I labeled each flavor with Washi tape.

Thanksgiving Snack Mix

We made these snack mixes for both Lucy and Wyatt's classes.

Bugles=cornucopia, Pretzels=arms folded in prayer of Thanksgiving, Candy corn/corn nuts=tradition of placing 5 kernels of corn beside each plate to remember the winter of 1623 "starving time",Dried Fruit=symbol of the Harvest, Sunflower seeds=potential for a generous harvest next season.

I found this idea online. I ended up just typing up my own version so it would be small enough to punch out (2 in. circle punch) I found the cute turkey online as well and used the same punch.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Way To Go Dragons!

After season soccer party for the team

Vanilla cake mix with cream cheese frosting. I used the grass frosting tip for the grass and I found these sugar soccer balls in the baking section at Walmart.

One of the boys on the team couldn't eat the cupcakes so we made some rice crispy treats too. My favorite recipe: Soften 4 Tbsp. salted butter in a big bowl in the microwave.

Add 6 cups marshmallows and microwave for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Stir until melted and add 1 tsp. vanilla.

Stir in 6 cups rice crispy's then add 2 cups mini marshmallows. Once mixed in pour onto a greased pan. 

*I usually double this recipe and put it in a jelly roll pan.

For the soccer balls I used a circle cookie cutter and added the ball accents using cream cheese frosting.

My favorite toothless Dragon! 

Halloween cookies!

I bought some new cookie cutters and wanted to give them a try.

Sugar Cookies:

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup butter (creamed)

1 cup sour cream

Combine & beat until creamy. Add 6 1/2 cups flour and 2 tsp. baking soda, and 1 tsp. salt. Mix well. Roll out on floured counter 1/2 inch thick. Or place between sheets of parchment paper roll out, freeze for 20 minutes, then cut shapes out and put on cookie sheet. (This method will keep you from having to use so much flour which makes your cookies taste like flour :)   Bake for 10 min. @ 350.

Cream cheese frosting: 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter, 1 tsp. vanilla, and 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar.

Love this cute little witch with her cauldron and broom.

She has a boyfriend now.

I made some plates for the ladies I visit teach at church.

I had a lot of fun making these tags to go with Halloween treats! Patti and I have been into collecting Washi tape lately and when we found these Halloween ones we couldn't wait to make some tags. 

I cut out the tag shape using my cricut. I used my Happy Hauntings Cartridge to cut out the witch, "spooky", "eek", "boo", spider, fence, and the spider web. I also used stickers and googly eyes. 

My favorite caldron stew: a little bone broth and a really cute monster!

Sheep Cupcakes

I taught a lesson today at church about how we can learn to be true shepherds and feed His sheep.

I always like to bring a treat whenever I teach, mostly to distract from my not so good lessons ;) 

Is it weird that I chose to literally feed them sheep?! Probably, but I couldn't think of something better or more yummy. 

Too Much Chocolate Cake from Allrecipes.com:

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
• 1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips 

Raspberry filling
16 oz. frozen raspberries thawed
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Drain raspberries, reserving liquid. Add enough water to liquid to equal 1 1/4 cups. In large saucepan, combine liquid, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice; mix well. Heat and stir until mixtures boils and thickens. Cool completely. Stir thawed raspberries into cool mixture.

Cream cheese frosting: (8 oz. cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter, 1 tsp. butter, and 3 1/2-4 cups powdered sugar)

I used a small star tip to pipe on the sheep wool in small circles, a chocolate melt for his face, and chocolate chips for his ears.

My friend sent me this pic. I included it here because this is the handout I used to go along with the sheep.

I love Halloween!

I love it when my kids are assigned class snack the month of October. 

Mummy juice boxes

It's fun how a little bit of duct tape and googly eyes can bring a juice box to life!! 

We found these pretzel bags at Target and thought they would be a fun healthy snack. We added some to go peanut butter and carrot sticks. I love peanut butter and carrots. 

I also found these cute monster cups at Target to put everything in.

Happy Halloween friends!

Little Pumpkin Baby Shower

Pumpkin cake push pops!

I used this cupcake recipe from Food Network. I made a few changes. 

-I didn't have ginger or allspice so I used pumpkin pie spice instead. 

-I added a little more pumpkin (heaping 1/2 cup)

-Frosting changes: I used 4 Tbsp butter, 1/2 Tablespoon maple syrup and some maple flavoring (1/4-1/2 tsp), and a little more powdered sugar so it was a better piping consistency.  

-I doubled this recipe and baked the cake in a jelly roll pan which made assembling the cake pops really easy. I pushed the plunger to the top of the container and used it to cut a piece of cake out. I piped on some frosting and moved the plunger down a little bit and repeated the steps three more times. 

Pumpkin Cupcakes: 

1 cup all-purpose flour

       1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Kosher salt

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin puree

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:

One 8-ounce block cream cheese

2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 cups powdered sugar

We had the shower at Courtney's favorite restaurant, Andeles! So yummy!

Congrats, Courtney! Can you see those cute pumpkin Oreo pops on the table that they made for take homes? So cute!