Note to Self

"Don't throw the candy canes away."

You'll need them in February to 

Make These:

 Remove the cellophane wrapping from the canes and form hearts by placing them hook to hook and tail to tail on a nonstick baking sheet or one lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350°F for 2 to 4 minutes (depending on the canes’ size) or until they stick together when you pinch the ends lightly. Cool thoroughly and remove with a spatula. If you want to make flat hearts with psychedelic stripes, bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

Cream-Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe

via Taste of Home—Ali Johnson, Petersburg, Pennsylvania

Here's a deliciously different use for pumpkin. Bursting with flavor and plenty of eye-catching appeal, these sweet and spicy filled cupcakes are bound to dazzle your family any time of the year.

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
3/4 cup canola oil
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
4 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

FILLING:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup milk
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands®, All Natural, No Corn Syrup Added, Pure Vanilla Extract, optional
Whole cloves, optional

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, oil, pumpkin and eggs. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder and cinnamon; gradually add to pumpkin mixture and beat until well mixed.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For filling, combine cornstarch and milk in a small saucepan until smooth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, cream the shortening, butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla if desired. Gradually add the cornstarch mixture, beating until smooth.
Using a sharp knife, cut a 1-in. circle 1 in. deep in the top of each cupcake. Carefully remove tops and set aside. Spoon or pipe filling into cupcakes. Replace tops. If desired, add a clove "pumpkin stem" to the tops. Yield: about 1-3/4 dozen.

WHooooo Wants a Cupcake?

I saw these Owl Cupcakes 

on Heather's blog.  

I thought they were so cute and just had to make some! 

Next year I will definitely follow the tip I found Here.

I'm positive that when I have shared Oreos with the kids in the past and split them in half they separated perfectly but that just wasn't happening for these cupcakes.

If only I'd known the secret tip...

(microwaving a few cookies at a time for several seconds helps to keep the cream side solid)

We had our annual Halloween Dinner and it was lots of fun.

I'll have to steal some more pictures from Marci.  

I was too busy to get them this year.

Princess (Tiana ) Ella and  Frog Preston and of course,  Addie Cat

pictures via  Marci

Creative Cupcake  in the Works

Scott & Kassandra

Addie & Little Cat from Grandad

Great Frog and Little Frog

Thank You Thursday - Red Velvet

Are you familiar with Red Velvet Cake?  I think maybe it is a Southern/Texas thing. We had never even heard of it before we moved here. 

It is Hope's favorite!

I think she first tasted it at Chrissy and Zack's wedding reception. Chrissy's Red Velvet Wedding Cake was beautiful and delicious!

 pictures via "The Life of Chrissy"

Whenever Hope gets to have a cupcake from one of our favorite spots,CRAVE, she ALWAYS chooses Red Velvet.

For her birthday cake she requested, Red Velvet.

....look what I found the other day at Randalls.

Who would've ever thought in  a million years!

Little Debbie® Petites Red Velvet Cakes are genuine,
moist red velvet cakes topped with creme cheese flavored
icing. Each perfectly portioned serving is individually
wrapped in a six count carton.

April Birthday Girl Celebration

Pictures from Marci and Hope's Birthday Celebration

(Thanks Marci and Mike)

Both Birthday Girls were treated to a cupcake from "Crave" during their birthday week.

Hope got Red Velvet (of course)

Traditional Texas red cocoa cake with sweet cream cheese frosting

and Marci got Flourless Chocolate (gluten free), which she loved!

Rich dark chocolate flourless cupcakes with dark chocolate butter cream frosting and topped with chocolate sprinkles. 

 

original post date 4/30 

"Top of the Mornin'

 

I thought it would be fun to have a St. Patty Dinner tonight.  

I used to make this all the time.  Yummy comfort food.

Shepherd's Pie 

 

 This one's from 

Martha Stewart

or maybe I should try this

Skillet Shepherd's Pie Recipe

via Woman's Day 

Add a garden salad and some "green" bread 
and you're in LUCK~ 

Looking for a St. Patty "cupcake" ?

Recipe and Picture via 

Tickled Pink Cupcakery

Shamrock Shake Cupcakes

(makes 2 dozen cupcakes)

For the Cake:

• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour (if you don't have any, you can make your own) 
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 
• 2 cups sugar 
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature 
• 1 cup milk 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 2 teaspoons mint extract (regular mint, not peppermint)few drops of green food coloring

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Combine flours in a large bowl. 
3. In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar, beat 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4.  Add flour in three parts, alternating with the milk/extracts in two.
5.   Add food coloring until fulling incorporated, but don't over mix- a drop or two will do for a light green color. 
6. Pour into baking cups. 
7. Bake 20-25 minutes.
   

For the frosting:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 
• 6-8 cups confectioners' sugar 
• 1/2 cup milk 
• 2 tsp mint extract 
• a few drops green food coloring
  

Cream butter, 4 cups sugar, milk, and mint. Add more sugar to reach desired consistency. Add food coloring until fully incorporated.

For the Fondant Shamrocks:

Find the fondant recipe Tickled Pink Cupcakery uses here.

Add a bit of green food coloring (gel works better than liquid when working with fondant) and knead into your fondant, making sure to add plenty of powdered sugar to prevent it from sticking to your mat. When you reach the desired color, roll flat with a rolling pin to about 1/4''(I use a plastic fondant roller to reduce sticking). To make the shamrocks, I cut out a paper stencil and traced around it with a knife, then finished shaping it with my fingers. If you can find a small shamrock cutter, that would work, too.

 More "lucky" Cupcakes

 HERE

Thank You Thursday

.....a great new gadget!
I love the new Pampered Chef 

Decorator Bottle Set

I ordered it when Marci hosted a party for our friend, Stephanie.  

You can visit her website HERE

 

Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes for Baby Shower

 

So delicious!

Life is a Bowl of Cherries....

So sorry I'm a slacker of a blogger.  Here's a quick update:  

Miss Hope got her new brace and loves it.What a difference!

Front (the new one latches in the font!)                        Back

Check out her Converse shoes.  Her friend Mason did the artwork.  I love the detail and there are little stories and innuendos that go along with  the drawings.

 

We took these pictures while we were waiting for the doctor.

Scott smashed his hand between two 100 lb. dumbbells.  The last time he hurt his hand and told me it was fine it was broken.  This time we played it safe and went to Urgent Care to get an X-Ray.  We spent what seemed like forever waiting.  No break this time, just a severe contusion. 

I was bored waiting for the doctor again 

so Scott posed for a picture.

Orders and Projects from last week:

 

  

 

Mack and Cheryl came for a visit 

and we soaked up every minute we could!

Dinner at ChaChos

Pictures via Marci

And the traditional SCUM game.  We laughed so hard my side hurt!

As long as I'm stealing pictures..... aren't these kiddles cute!

Tomorrow I'm making Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes and  catching up with all of YOUR blogs!
Can' t wait ♥