Month: June 2012

Stocking up for Cake Decorating Part 1

I am not now nor have I ever been a professional cake decorator.  I have decorated my fair share of cakes when taking classes & practicing, but I just want to clarify I’m not a professional.  I’m not a beginner either.  Let’s say Amateur.  Does that work?

I just thought I would share a few tips with you on how to make your life easier when decorating cakes.  Things I’ve learned that work for me, whether I came up with it on my own or the teacher I had showed me.

Let’s start out with the basics – that would include bags, tips, & couplers.

Ok first off – Piping Bags.  You have many choices out there.  These reusable bags are fabulous, however you can see sometimes they get a little dingy looking.  As long as you clean them, they’re great.  Dawn used to make a foaming soap, it worked great at cleaning them.

Next you need to choose size.  Generally a 10in is the best bet for the more intricate work you are doing.  If you watch Cake Boss, he has huge bags, well I’d love to learn his method but until he teaches me, this is what I use :).

Your next two options happen to be a 16in bag which is great for icing the cake.  You’ll need the big tip which I’ll show you in just a bit, but it works miracles when initially icing a cake.  One thing though, seems like it uses a bit more icing so you have to be prepared :).

Then you have the disposable bag option.  I like this option personally.  It makes for quick and easy clean up but sometimes depending on how many you use, it can get expensive :).  Just keep in mind and use what works best for you.  I keep both on hand because they all have their handiness (is that really a word?)

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Get Your Hair Out Of Your Face

So I remember back in the day when we all grew our bangs out so we didn’t have them.  I was about 8 or 9 years old even.  It was right after the big 80’s hair craze!
Now bangs are becoming cool again, but a lot of people either have the long swooping bangs or no bangs at all.  A couple years ago before I was in Tbug’s life I guess she decided she didn’t want bangs and her mom let her start growing them out.  But the bad thing then and even still today is she constantly has hair in her face.  It drives me nuts!

I’m constantly telling her to get her hair out of her face and once I can’t stand it anymore I tell her to go pull her hair up in a ponytail.  And when she says she can’t see things, it’s generally because she has hair in her face, so at that point she has to pull it up into a ponytail.

i.e.

She is such a pretty girl as long as she doesn’t have hair in her face (ok and even then she is pretty but come on, the hair in the face doesn’t help).

So anyway the other day I had my hair half pulled up (you know the sides up, the back down).  My bangs aren’t quite long enough to stay back or tuck behind my ear but almost.  but my hair generally stays out of my face.  I’ve been without short bangs long enough I know how to keep them out of my face and they are fairly trained to stay back.  If that doesn’t work out come the bobby pins.

So we were at dinner over the weekend and my bangs fell to just even on the side of my head with my eyes.  Like so (maybe a bit further toward my face, but not in my face):

This is generally where they tend to stay; remember if they fall in my face, I pin them back etc.  But Tbug looks at me and goes “Get your hair out of your face.”

We all just about died laughing.  I guess we know what I’m constantly telling her.  Although mine is nothing like hers!

We’re a little bit Corny {Corn Cakes}

When I met my husband, he always commented on just how much he loved corn.  So that year for Thanksgiving we introduced him to my grandma’s corn casserole recipe.  He’s never looked back :).  So anytime I run across corn recipes, I have to share with him and generally we end up trying them.

Monday was no different.  I was perusing through my google reader and ran across a recipe for Corn Cakes.  Holy yummyness!  They looked awesome.  I knew we were going to have steaks for dinner {long story} but we didn’t have a side dish so I decided to make it a point to go to the store to pick up milk {another story for another day} because I knew we were going to try these!

So without further ado:

Corn Cakes adapted from Mennonite Girls Can Cook

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup cornmeal
  • 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 1/2 cups corn, cooked and drained
    • Best way to cook the corn {IMO of course} is put a few tablespoons butter & some season salt in a skillet.  Just as the melts and gets a “sizzle” sound to it add the corn and saute it up a bit!! Adds another level of flavor
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
    • Don’t have?  Remember add a splash of vinegar to low fat or skim milk.
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Method:
In a medium size bowl combine dry ingredients with grated cheese and set aside.

In another bowl whisk together corn, buttermilk, egg, and melted butter.

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This song blew me away

I was driving to work this morning and I heard this song.  A lot more on the radio station I listen to they are playing Texas Country or Dirt Road Country, however you refer to it.  At first I wasn’t real crazy about it, but I think it’s a lot better than some of the “Country” music that is out there.  Seems like a lot of the country music released a lot anymore almost has a rock feel to it… It’s way far from Hank & Johnny & Kenny (Rogers) & Waylon.  And I can’t say I was a huge fan of some of their music but….  anyway none of that matters.  Here’s a really great song.  If nothing else…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVnFdngM8RU]

Lyrics just in case you can’t see the song itself…

there’s a memory that rings clear as a bell,
i was bouncin like a bull rider on his knee,
i sure miss those old stories that he’d tell,
from a hobo on a freight train,
to a sailor out at sea,
my granny says that i’ve got his smile,
he’s the reason i take pride in my last name,
no he never made the headlines,
nobody sings his song,
so for every unsung hero im singin this today,

(chorus)
so raise your bottle to the boys and let’s remember,
all the fallen and the price they had to pay,
hold ’em up high and salute all the ones that made it back,
and for the ones away from home, don’t forget to pray,

grandpa would sing you every hank williams song,
but it’s amazing grace that brought him back around,
he’d shead a tear talkin about the day,
that german gunner shot his best friend down,

my daddy fought a war some say in vain,
he came home in a wheel chair, he walks with a kane,
seems like every generation has to pay the cost,
i think about my family and the good friends that we’ve lost,

chorus

from Normandy to Korea, to Kason Vietnam,
heartaches streach from coast to coast,
from Bunker Hill to Filucia, Gettysburg to Japan,
everyone who’s ever served or lost someone let’s make a toast,

chorus

Cauliflower Pizza

Cauliflower Pizza adapted from Recipe Girl

CRUST:
1/2 LARGE head cauliflower (or 2+ cups shredded cauliflower)
1 large egg
1 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese (or try another kind!)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic (or fresh garlic)
1/2 teaspoon onion salt

Directions:

1. Shred the cauliflower into small crumbles. You can use the food processor if you’d like, but you just want crumbles, not puree. You’ll need a total of about 2 cups or so of cauliflower crumbles (which is about half a large head of cauliflower. Place the cauliflower crumbles in a large bowl and microwave them (dry) for 8 minutes (see Tips below if you do not have a microwave). Give the cauliflower a chance to cool.
2. Prepare the crust: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet or pizza pan with nonstick spray (or use a nonstick surface). In a medium bowl, mix the cauliflower crumbles (about 1 1/2 cups since they shrink after cooking) with the remaining crust ingredients. Pat the “crust” into a 9 to 12-inch round on the prepared pan. Spray the crust lightly with nonstick spray and bake for 15 minutes (or until golden). Remove the crust from the oven and turn the heat up to broil..
3.  Top with your favorite toppings & Broil for 3-4 minutes or until hot and cheese is bubbly.

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Mean Little Bugger

I’m not a fan of wasps, let’s just get that out there.  They are mean little buggers, however, usually if you stay away from them they’ll leave you alone too.  Recently Nadine posted about her experience with wasps. 

So one of my favorite things to do is wash our towels or our sheets and hang them out on the clothes line to dry.  It is such a lovely smell and they feel good and it reminds me of my grandparents and there is just so much there that I absolutely love that it makes it wonderful.

Sunday was no different.  I pulled our bedding off the bed, washed it and went and hung it on the line.  No biggie.

I came home that afternoon and after a real quick swim, decided that I was going to grab the clothes off the line

  • 1) so I didn’t have to later 
  • 2) so I didn’t forget

I swear I don’t know where that little A-hole came from but I pulled the first pillow case off the line and wham.  He was on my finger, stung me and was off again.  After unfortunately a few explicit words and hubby heard me screaming he came out.

Well let’s just say that darn wasp and his friend’s are no longer alive… and by the way, it was one of those mean, nasty, red ones!

And here’s what my finger looked like…

Started out with Baking Soda paste

We found stinger/poison killer, that’s the green stuff

I’m not gonna lie, it hurt so bad.  My finger looked worse than these pictures show.  It hurt all the way down into my hand and part of my hand even swelled up but it stopped there.

Here we are 2 days later and parts of my hand still hurts.  How crazy is that!  But my finger is finally normal sized!

Linking up with these Crazy Gals Impulsive Addict & Seriously Shawn

Milo’s Cellar – Boulder City, NV

Recently my husband and I went to Las Vegas for a short getaway. He’d never been and the last time I was out there I was 20, 2 months before I turned 21. Truthfully, it was about the same time of year even almost down to the weekend, but not quite. In 2003 I was there the weekend before finals for a day and a half.  This time it was the week following finals and we were there a bit longer.

I’m pleased to say we did absolutely nothing.  Ok maybe that’s partially a lie, we saw a show, Jubilee at Bally’s, one of the last true Las Vegas-style shows.  We ate, we lounged by the pool, we walked everywhere. And did I mention we ate?  I always said if I ever made it back out to Vegas I WAS going to Hoover Dam, don’t worry we went.  And did I mention we ate?

I’m so glad we walked everywhere or else I would have gained 15 lbs I swear.  One of my biggest complaints about Vegas {and really it’s only minor} is they don’t know what Sweet Tea is.  Someone from the South, please move there and inform them – Stat!

Otherwise, it was a very relaxing trip.  On Friday while we were out there, we got a rental car (get this for $1, what a deal!) and headed for Hoover Dam.  I plugged the directions into my iPhone and it took us through this cute little town of Boulder City.  If you’ve ever seen the movie Cars, it reminds me a lot of their town. I know there had to be an interstate somewhere to bypass the town but I’m so glad that the directions took us through this town.

On our way back to Vegas from Hoover Dam, we knew we had seen a cute little restaurant in Boulder City so we made it a point to go back and try some “local” food.  It wasn’t on the Vegas Strip, it had to be local, right?!

Milo’s Cellar Sidewalk Cafe, Wine Bar & Retail Liquor was the cute little cafe.

Sadly I didn’t think to do restaurant reviews until after I was home from my trip so I got this photo via their website.

The food was outstanding.  They open at 11 am.  We were there during lunch so we went for the sandwiches. Here’s what we ordered: {Oh I might mention my mom was out there for work so she was able to join us!! That’s why 3 entrees :)}

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Elephants

About a week ago or so, my friend Autumn emailed me and asked me:

So silly question, how do you make gray icing

I emailed her back and said to use a bit of black.

She sent me this photo and said this is what she was making for her son’s birthday party.

**found here**

She said that she was making a cake table for his birthday party and if she felt like attempting this, she’d make it for his party.  She was going to make him a cake (strawberry maybe), her Mother-in-law was (a gooey butter cake), another co-worker was going to make her one (chocolate) and if she felt like it, she’d attempt this.

I told her if she’d get me a package of powdered sugar & 2 cake mixes, I’d make it for her.

SOLD!  or DEAL!  whichever 🙂

So I planned on baking the cake on Wednesday night, however, well… I forgot until 10pm.  And hubby told me around 6 to do it.  oy!  So he was an absolute sweetheart and woke up early Thursday morning to help me.

Then I came home last night, made my icing… {If you want the icing Recipe I used here, go here…}

Got hubby to help me cut out cardboard to set the cake on.

Cut out the cake.

And to town I went.

I have absolutely NO idea what I was looking at, thinking about or doing.  This photo cracks me up!

And here is the finished product :).

Think it’ll work?  I made Autumn’s son’s first birthday cake, now I’m making him one again!

Large Batch Buttercream Icing Recipe
2/3 Cup Cold Water
4 tbsp Meringue Powder (1/4 cup)
12 c or 3# Confectioners Sugar
1 1/4 cups solid vegetable shortening
3/4 tsp salt
Up to 1 tsp Flavoring

Mix water + salt, dissolve salt.  Add meringue powder.  Add flavoring

  • White icing – use white flavoring
  • Candy flavoring by the drop
  • Almond – no more than 1/4 tsp

Next add 2 # of the powdered sugar.  (easiest way is to weigh it out on scales).  Add shortening 1/2 cup at a time, mixing completely.  After all shortening is added add the last 1# of powdered sugar, a little at a time.

This gives you about 7 cups of icing at a stiff consistency.
You want to Ice a cake with thin consistency so thin out with a couple tsp of water (or milk) added one at a time until you get desired consistency.

Fun fillings –> stiff- Pipe around outside to hold filling – use a bag & coupler with no tip:

  • Plain Icing
  • Icing/Fruit
  • Icing/Jam
  • Icing/Jelly
  • Icing/Pudding (pudding cup good for regular sized cake)

Happy Friday.

p.s. It is ironic I’m doing a post about an elephant cake after Jill’s post yesterday (Hi Jill).