Sugar & Meringue

I missed it! I have been so busy with School these past few weeks, somehow in my GoogleReader, I missed this post from Sugar & Meringue! Her annual "National Sugar Cookie Day" publication. Last year's was adorably presented, as was this year's.

Open publication - Free publishing - More cookie

It is full of sweet recipes, how-to images and ideas. She has also posted an adorable tutorial on how to make "granny-square" decorated cookies. And, since making granny-squares for a blanket is on my to-do list this Summer, I am smitten with this idea. Enjoy!

(All images and publications copyright Sugar & Meringue)

Sprinkles Bakes

If you don't read Sprinkles Bakes, then you should! It is simply a blog of food happiness! Just going through Heather's site, makes my mouth water and I am always excited to see her name come up in my GoogleReader, because that means there will be a delicious post waiting for me to read!

This video makes me smile and this cake is just pinky-pinky gorgeous. After the day I have had, I could use a giant slice of this heavenly pink confection right now!

I especially love her baking assistants!


Pink Velvet Roulade from Heather Baird on Vimeo.

Fourth of July Round-Up

There is something magical about the Fourth of July, it is as if it truly heralds in the Summer in all of her glory, of hot days, lemonade, splashing in a pool, riding your bikes, the feel of a hammock on your back, the tickle of a cooling fan over your skin and evenings that are still filled with heat, but surrounded by starry skies, eating dripping ice cream cones off the back porch and stolen kisses.

I know that many families will be celebrating today vs. tomorrow, but I thought I would do a little Fourth of July Round-Up, for all those late minute party ideas and recipes.

This bike would easily win any Fourth of July Parade contest, decorated in all the glory of Red, White & Blue:

What could be better than a take home treat for your guest, or as a sweet to munch on under the stars as you watch the fireworks. To make them, start by partially filling a 2-by-10-inch cellophane bag with blue candies to stand in for stars. Then add red and white candy sticks to mimic stripes. Tie the bag with red waxed twine (Martha Stewart Living):

A spin on the traditional peach pie, adding creme fraiche to this dessert gives it a French twist:

No Fourth of July celebration would be complete without coleslaw, there is nothing better than creamy slaw piled high on a grilled dog, oozing with mustard!:

To go alongside those dogs covered in slaw, you need a good old-fashioned cheeseburger:

I hope everyone has a wonderful Fourth of July!

(All images copyright Martha Stewart)

Is there any S'More?

I love S'Mores. They hold within those cookie walls the best of Sumertime nights. The freedom of being little, running through the grass barefoot, eating grilled hot dogs, chasing lighting bugs and roasting s'mores over the open grill.

For those of you who are not familiar with a s'more, it is a toasted marshmallow that is laid upon a piece of chocolate and they are both sandwiched between two graham cracker cookies.  We didn't always use graham crackers in my house though, my Mom would buy the Keebler chocolate covered cookies and we would mush our roasty toasty marshmallows in between those! HEAVEN!

Unfortunately, our little cottage does not have a space that allows us to grill, but that doesn't stop Mr. Michie and myself. We simply spread our ingredients out on the coffee table and light a candle, which acts as our "grill". So, you too can even make delicious s'mores indoors as well as out!

Here are a few S'more recipes or variations on the theme that I came across as I was blog reading this week, so they must be a hot topic! Click on the name to be taken to the recipe:

Uncle Scott's S'mores:

 

S'mores Cake:

S'mores Ice-Cream Sandwiches:

S'mores Milk Shake:

Big Girl's S'mores Pie:

(all images copyright their respective blogs)

POPs

I love the "perfect bite"! Do you know what I mean? The perfect bite of sweetness and these pops look like the perfect bite.

Looks like Summertime happiness to me!

(Found on Hip Hip Hooray)

Royal Wedding Round-Up

Today is the day of the Royal Wedding and I am very excited! Just what the World needs right now with everything that is going on, a happy event that is all about  LOVE!

Here are a few Royal Wedding Round-Up Ideas just for you:

1) If you are throwing a party with your friends to watch the "Big Day", go to Design Editor to print out adorable bunting, labels and even your own crown for your festivities.

2) Don't let your guest go home without a treat. 100 Layer Cake have an adorable and simple idea to package up shortbread for all your wedding attendees.

3) What British Royal occasion would be complete without the dogs? You can find a pattern to knit your own little royal corgi here.

*(All images are copyrighted to their respective blogs)

When you have Lemons...

If life gives you lemons, make lemonade as the embroidery sampler in my Mom's kitchen says! This has been a week, where I just haven't stopped and I am not going to get the chance to either! I have had a lot of lemons this week and I am making as much lemonade as I can! I might need to set up a stall outside of my house to sell it all.

I have guest coming this weekend, a house that needs to be cleaned, a brunch to prepare for tomorrow and I need to get myself in the mood to entertain. Which normally is not my usual take on things. My parent's are fabulous entertainers, they have created a home where you always feel "Welcome", and they have given that gift to myself and my sister. But, this week has been so hectic and next will be as well with Art exams that I am not really in the mood for company. But, I know I will enjoy it when it is all happening.

I was flipping through my cookbooks, trying to find the perfect Spring time dessert for tomorrow and when nothing jumped out at me, I turned to a tried and trusted source: The Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen Blog. And, it was here that I immediately spotted what I wanted to make. A scrumptious Buttermilk Blueberry & Lemon Cake that looks like it holds the essence of Spring inside it. So, after everything else is done, this is going into the oven tonight, because I have a bowl full of lemons and you know what they say....

Valentine's Round-Up

Valentine's Day is almost here and I have collected a few last minute ideas, recipes and sweetness from some of my favorite places to share with you. Click on the images below to be taken directly to the featured project:

Jenny B. Harris of Allsorts has done it again, with this cute Valentine's Paper Angel. A fun project for your little ones to decorate your kitchen table with:

Serena of The Farm Chicks has created adorably wrapped chocolate brownie bites. A cute idea for the little Valentine Love Bugs in your life:

Eat, Drink, Chic has the most wonderful answer to staying in for Valentine's. Amy Moss, has designed a DIY Valentine's popcorn bucket to invite your Honey Bunny to spend a night snuggled next to you on the couch. You just have to provide the popcorn and the right movie:

The lovely Bridget, of Bake @ 350 has taken "bark" to a whole new level with her Sweet Heart Conversation Candy Bark. A great idea to hand out to your neighbours or any little Valentine's fingers that might be around on the day:

The cute girls at One Charming Party have come up with simple yet effective idea. If you are stuck cooking on Valentine's night, why not bring as many hearts into the mix as you can. These home made heart shaped pepperoni pieces add a cute flair to store bought pizza for your sweetie pie:

And, just in case you forgot to get a card head on over to Eat, Drink, Chic for some DIY printable Valentine's cards and envelopes. You can never go wrong with polka dots!:

A Pot of Pie

I spied these lovely pumpkin pies in a jar over at Inchmark and I think they are a beautiful idea, for a little something different!

They would look charming displayed on a table set upon Johnson Bros. "Friendly Village Autumn" luncheon plates. I also think they would be the perfect breakfast, because, you have to keep your energy up as you slave away over that succulent roasted bird and stuffing!

 

All I need is a spoon and a little extra whipped cream...

(All images copyright Inchmark)

A Kiss Goodbye

Today, as September comes to a close the last little taste of Summer is clinging to it. Even though the sun shone bright this morning, through the mist on the common, it was still so cold. Our breath hung in little icy moisture droplets above us as we waited for our cherry red bus to come.

I love Summer and all it holds, but I love this time, when seasons change from one into the other and as the curtains draw on the final little bit of Summer and we kiss it goodbye, I welcome, with arms open-wide, all the best that Fall has to offer us. And one such thing is a bounty of gorgeous apples. I grew up on a farm and one of our staple crops were apples. There was nothing better than when my Dad, came home with the first of the year's apple cider in frosty jugs for us to gobble down.

Apples in season, meant ever-ready bushels of sweetness awaiting us. Thin sliced apples with crackers and hoop cheese, fresh frosty cider, my Dad's applesauce for breakfast and my Mom's apple butter spread over hot biscuits. Fall holds a sweetness to it all of its own, a beauty of color and taste.

As we truly kiss the last of Summer goodbye and welcome in Fall, I found a recipe that I thought I would share with you, I have had cookies similar to this growing up and this was just something to delicious not to share!

Iced Apple Cookies

• 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
• 1 teaspoon(s) cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) nutmeg
• 1 1/3 cup(s) (packed) light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup(s) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup(s) pecans, chopped
• 1 cup(s) raisins
• 1 cup(s) chopped Red Delicious apple
• 1/2 cup(s) apple cider
• 2 tablespoon(s) apple cider
• 3 cup(s) confectioners' sugar

---

Directions

1. Make the batter: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Cream the sugar and 3/4 cup butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until incorporated. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until combined. Stir in the pecans, raisins, apples, and 1/4 cup apple cider.
2. Bake the cookies: Drop by heaping tablespoon, 2 inches apart, onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten each mound slightly and bake 18 to 22 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, remaining cider, and butter until smooth. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of icing over each cookie. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

(Recipe & Image copyright Country Living)

The Last Slice

I have been working hard these last few days. I don't seem to have gotten very far however, this week has been unbelievably busy.  I have been out of the house more than I have been in and trying to do all my sewing in the in-between.

But, tonight I am inside, the dishes are done, the iron is hot and I am just about to make some Jenny Wren tags to sew into little bunny and bear legs. Before I do that, I am going to eat the last slice of this:

The marble cake we made for the Fourth of July has managed to stick around a few days longer than I thought since we have been out so much.  So, the last slice, is mine! After all, a girl needs to keep up her strength when sewing so many little creatures together...

Red, White & Blue

The Fourth of July is on the horizon and I have my whole menu planned for the weekend festivities, except for the most important part: dessert! That, for me, is the hardest thing to plan, there are just too many choices.  I could make my Strawberry Shortcake Cake, or good old fashioned ice cream sandwiches made from fresh chocolate chip, oatmeal or sugar cookies and filled with vanilla or strawberry ice-cream.

I spotted these goodies on the Martha Stewart site. I love the cookie spoons, although I would probably break them on purpose so I could munch away on my edible utensil and then get another one.

I also loved these jam stars. However, I would feel wasteful to not use all of my dough when I have smeared it so lovingly with jam, I would probably use my scraps up by cutting out some little circles or mini stars to go alongside the bigger ones.

It would also be tempting to make a mile high Pollyanna Cake, like the ones they baked for the Church bazaar. That is an old Disney favorite of mine. It is one of those movies that you better make sure you have something sweet in the house to eat when you watch it, although, unless you have one of Tillie's (the Harrington's cook in the movie) cakes you will be sadly disappointed with whatever exists behind the doors of your cupboards.

That does it! I think I will make my Nana's marble cake with chocolate frosting! I just might have to make two, one for me and one for everyone else...

*Click on the Martha Stewart Images to be taken to the recipes for those mouth-watering cookies!

(Images: Sugar Cookie Spoons & Jam Stars: copyright Martha Stewart; Pollyanna: images found on Flickr; Pink Flags & Circle Labels: a Pugly Pixel Freebie)

Mile High Banana Cream Pie

In lieu of a traditional Birthday Cake this year, I decided to make a MILE High Banana Cream Pie!

And it was Delicious! I even had a piece this morning for breakfast! Now what could be better than that? It could only have been topped by getting to share a piece with you!

(Images with my new Birthday Camera by J. Michie embellished with the Dot Freebie from The Pugly Pixel)

Button Mushrooms

I found this adorable recipe on the Bake it Pretty Blog and I thought I would share. I love making shortbread, usually I just mould it into a pie shape and then cut it into thick wedges to have alongside a nice cup of tea. These would be perfect for a "Gnome Tea Party", with Bake it Pretty's gnome or mushroom sprig cake toppers placed on cupcakes and their gnome or snail shaped cookie cutters used for sugar cookies or to shape tea sandwiches. The possibilities are endless and I know I am already getting carried away with the ideas buzzing around in my head...

The use of a beer bottle dusted with cocoa powder is a fantastic idea to create that sweet squat mushroom stem. How inventive! Since I am in a shortbread baking kind of mood this weekend I thought about trying this recipe if we can squeeze it in to the crazy weekend that will be happening...

I have included their recipe if you want to try it for yourself:

Ingredients:

Preheat oven at 350 degrees  -  yields approx. 42 cookies

1 – 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon table salt

One empty soda or beer bottle (cleaned and dried)
Cocoa powder (about 1/4 cup)
Water

Recipe:

Sift together flour, cornstarch, powdered sugar and salt.  Add softened butter and vanilla, and mix thoroughly until a thick but light dough is formed.  It should be soft but not too sticky, and easy to handle.

Roll the dough into 1″ balls and place about 1″ apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silpat mats.  Place about 1/4 cup of cocoa powder into a small bowl, and about 1/4 cup water in to a separate small bowl.

Dip the top of the soda/beer bottle into water and shake off any excess.  Dip the bottle into the cocoa powder and tap the side to shake if any excess.  Gently press the bottle straight into one of your dough balls, pressing just barely into the dough, only about 1/4″ inch, then pull the bottle away.

Continue with the rest of your cookies, dipping your bottle into the cocoa between each pressing.  If it gets too light, do another water-dip then keep going.

Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Take them out when they are just done, and barely the tiniest bit brown on the bottom.  Let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

*Details:

- You can substitute flour for the cornstarch if you like, it will make the cookies a little more dense and toothsome.  I definitely reccomend using the cornstarch if possible, it really adds to the delicate and crumbly nature of the cookies.

(All images and recipe text copyright Bake it Pretty, cookie cutter image embellished by J. Michie)

1 Year Blogaversary

Today is my One Year Blogaversary! So put on your party hats! I can't believe that a year has passed so quickly! I started this blog as a way to keep my creative juices flowing, to write about all the crazy things that flow in and out of my head and to work harder on my goals of getting my children's books published and start my Etsy shop.

I never thought when I wrote my very first post that I would would meet so many wonderful people over the year and I want to thank all of you for reading and commenting, I never dreamed that I would have followers, readers and commentators, I thought only a few people would find me here and there, and that was ok, I created this Blog for me, and I have enjoyed every minute of it!

I wish we could all be together, I would have a party, a tea party of course since I live in jolly ole' England. But, we might have to serve some iced sweet tea as well, I have not forgotten my Southern roots! If I was having a party I would serve this cake:

It just made me smile, and it looks perfect for a fun garden party. It also made me think of Burl Ives' Lollipop Tree song, I had this record when I was little and my sister and I would dance around to this song. Oh if only there could be a real lollipop tree, I would quite enjoy that!

Keep reading, I have so much more to come, so much more to write and share, so much is happening at the moment, I am on the rollercoaster of life and not the merry-go-round and I am prepared to be surprised!

(vintage party children copyright The Baby Gardner)
* Obviously tea parties are floating around my head at the moment, since I wanted to have one on Monday as well...
**The actual Martha Stewart Lollipop Cake is a carrot cake with a cream cheese frosting, but I love the recipe for the Ruffle Tower Cake so I chose to use that one instead; you can find both on her site.
***Happy Cinco de Mayo

Tea Party

We went shopping this weekend and I came across these silicone tea cups:

Unfortunately, the store was out of stock, they just had an empty display box, stating more stock would be in soon. I thought that this would be an adorable idea for a children's tea party, or even a grown-ups tea party for that matter. To have delicious cupcakes baked in these pipped with twirly-whirly swirls of icing in a rainbow of colors and sprinkles.

And you could serve them alongside these yummy lemon raspberry sandwich cookies:

These little ham & cheese thumbprints:

Mini cucumber sandwiches made with my Mom's mouth-watering cucumber and carrot spread and a selection of delicious vegetables with a homemade buttermilk ranch dip. I am getting hungry just thinking about it!

The day started out rainy this morning, but now has gone sunny and deliciously cool, the perfect tea party day, for bunting strung in trees, white tableclothes billowing in the breeze, good music floating through the garden and a group of friends to enjoy the afternoon with as day slips into night.

When these get back in stock, they might just jump into my hands, because I think this is a truly cute idea!

(Click on the cookie and thumbprints pictures to be taken directly to the recipe, tea party girl by Belle & Boo)