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Hello everyone.....

Thank you for all being so committed to my baking.

If you would all be so kind and follow me on my new blog...

www.onceuponabakersblog.blogspot.com

See you all over there!

Chocolate Mini Cupcakes With Peanut Butter Frosting

I have been in a cupcake Coma since trying this recipe. This has got to be the best icing recipe I have ever made! Not too sweet...I could literally sit with the spatula and eat the entire bowl of icing. I usually wouldn't be able to do that with a regular vanilla butter cream (too sweet for me). But this particular frosting recipe was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

What you'll need:

1\3 cup of butter

1\3 of vegetable shortening

3\4 cup peanut butter

1 Tsp of pure vanilla

4 cups of sifted confections sugar

4-6 tablespoons of milk

Cream together the softened butter & shortening.

then add the peanut butter and vanilla. add one cup at time of icing sugar. its will start to look very dry after a few cups but don't worry once you add the milk it will all be good. So then gradually add your milk.

you can refrigerate up to 2 weeks. make sure you cover up your unused portion so it does not dry out. If you put in the fridge to keep,make sure you re whip it before icing your cake.
Then topped with my favorite all time Candie...

REESE'S PIECES

Tip Of The Day......

I don't get to bake everyday. But, I now have a blogging addiction I thought I would keep myself and my readers happy with a tip of the day. Hopefully you can find some things helpful and as for "me" is a great learning tool to pick up tips myself. Now my decorating brainstorms are written down So I can stay more organized instead of having little messy notes scribbled all over my fridge door.

Make a portfolio..Stay Organized

Cake decorating can be overwhelming. You have holidays coming up, customers requesting their dream cake designs, you get random ideas for your next cake pop in your head(which happens all the time for me). But then I forget because I never write down my idea.

Step #1

You get a idea or request*** write it down, or sketch it on paper. So when it comes down to make and bake time your visual will become more clear, simple and stress free.

Step #2

plan out everything! Flavour, filling, icing types, techniques you want to learn to try and sketch it out and print off researched instructions on how too's for new attempts.

Step #3

after you have made your amazing creation, take pictures and put them in an album. It may only be cake or cookies to other non decorators, but to you... it is a accomplishment! nothing is more rewarding than looking back at your decorating attempts.

Deceptively Delicious

I'm not all Sugar, goodies and bad buttery foods. I am a mom who is trying everything in my power to get my 3 year old to eat her broccoli. She is going through a typical phase of "what is that tiny green thing in my spaghetti sauce?" resulting with picking it aside and wiping on the side of her plate or to the dog. I happen to come across this amazing cook book written by Jessica Seinfeld. Apparently I am not the only mom repeatedly saying at the dinner table "Eat your veggies" I am going to rate her book a 10\10. I love everything about it. easy recipes, child friendly and not only that I can sneak vegetables into mine and my husbands food as well. The trick of Jessica's is to puree' all the veggies and camouflage them into her kids meals. Perfect for our family especially with having a 10 month old with no teeth pureeing may be a better approach to feeding the little munchkin instead of the preservative stuffed baby food. Off I went to walmart purchased a vegetable steamer( the best creation on earth)....makes life so easy, purchase cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes to start.



how to puree:

Steam veggies to get them soft

then chopped up tiny and put in a blender or food processor to puree,

then off to the freezer in portions to slip in the next family meal.

Tip for mama's with babies** use a ice cube tray and fill with different puree's and thaw out and warm up for your babies next meals. Tastes way better than the canned stuff.
Last night I had a smirk on my face during supper time watching my family eat their entire plate of Beef skillet pasta. I snuck some pureed Carrots into the sauce and nobody noticed. Mission accomplished Now I can sleep tight knowing my plan worked and my little ones are filled with vitamins. Love this book!!

Decadent Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today is my Hubby and I's 4 year wedding anniversary! I cannot believe we are already 4 years married. I was thinking about everything we have been through in our 4 years of marriage.

~ bought a new house, Adopted a crazy busy puppy (beagle named winston), left my job to be a Stay at home mama to 2 beautiful girls they are 9 months old and 3. if that is not alot in 4 years I dont know what is? Anyways I know I may complain about the small things in life sometimes but when I hit milestones like an anniversary I reflect a little and realize how grateful I am to have the life I have. So to celebrate today I wasnt in the mood for cake. cookies are good enough treats for us. My hubby loves anything to do with chocolate chocolate chocolate..My kind of man. I was in the mood for something very decadent. So here it is. Happy Anniversary Love...I love you very much. muah***xox

Ingredients:
1 cup (250 mL) butter, softened
3/4 cup (175 mL) packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla
1 2/3 cups (400 mL) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (75 mL) cocoa
1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt
1 package (250 g) CHIPITS® Special Dark Chocolate Chips
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F (190°C).2. In large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until creamy.3. In medium bowl, mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in premium dark chocolate chips and pecans.4. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls (15 mL) onto greased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Let cool for 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to rack and cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.TIP: Use your favourite nut -- walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts all taste great.

Pumpkin Cookies

Traditional Pumpkin Pie

To make 1 pie:

2 eggs,
1\2 can of pure pumpkin,
1 cup of packed brown sugar,
1 Tsp Ground cinamon,
1\4 tsp Ground ginger,
1\2 tsp nutmeg
1\4 tsp salt,
3\4 evapourated Milk
1 unbaked pie shell (9inch)

Beat eggs lightly in a medium bowl.
Add pumpkin, sugar, cinamon, nutmeng, ginger & salt. Stir until well combined.
pour filling into shell and bake at 425 degrees 15 minutes. Then reduce temp to 350 and continute baking for 30-35 min or until knife inserted comes out clean. Cool.
If you want to make 2 pies----use a full can of pumpkin and double all ingredients.

**Eat with cool whip is a must**

Honey Raisin Bran Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/4cups flour, all-purpose
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4teaspoon salt
2 1/2cups raisin bran cereal
1cup of milk
1/3cup of honey
1 egg
3tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt.
Set aside in large mixing bowl, stir together raisin bran cereal, milk and honey.
Let stand 1 to 2 minutes or untl cereal is softened.
Add egg and oil beat well.
Add flour mixture, stirring only until combined.
Portion batter evenly into 12 greased 2-1/2 inch muffin pan cups.
Bake at 400 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Serve warm.

The Best Ever Banana Loaf

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 bananas
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup *Chocolate Chips

Instructions
1.Heat oven to 350
2.Combine and mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
3.Place batter in a greased bread pan (bottom only) or in muffin tins.
4.Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
5.Cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan. Complete cooling on a wire rack.

Makes one Loaf

wedding cupcakes- Robots & Bride and Groom

These chocolate cupcakes were for a very Loyal customer for a wedding On Saturday I'm not too sure what the robots signify but they were fun to make. Everything is edible all made of icing.

Daisy Cake

This Cake was made for my Mother-in law on her birthday this past weekend. It was a french vanilla cake with a strawberry cream filling, buttercream and fondant icing.

Tiered Wedding Cake Favors

This was a order made for a customer who is getting Married on July 10th, 2010.

Butter Cookies decorated with Royal Lemon Icing. These will be used as their Favors for their guest. 50 + cookies later and we have "A lot" of wedding cakes.


Congrats to Mark & Dana...All the best on your special day!




It is really hard to see in the picture....but each cookie is detailed & hand painted on with Silver Pearl Dust.

Nascar

Nascar lollipop Cookies for my Nephew.

Happy 8th Birthday to Carter!

Canada Day

Maple Syrup Flavoured Sugar cookies for Canada Day tomorrow

Happy Birthday Canada!

Cricut Cake

I need to have this!!! I have to share how COOL this new machine is...

It is called the Cricut Cake Personal Electronic Cutter.

The Cricut Cake Personal Electronic Cutter is specifically designed for decorating cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and confections in no time at all. Just choose a shape, a size, and press "cut". Decorating has never been faster or easier. ...Or More FUN!

check out the website

http://www.cricut.com/cricutcake/

Healthier Choice Blueberry Muffin

WHOLE WHEAT BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

1 egg

1/2 c. milk

1/4 c. vegetable oil

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1/2 c. honey

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. blueberries


Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tin and muffin cups. Beat egg; stir in milk and oil. Mix in remaining ingredients except blueberries just until flour is moistened. Batter should be lumpy. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 12 muffins.

Musical cookies

These Sugar cookies are a continuation Of the last post with the Guitar Cake for our friend Mathew's birthday.

I found the coolest Paint can at our local craft store. Had to put the cookies a paint can!

Monster Energy Drink Cookies

My version of the Famous Energy Drink MoNsTer!