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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