Happy New Years Eve!!! Goodbye 2011!!

Found this and decided to post it for everyone one!

I <3 Zooey!!!!

Happy New Years Eve!!! 

Retro Atari Cake ! So amazing!

I was searching for some ideas online this morning and came across this gem.  I couldn't find the original post for this, but here is what I found...

How cool is this! Brings me back for sure!  Whoever it is that made this, I salut you!  And thank you for this amazing cake!

New technologies are coming at us at speeds we can hardly handle.. It is great to see the "oldies" being commemorated :P

Making your own Finger Print Christmas Tree Ornament

I love making gifts for family that means something.  Grandparents LOVE things that have a special meaning and has something to do with their grandchildren.  This is why I choose this for my Mother-in-law.  She will for sure display this in her tree proudly!

What you will need:

Clear ornament bulb
Acrylic craft paint
clear coat spray
Paint brushes
Ribbon of your choice
A Child's lovely Hand for their fingerprint!

I started with a clear ornament and took the metal top off.  I then poured inside the bulb turquoise and white paint and slowly moved the bulb around till the whole inside was covered in paint.  You can use any colour combination or even just one colour.  I went in and used a brush to get areas that weren't doing the affect I was looking for.

Next I painted on a Stocking.  Here is how I started it with the white outline.  I added dots later on.  You could do any kind of a design on this side.  Grandma always makes a special stocking for her grandchildren so I thought this would be cute.

I then grabbed my eldest child and painted her three fingers to make the body of the snowmen on the other side of the ornament.  Make sure to test out your technique before doing it on the ornament!  We did 2 takes before doing the finger prints on the actual gift.  I then painted on snow under the fingerprints, added eyes, mouth, nose, hat and arms.  Make sure after the paint is dry to spray the whole ornament with a clear cote to make sure the paint doesn't rub off.

I then made a bow out of ribbon and slipped it threw the hole of the metal topper and replaced the topper on the ornament.
I should have taken more pics of each step but I was making this late at night and kept forgetting to take pictures lol.

This is how it turned out.  You can piece it easily together how I finished up each steps.  Be creative and have fun with it :)

How to make Marshmallow Fondant !

I remember the first time I thought of making my own fondant I was worried I wouldn't be able to get it right.  The best part about marshmallow fondant is how EASY it is to make and use!  Just remember the more you make it the easier it will get and the more you will perfect it.


What you will need:

Spatula
Microwave safe bowl
Dish cloth (optional if you use a cutting board)
Cutting board ( optional )
1 bag of Mini-marshmallows
1 kg bag of Icing Sugar
Vegetable Shortening
Icing colours ( whatever colour/s you want )
1 to 5 Tbsp of Water
Vanilla extract ( Optional )

This will make about 2 lbs of fondant.

You can either spread vegetable shortening directly on your counters and make the fondant there or you can spread it on a cutting board.  I find it is an easier clean up on a cutting board ( especially if you are making a few colours ).

If you use a cutting board make sure to dampen cloth to put under it to keep the board from moving around when you are kneading the fondant.

Make sure to well grease your microwave safe bowl and your spatula with vegetable shortening.  Add the full bag of marshmallows into the bowl and about 1 to 2 Tbsp of water.  Put in the microwave for 30 second intervals checking it till the marshmallows start to swell up.

This is when you want to add your colouring.  Some sites tell you to add it after you have already knead the marshmallows and icing sugar but I find that you don't get a consistent colour and it is A LOT more work.  Keep in mind that your end colour will be slightly lighter once you add the icing sugar with your marshmallows.

Once you get the colour you want, pour it into the "mouth" of your icing sugar volcano.  Add another 1/3 of the icing sugar on top of the marshmallows to make a sandwich of icing sugar, marshmallow, icing sugar.

Remove any rings from your fingers and grease your hands up well with the vegetable shortening.  Start mixing the icing sugar and marshmallow together.  If it starts to stick to your hands add more shortening to your hands.  Try to only touch the icing sugar parts instead of the marshmallow.  Keep kneading it all together till the icing sugar is mixed in.  If it is still very sticky add very little amounts of icing sugar till it gets to the point where it is still somewhat sticky but no longer sticking to your hands.










Marshmallow fondant will always be sticky.  If you get all the "sticky" feel out it will start to fall apart on you.  If this starts to happen you will have to add more marshmallow to it.  Once you make marshmallow fondant a few times you will get the hang of when to stop adding icing sugar.  I have tried to follow all marshmallow fondant recipes found online and I always find that depending on which brand of ingredients I am using I need more or less icing sugar.  Take your time adding the rest of your icing sugar and if you don't' use it all that is ok!

You can store it by rolling it into a ball, lightly greasing it with vegetable oil and wrapping it cling wrap.  I will usually wrap it with cling wrap AND put it in a zip lock bag.  Keep in the fridge till you are ready to use it.  Should be used within a month of making.  It can be frozen up to 4 months.

Take it out of the fridge a few hours before you need to use it.  Make sure your workspace environment is cool.  If your home is too warm it will make the fondant harder to handle.  If your fondant is sticky, as it should be, make sure to use a small amount of sifted icing sugar on your counters.

Then, create and have fun! :)

Baking up a storm!!!

Well, more of a few flurries.

I was thinking this would take me a while to create a good M&M / chocolate chip cookie recipe seeing as I have never made one.  I adapted a recipe from about 5 recipes.  First batch came out looking good.. and within 5 mins of them being ready to eat they were almost all gone.  I think it is a keeper recipe!

This is part of my experiment for a jar cookie recipe for Christmas gifts.  I thought my daughter and I would be baking a bunch of failed cookies before we got to one we like!

This is kinda a good/bad thing.. Great because now I can clean up and enjoy a relaxing evening.  Bad, because it means less cookies :P

Happy Baking everyone! Come back soon to see the finished result of the cookie in a jar and the recipe!

Who says Geeks and Baking can't mix?

You have to love a guy who bakes AND can get his geek on :P He will one day be an awesome husband to a lucky geeky girl lol..

Oven Baked BACON! Yum!

My family LOVES bacon.

I HATE cooking bacon.  There IS an easier solution to this love/hate affair.  This is GREAT for Christmas morning when you are busy and don't want to be standing over a stove.

BAKE IT!

Preheat your oven to 400F.

Line a cookie sheet that has a small lip to it to ensure no grease spills with Tin foil.  Place your Bacon on the sheet making sure they do not touch.

Bake it on the middle rack from anywhere from 8 mins to 12 mins depending on how crispy you like your  bacon.

It should easily peal off.

Then, ENJOY!

It doesn't get much easier then that.  The only clean up is waiting till the cookie sheet is cool enough to throw away the tin foil.

Christmas Tree Hair Clip - Easy Tutorial

This is a beautiful simple beginner bow for those who would love to start making hair bows.

What you will need

Two or more different coloured Ribbon.

Scissors

Hair clip

Glue Gun

No slip piece ( optional )

and something cut to put at the top! either more ribbon, a bell, jewel... anything.

First cover your Hair clip with 13cm of ribbon like this using your glue gun.

Hot glue on the inside top of the hair clip the no slip piece.
Next you will want to cut up 6 strips of ribbon.  Two at 9cm, two at 7cm and two more at 5.5cm.

Using your glue gun again, attached to the alligator clip like this.

Next add whatever type of Christmas Tree topper you would like.  I chose a bell for this one with a small white ribbon.

And voila! A creative easy Christmas Tree Clip to put in little girls or even your own hair!

You can do them to match any dress or outfit!  Have fun!

Pregnancy baby shower Cake

I am in the middle of some crafts currently..( Keep an eye out for those!!! )  I didn't want to leave the blog go for a few days.....

soooo .. I have decided to show you one of my first and one of my favourite fondant cakes that I have made.

It was for my lovely best friends baby shower !! I was so excited to make her a pregnant cake !!

My first rose out of gum paste

So what do you guys think?

I so hope I can make one of these again!  Probably one of the more interesting cakes to make!

All you need is two from the mini-wonder mold pan 

Shape them into "boobs".

and one from the Soccer mold pan.

You place two from the mini-wonder cakes formed into breasts above the soccer cake and then drape Fondant over it all.  Mold the fondant around it and drape some at the bottom to make the rest of the shirt/dress. 

Then decorate as you wish! 

The next time around I will find a chocolate foot mold and put a chocolate foot under the fondant on the belly to make a "baby foot" show up !! would be so cute!

Elmo fondant cake for a sweet 2 year old

This past week/end I was pretty busy. I was baking and creating!  My lovely youngest daughter turned 2! How bitter sweet.  I will post the recipes for the actual cakes later this week.  Today I am going to show you what I created for my Elmo loving girl.

Voila Elmo!

The top cake is a buttermilk vanilla cake.. Bottom is a buttermilk chocolate cake.  4 cakes in all.. Dense cakes!!!  Must have weighed a good 30lbs!

The cake was well enjoyed by her :) Happy 2nd Birthday Baby Girl!!! <3

Felt Christmas Stockings

I love crafting!  Mix crafting and Christmas and I am one happy gurl!!  I loved this project.  I did a mock decorating to show how beautiful these are. I couldn't wait till next weekend when we will be decorating the house.

Simple is great!  This is a no sew project.

What you will need:
Felt in the colour of your choice
Scissors
Hot glue gun
Pencil
Template paper. I use construction paper
Decorations (Ribbons, stickers, Bells anything you want to use)

Using your Pencil draw out a simple stocking outline on your construction paper.  Cut it out.  Place your template on the felt of your colour choice.  Draw the outline of your template on your felt and then cut out.  Hot glue the sides together but not the top.  You COULD sew it if you want but the hot glue binds felt really well. Cut out a small piece of felt in a rectangle shape to make a hook loop.  Hot glue your hook loop to the inside of your stocking.  Err.. yes that is a whippet toy in this pic lol.

Then let loose and decorate!  I love the traditional looks personally, but you could easily go wild with these stockings and do anything including funky animal prints!  This is also a great kids craft.  Just make sure you use the hot glue gun.  You can let them add decorations to the stocking using simple white crafting glue.  It will hold well enough.

I had to do a pink one!! Love it!!!

Amazing Chocolate Chip Mug Cake

I have tried MANY mug cakes and they all tasted horrible.
I have been experimenting with a few different ways of making them.  I was determined to find an easy late night snack for my chocoholic needs. Alas! I have found it!!! I had found a recipe online that was good but couldn't find it again and was very upset.  I remembered some key parts ( no egg and no baking soda/powder) and tested out a few recipes tonight.  I made about 5 different ones.  I have found a keeper for myself!

Decided I would be nice and share with you guys :)

Enjoy!

1 Mug
2.5 Tbsp of Flour ( so many of the other recipe's call for way too much flower!)
3 Tbsp Sugar
3 Tbsp Milk
2 Tbsp Oil ( I used vegetable )
3 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 Tbsp Vanilla
1/4 cup Semi-Sweet chocolate chips ( this is key! )
and a bit more Chocolate chips for the topping!

Mix everything together very well.  I find a butter knife works best.  Make sure to scrape the bottom of the mug!

Put it in the microwave for around 2 mins.  After the 2 mins mark, take it out and add a bit of chocolate chips to the top.  Put it back in the microwave for another 30 or so seconds.

Use a butter knife to check to make sure the cake is fully cooked all the way to the bottom.  The key to mug cake is DON'T OVER MICROWAVE!  If you have a very powerful microwave you may need to adjust the time and put it in for less.  Might take a try or two to get it right.  If it tastes at all rubbery, it was left in there too long.

I bake A LOT of cakes.  This one tasted almost authentic to a rich chocolate cake!

Many recipes call for egg.  You would use about 2 tbsp of egg in this recipe but you really don't need it.  Most recipes for mug cake online call for a full egg.  This is way TOO MUCH! You will also find a lot of recipes that have baking soda and or Baking powder to make it rise.  I find all this does it give it a baking soda/powder taste.  When I come up with a recipe that tastes this good and that rises, I will post it and share it with you! :)

Shepherds Pie the Canadian Style!

Sunday is a great day for Shepherds Pie!

I had never realized it was such a Canadian food till recently.  It is slowly making it's way down into the states.  Let me know if you know of this dish and how YOU make it :)

This is how I was taught.  Simple and yummy!

Depending on your oven safe dish, you will need about...

500g of ground beef (ground pork also works)
1 small onion
6 mushrooms
6-7 medium sized potatoes
1 can of corn
1 can of cream corn.
Garlic powder
Garlic Salt

1) Put a pot of water on to boil for your potatoes in and heat up a skillet on medium heat.
2) Pre-heat your oven to 375F.

3) Start cutting up your potatoes into small chunks.

4) Once your skillet is hot, add your ground beef and start to brown it.
5) Cut up the rest of your potatoes and start on your onion and mushrooms.
6) Add your potatoes to the water.
7) Remove any grease from your ground beef and add in your onions and mushrooms.  Bring your heat to simmer. Add some garlic powder and garlic salt to taste.
8) Mix together in a bowl your cream corn and corn.

9) Put the ground beef mixture at the bottom of your oven safe dish.

10) On top of the ground beef put your mixed cream corn and corn.

11) When your potatoes are soft mash them with a bit of milk and butter.
12) Put the now mashed potatoes on top of the corn.  I always put it in the oven for about 20 seconds then remove it again and spread some butter or margarine on top of the butter to help it get a nice golden colour at the end.



Leave it in the over for  about 30 mins or until the top is nice and golden.  Remove and let stand for about 5 mins.  Then enjoy!!!

20 gift ideas list to get any toddler

Know a toddler but have no idea what to get them?

Grandma called up the other day FREAKING out at the walmart.  " There are a zillion toys !! what do I get her for her birthday!!"

If you are melting down at a walmart, or any toy area, here is a simple list of ideas. At the end of this list I have the list repeated with picture ideas that corresponds to this list.  Visuals make life easy!

1)  Melissa and Doug magnetic dolls.  They have them for boys and girls! Even a santa one for christmas!

2) Elmo.  I don't know a toddler that can't resist elmo!

3)  Craft supplies!  Kids love being creative.  If you are purchasing markers or crayons, make sure they are WASHABLE!  You will be doing the parents a huge favour!

4) Play food.  Melissa and Doug have a great variety of play food.  Both boys and girls enjoy pretending they are master chefs!

5) Balls.  Yes, Balls.. simple enough right?  But toddlers love things that react when they interact with them.  Hence why a ball is a great gift.  No, we as adults don't think so but we are not buying for adults!  They have balls with pictures of all kinds of beloved characters on them also.  Score!

6) Books.  Make sure they are hard pages.  Toddlers love the sound of ripping so avoid paper pages.  ( Also ensure no paper cuts)

7) Puzzles.  Melissa and Doug have amazing puzzles and a huge variety.  Make sure to get wooden puzzles.  Toddlers aren't ready yet for the other puzzles.

8) Toy camera.  CHEESE! This gift will be a hit with any toddler.  Parents and loved ones are always taking pictures of them but they can't touch the expensive camera's.  Every toddler loves pretending they are a grown up and taking pictures like one!

9) Trains.  This is a great toy for both girls and boys.  Thomas the train is no exception to this.  He is pretty expensive though.  I do tend to go back to Melissa and Doug but they have a cute train that also works on their coordination and imagination.  No, I do not endorse Melissa and Doug ( gosh but maybe I should? ) but they have such great toys for toddlers!

10) Bath toys.  Toddlers like new things.  This includes at bath time.  They spend a good amount of time in the bath after a busy day of getting down and dirty with play.  Giving them new options for bathtime might seem like a lame idea but the toddler wont think so!

11) Musical instruments.  There are many toddler versions of musical instruments and toys.  Toddlers are learning how to blow and tap to play out music.  Many smiles will be had from the simple joy of brining music into their lives.

12) Clean up toys.  Play vacuum cleaners, play mops and brooms.  This is the one time in a childs life they will WANT to  clean up... Or their version of it.

13) Blocks.  Again, basics are great!  There are reasons these toys have stood the test of time.  Kids play with them.  You can get simple wooden blocks with numbers and letters on them or the more fancy interlocking blocks like mega blocks with bright colours.

14) Musical CD or DVD.  Kids love to be moving and dancing.  They may not understand when they first open up this gift what it is but it wont take them long to love it!

15) Magnetic fridge toys.  Every toddler loves playing where mom/dad is working.  Giving them a safe place to do so in the kitchen is great toy for both the toddler and the parent!

16) Play Computers.  Computers are a huge staple of most homes now.  Toddlers love the real thing but it is too kisky to let them sit at mom or dad's computer when they are busy.  A play one is the perfect solution.

17) Little People by Fisher Price. There are a variety of toys and sets.  Toddlers love them.  Any one of the sets makes a great toddler gift.  This is great if you really are unsure and want something more traditional to give.

18) Bikes and ride-ons.  There are many different types.  Many now have a parent control bar for even the youngest of new riders.  These one the toddler grows into them from not being able to control or peddle the bike to zipping around all on their own.

19) Adult looking play toys.  Tool belts, cash registers etc etc.  I can't stress enough how toddlers love pretending they are grown ups.  These types of toys will keep them busy for hours and smiling all day!

20) Don't be shy to ask the parents!  If you are still unsure what to get the special toddler in your life ask the parents what they think is an appropriate toy! No parent will ever be upset for asking for ideas and will be more then grateful that you are even thinking of their little one.

These are all great toddler gifts.  You do not have to get them what is in the pictures below.  These are only ideas of the list above.  I tried to keep the list vague so you could walk into any store and find something a toddler will love.  Pick out one you think you think is perfect and go to the store looking for something that fits that.  Keep it simple. Don't get overwhelmed! YOU CAN DO IT!! And have fun :)


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