Thanks to a fun day and a wonderful season...tennis is my sanity!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
love the ladies!
Monday, April 27, 2009
straight
Friday, April 24, 2009
cookie decorating
My absolute favorite tasting cookie was the Gingerbread. She had a variety of Chocolate Cut-Out cookies and Sugar cookies...those were delicious as well.
Gingerbread Recipe (Kaye Wallace)
Makes about 3 dozen, depending on size
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- 5 cups all purpose flour, plus more for work surface
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. ginger
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cup shortening (unsalted butter can be substituted)
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1/2 cup dark, unsulfered molasses
In a large bowl, sift flower, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and molasses. Add flour mixture, and beat on low until combined. Divide dough in half; wrap in plastic and flatten into disks. Chill 1 hour.
On lightly floured work space, roll out dough to 1/3 inch thick and cut into desired shapes. Transfer to parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are lightly browned, about 10-12 minutes. Rotate baking sheets in oven half way through baking time. Let cool completely on sheets, then transfer to wire cooling racks, before decorating.
Royal Icing (Martha Stewart)
Makes about 2 1/2 cups
- 1 lb. confectioners' sugar
- 5 Tbsp. meringue powder
- Scant 1/2 cup warm water
- Gel-paste, liquid, or powdered food coloring
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine all the ingredients, except food coloring, on low speed. Mix until fluffy yet dense, 7-8 minutes. Use icing immediately, or transfer to air-tight container (royal icing hardens quickly when exposed to air). Beat well with a spatula before using.
To thin royal icing for flooding (filling areas with a thin layer of icing), stir in additional water 1 teaspoon at a time. Test consistency by lifting spoon and letting icing drip back into bowl; a ribbon of icing on the surface should remain for 5 to 7 seconds before settling back.
To color icing, dip the tip of a toothpick into the food coloring and then into the icing. Mix with a rubber spatula, adding more color on a new toothpick until desired shade is reached.
Icing tips
- Royal icing can be made with egg whites instead of meringue powder. Use the freshest eggs possible! Care should be given if serving egg whites to children, pregnant women and older adults.
- If you add too much water when thinning your icing, just put more powdered sugar in to achieve the correct consistency.
- When using the "flooding" technique, make an outline around the border of the cookie then flood the inside of the outline with the background color first. Next, drop the other colors and designs on top of that. If you try to put the design down first, it will get lost in the "flood".
- If your cookie design is very intricate, use a stiff icing to outline each color, then fill in with the "flooding" technique.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
dinner
Happy 5th Anniversary, Honey!!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
party central
The girls in their matching aprons!
Present time! One of the best parts of a little girl's party! Thanks for all those cute presents! Bryanna loves them. I have been opening toys the entire afternoon!
I think it turned out well, for all the work it was! It really was a special day and all the girls had a blast!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRYANNA!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Mermaid Cake
Happy almost Birthday my beautiful Bryanna!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Birthday Aprons
Bryanna's party is on Saturday. She's having 9 little girls over and they need aprons for a baking party! They get to make their own pizza for lunch and then they will decorate their very own cake!
I'm so excited for her party! The girls will all look so adorable in them!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Wishy Watchy




They are VERY reasonable, and totally hip!!! She has a huge collection, more so than shows, with children sizes too!!!