It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

Happy Halloween everybody! It's the great pumpkin came on t.v. the other night so I was inspired to make these cupcake toppers. Not even sure which one is which, but they are all cute. Have a good one and be safe!

Day of the Dead cupcakes

My son's spanish class was giving extra credit if they brought in a day of the dead inspired food item. Knowing my love for day of the dead he signed me up to make cupcakes. I was a bit rushed (One days notice. Don't you just love teenage boys) so they aren't as well done as I would have liked, but they did the trick.

Birthday Girl with her cake....

I think she liked her cake. At least I hope she did.

Sally's Birthday Cake

This is the cake that I made for a sweet lady named Sally. She loves the color purple, so I made lots of purple "roses" to go on her cake. It's a white butter cake with raspberry mousse and buttercream. The roses are made out of fondant. I'll show how to make them soon. They are super easy! The topper is made out of clay. I try to make it look like the birthday boy/girl and then I add lots of little things to represent their interests. For example...Sally likes to knit, she makes her own beautiful rosaries, she's a hygienist and she loves her kids more than anything. Her Crocs are my favorite part. I make the topper out of clay so it's like two gifts in one. You get to eat a nummy cake and then have something to take home and keep.

Sandra's Spider Cake

I finally tasted it and it was very good and very rich. I will definitely make it again.

I though this cake looked so good in Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade magazine, so I wanted to make it for my family. I haven't tasted it yet so I don't know how good it tastes. The directions seem a little weird to me too, but hopefully it tastes good. Here is the recipe:

Spider Cake

1 (18.25 oz.) Devil's food cake mix

1 (3.9 oz.) box of instant chocolate pudding

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup strong brewed coffee (cooled to room temp.)

1/2 cup veg. oil

4 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

Creamy chocolate filling (recipe follows)

2 (16 oz) containers of your favorite chocolate icing

1 package ready to use cookie icing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 (8 inch) round pans with cooking spray. In the bowl of a mixer combine cake mix, pudding mix, sugar, coffee, oil and eggs. Beat until smooth about 2-3 minutes. Stir in sour cream, then spread the batter evenly into the pans.

Bake for 24-27 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean. Let cool, then cut each cake layer in half horizontally. Place on cake layer on serving plate then add a third of the filling. Repeat until all the layers are used. Here's the weird part:Cover and freeze for at least 2 hours or up to 30 days! Remove from freezer and cover the cake with icing. Then pipe a small circle of the cookie icing in the center of the cake. Starting just outside center circle and working out toward the edge pipe a continuous spiral of icing over the top of the cake.

Using a toothpick, run the tip through the center to the edge. Let cake stand for at least 2 hours before cutting. Store cake, covered in the fridge.

Creamy chocolate filling

1 (8 oz.) container chocolate Cool Whip

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese-softened

2 tablespoons Kahlu'a

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat Cool Whip and cream cheese. Add the Kahlu'a and beat until smooth. Cover and chill (if not using immediately).

So good it's scary!

My son had a couple of friends come over so I thought I would be a nice mommy and make them some Halloween Rice Crispy Treats.

Spooky Rice Crispy Treats

3 Tablespoons butter

1 package (10 oz) marshmallows (it's easier if you buy the little ones)

6 Cups Rice Krispies

~Whatever Halloween sprinkles you have on hand

Melt butter in a large pan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until melted. Remove from heat and add the rice krispies and the sprinkles and stir until well coated. Using a spatula sprayed with cooking spray, evenly press mixture into a 13x9x2 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Let cool.

Easy as pie!

Since I'm on a blueberry kick I figured I would post the recipe for easy blueberry pie.

Easy Flaky Pie Crust

1 Cup shortening

2 Cups flour

1/3 Cup milk

1 Tablespoon vinegar

Cut shortening into the flour. Combine vinegar and milk then add it to the flour. Roll out.

Easy Blueberry Pie

12 oz. blueberries (it's fine to use frozen)

1/2 Cup sugar

1 Tablespoon flour

1/4 Cup butter

1-9 inch unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large sauce pan combine blueberries, sugar, flour and butter; bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer berries for 10-15 minutes until thickened. Pour berry mixture into the unbaked pie crust. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Blueberry Hill Cookies

This is a recipe for blueberry cookies. Sounds weird huh? Well they taste really good. Every year in June my family picks blueberries at Blueberry Hill Farms in Edom, Texas. We get several large basket fulls of them so we came up with this recipe to help use some of them up.

Blueberry Cookies

2 Cups all purpose flour

2 Teaspoons baking powder

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1/2 Cup shortening

1 Cup sugar

1 Egg

1/4 Cup milk

1 Teaspoon almond extract

1 1/2 Teaspoon lemon zest

1 Cup blueberries (I use frozen)

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. In an electric mixer cream shortening and sugar. Beat in egg. Beat in milk, almond extract and lemon zest.

Gradually blend in dry ingredients. Fold in blueberries. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Drop spoon full of dough an inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. (Helps if you line it with parchment paper. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until light brown around edges.

Lemon drizzle icing-lemon juice and powdered sugar. Add together until you get the consistency you want and when the cookies are cool drizzle over the tops. So Nummy Num!

Happy Boss' Day

Cookie Man

This little guy is my entry for the Cookie Contest in the Cookie Man division. The cookie man is kind of the mascot for the contest. Last years winner appears on all the contest forms for this years contest. I will be entering in 3 categories: Cookie Man, Decorated and Family Recipe. I'll add the family recipe cookie later. It's a blueberry cookie that is very nummy-num!

Decisions~Decisions

Which set of "Shabby Chic" cookies should I enter for the Decorated division? The cookies on the right are actually green, blue and pink in the middle.

Rejects: Cookie Contest

I was thinking of making Spanish tile cookies. After icing them and then painting the designs on, I just wasn't happy with how the turned out. I need a lot more practice. If your cookie gets picked to be one of the ten finalists in each division you have to bring 2 dozen to be judged and seeing as one of these cookies took me 30 minutes to paint, I don't think it would be wise to make these.

The Ultimate Sugar Cookie Recipe

I am entering a cookie contest held every year by the Dallas Morning News. Last year was my first year to enter and I didn't win a thing! What's the saying "It's an honor just to be nominated". Uh-hum, well ok but I want to win something. :) Well in my quest to find the ultimate sugar cookie recipe (firm cookie that holds it's shape and also tastes good) I've found it.

Not sure where I found it on the Internet and there is no author....but here is the recipe:

No Fail Sugar Cookies (I halved this recipe)

6 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups sugar

2 cups butter (4 sticks)

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Mix dry ingredients and add a little at a time to butter mixture. Mix until flour is completely incorporated and the dough comes together.

Chill for 1-2 hours

Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes. bake on un-greased (I used parchment paper) baking sheet at 350* for 8-10 minutes or until edges are just beginning to brown. This recipe can make up to 5 dozen 3" cookies.

Hint: Rather than wait for your cookie dough to chill, take the freshly made dough and place a glob between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll it out to desired thickness (I place two wooden dowels on either side of the dough so it comes out even) then place on a cookie sheet and pop in the fridge.

Continue rolling the rest of your dough between parchment paper until you've used it all. By the time you are finished the first batch should be chilled and ready to cut.

Crazy Good Cornbread

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup bacon drippings (I know, I know but fat=flavor)

1/4 lb sharp cheese grated

2 eggs

1 cup creamed corn

1/2 onion chopped

1/4 cup jalapeno chopped (I use the kind in a jar)

Mix together all ingredients and pour into a greased iron skillet that has been heated. Bake at 400* for 40 minutes.

I thought I would include a picture of me chowing down on the Belgian waffle. My husband was bound and determined to get a picture of me with powdered sugar all over my face.

State Fair of Texas Mascot

Everyone in Texas knows and loves Big Tex. He is the official mascot of the fair. The saying in our family is "If you get lost we will meet up at Big Tex". He is an icon and I love to be greeted with his super slow booming voice saying "Howdy folks and welcome to the State Fair of Texas".

Things I ate at the fair....

1. Fried Grilled Cheese

2. Cotton Candy

3. Carmel Apple with nuts

4. Belgian Waffle

5. Fletcher's Corny Dog

6. Slice of Pizza (forgot to take a picture)

Howdy Folks and Welcome to the State Fair of Texas

My family and I played hooky from work/school and spent the day shoving tons of fried food into our mouths! I love the fair and look forward to going every year. I have a list of things that I have to eat while I'm there. That's not to say that I can't add to the list if I see something interesting. Every year they have a contest to come up with the best fried food. There are several different categories and this year fried BUTTER won for most creative.

Pukey Plaid

My sister and brother-in-laws anniversary is today so I was trying to be nice and make them a cake to celebrate but......it turned out to be a pukey plaid cake. This one could be featured on Cake Wrecks for the crappy cursive writing alone. When my sister saw it she even said "Oh Happy Amiversary!" UGH. It's the thought that counts right?

The finished cake

Baby Shower Cake

I'm working on a new cake for my sister-in-laws baby shower cake. The invitation was a jungle theme (as is the nursery), so I wanted to match the characters from the invitation for the cake. I made the elephant, monkey and giraffe out of gum paste. The cake is chocolate with cookies and cream filling covered in buttercream.

The Whimsical Bake House Recipes

For my birthday this year I made a chocolate cake with cookies and cream filling. It was so good. Here is the recipe if you would like to try it yourself.





Chocolate Butter Cake





Makes enough batter for two 8 inch pans and two 6 inch pans. Or two 10 inch pans.


Grease pans. Preheat oven to 350*F





In a bowl, combine and whisk until there are no lumps:


1 cup hot coffee


1 cup cocoa powder





Add and whisk until smooth:


1 cup cold water





In a large bowl, sift together:


3 cups cake flour


2 tsp baking soda


1/2 tsp baking powder


3/4 tsp salt





In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat at high speed until light and fluffy:


8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter


2 1/2 cups of sugar





On medium speed, add slowly and cream well:


4 large eggs


1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract





Add the dry ingredients alternately to the butter and egg mixture until smooth.





Pour batter evenly in pans and bake for approx. 20-25 or until toothpick comes out clean.






Cookies and Cream Filling

In the bowl of an electric mixer at high speed, whip until stiff:

2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Gently fold in:

15 Oreos (crushed into medium sized pieces)

My niece just turned two in September and I got to make her birthday cake. The party was a ladybug theme. I made a three tiered cake, chocolate on bottom, vanilla in the middle and the ladybug on top was strawberry. The design wasn't that difficult but it took me all day long to decorate it. It's turned out pretty cute but not quite as cute as it was in my head.

Wow this is weird...what the heck am I doing? Who on earth would want to read about my sad attempts at baking/cooking? (Yes in that order) I have a husband and son that are very picky and therefore I am burnt out (ha burnt on a cooking blog) on trying to come up with recipes that include hamburger and cheese.