More Halloween

Ok so ..in lieu of catching up and FINALLY posting all those cookie pics....here are some more Halloween cookies.

Don't think there's too much that needs to be said here.  Photos kind of say it all.....

Except that I love these little guys... :)

Catching Up

Ok...So I actually have a lot to catch up on here.  Lot's of cookie photos to post as well as other things.

This is because I am the worlds greatest procrastinator.

And in lieu of my special talent of putting things off as long as possible (and the rainy cold weather), I think I am going to do a little online shopping.  Gotta love online shopping.  It's so easy.  I can do it in my pajamas with last nights make-up on.  Been a little preoccupied at browsing CSN stores.  Because, like I've said before, they have everything.  Drop leaf tables, cookie cutters, futons for your frat-tastic cousin to crash on when he "just happens to be in the area" at 2 am.....you get the picture.

Now what I'm picturing is this:

Holidays are coming up fast....

Have I mentioned that I have a serious obsession with bunt pans lately?  No idea where it's coming from.  It has to be the change in the season....I always associate Christmas and Thanksgiving with good old fashioned pound cakes...and rum cakes :)

Check out these beauties:

WAIT WAIT!!!!.....

YES!!

It's football season y'all!!  ooooo......

Yep...I'll be doing some shoppin' online today.  

Dark Chocolate Halloween...ooooooo

Ok so my sister has been nagging me to try a chocolate cookie for some time now.

And Halloween is coming up so I though what better time than now?  I am a little wary of using a whole lot of black icing.  Just doesn't thrill me.  And all my designs were looking so....dark.  So I thought of a tasty alternative..(at least I think so)

Just used the cookie as my background.  I like it

And the cookies...*swoon*.  They taste like brownies.  I used dark dutch processed cocoa powder.  It's delicious.  Less sweet than the regular sugar.  With the icing it's perfect.  And yes, it really did bake up that dark.  No added food color in the dough.  I think it's my new favorite. 

More Halloween baking in the kitchen today!  Keep a look out. 

Nick and Bonnie Got Married!

I have this friend named Nick.  He's a pretty cool guy.  Probably one of my best guy friends (besides my husband naturally).  Anyway...he met a girl named Bonnie (sweet name isn't it?).  And after many years of singledom, Nick's been taken off the market.  Officially. 

A couple weeks ago Nick and Bonnie got married.  :) 

But let's back up a little...some odd months before the blessed event, I got suckered into making their wedding cake.  I'm not sure how that happened.  Maybe it was because I was so happy that he was getting married.  Maybe it was because Bonnie is just too sweet to say no to.  Maybe it was a temporary case of delirium set on by sugar (there happens to be a lot of that around my house).  In any case it all led to one crazy experience that will be forever known in my house as:

CAKE WEEK

After a handful of phone calls and texts back and forth I figured out that the groom was in charge of the cake.  And my instructions in the end was :
chocolate
lemon
vanilla
make it taste good

ok

So after a fairly stressful week (I had some cookies due that week too.  Pics in a later post) this is what ended up at the church:

Ya know...it's not Ron Ben-Israel...but not too bad.

I gotta say.  Cakes are hard.  And time consuming.  And stressful.

Bottom tier: Double chocolate with raspberry mousseline buttercream
Middle tier: Lemon cake with vanilla mousseline buttercream
Top tier: White Velvet cake with citrus curd buttercream

And gumpaste flowers

Over all the end result is probably worth the work when you get to look at this large culinary creation sittin on a table in the middle of the reception...and then of course there is the moment it's cut into.  I actually think I get a greater thrill from that than anything else.  I like to see the perfectly even layers of cake and icing. 

If I get a chance I will post pictures of the carnage....

Congratulations Nick and Bonnie!!

Pajama Series #3 - Giggle Monsters!!

Ok so I luv these.  I loved these when I saw the pajamas.  And I thought...these have to be a cookie...

So here they are...they Giggle Monsters.  Inspired by a pair of Carter pajamas.

cute little buggers :)

Pajama Series #2 - Garden

Ok so not too much to write about these.  Except that they remind me of a cute garden tea party for some reason

These were inspired by some Gymboree pajamas.  :)