WFD?: Almost Grandpa's Apple Cake

My whole family is from Georgia.  But when I was 8 we moved to Texas and my grandma left her home in Albany and followed us.  So basically I'm a Texan.

So when I was little, my grandpa used to come visit us in Texas for the holidays.  He would leave Georgia right after pecan harvest season.  And when he would visit he would bring pecans, peanuts and all these fresh ingredients from the farms.  I have a lot of fond memories of him.  We would do jigsaw puzzles together in the afternoon.  He had an infectious laugh.  Sun tea and pumpkin pie were some of his his favorites.  He made the best Mayhaw jelly....

Anyway, every season when he would visit, there was always apple cake.  It was my favorite.  I snacked on it every second I could.  And since he passed over 10 years ago, there has been no apple cake.  I miss the apple cake.  Every year around the change of the seasons, I start to think of him.  Grandpa and apple cake.

On Grandma's milk glass....so appropriate :)

WFD?: Decadent Double Chocolate Cake

Seriously, this is the best chocolate cake in the history of the world.  I'm not even making that up.  Would I fib to you??  

No, I wouldn't.  Mamma didn't raise that kind of girl.

It's perfect for a chocolate craving, a family function, just because.... pregnancy induced hormonal meltdowns.....

Tutorial: Stacked Pumpkins

So about 2 years ago, I made these cute little stacked pumpkins out of a snowman cutter......

WFD?: Spiced Pumpkin "Muffin Cakes" with Cream Cheese Butter Cream and Salted Caramel

Yes, it's a "muffin cake".

"Muffin cake": A term made up by me, just now, that describes a cupcake that is mixed like a muffin.  Which would technically make it more of a muffin, but it's very cake like in texture....and there's frosting so ya know...

Makes sense to me.

Lot's of parts to this "muffin cake", which should prove to be a rather long recipe packed post.  :)
So let's get right to it shall we??
Yes...yes we shall....
Ok then...

Surprise...

**Ok, well if your a friend of mine on Facebook this might not be such a surprise.... but I'm getting ahead of myself....**

You may have noticed my absence....or maybe not.  I'm not THAT important...just saying...I've been fairly unparticipative on the inter-web for the last...uh...4...5 months??  I have valid reasons....I think so anyway.

Firstly, and probably the most influential reason, is that my computer bit the dust.  I mean crash and burn.  Crash being that I was carrying it and tripped...*crash*.  I had a small service.  There were a few attendants...ok, so my husband and me really.... and that's only because I dragged him to the living room to pay his respects before it was shelved.  Shelved with all of my data trapped inside....*sigh*...sorry, it's still a little rough.

I'll be fine...

Anyway, without the good old technology, posting was well.....difficult.  So that's that.

On happier notes...a lot of good stuff has been going on since I rejoined the living here in the real world (where I tell people I run a cookie decorating blog - "I decorate cookies" - and they look at me very perplexed...."You do what?").  August has been birthday month.  My birthday was on the 14th.  The big 3-0.

30.....I don't want to talk about it....

But it was also my grandma's 75th birthday and she was here to celebrate with me in Joplin :)  Not to mention my sister in law and my father in law...it was their birthdays in August too.  So basically it's been a month long party.

I'm tired....and fatter.

Birthday present:  a new computer....yay!!!!  So it took a little while to catch up with everything I missed and get back in the swing of things.  Get all the work uploaded and edited that I have been making over the last who knows how long....  But basically, I'm feeling pretty good.  I'm caught up (as best I can) and I should be back to regular posting.

And you know, life isn't all about cookies and food (blasphemy!!!)
....look what else happened while I was busy living...
( this is the surprise ).....on the way...

We're due in March 2013 with kiddo #2!   :)

Beautiful Bridal Shower

 So there isn't going to be toooooo much talking in this post.  Basically, I made cookies for a local wedding shower.  And there's not too much to say about it.  Tho, I am going to show you, in one photo, my general inspiration to design process.  Exciting, yes?  Ok well maybe not thrilling....

 

Lemon Chevre Cheesecake Ice Cream with Berry Coulis Swirl

 So This recipe isn't diet.  Not even kind of.

But it is perhaps some of the creamiest, most indulgent ice cream I've ever eaten (that wasn't chocolate).  It's been calling to me from my freezer for days.....

I'm bringing it to our family 4th of July pool party. 

Anywho.  I could go on and on and on about the deliciousness of this ice cream but I won't.  I'll just give you the recipe and threaten you with a spatula to your throat STRONGLY ENCOURAGE  you to make it post haste.