Pumpkin Macarons: Recipe and Linky Party!

I enjoy trying new things.  Really...even when they turn out pretty crappy.

I also enjoy pumpkin.  A lot.

So when I get the opportunity to combine the two I do.  And since it's so close to Thanksgiving the opportunity to experiment with pumpkin has been frequent.

I've been playing with macarons lately.  And while I certainly have a LONG way to go....I think most of what I need is practice.  Technique practice.  So while these macarons might be less than perfect, they sure are tasty.

WFD? Perfect Pot Roast

So a weird thing happens to me when I get pregnant.  I go from a veggie loving (I could be a vegetarian, no problem) diner to a ravenous meat eating fiend.

I can't explain it.  But it's one of the ways I know I'm expecting.  And no, I'm not iron deficient.  My nutrients are in check...all is well.  It's just a craving I get.

Like with my first pregnancy....I decided, randomly, that for dinner one night I needed to hit up a Mongolian grill and loaded that to go box up with meat and noodles.  I didn't know I was pregnant at the time, but yeah, I should have known something was up then.

Anyway, this time around, I knew better.  So when I had an insatiable craving for pot roast for WEEKS....I decided maybe it was time to break out the EPT....and you know the rest of the story...

So anyways, POT ROAST!  I craved pot roast in the first trimester.  Mamma needed it bad y'all.  So I made it.... like 8 times.....tweaking it as I go.  I needed it to be perfect pot roast.  Not just any pot roast....perfect pot roast is all that would do.

It's pretty traditional.  Kinda like my mom would make.  But here it is.  My perfect pot roast... :)

Twilight Is Nearing An End....

I was sitting here chatting with my cookie friends instead of sleeping like all good pregnant women should be at 1:00am, and starting thinking about the Twilight movie coming out this weekend.

It's the end of the series.  The same nostalgia that hit when the last Harry Potter movie was released.

Well, except I still haven't accepted the end of Harry Potter.  I mean I have, but I still miss it.

Anyway, I was thinking back on Twilight over the years...and I realized I had a set of Twilight cookies that, for some reason or another, I don't think I ever got around to posting on my blog.  Facebook and Flickr yes... but the blog.... I couldn't find it.

So I thought I would go ahead and post them.  For old times sake.  To say goodbye to Twilight.

Have to give credit to Sugarbelle here.  She allowed me to use a few of her ideas...because really...she's already made the most awesome Twilight cookies.

Looking back.....I wish a year ago me would have taken the time to take prettier pictures....

Ah well.  Lesson learned...life moves on...

My Post Cookie Con Hand Painting Attempt

Also known as, my week trying to be as cool as Arty.

Well, I'm back from Cookie Con, and still not even kind of caught up on all the excitement.  I'm reeling.  It was AWESOME....with a capital AWE.

I'll do a Cookie Con recap later this week (or next), but for now I wanted to talk about something particular.

So Arty McGoo was there teaching in our little troupe that weekend.  And she did her all famous hand painting.  Really, if you enjoy damp dark places and have decided to live under a rock, and don't know who I'm talking about.... CLICK HERE.

Anyway, she did her demo on hand painting and somewhere during her presentation I said (aloud...why did I say it aloud?) "I think I can do that".

Then after Liz and I chatted, and she told me how fast and easy it was to paint on cookies.  I'm all for fast and easy....

And I came home.....and had a deadline to meet...and thought....quick and easy....ok... let's do this!

And after a WEEK this is what I came up with

Gothic Halloween

Happy Halloween Everyone!!  :)

Chocolate and White Halloween

I really don't enjoy black icing.

I just don't.  So I try and use it as sparingly as humanly possible.

Well during my design session for this years Halloween cookies, I noticed quite a few designs that required black icing....and we're talking lots of black......

Me no likey that....

So here's what I did instead

Right so it's not exactly black but the general point is made.  And the best part about it....you only have to mix one icing color.  If that.  It's just white.  White icing on chocolate cookies.

Now I suppose I could have added more cocoa or a little bit of Americolor black to the dough to make it darker....yes, that would have been nice looking.  But I didn't....because I didn't think of it till after I baked them.  Crikey.

But still....for some fast and easy cookies...not too shabby.  I used a little bit of Americolor black mixed with some water and painted on my remaining details.  These were seriously fast...and fun too!!  I even put a little sanding sugar on my ghost and moon.

I will be posting the last of my Halloween cookies tomorrow...on Halloween.  Seems fitting.

Till tomorrow!!!

Sweet Halloween

Ok, so I am arriving SO last minute to the Halloween Party this year.

Truth is, I've been so busy nesting for baby and getting ready for my big trip to Cookie Con, I've fallen a little behind.

 made like 5 different sets of Halloween designs and only finished 3.  Perhaps I can still re purpose some of them.  Or possibly post them late?  Dunno.  Haven't figured it out yet.

Anywho...  here's a quick little set I made for the kiddies.

Nothing fancy or WOW about them.  But cute and fun all the same.  All made with a little candy cutter.

I do have to say, I am SUPER excited and SUPER nervous about Cookie Con this year.
I'm teaching a class.....scary I know.  Now there is some REAL Halloween terror for you right there.

But I'm also really looking forward to seeing my cookie friends, and I know it's going to be a whole lot of fun.

I might post my teaching project and some pics of Cookie Con when I get back.  Perhaps a few tutorials of what I am teaching for those who are unable to make it this year.  It's all up in the air.  I dunno...

Anyway, I will probably have another post today....maybe two more...because I have 2 more sets to show you.  And I was hoping to have a tutorial for one of them but I don't know that I'm going to be able to get to it.  Boo....

Tell then.....!