hop to it!

I know it's a little late, but I hope everyone had a lovely Easter weekend.  Ours was a busy, fun, family-filled frenzy of activity. The Man's folks always have a big family meal on holidays, and this past Sunday was no exception.  I was delegated the task of providing a little something sweet. I made a batch of lemon bars (not too good in my opinion-- I'll try them again, this time from scratch) and this little layer cake.

I couldn't resist making a cake because I had the perfect topper. My friend Casi sent me this tutorial, and it was so simple, I had to try! The nest is just made from melted butterscotch chips, rice noodles, and cadbury mini-eggs.

We also made some baskets for the Man's folks and the Sister and her fiance.

I love Peeps, and wanted to do something different with them.  Thanks to some lollipop sticks on clearance at Kroger, I ended up with Peeps pops.  They're not nearly as cute as these, but it was enough to satisfy my "this could be cuter" craving.

Now for a few more gratuitous cake shots:

I loved this frosting recipe I used, it still needs a little tweaking-- but it ended up being a light and airy, but still thickly sweet buttercream.

And finally, a little surprise for the inside, inspired by one of my favorite bloggers.

Oh, how could I forget?

What's a baking post without a little FailCake?  I had intended on having a 6 layer cake in blue, pink and purple.  However, my blue layer completely FELL.  Oh well, I added a generous dollop of frosting to the cakey sink-hole and we have a perfect "sorry I over committed us once again on a holiday weekend and freaked out because we didn't have any eggs in the house, but i mean really who doesn't have eggs in the house at Easter, but still ..sorry I cried so much and made you all worried and go to the grocery store at the last minute" cake for the Man.

Did you bake anything for Easter? 

How many Peeps and chocolate eggs have you consumed over the past week?

Too many to say? Yeah, me too.

a strawberry surprise

After seeing my attempt at the heart cake in February, the Man decided I needed to try my hand at a strawberry-lemonade cake.  I followed pretty much the same process, making my layers out of lemon cake and making a few strawberry cuppies for the filling.

I was sure to freeze the lemon layers, and proceded to cut a hole out of the center of the two middle layers.  I scooped a circle out of the bottom layer, still leaving enough to keep the cake whole at the very base. 

I was careful to only frost the layers on the outside of the cylinder and then it was time to make the filling.

A little cream cheese frosting and some strawberry crumbs later...

If you notice, there is a can of cream cheese frosting in the background-- no home-made frosting for this cake.  I was baking at about 1:00 in the morning, and "from scratch" was no longer in my vocabulary!

I added a quick crumb coat.  It also helps to hold an extra-moist cake like this together.

The outside wasn't too pretty, I was playing around with a new technique and ran out of frosting.  Besides, I had a few hungry gamers to feed.

It turned out alright.  It could use some refining, but not too bad for throwing something together out of leftover batter.

The "menfolk" seemed to enjoy since there wasn't much left the next day. Sometimes, that's better than a perfectly frosted, beautiful cake anyway!

baby bundt bites

My friend Casi needed some baked goods for a fundraiser a while back.  It was decided that my standard cupcakes wouldn't fly (too messy, hard to package individually).  Instead, I decided to experiment with my new mini-bundt pan that I posted about here.

This time, I tried Sassy Grandma's lemon cake and my strawberry cake.  I usually use both of these batters for cupcakes, or even a full size bundt with a glaze so I had high hopes.

After baking and freezing the cakes, I sliced them into small bite-sized pieces.

I managed to get about 40-50 slices per cake.

The cake is pretty dense and moist, so I had to cut it while it was a cold as possible to keep the slices clean and the cakes from falling apart.

After cutting and separating all the pieces, I placed them 4-6 in a bag and tied with a little color coded tag and some thick white ribbon (found at IKEA).

I managed to get about 30-40 individual bags out of 3 mini-bundts. 

I simply piled them into a basket (of course!) and sent them on their merry way!

I think it turned out pretty cute and seemed to work great in a bake sale environment.  It's a good way to donate something a little different from the usual brownie/cookie fare.

Plus, there was extra batter set aside for a special surprise for the Man.  More details on that later.

cookbook mania and fun freebies

A little while back, it was time for the Auburn Public Library's semi-annual book sale. That same Saturday was the Lee County Junior League  rummage sale.  Both turned out to be a hotbed of cookbookery.

Dear Mother picked up a Southern Living and some Martha for me (for which I am ever-so-grateful).  I managed to wrangle a fun read from Heloise, two Hungry Girl guides, and my favorite find yet.

Candlelight and Wisteria was published as a fund-raiser when I was in middle school.  It has some of my favorite local recipies and a lot of personal history (Dear Mother helped to compile everything, I can remember her attending numerous "cookbook planning meetings.")

I also had a few fun surprises come through the mail! I am a big fan of free samples (or really most anything that's free) and Target had a few good deals going on.

First I signed up for this cute makeup bag which was loaded with lip balm, lotion, shampoo and coupons.

I also signed up for a free sample of the Purina One Beyond cat food.  Currently our two kitties eat Purina One "Sensitive Systems" (my big orange baby has a terrible tummy).  I kept getting coupons for beyond but I wanted them to try it before I buy it.

Try it they did.  If you can tell from the blurry picture above, someone decided to have a taste.  I found this bag on the kitchen floor with multiple puncture wounds (and two fat cats close by).

Have you gotten anything free (or really cheap) lately?  Do your pets eat fancy food too? I hope I'm not the only one....

urning a living

On a recent yardsale trip, I came across two black planters looking a little worse for wear.  I had been wanting something a bit more substantial than my standard clay pots to flank the front door.  These had potential, and the price was right (under $5 for both!).

One needed a little doctoring due to a huge crack running down the side.  A little bathroom grade paintable caulk and all is well.

Both had some wear, the paint was chipping and each had a few dings.  I didn't want to get too agressive with the cleaning, since I wasn't sure of the material these were made of.  I just used a rough sponge and some hot soapy water to give them both a good bath.

After everything dried, it was time to give them a fresh coat of paint.  Again, since I wasn't sure of the material-- I picked up some Rustoleum Universal paint in a black hammered texture. 

Rustoleum Hammered Texture Universal in Black-- about $6 at Home Depot

I thought the texture might help to cover any flaws that a gloss coat could potentially highlight.

After a few quick coats and about 4 hours drying in the sun, it was time to put my new urns to work.

I really like them framing the front door. Not too shabby for an $11 investment!

  I'm hoping to eventually paint the front door (as well as our shutters) black.  I'd also like to upgrade our welcome mat to one that is a little bit better to scale.  In time...

For now, I just need to decide what to plant in them.  I keep hoping to find a hardy plant, that is about 3 feet tall, and not too leafy. Our entry is somewhat narrow, and I don't want anything to sprawling that could annoy the Man.  I like the look of evergreens, but I don't want it to seem Christmas-y year round.

Any suggestions?

booking it, vol. 2

I've been trying to read more and take advantage of my commute with audiobooks.  Here's what I've been reading/listening to lately:

Bonk: the Curious Coupling of Science and Sex
by Mary Roach

I listened to this while going to and from work over the course of about a month.  I really enjoyed it-- although there were a few times I had to skip a chapter (I'm a little squeamish).  Overall, I thought it was really interesting.  I was a little worried that the book would be dry and too scientific, making it difficult to follow along.  However, Mary Roach did not disappoint  in making science accessible.  She was funny, to the point, sometimes surprisingly bold, but always very human.  I wouldn't use this as a source, or partner it with other scholarly research on sex.. instead, this was a lighthearted (and at the same time scientifically solid) jaunt through some of the quirks and kinks of the history and development of sex research.

To Hell with All That: Loving and Loathing Our Inner Housewife

by Cailtlin Flanagan

This book came to me by way of Goodwill.  It was a yellow tag sale day. and the bright yellow cover and potentially snarky title caused this book to practially leap into my arms.  For those who know me well, you know that the Man and I joke about our stereotypical gender roles in the home.  You also know that a lot of my undergraduate (and some graduate) research was centered on gender-- specifically gender roles in romantic relationships.  I loved the dialogue (both inner and with the Man) that this book prompted. 

Granted, I didn't take it too seriously-- as some reviewers on Amazon seemed to, but instead appreciated Flanagan's writing style as an in-your-face and at the same time in-the-kitchen view of the challenges of being a modern woman.   Often I find myself torn between worlds and roles, and even find some guilt or shame in my enjoyment (and the fulfillment I feel) from being that sterotypical woman. But I embrace it, as Flanagan did.. or tried to as she meddled through her thoughts and feelings on marriage, parenting, chores and a carreer.  I really enjoyed this read, well worth the $1 I spent.

I am an Emotional Creature
by Eve Ensler

My bestie in the City sent over a few books to check out.  Included was the latest from Eve Ensler.  This was a quick but powerful read.  It really made me think about girlhood.. and about how my experiences growing up will be so drastically different than a girl hitting her tweens today.  Her account was a mix of poetry and short stories.  All of them poignant in Ensler's way.  I spent an evening or two reading it and although I may not be the target demographic, it without a doubt struck a chord on many occasions.

Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World's Stolen Treasures.

by Robert Wittman (founder, FBI Art Crime team)

I still haven't finished this audiobook (I'm on Chapter 25 of the last disc) but I have enjoyed it completely. It has everything I had hoped from the title: intrigue, an inside look at the FBI, interesting crooks, a dash of art history, and a peek inside an undercover agent's mind. I found this fascinating. However, it's not an "action" styled tale.. the easiest way I've been able to summarize the feel or pace of this book is by comparing "National Treasure" to "The American". Although there is intrigue, much of the action is through meetings, phone calls, making arrangements. The intensity is not through bombs, or high speed chases. Instead, I found myself hanging on the words of the crooks as they negotiate deals. Waiting to see how Wittman manages to draw out a confession through applauding the con-man's brash boastfulness. This book works on a more beauracratic pace, but as Wittman reminds the reader-- patience is key when working undercover. I'm anxiously awaiting the last few chapters, and for the end of his story to unfold.

Up next are a handful of cookbooks to flip through, an audiobook titled "Waiter's Rant", a little dose of Dave Ramsey, and a dash of cheesy chick lit.

What are you bookmarking these days?

splendidly spring

For my friends where it's snowy, I'm sorry.

For those of us here in the South-- it's been a gorgeous past few days.  Sunny and warm with a breeze.

Perfect except for the pollen and a few spring-y showers.

Last weekend the Man and I spent a good bit of time working outside in the yard trying to determine if it was just the weeds growing, or if we might actually have some grass under all the dandelions.  We (and by we, I mean he) also worked on prepping a space for some tomato plants!!

I shouldn't be this excited, but I am ridiculously super-pumped to try my hand at some seriously home grown tomatoes.  Hopefully, I'll have some of my Dad and Sweet Grandma's mad-green-thumb-skills.  She could grow tomatoes all the way into December, and he has grown some about as big as grapefruit. 

In the meantime, I realized that I have yet to share my Spring mantle.  I'd like to add some touches of hot pink as we for April and maybe add in a few more flowers, but for March I'm liking the green and cream scheme.

It's a lot of the same- corkboard, two mirrors, and cream candle pillars.  I added in some of my Sweet Grandma's green glassware (a measuring cup and dessert dish) as well as a neat wire bucket/basket from a yard sale last summer.  I also hope to plant something in that larger cream crock, but for now it's a little sad and empty.

The wreath isn't as full as I hoped, but it's not too shabby for being about 6 years old.  I had also hoped to make a pom-pom garland, but I guess I'll save that for another time. This month has just FLOWN past..

What I am completely LOVING is the green polka dot ribbon.  My friend Ashley used it on a coffee filter wreath a while back and I knew then that I would be copying her look. 

The ribbon is on a spool at Wal*Mart (I know, I know... I try to avoid going there) for $2.  I made a special trip and will be going back to pick up more.  It's a great width and so cheery!

In all, three cheers for spring, tomatoes, and polka dot ribbon!

What is something you're cheering about this time of year?