What will it bee?

I am at that stage in my life where my life is baby showers :) My cousin threw the most adorable baby shower up in NY that was bee themed because the expectant parent's (her sister/my cousin and her husband) did not know what they were having; what would it bee? (It ended up beeing the most beautiful baby girl).  I said I would make the cookies and bring them up to NY via the bus. I tried to plan ahead so I wouldn't be stressing out because October was a crazy month and I made the royal icing ahead of time......however, I messed it up because it seemed too stiff to me so I thinned it a little bit but once it got back to room temperature it was too thin!!! I ended up having all sorts of issues and the royal icing was too runny and I couldn't seem to be able to fix it. I ended up being a nut and the next day trimming the cookies so the icing wasn't all over the sides (I think this is about when I texted my best friend and told her I officially lost it).  I also ended up using lemon flavoring instead of lemon extract and had to guess on how much I actually needed (I also walked down the hallway with the bowl of icing at like 10pm to havemy neighbor try it!) While they didn't come out perfect they still looked cute and tasted awesome, even better!  I really have to get better on remembering to take good pictures but at least I got pictures of my cousin's totally cute beehive cupcakes. She really threw the most amazing shower, every detail was perfect!

Sweet and Salty!!

I feel like there are two types of people in this world: sweet or salty. I am definitely a sweet person.......taste preference not always in behavior :) When I started thinking about what I was going to make for the BaBy Q my mind kept wandering back to a great recipe I saw on Bee in Our Bonnet and I decided that this was going to be the time to make these caramel and chocolate covered pretzels.  Since I tend to be forgetful and overthink things (such a great combo) I couldn't remember what blog I saw the recipe at and so I started doing google searches and honestly the Bee in Our Bonnet recipe was the easiest and the best one so I am glad I finally found it again.  These were a HUGE hit and someone told me they tasted like a Twix - to me like a sality twix. They do take some time to make.

I used the Kraft Caramel squares and it worked out well; Bee in Our Bonet also suggested the caramel bits but I couldn't find them. I followed her directions  with melting the caramel in a pyrex and using the edge to scrape off a lot of the caramel.  I rested then ona cookie rack but then it got the lineson them so then I hand rolled all of them. However, they got the lines again with the chocolate but when I put the decorative chocolate on it I tried to  cover the lines up.  I was pretty lucky and my bag was pretty good and didn't have a lot of broken rods but I did break some when I was doing it so maybe have a second bag just in case.  The original recipe said she got around 30 ish.



I used approximately 2 cups of these and threw in 2 tsp. of water.  I microwaved it for 1 minute, then stirred, then microwaved it for 30 seconds more.  Your times may vary a little but this worked for me.

A 2 cup pyrex measuring cup is perfect to use.  It doesn't even have to be totally full.  If you tip it on it's side and roll the pretzel, you can get about 30ish pretzel rods out of it.  I bought plenty of extra pretzel rods because about 1/4 of the bag was always broken.

CARAMEL & CHOCOLATE COVERED PREZTELS
(Source: Bee in Our Bonnet)

INGREDIENTS:

1 bag of caramel squares - it is about 2 cups
2 tsp water
1 bag of chocolate
Something to decorate - colored chocolate, nuts, sprinkles

Directions:

- Melt 2 cups of unwraped caramels with 2 tsp water in a pyrex measuring cup in the microwave for 1 minute then stir and then add another 30 seconds.
- Angle the Pyrex and using the lip take some of the caramel off.
- After you let them dry a little bit melt the chocolate in the mircowave and then it can be helpful to use a Pyrex or taller. I can not remember but I might have done the chocolate in batches.
- Depending how you want to decorate either let the chocolate dry and then use the decorative chocolate or let it still be a little wet to dip it in the nuts etc.
-You can use a tall glass to disapply or just eat right away!!

BaBy Q Sugar Cookies!

For the BaBy Q I made cookies for the girls as favors and minis for the party...............the minis got devoured even by the boys.  I have to say I was really happy and proud of these cookies. I think it was because I planned and took my time but everything seemed to go well. I used my Sugar Cookie Recipe and Pink Martini and Pearls royal icing recipes that I have used before on the Bow cookies - this time I ended up making 3x times her recipe (2 times early on in the night and one later on).

THE BEST ROLLED SUGAR COOKIES:(Source: All Recipes)

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

- In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

- Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.


ROYAL ICING:
(Source: Pink Maritinis and Pearls)

INGREDIENTS: Times is by at least 2 - probably 3 times

1 lb. Powdered Sugar (does not need to be sifted)
3 Tbl. Meringue Powder
6 Tbl. Hot Water (from tap is fine)
1-2 Tablespoon of Lemon Extract (this is an addition by me but do it to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

- With a whisk attachment beat all the ingredients on high until fluffy. Do not under beat. Pink Martini mixes for at least 8 minutes. Put the icing immediately in a container with a tight lid to prevent it from drying out.

I then followed her directions for 10 second icing:

BaBy Q!!!!

I think I am at that age where I no longer go to weddings but now I go to baby showers.  I am also the type of person that offers to throw baby showers.................o why! I ended up helping throw a baby shower for my neighbors but we did it with a twist and threw a coed BaBy Q shower and had some awesome BBQ catered; of course, I did the desserts.  I am trying to get better about planning and because I am crazy and planned a last minute trip to Spain leaving the next day (you can check that out on my travel blog: Runaway Cubicle) I spread things out over multiple days and it totally made a difference - even though I was still up crazy late decorating cookies. Since it was a co-ed baby shower we didn't really want to do games but we did do one. I bought baby bottles and we did a beer race with 2 rounds (dads vs non dads) and the winner of each round went head to head. I do not have kids and bought the slow flow ones (um I am clueless) so we decided to puncture them and make them a little bit bigger.............yeah it wasn't a smart idea because it wasn't really a challenge so if you do it then don't make it bigger!

 

Bottles are solid chocolate

 

Red Velvet Cupcakes (regular size and mini)

The Boys Baby Shower Gift was a choice of different flavored Hot Sauces

They were labeled

Brubeck Temper Tantrum Sauce

Berry Heaven!

I so need a break from sugar cookies!!! If you cannot tell they are my albatrose but I am so stubborn that I have decided I am going to conquer them. My first non-sugar cookies recipe was going to be something for my mom's birthday. When I asked her what she wanted she said no chocolate and really no cake, is she trying to kill me!!! Plus this also had to be able to survive a car trip from DC to NY (O 95 how I love thee).  My mom loves pie (she originally suggested my berry bars) and my coworker told me about this pie recipe that was delicious and really it is a huge winner, not only because it is so easy (especially when you used a frozen pie crust) but it is delicious. It was a little tart but mom loved it that way!

The recipe calls for 5 cups of fresh blueberries. I used 2 of the big containers of blueberries, which I think is actually 4 cups and it was perfect!  A second time I made it I threw in 2 1/2 containers (guess the blueberries were smaller). When my coworker and I walked to the supermarket around the corner from work she said she made a pie crust from scratch........I am lazy and time crunched lately so I used a deep dish frozen pie crust and that worked perfectly! I know the pureists out there probably hate that but hey you gotta do what you gotta do :)

BLUEBERRY CRUMB PIE
(Source: Sweet Kat's Kitchen)

INGREDIENTS:

1 9-inch unbaked pie crust

FILLING:

3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/3 C. All- Purpose Flour
1 T. Cornstarch
1/2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 T. Lemon Juice
5 C Fresh Blueberries (2 containers can work depending on the size of the blueberries)

TOPPING:

2/3 C. Packed Light Brown Sugar
3/4 C. Quick Cooking Oats
1/2 C. All purpose flour
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp. Ground Nutmeg
6 T. Butter, melted


DIRECTIONS:

- Preheat over to 375 degrees F. Press pie crust into 9 inch pie plate
- In a large bowl, stire together the sugar, flour, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Mix in blueberries. Add lemon juice and fold gently to combine. Pour into pie crust.
- Topping: In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, oats, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix in melted butter with fork or hands ntil crumbly.
- Spread evenly over the pie filling.
- Bake for 60 minutes or until top is browned.
- HARD PART: cool completely on a wire rack.

Pink Cookie Love!

When I made the adorable bowties and neckties for Father's Day I decided to make some cookies for my mom's birthday as well.  I made some cute birthday cupcake cookies that had a candle on top; however, the candle part could be flimsy and didn't come out right sometimes so I just cut that part of and just had a cupcake cookie.  I also made some present cookies, those need some work to look cute! Also, I made some mini hearts and sunglasses for her pool! These were all made with Pink Martini and Pearls and my Sugar Cookie Recipe.  

Bowterrific Cookies Part 3!!!

As I have said before I am stubborn! I have decided to embrace this "I will not let a little sugar cookie beat me" project and instead went on a cookie cutter buying spree and ended up searching and stalking until I got these cute bow tie and neck tie cookie cutters (big and minis).  This time I decided to use Pink Martinis and Pearls  Royal Icing recipe; she also makes the most beautiful cake pops.

I ended up doubling her recipe and then making another batch. So the recipe below is enough for maybe 1/2 batch of my sugar cookie recipe.  I think this might be my recipe because it worked out really well and wasn't sticky. I will have to try it out again just to make sure it wasn't a fluke!!!  I thought some of it was coming out too thick so I thinned it well the thinner ones were the ones that weren't as dry, where the thicker dried better - totally not what I expected to happen! I ended up putting them in jars I bought for pretty cheap from Michaels for my dad and Uncles for Father's day. Also, do you see the cool gift tag cookie cutter I got! SO cute to tie it to the front of the jar.

ROYAL ICING:
(Source: Pink Maritinis and Pearls)

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. Powdered Sugar (does not need to be sifted)
3 Tbl. Meringue Powder
6 Tbl. Hot Water (from tap is fine)
2 Tablespoon of Lemon Extract (this is an addition by me but do it to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

- With a whisk attachment beat all the ingredients on high until fluffy. Do not under beat. Pink Martini mixes for at least 8 minutes. Put the icing immediately in a container with a tight lid to prevent it from drying out.

I then followed her directions for 10 second icing:

10 SECOND ICING:
(Source: Pink Maritinis and Pearls)


- To get the nice smooth icing you see on the cookies it needs to be thinned. Too thin and it runs down the sides of the cookies and will not coat it well. Too thick and it will just sit there and not be smooth. (I find that this is trial and error for me and still learning)
- Add water a teaspoon at a time (sometimes I add some lemon just to keep the flavor up). Mix the water well. 

Pink Martinis and Pearls says: Pull a dollop of icing on your spoon or spatula and let it drop back down; count to 10 and if it seems to melt and disappear by 10 then you have the perfect consistency.  If there are still remanants add a touch of water. If it melts too quickly then you need to add more regular icing to give it more body. (I think last time I just put a little but more sugar in it).

 Sweet Sugar Belle: makes 20 second icing. I LOVE her way of just drawing a line in your bowl and seeing if it disappears. Works well for the 10 second icing as well.

Honestly: I would love for my stuff to look even a quarter as good as Pink Martini and Sweet Sugar Belle and love their explanations, pictures, and directions.  I really need to be better with my pictures and just not do them as I am running out the door!