Sangria

I was in the mood for a cocktail last night.  Alcohol is not something I regularly consume, but I do like to have wine and occasionally vodka on hand for cooking. 
I had about 3/4 of a bottle of cheap Cabernet to that I added fresh pineapple, an orange, a peach about 2 cups of homemade lemonade and a half cup of sugar.  I had a glass last night and it was delicious.  I can only imagine what the flavor will be like after resting overnight.

Two New Creations....

Rustic and delicious...I hope I can recall them both

Italian Sausage Casserole
1 pound sausage
4 potatoes (cubed and boiled)
2 medium (ish) zucchini 
1 onion sliced long ways
2 large garlic cloves
seasonings
1 cup of extra sharp cheddar

Brown (cook well) sausage and remove from pan
Quick brown onions and garlic
Add sliced zucchini and potatoes until browned
put sausage back in pan
add cheese
bake at 350 till cheese melts
Cast iron skillet works great

Italian Sausage Soup
1 pound sausage, cooked
1 onion sliced length way
2 cloves garlic crushed and diced
1 can pinto bean, drained and rinsed
1 can diced stewed tomatoes
Cook all this in the same pan and allow to simmer while preparing vegetables

4 potatoes, 4 carrots pealed and chunky cut, boiled
1/2 frozen corn
salt and pepper
4 beef bouillon cubes 
When vegetables are tender add the cooked mixture and allow to simmer a bit.

Doug loved both of these dishes.  I should have tried to write the recipes sooner... I hope I got them right :/

Calzone

I needed a quick lunch so I threw together a calzone using Jiffy pizza crust mix, jarred pizza sauce, Italian season, pepperoni and mozzarella cheese.  Baked for about 20 min it came out crispy and gooey.  I plan to make some fro Pri and Zion Friday while waiting at the church for Operation Christmas Child drop offs.

Zion, Pri, Sheron and Jesse

Cupcakes

white cakes with chocolate glaze, buttercream frost and Royal icing roses/ pansies.

Baking

Brazilian chocolate cake with cherry preserves and semi sweet chocolate filling, semi sweet chocolate glaze and hand made gum paste flowers

Every since I started cake decorating, my cooking has been a little less exciting.  I love expressing myself in the arts of decorating.  My family are still happy with their meals, but I have lost my zeal for trying to create new and exciting foods.  I find myself trying new cake recipes and techniques rather than experimenting on savory dishes.  Not that I want my fascination of desserts to go away, but I sure would like to make room for my love of cooking.

Wishing Well

Dark Chocolate cake with Chocolate Butter Cream frosting, Filled with Chocolate Butter Cream and semi sweet chocolate chips.  Top is Butter Cream with a dark chocolate, butter cream well covered in fondant with blue piping gel water and the arch is made of gum paste and accented with butter cream piping.

One of my closest friends (Heather) surprised me with a new mixer.  I made her this cake as a thank you....funny how my plans for a cake and the way my cakes turn out are different.  I can replicate one I see in a book but cannot seem to get one from thought to reality as seamlessly as I would like....

My Latest Cake

This is my first rolled fondant cake. I made my own fondant which killed (literally) my mixer. The worst part is I really didn't have to have a mixer to make it.  Another thing marked under lessons learned.

Two chocolate cakes.  Covered the bottom in fondant.  I used frosting to level the bottom layer because it was already too thin.  The top was a round cake leveled, shaped and torted. Filled with buttercream.

Really was sloppy job, but again it was my first try with fondant and my details hid a multitude of imperfections.

Added Scroll Work

Printed Birthday Wish

Added Pink Shell Border

Finished Cake for the Totally Spies! In Paris themed party

Hailey making her birthday wish

With every cake I make, with every new technique I apply I learn something different.  A short cut, how to fix mistakes, what I would change if I were to make it again.