Sunday, December 26, 2010

The Adam's Family Visit


I have the cutest grandkids in the world and am very blessed to have them visit for Christmas.  I hope we can get a family picture of all of us before they go back home.  However, I do know that it is next to impossible to get a big group of people together for a family picture.  So if it gets done we will have really accomplished so mething.
This little cutie is the newest in our trib of grand kids.  She is adorable and good natured.  I love rocking her in my rocking chair. She snuggles right in to me and  we just enjoy rocking.  I have a rocking chair song but because I have laryngitis I haven't been able to sing it to her.  I'm starting to get get my voice back so maybe I will get a chance before she leaves.  She is a real ham for the camera.  Love the sun glasses.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Christmas Trees And The Princess

My daughter got the brilliant idea to dress Abby as a princess.   Sheis beautiful and adores being a princess.  She looked into the mirror and say, "Pretty!" Abby is a pretty princess!"  Of course my grandson doesn't want to have anything to do with princeses or princesses.  So when Abby told him he was the prince he retorted, "NO, I'M NOT!  I fly airplanes!"  So he is the pilot. Maybe he is the royal pilot.  In any case Abby accepted that and off they went to play trains.
Callie also saw on the "Pioneer Woman" website this cute dessert.  It's strawberries on top of mini brownies covered in chocolate glaze.  The trees are covered in buttercream frosting and decorated like Christmas trees.  There are also Santa Hats.  Very cute.  She wanted to put them on a plate that we were returning to the next door neighbor. She decided she didn't like the glaze because it is too soft.  We are doing another batch tomorrow with a harder glaze.  They look very pretty and dress up nice for gifts.

As you can see Princess Abby was very pleased with her "Christmas Tree". She ate it in like two seconds! Can you tell she stuffed it in her mouth? LOL!!!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Thomas The Train Cake with Crossing Gates

Sebby's Fourth Birthday Cake

I asked my grandson, Sebby, what he wanted on his birthday cake this year.  He is turning four.  He said he wanted a crossing gate cake.  He was very specific.  I don't know what it is that has him enamored with crossing gates.  Maybe he likes the flashing lights, the gates coming down, or the ding-ding-ding sound.  When I ask him what he wants to do he says, "Can I watch crossing gates on the computer?" I never knew there were so many crossing gates on You Tube.  You can see crossing gates from anywhere in the world.  He would watch them for hours if I let him, but he only gets a half hour.  Thus we made a plan for a crossing gate cake and, of course, it had to have Thomas the Train.

I found this cute cow, or one like it on the internet and I changed it to fit my cake.  I think he is the best sculpture on the cake. Thomas and the gates were the most difficult to do and they are far from great.  But you can recognize him and Sebby said that this was, "The most awesome cake ever!"  So if he likes it then it is a great success.  I used popsicle s
This cake was fun to do but took forever.  I don't know how those cake challenge guys do huge cakes in 8 hours.  It is unreal! I started this cake, made from scratch, on Sunday.  I crumb coated it and put it in the fridge until the next day when I covered it with home made fondant.  I used gumpaste for the sculptures and fondant for the trees.

I like the bird Callie made.  This was her only contribution to the cake, other than keeping the kids busy while I worked on it. 

I needed something for the back of the cake so I made a tree and put a little blue bird in it.  I know I have several different kinds of trees on here.  I wanted the bottom layer to look more "valley-meadow" and the top a rocky mountain for the tunnel. Not perfect but you get the general idea.

This little lamb is supposed to be wooly.  He isn't nearly as good as the cow I made, but he is still cute so we used him because Sebby didn't want me to throw him in the trash.  So he is here thanks to him.  I should have made some buddies for him but this cake was taking way too long and I don't have ideal work area to spread out like I want.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Chocolate Truffles


These were fairly easy to make.  They were time consuming only because they have to be chilled between each step.  I made three flavors.  Kalua, Creme de Minth, and Rasberry.  The coatings are chopped pecans with the Kalua, Andes baking chips with the Creme de Minth, and powdered sugar with the Rasberry. I used Bavarian Chocolate that comes in squares and chopped it down to melting size.
I found this recipe on http://www.joyofbaking.com/ChocolateTruffles.html

I took these to a Christmas Party and they received rave reviews.  These are rich and decadent.  It's easy to flavor them too with all the flavorings and liquers available.  I used coatings that would allow for handling without getting melting chocolate all over the hands.  Plus the coatings fancy up the truffles and they look pretty in a nice tin.  I bought these tins for $2.00 at Walmart. They work perfect for a batch of truffles. The little candy papers I also found there in the cake decorating aisle.