The Glaze-y Days of Autumn

 Don't they look delicious?

Greg has been requesting for me to try different icing recipes to try and find one that he remembers from when he was little. He loved the smiley face cookies at a local bakery and I think I have come across one that meets his standards.  

In the past, I've used royal icing for decorating cookies. Royal icing makes beautiful cookies because you're able to layer the icing without having to wait for the layers to fully dry. Once it dries, the color becomes matte, while the icing is hard and a little flaky, but yummy.

These cookies were decorated with glaze icing using Cookie Crazie's recipe substituting lemon emulsion for the extracts. Glaze takes longer to dry than royal icing but glaze dries soft. It reminds me of the Panera pumpkin sugar cookies, and I (and Greg) really like it! These cookies were the first time I've ever tried glaze and I'm pretty happy with the results. 

Take a look!

My next assignment from Greg is to try and make a chocolate glaze. We'll see if I'm as successful with that mission as I was with this one.

Alumni Weekend and a Sig Kap Rap

The last weekend of September is always Alumni Weekend at school. Every Alumni weekend, the Sigma Kappa alumnae are invited join the current members for a BBQ. 

I knew when I bought the dove cookie cutter that I'd be making them this fall for the girls. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out and they were a great conversation starter for the members I didn't know.

Going back reminded us of all the great times we shared and how much fun we had together. Luckily, I still get to see some of my sisters a couple times a year other than during the BBQ and it's always a blast! 

And now a throw back with DJ $crilla's Sig Kap Rap:

It all started back in 1874 no frown'n no more
Cause five young women kicked down the door
For women’s rights, women are life no more seeking and turning
They succeeded due to being determined
And I’m referring to them Sigma Kappa’s
And who am I? Well It’s your new favorite rapper DJ Scrilla
And that’s a fact, how I create tracks at the sound of a snap
I’m holler'n back, ya test them you will get burned
Sigkaps show love I’m show'n some in return
Oh you know they recommend everything they represent
Leadership through the quality of development
Follow their lead while they take you bi-costal

Yea they're about their business but they damn sure is social

You know that they 'bout it 'bout it my Sigkap pass, I never leave at home without it
Scrilla and them Sigma Kappa’s wont you chant this
Cause when they party they the talk of the whole campus
And their parties are the ish man 
People basically arguing outside just to get in

Take the deal from Scrill they're 'trill for real
Doctors don’t call us sick they label us ill
But I still rep a rhyme if I meet a Sigma Kappa once
Best believe I’m arranging a second time
As well we can meet or pass mail
Painting the streets maroon and lavender with my pastel

If I could fly like a dove Id fly for a hug cause I’m really gettin high off your love

Oh you know it lifts me up, and my number aint hard to find
Just hit me up or I can go reach ya hit you on the regular
Or if I’m not at home you can catch me on my cellular

Excuse me as I cut on in and run on in 
Cause Sigma Kappa’s got my mind off in the wind
And y’all do what you do cause y’all so cool
And y’all need to start your own chapter at my school
No longer tense since I came into your world
I wanna serenade y’all girls in your pearls
Y’all ladies that I’m keeping and who knows 
Maybe a Sigkap can come to my formal weekend

Wilton Class 1 - Final Project

Here's my final cake. Ta da!

Old Fashioned Devil's Food w/ Strawberry Jam Filling and Vanilla Buttercream

I think it would make a nice Christmas cake with red flowers instead of dusty rose and without the yellow around the border. 

The big green flowers were the hardest part. Everything else in the class I'd been able to do correctly after a couple tries but these really kicked my butt. Any tips would be appreciated. 

I like this class so much that I signed up for Wilton's course 2 which starts mid October. Can't wait!

If you're interesting in decorating, check out your local craft store to see if they offer any Wilton classes. 

Amazon Mail Call

Adding to the list of things I love, I love Amazon.com. They have almost anything you could ever need or want and it ends up being where I buy most of my baking accouterments. Today was no exception.

Mustache cookie cutters - who wouldn't want a facial hair cookie? Like, no one.

Bake at 350's newly released book! Decorating Cookies, which I pre-ordered back in June. I've already looked at every page, tomorrow will be reading every word.
Bridget has an amazing blog which inspired me to test the waters of cookie decorating so if you're thinking it looks cool, visit her blog and learn from a master.  

Best Day Ever!  

This is Halloween (a little early)

Who has two thumbs and is ready for Halloween?!?!

This girl! aka Me aka Adele from Halloween 2011, pretty convincing right?

This is the only time of year where spiders are allowed in my apt.

Yes, candy corn and cauldrons! What will they think of next?

Welcoming Fall

I love summer. Going to the beach, key lime pie, long days - what's not to love. But, I also love fall. Pumpkin bread, going apple picking, and cool nights. So, once labor day weekend was over, it was time to jump into fall feet first... with mini cookies! 

I brought these with me to give to my Grandmother. She moved into an apartment so our family went to visit and clean out her house so it could be sold. She has so many friends and neighbors who stopped by to help, these ended up being a perfect thank you gift. I gave her the remainder of the cookies to share with her new apartment building friends. 

Bring on the pumpkin bread!

Wilton Course 1 Class

A few months ago, I realized that I should learn how to use the fun stuff that you find in the baking aisle at the craft store, so I signed up for Wilton's cake decorating course at my local store. The course is 4 classes and teaches basic cookie, cake, and cupcake decorating. I'm enjoying learning how to use all of the cool decorating tips, transferring images onto a cake, and using the air mist colors.

Here's a sampling of the cool stuff I've made! Which ones are your favorite?

Class 1: Cookie Decorating

Class 2: Transfer Image Outline to a Cake

Class 3: Fill and Decorate Cupcakes

   

Cute Pic Time

P.S. Thank you for ignoring the candy cane

OBX Cookies

This summer, Greg and I went on a family vacation with his dad's side of the family to the Outer Banks, NC.

17 people = lots of cookies

Enjoy the pics!

Neon Fruits (Sweetopia's tutorial here)

Sail Boats

Seashells

Starfish/flowers

Butterfly

 Pretty, right?

Side Note: allow plenty of time for drying 

Side Note 2: No more brown butterfly bodies, no one needs that :P

Summer Birthday Cake #2

A tip about birthdays: they come around once a year per person, so you're always going to need birthday candles.

As I was at Christmas Tree Shops, a friend and I ran across some pretty cool looking candles. They were tall, elegant, and came in gold and silver, so I bought one of each after a few minutes of being teased as to what I'd use them for. 

They were only $1 per pack (nbd) but you will always need birthday candles at least once a year so you might as well pick up the good ones when they're in front of you. 

For Greg's birthday, I had picked up special colored candles so the flames actually turn colors (green, blue, purple, red) rather than standard flame colored.

So...when in doubt, buy more candles..unless you're a hoarder or pyro. 

Told you...cool candles...nbd 

Plus when you have awesome candles, people are even more blown away (ha ha) when they see what's inside.

Summer Birthday Cake #1

This cake was a first in two different ways. 

#1. It's Covered in a Light, Refreshing...Raspberry Lemonade Frosting! 

I loosely followed this recipe from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen using raspberry lemonade mix and a little bit of vanilla to cut down on the tartness.

Decorated with white jimmies and small/large sugar pearls

# 2. Funky Pink and Black Zebra Stripes... so cool, right?!?!

After prepping two cake pans, slowly layer scoops of pre-colored batter in the middle of the pans and on top of the previous batter. Once the batter is used up, gently shake to move the batter to the edges.

Om nom nom... Om nom nom indeed.