Sunflower Peeps Easter Cake

So this is my attempt at making a cake from scratch and then decorating it to look like a sunflower.

Marshmallow Peeps (yellow)
Chocolate Chips

Yellow Cake Recipe:

• ·      2 cups *cake flour*
• ·      2 teaspoons baking powder
• ·      ½ teaspoon salt
• ·      ½ cup butter, softened
• ·      1 cup of sugar
• ·      3 large eggs, room temperature
• ·      2 teaspoons of vanilla
• ·      ¾ cups of milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans. (i didn't have round pans so i made them square and then cut the cake, which is why i added the green peeps)

In bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt with a wire whisk.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Add vanilla and mix until completely combines.

Slowly add flour alternately with milk.

At end of addition batter should be smooth.

Divide between 2 pans.

Bake Yellow Cake Recipe for 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool 5 minutes in pan, then invert onto a rack and cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Frosting Recipe:

• ·      ½ cup shortening
• ·      ½ cup butter, softened
• ·      1 teaspoon vanilla
• ·      4 cups confectioner sugar
• ·      1 cup cocoa powder
• ·      3-4 tablespoons of milk (I added more until i felt the consistency was right)

*Cake Flour* Recipe:

If you’re like me you probably do not have cake flour on hand, so I used this simple recipe.

• ·      2 tablespoons of corn starch
• ·      Less than a cup of all-purpose flour

Take 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and place it in a 1 cup measuring cup and fill the rest to with all-purpose flour to equal a cup of cake flour

TA-DA

Sundried Tomato Tapenade

I had a whole bunch of Sundried tomatoes that i didn't know what to do with so i searched on line, and found this recipe:

ORIGINAL RECIPE

My version of it, and what excites me the most is i used the Magic Bullet (its been stored away since 2003)

handful of sun dried tomatoes
capers to taste
italian seasoning (a sprinkle or two)
olive oil
red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves

put everything in the bullet and this is what it looks like and tastes SOOOOO YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!

tee-shirt basket

so this was supposed to be a rug.. but all i had eft were site tee shirts and i am not happy with how the center came out.  i do plan on redoing this project with colorful shirts.. and hopefully it will be a rug this time..

the ORIGINAL BLOG can be found here..

DYI Headband Tutu

As some of you may know, since have the Girl Child, i made her various of tutu's, headband, and other misc girly stuff.

i don't know why it took Pinterest to simplify them.

Dollar store headband

Tulle (i used left overs so my tutu looks shitty, but its all i had left)

Banana Muffins w/ Frosted Flakes

You can find the recipe that i used here -> EVERYDAYSISTERS

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
TOPPING:
1 cup crushed Frosted Flakes cereal

Preparation:

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Combine bananas, egg and butter; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Crush Frosted Flakes and sprinkle over muffins. Bake at 375 degrees F for 18-20 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

CHICKEN BROCCOLI SUPREME

So another recipe i found while browsing on Pinterest was this super simple chicken & broccoli dish.


here is the link to the original recipe and here is mine... i modify because i either don't have all the ingredients or i don't particularly like some of them.


for the most part its the same...


(i dont measure to exact)


2 medium fresh broccoli crowns, break into pieces and steam (i forgot about the 2 min so my broccoli was very mushy, yummmm)
i used a n 8 oz bag of shredded cheddar (about 2 cups) i should have used more, but its all i had
4 single serving size packets of ritz crackers (more than enough)
1 stick of butter (forgot to melt)
(i didn't have any poppy seeds so i didn't use them)


Sauce
1 stick of butter
1/3 cup of water
1/2 tub of knorrs chicken stock
1/4 c corn starch dissolved in 1/2 c COLD water
Salt & Pepper 
1 c Skim milk
1 c Whole milk

In greased 13×9 pan, layer the broccoli and chicken, then set aside. 

In saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, cornstarch dissolved in water, chicken broth, seasonings, and milk. 

Stir well, and continue stirring until sauce has thickened. 

Pour over the chicken and broccoli. Top cheddar cheese.

 Crush Ritz crackers with hands as prinkle crumbs over the top of the cheddar cheese, and place 6 pats of butter.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until hot & bubbly and this is what you get

how to prevent water from boiling over...

so i have read a lot on pinterest on how to keep a pot of boiling water from spilling over... i have heard it doesn't work, it does work blah blah blah.. well i tried it for my self last night.

my pot of water never boiled over.  it WORKED!!!!!!!!!!!!

just place a wooden spoon over the top