The Best of 2010 and My 2011 Kitchen Resolutions

I thought it might be fun to showcase my top posts from this year, as well as several resolutions I have. By resolutions, what I really mean is that I resolve to try the linked recipes and ideas, because they're brilliant! And maybe I'll even put my own spin on them!

Bakingdom's Top Posts of 2010

10. Back to School "Hostess" Cupcakes

In honor of this year's first day of school, I wanted to make something that reminded me of school lunches and after-school snacks. What's more memorable than finding a special treat from your mom at lunch? Something like a Hostess cupcake! Or, in this case, a vegan "fauxstess" cupcake!

9. Mexican Hot Chocolate Donuts with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting

The very first recipe I made in my brand new donut pan!

8. Sweet Maple Nut Cake



This has all of the best flavors of fluffy pancakes rolled up into a delicious cake!

7. Whimsical Eggnog Christmas Cake

This cake was inspired by the idea of turning something I don't like at all, eggnog, into something I love: eggnog cake! And a little Seuss-ical flair never hurts!

6. Inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Part of my 30th birthday gift this year was a trip to the brand new Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Here, I give tips, tricks, and advice for a better Potter experience!

5. Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice...From Teacup to Cupcake: Vanilla Chai Tea Cupcakes

I love chai tea. Like, really. Like, you know how some people can't go on without their coffee or something int hem dies? Yeah. me. Only with chai. And now with chai cupcakes.

4. My New Favorite Cupcake: Watermelon!



These are soft, sweet, and scrumptious (yes, I said scrumptious). The frosting is fluffy and creamy, while the cake is moist and velvety. I am still having an affair with this cupcake (I've been cheating on chocolate, yikes!).

3. Tootsie Roll Modeling Chocolate on Steampunk Cupcakes



A fondant alternative that's easy to get and easy to use! Plus, a tutorial for making your own steampunk top hats and goggles!!

2. A Fun, Festive Halloween Chocolate Orange Layer Cake

This, my friends, is a chocolate orange layer cake. It has chocolate layers. It has orange layers. It has rich chocolate filling and orange buttercream frosting. It has dark chocolate ganache on top. And it was totally fun to make!!

1. Butterbeer?! Oh Yes, Friends! Butterbeer!!

This is, by far, my favorite treat I've ever made (and your's too, apparently!)! I was lucky enough to try the real stuff at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter this summer. Their recipe is approved by JK Rowling herself, so you know it's the right stuff! That recipe is what I have based my own recipe on, and I think it tastes just like it! (Harry Potter is very popular, huh?) ;)

Perfect New Year's Eve Party Punch and Another Crafty Giveaway

I mentioned the other day that I'm not a big drinker, but even when I do drink, I'm all about it tasting good. I can't get behind a drink that makes me cringe with every sip...I don't eat food that tastes unpleasant, why would drink beverages that do? As I said before, one of my favorite cocktails is a Cosmopolitan, but for New Year's Eve, I like to make something a lot more fun!

What could be more fun than a frozen fruit punch cocktail?! Plus, how about those cocktail picks, huh? Don't worry...I'm not stingy! You can have them too!! I've been making this punch for a lot of years, and it is always wonderful! I generally make it non-alcoholic so the whole family can enjoy it (and do they ever!), but it's easy to punch this up (pardon the pun) for adults. You can even serve it at a party for everyone, by adding a little alcohol individually for the adults as you serve it (I usually so a shot of vodka per glass).

This is awesomely dairy- and gluten-free, too, so you don't even have to worry about allergies when you serve it! I tried to do a little research into vegan gelatin for this too, but I don't really have the knowledge to pass along directions comfortably. I'd love to here from any vegan friends if there would be a suitable alternative for the strawberry gelatin!

Ring in a Sweet New Year with Cosmopolitan Cupcakes

I'm sure it'll come as no surprise to anyone to learn that I like to ring in the New Year with sweets. Really, I'm not a big drinker, so celebrating with sweet treats is how I indulge. This year though, I'm going for a double whammy and combining one of my favorite cocktails, a Cosmopolitan, with one of my favorite desserts, cupcakes! Cosmopolitan + cupcake = what else?! Cosmopolicakes!

What a way to celebrate, huh?! I was certain that I wouldn't be able to pull these off. I just didn't think I could get the flavors of a Cosmopolitan to translate to cake, but I did, and am I ever glad!! They're sweet with a zippy little punch to them, and definitely grown up! But they don't have to be, I offer substitutions for all of the alcohol so that you can make these treats kid-friendly! Another awesome thing about these? They can easily be "vegan-ized!" I've included vegan substitutes in the recipe, as well!

Now Bring Us Some Figgy Pudding: Chocolate Christmas Pudding Cupcakes

For today's post, I really wanted two things:

1. To make something that looked like an adorable mini Christmas pudding (or figgy pudding)...even if it wasn't actually Christmas pudding.

2. To make something that was fast and easy, and that could be made with everything I already had on hand.

I honestly didn't think I'd be able to. At first, I went the figgy pudding recipe route, but quickly discovered that I wasn't going to like it, and that it was going to require several things that I did not have on hand. Which led me to go for the look of Christmas pudding...but the taste of chocolate cake. Luckily, I hit a bullseye on the very first try!

I'm pretty much obsessed with these little cakes. There are similar versions all over the internet, and they're just so adorable, I knew I had to make some!

Spiced Walnuts

I'm sure it will surprise no one to learn that I like to make little homemade gifts for the holidays. For the treats and goodies that I give away, I also like to make homemade bags and boxes to put them in. I just think it's so much more personal, and a lot less expensive, than buying shiny, plastic coated bags.

One of my favorite treats to give away is a batch of sugar walnuts.

They are the perfect amount of sweet and spicy, they're fast and easy to make, and very convenient to package and gift. Plus, everyone who gets some loves them!

World Peace Bacon Waffles

Today, I submit for your consideration: waffles and bacon. Together.



Alright, so I love bacon. I really do. I can't help it...it's delicious. I haven't jumped on the Bacon Bandwagon, though. As much as I love bacon, and as much as I love the combination of sweet and salty, I'm not interested in a bacon cupcake. Or a bacon donut. Don't even bother talking to me about bacon candy or gum...the idea makes me cringe!

While I'm sure there actually are great recipes out there combining bacon with cake and other sweet treats, I'm more of a bacon purist. I like bacon for what it is on it's own. I like what it brings to a meal, but I could certainly eat an entire meal of just bacon strips. Don't judge me.

Peppermint Candy Cupcakes, Two Ways

I know I made some sweet, festive cupcakes for the holidays already, but I really wanted some fun, Christmas-y hi hats too. I've wanted peppermint hi hats for months and months, and what better time to have them than Christmas time? Unfortunately, I keep kidding myself about what's possible in 88 degree weather with roughly 90 percent humidity in the air. In the end, I did end up with some sweet little hi hats, but I also made some absolutely adorable peppermint candy cupcakes too!

Personally, I think these are so beautiful! They're simple and easy, to make and to decorate, but they are so striking and lovely! The best part is that you can use any recipe you like to make them! 

Use your own favorite vegan/dairy-free, gluten-free, or standard white or yellow (or chocolate!) cupcake recipe (or boxed mix), and just substitute half (or all, depending on how minty you want your cupcakes) of the vanilla with peppermint extract.

My Absolute Favorite Dessert. Ever. So far... Chocolate Caramel Hazelnut Tart

I recently discovered a dessert that may have replaced brownies in slot number one of my favorite desserts. It has chocolate, lots of gooey caramel, and whole, toasted hazelnuts. It is absolutely one of the best tasting desserts I've had in my life, hands down one of the loveliest to look at, and easy peasy to boot!

I'll stop now to acknowledge the abundance of caramel on my blog in recent weeks. I'd like to say that I'm sorry, but I just can't. I cannot be sorry for caramel. It's one of the most spectacular things in existence and there is no excuse for an apology. Aside from that fact, though, I also just learned how to make it, and since then I can't get enough. I've always been a caramel freak, but now that I know how flippin' simple it is to whip up, I always have some on hand. But you're not complaining, are you?

Now, back to the tart...

This tart was so completely irresistible to me that I ate half of it by myself. You heard me right. Half. And it was so wonderful that I don't even feel guilty about it! This was like a drug for me. I could feel it in the kitchen, pulling at me...calling my name. And I answered the call. I am going to have to resist making this very often, or I'll end up in a sugar coma. A deep sugar coma.

The Macaron Trials

Macarons. They scare me. A lot of people have said that they were intimidated by the idea of making macarons. Lots of bloggers have said it, in fact. And even though lots of bloggers have already said it, I'm going to say it too, because it's true. I was intimidated by macarons. I decided to tackle making them, though, for a bake sale that was held to benefit the St. Croix Animal Welfare Society.

Guess what? I'm still intimidated by them. And defeated...but only barely. I did not achieve perfect, beautiful, adorable macarons, but the ones I did get were still delicious...I can't wait to try again and get them right!

For those of you who have never had a macaron, or don't know what they are, just look at them:

Photo courtesy of sparkleskitchen on Etsy

Aren't they just about the most adorable thing you've ever seen?! You can tint them to be any color in the rainbow, and filling possibilities are endless!

Whimsical Eggnog Christmas Cake

Once again, I present a recipe that is actually rooted in a food dislike of mine: eggnog. I have never liked eggnog. Unfortunately, the hubster loves it. It's unfortunate because I have a bad habit of not buying what I don't like...so he misses out. Our boy loves it too. He says it's his favorite drink ever, more than cream soda (which he loves an awful lot)! I, on the other hand, won't go near the stuff. 

I don't think it's disgusting, I just don't particularly enjoy it. In cake, though? That's a completely different story!

This cake turned out to have one of the best textures of any cake I've made before. It was moist and soft, but still had a firm bite. And the frosting ended up being the perfect compliment! I used the same frosting from this recipe, but adapted it to have a bit of an eggnog flavor. Needless to say, this cake was a huge hit in my house...even with me!

Chocolate Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce and Fresh Whipped Cream

Something about Christmas always makes me want chocolate. I mean, I always want chocolate, but Christmas makes me want it even more. I have to consciously choose not to make only chocolate treats this time of year. After all, not everyone loves it as much as I do (which I will never understand). I did, however, discover a recipe recently that wouldn't have happened if it hadn't had so much tasty chocolate in it.

When I was a little girl, my dad used to make desserts sort of on a whim. There was never any planning involved. He'd just take whatever we had on hand and whip something up. Sometimes this led to favorite little snacks, and smiles all around. But sometimes it ended up with groans of disappointment from me and my sisters. See, his favorite dessert to whip up was bread pudding. We would get all excited when he said he was going to make dessert, and then he'd pull bread pudding out of the oven. Gross.

Neither of my sisters or me liked it. It was a huge letdown to think we were getting something yummy, only to have bread pudding show up. Now, I won't say that I still don't like bread pudding, it wouldn't be fair (I haven't had it since I was a kid), but in my memories, I really don't like it. I have decided to try to make some like my dad used to make, and give it another chance. In the meantime, though, I just haven't liked it. Well, until now.

Chocolate makes everything better. I came across this recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks, The Art and Soul of Baking. Even with my sketchy past with bread pudding, I immediately wanted to try it (seriously, chocolate makes everything better). I am so very glad that I made this! Plus, like most bread puddings, it was simple to make...even with homemade caramel sauce! The best part is that you can prepare this for the oven the day before you plan to serve it. Then, you just pop it in the oven an hour and a half or so before dessert time, and you'll have a warm, delicious treat ready and waiting! Even the caramel sauce and whipped cream can be made early!

Pretty Little Winter Wonderland Cupcakes and a Pretty Little Giveaway!

A few weeks ago, my husband asked me what I was baking that day, and I told him cupcakes.

"I hope they're vanilla," he said.

"Um. No...they're chocolate."

"Oh," he said, his shoulders slumping slightly. "That sounds good," he claimed in a falsely cheery voice.

He's not a very good liar. Probably because he never lies. He's a heart-on-his-sleeve, tell-it-like-it-is, read-him-like-a-book kind of guy. Well, at least to me he is. When I say that to others, they look at me like I've lost my mind, because he's so reserved around others. But I digress. He clearly wanted vanilla cupcakes. Turns out he was sick of all of the chocolate, chai, fruity cupcakes that I've been making lately.

That got me thinking...I haven't actually made a straight up vanilla cupcake on here! I've come close before, but never just simple vanilla cake and frosting. I felt I owed it to him, so a few days later I baked up some vanilla cupcakes with whipped vanilla frosting (not whipped cream...you'll see). Then I got all mopey because I'm used to seeing snow on the ground by now, and decided to cheer myself up by making some winter wonderland cuppies!

I had already ordered some adorable decorations from Bake It Pretty (I promise these people aren't paying me or anything, I just love their stuff and their company...incredible customer service and amazing fast, cheap shipping), so I just needed to decide on colors and what I'd do to make them cute. That's when I was inspired to make my own printable cupcake picks! You know, they're everywhere right now, and really, they're such a great idea! I already had a theme (winter) and settled on a color scheme of pale pink, light blue, white, and silver. I wanted something wintry, but different than the typical red and green or blue and white that you tend to see this time of year. Then, photoshop and I spent the day together, and the results were pretty stinking charming, if I do say so myself!

Aren't they fun?! I love how sweet and elegant, yet whimsical, they look, but they're still perfect for the holiday season! You wanna know the best part, though? I know you do! The best part about these pretty picks is that you can make them too! You can make them, because I'm going to give them to you! *throws confetti and claps hands* Yay!! Clearly, I'm pretty excited about this.

This isn't like your typical giveaway, though, because you don't have to win these! And they're not just for one person either! They're free for anybody who wants them!! All you have to do is open the link at the end of the post, print them out on heavy white paper, and assemble! Your day just got happier, huh? It's ok, mine did too.

How Do You Celebrate the Holidays?

Yesterday's post by Andrea, and the corresponding comments from some of you, got me thinking... This time of year is so full of many different holidays and celebrations, how do you celebrate?

I am from the U.S., currently living in the Virgin islands, and my family celebrates Christmas. Since we're a military family, we keep things simple for the holidays, but we have our little traditions.

We prefer to have a live Christmas tree, but they're far too pricey here in the islands, so it's an artificial tree for us, for now. We typically put our tree up and decorate it around December 10, but this year, I was homesick for snow and that wintry feeling, so we put it up the weekend after Thanksgiving. Every ornament on our Christmas tree means something to at least one person in the family. They're all very special.

Gimme Some Sugar: A Sweet List of Tasty Links

Hi everyone! This is Andrea again! You may remember me from my post back in October? Well, I'm back again, with more delicious recipes to share with you! I'll be making my way here every month or two to share some of the wealth of links I've saved up, just a few at a time, so keep an eye out for me!

The holidays are here again! Personally, my life is crazy hectic right now, and adding Christmas to the mix…well, it just got more crazy hectic! :) Somehow, in the midst of it all, I still manage to find time to browse recipes online. I must feed the addiction that I was telling you all about a couple of months ago. :)

We celebrate Christmas in our family,  and we decided years ago to do our holiday gathering first thing Christmas morning since everyone has so many places to be that day, and so many meals to eat with their other families, so why we do breakfast! It’s fun and different, but we can still have a traditional ham for our meal just like almost everyone else does. Or at least I thought everyone else did. Over the years I’ve learned just how differently Christmas is celebrated by others. I especially enjoy learning what other cultures do for Christmas. I like to see what kinds of food they eat the most, though! You know...since I’m a food addict! ;)

I'm fortunate enough to work with many Hispanics, and I'm even more fortunate to get to eat some of the food they bring to work. It’s a definite perk of my job! My favorite is definitely tamales! They are so good! I was surprised to learn that tamales are usually served at Christmas, though. They require so much time and effort that they are reserved for special occasions. I decided this year I want to make some tamales for our Christmas! I know I'll be cooking for breakfast, but that’s ok, in many countries, tamales are eaten for breakfast too. I tried making them once before, and they were ok, but not great. This time will be different, though: I found a new link to try out! I can’t wait to try making them again. These look like they're going to be just what I need to succeed. I can’t wait!

Researching tamales made me curious about what people in other countries eat for their Christmas meals too. I found a few recipes that piqued my interest, and thought I’d share them with you!

Lovely Double-Braided Challah Bread

When I first met the hubster, he did not have a sweet tooth. At all. I'm sure you can imagine my disdain. I mean, I wasn't much of a baker back then, but I still loved sweets and pretty treats, but he wasn't the least bit interested in sharing them with me. Well, today he still doesn't have much of a sweet tooth, unless it's for homemade sweets, that is. He's not interested in store bought candies or desserts, but he loves to be my first taste tester when I try something new, and he always volunteers to help get rid of extra cakes and cookies!

One thing he's always loved, though, is bread. It doesn't always have to be fresh, homemade bread either, although that's his favorite. You can imagine his excitement, then, when I told him I was making a loaf of challah bread. He was like a little kid waiting for it to come out of the oven, and then cool, so he could have a slice...or four. The thing is, though, this time he had to fight me for it, cause this stuff is good!



It has an ever-so-slightly crisp crust, and the softest, yet firm, texture! I love how it's just a little sweet, too. You could definitely enjoy this plain, but it's the best with a smear of butter! Plus, it's just gorgeous, and so much easier than it looks! Admittedly, it takes several hours because it has to rise three times, but all of the steps involved in making it (even the braiding) are simple and easy.

Tootsie Roll Modeling Chocolate on Steampunk Cupcakes

With holiday season in full swing, I've been getting a lot of questions and comments about fondant. A lot of people are either intimidated by it, or disgusted by it. I can understand both points...if you've never worked with it, it's kind of scary, and a lot of fondant tastes awful! Well, before I get into today's post, I do have to say:

1. Fondant is fun! It's like playing with play-do or clay. Don't be scared to try it, because you can make things as simple or as elaborate as your patience, time, and skill will let you. And practice really does make perfect.

2. Marshmallow fondant (MMF) tastes nice. I hate "real" fondant. Even when it's homemade, "normal" fondant is just sickeningly sweet and basically flavorless, but MMF, while still quite sweet, has a nice flavor, and can be altered. I love adding a little lemon extract to mine.

Those two points being made, I know that there are some people who still aren't interested in fondant, even if they do want something sculpted for a cake or cupcake. It may be that they don't have time to make fondant from scratch, or they just don't want to. And if that's the case, and you hate the flavor of store bought fondant, what can you do? I think I may have an answer, but another reason I wanted to experiment with fondant alternatives is the humidity here. My fondant tends to just melt and sweat...it's so sad.

I've been thinking about those issues for a few weeks now, and I've come up with a partial answer. Besides fondant, there is modeling chocolate. I've never worked with modeling chocolate, although I have a recipe for making my own, and obviously, it would be more limited than fondant, as it's already brown, so coloring it is basically out the window. But it can be painted with food coloring and luster dust, so I thought it'd be a good jumping off point to finding fondant alternatives. Whenever I thought of it, my mind kept going to candy. I thought that there might be a fun option, that's readily available and easy to use: like tootsie rolls. 

Admittedly, I couldn't find them anywhere on my island. Tootsie rolls! Nowhere! But the hubster recently had to do a little traveling, so he grabbed a couple of bags for me to experiment with. Man, am I glad that he did! The results turned out so fun!

See? Didn't they?! I know it probably made sense to do something holiday themed, but I decided to make steampunk themed cupcakes, because...well...I wanted to! I love steampunk stuff, and there really aren't a whole lot of steampunk themed cupcakes out there, but also because the brown color wouldn't be much of a hindrance with them. I kept things relatively simple with just an adorable top hat and goggles, accented with little golden gears. Is it wrong of me to say that I freaking love how they turned out?! Seriously, I just think they're so cute! Plus, they were shockingly fast, once I figured out just what I wanted to do!

Puppies Like Holiday Cookies Too! I Give You: Plumpkins

Now that the holidays are truly in full swing, I have lots of fun, seasonal treats to share with you, but before I get into that, I have something for our furry babies today (and just in time for Cookie Week too)! You may remember, just before Thanksgiving, I talked about my pooch, Loki's, birthday and a puppy cookie book that I got for him. Well, I made him cookies for his birthday, and after making them, I have to say, if you don't have this book, you should get it!

I chose to make the cookies they called "Plumpkins" in the book. In their words, they're "pumpkin cookies dropped from heaven." They seemed perfect for the season, and super easy (which they were). You just throw all of the ingredients in a bowl, mix 'em up, and drop the batter onto baking sheets (I recommend lining the sheets with Silpat mats or parchment). I made mine on the small side (about one teaspoon of batter per cookie), since the Lokmeister is a small 15 pounds. The only thing about these, silly as it is, is how they look...

Seriously, don't they look like McDonald's chicken nuggets? I laugh every time I look at them, because they really do...it's not just the lighting or something in that photo. Regardless of how little they look like cookies, Loki went mad for them! After the first one (no exaggeration), he was doing his whole repertoire of tricks for one...without being told! That's gotta be good, right?

Mexican Hot Chocolate Donuts with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting

Alright, so my turkey turned out pretty good. It did. But honestly, it wasn't great, and that made me a little sad. Just a little. I wanted to make a super fantastic, mouthwatering, irresistible turkey dinner. Instead I made a nice turkey dinner. I think, though, that mostly it was just that the work involved didn't really give a big payoff. As I said before, I usually just make turkey breast for Thanksgiving, and I'll be doing that again next year, because in the end, the results were no different.

Why would they be? Something in my brain had me convinced that roasting a whole turkey this year would yield something far different than just roasting a turkey breast. What was I thinking?! They're basically the same thing! Unless, of course, you're craving a drumstick...

I brined the turkey using PW's favorite turkey brine, but I have to be 100% honest and tell you that it didn't do a whole lot for our turkey.Well, the turkey was juicy, yes, but it didn't seem to pull any of the flavors from the brine, which was disappointing. I rubbed the whole turkey with a delicious herb butter that we all enjoyed very much, though, and I'll definitely be doing something similar from now on. All in all, it was a good bird, and definitely a good learning experience.

Anyway, though, our Thanksgiving was wonderful, and dinner was delicious! I also made homemade, creamy mashed potatoes (and totally fried my blender in the process), green beans, sweet cranberry sauce, and (my favorite!) homemade dinner rolls. Not much, but there were only the three of us, and even this was still too much for us. For dessert we had mini pumpkin cheesecakes and pumpkin bread, both with fresh whipped cream.

I had decided a few nights before the big day, though, that I wanted to do something fun for breakfast too. I quickly settled on donuts. 

Um, can you say yum?! Donuts are the best thing ever! I. love. donuts. If there are donuts, I can't resist. It's a little ridiculous how much I love them.Which is why it's so ironic that I've never made them before... But then again, I never had this pan before:

The hubster got me this adorable mini donut pan a few weeks ago. Mine is made by Norpro, but there are a few other options to choose from. I could hardly wait to try it out, and decided thanksgiving was a great excuse to break it in! I only had to decide on the flavor. I knew I wanted to make either a sweet and cinnamon-y option, or something chocolaty, but it was the hubster who decided because I froze with indecision. He was more intrigued by a spicy chocolate and marshmallow idea, so I went for it, and they turned out really tasty!

Confession...

I have no food today. I don't even have a pretty picture.

Wait...



There.

I know, I know. It's not food, but today I'm just gonna talk about food...and hopefully, you'll all talk back.

See, I'm nervous. I'm nervous because I'm making a whole turkey tomorrow. I'm nervous because this is only the second time that I'm ever making a whole turkey. That's right, I've only ever made a turkey once, and it was entirely underwhelming. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. It was completely unremarkable to the point that neither my husband nor myself can even remember it.

Sweet Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Ginger Snap Crusts

Yesterday I admitted my dislike for pumpkin pie. Today, I want to let it be known that my dislike doesn't extend to all things pumpkin. One of my favorite treats ever is fresh pumpkin bread and I love pumpkin seeds, but even though I don't like pumpkin pie, that doesn't mean I don't have a great substitute for it that I absolutely love!

Pumpkin cheesecake is my favorite Thanksgiving dessert, hands down. I admit, if there's chocolate, I'll go for it, but I'll still have a slice of pumpkin cheesecake too. In my opinion, it's far superior to pumpkin pie, which I think is nothing short of gross. I make pumpkin cheesecake every year, and it never get's old.

Thanksgiving Cookies: Soft Ginger Sandwiches with Creamy Ginger-Orange Filling

I have to be honest, I've never been a big fan of most traditional Thanksgiving desserts, like pumpkin or pecan pie. In fact, I'm not really a fan of pies, in general. There, I said it. I don't (usually) like pie. In most cases, it's the texture (this is normally where people look at me like I've lost my mind). But I just don't like cooked fruit, and I know I'm not alone.

I know, I know...not all pies have fruit in them (like pecan pie, which, for the record, I don't like because of the pecans), but the majority do. And, for the record, I like a lot of the pies out there that don't have fruit. That's why, every year, I like making less than traditional desserts for Thanksgiving. Of course, even though I like to make something different, I still like for it to have those warm Fall flavors that make Thanksgiving so memorable.

This year, I decided to make a cookie. I wanted to make ginger snaps because I've never made them before, and they have such a wonderful, spicy flavor. Then I stumbled onto a recipe that made ginger snaps into sandwich cookies, and I knew that's what I wanted to do! Except, I had an issue or two.

My Favorite Movie Snack: Homemade Popcorn with Yummy Mix-ins

I'm still not exactly sure how it happened, but last night I found myself standing in line to get into an early showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 1. We're not talking about the first midnight showing here, either. I was in my seat, butterbeer in hand, by seven o' clock! I'm sure you can imagine just how thrilled I was!

Isolated as we are here, I fully expected to miss the movie altogether this weekend. Our theater is so small, that they only release five movies a week, and public expectations/popularity have little bearing on the choices they make. My relief was great when I learned that they were, in fact, releasing the film here this weekend! I got everyone into their HP tees, packed up some cauldron cakes, the fixins' for butterbeer, and my favorite movie snack, and out the door we went.

That's right, I'm one of those people. A smuggler. Someone who packs their own drinks and snacks to take to the movies with them. Sure, we may buy some candy or a soda once we're there, but for the most part, I'm a smuggler. I don't do it just because the treats at the theater are exorbitantly overpriced, although they are. I also do it because I like my popcorn better.

Yep, you heard me right. I pack my own homemade popcorn for the movies. Honestly, though, movie theater popcorn is awful, not to mention unhealthy. That's why I make my own stovetop popcorn to take along. For those of you thinking that you could have microwave popcorn for a fraction of the work, you're right, but this is really worth the extra work, and it's super fast and easy anyway!

Happy Birthday Loki!

Today I'm taking a little break from celebrating Harry Potter week to celebrate my puppy!

Loki is a Bichon Frise, and he is a huge part of our family. Today is his birthday! He's eight years old, and completely spoiled rotten. :)

I'm totally a bake-my-dog-his-own-birthday-cake kinda girl, so when I say he's spoiled, I really mean it. This year, though, I'm making him some yummy organic cookies.

Double Double Chocolate Cauldron Cakes

From the first time I read about them, cauldron cakes captured my imagination! More than any of the other little snacks and sweet treats in the novels, these little cakes had me drooling from the start. Yet I've never attempted them before. Now, after having visited the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I can't resist the temptation any longer! And there's no better excuse to make them than my continuing celebration of the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 1!

Cauldron cake from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

My favorite treat at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, after the butterbeer, was absolutely the cauldron cake that I got at Honeydukes. They were tasty little chocolate muffins dipped in rich chocolate and topped with smooth chocolate frosting. Definitely my kind of treat! Like butterbeer, I could hardly wait to recreate these!

My cauldron cakes

And boy, am I glad I did! They turned out adorable and whimsical, and don't even get me started on how mouthwatering they are!

Butterbeer?! Oh Yes, Friends! Butterbeer!!

As I continue my little celebration of the release of Harry potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 1, today I get to share with you my favorite treat that I have ever, ever made: butterbeer!

It seems to be the Harry Potter food that most people want to try more than any other! Fortunately, now you can, of course, at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. And the best part about it, is that you know it's the right stuff, because Jo Rowling herself taste approved the park's recipe!

Harry's Favorite Treat: Teeny, Tiny Treacle Tarts

Obviously, I am a big Harry Potter fan. The complete magic and wondrous world that J.K. Rowling created captured me from the first time I picked the books up. The first book was published in 1997, when I was 17. At the time, I hadn't even heard of the books, let alone read one. I didn't pick up the Harry Potter books until 2002, shortly after I got married.

During the first year of our marriage, my husband was deployed several times. Of the 12 months of that first year, he was gone about nine of them. This was shortly after the first film was released, so HP was really entering mainstream at this point, and it finally caught my attention. I've always been a huge reader, so I snatched the first two books up at Target and ended up reading them voraciously!

Since then, I've read the books dozens of times, waited around at midnight release parties, arrived at movie theaters insanely early to guarantee good seats, attended Harry potter festivals, and had the good fortune to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (where I have decided that we will be retiring)! If it involves the Harry Potter series, I'm there, I'll buy, I love it! My next endeavor is to make it to LeakyCon! Hopefully 2012 is my year!

This week marks the beginning of the very end. This Friday, November 19, Part 1 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is released (Part 2 comes out in June 2011). When the book was released, I tried so hard to read it as slow as possible so it would last just a little bit longer. That same feeling is why I'm actually quite glad that the film is being released in two parts. Some people are annoyed by it, but I'm glad that the experience will last just a little longer. Love it or hate it, you have no choice but to acknowledge that Harry Potter changed the world!

In celebration of the film's release this week, I'll be sharing some delicious Harry Potter treats with you. I had the best time writing these posts! It was a little bit like stepping into the magical world of Rowling's! No feature of Potter treats would be complete without Harry's favorite food: treacle tarts!!

Admittedly, I had no clue what treacle was, let alone treacle tarts, so I had a small bit of research to do. It turns out treacle is a sweet syrup that is derived during the processing of cane sugar. I searched high and low for it, but as has become the norm for me, it was unavailable for me. I think it wouldn't be completely unreasonable to think that it might be available in some places in the States, but if you can't find it, never fear! I have a substitution.

Sweet Maple Nut Cake

When we lived in Vermont, I had real maple syrup for the very first time. Well, that's not entirely true... I'd had it before but it had been low quality and I was convinced I didn't like it. Then we moved to The Maple Syrup Capital of the World: Vermont. 

The whole maple sugar process in Vermont is such a part of life. Even after living there only two years, we knew when it was time for the lines to go up; time for the steam to start pouring from the sugar houses.It was one of my favorite things about Vermont. In fact, we lived right across the street from a big, beautiful farm/bed and breakfast that had it's own sugar house! There was maple syrup, maple sugar, and maple candy everywhere you turned. It was wonderful! I never came across a maple cake, though. I never attempted one either. 

I have to admit, at that time my cooking and baking skills were in the toddler stage. Vermont was where I made my first fondant cake, baked my first 100% from scratch cupcakes, and roasted my first whole chicken. I'd been cooking for a few years, but I've come an awfully long way since then. Now, for some reason, I have been dying to try making a maple cake. Maybe it's the tropical air making me nostalgic for cooler whether and Autumnal flavors, but I finally couldn't resist any longer!

Boy-oh-boy! Am I ever glad I finally made it, too! It's like all of the best flavors of fluffy pancakes rolled up with all the deliciousness of cake! I know, right?! Yummm!! It was easy to make too! I decided to make the decorations as easy and delicious as the cake, and buttercream all the way...maple buttercream, no less!

**Instructions for converting this to a gluten-free cake are included in the recipe!!!**

Thank You...

Today, in the U.S., is Veterans Day. In other nations around the world, it's Armistice Day and Remembrance Day.

As a military wife, today I say thank you to my dad, uncles, cousins, grandfathers, father- and brothers-in-law. Thank you to my many military friends. Thank you to all of the women and men who have served and are serving today. Thank you to the husbands, wives, parents, and children who support them.



Thank you to my dedicated husband, who gives nothing less than the best, for his country and his family.

Much love,
Darla

Lazy Day: Semi-Homemade Caramel Apple Cookies

If you've been reading my blog for a while, then you know that I'm usually all about the homemade. I love baking from scratch as much as possible, but every once in a while, I'm either too lazy or too rushed. And even less often, I have some little thing that I love, that comes in a box or a bag, and I can't resist putting it in a cookie or a cake. That's the case with these cookies.

These yummy little babies were inspired by not one, but two pre-made items, as well as a moment of need. I was on the search for a last minute Fall themed treat that I could make, and these cookies were born.

Good Morning Cookies: Cinnarookies!

Since starting my blog 11 months ago, I've noticed that a lot of my baking and cooking is influenced by my childhood. This shouldn't really come as a surprise, though. Several of my family members, including my dad, enjoyed cooking very much, and my parents cooked dinner almost every single night when I was growing up.

I remember my parents made this one cookie when I was little that I used to just love. It was a sort of cinnamon roll cookie, but without any frosting, and they were small, and a bit dry and crunchy, but in the right way. I have fond memories of my mom and dad whipping them up at the last minute as a snack for my sisters and I. Unfortunately, I don't have the recipe, but they did inspire the cookies I have for you today! And maybe soon, I'll finally have that old recipe figured out so they're just right! Until then, trust me, you don't want to miss these!

The hubster calls these "cinnarookies." I think we all know how I feel about giving fun food a cute name, so cinnarookies they are! Making "real" cinnamon rolls takes quite a bit of work and time, so I wanted another way to capture the flavors and feel of them with a little less work. Plus, these make many, many more, and they're far easier to share with friends and family. Which, for me, is always a bonus!

Crumb Top Coffeecake Muffins

When I was a kid, I used to love to get those Hostess coffeecakes that came in a three pack at the gas station! I thought they were so delicious, and my mom never, ever made coffeecake, so they were quite a treat too. I always used to have them with chocolate milk. The breakfast of champions, clearly.

Now, as an adult, I never buy them. We try to eat more natural and organic foods in our home, and sadly, those fall far outside of our eating style. However, several weeks ago, shortly after I celebrated my 100th blog post, I ordered something that inspired me to recreate those little cakes, in a healthier form. 

Many of you mentioned, during the Bake It Pretty giveaway, that you would buy the muffin top pan if you won (unfortunately, it's currently sold out!). Well, I couldn't stop thinking about how fantastic it would be to have that damned pan. Thanks, guys. So now I have it. And now I really am thanking you guys, cause I made the yummiest muffin tops with it!

Because I always thought those little Hostess coffeecakes were like muffin tops, they were the first thing I was inspired to try!

FYI-these are not exclusively to be made as muffin tops. I have included directions for making them as standard muffins, too.

Delicious Flavored Candy Apples

Halloween is over and November is here! You know what that means, right? To my American friends who thought "Thanksgiving and all of it's delicious food," you're right, and, yes, it's also Loki's birthday this month, but that's not what I'm thinking either! There's another reason to get excited about November! That's right, folks, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt. 1 comes out on November 19!!!

You wouldn't believe how excited I am! Oh, the sweets I have in store for the occasion! And all of them are straight from the books!! I have been like a mad scientist, trying (and succeeding!) at recreating flavors and ideas for the treats I want to make. But that's not for a couple of weeks yet. For now, I'm still mourning another Halloween gone by.

No more ghosts and ghouls. No more witches. No more jack o lanterns. And worst of all, no more yummy Halloween goodies. This year was especially sparse for us on Halloween goodies, because our boy is officially "too old" for trick or treating.  That's right, no more "checking" his candy for bad pieces, sorting it with him into what he likes and the "throw away" pile. As if any Halloween candy ever gets thrown away!

I told the hubster Saturday evening that we should find a baby to borrow, so we'd have an excuse to keep trick or treating. Babies are the best for trick or treating...everyone loves them and gives them plenty of treats, but you get to keep it all, and the baby'll never know! It's the perfect scam! As it is, we now have to buy our own Halloween candy again. That's why I decided this year to make some, in the form of candy apples.

I've loved candy apples all my life. Not caramel, mind you (although they're delicious too), but candy apples. The bright red, hard candy coated apples that I only ever got to have when the fair was in town. As I've gotten older, though, I've come to realize that, if I'm really honest with myself, they're not very tasty at all. The candy shell is always just a super sweet, flavorless sugar candy. I was inspired to try and make a better tasting candy apple.

Bonus, these treats are great for pretty much everyone, because they are naturally gluten- and dairy-free and they're vegan, as well!

Gluten-Free Rolled Sugar Cookies...or Halloween Cupookies!

I made some cookies the other day. Some really yummy cookies. Some sugar cookies that are gluten-free, courtesy of Gluten-Free Girl (if you don't need gluten-free cookies, use my favorite sugar cookie recipe instead).

When I made these, I walked around the house all day, thinking, "How clever am I? Watch me make up a funny portmanteau for these!" (Because I was asked: Portmanteau - definition. For the record, I knew there was a word for what I was trying to do, but I had to look it up, too.)

I quickly settled on 'coopcakes.' Cookies + Cupcakes = Coopcakes. However, after throwing the word out there a few times, I couldn't get the word coop out of my head. As in chicken coop. Seriously?! Coopcakes?! I don't even wanna know what would come out of a chicken coop that could be considered a coopcake! Moving on...

Boo-tiful Cupcakes: Hi Hat Ghosts!

Okay, okay...technically these aren't hi hats, but yours hopefully will be!

As you'll recall from yesterday, I have been unsuccessful in all attempts to melt white chocolate. I'm frustrated by it, but at the same time, I'm glad that I can share my trials with everyone! It's a good lesson learned. You know the saying, "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade!"

These sweet ghosts are my compromise with Mother Nature. They are what I was able to achieve without my white chocolate or candy melts. However, I hadn't originally planned for today's hi hats to be ghosts at all. My original idea was more colorful, but I'm hoping to be able to share them with you next year. For now, I took advantage of the white, fluffy filling of a hi hat and came up with a pure white alternative for Halloween!

They're honestly pretty darned cute, though! Obviously, mine haven't been dipped, but they hardly look any different than you lovely dipped ghosts will look! These also aren't nearly as tall as they would be if everything had gone according to plan. Because of the nature of the frosting, I had to keep mine on the short side. Had I been able to dip them, they would have had a layer of chocolate to protect the frosting from the heat and humidity, so they could have been much taller (which I hope you will venture to do!). As it is, I actually love them!

Plus, they're not hard to make at all! I used the same frosting for these that I used in my original hi hat post. I had already had a vanilla cupcake made for my original plan, but these could easily be made in any flavor you choose. You can use the same cupcake from my other hi hat post, or, since the tops are coated in white chocolate, you could make a matching cupcake. If you choose to make a special flavor cupcake, like lemon, you could easily substitute half of the vanilla in the frosting with an extract to match the cupcake.