Molly Marie Plays Catch-up...again...

It's another catch-up day! (I think the theme of this blog could very well be, "better late than never!" Blog title change? haha maybe...) I think so far, I have promised you cake, sugar cookies, and frosting. (If there is another unfulfilled promise floating around on one of my posts, you'll have to let  me know!) So, let's not waste any time here! 

Cake!

I wasn't lying when I told you I used a cake mix. Just a plain, store-bought vanilla cake mix. I find they make delicious cakes and they don't cost a lot AND I save time (which I can use for making better designs). A small exception with this cake is the strong splash of cinnamon I added. And when I say strong...I mean too strong. I think a teaspoon would have been wonderful. My heaping two...not so much. Haha. When I use spices on the fly...I tend to over do it. Don't make my mistakes. If you want to experiment with strong flavors, just be warned haha.

Wow. I sound like this cake turned out disastrously. It didn't!! But it would have been more pleasant if the cinnamon had been more subtle :)

          

                

                            you can see here the mass of cinnamon lol

         
         
         
         I think it turned out GREAT!! Only...like I said...it was a mite bit too cinnamony for my tastes. Next time I'll measure before thinking I can just wing it with spices lol.

         

 As you can see, I have two layers. One the cinnamony cinnamon  flavor, and one I kept just vanilla

It'd look mighty pretty in one of these :)

"Simplicity Cake Plate with Dome"

SUGAR COOKIES!

Let me just quickly say this: I LOVE sugar cookies!!! And you will too with the cookie/frosting combo I'm going to give you!! Sugar cookies are THE BEST for a recipe that always tastes delicious, but you can easily tweak to fit the occassion! If you take a look at an earlier Christmas post (here) you can see that by just using different cookie cuttuer shapes and food coloring, you can acheieve fantastic results!!

But enough of me going on about how great they are. Nothing I can say will convince you as much as tasting these cookies will! You'll have to make 'em to believe me!!:D

SugarCookieDough:

3/4      cup   shortening

1         cup   sugar

2                 eggs

1         tsp    vanilla extract

2 1/2   cups  flour

1         tsp    baking powder

1         tsp    salt

Mix shortening, sugar, eggs, and flavoring thoroughly. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt together. Blend the dry mixture into the wet. Chill at least 1 hour.

Heat over to 400 deg. Roll dough out (1/8" thick) on a lightly floured board. Cut with cookie cutters (3"). Place on an ungreased baking sheet. BAKE: 6-8 min. (I always go for the lower time) You don't want these cookies golden. They should be a bit puffy when they come out of the oven. If you over bake, they'll be hard. (But don't stress if they do get over done...the frosting fixes EVERYTHING! I'm not even kidding. at all.)

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

2   cups             shortening
1   tsp               salt
2   tsp               vanilla extract
1   cup              water         
3   pkgs (16oz)  powdered sugar
Combine shortening, salt, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat at med speed of an electric mixer until blended. Alternately add small amounts of water and powdered sugar, beating constantly at low speed, until all blended. Beat 8 minutes at medium speed. (I chill the frosting to let it set more, but it isn't necessary).
This can be stored at room temp for several days or in the refridgerator for 2 weeks! NOTE: Prepare icing twice if you want to double. (If you double it will be enough to frost a 3-tiered cake! A LOT of frosting!)

These are so kid friendly it is ridiculous! I mean, as a kid, nothing is more fun than drawing with frosting. It's a bit messy, but in the messes of life we find ourselves. The same is true of sugar cookie messes!

I hope this post has filled you with a desire to make messes in the baking of life!
Sincerly,

One who has found herself within the mess of a kitchen

~MollyMarie

Easter Weekend

Oh Easter weekend :)
It's one of those times when a smile follows a little sigh of satisfaction. Not only is it a time to reflect on the Atonement of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (which really should be a thing we do EVERY day...but not the point) but it's a time to bake! (which also should be a thing I do every day...haha)

Right up there with Christmas, Easter is a holiday that involves a lot of sugar. And butter. And sugar. And umm a lot of eggs haha. I mentioned sugar right??

I know it's a week after the fact, but I wanted to share with you some pictures of the stuff I made!

The Recipes, like seemingly always, will have to wait until next post. I am going to friend's wedding today, so I'm a wee bit crunched on time. I'll have to be posting the recipe next time. But, to keep you interested...here are the yummies I made!

Exhibit A: SUGAR COOKIES

Seriously the best and most adaptable cookie for any holiday! It's all in the frosting baby!

Honestly. People are ALWAYS impressed by these cookies. They can be as time consuming or as easy as you choose. The more intricate the design on top, the more time. BUT these taste amazing. So regardless of whether you replicate Picasso and Rembrant with your frosting, or just slather on anice spoonful, they'll be a hit!



And I can GUARANTEE, you'll have people praising the ground upon which you walk...especially if you accidentally drop some crumbs.

Exhibit B: PEEP WARS

I have been wanting to try this for years. I don't know why I never did. Sometimes, I'm not a very logical person.

 But whatever. 

I did it this year. 

 Haha, it didn't exactly go as smoothly as I had hoped it might,

 BUT. I had a lot of fun. And so did my little brother. (I can't say the same for our Peep warriors unfortunately...)

Aaaaand the end result was delicious!!

 I guess that's all that really matters, right!?

Exhibit C: CAKE

I LOVE decorating cakes. I LOVE eating delicious cakes. And so occassions that allow me to do both...oh beautiful times!

 She turned out purdy, didn't she! And really, all this consisted of...

-a box cake mix (Vanilla!! my absolute favorite!)

-buttercream frosting (I posted the recipe yesterday which you can find **)

-food coloring (for the diff colors of frosting)

I know, I use cake mix. Sue me. I never said I was Betty Crocker. Or Mary Poppins. Besides, cake mixes taste amazing AND are less time consuming. I'd say it's a win-win.

AND

Exhibit D: (D for DELICIOUS) PEANUTBUTTER COOKIES.

Honestly, is any holiday weekend complete without these?? Not in my home. Not in my stomach.

 they just look gorgeous. With their peanutbuttery color and their peanutbuttery taste. And their peanutbuttery smell. Oh the peanutbuttery heaven!! It's quite easy to obtain this peanutbuttery bliss...and I've already posted this recipe!

(click here to begin your quest of peanutbuttery heaven attainment)

I wish you and your loved ones a very delicious and delectable day.

Keep dreaming, keep baking (really it's all the same)

~MollyMarie

Gingerbread House WAR!!

I told you already. I'm addicted. Therefore I offer this next post with no apologies!! Especially since it's gingerbread season!

I organized a Gingerbread House War/ Competition. Girls versus Guys. . .yeah, a little unfair. . .but still extremely fun!

On Sunday, we (the girls) issued our Declaration of War. We set up a poster and set out some cookies. . .

Pre-plated (oh so cute!)

                      and plated (they looked great!!!)




Along with the cookies and poster we sent. . .

a written declaration










and the rule sheet...








The challenge was taken up with enthusiasm. The girls are getting WAY into it. We have some super cool planning ideas going on...the guys really don't stand a chance! haha :) But it should be an interesting fight. The guys seem pretty stoked as well and I've heard some talk that since "canons" and not "cannons" were included in the restricted items...that there will be some actual weaponry. It's gonna get INTENSE!!

I can't wait until the 9th!! I'll post pictures and results. Too excited to contain myself!!!!

Life's the GREATEST!
~MollyMarie

THANKSGIVING!!! the day of reckoning...

Thanksgiving FINALLY came!!

Last night was spent in the kitchen...and I mean ALL last night...AND ALL yesterday morning...or as I so intelligently called it a few days ago "last morning." (Yeah. I got teased for that one! But the more I think about it...the less wrong it sounds lol. I may just go with it haha.)

As you may have guessed. . . . I didn't go to Magic Mountain. My responsible side won out. But I'm glad I chose to stay home. Not only did I finish the rolls, which turned out splendidly, I went to class, which was super good because even though the teacher said that not coming wouldn't penalize people. . . we ended up learning A LOT! I'm pretty sure that if I had missed, I would have come to class Monday and been completely and utterly lost. BUT I went and so I'll be great and good on Monday :) Also. I ended up making cookies!! Peanut butter for my Mom and sugar cookies for Thanksgiving night.

 ADORABLE right?!? haha follow the link to see where I originally got the idea! Only thing I changed is due to laziness! Instead of using icing for the beak and feet and M&Ms for the eyes. . .I just stuck a candy corn on for the beak and used some leftover candy from my gingerbread kit for the eyes. It doesn't look quite as good as the original, but I'm still pretty happy with them!
http://theherberfamily.blogspot.com/2009/10/thanksgiving-treats.html

 

Yeah check out my other post
 for the recipe and better pics!
nutty for my peanut butter

BUT I KNOW THAT YOU ARE WONDERING ABOUT. . . . . .  THE ROLLS!!!!

Well. Here they are :) My babies. . . . 

 There are sooooo many. I think I've made my quota of rolls for the next decade!! lol. But I did enjoy perfecting my own roll recipe!








Only a few of the batches...

They LOOK SO GOOOOOOOD!!!! And they taste even BETTER!!! Huurrraaaahhh for perserverance and hardwork! Go Me...and of course all those who helped me succeed!

We'll see how it goes!!
MollyMarie

PS: I wrote this BEFORE our Thanksgiving Feast...But IT WENT SPECTACULAR!! My next post will include comment on people's reactions and on just Thanksgiving stuff :D