I have been so busy!!!

Hey guys I just wanted to pop on and say hi!  I have been having a really hard time managing my time with this new job.  I love it but for some reason the hours and such are making me lose my mind when it comes to my blog.  I have been so desperate to get back to read and share, but then sitting on the sofa or being with my family wins out.  I have done some baking, but not too much, which stinks.

Today is my day off from my full time job but I do have a few hours tonight at my part time work. So I have to whole day to do what I want.  And what I want to do it sit in front of my tv and eat.  What I really plan to do is post this, go get my toes painted and then the rest of the day will be filled with making marshmallows, doing laundry and trying to rest a little bit. I may get ambitious and dust a bit, but lets not think about that, it probably won't happen.

Anyway nothing new to share picture wise, Pork Chop is getting huge, and he can not get outside enough.  Do you remember being small and when it was warm enough you would be out as much as you could?  Well I do, but that is for young people, I would rather cuddle up with a good book or something, but whatever he is doing it.  So I hope to get here soon, because I miss sharing all my things.  I have made some stuff, nothing new, just the oldie but goodie ones.

 Hope to be back at this with some new stuff in May. Enjoy the warm weather people.

Simple Shortbread, Total Fail

My newest must have kitchen tool, sort of.

  So I have missed you all, I imagine that you are all "where the heck is the crazy lady?"  And I would have to say "who me?  Crazy?"  And then you would roll your eyes, and I would sort of just stand there, it is just how it is you know?

  Anyway I have been at my new job for over a week now, and I love it!  But, I feel like an idiot, like I will never get it all.  I also miss all the time I had to bake and blog.  And so tonight I am jumping on to share a really simple cookie.  One that didn't turn out so well for me, but you might have better luck.  Anyway, life is really good, busy but good, and I hope to be back more often to read and blog. So here is a post I wrote way back last year when I was hoping to have a new cookie to share, then I never did, because it was so bad!  Oh well, could be worse.

 So here you go.

  I had a dream. It was a simple dream. It involved me getting a new kitchen gadget and me using it and me making something so awesome and amazing that people would want my autograph; they would be like "you are the best thing since sliced bread!" And I would be all "duh was there ever any doubt?" And that would be wonderful!

Never knew you could get this in the regular store, I was all panicked thinking I would have to go to a specialty store.

    In real life; I got a new shortbread baking pan. I was all ready to become the famous shortbread baking lady. I even bought rice flour to make it. And well; it was no dream come true if you must know. So basically what happened was I used two cups of butter and ended up with a crumbling pan of half baked and half raw shortbread.

I just lightly oiled the pan.

The flour stuck on in globs so I had to use a pastry brush to get some of it off.

 It was not a good day. I almost cried, I was all "how am I ever going to show my face in public again?" And then I tossed out almost all of it and sat on the sofa and pouted for a while. It was one of those things where I look back now and I know how I screwed up but I am not in the mood to try again, yet. So I figure if nothing else I have a post to share my pictures of failure of and it will fill some void in your heart. You know the void, the one where you need to see how badly I can screw up and still come back for more.

See the dough was so soft and I bet you could even pipe it.  Great now I want to try piping it.

You can totally see how over full my pan is, but I was not going to stop.

It's what I do people; I think of you. But if we could have a moment of silence for those two cups of butter that I will never get back that would greatly help with my healing.

Thank you.

 So I got this pan at the kitchen store and it had a recipe in it, but it was sort of vague. So I went on line to see if I could find out more about the pan and the recipe. Well for some reason the pan wasn't even on the manufactures site, which should have been a big sign that something was up. But I forged on I looked on google to see if there was anything special I had to do to prepare my pan. In the end I figured that seasoning my pan couldn't hurt and that is what I did. I rubbed some vegetable oil on the pan and then sprinkled some flour on it to make sure nothing stuck.   Then I got to making the cookie dough.

See, I should have taken a bunch out.

It looked way worse in real life.

 Short bread cookies
found on the pan instructions

1/2 pound butter
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/2 cake flour
1/4 cup rice flour
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt

Pre heat oven to 350, and season your pan.
Blend the butter until creamy, add icing sugar and salt, blend well.  Add rice flour and cake flour and blend well.  Add half of the all purpose flour and blend, add the rest of the flour and blend. Press the dough into the mold and bake until golden brown.

See all this was almost raw, I was so mad!

 So the first thing about this is that I have not used rice flour before and I thought that it was a neat idea and figured it would make for a nice smooth cookie. So  I measure out everything and mix it all together and that is when I notice how soft the dough is, the recipe says to press the dough into the pan and it was spreadable. Also the recipe didn't say how much it made so I figured I needed to put it all into the pan. But there was way too much. So instead of taking some out and doing two batched I smoothed it out and went ahead and baked the full pan. And that is where I messed up. I put the pan on a cookie sheet just to make sure that it would not over flow. But even after 30 minutes the middle was still sort of wet but the outside was getting dark. So I pulled the tray out and let it set to cool.

 I let it cool a few minutes then flipped the whole thing onto a cookie tray and it fell apart.  The middle was soft and not cooked and the outsides were really crusty.  I even cut it to try it.  Now I will admit it was a nice melt in your mouth soft short bread, or at least the few edges I ate were.  So I cut it up thinking it would set up, but it didn't.  So I took a few pieces to work and no one ate them.  I really cannot blame them.  Just means I need to try again, and I will and it will be amazing.  I won't add this recipe to my index yet until I figure it out, so stay tuned I may be brave enough again before 2014 you know.

This went to work, and it never got eaten.

Ice Box Cake

  So this is another fast post, so much happening in my life that I have not really had any time to do any baking.  If you ask Hubby he would be all "it's about time!!"  And he would be right, sort of.  You see, as of Tuesday I will have a new job.  I finally found a job close to home, which should allow us to save some money.  Which I plan to spend on candy, or pay bills.  I prefer candy, just so you know.  

 I have been working a long way from home for my day job for almost 11 years, this job has been the one I was at just before I got married, I had Pork Chop while I was here and lots of other stuff.  I am so nervous. Do you think my new co workers will like me?  What if I shared my candy?  Well either way, it is happening.  Tomorrow, and I am so ready!

  I will still keep my part time job, because I really like it, and any extra money will put us that much closer to having our debt paid down.  Or you know, allow me to buy more sugar to bake with.  Also I think this will mean I may have to cut my posts down.  I aimed to do two posts a week, and sometimes that was just not possible.  And so I am going to aim for one post a week, if I get two in, it will be a bonus.  If not, well, I am still here, and you have to admit, I am awesome.  And humble, don't forget, humble.

These were right on the end cap at wal mart, so I grabbed them, and then Hubby put them away and I almost forgot about them.

 So this simple treat was due to the fact I was really wanting something like cake, but didn't want to actually have to make it.  Or leave the house to buy it.  I have heard about ice box cakes for years, and I was all "seriously ice box cake, isn't that just a cold cake?"  And obviously like most things, I was wrong.  I went on Pintrest and found out that an ice box cake is basically wafer cookies and whip cream.  And you have to let it sit in the fridge for about 4 hours for it to be ready.

  Not sure if I should point out it would have taken me 10 minutes to drive to the store and buy some cake, but whatever, I didn't even have to get out of my pajamas to make this, so it was worth it, sort of.

This was my little bowl to try, I didn't realize how little you got out of the ingredients I had.  

 I wanted to make this to share with my co workers and I had this plan of doing cake in a jar, but when I pulled out the jars I had, they were the bigger ones.  But I figure that would be fine, more cake never hurt anyone.  So I cleaned all 12 jars and got to work.  And I totally just made this recipe up.  Because I am smart like that.

Ice Box Cake
by me

-2 cups cold whipping cream
-1/4 cup sugar
-1-2 TBSP vanilla bean paste
-sleeve of chocolate wafer cookies

You can use any sort of container, I made one in a little cup so I could try it.  All you have to do it whip your whipping cream with the sugar and vanilla.  Then either spoon or pipe some cream into the bottom of your container, add a cookie and just layer it.  You want enough whip cream so that the cookies will have enough moister.

Yep that is just a big blob of whip cream, it was so good.

 Once you have done that, make sure to cover your cake and let it set in the fridge for at least 4 hours.  I couldn't wait and tried after 3, the cookies were not soft all the way through by that point.

So after all that I got three jars people.  Not enough to share at work.  I put one aside for one friend there, she is never there and always misses the treats.  But then I got sick and didn't go in the one day she was there.  So I may have eaten them. Maybe.

So I think this was really good, those cookies are very rich and chocolaty and I think the sugar in the whip cream was a must, or it would have been weird.

 Anyway, I bet I will be back soon, well I have other posts ready to go, so no worries there.  I just cannot believe I am going to have such a short commute, I used to spend over 2 hours on the road a day.  Now, maybe 30 minutes.  Maybe.

Red Velvet and Chocolate Cream Cheese Cake Pops

 Okay so this is my second recipe using that new chocolate cream cheese spread.  It did not turn out as I had wanted.  I don't know if it was the fact I used an actual from scratch cake and icing, or if it was that it was cream cheese icing or what, but I was not as happy with it as I am usually with my cake pops.

I will still share it because they were eaten within seconds of hitting work and Pork Chops class.  So maybe it was just me, who knows.  Basically I just made extra cake when I made those red velvet cupcakes and extra cream cheese icing.

So this is how it all started, the icing is really a winner in my books.

I did the usual and just crumbled up the cake, it was day old but I usually do day old cake, I bake it then once it cools I wrap it up.  Anyway I crumbled it all up and then added enough of the chocolate cream cheese icing to get it to stick together.  I should have added a bit more, but I am not used to this sort of cake pop, the box mix and pre made frosting is what I know.  Anyway it worked.

 Originally these were to be for a friend who had her baby in the NICU, we were going to visit, and I stayed up way late to finish them, but I was so tired that I never even decorated them.  I was so embarrassed, but figured the nurses wouldn't care.  Unfortunately my poor friend and her baby didn't have a good night so we had to put off our visit. Not a big deal, it actually meant I had cake pops for Pork Chops dance a thon, so it all worked out. And on a happy note, that cute little baby and my friend are now all settled at home, so Pork Chop is counting the days until he can hold the baby.

It looks so red, it didn't really stain my hands though.

  So once the cake was crumbled and mixed up I used my cake pop mold from My Little Cupcake because I like how uniform them are and the large size.  I was doing the forming and the all the stuff in one night so I froze them.  And some would fall apart or crack, so I think I really needed some more icing, but I was tired and just kept going.

You can sort of see it is a little dry.

  I was so wanting to decorate them with something pretty, but the fact that they were even done and wrapped was good enough for me, it had been a long day at work.  Anyway, they still went over well, as I said the kids in Pork Chops class liked them, and they didn't last long at work.  So maybe it was just me, but in cupcake form this combination was better.

So I want to say something sort of crude, like how do you like my balls, but I will refrain   Oh wait I wrote it, oh well...So, how do you like them?

   I think that my next chocolate cream cheese creation was even better than this one, not as good as the cupcakes but a close second.  All I have to say is my co workers know me well, because one of them handed me some coupons for the chocolate cream cheese, she was all "just in case you want to make more things with it."  And I so do, so that was a great treat to get.

My ball dipping set up, yep I went there.

 I don't know what I want to make next with this, but there will be more, trust me.

I thought I would toss this picture in again, ,because dude these were so good!

- See more at: http://www.houseofhepworths.com/buttons/#sthash.hxrXXz55.dpuf

I'm linking up here!

- See more at: http://www.somewhatsimple.com/grab-a-button/#sthash.TLp8Dz4H.dpuf

How I Made My Kitchen Aid Awesome!

So many things have been going on recently, that have kept me from blogging.  I choose to believe it's life that got in the way, when it is probably just me being lazy.  I can say it, I love a good lazy day, or two 

  So to try and be productive and such I wanted to share my little Kitchen Aid remodel that I did for Hubby.  The last time I decorated my Kitchen Aid, he was less than pleased.   Which stinks, because it was awesome!!!! But at the time I promised him that if I ever got a bigger Kitchen Aid we would decorate it how he wanted. Boy was I stupid, but whatever, I did it anyway, because I love him, and I wanted to let him know I care enough to share my mixer.

This is the picture they sent me, how cool is that!

So I could not remember what I had promised him, but I went back and read that he wanted an Avengers style.  And then I was all "really?"  And then I figured, fine might as well.  I am cool like that.  I wanted to use decals, because it is not permanent and I can change it at any time if he pisses me off. 

I contacted the same company I used on Etsy for my Laptop decal, the same one I used on my old mixer. Showcase 66.  I sent them a note sort of telling them what I wanted, which was basically not helpful.  I said I wanted an Avengers set of decals, and they could do whatever they wanted.  They asked me who Hubby's favorite was. So I had to ask him, because what do I know about this stuff.

And I love that they send you two copies, that means you can use the others for your car or you know anything.

So I sent Hubby an email.

"Hubby, for no real reason, who is your favorite Avenger, and if it's the chick I will cut you."

His reply was something like, "The green guy, the red guy, the purple guy and then the other red guy."

He used their actual names, what do I know, I was just glad my hubby was smart enough to not even include the girl in his list.

So I sent that info off to the store, and then had to endure Hubby asking me why I wanted to know, and that could it be this, or this or what could it be.  I told him to stop pestering me that no matter what he thought it was, it would not be as cool.  I mean it is cool, but when you have a comic book nerd as a Hubby, they think of dolls ( action figures they call them) or books ( graphic novels)  Seriously I told him, just pretend I never asked, it will be something silly.  So he sort of gave up asking, because in his mind, I was getting him a personalized Avengers action figure with kung fu grip or something.  Silly man.

I cut the pictures out and worked one at a time.  Just smooth on and rub it well with a credit card. And yes I know that totally sounds dirty, but it's my blog so I can put smutty descriptions in here if I want.

Showcase 66 sent me some great ideas, and I was all, "that is great, I love it!"  Because the idea looked really cool, and it was sort of nerdy enough that I didn't get it, so I knew Hubby would.   So I just had to wait for the decals to arrive and I was going to get it all done.

Please ignore the flashy pictures, I was in a rush.

So when they arrived I was so excited, but I had a cake to make for Hubby and he was in the house with me.  So I made the cake and told him I needed stuff from the store, or gas for the car or something.  I cannot remember really.  He went out and I raced to get this thing done.  Now I should tell you I got this done in about 10 minutes.    First, I went back to check the email that I got to show me how the layout was and then I wiped my mixer off and stuck everything on.  Now I had to alter it just a tiny bit, as the picture they used had no handle on it, but no big deal it still worked out awesome!

I know all these people, Iron Man, The hulk and The Arrow, and no I didn't google that.  I am just that good!

So I got it all set up and put it back on the counter, but sort of sticking out so Hubby would see it when he got home.  And he never noticed it, he is super that way, totally notices everything.  Which actually works out for me.  I may have been piling stuff in the basement, around my craft table in a crazy way.  And it was looking like a mountain but he never noticed.  Until this week, so yeah, usually the not noticing works in my favor.

  Anyway I finally had to say "can you look at my mixer it was acting funny"

And he was all "you just used it, it was fine."

"JUST LOOK AT IT!"
 Seriously, that a hint man!

And he giggled and said "neat!"  then he sat down and ate diner.  And that is how I geeked out my Kitchen aid.  And made my Hubby the coolest mixer ever.

This is the chick, she got put at the bottom, where no one will  see her.  Stupid hot chick in tight stuff.

Kitchen Sink Cookies

 This is going to be one simple post, because I am doing so much this week and the next few don't look to be any simpler. This is a good thing, lots of great things happening, just need to learn how to deal and it will be better before I know it.

 Anyway these are the cookies I made with Pork Chops little friends.  He had these two little sisters over for a play date and we made cookies.  I just made basic chocolate chip cookie dough and they got to put in whatever they wanted.

So here they are, I used this recipe.  And I put out a whole bunch of stuff, they just focused on eating all the rolos and using the heart sprinkles.  Technically this is a kitchen sink cookie, but they just put in those two things.

 One of them asked if my mixer was a kitchen aid and when I told her yes, she told me "that's a good brand. She is 9 I think.  And the younger one ate more cookie dough than she baked, she kept licking her finger and rolling her cookies so hers are the ones up top, all puffy because the dough was worked too much.  She handed me the bowl with some dough still in it, and said I could eat it.  Keep in mind her hand was in her mouth as much as in the dough, so I said thanks and scooped the rest out onto her tray.

It was fun and a nice way to get them into something they may not know about.  Pork chop sulked on the sofa because he wanted to crack the first egg and I said guests first.  I cannot win.

Not too bad, and they went home with the girls, so no need to eat them all and feel badly.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

So firstly I want to say happy Family day to my Canadian readers.  I hope there are a few of you.  Not sure what our plans are today, but I hope it involves lots of sleep.  That would be my kind of family day.  Either way we both have the whole day off, so maybe some skating, or X box connect bowling, or sleeping.  I could do either.  Anyway that is that.

This looks like a small amount of butter, I just have a big mixing bowl.  Just in case you were wondering.

So last week I posted about the Chocolate Cream Cheese I tried, and how it was amazing.   Anyway, I loved it.  I got a few comments from some people who said they loved it, or they had not tried it and even a few saying they were not fans.  I can get that.  I really would have hated it too if I used it as a spread for toast.  Honestly I do think that is what they were going for, but I was having none of it.  Anyway I made some yummy frosting with it, and used it two ways.  This is the first way, and by far the best of the two.

My favorite spatula, it may be for Halloween, but I use it all year round.  I am a rebel that way.

And this picture is just kind of gross, but it's in focus so you have to see it.  Sorry.

I had promised Pork Chop some red velvet cupcakes during the week, and when there were none at the store I said I would make some.  I found a great recipe I love on My Baking Addiction  I first posted it here.  And have since made it many times.  So I set to work, I doubled the recipe I have listed.  I wanted enough for cupcakes and a cake to make cake balls.

I made 48, Pork Chop ate 2 I think.

Pork Chop complained the whole time about wanting one right now, and then when they were all done he said he didn't want one but he said I should frost 10 for him and leave 10 plain for him.  I made mini ones, and he hates frosting, so I compromised and put 7 plain ones in a container.  He ate one after it was all said and done.  Sigh.

Are they not pretty?  I tried to do a rose with the icing, but then I got lazy and just did swirls, but whatever, there are sprinkles so they are totally fancy!

So the frosting, oh my gosh the frosting was awesome!  I know that classically red velvet is meant to be a cream cheese icing combo.  So in that vain I made my frosting with the new chocolate cream cheese.  I have to say, I actually liked it better than plain cream cheese icing.  And my friends loved it, they were sneaking back to the break room every so often to eat another one.  I cannot blame them, I did the same thing.

So this icing was a little different as the cream cheese is a spread and much more watery.  So I just sort of winged it and it was not too hard.

I saved these take out containers they are the perfect size, and they didn't cost me anything.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing
based on me tossing stuff in a bowl

(keep in mind this made lots, enough for 40 minis cupcakes and a bunch of cake pops, I still have some left over, I am going to use it soon, don't you worry!)

-1 1/2 tubs chocolate cream cheese spread
-1 cup butter
-1 TBSP vanilla bean paste
-5-8 cups of icing sugar
-milk if you need to thin it out

So start by creaming your butter, you want it smooth with no lumps.  Then beat in the cream cheese spread and beat until it comes together.  At one point it looked like it was just going to be a huge failure, but I kept mixing and it was fine.  Add your icing sugar 1 cup at a time, and mix well to make sure you don't add too much.  Now at this point I tried it and I felt it needed vanilla, so you can add it now, or before the sugar, either way.  I didn't need any milk as I found that I used so much icing sugar, but whatever you have to do, you do it.

So then I just piped a little swirl on my cupcake and sprinkled on heart sprinkles, because I had them out and was way too lazy to get different ones.  Then I ate a few, and then packed them up for work.

I have to say I am really impressed with this picture, try not to think about the fact I really cropped out a lot, focus on the yummy!

It really was a nice frosting, not overly chocolaty and you could tell it was cream cheese but it was not too cheesy if you get what I mean.  So yum, this is going to be a favorite for sure.

I also want to share a funny story about Pork Chop and these cupcakes.  A few days after I made them we were hitting the grocery store after Costco, I suggested sushi and he was all over it.  He likes the veggie ones.  Anyway we are walking in and I ask if he wants a cupcake, he tells me  yes, a red velvet one.  I told him sure, but why won't he eat the ones I made?

"yours aren't very good actually."

Said with a straight face.  My own Pork Chop, said that, to me!  I just laughed because dude has his issues, and if one of them is that my cupcakes are not the best, well I can deal.

Then we are at the bakery and he saw a chocolate mousse cake.

"OMG that is gross, a chocolate mouse cake!!!!"

I told him it was a mousse cake, no one would bake a mouse in a cake.

"That is still gross, moose in a cake is gross."

I just didn't know how to answer that really.  The guy at the bakery was laughing a little, and Pork Chop was looking at him like he was crazy, as we walked away he says "I bet he doesn't like moose in his cake either."

I told him he was probably right.  Things like that make having kids worth while, they are so funny and they don't even know it.