Monster Smash Cake

Hello again!

My life has changed quite a bit since I last posted. We moved closer to my work. Clinton changed jobs and shifts; he now works evenings. These two events have sent my life into chaos. I love that I'm closer to work and family but I desperately miss my friends back in Ottawa. I have great neighbors here and there are plenty of kids for my girls to play with, but with Clinton working nights, I've basically had to learn to be a single mom. Grocery shopping, housework, yard work and hobbies have had to take a backseat to being the sole person responsible for my babies from 5 until about 10:30 when I can eventually get Elsie to sleep. I realize that I don't have it as hard as a single mom, but wow, I can really appreciate how difficult it would be not to have those two days where I actually get to see my husband and count on him for support.

BUT...now I'm back. I have managed to get a few projects done and I have a couple in the works. One of my favorite aspects of our new house is my craft room. (Yes, a craft room...be jealous). I haven't had a room devoted to my crafts since before kids and I'm ecstatic that I have one now. I was able to find a large wooden kitchen table on craigslist for $25 that I will be rehabbing in the next few weeks for my sewing table- details to come.  I love it!

My little nephew turned 1 in April. He's my little birthday buddy because his birthday is two days before mine. I love that I get to share my special day with him forever :).  He had a monster themed birthday party and my sister-in-law asked me to do his smash cake. Having two girls, I love getting opportunities to do "boy" things every once in awhile, so I was happy to do this.

A Hello Kitty Themed Birthday Party

The Hello Kitty company has genius marketing executives. Never have I seen something that isn't linked to a cartoon or movie be so popular. I suppose when you manufacture pink & sparkly items, you will sell anything.

My girls are enamored with Hello Kitty. They want everything they see with this little feline on it. So, it was fitting that we did a Hello Kitty theme for Evelyn's second birthday party. Since we had her party at a jump house place, we didn't get to decorate- however, I did come up with plenty of ways to keep myself busy in the week before the party.

Here are the pics...I hope it helps inspire you for your own little Hello Kitty affair!

Sundae Marshmallow Pops

We had Evelyn's second birthday party this weekend, so I've been very busy working on birthday things. We had her party at a jump house place, which should have made it an easy party...Not when I'm involved. I feel that I'm in competition with myself for every party I throw. I kept getting different ideas for the goodie bags and the cupcakes and thier outfits- are you exhausted thinking about it all? I certainly was.

Anyway, I made these simple, but delicious marshmallow pops for her goodie bags. These would be perfect for your Valentine!

Super Bowl Party Food Recipes

I love watching the Super Bowl- mainly for the commercials, but also for the food that comes with it. Whether we're at a big party or just with our friends, Emily & Jay, the food is always amazing. The timing is always bad, since it's right after all of us resolve to eat healthy and loose a few pounds, but what is one day of finger foods, dips and beer?- Hmmm...maybe that thinking is part of my problem of never completing my resolutions.

Here are a few of my favorite game day recipes that are sure to feed a hungry crowd!

Peppermint Mocha Cake Balls

Bakerella is my hero. She is the author of the first blog I ever read and followed. I am unsure if she invented cake balls, but she certainly made them popular and shared them with the world- and we owe a debt of gratitude to her for sharing this amazing addition to the truffle community.

This recipe is one of the many cake balls I made for Christmas. It blends my two favorite flavors: chocolate and peppermint. This technique can be made into any combination of cake balls you'd like. One of my favorite cake ball combos is butter pecan cake with Duncan Hines Rainbow Chip frosting...yum! See Bakerella's website for a million other fabulous combinations. Once you make them a few times, you'll learn what works best for you.

Sweet & Salty Oreo Brownies

Happy New Year!

This is a post that will be sure to blow your new year's resolutions out of the water.

This dessert was the clear winner at my husband's family's holiday dinners this year. I was inspired by this recipe by the Picky Palate. It was a little too sweet for me, so I altered it a little and produced this gooey- salty Oreo perfection.

Bring this to your next family gathering and you'll be the most popular person there... Here is the recipe.

A Mad Hatter's Tea Bridal Shower

It's finally here...my sister's bridal shower. I've been planning this shower for over a year and I was so excited when the day finally came. My sister got engaged shortly after Prince William and Kate's Royal Wedding. Along with many Americans, I was up at 3 am to watch the fanfare of the wedding. Sabrina and I decided that we wanted to throw a party where everyone had to wear a English-style tea party hat.

Easy Bruschetta with Fresh Mozzarella

I have been making this bruschetta recipe for years. Its very easy and tastes great. Its an altered version of Giada De Laurentiis's Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella Bruschetta recipe. I love bringing this to parties and it made a great addition to my sister's bridal shower menu.

Here is the recipe:

Mini No-bake Cheesecakes

So, todays post was a star at my sister's bridal shower. My focus for the foods were finger-foods and mini desserts. These no-bake cheese cakes were awesome. As you can see from the recipe, I'm not sharing an actual recipe but more of an idea and a guide. Jello No-Bake Cheesecake mix is amazing. It is light, fluffy and a perfect addition to a sweet table that takes minimal effort to make. I've made these a few times and I always forget how many servings I get from the box. One box makes twelve of the perfect sized cheesecakes.

Tortellini Skewer Appetizer

One of my favorite appetizer served at my sister's shower were the cheese tortellini skewers. I saw a picture of these on Pinterest a few weeks ago and instantly put it on my menu. They made a great presentation and was something different than I've ever done. Since the picture on Pinterest was just linked to a picture board, I had to figure out the best way to prepare and serve these. It took a little guesswork, but it turned out great.

Here's how I did it...

Pink Party Punch

This punch is a great addition to any party. It debuted in our house at Elsie's Pinkalicious party and encored at my sister's shower. Growing up, my mom made a similar version of this punch and I remember always looking forward to it at every party. Everyone loved it and it's a beautiful addition to any table.

French Bread Pizza with BBQ Pizza Sauce

This is my busiest time of the year at work...getting ready for preschool to start means editing staff manuals, planning a week of teacher training, hiring new staff, planning open houses, and assembling all the back-to-school literature for the preschool participants...in addition, we're writing the winter 2013 program guide- with the addition of a new facility that means more classes- and we're working on 2013 budgets. Its a lot to get done in the month of August and I'm exhausted!

I have had no energy by the time I get home the past couple weeks and making dinner has become a chore. I have been on the hunt for cheap, easy meals that aren't totally from a box.

Pizza is always a hit in our family and this recipe is a healthy, delicious meal that takes only a few minutes to prepare. The one loaf fed the five of us with no leftovers.

Butterfly Cookies

For my sister-in-law's shower, her sister and I made butterfly cookie favors. We made them using my blog tutorial. As usual, these cookies taste awesome and look great even when you mess them up!

Baby Onesie Cookies

My girlfriend, Lee's baby shower was this weekend. She's due September 29th with her first baby. I was so excited to have her back in Chicago for her shower this weekend. For the favor, I made butter cookies decorated with royal frosting. To learn how to make these cookies, here is a link to my blog post.

Veggie Pizza

This is a great party recipe. Veggie pizzas are one of my staples for showers or birthday parties. Over the years, I've played with different ingredients and I think I have a winner now.

Homeade Poptarts

I love Pop Tarts...I rarely buy them because they're not diet friendly, but the couple times a year I do buy them, I cherish every bite. When I came across this recipe, I knew it had to be on the menu for Evelyn's breakfast birthday party. And the were a hit. I used my William Sonoma sandwich maker and it worked perfectly as a little pie maker...plus it made them adorable!

Chili Cheese Dip

Appetizer number two! This dip is a Gilmer Family fav. It appears at every family party. Its so simple, but so delicious! Feeding many people? Double the recipe in a 9x13 pan.

Baked Glazed Ham & Swiss Sandwiches

Happy Superbowl! I was completely uninterested in who was playing in the Superbowl, however I was really excited about the menu of my little Superbowl party. I love appetizers and the few times a year that I get to break them out, I go all out. 

The first of my treats for the night were Ham and Swiss Glazed sandwiches. These are awesome! I am not a fan of Swiss or ham, but in these sandwiches, I love it. I have made a variation that had turkey and provolone and it wasn't as good. This combination works and believe me, you'll want seconds!