Sweet Sunflowers for Fall

Happy Fall!

I needed an easy cookie for kids & adults to decorate.

And this is what I came up with.

You can't beat a sunflower cookie

with an Oreo.

This Sugar Cookie recipe from Our Best Bites

is good. It's buttery, crisp and delicious.

We took 8 preteens to a women's shelter and decorated these cookies & donut hole acorns with the residents and their kids. And played a crazy fun game of fall pictionary.

I made a few plates up earlier in the day

"as a test run"...

it never hurts to be my neighbor. ;)

Princess Leia To The Rescue

 

My youngest was headed to a

Star Wars

movie night.

 

 

I love a good excuse

to try something new.

 

I thought these cupcakes

were adorable.

 

Princess Leia,

you're

pretty delicious.

(So are peanut butter Oreos,

my new fav.)

 

 

Peeps for All

 

Peep!

 

I'm really not a Peep lover,

but I love these

and want to give them to the world.

 

 

Made some for my quilt group last week,

my friends, and everyone else

I can think of.

 

 

"Honey, wouldn't your

 bus driver like a Peep?

How about the mail lady?"

 

 

 

  I do enjoy a

super easy

super cute

treat.

 

Would be fun to make with kids!

 

 

These have been dipped in

melted chocolate on the back and sprinkled.

 

All you need is:

-Peeps

-straws

-chocolate melts

-sprinkles

-3"x4" poly bags

-bakers twine or floss 

 

 

 

Made another batch today,

they are just waiting to be bagged. 

  

 

Do you prefer

pink or yellow?

 

 

I adore the Yellows.

 

I like the Peep on the right,

it looks like she has eyelashes.

 

 

Hippity Hoppity - Can It Be Done?

 

 

Photo: iambaker.net  Susan Powers



 

I was asked to make a

Springtime cake

for a church party.

 

I asked a friend what to make...

she said,

"Oh, an elegant lemon cake

or flower basket cake."

 

Hmmm, Those are not in my repertoire.

 

"Well, I was thinking,

maybe a bunny."

You know, Spring!"

 

It's not in my repertoire either,

but I had my heart set on trying

Amanda's Surprise Inside,

Bunny Cake.

 

 

Here we go...

you start with 6" rounds.

 

I made my first cake ever from scratch.

Hello?!  Scratch! 

 

And it turned out.

She has a great recipe.

  

 

The book classifies this cake as

"challenging".

It doesn't look that hard,

well, it kind of was.

 

I didn't take pics of the fun middle part

where I ruined 2 cakes

and was thinking,

"Oh, this is a bad idea,

what is my plan B?"

But I luckily had 5 rounds made.

 

Tip: Always bake extra cakes.

 

 

This is a leaf tip #74, looks like the star,

but is a little different.

 

Here's my bunny!

I went with white ears.

I have no idea if the inside worked.

 

 

The party had a Seasons theme.

 

 

These other ladies are amazing.

The Winter cake, makes me think of Frozen. 

It had pretty sparkly sugar on it.

 

The Fall cake had edible cockleburs and

 marbled leaves that are ever so thin,

with a glittery dust.

 

I seriously thought the Summer cake

had silk flowers on it.

But her gum paste flowers were 

SO vibrant and delicate.

 

 

Yeah, then there's Bunny boo.

But hey,

I've got a Surprise Inside.

 

 

Did it work?

 

 

It did! 

Hurray!  Hurray!

 

Pretty fun.

 

 

I may try another

 surprise sometime,

maybe Rudolph.

 

I have months to

prep for this one.

 

 

 

Quick Holiday Treat

 

 

German Chocolate Brownies are one of my 

favorite GO-TO desserts. 

I hosted Book Club this month and needed something

chocolatey and rich at the end. 

These brownies fit the bill.  

 We read "The Light Between Oceans" 

and man are there some things to discuss!!

I highly recommend it however, it is not for the faint of heart.  

It is moral dilemma at it's finest!

Back to the brownies. 
Here's the recipe all typed up for you! 

These are easy to make ahead, freeze or eat straight out of the pan!

 I like to wrap them in wax paper and tie with twine.

Candy, Smores, Gumdrops, Anyone?

 

 

My son and I found

Candy Aisle Crafts

at our library.

 

Easy, easy, simple stuff we could actually pull off.

 

Well, maybe not the cone castle,

but the rest of it,

I'm pretty sure we could do.

 

And I'm a Cub Scout Leader.

Yep, I promise to

"Do My Best!"

 

 

Oh... the motto is "Do YOUR Best!"

Close enough. 

I'm still new. 

Really I'm not,

I just don't know what I am doing!

   

Back to the book...

 

 

I think this will be awesome for Cub Scouts

and for any mom or grandma

 who wants to be amazing by

making

candy circus animals

 

 

or

a gum drop zoo.

 

 

We are testing out

the Monster S'mores.

 

 

You don't need much.

 

I tried mini m and m's and they work!

So my little Cubs can each have a color

 and we'll know whose is whose.

[That's a big deal; we're also going to practice

 hand washing today :).]

 

 

Aren't they scary??  ?

 

 

He said,

"This is good."

 

And

there you have it.

 

 

 

Update:  Home from Scouts.  Wow.  This rocked.  It's the best group kids' food craft. 

Turn on the broiler.  I had ingredient kits in baggies for each child, then they put them together, put on a cookie sheet (with parchment paper or a Silpat), and broil for 45 seconds.  Brilliant.  

45 seconds and it's done.  Instant treats!