Cake Batter Rice Crispy Treats

I always like a new idea to spruce up rice krispy bars. I was needing something quick and easy to bring to a last minute get family get together. I saw this on Pintrest and it drew me in!

Cake Batter Rice Crispy Treats

3 Tbs butter

1 (10 oz) bag mini marshmallows

1/4 C yellow cake mix ( I used 1/3 C... thought it needed a little more )

6 C. rice crispy cereal

1 (1.75 oz) container sprinkles

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat; add marshmallows. Stir until they begin to melt, adding in cake mix one spoonful at a time so it's combined. Stir in ceral so it is completly covered in marshmallow mixture. Stir in half of the sprinkles. Press into a 9x13 baking dish and top with remaining sprinkles. Let set 30 minutes before cutting. Eat and enjoy!

My first wedding cake

About a year ago my now sister-in-law asked me if I would do their Wedding cake. I really didn't want to. Thought doing a Wedding cake would be to much pressure and I was lacking confidence. But my husband and my mom talked me into it.

So, this last weekend I baked and decorated 250 cupcakes and a small cake, was a bridesmaid, my son was the ring bearer and my husband was a groomsmen. It was a crazy busy weekend to say the least. But I survived! I wasn't quite sure how I was going to get the cake done with all the other things that come along with being in a wedding. I ended up getting the cupcakes and cake finished a couple hours before rehersal on Friday. I ran it up to the reception place, ran home and took a shower ( I was covered in buttercream) and made it to rehersal.

The cupcakes and cake were nothing fancy ( I'm no professional) but I thought they turned out pretty good and was happy to get lots of great compliments. It was a very simple yet very cute cake.I was disappointed in myself for not taking pictures of the process but I got a picture of the finished product and I guess that is all that matters.

Congrats to Cory and Niki on your marriage and thank you for asking me to take part in your big day!

Hubby's favorite: Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

My husband always requests chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. They are his favorite. A few days ago he had flowers delivered to me at home ( awwwwww <3 ) So in turn to thank him for the "just because" flowers, I made him some "just because" cookies :)

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

2 C. brown sugar

1 C. shortening

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla

2 C. flour

2 C. oatmeal

1 C. chocolate chips ( I like to use the mini's )

1/2 tsp. salt

Cream sugar and shortening; add beaten eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.

Hooked On Love

My brother is getting married here in a few weeks. This last weekend was his awesome fiance's bridal shower and I was asked to bring the cake. They both love to fish so the theme of the shower was a fishing theme. I came across this cute cupcake idea and thought they would be perfect for the shower. They had used the rainbow colored goldfish crackers but I used the goldfish pretzels so it looked more grown up and not so childish.

Next I needed a good cupcake recipe, since I didn't really want to do just plain cupcakes. My mom found an awesome chocolate chip cookie bottom cupcake recipe in her Martha Stewart Living magazine and I then found a simpler version of that cupcake from "How Sweet It Is." I like simple so I went with that.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bottom Cupcakes

1 box vanilla cake mix

1/2 stick butter, softened

3/4 C. brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/3 C. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 C. chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Make cake mix as directed on box

3. In a bowl beat butter and sugar together with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

4. Line a muffin tin with liners and give each a quick spritz of non stick spray. Using a spoon, also sprayed with non stick spray, press about 1 1/2 Tablespoons of cookie dough into bottom of each liner. cover with cake mix until 3/4 full.

5. Bake 15-18 mins or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

After they cooled I got to the fun part.... decorating!

First I made up about 5 batches of buttercream ( I was making 80 cupcakes) and colored it with Wilton "sky blue" coloring.

I swirled on the blue buttercream using my 2D tip and sprinkled it with blue sanding sugar ( to make my "water" look sparkly)

I then tied floss onto a mini pretzel rod ( I know, I know... floss seems weird but fishing line is to clear..you can hardly see it ) I then stuck that into the cupcake a long with 3 goldfish pretzels. And ta da! You have a cute lil fishing theme cupcake.

Next came the cupcake stand. I did not want to buy one and I don't have one big enough to hold a large number of cupcakes. My mom and I came up with the idea to use a large fish bowl and fill it with bobbers Then we placed a round plastic tray on top. We then got a smaller fish bowl and filled it with bubble wrap and put a smaller plastic tray on that. I thought it turned out super cute!

Octopus and Seaweed

I am a stay at home mom and I do some in home daycare also. I love when I find a fun food idea. Makes lunch time fun for me and the kids. I was standing in line at Wal-mart last week with the slowest check-out lady ever so I was forced to look at the magazines to pass the time. I am so glad I did. I picked up the Taste Of Home Fun Food magazine and was in love with like every page in the magazine...soooo I spent the $7.99 for a MAGAZINE! I rarely ever buy magazines. I think they are a rip off but this one had so much fun stuff in it that I couldn't resist.

On yesturdays lunch menu was Octopus and Seaweed. I made the kids stay out of the kitchen while I made lunch. I told them it was a suprise. So what happens when you tell kids they can't come in the kitchen because you are making a suprsie? They all the sudden have a million questions they need to ask or something they want to show you haha. Any excuse to get close to the kitchen. I loved this idea. It was super easy, super cheap ( I am all about cheap) and super cute. All you need is hot dogs, ramen noodles, green food coloring and mustard.

Octopus and Seaweed

1 package ( 3 oz ) beef ramen noodles ( I used chicken)

4 hot dogs

5 drops liquid green food coloring

prepared mustard

1. In a large saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add the noodles and seasoning packet. Boil for 3-4 minutes or until noodles are tender

2. Meanwhile, add 4in of water to another large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cut each hot dog lengthwise into eight strips to withhin 2 in of one end. Drop into boiling water. cook until heated through.

3. Add the food coloring to noodles. Drain if necessary. Place noodles on serving plates; top with a hot dog. Add eyes and a mouth with dabs of mustard.

The kids loved it :)

Orange Dreamsicle Cupcakes

Ok...so I kinda don't have a picture to go along with this recipe because I kinda sorta might have tried something new and failed at it. I should post the picture on craftfail.com. I wanted to try cupcakes in a jar. I have seen a lot of it latley online and think it is so cute and a fun way to make cupcakes. However, I didn't prepare very well.... and well...it showed. First of all, the jars I used were way to wide. So I decided to just crumble the cupcake in the jar to fill it up. ( supposed to be a half a cupcake, icing, another half of cupcake, icing, another half cupcake and icing again) It turned out ok but not great. Then I wanted to tie a spoon on the jar with some cute orange ribbon to make it look all cute and stuff. I even got some new cute orange ribbon the other day just for these cupcakes in a jar BUT I can't seem to find it ANYWHERE. Story of my life. I am always losing something ( Just ask my husband.... he loves it when I "misplace" his stuff. Although... if he would just put his stuff away I wouldn't "misplace" it...right?? right! ) Anyways.... the cupcakes themselves taste AWESOME! The perfect summer cupcake. I will be making them again, just not in a jar.

Orange Dreamsicle Cupcakes ( recipe from Glorious Treats )

1 box Vanilla cake mix - Prepare as directed on the box, but substitue 1/4 C. of the water for 1/4 C. orange juice. Also add 1tsp. orange extract

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

1 stick butter, softened

1- 80z block cream cheese

4 C. powder Sugar

1/2 tsp. Orange extract

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon orange juice

Beat butter in bowl w/ electric mixer until smooth. Add cream cheese. Beat until smooth. Add powder sugar ( one cup at a time) extracts and orange juice. Continue to beat 1-2 additional minutes until fully combined and nice and fluffy. ( Place icing in fridge for 15 mins to firm up before piping)

Take a cupcake and inject it with marshmallow fluff then top with a swirl of orange cream cheese icing and ENJOY! A great refreshing cupcake for a hot summer day :)

A few things I've done

I have always loved to bake but cake decorating I am new to. About a year and a half ago a friend of mine invited me to take Wilton cake decorating classes with her at Hobby Lobby. I have been addicted since the first class. We only did the first two courses and then she had a baby and then I got pregnant and had my third baby and life just got busy. Hopefully one of these days I will be able to take the other 2 courses ( If life ever slows down ) It is amazing what fun things you can create with just a piping bag and some fun tips. Here are a few things I have done so far.

This is the cake I did for my final cake of the wilton course 2 cake class. I used the basket weave and lots of royal icing flowers

This I made for my son Dawson's 1st Birthday party last year

Sponge Bob cake I made for my son Landons 7th Birthday

I haven't taken the fondant class yet but decided to take a stab at it anyways with a marshmallow fondant recipe I found online. I think it turned out pretty good for a first timer. Made this cake for my neice Hailey who requested a 3 tier horse cake