Avi Jaedon's 1st Birthday!

My sister went all out for my nephews party and she had to have the perfect cake to go with it! So here went mine and my mom's first cake attempt with..... drum roll please.... FONDANT! For those of you who haven't attempted it yet, I suggest you stop holding out and just go for it!

I made the cakes one day ahead and after they were completely cooled I refrigerated them over night (as my mom says, it is much easier to work with the cake after it has rested a day).

Enjoy the pictures and happy baking!

Bake your cakes, let them rest then fill the middle... I used "Dulce de Leche" this is the typical Argentine cake filling! It is delicious...if you can't get your hands on real Dulce de Leche from Argentina, you can get an impostor from any grocery store, look at the sweet and condensed milk section and Nestle now make a can called Dulce de Leche

Fill the cakes.... 

Use butter-cream frosting... make the cake it as smooth and even as possible...

I used plastic dowel rods to support the weight of the other cakes, you can cut them to size easily with a kitchen knife and place them in the cake...

Roll the fondant out, measure the diameter and add the two sides, if you've never used fondant, watch this YouTube video to learn how...

Then start designing your masterpiece!

Apple, Almond Oatmeal

Hi there! Well, I wanted to call this "Triple A Oatmeal" but I couldn't think of anything else with an A that I could add, I'm sure that as you're reading this, you're saying, duh Deb, you should have added a.... or a.... or even a.... , so when those ideas come up go ahead and post them in the comments! Anywho, this tastes really great and you can add anything you like to it like cinnamon, I'm not a fan, but if you are rock it. Super fast and easy to make and it should register pretty good on your health-ometer! Enjoy :)

Here's what you'll need:

1/2 cup - 1 minute oats

Water (a few ounces)

1 tsp Brown Sugar (or your favorite sweetener)

Almond Milk

Ambrosia Apple (or any sweet apple, unless you like the sour green ones, then use those)

In microwavable bowl add:

Oat, sugar, add cold water until oats are covered (don't add too much unless you like it runny)

cook for 1minute 10 seconds :)

Then add about 3oz of almond silk (not really milk) put back in the microwave for 25 seconds.

Chop up 1/2 an apple and add to the hot oatmeal.

Breakfast is Ready!

Excuse the picture... I was hungry and didn't have time to get my good camera :)

Pink Ruffle Cake & Cupcake Carrying Trick!

So, my good friend & trainer Andrea Taylor from www.ATayloredBody.com is having her second baby, and she looks amazing, you will see. It was my plan to fatten everyone up, including her!

Let's see, here's what I made... Ruffle Cake, Chocolate Truffles, Petit Fours, Brownie Pops & Cupcakes (and an awesome trick... read below)

Have you decorated cute cupcakes (like the ones above) for a party, then you realized that you had to transport them, and wondered -- How in world am I going to do that??? Well, I knew that the cupcake pan was a great place, but the decorated cupcakes drop down too far, then you end up messing up the frosting when you remove it. Soooo, I told my honey the genius, "Babe, what can I put at the bottom of this to raise it up?" He thought for a bit, then said, and 8 section lego! And well, one wasn't enough, so I had to use two per slot, (thanks Babe!) it was absolutely PERFECTO! So, next time you need to carry take cupcakes with you, just go raid the toy box :)

Black & White Party with a Twist!

It was my birthday in July, and I turned 35!!! I know... I know... you want to check my id...but really, why would I lie about being that young!

Anywho, I had a Black & White party. All my guests were asked to wear Black & White attire, all the tables had white table cloths and damask runners, black candelabras and a single accent color. The candy bar had all the colors of the rainbow! It was so much fun, both to be there and to look at!

The cake had to stand out, since I wouldn't have it any other way...hehehe :D

So here it is... for your viewing pleasure!

And yes...it tastes as good as it looks!!!

I stole it from Martha....

I doubled the recipe for the large cake above

http://www.marthastewart.com/256688/rainbow-cake

You HAVE to make the frosting it is AMAZING!!!

http://www.marthastewart.com/344238/lemony-swiss-meringue-buttercream

Hope you likie!

Leslie's Nesting

My little sisters' nesting theme bay shower, and it turned out Super-Duper Cute!

I told her I would make the cupcakes and the cake. this was my second or third time using the amazing Pastry Pride frosting (sold at Smart & Final) which by the way is super delish! It's not too sweet, it's actually just perfect!

I had to start my project early, days in advance, early! Because i had to create the little birdies...

I used gumpaste to shape them, them let them dry for a few days before I gave them faces

Sorry about the first 4 pics, I used my phone camera...quality not so great.

Then I made the cupcakes, toasted some coconut in the oven, frosted the cupcakes, then sprinkled the coconut on top, and finally added the cute little birdies! Sooo CUTE!

These were some other style cupcakes & the cake.

For the cake, I piped the leaves out of royal frosting,

let them dry and loved how they turned out!

Yummyness!

Jacob's Graduation Cupcakes! They were all different and fun!

Hawaiian cupcakes! Just add crushed pineapple & chopped up maraschino cherries, inside a pineapple upside-down cake mix! (Yellow cake) YUM!

Arroz con Pollo!

Hi there! I decided to make something really really good the other night. I have tried to make it before and usually am not pleased with how it turns out. However, after going to Argentina in April, and watching my nona (grandma in Italian) make it, I felt like I could take on this small meal! So here it is, if you like chicken and you like rice, then you must attemp to make this!

YELLOW RICE & CHICKEN (ARROZ CON POLLO)

So here is what you'll need:

1. Water
2. Knorr (chicken bouillon) Yellow Onion
3. Oil (I like Grapeola)
4. Yellow Onion (chopped)
5. Chicken Breast (maybe about 4 breasts, cut into small pieces)
6. Salt & White Pepper (of black if you must)
7. Mahatma Rice (the only one I ever use)
8. Saffron (flavoring and makes the rice yellow)

I don't know how many people you are cooking for, I usually cook as if i was cooking for an army! But you don't have to! Start with how much rice you want to make...let's go with 3 cups of rice, set aside, not in water.

Now, put about 8-9 cups of water in a pot, add appropriate amount of bouillon and boil.

Chop onion, add oil to pot and sautee onions. If you like onion you might want to add a bit more (maybe another half). Now add chicken breast and cook with onion, add a bit salt and pinch of white pepper or black pepper if you like it. Once this is cooked...

Add 1 cup rice, and a 1 cup chicken broth, 1c rice, 1c broth, 1c rice, 1c broth to chicken/onion mixture mixing after every addition. I know if seems crazy, but there must be a trick to the one and one thing, that's what my nona taught me :)

Now add 3 more cups of broth. (in total 6 cups, rice and broth ratio is always 2:1, alter according to how much rice you are using)

Now add the saffron to the pot, stir and reduce heat to a simmer. Check it a few times to make sure it isn't sticking to the bottom. Test the rice when you see the water is being consumed, if the rice is still not done add a bit of broth, a little at a time, until the rice absorbs it.

That's all folks!!! Enjoy!