Yesterday was my friend Karen's birthday so today I threw her a party. Hoping to combine crafty and spring, I went as Martha Stewart as possible, especially given the requested dessert. I made Martha's poofs and I also tried to coordinate the colors - blue, green and yellow. I lucked out in that Karen had found this cute idea for a party and we adapted it for todays' festivities.
I've never had the occasion to make a marbled cake, so I gave it a try this weekend when I found a recipe that used booze, the theme of our latest gourmet night. The result was a rum scented marble cake. I filled the center of the cake with fresh blackberries and raspberries and then made some rum vanilla whipped cream to top it all off. The cake was a hit and turned out well. I was so relieved as I wasn't sure it had marbled and I wasn't able to find out until cutting it in front of all my foodie friends.
We had a new coworker of mine and his wife over for dinner this week and I made these. I've never made them before. I ended up cutting them open and filling them with store bought coffee ice cream and topping them with homemade orange liquer and brandy chocolate sauce. They were so easy that I'm now inspired to make large ones and turn them into cream puffs with fresh whipped cream and strawberries. Can you tell I'm hungry!?
We took advantage of the nice weather and lit the fire bowl and had a couple of friends over. When there's fire (and beer), might as well make s'mores. We used bars of sea salt chocolate and ginger chocolate. We also figured out a way to melt the chocolate using the tool used to lift the bowl lid. They were delicious and messy!
Made graham crackers tonight for the first time. The recipe came from the same book that had the instructions to make bacon.
I am in the middle of a two week tour of the west spending some time in Denver with my friend Karen. I have tried a few things, mostly food - duck confit sandwich, blueberry lavender lemonade and a sea salt dark chocolate bark. All of these were wonderfully tasty.
for the first time and I failed miserably. The cupcakes burnt. I had to go to the old lemon bar recipe that's always a winner. I think I'll have to take back my cupcake pans as cupcakes seem to be the only thing I'm burning in the oven.
