Easter Cupcakes

 My dream would be to own a cupcake business. But until my time is right to do so, I love to 'play' at home. Unfortunately we are so busy that most of the time my crafty cakes go to waste instead of going into a belly. :( This time my wonderful fiance has decided to take them into work and share them with the crew. I am always excited for 'outsiders'  to takes my goods. :)

I've come up with an amazing Vanilla Cake recipe!

Ingredient: 

1/2 C softened butter
1 C sugar
2 TSP vanilla
1/2 C half and half
2 eggs
1 1/2 C cake flour
1 TSP bp
1/4 tsp salt

 Directions:

Preheat over at 350 degrees

In a Large bowl mix butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla and half and half. Beat until a creamy smooth texture.

In separate bowl add flour, baking powder and salt.

Slowly add dry mixture to wet. Mix just until all is mixed together.

Fill lined cupcake molds 3/4 of the way full.

Bake about 15 min.

Frosting: Vanilla Butter cream

1 C softened butter
2 LBS confectioners sugar
1/4 TSP salt
1 TBSP vanilla
About 4 TBSP milk

Cream butter and vanilla.
Add salt
Slowly alternate adding sugar and milk.
Beat well until a thick creamy consistency.
 Decorate as desired.

Hope everyone has a Happy Easter!



 

Homemade Laundry Powder

Recently I started making my own laundry powder. It is FanTastic! It's so inexpensive, works great and smells wonderful. It only requires 3 ingredients which can be purchased right at Walmart.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Borax
1 Cup Washing Soda
1 Bar Ivory Soap  

Materials:

A cheese grader
1 Bucket or tub with lid

Instructions:

Place 1 cup or each Borax and Washing Soda in tub and add 1 bar of shredded soap. Mix/shake for a few minutes until all the ingredients are mixed together. 
For regular loads place 1 TBSP in each load.
For Large or extra soiled loads, use 2 TBSP

Thats it! Easy peasy! Happy washing :)

Whole Wheat Garlic Focaccia Bread

 Several months ago I decided to make all of our dinner bread from scratch. This was another one of my, 'how can I save money and still have great dinners?' thoughts.

 I'm amazed at how easy it is even without a bread machine. And by my surprise, even the kids love it! Double bonus!!

Garlic Focaccia Bread

 Ingredients: 1 Cup warm water
1 Package dry active yeast
1 Tsp. sugar
2 1/3 Cups whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp.  onion powder
Cooking spray
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tbsp. onion, minced
1 Tbsp. thyme
Shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions: 

1. In stand mixer with hook attachment, add warm water, yeast, garlic powder, onion powder and sugar. Let set until yeast foams.
2. Start mixer on low. Slowly add flour. Mix until all edges are clean and dough forms a ball.
3. Spray a glass bowl with cooking spray. Remove dough from mixer, continue to form into a ball and place in bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set in warm area to rise.
4. Add oil to skillet on medium-high heat. Once hot, add chopped garlic and minced onion. Cook for several minutes until garlic starts browning.
5.  Remove skillet from heat. Add thyme and set aside.
6.  Remove dough from bowl. Spread out to about an 8 x 12 rectangle on a pan coated with cooking spray.
7. Poke dimples in dough with finger.
8. Brush oil mixture over dough. Grade a light coating of cheese over dough.
9. Set dough aside again for about 15 min. to rise.
10. Preheat oven to 425 degrees .
11. Bake dough for about 15 min or until edges turn slightly brown.
12. Cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy....

Spring Up!

Can you say Whoohooo?! Its the first day of Spring! I can't tell you how excited I am for open windows and colorful flowers! It has been quite the long, gray winter here in New England.

I have already jumped ahead last week and created some tissue paper flowers and balls in spring pastels to prepare for the season. I learned this technique back in elementary school and has become popular again and with good reason. This was the perfect no money, quick project I needed that brought a big impact to my dining room. 

Tissue Paper Flower

Materials: Tissue paper
                  Pipe cleaner
                  Scissors

 1. You'll need 8 pieces of tissue paper. I used 2 blue and 2 pink cut in half. 
 

 2. Fold the paper in a under, over motion the whole length of the paper.

 3. Depending on what you want your end result to look like, cut the ends of the paper. I cut a point into my ends but you can also round them.

 4. Use your pipe cleaner  and tie it in the middle of the paper. If this will be exposed you may want to use green to look like a stem. Mine are going in solid color vases so any color will be fine.

5. Fold the paper in half.

6. Gently pull the paper as to separate each sheet. Pull all the sheets in the same direction.

 Here are a few pictures of the finished flower.

 Tissue Paper Ball.

Follow the same steps as above only I tied the middle with a long piece of ribbon to hang the ball from. When pulling the paper to separate the sheets pull then in opposite directions to create a ball.

I hung 3 balls above the flowers for a nice center piece for our dining room table. These are great to hang above a dessert table for any event as well.