15 Dec 2011
by georgiecakes
in Around Town, Bake, Cookie, Gourmet, Sweet
Tags: lace cookie, Lace cookies, oatmeal, oatmeal cookie, oats
Here is the lovely – delicate – chewy – sweet lace cookie recipe I promised to post from the NYC Cookie Swap, the spectacular fundraiser event to help Cookies for Kids Cancer.

Oatmeal Lace Cookie
Here’s what you’ll need…
Makes 30 to 40 cookies
6 tbsp salted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oats, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons corn syrup ( I used Lyle’s Golden Syrup)
dash of salt
Preheat oven to 425
Melt the butter in a saucepan, set aside. In a food processor, pulse the raw oats into tiny pieces. Combine all ingredients – the butter, sugar, oats, flour, baking powder, heavy cream, corn syrup and salt into a bowl, mixing until all ingredients are incorporated.
Using a measuring teaspoon, scoop a spoonful onto a baking sheet. Be sure to space several inches apart, about 3 inches to prevent cookies from merging together.
Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until the cookies have spread and beginning to brown around the edges. Let them cool on the baking sheet. Remove with a metal spatula and serve!
You can add a center filling, like raspberry jam or chocolate (white, dark or milk) and make a sandwich. These little sweets are quick and easy to make and oh so good!
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11 Dec 2011
by georgiecakes
in Bake, Cookie, Food Bloggers Events, Gourmet, Sweet
Tags: #fbcookieswap, Chocolate chip, Cookie Swap, cranberry, cranberry turtle bars, Food Blogger Cookie Swap, Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, pecan, Shortbread, The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap
Here I am, once again participating in another great cookie swap. Hosted by the lovely and talented Lindsay of Love & Olive Oil and Julie of The Little Kitchen. These two ladies know how to throw a party.
How it works… you send a dozen cookies to 3 secret cookie swap participants that you have been paired with. Meanwhile you receive a dozen cookies from 3 separate cookie swappers. That’s a lot of cookies! This has turned out to be one of the biggest cookie exchanges ever, with nearly 22, 000 cookies shipped across the world.
Here are the cookies I made…
Cranberry & White Chocolate Maple Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies (recipe adapted from Zoe Bakes)

C & WC Maple BB Shorbread Cookies Cooling
Here’s what you’ll need:
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup sifted flour
2/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dried cranberries, very finely chopped
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375°
Prepared in a cupcake baking dish lined with baking cups, or use a square 9 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. Use the middle rack in oven.
To make the brown butter:
In a small sauce pot, heat the butter on medium heat until it boils and resembles a light golden color, about 4 to 5 minutes. Using a small wire mesh strainer, pour through the butter into a medium bowl.
To make the brown butter shortbread cookies:
In the bowl with brown butter, add the sugar and flour mixing well with a wooden spoon. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes. If the dough is too cold, allow it to sit for 15 minutes so that it becomes soft and pliable again.
Using a tablespoon, scoop out the dough and place in lined the baking cups, you can use the spoon to spread and distribute evenly. (if using a square 9 inch pan distribute evenly).
Bake for 15 minutes in cupcake pan and (20 minutes for square pan), or until the dough is a nice golden brown. Remove and allow the crust to cool on a rack while you make the cranberry maple filling.
Maple fruit topping:
In a sauce pot combine the maple syrup, salt, cranberries and vanilla, cook over medium heat until you reach a boil, continue to cook for about a minute. Remove from heat.
Using a teaspoon, place a spoonful onto each shortbread cookie, then top with 4 to 5 white chocolate chips. Return cookies to oven and bake for additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until chocolate chips begin to melt. Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack. I removed the baking cups from the cupcake pan and allowed the cookies to cool in baking cup liners on a wire rack.

Cranberry & White Chocolate Maple Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies
The following lovely bloggers were my secret cookie recipients…
Erin from Erin’s Food Files
Kristen from A Healthy Balance
Erin from Currently Coveting
Happy Holidays to all of you! I do hope you enjoyed the cookies as much as I enjoyed making them and eating them.
I received super delicious cookies from these talented ladies…
Lindsay of Love and Olive Oil, “Malted Chocolate Sammie’s”. These cookies are absolutely divine! Thank you for pairing me with Lindsay.

Love & Oilive Oil, Malted Chocolate Sammies
Britne of Shabbott’s Healthy Habits, “Nut Horn Cookies”. I ate one immediately upon opening. I have been craving them every day since my first taste… I’m eating one right now!

Shabbott's Healthy Habits, Nut Horn Cookies
Margaret Farmer sent me “Honey Ginger Cookies”. Obviously, I ate one right away, though with this batch I ate 5 in a row… they were really – really good.

Margaret Farmer, Honey Ginger Cookies
I had an incredibly fun time making cookies and receiving them during “The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap”. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet new people, make & taste new recipes while sharing awesome #cookie love. Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season!
If you would like to learn more about The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, check out this link.
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07 Dec 2011
by georgiecakes
in Bake, Cookie, Gourmet, Serendipitous Adventures, Sweet
Tags: #cookielove, #nyccookieswap, #nycookieswap, basil cookie, Cookie, cookies, cookies for kids cancer, cookiesforcancer, NY Cookie Swap, nyccokkieswap, oatmeal lace cookie
I am grateful to have had the chance to attend the NYC Cookie Swap, a wonderful fundraiser for Cookies for Kids Cancer. Hosted by Maggy of Bloggers without Borders along with her talented co-hosts Gail, Ken and Jacki.

NYC Cookie Swap 2011 Jackie, Larry, Pam, Dori, Jessica
I met wonderful new friends and I mingled with old ones. I played paparazzi taking as many photo’s as I could to document this wonderful event.

Amber, Nicole, Ken, Jessica & Jeff
ALL the cookies were amazing. I’m still working my way through the personal stash I brought home. I can’t seem to pick just one as my favorite, every cookie had some special ingredient that made it tasty; whether it was gluten free, savory or sweet they all shined.

NYC Cookie Swap Paparazzi
Lunch was provided by Hill Country BBQ and was the tastiest and most delicious BBQ food that I’ve had in a long time. Jeff and I plan on re-visiting very soon.

Tara, Ian, Penny, Pam, Dori, Sarabeth & Julie
I found myself smitten by the endless array of talent that graced the room, especially “cooking and photography” royalty like, Dori Greenspan, Pam Anderson, Abby Dodge, Ian Makay and Penny De La Santos.

Gail, Jackie, Lillian & Mitzi
I had the best time ever! My only regret that there wasn’t enough time to meet everyone, this gives me something to look forward too next time.

Pesto Basil Cookie, A Savory Cookie
Jeff and I made two cookies for the NYC Cookie Swap, a savory Pesto Basil cookie (above) and Oatmeal Lace cookie (below). I plan on posting both of these recipes soon, so you can enjoy them too.

Oatmeal Lace Cookie
I hope you get a chance to attend next year’s cookie swap. The cause alone is incentive enough, but what exceeded my expectations was the cookies, the food and the love from everyone who attended. I know I got lucky by purchasing the last two tickets, now that’s serendipity! Happy Holidays! Happy #cookielove!
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03 Dec 2011
by georgiecakes
in Bake, Bloghop Love, Cookie, Dessert, Gourmet, Holiday, Sweet
Tags: #cookielove, bloghop, bloghop love, chocolate, Cookie, cranberry, cranberry turtle bars, pecan
Who doesn’t love chocolate pecan turtles? They’re my go to candy bar when I’m craving chocolate, especially when I’m visiting our local chocolatier at Chocopologie Cafe. This month’s bloghop “Cookie Love” got me thinking about my favorite candy “pecan turtles” and one of my favorite cookies “shortbread”. I remembered reading a cookie recipe from Gourmet magazine and thought these would be perfect for bloghop cookie love and perfect as holiday gifts.

Bloghop #Cookielove
Cranberry Turtle Bars: (Recipe adapted from Gourmet Live Blog)

Cranberry Turtle Bars
Here’s what you’ll need: Candy thermometer, 10 x 15 baking pan – makes 24 to 36 bars (based on cut size)
For the crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 – 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
For the topping:
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 – 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup (I used Lyle’s golden syrup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place rack in the middle to bake.
For the crust:
Line a 10 x 15-inch shallow baking pan with foil, butter all 4 sides, except the bottom.
Blend the flour, brown sugar, and salt into a food processor, add butter and pulse until mixture resembles cornmeal. Layer into baking pan, pressing down firmly with a metal spatula to form an even sheet.
Place in oven and bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden in color. Remove and let cool on a wire rack.
For the topping:
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir in sugar, corn syrup, and salt and bring to a boil. Stirring occasionally, until caramel registers 245 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the cranberries, coating them entirely in caramel sauce. Return to stove and boil until caramel cranberry mixture reaches 245 degrees.
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla mixing well, add the pecans stirring into caramel mixture coating well. Quickly, pour the caramel topping onto the cookie shortbread base, gently spread pecans and berries evenly. For the final layer, sprinkle chocolate chips throughout to cover.
Cool completely, it’s important to allow the topping to set. Once completely cooled, cut the bars into equal pieces and serve. Now only if I could keep from eating them all.
I’m part of bloghop, where the food blog community connects with other blogs to share recipes and spread the love. This month, December is #cookielove month!
You’re more than welcome to join us in #cookielove fun by simply adding your recipe at the end of this bloghop! Be sure to link back to this post, so that your readers know to stop by the #cookielove event! The twitter hashtag is #cookielove
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Badger Girl Learns to Cook, Baking and Cooking: A Tale of Two Loves, BigFatBaker, Bloc de Recetas, Bon a Croquer, CafeTerraBlog, Cake Duchess, Creative Cooking Corner, Easily Good Eats, Georgie Cakes, Hobby and More, Knitstamatic, Mike’s Baking, Mis Pensamientos, Manu’s Menu, No One Likes Crumbley Cookies, Oh Cake, Queen’s Notebook, Savoring Every Bite, Simply Reem, Soni’s Food for Thought, Teaspoon of Spice, That Skinny Chick Can Bake, The Art of Cooking Real Food, The Spicy RD, The Wimpy Vegetarian, Vegetarian Tastebuds, Vegan Yack Attack.
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11 Nov 2011
by georgiecakes
in Bake, Cookie, Gourmet, Sweet
Tags: Chocolate chip, oarmeal, pecan, pumpkin
“I dream of giving birth to a child who will ask, Mother, what was war?” ~ Eve Merriam
A special recipe for those who serve our country.

Harvest Cookies
Here’s what you’ll need: Makes about 3 dozen cookies
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, light or dark
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 sticks of butter, melted
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup cranberries
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup chocolate chips, bittersweet or milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and oatmeal in a medium bowl. Beat eggs, salt and vanilla in a small bowl. Mix Pumpkin, butter, oil and sugars in a large bowl. Stir in egg mixture until smooth. Stir in flour mixture and combine. Add the cranberries, pecans and chocolate mixing gently to incorporate throughout the cookie dough.

Get ready for harvest cookies
Drop a teaspoonful onto a parchment-lined or greased floured cookie sheet. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until golden browned around the edges. Let cool for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Harvest Cookies Cooling
These are crunchy on the edges and chewy in the middle. I plan on donating batches of cookies to our service people.
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ” ~ John F. Kennedy
I’m part of this month’s blogHop, where the food blog community connects with other blogs to share recipes and spread the love. This months bloghop is focusing on the wonderful Autumn harvest with the incredible lovable squash.
Join our love blog hop.
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Recipe adapted from Three Many Cooks
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31 Oct 2011
by georgiecakes
in Donut, Gourmet, Sweet
Tags: Cinnamon, Dessert, donut, sweets

Cinnamon Donuts
Halloween decided to dress up as a Winter. So I decided to make these cinnamon donuts to keep us warm!

snowOMG
Cinnamon Donuts:
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted not hot
1 large egg
1/3 cup heavy cream
Enough vegetable oil for frying
Cinnamon Sugar:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Mix the cinnamon and the sugar in a shallow bowl, set aside. In a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, set aside.

Mix and Roll
In a large bowl, whisk sugar and butter together, add the egg and heavy cream until smooth. Gently fold in the dry ingredients with a spatula to form soft dough. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.
In a large heavy skillet add an inch of oil, using a candy thermometer heat oil to 325 degrees. While oil is heating, take a teaspoon and measure one spoonful of dough, making a round dough hole ball. Prepare all the donuts holes prior to frying.

Fry & Serve
In small batches, drop donuts holes into the hot oil, fry until golden brown on one side for 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and fry the remaining side for 1 to 2 minutes.
Place the donut holes on a brown paper bag or several layers of paper towels, to allow excess oil to drain. Roll the donut holes within the cinnamon sugar mixture, covering completely. Serve immediately, they taste the best warm!

Pink and Purple Cinnamon Donuts
This recipe is adapted from Three Many Cooks. A big thank you to the talented ladies for sharing a quick and tasty sweet.
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24 Oct 2011
by georgiecakes
in #baketogether, Bake, Dessert, Gourmet, Sweet
Tags: #baketogether, apple muffins, spice cake, vanilla bean
I feel fortunate to have met the lovely Abby Dodge at a recent foodie event and equally grateful to have joined in on #baketogether, a community where all foodies (bakers, bloggers and chefs alike) get together and share their spin on a particular recipe. This months assignment “R’ock-tober #baketogether ~ Classic Spiced Sour Cream Coffee Cake YOUR way”.

Spiced Apple Muffins Vanilla Brown Sugar Topping
Since I just joined #baketogether this past weekend and with much of the month behind us, my imagination went to work. I’m making apple muffins with a brown sugar apple topping, similar to a Greek recipe called Revani that my mother made when I was a child.
The reason I’m grateful I’ve joined #baketogether is because I get to learn incredible new recipes from some pretty incredible bakers, and make some new friends.

Apple Spice Muffins
Preheat oven 350 degrees
Spiced Apple Muffins:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup apples, chopped into 1 inch cubes
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 stick of unsalted butter, softened (8 tablespoons)
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed firmly
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup Greek yogurt
Vanilla Bean Brown Sugar Apple Topping:
3 apples, sliced into wedges
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter

Muffin Pan
Muffins:
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, mixing all ingredients until incorporated, set aside.
In a bowl, add butter, sugar and vanilla mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Incorporate half of the flour mixture mixing at a low speed just until blended. Add the Greek yogurt mixing well until blended. Add the remaining flour and fold into mixture with a spatula until all ingredients are incorporated. Add sliced apples and mix well.
Grease muffin pan with butter or shorting, sprinkle lightly with flour to prevent sticking or you can use baking cup liners. Fill 3/4 from the top.
Bake until a golden brown. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Let muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack.
Topping:
While the muffins are baking, begin preparing the vanilla bean brown sugar apple topping. Setting your stove top to medium high heat, place water, brown sugar, butter and vanilla bean paste in a saucepan, heating until sugar has melted and the mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat, add the sliced apple wedges and simmer, stirring for 15 minutes minutes, until apples are caramelized, set aside until ready to use.
Once the muffins have cooled, using a pairing knife, gently loosen each muffin from the pan and place on serving dish. Generously spoon vanilla bean brown sugar sauce atop of muffins, allowing to soak into top layer, place apple slices atop by arrange in layers.
I thought these muffins would be great for breakfast, an afternoon snack or dessert. And then I thought, I have been baking way to much, so I’m sending these to work with the lovely Jeff.

#baketogether
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19 Oct 2011
by georgiecakes
in Dessert, Gourmet, Sweet
Tags: cajeta, caramel, confiture de lait, crema, doce de leite, Dulce de leche, syrup
The first time I was seduced by Dulce de Leche sauce was at a small Latin restaurant in Miami. I can remember that first taste like it was yesterday. I had spent the evening at a concert down the street at the legendary Churchill’s Pub. After the concert we ventured out for the traditional midnight snack, filling our bellies for the long ride home. I don’t remember the name of the restaurant and I can’t seem to recall the band (it was a very-very long time ago). I do, however, remember the sweet – sticky – luscious sauce, oozing slowly down the side of my cake, affectionately known as “Tres Leche”.

Dulce de Leche
I made Dulce de Leche for the first time last Friday. It’s one of the star ingredients for the Apple Dulce de Leche pie I made for #pie party live. I adapted this recipe from Lori over at Recipe Girl.
Here’s what you’ll need:
1 – 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Makes 1 1/2 cups
Pour can of sweetened condensed milk into a glass pie plate. Place pie plate within a larger pan, one that’s large enough to accommodate a water bath and fit a pie dish within it, like a roasting pan. Fill pan with hot water until you reach mid way of your pie dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 to 1¼ hours. (Every oven temperature differs and baking times vary, check the progress of your sauce often, as well as adding more water to your pan as needed).
You want your Dulce De Leche sauce to reach a golden brown, rich and thick caramelization, once you’ve reached the desired consistency, remove from the oven and let cool. Once cooled, blend until a creamy smoothness has been reached.
You may store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to a week, if you can wait that long; or until ready to serve. When you do serve this lovely sauce, warm it up and dollop over ice cream, drizzle onto fruit, or pour all over your cakes. But…. the best way to eat Dulce de Leche by the spoonful.
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18 Oct 2011
by georgiecakes
in Around Town, Gourmet, Pie, Serendipitous Adventures, Sweet, What I think...
Tags: #piepartylive, nyc food bloggers, pie
This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending my very first food blogging event at Pie Party Live. Hosted by the talented Jackie Gordon of The Diva that Eat New York and the equally gifted Ken from Hungry Rabbit, kudos to this duo for a hugely successful and fun event.

Jackie & Ken
Held at Rodeo Bar who served up some incredible dishes to nibble on, as well as offering the space for our fabulous party. Another round of thanks to Gareth of Dub Pies – for the tasty and savory pies.

Rodeo Bar Menu
Pie Party Live united pie lovers and bloggers alike. Access to this pie inclusive event was merely to make or bring a pie. Any kind of pie would do. It could be sweet or savory. So you make a pie, share it with the guests, make some great new friends and taste glorious magnificent pies. How sweet! Here’s a peek at the tantalizing pies on display at the Pie Party Parade.

Pie Party Live
The best part for me was finally meeting all the incredibly talented food bloggers that I have followed for years. I think I had a twinkle in my eye for most of the afternoon. In a way it was like meeting celebrities, since my only connection with these extraordinary foodies was through a virtual screen; either through reading their blogs, watching cooking videos or referring to their cookbooks.

Pie Party Foodies
I made some new friends too. It’s the best part of getting together with folks that share the same interests, wrapped in great food! The event was a whirlwind to me, it went by quickly and sadly I spent very little time with any one individual. I wanted to be sure I had a chance to meet everyone as brief as it may have been. I’m grateful I met all these wonderful people… Jackie, Ken, Tara, Monique, Kate, Abby, Brian, Pam, Grace, Maria, Jennifer, Dana, George, Debra, Lilliana, Jennifer, Louisa, Carol, Gail, Kamran, Wendy, Miranda, Veronica, Winnie, Katy, Lisa, Serena, Emily, Angela, Wendy, Justin, Alissa, Simon, Sarah, Margaret, Leslie, Kathy and Melissa. It was really nice meeting all of you!
Now onto the pie…

Apple Dulce de Leche Pie & Cupcake Pies
For Pie Party Live I made a sweet pie. A recipe adapted from Recipe Girl, her spectacular Apple Dulce de Leche, the flavor combination is incredible. It was the perfect choice, plus I had dozens of apples leftover from apple picking.
(I will be posting my version of the Apple Dulce de Leche pie and cupcake pies in the next few days).

Pie Party Live Sweet & Savory Pies
My favorite part is preparing pie dough. I tried Sylvia’s perfect pie crust adapted from Tasty Kitchen. I really like this recipe, it has a great taste and simple to make. It was perfect!

Pie Party Live Savory & Sweet Pies
Pie party doesn’t end here – there were door prizes galore including a Kitchen Aid Food Processor, a months supply of Driscoll’s Berries, a Scharffen Berger gift basket, a Bake-ware bundle from Chicago Metallic Bake-ware, a pie from Ivy Bakery, a Reci-tee from The Diva That Ate New York, a Cuisinart Toaster Oven Broiler and a smorgasbord of cookbooks. One of which my sweet husband Jeff won – a copy of the The Weekend Baker from the lovely Abby Dodge.
Everything was perfect, the pies, the people and the day. Absolute perfection! I look forward to the next Pie Party Live and visiting with my new friends.
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31 May 2011
by georgiecakes
in Cake, Dessert, Gourmet, Holiday, Sweet
Tags: birthday banner, birthday cake, blueberry, cake plate, memorial day, rose shrub, strawberry, therese bugnet, trifle, Trifle Cake
Jeff’s birthday kicks off the Memorial Day weekend, with my birthday following a week later. When we first met we celebrated separately, now our birthdays have morphed into birthday week… to birthday month.
Here’s a glimpse of the festivities…

Birthday Trifle & Ice Cream Cake
Getting all the props ready for the party.

Getting Party Props Ready
I made “almost” everything for party.

Happy Birthday Banner
Happy Birthday banner made out of patterned paper.

Birthday Banner
Strategically placed to surprise Jeff, he surprised me by pretending not to notice the banner. He snuck up behind me, tapped me on the shoulder, pointed to the banner and started singing “Happy Birthday” while breaking into a dance. This led to both of us singing and dancing and eventual hysterical hilarity!
OK, fine he won that one, but I’ll get him back!
I promise!
Here’s a glimpse at Jeff’s gift…

Jeff's Birthday Gift
I made this too! A window pane with his company logo Words and Minds.

Words and Minds
Here’s the final piece… YAY, he liked it!

Words and Minds "Art Window Pane"
For my birthday gift, Jeff’s got me these…

Therese Bugnet Rose Shrub
Beautiful Therese Bugnet Rose shrub… which I am utterly in LOVE with!

Rose Vase Centerpiece
So much so, I made this centerpiece for our birthday table.

Birthday Table Setting
I even made the dessert cake plate stands and gave one away to our cousin who so graciously served our country in Iran and Afghanistan on two separate tours of duty – we are forever grateful!
But, the best part of our party was the Birthday Trifle Cake.

Birthday Trifle Cake Berrylicious
Here’s another look…

Birthday Trifle Cake Berryliciousness
Birthday Trifle Cake recipe
Berries:
2 pints blueberries
1 pound strawberries
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Lemon crunch cake “Entenmann’s Brand“
2 8 oz containers cool whipped topping
Combine the strawberries in a bowl, add brown sugar, all spice and cinnamon, mix well, cover and let marinate for 1 hour in refrigerator. In a separate bowl combine blueberries and honey, cover and let marinate for one hour in refrigerator. Using a thin serrated knife slice the lemon crunch cake in a sawing motion, cutting the cake into 4 equal layers.
To assemble the trifle, spoon a layer of the whipped cream into a large glass bowl. Add a layer of lemon crunch cake, breaking the slices into pieces that fit. Then soak the cake with a layer of berries and their juices, starting with strawberries and alternating the berries with each layer. Continue layering making 4 to 5 layers, depending on the size of the bowl. The last layer being whipped cream, finish with a dollop of strawberries in the center and blueberries around the edges. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
This was so good that I hid a super huge serving in the fridge to eat tonight. And, because it’s my birthday and I’ll do what I want to!
After eating ourselves into a sugar coma, we soaked up the sunshine and beautiful weather. A perfect way to greet the summertime, celebrate our Birthdays, and to take time to honor those who have served our country.

Beach Birthday Party
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