Showing posts with label blogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogs. Show all posts

Lisa Simpson, Frosting for the Cause & my Obsession with the Color Yellow

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    I seem to have become obsessed with the color yellow.

    Case in point...

    ...the 100-year-old piano I picked up for $99 at Goodwill.  Had to be painted YELLOW.

    {Spike will now pose for you.}


    Hubby out-of-town on business, I painted our bathroom grey...and added lots (and lots) of YELLOW.


    And these cookies....

    {They are supposed to be floral silhouettes, but let's be honest.  They look like a cross between Lisa Simpson and a sea creature.}

    The cookies are for a good cause, though...and I'm posting the tutorial over at Frosting for the Cause, sweet Paula's charity bringing bakers together to raise money for women's cancers.  Come on over.

    (And if you'd like to sign up to help, you can, too!) 
    Source URL: https://policfashion2011.blogspot.com/search/label/blogs
    Visit Police Fashion for daily updated images of art collection

Babies, Bread & Beautiful Bloggers. . .

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    Babies:
    My *little* sister just had her 3rd baby last month.  Her 3rd boy.  A beautiful, healthy, chunky little boy named Leo. ♥

    {So, she now has a 4 year-old, a one-year-old, a newborn and a good case of sleep-deprivation. ;)}

    Bread:
    It's always been my philosophy that new mothers need a little sugar high to make it through the day.....or at least until naptime. 

    Enter Poppy Seed Bread that makes TWO loaves and is perfect to freeze and drop off to a new mommy.

    The bread is oh-so-moist....I'm no expert, but it might have something to do with the 1+ cups of oil in the recipe.
     
    It is SO good just sliced and served plain for breakfast, or a snack, or for dessert.  It's a multi-tasker.

    Beautiful Bloggers:
    You may know that we lost my mom to cancer over 10 years ago.  Kiddo was 1 and I feel so lucky that he had her in his life, even if it was only for a year.

    Mom made the quilt for kiddo's bed....and she started a small quilt for him to have to carry around.  But she got too sick to finish it.

    I'm not good with a needle and thread.  So, this little quilt was in a bag that I've carried from house to house to house.  And a couple months before baby Leo was born, I found it!

    Here's what it looked like (the top was put together, batting and back attached with pins and bits of thread.):

    On a whim, I tweeted something like, "Anyone interested in finishing a baby quilt in exchange for cookies.....or cash?"  

    I'm not kidding, 5 seconds later, sweet Robyn from Earthbound Chronicles offered to finish it.....FOR THE COOKIES!!!  I think I offered her a few chances to back out....or to take the cash instead.  She wouldn't even let me pay her for shipping.

    Here's how the quilt looks now:
     
    Absolutely gorgeous!!!  And take a gander at this adorable, darling, perfect trim that Robyn added...

     
    {Oh, I love it!}

    So, now baby Leo has a little piece of something his Gigi made.....with a BIG dash of love from a sweet blogger we've never even met.

    {Y'all....I never expected blogging to bring me to tears, but it does. What I love the most about blogging & tweeting is what I never expected.....meeting the most amazing, creative, generous souls on earth.}

    Thank you SO MUCH, Robyn.  {I still think you should have taken the cash.} ;)

    Poppy Seed Bread
    {adapted from Mary Engelbreit's Fan Fare}

    1 & 1/2 cups milk
    3 eggs
    1 & 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
    1 & 1/2 tsp. pure almond extract
    1 cup + 2 TBSP vegetable oil
    2 & 1/2 cup sugar
    3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
    1 & 1/2 tsp. baking powder
    1 & 1/2 tsp. coarse salt
    1 & 1/2 TBSP poppy seeds

    Preheat oven to 350.  Grease sides and bottoms of two 9x5" loaf pans.

    In a large bowl on low speed, beat together the milk, eggs, vanilla, extracts and oil.

    Add in the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt.  Beat for 2 minutes.  Stir in the poppy seeds.

    Divide the batter between the two loaf pans and bake 50-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

    Cool in wire racks in the pans 10 minutes, then remove from pans and let cool completely.

    To freeze, wrap cooled loaf in heavy-duty foil.  Thaw at room temperature several hours or overnight.
    Source URL: https://policfashion2011.blogspot.com/search/label/blogs
    Visit Police Fashion for daily updated images of art collection

Somebody Pinch Me . . .

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    I'm sitting at my kitchen table looking at these pictures and I still can't quite believe I was actually there.
    There, meaning at the Pioneer Woman's Lodge, teaching a cookie decorating class on Saturday.  I was so nervous that I have no recollection of saying much of anything.  But, there are pictures and I had icing under my fingernails, so it must have happened.
    Here's the deal, Ree held a contest on her blog, and 4 readers (and their friends) won a trip to the Lodge for a weekend and some holiday baking.  Click on over and meet them....they are such a GREAT group of ladies; I LOVED getting to know them!!!

    By some stroke of good luck, Ree (the blogger who makes me laugh, cry and hungry every day) asked me to come teach the cookie decorating class to the winners and a few of her friends.  ACK!!!  Me? 

    {I have to admit that when I saw her email, I screamed a little.}
    Let me say this....you know how on her blog, Ree is funny and genuine and down-to-earth?  Well, in person, she's all that and more....gracious, warm and welcoming....and FUN!  (Was that gushing?  I'm sorry, but it's true...every word!)

    I arrived at the lodge and met the winners of the trip...and lots of friends who had come in for the afternoon.  Wanna see?
     
     

    We had the most delicious lunch, prepared by Chefs Tiffany & Lia.  I love them.

    Then, we decorated cookies.  And, I learned something.  I learned that showing how royal icing takes 5-10 minutes to come to a peak isn't all that entertaining.  Next time I will work up a juggling act or something for while the mixer is spinning around.
     
     
    There is a great recap of the class and step-by-step cookie pictures over at PW's.
    I also learned that thinning royal icing with water a half teaspoon at a time takes an eternity when 24 pairs of eyes are watching. As the old saying goes, "A watched icing never thins."  Or something like that.

    This is a little handout for the ladies with cookie and icing recipes and some cookie making tips.  The wonderful and talented Amy of Living Locurto (up above in the red sweater) designed the border!  (I'm hoping to have copies that you can download available later this week.)

    After the cookies, there was a chocolate class taught by pastry chef Lia. She was AMAZING!!!

    Even though I spent the majority of my time making goofy faces like this...
    ....they let me stay for dinner, too!  Beef tenderloin, seafood pasta....absolute heaven.

    OH!  One more thing, the question I've been asked most since the trip....
    Yes, I met Charlie. ♥

    So, to recap....  
    Cookies + PW + amazing ladies + chocolate + dinner at the Lodge = one amazing trip!
    Thank you so much, Ree!!!  It was so FUN!

    {PS...cookies I brought along for the trip coming up tomorrow.}Source URL: https://policfashion2011.blogspot.com/search/label/blogs
    Visit Police Fashion for daily updated images of art collection

Bake at 350 turns 3! (That's 21 in blog years.)

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    Three years ago. Three years ago I started this blog with a riveting post.

    {I was afraid to say anything.}

    And then there was the next one, equally riveting.

    {Thankfully I've gotten over my fear of expressing myself and now my post titles are longer than those first 2 posts combined.  Case in point...this title.}

    I want to thank you.  Thank you for reading posts with 127 pictures of the same cookie.  Thank you for putting up with a post about "salad" containing Snickers.   Thank you for EVERYTHING!  Obviously, Bake at 350 wouldn't be the same without each and every one of you.
    This blog wouldn't be here without something else.  My red KitchenAid stand mixer.  I bought it 13 years ago and I WISH I kept track of how many THOUSANDS of cookies that baby has help me make.

    Not only does it make cookies, but it makes homemade bread dough and brownies and frosting, OH MY!  That red mixer is a fixture in my life!  I love what the KitchenAid website says, it "does everything but hug your kids."

     So, how would you like to celebrate with me?

    Someone is going to win a KitchenAid Candy Apple Red Artisan Stand Mixer (with a glass bowl) *squee*!!!  

    {I mean, is that the prettiest thing you've EVER seen?!? I'd rather have this than a new car. Promise to send me pictures!}

    This is a brand new edition....not the anniversary edition...it just came out in October.  Not only can you use it to whip up a batch of cookies or knead bread dough....with the attachments, this baby can make ice cream, homemade pasta and even stuff sausage!

    To enter (required)... (giveaway has ended)
    1. Leave a comment with what you would name this little beauty (I'm thinking Ruby....or Betty).
    For 2 extra entries...
    1. Leave a separate comment with your favorite recipe or cookie design from Bake at 350 over the last 3 years,
    2. Tweet it!
    {The mixer is very, very generously provided by KitchenAid. In case you're wondering, no, I didn't get one....the prize is ALL FOR YOU!}

    The giveaway will run though November 26th.  GIVEAWAY CLOSED...jlj914 was the winner...congratulations!Source URL: https://policfashion2011.blogspot.com/search/label/blogs
    Visit Police Fashion for daily updated images of art collection

Two things you should know . . .

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    #1...I've adopted.  That's right.  Only Mr. E doesn't know. ;)

    I adopted a blogger through Adopt-a-Blogger and her name is Liz.  Her blog is called Little Bitty Bakes and she and her blog are adorable!

    Not only does Liz bake, she runs!  Check out her 26-ingredient Marathon Cookies!  (I like people who combine their exercise with a healthy dose of sugar!)

    Pumpkin-Apple Fritters, yes please!
    So, go on over to Little Bitty Bakes and say hi!

    #2....Wanna compete in a cookie making contest?  

    The contest is being sponsored by Sweet Cuppin Cakes and runs through December 10th.  There are categories for Children, Teen and Adult.  More info is here.  And, you can upload your cookie pictures to this group on Flickr.

    You-know-who is judging!!!  (And I'm *not* open to bribes...that's right, even if you want to try with a chocolate spa package at the Hotel Hershey, it won't work.  But you can certainly try.)


    I know I said "two things," but here's one more little tidbit.  Friday is Bake at 350's 3-year birthday.  And there is a PRIZE.  A BIG PRIZE.  A BEAUTIFUL BIG PRIZE...and it's for one of YOU!  Come back Friday! :) Source URL: https://policfashion2011.blogspot.com/search/label/blogs
    Visit Police Fashion for daily updated images of art collection

25 of the Best Photographer Portfolio Websites

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