Bake!!

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread


Orange Sourcream Bread

So I went on a bit of a bread baking trip today. We were invited for dinner so I couldn't not jump at the chance to bring dessert, right? Any reason to bake I say!
With a family of five baked goods don't last very long, so thank goodness they aren't all for myself.
I wanted to go with a winter citrus theme. First I went with my tried and true betty crocker lemon poppy seed bread. This time I wanted to add a extra pizzazz, so I researched some glazes and decided on a confectionary sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, and milk glaze. Oooh it was good.
The next bread I had not tried before. It was a orange sourcream pound cake. I want to spice it up a bit with a cream cheese glaze. I used about 3 tablespoons of cream cheese, a cup of confectionary sugar, a squeeze of orange juice, 1/2 tsp. of orange peel, tsp. of vanilla, and we were ready to roll. This one I really loved. the cream cheese was a bit messy , but delicous none the less. I really don't care (except for blog picture sake) what my food looks like, just as long I am happy eating it to my hearts content.
If you are in the mood to bake some pound cakes, I'm telling you, you won't regret these glazes. Both pound cakes come from betty crocker cookbooks, but are all fresh ingrediants.

I have had some time to work on some of my minis lately. I want to make a new couch and coffee table. I had alot of fun looking through the CB2 catalog, and was really impressed by the design of a coffee table that was featured. So I got my wheels rolling and worked for a couple of weeks here and there. And walaa, this is what I came up with.

I wanted to go with a yellowish, orangish stain. I carved the sides to meet at an angle.


I also wanted to make an armless couch. This was quite a challenge, and I didn't finish without some mistakes, but overall it came out. It was hard to get the angle for the back and the cushion to meet. I love the challenge. I think I might start working on a new bedroom set. I also have a little mini bar in mind next. I kind of went on a re-ment shopping spree lately. I was able to snag some of the elegant sweets that I have been eying, the floating hamburger, onion ring and soda set(wanting that forever, the mimo soho shooters, another girls in the city (wanted some more office supplies), and the grill set for the spring. Oh I had too much fun. I can't wait to take some pics soon. I was too busy baking today ;)


Now go bake some delicious sweets!

Baking, Watching, Reading, Collecting

Chocolate Crinkle cookies. I spotted these at Panera. They usually do a mint in theirs, I hear (I have't tried theirs) but I opted for no mint. They are super duper easy to make and the most fluffiest cookies I have ever had.
The recipe I found is here.

This week was my husbands birthday, soo, I made him his fave cake, Carrot Cake. You cannot go wrong with the cream cheese icing.
We have "Cooking Mama" and the kids were making a chiffon cake. I have vaguely heard of these before, but had not realized how cool they really can be.
So I went in hunt of this said "chiffon cake." I found one that is a strawberry lemonade chiffon cake. I plan on making this when the weather calls for a lighter cake. It is all about the eggs and making sure they are nice and fluffy. Not my pic, but the strawberry preserves in the layers, I can't wait!

I am kind of on a baking kick. I love to try different desserts. Lucky for me I have willing participants to be my guinea pigs to eat all these goodies. Not that I don't taste test ;)

I am in the process of working on a new coffee table and couch for my roombox. I think I am thinking of warmer days because I recently ordered some summer re-ment sets. The Rainbow deli avacado dip set and the barbeque grill set.
I have slowly felt my energy levels decline as I have entered my thirties. I used to be able to work on things into the wee hours of the night and pop up on time in the morning. Now I find myself maybe fiddling for about an hour and then I'm ready to crash on the couch with a good book or show.

Speaking of good books, I just finished reading Lisa See's "Dreams of Joy." It was quite sad and intense at times, but it really was very gripping. You really dive into the Chinese culture and history.
We are slowly making our way through "It's Always Sunny.." Umm. funniest show ever. We are on season 4. I couldn't not stop laughing at most of the shows in this season.
If you are a netflix user you totally have to watch "Bill Cunningham New York."
Probably the most intriguing person. He is a fashion street photographer for the New York Times. He seems like such a unlikely character for this job by appearances, but totally on top of his game with what is fashion. Such a great one to watch.

So glad its Thursday! Ready for the weekend ;)

Warm up with some soup

I love soup. I like chopping each vegetable to put in the soup. I wanted to do a lentil soup, and when I saw 'Joy the Baker''s recipe for spicy lentil with chicken sausage I knew I was in luck. I didn't have chicken sausage, but I was able to find some chicken kielbasa as in Ina Garten's recipe. So away I went.
I didn't use Ina's tomato paste, leaks, or redwine. I didn't use Joy's sausage but used keilbasa. With those modifications, it was perfect for me and the fam.

One of my new years resolutions is to try more veggie dishes, and when soup is involved I get real excited. I have brussel sprouts on the list of veggies to make. I have never had them before, and I can't wait to try them out.

I really am wanting to make a tortilla soup or possibley a minestrone. I am a bit of a soup nut in the winter.
Warm up with some soup!

Happenings in pics

Birthday girls

Sleepy dogs

A whole lotta princess cooking

And nintendo playing

Scones

So, believe or not I have never made a scone before. Crazy I know. So the other week I bought some fresh cranberries and was in search of a recipe to use them when I came across several that I like but settled on testing out Ina Gartens's on food network. The orange glaze really drew me in. With this recipe I would totally go way more heavy on the orange zest. I only had cuties on hand so I opted to use those.
I believe I've only eaten one scone in my life, and I remember them having a hard texture. These, because of the butter you use (cough... 3/4 of a lb. cough) they are softer and more biscuitesque.
One modification I would do, add more cranberries and more orange zest, and then I think that would perfect them. Loved the cranberries for an extra tart taste to accent the savory buttery goodness.
Have a great day!