Memories of Memorial Days Past.

As another Memorial Day weekend comes to a close, I reflect upon Memorial Day weekends past. For some reason, I’ve had a lot of very memorable Memorial Days (ha ha, get it?). It’s true though. More than any other holiday of the year, I can remember previous Memorial Days with great clarity – many of them including major life-changing events. I don’t know if it’s because at the beginning of every summer, I turn into a different  person, who we’ll call “Summer Jeanine,” or if warm weather just makes everyone a little crazier, myself included. Either way, there’s something about Memorial Day that seems to bring changes and good times.

Memorial Day has never let me down, and this year it even included a Yoda birthday cake for my nephew.

yo-yo-yo-yo-yoda…cake.

And even better, I got to present it to him in person, and see the look on his face when he first saw it. That’s the good stuff, folks.

So here’s one more Memorial Day for the books - a would-be bestseller, no doubt..

~~2012 Memorial Day memory: a joke, as told by my younger nephew:

“Why did the baby banana cry? Because his parents were zombies!”  I’ll remember it forever. 

 

Bowled Over.

I was asked by a friend to make bowling cupcakes this past weekend for a bowling party for her 6-year-old. She sent me this picture from the flickr album of a talented baker working under the moniker “hello naomi,” and asked if I could do something similar. I loved these, and couldn’t wait to try my hand at creating my own version of them, so I responded to the request with an exuberant “yes!” and the fun began.

She wanted chocolate, so chocolate is what she got, along with a layer of buttercream, and topped with fondant bowling accoutrements, such as…

…Bowling Balls…

have a ball.

…Bowling Pins…

pinned down.

….and Strikes.

very striking.

Throw them all together, and you’ve got a bowling party in a box (minus the ugly, smelly shoes).

game on.

 

Run hard when it’s hard to run.

I was running last night, and did 6 miles. That’s an average run for me these days – 6-8 miles. It wasn’t always that way, don’t get me wrong, but it is what it is, and don’t think for one second that you couldn’t get to that point, too. But that’s not what I’m here to discuss right now. I’m hear to discuss the magic of 3 – 3 miles that is.

I’ve thought about it before – even before I started running long distances. When i was in the early stages of running, I found that getting to 3 miles was extremely difficult. However, one day, I crossed the 3 mile threshold and something changed – training became easier. Ramping up my mileage was suddenly no longer a daunting task, and running was no longer painful – it became fun, exhilirating and even made me happy.

But not for the first 3 miles. For some reason, on every run, the first 3 miles are ALWAYS the hardest. It goes a little something like this:

Mile 1: Awww yeah! I’m gonna rock this run!! Feels like i’m walking on air!

Mile 1.5: Gee, my shins and ankles kinda hurt. And I feel tired. Should I stop?

Mile 2: WTF is wrong with me? Why am I doing this again? My legs feel like lead, and I can’t think of anything other than the pain of every step.

Mile 2.5: GOOD GOD, I’m torturing myself. What for? I hate running!! I’m gonna stop…I can’t take it anymore!!!

Then, just when i’m about to give in, suddenly there’s….

Mile 3: Hello world! I love this life and can go for miles! What’s pain again? Let the real run begin! And the rest is smooth sailing.

Last night, this hit me extra hard. I haven’t done much running since the Broad Street Run a week and a half ago, so this was my big return to running. Those first 3 miles were almost unbearable. I thought about giving up more than a few times. But I knew that if I kept going, I’d get through it, and come out stronger on the other side.

And so I did. But I realized something else as well. I’ve learned so much from running – it’s been a mirror for what’s going on in the rest of my life, and has taught me how to deal with and get through some dark and difficult days. Last night, I learned that there are situations in my life that I’m almost through – that I keep getting close to out-running – yet I just can’t seem to cross the threshold, and I wind up surrendering to the pain. Each time, I do get a little closer though. Even so, I wind up beating myself up over it – because I gave in – again.  But then I remember back to before I reached that 3 mile mark for the first time – I did not know I’d be ok on the other side, and the fear of the unknown was what made it so difficult to keep going. Now that I know, I can handle the pain, and run through it. Not knowing what’s on the other side is my biggest fear. It took time to build up the strengh to run through those first 3 miles. I gave up many times. But eventually, after trying over and over and over and over, I finally did it. And there’s no turning back now.

What I’m learning is that It’s ok if you don’t cross the 3 mile mark right away. It’s ok if you give in to the pain. Just as long as you get back out there, and try to out-run it again. Eventually, whether you believe it or not, you’ll cross over. And it will be great.

 

Cake Babies.

I was asked over the weekend to do cupcakes for a baby shower – they were nursery rhyme-themed. I haven’t really thought about nursery rhymes in a great many years. In fact, I couldn’t even remember any of them! I had to look them up! But once I started googling, they all came rushing back. Then came the difficult decision of which ones to actually simulate in cupcake form. So, after careful consideration, I went with:

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

baby, you’re a star.

Itsy Bitsy Spider

is that a spider on your cupcake?

and The Three Little Pigs.

little pig, little pig, let me in!

In addition to these, I did some complimentary pastel colored cupcakes, complete with a little glitter (i.e., sugar crystals).

pretty in pastel.

These were fun to make! I hadn’t really been doing much of this kind of thing lately, and it was great to get back into it! But the flood gates are open now – I’ve got cupcakes for a party this weekend, and a cake for my nephew next weekend – pictures and stories to come!

 

Mom takes the cake.

Actually, I brought it to her, and willingly gave it to her, so literally, mom did not “take” the cake, as it was a gift. Figuratively, however, she sure does take the cake. And so does your mom, and everyone who is a mom. I hope you all got a chance to celebrate with your mom today, or celebrate being a mom, or both! And i sure hope there was cake involved! My mom has never been big into flowers, but she sure does love cake. So once again, I have given her the gift that keeps on giving (or at least 8 slices of giving) – a Mother’s Day Cake!

you are my sunshine, mom.

This particular Mother’s Day Cake is red velvet, with chocolate icing. Most people don’t give much thought to the red velvet/chocolate icing combo, which is rather sad, as it really is quite complimentary and extremely delicious. Just ask mom – she knows best!

PS: I really wanted to include this photo I took of the cake before the I wrote on it, using Instagram. I’ve become totally obsessed with Instagram. It’s so much fun. Almost as fun as making the cake.

cake effects.

 

Punk Rock Flea Market!

Tomorrow (Sunday, May 13th), I’ll be at the Punk Rock Flea Market, selling my book and even some baked goods. If you happen to be in the Philadelphia area, and maybe need a last minute gift for mom, the flea market is THE place to be. Besides my lovely cookbook and delightful assortment of baked goods (including White Chocolate Pixie Cakes, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Red Velvet Mini Cupcakes), you’ll find tons of options for even the hardest to please hard-core punk-mom. Here are the specifics:

The Punk Rock Flea Market.

when: Saturday, May 13th, 10am to 5pm

where: The Punk Rock Flea Market Dome  (461 N 9th Street – Right Across From The Starlight Ballroom),

misc: $3 Admission Donation.

website: http://www.r5productions.com/event/101883/?utm_source=fb1&utm_medium=shr

enticing photos:

a cookie classic.

many many mini red velvets.

pretty in pink pixies.

So what are you waiting for? Come out and get your treat on – like a real punk.

 

Best Vanilla Cake Balls Ever?

Last week, i made the Best Vanilla Cake Ever, and proceeded to ice it with a delicious buttercream. Then, i covered it in an air-tight container, and put it in the fridge, hoping that the perfect use for it would arise sometime during the week. Well, it did, even though it was not quite what i had initially envisioned. You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need. The best vanilla cake ever has become:

The Best Vanilla Cake Balls Ever!

simply the best.

My next step will be to cover them with chocolate, and turn them into Pixie Cakes! I was totally going to do that today, but I ran the Broad Street Run this morning, and afterwards I was so beat, I passed out on the couch.

it was definitely worth it.

Anyway, I promise in my next post there will be Pixie Cakes, complete with decorative adornments. Until then, may the wind be at your back, and the oven be ever full.

 

The Icing on the Cake (and there’s even a recipe).

So after making the Best Vanilla Cake Ever yesterday, I couldn’t just leave it without icing it! So I decided to try a recipe for a simple buttercream that I also learned in pastry school, however, I’ve been wanting to alter it, and since this cake was really just for practice purposes, I figured I’d use this opportunity to test out the modified buttercream recipe I had in mind. It wound up working, and it was really smooth and iced really really well (not to mention tasted totally rad).

blank cake canvas.

So, even though I already featured a recipe this week, I figured that I’d share the icing recipe as well, because really, what’s a cake without icing? And, coincidentally, the buttercream recipe made just enough to ice a cake this size! The only problem is that now I have this wonderfully iced quarter sheet cake in my fridge, just waiting to be decorated, and nowhere to go. Anyone need a sheet cake for an event in the very near future? Half price.

Simple Buttercream (Jeanine’s Modifed Version)

What you’ll need:

8 oz butter (room temperature)

4 oz shortening

1 lb 4 oz confectioner’s sugar

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 oz water

What you’ll do:

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy, using the paddle attachment. Add the lemon juice, vanilla, and water, mix until shiny. If you want a thinner consistency, just add more water.

 

Recipe Sunday: Best Vanilla Cake Ever.

This may sound like a lofty claim – and it is. But I stand behind it. And I know what you’re thinking – “a plain vanilla cake? THAT’s your featured recipe this week?? Lame!!” Well, don’t write me off just yet – let me explain. I spent a long time looking for the perfect scratch cake recipe. Just a plain vanilla, on which to build a strong foundation, and to serve as a  base for other fancier cakes. One of the most important things I learned in pastry school is that a good recipe doesn’t have to be complicated, and if you want to really bake a great cake, start with a great base. If the foundation is weak, the building (or cake) will surely collapse. This particular vanilla cake recipe is based on one that I was taught in my first class – Intro to Baking – and was used time again throughout my classes, up to and including my last and most advanced class. Start with a solid base – and you can’t go wrong. I know how hard it can be to find a recipe that fits that bill – which is why I’m sharing my foundation with you – in the hopes that somewhere out there, I’ll help make a young baker’s life a little easier.

a sheet to build a dream on.

Best Vanilla Cake Ever.

What you’ll need:

12 oz eggs (about 7)

4 1/4 oz milk (1%)

5 oz high-ratio liquid shortening*

1/2 oz vanilla

10 oz sugar

8 oz cake flour

1/2 oz baking powder

1/4 oz salt

What you’ll do:

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, liquid shortening and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Pour the dry ingredients on top of the wet, and mix for 5 minutes on medium speed, with the paddle attachment. Scrape the bowl to make sure all the dry ingredients are incorporated, and mix on medium speed for 5 more minutes. Grease a 13 x 9 sheet pan (also know as a quarter sheetpan) and pour all the batter in (it will be pretty thin and runny). Bake for about 25 minutes.

*High ratio liquid shortening is not the easiest thing to come by – in fact, I never even knew it existed until I went to pastry school. However, it truly is a wonderful thing, and I highly recommend spending the extra time and money to track it down – it’s definitely worth it. I use Fluid Flex -  click here for a list of a few sites where you can order it.

 

Recipe Sunday: Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies.

Today it rained – a lot. I’m not complaining. It gave me the chance to stay in, relax, and do my favorite thing: bake. Truthfully, I would have baked anyway, but there’s something extra comforting about baking on a cold, rainy day – maybe it’s the warmth of the oven…who knows. But it is, what is, and I bake, therefore I am.

Anyway, this Sunday’s dessert of choice was Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies. My recipe is based on  this one, but I modified and tweaked it over the years, and I feel it’s finally reached cookie enlightenment. The reason I chose these for this Recipe Sunday was two-fold: I was planning on sending a long-distance friend one of my creations, and it had to be something both that he liked, and could be shipped. He loves cookies, and cookies are easily shippable. And so it was written. Hopefully he likes them, and you do, too!!

delivered to your doorstep!!

Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies

What you’ll need:

1 cup minus 1 tbsp butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups oats

1 1/2 cups Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips

What you’ll do:

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter, brown sugar, and sugar together until fluffy and well-mixed. In a small separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and vanilla, and add to the butter/sugar, mixing well. In another bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda, and add, mixing until everything is just combined – do not over mix! Fold in the oats, then fold in the cinnamon chips. Spoon into heaping spoonfuls (or use something like this – it really makes it so much easier and they turn out looking much cleaner) onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. I fit about 15 on a sheet. Bake for 8-9 minutes, until the edges are golden-brown. Makes about 4 dozen.