Saturday, August 31, 2013

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER CUPCAKES

                                    
I saw a photo (no instructions) of these little cuties online and made them for the Alzheimer's support group last night (I do not belong((thank heavens)), I am just a volunteer) & thought I would share some tips for making these.

Shopping List For the top of the cupcake 
Regular Nutter Butter cookies
Mini Vanilla Wafers
Wilton Eyes
(the photo I saw had taken a miniature marshmallow and cut in half and put a dollop of frosting for eye, but I thought this was easier)

Mini M&M's - these are NOT in bags, they come in a tube & at Walmart by the register

Instructions Bake your cupcakes & let them cool.  While that is going on make the frosting, I used the frosting recipe off of the Hershey's unsweetened cocoa can.  The "mouth, nose link" is the only tricky part and I can save you some time and money by telling you to NOT buy the can of frosting with the different tips on the top of the can - it does not work unless you want all your little cupcakes to resemble Adolf Hitler doggies.  I was just trying to save a little time (code for I was being lazy).  Soooooo, I made one cup of Royal icing using Wilton meringue powder and I used Spectrum soft gel paste chocolate brown to tint the Royal icing and I also added some to the Hershey's icing to make it darker.  If you do not have this gel would highly recommend that you get a box with an assortment of colors.  I think it is the absolute best for food coloring that looks authentic. I used a #2 tip in my piping bag for the "mouth, nose link."  I did not pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes because you do not want lots of frosting, I just used a spoon.
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Sunday, August 25, 2013

REMAINDER OF CHRISTMAS BASKET ITEMS FROM 2011, AS REQUESTED!


Southern pound cake in panibois!

Christmas jelly, cinnamon-apple

Williams-Sonoma recipe Orange-Cranberry sauce

Needed one more thing - added initial to the outside of a little French box

Hot Chocolate-Marshmallow spoons
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ROLO "PENCILS" WITH PAPER ERASER AND KISS LEAD


A little first day of school treat.  Simple as can be - take a nickel and use as a templete for the "earser," cut strips of the same paper for the rest of the eraser, cut a thin strip of foil for the band and score yellow paper for the "pencil."  I used glue dots and this came together very fast.

Here is your supplies list:
3 ½” x 4 ½” yellow cardstock
3 ½” x 3/8” pink cardstock
Scrap piece of pink cardstock
3 ½” length of aluminum foil 5/8" wide
 scissors
Paper crimper or scoring tool & ruler
Adhesive of your choice
1 Rolo
1  Hershey Kiss
1 Nickel

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