Puppies and Tea Parties!

Hi there!  In my last post, I told you about how busy I had been and kinda slacking in the blog category.  Well, my life just got a whole lot busier on Monday, when my husband and I adopted a puppy!  We got her from the local animal shelter and she had come from a "hoarder" and she lived with 8 other dogs and an unspecified number of cats and the authorities had to come in to rescue all the animals.  She is 11 months old and has not had a lot (or any) training, so we have had a busy few days here!  The first day was really tough. She was making messes all over the house, but she has gotten better and we have not any any messes since the second day we had her!  

Coming from the environment that she did, she was and still is very shy and scared.  But she has really started to open up to us and follows us around all day long!  She really is a very sweet dog and on the 3rd day that we had her, we decided we would call her Bailey!  We have yet to leave her home alone, but when one of us leaves, she sits by the door and waits for us to get back.  Lucky for us, she doesn't bark a lot!  I have never had a dog before (only cats) so I definitely did not want a really crazy, wild dog.  She is perfect for us though!  She is sleeping right next to me as I type this.  :-)

I could go on and on about her, but I won't bore you too much!  I feel like a proud Mama talking about her baby! :-)  So I will share a couple pictures of her during her first days with us.

Now for the cookies!  My Mother in law's dear friend is about to be a Grandma for the first time.  So I made these for her daughter in law's baby shower.  They were having a tea party and the Mom to be loves tulips, so I made to make some of those!  I also did some brush embroidery on them.  It has become a very popular trend in the cookie community and I love this technique!

Hope you enjoy them!

Teapots, tea cups and flowers!

I love how these flowers turned out!

This was my favorite cookie out of the bunch!

I just made some Challah bread last night that was so yummy!  My hubby said it was the best bread I ever made!!  I happen to love Challah bread too!  The loaf is almost gone 24 hours later, it is that good!  Look for the recipe on here soon!  

So tell me, do you have a dog?!  Any advice for a new Dog Mama?!  I would LOVE to hear it!!  Leave me a comment below!

Rosemary Wheat Buns

Hi there!  Feels like I have not been on here in so long!  Not really sure why I have not been posting as much these days.  I guess it's a combination of a few things.  I have been traveling a lot lately!  In the past 3 weeks I have been to Canada, Rochester, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, back to Pittsburgh and now I am back in Canada for a couple weeks.  Phew!  I have been following my hunny around watching him play lacrosse and I finally got my name changed on passport and license with my new married name!  

It's so weird to sign a different last name.  I definitely love having my new name, because it really makes it feel like we have started our own family now!  Jeff probably thinks I am crazy... I have gotten a bunch of return address labels and other things with our name on it.  And I have been doing a lot of crafting lately with all my free time, and I have really liked having a "G" mixed into the decorations around the house.  I will be sharing that craft that I made on here shortly!  

I also have not been baking as much as I usually do.  Normally in the winter, I just want to eat all comfort food (including LOTS of desserts) but I have been trying to not eat as much lately.  I mean, don't get me wrong... I still crave something sweet everynight after dinner.  But I have been starting to feel guilty about eating so much.  I just don't know portion control!  Haha.  

That being said, I have been baking a lot of bread lately!  I really love it.  I love making a fresh loaf of bread or buns for dinner.  There is nothing like fresh bread!  The hubby loves it as well.  And as I have told you, I used to work in a bread bakery.  I am spoiled now and I really only like good, homemade bread the day it is made.  Grocery store bread just doesn't cut it anymore.  I still buy it sometimes, but I have lots of time since I don't work so I love to make it fresh.  Plus, then it is so much healthier and I know exactly what goes into it! 

So, the other night we were having pulled pork for dinner, and I had some rosemary that I bought and had not used yet.  So, I decided to take this recipe for buns, and tweak it a little to make rosemary buns.  I also wanted to try to make them wheat buns.  And for my first time making them, they were delicious!!  So here is the recipe for them.

Rosemary Wheat Buns

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. instant yeast
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 egg, beaten for eggwash

Directions:

1. In mixer bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in the warm water.  Let sit for a few minutes and whisk to make sure everything has dissolved.
2. Add oil, salt, rosemary and all purpose flour and mix on medium for 2 minutes.  
3. Add the whole wheat flour and mix on medium for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and has formed a ball. 
4. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough and cover with a clean dish towel and put in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size. 
5. Dump the dough out onto a silpat lined baking sheet and cut into 6 even pieces.
6. Round the pieces into a ball and place on baking sheet about 1 inch apart.  
7. Eggwash and let proof for 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375°.
8. Eggwash one more time and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 190° and they are nicely golden brown on top. 

Yeast, sugar and warm water working their magic.

Rosemary chopped finely.

Yeast, sugar, water, oil, salt, rosemary and all purpose flour in mixer bowl.

After the first mix.

After the whole wheat was added and the dough has formed a ball.

Ready to be proofed.

Covered in a warm spot.  I put it on my stove with the light on.

The dough has doubled in size.

Cut into 6 portions.

Rounded and ready to be proofed for a second time.

Proofed, eggwashed and ready to be baked!

Mmm... fresh out of the oven!

The final product!  

I hope you try this recipe.  It is very easy.  Takes a little patience while it rises though!  But so worth it!  Fresh buns for dinner in around 2 hours!  And the ingredients are so simple!  I always have every ingredient on hand (except the rosemary, but you could omit it or add a different herb!).  The possibilities are really endless!

Baking is still my number 1 passion, but I have been really interested in crafting lately, so I will be adding some how to's of the crafts that I will be making.  I hope that you don't mind and stick around for all that I want to share with you!!   

Um... is it just me or has this year and winter been flying by?!?!  It's MARCH!!  

Happy March to you all!  :-)

Bananas Foster Bread Pudding

I. could. eat. this. everyday.

Right after I was done with Culinary School, I went out to Wisconsin to work at a resort for my externship.  A dessert we made for one of the restaurants was Bananas Foster Bread Pudding.  Oh my gosh.  That is where bread pudding became one of my favorite desserts!  So this is my twist on the recipe.  

Anytime I have leftover bread, I love to make bread pudding!  Then top it off with a delicious syrup.  Unbelieveable.

Bananas Foster Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

• 8 slices french bread, a few days old, 1 inch cubed
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1 tbsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Spray an 8x8 pan.
3. Put the cubed pieces of bread in the pan, sprinkle with brown sugar, butter pieces, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Mix until it is evenly distributed.  
4. In medium bowl, whisk eggs and sugar together.
5. Gradually add the milk, cream and vanilla to egg mixture.
6. Pour the egg mixture over the top of the bread.  Use a fork to push down all the bread pieces so the egg mixture gets soaked up.  
7. Let sit for 15-20 minutes so the egg mixture is totally soaked up before baking.
8. Bake uncovered for about 40-45 minutes, or until the top puffs up and springs back when touched. 
9. Serve warm with syrup and banana slices on top.  Garnish with a strawberry.

Syrup

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 cup Banana flavored Malibu Rum (or a mixture of Banana liquor and Rum)
• 1 tbsp. vanilla

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a saucepot.  
2. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; whisk and cook until it melts together.
3. Add the rum and vanilla.  It will bubble up.  Once it bubbles, cook for about 2 minutes to make sure everything is completely combined.
4. Cool slightly and pour over warm bread pudding.  
5. ENJOY!

Baked Bread Pudding right out of the oven!

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!  

I have a long running list of desserts that I want to make for this blog.  What desserts would YOU like to see on here?!  What recipes are you wanting to try but never get around to making?!  

Tell me!  I love to hear from you!  

Backyardigans Birthday Party

Hi there!  I made these cookies for friends of mine whose son is turning 3.  And he loves the Backyardigans!  It seems like just yesterday I was heading to his 1st birthday party... oh how time flies!  He is the cutest little boy in the world and has amazing parents Clyde and Beckah!  :-)  

I hope you all enjoy these cookies!!  

I have watched the Backyardigans back in my college babysitting days, so it was fun to make cookies of characters that I am somewhat familiar with!  Now, I had to look up the names but here they are individually!

*Uniqua*

*Austin*

*Tyrone*

*Pablo*

*Tasha*

These were the first character cookies I have ever made, and I have to say that I am pleased with how they turned out!  

Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day

Hi there!

I made these cupcakes for Valentine's Day.  Nothing too crazy... good old vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream!  I find that sometimes I get into making different desserts that I forget the classics.  So when I was in the mood for a vanilla and vanilla cupcake, I decided I would make them with hearts that I piped with leftover royal icing a couple weeks ago.  

It is really simple to do.  Whenever I am decorating cookies, I most likely have leftover icing.  Instead of throwing it out, sometimes I pipe different shapes onto a silpat mat and let them dry for 48 hours.  Then, once they are completely dry, I put them in a small airtight container and keep them for months.  Then, I can use them on upcoming cookies, cupcakes, and cakes.  

Some things that I have made with extra icing are hearts (red and pink), roses, and circles (the middle of flowers or eyes) just to name a few. 

Last year I made heart shaped Turtle Brownies and Red Velvet cake!  Yum!!!  

What desserts or treats are you making or having for Valentine's Day?!  

Since I won't be with my hubby this year for Valentine's Day, I plan on watching some kind of Romantic movie with some chocolates!  :-)  

I hope you all have a very sweet day!