Well as they say.......'March came in like a lion and out like a lamb'....we had some windy rainy weather but I am happy to report that it looks like Spring has sprung and I am really ready for it! I am also happy to report that I found the most amazing chocolate rocks by Maggie Lyon Chocolates....this 'Lyon' is here to stay, I love how the rocks look so real and they are sooo delicious!!
I have been playing around with spring centerpieces....there are so many celebrations during Spring....Easter, Mother's day and we have many birthday's in our family too! I want to try out some new ideas this season so I gathered some flowers from my garden and created a floral cake!
I used floral blocks to create a tower and then placed the flower stems in each section.........
I even used flower candles.....a beautiful cake that is completely fat free!!
A tisket a tasket a green and yellow basket...I wrote a letter to my love.......I start singing this song and the kids run to me--I started a new tradition this year.......I made a green and yellow basket for the seven lucky days before St. Pat's--every day the kids get a green envelope with a lucky note saying something fun that we are going to do or make that day.....and sometimes they get REALLY lucky like their notes last Friday that got them a day off from school to go to Sea World!! This is a fun tradition that I hope to carry on!! Happy St. Pat's day everyone!!
We made St. Pat's day sugar cookies today.........We made them using three cut out hearts that we pinched together in the center of the cookie around the stem that we made using scrap cookie dough. We glazed the cookies and then added sprinkles and rainbow licorice!! The kids thought it was so cool that the hearts created a shamrock and they loved eating them of course!!
I love creating treat bouquets--probably because I would rather have sweets than flowers! I used mini cupcakes to create this green treat bouquet--I placed green jelly beans in a vase to anchor the skewers. I then placed mini cupcakes on the top of a skewer with a large gum drop under the cup cake to keep them from sliding down the skewer......green goodness!!
We decided to make some treats for Groundhog's day this year--we are anxious for spring and hoping that the groundhog would bring us some good news today.................
I was so excited when I saw these teddy bear Peeps--I knew instantly that they could turn into perfect little groundhogs...........
We trimmed down the bear's ears , cut the Peep in half and then placed them on cookies surrounded by green coconut!
We also made groundhog cakes....thank goodness we celebrated--because that groundhog predicted an early spring woo hoo! Happy Groundhog's day!
Here a some appetizer ideas for Super Bowl Sunday! Warning! I am a very creative cook and make up most of my recipes and they vary each time I make them--I have included rough ideas but I do not have actual measurements If you are a cook that needs exact amounts/measurements you may want to run away from this post hee hee!
Tomato stacker: There are many options with a tomato stacker! I used tomato, shredded lettuce and goat cheese--this requires a gentle hand but you do not need to use the cheese cake pan or form for this stacker!
Greek Plate: I create a plate with olives, cucumbers, feta cheese, tomatoes, & hummus--I cut up triangle of pita bread for guests to choose their own greek combo!
Bruschetta: I use small slices of toasted bread and place small cut tomatoes mixed with olive oil, fresh garlic, fresh cut up basil and balsamic vinegar--I place the tomato mixture on the toasted bread right before serving.....this is a winner!!
Mini pizzas: I purchase pre-made pizza dough place small amount on a pan and top with a variety of toppings....in this photo: mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, goat cheese spinach...the possibilities are endless!
Cheese stuffed mushrooms: I first remove the stem from the mushrooms and rinse them. I then use softened cream cheese, fresh garlic, sharp cheddar cheese, and parmesan--I mix all of this together and stuff it in the mushroom. I place the mushrooms in the broiler and remove them when the start to bubble and brown--so easy and soo delicious!!
Shrimp bowls: I start by cutting a lemon in half and then I hollow out the lemon to create my bowls. I use bay shrimp to place inside the bowls and place a tooth pic to be used to eat the shrimp....I also have a bowl of cocktail sauce that can be added to the bowl if desired--these are always a BIG hit!
Stuffing, mashed potato stacker: I use a cheesecake pan to make my stackers--but you can use any form you have available ie, a tomato paste can with both ends cut out. I first spay the pan with cooking spray and then firmly pack in the stuffing followed by the mashed potatoes and then top with cranberries. I place the pan in the refrigerator for at least an hour....and then slide out these yummy little stackers!
Phyllo Stackers: Purchase some phyllo dough and cut in squares....the trick is to butter both sides and be as gentle as possible to avoid breaking the dough. Follow the cooking times on the box. The sky is the limit on what to add in between these stackers. In this photo, I created an herb cream cheese with tomatoes......
