Train Themed Cupcakes with a Chocolate Marshmellow Dream Filling

How CUTE are these little guys? I love them.  This is going to be a hopefully super informative blog on multiple features of these cuties.

We will start from the top down.  I used the bottom of an icing tip to cut out these yellow fondant circles, and used the end of a paintbrush to poke them back out.  A coupler works fine too as a cutter.

Next, using liquid coloring "Super Black" from Hobby Lobby, I squirted a dab out and painted on the rail road signs.  I let them dry overnight so they would not get all wimpy on me.

For the icing, it was super simple.  I used a half a can of chocolate icing and whipped it up on high with a pound and a half of confectioner's sugar and about a half cup of cold water.  I don't love every canned icing ever made, that is for sure.  But chocolate canned icing can be a heck of a time saver.  I used a large icing tip to make rosettes on top so that there was no possibility the lid to my carrier would hit them. 

Let me just go ahead and say I don't think anyone can make as consistently stiff of icing as me.  It is ridiculous.  My mom makes perfect icing.  If I had to pipe my icing all the time, I would have some serious guns. I piped all of these out and by the time I was going back and putting the decorations on my icing was already set.  Which is not a bad thing in my opinion, just surprising.  I would much rather have a fast setting icing than a pile o' mush.

Before the rosettes were in place, I filled these cupcakes with a chocolately marshmallow-y heavenly filling.  I mixed 3 heaping spoons of marshmallow cream, 1/4 cup of chocolate icing, and 1/4 c powdered sugar.  It made a barely chocolate but extremely delicious filling. In a devil's food cupcake, I don't mind having a lighter filling.

I hollow mine out but cutting down a quarter to half inch in a circle and pulling out the core.  I cut the bottom 3/4 off the core to have plenty of room for filling and being able to sit the top back on it like nothing ever happened.  I don't like my tops to stick up after being filled because it calls for a LOT of correcting with icing.

Then it really got fun.  The pin fell out of the side of my mixer, dropping the head down and giving me quite the panic attack.  I ended up having to lay the thing on its side, readjust the head while wiggling the pin around, and finally it fell back in.  THANK.  GOODNESS. 

You don't just whip up a decorator quality icing by hand.  At least not if you are me.

In fact...I pretty much never mix anything by hand.

I reeeeeally want to eat one and I am super sad that I can't.  HOWEVER, I know they are going to be a big hit.

Happy crafting!
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Rehab on a Nine Year Old Shirt

 I got 99 problems, and this stitch is one.  Haha.

Couldn't resist.

So as I said in my title, this shirt is nine years old.  I bought it back when Body Central sold extra large instead of just extra anorexic.  But since body central now only caters to super tiny bodies, I shop elsewhere.  But of many things I bought there back in early high school, this shirt is still making a solid run.

It is starting to wear thin though.  Very very thin.

 So as you can see the back had a couple of holes in it that had been patched but had already come back through.  I am probably mostly to blame on this as I am constantly yanking shirts back down and messing with them.

So I messed around with a few different cuts, debated between a grunge look or a dressier look, and so on.

My first attempt had a couple of bigger holes cut, with lace and white material underneath.  You know what that ended up looking like? A really fancy cow.  Not exactly what any woman wants to look in the mirror and be reminded of.

So I ended up cutting out the entire side which made me really nervous because my sewing skills leave something to be desired and it meant I was going to lose some valuable seams.

Luckily I tend to operate under the "what's the worst that can happen" principle.  Worst case scenario, I only get 9 years out of this shirt.  Best case scenario, it works out.  Those are odds I can take.

So I flipped on my sewing machine, stitched it in somewhat questionably but decent enough that I like it.

I figured I would need to wear a tank top under it since I am really not one that enjoys flashing skin, especially on my sides or midsection.  However, it was a long enough shirt to begin with that it basically only shows my jeans!

How perfect, and completely unexpected.

So now I have a cool lace patch in the side of my shirt that won't need a tank top under it.  The shirt originally had chain straps as well, but I removed those so that it became more weather friendly.  Those really are not idea for blazing sun or freezing cold, and the sleeves stay up just fine without them.  In fact, they are more versatile without, allowing me to wear it off both shoulders, one shoulder, or regular. 

I am DETERMINED that this shirt will get its master's degree.  I have a few articles of clothing that I am highly loyal to because they have lasted so long.  My main favorites are:

1. My AAU shorts that I got as part of a uniform in SIXTH GRADE.  They still fit, they have no holes, they have not faded, and they are basically 11 years old and going strong.  I have had them half my life, and I used to wear them nearly every week and sleep in them all the time.
2. My Doc Martens.  You cannot ask for a better shoe.  My black Docs look as good as the day I got them, have sustained very little damage, and are the only shoe I wear all winter long unless I have to switch off to snow boots.  I think they are about 9 years old. 
3. This shirt I am blogging about. 
4. My tennis T-shirt.  We got team shirts my freshmen year of high school, which means that shirt is going on its 8th year.  For a T, that is pretty fantastic.  Ironically, I like to wear it with my AAU shorts.
5. My blue racerback tank. Also from Body Central, and also bought in high school.  What can I say, I really used to like their clothes.  It is a little faded, but I still wear it a lot in the summer.  I have since then found similar material tanks at other stores, so I have a color army ready for summer.

I don't know if I just have good luck with clothes, if my mom has secret laundry tricks, or if it is mostly the fact that I prefer poly-fake-a-lene type materials over cotton which constantly shrinks and falls apart, but I always appreciate clothes that are made to last. 

Although it does have a tendency to create some overflow in my closet.

Either way, the better I get at sewing the more I can drag out some of my favorite things!

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Birthday Cake Pancakes, My Attempt

Ingredients:
-1 C Krusteaz pancake mix
-1/3 C sprinkles
-3/4 C milk
-1-2 tsp vanilla

So basically, you just mix it all up and cook it on a griddle, of course. 

If you do not have an electric griddle, I question your sanity. I have a FANTASTIC one made by Presto.  My mom found it on sale at Kroger, and it is a CHAMP.  I love that little bugger.

Don't really love washing it, but that would be the case no matter what.

Anyway I drizzled a little glaze type thing over these that I made with a LOT of confectioner's sugar and a very small amount of milk. 

And then as I was eating it I was reminded how much I don't like overly sweet pancakes, prefer eggs for breakfast, and while these were tasty it really just did not do it for me this morning.

Any morning that does not start with protein is a sad sad morning for me.

HOWEVER, I love cake.  So that made up for it a little bit.

If you are the type that enjoys sugary concoctions in the morning, feel free to give it a whirl.  If I had any on hand, I would have preferred to use a plan greek yogurt as a base instead of milk, adding in a little milk or water as needed to get the right end texture.  That would have at least added more protein to these.

Now, back to my intensive weekend of getting homework done!

Until next time!

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Crockpot Veggie Beef Soup

Ingredients:
-Beef of your choosing (I used two hunks of roast...maybe...I really don't know my beef all that well, but basically use whatever king you prefer and however much you want)
-6 to 7 cups of water
-3 TB butter
-1 C baby lima beans
-1/2 C corn
-12 mini yellow potatoes
-1 pack grape tomatoes
-3 carrots, chopped
-couple of slices of onion, chopped
-1 TB basil
-3 tsp Rosemary
-Pinch of garlic
-Salt and Pepper to taste

Toss it all in the crockpot, I sent most of it straight there from my freezer.  Cook on low for nine to ten hours.  Serve with some griddled up cornbread.

When I walked back in to my apartment after my night class, I opened the door to the most fantastic smell on the planet.  Though my chicken tortilla soup will probably be my all time favorite in taste, this one might just have it locked up for best smelling soup.  

And the beef, after a low and slow ten hours, just falls apart.  Fantastic.  It is like perfectly shredded beef with absolutely no work. 

I love no work.

I know it is getting warmer outside and so soup may not be the first thing on your mind.  However, it is quickly becoming my best friend for Thursday nights because I am always STARVING after class, figuratively speaking. It is a drawing class of sorts and anything art related makes me hungry.  Clear broth soups are a nice light meal after that doesn't bog me down before bedtime, and a great way to detox.

One time, my throat was nearly swollen shut due to what I thought was strep and I lived on soup broth and Special K vanilla protein shakes for about 2-3 days.  Was I miserable? Absolutely.  Did I appreciate soup broth for keeping me going? Absolutely.  Every now and then I use soup in some pseudo detox method.  Eating a clear broth soup for a few days always helps me feel a little lighter.

Also, I have to put in a LOT of hours this weekend on finalizing some projects, straightening the apartment, and picking up last minute things I need for a cake I am doing early next week.  So having some yummy food on hand that I can just heat and eat will be fantastic. 

You can add as much beef as you like, mine really only has 2 hunks each the size of half of a brick in it.  Though I am in no way a vegetarian, I do have days where meat does not sound all that great to me, so this soup is predominantly veggies.  As a kid, I LOVED lima beans.  I think I picked them out of soups like this and just ate them, not so sure on that one, but I remember loving them since I was a tiny thing.  So pretty much that was my main concern in this soup, feeding my childhood love of those funny little beans.  It was delicious, even if it is first day soup.

Soup is ALWAYS better the second day, always. 

I don't know if the Italian-esque herbs are typical for beef soup, but my argument is and will remain that if you use more things like herbs and quality products (homegrown veggies when possible, for example) you get a lot of flavor without having to add a lot of salt.  You of course still need some because salt is required for basically everything you cook to not taste flat, but there is absolutely no need to get up to Campbell's soup salt levels.

I am hoping to start my own little herb garden soon in cute barrels.  It is on my ever growing "want to do" list.

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Lemon Dill Cream Sauce (Lightened up with Lemon Chobani!)

Ingredients:
-3 TB butter
-3 TB flour
-1 TB Dill
-1.5 C Milk
-3-4 ounces of Chobani Lemon Yogurt
-Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat butter in a pan over medium heat.  As it is melting, add the dill.  Once it all gets melted, add the flour and stir, stir, stir.  When it is all incorporated (think making gravy) add the milk and start stirring.  Add salt to taste and crank a little pepper on it.

Only pepper grinders are acceptable!

Keep stirring and let the sauce begin to thicken.  You don't want to get it as thick as gravy would be, since you are going to add in a thick yogurt. 

When you are satisfied with the thickness, remove it from the heat and stir in the Lemon CHO.  Taste again and add more salt as needed.  Serve with pasta.  If you think it is too thick, add a little dash of milk and thin it back out a little.  It is pretty versatile.

I served the pasta with grilled salmon.  Delicious!

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The Twisty Braid Bun

Ignore the frizzies...it has been a LONG day.

This braid was actually easy to do, made easier by bobby pins.

I flipped my hair over to one side and started a braid at the top.  You want to do the typical braiding, but only add hair on the outside instead of both sides.  Basically you will cross from the outside and pull hair into it, cross from the inside without adding hair into it, cross from the outside and pull, and so on. 

Don't pull overly large sections.

Keep braiding and pulling, I tend to lean and bend with the braid to make my hair fall in the right direction so that it does not get messy.  When you run out of hair to pull, continue braiding the hair and secure with a clear small ponytail.

Twist and pin the braid into the desired spiral, add some hairspray, and tuck any loose ends into the braid.

And then remark on how difficult it is to get pictures of the back of your own head.

For long hair lovers, it is a great way to put a little extra something into a hair do.  As an added bonus, when you take it down it should be nice and wavy!

That's like BOGO for fixed hair ;).

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Apricot Pecan Granola Bars (Flourless!)

Ingredients:
-1/2 C chopped Apricots (I highly suggest getting them from Trader Joe's! Yummy!)
-1 6oz container of Chobani Blood Orange (I almost used peach which I think would be DELICIOUS as well, so keep that in mind)
-1/4 C chopped pecans
-3 TB real maple syrup
-1 C oats

Preheat your oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  I think just greasing the sheet would be fine with these, I usually only have trouble with banana based ones. 

Mix up all the ingredients in a bowl, turn out onto the baking sheet and press into a rectangle (approximately 1/4 inch thick).  Another option would be to go ahead and press them into individual squares so that you do not have to cut them later. 

I have made them both ways.  I kind of prefer the no cutting method.  But I cut these so both are feasible.

Anyway, bake at 350 for about 10-12 minutes depending on your oven and pan.  I use dark nonstick and a gas oven.  I like them to be a nice light golden color when they are done.  If you prefer more crunchy bars, bake them a few minutes longer.

Remove from the oven when done and let them cool for a few minutes on the pan.  Cut and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

If you want them to last longer, as always just put them in the fridge.  You can freeze granola bars as well. 

As an optional finishing touch, drizzle with chocolate or white chocolate.  If you don't have maple, feel free to use honey in this recipe instead.

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