Cakes! Cheese, Birds and Dinosaurs - Latest Creations

Life got ahead of me and I was going to make separate posts for some of the latest cakes, but, that didn't happen so I am going to share them all in one post!

Inspired by Pinterest of course and Food Magazine I set to making cheese cake....well not really.

But a couple little cakes covered in fondant and some little fondant mice....

Holes in cake were made with a melon scooper.

black licorice tails

One sweet little boy!
who also had a birthday!!

His mom and I decorated a dinosaur cake with cupcakes too!

 I also threw in my daughter's wedding shower....

A yummy chocolate and red velvet bird cage cake.

Then, made the the wedding cakes....

See the wedding cake post HERE

 I also made a few cupcakes for a benefit

chocolate cupcakes with vanilla "spaghetti" and cake ball "meatballs" and a little strawberry jam "sauce"

You might think I am sick of cake.....
but I am not, well maybe a little. We had to eat a lot of left over wedding cake! But although I am a complete novice at cake making I still love to create and learn as I go along!

Wedding Cakes! Vintage Suitcase and Tree Stump Groom's Cake

We have eaten the last piece of cake.
NOT-
We have eaten the last piece of cake that is not in the freezer.
I am sick of cake.
Well until next week maybe.

The final days before the wedding, I and my step mom Rachel, took up mixers and enough butter to choke Paula Dean. ( I love ya Paula!!)
In fact our tally was.....10 c butter, 38 eggs, 25 c flour and 6 1/2 c sugar later- plus cake pops- and a burnt cake which will not be discussed in this post.

Rachel set out to conquer the groom's cake. Our new son in law loves to hunt and shoot as does his father and new father in law-
so I fashioned some marshmallow fondant deer horns- of which were wrong, redone, wrong again (according to men) and then just settled on.
Insert the look of the mother of the bride on wedding overload covered in powdered sugar looking over her glasses ready to slap the next man with cake advice.

Rachel created the cutest tree stump ever!!

Tree before antlers and leaves

I took on the vintage suitcase cake. And made a massive mess in the process...a neat baker I am not.

painting marshmallow fondant tags

working on hat box

the suitcase- never weighed it but it was heavy!!

Our cake pop display

 Note- Do NOT dip frozen cake pops- It indeed makes the stick stay in place better and is actually easier to work with but when the cake thaws it cracks the candy coating-
How to fix?
Pout
Double dip when all the cracking is done
This results in goofy shaped, heavy coated, unique imperfect pops I like to call....
vintage style-(just go with it)

We also- no I also bought cakes at Costco- lots of flavored cakes which meant we had cake coming out our ears. See first comment on post.
My poor company got nothing for dessert but cake-
They almost got nothing for breakfast but cake!

 My lovely daughter and her sweet new husband cutting cake.

 Here is the final cake spread- Go big or go home (take a piece of cake when you go please)

As of today I have been a mother in law for....
12 days now!
Slowly getting things back in order. I have a cold, the house is still fairly messy, some of the wedding items still need to be put away or sold, it snowed a foot of new snow and it will not get out of the 30's (mid April here!)....but the wedding is over and I can relax. It was a great time..
You can see some of the first photos HERE and see wedding prep posts HERE
or Click on A Southern Belle With Northern Roots and hit the wedding category.


Open House Party
Vintage Inspiration Friday
What's It Wednesday
WOW Us Wednesdays
Vintage Thingy Thursday
Time Travel Thursday
Creative Things Thursday
Share Your Cup Thursday 
Home Sweet Home
Funky Junk
Home and Garden Thursday
Shabbilicious

Simple and Sweet Fridays
Potpourri Friday
Be Inspired
Cowgirl Up
Tabletop Tuesday
Show and Tell Friday
Sunday Showcase
Old Time Party
Rustic Restorations 
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Lovely Crafty Home
Nifty Thrifty Things
Or So She Says
What We Accomplished Wednesday

Hometown Throwdown!

Attention North Dakota cooks!- and those of you in Clay county Minnesota.
Cass Clay Creamery is holding a hometown throwdown cookoff and you can apply by clicking here.
Check out rules and guidlines HERE

Cass Clay is known and trusted for their quality dairy products and I have used them for years!
So, if you love to cook or bake- grab your recipes and some Cass Clay dairy and whip up an entry!!

Cass-Clay Creamery

Cass-Clay Creamery on Facebook




Official Rules click HERE

Asparagus Ham Rolls

Asparagus!!! I have been eating it every day. Not like this..... wonderfully indulgent and filling, with ham, cheese, and asparagus drowning in Hollandaise, but a healthier version. However if your having some guests you would like to spoil this would be a wonderful treat or a perfect Easter breakfast.

First
clean and snap your asparagus, there is a natural snap at the bottom that will eliminate the woody end. If your asparagus is thicker you may need to peel it, that is why I try to use smaller thin stalks. Use a vegetable peeler and remove the outer fibrous layer if necessary.
Steam stalks for 15 minutes.
Wrap your favorite cheese and a nice slice of ham around 4 stalks, then place a toothpick in to secure roll.
Make your Hollandaise sauce and spread evenly, bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until everything is bubbly and heated through.





Hollandaise Sauce - via Food Network

Ingredients
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
Pinch cayenne
Pinch salt
Directions

Vigorously whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a stainless steel bowl and until the mixture is thickened and doubled in volume. Place the bowl over a saucepan containing barely simmering water (or use a double boiler,) the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. Continue to whisk rapidly. Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the sauce is thickened and doubled in volume. Remove from heat, whisk in cayenne and salt. Cover and place in a warm spot until ready to use for the eggs benedict. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water before serving.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/hollandaise-sauce-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback