Sand Castle Birthday Cake

Birthday season has started at our house. 

They year starts out in February with Liam. 

He is turning 7 today.

After looking through my many cake and cupcake books he chose a sand castle cake out of Cakes for Kids.

Every so often I catch my little boys lying on the floor looking through the cake books on the shelf. 

They are so cute!

Another thing I like about the kids picking their birthday cakes is that I usually get to buy a new something for baking.

This time it was a 12 inch round cake pan, and an 8 inch square cake pan. 

 We have the best store here in Logan called Kitchen Kneads. 

I love that place. 

I thought this was going to be an easy one. Looks easy don't it! Not so my friends. 

I don't know what happened. I was in cake decorating mode, I had the little TV in the kitchen with a good show on, it was just harder than I had planned for it to be.  

The frosting is made with shortening to make it look like sand. Gotta make sure there is a crumble layer of butter cream. It doesn't like to stick to the cake. The doors, windows, and little balls are tootsie rolls melted a bit in the microwave and rolled out or up. The sand is brown sugar. The pebbles I found in the bulk section of the supermarket. Caramels and sugar cones finished it off.

My only catastrophe was that tall tower in the back. It is supposed to be 3 layers of cake. Well, when the tall, heavy cake sat on the bottom round cake it was too heavy. It started to fall over. Actually, it finally did fall over. 

Solution? Rice Krispy treats. I made an 8 inch pan of rice krispy treats and cut them into the right size squares, frosted them and decorated them as if the whole thing was made of cake.

Look at his face does he care? Nope. 

That smile makes all the baking and improvising worth it. 

I would do it all over again. 

Have a great 7th birthday little man.

We love you!!

Anything You Wanna Call It Casserole

 In a Relief Society Meeting last month they shared with us a recipe for 

Condensed Cream of "Something" Soup. 

It is a dry mix that, when you need some cream soup for a recipe you just add water. It is much less expensive then buying a can of soup at the market. 

Since I had everything needed to make up a batch I went a step further and made up a gallon containers worth.

Cream of "something" soup recipe

1 cup non-fat dried milk

3/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup bouillon (if you have cubes you have to smash them up)
  You can use whatever kind you like (ie, beef, veggie)

4 Tablespoons freeze dried minced onions (I used the minced onions from Sam's Club)

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried thyme (I couldn't find the thyme so I used dried parsley instead)

1 teaspoon pepper

(For the equivalent of one can of condensed cream soup, mix 1/3 cup dry mix with 1 1/4 cup water. Cook until thick)

I keep it in the pantry and as you can see the recipe is taped on the outside. (so I don't lose it...cause I will if it ain't connected!)

Anyway, the lady that showed us how to make this awesome stuff made up a sample. She just cooked up some elbow macaroni and mixed it with the soup, added a little cheese and warmed it through in the oven. 

It was GOOD!!

Last week I was in a pinch as to what to cook for dinner so I made that same recipe up but added chicken. The pan was emptied! 

That rarely happens at our house.

Tonight, after painting furniture all day.(post to come later) I didn't really want to cook all day. 

Lightbulb...

I will make that again but add something new.

Todays addition??? The ever loved, every devoured while still too hot to touch.

BACON.

I don't know about all of you but bacon is the

candy of meat for me! I have to make a few extra pieces just... well just because!

Chicken Bacon Noodle Casserole

There are no exact measurements. Make it according to your family size.

Elbow macaroni, cooked

Cream of Something soup, thickened

cheddar cheese, grated

chicken, shredded

bacon, cooked and diced

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix to combine. Pour in a 13x9 inch baking dish. Cover. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until bubbling.

Remember: You can add anything you want. I am trying to figure out a way to sneak in broccoli. Any ideas?

6 Week Bran Muffins

I know what you are thinking... 

Bran muffins? "Ewwwwwww! Those probably taste like cardboard and weigh a ton."

Not so my friends.
My Sister-in-law told me about these muffins that her kids love. My first thought was..."Mine are the pickiest eaters alive there is no way!" I am happy to admit they
LOVE'em.

Six-Week Bran Muffin Mix

5 cups flour ( I use 2 cups wheat and 3 cups white)

1 tsp. salt

4 cups All-Bran cereal (I use the stick kind)

2 cups Bran Flakes cereal

2 cups raisins or chopped dates (optional- I leave them out)

1 cup chopped nuts (optional-we are purists and leave these out too)

2 cups boiling water

5 tsp baking soda

2 cups sugar

1 cup butter or shortening

4 eggs

1 quart buttermilk

Boil water and add baking soda; set aside to cool

In a large bowl sift together flour and salt. Stir in All-Bran and Bran Flakes cereals. Add the raisins, chopped dates and nuts if desired. Set aside

Cream sugar and butter or shortening in a large bowl. Stir in eggs one at a time. Beat well. Stir in butter milk and soda/water mixture.

Stir in bran mixture. Cover tightly. Best if refrigerated for 12 hours (or more) The mixture will keep 6 weeks in the refrigerator and can be baked as needed.

When ready to bake, drop by spoonfuls into greased or lined muffin tins. Do not stir mixture. Bake at 375 degrees F for approximately 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 5 and a half dozen muffins.

Don't they look good! I love them hot out of the oven with some butter.
Want a regular diet? ;)
Eat a Bran Muffin!