April Fools Day

So my son is a big fan of April Fools day and thinks that we have to celebrate by making dinner look like dessert and dessert look like dinner. Here are a few of the meals we've done:

For dinner, cake: Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

Or chocolate chip cookies: Cornbread and black beans:
For Dessert, Chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes & peas: (sponge cake dipped in crushed peanuts, ice cream w/ caramel sauce and runts. The dipping sauces are vanilla pudding and pureed strawberries.
Or pepperoni Pizza: Sugar cookie with jello grated white chocolate M&M olives, fruit snack peppers and fruit roll up pepperoni.
I need some ideas for next year....

Homemade Vanilla

So, I've been reading about how easy it is to make your own vanilla extract and after I went through a 2 ounce bottle in the last 2 weeks I decided I was going through it fast enough to justify the initial cost.

I bought 2 different beans. Mexican and Tahitian (planiforia) The Mexican cost $1/bean and the Tahitian cost about 12 cents/ bean but the Mexican was quite a bit bigger. Here you can see the two different beans in the bottles.
Making vanilla is pretty simple. Take a couple of beans. Split them down the middle lengthwise and soak in hooch for 6 months or so. I used 3-4 Mexican Vanilla beans or 7 Tahitian vanilla beans in each 8 ounce bottle of vodka. It lasts forever and I have started using quite a bit, so I made a bunch.
You can already see the vanilla seeping out in the bottom of the bottles. Now, store in a cool dark place. In this case, I put the bottles back in the box they came in and stuck it all down in my storage room in the basement.
And then dispose of the empties.
Check back in 3 and 6 months to see how it turns out. The Tahitian vanilla ended up costing me $4.80 for each 8 oz bottle and the Mexican vanilla cost $7/8 oz bottle to make.

 My my, how time flies.  Here it is 6 months later and the vanilla is done.  Here's how they look.  That first bottle is low because I couldn't resist using it the first day it was finished. 

Thanksgiving Turkey Cookies

For Thanksgiving this year my kids brought cookies to their teachers to show their appreciation. Somehow, my 3 kids have 5 teachers, but they are all amazing. The turkey feathers are maple leaf shaped sugar cookies I dipped in colored sugar before baking
Wait, those turkeys don't have a wattle. Good thing I noticed before they went out the door.
There, that's better. Happy Thanksgiving.

Halloween Candy House

Tres Leches

Tres leches cake is a super moist super yummy cake that I didn't think could be stacked and decorated. Once baking the cake, I pour a total of 5 cups of sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and whole milk over the cake. When you get a slice, a small pool of yummy milk forms in the bottom of your plate. I thought this cake would sink in on itself or all the milk would drain out and it would be sitting in a small pool. Jamie told me it could be done and has done it before as seen in her blog here.

So here is my attempt. It turned out pretty well.
There was a tiny bit of milk seepage in the bottom, but it made it look more appealing. The cake didn't slide or sink. I frosted it with whipped cream and decorated the outside with chocolate shingles I made. I stacked fresh sliced strawberries between the layers. It was yummy.

Christmas Cookies

For Christmas this year, I invited the kids in the neighborhood over to decorate cookies. Here's the ones I did.