Ben's Birthday Cake

Cakes are getting easier, and I am getting better! During my cake decorating classes, I think I gained like 20lbs. just from practicing, and then eating what I practiced on!!!

I've been neglectful....

So, I have not been blogging lately! Life is busy. But I did just finish my fondant cake decorating class, and I learned so much! It was really fun! I always think after I get done with one of my classes that I'm ready for Ace of Cake projects....yeah, still working on my cakes looking like they are supposed to! Here's some of the one's I completed, some are from course 1!

Food For Thought #1

I LOVE chinese take out containers. Is it crazy that they are a necessity at my house? I use them for everything! They come in basically 3 sizes, I use the smallest ones for the kids snacks. They love them! They close, they have handles and they are perfect for the car, church, park...you name it, they are great. Also When I am taking food to people, I use the bigger ones and they are fabulous. Whenever I go visting teaching they are perfect to put cookies in! Try them, you won't be able to live without them!

4th of July

I know it's October, but just had to share my fun twist on fruit pizza, Americana style!

Italian Sodas

So my most favorite drink ever, has got to be the Italian soda. I don't know why, but it's comfort food (or in this case...drink) for me! You can get italian soda syrups pretty much anywhere. I know Wal-mart, Sam's Club and any food service place will have the syrup's. Occasionally I see them at TJ Maxx and Ross.
Recipe
fill a glass with ice, pour in lemon-lime soda about 3/4 of the way full. Add 1/4 C. Heavy Whipping Cream, and 1/4 C. Syrup. Top with reddi-whip topping and that's it! Enjoy!

Fruit Pizza

Semi homemade, or made from scratch this recipe is a winner EVERYTIME! I sometimes use a shortbread crust recipe and that works great.

Crust
2 pkgs. refrigerated Sugar cookie crust, or make your own, just use a sugar cookie recipe!
1 container Cool Whip
1pkg. Cream Cheese
2 C. Powder Sugar
Misc Fruit, sliced - Strawberries, Kiwi, Banana, leave whole raspberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges
Press both packages of sugar cookies into bottom of cookie sheet. Bake at 350* for about 10-12 minutes. Let it golden. Let crust cool. Mix together cream cheese, cool whip, powder sugar with hand mixer. Spread evenly on crust and top with fruit! It's as simple as that! Sometimes I drizzle chocolate or a lemon curd over it to make it pretty!

Cafe Rio Shredded Pork and Tomatillo ranch dressing

This is for Cafe Rio Pork Tacos (AMAZING! SERIOUSLY!)

Cafe Rio Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch
1 C. Mayo
1 C. Cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tomatillos - peel off paper, chop
1/3-1/2 cups buttermilk, to consistency you want
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
Put in Blender or Food Processor and mix.

Shredded Cafe Rio Pork
3 lbs. Pork
16 oz. bottle of chunky salsa (blended in blender so chunks are gone)
1 Can Coke (yes, I mean a can of soda)
1-1 1/2 C. Brown Sugar
Place pork in crock pot. Fill with water until about half the pork is sticking out of the water. Cook on High for 5 hours. Drain off water. Cut pork in thirds. Mix together sauce ingredients and put on top of pork. Cook an additional 3 hours on high. Shred pork with forks. Leave it on low until ready to serve.

Homemade tortillas
3C. Flour
1/2 C. veggie or olive oil
1 & 1/8 C. luke warm water
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Mix all ingredients and knead. if too hard to knead, add a little water but if too sticky add a little more flour. Let stand for about 10 minutes. Makes 12 small balls. Flatten each by rolling them out and then cook them in frying pan.**you can have 2 frying pans gong at once so they cook faster.