Another Halloween past.  Another Successful party!  Everyone had a great time last night at the Haunted Housewarming (even recovering Baby Cupcake who trick-or-treated for the first time!)  Once again – there was way too much food.  To think that I even had a worry!  Check out these photos!

It is Monday.  Housewarming is Friday.  OMG… really…. that is not a lot of time.  I’m starting to feel the crunch that every hostess feels about this time.  The co-ordination crunch.  Do I have this, when should I make that, supplies check, costume check… what am I missing – etc.

As soon as I am done this post I am off to do baking for the party.  I thought that maybe this would be a good time to share with you some of the treats I am thinking of making for the big PAR-TAY.

Of course, I have to give credit to my fellow bloggers who shared all their great Halloween ideas recently and totally inspired my menu!

First is:

Vampire Cupcakes by Baking Bites 

Vanilla Cupcakes with Cherry Filling for the blood!

 Second:

Bakerella’s  Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies With Maple Brown Butter Frosting (what a mouthful!)

These look to die for! Can’t wait to try them!

Third:

Cake truffles and Candied apples like the ones featured here by Williams Sonoma

And what about that Halloween tree??  Well I couldn’t really find any hardcore inspiration on the web for one… Halloween tree’s just aren’t that popular… yet.  I’ll push the movement   But I did find an all right one over at Better Homes and Gardens

Papa and baby Lily on Father’s Day

• Fresh soft bread, regular sliced buttered lightly on one side
• Medium eggs
• Thin sliced breakfast meat (back bacon, prosciutto, ham)
• Grated cheese
• Fresh herbs
• Salt and Pepper

1. Gently fold a single slice of bread into a standard muffin cup buttered side down, molding it into the sides of the pan. If bread is too old it may crack. Continue until you have as many “cupcakes” as you need.
2. Bake molded bread at 350*F until bread is slightly toasted… this prevents the eggs from oozing through the soft bread.
3. When bread is toasted line the bottom of your “cupcakes” with the thinly sliced meat.
4. Crack an egg over the meat.
5. Top with shredded cheese and herbs
6. Bake until eggs are done to your likeness

I very much prefer this to the standard bacon and eggs breakfast because this is a one pan meal, baby!

“It’s my Party!”

The second thing I will catch you up on is my Little Cupcake’s 1st birthday invitations! I am so excited for her party! I had decided on a bumblebee theme oh so long ago and when this picture was taken of my little one I knew where I wanted to use it!

I decided to make that birthday cake afterall… only I decided to make it small. I tried Peggy Porschen’s Victorian Sponge Cake, it worked out quite well. I also tried basketweave… which I haven’t done since I learned how to do it in class. Needless to say, I was a little rusty. But it sure was fun! My friend loved the cake – and we enjoyed it over coffee and conversation this afternoon. Cheers Teresa and Happy Birthday!

Victorian Sponge Cake

Makes one 9 x 13 cake.

• 200g Salted butter, softened
• 200g caster sugar
• 4 medium eggs
• 200g self rising flour
• 100ml sugar syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350*F
2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy
3. Beat eggs lightly before slowly adding to mixture, if curdling occurs add a touch of flour
4. Once combined sift in flour
5. Spread batter into lined pan (Tip: spread batter thicker on sides of pan as cake is likely to rise more in the centre)
6. Bake 25-45 min depending on cake size or until sides come away from tin and cake springs back when touched.
7. Let rest for 15 minutes before adding syrup

Sugar Syrup

• 5 tbls water
• 75 g sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla

1. Combine water and sugar in saucepan and bring to boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Once cool, stir in flavourings.
3. Store syrup in an airtight bottle in the fridge for up to one month.

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today… Actually that isn’t true. I woke up, saw that it was raining and decided that I didn’t feel like getting out of bed today. My little cupcake had other plans for me for a few hours but when she took her nap I tucked myself back in as well. It was a good way to waste a morning, I suppose. Except for the fact that the dishes, laundry, and dirty bathroom were still there when I woke up. Sigh.

When I finally did get everything thing done I took a moment to check my blogroll and there was the most inspiring post on Sweet Pea Cakes:
“When things go wrong in life, or get hard or don’t seem to be going “our” way, we begin to doubt, to over analyze, to second guess and to proceed with caution. Throwing caution to the wind, giving our faith and trust into God (insert whatever best suits you if God is not right for you) and walking forward in life with confidence and self assurance doesn’t happen. …” Click here for the rest of the article

And then after being inspired I got to thinking about chocolate cookies and birthdays… much like the ones posted on Do Better on sunday:
“The cookies we made were fabulous (or so we thought at the time). Since then we’ve refined our baking a bit. In honor of her birthday, here’s the recipe for my…
Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies (Thanks Stacey!)”

I too have a friend’s birthday coming up to celebrate… but not the time to or energy for a big cake. Which made me very sad. So I took the idea of birthday chocolate chip cookies and decided to run with it. I came up with these ridiculously titled cookies:

Jenn’s Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Amaretto Cookies

• 1/2 Cup of Margarine or Butter
• 3/4 Cups of Brown Sugar Packed
• 2 tbls of Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 2 tsp Amaretto… or more… (hehe)
• 1 1/4 Cups Flour
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 small package (226g) White Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Line baking sheet with parchment.
2. Cream margerine or butter together with brown sugar, sugar, egg.
3. Add flavouring
4. In small bowl combine dry ingredients
5. Slowly incorporate into wet mixture
6. Add baking chips
7. Make dough into balls about 1 heaping tbls.
8. Press down slightly before baking
9. 9-11 minutes in the oven or until toothpick come out dough free.

1. Prepare your dough. Any pizza dough will do, I used a boxed recipe from the grocery store.
2. Roll the dough into a 16″ rectangle and cut into 4″x4″ squares. Place into your greased muffin pan and form them into little tart shell shapes. Don’t forget to make the “pizza crust” rim a little thicker than the bottom. (I didn’t get a full dozen out of my dough, only 9)
3. Fill in with your tomato paste – a little dab will do ya. (like a tsp per cupcake)
4. Layer your toppings. I found my pepperoni was too thick – so get your Deli to shave it thin. (you could also use cooked ground beef, sausage, ham, bacon… whatever floats your boat)
5. I covered the meat liberally with cheese… mmm…
6. Added some veggies. For me it was chives and brocolli. (Try brocolli on pizza, it’s amazing!)
7. Sprinkle some feta cheese and then it’s into the oven. Bake according to the instructions of the dough recipe.
8. Add a salad and it’s a perfect meal. My husband DEVOURED them.

• 2 C + 2 Tbls Sugar
• 3/4 + 1 Tbls C Cocoa
• 1 3/4 C All Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder and Soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 large eggs (room temp)
• 1 C whole milk (I can get away with 1% just fine)
• 1/2 C veggie oil
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 C boiling water

1. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl
2. Combine wet ingredients in bowl of your mixer ( a metal or heat proof glass bowl work best)
3. Using paddle attatchement slowly combine all ingredients into bowl of your mixer – don’t forget to scrape the sides. Crank it up to medium speed for a couple minutes.
4. Add the boiling water to the mixture – and please, don’t burn yourself… use a hand held spoon for this step!!!
5. Pour into greased and lined baking dish of your choice… I commonly get one 9 inch x 3 inch or two 10 inch x 2 inch – 24 regular sized cupcakes and about a bajillion mini cupcakes… well, maybe not quite that many…

• 1 C Unsalted Butter (Creamed)
• 3 3/4 C Icing Sugar
• 1/4 C Cocoa
• Vanilla and Almond Flavour (to taste)
• 1/4 C Whole Milk (Plus more to desired Consistency)

1. Using paddle attachment combine cocoa and milk until well blended.
2. Add Creamed butter and flavour
3. Slowly add the icing sugar, beating on low (to avoid covering your kitchen in a fine white dusting…)
4. Continue adding milk until you have reached your desired consistency. Do not over-beat with the mixer or your icing will have air pockets. Use wooden spoon.

• 1 Cup Unsalted Soft Butter
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 Egg (lightly beaten)
• 2 Cups flour plus for dusting
• Flavour of your choice (I used 1 tsp vanilla and 1/4 tsp Almond)
• For Chocolate cookies replace a 1/4 cup cocoa from the flour

Cream butter, sugar and flavour until creamy – but don’t overwork.

Beat in the egg until well combined. Sift in flour on low speed until dough forms. Make into ball, cover with cling wrap – chill at least one hour.

Knead dough and roll to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut. Return cut pieces to fridge for 30min. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350*F.

Royal Icing

• 4 room temp egg whites
• 1 kg of icing sugar
• Lemon juice (to correct consistency)
• Water (to correct consistency)

(Originally the recipe just called for a squeeze of lemon… but I added almost a 1/4 cup of water to my squeeze of lemon before my icing sugar came together as frosting) Lesson: Add small amounts at a time until you reach desired consistency.

Place sugar in a bowl and three quarters of the lightly beaten egg and your squeeze of lemon… add no water yet. Start mixing on low.

Once well combined, check consistency. If icing still looks dry and crumbly, add more egg mixture until icing looks smooth but not wet. (Like I said… I had to add water to this recipe)

Mix for 4-5 minutes until you have stiff consistency icing. Thin with small amounts of water until you have desired consistency. Keep covered in an airtight container – and refrigerate if not being used (because of the raw eggs).