Sweetology: September 2011

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Mummy Cupcake Cake

So, your dinking around

blogworld this week and you

say to yourself, "Self...these

Halloween treat ideas are

amazing but I need one that I can

do with lightening speed!"

And Self speaks back and says, "Yes,

you DO need something quick and easy to
WOW friends, family and foes...

AND something that doesn't

require buying a ton of new supplies"

Search NO more!

Cupcake MUMMY Cake

Original Idea tweaked from:

Taste of Home

Ingredients

1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting

6 vanilla cupcakes

8 to 12 large marshmallows, cut into pieces

Baking cocoa and/or crushed chocolate wafers - I skipped the wafers part

Fun gravestone you can make on your own or BUY ONE at the Dollar Store like ME!

Directions

Frost tops of cupcakes. Arrange on a covered cake board, forming a mummy. Place marshmallow pieces on cupcakes. Insert basketweave pastry tip into a pastry bag; fill with frosting. Pipe long bands across the mummy, creating bandages. If you don't have a basketweave tip, no worries just put frosting in ziploc back and cut a hole and go to town! Same results!

Dust mummy with cocoa; sprinkle cake board with crushed wafers.

Mummy Jokes

Where do mummies go for a swim?

To the DEAD SEA!

Why was the mummy so tense?

He was all wound up!

What is a Mummies' favorite type of music

WRAP

MORE MUMMY FUNNIES HERE!

Sharing MUMMY with:
Hankerie - Halloween Event Link Up
Midwestern Sewing Girls Halloween Link Up

Mouth Watering Mondays, Melt in Your Mouth Mondays, Mingle Monday, Made it on Monday Sumo's Sweet Stuff Made by You Mondays Making the World Cuter Mondays Motivate Me Monday Joy of Desserts Dittle Dattle Amaze Me Monday Jam Hands Recipe Share Monday Mangia MondaysTUESDAY Crazy for Crust Confessions of a SAHM Delicious Dishes Cupcake Tuesday Let's Do Brunch Tempt my Tummy Tuesday Mandi's Tasty Tuesday Topsy Turvy Tuesday Handmade Tuesday Tasty Tuesday Tip Me Tuesday Time Out Tuesday Get Your Craft On WEDNESDAYCast Party Wednesday Lil' Luna Ginger Snap Crafts Wonka Wednesday Whatever Goes Wednesday Wow Us Wednesday Look What I Made Wednesday What I Whipped Up Wednesday Let's Do Brunch Whatever You Want Wednesday Wow Me Wednesday This Chick CooksTHURSDAY Sweet Treats Thursday Sweets This Week Thursday Show Your Stuff House of Hepworths Brambleberry Cottage FRIDAY: Tidy Mom Inspiration Friday Feathered Nest Friday Bacon Time Friday Party Sweet Tooth Friday Show and Tell Friday It's a Hodgepodge Friday Weekend Wrap Up Flaunt it Friday Sassy Sites Friday Fun Fridays Unfolded Food on Fridays Friday Flair Foodie FridayWEEKEND Sweets for a Saturday So Sweet Sundays The Girl Creative It's a Blog Party

Monday, September 26, 2011

Tea Party Tuesday ~ Baking a Big Difference

Happy Tea Party Tuesday

I had planned on posting something totally

different this week.

The post was ready to go and at the last minute

I changed my mind.

For good reason.

I had an amazing experience this weekend,

and wanted to share it with my

favorite people.

As many of you may know, I fight a

battle with brain cancer every day and I plan to win.

My course has been stable up until

2 years ago when I experienced a recurrence.

I underwent radiation treatment and

I am currently on maintenance

chemotherapy called Temodar.

The reason this matters is that this past weekend my

husband and I participated in the annual fundraising Gala

for the American Brain Tumor Association

held here in Minneapolis, called

Humor to Fight the Tumor

The woman who started this annual event

is an amazing gal by the name of

Joelle Syverson.

She is an inspiring brain tumor patient.

She wanted to raise awareness and money for

brain tumor research but in a way that brought levity

to an often very serious and depressing diagnosis.

So each year at the "Humor" Gala a different

comedian is highlighted and presents a routine during dinner.

What a great idea....laughter is truly the best medicine.

To date, her efforts have raised over 1 million dollars.

In pasts years I volunteered with the silent auction

but this year I offered a donation to the silent auction:

THE CUPCAKE CLUB!

I was offering one dozen beautifully decorated cupcakes to be delivered each month to the lucky highest bidder.

About 3 weeks before the Gala, the event coordinator emailed and told me that my CUPCAKE CLUB was being ELEVATED to the

LIVE AUCTION!!!

GLUP!

Apparently they were inspired by my story and thought others

would be inspired too.

I was humbled. My little cupcakes...

LIVE auction...

Now, let me give you a little idea of the other items in

the live auction...there were some doozies....

1. Private Jet to Chicago and $1000 dollars spending money

2. Big Sky Montana Ski Trip (airline, condo, ski tickets)

3. All expenses paid trip to Napa Valley with Wine Tasting

You get the idea.

GLUP.

CUPCAKE CLUB!

Cupcakes on the jumbo-tron and me....gigant-o me there in the corner...AAAACCCCCKKKK!!!

I told James that he better dig DEEP into his

pockets and bid up those cupcakes if no one else did!

Well...no worries.

He didn't have too.

In fact many, many other people found them to be appealing

and my little CUPCAKE CLUB sold for the final price of...

$1200.00

Thank you Matt & Kristen Thurber

OMG!

Baking a difference.

You see...a year ago I was just getting ready to

begin chemotherapy with Temodar.

I was scared and angry and fighting it every step of the way.

I found an outlet for my worry, frustration and anger

through baking and eventually blogging.

By way of blogging I began

to rekindle my love and passion for TEA PARTIES!!

And so I created a virtual Cupcake Shop & Tea Room

online here at Sweetology.


Cupcake in lovely teacup with embossed fondant fondant cake stand, macarons and rose!!

You see anything is possible if you dare to dream.

Thank you for loving me the way I am

You are my inspiration!

This week I offer not a recipe but a Quote:

"As you go the way of life, you will see a great chasm.

Jump.

It's not as wide as you think"

~ Joseph Campbell

Don't be afraid to take a chance.

A chance on love.

A chance on friendship

A chance on a dream

A chance to say hello

A chance to say goodbye

A chance to have one more chance.

Looking forward to what you are bringing for tea this week and
just remember, it can be anything you want to share!
Have a great week friends and don't forget to mingle with others!

Sharing with:

TEA, INSPIRATION & TABLESCAPES:

Rose Chintz Tea Time Tuesday

Martha's Favorite TeaCup Tuesday
Tea Cup Tuesday at Artful Affirmations

Teacup Thursday

Tabletop Tuesday

Lady Katherine's Tea Time Tuesday

Teapot and Tea Things Tuesday

A Return to Loveliness

LACE Wednesdays

Tablescape Thursday

Pink Saturday

The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sundays
StoneGable - On the Menu Monday!

OTHER FUN SWEETS/FOOD and CRAFT LINK PARTIES YOU MIGHT LIKE:

Mouth Watering Mondays, Melt in Your Mouth Mondays, Mingle Monday, Made it on Monday Sumo's Sweet Stuff Made by You Mondays Making the World Cuter Mondays Motivate Me Monday Joy of Desserts Dittle Dattle Amaze Me Monday Jam Hands Recipe Share Monday Mangia MondaysTUESDAY Crazy for Crust Confessions of a SAHM Delicious Dishes Cupcake Tuesday Let's Do Brunch Tempt my Tummy Tuesday Mandi's Tasty Tuesday Topsy Turvy Tuesday Handmade Tuesday Tasty Tuesday Tip Me Tuesday Time Out Tuesday Get Your Craft On WEDNESDAY Cast Party Wednesday Lil' Luna Ginger Snap Crafts Wonka Wednesday Whatever Goes Wednesday Wow Us Wednesday Look What I Made Wednesday What I Whipped Up Wednesday Let's Do Brunch Whatever You Want Wednesday Wow Me Wednesday This Chick Cooks Gooseberry PatchTHURSDAYArtsy Girl Sweet Treats Thursday Sweets This Week Thursday Show Your Stuff House of Hepworths Brambleberry Cottage FRIDAY: Tidy Mom Inspiration Friday Feathered Nest Friday Bacon Time Friday Party Sweet Tooth Friday Show and Tell Friday It's a Hodgepodge Friday Weekend Wrap Up Flaunt it Friday Sassy Sites Friday Fun Fridays Unfolded Food on Fridays Friday Flair Foodie FridayWEEKEND Sweets for a Saturday So Sweet Sundays The Girl Creative Sundae Scoop

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Monster Cake and my LOVE of Church Festival Cake Walks!

So this past weekend our church

held their annual

FALL FESTIVAL.

OF COURSE I volunteered for

the CAKE WALK!

Credit

My job was PERFECT, I controlled the MUSIC.

Credit

I was responsible for turning

on and off the TUNES as people

trotted around the circle of numbers

hoping to win the coveted CAKE prize!

On....off.

Ooooonnnnnnnnn. Off

I LOVED IT!

Sometimes, I even got to PICK the

precious WINNING NUMBER!

Knowing that I was volunteering for the

CAKE WALK, I felt compelled to make a

COOL CAKE for everyone to fight over.

And cupcakes...more on those a different day.

I wanted to do something fun for the kids, kinda

thinking Halloween but not toooo Halloween-ie ya know?

So I made this fun Monster Cake

I found on PINTEREST originally made by Makoodle.

I used covered MARSHMALLOWS for the eyes to save time, not cakeballs like the original cake from Makdoodle.

I have to say THANK GOLLY

for PINTEREST, especially when

I am short on my creative JUICE flow.

Please visit Makoodle for the EASY how-to

and tell her I sent you!

Sharing MONSTER cake with:

Monday, September 19, 2011

Nutty Ham and Cheese Acorn Tea Sandwiches for Tea Party Tuesday!

Happy Tea Party Tuesday!

Boy oh boy do I need a cup of tea.

These past few weeks have been NUTS!

Which inspired these little fall delights for your

Tea Party enjoyment!

Nutty Ham and Cheese

Acorn Shaped

Tea Sandwiches

The pecan brown butter on top (and inside) is DIVINE!

I could eat all 6....and I did.

With a little help from Sophia and James.

Tea Sandwich

1 recipe for Pecan Brown Butter - see below
24 slices of pumpernickel bread cut into acorn shapes with cutter
24 slices of Virginia Ham cut into acorn pieces
12 slices deli-sliced fontina cheese, cut into acorn shapes

Spread Pecan Brown Butter onto once slice of bread and layer 2 slices of ham and 1 slice of cheese.
Top with bread.
Spread 1 tsp Pecan Brown Butter onto top third of sandwich to resemble an acorn cap

Pecan Brown Butter

1/2 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 T honey

In small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and continue to cook until butter begins to brown and has a nutty aroma. (6-8 minutes)
Remove from heat and strain - discard any solids.
Let sit at room temperature until set, approximately 1 hour.
Add pecans and honey, stirring to combine.
Use immediately or store covered in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

For a printable recipe click HERE!

Yummy little acorns!

Remember the amazing RS Prussia Teapot that

my Mom gave me for my birthday?

Well, a Teapot without a Teacup is like

Thelma without Louise

around here, so...

This cup did not have a mark on the bottom.....I named her, GLORIOUS!

Taaaaaa Daaaaaa!

Stunning isn't she?

THANKS MOM!!

This week, I am brewing the most lovely tea called

Evening in Florence.

It is truly one of my all time favorites.

I purchased it from a wonderful Tea Room called

Aprille Showers not to far from my home.

To visit her online store click Here!

What are you sharing for tea this week...link up below!

Sharing some tea and nuts with:

TEA, INSPIRATION & TABLESCAPES:

Rose Chintz Tea Time Tuesday

Martha's Favorite TeaCup Tuesday
Tea Cup Tuesday at Artful Affirmations

Teacup Thursday

Tabletop Tuesday

Lady Katherine's Tea Time Tuesday

Teapot and Tea Things Tuesday

A Return to Loveliness

LACE Wednesdays

Tablescape Thursday

Pink Saturday

The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sundays
StoneGable - On the Menu Monday!

OTHER FUN SWEETS/FOOD and CRAFT LINK PARTIES YOU MIGHT LIKE:

Mouth Watering Mondays, Melt in Your Mouth Mondays, Mingle Monday, Made it on Monday Sumo's Sweet Stuff Made by You Mondays Making the World Cuter Mondays Motivate Me Monday Joy of Desserts Dittle Dattle Amaze Me Monday Jam Hands Recipe Share Monday Mangia MondaysTUESDAY Crazy for Crust Confessions of a SAHM Delicious Dishes Cupcake Tuesday Let's Do Brunch Tempt my Tummy Tuesday Mandi's Tasty Tuesday Topsy Turvy Tuesday Handmade Tuesday Tasty Tuesday Tip Me Tuesday Time Out Tuesday Get Your Craft On WEDNESDAY Cast Party Wednesday Lil' Luna Ginger Snap Crafts Wonka Wednesday Whatever Goes Wednesday Wow Us Wednesday Look What I Made Wednesday What I Whipped Up Wednesday Let's Do Brunch Whatever You Want Wednesday Wow Me Wednesday This Chick Cooks Gooseberry PatchTHURSDAYArtsy Girl Sweet Treats Thursday Sweets This Week Thursday Show Your Stuff House of Hepworths Brambleberry Cottage FRIDAY: Tidy Mom Inspiration Friday Feathered Nest Friday Bacon Time Friday Party Sweet Tooth Friday Show and Tell Friday It's a Hodgepodge Friday Weekend Wrap Up Flaunt it Friday Sassy Sites Friday Fun Fridays Unfolded Food on Fridays Friday Flair Foodie FridayWEEKEND Sweets for a Saturday So Sweet Sundays The Girl Creative Sundae Scoop

I am excited to see what YOU are bringing for TEA!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

What you can learn from CoCo Chanel and other Winners!

I love strong women.

A favorite lady of mine is Coco Chanel.

Photo Credit

She is one of those people, I think of

when asked...if you could have dinner with someone famous, alive or dead, who would it be.....?

I like her style, her moxie, her sassy strut

and thoughts on life.

These are some of my favorite quotes from

Coco Chanel that inspire me.

"My life didn't please me, so I created my life"

"Since everything is in our heads, we had better not lose them"

"The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud."

"In order to be irreplaceable, one must be different."

"How many cares one loses when one decides not

to be something but someone."

"Don't spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door."

I call on them at times when I need a

kick in the pants reminder that

life is what I choose to make it.

I chose to make Coco Chanel inspired cupcakes.

Coco Chanel is definitely a winner....are YOU?

ERIN from Making Memories with Your Kids!

"LOVE your little pencils you made! Too cute!!!

And I'm a follower =o)"

Via random.org

Thank YOU Erin!!

Congrats on winning the

Americolor Markers and

Christmas Cookie Craft Book!

Thanks to everyone who left a comment!

Sharing Chanel with:

Tablescape Thursday

Pink Saturday
The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sundays

Monday, September 12, 2011

Happy Birthday to ME on Tea Party Tuesday ~ Celebrating the Kolache!

Friday, Sept 9th was my wonderful Nana Marcy's birthday.

Miss you Nana!

To see the post click Here

My mother left the most heartwarming comment for me

on that post that I will treasure forever:

From Your Mom
First thing this morning in my Fosbinder tradition I sang Happy Birthday to my Mommy. She is BY FAR the nicest lady I have ever run across and lucky me to have called her Mom. I remember back on 9/9/1975 after I had called and sang my Birthday song to her she returned my call at the end of the day and said, "I guess, I'm not going to get my baby for one of my Birthday gifts this year." She so wished to have YOU COME on her Birthday that year but 3 days later there you were in all your glory. Since I was born on her mother's birthday she so hoped you would have been born on her's. She did tell me once that September 12 was close enough. She was always and always will be proud of you and is smiling at the thought of you making kolaches. I learned from the master, My Mother, but mine never ever tasted like hers.

You truly touched me today!!
Love Mom

September 12th is MY birthday!

Insert crickets chirping...ha ha!

This past birthday weekend, I decided to honor

my late Nana and do something I have been

wanting to do for a long time......

bake kolaches!

My Nana was FAMOUS for her kolaches.

What is a kolache you say?

Well first, it is pronounced "Kol - la - chee"

Basically, it is a Czech pastry that dates way back and is thought to have originated as a wedding dessert!
To learn more about the kolache and its history click HERE.

I first attempted a kolache recipe I thought was perfect for fall:

Pumpkin Kolache's with Cinnamon Cream

And yes, it is PERFECT for a Fall Tea Party!

To get the PRINTABLE RECIPE click HERE!

While these kolaches were very tasty (almost more cream puff-y), they did NOT LOOK or taste like my Nana's kolaches so
I took back to the kitchen to try a recipe
that looked closer to her creation.

Yep, that is pretty close!

oooooh delish!

For the printable recipe for this basic kolache click HERE!

I used both canned poppyseed filling as you see here as well as apricot preserves and both were amazing!

I added a little powdered sugar glaze on these! Oh YUM!

Mission Accomplished. Heart Warmed.

But it gets better....
This year my Mom gave me the most amazing gift EVER!

WOWZER!

This is one of the PRIZED teapots in her collection.

RS Prussia!! I about flipped my teapot lid!

I will share the other amazing tea treasures that she bestowed upon me in the future...I was mesmerized!!!

I also was given several other wonderful items including 3

of my Nana Marcy's aprons!

My Nana would wear the apron on the far right when the priest would come for dinner on Sundays!

They are so delicate and lovely and make me feel

wrapped in her love when I wear them.

I wore one a few weeks ago while hosting the

church fundraiser tea in my home.

To see that post click Here!

As I write this, all I can feel in my heart is love.

Sometimes I get frustrated with things in life,

but it is times like this that I pay attention to how

my heart feels and keep this feeling close

when uncertainty creeps in.

So here is to birthdays and Nana's and mothers and tea and friends and well...just the JOY of being who I am.

Don't forget to link up below!

Sharing memories and kolaches with:

TEA, INSPIRATION & TABLESCAPES:

Rose Chintz Tea Time Tuesday

Martha's Favorite TeaCup Tuesday
Tea Cup Tuesday at Artful Affirmations

Teacup Thursday

Tabletop Tuesday

Lady Katherine's Tea Time Tuesday

Teapot and Tea Things Tuesday

A Return to Loveliness

LACE Wednesdays

Tablescape Thursday

Pink Saturday

The Tablescaper ~ Seasonal Sundays
StoneGable - On the Menu Monday!
Falling for Crafts Challenge