Here I come!

I get to spend a week looking at this everyday!  (Okay, maybe not the snow.)  I am ready for a little R & R!  Oh happy days ahead!!!!!!!

Dolphin Cake

Here are some pictures of a fun dolphin cake I finished this weekend.  I love the palm trees and the hula girls!  Cute!

Thailand Cake

Here's a cake I did for Mimi's farewell party as she heads off to Thailand.  This cake took forever to hand paint and put the beadwork on. Shwew!

The Start of Something New

I have had a lot of people ask where I have been lately in the blogging world.  The answer is BUSY!   A friend and I are in the process of opening a bakery.  We should be up and running in August or early September in Gilbert AZ.   We are specializing in cakes, cookies, cupcakes and anything else that is sweet.  We are "The Sweet Studio".
This past weekend we set up shop at the Phoenix convention center to kick off the new business at the Wedding Expo.  (Our booth was soooo cool!!!)   
April (the boss lady), Heather and I have never worked so hard in our lives.  We served thousands of cake samples - seriously we couldn't keep them coming fast enough.  I think our cakes were a hit.  We worked so hard to get ready for this show - baking and decorating like CRAZY!!!!  Here are some more pictures of the cakes and cookies we displayed.

60th Birthday Cake

I loved this cake!  I forgot to take a picture of it so I was soooo happy when my client emailed me these great shots.  I love it when I get to see how the cake looked with all the table settings!

White Wedding Cake

Here's a cake I finished this weekend.  I am bummed for 2 reasons.  One, that I took a picture of the back of the cake by accident - I was in a hurry. (Yes, there is a back to every cake).  Two, that I didn't get to see the cake after they added the flowers.   Oh well.

Graduation Cupcakes

I finally made these graduation cupcakes!  I don't know if it looks like a graduation cap or not, but they were yummy.  

Roxy's Wedding Cake

Here's the cake I finished for my cousin's wedding.  I love pink and brown anything, so of course I loved this cake.   I finished another cake/cookie and cupcake order all on the same day, but was so busy I forgot to take a picture.  I am crossing my fingers that I will get a picture from my client so I can post it.

Older Than Dirt Cake

Here's a fun last minute cake I just finished.  It was for an 80 year old man who was a barber for years - kept bee's - could fix anything -good ole cowboy - jack of all trades type of guy.  Here's how you put all that into a cake.  Shwew!

Ragnar Rundown

Oh what a fun weekend!!!  Bear with me as I post a bunch of random pictures from the Ragnar Relay LA!  Here we all are at the finish line at Dana Point.  Yippeee!!

Check out our cool team shirts that me and Wendi made!

(We all live in the "Villages" community,  thus - The Village People).

Here's Jeff handing off to me at exchange 36.  

Could you ask for a better view while running?

My husband had to be funny and wear short running shorts and spandex just to make us all laugh.   He kept us laughing the entire time!

Here we are at the start line full of nerves and excitement.  It was cold in Santa Barbara!  BRrrrr!

Here we are handing off again!

Van 2 waiting for the handoff.

Here's the whole team crossing the finish line together!!!

Here we are tanking up getting ready for our next run.

Good times.... good times!!!

The Best Email Ever!

I received the sweetest email from a mother in Texas who actually made my cornflake ball recipe with her children.  They loved them and she even sent me pictures of her cute kids and all the gooey fun!  I just had to post them.  When I blog, I do it for me - to record things I have done and yummy things I have made.  It just tickles me pink to think someone else is enjoying these things as well.  Thanks again Clyde from Texas!

The Neverending To Do List

I am leaving for Santa Barbara in the morning - Ragnar Relay LA!!

Do you ever feel like the stress of getting ready to go out of town is so high, it just might not be worth going?  That's how I am feeling today.  The list is big my friends - it's BIG!

Ah - but what am I complaining about?  I get to go and run 18 miles on Friday.  I should be jumping for joy.  (yes, I am being sarcastic).  It sounded like such a good idea a month ago.

Alrighty then.  Wish me luck and off I go to get something done.  Be back Monday with some sore muscles.  Yup - good and sore.

Grandma Junie's Cornflake Balls

Jeff's grandma used to always make these yummy cornflake balls.  I love anything with dry cereal in it.  These are so yummy and simple.  Here's the recipe the way grandma used to make them, and then I posted the way I make them because I am a health freak.  You can decide which one to use but I will vouch for both of them that they are equally delicious.  My kids didn't even know that I changed them up.  

Grandma Junie's 

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 6 cups cornflakes

In a microwave safe dish mix the first 4 ingredients together and microwave just until bubbly.  Pour over cornflakes and mix together.  Drop balls onto wax paper or tin foil.  Let cool and enjoy.

Melissa Recipe

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown rice syrup
• 1 1/2 cups natural crunchy peanut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 6 cups organic or non-genetically modified corn flakes

Follow the same instructions.  (I am not a big fan of anything with corn in it - especially corn syrup.  And I only eat natural peanut butter - the Skippy stuff is made with partially hydrogenated oil - not good for you).

Chocolate Swirl

My daughter thought the chocolate swirl on her cupcake looked like poop, so she put it in the grass and snapped a picture. (It does look like poop - doesn't it?)  Ewwh.     

Buttermilk Oatmeal Muffins

I made these this weekend and they were sooooooo good.  (Did I mention they were easy too?)

Here you go...

• 2 cups oats
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup melted butter or oil
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup white flour (can use all whole wheat)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt

In a bowl, soak the oats in buttermilk for 15 minutes.  Stir in eggs, sugars, and butter (or oil).  In another bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Stir into oat mixture just until moistened. (don't over mix)  Fill paper lined muffin cups 1/2 to 3/4 full.  Bake at *400 for 12-14 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.

Top with a pat of butter and enjoy.  I like using all whole wheat flour - I just like it a little heavier.