I can’t help myself. Whenever there is a celebration and some baking to be done, I’m raising my hand, shouting “I’ll do it! I’ll do it!!”. And Jill’s bridal shower gave me the perfect opportunity to use my Wilton’s Giant Cupcake pan to create a pretty centerpiece for the dessert table. The table had a […]
Pink makes me happy….and that’s all I’ll say in defense of the color of this frosting. (and maybe I’ll admit that I wasn’t paying close enough attention when I dipped the toothpick into the gel food color before I added it to the frosting.) Anyway…..it’s what’s INSIDE that makes this cake so very special. Take […]
These brownie pops are such an easy and fun way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! You start out with a fudgy brownie mix. (I know…I know. Some of you shudder at the thought of using a prepared mix, but there are times…many times…that I find mixes to be perfectly fine. And this is one of […]
Fresh cranberries are such a seasonal treat, and there is almost no better way to celebrate their arrival than to bake up a deliciously moist batch of cranberry squares! CRANBERRY SQUARES 2 cups whole cranberries 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup chopped pecans Mix together and spread on the bottom of a 13″ x 9″ greased […]
A very special sister-in-law had a milestone birthday, and her dear and thoughtful children threw her a surprise celebration. I offered to help with dessert, and here was their request: Betty Crocker white and chocolate fudge cake mixes yielded 36 cupcakes. I followed the back-of-the-box instructions and watched them very carefully while baking to ensure […]
With the assurance of my “bodyguard” Lisa, little a and I joined her and Carol for a morning of blueberry picking. When we did this last year, it was Lisa who protected us from the boa constrictor (known to some as a garter snake) that darted across our path as we were leaving the field, […]
When my niece celebrated a milestone birthday, I happily volunteered to bake the cake! I wanted it to be as truly special as she is, so I decided to give rolled fondant a try. Fondant-coated cakes are always so impressive! I was seriously nervous about attempting this for the first time, but I found a […]
It’s that time of year when daycare closes for the summer and we party with a year-end celebration! This year’s theme was Scooby Doo, one of the kids’ all-time favorite cartoon characters. I was a bit surprised that the cowardly dog, who would rather have a snack than solve a mystery, would remain so wildly […]
I was recently invited by a dear friend to spend the weekend at her summer cottage in the shoreline town of Old Saybrook, CT. There were four of us there to share the sunny private beach, local outlet shopping, a great girl’s night DVD (It’s Complicated), and way too many laughs! I brought along Ina Garten’s […]
A pretty pink cake for my little buddy Margaux’s 2nd Birthday party to test out my new antique stand mixer. Sprinkles Strawberry Frosting, you may be my new favorite…
I happily volunteered to bake cupcakes for my brother-in-law’s retirement party this past Saturday. The guest list included 55 adults and 15 children, so I decided to bake a variety that would appeal to kids of all ages! The choices included: Chocolate cake/buttercream frosting, Carrot cake/cream cheese frosting, White cake/chocolate ganache icing, Strawberry cake/strawberry frosting, […]
There was lots of internet hoopla about the unveiling of Cricut’s newest machine, Cricut Cake. It was introduced as a “Today’s Special” on HSN a few weeks ago, and my friend, Teresa, ordered it. I was very tempted to get one of my own, but Teresa offered me the opportunity to “play” with hers and […]
I am fortunate to belong to the “Bayberry Babes”, a small group of lovely ladies who take time to care, share and celebrate each other’s birthday with dinner at a favorite restaurant, a little wine, and lots of laughs! We’re meeting tomorrow night, and it’s my turn to bake the cake. This was my very […]
Big mistake. I’m really a Dunkin’ Donuts kinda girl, but I stopped at Starbucks to try one of their “skinny” coffees (as if I really believe that). Without any warning, the words “I’ll take a slice of lemon pound cake” just flew out of my mouth. Nothing “skinny” about that. It was ever so moist, […]
My favorite fruit: banana. My favorite candy: banana Laffy Taffy (true). My favorite ice cream: Chunky Monkey. My favorite quick bread? Whenever I see a golden bunch ripening in the fruit basket, I’m thinking banana bread. The yummy aroma that fills the kitchen while it’s baking is heavenly, and I think it tastes great with […]