Warmed goat cheese, beet and mixed green salad

With pomegranate vinaigrette 

Caramel Baileys fudge tarts

These were a hit this season! I wish I could tell you they weren't a failure turned into a hit, but that would be a lie. 

I wanted baileys fudge. It wasn't baileys enough for me, so I added more and more and more of my husbands homemade baileys and the fudge wouldn't set. So I made shortbread cups to put it in and voila, got my coworkers drunk on dessert. 

Tart Shells

1 cup softened butter (if salted, add no salt. If salted add a pinch or two of salt)

1 large whole egg

3 large egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 1/2 - 3 cups AP flour

Cream together butter and sugar

Add in yolks and whole egg, one at a time mixing well each time.

Allow to mix on medium to creamy/fluffy texture before adding flour.

Add in baking powder and then flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough cones together. Do not add too much flour or over mix it will make for a tough cookie.

Divide dough into 3 balls and wrap in plastic or into freezer bags.

Throw in the fridge/freezer/outside in -30 weather for about an hour or so to chill.

Take first ball out and break chunks off and roll into 1" balls. Make them bigger or smaller depending on the size of your tarts.

I use mini muffin tins, I'd love a set of fancy tartlet pans, but not really necessary. I don't have the room to store them or the money to spend o the damned things! 

Place the balls into the tins and use a wooden tart press to hollow out a place to put the filling. I don't actually have a tart press thing (I thought I did, but apparently don't) so I actually used the wrong end of a little egg masher thing. It did the trick. It's not fancy and Martha would be appalled, but it worked. 

You could also roll the dough out and cut circles with cookie cutters and place into the tins. Both work. The cookie cutter way will give you thinner tarts with more filling, the ball way make thicker, chunkier tarts with less filling.

If cookie cutter way, prick the bottoms so they don't puff up too much. 

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes -/+ depending on thickness until golden.

If you did the press way, put the press into the tart again to hollow it out. Do this quickly when the cookies are hot and haven't begun to set.

Let cool.

Baileys Fudge

1 can of eagle brand (or sweetened condensed milk)

3 1/2 cups chocolate chips

3/4 cup of baileys (you might need more to get desired consistency)

1-2 tbsps Jamesons. (if you're so inclined)

Put chocolate chips and eagle brand into a glass bowl.

Heat in microwave in 30 second spurts, stirring after each 30 seconds until melted and smooth. DO NOT OVER HEAT, you'll burn the chocolate chips and it will seize. That's gross.

Add in the baileys.

Layer a 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper and pour half of the fudge into the dish.

Using either home made caramel sauce or in my version the Ghirardelli caramel sauce run about 6 or 7 thick lines through the fudge.

Layer the rest of the fudge on top.

Let set for 10-15 minutes until fudge begins to set up.

Once the tart shells are cooled, scoop fudge (it should still be warm and slightly runny) into the shells.

Top with chopped pecans and don't drive after eating one. They've got bite!

Monster cookies

No flour! Just oats!

1/2 cup salted butter

2 cups creamy or chunky peanut butter

1 cup granulated white sugar

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 1/2 cups quick cooking oats

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup chocolate chips (or whatever chips you have in your cupboard. Last batch had mini kisses, milk chocolate and peanut butter chips)

1 cup M&M's plain chocolate candies

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cream together peanut butter and butter then add in white sugar. Mix well.

Mix in the eggs and vanilla.

Mix in the oats and baking soda.

Stir in the chocolate chips and M&M's.

I used one of those ice cream scoop for cookie batter things and made 6 cookies per sheet. I always use parchment paper or silpats, less oil and mess.

Add a few more m&ms on top to make them pretty.

Bake for 12 minutes in my oven, might be less or more for other ovens. Just don't over bake them.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes as transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes a lot of cookies, depending on how big you make them.

Rainbow Jello Bars

I found these while wandering on Pinterest. It took me awhile to figure out HOW they did it as the link I found only showed me a picture. I figured it was just a lot of gelatine, jello and patience.

I bought the jello and gelatine, the weather co-operated and got down to about -25 and I went to town.

1) Mix up your first colour. I went with Grape because I hate the smell of artificial grape and I wanted it out of the way first. You mix it like you're making shots (no really). Mix the jello 3/4 cup boiling water to dissolve the powder. Add one package of gelatine and add your cold water once the powder has dissolved.  Pour this mixture into your pan and let set. Either in the freezer or just pop outside into -25 and the magic happen even faster! DO NOT LET IT FREEZE. Frozen jello has an awful, awful texture.
2) Mix up the white part. I used sweetened condensed milk, a lot of gelatine and hot water.
I dissolved 3 packages of gelatine into the hot water and mixed in a can of eagle brand. Pour this mixture over the first layer of jello and allow to set. You don't need a lot. In fact pour a little into the tray and then tilt the tray this way and that to cover the jello. If you have white mix left over, no big deal, you just need enough to create a definition between the colour layers.
3) Repeat step 1 with the jello mix and allow to set
4) Repeat step 2 with the white mixture and allow to set. Alternate between jello and white mixtures until your tray is done.
5) Once completely set cut out into bit sized pieces and serve on a tray. I threw out the edge because they had frozen and were gross.

They look so pretty and kids love peeling them apart.

The Wild Kratt Birthday

My kids seem to love the obscure. Wild Kratts aren't wildly known, sure some people might remember them from Zaboomafoo fame and there are kids who love the show, but they're no Ninja Turtles or Spiderman.
t wanted a Wild Kratt party this year. Of course there are no Wild Kratt treat bags, table clothes wrapping paper or decorations so it was a scratch endeavour.

I made creature power suits for the kids to wear. They're just felt from the fabric store that I used a vest in the house to trace a rough pattern onto.  I cut them out, sewed the arms and the sides together to make a pullover vest of sorts. Then I used heat bond to iron on the embellishments. Super easy.

I printed out a bunch of things from the PBS website www.PBS.org

And the cake!

I took pictures as I went so if anyone else wants to try it and just seeing the finished result on Pinterest doesn't help, I hope this will!

I made a sheet cake (used white and chocolate cake to make a zebra cake) I cut a V at the top as the neck and 2 small "arm holes".

I covered the entire thing with lots of chocolate buttercream icing. I used it to smooth out inconsistencies and round things out. I used my kitchen aid with the dough hook to knead the fondant into a workable clay.

I rolled out the fondant as thinly as I dared. I made sure it was a lot bigger than the cake, to trim off the edges as needed. I used a lot and I do mean A LOT of coconut oil to keep the fondant together and pliable.

I rolled the fondant onto the rolling pin and then onto the cake.

I smoothed the fondant down and tucke it to be smooth. I used a thin non serated knife to smooth the top and sides and then cut away the extra.

I sprayed a little more coconut oil to keep the fondant from breaking or cracking. Then I started on the colours.

I had white fondant which I mixed gel colouring into. 

I did the blue first. I fished out cups, lids, bowls, cookies cutters until I found circles the right size. I cut the shoulder blocks and side blocks by hand. 

I applied the fondant while soft and it stuck just fine.

I used the same knife to smooth the fondant down and clean up the edges.

I cut the letters by hand as well. I just brought up the PBS website and followed as best I could the basic look of the font. Not perfect, but close enough.

I used another random round thing in my kitchen to cut the yellow circle. I also pulled a bunch of animal cookie cutters or and had t choose his favourite. It was a bear, but he called it a honey badger. (too much Wild Kratts).

I used a little white buttercream icing in a ziplock bag (corner snipped off) to finish the creature power disc. I stuck the bear/honey badger on with the icing and called it a day! He loved it!

The busy book

I had on of these as a child and I loved it. I remember always being slightly confused about where to put the soft book, on the shelf or in a toy bin. 

I remember pulling the book into bed with me during quiet times and being fascinated by the Captain Kirk figure inside. I haven't got a clue where that book ended up (I was the first of four) but I wanted one for my kids. 

It took forever to finish, but this is what I came up with...

 My cover wraps around and the book itself is in 2 parts - one side for each kid.

2 kids means either two books or just one mega book in two halves. Much better idea!

Shapes have Velcro on them and the colour printed under the stick on shape. 

The presents each have something inside. A few fold down and a few have snaps to undo. The charms are attached by a ribbon, so they don't disappear.

Counting fish.. 1,2,3...

The pocket is sewn on and then I cut fish out of felt.

The clocks hands move around. Attached with a piece of pipe cleaner and a button. It gets them familiar with a clock face... Who knows they might be the last kids to know how to read an analogue clock!

The shirt opens and you can undo and do up the buttons. 

Lace up and learn to tie a bow. The panels open and there is a turtle inside. 

The lacing is tied to one side, again so it doesn't disappear.

The coloured felt strips are just sewn at one end, they can be woven into a pattern. 

Count the buttons on the train. I still think I want to do something more on this page, I just don't know what.

The apples are attached with snaps. You can pick them and put them into the basket.

A huge sunflower with a braidable stem.

Hide and seek in the talk grass with super cute fancy buttons.

A little mitten for a little hand. Teaches right or left.

There are usually little puppets of animals who live on the farm. The barn doors close.

A piggy bank with coins to count and figure out sizes and how to read a coin.

Count to nine.

Each door opens to find that number beads attached to ribbon. Count the number of beads and see the numeral that corresponds. 

A pocket with a little book and pencil to draw and a zipper and a buckle. The is a fan favourite!

Who doesn't love getting mail? 

I had other ideas, but I ran out of time! The kids love it and I always love when they like something I made. It makes my heart warm! 

Waffle Eggs

Not particularly mind blowing in originality, but a cute little last minute dinner fix!

My kids LOVE breakfast for dinner and I tried to find a fun, quick way to do it.

Enter the waffle maker. I softened some peppers, wilted spinach and added left over ham to warm up. 

Cooked 4 eggs in the waffle maker and let cook. Topped with the pepper/spinach/ham mixture and a little cheese (and tomato for b). Cut into strips and it was finger food fun!