Carrot Cupcakes with a Side of I'm Sorry

Hi all.

 Remember me? 

You faithful blogger-turned-OCD-Party Planner?

I'm back.

After getting in poo-poo from several faithful followers this morning for my absence,

 I decided that I need to post again!

So I'm sorry that I've been gone, but these should help.

There's cream cheese in them after all.

Isn't that an apology requirement?

Here's what you need to make Carrot 'Carrot' Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

1 box of Carrot cake mix. Old fashioned if you can find it. It has raisin and shredded carrots included.

Canned cream cheese frosting. If you want to get all Martha on me, you can make your own.

Orange food coloring

Green food coloring

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Make your boxed carrot cake according to instructions on the box.
3. Let cupcakes cool completely

4. Meanwhile divide your frosting into 3 separate bowls, 2 small ones for the orange and green dye and one medium bowl for the white.
5. Tint one bowl orange
6. Tint the Second bowl green

7. Grab a chopstick.
8. Insert it into each cupcake and move a round in a small circle, leaving the tip of the chopstick stationary, Like you're making a cone.

Pipe your orange frosting into the hole of each cupcake.

Frost with white icing.

Pipe a green little flower or leaves to resemble the carrot top.

That's it! Cute hey?!

I originally saw someone make this on Pinterest. If you want to see my idea boards, click ------> Here.

Creme Brulee Casserole

 So, I'm mega overdue for a blog post, I know.

I've been a teensy bit pre-occupied with planing my birthday.

I bet no one else you know can tell you the price per pound for ostrich feathers.

I've gone beyond OCD with google.

My husband thinks I'm cheating on him with a search engine.

But I've got a real easy and real delicious dessert that I'll share just to get this guilty conscience of my shoulders.

I never could wear shoulder pads.

Here's what you need to make my easy Creme Brulee Casserole.

1 box of Dr.Oetker Creme Brulee mix
eggs
Creme brulee cookies or graham cookies or anything like that
1 small casserole dish

1. Make your custard mix following the box instructions.
2. Crush up cookies into large chunks and place in the casserole dish.
3. Sieve the custard just incase of any lumps over the cookie bits.
4. Chill until a skin forms on the custard top.
5. Set your oven to broil.
6. Sprinkle the top of your custard with sugar or use the sugar packet that comes in the box.
7. Place your dish in the oven on the top rack and watch your sugar caramelize.
8. Remove when the sugar looks golden brown-dark brown.
9. Serve immediatly.

Really I just added some crunched up cookies to a box mix.

But that's not what matters. 

What matters is that its delicious.

And the winner is...

Well I just have to say that not only was I super pumped by how many of you rose to the challenge of finding party ideas but I was astounded by the amount of thought and detail put into each and every idea!!

You guys are the best.

I heart you.

And I did have THE hardest time deciding on a winner.

Ask my mom.

I called her at work with my pros and con's list.

Here are the runners up....

In third place, in which there is no prize for, sorry, was and entry by Christie, for her idea for a Paris/French theme. My heart seems to be in Paris, so it was super tempting!

Second place goes to Jodi, who emailed me an entry and I posted that on the comment wall. For her idea of a Moroccan/Arabian Nights theme, which I may still do this summer, but June weather here is still kinda hit and miss. My brother Caleb actually brought me back 2 Indian sari's for me from India, so I have the material!

And lastly, the winner...

Well it was kind of a tie. Karyn is the official winner with her 40's Glam party, but Jen's idea of a red carpet affair got my wheels turning.

So theme will be 1940's Hollywood Glam Red Carpet Party...

I'm still working on the name.

Congratulations to Karyn and Jen, Karyn you will be getting $20.00 Shutterfly gift  card, which I know you will put to great use, and Jen I will treat you to a Starbucks!

Thank you to all to put a ton of thought in each idea, you really got me inspired.

Seriously, I have 5 pages in my notebook filled with ideas now!

This was a great way to kick off the 2011 party season!

Happy Giveaway Shutterfly Day! It's a real holiday....

I'm in need people.

In need of a theme.

I'm not usually one that is at a loss for themes, but I feel that my creative juices are running dry.

So to inspire you to inspire me, I've got a

  $20.00 gift card for Shutterfly!

 The person who has THE best and most creative theme for my birthday party will be mailed out the prize.

And I'm talking good ideas folks . 

Not just  'pink and sparkles'.

I will incorporate those things in no matter what kind of theme it is.

I'll give you some ideas that I've already done:

Alice in Wonderland/Mad Hatter's Tea Party

Sex and the City

Around the World

Vegas Baby!

Party themes that I would love to have but I'm too embarrassed to invite people to would include:

Twilight

Harry Potter

Lord of the Rings

True Blood

You're getting the picture.

So with that, my birthday is at the end of June but I like to start planning ASAP. 

Anyone can win as long as you are a follower and you leave your idea in the comment section.

I will pick the winner next Tuesday, the 12th.

Good luck and be creative!!

Mini Angel Food Cake

I made mini angel food cupcakes.

And when I say 'made', I mean I used a boxed mix.

Simply because I haven't had angel food cake in forever.

Any one remember that zingy feeling the batter makes on your tongue?

I love that.

But I also like the feeling of chewing on tinfoil.

I ate white glue in Kindergarten.

Leave me be.

Needless to say whipping up a simple angel food cake made me all nostalgic.

So I dug out my old Joy of Cooking book and found an old fashioned boiled icing recipe to top it off...

Get it?

  TOP it off...

I'm funny. 

Speaking of funny, look at my little peanut.

What a card.

And then there's this little bug!

She's not looking adoringly up at me.

Nope she's got her eyes on the cupcakes!

Here's what you need to make 

Mini Angel Food Cupcakes with White Mountain Icing.

1 box of angel food cake mix

Water 

1. Follow the instructions on the back of the cake mix box.

2. Line your muffin tins with papers, I used mini, but in hindsight, it made a buh-gillion of mini cupcakes.

I suggest making normal sized cupcakes.

3. Fill your paper liners with batter and bake according to box instructions.

4. When done, remove and place on a cooling rack. Cool completely.

Icing:

1 tablespoon of white corn syrup

1 cup of water

1/3 cup of water

1 egg white

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1. Place the first 3 ingredients in a medium small sauce pan, cook until the the mixture boils rapidly.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, beat egg white for 2 minutes on high speed.

3. Add 3 tablespoons of the boiling syrup to the mixing bowl and continue beating.

4. Continue to boil the remaining syrup until mixture reaches 238-240 degrees.

5. Pour the remainder of syrup to the egg white mixture, gradually.

6. Add vanilla

7. Beat at high speed for another 4-6 minutes, until smooth and spreadable.

 Spread a small amount onto your cooled little cupcakes.

And I mean a little.

These puppies are SA-WEET.

I dunked mine in some shredded coconut.

Then sprinkled them with some disco dust.

I really only want to make things that I can dust with my sparkles.

Go and make some angel food cake.

You'll thank me.