Category Archives: Make someone happy

Adventures in Cake Pops

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This Easter Mr. Sweet & I were visiting family. I always bring a dessert and wanted to bring something special this year because there were going to be a lot of children. Ever since I saw Bakerella’s first cake pop I knew I had to make them. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to try them out.

What is a cake pop you ask? They are basically little balls of cake and frosting covered in chocolate and decorated. They are pretty simple to make: bake a cake, let it cool, tear it into crumbs, stir in frosting, roll cake into balls, dip in chocolate and decorate. Easy peasy!

While mine didn’t achieve the talented heights of Bakerella’s they still came out pretty good for my first go of it. They were gobbled up by kids and adults alike. I am looking forward to trying out different variations for future events.

Check out Bakerella’s site for all her amazing ideas!

Tips I found helpful:
- Put the cake pops the freezer before dipping so that the pops can harden a bit. If the cake is too soft the ball will fall apart when placed in the warm chocolate.
- I used half a can of frosting.
- For easy crumbs I placed the cooled cake in my KitchenAid Mixing Bowl with a paddle attachment on low and let the KitchenAid do the work. After the crumbs were made I added the frosting and had the KitchenAid mix it for me.
- I did not freeze the cake pops after the chocolate was applied. I left them to air dry and they came out smooth. I have heard that if you freeze them the outer coating may crack.
- Mr. Sweet recommended next time to use munchkins instead of going through the trouble of making the cake. Good idea honey!

Playing is good for the soul.

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We have forgotten the little pleasures in life. How to play, a great big, tear inducing laugh, a dessert for no good reason. As a culture, we seem so hell bent on success that we never stop and realize that we are missing the little things until it is too late. Just remember that when you are older, sitting and reminiscing, that you won’t regret that you didn’t spend more time at the office, but that you lived the life that you always wished for.

Playing is good for the soul. Value and treasure it.

Every Tuesday evening my sister comes over. It is a tradition that started once I moved out of my parent’s house. Every week she comes by, we make dinner, watch movies, or play games. Mr. Sweet and I love having her over. We enjoy every ounce of time spent with her. The three of us laugh till our bellies are pained. Each Tuesday evening I try to make a little something special. Be it a dish that she enjoys or a dessert. Even though it is just the three of us, I like to embellish our food. Take last night’s dessert, a mix of strawberries, a bit of cake, whip cream all topped with strawberry champagne chocolate shavings.

Every day should be adorned with something beautiful – despite the fact you are going to eat it in seconds.

The search may finally be over!?!?!?

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Back in June of 2009 I wrote a blog post about the absence of French macaroon’s in New Jersey. I had been in search of the perfect French macaroon and was beginning to think that the bakeries in my area were not going to provide me with the deliciousness that I needed. I thought about opening my own bakery, I am a good baker, but not that great. I know the ins and out of kitchens and ovens, but not the ins and outs of owning my own business. Plus I just don’t have the funds or the time right now to start up my own company.

In the beginning of May I received a reply to the blog post. It was letting me know that a new dessert shop was opening the first week in June  in Little Falls, New Jersey.

Could my dreams be coming true?

A place where I could get my macaroon fix on?

Yes!

The new dessert shop is called Asalt & Buttery. From what they told me they are going to have numerous flavors including salted caramel (always a favorite of mine), chocolate, pistachio, green tea, raspberry, cherry, yuzu (a Japanese citrus), fiori di Sicilia (a creamsicle like flavor) and many more.  They also will have pavlovas, real sicilian cannoli, eclairs, cupcakes, cookies (choc chip, punitions, sables and more) caneles and scones. Oh my!

Their website is under construction but you can follow them on Facebook.

I am looking forward to checking them out once they open. I hope that if you are in the Little Falls, New Jersey area, and are in need of a macaroon fix you will too!

Asalt & Buttery
480 Main Street
Little Falls, NJ 07424

Cheatercheaterbestfriendeater

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89. Find a new musical artist to add to my list of music every day for a month (5/30)

I love this song.

I do.

The music video is pretty funny too.

K and I were watching the On Demand Music channel the other day. They had this song on the list. Of course when you have a song title of “Cheatercheaterbestfriendeater” we are going to check it out. It is now on my iPod.

** If you are interested in sending me new music please do!! Just add a comment and I will check them out. I am always on the look out for new tunes!

 

Be My Honeypie

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89. Find a new musical artist to add to my list of music every day for a month (4/30)

I found this song randomly by The Weepies.  I was searching the internet on a cold, rainy day for who knows what and found it.  As soon as I heard the song and saw the video it made me smile.  It reminds me so much of K and I.  We actually go to the store sometimes and do random things, like a little dance in the middle of the isle because we hear a song we love.

** If you are interested in sending me new music please do!! Just add a comment and I will check them out. I am always on the look out for new tunes!

 

Cranberry & Chocolate Granola

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My sister has been requesting my homemade granola for the last week. She wanted something to put in her yogurt in the mornings. I have made this recipe for her time and time again and she never stops asking for it. Usually I put in some tropical dried fruits or a mixture of nuts. This time I decided to go a different way…Chocolate and Cranberry.

I hope she enjoys it as much as I have.

Cranberry & Chocolate Granola
4 cups old-fashioned (not quick cooking) oats
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

* I added chocolate and cranberries to this mix. There are so many ways that you can make granola it is ridiculous. Try any mixture of nuts, dried fruits and chocolates.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. In a small saucepan, heat oil and honey, just until it melts. Stir in vanilla.

Pour the liquid mixture over the oats mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until mixture is covered. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the granola starts to turn golden (bake for less time for softer granola, more for crunchier, drier granola). When cool enough to handle, take a spatula to remove granola from pan and break into pieces.

Add dried fruit or mixed nuts to taste. You can store granola in an air-tight container for up to a week.

Just dance, but we might laugh at you.

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92. Try 10 new video games (1/10)

If you aren’t aware already, K and I are avid gamers.  We love spending a night bowling in our own home.  Some Sunday’s we take adventures with Lego men and Indiana Jones.  Other days you can find us brawling in our living room with our friends.

For Christmas K and I got each other new games (plus the usual clothing and accessories but those are not as much fun).  I received Just Dance 2.

Just Dance 2 is a game where you pick a song to dance to, hold a Wii Remote in your right hand, and mimic the actions of a virtual dancer onscreen. You are awarded points based on movements tracked by the Wii Remote, with each successful move being scored.  There’s a great selection of 45 songs, with something for everyone. Whether you want to dance to Wham!  “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” or Benny Benassi’s “The Biz” “Satisfaction” (our personal favorite).

There are also different modes to the game.  You can play alone, in a duets portion where  you dance with comical spins, jumps, and crossovers, dance battles, party mode which is a straight up ongoing dance fest and in just sweat an exercise mode disguised as fun.

This game is hilariously entertaining.  It encourages you to get on your feet and lay down some funky moves and that we did.  We are actually thinking about having a “Just Dance” mini party at our house to get our friends moving and shaking with us.

Whether you are battling your friends, dancing alone or in a duet this game is worth it!

This post is part of my 101 in 1001 series. Please click on the ”101 in 1001″ tag to read the many other attempts.