#494 - quick birthday postcards

It was my mom's birthday and my sister's birthday last week...

(happy birthday to you both)..

so I took some inspiration from Parker's ABC book and made some quick postcards for them...

Super Easy Homemade Postcards


-take a picture
-have it developed (I usually do them matte)
-gluestick thin cardboard to the back of the picture (I use cardboard from some left over DVD mailers I have)
-cut off excess cardboard
-make sure picture is glued good
-write a note (for my mom's card I wrote, "You are out of this world!")
-Attach postage
-Mail

#420 - he's here!

via

some thoughts on this new baby's entrance to the world...
i was much more relaxed this time around and it made a world of difference
Pepe was cleaning the house while i was having contractions
i didn't want to stop a good thing

by the time we arrived to the hospital i was already 5-6 cm
3 hours later my water broke (weird feeling)
5 minutes later i was pushing
6 minutes later he was born

COOLEST FEELING EVER - new baby being placed on my stomach
wiggly...wet...warm...crying...ALIVE
that "thing" i felt moving around inside...was "a baby" moving around on the outside

he came so fast that they pulled some random nurse in from the hall to help
while pushing the midwife told me to let go of my husband because i was hurting him
we didn't get to take any pictures until a few minutes after he was born because we didn't know he'd be here so fast!

he's almost 3 pounds heavier than Oster
1 inch shorter
4 days overdue
much more relaxed

we are in love with our new little guy...

pictures coming soon...

#185 -Mini Birthday Cupcakes

I wanted to blog about these mini colorful cupcakes, since they were one of my favorite things at Baby O's birthday.

I was inspired by Omnomicon's rainbow cake, my cousin Michelle's tiny party, and my sister Kar.

Step 1 - make a cake mix (I used a white and yellow cake mix because I wanted to make lots). I also used butter instead of oil, I think it tastes better. Divide into four parts. Add lots of food coloring (see pic above). Wait, this is like 3 steps all in step 1. Oh, I did red, blue, green and yellow.

Step 2 - Stir in food coloring. Add more coloring if you want bolder colors. Pour into zipper bags and cut a small tip off one of the corners, so that the batter can be easily added to the mini cupcake wrappers. This is a lot less messy than trying to pour the batter for tiny cupcakes. Wait, that's also 3 steps.

Step 3 - Squeeze 1, 2, 3 or all 4 colors into each cupcake wrapper. (Above, I tried writing out letters, but after they baked, it just looked like a psychedelic mess.) For the final product, the solid or 1 color cupcakes looked the best, but for biting into the cupcakes the 4 colors looked best.

Here's what the 1-3 color cupcakes looked like (above).

Here's what the psychedelic cupcakes looked like (above).

Step 4 - I made a butter cream frosting (dyed one blue and left the other one white - it was a boy birthday party). However, the mini cupcakes where too stunning to cover them with frosting before Baby O blew out his candle, so I let the kids put on their own frosting. This was actually a good idea. Because the kids could add no, little or lots of frosting. Each kid got to customize their mini cupcakes.

They were bite size, so you could eat one (if you were trying to watch what you eat/don't like lots of sweets) or eat 4+ (like most of the kids). I think I'll always do mini cupcakes for birthday parties now.

Total 96 mini cupcakes were devoured by the end of the party! Maybe next time I'll use 3 cake mixes.

#181 - Baby O's Colorful Birthday Party

This post is way overdue, Baby O is almost 2 (just kidding).

From his invite, you can see we had lots going on (for a 1 year old), but there were lots of kids, so it worked out great. It was actually pretty simple.

Dinner (ie: hotdogs (Nathan's) over the campfire, watermelon, grapes, chips (Sunchips), fruit juice and water.)


We had sprinklers and water fights. (I think I will always do this for O's birthday because it is so entertaining and practically free.)

We had a homemade (by my lovely sister Kar) pinata full of candy. Stay tuned for a how to.

We had a tire swing that Pepe made from an old tire left in our house. You'll have to guess how he got the rope all the way up in the swing. Maybe Pepe will do a guest "how to" on this?

And lastly, we had colorful mini cupcakes (96 total,) which all got eaten!

I got lots of my ideas from other bloggers, so stay tuned in the coming days to see where I got my ideas from.

#177 - Birthday Invite

Here's Baby O's birthday invite. I should have sent these out sooner, but I sent them out less than 24 hours before his party. Oh well.

I made this invite in photobucket, but I really only added the text. My sister in law, Rachael, did the rest.

#176 - Sneak peak - Baby O's B-day

#175 - Baby O's birthday dinner

It's been a busy week. Baby O turned 1! We had 2 celebrations, one on his real birthday with Oma & Opa and one this past weekend with all the family and friends.

On his real birthday we had shish kabobs. And I got the best BBQ marinade from here. I tweaked it just a little because I didn't have lemon pepper.

BBQ Sauce:
1/2 cup ketcup
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 T vegetable oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons pepper

Marinate the chicken (up to four breasts) in the sauce for at least an hour or so and then grill on low.

I will totally make this again.

#37 - Inside-Out German Chocolate Cake

what it looks like on the inside.

finshed cake, i didn't let it firm up, so it's melting.

after it's been cut into.

before it was frosted.

This was so good, I had to post 4 photos. My cousin Michelle first told me about this recipe. And since Pepe's favorite cake is German Chocolate, I decide to make this for his birthday last year. It took a long time and I didn't let it cool, so it was sort of a gooey mess, but the filling, was oh so good!

Here's the recipe from my friend Martha:

Inside-Out German Chocolate Cake

Makes one 9-inch torte.
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pans
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Coconut-Pecan Filling (see below)
Chocolate Ganache (see below)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-inch springform pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the paper; set aside. Place chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl, and set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted; set aside.
2. Sift together flour and salt; set aside. Place sugar and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat until fluffy and well combined, 3 to 5 minutes. Add vanilla and chocolate mixture, and stir to combine. Add dry ingredients, and stir to combine. Divide batter between the two pans using an offset spatula to distribute batter evenly, and smooth the layers. Bake until the center is set, about 20 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool completely before unmolding.
3. Place one layer on a 9-inch cardboard cake round. Spread filling over the layer, and invert the second layer onto the top, leaving the smooth side up. Press down gently on top layer to evenly distribute filling to edges. Using a metal spatula, smooth filling flush with sides of cake. Refrigerate until ready to glaze.
4. Carefully transfer torte off cardboard round onto a wire rack set over a baking pan. Pour enough ganache glaze over cake to fully coat, shaking pan gently to help spread ganache if necessary. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. The ganache in the pan may be melted and strained through a fine sieve and added back to glaze. Pour remaining glaze over torte, allowing excess to drip off sides. If top is not smooth, gently shake pan or run an offset spatula quickly over surface. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving. Carefully slide the cake off of the wire rack and onto serving platter.

Coconut-Pecan Filling

Makes about 2 cups, enough for one 9-inch Torte.
1 fourteen-ounce sweetened condensed milk
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large egg yolks
2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans

Directions
1. Place milk, butter, and vanilla in a medium saucepan, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and combined.
2. Whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl, and, whisking constantly, add some of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks until combined. Whisk the mixture back into the saucepan, and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, and stir in coconut and pecans. Cool completely, and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use, up to 2 days. This is so good, I could just eat this.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients
1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (I think semi-sweet is better, even milk would be good)
2 1/2 cups heavy cream

Directions
Chop chocolate finely using a serrated knife; place in a large heat-proof bowl.
Bring cream to a boil over medium-high heat; pour directly over chopped chocolate. Allow to sit 10 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir chocolate and cream until well combined and smooth. Let sit at room temperature until cooled and just thickened, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes, but up to an hour depending on the temperature of the room.

#33 - Go Bananas B-AN-AN-AS

Yesterday we celebrated Pepe's birthday and all he wanted was a banana cream pie so, our good friends, Anna and Grant, bought Pepe a Marie Callender's Banana Cream Pie . . . so yummy. Anyway, the pie bought back two good memories for me (warning lots of reminiscing and a delicious recipe to follow).

1. When I was a kid, our family was friends with this older Hispanic couple. They were pie makers at the local Marie Callender's restaurant. I remember they would give us left over pies and I would think that we were so lucky.

2. When I was working (on a shoot where women give birth live on tv, this is an insignificant detail, but thought you'd like to know) in Orlando, Florida, I went out to eat with my co-workers to Emeril's Orlando. I'm not a huge fan of New Orleans' flavors (ie: fish, fried food and southern food), but . . . OH MY GOODNESS . . . they had the BEST Banana Cream Pie. So good, that I had to make it for Pepe. I found the recipe here. I've only made it once, about 3 years ago, but it was delicious. If you want the best Banana Cream Pie ever, try this:

Banana Cream Pie with Caramel Drizzles and Chocolate Sauce
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003

Ingredients
4 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise and seeds scraped
3 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 recipe Graham Cracker Crust, recipe follows
3 pounds (about 9) firm but ripe bananas, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Caramel Sauce, recipe follows (Adds a good combination of flavor, but you don't really need this, only if you are really adventurous)
Chocolate Sauce, recipe follows (you don't need this, see above)
Shaved chocolate, for garnish
Confectioner's sugar, for garnish

Directions
Combine 2 cups of the cream, the milk, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the vanilla bean, and the vanilla seeds in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, whisking to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat.
Combine the egg yolks, eggs, cornstarch, and 1 cup of the sugar in a medium bowl, and whisk pale yellow in color. Set aside.
Whisk 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks. Gradually add the egg mixture to the hot cream, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly with a large wooden spoon to cook out the cornstarch and the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. (The mixture may separate slightly. If so, remove from the heat and beat with an electric mixer until thick and smooth.) Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.
To assemble, spread 1/2 cup of the custard over the bottom of the prepared crust, smoothing with the back of a large spoon or rubber spatula. Arrange enough banana slices (not quite one-third) in a tight, tiled pattern over the custard, pressing down with your hands to pack them firmly. Repeat to build a second layer, using 3/4 cup of the custard and enough bananas to cover, smoothing down the layer evenly. For the third layer, spread 3/4 cup of custard over the bananas and top with the remaining bananas, starting 1-inch from the outer edge and working toward the center. Spread 1 cup of custard evenly over the bananas to prevent discoloration. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
In a medium bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar and the vanilla extract and whip until stiff peaks form.
Remove the pie from the refrigerator. With a sharp knife dipped in hot water, cut the pie into 10 equal slices. Transfer the slices to dessert plates. Fill a pastry bag with the whipped cream and pipe onto each slice. (Alternately, spread the whipped cream evenly over the pie before cutting.)
Drizzle each slice with the caramel sauce and chocolate sauce, sprinkle with the chocolate shavings and confectioners' sugar, and serve.

Graham Cracker Crust:
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a medium bowl and mix well. Add the butter and mix well. Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Top with aluminum pie tin and with a circular motion, press the crust tightly into the pan. Bake until browned, about 25 minutes. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
Yield: 1 (9-inch) crust

Caramel Sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup whole milk
Combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Let boil without stirring until the mixture becomes a deep amber color, 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't burn. Add the cream, whisk to combine, and remove from the heat. Add the milk, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature before serving with the pie. (The sauce will thicken as it cools.)
Yield: generous 3/4 cup

Chocolate Sauce:
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Scald the half-and-half and butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat.
Place the chocolate and vanilla in a medium, heat-proof bowl. Add the hot half-and-half and let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Serve slightly warm. (The sauce can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for several days, but it must be returned to room temperature before serving.
Yield: generous 3/4 cup

WARNING - it takes approximately 10 hours start to finish to make.