Dresden Quilt

I have been wanting to sew on a dresden pattern quilt. This time, I am also sewing a bigger quilt, size wise ... though this is still not quite a bedsize quilt. Not following any rules or symetricals, I just put together two different dresdens and lined the perimeters with random patches and complimentary color fabrics.

This quilt measures 53 x 55 inches. This quilt will compliments well in the family room, on a recliner chair, or throw it over a toddler's bed :)

I have quite a few pictures to show off the difference angles of the quilt.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Brach's mini hearts

In the spirit and celebration of Valentine's Day, I thought I baked a quick batch of cupcakes out of the cake mix .... cheat cheat. I also have to confess, as tasty and as sumptous Red Velvet cakes sound and look, I just can't stand of making my own red velvet cakes from scratch as usually the recipe calls for lots of RED food color. Thus, I always resulted to using the cake mix so I can pretend all is good as the mix always miraculously produces and renders those beautiful velvety red cakes... and they taste yummy too.

Without further ado, lets get started. I am using Betty Crocker Red Velvet cake mix to bake these cupcakes with a little tweak on the directions.

Here they are:

Ingredients:
1 box of red velvet cake mix
3 eggs separated
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
3/4 cup oil

Directions:

In mixing bowl, start mixing egg white in slow speed and gradually bring up the speed to medium high. As the egg white begins to thicken, slowly add in sugar until all the sugar are mixed in, Continue to beat egg white until it forms a stiff peak, stop the beating and set aside.

While egg white is still beating, in a separate bowl, mix oil and sugar until combined. Mix in egg yolk and mix well. Mix in flour. Alternately, add and mix in cake mix and water until well incorporated. Fold in egg white to cake mixture but do not over mix.

Prepare and line 24 standard cupcake pans, drop by the spoonful cake batter into cake pans.
Bake cupcakes for 18-20 mins until toothpick comes out clean. Do not over baked cupcakes.

Frost with buttercream. Topped each cupcake with a mini heart. Enjoy!

Chocolate Cupcakes for Super Bowl party.

Today is the 50th Super Bowl day, the Broncos are playing the Panthers. Broncos is the underdog and thus, we are rooting for the Broncos and Peyton Mannings. As I have to bring a dessert to the Super Bowl party and thus I decided to make cupcakes. I am making chocolate cupcakes with eggless merginue frosting. Unfortunately my frosting is not a success but I am still using the frosting as I don't want to make another batch of frosting. I am using mini vanilla wafer (ok these are stored bought vanilla wafer - save time making separate cookies) and decorate the vanilla wafer to look like footballs as an added touch since this is Super Bowl Football ... what FUN :)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Hershey unsweetened cocoa powder 
1/2 cup water
2 1/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter (1 stick) room temperature
1/4 cup oil
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature, separated
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream

Direction:
Mix together cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder in a bowl.
In mixer, beat egg white for a min or 2 and gradually add in 1/2 cup of sugar, mix till mixture forms a stiff peak, set aside.
Cut butter into 1 cup of sugar in a bowl.
Mix into butter mixture egg yokes, mix in vanilla.
Fold in butter mixture sour cream.
Alternate flour mixture and water into butter mixture..
Fold in egg white.

Line 24 regular size muffin pan. Scoop batter evenly divided to the muffin pan.
Preheat oven at 350 degree.
Bake cake for 18-20 mins.
Cool and frost cupcakes.
Store cupcakes in fridge until ready to serve.

Here are pics of the finished cupcakes.

Vanilla Sour Cream Cupcakes

The blizzard snow storm this past week had brought us and the neighbors out to our front yard to shovel and dig out our walkways and cars. We get to meet and talk with our neighbors and help one another. This time around both our neighbors (to left and right of our house) were very kind to help us in so many different ways to clear the snow which I really appreciated and touched. Such is called being neighborly and nice.

I know there is no expectation from their part but I wanted to bake something and share  that with my neighbors. I wanted to use the sour cream I have in my fridge and decided to bake these cupcakes so here are the cupcakes I made.

Oh, I made 2 batches, so I can bring one batch to the 8:30am Sunday Service coffee fellowship :)

Ingredients:
3 eggs separated
2 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
4 tbs margarine
4 tbs oil
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Measure flour and baking powder together, set aside.
Preheat oven to 350
Line cupcake pan with paper cups, this recipe makes 24 regular size cupcakes.
In mixing bowl, start beating egg white for 5 minutes.
Slowing add in 1/2 cup of sugar and continue to beat until mixture becomes thick and stiff. Set aside.

In another big mixing bowl, mix together egg yoke and 1 cup of sugar.
Add in oil and margarine and stir and mix well. Mix in vanilla extract.
Mix in sour cream, mix well.
Alternating flour and milk to the mixture.
Gradually, fold in egg white to mixture until all egg white incorporate together with batter.
Do not over mix.
Scoop batter to cupcake pan.
Bake for 22-25 mins. Do not over bake, if toothpick test/come out clean from cake, cake is done.
Cool the cake completely and frost with icing. I used icing tip #104 with a variety of designs on all these cupcakes, I love #104, all sorts of possibilities, so much fun to play with different designs!

Store in cool place, cupcakes stay fresh for several days!
Cupcakes is soft, moist and tasty :)

Here is the picture of the frosted cupcakes.

Baby Elephant Cake

I have to make a baby shower cake with elephant as the theme.
I went to the cake supplies store and found me an elephant cookie cutter to make the elephants.
Elephants are cut outs from fondants.

Cake is yellow cake and frosted with swiss meringue butter cream.

I will add the recipe shortly, just want to put this on the blog so I don't forget :)

Fall Tea Cookies

This is a very simple tea cookies I made with Ms Ella.
I will add the recipe shortly, I just want to post this out before I forget.

Ingredients:
2 stick of margarine (1 cup)
1 cup sugar
3 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Direction:
Mix margarine and sugar in slow speed for a min.
Mix in egg and vanilla.
Fold in flour and don't over mix.
Scrap dough together and wrap in  saran wrap and store in fridge for an hour.
Dough can be used immediately too.

Roll out dough into 1/4 inch thickness and cut to desired shapes with your cookie cutter.
Place cookie on cookie sheet at least an inch apart
Bake at 325 degree for 8-10 mins.

Blue Red Throw Quilt

It started with the small middle piece I started awhile ago and I decided to keep on adding pieces staying with 2 color combinations. I made up my mind to make this a little throw quilt. I play and mix with all the remant fabrics I have at hand and it seems to look for me. It is a lot of fun seeing the progression on this project and the end result is pretty pleasing.

Take a look.