Good use for cake scraps...

Got 15 minutes? ...make orange jelly

So simple - all you need are two oranges and a cup of sugar.

Cut the oranges and puree them in a food processor, rind and all.  Put into a pan with a cup of sugar and 2 Tbsp. water.
Boil 15 minutes.  Cool and put in a jar.

Pretty good for my first time, but a little thick.  You need whole wheat to stand up to the consistency.

Next time, I'm going to do 1 orange with the skin plus two without and use half Splenda.

...another dinosaur

                                          cake for 30

                                          lay it out and fill in the gaps with scrap

                                          crumb coat and make the feet out of cake balls

Hhhhmmm...why haven't I thought of this before?

Can you tell which tier is the cookie cake?

Building a 3D Fire Truck Cake

This cake serves 25.  I can think of a few things I would change for next time...

Chicken Noodle Soup w/Homemade Noodles

Cover boneless skinless chicken breasts with water.
Add spice to taste.  Suggestions:  basil, oregano,
rosemary...
Bring to a boil and cook for approx. 30 min.

Refrigerate overnite.  This will make it easier to
remove the fat and shred the chicken.  Save the
water to cook the soup in.

Skim off the fat.

Shred the chicken.
(You can skip the above steps and use canned chicken)

Cut up celery, carrot, and onion and cover with water.

(Start with the water from the chicken and add to it)

Add spice to taste.  Suggestions:  basil, oregano,

rosemary...

Bring to a boil and cook for approx. 15-20 min.

The vegetables should not be fully cooked at this point.

They will cook further with the noodles.

You can add dried or refrigerated garlic also.

Sam's carries McCormick Chicken Base which is a great

item to keep on hand for making soups.

Make the noodles.

In a large bowl, mix 1 cup flour, 1 egg and

1 half eggshell fill with milk for each 'batch'

(I make 3 batches)

Mix with a fork or a spatula until the mixture holds together.

At this point, knead a few times.

Roll out between 2 sheets of waxed paper.

I used a plastic cutting board.

Cut into strips with a pizza cutter.

If you want to make the noodles ahead of time, you can lay them

out on waxed paper.

Then roll them up and put in the frig til you're ready to cook

the soup.

To finish the soup, bring it to a rolling boil and add the noodles.

The water level should be at least twice as high as the level of

the chicken and vegis.

Drop the noodles in separately so they don't stick together.

Cook for approx. 15 min til the noodles are done.

Enjoy!

Marshmallow Fondant & Buttercream Frosting

Pictures to come...but in the meantime, here is a quick 'how-to' for making MMF

Before you start, lay out three pieces of saran wrap flat on the table

It's best to do this before your hands get all sticky!

In large bowl - 1 lb. mini marshmallows (don't use the big ones) + 2 Tbsp. water

  melt in 30 second intervals til they look like marshmallow fluff

  use a butter knife to stir - less surface area - easier to stir

Mix in < 1/2 c. solid crisco - (I don't measure - that would be one more dirty dish) 

Stir til melted and add 1 cap of Wilton clear butter flavoring

You can use the brown vanilla, but your fondant may take on an ivory shade

Pour in about a third of a 2 lb. bag of powdered sugar

Mix with the knife until the sugar is worked in

Put 1/3 of the goop on each of 2 pieces of the saran wrap

Pour in more sugar and work/knead in with your hands

When it's a nice smooth, non-sticky texture, wrap it in the last piece of plastic wrap

Don't keep adding sugar until it's too stiff because it will harden up over the next

  24 hours and you don't want it to be too stiff to work with

Dump one of the piles of goop into the bowl, add more sugar, & repeat

When you are done, you'll have 3 nice packages of fondant

This can and should be made well in advance of when it's needed

Quick Buttercream frosting for cupcakes

1 c. shortening (6.7oz.) (can be all solid Crisco, all butter, or a mix)

1 lb. powdered sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. clear flavoring

up to 1/4 c. hot water

start mixing on low

gradually add 1 more pound powdered sugar

when all the sugar is incorporated, scrape the sides well

mix on low for 2 minutes

Buttercream can be stored in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer 

I use 21.6oz. shortening to 6lbs. powdered sugar + 1.25c. water