The not so "mini"..... Minnie Mouse !

     Being a Southern California girl born and raised in Orange County, I practically grew up at Disneyland. Celebrating many birthdays there, and of course owning a pair of my own special set of ears, Minnie Mouse holds a special place in my heart. And I just love wandering through the giant down town Disney store, with every single thing they have ever made..... but my favorite spot is the kitchen area ( how darn cute is all that stuff !! ) OK I'm a little obsessed I know.... I guess not EVERYONE wants to buy the Mickey mouse face spatula and the glove oven mitt *grin* but I DO !  So ENJOY.... I know I did !!

I started the Minnie Mouse figure, and the top ears a couple days in advance. It's just better if these things have time to dry, they are happier that way :) The bottom cake is chocolate cake, chocolate icing, and the hat is all vanilla.I thoroughly enjoyed this cake..... from start to finish. The colors are bold and gave the cake a great over all look. Doesn't it just make you smile ?

December MADNESS

December MADNESS !!

SO  as if December isn't busy enough ......... i had a ton of decorating to do.  Hope you enjoy your holidays .

100 Holiday cookies for clients for my job. The logo is printed on edible frosting paper.

class Christmas cookies......

 high heels birthday cake

 bow and pearl bracelet fondant detailing

3-d dinosaur cake

sub sandwich birthday cake. chocolate cake with fondant condiments ( and pink ham hahaha)

 Chocolate chip cookie pizza cake. Red butter cream sauce, and white chocolate cheese, and fondant pepperoni. mmm smelled sooo good !

8" chocolate cake, banana filling. fondant train topper. the last cake of a VERY long weekend ( which included the hubby getting surgery !) ....... but I HAD to squeeze this one in for our neighbor ;)

mmmm now time for some coco with homemade marshmallows ! ciao !

Homemade Oreos

                                              Homemade Oreos

I have been wanting to try these for some time now. I first saw these over at Bake@350.blogspot.com (one of my favorite cookies bloggers) And since Oreos happen to be one of the only cookies the hubby will eat *gasp* i know ! Which happens to be very frustrating when it comes to needing a taste tester, good thing my 7 year old is always available ;)   Warning ! These are rich and addicting, bad combo I know, but at least we know what is in them. Unlike there packaged counterparts, which I try to avoid buying like the plague, I LOVE them, my hips....... not so much !

chocolate Cut-Out Cookies
{modified from Cookie Craft}

2 & 1/2 c. all-purpose, unbleached flour
1/2 c. dutch-process cocoa (natural is OK, too)
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1 c. unsalted butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour,cocoa, espresso powder and salt; set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light an fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.

In 3 additions, add the flour mixture at low speed. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
roll out cookies and Freeze cut cookies five minutes.( this step helps to keep any sugar cookies shape) 

Bake 8 minutes. Let cool completely.

Should all look a something like this .......

AND this is how I roll out my cookie dough, the last thing i need in my life is another mess!

Cream Filling
{source: The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion: The Essential Cookie Cookbook }

1 tsp. plus a heaping 1/4 tsp. unflavored gelatin
2 TBSP. cold water
1/2 c. shortening
1 tsp. vanilla
2 and 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Combine the gelatin and water in a small bowl or cup.  Place the cup into a larger bowl of hot water and leave it there until the gelatin is completely dissolved and liquid transparent.

Remove the cup from the hot water and let the liquid cool to room temperature, but hasn't begun to set...about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the shortening with a paddle attachment until fluffy.  Beat in the vanilla.  Add the sugar a little at a time, beating until the mixture comes together.  Scrape the bowl as needed.  Beat in the gelatin.  Use immediately, or store, well-wrapped at room temperature.

out a teaspoon of filling on each bottom cookie.......

 I found it easier to "pre-squish" so the cookies didn't crack.......

AND WALLAH !!! 

Enjoy , and I hope your hubby's enjoy ....... mine actually gave them a thumbs up ! 

cookie madness !

I was looking through my pics, and i think i have done my cookies wrong ! I only posted a few of the ones i have done lately...... so I figured I HAD to dedicate at least 1 post to them =) All the ones posted are vanilla almond sugar cookies, with Madagascar vanilla. mmm hmmmm delish !

Baby shower cookies, bibs and onesie's

welcome baby Samuel =)

Cupcake cookies for my daughters 1st birthday party

Easter carrots for my 2nd graders class

Sweet sixteen cookies for the bestest baby sister in the world <3

 Cake cookies for a bridal shower with black sanding sugar on the dots

 LEGO cookies for a birthday party at the LEGO store of course

 Happy Mothers Day !

Baseball cookies

Cake cookies for the kids at a wedding

Soccer cookies in Brazil's colors

Bee's and butterflies for a birthday party ( sorry for the bad pic, and you can barely see them in the pic but there are mini white perils in the wings *grin*

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 SO THESE ^ are all Royal Icing......... and THESE ones below are all fondant. Can you tell the difference? 2 very different ways to decorate  cookies, but both equally yummy!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 These were for my favorite 2010 graduate, my lil sis !

 Practicing different techniques

wedding shower cookies for one of our favorite Texas gals =)

 This is a BAD angle, but the fondant has a beautiful floral impressions and brushed in silver luster dust

These I designed for  30th bday party,Mexican dresses and fans in the party's colors

grooms men cookies ..... Texas UTEP

Baby shower cookies I did to go on a gift , for a family member

Made this one our card/tag lol

Bridal shower cookies

So there you go cookies you got what you deserved !