Bridal Shower Cupcakes

Well, I put together a bridal shower for a dear friend getting married in June and I got a great idea for some fun decorative cupcake toppers.  I wanted to try something different, unique and elegant for the special ocassion. 

These were really simple to make, but time consuming. 

You can get everything you need from your local .99 cents store - get crafty people!

Here's what you need to get started:

• 1 sheet of 8.5"x11" card stock
• 3 sheets of matching 20"x20" tissue paper
• 3 ft of 1/4" ribbon
• 12 toothpicks
• Double stick tape
• Cuticle cutters (you know the little 2-prong fork thingy that comes in manicure sets)
• self-adhesive Pearls (optional)
• and a bodice or tank top template (I just drew my own)

Here you can find a step by step on how to create these cutesy toppers and there are even a few videos, which I encourage you to watch, it makes it all come together..

It was extremely time consuming, but WELL worth it!

Everyone removed their "little bride" and saved it as a momento..........

before they devoured those mini dark chocolate coconut dreams :)



Seedling Update

This is just a quicjk update, so you can see the progress of my herb garden.

I am so shocked that these little guys are growing!! 



Fresh Cilantro



Sweet Mint



Mmmmm Basil

Please come back in less than 2 weeks to see how it goes with our  

very first Brooklyn Seedling Swap!

Italian Parsley

Seedling Swap

I'm so excited that my great friend Yumi has put together something they call a "seedling swap" it's where friends & fam get together and share what they plan on growing in their very own home gardens.

Yummy! Well, in an atetmpt to live vicariously through anyone living on the west coast I begged her to be involved!

I know, NYC herb garden - and how???



Well, I did some research and with their help and support I was able to get my very own herb garden started

So, I bought my soil (dirt as I so called it to the friendly man that assisted me at Loews :). And these little pots.  In addition to the 4 packs of seeds Yumi placed in my little "seedling swap package" I purchased a few more and I was ready!

Now it's all about the waiting.......I'm so impatient!  I think the poinsettia chili peppers will take the longest to sprout at 14-21 days!!  Ahhhhh!  I can't wait though.  I'll keep you all posted!!

Fun Friday!!

It's back!  This week we tried Doughnut Holes!  Awesome, right!!  Yum!  It is still cold in this part of the country so we had to do a little something to give you that warm cozy feeling :)

I loved just the plain ones sprinkled with cinnamon & sugar!  Hmmmmm

This was welcome by the whole Infirmary crew!

The choices are endless to what you can create!  Just look in your pantry and be creative!  I'm sure you can come up with some good combinations.  Fry up some sweet goodness!



Doughnut Holes

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• Oil for deep-fat frying
• Confectioners' sugar

 Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. In a small bowl, combine the egg, milk and butter. Add to dry ingredients and mix well.
• In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer (wish I had one of these :) or maybe it's better that I don't!), heat oil to 375°. Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls, five or six at a time, into oil. Fry until browned, about 1-2 minutes, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Roll warm doughnut holes in confectioners' sugar, cinnamon & sugar, shredded coconut, vanilla glaze, chocolate ganache, sprinkles, powdered cocoa, or whatever tickles your fancy. Yields: about 3 dozen. 

Try out the recipe and let me know how you like it!

Spring Baby Shower

 So, here's to the first of my events and goings on of Spring and Summer.  This was for a dear friend who is leaving Bethel for their new assignment as...... Parents!  Exciting! 

We had an intimate baby shower for her and these were the little confections I came up with.  Everyone figured out they were "ducks" but had a hard time deciphering the little "lambs" I got puppy and teddy bear most.  But our new Mommy loved them :D

This was the MESSY part!!

How to

• 24 Baked Cupcakes (any flavor) in paper baking cups
• 4 cups White Buttercream (or frosting of choice)
• 2-1/2 cups shredded coconut
• 28 Marshmallows
• 12 Tootsie Rolls
• 48 miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• Yellow, orange and pink food coloring
• 18 wafer cookies

Directions

1. For lamb cupcakes, frost the vanilla or chocolate cupcakes generously with some of the White Frosting and sprinkle with coconut. Place 1 cup of the coconut in a pie plate. Spread 16 of the marshmallows with frosting to coat (MESSY). Roll coated marshmallows in coconut. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer for several minutes or until frosting is set. Cut four of the coated marshmallows into three slices each; cut each slice in half for the ears. Set aside.

2. For each lamb cupcake, place one of the whole coconut-coated marshmallows in the center of a frosted cupcake. For ears, attach two marshmallow half-slices on each marshmallow with some of the white frosting. Cut two small pieces from one of the Tootsie Rolls for the hooves. Form a circle with some of the remaining Tootsie Roll to form a muzzle (I think this is where I went wrong with the mistaken identity.....to make the nose - instead of a muzzle - cover a mini chocolate-chip with a dab of pink frosting). Use a knife to score hooves. Attach them to the front of the whole marshmallow with white frosting. Attach two miniature semisweet chocolate pieces for eyes. Pipe pink frosting onto the insides of ears. Attach hooves to the bottom front of marshmallow.

3. For ducky cupcakes, tint the remaining frosting with yellow food coloring. Set aside. In a pie plate toss the remaining coconut with yellow food coloring to combine.

4. Cut each of the wafers in half (I was forced to eat all teh ones that didn't cut exactly in half :D). Spread all of the wafers and the remaining 12 marshmallows with someof the yellow frosting; roll marshmallows and crackers in yellow coconut to coat. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer for several minutes or until frosting is set.

5. Frost the yellow cupcakes with the yellow frosting. Sprinkle with some of the tinted coconut. For each duck cupcake, attach a coated marshmallow to the top of cupcake with some of the frosting. Attach two of the remaining miniature semisweet chocolate pieces to each marshmallow for eyes. Create beaks by using a knife to make a slit in each marshmallow and inserting a candy-coated chocolate piece into the slit. Press one cracker half into frosting at back for tail. Insert two cracker halves into frosting on sides for wings. Sprinkle remaining yellow coconut over duckies.

Adapted from Better Home and Gardens Cupcakes

Fun Friday!!!

It's Fun Friday People.....What are you planning? 

Well, in the Infirmary we find that we must do something pretty disconnected from the nature of our work - to get through those last few hours of our Friday. 

For this edition we decided to make peanut butter cups, you heard me!

MOVE OVER REESE's

I found an awesome recipe and adapted it to what we had in our staff kitchen 

and they were they nom nom good!

Try out the recipe