more marshmallow art

My marshmallow art was such a hit (thank you all for your lovely comments!) that I thought I'd add a few more.

Picasso, le reve

Mondrian, composition with yellow, blue and red



Dali, the persistence of memory

marshmallow art

Marshmallow art is a super easy fun project for kids or grown-ups who love to draw. Personalize your marshmallows to match a party theme and serve or have marshmallow art as a party activity.

to make marshmallow art you will need:*

• marshmallows
• gourmet writers
• skewers and/or lollipop sticks
  

*If you can't find Americolor gourmet writers, as shown, most craft stores carry subsitutes (but I just adore Americolor products). I found a pack of 100 bamboo skewers for about 2 bucks at the drug store. Lollipop sticks are available at the craft store.


how to make marshmallow art:

Step 1. Skewer 1, 2, or 3 marshmallows.

Step 2. Open package of gourmet writers.

Step 3. Draw.

kid tip:
Kids should use caution with the bamboo skewers, as they are sharp. You can also skewer the marshmallows to create a hole, remove the skewer, and insert a lollipop stick instead.

marshmallow tip:
The stiffer the outside of your marshmallows, the easier to draw on them. If your marshmallows are very soft, you might want to let them sit at room temperature for several hours (or even overnight).




Below is my attempt to recreate Monet's Water Lilies Painting 1:

O' Harry Potter... so many possibilities

As a children's lit academia nut, of course I adore Harry Potter. I gobbled up every one of the books as they hit the stands, starting way back when in---sheesh, '98 was it? And I've done many a Harry Potter cookie over the years, for the cookie possibilities are many. Gryffindor shields, Hedwig, the Sorting Hat, broomsticks, Potions books, cauldrons, castles, Dementors, wands, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Hagrid, The Daily Prophet, Bertie Bott's... And so, narrowing down my choices to just a few for this post was near impossible. I may add more later, but for now, here are some tips to making Harry's glasses, a lightning bolt and a broomstick.


For the glasses, I used a bikini top cookie cutter. I cut out the others by hand, so I included a pdf HERE for you. If preferred, print the document and cut out the shapes to use as templates. Simply lay the template on rolled out dough and cut out with a knife. Smooth edges with your fingers, bake according to the recipe and let cool completely.

LIGHTNING BOLTS

you will need:*
dough
frosting
lightening cutter or template
1 frosting bag
1 coupler
1 size 4 tip
1 rubber band
yellow frosting color
yellow sanding sugar or sprinkles

*You can find most supplies at any major craft store. For the frosting color, I used Americolor soft gel paste, Egg Yellow.

to decorate lightning bolts:
Prepare a frosting bag fitted with the coupler and size 4 tip and fill with gold colored frosting. Tie closed with a rubber band. Outline lightening shape and let set 15 minutes. Piping yellow frosting back and forth, fill shape completely. Immediately sprinkle yellow sanding sugar generously over lightening bolt and shake off excess. Let dry overnight.



BROOMSTICKS

you will need:*
dough
frosting
broomstick cutter or template
4 frosting bags
4 couplers
5 tips (1 size "2", 2 of size "3," 2 of size "4")
4 rubber bands
yellow, brown and black frosting colors

*You can find most supplies at any major craft store. For the frosting color, I used Americolor soft gel paste, Egg Yellow, Chocolate Brown and Super Black.

to decorate broomsticks:
Prepare 4 colors of frosting: black, brown, light yellow, and gold. Prepare 4 frosting bags and fill with your colors. Black and light yellow should have a "3" tip, brown and gold each a "4" tip. Tie each closed with a rubber band. Outline your broomstick with the black 3 tip as shown. Let set about 15 minutes. Piping back and forth, fill broomstick completely as shown, brown for the handle, gold for the shaft. With the light yellow "3" tip, pipe the straw. Switch tip on the black to size "2." Pipe wood details on top of the handle. Let dry overnight.



HARRY'S GLASSES

you will need:*
dough
frosting
eyeglasses cutter or template
4 frosting bags
4 couplers
4 tips (2 of size "3", 1 of size "4," 1 of size "2")
4 rubber bands
brown, black, light blue and white frosting color

*You can find most supplies at any major craft store. For the frosting color, I used Americolor soft gel pastes, Chocolate Brown, Super Black, Sky Blue and Bright White.

to decorate glasses:
Prepare 4 colors of frosting: black, chocolate brown, light blue and white. Prepare 4 frosting bags and fill with your colors. Black should have a "3" tip, brown and light blue each a "4" tip, white a "2" tip. Outline cookie as shown with black 3 tip. Let set about 15 minutes. Fill frames with brown "4" tip. Fill centers of glasses with light blue. Let centers set well, about 20 minutes. Pipe highlights with white 2 tip on top of blue. Let dry overnight.

mac n' cheese n' beer n' one angry cookie

Now this really has nothing to do with cookies. But at the request of Bridget (see "what's for dinner" below), I thought I'd share my personal mac n' cheese with beer recipe.

I am obsessed with/addicted to mac n' cheese. Whenever I find it on a menu anywhere I order it. If I know I'm going to a restaurant that serves mac n' cheese, I plan all my meals that day around my mac n' cheese. Ergo, I'm picky about my mac n' cheese, so I'm proud of myself for finalizing my own. I juuuust made this a few days ago, and I likely won't make it again for a bit, so I don't have any yummy looking photographs. You'll have to trust me that it looks yummy. If you need step-by-step photos, let me know and I'll snap a few next time I make it.

Also, as this is my own recipe, the measurements are inexact. Luckily, this mac n' cheese is forgiving. I add different amounts of everything every time and it always turns out great:

my mac n' cheese n' beer:

1/2 to 3/4 box of penne pasta or large shells (about 10-12 oz.)
6 Tblsp flour
6 Tblsp butter
2 1/2 cups whole milk (you can use 2 %, too)
lots and lots of shredded cheddar, between 12 and 16 oz. or to taste
1/2 bottle of beer (ale works well, you can use more or less to taste)
salt
pepper
bread crumbs (about 1/3 cup?)
2-3 Tblsp melted butter

Cook pasta al dente al dente al dente (ie. about 2 minutes less than the recommended cooking time. This is important, the pasta should be firm because it will cook in the oven later and if you cook it all the way now, it will be mushy.) Drain and set aside. In medium saucepan, melt butter and whisk with flour over medium low heat to form a paste. Gradually add in the milk, stirring constantly. Continue stirring frequently until thickened. This can take awhile, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the grated cheese. Add the beer and continue to heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste. At this point, I transfer the cheesy mixture to a larger saucepan. Add the pasta and stir. Transfer to a 9 x 13" baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Mix melted butter with bread crumbs and sprinkle over the top. Bake in a 375 degree oven about 20 minutes. You may cover for first 15 minutes with tin foil, remove for last 5 minutes. Cook until bubble and browned on the edges.

Enjoy! If anyone tries this, let me know how it turns out!

what's for dinner?

Let me begin by warning you that this post is not about cookies. Unless you eat cookies for dinner. In which case, it can be about cookies.

Dinner is always a challenge, given my house of picky eaters combined with the fact that I like only a fraction of the new recipes I try. I have folders filled with un-tested recipes ripped from magazines, index cards sticking out of my recipe books, folded pages in cookbooks, and bookmarked sites on my computer. And so, I created: a dinner notebook. The requirements for making it into the dinner notebook are strict.

I hereby declare that in this dinner notebook I shall keep ONLY:

• recipes for dinner (ie. no desserts, cocktails, snacks or breakfast)
• recipes that I have tested and approved (ie. no magazine pages that look interesting)
• recipes my husband and/or kid will eat (ie. nothing with onions or mushrooms)
  

As I have other folders and books for everything in the parentheses, I pledge to strictly follow my rules. Said notebook shall grow, as magazine pages and internet bookmarks graduate to the notebook, if and only if they are cooked, eaten and enjoyed.

how I made my dinner notebook

supplies:*
3-ring binder
"dinner" label for cover
4x6" photo pages for binders
index cards or photo paper/paper cutter
your recipes

*I got a 1" translucent binder like this from Staples for $2. I also found these photo pages at Staples, and made my own index cards by cutting good quality photo paper into 4x6" cards. You can also use these top loading page protectors and full sheets of paper if you like to take lots of notes on your recipes. As for the dinner label, you can use any size labels for your printer. I will attach a photo of my design at the end if you prefer. I used this size circle label found here, but you can use any. Even full-page labels cut to your desired size.

Recipes I included:
I've been making some of my dishes for ages, like my special breaded chicken (with flax seed!) and my uber-yummy mac n' cheese (with beer!). I don't need to follow recipes for these, but I still included them for consistency and convenience for making my grocery list. Some other favorites I included: this recipe for baked pasta with ricotta and this recipe for sausage and stuffing pastry, both of which I doctor a tad to suit our tastes, like taking out gross stuff and adding good stuff, like pureed carrots.

crazy easy colorful petits fours

Hmmm, I wonder if these little treats made from Oreos are refined enough to bear the name "petit fours." But alas, if it looks like a petit four and tastes like a petit four, then petit four it is. These really are very simple to make, thanks to the wonderousness that is the Oreo Cakester.

how to make Oreo Cakester petits fours

you will need:*
Oreo Cakesters
sharp knife
white rolled fondant
food coloring
wax paper
rolling pin
decorations
light corn syrup (to adhere decorations, if needed)

*Fondant is available at any craft store. For food coloring, I used Americolor soft gel pastes, Sky Blue, Orange, Electric Green and Electric Pink. For decoration, I used a 1/2" circle fondant cutter, also available at craft stores.

step one: make your cake cubes
With a sharp knife, cut off four edges from the cakester circle to create a cube. Eat the remnants, reserve the cubes on a piece of wax paper.


step two: cover with fondant
Take a handful of fondant for each color you'd like. Knead drops of coloring into fondant very well until fully blended. Add drops to achieve desired colors.
Take a ball of colored fondant (a few tablespoons worth) and roll thinly into a circle between two pieces of wax paper. Peel the circle from the wax paper and lay on top of a cakester cube. With fingers, press fondant around the cube. (Leave the cube sitting on the wax paper, you aren't covering the bottom.) With a sharp knife, trim and remove excess fondant from around the base of the covered cube. No need to trim super-close to the cakester! After you remove the excess, pick up the cube and smooth the fondant around the edges, reshaping into a cube if needed, and tucking the trimmed end underneath the cube. TIP: If fondant gets too sticky or unmanageable, simply let sit uncovered at room temperature for 5 minutes or more.


step three: decorate your petits fours
Decorate your petits fours with piped icing, candies, or, like I did, more fondant. Roll out a ball of fondant between two pieces of wax paper. Cut out 1/2 inch circles and set aside to stiffen about an hour. Dab some light corn syrup on the underside of the circle and press onto petits fours.

on the cookie campaign trail...

On the importance of voting: Yes, you CAN make a difference. And in this case, you can win something too.


Please, oh please, readers, vote for me! (Or whomever you feel best deserves the prize, as I have some lovely competition. Hmmm, I'd be a horrible politician. Guess living in DC has done nothing to teach me how to garner votes.) The Cookie Blog was ever so kind as to nominate me for America's Next Top Cookie. CLICK HERE to vote by leaving a comment on The Cookie Blog. Just in case you truly do find my masterpiece the prettiest (no coaxing, of course), my nomination is #10, the watermelon cookies. The cookie winner of the contest gets The Golden Book of Cookies, and a $20 gift card to Starbucks or Peet's. And a lucky voter (it could be you!!) gets The Cookie and Biscuit Bible and a $20 gift card for coffee. Cookies and coffee... I think this contest was made with me in mind.

a shore thing.... candy clay shells

Much as I like what fondant does, I just can't get into the taste. I've been playing around with candy clay instead. Not quite as user friendly as fondant, and while, like fondant, it's super sweet, it's definitely better tasting than the alternative. I'll be sure to post more ideas on how to decorate with candy clay, but I started out with some sea things. (My great grandfather was a lighthouse keeper here, so I've a penchant for shore things. That and it's summer.)



Ideas for using candy clay shells:

• top store-bought cookies (adhere with a dab of light corn syrup)
• decorate cupcakes or cakes that have been topped with light brown sugar "sand"
  
• let stiffen overnight and wrap as party favors
• display with fruits on a dessert table

to make starfish candy you will need:
candy clay (recipe at the end of this post)
yellow food coloring (I used Americolor soft gel paste, Egg Yellow)
star cookie cutter (I used 3 inch, but you can use a smaller cutter if desired)
wax paper
rolling pin
lollipop stick or stirrer straw


how to make starfish candy
Take a handful of candy clay and knead a couple drops of yellow coloring very well into clay. Roll into a ball. Roll clay about 1/4 inch thick between two pieces of wax paper. Cut out a star. With your fingers, bend the tips of the star in different directions. With the lollipop stick or small straw, make imprints along the spokes. Place on a wax paper-lined baking tray to dry at room temperature several hours or overnight.


to make sand dollar candy you will need:
candy clay (recipe at the end of this post)
white food coloring (I used Americolor soft gel paste, Bright White)
circle cookie cutter (I used 2 1/2 inch)
wax paper
rolling pin
lollipop stick or stirrer straw


how to make sand dollar candy
Knead a handful of candy clay with a few drops of white coloring. Roll into a ball. Roll candy clay between two pieces of wax paper thinly. Cut out your circle. Place circle on a tray lined with wax paper. Insert end of stick or small straw to make five holes. Tips: I wiggled the stick a bit to elongate the opening. If candy clay cracks when making holes, re-mold with your fingers. I planned out my holes first by making light imprints with the lollipop stick, and I planned the spacing so the holes were in a circle.


to make shell candy you will need:
candy clay (recipe at the end of this post)
brown and pink food coloring (I used Americolor soft gel paste, Chocolate Brown, Egg Yellow and Electric Pink)
circle cookie cutter (I used 2 1/2 inch)
wax paper
rolling pin


how to make shell candy
Knead a handful of candy clay with a drop of brown coloring (I also added a touch of yellow coloring) to make light brown. Knead a handful of candy clay with a drop of pink to make light pink. Roll each into a ball. Roll each color thinly between two pieces of wax paper. Cut out a circle of each. Place a circle of pink candy clay on top of a circle of brown clay. Carefully (to avoid cracking), starting with the side of the circle, use your fingers to roll the candy clay into a tube. Pinch one end. Let stiffen on a wax paper lined baking tray.


recipe for candy clay
2 Tbsp. shortening
2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
4 cups confectioner's sugar

Mix together the first 4 ingredients, then gradually blend in the confectioner's sugar. The mixture will be crumbly. Knead with your hands until smooth and pliable. You can add a few drops of water, or more corn syrup, if it's way too dry. Roll into a ball and store at room temperature in a sealed bag.

no room for cookie at the cool table?

The illustrious CakeSpy has raised an interesting question: "How do other sweets feel about the little cakes' popularity?" The artwork below suggests Cuppie should be weary of a pending cookie attack.
Well CakeSpy got me thinking. I can't speak for all cookies, but I do admit a wee bit o' jealousy at the cupcake's popularity. Brings me back to the middle school cafeteria.

Forgive the crudity of my cartoon. Without any real graphic design programs, I created it using pencil, marker, a scanner, and the paint program that came with my computer. But it's my answer to CakeSpy's question. You may not be able to see in the photo, but the cookie's having a glass of milk and a stick of butter for lunch. The much more popular cupcakes are having glasses of frosting and plates of sprinkles.

everybody else's red, white and blue

Since I was so lame in not making 4th of July cookies (maybe it's the ten years of decorating thousands of red, white and blue stars, Uncle Sams, flags and firecrackers HERE that did me in), I thought I'd give you a roundup of the incredible sweets these brilliant minds concocted.


1. Snap, Crackle, n' Pop Rocks Cookies from CakeSpy.

2. Flavored Ice from Family Fun.

3. Fruit kabobs from Make and Takes found via The Crafty Crow.

4. Red, White and Blue Cake Pops from Bakerella.

5. July 4th Cupcakes from Martha.

6. Fireworks Frosting from Dinner's on Me found via The Crafty Crow.

7. Ice Cream Cone Wrappers from Martha.

8. Fruit Flag from Katherine Marie Photography found via The Crafty Crow.

9. Berry Ice Cream Napoleons from Woman's Day.

10. Cinnamon Candied Apples from Better Homes and Gardens.

11. A Little Taste of Independence from 17 and Baking.

easy lollies

I've seen hard candies turned into lollipops all over the place, such as these Picasso Pops at Better Homes and Gardens. But I thought I'd share the results of my experimenting with this kid-friendly (except for the burning hot oven part) way of making lollipops.

you will need:

lollipop sticks
hard candies (I used Jolly Rancher hard candies)
baking tray
aluminum foil
parchment paper
optional: Ziploc bags, rolling pin, cutting board

step one: assemble your candy
If desired, you can crush hard candies by placing in a Ziploc bag and break up coarsely with a rolling pin on a cutting board. You can use crushed candies in whatever pattern you desire. I didn't crush the candy. I simply used three different colors of whole Jolly Rancher hard candies in a row.


step two: bake your candy
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil, then lay a piece of parchment paper on top of the foil. Assemble candies as desired. Only put about 4 lollipops per tray (to leave room for sticks later) and arrange a few inches apart. Bake about 6 minutes or until candies melt to desired effect. Make sure to keep your eye on the pops! Don't let them bake too long or they will be too thin and misshapen. Immediately proceed to step three.

step three: insert stick
As soon as you remove the lollipops from the oven, place stick on lolly at one end, rolling to coat stick with the melted candy. Let cool completely on tray, then carefully remove paper from back. Warning! Your lollies will likely not be perfect ovals or rectangles or whatever shape you hope to create. There will be imperfections, but that's what makes them lovely lollies, no?