Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowl & Potato Leek Soup

I can't believe I haven't posted anything since the summer.  I've actually been quite busy and before I start uploading all the sweet treats, I wanted to share a really great recipe I tried a few weeks ago.  I have the links below to the websites I found these recipes on so please check out their pages.  I always see bloggers take the most beautiful pictures of their food so here are my pictures with my mediocre Nikon :)

This is one of the easiest soups I have ever made.  Leeks, Potatoes, Butter, Chicken Stock, Cheddar Cheese, Salt & Pepper.  Bam!  Done!

Potato Leek Soup

Leeks and 1/2 stick of butter

4 Yukon Gold Potatoes Diced

The finished amazing product.  Potato Leek Soup

http://www.errenskitchen.com/potato-leek-soup/

Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowls with Lime Quinoa

Honey Chipotle Chicken

Quinoa / Salad Mix

Can't get enough Avocado

http://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/how-sweet-it-is-1439878?post=2175161195&group=0&frame_type=a&context=expanded_post&context_ids=&blog=1439878&frame=1&click=0&user=0&viewer=true

Wine Barrel Wedding Cake

This is my very first wedding cake!  I have done many weddings, but limited only to cake pops and cupcakes.  I was really happy with how it turned out.  The base is a barrel stand I found years ago and use it as a turn table when icing cakes.  When the bride and groom came to me about a wine barrel cake, I immediately thought of this stand.  They loved it so I decided to make a cake that replicates the bottom.  

Disney Frozen Cake Pops

I was so happy to finally get a chance to make the cast of Frozen in cake pop form!  Love the movie and was excited to make these for Carleigh, who's birthday party is Saturday.  Thanks to My Cupcake Addiction Blog for sharing her templates with everyone.

Update....Unfortunately, the templates are no longer available to share :(

Fish Bowl Cake Pops

I've been wanting to make these particular cake pops for awhile now so I was happy to get the chance.  A teacher requested I make these treats for her 2nd grade class.  I am sure it will be a big hit.

Akron-Canton Hot List 2014 Nomination for Best Cupcakes

Yumtastics has been nominated for BEST CUPCAKES through Akron-Canton Hot List 2014.  If you would like to vote, there is a vote button below.  I have been told by many that my cupcakes are quite tasty.  If you have never had one, you should just take their word for it :)  Thanks for voting!

Owl Cake Pops (Pink & Purple)

Per the birthday girls request, she wanted pink and purple owl cake pops.  Happy birthday, Elizabeth.

Minnie Mouse Cake Pops

Hot Pink & White Minnie Mouse cake pops.

Elephant, Zebra & Giraffe Cake

I really like how this cake turned out.  I need to work on getting my cake corners sharper.  Practice, practice.

Sofa the First Cake

I really wish I could not look at this and see tons of imperfections.  It drives me crazy.  The more I do, the better I will get.  I have to keep telling myself that :)

$1100 Thank Goodness It's Spring Cash Giveaway

I am so excited to be a part of this giveaway.  Stephanie (aka) Spaceships and Laser Beams always does an amazing job coordinating these.  I would really love to have more followers on my blog so if you would like to follow me, please join.  Good luck everyone!

These large cash giveaways would not be possible without an amazing group of bloggers and small businesses who contribute. They include: Spaceships and Laser Beams, Vintage Confections, Tania Fischer Design, This Little Mama, Made by a Princess, Mighty Delighty, Designed by Dawn Nicole, Yumtastics, French Pemberley, Samantha Walker LLC, Jellyfish Prints, Young Adult Money, A-Manda Creation, BellaArtista Invitations, Sugar Co., BellaGrey Designs, Party Patisserie, A Wife A Mom A Life, Babies Artroom, Piece of Cake, KristeNicole Photography, Housekeeping Services of Hilton Head, The Storybook Shoppe, Seshalyn Parties, Best Birthdays, Customized Wedding Creations, Fantabulosity, Giggles and Grace Designs, Magical Vacations by Tracy, One Swell Studio, Eat It & Say Yum, Wise Owl Shop, Reality To Dreams, Sugar Sugar Cakes, UR Invited, Tutus & Bowties Events, Be Envied Entertaining and Child Go Go. And that's not all! To see the entire list check out the Rafflecopter form below!

$1100 Thank Goodness It's Spring Cash Giveaway
March 27, 2014 at 11:59PM toApril 21, 2014 at 11:59PM
Open Worldwide

PRIZE: One winner will receive $1100 USD payable via PayPal
Eligibility and Rules: This giveaway runs from Thursday, March 27, 2014 at 11:59PM to Monday, April 21, 2014 at 11:59PM. It is open to individuals over the age of the majority in their home country. The winner will be chosen randomly through the Rafflecopter form. It is the sole responsibility of the winner to report to and adhere to all laws in their respective country, which includes payments to any governing tax body. This giveaway is void in any country or territory where it is prohibited by law.
Claiming Prize: The prize will be sent via PayPal. The winner must have a PayPal account to receive it. The winner also must claim their prize within 48 hours of receiving notice. If you do not claim your prize within this time frame, your entry will be void and another winner will be drawn. Please ensure that  spaceshipsandlaserbeams [at] gmail [dot] com is on your "safe list."
Disclosure: This is a blogger-sponsored event that is in no way affiliated with PayPal, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram or any other social media channel. If you have questions, email Stephanie at Spaceships and Laser Beams at spaceshipsandlaserbeams [at] gmail [dot] com.

Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter! None of the entries are mandatory but the more entries you do, the more chances you have to win! Running short on time? Come back as often as you like to finish the form and maximize your chances of winning the big prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hockey Cupcakes

Hockey sticks and puck are made out of melting chocolate.  I used a stencil and wax paper to trace them.  The cyclone is an edible image placed on top of black fondant.  

Blueberry, Champagne and Raspberry Coulis Cupcakes

Butterfly Cake

I am now charging extra to match the birthday girls outfit.  LOL!  Just kidding.  This was not planned at all and I find it hysterical that the cake matched her shirt and bracelet perfectly.  

The picture above is much more true to the color.  I took this picture very early in the morning with barely any light.  

Refacing a Fireplace

On my weekends away from baking which are few and far between, I love to do home projects.  When we moved into our home a few years ago, everything was a blank canvas.  I am not an oak girl.  I love dark woods and warm whites.  My first project was to reface the fireplace.  I thought to myself, how hard would it be to reface this little ol' fireplace.  The answer was....all weekend.  Sanding, priming, spray painting the gold trim and painting.  It was a long process, but well worth it.  The end result was exactly what I wanted and I saved a lot of money doing it this way instead of removing and replacing it.  Here is a picture of my before and after.  Anyone else out there have any before and after pics of their home projects?  Share them with me if you want.  I would love to see them.

Before

After

Side by Side Before & After

Owl Cake Pops

I have to admit, these are one of my favorite cake pops I've made to date.  I molded the owls by hand. Even the ears.  I usually just use chocolate chips, but didn't want to have too much of a point at the top.  These were for a baby shower and filled with vanilla bean cake.  I love using fresh vanilla bean because it really elevates the flavor that you just can't get with vanilla extract.

My Favorite Dinner!

I only post my sweet creations, but today I wanted to share with everyone my all time favorite meal.   It is cod with brown butter brussel sprouts and a sweet potato puree.  Food is really my first passion and baking started more recently.  I love reading food blogs and have always wanted to take pics while I cook.  Usually don't have time to take pics while I am cooking, but I tried to do it this time.  I am not a photographer, but I have a great camera so hopefully my pictures will do the food justice.  Here goes.

Ingredients for Brown Butter Brussel Sporuts

I use frozen brussel sprouts and always cut them in half.  The inside browns so nicely.

Look at that beautiful caramelization! Yummmmm

1 bag brussel sprouts
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
Pinch cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 lemon, juiced
In a saute pan, add butter, caraway seeds and cracked black pepper. Melt butter until browned.  Add brussel sprouts and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add lemon juice.  Continue to cook until you see beautiful brown color.  
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aaron-mccargo-jr/brown-butter-sauteed-brussels-sprouts-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Puree (I forgot to include the chicken broth)

I am mezmorized with the inside of nutmeg :)

Ingredients
4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons sea salt, plus more for seasoning
1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 pinch grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 lemon, juiced

Directions
In a medium saucepan add chicken stock, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons sea salt, 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper, a pinch of nutmeg, and almond extract. Stir mixture and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, peel sweet potatoes and cut into medium-sized cubes. Add to the chicken stock and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until soft.

Once potatoes are soft, place potatoes in a food processor. Reserve the liquid and set aside. Add heavy cream and lemon juice and blend until smooth. If too dry, add reserved potato liquid. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aaron-mccargo-jr/seasoned-sweet-potato-puree-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

I am hardcore dieting right now so I omitted the wine sauce and grilled the fish.  Honestly, it tasted nowhere, and I mean nowhere near as good this way so I will definitely stick to the recipe next time.  

Ingredients
4 (6-ounce) cod fillets
Panko bread crumbs
2 eggs, for egg wash
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
4 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon butter
1 sprig fresh thyme
Butter Sauce, recipe follows
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the fillets on a sheet tray or rack so the fish can release its natural juices.

Place the bread crumbs into a shallow dish. In a separate shallow dish add 2 beaten eggs. Season both sides of the fillet with salt and pepper. Once seasoned, brush the belly side of the cod with the egg. Dip the egg side into the bread crumbs.

In a cast iron skillet add grapeseed oil. Before placing fish into pan, make sure the skillet is very hot. Sear only 1 side of the fish (the side with the bread crumbs). Once 1 side is seared, place the skillet in the oven for about 3 to 4 minutes until cooked.

Once the fish is cooked, flip it over and add the lemon juice, butter and sprig of thyme. Let melt and baste the fish with the juice.

Pour over the Butter Sauce and serve.

Butter Sauce:
2 cups white wine (recommended: Chardonnay)
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 shallot, sliced
2 clove garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons cold butter
3 tablespoons chopped chives
Freshly cracked black pepper
In saucepan, add wine, sprigs of thyme, shallot and garlic. Set on back burner to allow the wine to reduce. Once the sauce is reduced to a syrup, strain and add the heavy cream, and lemon juice and bring to a slight simmer.

Whisk in cold butter and once melted add the fresh chives and season with black pepper.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aaron-mccargo-jr/seared-cod-with-chive-butter-sauce-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

One more picture of my Princess Belle cake

Christmas Cupcakes

Below are a few other cupcakes I made over Christmas.  After taste testing far too many of these delicious cupcakes, I am hardcore in eat healthy / workout mode!

Pistachio

Chocolate hand piped Christmas Tree cupcakes

Bourbon Pecan 

Recipe for Bourbon Pecan Cupcakes:

http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/chocolate-bourbon-pecan-pie-cupcakes-butter-pecan-frosting/

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Cupcakes with Butter Pecan Frosting

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Yield: 18 cupcakes

Ingredients

Bourbon Chocolate Cupcakes
• 1 cup bourbon*
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup greek yogurt
Pecan Pie Filling
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup corn syrup
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter Pecan Frosting:
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cup finely chopped raw pecans + 18 whole pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 standard cupcake pans with 18 liners.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the bourbon, canola oil and cocoa powder until smooth and creamy.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and greek yogurt with an electric mixer. Slowly add bourbon and cocoa mixture. Combine on medium speed until silky and smooth. Beat in the sugar.
4. Slowly add flour, salt and baking soda, combining on low speed until just incorporated.
5. Fill baking cups three-fourths full. Bake for about 18-22 minutes. Allow to cool completely before filling, at least 2 hours or covered overnight.
6. Meanwhile make the pecan pie filling. Combine 1/4 cup cold water with 2 tablespoons cornstarch, whisk until smooth. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs, salt and corn starch mixture to a sauce pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking consistently for about 5 minutes. Do not stop whisking the mixture, especially in the beginning or you will end up with scrambled eggs. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the pecans, bourbon and vanilla. Allow the mixture to cool a few minutes and then transfer to the fridge for at least one hour or until completely cooled and thickened.
7. To make the frosting. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil or a silicone baking mat.
8. In a medium sauce pan, melt together 1/4 cup butter, cream, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute. Remove from the heat and add to the bowl of a stand mixer. Place the bowl in the freezer (or fridge for longer) for 15-20 minutes or until cool.
9. In a bowl whisk together the bourbon, 1 tablespoon vanilla, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and cinnamon. Add pecans and stir to coat evenly. Transfer nuts to prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until toasted. Remove and toss the pecans with 1 tablespoon butter. Allow to cool 10 minutes, set aside.
10. Now grab the cooled butter mixture and add the remaining 1/2 cup room temperature butter, vanilla and powdered sugar to the bowl and beat together until well combined. MIx in about 1/2 cup of the chopped pecans. If the frosting is not stiff enough to frost the cupcakes place it in the fridge for 30 20-30 minutes or the freezer for 5-15 minutes. The remove and whip it for a few second to get everything smooth again.
11. To assemble the cupcakes: Use a small paring knife to cut a cone-shaped piece from the center of each cupcake. Fill the hole with the cooled pecan pie filling. Add the frosting (if you want to pipe the frosting on use a circular tip, double the frosting recipe and swirl the frosting on in a circular motion) and sprinkle each cupcake with the remaining pecans. If desired top with 1 whole pecan.

Notes

*If you do not want to use a whole cup of bourbon you can do 1/2 cup coffee + 1/2 cup bourbon. I really recommend using all bourbon though!