Cheese Tasting Party

I recently got together with my girlfriends for a cheese tasting party.  We asked each invitee to bring one or two cheeses to share.  We provided crackers, baguette rounds, cured meats, fresh fruit, chocolate, and bubbly drinks.  During valentine season, I found heart-shaped chalkboard paper on toothpicks that we used to label the cheeses (from Target - in the stationary section).

When I saw this recipe for Caramel Havarti from Let's Dish, I knew what I was bringing!  Since I was short on time, I used Archer Farms cinnamon pecans from Target.  My husband actually prefers them to my homemade cinnamon pecans.

I hit up my local Trader Joe's for some of my favorites:

cocoa truffles

hazelnut cookies (think Nutella)

sparkling pomegranate juice

If you are looking for tips on planning a cheese tasting, Real Simple has everything you need to know.

Here are some photos of our spread:

The cheeses:

The first of several trips to the cheese buffet:

Pops for Kids

As I mention in a previous post, my son and I have been having fun making pops.  He often has requests for his favorite characters and sometimes I surprise him with a character he's not expecting.  We find inspiration online and add our own ideas.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cake Pops

To make:

Dip cake ball in Wilton green candy melts

To decorate:

Fruit by the Foot Flavor Mixers

Wilton candy eyeballs

The fruit leather will stick to the candy coating

Use a tiny bit of candy melt to attach the eyes

Superman Cake Pops

To make:
Dip cake ball in Wilton blue candy melts

To decorate:

Fruit Roll-ups

Wilton icing writer

You may need to use a little candy melt to attach the fruit leather

Mike Wazowski Cake Pops
(from Toy Story)

To make:
Dip cake ball in Wilton green and yellow candy melts

To decorate:

Wilton bright white candy melt

blue M&M

black food marker

Attach white candy and M&M with a tiny bit of the candy melt

I would also add white chocolate chips for his horns

The Flash Cake Pops

To make:

Dip cake ball in Wilton red candy melts

To decorate:

Wilton bright white candy melt

Wilton icing writer

Attach white candy with a tiny bit of the candy melt

LEGO Minifigure Head Marshmallow Pops

To make:

Use a regular size marshmallow for the head

Use half of a mini marshmallow for the connector

Place the cut side of the mini marshmallow onto the regular size marshmallow

Add a lollipop stick

Dip in Wilton yellow candy melts

To decorate:

black food marker

Chocolate LEGOs

(not a pop but lots of fun for kids)

To make:

Pour melted chocolate into LEGO brick silicone ice cube tray

Pops for Gifting

Everything is cuter on a stick!  We've been experimenting with pops lately...cookie pops, marshmallow pops and chocolate lollipops.

I use treat bags and ribbon to wrap the pops, and I gift them in cute $1 buckets from the One Spot at Target.

Cookie Pops:

Make your favorite cookie recipe (mine is from Pioneer Woman)

and add a lollipop stick before you bake them

Marshmallow Pops:

Put a marshmallow on a lollipop stick and dip in chocolate candy melts

Chocolate lollipop:

Pour melted chocolate into a mold and add a lollipop stick

My new favorite candy melts are the Ghirardelli melting wafers.  They come in dark chocolate and white chocolate and are available at Kroger and Wal-mart.  I want to start experimenting with coloring the white chocolate with oil-based food coloring.

Bunny Pancake

I love cute food for kids and my son loves to eat special shaped pancakes.  When I saw this idea for a bunny posted by handmadecharlotte, I knew I had to try it (original post at tasteofhome).

I used a scant 1/4 cup of pancake batter for the body and a little more than 1/8 cup of batter for the head.  I used a soup spoon to make the feet and ears.  Here is ours:

My Little Pony Cake Pops

I started making cake pops in July 2014.  They are a super cute and fun treat for kids and grown ups too.  My four-year old son is always thinking of new requests for me!  His latest request was My Little Pony cake pops.  Some of the ideas online were quite elaborate, so I came up with a simpler idea.  Both my son and I were thrilled with how they turned out!

What you will need:

one baked cake

one tub frosting

candy melts

lollipop sticks

food safe markers (I use Americolor)

a cake pop stand or a piece of styrofoam covered in foil

For cake pop tips and recipes, I love the Bakerella website and book.  Cake Journal also has a great tutorial.

More posts on cake pops to come!

Recipe: Perfect Pancakes

Making pancakes is a Sunday morning tradition at our house.  My go-to recipe is from a friend I met twenty years ago while serving a church mission in Montreal, Canada.  I have adapted the recipe to include buttermilk since I love the flavor it adds.  If you don't have buttermilk, you can substitute regular milk.

RECIPE:

Heat an electric griddle to 350 degrees.  (An electric griddle is the key to perfect pancakes and you can find them on sale for under $20.)

In a large bowl, stir together the following ingredients:

1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Batter will be lumpy.  If the batter seems very thick, add a splash of milk to thin it.

Spray griddle with non-stick spray (I like Trader Joe's coconut oil spray) or grease if you prefer (I like refined coconut oil).

Pour 1/4 cup batter on griddle for each pancake.  When pancake is bubbly and the edges are dry, flip to cook the other side.

Serve with your favorite toppings.