How to Make an Owl Cake

So why does one learn how to make an owl cake? Because one’s daughter is going to love it! February turned into the month of cakes at our house. The kids birthdays are both in early February, I was up in the cake baking rotation at work, and my family came to visit for a big birthday weekend bash which was supposed to feature THREE cakes: An Owl Cake A Farm/Tractor Themed Oatmeal Cake A Gluten Free Almost Vegan Cake But how does one find time to make an owl cake, an oatmeal cake, and a vegan cake? As it turns out this did prove a little daunting and the actually...

Plum Torte!

Plum Torte and Finally, Another Post Wow, we have seriously fallen off the blog wagon.  Between it being way too hot to cook and this time of year being crazy at work, I have had little energy or motivation for cooking.  If we took pictures of our typical meals they would be BLTs, Trader Joe’s chicken pot stickers, or skip and tear soup.  And to be honest, there were a couple of times where once or twice a week you would find us standing at the sink, ripping into a pre-cooked chicken roaster like a monkey on a cupcake (thank you Ray Barone for that quote).  Not...

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream

I love ice cream! Especially homemade strawberry ice cream! But who doesn’t love ice cream? In 1983, in his stand-up comedy special Delirious, Eddie Murphy talked about the polarizing effect of ice cream on our nation’s youth. Umm…well…maybe he didn’t use those words exactly.  But it was a hilarious bit about when he was growing up all the kids in his neighborhood would lose their minds when they heard the ice cream truck coming and the antics that would ensue. His material is funny because it rings true.  Kids go a little insane when faced...

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

The local u-pick strawberry produce stand opened up a little over a month ago.  Time for some strawberry rhubarb crisp! I picked up the kids after work several times and went over to pick  fresh strawberries.  It worked better than I anticipated.  The first time we went we walked almost to the end of the row of strawberries (maybe a few hundred feet) and started picking.  Sam wanted to pick in the next row over.  Julia was preoccupied with a snack trap of cheerios and Sam enjoyed picking strawberries.  He would run the long way down his row, circle around to my row,...

Heath Bar Cake, you complete me.

Do you, cake eater, take this delicious heath bar cake above all other cakes – to journey together throughout the years – in the delicious affair of dessert eating? I do! Ah, Heath Bar Cake my delicious friend, I’m so glad you came into my life. Your moist chocolate base, your heath bar crumble covered cool whip top, I’m gonna eat you up, I don’t think I can stop. ******************************************************************************** I don’t remember exactly when Melissa first made this cake for me. Sometimes it’s hard to...

Oatmeal Cake

This was always my favorite birthday cake growing up.  The frosting is basically like a german chocolate cake frosting.  Sam now likes this cake, but used to get upset when I put the “junk” on top of it.  Now unfortunately, he eats the frosting instead of giving it to me. I think the frosting works best on a slightly cooled cake (I usually have all the ingredients ready and start make it right after the cake comes out). Oatmeal Cake 1 c. oatmeal (I used old fashioned, but I’m sure quick work also) 1.5 c. boiling water 1 c. brown sugar 1 c. white...