No Fuss Birthday Party

Today we had a party for our boys who both have July birthdays (Tom's 5th and Huck's 2nd).  They are amazing and wonderful boys and we adore them.  We never go overboard with the parties we throw (you'll find no petting zoos or bounce houses in our backyard).  I have been known to stay up till midnight the night prior decorating a cake or scrubbing the floor or whatever.  Historically the birthday party is both super fun and crazy stressful. 
This past year has brought some changes to my professional life that stress me out enough.  I just didn't think I could do the usual routine this year (while also keeping my sanity intact).

So I decided (with much encouragement from my awesome hubby) that we would strive to have a stress free (or close to it) birthday party this year. 

So how did we take the stress out of the big day?  I baked a standard chocolate cake and let my oldest help me decorate it.  Instead of making my own, I used frosting that came out of a plastic can.  The cake was a little lopsided, and some of the sides had no frosting at all. There were no decorative borders and for toppers we used some toys from Wal Mart. 

Tom also helped hang the decorations - almost all recycled from previous years.  Nothing really matched, but it was all festive and colorful.  I did make two posters.  One with Yoda from Star Wars (Tom's favorite) and one with a monster truck (Huck's current obsession).  Those, a few banners and maybe six balloons was pretty much it.

My husband prepared all the snacks and the punch and some salad.  He wrapped the presents.  We got $5 pizzas from our local Little Cesar's to feed our guests lunch. 

The night before, Hubby and I did a little party prep and then we sat down on the sofa and watched an old Magnum PI episode on Netflix and went to bed early.  Did I have a million things that should have been done first?  Of course.  I won't apologize though.  This system worked.  It worked so well, that I guarantee we'll use it as a model for future parties.

When our family began to arrive this morning, I was relaxed and happy Mama instead of flustered and exhausted Mama.  You know what they say?  "When Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy"....  Well, today Mama was HAPPY!  We had a fantastic time with parents and siblings and our kiddos.  It was really a perfect day.

I didn't dust every surface in my house.  I didn't vacuum under the couch.  I didn't wash the windows.  I didn't spend three hours decorating the birthday cake.  You know what?  I also don't feel guilty.  We had the best birthday party ever!  Would Martha Stewart approve?  Probably not. 

Good thing she wasn't invited.  :)

Chocolate-Bacon Mini Muffins!!

At the office, I'm a member of the department's Friday Morning Breakfast Club.  How does it work?  I'm glad you asked!

Each of the Breakfast Club members agrees to bring breakfast for the rest of the group twice during a two month cycle.  If you are a member of the group you get to enjoy the offerings every week.

So, today it was up to me, and my co-worker Carlie to supply breakfast to the department.  She brought a yummy cinnamon roll cake, and I brought chocolate-bacon mini muffins.  I found the recipe in the January/February issue of GRIT....

Ingredients:
6 slices bacon
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 2 T packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup melted butter (or walnut oil)
1 T strong coffee
1 tsp Vanilla
1 large egg
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate mini chips, divided

1.  Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Line muffin pans with paper liners, or spray with cooking spray.

2.  Fry bacon until done but not yet crispy.  Transfer to paper-towel lined plate and cool.  Once cool, chop into 1/4 inch pieces.  Set aside.

I used my trusty flat cast iron griddle.

3.  In large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Whisk together.

4. In separate bowl, combine water, oil, coffee, vanilla and egg.  Stir together.  Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips and half the bacon.

5. Add this mixture to flour mixture and stir just until moist.

6. Divide batter evenly among 12 regular muffin cups (or same amount of batter will make around 42 mini muffins).  Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips and remaining bacon evenly over batter.

7. Bake for 15 minutes (around 10 for mini muffins - check your oven), or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for five minutes before serving.  Store leftovers (if you have any!) in refrigerator.

Before taking the muffins to work, I tried them out on my favorite test subject Baby Huck.  He loved his samples... all three of them!!

He was a big fan of the "CHOK-IT MUFFNS"!!

I took 40 mini muffins to work, and brought home two... so I think they were a success!!!

Caramel Cake

I never had Caramel Cake until today, but ever since I read "The Help" I've wanted to try it.  In that book, one of the main characters "Minny" is said to make the best Caramel Cake anywhere.  It kept coming up throughout the story, and every time I read about it - my mouth began to water.

It was not something I'd tried, but I was sure I'd be a fan.  After all, I love caramel and I love cake.  But after I finished the book, I kind of forgot about my interest in this seemingly yummy confection.

So today when we were watching America's Test Kitchen, and they featured Caramel Cake - my interest was instantly renewed.  Hubby offered to bake it for me, and I said you betcha!  He baked the two cakes, and then I whipped up the frosting and iced them.

This cake is good.  We're far from being professionals, and this was our first attempt.  Doesn't matter.  This cake is REALLY good.  The cake itself is a fairly basic yellow cake, and it's a buttery, moist yum-fest.  Honestly though, the cake is nothing more than a delivery vehicle for the frosting.  Oh dear.  That frosting could maybe bring about world peace.  It's just so GOOD.  Ridiculously sweet, buttery and richer than Bill Gates... this is a cake to love.

So of course that's what we're doing.  I highly recommend giving the recipe a try. 

Duck Cake

My office threw a baby shower for a co-worker today (Josh), whose wife is expecting their first child. 

I baked the cake.  It's simple (white/white - my co-worker's favorite), but seemed to be well received. 

Little Guy went shopping with me to pick out the duck.  It's not perfect, but I was pleased and it seems that those who tried some were as well.

Cupcakes!!

Recently I entered to win a give-away over at notquitedonnareed, and (woo hoo) I won!!

What did I win?  I'm so glad you asked.  My prize was a fabulous birthday cupcake kit and awesome new cupcake pan.  I got it all in the mail this morning.  As soon as Little Guy saw what came out of the package, he said "We must make cupcakes, because they make me happy!"

He gets that from his Mama.  Cupcakes have always made me happy too!

We decided (even though we didn't have a birthday to bake for) that we'd get started right after lunch.  We had a really fun time mixing, baking and (of course) sampling these yummy treats!!

Little Guy checking out the cute little cupcake paper cups.

And he did almost all of the pouring of ingredients
and mixing (and did a great job!)

cups ready for the batter!!

After 25 minutes we had 12 yummy cupcakes!
The kit came with frosting and sprinkles. 
Little Guy approves! (so do I!)

The box said that the kit made 12 cupcakes (which it did)
but we had enough batter left over to also make one little bonus
cake using a tiny cake pan that Little Guy's Nana got him for Christmas.
How cute!!

We put the remaining cupcakes in a carrier, loaded the boys in their
trusty red wagon and delivered cupcakes to some of our neighbor ladies
(including the sweet lady from my last post)
Everyone loved their surprise delivery, and the boys and I had a great time too!

I'd like to send out a big thank you to notquitedonnareed for hosting such a fun give-away (if you haven't been to her blog yet, you should go there right now!) and for the fantastic prize package.  We had a blast making these cupcakes.  The only part of the prize that we didn't use was the pack of birthday candles.  We've saved them though, and will certianly put them to use soon! 

Cookies that ROAR!

For Christmas my Mother-in-law bought me a big box of cookie cutters  (100 to be exact).  Every shape and size imaginable was included. 

When we got them home, Little Guy immediately wanted to make trains, dinosaurs and footballs (this kid is ALL boy!).  It just so happened that a co-worker was having a birthday, and our team had decided to bring treats to the office to celebrate.  The guy with the birthday is probably well past the stage where he’s easily impressed by frosted sugar cookies, but that’s what I took.  

Dinosaur cookies!  They aren’t decorated excessively.  I go all out for Christmas cookies, but just didn’t have the time to go crazy with these.  I frosted with tinted green frosting and topped with candy sprinkles and an M&M eyes. 

Perfect?  No, but my Little Guy sure liked them, and I think my co-worker seemed to think that they were okay too. 

One cookie cutter down, 99 to go.  It will be a fun (and sweet) year indeed.