Veggie Turkey

So, when I got to the school to sign up for the Fall Feast, pretty much everything I liked to do was gone...ok, the sweets.  (Click here for this year's sweet, last year's sweet AND the year before's sweet. ) Veggies were all that was left to bring.  Well, if you know me at all, you know I had to do this.  I just can't help it. 

It actually didn't take all that long...just poked a couple of toothpicks in the veggies and then poked them into the cabbage I used for a base.  You could really use any vegetables you like...I tried to keep it limited to what 4 year olds might like...broccoli, carrots, tomatoes and mushrooms.  The Veggie Turkey was also offered with Ranch Dip.  They all seemed to really get a kick out of the turkey.  After the party, only the lettuce, squash and few tomatoes remained.  They really gobbled it up!  (I know, that was bad.)

My inspiration came from a couple of places; Taste of Home, Eating With Food Allergies, and Radish Magazine.  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Smiles!!

Linking to:

Tator Tots & Jello

Fun to Craft

End of Year Soccer Parties

Today was a beautiful day for our end of season soccer parties

...a little cool and breezy, but beautiful none the less. 

My job for both parties was to bring the sweets.

I made dark chocolate fudge cupckakes

as well as rich butter cupcakes.

Topped them all off with the

 Food Processor Cream Cheese Frosting.

Though the parties were pretty low-key and held immediately after the game at the soccer park,

I still need to do SOMETHING to make them a little more special.

Thus, the simple soccer cupcake toppers. 

My original idea was to add a glitter paper circle in the team

 color behind the soccer ball before the green backing.

  As you can tell, I decided to do something besides

 make cupcakes toppers last night!

Still cute, but I think the glitter paper would have added just

 the right amount of "party" to the toppers

...after all, these are boys...don't want to get too glitzy!

I'm not sure how everyone else out there puts these little do-da's

 together, but I just put two glue dots on the end of the toothpick,

then two foam adhesives on the green backing &

topped it all off with the soccer ball.  Easy peasy.

Click here for a sheet of soccer ball cut-outs.

Use a 1.5" circle punch for the balls. 

The green cut-outs are from a 2" punch.

Great job to all of the Wolverines & Transformers,
their coaches and parents!

See you in the Spring!!

Smiles!!

Fall Cake Balls

Stop by the

PRETTY PACKAGES PARTY

and link up!!

smiles!

Perfect for Thanksgiving!

Dipped German Chocolate Cake Balls in Dark Chocolate

and sprinkled with orange, yellow and white nonpariels.

YUM!!

Linking to:
Whatever Goes Wednesday
Show & Tell
Hoooos Got Talent
Strut Your Stuff
Show Off Your Stuff

To-Do Tuesday

Salted Caramel Cupcakes from The Magic of Ordinary Things

PumpkinTurnovers from Mom Endeavors

Winter Wonderland Dessert Buffet

Anthropologie inspired lamp at Blue Cricket Designs

Cookies icing on the cookie

Amy Atlas Dessert Buffet at Creature Comforts

Winter Dessert Buffet at Tom Kat Studio

Pretty Packages Party #4

Trick or Treating is finally tonight, then we'll blink and Christmas will be here.

Gifts to buy and to wrap.  Haven't quite decided on my gift wrapping "theme" yet...have you?

I think the tone on tone packages in the photo above have such a subtle elegance to them.

This was one of several examples of "Pretty Packages" I found over at the Better Homes and Gardens site.  They are so elegant and thought they would be lovely highlighted for the November Prett Packages Party.

Now its time to share your wrapped packages!

This is a PRETTY PACKAGES PARTY so what I'm looking for is beautifully, interestingly, creatively wrapped gifts. The gifts could range from individual gifts, to party favors, to food gifts. At the end of the week (if I can wait that long,) I'll chose my favorites to share with everyone.

Please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. To get your permalink, click on your post name, then just copy and paste the address that shows up in the address bar at the top, into the "url" box for the picture linky. You'll also need to put your e-mail address in, but don't worry, it will not be visible to anyone.

It would be fantastic if you would include the Pretty Packages Party button in your post, to make it easy for others to find your Pretty Package post. To do that, just copy and paste the Pretty Packages Party button to your computer or grab the html code from underneath the Pretty Packages Party button on my sidebar.

Please include a link in your Pretty Packages Party post back to the host blog, The Blackberry Vine. Why is this important? When you include a link back to The Blackberry Vine, it ensures your regular readers/visitors will find the other gorgeously wrapped gifts linked to the Pretty Packages Party. If everyone links back, this maximizes the opportunity for visits for all who participate.

Please do not add your link below, until your Pretty Packages Party post is actually published to your blog. Another helpful hint...DO NOT type in all caps...it makes it very difficult to read! Thanks!

Last, but certainly not least, please comment on the post in front of you and behind you...spread the comment love!

Have fun and thanks for stopping by!!!

Smiles!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

The Pretty Packages Party

 is going on now thru November 6th.

Click here to check it out!

So, on Tuesday I shared with you Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes that I saw at Whimsical Creations...they just looked so yummy.  Today, I decided to give them a try with a little twist.

Instead of vanilla cake I chose Dark Chocolate Cake.  I just had to see how they tasted.

My taste testers all agreed...YUMMY!

I frosted them with Food Processor Cream Cheese Frosting...super easy and super good. 

Look at that cookie dough goodness...mmmmmm!

The key is to make the cookie dough without the eggs and freeze them in balls for several hours.

Fill the cupcakes evenly with cake batter then add the frozen cookie dough balls.

The cupcake bakes but the cookie dough remains soft and gooey.

Can't you just taste it?!?! 

Check out Melanie's site to get all of the details on how to make these crazy good treats!

My quick and easy version:

Make a recipe of Nestle's Tollhouse Cookies

 (omitting the eggs and adding a couple of extra tablespoons of butter.)

Form cookie dough into large tablespoon sized balls.

Put in freezer for several hours or overnight.

When ready to make the cupcakes:

Prepare cake mix according to directions on package.  (I used Duncan Hines Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix.)

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with cake batter.

Top with frozen cookie dough ball.  (The batter covers the frozen ball during baking.)

Bake according to package.  (Mine took 19 minutes.)

Let cool in pans for about 10 minutes, then let them cool on rack.

Frost with frosting of your choice.  (I used Cream Cheese Frosting.)

Enjoy!

Smiles!

Linking to:

Weekend Wrap Up Party

Sundae Scoop

Frugal Friday

Feature Yourself Friday at Fingerprints on the Fridge

Fabulous Friday Finds

Sunday Showcase

Not Baaad

Market Yourself Monday

Motivate Me Monday

Making Monday Marvelous

Motivated Monday

Making the World Cuter Monday

Take a Look Tuesday

Food Processor Cream Cheese Frosting

Come Check out the
 Pretty Packages Party!
Going on thru November 6th.

This is the quickest and best recipe for Cream Cheese Frosting I've found.  I used it when I made these crazy good Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes.  When you put this frosting together, be sure the cream cheese is COLD...not room temperature.  The butter can be either.  Also, be sure that you don't OVERPROCESS.  It may come out grainy and not hold its shape very well.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, cold, cut into even chunks
3 - 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temp or cold, cut into even chunks
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted (this step is a MUST)

Combine above ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.

Recipe as is well frost 12 - 14 cupcakes with "big" frosting.  Double recipe for 24 cupcakes or for 2-3 layer cake.

Perfect on, well, just about everything!  Smiles!

Linking to:
Lucky Linky Tuesday
Get Your Craft Own