Birthday Dreams - Football Cupcakes

I had already signed up last week for a cake for Birthday Dreams (bringing birthday's to homeless kids).  Then I saw a SOS on Facebook that they were needing two more cakes for that week.  So I said I can do one more.  LOL just have to giggle when I took on this new volunteering gig I promised Rick I would do only one a month so I didn't overwhelm myself. Somehow I have done about one a week and loved every minute of it!  On facebook they posted it was a sports themed party, so I went on the hunt for a easy cupcake to make. Then I got the info on the party it was a football themed for a 16 YEAR old.  Change of plans! I loved the Candy Clay I made for the previous cupcakes so I decided I could make a football to go on the top of a cupcake!

What I Made

Football Cupcakes:

My first plan was to make these on

Penny's Food Blog Janson's Birthday

What you need:

Cupcake

Frosting

Candy Clay - Brown

Candy Clay - White

Brown sprinkles if you want

I had made a double batch of the Easy Chocolate Cupcake recipe so I made these chocolate also.  I frosted with my Sturdy Buttercream frosting.

Candy Clay:

12 oz (1 Bag) Candy Melts (Color you want - I use Wilton)

1/4 cup Light Corn Syrup

Melt the candy melts in your microwave (mine takes 1 minute 30 seconds). I mix it up to make the chocolate smooth and then add the corn syrup.  It's going to get thick and become a ball.  Put on a piece of plastic wrap and make it flat, wrap up and keep it in a cool place for a few hours or overnight.  I found mine had to sit overnight.  I did a bag of brown and a bag of the white.  I used a little powered sugar to roll out and took a cookie cutter to make the football shape.  I made the lines with the white just by rolling a small piece and placing on the football (see pictures below).

Place on top of the frosted cupcake, I found this clay is perfect and sturdy!  So much easier than the fondant I usually use.  I can't say it enough I'm loving this new technique!

All Boxed up and ready to go:

Thanks for stopping by

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Recap of Football Treats Made

We have been very busy at work and then after work between the tutor for Cole and the YMCA activities I'm running around crazy.  BUT loving it!  I'm getting exercise, so are the boys and the tutor is helping Cole keep on track with his homework. 

So with little time to write up something whitty and clever I'm going to recap the football treats I've made so far :).  I did find out that there is one more game but yet again practices where cancelled this week (pointless).  And the coach that is never at games that has a teen step in and coach never puts Cole in just uses the top 5 kids every game over and over again.  YUP I'm done and I think so is Cole.  So we're going with no last game, just be done with it.  PLUS Saturday I have the boys signed up at the YMCA for swim and a tumbling class.

Football Cookies (Funny Faces)

Football Whoopie Pies

Almond Football Cupcakes

Football Brownies

Football Helmet Men

Football Cream Puffs


Hope you enjoyed our fun Football Treats!
And maybe try one or two :)

Ready for a Touch Down ... Football Mini Cream Pies

And we finish our Football themed treats with a yummy one.  I found the idea for Football Mini Cream Pies on Bubbly Nature Creations.  Now I've made cream puff's before when I made the Cream Puff Bunnies, but this was another game scheduled for 11am and I work until 9am on Saturdays.  Knowing my time would be stretched, plus poor Caden had been throwing up the previous days I went with the Semi-Homemade way thank you Sandra Lee for letting us know that is an ok way to go sometimes!

So I started with a simple Mini Cream Puff recipe on Kraft's Website. 

For Cream Puff:

What you need

1

pkg.  (2-layer size) yellow cake mix

1

pkg.  (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1

cup  cold milk

1-1/2

cups  thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided

1

pkg.  (4 oz.) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

make it

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

PREPARE cake batter and bake as directed on package for 24 cupcakes. Cool completely.

BEAT pudding mix and milk with whisk 2 min. Let stand 5 min. Meanwhile, use serrated knife to cut cupcakes horizontally in half. Whisk 1/2 cup COOL WHIP into pudding; spoon onto bottom halves of cupcakes, using about 1 Tbsp. for each. Cover with cupcake tops.

MICROWAVE remaining COOL WHIP and chocolate in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until blended. Let stand 15 min.; spread onto cupcakes. Refrigerate 15 min.

For Football Themed Cream Puff:

With a piping tip or a ziplock bag cut at the end pipe lines on the top to look like a football.

ALEXIS Notes: I used Wilton White Frosting, added a tip and decorated.

Another simple one to make!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Ready for a Touch Down ... Brownie Football's

I finish my football creations this week with 3 new creations that I made for Cole's Flag Football team.  We wrapped this past Saturday with our last game of the season.  Things we have learned:  Don't take Flag Football through boys and girls club.  A great place but since run by volunteers that is what you get no real coach and no coach that can show up to games. $70 is a lot to pay when there is no organization and you don't get to keep the jersey like you were told.  Plus they cancel every time it rains ... news flash we live in Washington it's going to rain suck it up and play in the rain! Ok enough on this, onto the recipe!

This was a simple one, I used a box mix which is usually no go in my house but I just returned from my business trip a few days before and was burned out so easy was the way I went.  Along with the game was at 10am and I work until 9am on Saturdays, so give me a break ... lol.

I found this recipe on for Touch Down Brownies on Betty Crocker's Website so of course that is why you see the use of a box mix.  The say to use Betty Crocker Icing, but I stick with my Wilton Icing.

What you Need:

1

box (1 lb 2.4 oz) Betty Crocker® Original Supreme Premium brownie mix

1/4

cup water

1/4

cup vegetable oil

2

eggs

Wilton White Icing Tube

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Line 9-inch square pan with foil, letting foil hang 2 inches over sides of pan. Spray foil with cooking spray.
2. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, chocolate syrup, oil, water and eggs until well blended. Spread in pan.
3. Bake 34 to 37 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.
4. Using foil to lift, remove brownies from pan. With football-shaped cookie cutter, cut brownies into football shapes. Pipe on decorating icing to look like football laces.

Alexis Tips: I used Wilton's Pan Release and they just popped out (love this stuff see pic).  I was able to get 10 footballs per pan.  I used my Wilton Piping tip that goes on their tube and piped on the laces.  

Another simple one to make!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

What is on for the Weekend ...

It is our last weekend of Football games this weekend!  And I must say I am happy it is over the $70 was a waste of money for a very unorganized system that we don't get to even keep the jersey's like they said we would be able to when I paid the money.  I will stick to the items that can be done at the YMCA that are free, well included in our monthly fee we pay.  Sadly due to the football game we will miss our Swim and Tumble lesson's this weekend.

We had hip hop class sch for Thursday night but Caden got a tummy ache and threw up all over my car ... ugh.

For this weekend I do plan to do one last football themed item.  Thinking Football Cream Puffs will be on the menu!

I found this idea on Bubbly Nature's Creation

We have a Birthday party at the Pumpkin Patch that the boys are super excited about!

I also need to make something yummy for our amazing tutor who is going over and beyond to help Cole!

PLUS the house is cleaned since the house cleaner came in on Thursday.

I am truly blessed and so happy to say I needed a little help and took the advice to get some!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Touch Down!!! Football Cupcakes (Almond Footballs)

For Cole's 3rd Flag Football game I decided cupcakes would be fun to do.  WELL fun was what I thought and felt when I made the cupcakes.  THE overcast day turned into an 80 degree day leaving my cupcakes looking like pools of blue frosting.  GRRRR ... Well at least they were cute when we first got there, and a few of the kids even said thank you.  One of the mom's even came over "To SEE what Super Mom made".  Have you ever had a person say something about you and you could just feel the sarcasm?  YUP that comment and little smile was so touching ... NOT.

Now onto the cupcakes!  I wanted to do something new with a cupcake!  His team is the NY Giants (yes no clue we live in Washington but hey go with it).  The colors are blue and red.  So I made cupcakes in a red cupcake liner and then I made a pop of color with blue frosting!

I used my favorite white cake mix for the cupcakes and my sturdy buttercream frosting.  Click the names for the recipes.  I've posted the recipes so many times for the sake of my regular readers I've stopped posted the same recipes over and over again :).

I took wilton blue icing color to tint the frosting to the right color.  I pipped it on and then went on to making the little footballs to top the cupcakes.  

Football Toppers

What you need:

Chocolate Covered Almonds

White Decorating Icing

Take a chocolate covered almond using your white decorating icing make a line across the long way then add 3 lines across that line to resemble laces on a football.  I started with a fun sparkle Wilton decorating icing but it wouldn't set up and started to run.  I switched to the normal Wilton White Icing that was sturdy and stayed put.

After all the cupcakes were frosted and the almonds were decorated and added to the top of the cupcakes I did my normal trick and put them in a clear cup, added a clear bag and tied it with a red ribbon to stay with the color theme.  Mind you I buy all this at the Dollar Tree.  10 plastic cups $1 (used 2 1/2 packages), 25 plastic bags $1 and roll of ribbon $1.

Another simple one to make!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE. 

Touch Down!!!! Whoopie Pie Football Cookies

For Cole's second game I wanted to do another fun football themed cookie.  I found this really cool idea for Whoopie Pie Football Cookies on Alice in the Kitchen.  The cookies came out super cute, the marshmallow fluff inside I must say wasn't my favorite it was too gooey.  I know it's technically correct but I like when I have used buttercream frosting.  Patty at Broken Teepee gave me the suggestion of a 7 minute frosting, which I will try next time.

So they weren't gorgeous but they still looked yummy and the kids loved them!

I started with a Whoopie Pie Recipe found on Epicurious. 

For cakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg

For filling

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 cups marshmallow cream such as Marshmallow Fluff
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Make cakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until combined. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld, then add egg, beating until combined well. Reduce speed to low and alternately mix in flour mixture and buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with flour, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, and mixing until smooth.

Spoon 1/4-cup mounds of batter about 2 inches apart onto 2 buttered large baking sheets. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 11 to 13 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack to cool completely.

Make filling:
Beat together butter, confectioners sugar, marshmallow, and vanilla in a bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Assemble pies:
Spread a rounded tablespoon filling on flat sides of half of cakes and top with remaining cakes.

Once I made the whoopie pie dough I took my football cookie cutter and traced it onto wax paper and the pipped the dough into the football shape (yes it looks a little like dog doo, but I promise not at all like it ... hehe). 

The cookies came together a little gooey but super yummy I was told!  I will work on perfecting these but I must say I think pretty darn cute if I must say so myself!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE. 

Touch Down!!! Bring on the Football Cookies (Funny Faces)

Cole has started flag football and for his games we didn't have a real plan for treats, so of course I decide I would just take that over and do that!  I wanted my treats not to be something boring I wanted something fun!!!  I went to Pinterest and did some searching!  I found a cute picture (of course not linked to anything) of Football cookies made with funny faces.  I started with a ginger cookie for my footballs and went to town decorating.  They turned out GREAT I must say my favorite one in this theme so far!

For the ginger cookies I used a recipe found on food.com.  This was an easy recipe and I happened to have a football cookie cutter that I used when I rolled the dough out.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.  In a large bowl (KitchenAid's great for this) beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended.  Add molasses, vanilla, and lemon zest and continue to mix until well blended.  Gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth.

Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.  Preheat oven to 375°.  Grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface.  Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin.  Roll dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick.  Use additional flour to avoid sticking. Cut out cookies with football cutter. Space cookies 1 1/2-inches apart.  Bake 1 sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes (the lower time will give you softer cookies).  Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to stand until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack.

After the cookies cooled I went to town decorating.  I made a few different faces.  The boys loved it.

What you need:

White Gel (I recommend Wilton)

Black Gel (I recommend Wilton)

Wilton Candy Eyes

Baked cookies

Bottom shows a few different faces.

I found a football dish at the Dollar Tree Store

These were pretty darn simple the hardest part was making the dough a cutting out the cookies.  WELL of course also not eating them all, this is my favorite type of cookie.

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE. 

It's official I'm a football mom now ....

Cole is so excited he started flag football this week!  He wants to be just like his dad, who played for San Diego State until a helmet to the knee killed his career.  Thankfully I talked Cole into starting with Flag and then we could move up to Tackle.  I signed him up for $90 which is seeming high now.  They had no coach and a very sweet dad stepped in on Saturday and we had our first practice on Sunday.  We practiced again on Tuesday and Wednesday night which was a juggling act with Rick's work, my women's group and Zumba.  Thankfully my dad stepped in on Wednesday to pick up Cole.

Wish us luck our first Game in Saturday, I'm not sure we know anything more then throwing the ball but we'll do our best!  I think I may make football cookies on top of a cupcake for a special treat!

Have a GREAT weekend!

Peace is restored is it just a false hope ... time will tell

Today was great beside the fact of being woke up at 6:30am by both boys, since I went to bed around 2:30 I wasn't the happiest camper with this. With a little luck and some bribing I was able to get everyone back down and we didn't wake up until after 9am. I don't think I've slept in past 7am in 3 years! Wow could it be things are changing around? Or is it just a fluke that today everyone was tired? I guess I'll choose the glass half full theory and run with it. Feeling all refreshed I got up and made banana chocolate chip pancakes, with fruit on the side. Betty Crocker here I come, oh wait it was Bisquick and I added 2 items big whoop!

My lovely friend Amy invited me and the boys over to hang out and play. It was so great to let everyone run in her huge back yard. We only had a few moments where the ball throwing got out of hand, besides that peace was in the air. We even had one of Amy's famous concoctions of crystal light and vodka (It had to be noon somewhere right?). I'm telling you these last few days have been trying and it was so nice to just veg and talk to someone, get a little advice and also here that I'm not just being one of "Those Mom's" that thinks it's always the other kids fault. We had a fun time tossing the ball, Amy's husband even threw the football around with the boys. We had a wonderful lunch and enjoyed the sun, I'm sure my bliss will be cut short soon enough with some email or call but right now I'm enjoying the time. Choosing to ignore the door being shut and just going with it.

Rick's back was out today so we didn't stay too late, I had to bring some food home plus I needed to do a few errands. We got home the boys played well together, but again you know the rough housing was there. It's hard to say stop it your both laughing I don't want to hear that you didn't like this since you're the one that started the rough housing. I'm not sure what to do except just keep a close eye and make sure Cole stays on his best behavior. In a way it's good for him, but also I don't want to make it so he can't be a kid and play. A fine line that one must walk to make sure the peace stays.

So the quick post before I go to bed, hoping that the calm and the storm has already hit and that another one is not soon on it's heals. Also no calls about Cole's school about letting him come back. They have a Field trip tomorrow that I really wanted him to go to, that really bums me. I am VERY proud to say we are on day 4 of no accidents, doing pretty well at wiping so it's looking well on his end (LOL, his end ... ok bed time). But Mr. Caden has now taken on the role of poop boy. We are on day 2 of him pooping in the tub! I live in Poopville and I am the queen, yippee for me!