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. 

Do the Puyallup .. Well I can say we did it and I'm DONE!!

We try to do the Puyallup Fair (The Washington State Fair) every year.  We did it this year, last night.  My idea was to go in and get out!  I'm not a BIG fan of crowd's.  Let's just say it wasn't a go in and out kind of day ... lol.  Of course we had to do it during the week and only last night worked (poor Rick has been working 2 jobs most days and Thursday was the day of ONLY one job).  But of course I started Caden in Soccer classes at the Y so we had to do that first then we came home tried to wake Rick up (did I mention he's been working 2 jobs everyday for about 2 wks).  Then we hit fair traffic!  7pm we get to the fair, thank GOD Rick's cousin's gave the boys a bday gift of a day at the fair we all got in FREE, 7 Rides and $7 in fair food!  PLUS since Rick has been working security at fair for the concerts he had a FREE parking pass.  Oh yes we got out of there for under $10, usually it is a $200+ event!

I took Caden and Rick took Cole so sorry mostly pics of just Caden.  I was able to get a low carb dinner even at the fair! God love these people.  WE did rides, saw the animals and then went home.  

Poser time!

Food!!

Rides!!

Animals

YES that last pic is a Camel!!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

I'm going to be super busy I am going on a trip in 2 WEEKS!

More to come on that!!!

New Adventure in Water Aerobics ...

In my quest to see if I can get past my plateau on the scale I have tried different diets and now different types of exercise!  Now that Ricks is a full time employee at the hospital we have Insurance!! Whoo hoo!!! With insurance comes a discount at exercise clubs, including the YMCA!  I was so excited I signed us and the boys up.  Even with the discount it still is a good chunk of change a month so I'm going to take advantage of all the classes that are free (which really isn't free just part of your membership but it makes me feel better to say free). 

So I signed the boys up for swim lessons, Caden for Soccer and me into a few classes.  I've taken the Ab class and also the water aerobics.  Let's just say it makes you work out like no tomorrow!  Of course you have the group that has been doing it forever and gives you the nasty looks for entering their class, the ones that talk and laugh the whole class and then the one nice person that took pity and helped me.

Let's just say it took a lot of courage for me to put a suit on and while doing the exercise all the loose skin from loosing the weight was moving in all different directions!  But it was a crazy hard work out and I can't wait to go back!

Now for a swimsuit funny!

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Girls Just Want to have FUN ... Youth & Tween Girl Birthday Gift

As most of you have figured out by now I'm a HUGE fan of giving a gift in a basket.  One of my besties daughters were having a birthday party together (she does this every year).  I must say I have been known to give them a combined gift.  I just couldn't do that this time since they are getting older.  So I thought why not cool gift's in a basket.

For the Tween Gift I found some of what I thought to be the best and favorite things.

What you need:
DVD - I picked up Tooth Fairy
Candy Bars / Candy
Lip Gloss
Glow Sticks
Stickers
Pedicure Set
Hair Bands
Gum
(other ideas, Teen Mag, Make up)
Basket
Wood Letters
Wood Character (something they like)

I put a little tissue paper in the basket and then filled it with all the fun items.  She is really into Soccer so I found a soccer ball at Micheal;s and letters to spell her name.  I used my favorite item the Glue Gun and hot glued it all on!  It was a simple but super fun gift!!

For the Youth Gift I wanted to switch it up a little so her basket had a few different items

What you Need:
Bubbles
Glow Sticks
Movie (Open Season)
Candy
Chap stick
Stickers
Nail polish
Hair bands
Baton
Basket
Wood Letters
Wood Flower (or what they like)

I put a little tissue paper in the basket and then filled it with all the fun items.  Caden found a pretty flower he wanted to use for her  at Micheal's and letters to spell her name.  I used my favorite item the Glue Gun and hot glued it all on!  It was a simple but super fun gift!!

This was another simple one but a huge hit!  Hope you all have a great day and give this a try!

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

Girls Just Want to have FUN ... Zebra & Leopard Cake (Cake Border Decorations)

Yesterday post showed you how to make the inside of the cake be Zebra and Leopard print.   Now to show how I decorated the outside of the cake.  This is the second time I've made a cake this big, first time all by myself.  It was a very heavy cake and the fondant work needed a little work.  But I must say I was pretty darn happy with how it turned out and the girl's sister that I made the cake wants me to make her 13th birthday cake.  That to me is the biggest compliment I could EVER get!

What you Need:

4 Cakes - Cooled (I did one zebra, one leopard and 2 pain white)

Fondant - Used my Rolled Buttercream Fondant

Safari Leopard Print Edible Cake Border Decoration (on Amazon)

Safari Zebra Print Edible Cake Border Decoration (on Amazon)

Cake Board - Found a pink Leopard one (Michael's)

Wilton Cake Separator (Michael's)

Sturdy Buttercream Frosting (to dirty ice & filling)

Easy Mousse Cake Filling 

Easy Mousse Cake Filling (found on food.com)

Ingredients

• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1 (3 1/2 ounce) boxes instant pudding mix, any flavor

Directions

1. In a chilled metal bowl, beat whipping cream on medium-high speed until it begins to thicken.
2. Gradually add in the instant pudding mix and continue to beat, just until thick.
3. If you'd like to add fruit filling, fold it into the cream after it's thickened.

I made a ring around the top of the cake and put the filling in the middle and topped with a second cake.  I put mine back in the fridge to make sure everything was firm before I started with the fondant.

Next was to put the fondant on and then add the Borders.  I put the mousse in between to cakes, then took a little of the frosting to dirty ice the cake so the fondant will stick.  I did one cake then went to adding the cake border.  I must say this was the easiest part.  A little water and it sticks right on.  NOW they said it would fit a 10" cake, BUT I did have gaps so I suggest making a 8" cake instead.  I used a Wilton cake separator between the cakes since it was a heavy cake.  I say these borders are really easy to use just use the 8" cake and maybe less filling ... lol mine were a little on the full side.

Edible Prints:

1. Make sure your hands are clean and dry before handling the image. You will need to have a plain frosted cake.WHITE butter-cream FROSTING is best but any type of frosting will work, even frozen ice cream cakes! Your frosting should be fresh. If your frosting becomes dry, spray a fine mist of water over the cake (NOT the image) before applying the print. If your product is moist, DO NOT add any extra moisture. Using too much water may cause colors to run and melt your image. It can take quite a few hours for the image to blend in properly. 

2. Edible Prints cannot be moved once applied. Plan where you will place the image, then apply the image face up onto your product. To remove the Edible Print, hold the opposite edges and pull the backing page across the sharp edge of a table. Never pull on the image itself, it can tear. Lay the Edible Print on top of the cake from the middle first and gently lay it out to the ends of the image. If the image bubbles after application, GENTLY TAP (do not rub) the image. After Application add a border or edge decoration of your choice to finish. You can also add words by hand on top of the image. Avoid extensive exposure to ultraviolet lighting. As with any food coloring, the image may fade over time.

 3. If the Edible Prints seem stubborn about releasing, do not try to peel the icing sheet away as this will cause tearing. Place the Edible Prints flat in the freezer for 10 - 15 seconds (NOT LONGER). You should have no problem peeling the backing off. You should remove the image from the backing immediately after taking it out from the freezer. 

 4. Edible Prints should be stored in the packaging it is shipped in a cool, dry location out of direct lighting. DO NOT store in the refrigerator or freezer. 

5. Be careful not to let water drip on to the Edible Prints as it can melt and ruin your print. 

6. If your cake is frozen when you apply the frosting sheet, allow it to thaw slowly in the refrigerator. You’ll also want to avoid storing the finished cake in an airtight cake dome at room temperature. An airtight cake dome can act like a greenhouse.

I'm so excited how the cake came out and can't wait to do more!

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