The Funnest Cupcakes I've Ever Made



I wanted to make something FUN for the bake sale last week at Brady's school...something the kids would be really excited about.  I made hundreds of these milkshake cupcakes...and boy were they a hit!



I found the recipe over at Bakerella.  I switched things up just a little bit.  Here's the recipe and some tips that helped me:



Cupcake

1 box cake mix (any flavor)- I used strawberry.

I used tall cupcake liners and filled them a little less than half full.

Bake cupcakes and let them cool.

Ganache

12 0z. semi sweet chocolate chips

6 TBS. butter

3/4 heavy whipping cream

Melt butter and cream in a saucepan.

Remove just before it starts to boil.

Add chocolate chips; stir.

Let cool about 10 minutes.

Poor (or spoon)  ganache over cupcakes.

Eat leftover ganache by the spoonful.

Refrigerate cupcakes until ganache gets firm.

Buttercream Frosting

2 sticks butter (room temp.)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 lb. box of 10 x powdered sugar.

1 - 3 tsp. milk ( depending on how you want your consistency)

Cream butter and vanilla.

Slowly add powdered sugar.

Use a Wilton 1M or 2D tip to frost cupcakes (if you want the whip cream look!)

Add sprinkles after frosting each cupcake.

Put cupcakes in the freezer for a few minutes to harden the frosting before

adding a cherry sour on top.



There were some other FUN cupcakes at our bake sale too.

The two moms that made them said they worked hard to make them "Kerri worthy."

I hope they were just kidding!   They did an awesome job.   They seemed proud...and I made a huge fuss over them!

I love the pig!

The fortune cookies are made with caramels.  You can tuck special little fortunes & messages inside.  Love them!

"You can't look at a cupcake without smiling."

Not sure where that quote comes from.  Anyway, my busy week is over...and I'm

happy to have a little more time this week.  I need to catch up on a few things around the house

that I have let go...and if I don't get some groceries today, my family will be having crackers for dinner!

I'm looking forward to catching up on all your blogs!

Have a great week!

A Game and A Treat



I'm not feeling very creative lately.

And, I don't really have anything to blog about either.

Maybe we can just chit chat for a little bit?  If you're not too busy.

I think I've just been lonely this week with my two favorite guys gone all day.

I kind of wish I had that week after Christmas back where we were just hanging out together.

I am happy that it's Friday!

We did get a little snow during the night...

and so the schools had a two hour delay today.   Yay!

We played this game with our extra time this morning.

One of Brady's Christmas gifts.  We found it at Toys R' Us for 4.99.

We have played and played and played it!

Eric and I have also played a game or two when Brady was in bed!

It really helps with addition too...but you don't have to tell the kids!

The other night Brady was in his room for quite awhile...and when he came out,
he wanted to show us a little gift he had put together for a boy in his class.
The boy's birthday was the next day...and he wanted to give him something.
Well, when I picked Brady up from school the next day...he was very sad.
Nick, the birthday boy did not say thank-you to Brady for the gift.
In fact, Brady said Nick didn't say anything when he gave him the card and bag
of goodies.  He put it in his backpack that morning and never said a word about it.
Birthday's aren't really celebrated at his school.
So, maybe Nick was embarrassed or something. 
I didn't know what to say to Brady other than, "maybe Nick's parents didn't teach him any
manners."  I know, I said that. 




I never got a chance to post about these yummy parfaits I made
for a Christmas get together.  Take away the candy canes
and you have a fun winter treat.

I added little marshmallows to the chocolate cake and lots of marshmallow
fluff to a can of frosting to make the topping super thick.  Sprinkle with cocoa.
The best part was the little tiny spoons I found at a supply store!  Twenty-five
spoons for .52 cents!

I Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Last Minute Teacher Idea- Thanksgiving

A couple of years ago we made these big cookies.
Brady loves giving little treats to his teacher....just like his Mom!
If you wanted to make this even easier...you could buy big cookies and save yourself
even more time during this already busy week!
I'm thankful you're my _________ can be given to anyone!



These may look like happy little scarecrows......

to me....they look like lots of little guys laughing at me!

I made these last night...but it all started two days ago when I bought the stuff to make them.

I bought 1 box of chocolate cake and one can of frosting.

I forgot to buy cupcake liners.

So, yesterday I went to 2 stores looking for small liners.  Couldn't find them.

Decided to use my BIG papers I already have...but then I would need more cake.

Found a box of white cake mix in my pantry.

As I'm mixing it up at 8pm I discover I only have 1 egg left.

Very kind hubby ran to the nearest gas station 15 mins. away.

What's wrong with this batch of cupcakes?  They look weird.

I forgot to put oil in the 2nd cake mix...hopefully the frosting will help cover the terrible taste of them!

Didn't have enough frosting so I decided to "whip" it with my mixer to get more air which = more frosting.

In the middle of mixing, my mixer broke.  Nice.

The two boxes I bought to transport the cupcakes in aren't big enough due to the scarecrows.

Not a good baking experience!

However, I'm THANKFUL that these are for the kids...and they will probably enjoy them regardless!

The funny thing is...Brady won't even be at his class party tomorrow!

We're leaving this afternoon for Indiana!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving
everyone!

Oreo Cupcakes

I can't remember where I got this recipe from...if anyone knows please send me a note so I can give credit where credit is due!  These were AWESOME!

Oreo Cupcakes

1 box devil's food cake mix

1 (5.9oz) package oreo instant pudding

1 c. sour cream

1 c. vegetable oil

4 eggs

1/2 c. warm water

2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix cake and pudding, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water.  Stir in chocolate chips and pour the batter into cupcake liners.  Bake 20 minutes.  (made @ 28 cupcakes).

Oreo Butter Cream Frosting

1 stick salted butter- room temperature

1 stick unsalted- room temp.

1 c. shortening

1 TBS. clear vanilla extract

2lbs. powdered sugar (yep, that's right!)

4-6 TBS. very cold milk ( I used 5)

8 crushed oreo cookies w/ the cream removed (when my husband saw me scraping the cream off the oreo and throwing it in the garbage...he said he was going to call the police on me!)

Cream the butter & shortening together w/ a mixer.  Add vanilla & mix well.  Begin adding in the sugar and mixing thoroughly.  Add milk one TBS. at a time.  Fold in oreo crumbs.  Top cooled cupcakes with frosting and garnish with 1/2 an oreo!  Enjoy!