Garden State of Mind BAKE

Mondays are not my favorite day of the week. They are stressful and not much fun. I very rarely blog on Mondays. Usually not in the mood.

Today was a good day and so here I am.

Over the weekend, Mr. Bubbles and I worked in our garden. We tilled and tilled. We looked at the plants and seeds we had and decided to enlarge it another 6 x 28 so we tilled and tilled some more.

We have our "mail order " tomato plants that supposedly grow to 8 feet tall and produce 60 pounds of fruit. We are planning on planting 5 or 6 of these. So excited to get everything in. I am dreaming of  all the different salsas we will create with the bushels of tomatoes we will have!

         After all, some of last years harvest...

became this!

I was so busy with the garden all weekend that I nearly forgot to BAKE something! I could do something quick. Cookies? So, I asked Mr. Bubbles what he was in the mood for and of course he asked for Candied Bacon Macadamia Nut White Chocolate Chip cookies.

A bit of extra work but they are so worth it!

Candied Bacon Macadamia with White Chocolate Chip Cookies  

                                                                          

                                                                         Preheat the oven 375

                                                                    Makes 3-4 Dozen

Candied Bacon:

10 slices of smoked Bacon

3/4 cup brown sugar

Line a cookie sheet with foil. Lay out the bacon flat. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly on the bacon, then press into the bacon. Bake for 7 minutes. Flip and bake additional 7 minutes. Remove from pan cool on a cookie rack. Coarsely chop for the cookies.

Cookies:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup white sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

1 cup chopped candied bacon

With electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on high for 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, beat for 1 minute on high. Mix in flour, soda and salt. Fold in bacon, nuts and chips.

Drop by spoonfuls unto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes, till edges are slightly golden.

Cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Move to wire racks to cool completely.

Store in airtight container. Don't worry about keeping the cookies in the fridge, they will be fine. They won't last that long anyway!

It was a great and productive weekend and it ended with a sweet treat because I made one these...

Have a wonderful week Sweeties!

Love and Peace,

Sweetcheri

Betty Crocker and the BAKE

Last week, during a commute home from work I started thinking about Betty Crocker cookbooks. I don't know exactly what triggered these thoughts, but by the time I got home from work, I was both happy and sad.

Happy, because I love Betty Crocker cookbooks! I read cookbooks of all kinds. But Betty Crocker cookbooks...Well 'they take the cake' so to speak. When I have finished with one, I will give it away or re-sell it back to a local used book store. NEVER have I done that with a Betty Crocker. I have many of her fine works!

My first recollection of a Betty Crocker Cookbook was maybe 1966. "Betty Crocker's New Picture Cookbook." My mom had one and she would let me look through it. It had color pictures of vegetables, meatloaf and of course, BAKED stuff! And for some reason it smelled of shortening and vanilla.

To this day, when I beat up shortening and vanilla for anything, I think of my mom. And all 10 of my Betty Crocker cookbooks smell like shortening and vanilla, just like hers did!

Betty Crocker Butter Icing

3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened

1 tablespoon shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1-2 tablespoons whipping cream

Beat the butter and shortening on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add vanilla. Beat again for 2 minutes.

Stir in cream. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating 1 minute each time. Makes frosting for two 8 or 9" layers or 13x9 oblong.    

 

As I was saying before I randomly stuck in "my secret buttercream recipe", I was both happy and sad.
Sad, because I have memories of my mom that some days, haunt me.

Vivid memories of my mom...
During the summer of '69, I got a library card. To me, this was a very big deal and I remember that day as if it was just last week...
My mom took me, my sister and little brother to Downtown No. St. Paul for lunch at Mac's Dinette and when we were leaving Mac's, I saw the Library next door and I asked her if I could get a library card. I had learned about them in second grade and my teacher had said the cards were FREE at any Library. Mom gave me that look that mothers give. You know the one. The one that says 'no' without words. I thought for a second and I reminded her that school was out for the summer and so I could not borrow books from the school library. I just had to keep reading during summer break or I might forget how! With a smile, she said "Well, we can't have THAT now, can we?"
I was so excited!  I knew that the "real Library" had way better books than my stupid school library.
I borrowed 3 books that day...Betty Crocker's Boys and Girls Cook Book, a picture book about planets and a book on how to draw horses.

Like I said, vivid memories, it's as if it really was just last week.
Well, right after our library adventure downtown, my mom went on a trip with my new step dad and step grandparents. I missed her. It was horrible to be without her. Plus, they had car trouble on the way home from California so it took FOREVER for her to come home. When she called to talk to us about the car trouble, I remember telling her that my library books were going to be overdue. She said not to worry, that she would talk to the librarian and pay whatever fines might be due.

Summer of '69.

A "Magical Summer" as my brother always puts it.
                                               There was a moon landing.
                                                                 I learned how to draw a horse.
                                                                                I learned how to BAKE.

And I told my mom that she could never leave us like that again...

I wanted to publish this blog on April 27, 2012, the 40th anniversary of my mom's death.

I couldn't. I was just too sad.

April 27, 1972. She was 33 years old and she died of ovarian cancer. I was only 11. I am thankful every day that I still have these vivid memories of her.

I think of her single every day. I have missed her every single day of the last 40 years.

She was a beautiful and talented BAKER.
I miss you Mom!

 XOXOXO, Sweetcheri.

Chocolate Chip BAKE

Happy National Chocolate Chip Cookie Week!

Have you ever craved a chocolate chip cookie so badly that nothing else will satisfy the said craving?
Not even ice cream, doughnuts, candy or even the old comfort food standby - the graham cracker with homemade frosting?

I was house/cat sitting last weekend when I got the CCC cookie craving. It came on so fast I didn't know what hit me! And it was 9 o'clock at night and I really did not feel like BAKING a whole batch.
I ONLY WANTED ONE COOKIE.

My BFF cat, Scotch. He luvs me.

ONE cookie. I don't ask for much. ONE cookie...

I thought about driving down the street to the Burger King to get an Otis Spunkmeyer Chocolate Chip Cookie.They are pretty close to homemade. But it was late and with the outrageous price of gas these days I thought it best not to start up the Kia and go.

In the end, I didn't have enough of the necessary ingredients to make a batch of Chocolate Chip Cookies so I gave up the mission for the time being. I had a package of Birthday Oreos for an upcoming blog I am working on, so I cracked open the bag and had a couple of those. Not a Chocolate Chip Cookie, but it worked.

I lied. It was a craving for crying out loud! I need a chocolate chip cookie. 

I started looking around the good old internet for a recipe that makes only one Chocolate Chip Cookie and believe it or not, I found one! At wikiHow and it makes only one... Chocolate Chip Cookie.

wikiHow One Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Preheat oven to 350  Bake 15-17 minutes.

1 tablespoon Butter
1/8 teaspoon Vanilla

1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar,packed
pinch of salt
pinch of baking soda
2 tablespoons chocolate chips
4  tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon water

Cream Butter and Vanilla.

                                                     Add remaining ingredinets and stir.

                                                            

Spread out on a greased cookiesheet or a parchment lined pan.

 

BAKED it and here it is...

                                                
                                                    Oh yeah baby, it was yummy!

Take care Sweeties! Enjoy Life and BAKE!
Sweetchericakes

7.5 Months of BAKE

Here I am. I swear it's me.

I can't believe that it has been over seven months since I last blogged.

What can I say? Lack of time. I have been getting "my BAKE on" non-stop since June is about the best excuse I can come up with.


Happy Everything, Merry Merry and all that jazz. Time sure does fly.
My 14 year old niece Morgan told me she misses reading my blog. While it made me sad that I hadn't blogged in so long, I loved hearing that she liked my blog. I hold her personally responsible for me starting this blog.

A sleepover and scary stuff on TV last spring was all it took to give me that final push to start blogging. I hate scary stuff and so I needed a diversion while she watched the spooky "Ghost Stories". Happy Sweetchericakes reading Miss Morgan!

How do I make up for the lack of BAKE these last seven and a half months?

Well, there is really only one way to do it.

Without further adieu, 7.5 months of BAKE...

Peachy Keens

 Sweetchericakes #1 fan, The amazing Jenny, would eat one of these for breakfast everyday, if she could!

Baby Cakes

My first corporate gig. Thanks Renee!

Sweetchericakes for Tia's Sweet 16

Our beautiful niece and god daughter had a great party and all of her friends enjoyed the cupcakes and cake!



Welcome Home Marine!

The Engagement Cake 

This cake was so much fun to make and BAKE. I watched many YouTube videos on how to

make the roses. Congrats to Samantha and Reid!

Happy 2nd Birthday to Brody and Avery!

The dolly cake pan is vintage Wilton. The instruction sheet was so old it was brittle.
The dump truck was a BIG hit with Brody. He still gets so excited when he sees the pictures!

Happy Birthday Miss Camerin!
The look on Camerin's face when she saw her cake was PRICELESS! Her mom Melissa has recommended Sweetchericakes to many of her friends. She has also become a great Facebook friend!

Grad Parties for Ben and Tori
 Good Luck in all that you do now and in the future. Congrats to both of these Graduates!

2011 Minnesota State Fair Creative Arts Competition

As always, it is a thrill to participate. Did not win any ribbons this year but I did get nice scores and I know I was this close...oh well there's always next year!

Summer Nights...

We did manage to sneak in a couple visits to the lake. This is Coon Lake. Caught lots of sun and fish...so nice.

 Miss Morgan took a picture or two as well.

There is much more!

 Birthdays!

             
                                                                          

You've made it to the end of August...thank you!

Brother-in-Law Bart's Birthday BBQ

My brother in law is an amazing cook and BAKER in his own right. He did all the cooking and BBQ'ing for his own bash except for the BAKE goods. He left that up to me with one request, German chocolate cupcakes with homemade coconut frosting. 'Not that crap in the can.'(Sorry, Betty and Pillsbury!) So, I got out my Grandma Merwin's recipe and gave it a shot. Perfect Coconut Pecan Frosting.

This is my BFF cat "Scotch". He loves me.

Peanut Butter Stuffed Bugles  

These little morsels were so amazing...from Cookies and Cups. Once I got the rhythm down, I was churning 'em out like a factory!  Everyone loved them.

October 2nd was a BIG BAKE day! Baby Cakes, a Bottle Top Cake and more...what a fanastic and fun day. I made ALOT of people - Sweetly Happy!

                                                     BABY CAKES

                                  

AND THEN THERE WAS THE BIG BASH...

Dickie's Birthday Bash

For my friend and and fellow 50 year old

We met in 8th grade...

Re-connected when we were in our 30's...

Friends forever in our old age.

The Wedding

I love weddings and I love to BAKE for the parties that follow. My sister Debbie, who was my assistant on this day, got all teary eyed when the set up was done. She said it was one of the most beautiful displays she had ever seen.                                                                   

       I love weddings.

               I really do.

Congrats to Kelli and Nate!

Perry The Platypus

I managed to crochet this hat for my little friend Ben! 

Tinkerbell and Batman

 Ally had a birthday...she loves Tinkerbell. Her big brother does not. He likes Batman. He told me that he wanted a Batman cake for his sister's birthday. When I asked him if he was going to have some of the cake anyway, he said "I suppose".

I searched all over town for a Tinkerbell. She is quite popular and hard to find since she became part of the Disney Fairies. Thank goodness for the party store. I got the last one they had!

 The Holidays

Thanksgiving gift for a friend who has helped us with so much!

Another great pan from Wilton. Love the Gingerbread Man!

Christmas Treats for a wonderful family gathering. Alot of laughs and love.
Merry Christmas to all!

Happy 50th Birthday Sis!
My Sister.
I have loved her forever.
She is my very best friend and my biggest supporter.
I love you.
I say it like this because I know you read my blog!

Cheercakes for Francesca
 First Place for the Bears! Whoo-hoo!
This was the most challenging BAKE of all. These little ladies would not dry!
BTW, they are mini cupcakes.
Yeah, like I said, CHALLENGING!

 Let me end with this Little Lady.
One of my oldest and dearest friend's grand daughter...

Sydney's First Birthday(Smash)Cake

I remember her daddy at this age...

She liked her cake...

And the grown ups liked the the cupcakes!

Thank you so much for getting to this point!
I appreciate it.
I love all things BAKE! I think it. I dream it. Wish I could give up my day job
to do it all day!
Okay.
Peace out.
See you soon.
I promise.