Kid Friendly...

While I love making a homemade gingerbread house sometimes there is some relief in knowing you can pick one up and put it together in a matter of an hour or so with the kids in a pinch. My kids love this little Wilton Gingerbread House kit and they can pretty much do the whole thing by themselves while I just snap pictures. They did one this morning....

Everything is pre-baked and the candy and frosting mix is included. I tend to think they do not give you enough Royal Icing mix and I often have to make a little more.

We add our own touch with making the roof using Frosted Shredded Wheat cereal. Sometimes we buy extra candy, too but this year we just used the above.

Royal Icing is the glue and here is my daughter putting the roof on.

Adding the candy

My husband came in and added a little "tree" to it. LOL Somehow asparagus just does not fit here! ;)

Early Birthday Toys...

My birthday is actually December 18th but when I visit my mom every year around Thanksgiving she always takes me shopping for new kitchen wish list items. I found some real treasures this year. We go to a place in Longview, Texas called The Cook's Nook. Here is what I got this year...

Up close you can see the apple corer, tea pot, cannoli forms, chinois (fancy strainer), decorating comb with different textures on each side, and a pullman loaf pan

Here you can see the cannoli forms better, a new thermometer, loose leaf tea holder, cone forms, a China cap strainer, and a little measuring cup for liquids in small tsp, tbsp, etc... measures.

I LOVE IT ALL!!! Happy birthday to MEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Weekend fun...Coffee Cake and a Recipe Card Holder

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Makes 2 9-inch round cakes

24 ounces sour cream

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

3 cups dried fruit

4 cups flour

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Topping

2 cups walnuts chopped

1 cup brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

½ cup unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 (375 for higher altitude)

Grease 9 inch spring form pans

Combine the sour cream, granulated sugar and egg

Stir in the dried fruit

In separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt

Add the flour mixture to the sour cream mixture and stir thoroughly

Scrape into prepared pan. Smooth surface and sprinkle evenly with the walnuts, brown sugar and cinnamon. Dot with butter

Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden skewer tests clean

Let cool 10 minutes before unmolding.

A Kitchen Craft... recipe card holder

Hatch Chile Festival 2008...

Ristras abound...

Roasting chiles filled the air with YUM!!!

Demonstrations on salsa making was a delicious part of the day.

Green chile crafts were offered by the local 4H Club.

A tired bunch ready to head home full of chiles and salsa and fun.

Oh, and I cannot forget to mention the cookbook.... there is ALWAYS a cookbook when we do this kind of outing! LOL

Got Smoothie???

A gift for my 3 year old.... yeah, that's it! LOL