Happy Holidays

Well the Holidays are here. No time for anything. Adele is moving and I'm baking. Just trying to get things done before next week. We want to wish everyone who reads our blog a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Happy Holidays everyone!!!

Sorry about the side ways pictures. I found a recipe for Italian butter cookies, the kind in Italian bakeries that have raspberry jam in the middle and dipped in chocolate, on Bakespace. You pipe them out on a cookie sheet and the taste is just like the bakery. Everyone in my job loves them. Thank you Bakespace for the recipe. You can really use any kind of tip you want or put them in a cookie shooter. they flatten out when baked. A little bit of work but you won't regret it.

beater blade

I also bought a beater blade...early xmas present. It really works great. Everyone who owns a kitchen aid should have one. I also bought a great decorating book. It gives me alot of great ideas.

cakes, cakes, cakes

Adele and I took some cake decorating classes in Sept. It was alot of fun and I certainly learned alot especially about fondant. Here's some pictures

Food Network

Hi everyone, hope your October is going good. My sister and I went to a Food Network special they had in the Chelsea Markets October 12 and had a ball. We met a lot of the top chefs and just had a wonderful day. We also saw Jacques Torres, the chocolatier and Philip Seymour Hoffman walking on the street with this wife and baby. If you have not been to the Chelsea Markets on 15th Street in Manhattan, go you can eat your way thru. I'm attaching some pics of the chefs we saw:

back to normal

the summer always goes fast. you turn around and its gone. I personally don't like the cold weather. just trying to get back in the swing of things. I have a few parties coming up. I have to make cupcakes in black and white (chocolate and vanilla), a bowling ball cake (this should be fun)and some more experiments...lol. Adele and I went to a wedding in Macungie, PA last weekend and even though we have alot of rain it turned out to be very nice. The hotel was great. Tomorrow, hopefully we're going to Philadelphia. I love Philly. We're taking our great nephew with us, Michael. He's now 17. We always have a great time in Philly. The Mint, the Liberty Bell and the Reading Market. Even if it rains we'll have a good time. I'm going to post pictures of the cupcakes and cake next week.

quiet time of the summer

It's always very quiet this time of year. Everyone is on vacation except Adele and I. Well next week we are both taking a week off and maybe doing the Manhattan thing...sightseeing etc. Living in New York we always take for granted the beautiful sights here so thats what we are going to do. Maybe Ellis Island, maybe the Cloisters, maybe some museums and of course Central Park. Maybe even Philadelphia for the day....lol

cupcake wrappers

I've been looking at these laser-cut cupcake wrappers. They are really beautiful but not cheap. Anyone have any ideas on the subject?

Ice Cream Maker

The little ice cream maker I bought a few weeks ago works okay. It runs on 4AA batteries in the freezer. I find I had to make a yolk based ice cream for it to taste good. I tried vanilla already..not bad. I also tried a bittersweet chocolate sorbet (not in the ice cream maker) with the black cocoa (from King Arthur Flour). It was so rich and bittersweet. I can't make it too often because I ate it all myself (over a week).

More Cakes

Here is another cake I made for a co-workers birthday...black forest.

the view

inside the Winter Garden in the World Financial Center in Manhattan is like an oasis. Here are some pictures of the palm trees inside the building.

Crochet Display

My sister and I went to the Winter Garden in the World Financial Center in Manhattan and saw their crochet display about Hyperbolics - see above.

Lemon Thyme

I've been trying a few cookies recipes with lemon thyme. It's starting to be my favorite. I love anything lemon during the summer because its a clean, fresh taste. I've made a basic cookie recipe...not sugar and not butter..but in between and added the lemon thyme. You just have to be careful with stripping the little stalks not to get any in the cookies. And then I added a simple lemon glaze and everyone at work loved them. I think next I'll try the lemon thyme with lavender. Should be interesting.

Crocheting

I created a window dressing for my kitchen - just sc and dc of about 10-15 different colors of Sugar and Cream yarn. It really turned out cute and colorful.

NYC Waterfalls

I work downtown Manhattan and the Waterfalls are great! See below:

I love this time of year

Cherries are my favorite. Especially anything black forest.

I love to check out the baking blogs. So many great ideas. I will post them soon. I saw these little pans in a cookbook by Warren Brown. I thought it was a great idea. I had these in a drawer in my kitchen and will try them soon. Maybe I'll put ice cream in them...mmmm

I saw this on a website and had to try it. Its small but maybe that will keep my ice cream consumption to a minimum. I am going to start with a vanilla and then try chocolate. I'll keep you posted on how it works out.

This is a cake I did a few years ago for a co-worker that was retiring. He loved the beach. It was my first attempt at decorating and the only thing that didn't work out was the gum on the top of the cake to simulate tiles. Since then I've used fondant. Better choice. But the cake was a big hit anyway. And to see people enjoy what I bake is a pleasure.

I finished the new Janet Evanovich book. Its really funny and a quick read. Too bad she only writes one a year...lol

and more

My sister is also a freelance florist. We do weddings etc., balloons, favors, I do chocolates. We love this creative outlet but unfortunately we don't get steady business. I have been doing some balloons for parties on my job. This morning I did about 120 balloons for a party. My sister and I have it down to a science and it only took me about 2 hours (by myself). I also saw one of my co-workers and he asked me if I baked this weekend? I can't do both I told him...lol. Maybe tomorrow.

Cupcake Sweetie (and more)

Hi, I'm the other half - my name is Adele and Barbara and I are actually identical twins.

Barbara is the cupcake queen and the "and more" is my side - which I love to knit and crochet.

We welcome and comments or anything you would like to share regarding cupcakes and knitting and crocheting - what a combination!!!

I love to bake. It relaxes me. Last week I made some dark chocolate cupcakes (with black cocoa I bought in King Arthur Flour in Vermont) with strawberry merinque frosting. I brought them into work and they were gone in an hour. I told my co-workers that when I experiment (which is often) they will let me know if the recipe is good. I think I'm going to try different flavors in this merinque recipe. Anyone have any ideas on what other flavors to use?

I'm now reading Janet Evanovich's "Fearless Fourteen". I love her books. They are a quick read and very funny. This is one series I would love to see as a movie or even on TV. Anyone else reading her books? let me know. Barbara