Fondant

Easy and great for adding decorations to cakes.

• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup shortening
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp clear vanilla
• 2 lbs confectioners sugar

In a large bowl, stir together the shortening and corn syrup. Mix in the salt and vanilla flavoring, then gradually mix in the confectioners sugar until it is a stiff dough. If you are using a stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment. Otherwise, knead by hand. If the dough is sticky, knead in more confectioners sugar until it is smooth.  To use, roll out on a clean surface that has been dusted with confectioners' sugar until it is 1/8 inch thick or thinner if you can. Drape over frosted and chilled cakes and smooth the sides down, or cut into shapes to make decorations.

Mack Truck Birthday Cake

Shandon wanted a Mack cake because he loves the movie Cars.  He loved it!

• 3 cake mixes
• bendy straws
• Hershey's chocolate Nuggets
• York peppermint patties
• mini marshmallow
• fondant
• buttercream frosting

Mix cake according to directions on box.  Bake 3 9x13" cakes.  Layer and shape the cakes into the truck.  Decorate with frosting, fondant, and candy.   I printed out the car decals using photo paper.  I used a paper plate cut and frosted for the brim of his hat.

Buttercream Frosting

This is a simple, yet yummy, frosting that's great for decorating Birthday Cakes!

1 cup butter

3-4 cups powdered sugar

1 TBS vanilla extract

up to 4 TBS milk

Beat butter in mixing bowl. Gradually add sugar then add vanilla and 2 TBS milk. You can add more sugar or milk depending on the consistency you like your frosting.

Combine Cake

When Durant said he wanted a combine cake I about flipped.  That was going to be so hard...I thought.  Turned out not being so bad and I must say he absolutely loved it!!

• 2 cake mixes
• small chocolate doughnuts (back tires)
• Ding Dongs (front tires)
• candy corn
• bendy straw
• Toblerone Candy
• Buttercream Frosting

Mix cake according to directions on box.  Then bake 2 9x13 in. cakes.  Cut two pieces of cake out in a smaller rectangle about 5x8 in.  and place on top of each other.  I put frosting in between the two layers.  This cake I sat on a Styrofoam block covered with foil.  I then placed a wooden skewer stick through it in a few spots to make sure it holds.  I then cut a square piece and made a hole for the corn to go in. I then cut a piece for the cab and the header piece. I placed those on the cake with frosting and more sticks.  I piped the frosting on this cake because of all the cut edges.  Stuck the doughnuts and Ding Dongs on with toothpicks and added frosting to the middles. Place Toberone candy on in the front.  Frost your straw.  If you kind of let the frosting harden then dip your finger in shortening and smooth the frosting out with your finger it works the best.  

Choo Choo Train Cake

This is our official 2 year old boys cake.  Both of my boys loved trains at this age and they both LOVED their cakes!

• 2 cake boxes
• M&M's
• York Peppermint Patties
• Raisinets
• Mini Kit Kat's or Mini Cow Tales
• Mike N Ikes
• Black Licorice
• Butter cream Frosting
• • 1 cup butter
  • 3-4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 TBS vanilla extract
  • up to 4 TBS milk
  • Beat butter in mixing bowl. Gradually add sugar then add vanilla and 2 TBS milk. You can add more sugar or milk depending on the consistency you like your frosting.

Mix the cakes according to directions on box. I baked the Engine in a loaf pan and cut it into the shape I wanted.  I baked the round part in a can.  I then baked the other three in mini loaf pans and the top to the caboose in a super mini loaf pan.  Made the tracks with the licorice and then placed the cakes on.  It's best to put them in the freezer for a few hours.  Then I frost with one layer of frosting and put back in the freezer for an hour.  Frost and decorate.  I used a marshmallow for the smoke stack.  I then used Raisinets for the coal car and Kit Kat's for one and Cow Tales for the other log car. I used the peppermint patties for the wheels and decorated with M&M's and the Mike N Ikes.

Chicken & Stuffing

Great meal to use leftover chicken or turkey! 

• 4-5 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup
• 1 (12 oz) sour cream
• 1 box Stove Top stuffing (I buy a few of these when they go on sale! Usually around Thanksgiving you can find coupons and they usually have great sales on them. They are good to have on hand to make quick meals.)

Mix soup, sour cream, and chicken.  Place in greased 9x13 baking dish.  Make your stuffing according to directions on box.  Place on top of chicken mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Taco Salad

Great meal!

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 head of iceberg lettuce, chopped
• 1/2 Romain lettuce, chopped
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 small can olives, drained
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cups grated cheese
• tortilla chips
• sour cream
• salsa

Fry ground beef seasoned with garlic salt in skillet.  Drain off fat and cool.  Place lettuce, tomatoes, corn, black beans, olives, onions, cheese, and hamburger in large bowl and toss.  Serve with small pieces of tortilla chips, sour cream and salsa.

I make half this for our family, because it's not very good leftover.  I store the other half of corn and black beans in the fridge for another meal.  I also cook double the hamburger now and store the other half for another meal.  Taco soup is a great second meal to use leftovers...from leftover to gourmet!