Bridal Shower Gift

This is a very fun, cute and useful bridal shower gift!

From bottom to top:
Round Pizza Pan
Metal fruit basket
large Tupperware type bowl with lid
Medium Tupperware type bowl with lid
A utensil cup with utensils
hand towels and wash cloths
Paper towel holder

We filled each Tupperware bowl with measuring spoons and cups, hot pads, can opener, timer...
We then stacked each piece, placing a doily on each bowl and towels (folding in half, making a large triangle and then rolling) around each section, and then ran a long piece of ribbon through the fruit basket and through the utensils; tying a bow in front.  Then placed everything on the pizza pan.  We then took wash cloths (fold in half, making a rectangle, and roll at a slight angle.  Then fold in half making a rose with a leaf) and made roses and weaved them in the wire fruit basket as well. We made a large card with the couples first initial on it and placed it in the paper towel holder. 

Lady Bug Cake

Made this for my little girls 2nd birthday.  She loved it!

• 1 cake box
• 1 medium metal or glass bowl
• 1 small glass bowl
• mini Oreos
• white chocolate melting chips
• Buttercream Frosting
• Red food coloring
• Black food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Make cake according to directions on box.  Pour batter between, well greased and floured, bowls.  The smaller bowl baked for about 20 minutes.  The larger bowl baked for about 35-45 minutes.  Let them cool for 15-20 minutes. Turn over on foil covered cardboard. 

Frost the larger section first. Add a line of black down the middle, I used the writing frosting you buy in a tube, and add half an Oreo while frosting is still wet.  Frost the back side and sides of the head, then place it on the body.  Frost the face.  Place two white melting chips on for the eyes while the frosting is still wet, so the stay on.  I dipped my finger in black frosting and placed a dot in each eye.  I then melted white chocolate in a small Ziploc bag.  Cut a small hole in the corner and piped a mouth and eyelashes on.  I then placed two candles in the top of the head.

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.

Watermelon Smoothie

A family favorite, around our house, are smoothies.  I had a bunch of watermelon leftover from a party, so I decided to make a smoothie with it and leftover sherbet...it was amazing!

• 6 cups chopped seedless watermelon
• 2 cups sherbet (I used tropical)
• 1 cup ice
• 1/8 cup sugar

Place everything in a blender and blend on smoothie setting until smooth.

Mini chocolate filled cupcakes

These make great gifts!

Yellow Cake

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup butter
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cup milk

In a large mixing bowl beat butter and sugar until creamy.  Add vanilla.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating 1 min. after each.  Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.  Add dry mixture and milk alternately to sugar mixture.  Pour batter into prepared cup cake pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15 min or until done. 

• 1 box chocolate jello

Make jello according to directions. Once cupcakes are cool, pipe jello into middle of cupcake. Move tip around in middle creating a hole for pudding to fill. Frost cupcakes. 

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting 

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp vanilla 
• 4 TBSP milk

Cream butter with mixer. Add 3 cups sugar and cocoa and beat on low. Add vanilla, milk, and more sugar if needed to make it a stiff frosting. 

Bridal Shower Cake