Black Forest Pancakes

Layer:

One pancake, made from favorite mix, with pecans added.
Nutella
Cherry preserves from Trader Joe's
Repeat




Even the cat thought they looked good! (Don't try unless you like things that are very sweet.)

Photos taken with Hipstamatic app on my iPhone.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Magic Crayons

I've been collecting bits of crayons from my art room in an old muffin tin.



Finally had time to work a little magic. About 7 minutes in a warm oven melts them. (Watch them carefully, the aroma of melted crayons in your kitchen will not put you in a holiday mood!) Let them harden slightly, then stick them in the frig for about a half hour. Then tip the tin over, give it a firm tap, and the crayons will easily flip out.



I plan to use these for some fun crayon rubbing projects.

Hello, Cupcake!

My friend Gail recently has been taking cake decorating classes. Gail is more into baseball than baking, so her friends have been entertained by her new hobby! For my birthday, she gave me her "homework" from one of her classes, this gorgeous cake topped with sugar lilies.

So when I saw the book Hello, Cupcake!: Irresistibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make! I knew it would be the perfect gift for her! It is filled with cute and clever ideas on ways to decorate cupcakes. Some of the unique ideas include these darling fishbowls:

Or how about spaghetti and meatballs?

And these Christmas ornaments are so pretty!

If you are looking for some fresh ideas for decorating your cupcakes, this book is a gem!