300 Cupcakes

I was asked to bake 300 cupcakes for the Kids Marine Corps Birthday Ball Celebration on base. I was thrilled! So here are just a few of the 300 red and yellow icing on chocolate and white cupcakes!

All packaged up and ready for pickup!

Happy 233rd Birthday Marine Corps!

Operation Baking Gals: Round 4 Roundup

Here is the Round 4 Roundup for

Operation Baking Gals: Team Ugly AngelHere are the people who have shipped their packages. I heard from Captain Trammell and he has already received some of them! He was very thankful!

Kim (Me...Hawaii) from 3rd Generation Cake Lady
Snickerdoodle Cookies + Extras

Jill (Texas) of www.jillmanty.com
(no photo)
Chocolate Chip Cookies + Extras


Nayelli
Peanut Butter Bars with Chocolate Filling
Sugar Frosted Ginger Chewies


Sharon (Iowa)
Peanut Butter Blossoms & Snickerdoodles + Extras


Pam (Alabama)

Kristina (Hawaii)

Alaina (Hawaii)
Double Chocolate Chip + Extras
Beth
Snickerdoodles, Ginger Snaps, Pumpkin Cookies & Apple Butter... as well as lots of extras and a special drawing by her 6 year old of people enjoying all the goodies (they are licking their lips)!
Marge (Texas)
(no photo)
Cookies, Snacks, Magazines + lots of extras!

Katie C. (MA)
Check out her flickr page for pictures!

Erin (Alabama)
(no photo)
Oatmeal Raisin & Chocolate Crackle Cookies + Extras

DeAnne (Iowa)
Peanut Butter Cookies, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies & Pumpkin Scones,
along with all sorts of extras which include toys for the Iraqi children!

Cheryl S.
(no photo)
Red White & Blue cookies (white chocolote chips, cranberry and blueberries...oh my!) And...some maple date oatmeal bars, along with all kinds of extras I'm sure Captain Trammell and his buddies will much appreciate!

Samantha

Susan (Florida) from Yaffa Dreams
Chocolate Chip Pan Cookies + Extras

Julie from Hawaii
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies + Extras

Thank you to everyone who joined the team this round! I'll keep you posted on next round if anyone would like to join us again! Check out Operation: Baking Gals website!

TWD - Kugelhopf

This week's Tuesday's With Dorie was chosen by Yolanda of All Purpose Girl. I skipped out on last week. I just had too much going on to try the Rugelach...but I have the dough in my fridge right now so I'll be posting a rewind in the next day or so.

I got to use two items for the first time with this recipe...my dough hook for my Kitchen Aid, and my Pampered Chef stoneware bunt pan. I was surprised at how simple this recipe was. Ingredient wise. It was quick and painless, well, quick if you don't count all the rising time.

Here is a time warp of my dough rising in my bunt pan.

If I knew then what I know now, I would have sprayed my bunt pan so that the end result would not have stuck to much. I forget that it takes a few times on the stoneware before it's actually "non stick".

Anyways, I had never heard of Kugalhopf in my life...so I was anxious to try something new! It smelled delicious in the oven, however, I have to admit, it wasn't what I was expecting. To me, it tasted like a semi sweet dinner roll with raisins. (And, I only put raisins in it because my husband likes them) Good thing, too, because that was his first comment "Mmm, I like the raisins in this!"

So I probably won't be making this again, but at least the hubby liked it!

Oh, my sad little Kugelhopf....the aftermath of a non - nonstick pan.

Pumpkin Pancakes

The kids and I made pumpkin pancakes the other night. Man were they good! I have seen several blogs lately that have made these and saved one of the recipes to try it out.

My two older kids (ages 10 & 4) fought over who got to stir, dump, pour, and mix, but in the end, both were very happy to be able to eat pancakes for supper, along with a dollop of whip cream! What a treat!

I had to hide these last 2 pancakes for myself. I have never seen my son eat so much! (Letting him glop on his own whip cream may have had a little to do with that!)

Pumpkin Pancakes

Serves 2-3

1 cup (5 ounces) flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ nutmeg
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
½ cup pumpkin
1 cup buttermilk
vegetable oil for the pan

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg until thoroughly combined, then add the butter, pumpkin, and buttermilk. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk gently until batter is mostly mixed but still contains small lumps. Let batter rest while pan heats, at least 5 minutes.

2. Heat non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add a few drops of oil and spread it over the bottom of the pan. Using a ¼ cup measure, pour pancake batter onto hot griddle. When pancake is golden brown, flip to cook other side. Keep warm in oven heated to 275 degrees.

A Letter from a Soldier...

Today I received a letter from the soldiers I sent my Operation Baking Gals package to in Round 3. I was so surprised to get it in the mail! It was a cute card that I'm pretty sure the soldiers received in their packages, as I'm sure they don't have too much free time for arts and crafts!

Three guys wrote a little message thanking me for the cookies and snacks I sent, and said it was a huge boost in morale there!

I was truly just happy to send the package to them, but actually getting a card back with a thank you really makes you feel like you have done so much!

That card made my day! I just wanted to share that!