Another Big Weekend

Cupcakes for Bryn Athyn Bounty & Artists' Gallery on Saturday, beaucoup cupcakes for Sunday's 1st ever New Church Day Fair.  In my element!

Savvy Use of Time, Resources

With a full crunch of baking ahead for today & tomorrow, opted to give my ANC Jr. guys chilled beverages & my gals bread-sliced Cinnamon Crunch bagels from Panera.  


Not lazy!  Making best use of time & resources!  

Blueberry Muffins

Gee, I'm proud of the blueberry muffins I made for my ANC Class of 2013, girls & guys!

Added a heaping teaspoon of Penzey's Baking Spice - what a rich flavor!  But wish I'd thought at the beginning - instead of  after the first batch of batter had baked - to use a spoon to add the blueberries to each muffin ~ ~ my fingernails are still, well over 24 hours later, still stained deep purple.

Got the gals their muffins just after first bell rang, so the room was filled with so many young ladies that I know so well but can't recognize because they're so grown up.  I asked if they knew how long I'd been pampering the class.  One of the dorm gals sang out, "Since FOREVER!"  Wrong (since 3rd grade), but it sure felt great to hear.

Instead of taking the boys' muffins to DeCharms Hall through the connecting "bridge," I went outside, got them out of the car (John was at the wheel, so I didn't have to park in a visitor's spot), and went up to its front door ~ and found it LOCKED.  Called out to the room on the left if someone could come open it for me.  One of the older guys - probably a senior - shouted to an unseen someone to open the door.  As he swung open the big heavy door for me, I asked him if he was a junior.  He hung his head a bit - because EVERYONE knew who the muffins were for - and said, "No, m'am."  His face broke into a HUGE grin as I opened the lid of the top box & told him to take one.  He picked out the biggest, then bounced up the stairs, shouting, "I got one of the cupcakes!"  How splendid.

Up early to take John to work tomorrow (5 a.m. - 10 a.m.), so will bake vanilla cupcakes with fudge ganache frosting for my guys, Morning Glory muffins for my gals.  Last I'll see of them this year.  Graduation is on Saturday, and I've got to miss it (Bounty has priority this year; NOTHING will keep me away in 2013), so the kids will scatter to the winds for the summer come Saturday afternoon.

Glad I've taken this time to pamper them a bit during Exam Week!

Learning Curve

Amazing how things work out.  Having Bryn Athyn Bounty for a scant six weeks last year was just right - gave us a taste for the fun behind baking up a storm while supporting the college garden project.  This year, it's just right to extend the season to a whopping six months!  

The first four weeks have been a learning curve...  

• Get there at 8 to help Suzie set up.
• Have all signage & tags DONE by Friday afternoon.
• Pack the car with non-perishables the night before.
• Cherry Crisps in a Jar may not be big sellers - much to John's delight, as he gets to savor whatever isn't sold - but look too nifty not to do.  
• Maple Pancake Cupcakes need just a scant amount of Maple Frosting - just enough to serve as anchor for bacon crumbles (much tastier than a single bacon shard, which might look more dramatic but has nowhere near the taste bud power as crumbles of freshly frizzled bacon).
• Works to include a mini Blueberry Spice muffin to the mini mix - bodacious helping of blueberries just right early on a Saturday morning.  And great to stock up on for Sunday morning breakfasts!
• Speaking of stocking up - learned that people LOVE the 5-pack, so don't even bother having larger boxes. 
• Am going to have to use a shortening-based icing when it peaks beyond 85 degrees (real deal buttercream starts to melt).
• Use two ice-filled storage boxes to keep the cooler chilled.  
• Keep most of the cupcakes in the cooler;  bring them out as needed to fill orders.
• Friends can be founts of great ideas - Suzie S. suggested using a sliver of lemon slice jelly candies for the top of the Triple Lemon instead of a mini dollop of curd;  Ann B. sent me a recipe for Shortbread with l;avendar which I'll debut this weekend; use a friend's kitchen to bake the Cathedral Pound Cake (feels like I'm wearing out my welcome at CV).  
• Keep it simple - Whoopies, mini cupcakes, Cherry Crisps, shortbread are easy to make.  The only time-consumer is the Cathedral Pound Cake, and that looks too stunning to skip.  
• Take the Cathedral Bundt Cake pan WITH me for display, along with the biz card for Lahaska's kitchen store (from whence it came).
• Have a bowl of water at the corner for parched pups.
• Make sure I have brochures of my summer creativity workshops for all ages/cross generations on display (includes baking sessions).
• ALWAYS remember that the most important thing is to make & have FUN!

What happened?

No posts since MARCH?

CRISPS, CRUMBLES & COBBLERS

Excited to introduce my new line of baked yums - crumbles, crisps & cobblers in a jar!

Pies in a jar may be the current rage, but I overwhelmingly prefer the delectable topping-to-filling ratio of a fruit crisp, crumble or cobbler. Envisioning the joy of opening the jar to find a happy helping of delicious dessert awaiting the first dip of your spoon!

Valentine Flavor Mix n Match!!

So - mini cupcakes are $15 for 18 (all one combo; extra $5 for two combos) or $5 for 5 (one combo). Orders must be received by 02/12 for 02/14 delivery; contact AuntDeev@aol.com or 215.357.6892 ~ ~ to avoid miscommunication, Deev will confirm receipt of each order.

Cupcake flavors include Not-So-Plain Plain, Triple Chocolate (includes milk & dark chocolate chips), Zesty Lemon, Carrot Cake, Mocha (dark chocolate & coffee)

Frosting options include Classic Buttercream, Lemon Buttercream, Cream Cheese with Toasted Coconut, Dark Chocolate, Twisted Chocolate (Dark Choc & Classic Buttercream), Cafe Au Lait Buttercream

Embellishments (optional, 1 per cupcake, can mix n match) include small red confetti candy heart, ground chocolate-covered coffee beans, lemon curd, slashes of raspberry jam or melted chocolate, hazelnut "cigarette" cookie

Cupcakes will arrive in a round aluminum cake pan with a clear lid, festively tied up with a froth of elegant ribbon.

License

Need to get a copy of the certified kitchen license to my baking clients in Lambertville. Praise be, I have access to one AND was already slated to do Monday baking for the college. The bank folks only want four dozen pieces, so it's a snap to back for the college & just hold out a smattering for Marianne et al.

I am so blessed!!

FLASH BACK - Christmas

As it turned out*, we had our merriest Christmas ever! Very laid back, very wonderful.

Kicked off the holidays delivering Santa Suit cupcakes from Yum Yum to our neighbors - the 4-packs looked fabulous & tasted even better!!!

Christmas caroling around the neighborhood was followed by a party at a neighbor's home. What fun it was!!

Christmas Eve was full of Christmas heart - sat next to Cavanaugh's at Ivyland candlelight service, followed by dinner at our beloved Pineville Tavern, then back home for a snuggle & midnight viewing of The Spirit of Christmas, with its wonderful (marionette!) telling of the Lord's birth - a tradition that John introduced to our celebration.

Intentionally low key Christmas Day. Took Anne Davis Hyatt to cathedral Christmas service, with I loved. Watched holiday movies for a lot of the afternoon. Early dinner was take-out Chinese food. As has become our tradition, waited to do our stockings & presents until later (as it turned out, much later).

Things that I forgot & want to remember next year include what we've traditionally enjoyed for Christmas dinner and which I clear forgot in 2011 - pot roast and poached salmon, my own version of surf & turf! Actually did have a variation on that theme on the day we finally unwrapped gifties - Jan 8!! ~~ corned beef hash with carmelized onions & a rasher of bacon accompanied by rolled up slivers of smoked salmon.

Pot roast & poached salmon ~OR~ corned beef hash delux & smoked salmon? Will be a hard choice this year which to make. Maybe like we did this year - the first for Christmas Day, the more casual for our Great Unwrapping.

It was just a couple days ago that I finally made the pot roast that should have graced our tummies on 12/25. Turned out to be the best gravy I've produced EVER! Might have been because the rump roast - larger & denser than our usual shoulder cut - took longer to slow cook. Oh yum, it was delectable.

A tasty, holly jolly Christmas all around!!!

* Didn't seem it would be all that merry late Christmas Day, when I had a bit of a melt down. It had nothing to do with Christmas & everything to do with John thinking like a guy and me thinking like a gal. Praise be, we came away from it with new insights into guy/gal stuff & a deepening of our relationship.

FLASH BACK - Bryn Athyn Craft Show

My computer was down, so didn't write about the goodie making done for the B.A. Craft Show!

LOTS!! North Pole Specials (choc peppermint sandwich cookies dipped in white chocolate & dusted with different embellishments), Jingle Bark, Pumpkin Whoopies, and my savory crackers. Put in a lot of time for very little profit, but had a blast so it was a good investment.

Pondering doing all chocolates this year (2012), under Karen C's inspiration & guidance. Longer shelf life - if things are left over, will make decadent presents!

CPU CRASHED - blasted virus!

Been offline for weeks & weeks & weeks - oh, the challenges of having to scrimp together the moola to restore my computer. Sans documents, wiped out in the crash. Ah well, gives an unexpected fresh start for my 3rd act.

Big things happening in the baking department! Am baking every Monday morning at Cairnwood Village, whipping up nibblings to take the next day to Bryn Athyn College "with love from Aunt Deev, baked at Cairnwood Village" - chance to make tasty treats for my kids (staff & students) and hopefully have Villagers stop in for a cuppa & chat as I bake. Should be a lot of fun all around!

Am baking for John Treichler's reception before his 01/20/12 show at Bank of Princeton/Lambertville gallery. And the bank manager wants to sample some of my wares with an eye to hiring me to whip up a small tasting for bank customers - we're meeting over breakfast at Fred's this coming Tuesday.

Because I like to have a variety at the artist receptions I cater - which means way more goodies than's needed - have signed up to provide the nibblings for the 01/22 cathedral reception. Planning on mini cupcakes (Triple Lemon, Vanilla Vanilla, Cookies n Cream - all made from one batch of batter!) and small cookies (choc chip w/orange heart shortbread cookies, Tea Tots - light lemon cookies, and Sugar Cookies). Maybe throw in some tartlettes for the cathedral reception; definitely add my savory crackers, cheeses, and fresh fruit - need to find out my budget for the after-service gathering.

And maybe include some mini whoopie pies - would please Margaret G., who gave me exactly the one whoopie pie cookbook I've been longing for!! Mayhaps this will be the Winter of Whoopie!