BtB

After an invite to friends' home for dinner and 4 drop-in guests on their way, I was forced to break open the reserves in the pantry, get crafty, and create a new recipe working with what I had.

I love to experiment with new recipes and tweak them to be my own, however, being gluten-intolerant, I do not get to be the guinea pig. There is no dress rehearsal on my recipes...only an Opening Night.

I baked the evening away, making 26 baby bundts. and one large bundt (Center of Cinnamon Roll Recipe) Bundt.

Cinnamon Honey Rum Fudge Bundt Cake

Cake:

· Box of Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix

· 1 1/3 C. of Milk

· 1 stick of Butter

· 3 Eggs

· 2 tsp. Instant Coffee

· 3 TBSP. Honey

· 50 g of Dark Chocolate (if available, Hersey's 60% dark with espresso bits)

Glaze:

· 1/3 cup water

· 1/2 cup sugar

· 6 TBSP butter

· 1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Chop chocolate into small bits. Combine all cake ingredients and chocolate and mix thoroughly for 2 minutes. Pout cake batter into bundt pan. Place batter in cake pan. Beginning checking cake for doneness after 50 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool cake in pan for 10 minutes. (Very important!) While cake is cooling, combine glaze ingredients over low to medium heat in a sauce pan, stirring occasionally, until butter and sugar have melted.

Once cooled, flip cake onto wire rack or cookie sheet. Using a skewer or chopstick, poke holes in top of cake. Evenly pour glaze over warm cake. Can use a spoon or pastry brush to completely cover cake with remaining glaze.

Combine glaze ingredients over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar and butter are melted. Do not cover cake while still warm. Wonderful served warm with coffee.

The bad news is, Rum Chocolate Cake mix was discontinued - so I have opted for fudge to replace the rum. (Chocolate to alcohol is not TOO big of a concession).

I have to apologize for no after shot. I am re-doing this cake this weekend for Memorial Day Cook Out and will take PLENTY of pics.

Besos!

Wordy Wednesday

T.T.

A recent jaunt I had to make as a sorority advisor, an hour and half drive after work I was not looking forward to, left me a few spare moments to hit up a new thrift store. In record time, I scored a few treasures! In and out with less than $4 spent and a "need" fulfilled always brightens my day.


Besos!
S

lifl

I read this blog yesterday by the lovely Kelly at Design Crush - and then...the world stopped. (Well, not entirely). But, my OCD-ness did get the best of me and I fell in love. I fell hard for the font used to create this beauty of a card by up up creative.



A little sleuthing here and there, the font was identified. Then, one thing lead to another, and I am now the proud owner of an additional 300 new fonts to play around with. Now that my repertoire has grown extensively, I feel powered to tackle any font hurdle that may come my way!

A few more beauties...

(Do not start the font-snowball-effect unless you are prepared to spare a few hours)

And I quote....

Self-ish-less Help Please

Well, I guess really self-less (sorta). My friend's hubby needs your votes to win his own jersey night!Please follow the link and vote for Kevin Hart!

How fabulous would it be to have your own jersey night?!?

Treasure

Months ago, when I was way deep into planning my wedding, bride-obsessed zone, I stumbled across this beauty below. What a perfect way to sort my response cards as they came in, or better yet, after my wedding, create a new “retro” address book that would allow for easy Christmas card distribution. A lovely design limited edition creation - only 1,000 crafted. I knew I needed it – but, didn’t have the $70 cash to spare. And like lighting – they were sold out.


I have searched for months and months to find a noble stand-in, but couldn’t find one that was just right. (Martha Stewart even tortured me by featuring the lovely design version in MS Weddings weeks after being sold out.) I also struggled with plopping down any cash for it, as I was afraid I would lose enthusiasm half-way through, and succumb to the wonderful digital address keeper my Macbook has to offer.

Then, in steps our heroine.

• Heavy, Cardstock tabs – check;
  
• Pretty Patina Wood – check;
  
• $1.99 – Winner!
  
  While it may seem silly to you, this was a victory in my book. Now all she needs is a few extra up-cycled cards added for a personal touch.
  

Nothing like a successful bargain hunt to brighten any day!