Family.....

You can't choose your family!! I have to say that I love my family, but that doesn't mean that I have to like all of them, and I don't! I just can't stand some of them right now, but I'll leave it at that.

TWD - Thanksgiving Twofer Pie

Last week, I skipped out on TWD. I don't like rice pudding, so I opted to not make it.

This weeks selection was Thanksgiving Twofer Pie. It was really easy to make and mine turned out pretty well. However, I do wish that the recipe would have warned me that this pie will fill every bit of my pie shell. It did overflow in the oven, but luckily I followed directions and put my pie plate on a cookie sheet.

This is my VERY full pie before going in to the oven.

This is my pie fresh from the oven and on the cooling rack. It came out of the oven after my girls had gone to bed. They were very disappointed and wanted to have a piece before bed, but it was too late for them to wait.


Guess what I let the girls have as part of their breakfast. Yep - since they didn't get to try it the night I made it, they got it before school yesterday! Sarah liked it, but Ella didn't enjoy it as much. I certainly didn't want her piece to be wasted, so I ate it!! Yum Yum

Kugelhopf

This weeks TWD reicpe was Kugelhopf. The first web site listed on a google search for this cake gave me this website which gives Dories recipe.
This cake has to rise several different times and takes practically all day to make. Luckily, it was a warm day here in NC and I had no problems during the rising process. You can see in the pan above all the butter I coated the pan with (yummy). I used a pastry brush to be sure and get into all of those groves.

Above is the cake just out of the oven and it has been coated with butter and a layer of suger sprinkled on top.

Just before serving a light dusting of powdered sugar was added. It kind of soaked into all that butter that I put on the top.

I think this cake turned out like it should. It was a very light and fluffy cake, similar to a croissant texture. I used dried cherries instead of raisins, but the quantity didn't seem to be enough. There are several pieces of the cake that were left without any cherries. I had a piece of this cake while it was still a little warm and it was good, however I found it much better the next day with butter (yes MORE butter) and some raspberry jam on top. I put the slice in the microwave to warm it a bit and I really liked it.

I don't think that this is a recipe I will try again. It just took too long and I prefer much, much sweeter cakes. I did enjoy the experience and can say that I've successfully made Kugelhopf.

Stamp Something Challenge

I somehow stumbled upon the Stamp Something blog and began to watch their weekly challenges. I have lots of stamps, but don't use them as often as I should (or would like). I have decided to have their challenges help me get back into the swing of stamping.

This weeks challenge is to simply create a card with only 1 layer of cardstock. This was the perfect week for me to start back into stamping. I didn't have to worry with layering and "over-doing" the card. It also helped that my daughters are going to a b-day party tonight and can use these!!

Rugelach

I've signed up to join the Tuesday's with Dorie baking group. I haven't been officially added yet, but I baked last weeks item (Rugelach) anyway. I should have blogged about this recipe on Tuesday, but due to computer issues I have delayed until today. I guess since I haven't been officially added to the group it doesn't matter when I post..lol.

I have never been much of a baker (or cook either), but recently I've begun to enjoy baking. For me, I found this recipe a lot of work for just a few cookies. They were quite good and even my 16 year old son enjoyed them. I used raisins instead of currents in the recipe and I don't have any white decorating sugar. I do have plenty of red and green decorating sugar and decided to use up some of it. My Rugelach looked really funny, but they tasted great.
My son wanted to eat it before it was even cut up, rolled and baked.

Ready to go into the oven.The final product.