Yummy! Strawberry Shortcake - Easy Make!

Doesn't that look SO yummy? It couldn't be easier to make......

I started with a sugar free, store bought Angel Food Cake (hard to find, but doable). Cut the cake into 3 slices (horizontally), set aside. In separate bowl, mix sugar free whipped cream with chopped nuts. Spread whipped cream mixture between layers of cake. slice strawberries and place on top of cake. See - Easy Peasy!

You can vary the dessert by adding chopped strawberries to the whipped cream mixture, drizzle with caramel or chocolate, change out the fruit (pineapple would be delish), add chocolate curls to the top.
OR OR OR.......add/change out:
Sprinkles
Chocolate
Nuts
Fruit
Chopped Candy Bars
Caramel
Edible Sugared Flowers

 

My Italian Kitchen - Cooking

Last week, we had the kids over for dinner....I always try to plan a dinner that I haven't cooked for them in the past or one of their favorites. Last week, it was "something new" week! I do have to say that dinner turned out great, it was so yummy! Drew and I had it for lunch the next day....neither of us complained! I love to look at recipes but rarely do I follow them. Usually, I just throw stuff together and hope for the best, last week was no different.

Start out by sauteing chopped green peppers and onions in olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic salt (have you noticed that these are my staples?)

Brown garlic slices, add crumbled sausage and cook until no longer pink

Add peppers and onions to pan with sausage

Now add two cans of diced tomatoes, heat through 

Spoon over pasta, add Parmesan cheese and enjoy

Yup, another successful dinner, out of the cupboard, fridge and freezer! I love when I have everything on hand....my favorite way of cooking! 

The kids will be coming for dinner tomorrow....dinner will be a bit more simple: 

Cheeseburgers without buns

Baked, spiced potato wedges with Ranch Dressing for dipping

Fresh tomatoes and cukes

Simple's good too! 

Stir Fry for Dinner...

We eat a lot of stir fries, it's one of my most favorite dishes to cook! Why...because it cleans out the fridge! I love to pull foods from the fridge, throw them in a wok....voila! Something yummy always comes of it! I'm not a big fan of moose but I'm trying to broaden my horizons! So, I pulled the moose round steak from the freezer, let it thaw, soaked it in water for an hour....the base of tonight's stir fry! Here's how it went:

Moose Stir Fry

Moose Round Steak, sliced
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Garlic Salt
Sugar Snap Peas
Onions, Sliced

Heat wok then add the olive oil, salt, pepper and Garlic Salt. Add sliced moose meat (or beef, if you prefer), brown in wok until cooked through and slightly crispy on the edges. Remove from wok, set aside. In same wok, add more olive oil, sugar snap peas and onions. Stirring continuously, fry until onions are translucent but still slightly crispy. Add moose back into wok, heat through. Serve over Rice or Pasta, if desired.
Couldn't be easier and OMG, couldn't be tastier! I won't say that I love moose meat but I surely don't hate it!

Make sure your wok is very hot before adding meat...

OMG, doesn't this look yummy? It was SO SO good! I love the crunchy snow peas, they add such freshness to the stir fries! 

Practicing Once Again.....

So, I am once again practicing for the wedding.....good thing I have several months to practice as I'm still mastering my technique....not there yet! I can accept that....I will keep practicing until I am where I want to be. I just had an epiphany....I don't have to make cupcakes to practice frosting....I can frost paper! Good thing cause last night I goofed! I was preparing the buttercream frosting for the cupcakes only to realize that I pulled the WRONG recipe...I was making Royal Frosting which dries hard! OMG! So, now I had to pull out the "unsalted" butter for the correct recipe, it needs to sit at room temperature! I did so! Later, I went into the kitchen to start the frosting and holy toledo....I pulled the wrong butter. Now, I'm not one to ignore signs! It was a sign that I was too tired and I should not even try to frost the cupcakes. I decided to just go sit down and watch  the first episode of "Downton Abbey" before bed.

So, this morning, I woke up at 4:45am, thinking it was time to get up. I went into the kitchen to start working on the frosting, got everything out, THEN I looked at the clock! OMG....another sign that I've got too much on my mind! Good grief....I'm beat and wound up all at the same time! I decided that I really needed to be fresh for the frosting! So, I went back to bed, woke up at 6:30! Oh fine! I just got up! I did some housecleaning, dishes, laundry....and finally, it was time to start the frosting. So, the recipe I used did not call for any liquid.....weird! I was a bit terrified that I was going to have a big lump of white sugary substance in my mixing bowl....but no, it turned out beautiful, was so smooth and thick, easy to frost with! Here are a couple samples of what I did this morning:

Right now, I'm not trying to master techniques, I am just testing tips to see what they do! The pictures look blue, they aren't....they are a very dark, stunning purple!

I think this is my fave tip, looks like ribbon.....love it!

I really liked this cupcake with the dark purple flowers on top of the white star bursts....it's stunning in person! 

Oh man, I really love this ribbon tip....I am going to learn to master this one especially....it just makes me happy! 

The frosting recipe I used (found on Pinterest): 

Bakery Style Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 

1/2 cup shortening

3-1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1/2 tsp almond extract (I might try Clear Vanilla next time)

Mix butter and shortening on low, until smooth. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until blended. Add extract, mix to combine. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes, until smooth. 

I'd Like to Start by Saying.....

Welcome to my Party!

At the encouragement of a friend of mine, Leslie, I have created a blog to capture all my party ideas, party planning, party pictures, party decor, party cards....party anything. At first I was reluctant...I mean, what do I know about planning parties and would anyone really be interested in what I have to say? I do have to say that I've spent many a night, sleepless, because my mind won't shut down, I can't stop thinking about ways to decorate, what to create, how to make the party decor fun, what to cook (I do love planning the food) and how to make the parties exciting. Oh, I don't get into the games, I'll leave that to ya'll! It's silly, but I don't even really like going to parties, again, I will leave that to ya'll! I just like the act of designing, creating, cooking, planning the party.

On this blog, I plan to post pictures of parties I've done, things I've created for parties and recipes....lots and lots of recipes.

It may be slow going as I don't do many parties but I will also show you the steps I've taken to plan for my son's wedding, work birthdays.....testing of cupcake recipes and decorating (by the by, I am new to decorating cakes and cupcakes but I am learning. I will show you my first effort of frosting cupcakes, then I will show you as I progress! I am going to learn how to make Royal Frosting Roses, you will watch me as I learn....yes, it will take a great deal of humility on my part, to show you my failures!

I'm going to start you off with an Angry Bird Card and gift box for Tracy's birthday.....

I will post more pics each day....I just wanted to get the "Party Started"!