Sunday, February 23, 2014

King Cake & Potholders

Oh yeah, I have a blog! Has is really almost been a year since my last post? Whoops. I guess getting engaged and married put blogging way out of my mind! Seriously. My last post was March 18, 2013, and I was engaged two days later! Can't say I'm complaining, though. I love being married! 

Also, disclaimer: I'm posting for the first time on the iPad, so sorry if things aren't perfectly edited/formatted. Still working out how to use this app!

Back to the post...Sugar is my enemy. Some people love pasta, some love chocolate, I love sugar in general. So much so that I think that's what I'm giving up for Lent this year since the only way I could get through 40 days without it is with God's help! I get excited about the different seasons and holidays based on the desserts. It's all oh-so-gooooooood....


One of my favorite sweet treats comes around about this time of year: king cake! It's Mardi Gras season down on the coast, and one of the things I miss the most about Mardi Gras is the king cake. It's EVERYWHERE! IF you've never experienced the joys of king cake, the best way to describe it is like a cinnamon roll or cream cheese Danish that is acceptable to eat at any time of day as part of any meal! After I moved away from the coast, though, if I wanted king cake, I had to learn how to make it myself.  

There were many trials and several errors, but I finally found a recipe that I really like.
It makes two cakes, but I've never had trouble giving away the second (mainly to make sure that Trae and I don't eat both)! It's also fairly easily cut in half if you really only want one, and it gives you the option to do the traditional cinnamon and sugar filling or cream cheese. (Tip with the cream cheese: Try adding a few tablespoons of your favorite jam or jelly for a fruity twist!) The recipe can also double as a fantastic cinnamon roll dough. Just slice it into 1-inch sections after you roll up the dough and set it in a greased 13x9 pan for the second rise. Cook at 375 for about 10 minutes and cover with your favorite frosting. (Cream cheese is my favorite!)

Purple sprinkles are a lot harder to come by than you would think, so I improvise with the red/blue. Maybe they'll run together and make purple? That's my hope...

I did try another recipe tonight. After our failed camping attempt this past Friday (long story, but it was a combination of damp firewood and much colder-than-expected temperatures...we'll try again later...), I still had a hankering for s'mores. I'd been wanting to try the skillet s'mores I'd seen all over Pinterest, but I don't have a 6-inch skillet. Enter the gingerbread man. My mom gave me a personal gingerbread cookie kit for Christmas that included a tiny gingerbread man-shaped skillet. And so the gingerbread man s'more was made! Oh the sugar.....oh the tasty!

He was perfect for the two of us. I'm honestly not sure how two people could take down a full 6-inch skillet of it! (Yes, the picture is way out of focus...too much shaking from the sugar rush? yeah, we'll blame it on that.)

Oh, I want to share my latest sewing projects! I have to thank Amber and her blog CrazyLittleProjects for getting me back into sewing. I'd slowed down a bit, but she's been posting monthly sewing challenges to get you inspired and back to the machine! For January's contest I made a maxi skirt, and for this month I am in love with these fabulous heart-shaped potholders. I spent my snow day last week making a few as Valentine happies. They were so fun and easy to make! 
                     


Hop on over to her blog and take a look at the neat projects she has, whether you're into sewing or not! She has a lot of food and crafty posts,too!

That's all for now...laissez bon temps rouler!!





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