Carley Ann turns 6

Tonight Carley Ann and Anna Claire helped finish the birthday cake for Carley Ann.  What wonderful vision Carley Ann has.  She knew exactly what she wanted and if I made a mis-step, she told me how to fix it.  I think, and thank goodness, she thinks it looks great!

Tomorrow is her birthday party! 

This cake is white marshmallow fondant for covering the cake and making the present and, bow and red fondant dots and initials which was Carley Ann's request.

Carley Ann even trusted Anna Claire to help with decorations.

Marshmallow Fondant

MARSHMALLOW FONDANT

First remember that this fondant is placed over an already iced cake that has been iced as smooth as possible. Most cooks use buttercreme icing, but to speed things up I just use store bought icing.

Ingredients:
· 1 package (16 ounces) white mini marshmallows
· 2-5 tablespoons water
· 2 tsp white vanilla or other flavoring (not necessary to the success of the fondant)
· 2 pounds (about 7- 8 cups) sifted confectioners' sugar
· 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
Makes: About 2 pounds marshmallow fondant.


Microwave the marshmallows and water for about 20 seconds.

Take out and stir with spoon and put back in microwave for 10 seconds more if lots of the marshmallows haven’t melted.

Add vanilla if desired.

Add the sugar and mix and fold until all is incorporated and it is no longer sticky.

You will be using the vegetable shortening to grease your hands and the kneading surface. Remove from the bowl and knead until all the sugar is incorporated usually 5 to 10 minutes. Use a fondant roller or a regular rolling pin and roll out as thin as you want your fondant to be. If you have taken care to get your buttercreame icing super smooth, you can make your fondant very thin. This type of fondant is cheaper and easier to work with plus it has a great taste. After you roll out your fondant in a circle as thin as you like and have taken care to measure the diameter of your cake and know you have your circle large enough, you can fold your fondant over your rolling pin and then place over your cake and smooth down. There are several videos on the internet that show how to do this easily so if it’s your first time, watch a couple and you will be a pro your first time. If you have ever worked with play-doh you can work with this fondant. It will have the same consistency.

You don’t have to use this fondant for just cakes, try it on rice krispy treats in various shapes. The last cake made at my house was a monkey birthday cake and monkey pops made using cocoa rice krispys for monkey heads placed on popsicle sticks and fondant monkey features for eyes, noses and tongues. Have fun.

Cocoa Puff Birthday

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I forgot to post that Cocoa Puff had a birthday on March 1. We think she was born in 1998, but not sure. That makes her 12 this year and she is doing okay... but sleeps a lot more than she once did. She deserves to rest when she wants to. :)

Squash Casserole

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SQUASH CASSEROLE

1 pkg. Pepperidge Farms dressing mix
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 stick of butter
1 can water chestnuts drained and chopped
2lbs yellow squash sliced
1 small jar of pimento
2 cups onion chopped
1 8oz ctn. sour cream
salt & pepper to taste
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 13x9in glass pan. Melt butter toss with dressings.

Cook squash and onion till tender drain well. Mix soup,water chestnuts,pimento,& sour cream. Fold into squash mixture.

Layer 1/2 dressing mix into baking dish, add squash, then cheddar cheese. Top with rest of dressing mix bake for 30 minutes at 350.