And the Oscar Goes To...

...ticket sugar cookies and popcorn brownies.  Oscar parties are becoming so popular.  It is fun to have the your menu reflect the nominated films or movie theme in general.  So in that spirit, I made sugar cookies that look like old fashion movie tickets and put the names of all the nominated best picture films AND brownies decorated like popcorn bags (using a standard vanilla buttercream, red sprinkles for the stripes and mini marshmallows (white and yellow) as well as popcorn flavored jelly belly beans for the popcorn).


I know lots of people fill out Oscar ballots at their parties -- I somehow came across this very cool Oscar Bingo which is a very fun idea to keep guests entertained (other than commenting on the dresses and jewels).  


And the Oscar goes to... eating lots of popcorn (my favorite), cookies and brownies and having a red carpet time with whoever you choose.

Frosting for the Cause -- Breathe, Chocolate Brownie, “OM” Cookies

I'm so excited because today I am a guest baker / blogger on Frosting for a Cause. 

It's a wonderful site with new creative, tasty baking ideas everyday, and best of all, it raises funds for and awareness of the fight against breast cancer.  

At some point today, please take a moment to look at the site and please try to remember to "breathe".

Conversation Sweet Hearts

 Remember the old fashion "Sweet Hearts"?  Apparently they have never gone out of fashion (sort of like the sock monkeys) and they are now called "Conversation Hearts".  


So I made some for Valentine's Day but decided they could be great any time! 

I used the second smallest heart cutter from this Wilton set -- the smallest one would have worked too but I thought I could get better "conversation" on the slightly larger one -- and I was right.   


The cookies ended up being around 2" x 1.5" or a perfect bite size cookie with enough room to write fun expressions from the traditional, "kiss me" and "be mine" to the more hi-tech "email me" and "LOL".  

These were fun to make and looked cute all  packaged up.

Have a great SWEET HEART CONVERSATION on Valentine's Day!


Make sure you tell someone (and that someone may be a boyfriend or husband, girlfriend or wife, mother, father, brother, sister, old friend or dog or cat or bird) that you love them.

Sock Monkey Love

I had tons of stuffed animals as a kid, but only two have survived -- an original Snoopy and this sock monkey, "Trixie".  Who knew that sock monkeys would be even more popular today then they were when I was growing up? So when thinking of cute Valentine's Day cookie ideas that fit the theme but break from the heart tradition, I thought of the timelessness of the sock monkey --with a little heart, of course.

Use your favorite sugar cookie recipe.

Cut and bake your cookies according to the recipe.

Materials Needed for Decorating:

• royal icing -- my new favorite royal icing is made with Ateco meringue powder (white or no colour for hat, hands, feet & mouth)
• large heart sprinkles
• candy eyes
• brown & white crystal sugar and brown sand sugar (mixed 1/3 each)
• large red round sprinkles
• clear corn syrup
• paint and pastry brushes
• candy tweezer

Using a # 3 tip, pipe in hat, mouth, hands and feet.

Add a red round candy sprinkle for the mouth.

Brush clear corn syrup on the cookie and cover with sanding sugars.

Add the final details of eyes and the heart and let dry over night before packaging and sharing with your LOVE ones.

This if forsure my new favorite cookie.  It's cute and fun and reminds me of my childhood.

Did you have a sock monkey as a kid?  Let me know and have great weeks planning something special for Valentine's Day.

I will try to post some other ideas on the Flour Child Facebook site [+] during the week.

Lovey Cupcakes

In order to keep up, I really should be adding Valentine's Day cookies to my blog.

For every holiday cupcakes are in order -- Valentine's Day is no different.

These cookies are a basic sugar cookie.

To make the chocolate royal icing, add brown colour gel AND cocoa powder -- it makes a great colour and yummy taste.

The pink cupcake tops are always cute and some heart sprinkles make the cookies quite festive.