CAKE or Die.

Hooray for envelopes!!

I love cake.  White cake with white icing.  Wedding cake.  Almond extract infused buttercreme icing on white cake.  If I were on death row, I would request this exact cake (pictured above) as my last meal....along with some cold milk and maybe black coffee too.  (I prefer coffee with cake for breakfast, milk with cake for the rest of the day.)

Last Friday, at the school where I work, there was a volunteer appreciation luncheon.  One of my co-workers makes cakes and created a BEAUTY with tiers and all.  It was white with white icing, and in the middle layer there were thinly sliced fresh strawberries.  I visited her twice and then again when there was an announcement that she had cake left over and didn't want to take it home.  If we showed up to her room with a plate, we could get another hit of buttercreme. There was no hesitation on my part. 

I wanted a cake from this woman for my very own.  I HAD to have one.  I didn't want to be piggish and order a cake for myself with no specific occasion, so I consulted the internet.  I learned that May 16th is: 1.) love a tree day, and 2.) the anniversary of the creation of the envelope.  I went promptly to my co-worker and said, "Can you make me cake for Monday?"  (it was Friday, 3:15 PM mind you).  She said yes!  Here were my instructions:

I want a 9" x 13" rectangle white cake, white icing, white icing roses on all 4 corners, sliced fresh strawberries in a middle layer, and I want it to say--Another wonderful year with the envelope--color of text does not matter.  This is what I got (note--corner was intact upon delivery):

Incident with fork.

 Isn't it FABULOUS!!!  She didn't have room to fit the word "wonderful" but that's just fine, the taste was not affected.  I "went at it with a fork" all day while standing at the cabinet where it was safely stashed from the greedy children in our classroom.  I only the pointed the plastic fork ONCE in threatening manner at a child who tried to get too close. 

This cake is HUGE!  It is TWO 9" x 13" cakes stacked with the strawberry layer in between.  It must weigh at least 10 pounds. 

Sometimes we can enjoy the making of others even more than the making we do ourselves.  This is the ultimately perfect example.  Viva la envelope!!!!!  Now, excuse me while I go put on my stretchy pants.....

P.S. My daughter just got home from school and asked, "How was your day Momma?"  I said, "Pretty  good. Cake helps."  She said, "It sure does."

Holy 'Mole Guacamole Hummus. - Vegan.

Guacamole Hummus with Flax Tortilla Chips
photo by Martha Stroud-Merry

I made this FABULOUS quick, easy, and healthy dip tonight and my daughter Ana and I knew instantly upon tasting it that it will be stock in our fridge from now on. I found the recipe at the very back of this month's issue of Everyday FOOD magazine by Martha Stewart (May, 2011).   The recipe was submitted by a woman from San Antonio.  I substituted lime for lemon.  Here's how I made MY version:

Guacamole Hummus

In a food processor, combine 1 can (15.5 ounces) chickpeas--rinsed and drained, 1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves--washed, 1 garlic clove--chopped, and 1 large (or 2 small) ripe avocados--roughly chopped.  Process until finely chopped.  With machine running, add 3 T. extra virgin olive oil in a slow, steady stream, the juice of 1 fresh lime, and then add water, 1 T. at a time, until mixture is smooth.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve with tortilla chips.  Serves 8

Kitschy Coffee Filter Wrist Corsage.

Happy Mother's Day!  Here's a fun and kitschy wrist corsage you can make for Mom with things found around the house.

Kitschy Coffee Filter Wrist Corsage

Supplies I used:  2"satin ribbon, fabric scraps,
tulle, coffee filters (sm. and lg.), water based markers,
scissors, hot glue gun.

Color coffee fliters with water based markers--
the more saturated the color, the brighter the flower.

Lay the colored filter on the bottom of a wet sink.

Lay wet filters on newspaper to dry--
dries in about 30 min. (in TX).

Fold dry filter into small cone.

Fold up tip of cone, then fold up once more and
hot glue it in place.

Use a dot of hot glue to attach the edges so you have a circle.

Voila!  You have a flower!

Attach flowers to a piece of soft satin ribbon with hot glue.
Add accents with tulle.  I used green to add a leafy look.
Make sure that the ribbon is long enough to
make a large pretty bow at the back of the wrist. 
I also added a thin strip of scrap fabric to the
center of the ribbon with a dot of hot glue.

Corsages

So pretty!

Happy Mother's Day!
(my good Friends Ryan and Dana Graham)