Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Baking GALS, round 26, ship dates

Baking GALS ship dates for this round is anytime between Dec 1-18. That starts tomorrow! Not to worry, if you haven't signed up for Team Caring and Sharing, yet. You still can sign up during the shipping period for this extended round.  Join us in baking for Jon and sending some holiday cheer and goodies to

Monday, November 29, 2010

Recent Cakes

What's baking?

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving with family, friends and good food! Here are a couple of cakes from the past week-carrot cake and chocolate covered cheesecake. It was a busy week and I didn't get to take pictures of everything and the couple of shots I did take are not too good, but you get the idea! Please let me know if you want any recipes.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

other items to ship overseas - Baking GALS Team Caring and Sharing

I'm looking forward to packing boxes of goodies to send to Jon. If you haven't signed up yet, it's not too late to join Team Caring and Sharing.

Baking GALS - cookie ideas for Jon

I hope everyone is gearing up to bake or baking already for Jon. I've been told, "He's never met a cookie he didn't like, but favorites include cowboy cookies, classic chocolate chip and carrot cake cookies."
Anyone have any good recipes for cowboy cookies or carrot cake cookies? Anyone ever heard of cowboy

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Cheesecakes!

What's baking?
Ganache covered chocolate crust cheesecakes in the works! Not too many ingredients- crust is chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreo or Joe-Joe) and a little bit of butter, cheesecake is only cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla with sour cream topping. 2 cakes and 2 dozen minis need to set up and refrigerate 24 hours before covering/smothering in ganache!

Monday, November 22, 2010

BOXES - Baking GALS - boxes for shipping

Boxes for packing and shipping to military are free and available at post offices or you can order them on-line. Here's information from usps about Priority Mail APO/FPO Flat Rate Boxes:
A quick, easy, and convenient way for you to ship Priority Mail packages to military personnel serving overseas. The Priority

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Susan's Cake Decorating Class

I started a new Facebook page, Susan's Cake Decorating Class, for my teaching 'stuff' and to be able to share things like class schedules, student cakes, new products from Wilton, etc.  So please go there to find out more

Friday, November 19, 2010

Fried Green Tomatoes!


Our CSA share has brought us some interesting veggies and I will miss the box of weekly surprises since this is the last of the season. Well, there were green tomatoes this week. My first time I've ever had them so, I thought I'd make a Fried Green Tomato! I sliced the

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

more Baking GALS - how to join in the baking fun

As you can tell from the previous posts, I lam very excited to be leading 'Team Caring and Sharing' with Operation Baking GALS and to have the privilege of baking for Jonathan!  
If you’d like to join my team.
1) go to Operation Baking GALS and log in or create

Monday, November 15, 2010

more Baking GALS

I just added a couple of photos that Karen gave me of her nephew, Jon, to the Baking GALS site for Team Caring and Sharing. Be sure to check out my team on Baking GALS and join us baking for Jon.

Team Sharing and Caring, Operation Baking GALS, round 26

I am leading a team, Sharing and Caring, for Operation Baking GALS. I hope you will read about Jon, below, and join my team. You can go to www.bakingGALS.com.  Once you are registered, you will be able to log in and go to 'meet a round 26 team' and also go to 'join a round 26

information about Operation Baking GALS

Many of you know that I enjoy working with the group Baking GALS. I am participating this round by leading a team for my friend Karen's nephew. I would love to have you join Team Caring and Sharing and send

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Carrot Cake

What's baking?
Still baking out of The Frog/Commissary Cookbook!  Carrot Cake with Pecan Cream Filling and Cream Cheese Frosting. Was for the same luncheon as previous post.

Anniversary Cake!

What's baking?

Cake to celebrate 25 years in private practice! Chocolate Chip Fudge Cake (Killer Cake) with white chocolate writing and gum paste and fondant decorations.
The recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Frog Commissary Cookbook. It's a delicious rich chocolate cake layered and iced with dark chocolate ganache-like icing with a hint of

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Gum Paste & Fondant Figures

Taking a break to let gum paste dry and get ready to go teach - not quite turning out the way I had envisioned! It's a work in progress for cake due tomorrow!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Sugar Class continued

Just a few more photos from the sugar class to show the set up and some of the techniques and, of course, Keith Ryder. He is a wonderful instructor, although he makes it look so easy and it is definitely not. Keith is extremely knowledgeable, generous, talented, has great way of teaching and sharing, and a sense of humor. Can you tell I liked the class, even though my thumbs are still slightly burned and sore? Here's a shot of the set-up

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Sugar Class!

Had a great day today playing with sugar. Went to a class about pulled and blown sugar with Keith Ryder - so informative and fun. He makes it look so easy! It's all just sugar! 
During the class we were able to really get a feel for working with sugar and isomalt. Learned the correct consistency, temperatures and texture for pulling, blowing and shaping the sugar. It's one of those skills that takes much practice to get it right.  So I have a ways ahead of me, but it was fun! Here's a sampling of what I made in class.