Barbie

Our brother recently started dating. Last week he asked us to make a cake for the six year old daughter of his girlfriend. He dropped off two boxes of cake mix and two things of frosting. He told Little Sister that the six year old liked Barbie and to do what ever she wanted to the cake.

I have been wanting to make a Barbie dress cake for a long time. I do not have any daughters of my own so I thought: "Hey, let's go crazy." We went to Wal-mart to pick up extra batter, frosting, frosting in a tube (all my cake decorating stuff is MIA), and most importantly the perfect Barbie.

I thought we were being clever by putting two cake batters in one baking type dish to make a nice deep dress. Not such a good idea after all. The dress to almost two hours to bake and was super dense. However, it did look amazing.

I was told we made the Mom and the little girl almost cry. Apparently the Mom had received a Barbie cake like this for her sixth birthday. I was also told that the little girl was so excited that as soon as the candles were out she was trying to get the Barbie out of the cake! 

I am so happy that we were able to make a little girl very happy.

Happy Sixth Birthday!

Cool Treat

Best treat on a summer night: ice cream and a batch of edible cookie dough.

Trail Mix Cookies

Cookies are a big thing around here, mostly because once a batch is made, it's gone in a matter of hours. The other day my Dad came home with store bought cookies and said to me (the baker of the cookies) "These cookies are great, can you make cookies like this?" To which I replied, "You don't like my cookies?" He said, "I like your cookies, but these ones are soft and chewy, can you make yours like this?" And so the quest began to find the perfect oatmeal cookie for Dad.

Mom kept telling me, "I have an oatmeal cookie recipe that I think will work." But, being stubborn I sought out one of my own, and failed. Twice. Today I actually listened and had success!

I made them big like the men like (I like to eat lots of cookies not just one giant cookie) and filled them with butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, cranberries, raisins, and finely chopped almonds. They are soft, sweet, and perfect.

Trail Mix Cookies (bake at 350deg)

3 Cup Brown Sugar (not packed)
1 Cup Shortening (Butter will make them flatter)
1.5 tsp Cinnamon
3 Eggs
1.5 tsp baking powder
6 Tbs hot water
1.5tsp baking soda
2 Cup white flour
2 Cup whole wheat flour
3 Cup Oatmeal
2 Cup Trail Mix

1.Cream shortening & sugar
2. Add eggs, then cinnamon and baking powder
3. Dissolve soda in water and add
4.Mix flours, oatmeal, and trail mix together in a separate bowl
5. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture (dough will be thick)
6. Form into balls (about the size of a large meatball) and then squish flat (I could fit about 6 on a cookie sheet).
7. Bake for 13-15 minute or until top is slightly browned and edges are brown. It should be slightly firm to the touch