Alternatives to Birthday Cake

I love cake and I secretly think Greg does too (at least the carrot or orange cake variety). But this year, he requested an apple crumble instead of a cake for the little dinner party my mom's throwing for him. I recall having a lemon meringue pie stand in as a cake for one of my teenage birthdays, and a friend recently made a Swedish seafood sandwich cake for her husband's birthday because he'd given up sugar for Lent. Here are some other fun options:

A trio of mini tin can cakes?

Maybe a banana loaf?

Or a tray of donuts?

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Today is my Grandma's birthday.. We celebrated with a ladies luncheon complete with the most delicious potato salad, chicken and chorizo empanadas and a seven layer lemon cake. Happy Birthday Grandma! I love you!

March is birthday month in our house (Greg and me), so I'm collecting ideas on fun and casual celebrations. I'm loving this ombre cake!

How to: Make the Most Delicious Brownies

This holiday season I picked up two surefire tricks to make any brownie recipe more delicious.

1. Mix whole milk chocolate chips into the batter before baking.

2. Top with cocoa cream cheese frosting (see frosting under frosted brownie recipe).

Thanks Hummingbird Bakery! I made these for our Christmas Eve dessert party, and I think they were a hit. xo Image via Good to Know Recipes.

Rainbow

This cake looks amazing! Via Bump Smitten.

Peanut Butter Cups

Yum yum. These homemade peanut butter cups are on my must-bake list. Via Design*Sponge.

Neighbours

The morning after moving in, our next-door neighbours presented us with batches of brownies and muffins to welcome us to the street. How thoughtful and yummy! I was raised to return any container that sweets were given to you in filled with a treat that you prepared to reciprocate the gesture. I'm thinking that these jalapeno cheddar cookies would be a unique savory selection.

Cake

I think I should bake this cake for my half-birthday (which is this Saturday)! I love the flags. Found via Rummey Bears.

Baking

Tonight my stand mixer will be singing to the tune of thin mints and glazed lemon cookies. What are your favourite cookies? Image via Traci Thorson.

Cakes

My cake stands are crying out for cakes. I'd like to gift them a caramel cake or a chocolate mango cake or really any cake with cream cheese icing. Above cake stand for purchase here.

P.S. Am I the only one who thinks that DC Cupcakes and Cupcake Girls are the same show, just set in a different city?

Half-Birthday

Thoughts on celebrating half birthdays? Seems like a fun excuse to eat delicious cakes and drink pink lemonade to me! Though typically reserved for babies, I think the half birthday is a fantastic way to spread a little cheer. On my next half birthday (25 September 2010), I plan to indulge in these lemon goat cheese cheesecakes, beautifully photographed above, from Tartelette (a blog which seriously makes me want to become a pastry chef and open a bakery called "Super Cute").

Spatulas

These colours! Divine! These spatulas remind me of times spent licking icing from a bowl as a child (meaning last Sunday while visiting my mom). They also remind me that it is about time I started baking again regularly. Spatulas available from Huset.

Topper

While browsing Etsy, I came across a bride and a groom (though not paired together) who share an uncanny resemblance to Greg and me. In my humble opinion, either couple shares enough of a likeness to us that people would get the hint if they graced the top of our cake. Though we haven't given much thought to cake toppers, these options are making us consider the possibilities. Aren't customizable cake toppers such a neat idea? They'd also look great displayed for years to come on a bookshelf, night table or mantelpiece.

Cake

This evening I had a great appointment with our now cake decorator. While the final product will remain a surprise, I felt inspired by these two Real Simple cakes (the source of my inspiration, supported and endorsed by Greg I should add, should come as no shock). Images via Real Simple.

Sweets

With our move, I've gotten out of the habit of testing new recipes during the week after work. Now that I'm back into the swing of the 9-5 world, our measuring cups and spoons, blender, wok and chopping knives beckon to me. Now that our kitchen tools have found a new home, it seems only fitting to put them to work.

Yesterday, Greg and I wandered around our neighbourhood to the curious and delightful Sweet Relic. Perched steps from a spectacular view of the industrial (by Vancouver standards) waterfront that is St. John's harbour, the coffee shop meets book and antique store is a great place to linger on a relaxing afternoon. Located on Signal Hill in the oldest home in Newfoundland and Labrador (as articulated by the historic plaque on its facade), Sweet Relic offers a great alternative to big box book stores and Starbucks' grande lattes.

While poking about the shop, I happened upon a hat box full of small recipe books organized by ingredient called Sugar & Spice by Keda Black. I've been thinking about recipes recently, and this box conjured up thoughts of chocolate and sweets and dessert recipes! For an online consortium of recipes, check out Design Sponge's 'In the Kitchen With' series. As an aside, I'll certainly be borrowing recipes from the series for our upcoming housewarming party (photos of the house and party to follow soon).

The groceteria nearby, Belbin's Grocery, also tempted my taste buds this weekend with its selection of oils, including pomegranate oil! Our neighbourhood has certainly offered up many culinary delights thus far (and I'm not even counting our proximity to the dining haunts on Duckworth and Water). All in all, I feel reinvigorated to express myself through food after this weekend. In fact, Greg and I are also joining a cheese club! The best part of this reinvigoration is that it's occurring only steps from our home, which fulfills our life goal of living, in the fullest sense of the word, in our own neighbourhood.

Chocolate

Besides beef and Banff National Park, Alberta is famous for its Bernard Callebaut chocolate. Before moving here, work colleagues of mine extolled its virtues. I had high expectations upon settling in Edmonton, which were thankfully met.

Like my arrival in Edmonton, my departure finds me pondering chocolate. In concluding things at my current position, in typical fashion I've spent some time chatting with colleagues and saying our farewells. One such conversation led to a discussion on the perfect number of people to invite to a party. Greg and I hosted a large party last March, but now I'm thinking 8 people is just perfect.

One pitfall to a small party, as articulated by my co-worker, is that the food expectations are heightened. With eight guests, people are less likely to be satisfied with pre-made burgers on a grill, coleslaw and a slab cake. With eight guests, people are looking for a glimpse into your cooking style and prowess.

Greg and I cook simply. We eat lots of soup, tomato and cucumber salads, grilled shrimp, stir frys and pasta. We enjoy cooking together (most of the time), but our sense of adventure in the kitchen wanes when work is hectic and our plates are filled with other endeavours. I occasionally get into a mood where I want to try new recipes. I collect the new ingredients from the supermarket (hello largely unused jar of turmeric) and try my hand at whipping up a new concoction. This whim has led to citrus salmon fillets, peanut soup and coconut shrimp. Sadly, I haven't been experimenting in the kitchen for a while.

In thinking about what sorts of meals might impress, my co-worker mentioned a chocolate party that she'd been invited to not long ago. I immediately thought chocolate fondue, brownies, creme de cacau; an adult take on a dessert party. However, my initial assumption was mistaken. Her friend's party included four proper courses that each included chocolate; think replacing chocolate fondue with chicken mole. Doesn't it sound like fun? I am getting excited at the prospect of mirroring this dinner party.

All this thinking about chocolate is making me want to watch Chocolat again. Image of upscale s'mores via Ulterior Epicure.

Jars

I adore food styling and photography, and I like to be organized. These two urges leave me loving pantry organization - not that I own a pantry - but the cupboard above my stove acts as our pantry. For now, that cupboard is close enough.

Above our stove sits a collection of jars filled with sugar, flour, rolled oats, popcorn, pasta, icing sugar, chocolate chips, breath mints and rice. I'd love to expand our stocked grains and baked goods to include wider varieties of rice (a necessity due to my newly imposed bland diet), steel cut oats, buckwheat, nuts, caramel chips, cocoa powder, raisins, a variety of coffee beans and loose teas, and couscous.

For lots of recipes for many of these grains, see here. For a great list of staples to keep in your own pantry, see here. I highly agree that no kitchen is complete without extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, broth, pasta, garlic, onions, milk and parmesan cheese. I also think display jars are a great addition to any kitchen. Image via Apartment Therapy.

Born

Happy Birthday Gregory!

These yummy carrot cake and lemon cupcakes were showcased on Cupcakes Take The Cake. They perfectly match Greg's and my dessert sensibilities. 

On the topic of cupcakes, I am looking forward to checking out Edmonton's cupcake cafes - Flirt Cupcakes (101 Street and Whyte) and the new Fuss Cupcakes (Whyte and 104 Street), which is set to open in April. For details on the Edmonton cupcake scene click here.

I am also excited about Design Sponge's new Calgary city guide!

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

Smile

The days are cold. The sidewalks are slushy. My pants always seem to have sand stains on the bottoms. I dislike every one of my winter coats. The linoleum at the front door rarely seems free of mud. Sometimes there doesn't seem to be much to smile about when you're wedged in the middle of a nothing-special week. To add insult to injury, I opened my lunch container today to find it empty - the whereabouts of my sandwich are unknown.

If you're feeling the same way - smile. Try it. Smile for no reason. I tried it a few days ago and it did make me feel better. Smile and laugh. I am certain that will pull you from the doldrums.

However, in case you're not perked up simply by smiling, here are some beautiful things that make me happy. Perhaps they will make you happy too!

1. Dessert inspiration at Tartelette. This blog takes my love of food styling and photography to a whole new level.

2. A tall glass of cranberry juice mixed with pulpy orange juice; the house special in our home.

3. The photos at Le Love that capture casual romance.

4. House of Telsa corsages because corsages shouldn't only be for the prom.

5. The Silversun Pickups - All The Go Inbetweens.

Aprons

I am increasingly enjoying the programming on the Food Network. Though the station's offerings make me hungry, I find inspiration in shows like Fresh with Anna Olsen. The show's mantra, 'eat fresh, eat local', appeals to me. Women like Anna make me want to be a better cook.

My culinary skills are improving (I hope) and Greg's always gracious in offering me tips to improve my technique. As I think about the end of ballet classes in March, I must come up with a replacement activity. One option I am considering is a basic cooking class to learn skills that I can build upon. I have enjoyed baking for a long time (cupcakes being my self-described specialty), but cooking has come to me later. Both are great creative outlets and I look forward to honing my skills.

Before ballet classes began, I bought a leotard, pink tights and split sole shoes. If I can find a cooking class, I'd like to prepare with one of these beautiful aprons on Etsy. The aprons resemble the cutest of summer dresses and remind me of a simpler time. One of these confections would be sure to give anyone the confidence to whip up the most delicious dinner party offerings.

Royal Bison

All Edmontonians interested in buying local jewelry, artwork, photographs, soaps and journals should check out the Royal Bison Craft Fair on Gateway Boulevard today. Greg found this cupcake pin cushion for me at the fall installment of the Royal Bison.