Melixa and Me

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Donuts are my obsession recently. I started off by using cake mixes and altering the recipes. I did this because I wanted them to be gluten free. I needed something sweet. This batch featured Lilly pads for a new recording studio.

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THESE are my pride and joy right now.  

The Chocolate Cupcakes and the first layer of icing - (the website says it is not available :-/) http://www.sprinklesomesugar.com/ultimate-chocolate-cupcakes/

My Cadbury Cream Egg Icing - I made this vanilla icing and just up 8 large cream eggs VERY small and added the eggs to the frosting.   http://www.chef-in-training.com/2015/10/perfect-buttercream-frosting/

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Okay I am very proud of these.  Original concept here - found http://cincyshopper.com/krispie-treat-easter-carrots/

This time working with the melting chocolate was much easier.  This was easy and did not take too long.  I made my rice crispies and allowed them to cool.  I melted the orange melts.  After they solidified I added lighter orange lines on the tops, allowed those to harden, added yellow lines and then I added the green stems.  

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These were so amazing to make.  I 100% would make them again.  The concept originated from this website http://www.foodrecipesonline.info/mini-easter-egg-cakes/

I wanted to make my own pound cake and made this in 2 smaller cake pans not a bundt pan- http://www.callmepmc.com/million-dollar-pound-cake/

NOTE - I cut the egg shapes out and then cut them in half so they were slightly smaller.

I then changed the rest of the recipe, because who doesn't love homemade icing? I used this recipe BUT with whole milk.  When I say this is good, I mean it is I want to live eat and breathe in this icing. For the first go of icing, warm it up in the microwave for 30 seconds and the icing literally pours on.   http://www.chef-in-training.com/2015/10/perfect-buttercream-frosting/

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So it Begins.  I have become determined to make all my own easter candies this year.  These are my first chocolates I have ever made.  Working with the chocolate was challenging and I know what I would do differently next time.   I tried to coat the whole oreo ball into the white chocolate.  I started with a fork, but it was creating indents.  Then I tried using toothpicks and my hands... This is why the tops of them are white, the bottoms are green.  I used green because I imagined it would help them look like flowers and then I sort of gave up trying to make them look pretty because they just looked so icky to me.  Maybe next time they will be prettier.  

The recipe I used was nice, but TELL ME HOW TO DIP THE BALLS IN WITH OUT THEM 1. Falling apart, 2. coating the whole thing, 3. not creating indentations.  

The Recipe and instructions I used - http://cookinglsl.com/easy-easter-oreo-truffles/

What I wish I had done - watched this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGsCrqmPN1Y

Overall - I am not disappointed with the results I have.  They are super easy if you know how to use melted chocolate.  

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and then some...

Well, I was going to make granola bars tomorrow.  I ended up just doing it tonight.  This was the easiest most wonderful smelling granola bar mix.  

http://www.365ishpins.com/chewy-oatmeal-breakfast-bars/

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You dont know my muffin man!  

3/5/16

Okay so my nephew is 2 and he is not a huge fan of veggies.  He however LOVES my muffins.  Tonight I made two types,

On the left - Carrot, Pumpkin, Sweet Potato Apple                                       recipe found here: http://www.mummymusingsandmayhem.com/2013/01/toddler-food-carrot-pumpkin-sweet.html

On the Right are Zucchini, Broccoli, Carrot, Apple, Banana                                   recipe found here: http://www.superhealthykids.com/power-packed-fruit-and-veggie-muffin-for-picky-eaters/?utm_expid=39927280-4.g-R6nFI6Q2StHtCiE3ykvA.0&utm_referrer=http://pinterest.com/pin/502362533412220159/

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This has been on my baking soundtrack today.  Its as though I am singing to Melixa... my Kitchenaid mixer :-P. 

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Today 3/2 I made these.  Oatmeal Cream Pie Cupcakes.  I had tried them once before and I did something strange and figured it was my fault not the recipes.  I contacted the wonderful team that runs the website I found the recipe on and she communicated back with me.  I was a wonderful experience.  They are super easy and fun to make.   

http://www.layersofhappiness.com/oatmeal-creme-pie-cupcakes/#comment-308027

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I got some new toys that I was beyond excited to use, did I know how to use them correctly.  Nope! 

2-26

I bought a tri piping coupler.  I was so excited to use 2 different types of frosting for the Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes.  After frosting two cupcakes my piping bag sprung a leak and I frosted them like this instead.  I personal liked the way they looked.  The cake was the same as the one I used for the mint and oreo, but I made a filling and 2 frostings.  

The Filling - http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/04/homemade-reeses-peanut-butter-cups.html

PB Frosting - http://cincyshopper.com/reeses-peanut-butter-cupcakes/

Chocolate Frosting - http://www.kitchme.com/recipes/creamy-chocolate-frosting

I recommend all three.  Even just to eat without cupcakes...  

The Muffins I made that day

1. http://www.everydayfamily.com/blog/recipes-for-toddlers-oatmeal-blueberry-applesauce-muffins/

2. http://www.theseasonedmom.com/toddler-muffins-whole-grain-honey-peach-mini-muffins/

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2-21

Double/ tripple hitter? I figured that I needed to master chocholate cupcakes.  Test out many types of reciepies and see what one is the best.  I still plan to test this, but did not do it here.  

The Cake - Okay, I made these, I was loving them. They were simple to make, they smelled so good while they baked but I was told they are very dense.  What does this mean you ask, it means I might have over mixed the batter.

http://ohsweetday.com/2013/03/my-best-chocolate-cupcake.html

The Mint Frosting - This was too thin.  Almost like an icecream. I needed to thicken it more, but lacked the knowledge of how.  http://www.confessionsofacookbookqueen.com/mint-chocolate-chip-cake/

The Oreo - This was a little too thick and the chucks of oreo were too large.  The kept getting stuck in the piping.  http://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/2016/02/15/oreo-chocolate-cupcakes/

At the same time, I also made “The Best Toddler Muffins”

http://reallifedinner.com/the-best-toddler-muffins/

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Meanwhile...

During this time, my sister in law has a 2 year old and is pregnant with twins.  My 2 year old nephew is so obsessed with muffins and I also began making muffins alongside the cupcakes.  Carrot Applesauce was my first batch.  He LOVED them, so I continued trying new types.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/healthy-applesauce-carrot-muffins-a-k-a-carrot-cake-muffins/

At this point my mom has begun to refer to my kitchen aid mixer as Melixa.  My new best friend.  

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This was my sad first attempt on 2/15/16.  They are the Butterscotch Cupcakes.  https://www.pinterest.com/pin/131378514108797288/

I was SO unprepared to make these.  My tools were not the proper size, it was very frustrating.  But, in the end, I was proud of what I had made. 

What I would do differently.  I would have learned more about fillings, these were suppose to be filled and I tired but without the right tools it was hard.  The frosting... Needed to have been applied differently.  The pipping tip was too small and did not add any height.  

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Day One

I am almost 26 and have an anxiety disorder.  A few months ago my medical team decided that medication for the anxiety was causing negative side effects.  I was taken off all of it.  Since then I have been trying to find a creative outlet that would provide me structure, stability and consistency.  While on Pintrest one day, I stopped and was like “this is crazy, I have been on here for 2 hours and I wont ever make any of this.”  So I took a picture of ingredients and went to Wegmans.  I stopped being an on looker, an observer, a bystander of this and took action.  Maybe this might help anyone else who is trying to find new ways to help manage anxiety.  I hope you enjoy.

Ps.  I am not allowed to eat any of my baking.  I purposefully make them with gluten so that I cannot take part in consumption.