take a trip.

One last post before the big party post! listening to jenny lewis. rabbit fur coat.
lunch at dunn meadow with daunie, emilee and joe stone today. sammiches. sat there under a tree amongst the ants in my tulle on monday.
here is the beginning of my cupcake kabobs. also layered with mini pastel marshallows and raspberries.
Time Walker swan girl from lolitas, macaroons from Laudree from Elle.

Chocolate Malt: 4 scoops vanilla ice cream, 1 1/2 cups Milk 2 to 3 Tbsp. chocolate syrup, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 2 Tbsp. Carnation malted milk powder. Combine in a blender container and blend until well mixed.
from thrifty fun.com

skeletal glacier cupcakes

finding so many amazing lovely blogs tonight! corset ladies from foxy man.
with great photos and inspirations. oh and miss RITA hayworth was found here.
the site we heart it led me to most of these.
i do believe blogs [along with zines] are the best DIY things you can do, to get your view out there without having to go thru a million people judging your work.
tomorrow is the big party, i have a mermaid tail made! my own design, with a little skirt in front above my knees, and the long flowy tail in back. Zena Holloway did the underwater crinoline cage (<3)>

Coconut-Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Bon Appétit | February 2008

Cupcakes:

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup coconut milk powder (sifted, then measured)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 3-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 drops coconut flavoring or 3/4 teaspoon coconut extract
• 5 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 3/4 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (10 to 11 ounces)

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup coconut milk powder (sifted, then measured)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 drops coconut flavoring or 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
• 4 to 5 cups powdered sugar (16 to 20 ounces)
• 4 tablespoons (or more) whole milk
• Flaked sweetened coconut (optional)

Preparation

For cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 20 standard (1/3-cup) muffin cups with paper liners. Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar, then vanilla extract and coconut flavoring. Beat in dry ingredients (batter will be stiff). Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend after each addition. Beat in milk, then stir in chocolate chips. Spoon scant 1/3 cup batter into each paper liner. Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 22 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then turn cupcakes out of pan and cool on rack.

For frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat butter, coconut milk powder, and salt in large bowl until smooth. Beat in vanilla extract and coconut flavoring. Beat in enough powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, to form very thick frosting. Beat in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until frosting is thin enough to spread.

Spread frosting on cupcakes. Sprinkle with flaked coconut, if desired. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store cupcakes airtight at room temperature.

ice cream pop wenches

almost time for the pirates and cupcakes, mermaids and tacos party!
today i am going to kroger and shopping for ground vegan meatless meat, taco shells, green jumbo marshmallows and some clear pink plates.
daun also told me about the new antique store across from kroger that has a beautiful yellow bustier tulle dress. i must go see this.
So i will be back home Friday night, TyLea will be over and we are planning our button making business for when we move down here next year. I'll also be seeing Mandy for more photoshoots, swim time in the pond playing mermaids, and hopefully getting to do the second silent film i wrote.
photo of girls from the cherry blossom girl.

Recipe:

PB and J Pops

Makes About 20

• Peanut Butter-Swirl Ice Cream*
• 1 pound graham crackers
• 16 ounces strawberry jam
• 1 cup unsalted peanuts, chopped (optional)

*Peanut Butter-Swirl Ice Cream=

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts

• 6 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups smooth peanut butter
• 2 cups very cold heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions for p.b. ice cream

1. Line one 8-by-12-inch glass or metal baking pan and one 8-by-8-inch glass or metal baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Fill a large bowl with ice and water; set aside. Combine egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat at medium-high speed until very thick and pale yellow, 3 to 5 minutes. (Alternatively, whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl.)
3. In a medium saucepan, bring milk just to a simmer. With mixer running on low, use a measuring cup or ladle to slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk into the egg-yolk mixture, beating constantly until blended. Continue, adding about 1/2 cup milk at a time, until all has been added.
4. Return mixture to saucepan; cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture is thick enough to coat back of spoon, 3 to 5 minutes. The custard should retain a line drawn across back of spoon with your finger. Whisk in 1 cup peanut butter.
5. Remove pan from heat, and stir in cold heavy cream. Pour custard through a mesh strainer into a medium bowl set in the ice bath; stir occasionally until cool. Stir vanilla into cooled custard. Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight.
6. Pour the custard into a chilled ice-cream maker; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. (The ice-cream mixture will be set but not hard.)
7. Swirl in remaining cup of peanut butter; transfer two-thirds of the soft ice cream, or 1 quart, to larger baking pan, smoothing the surface with an offset spatula. Transfer remaining third (1/2 quart) to smaller pan, smoothing its surface. Cover each pan with plastic wrap; freeze overnight. Ice cream may be made to this point up to one week ahead.

Directions for pops

1. Transfer ice cream and parchment lining from larger pan to a flat surface. Cut ice cream into 12 squares, 2 1/2 inches each. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; freeze at least 3 hours. Repeat with smaller pan, making 9 squares.
2. Break graham crackers in half to make 2 1/2-inch squares. Spread one side of each with about 1 1/2 teaspoons jam; freeze until firm, about 45 minutes (this keeps finished pops neat). Sandwich ice-cream squares between graham crackers, jam facing ice cream. Insert a wooden pop stick into each.
3. Place peanuts in a bowl (if using); dip each side of the pop in the nuts. Pat gently with your hand to adhere. Pops can be frozen at this point, wrapped in plastic wrap or layered between waxed paper in an airtight container, for up to 2 weeks.
4. From Martha Stewart
   

poofies.

sat at dunn meadow today in the sunny spots under a tree. biked around new neighborhoods, hunted for the pinball machine, got a mooshy mango and good bear naked chocolate granola at the hub. julia has me hooked.

today was more tulle skirts beauty...passing pretty b-ton houses with flourishing flowers.
discovered will cotton's candy lands pictures.
so i have heard it is very easy to make your own tulle skirt, i think about 10 yards of tulle, double it up and sew it to a thick piece of ribbon elastic and just tie it in the back real tight.
may work.
*skirt photo from the moldy doily blog. flower girl from lovely.

recipe.
Marshmallow Mermaid Pie.
9 graham crackers
1/2 C. sweetened, flaked coconut, toasted
5 Tbs. butter or margarine, melted
34 lg. marshmallows (8 oz.)
1/2 C. whole milk
1 1/2 C. heavy or whipping cream
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, grated


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine coconut and graham crackers in food processor until coarse crumbs form. Combine crumbs and butter with fork. Press to bottom and side of 9-inch pie plate. Bake 10 minutes and cool on wire rack. Heat marshmallows and milk in 3-qt. saucepan over low heat until smooth, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat. Cool completely (30 minutes.) In large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold marshmallow mixture into whipped cream with grated chocolate. Spoon filling into cooled crust. Refrigerate pie at least 3 hours or overnight. Top with mini marshmallows, maraschino cherries and rainbow sprinkles.
This recipe is from the movie "Waitress"

strawberry marshmallow dolls.

Daun is asleep and won't get up so we can make pad thai...
my mermaid-pirate-cupcake-taco party is soon, looking for inspiration on blogs, found lots of marshmallows.
i would like to cook up my own colored vegan marshmallows for the paati, but i can't find vegan gelatin.
i'm making some cupcake kabobs, like nora from cupcakes take the cake picnic. sticking on some marshmallows dipped in ganache, and vegan yellow cupcakes with magenta frosting & aqua green turquoise seaweed hair colour.
also came across very pretty dolls, ball joint dolls on fierce bunny's flickr.
i love this one called "blueberry cupcake"^
I also love dame darcy's handmade dolls. [at left]

To go along with dolls, here is a recipe for "Strawberry Pie with whipped cream"
.from epicurious.
Ingredients=
For crust:

• 1 (5-ounce) package shortbread cookies
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

For filling:

• 2 pounds (1 1/2-inch) strawberries, hulled (see cooks' note, below)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin (2 1/4 teaspoons)

Accompaniment:

• lightly sweetened whipped cream

Preparation

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Pulse cookies in a food processor to fine crumbs, then pulse in sugar and butter until combined. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and up side of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Prepare filling and assemble pie:
Select 20 large strawberries as close to same size as possible and set aside. Cut remaining berries into 1/4-inch dice and toss with sugar and lemon juice. Let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Drain berries in a sieve set into a large glass measuring cup. Add enough water to measure 2 cups. Transfer liquid to a medium saucepan and reserve berries.

Sprinkle gelatin over strawberry liquid and let soften 1 minute. Bring to a bare simmer, stirring until gelatin has dissolved. Add diced berries, then transfer to a metal bowl set into an ice bath and stir frequently until mixture begins to mound, 20 to 30 minutes.

Spoon 1/2 cup filling into pie crust and arrange reserved whole berries, stem ends down, on filling. Spoon remaining filling over and between berries. Chill pie until filling is set, at least 4 hours.

my antique upbringing. (with biscuits)

recipe first today:
Daunie's Vegan Biscuits!
daunie is my unvegan sister and these are her luscious buttery soft breakfast biscuits.
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour/unbleached organic white flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold vegan margarine (Earth Balance spread)
1 cup cold water
Preheat oven to 450F. Pour the 1 tsp vinegar into 1 cup water. In large bowl (preferably kitchen aid mixer bowl) stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in margarine and water-vinegar mixture. Stir until well blended and sticky. Cut into 6 and drop into oiled muffin cups. Bake 12-15 mins. lightly browned on top.

Next up, a study on extravagant dressing and beauty. what i mean is, i look at what people wear, dresses that have eyelets with ribbons threaded thru, the numerous rings on their fingers. i guess i love that we can all decorate our bodies, our one human bodies, with beautiful things from then and from now.
vintage and modern. i don't necessarily follow quote-"fashion" i usually just wear jean capris and a t-shirt and a bird in my hair, but i love to buy beautiful clothes at antique stores and hang them in my room, and they come down when i have a party or use them for a photoshoot. i need to photograph a pile of all my pretties and post it on here.
I am very inspired by the blog, The Moldy Doily
one of my recent dreams is to have my own vintage/antique/bakery store. i grew up with my parents dragging me to antique stores and flea markets all over central and southern indiana. i wasn't too interested then, but as i got a bit older, i started seeing the beauty in all these old things and appreciating everything. i could link these antiques with my past. my great grandmother, born in 1913, was a huge part of my bringing up. we would travel around bedford in her red oldsmobile and visit her friends, my favorite place to go was Lou & Lauren's house. They lived out in the country, down in a valley and i would swing on the tire swing, we would eat lunch outside that Lou would cook, and i would leave with a dahlia from lauren's garden that he would let me choose. >my cousin at right. my main model, wearing one of my newest vintage store finds, a sheer skirt. love them. i think it started when prudence wore one on across the universe. (photo of mandy by me.)

strawberry pop tulle skirts

These are my new fancy. but not in the way that punk kids wear them, or rollerderby girls. i love them for their old-fashioned-ness, for ballerinas and for their soft appearance of beauty. maybe a romper with a mini tulle skirt over it.
While searching tulle skirts, I came across Vivienne Westwood's new line featuring tulle. It is flushed up at both ends, like a high wind has just come thru! It seems they are becoming more and more popular.

recipe for the day:

Stawberry-Vanilla Swirled Frozen Pops.

from gourmet.com

Serves12

• 1 lb strawberries, hulled and halved
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 pints premium vanilla ice cream

• Equipment:

  12 (1/3-cup) ice pop molds or 12 paper cups and 12 wooden sticks

• Mash strawberries in a large bowl with a potato masher or a fork. Transfer to a 12-inch nonstick skillet along with sugar and lemon juice and boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, then freeze, uncovered, until cold, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer ice cream to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 30 percent power in 10-second intervals, stirring, until softened, about 50 seconds total. Spread evenly in a 13- by 9-inch baking dish and freeze while strawberry mixture chills.
• Dollop tablespoons of strawberry mixture all over ice cream, then swirl it gently through ice cream with a spoon. Spoon into molds (or into cups) and add sticks. Freeze until firm, about 1 1/4 hours (and up to 4 days, covered).

Cooks’ note: If you don’t want to make pops, freeze strawberry-topped ice cream until firm, then scoop into bowls.

Recipe by Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez

recipe for the day.

This recipe is from the Grand Champion 2006 winner of the Johnson County Fair apple baking contest, Elizabeth B. for her "Apple Macaroon Pie."
I haven't tried it, but you should! The 4 lady judges loved it.

4 c. apples, thinly sliced
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. butter
1 pie crust, unbaked

Coconut topping:
1 well beaten egg
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. shredded coconut
1/4 c. milk

Line a 9-inch pie pan with pastry. Arrange thinly sliced apples in pan. Combine sugar with flour, cinnamon, and salt. Sprinkle over apples. Dot with butter. Bake in hot oven at 425 F for 20 minutes. Add coconut topping and lower heat to 350 F, bake for 3o minutes longer.
There, ya've got a grand champion county fair blue ribbon apple pie!

carnival dismality.

As a kid, i grew up going to the county fair. i went with my parents and great grandma. My dad's friend owned a funnel cake stand so we always got free funnel cakes, cake-packed with powdered sugar on top. Dad would give me quarters to play the mouse-in-the-hole game. My favorite ride was the scrambler. I also loved the ferris wheel, bumper cars, and carousel ponies.
My great grandma would take me on hot summer afternoons and i got her on the scrambler once, with some coaxing help from the carny. I won the bottle game when i was about 3 feet high, and i took home a stuffed animal taller than me.
There is an appeal to the carnival/county fairs that will always be there, for me it's the colors, and booths of soft serve ice cream cones, elephant ears, beaver tail, FFA ice cream, and lemon shake-ups (although I'm vegan and don't eat it, I love to smell it). And i'm in love with the carousel horses. I still like to go and ride the carousel and play a few games, like the balloon darts. Now I take colorful photographs of the rides and game prizes.
These photographs are of an old run down theme park in Gatlinburg, TN. "Fun Mountain" was closed down and they left the carousel horses there, the swings, tons of games with dusty floaty ducks...I took the photographs 3 years ago when my boyfriend (then) and I wandered up there to the carnival ghost town. It was spookey with a one eyed mechanical beaver in human clothes.

dreamwhip & sparkle cakes. (Betsey Johnson)

Betsey Johnson Day!
Looks from her "Betsey Crocker" line...anything fashion combined with food I adore.
The strawberry shortcake (green silken corset, strawberry print dress.)
name it a cake and people love it.


Yellow stockings, lemon meringue. Dorothy red heel paired with Toto (great photograph).

Recipe for the day:

Thunder Cake!

(a chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, topped with fresh strawberries)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together one at a time:
1 cup shortening
1-3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs, separated
( blend yolks in. Beat whites until they are stiff, then fold in.)

1 cup cold water
1/3 cup pureed tomatoes

Sift together:
2-1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup dry cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Mix dry mixture into creamy mixture. Bake in two greased and floured 8
1/2 inch pans at 350 degree for
35 to 40 minutes. Frost with chocolate butter frosting. Top with
strawberries.

Little Audrey. Tarts & Flowers.

My favourite old timey cartoon short.