Creme Eggs

1/2 C. light corn syrup
1/4 C. butter, room temperature
3 C. confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt (omitted)
yellow food coloring

Cream together syrup, butter, and vanilla. Slowly add sugar, and beat until fluffy. Place 1/4 of filling in a separate bowl and add a few drops of food coloring to make it a happy yellow. Melt chocolate for your candy mold and allow to harden in shape. Fill mold with white filling. Add small amount of yellow to the center. Refrigerate until firm. Coat with remaining chocolate.

Garlic Sauce

Lebanese style garlic sauce is a great sandwich spread. Typically it is used inside the pita bread when having shawarma.

2 whole heads of garlic, peeled
1 C. olive oil
1/2 C. vegetable oil
1 lemon (juice)
1 tsp. sea salt (fine grind)

In food processor, chop garlic until it clings to the sides. Scrape down bowl and add some oil. Secure lid and leave on the 'food process' setting. Slowly and alternatively add the rest of the oil and the lemon juice. It should take on a mayonnaise type suspension. Add salt and give your garlic a stir by hand to be sure all ingredients have combined. This process took me about 2 minutes.

Beaded Lanyards

Little Red Booties

Finished size about 3-6 mo.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Strawberries dipped in 60% cocoa, and drizzled in white chocolate for presentation. Plated with cocoa drink mix powder in a star pattern.

Chocolate Pecan Clusters

Chocolate Pecan Clusters, or as I've been referring to them "horrible, chocolate, pecan mess that ruined my weekend and my counter, and my freezer". The name wasn't very catchy. These were supposed to be chocolate rum bonbons. The ganache center was made with heavy cream, dark chocolate, butter, rum, and sugar. It never really set, so I tried freezing it. The filling seemed to hold a shape while frozen, which was good enough because they were going to be encased in a firm chocolate. The chocolate exterior was made of Ghiradelli chocolate, whipping cream, and vanilla extract. But it doesn't even matter because the chocolate never tempered or something. My chocolate was only firm when frozen, much like the soft center counterpart. After having a chocolate mess melt in my hands several times, I came up with a genius plan. Freeze the centers then 'pour' chocolate on top, freeze again, flip, and repeat process. As I poured my liquid chocolate on the frozen centers they combined, melted, and ran away. New plan. Freeze centers, place a solid coating of frozen pecans to help cool the chocolate as it combines, freeze again, and consume the bonbon in its frozen state. They really are delicious. You just have to eat them quickly and take them out of the freezer one at a time.

Striped Baby Socks

Petits Fours

Make pound cake in a jelly roll pan instead of a loaf pan. Slice pound cake in half like a sandwich, and fill with frosting or jelly. Make strips of cake, then slice into tiny squares. Dip squares in melted frosting or poured fondant. Set on silpat and let dry. Pop into freezer for a better setting on the chocolate.

Red Velvet Ice-cream Cone

Cake cups baked with red velvet cake, then frosted with cream cheese icing, and topped with sprinkles.

Brownie Boys

Brownies with gingerbread shaped cookie cutter, lightly dusted in powdered sugar.

March of the Penguin Cupcakes

Chocolate cupcake, chocolate mini doughnut, doughnut hole head held together with frosting, then dipped in chocolate icing and given a Starburst beak.