Rootin Tootin 4th Birthday Preview

So one week away from the Jessie Themed 4th Birthday. Here's hoping Mother Nature is getting all her nasty weather out this weekend, the stress of throwing an outdoor Birthday eh? And not just outside, no that might be too easy, outside and 10 minutes away from our place. So fingers crossed for a hot sunny day!

So when it came time to start planning her party I really didn't want to have it inside, its summer, shes getting older and it would be nice if we could hold the cowgirl themed party outside. So I looked into a local Farm that hosts Birthday Parties, cowgirl...farm...perfect!But it was a little pricey and then I would be giving up all control over activities, theme food, decor.....Something I just can't do yet! So with a little more research and a trip to said provincial park....I decided that would be the place and luckily Charlee loves it there and also agreed.

I don't know if anyone else has planned a Jessie Party, but if you have you've noticed you can't really buy a lot with JUST Jessie on it. Lots of Toy Story stuff though. So I was forced to be creative and do a lot of DIY things (yay!) I did purchase a file on Etsy of Jessie "cupcake toppers" which I probably won't be using for cupcakes at all. I have been using them to complete other aspects of the party. In order to stick with the theme we are using all red, yellow and blue things, not very girly (especially for my Pink loving Princess). I decided I would give you a little sneak peek at all the cowgirl crafts I've been doing lately.


Perks of husband being a surveyor...cute free signs!




The beginnings of some of the decor.




4 Hot Dog Holders for $1 and some cute Napkins also $1 (big and small ones)




These will be the bags the kidlets use for the scavenger hunt/build your own treat bag. Bought at Walmart, both colors came in one package(BONUS) of 14 for $6. I purchased the Jessie art on Etsy to add to different parts of the party.




Cactus with the 4 will be part of a planter decoration.

 Seems like forever ago that I recreated the Purple Pug's sponge bombs for the occasion. You can check out the how to and pictures HERE. Don't forget to check out the Pug on FB and her Blog, shes amazing!

Last year for Charlee's Birthday I made some Marshmallow Pops, just simply chocolate and sprinkles, all the kids loved them of course. So this year Charlee asked if I could make them again! (she's too cute) Of course! For some reason Smores and Cowboys Cowgirls seem to go hand in hand, so this year I am making Smore Pops. And it just so happens that I found some free printables online!! YAY!! You can check them out here, and print them for your party too.

Cape Breton Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

As I was digging in the freezer this morning I found a bag of frozen rhubarb my Grandmother had grown and given me. Already all chopped up and measured! (I'm spoiled) Other than strawberry rhubarb pie the best thing to make with Grammy's Rhubarb, is upside down cake. If you don't have a Grandmother that spoils you with pre-chopped rhubarb as mine does....The hardest part of this recipe is washing and chopping the rhubarb. Buuuut if you do it in big batches you can measure it out and freeze it in a ziploc bag for future cakes. Makes it so quick and easy!


Since the Old Fashioned Blueberry Muffins post was such a hit, I decided I could share this "Old Fashioned" recipe too, straight from the Island. So here it is, just as its written in Grammy's Book. Also I have no idea what makes this a Cape Breton Upside down Cake, thats just what its called people. I dont make these things up!

Cape Breton Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

3 c chopped Rhubarb

1/3 c Brown Sugar

1/3 c White Sugar

 Mix together and allow to cook a little in a low temp oven (put in 9x13 pan) I cooked it on 300 for as long as it took me to throw all the ingrients for the cake batter into my mixer.

Cake Batter:

1 c flour

2/3 c white sugar

2 tbsp oil

1 egg

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c milk

1 tsp vanilla

Mix in a bowl and drop on rhubarb in dobs (Maybe this is what makes it Cape Breton....if your from cape breton you know what that means, if not... it means spoonfuls.)

Topping:

1 c boiling water (use a little less if your rhubarb was frozen, some water will come out of rhubarb while cooking)

2/3 c brown sugar

2 tbsp butter

Pour over cake, going around dobs. (yep thats what it says!)

350 till golden; until the cake is cooked. ( about 30 minutes then check it)

The combination of sour rhubarb and the sweet cake is addicting, so be prepared to eat more than one portion in a sitting! And as always, Enjoy!

Step By Step Dinner Party! {recipes}

When I was 18 and just starting cooking school this was the first real meal I made for my now Husband. Last night for our Anniversary meal, I recreated this meal for Hubby. Its a great meal to entertain with, looks and sounds super fancy, sure to impress anyone. Want to have a dinner party but don't know what to serve? Here is step by step instructions for an easy and impressive dinner!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Duchesse Potatoes

Glazed Carrots

Funky Munky

On Saturday afternoon while we were out grabbing a few things we needed for the Rootin Tootin 4th Birthday, we decided to grab a quick Booster Juice. I LOVE BOOSTER JUICE! Mainly because you can get almost anything on the menu dairy free! So Both hubby and I got the Funky Monkey, which is a smoothie with Chocolate milk or Soy Milk and Banana and its sooooo good. Its Hubby's Favorite Booster Juice and one of mine as well.

So last night while trying to fall asleep I was trying to decide what kind of cupcakes to make for our anniversary, I was going through hubby's favorites in my head...mint, fluffernutter, carrot...all of which we had just a week ago. I didn't have anything planned for today so I thought "perfect day to try making a new flavor".

And so Bre's Cupcakes has added a new Flavor! Introducing the

FUNKY MUNKY!!

2nd Wedding Anniversary

2 Years ago today, I put on my big white dress grabbed my bouquet and made the longest 2 minute walk of my life. Today is mine and Tyler's 2nd Wedding Anniversary! Its only been 2 years...but Its been 2 YEARS!!  Crazy how time goes by so fast (and somedays it seems like it goes so slow :P) 

Instead of buying each other gifts we either get something for the house or we do something. This year we decided to go out to dinner, just the two of us, then meet some friends at a local wine bar downtown. HUGE! Thanks to Megs who drove 2 1/2 hours to come up and Babysit our monster so we could celebrate our Anniversary this weekend

Art vs Craft Halifax

Bre Entertains/Bre's Cupcakes will be making its public debut at the Art vs Craft Show here in Halifax, NS. I am starting to get pretty excited about the whole thing, can't wait to really get all the details of my table figured out and photographed. psst..ill be sure to share =)

The show is being organized by April of Aprilmdesigns, she designed my logo, my background and the header for the Bre's Cupcake Page. April will also be there with some of her work of course. If your interested in checking us out at the show head over to the facebook page for the Show, follow on twitter to hear updates about each of the vendors.

If your in the Halifax area or plan to be the 20th of August, STOP BY! Sample a cupcake and get one to go! I haven't figured out all my pricing details for the show yet, but when I do Ill be sure to post them. Also I have added the link to the ArtvsCraft Halifax show to the link bar at the top of the page. If you have any questions about the show feel free to email me @ breentertains AT gmail DOT com and if I can't answer them I can definatley find out for you.

Art VS Craft Halifax

When: August 20th, 2011

Where: Maritime Hall, Halifax Forum,

Halifax NS

Time: 11am-6pm

Cupcake Giveaway Update!!

SO!! Unfortunately Turns out the original winner of the giveaway lived outside of Halifax. =(
But that also means that I had to redo the giveaway!

So re-entering the numbers into random.org a new number was generated and it was comment #14 Andrea Mariner.  Congratulations Andrea! Ill be in touch to get your order and your details!

Thanks again to everyone who entered! And be sure to check back for more Giveaways with Bre Entertains!

Cupcake Open House

2 dozen eggs, 1 L of buttermilk, 1 lb of sugar, 2.5 lbs of icing sugar, 1 lb of butter, countless cups of pastry flour, and 12 Flavors and 150 Cupcakes later...the Cupcake Open House is all over. It was good to see old faces and some new ones as well. Everyone there for one reason...TO EAT CUPCAKES!

 I teamed up with local Photographer, Bethany MacIsaac to make sure that even if you couldn't make it to the Open House, you would be able to share it with us. She is currently working on sorting and editing the photos of all the cupcakes, I am so excited to see them and share them with everyone. They will first be featured on the Bre's Cupcake Page (which you can now easily get to through the link bar at the top of the page.)  Halifax if you are ever in need of some great pictures, Bethany can help you out. Her ideas are great and she's just the sweetest person to chat and work with. You can find the link to her site right next to the Bre's Cupcake link on the link bar.

Bre's Cupcakes

For all of you who were at the Cupcake Party last night and were wondering about pricing and what else I offer in the line of cupcakes here is a link to my pricing page.

Bre's Custom Cupcakes

If you have ANY questions about ordering cupcakes, or the website please contact me at :

breentertains AT gmail DOT com

I had mentioned before about a photographer attending the Open House, well I had not 1 but 2! A friend of ours, Amanda who also helped me out with lots of great business tips and ideas! And Bethany MacIsaac came and shot all the pre-party pictures, so excited to see all of them. So for now please excuse the lack of pictures on the Pricing page, as soon as I get the pictures it will be prettier. Promise!

And the winner is...

Comment #16 CHONG!! Congratulations you are the winner of a dozen free cupcakes from Bre's Cupcakes!  I will be in touch shortly to get your details =)

I want to say a big thank-you to all my new (and old) followers on FB , Twitter and the Blog.

Thanks everyone for Entering the giveaway, and be sure to stay tuned for the next one.

Also just wanted to share I am suuuper excited to see the pictures the photographers got of the cupcakes last night! I cant wait to share them with all of you as well. Blog Post to come soon! Right now...believe it or not...MORE cupcakes! haha Toodles

Getting Ready for A Big Night! {free printables}

All day yesterday Charlee and I were out picking up stuff for the cupcake open house on Friday. So last night I had to crack down and actually decide on flavors I would be featuring, and get some crafting done.



Flavors to be found at the Open House



100 + Cupcakes

...and finally done! For having so many cupcakes to do all with very different themes, it went very well (in the kitchen). Because Im just getting going with the whole cupcake business, this was definitely the most cupcakes I've had in my kitchen...and dining room...at one time. I loved it.

It has been pretty hot the past couple days and that really turned out to be a problem with the cupcakes  made with the fish toppers. I decided to try making Marshmallow Buttercream...tasted good...doesn't like our summers here in Halifax. I was on my way out of town and thought I could meet halfway with the cupcakes...bad bad idea. They were in the car for 30 minutes TOPS...the icing was all melting off them. The suckers were starting to melt and the fins were starting to come off. Yeah it was hot, but I had also made other cupcake and the icing stayed on them just fine. Such a disappointing and plain crap feeling when you are delivering crap cupcakes. Lucky for me she's my best customer and I have known her for a little bit now, and she was very understanding...all the same... No more marshmallow buttercream!!!

So before the fiasco, in the kitchen, here is what the cupcakes looked like.


Learn how to make these adorable toppers here, from MyCakeSchool



Baked Brie With Brown Sugar

Baked Brie

1  wheel or wedge of Brie

4 sheets phyllo pastry

4tbsp Brown Sugar

1/4 c melted butter, divided

Preheat the oven to 350.

Mix the 2 tsp of melted butter and the brown sugar together in a small bowl and set aside.

Brush 1 sheet of phyllo with melted butter and top with a second sheet. Place the cheese in the middle of the sheet, top with brown sugar mixture. Neatly fold the phyllo around the Brie, using the melted butter as a glue to keep all ends down. Brush the 3rd sheet with melted butter and place the last sheet of phyllo on top. Flip the Brie upside down and place on the phyllo sheets and wrap up the same way.  You want to end up with a very neat package, if there are ends sticking out they could burn.

Lightly brush the entire package with melted butter and place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes at a time, rotating after each interval, until golden brown all over.

Take it out and serve with crackers of your choice or cut up day old baguette.

Variation...

--Spread Red Pepper Jelly over the Brie before wrapping.

--Add toasted chopped pecans to the Brown Sugar mixture

--Use Puff Pastry (1 sheet) instead of Phyllo

Wine and Cheese Party Recipes!

Hello All! Just thought it seems like its about time for a quick update of whats going on. Seems like the Summer is off to a good start, busy as usual. Last week was Canada Day and we went to take in some festivities with Charlee, went to see The Trews! My favorite band who also happen to be from my hometown so there are lots of reasons to love them. And Charlee also happens to love their music, she was so so excited to go see them she had a little "sleeps" countdown going.

The next day we celebrated A's Birthday (2 weeks late) with a BBQ and a mini "Wine and Cheese" theme. I am very saddened to say, I don't have any pictures of the wine and cheese stuff from that night...its been a crazy weekend and I my mind was just everywhere. BUT I will tell you about it...

Mini Cookie and Cream Cheesecakes{recipe}

Also known as OREO CHEESECAKE!! Yumm...This is another one of the recipes from Martha's Amazing Cupcake Book, one step closer to baking my way through the entire thing. I made these delicious little morsels for a Mini Wine and Cheese Birthday we had for A on the weekend. I'll tell you this there were 12...after supper A and J hid the last 2 in the back of the fridge for later so no one else could eat them. Later that night they dug them out...there were a couple angry Hubby's. Another hit!! Yay!


Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes....mmmm