Bre Entertains Gets a Little Facelift!

For the past couple weeks I've been working with April of aprilmdesigns to come up with a logo for my blog! This is what she came up with! I'm loving the update to the page, it makes it more ME and less Blogspot. She also designed the background to match my colors. If you have any graphic design needs be sure to check out her page.

Also this past week something really exciting happened, if you follow me on twitter you know that my friends John and Bestie J got me a domain name for my Birthday/Mother's Day!! I didn't realize how much of a geek I really was until they told me I had my own domain name!! VERY exciting! My dad is the biggest geek I know, and I always loved to make fun of him when he got excited over something "silly" like a program update or some weird site. Sorry Dad! I guess I get it honnestly.

I'm hoping to continue working on the site and adding some other details to it. It will all come together in time. My main focus was getting the logo done on the page, and that is now complete. Next goal getting  followers and my first giveaway!! Stay tuned!!

Mother's Day Tea

Mother's Day is May 8th, so I decided to share a simple DIY Mother's Day treat. You can create this for just you and your mom, or expand it to include all the Moms in your circle. I found the printables on Pizzazzerie's blog, that she got from Nic. Roc Designs...oh the networking! I love finding free printables for any occasion, I always grab them as soon as I see them, you never know when they might come in handy for a party. This time, I found them and used them right away! So I can share with everyone and hopefully you can use them too. Just click here and you can get them too.

Mommy & Me Tea

Teapot from Superstore $15, cups from Hallmark --they were a gift

Made the bunting out of scrap booking paper and matching ribbon. If you have fabric you can use that, keep in mind it will make it a little heavier to hang.

Mommy & Me Tea

A few treats for your tea, and lemonade for the little ones

One of the free printables I snagged

Lemonade for the minis

Almond Meringues

Cupcakes with fondant. I cheated and tried out a doctored cake mix, Dream Cake. Check out other doctored cake mixes here, some of them sound pretty yummy.

New edible ink markers!!

 I didn't forget!! Here are the recipes for the Meringues and the Gingerbread Biscotti. Enjoy!

Gingerbread Biscotti

Last night we were out picking up a few things and we wondered down the snack aisle...usually a bad idea. But last night it was a good thing! I saw all these different kinds of Biscotti and they looked soo good. I wanted to take one of each, but I resisted... Until today! Came home to look up a recipe and found the one that sounded the most appealing to me, Gingerbread. I have never made Biscotti before, so I wasn't sure what to expect but I think it turned out really well.

Gingerbread Biscotti with Chocolate Drizzle

Gingerbread Biscotti

1 c rolled oats

1 3/4 c flour

3/4 c brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 eggs

1/4 c molasses

2 tbsp light olive oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 c raisins

3/4 c hazelnuts or pecans, toasted (optional)

Process 1/2 c oats in a food processor until finely ground.

In the bowl of your mixer (or a bowl with a hand mixer) combine all dry ingredients and spices including the oats you just processed.

In another bowl whisk together eggs, molasses, oil and vanilla. With the mixer on low, slowly add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Scraping the bowl as needed. Mix in the raisin and nuts.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Form each half into a log shape about 12" long x 2" wide. Put the logs on a parchment lined baking sheet, about 3" apart. 

Biscotti ready for the oven

Bake @ 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until its golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from baking sheet and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 300 degrees. 

Using a sharp knife, cut the biscotti on a diagonal about 3/4" thick. Put each slice back on the baking sheet, cut side down, and return to the oven for 6-8 minutes. Flip and bake another 6-8 minutes until dry and firm.

I also melted some chocolate and drizzled it over the top, just to make them extra yummy :) If you don't have chocolate on hand or you want something different you can try making a simple glaze.

Glaze

1/2 c Icing Sugar

1/2 tsp Vanilla

2-3 tbsp of milk

Mix together and drizzle over your biscotti!

Almond Meringues

Have company coming that you want to impress? These are an easy, inexpensive treat to make that everyone is sure to like.

Almond Meringues (via Allrecipes)

2 egg whites

1 c 2 tbsp White sugar

1/2 tsp Almond extract

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment.

In the bowl of your mixer (or a large bowl, using a hand mixer) whip eggs until foamy, add almond extract. Sprinkle in sugar a little at a time while keeping the mixer running at medium speed. When the mixture becomes stiff and shiny transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe meringues about an inch apart on the cookie sheet. 

Bake for 3 hours, until the meringues are dry and can easily be lifted off the cookie sheet. Store in an airtight container.

You can add coloring  at the same time you add the extract to make them match any theme.

Crispy Creamy Doughnuts

Last night I was browsing around twitter and checking out different blogs when I came across "The Purple Pug". There was a link to her Facebook page so I went to check it out. The first thing I do when I check out a new party page is scope out the pictures, so as I'm looking through the pictures I see these super cute little donuts. Donuts are something I had never made before, and they looked so cute. I have a couple parties coming up this summer and new treats are always fun, so I went on a recipe search. 

Homemade mini Doughnuts!

Crispy Creamy Doughnuts (source Allrecipes )

Makes 2 dozen mini doughnuts and 2 Dozen Doughnut Holes

1 envelope of dry active yeast

2 tbsp warm water (105-115 degrees)

3/4 c luke warm milk

1/4 c sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

2 tbsp + 2 tsp Shortening

2 1/2 c Flour

2 c oil for frying

Glaze

2 tbsp + 2 tsp Butter melted

1 c icing sugar

3/4 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp hot water (as needed) 

Mix melted butter, icing sugar and vanilla together. Add hot water to make the glaze a smooth consistency for dipping, but not too watery.

Sprinkle the yeast over warm water, let stand for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, or your mixer bowl fitted with the dough hook, add all ingredients except 1 c of flour. Mix. Beat in remaining flour 1/4 c at a time until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Knead for 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl in a warm place to rise until doubled. Its ready when you touch the dough and the indent of your (clean) finger stays. Be patient, its so worth it.

Roll dough to a 1/2 " thickness and cut with a doughnut cutter, or 2 circle cutters 1 bigger than the other. Let doughnuts sit and rise again for an hour or so, covered with a tea towel. While your waiting for the doughnuts to rise you can make the Glaze and heat the oil. 

Slide doughnuts into the oil with a wide spatula, turn over when they are golden brown on the bottom. They are done when golden on both sides, scoop out and let sit on a cooling rack with a cookie sheet underneath to catch the oil drips. When they are cool enough to handle (but still warm), dip them in the glaze and then sprinkles if you want. 

I used 2 different sized Circle cutters for my Doughnuts and it worked just fine, but a doughnut cutter would have been convenient.

What the looked like just before sliding into the oil

Inspired by the The Purple Pug  Also linked on my sidebar!

Spinach Triangles

On Friday we got together with friends for a Belated Birthday BBQ, pour moi! =) We always have BBQ's in the summer with the neighbors that are always a great time. I was grabbing some vegetables out of the freezer and saw  had left over phyllo pastry....well!! I decided I was going to make us a little appie, here's what it turned out to be! PS They were Delicious! 

Took about 15 minutes to throw these together, great last minute snack or appetizer! I didn't really measure the stuff I just threw it together, so here's an estimate for the amount of triangles I made...Its cooking...doesn't need to be exact. If you want more bacon add more bacon...if you want more dill....well you get the point!  These are a pretty popular appetizer, this is just my version.

Spinach Triangles

4 sheets phyllo pastry, thawed

1/2 c Cream Cheese, softened

2 tbsp onion, finely chopped

1 tsp dill weed

3 oz frozen spinach (*)

1 tbsp Bacon Bits

melted butter 

(*) When you buy frozen spinach it comes frozen in those little balls, each one while still frozen is 1 oz. So you need 3 of them, thaw them in the microwave and then using a kitchen towel, squeeze out all the water.

Mixed Cream Cheese, onion, dill, bacon bits and thawed spinach together in a bowl. Brush one sheet of phyllo with melted butter, place another sheet on top. Using a sharp knife cut the layered phyllo into 5 strips and spoon some filling onto one end.

Fold phyllo into a triangle...here's a little diagram to help you along.

Folding Phyllo into a triangle

Brush with melted butter. Place onto a parchment lined tray and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, or until browned, checking every 10 minutes.

Come out of the oven looking like this....

I suggest that everyone try making these once! They look great, are easy and SO SO good! 


Of course every BBQ needs dessert aka cupcakes...So I made some vanilla cupcakes and used the chocolate icing from the Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcake recipe that I had tucked away in the freezer. Took it out, let it thaw...it was perfect! Just like the day I made it. I had grabbed a printable Easter topper freebie a little while ago (I apologize, I completely forgot about it otherwise I would have shared) so I printed those and threw together a couple toppers. Voila! 

I made sure to make enough  for tea for our Easter visitors

Easter Cupcakes

I Love Easter! Getting back into Cupcakes is pretty easy when Easter is just around the corner. This week has been pretty slow going but I'm finally starting to get into the swing of things. Yesterday I made carrot cupcakes, seemed fitting for Easter, and I got to try another new recipe. Carrot cake is never complete without Cream Cheese Icing, so of course this is what I chose for the icing. 

Carrot cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

 

Cream Cheese Icing

1 c butter

12 oz Cream cheese

4 cups icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla

With the mixer on medium high cream, cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Reduce speed and add icing sugar 1/2 c at a time, then add vanilla. Mix until smooth and combined. Frosting can be stored in airtight container for up to 3 days if your not planning on using it right away. When you take it out of the fridge just beat it again with your mixer until smooth.

Big and mini carrot cupcakes for Easter.

I bought a grass tip a little while ago and I've been wanting to use it for something, Easter grass seemed fitting.  It was a lot easier than trying to make grass with a single hole tip, but I found a couple of the holes would get clogged up every once in awhile. I just ran the tip under hot water and then squeezed a little of the icing out so it wouldn't be runny on the cupcakes. Like anything, making grass is one of those things that is going to take some practice and getting used to.Luckily grass is never perfect!