Cupcakes Anyone? YES PLEASE!

Patiently waiting...

Many companies are now offering contests based on "liking" their Facebook page, and Saint John Cupcake Salon took this idea one step further.  When I saw a chance to win a dozen delicious gourmet cupcakes, I just couldn't pass up the chance!  And let's be honest... who doesn't "like" a cupcake?  The owner, Jacqueline Schroeter, wanted to know what we the people like the very most about cupcakes, and all I had to do to enter the contest was to say as much on the Discussion board of the company fan page.  So easy!!!

The bad news is that I didn't win a dozen cupcakes.  But the GOOD news is that I won a surprise consolation prize of a half dozen cupcakes, and they couldn't have come at a better time.  It's no secret to those who know me that I eat my feelings, and suffice it to say that there were some feelings that these delectable cupcakes deeply touched.  :)

There were three white cupcakes, and three chocolate, and it was very difficult to share them.  The white cupcake had a beautifully dense texture, like a pound cake but softer and more moist.  They were frosted in a cool two-tone butter-cream that was silky smooth, not too sweet, and had a certain je-ne-sais-quoi that left me pondering what the secret ingredient might be.  The chocolate cupcakes had chocolate chips peaking out of the top and had a surprise filling of CHEESECAKE!  'Nuff said.  They were perfectly chocolaty and sophisticated enough that I didn't feel too guilty while eating them.

This picture took great restraint to get...  so yummy!

Saint John Cupcake Salon is a local business that will satisfy all of your cakely culinary desires.  Check out their Facebook fan page for lots of beautiful pictures, or email the owner about your upcoming event!

BEST Homemade Bits & Bites

I'm not a fan of store-bought Bits & Bites.  I should on all accounts love those handy little snacks.  Salty, crunchy carbs?!  They are all the things that I love, and I should find them delicious.  I don't know why, but I just don't.

Take One:  Everyone say CHEESE!

A few weeks ago my friend Angela sent us a homemade treat, and of course I was excited!  I was a little less excited when I found out it was Bits & Bites, but I still really appreciated the gesture, and I knew Dave and Naomi would devour them in no time.  I just don't like Bits & Bites.  Even still, Angela had made them, and I wanted to try them just to see what they were like.  Well, let me tell you, that was an "aha" moment even Oprah would have been proud of.  There was no Bits & Bites about it....  It was more like Lots & Mouthfuls.  I honestly couldn't shovel these into my face fast enough!  To give you some perspective, even the pretzels tasted good.  In case you missed that, EVEN THE PRETZELS TASTED GOOD!

Angela was gracious enough to share the recipe, so here it is.  She's unsure of the original source but a friend of hers gave her the recipe years ago.  If you don't like store bought Bits & Bites, or heck, even if you do, TRY THESE!  They are sure to blow your snack-lovin-mind.

Take Two:  Everyone say BITS & BITES!

Lots & Mouthfuls...  er, I mean, Bits & Bites

In a large roasting pan, mix together:

1 box of mini Ritz
1 box of Cheese Nips
4 cups of Shreddies
4 cups of pretzels

In a measuring cup, mix together:

1/2 cup of canola oil
2 tsp of dried dill weed
1 pkg of Clubhouse brand Ranch Dressing mix

Pour wet mixture over dry mixture and stir well.
Bake at 250 for 10 minutes.  Stir then bake for another 10 minutes.


I cannot even begin to describe how delicious these are hot from the oven, so be sure to try some as soon as they are done.  When we made ours, we used Goldfish crackers, mini Ritz, Crispix cereal, and straight pretzels, but the possibilities are endless.  Angela even suggested making a really huge, extra-yummy, crazy batch by doubling the wet mixture, and also doubling the dry mixture, but using eight different snacks instead of just four.  I am definitely going to try that next time.  Enjoy!

The Name's Bond. Baby Bond.

How do you solve the problem of a stylin' baby Bond who enjoys his formula shaken, not stirred, but can't hold his applesauce-tini?  Take him out in a bib that's as sophisticated as he is and has just the right amount of pomp for any circumstance.

I wrote in an earlier post about how hand-knit and crocheted items have a natural tendency to look girly, so when making anything for a boy, especially a baby boy, it's important to make the items as boyish as possible.  It's every mother's nightmare for someone to come up to their handsome baby boy and say "What a beautiful baby girl!".  I take no chances when making baby boy items, and these bibs are no exception.

The foundation is just the basic single crochet bib I made for Alicia, minus the ruffle, of course.  I searched high and low for just the right thing to applique onto this boy version, and hit the jackpot when I found this necktie applique pattern.  The bow-tie and buttons were a natural choice to create a super cute and very masculine set.  The bow-tie is just a glorified rectangle, and for the buttons I used the cherry from this cupcake applique pattern, sewn on just like, you guessed it, a button!

Small "p" Published... Thank you "Best Health" Magazine!

I say small "p" published because it's a tiny little blurb, about two paragraphs or so, plus a picture of me printed in the "Your Best Advice" section of the March/April 2011 issue of Best Health Magazine.  But still, my words, in actual print, in a media that people pay money for!  Well, no, I didn't get paid, but still!  My words, in print!

You see, this is not one of my every day occurrences, and thus this small dabble in the world of printed word has turned me into a bit of a geek.  And now that I'm "blogging" about the experience, I suppose that would make me a mega-geek.

I had been contacted weeks ago by the magazine editor about this random tip I submitted through their website, which just tickled me pink, but for some reason, after a few email exchanges, I just assumed they had decided not to print the tip.  Then, out of the blue, a family friend sent my sister Kelly an email about seeing my tip and picture in her copy of the magazine, so of course I did what anyone else in the same situation would have done...  I went out and bought copies for me, my mom, and both of my sisters.  :)

Best Health Magazine prints tips from readers from all over Canada in every issue, so head to their website, and share your best advice.  Who knows?  Maybe you'll also be small "p" published someday!