parties: Father's Day in the Backyard

We had quite the backyard party to celebrate Father's Day.  With a brother I love who is a father of two and a dad I adore, I decided we should celebrate them both.  This menu would work at your backyard parties all summer long. 

4 Weeks + A Wedding Cake

Well, let's just cut to the chase.

I'm making a wedding cake.

Let's hit some hard details with a little q&a first so we are on the same page.  Below is a sample of the many questions I have been asked in response to this news.

Have you ever made a wedding cake?  No

Do you have the equipment for this?  Um, kinda.

Do you know how to stack multiple cakes and make perfectly smooth icing?  Hmmm, no.

Are you insane?  I like the term optimistic better.

Oh, and we have exactly 4 weeks to make this happen.

So far, I have enrolled in Wilton icing classes at Michael's with my friend Katie.  Now I have to admit, I didn't exactly see Michael's craft center as a place to learn cutting edge technique, but it was all I could find in June.  And so far, it's turning out to be perfect.  I needed the basics and they totally know what they are talking about.

Week 1... we started with icing technique.  I have mastered the star shape.  Too bad that has nothing to do with wedding cake design.  Who cares... it's a start and I learned a ton about the essential tools I'm going to need.

I need support.  Major.  I feel supported just be putting this out there so I'm going to keep the updates rolling for the next month. You might not be crazy enough to take on a wedding cake, but I will also share what I learn about perfectly icing a cake. Who doesn't need that skill in their tool belt?

And one more thing... if you have an inkling of experience in the wedding cake (or any monumental cake) department, any and all tips being accepted (and begged for) starting now! Leave a comment or if you quite a bit to say or don't like comments... email me... ashleaktaylor@gmail.com.

Mini Potato Boats + Father's Day Food

Father's Day is upon us.  Here's what you should do...

Invite your pops over.  If he is not a Southern Baptist minister, crack him open a beer. Find him a cozy chair to settle into and hand him the remote to channel surf for a couple hours.  Don't worry, you don't have to be a witness to the channel surfing.  You will be busy in the kitchen cooking up a storm.  Let's make man food and make our dads proud (and full).

Green Eggs

Mr. Hungry and I come from two different worlds.  

In his world, no one would ever dream of squeezing the toothpaste tube anywhere but from the bottom.  Everyone is very relaxed and laid back; however, there are methods to dishwashing....very meticulous ones at that.  Staying up extremely late is the only way to live. Eggs are best eaten in their most natural state... sunny side up or possibly scrambled... unfussy with nothing more than a splash of milk or touch of salt and pepper.

In my world, one uses the toothpaste that is nicely sitting at the top of the tube.  Schedules are made to pack the most possible things into one day.  Going to bed at 9:00 p.m. is an absolute treat.  Eggs are best when they are dolled up with cheese and spinach and stuffy things like artichoke and garlic... not to mention they must lose their yolks.

Welcome to my world.  This is how we prefer our eggs.  

There is a great breakfast place in Houston called Baby Barnaby's (if you've been to one of the many Barnaby's, you need to venture into Montrose next to the original Barnaby's and only serves breakfast.  It's an experience).  They make green eggs like none other.  While I will never get close to the original, these are pretty darn good.  

Green Eggs
Recipe Notes
I prefer mine with just egg whites so I use 4 eggs instead of 3.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
1 tablespoon milk
3 large or extra large eggs
1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
Step by Step
In a medium size bowl, crack eggs and add milk.  Use a fork to whisk the mixture together.  Set aside.

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a nonstick pan.  Add garlic and spinach.  Saute spinach until leaves wilt, about one minute.  Add artichokes and stir to heat through, about thirty seconds.

Add egg mixture and scramble with a spoon.  Continue to cook eggs, scrambling with a spoon.  When eggs are cooked through, add cheese and mix into eggs.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook until cheese is melted.

Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings.

French Muffins

English Muffins + French Toast Recipe = French Muffins

Think back to the last time you had an english muffin.  Remember how spongy it was with lots of holes and crevices? Now imagine soaking that little guy in eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla.  It might make you wonder how French toast got so popular.  It has nothing on French muffins.

Texas Sheet Cake Cupcakes

Mr. Hungry recently told me that I smelled like the inside of his Grandmother's purse.

I guess that's the kind of brutal honesty you get after four years of marriage.

One can only imagine what treasured opinions will be shared after 5, 10, 30 years of marriage??

But I cannot say I was offended... or even disagreed.