The Icing on the CAKE!

When it comes to wedding planning, few decisions are as delightful as choosing the wedding cake! Saturday, Matt and I have BIG plans to sample slice after slice of delicious cake at our appointment with our oh-so-talented cake baker!

I believe one of the best parts of any wedding is definitely the CAKE! Although you may be thinking it is just a cake – the wedding cake will, in fact, be an important detail of our wedding reception. The eyes of all our guests will automatically rivet to the layers of cream, frosting and sugar with which we will cap the evening by cutting for all to share.

So, while it is important that our cake matches the style and theme of our wedding, it should also be a proper reflection of us as a couple too. I can hardly contain my excitement, so many details to decide on:

Design style – square or round?

Size/Tiers – should I really save the top layer for our first anniversary?

Frosting – buttercream or fondant?

Flavors and fillings?

Accents - fresh flowers, gumpaste flowers, edible beading, monogram?

Cake toppers- traditional, fresh floral, sugared fruit?

While I have been stockpiling wedding magazine clippings and photos on my computer, I am having the hardest time deciding on the cake of my dreams!

 



And what about cupcakes as an alternative to a wedding cake? There's something so whimsically childlike about unwrapping a cupcake! 

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!!



Poker Party Pleasers

When feeding a crowd of guys, it's nice to have snacks that can be prepared in mass quantity without much fuss. For the last guy’s poker night, I served up Pigs-In-a-Blanket! Mini hotdogs...wrapped in melted cheese...and tucked into browned biscuits?..Yes please!

You will need:

{1} package of “pig meat” - hotdogs, sausages, frankfurters, little smokies, etc.

{2} packages of “blankets” - crescent rolls or biscuit dough

{1.5} cups cheese – sharp cheddar or parmesan

Garlic Salt

Ketchup + Mustard

Directions:

Preheat oven according to directions on crescent roll package. Cut all meat into smaller pieces {I halved each hotdog}. Unroll dough and cut each triangle in half {making 2 triangles}. Place meat at one end of dough, sprinkle with cheese, and roll, roll, roll! Place on baking pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking oil. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Bake according to crescent roll package directions. 

But back to poker night…! In this ahh-mazing "MAN cave"...

My man built this all on his own! Yep, so proud!

Poker night is in full force...and PIGS-IN-A-BLANKET are being devoured...

While back inside the house the girls are also nibbling on a few cocktail weenies as well...

Note: Pigs-in-a-blanket is a fully customizable recipe, so depending on your preferences feel free to experiment with creative combinations of ingredients {like adding bacon}!! The possibilities are endless! 

The Ultimate Summer Salad

Over the weekend, my FMIL (future mother-in-law) revealed one of her delicious summer recipes to me…The Ultimate Salad. If you are a salad lover, this homemade creation is for you! What makes this salad so scrumptious is a combination of yummy ingredients, paired with a made-from-scratch berry dressing. Fresh, easy, and colorful, this fabulous salad is sure to be a hit at your next summer outing.

You Will Need:

{6} ounces spinach leaves, rinsed

{1/2} cup dried cranberries

{1/2} cup crumbled blue cheese

{2} tomatoes, chopped

{1} avocado, diced

{1/4} red onion, thinly sliced

{1/2} cup walnuts, chopped

{2} tablespoons red raspberry jam, seedless

{2} tablespoons red wine vinegar

{1/3} cup walnut oil

Salt + Pepper

In a large bowl, toss together the spinach, onions, tomatoes and avocados.

In another bowl, mix dried cranberries, blue cheese, walnuts. Set aside in refrigerator.

In a small bowl, whisk together jam, vinegar, walnut oil, pepper, and salt. Taste and adjust amounts to suit your taste.

{Note: you may have experience a little sticker shock when purchasing the Walnut Oil, which runs around $12 a bottle. Yikes!}

On a large serving plate, lay the spinach and veggie mix. Add the bowl of mixed toppings. Toss dressing into salad just before serving.

We added a last minute yellow pepper in too!

Enjoy! J