Desperately Seeking Gina

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Pin it & Spin it: Ruffled ombre cake with Italian Meringue Buttercream

Over the weekend I was able to mark off two items from my baking bucket list:  Italian Meringue Buttercream and a ruffled ombre cake.
{sidenote:  I have this whole bucket list  post planned but I can’t find my blogging journal that contains the list so that I can actually blog  about it.  But as soon as it’s found I’m marking these two items completed ;)}
I haven’t done much cake decorating in the last ten or fifteen years.  In fact, I sold most of my decorating stuff in a yard sale before moving to Arkansas.  Back then, I didn’t have much patience to practice and I was always disappointed with my cakes.  I find that the older I get {19 years old means I’m getting experienced, y’all}.  So I jumped at the chance to make a baby shower cake;  I figured my much older, patient self could handle the task.
I took to Pinterest for the challenge.
The Pin:  Italian Meringue Buttercream from Whisk Kid {really awesome step by step instructions provided along with pictures- was really really helpful since I was so nervous about making this}

Also really helpful:  this video:

The Spin:  Tinted light pink and paired with a pink ombre cake made for a sweet, sweet baby shower cake for baby Elaina Rose.
This was my first time making an ombre cake and this video was helpful for making the ruffles.

The Verdict:
Seriously easy and the best icing ever.  I have never been able to ice a cake so easily.  Italian Meringue is a D.R.E.A.M. to work with and it will definitely my go-to icing for future cakes.

Have you completed any Pinterest projects lately?  Link up below!

Month of Pumpkin: Alison from Wish Upon a Chef

We’re in the final days of October, friends, and for our final Month of Pumpkin post, my friend Alison stopped by with a delicious looking Pinterest find that will be awesome for any weekend Halloween parties you might be attending ~~g.

As with all things pomegranate, acai berry and deep-fried anything, pumpkin seems to be getting its 15 minutes of fame these days.  Although the gourd has been around since long before Linus Van Pelt sat waiting in the pumpkin patch all night, this particular fall season seems to give rise to the orange tide with the marketing of pumpkin flavored everything.

Beer…
Potato chips…
Bagels…
Vodka…
Marshmallows…
Dog treats…
Poptarts…

There seems to be no end of pumpkin profusion in sight, especially here at Desperately Seeking Gina with her month-long celebration of pumpkin.  Gina and I met some years ago via a food message board dedicated to Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa.  She was a newbie to the state of Arkansas and I was desperately seeking friends and any kind of reason to even stay in the state.  We shared a nice lunch and a bit of shopping one day but as it turned out, I would move back to North Carolina and she and I would remain virtual friends through the world of blogging and Facebook.

I’m honored that she has asked me to be a guest blogger so I’m bringing these delightful Pumpkin Cream Cheese Truffles that I found on Pinterest to Gina’s pumpkin party.  These originated from Erin’s Food Filesand are great for even the novice candy maker (like me).  Even if you get sloppy dipping your truffles in the white chocolate (like me), they still make an excellent presentation with the dusting of cookie crumbs on top.  I made Erin’s recipe verbatim but have added a few notes of my own.  Enjoy the beautiful fall season, enjoy these truffles and enjoy Gina’s month of pumpkin!



Pumpkin Cream Cheese Truffles 
Yield: I used a small cookie scoop and got about 20 truffles  

1/2 cup white chocolate chunks or chips
2 cups white chocolate almond bark (I used about 6 or 7 cubes)
1/3 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup canned pumpkin purée
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange zest (I did not have an orange laying around so I used about 1/8 tsp of orange extract)
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of fine salt
2 ounces cream cheese, softened 

Melt the 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips in a double boiler over medium-low heat or in the microwave for about 1 minute (I can never for the life of me get white chocolate to melt so I added about 1/2 tablespoon of solid shortening to the double boiler to make it smooth). Stir often to keep the chocolate from burning. 

Transfer to a large bowl. Add gingersnap crumbs, pumpkin, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, zest, cinnamon, salt and cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Transfer to a shallow bowl, cover and chill until just solid enough to roll into balls, about 2 hours (if you think your mixture is still a bit too soft, add another tablespoon or so of the crumbs to firm it up).

Line a large sheet tray with parchment paper.  Scoop (or roll by heaping teaspoons with your hands) pumpkin mixture and place on tray.  Chill mixture in the freezer for about an hour.   

Melt remaining 2 cups white chocolate almond bark and transfer to a small, deep bowl.  Drop pumpkin mixture into the chocolate. Working quickly, gently spoon chocolate over to coat. Using a small spoon or fork, lift the truffle out of the chocolate, shake off excess and transfer to prepared sheet tray. Dollop a bit of extra chocolate on any parts that remain exposed, then sprinkle a few gingersnap or graham cracker crumbs over the top, if you like.  I found it best to work in batches – dip a few at a time while the others stay in the freezer.    

Repeat process with remaining pumpkin mixture and chocolate, then chill truffles until chocolate is completely set, about 1 hour.   


** Thank you for being a part of Month of Pumpkin, Alison!  Please be sure to check out Alison’s blog Wish Upon a Chef. **

I said yes, now for the rest: Wedding Finds


I’m learning that patience pays off.  And, persistence. And, maybe a little pluckiness, too.  I totally am not going to lie.  I used a thesaurus to get that alliteration.
I’m in love with a typewriter.  There, I’ve said it. It’s  probably the only thing that gets as many loving glances as Thomas.
I found the vintage typewriter I’ve been looking for.  I even haggled the price down $10.  Getting pretty plucky, aren’t I?
So, I mean to use it for some scrap booking projects as well as some wedding details {and ambiance!}.
It’s in perfect condition;  just needed a little cleaning.
Who knows?  Maybe I’ll even get that novel typed up and sent off….

Party for Paige: Celebrating Approaching Nuptials


 

Friends.Thanks, so much, for stopping by today.  I’d like to introduce you to Paige from Approaching Joy. See her pretty little face up there?  Let me just say:  this girl is just as sweet, joyful, and sincere as she is pretty.  Honestly, even more so.  I can’t even remember how I came across Paige’s blog but I did. And seriously, I’m a better girl because of it.

Paige was my roomie at the Arkansas Women Bloggers Unplugged Conference and there are two defining moments that occurred during that weekend that I knew that Paige was exactly as sweet, joyful, and sincere in real life as she is on her blog:

* Kim, Paige, and I were hanging out {okay, I was trying to take a nap because these two twenty somethings have WAY more energy than I do} talking about life, dreams, goals, blogging and such and Paige says with such sincerity:  I think I was put here to make people happy. She didn’t say it in an offhand kind of way, or say it just to sound sincere.  She was  sincere.  And, she models this every single day.  She’s encouraging, kind, F.U.N., and her energy is catching.  She makes me want to be a better person.

*  The second “moment’ was a series of moments that happened just before the Country Outfitter party at #AWBU.  Paige was in on the engagement coup and insisted on doing my make up and she fixed my hair.  That whole night she was so sweet and excited for me {I realize in hindsight now-I thought she was excited about her own good news that night}.

So, why am I bragging on Paige today?  She’s getting married on Saturday!  I am SO excited for her.  And, since we live so far away I wanted to celebrate her the only way bloggy friends can:

A virtual shower!  I, along with our mutual bloggy friend M.J. {actually I “met” M.J. because of Paige-on Twitter} am hosting a virtual shower celebrating Paige and her upcoming nuptials.

What’s a virtual shower without virtual gifts?  I’m pretty sure I remember Paige saying she’d like to entertain more and these fun ideas come from some of my favorite places to purchase gifts to shower brides.

Cocoa Serveware | Cocktails | Salt & Pepper Mills

Congratulations, Paige!  Wishing you every ounce of joy and happiness you SO deserve.

Head on over to M.J.’s blog to see who else is in on this little virtual shower!

AWB BLOGtober Fest: {Foodie Friday} Favorite Fall Recipes

These Snickerdoodle Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream Sandwiches are a new fave around here.  And you have a couple of different options.

Feeling ambitious?  Make Julie’s Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream.  It has only a few ingredients and is simple to make.  Then make your favorite Snickerdoodle recipe. Next, after your cookies have baked and cooled, sandwich a scoop of pumpkin ice cream between two Snickerdoodle cookies.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze until firm.  Enjoy!

Feeling not so ambitious?  Find your favorite brand of Pumpkin flavored ice cream.  This is one of my faves. Use a bagged Snickerdoodle cookie mix, like I did here.  Add 1 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp allspice to the mix before adding the butter and egg {as stated on the mix directions}.  Bake cookies as directed and sandwich your Pumpkin ice cream in the middle of two cookies when they have cooled.  Wrap with plastic wrap and freeze until firm.

So easy and So tasty!

It’s equally as tasty layered in a desert dish.  Crumble a Snickerdoodle cookie in the bottom of the dish, layer with Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream, and top with another half of Snickerdoodle.

Linking up with Arkansas Women Bloggers for Day 5.  Thanks, so much, for stopping by and following along on this super fun blogging challenge.  Hope to see you here again!