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Daily Candy is sponsoring an event in the city... RSVP here.
What: Join us in celebrating DailyCandy Local Deals, sponsored by American Express.
Why: Stay on the cutting edge of Chicago cuisine with a taste of what’s to come from Chicago Gourmet at Hub51, featuring 10,000 square feet of delicious culinary curiosities.
When: Sept. 17. Wed., 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Where: Hub51, 51 W. Hubbard St.
Cake toppers are lovely to have! but... sometimes, they don't hold up so well. :(
This one kept falling over [you can see the skid marks...], but the topper was also a little heavy and the top was not even so we finally fixed it by putting flowers on the top and nesting the topper within. The topper was so cute on its own and we were able to get a few shots of it on the cake!
Tip: Make sure your baker knows about the topper and how to support it if needed!
Do you ever get frustrated that you can't have fresh bread on a regular basis? Sometimes, a loaf of bread is just t-o-o much bread for one week and sometimes, at the end of the week, it grows stale... Brownberry is nice bc it has that inner seal bag, but that's not enough at times...
Due to my lack in baking, my cake stand/punch bowl hides away in my cupboards [it doubles as a punch bowl when you set it upside down] ... no more. :)
I place my loaf of bread inside of the cake stand and the bread stays fresh twice as long... One time, it lasted 3 weeks!
[image from elsie marley's blog]
after i learn how to sew.... this would be perfect because of the odd-shaped boxes that i tend to juggle on the way to the post office.
You've spent a lot of time and money on the perfect flowers for your event. At the end of the night, some guests may 'fight' for the centerpieces, but you may still be left with some larger arrangements.
I was curious about what to do with leftover flowers. Some florists may take them back to their store, but most will probably toss them.
So... why not bring some smiles to others? Try your local nursing home. Ask to give the flowers to residents who don't have a lot of visitors. Or try your local hospital. Some hospitals may not accept them, so call ahead. I called my local assisted living home and they happily accept leftover flowers.
If you bring your flowers without vases, you may need to wait until the next day to bring them so that the supply closet is available. Hope the flowers will continue to bring smiles to others as it did to you on your special day!
I recently had a visit with one of my [many] favorite little kids.. Only she's not so little anymore. I still remember her when she was only 2 and we called her Anna Bunny... [I asked her about that and she's still ok with that little pet name... kekeke].
Anyways, we continue to enjoy our conversation over breakfast with other 'Aunties' and her mom and here's how the conversation sort of went.
AB: Auntie Cindy, do you have an email account?
Me: Yes, Anna, I do!
AB: Can I chat you sometime when you're online?
Me: [gasp] Sure!
She's 10.5 now and spunky as ever. I went to visit their family last April and we were in a parking lot to which I reached out for her hand to walk into church. She stops and looks at me and says' Auntie Cindy, you don't have to hold my hand anymore... I'm old enough to walk in by myself and look for cars.' To which I replied, 'Sorry Anna, you'll always be 2.5 to me!'
So the other day, we were both on gchat at the same time and we were chatting away... [what do you really chat with a 10 year old about?] and she proceeds to show me all of these new smiley faces in gchat. [sigh.] I felt pretty old at that time. I only knew the monkey, but she knew the pig, a little devil and the love sign.
I'm curious about our next little chat date. kekeke...
Lots of brides [and guests] are always looking for the best, yet economical party favors. You want to appreciate your guests and share something sweet and thoughtful with them.
Lately... I've been setting up a lot of candy tables... but a new twist these days are popcorn tables! Here are my amature shots of the setup. These brides have found such savory sweets for their guests of all ages! :)
I always thought that creme brulee was difficult to make. I went to visit my friends in TX last year and she made it and it was easy-peasy. So I visited my BBB and bought the handi-dandy torch and it came with 4 dishes and a RECIPE. So here it is...
1. In a saucepan, mix 1/2 pint of heavy whipping cream and 2 Tablespoons of white sugar. Simmer until tiny bubbles form on the edge of the pan. Stir occasionally. [should take about 5 min or so]. Turn the stove off and let it sit.
2. Boil a pot of water.
3. Warm oven to 300 degrees F.
4. Take 2 extra-large egg yolks [or 3 large egg yolks] and mix with 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract in a larger bowl.
5. Gently pour 1/4 of the mixture into the egg-yolk bowl and mix briskly. Continue adding the whipping cream and stir the rest.
6. Place the little pans into a large cakepan [I use a glass one] and pour the egg yolk/whipping cream mixture into each little ramekin. Fill the cakepan with boiling water until it reaches halfway up to the sides of the ramekins.
7. Cover the large cakepan with tin foil.
8. Bake for 25 min until it is custardy.
9. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
10. Gently sprinkle white sugar on top and torch away! [note of caution, make sure to coat with enough sugar and move the torch in a constant motion so that you do not over-burn one section]
11. Eat alone or add a variety of fruit.
12. Lick the bowl clean. kekeke..
Just the other day, it was so hot... I could barely breathe outside and then it cooled down and feels like Fall is really right around the corner. I can't complain, but I'm not sure I'm looking forward to the early dark nights.
:( I'll have to enjoy my berries as long as possible.
[2 eggo waffles, lightly toasted with fresh fruit and heavy syrup! just missing some whip cream or powdered sugar...]
