Fabulous Fall & Thanksgiving Cookies

The weather in Seattle has just been wonderful. Sure it has been a little foggy or gray out but there hasn't been - hardly - any RAIN. Which means, the beautiful fall leaves in the tree last longer! I just love it!  I wrote a post about how "fall was coming" and it was evident in some of the trees and that was back on September 20th! I can't get enough of it and I am sure you may feel the same.

Since we are now approaching November, we are on the brink of the holiday season and some retail stores are already pulling out the Christmas gear (before Halloween? yup...earlier every year!). I was at Ross the other day and I was looking at there holiday racks and I found a 3 set of Wilton cookie cutters for $2 - SCORE.

I had to have them and try them out! It was a Thanksgiving set which came with a Turkey, a Leaf and a Pumpkin cookie cutter. I just did a custom order for my little sister's school. Their logo is an acorn so I thought the 3 piece set would go perfectly together to complete the fall theme.

So I give you my Autumn/Thanksgiving themed cookies! 

Fall & Thanksgiving Themed Cookie Platter

The green and yellow cookie was me playing around with one of my "leaf" tips. I was really inspired by all the transitioning leaves outside that I thought I would try and recreate that look. Little bit harder than it seems and I think I have an idea of what I can do next time to make it look a little better. But the best part was the loads of frosting on that one...mmmmm..... it was really fun to eat.

Gobble Gobble

Loving the turkeys! For the feathers I used a "leaf" tip (Wilton #67 I believe) to get the texture which I think is what I love most about these cookies. Gobble Gobble!

Leaves, Acorns and Pumpkins  

Pumpkin Love!

I wish we had time to make it to the pumpkin patch this year! I guess I will just have to settle for these pumpkin cookies instead!

Fall Themed Sugar Cookies

Now go grab a PSL, your heated blanket and light a fire because there is nothing like this time of year! Happy Fall everybody!

*If you would like to order some for your fall or Thanksgiving gathering, please email me! *

Apple Cup Cookies!

 If you are a Washington State resident and a huge college football fan, then you know the Apple Cup is where you will be. Whether it be tailgating and catching all the live action or maybe just at a warm and cozy house party, this is the one game of the season you are not going to miss. And like every year,  no matter how good either team is doing, it could be any one's game - like last year! 

So without further ado I give you my special Apple Cup Rivalry Platter!

Apple Cup 2013 Cookie Platter

Who Will Win This Year?

All UW Cookies (Sample)

All WSU Cookies (sample)

Washington State University Cookies

I dedicate these cookies to all Touchdown Loving, Husky Hating, Flag Flying, Coug Fans out there. For all those good times in Pullman, from having a beer at the Coug to eating some delicious Cougar Gold Cheese, Pullman will always have a special place in your heart and when you go back, you feel at home. GO COUGS!

Washington State University Cookie Platter (sample)

Pullman Love

WSU Football Helmets

Cougars Football Helmet

WSU Jersey and Football Helmets

Gotta Love Our Star Players

RAWR. GO COUGS

University of Washington Cookies

In preparation for the Apple Cup this year, I decided it was time to test out the Apple Cup themed cookies I have been contemplating for a few months now.

Now personally, I won't say which team I root for, I will try to be unbiased. So these cookies are for all the University of Washington Touchdown Loving, Coug Hating, Wave Starting Husky fans out there! I hope you enjoy them! 

University of Washington Cookie Platter (Sample)

Who's Ready for Apple Cup?

Seattle Love

Home Is Where the Heart Is

Husky Football Helmets

Death By Chocolate Ganache Cake

Parents are the hardest people to shop for when it comes to gifts. And they always say you don't have to get them something but that just makes me feel guilty. I mean its their birthday. Typically for any other holiday like mother's day or father's day we don't exchange gifts. Instead I usually cook a meal and we spend time together and call it good. Birthdays are different though. Home made gifts are always a good choice. They have to like it no matter what. So this year for my step-dad's birthday I decided to make him a delicious chocolate cake, all from scratch!

Super Chocolate Cake

Now like my blog post title, this is my preferred method of death. Inside are 3 layers of light and fluffy chocolate cake with alternating layers of divine chocolate ganache frosted with the ultimate chocolate buttercream.

I think I died and went to Heaven

Now I know you are probably thinking HOLY CHOCOLATE ATTACK. But the end result was really surprising. Upon cutting it open and dishing up a slice it looked dark and dense but after taking a bite it was very light and had a semi-sweet taste to it.

"Petaling"

But enough chocolate talk - let's talk about the frosting method. This style is called "petaling." You use a Wilton tip #12 which is just a round tip. After applying the crumb layer as shown above (don't worry about imperfections since they get covered up), you make a line of vertical dots, I did 5. Then you take your spatula tool you used to frost the cake and you press and drag half of the dot to the right. Repeat this process all the way around the cake. WARNING: You must have a lot of patience to do this method. It takes time. 

The finished product

My parent's just got home from a trip when I surprised my dad with the cake and we all sang him happy birthday. Later after we were done with the cake my mom asked if I had the box for the cake to put it back in. I looked at her confused and said "what box?" She then said, "The one that it came in from the store." - oh mom. "I made it," I told her. "YOU MADE IT?!" That was the biggest compliment. Thanks mom.

LINKS! Here is the link to the cake recipe. Also a good tutorial I used to learn how to do the frosting technique.